Character:Shalzalon

A character for Nephilim 2nd (aka the Chaosium) edition, created by g026r.

Campaign

Salzalon exists best in a campaign where the ultimate goal is the quest for Agartha, or one concerned with uncovering knowledge and secrets. A heavy-action, "fight the Secret Societies" campaign probably wouldn't be a good choice for the character without a party composed of numerous more martial-oriented heavy-hitters to help protect him.

Character Stats

Name: Shalzalon

Major Arcanum: Arcanum IX: The Hermit

Dominant Ka: Air

Previous Incarnations: 4

Actions: 3

Damage Bonus: +0

Ch'awe: 20

Hit Points: 19

Ka

Dominant: Air, 12

Major Neutral: Fire, 9

Minor Neutral: Water, 7

Minor Opposed: Earth, 5

Major Opposed: Moon, 2

Characteristics & Rolls

	Simulacrum	Bonus	Total	Roll	%
Ka:	-	-	12	Vision:	36
Strength:	9	+3	12	Effort:	36
Constitution:	17	+2	19	Resistance:	57
Intelligence:	17	+3	20	Idea:	60
Dexterity:	11	+2	13	Agility:	39
Charisma:	15	+1	16	Persuade:	48

Skills

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Nephilim

• Arcanum Lore: 40%
• Art (Dance): 10%
• Art (Poetry): 40%
• Art (Sing): 50%
• Astrological Lore: 20%
• Bargain: 30%
• Business: 30%
• Craft (Sew): 30%
• First Aid: 90%
• Hermetic Lore: 50%
• History: 20%
• Life Experience (Middle Kingdom Egypt): 70%
• Life Experience (Assyrian): 55%
• Life Experience (13c France): 60%
• Life Experience (London, 1910): 40%
• Listen: 50%
• Medicine: 50%
• Natural Lore: 50%
• Read/Write (Hieroglyphics): 20%
• Read/Write (English): 50%
• Religion (Middle Kingdom Egyptian): 50%
• Religion (Cathari): 50%
• Religion (Church of England): 20%
• Religion (Classical Greek): 10%
• Scan: 50%
• Scrutinize: 90%
• Speak (Middle Kingdom Egyptian): 85%
• Speak (Persian): 80%
• Speak (13c. French): 75%
• Speak (Occitan): 30%
• Speak (English): 75%

Simulacrum

• Anthropology: 10%
• Archaeology: 20%
• Biology: 10%
• Computer Use: 35%
• Fist/Punch: 30%
• Geology: 10%
• History: 20%
• Kick: 20%
• Psychology: 20%
• Read/Write (Modern English): 45%
• Research: 35%
• Speak (Modern American): 35%

Techniques

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Sorcery

Lower Magic: 90%

Higher Magic: 90%

Grand Secret: 50%

Spells:

	Circle	Threshold	Element
Shoal of Air	Higher	30	Air
Hermetic Satori	Higher	50	Air
Pyretic Body	Higher	80	Fire

Summoning

Seals: 90%

Pentacles: 30%

Keys: 0%

Spells:

	Circle	Threshold	Element
The Invoking Voices of the Luminous Desert	Seals	10	Air
The Shadow-cloaked Sages from the White Mountain across the Misty Shores	Seals	90	Air

Alchemy

Black Stone: 30%

White Stone: 0%

Philosopher's Stone: 0%

Spells:

Stasis

Location: Research Lab

Epoch & Description: Thebes, Egypt c.1350BC, papyrus

Ka:

• Fire: 17
• Air: 15
• Earth: 20
• Water: 16
• Moon: 7

Metamorphosis

Type: Angel

• Head: Golden hair, 4
• Hands: White, 6
• Skin: Feathered, 4
• Odor: Honey, 2
• Voice: Melodious, 0

Simulacrum

Name: Megan Carls

Solar Ka: 11

Age: 20

Gender: Female

Social Status: 4

Opportunity: 12

Education: 14, Sophomore

Life Experience: 42

Profession: Student, Humanities Major

Family Relationship: 9, distant parents

Culture: Modern American, Academia

Previous Incarnations

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Thebes, Egypt c. 1350 BC

Simulacrum Name: Merit

Occupation: Priestess

Simulacrum Age: 70

Final Age: 40

Total Age at Death: 110

Stasis Event: Died peacefully in old age.

Skills

Skill Points: 280

Skills Learned:

• Art (Dance): 10%
• First Aid: 50%
• Hermetic Lore: 50%
• Life Experience (Middle Kingdom Egypt): 70%
• Listen: 50%
• Read/Write (Hieroglyphics): 20%
• Religious Lore (Middle Kingdom Egypt): 50%
• Scrutinize: 50%
• Sorcery, Low: 0%
• Sorcery, High: 0%
• Speak (Middle Kingdom Egypt): 85%

Magic Learned

Occult Development Points: 80

Arcanum Lore: The Hermit: 30%

Magic Techniques:

• Sorcery, Low: 50%
• Sorcery, High: 0%

Summary of Experience in This Life

First incarnation. Though some initial links were made with the Major Arcanum, for the most part Shalzalon failed to see the need for them at this time and stayed separate from the politics of the day.

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Babylon, Persia c. 650 BC

Simulacrum Name: Nidintu

Occupation: Tribal Aristocrat, Female

Simulacrum Age: 55

Final Age: 40

Total Age at Death: 95

Stasis Event: Died old and calm.

Skills

Skill Points: 220

Skills Learned:

• Bargain: 30%
• Business: 30%
• Craft (Sew): 30%
• First Aid: 40%
• Life Experience (Assyria): 55%
• Nature Lore: 50%
• Scrutinize: 40%
• Speak (Persian): 80%

Magic Learned

Occult Development Points: 80

Arcanum Lore: The Hermit: 0%

Magic Techniques:

• Sorcery, Low: 40%
• Sorcery, High: 40%
• Sorcery, Grand Secret: 0%

Summary of Experience in This Life

Incarnated into a tribal aristocrat. Though initially resistant to Zoroaster, eventually agreed with the path purposed.

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Montsegur, France 1453

Simulacrum Name: Gabrielle d'Ariège

Occupation: Noble Widow

Simulacrum Age: 60

Final Age: 75

Total Age at Death: 135

Stasis Event: Killed by Crusaders.

Skills

Skill Points: 240

Skills Learned:

• Art (Sing): 50%
• First Aid: 0%
• Life Experience (13c. France): 60%
• Medicine: 50%
• Religious Lore (Cathari): 50%
• Scan: 50%
• Scrutinize: 0%
• Speak (13c. French): 75%
• Speak (Occitan): 30%

Magic Learned

Occult Development Points: 150

Arcanum Lore: The Hermit: 10%

Magic Techniques:

• Sorcery, High: 50%
• Sorcery, Grand Secret: 10%
• Summoning, Seals: 50%
• Summoning, Pentacles: 0%
• Alchemy, Black Stone: 0%

Inscribed Spells:

• Invoking Voices of the Luminous Desert
• Shoal of Air
• Hermetic Satori

Summary of Experience in This Life

Incarnated as part of the Cathari attempt to assist Nephilim on their quest for Agartha. Began dabbling in Summoning at this time, and made formal links to the Hermit Arcanum. The persecution of Perfecti caused Shalzalon to recognize the importance of inscribing spells into its being. Killed during the siege of Montsegur but not before its Stasis object was successfully smuggled out prior to the fall of the mountain-top fortress.

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London, England, circa 1900

Simulacrum Name: Mary Woolcroft

Occupation: Poetess

Simulacrum Age: 40

Final Age: 85

Total Age at Death: 125

Stasis Event: Died peacefully in bed.

Skills

Skill Points: 160

Skills Learned:

• Astrological Lore: 20%
• Art (Poetry): 40%
• History: 20%
• Life Experience (London, 1910): 40%
• Listen: 0%
• Psychology: 0%
• Read/Write (English): 50%
• Read/Write (Spanish): 0%
• Religious Lore (Church of England): 20%
• Religious Lore (Classical Greek): 10%
• Ride: 0%
• Speak (English): 75%

Magic Learned

Occult Development Points: 170

Arcanum Lore: The Hermit: 0%

Magic Techniques:

• Sorcery, Grand Secret: 40%
• Summoning, Seals: 40%
• Summoning, Pentacles: 30%
• Alchemy, Black Stone: 30%
• Alchemy, White Stone: 0%

Inscribed Spells:

• Dowse Air Plexus
• Pyretic Body
• The Shadow-cloaked Sages from the White Mountains across the Misty Shores

Summary of Experience in This Life

Incarnated into a minor aristocrat who passed the time as a poetess of little note. She had purchased its Stasis papyrus as part of her dabbing in the occult. It was in this lifetime that Shalzalon first became aware of the possibilities of Alchemy. Had some interaction with the Golden Dawn, but mainly ignored mankind in favour of continuing the quest for Agartha.

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Character Description/Background

Shalzalon

From the notebooks of member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, discussing a conversation with Shalzalon, London, 1906:

"The secrets of the universe can be found only through determined study. You, with your pathetically short lifetimes, have no chance of ever uncovering them. Even were you to start from birth, you would never learn them and your hopes of unlocking them are even smaller.

"But the secrets are there. I've spent lifetimes working on it. From the days of pharaohs I've worked. Single-minded in my goal. If it means something has to be destroyed to unlock its secrets, then so be it. I will find the secret, and then I will be perfected."

Megan Carls

Sophomore history major. Dabbles in karate in her spare time. As part of her part-time research assistant job, received access to a collection of ancient Egyptian papyrus. Having unknowingly placed them in a nexus, she released Shalzalon from within its stasis, and became the host. Her room-mates and professors have noticed a recent change in her personality and disinterest in her usual hobbies and studies.

Commentary

Christ, this was long. Next time I'll take the skill-point and occult-point hits and stick with one or two previous incarnations.