Decree (MTC)

A mummy's decree is both its most powerful Pillar, the strongest portion of its  five-fold soul, and the spiritual direction of its existence. A decree was embraced when the mummy's soul stood before the final Judge of Duat during its journey through the underworld as part of the Rite of Return. The five decrees are described in the Mummy: The Curse Rulebook and govern all mummies in existence and determine their strongest path to Apotheosis affecting his personality after the decree is heard by the Judge.

As it is a part of the Rite of Return, only mummies have decrees. The Lifeless  Shuankhsen have a crude approximation of a decree since they have only one of the five Pillars, but this is do to a lack of the other soul-portions rather than a specific design.

During character creation, a player can either choose a Judge and then adopt his decree, or choose a decree and leave the decision of Judge to the Storyteller.

The decrees are:


 * The Decree of Heart (Ab): Passionate "Lion-Headed" mummies who live by emotion and desire. Also called "Sphinxes," they are usually the best at dealing with mortals being less cold and alien than Arisen other decrees.


 * The Decree of Spirit (Ba): The Charioteers know that often action is required instead of words. They are driven to do and achieve, sometimes driving them to recklessness.


 * The Decree of Essence (Ka): These devoted and driven mummies are ruled by relentless focus, giving them the nickname "Millstones." They follow their Judges' directives without hesitation and are difficult to talk out of a task once commited.


 * The Decree of Name (Ren): While the "Bull-Headed" followers of Essence are driven by a single purpose, the "Serpent-Headed" followers of the Name fixate on anything interesting they come across. Insatiably curious, the Whisperers are sponges of information.


 * The Decree of Shadow (Sheut): Occult-minded to the point of conspiratorial, the "Jackal-Headed" Ferrymen are teh masters of mystical concerns among the Arisen, leading themselves and others through Unlife.