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 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 --