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Intro to Mummy: the Resurrection lore

Mummy: the Resurrection is a TTRPG in the World of Darkness setting. As the name suggests, the World of Darkness is not a pleasant place. It is a darker version of the real world, where monsters live amongst and prey upon humanity. In a franchise where each game has you play a monster (literally or figuratively), Mummy is the game where you play the good guy. Mummies, known to themselves as the Shemsu-Heru or Amenti, are the warriors of Ma'at fighting to restore balance to a world tainted by the darkness of Apophis. Mummy is also one of the most crossover-heavy games in terms of lore, with lore elements from Vampire, Werewolf, Mage, and Wraith. I have links to previous World of Darkness lore introductions at the bottom where you can read about those.

The story of Mummy begins in ancient Egypt. The events of this story have become mythology in the millennia since, with the characters depicted as gods rather than humans. The great pharaoh Ra had two grandsons, Set and Osiris, and needed to choose an heir. He picked Osiris as his successor, which made Set seethe with jealousy. He attempted to kill his brother in a coup, but failed and was exiled from Egypt for his crime. Set would make his way to the First City of Enoch, the home of the first vampire Caine and his childer. Set would recieve the Embrace and become a vampire of the 3rd generation, a being of godly power and endless thirst for blood. The histories of the vampires tell that the 3rd generation rose up and killed their own sires and were in turn cursed by Caine. After this event, millennia after his exile, Set returned to Egypt to reclaim his throne, only to find Osiris still ruling.

Some time after Set's exile, Osiris was visited by a foreigner named Typhon, who only appeared during the night and spent hours in private with Osiris, discussing philosophy. Eventually, Typhon left one night and Osiris's servants found him dead. However, the next night, Osiris rose from the dead with newfound immortality. Typhon was a vampire, and clearly a very powerful one of a low generation, but he doesn't fit in the the traditional vampire history of the Antediluvians, the 3rd generation founders of the 13 vampire Clans. Some speculate that Typhon was a 3rd or 2nd generation vampire or even Caine himself using another name, while others speculate that Typhon was an Antediluvian who never sired a clan. In any case, Osiris was now a vampire and he was never comfortable with his new status. He developed a Discipline (vampire power) called Bardo, which allows the user to mitigate the monstrous instincts of a vampire. Osiris either didn't or couldn't embrace childrer, but founded a Bloodline (mini-Clan) of vampires called the Children of Osiris, who were taken from other Clans, taught Bardo, and instructed to do good in the world. Now immortal, Osiris ruled Egypt for millennia alongside his family: his sister-wives (as in they were both his sisters and his wives) Isis and Nepthys and his sons Anubis and Horus. How they survived for so long is unclear. They may have also been vampires, but it seems that at least Isis was a mage (it isn't possible to be both a mage and a vampire as becoming undead severs a mage's connection to their Avatar, that which give them their magic) so she may have used her magic to extend her family's lives.

When Set returned to Egypt, he was furious to find Osiris still ruling. Set attacked, killing Osiris by cutting him into 14 pieces. He also killed Anubis and tortured Horus to the brink of death. Isis is said to have received knowledge of a powerful spell from a wizard (mage) named Thoth, though it's also possible she developed the spell herself. This spell, the Spell of Life, would turn one immortal by giving them the power to return to their bodies from the underworld. Isis and Nepthys gathered the pieces of Osiris' body (save for one, which they could not find) and used the Spell of Life to bring him back, still as a vampire. They also saved Horus' life.

Osiris knew his brother needed to be stopped, but that the threat was greater than Set alone. Set worshiped a being called Apophis, the ultimate source of corruption, evil, and entropy. The exact nature of Apophis from a greater World of Darkness perspective is unclear. Most shapeshifters think that Apophis is another name for the Wyrm. The Wyrm is one of three godlike spirits called the Triat who are supposed to bring balance to the universe. The Wyrm represented entropy, destroying that which exists to be broken down into raw materials that can be used to create anew. However, the Wyrm has since gone mad and now represents corruption and wanton destruction, making it a threat to the whole universe. Alternatively, Apophis could be Oblivion, the endless force of entropy that rests beneath the underworld that is slowly devouring the universe. It is possible that Apophis represents both forces, the people of Egypt believing the Wyrm and Oblivion to be the same thing rather than two separate but related cosmic forces. In any case, Osiris and his family were followers of Ma'at, the cosmic principle of balance, justice, and order who many personified as a god. If Apophis is the Wyrm, Ma'at may refer to one or both of the other members of the Triat: the Weaver (who represents order and stasis) and the Wyld (who represents creation and chaos). The order and justice of Ma'at were in direct opposition to Apophis' corruption and destruction and so Osiris was driven to fight Apophis.

Many of Osiris' followers were chosen to undergo the Spell of Life, Horus being one of them. The Spell of Life would cause them to die and their souls would travel to Amenti, the portion of the underworld corresponding to Egypt, to stand before the Judges of Ma'at. These are 42 mysterious beings, possibly spirits, who uphold the principles of Ma'at and judge the souls who come to Amenti. Those who where found worthy were granted immortality as the Shemsu-Heru, the first immortals, and returned to their bodies. There were originally 42 Shemsu-Heru, one for each Judge of Ma'at, but more would join them as the Spell of Life was used on more people. Horus raised an alliance to battle Set, the Osirian League. This was an alliance of supernatural beings who opposed Set and Apophis. The Shemsu-Heru and the vampiric Children of Osiris were members, but also the Bubasti werecats, Silent Striders Tribe of werewolves, and assorted other shapeshifters, mages, and fey. They battled Set and his vampiric Clan, the Mesu Bedshet (known in modern days as the Followers of Set or Ministry of Set) and other followers of Apophis. This was not a single war but a series of conflicts that spanned millennia. Set would occasionally lapse into torpor, a state of death-like sleep that can last centuries if not millennia while Osiris would occasionally have to return to Amenti to recuperate. It is said that the final battle between Set and Osiris occurred in the year 33 CE. Set was sent into torpor and has remained that way ever since, while Osiris descended to Amenti and has remained there ever since. He has spent the millennia since seated on his throne and staring into the maw of Oblivion, apparently lost in his own mind while the ghost of Anubis rules Amenti in his stead. As least until 1999, but that's a story for later.

The Shemsu-Heru are the first group to use the Spell of Life to obtain immortality and they claim to be the first true immortals. Vampires are older, but the Shemsu-Heru claim that their immortality is a twisted form of false life rather than true immortality. A Shemsu-Heru's soul will occupy its body, reanimating the corpse to serve as a container. However, the body appears in a half-dead state, like a walking corpse, and it can be killed. When this happens, the soul will return to Amenti to rest and recuperate while the body remains in the world of the living as a regular corpse. When the soul is ready to return, the body will reconstitute itself and animate again. It takes incredible amounts of damage to destroy a mummy's body beyond the point it can reconstitute itself, to the point that the only things that can accomplish it are rare and powerful magics or a point-blank nuclear detonation. Before a Shemsu-Heru can return to the world of the living, they must go through a trial by the Judges of Ma'at. The Judges have the authority to deny resurrection or even have a soul destroyed if the mummy strayed from the path. While the Shemsu-Heru claimed to be truly immortal, they secretly knew that the Spell of Life was imperfect and one day, perhaps far in the future, they would die for real.

Horus became the leader of the Shemsu-Heru and guided them in making war against the forces of Apophis. Horus swore an oath of eternal vengeance against Set and Apophis and laid down a set of commandments for his followers called the Wat Hor, that commanded obedience to him and eternal struggle against Apophis. Eventually, a mummy named Ishmael spoke out against Horus, denouncing him as a petty tyrant whose vendetta blinded him to the greater workings of Apophis. Horus had Ishmael banished from Egypt and many other Shemsu-Heru followed him. Since then, the term Ishmaelite has been used to refer to any Shemsu-Heru who does not obey Horus. Most of them still oppose Apophis in their own ways, often using less violent methods than Horus. The Ishmaelites were the first mummies to leave Egypt and spread across the world. In contrast, Horus's followers didn't leave Egypt until after it was conquered by Alexander the Great. Both Horus loyalists and Ishmaelites would occasionally put a worthy person through the Spell of Life, turning them into a new Shemsu-Heru. These younger mummies had a looser connection to the Judges of Ma'at, allowing them to skirt the rules of Ma'at with more freedom. Even with new recruits, the numbers of mummies in the world has always been extremely low.

This was the status quo for millennia, a state of affairs that didn't change much until forced by outside influence. This occurred in 1999, a momentous year for the World of Darkness. Among the many, many major events that happened that year, the most significant to mummies was the Sixth Great Maelstrom, a storm of unprecedented force that ranged through the underworld (you can read more of the details in my Wraith post). The Maelstrom manifested differently in different parts of the underworld and in Amenti, it manifested as a colossal sandstorm called the Dja-Akh that shredded the souls of the majority of the Shemsu-Heru, finally destroying them after millennia of immortality. This was the event that finally woke Osiris from his contemplation. He declared that the Spell of Life was flawed and that he had devised a perfected version of the Spell, which he taught to the few surviving Shemsu-Heru. He also passed judgment on the surviving Children of Osiris vampires, rewarding those who were faithful by turning them human and destroying those who had strayed from Ma-at. Finally, he vanished from the underworld, placing his power into the Web of Faith, which I will discuss below. It is not clear if he is still conscious in this state, but he has never communicated with anyone since. The surviving Shemsu-Heru, led by Horus, committed ritual suicide to power the new Spell of Life, rising again as the 13 Imkhu, ready to give aid to a new generation of mummies.

This new generation of mummies call themselves the Amenti after the underworld of Egypt and they are a combination of the ancient and the new. Mummies view souls as having five components. This is an alternative view to the general western supernatural view of the soul as a unified whole and the east Asian supernatural view of the soul as being made of two components: Hun and P'o. These pieces of the soul are known as Tem-Akh and consist of Ka (the living body), Ba (the mind, which western ghosts would call the Psyche and Asian ghost call the Hun), Sahu (the unchanging and eternal aspect of the self, which western ghosts would consider the same thing as the Ba), Khu (that which bridges the gap between life and death. Western ghosts call it the Caul, a protective membrane that forms around ghosts who just arrived in the underworld), and the Khaibit (the source of drive and passion, what western ghosts call the Shadow and Asian ghosts call the P'o). When the Shemsu-Heru were destroyed by the Dja-Akh, they each left behind a Tem-Akh that now seeks to complete itself by binding with the soul of a recently deceased person. They seek out living people who they view as having a damaged soul, where one of their Tem-Akh is neglected. This damaged portion must be the same type as the Tem-Akh that is looking for a host. For example, a Ba Tem-Akh needs to merge with a soul that has a damaged Ba. The Tem-Akh must wait for the person to die an untimely death (some Tem-Akh may try to influence the world to speed up the person's death) and then contact the soul as it arrives in the underworld. It will explain to the soul what it is and make an offer: merge with me and gain everlasting life. If the soul agrees (and consent is needed for this to work), the two will bind together in a moment of unspeakable agony as the Tem-Akh replaces the damaged part of the soul. Then, united as a new being, the new Amenti mummy rises from death.

This is not the end of the process. The merging of souls is not yet complete. To complete the process, the body must reach the Lands of Faith, where a sorcerer or mage can cast the new Spell of Life to complete the process. The Lands of Faith are the region of the world covered by the Web of Faith, a web of magical power created by medieval Persian math wizards that covers the Middle East, north Africa, and parts of the Mediterranean. Osiris infusing his soul into the Web of Faith made the new Spell of Life possible. The body of the new Amenti will get up and walk unceasingly, day and night, until it reaches the Land of Faith, a process called the Hajj. If the new Amenti has not reached the Lands of Faith within 70 days, it will die again for good this time, the merging of soul and Tem-Ahk failing. Fortunately, the many cults and institutions the Shemsu-Heru founded are still around and are working to help newly-risen Amenti on their Hajj. Unfortunately, the servants of Apophis are also aware of the Hajj and will try to keep Amenti from completing it. Once a mage or sorcerer, often one working with the Inkhu, casts the new Spell of Life, Anubis will guide the newly merged soul to the Judges of Ma'at, who will pass judgement on the new soul (they are known to go easy on people if it's their first judgement). If the new soul is deemed worthy, it will awaken back in its body as a new Amenti, its mind a fusion of the memories and personality of the soul and Tem-Akh.

Amenti have their differences from the Shemsu-Heru. Inlike their predecessors, the Amenti are truly alive. Their bodies are those of ordinary, living humans who age and must eat, sleep, and drink. They also don't get special powers from being an Amenti, but they do have an easier time learning a type of sorcery known to mummies called Hekau. Normal humans can also learn Hekau, but it's easier for Amenti. If an Amenti dies due to violence or age, the soul will return to what's left of the underwolrd of Amenti and face another judgement by the Judges of Ma'at, who will see if the Amenti was responsible and followed the principles of Ma'at with their new life. Those who do not pass the test may need to stay in Amenti for a period of time as penance. Once the Judges deem them worthy, the Amenti's soul returns to its body, which reforms to be in the prime of life, and lives again.

The Amenti categorize themselves into groups called Dynasties based on the type of Tem-Akh that fused to their soul. Each Dynasty has a special power, a weakness, and an ability that helps them on the Hajj. The dynasties are:

-The Kher-Minu or Tomb Watchers have Ka Tem-Akh. As mortals, they mistreated or neglected their bodies because they did not see the beauty within them. This can include excessive drug use, not living healthy lives and other forms of self-harm, be it deliberate, through neglect, or even as a result of mental conditions like eating disorders. As Amenti, they focus heavily on their bodies, training to physical perfection and valuing beauty and finding acceptance with your body. Self-preservation is their highest ideal, so they amass skills to protect themselves and tend to be cautious in the work of Ma'at. They tend to live sedentary live and dedicate themselves to preserving things, be they people, places, objects, or institutions. Kher-Minu are often charged with protecting important spiritual and strategic locations within mummy society. They have a special ability to manipulate fate, making it harder (but not impossible) for their opponents to harm or kill them. As a weakness, the Kher-Minu sometimes cannot bring themselves to jump into harm's way, even if it would be the best course of action. They have the ability to communicate simple concepts in many languages while on the Hajj. An example Kher-Minu could be someone who died due to anorexia and now works as a therapist trying to help other people overcome their eating disorders, a soldier who jumped into danger without any regard for themself who now trains Amenti and mortal folowers of Ma'at in tactics and self-defense, and a former drug addict who now offers a homeless shelter and drug counseling to other addicts.

-The Khri-Habi or Scroll- Bearers have Ba Tem-Akh. As mortals, they didn't think for themselves, instead allowing their thoughts, beliefs, and actions to be dictated by others. This includes religious dogmatists, political extremists, and the kind of people who never examine their beliefs and thought patters, instead just following a simple set of beliefs or allowing others to think for them. As Amenti, they have a deep-seated need to question and understand the systems they work in to make sure they are truly following Ma'at and not being controlled by other people. They critically examine their own beliefs and ideas, questioning everything they do to make sure they are doing it for a good reason. Khri-Habi are also very hard to deceive and tend to resent the effort. They are intellectuals by nature, viewing knowledge as the path to freedom and being skilled in planning. Khri-Habi hate not having a goal to work towards and they try to get into positions of power to get the resources they need. In mummy society they tend to occupy administrative roles, ensuring that the mortal and immortal forces of Ma'at have the resources and planning they need to take the fight to Apophis. Their special power is to draw upon energy from the spirit world every morning to heal bodies, be it their or another's. As a weakness, they often get stuck with some of the old biases and dogmas of their mortal lives, which can interfere with their ability to properly analyze situations on the fly, forcing them to stop and consider things even when time is of the essence. On the Hajj, they are the only Dynasty with a fully rational mind capable of making decisions. Example Khri-Habi can include a member of a cult who never questioned their beliefs who now studies religions of all types to uncover supernatural truth within them, a far-right reactionary who fought back against any kind of change or equality who now uses their eternity to implement meaningful changes to the world, and an office drone who rubber-stamped destructive and corrupt corporate policies out of apathy who now works as an investigator uncovering and exposing corruption.

-The Mesektet of Night Suns have Shau Tem-Akh. As mortals, they lack moral fiber. This includes traitors, criminals, grifters, and liars of all sorts who would harm others to support their own well-being. As mummies, they have strict moral codes they will not deviate from, as they view only the most impeccably good as being worthy of this new life. They will attempt to right the wrongs of their past lives, directly aiding those they harmed if possible but acting in a more impersonal or poetic way if not. To them, all acts of evil must be balanced by acts of good. The Mesektet are among the fiercest opponents of Apophis, and seek to lead mortals to Ma'at, but they know they can't just tell people things and expect to be believed. Instead, they lead by example, doing good in the world and encouraging others to find their strength and courage to stand up against corruption. Mesektet make great investigators as they never take things on face value and always look deeper. Their special ability is to find patterns and make connections that others would overlook to predict future events and uncover hidden information. Their weakness is that they become exhausted and need rest as soon as the sun goes down. On the Hajj, they receive portents of the future to better find their way to the Lands of Faith, but they shut down at night and become ordinary corpses until the sun rises again. Example Mesektet can include a former corrupt cop who now works to expose corruption and police brutality, a member of a white supremacist group who now works to fight racism and defend minorities from racists, and a serial killer who has dedicated their new existence to secretly supporting the surviving friends and family members of their victims

-The Sakhmu or Spirit Scepters have Khu Tem-Akh. In life, they lacked a creative spark and were unable to find a purpose for themselves, instead bouncing around life aimlessly. As mummies, they can now see the intricate connections between everything and can find meaning in their lives. In life, many sought wealth, glory, and power not for a good purpose, but because they were desperate to find fulfillment. They now realize they were looking in the wrong direction and many dedicate their new existence to helping improve the lives of others. They help people fill their needs, not the basic needs of food and shelter (though they still can do that), but the higher needs of purpose and self-understanding. The Sakhmu are the best of the Amenti at connecting and communicating with living humans and they often act as mediators. Many also act as the spiritual leaders of Amenti society, working to help others on their journey to Ma'at and reminding them of the necessity of opposing Apophis. Sakhmu are also great artists and they all strive to create something truly great. This doesn't have to be an object, it could be a project, institution, spiritual journey, and so on, but it always has a true spark of creativity and inspiration. Their special ability is a great skill at bringing people together and encouraging them to seek their destiny. Their weakness is that they stand out and are instantly noticeable due to the spark of divinity within them, making it very difficult for them to remain hidden. On the Hajj, they take on a greater facsimile of life, allowing them to blend in and not be obviously walking corpses. Example Sakhmu include someone stuck in a dead-end job with no real prospects in life who is now full of ambition and the drive to rise through the ranks and use their power for Ma'at, someone who gave up their dream of being an artist and resigned themself to a life of drudgery who now dazzles the art world with ever more creative masterpieces, and a politician who long ago stopped caring about their constituents and was just in it for the money who now campaigns day and night to make meaningful change.

The Sefekhi or Unbandaged Ones have Khaibit Tem-Akh. In life, they lacked the drive and passion to pursue their goals and defend themselves against those who would take advantage of them. They were perpetual victims and the kind of people who worry so much about doing the wrong thing they never manage to to the right thing. As Amenti, they are driven, passionate, and often aggressive. The Khaibit brings with it a need to act that it often alien and uncontrollable to new Sefekhi. They control these urges by adopting warrior mindsets, seeking to destroy that which opposes Ma'at and remaining firm in their convictions and the righteousness of their cause. The Sefekhi often have a hard time fitting in to Amenti society. After all, the other mummies seek to build up, but all the Sefekhi are good at is tearing down. The Sekekhi are the warriors of the Amenti, who use their new immortality to strike down the servants of Apophis. This tends to leave them heavily scarred, which can make them stand out. In addition, the Sefekhi lack genitals, which are removed during the process of the new Spell of Life to help them control their violent impulses. Their special ability lets them endure the pain of even the most debilitating injuries. Their weakness is that they radiate an aura of violence, scaring or enraging the people around them. On the Hajj, they are stronger and much harder to destroy, but also violent and destructive. Example Sefekhi include someone who was in an abusive relationship they never questioned because they genuinely believed they deserved it who now hunts abusers down without mercy, an office peon for an insurance company who was too afraid of rocking the boat to make a stand against exploitative corporate policy who now uses their skills to ruin those executives on a financial and personal level, and a military member who went along with committing atrocities out of a fear of being punished who now works as a one-man enforcer of the Geneva Convention.

-The Udja-Sen or Judged Ones are the misfits of the Amenti and are not associated with any one type of Tem-Akh. They are the result of something going wrong in the process of the merging of soul and Tem-Akh and have been found wanting by the Judges of Ma'at as a result. This could happen a number of ways, such as a Tem-Akh trying to replace the wrong part of the soul, a soul having too much wrong with it for the Tem-Akh to fit, a Tem-Akh being too badly damaged by the Dja-Akh to properly fulfill its function, and so on. The Judges of Ma'at have deemed them unworthy of immortality and would love to destroy the new merged soul, but with Apophis winning the war, they genuinely cannot afford to waste any potential Amenti. To salvage the situation, the Judges will reshape the new Amenti, trying to mold it into form more suitable. This costs the Amenti the ancient knowledge and identity of their Tem-Akh, but lets them serve in the struggle for Ma'at. The Udja-Sen lack the inherent drive toward Ma'at that other Amenti have and they often are not drawn to any goals or aspirations. The Udja-Sen are often depessed and distrusted by other Amenti, who pity them and their lack of a guiding purpose. On the other hand, not having an inherent purpose like the other Dynasties allows the Udja-Sen to determine their own purpose and fight Apophis in their own, unique ways. Of all the Amenti, the Udja-Sen are the most likely to fall to Apophis. Their special ability is to absorb the life energy that powers their immortal bodies from the world around them, making them the most common type of Amenti outside of the Web of Faith. As a weakness, using this energy to cast spells or heal causes them harm. The Udja-Sen have no advantage on the Hajj. Example Udja-Sen include a murderer who was chosen to be a Mesektet but who never got the drive to atone, leaving them guild-ridden but without the ambition to do anything about it, A supermodel who bonded with a Ka that was under the false impression she was destroying her body and as a result tried to fix what wasn't broken and just made everything worse, and someone who the Judges realized would misuse their immortality for personal gain, thus requiring a change to their soul to make them more useful.

The powers of mummies are a form of sorcery called Hekau. Hekau (and the daily immortality of mummies) is powered by the life energy of Sekhem, which infuses the world and living beings. Sekhem is the same thing that werewolves call Gnosis, mages call Quintessence, changelings call Glamour, and Kuei-Jin call Chi. Being within the Web of Faith gives an Amenti a free dose of Sekhem every day. Those who need more than that or who are outside the Lands of Faith must find Sekhem in other ways. The easiest way to do that is to seek out places of power where Sekhem naturally bubbles forth. These sites are called Caerns by werewolves, Nodes by mages, Balefires by changelings, and Dragon's Nests by Kuei-Jin and there is fierce competition over ownership of them. Because of this, most Amenti who aren't Udja-Sen (who can draw Sekhem from other sources) choose to remain in the Lands of Faith to get their Sekhem for free. Hekau is a form of sorcery, also called static magic. Sorcery differs from the true magic of mages in that it can be used by anyone with sufficient understanding of the principles involved and doesn't produce the backlash called Paradox, but it is vastly less flexible than true magic. Mortal humans can learn Hekau, but mummies have the advantage of multiple lifetimes worth of study and practice. Mummies classify the uses of Hekau into six paths. Each of the Dynasties specializes in one of the paths, except the Udja-Sen, who have no specialty. An Amenti has an easier time learning and casting spells from their Dynasty's associated path.

Alchemy focuses on infusing Sekhem into potions or salves to enhance or exchange aspects of the user. For example, a potion could increase one's physical strength or swap physical strength for mental strength. Alchemy is also useful for healing, poisoning, and transmuting physical objects. The Khri-Habi specialize in Alchemy.

Amulets is the path of imbuing inanimate objects with supernatural qualities. You can't just stick any effect to any object, however. And Amulet is a connection between the mundane and the divine and that kind of power requires that the object has some kind of symbolic connection to the desired effect. Effects of Amulets can include providing blessings, warding off danger, granting unusual abilities, enhancing abilities, and protecting the bodies of mummies while their souls are in the underworld. The Kher-Minu specialize in Amulets.

Celestial is the path of studying and manipulating the glory of the heavens. Celestial spells tend to require a lot of setup but are very powerful when used. By studying the sky, mummies can gain prophetic visions of the past, present, or future, and the most powerful practitioners can even alter the fates of others. This path can also be used to manipulate the weather. The Mesektet specialize in Celestial.

Effigy is the path that focuses on recreating the powers of spiritual beliefs and imbuing things with powers derived from symbolism and metaphor. Effigy can take a symbolic representation of a story or desired effect and make it true. This means a lot of bringing things into existence and animating them. Efects include gaining greater skill with tools, animating inanimate objects, creating magical artifacts, and making spirit-servants called Ushabti into physical beings who will obey their creators. The Sakhmu specialize in Effigy.

Necromancy is the path that focuses on harnessing the power of death and entropy. While mummies do not consider these powers evil the way many western supernaturals would, practitioners of Necromancy are often viewed with suspicion, for they are using the power of Oblivion to fight Oblivion. Necromancy is most powerful while in the underworld, though it is still usable while in the living world. Effects include enhancing the soul and body of mummies, navigating the underworld, calling the powers and beings of the underworld to the world of the living, and animating the dead. The Sefekhi specialize in Necromancy.

Nomenclature is the path of using the true names of things to affect them. Everything has a true name, which is the truth of the thing. By altering the true name, the thing itself will be altered as well. It can take decades of not centuries of study to learn the true names of even simple objects, so Nomenclature is usually found only among the Imkhu as most Amenti are too young to have learned any true names. Effects of Nomenclature include gaining information from inanimate objects, crating new things by making new names or destroying them by destroying names, transforming things into other things by changing their name, and applying or removing qualities from things.

The forces of Ma'at are not the only ones to have created mummies. Apophis too has immortal servants. Some of these are mummies that fell from Ma'at and embraced corruption, while others have always been corrupt. The first of these are the bane mummies or Apepnu. They were created when Set learned of the Spell of Life and tried to recreate it. His version was incomplete, though, and the souls of the bane mummies were fused with Banes, powerful and dark spirits that serve the Wyrm. Bane mummies are instinctively opposed to Ma'at. Originally, the believed that the world was already hopelessly corrupt and the only way out was to let Apophis devour it and then shape whatever was left into something better. However, when a bane mummy dies, their souls experience unspeakable torment in the underworld until they return to life again. This has driven the bane mummies insane, reducing them to psychopathic and sadistic corrupters who want to inflict as much suffering on the world as they can and are very smart about it. There are only seven bane mummies, but they can ritually create lesser bane mummies called Asekh-Sen. Asek-Sen are not truly immortal, they only get four resurrections before they die for good becuase the ritual to create them stored their organs in four canopic jars. However, if an Asehk-Sen manages to kill a Shemsu-Heru or Amenti and steals their organs to place in a canopic jar, they will get an extra resurrection. Askeh-Sen are usually created by the bane mummies as shock troops and hitmen. The bane mummies have acted independently of each other for most of history, but they were give forewarning of the Dja-Akh by Apophis and gathered in an Iraqi prison camp to ritually whether the storm. They are now working together (though they do not get along and often try to sabotage each other) to thwart the Amenti and stop new ones from being created.

Egypt is not the only place in the world that has created immortals. The Spell of Life was originally designed by a mage, so it stands to reason that other mages in other places could come up with similar spells. This has happened a few times, resulting in mummies that are similar to the Shemsu-Heru and Amenti, but also different in their own ways.

The Cabiri are the closest to the Egyptian mummies and hail from Greece. They were reborn when a translation of the Spell of Life made its way to Greek (or possibly proto-Greek) lands, resulting in mages living there creating their own mummies. The Caibiri were essentially Ishmaelites, Shemsu-Heru who did not follow Horus. For the most part they were ignorant of Ma'at and Apophis and were associated with the underworld realm of Stygia rather than Amenti. The Dja-Akh, known to them as the Sixth Great Maelstrom, destroyed most of the Cabiri, leaving only a handful (probably less than 5) of them still in existence. They are now in hiding, trying to prevent their inevitable extinction.

In South America, mummies first appeared among the Chinchorro culture of what is now Chile and spread across the continent. Known as the Capacocha, their version of the Spell of Life, known to them as the Spell of Going Westward to the Sunrise, worked differently. Their bodies had to be preserved while the soul was in the underworld and their mortal descendants or priests of death would have to perform a ritual to return the soul to the body. When the Spanish and Portugese invaded South America, the knowledge of these rituals was lost in the ensuing genocide, leaving the Capacocha trapped in the underworld, unable to do anything but watch as their cultures were destroyed. From the underworld, they decided to work on the Spell of Going Westward and after 500 years, they succeeded in creating a new version. This resulted in a new generation of mummies called the Teomallki. The creation of a Teomallki is similar to the creation of an Amenti in that a fragment of a Capacocha soul called an Illi must bond with the soul of a decently deceased person, after which a mortal mage or sorcerer has to perform the new Spell of Going Westward to finish the process. Unlike the Capacoha, the Teomallki do not need to have intact bodies to resurrect (though it does make it easier) and they can do so without the aid of mortal rituals. The Teomallki largely do not participate in the struggle with Apophis. Instead, they seek to find a new purpose with their immortality. Both the Capacocha and the Teomallki have four Dynasties called Suyu.

The Chaskimallki originated among the Inca and their Illi seek out those of spiritual purity, resulting in a lot of them being children. They often help the physical, intellectual, and spiritual health of the mortals around them and can become fanatically devoted to their causes.

The Intimallki originated among the Chimu people and were created to be the protectors of their descendants. They have warrior mindsets and their Illi seek out those who were murdered and seek revenge against their killers. Many Intimallki wish to see the Europeans driven from the continent, though most must instead settle for protecting the surviving indigenous cultures. It was the Intimallki who devised the new Spell of Going Westward.

The Pachamallki are the original Capacocha who originated among the Chinchorro. When the Europeans came, they realized they could not win and instead planned to observe the world of the living and plan for the future. When the new Spell of Going Westward was created, they were already familiar with modern life and now help other Teomallki adjust to their new existences.

The Uchumallki originated among the many peoples of the Amazon rainforest when they were being attacked by the Balam werejaguars. The Uchumallki were designed to be protectors of their people and land. When the Europeans came, they retreated into the deepest jungles instead of trying to drive the invaders off, resulting in bad blood between them and the other Suyus. They now focus on protecting the rainforest from the ongoing environmental devastation driven by capitalism and agents of the Wyrm.

The Xibalba originated in what is now Mexico and their origins are unknown even to themselves. Each Xibalba has their own story of how they clawed their way from the underworld and back into their body and none of their stories are the same. The Xibalba have no unifying culture and each one is effectively a unique being with no innate connection to each other. The only thing they agree on is that they really don't like vampires and want to drive them out of Mexico. Unfortunately for them, the Xibalba are rare even by the standards of immortals, so most can only settle fro prying to protect a single city, a struggle that takes up every moment of their time spent among the living.

The Wu T'ian originated amongst Taoist mystics seeking immortality. Eight people, becoming the Eight Immortals and joining the ranks of the Celestial Bureaucracy to become advisors for the August Personage of Jade, the name used by Chinese supernaturals for God. Common belief among the supernatural being of east Asia is that the world exists in a cycle called the Wheel of Ages in which the world starts as a paradise and grows progressively worse until the coming of the Sixth Age, where the August Personage steps down from his throne and the Demon Emperor ascents to bring about hell on earth. However, the Demon Emperor will eventually be overthrown and the world will improve until the Twelfth Age, which is the First age again. As the Fifth Age (the current age) dawned, the Eight Immortals foresaw the need to create soldiers who would oppose the Yama Kings, former servants of the August Personage who turned to corruption and now battle over who will become the Demon Emperor. When an enlightened and upright person dies, they may be selected to become a Wu T'ian. The soul will be taken to the gate of Heaven in the spirit world and be fused with a Jing Shen, a spirit associated with either Yin or Yang. Whenever a Wu T'ian dies, they will go to the gate of Heaven to spend time with the Eight Immortals, where they receive instruction and contemplate their role in the battle against the Yama Kings. While the Wu T'ien do not outright oppose Apophis, their battle against the Yama Kings serves the same purpose. The Yama Kings are often associated with the Wyrm or Oblivion by westerners and of course both those forces are associated with Apophis. An Egyptian mummy would probably consider a Yama King to be a servant of Apophis and a Wu T'ien would probably consider Apophis to be a Yama King or a manifestation of the Demon Emperor. Likewise, both groups seek to bring balance to the world, which the Wu T'ien would consider achieving harmony between Yin and Yang and the Egyptian mummies call Ma'at. Much like the Egyptian mummies have the bane mummies, the Wu T'ien have their own counterparts in the Wu Kuei, Wu T'ien who turned to the service of the Yama Kings in exchange for power and safety when the Sixth Age comes. The Wu T'ien have two Dynasties and unlike the other types of mummies, they can switch Dynasties.

The Wu Feng are associated with Yang Chi (reminder that Chi and Sekhem are the same thing) and are full of passion and vigor that drives them to enjoy life. They make great warriors, but prefer to leave violence as a last resort, instead acting as peacemakers and mediators and are more likely to work with other supernatural creatures. They oppose the Yama Kings by reminding people that life and the world is wonderful and that you should never give in to despair.

The Xian Lung are associated with Yin Chi and are stoic and dispassionate. They are the protectors of sacred places and relics who craft meticulous plans spanning generations to strike against the Yama Kings. Xian Lung prefer to act as distant teachers, subtlety guiding people to live a life of harmony. They spend lots of time in the underworld and consider themselves the protectors of Asia's dead. The Xian Lung consider the Sixth Great Maelstrom to the the first strikes in the final battle with the Yama Kings and are actively planning for the coming of the Sixth Age.

There are possibly other types of mummy out there that are not known to their fellow immortals. Any culture that practices preservation of the dead could in theory have a mage arise who creates a Spell of Life equivalent. There's a lot of room for homebrew content there.

Previous World of Darkness lore posts: Previous World of Darkness lore posts: Vampire, Werewolf, Mage, Wraith, Werewolf the other shapeshifters, Vampire the bloodlines, the Keui-Jin, Hunter.

#mtr #mummy the resurrection #game resources

alkanette

I made some homebrew for Werewolf the Apocalypse

hello hello, I'm back with another untested, but hopefully fun homebrew, this time a new type of fera for WtA 20a. If you want to go directly to the cool stuff it's below the cut.

I personally like to play WoD games set in my country, or in places I personally know. In the case WtA that's a big problem because they are no wolves were I live (*), and eurocentrism is already a big problem in WoD, so I did the most rational thing and made my own take on local shapeshifters.

(*) While planning this I discovered that foxes in South América are not actual foxes, instead they are part of a different animal genus more closely related to wolves. So I use them as the base for my new Fera, a type of half wolf-half fox kind of shapeshifter, and using their scientific naming for their different categories.

Also no new Gifts or Rites here, instead this homebrew uses those from the official W20 books, indicating where to find any of them respectively.

#wta #werewolf the apocalypse #20th anniversary #homebrew #fera #WOD South America

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