Aura Colors

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
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