NURANiHIM, THE SACROSANCTUM Exorcists
The Sacrosanctum Exorcists, or the Nuranihim, protect humanity from dark spirits, curses, and other forms of dark powers that emerge in the form of the Night Malefic. They serve as exorcists, curse-breakers and monster hunters on behalf of the Church, and have to be experts in the lore of dark things and places. For this reason, the Church cautiously trusts them with some of their archives of collected lore as it might pertain to their duties, though they are kept a close eye upon by their own brethren, and those of the other Covenants, to ensure they remain on the right path.
Because of the nature of their work, Sacrosanctum Exorcists often have to delve into long-forgotten histories and places in order to find the answers to undo a curse or destroy a lingering evil. Nuranihim tend to be trained in combat, research, and archaeology in order to get the information they need, and then finally perform the dangerous task of attempting to cleanse a wickedness from the world.
Exorcists use their rituals and knowledge to get closer to the answers they need and to defend themselves and others from powerful Malefic creatures. Their prayers and holy tools get them closer to the answers of what happened, and how it can all be set right again, or else some measure of poetic justice delivered.
THE SACROSANCTUM, GOSPEL OF REDEMPTION
Covenant of Sanctity
A member of the Nuranihim must never take an action that may make a malefic.
Sacrosanctum Exorcists may earn a Nuranihim Achievement whenever they resolve and lay to rest a Malificarum or break a curse. Nuranahim Achievements may be spent as Priest Achievements, or to learn the Sacred Rites of Nuraniel.
Rituals
Detect Malefic Presence
No dark thing may remain hidden from the light of God -the Nameless Saint
Ritual: The priest holds out their silver leonem in front of the potentially afflicted and studies their eyes for signs of malefic presence.
Props: Silver Leonem
Effect: The priest may ask a storyteller whether Night Malefic is present getting a yes or no answer
Drive Back the Bane
Light banishes darkness, good will banish evil
Ritual: Incant “Let light banish the darkness, let dawn banish the Night,” while brandishing your silver leonem.
Props: Silver Leonem
Effect: So long as the priest remains brandishing the leonem no malefic may come within three feet of the priest.
Bestiary
Let knowledge be your lantern
Ritual: After getting taking notes on the actions of a Night Malefic, the priest spends time in prayer reading over their Night Bestiary.
Props: Night Bestiary
Effect: The player submits a Bestiary Academics Action (2 effort) and is given an applicable superstition about the malefic if one is available. Superstitions may include relevant information about that malefic’s creature type, ways to deter it, or other useful information. This must be done as a Research Action and may yield partial information.
NURANIEL
Archangel of Protection, Redemption, Innocence and Virgins
Aqua CAELestis
Arm yourself with holy water.
Ritual: The priest places holy water into a small, glass flask or vial. On the container is etched the symbolic name of Nuraniel, Archangel of Redemption. A pinch of salt added to the water before it is immediately sealed with cork and wax.
Props: Small flask or phial with the seal of Nuraniel
Effect: When the contents of the flask are emptied onto the target, If truly a malefic creature, then the water will sting and burn like a terrible flame upon them. The Priest may expend the entire contents to call Sacred Strike on a Malefic target. Regular creatures, even anathema, are not affected. Aqua Caelestis expires 5 events after being made.
Binding of Paths
Ritual: Within a space of significance to the night malefic the priest drives a silver nail through an item of significance into their hand wounding themselves.
Props: Object tied to the victim or place of haunting
Effect: The priest is wounded by their act and by shedding blood becomes the target of the malefic’s ire or haunting rather than its original target for as long as the nail remains (the hand is injured for the duration).
Exorcism
By the links that bind all mankind, we knew each other.
Ritual: On Consecrated ground, the priest places an object important to one of their bonds, the priest pours Holy water over the brow the victim and must describe the victims importance to rejoining humanity. The Priest then recites the pray of exorcism over the victim casting the spirit from the body.
Effect: The effects of possession end for the victim and they are immune to possession from the same malefic until the end of the scene.
SEAL OF HEAVEN
Sanctify a small area to ward malefic entities.
Ritual: An area is sectioned off with silver shavings mixed with ash while the Priest chants. The priest is marked with the sign of Nuraniel and must stand within the bounded area.
Props: Dark-colored sand
Effect: Any Priest standing within the circle may call Sacred Slam once every Beat on any Malefic creature that attempts to cross the circle.
The effect ends when the Priest exits the perimeter for any reason.
One unit of silver filings is enough for one person. If the circle is larger than that, it requires one additional use of silver filings for each person to be included.
Prayer of Exorcism
Gothic
Worthy Nuraniel, by these names,
Prayer of Exorcism
Aldersabin
Ritual of Dark Omens
Ritual: The priest meditates upon an object connected to the malefic while burning incense. The ashes of the incense are dumped into a bowl of water and the priest studies the patterns formed to determine when the malefic is likely to next strike.
Props: Evidence, incense or water vapor, bowl of water.
Effect: The priest is forewarned of the next time the malefic is likely to strike (this will be a general estimation of time, not exact information
Ritual of Nuraniel’s Shield
Nuraniel, grant me your protection.
Ritual: The priest anoints their personal leonem in Aqua Caelestis to create an amulet of protection against possession.
Props: -silver leonem worn by you for at least a Period prior, aqua caelestis
Effect: Expend aqua caelestis to give yourself immunity to possession so long as your leonem is worn or brandished. This ritual expires at the end of the chapter.
Draw Forth the Adversary
I will face the malefic and show no fear.
Ritual: Using a silver dagger, the priest draws their own blood (taking an Injury to one limb), then mixes charcoal with their blood and marks their forehead with it while calling the name or pseudonym of the specific creature.
Props: silver knife, eyeliner or other makeup
Effect: Forces the specific Night Malefic appear and specifically seek the priest. The name or pseudonym of the malefic must be known to the priest. Please notify staff at least on hour before casting this ritual for scheduling conflicts.
Ritual of Sacred Armor
Where Nuraniel has redeemed, no evil thing may do harm
Ritual: The priest draws a Seal of Nuraniel on a bandage and anoints it with Aqua Caelestis before tying it around their body.
Props: bandage, Aqua Caelestis, pen or marker
Effect: May call one Sacred Armor once per bandage against any attack with the Hideous quality until Dawn. The beneficiary must not imbibe unblessed alcohol, drugs, or commit sins for the duration or the rite fails.
Sacred Rituals
Ritual of Atopos
Ritual of Atopos
Only by learning what injustice created the beast could I redeem it-The Nameless Saint
Ritual: Upon Calling Forth the Adversary the priest must lure the malefic into a circle made of silver shavings with themself. A witness works the True name of a malefic into a Chest in the native language of the entity. While the witness works the wood, the following Liturgy is chanted and repeated by the priest within the circle until the witness is finished. Upon its completion and object tied to the malefic is placed inside and the box is closed.
“As god involves no man in evil, Nuraniel will defeat all evil in you,
Damn and Excommunicate all demons, all spirits, all darkness.
By virtue of the deeds in Her name.”
Staff shall determine the amount of time that is required for the witness to successfully carve the name of the malefic into the lid of the box.
Props: Circle, Chest/Box
Effect: The lid of the box is closed containing the entity inside. An entity bound in this way loses all ability to affect the outside world so long as the box is kept closed.
Liberation of the Faithful
Nuraniel, Grant your Protection from malefic influence
Ritual: The subject of the ritual, a person under the effects of a curse, lies down flat on their back. The Priest heats coals and incense in a censor in front of the subject of the ritual. Reading from the Testimonium, the priest anoints the subject with Aqua Caelestis. The priest then takes hot embers and places them on both hands, both feet, the heart, the throat, and the forehead of the subject. The priest will instruct the subject to take an oath to commit no depravity while under the protection of Nuraniel before marking them with a seal of Nuraniel.
Props: Aqua Caelestis vial, censor, incense or water vapor, makeup
Effect: The subject no longer suffers from the Insanities or Afflictions of their curse for the duration of the game, but the physical stress of the ritual leaves them Battered. In addition,breaking the oath will end the protection for the subject and they will not be able to benefit from it again during that event.
Fortification of the Mind
What God’s Light protects, no darkness may conquer
Ritual: The priest carves the symbol of Naraniel onto a soft wood pendant. The faithful must place the pendant around their neck and recite the following prayer with the priest.
“He listened not, but Nuraniel was with me, and even as the darkness around our sanctuary rolled round with many voices I felt the Archangel reach down and enter our hearts.”
Props: Pendant with the symbol of Naraniel
Effect: All participants in the ritual who are Faith in a Higher Power gain one Nerve against Hideous Obey until dawn. Should the pendant be lost or destroyed the effect immediately ends. Please turn the softwood tag into logistics.
