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Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 12:00 pm
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 12:01 pm
KHER-MINU Tomb Watchers OUR BODIES ARE TEMPLES, ALL LIFE IS A SACRED GIFT. The Egyptians envisioned the ka spirit as the portion of the soul that remained near the khat (body), protecting it until its resurrection. Ghosts in the underworld perceived the ka as nothing more than a mindless drone, incapable of abandoning the body to which it was fettered. Nevertheless, the ka spirit was a ferocious guardian, and few ghosts wanted to risk conflict with one. Newer ghosts, with little memory of the old ways, call the ka "Tom Watchers." With the rise of the Amenti, this term has been translated back into ancient Egyptian as Kher-minu. While the ka rarely had problems protecting its body from the other dead, the relentless encroachment of thieves, new religions and invaders in the physical world was more problematic. Generations of greed and plunder ravaged the ka's mystical wards, violated the sacred tomb and scattered the many treasures held therein - including the khat itself. Physicians and charlatans ground some bodies into medicine. Fortune-hunters stripped others of their amulets, wrappings and coffins, displaying them naked for public amusement. The Kher-minu despaired as they lost their charges. Only a handful defended their corpses successfully throughout the centuries. Then the Dark Kingdom of Sand was battered to dust by the Dja-akh. Those who survived held to a passion for duty that endured, unflagging, through countless ravages of the centuries. These Kher-minu possess a love of life and a respect for the body as the ultimate temple to the divine. The ka chooses its mortal host from among those people who bear little protective instinct or love for their own lives and bodies. Sometimes, however, the chosen is a beautiful wallflower who gazed into the mirror of the world and saw only ugliness reflected back. Being a devout admirer of the physical, the Kher-minu revels in the knowledge that all forms are beautiful in their own way. The modern partner is almost always a casualty of a tragic or self-destructive lifestyle, particularly an individual of notable talent. The ka typically avoids choosing a famous host, although figures like James Dean, Kurt Cobain and Marilyn Monroe offer a good parallel. Instead, its chosen nehem-sen often stands at the edges of renown, a powerful soul who shuffled from this earthly coil while enjoying only some minor stardom at best. Obsessions with vice are a hallmark of the mortal's living days. The ideal host is quite attractive, but he lacks purpose. He gets lost in unhappiness and dies before his time. With the Third Life, the Kher-minu is immune to the temptation of old vices, although he remembers his former desperation with crystal clarity. The new mummy may speak of the horrors of his Second Life with a zeal that borders on fanaticism. Few can match the urge for self-preservation found in one who once could not be bothered to save his own life. As befits his role as a defender of bodies and tombs, the Kher-minu specializes in Hekau that creates magical amulets. This magic invests articles of jewelry or clothing with protective or empowering abilities. The fascinations of most Kher-minu seem contradictory to those who do not understand their origins. The ka spirits select their hosts from among the beautiful people, but they remain helplessly attached to the withered dead. Likewise, these mummies' exquisite and sometimes delicate jewelry hides tremendous strength and potent defensive magic. Most Tomb Watchers have become works of timeless and exotic art themselves by combining their eternal beauty with their fanatical sense of purpose. certain other tem-akh notably the Sefekhi, think of the Kher-minu as pretty cowards, but the Tomb Watchers' allies and friends respect and appreciate the talents of such vigilant guardians. Whether safeguarding the bodies of their dearest companions, beloved family or their own ancient mummified remains, the Tomb Watchers follow a purpose that is as noble as their new forms are elegant. The Hajj: Thanks to its exposure to explorers and invaders of different cultures through the centuries, a ka making the hajj may speak limited phrases from relatively modern languages. The ka frequently tries to visit the resting place of its first remains along the way to attend to any unfinished business. The Third Life: A newly resurrected Tomb Watcher places protecting himself as his highest priority. His ka spirit encourages him to learn both simple safety precautions and advanced survival techniques, and to resist any urge to take stupid risks. The mundane art of self-preservation is raised to new heights through the development of powerful protective magic and a newfound sensitivity to dangers of all sorts. This caution extends across every aspect of the Kher-minu's life. He abandons drugs, cigarettes and alcohol, wears his seatbelt and even engages in regular exercise. This personal defense is not borne of selfishness. Instead, it is more a realization that life is a precious thing that is not to be wasted by frivolous and perilous behavior. The consequences of mistreating oneself are undeniable. (After all, that very behavior ended the mummy's Second Life.) The time for careless or deliberate self-abuse is over; it is time to live right. A Tomb Watcher usually takes up a new life that lets him focus on his interest in defending a place or a person, living or dead. It is not unusual for a Kher-minu to become a mortician, cemetery overseer or a guard of some sort. The mummy may also seek to gain (or regain) some measure of stardom or fame. A common choice that of a professional bodyguard, a compromise that plays upon his urge to protect others and grants him access to the glamour and celebrity that he never quite achieved in his Second Life. Once the Kher-minu accepts that caring for himself is a part of living in accord with Ma'at, he can begin protecting others. Doing so is often as simple as acting to defend someone who's in jeopardy. The intense danger another faces is enough to make the ka shed caution long enough to make a difference in the fate of another. As a Kher-minu advances along the path of Ma'at, he takes more and more responsibility for the care of others' lives another. As a Kher-minu advances along the path of Ma'at, he takes more and more responsibility for the care of others' lives and bodies. As the mummy comprehends more of his purpose, his ka comes to think of all life as an extension of his body. Ultimately he tries to protect the existence and will being of every living thing. The Kher-minu gradually abandons any practice that harms others. He becomes a vegetarian, diligently avoids waste that harms the environment and tries to promote peace on Earth. It is difficult to achieve the patience and understanding necessary to act so benevolently on a universal scale. At its highest levels, it almost impossible for less enlightened souls to even consider. Affiliations: Sooner or later, most Tomb Watchers fall into of two factions within the coalescing Amenti society. The strong pull of the god-king Horus brings many flocking to his banner, where they become the youngest of the Shemsu-heru. Horus is undeniably a visible and very striking icon dedicated shepherding living humanity to Ma'at. Kher-minu who are more fanatical in their devotion to protecting the dead join the Eset-a. They take part in this group's quest to find the scattered pieces of Osiris' body in order to grant the god of life a resurrection of his own. Character Creation: The endless beauty of humanity fascinates the ka, and the opportunity to choose a host from the masses of modern humanity allows the spirit to pick a partner with high Appearance and Physical Attributes. The host's original Nature often denotes a needy or attention-starved personality. Abilities in the performing arts are usually the sole remnants of meteoric crash-and-burn careers. Centuries spent guarding Egyptian tombs taught the ka lessons in surviving the ages that remain largely hidden from the other tem-akh. The ka brings with it a strong sense of duty as well as memories of various Skills and Knowledges related to its duty as a guardian of the dead. Notably, Tomb Watchers witnessed the arrival of ancient Greek, Roman, Arabic, French, English and even Germanic invaders. From their timeless sentry posts, the ka endeavored to learn what they could of these outlanders in hopes that any information that they gleaned would help them perform their sacred duty better. A Kher-minu typically has a high Willpower rating thanks to the ka's perseverance through the centuries. Backgrounds that highlight beauty or the defense of life are popular, particularly Ka, Allies and Fame. Primary Hekau: Amulets Purpose: The Defender or Shielding Self. The powerful ka is dedicated to defending the Kher-minu's body from harm. The spirit has become so strong in this regard that the Amenti's soul can deflect damage independently of his physical actions. The ka spirit subtly affects the material world, causing an attacker to overbalance, trip or be distracted. During every turn in which a Tomb Watcher is attacked, he has a free dice pool equivalent to his Balance rating that he may apply only to defensive action. Note that this dice pool does not reflect an attempt to dodge but physical protection provided by the ka's interference. Liability: The ka becomes extremely overprotective of its physical form. Any time the mummy intends to do anything that the Storyteller deems potentially damaging, his player must succeed on a Willpower roll in order for the character to complete that action successfully. If the roll fails, the Amenti avoids the action in favor of staying out of harm's way. The Storyteller should set the difficulty according to the danger posed. Consider 7 the default difficulty. Consuming a mild toxin such as alcohol would only be 5, while entering combat with a superior enemy would be 9. Some Kher-minu take this liability to the extreme. As such, they abandon fighting, drugs, alcohol, dangerous driving habits, unprotected sex and any number of other potentially dangerous activities. Others may think of the Kher-minu as cowards rather than cautious, although that impression is not necessarily accurate. Many endanger themselves passionately in defense of others or in pursuit of worthy causes. Views Khri-habi: We share a profound sense of duty with the Scroll-bearers. Their devotion to healing the mind, spirit and body is admirable. Mesektet: When darkness comes, the day lily withers. The sahu lived in paradise and abandoned the world to Apophis. Only now, when the underworld is falling around their ears, do they remember their duty to the rest of us. Sakhmu: Idolaters. The body is the perfect object d' art; how do they ever hope to exceed the work of the divine Molder? Sefekhi: The Unbandaged Ones understand the power of the physical, perhaps more than we do. Their intentional defacement of the divine gifts is disturbing, though. Udja-sen: They have been given a second chance, but they obviously need a stern lesson. They suffer most who take heedless risks in the name of power. The Others: Proof that the Amenti are the chosen ones. None of the others Undying are really alive. Some don't even have proper bodies!
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 12:02 pm
KHRI-HABI Scroll-Bearers or Bearers of the Book We must heal the living world so that its wounds will cease to ravage the lands of the dead. All beings have a part to play, and we will help them learn it. The ba spirit appears in Egyptian art as a bird with a human head. Its reputed role was to perform duties in the afterlife that would ensure the body's resurrection. The concept of the winged ba appears to come from the spirit's use of ghostly powers to grow wings and fly through the underworld. Given the falcon and hawk imagery associated with the gods Ra and Horus, scribes of the period represented these figures as birdlike. Coptic artists later pictured them as angels. Many ba spirits did not actually possess wings, but all were passionately bound to continuing the traditions and paths that ensured their continued existence. The world's constant denial of Ma'at seemed destined to prevent most of them from ever seeing their promised resurrections, but the will of the undying ba was unyielding. The ka remained near the physical body. The khu surrounded the corpse like a luminous aura while the sahu went on to the fields of paradise. The khaibit parasitically attached itself to the ka or ba spirit. Therefore, the ba bore the brunt of the soul's ephemeral duties while retaining the passion to continue. An Egyptian ghost with a weak ba spirit succumbed to the soul's other influences, chiefly engaging in bestial khaibit-driven hunts or returning to the ka to helplessly guard his corpse in preparation for a rebirth that would never come. Most ba with the strength to resist the primal urges of their hungry khaibit, not to mention enduring centuries of the apathetic existence in the underworld, made their home in the great city of Amenti. When the long ages made it seem that the will of Apophis would never be thwarted, some ba despaired and turned to the Corrupter. Others resigned themselves to an extended stay in Amenti. As the most common (and most dedicated) residents of the Dark Kingdom of Sand, the ba seemed to be Osiris' favorite children. They filled numerous posts in the heavenly palace of the holy citadel as part of his priesthood. Due to the aspirations of many ba to gain such holy and politically powerful position, they were named the Khri-habi, or Scroll-bearers. They filled most of the exclusive positions within the Shanu-atiu - the inner circle of priests who watched over their god's still form, taught his ancient commandments and interpreted the words spoken in his rare moments of lucidity. The Khri-habi recorded, discussed and interpreted the smallest observations of their lord and developed a growing library of lore. Their exalted body of knowledge gained them the additional title Bearers of the Book. When the Dja-akh swept away the city of Amenti, all that they had striven for washed away. Some threw themselves into the tempest as they forgot Osiris' name in their grief. Those who remembered his promise circled the physical realm like birds of prey - or angels of salvation - waiting for a soul to save. The ba is the spiritual embodiment of the conscious mind. The strong few tem-akh who survived the spirit storm possess qualities of wisdom and leadership in abundance. Due to this strength, a ba spirit finds it easiest to bind itself to a mortal with a weak psyche, someone with minimal levels of conscious thought. The flawed vessel that the ba seeks to complete is one underdeveloped personal morals or a weak sense of individual identity. She is dominated by the influences of peers, authority figures, tradition, habit and routine. Such vessels include soldiers following orders mindlessly, members of highly dogmatic conservative religions, weak-willed victims of popular culture, and members of the collegiate Greek system who need a hive mentality to function or even petty criminals who lack any personal code of ethics. The lost souls of the modern age seek a sense of direction, and, once they die, the old souls of a past era give it to them. The Hajj: Due to the focus on intellect, the ba is best able of all tem-akh to deal with complications in its journey to the Lands of Faith. It retains enough presence of mind to decide upon the safest method of return. Such considerations take time for the ba to process, though, making it hard-pressed to adapt on the fly. The Third Life: The ba spirit joins with its host knowing that its partner is not used to thinking for herself - or perhaps even of thinking rationally at all. The Khri-habi quickly sloughs off thoughtless or counterproductive behaviors that spring from habit, peer pressure or blind obedience to authority. After her resurrection, the new mummy realizes that she spent too much of her former life in front of a mind-numbing television set, going along with the crowd or following the edicts of others. The tendency to react only when pushed quickly gives way to a desire to forge her own path. Now keenly aware that the world is more complex and diverse than she ever realized, the Scroll-bearer grows hungry to learn more, and self-discovery becomes an important step toward independence. She is likely to develop a life that puts her in a position where she can help others without having to react to wildly changing variables. Constancy and stability is as important as intellectual challenge. The Scroll-bearer's natural skills lead her to seek a career as a therapist, psychologist, doctor or even a more esoteric following such as a faith healer or astrologer. The feeling of responsibility for others grows as the Khri-habi sheds her former dullard existence and its concomitant slavery to dogma and drudgery. Looking beyond the vapid depths of her absent or wasted intellect, the Scroll-bearer soars to the new heights. As she learns to analyze the world with her newly heightened consciousness, she sees all the ways in which others waste their potential. As alchemy seeks to turn base metals into gold, the Khri-habi seeks to remove the shackles on the minds of those she encounters. Most Khri-habi come to believe that the quest for Ma'at will not be successful until the individuals learn to think critically and accept responsibility for their own actions. Affiliations: Mortal institutions such as hospitals, non-profit organizations and churches appeal to the Khri-habi. Such organizations benefit noticeably from the talent with which the Scroll-bearer refines and perfects everything she touches. A Khri-habi feels at home wherever teamwork, brilliance and a desire to help are appreciated. Each Scroll-bearer looks for the same thing within the burgeoning Amenti society. The Cult of Isis - long the healers and preservers of lore in Egypt - is the faction favored by most Khri-habi. The modern cult's scattered focus only makes the Scroll-bearers feel more needed. With the Khri-habi backing the venerable cult, the legacy of Isis may again become a thing of wonder. Other Khri-habi prefer to join with the Shemsu-heru to help Horus in his quest to restore the balance of Ma'at to the world. Character Creation: A Scroll-bearer can have virtually any concept as long as it combines a mortal candidate with intellectual, ethical and critical thinking deficits with a highly intellectual ba spirit. The union of the two souls – one with an utter inability to make wise decisions and the other with a highly developed sense of duty – brings about remarkable changes. The ba tem-akh brings a drive to the mix that inspires a desire to look above and beyond the present. As such, Mental or Social Attributes are the most likely choices for primary Attribute groups. The new individual’s Nature depends on what form the host’s mental weakness took and how well the Scroll-bearer adjusts to the unification. The ba usually contributes a considerable amount of lore and ability as social manipulation to the new union, whereas the redeemed mortal typically possesses skills found useful in service to others. Primary Hekau: Alchemy Purpose: Bird or Spirit Self. Historically, the ba was free to travel and from the deceased body and into the nether world. Egyptians believed that its return to the underworld was necessary for healing and resurrection. In time, its role became that of accumulating spiritual energy and bringing it back to the corpse, just as a mother bird brings food to her offspring. The ba gifts the Amenti with this ability to sustain and heal the khat. Each day at the rising of the new sun, the Khri-habi gains a dice pool equal to her Balance rating. The player can use these dice to heal her character’s body or that of another. Each success at standard difficulty heals two levels of bashing damage or one level of lethal damage. This training as healers and sorcerer-priests also appears in the Khri-habi’s talent for Alchemy. Liability: The ba is the psyche of an individual with a weak sense of identity or ethics. Like a stranded steersman, the ancient soul is left at the helm of a human being who lacked any real strength of personality. Fractions of seconds vanish in a given situation as the Khri-habi digs for the knowledge, reflexes or instincts that she needs from her partner. Even though the host’s personality (which possesses the bulk of shared information and abilities) is the majority of the fused soul, the Khri-habi is the inspiration to act independently without knee-jerk servitude to authority figures, instinct or habit. The ba is used to acting with autonomy, whereas the mortal was used to repression. The time taken to override the servile host costs precious time. Consequently, the Khri-habi suffers a +2 difficulty penalty to all Perception and Wits rolls and –2 to her initiative rating. Views Kher-minu: We remember the protectors for their patience and endurance. The world may have forgotten them, but they did not forget their charges. Mesektet: The return of the Vessels of Ra can bring only good things. Perhaps the eye of heaven has turned once more to the earth. Their knowledge of A’aru gives us all hope. Sakhmu: Their skill with tools is useful now and then, but these craftsmen are ultimately tools themselves. They are little more than mortar between the true bricks of the temple. Sefekhi: These beasts plagued us in the underworld, and now they do the same in the lands of the living. What role they play in returning Ma’at to the world remains a mystery. Udja-sen: If only we could heal these poor souls. Alas, those who dwell outside the city of the Chosen must pay a price for their freedom. The Others: Mindlessness and compulsion seem to color their every deed. What might it take to return them to the path of Ma’at?
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 12:04 pm
Mesektet Night Suns or Vessels of Ra Shadow and secrets fall away before your gaze once you have seen heaven’s brilliance. The Egyptians viewed the sahu as the incorruptible and everlasting portion of the soul that passed onward to heaven. Greek writers later labeled it as a higher consciousness known as the eidolon. In later centuries, comparisons were made to the Christian idea of the soul. The various interpretations maintained the spirit’s reward of eternity in everlasting peace, known to the ancient Egyptians as the Fields of A’aru. Sadly, the sahu’s presumed final rest was sometimes denied by warping the principles of Ma’at. The power of Apophis grew so great that it could debase even the sahu if a person was petty, cruel and corrupt enough. While the Corrupter fed upon that person’s other essences, the lost immortal sahu was forced into servitude to the great beast. Thankfully, such overwhelming corruption was rare. And once the sahu reached the glory of A’aru, it was safe from Apophis’ depredations. Or so many sahu thought. The destruction of Amenti and the ravages that the underworld suffered pulled the sahu from A’aru as a cruel reminder of the debt that they still owed the living. Many sahu had long ago turned their attention away from the fate of the rest of their collective being. Others simply despaired of ever being reunited with the other portions of their spirit and took solace in their heavenly comforts. The sudden destruction of the rest of their spiritual being by the Dja-akh cut like a bloody khopesh through the serenity that the sahu had gained in paradise. Even sahu in the depths of Apophis’ coils felt the surge of pain that swept through them at the loss of the rest of their being. The beast only laughed at their new agonies, but the Corrupter unwittingly bestowed upon these lost sahu a chance at redemption. They gained a vision of their previous wrongs, forged in the fires of the world’s pain that gave them the strength to escape Apophis’ grasp. Whether they returned from a heaven that was ignorant of the darkness sweeping the modern world or they fled from a hell in which they paid for their participation in its downfall, the sahu recalled the ancient ways of Ma’at. With trepidation – but with an even stronger sense of duty – the sahu turned their attention back to the mortal realm. The sahu found a world far different from the one they left behind. Immense changes left virtually nothing the same. Even much of the ancient land was unrecognizable. Only worn tombs and pyramids remained, and the timeless Nile flowed as it always had. Of the old way of life, there remained only the Undying, the ancient recipients of the Spell of Life, and a scattering of mortals who still followed the teachings of their god-king. More striking than the transformations wrought by history was the realization that Ma’at had fallen far out of balance. Despite the desire to return to the peace of A’aru, the sahu knew that their duty was clear. After the perfection of heaven, many sahu saw the living world as a dark place lost to the light of the divine. They saw themselves as the bringers of that light. They took the name Mesektet, the Night Suns or Vessels of Ra. A sahu seeks to complete a mortal whose life revolved around deception, superficiality and shortsighted folly; someone ruled by a desire to lie or cheat. Such an individual is marked by impatience and dominated by temporal concerns as she deceives herself and others. A charlatan seeking a quick dollar, a dreamer who dreams to escape rather than for inspiration, a politician grabbing a fast vote with no plan for tomorrow – each is an example of someone with whom a sahu hopes to join. The sahu brings to the joining integrity – the practice of keeping his deeds in line with his words – and honesty – the practice of keeping his words in line with his deeds. While resurrection brings the sahu back to the mundane world, it does not remove the spirit’s link to the divine. The Mesektet reforms his body and spirit around the golden purity of Ra, executing an earthly echo of the sun god’s eternal dance across the sky in a never-ending battle against dark Apophis. While the sun is in the sky, the Mesektet is as powerful as any mummy. However, at sundown, the Amenti is left deathly tired and weakened. Some claim that the Mesektet’s sahu fragment supplies Ra with strength to carry on his battle in the darkness, while others believe the sahu is allowed that time to return briefly to the gentle fields of A’aru. Regardless, the Mesektet is left undeniably weakened during the night. It is said that the design of Ma'at is written in the stars. The Night Sun sees those stars with a spiritual clarity unhindered by the smog and deceit of the mundane world. None can see the things of the Creator’s plan as clearly as one who has walked the promised lands. Such understanding does not mean that a Mesektet is merely a complacent seer waiting for his visions to come true. With practice, such a mummy can call down the fires of heaven and command the storms of the sky. The Hajj: The sahu’s biggest problem in bringing its mortal host to the Web of Faith is the spirit’s unique diurnal condition. It travels like any other animate corpse during the day, but the sahu must slumber at night. As a result, the return takes longer than for other tem-akh. Not only does the sahu lose time at night, but also during the day since it must find a safe hiding place before sunset. The Third Life: Atonement marks the beginning of a new life for the Mesektet. The mortal’s life was likely built around the exploitation of others. Joining with a tem-akh that is familiar with the perfection of paradise inspires him to atone for his past wrongs. The Mesektet directs the wiles he once put to shameful ends toward redemption instead. Of all the Amenti, the Mesektet is most likely to involve himself in his former life. Whether his actions are open or surreptitious, the Vessel of Ra tries to repair the shattered family he abandoned, restore careers he wrecked or excise the underhanded mechanisms he once put in place to harm others. He tries to learn when to rebel and where to set boundaries. As the mummy comes to terms with his memories of heaven and advances in the understanding of Ma’at, he must also decide how best to use his talents. Thanks to visions gained through his Celestial magic, the Mesektet can often preempt some future tragedy or act upon secret knowledge. His access to hidden information and his experience in A’aru shape a need to bring the will of the divine to fruition. Hard lessons are likely to follow, as he learns to balance his ability to change fate with the impact such interference may have. Every word and gesture becomes an instrument of revelation, and he must ensure that the designs of the gods are concealed from those who would defy them. In the manner of a prophet, the Mesektet’s speech may become cryptic and his deeds inscrutable. Ironically, others may consider his unearthly ways divine, so he must be careful that overeager adherents do not carry his words to the extreme. Ideally, the Mesektet does not lead others into decisions, but he helps them learn skills that will let them choose for themselves what is right. Affiliations: The Mesektet are drawn to places where mortals pursue justice or where the flow of information helps improve the world around them. The Mesektet are split nearly equally in their support for two major Amenti groups. Many join the Shemsu-heru out of loyalty to Horus’ father, Osiris. They see Horus’ reign as the reflection of heaven on Earth, and it fills them with nostalgia for the perfection of A’aru. They hope that gifting the followers of Horus with their foresight will help restore Ma’at and return them to A’aru more quickly. Others join the Children of Osiris, believing that only they commune clearly with the Lord of Life. They keep careful tabs on the Sefekhi in hopes of preventing trouble. Character Creation: A mortal who becomes a Mesektet was usually immoral and greedy before the resurrection. As such, Charisma, Manipulation and Wits are dominant Attributes. Physical Attributes are usually a low priority for the Night Suns since the sahu transcended the physical realm long ago, and its modern soul was usually too lazy to pursue such developments. The odd blend of crass craftiness and celestial wisdom means that many of a Mesektet’s key Abilities include Subterfuge, Alertness, Meditation, Cosmology and Occult. In his new life, the Vessel of Ra seeks paths that grant him the ability to alter others’ lives, yet protect his own secrecy. He carries out the divine will, as he sees it, yet he seeks to hide his own nightly lethargy from others. Corrupt lawyers, unscrupulous reporters and dirty cops are often chosen by sahu tem-akh, and they become changed men. Primary Hekau: Celestial Purpose: Eternal or Perfect Self. The path of the future is a visible, sometimes confusing, road to those with oracular power or divine might. The Egyptians call this knowledge of destiny kismet. The Mesektet spends a lot of time looking for signs of his fate and trying to fulfill the will of the gods. This search enables him to foresee coming events, either through his own oracular powers or by divinely inspired insight. Each day, the Mesektet has a dice pool equal to his Balance rating that his player may use to re-roll any task he has just attempted. The new result is applied whether it is better or worse than the original roll. Fate does not always approve of interference, nor do the gods pander to the whims of their followers. A player can use each die in this foresight pool only once per (in-game) day, but the player may choose how many dice to apply to a given re-roll until he uses up that day’s pool. The dice pool replenishes at the first hint of daylight each morning. Liability: Each Mesektet is bound tightly to the cycle of Ra. From the time the sun sets until the moment of its appearance on the horizon, the mummy’s sahu spirit goes into a kind of eclipse. Some think that the sahu aids Ra in his nightly contest against Apophis during these periods. Others suspect that the sahu slips back to enjoy the delights of A’aru for a few short hours. Regardless, the Mesektet is weakened and confused by the departure of his sahu. To reflect this condition, all of the character’s dice pools lose two dice at night. Many Mesektet sleep this time away in a near death state, arranging for associates and/or powerful wards to protect them. The more devoted (or fanatical) Mesektet struggle against the darkness, considering their lethargy the price to be paid for the chance to someday return to A’aru. Views Kher-minu: The Tomb Watchers were noble guardians. Now they are cowards. They fear death too much. Have they forgotten that we are immortal, and that glory awaits us in the next life? Khri-habi: The Scroll-bearers never reached A’aru, but they made a noble attempt. They created a way station for the lost souls and faithfully awaited Osiris’ awakening. Sakhmu: The Spirit Scepters prepared the way to heaven, sending us to the afterlife with every provision one could need. In return we spoke for them in the presence of heaven. So it has always been. Sefekhi: There have never been such beasts in paradise. When Ma’at is restored, there will be no place for these brutes. They are but swords to be beaten in to plowshares once the war is won. Udja-sen: The judges have seen fit to give these fools a second chance. We will watch them carefully. The Others: Others such as these were never seen in paradise, but then the ways of heaven are mysterious. The stars suggest that they play an important part in the Modeler’s plan.
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 12:09 pm
SAKHMU SPIRIT SCEPTERS By opening the eyes of the living to the sacred, we can heal the world. The ancient Egyptians understood the khu to be an aura that linked the individual’s physical and spiritual forms. More accurately, the khu served as a kind of shield and spirit anchor. When a person died, the khu enwrapped her soul in a protective ectoplasmic caul that carried the spirit safely across the Shroud that separates the physical and spiritual worlds. The khu then served as a link between the spirit world and the individual’s body. Ancient Egyptian funerary practices not only assisted the khu in making a safe transition, they ensured that the spirit could extract itself more easily from the caul to begin its journey in the underworld. The khu remained connected to its corpse, resting in the timeless void of Duat. Its incorporeal essence forged a powerful link between the soul’s other spirit aspects and the khat, shining into the underworld like a phantom beacon visible to the far-ranging ba and serving as an anchoring fetter for the watchful ka. Insightful Egyptians determined that this sympathetic connection between physical semblance and spiritual form could be encouraged in specially prepared objects. The dead were gifted with finely crafted figurines of workmen whose spirit reflections served as their laborers in the fields of heaven. Tools and weapons prepared appropriately served their literal and figurative use in the afterlife as well. Recognizing this resonance as the presence of some manner of khu in all of material creation, priests and sorcerers sought to strengthen and manipulate their own khus’ influences upon the spiritual and material alike. Such was their skill and reverence that, upon their deaths, they became gatekeepers between the temporal and the eternal. However, their preparation did not account for plundering invaders and curious explorers. Bodies were removed from their tombs, dragging the attached khu along unwillingly. These corpses were spread across the world, stuffed into trophy cases, ground into poultices, burned as fuel and destroyed in scientific study. Perhaps the only benefit of to this enforced diaspora was that it carried the names and culture of Egypt to a world that was hungry for its ancient mystery. The faithful khu seized on this glimmer of hope, seeking to harness the energy of young civilizations to revive their dying one. The rampaging Dja-akh destroyed that hope. Weak and torpid khu were annihilated, leaving inert corpses and cheap relics devoid of inspiration in their absence. Only the brightest of the khu survived the storm, finding refuge within their bodies or their protective likenesses. These valiant survivors remembered a time when their talents were respected by kings and commoners alike. They took the name Sakhmu, after the carved wooden sword-maces representing the bond between temporal duty and that of the divine. In each khu shines the light of creative brilliance. To achieve the Third Life, the khu seeks out one who was dull and selfish or plodding and self-centered in life. A mortal with an empty life already seeking something of the divine and begging for it to touch her. Typically, this mortal struggled to create something of permanence, but she lacked inner illumination. One might have scrambled over others in her climb up the corporate ladder only to reach an empty top rung. Another may have searched for an elusive secret to success in business or relationships, but looked for all the wrong signs. One could have grown old and bitter, so wrapped up in the self-absorbed bustle of the daily grind that she never saw the beauty of the world around her. Such a person hungered to be the center of the world and, in so doing, never found her place within it. The khu opens the eyes of the spiritually blind and reveals the powerful vision found at the gateway between the realms. Its new host looks upon the glory and horror of the underworld, beholds the majesty beyond the veil and bears witness to the intricate ties that bind life and death to the sacred. In the new life, the Spirit Scepters have revived the magical Hekau path Effigy (called Ushabti in ancient Egypt). Insight into the spirit world inspires the Sakhmu to invest their crafts with the spark of the divine. Using new technology empowered by ancient mysticism, some Sakhmu even seek to harness the energy of the Dja-akh that still rumbles in the underworld. The Hajj: Due to its experience inhabiting prepared vessels, the khu is well-suited to animating the host’s corpse. It suffers none of the physical limitations that otherwise plague the walking dead. It faces the barriers of language and culture as does any other tem-akh, however. The Third Life: A newly resurrected Sakhmu revels in her newfound inspiration. Her hands move with a grace that eluded her in the Second Life. Visions tantalize the mummy from the corners of her eyes, and her imagination flares as never before. The Sakhmu feels as though images just beyond the physical realm are hammering their way into reality using her as the tool. The corresponding thrill of creating is irrepressible (if only for a moment), and it may inspire its own sense of awe in one who beholds some fragmentary glimpse of the divine. After a time, the Spirit Scepter stands back and looks at her own works with a removed sense of wonder. As she advances along the path of Ma’at, she begins to see each piece as a mere reflection of the Modeler’s greater design. Art for the sake of self-gratification ideally gives way to craftsmanship that is destined it serve greater functions. Her paintings evoke the grand lessons of life and death. Innovative and elegant applications of technical skill leave a legacy to help others during her sojourns into the underworld. Masterful attention to rendering the spirit within the material allows her to craft relics and raiment that attend the dead. The Sakhmu continually gains a greater understanding of her role as eternal link between the two worlds. She sees that she is the hand of a greater architect and can help craft the gateways through which others may pass into the spiritual realms. Affiliations: The ways in which the Spirit Scepters interact with mortal society depend on their particular talents. A newly inspired poet might frequent (or found) a bohemian poetry club. A once-faithless practitioner of voodoo might learn to dance so fervently that the spirits flock to her side. A musician might try to start a band. This diversity of interests is reflected in the characters’ interaction with mummy groups as well. Sakhmu Amenti are found within the Cult of Isis and the Shemsu-heru. The Ashukhi Corporation recruits aggressively from among the Spirit Scepters with a keen eye out for those who combine the ancient Hekau or Effigy with highly technical corporate efficiencies. Character Creation: A Sakhmu mummy’s experience in his Third Life is comparable to that of a blind man who can suddenly see. Granted mystical insight into the spiritual correspondences of every object around her, the mummy is immersed in a world of terrible chaos and intricate loveliness. The khu of an ancient Egyptian artisan, gifted with sacred vision and the power to create beauty, bonds with one who has hungered vainly for any kind of talent or inspiration. Such an individual often had a boring technical job or was an uninspired craftsman. Concepts range from a housepainter who can now create haunting and evocative portraits to an idle whittler who discovers images hiding in every piece of wood she touches to a programmer whose every line of code is elegance itself. Dexterity is a highly prized Physical Attribute since artisans are often clever with their hands. Keen senses and creative intuition often indicate a Perception and Wits. The khu brings with it artistic talents, or it flares existing creative skills to new heights. Any Ability associated with craftsmanship or the performing arts may be so affected. Primary Hekau: Effigy Purpose: The Shining Self. The khu’s inner light glimmers beneath the surface of reality like a hint of the divine. This essence does not necessarily express itself in traditional physical beauty, but instead it conveys a depth and resonance through the mummy’s art. While the Sakhmu may not always see clearly into the spirit world, she can at least peer fitfully into its mysteries and draw vision and insight from those glimpses. She stands at the gateway and tantalizes the spirits with promises of the vitality of life. Those same spirits tease her in turn with knowledge from the murky side of the mirror. A Sakhmu’s player may re-roll any Awareness dice pool (or any one that supplements artistic endeavors), by substituting her character’s Balance rating instead. The new result is applied whether it is better or worse than the original roll. An “artistic” roll might include Expression, Performance, Crafts or possibly even Computer as long as such use is insightful, interesting and provocative. Other skills such as a dancer’s Athletics, might feasibly qualify, but the Storyteller should watch for attempts to abuse this talent to achieve “beautiful kills” or other crass feats of powergaming nonsense. One cannot stare at the spirit of something she has defiled and not be defiled in return. A Sakhmu who tries to do so finds her muse inexplicably failing her for extended periods until she has learned her lesson…or perhaps forever if she corrupts her khu too deeply. Liability: The shining khu makes it difficult to miss a Sakhmu. A Spirit Scepter exudes an inexplicably singular attraction, a gift that inevitably makes her impossible to ignore. All efforts to maintain anonymity or avoid detection suffer a +2 penalty to the target number. So a Sakhmu trying to be sneaky suffers +2 difficulty to her Stealth roll. Likewise, if she is the object of an unresisted Perception roll, the searching party’s target difficulty decreases by two. In situations involving random targets or confused identity, the Spirit Scepter is the one most easily chosen or remembered. A spree killer firing wildly into a crowd or a forgetful witness viewing a lineup will almost always pick the Sakhmu. Two edges come with gaining the notice of the spirit realms, and some artists would say that they both cut equally deeply. Views Kher-minu: The Tomb Watchers guarded the khat while we watched the gateway to the underworld. Now they seem more concerned with how they look than the struggles we face. At least some of us remember that there is an underworld. Khri-habi: Bah, boring. It’s like talking to a computer. And… they… consider… every… word. Mesektet: We have long stood at the gateway between the two worlds. The Night Suns have voyaged to the hidden realm and returned. We can only imagine the sights they have seen in A’aru! Sefekhi: People like to forget their dark side. I like to help them remember, but if you see one of the Unbandaged Ones, you will remember, I guarantee you. Udja-sen: Such tortured souls. I remember what it was like to feel empty on the inside like that. Only I didn’t do anything to deserve it. The Others: I would like to see one of the Others. How must it feel to be an artifact of the past rather than to have created one?
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 12:10 pm
Sefekhi THE UNBANDAGED ONES I have long suffered in the underworld for my sins. Now you will suffer for yours. The khaibit is the driving and aggressive essence of the being. It epitomizes drive of all sorts: rage and lust as well as the desire for mastery and success. As a “shadow” of the soul, the khaibit usually remained attached to the ka or ba in the afterlife. In the absence of the khaibit, apathy and stasis prevail. The khaibit, consequently, is among the most enduring parts of the being. In a sense, the khaibit is a spiritual manifestation of the unbound id of Western psychology. Even the Egyptians feared its unrestricted animalistic urges, and other ghosts in the spirit realms were terrified by the shadow’s savagery. Religious philosophies from the early decrees of Osiris to pacifistic teachings of Christian sects have railed against the khaibit’s power. Necromantic rituals existed that could purge the khaibit from the soul, allowing a spirit to enter the next world unfettered by its primal darkness. Because such spells were rare and reserved for those whom the priesthood found especially worthy ― often those so pious their khaibit were not very strong to begin with ― the darkest shadows usually passed into the underworld unhindered. As the Scales of Ma'at tipped further into imbalance, the realms of the living and the dead plunged deeper into darkness. Aggressive khaibit found employ within the city of Amenti as generals, watchmen and assassins. Many of these powerful shadows survived when the Dja-akh swept through the underworld and destroyed the Dark Kingdom of Sand. In the aftermath, they took to stalking the spirit world like ravenous beasts. Lacking the moral rudders of the ba or ka, the khaibit followed their basest desires, gaining a terrible reputation for rapacious hungers and ferocious attacks. The call of Osiris has given each khaibit new direction. It tracks down a mortal whose darker half is frail and weak. The shadow-soul invariably partners with a new spirit that is timid, restrained or unassertive. This quiescence may be due to a lack of drive or aggressive tendencies, a strong will, pacifism or rigid self-discipline. When the khaibit enters the corpse, the terrified soul of the newly dead often retreats far into the depths of the consciousness, cowering like a frightened child before the untempered impulses that flows from the khaibit. Endowed with supernatural strength and limitless drive, the khaibit tem-akh drives its corpse on the hajj to resurrection with terrifying determination. The feral khaibit’s journey to the Lands of Faith has not escaped the attention of the waiting resurrection cults. The Children of Osiris began a practice that has since spread to many other sects, that of sending out a heavily armed group to hunt down each rampaging khaibit corpse. Violent clashes often result, but the carefully organized bands of warrior-priests almost always return with their quarry. The subdued khaibit corpse, often bludgeoned and broken, is taken to the cult’s secluded temple and put through the ritual of resurrection. Of all the tem-akh, the khaibit displays the most difficulty adapting to the merging of souls. Resurrection grants the opportunity for a peaceful nation, but the bestial shadow spirit often fights to retain complete control of the body. The Amenti undergoes an intensely painful variation of the Great Rite, which is designed to bring the raging khaibit under control. The shadow-possessed body is bound in bandages that are inscribed with protective spells. Once the priest in charge of the ritual begins the spell, he cuts hieratic symbols deep into the flesh of the corpse, allowing the excess darkness to flow out from the soul until the shadow comes into equilibrium with the host’s conscience. Although they vary somewhat, the ceremonial cuts often mark the legendary sites of Osiris’ wounds where Set ripped his brother apart. Therefore, a scar may run around the Amenti’s neck, another traces along the spine, others curve eerily around each eye socket, and one even outlines the scalp. Many a mummy remains shaven-headed, like the ancient priests, to enhance the disturbing effect this pattern of scars creates. Perhaps most disturbing is that the ritual scarification also involves mutilating or even removing the Amenti’s sexual organs. Acting as more than an echo of Osiris’ legendary loss, this mutilation has proven to be the most effective means of tempering the khaibit’s dangerous influence. The ensorcelled bandages keep the mummy immobilized throughout the ceremony. Only when it is clear that the soul union is complete and the resurrected mummy has come to terms with her shadow is she released from her linen imprisonment. Therefore, each of these Amenti comes to be known as Sefekhi, or Unbandaged One. The khaibit’s primitive connection with the darker forces of the underworld, combined with the mortuary practices of the cults that capture the driven corpse, has led the shadow-born to specialize in the Hekau of Necromancy. There are whispered tales of catacombs full of wrapped and writhing mummies who are bound in a desperate struggle to bring shadow and conscience into balance. Few questions haunt the minds of the priests as much as this one: What would happen if some force freed the untamed Sefekhi? Such thoughts weigh heavily upon the warrior-priests of Osiris who deal with the Sefekhi. They may sleep, but they do not rest. The Hajj: The khaibit takes full advantage of its possession of a powerful undead body. It rages toward the Land of Khem with no regard for obstacles or individuals so foolish as to stand in its path. Misunderstood and helpless to express its confusion and rage, the shadow-soul crushes the life from those who deny its least urge. It leaves dangerous evidence of its passage for any enemies of Ma’at who would follow the trail in hopes of exterminating all Amenti. The Third Life: The first steps of the Unbandaged One down the path of Ma’at are shaky and frequently bloody. The dark urges of the khaibit are never completely under control, and they always threaten to surge back to the surface. Only through excision of the sexual organs and ritualized scarification can the Sefekhi mitigate the dark instincts that drive her being. At every turn, she seeks to redirect her seething excess energy into constructive endeavors. Therefore, the Sefekhi is the soldier of the Amenti. She performs the most violent and dangerous tasks that Osiris and Ma’at call for. She does so, in part, as her sacred duty, but also as a way of releasing and reveling in her feral nature. Once the Unbandaged One manages to control her primitive side, her next goal is to make peace with her savage urges. The Sefekhi sees humanity’s bestial side as both natural and necessary. As she progresses along the path of Ma’at, the Sefekhi feels the rightness of her actions without question. She understands, at a visceral level, the dangerous of apathy, inaction and passivity. Timidity and laziness let the Corrupter swallow victims without even making an effort. An Unbandaged One advanced far along the path of Ma’at may actually abandon her bestial demeanor, channeling all the passion of her khaibit into tireless and unrelenting action in the service of Ma’at. While other mummies may lose conviction, become distracted or yield to the urge to rest, the Sefekhi learns to harness her bestial drive to the goals of her higher mind. Affiliations: The Unbandaged Ones shy away from long-term entanglements with mortal institutions. Their eerie presence is disruptive, and the antagonism that they breed makes them unwelcome. When they do form lasting ties with mortals, they often do so with cloistered, ascetic religious fellowships to which they were connected in the Second Life, or extremist groups that are intent on making the world a better place regardless of the cost. Within mummy society, the Sefekhi are split almost entirely between two groups, the Children of Osiris and the Eset-a. Those Unbandaged Ones within the Children of Osiris generally consider themselves the physical embodiment of Osiris’ will, and they do their best to enact his design as they see it. Some Sefekhi attend to those among their brethren who are yet unable to reach a balance between their raging khaibit and modern soul, and so they remain cloistered in the tombs of Abydos. The Mesektet also watch over these mummies, creating tension between the two Amenti groups. Other Unbandaged Ones align themselves with the Eset-a and dream of gathering the scattered bits of Osiris’ soul. With their knowledge of Necromancy, they hope to resurrect Osiris, that he may lead them directly. Character Creation: The raw hunger of the khaibit glares through the once-docile eyes of the mortal body. The mortal may have been a milquetoast, or a control junkie with sufficient will to repress her base desires utterly. In any case, the bonding of souls awakens and incites those feral urges that slumber beneath a civilized façade. The resurrection usually grants the Sefekhi powerful Physical Attributes, particularly Strength and Stamina, and she retains the Talents and Skills that served the tem-akh so will in its roll as a ravaging shadow. The freedom of thought that comes from rejecting smothering social mores is often reflected by a high Wits rating. Social Attributes are generally tertiary, since neither the Unbandaged One’s monastic nor bestial elements leave her particularly well versed in social niceties. The mummy may possess a bounty of religious and philosophical knowledge that she obtained in the Second Life. In a sense, the Unbandaged One is the ultimate philosopher-warrior, contemplating what must be done then taking action herself. Very high Willpower is essential in order to reflect both the khaibit’s unyielding focus and the fact that only the strongest will can overcome the unbridled shadow-soul. Primary Hekau: Necromancy Purpose: The Shadow or Instinctive Self. A Sefekhi can tap into the primal strength of her tem-akh to overcome otherwise debilitating injuries. Each day, the Sefekhi has a dice pool equal to her Balance rating that her player may use to re-roll any Stamina-based test or resistance die pool. The new result is applied whether it is better or worse than the original roll. The player can use each die in this pool only once per (in-game) day, but he may choose how many dice to apply to a given re-roll until he uses up the pool for that day. The dice pool replenishes just as midnight passes each night. Liability: The release of oneself to the primal depths of the soul is not without cost. The khaibit desires immediate gratification, which is a terrifying thing given that the Sefekhi is violence and hunger incarnate. The Sefekhi radiates a palpable sense of ferocity and menace that is reinforced by the eerie scars covering her body. The discomfort they engender results in a +2 difficulty penalty to all Social rolls except those involving Intimidation. At the Storyteller’s discretion, this penalty may not apply to interactions with certain others, such as priests of Osiris, other mummies or extremely disturbed individuals. Views Kher-minu: The Tomb Watchers stood guard during the darkest times. Their failure was due only to the inaction of others. When we stand beside them as brothers, we will be invincible. Khri-habi: All talk and no action. If they are such phenomenal healers, why don’t they bring Osiris back? Besides, death is part of the balance. They should know that. Mesektet: Arrogant, holier-than-thou and nosy bastards, too. Keep sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong, sun-sailor, and we’ll send you back to paradise! Sahkmu: Ooh, pretty! Want! Okay, so they get a little too lost in their art classes sometimes, but we have to agree that life is empty without beauty. Udja-sen: Osiris sent them back, so he wants them to have another go at it. But he also made them easy to ******** up if they ******** up. We’ll take’em out if we have to. The Others: If fixing the world means they have to go, so be it.
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 12:12 pm
Udja-sen JUDGED ONES What did I do to deserve this? Much can go wrong in joining a tem-akh and a dying mortal. In some cases, the tem-akh replaces the weak or underdeveloped portion of the deceased’s soul, but a remaining portion of the modern soul may be too weak to withstand the rigors of immortality. When an individual receives the Rite of Rebirth, Anubis leads the joined soul before the Judges of Ma’at. In Egyptian tradition, the judges weigh the dual spirit’s heart against the feather of the goddess Ma’at. If the heart is found wanting, the joined soul is cast away to be devoured by the beast Amemait. A union deemed worthy returns to its body to become one of the Amenti. Perhaps times have become more desperate, or maybe ancient myths simply neglected to relate the occurrence, but occasionally the judges do not condemn all of a soul that they find lacking. Instead, the judges remove the corrupt portion in order to prevent the whole being from falling to Apophis. The tem-akh is then warped from its natural state by the Judges of Ma’at – stretched, in a sense, to cover the mummy’s spiritual wounds. Any function the tem-akh may have served, as well as most of its memories, are wiped clean. The resultant bond of body and soul remains capable of resurrection, but it possesses a sort of mystical wound that serves as an eternal reminder of its judgment. Other mummies and the resurrection cults refer to these unfortunates as Udja-sen, or the Judged Ones. Many Amenti who have fallen prey to this fate regard the judgment as unfair. At best, they think of it as a sort of consolation prize for being chosen by an injudicious tem-akh. In return, some hope to earn the peace that those who perceive and understand the highest realms of Ma’at gain. Other fall by the way and grow to hate the ones who belittle them. Some flee the Lands of Faith, seeking to escape roles that the strange cults are trying to force upon them. Their strong spirits bear deep wounds, but those wounds are also indicative of freedom and a new life. Tortured by a sense that he is empty inside or somehow unworthy, the Udja-sen struggles to understand his role in the world. Udja-sen means the Judged or the Cut One. The hole cut in the mummy’s soul continues to punish him throughout the Third Life. Every use of Hekau pulls Sekhem directly from his khat to supplement his damaged spirit. Others mummies in particular, seem to judge the Udja-sen automatically for his past failings. The path of the Udja-sen through the supernatural realms of the world is troubled. Unlike the other new Reborn, he does not have the benefit of a sentient tem-akh to explain the path of Ma’at, nor does he accept the existence of Osiris as an obvious truth. He is lost, with only the guidance of his own heart to lead him through the darker reality that is invisible to mortals. Hoping to achieve some redemption – and fearful of failing – the Udja-sen acts with careful deliberation. The Hajj: An Amenti of this type began with one of the five tem-akh listed previously. He makes the initial journey to the Lands of Faith as appropriate to that tem-akh, but he likely does not recall the trip after his resurrection. The Third Life: The Judged One begins his new life confused and in pain. Unlike other mummies, he does not sense his tem-akh as a strong and guiding presence. To make matters worse, having such a large portion of his soul excised has left him with enormous gaps in his memories of the Second Life. The Judged One feels empty and torn inside, and he simmers with bitterness at the seeming unfairness of his situation. With such ambivalent feelings, it’s no surprise that the Udja-sen feels alienated from both the living and from the other Resurrected. While he isn’t exactly a pariah among mummies and their followers, the sense of alienation keeps the Judged One on the periphery of nascent mummy society. This alienation also leaves the Udja-sen in great risk of falling into the coils of Apophis. The Udja-sen’s initial task is to come to terms with his status, make peace with solitude and not let it push him into unwise courses of action or destructive alliances. In time, the judged One must come to see his place on the edge not as a curse, but as a blessing. His distance from other mummies – and his greater freedom to travel outside the Lands of Faith – grants the Udja-sen access to viewpoints and information that the others may never come across. Likewise, he may choose to serve Osiris or spend his immortality cultivating Ma’at in other ways. Rather than continue to play the role of pariah, the Judged One realizes that he is in position to choose exactly what his relationship is with other mummies. If that relationship doesn’t suit him, he is free to make it what he wants it to be. Amid the pain of punishment, the Udja-sen can discover the gift of freedom. Affiliations: No two Udja-sen are alike in how they came to be what they are. As a result, their interaction with mortal society is similarly varied. Many Udja-sen connect with groups that advocate individual freedom and responsibility, but this trend is by no means universal. Some Udja-sen are devout in an effort to atone for their sins or those of the tem-akh that effectively gave up its existence so that the Udja-sen might carry on. None of the mummy organizations specifically excludes the Judged Ones, but the Udja-sen face tremendous prejudice amongst those groups. Only the Cult of Isis is truly receptive to the Udja-sen. The cult’s tradition of upholding the history and culture of ancient Egypt as well as trying to heal the world in the name of the mother goddess means that even those who recognize the flawed nature of the Judged Ones are forgiving. Character Creation: Since a Judged One could have received any of the types of tem-akh, he might have fit any number of molds. However, his soul was cut even more deeply by the Judges of Ma’at, and his completing spirit was rent in some unnatural way to cover the wound in his soul – snuffing out its sentience in the process. The only notable commonalties among the Udja-sen are a desire for independence and a character generally incompatible with the lifestyles of the Lands of Faith. High Intelligence, Wits and Stamina are common if only because Udja-sen don’t last long without those Attributes. Primary Hekau: Any Purpose: The Udja-sen is an exception to many rules. He is not so tied into the Lands of Faith as other mummies are. Regardless of the boundaries of the Web of Faith, the Judged One is more open to the mystical energy that flows in the world. Whenever an Udja-sen replenishes Sekhem, his player may add a number of additional Sekhem points equal to his Balance rating. Once a day, he may also transfer to another mummy a number of Sekhem points equal to his Balance rating. This bonus is subject to the Udja-sen’s liability. Liability: The reason that the Udja-sen is so open to the flow of mystical energies is because he has an open wound gaping within his soul; the use of Sekhem only exacerbates the spiritual ravages. Any expenditure of Sekhem inflicts upon the mummy one level of bashing damage per point of Sekhem spent. This damage occurs whether that Sekhem comes from his own reserves or flows through him from an outside source. Since this damage is voluntary, these wounds cannot be soaked. Views Kher-minu: They’re condescending as hell, but from what we can tell, they’re more than willing to help you out if things get ugly. Khri-habi: The Scroll-bearers are the best friends we have amongst the “unjudged.” Stick close to them if you have the option. Not only can they take away some of the pain, they’re smart enough not to judge others without the facts. Mesektet: So these guys are on a mission from heaven or something? I wish they’d leave us alone, damn it. Let’s hope they don’t have more “judges” stashed away somewhere who are going to hit us with their brand of “justice,” too. Sahkmu: They’re okay. They’d be better than okay if they’d make us some of their cool magic toys. Sefekhi: Considering what these violent, spooky-a**, carved up psychopaths are like, you could argue that we have it better. Almost. The Others: Look, we got our own problems without looking for more trouble. One the other hand, if it’s trouble they want, we’ve got some to spare. Dishing it out hurts a little – but what doesn’t?
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