Priests of Shalim have all been trained to use their voices as weapons, slicing through the sugar coating their victims wrap around their love for the world. By invoking the name of their dark master and calling for his aid, they channel a fraction of his power into an adversary and cloud their very mind with shadow, causing them to stand dumbstruck by the emptiness of Oblivion. Pre-required Power: Shadow Perspective (see Chicago by Night)
Ingredients: The ability to speak ancient Greek, eye contact with a victim, five charcoal sticks
Process: The priest invokes an incantation in a dialect of ancient Greek, invoking the name of Shalim as they crush four charcoal sticks in hand. These words are spoken while making eye contact with the victim, therefore the victim must be able to see and hear the user for this power to be successful. Upon crushing the final charcoal stick, a shadow crosses the eyes of the priest and those of the victim, leaving the eyes of each participant entirely black as the victim succumbs to a crushing sense of despair. Those who have experienced this power and lived to tell of it speak of an all-consuming darkness closing in around their thoughts and robbing them of all sensation. The last thing they recall is a distant, rumbling laughter echoing in their mind.
System: The vampire’s player makes their Ceremony roll vs. the victim’s Resolve + Composure. On a win, the vampire may activate this Ceremony’s effects any time they are in the victim’s presence. Upon activation, the victim is paralyzed with despair for a number of turns equal to the margin. While under this effect, victims cannot see, hear or experience any form of sensory input except touch and physical pain, which brings them out of the effect. The victim can expend Willpower equal to the number of turns they would remain paralyzed to break free of the power.