Euthanatos
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Euthanatos is a fictional sect of priests, moralists, and assassins from Mage: The Ascension, a game by White Wolf using the World of Darkness setting. This sect, called a tradition in the game, gathers with witches, wizards, and shaman of other traditions to help save humanity and the world from the Technocracy, the Marauders, and the Nephandi.
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[edit] Philosophy
The chilling Euthanatos center on the suffering of humanity, but theirs is the burden of that pain and its release. When no-one else will shoulder the weight of responsibility, the Euthanatos make a choice to end pain, cleanse corruption and destroy evil by accepting and administering death itself.[1]
The Euthanatos believe in a cycle of karma that dictates life, death, and reincarnation which they call the Great Wheel. They believe that certain persons can unbalance the Wheel for others (ie, serial killers, child molesters, drug dealers, persons in a vegetative state). Providing a necessary death for these people gives them a chance to be reincarnated with a clean slate, and removes the imbalance from the lives of others. The name Euthanatos reflects this belief: The Good Death (in the Greek language).
At the same time, there is a stigma against the Euthanatos among some of their contemporaries, due to their intimate knowledge and workings with death.
Also known as the Chakravanti (Tenders of the Wheel, singular: Chakravat).
Affinity Sphere: Entropy
[edit] Factions
The Euthanatos encompas a great many sects and organizations, and are largely open toward philisophical differences within their own society. [2] Players are not required to create a character that falls into one of these categories, but it doesn't hurt to add flavor to the characer's background.
[edit] Ancient
- Natatapas - Militant in nature, the Tantrism and Indian culture are the basis for this group. Withdrawn to the heart of India, this group is practices the oldest rites of the Euthanatos, and its members study historical Buddhism and Hinduism. Their withdrawn nature makes them suspicious of outsiders, but they are a reasonable, if conservative group.
- Madzimbabwe - From Africa, the Madzimbabwe study their cultural history as healers, drawing a shamanistic heritage of spirit calling and soothing from the cities of Africa, before the European colonization. While they differ from their Kinsmen in religion, they are united by a shared compassion for those in need.
- Pomegranate Deme - Literal worshipers of the Greek Mythos, the Pomegranate Demme specifically study Persephone and the underworld. They are few and far between of late as new members tend to be attracted by less religious sects.
- Aided - The last of the ancient sects, this group consists of Celtic death-mages which were almost wiped out during the dark and middle ages. They survived through support of other groups that later became the modern Euthanatos. They practice the ancient ceremonial rites necessary to cull the week from the herd (be it animal or human).
[edit] Modern
- Lhaksmists - With close ties to the Virtual Adepts and techno mages in other traditions, these Euthanatos are the most technology friendly. Placing complete trust in random chance they often throw themselves into a situation, allowing the stones to fall as they may. Thanks to technology, they watch the chaos spreading out of the internet, due to the haphazard way it has expanded. They take their name from the Hindu goddess of luck Lhaksmi
- Golden Chalice - An exclusive order of assassins that serves The Wheel by performing political assassinations. While their order is ancient, in the modern age they are more than willing to combine high-tech tools and poisons with their more traditional magic. Membership comes by invitation only.
- Knights of Rhadamanthys - A popular sect, these warriors hire themselves out to other traditions to, but only for causes that they feel are just. In this way, they can help The Wheel turn more freely, while bringing in financial support for the tradition. Sensible and farsighted, this faction trains in modern combat, ethics and a multitude of espionage skills. Internally, though, most older Euthanatos consider it a simple training ground from which veterans can graduate to the true philosophical levels of inquiry, instead of just being "hired guns."
- Scholars of the Wheel - Experts at tracing other mages' previous incarnations to construct elaborate soul genealogies, and to allow quick tracing of Avatars. A mage may not always be reincarnated into the same tradition, so the Scholars task is critical when that mage needs to know if an enemy today was once an ally.
- Albireo - The most important organization within the tradition. The Albiero serve as ambasadors to the other traditions, and serve to uphold the Euthanatos' internal structure. They are necessary to explain sanctioned rules to the other traditions, and police members of the other Euthanatos factions to root out internal corruption.
- Ka Tiki (voudun shamans, experts at necromancy)
Two other sects are worth mentioning: the Order of the Black Willow, once close allies of the Aided in the British Isles, fell to Infernalism and corruption during the 19th century, and the Idran sect, defunct during the Himalayan Wars (900-600 BC, opposed the Akashic Brotherhood and the various Indian sects which would give rise to the Chakravanti Tradition) who gave birth to both the Nagaraja vampire bloodline, and the Tal'Mahe'Ra sect of the Sabbat.
[edit] Character Types
Some sample characters are provided in the Mage Players Guide to help new players get started. These are suggested, but it is encouraged that players create their own characters and not force themselves to conform to a standard mold.
- Shade Among Shadows - The assassin's assassin. Uses death based Entropy combined with physical prowess and stealth to overcome any obstacle.
- Agent of Fate - The Gambler. Uses fate based Entropy to predict or influence outcomes. Be it games of chance, or being able to avoid every bullet that comes their way, these characters always seem to have an edge.
- Emergency Medical Technician - The Healer. Working in an ambulance, the EMT comes into contact with some of the best and worst that humanity has to offer. Using his own judgment when he arrives, he will either do everything in his power to make sure his patient survives, or help them shuffle off the mortal coil. In either case, it's probably for the best.
[edit] Jhor Taint
Working closely with death any mage can succumb to the darker side of their nature. In the world of Mage, allowing you character to slip will allow this to manifest physically in the form of Jhor. Jhor is a special kind of Entropic Resonance, garnered from too much interaction with death. Points of Jhor Taint are added or removed depending how the character is played, and how the story teller reacts to events in the game. A character can shed Jhor taint by taking up activities that allow them to embrace their fellow man, but how often these opportunities come up, and how much time they take are up to the story teller.
While one or two dots of Jhor Taint are negligible (creating simple changes in atmosphere around the character), a player that has reached their limit is often overwhelmed and becomes a remorseless killing machine. Also, the character gains points of Jhor Taint increasing degrees of physical decay becomes noticeable in people and things around them, from plants dying and things breaking, to wounds that refuse to heal.
The Euthanatos are particularly noted for this, coming into such close contact with Entropic magic. A failure of even the most simple act, such as knowing the result of a dice roll, could have negative consequences. Euthanatos characters often keep an eye on each other, ready to administer the Good Death, should there be no other alternative.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.white-wolf.com/Games/Pages/MagePreview/euthanatos.html
- ^ Mage: The Acension,Revised, Whitewolf Publishing, 2000: 43-44
