“Stop calling it magic…” 

– Radislav, Tremere Ancillae

Characteristics

Unlocked by learning Blood Sorcery, Rituals are additional magical effects that must usually be prepared in advance. Unless otherwise noted, performing any Ritual requires uninterrupted concentration for five minutes per level, as well as a quantity of the caster’s Blood equal to one Rouse check. Some Rituals require more extensive ingredients or challenges to complete the casting; these are listed in the Ritual’s description along with the process by which to use those ingredients. 

Rituals that affect other characters are considered mental attacks. In addition, any Ritual effects immediately end if their caster dies. Unless otherwise stated, the caster can only perform Rituals upon herself or a location where she is physically standing.

Wards

A ward is a magical glyph or line of script placed on an object with the intention of repelling a single type of supernatural creature referred to as “the trespasser.” Any glyph or script will do; the methodology remains the same, regardless of the language or style used. For example, Tremere use hermetic sigils, while Banu Haqim use gematria. When the trespasser touches the warded object, a supernatural force of energy that feels much like an electric shock burns through the trespasser’s body. Wielding warded items and striking trespassers does not trigger the effects of the ward. Similarly, Attacking or using a Combat Maneuver against someone who has warded armor does not trigger the ward.  However, if the trespasser were to disarm a combatant of a warded sword, then tried to pick it up, this would trigger the ward. 

Wards can only cover objects no larger than three square feet or an area that would take only one step to cross. You could not ward an entire door, for example, but you could ward the door handle. The caster pours one Rouse check worth of blood, mixed with any required ingredients, on the object and traces the glyph with her bare finger. Once the casting time is complete, she may wipe away the Blood, rendering the ward invisible to mundane senses. Sense the Unseen can detect a ward if the Auspex user wins a contest challenge using her Wits + Awareness vs. the Ritual caster’s Intelligence + Occult. The ward lasts until the object is physically destroyed. Most objects that are warded only have one Structure, but particularly rugged items may have more. A character may only maintain a number of wards equal to twice her dots in the Occult Skill. If she creates a new ward in excess of her limit, the first (chronologically) ward she created ceases to function permanently. 

When a trespasser touches a ward (gloves or other garments offer no protection), she immediately takes one point of Aggravated Damage and must immediately release the object unless she activates a power such as Uncanny Grip, which protects her from being disarmed. She must then make a test to avoid Terror Frenzy, with a difficulty equal to the caster’s dots in the Occult Skill. Further attempts by the trespasser to touch the object require a Stamina + Resolve (difficulty 5) challenge before being able to. Successful contact again causes one Aggravated Damage, but does not risk sending the trespasser into a Terror Frenzy. If the trespasser is a creature that does not normally Frenzy, she still makes this test and, if they fail, must flee, directly away from the warded object for five minutes.

Warding Circles

Warding circles are similar to wards but are much larger and are painted on the ground or floor. Trespassers who attempt to cross the boundary of a warding circle suffer the same effects as if they had touched a warded object. Instead of letting go of the warded object, they instead cease their movement at the warding circles boundary. Should the trespasser wish, and presuming she has not succumbed to a Terror Frenzy, she may attempt to cross the boundary again by making a successful Stamina + Resolve (difficulty 7).  Each subsequent attempt to cross the boundary (successful or not) of a warding circle results in one point of Aggravated Damage but does not cause the trespasser to risk Frenzy. Once inside a warding circle, leaving its boundaries causes no ill effect. 

A ritualist may choose to inscribe a warding circle pointing inward around a trespasser (who has likely been incapacitated prior to the casting of the warding circle). In this case entering into the circle causes no ill effect but any trespassers trying to leave the circle suffer the effects of the ward.

Warding circles differ from wards in the following ways:

• A warding circle requires three Rouse checks to cast. If any of these cause the vampire to Frenzy, the ward cannot be completed.  
• Warding circles are considered enclosed columns with a radius up to 18 feet (six steps of movement). Warding circles cast indoors extend from floor to ceiling. Warding circles cast outdoors extend from ground level to 18 feet (six steps of movement). 
• A warding circle exists only on the plane of existence it was cast in. However, creatures attempting to circumnavigate a warding circle by crossing into (or out of) it from one realm are blocked in the same way as if they had encountered the border of the warding circle. In addition to the normal costs, creatures must repay any cost to cross the boundary between worlds on each subsequent attempt to bypass the warding circle in this way.
• Unlike normal wards, a warding circle can activate with forcible contact.
• Warding circles cost three Rouse checks worth of Blood to paint the necessary sigils and one full night to cast. This does not cost a Downtime Action.
• Warding circles last for a year and a day after casting. Once in place, nothing short of complete removal of all solid material 18 feet below the surface of the warding circle will end a warding circle early.
• A character may only maintain a number of warding circles equal to her Occult Skill. If she creates a new warding circle in excess of her limit the first (chronologically) Warding circle she created ceases to function permanently.