Nephandi - Revision history

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1d4chan>Ow, My Sanity. at 16:14, 31 August 2022

2022-08-31T16:14:01Z

1d4chan>Ow, My Sanity. at 22:09, 12 August 2022

2022-08-12T22:09:24Z

1d4chan>Ow, My Sanity.: /* The Kids Aren't Alright (Widderslainte) */

2022-08-10T16:37:28Z

The Kids Aren't Alright (Widderslainte)

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:37, 10 August 2022
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	==The Kids ''Aren't'' Alright (Widderslainte)==		==The Kids ''Aren't'' Alright (Widderslainte)==

	The Widderslainte present an interesting moral dilemma to Mages. They are essentially predestined towards reality-violating magical turbo-evil, but not through any conscious choice. They are literally born evil. Is that an excuse? Does that make the inherently more or less deserving of redemption than their counterparts? These are the kinds of questions that can really make a campaign.		When a Nephandi finally eats shit and dies, their Avatar does not magically un-corrupt itself. Instead it attaches itself at birth to some other poor schmuck, turning them into a '''Widderslainte'''.

			The Widderslainte present an interesting moral dilemma to Mages. They are essentially predestined towards reality-violating magical turbo-evil, but not through any conscious choice. They are literally born evil; the Nephandic Avatar basically eats their compassion and turns them into a born sociopath. Is that an excuse? Does that make the inherently more or less deserving of redemption than their counterparts? These are the kinds of questions that can really make or break a campaign.

	Originally, though, if you were born a widderlainte, sucks to suck; there's basically no cure but ripping out your soul and obliterating it to break the cycle. Kind of violates the inherent moral question there, unfortunately.		Originally, though, if you were born a widderlainte, sucks to suck; there's basically no cure but ripping out your soul and obliterating it to break the cycle. Kind of violates the inherent moral question there, unfortunately.

	In one of the few actually pretty good retcons brought about by M20, the nature of the Widderslainte was changed. The Nephandic Avatar was changed from a sucking darkness where the Widderslainte's compassion should be, to the metaphysical equivalent of an abusive parent. Widderslainte aren't even really properly Nephandi anymore. Not necessarily, at least. But there is always a danger that the voice in the back of their head will overpower their better judgement. They don't ''always'' embrace the dark side, but it's a slippery path~~. Even~~ a single Nephandus is a cosmic-level threat. Is it worth the risk to let them live?		In one of the few actually pretty good retcons brought about by M20, the nature of the Widderslainte was changed. The Nephandic Avatar was changed from a sucking darkness where the Widderslainte's compassion should be to the metaphysical equivalent of an abusive parent. Widderslainte aren't even really properly Nephandi anymore. Not necessarily, at least. But there is always a danger that the voice in the back of their head will overpower their better judgement. They don't ''always'' embrace the dark side, but it's a slippery path, and even a single Nephandus is a cosmic-level threat. Is it worth the risk to let them live?

	Interesting stuff. Hell, that's halfway to being a playable character concept right there.		Interesting stuff. Hell, that's halfway to being a playable character concept right there.

1d4chan>Ow, My Sanity.: /* Factions */

2022-04-18T22:46:59Z

Factions

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:46, 18 April 2022
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	* The '''K'Lasshaa''' are your Lovecraftian guys. Bearded ax murderers carving the Elder Sign into their victim's foreheads, mad prophets calling down the stars themselves to wreak havoc, etc. You get the idea. They seem to fundamentally reject ''eyerything'', from morality to physics to the concept of truth itself. Many fully admit that their dark alien gods may be the product of their own diseased imagination Most of them are a hair's breadth away from being Marauders and thus are loosely aligned to the [[Dynamicism]]-adjacent aspects of [[Entropy]] and, by extension, the [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse\|Beast-Of-War]].		* The '''K'Lasshaa''' are your Lovecraftian guys. Bearded ax murderers carving the Elder Sign into their victim's foreheads, mad prophets calling down the stars themselves to wreak havoc, etc. You get the idea. They seem to fundamentally reject ''eyerything'', from morality to physics to the concept of truth itself. Many fully admit that their dark alien gods may be the product of their own diseased imagination Most of them are a hair's breadth away from being Marauders and thus are loosely aligned to the [[Dynamicism]]-adjacent aspects of [[Entropy]] and, by extension, the [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse\|Beast-Of-War]].

	The rest of these factions are supposed to be "secret" ~~somehow~~, ~~idk~~:		The rest of these factions are supposed to be "secret", for some inane reason:

	* The '''Baphometites''' or "Baphies" as they are apparently sometimes called, are evil club kids and hippies who use corrupted tantra and transcendental meditation to control and violate small circles of followers. That is to say that they are cult-forming date rapists, ~~essentially~~.		* The '''Baphometites''' or "Baphies" as they are apparently sometimes called, are evil club kids and hippies who use corrupted tantra and transcendental meditation to control and violate small circles of followers. That is to say that they are essentially cult-forming date rapists, like the Cult of Ecstasy without moral restraints.

	* The '''Heralds of Basilisk''' are basically a bunch of trolls trying to turn the internet into an evil dragon god through memes. This could either be ~~rad~~ or fucking moronic, depending on the kind of vibe your game is going for.		* The '''Heralds of Basilisk''' are basically a bunch of trolls [[What\|trying to turn the internet into an evil dragon god through memes]]. This could either be incredibly [[awesome]] or [[derp\|fucking moronic]], depending on the kind of vibe your game is going for.

	* The '''Obliviates''', also known as the Ex-Futurians, the Eschatonics, or the "Exies", because all Nephandic factions are named with the conventions of highschool cliques, apparently. Most Nephandi are just power-hungry doom wizards hiding their unfettered hedonism behind a thin veneer of cosmic nihilism. In other words, they talk a big game, but actually like being evil and its fruits too much to really bother with the whole "Armageddon" thing. These are the exceptions. They pursue the power to end reality, be it through wrathful gods, robot uprising, or just a superbug. They're extremely petty, however, and constantly foil each other so the world can end on ''their'' terms.		* The '''Obliviates''', also known as the Ex-Futurians, the Eschatonics, or the "Exies", because all Nephandic factions are named with the conventions of highschool cliques, apparently. Most Nephandi are just power-hungry doom wizards hiding their unfettered hedonism behind a thin veneer of cosmic nihilism. In other words, they talk a big game, but actually like being evil and its fruits too much to really bother with the whole "Armageddon" thing. These are the exceptions. They pursue the power to end reality, be it through wrathful gods, robot uprising, or just a superbug. They're extremely petty, however, and constantly foil each other so the world can end on ''their'' terms.

	* The '''Ironhands''' (no cutesy nicknames for these guys) are about the intersection of evil and industry, and are what the Traditions ''think'' the Technocracy is all about. They work people to death, build WMD's, and dump radioactive waste everywhere. Obviously opposed by heroic, idealistic technomancers, who see them as a perversion of science's potential, but also alarmingly good infiltrators. Reform-minded Technocrats had best sleep with one eye open. Obvious overlap with the Malfeans goes about as well as you'd expect.		* The '''Ironhands''' (no cutesy nicknames for these guys) are about the intersection of evil and industry, and are what the Traditions ''think'' the Technocracy is all about. They work people to death, build WMD's, and dump radioactive waste everywhere, making them [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse\|Pentex]] for Mages. Obviously opposed by heroic, idealistic technomancers, who see them as a perversion of science's potential, but also alarmingly good infiltrators. Reform-minded Technocrats had best sleep with one eye open. Obvious overlap with the Malfeans goes about as well as you'd expect.

	* The '''Mammonites''', aka the Cult of the Golden Bull, are exactly what they sound like: [[Orzhov Syndicate\|evil money wizards]]. Unlike [[the Syndicate]] (who are already pretty amoral to begin with), these guys have not even the slightest desire to use their wealth for anything other than world domination. Also unlike the Syndics, they aren't necessarily technomancers, blending bleeding-edge gadgetry with old-world secret rites.		* The '''Mammonites''', aka the Cult of the Golden Bull, are exactly what they sound like: [[Orzhov Syndicate\|evil money wizards]]. Unlike [[the Syndicate]] (who are already pretty amoral to begin with), these guys have not even the slightest desire to use their wealth for anything other than world domination. Also unlike the Syndics, they aren't necessarily technomancers, blending bleeding-edge gadgetry with old-world secret rites.

	* '''Los Sangrientos''' are a pretty obscure faction, focusing on Aztec blood magic twisted through the lens of esoteric Catholicism, keeping the worst traits of both. The adherents style themselves as modern-day Conquistadors. I assume. They only get like one paragraph in one book.		* '''Los Sangrientos''' are a pretty obscure faction, focusing on Aztec blood magic twisted through the lens of esoteric Catholicism, keeping the worst traits of both. The adherents style themselves as modern-day Conquistadors. We assume. They only get like one paragraph in one book.

	* Similarly, the '''Gatekeepers''' are the inheritors of an ancient Sumerian astrology cult. They want to stage an alien invasion for their dark masters, which puts them directly at odds with the [[Void Engineers]]. Conversely, their similar origins mean that the two organizations often overlap dangerously. Sounds interesting, right? Too bad. M20 ''Book of the Fallen'' is already out and they're not in it.		* Similarly, the '''Gatekeepers''' are the inheritors of an ancient Sumerian astrology cult. They want to stage an alien invasion for their dark masters, which puts them directly at odds with the [[Void Engineers]]. Conversely, their similar origins mean that the two organizations often overlap dangerously. Sounds interesting, right? Too bad. M20 ''Book of the Fallen'' is already out and they're not in it.

135.19.208.113: /* The Kids Aren't Alright (Widderslainte) */

2021-03-22T23:39:35Z

The Kids Aren't Alright (Widderslainte)

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:39, 22 March 2021
Line 85:		Line 85:
	==The Kids ''Aren't'' Alright (Widderslainte)==		==The Kids ''Aren't'' Alright (Widderslainte)==

	The Widderslainte present an interesting moral dilemma to Mages. They are essentially predestined towards reality-violating magical turbo-evil, but not through any conscious choice. They are literally born evil. Is ~~than~~ an excuse? Does that make the inherently more or less deserving of redemption than their counterparts? These are the kinds of questions that can really make a campaign.		The Widderslainte present an interesting moral dilemma to Mages. They are essentially predestined towards reality-violating magical turbo-evil, but not through any conscious choice. They are literally born evil. Is that an excuse? Does that make the inherently more or less deserving of redemption than their counterparts? These are the kinds of questions that can really make a campaign.

	Originally, though, if you were born a widderlainte, sucks to suck; there's basically no cure but ripping out your soul and obliterating it to break the cycle. Kind of violates the inherent moral question there, unfortunately.		Originally, though, if you were born a widderlainte, sucks to suck; there's basically no cure but ripping out your soul and obliterating it to break the cycle. Kind of violates the inherent moral question there, unfortunately.

1d4chan>SpectralTime: /* Factions */

2021-01-11T17:49:21Z

Factions

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:49, 11 January 2021
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	The rest of these factions are supposed to be "secret" somehow, idk:		The rest of these factions are supposed to be "secret" somehow, idk:

	* The '''Baphometites''' or "Baphies" as they are apparently sometimes called, are evil club kids and hippies who use corrupted tantra and transcendental meditation to control and violate small circles of followers. That is to say that they are date rapists, essentially.		* The '''Baphometites''' or "Baphies" as they are apparently sometimes called, are evil club kids and hippies who use corrupted tantra and transcendental meditation to control and violate small circles of followers. That is to say that they are cult-forming date rapists, essentially.

	* The '''Heralds of Basilisk''' are basically a bunch of trolls trying to turn the internet into an evil dragon god through memes. This could either be rad or fucking moronic, depending on the kind of vibe your game is going for.		* The '''Heralds of Basilisk''' are basically a bunch of trolls trying to turn the internet into an evil dragon god through memes. This could either be rad or fucking moronic, depending on the kind of vibe your game is going for.

72.28.205.229: /* Factions */

2020-11-03T08:14:26Z

Factions

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:14, 3 November 2020
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	You have:		You have:

	*The '''Infernalists''', who like to [[kill puppies for satan]]. Well ok, that's hardly fair. The Infernalists are actually some of the more organized and pragmatic Nephandi, bartering shrewdly with demons in ways that the [[Order of Hermes]] find suspiciously similar to their own. Since they generally meet at black-cloak-and-hood secret conferences around blood-soaked altars in isolated basements, they're not terrible at staying hidden and insinuating themselves into other organizations. It helps that they have literal armies of hapless dupes with demon pacts under their control, which they can use to distract or harry rivals at will.		*The '''Infernalists''', who like to [[kill puppies for satan]]. Well ok, that's hardly fair. The Infernalists are actually some of the more organized and pragmatic Nephandi, bartering shrewdly with demons in ways that the [[Order of Hermes]] find suspiciously similar to their own. Since they generally meet at black-cloak-and-hood secret conferences around blood-soaked altars in isolated basements, they're not terrible at staying hidden and insinuating themselves into other organizations. It helps that they have literal armies of hapless dupes with demon pacts under their control, which they can use to distract or harry rivals at will. These guys are highly ritualized and hidebound, making them embodiments of [[Stasis]]-adjacent [[Entropy]] and thus the [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse\|Eater-Of-Souls]].

	~~These guys are highly ritualized and hidebound, making them embodiments of~~ [[~~Stasis~~]]~~-adjacent~~ [[Entropy]] and ~~thus~~ the [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse\|~~Eater-Of-Souls~~]].		* The '''Malfeans''' basically exist to facilitate crossovers with [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse]]. They worship the [[Wyrm]], hang out with Black Spiral Dancers and rub shoulders with Pentex executives. Since they can find stable employment no matter what they do thanks to their friends in Pentex, they can get away with being covered in weird scars and radioactive sewage half the time. They literally worship the distilled concept of [[Entropy]] itself, tying them in with pure Entropy and the [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse\|Defiler Wyrm]].

	* The '''Malfeans''' basically exist to facilitate crossovers with [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse]]. They worship the [[Wyrm]], hang out with Black Spiral Dancers and rub shoulders with Pentex executives. Since they can find stable employment no matter what they do thanks to their friends in Pentex, they can get away with being covered in weird scars and radioactive sewage half the time.		* The '''K'Lasshaa''' are your Lovecraftian guys. Bearded ax murderers carving the Elder Sign into their victim's foreheads, mad prophets calling down the stars themselves to wreak havoc, etc. You get the idea. They seem to fundamentally reject ''eyerything'', from morality to physics to the concept of truth itself. Many fully admit that their dark alien gods may be the product of their own diseased imagination Most of them are a hair's breadth away from being Marauders and thus are loosely aligned to the [[Dynamicism]]-adjacent aspects of [[Entropy]] and, by extension, the [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse\|Beast-Of-War]].

	~~They literally worship the distilled concept of [[Entropy]] itself, tying them in with pure Entropy and the [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse\|Defiler Wyrm]].~~

	* The '''K'Lasshaa''' are your Lovecraftian guys. Bearded ax murderers carving the Elder Sign into their victim's foreheads, mad prophets calling down the stars themselves to wreak havoc, etc. You get the idea. They seem to fundamentally reject ''eyerything'', from morality to physics to the concept of truth itself. Many fully admit that their dark alien gods may be the product of their own diseased imagination

	Most of them are a hair's breadth away from being Marauders and thus are loosely aligned to the [[Dynamicism]]-adjacent aspects of [[Entropy]] and, by extension, the [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse\|Beast-Of-War]].

	The rest of these factions are supposed to be "secret" somehow, idk:		The rest of these factions are supposed to be "secret" somehow, idk:

72.28.205.229: /* Factions */

2020-11-03T08:12:15Z

Factions

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:12, 3 November 2020
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	[[White Wolf]] games are nothing if not fractal arrangements of [[splat]]s, subsplats, and sub-subsplats, arranged in ever finer detail. The Nephandi are no exception.		[[White Wolf]] games are nothing if not fractal arrangements of [[splat]]s, subsplats, and sub-subsplats, arranged in ever finer detail. The Nephandi are no exception.

	You have:		You have:

	*The '''Infernalists''', who like to [[kill puppies for satan]]. Well ok, that's hardly fair. The Infernalists are actually some of the more organized and pragmatic Nephandi, bartering shrewdly with demons in ways that the [[Order of Hermes]] find suspiciously similar to their own. Since they generally meet at black-cloak-and-hood secret conferences around blood-soaked altars in isolated basements, they're not terrible at staying hidden and insinuating themselves into other organizations. It helps that they have literal armies of hapless dupes with demon pacts under their control, which they can use to distract or harry rivals at will.		*The '''Infernalists''', who like to [[kill puppies for satan]]. Well ok, that's hardly fair. The Infernalists are actually some of the more organized and pragmatic Nephandi, bartering shrewdly with demons in ways that the [[Order of Hermes]] find suspiciously similar to their own. Since they generally meet at black-cloak-and-hood secret conferences around blood-soaked altars in isolated basements, they're not terrible at staying hidden and insinuating themselves into other organizations. It helps that they have literal armies of hapless dupes with demon pacts under their control, which they can use to distract or harry rivals at will.

	These guys are highly ritualized and hidebound, making them embodiments of [[Stasis]]-adjacent [[Entropy]] and thus the [[Eater-of-Souls~~\|Werewolf: The Apocalypse~~]].		These guys are highly ritualized and hidebound, making them embodiments of [[Stasis]]-adjacent [[Entropy]] and thus the [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse\|Eater-Of-Souls]].

	* The '''Malfeans''' basically exist to facilitate crossovers with [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse]]. They worship the [[Wyrm]], hang out with Black Spiral Dancers and rub shoulders with Pentex executives. Since they can find stable employment no matter what they do thanks to their friends in Pentex, they can get away with being covered in weird scars and radioactive sewage half the time.		* The '''Malfeans''' basically exist to facilitate crossovers with [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse]]. They worship the [[Wyrm]], hang out with Black Spiral Dancers and rub shoulders with Pentex executives. Since they can find stable employment no matter what they do thanks to their friends in Pentex, they can get away with being covered in weird scars and radioactive sewage half the time.

	They literally worship the distilled concept of [[Entropy]] itself, tying them in with pure Entropy and the [[~~Defiler Wyrm\|~~Werewolf: The Apocalypse]].		They literally worship the distilled concept of [[Entropy]] itself, tying them in with pure Entropy and the [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse\|Defiler Wyrm]].

	* The '''K'Lasshaa''' are your Lovecraftian guys. Bearded ax murderers carving the Elder Sign into their victim's foreheads, mad prophets calling down the stars themselves to wreak havoc, etc. You get the idea. They seem to fundamentally reject ''eyerything'', from morality to physics to the concept of truth itself. Many fully admit that their dark alien gods may be the product of their own diseased imagination		* The '''K'Lasshaa''' are your Lovecraftian guys. Bearded ax murderers carving the Elder Sign into their victim's foreheads, mad prophets calling down the stars themselves to wreak havoc, etc. You get the idea. They seem to fundamentally reject ''eyerything'', from morality to physics to the concept of truth itself. Many fully admit that their dark alien gods may be the product of their own diseased imagination

	Most of them are a hair's breadth away from being Marauders and thus are loosely aligned to the [[Dynamicism]]-adjacent aspects of [[Entropy]] and, by extension, [[The Beast-Of-War~~\|Werewolf: The Apocalypse~~]].		Most of them are a hair's breadth away from being Marauders and thus are loosely aligned to the [[Dynamicism]]-adjacent aspects of [[Entropy]] and, by extension, the [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse\|Beast-Of-War]].

	The rest of these factions are supposed to be "secret" somehow, idk:		The rest of these factions are supposed to be "secret" somehow, idk:

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:14, 31 August 2022
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	Why?		Why?

	Ok fine, whatever. You want to sell your soul to [[Entropy]] or whatever. That's cool. Remember that your [[GM]] will have to take control and turn your character into an NPC, or [[Phil Brucato]] will show up at their house and dance skyclad on their kitchen table until they agree to. But seriously, I wouldn't bother with Nephandi PC's. [[Stupid Evil]] is only entertaining for so long, and you can already [[Euthanatos\|play as Entropy-aligned mages without becoming]] That Guy.		Ok fine, whatever. You want to sell your soul to [[Entropy]] or whatever. That's cool. Remember that your [[GM]] will have to take control and turn your character into an NPC, or [[Phil Brucato]] will show up at their house and dance skyclad on their kitchen table until they agree to. But seriously, I wouldn't bother with Nephandi PC's. [[Stupid Evil]] is only entertaining for so long, and you can already [[Euthanatos\|play as Entropy-aligned mages without becoming]] [[That Guy]].

	Anyway, basically to become a Nephandus you have to jump into an evil [[Slaanesh\|vagina gate]] called a Caul. Then you see your own personal idea of evil. Once you betray your principles and embrace it, your soul is melted down in the oozey jacuzzi and turned into evil soup before being injected back into your body. Congratulations, you can now explore the hell-realms of deformed pseudo-reality called the Qlipphoth~~, in order to~~ become even more evil and powerful. You fucking doofus.		Anyway, basically to become a Nephandus you have to jump into an evil [[Slaanesh\|vagina gate]] called a Caul. Then you see your own personal idea of evil. Once you betray your principles and embrace it, your soul is melted down in the oozey jacuzzi and turned into evil soup before being injected back into your body. Congratulations, you can now explore the hell-realms of deformed pseudo-reality called the Qlipphoth so you can become even more evil and powerful. You fucking doofus.

	This is also sometimes done to unwilling parties, but Nephandi don't like to do it since the mage can always just choose to die, and avoid having their Avatar permanently corrupted. And it takes a very special kind of person to [[FATAL\| kneel in mingled prayer, reverence, and masturbation before a literal manifestation of everything they consider wrong and horrible in the world]] in the first place.		This is also sometimes done to unwilling parties, but Nephandi don't like to do it since the mage can always just choose to die, and avoid having their Avatar permanently corrupted. And it takes a very special kind of person to [[FATAL\| kneel in mingled prayer, reverence, and masturbation before a literal manifestation of everything they consider wrong and horrible in the world]] in the first place.
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	'''Cultists''': These poor idiots don't even get a proper title. Some are sorcerers at best. The rest are just hapless dupes who exist only to get mowed down en masse by [[Iteration X\|HIT-Marks]] while their master flees.		'''Cultists''': These poor idiots don't even get a proper title. Some are sorcerers at best. The rest are just hapless dupes who exist only to get mowed down en masse by [[Iteration X\|HIT-Marks]] while their master flees.

	'''Pawns/Dregvati/Dregs''': The lowest level of true mages, as well as the top level for sorcerers. Not ~~truely~~ Caulborn, they're initiates, in-progress corruption targets and other Mages who by necessity can't know the true extent of their masters' powers and plans.		'''Pawns/Dregvati/Dregs''': The lowest level of true mages, as well as the top level for sorcerers. Not truly Caulborn, they're initiates, in-progress corruption targets and other Mages who by necessity can't know the true extent of their masters' powers and plans.

	Once they've been initiated via ~~being jumping into a~~ Caul, then they are fully '''Nephandi'''.		Once they've been initiated via Caul, then they are fully '''Nephandi'''.

	The '''Shaytans''' are Nephandi responsible for violence and intimidation. Many are skilled in all areas of conflict, while others are only good for cracking heads.		The '''Shaytans''' are Nephandi responsible for violence and intimidation. Many are skilled in all areas of conflict, while others are only good for cracking heads; either way, these mooks are the Npehandi you're most likely to scrap with.

	'''Adsinistrati''' are the carrot to the Shaytans' stick. Tempters and infiltrators, they are the real secret weapons of the Fallen.		'''Adsinistrati''' are the carrot to the Shaytans' stick. Tempters and infiltrators, they are the real secret weapons of the Fallen. They're the Nephandi diplomats and field sergeants, being in charge of initiating Pawns via Cauls and hobnobbing with [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse\|Black Spiral Dancers]] or other evil factions.

	'''Prelati''' are the bosses. They are the true mastermind behind cults, the directors of Infernal cells, and coordinators behind devastating acts of sabotage, terrorism, or injustice.		'''Prelati''' are the bosses. They are the true mastermind behind cults, the directors of Infernal cells, and coordinators behind devastating acts of sabotage, terrorism, or injustice. They stay in the Umbra most of the time, since they're inhuman and powerful enough that spending time on Earth is a pain.

	'''Gilledians''' are Nephandi who got good grades and became archmages. They're too twisted to enter the Mortal world often, but their machinations span centuries and continents.		'''Gilledians''' are Nephandi who got good grades and became archmages. They're too twisted to enter the Mortal world often, but their machinations span centuries and continents. They mostly reside in Nephandi-controlled Umbral realms known as ''Labyrinths'', where they live out their Bond villain fantasies and direct large-scale operations, so don't expect to run into them much or at all.

	Finally, the '''Aswadim''' are Nephandi Oracles. They have all but Descended into the profane worlds below and may or may not be the omnipotent, malevolent masterminds that make everything in WoD suck so much.		Finally, the '''Aswadim''' are Nephandi Oracles. They have all but Descended into the profane worlds below and may or may not be the omnipotent, malevolent masterminds that make everything in WoD suck so much.
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	* The '''Heralds of Basilisk''' are basically a bunch of trolls [[What\|trying to turn the internet into an evil dragon god through memes]]. This could either be incredibly [[awesome]] or [[derp\|fucking moronic]], depending on the kind of vibe your game is going for. Think the Virtual Adepts if they had absolutely no inhibitions and spent all their time on [[/b/]].		* The '''Heralds of Basilisk''' are basically a bunch of trolls [[What\|trying to turn the internet into an evil dragon god through memes]]. This could either be incredibly [[awesome]] or [[derp\|fucking moronic]], depending on the kind of vibe your game is going for. Think the Virtual Adepts if they had absolutely no inhibitions and spent all their time on [[/b/]].

	* The '''Obliviates''', also known as the Ex-Futurians, the Eschatonics, or the "Exies", because all Nephandic factions are named with the conventions of highschool cliques~~, apparently~~. Most Nephandi are just power-hungry doom wizards hiding their unfettered hedonism behind a thin veneer of cosmic nihilism. In other words, they talk a big game, but actually like being evil and its fruits too much to really bother with the whole "Armageddon" thing. These are the exceptions. They pursue the power to end reality, be it through wrathful gods, robot uprising, or just a superbug. They're extremely petty, however, and constantly foil each other so the world can end on ''their'' terms.		* The '''Obliviates''', also known as the Ex-Futurians, the Eschatonics, or the "Exies", because all Nephandic factions are apparently named with the conventions of highschool cliques. Most Nephandi are just power-hungry doom wizards hiding their unfettered hedonism behind a thin veneer of cosmic nihilism. In other words, they talk a big game, but actually like being evil and its fruits too much to really bother with the whole "Armageddon" thing. These are the exceptions. They pursue the power to end reality, be it through wrathful gods, robot uprising, or just a superbug. They're extremely petty, however, and constantly foil each other so the world can end on ''their'' terms.

	* The '''Ironhands''' (no cutesy nicknames for these guys) are about the intersection of evil and industry, and are what the Traditions ''think'' the Technocracy is all about. They work people to death, build WMD's, and dump radioactive waste everywhere, making them [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse\|Pentex]] for Mages. Obviously opposed by heroic, idealistic technomancers, who see them as a perversion of science's potential, but also alarmingly good infiltrators. Reform-minded Technocrats had best sleep with one eye open. Obvious overlap with the Malfeans goes about as well as you'd expect.		* The '''Ironhands''' (no cutesy nicknames for these guys) are about the intersection of evil and industry, and are what the Traditions ''think'' the Technocracy is all about. They work people to death, build WMD's, and dump radioactive waste everywhere, making them [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse\|Pentex]] for Mages. Obviously opposed by heroic, idealistic technomancers, who see them as a perversion of science's potential, but also alarmingly good infiltrators. Reform-minded Technocrats had best sleep with one eye open. Obvious overlap with the Malfeans goes about as well as you'd expect.

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:09, 12 August 2022
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	Why?		Why?

	Ok fine, whatever. You want to sell your soul to [[Entropy]] or whatever. That's cool. Remember that your [[GM]] will have to take control and turn your character into an NPC, or [[Phil Brucato]] will show up at their house and ~~danse skyclade~~ on their kitchen table until they agree to. But seriously, I wouldn't bother with Nephandi PC's. [[Stupid Evil]] is only entertaining for so long~~. The playable analogues of the extremist Nephandi are the moderate~~ [[Euthanatos\|~~Euthanatoi~~]].		Ok fine, whatever. You want to sell your soul to [[Entropy]] or whatever. That's cool. Remember that your [[GM]] will have to take control and turn your character into an NPC, or [[Phil Brucato]] will show up at their house and dance skyclad on their kitchen table until they agree to. But seriously, I wouldn't bother with Nephandi PC's. [[Stupid Evil]] is only entertaining for so long, and you can already [[Euthanatos\|play as Entropy-aligned mages without becoming]] That Guy.

	Anyway, basically to become a Nephandus you have to jump into an evil [[Slaanesh\|vagina gate]] called a Caul. Then you see your own personal idea of evil. Once you betray your principles and embrace it, your soul is melted down in the oozey jacuzzi and turned into evil soup before being injected back into your body. Congratulations, you can now explore the hell-realms of deformed pseudo-reality called the Qlipphoth, in order to become even more evil and powerful. You fucking doofus.		Anyway, basically to become a Nephandus you have to jump into an evil [[Slaanesh\|vagina gate]] called a Caul. Then you see your own personal idea of evil. Once you betray your principles and embrace it, your soul is melted down in the oozey jacuzzi and turned into evil soup before being injected back into your body. Congratulations, you can now explore the hell-realms of deformed pseudo-reality called the Qlipphoth, in order to become even more evil and powerful. You fucking doofus.

	This is also sometimes done to unwilling parties, but Nephandi don't like to do it since the mage can always just choose to die, and avoid having their Avatar permanently corrupted. And it takes a very special kind of person to kneel in mingled prayer, reverence, and masturbation before ~~[[FATAL\|~~ a literal manifestation of everything they consider wrong and horrible in the world]] in the first place.		This is also sometimes done to unwilling parties, but Nephandi don't like to do it since the mage can always just choose to die, and avoid having their Avatar permanently corrupted. And it takes a very special kind of person to [[FATAL\| kneel in mingled prayer, reverence, and masturbation before a literal manifestation of everything they consider wrong and horrible in the world]] in the first place.

	==Qlipphothic Spheres==		==Qlipphothic Spheres==
	These probably aren't still canon, because they were pretty unpopular when they were introduced in ~~[[skub\|~~Revised]], but the Nephandi have their own proprietary bag of tricks called Qlipphothic Spheres. They're basically the regular spheres, but ~~evil~~, geared toward the destruction or corruption of their specific aspect of reality.		These probably aren't still canon, because they were [[skub\|pretty unpopular]] when they were introduced in Revised, but the Nephandi have their own proprietary bag of tricks called Qlipphothic Spheres. They're basically the regular spheres, but ''eeeevil'', geared toward the destruction or corruption of their specific aspect of reality.

	'''Qlipphothic Correspondence''' is for rending space, severing sympathetic connections, erasing data, and probably making black holes.		'''Qlipphothic Correspondence''' is for rending space, severing sympathetic connections, erasing data, and probably making black holes.
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	'''Qlipphothic Forces''' negates energy, creating cold or stopping kinetic energy in its tracks.		'''Qlipphothic Forces''' negates energy, creating cold or stopping kinetic energy in its tracks.

	'''Qlipphothic Life''' is all about [[Book of Vile Darkness\|cancer powers]] and fleshwarping.		'''Qlipphothic Life''' is all about [[Book of Vile Darkness\|cancer powers]] and fleshwarping. A favorite of [[That Guy\|angsty BDSM-curious landwhales who want to be]] [[Tzimisce]] without having to deal with the clan's baggage.

	'''Qlipphothic Matter''' destroys regular, wholesome matter and replaces it with sanity-blasting non-euclidean crimes against physics and chemistry. Also used for [[Wraith: The Oblivion\|Soulforging]] and other feats of evil engineering.		'''Qlipphothic Matter''' destroys regular, wholesome matter and replaces it with sanity-blasting non-euclidean crimes against physics and chemistry. Also used for [[Wraith: The Oblivion\|Soulforging]] and other feats of evil engineering.

	'''Qlipphothic Mind''' destroys or tarnishes memories and allows the wielder to enter a null-mind state to commune with the evil consciousness of Oblivion or ~~something~~.		'''Qlipphothic Mind''' destroys or tarnishes memories and allows the wielder to enter a null-mind state to commune with the evil consciousness of Oblivion or some other [[edgy]] crap. Can you tell why these were unpopular yet?

	'''Qlipphothic Prime''' can [[Azorius Senate\|unmake or negate other Mages achievements in the form of counterspells]] and turn Quintessence into unusable ''evil'' Quintessence.		'''Qlipphothic Prime''' can [[Azorius Senate\|unmake or negate other Mages achievements in the form of counterspells]] and turn Quintessence into unusable ''evil'' Quintessence.
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	'''Qlipphothic Spirit''' can kill normal spirits and call up demons, [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse\|Banes]], evil ghosts, and gibbering elder things from the outer darkness.		'''Qlipphothic Spirit''' can kill normal spirits and call up demons, [[Werewolf: The Apocalypse\|Banes]], evil ghosts, and gibbering elder things from the outer darkness.

	'''Qlipphothic Time'''... I'm gonna be honest, I have no idea. Probably creating time paradoxes and retconning people out of existence? Who knows. Nobody uses these fucking things.		'''Qlipphothic Time'''... I'm gonna be honest, I have no idea. Probably creating time paradoxes and retconning people out of existence? Who knows. Nobody uses these fucking things, even without regular Time being a pain in the ass to use.

	The elusive Tenth Sphere sought by all the various factions in Mage is, according to the Nephandi, the '''Absolute''', or '''Descent''', which basically means the end of the universe. They get their wish in the last of the possible scenarios in the ''Time of Judgment'' supplement for the gameline. It's bleak, and not just because it's one of the more poorly-written scenarios in a book that only had one-and-a-half good ones out of the way in the first quarter of the text.		The elusive Tenth Sphere sought by all the various factions in Mage is, according to the Nephandi, the '''Absolute''', or '''Descent''', which basically means the end of the universe. They get their wish in the last of the possible scenarios in the ''Time of Judgment'' supplement for the gameline. It's bleak, and not just because it's one of the more poorly-written scenarios in a book that only had one-and-a-half good ones out of the way in the first quarter of the text.

	==Ranks==		==Ranks==
	~~Everbody~~ but the ultra-traditionalist Infernalist hardliners think that using the quasi-Latin titles for the ranks within their various cults and fronts is stupid, but here they are anyway:		Everybody but the ultra-traditionalist Infernalist hardliners think that using the quasi-Latin titles for the ranks within their various cults and fronts is stupid, but here they are anyway:

	'''Cultists''': These poor idiots don't even get a proper title. Some are sorcerers at best. The rest are just hapless dupes who exist only to get mowed down en masse by [[Iteration X\|HIT-Marks]] while their master flees.		'''Cultists''': These poor idiots don't even get a proper title. Some are sorcerers at best. The rest are just hapless dupes who exist only to get mowed down en masse by [[Iteration X\|HIT-Marks]] while their master flees.
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	'''Pawns/Dregvati/Dregs''': The lowest level of true mages, as well as the top level for sorcerers. Not truely Caulborn, they're initiates, in-progress corruption targets and other Mages who by necessity can't know the true extent of their masters' powers and plans.		'''Pawns/Dregvati/Dregs''': The lowest level of true mages, as well as the top level for sorcerers. Not truely Caulborn, they're initiates, in-progress corruption targets and other Mages who by necessity can't know the true extent of their masters' powers and plans.

	Once they've been ~~innitiated~~, then they are fully '''Nephandi'''.		Once they've been initiated via being jumping into a Caul, then they are fully '''Nephandi'''.

	The '''Shaytans''' are Nephandi responsible for violence and intimidation. Many are skilled in all areas of conflict, while others are only good for cracking heads.		The '''Shaytans''' are Nephandi responsible for violence and intimidation. Many are skilled in all areas of conflict, while others are only good for cracking heads.
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	* The '''Baphometites''' or "Baphies" as they are apparently sometimes called, are evil club kids and hippies who use corrupted tantra and transcendental meditation to control and violate small circles of followers. That is to say that they are essentially cult-forming date rapists, like the Cult of Ecstasy without moral restraints.		* The '''Baphometites''' or "Baphies" as they are apparently sometimes called, are evil club kids and hippies who use corrupted tantra and transcendental meditation to control and violate small circles of followers. That is to say that they are essentially cult-forming date rapists, like the Cult of Ecstasy without moral restraints.

	* The '''Heralds of Basilisk''' are basically a bunch of trolls [[What\|trying to turn the internet into an evil dragon god through memes]]. This could either be incredibly [[awesome]] or [[derp\|fucking moronic]], depending on the kind of vibe your game is going for.		* The '''Heralds of Basilisk''' are basically a bunch of trolls [[What\|trying to turn the internet into an evil dragon god through memes]]. This could either be incredibly [[awesome]] or [[derp\|fucking moronic]], depending on the kind of vibe your game is going for. Think the Virtual Adepts if they had absolutely no inhibitions and spent all their time on [[/b/]].

	* The '''Obliviates''', also known as the Ex-Futurians, the Eschatonics, or the "Exies", because all Nephandic factions are named with the conventions of highschool cliques, apparently. Most Nephandi are just power-hungry doom wizards hiding their unfettered hedonism behind a thin veneer of cosmic nihilism. In other words, they talk a big game, but actually like being evil and its fruits too much to really bother with the whole "Armageddon" thing. These are the exceptions. They pursue the power to end reality, be it through wrathful gods, robot uprising, or just a superbug. They're extremely petty, however, and constantly foil each other so the world can end on ''their'' terms.		* The '''Obliviates''', also known as the Ex-Futurians, the Eschatonics, or the "Exies", because all Nephandic factions are named with the conventions of highschool cliques, apparently. Most Nephandi are just power-hungry doom wizards hiding their unfettered hedonism behind a thin veneer of cosmic nihilism. In other words, they talk a big game, but actually like being evil and its fruits too much to really bother with the whole "Armageddon" thing. These are the exceptions. They pursue the power to end reality, be it through wrathful gods, robot uprising, or just a superbug. They're extremely petty, however, and constantly foil each other so the world can end on ''their'' terms.
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	When a Nephandi finally eats shit and dies, their Avatar does not magically un-corrupt itself. Instead it attaches itself at birth to some other poor schmuck, turning them into a '''Widderslainte'''.		When a Nephandi finally eats shit and dies, their Avatar does not magically un-corrupt itself. Instead it attaches itself at birth to some other poor schmuck, turning them into a '''Widderslainte'''.

	The Widderslainte present an interesting moral dilemma to Mages. They are essentially predestined towards reality-violating magical turbo-evil, but not through any conscious choice. They are literally born evil; the Nephandic Avatar basically eats their ~~compassion and turns~~ them into a ~~born~~ sociopath. Is that an excuse? Does that make the inherently more or less deserving of redemption than their counterparts? These are the kinds of questions that can really make or break a campaign.		The Widderslainte present an interesting moral dilemma to Mages. They are essentially predestined towards reality-violating magical turbo-evil, but not through any conscious choice. They are literally born evil; the Nephandic Avatar basically eats their part of their soul containing their sense of empathy when it attaches itself, turning them into a sociopath from the first breath. Is that an excuse? Does that make the inherently more or less deserving of redemption than their counterparts? These are the kinds of questions that can really make or break a campaign.

	Originally, though, if you were born a ~~widderlainte~~, sucks to suck; there's basically no cure but ripping out your soul and obliterating it to break the cycle. Kind of violates the inherent moral question there, unfortunately.		Originally, though, if you were born a Widderslainte, sucks to suck; there's basically no cure but ripping out your soul and obliterating it to break the cycle. Kind of violates the inherent moral question there, unfortunately.

	In one of the few actually pretty good retcons brought about by M20, the nature of the Widderslainte was changed. The Nephandic Avatar was changed from a sucking darkness where the Widderslainte's compassion should be to the metaphysical equivalent of an abusive parent. Widderslainte aren't even really properly Nephandi anymore. Not necessarily, at least. But there is always a danger that the voice in the back of their head will overpower their better judgement. They don't ''always'' embrace the dark side, but it's a slippery path, and even a single Nephandus is a cosmic-level threat. Is it worth the risk to let them live?		In one of the few actually pretty good retcons brought about by M20, the nature of the Widderslainte was changed. The Nephandic Avatar was changed from a sucking darkness where the Widderslainte's compassion should be to the metaphysical equivalent of an abusive parent. Widderslainte aren't even really properly Nephandi anymore. Not necessarily, at least. But there is always a danger that the voice in the back of their head will overpower their better judgement. They don't ''always'' embrace the dark side, but it's a slippery path, and even a single Nephandus is a cosmic-level threat. Is it worth the risk to let them live?
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	The Infernalist Archmage '''Jodi Blake''' is one of the most frequently referenced high-power NPCs in Mage. A master manipulator and genius arcanist, she has been held back from full-on Descent due to her pettiness and attachment to material rivalries.		The Infernalist Archmage '''Jodi Blake''' is one of the most frequently referenced high-power NPCs in Mage. A master manipulator and genius arcanist, she has been held back from full-on Descent due to her pettiness and attachment to material rivalries.

	The '''Unnamed''' (confusingly also referred to as '''al-Aswad''', which certainly sounds like a fucking name to me) is the first of the Aswadim, who are like Oracles, but evil. He can be a neat background figure, but is infamous for the terrible Time of Judgement scenario where he shows up, sits in the Tenth Seat unopposed, ~~basically~~ rapes the universe to death ~~for the rest of eternity~~ with minimal effort, and he and all his various assorted never-before-mentioned super-Nephandi friends party on the ruined Earth forever, all while there's basically nothing the players can do but try to put together some resistance to maybe~~, probably~~ restore hope in some unspecified future campaign that's probably going to be a lot more interesting..		The '''Unnamed''' (confusingly also referred to as '''al-Aswad''', which certainly sounds like a fucking name to me) is the first of the Aswadim, who are like Oracles, but evil. He can be a neat background figure, but is infamous for the terrible Time of Judgement scenario where he shows up, sits in the Tenth Seat unopposed, rapes the universe to death with minimal effort, and he and all his various assorted never-before-mentioned super-Nephandi friends party on the ruined Earth forever; all this happens while there's basically nothing the players can do but try to put together some resistance to maybe restore hope in some unspecified future campaign that's probably going to be a lot more interesting.

	'''Amanda''' is a semi-widderslainte who joined the [[Euthanatos]] under the tutelage of the archmage Senex (as she inherited the corrupted Avatar of one of his former students, but only after he'd performed soul-surgery on it), who managed to curb her darker impulses through training in the nature of fate and morality. Her storyline is actually some of the less-cringe inducing WoD fiction, and an arguable inspiration for the modern incarnation of the widderslainte in M20.		'''Amanda''' is a semi-widderslainte who joined the [[Euthanatos]] under the tutelage of the archmage Senex (as she inherited the corrupted Avatar of one of his former students, but only after he'd performed soul-surgery on it), who managed to curb her darker impulses through training in the nature of fate and morality. Her storyline is actually some of the less-cringe inducing WoD fiction, and an arguable inspiration for the modern incarnation of the widderslainte in M20.