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Promethean the Created - Lineages

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The term Promethean collectively refers to a group of beings created from nonliving matter, given life by Azoth, the divine fire.
A Promethean is created when a person (usually human, but there were recorded cases of vampires and werewolves achieving this as well), referred to as the Demiurge, desperate or obsessed with the idea of returning life to the dead, or create new life, becomes imbued with the divine fire.
Under the fire's control, they imbue a dead body with new life, or create a new body out of other materials (wood, rock, clay, metal) which they then animate.
This procedure usually works only once, and the Demiurge tends to be unable to repeat it once the process is complete.
The Promethean comes into the world as a blank slate, but they have the ability to learn at great speed, mastering a language withing a few days if given sufficient access to information.
In addition to their high intellect, Prometheans also posses great physical strength and endurance. Unless a Promethean's Azoth is destroyed, they are capable to survive crippling and fatal injuries, regenerating over time (even if made out of inorganic material.) Except for keeping the Promethean alive, Azoth can also be used to power various alchemic abilities, that Prometheans can learn and preform at will. Prometheans can re-fill their Azoth by exposing themselves to electricity, but also simply by eating (a Promethean is capable of consuming and digesting any organic material without difficulty.) In case a Promethean endures too much abuse, physical or emotional, they enter Torment, a state of all-consuming rage in which they lash out at anything around them.
All Prometheans however suffer from two crippling weaknesses. The divine fire has destructive effects of both physical and mental nature.
Each Promethean causes Disquiet when near a human or animal (vampires and werewolves are partially immune), an effect that causes humans and animals to become instinctively hostile towards the Promethean, their aggression increasing the longer the Promethean remains in their vicinity (vampires and werewolves don't become hostile towards the Promethean, but they'll start finding it increasingly difficult to control their instincts in the presence of the Promethean.)
If a Promethean remains too long in a single location, they'll trigger the Wasteland Effect, that'll slowly cause the death of all near plant-life, along with the corruption of the environment.
Due to these weaknesses, Prometheans have to lead a nomadic lifestyle, only with other Prometheans as long-time companions (alto modern technology makes it possible to peacefully communicate with non Prometheans as well.)
A Promethean can overcome these weaknesses by undergoing a slow (may last decades or even centuries) process called "Magnum Opus" (The Great Work), or simply Pilgrimage, at the end of which they become fully human. The Pilgrimage is both a procedure in which a Promethean learns to properly control the Azoth in their body to give their bodies real life and remove the side-effects, as well as a spiritual journey to understand the human condition. Both aspects are very important.
Prometheans created from both dead human bodies, and other materials have been confirmed to be able to achieve humanity. There are however recorded cases of Prometheans created from dead animal bodies. Whether they become humans or regular animals at the end of their Pilgrimage is not known.
There's also one more condition. Before finishing their Pilgrimage, each Promethean must create at least one more of their kind.

The splat-book for Promethean the Created introduces 5 lineages of Prometheans. Each lineage is essentially a unique species with a very specific creation process and individual history. All connected through Azoth.

These 5 lineages are:

Frankensteins
The members of this lineage posses enormous physical strength, even by Promethean standards. They can also attach additional limbs or organs to themselves as a form of enhancement. Their Torment manifests as pure rage.
A relatively young lineage, it was founded by the famous Frankenstein Monster. A Frankenstein is made by sewing together the best parts. Azoth then enters the body in the form of a lightning bolt, or electrical charge.
Their Disquiet effect causes a great feeling of fear in everyone around them. Fear that slowly grows into anger and hate.
Their Wasteland effect manifests in the form of frequent lightning storms, wildfires, and malfunctions of electronics.
Frankensteins can alternatively be also produced out of copper. Instead of attaching new body parts, these Frankensteins can absorb scrap-metal in order to increase their body-mass.

Galateids
A lineage gifted with immense beauty, they have an easier time getting along with humans. At first.
Originating in ancient Greece, founded by Galatea, the living statue created by the sculptor Pygmalion who fell in love with his creation.
When their Torment activates, they become extremely attached to a person, item, or concept, reaching levels of destructive obsession. Brutally hunting down any rival or threat to their object of obsession, sometimes even slipping into a "If I can have you, no-one will" line of thinking.
Galateids are chiseled from marble, the Azoth entering their body through "The Breath of life." The Breath of Life can take the form of a spell, a prayer, or a mere kiss.
Their Disquiet cause people to become violently jealous of them.
The Galateid's Wasteland effect pollutes the air around them.
A Galateid can be also made from a perfectly preserved body of a fit and healthy (except for being dead) human. The body is immersed in a bath of pearls, herbs, and wine vinegar, before they are given the Breath of Life. It is often considered easier than to learn sculpting, not to mention to master it to the required level. Bodies of drowning or poisoning victims are preferred, as they show minimal damage.

Osirians
A lineage possessing the unique ability to speak with the dead. When their Torment is awakened, they loose all of their emotions, except for a strong desire for vengeance. In this emotionless state they are capable of coming-up with incredibly complex and elaborate plans, schemes, and strategies on the go.
Founded in Ancient Egypt by the god Pharaoh Osiris, who later went on to become the god of the underworld.
The creation of an Osirian is a complex process. First, a dead body has to immersed in water. Then it's slashed into 13 pieces. 12 of the peaces are re-assembles, sown and glued back together, and then properly mummified. The Azoth is then offered to the mummy in the form of a potion made from drinking water and rose petals.
Osirian brand of Disquiet causes people to suffer from violent mood-swings, become increasingly irrational, or just get stupider.
Their Wasteland effect pollutes the waters, but also causes massive droughts.
Osirians can alternatively be made out of limestone too. First a limestone statue (preferably one representing Osiris, Horus, or Isis) is constructed. It is then immersed into water, and upon removal shattered into thirteen pieces. Twelve of the pieces are then re-assembled, and the statue is then given an offering of Azoth infused water, roses, and herbs.

Tammuz
Better known as Golems.
Known for their immense stamina and determination. Their Torment is a mix of intense rage and deep depression.
Legends say that the lineage was the Babylonian god of vegetation, Tammuz, who's life was sacrificed in order to revive the goddess Ishtar, who in turn gave new life to him, and made him her husband.
The traditional creation process of a Tammuz, believed to be the one used to revive the god himself, consists of placing a tiny peace of cloth, papyrus, parchment, or paper, with a magic spell written on it, under the tongue of the chosen body; placing a mark on the body's forehead; and the subsequent burring of the body into fertile, Azoth infused, soil. The new Tammuz then erupts from under the ground.
A more commonly used method however includes the modelling of a large clay statue instead. The spell is then written onto a tablet, that is inserted into the Golem's forehead, the clay becoming infused with Azoth in the process.
Their Disquiet causes people to become obsessed with the Tammuz in some way, wanting it only for themselves, and isolating it from the rest of the world. By force if necessary.
The Tammuz Wasteland effect causes the soil to become infertile, and rocks to become brittle.

Ulgan
The lineage with the ability to talk to ghosts and spirits, as well as the ability to enter the spirit world. Their Torment causes them to become driven by predator-like instincts.
Their lineage was founded by the Mongolian god Bai-Ulgan. It's believed he was created by the god Tengri, who created him out of himself.
The creation of an Ulgan is the most difficult of all the lineages. First a portal into the spirit world must be opened. Then in a ritual, a body is offered to the spirits. The spirits tear the body into threads, and then re-assemble it, slowly filling it with small amounts of Azoth.
Ulgan Disquiet manifests in two different ways. People with no interest in the occult mentally degenerate into an animal-like state. People who have at least a casual interest in the occult become obsessed with spirits, and start undergoing increasingly elaborate (and effective) attempts to contact the spirit world, almost always with disastrous results for the community.
The lineage's Wasteland effects slowly tears down the barrier between the physical world and spirit world, and attracting the attention of malicious spirits.
Ulgans can be made out of birch wood as well. A ritual is preformed near a birch tree, summoning nature spirits in the process. At the ritual's end, a lightning bolts strikes the tree, and shatters it into splinters, infusing the wood with Azoth. The spirits then start gathering the splinters, putting them together into a humanoid form.


The source-book " Saturnine Night" introduces two more lineages for advanced players.

The 2 lineages are:

Zeka
The youngest lineage in existence, being only created in the 20th century. They posses the ability to turn into a shadow, but more importantly, to summon armies of radioactive zombies. Their Torment takes the form of an overwhelming feeling of intense hatred towards everything living.
The origins of the lineage are uncertain, despite of how recently it was created. There are records of five different Zeka created independently of each other, all around the same time.
One was created during the American nuclear tests. Another one was created in a ritual by a Nazi scientist and occultist who worked on a nuclear bomb, giving his life in the process of creating what he believed to be the Ubermensch. One was created in the Soviet Union when the scientists were trying to re-create the works of Victor Frankenstein, using the bodies of prisoners who died of radiation poisoning. Then there was one created in Hiroshima, by a man trying to resurrect his dead wife. The last one is known to have been made in Australia, no other details are available.
The creation process of the Zeky remains a mystery. The US Zeka was a man who died of cancer, who's body was warped in lead and encased in concrete. The Nazi scientist created his with an occult ritual in which he used artifacts made out of irradiated soil and uranium. The Soviet one was made by sewing together the bodies of dead prisoners who died working in uranium mines. But all of these processes ended with a nuclear explosion.
The lineage's Disquiet turns people violently paranoid.
Their wasteland cause the entire area around them to become contaminated with lethal levels of radiation.
It is believed that if a Zeka achieves mortality, they'll immediately die of radiation poisoning. The Zeky think it would still be worth it.

The Unfleshed
Not so much a lineage as a collection of lineages sharing many identical characteristics. The Unfleshed are living machines. Unlike the copper Frankenstein, who were at best very elaborate marionettes before being animated, each Unfleshed was a fully functional humanoid machine even before being given sentience by Azoth.
The Unfleshed have the ability to absorb other machines (like power-tools, computers, or weapons) into their bodies, gaining their functions in the process. While Prometheans are known to be able to eat and digest anything organic, the Unfleshed can easily feed on inorganic matter as well. The details of their Torment differ from individual to individual, but they all involve the Unfleshed loosing all traces of their personality, and reverting to a purely machine-like way of thinking. This may range from an advanced A.I. developing advanced plans and strategies for destroying it's enemies, to a mindless automaton following the simple order of "search and destroy."
It is not known who the first Unfleshed was, or when they were created, but the oldest known Unfleshed come from the late 19th century. Each Unfleshed was an at least vaguely humanoid, functioning machine even before being brought to life by Azoth. They range between clockwork mechanisms, steam powered, combustion engine powered, electronic, and ones with autonomous A.I.s with processors of varying power. The Azoth enters them usually during the moment of their activation, or while receiving their first dose of energy or fuel.
Each Unfleshed causes a different kind of Disquiet. Some make people paranoid. Others give them an immense inferiority complex. Another one will give people panic attacks, or instead give them a violent urge to own them. And then there are those who'll "merely" cause people to loose all of their emotions.
The Unfleshed Wasteland effect causes all organic matter in the affected area to rapidly decay or degenerate. Meanwhile material like glass, plastic, and processed metals become increasingly resilient, and start generating a strong electric field around themselves. Machine-related accidents become increasingly common, and the air is filled with madness-inducing static.


other races:
humans [link]
ghosts [link]
vampires [link]
werewolves [link]
magi [link]
changelings [link]
hunters [link]
Sin-Eaters [link]
geniuses [link]
the nobility [link]
leviathans [link]
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© 2012 - 2024 Sekele
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Awesome!  But you forgot Osirian's resurrection abilities….