Chimerstry

Chimerstry creates illusions — phantom sensory experiences with no physical substance. Unlike Obfuscate (which clouds minds) or Dominate (which compels actions), Chimerstry manufactures false perceptions that the target’s own senses then interpret as real. At high levels the illusions have enough apparent substance to cause actual harm through the mind-body link.

The Ravnos tradition: Chimerstry is deeply tied to the Ravnos cultural identity as travelers, tricksters, and survivors. Their illusions reflect a philosophical position: that all of reality is illusory, that Chimerstry simply makes the point clearly. Many Ravnos view their powers as existentially significant, not just tactically useful.

Auspex interaction: Auspex can pierce Chimerstry using the Auspex vs. Chimerstry mechanic (see Auspex). The observer must actively attempt detection — passive Auspex does not automatically see through illusions.

Powers

● Ignis Fatuus

Cost: 1 Willpower | Pool: Automatic | Duration: Until the vampire chooses to end it

Create a static, minor sensory illusion: a visual image, a smell, a sound, a tactile sensation on one surface. The illusion does not move or change once created — a painted scene, a recorded sound, a false texture.

The illusion has no substance: touching it reveals the deception, walking through a visual illusion breaks it, picking up a false object is impossible.

●● Fata Morgana

Cost: 1 Willpower | Pool: Automatic | Duration: Sustained

Create static, more elaborate multi-sense illusions. A complete false room. A false wall over a door. A still body on the floor. A stopped vehicle in an alley. The illusion can involve multiple senses simultaneously and is detailed enough to resist casual examination — the false room looks, smells, and sounds like a real room.

Direct physical interaction still breaks it: anyone touching a false wall walks through it, though onlookers who don’t touch still see it.

●●● Apparition

Cost: None (maintains active Chimerstry) | Pool: Manipulation + Performance, difficulty 5 | Duration: Sustained

Animate an existing Chimerstry illusion. The false image can now move, change, and behave like a real thing. A false person walks, speaks (in a limited loop), gestures. A false fire flickers. A false dog runs and barks.

The caster must concentrate to direct complex behaviors; simple looping behaviors (a guard pacing) function automatically.

●●●● Permanency

Cost: 1 Willpower | Pool: Automatic | Duration: Permanent until dismissed

Make any existing Chimerstry illusion permanent — it persists without the caster’s concentration or presence. The illusion continues indefinitely until the caster dismisses it or it is pierced.

This is how Ravnos create lasting deceptions: false identities, false buildings, permanently masked environments.

●●●●● Horrid Reality

Cost: 1 Willpower | Pool: Manipulation + Subterfuge vs target’s Willpower | Duration: Scene

Create an illusion so overwhelming and personal that the target’s mind makes it real. The illusion targets one person and interacts with their deepest fears. Crucially: the target takes actual physical damage from the illusion.

Damage dealt by Horrid Reality is real damage — the target’s own nervous system generates the wounds. Fire that doesn’t exist burns them. Attacks from phantom enemies leave real injuries. The damage is Lethal for mortals, and aggravated for sufficiently powerful applications.

Others: Anyone other than the primary target who sees the illusion sees it clearly for what it is — one person writhing in apparent agony for no visible reason.

Elder Powers

Army of Apparitions (●●●●● ●)

Cost: 1 Willpower per 10 figures | Pool: Manipulation + Performance, difficulty 7 | Duration: Scene

Create a crowd of animated illusion-figures — soldiers, rioters, a panicking crowd — with complex independent behaviors. Not individually controlled but operating according to a general directive (“attack,” “flee,” “surround the building”). Each figure behaves consistently with the directive without the caster managing individual actions.

False Resonance (●●●●● ●●)

Cost: 1 Willpower | Pool: Manipulation + Subterfuge, difficulty 8 | Duration: Scene

Create illusions that fool supernatural senses, not just mortal ones. A false aura visible to Auspex. A false blood resonance. A false spiritual presence. Even Auspex must actively contest this through the standard mechanic, and the difficulty is higher than for standard Chimerstry.

Subtle Spy (●●●●● ●)

Cost: 2 Willpower | Duration: One night

Ravnos elder power.

Infuse a created illusion with a fragment of the caster’s own consciousness, granting it limited independent intelligence. The illusion — whether a lamp, a person, or any other form — can witness events in the caster’s absence and report back.

If the illusion is an object, it senses anything perceptible from its location. If mobile (a person or animal), it behaves as per Apparition and can make small adjustments in response to circumstances — stepping around obstacles, answering simple questions.

When the Ravnos dispels the illusion, the stored experiences return to her as firsthand memory. If the illusion is dispelled or disbelieved before the Ravnos reincorporates it, the intelligence — and any information it gathered — is lost entirely.