Dur-An-Ki

Dur-An-Ki ("Master of Heaven and Earth") is a form of blood sorcery practiced by Kindred of the Middle East, particularly the sorcerers of the Assamite clan. It is a very old form of magic, drawing from a huge variety of mortal religious traditions, and pre-dating Thaumaturgy, which it resembles in many ways.

Originally the main form of blood magic practised by all Kindred, Dur-An-Ki became lost to European vampires during the Dark Ages. It differs from Thaumaturgy mainly in that its practitioners, called ashipu, do not impose their will on the world through abstract symbols of power. Instead they call upon ancient covenants with spirits, commanding them to fulfil their desires, though this is a very different practice from the long-lasting pacts made with demons by practitioners of Dark Thaumaturgy.

Rather than the hermetic trappings of Thaumaturgy, Dur-An-Ki draws heavily on astrology, the use of amulets and talismans, and especially ecstatic practices. By entering into a trance, the ashipu ascends the "Ladder of Heaven" to meet ever more powerful spirits and gain more powerful magic. Assamite sorcerers usually use a drug called kalif for this purpose, but there are many other methods, including dancing, pain, meditation and artistic experession.

Dur-An-Ki does not have a set primary path. As Dur-An-Ki shares magical roots with Thaumaturgy and many other magical practices, many of the common paths are available, though they are usually identified with a particular spirit or type of spirit, and called by a name which identifies that spirit. For example, the Path of Conjuring is known as Jinn's Gift, while the Path of Neptune's Might is called the Covenant of Enki. Some paths specific to Dur-An-Ki are the Covenant of Nergal, The Evil Eye, and the Music of the Spheres.