Chaskimallki

Chaskimallki
Nicknames	Word Bearers
Hekau	Respiro

The Chaskimallki are one of the four Suyu of the Teomallki, the South American immortals most commonly considered a kind of mummy.

Overview

The Chaskimallki were the last suyu of the Teomallki to form, based on Incan practices of mummifying human sacrifices in the cold, thin air of the Andes. The Chaskimallki served as priests, leaders and spiritual guides until the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the 1500s. At that time, a large number of Word Bearers sacrificed themselves in an attempt to call down the wrath of their gods on the invaders; when the rite was unsuccessful, the remaining few joined the Sun Spears to fight to the death, and the illi of the Word Bearers lingered in shame and disappointment.

Modern Chaskimallki illi tend to seek out the spiritually pure, and as a result are highly likely to join with children. The targeted host goes through a lengthy purification process before being ritually sacrificed, preferably in the same spot at the original illi. After the old and new souls are joined, the new Chaskimallki becomes fervently dedicated to its chose purpose, often to the point of zealotry. They also find themselves consumed with thought about spiritual matter, even if the host was not a particularly spiritual person beforehand. Unfortunately, some Chaskimallki are also still haunted by guilt at their failure to protect their people from the Spanish, and rush to sacrifice themselves in search of an atonement they will never achieve.

Purpose and Liability

Purpose

The Chaskimallki find it easier to return from death if their body has been frozen or kept chilled. Other means of preservation, such as chemical embalming, provide a lesser benefit.

Liability

Conversely, if a Word Bearer's corpse is not frozen or otherwise well-preserved, it is much more difficult for them to revive compared to other Teomallki.

Organization

Chaskimallki are often drawn to service professions, including health care, teaching, social work, and of course, religion. The Sun Face Gang is a cult that masquerades as a street gang (or possibly vice-versa) and supports orphaned children, with the ulterior motive of finding spiritually pure hosts for the illi. Another group, the Covenant of the Broken Circle, seeks to complete or re-do the ritual that was meant to drive off the Spanish, though no one is sure what would happen if they actually accomplished this.

References

• Mummy: The Resurrection Player's Guide