Aedifex

*"The Aedifex are rebelliously creative and fiendishly innovative. Just like our modern scientists they wish to unlock the cosmos, gaining insight into secrets never intended to be known to men."* -Azrael, Supremus of Southwark

## Introduction

The Aedifey are one of the six great Ghoul-Clans, spreading their influence across the entire globe. The Aedfiex are the greatest reanimators and creators of undead constructs.

## History

### Sumerian Origins

It was after Pazuzus rebellion failed and his remains where tossed into the sea alongside those of his firstborn childer that the Aedifex where founded. Back in ancient mesopotamia Ghouls where known as Utukku, a particulalry earthbound group of Edimmu that developed sorcery focussing on curses, diseases and the alteration of unliving flesh. After their great Forefather had led them in a failed rebellion the remaining Utukku where sentenced to serve the *Eternals of Eridu* als servants and slaves. They valued their newly developed arts too much to completly drive them to extinction.

Across the following ages many Utukku chose to openly defy their despotic masters. Each of their uprisings was crushed with brutal efficency until most of them recognised the hopelesness of their situation. Many Utukku fled in small groups, escaping the tyranny of the Edimmu. Those that had to stay where forced to find other ways to survive. It was admist this chaos that Asarluhi, last surviving childe of Pazuzu, raised his voice. He united many Utukku, teaching them to put their rebellious intend into more productive measures. He teached that they would have to cultivate their abilites to surpass their masters while serving them on the outside. This would allow them to sow the seeds for their destruction across the eons to come. To the outside, Asarluhi and his followers where perfect servants to the Edimmu. They named themselves *Sukkal*, which translates to *Divine Attendants*. All that where drawn to them where given preferential treatment by their masters, allowing them to escape the repeated humiliations and acts of despotism their majority had to face.

Across the eons the Sukkal became an essential component of the Edimmus powerstructure. Their creations made up the largest part of their undying armies and their most gifted monstrosities became the watchers for the tombs of those that chose to forsake the mortal world. It was at this time that the Sukkal began to develop their clan culture and strong bonds among each other. In the shadows they tried to destabilise their masters empire and it is believed that they incited countless rebellions and coups that led to the destruction of an Ancient.

It was during the rise of the persian empire that the Sukkal began to project their influence outwards. While the great empire of the Edimmu faced civil war and fragmentation, the Sukkal remained united and strong. The arts of mending and twisting undead flesh they had cultivated across centuries where most welcome as few Undead could rival their creation. The humble and submissive ettiquette their emissaries had adopted under their servitude ensured the Sukkal where respected or atleast accepted wherever they offered their arts. During this time they began to exchange their gifts and creations for favours with local rulers, developing a powerful network of Ghouls that worked towards a shared goal. This way they began to spread across southern europe, northern africa and india.

### Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire

When the Lemurians of rome rose to power, the Sukkal where already well established across eurasia. Many of the surrounding empires, quarreled or isolated, provided little opportunities for them. However the Clan began to flourish under the roman republic. While the Lemurians where hesitant to trust them at first, a demonstration of their most dreadful creations quickly convinced them. The Sukkals creations enforced their mortal armies with a set of modified Gravespawn known as centurions. These creatures managed to retain a human fassade while exceeding mortal strength and agility by far. The centurions where manufactored in large numbers, becoming an essential factor in their military success. It was during this time the romans gave the Clan a new name, Aedifex, which they would adopt in the centuries to come.

As early as possible the Aedifex incited conflict between rome and carthage. Since their failed rebellion Ghouls and Lamien had been bitter enemies; and they knew well the carthaginian empire was ruled by Lamashtu, first of the Lamien kind. Through her puppet son Bel-Hammon she expanded their influence across northern africa, preparing for a grand conquest into egypt to take back their Sphingian slaves. While the Lemurians where descandants of the Lamian matron, they broke off all ties with her long ago. The Aedifex made sure their indifference turned into hate through subtle manipulations, fraudulent offenses and their wicked system of favours. In the end rome began the punic wars and at their end, the romans laied siege to carthage. The Aedifex serving the Lamiens betrayed them at this very moment, opening the gates for the roman legions at the Clans command. In the end the city of carthage was conquered and razed. While Lamashtus fate remains unkown, some believe her remains ended up in an Aedifex Charnel Pit.

Across the following eons the roman empire grew large enough to rival the Yunsong in the east. The Aedifex had consolidated their power in rome when the senate was discarded as the main governing entity. The roman emperors where powerful symbols of leadership and many of them where Wigths created in romes great Ossuaries, hand crafted to become puppets for the Lemurian elders.

It was several hundread years later that a thread to the Aedifex position in the roman empire would arise. A roman legion returned with a captured creature from the dark forests of dacia. It was one of the first Strigoi created, a spawn of Balaur. The Strigoi was ravenous, constantly thristing for mortal blood. Because of that the romans gave him the name Sitis and after feeding and interrogating him they discovered the abilities this creature had developed. Sitis could move at supernatural speed, regenerate faster than any other Afflicted and held dominion over the animals of the night. Sitis and his children became the bodyguard of the roman emperors and took the mantle of the praetorian guard.

Across the following centuries Sitis children, also known as Custodes, became more and more numerous. They where able to sire progeny far more often than Lemurians and they thrived in the urbanised hunting grounds their cousins had constructed. In the beginning the Aedifex saw them as a thread to their power as these Custodes surpassed the abilities of all creations they could mask as humans.

Promethean

## Clan-Culture

The Aedifex are by far the most cohesive Clan, having created a culture that evelates unity and uniformity above everything else. They are increadibly tribalistic, placing the interest of their Clan above their own and that of anyone else. There is no group of Afflicted as secretive and well connected both on the inside and the outside.

To the outside world Aedifex appear as an openminded and servile Clan that offers their highly respective abilities to the highest bidder. Their services are invaluable to most Afflicted factions and mortal empires. They supply almost all of them with shapeshifting puppets that can pose as mortal rulers, powerful creations to enforce their military and resurrected servants. In return the Aedifex demand favours instead of material goods. They use these to further their influence aswell as political power or gain powerful artifacts and necromantic knowledge. It may take years or even decades until the Aedifex will call in such a favour, however denying it will have terrible consequences. Not a single Afflicted is known today that denied the Aedifex what they deserved that did not end destroyed or in a Charnel Pit. While the Aedifex work hard to construct an image of obsequious and cooperative creators, everyone knows well not to cross them. Through these compilcated means the global connection of almost all Aedifex communities they managed to integrate incredibly well into almost every powerful political framework.

### Casts

The Caste-sytem is deeply ingrained into Aedifex culture. Young Aedifex, also known als Acolytes, must enter a long and intense period of training and education before being allowed to become a recognised member of a caste. While most are trained to join the caste of their progenitor, it is very much possible to switch them while being trained. How long this training takes varies with each member of the Clan. To be fully recognised as one requires the approval of atleast two members of the chosen caste. Acolytes may enjoy more freedoms than older Aedifex, they will not be able to participate in an Ossuaries politics and descision-making. They will not even be recognised as full members of the Clan.

The Aedifex will accept almost all mortals for the turning, although most have a strong aversion towards the privileged and noble-born. More than most Afflicted they believe in the individual merit of every person, seeking to unlock their true potential through granting them immortality one way or another.

#### *Servitors*

Since they have been turned, a Servitors entire unlife consits of perparing them for their only designated task: Representing the Clan to the outside. They are shrewd diplomats, negotiators and seducers. Before they are allowed to leave their *Ossuary* they undergo strict and excessive training in speechcraft and manipulations; learning about the human psyche and the ettiquette of powerful elders. While refining their social arts, Reanimators teach them to alter even the smallest part of their bodies. Their vocal cords are shifted to produce only the softest and most alluring tones; their sweat glands are filled with oils, parfumes and ointments to surround them with a pleasent odor and their appereance is handcrafted to best suit their targets beauty standarts. Servitors are among the best shapeshifters the Aedifex ever brought fourth, yet customising the ideal look for their current objective will take days as they accept nothing but perfection.

The Servitors main task is to negotiate deals with other factions, granting them the Clans services in exchange for reliable favours. Despite their unnatural beauty and social skills, Servitors always try to act servile and calm. Most outsiders only know the Aedifex through the false faces the Servitors present them, and it is in their best interest to be underestimated. While all other Afflicted value their creations, they do not see the Aedifex themselves as a threat; a masquerade the Servitors uphold by all means.

Despite their targeted apperances in courts and parleys; many Servitors act as agents in the outside world. They obfuscate themselves behind countless false identities while gathering information or advancing the Clans plots. They are assisted by *Wechselbalgs*, shapechanging Wights that function as an extention of a Servitors abilites and purpose.

Most Servitors choose union organisers, politicians or courtesans to become their progeny.

#### *Reanimators*

As the trademark of Clan Aedifex, Reanimators are the most knowlegable in the macabre arts. No other Afflicted can come close to their mastery of unliving flesh, using their mastery in Resurrection and Metamorphosis to create the most powerful abominations from the dead. They make up the Clans backbone and contain some of its most powerful individuals. Reanimators rarely leave the productive safety of their Ossuaries and when they do so its usually to collect specific corpses or further studies only possible in the open world. From all of the Aedifexes castes it takes the longest to train a Reanimator. They do not only have a complete understanding of the medical fields and the human anatomy, they also must be able to recite the *Liber Mortus* and the *Scriptum Mutatis* from memory. Most of them are raised to become powerful Demiurges that surpass the abilites of any other necromancer.

Most Reanimators choose doctors, proffessors, medical students or nurses to become their progeny.

#### *Diviner*

The Diviners represent the spiritual aspect of the Aedifex. They focuss on the summoning and controll of spirits, magical wards and other forms of sorcery. While Diviners are essential for the creation of many constructs as they are controlled by spirits, their main purpose for the Clan is a different one. Diviners are the ones that overlook and advance the efforts to create the *Promethean* and the Clans final goal. They are well red scholars that controll the libraries in each Ossuary aswell as corresponding with the rest of the Clan. Almost all Diviners are connected through a complicated network of messangers, allowing them to instantly identify any assets necessairy for their goals. They are also essential in organising the strategy of the Clan as a whole, making up most members of the *Inner Circle*.

Most Diviners choose scholars, proffessors, politicians or mortal necromancers to become their progeny.

#### *Outcasts*

Across the eons, both young and old Aedifex have chosen to distance themselves from the main Clan. While it is not impossible to forgo the Clans goals, it means breaking all ties with its society. An outcast Aedifex is simply treated as a stranger and the main Clan will go through any endevour to distance itself from these individuals. While they are too numerous to be killed, the Aedifex´s agents will constantly follow them in the shadows, ensuring that they spill none of the Clans secrets.

### Ossuaries

Aedifex organise themselves in Ossuaries that function as bases and hideouts for the clan. Every larger city will have such an Ossuary, will hidden in a secluded part of the city. Aedifex usually refrain from interfering in mortal politics, but when it comes to protecting these hideouts they will go to any effort, using bribery, blackmail or assassination to make sure they controll all information surrounding the area. Public personalities around such Ossuaries are usually replaced with well integrated Wights. Keeping the location and the entrances of an Ossuary secret is the first priority of any Clan member and nothing gets one killed faster than revealing it.

Ossuaries are almost always build underground. The entire structure is crafted from human and animal corpses; creating unliving walls of bone and flesh, fleshy gates with a mind of their own and moving furniture. While the exact blueprint and structure of every Ossuary varies depending on their location, there are certain standarts that will always be met. Every active Aedifex stationed inside the Ossuary will have their own study and private quarter at the outer parts. In the depts of lie several large *Malfactories,* in which Gravespawn and unliving Constructs are created. Their deepest parts house the infamous Charnel Pits, large shafts whose walls are covered in the unliving remains of mortals and Afflicted. From these the Reanimators excract bodyparts of exeptional quality, allowing them recycle victims aswell as older creations into stronger Constructs. In the heart of each Ossuary stands a large library filled with occult tomes aswell as works on anatomy, medicine and biology. It is divided in an open section and its *Forbidden Atrium*, containing ancient tomes and records of Aedifex secrets that are only intrusted onto the older and inducted Clanmembers.

Despite an Ossuaries ability to close of any of its part of have the very walls crush any intruders, they are also protected by the strongest Gravespawn, Constructs and unnatural Monstrosities Aedifex create from corpses. All entrances are well hidden in buildings above and they contain countless secret tunnels that constantly shift through the walls and reveal or close off pathways depending on the desire of their masters. This means an entrance may be accessable on one day but dissappear traceless at the next.

An Ossuary is ruled by an elected Archon which acts as its ruler and communicates with the rest of the Clan and the Inner Cult.

### Creations

While most Constructs and Gravespawn are handcrafted to suit a specific purpose, the Aedifex have produced certain types of servants that have mastered a chosen task. The most common of these are:

* **Homunculai-** A Homunculus is the most basic of Aedifex creations. They usually consist of a Gravespawn and a specially selected spirit imprisoned within. They function as the assistants of the local Reanimators and Diviners aswell as weaker guardians. They are usually highly customised to suit the specific needs of their creator whom they silently accompany whenever they work in the Ossuary. In order to ensure their loyalty, every Humunculus has a small cyst attached to their spine. It consists of most of the nerves and unlike most of the Gravespawns tissue it is very much capable of feeling pain. The threat of the torments their masters can inflict upon them is usually enough to ensure their cooperation. Those that still revolt will either be turned into mindless Gravespawn or thrown into the Charnel Pits.
* **Wechselbelger-** A Wechselbalg is a Wight born from a Charnel Pit. Just like Ghouls they can change their own apperance. Many of them are taught in Illusion aswell as certain Metamorphosis Powers. A Wechselbalg will undergo a training similar to that of a Servitor, although much shorter. Their most popular purpose is to pose as a mortal royal; using their powers to appear as a growing child until turning into a ruler. The Aedifex sell these specially trained Wechselbelger to the Afflicted controlling powerful empires, allowing them to set up a convincing puppet ruler. Most of them are employed as agents, aiding lesser Servitors in their tasks.
* **Cambion-** A Cambion is a Gravespawn raised and modified for the sole purpose of battle. Cambion are still able to maintain a human fassade, however their physical abilities are raised far above mortal limits. Should brutal force not be sufficient, or should their enemies be supernatural themselves, their entire body can be weaponised. When doing so their hands turn into claws, their face into a wide maw and their entrails burst from their bellies and thrash at their enemies with razor-sharp spikes at their ends. These modifications are further enhanced through the Aedifexes Charnel pits, granting them the supernatural strength of their ghoulish masters. They do not operate through a spirit guiding them but simply a complex set of commands cast into their flesh.
* **Mortaurs-** The most common Construct created by the Aedifex is the Mortaur, a design shared among many Ghouls. The base of these creatures is either a horse or bull; at the place of its head they place the torso of a muscular man and instead of a human head they place the head of a large dog or wolf on its shoulders. While these creatures are often modified further, this relativly simple and cheap design is extremly effective in most combat scenarios. Some Mortaurs have large horns attached to their front legs to impale any enemy they rush into. Their human hands are usually armed with a sword, spear or rifle.
* **Leviathans-** Leviathans are by far the most dangerous creations the Aedifex can produce. In order to craft them in a Charnel Pit they need to combine countless corpses aswell as the bodies of Ghouls, Strigoi and Revenants. Leviathans are constructs of monstrous proportions, towering above most walls and houses. Their shapes may very well vary must most of the times, they are mere mountains of unliving flesh covered in thrasing limbs, gaping maws and twisting spikes. Through the sacrifice of countless Afflicted these can harvest the speed of the Strigoi, the Strength of the Ghouls and the Resilience of the Revenants. Many of them are also capable of other combat-focussed necromancy. They are controlled by several spirits bound into their flesh aswell as complex set of commands ensuring they may move as one.

## See also

* Opinions
* Aedifex (Rules)
* Aedifex (Overview)