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 Storyteller’s Handbook
By David Brookshaw, Michael Goodwin, George Holochwost, Khaldoun Khelil, Ari Marmell,
Malcolm Sheppard, Greg Stolze, and C.A. Suleiman
 The Seven-Times-Hallowed Mask
Walter could almost forget, machine’s skids, looking for The Dwelling We Do Not
sometimes. For days on end, other tracks, footprints… but Speak Of started as a crack
when his life was going right. no, they weren’t there, and he’d in the flinty hillside. Slipping
But out on the ice, it was see it before he saw any signs of within, all was dark and frigid.
impossible, unthinkable, and its passage, wouldn’t he? Ancient lamps loomed in a
especially when he was close to Under the layers of Gore-Tex long niche by the entry, made
the path. He was taking the long and down and fleece and wool from walrus pelvic-bones. In
way home, as he was bound, and and cotton and his own skin the ceremonies, they burned
he told himself he would pass by and fat, his blood ran cold. With whale oil, but it was forbidden
the path and look, and it would no real choice in the matter, he to store fuel in the Dwelling, so
be as white as a blank sheet of pressed on, and soon, he came Walter made do with a tiny LED
paper. He would drive home to to the end of the stones. There keychain.
supper and… was a blank stretch leading to Even in the dim, flat light, the
He saw tracks. Walter the hill, and he followed the walls gleamed. Generations of
slammed on the brakes, making snowmobile path straight to its Walter’s people had left totems
his pickup slew to the left, then base. The tracks were dismally of carved bone, images of gods
to a stop as he expertly steered clear. Someone had parked at and authorities unnamed to any
into the skid. (To Walter, driving the base of the hill, walked up anthropologist. In normal times,
on snow was simply “driving.”) the stone trail to the Dwelling, it all centered on a pillar of ice.
The way to the Dwelling walked back down, then Atop that column sat the golden
We Do Not Speak Of was not remounted and driven off. Seven-Times-Hallowed Mask
supposed to be in use tonight. It The second set of tracks had and, within it, the shadowy
should have been as unmarked only come down and were not black figure of a dead man.
as a blameless conscience, but aimed at the road. They went But the mask was missing,
there were clear and obvious straight toward the stones, and the ice was shattered, and the
tracks—the lines and tread of to the snowfield beyond, and footprints of the dead man
a snowmobile, by the look of Walter was sure they made a went straight from the frozen
them. The path was not meant spear-straight line toward his wreckage toward the entryway.
to be driven upon—ever. That home town of Qaarsut.
was why he’d stomped the He swore in both his B B B
brake pedal instead of just languages. How far could it have
Once he was outside, Walter
pulling over. gotten? Did he dare confirm his wished he could talk to Priestess
He parked where they bleakest fears? Could he face Nujalik, but it was hopeless.
always parked, in a windbreak the others if he didn’t? The closest cell phone was in
created by a jagged rise of Still cursing, he tore off his town, its service was spotty,
stones a respectful distance snowshoes and ran up the steps, and Walter had never bothered
from the Dwelling. He strapped his rifle held before him. It to buy a handset. The ground
on his snowshoes, and after wasn’t that he thought it would around the Hill We Do Not Name
a momentary hesitation, he do any good, but he didn’t want was commercially worthless, so
pulled down his rifle, as well. to leave it behind in the snow. he’d have needed an expensive
Walter wished he could run, sat-phone to contact anyone.
but he only trudged into the There was the CB in his truck,
rough tumble of upthrust stones, but it would only work if anyone
a peculiar range of debris in the was listening.
otherwise unmarred ice sheet. He retrieved his snowshoes,
He stared at the marks of the took a deep breath, whimpered
without realizing it, and set off snow, all tissue desiccated into “I apologize.”
toward the upright rocks. He leathery lumps, collarbones “Are you sure we cannot
made it all the way through and and elbows and the pelvic ridge simply go to the Mask and
to the other side before he saw it. prominent in its silhouette. seize it?”
Night had fallen but the “What name do you claim, Walter risked a glance at
moon was high, and the dead you who would stay me in my his passenger and shuddered.
thing was a blotch of blackness course?” The voice was dry as “Please, it would be better if you
disturbing the featureless white a tomb, but it spoke perfect were… concealed.”
of the plain. Behind, its trail was English. “If you a temple servant
“Less distress for you, you
a scrawl of lesser darkness, for be, our mutual pledge exceeds
mean.” Sefet Qam somehow
the snow here had blown deep. my loyalty to you or yours to me.”
managed to look shrewd, even
At points, the thing was forcing “I… speak only Dutch and with a frozen, leathery grimace
its way through chest-high Kalaallisut.” Walter clutched for a face. Yet now there was
drifts, and at no point was it less his rifle like a child with a a gleam in the back of his
than knee deep. stuffed animal. eye-pits, as if something was
“Neem me niet kwalijk?” “De Heilige Masker,” Sefet thawing there.
Walter said, in a voice no man Qam replied, in the same “We can make pictures very
could have heard over the wind. tongue. “It is taken, and I am quickly. It would not do for
The creature did not pause, and arisen. Know you the one who people to come looking if an
Walter took a dozen reluctant violated the temple?” image of you traveled very far.”
steps closer.
Walter shook his head. “But I “Po-laroid,” the dead man said.
“Utoqqatsissutigaa!” he called, can help you search,” he said. “I“I know of these images.”
now speaking Kalaallisut, have… a vehicle. And clothes.”
which they called the New “They have improved since
It was hard to read expression your last awakening.”
Language. The thing continued,
on the rotted face before him,
and he wondered if it was “How many years since… the
but after a pause, it nodded and
ignoring him or if it was simply year of the English, 1963?”
began trudging toward him.
mindless in its pursuit. “It is now the year 2012.”
Walter willed himself to turn
“Sefet Qam!” Walter charged Walter risked another glimpse.
his back on the temple defender,
forward, numb lips stumbling “But you were last awake in 1983.
but his eyes would not look
over the alien syllables that Do you not recall it?”
away. Eventually, they walked
aligned roughly to “Strength of “I… do not. Not yet.”
side by side—he atop the snow
the Crocodile’s Skin.”
and the dead thing pushing An awkward silence
“I name you and claim your through it. descended until they reached
loyalty,” he said in the Old Walter’s home on the outskirts
Language, rote phrases he’d B B B of town. “We’ll bundle you up
been taught intermittently all so you can pass,” Walter said.
his life. “By the temple and the “Your horseless carriage is
“No one is in my house, so we’ll
Mask we serve, I…” loud,” the temple guardian said
be safe.”
as they moved down the road.
Walter’s thin voice faltered. It “If no one is there, who opened
had stopped, and it had turned. the gateway?” Sefet Qam asked,
Freed of the ice, its eye-sockets pointing to the garage door.
were brown pits. Its mouth was “It’s an electric device,” Walter
a pursed circle, drawn tight by said.
dried flesh. It was naked in the
 “Like the flameless lamp.” truck came to a halt. Walter “Recovered my charge. Yet
Sefet Qam shook his head in tried his key and frowned, and now I wonder… is my task
what Walter could only assume he was going to try again when complete?”
was amazement. Sefet Qam gently pushed him “You’ve killed him!”
Soon, the animate corpse to the side. With what seemed
“Yes. I suppose I was meant
was zipped into Carhartt equal gentleness, the walking
to. Yet when I produced the
overalls, galoshes, and a pair corpse pulled the knob out of
relic from where it hid beneath
of thick woolen mittens. A the door with a crack and squeal
the bed, the man gaped in
scarf, stocking cap and pair of yielding wood.
astonishment. It was only
of sunglasses completed his Walter gaped. The door had when he attempted to struggle
disguise. Walter was surprised been deadbolted and, he could that I struck him.”
at the relief he felt, having now see, padlocked on a freshly
“Okay,” Walter mumbled,
that shriveled and unnatural installed hasp.
unable to stop staring at the
nudity covered, even in such a “Something’s wrong,” he motionless figure on the floor.
rudimentary costume. said, but Sefet Qam didn’t “Okay, the police chief is one of
“You can sense the Mask?” acknowledge it; just strode in us… this man, he’s foreign…”
“I can… yes, but we must and up the steps while Walter
“Portuguese, I suspect,” Sefet
hurry.” struggled to put the door back in
Qam added, turning the golden
something like a closed position.
As Walter pulled out into the mask over in his hands.
He left that task hurriedly at the
snowy night, he became more Walter looked up sharply.
sound of raised voices above.
and more uneasy. He had tried, “That’s right, he’s a… was a
from his home phone, to call He heard a fleshy impact and
scientist. He said he was taking
Nujalik, but had gotten only a then a loud thump that shook
ice core samples, but everyone
busy signal. It was becoming the light fixtures above. He
knew he was really looking for
clearer that the mute gestures started to run and didn’t stop
rubies…”
of his ally were directing him until he saw the Seven-Times-
Hallowed Mask, resting heavily “Or gold?” Sefet Qam asked,
toward her home.
on Walter’s borrowed mittens setting the mask on a table,
“Do you remember Nujalik?” heavily. He knew now the
as the corpse contemplated it.
Walter asked. relic was false—an attempt
Lying on the floor, bare-
“No.” to conceal the theft of the
chested, was another man,
“But… she is the High Priestess,” true Mask (if only briefly, to
bleeding heavily from his nose
Walter said, wondering how the win precious time)—but
and mouth. With a little hiss,
creature could have forgotten said nothing.
Walter got closer and realized
1983, a night that would live the man’s head was no longer a “He’s been here for almost
on in Walter’s memory—when simple dome, but dented under a year. If he knew where the
they summoned the guardian the torn scalp and bloodied hair. Mask was, why would he wait
from its icy tomb to choose so long before stealing it?”
“What have you done?”
between Nujalik and Walter as “Perhaps it took him that long
Walter gasped.
new leader of the faith; when to seduce the priestess.” Sefet
Walter had failed and screamed Qam was studying Walter now.
at its approach, leaving Nujalik
“No! He was an… an outsider.
as High Priestess of the Faithful
She wouldn’t!”
by default.
Delicately, the tomb guardian
“The relic is within,” the dead
raised the heavy layers of quilt
man said, climbing out as the
and blanket to look at the sheets
beneath. “Unless women and “Is that so? And how will you “Then we will fight them or
men have changed greatly in find the betrayer priestess?” we will hide,” the implacable
recent years, she did.” Walter hung his head. “I voice replied. “I am not here to
“And then fled in shame?” have no idea. Is that… really protect you, or your people, or
Walter couldn’t help but necessary? I think it would be your way of life. You, like me,
despise the tone of eagerness better for the Faithful if they serve the Mask and the Judge
in his voice. Nujalik had always never found out about…” Then who placed it in our care. The
sneered at him, ever since he’d his voice was stilled with a difference is my obedience is
disgraced himself, back when sudden, painful jerk as Sefet direct and yours is a matter
he was just 18. Qam seized Walter by the throat of custom. We are all but tools
and lifted him bodily off the of Fate, yet in this matter you
The guardian did not answer,
floor. shall be subordinate to me.”
only stared at the gleaming
mask. “She defiled my place of rest,” Sefet Qam raised a hand
the corpse’s voice grated. “High and pulled down his scarf. To
“To where would she flee?”
Priestess or no, she has stolen Walter’s amazement, the skin
he asked.
the Mask, and she has made me had filled in and re-colored
“Qeqertarsuaq, perhaps. If itself, turning from leathery
her implement of murder. I will
she borrowed a boat from brown to a dry but recognizably
not be used so by a mortal.”
someone, or just took it. Maybe human black. The creature
as far as Sisimiut, if she wanted Sefet Qam opened his hand,
swept the spectacles from its
somewhere big enough that and Walter dropped to the floor,
face, revealing brown eyes,
people wouldn’t know her. But gasping and clutching his neck.
bloodshot but obviously alive.
why would she flee?” “Summon your Faithful,”
“So soon?” Sefet Qam
“Why, indeed. We know that Sefet Qam intoned. “We shall
muttered, in distracted English.
she is not here. Let us check have them all for the search.
“We have little time, Walter. Call
her automobile,” Sefet Qam The traitor is to be found and
them.”
said, using the English word. sent before the Judges of Duat,
there to receive Their eternal As Walter scrambled to his
In moments, they were in her
judgment.” feet and stumbled toward
empty garage, the dead man
the house, the mummy Sefet
holding the relic in front of “But… *cough*… but what if
Qam spoke under its deathless
him like an old woman with a people find out? What if more
breath.
grocery sack. outsiders come to Qaarsut?
What if they find the Dwelling?” “And now my scattered
“All right… we can call the
thoughts knit once more,
police chief to handle things
Walter of Qaarsut. I recall your
quietly. I’ll drive you back to
cowardice of that day, though
the Dwelling, where you can
‘tis hazy. We shall see if young
restore the treasure to its place
Nujalik proves herself your
and… resume your rest.”
better once again.”
CREDITS
Creative Director: Rich Thomas Dedication: This game is dedicated to the people of Egypt.
Concept and Design: C.A. Suleiman Special Thanks:
Writing: David Brookshaw, Michael Goodwin, George To professors Edward Said and Norman Finkelstein, for
Holochwost, Khaldoun Khelil, Ari Marmell, Malcolm histories untold and obfuscations denied.
Sheppard, Greg Stolze, and C.A. Suleiman To Russell “Purpose First” Cohen for keeping his eye fixed
firm on the ball.
Developer: C.A. Suleiman
To L.J. “Not That Pittsburgh” Nickerson for being a proud
Editor: John Chambers pilgrim in an unholy land.
Art Director: Mike Chaney Playtesters: Agena Allen, Chris Allen, Arran Boyd, Beau
Brown, Whitney Carnes, Nate Duvall, Phil St-Leger Harris,
Interior Art: Aaron Acevedo, Samuel Araya, James
Ginie Holochwost, Chris Langston, Matthew Malis, Matt
Denton, Craig S Grant, Borja Puig Linares, Johan Lindroos,
McCormick, Andy Parker, Neall Raemonn Price, Ramon
Vince Locke, Marco Mazzoni, Andy Trabbold, Cathy
Reyes, and Joana Suleiman.
Wilkins, Tyler Windham
Michael would like to dedicate his work on Mummy to
Book Design: Craig S Grant & Mike Chaney his mother.

© 2012 CCP hf. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permission of the
publisher is expressly forbidden, except for the purposes of reviews, and for blank character
sheets, which may be reproduced for personal use only. White Wolf, Vampire, World of
Darkness, Vampire the Masquerade, and Mage the Ascension are registered trademarks of
CCP hf. All rights reserved. Vampire the Requiem, Werewolf the Apocalypse, Werewolf the
Forsaken, Mage the Awakening, Promethean the Created, Changeling the Lost, Hunter
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System, and Storytelling System are trademarks of CCP hf.
All rights reserved. All characters, names, places, and text herein are copyrighted by CCP hf.
CCP North America Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of CCP hf.
This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters, and themes. All mystical and
supernatural elements are fiction and intended for entertainment purposes only. This book
contains mature content. Reader discretion is advised.

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Credits
 Table of Contents
Book Two: Mummy Storyteller’s Handbook 165
Chapter Four: The Scroll of Ages 167
Chapter Five: Faces of Undeath 176
Chapter Six: Vessels of Power 212
Chapter Seven: Framing Immortality 238

Table of Contents
 Chapter Four
The Scroll of Ages
Some of the greatest thinkers among the Greeks regarded Egypt as not only the
home of knowledge and the source of civilization and of the arts, but also as the
fountain head of what has been called “white magic” and the “black art.”
— E.A. Wallis Budge, Egyptian Magic

Mr. Wodehouse,
strangest after-action report I’ve ever filed (or
Before we go any further, I feel compelled to say that this is far and away the
I leave it to you to decide what to do with it all.
probably will file). I’ve seen some shit in my day, as you know, but this… well,
I only know what I’ve observed.
I took direct part, I obviously can’t attest
On the subject of knowing what I know: Beyond my account of the events in which
tion was my area of expertise, rather than
to either the truth or the falsehood of the data I’m sending along. Even if interroga
coercing information from this particular subject. It’s
surveillance and acquisition, I still don’t imagine that I’d have much success in
that) could suffer the greatest indignities your man
plain to me—if not to your man, Collins—that this woman (if it’s fair to call her
any answers she provides, she provides willingly;
could devise without giving up so much as a pained look. My assessment is that
which I suggest you give serious thought.
whether or not this calls her initial capture into question, as well, is a matter to
better part of a week. While our initial
Pursuant to your instructions, my team and I shadowed the woman for the
just about anywhere she desired, within 12 hours
reconnaissance painted a picture of someone of independent means, able to live
district, about 500 yards off the bazaar, beneath
of our picking up her trail, she was moving her operation into the Sonagachi
almost immediately and that the increase
a brothel. (My numbers man says the building saw a marked increase in traffic
continued right up until we acquired her there the following Sunday.)
your every directive, took your every precaution,
Insertion was just about as messy as I’d anticipated it would be. We followed
I consider that a separate matter from whether
of course. The measures simply weren’t enough to insure clean victory, though
The lieutenant you told us to track down—the one
they succeeded in delivering the subject into our midst; that, they certainly did.
with her—died during insertion. We prepared our
you called “Sadiq” and who turned out to be the means by which we caught up
bolts and blades as instructed, and they proved effective.
were breached, her Sadiq, fallen—in that
Then the woman appeared. When she saw that she was compromised—that her defenses
in the boudoir flickered out entirely, and even the
the moment, it seemed to us as if all power fled the room. The already low lighting
but to ask what we wanted. When I informed
gun-mounted lights of my team dimmed. She used the opportunity not to escape,
she just held her arms out, one wrist crossed over
her that we needed her to come with us and to answer a few questions truthfully,
attractive Arab woman, there is a noticeable…
the other, and said, “I am yours to command.” Although she seems at first an
handcuff her says he saw something, well, moving
change in her appearance the closer we get, and my man who stepped forward to
behind her face, under her skin, maybe. She clearly makes him nervous.
ons, but from the first moment, she’s given
We blindfolded and gagged her for transport to our facility, as per your instructi
h I expected her cooperation might dry up
us no trouble. She asked to be called “Menat,” and so far, I’ve complied. Althoug
finally opened up for real. I don’t know who this
once we got into the topic that concerns you most, that was, in fact, when she
woman is, but she certainly seems to know a lot about mummies.
Please advise.
- A.

The Wall 167

 A.,
We want her account of Egypt and the Gulf circa 4,000 B.C. If she’s not deceiving you
re: her familiarity, she’ll know exactly what we’re looking for.
Respond soonest.
Mr. Wodehouse,
the center of an “empire with no name.” This
Menat says that the region (the known world, in fact, at that time) was
Delta; a sort of proto-Cairo, by the sound
empire ruled under the sign of a scorpion from a great capitol city in the Nile
der for the true original. The city once had a
of it. She says mummies call it “Irem,” but that it’s a convenient placehol
record of the empire to which it played host.
name, but she says that it was “erased” from history, along with every graven
She kept using that word: “erased.”
the Priests of Duat. In her own words,
This empire was the dream of a cult of wealthy men who called themselves
Shan’iatu; I asked her if she knows what
she sees them as “necromancers.” These men are known to mummies as the
every mummy in existence traces its origins
meaning the term holds, but she said she doesn’t. What she does know is that
back to one of these men.
ic, she says. To effect the perfect
The civilization and culture of Irem was profoundly death obsessed and monolith
over their growing mass of subjects through
presentation of their monolith, these Shan’iatu installed a pharaoh and ruled
the pharaoh came expressed as divine will.
his proclamations and decrees; anything that came directly from them or from
a bloody expansion.
As their temporal power grew, so too did their magic—a realization that begat
through the tradecraft of war, taking in spoils from
The Shan’iatu spent the better part of a century perfecting their art
legions, and imperial governors. During this
across the face of the Earth and converting them into ever more weapons,
be unnaturally long, even they must eventually
time, the highest among them began to see that, though their lives might
to gain power over even death, as was the way
cross over into Duat. This realization prompted them to conceive of a way
power of gods). They would enter Duat, as was
of their religion (which taught that mortal souls can ultimately possess the
their duty and birthright, but they would do so as death’s masters, not its victims.
the likes of which the world had never
Their final solution to the minor problem of death was a feat of “necromancy”
and its power is what gives them the
seen. Mummies (she calls them “Arisen”) call this elder spell the “rite of return,”
to animate their own mortal remains. In life,
ability to cheat death, to return from whatever hell hosts their cursed souls
necromancers (and given that servants of nobles
each mummy was a worker pledged to the house and service of one of these
rally long lives of their overlords), and when
were often interred with their masters, they probably didn’t mind the unnatu
a great honor, though it cost them all not only
the time came to be chosen for the spell—to be a mummy—each viewed it as
their mortal lives, but their immortal souls.
to rest and report.
Menat seems tired and distressed (for the first time), so we’ve taken a break
- A.

The subject has satisfied our skepticism, but not our interests. Do NOT allow her to meditate.
Get back in there, and ask her about the catalyst and the price. These are the things we need to know.
Do NOT address her as “Menat.” Do not address her at all. She speaks, you notate.
Respond soonest.

168 The Scroll of Ages

 Mr. Wodehouse,
As instructed, we resumed our debrief of the subject. She seems weaker, now, less confident, as though she
were being deprived of food and water (she is not) or suffering some internal malady. I offered her the services of
my medic, but she has thus far refused (and with a gracious smile). The subject responds to your queries regarding
catalysts and prices with the following account:
By the pinnacle of empire’s ascent, the necromancers’ art had plateaued. The six great guilds, each formed of seven
influential guildhouses, had grown into the envy of the inhabited world. But all the gold in the empire couldn’t fill the
void gaping in the necromancers’ dark hearts; all the wondrous relics they could create wouldn’t be enough to push their
art to the like of the gods. And that’s why they searched for a game changer. That’s when they sought a catalyst.
The accounts differ as to the form and character of this catalyst, this magical skeleton key she says they needed;
the necromancers themselves were cagey with information, of course, but she says that they went hunting for
something deep in the western Sahara and that whatever they found was important enough to leave a garrison
there and return for more Priests and supplies. She says she heard one version that spoke of their quarry as a
seamless block of black stone, and another account that says it was the body of a dead god, but she believes it was a
place of power.
“Like an oasis?” I asked.
“Like a mouth,” she said, “a mouth dug deep in the sand, its lips open to the sky, with a gullet of sweet Sekhem
and the holiest of stomachs in wait below.”
Her words.
Whatever it was they found buried in the deep desert, they used its power to fuel the two greatest spells the mortal world had
ever seen. The first was their precious “rite of return,” now a reality. Each guildmaster-priest called on his newly advanced
desert magic to perform the rite on every servant he thought suitable to the task, resulting in the creation of hundreds of
mummies loyal to each guild, and within their numbers, each member forcibly loyal to his or her individual creator. The second
spell was also, as it turns out, part of the “price” you were talking about. She says:
The gods of this scorpion empire were mighty largely because they had no true names over which others could gain power; e.g.,
they called the Nameless Lion “Re” in sacred texts, but that is only the name that the Great Lion wants them to call It. The
name is what is granted at a thing’s birth, and what is ultimately taken away when a thing is put to rest. To be nameless is to
be eternal, so to be on equal footing with their gods, the Priests of Duat had to possess the same power. But the price of these
two great will-workings—to cheat death and to be nameless—was an offering of comparable sacrifice and an offering of comparable
betrayal. The Shan’iatu sacrificed thousands during the rite that swallowed Irem and delivered it whole unto Duat.
Sir, you need to know that at this point, she is visibly in distress. Pale-faced, with clammy hands and a sickly look to
her. If I didn’t know better, I would say she’s aged since we first brought her in—by as much as 10 years. And the fact that
she’s been divulging copious amounts of information about these “Arisen” to us effectively reveals her to be antagonistic to
them. If you’ll forgive my ignorance, doesn’t all of that suggest that she might make a potential ally? Sir?
- A.

No, squad leader, it does not. It makes her our competition. We hope that’s clear. As such, her
discomfort is of little consequence to us and, therefore, of none to you. Get back in there, and ask her
how much these “Arisen” know of their own origins and condition. How deep does the rite’s patterning
overwrite their own memories and instincts? Also, what of this “betrayal?”
Respond soonest.

The Wall 169

 Mr. Wodehouse,
condition and that this is
Menat said that the Arisen are largely ignorant of the deeper truths of their
names to their masters/creators, and
due to a combination of the rite’s magic, their willing surrender of their true
the sorts of things the human mind might
of course, to the simple passing of centuries. (She said we’d be surprised at
purposes simply because their creators require the
forget after 6,000 years. I told her I wouldn’t.) The Arisen toil at their
by delivering the power of relics to their hands.
Sekhem they harvest by fulfilling them, restoring the empire’s glory, and
out, or something. She said he could make
Then she said something about an exception; one Arisen who’d figured it all
things pretty dangerous for us if his message were to spread and take root.
the other Shan’iatu did to some of their
As to the offering of great betrayal, Menat said that’s a reference to what
orators and poets, and it is they who spoke
own. The sixth guild was the host of Irem’s greatest artists and most inspiring
the grand plan itself, to erase the empire
out against either the usage of the desert artifact in the grand plan, or against
they would arrive in Duat with the rest.
and cross en masse into Duat. The masters of the sixth guild probably assumed
were strongest “survived” the betrayal.
Instead, they got truly erased, though Menat said that those whose wills
captive subject by her name. I assure you
Speaking of betrayal, you might’ve noticed that I went back to calling your
I returned to my interrogation, I started by
this is not insubordination, sir, because she is no longer in my custody. When
asking her why she was telling us all this.
she asked if she might have a moment
“Because I would like to die now.” That’s what she said. Ten minutes later,
scream like his soul was on fire, so I keyed
alone with your specialist, Collins. Two minutes after that, I heard a man
of horror, right next to the subject’s body… or
back into the room. Collins was dead on the floor, his face a frozen rictus
what was left of it, anyway.
It had decomposed entirely.
to die anyway, why go through the trouble
I must say, I’m at a loss as to what just happened here. If she just wanted
Whatever the case was, I’m sure you’ll tell me
of killing Collins first? Or sit through what was obviously a painful process?
, as per standing orders. Will be out of contact
whatever you feel I’m cleared to know out here. Sending along her remains
for a while thereafter. Sorry.
- A.

The Wall
Some attention was paid to the bifurcated nature of Mummy back in the game’s introduction, and here, at the start of
the Storyteller’s Handbook, that topic needs especial revisiting. Unlike some Storytelling games, this one has a backstory/
history that remains true regardless of what individual mummies think. This principle difference—this secret history—means
that it becomes by default the Storyteller’s prerogative and responsibility to safeguard that truth in his game.
In the game world, this barrier between the reality and Arisen awareness thereof manifests in their inability to know
and/or remember anything that’s ever happened to them in Duat (beyond their initial appearance before the Judges).
While cradled in the death-sleep, all they know or recall is the dusky repose of henet. During development, we likened
this phenomenon to the existence of a “Chinese wall” in the game, separating the realities of the characters’ pasts
from the lives they get to live in the present. Given exposure to contrary evidence, individual mummies can learn to find
the cracks and, in time, break down the wall themselves, but their default state of not only mind, but of being is not to
question. The power of the Shan’iatu’s hold over them, through both the claiming of their servants’ true names and the
might of the spiritual programming of their Rite, is such that only Apotheosis offers hope of total reclamation of one’s
name and soul.
On a practical level, what all this means is that unless you are a Storyteller, and really do intend to run Mummy at
some point, the following remains true for you: You’re reading the wrong chapter.

170 The Scroll of Ages

 there to serve as Opener of the Way and as king of that
ANPU
The mythopoeic religious epics of the Nameless Empire
dread interzone.
Despite the Arisen’s connections to Azar and to the
were as grim and primitive as one might imagine such early other gods of lost Irem, these ties are but pale shadows of
human myths could be, but for all their blood and fear, were the bond between mummies and Anpu, for he is the one
not crude for it. Their dread-laced passages possessed form, and only “god” they have ever seen or will ever see face-
with a stark beauty to their sacred cadences and imagery. The to-face. When the Arisen fall from the living world into
principle figure of the Iremite canon was, of course, Azar— Neter-Khertet, it is not the face of the Beautiful One that
the divine prodigal son who rose from the dead (thanks to greets them, nor even the dread visages of their precious
magic) to become the King in Duat, Lord of the Underworld. Judges. No, the only divine force with whom they actually
The tales have much to say on the subject of Re, the interact (beyond their mortal trials before the Judges) is
Nameless Lion, and his consort, Esit, the Nameless Falcon, the Opener of the Way.
who was said to be the fountainhead of all magic and will- The presence of Anpu serves narrative and thematic
working on Earth. And of course, one particular saga goes ends. The enigmatic jackal-headed entity amply fills the role
on at length about Sutek, the Nameless Serpent, whose of the voice of the Storyteller, as she can use it to impart
ancient feuding is what ultimately led to his brother’s story developments, to cultivate character depth, and to
death and resurrection. Far less is said of Anpu, the strike tonal notes that drive home the horror or mystery.
Nameless Jackal, despite his importance to everything else. Anpu appears most often when a mummy is killed by his
Or perhaps because of it. enemies and must return to finish the job, but technically,
Before Azar ascended to the Basalt Throne of Duat, he can appear to them any time they’re physically inside or
another ruled there in his place: Anpu. After the Beautiful manifested in Twilight. Anpu should never appear to the
One was restored to life, the other gods bid Anpu step Arisen in the living world, except through dreams or relics.
aside and make way for him, now that Azar “knew death
and rebirth” greater than any of their number. Without DEATH CYCLES
accepting this claim, but also without fraternal contention, The states of Arisen existence aren’t represented by a
Anpu abdicated his authority over the land of the dead and simple polarity—alive or dead. When a mummy dies in mid-
withdrew to the darkness between the worlds—a border Descent, he enters a third state of being called a death cycle.
realm that the Iremites referred to as Neter-Khertet— While engaged in the furtherance of his purpose, the occult

Anpu 171
 energies of the Rite of Return serve to anchor his spirit to where the scene is tailored more specifically to the character
the living world, like a set of mystical nails driven into the and story of the deceased. He might find himself back in a
stuff of his being. This creates a potent but volatile conduit tomb he abandoned long ago, or in the domicile of a former
between the Earth and the Underworld, a swirling vortex— lover or ally… or even in Irem itself. The point is for him to
part mystery, part magic, and part memory—that wends its face something about himself or his past that he’d forgotten,
way, tunnel-like, through the shadowscape of Neter-Khertet. dismissed, or buried intentionally so he could move on.
All the mummy has to do is follow this “path” back to his During (or at the end of) the first part, the Storyteller will
body, and he is again arisen. call for a single Memory roll. She notes the result of this roll,
This journey is, of course, the heart of the matter… the but it has no other bearing on the scene or the soul’s progress.
rub and the problem. Dying is a harrowing experience for At the end of the second part, the player rolls Memory again,
any creature, and doubly harrowing for an Arisen whose but this time, he modifies the roll according to the previous
soul is torn prematurely from its sahu before its purpose can roll’s result: If he achieved an exceptional success, he adds
be fulfilled. Not even grim experience and painful repetition two dice to the roll. If the first roll was a success, he adds one
will offer hope of alleviating this distress and disorientation, die. If he failed the first roll, he subtracts one die.
as each death cycle is different—not merely from one Arisen If the second Memory roll is a success, the mummy
to another, but from one death to another. takes what he learned from the sequence and returns to
That said, two chief components remain consistent his body (or organ), where he loses a dot of Sekhem in the
throughout a mummy’s various death cycles. The first of process of resurrecting his remains. If his player garnered
these is the presence of Anpu, who yet fills his eternal role as exceptional success on the second roll, the Arisen returns
ferryman for the Arisen soul even during these strange periods as per a success, but gets a chance to avoid losing the
of turmoil and doubt. The second component is the mummy’s Sekhem to resurrection: His player makes a Descent Roll,
own past, which literally comes back to haunt him as he makes and only if that roll succeeds does the mummy lose the dot
his way back to life. Whatever form a given death cycle takes, of Sekhem. (His player can’t spend Willpower to subtract
these two elements will always figure in somehow. dice, however.) If the player fails the second Memory roll,
For Storytellers, the adjudication of a death cycle is largely the Risen loses the dot of Sekhem and his player must
a narrative matter. Outside of plots and events related to make a Descent Roll (potentially losing the character two
the Arisen’s summoned purpose, much of Mummy revolves dots of Sekhem to resurrection). If the second Memory roll
around the twin themes of memory and self-discovery, and fails dramatically, the mummy loses two dots of Sekhem
the death cycle is both encapsulation and manifestation of automatically, with no chance for a Descent Roll. The
that idea. It’s an opportunity to challenge both player and Storyteller is encouraged to describe the feeling of losing
character, and as often as not, to unearth some important two dots of Sekhem in narrative terms, as the shades of
or revealing aspect of the mummy’s past or present. Neter-Khertet and his own crumbling awareness conspire
System: Structurally, the death cycle is an interlude—a to strip him of his vital life force; he arises weary and
scene the Storyteller runs for the player of the deceased. battered, as though barely “surviving” his death cycle.
Depending on the needs of the group and the story, this
interlude could last two or even three scenes, but since most
merets don’t die in unison (short of those rare occasions APOTHEOSIS
The other sentient denizens of the World of Darkness—
when they’re all caught standing at ground zero for the
detonation of a pretty brutal explosion), the interlude is human beings and the restless dead—both have belief
likely to leave one or more players out of the action for as systems centered around “moving on” from their current lot
long as it lasts. What’s most important is that the narrated in life (or death). In mortals, this takes the shape of a myriad
sequence accomplishes its intended purpose for the deceased. of cultures’ perspectives on “enlightenment,” whether one is
Sometimes, this can be achieved by having the other players graduating from supplicant to priest or attaining the sacred
roleplay their characters as figments of themselves within rank of bodhisattva. Among the disembodied, of course,
the confines of the deceased’s dreamscape, but only if and this takes the form of one passing on to Heaven, reaching
when their appearance within his death cycle would make Nirvana, etc. For the Arisen, who are in effect the link
narrative and thematic sense at the time. between the living and the dead, things are no different.
Whatever the player composition, the typical interlude Although the mummy equivalent of this belief, called
breaks down into two parts (which needn’t be equal in Apotheosis, still remains unpopular among the Arisen, it has
length or scope): First, the disembodied soul must ground nonetheless penetrated the bubble of their community after six
himself within the tumult, to get his bearings enough to long millennia. The official position of not one, but every guild
follow the beacon (or sound, or star, or other signatory) that on the subject is generally unfavorable, and that’s certainly
leads to Anpu, who awaits him further on. Once they’re face reflective of the baseline opinion among the Deathless. Yet,
to face, Anpu shows the supplicant the way back to himself, that comes as little surprise, considering how much is working
occasionally with an added element of mystery or revelation against them when it comes to simply entertaining the idea, let
along the way (though it’s recommended that Anpu never alone committing to it enough to alter their purpose just to be
speak aloud); the passing of a torch is common. Part two is in accordance with it.

172 The Scroll of Ages

 The Arisen soul enters immortality steeped in the One of the seminal gospels of the Iremite religious epic
religious cosmology of lost Irem, and having looked upon revolved around the tale of how Azar, Lord of Duat and
the faces of the Judges themselves, it finds little reason patron god of the Nameless Empire, found his way to the
to doubt the official dogma. Beyond this, each mummy Sky Above the Sky:
committed himself willfully to enduring the trials of
eternity; his soul had the chance to submit itself to shameful
oblivion, but chose to accept its burden. Further still, the When the time came for Azar to make at last
Rite itself takes a toll, its programmed malice working to the Ascent, he journeyed to the top of the
drown out all independent thought. And yet, despite all of tallest mountain, that he might gain admission
it, there remains an inmost tug deep within each and every to the heavens. Yet, the distance between
Deathless soul, one that goads and urges it to just stop; to
the earth and the floor of the Light Land just
close eyes and to cease breath… and ascend.
outstretched his reach, and Azar fell to
THE LADDER OF SET despair. Then sun broke through the clouds,
and beyond that rift, he caught a twinkle in
The term “apotheosis” is a relatively recent convention
among the Arisen, adapted more for scholarly use and the eye of Ptah, the Nameless Bull, who, on a
pursuit (and with a certain, added metagame value among shaft of golden light, sent down a ladder of
players). Indeed, the guilds adopted it largely because its the finest craft. Descending to earth with the
origins are Greek, rather than ancient or predynastic ladder came the god Re, the Nameless Lion,
Egyptian, and therefore of a comfortable intellectual and on the ladder’s other side, the goddess
distance to the default posture of the Arisen mind. The Esit, the Nameless Falcon. The two held
original term for this allegedly idle pursuit, and the word the ladder sturdy upon the earth, that Azar
that those who are truly interested in it tend to use with
could make his ascent. Their task complete,
one another, is the Mentaar (the “Ascent”).
the Three returned to the Light Land and
bade Sutek, the Nameless Serpent and Lord
of Dust and Storm, descend to earth and
Amulet of the Two Fingers become the eternal guardian of the perfect
While the Arisen pursuit of the Ladder of Set may ladder of Ptah.
be metaphorical and metaphysical in nature (as
no one honestly believes there’s an actual ladder This, people of the Black Land, is why we
poking out of a mountaintop somewhere), the same place the effigy of the ladder in the tomb,
isn’t true of the myth’s most infamous byproduct: why we remind the gods of their duty to
the Amulet of the Two Fingers. shepherd us to the blessed afterlife. This is
So named because it represents the two fingers— why we learn the words in life that we must
index and medius—used by Sutek to hoist Azar up into speak to the ladder in death:
heaven, the Amulet of the Two Fingers has become
equal parts urban legend and holy grail amongst a “I pay homage to thee, O divine ladder!
sizable segment of the Arisen, composed largely Homage to thee, O ladder of Sutek!
of amulet enthusiasts and all those interested in the
history and/or metaphysics of Apotheosis. What Stand thou upright, O divine ladder, whereby
began as a quiet but persistent rumor among the Azar came forth to the Light Land.
antiquarians of the Maa-Kep developed over time into
a full-on underground debate among those concerned. For I am thy son, I am Azar of old, and thou
shall give to me the ladder of Sutek.
And why? Because some believe that not only is the
amulet real, it is also the oldest relic on Earth. Some I need plow no earth, nor collect any
among the priests maintain that the “amulet” is two of offering, for that which I see and hear shall
Sutek’s actual fingers and therefore no amulet at all,
feed me and nourish me when I appear in the
but a vessel of the shell. Those looking into Apotheosis
Light Land by the ladder of Sutek.
believe that the amulet exists, in a true relic form, but
that its importance lies not in its age, but in the fact
I have gathered together my bones, I have
that, just as Sutek’s two fingers were the key to Azar’s
collected my flesh, and I shall go quickly to
ascent, so too is the amulet the key to Apotheosis.
the Light Land by the two fingers of great
Sutek, god of the ladder!”

Apotheosis 173
 This tale is an important part of the Iremite cosmological names even among themselves and their cults. Whatever
view, illustrating the origin and general methodology of the Arisen call it, the Ladder of Set is the spiritual construct
the model the Arisen tend to follow as it pertains to the that, in effect, comprises the Ascent.
Mentaar. Anglicization has had its effect here, too, with
the concept being known contemporarily as the Ladder of THE HERETIC
Set and the other key figures presumed to be pre-dynastic Once there was a worker in the house of Duat—born,
incarnations of Osiris, Ptah, Ra, and Isis. Certain guilds in acculturated, indoctrinated, and finally killed, like all the
certain regions even encourage the Ennead model (for a rest. This worker slept away the years in the dusky repose of
variety of reasons), some going so far as to adopt the Greek henet, arising now and then to serve the will of his master
and, presumably, the gods—just like all the rest. And like
the others, he sailed the river of time on a barge made
out of loyalty and buoyed by dark magic. Then something
Mountains in the Sky happened. The worker awoke. And everything changed.
As one of the shadow-decreed, this worker had long
When a person dies and the soul leaves the land maintained an academic interest in Apotheosis, but
of the living, the departed doesn’t just instantly only insofar as it held appeal on its metaphysical or
appear in Duat. The soul must first Go Westward. philosophical grounds. Then something occurred to ignite
The ancient Egyptians believed that two massive a spark, to drive some faith into the philosopher’s purpose,
mountains bookended the Earthly realm to the east and he set out to not only understand Apotheosis, but to
and west: Bakhu, the Eastern Gate; and Manu, the know it. And depending on whom one asks and what they
Western Gate. Upon arriving at either mountain, one want to be true, at some point within the last century, his
finds one’s self standing before a wonder the Iremites soul accomplished that goal. One of the Arisen—a former
called an akhet (meaning “sky gate”)—a soul portal. resident of Irem of the Pillars—has effectively finished his
Only by stepping through one of these akhet might a Ascent, becoming the first and only mummy to complete
soul cross from one realm to another. the process of Apotheosis.
When one of the Arisen dies because he has Needless to say, the guilds at large respond to any open
served his purpose and is ready to retire once more discussion of this “enlightened” mummy with a combination
to the repose of henet, he remembers nothing beyond of blithe dismissals, stern rebukes, and in certain regions,
laying himself back in his sarcophagus and closing veiled threats. Nobody knows this person’s name (as he
his eyes. When a mummy dies mid-Descent, however, effectively “reclaimed” it during Apotheosis), but several
his purpose yet unfulfilled, he opens his eyes to find Arisen have either confessed to or are said to be receiving
himself in Neter-Khertet—a bleak shadowscape that unsolicited communications from an individual who speaks as
acts as the byway between life and death, between the though he is ascended. Faced with mounting evidence of this
Earth and Duat. Only by finding his way back through being’s existence, the guildmasters at large acknowledge the
the akhet will his soul return to inhabit his remains in same chiefly by referring to him in all matters as the “Heretic.”
the real world. This process is known as a death cycle
(see next page). SYSTEMS
So, Apotheosis is not, in fact, the millennial pipe dream
When a mummy finds himself stuck within Neter-
most Arisen would claim (or even like) it to be. Yet, if it
Khertet without having first died, it’s because he found
isn’t all just a dangling carrot, forever barely out of reach,
or temporarily created an akhet in the living world…
then how does it work? The process can be likened to the
and stepped through it. What the Arisen call the Neter-
way certain mortal ascetics break through the barriers of
Khertet is known to many of its spectral inhabitants as
the fleshy and the material in order to touch the divine,
“living in Twilight.” When the mummy looks around in
whether it’s by fasting or sweating out the spiritual toxins
this Twilight, he sees a shade-filled overlay of the living
imposed upon the pure-form soul by a quintessentially
world ‘above’ it; everything that exists there is here as
rotten or debased world. For the Arisen, the process is just
well, plus a few things that aren’t. No matter his real-
as arduous and occasionally confusing as it is for the living,
world environs, when he’s outside in Neter-Khertet,
and it takes a lot longer to accomplish (for now, anyway;
he always espies the dim outlines—each backlit by a
it’s perfectly rational to assume that the more mummies
glow of burnished gold—of two mountains in the sky,
find Apotheosis, the more will try, and the faster they’ll be
together marking his eastern and western horizons.
able to achieve it).
Barring a cruel intervention of Fate, a mummy who
Memory: One of the central tenets of Apotheosis, even
travels far enough in either direction will eventually
in its most intellectualized form, is the reclamation of the
come upon an akhet that will let him step back into the
self. A soul can’t hope to know ascendance, or even truth on
living world.
some level, until the soul knows itself (at a bare minimum).
Two core game mechanics revolve around this notion, and
one of them is the Morality trait—in this case, Memory.

174 The Scroll of Ages

As to rating, it’s sensible to assume that a soul needn’t hit is… life. Aside from the incalculable benefit of returned
Memory 10 before being willing and capable of entering self-determination, three game elements immediately come
Apotheosis; most human beings don’t have Morality 10 into play upon completion of Apotheosis. The first is that
souls (and many would have even lower Memory ratings, the Arisen soul can finally move Sekhem from one vessel
if it was a mortal trait), so assume that getting “back” to at to another (as opposed to just locating and/or consuming
least Memory 7 is a good minimum. it). In short, ascended Arisen can create relics, given
Pillars: The second game element pertaining to the time. The second chief benefit of Apotheosis is that the
central tenet of Apotheosis is the Pillars system, which soul effectively reclaims its True Name and all associated
is a literal reflection of a soul’s progress along the path of elements of identity. In short, the ascended are functionally
reclaiming itself fully. In that regard, it makes little sense invisible to the mystical world. The final and perhaps
for a mummy to be Ascent-ready if his Pillars are still low. greatest benefit is that the “Chinese wall” imposed upon
Thematically, a character should have all Pillars at 5 before the soul by the Rite is brought crashing down, flooding it
Apotheosis can truly be a reality, but if you, as Storyteller, with long-buried memories of its unlife in Duat.
are looking to tell a story that ramps the characters up to Drawbacks: Seeing as how Sekhem is a measurement
Apotheosis more quickly—one that wouldn’t benefit from of a mummy’s overall potency, spending all of one’s time
starting out with the characters already ascended—then at Sekhem 1 is bound to take the top off the buzz a little.
consider the optional rule that the Arisen only need Once a soul has completed Apotheosis, it can no longer
to have their Defining Pillar at 5 and their Ren at 5 to access any Utterances or relic powers that require a
“qualify” (or, in the case of the Serpent-Headed, their Ren Sekhem rating higher than 1. However, it can still access
and their Ba or Sheut at 5). Affinities and first-tier Utterances (and will have plenty of
Sekhem: In many ways, Sekhem is the bane of a mummy’s Pillars with which to fuel same) and can still take part in
existence. The principle reason for this, of course, is that unison castings (explored in an upcoming supplement).
his existence is defined by Sekhem. The Rite of Return The difference is, now the mummy uses his Morality Trait
empowers his soul to cross the veil and reclaim its former (Memory) in place of his actual Sekhem rating for most
vessel, and it generates the “soul-suit” that is his sahu. It’s game purposes. So, the Arisen can still fuel his Attributes
also what drives his purpose, and therefore drives his mind with Pillars, and can still join a chorus, but he will now use
away from thoughts of the Mentaar. Thus, the only way to his Memory rating to determine the efficiency of his efforts
even begin the climb is to shed almost all Sekhem: The (or resistance to others’ efforts). And now, if his Memory
Rite itself is what the mummy must “sweat out” in order ever drops, so too does his potency.
to successfully wrest control over it for himself. Once the Having no Sekhem to devote to it, an ascended mummy
mummy’s soul is reconstituted fully (with the relevant cannot sacrifice Sekhem to heal grievous wounds to his sahu,
ratings in both Memory and Pillars), he must make one but he can still do so with Willpower and Pillars, as much
final Descent and stay alive long enough to see it drag him as he likes within a scene, until one or both run out. Lastly,
down to Sekhem 1. Only in his darkest hour, just at the the mummy no longer gets the “free pass” of having his Rite-
cusp of being carried once more to Duat, can he ascend. assisted soul funneled to the living world so easily. Every time
Benefits: The Mentaar is nothing less than a soul’s the soul dies or enters the henet, it must endure a death cycle,
complete reclamation of itself. It remains infused with the and with each passing death, the likelihood that his soul simply
power of the Rite, but now that power is much more firmly will not return the next time grows. In addition, maintaining a
at the soul’s command. No longer is the soul tethered by high Memory rating remains a priority even after the Ascent,
heavy chains to the throne of its master in Duat. The link is clearly, and losing a dot of Memory stands a chance of sending
broken, the soul takes flight. The Rite’s entire paradigm is the ascended soul into an immediate death cycle. No one said
inverted, and as a result, the soul’s new default state of being enlightenment was easy.

Apotheosis 175
 Chapter Five
Faces of Undeath
Let my enemies devour each other.
— Salvador Dali

Perhaps the biggest problem with immortality is the fact that

the bulk of the bastards one has grown to hate are also immortal. STAKING A CLAIM
Mummies are powerful, absolutely—potentially among The most obvious cause of these cross-purposes is when
the most potent of beings to walk the World of Darkness, at two or more mummies seek the same prize. It’s so obvious,
least when they’ve just recently arisen. If they were dealing in fact, that it almost wouldn’t be worth addressing—surely
only with mortals, that might be enough. Too bad for them it’s the first idea the overwhelming majority of Storytellers
that they’re not. From other mummies to ghosts, from mas- would consider—if it weren’t for the fact that it’s also far
sive organizations to necromantic horrors far worse than and away the most common cause of such conflicts in the
any Arisen, the foes of the Deathless are enough to make World of Darkness.
even an immortal fear for her life. Relics and particularly potent vestiges are at the root
of many of these rivalries. In fact, it’s actually surpris-
ing that it doesn’t happen even more often than it does.
THE DEATHLESS
The Shuankhsen and the other Lifeless may seem to be
If a magic item is so powerful or so important that it’s
worth raising a mummy to recover, then the odds are
pretty good that more than one faction is after said item.
the most iconic of adversaries that the Arisen must face— While this doesn’t necessarily mean two Deathless cults,
may even claim a place of honor as most hated, or function it’s these cults who are constantly on the lookout for
almost as bogeymen to these most ancient and most potent such things, and tapped into the worlds of archeological
of beings—but such perceptions don’t always line up with and religious discoveries. It’s they who are most likely to
reality. A few mummies have never, in any incarnation, en- know the true histories of such objects, and thus have a
countered one of the Lifeless. greater understanding of their importance. Whether for
But other Deathless? That’s a whole different story al- cult-related reasons or their own personal agendas, when
together. two Deathless seek the same relic—or when one mummy
For it is, indeed, the Deathless themselves who are truly or cult steals a relic from another—a clash between them
their own worst enemies. Potentially as puissant as any of becomes absolutely inevitable, even in the complete ab-
the Lifeless, mummies are also more common than such sence of any personal enmity.
horrors and are far more likely to cross paths with one an- Relics and vestiges are not, of course, the only prizes
other, due to their shared pursuits and objectives. From over which the Deathless might compete. Treasures need
conflicting agendas in modern times to grudges that date not qualify as vestiges to be of sufficient cultural, religious,
back to before the rise of dynastic Egypt, the Deathless or personal significance to be worth fighting for. The “ob-
have plenty of reason and plenty of opportunity to oppose ject” at the center of the conflict might even be a person,
one another. someone of particular importance due to knowledge, expe-
And when neither side of a feud can ever truly die, can rience, or bloodline.
the conflict ever really end? And sometimes, the Deathless find themselves com-
peting over what would seem to be the most trivial of
UNDYING RIVALRIES
While it’s certainly easy to imagine such ancient hatreds,
objectives. Remember that, as they all hail from the same
original culture, many Deathless (particularly those with
oaths of eternal vengeance, and all that, the truth is that the higher Memory) are likely to share certain tastes in com-
majority of conflicts between two (or more) Deathless have mon. Two mummies might simply covet the same prop-
nothing to do with hatred. Many times, they aren’t even per- erty and seek to obtain ownership for their cults to hold
sonal. Mummies are, above and beyond all else, driven by in escrow until their next rising. They may fancy the
purpose—and that means that anyone or anything who in- same painting or sculpture, or even—if they’re human
terferes with that purpose, including other mummies, must enough—the same lover.
either be circumvented or removed. It is, as a slightly more Would the Arisen actually compete with their fellow im-
modern underground society might say, “just business.” mortals, wielding their powers and possibly their cult influ-

The Deathless 177

 ence, spending Sekhem and shortening their time on Earth, cases, such bonds might even qualify as genuine friend-
for such minor prizes? Absolutely. In part, it goes back once ships or familial links dating back to Irem, itself.
again to their purpose-driven nature. Even if it’s not the spe- But even allies and friends compete with one another.
cific purpose for which they were summoned, mummies do Some Deathless—those rare few who (at least as compared
almost nothing by half measures. It’s just not in them. to other mummies) take themselves a bit less seriously—
Also, mummies don’t typically have many other means of work either to subvert their friends’ efforts, or at least
competing with one another. Most of them don’t have a lot to outshine them, purely as a matter of one-upmanship.
of authority or influence over the mortal world, and they’re They might actually keep score, determining who among
not going to be around long enough for subtle machina- them has had the most successful incarnations, or boasts
tions. (This is, perhaps, the greatest paradox of Deathless the most relics, or the wealthiest cult. These mummies
existence—that these immortal beings really have so very won’t oppose each other on matters of major import—the
little time to accomplish anything.) survival of a cult, the retrieval of a vital relic, that sort of
And finally, why not? When you know that you’re going to thing—but anything less is fair game.
die soon no matter what and come back eventually no mat-
ter what—and the same holds true of your rival—what’s the
impetus to hold back? What have you got to lose? Thus, when DEATHLESS HATRED
Impersonal conflict and friendly competition is all well
two mummies compete for almost any goal, the important fac-
tor is that they are two mummies; much less important is the and good, but alas, it represents only one portion of the ri-
significance of what they’re actually competing over. valry between Deathless. The rest is hatred; sheer, seething
enmity that takes multiple lifetimes even to comprehend, let
ONE-UPMANSHIP alone to develop. These mummies might clash over the same
prizes and goals listed previously—relics, influence, and the
Even for entities whose entire immortal existence re-
volves around cycles of life and death, not everything in like—but their motivations run far deeper than the compe-
their experience is—well, a matter of life or death. Those tition of the moment. These Deathless would gladly spend
Deathless with sufficient memory and humanity are capa- an eternity finding new means of making their enemies suf-
ble of forming bonds with other mummies. Some are rela- fer. A few would even delight in seeing their rival mummies
tionships of mutual respect, perhaps arising from alliances permanently destroyed, for all that such a concept is nor-
between these mummies during past incarnations. In a few mally anathema to the stagnant population of the Deathless.

178 Faces of Undeath

 ancient lore or religious responsibilities. In either case,
Competing Cults some Arisen consider this behavior to be an abuse of
authority or even a violation of the natural (well, su-
The sorts of rivalries and conflicts discussed pernatural) order, and may respond accordingly.
here needn’t be between the mummies themselves. • Excessive Acquisition: All Deathless seek out relics
Deathless cults are just as likely—perhaps even and vestiges. It’s an innate part of who and what they
more likely—to compete with one another even are. They need to protect those that have particular
if they’re not truly enemies and hold no genuine significance to their cults or culture, and to empower
animosity. In addition to competing for all the same themselves through the absorption of those that do
prizes that the Deathless themselves do (relics, not. Some Deathless, however, believe hoarding more
vestiges, ancient lore, etc.), cults also have the relics than one absolutely needs to be an immoral
long-term factors of the modern world with which act—one that deprives the world, and other mum-
to deal. As such, cults might compete for property— mies, of wonders and magics more rightfully theirs.
either due to mystical or religious significance, or But what is “excess”? How many relics does a mummy
for more banal financial purposes—or for positions really “need” lying about her tomb to allow her to re-
of authority. Consider the value to such a cult of generate her powers for her next incarnation? What
having one of its members highly placed in US
customs or serving as the chief curator of a major
museum, and the reasons for such rivalries become
perfectly clear.
Resting in Peace
And of course, if it’s important enough for the There are few rules or strictures of behavior that
cults to compete over, it’s likely important enough to are considered more or less universal among the
involve their Deathless patrons, even if the mummies Deathless. Their drives, their attitudes toward their
themselves really couldn’t care less. cults—these are all moderated, at least in part, by the
mummies’ innate nature. Beyond that, however, the
Deathless are individuals. Some are honorable, some
conniving; some respectful, some disdainful.
One particular custom, however, is widespread
IMMORAL IMMORTALITY enough that it almost qualifies as a universal rule: For
The Deathless take what they do, and what they are, one of the Deathless, the tomb of another mummy is
seriously indeed. Remember that subjecting oneself to the largely sacrosanct.
Rite of Return was a matter of both ultimate loyalty and In part, this is purely common sense. Mummies are
ultimate faith; a permanent devotion of the self to masters at their most potent within their tombs, especially if
both secular and semi-divine. they’ve just been awakened by an intruder. It’s also,
And as with all religions, the beliefs of the Deathless however, a matter of reverence that borders on the
inspire some to greater fanaticism than others. Most mum- religious. The tomb symbolizes everything about
mies have strong beliefs about appropriate behavior and le- Deathless existence and the reason they submitted
gitimate uses of the temporary lives they receive from time themselves to the Rite of Return in the first place. It’s
to time—and look down upon those who treat those lives a representation of death; it’s the doorway back to life;
abusively or immorally. Some Deathless take this further, it’s the heart of a mummy’s worship; it’s the repository
however, and declare what amounts to holy war on those of relics and vestiges. It is, so far as anything can be to
mummies who are dishonoring their sacred immortality. these immortals, sacred.
Since not all Deathless agree on what constitutes “prop-
er” behavior, however, this leads to conflict, violence, and Which is not, of course, to say that this is true for
sometimes genuine hatred between mummies. The most all mummies, all the time. Some circumstances are
common points of contention include: pressing enough for even the most tradition-bound of
Deathless to violate this code—such as, for instance, the
• Treatment of cultists: Some of the more arrogant or retrieval of a specific relic stolen and hidden away in a
power-hungry Deathless see their cults as servitors, rival’s tomb. (Not that any relic would justify this, but if
rather than allies or wards to be protected. These it’s one of particular significance, it might be worth the
mummies might seek to rule their cults overtly when- violation.) And of course, some mummies—particularly
ever they’re awake, relying on brute force or religious those of the Lost Guild (see p. 181)—are simply mad
intimidation; others are more subtle, seeking to ma- enough not to give a damn one way or the other.
nipulate the behaviors and beliefs of their cultists
through trickery and deception, particularly regarding

The Deathless 179

 circumstances justify the consumption of multiple rel- vessel with the proper veneration. The most minute
ics for a mummy to gain the power to complete her religious differences have been the cause of all man-
goals? These things cannot truly be quantified, but are ner of conflict among mortals, and in this, some of
matters of opinion and belief—which means that they the Arisen are no different than anyone else.
are matters over which the Deathless become enemies
with unfortunate frequency. ETERNAL VENGEANCE
• The Cycle of Greed: A few particularly amoral or Few things are more important to the Deathless—in-
monstrous Deathless have no qualms about attack- deed, more emblematic of what they are—than the need
ing or even destroying (however temporarily) their for retribution. They believe they serve the judges of the
brethren in order to take what their victims have. afterlife. Defile a mummy’s tomb, and repairing the dam-
From relics to cultural treasures, powerful cultists to age, even retrieving any stolen relics, is secondary in im-
ancient lore, sometimes the best place to obtain those portance to the need to hunt down and punish the perpe-
wonders that so many Deathless seek is from other trator. When you add that to the normal human tendency
mummies. As if this weren’t bad enough, however, a to hold grudges, and combine them in a being capable of
great many of the more spiritually minded Deathless returning from the dead over and over throughout the span
consider such behavior to be a gross abuse of power of history, you have the makings of some truly epic feuds.
and immortality. As such, these “scavengers” are not Not all mummies who seek revenge on others of their
merely the instigators of conflict between mummies, own kind do so to right ancient wrongs. Most, in fact, have
but also the recipients of it—and in some cases, even far more modern motives. A mummy who has destroyed
if one of the Deathless had legitimate cause to take or imperiled another mummy’s cult, defiled another mum-
from another mummy, these fanatics might well tar- my’s tomb, stolen or destroyed vessels important to anoth-
get her anyway. Zealotry leaves little room for nuance er mummy—or, essentially, opposed another of the Arisen
or extenuating circumstances, after all. for any of the myriad reasons discussed previously—has
• Dogmatic Differences: The Arisen come from a a pretty good chance of earning that other mummy’s ire.
spiritual culture and are themselves the products Such hatreds are not limited to the lifetime in which the
of a religious rite. It’s no surprise, then, that most transgressions occurred, but can flare up as often as the
mummies incorporate all manner of religious beliefs Deathless themselves arise.
into their worldview. Many of these beliefs evolve Other such grudges, however, do indeed date back cen-
(or even change wholesale) over the course of time. turies, or even millennia. Some, in fact, predate the Death-
To one of the Deathless, the names of the Judges of less’s first arising as mummies at all. Although rare, some
Duat may take on a sacred aspect, so that it’s inap- of these cycles of retribution date back to Irem itself. Of
propriate to speak them aloud save for ritual pur- course, the Arisen involved in these longstanding conflicts
poses. To another, all mummies who serve cults of almost certainly don’t remember what the ancient insti-
a particular religion or ethnicity might be apostates. gating insult might have been; they recall only enough to
A few of the most extreme might even object to hate.
Arisen of a certain gender, or who serve a particular And that—the unreliable memory of the Arisen—makes
Judge, or who fail to treat a certain type of relic or this cyclical hostility even more dangerous. It’s entirely
possible for two (or more) mummies to clash, lifetime af-
ter lifetime, long after they’ve both utterly forgotten what
they’re fighting over. They know only that they hate one
Lingerers another, and each feels that she is due bloody vengeance
One particular brand of malefactor on which almost
for past slights.
all mummies agree is the so-called “lingerer.” Lingerers
Even worse, however, is when one of the Arisen has lost
are Arisen who make a concerted effort to hang around
sufficient memory that she doesn’t recall her enemy at all.
and continue to live long after they’ve completed
Such a mummy—most likely a player’s character, because
whatever purpose brought them back. (Or, in some
how much fun would it be otherwise?—may find herself
cases, who put off completing a purpose that drives
under constant, brutal attack by another of the Arisen who
them so that they might remain longer.) Not only is this
clearly despises her, and have absolutely no idea why. Re-
a selfish misuse of the powers granted by the Rite of
covering sufficient memory to recall the reasons for such a
Return, but it requires that these mummies constantly
feud can constitute an entire story goal in its own right.
consume relics, so that they might retain enough
Sekhem to remain. It’s wasteful, it’s destructive, it’s
MADNESS
Not every mortal mind—even among those strong
sacrilegious, and most mummies are more than happy
enough to accept the Rite of Return initially—is capable
to “assist” lingerers in their return to the cycle.
of bearing up under the weight of ages. Some Deathless
simply go insane. Oddly, it’s actually mummies with the

180 Faces of Undeath

highest Memory—that is, the most human—who are most For however long it lasts, however, few things are more ter-
frequently subject to this insanity, as low-memory Death- rifying than the madness of the Deathless. An insane mummy
less tend to be far less thoughtful and far more mechani- often embraces the most violent, enraged aspects of her na-
cal in their behavior. (It’s also possible for a mummy who’s ture, potentially reverting to a far more savage epoch. She may
utterly insane in one life to wake up entirely stable in her well target other mummies in her frenzy, but even if she does
next, if she’s happened to forget just the right portions of not, it’s often only other Deathless who can put her down.
her past.) Note that an insane mummy is not immune to the strictures
of the Descent—but she may be far gone enough to utterly
ignore her summoned purpose, and while that means she’ll
burn out faster, she can cause a lot of harm in the interim. (For
Thicker Than Water more on madness in the Arisen, see “Falling In” on p. 162.)
Many of the supernatural powers of the Deathless
fail to function when wielded against another mummy
who was created by the same sorcerer-priest of
THETheDECEIVED
Arisen do not fear much. Immortal and nigh-in-
the Shan’iatu. Most mummies misunderstand this destructible engines of divine purpose and supernatural
limitation, believing that it applies to those who serve vengeance really don’t have a lot of bogeymen, and most of
the same Judge of Duat. In either case, however, the those that do exist are numbered among the Lifeless. That
fact that they cannot use their greatest magics against said, no discussion of antagonists—of things that give even
one another doesn’t mean that they do not, or cannot, mummies pause—would be complete without mention of
oppose one another in other ways. the Deceived.
In the majority of such cases, the conflict becomes Legends and the sporadic, tattered memories of the
a game of pawns, with each of the Deathless using Arisen suggest that six priestly guilds held sway during
her cultists in an attempt to thwart, or possibly even the days of Irem; six guilds served, and were claimed by,
exterminate, the allies of the other. This ranges from the the Judges of Duat. That only five are found amongst
pulling of political and financial strings to gang battles the Arisen today is no accident, but the result of a vile
in the streets, depending on circumstances. Such and unprecedented betrayal.
conflicts can even come down to petty destruction of It was near the end of Irem’s reign that the five guilds
resources, as one mummy steals a vestige, the other united against the sixth, exercising forgotten magics and
destroys cult property, and so forth. (Although, as dark betrayals not merely to kill its adherents, but to
mentioned previously, the destruction of a rival’s tomb utterly destroy them, preventing them from rising again.
is frowned upon.) The reasons for such a terrible act are as varied as are
the legends themselves, but every mummy active today
Eventually, however, mummies who hate or oppose knows that it was justified. Some claim that the guild
each other may find that working at angles doesn’t suit had grown too strong, too dangerous; that its members’
them. It’s certainly not impossible for two mummies mastery of the True Name, above and beyond all other
with the same creator to harm one another directly. forms of magic, granted them too much power over the
Their own magics may not work, but the magic of living, the dead, and the world around them.
relics, brute strength, and modern firepower remain And had that been the end of it, they would likely
viable options. have been forgotten by now—just another relic of Irem
Of course, one might wonder why two mummies forgotten beneath the sands. But of course, it was not.
who serve (or believe they serve) the same Judge Rumor and whispers, the Arisen equivalent of campfire
might oppose one another. In addition to the fact that tales, suggest that a small portion of the Lost Guild sur-
the Deathless still have personal goals and personal vived. Made up entirely of Serpent-Headed—who, due to
enmities, consider also that they may not have a choice. their affinity for true name magics, were among the most
A mummy is bound to the purpose for which it was potent of the guilds—these “Deceived” linger to this
raised, after all, even if that purpose works against the day. Perhaps they have found some means of sustaining
goals of a “brother.” Then, of course, there’s the fact themselves indefinitely; perhaps they possess mortal cults
that many Deathless believe their Judge wouldn’t send of their own, capable of calling them back to the lands
them back, even at a cultist’s call, unless the Judge of the living. Whatever the case, they wander the world
approved of said purpose; either they assume that the still, with a single-minded, all-consuming purpose that
Judges are deliberately pitting the mummies against has taken them well beyond the bounds of sanity itself.
each other (the old “mysterious ways” defense), or They exist for revenge—solely and entirely—against
else they believe that it’s their rivals who’ve gone off the Arisen of the five guilds. All Arisen. And if even
the reservation. Either way, first purpose comes first. half the legends of their maddened, True Name-driven
magics are true, it’s a goal that they may well be potent
enough to achieve.

The Deathless 181

 TAXONOMY
THE LIFELESS
The primary antagonists of the Arisen, the Lifeless are
There are two classes of Amkhat (plural: “Amkhata”),
and the distinction between them is quite straightforward.
divided into three subcategories: the Amkhata—misbegot- There are lesser, and there are greater. Both are composed
ten mockeries of necromantic happenstance; the Sadikh— of mismatched animal components.
a mummy’s closest companion, mummified to serve for One primary difference between them is scale: Lesser
eternity; and the Shuankhsen—the Arisen’s greatest nem- Amkhata have a size appropriate to the smallest of their
eses, and perhaps the enemy of all life on Earth, they are elements, while for the greater it’s based on the largest.
mummies who serve the Devourer. All these beings have Thus, a lesser falcon-headed bull would have a head the
in common with one another is that they are truly Lifeless, size of a typical bird and a comically tiny bovine torso. A
one and all. greater example of the same would be the size of a Hol-
stein and would have a beak capable of snapping through
THEWeAMKHATA
know how animals came to be shaped as they are.
a bodybuilder’s thigh. But Amkhata of either class tend to
imperil mortals’ spirits more than their bodies in any event.
(See “Demoralized Mortals,” below.)
To the scientific, their shapes are adaptations to their en-
Greater and lesser Amkhata are also alike in spending
vironments, honed over generations of competition for re-
much of their time immaterial, invisible, frustrated, and
productive advantage. To the religious, they received their
hungry. They are impotent observers, like the intangible
forms at the behest of a supernatural creator, to fit them
ghosts described on page 209 of The World of Darkness.
for a purpose in the mortal realm. (Some optimists even
Unlike ghosts, however, Amkhata can become terribly,
believe these two views can be reconciled.)
terribly real. Mostly, they’re amxaibit—“in shadow.” But if
What is one to make of defiances of nature’s forms, then?
exposed to the right sorts of occult energies, they become
To a scientist, it’s a fascinating thought experiment but, at
amxuti—“in between the two horizons.” Scientists study-
best, a tragic case of crossed categories. A creature that’s
ing the phenomenon use the English words “tangible” and
neither fish nor fowl can’t thrive in either sea or sky. In fact,
“intangible” in casual discussion, or “dephased” and “hard-
if one’s detachment is less than total, the idea is either laugh-
expressing” when they want to sound fancy. (Yes, there are
able... or disturbing. Unnatural. Viscerally wrong, in the way
scientists studying Amkhata. They work for Last Dynasty
that only something outside the natural order can be.
International and are described on p. 204.)
From a religious perspective, it’s far clearer. To toy with
these shapes is to mock the spiritual world. Any such crea-
ture is an abomination, wrongfully unaborted, and the only
DEMORALIZED MORTALS
The problem with a perversion of nature—one problem,
righteous course is its destruction.
anyway—is that people are ill-equipped to cope with it.
Indeed, in myths worldwide, one finds recombined
Scientists say it defies reason, while the faithful define it
creatures wreaking havoc, from the ancient Greek fusion
as a Thing That Should Not Be. Whoever’s right, merely
of goat, serpent and lion that gave the Western world the
looking at an Amkhat can erode a mortal’s sanity.
name “chimera,” to the tongue-footed lizard of the Inakul
All tangible/amxuti Amkhata are abhorrent. The in-
islands, through the stories of Mothman and the Florida
stinctive human response is like vomiting, only emotional
skunk ape. Usually destructive, often singular, it’s typically
instead of physical. There is no reasoning with this kind of
beyond the power of mortal men to slay them. Such tasks
revulsion.
fall to those chosen by the gods—meaning, in the modern
Seeing a lesser Amkhat forces a Willpower roll for or-
world, the monstrosities are a nasty surprise for believers in
dinary mortals, with failure costing a Willpower point.
rational thought.
Greater Amkhata combine that instinctive revulsion with
The Arisen have been battling these monsters since the
an entirely rational terror of being gored, trampled, and/or
days of Irem, since the first mistake with a relic gave birth
devoured; just seeing one costs a mortal a Willpower point,
to an asp with a tiny bull’s head. Sadly, not all who be-
with no roll permitted or required.
held the misbegotten were repulsed. There is always some
Having one nearby and intangible can be bad as well.
warped soul who won’t look away from the grotesque, but
Amkhata radiate hunger and unease. A lesser Amkhat can
who instead takes delight in its deviance. In the early days,
be sensed through a successful Intelligence + Empathy roll,
a few twisted beasts were built by jaded priests. But their
though anyone with the Unseen Sense Merit can feel its lust
power soon caught the attention of spiritual misfits who
to exist without a roll. This isn’t an advantage: The player of
saw in the by-blows of broken vessels a weapon they could
any mortal who feels the lurking thing has to make a successful
raise against the Judges and, perhaps, a new and better
Resolve + Composure roll or else his character suffers a –1
way to blaspheme. In their hubris, these degenerate cler-
penalty to all actions for the remainder of the scene. Greater
ics sought to steal the spark of life and the right of shaping
Amkhata can be sensed the same way, but a mortal who suc-
from the gods themselves.
ceeds in detecting one is automatically shaken and alarmed,
Sadly, they succeeded.
and takes that –1 penalty. Sometimes, ignorance is better.

182 Faces of Undeath

 An Amkhat in amxaibit can’t clearly perceive normal mat- most risk from either type of Amkhat.) It’s like a Descent
ter, but it can sense the emanations of relics and vestiges—feel Roll, except the mummy can use Composure for defense.
them like warmth, for a mile out for every dot invested in the Lesser Amkhata drain a point from a Pillar for each success
vessel. Being dephased, they can easily get near the objects of garnered above the victim’s tally. The victim decides which
their desire, but they often can’t do anything other than haunt Pillar takes the hit, or hits. Greater Amkhata siphon off
them and freak out the living. Indeed, the presence of Am- one dot/level of Sekhem(!) if they win the contested roll.
khata near relics and vestiges can do as much to contribute If the Amkhat maintains the grapple, it may do the same
to their accursed reputation as their actual curses. Which, of thing the following turn.
course, only encourages mortals to destroy the ‘evil object.’ Each Pillar stolen keeps a lesser Amkhat tangible for a
That’s exactly what an Amkhat wants. day, and again, it can store this up to shift in and out of
‘phase.’ A greater Amkhat can either spend a stolen Sekhem
FEEDING INTO ACTIVITY level to stay tangible for a week, or the creature can carry the
At this point, the pertinent question is, “What makes these Sekhem away and deliver it to its master (if it has one).
things shift between amxaibit and amxuti?” The answer is oc-
cult energy. Few Arisen are mad or perverse enough to give GENERATION
Sekhem to an Amkhat, though for every level donated the Where do Amkhata come from? (Fortunately, it’s not,
monster remains docile and obedient for about a week. (Each “Well son, when a jackal and a lion love one another very
level donated also forces a Descent Roll.) The problem is, a much…”) The lesser breed arises when Sekhem is wast-
donated level of Sekhem keeps it tangible for a month. That’s ed. Any time a relic with Sekhem is destroyed (not used
total time, too, so if the Amkhat is trapped or fleeing, it can up through use or drained for some other purpose, but
go intangible and stop the clock, returning to concrete reality physically ruined without first being emptied of Sekhem),
at a more propitious time. (Amkhata aren’t as smart as hu- there’s a chance of a lesser Amkhat generating spontane-
mans, but they’re cunning and know how to hide.) Donating ously. Largely, this is a matter for Storyteller fiat, though if a
Sekhem makes the creature tangible immediately. set of guidelines is desirable, the Storyteller can roll one die
If a relic of any description breaks near an existing Am- for each point of Sekhem that was in a relic. Any success
khat—say, within the same room—the Amkhat absorbs any generates a monster.
Sekhem contained in it, becoming tangible and staying that Greater Amkhata are another matter entirely. Noth-
way for at least an hour. Each point of relic Sekhem keeps it ing that vile comes about by honest accident. Using a
going for a week. This isn’t as quick a process as feeding one, blasphemous rite passed down through ages, a mortal
however. The Amkhat slinks out of the shadows at least an gifted with even the rudiments of necromancy can build
hour after the vessel is accidentally wrecked. a monster that would make Dr. Frankenstein throw up his
Vestiges, weaker and more common, can feed Amkhata hands and say, “I didn’t know this was a competition, but
as well, but they’re thin meals. Amkhata can lap up the you just won.”
Sekhem they need from destroying vestiges, just like relics, The first step is to build a pit shaped like an inverted
but each dot drained off only keeps them hard-expressed for pyramid, at least 20 feet deep and proportioned like the
a day, and these energies can’t be taken back to master. pyramid of Giza. Its interior must be lined with limestone,
Materialized Amkhata almost always attack any identi- and its top lip must be perfectly level. Assembling it prop-
fied vessel, often passing into shadow-form to gain access erly requires an extended Intelligence + Occult roll net-
to it. When an Amkhat destroys a relic or vestige directly, ting 50 total successes, but the necromancer can take as
the object loses one dot per turn, with the Amkhat gaining long as desired to build the thing. It does have to be open
the potential to be tangible for a week (if it’s a relic) or a to the sky, however. Also, for every Intelligence + Occult
day (vestige) per point. roll attempted by the player, his character must spend an
Humans who die in the presence of a dephased Amkhat hour painting sinister hieroglyphics on the pit in human
also permit it to become tangible. A dead human gives blood (about one pint of it per roll).
an Amkhat an hour of tangibility, regardless of whether Once he has his bloody hole in the ground, it’s time for
the creature killed it or not. So a museum guard who gets the second step, acquiring the exterior components, the
killed defending an artifact from looters can feed the Am- head and body and limbs. These need to be as fresh as
khat into reality. If the Amkhat then spends its hour chas- possible, and some experts believe that using limbs from
ing and murdering the thieves, it can gain additional time rare or endangered animals increases the chances of suc-
from them. Again, this isn’t an instant materialization. It cess. (The player of a necromancer who opts to sacrifice a
takes about an hour before the entity becomes tangible. Galapagos hawk instead of a common red-tailed hawk, for
When they are tangible, both greater and lesser Am- example, may get a one-die bonus on his final roll, but that
khata can attempt to feed directly from the Arisen. To do could be chalked up to increased confidence.)
this, the thing has to establish a grapple (World of Dark- With the pieces in hand, the monster builder must exca-
ness, p. 157). On its next turn, make contested rolls for the vate as much of the rotting flesh as he can stand and stitch
Amkhat and its victim, both using a dice pool equal to the the pieces together in the preferred configuration. The
victim’s Sekhem. (Clearly, a freshly disinterred mummy is at tricky part is, he can’t use metal. No surgical steel interior

The Lifeless 183

 armatures, no screws or wires to hold the bones together, fent (“Red Son, Coming Forth From the Worm”), but further
not even metal knives to take the corpses apart. This pro- examples are beyond the purview of this document.
cess requires a Craft (Taxidermy) roll, with no possibility
for bonus dice from using tools. If it fails, the enchanter can
The Frame
The body of the beast determines its Size, Strength,
still bring the thing to life. It just won’t obey him. Stamina, and Dexterity (and therefore its Health). It dic-
Conducting the final resurrection ritual requires a full tates Speed (with separate species factors). It may also offer
day and night, specifically one of the yearly equinoxes, and other advantages or disadvantages.
it has to be performed over the stitched pieces, at the bot- Bull-bodied (Ahasu): A lesser Amkhat with a bull’s body
tom of the inverted pyramid. The sorcerer inserts the False has Size 4, Strength 3, Dexterity 1, Stamina 3, Speed 7 (species
Ka (see below) and invests at least one level of Sekhem factor 3), and Health 7. A greater ahasu has Size 7, Strength
into the spell. That permits another Intelligence + Occult 6, Dexterity 1, Stamina 6, Speed 10 (species factor 3), and
roll, which requires only a single success. Health 13. These are the burly bruisers of the Amkhata.
But to back up a bit, acquiring Sekhem is probably the Falcon-bodied (Herasu): Small and quick, not all falcon-
hard part. A captive mummy is ideal, if the maker can keep bodied Amkhat can free-fly. They need functioning wings
one held down while disassembling him and putting cer-
tain relevant organs inside the Amkhat. Easiest, however,
is to have a relic on hand and to drain that instead.
If all has gone well, the creature comes to life, obeys This is Important
the orders of its master (much in the way of an exquisitely
Amkhata, lesser and greater, are distortions of
trained dog), and stays animate for a week per point of
reality. The rules of physics and logic fray in their
Sekhem stolen for it.
presence. This is most blatantly obvious when it comes
The advantages of having a horribly dangerous mon-
to harming them.
ster that obeys one’s will were fairly obvious in the ancient
world. Since an Amkhat is impervious to normal weapons, If you battle these patchworks, what you bring to the
it was the Irem era’s briefcase nuke, except it was reus- fight matters much, much less than what you are. One
able and didn’t make anyone’s hair fall out. In the modern of the Arisen inflicts lethal damage when attacking an
world, Amkhata are still useful for people with enemies, Amkhat (unless he applies an Utterance or Vessel that
since they’re dangerous and nigh-indestructible by normal would do aggravated damage), no matter if she’s using
means. At least one experimenter has derived an aphrodi- her fists, a khopesh, or an AK-47.
siac from his animate atrocity’s sticky effulgences. In terms For other supernatural entities, any occult-infused
of effectiveness, it’s what Viagra wants to be when it grows attack does lethal damage, unless the whole purpose
up, and he’s made a shocking profit off it. But the people of it is to do aggravated. But if a vampire or werewolf
with the absolute greatest motivation for having an Am- shoots an Amkhat or hits it with a commonplace
khat are those with reason to hate and fear the Arisen. Louisville Slugger, the damage is managed as if the
Amkhata can harass cults with near impunity, trash vessels attack came from a mortal.
and bring back their Sekhem (which the sorcerer can use
to make more Amkhata), or go head-to-head with Arisen Mortals do a point of bashing damage with every
because the creatures’ Sekhem-draining attacks are stron- attack that hits. Choice of weapon doesn’t matter.
ger against tougher mummies. Hit it with a cinderblock? One bashing. Artillery strike
on its location? That’s a lot of work for one point of
CONSTRUCTION bashing damage.
Whether an Amkhat forms from magical detritus or it’s There are only two exceptions to the rule that “mortals
cultivated from rotting meat and bad intentions, it consists do 1 bashing to Amkhata.” One, which is incredibly unlikely,
of a torso (or Frame), a Head, a False Ka to animate it, and is that the mortal has access to a nuclear weapon. They’re
possibly some other limbs. They’re universally composed of qualitatively different from ordinary munitions, and any
chunks of the Arisen’s holy animals (which just adds insult Amkhat at ground zero of a nuke loses all its stored occult
to the injury of their existence). Mathematically, there are energy and is forced into amxaibit.
200 different types of Amkhata, if one differentiates be-
tween lesser and greater. The other exception is if the mortal has a relic that
Moreover, all constructed Amkhata are male, even if can be used as a weapon, in which case it does lethal
built from female parts. There is much disturbed specula- damage (or as designated in its description). That’s
tion about what would happen if a viable breeding mother even less likely. After all, current estimates put the
Amkhat got made. number of nukes in the world somewhere around
Each possible component has an Egyptian translation 20,000. You think that many Iremite magic weapons
in parentheses. Amkhat names are often just strings of de- survived into the current era?
scription—Peh Tetasu literally means “Lion’s Head, Serpent’s
Body.” Others have more evocative names like Teser Sa Per-

184 Faces of Undeath

for that, as described below under “Limbs.” But even those
who can’t soar can make darting, wing-aided leaps of 10-20
feet. The lesser possess Size 1, Strength 1, Dexterity 7, Stam- Those Other Numbers
ina 2, Speed 15 (species factor 7), and Health 3. The greater
range from Size 3 (for jackal- or serpent-heads) to Size 5 (for For all their terrifying appearance, Amkhata are
lion- or bull-heads) with Strength 3, Dexterity 7, Stamina 3, animalistic in their thoughts and outlook. Assume they
Speed 17 (species factor 7), and Health 6-8. have Intelligence 1, Wits 4, and Resolve 3. For social
Jackal-bodied (Sabasu): The lesser sabasu can pass for stuff, Presence 3, Manipulation 0, and Composure 2.
a small dog in low light, while the greater might pass for a Skills? Other than Brawl and Stealth, they make do
big dog in very thick fog. They’re fast and skittish, but end- with Athletics 3 and Survival 2. Give them Willpower
lessly patient with vicious harassment. Lesser jackal-bodied 1, and you’re ready to go.
have Size 2, Strength 2, Dexterity 5, Stamina 3, Speed 14
(species factor 7), and Health 5. The greater range from
Size 4 (if serpent- or falcon-headed) up to Size 5 (for the
bigger craniums). Greater sabasu get Strength 4, Dexterity Lion-headed (Peh): Quick and aggressive, both lesser and
4, Stamina 4, Speed 16 (species factor 8), and Health 8-9. greater peh Amkhata have Brawl 5, Stealth 2, and Initiative 6.
Lion-bodied (Maasu): A good blend of swiftness and The bite of the lesser lion jaw is still a respectable 2(L), while
power, the lesser maasu has Size 3, Strength 3, Dexterity 3, the greater lion bite is 4(L). All greater peh have the Lion’s
Stamina 2, Speed 16 (species factor 8), and Health 5. The Maw limb as described below. It’s a package deal with the face.
greater lion-bodied Amkhat has Size 6, Strength 6, Dexterity Serpent-headed (Tetxent): Both classes of snake-headed
5, Stamina 3, Speed 21 (species factor 10), and Health 9. Amkhat have Brawl 4, Stealth 3, and Initiative 7. The lesser’s
Serpent-bodied (Tetasu): Not as quick as the lion- or bite does 1 (L), while the greater’s does 2 (L). Not all tetxent
falcon-bodied, the tetasu advantage is that its entire body Amkhat have the benefit of the Serpent’s Tooth limb (see be-
is a gripping surface. It can attack twice per turn, once by low). There’s really no way to tell except to survive a bite and
striking with the head and once by grappling like a constric- seeing if the wound starts to blacken from venom.
tor. If it grapples to inflict damage, the tetasu does lethal
instead of bashing. Lesser specimens have Size 2, Strength
The Limbs
Some Amkhata are the basic model—a head, a body, some-
2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2, Speed 6 (species factor 2), and
thing horrible under the skin, all ready to madden and muti-
Health 4. The greater have Size 5, Strength 4, Dexterity 3,
late. Yet others are even more jumbled-together. They have
Stamina 3, Speed 11 (species factor 4), and Health 8.
replacement limbs. Bad news, that: Being bitten by a lion’s
The Head mouth is bad enough, but a lion’s mouth full of cobra venom?
This component determines behavior, to some extent, and So, a given Amkhat doesn’t need any of the below, but
also what set of jaws is trying to clamp on you. This aspect could have one, or several. Their effects are the same for
of the Amkhat determines its Initiative, Stealth, and Brawl both lesser and greater types.
ratings, along with the damage it inflicts. (All Amkhata bite, Any given Amkhat can only have one of the following
except for the Xex type, which gore with their horns.) three limbs: Bird Feet, Jackal’s Paw, or Lion’s Claws.
Bull-headed (Xex): A lesser bull-head’s horn-span and Bird Feet (Sa): The creature’s running Speed is de-
damage depend on body size. They all have Initiative 4, creased by 2.
Stealth 0, and Brawl 3, but those with smaller bodies do 1(L), Functioning Wings (Tenh): It flies properly—gaining
while those with the bigger bodies do 2(L). Greater Amkhata altitude, circling, landing easily, changing directions, etc.
keep the same Initiative and Brawl, doing 3(L) damage. Its species factor for flight is +10.
Falcon-headed (Amax): Both types of amax have Brawl Jackal’s Paw (Sabkep): Its feet leave no tracks. Not in
3, Stealth 2, and Initiative 8. The chomp of a raptor’s beak fine sand or sticky mud or powder snow. One might be able
stings even when it’s falcon sized, but when it’s scaled up, to follow it easily by its foul aroma, or by twigs that bent
it becomes far, far worse. That’s why the lesser amax has 2 and broke as it charged by, but paw prints are a lost cause.
(B) for its damage, while the greater has 3 (L). Moreover, Lion’s Claws (Maaukep): It can make an additional at-
falcon-headed Amkhata can automatically see through su- tack every turn. The claws do 2(L).
pernatural forms of invisibility and disguise, and can even Lion’s Maw (Maabeh): This is a big mouth full of fangs that
see intangible creatures such as ghosts and Amkhata in does 4(L) damage on bites. On a lesser Amkhat with a tiny body,
amxaibit. Their eyes are that keen. this takes the form of a grotesquely disproportionate set of jaws.
Jackal-headed (Sabxent): Greater and lesser jackal- Serpent’s Tooth (Tetabeh): When it bites its target,
heads share Brawl 4, Stealth 3, and Initiative 6. The less- venom is injected into the wound. It’s not classy cobra ven-
er’s bite does 1 (L), and the greater’s does 2 (L). When om that kills one with a clean brain-strike either, it’s closer
trying to track or pursue a creature, a sabxent gets a +5 to the agonizing, blood-rotting hemotoxin common to the
equipment bonus, thanks to its keen nose. Moreover, it can false horned vipers of the Sinai Peninsula. The poison adds
track vessels this way. 2(L) damage to bites.

The Lifeless 185

 The False Ka her feet, they can’t strike. Even if the player specified that
The blood is the life, so it’s only sensible that creatures her character was wearing heavy work boots with her jeans
made by irresponsibly matching body forms have some ghastly tucked in, she’s probably okay. Otherwise, they automati-
mockery running under their skins. Instead of life, every Am- cally sting once per turn if one’s standing next to the Am-
khat is animated by the actions of crawling, scurrying vermin. khat, doing 1(L) damage with their poison.
The only sensible thing to do with an Amkhat is destroy
it (if you’re one of the Arisen, anyway: The sensible thing BEHAVIOR
for mortals is to run). The horrid thing about these false Lesser Amkhata are uncomplicated. They seek vessels
souls is that, once the skin ruptures, they pour out to pester and try to smash them to access the vital Sekhem inside,
and attack. The nature of that attack varies, but at least but except for jackal-heads, they’re pretty aimless about
they’re consistent between greater and lesser types. it unless one’s obviously close by. As they dry out and get
Bee Heart (Batab): One can hear them buzzing in there, closer to intangibility, they start attacking people to stay
and a few drones are constantly coming out the thing’s manifested, and hide intangibly when there are more hu-
mouth or ears. But once the Amkhat is struck, the hive at mans around than they can kill in one attempt. They even
its heart swarms. When the bees attack (and they can attack attack mummies if they think they can get away with it,
even if the Amkhat hasn’t been hurt yet), they automati- but they are unlikely to charge if there are multiple Arisen
cally do a point of bashing damage, unless the target pos- present. There are rumors about rites that let mortal sor-
sesses supernatural armor or beekeeping gear. (Typical body cerers take control of lesser Amkhata, but in all honesty,
armor is built to stop bullets and knives, not tiny crawling someone bloodthirsty enough could probably train one by
venom-sacs.) The bees can attack people up to 50 feet away keeping it active purely through human sacrifice.
from the main body, too. But the good news is that bees die Greater Amkhata are obedient to their makers, and some
when they sting, so after inflicting 10 points of bashing dam- have been legacies to generations of same. But once their last
age, they’re only a nuisance. Moreover, they can’t attack if master dies, they go rogue and pretty much live like their less-
someone’s producing a lot of smoke—the dedicated apiary er brethren, except they’re a bit cockier about how many hu-
device, a couple cigars, or a heartily-waved torch can do in a mans they can kill in a go, and if they’re hungry enough, they
pinch. (Whatever happens, DO NOT EAT THE HONEY!) might try to get the drop on a pair of Arisen or even a trio.
Centipede Heart (Sepaab): When centipedes attack,
they’re like the scorpions (see below), except they only do EXAMPLES
1(B) damage. But the sepaab have a rather nasty sneak at- Lesser Amkhata are actually less common than their
tack unavailable to other Amkhata. A sepaab Amkhat can greater brethren. More’s the pity. But while most Amkhata
release a couple dozen silent centipedes from its mouth, are of the greater variety, bound in service to their masters,
which scuttle off (roll a 10d pool for them to remain silent). there are some rogues of both types running around wild.
If a person’s awake, he probably notices as soon as the first Herasu Sabxent
one gets near him, so they’re only really dangerous to sleep- Sharona Bersten was a busy, happy Seattle-area tattoo
ing people. But if that muddle of centipedes can all get close artist with fewer neuroses than most of her friends before
at the same time and strike at once, the player of the per- she saw that goddamn papyrus. She caught sight of an an-
son attacked has to roll the character’s Stamina + Resolve cient scroll at the museum and sketched some of its symbols,
against that same 10-die pool. Every success for the centi- especially a big, badass scorpion. Then she went back and
pedes means a full day spent in a coma. Fortunately for the sketched it again. Then she hid in the bathroom after clos-
Arisen, this attack only works on living humans. ing and smashed its glass case before running away with it.
Fungal Heart (Pehab): Awesome, something that doesn’t The scroll is, of course, a vessel, a vestige that inspires
sting when it’s cut! The Amkhata stuffed full of foul-smell- feelings of profundity and introspection (as its effect) but
ing fungi just release clouds of spores when attacked instead. also tends to make people paranoid and covetous (as its
Roll five dice for the spore cloud, while the players of anyone curse). Sharona has been keeping it in her messenger bag
standing next to it roll their characters’ Stamina + Resolve, since the theft and carefully monitoring the papers for
reflexively contesting an infection. If the cloud succeeds, a news, but she’s starting to hope she’s gotten away clean.
rash and itching infection develop over the course of the She hasn’t, though it’s not the cops who are closest. It’s a
next week. Warm, living entities recover after a week with lesser Amkhat, and it’s making everyone around her twitchy
some over-the-counter ointment. But the undead develop a and uncomfortable as it sniffs around the corners of reality,
mycoid odor the first week and, after that, some black-gray looking for a way in. It may get its wish when the museum’s
patches on their skin. This gives a three-die penalty to face- private detectives get a latent print off the broken case and
to-face social interactions where looking like one’s decaying can demonstrate that it was definitely taken from the inside
is a drawback. However, the infection can be expelled at the of the glass. (The museum director was not immune to the
cost of any two Pillars. vestige’s effects and is sparing no expense to recover it.)
Scorpion Heart (Serqab): Hitting a serqab causes it to Maybe she tries to destroy the evidence when the cops
bleed scorpions. If the attacker has any armor rating on show up. Maybe one of her biker clients, edgy from the

186 Faces of Undeath

 Serqab Tetasu
Iraq wasn’t a great place to be in the last
couple decades, but Ali Temiz did what he
could to get by. He mouthed Ba’athist plati-
tudes when Saddam was in power, made the
sign of the cross to the invading American
troops, and forged both Sunni- and Shia-
sounding identity cards to help him pass
without comment. But his real loyalty is to
Ali Temiz.
Ali’s ancestors were evil sorcerers,
and in addition to a profound contempt
for all major religions, they left him a
greater Amkhat.
Being around Serqab Tetasu his whole
life has left Ali a bit jumpy, but that’s
hardly a flaw in a region notorious for
IEDs. Indeed, Ali has a ghoulish repu-
tation as a bomb spectator, frequently
seen arriving in haste at the site of the
latest disaster. This, of course, is how
he keeps Serqab Tetasu ready to protect
him: He tries to arrive while the hub-
curse and the Amkhat, snaps when she jabs the needle in, bub’s still going on, finds a secluded lo-
or maybe he makes a dumb move with a gun when the po- cation, commands the lion-snake to emerge from the
lice pull up to talk to her. But whether she dies, or a cop, shadows, and has it come back and fade from sight af-
or if it’s just the scroll that burns, everyone in that shop ter murdering enough people to maintain a few more
is in for a nasty shock when Herasu Sabxent materializes. hours of vicious life.
In addition to a jackal head and a falcon body, her Am- Unfortunately, Ali recently got sick, collapsed a
khat has a centipede heart and functioning wings. few blocks from the Green Zone, and when hospital-
ized, was found to be in possession of several forged
Attributes: Intelligence 1, Wits 4, Resolve 3; ID cards. That aroused suspicions, drawing a foreign
Strength 1, Dexterity 7, Stamina 2; Presence 3, contractor with CIA contacts to check him over. Ali
Manipulation 0, Composure 2 was recognized from photos at three separate bomb
sites and renditioned to a former French Foreign
Skills: Athletics 3, Brawl 4, Stealth 3, Survival 2 Legion base in the Republic of Djibouti, over 1,500
miles from home. He’s still delirious, but when his
Willpower: 1
fever breaks, his first words will be for his Amkhat.
Initiative: 6 The creature has a lion’s head and a massive ser-
pent’s body, and it bleeds scorpions. It also has the
Defense: 7 Serpent’s Tooth limb.
Speed: 18 Attributes: Intelligence 1, Wits 4, Resolve 3;
Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3; Presence 3,
Size: 1 Manipulation 0, Composure 2
Weapons/Attacks: Skills: Athletics 3, Brawl 5, Stealth 2, Survival 2
Type Damage Dice Pool Willpower: 1
Bite 1(L) 6 Initiative: 6
Centipedes! 1(B) Automatic to anyone
standing beside the Defense: 4
Amkhat with unprotect-
ed feet, if it’s injured. Speed: 11
Health: 3 Size: 5

The Lifeless 187

 Weapons/Attacks: real friends or kin. The act of creating a companion is itself a
sin against Memory, and any Arisen with a Memory rating of
Type Damage Dice Pool 6 or higher must make a degeneration check at that rating upon
completing the ritual. This potential loss of Memory is some-
Bite 6(L) 15 what mitigated by the fact that, in the future, the Arisen
Body 0(L) 9 (may attack with this will have a faithful undead servant (who gains the Witness
Crush and bite every turn) Merit, see p. 83) willing to do her dirty work.
Unlike lesser retainers, a companion is a natural ex-
Scorpions! 1(L) Automatic to anyone tension of an Arisen’s will. He responds to his master’s
standing beside the Am-
khat with unprotected commands with an easy deference and usually only chal-
feet, if it’s injured. lenge her assumptions when her frail memory impedes
her sound judgment. This loyalty is not something im-
Health: 8 posed upon the companion by the Rite of the Engraved
Heart. It is the love and devotion that was freely given
by the Sadikh at the moment of his acquiescence to
THETheSADIKH
Sadikh are half-alive servants created by the Arisen
eternal service. Passions magically inscribed on the
companion’s soul hold powerful sway over his fears and
and sometimes interred with them at death. Chained to reservations; eternally preserved, much like his flesh
the same cycle of death and rebirth as their masters, the and bone. Although disagreements about methods may
Sadikh often sleep while the mummy serves the Judges occur, a companion will only actively defy his master if
of Duat in death. When his master returns to the living he believes she is risking herself needlessly or that her
world, a Sadikh awakens, as well—sometimes unaware Memory has finally been ground down by the passing of
that his life has been interrupted. the ages. As a last resort, an Arisen may force her will on
her companion by spending a Willpower point. For the rest
COMPANIONS IN DEATH of the scene, her Sadikh cannot countermand her, and any
Called companion, his is a sleep filled with an unlived Mental or Social Skill rolls made for her to convince him of
life that makes him unaware that his brief periods of slavish a specific course of action are treated as if each of the dice in
service are all the waking life that will ever be afforded to the dice pool rolled a success.
him. His dream life occupies his periods of death with the The dream that sustains a companion’s mind as he
mundane life of a mortal. While this dream gives comfort awaits his master’s return is known as the “false life.”
to the companion and masks his transitions between life It is a mystically constructed reality of simple pleasures
and death, it also contains the germ of his eventual undo- and everyday stresses that exists only in the compan-
ing as the inconsistencies of his dream begin to crumble ion’s heart and mind, built on the foundation of his
under the weight of his never-ending sacrifice and service. most recent experiences in the real world. Through the
To create a Sadikh, an Arisen must have a willing re- false life, the Sadikh soothes the psychic wounds he has
tainer, who subjects himself to a dark ritual called the Rite likely experienced in the Arisen’s service and keeps his
of the Engraved Heart and accepts the mummy as his eter- general knowledge of the living world relatively fresh.
nal master. The nature and proceedings of this ritual differ This dream is not a life fully lived. In the false life, the
according to the Arisen’s guild, but all require the subject companion is simply marking time: days and years pass
to freely impart his true name to his new master, who in barely noticed, as he is ever eager to serve his master
turn mystically inscribes his own eternal name on the com- again. Years lived in ages too far past to have been in the
panion’s heart. Arisen of the Sesha-Hebsu guild sometimes companion’s lifetime are remembered as stories told by
incorporate stylized contracts or exchanged scraps of papy- a father or a knowing cultist. Family and friends in the
rus (to be swallowed after being marked by the exchanged false life are pastiches of people from the Sadikh’s mem-
true names), while the Maa-Kep often give their Sadikh a ory, lost loves and kind uncles blended into anodyne
symbol of office as a gift, such as a signet ring or a rod. Most caricatures that are quickly put aside when he feels the
companions understand that they will become immortal exhilarating call of his undead master. It is only when his
slaves, but few realize that, as the Arisen rests in death, Arisen lord is near that he feels truly alive. While it is
their own bodies will wither and their minds will dream of unlikely that an Arisen master would enlighten her com-
a false life until the mummy’s return. The ritual to create the panion concerning his plight, it would be an even rarer
Sadikh costs the Arisen a Willpower dot, and an Arisen can Sadikh that would believe her. He would likely dismiss
never have more than one active companion at a time. such talk as the ramblings of an ancient and confused
mind that has not yet found enough purchase in this life
DREAMS OF SERVICE to speak with clarity. Since the companion takes pride
Although the Rite of the Engraved Heart can only be in his role as a guide and councilor in the early days
performed with a truly willing subject, it still condemns the after a mummy has newly risen, when her thoughts and
companion to eternal servitude and a false life shorn of memories are scattered and unclear, he is accustomed

188 Faces of Undeath

to ominous and disconnected pronouncements of this generative effects as their masters’. While their false lives
kind. But such willful denial cannot last forever. The are remembered with some haziness, this is because it is only
seeds of doubt eventually grow into choking weeds that when they are with their masters that companions truly feel
even the false life is unable to prune or conceal. As the alive and valued. Only their time together is of real impor-
world changes with greater and greater speed around tance, and that easily justifies the haziness of the work-a-day
him, the discrepancies between his false life and the real life they dream when their beloved masters are entombed
world have a tendency to compound themselves. After in death. This makes companions more mutable and adapt-
all, no dream can last forever. able than their masters, but also less mentally resilient. As
the ages pass, companions will quickly and subconsciously
UNLIVING VESTIGES change their clothing and speech to fit the trends of the day,
Sadikh are touchstones of the Arisen’s long existence— but as the years roll on, the horrors they have witnessed and
walking reminders of their greatest triumphs and tribula- the contradictions of their dream lives will likewise catch up
tions. Like a vestige, each is an embodiment of the past, with them eventually. Sadikh are only reflections of their
specifically the memories of the mummy’s time in service to eternal masters’ unnatural power and cannot indefinitely
the Judges of Duat. Companions remember their true lives endure the rigors of immortality, as they seem to do. Wheth-
well, and their memories do not suffer quite the same de- er in a decade, a century, or a millennium, a companion
must eventually succumb to the tide of time.

The Black Caul BORROWED POWER

A Sadikh gains several advantages from his new form. He
Most of the time, a cult will position itself so that no longer ages, and even death cannot hold him for long
performing the Call (the rite that summons an Arisen) if his master wishes to be reunited with him. Furthermore,
is no more involved or costly than using one of the a Sadikh gains the three-dot Iron Stamina Merit; he takes
mummy’s own vessels as focus: Doing so summons bashing damage from all non-magical attacks; and his hardy
the mummy with ease, ready to fulfill her purpose, and form continues to take actions normally up until the point
without the vessel being permanently drained. When no that all of his wound boxes are filled with aggravated dam-
vessels are at hand, however, only two options remain age. Any Sadikh who takes enough aggravated damage to
for the average cult: Disturb the mummy’s remains, fill all of his wounds dies. At this point, the years he has so
or call upon her connection to her companion. As we falsely cheated catch up with him all at once, marking his
know, doing the former only summons the mummy for corpse with the ravages of time over a matter of minutes.
a short time, and even then, she arises conscious of Once his body dies, a portion of a companion’s soul lives
precious little beyond her need for bloody vengeance. on in his master, and for a year and a day thereafter, the
It’s risky, and generally only good for some small Arisen can call her faithful servant back from the dead. A
measure of information exchange before the mummy mummy who has lost a companion can return him to the
once again returns (irritable) to death. living world by touching a portion of the Sadikh’s remains
and breathing a portion of her own life force back into
The Sadikh, however, provides a more reliable them. The resurrection of a Sadikh costs the Arisen a Willpow-
way to summon an Arisen soul. Since companions er dot, and his body reforms almost instantly, healing a number
are essentially unliving vestiges, tied to their Arisen of aggravated wounds equal to the mummy’s current Sekhem
masters, they can perform a special version of the rating. If his master is unwilling or unable to reconstitute
summoning rite—some call this act “lifting the black him, a fragment of his soul remains within the mummy,
caul”—that replaces the Sekhem usually offered by a shadow of a memory that dims but never flickers out.
the vessel with that bound in a living soul. The offering When a companion dies and the last of his essence resides
needn’t be voluntary, but if it isn’t, performing the rite within the master, she can call upon her lost follower’s
is murder and will thus prompt a degeneration check name to sharpen her remembrance of their time together
for the companion. As a last, desperate alternative, the and steel herself against the compromises she must often
Sadikh can make himself the offering—the Arisen rises make in service to the Judges. Once per story, the Arisen
to find her companion dead on the floor in front of her. gains a +2 die bonus to a single Memory degeneration check if
Descents begun through a lifting of the black caul she calls upon the name of one of her deceased Sadikh.
tend to be nasty affairs, as a rule; some say it’s as
though a shadow loomed over the entire life cycle ENTWINED FATES
from its first dire moments. Confusion and doubt Sadikh are treated as having a Sekhem rating equal to half of
abound, degeneration checks come with an alarming their master’s current total (round up), but only for the purpos-
frequency, and the Arisen finds it hard to take any joy es of resisting supernatural powers. This magical resistance is
in her purpose. always rendered inert against the Arisen who created the
companion. Thus, a companion becomes more susceptible
to the mystical powers of others as his master weakens,

The Lifeless 189

 and the Sekhem that drives the Arisen drains from her.
Companions are immune to the effects of the Sickness, of FIVE PILLARS STRONG
course, and can innately sense the Sekhem of their mas- A Sadikh can be further empowered by his master’s Pil-
ter. As the master’s power ebbs, the call of a companion’s lars if his Arisen has achieved a high level of insight in
false life strengthens. After seeing to his master’s proper one or more of them. The following additional abilities are
entombment, a Sadikh will continue to be active for a granted to a companion when one or more of his master’s
handful of days, possibly seeing to the last arrangements Pillars reach a rating of 5. A Sadikh may benefit from all
of his Arisen’s security. Within a week’s time, a fugue state of these powers if his master has devoted herself so fully to
will overcome the companion, and he will seek out a se- her five Pillars.
cure place to slip back into his deathlike trance, usually Devoted Heart (Ab 5): The companion’s resolve is em-
a prearranged shelter at some distance from the master’s powered by his master’s boundless heart. The Sadikh gains
tomb that was prepared before or during the Rite of the +2 dice when his player spends a Willpower point for extra
Engraved Heart. These places of rest will likely contain dice on a roll, for a total of +5 dice. This ability does not
practical possessions such as clothing, money, weaponry, stack with similar powers that augment the number of dice
and possibly even a rugged vehicle capable of withstand- a spent Willpower point provides. Additionally, attempts
ing a few years of dereliction. While some companions to empathize with, intimidate, or persuade the companion
rest within their masters’ tombs, most have an unassum- incur a –2 penalty. Lastly, once per scene, the Sadikh may
ing shelter, an abandoned building, or a shallow grave that give his master any Willpower he recovers from fulfilling
they go to unthinkingly, as the reflected life force of their his Virtue or Vice, instead of gaining the benefit, himself.
Arisen masters cease to sustain them. Their bodies shrivel Loyal Soul (Ba 5): The Sadikh can sense his surround-
and desiccate until they look like poorly preserved mum- ings and any impending danger with his imbued spirit. He
mies themselves. When a companion’s master returns to can see well in the dark, ignoring up to –2 in penalties
this world, he awakens immediately and unerringly seeks incurred from darkness. Also, the Sadikh gains the Danger
her out. Unlike his return to the dream of the false life, a Sense Merit and now grants a non-cumulative +2 bonus
companion’s awakening is sudden, and his body’s rejuvena- to his master’s initiative rolls whenever they are together.
tion is nearly instantaneous. Perfected Body (Ka 5): The Sadikh gains the Quick
Some Arisen task their most trusted Sadikh to act as Healer Merit, as his living essence draws power from his
active agents while they yet slumber. Before returning to master. In addition, once per turn, when they are togeth-
her rest, a mummy commands the Sadikh to complete up er (defined as line of sight or a number of yards equal
to three tasks (spending a Willpower point in the pro- to the master’s Sekhem rating x5, whichever’s farther), a
cess). Only once all three tasks are completed will the Sadikh’s master may transfer 2 bashing wounds or 1 lethal
dream of the false life rise to claim the companion’s con- wound to him as a reflexive action. The Sadikh cannot
sciousness. These tasks might be open-ended, so that the accept new wounds from his master if he currently has
Sadikh will remain active throughout his master’s rest. any aggravated wounds.
Such prolonged periods of activity without his master’s Reverent Name (Ren 5): The companion may speak
guidance can harm a Sadikh’s grip on reality, however, as his master’s name and converse with her over any distance.
he will have more time for introspection and the respite While the companion’s portion of the conversation can be
of the false life will be denied him. Sadikh who remain ac- overheard, his master’s response cannot be so intruded
tive for longer than a week or two while their masters sleep upon, even by supernatural powers. If his Arisen master
suffer a –1 penalty to all degeneration checks; if they remain wishes, she may speak through the Sadikh and briefly share
active for longer than a year, the penalty increases to –2. his senses. When they are together, the Arisen may bor-
Beyond his own abilities, a companion can also call row a Skill known to her companion for one scene. The
on his master’s powers. While an Arisen master is aware Sadikh cannot use this Skill while his master makes use of
when her Sadikh draws on her magic, she is unaware of it, and while the skill cannot be used to activate a power,
which specific power is being called on until it’s used. it can be used in conjunction with a power that modifies
An Arisen may forbid her Sadikh from drawing on any the Skill’s outcome. Thus, a power that enhances a mum-
of her powers, but she cannot delineate which powers my’s Strength could be used with a companion’s borrowed
he may draw upon and which powers he cannot. Once Weaponry Skill, but a power that required a Wits + Weap-
per scene, a companion can use one of his master’s Affini- onry + Ren roll to activate could not be.
ties or Utterances. He may access any Affinity his master Shadowed Hand (Sheut 5): The Sadikh gains a perma-
possesses and any Utterance his master has ever used in nent +2 bonus to all Stealth and Larceny rolls made for
his presence. If she allows her servant to draw upon her him, and he can magically disguise his face once per scene
power thusly, any Pillar or Willpower costs are paid by through the expenditure of a Willpower point. This power
the Arisen, not the Sadikh. Any rolls required by the cannot be used to mimic someone else, as the Sadikh has
power are based on the Sadikh’s statistics, however; no way to control what face others see. And finally, once
Sadikh are assumed to have Pillar ratings equal to their per scene, when the companion is with his master, the
masters’ for the purpose of these rolls. Arisen may switch places with him by stepping into a shad-

190 Faces of Undeath

ow as a reflexive action. Just before the Arisen emerges, with a Shuankhsen and its minions has haunted Nidal since
the Sadikh seems to lean or sink into a nearby shadow, as the 1960s, and his mind obsessively turns back to the night
though drawn by a vacuum. he almost lost his beloved mistress. It was the turning over in
his mind of what he could have done differently that even-
Nidal Alhindi tually led him to begin to doubt his false life. Nidal attempts
Quotes: “As my ancestors served you, so do I. My father’s
to push his doubts aside as Uhm Bennu has awoken and has
memories guide me, but I sometimes forget where his mind be-
a great need for him. The remnants of her cult called upon
gins and my mind ends. As always mistress, your presence cen-
her soon after the 2011 uprising in Libya turned into a civil
ters me on my purpose. I shall doubt no more.”
war. Unfortunately, she was unable to protect them from the
“The fighting draws nearer. We must get you to safety.”
criminals that set upon them as they prepared her vessels
Background: Nidal grew up in London at the end of the
for transport. Uhm Bennu’s cult destroyed and many of her
19th century. His was father was a diplomat, and Nidal’s in-
vessels stolen, Nidal urges her to let him guide her to Italy
terest in academia eventually led him to study at Oxford.
or Chad, where they can summon any surviving cultists and
It was as a researcher that Nidal first came to Egypt and
begin the hard work of recovering her stolen artifacts while
discovered the cult that would become the center of his life
she still has the power to do so.
and his path to immortality. The Arisen Uhm Bennu took
Description: Nidal’s large hands and wide shoulders
Nidal as her companion after he orchestrated her escape
telegraph his physicality. At nearly six feet tall, he can
into Libya in 1926 and later reconstituted her cult in Beng-
be an imposing presence when his master is absent. His
hazi. Since then, Nidal has been at Uhm Bennu’s side the
green irises and swarthy skin give him a Turkish look to
four times she has risen. A particularly harrowing encounter
Western eyes, but most Libyans assume he is a Berber from
the Western parts of their country, as his
Libyan accent and idiom is flawless.
Storytelling Hints: Nidal is a quiet
man. He has come to believe that he is
from a long line of servants who have
served Uhm Bennu and that his mis-
matched memories may be inherited
from his father or some unknown uncle.
He takes great pride in this delusion and
tries to act the part of the honorable and
dignified companion. When his doubts
overtake him, his features take on a
brooding cast, and he nervously asks cir-
cuitous questions of his mistress.
Concept: Unraveling Companion
Master: Uhm Bennu
Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 3,
Resolve 2; Strength 3, Dexterity 3,
Stamina 3; Presence 1, Manipula-
tion 2, Composure 3
Skills: Academics 2 (Egyptology),
Athletics 2, Brawl 3, Crafts (Repair)
3, Drive 2, Larceny 2, Politics 1,
Stealth 3 (Shadows), Streetwise 3
(Black Market), Survival 2, Weap-
onry 2
Merits: Fighting Style: Boxing 4,
Iron Stamina 3 (B), Language 3
(Arabic), Resources 2
Pillar Abilities: Perfected Body,
Shadowed Hand
Sekhem: 4, only for resisting the
supernatural

The Lifeless 191

 Willpower: 5 (they weren’t sadists), but no matter how devoutly they
desecrated corpses or tortured ghosts, their experiments
Morality: 3 on the dead did not satisfy the Devourer. In the sunset
days of the Nameless Empire, the Shan’iatu devised the
Virtue: Faith (Nidal believes that Uhm Bennu is a
champion of the greater good and that, even if he Rite of Return so that servants would obey them in the
must commit violence in her name, the world will living world long after they won the thrones of Duat.
be healed by her great work in the end. Nidal has They devised a variant to pay Ammut’s due—a spell for
a limited understanding of the Judges and, thus, a killing grounds, not individual sarcophagi. Instead of
similarly limited knowledge of what purpose all of the intricately programmed, cyclic Sekhem endowed by
his toil serves, but he trusts his master’s faith in the the Rite of Return, it gave the sacrifices simple shrouds
Judges is not misplaced.) of power to merely keep murdered souls from escaping.
This meant, however, that the Devourer could do as she
Vice: Pride (Nidal is incomparably proud of his place pleased with such castoffs, for they were, in everything
by Uhm Bennu’s side. When her cult was still extant,
he lorded over her followers and allowed some of his but name, offerings to her.
more arrogant impulses to hold sway over him. Nidal So the Shuankhsen were born, and Ammut feasted on
may have been partly responsible for the cult’s inabil- their pain. The Shan’iatu believed the sacrifice was nothing
ity to gather a larger following, a lack of numbers that more than the cost of doing business, but by specifying the
may prove fatal to the cult, as so many members were method of payment, the Devourer turned it into an invest-
slain in the early days of the Libyan uprising.) ment. The Shuankhsen could return to the living world, die
again... and be fed upon again. And as Ammut inspected
Initiative: 6 the memories of the tortured dead, she developed an affec-
Defense: 3 tion for warmth and the wholeness of life. It, too, would be
devoured. Her slaves would open the way.
Speed: 11
SLAVES IN EVERY WORLD
Size: 5 Every Shuankhsen was once a member of one of Irem’s
underclass: a slave, prisoner, leper, or foreigner who refused
Weapons/Attacks: to worship Irem’s gods and Judges. When the Arisen re-
member their first deaths, temples and solemn chants of-
Type Damage Dice Pool ten enter their minds’ eyes. The Shuankhsen died without
Knife 1(L) 5 such overt ceremony, though they might have heard the
inhuman screams of Shan’iatu sorcery from a distance...
Pistol 2(L) 2 before the massacre. They were bound, thrown into pits,
Punch 3(B) 6 and buried alive. They were cut to pieces by soldiers and
crushed beneath collapsing temples.
Armor: 0 The Shuankhsen descended to Duat in mobs, wearing
the wounds that killed them. Without the instincts and oc-
Health: 8 cult initiations given to the Arisen by the sorcerer-priests,
most did not fully understand that they were even dead.
Notes: Equipment—Knife, pistol, black track suit,
sneakers, old jeep, bundles of cash. Slaughterers came to them like herdsmen, driving the pan-
icked mass into deep canyons lit by standing flames. They
ran until the walls grew so tall the sky become impossible
THETheSHUANKHSEN
Priests of Duat taught their subjects everything but
to see, and dark as the flames grew distant and cold. De-
mons cut the stragglers to pieces, leaving a fraction to en-
ter the black heart of the Devourer.
the foundations of sorcery. Others might learn by rote, but Each of the Shuankhsen remembers the Devourer in
only the Shan’iatu could formulate original spells. But this a different scenario—a woman in the skin of a lioness, a
was not the only reason to conceal the Art, for the sorcer- great beast in the desert, or on the throne of a sorcerer-
er-priests could never reveal the two principles embedded priest—but each memory ends the same way. She tears the
in its core. sacrifice’s heart from his chest, dragging the rest of the soul
Nothing can be achieved without pain. No being may out with it. Then she eats. Bite by bite, parts of the soul die
deny that price. forever until a sliver of heart-flesh remains, anchoring the
To create 42 gods? Such a feat demands a high price, last surviving portion within.
indeed. The Shan’iatu paid in slaves, prisoners, and out- This, too, is Ammut’s. The Shuankhsen know that they
casts—all given to Ammut for the sacred rite of Atumra are hers utterly, and when they rise, they remember. They
(“Closing the Mouth”). This was not their first choice remember it all.

192 Faces of Undeath

 is not impaired as it is for Arisen. They know exactly who
IN THE SHADOW OF GREATNESS they were and as much about Irem’s fate and the Shan’iatu
As the Arisen rise, so do the Shuankhsen. Their Sekhem as their lives allowed. Due to the trauma of their creation
responds to the Sothic Wheel, driving them into new in- and near-destruction by the Devourer, Shuankhsen pos-
carnations. Some weave cults around themselves, or build sess a base Morality of 6 and one derangement. Many Sh-
tombs for safety and power. They create these less easily than uankhsen possess less Morality and more derangements,
the Arisen, however, as they awaken with less Sekhem and but even the most mad and callous of them never suffers
fewer magical powers. The Shan’iatu never intended them the Arisen’s peculiar forgetfulness.
to return to the living world, and with reduced Sekhem and Once they eat the flesh of enemies and their allies’ souls,
no training, Utterances did not come naturally. But across their moral center erodes, so few Shuankhsen maintain
history, the Shuankhsen learned their cousins’ strategies. their initial Morality scores.
Some developed them independently. Most won them from
the Arisen themselves, hunters adapting to a prey rich in The Silence
Sekhem, Pillars, and occult knowledge. When Ammut repurposed the Shuankhsen to serve her,
Yet even if the Shuankhsen could find vessels and oc- she knew they might resist being enslaved anew. To pre-
cult tutelage to sustain them, they would still pursue the vent meddling from sorcerers and Arisen, she imposed a
Arisen. The Shan’iatu’s favorites may not remember that curse the Lifeless call the Silence. If a Shuankhsen says or
they wielded brand, whip, and blade for their lords, but the even implies that it serves Ammut or was created by the
Shuankhsen do. Every Shuankhsen knows that mummies Shan’iatu (albeit indirectly), that mummy instantly loses a
were not the elite they often imagine themselves to be, but dot of Sekhem. This applies to each occasion. The Silence
a fellow caste of workers who could have made common cannot be averted through clever rationalizations, as it is
cause with Irem’s underclass but chose not to. It is only based on the intention of any communication, not its con-
appropriate that the ones who gave so little in life should tent. One reason why the Arisen have not learned more of
redress the balance after death—after as many deaths as it their pasts through the Shuankhsen is that anything the
takes, in fact. As ages pass and Arisen develop their cults, latter could tell the Arisen about themselves would destroy
the Shuankhsen’s rage grows. Instead of resisting the old their Sekhem, and they’ve no desire to talk to the Arisen
masters, they took up the whip for them again. to begin with.
They are Ammut’s slaves now, but if they hate the Devour- The Silence manifests not merely in the minds of the Sh-
er, they rarely waste time saying so, much less trying to throw uankhsen, but in their Sekhem, as well. When a Shuankh-
off her yoke. Some worship her outright, but more simply sen would provoke a Terror Sybaris response, the mortal
mouth the words given them by her zealots. She gave them mind is incapable of reacting with calm recollection there-
the means to avenge themselves and binds them to a com- after: Unless the mortal’s player gets an exceptional success
mon cause. Perhaps that justifies the humiliation of service, on her Resolve + Composure roll (see Sybaris, p. 147), the
but it doesn’t relieve the burdens. Like the Arisen, the Sh- mortal will rationalize/invent the experience away. When it
uankhsen feel certain passions woven into their Sekhem, but comes to unease, the Silence manifests in a more advanta-
these dread desires come from the Devourer, not the Judges. geous way: When the mummy provokes Unease Sybaris, he
Ammut is hungry. can choose how it will affect mortals. Pick one of the follow-
The Devourer enjoys Sekhem but doesn’t need it the way ing effects: Despair, Cults Against Death, Superstitious Ma-
the Judges do. She may not need souls, either, but to the terialism, or Fearful and Closed (Shuankhsen never provoke
Lifeless, her desire feels as powerful as starvation. Around the Flood of Duat effect). Alternately, the Shuankhsen can
the living, Shuankhsen feel a peculiar combination of lust forcibly contain their Sybaris, provoking no unease (only) at
and hunger—the edges of demonic desire, translated into all, but doing so costs one Willpower every 24 hours.
forms they can understand. The powerful souls of Arisen Weak Sekhem
drive them into near-frenzy. Authentic occultists, spiritu- The Lifeless possess a base Sekhem of 3—a carelessly
ally aware individuals, and a few other souls with strange woven fraction of the power given to true Arisen. They
destinies also attract the Devourer’s desire. Descend as Arisen do, but obviously leave their incarna-
tions far more quickly. Thus, Shuankhsen hunt mummies
SHUANKHSEN CREATION in part to prolong their own life cycles. Shuankhsen may
Shuankhsen resemble the Arisen in that they possess a also drain relics for Sekhem, but the process is opposite
sheath of Sekhem that takes the form of the sahu. They the Arisen’s. They must fail a Sekhem roll (this is not a
possess soul Pillars and may utilize them to enhance At- Descent Roll) to force the artifact’s power into their cor-
tributes, seal the flesh, activate Utterances, and use rel- rupted Sekhem patterns.
ics. Storytellers may use the Arisen template as a basis, but Like the Judges, Ammut manipulates the Descent to
make the following adjustments. further an agenda through her agents. A Shuankhsen’s
Morality, Not Memory Descent clock almost always resets (see “The Descent,” p.
Shuankhsen do not possess a Memory trait, but the same 153) when the Devourer accomplishes one of the following
Morality as mortals. Importantly, this means their memory deeds through her mummy servant:

The Lifeless 193

 • Consume the flesh and soul of a sorcerer or spiri- for independent thought and, in particular, the ability to
tual adept. perform any task governed by that trait. The Shuankhsen
• Destroy (preferably with much ritual) a relic with- cannot use this ability on anyone who did not feel capable
out cannibalizing its Sekhem. of sacrificing herself or who was coerced into this state
through supernatural mind control.
• Drive a mortal to commit murder or suicide without Despite centuries of fervent, disgusting occult experiments,
the use of supernatural mind control. the Shuankhsen have never been able to steal Pillar dots from
• Slay one of the Arisen, whether consuming his mortals. In other words, the Shuankhsen drain mortals to re-
Sekhem or not. fresh their souls, but they hunt the Arisen to expand them.
• Steal any vessel from an Arisen tomb (once per Jaws of the Devourer
tomb per story). Ammut gave all Shuankhsen the power to steal Sekhem
from conscious beings by eating them. By spending 1 point
A Single Pillar in any Pillar, the mummy may give himself the wide, sharp-
Ammut feasted on every Shuankhsen’s soul, leaving one toothed jaws of the Devourer for a scene. In combat, the
Pillar behind to support her return to the living world. The Shuankhsen may bite enemies without grappling, as if us-
Shuankhsen’s other spiritual functions cling to the lone ing a weapon with a damage rating of 2(L), but employing
Pillar as a kind of soul “residue.” But in the face of suffer- the Brawl Skill, not Weaponry.
ing, the surviving Pillar grows strong. Thus, each Shuankh- The Shuankhsen may drain a level of Sekhem from an
sen begins with four dots in this defining Pillar. intelligent target who possesses a Sekhem rating (typically
The Shuankhsen may not meditate to regain Pillar Arisen, but Shuankhsen can technically eat each other)
points, but all feel their souls strengthen when they self- every time he inflicts 3 or more points of aggravated dam-
ishly assert themselves in the world. A Shuankhsen regains age using Jaws of the Devourer. Remove the level from the
one Pillar point whenever he satisfies his Vice. This benefit victim, and give it to the Shuankhsen.
occurs in addition to the standard Willpower point award. Wounds this severe indicate that the Lifeless has bitten
and swallowed a sizable chunk of Sekhem-infused flesh. In-
Consume the Willing flicting more than 3 points of damage doesn’t drain any more
Shuankhsen may drain the life force from a close associ-
Sekhem; the Shuankhsen must attack again. If the target
ate to replenish Pillars. In each case, these people sincerely
runs out of aggravated health boxes, extra damage doesn’t
and out of their own free will are willing to sacrifice their
drain more Sekhem even if the victim is somehow continu-
lives for the Shuankhsen, even if they might not feel that
ing to function (as an Arisen might when sealing the flesh).
way once they’re called upon to do just that. These as-
The Shuankhsen may eat enemy Sekhem relatively eas-
sociates must be purchased as Retainers (World of Dark-
ily, but its power protects the real prize: the target’s Pillars.
ness, p. 116) or acquired during the chronicle. All Fasad
This defense vanishes for an instant after the Shuankhsen
(see p. 200) may be drained in this fashion. This occult
consumes an Arisen’s last level of Sekhem. In the moment
proscription is imposed by the Devourer, who seeks to not
before his victim’s soul departs, a Shuankhsen may steal one
just consume souls, but meaning. Violating trust destroys
dot from one of her Pillars and add it to his own. Shuankhsen
the meaning the victim gave to his commitment, and souls
usually do this to add Pillars other than their remnants.
that enter Duat bereft of such meaning can never find
Shuankhsen may also use the Jaws to steal Pillar points
their way to her waiting maw.
from unwilling mortals, but the Sekhem inside living mor-
The Shuankhsen must make close physical contact with
tals (who are not also sorcerers) is life force in its weakest
the victim. As an instant action, he rips the living spirit out
and most transitive form, so doing it is far less efficient than
of the companion. Roll the mummy’s Sekhem; each success
with Consuming the Willing. If the Shuankhsen eats a
drains one dot of an Attribute and converts it into a point
mortal’s heart, he gains a point in the Pillar of his choice.
in a Pillar. The Shuankhsen may only drain Attributes to
Once the Shuankhsen eats as much as he can, he usu-
recover depleted Pillar points, and only for a Pillar he pos-
ally rips his victims to shreds or devours them whole to
sesses. Each Attribute coverts to Pillar points as follows:
stymie investigations or, in the case of the Arisen, easy res-
• Ab: Strength, Stamina, or Presence urrection. Any flesh consumed using Jaws of the Devourer
• Ba: Strength, Stamina, or Wits disintegrates in the Lifeless’ gullet an hour later. It usually
takes about five hours (one hour per Size point) to com-
• Ka: Strength, Stamina, or Resolve pletely consume a typical human body.
• Ren: Strength, Stamina, or Manipulation Stolen Sahu
• Sheut: Strength, Stamina, or Composure Shuankhsen were never given a magical template to re-
build their bodies, so they lack the ability to reincarnate
The Attribute drain is permanent. Reducing Strength or
within an independent sahu. They must begin their De-
Stamina to 0 in this fashion kills the victim, while reduc-
scents in stolen corpses. If the mummy possesses a cult,
ing a Mental or Social Attribute to 0 removes the capacity
its members might steal a suitable body. Otherwise, a Sh-

194 Faces of Undeath

uankhsen who loses all of his Sekhem or whose body is pletely feel an emotion without acting upon it. The Lifeless
utterly destroyed claims the nearest unburied, relatively in- mummy regains one Ab point when he acts upon an urge
tact corpse of any human without a supernatural template. it would be better to suppress. Once per chapter, he replen-
If the body is sanctified, or otherwise ritually prepared, the ishes all Ab points when he satisfies his Vice by acting on
Storyteller can call for a contested roll (typically the Sh- an inconvenient urge.
uankhsen’s Resolve + Remnant rating vs. the ritualist’s Ba: The spirit remnant manifests as the desire to domi-
Intelligence + Occult); otherwise, no roll is required. nate. It isn’t enough to wield power; the Lifeless must dem-
Once the Shuankhsen awakens, his Sekhem removes all of onstrate it by controlling someone else. The Shuankhsen
the corpse’s wounds and replaces them with signs of the trauma regains one Ba point when he coerces another person to
that killed him. For example, a Shuankhsen who was decapi- perform an task she finds immoral or disgusting. Once per
tated might possess a seeping wound encircling the entire neck. chapter, he replenishes all Ba if his “inferior” dies in the
Otherwise, the Lifeless appears to be a subtle mixture between process of carrying the order out.
the stolen corpse’s form and that of the Shuankhsen’s original Ka: Where the Bull-Headed are stubborn, Shuankhsen of
body. In a weak body, strong Shuankhsen develop muscular the ka remnant are monomaniacal. Once the Lifeless makes a
bulk. Bodies also take on characteristics from the Shuankhsen’s decision, he will not be moved by a mortal, god, or anything in
self-identified gender, but they don’t change their actual, physi- between. The Shuankhsen regains one point of Ka when he
cal sex, taking on a quasi-androgynous appearance instead. refuses to stray from a defined plan in the face of a new threat.
Many Shuankhsen impersonate the former owners of their Once per chapter, he regains all Ka when he survives a mortal
corpses, at least for a time. These typically pass casual inspec- threat (even if the Shuankhsen can be resurrected or reincar-
tion, but close associates may eventually suspect that there’s nated into a new Descent) without altering his plans.
more to the story than a new diet or elaborate make-up regi- Ren: Shuankhsen of the name remnant indulge in ec-
men. Whatever appearance they bear, the Shuankhsen are the centric, self-aggrandizing actions to assert their identity.
kings of the Lifeless and are thus given a wide berth by same. They crave a quiet notoriety. The Shuankhsen regains one
Remnants, Not Decrees point of Ren when he risks his safety or plans to make him-
The Shuankhsen were never given a chance to declare self known with a “calling card” of some kind, such as a
themselves before the Judges. Instead, Ammut ate most of personal symbol or even a person (or type of person) he
their souls, leaving but a single Pillar to support an animat- spares to spread his legend. Once per chapter, he replenish-
ing consciousness. The Devourer spared different Pillars es all Ren when he discovers that another person recorded
depending on the characteristics of her slaves—whatever his unique identity (not just his name, but something that
Pillar likely would have become their defining one. Where undeniably describes him) of her own accord.
the Arisen define themselves in part by decree, Shuankh- Sheut: The shadow remnant encourages selfish, para-
sen cling to their remnants. noid behavior. Protective instincts overwhelm his compas-
The mummy may increase his Attributes as if he be- sion for or even acknowledgment of others. The Lifeless
longed to a member of the corresponding decree, but he regains a point of Sheut when he identifies a hidden threat.
may not use the decree’s signature methods for recovering Once per chapter his Sheut points are restored in full when
Pillar points in their defining Pillar. Instead, they replenish he preemptively destroys a threat.
points when they fulfill an exaggerated passion: Affinities and Utterances
Ab: Twisted vitality turns Shuankhsen into berserkers, Like other mummies, the Shuankhsen begin play with at
stalkers, and obsessive-compulsives. They cannot com- least three Affinities. Bane Affinities are Ammut’s domain,
so Shuankhsen require nothing special to learn them, but
must select at least one of their starting Affinities from the
Consuming Noncombatants list of Bane Affinities (in lieu of a Guild Affinity).
Shuankhsen do not begin unlife with Utterances;
To simplify bookkeeping, the Storyteller should the rote patterns of Iremite sorcery are foreign to them.
allow the Shuankhsen to use Consume the Willing They can learn Utterances under the tutelage of a skilled
on noncombatants (World of Darkness, pp. 203- Sekhem-wielding sorcerer, but more commonly, they ac-
205) by draining two dice from one of their pools quire them by ripping the understanding straight from
in exchange for one Pillar point. The noncombatant a mummy’s flesh. If the Lifeless steals more than one
dies or becomes an ineffective, shambling creature Sekhem dot from an Arisen, he also steals knowledge of
when his largest dice pool drops to one or zero dice. one of her Utterances. Developing this potential still re-
Don’t worry about noncombatant Attributes; allow the quires the standard amount of time and effort (and experi-
Shuankhsen to harvest any Pillar he likes. The two dice ence points, if you choose to track them), but a teacher is
(as opposed to one point) drain balances out the lack no longer necessary—he develops a newfound instinct for
of specificity. his victim’s power. Shuankhsen can only steal the secret
of one Utterance per victim per unique Descent. In ad-
dition, a Shuankhsen stands a chance of manifesting an

The Lifeless 195

 Utterance (given the same time and effort) after being suc- Bane Affinities, but Shuankhsen need only meet the listed
cessfully targeted by that Utterance. While a Shuankhsen prerequisite and ruthlessness to develop them. Thus, while
must still meet all the prerequisites for new Affinities, he Bane Affinity descriptions refer to the typical Shuankhsen
is considered to have met the prerequisites for all three user, the same systems apply to other mummies who dare
tiers of any Utterance he steals or manifests. The Lifeless master (or find themselves saddled with) them.
must still find a way to pay for those second- and third-tier
unleashings, however, and that means hunting down and
Shadow Rending
Prerequisites: [Morality] 7–; Sheut 2
consuming at least one dot in the required Pillar. Effect: Manipulating his shadow like a puppet or pet, the
mummy uses it to strike his enemy’s sheut, transmitting the
BANE AFFINITIES trauma to her physical form. The shadow warps into talons,
Like a fighting dog’s master, Ammut whips, cuts, and
jaws, tentacles, blades—whatever fits his personality.
smashes her hunting slaves into shape. Shuankhsen may
The mummy may only use this power in a shadowy area,
develop standard Affinities, but they also harness the su-
not places filled with bright ambient light or total darkness.
pernatural consequences of their disfigured souls to mani-
In such places, he may use his shadow as a weapon that
fest their own ephemera: Bane Affinities.
inflicts between 1 and 3 damage, depending on immedi-
Bane Affinities are powerful, but they possess inherent
ate light levels. Use Dexterity + Weaponry (+ the dam-
curses. Most of them not only challenge the user’s Moral-
age bonus) to resolve attacks. His shadow’s reach extends
ity, but require a certain dearth of it to use (which varies
10 yards and inflicts lethal damage, but it can’t be used to
from Affinity to Affinity). If the user’s Morality (or Mem-
grapple enemies or manipulate objects.
ory) rating exceeds the maximum rating, as listed under its
The user doesn’t attack enemies directly—his shadow
prerequisite, he loses access to that Affinity’s effect but, in
strikes theirs. Targets may not usually apply their Defense
most cases, continues to suffer its curse. In addition, other
against Shadow Rending. When the mummy’s shadow
circumstances may prompt a dangerous backlash.
strikes his enemy’s, wounds erupt across corresponding lo-
The following Bane Affinities are examples of the powers
cations on the target’s body.
that may spring from the Devourer’s eldritch influence. Sto-
Curse: In the event of a dramatic failure while using this
rytellers can invent others with similar themes and associat-
power—or any time more dice roll a 1 than roll 8, 9, or 10
ed drawbacks. Arisen who survive an encounter with a Sh-
combined—the user’s shadow turns against him. Roll the
uankhsen might find themselves manifesting one of the foe’s

196 Faces of Undeath

user’s Sheut + local damage bonus to resolve attacks each his Ab fills with energies that poison the worm, forcing it
turn until he flees to an area without shadows (bright light to flee the heart. From this moment forward, fulfilling a
or total darkness) or spends a point of Sheut to calm and Virtue automatically activates Wormheart, inflicting dam-
appease his soul’s shadow. age and forcing the mummy to use it or suffer injuries from
Ammut’s Feast having to reabsorb it.
Prerequisite: [Morality] 6– Blood Cartouche
Effect: Emulating the Devourer, the mummy is rejuven- Prerequisite: [Morality] 4–
ated every time he eats a fresh, whole human heart. He Effect: The mummy binds an ally’s name to his own.
immediately regains one point of Willpower, and his player When he connects two names within the Blood Car-
rolls his Sekhem rating as a dice pool. If the roll succeeds, touche, he may transfer wounds and ailments to his ally.
the mummy gains a reset on the Descent at his current The user selects a target among the set of people who
Sekhem level. Hearts suitable for transplants are sufficient- would qualify as victims of Consume the Willing: individ-
ly fresh, but Shuankhsen more often acquire them directly. uals who were once ready to sacrifice their lives for the
This power does not work on the hearts of the Arisen, the mummy. (This requirement remains even if the Affinity is
Lifeless, and other undead creatures. being used by one of the Arisen.) He must learn the tar-
Curse: For the next scene after devouring the heart, the get’s full legal name, along with any name she would reflex-
mummy feels whispers of the victim’s conscience. He risks ively answer to. Supernatural beings may not be bound by
Morality degeneration for sins that would apply to the vic- a Blood Cartouche.
tim at the level of Morality she possessed while she lived, To activate this power, the mummy visualizes his name
but does not enjoy the dice pool granted by the victim’s merging with his victim’s. Both names bloodily rip them-
trait. Given the sorry moral state of the average Shuankh- selves into the user’s flesh (he chooses the location—the
sen, this often increases the chance of degeneration, but back, chest, and forehead are common) surrounded by a
some try to ameliorate the curse by feeding only on the single cartouche: a stylized oval border used to contain the
hearts of the wicked. names of kings. The user suffers a point of aggravated dam-
Wormheart age. For the remainder of the scene (at most, an hour), the
Prerequisite: [Morality] 5– mummy and the target may exchange injuries and other
Effect: Mummies store occult patterns of rot and preda- physical conditions, along with the inspiration provided by
tion within them. Calling upon these energies, the user satisfying a Vice.
concentrates his Vice into a flesh-eating grub that crawls The mummy’s player rolls Resolve + Stamina + Ren –
out of his heart. When the mummy satisfies a Vice, he may the target’s Composure whenever the mummy suffers an
grow the worm in his heart instead of recovering a point injury, poisoning, or intoxication. Subtract a die for each
of Willpower. He immediately suffers a point of aggravated additional use of the Affinity during the scene. If the roll
damage as the worm tunnels its way out. succeeds, the mummy transfers the damage or other effect
Once summoned, the worm wanders through his flesh to his ally. In the case of damage, transfer two points of
and grows, waiting to be called forth. When the mummy damage per success to the ally—the mummy suffers the
desires it, the foot-long, sharp-toothed grave grub erupts remainder.
from his throat to plunge into a victim’s flesh. This allows The user may drop the Affinity at any time before the
the mummy to inflict aggravated damage with grappling scene is up. If he activates it again during the scene, he
attacks. It also adds three dice to grappling attacks, as the pays the price of a point of aggravated damage again, and
worm is strong and threatening. the power “resets,” so that he no longer suffers dice penal-
If the mummy kills an opponent with the worm, it de- ties for multiple uses.
vours his enemy’s heart, and the mummy recovers all of his Curse: On a dramatic failure, the mummy’s ally becomes
spent Ab points (if any). (The mummy may combine this the dominant will in their combined identity. The ally may
power with Ammut’s Feast when the worm eats a human use the Blood Cartouche in reverse, transferring injuries and
heart.) ailments to the mummy for the scene. The ally senses a con-
The user may only keep one worm at a time. For every nection but requires special knowledge (Occult 3 or higher)
hour the worm waits, it eats more of its host’s sahu, in- to utilize it. The ally instantly knows the mummy’s complete
flicting a point of aggravated damage. The mummy may true name and further intuits that the mummy attempted to
undermine his identity or abuse him somehow.
expel the worm completely (at which point it dissolves into
black muck) as an instant action. Expelling the worm in- Hateful Bau
flicts another point of aggravated damage on the worm’s Prerequisite: [Morality] 3–
master. Effect: The mummy’s aura inspires others to hate a par-
Curse: Once a mummy learns this power, the worm is ticular group far more intensely than they would otherwise.
always there. When it hasn’t materialized, it’s an occult When the user speaks, his words carry the weight of a high
potentiality that reacts to the owner’s spiritual condition. priest or master orator, and the instruction to hate an ene-
When the user satisfies a Virtue and refreshes his Willpower, my feels like a divine command.

The Lifeless 197

 The mummy argues that a group of people are despicable Powerful Shuankhsen often target particular Arisen.
or inferior. He distinguishes this group from others by using Some target a weakness in the mummy’s character that
an understandable, superficial distinction such as (but not makes her easy prey, but a few recognize the Arisen from
limited to) religious belief, sexual orientation, gender, or Irem—they were the mummy’s slaves or experimental sub-
ethnicity. This distinction doesn’t need to be precise or de- jects for horrifying vessels. The Shuankhsen single them
fensible—it only needs to be as clever as the classifications out for revenge. Best of all, a clever Shuankhsen can ex-
used by ordinary bigots everywhere. ploit a mummy’s clouded memories to enjoy her shock and
Roll Presence + Expression + Ba and select a number suffering over and over.
of target witnesses. Reduce the dice pool by the highest
Composure among all targets, with an additional –1 pen-
alty for each ally beyond the first. The user doesn’t need
NEFERSOBK: THE CROCODILE QUEEN
Quote: “I can only imagine the pleasures you’ve experienced
to target everyone he communicates with. He can, for ex-
through the ages. I cannot give your existence balance through
ample, spout his bile at a large rally, but key his words to
pain because I can’t inflict enough of it, but… oh, I will try.”
shake a handful of “elect” in the front row.
Background: Nefersobk knows that she was treated
If the roll scores an exceptional success, targets will
better than most slaves. She served the embalmers. Ab-
commit Morality-risking, degenerate acts against members
sorbed in the precision of their work, they never subjected
of the hated group—theft, vandalism, and even murder.
her to much abuse. She was too intelligent to kill as part of
These allies will not, however, take excessive risks unless
some experiment, and too busy with fine work to distract
they would already be inclined to do so and do not become
with rape or severe beatings. She was a human tool, trained
the mummy’s lackeys. They follow their hate according to
to stitch skin and salt bodies according to the specifications
individual preferences.
given by her masters.
The effects of this power last for 24 hours. Supernatural
But once she was more valuable dead than alive, her
beings are immune to this Affinity, but can be made a tar-
overseers didn’t hesitate. Her murder was neither quick
get for hatred.
nor painless. The embalmers weren’t killers; they lacked
Curse: The user develops the Megalomania derange-
the skill to dispatch her right away. They smashed the life
ment for the duration of the Affinity’s effect. Furthermore,
out of her over the course of an hour. She learned that only
if he suffers a dramatic failure on the activation roll, targets
the powerful were truly human—the weak were their tools
hate him, instead, and will be willing to carry out heinous,
and scrap.
morally degenerate acts just to make him suffer.
Although she rose screaming into a stolen corpse,
Nefersobk adapted quickly. The Crocodile Queen was a
DESIGNING SHUANKHSEN FOR THE CHRONICLE genius before she was thrown to Ammut; enhanced by
Basic Shuankhsen are weaker (and less numerous) than
the Arisen, so they work as stock supernatural combat- stolen Sekhem, her mind devises strategies beyond the
ants. Jaws of the Devourer provide a memorable motif. If understanding of any mortal mind. She tracks a select set
you want to use the Shuankhsen for these simple purposes, of Arisen (the exactly number is left to the Storyteller)
leave them with nothing but the remnant Pillar and other through multiple incarnations to provide a reliable source
default traits. Remember, though, that although Shuankh- of Sekhem. Nefersobk keeps one or two under direct
sen might be weaker than the players’ mummies, they’re control, trapped in stone sarcophagi, and tracks the rest
still pretty damned tough by the Storytelling system’s stan- through agents planted in their cults.
dards because they can increase Attributes and seal the Having come to understand the Sothic Cycle, Nefer-
flesh as mummies do. If you’d prefer a more pulp-style con- sobk instructed her own cult to awaken her early, in
flict where thugs drop after a hit or two, stick with mortal 2002. She used murder-suicide to switch bodies with
cults and Amkhata. John Douris, a Greek-American mobster who specialized
Other Shuankhsen acquire enough power to raise them in stolen art and antiquities. She replaced difficult lieu-
into “lieutenants” or major antagonists. They grow strong tenants with members of her cult and renovated Douris
when they find a way to reliably feed on Arisen prey, so estates in Ikaria and the Hamptons to include the prison-
any Shuankhsen that graduates to these ranks has already tombs of her Arisen “cattle.” She used their subordinate
done enough to earn Arisen ire. They may cultivate cults cults to raise them for feeding across two subsequent De-
and tombs, and even recruit other Shuankhsen (especially scents; her own servants expanded her power base while
since, in a pinch, they can devour them to stave off De- she lay dead, and selected athletic, beautiful women to
scent). Ammut doesn’t especially care about vessels (save serve as hosts. Her organization has no name—in fact,
relishing in their destruction), but strong Shuankhsen she specifically forbids it—but outsiders often call it “the
know the Arisen are obsessed with them. A clever Sh- Lizard’s Eye,” or “Crocodile.”
uankhsen may possess a veritable arsenal of mystic arti- The Crocodile Queen rules one of the largest art theft
facts to not only employ against enemies, but also to attract rings in America. Side interests in arms trafficking and
Arisen prey. heroin exist to trade for the beautiful, rare things she loves.
When vessels pass through the organization, she tracks

198 Faces of Undeath

 monotone and confronts others with a
blank, distracted expression. Anyone
with psychological training recognizes
this as the lack of affect that accompa-
nies a disturbed mind.
In the grip of Sybaris, horrified mortals
most often see an elongated, distorted
body covered in green copper scales along
with large, unblinking golden eyes.
Storytelling Hints: Nefersobk is a
genius, but none of her plans have ever
given her a sense of purpose. She feels
no particular loyalty to Ammut, regard-
ing the Devourer as a cosmic force to
be placated. Beyond survival and re-
spect, she follows no particular agenda.
She owes her success to brilliance over
determination, planning her conspira-
cies as elaborate games: amusing, but
ultimately meaningless. Tormenting the
Arisen injects a rare burst of anger into
her existence. She indulges this by tor-
turing her “herd” and entangling other
Arisen in elaborate plots.
She possesses a calculating magne-
tism in that anyone who meets her feels
as if she’s gauging his usefulness and
how to exploit it. Instead of finding the
experience repellent, associates feel es-
pecially eager to please her. She rewards
merit and punishes incompetence ac-
cording to the severity of the situa-
tion. She invests most of her wealth in
rewards for cultists, fine art, and com-
modities she believes will remain valu-
able through the ages. She is most ma-
nipulative when her Sekhem is capable
them to find the Arisen who pursue them. She uses a gild- of supporting her superhuman intelli-
ed lead rod to break her victims before eating them, slowly. gence. During these periods, she records detailed plans
As the head of a criminal cartel, the Crocodile Queen for use by subordinates—and for the future, “stupid” ver-
believes she has “earned” humanity. When educated sion of herself. Arisen might discover her notes, written
criminals see the reptile eye cartouche, they know a busi- in a personal shorthand derived from ancient Greek and
ness or shipment is under her protection—and people Iremite. A successful Intelligence + Academics roll (Sto-
who fuck with the Crocodile Queen meet bad ends. They rytellers should set the penalty they feel is appropriate) is
don’t usually die; instead, they show up months later, usually necessary to decode them.
thin, crazy, and unwilling to talk about what happened. Nefersobk has been designed to act as a major an-
Then they die from rapid infections, stupid accidents, and tagonist, capable of marshaling mundane thugs, sorcer-
straight up suicide. ers, weaker Lifeless, and even Arisen dupes to oppose
Description: Nefersobk takes the bodies of beautiful, the players’ characters. Her temperament was designed
strong women with long, dark hair. In life, she suffered so that she can be used as an unobtrusive background
from scoliosis and a lopsided face—traits that helped character until you decide to activate her. She sticks to
her owners overlook her intelligence. They named her a passive, yet competent “neutral mode” until it’s time to
“Beauty of the Crocodile” as a joke. No matter the incar- maker her move. Decide when events shake her out of
nation, she suffers from the marks of her demise: crooked her melancholy, and adjust her motives to fit the story’s
arms and legs that look as if they were fractured, but nev- needs. For her, the events of the chronicle represent a
er set to heal straight. She speaks in a slightly agitated moment for character development, and justify making
any personality changes required.

The Lifeless 199

 Concept: Street Mastermind Notes: Equipment—Smartphone, tablet (connected
via remote desktop to a secure server), ancient
Remnant: Shadow gold jewelry, machine pistol in concealed holster.
Judge: Ammut, the Devourer
Guild: None
SERVE THE SERVANTS: THE FASAD
The baying hounds and rotted minions of the Shuankh-
sen, the Fasad (or “husks,” as they are sometimes called) are
Attributes: Intelligence 6, Wits 5, Resolve 4;
Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4; Presence 5, slaves to the black hunger that drives the Lifeless to the great-
Manipulation 4, Composure 4 est acts of cruelty and nihilism. They are created in much
the same way as the Sadikh of the Arisen, but differ in ways
Skills: Academics 4, Brawl 2 (Specialty: Biting), both obvious and subtle. The Rite of the Engraved Heart is
Computers 1, Crafts 3, Empathy 4, Firearms 2, a nightmarish affair for the Fasad, who are often tricked or
Intimidation 5, Investigation 4, Larceny 4, Occult bribed into facing an ordeal that leaves them psychologically
4, Politics 3, Socialize 4, Stealth 2, Streetwise 4, twisted and physically ruined. Amnesia and nightmares are
Subterfuge 3 a common side effect of their tortured existence, but a few
Merits: Allies 4, Contacts 5, Cult (Conspiracy; retain the memories and skills of their living life.
Reach 4, Grasp 4), Retainer 5, Resources 5, Status All Fasad are marked by a horrific taint that causes their flesh
(Criminal) 4, Tomb (Geometry 0, Peril [traps] 5) to split open with seeping wounds, lesions filled with a stinking
rot that will, slowly but surely, consume the Fasad’s entire body.
Affinities: By Steps Unseen, Fearsome Soul, Older husks are cold-eyed insanities—rotting zombie-men who
Shadow Rending, Voice of Temptation only find peace or satisfaction when their master gives them
leave to wring out the sobs and tortured screams of the living.
Utterances: Awaken the Dead, Command the A Shuankhsen can have as many active Fasad as his
Beasts; Jaws of the Devourer (power)
Sekhem rating. Like the Arisen’s Sadikh, husks do not
Pillars: Ab 4, Ka 3, Ren 3, Sheut 5 age, and they gain the three-dot Iron Stamina Merit. They
take bashing damage from all non-magical attacks except
Sekhem: 7 fire, and their bodies continue to act normally up until the
point that all of their wound boxes are filled with aggra-
Willpower: 8 vated damage, at which point they finally fall. Fasad can
Morality: 2 be “resurrected” by their masters in the same fashion as
Sadikh, but the wounds that caused their death often re-
Virtue: Prudence main on their already tormented forms, and the Shuankh-
sen’s Sekhem rating remains a limitation—if it dropped
Vice: Pride since he created the Fasad, he can’t resurrect it without
making room (by killing one of her other Fasad) or some-
Initiative: 7 how regaining a dot of Sekhem. Once a husk has fallen, it
Defense: 3 can be returned to its active, undead state up until a year
has passed. The resurrection of a husk costs a Shuankhsen
Speed: 11 a Willpower dot (which makes it a rare event), and the
body knits itself back together immediately but not fully,
Size: 5 healing a number of aggravated wounds equal to the mas-
ter’s current Sekhem rating. A Shuankhsen gains no com-
Weapons/Attacks:
fort from the remembered name of a fallen companion, as
his memory lives little room for sentiment.
Type Damage Dice Pool Special Lastly, the corrupted rite that gives birth to husks fills
Jaws 2(L) 7 Drain Sekhem them with an insatiable but often just as directionless ra-
pacity that prevents them from enjoying even the mild re-
Machine 2(L) 7 Clip prieve of the false life. Fasad are eternally awake, stalking
Pistol 17+1;Range the corners of the Earth and trying to satisfy their nameless
20/40/80;
Autofire cravings or tending to the embers of their master’s cult.
Thus, husks always suffer a –2 penalty to all degeneration
Armor: 0 (She can acquire it if she wishes.) checks, devolving into mindless zombie-slaves when their
Morality finally reaches zero. Even with their Morality in-
Health: 9 tact, husks never question their Shuankhsen masters and
are filled and driven by a fanatical loyalty whenever their
Derangements: Melancholy creator is present and active.

200 Faces of Undeath

 A husk who has not lost all of its Morality can use one of Branding Wound (Ren): The Fasad brands those it injures
its master’s Affinities or Utterances once per scene. It may ac- with the name of its creator, establishing a mystical connec-
cess any Affinity its master possesses and any Utterance that tion between them. Those wounded by the husk grant a non-
its master has used in its presence. If he allows his servant to cumulative +2 bonus to the husk’s or its master’s attempts to
draw upon his power thusly, any Pillar or Willpower costs are track or identify them, so long as the wound remains.
paid by the Shuankhsen. Any rolls required by the power used Selfless Shroud (Sheut): The husk is unobtrusive and
are rolled for the husk, and when making such rolls, Fasad are often ignored by others. Any rolls (usually Stealth) made
assumed to have Pillar ratings equal to their master’s. Husks, for the Fasad to remain undetected gain a +2 bonus. Addi-
regardless of Morality rating, are always treated as having a tionally, attempts to track or remember identifying charac-
Sekhem rating equal to half of their master’s current total, but teristics of the husk receive a –2 penalty. Ordinary mortals
only for the purposes of resisting supernatural powers. This never remember the Fasad’s specific appearance, though
magical resistance is ignored by their master. most will remember that the being they encountered was
Lastly, Fasad gain unique abilities that make them tena- disfigured or otherwise horrid in some way.
cious opponents of the Arisen and their allies. All Fasad
have a bite attack that inflicts +2 lethal damage, and they
Wormflesh
Quotes: “I feel your hunger, master. Unleash me, and I shall
can lend their senses to their master to help them find sniff out a proper meal.”
sources of Sekhem. This last ability functions in a man- Background: Wormflesh has served its master for
ner similar to a shark smelling blood dribbled into water; over a century, and its body has been burned, flayed,
it allows the husk to smell the power that resides in rel- scrapped, and whipped countless times. In the 1920s,
ics, vestiges, and the Arisen. If they are near a vessel of
Sekhem, husks grant a +2 bonus to
their masters’ attempts to locate these
reservoirs of refined life force. (This bo-
nus is not cumulative if multiple husks
are tracking the same object or target.)
Additionally, husks gain an extra ability
based on their master’s remnant Pillar,
as detailed below:
Devouring Heart (Ab): The husk
hungers for life, and its terrifying aura
drains hope and compassion from the
living around it. Apply a –2 penalty on
Composure rolls made for any mortal in
the husk’s presence. In addition, such
mortals cannot spend Willpower unless
doing so as part of a supernatural ability.
Alternatively, if a mortal serves one of the
Deathless (by being a cultist or Sadikh,
usually), a mummy’s player can choose to
pay the Willpower for the mortal.
Call of the Black Soul (Ba): The
Fasad calls to the worst impulses in oth-
ers. When it is near, it is difficult to crowd
out intrusive thoughts and sudden urges.
Make a Composure + Resolve roll for
any person in the husk’s presence who
attempts to resist temptation when pre-
sented with an opportunity to act on his
Vice. Those who try to resist and have
the roll for them fail must take the op-
portunity presented to them, but regain
no Willpower for it.
Body of Corruption (Ka): The
husk’s flesh is prone to scarring and
grows toughened nodules. This grants
the husk an armor rating of 2/2 and one
additional health level.

The Lifeless 201

 Huahra’s cult came to call him Wormflesh as an untreat- Vice: Envy (The living make Wormflesh anxious
ed infestation of fly larvae bloated and warped the skin and hungry. It longs for the trappings and plea-
of his face and left arm. While the fly larvae and the sures of a normal life, but it is also repulsed by
cultists are long gone, the mottled pockmark scars of the the weakness and mortality intrinsic to such a life.
infestation remain. Now it takes the name Wormflesh Most galling insult of all, Wormflesh must slink in
as its own because it has more meaning than the name the shadows and hide his true nature from such
insects.)
its half-remembered parents bestowed upon it when it
was alive… or when it dreamed of being alive. On at Initiative: 10
least one occasion, Wormflesh was killed when a power-
ful Arisen set a trap for the husk and his master. After Defense: 4
Huahra was victorious, he breathed new life into Worm-
flesh as a symbol of his power and cruelty. When Worm- Speed: 14
flesh is alone, it tries to remember if it felt any peace or Size: 5
relief at that moment of death, but it recalls nothing.
Description: Wormflesh is a walking corpse. Its face Weapons/Attacks:
is a horror, a ruined mask of flesh that has been torn
and ripped by blade, disease, and parasite. It often con- Type Damage Dice Pool
ceals its disfigurement with bandages and heavy coats
when it must travel amongst the living, but when called Bite 2(L) 2
upon to fight, Wormflesh prefers to reveal its wounds to Knife 2(L) 8
unnerve opponents.
Storytelling Hints: Huahra is a traveler and a hunt- Armor: 2
er, and Wormflesh is his most useful hound. As the most
aware husk in the Shuankhsen’s retinue, Wormflesh Health: 8
leads the others when they must assault a stronghold
Flaws: Amnesia
or tomb. Wormflesh delights in flushing out its master’s
enemies, bearing the brunt of their defenses and sniffing Derangements: Paranoia
out their allies while Huahra studies their weaknesses
from afar. In private, Wormflesh is quiet and contem- Notes: Equipment—Knives, bandages, black opera
plative; in its master’s presence, it is groveling and sub- coat, black hoodie, boots.
servient; and when on the hunt, Wormflesh tends to be
dramatic and loud, dressing the part of a stage villain.
Concept: Murderous Stalker
Master: Huahra
THE LIVING
As of 2012, seven billion people live on planet Earth, and
even more in the World of Darkness. If even one in a thou-
Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 4, Resolve 1; sand has any contact with the truth of the Arisen—gets a
Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 2; Presence 1, special feeling looking at a ring in a museum, feels the ugly
Manipulation 1, Composure 4 compulsion to flee a tomb, or just serves a mummy a cup of
coffee without paying any attention—that’s over seven mil-
Skills: Athletics 3, Computer 2, Investigation 1,
Larceny 4, Occult 2, Stealth 2, Streetwise 4 (Night lion points of mortal contact. That sounds like a lot. But of
Life), Subterfuge 2 (Disguises), Weaponry 4 those millions, how many really notice? How many follow up
(Knives) on the weirdness instead of dismissing it to move on to the
next exhibit in the museum, the next stop on the tour, or the
Merits: Fast Reflexes 2, Fighting Style: Two Weap- next mocha latte? At best, one percent pursues.
ons 4, Fleet of Foot 2 One percent of such a high number is still tens of thou-
sands of people, including ignorant cultists, superstitious
Remnant Ability: Body of Corruption archaeologists, and unfortunates who survived the tag end
Sekhem: 1, only for resisting the supernatural of an Utterance. Easily half have the entirely rational re-
sponse of getting as far away as possible, then hiding under
Willpower: 5 the covers. So, thousands upon thousands of people could
follow up and keep at it.
Morality: 3 Cultists with a clue probably account for 20-40% of that
population. That leaves a healthy global remainder dwell-
Virtue: Fortitude (Despite all of the insults and
indignities Wormflesh must suffer at the hands of its ing in Irem’s shadow, setting their own agenda, armed with
master, it believes its perseverance shall one day some combination of drive and information that makes
be rewarded. them more threat than annoyance.

202 Faces of Undeath

 Second, they want to be right and to have everyone know
SMALL CABALS AND LONE NUTS
Some people stumble across a brief glimpse of a stranger,
it. Whether they’re claiming the Arisen are demons incar-
nate or radioactive shock troops sold to petty dictators by
older world and become fixated. Now, if you’re willing to the collapsing USSR, they want to prove their point with
drop everything and chase mummies because it gives your evidence. That means that, in addition to trying to blow up
life purpose, it does not speak highly of how much mean- a mummy’s tomb, they could out her cult as well.
ing you’d found before then. Such people lock onto the
Arisen out of desperation. Jobs, family, connections to the UNWISE EMPIRICISTS
community—those all become resources to exploit in the Something must be wrong with the gauge, because these
quest, not distractions from it. readings are off the… AIEEEE!
Worst of all is when they find one another. —PhD candidate Levi Kornelson (last words)
Uh-oh… science can measure Sekhem.
STICKY-FINGERED TOMB BANDITS Anything as powerful as the occult force that brings
He offered me two million for the mask. I told him to take a the Arisen back to life can have a drastic impact on the
hike. He said three, plus I could sleep with his wife. physical world (especially when expressed through Utter-
—Professor Blake “Christmas” Croft, archaeologist ances). Physical actions leave traces, and those traces are
Whether they’re accredited archaeologists with teams of detectable with the right equipment. Scientists who detect
lawyers and high-tech ground sonar, or just barefoot ur- Sekhem’s “flares” (when a mummy first rises, his direction
chins who find a weak spot in an old edifice, one enduring might be detected from miles away) and “sparks” (emitted
threat to the Arisen are mortal tomb robbers. In all truth, from powerful Utterances, though much weaker—perhaps
the tech doesn’t make a huge difference, so long as the only a brief reading if one’s within a few miles) are attempt-
interloper is fearless, highly motivated, and has good reac- ing to locate their source. All they know so far is that there’s
tion time. They get in like ants, steal anything that isn’t something powerful and radiant. They have vague plans of
nailed down, and run. turning it into a sustainable energy source, but right now,
The biggest problems arise when luck (or research) leads they just want to find what’s causing it and how.
them to vessels of genuine power. Grave robbers often have Handled correctly, the research group doing this could
a knack for unleashing the powers of relics in the worst become a valuable component of a cult, possibly even
ways at the worst times, and then abandoning the mess developing devices to sniff out hidden vessels. Handled
behind them. The worst (meaning, most skilled) seem able poorly, they could reveal the existence of mummies to the
to daisy chain their successes, using one artifact to steal world. Not everyone would believe them, of course, but
another and another, then fleeing to crow over their trea- they’d provide a handy narrative (“alien energy parasites?”
sures while the curses, trailing behind them, always seem or “extra-dimensional invaders?”) for anyone who happens
to doom their children or companions. Many of these rep- to witness Arisen actions in the future.
robates then get angry at the Arisen, blaming them for the
curse that claimed their wife (or whoever) and turning the ROGUE SCORPION CULTS
relic’s power against their guardians. They never learn. Do not pledge fealty lightly. To those who swear our oath,
The higher grade of tomb thief has either a criminal gang we replace mother and father, husband and wife, daughters and
backing him (treat as a conspiracy cult with Reach 1, Grasp sons. We will be your all, and we will be worth it.
3) or a university (enterprise cult, Reach 3, Grasp 1). —From The Handbook of the Nyctopian Masters (1979 ed.)
The Nameless Empire was a big deal, and erasing its
HUNTERS traces entirely is too difficult for either skulking con-
DIE, THING OF EVIL! spiracies or thousands of years. There are whispers and
—Yancy Rand, Jr., gunsmith (last words) stories that have passed from generation to generation.
Instead of greed, lust, or madness, some human enemies Sometimes, there are more—practices and rituals and
are motivated by uncomplicated fear and bigotry. They see proud lineages. There are, in a word, cults.
something that looks weird or that violates their parochial Some of these are Amkhat churches, creating abomina-
view of “nature,” and pretty soon they’re waving torches tions as subjects for idolatry, seeking vessels to sacrifice for
and pitchforks—or, in modern days, camcorders and as- their vile false gods. Some follow texts spread by Shuankh-
sault rifles. sen that detail methods to identify and combat the Arisen,
Fearless monster hunters tend to want two things, both alongside scurrilous lies to incite zealotry against them.
bad for any Arisen agenda. First, they want to win a fight, Worse, there are cults that were lost to the Judges when
and depending on where a mummy is and who her hunter their Arisen… went astray. Many of these organizations
is, she could be facing a hobo with a shotgun or a well- persist on autopilot, fiercely defending vessels from in-
armed citizens’ militia with armored pickup trucks, heavy terlopers and from the Judges’ rightful agents. With their
weapons, and GPS tracking units. (In cult terms, think a inside information, these cults know exactly how best to
Reach 1, Grasp 2-4, tribal organization.) threaten the Arisen, their tombs, and their cults.

The Living 203

 The damnable thing about these cults is that their
beliefs are close enough to be dangerous. They all have
some view of the Shan’iatu, though they may not know
LAST DYNASTY INTERNATIONAL
Purity Holds a Righteous Arm Over Hubris
that name. They all know that there is a group of un- —Corporate motto, Last Dynasty International
dying intelligences occupying a physically unreachable LDI gets its own heading because, in terms of mortal
realm and that these entities pursue agendas in the menace to the Arisen, it’s in a class by itself. Picture an
human world. They may think they’re fighting ghosts, unholy marriage between scientific curiosity and forbid-
aliens, demons, or their own envious ancestors, but no den knowledge from dead ages. Throw in a few obsessives,
matter what errors they make with the details, the out- techniques for turning mummies into longevity elixirs, plus
line is too close for safety. the secrets of Amkhat creation, and you’ve got the nastiest
Beyond their guesses about Duat, rogue cults gener- thing to face the guilds since the Shuankhsen.
ally know other secrets. Not every cult knows every- Last Dynasty got its start when Muhammad Ali Pasha
thing on the following list, but most know several, and al-Mas’ud ibn Agha took control of Egypt in 1805 after
they aren’t shy about applying them. Optional damning Napoleon’s brief occupation. He was advised by a now-for-
details are included in parentheses. gotten cabal of English gentlemen: Adam Drake, Esquire;
• Our unseen enemies pursue ancient objects of ter- Major Rhys Treharne, M.D. (ret.); and the Viscount James
rible power. (These objects are dangerous to possess. Killwarden of Curke Island. The story of how a disgraced
Destroying them can create or liberate malignant lawyer, a military surgeon, and a penniless nobleman helped
monsters.) an Ottoman soldier seize control of a country is unwritten,
which is a shame, because it’s full of cold treachery, fund-
• Their most fearsome agents are undead mummies, raising antiquities theft, military brilliance, espionage-via-
which get weaker as time passes. (After an initial seduction, brazen bluffs, torture, unlikely escapes, double-
period of acclimation, these creatures appear hu- and triple-blind maneuvers, and an episode in which the
man, though are often shorter than average. They lives of a dozen captured Turkish soldiers were staked on
fear only fire.) a single pitch of the dice. Although Muhammad Ali Pasha
• Cults attempting to bring forth their dread masters never really trusted the Three Gentlemen (as they were
operate all over the world. (They often identify known), their interests aligned, and he grudgingly accept-
themselves with language and iconography from ed their help when it came time to have his underlings sent
predynastic Egypt. Attacking these cults is often the to Europe for education.
safest way to delay and impede their undying pup- Unknown to Egypt’s ruler, Major Treharne had made
peteers.) a separate deal with a native woman who’d been helping
Egyptians escape the Wali’s harsh conscription policies. In
• The afterlife conspiracy preserves many tombs, return for setting up her three daughters and two sons in
often in secret, often serving as rallying points for Wales, she initiated him into the Loyalists of the Final Dy-
their human servitors. (These tombs often come nasty. A cult founded by one of the Arisen, it had gone
originally from Egypt, and they retain their mysti- rogue and embraced the blasphemies of Amkhat construc-
cal powers even when moved to new lands. Their tion after its mistress vanished. The Three Gentlemen,
dread servants often return to these tombs. They with uncharacteristic humbleness, accepted the occult
are storehouses for occult treasures.) teaching of the Loyalists and paid for them with European
• Mortals make pacts with these forces for extended trade connections. Everybody won: The Loyalists exploit-
life. (These agents hibernate in a delusional fugue ed the Gentlemen’s connections to the Wali in order to
state. Provoking them with the inconsistencies of get on the warm side of the government. The Gentlemen
their memories drives them mad.) learned mystic secrets that they eventually deployed to
squeeze out the Turkish leaders, setting the stage for the
Every rogue scorpion cult operates differently, though
British occupation. They were unnoticed parasites getting
most follow the conspiracy or tribal models. Some are es-
rich off Egyptian cotton until the Great War blindsided
sentially hate groups that seek out those loyal to Duat and
them, shattering the sect and scattering Loyalists of the Fi-
murder them in drive-by shootings. Others focus on arti-
nal Dynasty throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa. It wasn’t
facts, constantly seeking and destroying anything that shows
until 1942 that the broken branches began to knit back
signs of occult potency. But the most dangerous are ideologi-
together, when a British tank commander realized some of
cal. They don’t hate the servants of the Shan’iatu because of
his Egyptian captives knew countersigns from the secret
what they are, but for what they’re doing. They believe that
society he’d joined at university.
the Arisen and their mortal aides are pawns in the hands
After the war, it was clear to the conspirators that the only
of malignant, inhuman entities that loathe freedom and
games in town were Communism and bald, corporate greed.
long to enslave the world. They’re not necessarily brutes or
They made their choice, incorporated as Last Dynasty Inter-
greedy for treasure. They’re heroes who are willing to give
national in Hong Kong, transitioned into pharmaceuticals in
up their lives to preserve their children’s liberty.
the 1970s, and remain a glamorously mysterious company

204 Faces of Undeath

with its major research unit in North Carolina and its ex-
ecutive HQ in Thun, Switzerland (though, for tax purposes,
they’re incorporated in the Seychelles).
The Golden Vial
Much of their product is mundane. Some of it is excep- To perform the ritual of the Golden Vial, a mortal
tionally potent, incorporating mystic energies pirated from needs a fair collection of specialized tools (all cast in
the Arisen. And sometimes they use the occult-infused gold); containers that are blasphemous mockeries of the
medicines for a while to build up a reputation, then sell the traditional canopic jars (again, gold); a bright noonday
same drugs without the Sekhem boost. After all, their sup- sun; and a restrained member of the Deathless. That
ply of mystic energy is thin and unreliable. It all depends on last component is, of course, the hard bit.
the ritual of the Golden Vial.
LDI has agents throughout the world searching for Starting the ceremony at the stroke of noon, the
relics, many of them crazed antiquarians, but the higher- priest recites a lengthy and (to Iremite loyalists)
ups—and yes, the Three Gentlemen are still alive and devastatingly foul chant decrying the Judges,
well, thanks to Cell-Scrub (see below), which is just an undermining all they hold dear, and brazenly declaring
improved version of an old spell called the Rite of the his intent to undo their greatest works. While this
Pearlescent Fountain—know better than to tempt curses chanting is going on, he unwraps the mummy and
by getting grabby. (Rhys Treharne, currently known as then (using the implements mentioned above)
“Dr. Reece Trombley”, is still on a restricted diet and has “vents” the seats of certain mystic body processes.
to have yearly gastro-enterological reconstructive surgery This means piercing the skin and lightly agitating
after a nasty encounter with an effigy.) No, they just take the organs within (or at least their sahu equivalents).
the treasures and use them as bait to draw in the Deathless. The five seats are: the spleen, the heart, the lungs,
the right carotid artery, and the left eye. When that’s
LAST DYNASTY PHARMACEUTICALS done, a hollow spike is driven through the anterior
fontanel of the mummy’s skull, and her entire body is
So, what of the mysterious substance, the Exudation?
Why is LDI willing to go to such lengths to acquire it? The upended over each of the five jars in turn. They call
answer lies in the fact that the Exudation is the foundation the golden plasm that pours out “the Exudation.”
for several highly profitable treatments. One dose of Exu- For each Pillar the Deathless has that has at least
dation can, with the proper mixing, produce the following: one point left in it, a jar fills, and she loses a level of
50,000 doses of Amphlex™: This immune-system Sekhem (though she can’t lose more than she has
booster has just recently been approved for use in the remaining). Example: Ilipep is at Sekhem 7. At his
United States, but while the stuff Americans get is chemi- maximum, he has Ba 4, Ka 2, Ren 2, Ab 1, and Sheut
cally identical to the Exudation-treated medicine, it won’t 0. While struggling to resist and escape, however, he
do anything. (It won’t hurt anyone; it’s just a complex pla- burned through a lot of Pillars. Now he’s down to Ba
cebo.) Much of the genuine, mystically potent Amphlex™ 2 and Ka 1. If the ritual succeeds on him, he’ll drop
has been given away in Africa, where it’s been found that to Sekhem 5 and LDI will get two units of Exudation
a single dose after exposure to HIV can prevent the infec- in the process.
tion from taking hold. If you’re looking for a sinister motive
This is the Descent at its fastest and most
for LDI’s massive donation program, there isn’t one. The
destructive. Fortunately, it doesn’t always work.
Three Gentlemen are appalled at the AIDS situation and,
Sometimes, it just does a point of lethal damage for
from the perspective of extreme age, only see it getting
each vented seat and another point of lethal damage
worse unless someone sensible does something. Of course,
when the spike goes in. (LDI has surgeons on hand
they aren’t unaware of the great publicity they’re getting; it
to try and minimize mortality, but that’s hard when the
has increased sales of the dud Amphlex™ in the developed
ritual has to go off uninterrupted. Usually, they just try
world wonderfully.
to get the mummy into good shape before it begins
2,000 units of Nortromadine™: This miracle trauma drug
and patch her up if she survives.) To cast the spell
is just a rumor to most, but select U.S. military units in both
successfully, the player of the priest has to succeed
Iraq and Afghanistan were issued single doses of what they
on an Intelligence + Occult roll (difficulty 2), and it’s
were told was a mix of epinephrine, painkillers, and clotting
not an extended action, nor one that anyone can help
accelerants. And indeed, all that stuff’s in Nortromadine™,
him with. So Willpower often gets spent, leaving the
so even without Exudation, the formula gives a +1 equip-
caster depleted and ill-tempered afterward. If the
ment bonus when people are making First Aid rolls. But the
mummy survives, the researcher can always wait until
real item instantly heals injured mortals of one point of le-
his prisoner heals up and then take another stab at it,
thal damage, no roll needed. It retails to defense contractors
assuming the mummy doesn’t just send herself into a
for $1,000 per 2cc dose, so they only issue it to elite soldiers
death cycle.
whose training costs (and high-risk missions) justify the price.
100 courses of Mendathinol™ treatment: Top-tier ath-
letes seek out Mendathinol™ to retain their edge, while those

The Living 205

 who haven’t quite made the Wheaties box chase rumors of Amkhata. (There’s some bee and scorpion experimentation
a super-steroid that’s infallible and undetectable. Taken over going on, too, but those tend to be less endangered than
two weeks, seven Mendathinol™ suppositories cause their big cats and Egyptian jackals whose bloodlines haven’t been
user to rapidly gain muscle power, even if he doesn’t bother polluted by someone’s escaped pet over the last 5,000 years.)
with exercise. (That’s only been confirmed with LDI’s internal The inhumane branch of KMCF that poaches, breeds, and
tests, of course. The pros buying this stuff would never break sacrifices threatened animals accounts for only 2% of the
training.) Interestingly, unlike normal steroids, Mendathinol Fund’s personnel, but a whopping 45% of its budget.
doesn’t cause massive bulk gain, but its modest mass additions Right now, the occult seed in the flesh of the KMCF is
work with incredible efficiency. Moreover, the development primarily concerned with devising a metric for the occult
is almost universally even, preventing some of the side effects potency of an ingredient animal. The two dominant theo-
that imbalanced athletes suffer (like tearing a joint with a too- ries are the “originist” and the “malevolist,”
hard sneeze). Any mortal who takes Mendathinol™ as direct- Originism argues that the closer an animal is to its analogue
ed permanently gains a point each in Strength and Stamina. from Irem’s days, the better it works to mock and defile Iremite
“Cell-Scrub” therapy: LDI hasn’t submitted samples of sorcery. Therefore, they try to isolate out genetic drift from
its core Cell-Scrub products to the USDA or the EMA, and later centuries, along with raising stock in conditions as close
it hasn’t even bothered to trademark the name. Given that to ancient times as possible. (Among other projects, they’re
one full unit of Exudation is required for a Cell-Scrub, it’s not building a biodome for lions west of Qasr Farafra and attempt-
something the company’s ever going to need to market: The ing to filter all modern pollutants out of its atmosphere.)
next five treatments are already allocated to LDI stockholders, Malevolism, on the other hand, holds that the rarity of
researchers, and executives. Bidding to get on the waiting list the animals makes them more powerful because the en-
starts at one million U.S. dollars, and the price of the treatment chantment is powered by inflicting harm on nature. There-
itself is simply “whatever the market will bear.” Cell-Scrub, you fore, the more harm inflicted by a single sacrifice, the bet-
see, is a no-kidding fountain of youth. For outsiders, they tart ter the outcome. The apex result predicted by malevolism
it up with injections and tests and by flooding their lungs with would be to kill the very last living animal of its species.
terrifying oxygenated pink slime. There’s some simulated plas- Originism is the numerically and fiscally dominant theo-
tic surgery in there, too, but the real treatment’s hidden in the ry, but the malevolists are crazier and nastier.
second day of a concluding spa weekend. Those in the know
just slip into a tub full of warm, frothing, pearlescent water and INTEGRATED TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS, LLC
get out feeling 20 years younger. Gray hairs start to regrow in After the 1982 Tylenol poison murders, LDI made aggres-
their natural color, skin becomes smoother, tissues firm up, sive moves to vertically integrate every aspect of their pharma-
and the mind regains its youthful acuity without sacrificing a ceutical operation. Since the completion of the changeover in
whit of the guile and knowledge of age. No one has been Cell- 1985, ingredients have been raised in private greenhouses or
Scrubbed to an effective age under 20—the amoral boffins in refined in LDI factories, blended in LDI labs, packaged in pro-
Research would love to try it on an adolescent, but children are prietary shops, transported by LDI-owned ships, and delivered
way cheaper than Cell-Scrubs, and no one’s going to get out of to pharmacies by unmarked LDI trucks from LDI warehouses.
the queue just so some lab-coated sociopaths can play. As with the Killwarden Fund, most of the operations in the
transport branch are completely benign. Most people driv-
THE KILLWARDEN MEMORIAL CONSERVATION FUND ing the trucks and maintaining the facilities (all of which are
Do you know why teachers and daycare providers have unlabeled, and tucked into obscure commercial and indus-
to go through tons of background checks before they can trial parks, with unlisted phone numbers and addresses “for
professionally tend others’ children? It’s to screen out the security reasons”) are entirely innocent of any conspiratorial
perverts. Even a dumb pervert can figure out that the best behavior. But the Vice President of Transportation Security
way to access children is to be entrusted with their care. (whose driver’s license reads “Drake Adams” this century) has
It was in that exploitative spirit that James Killwarden’s extensive dossiers on his personnel, focusing on oversights,
supposed heirs founded a conservation fund in his name. blunders, indiscretions, and plain ol’ crimes that people think
The Killwarden Fund buys up the nesting grounds of en- they’ve put behind them. So if the Three Gentlemen, or any
dangered owls, and pays field researchers to track threats to of their nastier agents, need an undisclosed location to hide
apex predators, and arranges for conservation biologists to in or an innocuous white-panel van, well, there’s a site man-
get access to LDI’s extensive labs and log time on its com- ager who’ll look the other way in exchange for a promise that
puter networks. Individual nations may have better data the Polaroids won’t surface or a driver who’s grateful that his
on the biomes within their borders, but KMCF’s global supervisor overlooked that one time he showed up drunk to
models rival the United Nations Environment Programme. work. When LDI’s sinister purposes required enough poison
They do a shocking amount of good, considering that all to entomb a mummy’s whole cult? Grown at the greenhouse,
the conservation is protective camouflage—like a school mixed at five different labs so the quantity wouldn’t attract
janitor who leaves 99% of the students unmolested. attention, packaged after hours, and delivered right on time
The initial purpose of KMCF is to locate canid, ophid- by a granddad teamster who had no idea he was an accessory
ian, feline, ursine, and avian rarities for incorporation in to mass murder.

206 Faces of Undeath

 provide great nourishment for their family ghosts. In turn,
THE DEAD
Considering the endless cycle of death and awakening
the ghosts function as guardians and assure that, in death,
the family’s deceased will be cared for into eternity. These
experienced by every true mummy, it is not surprising that sorts of arrangements between cultic legacies and Arisen
the spirits of the dead can play a significant role in the are incredibly advantageous when they function optimally.
world of the Arisen. From the ancient and morbid obli- Nonetheless, with all the members of a cult being bound in-
gations of servants, to loved ones and cultists, to the un- cestuously by familial ties and cultic vows, when things do
pleasant side effects of a freshly summoned soul who arises go wrong, they tend to go terribly wrong. This sort of event
angry and confused at his awakening, droves of the dead can result in wars, suicide pacts, or wholesale conversion to
have been left in the wake of the judgments of Duat over an opposing cause (Last Dynasty International?), and can
the centuries. Even in the cases of ghosts not caused by the spell the total destruction of an Arisen’s support network.
Arisen’s actions or inactions, mummies bleed the Sekhem Despite the rarity of mummy ghost cults, many living
that empowers them, and as such, ghosts (and other su- cultists take great pains to insure that they become mem-
pernatural creatures) are drawn to them like moths to a bers upon death. Most of these cases assume that the
flickering flame. Whatever the reason for their presence, mummy is dealing with the dead of his own cult. Among
ghosts should be emblems of consequence in your Mummy those deceased servants who were conditioned in life, one
chronicle—the voices and dreams of a mummy’s past. should expect complacency and obedience, with only the
And so, two primary categories of ghosts exist with which most extreme cases of mutiny violating the contract be-
a mummy must concern herself: those dedicated servants tween cultists and mummy. The dead who constitute the
and allies who have accepted their role in the Arisen’s ex- cults of other mummies can sometimes pose more obstacle
istence, even beyond death, and those vengeful and trou- than provide assistance. The ghosts of obstinate thugs ap-
bling ghosts seeking revenge, balance, or resolution. pointed as guardians of much-needed vessels, oath-bound
priests who are the lineal keepers of initiatory and magical
THE BLESSED secrets, and protected loved ones who refuse to intervene
on behalf of the interests of anything other than their own
Hundreds were ritually slain in the names of the pharaohs,
but many gave their lives willingly. When willing to die for cult can all serve to stymie the best laid plans of a canny
or otherwise dedicated to the cult, the ghost is a sort of spirit Arisen. These sorts of servants can be pressured with vo-
in death that is one of the finest allies an Arisen can have: tive offerings, destruction, or control, but ultimately, such
A fellow member of lost Irem’s blessed dead. Committed to negative and intense treatment can backfire. Even the
both the path of the mummy and the will of her Judge, it is most subservient ghost cultists have limits to their patience
not uncommon for cults of the dead to gather around the and what they will endure in the name of duty. One who
mortal cult of a powerful Arisen, forming ranks of devotees is overly abused may simply refuse to appear or otherwise
within the Twilight realm that support both the living mem- comply with his Arisen’s wishes.
bership and simultaneously act as specialized agents for the Sometimes, the Blessed involved in ghost cults tied to the
mummy. Capable of superhuman feats of espionage and sur- mummy’s living cult prove the most frustrating and difficult
veillance beyond anything a human cultist could manage, of obstacles. Arguments concerning dogma or the exact
ghosts can act as the eyes and ears of the Arisen in specific wording of a core prophecy or spiritual verse can precipitate
locations where his dead cult members are active. These weeks, months, or years of dispute. This sort of “red tape” is
disembodied dead are few in number, as it is the rare soul more than just an annoyance to a mummy whose time is so
who can handle the strains of being denied both afterlife and literally at a premium. The Descent does not wait patiently
form, but when they are around, active, and sane, they can during exhaustive philosophical or psychological discussions
be a boon to the Arisen unlike any other. until the mummy and her cultist come to a sound agree-
Many living cultists believe that, upon death, a mor- ment on behalf of everyone’s best interests. Instead, they
tal comes into contact with forces that trigger a Gnostic come to loggerheads and cause, at best, terrible delays and,
communion with necromantic energy that provides a at worst, violent schisms that fracture the mummy’s death
greater understanding of the mummy’s reality. This is not cult, possibly inverting its purposes and turning the pow-
the case. For spirits of the deceased, entering a cult of the ers of its ghostly initiates against the Arisen they formerly
dead is more like internment in a convalescent home than served. However, in the best cases, wise and loyal ghosts can
an initiation into greater understanding. The cult’s rings provide unimaginable aid, even acting as guides through the
of initiation and rituals of devotion, in conjunction with past or being mentors to the Arisen so that she may better
cryptic and eccentric dogma, provide a net of attachment recover the secrets of her ancient life.
and familiarity for the ghost. In extremely rare cases, the
mummy’s cult is the farthest spread branches of a single THE RESTLESS
family that came to serve the Arisen in remote antiquity. The care and shepherding of one’s cultists is an art that
These families maintain enormous shrines dedicated to the requires finesse, sensitivity, and when called for, the abil-
most prominent and dedicated of their ancestors, which ity to wisely and forcefully implement power and violence.
Through these methods, even the most insubordinate of the

The Dead 207

 dead can be brought to heel. In the very worst cases, though, anything that violates the site of their ruin. Although these
a spirit is too furious, confused, or willful to comply, and it monsters believe they are harming the mummy, whether
turns its dark powers fully against the interests of the Arisen. consciously or by their destructive nature, they are ulti-
The malevolent plans of the restless dead vary dramati- mately aiding the Arisen by providing another supernatu-
cally when it comes to mummies. Some of their ill wishes ral deterrent to defend her tomb, albeit a superficially un-
are small and intimate, which says nothing in terms of how willing one.
nasty their execution may be. Some are insane spirits who
cannot escape a cycle of suffering, who may see their as-
sociation with the Arisen as the cause of the spiritual trap NEW NUMINA
Mummies have extensive dealings with ghosts. Not only
in which they find themselves. Although the cause may
be minor, the personal mythologies of the Restless include does this broaden the range of spectral phenomena they
vast, delusional conspiracies that tap into a kind of inner encounter, but their own Utterances allow the Arisen to
darkness only the Shuankhsen could connect with. Other transform and augment the dead. The following Numina
Restless are more driven, tied to an ideology through which are uncommon or rare, but theoretically available to all
the ghost becomes a vengeful spirit ordained by the cosmic ghosts. Some require others Numina as prerequisites as
mandate of that dread, elder force that wiped away Irem. noted. Manifestation modifiers can be found on page 210
On occasion, the Arisen is only a symbol to the wrath- of World of Darkness.
ful spirit. In this case, the situation is impersonal, but the
mummy has found herself linked to key or dramatic events DEAD EYES
that have bound the ghost to her for other unrelated but Prerequisite: Materialize, Intruder or Revenant.
powerful reasons. The mummy might be the only piece of Through the reflexive expenditure of two points of Es-
a ghost’s spiritual puzzle that still exists, the rest washed sence, the intruder/revenant can see ghosts for a scene.
away by centuries of lost time. As such, the vengeful ghost
may even have to cooperate with the mummy out of mu-
DEAD SKIN
Prerequisite: Intruder or Revenant. Through the reflex-
tual interests and goals.
ive expenditure of one Willpower point and one Essence
Perhaps the most dreadful of the Restless is the wrath-
point, the embodied ghost enters Twilight and becomes in-
ful ghost of a spurned or betrayed lover. As the poets
corporeal like a ghost for (Composure or Resilience) turns.
guessed, the torments for such a being in the shadow
It remains visible in the material world as a blurred appari-
realm are often one hundred fold. The emotional nature
tion. Both intruders and basic revenants can be harmed as
of the Twilight’s metaphysics conspires with the ghost’s
ghosts by holy or enchanted weapons while dematerialized.
emotional force to create a perfect storm of total malice.
This Numen may be used to evade an attack that can’t
To make matters worse, it is not unheard of for mad or
harm beings in Twilight, provided the revenant perceives
desperately lonely Arisen to coax the company of past
the attack.
lovers who now walk the Twilight as disembodied spir-
its. Sometimes, the Arisen is just ignorant of what calling
spirits for thus entails, as well as what the repercussions
FLIGHT OF SHADOWS
While ghosts can walk through solid matter, they general-
of such a magical act may be. In other cases, the mummy
ly must move in a manner similar to the living. By spending
knows full and well what hellish possibilities await and
one Essence point per day (or five turns for revenants) on
meets them willingly, as a gesture of her devotion, and
this Numen, however, a ghost can hover or fly at its ground
amplified by a creeping madness brought on by the haz-
speed, out to the limits of its anchors. Its Corpus or animat-
ards of the Descent.
ing power blurs behind it in trailing wisps of darkness.
The restless and angry dead can pose serious headaches,
but they aren’t always the worst thing in the world for an
Arisen. Tomb robbers and punished cultists often meet a
HALLOWED PASSION
Prerequisite: Impassioned Soul. The ghost has devoted
grisly end at the hands of their undead masters within the
one of its Passions to a task given to it by one of the Arisen.
burial chamber. In addition to the mummy’s own curse,
It is no longer vulnerable to holy weapons, and whenever
the haunting of these wrathful ghosts is usually yet another
it takes an action in direct support of its assigned Passion
level of security between the foolish and the mummy’s
that requires a roll, the target number is reduced by -1. The
treasures. Sometimes, the haunting is vindictive—an an-
ghost cannot knowingly take actions that directly contra-
gry apparition that wanders the tomb, punishing intruders
dict this Passion, whether by choice or compelled by magic.
out of sheer spite. Other times, the haunting is the result
of a terrible event brought on by chance or by the victims IMPASSIONED SOUL
themselves, such as the activation of a trap within the Prerequisite: Untethered. Some ghosts are driven by
crypt or a cave-in. The worst instances involve those who a need to accomplish something, an obsession that tran-
were actively murdered, tortured, or sacrificed, either by scends attachment to people, things, or places. Accord-
the mummy or at her word. These ghosts are elementals of ingly, such an apparition lose its anchors, Morality, degen-
pain and malice, mindlessly thirsting for the destruction of

208 Faces of Undeath

eration-induced derangements, Virtues, Vice, and one dot hold more points of Essence than their permanent rating.
of Resilience (or Composure for Lucid Dead). Instead, the Unlike standard revenants, intruders also remain vulner-
ghost’s personality is wholly ruled and supernaturally fu- able to holy weapons and exorcisms.
eled by up to three Passions: clearly defined goals such as
“Avenge my death” or “Obey Imhotep.” LUCID DEAD
Whenever the ghost successfully takes any action that The ghost experiences a miraculous personal revela-
makes progress toward resolving a Passion (as per resolv- tion that restores some of her humanity. She loses her
ing an anchor; World of Darkness, p. 213), roll a variable basic ghost Attributes and regains the Attributes, Skills,
number of dice: one (related to goal), two (some progress), and Merits she possessed at her time of death. She likely
three (significant progress), four (nearing completion), or possesses the Untethered Numen. She can regain Morality
five (completed). Each success restores one point of Es- through good deeds like a mortal, but she cannot raise it
sence. Ten Willpower points can be cumulatively spent for by any other means. Ten cumulative points of Essence may
a ghost to form a new Passion after one resolves. be spent for her to form a new anchor from a valid target
The power and freedom of Passions comes at a price. in her immediate presence, to a maximum of (Morality +
The ghost gains 10 dots of permanent Essence and loses Composure) anchors.
one dot per week that passes without a Passion roll being The changes to a Lucid Dead ghost’s traits alter the dice
made for it (or per day for a revenant). Such losses are pools for manifestation (Presence + Wits, Presence rating
permanent, and the ghost fades into the great beyond upon determines detail of manifestation), resisting abjurations
reaching zero. Unlike with spirits, this trait only functions and exorcisms (Resolve + Composure), and using basic
to track the ghost’s dissolution. A ghost with Passions must Numina: Animal Control and Ghost Speech (Presence
pursue them relentlessly or burn out its existence. + Wits, max of Wits rating animals controlled); Clairvoy-
ance, Compulsion and Possession (Presence + Resolve);
INSPIRATION Ghost Sign, Magnetic Disruption and Telekinesis (Dexter-
Prerequisite: Impassioned Soul. Pay one Essence point, ity + Presence); Ghost Speech (Presence + Wits); Phan-
and roll (Power + Resistance) or (Presence + Resolve), tasm (Manipulation + Subterfuge); and Terrify (Presence
contested by the target’s (Composure + Resolve) or (Pow- + Intimidation).
er + Resistance). For each success remaining, the target Lucid Dead ghosts have enough personality to make
feels one of the ghost’s Passions for one turn. While af- playable characters. They gain and spend experience as
flicted with a Passion, one Willpower point must be paid mortals, but may also pay 15 experience points apiece for
for the target, or he acts to fulfill that Passion in the most additional Numina. Starting Lucid Dead characters follow
expedient and effective manner possible. If the victim sur- mortal character creation rules, adding three other Nu-
renders to the Passion, his actions receive a +2 bonus. mina and two anchors.

INTRUDER MADDENING
Prerequisite: Lucid Dead. The ghost can steal a dead Prerequisite: Terrify. Whenever the ghost’s manifesta-
body to inhabit as a Lifeless revenant, and she need not tion or undead revenant body scares mortals away using
have any special association with the corpse. She no longer the Terrify Numen, victims develop a derangement for
needs to manifest or use Numina to interact with the phys- one month chosen by the Storyteller (usually a phobia or
ical world, but is largely cut off from perceiving or interact- avoidance of ghosts). Further exposure during this time
ing with other ghosts. However, she can only enter with means their players must choose a severe derangement and
the assistance of external magic or specific conjunctions the duration resets.
of Fate. The intruder uses the victim’s Physical Attributes,
Size, Speed, species factor, appropriate Merits (e.g., Strik- OLD SOUL
ing Looks, Giant), and any other traits specifically associ- The ghost gains Age as a supernatural advantage trait
ated with the body. with one dot for each century that passed since its death
Intruders can’t heal their stolen flesh without Numina. (maximum Age 10). With Age 6 or higher, the ghost’s At-
If one’s body is destroyed, she is spiritually ejected with full tributes (and/or Skills if it has them) may be raised to a
Corpus and continues to exist as a ghost, but loses all her maximum of its Age. The ghost also gains additional ca-
Willpower and Essence from shock and pain and must wait pacity to hold Essence points equal to (10 + [Age x 2]).
for a new opportunity to take a body. These body snatch- Furthermore, whenever a dice pool is rolled for the appari-
ers gain Impassioned Soul, Siphon, Untethered, Will From tion to defensively contest a supernatural power, add a bo-
Power, and three other Numina for free as part of acquiring nus equal to the ghost’s Age (unless the dice pool already
this Numen, but they lose a dot of Wits. While an intrud- includes supernatural advantage). Time fogs the past and
er doesn’t risk Essence loss for not pursuing her Passions, fades human mores, however, so apply the ghost’s Age as a
her player must pay one Willpower point and one Essence penalty to rolls for the spirit to memorize or recall informa-
point each day at sunrise for the character or she loses one tion, or to resist degeneration. This penalty can explicitly
dot of permanent Essence. Moreover, these ghosts can’t reduce degeneration checks to a chance roll.

The Dead 209

 PHANTOM ARSENAL REVENANT
Through the expenditure of two Essence points per The ghost physically enters its own corpse or another
scene, the ghost can grow horrible claws or barbs or other corpse that is one of its anchors and becomes one of the
such weapons out of its Corpus or revenant body. Its “un- Lifeless. It gains one of the following Attribute dot modi-
armed” attacks gain a +1 bonus and inflict lethal damage, fications: (+1 Power and Resilience; –1 Finesse) or (+1
adding the “9-Again” rule to each strike. Ghosts with the Strength, Stamina, Presence, and Resolve; –1 Wits). It no
Telekinesis Numen can apply their Phantom Arsenal ben- longer needs to manifest or use Numina to interact with
efits when directly assaulting with psychic force. the physical world, but it is largely cut off from perceiving
or interacting with other ghosts. Its body is a mobile an-
PYROKINESIS chor allowing it to travel through the living world.
The ghost can start small fires within two yards, with its Revenants can’t heal without Numina. They can mimic
player spending two Essence points and rolling (Power + life to pass for human (heartbeat, regular breathing, etc.)
Finesse), applying manifestation modifiers. Success causes by spending two Essence points, unless their bodies were
a torch-sized flame with candle heat to flash into existence embalmed. In general, revenants cannot return back to be-
at the desired location. The supernatural fire may be any ing ghosts and endure only so long as their bodies do.
color and extinguishes itself after a turn; any secondary Revenants gain immunity to special harm from abjura-
fires started as a result burn normally. tions, exorcisms, and holy weapons. They also gain Will
From Power and three additional Numina for free as part of
REGENERATION their embodiment. Finally, they may also add Impassioned
One Essence point can be reflexively spent for the ghost Soul and Untethered for free as a package deal, and most
to heal one point of bashing damage to its Corpus or its do since ghosts willing to inhabit a corpse generally want
revenant body. Reflexively spending one Willpower per mobility. (More information on revenants can be found on
scene allows the same Essence expenditure to heal lethal pp. 33-39 of World of Darkness: Antagonists.)
or aggravated damage.

210 Faces of Undeath

SIPHON STOLEN PILLARS
The ghost can drain the psychic energy of other ghosts Prerequisites: Siphon, Lucid Dead. The ghost is treated
via a successful “skin-to-skin” touch. Roll the Numen user’s as one of the Lifeless and may use Siphon to attack cor-
(Power + Resistance) or (Intelligence + Presence) in a con- poreal targets while manifested. Whenever it feeds on a
tested roll against the target’s (Power + Resistance) or (Re- mummy, it can drain a specific type of Pillar in lieu of Will-
solve + Composure). Every remaining success transfers two power. Stolen points may give the ghost one dot of that
Essence points from the victim to the attacker. If the vic- Pillar (maximum ••), but these dots bleed off at the rate
tim runs out of Essence, each success drains one Willpower of one per week and don’t come with points (or a means
point and gives the attacking ghost two Essence points. to gain any).
If the ghost is in a position to touch a living being (such as Upon gaining any Pillar rating, the ghost may man-
a revenant attacking a mortal), draining away the last of the ifest soul Affinities just like a mummy, provided the
victim’s Willpower allows each success to inflict one point ghost meets the Pillar minimums. If the ghost’s stolen
of automatic lethal damage to restore two Essence points. Pillar rating drops below an Affinity’s minimum, that
power goes dormant until the ghost can again feed
SPECTRAL TOUGHNESS on one of the Arisen. The Storyteller should prohibit
The ghost doesn’t suffer wound penalties or risk falling ghosts from purchasing Affinities that don’t do any-
unconscious when its Corpus fills with bashing or lethal thing useful for them.
damage. It continues on in the face of injury until aggra-
vated damage destroys it completely. For a revenant, this TWILIGHT ABDUCTION
invulnerability also includes suffering bashing damage The ghost can attempt to drag victims within one yard
from bullets, but its last five points of aggravated damage into an incorporeal state, allowing it to freely interact with
remove one limb each and finally the creature’s head until the target where other mortals cannot see or help. Spend
it falls apart completely. three Essence points, and roll the ghost’s (Power + Fi-
nesse) or (Presence + Wits), applying manifestation loca-
SPIRIT PROWESS tion modifiers. The target resists with a roll of (Resolve +
Up to five points of Essence can be reflexively and cu- Composure + Sekhem). If the ghost wins, shadows drag
mulatively spent to augment the ghost’s Corpus (or reve- the mortal and his worn possessions through a sudden im-
nant body) for a scene. One dot per point may be added to ploding tear in space. In an instant, the rift closes, and the
any combination of the ghost’s Power, Finesse, Resilience, mortal enters Twilight for one hour per remaining success.
Strength, Dexterity, or Stamina. A reflexive expenditure He rematerializes more quietly, excepting his screams and
of one Willpower point reallocates the bonus among At- sobs. Should he die in Twilight, his body does not return;
tributes. Adding to Power or Finesse does not increase a he likely becomes a ghost.
ghost’s Defense.
UNTETHERED
STALKER The unusually intrepid ghost can travel beyond its an-
After an expenditure of five Essence points and one chors, though Willpower may be spent for it to snap back
Willpower point, the ghost can choose a person it has ob- to their relative safety or to recover Essence. While away
served and make her a new anchor, even if she isn’t present from its anchors, the ghost can’t heal by any means and
currently. The ghost can only gain one anchor this way at suffers one automatic point of aggravated damage each day
a time; reactivation resets the target. The target must be (unless it also has Impassioned Soul).
someone the ghost has demonstrated strong feelings for or
reasonably could develop such for (such as a girl meeting WILL FROM POWER
the victim profile of a dead serial killer). The ghost may spend three points of Essence reflexively
to regain one Willpower point.

211
 Chapter Six
vessel s of power
The blood of Isis, the charms of Isis, the power of Isis…they are a protection unto
me, and they crush that which I abhor.
— The Book of the Dead

The Arisen are not the only things to have been crafted them best. While ancient vestiges are most prized by the
and shaped by the ancient magic and occulted mysteries of Arisen, modern vestiges can sustain and comfort their
mighty Irem of the Pillars. Ancient relics and vestiges of the sahu just as well. In times of need, an Arisen can strip a
time before time are known to the Arisen as vessels. Vessels vestige of this pathos, to cannibalize it for the power re-
were objects of great power even during the time of Irem, quired to continue her toil. Vestiges resonate with the in-
shaped by the city’s guilds to contain, focus, and refine the ner being of a mummy, and her purpose draws her to them
Sekhem of that golden age. Many of those are today but a as an iron filing to a magnet. Most vestiges the Arisen will
shadow of themselves and a memory of a time never to come encounter will be modern objects, but the treasures and
again. While not all vessels take the shape of containers, debris of lost Irem will call to her like no other. Upon
they are called such because they all carry precious Sekhem seeing a treasure that may have survived from ancient
within. Unlike the Arisen themselves, vessels can never for- Irem, the Arisen’s first instinct will likely be to preserve
get the touch of Irem, and the whispered rumor of a vessel and to guard this reflection of her; to lay dead hands on
can fill a mummy’s dead heart with a sublime hunger. Ac- that which her own living hands may have once chanced
tive Arisen endeavor to recover as many of these strange upon. In darker, more desperate moments, the Arisen’s
artifacts as possible, especially those which form or purpose longing for a vestige may be cruder, born of a hunger for
bears a special connection to lost Irem or to the Arisen’s own the pure-form Sekhem contained within it.
guild. The connection between the Arisen and these vessels
of power is a powerful mystical bond that cults can use to
call upon their patron dead in times of need. VESSELS AND THE ARISEN
Consider chess.
RELICS
While all vessels contain dim memories of the past, a
It’s an elegant game, the rules are short and simple,
but the emergent strategies are mind-boggling. The ulti-
reward precious enough for the Arisen, some vessels are mate goal is not to capture the opposing king, but to bind
“supercharged” with distilled Sekhem and infused with him—a lovely, subtle refinement. The mightiest piece
strange magical powers. This type of vessel is known is the queen, capable of swooping across the board and
among the Arisen as a relic. Most often, these objects (with a few notable exceptions) usually able to destroy
were crafted by the guilds of Irem, or by those who copied anything that threatens her. She can be blockaded, but
their great art, but a rare few are the organic products of her power and versatility are unparalleled. This is doubly
a more long-term distillation of Sekhem. Just as many of true when the board is mostly clear. In the endgame, the
these relics are tied to the City of Pillars, they are also queen’s dominance is assured.
tied to the guilds that ruled that ancient city and brought Each player only gets one, however, and she has a huge,
forth the great magic that allowed for their making. Not fat target on her from the opening move.
all relics were birthed from great and golden Irem, but The Arisen are the queens of the Judges’ chess match-
the germ of their mortal crafting was born there. That es. The vessels? They’re the other pieces. Relics are bish-
knowledge wafted as a seed on the wind of time, planting ops and rooks, while vestiges are the pawns. They’re not
itself in the fertile soil of one great culture after another. as swift as the queen, but they’re essential to constructing
robust gambits. Besides, if a pawn advances to the back
row? It gets promoted to queen. In a pleasing synchrony,
VESTIGES
While these vessels do not contain the focused magical
vessels are what mortals use to summon the Arisen.
Mummies are the grand and flashy point men of the
power of relics, they are the touchstones upon which the Judges’ will for the world. They’re powerful assets, but
Arisen can moor their memory against the eternal tur- still pieces, not players. Sometimes—not always, but
bulence of time and fate. The raw Sekhem contained in sometimes—they’re sacrificed to protect another piece.
these vessels is the retained life force of those who valued Like a relic. Or the king.

Vessels and the Arisen 213

 his undead patron to arise and aid the cult in its time of
THETheAVARICIOUS URGE
Arisen are needful—especially of powerful ar-
need, usually at great length and possibly with some sort
of additional offering or sacrifice. If he’s fortunate enough
tifacts that can kill a man, or make him rich, or bring to have one of his patron’s relics, that object can be used
disaster upon a harvest. All relics belong to the Judges, for the summons over and over. The Call merely drains
but less in the way one would say “That’s my car” or even the relic of its power temporarily (see sidebar). Absent of
“That’s my home,” and more in the sense of “That’s my such personal connections, the Arisen can be called with
child.” Just as the Iremites believed that all nondomesti- an unfamiliar vessel, but doing so inexorably destroys
cated animals belonged to the gods and the Judges, so too that vessel; thus, unfamiliar relics are used only in dire
do they believe the same of all relics. As such, it follows emergencies. (Note that when a mummy’s personal item
that the Arisen would seek out and return such treasures is used for the Call, the summons is often accompanied by
to their original owners, whom they serve. a vision of her mortal days.)
Moving through the world, every object radiant with Most often, a Call is the kickoff for the chronicle and,
Sekhem reorders reality around it, taking from one direc- as such, should be completed automatically. (The story
tion and acting in another. While holding one gives mag- starts when the mummies arise and having that be any-
ic powers, it also strains the world, or the people, or the thing other than a lock is rarely anything but stupid.)
order of reality around it. This is their true curse—that When the mummy being summoned is a Storyteller char-
relics seem to renew their might destructively, unraveling acter, that’s another matter. In that case, the Storyteller
the order of life in ways that only the Arisen are readily may simply fiat that it succeeds (or fails). If the Storytell-
equipped to forestall. Although a mummy’s relationship
with a relic may be more complicated, all Arisen can de-
stroy relics for personal gain.
Often, relics work in tandem with vestiges—objects How Deep the Well
whose history endows them with a spiritual and/or emo-
tional resonance, but that have no other blatant mystic The question of just how often a cult will summon
effect. Vestiges on their own create minor feelings when its immortal patron is one that’s usually determined
held or examined, rarely anything more overwhelming by the answer to a different question: How often
than seeing a sunset over Paris or hearing one’s favorite can the cult call on its mummy? Because no matter
song on the radio. When in close proximity to a relic, how one drives home the narrative, the bottom line
however (say, within the same room), their influence may for cults (which are composed of human beings)
get more widespread. Relics have powerful, actual effects is usually the means.
on individuals. Vestiges have mild, emotional effects on If a cult has no relics from its mummy (a semi-
individuals. A vestige close to a relic can project emo- regular occurrence), it will have to sacrifice a
tional effects onto populations (see “The Lifeweb,” p. 80). vessel (of any type) each time it wishes to issue a
All the more reason, then, to restore them to their resurrection call. If it has one of its patron’s relics,
rightful place in Duat, where their proper masters can however (often a centering relic), the call only
decide where or how their power should be deployed—if drains the Sekhem temporarily. How long it takes
such meddling is to be countenanced at all. Upon return- for that relic to recharge—and thus, how frequently
ing to her rest with a vessel secured, the mummy takes a cult can call its mummy for free—is the bottom
the power of the item down to the afterworld with her, line in question.
permanently draining it of all its Sekhem (and, therefore,
its occult powers). As ever, this is the only truly safe way The baseline is seven weeks. Add to this the
to “disarm” a relic. result of two die rolls (2-20), also in weeks, and
subtract from the total one week for every dot of
the relic in question—giving a range of between
VESSELS AND THE RESURRECTION
Resurrecting a mummy from the sleep of ages is not
four and twenty six weeks. Since the Arisen can
be active for that long during a life cycle, this often
necessarily a complicated procedure. In fact, many hap- poses no great obstacle for a mummy and its cult
less thieves have accomplished it in perfect ignorance beyond it denying them use of their disempowered
and to their intense (but usually brief) regret. Unfortu- relic. A partially recharged vessel can’t be drained
nately, people who want something other than efficient to issue a call, but it can be sacrificed for one.
and immediate violence from a mummy need to take a Storytellers looking for a more threadbare view of
more nuanced approach than cracking a tomb and mov- Sekhem and resurrection can substitute “months”
ing stuff around. They need to make a resurrection Call. (or even “years,” in the case of the especially
To perform the Call, a sorcerer (or more commonly, a unforgiving) for “weeks.”
cult of believers) enters a tomb, bearing at least one vessel,
but more often, as many vessels as possible. He implores

214 Vessels of Power

er wants to roll it, a single officiant of the rite determines
the dice pool (often Presence + Occult) and must have AMULETS
at least one vessel at hand. However, every additional Amulets usually take the form of jewelry, but they can
vessel (past the first one) adds +1 to the power of the also be seals and other items. Whatever its form, an amu-
summons, as does every additional dot beyond the first, let usually instills knowledge or competencies in its wear-
in the case of a relic. (Sacrificing a relic for a resurrec- er. Most Skills and many Merits can be simulated by hav-
tion call is like ridding yourself of a roach problem by ing the right amulet. Its holder simply finds the necessary
demolishing your house, but there it is). Having at least knowledge (or reflexes) in his mind as if graven there by
10 other people to chant, wave censers of incense, and years of effort and study. Amulets that provide protective
the like adds +1 die as well. If the ritual officiant has 20 alerts (perhaps mimicking the Danger Sense Merit from
or more co-congregants, that bonus rises to +2. p. 108 of the World of Darkness rulebook) were particu-
While the resurrection Call is the first time a mummy larly popular. Pillar-activated powers can accomplish far
gets called back in the course of a story, it may not be more extraordinary feats.
the last. Mummies who die from aggravated damage at The Curse of the Engraved: The problem with a device
Sekhem 2+ will return… eventually. (As described in that can open one’s mind and put stuff in there is that it
Chapter Three of the Player’s Guide, that process can be may carry patterns one doesn’t want there. Amulets often
hastened by restoring the body to a rough semblance of its reshape their bearers. That is, if you take an amulet that
proper configuration, wrapping it up in linen, and putting teaches one how to move silently and unseen, it was proba-
it back in its tomb—an action usually requiring neither bly constructed from the soul-stuff of an executed criminal.
rolls nor vessels.) While using it, the idea of stealing may suddenly become
Note that since Calls encourage cults to put together far less distasteful, as the amulet nibbles away at the energy
as many vessels, of any type, as they can get, it’s possible one would expend resisting temptation (perhaps forcing
for them to activate vestiges without meaning to, or with- the holder’s player to spend Willpower for the character
out any idea that their efforts just might just be putting a to resist). Alternately, an amulet might feed on some other
subtle slant on the mood of the local citizenry. Skill or body of knowledge, disordering it to leach out its
meaning. (So, an amulet that gives a character +3 Brawl
might penalize him with –1 Subterfuge.)
THETheNATURE OF THE FIVE VESSELS
constructed relics of Irem and other cultures (and EFFIGIES
the vestiges, which usually arise from circumstance but An effigy is an image of a person, object, area, or class
are, on rare occasions, made with intent) are defined of thing. By manipulating the effigy, its user causes tar-
more by nature than by purpose. Tendencies exist (since geted change in whatever it is that’s depicted. The most
form follows function, after all), so amulets often impart well-known example would be the “voodoo doll.” It looks
knowledge or skill, alchemy often changes physical na- like a human and has some sort of parallelism installed, so
ture, effigies work as levers for changing form, texts re- that what you do symbolically to the doll happens in real-
configure positions or elements, and uter amplify traits ity to the target. Similarly, an effigy of a building might be
that are already present. shaken to inflict an earthquake on a real structure. Or a
As a guideline, if you look at a relic, those broad cate- map might be set in the sun to cause the land painted on
gories are what it’s likely to do. There are plenty of excep- it to become fertile. (Such a map might be a text instead
tions, however, and relying on the lazy idea that, “It’s not of an effigy though, depending on how it was made.)
an effigy, it can’t harm me” is an excellent way to get hurt. The Curse of Form: Effigies, more than any other ves-
In fact, a careless attitude toward any relic is a good sels, seem to have agendas. They pull their power out of
way to suffer, because they’re all cursed, as are a smaller their surroundings, and not in helpful ways. One might
fraction of vestiges. Ignorant people believe these objects suck positive emotional energy out of anyone within a
cause damage because their makers built in safeguards to few miles (giving negative modifiers on social rolls, or
keep them from being misused. Some of the Arisen even just stealing Willpower). Another might weaken the
believe that; and in some cases, it’s half-true. But it’s also barrier between the mortal and spirit realms, making a
like saying that a car is “cursed” because you have to put busy noontime street as easy to haunt as a graveyard at
gas in it to make it run. midnight. (See p. 210 of The World of Darkness for ex-
Magic is the energy of meaning, and energy doesn’t come amples of how this is handled.) Or a third might physi-
from nowhere. Most relics power themselves by draining cally weaken a class of matter, reducing the Durability of
the world around them, and the nature of their hunger or appropriate objects (World of Darkness, p. 135).
thirst varies. So long as a relic operates in the mortal realm,
you can probably bet that it is stealing something from the REGIA
world around it, or from the people using it. Built on bronze and gold as much as flesh and blood,
the Nameless Empire relied on superior materials to

Vessels and the Arisen 215

 dominate the Stone Age world. The few prehistoric have been known to force periodic Morality rolls (either
states that worked copper or panned gold from creek for the holder or for those around him), to penalize Mo-
beds could never match its sorcery-forged wealth. Ire- rality rolls that arise from bad behavior, or to force people
mite mining didn’t always use better technology, but the to pay Willpower to keep unearned derangements at bay.
Priests of Duat could will copper to meld with tin or turn
servants’ flesh to gold. Iremite alchemy was a wide-rang- UTER
ing, essential art. Relics of the shell are made from living things and de-
Alchemists also made medicinal compounds, unbreak- rive their power from the nature of their source. A scarab
able stone, and glittering jewels, all transformed from beetle preserved in liquid resin, a mummified hand, a fur
primitive precursors. Where matter was lacking, magic that came from a leopard the size of a minivan… all fine
could provide, so long as the magic was fueled with ap- examples of uter. (On the other hand, a leather strap with
propriate sacrifices to “charge” these mundane compon- mystic glyphs on it could be uter if the glyphs are evok-
ents. Once transformed, these materials went from foun- ing leathery traits, or it could be a text if the leather is
dries, quarries and apothecaries to lesser artists capable just what the words happened to be written on.) Typi-
of shaping raw materials into pastilles, sword blades, and cally, uter enhance qualities that are already present in
other effective forms. Ultimately mundane substances an object or person, but when they break from this rule,
such as bronze and gold required no further treatment, they shatter it.
but truly magical materials required a final rite to seal the The Curse of the Shell: Uter often prevent positive
Sekhem within them. change in their users. Metaphorically, they’re like corrupt
A regium’s powers are not defined by the symbolism of bureaucrats stealing energies (of whatever type) that,
its form, but the properties bound to its substance. Never- though intended for good ends, wind up only fattening
theless, this doesn’t limit regia to peculiar physical proper- the embezzlers. So a shell might prevent natural healing
ties. A regium jewel might possess a hypnotic beauty, and or impede the recovery of Willpower through sleep. It
a regium blade might be able to cut immaterial ghosts. might prevent the expenditure of experience on certain
The Curse of Alchemy: Alchemy tends to corrupt the traits, or it might simply “steal” one experience point per
physical. The few Arisen who’ve observed hard radia- chapter.
tion poisoning suspect that nuclear scientists are doing
something very much like alchemy. Using an alchemical
concoction might expose the user to a Toxicity rating SUNDERED VESSELS
What happens when a storage unit of mystical energy
(World of Darkness, pp. 180-181) as the magic fuels it-
self by turning the orderly energies of the life process into gets ruptured? Nothing good. Energy tends to move from
a drained and chaotic snarl. Or it might weaken metals an organized (or useful) state toward one that’s more en-
(reducing Durability like an effigy). Or it might simply tropic, dangerous, and chaotic. But sometimes, the alter-
leave an indelible stain on any surface exposed to it, with natives are far worse.
a peculiar color pattern making the object easy to track
and difficult to hide.
Guilds and Relics
TEXTS
Texts derive their power from the written word, wheth- Relics are hungry for power. Mummies come forth
er those words were painted on a scroll or carved into soaked with power and broadcast it throughout the
an obelisk. This makes them versatile, abstract, and as Descent, often wasting it pointlessly. These two
unpredictable for their targets as alchemy can be for its problems solve one another.
creators. Broadly, they tend to rearrange what is, rather Guilds specialize in one category of vessel apiece,
than giving things new traits (like amulets) or enhancing and the appropriate guild members can handle their
aspects already present (like uter). Obviously, that covers types of relics with no (or reduced) curse effects.
a lot of ground, which leads the scribes to consider texts Instead of letting the relic drain the world, the mummy
the most evolved form of magic. lets it drain Sekhem that would otherwise just bleed
The Curse of the Word: The abstract powers of texts away. For example, amulets can nourish themselves
tend to wreak havoc on an abstract level—specifically, on the energies radiating from the Maa-Kep, and
the minds of those nearby. One notorious text made peo- therefore don’t need to damage anything else.
ple ignore anyone who read it. That was a case of the
curse and the effect being the same, for while the agent This connection also allows the Arisen to seek
who used the scroll became impossible to catch, he also out similarly guild-aligned relics. (See “The Kepher’s
couldn’t communicate with anyone—even messages he Path,” p. 145.)
left were sucked from the minds of their readers by the
hunger of the scroll. He eventually killed himself, but not
before destroying the scroll. More commonly, text relics

216 Vessels of Power

 There are three ways to destroy a vessel, and who’s do- to Duat, and other cultures soon followed suit. Amulets’
ing the damage matters a lot more than how it gets done. ability to hold and transfer power makes them prized
Vessels can be drained by Arisen, pillaged by Amkhata, acquisitions. Some of the most notable amulets include
or broken by mortals (or other misfortunes, such as earth- the following.
quakes). They’re often tougher than equivalent objects
that boast no such Sekhem buffer, but they can still be THE TEFKET STELE (AMULET •)
destroyed, sometimes with relative ease. Durability 2, Size 4, Structure 6
A thousand years before the birth of Christ—mean-
DESTROYING RELICS ing, about 3,000 years after the last soldier pledged fe-
Arisen, being laced with the same kind of occult force, alty to Irem—Pharaonic Egypt was at its height. Dur-
are capable of draining vessels of Sekhem and using the ing that time, the New Kingdom (also known as the
life force for themselves. If a mummy chooses, she can Ramesside Period), this stele was carved. It resembles
cannibalize the Sekhem bound within a relic. If she’s in- a modern upright tombstone, being a plate of carved
terrupted in the middle of this blasphemous travesty of stone with a curved top. It depicts a husband and wife,
her duties, she might get a reset of her current Sekhem Tefket and Humach, seated at the right by an offering
level (see p. 154 for what that means), but the relic is stand. On the left, their daughter Tahui stands with a
now damaged beyond repair. If she drains the whole thing man named Ahmose, who may be either her husband
without interruption, she gains a number of Sekhem or her brother (perhaps both). Both men hold lotus
dots/levels equal to the relic’s rating, to a maximum of flowers, while Tahui pours a libation.
10. Of course, doing this is a terrible crime against her The black lacquer that originally covered this stone
purpose—forcing an immediate Descent Roll (at her new is almost all gone, but its function remains. Whoever
Sekhem rating[s]) for each dot gained—but it’s happened Tefket was, someone thought enough of her to preserve
more than once. Way more than once. some of her wisdom. (This may have been with her con-
Amkhata can also drain the Sekhem from relics. If one sent or against her will.) Her knowledge of her time’s
completes the process, each dot so drained is sufficient to version of Iremite magic lacks the depth and power the
give it a week of continuous materialization, as it seeks Arisen have by their nature, but it’s far from useless to
to carry its prized Sekhem off to its master (if it has one). them. For a mere mortal, of course, it’s a gateway to a
Finally, sometimes regular people will smash or burn a rel- wider, hidden world.
ic (often because they’ve noticed that it’s driving their family The 380-pound (170 kg) slab is on display at the
mad, or making them sick, or having some other entirely Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, and its
undesirable effect). When this happens, the energy inside occult properties are not unknown there. At least two
grounds and, as likely as not, creates a lesser Amkhat. dozen human researchers are aware of the aid it can
offer, though they’re usually circumspect about sharing
DESTROYING VESTIGES this knowledge for fear of sounding crazy. Moreover, at
Vestiges contain a lot less energy than relics, so drain- least a dozen entities that aren’t fully human are famil-
ing and breaking them is less dramatic. Again, it matters iar with its properties. They suspiciously share it and
less how they come to destruction than who (or what) is guard it from interlopers.
standing around to suck out the life force. If it’s a human Power: The player of anyone who pours a libation
being, there’s no effect. Mortals aren’t equipped to deal of wine or olive oil before the stone while invoking
with this (saving the occasional sorcerer, but those are Tefket’s advice gets a +1 bonus to all Occult rolls made
edge cases best left to the Storyteller). for that character for 24 hours. When dealing specifi-
If a mummy drains a vestige, she can recharge her Pil- cally with Egyptian mysticism from before the Com-
lars off it. As with relics, it takes one instant action per mon Era, this bonus rises to +2. Additionally, during
dot to drain completely, but in the case of vestiges, she this 24-hour period, the bearer can speak/read 12th-
drains the Sekhem as she goes, at one dot per action. The entury BCE Egyptian as if a native speaker.
act restores one point of any Pillar for every dot taken. If Curse: To fuel its knowledge, the imago of Tefket’s
she stops before the vestige loses all rating, it remains at learning leaches the sensation of experience from its
its new rating until again cannibalized. user. While no modern knowledge of slang, advertis-
If an Amkhat eats one, the creature gets a day of mate- ing, TV, or music is removed, the patina of famil-
rialization for each dot it drains from the vestige. It takes iarity is stripped from it, making it all seem alien
a turn per dot to drain a vestige completely, and its ener- and off-putting. Anyone benefitting from the Stele’s
gies can’t be hauled back to master. power has a –2 penalty applied to all Streetwise and
Socialize rolls his player makes for the character as
AMULETS OF NOTE
The engravers of the Maa-Kep produced many a won-
he blinks and stammers like an overwhelmed rube.
Maa-Kep, being able to insulate themselves, are im-
mune to this drawback.
drous talisman during Irem’s rise, first to power and later

Amulets of Note 217

 Curse: The physical virtuosity embodied in this item
THE OLYMPIC FROG (AMULET ••) was drawn from an elite competitor at the Olympic games
Durability 3, Size 1, Structure 4 (according to that Pakistani mummy), an athlete who
This small amulet is in the form of a frog. It’s made from lived at full speed, full power, all the time. It’s exhilarat-
dense, smooth stone covered in a thin layer of gold. At one ing to be able to truly put the hammer down with one’s
time, a pair of black pearls was set in its eye sockets, but body, but it comes at a cost. Any but Maa-Kep who use
one is missing. Although the inscription on its belly is in the Frog lose a Willpower point to activate it.
authentic hieroglyphics, an expert could point out a dozen
elements of design—proportions, technique, text style,
and workmanship choices—that show a Greek influence.
THE SUNDERED SEAL (AMULET •••)
Durability 2, Size 3, Structure 5
The provenance of the artifact appears to stretch back During the height of the West’s mania for Egyptian ar-
to around 150 BCE, probably originating in Alexandria. chaeology, quite a few ancient burial sites were unearthed
Last anyone saw of it, the Frog was in the guardianship of without ever making headlines. In 1920, one particular
a Maa-Kep Arisen entombed in Okāra, Pakistan. expedition—consisting largely of local Egyptian diggers,
Power: The item must touch its user’s skin to be in- but led by academic experts from Rhode Island—all but
voked, and if the contact is broken, its benefits (and curse) vanished into the swirling sands. A few of them did re-
cease. Once activated, the user develops a tremendously turn to civilization, in the company of a peculiar and
increased sense of proprioception (the sense of one’s body’s highly charismatic Egyptian, but none would identify
position in space). This sense is easy to overlook until one him—perhaps he was one of the Deathless, himself—and
suddenly gets a drastic increase of it, raising it to the levels none would say what happened to the rest of their ex-
of a top competitor in a finesse-based sport. It gives any pedition. As they traveled, they abandoned, lost, or sold
bearer’s player a +1 bonus to all Dexterity-based Skill rolls various trinkets of the dig, none of which seemed to have
made for the bearer; if a mummy uses it, her player can any real value.
spend a point in any Pillar to gain the further benefit of the Save one.
8-again rule on all such rolls. The effects of this boost last The Sundered Seal is a chunk of dull gray stone, rough-
for one scene, and afterward, the user will feel clumsy and ly the size of a small CRT monitor, clearly broken from a
disconnected at the return of his normal obliviousness to larger piece. Portions of a figure are embossed into the
his own body’s place in space. surface—a part of an arm and a bit of torso. While the

218 Vessels of Power

style of the art appears to be ancient Egyptian, it could merely a small oblong with a few ridges and declivities.
potentially come from half a dozen cultures of antiquity, Perhaps it once represented an owl? A fish? A gauntleted
or perhaps even from Irem, itself. hand? It’s impossible to tell now. Whatever it was, it al-
While three of the Seal’s edges are jagged, the fourth most certainly represented alertness and martial vigor.
is almost perfectly straight. Some who have examined (or The Amundsley Pebble got its name from Edwin
at least heard of) the relic suggest it was part of a bar- Amundsley, a minor officer in the Crimea’s storied 13th
rier meant to block ingress to a tomb or pyramid. Anyone Light Dragoons. He credited his “lucky pebble” with see-
familiar with its mystical abilities can attest that this is ing him safely through their infamous charge at the Battle
almost certainly the case. of Balaclava. Edwin’s son Arnold dismissed his father’s
Power: If the Sundered Seal is touched to a door, a tales as superstition, but his son (Arnold Amundsley II)
crate, or any other portal that includes a lock or a latch, had the Pebble with him when his plane was lost over
that portal locks itself in all available ways. Note, how- Germany in April of 1917, and after making it safely back
ever, that the Seal cannot be used to unlock doors, so the to France, had the Pebble embedded in a sturdy steel
consequences of careless use can range from embarrassing framework for safekeeping. (If this enclosure is still in use,
to deadly. This power does not require the expenditure of it adds a point to both Durability and Structure.) This
any resources, but merely a single instant action. pendant passed to his son, Arnold Amundsley III, who
Beyond this minor benefit, the true power of the Seal disappeared in Egypt in 1942. A tank commander, Arnold
comes into play only when it is placed within—or used as III was last seen in Cairo during that disorganized retreat
a piece in the construction of—a tomb. As soon as the from Rommel’s forces known as “the flap.” If he survived,
Seal is within the tomb, that tomb gains three extra dots it is unknown whether he kept his family’s legacy with
in Peril. This threat takes the form of an immaterial curse, him.
either establishing a new one or adding to the potency of Power: Anyone in possession of the Amundsley Peb-
a curse already in place. (The Peril rating still cannot rise ble gains access to the following Merits: Ambidextrous,
above 5.) Furthermore, the tomb also gains the Radiant Brawling Dodge, Fast Reflexes (••), Quick Draw, and
Endowment, aligned to the Ka Pillar. Weaponry Dodge, even if he lacks the Attributes or Skills
Curse: So long as she owns the Seal—and simply hav- that might normally be necessary for them. These Merits
ing it in one’s tomb automatically qualifies as owning persist for about 12 hours (or one chapter) after the amu-
it—the bearer becomes full-on paranoid about thieves. let is removed.
This holds true at all times, not merely when she’s actu- Curse: The alertness and paranoia that arise from the
ally in the tomb. If the owner finds herself in a position Amundsley Pebble incur a steep penalty on any who use
where she has even vague reason to suspect someone of it. First, they cannot get any benefit from meditation
thievery—she sees someone where he’s not supposed to (World of Darkness, p. 51), though Arisen bearers may
be, someone bumps into her in a crowd, someone seems still meditate upon their Memory to regain Pillars. Far
to have suddenly acquired a large amount of cash—her worse, while benefitting from its advantages, they cannot
player must roll a chance die. On a normal failure, she restore lost Willpower by sleep or by indulging in Vice.
must spend a Willpower point to avoid having the char- (Arisen who choose to burn Sekhem for Willpower can
acter immediately attack that individual, with full intent still do so, however, and Virtue can still restore Willpow-
to kill. On a 10, the player need not spend the Willpower er.) A Maa-Kep bearer suffers to a lesser degree: Her Vice
point to avoid having her character attack. On a 1, the still stops restoring Willpower, but she can still regain lost
player does not have the option of spending the Will- Willpower with rest.
power point; her character must attack. Mummies of the
Maa-Kep are never forced to attack—that is, a 1 is treated THE JACKAL’S HUNGER (AMULET •••••)
like any other failure—and they can choose not to attack Durability 2, Size 1, Structure 2
without an expenditure of Willpower, but only on a result With servants such as Sab-Setteru, the Shan’iatu had
of 8, 9, or 10. fewer enemies—nor did they need as many, for General
If the bearer actually witnesses someone unmistakably Sab-Setteru’s service could do an empire as much damage
committing theft, the cost to keep the character from at- as a barbarian uprising.
tacking is 3 Willpower points, or 1 if her player rolls a 10 In times of peace, it is said that Sab-Setteru was like a
on the chance die. (Maa-Kep must spend 2, or only 1 if beast in a cage; uneasy, bitter, and ready to take a piece
their players roll 8 or higher on the chance die.) out of anyone who came within range of his paws. But
given a war, ah! The man was a genius. He was, to chariot
THE AMUNDSLEY PEBBLE (AMULET ••••) warfare, what Mozart was to the string quartet. So, while
Durability 2, Size 1, Structure 3 the Shan’iatu couldn’t quite contain him, they couldn’t
This small stone was probably a shabti, once upon a quite give him up, either. For his battlefield efforts, and
time, but the 6,000-odd years since it was first crafted by for the fly-drawn carnage they wrought, the career soldier
one of Irem’s artisans have worn and blunted it until it’s earned himself the moniker “the Jackal of Empire.”

Amulets of Note 219

 That is, until the day he explained to the Shan’iatu
why he should join their august ranks, despite being of
dilute blood and magically illiterate. When they pointed
EFFIGIES OF NOTE
The masons of the Tef-Aabhi erected for the glory of
out these obvious disqualifications from becoming a Priest Irem the most wondrous monuments the world had ever
of Duat, he pointed out the massed army of spearmen and seen, from the Nameless Empire’s sublime marbled stat-
khopesh fighters that had Irem effectively strangled from ues to many of its renowned pillars. Indeed, it’s said that
within. After brief consideration, the Shan’iatu cut off his the last things to be swallowed by the sands were Irem’s
head and cast his body aside for the jackals. His blood, beautiful, glorious effigies. Among the more modest of
however, they used to color in the engravings of a lapis- such offerings include the following.
lazuli amulet, which retains the military genius that was
the best of Sab-Setteru. (There is some debate among the THE WHITE IBIS (EFFIGY •)
ill-informed over whether it’s the container or the blood Durability 2, Size 4, Structure 6
that carries the power—that is, whether this relic is amu- This stork-like sculpture, standing roughly four feet
let or uter.) in height and carved from solid sandstone, seems oddly
Unfortunately, that’s not all the relic bears. It’s al- named to those unfamiliar with its background. Only
most as if his ability to arrange the symphonic slaugh- mummies who retain memories of the Ibis from millennia
ter of soldiers in their thousands was inextricably linked past know that it was once coated in a brilliant, almost
to the personal urge toward rape and brutality that had gleaming whitewash and held a position of honor in the
been conveniently overlooked during his years of loyal courts of pharaohs of multiple Egyptian dynasties. Today,
service. it’s just another historical curiosity of worn rock, rough
Power: Anyone who holds the Hunger has access to edges, and a spiderweb of deep cracks. Fascinating for
the long-dead general’s military genius. Mostly, this effect students of history, perhaps, but not many others.
is going to be in the Storyteller’s hands, but just assume Those selfsame students of history, if they were to ex-
that if the amulet’s bearer is giving commands in any kind amine the Ibis more closely, might begin to understand
of tactical or strategic conflict, it can offset any five of that it is more than an ancient statue. As air blows
the following factors: being outnumbered 2-to-1; having across the sandstone, sifting dust from crevices, an ob-
troops who are barely trained; having limited weapons server might, just might, catch a whiff of something that
and supplies; heavy positional disadvantage; lack of food couldn’t possibly be: a peculiar meld of dried parchment
and medical services; or suffering from poor tactical in- and wet feathers.
telligence. If the fight is anywhere near equal, the bearer Power: As those familiar with Egyptian mythology will
wins unless there’s an absolute military genius on the have already guessed, the White Ibis was a holy icon to
other side, as well. the god Thoth. Invoking the power of the statue requires
Now, Sab-Setteru’s battles were always notoriously a full minute of prayer to Thoth; success is determined
bloody, so the relic doesn’t help if one is planning on tak- by an Intelligence + Occult roll, with the addition of an
ing uninjured prisoners, or if one is discriminating between extra bonus die due to the simplicity of the knowledge re-
enemies and noncombatants, or if one is a sentimentalist quired. Failure on this roll simply means that a character
who wants to minimize casualties among his own troops. is not part of this particular invocation. Up to six indi-
Sab-Setteru aimed for glory and struck true. He never, in viduals can participate in a given invocation of the Ibis.
life or death, exhibited a single drop of mercy. Additionally, the player of one (and only one) of the
On the level of individuals, if a bearer of the Hunger participants whose roll succeeded must spend a single
makes a plan involving a fight, the player of anyone fol- point of Ren.
lowing it gets +1 to all Skill rolls related to carrying it All participants in the invocation are briefly and very
out. If the bearer possesses Pillars, her player can spend a subtly linked. Choose one Mental Skill when the White
point of any Pillar reflexively to add an additional +2 to Ibis is first invoked. (If the participants disagree, the one
such a roll. She can do this for herself and for allies help- who spent the point of Ren decides.) For the duration of
ing to turn her character’s strategy into a real victory, but the scene, any time the player of any participant makes
only once per roll. a roll that involves that specific Mental Skill, she deter-
Curse: If one opts to bear the Hunger, one has a choice mines her dice pool as though her character had as many
to make: Either obey the mad urges of Sab-Setteru by dots in that Skill as the participant with the highest num-
committing a lengthy (and likely sexualized) murder, or ber of dots in that Skill. For instance, if a quartet of the
fight off the urge by sacrificing a Willpower dot. The bear- Deathless invoke the Ibis to share their Investigation, and
er must make this choice once per week of use. Members the four of them have Investigation 4, 3, 2, and 2, respec-
of the Maa-Kep have an easier time of it, being required tively, they would all roll Investigation checks as though
to only spend a Willpower point, though they still have they had four dots for the remainder of the scene.
to endure the constant obsession with blood, pain, and In addition, players of participants gain 9 again on checks
violent perversion. involving the invoked Mental Skill for the scene. (Players
of mummies of the Tef-Aabhi guild gain 8 again, instead.)

220 Vessels of Power

 Once invoked, the White Ibis must be exposed to at (or comparable motorized vehicle, such as a go-cart),
least one hour of natural starlight before its power can be the roll is unmodified. If it is another four-wheeled mo-
called upon again. tor vehicle—pickup, van, etc.—subtract one die from the
Curse: Once linked to the knowledge of others, how- pool. If it’s a motor vehicle with fewer or more than four
ever briefly, it’s difficult to readjust. For 24 hours after wheels—motorcycle, big rig, etc.—subtract two dice.
the scene in which the Ibis was invoked, all participants Curse: Nolan’s Lamborghini calls to certain spirits
lose confidence in their ability to make use of the chosen around it. It does not summon ghosts to an area in which
Skill by themselves. The first time the player of a par- there are none, but if ghosts are both present and hostile,
ticipant attempts a roll involving that Skill, if it occurs they are likely to choose the bearer over other targets. If
within the 24-hour period, she must spend a Willpower the ghost of a child attacks the bearer, any attack rolls
point to make the roll. Mummies of the Tef-Aabhi do not made for the ghost gain 9 again. The Tef-Aabhi suffer a
suffer this curse. lesser version of this curse: Only the ghosts of children
attack them in favor of other targets, and those ghosts do
NOLAN’S LAMBORGHINI (EFFIGY ••) not get the 9 again benefit.
Durability 1, Size 1, Structure 2
It’s a sad fact of life in the World of Darkness that those THE WOODEN PHARAOH (EFFIGY •••)
who suffer are frequently innocent of any wrongdoing. Durability 1, Size 2, Structure 3
Such was the case on a rainy night in Houston, Texas, This marionette would be an item of some mystery
in November of 1984. A clash involving a mummy, sev- even without the magics it contains. A worn wooden
eral of her cultists, and an immensely potent poltergeist figure, its blues and golds dulled by time, it bears only
resulted in the deaths of over a dozen bystanders. One, rotted, lingering threads to show where its strings were
a salesman by the name of Richard Sims, was crushed by once attached. The figure is clearly that of a stereotypi-
a pickup truck hurled by the raging spirit—and his grue- cal Egyptian sovereign, from headdress to squared beard
some death was witnessed by his son, Nolan, who was to the ankh-headed staff clutched in one carven hand.
outside playing with his favorite toy. The problem is that the figurine appears to come from
Nobody knows much about what happened to Nolan the earliest days of Italian Renaissance puppetry, in the
after that day, but the toy is another matter entirely. The 17th century—yet it appears to include cosmetic details
relic is a small model of a red Lamborghini Countach, of garb and jewelry that are unlikely to have been known
made of plastic and cheap diecast metal, badly battered, in the West until the 1800s.
scratched, and bent. (The model could once be manipu- Other than this seeming anachronism—which is not
lated so that it would turn into a toy robot, but the physi- so dramatic that it couldn’t be explained away—the Pha-
cal damage it’s taken—as well, perhaps, as the mystical raoh seems nothing more than an old remnant of times
alterations—now prevent it.) Unless one is already capa- past, scarcely of sufficient quality even for display in a
ble of sniffing out relics, nothing about the Lamborghini museum.
marks it as at all unusual. Indeed, it has changed hands Power: So long as the Wooden Pharaoh is in his posses-
via eBay or various toy conventions more than once. sion, its bearer gains the Inspiring Merit (World of Dark-
Power: Nolan’s Lamborghini can grant its wielder some ness, p. 115). In addition, he benefits from the 9 again
measure of control over vehicles that resemble the model rule on all Intimidation, Persuasion, and Socialize rolls
(see below). This ability only works, however, on vehicles made for him.
that are currently running and occupied. Activating this In any situation in which the bearer is interacting with
power requires that the bearer spend a point of Ba. His someone who has authority over him, his player may
player rolls Intelligence + Drive or Occult (his choice) spend up to four points of Ab and/or Ren, in any com-
against the vehicle’s driver. Subtract the driver’s Resolve + bination. He gains a number of bonus dice equal to the
Drive from the dice pool. If the attack succeeds, the bearer number of points spent on the next supernatural ability
gains control over the vehicle for the next turn. (On an or Social Skill he rolls against that individual. There is
exceptional success, he retains control for two full turns.) no limit to how often the bearer can use this ability in
Each turn, the bearer’s player may make additional rolls a given scene, so long as circumstances permit and the
in order for his character to retain control. These rolls do player is willing to keep paying the cost.
not require the expenditure of additional points of Ba so Whether someone has authority over a bearer can be
long as they continue to succeed. If the roll fails even once, quite situational. The high priest who raised a mummy
however, the player must then spend another point of Ba if bearer always qualifies, as does an employer, a political
his character wants to try to reestablish control. official of the territory in which the bearer is currently
This control works as though the bearer was driving operating, or anyone to whom he’s offered obedience. A
the vehicle. It does not allow him to make the vehicle do police officer, however, would only have authority if she
anything it could not normally do. caught the bearer committing a crime or pulled him over
If the target vehicle is a sports car, add an extra die for a traffic violation, but not if she happened to be eating
to the pool to gain control. If it’s any other sort of car in the same café.

Effigies of Note 221

 Players of Tef-Aabhi gain bonus dice equal to the
number of Pillar points they spend +1, though still to
a maximum of four. Thus, without any expenditure,
they gain one bonus die to supernatural power and So-
cial Skill rolls against someone with authority over their
characters. If they spend one point, they get two bonus
dice, and so on.
Curse: While the Pharaoh grants great power, it is
unforgiving to those who prove unable to wield it. If
the bearer’s player fails an Intimidation, Persuasion, or
Socialize check while the Pharaoh is in his character’s
possession, he loses one die from all dice pools used to
resist any Social Skill—or any magic power that grants
someone else control over the character’s actions—for
the duration of the scene. The Tef-Aabhi are, of course,
immune to this penalty.
If this failure occurred on a roll in which one actually
used the Pharaoh’s power, the player loses a number of
dice to such pools equal to 1 + the number of points spent
when activating the relic. Even when that scene is con-
cluded, he still loses one die from such pools for 24 hours
in-game. The Tef-Aabhi are not immune to these penalties,
but they do reduce both dice pool penalties by –1.

THE BLASPHEMOUS DEPICTION (EFFIGY ••••)

Durability 4, Size 1, Structure 5
The Final Judge, Arem-Abfu, is never depicted or repre-
sented. Its visage is so awful, the human mind breaks upon
the touch of it. To create a representation of Arem-Abfu is
an act of madness, beyond even its insulting impiety. Even
the Shuankhsen would blanch before such a deed.
It has only been done once.
The Blasphemous Depiction is about the size of a hu-
man hand and is forged from dense, heavy metal. One
report states that it was lovingly inlaid with citrine gems
and imported green jade, but it’s an unreliable document
at best. No one who has looked upon the Blasphemous
Depiction is ever trusted again.
It was created in a direct assault upon the Nameless Em-
pire from within, a betrayal from the very top. Its maker’s
name has been scraped from every monument, burned
from every text, blasted from every memory. Even the des-
ecrator’s gender is unknown, and all his or her servants
were killed to bury the story. No depiction remains.
And yet the wound was dealt, and the Empire’s rem-
nants still seek the weapon of betrayal—the Blasphemous
Depiction. It is now believed that, during the Iron Age,
it was in use in the sphagnum bogs of Northern Europe,
and that some of its progeny may still walk the Earth.
The inanimate “bog body” mummies believed to be sac-
rificed kings (such as Old Croghan Man and Clonycavan
Man) probably reflect ignorant rites conducted in power-
less imitation of the rites bestowed by the Blasphemous
Depiction.
Power: Anyone who holds the Depiction gets insight
into an earlier, primitive version of the Rite of Return. So

222 Vessels of Power

long as he’s in the presence of a ghost and a dead body, any way. This, however, is only a side effect of the relic’s
he can put one in the other and have it resurrected, con- true power.
scious and fully in control of itself. (The spirit does not Any time the bearer and another individual are both
have to be original to the corpse, either.) visible in the Mirror, the bearer can spend a point of
Individual Storytellers are welcome to modify this for Sheut to initiate a mystic transference of power. This
their particular needs: Perhaps the Blasphemous Depic- takes the form of an opposed action: The owner’s play-
tion is the source of a zombie plague, or is the ultimate er rolls Intelligence + Presence, opposed by the target
origin of vampirism. More simply, one can run Blasphe- player’s roll of Resolve + Composure. If the target is not
mous Depiction returnees largely as mortals. They have aware of the true nature of the Mirror, he loses one die
no special vulnerabilities or requirements or abilities. The from his pool.
exceptions are as follows: They never heal from aggra- Whoever has the lower roll loses a number of perma-
vated damage, filling up with lethal damage only renders nent Willpower dots equal to the difference in successes
them unconscious, and they can’t die from starvation, between his player’s roll and the winner’s. These dots can
thirst, age, or illness. They heal from bashing and lethal be regained if the losing character succeeds in killing the
injuries at the normal rate. winning one within sight of the Mirror; otherwise, they
Curse: To look upon Arem-Abfu’s naked visage is to can only be restored by increasing Resolve or Composure,
have one’s mental filters shredded. All humans live with- through experience points, or via magical means.
in a perceptual tunnel: One can choose to focus on one If the winner is a mummy, she immediately gains a
letter on this page, but one can’t focus on all of them at number of dots of Sekhem equal to the number of suc-
the same time, because the mortal mind can’t process that cesses garnered beyond her opponent’s tally. This is “true”
much information simultaneously. One who has looked Sekhem in every way; it can be burned, it slows the De-
upon the unveiled Blasphemous Depiction takes irrepa- scent, and so on. If the winner is not a mummy, he gains
rable damage to those filters. He loses his perspective and the difference in successes as Willpower points.
has serious problems determining what’s important, what Regardless of who wins or loses, neither of the two
needs to be dealt with, and what’s irrelevant. A sense of characters involved can activate the Mirror again for
proportion goes out the window. a full week (though they can still be targeted by it). A
The character permanently develops the derangements mummy needn’t own the Mirror to launch this attack;
Schizophrenia and Irrationality (World of Darkness, p. 99). she need merely know what it is. Thus, it’s possible for
The Tef-Aabhi, being more resistant to effigy curses, can fo- someone to use it against its owner, even if it’s technically
cus through it with effort. They are stricken with the Vocal- in his possession, if the mummy’s faster than he is.
ization derangement only (World of Darkness, p. 98). Curse: These are incredibly potent magics, and linking
souls at that level causes the lines to blur and personal
THE MIRROR OF BRASS IVY (EFFIGY •••••) identity to fade. Once the attack is resolved, the player
Durability 1 (mirror)/3 (frame), Size 4, Structure 5 (mirror)/ of whoever initiated the exchange must roll a chance die.
7 (frame) On a 10, the instigator suffers no ill effects. On an 8 or 9,
This relic is exactly what it sounds like: an oval mir- her player must make a degeneration check for the char-
ror, perhaps four feet high and almost three across, in a acter with two dice. On a failure, the character loses a
framework (and atop a stand) of brass shaped like wind- dot of Memory. On a roll of 1, she loses a number of dots
ing leaves of ivy. Not even the most knowledgeable of of Memory equal to the number of Sekhem dots gained.
the Deathless know precisely where it comes from. The Thus, the longer a mummy remains in the world via the
Mirror’s first known appearance was in the 1750s, in Mirror of Brass Ivy, the more potent she becomes, and the
Austria, but who crafted it—or why it possesses such po- less human she remains.
tent magics—remain a mystery. It has popped up in the Unlike with most effigies, the Tef-Aabhi gain no par-
hands of various mummies throughout the years, only to ticular benefit when dealing with the Mirror.
vanish once more. Where it appears, chaos follows, be-
cause few of the Deathless are willing to allow any other
mummy to possess it for long, lest they find themselves REGIA OF NOTE
After Irem vanished into the sands, Arisen alchemists
victimized by it.
Note that the magic of the Mirror is actually in the frame, transmitted distorted fragments of the old Art to stu-
not the glass. Thus, if the glass is destroyed, simply replacing dents—or had it tortured out of them by enemies. Thus,
it with a new mirrored surface, cut to fit the frame, restores the legend of Egyptian alchemy passed to other civili-
the relic to its full potency. Only by actually destroying the zations. Even without the final secrets, one mortal in a
frame can the relic potentially be eliminated. generation rediscovered effective alchemy. The Shan’iatu
Power: If the bearer can see someone else reflected clad armies in mystic bronze, but a mortal alchemist
in the Mirror, she can target any supernatural power or might produce one masterpiece in a lifetime. These items
attack at the subject as though looking at him directly. join the panoply of regia.
The attack will reflect without damaging the Mirror in

Effigies of Note 223

 tained heat at the melting point of bronze will eventually
PYROPUS (REGIUM • TO •••••) have an effect, but it can be used for short-lived applica-
Durability 3, Size 1-3, Structure 4-6 (based on Size) tions that expose it to higher temperatures. Four and five
Until the Shan’iatu came, Irem’s tribal metalworkers dot pyropus objects are Iremite; only the Priests of Duat
hammered cold copper into rude knives and ornaments. could make the metal that powerful.
The Priests of Duat gave them the secret of how to make A tool that’s more than half pyropus by weight adds
one metal from many, using sorcery-laced fire and burnt the metal’s dot rating to its equipment bonus. In the
offerings. The alchemist-smiths made bronze in an age case of weapons, add its dots to damage. For armor, add
of flaked stone, armoring the Nameless Empire’s match- it to the armor bonus. (Pyropus may not be forged into
less legions. But ordinary bronze was the lowest grade of modern, bulletproof armor.) The pyropus must be built
“fire metal.” The Shan’iatu clad their elite in the gold- into a tool’s working components; a case or scabbard
bronze alloy Roman alchemists called pyropus. Over the isn’t enough. This advantage only belongs to mechanical
centuries, alchemists have replicated lesser forms of the devices, including those with chemically driven moving
metal, but the finest examples were made in the shadow parts, but nothing that requires electricity to function.
of Irem’s columns. This advantage can be used by anyone, mortal or not, so
Blood, gold, and magic mark the differences between long as the pyropus has been crafted into a tool. (Using
pyropus and ordinary bronze. Irem produced it in relatively an unworked bar as a hammer or lever doesn’t provide an
large amounts, but never as much as mundane bronze. enhanced bonus.)
When scholars in later ages learned its secret, many re- Arisen and other beings capable of channeling their
fused to create it, as it demands a price in gold and hu- souls may unlock the blood within the metal. Made of
man sacrifice. Pyropus requires a 20th of its weight to come stolen life, pyropus provides extra vitality to those able
from gold, and it must be bathed in about a pint of blood to bond it to themselves. By spending one Pillar point of
per pound. Arisen believe that its strange shine comes from any type per day, the Arisen’s player may add the vessel’s
the movement of still-living blood preserved in the metal. dot rating to her character’s total Health points. These
The Priests of Duat stabilized pyropus with their rites; oc- Health points are always the first to go in the event of
cult geniuses did their best to reproduce them, but never injury. Each point lost to aggravated damage reduces the
achieved the same degree of skill. The Shan’iatu had the vessel’s rating by a dot. If the vessel’s rating drops to
benefit of a disposable population to master their craft: an 0 dots, it turns into ordinary bronze. The Arisen must
unlimited number of throats to cut for the sake of creating carry the pyropus object (or ingot) on her person. She
a superior metal. Some Shuankhsen remember being killed cannot benefit from more than five dots of pyropus at
for the forges of Irem and take great pleasure in reclaiming any given time; if she carries more, it provides no further
blades crafted from their own blood. Health points.
Unlike ordinary bronze, pyropus requires an infusion of Each pyropus vessel possesses a Size rating of 1 to 3.
Sekhem to survive the forge, but it can be melted and re- Larger chunks of the metal exist, but these are extremely
forged as many times as its owners desire. Thus, pyropus rare and, in any event, count as multiple vessels.
takes many forms. Discerning occultists prefer ingots; they’re Curse: Pyropus still attracts the blood from which it
less likely to carry the taint of some prior purpose, like the was made. When someone using a pyropus tool or carry-
curse of a bloodthirsty weapon. Unfortunately, as the metal ing an ingot suffers lethal or aggravated damage for the
is eternally malleable, it’s impossible to know whether or not first time during a scene, roll that individual’s Stamina
any mass of pyropus used to be something else. + Sekhem. Failure causes the wound to bleed profusely.
Even in ancient such breastplates, kopeshes, and figur- The victim loses a point of lethal damage to blood loss
ines, pyropus never greens with age. It shines like blood for a number of turns equal to the vessel’s rating. Blood
reflected in polished gold. The odd, rippling hue never flows from the wound to the pyropus. The metal absorbs
exactly conforms to surrounding light sources. That sub- it and, for a time, takes on an especially reddish hue. For-
consciously unsettles most people, but it still doesn’t re- tunately, this curse only applies to the first such wound
veal itself in any type of scientific analysis. Its exceptional suffered during a scene—treat subsequent injuries nor-
qualities contradict scientific tests that reveal nothing mally. Mesen-Nebu never suffer more than one point of
more than an archaic bronze alloy. damage by day from using or carrying pyropus; that bit of
Most collectors believe these relics are merely well- blood tuned to the guild’s energies is enough to feed the
preserved bronze artifacts. They value them, but usually arcane metal from sunrise to sunset.
keep them in storage because observers find them unset-
tling. Aware of their value, knowledgeable occultists keep
pyropus weapons and tools close by. The magic is in the
MINOR DJED (REGIUM ••)
Durability special (unbreakable), Size 3-10, Structure
metal, not its shape, so it is not unusual to see modern special (unbreakable)
devices such as wrenches and pistols made of it. Irem was a city of sacred pillars, each a representation
Power: Pyropus never tarnishes. It’s strong as steel and of the spine of Azar: parts of a grand spell, but made of in-
can temporarily sustain as much heat before melting. Sus- dividual magic as well. The great spines—the djed—van-

224 Vessels of Power

ished with the city, but lesser examples remain. Some hail committed a Morality 1 sin. If the ghost’s player fails
from the Nameless Empire, but many are later copies. both the check to resist degeneration and the check
An Iremite minor djed is a crowned, fluted basalt to avoid a derangement, its ephemeral form mutates,
pillar. Flecks of dye cling to it: remnants of colors that and it gains an additional point in Power, Finesse, or
symbolize the parts of the soul. Later copies take the Resistance. Make an additional check for the next
shape of columns made from a variety of materials. game chapter (or day), week, month, and finally, an-
They range in size from two to a dozen feet in height. nually. After four failed checks in a row, the ghost also
The sorcerer-priests of Irem constantly experimented gains one additional Numen—often a power that emu-
with their magical arts and took great care to perfect lates an Affinity or Utterance. Thus, ghosts trapped
every column of their home. Should any column fall, in places reinforced by a minor djed gradually become
the great occult diagram of the city would fail. powerful, utterly inhuman monsters. f an alchemist
Thus, the Shan’iatu made prototypes of each pillar: sets a minor djed in place, ghosts will not degenerate
scale models containing a fraction of the final product’s or change until the alchemist’s Sekhem wastes away. If
strength. They tested them with blades, fire, and spells an alchemist resides in a structure protected by one, it
to simulate the unimaginable forces of Duat. They puts the curse “on hold” until he goes elsewhere.
called upon alchemists to perfect the stone against
these powers. If the models held true, the Priests of THE MASR GRAIL (REGIUM •••)
Duat would apply their magic to a new pillar. After Durability 2, Size 1, Structure 3
that, they ordered their alchemists to destroy the mod- One of the most famous alchemical vessels, the Masr
els, but the alchemists often kept these minor djed for Grail has traveled farther than any other, passing from
themselves as monuments to their skill. collector to mystic to Arisen…then to be stolen and
After Irem fell, the minor djed fell into the hands exchanged again. There are hundreds of candidates for
of kings, craftsmen, and scholars. Most of them were the Holy Grail—the cup Jesus supposedly drank from at
regarded as ordinary treasures and curios. A few mys- the Last Supper—but few possess a legitimate historical
tics discovered their true power and managed to repro- pedigree. The Masr Grail is one of a handful that not only
duce them, but they never understood their purpose. possesses a credible history, but true power.
Instead, minor djed were used to strengthen fortress The Masr Grail first surfaced in Old Cairo under the
chambers and protect tombs from invisible threats. protection of a group of Coptic occultists. Coptics aver
The last minor djed were built before the burning of that Yeshua ben Yosef and his family settled in what is now
the Serapeum: the last collection from the library of Old Cairo, where he impressed local mystics with miracles
Alexandria. Most Arisen believe that the secret van- and precocious wisdom. The secret society that discov-
ished its ancient texts. ered the cup believed it was made by local sages to honor
Modern scholars believe minor djed to be crafts- the young Messiah, and that he kept it as an adult until
men’s models or aristocrats’ toys. Occultists seek them the Last Supper. After that, it traveled to Alexandria with
out to help them deal with ghosts and other spirits, as Joseph of Arimathea. Joseph followed a Phoenician trade
it is possible to use the djed to trap such beings, or bar route to Europe, but the Grail passed into the stewardship
to them from a ritual chamber. of local Christians, who returned it to its “true home.”
Power: Minor djed are indestructible to ordinary Thus, it is named the Masr Grail after an old (but still
forces, and remain solid against spiritual beings such as used) name for Egypt as a whole.
ghosts and astral bodies (beings said to exist in a state Arisen have identified the Masr Grail as an Iremite
of “Twilight”), as well as entities passing through spirit vessel, perhaps one used by a Priest of Duat to prevent
worlds that lay parallel to the physical. When activat- poisoning and supervise inferiors. They cannot deny the
ed with a point from any Pillar, a minor djed extends possibility that it might be the true Holy Grail, but they
this benefit to any immobile object of up to Size 20, generally don’t believe that association gave it any spe-
such as a small cottage or a large vault. The effects last cial powers. Nevertheless, its pedigree has saved it from
for a scene or an hour, depending on how the Story- sacrifice to the Judges. Mummies who pretend to be
teller wishes to measure time. This benefit vanishes if Christians used it to rule their cults. Educated thieves
anything moves the object, or against a magical source steal it as soon as they know where it is, as it has in-
of aggravated damage. estimable value to religious orders, occultists, and col-
Curse: Although a minor djed can protect users from lectors alike.
ghosts by erecting barriers they cannot traverse, it also al- The Masr Grail’s history makes it a nexus for occult con-
ters ghosts who linger around them. Drawn from the deep- spiracies, religious orders, and antiquities thieves around
est chasms of Duat, a minor djed’s power is alien to living the world. While it possesses significant power, its back-
patterns. Once exposed to them, ghosts develop bizarre de- ground drives most of the activity around it. This makes it
formities: jagged talons, whip-tendrils, and compound eyes. an excellent way to introduce antagonist groups, visiting
After a scene (or hour) in close proximity to a minor Arisen, and other story elements from beyond what the
djed, roll a degeneration check for a ghost as if it had players’ Arisen have experienced before.

Regia of Note 225

 The vessel is a battered copper Egyptian wine cup for a day, and allows the mummy (or other supernatural
with a gold band encircling the center. The copper is being) to sense another drinker’s location and emotion-
almost completely free of tarnish; the gold band is a bit al state. Furthermore, she may use supernatural powers
loose and battered, but still impossible to pull from the upon the bonded subject as if he was in her line of sight.
cup. The basic design of the cup is one that has been Curse: The Grail’s sympathetic bond works both
used by Egyptian for thousands of years, so it’s difficult ways. Other supernatural beings may use the connec-
to date on that basis, but it’s of a type that might have tion to use their powers on the owner as if she was in
been given as a gift during the period that Mary and Jo- their line of sight, so long as they are capable of under-
seph took the young Jesus to Egypt. The surface of the standing these supernatural bonds. (This normally re-
cup is covered with indecipherable scratches—a kind of quires an Occult Skill of 3 or better, or possession of a
occult graffiti that looks vaguely like Iremite Egyptian supernatural template.) Furthermore, the last person to
to anyone who recognizes that lost language, but modi- hold the cup always maintains a connection, even if it
fied using some kind of lost personal cipher. has passed out of her possession. The next owner may
Power: The Masr Grail removes all poisons and patho- invoke that connection by sipping from the cup him-
gens from any liquid poured into it. If it’s filled with an self. Thus, anyone who uses the Masr Grail is loath to
inherently toxic substance, that converts into thick red ever let it leave her presence. Those Born of Gold may
wine. Once consumed, the beverage provides refresh- cleanse the grail of sympathetic bonds with a reflexive
ment and a sense of optimism born of contact with some act of will, though they may choose not to.
unknown, sacred power. The drinker heals all bashing
damage and, once per game chapter (session), recovers a ACHERUSIAN WINE (REGIUM ••••)
point of Willpower. These benefits may be enjoyed by any Durability 0 (liquid), Size 1, Structure N/A (liquid)
mortal, but not by undead such as the Arisen. While many potions have vanished from the world,
A mummy or soul-channeling sorcerer may activate a the substance called Acherusian Wine has not—it can
second power. By drinking a sip of wine from the Grail be recycled from the bodies of drinkers. Its name is inac-
and passing it to others, this supernatural being may forge curate, drawn from later legends, as the potion actually
a sympathetic bond with the other drinkers at a cost of dates back to the Nameless Empire, where it was first re-
one Pillar point (any type) per drinker. The bond lasts fined from the dead through the intercession of the arch-

226 Vessels of Power

demon Shezmu. He allowed the righteous to pass through Curse: Acherusian Wine can be found in bottles and
the Gates of the Underworld, but crushed the unworthy more often, people. After it’s consumed, it collects in inter-
beneath his feet. Iremites and later Egyptians called him nal organs long after its effects wear off. None of it sweats,
the “god of the wine press” because he made the liquefied bleeds, or pisses out of the drinker. To reclaim it, an enter-
remnants of evil souls into refreshment for the gods. prising, ruthless individual must squeeze and sift through
The Shan’iatu sent hundreds of souls to Duat with the drinker’s remains; the substance flows from ground
brands marking them as “unrighteous.” The spirits up flesh and eventually pools together. Kepher detects a
of enemy soldiers, traitors, and rebels all fell beneath drinker as if he was a living regium—and if killed first, he
Shezmu’s clawed feet. Priests of Duat then directed al- can be sacrificed for Sekhem like one, too, without being
chemists to prepare amphorae of blood-laced wine to ground to pieces. It is rumored that Shuankhsen might be
receive Shezmu’s bounty. The Priests of Duat gave the able to consume it by eating the containing body whole,
Wine to elite warriors, emissaries, and other operatives. but Arisen lack their special capacity to devour, and must
These then drew upon the knowledge stored in liquid crush it as Shezmu does. When cults use Acherusian Wine,
souls. Once they returned, the sorcerer-priests and they often dose their holy sacrifice with it at an early age.
their alchemists recycled the Wine by crushing their Arisen may thus be forced to kill innocents to claim this
servants or beneath granite slabs. regium. Only Mesen-Nebu may expel Acherusian Wine
After Irem vanished, Acherusian Wine passed from from their bodies at will, like sweat, blood or liquid vomit,
person to person, entering Greek chthonic cult lore. and only they may absorb it by touching its current “ves-
It eventually inspired secret societies that sacrifice sel’s” bare flesh for a turn. Instead of mangling the vessel,
“anointed ones” and “winter kings” from one genera- the experience inflicts one point of aggravated damage.
tion to the next. Sometimes, Acherusian Wine has van-
ished from these traditions, but Arisen search through THE EYE OF WEPAUWET (REGIUM •••••)
them still, for the Wine in drinkers’ blood. Durability 5, Size 1, Structure 6
Acherusian Wine is a deep purple, oily substance Although it appears in numerous legendary battles,
that’s a little thicker than unmixed wine. Unidentified, descriptions of lost regalia, and even rumours of jewel
fleshy particles float in it, dissolving when anyone at- heists, sources don’t agree on what sort of gem the Eye
tempts to sieve or pluck them out and reforming after of Wepauwet actually is. All the stories have in com-
a few minutes. It tastes like a mix of wine and blood mon is that the Eye is a fist-sized stone that captivates
because that’s essentially what it is. onlookers with its beauty—and attracts the protection
Power: Arisen (and certain other beings) may activate of gangsters, soldiers, and armed fanatics.
Acherusian Wine after it has been consumed. If they wish This Iremite weapon was used to conquer enemies
to rouse its powers in another person, they must establish in two ways. A product of the highest alchemy, it dis-
flesh to flesh physical contact. Both of these are instant tilled the essence of violent rule. On the field, it inspired
actions requiring a moment’s concentration. elite warriors to fight with uncompromising ferocity.
Acherusian Wine contains four points in one specific Shan’iatu generals would also cross enemy lines with a
Pillar, but no dots in it. The type of points depends on the few retainers, carrying the Eye of Wepauwet into foreign
Wine’s “vintage,” determined by the crushed soul that camps. Once revealed, it enslaved their commanders.
made it. If the drinker or someone touching him possesses The Eye was never meant to survive the sinking of
dots in the matching Pillar, he may refresh spent points by Irem; it was lost during a final revolt against the Priests
drawing them from this extra pool. If both the drinker and of Duat. When a small group of scholars realized the
someone in contact with him possess matching Pillars, Shan’iatu’s plans for the Empire, they stole the Eye to
the drinker decides what happens to these Pillar points. improve the chances of a successful rebellion. The up-
Arisen and other Pillar users may spend a point from rising failed, but the Eye was taken out of Irem, where
any of their Pillars to activate memories in the Wine. it passed from one warlord to the next. Shuankhsen
The drinker gains four dots divided among one or more venerate the gem as a symbol of resistance. They’re es-
Skills, depending on the Wine’s “vintage,” including pecially interested in recovering it, but their short lives
the experiences of past drinkers, as each adds a whisper ensure that, as of yet, none have been able to use its
of her soul to the substance. The effects last for one powers in any particularly daring fashion.
scene or hour, and they stack with existing Skill dots. A gemstone expert would identify the Eye of We-
They might boost ability to superhuman levels. pauwet as a huge ruby or sapphire (both are types of
If all the Pillar points contained in Acherusian Wine are corundum) cut into a smooth orb. The jeweler would
consumed, the substance no longer grants any supernatural be intrigued at the gem’s ability to change color. Mortal
effects. It must be harvested from the drinker and given to eyes never see the shift, and it usually happens after
someone else. Note that Acherusian Wine may not be dis- someone looks away for an extended period of time.
solved for Sekhem in its ingested state, but neither can its The Arisen see many colors in the stone, spinning and
other powers be used when it sits outside the drinker’s body. clashing like bands of smoke.

Regia of Note 227

 The Eye has been set into crowns, pectorals, sceptres, one, at best. Some of the most (in)famous of Sekhem-imbued
and other types of regalia. In the modern age, it often texts include the following manifestations of the cosmic Word.
changes hands by itself; thieves earn more selling the
setting separately, so they replace the great gem with a THE GURUWARI RECORD (TEXT •)
cheaper stone. Occultists track these objects to help them Durability 3, Size 1, Structure 3
find the Eye itself. The surest sign this vessel is close is the The six two-inch-thick, basalt-and-meteoric-iron discs
presence of mortals willing to die to protect its owner. collectively referred to as the Guruwari Record form a
The Eye of Wepauwet now finds its way into the hands sphere when placed next to one another, with the two
of mobsters, dictators, and megalomaniacs. They sense largest center discs being 15 inches in diameter. They
its potential but lack the ability to harness it. A sorcerer are illustrated in the style of ancient Australia, depict-
or Shuankhsen might offer to activate the Eye for one. ing a spiraling pattern formed out of the stylized images
Whether this operator continues to serve or seizes the of crocodiles and snakes. Despite the traditional designs
reins of command doesn’t change the fact that the Eye’s that dominate the discs, if one looks closely, one notices
slaves serve the user, not her “master.” a fine relief that covers each disc, a mass of cyclopean
Power: The Eye of Wepauwet grants its user 10 dots glyphs barely detectable beneath the busy ochre patterns.
in the Retainer Merit (World of Darkness, p. 116). By These discs are ludicrously heavy and cannot be readily
displaying the Eye and spending a point in any Pillar, she carried by a normal human being.
may assign some of these dots to an intelligent being she Any art historian can take one look at the Guruwari
sees. Roll the user’s Presence + Socialize + Sekhem – the Record and discern that it is most certainly a fine example
victim’s Resolve (a supernatural beings also subtracts his of Australian indigenous folk art, dating back thousands
core supernatural power trait, such as a vampire’s Blood of years to when hunter-gatherers were still exploring
Potency). If the roll succeeds, the victim becomes the their world. Albeit a charming premise, the reality of the
user’s retainer for the scene or hour. discs is one of other worlds, for the discs and their mark-
Assigned Retainer dots indicate the tasks and general ings have remained unchanged since Australian shep-
degree of creativity the victim employs on his master’s be- herds first found the steaming sphere—already split into
half. For example, enslaving a sorcerer by investing only six slices, each covered in strange rings of a language that
two dots of Retainer ensures the victim will carry out the had not been written since the days of lost Irem.
same tasks as an unskilled person, but won’t use his magic Although the practical use for which the discs were
or esoteric knowledge. The Arisen cannot inspire per- originally prepared or formed remains as much a mystery
formance beyond a slave’s abilities, and her player might to the Arisen as anyone, the discs have proven to be ex-
misjudge how many dots to assign. tremely useful, for when placed together in a ring, the six
If the Eye’s master spends double the usual dots, her ser- discs allow the controller to see into the Twilight and to
vant will carry out tasks without regard for his safety or mor- witness the supernatural wonders that reside Power: The
al code. The user may also assign dots to existing retainers, bearer’s player spends a Willpower and makes a Wits +
spending extra dots from the Eye equal to the servants’ cur- Occult roll (add +2 to the roll for Sesha-Hebsu). If the
rent Retainer dots in order to ensure complete obedience. roll succeeds, the character can now perceive creatures
Curse: The Eye was made for warriors. Its servants feel who dwell in Twilight (mainly ghosts and other spirits).
uneasy without the prospect of a battle. Unless they’re Accessing the power requires at least the two central
under orders to commit acts of violence, they experi- pieces, and the effect lasts for the scene.
ence a variant of the Irrationality derangement (World Curse: When used, the Record becomes as the only
of Darkness, p. 99). Unlike the standard derangement, flame in the midst of Twilight’s endless darkness. When
victims are not only capable of initiating violence during one accesses the power, the relic is immediately noticeable
an episode, but usually resort to it to cope with stress and to any supernatural creature within 100 yards of the discs
uncertainty. If madness strikes, Eye-bound servants may whose player succeeds at a Wits + Investigation check.
even turn on their master, ignoring commands until they When one of the Sesha-Hebsu uses this relic, its “flame”
experience some type of violent catharsis. Wise masters is dimmed—it’s noticeable only to ghosts (or other once-
of the Eye feed their retainers a steady diet of mayhem mortal dwellers in Twilight), and even then, only to those
to keep them focused and pliant. Alchemists’ Eye-bound within a radius of 20 yards.
Retainers must likewise suffer this madness, but will never
turn on her or anyone she designates as an ally. THE SCROLL OF THE FORGOTTEN (TEXT ••)
Durability 1, Size 0, Structure 1
TEXTS OF NOTE
Some of the most renowned relics in history were scrolls,
The Scroll of the Forgotten is a simple leather scroll ap-
proximately three feet in length. The language etched
upon its surface is written in the English alphabet but
books, tablets, or other collections of inscriptions. Along with does not depict a single actual English word. It is, effec-
amulets, texts are among the vessels most readily accessible to tively, nonsense but may be articulated easily enough.
non-mummies, but their curses make this distinction a dubious The edges appear to be severely water damaged.

228 Vessels of Power

 The Scroll of the Forgotten was created sometime within in possession of The Scroll of the Forgotten spends Will-
the last 100 years. At best guess, the work came out of the power for the bearer, he suffers a severe form of the Fugue
early 20th century occult revival, drawing on both cer- derangement. This effect lasts a single scene, regardless
emonial magical formula as well as some strange personal of how much Willpower the bearer spends. The scribes of
style of sorcery based on nonsensical vibratory chanting. the Sesha-Hebsu are immune to this effect.
Based on the Scroll’s special ability—the ability to render
its user forgotten—it is suggested that the item was cre- THE LIAO SUTRA (TEXT •••)
ated to escape the repercussions of a terrible transgres- Durability 2, Size 0, Structure 1
sion during an extradimensional ceremony. Pressed between two black lacquered boards upon
The great drawback of this text is that its power even- which absolutely nothing is written or carved, each of the
tually begins to effect its user, bringing on bouts of severe 11 parchment pages of the Liao Sutra are adorned in per-
amnesia during times of stress. fect classical Chinese calligraphy, with the glaring excep-
Power: While controlling the Scroll, the bearer is able tion of the central pictograph of each page. In addition
to spontaneously vanish from the minds of others. The to the writing, small brush paintings depict the progress
bearer’s player rolls Wits + Stealth (Sesha-Hebsu add of a bearded hermit on some variety of spiritual pilgrim-
+2). Upon a success, the character vanishes from the age. The story progresses uneventfully until pages 10 and
thoughts and memories of those around him, but if he 11. At that point, things take a turn for the horrific as
remains in their immediate vicinity without hiding or es- the hermit becomes something else: the 10th page depicts
tablishing a new identity, he’ll return to their awareness the grotesque transformation, and the surface of the final
at the end of the following turn. On an exceptional suc- sheet appears consumed by a massive, swirling monstros-
cess, he is effectively invisible to those present for the ity which has now replaced the hermit.
power’s scene-long activation period. With a failure, the The Liao Sutra is a magical document created by a
Scroll has no effect. If the bearer is Arisen, her player can long-lost cult of Taoist sorcerers—wicked eunuchs, every
spend a point of any Pillar to attempt the roll again on one—who operated during the Warring States period of
her next turn. If that attempt fails, she cannot invoke the ancient China. The Sutra is a meditation on forbidden
Scroll’s power again for the rest of the scene. desire, so delicious that no uninitiated man or woman
Curse: Many users of the Scroll are either paranoid or can resist the allure of its teachings and magic. Despite
genuinely being hunted. So it is by this madness that the the disturbing end of the tale, the pages are works of art,
relic works its curse. Whenever the player of a character and the style of their decoration represents the finest ex-

Texts of Note 229

 amples of their era. Even if the book is a pile of nonsense, finding it. The Book has been lost ever since.
its seductive magic is a delight to any who experience it, Power: If read under an open, starlit sky, the scroll’s pos-
though the drugged vapors its reading produces can ulti- sessor can sweep himself and a few companions away to dis-
mately steal one’s soul. tant lands… arriving as soon as the destination is also under
Power: Those who are present while the Sutra is be- a starlit sky. Although the true grandeur of this item is not
ing read become overwhelmed with a narcotic sensation what it was before the advent of aircraft and mass transport,
that is roughly twice as strong as extremely high quality it still allows for technology-ignorant mummies to avoid fu-
opium. The effect causes even the reader to become a ture shock (not to mention infuriating TSA pat-downs).
bit sluggish and dreamy, but massively amplifies her at- Reading The Book of Sailing the Sea of Stars requires
tractiveness to others, exuding a powerful presence of an hour and a successful Intelligence + Occult roll. For
well-being and safety—even when she actively intends every success, the reader can bring one companion with
harm to those around her. The reader’s player spends 2 him. (If he has fewer successes than companions, his play-
Willpower and makes a Presence + Expression roll. If it er can spend his character’s Willpower points on a one-
succeeds, the player gains a +3 bonus to Presence, Ma- for-one basis to expand the travel allotment.)
nipulation, and Occult rolls, and the players of other Curse: To see the Book is to desire it. To have it is to
characters in the area suffer a –1 to Dexterity, Intelli- fear losing it. Anyone who sees it must either (1) have
gence, and Wits checks. If the roll fails, the reader gains a Willpower point spent for her to dismiss the sudden,
a +1 bonus instead, and the Sutra doesn’t penalize others acute longing for it; or (2) try to get the thing, by hook or
in any non-narrative way. The effect lasts for as long as by crook. Moreover, anyone who hasn’t spent had a Will-
the Sutra’s bearer continues to read, or until listeners are power point spent for her becomes jealous and resentful
forcibly removed from the area where the pages are being toward the Book’s owner, whose player thereafter suffers
read. a –1 penalty on all Social rolls made for his character to
Curse: Although the reader of this text may think her- deal with those so enthralled.
self safe for a time, it soon becomes very clear that the The player of anyone who has the Book must make a
magic of the Liao Sutra is not for the uninitiated. Each Resolve + Composure roll every week for his charac-
time its bearer uses the relic, she forgets something that ter to keep his head on straight about it. Otherwise, he
previously defined her. This forgetfulness takes the form starts to suspect everyone around him of plotting to steal
of the loss of a dot in a single Skill other than Occult. it (not entirely unreasonable). Should the roll fail, his
Dots can be reacquired, given time and experience, but player takes a –1 penalty to all Social rolls made for the
not until a soul other than the bearer has suffered this character thereafter due to his unattractive paranoia un-
curse at least once. For a Sesha-Hebsu, this loss is only til he loses the Book. The exception is the scribes of the
temporary; lost Skill dots return the next time the mum- Sesha-Hebsu, who are able to recognize the distortion for
my resurrects or returns to the Descent. what it is and dismiss it. As bearers, their players don’t
have to make the weekly rolls, nor do they have to spend
THE BOOK OF SAILING THE SEA OF STARS (TEXT ••••) a Willpower point for their mummies to resist the Book’s
Durability 2, Size 1, Structure 1 attraction, but they can’t do much of anything about the
The Book of Sailing the Sea of Stars is a 200-foot-long desires of others.
papyrus covered in strange curling etchings and pseudo-
mathematical poetry. These elements are blended to- THE LOST BRUSH OF THE FIRST SCRIBE (TEXT •••••)
gether in such a way that one would have a hard time Durability 2, Size 1, Structure 3
categorizing the Book as a work of art, fiction, or science. The Lost Brush appears somewhat typical for an Egyp-
Part idyll and part formula, the Book is a narrative that tian reed brush. The ways in which it differs are subtle,
beckons to some proto-form of the star goddess Nuit “to but remarkable. If one examines the area around the
reveal her splendor”—the quality of both the art and po- Brush’s bristles, one will note the residue of three colors
etry do not betray her virtues. As to the mystery of the of ink (black, red, and blue), all of which are still slightly
Book, one can only remember the grim verse of one of its wet to the touch. If one dips the Brush into water from a
translators when he wrote, “Thus have I blasphemed the running river, ink will fill its bristles, and the scribe will be
Lord and Giver of Life for Thy Sake.” able to render hieroglyphs in any of the three colors. Al-
This lengthy and beautifully illustrated scroll was pur- though certainly a great trick, this is an utterly superficial
sued by a pair of Arisen who briefly recovered it from a ability compared to the true power the Brush commands.
Mongolian khan in 1922 before losing it in turn to an It might also be important to note that the Lost Brush
opportunistic Cossack who was last seen chugging west in is significantly longer than one typical of its period: nearly
the engine compartment of a heavily armed Russian “gun a foot and a half in length. In addition, the Brush is also
train.” By the time the Arisen caught up with the train, it thicker and apparently made of a freakishly durable wood,
had been derailed and attacked by something capable of incapable of being snapped by any who have attempted it.
twisting the railroad tracks like string. There was no sign The Lost Brush’s origin is tied to that of yet another
of the scroll, and they completed their Descent before artifact of the Nameless Empire. Crafted in Irem, the

230 Vessels of Power

Statue of the Scribe’s remote origins have long frustrated the Scribe covered only with a simple linen tarp. With a
archaeological scholars of the modern day. And despite its hidden smile of deep self-satisfaction, the Statue was un-
excellent condition and fine workmanship, the Statue is, veiled, and gasps rippled through the crowds, the least of
in and of itself, entirely inert: not a drop of Sekhem exists which came from the Pharaoh’s own lips. Descending the
within its painted form. This is due to the fact that the dais upon which their thrones were set, the Lord of Irem
only truly magical portion of the statue has been missing and his sister came closer to inspect the wonder. When
for thousands of years, stolen silently from the one who his eye turned to the hands of the scribe, he let out a
crafted it, rendering it an insufficient gift for the Pharaoh derisive chuckle and said, “But sister? What is a scribe
for whom it was intended. without a brush with which to write?” and pointed at the
Ordered by the Pharaoh’s sister in celebration of her Statue’s upraised hand, which was empty. The sculptor’s
brother’s birth feast, the Statue of the Scribe was intend- eyes met with those of the king’s sister, and amidst the
ed to serve the ruler in life and then to be buried with him cacophony of laughter that responded to the Pharaoh’s
for all eternity, to record the wisdom of his words after remark, the sculptor realized this day would be his last.
death. Its craftsman, known for both his unequalled skill What happened to the Brush is anyone’s guess.
and significant madness, grew terrified at the request, Most who have heard this rare tale think the Brush
knowing that, if he were to fail, he was sure to be execut- was stolen moments before the presentation, a cun-
ed for his mistake and sent to the deepest recesses of the ning thief making off with it to embarrass the Pha-
Underworld, his name wiped from the akashic record and raoh’s sister. However, there are some who believe
forgotten by the living forever. Given a full year to com- that it was, in fact, taken by the sculptor himself,
plete the project, he quickly finished the likeness of the who chose to die rather than hand over an item so
high illuminator of the Sesha-Hebsu, and was impressed powerful that it could destroy any man who stood
by his own handiwork and the realism he had imbued in between heaven and earth.
the statue. Nonetheless, the scribe knew that if he were Powers: Imbued as it is with the knowledge of the God
to truly capture the essence of the scribe of scribes, he of Sages, the Lost Brush allows the scribe who wields it
would need to craft a brush for the statue capable of true to read and write any language known to man. However,
wonder; and so it was for the last eight months of his en- the Brush has no effect on what languages that scribe can
deavor that the materials and rituals of that brush’s mak- speak.
ing were gathered and worked. In addition, saturated with the blood of ritually dedi-
With special writ from the Pharaoh’s sister, he set up cated sacrificial offerings, the two-foot length of reed is
his workplace in the Temple of Tehuti itself, the eyes of impervious to all mundane forms of attack.
the Scribe of the Gods upon his work for the duration. The most feared and terrible of the Brush’s powers,
Although the special arrangement was clandestine at however, is its ability to channel the names of the akashic
first, the temple priest’s agreeing to secrecy, it was not record, itself. This simple tool can reveal the true name
long before courtly gossip and the interest of powerful of any creature of this world or the next. Only the most
men turned to the sculptor’s project. Guards were as- primordial horrors need not fear the Brush, for those
signed to keep the work protected, but soon the Pharaoh things have only the names given them by those that fear
himself learned of his impending gift, and many visitors them. Mechanically speaking, the effect of having access
to the temple went unchecked. Much to the disappoint- to any being’s true name could have any number of pow-
ment of onlookers, there was not much to see, merely a erful, plot-altering effects, from total control over some
two foot length of the finest reed, slowly worked with oils ancient supernatural entity to the revelation of a long-
and strange lacquers. What the public did not see were hidden enemy that has expended every resource to hide
the hours of prayer and sacrifice made upon Tehuti’s al- its true identity. To activate this power, the user’s player
tars in the dark of night, and the blood of those sacrifices, must spend 2 points of Willpower and 1 Health point, as
which was mixed with the curing oils and worked into the the Brush must write this name in its bearer’s own blood.
thing’s fibers. It was these rites that filled the Lost Brush All mummies are expressly immune to this power, as their
with its power, so that the Brush itself might know the true names have already been sealed.
true name of every extant thing. Curse: Despite the meticulous precautions taken during
The day of the Pharaoh’s birthday came, and proces- the Lost Brush’s creation, it is believed that the mad sculp-
sions of slaves bore great palanquins heaped with splen- tor did himself spill blood in its making. With blood and
dorous gifts and swaying fronds of palm adorned with the prayer, the sculptor infused the simple reed with his own
blossoms of Nile lotuses. Beautiful women brought golden madness, and as such, this insanity became the very glue by
platters of the finest dishes, and rich incense perfumed which the magical forces cohered within his creation. Any
the air. When the time came for the mad sculptor to pres- who expend Willpower to activate the Brush will receive
ent his finished statue, the Pharaoh’s sister called for si- two permanent derangements that endure as long as the
lence as the proud artisan wheeled the palette bearing his Lost Brush exists. Mummies of the Sesha-Hebsu receive
masterpiece into the grand throne room, the Statue of only a single derangement, but it persists just as long.

Texts of Note 231

 single stitch, seem, or tear; it’s as if it were grown around
UTER OF NOTE
After amulets and texts, relics of the shell are the most
the bone frame, itself. In dim light, the Box will occasion-
ally emit a barely visible glow.
accessible to mortals, and indeed, are among the most The eccentric Austrian artist Karl Von Becker was
common of those created by mortal will-workers. The known neither for his sanity nor his talent. He was, how-
purposeful investiture of Sekhem into organic flesh and ever, hanged by the neck until dead as punishment for
bone is one of the oldest ritual practices in the history the six young men cut to ribbons by his pruning hook—
of man, yet in all that time, none have learned how to a series of crimes Von Becker claims birthed the strange
mitigate the often crippling curses they carry. Some of the device that would become his legacy.
more memorable (and dangerous) uter include those in Since its creator’s execution, the Box has been in the
the following grim array. possession of a litany of unimaginably horrible people,
from Ugandan warlords to Balkan human traffickers to
THE FIREWALKER’S TRUMPET (UTER •) American serial killers. Because the relic plays host to a
Durability 2, Size 2, Structure 4 being of seemingly pure malice, it will only assist in mat-
The Firewalker’s Trumpet is a hollowed thigh bone ters of ill doing, be it murder, theft, or simple wanton de-
that has been blackened with masterfully applied flame. struction.
At both ends of the Trumpet are fittings of brass shaped Power: The Box just wants to help. So it is through
into the arabesques of stylized flames. When blown, the a barely audible but constant keening that Von Becker’s
Trumpet makes an awkward yet grim groaning sound. device can convey a nearly omniscient insight into any
The Firewalker’s Trumpet is a Bon relic from the situation where a character’s vices are being exploited. In
mountains of Tibet and Nepal. Although there is some the case of mortals, this is their Vice. In the case of mum-
irony in such a relic hailing from such a frigid place, the mies, things can be more complicated. While in posses-
instrument was likely used in mystical operations dealing sion of the Box (i.e., in the same room with it), the bearer
with beings of flame. One shaman states that the mas- can call upon it to grant him up to three dots of Skills.
ter of the Trumpet meditates in flame and is purified of These dots are dynamic from scene to scene, so they can
the burdens of previous lifetimes. Although a matter of provide an enormous edge when the character needs it
faith for some, the mystical implications of such an item most. To awaken this ability, the mummy’s player must
in the hands of a spiritual Arisen are intriguing to say the spend a point from any Pillar. This is a reflexive action,
least. Regardless of the bearer’s religious or superstitious and the expenditure doesn’t count against his per-turn
beliefs, the use of the Trumpet does, in fact, render the limit. The bonus Skills last for the scene.
person playing it partially resistant to the damaging ef- Curse: The Keening Box takes what it needs. In order
fects of open flame. to sustain its grotesque physical form, the Box must feed
Power: The user’s player spends a Willpower point and on the vitality of its owner. While possessing the Box, the
rolls Stamina + Survival, and his character becomes resis- bearer ages at twice the normal rate. This doesn’t apply
tant to flame for a number of turns equal to the successes to mummies, of course, but the curse still takes its toll;
rolled. During this time, lethal flame damage is treated as the player of a mummy not of the Su-Menent (who are
bashing damage. The Arisen can use this power, reducing exempt) must make one Descent Roll at the end of any
aggravated flame damage to lethal, but for their players, session in which his character even once called upon the
the cost is a Willpower and a point from their defining power of Von Becker’s accursed fetish. The player may
Pillar. If an exceptional success is rolled, the user is pro- spend a Willpower point to subtract three dice from this
tected for the duration of the scene. roll.
Curse: After using the Trumpet’s power, the relic bearer
becomes less aware of his surroundings as if drunk or oth- THE LION’S JAW (UTER •••)
erwise sedated. While under the effects of this trance, the Durability 6, Size 2, Structure 6
character’s player suffers a –2 penalty to all Skill checks Formed from a wooden haft and the halved jawbone of
made for the user for one 24-hour period for each scene an enormous lion, this primitive looking hatchet leaves
in which the Trumpet is employed. The Su-Menent are much to desire aesthetically. The bone curve of the Jaw
not immune to the Trumpet’s curse, but for their players, still holds the majority of the teeth that were attached
the penalty is reduced (–1). to it while the lion still lived. The teeth themselves are
stained with a black resin that was applied to hold them
THE KEENING BOX OF KARL VON BECKER (UTER ••) in place once the natural tissues decomposed. Where
Durability 2, Size 0, Structure 1 teeth are missing, sharpened pieces of black, glassy stone
The Keening Box is a one-foot by one-foot framework have been wedged into the holes and fastened in place
of polished bone dowels, over which has been stretched a by pieces of sinew fit with beads of the same stone. The
membrane of cured human flesh. Curiously, the skin that handle of the weapon is carved with a scene of an adult
covers the outside of the armature seems to have not a lion hunting what appear to be ghosts and skeletons, a

232 Vessels of Power

bizarre image rendered in a style of iconography difficult and predatory to those around him, his player suffering
to identify. Where the images stop, the handle is wrapped an increased penalty of –2 to any social roll made for the
in strips of lion skin, and the butt is capped with an ex- character that does not involve aggression or intimida-
traordinarily large lion incisor. tion. The Su-Menent are immune to these penalties.
In addition to its magical abilities, the Lion’s Jaw counts
as a hatchet when used as a weapon. THE PALE BROOD (UTER ••••)
Although the origin of the Lion’s Jaw is shrouded in Durability 6, Size 1, Structure 4
the mists of antiquity, its story begins in a Maasai village Lined with tightly woven wool and stitched with thick
in the remote wilderness of what is now northern Tan- sinuous cord, this white linen bag holds exactly 22 large
zania. Although the initiatory rites for males of the tribe petrified scarab carapaces, each sealed with ornaments of
have traditionally included the slaying of an adult lion, gold set with small, flat pieces of bone. Each bone face
the beast to which the Lion’s Jaw once belonged was a is carefully etched with a name of power associated with
creature of legend, still recounted for disobedient chil- strange intelligences from deep within Duat over which
dren descended from the weapon’s creators. They called the Judges have established sovereignty and dominion.
the animal Armadai, which means “madness” in the Maa- The names are pictographically represented by sigils orig-
sai language. It is said that, for four seasons, no boy could inating some time before the founding of Irem, their true
become a true warrior of the tribe because a great mon- pronunciations and meanings known only to the Judges
ster of lion-kind stalked the savannahs and let no human themselves and, perhaps, to the beings to whom these
take of his kin. Those who tried vanished or, worse, were names belong.
left as glistening red strips dangling from the branches of No soul has ever viewed the contents of the shells since
a leafless bush. their crafting, but it is well-documented in the scrolls of
Although the details of Armadai’s defeat are cryptic, the Su-Menent that the Pale Brood is filled with all man-
it is said that he was not slain by brave warriors, but by ner of obscure regents, dedicated as offerings to prehuman
a sorcerer who had once been exiled from the village for forces of destruction. Although no priest would ever al-
bringing illness upon its people. Nonetheless, in their des- low for this to be validated, the effects of the shells when
peration, the villagers summoned the wicked man, who handled by an initiated master all but confirm that this is
traveled alone into the lion’s hunting grounds armed only the case. Nonetheless, the 22 shells are remarkably hard
with a small bag filled with a mysterious concoction. As and well crafted, creating more than a dogmatic barrier to
the villagers waited out the night, the sorcerer did not further investigation.
return, yet when morning came, the hulking corpse of The origin of the Pale Brood is a nightmare even among
Armadai was stretched out at the center of town—as if the Arisen.
sleeping, but for the great pool of blood beneath its mas- It is written that, at the height of Irem’s power, the one
sive head where its jaw had been torn from its face—the who would become known as the Eater of Blood began his
sorcerer’s only payment for protecting the village from spiritual exploration of the spaces between death and the
the monster. vast nothingness that lies beyond even Duat. Although
Powers: The Lion’s Jaw detects the presence of the last the texts are cryptic beyond poetry when conveying the
creature to whom it has dealt lethal damage, out to a dis- actual meditations and formulae worked in the sanctum
tance of up to one mile. Beyond this distance, the uter of Unem-Sef’s ritual chamber, it was the Pale Brood upon
adds three dice to rolls made for its wielder to track or which he laid the names and ceremonial links to the 22
hunt the creature. alien entities that gifted him with a strange and terrible
The Lion’s Jaw does aggravated damage against any set of powers.
creature its possessor has pursued for more than a week. Believed to have taken the form of a nonlinguistic
Against all other prey, the weapon does lethal damage as dialogue, the eldritch entities named upon the scarabs
a normal axe of its size. conveyed the very tunnels that underlie the entirety of
Curse: To hunt with the Lion’s Jaw is exhilarating to what disturbed sorcerers now refer to as the mundi mo-
say the least. Practically atavistic, the hunter takes on rior (the “diseased world”). The manner in which this was
the awareness and confidence of the largest of male lions conveyed was through the evocation of 22 massive red
hunting within its own territory. For a being who lives in scarabs manifesting at the feet of Unem-Sef, which then
the constrained reality of modern civilization, this expe- burrowed into his flesh and transmitted the map through
rience becomes addictive to say the least. The user will days of agonizing pain. According to the scant clues that
want the Lion’s Jaw in his possession at all times, and remain, the beings of this dimension believe that their
his player will incur a –1 penalty to all rolls for each day world was the first attempt of whatever ancient cause
his character is without it. The penalty will increase for forged creation. These beings are gods of madness from
seven days and then be shaken, renewing if the addicted the perspective of most, and aliens of terrible intent to
subject makes contact with the relic again. While the the wise and blooded. Upon receiving the anti-wisdom of
character possesses the item, however, he is unnerving these abominations, it is said that Unem-Sef ripped the

Uter of Note 233

 beetles from his flesh, sealed them forever in the shells of
the Pale Brood, and finally, forbid their use by any but the THE HEART OF HEB-HEMERTET (UTER •••••)
priests who would serve him. Durability 4, Size 1, Structure 4
Power: When shaken, the rattling of the scarab shells It is believed that the heart of the legendary priest-
echoes with an incredibly distorted resonance that awak- ess Heb-Hemertet is so perfect and beautiful that men
ens a cacophony of subtle sounds ranging from distant would weep blood if it were to set even its disembodied
crying to the hum of locusts to the softly murmured gaze upon them. Nonetheless, this is mere speculation, as
pleas of a lover. When one focuses on them, they van- the Heart has been encased within a sturdy but attrac-
ish entirely, or cohere into more complex and monstrous tive bronze oblong (about the size of an adult’s fist) since
speech. Either way, what these voices want is the name the moment it was extracted during the priestess’s burial
of an offering. Upon hearing it, the Twenty-Two Voices of rites. Upon examination, it’s evident the casing depicts
Undoing take their due by way of the Pale Brood’s curse scenes of import from Heb-Hemertet’s life.
and then visit gratuitous horrors upon the victim, rang- The priestess Heb-Hemertet was known for her fierce
ing from permanent derangements to terminal illnesses to beauty and for her profound mystical insight. Alas, one of
vulgar expressions of pure violence. (The exact nature of those factors has been ground to dust beneath the turning
this power should be tailored by the Storyteller to fit the of aeons, and it wasn’t her insight.
needs of his story, but it should be adequately heinous as Prepared for service to the Shan’iatu from adolescence,
to justify the character’s sacrifice). Heb-Hemertet was a gifted channel of spiritual wisdom
Curse: The inverted nature of the Pale Brood is such even by the standards of her powerful masters. It was said
that its existence actually opposes the principal of life in that the priestess was given her beauty by the gods them-
its entirety. As the beings associated with it are blood- selves as compensation for leaving her otherwise empty,
thirsty gods of an unmade dimension, their mad ire spills a chosen conduit for their vision and word. At first, the
forth when the Brood’s power is accessed, devouring as sorcerer-priests treasured the girl and bore her about as a
much life as it can before it once again falls inert. The sacred relic, passed between them as a prized possession
bag causes four levels of lethal damage to its user im- with elaborate contractual agreements to regulate her use
mediately after the power of the Twenty-Two Voices of and assure that each would get their time with her gift.
Undoing is accessed. Nonetheless, with such desirable insight at their finger-

234 Vessels of Power

tips, tempers and desires soon flared, and the priestess’s he’d stripped and repainted. Black on black suited him
fate was sealed by the jealousy and resolved by the prag- best. The car wasn’t new, and he couldn’t have afforded
matism of the priesthood. She would die. This girl and her if she had been, since hauling scrap, stripping cop-
her oracle’s heart—and the wisdom it contained—would per out of the walls of abandoned buildings, and selling
become the Shan’iatu’s alone. And so it was that Heb- weed were the extent of Ed’s marketable skills when he
Hemertet was sacrificed on the altar of avarice and made was a teenager. The previous owner was a regular buyer
immortal by the black art of the uter. of his, and with cash in hand, she was all his. From then
Powers: Anyone in possession of the Heart of Heb- on, they were inseparable. On the weekends, he’d hunch
Hemertet gains the benefits of the following Merits: bare-chested under her open hood, his sweat playing an
Danger Sense, Holistic Awareness, and Meditative Mind intermittent beat of hollow taps as it dripped onto her
(World of Darkness, pp. 108-109). Still connected to hoses, down her engine block, into her beautiful carbure-
the force that gave the priestess magical prowess in life, tor. She was high maintenance, but he had all the time in
the Heart also yet contains secrets unimagined. While the world for her. When she was around, his mind never
the bearer holds the brass case containing the preserved had any problems putting the right words together, and
organ, his player benefits from the 8-again rule on rolls his hands could feel out her faults and imperfections, and
using the Occult Skill. without accusation, set them right. Until he met Maggie,
Curse: So long as a character has the Heart in his pos- the Charger was the only girl for him.
session, his player can’t spend experience points for the Behind the wheel, Ed’s bleary eyes stared out of the im-
character to improve Skills or gain new Specialties. All the peccably clean windshield. The lake was swollen from the
attention that would have made new connections in the weeks of spring rain, and it conspicuously lapped at the
possessor’s mind is, instead, lost in the contemplation of trunks of several evergreens. The sky was cloudless and
the subtle and beautiful insights the relic permits. The Su- blue as Ed looked over the water. As he shifted the gear
Menent, however, are immune to half this distraction: They box into neutral, it occurred to him that he still didn’t feel
can’t gain new Specialties while in possession of the Heart. any calmer. He thought about the years of wrangling and
fighting as the Charger’s black polished wheels started to
VESTIGES
Fragments of life tied to objects that bore witness to
turn, her nose beginning to point toward the lake. He
thought about the for-sale sign on the house and the pit-
tance left in his savings; he’d sweated away half his life
events of great joy, sudden passion, or even cold and for those things. The car’s wheels slipped on the wet grass
lingering sorrow, vestiges resonate with emotions and and her ass-end started to fish tail as she picked up speed.
glimpses from the past, and are thus attuned—or “fet- With 50 yards to go, Ed yanked the wheel hard right, then
tered”—to both one Virtue and one Vice. Mortals find left to correct her. Yeah, sure he’d made mistakes and all
themselves gripped by these fettered feelings when they that; on the road scrounging and selling auto parts, you
are in possession of such objects, finding inhibitions erod- get lonely, and it was never about anything but that. The
ed from unexpected directions. Arisen and their ilk are loneliness was all it was; they could have worked that out
not swayed (unduly) by vestiges in this manner, but find better than this. But Ed knew better. It was about the
a kinship with those objects that reflect their own Virtues car—the only baby he was ever interested in pampering.
or Vices. Those rare vestiges that align with an Arisen That old one-stack house would never sell, and the only
in both Virtue and Vice are the most difficult to consign way she’d get her half of the Charger was for him to sell it.
back to the Judges of Duat, and are typically reserved for Maggie always hated him on the road so much, and every
addition to the Lifeweb of one’s tomb. spare second at home spent under the Charger’s hood…
While vestiges offer no mystical powers to those a court-ordered execution suited her just fine.
who possess them, some are known to bear curses just Well, that ain’t happening. He’d send her into the drink
the same. As a rule, the tendencies can be drawn along and not speak a peep. Stolen, he’d say. When he was back
two axes: First, the likelihood rises with the power of on his feet, maybe he’d figure a way to get her back out;
the item—one-dot vestiges almost never have a curse, he knew a few people who might do for the job and keep
while roughly half of the most powerful vestiges certainly their mouths shut… a few people with ex-wives of their
do. Second, vestiges formed from or suffused with ex- own. That last thought allowed a grin to stretch over Ed’s
treme negativity—anger, despair, and hate being the Big unshaven face. He pushed open the driver-side door as he
Three™—tend to be cursed much more often than those let off the gas. The Charger slowed but had enough mo-
bearing the Sekhem patterns of passion, joy, or love. If mentum that it was the lake for her. The wind forced the
you, as Storyteller, want a vestige to have a curse, consult door closed as Ed flopped out of the car, trying to roll onto
the curses of one- and two-dot relics for inspiration. the spongy mud of the lake shore. When mud kept racing
past Ed’s clawing fingers, he realized something didn’t add
THE DROWNED CARBURETOR (•) up. The back fold of his leather had gotten caught up in
In 1971, Edward Taylor bought his first car, a Dodge the door, pressing his backside tight against the car’s flank
Charger, glossy black with a fat white stripe down the side as she rolled slowly into the lake. He clawed and fussed at

Vestiges 235
 the door handle behind his back as his Monster Magnet the ruins they found an old key, the teeth melted from
t-shirt filled with frigid lake water…. extreme heat to form a wavy but smooth curtain of metal.
Fetters: Justice and Greed. Miraculously, it had otherwise kept its shape and hadn’t
fused with the iron mouth of the lock it had been found
THE TIN CROWN (••) near. The victims, fists pounding on the door like the last
It was around the holidays—Thanksgiving, I think. beats of their hearts, likely forced the key out of the door
We still lived out on the farm (that’s what Michael al- before the fire ended their lives.
ways called it, anyhow); the small rancher with the gravel The top floor had collapsed before it had been com-
driveway. I think it was five years before we had a real next pletely engulfed by the fire. Thus, the victims, a male and
door neighbor; it was the Boonies back then, although a female, aged 12 and 16 years respectively, were likely
it’s all strip malls and the like nowadays. When my son crushed or smothered before their bodies were burned to
Michael was six, come Thanksgiving, I got it in my head ash and char. The condition of the bodies made identi-
to make him a crown for Christmas, like my grandfather fication virtually impossible, but investigators believed
had done for me and my brother when we were small. they were squatters from out of town and that a kerosene
(He’d come over from England, and that was a thing over lamp they were using started the initial fire. The flames
there.) My brother lost his, o’course, but me, I kept it a then encountered some gas cans that must have been
long while. Dearest thing in my heart until my first car or forgotten in the garage or kitchen, resulting in the explo-
my first girl, can’t remember which, finally displaced it. I sion and sudden structural collapse. The house’s original
don’t have to say I didn’t bring it with me to Vietnam. I owner is believed to have taken his small family with him
spent two years in that war digging holes and firing artil- upon moving out of state, and although he has yet to re-
lery shells out into the jungle; never did see the enemy, spond to any inquiries into the matter, the county has
alive or dead. Lost the crown soon after I came back, and suspended any further investigations.
I was bitterly ashamed of that fact when granddad passed. Fetters: Faith and Wrath.
Came time to try my hand at crafting one, and I used
some old tin snips and a scrap of sheet metal I got special, THE LONELY DOLL (••••)
just to make it. Brand new, it was something special, with This 14-inch doll was delivered to a Denver post of-
colored beads glued to its points. I even put some cloth fice in 1927, ordered from a catalog, its rosebud mouth,
around the inside so the edges wouldn’t leave a scratch pale skin, and painted swirls of auburn hair a delight to
from long wear. It’s not so fine-looking now, but it’s still the young girl for whom it was intended. “Patsy” was ev-
special nevertheless. erything the young child had imagined, and when they
Michael was happy to get the crown, but he didn’t have both laid down at night, tin eyes painted blue snapping
much opportunity to wear it. I’d elbow him to put it on shut under fiber lashes, their time together continued
for his mom come November, but he knew I was the one in dreams. Although hardship and scarcity fell upon
eager for him to get along with the thing. By the time the family in the years soon after, father never looked
he was 11, it spent most holidays on my shelf, and come upon dearly paid for, and more dearly cherished, Patsy
the time Michael was 15, I’d lost track of it altogether. with covetous eyes. As the years passed and the family’s
When the army called up Michael’s unit, he packed up fortunes were mended, so too were the injuries that be-
his apartment and asked me to store his things in his old fell Patsy’s stiff, pale, painted form. Her white dress was
room, for when he got back. We shook hands, and he cleaned, patched, and continuously sewn back to pristine
was on his way. I was mighty surprised to find you-know- condition. Her silver buckled black shoes never failed to
what amongst his boxes and laundry bags. Michael writ- reflect a smile. From mother to daughter to granddaugh-
ten plain and all spelled out in black marker on the cloth ter to cousin dear, Patsy, their ever present friend, nose
lining. Damn near cried when I saw it, but I can save the rubbed a raw silver and repainted pale white for the next
tears for when he gets back. eager child to plant Eskimo kisses on.
Fetters: Fortitude and Pride. After nearly 60 years, the doll was maintained better
than the family whose children had so cherished her.
THE WARPED KEY (•••) Even with no more children in the family to keep her,
After the water-soaked timbers were cleared away, the moth and dirt were not for Patsy, for she was still well
insurance men picked through the ashes. The fire itself loved. Now she rests amongst a box of more common
had done most of the damage, but the firemen’s high pres- toys, as she has for decades, but she is still rarely with-
sure hoses and red axes had done for the rest of the house. out a young companion. In the cancer ward of a Chicago
An insurance policy taken out by the bank for the aban- children’s hospital, beautifully pale Patsy, with the faded
doned building was still valid, even though the house’s auburn locks, is much prized. Her new playmates hold
owner had moved out months earlier while fighting repos- her lovingly, if lightly, in their cold hands. Their shallow,
session attempts by his creditors. The policy would likely medicine-scented breath does not ruffle her hair as her
cover any losses the bank might have accrued from selling ever smiling face presses against them. For the lonely doll,
the house in today’s volatile housing market. Amongst her young friends never stay with her for too long, disap-

236 Vessels of Power

pearing through one of the white swinging doors or the gigantic head made the long journey to the Boston sub-
other. But there are always new children who will hug urb where it now rests. Hoping to reclaim his fame and
her tight against them, and when they both lay down at fortune, Piers made his way to Aden, but opium and
night, tin eyes painted blue snapping shut under fiber dysentery ended his life before he could mount another
lashes, their time together continues in dreams. expedition.
Fetters: Hope and Envy. Currently, the head of Ahmul-Rei is in the possession
of a strange cult of mortals who live communally in the
THE HEAD OF AHMUL-REI (•••••) sprawling mansion that dominates the Weston estate.
West of Boston lays the well-manicured community of Funded by a slew of questionable online activities and led
Weston, Massachusetts. On the grounds of a large estate by a charismatic recluse, this occult-themed commune
there lies an immaculate garden of hedge and stone, and has had no success calling upon the mystical powers of
within its heart rests the head of Ahmul-Rei. Immense the oversized vessel in their midst. So far, their subdued
statues crafted by this revered artisan and architect hands orgies and tentative steps into cannibalism have yet to
were common beneath Irem’s pillars. Now this great greatly impress the cold unblinking eyes of the great stone
seven foot stone head is all that remains of one of these head. Their erratic leader has assured the cultists that
grand works, its features worn smooth, weathered, caul- the artifact has warned them of impending danger on nu-
like. While it is unlikely this nine-ton effigy is of the great merous occasions, supposedly allowing them to head off a
artist Ahmul-Rei himself, it is unmistakably the work of government raid through a court injunction. Ominously,
his mind, if not his hand. Some occultists believe that the the head’s most important quality seems to be its ability
head whispers prophecies to those who know the proper to draw supernatural creatures to the cult’s unassuming
offerings and press their ears to its eroded and unsmiling and relatively remote lair. After a strange man was caught
lips. The head’s powerful connection to ancient Irem and on their grounds, and almost escaped their clutches us-
its successors give it an almost oppressive air, as if the un- ing strange powers, the cult has grown more vigilant and
told years and undocumented calamities it has endured more heavily armed. The cultists hope more powerful oc-
linger on in its presence. cult beings will soon fall into their hands, drawn to the
In 1919, the estate’s original owner, John A. Piers, powerful mystical resonance of the vestige. The cultists
an adventurer and dilettante, intended to move an have been assured that these interlopers clearly repre-
entire temple complex from the Arabian mountains sent the sacrifices required to finally awaken the head of
where he discovered the sculpture. A reversal of his Ahmul-Rei.
family fortunes put paid to those plans, and only the Fetters: Faith and Lust.

Vestiges 237
 Chapter Seven
Framing immortality
Each life makes its own imitation of immortality.
—Stephen King

“Storytelling.” It’s right there on the cover and in the

name of the system. It’s a game, yes, but a game whose
primary purpose is the shared telling of a rich, thematic,
THEUnder
ALLIED DEAD
this framework, the characters’ meret is made up
mood-appropriate tale. entirely, or at least primarily, of Arisen all served by the
It’s true of every World of Darkness game, of course, but same cult or offshoots of the same central cult. This is, in
Mummy: The Curse comes with its additional responsi-
bilities and challenges for the Storyteller. This new Story-
telling system game is a heavily focused one; more so, in
many respects, than any prior Storytelling system line. The Merit or Mandatory?
main inhuman protagonists of the game are not numerous,
as compared to the likes of werewolves or vampires in their Certain of the following chronicle frameworks
own game worlds; of all the primary types of supernatural make particular mechanics mandatory, rather than
entities in the World of Darkness, only the Created are po- optional. Any meret composed, in part, of mortal
tentially as rare in their default setting as mummies are in members of a mummy’s cult obviously requires
their own. Because of that scarcity, one generally doesn’t said mummy have the Cult Merit. Even if the meret
find large communities of mummies. They do not, for the consists entirely of mummies, your concept might
most part, rule entire cities behind the scenes. They don’t still require the Merit. The same might be true of
traditionally operate in “packs.” In a world full of super- the Tomb Merit; you are well within your rights to
natural activity, they are the one percent. mandate such a thing, and that’s why both of those
Of even greater importance than the rarity of mum- Merits were worked into the standard character
mies is their sporadic existence. As Storyteller, it simply creation process.
isn’t feasible for you to build a long-term chronicle in the
While it’s certainly possible to play a Mummy
same manner you would for, say, Vampire: The Requiem.
chronicle (or certainly a story) without cults or tombs,
Where vampires have long periods of activity interrupted
doing so usually loses a substantial amount of flavor
by brief lengths of downtime, mummies experience the
and richness. The tomb is an integral part of mummy
precise opposite: They awaken for relatively brief periods,
fiction; the cult a nigh-vital detail to allow the mummy
then engage in temporary bursts of activity before once
to function in modern society.
more slumbering for years if not decades on end.
As a Mummy Storyteller, you must take all of this into ac- Optional Rule: In a chronicle in which the
count when designing your stories and chronicles. It’s more than characters all share the same cult, you might wish to
important; it’s absolutely necessary. Without a solid framework consider a compromise between giving players the
that makes use of these aspects of Arisen existence—or, at the Cult Merit for free and making them spend substantial
very least, takes them into account—Mummy fails to function points on it, to reflect such a vast cult. You might,
as either a game or a storytelling medium. instead, allow the players to pool their Cult points.
Under this system, each player must contribute
at least one point to the total, and no single player
FRAMEWORKS
Fortunately for you as Storyteller, the very makeup of
can contribute more than four. (The total possible to
spend on the Cult stays the same.) This allows the
your players’ meret will suggest an appropriate structure, players to decide amongst themselves how important
or framework, lending itself to specific sorts of stories and they want their cult to be, and to spread the cost
chronicles both. Decide what types of characters you want around, while ensuring that they all possess at least
in your game, and much of the chronicle’s framework some connection to the plot-centric cult.
builds itself in response. The following frameworks repre-
sent only the most foundational or obvious of set ups; the
game’s ideas certainly allow for others.

Frameworks 239
 many ways, the most obvious of the ways to build a chroni-
Showcase: Kabul cle, and what some players might assume to be the default.
It’s a game called Mummy: The Curse, so naturally, the
What is now the nation of Afghanistan has been the players should portray mummies with aligned interests. It’s
seat of one urban culture or another for over four a reasonable assumption.
millennia. Sitting at a strategic point along Middle It also, however, comes with its own difficulties—details
East trade routes, it has always possessed a level of that you must work out, or at least consider, before build-
both cultural and economic importance in the region. ing a chronicle around this framework. First off, only the
It should come as no surprise, then, that it has also largest or oldest of cults have multiple mummies on whom
been the home of this Arisen cult or that since the first they can call. It’s an enormous amount of power and re-
Sothic Turn. From the days of forgotten antiquity to the sponsibility just to have one. To have three or even more—
Pashtuns, from the nation’s scattering among multiple enough to form an entire meret? Fewer than a dozen cults
outside empires to its reunification, these cults have or factions in the entire world would have that sort of ca-
been present. Power ebbed and flowed; cults came pability. Almost all Mummy chronicles require the Story-
and went; but always, always, at least one mummy and teller and players to devote real attention to the creation,
his servitors maintained a presence. behavior, and motives of a cult, but that’s especially true
It was the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979
of this framework. How did the cult gain so much power?
that changed the balance of power, not merely among
How long has it had it? What does it intend to do with it?
mortals, but the Arisen as well. Arisen cults throughout
Of equal importance to the nature of the cult is the ques-
the world are focused, in whole or in part, on the
tion of why multiple mummies are awake and active at the
preservation of relics and other vessels, both for the
same time. Nobody raises a mummy casually; it’s often the
power they hold and for their cultural importance.
step that a cult takes when things have well and truly gone
Several of those cults flocked to Afghanistan in hopes of
to hell, one way or the other. So how bad does the situation
protecting the land’s treasures—mundane and magical,
have to be for a single cult to call up three of them?
known and unknown—from destruction under the Soviet
You can, of course, always use the Sothic Wheel as an expla-
guns. The local cults, too, sought to defend themselves.
nation. That’s one of the reasons it’s part of the game at all; so
Unfortunately, these cults spent as much time battling
you have a justification for multiple Arisen awakening when all
one another as they did their shared enemy.
else fails. It’s not, however, a crutch you want to rely on regularly.
What this means, ultimately, is that while the “Allied
Those internecine struggles continued even after the Soviet Dead” framework might seem the most obvious set up, it’s
withdrawal in the late 80s, and they might have continued also the one that requires the biggest stories. Cult-threat-
indefinitely if not for the efforts of two mortal forces: ening, culture-destroying, even world-ending stories.
The Taliban, and the United States military. Nothing smaller is likely to encourage a cult to raise mul-
The violence on both sides of the Taliban insurgency tiple Arisen at once—at least not often. If you’re looking
throughout the 90s, the deliberate shelling of ancient to include smaller, more personal stories in your chronicle,
statues and artwork by the Taliban around the turn of the this may not be the best choice of framework for you.
millennium, and the chaos and devastation caused by (Alternatively, you can combine this framework with the Ro-
the U.S. invasion were finally sufficient to convince the tating Pyramid or the Living and the Dead frameworks, on pp.
local cults, native and foreign, to combine forces. Under 243-244 and 244-245, telling smaller stories when only one Aris-
the shared leadership of various priests, these factions en is awake and larger ones when multiple mummies are active.)
eventually coalesced into a single cult, consisting of native
Afghans, Arabs, and North Africans of various ethnicities,
and a small but significant minority of American and former THEAnother
RIVALframework
DEAD in which all the players portray
Soviet military personnel. Calling themselves the Dera
al-Qadim, the cult has nearly half a dozen mummies on Arisen, this chronicle concept involves a meret in which
which it can call, to defend its members and the region’s the mummies all serve different cults from one another.
treasures against mortal military forces and scavengers This need not automatically lead to conflict, but it almost
both mundane and supernatural. certainly entails an element of suspicion under even the
best of circumstances. Not all cults are enemies or seek to
The eldest and most potent of these Arisen—Suten Mdjai, destroy one another, but ultimately, they’re like any other
one of the Mesen-Nebu—spends as many of his waking collection of competing factions: struggling for the same
moments enforcing the continued cooperation and shared resources. Relics and ancient lore are the most obvious
identity of the cultists and other mummies as he does fighting points of rivalry, but anything and everything—control
the actual enemy. The bulk of the cult is indeed united, but a over a given territory, political power, even just social sta-
small number of malcontents continue to brew dissent. tus—can set cults against one another.
And where the cults are opposed, their Arisen are al-
most certainly opposed.

240 Framing Immortality

 It might seem that a Rival Dead chronicle requires
stories just as huge as those of an Allied Dead one. Af-
ter all, surely only the most important of events would
THEConsidering
PYRAMIDthat the Arisen most frequently work
inspire potentially hostile Arisen to work together? alongside members of their cults, rather than other Arisen,
Well, yes and no. Important does not, in this case, it would make sense for some Mummy chronicles to be
have to mean earth-shaking (though it certainly can, built with that format in mind. This is the Pyramid frame-
if you want it to). It’s far more likely that mummies work—a meret in which only one player portrays one of the
belonging to multiple cults may be active at the same Arisen, while the others portray some combination of his
time—simply due to coincidence or overlapping pur- Sadikh and his other allies. This is normally assumed to
poses—than it is for multiple mummies of the same cult mean members of that mummy’s cult, but it doesn’t have
to awaken all at once. Therefore, whatever has inspired to. It could be a band of occultists, ghost hunters, archae-
these Arisen to work together does not need to be an ologists, even law enforcement or military. (Most such set
event quite so monumental as one that would cause ups are probably better suited to single stories rather than
one cult to raise three or more mummies simultane- full-length chronicles, but they can potentially occur any
ously. The Arisen might work together to thwart some time a given group of people and one of the Arisen find
great, world-spanning evil. On the other hand, they themselves pursuing a common goal.)
might cooperate to rescue a relic of their shared culture This structure opens up a wide opportunity for some
from someone they all hate or to seek vengeance on fascinating roleplaying with the introduction of a simple
a faction that has committed crimes against all their question: How much do the Arisen and these allies know
separate cults. about one another? If they are, indeed, members of the
Perhaps the greatest difference between the Rival Dead mummy’s cult, odds are they have certain beliefs and leg-
and the Allied Dead frameworks is that the former is far ends about him, his personality, and his abilities—but how
more likely to include inter-meret intrigue and even be- much of what they think they know is actually true? In
trayal. In this regard, if few others, the Arisen are not un- turn, the mummy likely has some solid ideas on what his
like a political alliance consisting of members from differ- cultists should believe and how they should behave, but
ent parties: They might share a common purpose now, but those ideas are almost guaranteed to be inaccurate (espe-
their long-term goals are almost always at odds. cially if the Arisen hasn’t awakened for a while).

Frameworks 241
 If the allies aren’t members of this mummy’s cult—or if
they are, but the cult has largely let its practices lapse in
Showcase: Rio de Janeiro the modern era—they may know almost nothing about
their Arisen master. Their beliefs may come entirely from
Arisen cults have thrived in Rio—as well as all of Brazil, and Universal horror movies. And again, if the Arisen him-
even the bulk of South and Central America—since long self hasn’t been awake for a few generations, he’s likely to
before the arrival of the first Europeans. Precisely what point have absolutely no basis for understanding these mortals if
they arrived is unknown, but the tribal natures and totemic/ they’re not part of his cult. Learning about them becomes
spiritual beliefs of many of the native peoples lent themselves a lens through which the Arisen learns about the entire
almost perfectly to worship—or at least reverence—of the world into which he’s awakened.
Arisen. By the arrival of the Portuguese in 1502, the land Indeed, if it were purely a question of what was most
that would become Rio de Janeiro was already home to common in the Mummy corner of the World of Darkness,
multiple cults of both Tupi and Botocudo extraction. the Pyramid structure would indeed constitute the most
Unfortunately, the cults and the Arisen were just as common framework; the default, if you will. No matter
surprised and overwhelmed by the newcomers as the rest how story-intensive the game may be, however, one cannot
of the population. They initially failed to understand the need lose sight of the fact that it is also a game, and must lend
to fight against the Europeans, and even once they did, they itself to the enjoyment of everyone involved.
proved unable to put their own conflicts aside. Legend tells This framework only works, then, with gaming groups
that several of the French pirates who frequently raided the that do not mind playing with a vast imbalance of power
coast were, in fact, members of an Arisen cult themselves, between players’ characters. You certainly can—and in
but the true foreign danger came later. When a Portuguese most cases, should—take steps to minimize the practical ef-
Arisen cult arrived with the explorers toward the end of the fects of that difference. Perhaps the human characters gain
16th century, any advantage the native cults might have bonus points to spend on Skills and Merits, or have ac-
possessed was all but nullified. cess to some of the psychic/supernatural abilities presented
in the World of Darkness core rules. During the course of
The true name of this Portuguese mummy is Teshra- play, their familiarity with the modern world and advanced
Gemet. However, her cultists (and thus, her enemies) know technology can become an advantage, allowing them to
her as better as O Pardal Vermelho (“the Red Sparrow”). make use of equipment or solve problems that the less
She and her cult remain the predominant supernatural savvy Arisen cannot.
power in the more peaceful and affluent portions of Rio de Still, at the end of the day, the mummy character will
Janeiro to this day. vastly overpower the others. For groups who enjoy that sort
The remaining smaller cults and their Arisen, from which of play, that’s fine, but some players don’t care for it, and
a meret of player characters would be drawn, occupy you, as Storyteller, should respect that. For such groups, you
the many levels and winding alleyways of Rio’s favelas— should probably choose one of the alternate frameworks—
packed, ramshackle communities of the poor, crammed so or perhaps the Rotating Pyramid variant, discussed below.
tightly onto the city’s hillsides as to leave little if any room
for roads. Many of these favelas consider themselves their THEY WALK AMONG US
own communities, even their own cultures—and some An Arisen who isn’t currently bursting with Sekhem is ca-
have their own Arisen protectors. pable of passing as human, at least for a brief time. Most of
them give themselves away fairly swiftly: their knowledge of
This, then, is the current state of the once proud native modern technology, culture, and speech is lacking, or their
cults of Rio de Janeiro. The factions spend much of their time inhuman thought processes impact their behavior. A very
squabbling over territories throughout the favelas, almost few of the Arisen, however, possess sufficient knowledge and/
like street gangs (albeit usually less violent), hoping to or sufficient skills at deception and improvisation to main-
increase their own membership and power at the expense tain a mortal masquerade for a prolonged period of time.
of their rivals. That said, when an outside force threatens They Walk Among Us is a subset of the Pyramid frame-
the good of their people as a whole, these cults—and the work, in which the group of players’ characters is made up
Arisen on whom they may call—have, indeed, learned to put primarily of humans, with a single Arisen. The difference
their differences aside and work together, at least in the is that, in this instance, the humans don’t know there’s a
short term. In cooperation, they have managed to protect mummy in their midst, at least not initially. The charac-
their cults against the machinations of O Pardal Vermelho ters—and if done right, even the bulk of the players—only
and her own people; some of the worst depredations of the discover that one of them was an Arisen when she finally
region’s violent drug cartels (some of whom have their own reveals herself, at an appropriate point in the story. They
supernatural connections); and the nigh-countless restless might be cultists who know mummies exist but don’t re-
dead spawned by the constant bloodshed and want. alize their superiors have awakened one; monster hunt-
ers, who aren’t aware that their new ally is more than she

242 Framing Immortality

seems; or normal people just discovering the existence of indefinitely, it simply makes more sense not to try main-
the supernatural, with whom the Arisen has joined for taining this situation for any real length of time.
some mysterious purpose of her own.
The recommended way to do this is by running a World THE ROTATING PYRAMID
of Darkness game, telling only the player of the Arisen that As mentioned previously, the Pyramid structure is—in
this is actually, in part, a Mummy chronicle. You don’t have the confines of the game world itself, at least, without al-
to orchestrate it this way; you can choose to tell all the lowances for game play—by far the most common meret
players what’s going on and simply let them roleplay their composition. It’s not only the most likely purely in terms
ignorance. Doing it that way may well prove less satisfying, of numbers (Arisen vs. mortals), but it’s also arguably the
however, for a great many groups. most thematically appropriate to Mummy: The Curse, as
The flip side, of course, is that you can only run such a written. Also as mentioned, however, many groups aren’t
story for a group you know very, very well. After all, not comfortable with such a vast disparity of power—or of
only are you putting the players in the circumstances of importance, be it accurate or merely perceived—between
having a substantial power disparity between their charac- one player’s character and another. Even groups that are
ters (as described previously), but you’re doing it without comfortable with such things initially can grow tired of
asking first. them, as it feels to them as though the Arisen character
As such, even with groups that you as a Storyteller know is accomplishing most of the group’s goals or receiving the
well and believe would enjoy such a game, you should lion’s share of the spotlight.
probably limit this framework of play to a single story or to The Rotating Pyramid “sub-framework” offers you a po-
a smaller portion of a larger chronicle. Both for the out-of- tential solution to that dilemma. In this sort of chronicle,
character reasons just explained and for the in-character one player portrays an Arisen while the others portray hu-
reason that no mummy can sustain this sort of deception mans—but the Arisen player changes from story to story.

Showcase: Salem
It’s known and accepted, in the modern era, that the bulk care, no amount of security, seemed capable of halting
of the Salem witch trials—not only those that occurred from the slow but steady progression of funerals. At the
1692 to 1693, but the various trials and purges both before scene of every murder, they found the same peculiar
and after that specific panic—largely targeted innocents object, perhaps a fetish: a tobacco leaf folded around a
who were guilty of no real wrongdoing, supernatural musket ball. Nobody else in the community knew of the
or otherwise. Even at the time, despite the fear and Nesbits’ cult affiliations, but to the Nesbits themselves,
accusation, a substantial portion of the population knew this was very clearly an attack on their practices and
that what they were seeing was paranoia and oppression, beliefs.
rather than any sort of legitimate inquisition against evil. Eventually, the Nesbits sent several desperate messages
And even at the time, certain forces were willing to the Old World, and their fellow cultists responded. The
to use the violence as cover for their own even more community surged with newcomers—but more importantly,
nefarious purposes. they brought with them their immortal protector, rebuilding
his tomb brick by brick in a mausoleum hidden deep within
The Nesbit family—very much a clan unto themselves,
the woods.
once you factored in all the various siblings, cousins, second
cousins, in-laws, and so forth—had dwelt in Massachusetts With the arrival of the Arisen, the murders ceased—
for almost 100 years by the time of the witch trials. Through mostly. To this day, the cult is still based in and around
all that time, they had maintained a good Christian façade Salem, and their protector still rises now and again to aid
in public, but continued to venerate their Arisen patron and it. The cultists stay in part to protect the many vessels (and
some of his ancient beliefs in private. The Nesbits—who a few mystically empowered locations) left over from the
could trace their lineage directly back to dynastic Egypt time of the witch trials, in part to protect the locals from the
(where their eldest known ancestor was named “Nebit”)— ghosts that also linger from that period, and in part for no
were but one branch of a much larger cult, and though their other reason than this is their home.
patron was entombed half a world away, and none of the And to this day, once every few years, a member of the
living Nesbits had ever seen him, their beliefs never faltered. cult is murdered, a tobacco-wrapped musket ball left near
During the panic of the witch hunts, someone began the body, and even the Arisen has been unable to find the
murdering members of the Nesbit family. No amount of person—or thing—responsible.

Frameworks 243
 Showcase: Prokneft
Since time immemorial, a small but exceptionally powerful Arisen and their efforts, while the Shchavichev benefited
Arisen cult thrived in an obscure village, roughly equidistant from their governmental, industrial, and military ties.
from what would eventually become the cities of Tomsk When the Soviet Union fell, the Prokhorov were among
and Novosibirsk, in Siberia. Although the village itself the various families and businesses whose wealth and
was never formally named, it was often referred to by the influence skyrocketed. Today, their primary business identity
name of the eldest local family—and also, incidentally, the is Prokneft, a major Russian oil company. Based out of
bloodline at the center of the cult—the Shchavichev. Novosibirsk, Siberia, this company maintains the family’s
For centuries, the Shchavichev comprised one of the profits and wealth—but more importantly, it provides cover
most potent Arisen cults in the region of what would, in for cultists to travel the world, infiltrating areas both rich and
time, become Russian territories. In secret, they and their poor. Their primary motivation remains the collection of relics,
mummy patrons (of which they had at least three) scoured confiscating them from any who would misuse their magics.
the area, protecting and retrieving relics from various (Of course, it is the Prokneft board of directors—all of whom
conquerors and even, eventually, the forces of the czars. are tied to the Prokhorov or Shchavichev families—who
decide what “misuse” actually means.) They also endeavor
With the rise of the Soviet Union and the militarization
to study and locate other Arisen cults throughout the world,
leading up to the second World War, the Shchavichev
to determine which might prove a threat to Prokneft interests.
recognized that they would not be able to keep their
existence, or that of their tiny community, secret for much Although Prokneft has several mummies on whom it
longer. They needed allies in high places, someone who can call, it prefers to do so only under the most extreme
could protect them from Stalin’s military and secret police. circumstances, otherwise relying on well trained and
mystically savvy mortal agents. The current chairman,
They found one in Jaska Prokhorov, the patron of a family
Makari Prokhorov, is a veritable genius in international,
powerful in Soviet military and industrial circles. Through
political, and occult affairs. He worked, during the last
a series of marriages over the course of the following
decades of the Soviet Union, as a KGB analyst, and while
generation—some of which might have been “helped
he has zero field experience, his knowledge is substantial.
along” by the necromancies of the cult’s mummies—the
He seems to have an almost supernatural knack for
Shchavichev tied themselves inextricably to the Prokhorov
determining in advance which efforts and operations
line. Many of the Prokhorov were slowly and subtly drawn
require the assistance of one of the Arisen and which do
into the cult’s beliefs, practices, and efforts. The remainder,
not. Only he and the eldest of the board are privy to the
when they finally discovered the truth, swiftly realized that
full extent of Prokneft’s efforts and agenda; even other cult
they could not expose the Shchavichev without destroying
members are kept in the dark as to specific details.
themselves. Some of their members sought a way out, and
a few had to be “disappeared” before they could cause Prokneft, or a similar entity, can function as a model for
problems, but over the generations, the two families truly any of the three sub-frameworks—They Walk Among Us,
became one. The Prokhorov became fully invested in the the Rotating Pyramid, and the Living and the Dead.

Assume, for instance, a cult with multiple mummies on framework, however, it doesn’t require that all such Arisen
whom they can call. In one story, they call on Amonit, be active at once, making it much easier to build more per-
of the Su-Menent, to assist them. Once that story is con- sonal stories around.
cluded, Amonit returns to sleep, and when another prob-
lem arises, the cult instead raises Nifé-en-Ankh of the THE LIVING AND THE DEAD
Tef-Aabhi. The player who portrayed Amonit in the prior The final variant of the Pyramid framework is a chronicle
story now takes on a human character, and one of the that is more accurately a World of Darkness chronicle that
other players temporarily puts her human character aside occasionally crosses over into Mummy: The Curse territo-
to portray Nifé-en-Ankh. On particularly rare occasions, ry. In this setup, all the players portray human characters the
when a truly important plotline erupts, the campaign may bulk of the time. These may be purely normal humans, or
even switch to an Allied Dead model, with multiple Arisen they might have some of the unnatural abilities presented in
active at once. the core rules, but they are absolutely mortal. They are also,
This, like the Allied Dead framework, requires a cult however, members of an Arisen cult (or some other organi-
large and powerful enough to possess more than one Aris- zational entity with Arisen connections) with its own goals,
en patron (unless characters are willing to swap out play- activities, and objectives. For the bulk of their efforts—that
ing a single mummy between them). Unlike the previous is, the bulk of stories in a chronicle—it’s these mortals who

244 Framing Immortality

are involved. Only on rare occasions—and only in the oc- are not only the most likely to succeed, and to provide giddy
casional story—does the cult awaken a mummy to aid them. player joy if they do fail, but they also establish the pressure of
During these times, the campaign shifts to the Pyramid or the Descent. You want your players to think you’re going to be
Rotating Pyramid format, reverting to an all-human group a hard-ass about whittling away their precious power, even if
when that particular plotline is dealt with. you’re not.) Can they find the clues in time to get where they
The challenge for you as Storyteller in this format is to need to go before their powers wither? What does it imply if
avoid falling into the trap of thinking that only stories in their enemies know enough to stall them? What if they find
which an Arisen is active are “important” ones. It’s vital for out that all their pursuit has just led them into a clever trap,
the human characters to accomplish significant victories on just as they’re beginning to weaken?
their own, and to feel like vital protagonists, not merely place- If the meret decides to sail to Cuba in order to avoid the
holders. They may require Arisen assistance to deal with big- hassles of air travel (perhaps their enemy has a whole fleet
ger problems, but they shouldn’t require it to deal with any or of winged Amkhata), that’s probably going to take a lot of
every major one. Remember, too, that the mummy is normally downtime. If they’re doing stuff on the cruise, playing out
awakened for one specific objective, not just to hang around interesting scenes, you may want to track it on the loose,
and provide assistance for as long as the group can make use story-oriented scale of scenes. If they fast-forward, a switch
of him. The Arisen should never become a deus ex machina to days may be more appropriate. Just make sure you use
or Get Out of Jail Free card for the players. Descent Rolls to increase pressure and tension, and make
sure they’re ready for the risk. Scheduled Descent Rolls are

RUNNING THE DESCENT

The game rules for the Descent are meant to balance
dreadful because they’re anticipated, like a dentist appoint-
ment. You want them to know it’s coming, and have the op-
portunity to maybe squirm out of it. Springing a time-based
between Mummy’s dark fantasy elements and its occult Descent Roll as a surprise is more likely to elicit groans or
horror aspects. Both probably appeal, but where exactly to complaints than genuine dread or suspense. And fostering
set that slider is a question that each group has to answer an atmosphere of horror is officially a Good Thing™.
for itself. As Storyteller, your handling of the Descent rules To make Mummy more properly horrific, be stern with
can do a lot to enforce the tone you’ve decided to set. the Descent. To explain how this works, we’re going to dis-
If you want the game to be mostly adventure, badass cuss a splendid horror movie: John Carpenter’s The Thing.
tomb raiding, and noble conflict with the Lifeless (or at It’s the story of a group of scientists in Antarctica who are,
least the illusion thereof), you can keep a fairly loose hand as near as anyone can tell, testing the effects of firearms on
on the Descent gauges. Be generous with resets, especially alcoholism. (Seriously, they are drunk and well armed, and
early on, when Sekhem’s high, and provide plenty of op- the movie never even pretends you should care what their
portunities to earn them. (If you really want to downplay research is about. It’s glorious.) They get trapped in their
the horror tone, let the players spend Willpower to reduce outpost by the titular Thing, which can mimic any living be-
their characters’ Descent Roll pools, but honestly, that’s in- ing it encounters or go into Gore Mode and tear folks apart.
appropriate for the game’s overall themes and tone.) Even The Thing beautifully establishes three conflicting patterns
in a game with a slightly more heroic tone (which, again, of threat, and reducing one almost always increases another.
is expressly not recommended), the Descent is a powerful The threats are the environment, distrust, and direct vio-
tool. Think about every action movie you’ve ever loved. lence. Confronting the Thing head-on makes violence almost
Did it start out with the hero demonstrating powerful com- certain, but brings the humans together, reducing the distrust.
petence? But then things went wrong, making his mission Running away from it puts people at risk from the freezing
harder and harder. Finally, you wonder how the hell he’s temperatures. Moreover, when someone runs and returns, ev-
going to pull it off in the face of overwhelming opposition, eryone’s half-afraid that he’s now the Thing in disguise. Trying
but then he does, and it’s pretty awesome. to unmask the hidden monster decreases mistrust, but brings
That’s the Descent right there. Mummies start out am- them right back to violence, which can be fled into the en-
ped up on life force, casually cranking their Attributes to vironment… round and round, constantly avoiding disaster
10 in a single turn and spitting out Utterances like trium- only by courting a different kind of disaster.
phant rap battlers. This lets you start your game with a hell For Mummy, the Descent is our Antarctica. It’s the fac-
of a bang. In fact, it practically demands it. It establishes tor that says, “If you do nothing, you lose by default.” So,
the characters’ badass credentials, which is often an impor- superficially, the Descent’s purpose is enforcing the will
tant tone setter in stories of that kind. of the Judges, but it’s also one more stick for poking the
But tick-tock, the clock is running. In less time than it takes players when they’re getting bogged down by indecision or
your eyeglass vendor to turn around a new pair of lenses, that distraction.
supernatural vengeance machine has been reduced to Sekhem If you’re wondering about the other elements of The
8, almost certainly. (If the players’ characters don’t drop to Thing’s terror triad, Descent Rolls can also help you with
Sekhem 8 of their own accord, don’t give in to the tempta- them, to a lesser extent. Consider the element of vio-
tion to be sloppy about the Descent Rolls at 10 or 9—those lence. Part of the “awesome dark fantasy” component to

Running the Descent 245

 Mummy is the incredible punishment mummies can soak
up. Even if killed, they return; but that’s far from per-
fect. They come back diminished, and they take that hit
THE ARISEN JOURNEY
Running Mummy can seem intimidating; you’ve all the
on their Sekhem level. This is what’s known as a death usual pressures of Storytelling, combined with added re-
spiral: Resurrecting costs you Sekhem, and lost Sekhem sponsibility for your players’ characters to which you might
means you’re more vulnerable, which means you’re more not be accustomed. Their true backgrounds; the nature
likely to resurrect again. Every fight is a greater risk, not of their service to the Judges and the Shan’iatu; and their
only because you can spend fewer Pillars per round and many lives and repeated deaths are largely up to you to
get less bang for the buck, but because every death brings decide. You can plan as little or as much of that as you
you closer to Sekhem 1, at which point you’re barely bet- like before the chronicle starts, but once the stories are
ter off than a puny human being, insofar as your effective- underway, you also have the job of guiding scenes to meet
ness is concerned. your intended theme and mood. Mummy presents a set
Violence is probably the simplest aspect to incorpo- of themes—alienation, responsibility, memory, and self-
rate, though, especially if you’re an experienced gamer. discovery being chief among them—that suggest a default
The thing to remember with Mummy is that the char- character arc, with characters discovering details of their
acters aren’t getting increasingly badass, or at least not shrouded pasts and reclaiming their humanity. In this sec-
universally. An opponent they casually batted into a tion, we’ll give you advice on how to achieve all that and
coma at Sekhem 8 could come back when they’re down to have a satisfying game doing it.
to Sekhem 2 and show them a thing or two about crude
but enthusiastic payback. This is a good idea. Games are
scary when the protagonists have power taken away from
them, and the Descent steadily leaches their ability to
CREATIVE AGENCY
Mummy makes two main assumptions about the play
defend themselves against physical assault. style of troupes. These won’t be true for every chronicle, but
But what about the third leg of The Thing’s hellish milk- most Storytellers will deal with them at least to some extent:
ing stool? What about the social distrust and backbiting? • Players supply their characters, but not (most of)
The Descent is least useful there, but can still offer you a their characters’ backgrounds.
light lever to lean on. Here’s how. • The Storyteller supplies those backgrounds, and they
Unscheduled Descent Rolls happen when the Powers are revealed during play.
That Be (whether it’s gods, Judges, Fate, or dead priests)
are displeased, and reprieves happen when the Powers are Your players might be comfortable with the idea of shifting cre-
happy. If you want to sow mistrust and suspicion between ative agency like this, they might need a little reassurance, or you
Arisen, make sure they’re working for different Judges might need it yourself. If you’ve never run a game like this before,
(and maybe guilds, too), and make sure that they’re a bit don’t worry. It’s not as difficult as it seems, and by understanding
secretive about which Judge they serve. If one mummy a few tricks to the trade, you’ll be up to speed in no time.
saves another and doesn’t get a Descent reset out of it, The first thing to remember is that you don’t have to do all
he knows he’s now working with someone who serves a the work yourself. Book One of this set describes the players’
different master’s interests. half of the deal; they focus on describing their concepts as the
A Mummy game emphasizing social conflicts should characters they want to play, along with a few ideas for still-
have strictly enforced Descent Rolls for the servants retained memories. These details, once confirmed with you
of those covert, conflicting interests. More, though, as during character creation, must stand. You can work around
Storyteller you should emphasize the ebb and flow of them, reveal details of what was really going on in half-formed
Sekhem. Use vivid terms to describe the relief of a level memories, and even, with care, call memories into question;
reset, and be bleak when a level drops. Make the Descent but whatever happened to the character in the past must
Roll feel ominous, regardless of whether it fails or suc- have led to the present.
ceeds. Make sure the Arisen know that the Judges are The second thing to remember is that the player, not you,
constantly monitoring them, evaluating their deeds, in- decides how her character acts in the present. Even if you
stantly rewarding them for compliance and just as quick reveal that a character courted the idea of betraying her Judge
to punish any deviation from the mission. Once they re- in previous life cycles, the player chooses how she reacts to
ally feel that the Judges (and possibly the gods, too) are remembering that heresy. Your revelations are just another
spying on them without ceasing, that’s when you start stimulus to character growth and shouldn’t be used to try to
to make them question their masters’ agenda. If you can control what the players do with their characters.
make a mummy legitimately resent her own Judge, you’ve The amount by which you can play with expectations
set yourself up for all the paranoia and internal conflict comes down to the level of background twisting with which
you could possibly want. your troupe is happy—a spoken or unspoken social contract
Congratulations! of what’s acceptable. For some Mummy troupes, it might be
okay to reveal memories that conflict with an Arisen’s sense
of who she is but not to directly contradict the concept, even

246 Framing Immortality

in a flashback set millennia ago. Other troupes will be happy playing, or guess how they’d react as their characters in a given
to try anything. If in doubt, ask your players; limits of creative situation? Then use those quirks and habits in your background.
agency are better off understood than accidentally broken. Does something in your backstory no longer make sense, but
You don’t have to say precisely what you intend, though. That hasn’t yet been revealed to the players? Change it. Adapt your
would spoil the surprise. Be aware that different players will plans to fit how the characters behave in play, look for events in
have different views on what they consider inviolate about the chronicle you can mirror or invert in the backstory for con-
their characters and what they’re happy for you to test. trast and listen if your players speculate about what their charac-
ters did. You might find they have a better idea than you had.
CHRONICLING HISTORY
So, you’ve read the secrets in this book. You’ve learned PLAYING TO THEME
the terrible history of Irem, you know what the Shan’iatu Preparation is all very well, but where is your chronicle
intended for the Arisen, and you’ve got ideas about using going? Mummy, as a World of Darkness game, is an en-
Anpu and the death cycles. You’ve got a collection of char- vironment for Storytelling games of personal horror and,
acter sheets and concepts supplied by your players, along specifically to Mummy, self-discovery and reclamation
with a few ideas for historical context. against the confines of the Descent. The themes support
Now what? this design—mummy characters begin alienated from mor-
At heart, creating a background on behalf of someone tals, ground down by the loss of memory and their driving
else is no different than doing it for a detailed Storyteller instinct to serve their purpose, but they may eventually
character or for playing a character of your own in another learn to reclaim their lives, rediscover their memories, and
roleplaying game. It doesn’t have to be a detailed account of even rebel against their eternal servitude to their absent
6,000 years, with every arising accounted for; that would take and largely undeserving masters.
years to write. A few broad arcs noting periods of activity will
suffice—major events that shaped subsequent Descents for ALIENATION
the meret. You can always go into more detail later. To be alienated is to be cut off, separated or divided from
A backstory has to meet both your needs and the player’s those around you. Mummies, at least at the level of Mem-
needs. The best way to do that is to tie the plot’s needs into ory starting characters possess, do not consider themselves
the character, and to do that, you’ll need to find the hooks to be part of the human experience. They walk through
in the game traits your players chose. Where a player has the living world but lost any right to it they may have had
intentionally left gaps for you to fill in—a Fated Affinity, a when they underwent the Rite of Return. At least, that’s
free choice of Judge, a Skill she doesn’t know how her char- what they usually believe. Every time a mummy rises, she
acter learned—you should make decisions according to your is faced with a leap into a future she might not understand.
chronicle design. Grant Fated Affinities you know will be use- She can make the effort to adapt to the new world, but one
ful or give a hint as to previous Descents the character can’t arising later, she’ll be doing it all over again. Little wonder
remember. If the player finds no emerging preferences, or is most don’t bother; potentially hundreds of Descents and
having difficult choosing for herself, you can assign a Judge four Sothic Turns have taught them not to.
that’s appropriate for the character, then note for the player The alienation of mummies is part culture shock and part
how it might be pleased or angered by her actions, including disassociation. You can use either in your games to get the
perhaps a few points where one or the other took place. theme across. Alienation is best used at the start of a chron-
Beyond filling in the missing pieces of the character, look icle or after an extended time lapse as a character dies and
over what your player did put in for potential plot hooks. The returns to life years later to find everything changed.
mummy’s decree (or Judge, if the player was that specific) Culture Shock
combined with the guild gives a sense of the character’s over- Mummies’ situation as time-displaced undead monsters
all priorities and personality, but look at the Attributes and might make you imagine scenes of failing to understand in-
Skills as well. Skill Specialties are the most telling traits for novations and being unnerved by them, but culture shock
determining what’s key to your player’s vision of her character, isn’t technological in basis. Human beings—even spiritu-
followed by high-dot ratings in low-priority areas (e.g., if she ally rebuilt, millennia-old human beings—adapt just fine to
spends most or all of a tertiary category in a single trait, then new tools and technologies once they’ve seen them used.
it’s important,) then which categories were primary, and finally More importantly, mummies have a great deal of experience
high dots in general. Every dot tells a story, and you can frame with unexpected leaps in science. Encountering an electric
flashbacks and weave backstory around any of them. Take any switch or a gun for the first time won’t make a mummy think
cases where your players provided memories during character of magic, and they can pick up the nature of most things by
creation as the gift they are, and include them in your plans inference; a mummy encountering firearm-wielding enemies
where possible. When you reveal what happened just before will realize from stance that they’re weapons. Once you see
or after a scene the player provided, that player will appreciate someone using a cellphone, the purpose of it is obvious even
your effort to include that work. if you don’t understand the science behind how it works.
Once the chronicle is underway, watch how your players act And really, how many people do, anyway?
during the game. Can you identify common themes in their role-

The Arisen Journey 247

 Culture shock is more pervasive, and more emotional. It’s
entirely based on being immersed in a foreign or unfamiliar
social context (which happens to mummies all the time), and
it resembles the stages of grief. At first, someone displaced and
cut off from home falls in love with the new culture, then finds
things he doesn’t like about it, and thus begins to feel anxiety.
Eventually, the traveler gets used to the new circumstance
and reaches a kind of equilibrium, where he understands the
culture and has come to terms with his likes and dislikes, but
still feels slightly alienated. If he ever progresses (and most
people don’t), then he “goes native” and suffers shock again if
displaced back to his original culture.
Mummies can’t return to lost Irem, and they don’t usually
have time to reach that equilibrium, either. When Sekhem
drops and Memory rises enough for them to truly take in their
surroundings, they live in a mixture of joy at discovering the
new and unease at how much they’ve been left behind. Let-
ting Memory fade into the fog of past Descents, losing oneself
in the drumming heartbeat of Sekhem—that is a viable es-
cape, and it’s always available. All the mummy has to do is
stop trying to fight it.
You can bring culture shock into your games by emphasizing
the differences and similarities between your setting and Irem.
Mummies feeling alienated look for elements of the local cul-
ture that remind them of home, and the modern world is defi-
nitely Irem’s heir in that regard. It has its masters and slaves
(although you have to pretend to pay them minimum wage
now), its temples, and its wars. It offers empires taking tribute
from less powerful nations in resources or workers. Introduce
scenes that bring these similarities across, as well as ones in
which the characters have to deal with something with which
they’re not so familiar. Pick something—big or small—that’s
different about your setting from Irem, and point it out via the
medium of your story to the player and her character.
And finally, there are mummies who do last long enough to
acclimatize to the age into which they have returned: those
who betray their mission and sacrifice relics for Sekhem.
When your characters encounter these traitors, you can use
scenes showing the antagonist mummies as perhaps being
comfortable, where the players’ characters are still uneasy.
They’ve gone native, and by claiming vessels for themselves,
they’ve achieved what the characters can never truly have. It
does double duty as a marked difference and a lingering temp-
tation. If the characters committed the same crime, maybe
they could find the same contentment, however fleeting.
Disassociation
Mummies are so ground down by the Descent that, at low
Memory and high Sekhem, they resemble fleshy, angry au-
tomatons. Only as they descend and regain their finer facul-
ties do they notice the world around them, and even then,
they don’t truly take it in until Memory has risen; and for
some, it never does. You can help your players get into this
mindset by being careful in how you describe scenes. When
the characters are at low Memory and Sekhem 9 or 10, the
whip of Sekhem is driving them to their mission while they
ignore, hear without hearing, or see without processing. Pare

248 Framing Immortality

down your descriptions, don’t give the names of NPCs, and Mummies, though, were reduced to the barest scraps of
consider not even fully roleplaying what those characters say. memory by the Rite of Return, and 6,000 years later, Arisen
Summarize it instead. Be vague about background characters. characters begin play having barely managed to rise above
Then, as Memory rises and the Descent begins to bite, that nadir, and making further progress is simply beyond
shade more and more detail into your descriptions. Slip the some of them. The combination of alienation from human-
names of your supporting characters in, and begin roleplaying ity and the driving responsibility of Sekhem means they of-
their speaking voices; pick out details in the characters’ sur- ten simply don’t care what gets in their way. A newly arisen
roundings that you would have glossed over earlier. mummy with only a few dots in Memory (that is, a typical
starting character,) will burst from the tomb brimming with
RESPONSIBILITY Sekhem’s power, snap the tomb robber’s neck with a slight
Alienation is so strong that a natural instinct of the Arisen tinge of satisfaction, and take back her relic. The character’s
would be to do nothing but meditate in their tombs until death actions don’t weigh on her. They’re just means to an end.
takes them again, but they aren’t reborn devoid of purpose. Ev- If you introduce too many scenes in which a character is
ery mummy has responsibilities—to her creator, to her Judge, forced to sin against the few dots of Memory with which she
to her meret, to her cult; responsibilities that she feels a power- started, you’ll soon run them into madness.
ful, occult urge to fulfill. But responsibility doesn’t end with Instead of focusing on actions, consider introducing
duty. Consider other ways to use the theme in your games. scenes that tempt the character with inactions. Responsibility
The Mission means “if you don’t do this, bad things will happen.” At early
Relics and vestiges seem almost fated to show up around stages in a chronicle, plots can be sparked by characters not
mummies, the possessions of the Judges working their way noticing or thinking to correct situations when they’re small
subtly into the hands of the Judges’ agents in the living world. enough. The mortal they terrified and then ignored returns,
Regardless, the drive to reclaim items containing Sekhem older and more prepared, in a future life cycle. The problem
and return them to Duat makes for a handy narrative device, they told cult members to deal with themselves (while the
and is a story hook you’ll likely return to again and again as a meret fought a chimera, perhaps) snowballs to become the
Mummy Storyteller. Just as a basic chapter of Vampire: The focus of a later story. Once the players have bought more
Requiem involves waking, hunting for blood, and then deal- dots in Memory and the characters are therefore able to ap-
ing with a character’s place in the neo-feudal domain, a basic preciate what they did, have those consequences bite. And
chapter of Mummy: The Curse often begins with a charac- for extra contrast, suggest that they were in the right to con-
ter rising, either called by her cult to recover a vessel it has centrate on their duty.
learned of or else forced back to life by a theft or Sothic Turn. Workers, Not Kings
You’ll need to strike a fine balance here; too much em- Responsibility carries connotations of, well, work. Mum-
phasis on recovering vessels and your chronicle will begin mies are laborers and soldiers, scribes and smiths. They
to feel samey, but the game is about being a slave to duty were never kings, and remain servants of the Judges and of
one can’t escape even by dying. Eventually, a mummy their own purpose.
might rebel, but if you intend your chronicle to go down You can emphasize this aspect of the game not only by
that route, you need to have something for the charac- revealing flashbacks to lost Irem and hints of the Judges’
ters to rebel against. If your players are showing signs of agenda, but by drawing parallels between mummies and the
getting bored with relic hunts, try to shake things up a people around them who labor in similar thematic circum-
little. Consider having a relic that was already retrieved stance. Mummies are at home among poor migrant workers,
stolen, or drawing back the curtain a little to show what the serving underclass, developing nations, those who toil at
the Judges intended for a relic set in the meret’s collection. dangerous jobs on behalf of far-off beneficiaries, and the like.
As Chapter Three notes, the combination of a relic and a Many of the supernatural beings that inhabit the World of
vestige creates a wide-ranging, if subtle emotion-warping Darkness take positions of wealth and privilege when they
effect; that effect is going to be centered on the community interact with humanity, but although a mummy can leverage
among which your characters hide. Decide what it is, and her cult to play in that arena if she really must (or just can’t
gradually show the results of past retrieval missions on your control her desire), the CEO’s boardroom and the playboy
setting. By making the results positive, your characters are mansion are most often the realms of the Arisen’s foes.
rewarded for loyal service. Detrimental effects, introducing You can highlight this theme by selecting antagonists who
the idea of rebellion, support stories about the relationship are “above” the level of the mummies’ allies, or who abuse
between the Arisen and their masters. privilege over others. Last Dynasty International is tailor-
Action/Inaction and Consequence made for this kind of story, exploiting the sahu of the mum-
All World of Darkness games focus on the consequences of mies themselves for profit. As described under “The Mis-
characters’ actions—the protagonists lose levels in their Moral- sion” (above), having a relic amplify a vestige, causing harm
ity traits in response to things they are forced to do to survive to the community around the meret’s tombs, can begin a
the story of the week, becoming jaded, broken, and quite pos- story exploring rebellion against the Judges’ “selfishness.” If a
sibly deranged in the process. Actions have consequences. player’s character does rise to a high position, or rules a par-

The Arisen Journey 249

 ticularly large or wealthy cult, emphasize how alien it feels inforcing the character’s sense of self anyway—the character
to be waited on (especially if the character has spent experi- can always declare that she was wrong in the past—or cause a
ence to increase her Memory rating). Cultists are “meant” moment of self-doubt and reflection, but either way, it empha-
to be fellow servants of the Arisen, not the servants of the sizes the theme of memory’s role in shaping our lives.
Arisen. Test the line between the two by giving characters Most recalled memories will be short, snapshots of distant times,
the opportunity to abuse power and have it all go wrong. and can be handled by description and narration. For particularly
important recollections, though, you might want to play through
MEMORY the revelation. In these cases, you can employ a flashback.
Memory is more than just a Morality trait; it’s the central con-
cern of a mummy’s existence. Drowned by power and sheer age,
Flashbacks
The flashback sequence is a staple of fiction, revealing hid-
the memory of previous life cycles fades with the centuries, leav-
den character traits and providing the necessary jigsaw piece
ing an Arisen grasping at tattered fragments in order to maintain
of information to make sense of the story’s plot, but they aren’t
a sense of self. By using the memory theme in your games, you give
used very much in traditional roleplaying games, thanks to a
it the prominence it deserves in your characters’ repeated lives.
few problems when adapting the technique to games. In most
Definition games, flashbacks to dangerous situations feel defanged, as the
Here’s a question that’s been mulled over by philosophers characters can’t have been seriously injured or killed, so the
since before the days of lost Irem: How much of a man is the Storyteller is forced to provide an “out” of any conflict. More
sum of his experiences? Is there an essential self beyond mem- importantly, though, the flashback in these games steps on the
ory, and what happens if memory is altered or lost? If there’s toes of player agency; it can feel wrong to a player to experience
no soul, no self that transcends impermanent memory, then her character out of sequence, as events that take place later
anything about a person is open to change. An injury to the chronologically but were played earlier have had no way of be-
brain or a vampire’s hypnotic gaze puts everything about the ing informed by the scene; and the player can argue that she
past in doubt. Change the past of an unfortunate—the sub- “should have” known any information revealed. If you avoid
jective memory of the past—and you change his personality. any sense of threat and make sure the character didn’t change
The Arisen know that things aren’t quite that bad. The emotionally or learn anything, then there’s little point in play-
soul exists in its complex Egyptian form, and the decree is a ing the flashback at all. Mummy: The Curse, however, shares
statement that no matter what force is brought to bear, the none of these problems. Characters can easily die in flashback
core nature of a mummy isn’t warped, even if she loses ev- action sequences, and the Arisen condition means that the
ery memory of her human life. Unfortunately, the Arisen also character is learning whatever happened at the same time as
know that the decree and the soul are limited, capable of be- the player; there’s no discontinuity when the mummy simply
ing damaged, and susceptible to being overwhelmed by the forgot what occurred until reminded of it centuries later.
energies of the Rite of Return. A mummy without memory Flashbacks should be linked to the rest of the story by theme,
is a husk, following the commandments of its purpose with- mood, or event, but you don’t have to wait until characters re-
out any true personality. Memories, then, are what define a gain Memory to use them, and benefit from a degree of forward
mummy as a person rather than a tool of the Shan’iatu, and planning in the set up. When the scene starts, describe where
they are all the more precious for it. and when the characters are, along with any pressing points
You can use the gradually returning memories of past lives about what the characters are like in the time period presented,
to highlight aspects of a character’s self identity, by reinforcing but try not to use flashbacks to show the characters acting com-
or casting doubt on her ideas about herself. Bear in mind the pletely against their later beliefs until your players get used to
limits of your players’ tolerance for you revealing their charac- the technique and become a little more adept at shifting gears.
ter’s background, and consult any notes you have about how Remember the limits of your role as Storyteller; if you think
the character developed into the state she was in at the start of a flashback as having a definitive beginning, middle, and end,
of the chronicle. and you “know” what the characters did, then it’s better to sub-
Memories—real human memories, not just those of the stitute a narrated memory instead (which can be just as useful,
Arisen—are strongest when linked to an emotion or a sense. if not more so). Flashbacks are for scenes where there’s an op-
When your players spend experience on raising the Memory portunity to learn something, a decision to be made, or actions
of their characters, look at what the mummies have been feel- to undertake of which you don’t know the outcome ahead of
ing recently: Did anyone refresh Willpower through Virtue or time. They’re particularly good for introducing information, as
Vice in the last chapter? Did the meret encounter a particular players tend to be better at taking in things that happen to their
type of antagonist or social situation? Did an Arisen express a characters when they’re playing them than when presented
strong belief about something? If you can link the prompting with exposition. Use flashbacks to have the meret encounter
experience to part of a character’s background, you can then a situation or enemy in a way that “trains” them for the main
promote the character’s growing self-identity by providing a story, to introduce clues if your players are stumped in a mys-
memory that mirrors the prompt. Alternatively, you can pres- tery, or to allow players who can’t decide what the best course
ent a moment from the past that mirrors and inverts the event of action for their characters is to “try out” different options in
to show how the character has changed. This can end up re- similar situations their characters encountered in the past.

250 Framing Immortality

A Shadow of Doubt Rebellion
Memory can be dangerous. Once a mummy starts to re- The Judges are harsh masters who prefer to guide by
call more and more about her lives, she might begin to rely punishment rather than reward; a mummy feels the disap-
on the insights into her past and make herself vulnerable. pointment of her creator, her gods, and her Judge in the
If you want to shake players’ confidence in their characters’ loss of Sekhem when she transgresses, which, as she re-
pasts, then there are a few ways to introduce a little doubt. gains her personality, may lead to acts of rebellion. Going
It shouldn’t happen in most chronicles, but if memory is too far leads to the Descent being rushed, but an Arisen
used to hint at the “correct” path too often, the players— doesn’t have to toe the party line all of the time, and one
and their characters—could grow to rely on it. of the most important lessons a mummy will learn on her
Flashbacks and recollected scenes lack context, and can journey is how much she can get away with without invit-
give misleading impressions about past events. For example, ing the wrath of Fate. If you want to explore this in your
if an Arisen were to remember “discovering” the fact that a game, introduce opportunities for a character to go against
particular guildmate was a spy for the Deceived, but not that Duat’s commands. Perhaps another Arisen offers a trade
she then found him to be innocent when given further in- for the relic she arose to find, or her cult sees an opportu-
formation, she might confront him in the present with tragic nity to gain power without it being linked to the mission.
consequences. Mistakes don’t have to be earth-shattering or
threaten the mission, though; they can be as deeply personal
Learning to Live
Once Memory is at mid-to-high levels, a mummy has a
as remembering a lost love, gathering strength from it, but not much better grip on herself as a person. But that achieve-
being aware that the affair ended in the mummy being jilted ment needs to be reinforced against further alienation.
and heartbroken. When the revelation finally comes, the Once the mission has been achieved, or the reality of aris-
mummy can experience the pain of rejection all over again, ing to a Sothic Turn without a specific command has set
mixed with anger at herself for the mistake. in, a mummy has time for personal interests. A mummy
Beyond lack of context and outright manipulation, there thinking only of duty will spend this time maintaining her
is simple deception. The enemies of the Arisen are often fa- cult and tomb and keeping watch for enemies or vessels,
miliar with their weakness of memory, the Shuankhsen and but one who is beginning to reclaim herself has other op-
the Deceived being mummies themselves, and an apparently tions. Do your characters have secret hobbies or interests?
friendly approach by an unknown Arisen who claims to have Do they attempt to keep current with technology, telling
known the mummy in the past can hide an attempt to twist themselves it will make future cycles easier but really tak-
the victim’s sense of self. If a mummy is known to rely on her ing satisfaction in it for its own sake? Once Sybaris isn’t an
cult to prompt her about past actions, that cult presents prime issue, they can even meet people in managed situations—
opportunities for infiltration. Wise Arisen learn to be cautious do they recruit new cultists, take lovers, make friends? En-
when someone “reminds” them of an event they’re not sure courage your players to think of these details and then use
about—caution that, tragically, can lead full circle back to be- them. A friend’s skills become vital to finding a chimera. A
coming alienated and cut off. mummy’s knowledge of the modern world comes in handy
when tracking an enemy cult.
SELF-DISCOVERY
The final and perhaps most central theme of Mummy— Losing Yourself
that of self-discovery—has been touched on in the discus- If Memory only went up, mummies’ struggle to discover
sions so far. As a mummy begins to pull back from her the truth about themselves would be easy. The characters
alienated state, she begins to learn what it means to be her. in a typical Mummy chronicle begin at Memory 3—imply-
ing that they can fall even lower. They can be crushed by
Make it Personal repeated deaths and disappointments, give up on rebuild-
First and foremost, make your stories personal to the
ing their past, and let themselves be lulled by the tidal rise
characters. It’s good advice for any World of Darkness
and fall of Sekhem. After all, they did it before.
game, but it bears repeating for clarity: Mummy is best
If the characters lose Memory dots during play, you can
when the events of the chronicle mean something to the
hint at how comforting and terrifying it is to them to feel
characters. Use plots that are linked to a character’s ob-
themselves succumbing. If they are consistently raising
sessions, pet loves/hates, or beliefs; and provide Storyteller
Memory without suffering setbacks, you can still bring this
characters who remind the mummies of themselves or con-
up in game by using flashbacks to periods when they lost
trast against them, defining the players’ characters by op-
themselves for a time.
position or absence of a key trait. If a mummy is learning
Once you have the characters questioning if they’re
that she is brave, introduce someone for her to look up
doomed to an eternal cycle of losing and reclaiming
to or a coward against whom she might define herself. If
their humanity, that can be just the right time to bring
another character is tempted to consume relics purely for
in Apotheosis.
Sekhem, bring in another mummy who did such a thing to
whom he might compare himself.

The Arisen Journey 251

 Epilogue
Ankh-Nephris stood with his and fearful masses that once even for a flashing second, than
hands pressed against the glass mobbed at Pharaoh’s heel. Now she could have ever dreamed.
of his office window on the 17th they were without humility or The mummy crossed the
floor of the Meriwether-Holst direction, each thinking its own room to a large stele mounted
Building. At this height, the flickering moment upon the upon a raw brick wall and lit
world below was reduced to a face of time is significant and by spotlight from both above
swirling murk that made him that each romance and success and below. This four-foot-
feel even more removed from holds meaning beyond their high, tombstone-shaped slab
what had already been a long immediate experience. From of basalt had been carved and
and confusing Descent. Ankh-Nephris’s perspective, painted well after the fall of
Long, yes, but soon this was an impossible folly. Irem, during one of the New
concluded, he thought. Too many years spent adrift Kingdom dynasties, when
Soon enough, Nujalik would between years and too great there were no more sorcerer-
walk through the double doors an understanding of what he priests and the Rite of Return’s
of his opulent chamber and the served and what, he imagined, proper performance had been
grasp of his Judge’s command those beings might serve. long lost to time. This one
would slip from him at last. And This time, as ever before, his had been carved to preserve
for a brief moment before death, intentions were undistracted. the memories of his past, to
he would know respite the likes Sefet Qam’s traitor priestess, be of use in the present. And
of which he had not known for Nujalik, and the means to despite the guidance of the
nearly a century. Arisen who do Heraf-Het’s end were one and scholars within his cult and
not achieve their purpose feel the same. She loved Ankh- the dissonant revelations the
death like a weight upon their Nephris more than her selfish, stone jarred within him, Ankh-
very existence. It sends some angry heart could express; or Nephris had not apprehended
of them roaring from their at least a base approximation its pure wisdom until that very
tombs in a rage. For those who of love—a need to be essential, moment.
accomplish their Judge-forged significant. And she was “Sacrifices must be made.
mandates, death is like falling essential, Ankh-Nephris knew. Secrets must be kept.”
into a soothing nap, only to be She was essential to the He nodded at his own
woken at some indeterminable fruition of this plan, in this reflection in the window glass.
time later, to succeed once time, and in this place. Her “The lady Nujalik has arrived,
again. In all the millennia of his importance, though fleeting, sir.” The rushed, nasal voice
arising, Ankh-Nephris never must be acknowledged and came from a face lit by the pale
once failed to achieve the will of honored. To do otherwise greens of a security monitor.
his Judge, and this time would would show a great disrespect “Do we let her up now?”
be no different. to both the improbability of her
“Wait,” whispered the
He tapped the glass, testing success and the greater plan of
mummy from somewhere
its thickness and durability. the One Whose Face Is Behind
behind the man. Ankh-Nephris
He was a craftsman before the It; an intention that made this
was transfixed by the small
Rite claimed him, a master of Nujalik more significant, if
blurry image of the Inuit
his art, able to create beautiful priestess on the screen, his eyes
things in that city that vanished narrowing as if mesmerized
so many ages ago. It was a by the dance of something
wonder, really, that the humans underwater. How could he
of this modern age were of blame her for what she had
the same ilk as those loyal done? For betraying his enemy?
For offering him the Seven- to struggle with the chest’s to this moment… and was
Times-Hallowed Mask on a clasp but was stilled by Ankh- now expecting her reward.
platter of gold? Nephris’s raised hand. The look Although her devotion to the
“Sacrifices must be made.” on his master’s face was the ideologies and ceremonies of
So they must. closest to happiness the man my cult was never in question,
had ever seen. He withdrew to her petty, cruel, and power-
* * *
the edge of the room. seeking nature could never
His massive office was cast in be trusted, he decided. The
Nujalik stepped closer as
golden orange by the setting mummy stared at his reflection
Ankh-Nephris bent to examine
sun when the guard escorted in the golden face, thinking.
the carving on the chest’s lid.
Nujalik inside. The mummy What was the girl getting out
“Your people’s?” he mumbled.
reclined on a chaise with his of this that she would so readily
She nodded, though he couldn’t
head turned over the back of betray her own cult? His own
have seen her do so.
it, staring off at the receding motivations were absolute. The
solar sphere. “Mine is the heart As if expecting a great flash
of biblical light, all eyes present will of Heraf-Het would come to
of carnelian, as red as murder pass, and Ankh-Nephris was his
on the day of Sutek’s feast…” he widened. But the mask simply
sat in the packing straw, inert… Judge’s instrument in the living
mouthed in the low utterance world. Nujalik could not know
of a prayer meant only for the dull, even, to the naked eye.
To the initiated, however, its these things. She would never
gods. He turned and rose to serve in the way he served.
face her. every fiber sung with precious
life force, a battery of mystical “Thank you, Nujalik.” He
There she stood, the very inhaled evenly. “You cannot
energy crafted by the hands of
likeness of the dawn. Her skin understand the importance of
master sorcerers and imbued
as brown as it was in those what has come to pass by your
with powerful forces that would
lost days, her gaze as hard deeds. A great transgression has
now serve Heraf-Het, Whose
as it ever was. Alas, the zeal been healed with the recovery
Face Is Behind It. Ankh-Nephris
of her service and a slight of the mask. Although there
exhaled slowly as he took the
physical resemblance were the will be those who will seek it out
sacred mask into his hands.
entirety of the comparison. His and cause trouble for those who
love was a woman enflamed It was then that the dead
man looked upward and wept. serve me, we stand triumphant
by spiritual fervor, who had in this greatest of moments, at
become something altogether He wept for his toil and for all
that had to be done in order for this fated culmination. Another
elemental, beyond even the circle has been sealed with
reach of his love. Nujalik his purpose to find fulfillment
at this exact moment. Praise be flame, and I will pass into Duat
was a predator prowling the with the marks of my Judge
perimeter, on the hunt for her unto Heraf-Het in His ageless
wisdom! clutched to my chest. I will
prey. wear the vestments of the life I
A guard shuffled in his suit As reverie gave way to
lived so many ages ago in that
behind her, the sweat on his reality, the mummy’s gaze
Nameless City, as I wear the
brow a testimony to the weight fell to Nujalik. Like himself,
clothing of this cycle beneath
of the carved wooden chest she’d been fully committed
them.” Ankh-Nephris brushed
that he struggled to hold aloft. his hair aside with his hand and
His master’s bright blue eyes straightened his suit jacket.
flashed, and the man huffed the “This has all come to pass, just
box onto a Bauhaus table, the as it had to… and you, priestess,
chrome tubes chiming as the are to thank.”
weight settled. The man started
 Nujalik was taken aback by the A concerned look dawned jet. The doors split a perfectly
directness and intensity of the across Nujalik’s face. For all his symmetrical representation of
mummy’s gratitude. It had always talk of the great moment, Ankh- Heraf-Het cleanly in half, his
been assumed that he viewed her Nephris suddenly seemed more vast featureless face a mirror
as a piece in his game of eons, a monster to her now than ever. for the soul of the candidate
and perhaps as a reminder of She could not help but revere who aims to enter the initiatory
some fleeting memory that once the ancient creature, but also chamber. Nujalik gaped in awe
pleased him. That was all she could not wait for him to just… at the image until the opening of
could ever be to him. Or was it? depart. He could do nothing the doors tore her momentary
“In this house, there are but terrify. The mummy put his trance in two.
many hands and many minds hand upon her shoulder and The chamber was a great
at work. They have toiled for squeezed, gently. She turned square, the corners consecrated
generations to insure that, to see him walking toward the to the four elements and great
when my coming is warranted, window. ingots of silver imbedded in the
I am summoned in my master’s “For what you have done, floor in accordance with ancient
name and go forth to do His girl… you will join a precious star patterns. At the center
will. Many are descendents of few by my side. You will learn loomed a great sarcophagus
great lines that have aided me the secret of my state and will lifted at an angle to face the
through many Descents, and be liberated from the darkness entryway. Formed of smooth
some have been drawn into of aeons invisible to so brief of black stone, it was cut with veins
my service more recently… life, as I was.” of paleness carved into an alien
devotees such as yourself.” Ankh-Nephris walked arabesque of interlocking discs
As Ankh-Nephris spoke, to the doorway leading to etched with the oldest script to
Nujalik’s eyes cast about the the elevator, and the guard ensure that the least number
room. The mummy’s collection gestured for Nujalik to follow. would know the names written
of antiquities and oddities He twisted a brass key in the there. Surrounding the dais sat
was unlike anything else on sub-panel and the trio took the eight additional sarcophagi,
Earth. To the traitor priestess, elevator down 19 floors into the simpler but no less fine in their
the hall was a trove of riches. building’s subbasement. When craftsmanship. A few were un-
To the Arisen, it was nothing the doors opened, they were lidded, but the men in suits
but a makeshift attempt at greeted by four men in suits were busily engaged in the
recollection and memories lost wearing the threaded emblem preparation of the sarcophagus
to the tides of Duat. She looked of Ankh-Nephris’s Judge: a at the center of the chamber.
at the statues, tapestries, and lunar sphere wreathed with Ankh-Nephris could see that
painted urns with avarice black falcon wings. These men the priestess of his enemy was
in her eyes. Ankh-Nephris escorted her down a hallway moved by the grandeur of his
looked at Nujalik with passing that gave way to a set of carved burial vault. He had always seen
appreciation and a newly doors easily 12 feet high and the room as a gateway rather
resonant contempt. coated from top to bottom with than a place in its own right—a
“Even to my most devout gold and inset tiles of lapis and perspective impossible for any but
vassals, I give little. For what the Arisen to understand. From
is greater thanks than to know this chamber he would enter the
that one has served the will doorway within that black stone
of his Judge? What gratitude coffin and set sail upon the great
compares to that most perfect sea of stars over which his most
knowledge?” satisfied Judge stood sovereign.
 “It is time, good priestess.” my Judge, and it is your name The woman’s face reddened
Two of Ankh-Nephris’s cultists that will be written eternally as three of the men secured
moved quickly to seal the only within its record and legend. her. A linen sack closed around
exit from the vault. Nujalik You will live forever through her neck, covering her head,
knew immediately something this deed alone, Nujalik.” six rough hands hoisting her
was wrong. She should have had The woman’s eyes dilated. into the air. She bucked her
nothing to fear, as she had done “You are hereby honored body against them, but it was
only that which would please by the rites of old to drift with no use. She came down hard,
her new master. Hadn’t she? your lord upon the tides of the her elbow banging painfully
Was there some ritual formality afterlife. While I shall return against something stony and
to which she had not adhered from the cycle of stars and years smooth. A sarcophagus, she
and thus inadvertently offended to further heed the Judges’ will, thought.
yet another of their countless you shall sleep undisturbed Nujalik screamed and
unseen gods? until you fade into the memory screamed, and then she
“Nujalik.” The sonorous voice of of the stars alone.” screamed some more. Within
Ankh-Nephris echoed like an iron Nujalik’s survival instinct moments, the shrill begging
chime in the funerary vault. The kicked into overdrive. of her shredded voice caused
priestess trembled. The five drones Adrenaline pulsing through the metal mask being fitted
swarmed in on her. Instinctively every cell, she shook off the over her head to hum from the
galled at their temerity, Nujalik’s priests and bolted for the vault sheer vibration of her panic.
contempt turned to rage as she door, senselessly ripping at The grating noise was cut short
thrashed about within the hold of it with her bare hands. With when her new master’s cultists
her captors—a short-lived zeal, a shriek, she turned to face slid the lid of her burial vault
snuffed out when the baleful gaze of Ankh-Nephris and his men. It into place.
Ankh-Nephris fell back upon her. occurred to her then that their Looking down at the concrete
“Be still,” came the command faces registered the type of coffin in which the woman had
from the mummy’s lips, a calm that only men who have been interred, Ankh-Nephris
syrupy vibration of syllables resigned themselves to the most turned now to the matter of his
that sank unquestioned into grotesque of inhumanities can own death. With the help of his
the minds of all those present. experience. The mummy at the servants, he made his way into
The whole room seemed to center of it all, however, was the strange, sigil-laden capsule
settle into its foundations. not now—nor ever again—a within which he would soon set
“You have served my purpose man as she understood one. sail upon those vast expanses
and the will of my most holy “Do not fight, girl,” it said. that only the dead can know.
and revered Judge, called “For you to fight this is as Fading now, he is handed
Heraf-Het,” the mummy began. obscene a denial of the truth as the stylized crook and set of
“In this, you are to be rewarded this body of mine continuing burnished silver scales. They
in the fashion that is most another hour upon this Earth. are a blur in his crossed hands
pleasing to the One Whose Face We must accept our fates, as he reclines against the cool
Is Behind It.” priestess. We must.” floor of his sarcophagus. With
In addition to the central the light dying all around
sarcophagus, five of those him, with the name of Heraf-
surrounding it were then Het upon his life’s last breath,
unsealed. Ankh-Nephris descends once
more into the lost dreams of
“The Seven-Times-Hallowed
Irem.
Mask now adorns the throne of
 INDEX
ab 10, 16, 67, 75, 190, 195 Living Monolith 106
as defining Pillar 56-60, 86 Miraculous Benefactor 107
in Affinities 101-103, 105-107, 109, 110 Model Lifeweb (Guild Affinity) 55
in Utterances 115, 118-121, 125-127, 131-133, 138 Night Creature 107
see also Lion-Headed Nihilist Awakening 107
draining, 194 Paragon Shames the Weak 107
Affinity 10, Pharaoh Reigns Anew 107
at character creation 64, 66, 68, 70 Radiant Lifeforce 108
experience point cost 71 Retributive Curse 108
Fated 71 Rouse the Khaibit 108
gaining in play 99 Running Like Flight 108
Bane Affinities 98, 196 Shrouding Aura 109
Ammut’s Feast 197 Sight Beyond Eyes 109
Blood Cartouche 197 Soul Infusion 109
Hateful Bau 197 Soulsight 109
Shadow Rending 196 Voice of Conscience 110
Wormheart 197 Voice of Temptation 111
Soul Affinities 98 Wisdom of the Ancients 111
See also Pillars Words Summoned Forth 111
Guild Affinities 98 Akhi 56, 86
Use by Sadikh 190 Am-Khaibit 56, 97
Ancient Horror Unveiling 99 Amkhata, 182-186, 217
Affable Aid (Guild Affinity) 34 amxaibit, 182-183, 184
Anointed Prowess 99 amxuti 182-183
Auspicious Mastery 99 Frame, 184-185
Beast Companion 100 Bull-bodied (Ahasu)
Beast Soul Fury 100 Falcon-bodied (Herasu)
Blessed Panoply 100 Jackal-bodied (Sabasu)
Blessed Soul 101 Lion-bodied (Maasu)
By Steps Unseen 101 Serpent-bodied (Tetasu)
Charmed Lives 101 Head, 185
Dauntless Explorer 101 Bull-headed (Xex)
Deathsight 102 Falcon-headed (Amax)
Divine Countenance 102 Jackal-headed (Sabxent)
Divine Flesh (Guild Affinity) 39 Lion-headed (Peh)
Dominating Might 102 Serpent-headed (Tetxent)
Enduring Flesh 102 Limbs, 185-186
Enlightened Senses 102 Bird Feet (Sa)
Entombed Glory 103 Functioning Wings (Tenh)
Epic Heart 103 Jackal’s Paw (Sabkep)
Eternal Legend 103 Lion’s Claws (Maaukep)
Eyes of Justice (Guild Affinity) 45 Lion’s Maw (Maabeh)
Falcon Soul Aloft 104 Serpent’s Tooth (Tetabeh)
Familiar Face 104 False Ka (Heart)
Fated Soul (Guild Affinity) 49 Bee Heart (Batab)
Fearsome Soul 104 Centipede Heart (Sepaab)
Gift of Truth 104 Fungal Heart (Pehab)
Glorious Mien 105 Scorpion Heart (Serqab)
God-King’s Scepter 105 Ammut, 10, 192-196
Godsight 105 Ammut’s Feast, 197
Grip of Death 105 amulet, 34, 128, 146, 173, 215, 216
Guardian Wrath 106 see also relic
Healing Counsel 106 see also Maa-Kep
Living in Now 106 examples 217-220

Mummy: The Curse

An-Afkh 56, 89 numina 208-211
An-Hotep 56, 91 guild 10,
Ankh-Nephris, at character creation 64, 66-67, 68, 70
fiction 15, 272-275 Guild Status Merit 79-81
Illustration 48, 238 Guild Affinities, 98
Anpu, 171, 172, 247 and relics, 145-146, 216
Anpu’s Torch, see Jackal-Headed and Utterances, 113
Antu-Herap see also individual guilds, 31-55
fiction 28 lost guild see lifeless, Deceived
illustration 43 healing74, 144, see also damage, resurrection
Apotheosis 10, 16, 30, 152, 172-175 henet 10, 21, 23, 170
Attitudes toward, 34, 39, 45, 49, 54 Hepet-Khet 57, 86
Arem-Abfu, 56, 222-223 Heraf-Het 57, 89, 273-275
Artem-Khet 56, 97, 156, Heretic, the 30, 174
Awakening 23-24, 26, Her-Uru 57, 97
Azar 15, 18, 22, 171, 173 Hetch-Abhu 57, 91
ba 10, 16, 66, 74, 75, 190 Hunters 23, 118, 203
as defining Pillar 57-59, 61, 70 husk, see Fasad
in Affinities 99, 100, 104, 106, 107, 108, 109, 111 Integrated Transport Solutions, LLC 206
in Utterances 113, 116, 118, 120, 121, 123, 124, Irem 18, 19, 28, 67, 79, 213,
126, 127, 130, 132, 133, 134, 136, 137, 138, 139 Jackal-Headed 66, 70, 85-86
see also Falcon-Headed Amkhat 185
draining, 194 Judges of Duat 56-61
Bastu 56, 94 see also listings for individual Judges
bau-presence 18, 163, ka 10, 21, 66
see also Affinity: Hateful Bau as defining Pillar 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 67, 70, 75, 190
Bull-Headed, 66, 70, 90-93 in Affinities 99, 101, 102, 106, 107, 108, 109,
Amkhata 185 in Utterances 116, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123,
Character creation 64, 64-71 124, 126, 127, 128, 131, 134, 137, 138, 139
Quick reference 70-71 see also Bull-headed
false ka 184, 186,
City of Pillars draining, 194
see Irem in Fasad, 201
Cult 10, 21, 23-26, 88, 91, 94, 97, 149, 152, 157-162, in Shuankhsen 195
203-204, 214 Kemet 18
Merit 79, 83, 104, 105, 239 Kenemti 57, 94
Competing cults, 179 kepher 74, 145-147, 152, 156, 227
Ghost cults 207 see also relic
damage 75-76, 102, 144-145 khat 69, 142
Deathless 10 Khem-Inhu 57, 94
Deceived 10, 43, 181 Killwarden Conservation Fund 206
decree 10, 16, 56, 66, 67, 70, Last Dynasty International 182, 204-206, 249
Affirming, 76 Lexicon 10
see also Judges of Duat Lifeless 10, 29, [113], 122, 126, 128, 130, 181, 182-202
Dedwen 36-39, 53, 66 Sensing, 45, 84, 102,
Descent, the 20, 153-156 see also Nenitu, Shuankhsen
Devourer, see Ammut lifesense see kepher
Duat 14-15, 20, 23, 37-38, 74, 104 Lion-Headed 66, 70, 85-86
see also Descent, Return Amkhat 185
effigy 54, 215 Maa-Kep 10, 31-35
see also Tef-Aabhi Maa-Nantuuf 57
examples 220-223 Memory 17-18, 28-30, 68, 76-78
Executioner, the 20-21 Cost to increase 71
Falcon-Headed 66, 70, 87-89, Threshold sins chart 77
Amkhat 185 meret 10, 239-245
Fasad, 194, 200-202 Merew-Tjaw
Fentu, 56, 91 fiction 140
five-fold soul 67, 74 illustration 38, 14
ghosts 135, 207-211, 221, 225, 228, Merits 79
and Affinities, 102, 107, 109, 116, 121, 122, 123 Merit substitution, 161
and Utterances 126, 135, 137, 138, Encyclopedic Knowledge 79
perceiving 102 Language 79

Index
 Cult (Merit) 79, see also Cult illustration 33
Enigma 79 Sekhem 10, 14, 68, 73-74, 175
Guild Status 79-81 Rating 71,
Relic 81 chart 74
Tomb 81-83 losing, 24, 26, 27, 172, 183-184
Vestige 83 Memory sins involving, 77
Witness 83-84 spending 68, 74
Mesen-Nebu 10, 36-40 Descent rolls , 154, failing 193
Morality, see Memory
Neb-Abitu 57-58, 89 Sekhiru 59, 94
Nebha 58, 97 Ser-Kheru 59, 89
Neb-Heru 58, 97 Serpent-Headed 66, 70, 93-95, 181
Neb-Imkhu 58, 94 Amkhat 185
Nefer-Tem 58, 89 Ser-Tihu 59, 86
Neha-Hatu 58, 91 Sesha-Hebsu 10, 41-45
Neheb-Ka 58, 86 Set-Qesu 59, 91
Neheb-Nefert 58, 89 Shan’iatu 18-19
Nekhenhu 58, 97 Shet-Kheru 59, 89
Nenitu, 136, 137 sheut 10, 16, 67, 70, 75, 190
Pillar 10, 16-17, 74-76 as defining Pillar 56-60
at character creation 64, 67, 70 in Affinities 99-102, 104, 105, 107, 108, 111
cost to increase, 71 in Utterances 113, 116, 117, 120, 122, 123, 125,
meditating on, 76 127, 130, 132-134, 137
failing to meditate on 77, see also Jackal-Headed
Religion of Pillars 17 draining, 194
See also Soul Affinity Shuankhsen 10, 29, 98, 192-196
Sadikh Pillars 190-191 becoming, 152
proxy, see vessel see also Bane Affinities
Qerrti 59, 86 Sickness see Sybaris
Silence 193
Regia 39, 215-216, 223-228 see also Sybaris
Social atrophy 78
relic 10, 16, 26, 80, 179, 213 Sothic Turn 10, 21-22, 67
central relic 27 Su-Menent 10, 46-50
draining 156-157 Sybaris 10, 23, 99, 112, 115, 121, 127, 128, 134, 138,
Relic Merit, 71, 81 147-149, 162, 193,
using, 76 roll chart 148
sensing, 147 Immunity to, 84 , 100, 161,
see also amulet, effigy, regium, text, uter Sybaritic Omens, 150
ren 10, 16, 67, 70, 75 see also SIlence
as defining Pillar 56-60, 190 Ta-Retinhu 59, 91
in Affinities 100-105, 108, 111 Tcheser-Tep 60, 97
in Utterances 113, 115- 117, 122-124, 126-128, Tef-Aabhi 10, 51-55
130-134, 137 Tem-Sepu 60, 94
see also Serpent-Headed Tenemhu 60, 97
text 10, 16, 45, 146, 216, 228-231
draining, 194 Tutuutef 60, 86
ren-hekau 43-44 Twice Arisen 152-153
resurrection 150-151, see also damage, healing Uamenti 60, 91
Rite of Return 10, 14-15, 20-21 Uatch-Rekhet 60, 94
Rite of the Engraved Heart 188 Underworld, the see Duat, Descent
Roller, the Unem-Besek 60 , 94
illustration 176 Unem-Sef 60, 97
Ruruti 59, 86 Usekh-Nemtet 60, 97
Sadikh 148, 182, 188-192 uter 10, 49, 146, 216, 232-235
sahu, 142 Utterance
repairing the, see healing Tiers 111
Seb-Hetchet Cost 71
fiction 62 Rules 112-113
illustration 53 Learning 112
Sefet-Qam Awaken the Dead 113
fiction 2-5, 12 Blessed is the God-King 115

Mummy: The Curse

 Chthonic Dominion 116 Words of Dead Hunger 137
Command the Beasts 117 Wrathful Desert Power 138
Doom Affliction 118 Utu-Nesert 60, 89
Dreams of Dead Gods 118 vampires 66, 83, 105, 127
Dust Beneath Feet 120 vessel 10, 21, 26, 145-147, 213-217
Gift of the Golden Ankh 121 consequences of losing, 77
Kiss of Apep 122 causing Sybaris, 148
Obedient Clay 123 and resurrection, 151, 214
Palace Knows its Pharaoh 124 vestiges, 10, 83, 213-214, 235-237
Power of Re 125 Merit 71, 83
Rebuke the Vizier 126 destroying, 217
Revelations of Smoke and Flame 127 see also Sekhem
Rite of the Sacred Scarab 128 see also amulet, effigy, regium, text, uter
Secrets Ripped from Skies 130 Willpower, 68, 71,
Seeds of Life 131 regaining, 74, 153,
Torn Veil of Forgetting 132 for Shuankhsen, 194
Water of Life and Death 133 uses, 34, 39, 45, 50, 55, 82, 144, 146, 152, 155,
Word of the Amanuensis 133 190, 193, see also Affinities, Utterances and
Words of Dead Fury 134 Vessels , ghost numina
Words of Dead Glory 137

Index
 THE ARMY OF THE NIGHT
Agata Gajczak Julian Penruddock AJ Marley
Alan Heah Kyle Griffin Brandon Burton
Amy Patricia Robson Matt Horn Brian E Hollenbeck
Athos Matt M McElroy Eloy Lasanta
Atlatl Jones Nathan ‘Fireman Lovin’’ Staines Jason Brennan.
Bhagczech Nina Heart Peter Krulder II
Bryan Tallencour Pablo “Mr. Saturday” Vazquez III Xiphos Games Studio
Corvus Pascal Bouchard
Craig “Renfield” Crowe Pete Woodworth Pascal Tremblay
Daniel J. Allen Robert Daines
Fanfare Tom Fleming Scott Gable Christian Jensen Romer
Gareth Hodges Shane Brennan CLAN PLOEGER
Janessa Tjara Portner Shawn Thill Kelly M Bennett
Jim Plamondon Steven England Reno Jacobs
Jim Ryan WHYYYYYYYYYYYY Stefano d’Ovidio
Josh “He-Who-Walks-Strange” Pearce Zalen Moore
Ju Ju James Huggins
Oubliette

CULTIST
Aaron Mouritsen Jean-Godfrey Knight Tim Bogosh
Adam J. Piskel Jesse Reynolds Tobie, Rocky and Yoshi.
Adrian Reynolds João Mariano Wade Jones
Amber Peace Joel Purton William E. Powers
Andrew Wilson Joel Stewart Xavier Freycon
Angus Lee John Garrard
Ash Walter John Halsey Aloysius “Grumpy” Lannister
Ben Bonds John Swan Andrew Hovanec
Björn Bonten Jonathan Lang Bobby Chow
blkmage12 Jordan Springer Brent A. Nellis
Bob Johnson Joseph Allen Marshall Brian “Fitz” Fitzpatrick -
BT Kennedy Kailindorian GameKnightReviews.com
Calla Harris K-Diddy Brian Gates
Chazz Kellner Konrad Juan Dohlen Celeste Delacroix
Chris Michael Jahn Link Hughes Chris Hill
Christopher Goetting Lisa Padol Christopher D. McDonough
Cody Black Marc Damien Hunter
David James McCann Mateus Cavalcanti Nascimento Dan Byrne
David Kamm Matt Herron Daniel Abigail
David Karlson-Weimann Michael Kusnetsov Daniel G. Dyrda
Dessandrick Neialothis David Cowie
EbTesap Olavi David Keyt
Elijah Kaine Raymond Perez Eric C. Magnuson
Felipe Nascimento Rick Danger Erin Short
Fred Filler Robert Vance Evan Sutter
Gary Phillips Ryan Spinney Fernando Camargo Pereira
Gizmit Sebastian Kopp Jake Mandel
Graeme Lewis Storm Vermin Jason Best
Ian V Tara De Blois Jennifer Cogar
J.T. Tememn Jesper Bisgaard

Mummy: The Curse

John ‘FearMeForIAmPink’ Franglen Aaron Buttery Nuno Vargas
Kevin McLean Adam Lake Paul Ryan
Loki Dankmyer Angelo Pileggi Philippe Fenot
Mark Townshend Austin Lehrer Richard Warren
Markus Viklund Carlton W. Anderson Rick Jones
Marshall Proudfoot ChocolateTeapot Robert Morgan
Matthew Anderson Chris Eggers Roxane Tourigny
Miak Cora Anderson Ryan Tsandilis
Michael J. Bryant Cris “Ildiko” Hundley Saul Escobar
Michelle “Toy” Williams D. Wohlreich Star Eagle
Mikael Assarsson David Cheval Stephen Tihor
Morgan Baikie Dragon’s Dream Sterling Bates
Nicholas Peterson Emily McCabe Steve Lord
Nick Lippolis Eric F. Alsheimer Theo
Peter Dean Eric Folco Timothy Casassa
Richard Addy Eric Lehan
Richard Morris Harry Moyse adam epstein
Robert Clayton Wyatt jiivonen Breon Halling
Samuel Munilla Joerg Sterner Chris Cunliffe
Scott Dockery Josh Kubat Guillermo Heras Prieto
Simon Grey Julia Robison Jonathan McMonigle
tripleyew Mandrion Kevin Harrison
Vincent Lhote Martin Silver Mikin of the Sunken City
Vladislav Lazarov Matthew Galloway Paul Hayes
Xefidul Nicholas Muehlenweg

ARISEN
Aaron Knight Anthony Howell Caitlin Eckert
Adam Daniel-Wayman April M. Bremner Cal Rea
Adam J. Solis Ashley Robinson Caleb Bridges
Adam Krump Asura Kyoko Captain Eric
Adam Thompson Austin “Patience of the Grave” Carl Pellegrini
Adam Waggenspack Loomis Carolyn Self
Adrian L. Breto Barrymore Whitaker Chad Morelock
Aja Carter Beachfox Charles A. Wright
Akhenesh Belial Charles Minucie
Alec McClain Benjamin Spurlock Charny The Mummy Knight
Alex Chvatal Bentley Chism Chrespo
Alex Navian Bert isla Chris Butler
Alexander Brown Bludwynd Anfyre Chris Carlson
Alexander Chobot BlUsKrEEm Chris Lane
Alexander Miller Brad Gunnels Chris Lyden
Alexis & Jeremy Brandon Armentrout Chris Troxell
Alison Gill Brandon Coleman Chris Villegas
Amanda “Hyena” Johnson Brendan Whaley Christian Cunningham
Amanda Costigan Brennan Dawson Christopher Campione
Andrew L Perez Brian Alm Christopher L. Irvin
Andrew M Heston Brian Douglas Welch Chuck Foulds
Andrew McGraw Brian King Chuck O’Nan
Angela “Noko” Kahler Brice Tarbox Chuck Rozakis
Angela Lee Brogen CJ Lewis
Anthony A Davenport C. James Hurley Clayton A. Oliver
Anthony Damiani Caitlin E. Barry Clinton “Vermin” Cheek

Backer Credits
Coal The Coward Jacques “Upuaut” DuRand Kim Cicconi and Gabriel
Colin Fredericks Jairain Kristopher Deters
Colin Wilson Jaish Belarkham Kyle Gallagher
Cyrus the Great James F Tillman Kyle Miller
Dan’ James Montanari Laura Dasnoit
Daniel Arbuckle James Weiss Layne Delp
Daniel Betancourt Jared Shaver Lee Leggett
Daniel Feldt Jason Kenney Lin Wyeth
Darker Days Radio Jason Martinez Lindsay N Skinner
David Doucey Jason Ross Inczauskis Lindsay Steussy
David Franklin Felton Jay O’Leary London Drott, Horrorifyer, Story
David Mendiola Jaym Gates Forger, But Author Too
David Miller JC Cohen Mackenzie “Maq” Weaver
David N Dow Jeff Holland Magester
David Westover Jeff Pedersen Majdi Badri
Dead Gamers Society Jeff Zitomer Mason Zedaker
DeAnna Rossi Jeffrey Dahl Matias Grynderup
Dennis Newcomb Jeffrey Palmer Matt Petruzzelli
Dennis Wagher Jen Donohue Matt Smallwood
Dion Woods Jeremey D Walker Matthew G. K. Breland
Douglas ‘the Librarian’ Bramlett Jeremy A. Mowery Matthew Hedge
Dr. F.K. Suleiman Jeremy Quinn Matthew Horoszowski-Gelpi
Drew Biddle Jeremy Shaffer Matthew Laine
Duane Moore Jesse Breazeale Matthew Lynn
E. NiBrien Jesse Heinig Matthew Solomon
Ed Fuqua Jesse Mazer Melinda Grennich
Erik Barnhart Jesse Wallis Melody Haren Anderson
Erik Gorka JJ Simon Memnoch Demiurgos
Evan “Proteus” Grey Joe Christensen Menmire “Ray” Setepenre
Flaggk Joe OToole Michael “Razorvine” Smith
Franco Sangiovanni Joebobjoe Michael & Danielle
Frank Anthony Toich Joel A. Navarro Michael Buzzerio
Frank Castro John Canter Michael Jacobson
Frost John Hay Michael Ostrokol
Gary “Pezz” Hicks John J. DiPietro, Jr. Michael Parker
Gary Bland John N. Caparso Michael Pruitt
Geri and Matt Bartz John Thomas Kuulei Veltman Michael R. Innes
Gilbert Milner Jonathan “Buddha” Davis Michael Randolph
Gus Golden Jonathan Morello Michael Travis
Guy Seggev Jonathan Sebastian Mike Adams
Harley Cox Joseph Anthony Dempsey Mike McMullan
Harrison Venette Joseph Reis Mischa Wolfinger
Hayley Margules Joshua Benavides Mist Reynolds
Heather Rasmussen Joshua Machonga Morbis Lundra
Herald of Eternal Silence Joshua R. Pitre Mordicai Knode
Holden Shearer Joshua Wolfe Nathan Legg
Howard Andrew Jones JR Cillian Green Nathanael Grinnell
HPLustcraft JR Spencer Nathanielstarr
Huy Justin Dorsey Nautianisha Dubrovnik
Ian Ruark Justin Strouhal Neber-Ma’at-Ra
Ian Sargeant Justin Swinehart Nicholas Pilon
Isaac Bernstein Kalad Hovatter Nicole Porter
Isaac VanDuyn Karras Octavio Arango
Ixokai Kathryn Tucker Omer Ahmed
Jacob Bush Katy Crumb Oran Graydon
Jacob Heid Keith Gordon Orion Cooper
Jacob Holte Keith S Godwin Pat Murphy

Mummy: The Curse

Patrick Regan Siavash Mojarrad Angelina Grace
Patrick VanDusen Snakey McGee Anna Shaw
Patrick Walters Sobekhotep McCormick Anthony Cerer (turalisj)
Paul Leone Specialist L. Lee Tenhoff Archibald Sturmkind
Paul Vogt - The Hopeless Gamer Stephen Mitchell Arupadhatu
Paul Yurgin Steven James Pope Audrey Cox
Peter Chicuorka Steven Johnson B R McCann
Peter Tidd T.J. Hafer Ben Ammo
Pierre Chaloux Talon Dunning Bilious “Exploding Frogs” Slick
Preston Lee Bobo Tamara Estseven Bill Dittmar
Preston Poland Tanya Cohan-Diaz Blake Thomas
Rand Brittain Tetsubo517 Braden Kanipes
Randy L. Jeffries Jr. The Crimson-Bandaged Capybara Bradley Bears
Rebecca Curran King Brian Galley
Remus The Hive Mind Bryan Allen Hickok
Renee Solomon The Jaczko Family Bryan DeWalt
Retard Girl and Slug boy, You memory The Sauce Bryan Gross
lives on. (rp characters) Thomas Sticka Caedes
Rhonda DeZeeuw Thomas White Caj-un Sebrian
Richard E Flanagan Tiberius Nazamir Caleb Harris
Richard Jones Tim Flannigan Cameron Wise
Richard Taylor Tom Erickson Charles Sherwood Morrill
Robert Biskup Travis Shelfer Chris Burnside
Robert D. Curtis Travis Stout Chris Burton
Robert Jordan Tristan Hawk Chris Cowger
Roberto Hoyle Troy Brown Chris Eberhard
ROMzombie Tyler A. Brooks Chris Hitchcock
Ron Dugdale Typhon Chris Johnson
Rose Bailey Vincent Gonsalves Chris Wagner
Ross Thomas Vincent Price Christian “SaintxJoker” Beltran
Roy Berman Wander Echo Christian Smucker
Russell Graham Wayzig Happenstance Christoph Schulz
Ryan Carden Wesley Cole Christopher Coppin
Ryan H. Weston Harper Christopher Maloney
Ryan Quinn Whit Carter Christopher Wallace
Ryan Reynolds Will Wise Code Decode
Sameer Yalamanchi William Andrew Lewis Colin R. Jones
Samuel Wells William Cappelletti Corey Davidson
santino A crivello William Frank Crane 3 Cthos
Sarah Perry-Shipp William Jones Daniel “Hunting Moon” Weber
Scott “PlagueRat” Shnider William Rodrigue Daniel C. Barton
Scott & Denetra Milner Wolfgar Lyles Daniel Peterson
Scott Eck YamiB Daniel Rabinovich
Scott Jenks Zach Jacobsen Daniel Yauger
Sean O’Dell Zack Walters Dashekita Nicole Brooks
Sean Silva-Miramon Zain Kelly David Shankles
Sean W Zhimar David W. Kaufman II
Seshet-Kheru Deno
Sethreich Ardestahdt Alex Rollosson Halbhuber Derrick Keplinger
Severah Natesh Alexander Stormwing Dillon Sharp
Shannon Patrick Allan J. Maher Don Cleary
Shark Allan Jenkinson Donnie “Lord Aludian” Roos, Jr.
Shawn Connor Allen Thornton Doug “Ptah” Seipel
Shawn Polka Ander Rabann Doug Atkinson
Shelby “D.J.” Babb Andew Talbot DRC
Shoshana Kessock Andrew Jay Salmons Drusus Amenko
Shuna Sassi Andrew Schubert Dustin Dunaway

Backer Credits
Eidan Rodriguez: Ehécoatl, The Wind Kevin C. Wong Phoenix Gruber
Serpent Kevin Caldwell Professor James “Croc” Blackwater
Elliott Freeman Kevin Lawler Qoorl
Emerson Daly Kimintri Randall Crawford
Emilio J. Sánchez-Sierra Kristi Hatfield Raven Gode
Emily Brumfield & Susann Hessen Kristopher McLane-Leavitt Remy Handler
epeeguy Kyle Krebs Rich Palij
Ephrim Moonbane Kyle Ricks Richard Javier “Blaque” Stephenson
Eric “Son of Bast, Heart of Set” Lance Schroeder Rob K. Stephenson
Crabtree Larry Lee Hassenpflug II Rob Wall
Eric Faulwell Lior Gonda =^_^= Robert “Anhur” Riley
Erik Bjelke Logan Ratica Robert Whitehouse
Ertong Lorelei Medora Darbee Robin (Drac) Martin
Ethan Skemp Luke Stintzcum Rogan the Librarian
Faelias Dracon Luxen Hawk Gauges-Balfour Ronnie Neises 2: Cursed Boogaloo
Fastidious Monk MageMistress.com Ryan L. Van Every
Frank the Tank Malien the Black Saleem Halabi
Geoffrey A Rabe Marcelo “Bare Chest” Caraballo Samuel Dail
Geoffrey Stebbins Marcus B. Scott Adams
Glen Adams Martin J. Manco Scott Maynard
Glen R. Taylor Matthew Dames Sean K.I.W. Steele/Arcane
Gordon Gordon Gordon Matthew Lee Baldwin Sekhemkhet
Grant G. Gruenbaum Matthew York Seth Anderson
Greg Freeman Melkiev of Many Shapes Shad Scarboro
Greg Walters Michael “Storyteller” Holland Shankar Viswanathan
Gregory Krakovich Michael “Tentacle” Thompson Shaun D. Burton
Hildred Castaigne Michael Brightbill South Bay Planeswalkers
Ian ChristianScher Michael Foxman Stephen Parker
Imani Marks Michael Gearman Steve Hefley
J. Bruce Bufkin II Michael J. Kruckvich Steve Hinck
James “Callidus” Foster Michael W. Mattei Steven Gershowitz
James LePage Michelle “Kefira” Flamm Steven M. Jones
Jamie Gavin Mike Malaspina Stuart Mayo
Jared M DeWispelaere Miranda Polsean Ted Ludemann
Jarod Jett Morgan Weeks Ted Pertzborn
Jason C. Barbare Morgoth the Bellwether Beast
Jason Marks Naked904 The Capriles Brothers
Jason Schmidt Nameless One The Howard House
Jay Levy Nathan Kelly The Secret Keepers
Jaynesis Ong Neji Al-Rioh Thunderpaw
JAYSON “the14thguest” TURNER Nephren-Ka Tigress
Jerico Nicholas Curley Tim Boser
Jesse Zmick Nikika Giovanni Tim Link
Jimmy Collins Nulrensor Timothy J. Mushel
Joel “Pika” Keeney Obol Charonis todd estabrook
John “King” Roberts Omar Amador Tronoth Sarum
John Morel Owen Wesley Kerschner Tyler Brunette
Jonathan “Levant” Cotton Patrick H a r r on “Vincent “”Dodon Mastoklese””
Jonathan McCulley Patrick Hume Raymond”
Jonci Aguillard Paul Anderson Vorel Ashurha
Joseph Lonergan Paul Glass wadledo
Josephine Wicker Pete Houtekier William F Scrimsher III
Josh “JP” Parrish Peter Golaszewski William Neil
Josh Mueller Peter Nielsen William Paul Sanford
Julian McNichols Phillip Karst Xavier Aubuchon-Mendoza
Justin Brasfield Phillip Lawler Zeus & Hera Kramer
Justin Melton

Mummy: The Curse

Acrozatarim Denis Laura Bennett
Adam Tinworth Dinel’daion Lee Dignam
Alasdair Watson Diogo Tristão Liam Murray
Alex Burnett Edward Lockhart Luke and Sam Walker
Alex Harper Edward Saxton Luke Moran
Alex Kartzoff Edwin Moriarty Marc-André “Ogre” Perreault
Alexander Billing Enzo Christiano Marcin ‘Qendi’ Sztomberski
Alexander Ducharme Etienne Gagnon Marco “Wyrmripper” Biringer
Alexander Jatscha Eugene Parker Marino Santirso Ruiz
Alexander Leach Fabio “Vankman” Ribeiro Mark Dodson
Alexander Ofoedu Faust Mark Huba
Allan “Shidorox” Pereira Francis Garcia Martin Wagner
Allan Hunt Franco Frare Mattheq
Almoni Fredrik Lyngfalk Matthew “Random_Interrupt” Keevil
Amaro Cabello Fredrik Pettersson Matthew Edwards
Anders Hole furstenberger vincent Matthew McDonnell
André Jespersen Geoff Skellams Matthew Palsson
Andrew Roberts George “Ronin” Gomes Max Jurgen - Investigative Journalist
Andrew ‘Whitenoise’ Rogers George Ian Guy Marsden Melekh Bintanat Metschetschi
Angelus Morningstar Harold Bérubé Menehet
Ankh-af-na-khonsu Holger Michael Ehrhardt
Anna Malczyk Ignacio Granados Jiménez Michal Januszewski
Anonymous Imran Inayat Miguel Reyes
Arnout Montald Ingo Beyer Mike Bowie
Arran Boyd Ivo Goudzwaard Mirko “Cormac” Hess
Aux-Ash Jakub “Behalior” Roczniak Mirko a. Mitta
Avram Lytton James Alan Gardner Neil Chapman-Matthews
Ben Baker James Cartwright Nibbio
Benjamin L. Liew Jamie Denholm Nicola Went
Benoit Devost Janning Cunis Oomizuao
BJ Dolan Jason Hewett palmi8
Björn S Jeff Thomson Patrick Neubert
Blake McLean Jeffrey P. Bergeron Paul Round
Brett Easterbrook Jennifer Fuss Paulius Boudreau
Bruno Pereira Jesse Cowell Paweł “nimdil” Matysiak
Butc’Hotep Jim Morrison Penn Davies
Cédryck Mimault Joe Dawson Pete Hurley
Chris Beal Joel Follan Peter Steponaitis
Chris Gordon Joerg Gering Phil Hattie
Chris ‘Stitches’ Upton Johnny Larado Philip Jaques
Christopher Gunning Jordan Lennard Philip K. Creswell
Colin Anderson Jordihotep Philippe Blouin
Craig Bishell Joshua Morris Pierre Coppet
Craig Oxbrow Julien “Vieux Gnou” Pouard Pierre E Besedovsky
Cyril Pasteau Julien St-Laurent Rafael Guillen
DL Hector K S Bondeson Rebecca Ann West
Daniel “Thanqol” Pronin Kamil “Sythriel” Pruski or Sythriel Rex Williams
Daniel Bomm Karoly Kopataki Rhys Steele
Danilo Jara Katsue Richard ‘The Apis’ Ross
DANILO JAVAROTTO Kenny Crowe Robert Watson
Dara Mac Donnacha Lachlan Rory “Muggle” McIntosh
Darren MacNeil Lady Rheena Russell Joynson
David “Scutarii” Last Lars Heitmann Ryan Von Abendroth
David Benoy Lars Wikman S. B. Thorbjørnson
David Fergman Lassi Arpalahti Schlumpf
David Sealy Laszlo “Grath” Benyi Scott Pearce
Dawngreeter Lau Yuen Man, Joanne Seth Rutledge

Backer Credits
Shaun Casidhe Nebulosa Hyades Luine
Silvio Herrera Gea Cassian ‘RaithNPyxee’ Lawrence Ibon Presno
Simon Careau Auclair Chad Hastings iGor Jounan
Skargash Chris Fenton Ivo Manca
Soma Chris Harvey Jahn Barfoed
Søren Berthelsen Holm Chris ‘Kit’ Hartford James Iles
Stephen Esdale Chris Visser James Thornbury
Stephen Joseph Ellis Christian A. Nord James Valadas Marques
Stephen Lea Sheppard Christian Ankerl Jan Stanek
Stu McIntosh Christopher Handley - Darker Days Jason Hayes
Sunshine Edwards Radio Jean “Troll Traya” Faiderbe
Sutekh Christopher Irvine Jean Paleologue
Sylvain ‘Sly’ Pronovost Conrad Julian White Jean-Baptiste Vlassoff
The Eremite Dan L. Nielsen Jeremy Brown
Thijs Ballière Daniel Anctil Joe Arnaud
Tom Hunt Daniel HP Campbell John Doe
Ulf “McWolfe” Andersson Daniel Keppler Jonas Frogvall
Utis Danny James Walsh Jonas Hansson
Vahn Kergonan Dave Brookshaw Jonathan Marshall
Vistani Radanavic Dave Corner Jordan Millward
Wahibre, master of the Walls David Elhammer Josaphat Niebler
Wajanai Snidvongs Davildihno José Antônio Bernardeli Junior
William James Guild Diego de Góes Conti Julien “Selpoivre” Rothwiller
Wojciech “Onslo” Chełstowski Dominic Parent Justin Mohareb
Yauheni Bakanovich Dreamdealer Kai Schiefer
Dreaming Johnny Karl-Kristoffer Johnsson
(___) Drew “Industrial Scribe” Scarr Karnius the Unbroken
(un)reason Ed Gilbert Kelly J Clark
Alex B. Cochrane Edward Ander Kerry Pellett
Alexander “Almacov” Overton Elfi Rodatos Kevin “Psyches” Plante-Germain
Alexander “Keota” Clowes Elmon Gready Kimberly Horne
Alexandre “Magnamagister” Joly Emmanuelle “Claudia Vonïgner” Kjetil Kverndokken
Alexis HOARAU Nadin Kokiteno
Alvhild Sand Erez Shomron Krister Looveer
Andrea “Brains” Miotti Eric Iacono Ksinin
Andreas “Zanity” Bengtsson Espoir Duchagne L.G. Mendes
Andreas Bragd Eva Morrissey Luke Van Buren
Andrew Keddie Exkramental Madge Carew-Hopkins
Andrew Laliberte Flamen Mal Edge
Andrew Whittle François Courroux Manuel “Manny” Warum
Andy Johansson François Potvin Naud Marc Kuczborski
Ari Suntioinen Frank Marcelli Marcelle “Diké” Lemos
Arno Le Blanc-Ringuette Fraser Imrie Marco Johnson
Ashley Wormwood Fuzzy Mariano Alejandro Leonardi
Ashton Green Gabriel Costa Mark Lazure
Auriane Gareth McVicker Martin Seemann
Azikiel Gauthier Descamps Masatsugu Yazawa
Baleygr Georg Mir (zydake) Mateusz Pasternak
Bartosz Lewczuk Gilles Bressieux Matias Frosterus
Ben Baccaert Graham Lewry Matt Barker
Ben Neilsen Guilhem Matt Timm
Benjamin and Linda Guillaume “Lenny” Asset Matteo Tirelli
Benjamin Welke Guy-Samuel Dussault Matthew D Strachan
Calvin D. Jim Harry Hopkinson Matthew Sanderson
Carles Fornes Hekhemtet Matthew Shaw
Carlos Gustavo Ojeda Stelin Helder SHADAY Lavigne Matthew ‘The Gentleman Gamer’ Dawkins
Carlos San Emeterio His Tyrannical Majesty Simon Teece. Maxime Berar

Mummy: The Curse

Maya Kennon Thomas Ramsli Rasmussen David Rybacki
Michael Walsh Timothy Alexander Raspin David Yellope
Mitchell Roggeveen Tokage Derek Grimm
Nadia Cerezo Tommy de Knegt Derek Guder
Naranj Tony Patterson Derrick Dodson
Natalia M. Vior Tonya Bezpalko Eddie Dethlefs
Nathan Raymond McNeill Tristan Lhomme Eric Nail
Nelson Assis Bondioli Tyson Collins Frothy Ham
Nicolas Castagnet Uncanny Mekhet Gabriel Sorrel
Nikolai Steen Valek Garet Charnaw
Orlo Vonte Volkan Eke Gregory “Ma’ahes” Swensrud
Oskar Oern Volmer Soares a.k.a. Volmerius Hank Driskill
Pablo “Cazador-de-Sectas” Caracciolo Yann Krehl Harmony Jones
Panu Laukkanen Zandruin Holden D. Taylor
Pascal Koos Ze Purgatorius Iseara Watanabe
Paul “Charlie” Chant J. Wolf Bennett
Pedro Coppola Aaron “Aranis” Daniels James
Peiblit Aaron Nowack James “Not Raoul” McKendrew
PentaParadox Adam Whitcomb James Surano
Peter De Kinder Adam Zielinski Jared Koon
Peter Gates Aken Tor Jason Corley
Peter Slynn Alexander Lucard Jason Ross
Philip Minchin An Senef Jeff Taylor
Philippe Depriester Andrew Byers Jeremy “JDazzle” Marshall
Phillip Bailey Andrew Chang Jeremy “opsirus” Roberts
ProfessionalNihilist Andrew Leslie Jeremy “Vaydyn” Cue
Renaud “Le Sage” Guezennec Andy Zeiner Jeremy Zimmerman
Robin “Jarval” Farndon Angus Bartlett Jim Brinkman
Rod “Cat-headed” Mendes Angus MacDonald Jim Burdo
Rune Printzlau Anonymous Jim Reader
Ryan Cobb Bael the Cruel John D. Kennedy
Ryan Hart Ben Johnathen “Snatcher” Tonozzi
Ryan McWilliams Benjamin Huffman Jon P White
Sam Mitson Benjamin Kesner Jonathan D. Harter
Sarah Barnes Benjamin LSR Jonathan Grimm
Sebastian Sterz Bezek the Rogue Joshua Lindower
Seph Steel Blarf Lives-With-Honor Kazizzit Fireleaf
sev Bob Harrison Kelley Barnes
Shawn Murphy Bob LaPierre Kelly V. Rothstein
Simon Floden Brad D. Kane Kevin Dreger
Simone Benoit Brian & Mike G. Kimberely Altomere
Stephen Nurse Brian Awis Kirk Foote
Steve Sharpe Bryan Fowler Kristine Roper
Steven Herbé Caille Jensen Kyle Rimmer
Stew Wilson Calvin Snowden Lewis Baustian
Stu Williams Chad Streiner Loriean
Stuart Dean Charles Myers Magus
Sylvain “OgGy” Tanguy Chris Chambers Matt “Catapult” Wang
Tamsyn ‘Destroyer of Worlds’ Christopher Williams Matthew R. Pursley, MS
Kennedy Coalition of Nerds Hampton Roads Matthew Roberts
The Arbiter of Flames (Erik Laudal) Colin O’Kelley Michael Brewer
The Norwich Architects of the Colin Urbina Michael Bruner
Monolith Craig Gaddis Michael Kuhn
TheLemming Dan Devine Michael Sims
Thomas “Afyon” Müskens Dan M. Michele Marie Arko
Thomas “Kyorou” Vanstraelen David and Julie Scott Mike Torrey
Thomas Kisselbach David Paul Nadir

Backer Credits
Nancy Calvert-Warren David Chart Chris Snyder
Nathan Wetzel Elisabeth Wittwer Christopher Bond
Neall Raemonn Price Elzo Tovani Benzaquen Christopher Crossley
Neville Kelly Eric “PANGEA” Collins Christopher Shaffer
Noah Bonebrake Filip Van Huffel Clete D.Collum
Panther Berg Fredrik Forssen Conner Syn
Panther Page Greg Davis, New Zealand Corey Elliott
Philip “Pip!” Martinez Guilherme de Almeida Ribeiro Crimson Sundown
Phillip Suttkus ipsi Daniel H. Spain
Pip Padden Jarrad Richards David “JustDave” Talboy
Rain & Aidenn Jason “Hierax” Verbitsky David & Kristin Rosson
Ralph Mazza Jason C Marshall David Bresson
Raphael Bressel Jere Manninen Davin Wärter
Robert T. Sagris Jessica Reardon Smith Derek Cardwell
Ryan Patterson John Lambert Donald A. Bachman
Sam Sylus Keller Jürgen Seehase Emmanuel “Tito” Betancourt
Scott M. Galliand Lachlan Smith Eric Stevens
Sean Gomez Lauri Hirvonen Ethan Zimmerman
Sekhemkhet Lloyd Eley-Smith Evan “JabberWokky” and Sarah Edwards
Seth Ruskin Lorenz Handstanger Fraethir
Shan W Simpson Luke Parsons Gabriel Night
Steven Thesken Luke Slater Gary R Smith II
Surothog Marco Andre Mezzasalma Greg “Vyko” Nielsen
Sydney Bridges Martin C. Howard Greg Foster
Tim Soholt Michael D Stein Gregory Frank
Timon Pike Michael Horton Henry F. Bruckman Vargas
Tommy G “Kanah Aris” Oliver Morris Henry Walton Jones
Tristan Valentine Paul Grindrod Ian Price
Vinny Tobia Phil Broughton James Estes
W. Schaeffer Tolliver Ranulf Fitz Rufus James Laing
Walter F. Croft Ricardo Nacarini Jason Freston
William Gentry Richard Chilton Jason Ramboz
Sachiyo Jason Sperber
Alec Disharoon Seana McGuinness Jennifer Hastings
Douglas Snyder Steve Rhodes Jesse Goble
Garren McKelvey Thomas Faßnacht Jody Bowman
J. P. (Exrandu) Bauer Tim Geraghty Joel “Lostkith” Cotton
Jeremy Southard, Wastex Games Joel Kurowski
Jessica Lilith Darke Adam Rajski John Abbott
Kasmiri Lupre Adam Reik John Carnathan
Travis LaFave Alec Humphrey John D. Jones
Xane the Black Alonso O. Rubio John P. Baggett
Andrés Montañez John R. Trapasso
Adrian Retana Meza Andrew Ellis Whitby Josh Rensch
Alex Johnston Andrew Meltzer Josh Sharp
Amber and Chris Roberts Andrew Richwine Joshua Coyle
Andre Braghini Andrew Warren Joshua Pietrok
Anedjib The Holy Annida Christofi-Clark Joshua Ramsey
Anhell Change Arikail D’Marco Karl The Good
Ben McKenzie (@labcoatman) Ashley Jason Bennett Kendall
Benjamin “eSca” Reed bastsbreath Kenneth J. Winland
Candice Bailey Bill “Dee” Mumner Kevin Butcher
Chris “Logris” Spiller Blair A. Monroe Kevin Chauncey
Chris AKA Doom Bob Stauffer Kevin Golden
Claude Martel-Olivier Byron McCullough Kevin Schantz
D Howard Cameron Michael Willadsen Kimberly Morris
David “Yoda” Odie Carroll R. Best III Ku’Athi

Mummy: The Curse

Lady Gumdrop Warren P Nelson Marina Radcliff/ Arabelle Radcliff
Lee Tate William “The Nightmare Lord” Smith Matt Dawson, William Thompson
Luke Brewer William Ryan Roper
Marcus and Leslie Arena Zachary Bartosik Matthew Payton
Mark “MrMarkers” Crump Zachary Thomas Tyler Neferhekau, The Cleverest
Mark Cockerham Zorblag R`Lyeh
Mark Peters Nicholas D. Dragisic Tim Prisching
Martin Blake Caroline E Olivia Hunt and Maya Martense
Mathias Jack Daniel Maddern
Patrick Knowles, Tyler Lominack
Matt Carman Elias Brunt
Matt Leitzen Ivor Cinderby Paul Brown, Morgan Brown
Matthew Earlywine Jessy Tremblay-Bigras Philip & Nicole Fowler
Matthew Oakes Kairam Ahmed “Tep” Hamdan
Matthew Pascal Lars Sanden Seth Myers, Richard Lyons
Michael Connolly Matthew Wasiak Shane Andrews, Jennifer Defren
Michael G. Williams Mike Nudd
Summer Morrin, Warren Elsken
Michael Meyer
Michael Richards Alekto Zahn, Thomas A. Anderson Tracy Cook and Jason Rollins
Michael V. Roberts Alexander Eldridge and Mara
Mike Maughmer Chambers A. Vesseur
Mike Montgomery Aaron “Tzurah” Canning
Mikial Atum Alexis Perron, Simon Locas
Aidan J Degg
Nathan “Gift of Laughter” Andreos Valle, Shane Fairbanks Alan Douglas
Nicholas Cler Alan McNevin
Nicodemus deLaurent Bradley Yesko, Eric Harlacher
Alessandro Vario
Omnos Charles and Ashley Oliver, Jaleen Wallen Alexander Kratochwill
Oren Geshuri Chasym, Kenny DeRobertis Alvaro Saavedra
Paradim André Reis Sakaya
Patrick “Qaiset” Purcell Chelly Prettiman, Michael Prettiman Andreas Flato
Paul (Farwalker) Smith Dalton DePoy and Damon Snyder Andreas G Schramm from the House
Purg of Future Secrets
Ragnar Kempf David M. Hubbard, Will A. Powers
Andrei Gonzalez
Robert “Ayslyn” Van Natter Dustin Dickerson, Johnathan Andrew Peregrine
Robert “Dragon” VanZile Orlandos Andrew Waterfall
Robert Cooper Andy Jackson
Eric Geist and Mark Kenney
Roger Robinson Anthony “Selketh” Dennetiere
Rosemeri Patterson & Douglas Ernie Sawyer, Teresa Gurule-Long Bandyman!
Johnston Hsile Amune, Munashii Baptiste “Krazilec” Moulinier
Ross Ramsay Brian & Kai Ellis
Ryan Peel Ithaca MacDougall and Count
Vorlock Bryce Undy
S Penrod Caillin Nicholls
Sarah Gulbrandson J. H. Frank, Eric Brennan Charles Crowe
Scott E. Vigil Christopher ‘eChryxius’ Wai
James “Mentuhotep” Minot &
Sean ‘Ariamaki’ Riedinger Cold Iron Prince
Nathan “Sobekhotep” Skank
Shawn Campbell DaemonChrno
Shimon Klein Joe [Imhotep’s Apprentice] Burgos; Dale Goffinet
Steven Lau Dead Gamers Society Daniel “Morthar” Wernered
Stuart Dollar Joe Hofman, Jason Valenzuela David Bryan
Ted Sawyer David Rose Fraser
The Disciples Of Fay John McNulty, Lindsay McNulty
Dawn Hammett
The Natural Ones Jojo Lovenipples, The Toll Carom band DirkVanleeuw
The Raven King Eden
Thomas Martin Jonathan Palomares, Kathryn Coyne
Edouard Contesse
Tony Elaluf Jorden Varjassy, Ilya Etinberg Edward Knibbs
Topher Ruggles Julius Sepponen and Kenneth Emiliano Marchetti
Travis Bryant Peltokangas Evelyne Schreiner
Trevyn Hey

Backer Credits
Ferdinand von Schenk zu Rob B Marcin & Michal Rozycki , World of
Schweinsberg Roberto Hiroshi Kina Filho Darkness Asylum
Frankie Mundens Ronan ‘Chaka’ Comaskey Mark ‘Z-GrimV’ Kelly & Aaron Jacob Kelly
Gary Stephen Saiid Al-Khaleej
Greg Phillips Sam Wong Mikko Tolonen and Se-nefer Ari-em-a
Iain MacPhee Scott Forward Mr. Maw and Vismen the Everlasting
Ian Dominey Scott Mullock
Jan-Willem Kaagman Sean Packer Pieta Delaney, Dorian Rix
Jason Italiano Shane Cubis Travis N. Thomsen, Steven Downum
Jason L Shawn Kehoe
Jason Lund Simon Andrews Chad Griffith, Daniele
Jason Van Pelt Simon Bevis Neuenschwander, Juliet Krause,
Jay Steven Anyong Stephen Borgars-Smith Allyssa of the Baddacelli, Gretchen
Joerg Diener Stuart Adam Walther
Jonathan Romulo Geronimo Tara Imbery
Jorge “beeckamm” Jiménez The Kefalonian Darryl Nichols, Valley Rose Miller,
Ken Blakey Thomas Maund Charles ‘Chuck’ Rosethorn, Joel
Kent Anderson Tim Poultney Gouldberg, May Appleblossom
Khalayn Sepret Victor Moura In loving memory of our Lost friend,
Lars Holgaard Víctor Ventura Amanda Calloway
Lars Lauridsen Vox Anteron
Leath Sheales
Livia von Sucro A. Quentin Murlin, Scott Mann Alexander Hanson, Daniel Merrifield,
Luke Jostins Mia Iversen, Tim Hansen, Comrade Brad
Ben Bogaerts, Michael Brosens
M McClelland
Mathias Bøgehøj Carlos Vergara and Victor Vergara John M. Corradin, Mica X. Corradin,
Matthew “Hairy Matt” Geraghty Dan Trandberg Jensen and Jesper Stephen Gregory, Joe Brumfield,
Michael Maggs Bundgaard Karkov Frank Giovannozzi, Elyssia
Michel Foisy McCormick, Ciela C. Corradin
Neil Pritchard Diego Sousa, Alesson Lasombra McDevitt, Kyra Corradin, Ronan
Nevym Graeme Simpson, Tean Shaw McDevitt, Valin McDevitt
Nicole Mezzasalma Henrik Lindén, Charley Gustavsson Mark Garbrick, Jennifer Bedell, and
Oliver Steckmeier
J & C Risely the Atomic Empire team
Pat Core
Per Dahlin Jon Gaudet. Iona Farsight. Yami M. Gutierrez T. / Arthurbearmex /Rol
Peter Rolf Regio/ Ernesto Yip/ Ami Comi/Phoenix Lair
Petri Wessman Kenneth Peltokangas; and Hans
Philipp Neurohr Kontkanen
Charles Trécourt; Mirgwael; Louis Tré-
Pierre “Victor” Brun Krishna Farnese; Tiago court; Trollune; Spirit of Chantelouve;
Pnee the Great
Leonardo Justi & Gervasio da Silva Filho Paraphlegman; Captain Strommer
Quasi Mortuus
Ramothep: the Dusty Manolis Kemerlis, Antonis Natsis,
Renam Philippi Antunes Xaris Paraskevopoulos

DESCENT VETERAN
Bourdot Raphaël Malisa Williams Ryan Moore
Greg Berry Meghan “Alastor” Fitzgerald Scott Woodward

Mummy: The Curse

 IMMORTAL
“Reseru” Sansone Eden Kupermintz Margaux Phillippi
Brett Bozeman Henry R. Moore III Sean Mattox
Daniel Persson Jake “Thammuz” Vossepoel Ville Rantavalli
Dhaunae De Vir Jaye “Slays-the-Dead” Barnhart

LEGENDARY IMMORTAL
Dawid “Salubrus” Wojcieszynski Lachlan Sutherland Ronald Steeves
Frédéri “Volk Kommissar Friedrich” Liliana Wagner Tlapiani Teokuitlapiali
POCHARD Roland Fritz Wyatt Starr
Jonathan Elcock

TRANSCENDENT IMMORTAL
LJ Nickerson Russell Cohen

Backer Credits
NAME: CONCEPT: DECREE:
PLAYER: VIRTUE: GUILD:
CHRONICLE: VICE: JUDGE:
ATTRIBUTES
POWER INTELLIGENCE STRENGTH PRESENCE
FINESSE WITS DEXTERITY MANIPULATION
RESISTANCE RESOLVE STAMINA COMPOSURE
SKILLS OTHER TRAITS
MENTAL MERITS HEALTH
(-3 UNSKILLED)
ACADEMICS WILLPOWER
COMPUTER
CRAFTS SEKHEM
INVESTIGATION
MEDICINE MEMORY
OCCULT 10
POLITICS 9
SCIENCE 8
PHYSICAL FLAWS 7
( - 1 UNSKILLED) 6
ATHLETICS 5
BRAWL PILLARS
4
DRIVE AB
3
FIREARMS 2
LARCENY BA 1
STEALTH KA SIZE
SURVIVAL REN SPEED
WEAPONRY INITIATIVE MOD
SOCIAL SHEUT DEFENSE
( - 1 UNSKILLED) ARMOR
ANIMAL KEN AFFINITIES
EMPATHY PAGE: UTTERANCES
EXPRESSION PAGE: PAGE:
INTIMIDATION PAGE: PAGE:
PERSUASION PAGE: PAGE:
SOCIALIZE PAGE: PAGE:
STREETWISE PAGE: PAGE:
SUBTERFUGE PAGE: PAGE:

Attributes 5/4/3 • Skills 11/7/4 (3 Specialties) • Judge (record Affinity) • Guild (record Affinity) •
Pillars 9 dots • Health = Sta + Size • Willpower = Resolve + Composure • Defense = lowest of Dex EXPERIENCE
or Wits • Memory = 3 Initiative Mod = Dex + Composure • Speed = Str + Dex + 5