By Michael Brown
The Mortech are the crafters of the Mortiane and their central location at Court is the Ossuary, the Temple of Bone, created by the Mortech themselves.
Necrotechnics has 10 levels, as distinguished from the 5 levels of both Touches and Spheres. This is done to highlight the extent of power available to the Mortech that is not available to the other Mortiane, and to display the differences between the Spheres and Necrotechnics. On Earth, their magic is always vulgar and the Paradox accumulated is simply called Backlash. To spend Backlash, take Paradox flaws as normal, but only take Matter flaws that relate to the style of magic used. Mortech do not enter Quiet; instead they endure a process called Transference, where their magic alters their physical forms permanently.
Each point in this Touch grants one die in a dicepool to create items as various as weaponry to buildings and beings, from the usual sources of bones and machinery.
Bones remember, but cannot speak. This is the way of things.
If magic is life, science is death. Science is the cold death of mystery. Machines and tools hold power.
All the secrets never told flow into the Court of Death and become known to the High Acolyte Alkani and the other Mortech. All the sciences dreamed but never awakened are known to the Mortech and with that knowledge they create items of power for the Dead.
This Touch carries many names. A common name used by older Mortech is the Art of Bones. Some younger dead favour Cybernecrotics as a suitable name for their Touch.
** Leaping the Abyss: This is a vital ability for travelling the Oblivion, and one that has sometimes doomed a young Rider to the very thing it tries to cross. The Rider must make a Man. + Riding the Abyss roll, difficulty 7, the successes = the number of minutes that the Rider may stay in the Oblivion. If 3 or more botches are rolled, the Mortiane must immediately make another roll, difficulty 9. If this roll is botched, the Rider is immediately lost to Oblivion. If the Rider survives it wakes up with the number of successes in wounds. A single or double botch is only counted as a failure, and failure simply means being lost, often temporarily, but sometimes not, in the Oblivion.
*** War Party: This ability is used to fight the bodiless beings that exist in the Oblivion. The roll is Dex.+ Riding the Abyss to fight any beings that exist there. Once they suffer full Health Levels in damage the beings simply discorporate and, theoretically, return to Death.
**** Riding the Long Darkened Path: This ability allows the Rider to open a portal in the Oblivion to one of its exits into the Shadowlands, for yourself and any other Riders travelling with you. The roll required is Wits + Riding the Abyss, difficulty 9. If this roll is botched, you will have to make a roll as for Leaping the Abyss as if you had amassed 3 or more botches.
***** Exorcise: This ability allows you to sense potential Shades in the Shadowlands before they succumb to the influence of the Malfeans. Potential Shades are defined as Wraiths with a Shadow rating higher than the Wraith's Willpower, or a Shadow with an Angst of 7 or more.
Note: As an automatic failsafe, a Rider can return to Court by making a Willpower roll, difficulty 8, increasing by one, every failed attempt, to the established maximum of 10.
High Acolyte: The High Acolytes are the indisputable rulers of all Mortiane Society and even the most arrogant Lich Acolyte must bow his head to a Golemim High Acolyte. The High Acolytes are chosen by Death Herself to serve Her in all Her incarnations.
The Accompagnie: The Accompagnie hold a dubious position; though they are the favoured servants of the High Acolytes they have no authority, save as well respected messengers. Still this does not prevent them from throwing their weight around, and the High Acolytes occasionally do react with concern when one of their servants are fried by an exasperated Mortiane.
The Favoured: The Favoured are those deemed worthy to exist at Court. Those who travel to the Court from Earth are not automatically considered among the Favoured; it is something that must be proven.
The Lifedwellers: Those who have not been chosen to dwell in Death's presence, but continue to exist on Earth. The Lifedwellers are regarded as oddities by those at Court, and are often treated as idiot cousins.
The Ravensons are always regarded as among the Favoured when at Court.
The Breeds are all regarded as equal in the eyes of Death. No Breed-based hatred is tolerated at the court of Death. As such, Breed does not affect standing in any way.
Keeper of the Sacred Knowledges, the High Acolyte Mortech, Alkani
Mistress of Shades, the High Acolyte Lich, Sriata
Whisperer in the Night, the High Acolyte Golemim, Jack of the Lanterns.
Breaker of the Ways, the High Acolyte Revenant, Amoto.
"Don't try looking for my eyes, I ain't got none. Been a while since you were this scared, huh? Well yer uncle Jack'll take care of ya... for as long as you live."
Jack of the Lanterns is an ancient Golemim; he claims to be the first, but Jack lies about many things, perhaps even this. It is known that Jack consorts with Wraiths and leads an event known as the Danse Macabre on All Hallows Eve, wherein a large number of the Dead terrorize the Living. Perhaps the reason for Jack's annual excursion into the Living World can be found in the inscription above the entry to his Dominion:
"One night in fear, a Life savour'd."
Known Caresses given by Death to Jack of the Lanterns
The Midnight Dance: One night a year Jack can control any creature commonly viewed as a creature of the night (Vampires, Werewolves, Wraiths etc and so on). They hold a wild revelry where the barriers between Life and Death are sundered (this includes the Umbra, the Shadowlands, and in addition the static reality for Mages collapses). At the end of the evening all the beings are returned to where they came from and reality is returned to normal. The only sign the event ever happened are smashed windows and upturned tombstones and many, many terrified mortals.
"We are the librarians and crafters, the sages and manufacturers. The balance of the Mind and Body, the dominion of a dead soul. The perfect structure."
None of the Mortech are said to know the age of their Oracle and Lord, the High Acolyte Alkani. Alkani, it is said, is the supreme Master of the Art of Bones, or Necrotechnics as it is known to the younger Mortech. Alkani formed their beliefs and moulded their sect from its infancy. He built their temple himself, though it has been expanded much over the centuries. Alkani travels the most of all the High Acolytes; he is known to visit the 7 Lords of Stygia, to speak with ancient and hidden Vampires and even to be accepted in the Courts of Lady Death's cousins Gaia, Phoebe and Helios. Alkani learns and analyses facts for his Monarch and it is said that there is nothing he does not know of both the Living and Dead worlds.
Known Caresses given by Death to Alkani
Charon's coin: The ability to gain entry to Stygia, the underworld of the Wraiths, and all other Dark Kingdoms.
Sister Life's Grace: The ability to enter Her Garden, known as the Umbra.
Flight of Far Lands: The ability to travel to those places that exist over the Horizon.
Dreams of the Dark Father's Children: The ability to enter the city of Enoch.
"I shall grant you time to hear my words. I am touched by Death, I know Her secrets. There is much you could learn, and an eternal life in which to learn, should you choose. You have heard enough, the audience is concluded."
It is rumoured that Sriata was the first mortal to refuse to succumb to Death. A magician without equal, Sriata passed from life into the very presence of Death, and if the stories are true, demanded to be released from the hold of Life and Death. Death was amused at this tiny sorceress' exclamations, and in return for answering her questions, gained her service. It was Sriata's duty to monitor those who bend the Laws of Life and Death and give them Death's Blessing to pursue Her cause. Sriata founded the Courts' Hierarchy and La Societ on Earth and allowed the Mortiane to organise themselves. Perceived inequalities in her system are trivial matters to Sriata and the continued oppression of Golemim and Zombi on Earth is beneath her concern. Sriata has no fixed form anymore and appears to others as she chooses to. All of her forms, however, are feminine. Sriatas' Caresses are her secret alone.
"In carnage is there truth. In the moments of heat and the moments of blood, do we see the world in its finest clarity. The acts of violence are acts of love to our Lady. The dance that brings the Living into Her arms forever."
Bejaxa is the only Familiaris Maleficari to have been chosen to serve Death as High Acolyte. Bejaxas' history is a long and dark one. Created centuries upon centuries ago from the blood of the murdered enemy of a powerful magician, Bejaxa served its master silently for nearly two centuries, learning everything it could, but hiding its increasing knowledge from its suspicious master. Bejaxa's master eventually died slowly and painfully from a slow-acting poison. It is uncertain, but likely, that Bejaxa killed its master, and though it is impossible for a familiar to act against the one who summoned it, it seems that Bejaxa has found a way. Over time, Bejaxa has grown to the size of an average human and like all High Acolytes has received a number of Caresses, some of which are known to be:
Permanence: The ability to maintain a solid, strong bodily shape.
Swiftness of the Frenzy: the ability to move faster than any living being that faces Bejaxa.
Bloods' Scion: the ability to temporarily create a simple Familiaris from his own body. To destroy a Bloods' Scion is to attack Bejaxa himself.
"All things die
This law have we broken
From Her, none may return
This law have we broken
None may stare into the face of Death and laugh
This law have we broken."
There are no laws; rules are meaningless, hierarchy a sham. Amoto is a troublemaker in the Court of Death and enjoys bringing false rulers low. Amoto casts the most dissent at the strictures of both other High Acolytes and the autocratic Acolytes. Amoto is the breaker of bonds and the rebel of Death. It was Amoto who bought the Shattering of Bond's Touch to the enslaved dead. Amoto's greatest rival is, of course, Sriata. They have entered into a pact to face each other at the Surrendering, when all Life succumbs to Lady Death, and struggle for the shape of Lifes' Fifth World, Chaos or Order winner taking all.
Amoto's Caresses are known as the Five Freedoms of Amoto. Freedom from the bonds of senses, body, mind, spirit and life.
Even the Dead must reside somewhere, and the places they choose to create for themselves are the Hollows. The Hollows represent 'boroughs' of a Mortville. Hollows are essentially places 'wedged' into reality by certain specialist Mortech. They are inaccessible to the Living, as well as imperceptible. The Living walk past these avenues and boulevards every day, never knowing what they have obliviously passed by.
Once in a Hollow, its architecture cannot be ignored. The streets, the buildings, almost every fixture is made of bone, crafted by the Master Artisans of the Mortech. The enchantment used to obscure the Hollows from the Living World is a strong one, although it sometimes weakens. Those who have touched Death, if only briefly, may sometimes see the bone spires of a Mortville's Hollows, thus Vampires and Wraiths sometimes catch glimpses. Those who live side by side with Death: the junkies, the homeless, the desperate and insane, also know of the cities within cities, but may never cross over, until they take that final step into Her arms. Beings who strongly embrace life can never see the cities of the Dead in their midst, that is the weakness of the Living; they never know Death until She comes to claim them. The Garou and the Fae are forever excluded from the Hollows. A Mortville is usually composed of as many as five Hollows, as well as a number of minor 'pockets'. It is common to find the following buildings in a Mortville's Hollows.
The Regnancy, the abode of the ruling Magister Lord or Acolyte, and their entourage. This is also where the ruler holds Court.
The Convocacy, a central hall/meeting area for a Mortville's Dead.
The Pits, usually adjacent to or co-located with areas of Living entertainment or leisure, the Pits are those places where the Dead may amuse themselves.
The Ossuari; an Ossuarius is a temple of Death, where the Dead go to worship an aspect of their Lady.
The Administratus, usually overseen by a Prelate, these offices are used as governing/officiating points for the individual Hollows.
Mummies: The eternal Mummies enjoy a strange relationship with the True Dead. Every Mummy, after all, has at one time or another been stone cold dead. This familiarity with the extremes of both Life and Death enable them to see straight into the Hollows and enter freely.
Mages: The experience of the Mages with the True Dead varies immensely. Those who actively deal with the Dead as part of their paradigm, may have no trouble locating the Hollows; others however will never find them. This has nothing to do with a Mages Arete level; it is actually an effect of their Spheres of preference. Those with Entropy and Correspondence that has been used to interact with Wraiths will probably find it frighteningly easy to enter the Hollows; those who dabble with Life will find it frighteningly difficult. As a rule, allow those with Correspondence and Entropy to make a roll, difficulty 6, all others should have a roll with a difficulty of 8; each point in Life the Mage has increases the difficulty by one. Reduce the difficulty by one if the Mage uses aspects of Death in their paradigm.
Wraiths: The Restless Dead are allowed a simpler roll than most, at least in terms of complexity. Any Wraith may attempt to locate or enter a Hollow with a Perception roll, ability added at the Storytellers discretion, with a difficulty of 8.
Some of these beings are detailed below.
If a Mortiane uses a ritual or Touch that refers to a Raven, it will apply equally well to the other Corvidae as well. The Storyteller may use their discretion when deciding which ones show up.
Rooks: Communicating with Rooks is always an intriguing affair. They have been known to cheat some Mortiane ruthlessly and always seem to end up with more out of a bargain than you'd promised them. Rooks will almost never tell you something directly. They allude to much but say little. A group of Rooks is called a Parliament and their nests are known as Rookeries, which also happens to be slang for a ghetto of pimps and thieves. Otherwise, Rooks are quite sociable and are quite receptive to the Dead.
Crows: Many Dead avoid the Crows. They are thought to be irritating and bubble-brained in the extreme, and while they are boastful, seemingly inane and inveterate liars, they can often communicate quite useful information. The plural of Crow is a Murder of Crows. Whether this refers to their disposition for almost random cruelty is a matter of conjecture.
Magpies: Magpies are indiscriminate. They will thieve from anyone and tell anyone anything. Whether what they say or what they steal coincides with any interests the Dead may hold is a matter of chance. This contrasts with the secretive nature other Corvidae credit them with. They say that Magpies know much, but only tell that which will make no difference. Curiously, the plural for a Magpie is a Tiding.
Ravens: The name for a group of Ravens tells much about them 'an Unkindness'. The Ravens are greedy and selfish, but also the most enigmatic of the Corvid. They may assist you, serve you or command you, but it is to their whims, not yours, that this occurs.
Pumpkinheads are the distilled products of the human fear of Death. Humans have always, deep down, been afraid of things which prey on them, and all their helicopters and assault rifles make absolutely no difference to the flesh eating monsters, the Pumpkinheads. The Pumpkinheads are beings with long, thin, but incredibly strong arms and legs that end in bony talons. Their heads are abnormally large and are possessed of deep set glowing eyes and long razor sharp fangs. While they vary a great deal in colour and to a lesser extent in appearance, they are all collectively known as Pumpkinheads and do seem to recognise and respect each other. Once they were only creatures of nightmare, but belief has been so strong, they are now as real as any mortal, and though they cannot breed, their bite and scratch are infectious spreading their predatory nature to their surviving victims.
Contagious bite and scratch. Any victim of a Pumpkinhead's bite or scratch who still lives 3 days later, will become a Pumpkinhead at any point within 24 hours. For all other supernatural beings, constant Willpower rolls are required to keep the transformation at bay. By garnering 15 successes, or 10 successes and spending 5 temporary Willpower points, the transformation may be overcome. If the Pumpkinhead is found within the three days and killed, the transformation is prevented. This applies to both mortal and supernatural beings.
Primal fear. Upon seeing a Pumkinhead, most beings that either are or were human are instinctively afraid. At first sight, a person must make a Willpower roll, diff. 9, to avoid running, pissing or shitting in fear at the sight of the creature. If this roll is succeeded, the person has overcome their fear of that Pumpkinhead and any others younger than it. Also if the Pumpkinhead is quite old (and only entombment or violent death ends the life of a Pumpkinhead) it will give off an even greater stench of fear, causing a -1 to the dicepool of its victim for every fifty years of the Pumpkinheads life.
All come to Death when it is their time, but some mortals believe they can claim Death's mantle for themselves, as a destroyer of life. Death frowns on these petty fools and in certain vindictive moods, brings them back as Shrouds. Shrouds are similar perhaps to Liches, except that the Return is forced upon them and they continue to exist on tenuously borrowed time. Shrouds live in unimaginable torment, the shadows that cling to them being the Shades of those who were killed by the Shroud when mortal. Shrouds bear a mark of their mortal method for execution. Those who favoured stabbings often develop knives as fingers. Shooters develop gaping holes in their bodies that spit bloody bone fragments. Torturers and abusers leak blood from their eyes and hands continually. The Shades that cling to the Shroud are bound to their killer, screaming in fear, grief and anger, trying to drag the Shroud into the welcome relief of Oblivion, a state that the Shroud cannot actually enter as it still moves through the Living World. This places the Shroud in an unrelenting state of torment.
The Shrouds are not quite tangible, and therefore do not suffer aggravated damage and take only half damage from everything else.
Torment. A Shroud has the Shades of its victims attached to its body. These will be the number of those he killed, or D10 + 5 Shades for random purposes. Because of the torment this causes, for every three Shades which cling to the Shroud, it must take one Derangement.