Everything

Beyond basic or specialized skills and personality attributes, Disciplines are an important tool in an Alastor’s arsenal. Alastors use Disciplines in any number of ways; they often find that the best Disciplines aren’t the rarest of the rare, but the more common ones that they can use in unusual ways. Still, many Alastors operate without the use of Disciplines and avoid using them as a crutch. Disciplines, such as they are, aren’t guaranteed to work all the time. In tense situations, Alastors should be able to rely on their wits and base skills even without them.

Alastors also invest in Disciplines differently than other Kindred who typically don’t see frequent combat. While most Alastors have Celerity, Potence, and Fortitude, higher levels give them an edge in a fight or on the chase. Though these Disciplines are essential in combat, seasoned Alastors keep a close eye on how they expend their blood to activate these powers and when. In the heat of battle, the loss of blood can be devastating — especially when Alastors come face-to-face with the Anathema.

While all Disciplines can be useful, a few in particular like Auspex and Thaumaturgy stand out because they can be applicable in multiple ways. Alastors who don’t have the powers required to perform essential pieces of investigation or combat find themselves relying on their auditors more often than they should.

Sample Disciplines are described below in context of the investigation by addressing some of the more commonly used powers.

Animalism

Some Kindred overlook the animal kingdom when plotting an offensive, but to the Gangrel and Nosferatu they understand the value of Animalism. Alastors use Feral Whispers and related, higher levels within this Discipline to connect with beasts in order to perform a variety of tasks. Rats and crows can scout out abandoned buildings or barren fields ahead of a hunt. Dogs can be used to guard havens or bases of operations, and wolves may spy or howl to divert attention from an Alastor’s position. Useful both on the hunt and off, Alastors who use Feral Whispers often devote time to other levels in Animalism to make good use of beasts.

A Kindred’s Beast may not be affected by this power in the same way an animal or a mortal, but for Alastors Quell the Beast is a useful tool to diffuse tense situations, even calm crowds. During combat, the higher levels allow Alastors greater control over their Beast and other Kindred’s, which can give Alastors an edge over Anathema that don’t have a mastery of Animalism. Some Alastors believe that the way to tip the odds in their favor, is to control an Anathema’s Beast. If that proves to be impossible, manipulating a higher generation’s Beast — one who’s been subjected to higher levels of Dominate — can also prove useful.

Auspex

While Auspex is one of the more common Disciplines, it’s also the most beneficial due to its versatility and flexible applications. Of all the Disciplines, Alastors feel that Auspex is essential because it’s used in every aspect of the hunt for the Anathema.

Here are some examples of how Alastors use Auspex:

• Heightened Senses: A vampire’s senses give her an edge over mortals, so she can see, hear, and smell what others normally cannot, even locating a vampire who is attempting to hide in plain sight. Heightened Senses, which effectively doubles certain vampire senses, are extremely useful when on the hunt to pick up trails that might be overlooked. The stronger the scent of blood, for example, the easier it’ll be for an Alastor to track her prey. Some Alastors don’t bother using Auspex to track the Anathema but, instead, concentrate their efforts on easier marks to zero in on possible havens, suspects, and prey to avoid over-relying on the use of this Discipline.
• Aura Perception: Some Anathema enjoy hiding in plain sight, while others flaunt their abilities not caring who knows what they are. With practice, some Alastors believe that the use of Aura Perception can be helpful to not only identify supernatural beings and diablerists, but also perceive the touch of the infernal to spot profane vampires as well. Aura Perception, though, is better used during an interrogation because it can help pinpoint emotional states like fear and anxiety. The drawback to aura reading is that it requires time and concentration, so it’s not always effective during chase scenes or combat.
• The Spirit’s Touch: Though the Anathema may try to cover their tracks, it’s difficult if not impossible to leave no trace behind. Using Spirit’s Touch to pick up on psychic impressions from clothes or weapons the Anathema uses is one of the most useful tools an Alastor has in their arsenal. The Spirit’s Touch can be used in any number of ways, because it works on any object, and Alastors tend to get creative with its uses. Alastors often use The Spirit’s Touch to investigate abandoned havens to search for clues, and aren’t afraid to use it to glean impressions to track down key witnesses.
• Telepathy: Telepathy and Telepathic Link are useful to Alastors to spy and perform reconnaissance in certain situations. Seasoned Alastors understand that though they may glean important information and communicate telepathically they have to assume the Anathema are spying on them as well. For this reason, Alastors find that Telepathy is most useful when trying to identify and interrogate witnesses, usually mortal. Telepathic Link is also valuable in the heat of combat to communicate with their fellow Alastors or allies like the bellator. In those cases, the Anathema are too occupied to glean what messages the Alastors might be sharing with each other.

Dominate

Alastors that invest in Dominate use this Discipline in a variety of ways, both offensively and defensively. Planting suggestions to report unusual activity into the minds of mortals scattered throughout a city creates a network of unwitting spies. Because Anathema favor Dominate as well, the Alastors find that Dominate is effective to shut down enemy ghouls and higher generation vampires who have been twisted to the Anathema’s will. Others use Dominate to clean up the Masquerade and cover their tracks. Even at lower levels, Dominate is often incorporated into an Alastor’s battle plan.

Obfuscate

Some Alastors prefer to stay hidden and operate from the shadows, spying on the Anathema, staying hidden during a stakeout, and striking from a strategic position. Obfuscate gives Alastors basic cover before, during, and after a fight, and helps protect the Masquerade, too, by helping them remain unseen from an unsuspecting populace. At higher levels, Anathema who use this Discipline give their hunters the slip by assuming the identities of other Kindred or mortals to blend into a crowd or stand alongside them in their investigations. Alastors who are working deep undercover might use those same abilities to obscure their identity, to avoid being caught.

Presence

The ability to manipulate others’ feelings gives Alastors the power to draw other allies to their side or scare enemies away. Effecting basic emotions like rage and love can spark a riot or simulate deep loyalty. An angry mob can be used as a distraction, while devoted followers can provide cover. Some Alastors believe that Presence is a better Discipline to use in order to instill commands and influence enemies due to its short-term effects. Alastors need to be able to think and react quickly when they’re battling the Anathema, and Presence is sometimes used in the heat of the moment to turn the tide.

Protean

The obvious uses of Protean give Alastors an edge in combat and, at higher levels of this Discipline, can greatly benefit them in a fight or on the hunt. Shapeshifting into a bat, wolf, mist form, or horrid manifestation allows Alastors to scout, scare, and intimidate while turning their flesh to marble strengthens their resilience. One of the more useful aspects of Protean, however, is to gain mastery over the earth, to meld with it at will. Not only does this power grant Alastors the ability to find haven wherever they roam, it also gives them a safe space to heal should they suffer damage or burrow underground to reappear in a different location when cornered.

Thaumaturgy

Blood doesn’t lie, but it can be manipulated. For the Tremere, an Alastor’s path of study creates a specialized hunter that’s sought after for her unique abilities. The Justicars and Red Alastors have, in years past, discussed possible methods of working with the Tremere to recruit representatives based on their thaumaturgical prowess.

Thaumaturgy offers Alastors access to a vast array of information and insight during an investigation. Four paths Tremere Alastors may want to consider on the hunt are:

• Path of Blood: The Path of Blood gives Alastors power not only over his blood but a target’s, too, which allows them to attack the Anathema through their vitae. At low levels, the Alastor is able to analyze blood to determine a vampire’s generation — which can eliminate suspects while hunters are in pursuit. It is thought that the Path of Blood is the key to an Anathema’s swift and utter annihilation, especially if Cauldron of Blood is used at a crucial moment.
• Path of Conjuring: The ability to conjure objects gives some Alastors peace of mind, knowing that a stake or a knife is always close at hand. During investigations, however, this path has other, non-combat uses. Alastors might conjure a badge, magnifying glass, collection bags, or other types of equipment mortals might use to perform crime scene walk-throughs and autopsies. Others might opt to conjure bribes to fool a mortal witness into thinking they’re getting the better end of the deal or, at higher levels, banish an Anathema’s possessions through Reverse Conjuration.
• Elemental Mastery: This Path allows the Thaumaturge several advantages, including enhancing combat abilities, enhanced investigation, and summoning elemental allies. Much like the Auspex power of Spirit’s Touch, this Path allows the vampire to further investigate a scene through Wooden Tongues. Elemental Form may allow the vampire to hide in plain sight, setting up an ambush for an Anathema.
• Path of Technomancy: By far, one of the biggest barriers lower generation vampires have to operating in modern day society is technology. Cell phones, computers, PDAs, cars, even mechanized panels for security systems and elevators can be affected through this path. Tremere Alastors like to use certain aspects of this power to avoid a breach of the Masquerade, like Analyze, for a temporary flash of insight that can avoid any unnecessary questions. Higher levels also give Alastors the ability to encrypt and decrypt messages, remotely access equipment, or travel through the internet. In short, while this path isn’t necessarily combat-focused, it can be used in interesting ways to help Alastors turn a confusing piece of metal into an invaluable asset.

Specific rituals give Tremere Alastors the chance to fine-tune their prowess so they can better pick and choose their area of study. The rituals a Tremere might study as an Alastor will likely depend upon when that Kindred was named, and even low level spells give them an edge. Illuminate the Trail of Prey is favored among many investigators, while other Alastors prefer to guard their temporary havens with Defense of the Sacred Haven and Wake with Evening’s Freshness. Regardless of what power or ritual is used, the Alastors understand better than most that the Tremere’s involvement in the hunt for the Anathema is a necessary evil.