Editing LeviathanTempest:ChapterFour (section)

==== Portents ====

One common thread to the Tribe's Rituals is the power of the seas and the heavens. The fetters of geometry and time held the Progenitors lightly, their descendants may sometimes feel a connection to the movement of the planets and the changing of the tide. At no time is this expression stronger than when working the most abstract of their powers.

All the sample Rituals have one favorable tide and one hostile tide – the two are almost always opposite – as well as one favorable planet and one hostile planet. Every Leviathan's Rituals are different and not all follow the above system, some work according to principles quite unknown to human occultism and may even include omens unrelated to the sea or stars but for simplicity the sample Rituals use the planets of the Western Zodiac and a system of four tides of our own creation.

When the stars are right rituals are more effective. Each auspicious Portent that shines upon a Ritual gives +1 to the dicepool. However each ominous Portent gives a -1. If both auspicious Portents and neither ominous Portent are true then the dice pool also gets 9again however attempting a Ritual when both ominous Portents are true without the security of either auspicious Portent degrades a normal Failure into a Dramatic Failure. Fortunately under the following system each 12 hour tidal cycle is divided into four tides that last four hours. Only the most ignorant or desperate Leviathan need perform a Ritual against a hostile tide.

===== Sidebar: Increasing the power of Portents (Optional Rule) =====

For simplicity we've kept the number of Portents in every Ritual to a minimum. It does however make sense that more powerful Rituals would require a more intricate balance of signs. Storytellers who wish to focus on the religious themes have two options for expanding the power of Portents. These rules may be done on a player by player basis, after all every Leviathan's Rituals are unique. 

The first is to increase the number of ominous, but not auspicious, portents to represent the increased difficulty of more powerful Rituals. Either one negative portent per Dot or per two Dots rounded up.

The second is to allow the players to change the amount of portents in a Ritual in exchange for Experience points. Every auspicious Portent increases the cost by one and every ominous Portent decreases the cost of the Ritual by one. The Storyteller may include a minimum number of Portents. 

When changing the number of Portents the Storyteller should consider how how this changes the probability of getting only and all auspicious or ominous Portents. We recommend that the current effects occur if either side outnumbers the other by two Portents. If one side outnumbers the other by a whole four Portents consider introducing a further effect respectively: 8again and no rerolls with 1s subtracting successes.

===== Sidebar: Signs and Symbols =====

If you are creating your own rituals and wish to include them within this system here are descriptions of the signs used: 

* High Tide: A High Tide is used whenever the Leviathan is directly using his powers or enhancing his own strength. 
* Flood Tide: A Flood Tide is favorable when the Leviathan is granting a blessing to others, most commonly her Beloved. 
* Ebb Tide: An Ebb Tide grants fortune when the Leviathan is placing a curse upon others, or granting a blessing saner individuals would consider a curse.
* Low Tide: A Low Tide blesses any Ritual designed to weaken the Leviathan who performs it, it is rarely an Auspicious Portent

*Mercury signifies social interaction.
*Venus signifies love.
*Mars signifies conflict and danger.
*Jupiter signifies business and wealth.
*Saturn signifies death and failure.
*Uranus signifies change.
*Neptune signifies mental disease.
*Pluto signifies rebirth.