Memories of the Nameless Empire
Forgotten Lore - Issue 3
The legacy of Irem, the Nameless Empire, lingers in the culture of the Ancient Egyptians, and other similar funerary cultures. These memories and ancient magics live on in the artifacts and tomes across the world.
Geist: the Sin-Eaters: Ceremony
The Amduat (*****)
Amduat literally means ‘That Which is in the Afterworld’. This legendary Ancient Egyptian text was reserved for the walls of the tombs of Pharaohs. The Amduat tells the story of Ra’s journey through the Underworld in the hours between sunset and dawn. Pharaohs, it was believed, would take the same journey, becoming immortal and one with the gods. The Amduat aided a Pharaoh in this journey as a record of the gods and beasts that dwelled in the Underworld. The Pharaoh could call them in times of need, use their names to summon them or defeat them.
The Sin Eater ceremony was reclaimed during the Napoleonic Wars. It was learned by a Krewe in Paris after deciphering the the works of a mortal archaeologist. More importantly the ceremony was found to be one of a number of variants, each having to be adapted for each task; namely summoning of a being from the the Underworld, or if in the Underworld, summoning one of the Kerberoi.
Performing the Ritual: The Sin-Eater must have the list of the gods and entities that he will encounter as he passes through the Duat. He then must make a ritual circle and face towards the Duat, as it would be located at midnight, and meditate on the stars of the Duat. In the final act of sacrifice as a gift to the summoned entity, the Sin-Eater must finally carve the ritual hieroglyphics upon the palm of his hand and then touch this to the centre of the ritual circle where the summoned ghost will appear. A copper blade must be used for this and the direction of the Duat must be known (a 5 successes on a Science roll, 4 for an Occult roll). Of course in the underworld the stars cannot be seen and so the Sin- Eater must rely on his own innate sense of his position in the Underworld, and thus within the Duat.
System: The Sin Eater must know the true name of the ghost or the Kerberoi. Psyche + Presence - Resistance.
Action: Extended (target number of 15)
Time Increments: One roll per turn.
Dramatic Failure: The ceremony cannot be performed for 24 hours. In addition, in the case of a Kerberoi, if they are in or enter it’s Dominion in that time frame, the Sin Eater is considered as having automatically broken the laws of the Dominion.
Failure: No success gained.
Success: Successes are gained. A gateway to the Underworld is created ready for the ghost to arrive through. If the ceremony is interrupted then this Avernian gate must be sealed. If the ceremony is completed the ghost is brought through and is bound to the commands of the Sin Eater. The ghost is bound for 24 hours. In the case of a Kerberoi the ceremonial space warps as their presence begins to bleed in. A bound Kerberoi cannot be ordered to break the Old Laws of its Dominion.
