For the Kher-minu, Ma’at starts with defending the body. Unless the physical form remains whole, then an Amenti cannot fill his role in the universe. Each creature must look after its own form and then make sure that harm does not come to others.
The Kher-minu believe in the protection of the self above all other things. Destructive behavior directed at themselves affects them as if the offense against Ma’at were two levels higher than it is. For example, destructive patterns of behavior, which would be an offense at level three for most Amenti, would be an offense at level five for the Kher-minu.
As a whole, the Kher-minu do not engage in a great deal of debate about how to uphold Ma’at. They do main- tain a defensive philosophy. They are less likely to seek out Apophis to crush him as they are to find better defenses against all malign supernatural forces.
Khri-habi
The Khri-habi are perhaps the dynasty with the most traditional view of Balance. Their spirit halves remember the reign of Osiris well, and they served him faithfully in the city of Amenti, perhaps more so than any others. The Khri-habi not only spend time practicing Balance, but they study Balance as well. The Khri-habi believe that a critical mind and personal responsibility are essential to
upholding Ma’at. One cannot truly find Balance without trying to understand it.
In game terms, the Khri-habi use Balance as it’s written in the main rulebook. In game play, the Khri-habi enforce Balance as a dynasty as strongly as anyone, yet at the same time, they want other Reborn to make their own decisions about how to follow Balance. They spend time codifying Ma’at and writing instructional scrolls about awareness of Balance, which most of them will happily give to members of other dynasties. They prefer to go out of their way not to commit an act that could be a crime against Ma’at, rather than face judgment for their actions. Many of the other dynasties see them as unwilling to develop a true understanding of Ma’at through experiencing judgment, rather than simply writing or debating about it.
Mesektet
The Mesektet know that they are the only ones who’ve received the blessing of Ma’at. They see a world that has fallen out of balance, and they believe that they must correct this imbalance. Most of the Mesektet believe that they have experienced the balance of Ma’at in A’aru. Some believe that they were undeserving of these blessings and they seek to prove themselves deserving of eternal paradise. Others believe that they needed to come back to inspire others to find balance before the rest of the Modeler’s creation fell so out of balance as to threaten A’aru.
This dynasty feels a great responsibility for instructing others about Ma’at. They feel that the world and the Dark Kingdom of Sand both suffered from imbalance. They en- courage the others to find Balance, although few of them believe that much hope exists for the monstrous Sefekhi.
Sakhmu
The enlightened artisans of the Sakhmu believe that they represent Balance and Ma’at. They have always balanced the needs of the physical with the spiritual. As they learn more about Ma’at, they reach out to the source of their creativity. Through practicing Effigy Hekau and creating works of art, they experience the grand scheme of things and understand how the universe fits together. They see Ma’at everywhere in the world around them. It exists in objects as well as all living creations. Balance and harmony are everywhere in nature. The creatures of Apophis are stains and flaws in the artwork of existence; they must be chiseled away like imperfections in a stone before a sculpture can be finished.
The Sakhmu have no interest in studying Ma’at the way that the Khri-habi do. They find that approach to Bal- ance as scholarly tedium. They want to see, touch and hold Ma’at in the objects they work with. The Sakhmu believe that a true sense of Balance can only come from intuition,
not some prescribed sets of behaviors. The Sakhmu value objects of art more than other dynasties. They consider the destruction of objects of art to be a greater crime than other dynasties. In game terms, this belief raises the value of crimes against property by one.
For the Sakhmu, experiences in the Duat as well as the Lands of the Living are necessary to understand Ma’at. The underworld is part of Creation. For the mummies, more of their lives were spent in the Dark Kingdom of Sand than in the world of the living. Members of the other dynasties believe that the behavior of the Sakhmu borders on the dangerous. Even the Dja-akh, the great storm, holds little fear for them. Some wish to find its remnants so they may understand the fall of Amenti.
Sefekhi
Members of other dynasties may wonder if the Sefekhi can truly ever embrace the principles of Ma’at. The Sefekhi see themselves as being the ultimate evidence of the truth of Balance. When they go through their hajj, they are un- controllable brutes, beasts with no compassion. They must suffer through a painful Ritual of Rebirth, after which they still turn to removal of sexual organs and scarification to keep their dark side in check. For the Sefekhi, adherence to Ma’at is a matter of survival. If they cannot maintain Balance and win the struggle with their dark side, then they will fall.
They tire of other dynasties paying lip service to Ma’at. They fight for the physical side of Balance. They aggres- sively go after Apophis and other malign supernatural entities. If they can cleanse the darkness out of the world, then it will be easier for everyone to follow Ma’at. Until then, they know that they are at war. The Sefekhi are not as bothered by causing physical violence to others. All crimes against Ma’at that involve harming others are reduced by one for the Sefekhi.
When members of this dynasty gain control over their primal urges and direct themselves toward Ma’at, they become savage enforcers of Balance. Violations of Ma’at are dealt with harshly and swiftly by the fanatical devoted among these mummies. The other dynasties can allow corruption to grow, but the Sefekhi fight corruption from the moment of rebirth. They take no chances.
Udja-sen
This dynasty has little in common with the other Amenti as far as overall understanding of Balance. In many ways, the Judged Ones are like the Teomallki, searching for direction, but not forced toward it. The Udja-sen lack a sentient partner. They do not intuitively sense Balance. They cannot feel Ma’at. Each individual eventually finds his own direction, his own place in the cosmic plan.
Balance, then, for the Udja-sen largely depends on how you as a player wish to develop your character. Cer- tain rules still hold, but for the Udja-sen finding a sense of purpose is paramount. The Udja-sen have the greatest need for faith of any dynasty. None of them remember Osiris. An Udja-sen may choose to embrace any vision of Balance held by the other dynasties.
Udja-sen may also follow the codes that other Reborn follow. Quest and Direction are both options for a Judged One. If you are ambitious, you can even create your own code. The most important things for an Udja-sen to con- sider are being non-judgmental, letting others have the freedom to make their own decisions and finding a sense of purpose for themselves. Obviously, if you choose this option, you should work with your Storyteller and use Balance as a guideline.
Direction
The Teomallki use Direction as their Balance trait. It performs the same as Balance does for the Amenti. Unlike the Wu T’ian, Teomallki have no inherent commands to follow. They are not bound by the same moral codes that bind the other Reborn. They even believe in gaining power from sacrifices, a concept that would repulse most Amenti and bring the Wu T’ian to violence.
The struggle for meaning grips most Teomallki. The modern world has little time for the plights of their people. The land around them is polluted, tainted and destroyed. Their people live in squalor and poverty, suffering from disease and enduring wars. All that they knew is gone. The way of life that served the people through many of their resurrections is no more. The Teomallki have changed as well. Now, they have the influence of the living within them. This has granted a great deal of perspective to the ancient spirits.
Direction is the Teomallki’s way of focusing themselves to do the will of the ancient gods. The different types of Teomallki and different cultures all have their own unique ways of finding Direction. Ultimately, Direction depends on the values of the individual. In the case of the Teomallki, the modern soul has as much influence on Direction as the ancient spirit, if not more. The Teomallki relies on the experiences of his Second Life as a guide to how to act in the modern age.
A Teomallki’s Direction may then have some basis in modern values. For determining Direction, a player should use Balance as a guide. Consider the most important values for the Teomallki and his modern companion. Which of these things is most important? Evaluate them and cre- ate a chart with the crimes listed and then give it to your Storyteller. After every complete story, you should take a
few moments and review the chart and your score with the Storyteller. This gives you a lot of freedom as a roleplayer to experiment. Remember, it’s not a game about creating the most efficient chart you can, but about developing good solid fun stories. Don’t be afraid to make your own character’s life difficult.
Quest
Wu T’ian have the Quest trait, instead of Balance. Quest serves the same purpose for the Wu T’ian, as Bal- ance does for the Amenti. It provides for their place in the cosmos. The Wu T’ian, however, have more concrete rules than the Amenti. Following Quest in practice is much different than adhering to Ma’at, although many of the principles held by a master of Quest would be the same as for a master of Ma’at.
For the Wu T’ian, Quest requires the mastery of the Ten Heavenly Precepts. As each precept is mastered, the Wu T’ian may move on to prove his mastery of a new precept. The Eight Immortals judge the Wu T’ian to determine if he has indeed mastered one of the Ten Heavenly Precepts. Much like the Amenti must strive to maintain Balance, the Wu T’ian must continue to uphold the precepts that she has mastered. If she does not, she may find herself wanting before the judgment of the Eight Immortals when she returns to the Gates of Heaven.
The quests that the Eight Immortals assign the Wu T’ian often focus on one of the Ten Heavenly Precepts. As a player, keep track of which precepts you have mastered and make sure that the Storyteller is aware of what behav- iors you must follow. The precepts can be mastered in any order, although there are some that complement others, such as Keen Observation and Passion for Learning. Just because a Wu T’ian has not mastered a precept does not give her free reign to completely ignore it. If the Storyteller feels that a character abuses a precept, then the Eight Immortals may send a warning. The biggest difference in mindset between the Amenti and the Wu T’ian in regards to Quest and Balance, is that as a Wu T’ian, will work on one specific precept at a time, while the Amenti strives to keep all provisions of Ma’at. The following discussions of the Ten Heavenly Precepts build on the material presented on page 225 of the main rulebook.
To master Compassionate Dealings, a Wu T’ian must never overlook those in need. Although she has her quest to perform for the Eight Immortals, and she must protect the Ten Thousand Things, she cannot neglect those in need. Importantly, need is not just a material thing. The poor can have many needs, but the Wu T’ian must remain aware that everyone has needs. A man may be a millionaire and live his life in constant need of compassion. Perhaps he desper-
ately searches for meaning in his life and struggles constantly with despair. Sometimes a simple act of compassion can mean more than using resources to build a charity. In order to master this precept, a character should do something special in regards to meeting the needs of others, beyond just helping those she knows are in need. Volunteering at a soup kitchen is certainly part of this precept, and the Wu T’ian should perform acts of charity, but she must take this precept to another level and seek out those in crisis and deliver them. A true master finds the hidden needs in the world around her and helps before help is asked for. She takes the time during her quest and struggles with the forces of the demon emperor to show compassion.
The precept of Gentle Deeds helps to protect the Wu T’ian from becoming a mon- ster himself. The character must avoid doing unnecessary harm to anything. Collateral damage and friendly casualties are not acceptable. Violence against the enemies of heaven is inevitable, but destruction should never become the focus of the Wu T’ian. They are protectors and preservers. The servants of the demons should not be harmed lightly. They may be misguided or confused. The Wu T’ian also believe in redemption. A soul may have strayed from heaven, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be guided back. This precept goes even farther than avoiding unneces- sary harm. The Wu T’ian must promote growth and the preserva- tion of all things whenever possible. If a way exists to save the lives of mortal minions of the demon emperor, even though killing them would
prevent further complications, the Wu T’ian will let them live to fight another day with the hope that they will find their true place in Creation. Even a servant of dark- ness may have a role to play in the
affairs of heaven. Players should note that this precept does not apply to demons themselves. True creatures of the demon emperor should be destroyed. In many ways, this precept works much like Balance for the Amenti.
One of the most difficult of the precepts for a Wu T’ian to master is Honest Speaking. When a character chooses to master Honest Speaking, she may have difficulties with the other characters in the chronicle. Lies are the work of demons, and the Wu T’ian do not trade in deception. They do not perpetuate false- hoods. In order to master this precept, the Wu T’ian must speak honestly no matter what. Now, this doesn’t mean that the Wu T’ian must be stupid in her dealings with others. Omission is a lie when it is essential to the subject being discussed. Telling someone that he must go with you to a place without telling him that it is demon-infested borders on a lie. The Wu T’ian could tell him, however, that there will be great danger of which she cannot give specifics. The important thing to remember as a player is that a character should not intend to deceive. In addition, emotional content is not always needed to be hon- est. If a Wu T’ian must give her opinion on someone she doesn’t like, she can simply say, “I don’t like that person.” She does not have to start cursing that person’s name or explain specifically why that person is scum.