Many Moros Awaken after a near-death experience as the violence of their close call and their brief trip to the lands of the dead opens their eyes to the possibilities of magic. Mages on the Path of Doom sometimes describe their Awakening as hearing all the noises fade away as they are wrapped in a shroud of tranquility, a shroud that allows them to keep their composure once they are able to hear the screams and pleas of the restless dead.
The Moros Path is most concerned with transition and transformation. The Path’s magics focus on the edge of transformation, and Necromancers are fascinated by those edges — where life becomes death, shore becomes sea, coal becomes diamond and ignorance becomes understanding. Still, Necromancers are often hypersensitive to the brevity of life and understand what little time they have to find the transforma- tive secrets they seek. They often become obsessive about their studies, sleeping only a few hours now and then to give them enough time for their research. Moros mages who have mastered the arts of alchemy and Matter free themselves from the financial worries that plague other mages by creating fortunes in gold and gems with only a token amount of effort.
Orders: Moros typically join orders to facilitate the mages’ own understanding. The orders that offer Moros the most useful Arcane Skills as well as likeminded companion- ship are the Guardians of the Veil and the Mysterium. The work of the Necromancers with the latter in particular has led to the discovery of remarkable items of power due to knowledge the Moros have garnered from the dead. Otherwise, they may join the Adamantine Arrow or Silver Ladder for much the same reasons as any other mage — to hone their fighting ability or to rise to power. A rare few Moros join the Libertines of the Free Council, using the Path’s study of Matter to expand and develop techné.
Appearance: Moros don’t age any faster than others, but Necromancers sometimes seem older than they really are. This is typically enhanced by the fact that they take most matters seriously (although some are known for their gallows humor) — they feel that anything important must be taken seriously because life is too short to waste on frivolities. Typically, Moros dress in whatever colors their culture considers appropriate for mourning. In Asia, for example, they dress entirely in white while in most Western countries they prefer somber black. Some on the Path of Doom prefer to go against expectations and wear normal street or business clothes in order to blend in better.
Sanctums: Moros are often insanely protective of their privacy, usually prompting them to establish their sanctums in remote locations to prevent intrusions or interrup-
91 Chapter Two: Character
tions of their studies. If a mage has the money (and those who master the arts of Matter usually do), she may surround herself with acres of empty land or a sturdy fence. The more saturated a sanctum is with the energies of death and entropy, the more comfortable those on the Path of Doom are. Therefore, proximity to cemeteries or sites of mass death is highly desired for a Moros sanctum. Others may prefer palaces of a more material presence, such as lavish penthouses or manors, but many Moros still prefer dim lighting, cool temperatures and absolute quiet, giving their sanctums the atmosphere of a tomb. Moros sanctums tend to be beautiful and richly decorated, often using precious metals and gems as common household objects. Just as Pluto’s kingdom was the realm of the dead and riches so do many Moros make their homes into
beautifully macabre treasure troves.
Background: One way or another, those Awakening to the Moros Path have a connection to death or the dead, such as soldiers, doctors, morticians and serial killers. Alternatively, this Path also calls out to the greedy, including bankers, industrialists and well- connected plutocrats.
Character Creation: Mental Attributes are almost always primary for Moros — as scholars of death and the dead, they find that the mind is extremely crucial to their work. Just as many fascinated with mortal- ity, Moros often find themselves ostracized, so it’s not uncommon for Social Attributes to be tertiary. Stamina tends to be high regarding Physical Attributes. Mental Skills are heavily favored by those on the Path of Doom, especially Academics, Medicine, Occult and Science. Stealth and Intimidation are also popular. Good judgment is prized by Moros, so they often strive to master the Virtue of Prudence. The vice most common to them is Pride, which can lead a Necromancer to a terrible end.
Favored Resistance Attribute: Composure Ruling Arcana: Matter and Death Inferior Arcanum: Spirit
Nimbus: “Haunting.” Onlookers think they can make out vague and blurry figures. Shadows grow deeper or seem to reach out, and objects look decayed or rotted. With powerful magic, they might hear whisper- ing pleas as if from a ghost. Corpses
tion th s o i m Th death may pre lavish pent dim lighting, their sanctums the
to be beautiful an s nd ir e o k s. ut, h er-
might twitch or seem to moan. Colors may become muted and sounds muffled, or objects may seem to twist and change as the onlooker watches them.
Associations: Necromancers aren’t necessarily organized, but they are surprisingly social with one another (partially because they are often socially snubbed by other mages). Behind this social urge is an intense curiosity about what others on the Path of Doom discover in their research, though some of this intrigue stems from their knowledge that it is harder to gain such information from others once they have passed across to the land of the dead.
Concepts: Thanatologist, speaker for the dead, modern alchemist, parapsychologist, elite assassin, leader of a ghostly spy ring, dangerous death cultist, euthanasia activist, inquisitive vivisectionist
Stereotypes
Acanthus: If they could actually focus on something long enough to accom-
plish anything, they would be dangerous. Instead, all they do is waste time (quite literally) flitting about and doing nothing.
Mastigos: Underhanded manipulators with no sense of anything outside of them-
selves, they seem to hold the entire world in contempt. They resonate with chaos.
Obrimos: Zealots without peer, they think that doing good deeds in this world
can save them from the next. They also have a regrettable talent for calling down the wrath of God, which makes them all the more intolerable.
Thyrsus: They refuse to remain still and appear to have chosen preternatural
physicality over reasonable reflection. Their study of Life is part of the same cycle as Death, but they are the opposite side of the same coin.
Vampires: Cursed with power that exceeds their wisdom and hunger that
exceeds their self-control, the undead should be both pitied and feared . . . but especially studied.
Werewolves: These savages do not understand the mysteries of Death as well
as we do, but they inflict it with little thought and less effort.
Sleepers: If they could learn to understand and welcome Death instead of
fearing it, Awakening would be just a breath away.
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93 Chapter Two: Character
OBRIMOS
Theurgists on the Path of the Mighty,
Scions of the Watchtower of the Golden Key in the Realm of the Aether, Kingdom of the Celestial Spheres and Abode of Angels
Mages who write their name within the Watchtower of the Golden Key often recall their Awakening as being struck by divine lightning and becoming the thunder. With no warning or explanation, they are overcome with the certainty that they are the cham- pions of the Divine — though definitions of “the Divine” seem to vary drastically. Some feel the Divine is a patriarchal god of judgment and some sense it as a manifestation of Nature, while others feel the Divine to be an ongoing sentient process of growth and change within the universe. Whatever they feel the Divine is to them — and many take years trying to know just what it is they serve — the Mighty all agree that they serve as Its warriors. Ultimately, no particular faith unites mages on the Path of the Mighty; rather, it’s their shared conviction in doing the right thing and making the will of the Divine manifest on Earth.
As the Obrimos see it, the world has lost its way, and they have been charged with putting it back to rights by any means necessary. This feeling of divine right gives the Obrimos an unshakeable confidence — they doubt themselves less than most others and consequently suffer from an ironic hubris. An Obrimos mage is aware that he has the ability and right to manipulate a world made up of energy and magic. Lacking any direct communication from the Divine, many believe that their own wills are the divine will. What they say goes, even if it conflicts with another mage — even another Obrimos.
Orders: The Adamantine Arrow is an ideal order for the Obrimos as their talents and temperaments are suited to waging war. Obrimos who appreciate the security of a well-defined hierarchy also find themselves drawn to the Silver Ladder. Some of the Mighty join the Free Council to bring their Forces magic into the present with the power of science. Others join the Guardians of the Veil to use their abilities to defend the Mysteries. Those who join the Mysterium often seek out lore that will make them better artificers (usually of imbued weapons).
Appearance: Obrimos tend to be well-groomed. They prefer clothing that is just loose enough to grant freedom of motion without getting in the way. Those work- ing with other mages may wear some form of signifier of office or rank, though such adornment is usually so subtle that it can pass unnoticed by those not looking for it. A common accessory for many Theurgists of a religious bent is some symbol of their faith, a reminder of their divine cause.
Sanctums: Those on the Obrimos Path have two sorts of sanctums: citadels and cloisters. Citadels are sanctums in areas of conflict and are chosen with defensibility in mind. They are often enhanced with an array of magical defenses and may contain armories of mystical weapons. While the word “citadel” sug- gests a large looming structure, a properly prepared and warded mobile home or apartment can also be a citadel or just about any other sanctum that acts as a fortress. Cloisters are sanctums in relatively peaceful areas where a mage can study, meditate or pray. Unlike citadels, cloisters are usu- ally large, looming structures — hangers, monasteries or manors. A cloister usually contains a library or other mages from whom the Obrimos can learn.
Background: The only commonality among mages on the Obrimos Path is famil- iarity with conflict. Those who become Obrimos are fighters and
survivors. The presence or depth of their religious beliefs before they Awaken seems to have no bearing on their Awakening — an atheist is just as likely to Awaken on this Path as a rabbi. This can be especially confusing to those with a dogmatic (or nonexistent) view of the Divine, and some Obrimos spend years coming to terms with their new roles in the world.
Character Creation: Mages on the Path of the Mighty frequently specialize in one area or another and are equally likely to have any Attribute category primary. Those who consider themselves leaders may cultivate Social Attributes. Those who believe themselves to be divine warriors will likely have Physical Attributes as their primary. Those who see themselves as generals in the war on the enemy may focus on Mental Attributes, approaching from a strategic or scholarly perspective. Obrimos often have very high Willpower scores, to
reflect the self-confidence possessed by these agents of the Divine. The mages of the Golden Key consider Justice as their ideal Virtue. The most common Vice
is Pride, despite their protestations to the contrary.
Favored Resistance Attribute: Resolve
Ruling Arcana: Forces and Prime
Inferior Arcanum: Death Nimbus: “Enlightening.” Things orts ms ty and tadel or Cloisters mage can are usu- ries or th survi th — r O in P T in M s o
95 Chapter Two: Character
seem to glow from within, and the air becomes charged with energy accompanied by the smell of ozone or smoke. Everything seems to be divinely preordained. With powerful magic, a distant choir might be heard. Many are given to classical auras or haloes of celestial light.
Associations: Obrimos prefer hierarchy. If there are two in a room, they need to determine who outranks whom. If several Obrimos work together, they all want to know who falls where in the chain of command and who is responsible for what. A single Obrimos may have many diverse areas of responsibility, depending on how many groups he works with.
Concepts: Soldier of God, terrorist, martial artist, scholar of philology, Awakened cop, defender of the weak, contemporary inquisitor, enforcer, neighborhood hero, uncompromising zealot, monster hunter
Stereotypes
Acanthus: Their amazing magical talents are undermined by their refusal to
commit to a single cause. They are quick to bind others to oaths and yet swear none of their own.
Mastigos: Selfish and amoral, they embody the hubris of the Awakened, placing
their own power and desires above doing the right thing. They are best avoided.
Moros: At best, they desecrate the dead. At worst, they prey on the living.
They spend so much time wallowing in the material, mundane world that it is no wonder they revere ashes.
Thyrsus: While they are closer to beasts than any Awakened should be, many
are noble individuals and reliable comrades in arms. If only they were not so bound up in the physical.
Vampires: These monsters are reviled by every culture that has ever felt their sickly
touch. They have no place in the world and must be destroyed at every opportunity.
Werewolves: Humans find it difficult enough to keep from acting on their
lesser nature. How much harder must it be for these savages?
Sleepers: When they are asleep, the light coming through the blind will often
cause them to sleep more lightly and eventually awake. We must be the light that stirs them Awake.
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