An Overview of the Followers of Set & Serpents of the Light
"I know you want what's on my
mind
I know you want what's on my
mind
I know it eats you up inside
I know, you know, you know"
-- Stone Temple Pilots, "Sex Type Thing"
Description: The Followers of Set have a modus operandi that works pretty well: give 'em what they want, then give 'em more, and more, until they need you to give 'em what they want. And then they're yours. Unlike other clans, the Setites know exactly where their clan came from - Egypt - and which Antediluvian started their line, since they worship their Antediluvian as a god. And who could blame them? The Egyptian god Set is one of the oldest on record and with his might the Setites have come to rule Egypt as their own. They know what their god wants because he's walked among them at various times; he's made his wishes known.
The Setites are agents and students of corruption as their dark father was before them. Only when the mask of civility is stripped away can the human soul be seen for what it truly is: selfish, grasping, hungry, and perverse. The natural state of humanity is sin and always has been; to pretend otherwise is to waste precious energy. To embrace the wickedness within is to embrace the truth, to own it, and to find your true purpose in existence. The Setites are not merely decadents nor are they simply degenerates; what makes them so dangerous is that they appeal to the darkest parts of everyone - and everyone has a darkness somewhere inside them for the Setites to find.
The Setites gain power, addiction, release, meaning, and rapture through vice but they do not simply feed their own desires. The other clans hate and distrust the Setites because the Followers of Set cater to the vices of others, especially other vampires. Those who are too weak to bear their own vices serve the clan, providing sustenance and services; those who hit bottom and come out stronger make up the better portion of Setite ghouls and childer. Vampires from other clans can make particularly useful spies, allies, and pawns. Though many other clans would deny it, not all vampires who worship Set are of his blood.
Allegiances: The Setite clan holds itself neutral, but some Setites infiltrate other sects to undermine them by making them rotten from the inside. The Camarilla does not usually accept Setites that come to them, since their corruptive influence is too well known to be trusted. The Sabbat found a branch of Setites in Haiti in the 1960s that did not worship Set; the Sabbat accepted them, and this small number of vampires calls themselves the Serpents of the Light. The Serpents want nothing to do with the Egyptian heritage of the clan, though they are still involved in folk magic and with a mortal cult in Haiti.
Founder: The Setites call their Antediluvian "Set" or "Sutekh" and they know him as the Egyptian god of ancient tales; many Setite temples feature statues or paintings taken from Egypt's mythology. Set is a truly ancient being who has been fairly active in his clan, to the point that most members have a physical description of him that is generally reliable. He is said to have white skin and red hair, as in the myths, and to be of exceptional stature and charm. More importantly, Set is the anchor of his clan's corruption and a master of all deviousness and cruelty. Were he simply terrible, it would be easy to hate him and shun him entirely, but his animal magnetism and appreciation of pleasure keep his followers in thrall. Set does not need the Blood Bond to make people worship him - he just needs to be himself.
Weakness: Setites (and Serpents) find it difficult to adjust to bright light and take more damage than normal when in sunlight.
Disciplines: Obfuscate, Presence, Serpentis. Since the Setites and Serpents are often proficient with magical practices as mortals, they sometimes develop Thaumaturgy as Cainites.
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