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Chaosium Digest Volume 23 Number 12
Chaosium Digest Volume 23, Number 12
Date: Sunday, March 8, 1998
Number: 3 of 5
Contents:
A Kabbalist's Dream, Part Three (Erick-Noel Bouchard) FRENCH NEPHILIM
--------------------
From: Erick-Noel Bouchard <samedi@colba.net>
Subject: A Kabbalist's Dream, Part Three
System: Nephilim
FIRST SONG: THE QUEST
As this section is rather open-ended, the following is but a general
narrative to outline the ways of acquiring the crystalline
pyramids. To be mingled among these events are the encounters
aforementioned.
The First Crystal
If the previous chapter of this chronicle has been successfully
completed, our heroes by now should be in possession of baron
Olivier's first crystal pyramid. If not, a generous storyteller should
allow Denis Bucardo to have salvaged it over the baron's corpse. If De
Rosecouronne was still alive by the chapter's end, the culprit would
have made sure this state of things would change and arrange for the
crystal pyramid to be his. Though a pawn of archbishop Di Ducre, the
vampire could not offer the prize to his master, or rather to an
occult-oriented fence as he planned to do. An unfortunate event ended
the traitor's miserable life but a few days ago, at the threshold of
Istanbul' walls.
Shadowed by the Hashishin for many weeks, Bucardo fell into an ambush,
losing the precious artefact while ferociously protecting his life.
Their task over, the Hashishin did not notice the jewel rolling
towards the city... To be picked up by a young lad who, noticing the
Hebrew scriptures on its surface, and quickly sold it to a young
Kabbalist, Elzear of Cairo. Mistrusting of strangers, he hid it so no
outsider could contemplate its purity, but fate did not wish it to be:
during the first night of the heroes' arrival to the city, Elzear is
murdered by the Hashishin, desperately seeking the artefact. (See
below "First event: Assassins in our ranks".) Should the heroes be
wise enough to search Elzear's house, they might find the pyramid
under the menorah. Elzear's irony could not resist hiding it under the
source of all revelation...
The Second Crystal
The aristocratic Selenim leader, Erico Navidad Bucardo, has custody of
the second crystal. Underneath his kin's jewels and glory, a dark and
putrid reality shows, a temporal power crafted through the blood and
suffering of others. Though rich and prosperous, Bucardo's wealth
comes from a rather controversial source: contraband, brothels, and
bloody crime of all sorts are under his jurisdiction. Bucardo can be
found among his kin in Istanbul' darkest corners, anywhere crime and
pain go hand-in-hand with perverted pleasure. His estate, known only
to the other Selenim, is a vast house in the slums, whose pauper
outside hides a luxuriously wealthy mansion full of servants and
slaves. Bucardo, fond of perversity in all its forms, maintains
nightly orgies of drugs and blood, rejoicing from his guests' delight
and corruption. He is discreet and decent only when the time comes to
deal with officials or strangers. Meeting him in his territory he
rests upon his throne as a dark angel, magnificent in his cruelty.
Bucardo is both rich and powerful, with no other need than the
depravity in which he dwells. His only concern is that under no
condition would he renounce his prize; the naive proposing such folly
would be embezzled and swiftly slain. Though the artefact is of no use
to him, he treasures the thought of possessing treasures others cannot
have. His collection of artwork and occult paraphernalia is
impressive, especially for one so little interested in these pursuits.
As a "priest" of Lilith, Bucardo masters a respectable art in
necromancy, stealing the dead's souls and enslaving them to his
will. Aside from sorcery, his personal power is truly fabulous; his
strength rivals a lion's, and his fury knows no equal. Should the need
arise, Bucardo could count on the help of the unliving as well as his
human and Selenim minions. If imaginative, our heroes may seek
different allies to help them rob or assault Bucardo:
Seeking the Kabbalists
Little hope from this side, except perhaps for cabalistic knowledge.
Though they are very willing to offer (contradictory) advice on how to
act and plan, Istanbul' kabbalists are noteworthy for being unable to
reach consensus on anything. They argue on the slightest detail or
metaphor, making their conversations incomprehensible to anyone not
familiar with their theology. Taken separately, though, these scholars
bear a knowledge as profound as their irascibility.
The three brothers are fond of military tactics and know much about
Alexander and his conquests. However, they feel time should not be
wasted on spiritual pursuits when the enemy is at hand. "Justice,"
they say, "demands retribution, not contemplation. Times are not to
debate but to act." The other ones shall move out of their immobility
only if they are exposed to very convincing reasons. Then again, they
will most surely argue about these reasons or the way to act, and our
heroes' time is precious. Though the kabbalists want to protect this
city, their primal concern for the time being is not spiritual
advancement but rather the exaction of justice upon the sinners. How
their goals could be conciliated with the heroes' is their task.
To win Arcanum VIII's help is an exhausting experience, both for
patience, charisma, and guile. Though hard, they are just and shall
listen to any reasonable facts. Nonsense shall get one nowhere though,
except perhaps to earn a swift dismissal. If available, their help
would be very valuable indeed, as all of them are experienced
kabbalists. Rabbi Shelomo ben Affar of Nazareth and Rabbi Eliah have
mastered a degree beyond the mysteries of Tiferet to receive wisdom
from Binah. Though more conservative and somewhat less expressive than
his fellows, Rabbi Zachariah Edaim also holds a powerful knowledge,
Malkuth and the lesser Sephiroth having but few secrets left to him.
Seeking the Necromancers
Any attempt in this direction would be unwise... while the
necromancers are surely easy to contact should one make himself too
indiscreet, calling upon their presence is a sure way to suffer an
expedient death. Violent and sectarian in the extreme, these Selenim
would gladly beat the living daylights out of any would-be thief. What
horrible fate would happen to his damned soul would be too indecent to
tell here. Truly, these Selenim are of the damned. Their knowledge of
death and its ways are incomparable in Istanbul.
Seeking the Forsaken
As they hate Bucardo, the Forsaken could ally themselves with our
heroes. However, among the city's Selenim these maintain a secrecy
greater even than the Corrupted Ones. Their primary concern is
allowing the city's indigents respect and life; they flee the presence
of the Nephilim and seek no contact. Finding them would be very
difficult--acquiring their help even more so--unless the heroes have
found a way to impress them and gain their friendship, either through
showing great courage against the Templars or great generosity to the
poor folk. In any case, the Forsaken would accept an alliance only if
they would profit from it. As assaulting Bucardo's minions would put
the Forsaken at risk, our heroes will not receive their help unless
they can offer something very significant to them, something they
would willingly give their lives for. But what? This would be our
heroes' task, to find such a service, perhaps by chasing away the
Templars or disrupting their assaults against Istanbul, as the city is
these creatures' greatest love.
Seeking the Corrupted Ones
Despite the foulness of their aspect, these creatures would surely be
reasonable to a charismatic orator who would balance the city's
survival with the need for spiritual development. Surely they would
claim their reward from it, though, especially if a possibility arises
for curing them of their ill. Dwelling in the city's most dark and
secret places, the Corrupted Ones cannot be found merely by hunting
them: they must allow their hunter to find them as this city has
become a part of them. For a long, long time, their numbers have
united in the shadows of Istanbul in search of asylum. Despite their
monstrosity, the city's hidden laws allow them existence as well the
dignity they would hardly get anywhere else. Despite their
appearances, few among them are monstrous in desire or personality.
Many, in fact, are kind and wise behind their masks of severity,
seeking redemption of their past sins. Convinced to fight on behalf of
the heroes, they would make honourable and worthy allies. Despite
their low numbers, the Corrupted Ones would give up their mortal lives
for the safety of their beloved city. They needs only to be convinced.
El Jabali, though as monstrous as legend says, is a knowledgeable
elder whose lore is respected by every eastern Selenim. He even once
met a mad prophet whose name was Abd Al-Azrad, a crazed mystic touched
by a dark revelation, who shared some of his secrets with him. For
centuries, the Corrupted Ones have gathered these revelations to
complete the mad Sufi's book, named Kitab Al-Wazif: "the Book of the
Dead". Amidst their hoard of gathered knowledge and esoteric
paraphernalia, the Corrupted Ones still keep the words of the mad
Sufi:
"Many and multiform are ye dim horrors of Earth, infesting her ways
from ye very prime. They sleep beneath ye unturned stone; they rise
with ye tree from its root; they move beneath ye sea and in
subterranean places they dwell in ye innermost adyta. Some there are
long known to man, others as yet unknown, abiding ye terrible latter
days of their revealing. One such is an evil born of a curse, for ye
Greatest Old One, before He went Him down into His place to be sealed
therein and sunken under ye sea, uttered a cry which rang out to ye
very corner of ye All; and He cursed this world then and forever. And
His curse was this: that whosoever inhabit this world which was become
His prison, there should breed amongst them and of their flesh great
traitors who would ever seek to destroy them and hence leave ye world
cleared off for ye day of His return. And when they heard this great
curse, them that held Him thrust Him down where He could do no more
harm. And because they were good, they sought to eradicate ye harm He
had willed, but could not do hence. Thus they worked a counter-spell,
which was this: that there would always be ones to know the evil ones
when they arose and waxed strong, thus protecting ye innocents from
His great curse. And this also did they arrange: that in their fashion
ye evil ones would reveal themselves, and that any man with
understanding might readily dispose of such a one by seizing him and
saying unto him, 'I know you', and by revealing his number... "
Ill events in Istanbul
While our heroes are questing for the missing keys to revelation,
their enemies are not dormant and plan schemes of their own... The
story teller is free to arrange the following happenings at the time
and place of his convenience, provided he or she respects their
order. Most importantly, these should encourage the rising of a climax
and speed up the chronicle when clues appear insufficient or when
heroes get discouraged. A bit of action surely warms up the spirits!
First Happening: Assassins Amidst Our Ranks
"The Old Man kept at his court such boys of twelve years old as
seemed to him destined to become courageous men. When the Old Man
sent them into the garden in groups of four, ten or twenty, he
game them hashish to drink [sic]. They slept for three days, then
they were carried sleeping into the garden where he had them
awakened.
"When these young men woke, and found themselves in the garden
with all these marvellous things, they truly believed themselves
to be in paradise. And these damsels were always with them in
songs and great entertainments; they received everything they
asked for, so that they would never have left that garden of
their own will.
And when the Old Man wished to kill someone, he would take him
and say: 'Go and do this thing. I do this because I want to make
you return to paradise'. And the assassins go and perform the
deed willingly."
--Marco Polo, on his visit to Alamut in 1273
A few days before our heroes' arrival to Istanbul, Di Ducre sent
Hashishin to take back the first crystal from Bucardo, by will or by
force. As they did not find the artefact on his dying body, the
archbishop sends them again, this time promising a most painful death
if the mission was to be unsuccessful. With every means at their
disposal, their trail has led them to the Kabbalists. What happens now
depends upon who has custody of the crystal. If Elzear of Cairo has
hidden it, then his life shall be taken as the Hashishin invade his
house and wreck it. Out of superstition, the murderers touch not the
holy artefacts, and so are blind to the pyramid's location. Despite
painful torture, the Kabbalist reveals not his secret and dies
honourably. His dying curse is drawn in blood, in Hebrew, as he calls
upon "The seven lights of YHWH to burn your souls". For the initiate,
this refers to the menorah. Ingenious heroes might sort it out.
If our heroes, and not Elzear, are custodians of the crystal pyramid,
then the Hashishin shall waste no time and assault them as they go to
sleep. Unless they took precautions against night prowlers, chances
are high that their lives shall be forfeited by this night. Holy
murderers, the Hashishin are masters of disguise and guile, easily
convincing any sentinels of their friendliness. On the other hand,
their aptitudes, though exceptional, is nothing compared to the
supernatural. If mighty sorcerers stand among our heroes' ranks, the
Hashishin might be taking on more than they can handle. Their numbers
and strengths would have to be measured by the storyteller according
to the heroes' capabilities. If they were wise, the Hashishin should
be a challenge but not overly murderous. Of course, none of the
assassins would ever speak, even under the most painful torture.
Sorcery is an approach that would scare the living daylights out of
the slayers but, still, would not result in more than madness and
demented screams.
Second Happening: The Teutons' Assault
The following day, after a bloody conflict against the city's
defenders, the Teutons manage an entry at dusk, as the Moslems go to
prayer. Confused by this breach of tradition, the Ottomans appear to
be losing terrain more and more to the crazed Europeans, hacking and
slashing their way into the capital. Spread like burning oil, rumour
has it that the city is about to fall... untrue, yet menacing enough
to convince honourable heroes to action. As the defenders stand their
ground, their enemies are getting more and more numerous through a
breach in the wall. Breaking the law of their brethren, the Forsaken
call upon their gifts to repeal the enemy through the gates. The
Teutonic Knights, unstoppable in their metal armours, appear as
legions in the midst of chaos. How are our heroes to react? The
occasion is great for acts of glory and courage, yet Death roams above
the battlefield, lusting for victims. Should the heroes prefer retreat
to combat, many shall die before the invaders are thrown back. On the
other hand, should the heroes behave valiantly, they would earn the
defenders' respect as well as that of the Forsaken. Allies are a
precious rarity in these times of war!
Third happening: Ancient Secrets of Baal
Fed by the heroes' questions, Rabbi Methuselah Balshem-Zohar and his
fellow Zachariah Edaim investigated the ancient catacombs of the city,
dating back to the epoch where Baal ruled over the land. Secret
documents deciphered by the Nephilim led them to an ancient temple of
Baal, now little more than ruins among the catacombs. Among
blasphemous prayers to the dark god and descriptions of the bloody
offerings made to him, the Kabbalists uncovered occult numerals
referring to the sacred alphabet, as well as a dead body, apparently
dried out of his blood: that of Joltok, which might be recognised by
our heroes should they investigate the Kabbalists' discovery. Of
course, as Joltok's spirit has invaded young Yusaf's body, the vampire
needed to dispose of his former self in a way that would prove his
"death".
More interesting to the Kabbalists is the meaning they gave to the
deciphered numerals, as they relate to passages of the Torah, the
sacred book of knowledge. Perhaps a defense against Baal and his kin
could be found. Patiently returning to their libraries, the elder
scholars engage upon their great work...
Fourth Happening: Secrets Revealed
At last, many days after reading the sacred texts, Rabbi Methuselah
and Rabbi Zachariah have discovered the meaning of the numbers. Should
their relations to the heroes be decent, they would surely share their
findings with them. For this, the storyteller should get his or her
hand on a dictionary of symbols and check out references, like those
pertaining to the number seven: light, the rainbow, etc. Some
information relating to the metaphysical labyrinth to come might be
helpful too. Though information will likely be from mostly European
(and Christian) sources, a little relativistic touch might transform
these into interesting story elements. Should the storyteller find the
task too painful, this encounter can be ignored altogether if
needed. In any case, help for specific questions might be sought from
Rabbi Methuselah and Rabbi Zachariah.
Of course, an imaginative storyteller should feel free to imagine
other events to pace this story should she feel the need for greater
adventure.
The Third Crystal
Wise heroes, upon reading the butchered travellers' parchment, might
have thought that archbishop Di Ducre has it in his possession. The
easiest way to access it is through the help of his Selenim rivals,
who gladly would rob the clergyman of his favoured bauble. Surely they
would not abandon this artefact to the heroes, though... If the heroes
choose this path then the game master shall have to imagine under what
conditions the Selenim would help them and the kind of help which
could be affordable.
On the other hand, the heroes might wish to take by themselves the
crystals from the Templars' quarters. The archbishop's tent is raised
amidst the camp where over five hundred knights have gathered, under
heavy guard and Di Ducre's personal attentions. How they could manage
this, I leave to players. The game master's task here shall be to
decide how the Templars have built their settlements and their
defences. Over four hundred warriors have erected a wall of stones
around their circular base; it has two entrances, one facing east and
the other west, each guarded by five warriors taking turns every five
hours. Patrols surround the camp in small numbers, communicating with
their by blowing horns. The disposal of the tents shows a great sense
of strategy, making any Roman settlement appear defenceless in
comparison. The officer's tents are innermost, identified with their
armouries; Di Ducre's is there, along with two other high-ranking
officers. Every officer has his own mount, food, and weapons. The
soldiery's food and water supplies are kept near the camp's
centre. The supplies are watched daily and nightly by a squad of six
soldiers. All officers wear chain armour, sword and lance, while the
lesser soldiers are armed with heavy leather armours, pikes, daggers
and short swords for close combat.
The Crystals' Secret
Each of the three crystal pyramids can rest in a palm and shines with
a green brilliance. The names of the Sephiroth, in Hebrew, have been
written upon their sides. Looking at them closely, they appear to bear
Hebrew inscriptions inside them, in a way they could not have been
sculpted. For any who understands Hebrew, though, the sentences are
not complete and mean nothing. Only one thing can be deciphered by
reading all the three: "By the Light of the Unnamed shall Truth to the
Just be revealed."
Wit is the key here. As the letters have been magically inscribed
inside the crystals, lighting is the way by which they can most easily
be seen. To decipher the crystals, light from a menorah (a Hebrew
candelabra with seven candles) must bathe them. The letters within
shall then appear on the floor as shadows on a screen. Their
significance depends upon the way the crystals have been put. To make
sense, they must be assembled into a triangle, the opposite Sephiroth
facing each other: Binah (Mother) facing Chochmah (Father), Hessed
(Love) facing Geburah (Rigour), Netzah (Victory) facing Hod
(Surrender), Tiferet (Grace) facing Malkuth (Realm). Tips can be given
to the heroes as the words start to make more sense when some sides
are associated with others. If no one but Yusaf understands Hebrew, he
shall honestly assemble the crystals and decipher their meanings but
shall keep some of its significance for himself:
Glory to Ye Tree of Life
Whose Root Rises from Ye Valley of Saadi
In Ye Innermost Triangle of Dawn
Through Ye Keys of Justice
Where Ye Sky Has Cried
Light Shall Be Revealed to Ye Just
If someone other than Yusaf translates the meaning, the message adds:
Make Thyself Clean from Sin
Beware for Greed, Lust, or Envy
Idolatry Condemns One by His Sin
Ye True Path is That of Humility
To Think Ye Good of All Before Oneself
Herein Lies Ye Road to Revelation
--
