The Rituals
Using blood magic is not difficult. It requires only two things: knowledge of the ritual and enough blood to make it work. If a noble knows the proper ritual, he can perform it. All he needs then is the blood.
Each ritual listed below has a specific description detailing exactly how the ritual is performed and the requirements to perform it correctly. Any deviation from these requirements causes the ritual to fail. There is no standard for rituals: all of them are very different. Each one makes different demands. Like the ven researching them, you must learn the ritual itself to master it.
A ven character may learn any ritual whenever he likes. You can find out how to learn rituals in the Seasons chapter. In short, a ritual takes a Season to learn. Some take longer—see each ritual for details.
The Circle
An old ritual originally associated with hedge wizards and wise women, the blood circle creates a ward against hungry spirits. The name is a bit misleading for the ritual does not create a circle, per se, but a zone of protection against the invisible world.
The ritual must be performed upon a door. The sorcerer cuts his hand or wrist and spills enough blood to make a mark on the door. He then shuts the door behind him, locking it with his bloody hand, leaving some drops on the lock.
As long as the door is not opened, nothing from the invisible world may enter. The ritual lasts until dawn.
The Curse
A blood curse requires only one sorcerer and one target. The target must be within sight and must be able to hear the sorcerer. The sorcerer cuts his skin, letting his blood flow. He takes one Injury (“severe cut”) at least. He may take as many as five Injuries before the curse kills him.
The curse puts an aspect on the target. The rank of the aspect is equal to the number of Injuries the sorcerer is willing to take. Yes, this ritual can kill you. The aspect must specify a thing the subject must or must not do and begin with the phrase “You will always” and “You will never.” For example, the following curses are appropriate:
• “You will never sleep in the same bed twice.”
• “You will always lie to the ones you love.”
• “You will never hold your father’s sword again.”
• “You will always betray your family.”
Whenever the target goes against a “You will never” curse, those that oppose him may tag that aspect, gaining dice as appropriate.
Whenever the subject follows the dictates of a “You will always” curse, he may invoke that aspect for bonus dice as appropriate.
For example, a character with the “You will always lie to the ones you love” blood curse lies to his brother about a delicate affair (sleeping with his brother’s wife). “No, brother,” he says. “We have never lay together.” Following the dictates of his curse, he gains bonus dice.
As another example, a character with the “You will never sleep in the same bed twice” blood curse decides to ignore his restriction and do as he wishes, sleeping in the same bed two nights in a row. As soon as he does, his curse becomes an aspect that others may tag. There is no restriction to the number of times this aspect may be tagged.
A blood curse may only be removed by the sorcerer himself or by a blood relative of the sorcerer (father, mother, son or daughter). It must be removed voluntarily and not under any kind of duress.
The Eye
This ritual is known only by the House of the Serpent. Those outside the House who have used it in the presence of the Blooded of the Serpent usually find themselves at mysterious ends rather quickly.
This ritual requires only a bit of blood: a few drops. The sorcerer makes his cut, chanting the words of the ritual as he does, placing his wounded hand over his own left eye. Blood oozes into the eye, making it red. The sorcerer may now look upon any individual and see if he is using any blood rituals or carrying any blooded items. No test is involved.
The ritual lasts for one night, and all the while, the left eye remains a deep crimson: no pupil, no iris. Just blood red.
The Familiar
Rumors of this ritual among the Blooded of the Bear were rampant in the courts. It was not until two generations ago that evidence of its use finally found the light of day. The ritual bonds an animal to the sorcerer, making the beast a companion for life.
The animal must be fed the sorcerer’s blood (usually mixed with milk) when it is an infant. As the beast grows, at least one Injury’s worth of blood (“cut hand” or “cut wrist”) is fed for one Season. When the beast matures, the blood merges the sorcerer’s soul with the animal, creating a powerful bond.
The sorcerer always knows the location and general emotional state of the beast.
While they cannot communicate directly, the beast can share what it has seen with the sorcerer. It may share one day’s worth of sight and hearing. It cannot communicate language—animals cannot understand ven language.
If the beast is ever killed, the sorcerer receives a rank 3 Injury: “Lost Familiar.”
The Mirror
Making a blood mirror requires an ornate and intricate mirror of at least 3 Style. The sorcerer uses his own blood in the creation of the mirror, mixing it with the sand. Making a blood mirror requires one Season of work.
When finished, the sorcerer can use the blood mirror to spy on others. He must gain something personal from the individual he wishes to spy upon. It could be a page from a diary, a comb, a glove, or any other object that belongs to the target. The sorcerer holds the item and bleeds onto the mirror. He may observe his target until dawn.
Oath of Fealty
This ritual requires the blood of two individuals, leaving a rank 1 Injury (“cut hand” or “cut wrist”) on both. One participant is “the sovereign” and the other is “the subjugate.” The two participants cut their hands or wrists and bleed into a cup. The sovereign and subjugate make pledges: one to protect and the other to serve. When the ritual is done, both drink from the cup. The sovereign takes one sip while the subjugate finishes off the blood.
When the ritual is finished, the subjugate gains a new rank 3 aspect: “Blooded Sovereign.” Whenever he is serving his sovereign or protecting him from harm, he may call upon that aspect. On the other hand, the sovereign may tag that aspect as well, forcing the subjugate to serve. The subjugate has no choice: he must obey his sovereign’s command or all actions lose 3 dice until he does so.
This ritual lasts as long as the sovereign and subject deem it lasts. The duration is agreed upon before the ritual takes place and cannot be changed during or after the ritual.
Oath of Fellowship
The Oath of Fellowship may be the most common ritual in ven society. Young nobles use it to create bonds between each other, protecting themselves from the various treacheries of the court. It is a variation of the Oath of Fealty ritual (above).
A group of nobles bleeds into a cup, each receiving a single rank 1 Injury (“cut hand” or “cut wrist”), then, each drinks from the cup as a promise is made. Each ven then receives a rank 1 aspect: “Blood Oath.” The aspect may have additional ranks for additional Injuries. For example, if the ven choose to take a rank 2 Injury, the Blood Oath aspect is also rank 2. The limit on this is rank 3.
The nobles of the Oath may invoke or tag this aspect, but no other. Anyone outside the Oath may not tag the Blood Oath aspect. Invoking or tagging the aspect gains specific effects, listed below.
• You may invoke your own aspect for three bonus dice.
• If you are protecting someone within your own circle, you may tag their aspect for bonus dice.
• You may invoke your aspect to know the emotional state of someone within your Oath.
• You may invoke your aspect to know the general direction and distance of someone within your Oath.
While the Oath of Fellowship is a powerful tool, it also bears a heavy cost. If you ever betray any member of the circle, the Oath is broken for all of you. Also, the word “traitor” burns onto your forehead for a year and a day. Within that time, you may make no Oaths.
The Quill
The Bloody Quill is used most often by the House of the Falcon. Rumor has it the ritual was developed by a Falcon, although the House historians deny this claim. The ritual requires a few drops of blood be dropped into an inkwell. The ink in the well must be fresh. The sorcerer recites the ritual as the blood drops and as a quill stirs the ink and blood together. While the ritual is active (until dawn), anyone writing with the quill cannot write a lie. If the inkwell is spilled, the ritual ends.
The Rose
This ritual was developed by a Fox sorcerer many generations ago. The sorcerer uses a rose—any rose will do—to perform the ritual. He cuts his hand or wrist, bleeds a few drops onto the petals, and places the rose on a table. As many as four may sit at the table. As long as they sit at the table, anyone not sitting at the table hears nothing but gibberish sing-song from those sitting at it. The ritual lasts until dawn, until the rose is removed, or if someone leaves the table.
The Sword
Another very common ritual, the Sword requires an entire Season to perform. The sorcerer must either employ a blacksmith or be a blacksmith himself for this ritual to succeed.
The ritual requires at least one Season to perform. The sorcerer and blacksmith work together forging the sword. The sorcerer’s blood is used in the process, requiring one rank 1 Injury (“cut hand” or “cut wrist”) per Season. The blood is mixed with the iron as it is red hot, the sorcerer chanting as the blacksmith does his work.
When the work is done, the blood sword remains. It is a powerful weapon, bonded to the sorcerer. A blood sword gives many benefits, but only to the sorcerer who created it.
It is said blood swords sing to their wielders and that using a blood sword is much like dancing with a brilliant partner. When using his blood sword, the wielder gains a number of bonus dice equal to the number of Seasons used to prepare it.
A blood sword can cut through iron, stone and even marble. It may only be broken by another blood sword. Breaking through iron with a blood sword requires 3 effect. Breaking through stone requires 4 effect. Breaking through marble requires 5 effect. Breaking another blood sword also requires 5 effect.
When a blood sword is broken, it bleeds like an open wound. Those who have watched such an event felt a profound sense of sorrow and some have even claimed to hear weeping.
Vendetta
A very dangerous ritual, the blood vendetta is also the oldest. The ritual requires two participants: the sorcerer and another. A knife tastes the blood of both and then each subject puts his hand on the knife, making a promise to kill the other.
Once completed, the ritual gives each participant an aspect: “Vendetta (X).” This aspect can be invoked for three bonus dice, but only for actions that lead to the death of the other. Also, the subjects of the ritual always know where the other is and what emotional state he is in. He also becomes aware of all his enemy’s aspects.
If a Season passes and the vendetta has not been fulfilled, both participants receive a rank 1 Injury, “Vendetta Pains.” They begin as a low ache near the heart, a constant reminder that the vow has not been fulfilled. If another Season passes, the aspect gains another rank. Now, the pains are sharp, piercing the heart. This continues until the vendetta has been fulfilled.
