Why did secret societies imprison Nephilim in stasis rather than destroy them?
So something I found confusing was the rationale for the Black Star to construct elaborate megaliths to calculate the best places to imprison Nephilim in stasis. This was also done in the original French version, albeit by the Sword suit (referenced in the US version as the "Men of the Sword").
For reference, let's recap the rules for stasis objects across the editions. These haven't been consistent across all editions.
- In the French version, in all editions except for 5th, breaking the Stasis Object would destroy the Nephilim immediately no matter where they were. It didn't matter whether they were in Stasis, Narcosis, or incarnated.
- In the US version, breaking the Stasis Object meant the Nephilim had nowhere to go upon bodily death. If they couldn't jump between bodies, then they would disintegrate into the magic fields. While the Major Arcana knew how to create Stasis Objects for newborn Nephilim, there was no way to replace a broken Stasis Object. So the character was screwed if theirs broke.
- In the 5th edition of the French version, breaking the Stasis Object doesn't destroy the enchantment, but prevents it from recharging. When the Nephilim returns to it upon bodily death, then they cannot escape until it is repaired. To destroy the Stasis Object requires damaging it with Orichalc. A Nephilim without a Stasis Object will disintegrate into the magic fields upon bodily death, unless they can somehow get a replacement. In the French version, Nephilim didn't know how to create them, but some of the Minor Arcana (i.e. mortal secret societies) did.
- Honorary mention: In the unpublished unfinished fanbook Ex Oculis, the Stasis Object could be replaced, but the Nephilim only had access to past lives postdating its creation. Furthermore, it was protected by fate. Even if lost in the wilderness, lost to a natural disaster, or lost in the sacking of a city, a Stasis Object would avoid destruction and find its way back to civilization. (While not present in official editions, this enchantment would neatly plug plot holes.)
Why not destroy the Nephilim with Orichalc or break the stasis object? Why go to such effort to imprison them? There may be several plausible answers.
- Sheer hatred and envy of the Immortals. Keeping the Stasis Object in a place where the Nephilim would never escape means that it suffers eternally in stasis.
- Ritual components. As explained in their supplements over the editions, the Sword suit has various dark rituals that use a Stasis Object with a Nephilim inside to produce their effect. These include enchanting armor, youth potions, boosting skills, and creating enslaved clones of the Nephilim. It makes sense to save the prisoners for later.
- Stasis Objects are more durable than mundane objects of the same type. It may not be worth the effort to destroy them. Trying to destroy it may even have dangerous magical consequences if something goes wrong.
The way I handle it in my homebrew campaigns is by using a combination of the Fr5e and ExO rules. The enchantment was created by Herne during the Selenim Wars and even the Major Arcana don't fully understand it. A Stasis Object's enchantment still works with partial functionality even if physically broken: even if the Ka-Elements remain trapped, fate will ensure that the pieces find their way to civilization and to someone who can repair it. The only way to halt it is by placing the Stasis Object in a rare place that the Rays never reach. A Stasis Object can be harnessed for magical workings, the oldest form of stealing magic from Nephilim aside from sacrifices, so secret societies won't necessarily do their best to destroy it.
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