Setite Genre PacketThe Papyrus of SutekhA Genre Packet for OWbNA packet for Followers of Set PlayersBy Joshua TannerIntroductionCorrupters, defilers, religious fanatics, serpents; the Followers of Set have been called all this and worse. They decry the basis of all Kindred society by claiming to be descended from an ancient Egyptian god, not a mortal man. Is this declaration of a divine founder more outrageous than avowed lineage from the first murder of Abrahamic tradition? With a history as rich as that of Egypt itself, the Followers of Set are more of a cult or religious sect than a mere clan or bloodline. What binds them together, besides the universal distrust from outsiders, is their devotion to their sleeping god. More devout than any Gehenna cult, as fanatical as any Assamite, their religion is bound in their unique Paths of Enlightenment, the Path of Typhon Set. The Path of Sutekh
A little philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism, But depth in
philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion. They get away with murder, literally. Utter debasement, vileness, vices, all serve the Followers of Set well, and they seem to pay no price. They don’t have to worry about the slow decent into the madness of the Wassail. Or so the Cainites say of the Theophidians. In truth they see only the thin veneer. The Followers of Set claim their Path predates all others. It has existed for millennia, codified and rewritten as necessary, spawning dozens of variations that have fallen out of practice. Broken up into numerous sects, of all sizes, that each have a slightly different take on the basic Theophidian doctrine. There is no Baltimore catechism for Setites, each must find her own way in the glorification of the Dark Father and creativity is prized. New interpretations arise because they work for a reason. Remaining tradition-bound falls into the Aeons’ trap. She who follows the Path of Typhon Set seeks to destroy the social mores and conscience that has been created by the Aeons, eternal enemies of Set who seek to bind the world in their prison of illusion. She searches for what she reviles and fears, as well as what she lusts after to break their spell over her. Power is not gathered for power’s sake but to take strength from the pawns of the Enemies and to lead those enslaved by it into enlightenment. The ultimate goal is to surpass all worldly hates, fears, and passions; to empty oneself and purely hate the Aeons and desire freedom from them for all. The Path of the Father is not easy. Those bound in the Aeons’ snares don’t usually recognize their own enslavement. The Revelations of the Void strive to teach the price of slavery by forcibly showing it to the initiate. Drugs, sex, money are all symbolic representations of the true chains. By compelling one to indulge in and then break one’s addiction to any vice, true enlightenment comes at the bottom of the well, behind the bars of prison, at the depths of misery. The Path of Typhon Set has been divided into two separate entities. The Path of Typhon (LotN:R p. 79) encourages its followers to abandon themselves to absolute corruption as the ultimate goal. Similarly, the Path of Sutekh teaches that degradation is the means to an end, and that enlightenment occurs after one has seen past longing. Both paths require the same actions from its followers what separates them is their rationalizations. In nights past, claim some scholars, variants on these paths existed. Warriors sought their own martial way; hedonists found excuse in an Ecstatic Path; and some even attempted to connect Set with the Serpent of Genesis, hoping to return the Earth to an innocent Eden-like state, before the corruption of laws and morality. Today none of these paths exist as all Setites follow Humanity or their own take on the Path of Typhon Set. (In game terms, the Paths of Ecstasy, Warrior, and Serpentis, as previously presented are no longer in use. Those characters “still on” one of those Paths should consider redefining themselves in terms of Typhon Set or Humanity or the adaptations listed below. Storytellers are encouraged to discourage use of these “dead paths” in their games and adopt the newer standards. Sutekh, like Typhon relies on the Virtues of Conviction and Self-Control.) Ethics of the Path of Sutekh:
Path of Sutekh Hierarchy of Sins:
Variants of Typhon-Set
Better heresy of doctrine than heresy of heart. Since the advent of Third Edition the Paths of Warrior and Ecstasy have fallen by the wayside. No longer fitting with the general thrust of the clan or the formatting of Paths from Third Edition they seemed to make little sense in the current context. Keeping in mind the variations on the Path of Night from Clanbook: Lasombra (Rev.) the following Paths were created in the shadows of the Path of Ecstasy and the Path of the Warrior. Both following the general format of the Path of Typhon Set, the Path of Set’s Vengeance and the Path of Ecstatic-Typhon should be considered to supplant the earlier versions of these paths from Clanbook: Setite.
Path of Set’s VengeanceThis Path has grown in popularity in recent decades, with many young Setites attracted to its philosophies. Just as Set was once a hunter and warrior, so too are adherents of this path. These Setites pride themselves upon their physical and marital prowess. Many who follow the Path of the Warrior are masochists and fanatics. They believe that the Beast is a creation of the mind, and that by training the body until it is stronger than the mind, the Beast can be controlled. Setites who follow the Path of the Warrior are among the most dangerous opponents any Cainite can encounter. They are Set’s shock troops in the war against the Aeons. Lupines, Bau, Sebau, kine, and Cainites all form their prey. It is the common ambition of adherents of the path to hone themselves until they have become the ultimate urban predators. When Set arises, those of the Path of the Warrior believe they will sweep all opponents away before them. Virtues: Conviction, Self-Control, CourageEthics
HistoryThis path evolved after the Roman Empire crushed Egypt. Believing that the personal weakness among the Clan was the direct cause of Egypt’s downfall, certain Followers of Set determined never to falter from forging themselves into perfect vampiric killers. Since that time, the Path of the Warrior has slowly gained adherents, although it is still the least followed of the Setite Paths of Enlightenment. Hierarchy of Sins
Ecstatic Path of Typhon-SetFollowers of Set serve their cause in many ways, from scholars to courtesans. Alas, many within the clan forget why they pursue and provide vice, power and pleasure to others, or they never learn from their neglectful sires. These vicemongers become the Setites most visible to other Kindred. Practitioners of this path revel in luxury instead of degradation. They sate the Beast by glutting its appetite. Members of this variation of the path of Typhon-Set often especially despise the Kindred of Clan Toreador, and take every chance to humiliate and distress them. Ethics
VirtuesFollowers of the Path of Ecstasy uphold the virtues of Conviction, Instincts and Courage. Path of Ecstasy Hierarchy of Sins
Setite Prestige
A cult is a religion with no political power. Prestige amongst the Setites is based on their devotion to their god and his teachings. Most consider Camarillan and Sabbat Status useless as progression within the clan depends on one’s enlightenment and assistance towards raising Set, not on how much they ingratiate themselves to the “servants of the Aeons”. That being said, Followers of Set do not need to wait until given their Prestige by an Elder or Priest. Once the Follower achieves what would normally allow her to claim the particular trait, she claims it. Other Serpents can easily find out if one of their own is claiming more than they are due. Setites may have up to five personal Prestige, any traits beyond five must be positional (Worshipped and Exalted). No Follower of Set (with the exception of the Eternals of Sothis) may have more that three Prestige without being the leader of a cult with an established temple.
Who can grant Prestige?
** a Major Cult is at least Herd x4, Retainers x4, Allies x2 † The Cult of Typhon Trismegistus and Cohort of Wepwawet are the only major Cults that award their Warriors with special prestige. ‡ Only these Prestige Traits are available to Warriors. Vengeance and Initiated are available to Warriors alone. TitlesPriestly Titles
Acolyte: One seeking the training necessary to become a Priest of
Set. Warrior TitlesThe Warriors of Set are those following the martial aspect of the Path of Typhon or Humanity and are strong arm of Set. As with the Priests, Warriors have their own structure. Ranking within the Warriors is resolved through both proof of knowledge and physical aptitude. The proof of knowledge by questioning and the physical aspect by combat. Any lower rank wishing to rise to the next rank must first prove to the one they are challenging, in front of witnesses and Priests that they are knowledgeable in the Lore of the Clan and God necessary to serve in this position through a questioning by the one they are seeking to challenge. Once this test is passed, the pair enters a trial by combat, the exact style picked by the one being challenged. Generally the fight is to incapacitation, or terms determined before hand, unless one side or the other violates the structures of the challenge. If that happens, then their opponent is free to choose Final Death as the punishment for the violation. A Warrior may yield in a challenge if he deems his life in danger, but will lose a Prestige trait for it.
Trainee: This is the lowest level of the Warriors. All Trainees
are answerable to the Fists and Sergeant in their area. There are no
requirements for this level. Note: If none of the positions exists in an area, all Warriors in said area report directly to those above the missing positions. A qualifying individual, without any challenges, may claim any position that is vacant. Any position also has the right to challenge the competency of a position below them. If they defeat their lesser, they oust them from the position. Then the normal challenge for the position begins anew. Challenges are only done on a religious holiday, normally on the Dismemberment of Osiris. Other TitlesEternal of Sothis: When a Follower of Set survives for a Sothic cycle (1,460 solar years) she graduates from mere Elder status and becomes a Djet Sopdet, or Eternal of Sothis. A demigod on Earth, whose words carry the weight of Set himself. The Djet Sopdet have five Prestige of their choice. Other positions (such as the Leader of the Daughters of Sekhmet) will be created by the Eternals of Sothis (the Setite Coordinator) as they are relevant to each area. Out-of-Clan Prestige
Flattery looks like friendship, just like a wolf looks like a
dog. Giving Prestige to a Cainite, and thus, not a True Follower of Set, has always been a touchy subject. How can one who does not strive towards the same goals as the Children of the Dark God be rewarded by his True Servants? The answer is not as complicated as it may seem. Out-of-Clan Prestige is not used as a symbol of respect as it is used amongst the Setites, but more as a method of communicating truths about the holder of said status to the rest of the clan. Some of the most commonly accepted Out-of-Clan Prestige Traits follow. This is not all of the possible Traits available; that is only confined by what one wants to communicate to the Followers as a whole. To quote Tony Davis: “We need to make sure that Out of Clan prestige is different than In Clan prestige... the prestige we give to each other is real, the prestige we give to outsiders is code we can use against them.” Once a character grants Out of Clan Prestige, it should be recorded on the Yahoogroups database (OWbN-Setite). If an appropriate trait is not available, feel free to create one, but make doubly sure to log it in the database and post it to the email list.
What are you saying when you speak “Ancient Egyptian”?
Would I had phrases that are not known, utterances that
are strange, in new language that has not been used, free from
repetition, not an utterance which has grown stale, which men of old have
spoken. In short: Egyptian is a single language that evolved over several thousands of years. During that time it used several different character sets, some of which were used concurrently for different tasks (similar to modern Japanese). The major phases were: Old Egyptian, spoken and written in Egypt during the IV to VI dynasties of the Old Kingdom (3d millennium.); Middle Egyptian, current from the XI dynasty (beginning 2134 B.C.) to the reign of Ikhnaton (c.1372-1354 B.C.) in the XVIII dynasty; Late Egyptian, which was used from the time of Ikhnaton through the XX dynasty of the 12th century B.C.; and Demotic, dating from the late 8th century B.C. to the 5th cent. A.D. Hieroglyphics were the most ornate of the character sets used in Egyptian, and were (as far as I can tell) used through the Late Egyptian period. Hieratic is a shorthand script, which was used at the same time as Hieroglyphics, and is the common writing language for papyri of that period. Demotic is a separate script that evolved from Hieroglyphs and Hieratic script. There was obviousoverlap in the use of Hieroglyphics and Demotic writing. (The Rosetta Stone included Greek, Demotic and Hieroglyphics. The Demotic was translated first and allowed the later translation of Hieroglyphics.) Coptic *can* be viewed as a fifth period of the Egyptian language, but it is also seen as its own language, descended from Egyptian. It used a modified version of the Greek alphabet. It was used by the Copts, an Egyptian Christian sect and was superceded by Arabic in about the 12th century, although it is still used ceremonially within the Coptic Church. Individual games across OWbN run the linguistics system differently. If your game counts each “dot” of Linguistics as a full language, then upon purchasing “Ancient Egyptian” you would be able to write in Hieroglyphics and Hieratic (though to be able to read and write in Demotic you would need to purchase a separate “dot”) and speak the language. If your game uses the skill level system where each “dot” confers a greater understanding use the progression below. (For an example of the skill level system in OWbN check out http://www.eotr.org/houserules.html under the Abilities section.) Linguistics: Egyptian:
Appropriate Specialties: Religious Hieroglyphs, Curse Words, Written, Common Script, New Kingdom Akhu: The Divine Image
Magic is the envelopment and coercion of the objective world by the
ego; it is a dynamic subjectivism. Religion is the coercion of the ego by gods
and spirits who are objectively conceived beings in control of nature and
man. Not a few vampires know that the Followers of Set claim an ancient magic quite different from the Thaumaturgy of the Tremere. Most of these Kindred simply call this magic “Setite Sorcery”. This magic art has an actual name of its own, though. The Setites themselves call it Akhu, and they are not the only vampires who practice this art. Unlike Europeans, the ancient Egyptians regarded magic as a profoundly legitimate art. A sorcerer did not blaspheme against the gods by casting spells: The Egyptian gods gave magic to humanity as a gift, and each spell reaffirmed this bond between the human and the divine. Priests doubled as community magicians. The Egyptians saw no fundamental difference between a rite conducted in a temple for the benefit of Pharaoh and the state and a spell cast at a client’s house for personal benefit. The ancient Egyptians also did not distinguish between “black” and “white” magic. All magic was ethically neutral. An Egyptian certainly did not like becoming the target of a curse, any more than a modern person likes being shot at; but an Egyptian responded to hostile magic by consulting his local priest-magician for spells to protect him – and to let him shoot back. Historians find only one record of an Egyptian trial for criminal sorcery, in the case of an official who attempted a sorcerous coup using magic books he stole from Pharaoh’s library. The official’s crimes, however, lay in the theft and the assassination attempt – not in the magic itself. The Egyptians had several words for magic. The most important were Heka, “Magic”, and Akhu “Spells”. The ancient texts use these words interchangeably. As early as 1000 BCE, however, Egyptian vampires used Heka to refer to mortal sorcery and Akhu to refer to their blood magic. Except for the use of vitae, Heka and Akhu used much the same tools to cast similar spells. Egyptian attitudes changed during Roman times. The Romans forbade priests to cast spells, though the practice continued in secret. Egypt’s conversion to Christianity completed the transition. After centuries of decline among mortals, only vampires remembered and practiced the ancient sorceries. Heka apparently died, while Akhu went underground. In the ancient world, Egyptian priests enjoyed a reputation as the world’s greatest sorcerers. Thanks to Akhu, the Followers of Set inherited this reputation. Suspicion of the “pagan” Setites and of “Satanic” sorcery fed on each other in the Christian and Muslim world. Some undead historians argue that the Setites themselves came to believe the baleful rumors spread about them and their sorcery, and that many Setite practices grew from these centuries of propaganda. In the Middle Ages and Renaissance, Clan Tremere replaced the Followers of Set as the leading purveyors of magic in Europe. A dreadful Inquisition in their native Egypt further reduced Setite power and destroyed most sorcerers from other clans. Egyptian sorcery became an increasingly rare art. Relatively few Setites (or Egyptian vampires of other clans) bothered to learn Akhu – not least because so few Kindred could read the ancient papyrus grimoires. In the 19th century, however, Champollion’s translation of Egyptian hieroglyphs led to renewed interest in all things Egyptian among Kindred and kine. Some Tremere became interested n the magic of their old rivals and sought to learn Akhu. A large percentage of these Warlocks rebelled against their clan’s hierarchy and became Set-cultists themselves. In 1930, the Council of Seven banned research into Akhu. In 1973, Muharram Rasul ibn Babar, Pontifex of Antioch, persuaded the Council of Seven to lift the ban. The Pontifex, known for his hatred of the Setites, argued that House and Clan needed to master the Serpents’ magic in order to defend against it. The clan’s elders, however, still look askance at any Warlock who shows too much interest in Egyptian magic. The Tremere have lost too many secrets because of defectors. Not all Setite vampires actually worship Set directly. A large minority of Setites identifies the Dark God with deities from other pantheons. One prominent cult, for instance, identifies Set with the Greek monster Typhon and the Roman gods Mars, Bacchus, and Pluto. Another cult actually links Set to Jesus through some truly amazing “secret doctrines”. A handful of lector-priests translate Akhu to exploit these other pantheons. Most Setites who learn Akhu simply move beyond the “mask” of the other pantheon to worship Set directly and use the old Egyptian forms. So far, no vampire from any other clan has learned any of these hybrid forms of Akhu. Not all lector-priests come from the Followers of Set clan. They are all Setites in the sense of worshipping the Dark God, but a significant percentage come from other lineages – such as the Tremere defectors and their childer. Few Kindred of other clans adopt the Setite faith, but the Followers of Set teach them Akhu as freely as they teach their own childer. Raiding the Western Lands
Power is something of which I am convinced there is no innocence this
side of the womb. Unfortunately for the Kindred, the Egyptian religion did not grant them the benefits of divine magic. Vampires lacked breath and vital force; their banishment from the sun’s light proclaimed them anathema to the gods. No divine contract gave them the right to cast spells. Just as vampires stole blood from the living, however, the ancient Egyptian Kindred found ways to steal magic from the gods. Even so, the Egyptian blood magicians drew their charter from a divine legend: the Myth of Set and Osiris. When the sun-god Ra grew too old to continue as king of the gods and the world, he appointed Osiris as his successor. This decision outraged Osiris’ brother Set. The warrior-god reminded Ra of his nightly service, battling the chaos-serpent Apep so the sun-boat could pass the gates of dawn, but Ra would not change his mind. Set took revenge by murdering Osiris and dismembering his body. Isis, the sister-wife of Osiris, recovered his body, mummified it and magically conceived a son by her dead husband. This son, Horus, grew up to avenge his father and become the next king of the gods, while Osiris became king of the dead. For a time, however, Set successfully usurped the powers of light and life. In the same way, all blood magicians fuel their spells with the life force they steal from the living. Practitioners of Akhu go even further. They additionally steal power from the dead by reenacting the dismemberment of Osiris, the greatest act of blasphemy in Egyptian legend. The Book of Going Forth by Night, - a text written by Set himself, according to legend – tells them how to do it. This power enhances their magic. Lector-priest can cast many spells without expending vitae, relying entirely upon the power stolen from the dead and from Osiris himself. Blasphemy-ShrinesAs the Egyptians condensed their funerary magic from the Pyramid Texts to the Book of Coming Forth by Day, they allowed more people to enjoy the afterlife privileges once restricted to pharaohs. By Hellenistic times, the Egyptian priests opened the Western Lands to any commoner who could afford the mummification process and a copy of the Book of the Dead. All these people joined the kingdom of Osiris. By emulating the god’s mummification, they mystically became Osiris. Cultists of Set take this claim seriously. They interpret “becoming Osiris” to mean that these souls become extension of the god and feed his power through a spiritual vampirism. Even tonight, they believe, souls can find themselves in Amenti and become the happy, deluded slaves of the god. The Egyptian religion may have died out, but people still seek immortality through extravagant burials, monuments or a cadaver preserved for the ages. Since people pass to Amenti through obsession with their cadaver or the pomp of their burial, lector-priests free them from the Western Lands by reversing these conditions. They desecrate the body by breaking bones, splitting the ribcage and using hooks and cords to pull the corpse into a torturous position. By mutilation the corpse, they imitate Set’s murder and dismemberment of Osiris. The Setite magician likewise mocks and perverts the grave goods. In a full Egyptian burial, the viscera went in four special “canopic jars” placed in a specific arrangement. A Setite reverses that arrangement, placing the northern jar in the south and the eastern jar in the west. Other grave goods join the tableau after suitable defilement. The magician might load a beautiful coffin with manure and turn it into a mushroom farm. Rich clothing becomes a rag-rug for the magician to wipe his feet upon. Set’s book supplies insulting uses for classically Egyptian grave goods such as amulet and jewelry, usabti figures, furniture, weapons and cases for unguents. Setites dealing with latter-day burials must exercise their ingenuity. For instance, given a person who sought immortality by endowing a library, museum or hospital, a Setite might steal and defile the commemorative plaque, the official stationary and other objects from the building. The Book of Going Forth by Night says that this desecration withers the soul in the Western Lands and inflicts eternal torment upon it. At least, part of the soul writhes and howls in pain. Some Setites believe that the wailing spirit is merely the person’s ka or “astral double”. The imperishable true soul, the sahu, slips free of the broken ka like a snake sloughing its skin, a second death to a genuine and transcendent new life. Other Setites omit this point of doctrine. They say that anyone who serves Osiris deserves a few millennia of torture. After all, the tortured cadaver eventually falls apart., no matter how carefully a Setite preserves it, and then the soul’s torment ends. Metaphysics aside, an Akhu practitioner absolutely must perform this rite of desecration in order to work magic. The broken cadaver and tortured ka pull magical power from Amenti to the lector-priest’s ritual chamber. A lector-priest can perform magic elsewhere, but must conduct monthly rites to honor Set in the blasphemy-shrine. If some ill luck destroys the blasphemy-shrine, the lector-priest can no longer perform even the simplest magic ritual. For a full description of the game mechanics behind the blasphemy-shrine, see the ritual Opening the Gate below. The Book of Going Forth by Night
Scriptures, n. The sacred books of our holy religion, as distinguished
from the false and profane writings on which all other faiths are
based. Set’s book gives full instructions for “Opening the Gate”. The Book of Going Forth by Night also tells how to inscribe a consecrated copy that makes other magic rituals more likely to succeed, and how to brew a vitae-laced sacramental beer (see the Rituals section for a full description of these rituals). The Book of Going Forth by Night contains no other rituals of Setite sorcery. Many Akhu rituals employ its legends and liturgies, though. Some sendings demand the physical presence of a copy. A tradition-bound Setite would insist upon a copy of The Book of Going Forth by Night written in hieroglyphics upon a genuine papyrus scroll. Less formal lector-priests accept printed copies bound as a modern book (scrolls are not very convenient), and written in hieratic, demotic, or Coptic script. Setites have translated the book into Greek, Arabic, English and several other languages for their neonates to study, but these have no value in magic Demons and Messengers
From the world of darkness I did loose demons and devils in the power of
scorpions to torment. The Egyptians believed in several classes of spirits. The ghosts of the blessed dead were called akhu (singular akh). Spells sometimes appealed to them for help. Mut were evil or at least unredeemed ghosts. Gods could project spirit-images of themselves, called bau (singular ba), to serve as messengers and convey blessings or curses. Duat held a variety of demons and monsters. Apep, the Great Serpent of chaos, became the most notorious. Egyptian funerary texts describe other monsters too, though, such as Maka, a flint armored and knife-slashing serpent 50 feet long. The lesser demons, called sebau, serve Set. Their chief, Seba, looks like a giant snake with 12 human heads sprouting from its body. Sebau look like serpents, crocodiles, or patchworks of these creatures with human parts. The blessed souls lie beyond the reach of Akhu, but lector-priests can evoke mut, bau, and sebau. Setite sorcerers greatly prefer the sebau: Some Setites believe that clanmates who suffer Final Death become sebau, transformed by the power of Set. Divine messengers possess Disciplines or Thaumaturgical paths suitable for the god that emanates them. A ba of Ptah might possess the Path of Conjuring, while a ba of Seker might know Necromancy paths, and the bau of a kingship god such as Ra, Amun, or Horus would have Presence. All sebau have Sepentis to The From of the Cobra, and do not have to spend their analog of blood points to fuel these powers. Setite SorcerySetite sorcery is unlike normal Thaumaturgy, in that its paths don't necessarily require inherent vitae expenditure, and may not require a mental challenge. The power for these paths usually comes from the Western Lands, not from the sorcerer herself. In fact, these paths are more like closed-ended Disciplines than more traditional thaumaturgical paths, though they are finite and depend on the larger theory of Setite sorcery. A lector-priest character needs at least one level of Occult and one level of Linguistics: Egyptian to know the requisite mysteries of Egyptian myth, magic and language. Alchemical rituals demand that the magician possess at least one level of Medicine or Science. If a character lacks at least one level of (an appropriate type of) Crafts, the lector-priest is down one trait on all rituals that involve written spells, engraved amulets or other inscriptions. Additional levels in Mummification, Crafts: Calligraphy, Crafts: Sculpture, etc. may be needed for specific paths or rituals. Storytellers may impose other difficulty penalties or bonuses upon a player’s challenge, depending on how thoroughly the character adheres to the full pomp of Egyptian priestly tradition. For instance, rituals that involve writing assume that the character employs an authentic reed pen, ink, and papyrus. She could also draw her inscription on a moist clay tablet and bake it hard. Chiseling the spell into a stone stela and painting the hieroglyphs would merit a two-trait bonus. Conversely, scribbling spells with a ballpoint pen on a three-by-five note card would incur a two-trait penalty. Other factors that could reduce difficulties include the use of genuine Nile water, ancient ritual tools or a congregation of fellow Set cultists (such as a personal blood cult). Negative factors include wearing synthetic or animal-derived fabrics (Egyptian priests wore linen), or improvised ritual tools. We recommend that Storytellers do not adjust bonuses or penalties by more than three traits. PathsIncluded in Setite Sorcery are Six Paths unique to Setites: The Snake Inside, The Path of the Dry Nile, Divine Hand, Path of Duat, Ushabti, and Immanence of Set. Akhu also employs its own versions of other paths practiced by the Tremere or others, but often gives them different names. Each path relates in some way to Set or Set-cultist activities. The following Paths can be found in previously published source books from White Wolf. They can be used with the same game mechanics, though usually the performance is significantly more “Egyptian-ized”. Read over the section on “Tools and Techniques” (Blood Sacrifice: the Thaumaturgy Companion pg. 21) for ideas of how to subtly change these paths to the Follower of Set outlook.
Warrior Setites usually learn the Valor of Sutekh, as their Primary Path, while more scholarly inclined Serpents begin their learning with Breath of Set. A full list of the mechanics behind Akhu can be found in the Akhu packet located at http://clans.owbn.org/setite. RitualsThe following rituals are available to lector-priests and the rules for casting are found in the OWbN Setite Sorcery packet located at http://clans.owbn.org/setite. Basic Rituals:
Intermediate Rituals:
Advanced Rituals:
Other RitualsThe following rituals have been culled from other sources, but are considered to be accessible to lector-priests who have the appropriate resources to gather them. The sources each ritual can be found in are listed following the ritual name. Similarly, if a ritual is traditionally common among the Priests or Warriors of Set a notation is made as well. Basic:
Intermediate
Advanced
Note: Since no rituals from the Table Top Guide to the Camarilla appeared in Laws of the Night: Camarilla Guide, use the commonly accepted guidelines for these rituals. Bloodline Paths and RitualsFour distinct bloodlines exist within the Setite Clan. The Warriors practice their martial sorcery within the standard framework of Akhu, as do the lector-priests. The others come at sorcery from a completely different angle. Serpents of the Light practice the Caribbean Wanga with its decidedly necromatically bent, Tlacique still give homage to Tezcatlipoca with the pre-Columbian Nahuallotl, and the Daitya, the Holy Blasphemers, perform their own Brahmin-style sorcery called Sadhana. Like Akhu they approach magic from a religious stance, calling on certain gods or spirits to perform tasks, or asking their favor, unlike the formulaic Thaumaturgy of the Tremere. These paths are only taught to “priests” of the particular religion and only by other holy men. There are many levels of initiation into the mysteries of that particular brand of sorcery that one must learn before being able to practice the magic. For game purposes, a character must be an active adherent to the religious tradition, seek out a teacher, and be initiated into their magics, a process that usually takes several years. Unless otherwise noted, if a character does not actively practice the belief system espoused (on a nightly basis) she cannot call upon the necessary forces to perform the sorcery. Storytellers: it is highly suggested that you only allow the Sadhana and Nahuallotl to NPC’s, both due to the character type’s status as Rare and Unusual, but also because they are based in such a secretive religious paradigm. The paths cease to be strange to Western Cainites when any character can go down to the local Hindu Temple and learn the secret paths of the Brahmin. A full list of the mechanics behind these paths can be found in the OWbN Thaumaturgy packet located at http://clans.owbn.org/Tremere WangaVoudoun. Santería. Candomblé. Shango cults. Palo Mayombe. Obeayisne. All these religions and more developed from the slave populations taken from the Yorba, Ewe and Fon tribes of Western Africa. They share another common feature in the sorcerous practice we call Wanga. Created from the multitude of religious practices born in the slave dens that most Americans call Voodoo, Wanga is as much a religion as a method of magic. While some vampires adhere to the precepts of a specific Afro-Caribbean faith, most Kindred wangateurs practice a mishmash that combines many aspects of any or all of these religions. Despite their varied practices, all wangateurs must have real faith (though not necessarily True Faith) in the God and spirits revered by these religions. Those who don’t believe have a great deal of difficulty with Wanga. The player of a Kindred who is not one of the faithful must bid two Traits in any Wanga challenge and must succeed in an additional Static test. Storytellers are encouraged to treat those who fail both challenges as having “botched” and should show the faithless wangateur how the spirits feel about those who call upon them faithlessly. Several standard paths of Thaumaturgy are available to practitioners of Wanga. In addition, Wanga claims at least three unique paths detailed below. Unless stated otherwise these paths are activated in the standard manner (with the expenditure of one blood point) and require a mental challenge. In addition, the wangateur must call aloud (though it need not be at great volume) upon the power of an appropriate spirit (orisha, loa, Enkisi or the like), and many require the presence of specific items or components. Many wangateurs eventually branch out towards necromancy considering the degree of ancestor-worship inherent in Wanga.
Wanga RitualsTo perform a ritual, a wangateur must wield an asson, an ekwele, a kisengue or other religious talisman, in addition to listed components. Unless otherwise noted within the ritual’s description, all follow the similar challenges to those laid out in LotN:R – basic rituals require a Static Mental Challenge versus five Traits, Intermediate is vs. seven Traits, and Advanced is vs. nine Traits. A failure on this challenge indicates that the magic has not been properly invoked; any required components are still consumed, and must be replaced if the caster wishes to try again. Some rituals, such as Grandfather’s Gift, Ori Sight, and Shackles of Blood, call specifically on ancestor spirits. The Ara Orun, while often generous and helpful, can also be malicious and cruel on whim. Any time such a ritual is attempted and failed, the player must engage in a Simple Challenge (success on a win or tie). If this challenge fails, the failed ritual backfires on the wangateur in some way; the Ara Orun have proven exceptionally hostile this night. Basic Rituals
Intermediate Rituals
Advanced Rituals
Wangateurs have access to several rituals of “traditional” Thaumaturgy. These include many wards and other defensive rituals, divinations, various bone-related rituals and those that are designed to cause injury or consternation from a distance (“curse” rituals). In addition, Wanga has its own rich library of unique magics that call upon the spirits and the ashé of the world around them. Suggested rituals include: Basic
Intermediate
Advanced
SadhanaSadhana, Hindu for “Ganing”, is the blood-magic of the Indian sub-continent. Practiced primarily by Daitya and Ravnos rakta-sadhus (blood sorcerers). Based largely on ancient practices of the Hindu religion, it is the closest to Hermetic Thaumaturgy of the theocratic sorceries. Along, with meditation, mantras, fasting and mandalas, the Brahminist tradition holds that a letter-perfect sacrifice compels the gods to work the sadhu’s will. Like Tremere Thaumaturgy, Sadhana paths call for a Mental challenge (unless otherwise noted) and rituals function the same. Unlike Hermetic magi, a sadhu must learn the Meditation ability to practice her sorcery. A sorcerer cannot employ path magic at a higher level than her Meditation Trait rating, though she may perform rituals at a higher level. She still knows her primary path to the level of her full Thaumaturgical mastery; she simply lacks the spiritual force or focus to use it. When her player raises the character’s Meditation Trait, she can use the path to a higher level. At the Storyteller’s discretion, a sadhu’s player can retest Sadhana with Meditation instead of Occult – but at the cost of the power taking as much time as a ritual of the same level. Meditation is not quick. Sadhus independently developed some versions of well-known Hermetic paths. Contact with the Middle Eastern ashipu inspired other paths. Ancient contact between the Daitya and their Setite cousins in Egypt led to a Sadhana version of the Path of Duat. This “Path of Yama” named after the Hindu king of the Dead, employs a mental challenge, rather than a social one, and does not require any sort of talisman. Many Indian Path names include the suffixes –Raja, “Rulership, Mastery” or –Vidya, “Lore”. Paths
Sadhana RitualsBasic Rituals
Intermediate Rituals
Advanced Rituals
Master Rituals
NahuallotlLike Wanga, Nahuallotl is as much a religious system as a form of magic. The Tlacique believe that their magic comes from Tezcatlipoca and other ancient gods of Central and South America, gods upon whom the Tlacique still call. They believe these gods demand sacrifices, that the sun requires blood and hearts to keep it alive from day to day. Aztec faith maintained that the Earth has already died four times and that the end of this, the fifth age, will be the end of all that is. The Tlacique believe this still, and their religious rites – and their magic – reflect the need to offer constant sacrifice to the powers that be. No recorded occurrence of a Tlacique willingly teaching Nahuallotl to an outsider exists, but even if one did, a “heathen” nahualli suffers the same penalties to her challenges as do faithless wangateurs (see the Wanga section). Nahuallotl employs the same mechanics as Hermetic thaumaturgy, but it remains a distinct and incompatible Discipline due to its forms and procedures. It contains only one unique Path, the Lash of Xipe Totec. Although they were created independently, most of Nahuallotl’s paths emulate those invoked in more familiar forms of blood magic; only names and procedures vary. When a nahualli invokes a path power, she must physically spill the blood points spent. The Aztecs believed that blood from the earlobe, tongue and genitals was of particular potency, and many nahualli carry a large cactus spine used to draw the required blood. In addition, the caster prays aloud to the gods. The most common paths of Nahuallotl and their Thaumaturgical equivalents follow. In addition Nahuallotl claims one unique path. Paths
Nahuallotl RitualsWhen invoking paths, the nahualli’s own vitae serves as sufficient sacrifice. Where rituals are concerned, however, the gods demand more. Rituals require an offering of life, not just vitae. Some less potent rituals function with animal sacrifice, but the most powerful require human life. The nahualli normally sacrifice a human by opening the chest and rib cage and removing the heart. When they feel they can get away with it, the Tlacique perform such sacrifices regularly, even when not casting Nahuallotl rituals. They see this as doing their part to keep the sun rising day to day. Most of the Tlacique’s sacrifices come from three potential groups. Occasionally, they find members of their community desperate enough to go under the knife willingly, in exchange for promises of wealth and protection for their families. Other sacrifices come from those criminals who dare prey upon a Tlacique’s community. Finally, many Tlacique hate the Sabbat so much that anyone connected with that sect becomes an enemy, and a potential sacrifice. The Tlacique treasure those few people who volunteer for the procedure; a willing sacrifice lowers the difficulty of the ritual by 2. Unless otherwise noted within the ritual’s description, all follow the similar challenges to those laid out in LotN:R – basic rituals require a Static Mental Challenge versus five Traits, Intermediate is vs. seven Traits, and Advanced is vs. nine Traits. Basic Rituals
Intermediate Rituals
Advanced Rituals
FAQ
I'm confused. How does clan prestige actually work these days?
I'm still confused. What does this have to do with these titles
everyone's walking around with?
I have an item that grants x Setite Prestige. How do I handle it?
I’m playing a Tremere/Assamite/Caitiff can I “steal” Setite
Sorcery?
What do I need in order to teach Setite Sorcery?
Can someone not of the lineage of the Followers of Set learn Akhu?
I’m playing a member of the Cult of Typhon. Can I learn Akhu?
Can I build an ushabti to bring to life at a later point?
Is there somewhere I can get more information?
CreditsParts of this document have been reproduced without permission, and much of it is based on information from:
I’d also like to thank the following resources that helped me cross-reference and keep everything in balance: The compliers of the OwbN Thaumaturgy Guide located at: http://clans.owbn.org/tremere and all those who have contributed to it. http://www.bloodmagic.net/ and those who keep it up and running. They allowed me to reference the Blood Magic stuff when I didn’t have the book in front of me. Jeff Meehan (with the assistance of my lovely wife) for showing me the depths of depravity that a Deacon and Sunday school teacher can conjure up. David Perlowski and his wonderful FAQ at http://www.vitae.ws/clans/setite/prestige.html The information on “Ancient Egyptian” derived from http://www.encyclopedia.com/articles/03983.html (with additional material on Coptic coming from http://www.encyclopedia.com/articles/03132.html) And, of course, Tony Davis, the lovable, huggable, Followers of Set Coordinator for One World by Night, his subco-ord, Sarah Klein (and her organizational skills), Jefferson Davis, Aaron Rice, Wyatt Wheeler. |