Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Chaosium Digest Volume 23 Number 11
Chaosium Digest Volume 23, Number 11
Date: Sunday, March 8, 1998
Number: 2 of 5
Contents:
A Kabbalist's Dream, Part Two (Erick-Noel Bouchard) FRENCH NEPHILIM
--------------------
From: Erick-Noel Bouchard <samedi@colba.net>
Subject: A Kabbalist's Dream, Part Two
System: Nephilim
ISTANBUL
Istanbul is a major city of the Ottoman empire, where the emperor
rules according to orthodox tradition. The city is known for its
famous fleet, its important religious influence, its wealth and its
very prestigious universities, some over a hundred years old. As all
eastern cities of this period, the streets of Istanbul are small and
overcrowded, dirty and without a good sewer system. Rats are legion,
as are the diseased and the crippled. In sharp contrast the richest
quarters are splendid. Their rich inhabitants treat the less lucky
like animals, mostly making only lip service to the hospitality
laws.
Amidst the rich of Istanbul, Selenim are numerous, hidden behind
mortal covers. Locals know them as "guhls" and fear nights and
graveyards. In Istanbul the Selenim have very little problems with
wanton murdering; neither do they feel guilty for their actions. They
believe the folk are even worse than themselves. At least they slay to
feed.
The main opposition used to be between the ancient aristocracy and the
capitalist new rich, but now the people are turbulent and claim
greater rights. Tensions are high. Despite these differences, hatred
is given to only three classes of people: the Infidels, the plague
infested, and the Hebrews who populate the poorest ranks of Istanbul.
Despite their power and influence, the Selenim are statistically few
in the city. They divide themselves according to their Simulacrum's
status and war within themselves, yet unite when an exterior menace
threatens their community. They take great pains to hide their
existence to mortals. There are but twelve "Forsaken", eleven
necromancers (under Di Ducre's commands), six Corrupted Ones, and
eight Bucardo aristocrats (see below for more information on these
four classes). All the "guhls" obey, in theory, the Selenim Court,
composed of ambassadors from the four groups. In truth, no one rules
but chaos. An immigrated Spanish trader, Erico Navidad Bucardo, is the
official leader of the assembly, yet he has no real coercive power
over the three other groups. His "aristocrats" obey him faithfully.
The Selenim Factions
Unknown to its mortal population, Istanbul is a haven for the peaceful
Selenim of the Middle-East. They control most of the city's
institutions and keep a close watch over its well-being. They could be
seen as noble families of great power, despite their supernatural
nature and powers. All those who are not of a murderous bent, or
frenzied worshippers of Lilith, are welcome to join their secret
community, if they respect its iron-clad rules. All families, despite
their enmities, respect those rules as sacred and enforce them with
unforgiving justice. Selenim who transgress them are punished by a
burning death. The major rules are the following:
* Do not endanger the Selenim community in any way
* Do not reveal your existence or that of the community to mortals
* Do not use the gifts of the Dark Moon before the eyes of mortals
without slaying them
* Do not allow murderous worship of Lilith, as that draws the mortal's
attentions
* Do not let anyone discover your feedings and/or murders in any way
* Do not disobey the judgements of the Selenim court of Istanbul
The Necromancers
These Selenim have studied the dark arts far deeper than their
brethren, up to their almost complete surrender to the dark moon's
power. Their bodies appear twisted and evil; eerie is their
presence. Under the secret rule of archbishop Francisco Di Ducre,
their secret master is the Templar Hendel Weissenstadt, well hidden
outside Istanbul. His true name is unknown to all. Weissenstadt ranks
highly among the Templars, yet he himself is of the Cursed Ones. His
secret is deeply hidden, as well as his mightiest power: though a
single being, his mind controls two bodies, that of the Templar
Weissenstadt and the archbishop Di Ducre. Avid practitioners of
witchcraft, the necromancers are often on the edge of the commands of
the Selenim Court with their experiences, but managed until now to
maintain secrecy. All Selenim appear as faithful Moslems, discreet and
humble. Many are gaunt and suffer deformations due to their foul
nature and practices.
The Family of Bucardo
Istanbul' oldest and most respectable Selenim family, they see
themselves as the city's rightful rulers and care for their "cattle"
as herders would. They do not tolerate interference from the other
families and hold the most important positions in the Selenim
Court. Their actual master is Erico Navidad Bucardo, who took
leadership after the murder of the previous Bucardo "Pater Familiae"
at the hands of witch hunters. Their new leader, though Spanish in
origin, has lived in Istanbul for longer than any mortal. He now
considers the city his domain and has no wish to see it taken down
either by Christian or Moslem. A man of great charisma, he holds the
family together despite his nationality, to the point where many
referee to his followers as "the Bucardo family".
The Forsaken Families
These chaotic groups are little more than assemblies of Selenim of low
lineage, who broke away from the other families. Closer to humans and
their pains than the more arrogant nobles, these Selenim fight dearly
to uphold the cause of the underpaid and mistreated workers of
Istanbul. As many of them are of Hebrew origin, or have mixed
ancestry, these Selenim feel very strong bonds with the working
community. They are a power to respect within the city. Ironically,
many of their beliefs were inspired by Santa Claudina's adepts--the
heroine of the Order of Trinity--who travelled up to these distant
lands. Long ago, she spread her teachings among the common people, but
very few of them would know of this. The leader of this group is a
woman named Sidha.
The Corrupted Ones
These are Selenim corrupted by deformities, forbidden by the Selenim
Court to roam in plain sight and condemned to the sewers and the
catacombs. They spread disease among the folk. Their ugliness has made
them figures of legend, despite their high degree of secrecy. Their
aspect has been taken into the local mythology to represent the guhls,
tomb-robbing spirits of hideous appearance. Despite their monstrosity,
they are the most humane of all as they know what suffering means. The
Corrupted Ones often take orphans or widows under their protection.
They live in the poorest sites of the city and feel a very strong
fraternity with each other, though not necessarily with the other
Selenim. Their master is El Jabali, the strongest and wittiest of them
all. It is said that his face is like that of a boar and that he has
three arms.
ONTO THE CITY
Unless the game master wishes to include some surprise of her own, the
journey to Istanbul should not be dangerous. The heroes should learn
that two knightly orders, that of the Teutonic Knights and the Knights
Templar, are sieging the city. As trade is interrupted, two hours'
travel shall be required before entering the city. From a small oasis,
an Arabian caravan goes to sell goods in the capital.
As Spring has not started yet a group of travellers walk alongside a
caravan on the deserted road that leads to Istanbul, their long
awaited destination. Their thoughts are filled with their past
experiences. Strange thoughts come to them. What seemed to be an
innocuous caravan escort job at first revealed strange yet sinister
events in the western kingdoms, as well as the mysterious activities
of cultists. And yet their employer, Maitre Etienne, knows far more
than the usual merchant about things Man Was Not Meant To Know. For
cause...
But a few leagues before setting foot in the eastern province, a
desert storm assaults the caravan anew and forces it to take cover
under the shadows of trees. It is but moments after the calamity
disappeared that screams of anguish erupt from the caravan's
ranks. The shocking, dismembered and devoured corpses of both peasants
and pilgrims have been discovered by a maid, revealing the horrible
marks of a foul supernatural beast. Lady death strikes again...
One of the dead pilgrims carried in a pouch a strange scroll that one
of the beast masters discovered. Sealed by wax bearing the armouries
of the archbishop Francisco Di Ducre, emissary of the pope; its seal
has been broken by the curved claws of the unknown horror. Without any
apparent concern for privacy, Maitre Etienne unwraps it and reads
aloud the blood stained document to the assembly:
"To the Eagle's Shadow, herald of the Red Cross: Great is my sadness
to announce to thee the apparent failure of Don Bucardo and thy other
minions. It appears there has been opposition to thy plans
as... (BLOOD STAIN) ...heretics of Law and a strange prankster who
appears Selenim in origin. Despite their failure, the last two
crystals are still possessed by the Infidels and should be retrievable
albeit at a greater cost. I humbly recommend thee... (BLOOD STAIN)
-..worshippers of Kabbalah, whom, have I been told, can incarnate
human flesh with unearthly spirits, and... (BLOOD STAIN) ...mostly
magical keys for still unknown purposes. Already were sent the
translations from Arabian thou demanded about the key's origins. An
unnamed Arabian prophet would have had a revelation of the Ultimate,
the Secret behind all Secrets. Some has surnamed him He Who Obeys the
Destroyer, Abd Al Azrad in the Infidels' cursed tongue. He would have
locked it in a hidden crypt shaped in the form of ten spheres of
power. Beware, for some are lethal to men, others for women! Spheres
of Love cannot be entered by men, Rigour is forbidden to womanhood,
hence take caution. Surely the Hebrew would know, and we know how to
make them talk. I have the pleasure to announce thee that these keys
would open the door to a magical labyrinth of power. He, also, belongs
to the magical species whom we know as the Nephilim... (BLOOD STAIN)
-..get the power over our Bucardo rivals."
As some guards are on good terms with the Order of Trinity, entering
the city of Istanbul should not pose a problem. Finding Arcanum VIII
should not be a problem either to wise heroes, as Hebrews are not
numerous in the city. Convincing one to guide them to the Kabbalists
should require some effort, though. Acting time!
The Kabbalists
Many of the local Nephilim fled when the city was assaulted, in fear
of losing the profound knowledge they had painfully acquired. Some
preferred to remain and fight rather than flee. All of them united
under the banner of Arcanum VIII, hidden amidst the Hebrew minority of
Istanbul. To the Hebrews, the Nephilim are holy men and women who have
been touched by the Unnamed. All profess a deep knowledge of Kabbalah,
its ways, and its secrets. Many months ago, when the city's fall was
foretold by astrologers, the Kabbalists started the creations of their
greatest magical achievement yet. Through a body of clay and mud, upon
which where written the secret letters of the magical Hebrew alphabet,
they called upon a spirit of vengeance. But a single word is left to
pronounce, and the Golem shall come to life: the name of the Unnamed,
the Word Which Must Not Be Pronounced. It has still not been invoked,
due to doubts and fears among the Kabbalists. If the creature was to
come alive, surely their secrets would be defended, but how could it
be stopped? What danger is their to evoke the Unnamed? Disputes cause
dissidence among their ranks, where unity should strengthen them
before danger. In the back room of a small Hebrew broom shop, the
heroes encounter half a dozen of Rabbis and philosophers arguing in
their Simulacra's tongue.
Making contact with these Nephilim should not be an easy thing.
Despite their alliance with the Order of Trinity, the Nephilim share a
haughty attitude towards strangers and the profane. Most are Angels,
Phoenixes, and Salamanders, though a Cyclops's advanced metamorphosis
can be seen. A kabbalist, even one of small importance, might obtain
their respect if he can convince them of the necessity of their
help. Others would have to work harder and find responses to their
arguments. Few among them have any consideration for the humans' sake:
some wish to preserve their books and discoveries; others argue for
vengeance against the hated Templars. Though they know where two of
the three crystals are kept, they do not feel involved as they believe
them to be unimportant. If pressed a little, these locations can be
revealed but in no way shall they take action in this direction. In
this they are very wrong. Should a hero be convincing enough, by
mentioning Uriel, his words and his aspect for example, perhaps then
the Nephilim might listen. Just perhaps.
On the good side, a young boy sitting in the back store seems to
manifest great interest in the heroes' tale. Should they talk to him,
he shall invite them outside. If not, he shall reach the heroes
himself as soon as they get outside, probably discouraged by the
Kabbalists' impassioned and contradictory arguments. Yusaf (the boy)
presents himself as Rabbi Zachariah's apprentice, eager to discover
the world and its mysteries. If the heroes agree to let him accompany
them in their journeys, he would gladly be a guide and offer them his
knowledge of the sacred alphabet as well as what little he knows of
the Sephiroth. To the heroes, this is a golden discovery. Of course,
this is too good to be true...
As you might have guessed, Yusaf is no else than Joltok under a new
guise. The shape-changer, after murdering the young boy and feeding
upon his corpse, took his aspect to be lead to the labyrinth. Being a
Selenim, bathed in the dark moon's energy and fuelled by Baal's
sleeping power, Yusaf/Joltok's nature cannot be discovered via magical
means. Naively, the heroes have just admitted within their ranks their
worst enemy...
Kabbalist Personalities
Each and every one of these scholars is quite a character into
himself, involved in the pursuit of knowledge since longer than any of
our heroes. As their science reveals itself only slightly to
strangers, their words seem often arrogant or absurd to the profane,
but a great wisdom guides their pursuits. If, through effort, one or
more of the heroes receives their friendship, great knowledge could be
their reward, as could the possibility of joining Arcanum VIII's
ranks, or eventually learning Kabbalah under their guidance. Each
scholar is referred to by his metamorphosis, that is the mythical
creature who brightens and represents his spiritual development.
Rabbi Shelomo ben Affar of Nazareth (Angel)
Rabbi Shelomo is the spiritual leader of the Hebrew community, a
powerful kabbalist delving in the spheres beyond Tiferet. His
metamorphosis is strong, his eyes bright with an inner light not
unlike that of Uriel. Said to be of great age, Rabbi Shelomo is said
to have participated in the Jesus project, though nowadays he no
longer approves of the experience. The consequences of this event led
him to adopt a new Arcanum as well as to prefer conservatism over
innovation, considering experiences led by Arcanum 0 with great
skepticism. Taking inspiration from the prophet Abraham, Rabbi Shelomo
feels Rigour is necessary only when Generosity is absolutely
impossible. Though helpful, little could make him take action in any
direction.
Well versed in the world's secrets, Rabbi Shelomo is very
knowledgeable of the Sephiroth, of the Tree of Life where they
stand,and of the realms of spirit and thought as well as their
ways. Few know as well as him the Torah and the meanings of the
Law. The Zohar, "book of splendour" revered by all kabbalists, bears
but few secrets to him.
Gershom, Isaac & Dawid Ben Mebiselek (Phoenixes)
Brothers in both flesh and spirit, the Ben Mebiselek phoenixes are
very strongly attached to their metaphorical self; red of eyes and
burning of blood, they advise the most strongly in favour of wrecking
vengeance upon the invaders, calling upon the Golem's might to crush
their enemies once and for all. The exodus of their kin and the loss
of occult knowledge should no more be a burden for the Ottomans, argue
the brothers, for the time has come to evoke Rigour to punish the
sinful ones and let light be revealed through the exertion of
Justice. As the days pass, the brothers' fury grows stronger as their
disobedience to Rabbi Shelomo rises. Though fair and just the brothers
know little of mercy and would not stop to hear pleas about the
inhabitants' fate should an outright occult war with the Templars be
launched. Near to the fanatical, reason's voice is shadowed by the
strength of their anger.
Despite their ferocity, the Ben Mebiselek brothers are very talkative,
should one not balk at their foul temper and ever-present
arguing. Their knowledge is great about the Templars and their
Hashishin allies, the middle-eastern heresies, and the occult history
of the western world. Though hard to gain, their friendship would be
like molten gold, burning yet decidedly precious.
Rabbi Methuselah Balshem-Zohar (Jinn)
Cold and aloof, Rabbi Methuselah feels only disinterest for the city's
sake, caring solely about the theological consequences and
advancements in awakening the Golem. Taking inspiration from Seth,
patriarch of their nation, Rabbi Methuselah fears that repeating the
act of creation might evoke the wrath of the Unnamed, as Seth's Golem
advised strongly against such acts, for they were close to
blasphemous. A theologian specialised in the meaning of the Law, its
essence and roots, Rabbi Methuselah is wholly disinterested in any
stranger's advice, especially if he be not of his community. Somewhat
arrogant, this Nephilim is not likely to become an ally of our
heroes. His knowledge encompasses theoretical Kabbalah and the realms
of thought, the nature of cabalistic creatures and the ways to call
upon them. He knows an impressive array of invocations, yet has almost
never called upon his power, an act he finds somewhat vulgar.
Rabbi Eliah (Salamander)
Rabbi Eliah is a visionary, an optimist who believes in the good side
of mankind and its potential for redemption. A close friend to Rabbi
Shelomo, he is the artist's voice, the everlasting fire of creation,
hope, and deliverance that burns deep inside every mortal's heart. He
believes the Golem should be released only as a last recourse, for his
awakening would be an act of hatred and destruction rather than love,
a sure way to invoke the wrath of Those Above. In truth, a very worthy
man, capable of the greatest prowess as well as mastering a keen
intuition.
Rabbi Eliah has a good chance to befriend our heroes. He knows much
about the secrets of the Torah, the sacred book of faith, as well as
the meaning of symbols and revelations. While most of his fellows are
theorists, Rabbi Eliah has a very intimate, emotional connection with
spiritual things, a gift seldom seen even among his kin. Generous and
forgiving, yet not deprived of righteousness, Rabbi Eliah is the
closest among the kabbalists to the attainment of the Supreme
Wisdom. In truth, he is far older and more powerful than he would let
others believe, his soul being released when the world was young, but
this is another story...
Rabbi Zachariah Edaim (Cyclops)
As silent and powerful as a sleeping volcano, Rabbi Zachariah is a
discreet figure in Istanbul' kabbalist community. Tall and powerful,
even menacing would it be not for his face's glowing tranquillity,
this man masters an unbelievable talent with his hands, a power of
creation almost mythical. He created the mortal envelope of the Golem
as Rabbi Shelomo inscribed the words of power upon his form. True to
his spiritual allegory, the Cyclops, he would rather speak with his
hands than words. Neither violent nor pacifist, Rabbi Zachariah is
seldom the one sought for advice. Though he seldom speaks, his words
are always listened to, for they always contain a surprising wisdom. A
true creature of this world, his ways are wise in those of matter,
craft, and creation. His knowledge of practical Kabbalah, creation and
architecture, is profound, yet he divulges it only when he feels it
proper, never when pressed. Befriending him is a profitable yet
difficult task.
Elzear of Cairo (Mandragora)
Elzear of Cairo is the youngest of the assembly, a traveller who left
the ranks of The Fool Arcanum to join the Ottoman community for
unknown purposes. Very secretive, his eyes burning bright with an
internal fire, Elzear seeks knowledge for power: power to change,
power to create, power to build a new Eden in this world of chaos.
Very taciturn, Elzear keeps much to himself and shares very little of
what he knows with his peers.
As he appears completely unfathomable, our heroes have very little
chances to obtain anything from him. If he knows anything, he shall
keep it for himself unless circumstances make it mandatory for him to
talk. only with great reluctance would he offer up anything, but who
knows what a hero could think of... Elzear would be very willing to
talk to cover up his secrets, as he cherishes his privacy above all
else. He is very knowledgeable in secret history, conspiracies,
demonology, and idolatry. More than any other kabbalist, he knows that
Baal represents a perverted form of Yesod, fecundity, but would not
act on this knowledge. Even among his brothers, Elzear keeps an
extremely low profile.
--
