Children Of Osiris

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While many Kindred have heard of this strange Vampire group, few believe it ever existed, and those who do believe, are under the assumption that all its members have been destroyed. In fact it still exists, in hiding and deep secrecy and its members are the age-old enemies of the Followers of Set.

History: Long ago, along the Nile River, a war was waged between two Kindred, Sutekh (later called Set) and Osiris. They sent their broods against one another, violently opposed to each other's moral views. Whereas the Followers of Set represented the darkest things in the world, the Children of Osiris longed for a return to the values of humanity, to preservation of the precious Humanitas. Set was eventually defeated, but not before his Followers managed to destroy most of the Children.

Osiris was once a philosopher in a grand Egyptian court. Embraced by a powerful aristocrat who longed for him to join in the ecstatic joy of Night (and to use his skills in the growing Jyhad), Osiris' new abilities repulsed him, and the moaning of the Beast deep within him shook his spirit. He fumed to ancient methods of meditation to escape the horrible desires his new body thrust upon his consciousness. Through great will, magical lore and deep mystical enlightenment, he achieved an incredible state of control over his degenerating Virtues. But the price was an unlife of strong abstinence and discipline.

His way differed from Golconda in that it had not the joyful feeling accompanying that mystical state of being. It was not permanent, but dependant on rigid discipline and dogmatic rules of behavior. But, if practiced diligently, a Vampire could prevent his Humanity from decreasing, and gain new powers theorem.

He went and preached his new found way to other Kindred, and some joined him, seeking the control over the Beast that he had made evident in himself. His way was marked by an intense feeling of rebirth upon attainment of the consciousness he preached. In this way, the Children of Osiris grew. So to did the hatred of Set and his Followers.

In the most famous incident of the war, Set personally hacked Osiris limb from limb and scattered his body to the far -comers of the land. Osiris' first follower, Isis, searched everywhere for the parts, desperately hoping to bring him back, but fearing that it was impossible for even a Kindred to survive such destruction. She eventually, after long travail, reconstituted his body. All his Children gave of their blood to try to revive him. As their blood poured into his damaged veins, the flesh began to mend, and come together whole. Osiris' eyes opened and he arose. A great cheer arose from his Children. Through force of will, he had maintained his consciousness through even the Final Death, and had re- turned.

But there was one consequence of his maiming. His blood was not the same after his rebirth, for it no longer had the power to create Progeny. It could still heal his injuries, but it had no power to create more Kindred, or even turn mortals into Ghouls. Since that time, none of the Children of Osiris have ever made their own Progeny. Their ranks come from the disillusioned of other clans.

The Followers of Set believe all the Children to be gone from the Earth, but this is due to the Children's highly secret methods, using only their allies and retainers to act for them. Their extremely ascetic ways require that they not risk the impurities of the world of Kindred society. They will leave their hidden Havens to recruit new members, but candidates are very rare, with invitations extended only to those already inclined towards the search for mystic truths.

Motives: Their main concern is the keeping of their Humanity and Virtues. To do this, they must practice time-consuming rituals of meditation, and maintain rigid rules of behavior. Greatly aided by the sanctity of a Temple; some find that if they are unable to meditate in its pure environs they will quickly degenerate in virtues.

The Children abhor the Followers of Set, and their only contact with the Kindred, besides recruitment, is to move against the Followers and their kind. The current drug war in America has provided excellent cover in attacking the Followers of Set's criminal retainers. On rare occasions, a Child will work against the plans of the Sabbat, for they revile the Sabbat as petty imitators of the Follower's true evil.

Appearance: Their physical traits vary, as they recruit from various other clans, including Nosferatu. They are usually adorned in pure white robes, sometimes trimmed with mystical symbols and mandalas. They never wear items that would distract them from their all-important discipline, like the secular distractions of T-shirts or expensive clothing. They are all shaved bald, including females.

Haven: They prefer very secluded locations, such as mountain tops, or ancient ruins that have a history of mysticism associated with them. They live communally in Havens called Temples, which are necessary to attain their Discipline of Bardo. These Temples are adorned with magical symbols, mainly Egyptian, but also many of eastern origin, for the Children have become mystically eclectic over the years, as exhibited by the Discipline of Bardo. The Grand Temple is located on a snowy mountain in Nepal, nearly inaccessible to the world. The First Temple lies abandoned under the sands of Egypt, destroyed by the Followers of Set long ago.

Background: All their members come from other clan, or are Caitiffs. Thus there are few neonates in their ranks, but likewise few Elders join, as their Humanity is usually too low to maintain the Children's lifestyle. Humanity must be no lower than 8 to be invited.

Sect Disciplines: Whatever the Kindred possessed before joining; also, all must learn the Discipline of Bardo.

Organization: The Children are gathered together in their rare and isolated Temples. Each Temple has a grand master, called the Undying King, and his consort, the Queen, some- times called the Daughter of Isis. He leads the others in his example of asceticism. Other than that, hierarchy comes in levels of respect, gained through degree of adherence to discipline.

Status: Status is gained by the number of Children who have attained a balance under the example and tutelage of the Kindred in question. This is rarely forced tutelage. Is it is more like learning simply by example. Thus the Kindred whose existence is the purest gains the most status.

Common Archetypes: Visionary, Penitent and Perfectionist. After a few years among the Children, one's nature and demeanor will be the same. They put forth no illusions about themselves.

Quote: "We are those who hove refused the call of the Beast. He no longer wails in us for we have shut him out. We have been reborn in the Light of the Way, the only light our kind can now withstand. The True Light of Humanity. We are accursed, but through Will and Contemplation, we can be redeemed."

Stereotypes:

The Followers of Set -- Fools who have doomed their souls to enslavement by the Beast. They threaten to blot out the True Light from the vision of others. They must be destroyed before their darkness can rule the world.

The Camarilla -- Pity those who struggle in the impure forces of the world. They are accursed, but some try to see the Light and seek peace within. These we shall aid and bring to Rebirth.

The Sabbat - Evil, damned fools, who dream of being what the Followers of Set already are. Most do not realize the ultimate end to their aims, but they all lie in darkness. They should be destroyed just as the Followers of Set.

lnconnu - To be so old yet so naive and ignorant. It is to be pitied. They are too impure because of their years in the world, and they have heeded the Beast too often to be saved.