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Ogham (pronounced OH-yam, OH-wahm or OH-gahm) is a form of writing used by the Celtic peoples of the British Isles and Ireland prior to the introduction of the Roman alphabet and Christianity. Each letter of the Ogham alphabet has the name of a tree or other plant, and each of these trees had a meaning in the Celtic religion (and possibly in the Goddess-centered religions of the Old Europeans that preceded the Celts). The tree-alphabet was also used by the Celts for divination, but few details of that practice were recorded
In a time when virtually all history was recorded in song and stories the writing was an important and magical skill, not to be taken lightly.
The vampiric discipline Ogham not only represents the abilities it grants, but the language and significance of the Ogham runes. To this end Lhiannan vampires with the Ogham discipline should take the knowledge skill 'Linguistics' to level one to represent their knowledge of the spoken and written Ogham language, any attempt to use any of the discipline's abilities without this knowledge is at +2 difficulty.
In addition each of the lines of the Lhiannan has diversified slightly on the Ogham discipline, and although the basic discipline is the same, certainly lines have differant names and powers at different levels. Once a particular line of Ogham has been learnt the other lines powers cannot be gained.
The warrior line
Ogham discipline listed in full in the Dark Ages Companion pages 98-100
· Consecrate the Grove
Warrior Lhiannan rarely use this ability, although shrewd leaders have been known to use it as defence for an armies flank, but in practise the warrior Lhiannan are too mobile for this to be of much use to them.
·· Crimson Woad
Unsurprisingly this is one of the the most popular of the powers to the warrior line; indeed some of the line refuse to even fight without the glyphs inscribed.
··· Inscribe the Curse
This is typically used to curse an opposing leader, to this end it appears the warrior line have developed two of the curses further.
Mind: The Lhiannan causes the foe to become fearful and scared. All courage rolls are at +2 difficulty.
Voice: The Lhiannan causes the foes voice to become weak and ineffective sounding. All charisma and manipulation rolls are increased by +2 difficulty, leadership rolls are at +3 difficulty.
···· Moon and Sun
Either the warrior line has never seen fit to further develop this power or it is how they have always used it.
····· Dragon Lines
Warrior Lhiannan draining mystical energy can 'hold' dice gained for up to a scene for use in combat rolls. In addition they can burn this energy to heal themselves, one dice will heal one health level, five dice will heal one level of aggravated damage, only one level can be healed a turn in this way.
····· · Inscribe the forgotten names
Stories abound throughout the warrior line that the ancient beasts summoned through this ritual will serve the Lhiannan for a year and a day if they consecrate a battle to the creature and are victorious. The tales also say that the beast will take the Lhiannan's soul if they are defeated or the foe was not worthy enough.
····· ·· Armour the host
At this level the warrior Lhiannan can inscribe onto others the benefits of the Crimson Woad.
System: The Lhiannan must spend a scene inscribing the glyphs onto the other person. All benefits of the crimson woad are gained by the person so decorated.
····· ··· Embody the spirit of three
The warriors most fearsome ability, this mythical power splits the Lhiannan into a triple-being, each appears, armed and armoured, as the original Lhiannan themself. This terrifying power produces beings that are similar in appearance but have some differance to the original, typically it reveals some part of the Lhiannan's inside nature in their copies.
System: The Lhiannan must spend two willpower and three blood points to activate this power. The player rolls Charisma+Occult (difficulty 7) to determine the result of the power, a botch throws the Lhiannan into torpor.
The copies appear at the same health level as the Lhiannan, they have no bloodpool (unless the Lhiannan expends additional blood to give them) and inflict three aggrivated wounds on the Lhiannan if they are killed, whereupon they simply vanish.
1 success The copies appear for but a moment. This may be somewhat unnerving to opponents.
2 sucesses The copies emerge for only a turn.
3 sucesses The copies appear for three turns.
4 sucesses The copies last for the duration of a scene.
5 sucesses The copies last for a scene, in addition any opponent facing the combined assault of all three beings must make courage rolls or lose two dice from their combat pools.
Gift of Mettle (Presence Level Four, Ogham Level Two)
By inscribing glyphs and runes on another the warrior Lhiannan can 'gift' them with their own Presence ability; this person (a Vampire, ghoul or mortal) gains use of Presence up to the Lhiannan's own level for the duration. Whilst the other person has this gift the Lhiannan has effectively zero Presence. Great warleaders and heroes have been born with this ability.
System: The Lhiannan expends a willpower point and should roll charisma + Occult (difficulty 7) the number of sucesses determine how long the person is 'gifted'. Although if the runes are removed the duration ends. A botch stops the vampire using their own presence ability for three nights. Note that longer durations may prove difficult to maintain as the runes slowly fade.
1 success One scene.
2 sucesses One night.
3 sucesses Three nights.
4 sucesses One week.
5 sucesses Until the next new moon.
This power costs 20 experience.
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