Cloister:

An Arcanos that the Risen and a few Puppeteers - and, increasingly, Rots - can use,
Cloister is a way by which Wraiths in human bodies may walk around unseen.

It is not the true invisiblity of Enshroud (Argos 1); It is rather a field of delusion that
makes the Wraith's host much less noticable. Also unlike Enshroud, the delusion is
such that not only do those affected not see the Wraith's host, but - at higher levels -
they will neither hear nor smell her until she ends the Art's affect, or it's somehow
broken. As they can't use Argos, and might have plenty of reason to remain hidden,
Cloister's Arts are fairly useful things for Rots to know.

It is this Arcanos that has led Vampires, and many Risen, to think that those Wraiths
had access to the Vampiric power known as "Obfuscate." While some of Obfuscate's
powers very closely mimic some of the Arcanos' Arts, and they work in similar ways,
they are not quite the same thing. The proof is that while a Risen and a Vampire can
hide from one another using their different powers, and a Vampire can have a good
chance at hiding from a Wraith in the Shadowlands while using Obfuscate, a Wraith
will never be able to hide from a Wraith in the Shadowlands while using Cloister.
Wraiths who aren't in the Skinlands can see right through the delusion as though it
wasn't even there, but anyone in the Skinlands (Rots, other Risen, Embodied and
Puppeteering Wraiths) will still be fooled.

The confusion between Obfuscate and Cloister is no accident. The Puppeteers have
told the Risen they mentor that they have access to some "vampiric special powers,"
rather than telling them the truth. The vast majority of the Underworld has no idea this
Arcanos exists at all, and the Puppeteers like keeping it that way. They are not at all
pleased to hear that the Rots are starting to learn it too...

Unless otherwise noted, this Arcanos does not invoke The Fog.

Cloister vs ...

Auspex: To keep things simple, treat Cloister as though it

were Obfuscate. Go by the rules in "Seeing the Unseen" on
page 152 of V:TM Rev Ed.

Sphere Magic: Correspondence doesn't do diddly because

the Risen isn't really hidden from view. The Mage will have
to use Mind to block the jamming signal that Cloister
generates.
Botches: Any botches rolled while attempting to use Cloister render the Wraith ultra-
noticable. Anyone looking for her gets a -3 Difficulty to do so, and everyone will see
her and remember her especially for some odd reason.

Basic: Itchy Neck

Some people have the knack of knowing when someone's looking at them, or for
them. Wraiths who use Cloister have this knack in spades.

SYSTEM: The Storyteller rolls Perception + Cloister at a Difficulty of 7. A success

tells the Wraith that someone's taken notice of them, or is intent on meeting up with
them. It won't tell her any more than that, no matter how many succcesses the
Storyteller gets, and will not reveal identity or intention.

* Shadow Statue

The Wraith is able to hide in the shadows as long as she remains perfectly still, and
does nothing to draw attention to herself, such as attacking, activating a noticable
Arcanos power or speaking. This power won't withstand much scrutiny, but it's good
for hiding from casual onlookers.

SYSTEM: The player rolls Manipulation + Cloister at a Diff of 6. A success

completely hides her from notice, and she'll stay hidden unless she does something to
break the effect (see above) or someone is actively searching that area for anything
out of the ordinary. This level of Cloister does not block smells.

This costs one Pathos to activate.

** Change of Face

The Wraith can disguise herself, so that she appears to look different than how she
usually does. This can be a great help to Risen and Rots, given their low Appearance
scores, but it won't disguise any hideous smells.

SYSTEM: The player spends two Pathos and rolls her Wraith's Manipulation +
Cloister at a Diff 7. The permutations and success ratios are the same for Obfuscate on
pp. 166 - 167 of VTM: Rev Ed. The effect lasts for up to an entire Scene, and the
Wraith can stop it any time she wants to.
Remember that while the effects will disguise the person, it will not disguise any
equipment or clothing the Wraith may be wearing. So if Fred's Risen wants to make
himself look like 'Dubya,' and is wearing a ski-mask and carrying a chainsaw, he'll
look like 'Dubya' wearing a ski mask and carrying a chainsaw if he gets three or more
successes.

*** Movement Unseen

Using this power, a Wraith can disappear from view and walk around unseen. It's
rather startling when it goes off, and tends to invoke The Fog if the Wraith uses it
right in front of Human witnesses.

SYSTEM: The Wraith spends two Pathos and her player rolls Manipulation + Cloister
at a Difficulty of 8. If successful, the Wraith will turn invisible within one turn, and
any mortals who see this happen will be subject to The Fog. The power lasts for up to
an entire Scene, and the Wraith can stop it any time she wants to.

While Unseen, the Wraith must not do anything that would compromise her position.
If she attacks, speaks, or performs an Arcanos with spectacular effects, the effect will
end. She can move around as long as she doesn't make too much noise, and can
attempt to take things or reposition them. The Storyteller should call for Dexterity +
Stealth rolls to do this so no witnesses notice: if they do, the effect is broken.

**** Doppleganger

The secret divisions of the Hierarchy who sought out Risen in order to destroy them
would sometimes report success on a mission, only to have their knuckles rapped
when the same Risen reappeared - safe and sound - a week or so later. This confusion
was sometimes caused by this power: the ability to create a mentally controlled
'double' up to twenty feet away.

SYSTEM: The Wraith spends four Pathos, gains one Temporary Angst and rolls her
Wits + Cloister at a Difficulty of 8. Each success creates one turn when a 'double' is
created up to twenty feet away from the true Wraith. The power also hides the Wraith
from view so long as she is perfectly still, and says and does nothing.

The double looks and sounds just like the Wraith's physical form, but is purely
illusory and has no substance. While the Wraith is maintaining the 'double,' she can
have it behave or speak in any way she would like, up to and including sporting
'wounds' gained in an attack. She cannot use any other Arcanoi by herself, or through
it, though.

The double will remain so long as the power is maintained, or until the Wraith decides
to end it. Once she does, the double will disappear. Smart Wraiths maintain the
illusion of a body lying there in tiny pieces until the attackers go away, and then end
the effect.