Diablarizing Antediluvians, punching ancient demons in the face, and witnessing the exaltation of horrifying multi-souled abominations.
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rydi
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The Journal of an Assamite Chirurgeon and Alchemist

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Entry 4
Since beginning this journal, my time has been brief. Even for those not of the warrior caste, the studies are arduous. My training is further complicated by the gifts of my blood. My sire tells me I must not show my ability to craft my flesh, a rare ability he inherited via Diablerie of an infidel he explains, for it would alienate and endanger me. I must work all the harder to master my other disciplines, and the lore of our clan, while ignoring the call of my other talents.

Entry 12
There is so much they do not know, so much that seems so clear to me. The blood sorcery aligns perfectly with the arts of quietus and vicissitude, yet they have not explored the implications. Dabbling in tainted blood is not our calling they say. Instead, we are to purge it. But like any sickness, how can you heal a patient if you do not understand the nature of the malady? And there are even greater implications... What if we could master our enemies by understanding and controlling their very vitae?

Entry 27
My mastery of the necessary disciplines complete, my early experiments successful, my assignment to a quiet post in Eastern Europe arranged, and the necessary subjects procured, I am now ready to begin my advanced studies. Though I will surely be viewed as a heretic by my clan if I am found out, I firmly believe that my inquiries will only help further our great work...

Entry 34
My first project continues to thwart my every effort. I believed that I would be easily able to replicate the dubious achievement of the Tremere warlocks and combine the blood of the monstrous lineages to create gargoyle servitors for our own clan. I was sorely mistaken. The blood refuses to combine; it only carries the curse of the strongest blood. The one glimmer of promise that allows me to continue is subject 7; its facility with the Gangrel disciplines is augmented by an innate understanding of obfuscate. Its continued attempts at hiding from me bring me hope.

Entry 35
My stolen notes state that only two of the three bloodlines are used in the process. I begin to understand why. Attempts at combining all three result in hideous, nearly mindless, territorial, protean beasts. I shall end this strain of research soon... Though these do present lovely specimens for developing my mastery over the properties of the blood. Perhaps I can utilize both blood sorcery and quietus to change the properties of their vitae.

Entry 39
Success! It was some taint in the pure Tzimisce blood, overpowering and combining with the other two lineages. By utter chance I began my work with the Gangrel and Nosferatu blood (all taken from subjects of the same generation; I have learned from past mistakes) on a subject that was descended from a long line of Tzimisce ghouls, and the resulting creation was a stable specimen displaying discipline proclivities associated with all three lines. Finally, a discovery that will allow me to further my research!

Entry 42
Having put down my earlier experiments and procured proper revenant subjects at great cost, and not insignificant personal risk, I am exceedingly satisfied with the results. The subjects continue to surprise me. While they do not possess the wings of their warlock-crafted cousins, my gargoyles all display facility with disciplines of all three clans. Further, the interaction of blood seems to have altered the expression of the disciplines in surprising ways. One subject, for example, was able to merge with stone and dirt alike, despite no ability with more basic aspects of Protean, and another subject with precocious advanced understanding of animalism displayed instinctive knowledge of his entire territory. These results are congruent with reported abilities of the Tremere Gargoyles, but they manifest somewhat differently... A result of the successful combination of 3 lineages? Finally, at least half of them show facility with a fourth discipline, an uncommon but not unheard of phenomenon that I have managed to "breed" into the subjects. Dare I congratulate myself? Will they remain stable?

Entry 43
Were I to show these results to others, they would never believe. I can scarce believe my own senses, but the evidence is impossible to ignore. A third of my subjects are displaying innate understanding of ALL the disciplines of their three progenitor clans, with absolutely no outside tutelage from myself or their fellow subjects. What does this mean, how did this happen? Did some dark alchemy occur in the combining? Was the sorcery I used to separate and distil the vitae a catalyst sparking this miracle? Can it be replicated in those already of the Blood?

Entry 49
While results indicate that it might be possible to engineer changes in the vitae of those already embraced, my mastery of the necessary disciplines is insufficient to the task. I must study harder. In the meantime, my other subjects continue to develop, and I am even more confident in the value of my work. The subjects remain stable, and differences in the various specimens are playing out. I believe my next work will be cataloging these variances.

Entry 51
My analysis is complete, at least for the time. I find it extremely interesting that they all seem to share the same bestial natures, partial amnesia, and hideous appearance, but strangely divergent behavioral traits and discipline manifestations. I can only assume that the differences inherent to the various revenant families are to blame. The Bratovich subjects all display a terrible rage that only my limited ability with the mental disciplines, and copious quantities of blood, can contain. They also seem to display the altered protean and obfuscate powers that have so impressed me. One of my Bratovitch subjects displayed one of the altered animalism abilities, but it seems to be an uncommon trait in the line. The Obertus subjects tend to display altered animalism and protean, but traditional obfuscate abilities. They show strange obsessions and habitual behavior, like many a caged animal, but far more extreme. The other families show similar, but less useful results. What use is a monstrous guardian that can dominate its master, or a warrior with a tiny store of vitae? That said, I eagerly anticipate the day when my servants return with my prized specimens, twins of the nearly extinct Danislaw family... Their lupine blood will make for engrossing study, but I must take every precaution not to waste them.

Entry 52
In an attempt to make space and avoid waste, I have fed the least of my experiments to my greatest successes. In the weeks following, the creatures grew in power, but I sadly had to destroy two that grew addicted to the amaranth and began attacking the others. More disturbing, the others began manifesting a strange new ability, projecting fear and revulsion at me in an attempt to overpower me. While I am excited by the prospect of a new discipline, I believe I will bond the remaining creatures; they are past the point at which the introduction of my blood will taint the research, and they grow too strong to not be under my complete control. My conditioning will only hold so long without further reinforcement.

Entry 54
Finally, after many misadventures, my loyal servants return. Though many lost their lives, they can rest peacefully in the knowledge that they served their master well. The Danislaw children are mine. They are spirited and ferocious beyond their mortal frames. They will make fine subjects... Fine servants.
Threading the Gerbil since 1982

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Post by rydi »

Following each journal selection is a post describing the mechanics for the creatures and processes described in the narrative. First up, evolved gargoyles.

The creation of the alternate Gargoyle bloodline involves the use of Thaumaturgy (Path of Blood) to properly analyze blood samples, a specialized 6th level Quietus power to separate and distill desired mystical traits from the blood, and a hint of either Biothaumaturgical Experimentation of Viscissitude to to lock in the desired changes. These creatures are the first successful experiment of the Doctor, and as such are imperfect creatures. They are still an enormous breakthrough that, though different from the work of the Tremere, are rivals to the standard gargoyle in both power and versatility.

The Evolved Gargoyle, at its most basic level, relies on a specific set of merits and flaws. It is recommended that the following set of merits/flaws not count against character creation limits, as it functionally replicates the advantages and disadvantages similar to traditional Gargoyles:
Revenant Disciplines - 3pt merit
Extra Discipline - 5pt merit
Corrupt Embrace - 3pt flaw
Monstrous - 3pt flaw
Revenant Family Flaw, varies by family (Examples: Territorial, Obsessive, Vulnerability to Silver) 2pt Flaw

Evolved Gargoyles are all Monstrous (appearance 0) and possess a flaw based on their revenant family line. They also gain more animalistic traits as they age, similar to the Gangrel flaw, but without any associated permanent reduction in other traits.

The Gargoyle takes on the disciplines of the revenant family, and one other discipline to properly represent all three clans. For most of the "standard" rule-set Evolved Gargoyles, the best discipline is actually Abombwe, as it is functionally a modified version of Protean that allows for more thematically appropriate modifications. For revenant families that already possess protean (like the Danislaws) another discipline should be selected. All Evolved Gargoyles use the vicissitude rules listed in Kindred of the Ebony Kingdom, rather than the standard rules for vicissitude.

The bloodline, while it will breed true, is inherently flawed. Without the assistance of the Doctor or another thaumaturge with knowledge of his special level 3 ritual Calming the Vitae, creatures embraced or ghouled by an Evolved Gargoyle are likely to turn in to mindless monsters within an hour of consuming the Gargoyle's vitae. As the line develops, it is possible that this trait may disappear over time in some Evolved Gargoyles (3pt Merit); it is further suggested that those of the same revenant line have a higher chance of a normal embrace (1 in 10 become bestial instead of 9 in 10).

Between 1/3 and 1/2 of Evolved Gargoyles in the over-the-top, cinematic action setting of Dudes of Legend function under an additional set of rules. These gifted Gargoyles benefit from the Evolved legendary template, allowing them to take on the traits of Vampire: the Requiem vampires. These vampires are created as above, and then gain the following benefits:

+1 to Stamina or Wits
3 clan disciplines of the Gangrel or Nosferatu not already possessed by the vampire, and Nightmares as a clan discipline
3 dots of disciplines in the above Requiem disciplines
Clan flaws of Requiem Gangrel and Nosferatu
+2 Blood Potency
1 point of NWOD Merits
Threading the Gerbil since 1982

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