House Kain Ancestor Veneration

Kusari Kain

Era: War of the Four Houses

True Destiny: The Faithful Hound

The Akashic Order struggled to integrate House Kain, and would have rather Alexus never elevated them in the first place, but when Kusari Kain slew Shio Daijin, the Akashic Order knew they had a legend they could work with.

The Akashic Order presents Kusari Kain as the exemplary member of House Kain. He subordinates himself to the will of the Order and the other nobility. He sees his place as a knight, rather than a lord. He hunts the enemies of the Akashic Order and the Alliance with ruthless, machinelike efficiency. He knows his place, as the weapon of the Alliance.

Those who have the Destiny (Faithful Hound) can expect to hunt down the enemies of the Alliance, slay them, and to never die while in direct service to the Alliance, no matter how grievously wounded.

Legacy

Kusari Kain worked tirelessly to hunt down the enemies of the old Eternal Empire, and that drive to preserve the power of the nobility with devoted, violent service, remains in his descendants to this day.

Descendents who follow Kusari Kain must take the Obsession (Slay the enemies of the Alliance) [-10].

Milestones

The descendant is spiritually troubled. In his wandering, he meets a wise master, who assists him in overcoming his spiritual trouble. The descendant swears undying loyalty to the wise master.

A great enemy threatens the boon companion or wise master of the descendant while the descendant is away. The descendant must abandon his current quest, allies and friends to rescue his boon companion or wise master. He returns to find much of the Boon Companion or wise master’s property destroyed, but is able to rescue them.

The descendant realizes that to succeed at his quest, he will need a legendary artifact. However, none presents itself, but his wise master directs him to several places where he can collect fragments of an artifact and then he returns with them, and reforges them into a new legendary artifact, which becomes his signature item.

The wise master, having been betrayed by a traitor, sees how that treachery threatens the stability of his domain and the stability of the galaxy. He commands the descendant to hunt down and kill the traitor. The descendant agrees, and arrives at wrongfully acquired stronghold of the traitor to find a small army arrayed against them. He kill them all, and then executes the traitor.

The wise master unrighteously commands the descendant to hunt down and kill a good man. The good man, when confronted, refuses to fight back and instead offers an explanation for his actions and reveals the unrighteousness of the wise master’s request. The descendant chooses to follow his master’s command and slays the good man.

Associated Miracles

Kainian Grit

Minimum Reaction: Neutral

Learned Prerequisite: Blood Purity 1, either Communion 4 or Archetype.

Learned Prayer Cost: 3.

The Descendant pursues his prey with ruthless efficiency. He gains Tough Guy 3 for one hour or until it has assisted him at least once, which ever takes longer. This talent is cumulative with any existing talent, and may exceed +4.

Statistics: Tough Guy 3 (Divine, Path -15%) [13], Rule Exception (This talent may exceed +4) [1]

Divine Hunter

Minimum Reaction: Neutral

Learned Prerequisite: Blood Purity 1, Communion 4 or Archetype.

Learned Prayer Cost: 3 points.

This miracle grants the descendant perfect knowledge of the direction of his target. It only works with targets the character has attuned to (by meditating with something that belonged to them), and the character can only have a single target at a time.

Statistics: Super Memorization 1 (15) (Divine Path -15%, single form of Detect only -80%) [15]; Detect (Single living target only; Cosmic, no die roll required +100%; long range 2 +100%, No Analysis -10%)

Unstoppable (Enhanced)

Minimum Reaction: Good

Learned Prerequisite: Blood Purity 2, Communion 7.

Learned Prayer Cost: 6 points.

For the next 3d seconds, the descendant gains High Pain Threshold, DR 20 (hardened x3), takes no visible damage and is unkillable until he reaches -10xHP, unless he is wounded with an attack that originates from Communion. Furthermore, in addition to his High Pain Threshold, he gains +3 to resist unconsciousness. Finally, when the power wears off, the character must check for death based on his current state, but even if the roll fails, even if he’s automatically dead (-5xHP), the character merely falls unconscious and is not dead unless someone deals a death blow.

Statistics: New variant of Blessed derived from Blessed Be (Pyramid #3-78) [14] with grants the following advantages DR 20 (Hardened 5 +150%, Force Field +20%) [54], High Pain Threshold [15], No Visible Damage [1], Hard to Subdue +3 [6] and Unkillable 1 (Achilles Heel, Divine Attacks, -10%) [45]

Lothar Kain

Era: The Rise of Alexus

Dark Destiny: Bloodthirsty Warlord

The Akashic Order never liked Lothar Kain. They saw Alexus Rex as making a deal with a devil when he allowed him into the ranks of Maradonian Nobility. As such, the Akashic Order goes out of its way to present the memory of Lothar Kain in as sinister a light as it can. It portrays Lothar Kain as a ruthless conqueror and bandit who left destruction and suffering in his wake. They then emphasize to the members of House Kain that if they follow Lothar’s path, they will likely suffer a similar fate.

Unfortunately for the Akashic Order, many members of House Kain fail to see the drawback of this.

Those with the Destiny (Bloodthirsty Warlord) can expect to achieve great success on the field of battle, to crush their enemies, to drive them before the descendant and to hear the lamentations of their women. They can also expect their victories to be bloody and terrifying.

Legacy

Lothar Kain had a complicated relationship with the Maradonian aristocracy. He both despised their weakness, but craved the chance to prove himself better than them. This ideal still pulses deep within the veins of most members of House Kain.

Descendents who follow Lothar Kain must have Obsession (Be recognized as the greatest of nobles) [-10].

Milestones

The descendant faces an impossible battle. He can choose to surrender, make a great sacrifice to buy his allies some time, or he can engage in massive slaughter of innocence to achieve victory. He chooses to engage in slaughter, wins, gains access to a reward, and is honored by the moral authority.

The descendant wins a great military victory. His newly acquired spoils contain a corrupted legendary artifact. The descendant cannot unlock that power alone, however. He must seek a boon companion to sacrifice to the legendary artifact, which will give him mastery over it. He doe so, corrupting or slaying the boon companion and, in so doing, gains great power with no real consequences to himself.

The descendant faces a worthy rival, who represents the moral authority, in battle. The two fight to a standstill. Rather than finish the battle, the rival offers to allow the descendant to join forces with him and to be honored by the moral authority, in exchange for great power and prestige. The descendant agrees.

Many virtuous suitors vie for the attention of a beautiful, virtuous youth. The descendant uses underhanded tactics to tempt and seduce the beautiful, virtuous youth. He succeeds, but she is corrupted by his love. Nonetheless, she proves to be a powerful and capable Boon Companion. As a result, at least one of the suitors becomes a rival.

The moral authority requests that the descendant undertake a quest to recover a legendary artifact on their behalf, and promises riches and prestige when he succeeds. He journeys far from home, acquires the artifact and returns. He finds that the moral authority has betrayed him in the meantime and has taken his home from him. When confronted, the moral authority confesses that they thought he would betray them and agree to return his home in return for the legendary artifact. The descendant may either trade the legendary artifact for the return of his home, or he may wage war upon them, defeat them, and keep the legendary artifact for himself. Either way, the moral authority will portray him as a villain.

Associated Miracles

Dark Warlord

Minimum Reaction: Neutral

Learned Prerequisite: Blood Purity 1, either Dark Communion 4 or Archetype.

Learned Prayer Cost: 3.

The descendant excels at the pursuits of war. He gains Born Warleader 3 for one hour or until it has assisted him at least once, which ever takes longer. This talent is cumulative with any existing talent, and may exceed +4.

Statistics: Born Warleader 3 (Divine, Path -15%) [13], Rule Exception (This talent may exceed +4) [1]

Dark Prowess

Minimum Reaction: Good

Learned Prayer Prerequisite: Blood Purity 2, Dark Communion 8

Learned Prayer Cost: 9 points

As Power of the Abyss (Enhanced) (Pyramid #3-36, page 11) but with the additional Path modifier and without DR 1. This reflects the Lothar Kain’s enormous physical potential.

Statistics: Blessed 6 (Heroic Feats; Divine, Path -25%) [45]

Dark Glory

Minimum Reaction: Good

Learned Prayer Prerequisite: Blood Purity 2, Dark Communion 8

Learned Prayer Cost: 8 points

As Dark Glory (Pyramid #3-36, page 11) but with the additional Path modifier and a -2 to fright checks..

Statistics: Terror 2 (Divine, Path -25%) [38]

Kira Kain

Era: War of the Four Houses

Free Destiny: Romantic Adventurer

Kira served a Grimshaw master during the war of the Four Houses, and when he died, she set out to avenge him. On her long quest, she had wild adventures across the galaxy, uncovering treasures, defeating vile enemies, and she once ruled a planet as a living goddess for a very brief and ill-fated escapade. The whole time, she found herself just a few steps behind the increasingly intriguing and romantic assassin. Eventually, when she caught up with him, he successfully convinced her that it wasn’t her fight, and asked her to join him.

The Akashic Order used to hold Kira up as an example of what happens when a Kain abandons his duty, but this tended to have the opposite effect on members of house Kain, so they’ve just quietly discouraged her veneration, and the leader of house Kain largely agree, as stories of how great life if once you leave the service of the Alliance is counterproductive to Kainian goals.

Those who have Destiny (Romantic Adventurer) can expect to never have a boring life, to gain success at wildly improbable ventures, and to see fate conspire to keep them moving on to their next adventure.

Legacy

Kira had an obsessive goal, but abandoned it. Her legacy is less of a goal, and more of a mind-set.

Those who follow the path of Kira Kain must have Impulsiveness [-10].

Milestones

The descendant serves a master in a time of war. The enemies of the master hire an assassin to slay the master. The descendant tries to protect her master, but fails. She swears an oath of revenge. In so doing, she is able to escape any lingering duties or bonds she might have had.

While far from home, the descendant encounters a magnificent vice. The moral authority had warned her not to partake, but they are far away, so she does. While under the influence of the vice, she encounters a sworn enemy, but because of her vice, she is unable to defeat him and he escapes. She suffers no additional consequences, and gains some great insight thanks to the encounter.

While far from home, the descendant finds a map to a lost treasure, one her rival also seeks. Both pursue the treasure and arrive to acquire it at the same moment. The descendant wins the battle, but must choose between acquiring the treasure or defeating the rival. She chooses acquiring the treasure.

While far from home, the descendant discovers a beautiful youth who is destined to rule a local Moral Authority and is in great peril. The descendant rescues the beautiful youth, who instantly falls in love with her. The beautiful youth requests her assistance in restoring the moral authority, and she agrees, succeeds, and is acclaimed a hero. The beautiful youth offers to let her rule beside the beautiful youth, but seeing that she would become too tied down in the complicated politics of the world, she refuses.

While far from home, The descendant tracks down an enemy she has sworn to defeat after a very long and rewarding journey. She defeats him, but he explains that he was never her enemy, and offers to let her join him. She chooses to let him live, but refuses to join him.

Associated Miracles

Dark Courage

Minimum Reaction: Neutral

Learned Prerequisite: Blood Purity 1, either Dark Communion 4 or Archetype.

Learned Prayer Cost: 3 points.

The descendant fears nothing, except possibly for unspeakable cosmic horrors. She is immune to all fright checks. This miracle lasts for an hour or until it has helped her at least once, whichever takes longer.

Statistics: Unfazeable (Divine Path -15%) [13]

The Tao of Hyperspace

Minimum Reaction: Good

Learned Prerequisite: Blood Purity 2, Dark Communion 7.

Learned Prayer Cost: 6 points.

As Traveler’s Blessing (Divine Favor page 10).

Free Movement

Minimum Reaction: Neutral

Learned Prerequisite: Blood Purity 1, Dark Communion 5

Learned Prayer Cost: 4 points.

After making a successful Meditation roll, the descendant suffers no DX penalties for unstable terrain of any sort. This lasts for the remainder of combat, or an hour, whichever is shorter.

Statistics: Terrain Adaption (Divine Path -15%, Active +300%) [20]

House Elegans Ancestor Veneration

Esau Elegans

Era: Rise of Alexus

True Destiny: Left-Handed Fool

The founder of House Elegans troubled the Akashic Order and they’ve struggled with his inclusion into their Mystery Play. The childhood friend and sometimes rival of Alexus Rex, the Akashic Order wanted to cast Alexus as the hero, and that meant a modification to the legend of Esau. In the Mystery Play, he is usually portrayed as the one who disagrees with Alexus or with Sissi, or who tries some inappropriate tactic, and then proves to be wrong.

House Elegans holds to a slightly different legend. They see their founder as a “contrary warrior,” a man who made points by going against the grain, who challenged the status quo to help prove it, and was willing to try new things and, if they proved to work, to use them.

Those who have the Destiny (Left-Handed Fool) are destined to successfully challenge the status quo, to be the first to spot a flaw in a plan or a tactic, or to defeat their opponents while using unconventional tactics.

Legacy

The true legacy of Esau Elegans is something of a mystery. Very little in the way of records on his goals or ambitions survive to this day, and his descendants argue that it was Esau’s way to have no particular way. He took what came before him, and flowed like water around obstacles. Others note that Esau primarily served as a foil and strawman for Alexus Rex and thus, ultimately, was an empty character for the Mystery play.

Descendents who follow Esau may choose to have no obsession, in which case the Miracles of Esau Elegans automatically fail when they come into conflict with any other miracles, or they may choose to have Obsession (Challenge Orthodoxy) or Trickster.

Milestones

The Descendant faces a rival in battle. The Descendant holds his own, then is clearly defeated but not yet harmed. At the mercy of the rival, the Descendant laughs. The rival, impressed, spares the Descendant and becomes a Boon Companion.

The Descendant and the rival meet two beautiful youths, one who is finer in appearance than the other. The rival wins the affection of the finer beautiful youth, while the Descendant wins the affection of the less fine beautiful youth. The latter proves more virtuous and capable, and becomes a Boon Companion.

The Descendant and his peers face a threat, and have two choices before them. The Descendant sees which choice is superior, and takes up the inferior choice. He is soundly defeated by the threat, but suffers no consequences as a result of his choice. The peers see that his approach was flawed, and choose the right approach.

The peers of the Descendant feel their faith in the moral authority wavering. The Descendant denounces and humiliates the moral authority. One of the Descendant’s peers rises angrily in response and defends the moral authority and the rest of the Descendant’s peers rally around the moral authority. The Descendant suffers no consequences for his challenge.

In a time of crisis, the Descendant uncovers lore or a relic deemed corrupt by the moral authority. The Descendant takes it up, uses it to defeat the crisis, and suffers no ill consequence. The Descendant’s peers question the validity of the moral authority.

Associated Miracles

Dark Charisma

Minimum Reaction: Neutral

Learned Prerequisite: Blood Purity 1, either Dark Communion 4 or Archetype.

Learned Prayer Cost: 2 points.

See Servant of the God of Lies (Pyramid #3-36, page 10)

Interesting Times

Reaction Required: Neutral

Learned Prayer Prerequisite: Blood Purity 1, Dark Communion 6

Learned Prayer Cost: 5 points

Things can always get crazier around the Descendant, and he seems to thrive on the chaos he generates. After making this prayer, something absurd, hilarious or exciting shortly happens. The rule of thumb for this miracle is that it can only make things more interesting or more fun, and that the Descendant may profit from it.

Statistics: Serendipity (Wishing +100%, Divine, Path -25%, Aspect “Only wishes that directly result in greater hilarity, excitement or chaos”) [24]

See Truth

Minimum Reaction: Good

Learned Prayer Prerequisite: Blood Purity 2, Dark Communion 8,

Learned Prayer Cost: 9 points

While under the effects of this miracle, the Descendant cannot be tricked, either by mental illusion, a contest of Acting skill, or his own failing senses. He can fail to notice things, or miss them, or not know/understand what something is (“I don’t know.”), but he won’t believe that something is something that it is not. He automatically wins any such contests. As a general or specific prayer, this miracle lasts for one hour, or until it has protected the Descendant once, whichever is longer.

Statistics: Immune to Deception (Cosmic, includes misperception +50%, Divine: Path -15%) [41]

Jax Elegans

Era: The Fall of Alexus

Dark Destiny: Heretic

Jax Elegans betrayed the Akashic Order and slew the last Alexian Empire, earning him the undying enmity of the Akashic Order. On the other hand, Jax Elegans revealed flaws in the Akashic Order, and defeated a mad tyrant who terrorized the galaxy and slew his own kin. The Akashic Order uses whatever thin justification it can to undermine the memory of Jax Elegans, even using contradictory arguments (“Yes, Lucian Alexus was mad, yes, the Federation that came after was good, but Jax Elegans is still a monster!”).

The Akashic Order fears Jax Elegans because he represents the fate of the Elegans who refuse to play along with their agenda as Esau Elegans did. Jax challenged the orthodoxy, but refused to back down or be a laughing stock, and it literally ended the Eternal Empire. So the Akashic Order denounces the memory of Jax Elegans, but members of House Elegans see him differently, as an unsung hero. They just know enough not to voice their respect when an Akashic priest wanders past.

Characters with the Destiny (Heretic) can expect to uncover a new or lost philosophy or tradition, they can expect to rapidly attain a powerful position within that movement, they can expect to use its secrets to great success, and they can expect to achieve great successes in undermining the Akashic Order.

Legacy

Jax Elegans converted to True Communion because he believed that it held a more complete understanding of the threats that faced the Galaxy. He believed that all of humanity, and that all alien races, were necessary to defeat the Coming Storm, and he believed that True Communion was the best tool to do this. That the Akashic Order would fall to make way for this new order was an unfortunate, but necessary, side-effect.

Descendents who follow Jax Elegans must have either Obsesssion (Restore True Communion) [-10] or Obsession (Otherthrow the Orthodoxy) [-10].

Milestones

The descendant, having been granted power and prestige by the moral authority, encounters a poor and weak man who follows a heresy that undermines the moral authority. They debate the merits of their philosophies, but the poor and weak man proves to have the superior philosophy to the princely descendant. The descendant meditates beneath a great tree on the merits of the poor man’s arguments, and converts.

The descendant brings his new heresy to his peers, and points out the flaws in the moral authority. Most of his peers reject him and the moral authority demands that he recant or lose his power and prestige. The descendant refuses and is exiled. One of his peers, convinced, joins him as a Boon Companion.

The descendant witnesses oppression of the weak in the name of the moral authority. The weak call out to the descendant for liberation from this oppression. The descendant fights against the oppressors and emerges victorious. The weak hail the descendant as a hero, but his peers believe he has committed a grave crime and condemn him.

The corruption of the moral authority grows so great that it begins to devour the peers of the descendant. They either refuse to acknowledge the corruption or fear to challenge it. The peers secretly call upon the descendant to slay the moral authority. He accepts and succeeds, destroying the old order and allowing his peer to create a new order. The peers of the descendant thereafter condemn him as a criminal.

An assassin in the service of the moral authority comes to slay the descendant. The descendant refuses to fight, but speaks instead. The assassin cannot bring himself to kill the descendant, and instead converts and becomes his Boon Companion.

Associated Miracles

Words of Truth

Minimum Reaction: Neutral

Learned Prayer Prerequisite: Blood Purity 1, Communion 5

Learned Prayer Cost: 4 points

See Sermonize, Divine Favor 9

Guide My Hand

Minimum Reaction: Good

Learned Prayer Prerequisite: Blood Purity 2, Communion 8

Learned Prayer Cost: 8 points

As Guide My Hand (Pyramid #3-36, page 12) but with the additional Path modifier. Remember, Weapon Masters have exceptional defaults!

Statistics: Weapon Master (All; Divine, Path -15%) [39]

Moment of Truth

Minimum Reaction: Very Good

Learned Prerequisite: Blood Purity 3, Communion 11.

Learned Prayer Cost: 17 points.

This miracle may be prayed for before making any non-prayer success, damage or reaction roll. The player may dictate the results as fate aligns perfectly behind him. As a learned prayer, this may be used once every hour.

Statistics: Super Luck (Divine Path -15%) [85]

Tia Elegans

Era: War of the Four Houses

Free Destiny: Beloved Mother

House Elegans took no sides during the War of Four Houses. Perceived by the other houses as having colluded with the Knights of Communion and assisting in the fall of the Eternal Empire, they struggled for a time to survive, only to rise meteorically during the era of the Federation. Tia Elegans, the Marchessa during the War of the Four Houses did much to preserve her family and ensure that their legacy carried on.

The Akashic Order doesn’t dislike the legacy of Tia Elegans per se, but they fear her example could encourage other Elegans to focus on house and family over the Golden Path, where their focus should be. The modern Elegans, faced with a new crisis, feel differently, and turn to her lessons as a way to endure.

Those who have Destiny(Beloved Mother) can expect romance, to protect members of her house from threats, to overcome obstacles with virtue and hardwork, to successfully heal and lift others up, and to bring fame and prestige to her entire house.

Legacy

Tia did whatever it took to keep her House alive during a time of crisis. Her single-minded focus likely saved the House during this dark time!

Those who follow the path of Tia Elegans must have Obsession (“House Elegans must rise!”) [-10].

Milestones

The descendant encounters a wicked suitor, who would tempt her away from her path of virtue. She refuses him. Her virtue, patience and hard-work convinces him of the error of his ways and he becomes the righteous suitor, and her boon companion.

An enemy threatens the safety of the descendant’s family and her property while her allies and boon companions are away. She gathers together her family and places them somewhere safe and faces the enemy alone. She cannot save her property, but she saves her family and drives the enemy off.

A member of the descendant’s family has been wounded and is dying or is presumed dead. All of the descendant’s peers give up hope of saving the family member. The descendant sets out to find a cure, or to find the family member. She succeeds and “brings back the dead.”

The descendant undertakes what she believes to be a simple, unrewarding task out of a sense of duty and virtue. In fact, her task turns out to be of the utmost importance! The descendant’s peers recognize both her virtue and her accomplishment and she, and her family, gain prestige and power as a result.

The descendant has a (literal or metaphorical) child. The child will face tragedy and suffering, but as long as the descendant remains faithful to the child, it will survive and eventually gain glory and prestige that eclipses even that of the descendant.

Associated Miracles

Healer

Minimum Reaction: Neutral

Learned Prerequisite: Blood Purity 1, either Communion 4 or Archetype.

Learned Prayer Cost: 3.

The Descendant excels at healing others. She gains Healer 3 for one hour or until it has assisted her at least once, which ever takes longer. This talent is cumulative with any existing talent, and may exceed +4.

Statistics: Healer 3 (Divine, Path -15%) [13], Rule Exception (This talent may exceed +4) [1]

Lay on Hands

Minimum Reaction: Good

Learned Prayer Prerequisite: Blood Purity 2, Communion 8

Learned Prayer Cost: 8 points

See Lay On Hands from Divine Favor page 11.

Aura of Vigor

Reaction Required: Very Good

Learned Prerequisite: Blood Purity 3, Communion 11

Learned Prayer Cost: 17 points.

After making a successful Meditation roll, the descendant and any allies within 2 yards gain +3 to HT. The descendant may apply a -5 to his Meditation roll to expand the effect out to 4 yards away. On a failed meditation roll, the descendant can spend a point of fatigue (or psionic energy reserves) and try again on the next turn. This lasts for the remainder of combat, or an hour, whichever is shorter.

Statistics: Aura of Vigor 3 (see Pyramid #3-19 page 10)