To become a koldun, a Blood sorcerer of the Tzimisce, a postulant vampire of that clan must take this Level 1 power with their first dot in Blood Sorcery. This requires a lengthy period of time (a week or more) spent in a wild place – usually guided by a senior koldun, often the new sorcerer’s sire. The wild place must either be connected by a vein of the earth to the Kupala demon-field of the Carpathians or to a territory already established by one of the Old Clan. Kolduny consider the new moon the ideal time for this initiation, both for ritual reasons and because the chances of lupine attack are somewhat diminished.
The postulant koldun opens a vein and plunges their arm into the earth (or water, fire, or air), establishing — or so the koldun claim — a Blood Bond with the earth. Kolduny choose their elemental thrall at this time: Water, Fire, Air, or Earth. A koldun character can command multiple elements only by taking the Koldunic Sorcery power multiple times.
Cost: One Rouse Check, and some Aggravated Health damage.
System: After making the Rouse Check, the koldun opens the old cut of their initiation. They may inflict 1 point of Aggravated Health damage to themselves per dot of Blood Sorcery they possess. For each point lost, the koldun extends their senses farther out:
Their perceptions focus through their chosen element. For example, a fire-bonded koldun sees, smells, hears, and feels through flames, stoves, furnaces, heater coils, lit cigarettes, etc., within their radius of effect. Koldunic Sorcery can perceive mystically-hidden beings such as Obfuscated vampires with a successful contest of Resolve + Blood Sorcery against Wits or Resolve + Obfuscate (or other relevant supernatural Trait).
Duration: One scene, although the koldun can renew this power at its previous level at any time that night by making another Rouse Check and losing 1 point of Aggravated Health damage. The power expires completely at sunrise.