Nephilim
The tale of the nephilim cannot be found in any respectable libraries, but it’s on the lips of drunks in empty taverns or in the half-burned journals of hermits.
Ancient theurges walked alongside the Outsiders they pledged themselves to. Enamored with power, but resentful of the sacrifices they had to make to keep it, these theurges approached the Outsiders with a powerful bargain. In exchange for the devoted service of the theurge and all of their descendants, the Outsiders would empower the theurges and their bloodlines in perpetuity. !e Outsiders agreed, and the theurges quickly sealed the Outsiders into the realm of the Od, where they could not collect the reckonings owed to them.
The ill-gotten gains of the broken pact lived on in the theurges’ progeny. Anyone who looked upon them could tell they were different, each child bearing a small physical indicator of their heritage, usually a mark somewhere on their body. !ese children of humanity and Odic power would come to be called the nephilim, and it was well known that they were destined for greatness. Their ability to manifest the Od to their advantage made them highly sought-after advisors, assassins, and oracles... for a time.
However, as humanity came to fear the supernatural, clever nephilim attempted to conceal their abilities by writing them off as hedge magic or the byproduct of natural talent. But they were still unable to cloak the unnerving aura of Odic energy with which they were infused, evoking fear in their fellows. Nephilim found themselves unwelcome anywhere.
In order to survive, the nephilim suppressed their gifts, weakened the connection between themselves and the Od, and kept their children in ignorance. Without guidance, their powers were ill-controlled and fear-inspiring. They saw things that weren’t there, knew things they shouldn’t know, and had no answers as to why. Some saw this as a curse; others saw it as a calling. In either case, they were seen as dangerous, never knowing why they seemed cursed.
At least, not until the Extinguishing.
When the old gods perished, the wards between the material world and the realms of the Outsiders shattered. In that moment, nephilim found themselves simultaneously erupting in an awareness they could not simply repress. They could see the Od around them, and worse, their birthmarks and physical quirks came alive in this realm-within-a-realm. The Outsiders had returned, and they meant to collect on the debt the nephilim didn’t know they owed. With the knowledge of the arrangement lost to time, the only source of information on the pact each nephilim had unwittingly inherited is the Outsider their ancestor had betrayed, and an Outsider is unlikely to give this information unless it benefits them more than withholding it does. Outsiders generally never appear to the nephilim in their debt, instead hijacking the nephilim’s branded body part to communicate their demands, combined with whispers, dreams, and visions.
However, this relationship doesn’t necessarily have to be hostile. While some Outsiders choose to convince the nephilim that they are mad, others convince them that they’re chosen ones destined for greatness, being helped by an unseen benefactor.
The commands given by their ancestral patron are sometimes as cryptic as flipping over a particular rock and sometimes as direct as leaving a door unlocked. Regardless of the nature of the demand, the penalty for failing is the same: death.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Nephilim may look like any type of human, but all bear a visible mark on their bodies akin to a brand, birthmark, or stain that corresponds to the court to which they belong. Those who can see the Od perceive a much more extensive Odic influence that binds them to their patron Outsider, a mark of both possession and inheritance.
Their patron Outsider will know everything the nephilim does through the “marked” body part. Removing the body part will not sever their ties. If the part is removed, so long as the nephilim lives, it will regrow as their patron Outsider protects its asset.
For obvious reasons, Nephilim tend to keep this “stained” part of them covered to avoid arousing suspicion. Coverings will help tip off those who might suspect their lineage. However, covering the mark will not sever the nephilim’s link with their patron Outsider. Abilities that determine Odic influence will reveal the mark.
The nephilim do not have rapport, communion, or pacts with their patron Outsider, as the deal was struck with their ancestor, not the nephilim. If the nephilim wishes to contact their bloodline’s patron, they must first find out who the Outsider is and then perform the Pythonic Liturgy as a theurge would. However, given their ancestor’s propensity for betrayal, this may not be a good idea.
- Ancestral Modifier: +1 to three Bonuses and –1 to three Bonuses, chosen by the player
- Boon: Odsight and an additional Boon based upon the court chosen
- Banes: Mortal, the Profane Geas
- Impact on role-play: Moderate