The Ashfinders is a cult for the modern era. Its word is spread over the internet, its holy land is the island of Ibiza, and its sacred ritual is developing designer drugs. The brainchild of a renegade Tremere and an influential Duskborn, the Ashfinders are a radical new form of Golconda cult. They seek transcendence through the creation and consumption of Ashe, formulated from the ashes of deceased full-blooded vampires. The drug is ineffective on mortals and full-blooded vampires, but in thin-blooded, it enhances their blood and can even grant them memories or abilities from the dead vampires mixed into the concoction. The cult hypes themselves with social media posts and advertises as a New Age solution to mortals, and an exciting journey into enlightenment to Mercurians. What the trendsetters donât talk about is Asheâs highly addictive nature, and the strange creatures the drugâs creation generates. As an initiate of the Ashfinders, you find yourself in a thrilling, dangerous time. Youâre certain that youâve found a new path out of your condition, even if some of your full-blooded peers consider your faith a complicated form of diablerie. Let those wizened old has-beens believe what they want. They can either get with the program or find themselves in your furnaces. LORE
â˘Influencer: As a member of the Cinder Institute, the Ashfindersâ mortal-facing front, youâve developed some sway among mortals. This keeps your cult hidden in plain sight. Pick a local subculture. You receive two dots of Influence over that subculture.
â˘â˘ Shard Defense: Beast Shards, known among the Ashfinders as âShards,â are the monstrous remains of dead vampires used in the Ashe creation process. They flicker in and out of existence and manipulate human emotions. Youâve become an expert a hunting and destroying Shards, and itâs carried over to similar creatures. When you are hit by spectral claws or other forms of semi-material weaponry, you always take â1 damage.
â˘â˘â˘ Addiction Resistance: Ashe addiction (Cults of the Blood Gods, p. 46) drives a Duskborn into a vicious cycle of hunger and frenzy. Youâve developed a natural resistance to that cycle. When you take Ashe, make a Rouse Check. You suffer a point of Superficial Willpower damage if you fail that Rouse Check, but Hunger will not increase.
â˘â˘â˘â˘â˘ Strange New Forms: Ashe is exclusively made using the fixatio distillation method (Vampire: The Masquerade, p. 284). Alchemists who join the Ashfinders quickly become versatile in multiple forms of distillation to accommodate, and youâre no different. When you learn an additional Thin-Blood Alchemy distillation, you may choose up to four formulae to carry over to that new form of distillation without having to spend experience points. Ashfinder Blood Alchemy (Cults of the Blood Gods, p. 44) cannot carry over to other forms of distillation.
â˘â˘â˘â˘â˘ Cook: As an important part of the Ashfindersâ supply line, youâve had plenty of opportunities to hone your craft. Itâs improved your overall prowess with Thin-Blood Alchemy. All times to research formulae are halved.