Felys
Contents
Chapter 1: History & Mythos
The Felys are a bloodline descending from the Bast-Hemet Bloodline, supposedly destroyed by the Setite around -930 BC.
Around -4000BC, a young woman in her early sixteen, named Ankh-Meres-Bast ("Life loves Bast") priestess of the Bastet godess (in fact, the Bastet werecat symbol in pre-Egypt) was discovered by a mysterious person who was exploring the Nile valley. Her ties with the Bastet, her love of Nature and her independance decided of her fate.
She was embraced by Set.
But what no one knew is that she wasn't only Kinfolk of the Bubastis, she was a Bastet who should have lived her first change just days after the night of her embrace. At first, the Bubastis were outraged by the act, as they felt Ankh-Meres-Bast should have been one of them. But she was finally accepted as she vowed to continue to serve the Bastet even if following Set's quest for Maat.
But soon after, Set, feeling the growing power of someone in the kingdom he wanted to conquer, awakened from Torpor. Wars erupted between the South Egypt, and North, as Set and Horus warred once more.
Horus, the son of Isis, asked for the help of the Bubastis and the Lupines who would be called to conquer the South. The Bastet, never prone to make too fast answers, asked Ankh-Meres-Bast to represent Set, Horus' opponent.
Seth wasn't the corrupt Antediluvian we know now: He was an angry adolescent who used his powers to destroy Osiris who intrigued to cast him out of Egypt.
But now, after the destruction of Osiris, his beast calmed down as it wasn't anymore fueled by his blind hatred, which was replaced by sadness.
Hearing of Saulot, he was trying to reach a state he called Maat, similar to Saulot's search for Golconda. Maat meant Truth/Justice/Balance, and as he was searching for this state, he dreamt of a perfect land where everyone would strive to reach this state. He told Ankh-Meres-Bast about his vision, and she come back to tell the Bubastis about it. The Bubastis encounter with Horus was less visionnary: Horus fanatical ranting about his birthrights, Set's crime and his eternal vengeance didn't appeal to the Bubastis vision of future. They choose Set's side, and asked the Silent Strider to do the same. The Lupines didn't like the perspective of fighting along Set, who was a "Wyrm" spawn. Ankh-Meres-Bast succeeded in putting up a meeting between the Silent Strider's leaders, Bubastis leaders and Set.
Then, as Set told them of his vision of peace, and asked them to be part of it, the Silent Strider sided with Set and the Bubastis: Horus lost his war, and the South finally conquered the north, and Ankh-Meres-Bast's position in Egypt was accepted, even if Set had first decided he wouldn't accept anyone who could challenge him. It was time for peace, time for the vision of Maat.
The appearance of Montou (Known as the Falcon god, and in the Dark Ages as Montano, Childe of Lasombra) in Memphis was a blessing. He owed Set a boon, and accepted to serve him for one thousand years before coming back to his Sire's side. His loyalty was unquestionnable, and he Sired the mortal who would be known as Amon, the God of Thebes, and who would become one of the princes of Egypt in the New Empire Era.
But the peace didn't lasted long, in Kindred years. It wasn't Set who breached it. Nor the meanipulator Amon who had replaced Montou as the God of Thebes, or even the Hateful Horus. The first invaders were Wyrm inspired, followers of Apep, and mortal followers of Baal. The battle between the mysterious Bloodline who would be known later as the Baali, Apep and the Antediluvian Set was earth-shattering: It was said the Nile turned red and that seas receded at the unleashed powers of the Kindred. When Set came back, he was touched by the Wyrm, who got a definitive foothold on Set's passionate soul.
Horus saw this, and tried to rally the people: the Balance between Set and Horus in Egyptians heart was broken. And so, the myths of the Evil Set started.
Set suffered from his actions, and from this rumours. He awakened just as Amon was trying to get the total control over Egypt, and as Sechat, as well as the other Childer of Set was trying to use their powers over the Egyptian queens and Priesthood to prevent him. Set stopped the Methuselahs and put the Ramses Bloodline in power.
He really thought he could still reach Maat, and that Egypt could still abide by its philosophy. He embraced Nefertiti and Kemintiri, and ruled behind Seti the First. Ramses was blessed by him, as he has red hair, and so, was made Set's ghoul. But unkown to him, Nefertiti was soon corrupted by the Wyrm, and worked hard to remove the influence of any other Kindred of Egypt. So she Diablerised Ankh-Meres-Bast, and did the same to Sechat. Amon fled soon after (He is said he founded the Egyptian-like Kingdom of Nagada, in Nubia).
Set was told Horus was destroying his Kindred friends, and she manipulated him in believing all the lies she was telling him about Sechat and Amon's secret relations, and how the Bast-Hemet and the Silent Striders tried to ally themselves with Horus.
The consequence was a massive purge that started with the other Childer of Set, then the Silent Striders. Horus, who learned of Set's plans by Nefertiti's agent, invaded Egypt. The war was total, and Set had to flee in Nefertiti's secret Pyramid. There his corruption was total, and he was given the power over Serpentis. His childer who weren't with him in the Dark Pyramid were destroyed for being Traitors. Now was the time for a new Bloodline, that would be called the Followers of Set...
As soon as Set went out, he worked out to conquer back his land, The Silent Striders were forced to flee, as Set discovered their Umbra Realm and corrupted it, and the Bast-Hemet were destroyed. Blamed for their relation with the now evil Set and a Kindred Bloodline, the Bubastis would be decimated, too. And so, the story of the Bast-Hemet ends...
But Elders survived, and were thinking Ankh-Meres-Bast would come back soon. So it was decided it was time to build the Bloodline, seemingly offsprings of the Gangrel, and masquerading as such... Until Ankh-Meres-Bast came back...
Note: If you want to learn more about the Bast-Hemet, additionnal information will be written in the Uraeus chronicle page, as well as on the Clanbook: Childer of Set.
Chapter 2: Character Creation
The Felys are a lost Bloodline appearing once more. Their destruction by the hand of the Setites was such that the only ones remembering them were some rare Setite Elders.
Their numbers are too few to show up, so they masquerade as Gangrel or even Caitiffs.
Note that the Setites can't be blamed for the destruction of the original Bloodline, because it occured long time ago and did not involve the destruction of an Antediluvian (which, in this case, actively participed to the Purge). And seeing how much the Tremere and Giovanni were blamed for their crime against the Salubri and the Cappadocian Clans, condemning the Setites for some obscure Bloodline would be laughable.
But anyway, the Setite would want their destruction, should the bloodline be discovered still (barely) alive, but no one is able to figure why: Perhaps Ankh-Meres-Bast knew something about Set that should be kept secret, and that even if she died Diablerized by Nefertiti, her strange death and the possibility that she talked to one of her progeny is too much not to decide the destruction of the potential enemy before it can grow to strong...
The player must be warned that he will have to masquerade as another bloodline, probably Gangrel, or Caitiff... Life will be hard indeed...
Description
The Egyptians were a multi-racial society. Ankh-Meres-Bast was clearly a Nubian woman, and as 50% of the Childer were Kinfolks to Bubastis and of Nubian origin, any other Childe could be semite, Nubian, or even of mixed blood. Hair was mostly black, or red, but blonde wasn't unknown. Same thing for the eyes, mostly black, too, even if some more alien colors (Green, or even blue) were known too.
75% of the Childer of Ankh-Meres-Bast were woman priestesses of the godess Bastet. These people form the original childer of the Bloodline, now Elders/Methuselahs, also called the Basthemet ("(maid-)servant of Bast"). They have all been destroyed (or have they?).
The new branch of the Bloodline, called the Felys, appearing after centuries of silence, are from any possible racial stock, and most of them were created in the last 50 years.
Nickname
None, but Cats will be suitable.
Haven
By their very nature, the Basthemet like luxury. The Felys are less demanding, rivaling with the City-Gangrel when it comes to see who is the better city-hunter, but even they like to have a minimum of confort.
Background
The Basthemet were (most of them) Priestesses of Bast, at the service of the Bastet Tribe (Werecats) of the city of Bubastis in ancient Egypt. Now, the Felys can be found from every background, and every sex.
Character Creation
As normal Camarilla Kindred, as described in the rulebook.
Disciplines
The Bloodline Disciplines are different for each sub-bloodline: For the Basthemet (Elders & Methuselahs): Bastis, the ancient form of Felys, Obfuscate and Presence. For the Felys (Neonates and Ancillae): Celerity, Felys, Obfuscate. Somehow, the Presence Discipline was replaced by Celerity, perhaps to enhance the survival rate of the dying bloodline, who, anyway, would remain hidden instead of making a show of themselves...
Also, the Felys created several Special Powers by combination of Disciplines (as per Dark Ages Rules).
A Kindred can only be a BastHemet if the Merit Pure Bloodline (See After, Merits & Flaws) is bought). Note that for more complete and accurate information about the Basthemet, reading the Clanbook: Childer of Set would be a good idea.
Weaknesses
The Felys Kindred are not a courageous bloodline, and are easily frightened: They have a +2 Malus to each Courage Roll, including R�tshreck Rolls.
Furthermore, each level a Felys/Basthemet (and only them) reaches in Felys gives them an animal trait, much like the ones which plague the Gangrel each time they Frenzy.
Note that the Basthemet had another Clan Weakness (See Merits & Flaws: Pure Bloodline).
Organisation
None for now...
Preferred Path
Humanity, even if some older Felys follow the Path of Harmony (Sabbat Path), or Road of the Beast (Dark Ages Via).
Stereotypes
Assamite: Miawwo... I would like to play cat and mouse with those Bastards... Caitiff: No concept, and no aim in unlife... Interesting only because we hide among their numbers... Gangrel: Somehow our brothers... Even if I still wonder how... Ravnos: They lived in Egypt, and fled when things got wrong... Cowards hiding behind amusing con-games... Toreador: I like them... Camarilla: Necessary for our survival, they say... Anyway, the Giovanni and Tremere made their crimes and went unpunished... You know where they can put their protection... Sabbat: They know how to have fun, but forgot that they came from the very humans they like to torture... Inconnu: *Bored voice* The Torporous old walking-cadavers? Somehow someone forgot to clean the dirt and cobweb from those carpathian castles... Lupines: Because of our Bloodline, those nazi-like creatures tried to destroy the Bubastis. I say that they earned the shit where they are into... Bastet: Our founder was a "Hemet" ( "(maid-)servant" ) of the Bastet. So we are...
Quote
Maaaowww...
Merits & Flaws
You will find here Merits (and Flaws?) that will help flesh out better your character.
Gift of Felys (1,2 or 4 Merit)
Like the Gangrel Merit Gift of Proteus, the Felys can change her animal forms by buying this Merit at the creation. See Clanbook: Gangrel, p37, for more information. Note that only Feline forms can be bought with the 4-point Merit.
Pure Bloodline (5 Merit)
All the newly created Felys (today) are from the Felys Bloodline, that means that they have access only to the Felys Discipline, as well as Celerity and Obfuscate. By buying this Merit, the character is instead a True Basthemet, with Bastis, the ancient form of Felys, Obfuscate and Presence, and probably of powerful Generation (The range of possible Generations will be of 5 to 10, instead of 8 to 13). The weakness is also changed: Some Believe the Setite Purge to be the origin of the Felys weakness. The Bast-Hemet were a proud and awing Bloodline. Their Clan Weakness, as well as more precise information is explained in the Clanbook: Childer of Set. As the Sire is probably one of the Ancient Basthemet, the Character can probably learn ancient Disciplines from Egypt, like Maat (Bardo), or even perhaps (if you're lucky and your Storyteller crazy) the fabled Hekau Thaumaturgy (Note that in this case, you will be able to learn only the Paths commonly known, i.e. those known by the mummies).
Conclusion: Last Words?
The first time I thought about Cat-like Discipline was when I decided Catherine, my character, wouldn't want to transform in wolf, etc. I don't like dogs very much (it's a personnal opinion, of course, some sweet phobia...), and had decided that, after a bad encounter with a Lupine, Catherine would not like dogs and wolves at all (I like wolves, through...).
When I discovered the Felis Discipline by Nadine Edwards in the BJ Zanzibar's web page, I thought I have my solution. But soon after making the changes I thought necessary, I came up with the idea of the Black Widow Bloodline, so the Felys Bloodline disappeared somewhere in my hard disk directories...
Until Yannick and I decided to create the Chronicle: Uræus, Gods of Egypt. We needed Gangrels, but I failed to see enough Gangrel-like influence in ancient-Egypt. And then I remembered the Felys. I changed the name into "Basthemet" ("(Maid-)Servant of Bast") and completed the bloodline information for the results you saw before, and completed it in the more general Clanbook: Childer of Set.
This bloodline was not intended to play today, even if I had plans to make 3 or 4 of them appear in Paris, and join the local declining Gangrels.
I hope you will like it...
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
