Vinculum

From OSWIKI

Vinculum

Every game seems to interpret the text regarding the vinculum or blood bond differently and everyone likes to say they use the book rules. Because this lends 20 different ways to handle it, we've made this page explaining how we interpret the text specifically. No other fashion of running the blood bond will be acceptable here, regardless of the rules of any other game.

First Step

From the Book: The first taste generates a mild interest, but the delicious power in the Vitae outweighs any personal interest. The character knows that the other vampire tastes good. The donor of the blood gains no particular hold over the character. Vampire: the Requiem p. 161

Further Explanation: To elaborate, the part explaining "the Vitae outweighs any personal interest" means that the person drinking the blood does not think "ew, blood, that tastes so gross!" It means simply that kindred vitae tastes very good.

Second Step

From the Book: The second drink generates a stronger connection between the two Kindred, quite apart from potential Vitae addiction. The imbibing character considers the blood’s donor an important figure in his unlife, though he is hardly enslaved. The character’s interest might take the form of affection, trust, admiration or protectiveness, depending on the character’s personality. The Storyteller might ask the character’s player to attempt a Resolve + Composure roll if the character tries to attack the nascent regnant, or seriously harm her interests. The other vampire’s player, meanwhile, receives a +1 dice bonus to all Social rolls directed at the nascent thrall. Vampire: the Requiem p. 161

Further Explanation: As mentioned in the text above, the donor becomes important to the character drinking the blood, but he has not yet become a slave to the character through a blood bond. How the character sees this person can come in several forms from affection to admiration. This does not mean that they are suddenly in love with the character, nor does it mean that they do everything they are told.

If a character in this situation goes out of their way to act against their donor, attacking them or seriously harming something related to them, then we as STs will require a roll to ignore the bond.

Third Step

From the Book: Regnants are the objects of their thralls’ love, artificial and unwilling though it may be. A regnant gains a +2 dice bonus on all Social rolls affecting her thrall. Further, thralls are subject to a Resolve + Composure roll at a -3 penalty any time they want to take an action (or engage in inaction) that might result in indirect harm to their regnant. For example, a ghoul thrall who tries not to run to her regnant when she sees obviously hostile Kindred breaking into his haven would be subject to this die roll. A thrall who directly tries to act against her regnant — say, the same ghoul trying to stake her regnant as he slept — is subject to the Resolve + Composure roll at a -5 penalty. Failing either of these rolls means the thrall cannot act against the regnant (or allow engage in the dangerous inaction). Dramatically failing either of these rolls means that the thrall isn’t even allowed to make such a roll again for the next month, meaning she’s unable to even consider allowing harm to befall her master. Vampire: the Requiem p. 162

Further Explanation: The rules for resisting the formation of a bond are straight-forward (and only apply to other Kindred), but are too long to reproduce here. It is in the book and follows exactly as outlined, if there are any questions see a Storyteller when it happens. The third step means that the thrall is fully bound to the regnant, and that the thrall will do anything and everything to protect their Regnant. They are "in love" as best they can be, although it is a false love. This is usually covered up by the regnant depending on how they go about binding the thrall, but in some cases it can be obvious that the feelings are not real, but this is usually not the case. The regnant has a much easier time interacting with the thrall (thus the dice bonus to Social rolls), and they can use Dominate without gaining eye contact. Please note that action and inaction can cause a roll to resist the Vinculum when the regnant is threatened in some way.

If there is any question if a dice roll is necessary for a particular action or inaction talk to a storyteller about it first; if a storyteller is not immediately available, it is safer to err on the side of making the roll and using the results and letting a storyteller know about it so the scene can be reviewed. Directly acting against them does require the roll, as well. If you are unsure if a particular action would be considered acting against the regnant, talk to a storyteller about it first; if a storyteller is not immediately available, it is safer to err on the side of making the roll and using the results and letting a storyteller know about it so the scene can be reviewed.

Breaking Vinculums

There are three known ways to remove a Vinculum. The first is to kill the regnant. The second is simple time. There are different time rates for mortals and Kindred, and they are listed in the book. The third known way is mistreatment. This is very subjective, however, and is left to storyteller discretion. These would have to be extreme acts, multiple times, over very long periods of time. No single act is enough to break the bond in this way. A week or two is also not a long enough time period. Also, this only applies to the Kindred who is the regnant; the actions of their friends or allies is probably not going to have any affect whatsoever on the Vinculum.

If you feel any of these situations apply to your character, however, please discuss them with a storyteller first, before acting on them.

Other Notes

• When the word Regnant is used in the text it is understood they are referring to a full blood bond.
• The concept of harm includes physical, emotional, and psychological; it's not limited just because the one example is physical.
• A thrall must roll at the -5 penalty to do something their regnant has specifically told them not to do (examples include "Do not go to X location" or "do not talk to Y person"). A thrall rolls at the -3 penalty if they have not been expressly told but think something goes against the general known wishes and desires of their regnant.
• This includes trying to break the Vinculum, because obviously the Regnant wanted them to be bound, so that is an unstated desire. If the Regnant specifically states otherwise in character, then this penalty can be ignored, but the Thrall must still roll Resolve+Composure to contemplate or discuss breaking the Vinculum.
• The Vinculum is still a supernatural force that cannot be reasoned against or "proven wrong" just because someone tells a Thrall that it is false love.