Grigori Pantheon The Watchers Created by Tashiro. PDF by brothersale
History At the dawn of time, two hundred angels descended from the Silver City to watch mankind. These children of Aten watched humanity, surprised and fascinated by the tribes that slowly spread across the land. They named themselves the Grigori, the Watchers, and descended to walk among the tribes and act as guardians and teachers. They brought knowledge with them, gifts to give to the people. It was not long before the angels found themselves drawn to the women of the tribes. Each of the angels took a wife for themselves, and from their union were born “shining sons” and “glittering daughters”. These children were blessed and powerful, and the ichor within their veins granted them gifts that placed them above the men of the tribes. It did not take long for them to rise up, leading the tribes, guiding them to greatness. These children were the Nephilim.
These scions took wives and husbands for themselves, and grew in power and influence, but some within the tribes grew jealous and called to the heavens, drawing attention from the great Aten. He saw these children of angels, and knew that they would rise to greatness, and he knew fear. He crafted other angels, and sent them against the Grigori, and battle raged across the heavens and the earth. The waters rose to swallow the Nephilim, but some survived, and commanded the water. The mountains erupted, and flames fell from the heavens, but some survived, and commanded the flames. In the end, however, the war was lost, and Aten bound the Grigori in the bowels of the earth, where they would remain trapped until Judgement Day. Imprisoned, the Grigori could do nothing but watch the world they had grown to love. They saw their children slain as they called to their parents, but could give no comfort. They saw the fall of their cities, with prayers on the lips of the dying, but could give no solace. Those they had sworn to guide and protect were lost, drowned and burned and put to the sword, but the Grigori could do naught but watch. In time, the angels learned that they were not alone. Others were bound with them, struggling and writhing. They listened, and heard the Titans, struggling to free themselves from the prison crafted by the gods. They heard the vows of retribution, and knew these beings would destroy the world if they were ever freed. The Grigori listened and learned, and promised that if the Titans were ever released, the Grigori would rise up to battle them. They ceased their own struggles and remained hidden in the shadows of their prison, and learned. When the prison broke, the Grigori rose up, using their might to battle the Titans. They fell in scores, but battled as best they could. They were defeated, sacrificing themselves so that a handful could break free to prepare for the coming war. Those who survived returned to the Silver City, to challenge Aten and the Titan that spawned
him. But there was nobody there. The survivors claimed the Silver City as their own, using it to shelter themselves as they look for allies among the other pantheons. They mingle once more with humanity, creating new Nephilim to help prepare themselves for the war they know is to come. And while they prepare, they search for their captor, and his servants, and oppose all that he is and that he stands for. The Pantheon
The Grigori see themselves as shepherds. They can sense the will of Fate and accept it as Truth, and attempt to guide humanity to follow those threads to their greatest outcome. The Grigori do not want bold heroes and legends, however. They know that to achieve a greater victory in the future may require a loss in the present. Those they choose are, in their mind, destined to help achieve great things, though it may require a sacrifice from those they guide. The scions of the Grigori often feel as if they are pieces of a great game, and that even the Grigori do not know all the rules. Some accept this, becoming martyrs to the cause, while others rise up, attempting to throw off the shackles of Fate to achieve their own destinies. The Grigori seem to accept this, knowing that all are needed, and that Fate has a use for rebels and martyrs both. While the Grigori are often described as either male or female, the truth is that they are either at any given time. The description given here is their preferred form, but this is by no means an absolute. The Grigori are, in their true forms, asexual. Virtues: Conviction, Duty, Expression, Intellect Purview: Gnosis
The Grigori were said to have brought wisdom and forbidden knowledge to the people who followed them. The Grigori can see the patterns of Fate, and with it gain an understanding of the path that is “meant to be”. The children of the Grigori carry this connection to the wellspring of all knowledge, allowing them a glimpse into the threads of destiny. Araqiel The right hand of Samyaza, Araqiel gave his followers knowledge of tracking and survival, teaching them how to follow game trails, identify tracks, and survive in the harsh world. He is a hunter and seems most at peace in regions untouched by civilization; like him, his Scions often find themselves drawn into the wilderness for days at a time, communing with nature. He is often seen as a lean, dark skinned man, with long black hair braided into cornrows and with keen, solemn eyes. He usually wears sturdy camping gear and carries a heavy walking staff. He has been a forest
ranger, arctic explorer, game warden, and geologist. He is usually withdrawn and silent, letting others do the talking while he ensures the survival of those with him. Purviews: Epic Perception, Epic Stamina, Animal, Earth, Psychopomp, Gnosis Abilities: Brawl, Control, Fortitude, Melee, Presence, Survival Armaros Armaros was a teacher of enchantments, who brought his followers the secrets of the universe. He introduced mathematics and counting to humanity, knowing that in time they would use his knowledge to unlock some of the deepest mysteries of the sciences. Armaros appears as an older man, in his late sixties or more, with a graying, pointy beard and thinning th inning hair. He likes wearing spectacles, sp ectacles, and wearing brown b rown or gray suits, coming across as a wise teacher. His Scions find themselves drawn to the sciences, and often feel the urge to learn how things work. Armaros has been a historian, an antiquarian, a university teacher, and a scientist in many different fields. Purviews: Epic Intelligence, Epic Manipulation, Earth, Fire, Gnosis, Magic, Water Abilities: Academics, Awareness, Command, Investigation, Occult, Science Azazel aka Gadriel Azazel was one of the most harshly punished of the Grigori, and has not forgotten this. Trapped in the bowels of the world, Azazel was punished for teaching the arts of sword and armour, and also jewellery and cosmetics, to humanity. She has returned to her craft, creating weapons to use against the titanspawn, and perhaps against the Host who banished her beneath the darkest parts of the world. Azazel appears as a ravenhaired Middle Eastern woman of exceptional beauty, with a dangerous air about her that some find unsettling, others intoxicating. When she is not preparing for her revenge, she distracts herself with humanity, looking for those who are down on their luck and showering them with luxury. Her children can feel her anger burning within them, but like her can be distracted either by attractive men and women, or by the needy. Azazel has been a fashion designer, a military sniper, an arms dealer, a movie star, and a martial arts instructor. She is always dressed fashionably, with flashy accessories, regardless of her role or the occasion. Purviews: Epic Appearance, Epic Dexterity, Chaos, Gnosis, Justice, War Abilities: Art, Craft, Marksmanship, Melee, Politics, Presence Chazaqiel Chazaqiel is the angel who is said to have brought meteorology to the servants of the Grigori. With this knowledge, humanity was able to predict storms and droughts, and were better equipped for planting and harvesting. Chazaqiel is a pleasant middle-aged woman, with chestnut hair and deep brown eyes, usually dressed in the simple clothes of one who works with the earth. Her children find themselves at ease in the countryside, and always seem to have an intuitive sense of what the weather will be like in the coming day. Chazaqiel has been a weather news anchor, a wheat farmer, a storm chaser, and an irrigation engineer. Purviews: Epic Stamina, Epic Strength, Epic Perception, Gnosis, Fertility, Sky Abilities: Athletics, Craft, Fortitude, Medicine, Science, Survival Penemue Penemue is the mother of language and storytelling. She taught her followers the constellations and the stories associated with them, then taught them how to inscribe
their knowledge into lasting forms. She frequently appears as a young blonde woman with alert blue eyes, clad in a crisp blouse and skirt with her fair hair tied in a practical chignon, often carrying a pen and book with her. Those who interact with her remember little of what she says but are deeply impressed by how intently and sympathetically she listens. She has a knack for asking simple questions which draw out complex answers from those she is listening to. Many find themselves telling her personal aspects of their lives, or of the things they know, and she seems content to simply write the speaker’s words in her book. Her children find themselves drawn towards mysteries and stumbling upon secrets, while those around them become prone to providing the information the Scion needs to reach their goals. Penemue has been an award-winning poet, a translator, a creative-writing teacher, and a muckraking reporter. Purviews: Epic Charisma, Epic Intelligence, Epic Manipulation, Epic Wits, Darkness, Gnosis Abilities: Academics, Empathy, Investigation, Larceny, Occult, Science Ramiel aka Uriel Sometimes called the angel of hope, Ramiel is the angel who brought divine visions to the followers of the Grigori, and who would see the souls of the dead to their proper place in the afterlife. Ramiel usually appears as an soft-spoken, bespectacled elderly man with grey or white hair and a gentle, reassuring manner. His preferred dress is a grey suit or white lab coat, and he often carries a white walking cane. His children are drawn to the dying, often to hear the last words of the departing and to soothe them in their final moments. Ramiel has been a funeral home director, a hospice caregiver, a celebrity medium, a doctor in a children’s hospital, and a stage magician. Purviews: Epic Charisma, Epic Perception, Death, Gnosis, Health, Psychopomp Abilities: Awareness, Empathy, Integrity, Medicine, Occult, Presence Samyaza The leader of the Grigori, Samyaza was said to be the most powerful of the angels to serve in the Overworld. He was the one who crafted the Throne of God, and led the angels until his fall from grace. Samyaza is the keeper of Oaths, and it is said that any oath spoken in his name is sacrosanct, and that if the oath is broken, Samyaza will punish the oath-breaker. Samyaza usually appears as a powerfully built Middle Eastern man, handsome and athletic, with dark red hair and big capable hands. He has been a police officer, an architect, a judge, a city planner, and a general. When not uniformed for his role, he prefers flatteringly tailored but not ostentatious suits. His children are often drawn into leadership roles, and tend to inherit his pride and stubbornness. Purviews: Epic Strength, Epic Charisma, Gnosis, Justice, Sun, War Abilities: Brawl, Command, Fortitude, Melee, Politics, Presence Sariel Sariel is the twin brother of Ramiel, and the two are often confused with one another. Sariel is the angel who gave knowledge of the phases of the moon, and with it the understanding of the passage of time. Sariel introduced humanity to the lunar month, and the movement of time. Sariel is a pleasant figure, a little more stern than his brother, but also al so has an affinity affin ity for crisp suits. He does not carry a cane however, but instead keeps a pocket watch tucked into his breast pocket. His Scions are often
incredibly punctual or always late, but usually have an innate sense of time. He has been a laboratory technician, a lighthouse capt ain, a farmer, and a watch maker. Purviews: Epic Intelligence, Epic Perception, Fertility, Gnosis, Moon, Sky Abilities: Academics, Art, Craft, Integrity, Occult, Science Shamshiel Shamshiel is the angel who introduced music to humanity, teaching them song and dance, as well as how to conduct hymns and prayers. Shamshiel is a light-hearted man, and is fascinated with how music and dance have changed over the ages. He usually dresses in accordance to the latest trends, and appears as a youthful man of middle-eastern descent. He is graceful and eloquent, and can blend in with nearly any crowd. His Scions have the same benefit, often finding friends in the most unlikely of places, blending blendi ng in with wit h the people around aroun d them. Shamshiel has h as been a radio and club DJ, a music promoter, a ballroom dancer, a bartender, and a rally organizer. Purviews: Epic Appearance, Epic Charisma, Epic Wits, Chaos, Gnosis, Guardian Abilities: Art, Command, Empathy, Integrity, Politics, Presence Tamiel Tamiel was the angel who was perhaps the most feared of the Grigori, and is sometimes called the “pruner of the great tree”. She dislikes imperfection, and shears away anything that does not meet her standards. She was said to have trained humanity in the art of killing, specifically in the way to strike down spirits and demons, and how to slay opponents cleanly and finally. She was also the one to train women in the art of abortion, advocating ending pregnancies if the birthing would harm the mother or if the child was too malformed to live. Tamiel appears as a fierce woman with dark red hair and stormy green eyes, her skin tanned to a near-bronze. She favours loose, comfortable clothing which allows for freedom of movement without getting in the way of a delicate operation. Her offspring are usually instruments of death, searching for the enemies of the Grigori and striking from darkness. Tamiel has been an abortionist, a euthanasist, a professional assassin, a demolitionist, and a self-defence teacher. Purviews: Epic Dexterity, Epic Perception, Darkness, Death, Gnosis, Justice Abilities: Command, Integrity, Medicine, Melee, Presence, Stealth Gnosis Hand of Destiny (Gnosis •) Cost: 1 Legend Roll: None The Scion draws upon the Wellspring of Knowledge, and gains a fleeting understanding of how the world works. The Scion spends a point of Legend and chooses one Ability. For the duration of the Scene, the Scion has a rating in the Ability equal to the character’s Legend, and can not roll less dice than their Legend when using that Ability. Only one Ability can be chosen in a Scene. Will of Destiny (Gnosis •• •• ) Cost: 1 Legend Roll: None Once per Story, the Scion may spend a point of Legend and, for a brief moment, see
the tapestry of Fate. The Storyteller informs the player what “should be done”, or states the purpose set out for the Scion. This can be as vague as “Save the Cheerleader, Save the World,” or as specific as “That man must live until midnight”. No reason or explanation ex planation is needed. n eeded. The Th e Scion Scio n can choose to t o ignore this information, i nformation, but must fail on a roll against their t heir Duty to do so. Sons of Destiny (Gnosis •• •• •) •• Cost: 2 Legend Roll: None The Scion chooses one person they can see, even if it from a photograph or an image on television, and casts his mind along the threads of Destiny. The Scion immediately learns who the individual is, including the person’s name, occupation, and a few important details about them. The person who is selected is immediately Fatebound to the Scion if they are still alive, with a strength equal to the Scion’s Legend. The Scion may learn of an important event or even the destiny that has been laid out for the individual, and it often becomes the Scion’s purpose to ensure that destiny is met. To act against this destiny requires the Scion to fail in a roll against their Duty. Eyes of the Ensnared (Gnosis •• •• •) ••• •• Cost: 1 Legend, 1 Willpower Roll: None The Scion may activate this Boon to send their awareness into the body of someone who has a Fatebinding with them. They do not gain control of the target, but can use any and all of the senses of the subject for the duration of the Scene. The Scion may choose to end this Boon prematurely, but until then the Scion can pick and choose what experiences they gain from the subject. The strength of the Fatebinding is increased by one when the duration ends. Absolve the Penitent Penitent (Gnosis •• •• • •• •• •• •• ) Cost: 3 Legend, 1 Willpower, (1 Willpower) Roll: Perception + Integrity The Scion must touch the subject to activate this Boon. The Scion can sense if the subject is Fatebound to anyone, and who they are Fatebound to, as well as what kind of role exists between the two individuals. One Fatebinding is sensed per Success on the roll. The Scion may spend an additional point of Willpower to reduce the Fatebinding sensed, taking it upon themselves instead. For each point of Fatebinding the Scion takes from the target, they gain a point, taking the fate of the subject as their own. The Scion can only draw in a number of points of Fatebinding at a time equal to their Conviction. Guide the Fated (Gnosis •• •• • •• •• •• •• •) Cost: 4 Legend Roll: None The Scion knows how to manipulate those who have their destinies tied to his. The Scion may activate this Boon to select a number of people up to their Legend rating. For the Act, these people become Followers of the Scion, but are directed by Fate rather than the Scion himself. They will act on his behalf, unwittingly, though the Scion gains no means to actually direct or control them. At the end of the Act, these individuals have their Fatebinding level increased by one.
Delay Destiny (Gnosis •• •• • •• • •• • •• •• ••) Cost: 5 Legend, 1 Willpower (or 2 Willpower) Roll: Perception + Integrity The Scion can sense when Fate moves against them and can delay it briefly. When a Fatebinding roll is being made against the character, they may activate this Boon. If the Scion gains more Successes than the Fatebinding roll, the Successes are delayed until the next time a Fatebinding roll is made. At this time, the Scion must accept the results of the Fatebinding roll, and the Successes of the delayed roll are added, often creating a stronger, longer-lasting bond. For an additional 1 Willpower, the character can delay the Fatebinding of another Scion. •• • •• • •• • •• Deny Destiny (Gnosis •• •• ••• •• ) Cost: 5 Legend, 1 Willpower Dot Roll: None The Scion may find themselves drawn into too much at once, or find themselves tied into a situation they do not wish. Perhaps they need a fresh perspective, or they need the freedom to act without entanglements. By invoking this Boon, the Scion severs all Fatebindings they have, freeing themselves from the fabric of Destiny. This is a taxing process, and is often only a temporary respite. Those who are cut off from the Scion often feel a momentary sense of loss, and often find themselves crossing paths with the Scion again as Destiny attempts to create a re-attachment. Such encounters do not guarantee that these individuals will become Fatebound again, but their very presence does often provide opportunity.
•• • •• •• •• • •• •) Direct Destiny (Gnosis •• •• •• •• •• Cost: 10 Legend, 1 Willpower Roll: Manipulation + Integrity The Scion can gather the threads of Destiny, directing those who are connected to them towards a purpose. The Scion declares one task they wish to see completed, and activates this Boon. One person per Success is chosen randomly from those who are Fatebound to the Scion, who find their actions or goals align to aid in the completion of this task. This is not often a conscious choice of the Fatebound, and often it becomes a series of coincidences and chance meetings which help see to the completion of the task. The task must be able to be completed within the course of a Story, or the effect will end, possibly with the task left uncompleted. At the end of the duration, the level of Fatebinding for all concerned is increased by one.
The Grand Design (Gnosis •• •• • •• •• •• • •• • •• •) •• •• •• •• Cost: 1 Legend Dot, 10 Aggravated Damage Roll: None The Scion impresses themselves onto the threads of Destiny, leaving their mark on the world at great personal cost. This Boon acts much like Direct Destiny, except that it turns all those Fatebound to the Scion towards a desired task. There is no time limit, those connected to the Scion will continue to work towards the desired goal until it is completed, or until there are no Fatebound left to act. Any new Fatebound that become connected to the Scion find themselves drawn to this purpose, even if they are unaware of the new direction their lives have taken. Until the task is complete, all Fatebinding rolls made against the Scion gain one additional Success. The only other
way to end this Boon is with Deny Destiny. Underworld Sheol (shay-ol) aka The Pit, The Land of Forgetfulness In the beginning, the underworld was a dark place. The people knew nothing of the immortal soul, nor did they hold to the idea that there was life after death. All nephesh (living creatures) were made of the “dust of the earth”, and at death they returned to dust. There was no spark of immortality within them – this was for the divine alone.
Sheol was the final resting place for the dead, a dark realm beneath the world, cut off from the light of the divine and from the land of the living. In Sheol, all were equal, sleeping within the underworld regardless of the wealth, status, or deeds of the deceased in life. They were abandoned to sleep for eternity without judgement, reward, or punishment. To exist within Sheol was to barely exist at all, as the realm was a “nothingness” in which the dead were only shades of who they were in life. The dead were called rephaim, and existed as nothing more than empty shades. Only powerful necromancers could call upon them, drawing them into a state of wakefulness, only able to speak in hushed whispers. The Pentapolis During the war against the Grigori, the titan Aten assaulted the Vale of Siddim, the region where the angels had first stepped down. Four of the five cities of the vale were razed during the conflict, destroyed by fire and the might of Aten’s angelic hosts. Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim were utterly destroyed, while the city of Zoara survived.
When the Grigori were bound, they found themselves trapped above Sheol, suspended between the World and the Underworld, abandoned there to remain for eternity. At first, the darkness was vast and impenetrable, and the silence was crushing and absolute. The Grigori despaired, forced to watch as their children were were slaughtered by the angels of Aten, and the cities they helped to build were destroyed utterly. As the cities burned above, however, they began to appear below. The huts and homes, and then the palaces of the four cities began to rise from the darkness, surrounded by the slain nephilim. The children of the Grigori glowed brilliantly, filled with the light of their bound parents. Those rephaim caught within the light awakened from their slumbers, remembering who they were in life. As more of the trapped Watcher’s descendants died, their glow began to spread through the darkness of Sheol. Those of weaker blood did not glow nearly as brightly, but soon the prison of Sheol held a single, powerful island of light within a sea of darkness. While the Grigori felt sorrow for the deaths above them, there was some pride that their legacy lived on in the Underworld. Guided by the whispers of the Grigori, the nephilim began to rebuild the destroyed cities, constructing the Vale of Siddim within Sheol. The light of the nephilim brought more people into the cities from the edges of the Dead Sea, and as the angels of Aten hunted down those of nephilim blood, the light of the Pentapolis grew brighter.
The Pentapolis consists of four walled cities, rising up out of the Dead Dead Sea. These cities glow with a brilliant white light, caused by the nephilim who reside within. Each city was slowly built upwards as it was built outwards, so that the people within the cities would remain within the radiant light provided by the ruling nephilim. When a city became too crowded, a platform was built over the roofs of the level below, creating creati ng a new foundation foun dation to build b uild upon. Layer upon layer was added to each city, with the palace of the nephilim found at the heart, providing a stone foundation to keep the city strong. Through every street and alley, the cities glow, providing illumination for all within. Connecting each of the four cities are long, iron chains. Each chain is two feet thick, and holds a trolley which which can be pulled across. The driver of the trolley is always a nephilim, as the chain extends beyond beyond the glow of the cities. Also extending from the towering cities are chains which reach out to the theoretical edges of Sheol, allowing trolleys to move above the Dead Sea. Some of these chains are lower than others, coming within five metres of the Dead Sea, while others extend up and into the darkness that was once the prison of the Grigori. In the early days, the Pentapolis was thriving, as generation upon generation fell into the light of the nephilim. The cities grew and prospered, and ideas were shared between them. The Grigori whispered into the minds of their children, providing advice and wisdom, and the cities became a haven for the knowledge the Grigori might need in the time to come. As time passed, less and less souls fell into the light of the nephilim, and the cities grew quiet. The nephilim ruled their people as best they could, poring over ancient texts and sharing debates on the best way they can aid their parents. Ennui began to seep into the minds of the rephaim, and many soon found themselves wandering off into the Dead Sea, to be claimed by slumber once more. As the decades became centuries, the cities grew emptier and emptier, and the nephilim soon found themselves rulers of abandoned cities. Unlike the rephaim, the nephilim could not simply walk into slumber – their very presence prevented them from succumbing to the pull of the Dead Sea, and those they approached awakened. Things changed when the Grigori broke free of their imprisonment, and the shock broke the t he nephilim neph ilim from their thei r hopelessness. hopel essness. The Grigori warned their children of o f the new war, and the nephilim once more stepped out into the Dead Sea, pulling in the rephaim that awakened to repopulate the four cities once more. Preparations were made, and perhaps not a moment too soon. In the short while while that the new war has been waged, new nephilim have fallen into the Dead Sea, and the rulers of the Pentapolis have had to send scouts to scour the dead for their new siblings. The light of the four cities grows brighter, bringing with it fresh rephaim, and the cities have begun to grow once again. The collected lore of the nephilim have proven useful to the Grigori, who have battled their way through the ruins of the Underworld to visit their deceased children. Scrolls that have been stored for centuries have been unrolled, and strategies devised so that the nephilim can rise up to aid their parents. With the war currently waged in the Underworld, the Grigori have had their children prepare, offering to send them out from Sheol to assist the other Pantheons who have need of defenders in the lands of
the dead. The Dead Sea The Dead Sea is not a body of water, but is in fact a sea of rephaim, spread out beyond the light of the nephilim. Here, the dead lay across Sheol, layers deep, in a state of slumber. The dead whisper and murmur to themselves, giving a sound similar to that of the ocean. When left undisturbed, they lay still, and are relatively safe.
The Dead Sea becomes dangerous if someone passes through and disturbs them. Walking carefully and silently across the dead is possible – if difficult. But if one makes too much noise or is too rough, the rephaim are disturbed, and begin to shift and move. The more they are disturbed, the greater the response, and the dead begin to reach out, grasping the source of the disturbance. The whispers and murmurs grow louder, as the rephaim try to pull the one who has disturbed them down into the piles of bodies. These “storms” can spread out, causing the Dead Sea to surge and shift, the rephaim murmuring and muttering as they reach out, flailing to grasp anyone who comes too close, pulling them deep into the depths of the Dead Dead Sea. Those who are pulled too far may suffocate if they are not already dead, but the worst fate comes from the constant murmurs and the pressure of the dead. The constant droning causes the dead around them to become quiescent, falling into a slumber and soon joining the other rephaim in an endless sleep. The chains coming from the Pentapolis extends out to the edges of Sheol, passing over the Dead Sea. Nephilim of diluted lineage slowly move across these chains in their transports, searching for the source of any storm they come across, or scour the Dead Sea for any newly deceased nephilim. Such beacons of light can cause storms, the rephaim found closest to the newly dead nephilim awakening, causing a disturbance to those dead near them. The scouts try to recover the nephilim and any rephaim close at hand, pulling them up to safety before trying to escape the grasping, murmuring storm of dead. Crossing the Dead Sea without disturbing the dead on foot is an extended Dexterity + Stealth roll, requiring a number of total successes equal to the number of metres that the Scion needs to be crossed. Each success covers one metre, but for each additional roll required, the Scion suffers a one die penalty on the roll as the dead stir from the disturbance. If a roll is failed the dead in the immediate vicinity become disturbed. One rephaim awakens for each roll the Scion had already made to cross the Dead Sea, and attempt to grapple with the victim. This is a coordinated action, the dead working in unison to grasp and grab the Scion and pull them beneath the sea. Once the victim has been grappled, they are pulled below, sinking one metre every six Ticks. Every five Ticks, if the Scion is still struggling, two additional rephaim awaken in the immediate vicinity, stirred by the thrashing and agitation of the nearby dead. While buried, the victim feels crushed by an oppressive weight. This burden is only in the Scion’s mind, the constant droning and murmuring sapping the will of the victim. The dead drain one Willpower every six Ticks. The Scion is capable of resisting this if her Legend is higher than the number of disturbed Dead, and can
ignore it if she has a Conviction, Duty, or Endurance of 4 or greater. ephilim in the Dead Sea Nephilim are the descendants of the Grigori, and can be recognized whether or not they have received their visitation. The blood of the Grigori remains strong for up to seven generations, though only a first generation nephilim can become a Scion. When a nephilim falls into Sheol, the ichor in their veins begins to glow, causing the person to emit a radiance which passes through any barriers in the realm. This radiance extends out for seven metres, minus one metre for each generation between the nephilim and their divine ancestor. This radiance is cumulative with other nephilim in the immediate vicinity, so two first-generation nephilim emit a 20-metre radiance if they are within close proximity with one another. Passages to Sheol There are only a few passages to Sheol, as the practise to pass into the underworld has passed on for most mo st cultures. A person pers on anointed with funerary oil and left in a sealed cave may spend 1 Legend to pass into Sheol. Such individuals will cross over near one of the chains leading to the Pentapolis, which will look like a shining tower of light in the distance over a blackened sea. The Overworld Araboth aka The City of Lights, The Silver City
