Not to be confused with, or perhaps derived from the ancient Path of Spirit Thaumaturgy (Dark Ages Companion, p. 107) Spirit Manipulation is a relatively recent innovation of the Tremere. Created to replace the rituals practiced by the clan in the days when it was a band of mortal wizards, Spirit Manipulation is the art of forcing spirits into actions and situations that would normally be anathema to them. Spirit Manipulation simulates many effects that can be created by Lupine, and shamanic mages, but does so by forcing the spirits involved into a grotesque mockery of their normal behaviors. Any botch with Spirit Manipulation not only inflicts the normal loss of Will power involved with thaumaturgical mishaps but also turns the full force of the spirit's wrath against the offending vampire.


•Hermetic Sight - The Vampire can perceive the spirit world, either by gazing deeply into it or by seeing the presence of nearby spirits as a hazy overlay on the material world. This power does not allow the thaumaturge to see into the realms of the dead or into the realms of fae (the land of the Faeries).

••Astral Cant - The languages of the spirit world are infinitely varied and mainly incomprehensible to mortal (or immortal) minds. Astral Cant does not teach the thaumaturge the tongues of the spirits, but it does allow him to understand them as they speak to him and to reply in their own languages – in effect, a universal translator for the spirit world. Imprecise use of this power can be disastrous, particularly when a thaumaturge is bargaining with a powerful spirit. The use of this power is not always necessary; many spirits speak human tongues but choose to feign ignorance when dealing with Vampires.

•••Voice of Command - This is perhaps the most dangerous power in the Spirit manipulation arsenal, for the consequences if a thaumaturge fails can be unpleasant. Voice of Command allows a vampire to issue orders to a spirit, compelling it to heed his or her bidding whether or not it desires.

••••Entrap Ephemera - This discipline allows a thaumaturge to bind a spirit into a physical object. This can be done to imprison the target, but is more often performed to create a fetish, an artifact that allows a user to channel a portion of the spirit’s power through it to affect the physical world. Fetishes created by this power are often unruly and fail at inopportune moments, as the spirits within are most displeased with their situation and will take any opportunity to escape or thwart their captors.

•••••Duality - The thaumaturge can now fully interact with the spirit world. While using this discipline, he or she exists on both planes of existence at once. The Vampire is able pick up objects in the physical world and place them into the spirit world and vice versa. Beings and landscape features in both realms are solid to the thaumaturgist, any they can engage in any manner of interaction. They can even use Thaumaturgy and other Disciplines in either world.
This is not without its dangers, however: One misstep and the vampire can find himself trapped in the spirit realm with no way to return home. Several incautious thaumaturgists have starved into torpor while trapped on the other side of the barrier that separates the physical and spirit realms. Note:while Duality is in effect the character is also susceptible to attacks from both realms. The character is also distracted by there dual perceptions of being in two realms at once (hence they cannot concentrate to there normal ability) A botch of this power tears the vampire out of the physical world and traps him in the spirit realm.