Merit-neferu

A merchant in the 4th Century BCE, An-merit-nefer-katseru (now known as Michaela Neff) joined the ranks of the Reborn, the Shemsu-heru , when it was offered to her by the Cult of Isis in 340 BCE. She lives in Hong Kong and is the Vizier of Asia.

Background

Merit-neferu was born in the days when Egypt’s power was spreading beyond its own borders. She married young, to wealthy merchant Horem-rebkt. The two headed a business of lucrative caravans and sailing expeditions of rare spices, precious wood, fine dyes and other precious commodities. They gave generously and numerously to the Pharaoh and his ministers and when Horem-rebkt suddenly died the result was a great funerary honor usually only bestowed upon members of the Royal Court of Egypt.

After her husband’s death, Merit-neferu refused several offers of marriage and instead vowed to continue her husband’s business as though he were still alive. She doubled her enterprise’s profits with shrewd intuition and quick intelligence. This allowed her to continue her practice of making large donations to the Pharaoh, over and above the regular taxes.

The Cult of Isis saw the devotion that Merit-neferu had for her husband and her Pharaoh and offered her immortality. In return for her services to their cause, of course. Merit-neferu decided to accept the Priestesses offer. She believed it would give her the chance to search for her beloved husband in both the lands of the living and dead. And thus a simple yet extravagantly rich woman joined the ranks of the Shemsu-heru and became one of the Reborn.

Throughout all her lives, Merit-neferu has used her skills to ply her trade, even when that defied social convention. She amassed great wealth in which she has been able to access each time she returns from the Land of the dead.

When the British acquired the island of Hong Kong and established it as a center for world trade in the East, the appointment of Merit-neferu as Asia’s vizier seemed particularly appropriate. She has lived on the island since 1901.

Since the change over, Michaela Neff, as Merit-neferu has recently started to call herself, has navigated the waters of both mortal and supernatural politics as best she can without taking sides and without revealing herself. Just before the turn of the 21st century, she uncovered writings that hint of the existence of uniquely Asian mummies, whose immortality derives from a similar process to the Great Rite that creates the Shemsu-heru. She has been searching ever since for proof to this discovery.

Appearance

Michaela is an attractive woman in her mid-40s, with olive-coloured skin and lustrous dark hair. Her features are Middle Eastern, though not obviously Egyptian. She wears modern dress, although she adorns herself with antique jewelry occasionally.

Character

Michaela Nefe, Shemsu - Heru Visier of Asia

Known Name: Merit-neferu

True Name: An-merit-nefer-katseru

Nature: Director

Demeanour: Loner

Occupation: Merchant

Year of Birth: 380 BCE; Year of First Death: 340 BCE

Apparent Age: 40s

Physical: Strength: 2, Dexterity: 3, Stamina: 3

Social: Charisma: 4, Manipulation: 5, Appearance: 3

Mental: Perception: 3, Intelligence: 3, Wits: 4

Talents: Alertness: 3, Awareness: 3, Dodge: 2, Streetwise: 3, Subterfuge: 4

SKills: Bribery: 2, Drive: 2, Etiquette: 4, Fast-Talk: 3, Firearms: 2, Haggling: 4, Melee: 2, Repair: 3

Knowledges: Accounting: 4, Bureaucracy: 3, Computer: 2, Finance: 5, Linguistics: 3, Mythology: 2, Occult: 3, Politics: 4

Hekau Paths: Alchemy: 3, Amulets: 2, Necromancy: 2, Ushabti: 1

Backgrounds: Contacts: 3, Journal: 2, Resources: 5, Retainers: 2, Tomb: 2

Virtues: Memory: 3, Integrity: 4, Joy: 3

Willpower: 7

Humanity: 7

Sekhem : 6

Ba : 5

Ka : 6