Road of Kings (Disciplines, Merits and Flaws)

Road of Kings or Via Regalis
Sobriquet: Luminaries or Scions

Aura: Command. Scions are destined to rule, and they know it. Those around
them can feel their commanding presence like a crown upon them.

Paladins follow Via Equitum or the Path of Chivalry
Warriors follow Tariq el-Harb of the Path of War - Restricted to characters from the Middle East.
Merchants follow Via Mercator or the Path of the Merchant
Tyrants follow Via Tyrannus or the Path of the Tyrant
Counselors follow Via Consuasor or the Path of the Vizier
Divines follow Via Devaraja or the Path of Devaraja – Restricted to characters from Southeast India and Malaysia
Behdin follow Via Daena or the Path of Daena – Restricted to characters from the Middle East.


Only Scions may learn these combo disciplines (techniques)

An Ear for Lies: Auspex 2 XP Cost 14
Scions place great stock in the truth, and a successful rulers and leaders learn to discern truth from falsehood, even when spoken by the most convincing liars. This power allows the user to know when someone is lying to him. To the Cainite, lies stand out hard and discordant from all other speech.
Make a static mental challenge diff subjects manipulation related traits + subterfuge retest with empathy. With success the scion automatically knows if his target lies to him for the rest of the scene/social encounter. The players will ask if the subject is deliberately lying with intent. Lies of omission will not register as falsehood, and a subject who believes he is telling the truth will likewise not appear as a liar.

Inspire greatness: Presence 3, Fortitude or Potence 2 XP Cost 21 or 35
True leaders know how to inspire their followers to greatness, but Cainites can use the power of their vitae to inspire more than mere competence – they can push others beyond their normal limits. To use this ability, the character must specifically try to inspire or urge a follower on in performing a physical task. This can be battle, a feat of strength or stamina, a physical contest and so forth. The subject of this technique must look to the character for leadership and guidance, and the character must inspire the subject in some direct way through words or actions.
The scion must begin by inspiring or urging his subject to a physical feat of strength or stamina, the subject must look to the scion for leadership which the scion attempts to provide by words of actions. The scion then makes a social challenge (retest with leadership). Success allows him to spend a Blood Traits to grant his target a bonus to use in Strength or Stamina related challenges. The scion may not spend more blood per turn that his generation normally allows, nor may he grant any higher than his rating in Fortitude or Potence. Vampires and ghouls gain levels of fortitude or Potence, even if they had no previous levels of them and the powers act normally. Mortals can gain extra physical traits even above and beyond their normal rating, but may not gain Fortitude or Potence. The benefits last for one scene or until the feat is completed. The effect requires the character to have reached the first intermediate power of presence plus both basic powers of either Fortitude or Potence and 21 experience traits. If the character has advanced presence or even the powers of the elders he may spend an additional 14 experience traits to inspire greatness in multiple people. By spending extra traits in the initial challenge he can inspire from two people (with one trait) up to all in his immediate vicinity (with five traits) The vampire must be in the presence of the target when using these traits and must be visible to the subject of the power.

True Tongue: Dominate 2 Presence 2 XP Cost 14 or 28
With the truth such a valuable commodity in the dark medieval, the ability to find the truth is useful indeed. A vampire with this technique can render a subject unable to speak anything except the truth as he knows it, lies cannot pass his lips, nor will his tongue utter them. Of course subjects may simple choose to remain silent. They are not compelled to speak but they cannot speak lies when they do.
The Scion makes a static social challenge difficulty is the targets willpower retest with leadership, like all uses of dominate the target must be of equal or lesser generation then the character (House rules still apply) For the next scene, the target can only speak the truth as he knows it, no lies of omission no half-truths, just the facts and that based on what the target believes to be the truth. The target is not compelled to talk but if he does he cannot lie. This power requires both Basic powers of Dominate both basic powers of Presence and 14 experience traits. Scions who achieve both intermediate powers of Dominate and Presence may spend another 14 experience may learn Aura of Inescapable Truth which extends the effect to everyone in the character’s vicinity. (Anyone within six steps of the character)

Sound of a Breaking Oath: Auspex 4, Dominate or Presence 4 XP Cost 28
Betrayal is most often done in silence and shadows, but some Cainites can hear betrayal and disloyalty on the wind. A vampire with this technique may know if any who have sworn allegiance to him forswear their oaths. The knowledge comes to the character like a distant sound of bells or breaking glass, or sometimes as a foul stench or a chill up the spine but it is certain knowledge of betrayal regardless.
A static mental challenge diff Subjects willpower, retest with leadership, the scion knows if a sworn vassal has, through word or deed, violated an oath to him. The ST May choose to make this challenge in secret and inform the player of the result or come to the scion and ask for the challenge. With success, the scion knows that a vassal has broken his word and knows where this happened and little else. If the betrayal was particularly grave, such as killing the scion’s mortal family or revealing battle plans that could kill hundreds, the scion may receive more clues to the oath breakers identity at ST discretion. This provides no warning of treachery or disloyal thoughts, only words or deeds in the commission. The power affects only those who have sworn oaths of vassalage or loyalty to the Scion, those who are bound to him by blood oath, or those who under his Presence or Dominate powers (depending on which is used to purchase this power). Peers, associates, allies, servants or those not bound by such means to the Scion are not affected by this power. This power requires both Intermediate powers of Auspex and both Intermediate powers of Dominate or Presence

New Merits and Flaws - Merits and Flaws are open to all characters but may have an increased or decreased cost associated with them based on your characters road.

Noble Blood: 1 pt. merit
You were born of a Noble and honored family, and its blood still runs in your veins, even altered by the curse of Caine, although you may have lost any title or lands that were your due as a living heir, you retain your heritage (and perhaps your family name) This reflects favorable on you with those who place stock in good breeding and hereditary nobility (as many people of the Dark Medieval world do.) You may also be of particular interest to certain scions, and to Ventrue with a taste for noble blood. You gain a 1 trait bonus in social challenges in dealing with those impressed by your lineage and free retest to etiquette challenges in your native lands. (The second test results must stand and this cannot be used outside the country that holds your lineage.)

Powerful Gaze: 1 pt. merit
You have a quality that makes your gaze forceful and menacing. Those who meet your eyes must look away, or else are captured, almost entranced, by your gaze. You gain a 2 trait bonus to all social challenges when you can make and maintain eye contact.

Powerful Liege: 1-3 pt. merit.
You serve a powerful and renowned liege-lord respected (and likely feared) by many. This gives you a measure of prestige in dealing with your liege’s vassals and peers, and others are likely to respect (and envy) your position. As a one-point merit, the liege is a renowned baron or other local lord. As a two-point merit, your liege is an influence prince or rising star among the nobility. As a three-point merit, your liege is a powerful monarch, ruler of a vast domain, such as Mithras of London. You are probably required to wear the standard of your lord prominently which announces you as his vassal to friend and foe alike. However, the more powerful your lord, the less willing others are to attack you outright.

Noble Bearing: 2 pt. merit
You have the bearing and manner of a true monarch, no matter how low your station. You carry yourself with grace and dignity and your words ring with purpose and passion. You gain a two-trait bonus during social challenges where you can impress others with your nobility. This merit does not mean you stomp around with your chest puffed out shouting orders. Sometimes, the greatest nobility shines quietly – stand up straight hold your head high, walk with dignity, raise your voice only when necessary.

Devotion: 3 pt. merit
You are devoted to a higher ideal or purpose, be it loyalty, honor, duty, your sworn liege-lord, or your faith in the almighty. You draw great strength from your devotion, giving you and automatic success on all willpower challenges. (Limit once per session) You must remain absolutely true to your purpose in order to retain this merit. If you falter or are found wanting, you lose it until you can somehow redeem yourself and atone for your sins.  

Destined for Greatness: 5 pt. Merit
You are meant for great things in your unlife. Destiny has some special purpose in mind for you. This merit has the following effects. You start with the status Destined, which can be used with Cainites who would recognize you or your destiny as something special. When confronted with a test that would keep you from fulfilling your destiny (ST Discretion) you may retest any failed challenge up to three times per story. Once per story you can draw upon the certain knowledge of your destiny and regain a Willpower Trait, even if your Willpower is completely spent.

Onerous Vow: 1 to 3 pt. Flaw
You have sworn a particular vow in the past (perhaps against your better judgement, or even under false pretenses) that you feel you must honor, even though it is an inconvenience to you (perhaps even a serious one!) The value of this flaw is based on how much trouble your vow causes you. Fairly simple vows, like stopping to pray at every church you pass, refusing to feed on certain people etc. are worth one point. Vows that require some risk, like always protecting children from danger, or always being the last to leave the field of battle are worth two points, while vows that regularly place you in danger, such as only feeding on priests, attacking certain enemies on sight even in Elysium are worth three points.

Oath-Taker: 3pt Flaw (2 for non-Scions)
You have the unwise habit of swearing oaths too quickly or without due thought, and you feel obligated to fulfill those oaths, once rightfully sworn. This flaw is particularly common among idealist and passionate Cainite knights and paladins of the path of chivalry, for whom thought and deed are as one. In practice, you can never simple agree to something, it must take the form of a sacred oath. If you have a task placed before you, then you swear on your blood that it shall be done. If you express an opinion, you swear an oath to uphold it to the last. If you see the opportunity for a noble quest, you must seize it, and follow it to the end. At the ST discretion, you can spend a point of temp willpower to stave off this urge for once instance, when absolutely necessary. For followers of the road of kings, this is a three-point flaw, since breaking a sworn oath is a grievous sin for them and requires a degeneration chop. A clever enemy may trick you into swearing contradictory oaths so that you are forced to break once of them and the characters with this flaw are particularly vulnerable to the power of fealty (Dominate 6)