by Paul Michael Graham
This discipline is the following of the spider. The mastery of
this discipline can make a vampire more deadly than even the most dangerous
spiders. The Arachne are
masters of this Discipline.
Level One
Spider Walk
This power allows a vampire to walk along any solid object that will support his weight (walls, ceilings, etc.) as if he where a spider.
System: No roll is required however, a blood point must be spent.
Level Two
The Jumping Spider
By employing this power, an Arachne can jump heights many times greater normal, thereby mimicking a jumping spider. This does not however provide the user with a means to land, but powers such as level one-Spider Walk will allow the kindred to jump
and then stick to a wall.
System: To activate this power, an Arachne must spend a blood point and the make a Dexterity + Athletics roll (Difficulty 7). The vampire may then jump 10' either vertically or horizontally for each success.
Level Three
Webs of Iron
This power allows a vampire to create and expel a strong form of sticky webbing. The webbing is spun from a small pair of spinnerets that appear at the base of the wrist when this power is developed and are virtually unnoticeable. The webbing is st
rong enough to hold the weight of the kindred employing it and may be used to swing from (AKA. Spider Man). Users of this power also have the inate ability to avoid sticking to their own webbing.
System: To attack with the webbing, the character must roll Dexterity + Weaving (Difficulty 7). If a successful attack is make, the webbing will grapple an opponent and have an affect equal to the number of successes made. Note tha
t targets may attempt to dodge the webbing (Difficulty 7), with each success taking away an attack success.
1 Success Victim has a -1 difficulty to all dice rolls
2 Successes Victim is -1 dice to all rolls
3 Successes Victim is -2 dice to all rolls
4 Successes Victim is -5 to all dice rolls
5 Successes Victim is immobilized
Level Four
Spider Shape
With this power, an Arachne can take the form of a spider similar to that of a tarantula. In this form the character is almost entirely unnoticeable (Perception + Alertness, Difficulty 9 to see).
System: There is no roll to use this power, but a blood point must be spent.
Level Five
Kiss of the Spider
This power allows an Arachne to attack with a poisonous bite (Strength + Potence aggravated damage) that will also contaminate a victims blood.
System: To use this power, a vampire must spend a first successfully bite his opponent and make a Dexterity + Medicine roll (Difficulty equal to opponents Stamina + Fortitude). Each success poisons one blood point of the victim, th
at can no longer be used. The contamination lasts until the new blood is replaced.
If all of a Kindred's blood points have been poisoned, she immediately enters a paralyzing state resembling torpor. The victim cannot recover until at least one point of fresh blood is given to the victim.
Mortals may attempt a soak roll to survive the poison. If a mortal fails to soak the damage, he becomes nauseated and will soon die.
Level Six
Arachniphobia
This power will allow an Arachne to cause a permanent fear of spiders in an opponent. To use this power, the character must first show the target a spider while enacting the discipline. This may be a picture of a spider but most prefer a live one.
If successful, the victim has to make a courage roll (Difficulty 8) or spend a willpower point, to go anywhere near a spider. If a victim of Arachniphobia is encountered by a spider an can not flee, he may go into Rotschreck.
System: The vampire must make a Manipulation + Subterfuge roll (Difficulty equals target's Willpower) to implant the phobia. The number of successes needed is equal to the victims courage.
Weave of Armor
With this power a vampire can coat his skin in an invisible protective webbing. The webbing is extremely resistant to physical damage and provides adequate protection form fire as well.
System: No roll is required to use this power, but three blood points must be spent to activate it. The webbing has a Fortitude bonus of +3 and lasts for one hour before the webbing desolves.
Level Seven
Cocoon of Blood
With use of this power, vampire can encase himself in a large cocoon filled with blood. The vampire then goes into a state of hibernation (similar to torpor) while the blood sinks into his skin. After the hibernation is done, the character becomes
extremely potent for a limited period of time allowing him to increase his Max. Trait Rating.
System: To use this power, the vampire must drain three blood points, from himself, into the cocoon, for every +1 he wishes to add to his Trait Max. Rating. The hibernation takes a full 24 hours to complete. After this time, the v
ampire awakens and must make a courage test (Difficulty 5, +1 for every Trait Max. Rating increase) to avoid frenzy (all future frenzy rolls are made at -2 difficulty for the duration of the increase). The effects of the increase last for one full night i
n which time the vampire's Physical stats can be increased to the new levels.
In using this power, there is no limit to how high the Trait Max. Rating can go, however, this is not without its consequences. First, all social attributes, for the duration of the increase, are lowered by one for every +1 that the Trait Max. Rati
ng is raised. Second, after the increases has faded, the character must make a Willpower roll (Difficulty 8) to avoid getting a permanent derangement because of the powerful blood.
Level Eight
Impending Doom of Arachne
This power allows an Arachne to summon a swarm of giant poisonous spiders to attack a foe.
System: A vampire using this skill must make a Wits + Animal Ken (Difficulty 7) to see how many spiders are successfully summoned. These spiders are identical to the ones in the Vampire Players Guide but are slightly different. The
y gain: +1 to all Physicals and Potence, one additional attack, and they are poisonous.
The spiders arrive immediately and fight until destroyed.
1 Success 5 Giant Spiders are summoned
2 Successes 10 Giant Spiders are summoned
3 Successes 15 Giant Spiders are summoned
4 Successes 20 Giant Spiders are summoned
5 Successes 25 Giant Spiders are summoned
Levels Nine and Ten
There are no know Arachne lower than fifth generation, but the bloodline persists that they are a clan and have an Antediluvian founder.
