Post by Tami on Nov 26, 2006 17:09:53 GMT -5
Setites
The Followers of Set, or Setites as they often call themselves, make up one of the most widely loathed clans in the world. The Camarilla decision to ask the Setites to join came only after weeks of divisive debate, and the fact that few Setites responded to the call was met with a wave of relief from the young sect.
The explanation for this reaction lies with the very nature of the Setites. They are the masters of moral and spiritual corruption. They seem to have an uncanny ability to find the weakness in any organization or individual, and the uncommon urge to exploit it. Drugs, sex, money and power are their weapons of corruption, and they take great delight in using them against Kindred and kine alike. The Setites believe that the power of decay and corruption is absolute; no one is immune.
Although few Setites have become members of the Camarilla, this has not stopped factions within the sect from making use of their special talents. In the world of Kindred politics, the Followers of Set have the distinction of being regarded as a necessary evil The Followers claim to be able to trace their clan's lineage back to the Egyptian Dark God himself. The truth of this statement, however, remains unrevealed. In any event, they are darkly powerful beings with unclear interests beyond the assumption of mortal and supernatural power.
According to legend, the clan originated in ancient Egypt. About 5000 B.C., a group of powerful Kindred gathered around the Nile River delta. There they are said to have established a thriving civilization and enthroned themselves as the ruling gods. Among these Kindred was one named Sutekh. Sutekh, renowned as a warrior and hunter, stalked the darkness like a great beast; by 3300 B.C. he was being worshipped by some mortals as the God of Night and Darkness. He was more than likely a member of the third generation, an Antediluvian.
For the next two millennia, Sutekh, now calling himself Set, enjoyed the worship of mortals and the respect of his fellow Kindred. However, a power struggle began when a vampire known as Osiris, along with several of his progeny, began to claim absolute kingship over the rest of the Kindred. Set opposed Osiris, and for several hundred years the two waged a savage war. By 900 B.C., the tide had fumed against Set and his followers. A being known as Heru-Behutet, and his warriors, defeated Set and his allies in a great battle. Set was exiled and his followers slaughtered. In his anguish, Set vowed that if he were to be exiled into the darkness, then that darkness would become all-powerful.
In the centuries that followed, Set recruited new followers. Most came from Egypt but there were others as well. Greeks, Romans, Persians and Semites all fell under the influence of Set, god of darkness. His message spread to the far corners of the known world. From the mountains of Spain to the shores of the Black Sea, the seeds of darkness were planted. Finally, in A.D. 33, Set himself vanished from the world ( likely to escape being a casualty of the Jyhad). Before he disappeared, Set promised his followers that he would eventually return in all his dark glory.
Even after his disappearance, this clan grew in power. Always small in number, it exerted an influence that belied its size. Some say that its members were partially responsible for the birth of the Inquisition, though there is no proof to substantiate this allegation. Empires have come and gone and still the Followers of Set carry on their master's dark traditions.
In modem times, the Setites found a new home in the Western Hemisphere. Both Jamaica and Haiti became fertile recruiting grounds for the clan. Using the sophisticated science of modern times, the Setites became druglords extraordinaire. Several Haitian secret societies and Jamaican posses are rumored to be under their control, along with at least one Middle Eastern terrorist group.
The first Follower into an area establishes a temple and prepares the way for others. Once a newcomer arrives, she stays at the temple until she has enough power to found her own. Each temple is at the center of a web of corruption, and is always led by a single vampire.
Nickname: Sand-Snakes
Appearance: The vast majority of the Followers of Set have very distinct Middle Eastern features; however, increasing numbers are taken from all races. Red hair is especially prized because it is considered a mark of Set. When the Followers are seen, they are usually garbed in deepest ebony robes of an ancient quasi-Egyptian style. Ritual disfigurement is also common, though the nature seems to vary from member to member.
Haven: The Setites prefer to reside in caverns or bunkers deep underground. Often, the walls of these havens are decorated with Egyptian hieroglyphics telling the story of Set. These havens are known as temples, and they are always under or near the headquarters of the Setites' criminal activities.
Background: Typically, the Followers of Set choose neonates from their own human Retainers. Originally, only those of Egyptian descent were chosen as Retainers. Within the last century, however, a number of Europeans and Americans have been recruited.
Character Creation: Most Setites have outsider concepts, although there are a small number of dilettantes, criminals and politicians among them. They are often Curmudgeons or Deviants by Nature and will adopt whatever Demeanor is appropriate at the time. Social Attributes are primary, as are Talents. Most have the Background of Retainers and many have Contacts and Allies throughout various criminal organizations.
Clan Disciplines: Obfuscate, Presence, Serpentis
Weaknesses: Setites are extremely susceptible to sunlight. Double the dice for damage from any exposure to it. They are also susceptible to bright lights and subtract one from all Dice Pools while in bright light (i.e., spotlights, nightclub strobe lights, searchlights, magnesium flares, etc.).
Organization: Each city with a Setite presence has its own local Temple of Set, overseen by a Kindred priest or priestess. There may be one or more subpriests depending on the size of the domain. There are usually three to five human Retainers per priest. The Grand Temple of Set is rumored to be some where in southern Sudan near the Ugandan border. Monthly gatherings are held in each temple at the dark of the moon. It is rumored that once every century there is a great gathering held at the Grand Temple.
It is also said that there once was a group known as the Children of Osiris, whose members opposed the Followers of Set. Nothing is known of them, and the Setites claim to have literally consumed them.
Gaining Clan Prestige: Clan Prestige within the Followers of Set is gained by enslaving others through their own weaknesses. The more followers a Setite has, the more respect she garners among her peers. Setites can also gain Prestige by corrupting people and Kindred in high positions.
Quote: "We are the small voice that whispers to you in the lonely hours of the night. We call to the darkness within all of you. We came from the dark and to the dark we shall all return."
VtM 3rd Ed
Updated section from Guide to Camarilla
To say that the Setites of the Camarilla are regarded as odd is to indulge in gross understatement. Nevertheless, the handful of Serpents who did heed the initial call of the Camarilla (there have been precious few to come over since) seem entirely sincere in their attachment to the sect. Even more bizarre is the fact that the unaffiliated Followers of Set don’t seem to be taking any particular steps to wipeout these few aberrations. (The Serpents of the Light are another matter, but then again, the Sabbat always is.)
In reality, the motivation behind the trickle of Camarilla Setites is a simple one. Say what you like about it, but the Camarilla is the most efficient thing the Cainite race has ever put together. It has managed, with very few slips, to conceal the presence of vampires from the masses of humanity despite the best efforts of its enemies to destroy it, and to keep some vague semblance of order over a large portion of the map.
Now what, ask the Camarilla Setites of themselves, if that organization and occasional efficiency could be turned to their ends? It’s a disturbing possibility, which is why these Serpents keep a very low profile.
Dealings With Others: Camarilla Setites cluster themselves on the fringes of Elysium; the usual crowd there is more likely to discuss matters and less likely to haul out the old "A Setite is a Setite" rationalization before opening fire. Furthermore, those Kindred with passions for art and diplomacy are likely to have passions for other things, things that the Serpents can provide. Still, the Setites of the Camarilla take great care to avoid behavior that is too stereotypical, for the simple reason that none of them want to be mistaken in a dark alley — or a well- lit board room for a non-sectarian member of the clan.
Followers of Set who have joined the Camarilla have not abandoned their clan’s ultimate goal, nor are they necessarily regarded as traitors by their clanmates. The true glory of Set will be made manifest in the subversion or destruction of all of the other clans, but nowhere is written that all of the other clans need to be humbled at the same time. Using the Camarilla to humble the Sabbat, then the independents to humble the Camarilla makes perfect sense from the Setite perspective. In the meantime, Camarilla Setites do their utmost for the sect as a method of working toward that final aspiration.
Oddly enough, it is Toreador and the Brujah that Camarilla Setites deal with most frequently, and whom they turn to for protection in the face of adversity from other Camarilla Kindred. Both clans are prey to strong passions and desires of the sorts that that the Setites can assuage, while Nosferatu, Tremere and Ventrue tend to be cautious in their dealings with any Setites, regardless of sect. As a rule Camarilla Setites avoid whenever possible, reportedly out of the fear that the Lunatics can see right through their schemes. More rational Kindred say that it's because the Setites just don't have anything that the Malkavians actually want, but to date, it's all hearsay and speculation.
Roleplaying: Playing a Setite bound by the laws of the Camarilla takes even more delicacy and subtlety than portraying an unfettered member of the clan. Camarilla Setites take great pains to put their clanmates at ease--they voluntarily tone down the serpent imagery and decor, just to the putative distance between themselves and the "normal" members of the clan. Some sect-aligned Setites go so far as to eschew "traditional" Setite activities like dabbling in a city’s drug trade, though they’re more likely to make a logical case as to how their connections make them best suited to run the market to the Camarilla’s benefit. How much of a charade the performance actually is depends on the individual Serpent, but all Camarilla Setites recognize the necessity of earning their sectmates’ trust by any means possible.
In social situations, Camarilla Setites are unfailingly polite and proper, with every action calculated to make those who would rail against them for their origins look bad, boorish and untrustworthy. That’s not to say that Camarilla Setites are ineffectual or limited, but rather that they get their hands dirty in private. A Setite strolling into Elysium may have under-the-table deals going with half the Toreador in attendance, but won’t hint at any of them in public. Appearances must be preserved, after all--appearances and a reputation for discretion, so that future deals aren’t jeopardized.
The Followers of Set, or Setites as they often call themselves, make up one of the most widely loathed clans in the world. The Camarilla decision to ask the Setites to join came only after weeks of divisive debate, and the fact that few Setites responded to the call was met with a wave of relief from the young sect.
The explanation for this reaction lies with the very nature of the Setites. They are the masters of moral and spiritual corruption. They seem to have an uncanny ability to find the weakness in any organization or individual, and the uncommon urge to exploit it. Drugs, sex, money and power are their weapons of corruption, and they take great delight in using them against Kindred and kine alike. The Setites believe that the power of decay and corruption is absolute; no one is immune.
Although few Setites have become members of the Camarilla, this has not stopped factions within the sect from making use of their special talents. In the world of Kindred politics, the Followers of Set have the distinction of being regarded as a necessary evil The Followers claim to be able to trace their clan's lineage back to the Egyptian Dark God himself. The truth of this statement, however, remains unrevealed. In any event, they are darkly powerful beings with unclear interests beyond the assumption of mortal and supernatural power.
According to legend, the clan originated in ancient Egypt. About 5000 B.C., a group of powerful Kindred gathered around the Nile River delta. There they are said to have established a thriving civilization and enthroned themselves as the ruling gods. Among these Kindred was one named Sutekh. Sutekh, renowned as a warrior and hunter, stalked the darkness like a great beast; by 3300 B.C. he was being worshipped by some mortals as the God of Night and Darkness. He was more than likely a member of the third generation, an Antediluvian.
For the next two millennia, Sutekh, now calling himself Set, enjoyed the worship of mortals and the respect of his fellow Kindred. However, a power struggle began when a vampire known as Osiris, along with several of his progeny, began to claim absolute kingship over the rest of the Kindred. Set opposed Osiris, and for several hundred years the two waged a savage war. By 900 B.C., the tide had fumed against Set and his followers. A being known as Heru-Behutet, and his warriors, defeated Set and his allies in a great battle. Set was exiled and his followers slaughtered. In his anguish, Set vowed that if he were to be exiled into the darkness, then that darkness would become all-powerful.
In the centuries that followed, Set recruited new followers. Most came from Egypt but there were others as well. Greeks, Romans, Persians and Semites all fell under the influence of Set, god of darkness. His message spread to the far corners of the known world. From the mountains of Spain to the shores of the Black Sea, the seeds of darkness were planted. Finally, in A.D. 33, Set himself vanished from the world ( likely to escape being a casualty of the Jyhad). Before he disappeared, Set promised his followers that he would eventually return in all his dark glory.
Even after his disappearance, this clan grew in power. Always small in number, it exerted an influence that belied its size. Some say that its members were partially responsible for the birth of the Inquisition, though there is no proof to substantiate this allegation. Empires have come and gone and still the Followers of Set carry on their master's dark traditions.
In modem times, the Setites found a new home in the Western Hemisphere. Both Jamaica and Haiti became fertile recruiting grounds for the clan. Using the sophisticated science of modern times, the Setites became druglords extraordinaire. Several Haitian secret societies and Jamaican posses are rumored to be under their control, along with at least one Middle Eastern terrorist group.
The first Follower into an area establishes a temple and prepares the way for others. Once a newcomer arrives, she stays at the temple until she has enough power to found her own. Each temple is at the center of a web of corruption, and is always led by a single vampire.
Nickname: Sand-Snakes
Appearance: The vast majority of the Followers of Set have very distinct Middle Eastern features; however, increasing numbers are taken from all races. Red hair is especially prized because it is considered a mark of Set. When the Followers are seen, they are usually garbed in deepest ebony robes of an ancient quasi-Egyptian style. Ritual disfigurement is also common, though the nature seems to vary from member to member.
Haven: The Setites prefer to reside in caverns or bunkers deep underground. Often, the walls of these havens are decorated with Egyptian hieroglyphics telling the story of Set. These havens are known as temples, and they are always under or near the headquarters of the Setites' criminal activities.
Background: Typically, the Followers of Set choose neonates from their own human Retainers. Originally, only those of Egyptian descent were chosen as Retainers. Within the last century, however, a number of Europeans and Americans have been recruited.
Character Creation: Most Setites have outsider concepts, although there are a small number of dilettantes, criminals and politicians among them. They are often Curmudgeons or Deviants by Nature and will adopt whatever Demeanor is appropriate at the time. Social Attributes are primary, as are Talents. Most have the Background of Retainers and many have Contacts and Allies throughout various criminal organizations.
Clan Disciplines: Obfuscate, Presence, Serpentis
Weaknesses: Setites are extremely susceptible to sunlight. Double the dice for damage from any exposure to it. They are also susceptible to bright lights and subtract one from all Dice Pools while in bright light (i.e., spotlights, nightclub strobe lights, searchlights, magnesium flares, etc.).
Organization: Each city with a Setite presence has its own local Temple of Set, overseen by a Kindred priest or priestess. There may be one or more subpriests depending on the size of the domain. There are usually three to five human Retainers per priest. The Grand Temple of Set is rumored to be some where in southern Sudan near the Ugandan border. Monthly gatherings are held in each temple at the dark of the moon. It is rumored that once every century there is a great gathering held at the Grand Temple.
It is also said that there once was a group known as the Children of Osiris, whose members opposed the Followers of Set. Nothing is known of them, and the Setites claim to have literally consumed them.
Gaining Clan Prestige: Clan Prestige within the Followers of Set is gained by enslaving others through their own weaknesses. The more followers a Setite has, the more respect she garners among her peers. Setites can also gain Prestige by corrupting people and Kindred in high positions.
Quote: "We are the small voice that whispers to you in the lonely hours of the night. We call to the darkness within all of you. We came from the dark and to the dark we shall all return."
VtM 3rd Ed
Updated section from Guide to Camarilla
To say that the Setites of the Camarilla are regarded as odd is to indulge in gross understatement. Nevertheless, the handful of Serpents who did heed the initial call of the Camarilla (there have been precious few to come over since) seem entirely sincere in their attachment to the sect. Even more bizarre is the fact that the unaffiliated Followers of Set don’t seem to be taking any particular steps to wipeout these few aberrations. (The Serpents of the Light are another matter, but then again, the Sabbat always is.)
In reality, the motivation behind the trickle of Camarilla Setites is a simple one. Say what you like about it, but the Camarilla is the most efficient thing the Cainite race has ever put together. It has managed, with very few slips, to conceal the presence of vampires from the masses of humanity despite the best efforts of its enemies to destroy it, and to keep some vague semblance of order over a large portion of the map.
Now what, ask the Camarilla Setites of themselves, if that organization and occasional efficiency could be turned to their ends? It’s a disturbing possibility, which is why these Serpents keep a very low profile.
Dealings With Others: Camarilla Setites cluster themselves on the fringes of Elysium; the usual crowd there is more likely to discuss matters and less likely to haul out the old "A Setite is a Setite" rationalization before opening fire. Furthermore, those Kindred with passions for art and diplomacy are likely to have passions for other things, things that the Serpents can provide. Still, the Setites of the Camarilla take great care to avoid behavior that is too stereotypical, for the simple reason that none of them want to be mistaken in a dark alley — or a well- lit board room for a non-sectarian member of the clan.
Followers of Set who have joined the Camarilla have not abandoned their clan’s ultimate goal, nor are they necessarily regarded as traitors by their clanmates. The true glory of Set will be made manifest in the subversion or destruction of all of the other clans, but nowhere is written that all of the other clans need to be humbled at the same time. Using the Camarilla to humble the Sabbat, then the independents to humble the Camarilla makes perfect sense from the Setite perspective. In the meantime, Camarilla Setites do their utmost for the sect as a method of working toward that final aspiration.
Oddly enough, it is Toreador and the Brujah that Camarilla Setites deal with most frequently, and whom they turn to for protection in the face of adversity from other Camarilla Kindred. Both clans are prey to strong passions and desires of the sorts that that the Setites can assuage, while Nosferatu, Tremere and Ventrue tend to be cautious in their dealings with any Setites, regardless of sect. As a rule Camarilla Setites avoid whenever possible, reportedly out of the fear that the Lunatics can see right through their schemes. More rational Kindred say that it's because the Setites just don't have anything that the Malkavians actually want, but to date, it's all hearsay and speculation.
Roleplaying: Playing a Setite bound by the laws of the Camarilla takes even more delicacy and subtlety than portraying an unfettered member of the clan. Camarilla Setites take great pains to put their clanmates at ease--they voluntarily tone down the serpent imagery and decor, just to the putative distance between themselves and the "normal" members of the clan. Some sect-aligned Setites go so far as to eschew "traditional" Setite activities like dabbling in a city’s drug trade, though they’re more likely to make a logical case as to how their connections make them best suited to run the market to the Camarilla’s benefit. How much of a charade the performance actually is depends on the individual Serpent, but all Camarilla Setites recognize the necessity of earning their sectmates’ trust by any means possible.
In social situations, Camarilla Setites are unfailingly polite and proper, with every action calculated to make those who would rail against them for their origins look bad, boorish and untrustworthy. That’s not to say that Camarilla Setites are ineffectual or limited, but rather that they get their hands dirty in private. A Setite strolling into Elysium may have under-the-table deals going with half the Toreador in attendance, but won’t hint at any of them in public. Appearances must be preserved, after all--appearances and a reputation for discretion, so that future deals aren’t jeopardized.