Nereids (Overview)

*"I am what superstious sailors fear. I am the bad omen that curses their travels. I am the reason they send prayers to their false god before they put to sea. I am what waits in the deep."* -Jasper Gaunt, Admiral of the Black Fleet

## Introduction

The Nereids are the oldest of Ghoul Clans. Unlike their cousins they do no fear the sea but are deeply bound to it. Percieved as fey and strange by most other Undead, the Nereids live an alienated life in the depts of the sea. Through their accursed arts they have learned to give false life to shipwrecks and the corpses of marine life, binding them into unnatural vessels to roam the seven seas.

## History

* **Birth of the Ocean God-** It was after Pazuzus failed rebellions that the other sumerian Eternals decided to destroy the father of all Ghouls. However they soon realised that Pazuzu was regenerating faster than they could harm him; so they decided to quickly sever his flesh into uncountable pieces and throw them into the ocean so that the currents would drift them apart. Indeed Pazuzus remains where unable to put themselves back together, being spread across the seven seas. Instead his conciousness began to bind itself with the oceans, merging his flesh with the salty waters.

* **Rise of the Deepholds-** While his land dwelling children fled sumeria or faced the tyranny of the Eternals, Pazuzus strength grew. When the first men took to the sea, the Ocean God followed their ships and claimed those that drowned, turning them into the first of the Nereids. In the ancient age sailors quickly learned that they had to appease Pazuzu and struck deals with this eldritch being to ensure a safe passage. Out of their gifts and many of the drowned the newly born Nereids began to construct their deepholds; erecting fortresses from resurrected sea creatures and shipwrecks.
* **Invasion of Acheron-** It was Acheron, the greatest Deephold of the mediterranean, that would first seek to avenge their forefather and bring the Eternals low. Their sunken holds rose to the waters surface and with the aid of human cultists they assaulted egypt and the middle east, driving a violent rampage into the lands of the Eternals. They managed to sack and raze countless cities and slay both innocent and enemy Undead. While they where driven back into the sea in the end, their conquest became known as one of the most impactful in the ancient world. Modern historians simply refer to them as the *Sea People* but most Nereids still remember their deeds.
* **Exploration of Oceans-** As time moved on and technological advancement improved shipbuilding and sailing, sailors where less dependant on Pazuzus favor to safely make it to their location. The Nereids influence was further weakened through their constant infighting. This allowed humanity to explore the worlds oceans, allowing for europes discovery of the new world.
* **Prophecy of Return-** Since the dawn of time prophecies and rumors existed that promised Pazuzus return. It was in the middle of the 17th century that the Fishspeakers of Tiamat unearthed a set of plaques that detailed a ritual that would all the Ocean God to take a physical form again. Over countless decades they tried to gather the necessairy parts and convince the other deepholds to aid them. As the ritual neared its completing storms began to rise over the caribbean seas as a vortex formed close to the *Black Fleets* hunting grounds. Seers across the entire world became dreadfully aware of the ritual and urged their leaders to ready their fleets. In the end the Covenant send an armada or european ships down into the southern seas and battled against the arisen Nereids and the sea creatures they had reawoken. It was only through the aid of ottoman, american and chinese ships that the ritual could be stopped and the Nereids beaten. This cataclysmic event greatly weakned the Ocean God and reduced the Nereids numbers even further.

## Culture

Seafarers used to strike deals with eldritch beings aka Nereids; many superstitions are based on their influence.

### Bound to the Sea

Contrary to other Ghouls Nereids do not need to fear the touch of the sea. Instead they are reliant on it as without it they slowly wither away and dry out. Nereids will lose their powers when dwelling on dry land for too long, which will also reveal their true face over time.

### Turning

Unlike any other Afflicted, Nereids can not sire progeny. Instead it is the ocean itself that does the deed, carrying small parts of Pazuzu into a recently drowned sailor. It is theorised that the number of Nereids is fixed that way, which also explains why they are the least numerous group of Afflicted across the entire globe. For that reason it is of uttermost importance that the remains of a Nereid are cast into the sea so that the energy conserved within can find a new host. Refusing to do so will earn oneself the enmity of the entire Clan.

For that reason Nereids settle at places where the oceans currents have a high chance of wash up freshly turned progeny. However it seems like the most drowned are only turned in the proximity of a Deephold anyways.

### Deepholds

Across the worlds oceans, the Nereids have constructed countless Deepholds. These giant fortresses are cosntructed from the rotten remains of ships and great sea creatures, forming impressive structures in the lightless depts. These halls of interwoven wood and flesh house hundreads of Nereids and uncountable numbers of Gravespawn that act as their servants. Most of these are kraken and sharks that partroll their holds and act as messangers, however sailors are also a common choice as long as their bodies can withstand the pressure. Some Deepholds are fixed to an underwater trench, others freely swim across the ocean, pulled by unliving wales and constructs.

### Castes

Nereids have particularly strong castes, determined through a religious trial at their respective deephold. After a caste was assigned it is impossible for a Nereid to ever leave it.

* **Sirens-** Sirens are the agents of the Nereid Deepholds; taking on the most alluring forms they can, charming their victims with their supernatural voices. Walking in the shapes of young women, they use their skills to gather information and gain influence in the living world.
* **Tritons-** Tritons are the guardians of the Nereid Deepholds; roaming their lightless halls in search for invaders or corruption. Their higher members act as the personal assassins, bodyguards or executioners of their Fishspeaker masters. Some Tritions embrace stealth, others on become brutal duellists or enduring protectors.
* **Fishspeakers-** Fish Speakers are the high priests and rulers of Nereid Deepholds. They are innately bound to the will of the Ocean God and can speak in its name, spreading its esoteric teachings and commandments onto their followers.
* **Naiads-** Those that where turned far away from any deephold or Nereid outpost will often never have a chance to gain a caste and many that get the chance later on refuse to do so. The term Naiad is derogatory in Nereid culture, implying they would be too weak to embrace the sea and had to resort to fresh water. Naiads are usually incredibly indiviudalistic and refuse to make ties with their Clan, prefering a solitary life as sea nomads.

## Courts of the Drowned

While there exists an uncounted numer of Deepholds across the worlds oceans, only five of them have reached legendary size and reputation:

* **Tiamat-** The oldest and most sacred of Deepholds is known as Tiamat, founded upon the Clans sumerian heritage. It is constructed to resemnble a living sea monster carried by the oceans unresting currents. Tiamat has no set route but is insteat moved by the will of the Ocean God, carrying it to where its needed the most. The Fishspeakers from Tiamat claim absolute authority above all Nereids, viewing themselves as the most able speakers for their god. While they are not as well respected as would make one to believe, their words hold heavy sway above any mortal. They worship the Ocean God through many names and reincarnations such as *Tiamat, Dagon, Marduk* or *Sisir;* however they are the most knowledgable when it comes to its true nature.
* **Acheron-** This Deephold is one of the largest among the seven seas, composed of the largest galleons and warships to have ever sunk in the mediterranean. Guarded by large swarms of unliving cachalots, the decaying city moves across the seas dark depts in a strict yearly cycle. It was founded by greek plunderers and strictly honors its ionian heritage; although its old days of conquest are long over. Since they are surrounded by enemies from all sides Acheron seeks to gain influence in more subtle ways, sending out agents and thiefs. Yet its old warrior tradition is not forgotten and their Tritons are of legendary renown among the Clan. The Nereids of Acheron worhip the Ocean God as a distinct trinity: *Poseidon,* master of tides; *Thetis,* lifespirit of the Nereids and *Charybdis,* lord of the seas creatures.
* **Amach-** Deep in the arctic ocean lies the mysterious Deephold of Amach. While its exact location is unkown rumors speak of a great trench enclosed by an impenetrable layer of ice. The Deephold is guarded by prehistoric creatures the Nereids pulled out of the ice and resurrected to serve them. While Amach itself lies far away from any human civilisation, more than anyone else it sends out its agents to influence the northern coastline; especially the british isles and scandinavia. It would loose its intedependant status when Kythereia was invited into its halls and married its High Priestess. Over time the entire priesthood was placed under powerful charms, contracts and illusions that eternally bind them to the will of the Cousombre and the Covenant. Since their foundation they worship the Ocean God under the name of *Nodens*.
* **Karagatan-** The most dreaded Deephold lies far away in the southern pacific, build at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Shrouded by eternal night this unliving fortress was created through combining the crushed remnants of ships, vulcanic stones and the carcasses of the strange creatures that dwell in the unexplored abyss. Its guardians are among the most alien creatures the Nereids ever revived, notably Colossal Squids and other gigantic cephalopods. They practice strange sorcery empowered by the energies of the Mariana Trench, allowing them and their creations to survive the immense pressure of the deep. Their curses and necromantic hexes are feared across south Asia, China and Japan due to their intense influence. They worship the Ocean God under the name *Kariman*, although their practices are much more occult and nightmarish than those of any other Deepholds.
* **The Black Fleet-** The youngest of Deepholds is known as the Black Fleet and was founded by Nereid pirates in the carribbeans. Instead of a single monstrous structure this Deephold consists of an armarda of resurrected ships that can dive deep below the oceans surface. Unlike other Deepholds the word of Fishspeakers holds little sway among the Black Fleet; instead they are ruled by excentric and self-centered captains and admirals. Many of these captains have achieved global infamy and include names such as *Blackbeard, François l’Olonnais* or *Calico Jack;* however they are ruled by Arch-Commodore *Sylas Scylla*. Their influence streches across the entire atlantic but is concentrated on the americas and the caribbean islands. They worship the Ocean God under many names, heavily influenced by catholicism, satanism and haitian voodoo.

## Backgrounds

* **Courts of the Drowned [5 points]-** *While the Nereids have not developed distinct Strains, they are all bound to the ocean they drowned in and its local Deephold. Each of these Deepholds has developed unique cultures, faiths and abilities relating to the Nereid Arts.* *They require the contact to water however (The Storyteller may simply decide the weather or make a roll for it).*
	+ **Tiamat-** When exposed to rain or moving through a large body of water, the Nereid may spend two points of Essence and increase their Aberration by 1. They may teleport to a water surface visible to them.
	+ **Amach-** When exposed to rain or moving through a large body of water, the Nereid may spend two points of Essence and appear like a watery shadow as long as they keep it active, masking their appereance and making them completly invisible under water. This also allows them to fit through tight spaces.
	+ **Acheron-** When exposed to rain or moving through a large body of water, the Nereid may spend two points of Essence and spend 5 Initiative to emit a deadly shriek. Everyone capable of hearing it suffers *Mental Damage* equal to the Nereids current Strength Rating.
	+ **Karagatan-** When exposed to rain or moving through a large body of water, the Nereid may spend two points of Essence and spend a full round of *Absolute Focus* to gather water around them. At the start of the next round they ran unleash a riptide that pushes everyone infront of them 2D6 meter away and cast a *free* power of choice on anyone hit.
	+ **The Black Fleet-** When exposed to rain or moving through a large body of water, the Nereid may spend a point of Essence and reduce the difficulty to hit on a pistol by one, to a minimum of 2. This may be used as often as desired.