Ask a simple question, get a simple answer- Mummy edition

[TyrannicalRabbit]

So, I'm a little unsure of what's meant to happen with the Rite of Investment. Is the idea that the Mummy gives a Pillar point or a pillar dot? Because the text says points, but they seem very... enduring? In a way that I'm a little surprised is the case if they're 'just' supernatural fuel. Just looking for a little clarification.

Pillar points. The people that are invested, depending on what they are have uses for them that vary from ways much like a Deathless can or unique like replacing ritual implements of Sekhem Sorcery. But they also act as way for a Mummy to expand on their pool of available Pillar points, as you can have a large pool of Pillars invested in a large cult, waiting to be used if some emergency comes along, or otherwise a situation in which you need to burn a lot of Pillar points.

[Distant Choir]

Are there mechanics for Apotheosis as described in the back of the core book?

[ajf115]

Are there mechanics for Apotheosis as described in the back of the core book?

That should be the 'Escaping the Cycle' sidebar, though the mechanics are a bit flat in my opinion. MtC 1e core, pages 172-174 has some more detailed mechanics which you should be able to use more or less wholesale, or with relatively minimal adaptation.

[Distant Choir]

That should be the 'Escaping the Cycle' sidebar, though the mechanics are a bit flat in my opinion. MtC 1e core, pages 172-174 has some more detailed mechanics which you should be able to use more or less wholesale, or with relatively minimal adaptation.

The lacklustre sidebar is exactly why I asked! I'm aware of some of the 1e mechanics to them, but I heard that things might have been changed in 2e, such as regaining Sekhem after Apotheosis.

[ajf115]

The lacklustre sidebar is exactly why I asked! I'm aware of some of the 1e mechanics to them, but I heard that things might have been changed in 2e, such as regaining Sekhem after Apotheosis.

I don't know about official mechanics, but my approach to the thing is that Apotheosized mummies arise at Sekhem 1, but don't naturally fall below 1 (though it can be stolen from them, they can sacrifice it and so on). Because they're not bound to the Judges anymore, they're exempt from the causes of Descent rolls which are manifestations of the Judges' displeasure.

Apart from that, they use their Memory rating for Supernatural Tolerance (e.g. for resisting other powers, in Clash of Wills), though Sekhem is still used to determine what Utterances they can cast, become capable of performing mortal sorcery (notably including Vestige- and Relic-making), and can raise their Sekhem temporarily through the normal means (draining Relics etc) - but obviously, getting high Sekhem is something of an uphill battle for them, and naturally tends to draw enemies.

[ajf115]

A question of my own: For the purpose of 'mortals only' magic like most Supernatural Merits, do Sadikh count as mortals?

[Demigod Beast]

A question of my own: For the purpose of 'mortals only' magic like most Supernatural Merits, do Sadikh count as mortals?

I’d say no. They’re immortal AND undead.

[Satchel]

Less of a mechanics question and more a probe into the aggregate headspace:

The nature of their affinity relics makes it easy to say the sorts of archetypal places that you could use to describe the tombs of Sesha-Hebsu and Su-Menent mummies (libraries/archives and mausolea/literal tombs, respectively); the Tef-Aabhi role as architects likewise it easy to see a certain category of building or monolith housing their bodies in repose. The Mesen-Nebu that lives in your head can probably be put to rest in some sort of bank or company building, largely because their general shtick lends itself well to Enterprise-type cults, and the Maa-Kep have the same thing going on with Conspiracy-type cults…

…but I'm having trouble identifying what "a building associated with conspiracy" is in general terms, and the alternatives that spring to mind are basically just bureaucratic offices and The Halls Of Power™, which kind of blend into the other four guilds' headspace except with extra badges and seals around. This might be the point, but I figured I'd put it to the forums:

How would you describe the quintessential Maa-Kep Tomb, as a structure summed up in a small handful of words?

[espritdecalmar]

How would you describe the quintessential Maa-Kep Tomb, as a structure summed up in a small handful of words?

Understated but dignified, like something designed by Iremite Martha Stewart. Spaces to place interchangeable symbols and accents depending on the mummy's current loyalties. Locations connected to the Deep State.

[21C Hermit]

Less of a mechanics question and more a probe into the aggregate headspace:

The nature of their affinity relics makes it easy to say the sorts of archetypal places that you could use to describe the tombs of Sesha-Hebsu and Su-Menent mummies (libraries/archives and mausolea/literal tombs, respectively); the Tef-Aabhi role as architects likewise it easy to see a certain category of building or monolith housing their bodies in repose. The Mesen-Nebu that lives in your head can probably be put to rest in some sort of bank or company building, largely because their general shtick lends itself well to Enterprise-type cults, and the Maa-Kep have the same thing going on with Conspiracy-type cults…

…but I'm having trouble identifying what "a building associated with conspiracy" is in general terms, and the alternatives that spring to mind are basically just bureaucratic offices and The Halls Of Power™, which kind of blend into the other four guilds' headspace except with extra badges and seals around. This might be the point, but I figured I'd put it to the forums:

How would you describe the quintessential Maa-Kep Tomb, as a structure summed up in a small handful of words?

Schools. Apartment complexes. Gated communities. (And bureaucratic offices, too, of course)

[nothri]

Less of a mechanics question and more a probe into the aggregate headspace:

The nature of their affinity relics makes it easy to say the sorts of archetypal places that you could use to describe the tombs of Sesha-Hebsu and Su-Menent mummies (libraries/archives and mausolea/literal tombs, respectively); the Tef-Aabhi role as architects likewise it easy to see a certain category of building or monolith housing their bodies in repose. The Mesen-Nebu that lives in your head can probably be put to rest in some sort of bank or company building, largely because their general shtick lends itself well to Enterprise-type cults, and the Maa-Kep have the same thing going on with Conspiracy-type cults…

…but I'm having trouble identifying what "a building associated with conspiracy" is in general terms, and the alternatives that spring to mind are basically just bureaucratic offices and The Halls Of Power™, which kind of blend into the other four guilds' headspace except with extra badges and seals around. This might be the point, but I figured I'd put it to the forums:

How would you describe the quintessential Maa-Kep Tomb, as a structure summed up in a small handful of words?

Community centers, town halls, military bases, court houses and government buildings; their role as ambassadors might also imply resting beneath old extravagant hotels, restaurants, coffee shops (the sterotypical centers of conspiring revolutionaries), etc. Train stations, bus terminals, airports (or their ancient equivalent, the gates in and out of the city, basically any place that allows a mummy or a cultist to take note of who enters and who leaves a Nome without drawing undue attention); any major hub along an established communication network, from court footmen to postal workers to telegraph/telephone stations into the modern radio towers, TV stations, satellite communication monitoring stations, etc.

As an aside, I set my game in a city that had a long and tragic history of class conflict and labor clashes. Since Arisen like to shape human history and end up being shaped by history (for example, the ways in which their cults evolve with the times) I assigned a Mesen-Nebu cult to represent the rich and industrial factions of the city while the Maa-Kep represented the poor and the labor unions. It just seemed like the logical choice under the circumstances.

[Ulisses]

to enhanced phisical attribute the Arisen spending 1 single point Pillar (exemple with sekhem 10, spending 1 single point Pillar and boost Strength to +4, its right?)

[PinkHaunt]

In second edition, the apperanc eof the mummy is still affected by its Sekhem ratings, I mean does they still look like an actual mummified corpse at higher Sekhem levels and as Sekhem drops they got progressively more human-like?

[Satchel]

In second edition, the apperanc eof the mummy is still affected by its Sekhem ratings, I mean does they still look like an actual mummified corpse at higher Sekhem levels and as Sekhem drops they got progressively more human-like?

Second item under "Effects of Sekhem," on page 159:

At the start of most Descents, mummies begin with Sekhem 10. Time, certain supernatural attacks, death, and disobedience to the Judges erode a mummy’s Sekhem rating until it reaches 0. A mummy at Sekhem 10 and 9 appears as a monstrous mummy, crackling and glowing with power. At Sekhem 8 and 7 this stabilizes and the Arisen appears as a walking, but regal mummified body. By Sekhem 6 and 5, the mummy appears as a walking cadaver dead for between a year and a decade. Only from Sekhem 5 and lower does the mummy easily pass for a healthy human. This is all an illusion maintained over the sahu.

[Satchel]

Belatedly found a change in the Final Download version of 2e Core that I'd like to get extra eyes on, since it seems some related sections weren't updated to match it:

Rather than reiterating the contents of the Death Cycles section from page 319, the section on Death and Resurrection on page 165 now says that mummies that return to life must roll their highest Pillar rating and gain dots of Memory up to a maximum of 3. The section on Memory on page 160 still says that a mummy who returns to life from Memory 0 is restored to a rating of 1 (which is admittedly still the most likely result for most characters rolling their highest Pillar rating, particularly if the -1 from failing the initial Memory roll from the Death Cycle still applies); the Death Cycles section still describes it as "roll Memory to find Anpu, then roll Memory again to resurrect and see how much Sekhem you lose from doing so."

Given that this is the only new element out of the three, it seems reasonable to conclude that that's the one that's supposed to be there, particularly given that losing up to two dots of Sekhem at the end of a Death Cycle based on a roll that low Memory penalizes twice is effectively a death spiral that you can't remedy for the rest of your Descent if coming back from Memory 0 only gives you Memory 1 — the process basically becomes an elaborate prelude to henet at low Sekhem at that point.

That said, is the following takeaway solid?

• When a mummy dies with more than one dot of Sekhem, they enter a death cycle, wherein they must navigate their memories to find Anpu, rolling Memory to determine how well they manage.
• Once the mummy has reached the akhet leading to their body, they roll their highest Pillar rating modified by the result of the Memory roll, adding their successes to their Memory rating if it is less than 3, to a maximum increased total of 3, though this does not lower the mummy's Memory rating if it is higher than 3.
• The mummy then takes an amount of time determined by their Memory rating to resurrect (which, for Memory 3 and below, is instantaneous), at which point all pre-death damage is healed. No Sekhem is mechanically lost in the process, but the Descent timer is still counting down as it always is.