Torpor

Torpor is a deep state of slumber, often spanning years or decades, which a Kindred can choose to enter voluntarily. It can also be brought about if a vampire is severely wounded, staked, or at ‘Starving’ on their Hunger track and fails another hunger check. While in Torpor, a slumbering Cainite will often see visions. These may be symbolic representations of things happening in the world around them, horrific nightmares of all manner of ill being done to those they love, or entirely random-seeming portents. 

Torpor has a minimum duration during which a Kindred can only try to awaken if they sense danger or are being intentionally stirred. Beyond this, checks can be made to awaken, if the vampire is not being held in Torpor by some other means - see Frozen Torpor below. 

In this system, there is no expenditure of blood associated with Torpor, except for when waking.

Types of Torpor

Voluntary Torpor - the character has chosen to enter this state of slumber, presumably has prepared a safe place to do so, and has concluded or put any ongoing affairs in the hands of trusted servants. These conditions are not a requirement; only that it has been chosen, rather than forced. It is generally agreed that the visions received during voluntary Torpor are less horrifying, and more symbolic or confusing. 

Involuntary Torpor - the character has been forced into Torpor through damage, blood loss or both. If a character has zero health left and is staked but not killed outright, then they enter involuntary Torpor. Likewise, a character who is at ‘Starving’ on their hunger track who then fails another hunger check will drop into involuntary Torpor. Common wisdom suggests that the visions received during involuntary Torpor are more twisted and disturbed, but usually still quite random-seeming.

Frozen Torpor - the character is being kept in Torpor beyond their mandatory period, with no checks for waking up permitted. This is most often due to remaining staked or being completely out of blood, however other things like sorcerous rituals could achieve the same effect. The visions received during any period of frozen Torpor are universally known to be horrific and often seem personalised to the slumbering Kindred, as if their slumbering mind is envisaging every kind of ill or bad fortune that could possibly occur to them or their loved ones, in the worst possible way. Such nightmares almost always leave a mark on the psyche.

Rousing from Torpor

If a vampire has completed at least their mandatory period for Torpor as outlined on the table at the end of this section, then waking up begins with expending blood through dropping a level on the Hunger track. There is no check for this, the Hunger increase is automatic. Once this is done, they make a check against their Road Rating. If successful they rouse without penalty; if not, they will need to spend more blood and try again. 

If the character has not completed at least the mandatory period for Torpor, then they can only rouse under two circumstances. The first is that they sense danger in the room with their slumbering body - identified by a successful Mental + (higher of Perception or Auspex) - followed by spending blood as described above and then making a Road Rating check at a penalty of -2. If successful they can rise without penalty, otherwise they will need to spend more blood and check again.  

The second circumstance is that someone is actively trying to wake the sleeping vampire. This works the same way as the danger case, but does not require the check for awareness. 

A vampire who wakes before their mandatory period has passed receives none of the benefits of Torpor, including reduction of Tolls and gaining of any Disciplines. 

Benefits of Torpor

There are two primary benefits of voluntary Torpor. These also apply to a lesser degree to involuntary Torpor.

The first is that depending on the length of the slumber, a Cainite will wake to find their mind to be much clearer as their Tolls have reduced to a more manageable level. Practically speaking, for each multiple of their mandatory period spent in Torpor, all of the vampire’s Tolls will reduce in severity by one, and a check will be made to see if they reduce further. For involuntary Torpor, Tolls will be reduced in severity by one, but will not have the check for additional reduction.

The second benefit is that Disciplines, Keywords and Masterwords require a time of inner reflection and vision to fully understand. Voluntary Torpor lasting at least the mandatory period is required to internalise the lessons learned, after which a test can be made to see if your character learned successfully.

Mandatory Torpor Duration

Different things affect the mandatory duration of Torpor, which is counted in the number of actions required to fulfil that duration rather than trying to use months or years.

Road rating is the dominant factor; those who have a strong grip on their Beast and as such their vampiric nature, have an easier time waking. Age category is a secondary factor as the young are less world-worn and weary. If they survive long enough, they too will feel the need for a longer slumber.