At two dots, the thaumaturge can see and communicate with beings in the Shadow Realm. She goes into a trance and essentially opens a mental window into the Shadow Realm to observe the landscape and inhabitants of that dimension from the position her body occupies. Although she cannot physically interact with any being or object in the Shadow Realm, the magician can communicate with spirits within earshot.

When in this type of visionary trance, the character use any of her other magical abilities. Spirits in the Shadow Realm cannot target her with their powers. The performer has no way of knowing her body’s current state of health or any other information about it. Should her body die while psychically projecting, her soul passes on.

Dice Pool: Resolve + Occult
Ritual Length: 10 minutes
Duration: Trance

At four dots, the thaumaturge can perform the two-dot ritual and perform a more powerful one that allows her to create an ephemeral body in the Shadow Realm so that she can physically interact with the dimension and its inhabitants. While the thaumaturge is in the Shadow Realm in this form, she can use all of her other magical abilities. Also, spirits and other beings in the Shadow Realm can target the mystic’s mind and mystical physical body with their powers. Any bashing or lethal damage done to the character’s ephemeral body is recorded as bashing damage on the shaman’s physical body, as bruises appear on her flesh. Aggravated damage inflicted on the shaman’s ephemeral body appears on her physical body as lethal harm. If an ephemeral character is knocked unconscious by this damage, she automatically returns to her body as long as her silver cord (see below) is intact. The magician’s ephemeral body can move around normally in the Shadow Realm, walking and running at normal Speed. During the time she is mentally projected, the thaumaturge’s body is alive but comatose and her soul has actually separated from the body. She has no way of knowing her body’s current state of health or any other information about it. Should the magician’s body die while psychically projected, she most likely becomes a ghost and moves to an appropriate anchor. (See “Ghosts,” pp. 208–216 of the World of Darkness Rulebook.)

The thaumaturge’s ephemeral form appears in clothes and other portable gear that the character wears or uses regularly. A character with four dots can also bring along ephemeral versions of any artifacts or other magically powerful items she owns. In addition, her body in the Shadow Realm manifests an ephemeral silver cord connecting back to her physical body. This cord has Armor equal to one-half the thaumaturge’s Resolve (round up), and a Health Trait equal to her Willpower dots. The cord can be harmed only by aggravated damage. If this cord is severed, the magician must try to find her way back to her body by some other means (a daunting proposition).

The instant a thaumaturge’s silver cord is broken, her physical body lapses into a coma from which she cannot awaken unless her spirit is reattached to her body. Another mystic in a visionary trance can look for the lost spirit and guide it back to its body. Alternatively, the lost thaumaturge can ask a powerful spirit for help. Any spirit that can breach the barrier between worlds, materialize or steal souls might restore the thaumaturge’s spirit to her body, but such spirits may ask a high price. All damage to a silver cord is erased once the ritual ends. Each time this ritual is performed anew, the silver cord starts at full Health. The following applies to both the two- and four-dot versions of this Merit.

Dice Pool: Resolve + Occult
Ritual Length: 30 minutes
Duration: Trance

Suggested Equipment: Hallucinogenic drugs (+1 or +2, depending on their strength), performing this ritual at an opening between Twilight and the Shadow Realm (+2)

Possible Penalties: The place where the ritual is performed is inside a general magical warding (see below) (–2)

Ritual Details: Performing this ritual can be as simple as sitting down and meditating quietly, or as complex as engaging in ecstatic dancing until the thaumaturge collapses into a deep trance. Drumming, hallucinogens, chanting, unusual body postures and various meditation aids can all be used.