There is a place from whence the world came. Egypt thought of it as primordial waters, an endless expanse from which the manifest world arose one day, and will eventually sink back into. The Greeks called it Chaos, a formless void which titans and gods tortuously molded into an ordered cosmos. The Kabbalists knew it as Negative Existence, and saw the ultimate nature of their God in it.
The names matter little at the end of the day. What matters is that there is a void of unmanifest existence far beyond the world, one which we came from and one to which we shall someday return. The Hammemit keep their eyes fixed upon this void, and longingly wait for the day when they finally realize its nature once more.
The Hammemit are a reclusive, hermitic bloodline of vampires, ones whose peculiar state resonates with the unmanifest. Known to most other Kindred as cloistered mystics, these vampires spend their unlives pondering the mysteries of the void, seeing in their timeless state a broken reflection of the true nature of the universe. For reasons unknown even to them, their Blood holds a closer relationship to the primordial waters than many other manifest objects, allowing them to briefly touch the black ocean beyond phenomenal existence and transcend the damnation of the Kindred state. The Hammemit can use this affinity to bring the glory of the unmanifest into the manifest, but for most, the exercising of their connection to Negative Existence is a far more sacred pursuit. By delving into the mysteries of the void, the Hammemit can remember the spiritual past of their own soul, and come to know their ultimate divinity.
Parent Clan: Mekhet
Nicknames: Monads, Siddhas
Disciplines: Auspex, Ginnungagap, Obfuscate
The Floating Curse: The Hammemit is out of place in the world, their very being recoiling at having to reside in the unholy landscape of phenomenal existence. Only periodic contact with the unmanifest can sustain the Hammemit on a spiritual level. The soul of the Hammemit is desperate to escape to Negative Existence, and it will eventually find its way out of the body if it goes too long without the glory of that black ocean beyond the world. If the Hammemit goes a week without a meditation on the void for a duration of at least an hour, and without the use of the Ginnungagap Discipline, then they suffer the Deprived Condition. After a month without contact with the void, every additional week spent without contact with Negative Existence will inflict one Aggravated damage on the Kindred, which can only be healed when the Kindred satisfies their need to contact the void. As the Kindred suffers such damage, parts of their body appear to become a black vapor which floats upward into the air. If the Hammemit suffers Final Death as a result of this damage, then their body collapses into a pool of sparkling blackness. Furthermore, the soul of the Hammemit is only loosely tethered to their undead frame, as it strives to return to the black ocean beyond. All supernatural powers which would separate the Kindred's soul from their body have two dice added to their dice pools.
History: As is the case with many bloodlines, the first manifestation of the Hammemit bloodline dates back to the ancient world. In the dynastic period of Egypt, there were a select few priests who delved into the mysteries of the primeval waters. At the time, such individuals constituted one of the many loose-knit groups of priests that were in the country. Publically, all were priests of Atum; privately, some of the most dedicated revered Abyss-Nun himself, despite his distance from the manifest universe which much of Egyptian theology focused on. These priests researched the void in seclusion. They strove to understand why such a vital underpinning of their theology was so obscure, seeking a power that ultimately dwelt beyond the gods themselves. No one knows when the Blood became involved, but it is clear that it did. Some say that one of the most influential priests of the group was Embraced, later passing on his damnation to some of his fellow priests. Others say that the priests began to approach the grand mystery of Negative Existence in their studies, but made a crucial error that cursed them. Whatever the case, the priests came to terms with their situation swiftly. It mattered not that they were barred from the light of the sun, for Ra himself came from the primordial waters, along with all other things. Their understandings deepened, and their theology soon grew beyond the understanding of their fellow priests. The priests vanished from public sight, congregating in shadowed enclaves beneath the night sky. They Embraced successors who seemed to grasp the mysteries, and worked to influence the Egyptian priesthood from behind the shadows. They never got very far, and frankly, they were far more concerned with understanding Negative Existence than they were with sharing their understandings with the world. Their greatest accomplishment in the historical record was syncretizing Atum with Ra in Atum Ra.
After over a millenium of obscurity in Egypt, the Hammemit suddenly began to appear in other intellectual and religious scenes in the near-east. Some say that it was due to a deliberate attempt at growth, whilst others hold that the vampires had simply Embraced enough foreigners, but whatever the case, the bloodline began to creep its way out of Egypt. Jews and Greeks joined in the blood of the Hammemit, enjoining their own theologies with the ancient mysteries of the bloodline. Greek vampires saw Chaos in the primordial waters of the Egyptians, and the Jewish ones saw some esoteric elements of their still-manifesting Kabbalah connect with the mysteries of these foreign Kindred. The bloodline would develop a small but steady presence in the near-east, eventually spreading into Europe. In Germany, those Embraced into the bloodline saw the resemblance of the mysterious, primeval waters that their undead sires taught them to the magical void of the Ginnungagap that they were accustomed to. The arrival of the bloodline in Germany marks the end of its early, shrouded history, and the beginning of much more complete records.
The Hammemit entered into their current form in Europe during the early 20th century. A motley collection of occultists interested in Negative Existence corresponded across Europe in the early 1900s, many being associates of Aleisteir Crowley. One member of the bloodline studiously watched these inquisitive, devoted mortals, surprised and delighted to discover that the mysteries of the unmanifest were beginning to be investigated en masse by mortal magicians. One mortal in particular impressed him, and in 1924, the elder Embraced him. This occultist named himself a Hammemit, after the part of the soul of the Egyptians that Aleisteir Crowley associated with the Veils of Negative Existence. The occultist soon Embraced many of his correspondents, and the bloodline has been known by the appelation ever since.
Society: The structure of Hammemit society is rather minimal, as befits a bloodline of reclusive mystics, but what little structure there is to their society supports almost the entire social life of all Hammemit. Hammemit almost always keep individual havens, but those of the bloodline cluster themselves around small lodges that are typically operated by the oldest and wealthiest Hammemit in the area. These areas serve as both communal research locations and as social outlets for the insular Hammemit. The appearance of these locations often harkens back to the early 20th century. Even if the architecture is contemporary, such locations are often maze-like, with many rooms specifically designed to be studies or archive locations. Such locations are rarely purely scholastic, however. Most such lodges also have meditation rooms and ritual spaces set-up, which are actively utilized by the Hammemit in their explorations of the void. These lodges also serve as the center of communal rituals and the few social events that the bloodine has. Every year, all those of the bloodline in a given area meet up at the nearest lodge, gatherings which typically consist of no more than a dozen Kindred. Those who are Embraced into the bloodline are also often presented by their sires at the local lodge, and those who seek to join the bloodline almost always find themselves at a lodge of the Hammemit long before they partake of their Blood.
Theology: The Hammemit approach to theology is simple; Negative Existence is what matters, and bits and pieces of any religion will be taken provided that they can provide insight into it. Kabbalistic theology predominates in contemporary nights, given its importance to much of western occultism. Many Hammemit Embraced within the last two centuries were intimately familiar with the Tree of Life long before they became vampires. Thelema is another religion that has greatly influenced the bloodline. Egyptian religion is important to the tradition of the bloodline, but it is usually only elders who are truly conversant in it. Finally, Jainism has had a small, but significant influence.
Initiation: In contrast to some other bloodlines, many Hammemit are not Embraced into the bloodline. Due to its nature, the bloodline primarily values the dedication of a vampire to Negative Existence. Many sires do specifically Embrace individuals who are interested in the void, but the bloodline is also very willing to accept outsiders who seek to be inducted into the bloodline. Due to the esoteric focus of the bloodline, it is often assumed that such initiates are genuinely devoted to Negative Existence due to the simple fact that they learned about the Hammemit and petitioned to join them.
Covenants: Of all of the covenants, it is the Ordo Dracul that is most prominently represented among the Hammemit. However, the majority of the bloodline is not a part of the Ordo Dracul, and even those who are a part of the covenant rarely agree completely with its model of the universe. To the Hammemit, the Ordo Dracul is myopic in the way in which it approaches transcendence, especially in the way in which it often does not even allow true liberation to be part of its philosophy. A Dragon seeking to defy God means nothing to a Hammemit who knows that they are God. Hammemit who are a part of the Ordo Dracul are almost always part of one of the more esoteric schools of that convenant, and do not adhere to the somewhat loose orthodoxy that is present in the covenant. The majority of Hammemit are Unaligned.
Relationship with Kindred Society: As a whole, the Hammemit do not participate greatly in the larger Danse Macabre. The political machinations and worldly goals that typify Kindred society rarely interest the Hammemit, and the bloodline rarely has anything that interests outsiders. At times, the Hammemit are consulted for their occult expertise, but the Hammemit are rarely valued by other Kindred groups, as their magical lore only rarely has practical applications. The exception to this is seen in the Hammemit's signature Discipline, Ginnungagap. A good number of Kindred are interested in the bloodline simply because they have their own Discipline, and to those Kindred who are educated in Negative Existence, the Hammemit are often even more fascinating. More than one outsider has gone to a lodge of the Hammemit seeking secrets of the void. What is perhaps more surprising than that is just how often the Hammemit are actually willing to provide information to such seekers.
Ginnungagap
The Hammemit possess the ability to see and influence the great, divine expanse of unmanifest existence. With their keen sight, they can discern information about the spiritual history of an object, simply by gazing at its fundamental nature, wherein its whole course in phenomenal existence is written. At greater degrees of competency, the Hammemit can bring down parts of that void to the world, manifesting objects that were previously unmanifest. Finally, at the pinnacle of their art, the Hammemit can perform miracles beyond mortal fathoming.
Kenning the Monad, *
Action: Instant
Cost: 2 blood points
Duration: Instantaneous
The Hammemit can gaze at the true, ultimate soul of a person or object, and recall that target's past, both physical and spiritual. The Hammemit stares at the target, rolling Blood Potency + Ginnungagap. On one success, they can assess that target's state at any point in their given lifetime. For living targets, this allows the Hammemit to view the Attributes, Skills, Willpower, Virtue, and Vice of a given person at any point in their lifetime. On objects, this power can reveal the constitution and condition of the object at any given point in time. The past circumstances of the target cannot be directly viewed, though inferences about past events can be made through the information provided by this power. If the Hammemit gets three successes, they can delve into the spiritual past of the target. The past lives and pre-existences of living targets can be viewed, no matter how long ago they were. The pre-existences of objects can also be viewed. These are typically rather mundane, but you never know what kind of information you can get out of it. This power cannot actually provide information as to the object's wholly unmanifest state, as such information cannot be comprehended by mortal minds.
Unveil the Waters, * *
Cost: 1 blood point
Duration: 1 Scene
The Hammemit briefly parts phenomenal existence itself, allowing bystanders to see the naked glory of the unmanifest. The Hammemit rends the fabric of manifest existence, rolling Blood Potency + Ginnungagap. On a success, all individuals within a 50 ft. radius of the Hammemit directly experience the void, something that the mortal mind cannot truly handle. All such individuals gain the Insensate Tilt. Individuals do not need to see the Hammemit or even the environment for this power to work; the individual perceives the void not through their eyes, but through their soul. This power works through obstructions, including walls. Hammemit cannot be affected by this power.
Dredge the Depths, * * *
Action: Instant
Dice Pool: Blood Potency + Ginnungagap
Cost: 1 blood point per point of Size of the manifested object
Duration: 24 hours
The Hammemit can manifest monads that were previously unmanifest, pulling objects out of the void and placing them within manifest existence. The Hammemit focuses on the object they wish to manifest, rolling Blood Potency + Ginnungagap. On a success, they manifest the desired object, spending blood points equal to the Size of the manifested object. This object possesses all of the normal physical properties that an object of its kind normally would; firearms are fully functional, steel is solid, electronic devices work, and the like. The objects that this power manifests are fully real, not illusions. After 24 hours, the object manifested by this power returns to its unmanifest state, exiting manifest existence. Living beings cannot be manifested through this power. This power cannot manifest objects with supernatural powers. Vitae is unable to be manifested through the use of this power.
Blaspheme the Sephira, * * * *
Action: Instant
Dice Pool: Blood Potency + Ginnungagap
Cost: 1 blood point per point of Size of the target
Duration: 24 hours
The Hammemit can force a small part of manifest existence back into the void. The Hammemit focuses on a target, rolling Blood Potency + Ginnungagap. On a success, they can push the object back into the unmanifest. The object literally leaves the phenomenal universe, vanishing from its position in manifest existence. The object is truly transported by this power, and the normal physical ramifications of the object's absence take effect. Individuals on a platform targeted by this power can fall, electronic devices can lose power if they were reliant on power from the target, and a location where a vault door used to be can be freely walked through by any individual. After 24 hours, the object is enters manifest existence once more, reappearing directly where it disappeared. As before, any physical ramifications from such an entrance still apply. Living beings cannot be targeted by this power. Magical objects cannot be targeted by this power.
Solace Outside, * * * * *
Action: Instant
Dice Pool: Blood Potency + Ginnungagap
Cost: 3 blood points, 1 dot of Willpower
Duration Lasting until defined point in time
The Hammemit can travel into the void itself, their phenomenal self cocooned within its infinite glory. The Hammemit focuses on the unmanifest, rolling Blood Potency + Ginnungagap. On a success, they immediately enter Negative Existence. From the perspective of bystanders, the Hammemit appears to vanish into a black void. After a period of time determined by the Hammemit, they reappear in the phenomenal world, at any location on the Earth of their choosing. The Hammemit is still in their manifest form while in Negative Existence, and they are not conscious of their time in this state. The Hammemit is also not rendered unmanifest through the use of this power, and thus cannot access their absolute divinity through it. Though the Hammemit is not conscious during their time in this state, their soul remembers the utter peace of the experience. When the Hammemit reappears in the phenomenal universe, they regain all Willpower. Additionally, they gain the Inspired Condition. While the Hammemit is in the void, they cannot be targeted by any weapons. Furthermore, the Hammemit is completely immune to supernatural powers that would target them. The Hammemit can choose the duration of their stay in the void. It is possible for Hammemit to spend centuries or even millennia in this state. Some Hammemit wonder if elder Hammemit of tremendous power may one day rearrive in the world, having used this power in the distant past.
Devotions:
The Hammemit have manifested a variety of Devotions over the centuries, many of which involve the void. The following is a selection of such Devotions.
Siddha's Glory ( Ginnungagap * * *, Majesty * * * * )
Action: Instant
Dice Pool: Blood Potency + Ginnungagap + Majesty
Cost: 3 blood points
Duration: 1 Scene
The Hammemit unveils the film of phenomenal existence that covers their soul, allowing others to marvel at their ultimate divinity. The Hammemit focuses, rolling Blood Potency + Ginnungagap + Majesty. For each success, they affect a single target that can see them. For the duration of the power, the Hammemit has a Perfect Impression when engaging in Social Maneuvering with the targets of this power. Additionally, each target of the power gains the Leveraged Condition. If this Condition is not resolved before the power ends, it disappears.
Black Diamond ( Ginnungagap * * * * *, Fortitude * * * * * )
Action: Reflexive
Dice Pool: Blood Potency + Ginnungagap + Fortitude
Cost: 5 blood points, 5 Willpower
Duration 1 turn per success
The Hammemit's soul is untouchable, and they are able to rouse a seeming of that invulnerability in their body. The Hammemit focuses on their soul, rolling Blood Potency + Ginnungagap + Fortitude. For each success, they enjoy a turn of total invulernability. The Hammemit cannot suffer any damage while they are invulnerable. Furthermore, the Hammemit is totally immune to supernatural powers while they are in this state.