Interest Checks - World of Darkness

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vicky_molokh Inactive for 15 days

Dec 25, 2025 5:17 pm

Dec 25, 2025 5:17 pm

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

Qralloq says:

It's a question I've asked myself periodically through many campaigns. Truth is, I can't think of way to make it interesting in the shared meat space -- as in, what would the players be doing in this? "I roll for my PC to meditate on their existential dilemma inherent in being a perfectly designed predator who wants to transcend the need for everything that makes them so perfect."

"Okay, you meditate for thirty years and order a couple treatises on eBay. Roll Self Control, difficulty 10."

Or would they have to travel the world, chasing red herrings until they investigate the few legitimate instances of actual success? That could be a good campaign arc, but only if the players were REALLY interested in achieving this.

Is that really how it works? I'm not knowledgeable in Golconda, but IIRC it involved stuff like living in the world while maintaining high Humanity before it worked, and that seems like a playable thing - after indeed chasing some leads and researching the rest of the methodology.

For Wraith, it involves resolving Fetters and making peace with one's Shadow or something, which, once again, seems playable. For Mages, it involves achieving high Arete and Spheres and figuring out where one's Paradigm was narrow-minded, for the other Mages it involves a bunch of different paths to enlightenment too.

reversia.ch Inactive for 18 days

Dec 25, 2025 7:21 pm

Dec 25, 2025 7:21 pm

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

Qralloq says:

Truth is, I can't think of way to make it interesting in the shared meat space -- as in, what would the players be doing in this?

That was my thinking as well. How do you describe an enlightenment for it to have actual weight, heft, meaning? Maybe I'm just not imaginative enough, but I feel like that "leap" from ignorance to understanding to enlightenment is left vague for a reason - it's not something that is meant to be described but experienced. That being said, having a chronicle chronicling a character going from ignorance to understanding and then making the next leap a bit more obscure might feel fulfilling enough if the process of learning was itself deep, involved and satisfying.

vicky_molokh says:

Those campaign goals feel so mythic, epic, and unachievable, much like the stereotypical zero-to-demigod campaigns

I feel like the "higher states" of WoD differ from the typical epic fantasy fair of ascensions to goodhood in that they are less about the power level and more about personal discovery. A higher Generation Cainite who managed to achieve Golconda is hardly a match for even a young Methuselahs. Mage who achieves Ascension usually removes himself from world, hence why they are rarely encountered.

I also found it pretty strange that vampires chasing Golconda have to maintain only high Humanity. Why are Paths excluded? I'm not too familiar with Dark Age's Roads, but how did those worked? And if they did, why don't Paths?

vicky_molokh Inactive for 15 days

Dec 25, 2025 7:29 pm

Dec 25, 2025 7:29 pm

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

reversia.ch says:

vicky_molokh says:

Those campaign goals feel so mythic, epic, and unachievable, much like the stereotypical zero-to-demigod campaigns

I feel like the "higher states" of WoD differ from the typical epic fantasy fair of ascensions to goodhood in that they are less about the power level and more about personal discovery. A higher Generation Cainite who managed to achieve Golconda is hardly a match for even a young Methuselahs. Mage who achieves Ascension usually removes himself from world, hence why they are rarely encountered.

I also found it pretty strange that vampires chasing Golconda have to maintain only high Humanity. Why are Paths excluded? I'm not too familiar with Dark Age's Roads, but how did those worked? And if they did, why don't Paths?

I was thinking of stuff like Archmages on the path to Ascension - Arete 6+ ones. Sure, eventually they may remove themselves from the world (unless they take the Bodhisatva path or something), but before that happens, they have a long path ahead. Similarly, for CoD Archmages on the path to ascension have a lot of stuff, and the paths vary.

As for Paths of Enlightenment, probably has something to do with those being generally 'monstrous', which seems at odds with the humanist portrayal of Golconda.

Dominic Inactive for 17 days

Dec 25, 2025 10:54 pm

Dec 25, 2025 10:54 pm

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

To me, it's either an unreachable end or if you reach it, it's the end.

Like a faerie tale, where you don't read the part of the "happily ever after"...

Alordis Inactive for 17 days

Dec 26, 2025 2:43 am

Dec 26, 2025 2:43 am

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

Always seemed like "character death by another means". . . you've achieved your character's endgame and the game's over for that character.

reversia.ch Inactive for 18 days

Dec 28, 2025 10:21 am

Dec 28, 2025 10:21 am

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

Hey, quick question. Does anybody remember/know if this was an official thing? Auspex users being able to identify one another, because any use of Auspex makes your eyes glow blue, but it is only visible to other people with Auspex? So, for example, if you're at the Prince's banquet and decide to Aura Read, every other Auspex user in the room will know because the color of your eyes will change, akin to Protean 1 Eyes of the Beast.

Qralloq Inactive for 17 days

Dec 28, 2025 5:42 pm

Dec 28, 2025 5:42 pm

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

I asked ChatGPT to review the official sources and it reports finding no such mention.

However, I REALLY like that as a homebrew rule. I'll think about adding it to my ongoing chronicle, as it's early enough that that could be a thing they've not yet encountered.

[ +- ] ChatGPT output

I checked official Vampire: The Masquerade texts and reputable compendia (principally the core rulebooks and discipline descriptions) for anything about Auspex use causing an eyes-glow effect that’s only visible to other Auspex users, and here’s what the official material actually says:

✅ Official RAW Statements (Across Editions)

1. Auspex does not manifest any visible effect on the user’s body, eyes, etc.

The discipline’s core description explicitly notes that Auspex "never by itself manifests in a way visible to the naked eye or causes effects that can’t be rationalized." That includes while it’s being actively used.
Roll20

2. That’s true in most canonical Vampire: The Masquerade texts (including Revised/20th/older editions).

The V20 and similar rule summaries confirm Auspex grants heightened perception, aura/supernatural detection, etc. but doesn’t make the user physically glow or have a visible power effect in public.
Polenthlair

3. There’s no official text stating that Auspex makes a user’s eyes glow blue, red, or any color — either to everyone or selectively only to other Auspex users.

Searches of both core Discipline descriptions and community quotations of rulebook text don’t locate any such eye-glow mechanic.
Roll20

✅ Why the Myth Might Exist

Homebrew / house-rule tradition: Many STs and players add narrative flair like "eyes glow when Auspex is used," but that’s not something the official books say.
Community discussions (e.g., on Reddit) explicitly note that such eye-glow flavor is not found in official text; players sometimes remember it from home games or from other systems.
Reddit

Confusion with other mechanics:

Protean’s Eyes of the Beast power does describe a visual effect — a red gleam/eyes changing when active — but that’s a different Discipline, not Auspex.
White Wolf Wiki

Some Necromancy effects in other lines show physically visible changes (e.g., eye glows when perceiving ghosts), but this is not Auspex.
Reddit

🧠 So What Is Canon?

RAW Auspex = no visible eye glow at all when activated.

Nothing in official source books states that Auspex use causes eyes to glow only visible to other Auspex users — that concept appears to be purely homebrew/third-party narrative flavor.

Feel free to include an eye-glow effect in your chronicle as a narrative cue if you and your group like it — just know that it’s not in the official rules source texts.

reversia.ch Inactive for 18 days

Dec 28, 2025 6:08 pm

Dec 28, 2025 6:08 pm

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

Sigh. Thanks for checking. If it wasn't from the books, then where the hell did I pulled it from? I already used this in both of my VtM chronicles, so I guess I'll check with the players, see if they're fine with this change.

BedzoneII Inactive for 17 days

Dec 29, 2025 10:37 am

Dec 29, 2025 10:37 am

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

I've always understood from the various versions of the books, and also played/GMed Aura Perception as something the Auspex user does without anyone being able to know they are doing so. I don't remember anywhere that allows Auspex users to sense each other the moment they use the discipline. It would make for some very strange interactions in the other powers, eg it would make Heightened Senses weird (you can sense things, but others know you're sensing them), and Telepathy would be way less impactful (others will know you're speaking mentally). I imagine Auspex to be one of the quiet passive disciplines.

Maybe it's from pop culture? Media loves to depict use of powers with a glow, or a flash of eye colour. XD

Qralloq Inactive for 17 days

Dec 29, 2025 5:25 pm

Dec 29, 2025 5:25 pm

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

BedzoneII says:

Maybe it's from pop culture? Media loves to depict use of powers with a glow, or a flash of eye colour. XD

Great observation. I remember lots of eye flashing in Kindred: The Embraced but then again almost every kindred seemed to have levels of Protean.

Dominic Inactive for 17 days

Dec 29, 2025 11:28 pm

Dec 29, 2025 11:28 pm

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

It's enough when there was a memorable scene at a former play, where Gamemaster and/or player described it in this detail...

reversia.ch Inactive for 18 days

Dec 30, 2025 11:38 am

Dec 30, 2025 11:38 am

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

BedzoneII says:

Maybe it's from pop culture? Media loves to depict use of powers with a glow, or a flash of eye colour. XD

I distinctly remember something about this effect stopping people from using Auspex inside Elysium (since the use of Disciplines is technically forbidden) for the fear of being discovered by their peers.

BedzoneII says:

It would make for some very strange interactions in the other powers, eg it would make Heightened Senses weird (you can sense things, but others know you're sensing them), and Telepathy would be way less impactful (others will know you're speaking mentally). I imagine Auspex to be one of the quiet passive disciplines.

Other vampires do not know what you doing, just that you are doing it. You might be simply sharpening your senses because you're hard of hearing or you could be skimming the thoughts of the top of Tremere Primogen's head. The "blue glow" effect limits these uses in public spaces, where you know other hyper-perceptive vampires dwell.

emsquared Inactive for 17 days

Dec 30, 2025 4:52 pm

Dec 30, 2025 4:52 pm

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

I will add my voice to those saying they are not aware of such an effect.

Using Auspex is actually pretty common in Elysium in my experience.

As with all of the rules of Vampires, it's not important that you follow the rules, it's only important that you not get caught not-following the rules.

reversia.ch Inactive for 18 days

Dec 31, 2025 4:00 pm

Dec 31, 2025 4:00 pm

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

emsquared says:

Using Auspex is actually pretty common in Elysium in my experience.

That just feels off though. If no one was following the "no Disciplines" rule and there was no obvious way to detect it, would the guests be able to properly relax? With some schmuck listening in on the conversations using Heightened Senses or some Malkavian creep hiding in the toilets, Aura Reading. While I do get that the Elysiums are supposed to be (high level Camarilla ones, at least) close to an official function, such as diplomatic talks or royal audience, so nothing is revealed plainly, instead wordplay, intonations and other tools of the social dance being used, still.. Freely using Auspex just doesn't feel right.

reversia.ch Inactive for 18 days

Jan 4, 2026 10:12 am

Jan 4, 2026 10:12 am

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

Well, I guess the Golcondas and Ascensions are somewhat involved and nebulous processes.. but how about vampiric Paths of Enlightenment? Has your Cainite ever managed to shift his perceptions of human morality to one of artificial, alien, inhuman Paths? Have you guided one of your players through such a change? How long did it take in-game and out? Did the character actually change and if so, how?

vicky_molokh Inactive for 15 days

Jan 4, 2026 10:18 am

Jan 4, 2026 10:18 am

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

Paths of Enlightenment are a routine thing that happens a lot in the Sabbat. I've had some players play Paths, this is no more arbitrary or strange than the list provided for Humanity (if you don't think it's an odd list, consider e.g. that it places property damage at rating 5, but has no penalties for battering/biting nonconsenting people and drinking their blood, even though it's central to VtM). And IIRC one PC did start out on Humanity and shift to some Path, but it was a long time ago and it was my first campaign, so it was a bit bumpy and not very well-described. But then again, RPGs regularly gloss over a lot of stuff. IIRC it took under a month in-character, and a few sessions out of character.

Qralloq Inactive for 17 days

Jan 4, 2026 1:44 pm

Jan 4, 2026 1:44 pm

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

I run Sabbat based games as often as Camarilla, and Paths of Enlightenment are certainly something that I have NPCs encourage.

When a PC wants to switch then they need a mentor of course, but we make it a downtime activity, something that can only occur during a time-skip of at least several months.

In one campaign a PC wanted to switch during regular play, so I had them reduce their Humanity down to one or two by committing Sins appropriate to the intended Path, then they can switch, and have to build the Path rating up from there with xp.

reversia.ch Inactive for 18 days

Jan 4, 2026 3:39 pm

Jan 4, 2026 3:39 pm

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

It's one of those things that are hard to portray properly. You take too little time - whether in-game or by skipping it with downtiming - and you miss out on what makes Paths and switching to them great - that gradual slide, descent and shift of perspectives and perception from normal to completely alien. Just wouldn't feel earned, I feel like. On the other hand spending years in-game, especially in one that is slow moving, is just not feasible.

vicky_molokh says:

if you don't think it's an odd list, consider e.g. that it places property damage at rating 5, but has no penalties for battering/biting nonconsenting people and drinking their blood, even though it's central to VtM

I'd put assault for the purpose of feeding (assuming vampire is hungry) at 4 - "Impassioned Violation". You violated someone's freedom to.. be?, but you've done it while under the influence of Beast/hunger. If you're doing it on purpose - hunting only "evil" people, to then violently drain them, for example, that would go into 3 - "Planned Violation".

emsquared Inactive for 17 days

Jan 8, 2026 8:10 pm

Jan 8, 2026 8:10 pm

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

reversia.ch says:

emsquared says:

Using Auspex is actually pretty common in Elysium in my experience.

That just feels off though. If no one was following the "no Disciplines" rule and there was no obvious way to detect it, would the guests be able to properly relax? With some schmuck listening in on the conversations using Heightened Senses or some Malkavian creep hiding in the toilets, Aura Reading. While I do get that the Elysiums are supposed to be (high level Camarilla ones, at least) close to an official function, such as diplomatic talks or royal audience, so nothing is revealed plainly, instead wordplay, intonations and other tools of the social dance being used, still.. Freely using Auspex just doesn't feel right.

Looks like the discussion has moved on, but I guess I would also never have thought of Elysium as a place where you can relax.

reversia.ch Inactive for 18 days

Jan 8, 2026 10:10 pm

Jan 8, 2026 10:10 pm

Interest Checks - World of Darkness

emsquared says:

Looks like the discussion has moved on, but I guess I would also never have thought of Elysium as a place where you can relax.

No reason not continue old conversations! I try bumping with questions, when I can think of anything interesting. As for Elysiums, I guess I imagine them as more an arena for showing off your "mundane" social prowess. Using Auspex or any other Disciplines inside kinda goes against that, making the battles of words and meanings less impressive and uhh.. bland? Not that much of an achievement to make a Kindred frenzy if you actively monitoring his aura to see which line of inquiry annoys him the most.

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