Lupomancy

lupomancy: (n.) the study and practice of occult lore relating to were-wolves; the esoteric manipulation of lupines

This term was coined by Masters of the Order, encompassing all study into the practical and occult properties of Garou. Lupomancy primarily focuses on studying their abilities and attempting to duplicate, harness or disable them. Specialists in Lupomancy also study the properties and uses of Garou vitae, and a number of useful rituals have come about through this, including some powerful potions with unpleasant effects on kindred.

Study was begun by the Great Grand Master in 1494, on a number of captured test subjects and kinfolk, whose lives were sustained long enough to carry out a number of interesting and useful experiments. Distilled here are some of the insights gained by Draconi researchers throughout the ages, along with some historical observances relevant to our Order which members may find interesting.

[ Historical Note: These original researches led to a Garou-instigated city uprising in 1522 which was ruthlessly crushed by the Grand Master. This is historically interesting in that it also involved what was to become the seeds of the first Anarchs movement. His enemies used this during the Conclave which overthrew him, to prove both his wreckless endangerment of the city, his lack of control, and his breaches of the newly-instigated Masquerade.]

Were-Vampires

The ritual to create Blood-Paths requires sacrifice of a were-vampire - and the special properties of the Garou spirit, linked to the power of the undead kindred Vitae - to punch a hole through the Gauntlet and anchor the beginning of a path through the Umbra. This is not the only way of penetrating the Gauntlet - other disciplines and rituals exist to locally shatter the boundary between Gaia and Umbra, but this ritual produces a tightly bound, clean hole through the Gauntlet, for those not having access to other methods.

(Thaumaturges of the First Circle and higher should note that this ritual is self-contained, but for those sufficiently powerful it may be modified by penetrating the Gauntlet in a different manner.)

There have been heated discussions within the Order about the supposed impossibility of creating were-vampires. We should remember that naturally-occuring were-vampires are incredibly rare (and immediately destroyed by their lupine peers), because normally when a lupine is drained of blood, and Vitae is given, their Gnosis will cause them to die rather than become a creature of the Wyrm.

[Editor's Note: This is of course a White Wolf ploy to prevent cross-fertilisation of powers between Vampire and Werewolf - can you imagine bands of almost indestructible were-vampires wandering about terrorising town and country?!]

Creation

There are also difficulties in that it requires an incredible amount of iron self-control for the kindred not to enter a frenzy of destructive Rage, after ingesting lupine blood. However, Draco experimentation has discovered that there is a process, though difficult, of creating were-vampires with a higher chance of survival. The most suitable subjects are young and inexperienced, perhaps even the children of lupine kinfolk who have not yet discovered their true nature. The subject must be Dominated into a total and permanently witless submission, and then taken through a lengthy process of mental and spiritual Conditioning to make it completely subservient to its Master's desires.

The resulting creature is pitiful, incapable of performing even the simplest tasks to feed and maintain itself, and its only value is in its innate spiritual connection with the Umbra. The creature is then ready. It makes a Gnosis roll to resist the Embrace, diff 7 (rather than only being Embraced as the result of a botched Gnosis roll). If the creature succeeds in resisting, it dies. If it fails, it becomes undead, though it is incapable of feeding or moving of its own volition.

Lupophials

Lupophials are the quirkily named potions distilled from lupine vitae and essences which can be highly toxic and effective on Kindred. Methods of their creation are lengthy and arcane, and will not be detailed here both for security and brevity, but Members should be aware of their existence. Many Chantries have Lupophial potions in their stores, although they are so rare and prized that they are seldom used. Many Tremere Regents even collect them, like a mortal might collect antiques.

Methods of delivery are diverse and ingenious, but on the whole they must enter the blood. The most certain method is therefore to contaminate a blood-source that the intended target is sure to drink from - they have no effect whatsoever on humans. However, the more potent phials may also be smear on knives or bladed weapons, or heavy-tipped metal syringes. The effect of any potion lasts until dawn, but will also dissipate if no more blood is left in the body. A few interesting examples are as follows:

Frenzy - a simple potion which will instantly induce a Frenzy in the subject.

Lupine Panic - subject instantly enters a powerful Rotschrek with +2 difficulty on Self-Control.

Unclean Gaze of Luna - the subject will enter Rotschrek whenever she sees the moon.

Scourge of Luna - subject becomes so sensitive that moonlight will damage her, receiving 1-3 non-aggravated health levels per turn on exposure, soakable. This is dependant on both the phase of the moon and cloud cover. (The effect of this is in fact psychological although most, without occult knowledge or high Auspex, will not realise it. A secret Int+Occ roll, diff 9, will suffice, without specific knowledge of this potion. Three points are necessary unless the subject guesses herself.)

See also:

Blood Paths

"Order of Draco", (c) Robert D How, 1998