Who are the non-Western Nephilim?
The Nephilim rulebook p189, Major Arcana p9, and Ian Young’s notes mention that there are several Traditions of non-Western Nephilim in “wholly non-Western non-Islamic areas like China, Japan, India or sub-Saharan Africa.” Only three were ever listed by name: the Xian-Ren (Nephilim) and Xixiegui (Selenim) of the Chinese Tradition, the Loa (Nephilim) of the Afro-Caribbean Tradition, and the Xibalbans (Selenim) of the Central American Tradition. Since the line was cancelled in 1998, these Traditions never got supplements. However, there were some discussions on the mailing list about possibilities for East Asian, Maori, and Australian Traditions, among others.
In the French version, the Loa got their own Loa scenario supplement in 1998. The supplement Exils (“exiles”) released in 2000 covered various non-Western Traditions: the Shen of East Asia, the Jukurrpa of Oceania, the Wowakan of Northern America and the Yohual-Tecuhtlin of Latin America. Unfortunately, like most 90s game supplements on non-Western cultures, the depiction was very exoticized, orientalist, and treated numerous diverse cultures as homogeneous monolithic blocks.
To summarize:
Shen (China)
Name means "mountain deity" in archaic Mandarin.
After some problems caused by the Fall and dragons running amuck, the Shen altered and purified the magic fields of China so that Air and Moon respectively became Wood (gentler aspects of Air) and Metal (stabilized, insensitive to Black Moon).
US version equivalent
The Xian-Ren (Nephilim) and Xixiegui (Selenim) were only mentioned in passing and never received their own supplement. We know almost about them except that they had a friendlier relationship compared to the Western Tradition, and that the Xixiegui were ruled by a Yen-lo Wang (translates to "Emperor of Hell") and the Yama Kings (translates to "Kings of Hell") of the "Manifold Hells." In contrast to the Cult of Lilith, who promoted the practice of human sacrifice, the Kings of Hell seemingly adopted (or inspired) Buddhist traditions of ascetism, reincarnation and purification.
How I would handle it
I would use the Xian-Ren and Xixiegui, but take inspiration from the Shen where feasible.
Elements: I wouldn't give them different Ka-elements, as the Taoist Wuxing isn't comparable to the classical elements anyway: the correct comparison would be to the Buddhist Mahabhuta. They use the same Ka-elements and days of the week as the Western Tradition.
Occult Sciences: The Xian-Ren use the same rules as Western Nephilim, with roleplaying differences accounting for culture. Sorcery rituals use Taoist styles rather than Hermetic. They historically contributed to the development of the occult science of alchemy through the Silk Road, so it already incorporates their cultural flavor. Their structure of Summoning worlds isn't based on Kabbalah but upon Buddhist sānjiè.
Jukurrpa (Oceania)
Name means "The Dreamtime" in Warlpiri.
After the Fall, the ancestors of the Jukurrpa fled to a magical Realm named “the Star Dream”. Since stasis objects were created by secret societies in the French to trap Nephilim, the Jukurrpa instead survived by splitting off Ka into “Spirit Children” that reincarnated in Aboriginal bloodlines. Upon death, the Spirit Children returned to the Star Dream to await reincarnation.
US version equivalent
None.
However, a series of fan-made articles by Timothy Ferguson originally published in Chaosium Digest titled “Nephilim Australis Incognito” provided a fair amount of detail for an original Australian Tradition. The content included new metamorph archetypes (using the emotional traits from Chronicle of the Awakenings), a new subtle plane of Alcheringa that allowed Nephilim to reincarnate without Stasis objects (albeit much slower), a new occult science of Dreaming (though barely detailed), a bestiary of Australian creatures, and new past life eras set in Australian history.
While “Australis Incognito” was an original invention of Ferguson’s, the free reincarnation offered by Alcheringa paralleled that offered by the Star Dream.
How I would handle it
Wowakan (Northern America)
Name means "sacred energy" (among other meanings) in Sioux.
After the Fall they used magic to seal the Orichalc deposits in Northern America. They incarnated as medicine men and lived in harmony with the native tribes. Their metamorphoses were animal totems such as Coyote or Deer, and each totem was available to two Dominant Ka at once—often opposed! (The French version never changed the body part metamorphosis from the rulebook, but the Wowakan used a "psychomorphosis" instead that worked almost exactly like Chronicle of the Awakenings. However, there wasn't any correlation between Personality Traits and Totem archetypes.)
The Wowakan warred with the invading Templars, but ultimately lost. The Templars took over the United States, exterminated countless natives, and forced the surviving tribes onto reservations. The Wowakan performed the Ghost Dance of 1890 in order to transform the Orichalc into Litharge and stop the Templars, but this had the side effect of sedating the elemental fields thus making magic harder. The loss of Orichalc forced the Templars to rely extensively on elixirs and homunculi created using this same Litharge.
By the present, the Wowakan work as activists for Amerindian rights and cultural preservation.
The Wowakan rules included adaptations of rules introduced in the US version, such as Ch'awe, Emotional Metamorphosis, Elixirs and Homunculi. Ch'awe, Emotional Traits and Elixirs didn't exist in the French version. Homunculi in the French version were trapped within alchemical alembics, so couldn't move around and do tasks. Ch'awe was explained as the result of the Ghost Dance sedating the elemental fields: rather than spending points, each failed spellcasting roll applied a penalty to further spellcasting rolls. Emotional Traits weren't linked to specific archetypes but could be taken freely. Elixirs were created using Litharge from the sacred land mixed with Wowakan blood: this allowed the Templars to not only cast Wowakan spells but also assume Metamorphoses! The Homunculi were refined using stolen research from Paracelsus' Liber de Homunculus, allowing these new Homunculi to survive outside of flasks and act like true familiars.
US version equivalent
None.
The US version had a completely different history where the United States is a hotbed of the Major Arcana and countless secret societies, because it was aimed at US players and that makes for better adventures. The French version was very Francocentric, whereas the US version is not comparably Americentric. While the rulebook expects games to be played in the then-contemporary United States (AD1995), only one published past life ("For the Fear of the Devil", Chronicle of the Awakenings p32) even takes place in the Americas.
Amerindian Nephilim were only hinted at (see "Sacred Places", Nephilim rulebook p202) but didn't receive any details or even names. Which is probably for the better, due to the aforementioned exoticism problem. The Serpent Moon scenario supplement did introduce a few Amerindian Selenim, though we don't learn about their culture. The Blood Dynasties (see below) exerted influence into Northern America, though we don't learn details.
How I would handle it
I would adapt what I could from the French to the US version's history. I would rewrite the Wowakan into a specifically Sioux Tradition rather than treating all First Nations Nephilim as a monolith. The Western Tradition is vastly more homogenous by comparison.
Metamorphoses: The Totemic Metamorphosis archetypes I would keep as. Each Totem is associated with two Dominant Ka, often opposed, rather than one. Players may freely select what Personality Traits their Metamorphosis has, subject to GM approval as to what constitutes appropriate flavor for the Totem.
Occult Sciences: The Wowakan practice Sorcery with the same spells and effects as Western Nephilim (as the spells aren't tied to any particular culture) but their rituals take the form of traditional indigenous practice such as song and dance. They practice their own tradition of Summoning that isn't informed by the Kabbalist Tradition. Their practice of Alchemy was unable to advance very far without the help of the Silk Road, but they do practice limited Black Stone alchemy used almost exclusively for medicinal purposes.
Incarnation: Although many Wowakan incarnate as medicine men, others are indigenous equivalents of the Moon Arcanum that incarnate as animals. These enlightened animals offer their magic to assist mortal supplicants, a practice known as Totemism. This practice is distinct from the Totemic Metamorphosis archetypes, but animal Wowakan share the same Totemic Metamorphoses. For a human Wowakan, his Totem is his elemental essence and its Metamorphosis; whereas for an animal Wowakan, he is the Totem for his mortal supplicant.
The Blood Dynasties tried to exert influence into Northern America, but the native Traditions managed to prevent them from establishing a foothold. The Xibalbans were feared and despised, but the Northern American Nephilim never tried to invade them and treated politely with their emissaries to avoid incurring their wrath.
The Ghost Dance of 1890 was an indigenous Sorcery ritual that caused the local elemental fields to surge, turning Orichalc deposits into Litharge. The Wowakan invented and shared it with all other Nephilim they could, seeking to halt the genocide of the indigenous Traditions. The various dances performed across the Western United States were harnessed by a handful of High Magic rituals to concentrate and direct the effect.
A few other ideas for other Amerindian Traditions:
- Many Nephilim of the Navajo Tradition turned to "the Witchery Way" in desperation, becoming Skinwalkers (Selenim). Although traditionally despised for the practice of vampiric witchery and terrifying memories from early contact with the monstrous Xibalban Empire, the invading secret societies have forced the Navajo Nephilim to reevaluate their beliefs.
- Khaiba is well known: Nephilim of the Ojibwe Tradition call it "Wendigo", while those of the Dene Tradition call it "Wechuge". According to legend, in prehuman times there were giant beasts that ruled the world before being wiped out: Khaiba is the result of being overwhelmed by their lingering spirits. Infection by the Black Moon in both mortals and Nephilim is considered one variation of the same process.
Yohual-Tecuhtlin (Latin America)
Name means "Lords of the Night" in Classical Nahuatl.
The Yohual were former followers of Lilith who traveled across the Bering Strait to the Americas after the Elemental Wars. They were attracted by the plentiful Black Moon deposits caused by the proximity to the Chicxulub crater, where the heart of the Black Moon crashed into the Earth. These deposits were essentially true Black Moon Plexi, providing sufficient BMK for the Yohual to create their own Realms. Ethereal Selenim otherwise found this difficult because they couldn't create an Imago.
Among other things, they warred with surviving Saurians to take over Latin America. Tezcatlipoca was one of their leaders, who went insane and decided that they should serve and try to resurrect the Saurians, which led some other Yohual to rebel against him.
The Yohual built their own pyramids that acted not unlike Stasis items, allowing them to survive indefinitely without humans to Assuage and enter prolonged periods of Stasis. When the Templars arrived, they lost their power with the collapse of the Aztec Empire. However, they are still trying to regain power in the centuries since.
US version equivalent
The Central American Tradition was mentioned in passing by the rulebook, but didn't even receive a name. The only other significant information comes from the history chapter of Gamemaster's Companion, which says the Selenim ruled "Blood Dynasties" in Latin America until defeated by Hernán Cortés. Their greatest accomplishment was that they raised a crescent of the Black Moon, presumably with the intent of recreating it! The Major Arcana were able to stop them, however. (The Yohual never tried this in the French version, although the Cult of Lilith tried the same by channeling BMK into Lilith's Realm before being defeated by the revived Unnamed Arcanum.)
In Serpent Moon, some Mexican Selenim who had been buried in the titular mound were woken from stasis. They were part of a cult to Mu and tried unsuccessfully to resurrect him, defeating the Templar's evil plot in the process. (This is the only major similarity to the Yohual's beliefs.)
Major Arcana p62 mentions Mictlantehcuhtli, the Aztec Lord of the Dead. Rather than a Selenim, he was an entity summoned by the Selenim lords of Mexico and still venerated by modern Selenim. He may be summoned by anyone using the proper peyote formula!
Ian Young's notes named them "Xibalbans", referring to both their Nephilim and Selenim members. Since the Yohual weren't developed or translated at the time, he had to invent his own lore for them. His account mentions in passing that they developed a method to turn Selenim back into Nephilim and used this as the foundation for a cyclical lifestyle, hence their single name. (This sort of thing never developed in the French version, with the roughest analog being the 666's attempts to hybridize Nephilim and Selenim.)
According to Ian's account, they were former followers of Lilith who were isolated in the mountains of Mexico at the end of the Selenim Wars. Unable to siege them, the victorious Nephilim left. In the millennia that followed, these Selenim became the Xibalbans and formed the Blood Dynasties when human tribes entered and colonized the region.
How I would handle it
I would use the Xibalban Blood Dynasties, but take inspiration from the French where feasible. I would name the highest ranking Xibalbans the Yohual-Tecuhtlin.
Terminology: Ian's notes seemingly conflated both Nephilim and Selenim under the Xibalban banner, but if necessary to distinguish them I would name the indigenous Nephilim to Nagual, after their Tonal Metamorphoses (loosely similar to the Wowakan's). Likewise, their name for Agartha is Yolteotl. As I'm using the conceit that Immortals are fusions of an elemental beast and a human soul that provides awareness, identity and will, I posit that the Naguals sometimes refer to their elemental essences as the Wayob (singular Way).
Occult Sciences: The Naguals practice Sorcery and Summoning with Mesoamerican ritual designs and cosmology. They were unable to develop very far in Alchemy without the Silk Road, but they did develop their own form of "Blood Stone" alchemy in the First Circle. This is similar to certain other practices found in ancient European cultures that practiced human sacrifice, using a sacrificial altar as the athanor and sacrifices for the materials. The Mayan Naguals independently developed the occult science of Dreaming, which they called Wayob. I hope to detail these new sciences and skills in later posts...
Incarnation: Under the Blood Dynasties it was seen as desirable for Nagual to eventually become Xibalbans. The Xibalbans practiced both the Ritual of Sundering and developed rituals to reverse it independently of Temperance. They combined these rituals to create a peculiar death and rebirth cycle: they routinely cycled between the states of Nephilim and Selenim, hence their conflation under the Xibalban banner, believing that the unique blend of perspectives this offered would open the path to Yolteotl (Agartha). The invading Major Arcana found this practice perverse in the extreme and tried unsuccessfully to destroy all knowledge of it, although both Temperance and the Unnamed Arcanum were quite interested in learning more about it.
In contrast to the Eurocentric account given in Ian's notes, I will reference the fact that the Aztecs had many existing enemies. These included Nephilim and Selenim alike who were opposed to the Lords of the Night, such as Xolotl the twin brother of Quetzalcoatl. When Cortez arrived, they saw him and his silver tongue as the perfect pawn... at least until he betrayed them and earned their eternal hatred.
The highest ranking Lord of the Night was Black Tezcatlipoca, brother and enemy of Quetzalcoatl. Quetzalcoatl was defeated and exiled, but promised that he would one day return from across the sea. Cortez exploited this myth to unite Tezcatlipoca's enemies, though most of his Immortal allies saw through the guise easily but were content to use it to gather mortal allies. Cortez's later betrayal of the indigenous tribes and the genocides that followed resulted in the surviving members of the Mesoamerican Tradition developing an eternal hatred of the colonizers and most of the Major Arcana for abandoning them in turn. Only the Hierophant and Unnamed Arcanum maintained the alliance with the Mesoamerican Tradition, so they're among the few Arcana who aren't actively hated.
I'll detail more in a future post dedicated to the Xibalbans...
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