Using this power, the vampire can perceive the psychic "auras" that radiate from mortals and supernatural beings alike. These halos comprise a shifting series of colors that take practice to discern with clarity. Even the simplest individual has many shifting hues within his aura; strong emotions predominate, while momentary impressions or deep secrets flash through in streaks and swirls.
The colors change in sympathy with the subject's emotional state, blending into new tones in a constantly dancing pattern. The stronger the emotions involved, the more intense the hues become. A skilled vampire can learn much from her subject by reading the nuances of color and brilliance in the aura's flow. Aside from perceiving emotional states, vampires can use Aura Perception to detect supernatural beings. The colors in Kindred auras, while intense, are quite pale; mage halos often flare and crackle with arcane power; the race of shapeshifters has strikingly bright, almost frantic, auras; ghosts have weak auras that flicker fitfully like a dying flame; and faerie creatures’ radiance is shot through with capricious rainbow hues.
Auras take time and practice to learn how to read. Many colors are extremely similar, and very difficult to differentiate; furthermore, there are some signs that Kindred may go their entire lives never seeing, and thus might never learn what they signify, especially the black streaks of diablerie or the halos of True Faith.
† System
- After the character stares at the subject for at least a few seconds, the player rolls Perception + Empathy at Difficulty 8; each success indicates how much of the subject’s aura the character sees and understands. A failure indicates that the play of colors and patterns yields no prevailing impression. A Botch indicates a false or erroneous interpretation.
Successes | Effect |
---|---|
1 Success | Can distinguish only the shade. |
2 Successes | Can distinguish the main color. |
3 Successes | Can recognize the color patterns. |
4 Successes | Can detect subtle shifts. |
5 Successes | Can identify mixtures of patterns. |
Condition | Aura Shades |
---|---|
Vampire | Pale, Muted |
Ghoul | Pale Blotches |
Mage | Brilliant Sparkling |
Werebeast | Bright Vibrant |
Ghost | Weak Faded |
Changeling | Rainbow |
True Faith | Gold / Silver Halo |
Condition | Aura Colors |
---|---|
Afraid | Orange |
Aggressive | Purple |
Angry | Red |
Bitter | Brown |
Calm | Light Blue |
Compassionate | Pink |
Conservative | Lavender |
Depressed | Gray |
Lustful | Dark Red |
Distrustful | Light Green |
Envious | Dark Green |
Excited | Violet |
Generous | Rose |
Happy | Vermillion |
Hateful | Black |
Idealistic | Yellow |
Innocent | White |
Lovestruck | Blue |
Obsessed | Green |
Sad | Silver |
Spiritual | Gold |
Suspicious | Dark Blue |
Anxious | Scrambled Static |
Confused | Mottled, Shifting |
Diablerist | Black Veins |
Daydreaming | Sharp Flickering |
Frenzied | Rapidly Rippling |
Psychotic | Hypnotic, Swirling |