House Rules for
Mummy: The Resurrection
"Today I'm a king on the Wheel
Still a slave to the Wheel
But this time around I'm smiling
Keep me cautious, keep me safe, just in case there's a chance
I can leave this Wheel behind me.
Stand in the Middle and you won't get dizzy
Stand in the Middle and you won't fall down
If you stand in the Middle you can keep your balance
Stand in the Middle while the Wheel spins round and round..."
-- Splashdown, "Karma Slave" from Titan A.E.
Healing
Can soak bashing and lethal damage. Heals bashing and lethal damage as if one level higher on the healing chart.
Academics (Revised; First Life only)
The character's primary language would need to be Egyptian. Egyptian as a language selection is assumed to be spoken only. If understanding of written Hieroglyphics and/or Demotic is known from modern day it is written only.
This version of Academics is particularly appropriate to a character with the Flaw: Anachronism.
If Academics is being purchased from the Second life, it is the same as it is printed in Vampire: The Masquerade Revised.
Academics (Egyptian)
You can read and write Hieroglyphics and Demotic (a shorthand version of Hieroglyphics that is not as descriptive, but is much faster to write), and have been taught basic philosophy and religion.
This is the standard Egyptian education, and requires that you have studied under a priest or scholar.
A high rating indicates that you are likely a priest, scribe, scholar, or similarly intellectual profession. Education of this degree would require the tem-akh to have been a noble, belong to a wealthy family that is able to pay for the education, or demonstrate a lot of intelligence and talent that would have convinced a scholar, scribe, or priest to take the tem-akh under their wing.
Most Egyptians never have a need to read or write. Any Hieroglyphics they know have been learned the way we learn the meaning of signs and symbols (we simply recognize them as meaning something, without necessarily knowing why).
Dabbler: You can read and (sort of) write Hieroglyphics. You know in-depth knowledge of the major and local gods, and basic information about those gods that are worshiped in other parts of Khem.
Student: You are now comfortable with Hieroglyphics, and passable with Demotic. You have started to learn and understand the structure of the universe and the roles of the various gods. Your knowledge of mathematics, astronomy, and astrology are at a basic level. (characters at this level should consider picking up dots in History and Crafts)
Learned: You are now fluent in all forms of written Egyptian. You understand the ways of the universe and the Earth. You are familiar with famous scholars and priests and their various views and theories. You begin learning about the science of the human soul (including body). (characters at this level should consider picking up dots in Science and Cosmology)
Scholar: You are comfortable teaching mathematics, astronomy, astrology, philosophy, religion, and the ways of life. (characters at this level should consider picking up dots in Medicine and Intuition or Empathy, as well as Science and Cosmology if they have not already)
Savant: You are a master of the sciences. Given the opportunity, you could have an intelligent theory debate with Imhotep. You are now a master of philosophy, theology, and religion. You are also very good at mathematics, astronomy, astrology, and the human soul. (characters at this level should consider more than one dot in Medicine, Science, Cosmology, Intuition or Empathy, Crafts and History)
| Freebie and Experience Point Cost Chart | |||
| Item | Base | FB Pts. | Exp. Pts. |
| Attributes | 1 | 5 | CRx4 |
| Talents/Skills | - | 2 | CRx2 |
| Knowledges | - | 2 | CR |
| Backgrounds | 5 | 1 | 3xp |
| Favored Hekau | 3 (total) | CRx4 | |
| Other Hekau | 3 (total) | CRx6 | |
| Balance | 3 | 4 | CRx7 |
| Willpower | 5 | 1 | CR |
| Lifeforce (Sekhem) | = Balance | CR | |
| New Ability | - | - | 3xp |
| New Background | - | - | 3xp |
| New Hekau Path | - | - | 7xp |
| New Spell/Ritual Level | - | 1xp | |
| True Name (Nomenclature and Channeling) | 1xp | ||
Backgrounds Revised
Ba (Revised)
Progression for amount of minimum time before a mummy can resurrect at dots 0 through 5 is 1 year, 6 months, 70 days, 21 days, 3 days and 1 day.
1 year
6 months
70 days
21 days
3 days
1 day
Background: Vessel (Revised)
Progression for amount of Sekhem that can be stored in the Vessel at dots 1 through 5 is 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 (instead of 3, 5, 7, 9, 15).
3 Sekhem
6 Sekhem
9 Sekhem
12 Sekhem
15 Sekhem
Merits and Flaws
Hyper Aware (2pt. Physical Merit)
by Vil, Shadownessence.com (renamed from "Hypersensitive")
Useable by: Any mummy, except those with the Flaw: Lesser Resurrection.
All of the new Undying are vibrant and full of life; more aware of their senses. Mummies with this Merit are more so. All 5 natural senses are more acute. Reduce by 2 all rolls related to Perception. While the mummy's senses are greater than any mortal's, this blessing comes with a curse. Any pain inflicted upon the mummy is intensified. Subtract an additional die on all wound penalties. For example, Bruised would normally be -0, but it's -2, Wounded would be -1 but it's -2, and Crippled would be -6.
This can be offset with the High Pain Tolerance and Insensible to Pain Merits. With High Pain Tollerance, first move the character's wound penalties up one level on the chart and then add 1 point to the existing penalty. All wound penalties are -1 until Crippled at which point it's -4. Mummies with this Merit who have Insensible to pain ignore the downside because pain has no adverse affects upon them anyway.
Unlike certain supernatural powers that boost a character's normal senses to the same levels as portrayed by this Merit, such as a vampire's ability to heighten its senses, characters with this Merit don't suffer painful surprises when sudden noises or flashes of light occur, for they are used to having such strong senses and fully accustomed to it.
Insightful (1, 2 or 3pt. Supernatural Merit)
by Vil, Shadownessence.com
Useable by: Any mummy except for Xian Lung.
The Undying is particularly empathic and has an easier time using Insight. Reduce the Difficulty of all Insight rolls by the number of points spent on the Merit. For 1 point, the Difficulty of Insight rolls is 8, for 2 points, it's 7, or for 3 points, the Difficulty is 6.
Twin Tem-akhs (4pt. Merit)
Modified from the Twin Souls Merit in the Mage: The Ascension book: The Book of Shadows.
Useable by: Any mummy except for Wu Tian (or another form of mummy that doesn’t have a Tem-akh equivalent).
Your Tem-akh was especially strong and more than one piece of it survived the Dja-akh creating a literal soulmate. The other piece went to another Amenti with an identical Inheritance. When in physical contact with your soulmate, the two may share Sekhem (Lifeforce) and use Hekau as one, taking the highest rating in Hekau and temporary knowledge of spells and rituals.
Additional abilities become possible based on the knowledge of the individual Amenti. These abilities can be used as long as both Amenti are currently alive. As long as the first dot in a particular hekau is known, the associated ability listed below is also gained:
- Alchemy - Use the highest Stamina for purposes of resisting or soaking poisons and diseases.
- Amulets - Share ability to use Amulets (if one Amenti has Amulets and the other does not).
- Celestial - Aways aware of the location of the other soulmate.
- Channeling - Use the highest level of Animal Ken for all rolls.
- Effigy - Use the highest Willpower to resist mind control or posession.
- Necromancy - Always know the health of your soulmate.
- Nomenclature - Be able to send thoughts to your soulmate.
If one soulmate dies, the other must make a Willpower roll, difficulty 8, to avoid following you due to psychic shock. She must wait until her soulmate has resurrected before the power may again be shared. If one or the other is currently in Duat the connection remains dormant.
NOTE: The characters cannot be the same type of Amenti as the original Tem-akh was split into two parts which separately became the Old Soul for your Amenti. The two characters connected in this manner may not be played by the same person.
Amenti Purpose and Liability
Mesektet Liability
One less die at night due to sahu spirit in eclipse (My rule; normally it is two dice). Sundown to sunrise.
Sakhmu Purpose
The Sakhmu may lower the difficulty of any Awareness or artistic roll by one a number of times a day equal to their Balance rating. This ability is refreshed every morning at dawn.
Sefekhi Purpose
Die pool equal to Balance rating can be used in any combination to add to Stamina-based rolls and is recovered every midnight.
Udja-sen
I do not use the Udja-sen in my campaigns as their very existence is a violation of Ma’at. They passed the test because the judges are getting soft-hearted or desperate? Umm ... no.
Hekau and Supernaturals
According to the rules no Hekau can benefit a supernatural other than the Amenti, Wu Tian or Teomallki without special approval of the Storyteller. Here are my alterations and why:
What Will Work
- Alchemy Hekau: Any potion, salve, etc. will work for or against any living supernatural if it works on an animal. Vampires and other undead can be affected by anything that can affect inanimate objects. These effects are always one shot or limited duration. Many potions are designed specifically to affect enemies. Unless they are created using Dark Hekau, they will not benefit a corrupt being.
- Channeling Hekau: Channeling can only be done temporarily at the will of the caster and can therefore affect anyone that could potentially be affected (plant, animal or sentient being). Unless the amenti is using Dark Hekau, they cannot benefit a corrupt being.
- Effigy Hekau: Any item created that is linked to a person can be linked to a supernatural unless the link crosses the Shroud/Gauntlet.
- Necromancy Hekau: Undead may be affected by any spell that can affect the dead unless noted otherwise. Any spell that can affect the living can affect a living supernatural. Unless the amenti is using Dark Hekau, they cannot benefit a corrupt being.
- Nomenclature Hekau: The Amenti with this knowledge changes the name of his target. Whether they are supernatural does not matter. If a supernatural has allowed you to learn their true name, you are very skilled, they are very stupid or they have a very good reason to trust you.
What Will Not Work
- Agents of Apophis: No agent of Apophis can benefit from hekau unless it is Dark Hekau. This includes all vampires, risen and other forms of animated, non-living beings (regardless of whether their souls are corrupt).
- Amulets (specifically permanent personal items): Virtually permanent and very powerful, amulets are only able to aid humans, amenti (and other undying), animals and plants. Amulets will also work on areas (see rules for this below) in which case any being that is not corrupt may benefit.
- Celestial Hekau: Celestial Hekau affects the caster or the world around them. As a general rule, other people can only benefit from Celestial Hekau by proximity to the caster or indirectly.
- Effigy Hekau: Except as stated above, Effigy Hekau cannot be used on a person at all. No person lacking knowledge of effigies can use them.
The "In Game" Reason
Since all of the Undying have had, and still do have, allies amongst some of the other supernaturals who also seek to rid the world of corruption and bring things back into balance, the Undying need to have something to offer and must be able to thank those who aid them.
The Undying are not the best magicians, warriors or spies so what distinguishes them? What they do best is prepare and bolster their ranks with power and protection. They can make themselves formidable opponents that are easy to underestimate and they can choose carefully whom they will aid with their power.
The most long lasting and powerful of the Hekau are reserved for the Undying and their human allies as the other supernaturals do have their own magics.
| Supernatural Groupings |
|
Gaian Shifters: Rage (not always), Willpower and Gnosis Mages: Arete, Willpower and Quintessence/Paradox Wraith (in Shadowlands only): Corpus, Willpower, Pathos Kithain: Glamour, Willpower, Banality Hunter: Conviction, Willpower Mummy: Direction/Balance/Quest, Willpower, Lifeforce (Sekhem) Demon: Faith, Torment and Willpower Kindred, Cathayans, Risen, etc. cannot be effected. |
The "Out of Game" Reason
It seems silly for mummies to not be able to assist fellow PCs in a mixed game or not allow a powerful mummy that a group of non-mummy PCs encounters to assist them in some way without coming along on their journey. In addition, like the fae, they are great community-minded characters, so allowing them to combine and mix abilities makes sense, as long as it does not go against Ma’at.
As for "magic items" and other more-or-less permanent effects, for balance reasons they are best left in the hands of those that they were meant for.
Legendary items that still have power from the era of Ancient Egypt are the only real exception to these rules. After all, many supernaturals aided Egypt in it's prime and they all worked magic in similar ways. Since then time and belief have eroded this commonality.
Getting Around the Rules
This does not prevent the research and creation of alternate spells and (primarily) rituals that will benefit other supernaturals. These variations on existing Hekau must be purchased separately to affect different types of supernaturals. Vampires, and other forms of undead, cannot benefit from any Hekau.
In system terms the different groups that can be affected are based on their soul type and resulting mechanics: the central Advantages. All beings that have a soul have Willpower. Supernaturals will also have other reserves (see sidebar).