#koldun

[its-sixxers]

pov: you're an anarch who managed to make it under the bed and are seeing way too much with scry the soul

Commission of August for @witchknightblack!

[viamutationis]

XXI - The World

My contribution to the Gallery Noir discord server’s tarot project!! (up over on @vampemoqueen’s pinned, go take a look at the other cards!)

[ID: A digitally illustrated tarot card. In the foreground is a man with light brown skin and curly black hair. He wears gold jewelry and blue Byzantine-period robes patterned like the ocean. He is controlling a stream of water that flows behind him, and in the background is the ocean on a cloudy night. The card is painted with a blue/gold color palette.]

[zindoesart]

I drew cyrus as a marketable plushie for my part of an art trade with @merrillapologist !

[guysofeurovision]

This is probably going to be impossible to find since the music video is from 2007, but is there anyone who knows who the guitarist in the “Work Your Magic” music video is? The pretty boy to Koldun’s right

I'm afraid this is out of my reach... But maybe we'll be lucky and get some help!

[living-codex]

[gruntled-druzhina]

Just yeet the wizard from a cannon is apparently an option.

[milk-crafting]

Nadia (fem Laz) in her little outfit for Rant. She's hungover, she has a new tattoo, and she let a Lamia bite her because she was playing truth or dare for the first time and got lost in the sauce

[gorbalsvampire]

Building Koldun in V5

So a while back I was in the 'tism hole over Tzimisce koldun, and talking a big game about rebuilding Koldunism as a series of Rituals for non-Sorcery Disciplines. I pulled a bunch of names from the WW Wiki, assigned them to parent powers and started writing situational modifiers. But I also looked at the Paradox Wiki to see what had made the jump to V5, and... there's a lot more of the old Tzim-Tzim flavour in Blood Sorcery than I'd initially realised.

The thing is, Blood Sorcery is a messy Discipline, with its powers representing (at least) three magical traditions and spread out across (at least) five rulebooks. So... I went through everything I could access and picked out the Rituals with the right vibes, plus powers at each level to serve as the baseline. And then I started making full character builds because, er. I have brain problems?

Blood Sorcery

L1 - Koldunic Sorcery Beelzebeatit, Clinging of the Insect, Coax the Garden, Craft Bloodstone, Douse the Fear, Enrich the Blood, Herd Ward, Letter Ward

L2 - Scour Secrets [Protean: Visceral Absorbtion] [Dominate: Ancestral Dominion] As Fog on Water, Calling the Aura’s Remnants, Depths of Nightmare, Elemental Grasp, Tiamat Glistens, Viscera Garden

L3 - Transitive Bond Communal Vigour, Elemental Shelter, Essence of Air, Eyes of the Past, Firewalkerm, Galvanic Ruination, Herd Ward (Major), One With The Blade, Seeing with the Sky’s Eyes, Seeking Tiamat, Soul of the Homunculus, The Unseen Change

L4 - Blood Aegis Compel the Inanimate, Defence of the Sacred Haven, Feast of Ashes, Guided Memory, Land’s Sustenance, Rending the Sweet Earth, Riding the Earth’s Veins

L5 - Reclamation of Vitae Dominion, Elemental Attack, Fisher King, Heart of Stone, Transferring the Soul

The parent powers I've selected are mostly concerned with acquiring knowledge (the scrying effect of Koldunic Sorcery and the speed-reading capacity of Scour Secrets), moving into management of Retainers and Herd at the higher levels.

Other Disciplines

Dominate: Compel, Cloud Memory, Domitor’s Favour, Ancestral Dominion Protean: Eyes of the Beast, Feral Weapons, Earth Meld, Visceral Absorption, One with the Land Animalism: Bond Famulus, Animal Messenger, Messenger’s Command, Animal Succulence Fortitude: Resilience, Enduring Beasts Auspex: Sense the Unseen, Unerring Pursuit [Reveal Temperament], Eyes of Beasts

You're not going to get all of these and Blood Sorcery, but I wanted to showcase a few potential pathways. Dominate is there for the Old Clan vibe, building up Retainers and Mawla once the utility powers are out of the way.

Protean powers are more in the vein of touching ground than meat crimes, but you can totally sub in Vicissitude for Feral Weapons and Horrid Form for Visceral Absorption if you want to be basic. ;)

With Animalism and Fortitude I've tried to build into another "retainer" concept with the Famulus powers, kind of a witch's familiar that evokes the Mephistophelean Minx ritual from before.

And finally, Auspex. For the old-fashioned true-Tzimisce stans out there, we have perceptions extended into the spiritual and bestial, tying into Animalism to observe as well as instruct through the Famulus. You could also take a swarm approach here, if you wanted (for example) a chattering rookery as spies for the Koldun.

Recommended Loresheet: Veins of the Earth.

Predator Type: If ancilla, Osiris will allow Blood Sorcery 3 at character creation (if you can twist your ST's arm into letting you take the first one despite Not Being A Tremere, which I think is reasonable: it's not like there were Tzimisce rules when the V5 core was written). If neonate, Osiris is still the most efficient from an XP standpoint, but the 10 XP for Koldunic Sorcery and a Ritual are within easy reach for any Predator Type.

The house considers Montero to be flavourful for an aloof scholar and scryer whose Retainers do the boring bits for them. I've been wanting to make that Predator Type work since I first saw it and it just hits right for a Tzimisce.

Complete Builds

First up, the Refugee. This neonate character has a lot of flexibility, isn't bad in a fight (six dice Brawl pool with a Rouse, and Aggravated damage - you could always shift the 4 dots into Strength if you wanted more combat focus, or chuck Feral Weapons for Vicissitude if you wanted some classic meat crimes in there).

I've built them as dependent on a sponsor, an elder of their chosen sect who's taken them in: perhaps they were a street kid with potential, or perhaps they're a recent defector from the Sabbat who left without much more than the clothes they stood up in.

And now, a playable ancilla, the Lady of the Scene! This concept eschews broad Disciplines in favour of deeper Koldunism and a more developed Famulus; they're a leader, not a fighter. They've been around for a while, building a community around themself and embedding themselves into the city at large. They're not exactly famous, but it's known that they can intercede on your behalf and get things done. If you have a problem nobody else can help with, the witch is there...

We've got some classic vampire weaknesses: the invitation thing works for an old-fashioned Tzimisce (this one's much more Old Clan in feeling, without even the potential for Vicissitude) and holy water ties nicely to selecting water as their Koldunic element (I see this character having a scrying pool in their basement). There's some post-Sabbat baggage in the form of the Shunned flaw, and Stigmata feels like an appropriate "hide in plain sight" choice for a character who could well be a cult leader. In fact, if we look closely at the sheet, I went more specific with this one without meaning to... I engineered this with the Santa Muerte cult in mind, and that's the concept I'd lean into if and when I personally got to play this one.

This is the first time I've shared something like this, but I really hope people like it, and it makes sense, because I love building premades and I could very easily do more of these. Maybe even by request? If you've got a concept you want me to put some numbers behind, get in my askbox. Otherwise I'm gonna start blurting about the Redemption coterie - unless people REALLY hate the focus on sheets and numbers and want me to go away and stop talking.

[dwtpsychward]

have you seen https://x.com/awk20000/status/1878244375425429697?s=46

xqc has a streak of defending dream throughout controversies and i think thats amazing

[girlnextvore]

TBH Rosa's wife needs to step her game up

why isn't she sending horrifying and erotic dreams to her from across the ocean like count orloc

[eurovision-facts]

Eurovision Fact #494:

Belarus' best placing was in 2007, when Dmitry Koldun's "Work Your Magic" placed 6th in the Grand Final.

[Source]

Belarus, Eurovision.tv.

[herederadelosdunsirn]

9 de marzo del año de Nuestro Señor de 1884.

A veces el terror saca el valor que anida en lo más hondo de nuestro ser. Nunca pasé tanto miedo hasta ese momento... Hasta ese momento, digo.

Aquel hombre de ojos azules penetrantes, cejas pobladas, rostro con arrugas, cabello canoso, vestido de negro con ropa elegante, parecía ser capaz de llevar a cabo la amenaza que me había proferido escasos momentos antes. A duras penas pude recomponerme para levantarme. El panorama a mi alrededor era siniestro sin duda. De entrada no había ni rastro de la supuesta sombra que me había agarrado. Estábamos en el interior de una iglesia, cerca del altar mayor. O lo fue en algún momento ya que ahora estaba inundado por una masa de carne sanguinolenta que crecía desde el suelo y trepaba hacia el altar. Pude reconocer varios miembros, pero no estaban cercenados, era como si toda aquella materia orgánica hubiera sido fundida en aquel extraño elemento. El olor a carne, a sangre, a vísceras expuestas, inundaba todo el lugar.

Junto al hombre había una mujer alta, extremadamente pálida, con porte regio, vestida con ropas antiguas, manchadas de tierra y de sangre reseca, su cabello era oscuro y le llegaba casi a la cintura, sus ojos eran rojos, era extremadamente bella y me fije en que tenía 6 dedos en cada mano, rematados en largas y afiladas uñas de color negro rojizo. Ella le habló en un idioma que no llegué a reconocer, aunque sin duda era una lengua romance, alguna palabra me recordaba al latín o al español o al francés incluso...

Erzebeth Basarab, hechicera Koldun Tzimisce. Sacerdotisa de manada.

"No es necesario que me hagas daño... Cooperaré en todo lo que me pidan." Mi voz sonó casi sin temor, aunque por dentro estaba temblando.

El hombre canoso sonrió, mostrando sutilmente sus colmillos afilados y una ligera mancha rojiza en la comisura de sus labios. Sin duda era un vampiro, pero no tenía nada que ver con los Giovanni, ni ella tampoco. "Aún estás entera. Convénceme para que no te entregue a mi acompañante. Ella necesita más cuerpos para su ritual." Me dijo con su voz penetrante. Hablaba inglés, pero su acento era totalmente neutro, no era de Londres, ni de las Islas Británicas.

"¿Ritual? ¿Es una maga?" me limité a decir mientras miraba primero al montón de carne fundido y después a la enigmática mujer.

La mujer siseó, mostrando sus afilados dientes. "¡Soy una hechicera Koldun!" dijo con su acento marcado. "Nada que ver contigo y tu magia de las Esferas..." Parecía saber qué era yo. Probablemente se habría encontrado antes con otros como yo. Miré de reojo y vi más de aquellas esferas de luz voladoras revoloteando por el interior de la iglesia.

"Esas luces, ¿qué son?" le pregunté señalando al más cercano a ella.

"Te refieres a..." empezó a decir el hombre canoso de negro. Enseguida se dio cuenta que estaba viendo a aquellos espíritus, si es que lo eran, a su alrededor.

"Estás acostumbrada a un tipo de espíritu... el de los difuntos. Pero hay otros. Acabarás aprendiendo a identificarlos... si sales viva de aquí, niña" me dijo la mujer, agitando sus manos con dedos anormalmente largos, como si fueran las patas de una enorme araña.

"¿Cómo te llamas, querida? Me gusta saber con quién trato antes de... que pase lo que tenga que pasar entre nosotros." Su mirada era como la de un depredador a punto de saltar contra su presa indefensa. No pude evitar empezar a temblar, no conseguía concentrarme para intentar escapar o crear una distracción.

Mr. Shade.

"Me... me llamo... Moira... Moira Eritrea Dunsirn..." conseguí decir del tirón tras un par de intentos.

"Encantado, Moira Eritrea Dunsirn... A mí me llaman Mr. Shade. Y esta encantadora señora es Lady Erzebeth Basarab, hechicera Koldun Tzimisce y mi sacerdotisa de manada." La mujer hizo una sutil inclinación a modo de saludo, parecía estar más acostumbrada a que otros la trataran con respeto y deferencia. "¿Y qué hacías en ese pub? No parece un lugar para alguien... de tu clase."

Algo me hizo responder al instante, como un resorte. "Estaba buscando a una persona, un hombre llamado Antonio Giovanni. Vino aquí hace un par de noches a comerciar con alguien llamado Moses, un anciano."

El hombre de los ojos azules dejó escapar un bufido al oír el nombre que le acababa de dar. "¿Giovanni? ¿Trabajas para esa escoria necrofílica?" Miró a la mujer alta, que se limitó a sonreír y acercarse al montón de carne del altar.

"Soy parte del clan Giovanni por sangre, son familia lejana de mi gente, los Dunsirn..." De repente me di cuenta, eran sus ojos azules tan penetrantes los que me estaban haciendo hablar con tanta sinceridad. Era casi como si me estuviera hipnotizando para que le dijera todo lo que él quisiera...

"Una pena... Siento decirte que esa persona que buscas ya está en un lugar mejor." Y señaló al montón de carne del altar. "Servirá para un propósito más alto, al igual que ese tipo tan tosco que te acompañaba. Tenía una sangre sabrosa, aunque del todo vulgar..." Dijo mientras se limpiaba los restos de sangre de la comisura de sus labios arrugados.

Escuché un gruñido de dolor detrás del altar. Me acerqué sin pensar y vi a un hombre corpulento y grande, de unos cuarenta años, con pelo largo y grasiento, estaba malherido, con heridas en su cuello y en su cuerpo, como si un animal salvaje le hubiera atacado.

"Éste tiene un gran aguante, me servirá para reponer mis fuerzas una vez termine con mi ritual..." dijo Erzebeth mientras tocaba la carne y ésta empezaba a cambiar ante mis ojos. Como si de arcilla se tratara, ella le estaba dando forma sobre el altar de la iglesia.

Tragué saliva. Estaba totalmente indefensa. No sabía qué iba a ser de mí...

[clanlasombrasp]

Erzebeth Basarab, Voivode Tzimisce of the domain of Timisoara (Romania), Koldun sorceress, the she-fiend with twelve claws, my Sabbat Pack Priestess for over 300 years...

I have to say that she is at the same time my comrade in arms and my most terrible enemy. We've known each other since she was still mortal, more than 800 years ago... she knows many of my darkest secrets, which is normal after having maintained an emotional relationship for more than 300 years and having kept me reduced to a pile of bloody flesh hanging from her 'cave of pain' beneath the ruins of her family castle in the heart of her domain.

F.C.: Beatriz Mariano.

[gendertimed]

you’re allowed to make your own posts koldun

[milk-crafting]

Not sure if I can post Leon (bearded guy) holding Laz yet but look at this normal couple so far (very very much a wip, Laz is going to get most of a shirt soon like 3/4 at least)

I'm realizing that with the scar in his side this looks weirdly like the pieta xD I swear that's not intentional

[gendertimed-moved]

this guy has serious issues i haven’t stopped thinking about it