My Nephilim Occult RPing Blog

In the French version, the prima materia  ("primary matter, first matter") is a foundational principle of alchemy, though the details differ between editions. The name is taken from real alchemical texts, although the French writers interpret it quite liberally. Furthermore, the word materia in alchemical contexts doesn't simply refer to matter as we understand it, but to the created world (see A dictionary of western alchemy  by Jordan Stratford). The prima materia is the residual Ka present in all material objects, leftover from the original formation of the Earth and the movements of the magic fields. It is the origin of matter. Alchemy operates by acting on this prima materia , activating it and causing the desired magical effect. The alchemical substance generates its own miniature magic field, which resonates with the ambient magic fields of the Earth to produce the spell (so alchemy spells cannot be cast if the appropriate magic field isn't present). In editi...

In part 1 of this series I recapped 3e necromancy. In part 2 I recapped and compared 1e/2e necromancy.  In this post I will mention an addendum to the past two posts, recap Ian’s surviving notes for canceled US version (brief as they are), then offer my commentary and ideas for adapting Necromancy to the US version with the knowledge of the French 3rd edition. Gaps in the French The third edition was a really good revision of Necromancy in my opinion, but I did notice what I believe to be gaps. The Necromancy Quest:  The  Gamemaster’s Screen  says that every occult science has an associated quest, which is mastered when the Immortal masters the associated occult science. The Necromancer is rumored to get nine lives (like a cat!) by mastering this Quest, but no other details are given since that was being saved for later supplements. Since MultiSim went under before the supplement(s) for occult sciences could be published then we’ll never know what that entailed. No...

In the adventure supplement Serpent Moon , it is shown that the Xibalbans (American Selenim) developed rituals to place themselves in a state of suspended animation resembling mummification. This means that any of the many mummies discovered in the Americas could be Selenim in suspended animation.  An 1879 horror story could serve as good inspiration for this:  The Squaw Hollow Sensation . In that story, a mad scientist posits that the Aztec mummies are actually living beings in suspended animation. Using chemical and electrical means, he is able to revive one! I imagine you could fit this idea into a Nephilim campaign easily by having Chariot initiates develop a similar process.