Samesi

> "*We fear the stranger and sinister more than anything else. Nevertheless, we foolishly believe we would only find it outside our homes and cities. The true darkness does not breed in desert farms and swamps but in our very middle. It grows where the light burns the brightest.*"
> ― Iareth, High queen of Sash Anu
>
>

## General

### Titles

Bloodscales, Kreptanie, Secondborn, Sethari, Sutekru, Shadowkreptanie

## Introduction

The Samesi are a parasitic race capable of infecting and adapting to all other species. They seek to control any society, either in secret or in depraved openness.

## *History*

> "*At last the ever gnawing night send fourth its firstborn child to take its place in the great city. Credulity named it kin. Wisdom named it shadow. Fate named it Samesi.*"
> ― Abstract from the Kurafei
>
>

### Ancient days

The real origions
of the Samesi are unkown. The only thing that is certain is
that they are related to the Titan Apophis. How the Great Serpent created
these parasites is unkown, but they are his embodiment of
corruption and darkness.

It is even
believed they are responisble for the weakened state of the Garauth
under Apophis, the world named after its titanic captive. This allowerd the Titans children to grow and rise to the
surface.

Their first larvae crawled out of the holy waters of the Asaks great cities all across the
dimension. They started slowly corrupting more and more of the guards
and servants before at last infecting one of their living gods. The god Atep transformed infront of its servants as his scales turned black and his head grew into that of a large serpent.

Since this day,
the Samesi started the war that shattered the Asaks great empire and divided it into the corrupted west and the untainted east. It is unkown how long this old war waged on, but the Samesi began to win it. The corrupted Asak became known as Suthekru, the servants of the Great Serpent. They managed to corrupt seven of the twelve reptilian gods that ruled over old Apophis.

Yet, this war did stop some day. The Asak seeked peace with their great enemy and after another century, the Samesi accepted. Since this day the Suthekru ruled uncontested across the nothern forests while the Asak where
allowed to keep their hold on the eastern deserts.

From this day on, the Samesi corruption
spread silent. They no longer created gods among their ranks but weaker
individuals, undermining their pact since the day it was sealed.

### Dark Ages

When the Anit arrived in Apophis, they
brought the plague with them. The Asak
suffered heavily, sometimes losing entire cities to the deadly disease that became known as Scaleblight. Although this weakened the Samesi aswell they where given a fresh oppurtinity.

While the corruption of the east still
spread silent, the Samesi ruled open and depraved over their new
servants in the north. They lured Nasan, the great prophet of the nothern Aniter into their dark jungles. Either through lies of divinity or sadistic treachery the humans where convinced to join the Suthekru. First they became their students, but soon enough they realised their role as servants.

After they sucessfully gained controll over the people of Nawanga, they slowly but constanly corrupted
the other Aniter. The Haquid tribes remained unharmed since
they where far to small and scattered to provide good slavestock. Soon enough they turned their attention to the Esharin, the Aniter of the east. It did not take long until they started serving snakescaled queens, although they

still avoided the Asak gods the humans embraced as their new masters.

### The Pratonian reign

The Pratonian invasion of Apophis was
the first blow to the Samesis sucess. The Suthekru empire in the east
was completely destroyed and each of their living gods slain as Eoams fire swallowed the cities. The Pratonians and their agents killed
every Asak and Samesi they could find. Only those able to hide themselfes in the shadow of this new thread where able to survive. Through embracing this new mentality however, the Samesi
where able to travel across countless dimensions, following further
invasions in behind pratonian masks.

This way they managed to infect
every human inhabited dimension with their taint. The Samesi mostly avoided their open rulership of old. Instead they prefered to guide their servants from the shadows, slowly infesting more and more subjects.

### Bloodclad Ages

It was during the event that became known as the Shadespire Sethnight that their mentality should change again. A cabal of Samesi gathered in the high temple of An Keth. With them they brought a Awakened, carrying his paralyzed body to the peak of the cities great spire. On the golden solar disk they begann their dark ritual as they inserted countless Spineeaters into the body of their victim. They thus turned him into a Samesi in a slow and agonising process.

The goal of the ritual was to
break the seal of their god, the Great Serpent itself. During the
process, earthquakes shuck the entire dimension as stroms rose, the
seas started to swallow the lands and houses started to
crumble under the power of Apophis twitchings. It is
said that during this darkest of Sethnights, all stars dissapeared from
the sky as the sands and waters across the land turned black. The ground cracked open as Apophis demons rose and the Aniter
believed the Final Storm arrived.

The ritual was stopped however. What ended this terror is unkown, but the people of An Keth saw spectral lights blink on the great spire before it collapsed, burrying the Samesi and their host under tons of stone.

Since this day, the Samesi that followed the teachings of Apophis himself where hunted and purged, not only by witchhunters but also by many individuals of their kin.

## Biology

The Samesi are able to adapt and infect any living species: However they only hatch correctly when their larva is implanted in a intelligent race. Animal Samesi are little more then bloodhungry beasts, strong in flesh but weak in mind. Thinking hosts however create full grown Samesi.

### Infection and growth

Samesi are infected by larvae known as Spineeaters. Depending on their size they have several ways of entering their victim. The most common are through its mouth our a wound drilled into their victims flesh. The second method is often used in figths, while the first is more common when Samesi wish to infect their chosen hosts during their sleep.

After the larva has entered its new hosts body it will travel either across the intestine or bloodstream to attach itself to the victims spine. For the first two days of infection, the change goes unnotices as the larva covers the entire spinal cord until it reaches the brain. Once this happened, the Spineeater will paralyse its victim and make them unable to move. Yet, the host has to endure how it liquifies and consumes their insides and brain to replaces it with its own flesh and secretes. This stage is often confused with coma or death. It takes the Spineeater two additional days to complete the transformation. Once this has happened, the victim will wake up as a full fledged Samesi.

A complete Samesi has removed all internal organs and bones from his body. The only parts of his vessel that remain are skin, hair, eyes and a thin layer of muscles. Their bones have been replaced by the parasite which forms a network of hyperadaptive flesh that serves as its brain and bodystructure. It consumes food, air and water to turn it into a black liquid called Ryzhe. The teeth are kept aswell, while the canines are replaced by four long and curved fangs. These are hidden inside pockets of flesh until snapping out in moments of danger or great hunger. The tongue remains in its shape but is modified by parasitic tissue. Both teeth and tongue are connected to the rest of the body by a small canal. This way, a Samesi bite injects Ryzhe into its victim. The dangerous substance can also be spit across large distances by the modified tongue that takes the shape of that of a snake when doing so.

### Larvae

Samesi Larvea come in five main forms: Spineeaters, Shadespitters, Stingers, Scalpers and Servitors*.*

   A Spineeater is a full grown larvea with the ability to infect hosts. It is between 20 centemeters and three meters long. Its smooth snake like body is covered with soft scales. These produce a special kind of slime that functions as a defense against attacks and eases up movement. It enters its victim either through evaginating its head and cutting open unprotected skin or wriggeling in through their mouth or nose. The Spineeater is the most basic form of larvae.

The Shadespitter is adapted to feeding and fighting. In its insides it contains the deadly Ryzhe that liquifies and consumes its enemies. Shapespitters have fangs similar to their Samesi sires aswell as a long snake-like tongue that functions as a gland able to spit its deadly load across several meters. It is the most lethal larvea in the Samesi arsenal.

The Stinger larva is specialised on paralysing its victim. Its bowels and scales produce a special toxine that blocks or slowls down electrical signals and numbs every nerve in a mamals body once enough of it is injected through a bite or the skin. As long as a Stinger is attached to its prey, it wont be able to move. Should a victim remain too long in this paralysed state, it will die since its heart stops pumping.

The Scalpers are specialsed in entering their victims body and tapping into their spinal cord. Once they gain connection to a victims spine, they can attempt to controll him. This often results in spastic twitches as larva and victim fight over the controll. Injecting several Scalpers into a host turns them into slaves controlled by the writhing worms in their insides. This is extremly painful and most of the serpentine servants are nothing but mindless fleshbags.

The Servitors function as carriers for the Samesi. Their insides are made to swallow and hide objects while the carrying them across distances. Servitors often steal and smuggle them for their masters. They do not only rely on their excellent smell like other larvae but also a pair of small black eyes. Servitor larvas are easily confused with regular snakes.

Despite these common forms, many cabals have developed their own type of larvae. Some might produce a poison that sets their victims in a stage of intoxicated ecstasy, blind them or carry diseases.

### Ryzhe

Ryzhe is a substance full of the energies of the Titan Apophis. Like Titanfire it consumes everything it touches but the living are most vunerable. When touching a victim, Ryzhe slowly dissolves them only to turn their remains into more black phlegm.

This processes feels like freezing to death while the living poison absorbs all energy of its victim.
Ryzhe can also dissolve stone and metal but will slowly loose its powers, meaning a Samesi will have to use alot of it should he wish to etch a path through a solid wall.
Inside a Samesis body, Ryzhe can do far more. The Spineeater is immune against its touch like all structures or parasitic flesh. Instead, the Ryzhe is constanly fed with new energy. Should a Samesi hunger for too long however, he will consume itself and leave nothing behind then a black stain on the floor.
Ryzhe has the ability to take any shape and hardness when controlled by a Samesi. This way they can form temporary lungs, muslces and other features inside their body. To better defend themselfes, they can also thicken the substance until it forms a network of solid scales that absorbs damage as good as regular steel plates.
Samesi skilled in controlling the Ryzhe can shape pockets in their body which enables them to transport objects safely and unseen in their insides.

### Hunger

Samesi constanly feel the demand of their master to consume and destroy. Their dark insides constanly hunger for food. A Samesi needs atleast 8000 calorines every day. Since consuming so much food is suspicious and unsatisfying for them, many prefer to drink Bornwater. Others consume animals or humans alive since the energies of the frightened soul is the most nutricious to them.
A Samesi permanently consumes the energies of his surroundings. Water, heat and air are constantly formed into Ryzhe in their bodies, yet this provides almost no nutriens to them. They can consume their own weight several times a day without growing out of shape since Ryzhe is a spaceefficent method to store energy.
Samesi do not need to breathe in general, but the bit of extra energy is still appreceated. They do not breathe out naturally however, which can raise suspicion if they are not trained.

## Powers

> "*You must understand that we are not just vile beasts. Each of us is a predator born to feed upon the despicable vermin known as the living, just like our god is born to feed upon the worlds plagued by them. Do not despair at my sight but rejoice, for I am the end to the unnatural torment that is existence.*"
> ― Esharion to the Oracle of An Keth
>
>

The Samesi command far greater powers then just the titanic corruption they bodies represent. Besides the Ryzhe that flows across their unnatural flesh, they are gifted greater abilites. Their minds have a magical connection to the thrid element surrounding them, enabling each Samesi to exude their presence to the mortal minds arround them.

### Mental disciplines

The Samesi have developed their own form of mental discipline that is close to the common Forbidden Arts. While most Samesi refer to it as Predators mind, their older kin gave it the name Phidianism which translates to "Serpents grasp" in the old tongue of Ashanu. Phidianism has the ability to inspire fear or false safety in the hearts of their prey. The Samesi that specialise on this ability have learned countless abilites. Each cabal develops its own forms, but there are some abilities that all Samesi share:

* ***Predators presence:** This power is most common among young and untrained individuals. The Samesi reveals its true nature to those around him, making each mortal surrounding them aware of the unnatural defilement of life it represents. Those affected are able to sense the Samesi without seeing it the closer it comes. This does inspire fear and despair in most mortal hearts as they soon realise their role as prey.*
* ***Crowds cloak:** Instead of making other mortals aware of their presence, the Samesi hides from their minds. Although they are still visible and can be seen normally should a observer focus on them, they seem nondescript. They appear so ordinary others mostly wont notice them. In large crowds this allows Samesi to move and act unseen, as long as they remain insuspicous. Even people that know their face will not be able to recognise them among their prey.*
* ***Sheeps mask:** The Samesi changes its presence, making him appear as a harmless kindred. Those who see them will sense no danger, simply believing the creature infront of them to be friendly and weak. This often inspires a feeling of false safety and dispels mistrust and suspicion.*
* ***Serpents gaze:** This ability is common among adepts of Phidianism. They are able to reveal their presence to a single person or group as long as they are behind them or at their sides. Although the chosen prey knows where the predator lurks, they are unable to look into their direction or alert others. They fall in a trance of silent fear unable to do something else then move along and wait for the hunters strike. Although some manage to break free from this trance, most are unable to defend themselfes or make noises before or during a Samesi attack. This ability can only be used on mortals that are not able to see the Samesi. Once they step into their sight, the gaze loses its power.*
* ***Cloud the minds:** This ability will make the Samesi hard to percieve. They will appear as blurred shadows, dis- and reapearing as they move. It enables them to get out of enemy sight quickly or atleast decreases the chance of being hit by attacks and missiles.*
* ***Eyes of Apophis:** This power is famous among the Samesi that follow the cult of their primordial progenitor. It represents a extension to the Predators presence, only that this time the Samesi reveals far more then their bestial nature. Instead those around gain terrible understanding of Apophis truth, glimpsing on the true meaning of destruction and corruption. Similar to the flames of Eoam this power shreds the sanity of a victim, resulting in madness or selfconsumption.*
* ***Crown of the ancients:** Samesi that follow the cult of their old gods often make use of this ability. It allows them to incarnate the aspects of a chosen god and radiate them to the mortals arround them. They can either incarnate Atep to exude dominance, Baskad for fear, Hathri for bewitching beauty, Neithor for bestiality, Mut for rage or Kauket for malevolence. All that see the Samesi are under the impression that something divine lies in its nature. In all cases it inspires servility and fear.*
* ***Decievers tongue:** The Samesi that believe in the teachings of Isphat use this power to manipulate others. When using it, each of the Samesis words sounds convincing and true. Mortals that listen to their speeches will quickly grow to trust them as they hang on the Samesis every word. The most skilled Phidians can make their victims believe something even when they knew it was a lie before.*
* ***Shadow in the mind:** This ability allows a Samesi to vanish infront of mortal eyes. With this power they are completly invisible as all that sense them instantly forget anything regarding the caster. Through this power the most advanced Phidians are able to fight without having to face resistence and murder infront of someones eyes without being detected.*

### Ryzherai

Ryzherai represent the Samesis dark equivalent to the art of Bornweaving. It is based on the Herakan, the Samesi Born each cabal feeds on. It is made through combining corpses, stolen Bornwater and Rzyhe with a set of magical rites, creating a twisted parody of the Born of the living. The Herakan is what gives a cabal its special abilities and adaptions. Through shaping and manipulating it, a cabal can develop unique powers and grow stronger.

Yet the powers of Rzyherai are far greater. The Herakan can function as a gate to the demonic children of Apophis, the battery for large rituals or a magical beacon for other Samesi. The Herakan can also be used to brew poisons and acids of all sorts, enabling them to influence and manipulate their victims at will.

The most important part of the Herakan is the link it provides to ancient Samesi however. Most Samesi are doomed to a single existeance as the Ryzhe consumes their souls once they die. Those who are strong in will and power over their Samesi nature are able to transcend this fate however. Through sending their soul to Apophis chamber deep under the sands, they are able to experience their equivalent to immortality. During a Sethnight a Samesi life, large amounts of Bornwater and a dark ritual can be offered. If everything is performed correctly the old Samesi masters can be reborn in the Herakan of any cabal.

This ritual is common among many cabals but only a few have attempted the resurrection of their ancient Suthekru gods. This was sucessul only once in the Amali captial of Sepaht during the Shadespire Sethnight. The cabal of Shaidruk summoned the Archsamesi Atep that devoured the entire city before the ritual was stopped.

### Magic

The Samesi have developed their own path of magic. Only they can lean and master it since it requires understanding of Apophis dark powers. This path, known as Path of Atep, is considered the most dangerous of all magical schools. Since the Samesi are able to comprehend the powers of their titanic master they can use it as a adaption to magic. Any other titanic path of magic can only be used by madmen that had insight into their powers, making the Path of Atep very unique.

Its most well known powers are the magical creation Ryzhe, throwing bolts of living darkness and countless spells spreading the corruption of the Titan. Although there are suprisingly few mages among the Samesi, they wield terrible strength.

### Serpentine servants

The Samesi have two ways of enslaving mortals to their will. The first uses their Scalper larvae, which invade a hosts body. There they attach to the spinal cord and gain full controll of its body. These serpentine servants are known as Wormborn. They are able to move relativly slow but have lost the ability to speak and perform complex actions. During fights, the larvae in their insides start to twitch and wriggle back and forth, revealing the true nature of these enslaved men through their moving bellies. Although their motivity is abrasive, they possess unnatural strength and do not feel pain or fear. If a cabal has enough time they can create hundreds of Wormborn to guard their secret halls.

The second is more complex. It is based on instilling a victim with a special brew of Samesi Bornwater. Instead of liquifiying its victim, this form of Ryzhe is under complete Samesi mental controll. They can force their servants to perform any movement they desire. Well trained Samesi can let them speak and fight in ways they never learned in their mortal lifes. This form of controll is not based on mental manipulation or the will of the servant but simple particles that are spread all across their bodies and can be moved telekinetically. These servants remain hidden most of the time, not knowing of the darkness that flows through their veins.

## Culture

Samesi have the renown of bloodthristy beasts. It is commonly believed that they are created through a demon that takes the form of a shade. These shades have enough strength to attack a single human and kill it. Only the innocent are able to host their darkness that uses their body since the day of their death. They are seen as children of the God of faces that where born to plague mankind with their intrigues and attacks.

Although those beliefs have their root in the real nature of the Samesi, the Secondborn are more complex then commonly believed. While the larvae remakes its victims brain and combines it their own personality, a Samesi still keeps its soul and many traits of their former character. Even if they have a strong pull to destruction and corruption, each Samesi indulges into its instincts in a different way.

There exist three major types of Samesi aswell as countless inbeteen.

### Hunters in the shadow

Those Samesi that succumb to their bestial nature embrace their inner monster. The only thing they desire is to feed and multiply the powers of their titanic master. Many of them become lustful to experience new tastes in their prey and wish to experience the pleasures of their new, unnatural flesh. Others grow hateful against their fomer kin and simply wish to eradicate every form of existence to sastify the destructive aspect they embody. Although these hunters are able to hide their true nature, many of them become less and less concerned about it as they openly hunt for mortal prey. While some simply wish to feed on as many lifes as possible, others wish to experience different tastes or kill their victims as cruel and sadistic as possible.

### Weavers of fate

Those who embrace the cunning aspects of the Great Corruptor have mastered their bestial nature and former morality. Their greastest desire is to gain power and controll over mortalkind, constantly hiding in their shadows and manipulating their ways. This thrist for power can have countless forms but most seek to rule their former kin and inspire depravity among their highborn ranks.

Many of those intriguants have taken the positions of nobles or influencial ministers. They grow in secret and slowly try to take over their ranks. What a Samesi wishes to do with his power depends on each individual. Those that fully succambe to their instinct seek power for the purpose of it, others do it to survive or cause they take pleasure in the feeling of superiority when completly controlling a mortal thrall. Some do it out of conviction, either through the malevolent idea that humans as lesser beings do not deserve to rule over their own fate; others through the benevolent idea that humans are to weak and young to properly controll themselfes and need a stronger guidance. The second kind is rare and has usually transcended their darker instincts and desires.

### Defiers of darkness

There are a few Samesi that try to fend of their true nature and stick to their old selfs. This usually happens to young Samesi that where transformed as the result of a fight or the mockery of their high ideals. Most Samesi cast off their former ideals after consuming their first prey. Some manage to keep them for several years of constant struggle. It is extremly rare for a Samesi to remain morality and the desire to fight for the better of all life for their entire existeance. Most of them are strongwilled witchhunters that where transformed after a hunt.

But even the Samesi that surrendered themselfes to their nature are not as malevolent as most mortals believe. There are many that serve their cabal while still remaining ideals, honor or true love. Some do not consume living prey and try to survive through only eating normal food. Others follow a religion or philosophy of their former lifes that teaches them to do so.

## Cabals

Samesi are organised in cabals, well structured groups that act coordinated to serve their dark purpose. Many cities, sometimes even entire regions, are influenced by such a cabal. In other cities there are several cabals that compete for power or a large one that creates many small cabals to serve them.

### Structure

The cabal is a strictly organised group. Although its structure, size and titles vary between the worlds and countries there are similiarities between all of them. Most of them have six notable members with their own rank while all other Samesi serve one of them and seek to embody their teachings. All of these six lay down their old names and titles to take on new ones, inspired by their ancient Suthekru gods.

**Atep/Atesha-** The leader of a cabal takes the name of the greatest Suthekru god to have ever lived. They must embody strength, dominance and artifice to properly lead their kin.

**Bascor/Baskad**- The judge and torturer of a cabal. Baskad does not only decide about the fate of cowards and failures among the Samesi lines but is also tasked with interrogating captives and enemies.

**Hathror/Hathri-** This Samesi embodies the fatherly/motherly aspect of the cabal aswell as the arts of seduction and deception. The Hathror of a cabal is the one that chooses new children for their ranks and teaches them what it means to be a Samesi.

**Neithor**- The strongest warrior of the cabal. Neithor have mastered the arts of their bestial nature and provide prey for their kin. They also train the hunters of the cabal and are its stongest defenders.

**Ket/Kauket-** The greatest sorcerer and ritualist of the cabal. Kaukets gather knowledge about their dark magic, mental disciplines and the arts of Ryzherai. They are also the guardians and weavers of the Herakai, the Samesi Born.

**Nod**- The high assassin or intriguant of the cabal. Nod mastered the art of stealth and deception and can either be a skilled murderer or deciever of noble minds.

**Isphat**- The seventh or zeroth leading Samesi takes this rank in many modern cabals. In Apophis only female Samesi can take this name. Isphat is a even greater leader of a cabal, outshining Atep/Atescha through stronger powers and desires.

### Outlander cabals

Cabals outside of Apophis often carry on local customs and religious beliefs from their former lifes into their new. While some cabals clothe themselfes in the false divinity to lure in more followers; others seek to incarnate the demonic side of each culture to inspire fear and give their desire for corruption a proper shape.

Samesi outside of their ancient homelands are usually weaker and can not call upon the dark power of Apophis and his demonic children. Yet, some embrace the power of another Titan and become their living incarnation. A famous example are the Bloodkreptanie from Kaith.

## Faith

Although many cabals have developed custom religions and beliefs, there are three prominent faiths among the Samesi. Some have grown to be a mix of several of them while others believe strictly in a single interpretation.

### **Kalai At**

The teachins of Kalai At are by far the oldest and most destructive. Once wide spread this faith grew rare among the Samesi. Most of its followers where purged after the Shadespire Sethnight failed. Those who where and those who are believe that the true master of the Samesi is the Titan Apophis that lies slumbering under their feet. The Serpent of Darkness created them with the purpose or eradicating all that live.

Kalai Ats greatest goal is to awake their ancient master, thus destroying his prison world. After that the Great Corruptor would go on to feast upon all other worlds until nothing but primordial chaos remains in the belly of the Worldeater.

The followers of Kalai At believe life and existence in all its forms to be a cruel and unnatural state. They wish to set life back where it came, into formless chaos. In this state they see absolute harmony free from struggle, hunger and death.

### **Suthek At**

Although the Suthekru only believed in this faith to a limited extend, the sucessors of their cult do. According to them the Samesi where spawned from their godlike ancestors, the seven Suthekru gods. Each of them was slain by the Pratonian invasion, but yet the hope is not lost for the Samesi. The blood of their true masters still flows through their veins and they can be remade through befitting rituals.

As long as the Suthekru sleep in their deathless form however, their children will attempt to mimic their ancient glory. Each of them usually chooses one of the seven dark gods and desires to resemble them in every aspect possible. These Samesi are the hunters of ancient texts and artifacts to recover the lost knowledge of the cult.

### **Isphet At**

This faith was born in modern days and became the most wide spread among the Secondborn. While the Samesi are a ancient malice in their homeworld, most of them are a rather new thread among other worlds. For that reason the teachins of Isphet At spread faster across the cabals outside of Apophis.

The Cult of Isphet itself is based on the great Samesi High Queen that ruled Tatoth for over 200 years. During her life she was not only the strongest Samesi since her ancient gods where destroyed, but also the most artful one. She spread the influence of her kin across the entire Kurashai aswell as countless other worlds. She even managed to corrupt the Maad Shadu of Tatoth, making the entire city a demon of Apophis. According to the legends surrounding her she traveled down to the dark depts of the Titans prison where she woke and fought the Great Serpent. According to her followers she defeated the worm and consumed his blood, thus becoming the new god of the Samesi.

Isphet does not desire the worlds to end. Rather she teaches her children to see the weak mortals and their realms are toys and prey, making existence itself the Samesis pleasance. Each of her children must explore the dominance, hunger and strength of their kin individualy.

The Isphet At is a good example how Samesi lies and corruption stop at nothing, not even their own species.

## Stereotypes

To common people the Samesi and their powers are still a mystery. Most beliefs about them are wrong. Some of these lies have been sown intentionally, others simply evolved through encounters with their monstrous warriors.

The most common belief about Samesi is that they fear and hate the sunlight. Should it touch their exposed skin, they are believed to turn into ash or burn slowly and miserably. Most Samesihunters see the sunlight as the best way to end the curse that is their existence. In fact, the sunlight does not harm the Samesi at all. Although the night is associated with their dark master, most Samesi are stronger during the day. They consume the energy of the light even if it barely makes a difference for them. Old Samesi that have been recreated through the arts of Ryzherai do feel heavy pain through sunlight however. Their unnatural forms can not bear the power of the First Gate. Yet even the combined light of Apophis three suns is not enough to harm them notably other then causing pain.

Especially among esharic priests the idea that mirrors reveal the true identity of a human is wide spread. For that reason, many priests and witchhunters carry mirrors with them to expose hidden Samesi. This could not be further from the truth. The mirror will simply show them a regular reflection, allowing them to carry on their masquerade even infront of their mortal enemies.

The thrid common myth about them is that Samesi can not touch water without starting to dissolve. This belief was spread purposely among the people of Apophis. This way Samesi can better take the places of priests in one of the many cults that focus on water. Weakened Samesi are even able to feed themselfes through only drinking water, although they need to consume uncounted liters ot quench their thirst.

## Gallery

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