For centuries after the Otherwords were separated from the Mundane World, humans still tried to achieve immortality. One theory was that if a body was preserved, so was the soul--and so spells and rituals were developed to accomplish that goal. However, while the fetch was able to be preserved with he body, the wraith was not (see below concerning fetch/ka and wraith/ba). These spells shouldhave worked, though--it is only the separation of the Worlds by the daemons that prevents these methods from working properly. Without a wraith/ba, these preserved dead are open to desecration by the awakening Elder Things: taking the form of a false wraith (a "bane spirit"), a Younger Thing (a descendant of the Elder Things) can possess a mummy, merging with its body and fetch/ka--forming a new life form.
An unintended side effect of this desecration process is that the Desecrated Younger Thing is bound to the customs surrounding the specific rite used to create the mummy. Though references are made to mummies of other cultures, Mummy 2E primarily deals with Egyptian mummies--and the book is aware of that fact, identifying these "Shemsu-Heru" as ethnocentric in their use of the term "Others" to collectively refer to all other mummies. Shemsu-Heru only represent one of the main Rites. Here, I make an attempt to flesh out the other rites referenced in the original book, together with a few of my own. These Rites are:
- Cabiri, the Greco-Roman Rite
- Incorrupt, the Abrahamic Rite
- Mallki, the Andean Rite
- Shemsu-Heru, the Egyptian Rite
- Sokushinbutsu, the Dharmic Rite
New Rules
Blessings and Curses have been added to the core Mummy rules in order to make the various Rites more distinct--mimicking the Birthrights and Frailties of the Otherkin. The Blessing relates to the Rite's strongest Virtue; while the Curse relates to the way in which the Rite loses Ba.Instead of rolling for a random Ba score, all Undead should be considered newly reborn--with a maximum Ba score (10 for most Mummies, 9 for some).
Somewhat more "generic" words for Ba and Ka could be Wraith and Fetch--the disembodied spirit of the dead (Ba/Wraith) and the lingering image of the dead (Ka/Fetch). While the former wanders among the other dead in the afterlife, the latter stays in the mortal world and is sometimes responsible for hauntings.
In OtherSPORE, all mummies are bane mummies. This is a fact of the lore of the world; in other settings, bane attributes need not be selected.
Cabiri, the Greco-Roman Rite
As noted in Mummy 2E, the Greek Rite of the Cabiri are created using a a modified version of the Egyptian Rite. The earliest Greek mummies (typically of the Ptolmaic Period) had used the Egyptian Rite; however, over time the Rite became Hellanized, and is now its own, separate Rite. This version of the Rite continued to be used in the Roman Empire, and later among the nobles of Medieval Europe--surviving into Renaissance England.
Cabiri generally follow the rules as written for mummy characters in Mummy 2E. However, instead of gaining a "free dot" in he magical Art (Theurgy) of Necromancy, Cabiri gain a free dot in Alchemy.
Blessing - Cabiri cannot botch Memory rolls.
Curse - Cabiri struggle with hubris (extraordinary pride); whenever a Cabiri's humility is tested, make an Integrity roll. Failure causes a loss of one Ba point in addition to one Humanity point and one Integrity point.
Incorrupt, the Abrahamic Rite
The Abrahamic Rite is similar to the Dharmic Rite (see Sokushinbutsu, below)--though the one is not derived from the other. Likely, the two Rites share a common, now unknown ancestor. A peculiar trait that separates the two Rites is the presence of an odour of sanctity emanating from the Incorrupt.
Like the Dharmic Rite, the Abrahamic Rite is self-administered. However, the Abrahamic Rite does not end with ritual fasting until death--for suicide in any form is seen as sinful in the Abrahamic faiths. Instead, the body is prepared for imminent death, such as through martyrdom or illness.
Incorrupt generally follow the rules as written for mummy characters in Mummy 2E. However, instead of gaining a "free dot" in he magical Art of Necromancy, Incorrupt gain a free dot in Ren-Hekau (Logos).
Blessing - Incorrupt cannot botch Integrity rolls.
Curse - Incorrupt remain bound to the religious tradition they followed in life; whenever an Incorrupt's faith is tested, make an Integrity roll. Failure causes a loss of one Ba point in addition to one Humanity point and one Integrity point.
Mallki, the Andean Rite
The Inca Rite was developed completely independently of that of the Egyptians. It developed from the mummification practices of the earlier Chinchoro culture; while a similar practices were performed in the nearby Muisca culture. While the Egyptians preserved their dead for the sake of glory and exaltation, the Inca did so for the sake of preserving wisdom.The Spanish conquistadors were fascinated by the cultural traditions surrounding the Mallki. Outwardly, they condemned the practices as superstitious witchcraft; however, they learned the Rite, and practiced it themselves. A large "collection" of Mallki bodies was lost while in Spanish possession--possibly released to pursue their own purposes.
Mallki generally follow the rules as written for mummy characters in Mummy 2E. However, instead of gaining a "free dot" in he magical Art of Necromancy, Mallki gain a free dot in Celestial.
Blessing - Mallki cannot botch Joy rolls.
Curse - Mallki are pledged to offer counsel to their descendants once each year at a pre-designated place; any time the Mallki does not attend this "court" (willingly or otherwise), one Ba point is lost.
Capacocha
The Capacocha were child sacrifices whose bodies were preserved incidentally after they were drugged and left to die. These mummies were accidentally created, and not ritually preserved in he same manner as the others described here. While their bodies may be posessed and reanimated as any other corpse, they are not mummies as described here.Shemsu-Heru, the Egyptian Rite
These "Flowers of Horus" are the core characters of Mummy 2E. Most of them operate within a theocratic society pledged to disrupt the followers and acts of the Elder Thing Apepi (often translated as "Apophis") and the cacodaemon Set (rival of Horus). While the majority of Shemsu-Heru are ancient, many were also created during the Victorian Era among British scholars and explorers.Shemsu-Heru follow the rules as written for mummy characters in Mummy 2E--gaining a "free dot" in he magical Art (Heka) of Necromancy.
Blessing - Shemsu-Heru cannot botch Memory rolls.
Curse - Shemsu-Heru are bound to serve the principle of ma'at--often translated as balance, justice, or truth, but commonly known as Humanity. Whenever Humanity drops below 5 (or any further reduction), one point of Ba is lost. If Humanity starts below 5, the maximum Ba score is 9.
Ishmaelites, "Rogue" Egyptian Mummies
Not all mummies of the Egyptian Rite follow the will of the eudaemon Horus. Those which do not are commonly called "Ishmaelites." Though they have their own, varied ideologies, Ishmaelites are created in the same manner as the Shemsu-Heru, following the same rules. The independent-spirited American Egyptologists who became subject to this rite in the Victorian Era are Ishmaelites.Sokushinbutsu, the Dharmic Rite
The Dharmic Rite is self-administered. Through meditation, the body and soul are preserved while the mendicant is still alive--with death occurring only as the final stage of the process. While most common among Buddhist saints, even Hindu and Jain holy persons have become Sokushinbutsu.Sokushinbutsu generally follow the rules as written for mummy characters in Mummy 2E. However, instead of gaining a "free dot" in he magical Art of Necromancy, Sokunshinbutsu gain a free dot in Ren-Hekau.
Blessing - Sokushinbutsu cannot botch Integrity rolls.
Curse - Sokushinbutsu are subject to dukkha ("suffering," "distress," or "misery"); any time the Sokushinbutsu gains a Derangement, they also lose one point of Ba. While 10 points of Ba are required for rebirth, the act itself causes the loss of one point of Ba--reducing the starting Ba score of Sokushinbutsu to 9.
Edited Jan 19, 2020; Mar 24, 2020; Ma 28, 2019.
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