Blood Bonds, or The Blood Oath as it was referred to in the medieval era, can bind both a mortal and a supernatural to the will of the cainite regnant. All kindred are one step bound to their sires when embraced, and it was common practice to fully bind childer during this period.
To bond a mortal, the mortal in question must drink one PINT of your blood AND a point Willpower. This is different from the book. All mortals and animals are subject to vitae addiction, but a vampire should put some effort into making a ghoul, hence the willpower.
To bond another supernatural, the supernatural in question must also drink a full pint of your blood. This is the same across the board and is a house rule.
Below are the rules for each bond level, based on a merging of both modern nights and dark ages blood bond rules.
First Drink: after the initial sup of the regnant's vitae, the drinker finders herself drawn to the other Cainite. This effect has been likened to mortal infatuation - though not necessarily a romantic one - with the cainite finding thoughts of the regnant creeping into his thoughts and dreams, and his subconscious driving him to seek out the regnant again, usually in coincidental encounters. The drinker yearns for more of his regnant's blood, though may resist such yearnings. There are mechanical rules for this stage, but it should be roleplayed out.
Second Drink: The second drink binds the drinker closer to the other Cainiter. He begins to take deliberate actions in his regnant's favor, and he actively seeks out further encounters. The drinker may himself obsessed with the regnant, suffering a broad range of often conflicting emotions (simultaneous feelings of intense love and hate are not uncommon in those forcefully or non-mutually bound). The drinker finds it difficult to act against his regnant (requiring a WP roll), and the drinker may be commanded easily by the regnant (reduce the difficulty of the regnant's Social actions against the drinker by one). The drinker often rationalizes his actions, for example, explaining them as "respect" for a worthy lord and a willingness to obey those in power. The prospective thrall continues to thirst for the regnant's blood, though mechanics are applied.
Third Drink: The third drink concludes the oath, tying the thrall to the regnant. In many cases, the intense passion of the weaker bond fades, replaced by a strong sense of loyalty and belonging. Whether the thrall loves or hates the regnant, the drinker has a sense that his own place in the natural order is correct, that he is in harmony with his own lord and vassals. Like and dislike is irrelevant; respect and loyalty are the heart of his existence. An oathbound thrall can be dominated by his regnant without the need of eye contact - hearing his master's voice is enough. Furthermore, the difficulty of any attempts to resist the regnant's Dominate commands increases by two.
Resisting the Blood Oath
Those held by the Blood Oath can attempt to resist the regnant's commands. Doing so requires the thrall's player to success on a Willpower roll against difficulty 8 (though the difficulty may increase if the regnant has treated the thrall well, or decrease if she has been mistreated). To temporarily break free of the oath requires a number of successes equal to the number of times she has drunk the regnant blood, to a maximum of ten. These successes may be accumulated over a period of time (the roll can be made once per week) representing accumulated insults and resentment, but older offenses may be forgotten. Therefore, the longest these successes can be saved is a number of weeks equal to the vampire's Willpower rating. Once the vampire has accumulated enough successes, she can spend these successes (and a willpower point) to circumvent the provisions of the oath. The resistence may be in effect for an entire scene of the vampire merely intends to disobey the regnant (passing information to a rival, allowing a group of villagers to escape an ordered massacre) to a single turn (if she wishes to attack the regnant directly). The period of freedom can be extended by spending additional willpower points, but once this expenditure stops, the oath resumes its full force.
Breaking the Blood Oath
To break a blood oath requires one to avoid their regnant for a lapse of time. This is emotionally very difficult, as the bound individual yearns to be near their regnant. If your character is actively attempting to do become unbounded (as opposed to the regnant disappearing from the boards), and if you are two or three point bound, please PM your Clan's ST.
-Those one or two steps bound must avoid their regnant for a number of weeks equal to [12-Willpower] per step.
-Those under full three step Blood oath must avoid their regnant for a number of months equal to [12-Willpower] to drop down to level 2.
