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Since the disappearance of the Tremere Antitribu, the sects Occult Underground has been
researching for a way to bring new life to the magic once practiced by House Goratrix. The
breakthrough finally came after 10 years of research into the vaults of the Tremere Antitribu
Chantry in Mexico City. The clergy discovered a way to teach and spread the Sabbats magical
knowledge once more. This development has revived the dying art of Sabbat Thaumaturgy. The
occultists of the Sabbat rejoiced as they began to study anew the art that so closely mimics the
Dark Fathers ability to create any discipline that he wished.
Learning this art, however, is not easy. One must prove themselves worthy of tutelage by
the Occult Underground. This new magic in the Sabbat is in fact an ancient form of Mayan
Blood Magic, which was once held secret by the Sects Tremere Antitribu. The Occult
Underground has simply found a way for to be able to learn and teach this ancient art.
History
The Occult Underground has existed in the Sabbat since the sects inception. As a
mystical and ritual driven sect, the Sabbat has always had a leaning towards the occult. Since the
destruction of the Tremere Antitribu, the Occult Underground has had to step up to replace them,
and begin to research their secrets. The vampires La Viuda Blanca, Esteban del Aguay Tierra,
and Father Juan Carlos have taken up the task of revitalizing the dying art of Sabbat
Thaumaturgy. After more than a decade of work these three (La Viuda Blanca and Esteban del
Aguay Tierra working out of Goratrixs chantry in Mexico City, and Father Juan Carlos working
out of the Montreal Tremere Antitribu Chantry) have discovered the ritual Inherited Affinity and
a lost tome written by an ancient Gangrel Methuselah. The Sabbat rejoiced as the magic of the
Tremere Antitribu could be taught once more, albeit in a different way than its hermetic roots.
With this news came the fear of a mass spread of Dark Thaumaturgy. Should the
Underground be allowed to spread this magic throughout the sect with no form of regulation, the
means by which to find true infernalists becomes much harder. The Occult Underground is not a
well organized clan like the Tremere Antitribu were. In order to quell these fears the Sabbat
Consistory assigned the Inquisition to oversee the operation.
Now Sabbat of the occult or noddist mindset may travel to Mexico City or to Montreal, to
petition the heads of the Occult Underground to learn the arts of Sabbat Thaumaturgy. Only
those found truly worthy will be approved. All this transpires under the careful eye of the
Inquisition, who will violently stamp out any Sabbat found to posses Blood Magic and not
approved by the heads of the Occult Underground.
The Occult Underground is a vast network of Sabbat who practice and teach the various
arts of Blood Magic found within the sect. Their entire purpose and goal is knowledge of and
training in the Occult. As such, once a member it is possible to find a teacher for many of the
different forms of Blood Magic. However, these Blood Magics are all covered by their
respective coordinators and packets. This packet does not seek to over ride the methods one
learns these blood magics or the ooc approval required to obtain them. Below you will find the
appropriate Coordinator associated with each type of Blood Magic should a PC seek these out.
The primary Blood Magic of the Occult Underground is the recently discovered and
modified Mayan Blood Ritual found in the Codex of the Damned. In Awakening: Diablerie
Mexico a Blood Magic is presented known as Mayan Blood Ritual. The story follows a vampire
ancient named Mictantecle who develops his own blood magic based on ancient Mayan
practices. He wrote down his arts in a book called the Codex of the Damned, which will teach
anyone this Blood Magic if they can translate the book. As written two translated copies of this
book exist, one among the Tremere and the other unknown. As this story takes place in Mexico,
and therefore Sabbat territory, it is most likely that this book ended up in the libraries of Goratrix
in Mexico City; this assumption is now OWBN cannon.
This packet is not attempting to make a new blood magic for the Sabbat, but rather
expand upon an existing one and give it to the Sabbat as means to provide definition to Sabbat
Thaumaturgy and the Occult Underground. This Blood Magic is known as Bacaban, and its
system is presented below.
To advance in the arts of Blood Magic within the Occult Underground at the higher levels
or rarity, Role-Play must be done with NPC instructors for what the vampire seeks. This is
represented Out of Character starting at rarity 2 Blood Magic: the Storyteller and player seeking
this magic must get the approval of the Occult Underground Sabbat Subcoordinator. The
approvals for this magic must be done in character for every single power a vampire wishes to
learn. This is to help encourage the Role-Play aspects of Blood Magic instead of simply powers
on a sheet.
Bacaban
This Blood Magic, long since lost, was first created by the Gangrel ancient Mictantecle
and written down in The Codex of the Damned. Bacaban is an art that has been rediscovered
by the Occult Underground and adapted and melded with the arts of the Tremere Antitribu. It is
a Blood Magic based on the ancient Mayan rituals. A vampire who practices Bacaban must have
faith in the gods to work his magic. As such, any sabbat vampire who wants to practice Bacaban
must purchase the merit Code of Honor: Popol Vuh and have the abilities Theology and
Astrology. In character, to learn this magic one must approach the Occult Underground and
petition them for tutelage. This is the only method to learn Bacaban. It is only with the direct
approval of the heads of the Occult Underground (La Viuda Blanca, Esteban del Aguay Tierra,
and Father Juan Carlos) that it is possible to learn this specific art. As this requires extensive
role playing with these NPCs to determine if it is appropriate for a PC to learn this art, Bacaban
requires Sabbat Coordinator Approval. All other paradigms of the Blood Magics spread by the
Occult Underground are covered in OWBN by their appropriate coordinators and packets.
Bacaban follows the same basic rules as Thaumaturgy. All powers require a blood trait to
use and use the Occult ability for retests. Additionally, this Blood Magic is based upon ancient
Mayan Blood Sacrifice rituals. As such, when blood is spent for these powers the magus will cut
himself and bleed upon the ground as a sacrifice to the gods. This requires no additional action;
it is simply for flavor and effect.
Those who practice Bacaban are known as Ah nakom. This blood magic is a melding of
the art practiced by Mictantecle and Hermetic Thaumaturgy practiced by the Tremere Antitribu.
Bacaban is the direct result of ten years of research done by the Occult Underground. This
blood magic can only be learned and taught by the leaders of the Occult Underground (or one
can risk the dangers of being a rogue in the Sabbat. See the FAQ section.). For more information
on the Mayan religion and rites please visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_religion
The Inquisition
The Sabbat Inquisition has been tasked by the Consistory to oversee the spread of Blood
Magic to the Sabbat. Working with the Occult Underground, the Inquisition has begun to
compile a list of those who have been taught by and approved by the heads of the Underground.
The spread of Blood Magic over the years through the Sabbat has become rather vast, as such
any who practice a Blood Magic of any type will come into to question (save for the Black Hand,
who have their own methods of learning and regulating Blood Magic.) All members of the
Sword of Caine who possessed Blood Magic prior to this plot may go to the Occult Underground
to register what they have and how they learned it. This is an In Character form of regulation, as
now more then ever the Inquisition is suspicious of Infernalism in the sect.
Any Sabbat (again excluding the Black Hand) who posses a Blood Magic, not approved
by the Occult Underground, found by the Inquisition or its agents is likely to find himself on trial
for why he didnt follow procedure.
Joining the Sabbat Inquisition or becoming one of its agents requires Sabbat Coordinator
Approval.
Agents of the Inquisition and Heads of the Occult Underground, who are not part of the
Inquisition, but are those individuals in the Occult Underground who hunt those in the Sabbat
with Blood Magic not approved by them, are known as the Praetorians. The Praetorians work
closely with the Sabbat Inquisition and heads of the Occult Underground. Praetorian PCs and
NPCs are Sabbat Coordinator Approval. Their sole job in the Occult Underground is to hunt
unregistered Blood Magic users in the Sabbat and bring them to the attention of the Inquisition.
The Praetorians are a secret group that only the heads of the occult underground and the Sabbat
Inquisition are aware of.
The Occult Underground is the heart and soul of Blood Magic in the Sabbat. The easiest
and best method to learn any of these arts is to go through them. Though not a highly organized
institution, a basic ranking structure has still been established. In order to learn these arts, one
must first be accepted as a student of the occult and mysticism. A member of the Sabbat who has
mystical inclination would first seek to join the Occult Underground. Membership in this faction
is approved by the Sabbat Coordinator. Once accepted the student then petitions to learn a
Blood Magic of their choice. Again, Blood Magics other than Bacaban are covered in other
packets, and not here. The most common and first taught Blood Magic is Bacaban. Once
initiated into the faction the student can begin to learn the arts of Bacaban. As their knowledge
increases, so too does their access to more obscure and rare paths and rituals. Below is presented
the Rank structure and requirements for the Occult Underground. To advance in rank in the
Occult Underground a vampire must petition the head of the Occult Underground for each rank
they wish to advance too. All accepted PCs start at rank 1 with the primary Path of Blood; no
alternate primary paths are taught. Each rank corresponds to the equal level of rarity.
The Occult Underground is one of the many factions of the Sabbat. They are the heart
and soul of the mysticism and occult of the sect. As a Sabbat vampire may only
belong to one Sabbat Faction, the Occult Underground is no different. Cainites who
join the Occult Underground may not be a member of any other Sabbat Faction.
Further more, this is a Political Faction, whose beliefs and methods in the Sabbat vary
as much as all the other Factions. They believe that the true secret to defeating the
Antediluvians and the race of Caine lies in the secrets hidden in the world. As a
secretive Faction that deals in the darkness of the world, the Occult Underground is
mistrusted by most of the other Sabbat Factions. However their knowledge in the
Occult is unprecedented in the Sabbat, so many of the members of the Hierarchy rely
on upon them heavily in those matters. Its members are hand picked by the Heads of
the Occult Underground, and only those with similar mindsets and goals are selected
to join. More information on the Occult Underground as a political Faction and all
other Sabbat Factions will be found in the future Sabat Faction Packet to be released
at a later time.
Rank
These are the prerequisites for each rank.
Rarity
Rarity 1: ST Approval
Rarity 2: ST Approval and Sabbat Occult Underground Subcoordinator Approval
Rarity 3: ST Approval and Sabbat Coordinator Approval
*This ritual is only known to the Sabbat Inquisition and practiced by a few Sabbat Inquisitors
only.
**This version of Track Transgressor is possessed by those tasked to hunt Blood Magic users in
the Sabbat not approved by the Occult Underground (The Praetorians). However, this version is
based upon Mayan rituals. For pure role play purposes, instead of the normal method of
tracking, a spectral jaguar is summoned which the caster must chase to find the user of Blood
Magic.
Father Juan Carlos: Brujah Antitribu residing in Montreal, see Channing the Beast for more
information
La Viuda Blanca: Harbinger of Skulls residing in Mexico City, see Mexico City by Night for
more information.
Black Wallace the Righteous: Lasombra Judge Inquisitor, see Children of the Night for more
information
Kervos: Salubri Antitribu Knight Inquisitor, See Nights of Prophecy for more information.
Esteban del Aguay Tierra: Tzimisce Koldun residing in Mexico City, see Mexico City by Night
for more information.
FAQ
Q. How does my PC join the Occult Underground?
A. A player character that wishes to join the Occult Underground most first seek out In Character
a member of the faction and petition to join. This can be done by a chronicle NPC or PC who is
already a member of the Occult Underground. From there the request is taken to the heads of the
Occult Underground. If they approve of this initial step they will then summon the PC to them
in Mexico City to see if he meets their requirements to join. They will be looking for vampires
of the mystical and occult mindset. If your PC is a Salubri Antitribu whose main focus is combat
and his concept has very little to do with the occult, he is likely to be denied.
The first step out of character is for the players ST to decide that the Occult Underground is the
appropriate Sabbat faction for the players concept. From there, the storyteller will contact the
Sabbat Coordinator to help progress the story. Once decided and the initial Role-Play is
concluded, the Sabbat Coordinator will either approve or deny the PC for joining the Occult
Underground. Only player Characters with appropriate genre concepts to the Occult
Underground will be selected to join. This is handled both In Character and Out of Character.
Q. Once part of the Occult Underground can my PC join another Sabbat Faction?
A. A Sabbat Vampire may only be a member of one Sabbat Faction. As such while a member of
the Occult Underground, the vampire may not be a part of another political faction. However
over time a vampires beliefs may change, which can result in him leaving the Occult
Underground for another faction. To leave the Occult Underground and join another of the
Sabbat Factions, the storyteller and player must inform the Sabbat Coordinator of their actions to
do so. It should be noted, leaving a faction for another almost never ends well, as the vampires
previous faction almost always brands them a traitor.
Q. Does the Inquisition just kill people now how arent on the list for Blood Magic?
A. If its Dark Thaumaturgy yes, otherwise expect to be put on trial for why you didnt follow
procedure, and most trials end with the death of those suspected.
Q. How do I get on the Occult Undergrounds list for approved Blood Magic?
A. This is resolved through Role-Play actions IC. Out of Character a list will be maintained by
the Sabbat Coordinator of Sabbat PCs with Blood Magic. This is to represent the In Character
list of those approved by the Occult Underground. All one has to do In Character is find a
member of the Occult Underground and explain how they got the Blood Magic they have and get
them to put them on the list.
Q. So I want to play a rogue who teaches Bacaban outside of the In Character approval, how do I
do that?
A. In order to facilitate the Horror of being a rogue on the run and the danger that comes with it,
any PC who posses 3 Advanced paths of Bacaban may teach what they know to others (In
addition for the student to have the normal perquisites to learn Bacaban). However this still
requires Sabbat Coordinator Approval and does not circumvent it. This does provide to an
exception to the Bylaws in relation to learning disciplines, and the requirement of it must be
learned by someone who posses it In-Clan. The danger of being a Rogue Blood Magic user
in the Sabbat needs to be made rather evident. If caught by a Praetorian or member of the
Inquisition, your PC is likely to be tried and executed for failure to properly register.
Q. My PC is a member of the Occult Underground, but I dont want to learn Bacaban. I want to
learn X Blood Magic, how do I do that?
A. The Occult Underground is a vast web and array of Blood Magic in the Sabbat. Not all
members just practice Bacaban (its simply the most common). However this packet does not
cover those Blood Magics or methods to learn them. Each has their own methods of regulations
and approvals that should be consulted in those packets.
Q. My PC is Black Hand; can I learn Blood Magic from the Occult Underground?
A. No, the Black Hand has its own method for learning Blood Magic. That system and
regulation may be found in the Black Hand Packet.
Q. My PC is a member of the Inquisition; can I learn Blood Magic from the Occult
Underground?
A. The Inquisition teaches and practices Hermetic Thaumaturgy for its methods. Hermetic
Thaumaturgy is the preview of the Tremere Coordinator, not the Sabbat Coordinator. However
agents of the Inquisition who are members of the Occult Underground enjoy the normal benefits
for being part of the faction.
Q: How does this packet work in relation to NPCs with Sabbat Thaumaturgy?
A: Largely NPCs are tools of the storytellers so the Sabbat team tends fall on the side of the
storytellers. However we would like storytellers to use this packet as a guideline in making
NPCs for their game and at the very least notify us with what they are doing. NPCs made with
Bacaban may not teach PCs without Sabbat Coordinator Approval.
Q: Does the Merit Additional Discipline: Bacaban allow me to learn or teach Thaumaturgy
easier?
A: PC and NPCs may not take the Merit Additional Discipline Bacaban as way to get around this
packet or any other. They must follow this packet regardless of any merits that may say they
have the discipline In-Clan.
Q. So for each ritual and level of a path I have to have the Occult Underground Subcoordinator
approve them?
A. No, this requirement only starts from the Rarity 2 powers and up. Rarity 1 powers are
purchased with Storyteller permission only.
References