scion - the grigori pantheon

8/13/2019 Scion - The Grigori Pantheon

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Grigori PantheonThe Watchers

Created by Tashiro. PDF by brothersale

HistoryAt the dawn of time, two hundred angels descended from the Silver City to watchmankind. These children of Aten watched humanity, surprised and fascinated by thetribes that slowly spread across the land. They named themselves the Grigori, theWatchers, and descended to walk among the tribes and act as guardians and teachers.They brought knowledge with them, gifts to give to the people. It was not long beforethe angels found themselves drawn to the women of the tribes. Each of the angels tooka wife for themselves, and from their union were born shining sons and glitteringdaughters. These children were blessed and powerful, and the ichor within their veins

granted them gifts that placed them above the men of the tribes. It did not take longfor them to rise up, leading the tribes, guiding them to greatness. These children werethe Nephilim.

These scions took wives and husbands for themselves, and grew in power andinfluence, but some within the tribes grew jealous and called to the heavens, drawingattention from the great Aten. He saw these children of angels, and knew that theywould rise to greatness, and he knew fear. He crafted other angels, and sent themagainst the Grigori, and battle raged across the heavens and the earth. The waters roseto swallow the Nephilim, but some survived, and commanded the water. Themountains erupted, and flames fell from the heavens, but some survived, andcommanded the flames. In the end, however, the war was lost, and Aten bound theGrigori in the bowels of the earth, where they would remain trapped until JudgementDay.

Imprisoned, the Grigori could do nothing but watch the world they had grown to love.They saw their children slain as they called to their parents, but could give no comfort.They saw the fall of their cities, with prayers on the lips of the dying, but could giveno solace. Those they had sworn to guide and protect were lost, drowned and burnedand put to the sword, but the Grigori could do naught but watch.

In time, the angels learned that they were not alone. Others were bound with them,struggling and writhing. They listened, and heard the Titans, struggling to freethemselves from the prison crafted by the gods. They heard the vows of retribution,and knew these beings would destroy the world if they were ever freed. The Grigorilistened and learned, and promised that if the Titans were ever released, the Grigoriwould rise up to battle them. They ceased their own struggles and remained hidden inthe shadows of their prison, and learned.

When the prison broke, the Grigori rose up, using their might to battle the Titans.They fell in scores, but battled as best they could. They were defeated, sacrificingthemselves so that a handful could break free to prepare for the coming war. Thosewho survived returned to the Silver City, to challenge Aten and the Titan that spawned


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him.

But there was nobody there.

The survivors claimed the Silver City as their own, using it to shelter themselves asthey look for allies among the other pantheons. They mingle once more withhumanity, creating new Nephilim to help prepare themselves for the war they know isto come. And while they prepare, they search for their captor, and his servants, andoppose all that he is and that he stands for.

The Pantheon

The Grigori see themselves as shepherds. They can sense the will of Fate and accept itas Truth, and attempt to guide humanity to follow those threads to their greatestoutcome.

The Grigori do not want bold heroes and legends, however. They know that to achievea greater victory in the future may require a loss in the present. Those they choose are,in their mind, destined to help achieve great things, though it may require a sacrificefrom those they guide.

The scions of the Grigori often feel as if they are pieces of a great game, and that eventhe Grigori do not know all the rules. Some accept this, becoming martyrs to thecause, while others rise up, attempting to throw off the shackles of Fate to achievetheir own destinies. The Grigori seem to accept this, knowing that all are needed, andthat Fate has a use for rebels and martyrs both.

While the Grigori are often described as either male or female, the truth is that theyare either at any given time. The description given here is their preferred form, but thisis by no means an absolute. The Grigori are, in their true forms, asexual.

Virtues: Conviction, Duty, Expression, Intellect

Purview: Gnosis

The Grigori were said to have brought wisdom and forbidden knowledge to the people

who followed them. The Grigori can see the patterns of Fate, and with it gain anunderstanding of the path that is meant to be. The children of the Grigori carry thisconnection to the wellspring of all knowledge, allowing them a glimpse into thethreads of destiny.

AraqielThe right hand of Samyaza, Araqiel gave his followers knowledge of tracking andsurvival, teaching them how to follow game trails, identify tracks, and survive in theharsh world. He is a hunter and seems most at peace in regions untouched bycivilization; like him, his Scions often find themselves drawn into the wilderness fordays at a time, communing with nature. He is often seen as a lean, dark skinned man,with long black hair braided into cornrows and with keen, solemn eyes. He usuallywears sturdy camping gear and carries a heavy walking staff. He has been a forest


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ranger, arctic explorer, game warden, and geologist. He is usually withdrawn andsilent, letting others do the talking while he ensures the survival of those with him.Purviews: Epic Perception, Epic Stamina, Animal, Earth, Psychopomp, GnosisAbilities: Brawl, Control, Fortitude, Melee, Presence, Survival

ArmarosArmaros was a teacher of enchantments, who brought his followers the secrets of theuniverse. He introduced mathematics and counting to humanity, knowing that in timethey would use his knowledge to unlock some of the deepest mysteries of the sciences.Armaros appears as an older man, in his late sixties or more, with a graying, pointy

beard and thinning hair. He likes wearing spectacles, and wearing brown or gray suits,coming across as a wise teacher. His Scions find themselves drawn to the sciences,and often feel the urge to learn how things work. Armaros has been a historian, anantiquarian, a university teacher, and a scientist in many different fields.Purviews: Epic Intelligence, Epic Manipulation, Earth, Fire, Gnosis, Magic, Water

Abilities: Academics, Awareness, Command, Investigation, Occult, Science

Azazel aka GadrielAzazel was one of the most harshly punished of the Grigori, and has not forgottenthis. Trapped in the bowels of the world, Azazel was punished for teaching the arts ofsword and armour, and also jewellery and cosmetics, to humanity. She has returned toher craft, creating weapons to use against the titanspawn, and perhaps against the Hostwho banished her beneath the darkest parts of the world. Azazel appears as a raven-haired Middle Eastern woman of exceptional beauty, with a dangerous air about herthat some find unsettling, others intoxicating. When she is not preparing for herrevenge, she distracts herself with humanity, looking for those who are down on theirluck and showering them with luxury. Her children can feel her anger burning withinthem, but like her can be distracted either by attractive men and women, or by theneedy. Azazel has been a fashion designer, a military sniper, an arms dealer, a moviestar, and a martial arts instructor. She is always dressed fashionably, with flashyaccessories, regardless of her role or the occasion.Purviews: Epic Appearance, Epic Dexterity, Chaos, Gnosis, Justice, WarAbilities: Art, Craft, Marksmanship, Melee, Politics, Presence

ChazaqielChazaqiel is the angel who is said to have brought meteorology to the servants of the

Grigori. With this knowledge, humanity was able to predict storms and droughts, andwere better equipped for planting and harvesting. Chazaqiel is a pleasant middle-agedwoman, with chestnut hair and deep brown eyes, usually dressed in the simple clothesof one who works with the earth. Her children find themselves at ease in thecountryside, and always seem to have an intuitive sense of what the weather will belike in the coming day. Chazaqiel has been a weather news anchor, a wheat farmer, astorm chaser, and an irrigation engineer.Purviews: Epic Stamina, Epic Strength, Epic Perception, Gnosis, Fertility, SkyAbilities: Athletics, Craft, Fortitude, Medicine, Science, Survival

PenemuePenemue is the mother of language and storytelling. She taught her followers theconstellations and the stories associated with them, then taught them how to inscribe


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their knowledge into lasting forms. She frequently appears as a young blonde womanwith alert blue eyes, clad in a crisp blouse and skirt with her fair hair tied in a practicalchignon, often carrying a pen and book with her. Those who interact with herremember little of what she says but are deeply impressed by how intently andsympathetically she listens. She has a knack for asking simple questions which drawout complex answers from those she is listening to. Many find themselves telling her

personal aspects of their lives, or of the things they know, and she seems content tosimply write the speakers words in her book. Her children find themselves drawntowards mysteries and stumbling upon secrets, while those around them become proneto providing the information the Scion needs to reach their goals. Penemue has beenan award-winning poet, a translator, a creative-writing teacher, and a muckrakingreporter.Purviews: Epic Charisma, Epic Intelligence, Epic Manipulation, Epic Wits, Darkness,GnosisAbilities: Academics, Empathy, Investigation, Larceny, Occult, Science

Ramiel aka UrielSometimes called the angel of hope, Ramiel is the angel who brought divine visions tothe followers of the Grigori, and who would see the souls of the dead to their proper

place in the afterlife. Ramiel usually appears as an soft-spoken, bespectacled elderlyman with grey or white hair and a gentle, reassuring manner. His preferred dress is agrey suit or white lab coat, and he often carries a white walking cane. His children aredrawn to the dying, often to hear the last words of the departing and to soothe them intheir final moments. Ramiel has been a funeral home director, a hospice caregiver, acelebrity medium, a doctor in a childrens hospital, and a stage magician.Purviews: Epic Charisma, Epic Perception, Death, Gnosis, Health, PsychopompAbilities: Awareness, Empathy, Integrity, Medicine, Occult, Presence

SamyazaThe leader of the Grigori, Samyaza was said to be the most powerful of the angels toserve in the Overworld. He was the one who crafted the Throne of God, and led theangels until his fall from grace. Samyaza is the keeper of Oaths, and it is said that anyoath spoken in his name is sacrosanct, and that if the oath is broken, Samyaza will

punish the oath-breaker. Samyaza usually appears as a powerfully built MiddleEastern man, handsome and athletic, with dark red hair and big capable hands. He has

been a police officer, an architect, a judge, a city planner, and a general. When not

uniformed for his role, he prefers flatteringly tailored but not ostentatious suits. Hischildren are often drawn into leadership roles, and tend to inherit his pride andstubbornness.Purviews: Epic Strength, Epic Charisma, Gnosis, Justice, Sun, WarAbilities: Brawl, Command, Fortitude, Melee, Politics, Presence

SarielSariel is the twin brother of Ramiel, and the two are often confused with one another.Sariel is the angel who gave knowledge of the phases of the moon, and with it theunderstanding of the passage of time. Sariel introduced humanity to the lunar month,and the movement of time. Sariel is a pleasant figure, a little more stern than his

brother, but also has an affinity for crisp suits. He does not carry a cane however, butinstead keeps a pocket watch tucked into his breast pocket. His Scions are often


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the tapestry of Fate. The Storyteller informs the player what should be done, orstates the purpose set out for the Scion. This can be as vague as Save theCheerleader, Save the World, or as specific as That man must live until midnight.

No reason or explanation is needed. The Scion can choose to ignore this information, but must fail on a roll against their Duty to do so.

Sons of Destiny (Gnosis )Cost: 2 LegendRoll: NoneThe Scion chooses one person they can see, even if it from a photograph or an imageon television, and casts his mind along the threads of Destiny. The Scion immediatelylearns who the individual is, including the persons name, occupation, and a fewimportant details about them. The person who is selected is immediately Fatebound tothe Scion if they are still alive, with a strength equal to the Scions Legend. The Scionmay learn of an important event or even the destiny that has been laid out for the

individual, and it often becomes the Scions purpose to ensure that destiny is met. Toact against this destiny requires the Scion to fail in a roll against their Duty.

Eyes of the Ensnared (Gnosis )Cost: 1 Legend, 1 WillpowerRoll: NoneThe Scion may activate this Boon to send their awareness into the body of someonewho has a Fatebinding with them. They do not gain control of the target, but can useany and all of the senses of the subject for the duration of the Scene. The Scion maychoose to end this Boon prematurely, but until then the Scion can pick and choosewhat experiences they gain from the subject. The strength of the Fatebinding isincreased by one when the duration ends.

Absolve the Penitent (Gnosis )Cost: 3 Legend, 1 Willpower, (1 Willpower)Roll: Perception + IntegrityThe Scion must touch the subject to activate this Boon. The Scion can sense if thesubject is Fatebound to anyone, and who they are Fatebound to, as well as what kindof role exists between the two individuals. One Fatebinding is sensed per Success onthe roll. The Scion may spend an additional point of Willpower to reduce theFatebinding sensed, taking it upon themselves instead. For each point of Fatebinding

the Scion takes from the target, they gain a point, taking the fate of the subject as theirown. The Scion can only draw in a number of points of Fatebinding at a time equal totheir Conviction.

Guide the Fated (Gnosis )Cost: 4 LegendRoll: NoneThe Scion knows how to manipulate those who have their destinies tied to his. TheScion may activate this Boon to select a number of people up to their Legend rating.For the Act, these people become Followers of the Scion, but are directed by Faterather than the Scion himself. They will act on his behalf, unwittingly, though theScion gains no means to actually direct or control them. At the end of the Act, theseindividuals have their Fatebinding level increased by one.


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Delay Destiny (Gnosis )Cost: 5 Legend, 1 Willpower (or 2 Willpower)Roll: Perception + IntegrityThe Scion can sense when Fate moves against them and can delay it briefly. When aFatebinding roll is being made against the character, they may activate this Boon. Ifthe Scion gains more Successes than the Fatebinding roll, the Successes are delayeduntil the next time a Fatebinding roll is made. At this time, the Scion must accept theresults of the Fatebinding roll, and the Successes of the delayed roll are added, oftencreating a stronger, longer-lasting bond. For an additional 1 Willpower, the charactercan delay the Fatebinding of another Scion.

Deny Destiny (Gnosis )Cost: 5 Legend, 1 Willpower DotRoll: None

The Scion may find themselves drawn into too much at once, or find themselves tiedinto a situation they do not wish. Perhaps they need a fresh perspective, or they needthe freedom to act without entanglements. By invoking this Boon, the Scion severs allFatebindings they have, freeing themselves from the fabric of Destiny. This is a taxing

process, and is often only a temporary respite. Those who are cut off from the Scionoften feel a momentary sense of loss, and often find themselves crossing paths withthe Scion again as Destiny attempts to create a re-attachment. Such encounters do notguarantee that these individuals will become Fatebound again, but their very presencedoes often provide opportunity.

Direct Destiny (Gnosis )Cost: 10 Legend, 1 WillpowerRoll: Manipulation + IntegrityThe Scion can gather the threads of Destiny, directing those who are connected tothem towards a purpose. The Scion declares one task they wish to see completed, andactivates this Boon. One person per Success is chosen randomly from those who areFatebound to the Scion, who find their actions or goals align to aid in the completionof this task. This is not often a conscious choice of the Fatebound, and often it

becomes a series of coincidences and chance meetings which help see to thecompletion of the task. The task must be able to be completed within the course of aStory, or the effect will end, possibly with the task left uncompleted. At the end of the

duration, the level of Fatebinding for all concerned is increased by one.

The Grand Design (Gnosis )Cost: 1 Legend Dot, 10 Aggravated DamageRoll: NoneThe Scion impresses themselves onto the threads of Destiny, leaving their mark on theworld at great personal cost. This Boon acts much like Direct Destiny, except that itturns all those Fatebound to the Scion towards a desired task. There is no time limit,those connected to the Scion will continue to work towards the desired goal until it iscompleted, or until there are no Fatebound left to act. Any new Fatebound that

become connected to the Scion find themselves drawn to this purpose, even if they areunaware of the new direction their lives have taken. Until the task is complete, allFatebinding rolls made against the Scion gain one additional Success. The only other


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way to end this Boon is with Deny Destiny.

Underworld

Sheol (shay-ol) aka The Pit, The Land of ForgetfulnessIn the beginning, the underworld was a dark place. The people knew nothing of theimmortal soul, nor did they hold to the idea that there was life after death. Allnephesh (living creatures) were made of the dust of the earth, and at death theyreturned to dust. There was no spark of immortality within them this was for thedivine alone.

Sheol was the final resting place for the dead, a dark realm beneath the world, cut offfrom the light of the divine and from the land of the living. In Sheol, all were equal,sleeping within the underworld regardless of the wealth, status, or deeds of thedeceased in life. They were abandoned to sleep for eternity without judgement,

reward, or punishment. To exist within Sheol was to barely exist at all, as the realmwas a nothingness in which the dead were only shades of who they were in life. Thedead were called rephaim, and existed as nothing more than empty shades. Only

powerful necromancers could call upon them, drawing them into a state ofwakefulness, only able to speak in hushed whispers.

The PentapolisDuring the war against the Grigori, the titan Aten assaulted the Vale of Siddim, theregion where the angels had first stepped down. Four of the five cities of the valewere razed during the conflict, destroyed by fire and the might of Atens angelic hosts.Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim were utterly destroyed, while the city ofZoara survived.

When the Grigori were bound, they found themselves trapped above Sheol, suspended between the World and the Underworld, abandoned there to remain for eternity. Atfirst, the darkness was vast and impenetrable, and the silence was crushing andabsolute. The Grigori despaired, forced to watch as their children were slaughtered bythe angels of Aten, and the cities they helped to build were destroyed utterly.

As the cities burned above, however, they began to appear below. The huts andhomes, and then the palaces of the four cities began to rise from the darkness,

surrounded by the slain nephilim. The children of the Grigori glowed brilliantly,filled with the light of their bound parents. Those rephaim caught within the lightawakened from their slumbers, remembering who they were in life. As more of thetrapped Watchers descendants died, their glow began to spread through the darknessof Sheol. Those of weaker blood did not glow nearly as brightly, but soon the prisonof Sheol held a single, powerful island of light within a sea of darkness.

While the Grigori felt sorrow for the deaths above them, there was some pride thattheir legacy lived on in the Underworld. Guided by the whispers of the Grigori, thenephilim began to rebuild the destroyed cities, constructing the Vale of Siddim withinSheol. The light of the nephilim brought more people into the cities from the edges ofthe Dead Sea, and as the angels of Aten hunted down those of nephilim blood, thelight of the Pentapolis grew brighter.


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The Pentapolis consists of four walled cities, rising up out of the Dead Sea. Thesecities glow with a brilliant white light, caused by the nephilim who reside within.Each city was slowly built upwards as it was built outwards, so that the people withinthe cities would remain within the radiant light provided by the ruling nephilim.When a city became too crowded, a platform was built over the roofs of the level

below, creating a new foundation to build upon. Layer upon layer was added to eachcity, with the palace of the nephilim found at the heart, providing a stone foundationto keep the city strong. Through every street and alley, the cities glow, providingillumination for all within.

Connecting each of the four cities are long, iron chains. Each chain is two feet thick,and holds a trolley which can be pulled across. The driver of the trolley is always anephilim, as the chain extends beyond the glow of the cities. Also extending from thetowering cities are chains which reach out to the theoretical edges of Sheol, allowing

trolleys to move above the Dead Sea. Some of these chains are lower than others,coming within five metres of the Dead Sea, while others extend up and into thedarkness that was once the prison of the Grigori.

In the early days, the Pentapolis was thriving, as generation upon generation fell intothe light of the nephilim. The cities grew and prospered, and ideas were shared

between them. The Grigori whispered into the minds of their children, providingadvice and wisdom, and the cities became a haven for the knowledge the Grigorimight need in the time to come. As time passed, less and less souls fell into the lightof the nephilim, and the cities grew quiet. The nephilim ruled their people as bestthey could, poring over ancient texts and sharing debates on the best way they can aidtheir parents. Ennui began to seep into the minds of the rephaim, and many soonfound themselves wandering off into the Dead Sea, to be claimed by slumber oncemore. As the decades became centuries, the cities grew emptier and emptier, and thenephilim soon found themselves rulers of abandoned cities. Unlike the rephaim, thenephilim could not simply walk into slumber their very presence prevented themfrom succumbing to the pull of the Dead Sea, and those they approached awakened.

Things changed when the Grigori broke free of their imprisonment, and the shock broke the nephilim from their hopelessness. The Grigori warned their children of thenew war, and the nephilim once more stepped out into the Dead Sea, pulling in the

rephaim that awakened to repopulate the four cities once more. Preparations weremade, and perhaps not a moment too soon. In the short while that the new war has been waged, new nephilim have fallen into the Dead Sea, and the rulers of thePentapolis have had to send scouts to scour the dead for their new siblings. The lightof the four cities grows brighter, bringing with it fresh rephaim, and the cities have

begun to grow once again.

The collected lore of the nephilim have proven useful to the Grigori, who have battledtheir way through the ruins of the Underworld to visit their deceased children. Scrollsthat have been stored for centuries have been unrolled, and strategies devised so thatthe nephilim can rise up to aid their parents. With the war currently waged in theUnderworld, the Grigori have had their children prepare, offering to send them outfrom Sheol to assist the other Pantheons who have need of defenders in the lands of


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the dead.

The Dead SeaThe Dead Sea is not a body of water, but is in fact a sea of rephaim, spread out beyondthe light of the nephilim. Here, the dead lay across Sheol, layers deep, in a state ofslumber. The dead whisper and murmur to themselves, giving a sound similar to thatof the ocean. When left undisturbed, they lay still, and are relatively safe.

The Dead Sea becomes dangerous if someone passes through and disturbs them.Walking carefully and silently across the dead is possible if difficult. But if onemakes too much noise or is too rough, the rephaim are disturbed, and begin to shiftand move. The more they are disturbed, the greater the response, and the dead beginto reach out, grasping the source of the disturbance. The whispers and murmurs growlouder, as the rephaim try to pull the one who has disturbed them down into the pilesof bodies. These storms can spread out, causing the Dead Sea to surge and shift, the

rephaim murmuring and muttering as they reach out, flailing to grasp anyone whocomes too close, pulling them deep into the depths of the Dead Sea. Those who are pulled too far may suffocate if they are not already dead, but the worst fate comesfrom the constant murmurs and the pressure of the dead. The constant droning causesthe dead around them to become quiescent, falling into a slumber and soon joining theother rephaim in an endless sleep.

The chains coming from the Pentapolis extends out to the edges of Sheol, passingover the Dead Sea. Nephilim of diluted lineage slowly move across these chains intheir transports, searching for the source of any storm they come across, or scour theDead Sea for any newly deceased nephilim. Such beacons of light can cause storms,the rephaim found closest to the newly dead nephilim awakening, causing adisturbance to those dead near them. The scouts try to recover the nephilim and anyrephaim close at hand, pulling them up to safety before trying to escape the grasping,murmuring storm of dead.

Crossing the Dead Sea without disturbing the dead on foot is an extended Dexterity +Stealth roll, requiring a number of total successes equal to the number of metres thatthe Scion needs to be crossed. Each success covers one metre, but for each additionalroll required, the Scion suffers a one die penalty on the roll as the dead stir from thedisturbance.

If a roll is failed the dead in the immediate vicinity become disturbed. One rephaimawakens for each roll the Scion had already made to cross the Dead Sea, and attemptto grapple with the victim. This is a coordinated action, the dead working in unison tograsp and grab the Scion and pull them beneath the sea. Once the victim has beengrappled, they are pulled below, sinking one metre every six Ticks. Every five Ticks,if the Scion is still struggling, two additional rephaim awaken in the immediatevicinity, stirred by the thrashing and agitation of the nearby dead.

While buried, the victim feels crushed by an oppressive weight. This burden is onlyin the Scions mind, the constant droning and murmuring sapping the will of thevictim. The dead drain one Willpower every six Ticks. The Scion is capable ofresisting this if her Legend is higher than the number of disturbed Dead, and can


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ignore it if she has a Conviction, Duty, or Endurance of 4 or greater.

ephilim in the Dead Sea Nephilim are the descendants of the Grigori, and can be recognized whether or notthey have received their visitation. The blood of the Grigori remains strong for up toseven generations, though only a first generation nephilim can become a Scion. Whena nephilim falls into Sheol, the ichor in their veins begins to glow, causing the personto emit a radiance which passes through any barriers in the realm. This radianceextends out for seven metres, minus one metre for each generation between thenephilim and their divine ancestor. This radiance is cumulative with other nephilim inthe immediate vicinity, so two first-generation nephilim emit a 20-metre radiance ifthey are within close proximity with one another.

Passages to SheolThere are only a few passages to Sheol, as the practise to pass into the underworld has

passed on for most cultures. A person anointed with funerary oil and left in a sealedcave may spend 1 Legend to pass into Sheol. Such individuals will cross over nearone of the chains leading to the Pentapolis, which will look like a shining tower oflight in the distance over a blackened sea.

The Overworld

Araboth aka The City of Lights, The Silver City

scion - the grigori pantheon

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