With this power, you are able to slow your target’s heartbeats and blood flow; while this won’t kill anyone on its own, it sends mortals into a coma-like sleep as the body adjusts to the sudden lack of resources.

Cost: One Rouse check

Challenge Pool: Resolve + Medicine vs. Stamina + Composure

System: You have mastered the manipulation of blood to the point where you can rob lesser beings of wakefulness. Make one Rouse check and spend your standard action to make an opposed challenge against the highest Stamina + Composure score of any animal or non-supernatural mortal in the same room (no larger than 250 square feet) as you. If used outdoors, or in a larger room, test against the highest score from the 10 closest animals or non-supernatural mortals.

If successfully used in a room smaller than 250 square feet, all other animals and non-supernatural mortals have their blood flow slow, putting them in a temporary coma and gaining the Helpless Condition. If used outside or in a larger room, it affects the 10 closest animals or non-supernatural mortals. If undisturbed, they will remain this way for 10 minutes. After this time has passed, the Helpless Condition resolves, and the mortal awakens. If they suffer any damage, the Helpless Condition resolves, and the mortal may then act on their normal initiative score and defend themselves normally.

Victims of this power have no recollection of any events that occurred around them while comatose. The moments before being affected by Slow the Beating Heart are foggy and hard to recall as if they were a dream. From the mortal’s perspective, they simply fell asleep inexplicably.

Duration: Ten minutes