The Followers of Set as an enemy faction in Werewolf

[Elphilm]

A stray thought I had: In mythology, Ammit (aka Amam) is a goddess. (She was recently featured as the crocodile-headed Big Bad Evil Gal of Marvel's Moon Knight, for those of you keeping up with the MCU.) It's likely that Wieck assigned gender to the names he plucked from Budge's book arbitrarily. I don't know if you want to stick to the already established details of Amam the Devourer's World of Darkness incarnation, but I would be tempted to make the character female from the start. We know (if we stick to Mummy canon) that the Bane Mummies were created as late as the first century BCE, so they cannot be the "actual truth" behind mortal religion in the World of Darkness -- for example, the mythological Ammit is millennia older than the Bane Mummy Amam. Nevertheless, the Children of Apophis were all named after Ancient Egyptian deities, and it would be a little more mythologically "accurate" (for whatever that's worth) if Amam was female.

Taking inspiration from the mythological Ammit also brings up the question of whether he/she should be "just" a human turned into a Bane Mummy or something more. I always kind of liked the oddball detail of Sobek being the only (surviving) Mokolé Abomination in the World of Darkness. Ammit's form is even more monstrous than Sobek's -- a mixture of crocodile, lion, and hippopotamus -- so I would probably make the character a mummified shifter of some kind. Mummy 2nd Edition tells us that Garou are actually valid subjects for the Great Rite, although the book is silent on other Fera as mummies. However, some kind of a monstrous Mokolé Bane Mummy might be a step too far into comic-book territory for your purposes!

[Shadeprowler]

Ammit is good example
But Tutu was an egyptian god for example too son of Neith, a Lion with a human head, wearing the Double Feather crown, the Solar Disk and Ram Horns. Originally the protector of tombs, Tutu later guarded the sleeping from danger or bad dreams.

[Asmodai]

. I always kind of liked the oddball detail of Sobek being the only (surviving) Mokolé Abomination in the World of Darkness. Ammit's form is even more monstrous than Sobek's -- a mixture of crocodile, lion, and hippopotamus -- so I would probably make the character a mummified shifter of some kind. Mummy 2nd Edition tells us that Garou are actually valid subjects for the Great Rite, although the book is silent on other Fera as mummies. However, some kind of a monstrous Mokolé Bane Mummy might be a step too far into comic-book territory for your purposes!

Always hated that. The idea of Sobek as mokole does not work in Werewolf. I've always interpretes him as a methusaleh who started as a priest of Sobek and went mad when he was turned. His other special thing(s) was a crocodile themed serpentis discipline and bloodline. Especially as we met the proper Sobek in the Egyptian Realms.

However, Sobek as a bane mummy is something I can totally get behind!

[voidshaper]

Mummy 2nd Edition tells us that Garou are actually valid subjects for the Great Rite, although the book is silent on other Fera as mummies. However, some kind of a monstrous Mokolé Bane Mummy might be a step too far into comic-book territory for your purposes!

I had a similar idea and looked into that yesterday as a result of this thread. The reason given why this is not the best idea is that once the mummy dies after receiving the Spell of Life the Ba of the Garou fuses with the Gnosis and gets stuck in the Umbra. Or in other words, the spirt-bit of the shapeshifter gets fused with the wraith-bit of the mummy and is only accessible on the other side of the shroud. Worse, if the mummy steps sideways, the body is stuck there as well- due to how the soul mechanics work. This happened to Wepauwet, a Silent Strider-turned-Mummy.

Since the half-spirit nature is what makes Fera, this mechanic applies to all of them (or anything with a Gnosis stat- including the few Kinfolk who have it). You can of course hand-wave that for the particular version of the spell that Set used, but there's no reason not to simply give Ammit some Hekau for shape changing.

Side note, an interesting thought experiment is trying to make a mummy (specifically Wu Tian from MtR) out of a Kuei-Jin by trying to make those soul mechanics compatible.

[Elphilm]

Always hated that. The idea of Sobek as mokole does not work in Werewolf.

It's always fun to encounter someone whose threshold for "too much" is different from your own. I put Mokolé Abomination Sobek on the same level of comic-booky fun as the Aabbt Kindred from Berlin by Night. Most fans seem to have an averse reaction when they hear about vampire cobras, but I'm like "Sure, whatever. Let's party." A 4th Generation methuselah's animal ghouls should be something special. I don't really dignify any of the "rules" of the setting as inviolate. It's one of the things I enjoy about early White Wolf -- as soon as the books established a general rule about the setting ("Mokolé Abominations die at the next sunrise!") there was at least one writer ready to break the rule ("Except my cool NPC Embraced by Set himself!"). To me, there remains a certain freshness and vitality to the early books that in spite of all the missteps I like them better than the somewhat staid later material.

[Elphilm]

Side note, an interesting thought experiment is trying to make a mummy (specifically Wu Tian from MtR) out of a Kuei-Jin by trying to make those soul mechanics compatible.

I fully endorse this project!

[Shadeprowler]

This happened to Wepauwet, a Silent Strider-turned-Mummy.

The funny thing is, most of the mythologies Wepwawet, the wolf headed War God (from Nephthys), his brother Anpu/Anubis, the Jackal god of funerary rites, protector of graves, and guide to the underworld (from Nephthys) and their half-brother (from Neith - She was said to be the first and the prime creator, who created the universe and all it contains, and that she governs how it functions. She was the goddess of the cosmos, fate, wisdom, water, rivers, mothers, childbirth, hunting, weaving, and war.) Sobek, the Crocodile God (who above all else, was an aggressive and animalistic deity who lives up to the vicious reputation of his patron animal; some of his common epithets portray this nature succinctly, the most notable of which being: "he who loves robbery", "he who eats while he also mates", and "pointed of teeth". with a minor patron deity streak) and the Crocodile demon-deity, Maga (from one of the foreign goddesses Anat and Astarte).were the sons of Sutekh/Set
This little "lore" could give a funny curve-ball to any story if the ST is up to such things, if they were shapeshifters... then Sutekh/Set probably was a Kinfolk
Then throw in the mix, He was the Champion of Ra, the Sun and defended his great-grandfather (Ra, aspect of Helios Kinfolk great-grandson?) until he betryed him, giving his blessings to Osiris
Even funnier, there is a level 9 Serpentis power that invoke this ancient debt and makes the Settite immune to the sunlight! So there must be some truth in that story....

(Side note: Sobek had a sister, the Scoripion Goddes Serket, the goddess of healing venomous stings and bites in Egyptian mythology; daugther of Set and Neith... if you want to have fun? There is Ash - Jackal headed/Set animal headed God, the "Beloved of Set" god of oases, the Western Desert, as well as the vineyards of the western Nile Delta, Lord of Libya, god of the Libu and Tinhu tribes, known as the people of the oasis. Protector of the royal estates, since his lover, Set, in Lower Egypt, was regarded as the patron deity of royalty itself.)

Egyptian mythology is the treasure trove of stories!

[Black Fox]

It's always fun to encounter someone whose threshold for "too much" is different from your own. I put Mokolé Abomination Sobek on the same level of comic-booky fun as the Aabbt Kindred from Berlin by Night. Most fans seem to have an averse reaction when they hear about vampire cobras, but I'm like "Sure, whatever. Let's party." A 4th Generation methuselah's animal ghouls should be something special. I don't really dignify any of the "rules" of the setting as inviolate.

I'm definitely among those that roll their eyes at the Aabt Kindred. But I figure they are fine as some sort of fomori found at some Setite Temples. As you say, people have different dividing lines on what is cool or ridiculous.

BTW, I just looked at Berlin By Night for the first time in ages in order to read up on the Aabt again, and I saw that Saatet-ta is actually described and given a character sheet just a page earlier! But she's so lackluster that I am not surprised Mummy 2e completely forgot about her! It's just another reason for me to despise Berlin By Night - I find it just a big dog's breakfast that is disappointing on so many levels.

It's one of the things I enjoy about early White Wolf -- as soon as the books established a general rule about the setting ("Mokolé Abominations die at the next sunrise!") there was at least one writer ready to break the rule ("Except my cool NPC Embraced by Set himself!"). To me, there remains a certain freshness and vitality to the early books that in spite of all the missteps I like them better than the somewhat staid later material.

I do agree that somehow the early material has a vitality that even later 2e material lacks despite any mistakes. While I do like some of the later, more polished sourcebooks, it is to the very early materials that I go to for inspiration. And I don't mind making changes to the material. While I do believe any RPG setting has to maintain some sort of canon in order for it to make sense to players, I believe the ST shouldn't abide by it. Every ST should make whatever changes she needs to fit the setting into her vision.

[Black Fox]

So my first step is to generate some basic concepts for the mortal lives of the Bane Mummies. We know some basic facts that should apply to all of them. They were mortal followers of Set. They were of native Egyptian stock. They were the best of Set’s mortal minions and the cream of Egyptian society. These seven included priests, warriors, and magicians. Finally Set selected them for the privilege of becoming the first of his mummies, and he performed the ceremony in Alexandria in the first century BC as a test. (It turned out the test failed, the Bane Mummies were powerful but not under Set’s control). This happened shortly after the Spell of Life was stolen and Set wiped out the existing Cult of Isis. These details come from Mummy 2e. Mummy 1e does not have these details, but slightly suggest the time period Mummy 2e made explicit.

Simply because I like to work out the details in case it matters, I want to select the general time period when this happened. I’ll be placing it during the reign on Ptolemy XII (the father of the famous Cleopatra we all know) specifically during the time period when he was in exile in Rome, having fled due to the unpopularity of his failed pro-Roman policies (58-55 BC). Ptolemy XII’s reign is noted for bad statesmanship, and the pharaoh himself was seen as weak, self-indulgent, and ineffectual. To me, this screams a time period when Set was active once again. The chaos and violence that resulted from Ptolemy’s exile and subsequent return by an invasion of a bribed Roman army is exactly the kind of thing that would allow Set to wipe out the Cult of Isis. I have no idea if any of this will become important, but it is the type of details that inspire me.

Given that we are specifically given “priest”, “warrior”, and “magician” of examples, I'll have my Bane Mummies reflect this. We know Amam was a priest, so that is covered. One of the few things I liked about MtR’s examples was a scribe compiling forbidden knowledge, so that is our magician. So we need someone who is a warrior. Since these are supposed to be from the Egyptian elite, I’m thinking some kind of general.

There is some historical issues here since the Ptolemies were Greek, and their army had been based on the Macedonian phalanx and the tactics of Alexander the Great. However, we know there were native Egyptians eventually recruited into their of army. But by the time of the first century BC Egypt was a run down state and the army had been neglected with the Ptolemies relying heavily on foreign mercenaries. But this doesn’t mean there isn’t any Egyptians in the army and lead by their own officers. There as even an Egyptian component of the Royal Guard. So I think a “warrior” concept is still valid. We just have to place such an Egyptian warrior in its proper place - a lower ranking status than the Greeks, and probably very Hellenized..

But what about other concepts that meet the criteria? One issue with the Bane Mummies being native Egyptians is that excludes the large number of Greeks that actually ran the country and controlled some of the most famous institutions of this time, like the Great Library. I have several ideas that I think fit.

• physician
• engineer
• bureaucrat / tax surveyor / customs agent
• landowner / magnate
• elite artists/entertainers working for the royal court or temples

There’s also the possibility we use the same general concept more than one (why not have two priests among the Bane Mummies?). I would want to minimize duplicate concepts as much as possible, but there’s no reason not to it as long as we have very strong concepts.

For the two female mummies, we are more limited than with men. But I understand women in Egypt could be priestesses, physicians, the dominant decision maker in the family, and elite women could still work as temple musicians or dancers.

Feel free to add new ideas if you have them.

At this time, I’m not going to actually select the mortal lives of the Bane Mummies. I’ll keep these ideas in mind though, and as I develop the more important aspects of the Bane Mummies (how they’ll be used during the game) I’ll see what kind of concepts make sense to add. I'll come back in a bit and consider what kind of powers I want some of the Bane Mummies to have.

[AnubisXy]

There is some historical issues here since the Ptolemies were Greek, and their army had been based on the Macedonian phalanx and the tactics of Alexander the Great. However, we know there were native Egyptians eventually recruited into their of army. But by the time of the first century BC Egypt was a run down state and the army had been neglected with the Ptolemies relying heavily on foreign mercenaries. But this doesn’t mean there isn’t any Egyptians in the army and lead by their own officers. There as even an Egyptian component of the Royal Guard. So I think a “warrior” concept is still valid. We just have to place such an Egyptian warrior in its proper place - a lower ranking status than the Greeks, and probably very Hellenized..

One idea I had off hand for this Bane Mummy's personality, maybe he had a bit of an inferiority complex in life due to having to hold a lower rank simply because he was Egyptian rather than Greek. After he was reborn, he ended up believing that the Greeks were superior to Egyptians, causing a rift between him and the Followers of Set. Worse, he ended up adopting the dress, demeanor and language of the Greeks so well that, along with a bit of mystical magic, he was able to pass himself off as Greek. After the Greeks were defeated by the Romans, he became extremely pro-Roman believing that the Romans were the strongest and ended up adopting their mannerisms, passing himself off as a Roman and moving to Rome.

This carried on throughout history, with this Bane Mummy adopting to whatever the "strongest country in the world" at the time was, and adopting the language, slang, dress and demeanor of the most stereotypical member of that country, the sort where you see him and immediately know that he's from Country X. He's passed himself off as Arabic, French, Italian, British, Mongolian, Spanish, Chinese and traveled across the world at various times settling into different societies. During peace time he'd worm his way near to government officials, encouraging the country to engage in warfare. In wartime he'd join the military, fighting on the front line and committing atrocities and encouraging his fellow soldiers and those under him to do likewise.

So when the British were the "strongest country in the world" he acted and carried himself like a stereotypical British upperclass gentleman. He moved to Britain, and got set himself up in British society. He's a Bane Mummy and servitor to the Wyrm, so the things he does are pretty terrible. These days with the prominence of the United States, he's moved to the US (maybe he lives in New York or LA or Washington D.C.). He'd likely carry himself and pass himself off as the most stereotypical American imaginable. Like he'd wear a cowboy hat and talk with a southern drawl. Deep down though he still always has that inferiority complex he had when he was mortal. He never sees himself as a "true" member of whatever society he's currently living in. No matter what mask he wars, he's still Egyptian, and he missed his chance at being an Egyptian when Egypt was the strongest country in the world and that fact always gnaws away at him.

Ultimately the Followers of Set and him don't get along because he basically sneers at Egypt, viewing it as a once powerful but now fallen and irrelevant country and feeling that the Followers are just a bunch of backwards thinking fools for tying themselves so heavily to that place. That and the basic understanding that all Bane Mummies have - no matter how powerful of a "god" Set is, before the Wyrm he's little more than a child and entirely undeserving of adoration or worship. Set thinks he's a master of masks and puppets but neither he nor his Followers can see the strings on his hands leading back to the Wyrm. And the Followers don't like him either, same as they don't like other Bane Mummies, but sometimes they end up having to work together.

[voidshaper]

After reading through Promethean, I've always thought that Mummy would make a good host system for a Frankenstein's Monster type sub-splat. Maybe Set got a little (more) experimental and one of the Bane Mummies is actually a jigsaw of multiple souls and bodies (Kharebutu would become a little more interesting). I feel there are so few of the Bane Mummies that each one could benefit from something more unique than just a sobriquet or personality quirk.

Edit:
Slightly tacky idea for Hemhemti: was a talented singer and supposed to be a courtier/seneschal/propagandist for Set. Now hides in the open as front-man of a shock-rock or metal band (disguising his appearance as makeup) and uses his Ren-Hekau to literally corrupt the youth with his lyrics.

For Saatet-ta, I imagined a role as spoiler-of-crops after having had some agricultural background as a human. It's a pretty classic occupation for a corrupter, and in this case my mind leapt to Earthbound (or Neverborn, Baali Children, etc) as a special thing about her. A Bane Mummy looking for a greater power to tap into instead of being content with their own would make sense to me.

[Asmodai]

AnubisXy

It's an intriguing writeup with a lot of depth. I only wonder about his identity perceptions. Considering that soon Egypt would be under the Roman Empire, and there he could find a place for himself in a bigger more powerful empire that Egypt ever was. Maybe he took a roman name, maybe one copying Gaius Julius/Caesar or Octavian/Augustus, who he might see as tearing down the corrupt Ptolomeii?

His names through time and empires could resonate with this or have him insist on his latin name? Part of his regrets might even have him refuse his true name and title. It might even provoke him into a rage?

Would he be built up more as a leader or a fighter? How does one help the Shemsu Heru considering their action economy tricks are quite lacklustre?

[Black Fox]

Now I’m going to brainstorm some mummy and fomori powers that can work well together. This will also get us closer to figuring out their “role” and what kind of cults could surround them. I’m not assigning them to names right now (with some exceptions). Just trying to get a feel for certain combinations of powers.

I’ve already discussed making Amam some unstoppable force. While I think all Bane Mummies should be physically impressive to some degree, I don’t think all of them should be at the level of Amam or that should be their sole focus.

Making one of them a powerful magician is another obvious choice. Very high ratings in all or most of the Hekau Paths: Amulets, Alchemy, Celesitial, Necromancy, Ren-hekau, and Ushabti. Maybe backgrounds like Arcane and Artifact. Fomori powers like Spirit Ties, Gifted Fomor, Umbral Passage, Sense the Unnatural, and Animal Control could boost that image as well. (I am not suggesting all these Fomori Powers should be used, just as examples of ones that tie in with the magician theme.) This is a scholar type, but the scholar could be someone like Thoth Amon or Thulsa Doom.

The name Hemhemti the Roarer calls to my mind Fomori Powers like Roar of the Wyrm, Wrathful Invective, and Cause Insanity. He is not a manipulator though. This is a horrible monster that causes fear and madness through his roars - primal sounds of chaos. Maybe even a Dentata Orifice to provide an additional mouth to scream from. Give him good physical stats too. Maybe he is more of a guardian type than someone sent out to eliminate enemies. When you want something protected, this the Bane Mummy to use. Knowledge of Amulets, Celestial, and Ushabti could be useful in a protective purpose as might Necromancy. A Background like Arcane could also help.

Another category might be someone who is a plotter, manipulator, controller, mastermind type. He works mainly through his minions and the influence he can build. Hekau Paths like Alchemy, Ren-Hekau an Ushabti would be good here. A merit like Soothing Voice and Backgrounds like Contacts, Influence, and Retainers. Fomori Powers like Echoes of Wrath, Voice of the Wyrm, and Animal Control could build on that. Bane Mummies are said to not have any Social attributes, but that can easily be ignored. We can either try to ignore or compensate for the zero Social traits for Bane Mummies, or primarily have this person work through a cult. Its the minions, perhaps given Alchemy potions and supported by other means, who enact the plan while this Bane Mummy is at the center of the spider’s web.

Maybe someone more serpent than man? Fomori powers like Toxic Secretion, Venomous Bite, Armored Hide, Rathead would fit. Maybe a Bestial Mutation that transforms into a giant snake. Maybe he’s more dragon than humanoid now, so we also give him Unnatural Strength, Lashing Tail, and Wings. Hekau like Celestial, Necromancy, and Ren-hekau might be good to give the creature, evoking some common supernatural powers to mythological dragons and chaos serpents. If you don’t like snakes, maybe go with an Egyptian sphinx instead, or if you really like Robert E Howad go with one of his baboon/ape demons that Conan fought.

Another theme might be something like an infiltrator. Not so much a thief, but someone who could join a group and be accepted as one of them. That would include humans, but also vampires or even Changing Breeds. Knowledge of Alchemy and Amulets wouklbe very useful, especially Alchemy. (That might be a good way to boost Social attributes which are generally at zero for Bane Mummies). Fomori Powers like Chameleon Coloration, Deception, Invisibility, Triatic Scent, and Darksight would be beneficial. You’d also need some unique Fomori Power that allows the Bane Mummy to disguise their appearance, perhaps look entirely like another person, maybe even change height, size, maybe even sex. Or you give the person special unique, high level Alchemy potions that can do the same. Or maybe an Artifact. The Clear Sighted merit could help this one immensely. Backgrounds like Retainers, Resources, and Journal would support the concept.

A diseased ridden mummy spreading plague is a popular trope. Alchemy, Amulets, and Necromancy could fit. Fomori Powers like Cancerous Carapace, Infectious Touch, Fungal Touch, Noxious Miasma, and Regeneration would help. This Bane Mummy might be good when someone wants an entire area quickly vacated - either killing off everyone or causing a panic as people don’t know what is causing the mysterious deaths and flee.

= =

I’m not suggesting that the ONLY powers they have should go along with the concept. If you really like Body Barbs as a power to give to the magician or plotter, that works too. Just give a random one the power of Wall Walking just to be creepy. Bane Mummies should have a lot of weird stuff about them. And probably all of them should be impressive physically. It’s just that I think it would beneficial to distinguish each of the Bane Mummies, and givng them themed powers or specialization is one way of doing them.

While I am stopping at seven here, this isn’t because these are my seven Bane Mummies to use. I’d be very interested in hearing from others about other concepts and combinations of powers, backgrounds, merits, etc. I see people are already providing examples of different thematic concepts.

Later we can talk about cool and interesting flair and taints that Bluecho mentioned like “a shriveled cadaver bound in wrappings writ with curses. Flames and electric lights guttering and dying in their presence. Hexes radiating from them passively by proximity, much less at their touch.” I know there are a lot more evocative imagery out there that people have.

[Black Fox]

For Saatet-ta, I imagined a role as spoiler-of-crops after having had some agricultural background as a human. It's a pretty classic occupation for a corrupter, and in this case my mind leapt to Earthbound (or Neverborn, Baali Children, etc) as a special thing about her. A Bane Mummy looking for a greater power to tap into instead of being content with their own would make sense to me.

I like this general idea a lot. Her mere presence might cause crop blight, murrain, rinderpest, attract plagues of locusts or other crop eating insects, terrible hail that flattens crops, drought, floods, etc. Crops and livestock just wither once she comes by. Her appearance can portend famine and absolute hunger. Maybe when people approach they can hear a vague sense of locusts swarming. Make her a master of the Celestial Hekau. Give her Animal Control fomori power, perhaps a variant that limits the type of animals but increases total numbers and range.

She can despoil the earth and darken the sky.

[Shadeprowler]

For some reason, forum swallowed my post, like Ammit the souls...
Let's try again!

This happened to Wepauwet, a Silent Strider-turned-Mummy.

The funny thing is, most of the mythologies Wepwawet, the wolf headed War God (from Nephthys), his brother Anpu/Anubis, the Jackal god of funerary rites, protector of graves, and guide to the underworld (from Nephthys) and their half-brother (from Neith - She was said to be the first and the prime creator, who created the universe and all it contains, and that she governs how it functions. She was the goddess of the cosmos, fate, wisdom, water, rivers, mothers, childbirth, hunting, weaving, and war.) Sobek, the Crocodile God (who above all else, was an aggressive and animalistic deity who lives up to the vicious reputation of his patron animal; some of his common epithets portray this nature succinctly, the most notable of which being: "he who loves robbery", "he who eats while he also mates", and "pointed of teeth". with a minor patron deity streak) and the Crocodile demon-deity, Maga (from one of the foreign goddesses Anat and Astarte).were the sons of Sutekh/Set
This little "lore" could give a funny curve-ball to any story if the ST is up to such things, if they were shapeshifters... then Sutekh/Set probably was a Kinfolk
Then throw in the mix, He was the Champion of Ra, the Sun and defended his great-grandfather (Ra, aspect of Helios Kinfolk great-grandson?) until he betryed him, giving his blessings to Osiris
Even funnier, there is a level 9 Serpentis power that invoke this ancient debt and makes the Settite immune to the sunlight! So there must be some truth in that story....

(Side note: Sobek had a sister, the Scoripion Goddes Serket, the goddess of healing venomous stings and bites in Egyptian mythology; daugther of Set and Neith... if you want to have fun? There is Ash - Jackal headed/Set animal headed God, the "Beloved of Set" god of oases, the Western Desert, as well as the vineyards of the western Nile Delta, Lord of Libya, god of the Libu and Tinhu tribes, known as the people of the oasis. Protector of the royal estates, since his lover, Set, in Lower Egypt, was regarded as the patron deity of royalty itself.)

Egyptian mythology is the treasure trove of stories!