“Yes! You know what it is, don’t you boy? Shall I tell you? It’s the least I can do. Steel isn’t strong, boy, flesh is stronger! Look around you. There, on the rocks; a beautiful girl. Come to me, my child… That is strength, boy! That is power! What is steel compared to the hand that wields it?! Look at the strength in your body, the desire in your heart, I gave you this! …Such a waste. Contemplate this on the tree of woe. Crucify him.”-Thulsa Doom, Conan: the Barbarian
Sect: Independent, Sabbat (Serpents of the Light) Tal’Mahe’Ra (Tlacique). Other bloodlines and allegiances exist, such as the Indian Daitya, but in Los Angeles they are rare.
Disciplines: Presence, Obfuscate, Serpentis; see below
Members of the Setite Children of Damballah faction and the Serpents of the Light may take their Clan’s standard discipline spread and weakness at character creation, or choose an alternate lineage. Their disciplines become Auspex, Presence, Serpentis and in lieu of the traditional shunning of bright light, they must make nightly offerings or suffer the wrath of the spirits. See Lore of the Clans pg. 70 for more information. As a fun visual note, you may, if you choose, replace the glistening black-and-gold scales of the traditional Setite with shimmering silver and rainbow-iridescent scales, reflecting the touch of Damballah and Ayida Wedo upon you.
Members of the Warrior Setite lineage change their in-clan disciplines to Potence, Presence, Serpentis. Their weakness is unchanged.
Tlacique change their in-clan disciplines to Obfuscate, Presence, Protean. Their default “fight” form is a Jaguar. Their weakness is unchanged.
Merits & Flaws:
For more information on these Merits & Flaws, see Lore of the Clans pg. 67. Note all Setites may take these merits and flaws, regardless of allegiance – they just tweak themselves to the Setite’s bloodline.
Drug Resistance (2 pt. physical merit) – You have greatly increased tolerance to all kinds of narcotics.
Addictive Blood (3 pt. Supernatural Merit) – Your blood is even more addictive than most.
Setite Initiate (5 pt. Social Merit, non-Setite only) – While not embraced among their number, you have joined a Setite cult. You may learn Serpentis (or Protean, if joining the Aztec cult of the Tlaciques) and the Sorceries practiced by your respective cult at out-of-clan costs, and are considered One of Us by Setites of your particular stripe.
Disclaimer: This Merit comes with a LOT of strings attached. The Camarilla and Anarchs have a limited tolerance of Setite chicanery of any stripe, and clans like the Tremere and the Banu Haqim are even more intolerant than that. While the Sabbat will generally be OK with someone signing on with a Cobra cult, mainstream Setite worship and the practices of the Tlaciques are extra heretical and if you get caught you will be BLAM!ed. The same deal goes with the Tal’Mahe’Ra. While they’ll probably shrug at someone joining up with the Tlaciques, worshipping Set makes you an enemy, and joining a Cobra cult means you’ve been exposed to Sabbat ideology. Also, don’t take this merit for the lootz. We’ll know.
Scales (1-3 point Supernatural flaw) – You are covered in scales to varying extent, which risks the Masquerade, but Setites view you as blessed. Tlacique who bear this flaw have fur with Jaguar patterning instead.
Venomous Bite (2 pt. Supernatural flaw) – You inject venom with your bite, in any form… you just can’t control it, meaning you usually kill mortal prey. Tlacique can still take this flaw, though it’s regarded as… odd.
Forked Tongue (2 pt. Supernatural flaw) – you have the forked tongue of a snake at all times, and if you’re not paying attention it flicks out of your mouth, tasting the air. This does not automatically confer the benefits of Serpentis OO. Tlacique who take this flaw have the feline eyes of a Jaguar instead.
Heartless (4 pt. Supernatural flaw) – You lost your heart. Tlaciques can still take this flaw, as they say one of the deep secrets of Nahuallotl allows a Jaguar-priest to cut the heart out of any victim without slaying them… any vampire may be able to take this flaw at ST discretion.
Combination Disciplines:
For more information about these powers, see Lore of the Clans pg. 69. Any Setite may take these powers unless otherwise indicated, though for our purposes they follow amendments where indicated.
True Love’s Face (Obfuscate OOO, Presence OOO) – Assume the illusory guise of someone a victim loves and trusts. (18 XP)
Typhonic Beast (Potence OOO, Serpentis OOOO) – Assume the form of a great beast. For most Setites this is the Typhonic beast of Egyptian legend. Serpents of the Light (and Children of Damballah) evoke the form of the Rainbow Serpent, becoming a shimmering serpent-man. Tlaciques use Protean OOOO instead of Serpentis and evoke the shape of Tezcatlipoca, the ravenous jaguar-god, and the benefit of Protean claws instead of a venomous bite. System effects of this power are otherwise the same for all users. (21 XP)
Weigh the Heart (Auspex OOO, Serpentis OOOOO) – Peer into a target’s soul, uncovering their secrets and shames. Tlacique use Nahuallotl OOOOO to evoke this power instead of Serpentis. (24 XP)
Sorcery and the Setite Cults:
While they don’t have the same natural affinity for it as the Tremere and the sorcerers of the Banu Haqim, the Setites have been sorcerers for a long time. While different Setite cults place different weight on the practice of sorcery, the blanket statement can be made that Setities love blood magic and the power it gives them over others.
Mainstream Setites and their various cults practice Akhu. Not all Setites follow the path of the lector-priest, as it comes with significant religious obligations, but those who do are awarded great respect.
Serpents of the Light practice Wanga and Necromancy. Status within the Cobra cults is built around magical achievement and rare is the Cobra who is not a practicing sorcerer.
Tlaciques practice Nahuallotl, and doing so is considered both a Tlacique’s blood-right and duty.
Paths of Enlightenment:
Setites are the keepers of secrets, and when many Clans’ specific Roads were lost during the burning times, they kept theirs. In addition to the Path of Typhon, Setites practice the Path of Ecstasy and the Path of the Warrior. Serpents of the Light generally follow Sabbat paths, but also have a variant of the Path of Ecstasy that replaces the Level 2 sin with “Refusing to subvert the chains of the Antediluvians” but is otherwise the same. The Inquisition has studied the Cobras’ variant of this path and judged it self-indulgent but non-heretical. The Cobras might even teach it to those not of their clan. Ask your ST. Tlacique might have a variant of the Path of the Warrior that replaces the Level 1 sin with “Failing to sacrifice for Tezcatlipoca.” Again, ask your ST. Otherwise, see Lore of the Clans pg. 71 for information about these paths.
Tlacique and Shape of the Beast:
As stated above, Tlacique who learn the Shape of the Beast Protean power gain Jaguar as their “fight” form and Bat as their “flight” form.
In jaguar form, the vampire’s teeth and claws inflict Strength +1 aggravated damage, he can run at double speed and halves all damage from falling, and the difficulties of all Perception rolls are reduced by one.In bat form, the vampire’s Strength is reduced to 1, but they can fly at speeds of up to 20 miles per hour/30 kph, difficulties for all hearing-based Perception rolls are reduced by three, and attacks made against them are at +2 difficulty due to his small size.
The Apepnu
The Followers of Set are oft aided in their aims by the Undying known as the Apepnu (or Bane Mummies) – ifrit spirits of darkness and flame freed by Apophis and enchanted by Set to seize a cadaver in mockery of the spell of life.
The Apepnu focus their arcane efforts in opposition to their rivals among the Undying known as the Amenti, and against the Amenti’s allies among the Tal’mahe’ra.
The seven greatest Apepnu are:
Tutu, the Doubly Evil One, most cunning and stealthy of the Apepnu
Quetu, the Evildoer, cruelest of the Apepnu
Amam, the Devourer, most powerful of the Apepnu
Saatet-ta, Darkener of the Earth, spirit-master of the Apepnu
Hemhemti, the Roarer, mightiest warrior of the Apepnu
Kharebutu, the Fourfold Fiend, most powerful necromancer of the Apepnu
Hau-hra, of the Backward Face, most influential and manipulative of the Apepnu
The Apepnu are traditional allies of the Followers of Set, and have dual loyalties to the clan and to Apophis, to varying extents. The Apepnu are capable of creating more of their kind (which are called Asekh-sen by their creators), but these Apepnu are not nearly so powerful as the seven eldest, and the Apepnu have only created the barest handful of others their kind. They are already scheming and treacherous amongst one another, and do not desire more rivals.