the FULL new Judaism chapter

Thus says YHWH, the God ofIsrael, to all whom I have causedto be carried away captive fromJerusalem to Babylon. Build youhouses, and dwell in them; plantgardens, and eat the fruit ofthem. Take wives for yourselves,and father sons and daughters;and take wives for your sons,and give your daughters to men,that they may bear sons anddaughters; and multiply youthere, and do not be diminished.Seek the well-being of the cityto which I have exiled you, andpray to YHWH on its behalf;for through its well-being willyou know peace.

Jeremiah 29:4-7

The Jewish people are exiles fromtheir ancestral lands, living side-by-sidewith gentiles and non-believers. Whilethey may be the first “people of the book,”worshiping the same God as both theChristians and the Muslims, their theolo-gy is treated with disdain, and their livesare filled with restriction and persecution.Often excluded from trade guilds, theyfind their means of support limited, whichhas given rise to a class of Jewish money-lenders, a role within society that does lit-tle to protect them from greedy nobles orclerics bearing grudges.

While it is true that many Jewishcommunities face persecution every day,including the requirement to wear marksor badges by which they may be identi-fied, individuals may still rise withinsociety. In more tolerant Muslim lands,Jews may be advisers, ambassadors, oreven physicians and surgeons to thewealthy and powerful. And regardless oftheir location, their scholars and poetshave a reach far beyond the confines ofJewish society.

It is a society that has spread acrossthe known world. While Jews may not benumerous, there is hardly a city or town

that does not have a small community.Such communities have a rich culturalheritage that they treasure, with folkloreand stories, literature, poetry, and magicthat have been passed through the gener-ations. The Jewish people are a resolutepeople, and they find ways to live andthrive despite the adversity, comfortedthat they are God’s chosen.

History of a People

Abraham became the father of theJewish people when he entered into acovenant with God that he and hisdescendents would know no other Godbut him and in return would receive theland of Canaan, which eventually becameIsrael. Abraham’s grandson Jacob hadtwelve sons, the eleventh being Joseph.After falling foul of a plot by his jealousbrothers, Joseph was sold into slavery inEgypt. He used his Divine prophecies togain favor with the Pharaoh, and in a turnof fate achieved great wealth and status,eventually forgiving his brothers andbringing them to Egypt.

But the descendants of Abraham didnot fare well and soon found their grow-ing numbers looked upon with suspicionby the Pharaoh. Moses was born againstthe backdrop of genocide, as the Pharaohordered all newborn Hebrew children bekilled. Moses’ mother hid him and thechild was found and raised by an Egyptianprincess. He fled his life of plenty whenhe killed an Egyptian guard in defending aHebrew slave and spent forty years in thedesert living as a shepherd. It was thenthat God appeared to Moses, speaking tohim through a bush burning with Divinefire. God commanded Moses to return toEgypt and to free his people.

Supported by miraculous powers,Moses sought to convince Pharaoh to freethe Hebrew slaves, but only after tenplagues culminating in the death of everyEgyptian firstborn were God’s peoplereleased. They wandered for forty years inthe desert under Moses but then, at Sinai,Moses received the Ten Commandmentsand the Torah directly from God. The wan-derings were at an end, and Canaan, nowconquered by Joshua, became Israel at last.

Story Hook: The craftsman Bezalelwas responsible for the construc-tion of the Ark in which thestone tablets bearing the TenCommandments, Aaron’s rod,and divine manna were stored.Bezalel was reputed to have sucha profound understanding of theforces of creation, as representedby Hebrew letters, that he couldbuild any device that God com-manded. A magus discovers ref-erences to the works of Bezaleland realizes that they may pro-vide insight into any number ofmysterious Arts, not least the useof Hebrew characters to enhanceenchanted devices, or even theability to gain favor when work-ing upon such enchantmentswithin the Dominion. But is themagus alone in this knowledge?Or are other magi looking forthose same secrets?

THE FIRST TEMPLE

The kingdom of Israel was secure firstunder Saul, then David, and then finallySolomon, a king of great wisdom andmagical power, who built the Temple inJerusalem. But Israel was split into two,Israel to the north and Judah to the south,under the rule of Solomon’s sonRehoboam. By 587 BC, both Israel andJudah, with its capital in Jerusalem, had

Mythic JudaismChapter Six

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fallen. It was Nebuchadnezzer who tookJerusalem in 587 BC and it was he whodestroyed the Temple and forced the Jewsinto exile in Babylon.

THE SECOND TEMPLE

In 539 BC, in what is termed “TheRestoration”, the Jews were returned toIsrael by Cyrus the Great of Persia afterhis conquest of Babylon. In this period theTemple was rebuilt, ushering in the age ofthe Second Temple,but the Jews were notsovereign in their own land and livedunder foreign rulers, including theRomans. It was a rebellion against theRomans that eventually saw the end of theTemple. In 66 AD the Jews rose upagainst the occupying legions. Their suc-cess was short-lived and four years later,after a protracted siege, Jerusalem fell.The age of the Second Temple endedwith its destruction. This act began theexile of the Jews and the Temple hasnever been rebuilt.

The Thirteenth CenturyWith the fall of the Second Temple,

the Jews are exiled from their homeland,dispersed across Mythic Europe and theEast in what is termed the diaspora. This dis-persal has given rise to two broad Jewishcultures: the Ashkenazim found withinChristian lands, predominantly France andGermany, and the Sephardim of Muslimand Mediterranean lands. While thesecommunities are united in a common faith,many cultural differences have arisen.

ASHKENAZIM

Ashkenazim is the sweeping term forthat minority of Jews living across themajority of Mythic Europe. They are typ-ified by a reluctance to adopt the trap-pings of the Christian culture they livewithin, and Jew and Christian view eachother with mutual suspicion and con-tempt. This engenders a degree of socialisolation, with the Ashkenazim lookinginward and developing their own culturerather than adopting that of their neigh-bors. This separation contributes to theongoing persecution of the Ashkenazim,where restrictions on property and profes-sion accompany condemnation by bish-ops and exploitation by the nobility.

While Jews elsewhere integrate withtheir neighbors and pursue secular acade-mic learning, the Ashkenazim turn to the-

ological analysis. Over the years of sepa-ration from the Jews of the East, theAshkenazim have developed their ownTalmudic interpretations, building theirown legal precedents without recourse tothe formerly-important scholars of theEast. Ashkenazi theology is typified bystrengthening the position of women, agrowing folklore based on the Divine, anda tendency towards asceticism.

The void left by the absence of acad-emic pursuit has resulted in the develop-ment of a distinctly Jewish mysticism inthe form of the Kabbalah. Built on divineprinciples and a search for the underlyingmechanisms that govern the universe, theKabbalah finds its strongest adherents inProvence, but the texts are spreading fastthroughout Jewish society, especially intonorthern Iberia.

SEPHARDIM

While the Ashkenazim remain large-ly closed to Christian culture, theSephardim embrace the more tolerantMuslim society in which they live. Theirpoetry and academic writing tends toadopt Arabic style with works oftentransliterated, using Arabic characters inplace of Hebrew. They have also adoptedthe secular learning so prevalent acrossMuslim lands, becoming notable philoso-phers, mathematicians, and doctors. Theirwillingness to embrace study in the ver-nacular languages has opened the doors toacademic professions closed to theAshkenazim, and many Sephardimphilosophers enjoy fame and influencebeyond Sephardic and even Muslim com-munities. Islamic tolerance also allowsSephardim to take positions in public life,becoming notable tutors, physicians,translators, and even ambassadors.

However, the Sephardim are experi-encing another diaspora of their own asthe Almohad push into Andalusia contin-ues to displace Jewish communities, send-ing them north to Christian Iberia andProvence, and south to North Africa,Egypt, and Sicily.

THE KARAITES

Separate from both the Sephardimand Ashkenazim, the Karaites, meaning“followers of scripture,” are a small sectwho observe a form of Jewish theologypredicated on the Tanakh alone. Foundedin Persia in the late eighth century,Karaites reject the Rabbinical Talmud andoral additions to Jewish law. This rejec-tion comes from a strict interpretation of

the Torah, which prohibits metaphoricalinterpretations, and relies upon the sim-plest and most direct interpretation of anylaw or ruling. This means that their inter-pretation of the Torah differs, from impos-ing different dietary laws to the refusal ofall medical treatment. Despite this, theKaraites do have their own literary andinterpretive tradition and their scholarsare prolific writers. Nevertheless, theweight given to these works does notapproach that given to the Talmud inRabbinite communities.

Many Rabbinite scholars have devot-ed many books to disparaging the Karaitetradition. Maimonides concluded thatKaraitism is a heretical practice, while theKaraites view Rabbinite Judaism the sameway. Relations are often antagonistic andin Constantinople the Jewish and Karaitequarters are separated by a gateless wall.

The Karaite community is larger inMuslim lands, including a particularlylarge presence in Jerusalem, where theyare free to practice their religion withoutRabbinite interference. It is less commonto find Karaites in Christian lands as theyinevitably fall foul of the rulings of theirmore numerous Rabbinite neighbors.

THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE AND THE EAST

Though tolerated, Jews in theByzantine Empire suffer a number ofrestrictions. They may not build new syn-agogues, nor may they read the scripturesin Hebrew. They are also prohibited fromserving in any position of government.But beyond these restrictions, the author-ity of their courts is respected, such syna-gogues as exist enjoy legal protection,and they are free to follow any craft,trade, or profession.

The large Jewish community ofConstantinople suffered greatly after thecity’s fall in 1204. Many were either killedor driven from the city, their propertiesburned or stolen. The population is muchsmaller in 1220 and, given the restrictionson rebuilding their synagogues, mostmust worship within their homes.

The city of Baghdad is home to theExilarch, the notional head of all diasporaJews. While the position continues tohold spiritual authority over Jewish com-munities across Europe and the East, itsactual political influence is limited. Inaddition, this region is the home of Jewishlegal study. While rabbis now only rarelysubmit cases to the great Eastern schoolsand scholars for consideration, studentsfrom a world away view studying here ashaving great prestige.

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PERSECUTION

As a social minority, Jews often facemisunderstanding and persecution bytheir neighbors, but the extent of this per-secution varies by both region and thepolitical landscape. Muslim lands, includ-ing Iberia and the East, impose stringenttaxes on outsiders, including Jews, andJews in both Muslim and Christian landsare subject to sumptuary laws restrictingwhat can and cannot be worn.

Legislation established by the FourthLateran Council of 1215 requires all Jewsto wear a distinguishing mark of their faith.This is often a badge in the form of a wheelof either red or yellow depending on thecountry. In England this takes the form ofa white band two fingers wide and four

long sewn onto the outer garments(although this changes in around 1270 to abadge in the shape of two yellow tablets).But, while successive Popes may have heldopenly anti-Jewish sentiments, they alsorecognize their responsibilities as spiritualleaders to protect the Jews from harm. Forinstance, Innocent III wrote to all the bish-ops of France clarifying the Lateran legisla-tion and stating that Jews must not beforced to wear anything that might endan-ger them. The same council issued lawsthat forbid Jews from leaving their homesduring Holy Week, but these are notintended to oppress Jews, but rather toaccept that some tensions exist betweenChristians and Jews and to limit the oppor-tunity for either side to cause trouble.

Physical attacks are far from

unknown. In 1096, the Bishop of Speyerbrought a number of Jews into his castle toshelter them from a rabble, even punishingsome of the offenders by having their righthands cut off. But the Jews in neighboringWorms found no such protector asChristian did not want to raise handagainst Christian to protect a Jew. 1190saw a spate of attacks and massacres acrossEngland. All but a lucky few of the Jews ofNorwich were killed in their homes, whilethe Jews of York fled to the apparent safe-ty of a local castle. The castle was besiegedby a mob demanding that they convertand be baptized, and the surrounded Jewsdecided instead to take their own lives.Those who could not bring themselves tosuicide left the next morning and weremurdered by the baying crowd.

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Glossary of Hebrew Terminologyaggadot (n.pl.; aggadah, sing.) Jewish

folk knowledge (stories, myths, leg-ends, folk medicine, etc.) that have nospecific religious value; despite this,many aggadot are found in the text ofthe Talmud.

Ashkenazim (n.pl.; Ashkenazi, adj.) Jewswho settled in Christian lands, mostlyFrance and Germany, following thediaspora.

Ba’al Ov Necromantic practitioners ofsummoning magic, a practice strictlyoutlawed by the Halakha.

Ba’al Shem Itinerant practitioners ofDivine magic, specializing in folkhealing and creation of seggulot.

Beth Din The Rabbinic court, comprised ofeducated men in the community whohear cases of violation of halakhic law,and pass down judgments based onprecedents outlined in the scriptures; ledby the Rosh Beth Din.

beit ha-midrash A school, usuallyattached to a synagogue, the primaryfocus of which is Hebrew literacy.

Gematria A school of Jewish mysticismcharacterized by the divination ofinsights and messages from the Torahthrough a numerology based on anumerical value for each letter of theHebrew alphabet.

golem A being of unliving clay, brought tolife through direction of Divine forcesby a kabbalist. They can be formed intothe shape of any living creature, andwill take that living form when filledwith the Breath of Life.

Halakha (n.pl.; Halakh, sing.; halakhic, adj.)The Laws, as laid down in the Torah.

Kabbalah (n.sing.; kabbalist, per.n.sing.;kabbalistic, adj.) A variety of Jewish

mystical beliefs and practices with thegoal of manifesting Divine principleson Earth.

Karaite (n.sing.) A small Jewish sect thatbases its theology on the Tanakh alone,rejecting the Rabbinical Talmud and oralinterpretations of the Law.

kashrut (n.pl.; kosher, adj.) The dietaryrequirements codified in the Torah;only food prepared in accordance withthese laws is considered kosher.

Merkavah A school of Jewish mysticismdedicated to the study of and commu-nion with angels, as represented bythe knowledge of their True Names.

miqveh A Communal bathhouse, accessto which allows practicing Jews tomaintain halakhic standards of purity.

Mitzvot (n.pl.; mitzvah, sing.) Acts inaccordance with the Halakha, “lawfuldeeds;” the Torah dictates 613 Mitzvotfor practicing Jews.

rabbi lit., “teacher.” The religious leaderof a Rabbinical Jewish community, orof a synagogue’s congregation if in acommunity large enough to requiremore than one; capitalized when usedas a title (e.g., Rabbi Josef).

Rabbinical Judaism (Rabbinite, adj.) Themajority Jewish sect, developed afterthe destruction of the Temple inJerusalem and the Jewish diaspora. Itstheology is grounded in the practice ofinterpretation and debate surroundingthe Tanakh and the Talmud.

Sefer lit., “book.” Most frequently usedfor the Sefer Torah, or the ceremonialscrolls of the Torah venerated by aJewish community or synagogue.

Sefirot (n.pl.; Sefirah, sing.) lit., “emana-tions.” Aspects of Divine power, assem-

bled into a structure of ten known as theTree of Life that is central to kabbalisticbeliefs and practices.

seggulot (n.pl.; seggulah, sing.) Amulets,fusing folk knowledge and Divinemagic, tht are worn for physicaland/or spiritual benefits.

Sephardim (n.pl.; Sephardic, adj.) Jews whosettled in Muslim and Mediterraneanlands following the diaspora.

Shabbat The day of rest, in observanceof the sixth day of creation, lastingfrom sundown Friday to sundownSaturday. No work may be performed,according to the Halakha.

Shema A concise statement of Jewishbelief found in Deuteronomy 6:4. It isused talismanically in the wearing oftefillin and the posting in a mezuzah atthe entrance of a home or building.

shofar A musical instrument made from thehorn of a kosher animal, usually a ram.

synagogue A gathering place forRabbinical Jews to hear public read-ings of the Torah.

Talmud Book of interpretations of theHalakha as delivered in the Torah; alsoincludes Jewish cultural wisdom.

Tanakh The Hebrew Bible, comprised ofthe Torah, the Nevi’im (Prophets), andthe Ketuvi (Writings).

Torah The first five books of the Tanakh,believed to be God’s word as tran-scribed by Moses atop Mount Sinai:Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers,Deuteronomy.

yeshivah (n.sing.; yeshivot, pl.) More-advanced schools for promising stu-dents, where highly learned rabbisoffer instruction in language, philoso-phy, law, and science.


While disagreements over theologyoffend churchmen, and debts hang aboutthe nobility, the low peoples of MythicEurope fear the unknown. The blood libelis the unfounded accusation that the Jewishpeople practice human sacrifice, drinkingthe blood of their victims in unholy cere-monies. The first known accusation was inEngland in 1144 and involved a youngboy, William of Norwich. In that case theNorwich Jews were saved by the king’ssheriff as they were under his protection.But the accusations persist and are easilyraised and exploited.

There is occasional pressure put uponJews to convert, but they often find supportfrom unlikely sources. Jews continue to beuseful to the wealthy as sources of incomeand credit, and if a Jew were to convertthen he would gain legal protection againstthose who might seize his property andannul debts owed to him. This treatment ofJews as financial resources is a prevalenttheme in England and France. Philip II ofFrance started his reign by raiding all thesynagogues in his demesne and holdingJews to ransom until they collectively paid15,000 marks. Unsatisfied, he expelledthem from his kingdom in 1182 and seizedtheir property, only to recall them in 1198,keen to take advantage of further financialopportunities. In England, the Jews weretaxed hard to secure the ransom to freeking Richard, but by 1210 they foundthemselves subject to arrest so that anaccount could be made of all moniesloaned by them. These draconian measuresare set to continue with regions petitioningthe king to remove his Jews from theirlands, a measure that ultimately culminateswith an edict of expulsion in 1290 remov-ing all Jews from England.

Beliefs andPractices

Jews believe in the one true God andaccept no other. God is the source of allthings and he created the world, the heav-ens, and all the creatures that dwell with-in them. They believe that God hasentered in a sacred covenant with theJewish people, which elevates them abovethe gentiles and other non-believers.They view the loss of Israel and their sub-sequent exile as a punishment for sinscommitted centuries ago, and that withobservance and repentance they will oneday return to the land of Israel.

The philosopher Maimonides codifiedthe Jewish faith’s tenents into 13 articles:

• God exists and that he by himself is thecreator of all things.

• God is unique and that he alone is ourGod.

• God is incorporeal and has no physicalform.

• God is eternal and is the first and the last.• God is the only one to whom it is prop-

er to pray.• All the words of the prophets are true.• The prophecy of Moses was true and

he was the father of the prophets.• The whole of the Torah was given by

God to Moses.• The Torah will not be exchanged, nor

will another Torah be given by God.• God knows all the deeds of man and all

their thoughts.• God requites those who keep his com-

mandments but punishes those who donot.

• There will come a messiah.• There will be a resurrection of the dead

whenever it pleases God.

While there is no concept of eternaldamnation within Jewish theology,Gehenna is the Jewish understanding ofHell. Wicked or sinful souls dwell inGehenna for a period but once cleansed ofsins they await the resurrection on theDay of Judgment. On this day all soulswill be awakened by a blast on the shofarand will live forever in contentment in theworld to come.

Observances

Two angels, one good and one evil,accompany a person home each Fridaynight from the synagogue. When theyarrive home, if they find a candle lit, thetable covered, and beds arranged, thegood angel says, ‘May the nextShabbat be the same,’ and the evil angelmust respond, ‘Amen!’ Otherwise, if allis not in honor of the Shabbat, the evilangel says, ‘May the next Shabbat bethe same,’ and it is the good angel whomust respond, ‘Amen!’

The Talmud

On the eighth day after birth, follow-ing a naming ceremony, male childrenundergo the brit milah, or circumcision,where the foreskin of the penis is removedin a ritual conducted by the mohal. AJewish boy becomes a man from the age of

13 when he is called to synagogue to per-form a public reading from the Torah orinterpretation on a passage from the Talmudin a ceremony known as the bar mitzvah.

Any man over the age of 13 may leadthe community in prayer, perform read-ings from the Torah, and even conductmarriage ceremonies. So while a rabbi hasno obligation to undertake these duties,unlike Christian priests, the semikhah cere-mony is a form of ordination that givesthe rabbi spiritual authority over his com-munity. The prospective rabbi is assessedby three peers at the conclusion of whichhe is invested with authority to pro-nounce upon halakhic law. From thatmoment the rabbi is able to exert person-al and ceremonial influence and temperDominion auras as described in ChapterThree. There is little hierarchy within therabbis, although each city or town has achief rabbi with authority over the others.

Public prayers and services are expect-ed to be observed by a minyan, or quorum.This is typically 10 men of the community.These quorate groups gather in a syna-gogue, yeshivah, or private home at leastthree times each day to conduct prayersand blessings, particularly the shemaprayer taken from Deuteronomy 6:4-9.

Starting at sundown on Friday andcontinuing through to sunset on Saturday,Shabbat, or the sabbath, is a holy day ofrest commemorating the six days of cre-ation. During this time Jews must refrainfrom any work within the public domain.An eruv is a boundary of wire or rope thatconfines an area. Anything on the insideof the boundary is considered “private,”which allows for essential work duringShabbat. The Shabbat is reputed to beone of the six primordial things that pre-dated creation.

Rosh ha-Shanah is the Jewish new yearand occurs on the first day of Tishrei, thedate when creation began, and is accom-panied by the sounding of the shofar, orceremonial horn. On this day, everyoneliving is judged. It is said that those whomerit another year of life have their namesrecorded in the Sefer ha-Chayyim, or Book ofNames. Those who go unrecorded are des-tined to die during the year. Rosh ha-Shanah is the first of the Yamim Noraim,or days of awe.

Ten days after Rosh ha-Shanah, at theend of the Yamim Noraim, the Day ofAtonement, Yom Kippur, is celebrated. It isthe most holy day in the Jewish calendarand sees the closing of the Sefer ha-Chayyimand the day on which fates are sealed. Theday before Yom Kippur, some conduct theritual of kapparah in which a chicken iswaved around the head three times, duringwhich the person’s sins are transferred to

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the bird. The bird is then slaughtered andgiven to the poor. The kapparah is notgreeted with Rabbinical support and isseen by many as a pagan ritual. Despitethis it is still popular in some communities,especially with kabbalists.

The harvest festival of Sukkot is cele-brated five days after Yom Kippur. Oncethe harvests have been gathered, prayersare said for the continued fertility of theearth and to bring rain. This festival rep-resents the forty years that the people ofIsrael spent in the wilderness. To com-memorate this, families build a sukkah, atemporary shelter much like a tent, inwhich the family eats or sleeps for theseven days of this holiday.

Coming at the end of Sukkot, SheminiAtzeret celebrates both the beginning andthe end of the annual cycle of public Torahreadings. With the main celebrations tak-ing place in the synagogue, the Torahscrolls are removed from the ark and car-ried around the synagogue seven timesaccompanied by singing and dancing.This happens twice, once in the eveningand once again the following morning.Once the Torah scrolls have completedtheir circuits, the last section ofDeuteronomy and the first section ofGenesis are read aloud, completing andrestarting the readings.

The festival of Hanukkah is celebratedtowards the end of the month of Kislevand lasts for eight days. It commemoratesthe miracle of a day’s supply of oil thatburned in the eternal flame for the eightdays it took to rededicate the Temple,which had been defiled by the Syrians.

Falling on the 14th day of Adar, Purimis a time of great public celebration wheregifts are exchanged, charity is given to thepoor, and a special meal is prepared andeaten. The centerpiece of these celebra-

tions is the public reading of the Book ofEsther, which recounts the rescue of theJewish people from a murderous plot. Assuch, it is a celebration of cultural and his-torical importance rather than religious.The readings are noisy and boisterousaffairs, with a lot of shouting, stamping,and even the banging of stones together,designed to erase the name of Israel’s ene-mies written upon them.

Pesach, or passover, lasts for sevendays beginning with the 15th day of Nisanand commemorates the escape of theJewish people from Egypt. During thisweek no leavened bread is eaten, whichrecalls the haste with the Jews fled Egyptupon their release from slavery. The maincelebratory meal, the seder, is accompaniedby a reading of Exodus telling the story ofMoses, the ten plagues of Egypt, and theflight of the Jews.

Shavu’ot falls seven weeks from thestart of Pesach and celebrates the revela-tion on Mount Sinai. This holiday ischaracterized by homes and synagoguesbeing decorated with plants and garlandsof greenery.

Tisha B’Av commemorates thedestruction of both the First and SecondTemple, both events having occurred onthe ninth day of the month of Av. It is atime of fasting, and the Book ofLamentations is read in the synagogueduring evening services. Kinnot, or dirgesin memory of the loss of the Temple, areread or chanted through the day. Theobservance is marked by considerable aus-terity. In addition to strict fasting, noleather shoes are to be worn, and washingis forbidden, as is the application of oils tothe body, and even marital relations.

Shabbat, holy days, and fast days allbegin with morning prayers and readingsfrom the Torah, led by any adult male ofthe community. In theory this means anymale age 13 or over, though many rabbisconsider it disrespectful to allow someoneso young to lead the congregation.

Story Hook: As night falls to her-ald the first day of Tishri, all firewithin the covenant is extin-guished, and every animal fallssilent. A Divine scribe, powerful,massive, and brooding, stalks thehalls, writing the names of thosepresent in his great book. Butwhen he reaches one particularmaga, the angel stops and putsup his quill without recordingher name. And then the angelleaves. And the fires resume andanimals take up their calls oncemore. The maga has ten days todiscover what the angel was

doing, how to make amends, andwhere to find the angel so thather name may be recorded.

Holy PlacesWhile the Jewish people today are

spread across Europe and the East, theirhomeland is Israel, and it is considered aholy and sacred place. Philosophers suchas Judah Halevi considered the land ofIsrael to be the only place where trueDivine prophecy can be heard. Thesephilosophers understand the world asconsisting of concentric areas of Divinity

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Holy InfluenceThose with spiritual authority over

a people or area may exert HolyInfluence, which includes the temperingof an aura. Rabbis have spiritual author-ity over the auras centered upon and thecommunity served by their synagogueor yeshivah, while Chief Rabbis mayextend their influence across their city.The English court recognizes the posi-tion of Presbyter Judaeorum, a chiefrabbi with authority over all the Jews ofEngland, a role held in 1220 by Josce ofLondon. The Exilarch, in Baghdad, mayextend his influence to any communityor city that he visits, or to which hesends an authorized deputy.

The Hebrew CalendarThe Hebrew calendar is based

upon the cycles of the moon, withnumerous corrections to accommodatethe solar year, operating within a 19-year cycle. The first month is Nisan,but the year is increased during Tishriat the festival of Rosh ha-Shanah, theJewish new year. The year is judgedfrom the calculated moment of cre-ation, arrived at by adding the ages ofkey figures in the bible. The Julian 1stof April in 1220 equates to the 26th ofNisan in the Jewish year 4980. TheJewish week starts on Sunday and runsthrough to Saturday.

MONTH LENGTH JULIAN EQUIV.IN 1220

Nisan 30 days March–AprilIyyar 29 days April–MaySivan 30 days May–JuneTamuz 29 days June–JulyAv 30 days July–AugElul 29 days Aug–SeptTishri 30 days Sept–OctCheshvan 29/30 days Oct–NovKislev 29/30 days Nov–DecTevet 29 days Dec–JanSh’vat 30 days Jan–FebAdar 29/30 days Feb–MarchAdar II 29 days March–April

The month of Adar II is addedduring the 3rd, 6th, 8th, 11th, 14th,17th, and 19th years within the 19-year cycle. Adar II will next occur in1221, 1224, 1226, then in 1229, 1232,1235, and 1237. Those months of vari-able length are changed year to yearboth to ensure that Nisan starts at aconsistent time and that Holy days arecorrectly placed.


increasing towards the center, whichmeans that Jerusalem is yet more Divinethat Israel, and the site of the Temple yetmore Divine still. As discussed inChapter Five, the Western Wall is allthat remains of the Temple, and has aDivine aura of 10.

The synagogue is where the commu-nity gathers to meet and offer prayer, buta dedicated building is rare in smallercommunities, and in these cases a privateresidence is used instead. By convention itis more important for the community tobuild a miqveh, or ritual bathhouse, and abeit ha-midrash, or house of study, butwhere a synagogue is built, it is often thetallest building within the community.

On the synagogue wall that facesJerusalem is an ark. Usually a niche builtwithin the wall and covered with elabo-rate wooden doors, it is used to house theSefer Torah and other biblical books andscrolls. The ark is often draped with rich-ly decorate embroidered curtains. In

Muslim countries and in parts of ChristianSpain the ark is less important and theSefer Torah is kept in a smaller case.

The scrolls themselves are woundaround two richly decorated woodenrollers, with wealthy communities con-tributing gold and silver for this purpose.Some have small bells that hang fromthem, while others are capped by acrown. A hanging lamp is kept perpetual-ly burning in front of the ark in referenceto the Eternal Flame that once burned inthe Temple.

The bimah, a large reading desk fromwhich the scrolls are read on Shabbat andother holy days, is another essential partof the synagogue. This is often separatefrom the lectern where prayers are led.Seating can be anything from individualchairs, to rows of quickly erected bench-es, to elaborate pews. In Ashkenazi syna-gogues women sit in their own galleryseparate from the men, a practice notobserved in Sephardic communities.

Holy Books and Artifacts

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, theLord is one. You shall love the Lordyour God with all your heart and withall your soul. These words that I com-mand you today shall be on yourheart. You shall teach them diligentlyto your children, and shall talk of themwhen you sit in your house, and whenyou walk by the way, and when youlie down, and when you rise. You shallbind them as a sign on your arm, andthey shall be as frontlets between youreyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

The Torah is the collected first fivebooks of Hebrew scripture, containingGenesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, andDeuteronomy, and forms part of theTanakh, along with Prophets andWritings. Given to Moses at Sinai, theTorah is the transcribed spoken word ofGod and the 613 Mitzvot that guideJewish life are derived from it alone. TheSefer Torah, a specially prepared Torah inscroll form, is a venerated object housedwithin each synagogue. And while thetext of the earthly Torah was given toMoses, the True Torah is one of the six pri-mordial things that predate creation itselfand resides in heaven as a thing of blackfire written upon white fire.

The Talmud interprets the laws pro-vided by the Torah, providing guidance onhow each law should be applied andappropriate punishment for transgres-sions. It also contains cultural content,folklore, poetry, medical remedies etc.vital to defining and maintaining theJewish identity.

Tefillin, also known as phylacteries,are two small leather boxes containing thetranscribed Shema prayer (Deuteronomy6:4) and the biblical verses Deuteronomy11:13-21, and Exodus 13:1-10 and 11-16.They are worn strapped to the brow andthe left arm during morning prayer as asign of God’s enduring covenant withIsrael. They are also associated with pro-tective amulets and it is common for folkremedies to take the form of phylacteries.Ordinarily, tefillin have no innate power,but those once owned by one of theTzadikim Nistarim (see later) act as a relicwith one Faith Point.

Mezuzot are like phylacteries that arebound to door posts, including those of thesynagogue. There is a little more freedom in

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the form that mezuzot take, from small sim-ple boxes, to ornate scroll cases. But thecontents are the same as the tefillin and theyact as a reminder to all who enter the housethat they are entering a sacred place, inmemory of the Temple. Jews of the Karaitetradition use neither tefillin nor mezuzot.

The shofar is a musical instrumentformed from the horn of any kosher ani-mal, usually a ram. It gains its signifi-cance from having been sounded at themoment when God gave the Torah tothe people at Mount Sinai. It is now

sounded both at the new year, Rosh ha-Shanah, and at the conclusion of YomKippur. When it is sounded on a holyday or as part of a Jewish exorcism rite,the shofar is treated as a relic with oneFaith Point. While silent, or sounded ondays other than holy days, the shofar hasno power.

The menorah is a candelabrum witheither six or eight branches that originatefrom a central stem. The six-branchedmenorah references the golden lamp aspresent in the Second Temple. The eight-

branched menorah, or chanukkiyah, is usedduring Hanukkah and references the eightdays during which the oil miraculouslyfueled the eternal flame. The menorah issaid to resemble the burning bush fromwhich Moses gained audience with God,the seven lamps representing the sevendays of creation, the arrangement of thelamps mirroring the six fiery wings of theserafim, and as a stylized tree, bearing thelower seven Sefirot.

The Star of David is a six-pointedstar formed by the intersection of two

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Jewish culture prizes education andmany members of the community areable to read and write Hebrew. The fol-lowing texts are a mixture of religious,philosophical, and mystical works.

THE TORAH

Summa Theology: Judaism (Level 6,Quality 8), Summa Judaic Lore (Level 4,Quality 8), Summa Rabbinic Law (Level4, Quality 8)

Author: Dictated by God to Moseson Mount Sinai.

Availability: Any synagogue oryeshivah.

Description: The Torah is the firstsection of the collected Tanakh, or HebrewBible. It contains Genesis, the account ofcreation; Exodus, the escape of the Jewishpeople; and Leviticus, Numbers, andDeuteronomy, which tell more of the Jewsin the wilderness, and of the law.

Special Rule: The Sefer Torah is thecomplete work in its original scroll form.The sefer, created according to ritual andcustom, is treated as a relic with oneFaith Point.

THE TALMUD

Summa Judaic Lore (Level 6,Quality 8), Summa Theology: Judaism(Level 6, Quality 8), Summa RabbinicLaw (Level 6, Quality 8), TractatusCanaan Lore (Quality 5)

Author: Compiled from varioussources from the 2nd through 6th cen-turies, but originating with the oralMishnah given to Moses on Mount Sinai.


Description: This work consists of63 “tractates” containing 613 Mitzvotand is the codification of Rabbinic Law,applying the Biblical commandments and

teachings to everyday life.The Talmud also contains folklore

and culturally important material: stories,medicinal remedies, myths, and legends.Collectively, these non-religious tractsare termed aggadah.

The Talmud is originally an Aramaicwork but is most commonly translatedinto Hebrew.

THE NEVI’IM

Tractatus Theology: Judaism(Quality 8), Tractatus DreamInterpretation (Quality 8)

Author: Compiled from varioussources from the 6th through 2nd cen-turies BC.


Description: The Nevi’im, or Prophets,is divided into two sections covering theearly prophets and the later prophets.The first section describes the history ofthe Jewish people from the time ofJoshua to the Babylonian Exile. The sec-ond section is devoted to prophecies,some of which may have come to passand others that might yet.

The Nevi’im is the second section ofthe collected Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible.

THE KETUVIM

Tractatus Dream Interpretation(Quality 8), Tractatus Judaic Lore(Quality 8), Tractatus Rabbinic Law(Quality 8)

Author: Compiled from varioussources by the 2nd century AD.


Description: The Ketuvim, or Writings,is a disparate work of wisdom, poetry,prophecies, and history and as such istreated as a collection of tractatus.

The Ketuvim is the final section of thecollected Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible.

THE MISHNEH TORAH

Summa Rabbinic Law (Level 4,Quality 9)

Author: Rabbi Moses Ben Maimon(Maimonides)

Availability: This work is spreadingto synagogues and yeshivot acrossMythic Europe, originating in Iberia.

Description: This is the foremostauthority on Rabbinic Law, providing themost complete interpretation on the lawsby which the Jewish people should gov-ern all aspects of life. These laws aredivided into the mishpatim, or judg-ments, and the huqqim, or statutes,which includes instructions and provi-sions for ritual purity.

GUIDE TO THE PERPLEXED

Summa Philosophiae (Level 4,Quality 9), Summa Theology: Judaism(Level 6, Quality 9)

Author: Rabbi Moses Ben Maimon(Maimonides)

Availability: The private libraries ofmany Rabbis and philosophers, particu-larly around the Mediterranean.

Description: This complex workpresents a philosophical view of theJewish faith, examining the mundaneworld through the tenets of faith.Maimonides purposefully obscured thetext, inserting ambiguities and contradic-tions that distract the uneducated stu-dent. But these ambiguities find use whenapplied to the study of Gematria, andmany truths are revealed to those whoseek them.

Special Rule: Students with scores of3 or more in Gematria may study this bookas a Tractatus of Quality 8 on Gematria.

A Jewish Library


equilateral triangles. Like the menorah,it has its origins in ancient Jewish loreand has additional kabbalistic resonance.It is said to resemble the shield thatDavid took into battle, and as such is adirect symbol for God. Furthermore, thesix points and the center equate to the

six days of creation followed by the dayof rest. The star also represents theseven facets of space identified in theSefer Yetzirah: up, down, east, west, north,and south, and finally the center. Thestar is most commonly used within kab-balistic circles.

CultureThe observances and trappings of

faith are important from the moment onewakes to the moment one sleeps. Thisfaith is a part of the Jewish heritage, bind-ing together a people divided by vast dis-

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SEFER YETZIRAH

Summa Kabbalah (Level 4, Quality 6)Author: The Biblical AbrahamAvailability: The private libraries of

those who practice Kabbalah.Description: This Book of Creation is a

key text for those studying Kabbalah andis the principle text of the Ma’asei-Bereshitschool of philosophy, which seeks knowl-edge of the foundations of all creation. Itis the source for the ten Sefirot and the 22pathways that connect them, and it showshow the world is created from the 22characters of the Hebrew alphabet. It alsodraws parallels between the Sefirot andthe human form, representing it as adivine microcosm, which in turn revealsthe mystery of the golem.

There have been innumerable com-mentaries written on the Sefer Yetzirah,mostly in Hebrew but increasingly inArabic as the practice of Kabbalah growsin Muslim-ruled Iberia.

Special Rule: Only once a kabbalisthas studied the Sefer Yetzirah can he under-take to create a golem.

SEFER HA-BAHIR

Tractatus Kabbalah (Quality 8),Tractatus Ceremony (Quality 5)

Author: Despite its antiquated style,this is the work of Provencal kabbalistspracticing post-600.

Availability: The private libraries ofthose who practice Kabbalah.

Description: This Book of Illuminationexpands upon the Sefer Yetzirah, taking theabstract kabbalistic principles and codi-fying them into practical knowledge. It isessentially the first true kabbalistic workoutside the Sefer Yetzirah.

SEFER HA-RAZIM

Tractatus Craft Amulets (Quality 8),Tractatus Merkavah (Quality 8),Tractatus Ceremony (Quality 5),Tractatus Dominion Lore (Quality 12)

Author: Revealed to Noah by the

angel Raziel.Availability: The private libraries of

those who practice Merkavah.Description: This Book of Amulets

concerns angels, angelic powers, and theastral forces that they control. But thereis also a list of incantations and enchant-ments of value to those who craft amuletsand charms. The book exhorts the readerto perform all acts of magic in a state ofthe utmost ritual purity, and describesthe correct preparation and treatment ofritual implements, such as knives, lamps,incense, etc, and this provides insightinto the Ceremony Ability.

Complete copies of this book arerarely found, sections having beencopied and obtained separately. The sec-tions on Ceremony and Dominion Loreare often found translated from the orig-inal Hebrew.

Special Rule: Hermetic magi whoread this book for its knowledge on CraftAmulets gain access to the shape andmaterial bonuses normally open to prac-titioners of this Jewish mystical practice(see later). Studying from an incompletevolume imposes a penalty of –1 to thereader’s Study Total.

SEFER RAZIEL

Summa Gematria (Level 4, Quality8), Summa Merkavah (Level 4, Quality8), Summa Intervention (Level 4, Quality8), Summa Transcendence (Level 4,Quality 8)

Author: Revealed in its original formto Adam by the angel Raziel.

Availability: The private libraries ofthose who practice Gematria andMerkavah.

Description: This potent book ofsorcery is principally concerned withastral forces, originating from the zodiacand the enumerated names of God. TheSefer Raziel in its current form is actually acollection of the tractates revealed toAdam by the angel Raziel and has beencompiled in Provencal over the last twohundred years. Those reading this workmay notice that there are abundant refer-

ences to the practice of Craft Amulets,but it does not provide enough insight towork from. This suggests that the currentwork is incomplete.

THE HECHALOT TEXTS

Tractatus Merkavah or Summoning(Quality 8)

Author: Various mystics from theage of the First Temple onwards.

Availability: Translations of theseworks can be found in mystical librariesacross Europe and the East.

Description: The Hechalot Texts are acollection of scrolls and books that togeth-er detail the art of Ma’aseh Merkavah, theancient mystical tradition from which bothMerkavah and the Goetic art ofSummoning derive. There is no definitivelist of works that make up the Hechalot Textsand more may yet be discovered in forgot-ten and abandoned libraries across MythicEurope and the East.

Special Rule: Studying the HechalotTexts is a dangerous pursuit. Due to thefrequent allusions and references todemons and demonic powers, any whostudy the Hechalot Texts alone gain a“Curious about the Infernal” Personalitytrait at +1.

SWORD OF MOSES

Summa Infernal Lore (Level 5,Quality 8)

Author: Anonymous Jewish magicians.Availability: The private libraries of

Ba’al Shem, Kabbalists, and the Ba’al Ov.Description: A book of theurgistic

magic that purports to list the names ofangels, demons, and other spirits. This is anunusual work in that it eschews the expect-ed ritual purity for witchcraft-like practices.

Special Rule: Studying the Sword ofMoses for a season can be treated as asource of insight for researching andintegrating the extinct magical form ofCanaanite Necromancy (Ancient Magic,page 30).

A Jewish Library (cont’d)


tances through a shared identity. But on amore local level, the sense of communitykeeps the Jewish people strong, some-times against great adversity.

In most Muslim cities Jews live side-by-side with their Muslim neighbors andare free to live and worship as they wish.Where Jewish communities live in a sepa-rate quarter, it is most often through adesire to be surrounded by their own cul-ture rather than through enforced segre-gation, and such quarters never have aphysical boundary. These same freedomsextend to the kingdom of Sicily, whichhas always been a place where multiplecultures are accepted.

Unlike the Mediterranean, Jews liv-ing in the Christian lands of central andnorthern Europe are often subject to thefickle wishes of kings and landowners.They are less likely to integrate with theirChristian neighbors, and while outrighthostility is unusual, they suffer a greaterdegree of distrust and suspicion than theirsouthern counterparts.

Communities in Muslim lands tendto be larger than those elsewhere.Benjamin of Tudela, a noted traveler wholived in the 12th century, undertook ajourney from the Kingdom of Navarre toJerusalem. He planned his route suchthat he could visit the towns and cities ofLombardy, the Papal States, and theKingdom of Sicily, where he recordedthe size of the Jewish communities thathe found. The cities of Genoa and Pisahad communities no larger than a fewfamilies, while the cities of Rome, Capua,and Naples had Jewish populationssmaller than five hundred individuals.Further south, he found fifteen hundredJews living in the city of Palermo. Hecontrasts Palermo with the cities ofProvence, which more closely resembledGenoa and Pisa in having very smallJewish communities.

Most large cities across MythicEurope and the East have dedicatedJewish quarters. Where these quarters arewalled, they are generally referred to as“ghettos” after the first such community inVenice. Walled or otherwise, these Jewishquarters are a microcosm of the widercity, providing everything needed to sup-port the Jewish community. Butchers andbakers prepare foods in accordance withdietary laws, with bakers operating com-munity ovens that whole neighborhoodsuse. Communal roasting houses, for thecooking of meat, are also not unknown.Traders and craftsmen operate shops,which are frequented by customers fromoutside the community as well as inside.Schools are maintained to educate chil-dren and adult alike.

There are a number of communalbuildings, chief of which is the miqveh,or ritual bath-house, used for regular andceremonial ablutions, including thecleaning of glass and metal utensils.Larger communities have a dedicatedsynagogue building, and some even main-tain communal libraries. Hospitality is aprized virtue, and inns and hospices wel-come travelers, usually charging accord-ing to the wealth of the traveler. Indeed,it is one of the duties of the shamash tofind travelers and ensure that they havesuitable food and lodging, either with aninn or otherwise with local families.Hospitals for the care of the sick are alsonot unknown, especially in the southernlands where the influence of Islamic med-icine is strongest.

Entertainment can always be found inthe Jewish quarter; music is treasured anddances are frequently held. Games of skilland chance are also common, with littlestigma attached to moderate gambling.

EDUCATION AND THE YESHIVAH

From education springs the under-standing of both heritage and law, and forthis reason there is an expectation thatevery male child will be taught to readHebrew, and will study the Torah. Formaleducation starts young and takes place

within classes of around ten students inthe beit ha-midrash, a school that forms partof the synagogue. They are taught for sixlong days each week, with even parts ofthe Sabbath given over to examination ofthe week’s learning. Lessons are chantedby the tutor and repeated by the class, themelody aiding memorization. By the ageof 13, study moves on from the Torah toencompass the Talmud, with studentsoften learning Aramaic, the language ofthe Talmud, at the same time.

The privileged few are sent to studythe Talmud further at one of the yeshivot,or schools, under learned Rabbis.Typically, only the larger cities have theirown yeshivah, which means that students

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Sefer ha-Masa’otSumma Mediterranean Lore

(Level 4, Quality 8)Benjamin of Tudela wrote the Sefer

ha-Masa’ot (The Book of Travels) to chron-icle his journeys from Navarre toJerusalem. Anyone studying this bookmay gain the specialty “Jewish commu-nities” in this Area Lore, which helps tolocate Jewish communities across theMediterranean and the Levant.Written in Hebrew, copies can befound in larger Jewish communities.

Isaac Ben Solomon Israeli (850 -932) was a Tunisian physician in theemploy of al-Mahdi, the founder of theFatimid dynasty. Influenced by theworks of Plato, Isaac was a monist,believing that all of creation was simplyemanations from a single unknowabletruth. These beliefs contributed to hisstudy of the fledgling Kabbalah, and hebecame an accomplished kabbalist.

Saadia Gaon (882 - 942) was bornSaadia ben Joseph Al-Fayyumi inFayyum in Egypt and rose to becomeGaon of the Sura yeshivah. He was anoutspoken opponent of the Karaite sectand many of his works specialize inpointing out its failings and shortcom-ings. He also undertook rational analysisof Islamic theology, and these works arestill in circulation.

Judah Halevi (1075 - 1140) was apoet born in Toledo who spent much ofhis life on the move, staying ahead of theencroaching Christian reconquest ofIberia. Educated in vernacular Arabic, hewrote extensive criticisms of the theo-

logical and philosophical ideas of hiscontemporaries. Judah Halevi’s finaljourney was in fulfillment of the com-mandment to live in the Holy Land. Hereached the outskirts of Jerusalem in1140, but was murdered, trampled todeath, before setting foot in the city.

Born Moses ben Maimon, thephysician and philosopher Maimonides(1138 - 1204) is perhaps the most influ-ential writer of his age. His Guide for thePerplexed, originally written in Arabic, isan essential work for those wanting tolearn of Jewish theology and philoso-phy. His principle work for Jewish con-sumption is the Mishneh Torah, an unpar-alleled authority on Jewish law and lore.

Samuel ben Judah ibn Tibbon(1150 - 1230) is known more for histranslations of others’ works, particularlyMaimonides, than for any original phi-losophy. But while he has written littlehimself, he has a profound understand-ing of philosophy, theology, andKabbalah. He can be found, until hisdeath in 1230, in the city of Marseilles.

Noted Philosophers


from smaller towns and more remote vil-lages must leave home, and those who cannot afford it, or those without a patron,come to the end of their education. Thegreat yeshivot of Babylon are consideredthe pinnacle of Jewish scholarship. Theleaders of these schools are afforded thetitle of Geonim, and students from acrossEurope and the East travel to the cities ofNehardea, Pumbedita, and Sura. TheKaraite sect operates yeshivot in bothJerusalem and Damascus, though given thesmall size of this tradition, neither yeshiv-ah is particularly large or influential.

As well as the Torah and the Talmud,students must also study the responsa, orwritten judgments on given questions oflaw presented to learned Rabbis. Giventhe number and size of books that must bestudied, it is rare that any one student canafford to own copies for himself and thisgives rise to the memorization of entirevolumes by students. Such books as areavailable are often written in the vernacu-lar language, though using Hebrew char-acters. This is more common in Muslimlands where many books are translatedinto Arabic for the consumption of thoseschooled only in the vernacular. Thispractice rarely happens in Christian lands,where Latin is almost never used.

Learning is given such importance inJewish society that adults of all back-grounds strive to continue their educa-tion. This usually takes the form of com-munal study sessions held in the syna-gogue, where commentaries on theTalmud, or the Talmud itself, are explained.

Formal education is a predominantlymale pursuit, but there are no proscriptionsagainst the education of girls. In fact, somany Jewish families make arrangementsfor the education of their daughters thatthere is little distinction. While it is lesscommon to see women undertake the rig-orous further education afforded by theyeshivah, they are often capable of readingand writing the vernacular tongue, eitherfor poetic or commercial pursuits.

MARRIAGE

The Talmud speaks extensively aboutmarriage, which is seen as more of a secu-lar or civil act than a sacrament. The ketu-vah, or marriage contract, specifies amohar to be paid by the groom to thebride’s parents, and a dowry to be broughtwith the bride into the marriage.

Marriages are usually arrangedthrough a professional marriage arranger,or shadchan, and the bride and groom areoften very young, barely more than chil-dren. Families task the shadchan with find-

ing suitable spouses for their children andhelping to ensure the ketuvah is in order.

Engagement is followed by a longperiod, often a year, which concludeswith betrothal and marriage. The groomis responsible for providing a feast for thecommunity lasting at least three days,though most communities contribute inorder to ease the burden.

DEATH

May his great name be magni-fied and sanctified in the worldthat He has created according toHis will. May he establish Hiskingdom during our lifetime andduring the lifetime of Israel. Letus say, Amen.

May God’s great name beblessed forever and ever. Mayhis holy name, blessed be he, beblessed and praised, glorifiedand exalted, raised and lauded,elevated and honored, adoredand acclaimed, above andbeyond all blessings and songsand praises which can beuttered. Let us say, Amen.

May there be peace and life forall of us and for all Israel. Let ussay, Amen.

Let He who makes peace in theheavens, grant peace to all of usand to all Israel. Let us say,Amen.

The Mourner’s Kaddish

Respect for the dead is a paramountconcern in Jewish culture. Upon death,the body of the deceased is washed andprepared by the immediate family mem-bers, with prayers spoken in the home ofthe deceased, and burial follows quickly.The body is not left alone until burial.The funeral preparations are for the closefamily but the wider community has aduty to attend the actual burial. Prayersand orations during the burial are uncom-mon and the body is buried with its feettowards Jerusalem.

There are a number of traditions thatgovern funeral rites. In some areas the scat-tering of coins around the body in order topay off evil spirits is common. In others,the spirits are scared away by the sound ofbreaking pots. And, by convention, chil-dren are forbidden from following thefuneral procession or attending the funeral.

A period of mourning is observed for

seven days following the burial, duringwhich time the mourners remain at home,refrain from work, and abstain fromattending synagogue, saying prayers inthe home instead. Other rules are alsoobserved, such as not changing clothes,cutting one’s hair, and even sitting onlyon the floor rather than on chairsthroughout the mourning period.

Widows often retain rights to theirhusband’s property but this is not guaran-teed. Where succession is contested suchcases are decided upon by a rabbi and thewidow is expected to produce a witness toconfirm the death of her husband.

Story Hook: A wealthy Jewishwoman approaches the covenantfor help in confirming the deathof her husband. He was a mer-chant who left for the Holy Landa year ago. She has sincereceived word that his ship sankwith the loss of all aboard. Butwithout a witness to the deathshe is unable to remarry. Shebelieves that the magi can pro-vide witness to her husband’sstate, through the use of theirmagic and the coercion of spirits.But when the magi cast theirspells, they discover the man stillalive and an unwilling consort toan underwater faerie. Do theyrescue the merchant or take thewoman’s money and stand wit-ness to his death anyway?

Halakha

The law of the kingdom is the law.

The Talmud

The Jewish people have been given aguide to good behavior through the 613Mitzvot, or commandments, gainedthrough Rabbinic study of the Torah.These mitzvot provide guidance on moralissues, such as not to kidnap and not torob; cultural issues, such as marriage,learning, and what foods may be eaten;and religious matters, such as the mitzvahto know that there is a God.

Daily life is governed not only by themitzvot but by the interpretations laiddown in the Oral Torah, the Talmud, andincreasingly in the various attempts tocodify these interpretations in such worksas the Mishneh Torah and the Sefer ha-Mitzvot. Collectively, this body of Jewish

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law is termed Halakha.This ongoing interpretation of the

law is important as not all of the mitzvothave equal standing. Some mitzvot applyonly to those living in the land of Israel,or to specific times and places such as inthe age of the Temple; rules on ritual puri-ty and sacrificial practices serve little func-tion outside of the Temple. This adjudica-tion of the law is the primary concern ofthe Rabbis, and the Halakha is oftentermed Rabbinical Law.

One of the key principles in theTalmud is that the laws of the land are alsolaws that the Jewish population mustobserve. This is principally the pragmaticacceptance of the Jewish status as aminority, but the reliance on local laws,supplemented with the Halakha, is whatbinds the Jewish people to the land. TheHalakha is adjudicated within the BethDin, a Rabbinic court where cases arebrought and decided. Jewish communitiesare normally given the right to maintainthese courts and exercise authority overtheir own people.

CHEREM AND KARET

While fines and bans are the usualpunishments for the breaking of the law,Halakha recognizes two forms of excom-munication. Cherem is a civic ostracismthat casts the individual or group out ofJewish society. The ostracism may betemporary or indeterminate, essentiallylasting until amends can be made. The actof cherem is a public affair centered onthe synagogue and is publicized with fullritual. The bans imposed are the niddui,under which the individual is expected todress as though in mourning, must refrainfrom cutting his hair, and refrain fromwearing shoes. The individual is shunnedby his community, is not counted towardsthe minyan, and one who dies while undercherem is not afforded the formal funeralrites. The Talmud identifies 24 crimes thatmay be punished by cherem.

The nezifah is a temporary sanction,usually lasting no longer than a day, inwhich the punished individual is expectedto confine himself to his house and refrainfrom any activity designed for business orpleasure. The nezifah is imposed as ameans of making the individual considertheir behavior.

Individuals under cherem face no fur-ther punishment in the afterlife. But thoseunder the more serious karet essentiallyundergo a spiritual death. It is said thatthe souls of those who die under karet goon to become dybbukim, spirits cut offfrom heaven that then possess the living.

The Mishnah identifies 36 crimes whichmust be punished by karet. Characterspunished through karet are treated asexcommunicates as described in ChapterFour. Both cherem and karet can be liftedby open acts of teshuva, or repentance.

ProfessionsMany Jewish communities are self-

contained villages, living off the land liketheir gentile neighbors, and agriculture isan important part of Jewish life. As farm-ers these Jews are part of a wider agricul-tural community, exchanging help withtheir gentile neighbors, gathering har-vests, and entering partnerships on theownership of land and livestock. And asfar away as Persia, Jews enjoy many char-ters giving them a monopoly on the own-ership and operation of olive presses.

Viticulture is an important industryacross Iberia, Italy, and France. While Jewsare mostly prohibited from owning landthere are local exceptions. In France, sev-eral Jewish families own large vineyards,producing and selling both red and whitewine at home and abroad. But these landsare subject to the whims of the king andhave been repeatedly seized in the past.

Despite Jewish craftsmen beingexcluded from Christian guilds, they formtheir own guilds and in practice theyexperience little discrimination, to theextent that it is common for Christian

children to be apprenticed with Jewishcraftsmen and vice versa. The need forreligious observance is even enshrined inthe apprenticeship contracts, with agree-ments secured that Jewish apprenticesmust be provided with kosher food by

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There are many prescriptionsagainst using magic or consulting witheither magicians or spirits within theJewish mitzvot. Some forbid member-ship of the Order, specific Houses, orother traditions by implication:

• Not to worship idols – Exodus 20:5• Not to imitate idolaters in custom or

clothing – Leviticus 20:23• Not to tattoo the skin – Leviticus 19:28

Others restrict Jews from swearingidolatrous oaths:

• Not to swear in the name of an idol– Exodus 23:13

• Not to make a covenant with idol-aters – Deuteronomy 17:2

And others specify what kinds ofmagic Jews cannot perform:

• Not to perform acts of kessem (sor-cery) – Deuteronomy 18:10

• Not to go into a trance to foreseeevents, etc. – Deuteronomy 18:10

• Not to engage in astrology– Leviticus 19:26

• Not to mutter incantations – Deuteronomy 18:11

• Not to attempt to contact the dead –Deuteronomy 18:11

• Not to consult the ov (ghosts) – Deuteronomy 18:11

• Not to consult the yidoni (wizards) –Deuteronomy 18:11

It is difficult for a Gifted Jew to remaintrue to both his faith and his magical arts.However, the Karaites practice a literalinterpretation of scripture and, by restrict-ing both their learning and practices, canintegrate Hermetic magic with their reli-gious obligations. See the Karaite HolySocietates in the Characters section later.

Proscriptions Against Magic

Dietary LawsThe many dietary laws specified

within the mitzvot are collectivelyknown as kashrut, and the word kosherrefers to things, including food, thathave been made in accordance withJewish law and are therefore fit for use.The following principles apply tokosher food.

• Certain animals may not be eaten.This includes all parts and productsof the forbidden animal includingflesh, eggs, and milk.

• Those animals that may be eatenmust be slaughtered in accordancewith kashrut.

• All blood must be drained from theanimal before it is eaten.

• Even if an animal is permitted, cer-tain parts may not be.

• The meat of an animal may not beeaten with dairy products.

• Utensils that that have come intocontact with non-kosher food maynot be used with kosher food untilpurified.


their hosts. And many market charterscontain provision for restricting marketsand fairs being held on Shabbat, mandat-ing that they be held on days more agree-able to Jewish craftsmen and merchants.But there continue to be local variationson this, and Jews in France and Germanyface more restrictions than elsewhere.

But as Jews find it difficult to ownland outright or to fully engage withguilds, the buying, selling, and transportof goods has become an important andprofitable profession. Silk continues to bea key commodity, as with other textilesand the dyes, particularly brazilwoodfrom the far east, required to process theraw materials. Many Jews across theMediterranean and the Byzantine Empireare engaged in the silk trade. UnderFrederick II, Jews enjoy a monopoly onthe production and dyeing of silkthroughout Sicily. At the same time, inMuslim Spain, Jews have a monopoly onthe production and import of crimsondyes used in processing textiles.

There are well-known Jewish mer-chant families in Barcelona and Majorcathat own and operate large shipping fleetsthat navigate the known world. Smalleroperations also sail out of the more promi-nent ports of Genoa and Venice. Thesemaritime merchants take wine, furs, wool,tin, and other commodities to the Eastand return with exotic spices, timber,gemstones, and precious metals.

Jewish merchants in particular arecomfortable with numerous languages asthey have contacts throughout Europeand the East. And this network of contactssupports another key profession associat-ed with the Jews: finance. Jewish mer-chants avoid much of the risk of carrying

large sums of money by carrying letters ofcredit, or bills of exchange, which can bepresented to Jewish merchants, therebyguaranteeing payment in an agreed recog-nized currency. And where merchantswork together, they can pool their capitaland put it to work for them by providingloans at interest, the practice of usury.

While Jews must observe mitzvotprohibiting the lending of money to fellowJews at interest, they are specificallyallowed to lend money to gentiles. In mostcases this is a profitable sideline, though afew merchants use it as their only source ofincome. And while Christians andMuslims are themselves forbidden fromusury, they often partner with Jewish mer-chants, providing the capital while theJewish merchant arranges and manages theloan and any interest gained. So wide-spread is the practice of Jewish usury thatkings take considerable loans from them.While there is profit to be had in this,kings also have the power to cancel suchloans, and even Pope Innocent III orderedthe cancellation of all such debts in 1215for all who took the cross ahead of the cru-sade. But increasingly, all loans are record-ed, either through local notaries or innational registers, and some rulers offerprotection. In 1214, Philip the Fair ofFrance ordered the repayment of all loansto Jews before undertaking the crusade.

Jews in the East learn the rudiments ofmedicine, another important profession, atan early age; when Maimonides’ merchantbrother died at sea, Maimonides took upmedicine to provide for his family. Underthe liberal East, Jewish physicians are ableto serve the highest powers in the land andgain fame and fortune. Contrast this withthe West, where Christians do not in gen-

eral employ the services of Jews, andwhere secular learning among Jews is lesscommon. Instead of physicians with trueunderstanding of medicine, Jewish com-munities rely upon either Christian physi-cians or the folk remedies of the Ba’alShem. As ever, Spain and Provence displaya compromise as Christian kingdomswhere secular learning is valued and whereJewish physicians serve commoner andking alike. But as perpetual outsiders,Jewish doctors are susceptible to suspicionof wrongdoing and it is not unknown foraccusation of poisoning to be made incases where the patient has died.

Because of the wide and varied edu-cation enjoyed by learned Jews, particu-larly with regard to languages, some Jewsmake their living as academics, tutors,poets, and translators. These figures areimportant in larger Jewish communities,and in the courts of the wealthy.

FolkloreThe Jewish people have a well-devel-

oped folklore beyond the confines of reli-gious devotion. Many holy texts, particu-larly the Talmud, contain aggadot, a mix-ture of folklore, legends, and maxims withcultural rather than religious significance.One of the most popular concerns themythical city of Chelm, which is a placereputedly run by fools, who in the face oftrivial problems hit upon ever more fool-ish and outlandish solutions. Many jokesand stories make reference to the “WiseMen of Chelm” and it is an easy task tomake fun of someone by claiming theycome from Chelm.

The Lamed Vav Tzadikim Nistarimare the 36 hidden righteous ones; 36 goodsouls in each generation that are necessaryto sustain the world. And out of these 36,one in each generation has the capacity tobecome a messiah. The Nistarim go abouttheir lives usually unaware of their signifi-cance. But there comes a moment in thelives of each of the Nistarim in which theymust choose to do the right thing. If anychoose the wrong path, then great calami-ty will befall the world. Those suspectedof being Nistarim in their lifetimes areafforded great reverence.

The Yeshivah shel Malah is one ofthe rewards that awaits the righteous andthe worthy. It is a place where the TrueTorah is revealed in all its divine gloryand where the dead can study it under theinstruction of the angel Zagzagel.Legends persist that the Yeshivah shelMalah may be reached by the livingthrough a hidden earthly gateway, per-

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The Jewish Radhanite merchantsfrom southern Iraq are known to begifted with languages and to travelextensively across Mythic Europe andthe East. They are the perfectly placedto trade spices, silks, and other exoticEastern goods with the West inexchange for Western wool, tin, andtimber.

But notoriously, some Radhanitesalso trade in slaves. Much of the Muslimworld permits slavery and theRadhanites, with their far-reaching traderoutes, are able to bring black slavesfrom the Sudan as well as fair-skinnedslaves from the West. These slaves areusually given to the Radhanites byChristian raiders in trade for other goods

and the merchants rarely capture orabduct slaves themselves.

STORY HOOK:

A covenant on the outskirts ofChristendom becomes embroiled in aconflict between a Christian noble andthe unconverted native population.Some of the grogs are captured by thenoble and quickly traded with aRadhanite merchant, destined to be soldinto slavery in the East. The magi mustfind their grogs and free them from theRadhanite. But if they harm the mer-chant they incur the wrath of his patron,a powerful Muslim sorcerer.

The Radhanites


haps a reference to a Celestial regio.Jewish folklore is filled with ghost

stories. But these ghosts are usually con-fined to the cemetery, and it is a commontheme that the conversations of the deadcan be overheard there. Another form ofghost is the ibbur, a spirit, usually divinein nature, that co-inhabits a body so thatits wisdom may be expressed through itshost for a short time. But this is very closeto demonic possession and it is consideredunwise to seek out an ibbur for fear offinding something else. Should a personbe inhabited by an ibbur or demon, all isnot lost. Rabbinic and kabbalistic litera-ture goes into great detail on the exorciz-ing of such spirits and the rules fromChapter Four of this book can be appliedby rabbis, kabbalists, or the Ba’al Shem. Inthis case, recitation of the psalms replacesholy water and the cross as used inChristian exorcism rites.

The figure of Rav Hamnuna Savaappears in the Talmud as a sage or wise man.The character has changed through thecenturies and is now more folklore thanfact, transforming into a faerie. The faerieRav Hamnuna Sava appears as a humbleass-driver claiming to know the secrets ofthe Oral Torah. He offers to share hissecrets, which are of incalculable use tokabbalists, but first puts the prospectivestudents through arduous and humiliatingtrials. Those who show humility and duedeference are rewarded with insights thatthey must keep secret or lose forever.

The Evil Eye, a manifestation of ill-willand jealousy that causes harm to any whofall under its gaze, is a constant fear forordinary Jewish people. The effects aremost often minor and inconvenient but inextreme cases the Evil Eye can cause illnessand death. In truth, the acts are perpetratedby countless demons that act upon straythoughts. Some act upon glances, otherslisten for rash words, while others still hear

silent curses as they cross unguarded minds.But there are still some simple measures thatcan be taken. Door and window frames areoften painted blue to ward against the EvilEye, and amulets and phylacteries achievethe same effect. The demons behind theEvil Eye find these things inimical and theyare usually enough to defend against them.

Any magical or non-magical charm express-ly made by a Ba’al Shem is sufficient to wardagainst the Evil Eye.

There is also a breed of faeries thatemulate the Evil Eye, and most observethe same folk charms that affect demons,represented through the TraditionalWard Flaw (Realms of Power: Faerie, page52). In fact, magi of Jewish descent oftenfind themselves affected by similar wards,represented by the Minor FlawVulnerable to Folk Tradition (see theinsert nearby or Houses of Hermes: Societates,page 107).

Story Hook: A powerful faeriepresence turns the Jewish quarterinto the mythical city of Chelm,where everything is nonsenseand reason is turned upside-down. The community awakes tofind that the cobbled streets havebeen broken up so that the cartsdo not clatter upon the cobbles,the community oven has beenbroken up, its pieces spreadthroughout the city, so that

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The Divine

Minor, HermeticThe magus’s magic is susceptible to

various folk-remedies for averting hos-tile spells. Any target who is aware thatthe magus has just used his magic mayattempt a folk ritual, such as making asign against evil, or spitting, and soforth. This grants the target a MagicResistance equal to (5 x the target’sMagic Lore), or 0 if the target does nothave this Ability, against the magus’smagic only. Furthermore, someone withMagic Lore may be able to devise a man-ner to break a lasting enchantment, such

as sprinkling with salt or lying on an ironbed. This typically requires anIntelligence + Magic Lore roll against anEase Factor of (9 + the spell’s magnitude)or greater.

In the case of Jewish magi, targetsare protected by touching any charmmade expressly for protection againstmagic by a Ba’al Shem or any characterwith the Craft Amulets Ability. Suchcharms provide resistance equal to (5 xthe maker’s Magic Lore). The charmitself does not need to be enchanted ormagical in any way.

New Flaw: Vulnerable to Folk Tradition


everyone may share, and everyRabbi has been sent into a deepsleep so that they might nottransgress the mitzvot that theyconstantly warn against. Thecommunity must find the faeriesresponsible and outwit them in agame of ludicrous logic, forcingthem to move on and so returntheir home to normal.

CharactersWhile some Virtues and Flaws are

forbidden to Jewish characters, this sec-tion presents a new set of Virtues andFlaws that describe Jewish society andmysticism, along with new Abilities thatbuild upon the Holy Methods and Powerspresented in Chapter Three.

VirtuesGiven the restrictions imposed upon

Jews, certain Social Status Virtues are for-bidden for Jewish characters. Both Knightand Landed Noble imply a feudal positionwithin society, which Jews cannot occupy.Neither can they qualify for Magister inArtibus or any other standard scholasticposition, and must take Educated(Hebrew) instead to gain access toAcademic Abilities. Naturally, they are for-bidden from taking Monastic Vows or anyother role within the Christian church, andthe proscription against swearing Oaths ofFealty prevents them from taking positionsin Christian trade and craft guilds. Lastly,given the frequent restrictions or carryingarms and wearing armor that Jews experi-ence they may not take the Warrior Virtue.

ASTROLOGICAL MAGICMinor, SupernaturalSchooled both in astrology and in

kabbalistic mysticism, this Virtue allows

your character to add his Artes Liberalesscore to Kabbalah totals.

BA’AL SHEMFree, SocialYour character is a Ba’al Shem, a mas-

ter of the Divine name, a folk healer andworker of wonders. He is a member of theBa’al Shem Holy Tradition and treatsAdjuration, Blessing, Craft Amulets, andInvocation as favored Abilities.

CRAFT AMULETSMinor, Supernatural AbilityYour character begins with Craft

Amulets 1, a Supernatural Ability that rep-resents his ability to make seggulot, smallobjects imbued with supernatural effectsand harness the power of words and sym-bols (see Abilities).

DREAM INTERPRETATIONMajor, Supernatural AbilityYour character begins with Dream

Interpretation 1, a Supernatural Abilitythat represents his ability to divine thetruth behind prophetic dreams. The valueof dream interpretation is well understoodin Jewish society and, given its Biblicalassociations, it is an accepted form of div-ination. This Ability may be used in placeof Meditation as a Holy Method whenactivating holy powers (see Abilities).

EDUCATED (HEBREW)Minor, GeneralYour character has been educated

in a beit ha-midrash or yeshivah andmay purchase Academic Abilities atcharacter generation. Your charactergains 50 extra experience points to bespent on some or all of the following:Hebrew, Aramaic, Theology: Judaism,and Judaic Lore. Characters from Iberiaor the East may also spend some of thesepoints on Arabic.

GEMATRIAMajor, Supernatural AbilityThis Virtue confers the Supernatural

Ability Gematria 1. It is only available tocharacters with the Education (Hebrew)Virtue. This Ability may be used in placeof Meditation as a Holy Method whenactivating holy powers (see Abilities).

KABBALAHMajor, Supernatural AbilityThis Virtue confers the Supernatural

Ability Kabbalah 1. Is is only available tocharacters with the Education (Hebrew)Virtue. This Ability may be used in placeof Invocation as a Holy Method whenactivating holy powers (see Abilities). Italso gives you the unique ability to con-

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Chapter Two of this book describesCelestial regiones, places where the rawpower of the Divine touches upon Earth.There are two such places that appear inJewish folklore; the Yeshivah shelMalah, and the City of Luz.

YESHIVAH SHEL MALAH

The angel Zagzagel presides over theYeshivah shel Malah, which takes theform of a boundless synagogue made ofblinding white light and burning blackfire. The souls of the learned and the piouscan be found here basking in the knowl-edge emanating from the True Torah.

The living may seek the Yeshivahbut every scholar must find it in his ownway, either through studying from ahundred teachers, selflessly teaching allwho ask, or even simply seeking theanswer to an impossible question. Onlywhen the scholar has proved himselfworthy will the Yeshivah be revealed.

The Yeshivah shel Malah is a singlelayer, level 5 regio.

THE CITY OF LUZ

The Divine City of Luz, with everysurface painted blue, is the city of immor-tality and the Angel of Death is unable toenter its gates. Those within the city walls

age but never die. They suffer theencroaching years but never reach anend, until they leave. All within the cityexist in a state of Divine grace, engaged inacts of adoration, prayer, and study.

The City of Luz can only bereached through an opening in analmond tree, found somewhere in theHoly Land. It is said that Solomon knewof its location through talking with birdsthat had overflown the city. Divinevisions of the tree may be summoned bythe pious, visions that act as a pathwayto the city. It takes a Purity (orMerkavah) + Intervention miraculouseffect of base 35 to summon a pathwayto the city gates, and this first requires aHoly Connection to the city or the tree.

Characters suffering one or moreincapacitating wounds who are taken tothe City of Luz make recovery rolls asnormal (ArM5, page 179), but any rollsof 0 or less impose an Aging Point in anyphysical Characteristic.

The city walls exist within a level 3regio, accessible through the almond tree.Those entering the city proper enter alevel 7 regio, and it is here that they findthemselves immune to death’s grasp.Those within the city can leave at anytime, but if the character has spent anylonger than a year in the city doing soforces an immediate aging roll using thecharacter’s true age and a penalty of –1for every five years of the character’s stay.

Sample Celestial Regiones


struct a golem — a holy creature broughtto life through Divine blessing.

KABBALISTFree, Social StatusThis is a special Mythic Companion

Social Status Virtue and must be taken byall kabbalists. It is compatible with allother Social Status Virtues and Flaws.

MERKAVAHMajor, Supernatural AbilityThis Virtue confers the Supernatural

Ability Merkavah 1. It is only available tocharacters with the Education (Hebrew)Virtue. Merkavah is the knowledge ofkabbalistic prayers, rituals, and invoca-tions designed to purify the soul. ThisAbility may be used in place of Purity as aHoly Method when activating holy pow-ers (see Abilities).

PHILOSOPHIC MAGICMinor, SupernaturalSchooled both in academic philoso-

phy and in kabbalistic mysticism, thisVirtue allows your character to add his

Philosophiae score to Kabbalah totals.

RABBIMinor, Social StatusYour character is an ordained Rabbi,

a teacher and wise man of the Jewish com-munity. He is afforded the respect duefrom all within his community, who lookto him for leadership and guidance. As arabbi, your character is expected to teachstudents, to study and write upon the law,and to pass judgment upon cases broughtbefore the the Jewish court.

The rabbi must take the Educated(Hebrew) Virtue to provide the requiredAcademic Abilities. This Virtue is onlyavailable to male characters.

ROSH BETH DINMajor, Social StatusThe Rosh Beth Din, or Head of the

Court, presides at the Beth Din rabbiniccourt. Your character must be (30 – Int)years old to take this Virtue and havescores of at least 5 in Hebrew, RabbinicLaw, and Theology: Judaism. Your char-acter may purchase Academic Abilities atcharacter generation and gains 50 extraexperience points to be spent on therequired Abilities.

The Rosh Beth Din gains the +2good Reputation Rosh Beth Din, whichapplies across his country. This Virtuealso includes the effects of the SocialContacts Virtue and you are able to findcontacts within any Jewish communitythat supports a yeshivah. This Virtue isonly available to male characters.

SHADCHANMinor, Social StatusThe shadchan is a marriage arranger,

trusted by prospective parents to find thebest matrimonial match for their sons anddaughters. The shadchan will ensure amatch of backgrounds, wealth, education,and character. He is able to do this byforging relationships with all the familiesin the community, and because of this theshadchan should be both honest and agood judge of character. The role of shad-chan is open to both men and women alikeand this Virtue is compatible with anyother Minor or Free Social Status Virtue.

The shadchan receives an extra 50experience points to be spent on socialAbilities and an Area Lore appropriate fortheir community.

SHAMASHFree, Social StatusThe shamash is the servant of the syn-

agogue and responsible for its well-being.He must ensure that the synagogue is cleanand in good repair that it is available for all

the community. He is also responsible forwaking the community early each morningso that they can attend prayers and formaking announcements concerning ser-vices, births, marriages, and deaths.

As a shamash, the character musthave the Educated (Hebrew) Virtue.

SOFERFree, Social StatusThe sofer is the scribe whose role it is

to create a new Sefer Torah, or repair anyfading or damage to an existing scroll, asrequired. The sofer must be educated andable to read and write Hebrew as the actof scribing the Sefer Torah requires knowl-edge and understanding of the text.

As a sofer, the character must havethe Educated (Hebrew) Virtue.

FlawsAll Jewish characters must take a form

of the Outsider Flaw, either the existingMajor Flaw for magi and companions, orthe new Minor version for grogs. TheseOutsider Flaws are compatible with otherJewish Social Status Virtues and Flaws.

THE EVIL EYEMinor, SupernaturalYou character bears the Evil Eye, the

uncontrolled potential to bring harm toothers around her. Characters makingstress rolls in her presence are subject toan additional botch die. Characters mayprotect themselves through the use of anamulet or a ritual, decided upon by thetroupe, which does not need to be magi-cal or supernatural in nature. A magicresistance of 0 or more, including theeffect of the Aegis of the Hearth, is alsosufficient to guard against this effect.

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The Divine

New VirtuesMINOR, GENERAL

Educated (Hebrew)

MAJOR, SOCIAL STATUS

Rosh Beth Din

MINOR, SOCIAL STATUS

RabbiShadchan

FREE, SOCIAL STATUS

Ba’al ShemKabbalistShamashSofer

MAJOR, SUPERNATURAL

Dream InterpretationGematriaKabbalahMerkavah

MINOR, SUPERNATURAL

Astrological MagicCraft AmuletsPhilosophic Magic

New FlawsMAJOR, HERMETIC

Karaite Magic

MINOR, SOCIAL STATUS

GabaiOutsider

MAJOR, STORY

Tzadik Nistar

MINOR, SUPERNATURAL

Evil Eye


GABAIMinor, Social StausAppointed by the community coun-

cil, the gabai is the local tax collector. It ishis responsibility to ensure that Jewishtaxes, payable to the community on suchthings as wine and meat, are collectedfrom all adult males.

The gabai has a –2 negativeReputation of “Tax Collector” in your hiscommunity. This Flaw is compatible withany other Free Social Status Virtue.

KARAITE MAGICMajor, HermeticIn order for your character’s magic to

conform to scripture, all of his magic,including spells, enchantments, andlongevity rituals, must be designed withHoly Magic instead of Magic Theory.Because of the strong restrictions imposedupon his magic by his faith, he cannot seekor accept magical or mundane healing froma non-Karaite source, nor can he accept anyother magical effect from a non-Karaite.

Karaites are also restricted from prac-ticing divination, astrology, and the sum-moning or use of spirits, particularlyghosts. There is nothing within their

Holy Magic that prevents them fromlearning such spells, but casting them ren-ders the caster unclean. Similarly, allow-ing non-Karaite magic to be cast uponthem also renders the Karaite target ritu-ally unclean and their Holy Magic is atrisk of failing until they are able to ritual-ly cleanse and purify themselves.

OUTSIDERMinor, Social StatusYour character belongs to a group that

is readily identifiable and distrusted or dis-liked by most Europeans, such as theSaracens, Jews, or Moors. However, yourcharacter lives in a part of the world wherepeople of their culture are more common,such as the Holy Land, or Iberia, or in aninsulated or isolated community where hisdifferences are tolerated and even accepted,such as a large city ghetto or a covenant, sothis Flaw rarely affects him as badly as itwould in other places. Your character has abad Reputation of level 1 to 3 (dependingupon how easy it is to identify him) amongthe dominant culture in their region, andpeople from outside of their sheltered com-munity may shun him, persecute themhimor threaten his life and freedom when he

must interact with them. There is no wayfor your character to lose this Flaw.

This Flaw is usually only appropriatefor grogs; companions and magi shouldtake the Major Flaw instead.

TZADIK NISTARMajor, StoryYour character is one of the Tzadikim

Nistarim, one of the 36 hidden righteousupon which the continuation of the worldrelies. She is destined to face a moment ofmoral decision, where she and the worldthrough her will be tested. This momentcould be small and personal, or it require avery public act. The result of failing in hertest has immediate consequences definedby the storyguide. The Dominion may fallin her community or in the place of hermoral failure; the Infernal may claim a newsoul; or a whole region may face severehardship until she puts right her failure.She may suspect that she has been chosenas one of the 36, but she does not know inadvance what her personal test will be,though it may be discovered by consultingwith prophets and learned men.

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Realms of Power

Shape and Material BonusesCharacters using the Craft Amulets

Ability may use the following bonuseswhen enchanting amulets. Others mayalso be used with the troupe’s agreement.Herbs and vegetables can only be used inthe crafting of Minor Amulets, whileminerals and gemstones can also be usedin Major Amulets. The total bonus pro-vided by shapes or materials is limited tothe character’s Craft Amulets Score.

Agate: +2 surefootedness (including rid-ing)

Amethyst: +3 evil spiritsAsparagus: +2 heart or eyesBeryl: +1 aid digestionBitter Vetch: +2 bowelsBlack Cumin: +2 ease chest painCarbuncle: +3 longevity and agingCucumbers: +2 for laxative effectsDates: +2 treatment of hemorrhoids

and constipationEmerald: +3 granting courageLentils: +2 prevent croupGarlic: +2 improve vitality, +3 kill

internal parasitesGold: +1 divination, +2 medicine,

+3 justiceJasper: +3 temperanceMilt: +2 healthy teethOnyx: +1 charm

Radishes: +2 aid digestionRuby: +1 fertilitySapphire: +1 medicine, +2 eyesSilver: +1 purity, +3 protection against

spiritsTopaz: +2 alleviate fever, +1 love

potions

The crafting of amulets has been inpractice for thousands of years, duringwhich time combinations of shape, mate-rial, and ritual have been discovered thatprovide additional bonuses:

Copper amulets inscribed with the nameof a person and buried at the four com-pass points surrounding the caster pro-vide a bonus of +10 to discover thewhereabouts of that person.

Copper plates worn inside the shoesprovide a bonus of +10 to effects thatward against wild animals.

Forming the amulet from a coin pro-vides an additional +1 bonus.

Pottery bowls inverted and buriedbeneath doors provide a bonus of +10to effects that ward the room or build-ing against non-Divine spirits.

A seal of wax or metal can be used torestrict an effect to or exclude the effectfrom the group of people it represents.

Restricting the effect provides a bonusof +5 to the Craft Amulets total.Common examples are House, city,covenant, or faith. A seal can be createdbearing the name of an individual,which restricts the effect to just thatindividual.

Terafim are small pottery figurines com-monly used in both divination andwitchcraft. The use of a terafim toexpress an Understanding or Cursingeffect provides a bonus of +5.

The Star of David provides a +5 bonusto protection.

Amulets specifying how they areworn or buried are active only when usedaccording to the specified ritual.

Colors are important in Jewish mys-ticism and also contribute to shape andmaterial bonuses.

Black: +1 loss, +2 mourningBlue: +1 good fortune, +2 protection

from evilGreen: +1 beautyPurple: +1 love or kindnessRed: +1 the Infernal, +2 fearWhite: +1 compassion, +2 purity,

+3 holines


AbilitiesThe following new abilities are

appropriate for Jewish characters.

CRAFT AMULETSThe Ba’al Shem tradition of Jewish

folk magicians uses the Craft AmuletsAbility in combination with their HolyMethods and Powers to aid and protectindividuals and places.

All amulets are created with a Touchrange and the new Worn duration, whichis equivalent to Sun. The target may beIndividual, Room, Structure, or Boundary.In the case of targets other thanIndividual, the amulet is considered Wornwhile it is in contact with or buriedbeneath the target. The Boundary targetwould normally imply a ritual but in thecase of amulets, this instead adds a further20 to the effect level. The Worn durationlasts until either the amulet is broken or isremoved from the target.

Two types of amulet may be created,Minor and Major. Minor amulets aredesigned for a specific Individual targetand take (12 – Craft Amulets to a mini-mum of 1) hours to create. The crafter’sCraft Amulets Total must be at least dou-ble the target level of effect. They usuallylast a matter of days or weeks, determinedby the quality of their construction.

Major amulets take a season or moreto create. Once the level of effect has beendetermined, the craftsman must spend con-secutive seasons working on the amulet.For each point by which the Craft AmuletsTotal exceeds the level of effect the crafteraccumulates one point until the target levelhas been reached. The craftsman can workon only one Major Amulet in a season.

CRAFT MINOR AMULET TOTAL:Dexterity + Craft Amulets + Shape andMaterial Bonus + Dominion Aura Bonus

CRAFT MAJOR AMULET TOTAL: Dexterity + Craft Amulets + Holy

Method + Holy Power + Shape andMaterial Bonus + Dominion Aura Bonus

If using the rules from City & Guild,amulets typically have 1 Damage Level butnon-perishable components may be reused.

Amulets have a penetration of 0 butthey can contain Holy or ArcaneConnections to a given target, treating thebase multiplier as the new penetrationscore, as well as sympathetic connections,which modify the base penetration as nor-mal. The effects of both Minor and MajorAmulets can also have penetrationdesigned into the effect at a cost of one

level for two points of penetration. This isin addition to penetration gained througharcane and sympathetic connections, and isnot modified by sympathetic connections.

Specialties: Specific Holy Methodsor Powers, particular shapes or materials(Supernatural)

DREAM INTERPRETATIONJewish lore understands dreams, such

as those experienced by the biblical Davidand Joseph, to be one of the chief vehiclesthrough which God and the angels bestowvisions and prophecies upon humanity.

The Dream Interpretation Ability hastwo uses. The first is a form of Meditation,as per the Holy Power, used in combina-tion with Holy Methods. In this case thecharacter must engage in ritual prayer foran hour before spending a full night in rest-ful sleep. Upon waking he must spend (6 –Dream Interpretation to a minimum of 1)hours contemplating the imagery revealedto him in his dream. At the end of that timeyou roll for the miraculous effect as normal.

The second use is a form of directdivination. In this case he is interpretinghis own dreams or the dreams of others tofind answers to posed questions. Thedreamer must be prepared, as per the nor-mal use of the Dream InterpretationAbility, and upon waking he again spends(6 – Dream Interpretation, to a minimumof 1) hours contemplating the imagery.He may then make an Intelligence +Dream Interpretation roll. Characterswith the Premonitions Ability gain abonus equal to their Premonitions score.

The Ease Factor is the level of theequivalent Momentary non-ritual IntellegoHermetic spell. Holding an arcane connec-tion to a target is treated as Touch rangeand the Boundary target does not require aritual. The usual rules for penetration inArM5, page 184 apply to this Ability.

Most who possess the DreamInterpretation Ability have specific ritualsthat they believe helps them to achieveinsight. Some fast before sleeping, somewear ritual clothes while they sleep, whileothers sleep in graveyards in order to gainthe assistance of ghosts.

Specialties: Any appropriate HolyPower, own dreams or the dreams of oth-ers, dreams had under specific circum-stances (Supernatural)

Exempli Gratia: Elizabeth confidesin Ba’al Shem Aron that her hus-band is keeping secrets from herand she is worried for him. Arontells her to pray for an hourbefore sundown, sleep with herhusband’s prayer shawl underher pillow, and then bring it to

him. The next day he listens asElizabeth describe her dreams.With an Intelligence of 2, aDream Interpretation of 5including a specialty in “mar-riage,” a roll of 6, and the Divineaura of 3, Aron manages a totalof 16. The Ease Factor is as perthe Intellego Mentem spellPerception of the Conflicting Motives,or 15. After an hour of consider-ation, Aron decides thatElizabeth’s husband is worriedhe cannot afford their son’s con-tinued tuition, and Elizabethresolves to counsel her husband.

GEMATRIAGematria is a Jewish form of the

Meditation Divine Method and can beused in the same way. The kabbalist mustspend a number of hours equal to (12 –Gematria score), to a minimum of 1,studying a text. At the end of this time, heuses the lower of either his Gematria scoreor the book’s Quality in place of hisMeditation when activating holy powers.

Gematria also allows the kabbalist topotentially extend his natural lifespanthrough the art of Shinnui Shem, or thechange of his True Name (see the JewishMysticism section later).

Specialties: Shinnui Shem, specifictexts or Holy Power (Supernatural)

JUDAIC LOREJudaic Lore is the knowledge of

Jewish cultural practice as opposed tostrictly religious details. This includespoetry, folklore, songs, and so on. AllJewish characters are versed in Judaic Loreto some degree and experience points inthis Ability at character creation can bepart of their childhood abilities.

Specialties: folklore, music, poetry, songs

KABBALAHKabbalah is the Jewish form of the

Invocation Divine Method and can beused in the same way. In addition, it is themystical understanding of the Divineforces of creation and provides the knowl-edge through which the Kabbalist forms

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New AbilitiesSUPERNATURAL

Craft AmuletsDream InterpretationGematriaKabbalahMerkavah


and brings life to a golem (see the JewishMysticism section later).

Specialties: golems, specific HolyPower (Supernatural)

MERKAVAHMerkavah is the Jewish form of the

Purity Divine Method and can be used inthe same way. In addition it is the study ofthe orders and names of angels and demonsand other creatures of both the Magic andFaerie Realms. Kabbalists use Merkavah tolearn the True Names of these entities,which they may further use in their work(see the Jewish Mysticism section later).

Specialties: Specific realm or HolyPower (Supernatural)

RABBINICAL LAWThis is the Jewish version of Civil &

Canon Law. The major sources ofRabbinic Law are the Talmud, the OralTorah, and the responsa of the Geonim.

Specialties: any one of the sources ofRabbinic Law, dietary laws, particular top-ics, precedents of a given area (Academic)

THEOLOGY: JUDAISMThis is the Jewish equivalent of

Christian Theology. The major sourcesfor Jewish theology are the Torah, theNevi’im, and the Ketuvim.

Specialties: the Torah, creation, his-tory, prophecies (Academic)

TraditionsThe following divine traditions are

found among the Jews.

HOLY TRADITION: BA’AL SHEMFavored Abilities: Adjuration,

Blessing, Craft Amulets, and InvocationThere is little distinction between

faith, mysticism, and magic within Jewishlife, and the Ba’al Shem exemplify this.They are itinerant workers of Divinemagic, folk healers who serve their com-munities with the use of practical cures andcharms. Often craftsmen with little use forphilosophy or ceremony, the Ba’al Shemmake amulets, or seggulot, and deliverblessings for their clients in return for pay-ment. They are masters of amulet crafting,and this is the chief method by which theywork their magic in the community.

The name Ba’al Shem means “masterof the Divine name,” which referencestheir invocation of astral powers, particu-larly the true names of the angels. Theyare seen as workers of wonders withintheir communities and, though often poorand relatively uneducated, are affordedrespect at least by those they serve.However, their practices may appear per-ilously close to witchcraft to those whodo not know them. This is a case nothelped by the countless angelic namesthat they invoke, many unknown to thosewho do not practice the art of the Ba’alShem, and the many and varied ingredi-ents used in their amulets.

Their crafts are passed apprentice-like, usually from father to son, and sothere is little organization within this tradi-tion. Their favored Abilities are usuallytaught or practiced in the manner of craftsand rarely studied from books. The favoredAbilities are common to all Ba’al Shem butInitiations are known that grant access toadditional Holy Methods and Powers.

HOLY SOCIETATES: KARAITESFavored Abilities: Craft Amulets,

Holy Magic, Merkavah, TranscendenceRequired Flaws: Karaite Magic,

Outsider (Major, Jew)Given their strict interpretations of

scripture, Gifted Karaites can becomemembers of the Order so long as theirmagic is based wholly upon God’s will, asrepresented by the Holy Magic Virtueand Ability (see Chapter Three). WhileHoly Magic imposes its own restrictions,Karaite magi work their magic under theirown scriptural restrictions, conditionsthat have become ingrained in the KaraiteMagic Flaw, which forbids divination,astrology, and the summoning or use ofspirits, particularly ghosts.

A Karaite lineage can be found with-in House Ex Miscellanea where HolyMagic is the Major Non-Hermetic Virtue,Craft Amulets taken as the MinorHermetic Virtue, and Karaite Magic as theMajor Hermetic Flaw. But as the Karaitesect does not seek converts, ensuringinstead that the Karaite way is propagatedthrough their children, Hermetic Karaitescan only take Gifted apprentices fromwithin their own religion. This makes thelineage perilously small and vulnerable.

Karaite magi are most likely to befound in Jerusalem or in Muslim Iberiaand are rare outside of these areas.

MYTHIC COMPANION: KABBALISTFavored Abilities: Ceremony,

Gematria, Kabbalah, MerkavahKabbalists are the result of centuries

of theological insight into the forces of

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The Circle of theUnique Cherub

The Circle of the Unique Cherubis a small school of Jewish mystics andphilosophers, numbering no more thana dozen, based in Provence and theRhine. Membership of the circle is byinvitation and its existence is not wide-ly known. With the Sefer Yetzirah astheir foundation text, they seek tounderstand creation through mysticalanalogies, which leads some to con-centrate on Dominion Lore, while oth-ers have become proficient with themysteries of the Kabbalah. In particu-lar, the Circle is well-practiced withthe creation of golems, of which thereare currently three.

Jewish culture has a strong philo-sophic tradition with a great manyscholars through the ages. As a result,these scholars are often drawn to the lifeof a learned magician or to elementalmagic (see Hedge Magic: Revised Edition)especially in Muslim-controlled Spain orthe East. But these Jewish magicians area relatively new phenomenon and stillrare. Those not exposed to, or distrustfulof, magic can make full use of the arts ofNatural Philosophy (Art & Academe,Chapter 5).

THE BA’AL OV

Another tradition that can befound within Jewish communities is the

Ba’al Ov, necromantic practitioners ofsummoning magic. The Ba’al Ov do notsimply converse with spirits as thosewith Merkavah do, but bring them intotheir presence and command them todo their bidding.

The Ba’al Ov, also sometimes calledMeonen or Sho’elim ‘ov, use theSummoning, Commanding, and BindingGoetic Arts as presented in Realms ofPower: The Infernal, pages 114–119. Thisparticular tradition of summoners forcesincorporeal spirits to manifest notthrough simple circles but throughobjects and even participants in the ritual.Corpses and skulls are commonly used,both to receive the temporarily sum-moned spirit and as permanent recepta-cles for the Binding power.

Other Magical Traditions


creation, insights that they draw upon toview and influence the world aroundthem. The foundation of their studies isthe Sefer Yetzirah and the Sefirot describedwithin (see Jewish Mysticism later).

Jewish communities are frequentlysmall, so it is not uncommon for a kabbal-ist to find himself isolated and workingalone. However, the majority of kabbalistscan be found in large cities within the larg-er Jewish communities, where they canwork together, sharing resources, teachingeach other, and crucially drawing upon theadditional power of Ceremony. Thesekabbalistic communities are also able toInitiate their members into the variousHoly Powers needed to complement theirfavored Holy Methods. See The Mysteries:Revised Edition for rules on Initiation.

Required Virtues and Flaws: Thekabbalist must take the Free KabbalistMythic Companion Virtue to representhis calling. And all kabbalists must takeVirtues for least one of their favored HolyMethods and two Holy Powers in additionto Educated (Hebrew). This leaves thekabbalist with 10 points of Virtues remain-ing. Note that to balance the character’sVirtues and Flaws at this stage, the charac-ter must take at least 5 points of Flaws.

The character must also take theOutsider (Major, Jew) Flaw and a furtherSocial Status Virtue to represent his posi-tion within the community.

Minimum Ability Scores: The kab-balist must start with the following mini-mum Ability scores:

Artes Liberales 1Dominion Lore 1Hebrew 4Judaic Lore 1Theology: Judaism 3Rabbinical Law 1

Grog TemplatesJewish grogs must take the Outsider

Minor Flaw, which means that they mustlive in either a Jewish community, often aJewish quarter of a city, or a covenant. AJew living outside of such communities istoo much a focus of attention to be abackground character, which precludeshim from being a grog.

SHADCHAN

Characteristics: Int 0, Per +2, Pre +1, Com+2, Str 0, Sta 0, Dex 0, Qik 0

Size: 0Age: 30 (30)

Warping Score: 0 (0)Virtues and Flaws: Shadchan; Clear

Thinker, Educated (Hebrew); Clumsy,Meddler (Minor), Outsider (Minor, Jew)

Personality Traits: Friendly +2, Direct +1,Respectful +1

Reputations: Jew 2 (Christians)Combat: Dodge: Init 0, Attack N/A, Defense 0,

Damage N/AFist: Init 0, Attack 0, Defense 0, Damage 0

Bludgeon: Init –1, Attack +2, Defense 0,Damage +2

Soak: 0Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5,

Unconscious Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5

(11–15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead(21+)

Abilities: Area Lore 4 (personalities), ArtesLiberales 1 (grammar), Awareness 2(alertness), Bargain 4 (ketuvot), Carouse 2(games of chance), Charm 2 (first impres-sions), Concentration 2 (ceremonies),Etiquette 3 (marriage arrangements), FolkKen 5 (prospective husbands), LocalLanguage 5 (poetry), Guile 2 (hiding badnews), Hebrew 5 (poetry), Judaic Lore 4(songs), Rabbinical Law 3 (marriage laws),Profession: Shadchan 4 (remarrying wid-ows), Theology: Judaism 3 (marriage)

Equipment: Jewish clothing.Notes: The shadchan lives and works in a

Jewish community within a city, butmust often travel to other communitiesin order to find matches. The abilityscores above include the experiencepoints awarded from the Educated andShadchan Virtues.

Story Hook: A Jewish magus mustfind a wife for his apprenticebefore he reaches the age of 18and so he turns to a wise oldshadchan for help. The shad-chan agrees to help and promis-es to return before the year is upwith four prospective brides,each suitable for marriage with alearned magus of the Order,whereupon they shall live withthe magus and his apprentice fora season. When the shadchanreturns, the magus is indeed pre-sented with four beautifulwomen, each with their ownsupernatural gifts and each froma different supernatural realm.The magus must choose betweenthem, or at least root out theInfernal threat before his appren-tice has chance to fall for her.

SOFER

Characteristics: Int +1, Per 0, Pre 0, Com+2, Str 0, Sta 0, Dex +2, Qik 0

Size: 0Age: 25 (25)Warping Score: 0 (0)Virtues and Flaws: Sofer; Educated

(Hebrew), Gossip, Puissant Scribe; Gabai;The Evil Eye, Outsider (Minor, Jew),

Personality Traits: Inquisitive +2,Dedicated +1

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The Tree of LifeLEVEL NAME MEANING10 Keter Crown9 Chochmah Wisdom8 Binah Insight7 Chessed Love6 Gevurah Power5 Tiferet Beauty4 Netzach Endurance3 Hod Splendor2 Yesod Foundation1 Malchut Kingdom


Reputations: Jew 2 (Christians), Tax Collector2 (York Jews), Gossip 1 (York Jews)

Combat: Dodge: Init +0, Attack N/A, Defense +1,

Damage N/AFist: Init +0, Attack +4, Defense +2, Damage

+0Bludgeon: Init –1, Attack +5, Defense +1,

Damage +2Soak: 0Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5,



Abilities: Aramaic 3 (written), Area Lore 2(collecting taxes), Art of Memory 3(Torah), Artes Liberales 3 (grammar),Awareness 2 (in his workshop),Bookbinding 2 (preparing Torah scrolls),Brawl 1 (fist), Carouse 1 (games ofchance), Charm 2 (apologizing),Concentration 3 (scribing), LocalLanguage 5 (storytelling), Hebrew 4(written), Illumination 3 (Sefer Torah),Judaic Lore 3 (poetry), Percamenarius 3(Sefer Torah), Scribe 4 (Sefer Torah),Theology: Judaism 2 (scripture)

Equipment: Scribe’s tools, tax ledgers andaccounts

Notes: Unfortunately, this sofer’s ability as ascribe is often overlooked in favor of hisroles as community tax collector andlocal gossip. And because of this, mostpeople think, correctly, that he must bearthe evil eye. So if anything goes wrong,he’s bound to get the blame. The Sofer’smultiple Social Statuses are compatible.

Companion TemplatesJewish companions must take the

Outsider Major Flaw, to represent theprejudice they experience as they live,travel, and work outside of both Jewishcommunities and the covenant.

BA’AL SHEM

Characteristics: Int 0, Per 0, Pre +1, Com+2, Str 0, Sta 0, Dex +2, Qik 0

Size: 0Age: 26 (26)Warping Score: 0 (0)Confidence: 1 (3)Virtues and Flaws: Ba’al Shem;Adjuration,

Blessing, Invocation; Craft Amulets;Magical Air, Outsider (Major, Jew),Supernatural Nuisance (faeries of theroad); Carefree

Personality Traits: Cheerful +3, Helpful +1,Honest +1

Reputations: Jew 2 (Christians)Combat: Dodge: Init +0, Attack N/A, Defense +1,






Abilities: Adjuration 3 (assisting Jews), AreaLore: Home County 2 (roads), Athletics 1(running), Blessing 3 (houses), Brawl 1(bludgeon), Carouse 2 (games of chance),Charm 2 (first impressions), Chirurgy 3(setting bones), Craft Amulets 4(Adjuration), Folk Ken 3 (townsfolk),Local Language 5 (storytelling), Hebrew4 (talking with rabbis), Invocation 3(Blessing), Judaic Lore 2 (folklore),Penetration 1 (Adjuration), Theology:Judaism 1 (folklore), Tinker 4 (pans)

Equipment: Tinker’s tools, handcart, Jewishhat, weather-beaten traveling cloak witha Jewish symbol emblazoned upon it.

Notes: This Ba’al Shem travels from commu-nity to community around Bremenworking his wonders for pay and thebenefit of his people. He is frequentlyon the road and tries not to look tooharshly on those gentiles who mock himas he passes. The faeries, on the otherhand, are a trial that he just can’t stand.

KABBALIST

Characteristics: Int +2, Per 0, Pre 0, Com+2, Str 0, Sta +1, Dex 0, Qik 0

Size: 0Age: 32 (32)Warping Score: 0 (0)Confidence: 1 (3)Virtues and Flaws: Kabbalist, Rabbi;

Gematria, Kabbalah, Understanding,Wonders; Ceremony, PhilosophicMagic, Clear Thinker, Good Teacher,Puissant Kabbalah, Social Contacts(Kabbalists), Educated (Hebrew);Outsider (Major, Jew), Driven (Major,Obtain kabbalistic secrets), Feud (Karaitekabbalists); Fragile Constitution

Personality Traits: Inquisitive +2, Humble+1, Persistent +1

Reputations: Jew 2 (Christians)Combat: Dodge: Init +0, Attack N/A, Defense +0,



Damage +2Soak: +1Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5,



Abilities: Aramaic 4 (scripture), ArtesLiberales 2 (rhetoric), Ceremony 1(Kabbalah), Civil & Canon Law 2 (asaffects Jews), Dominion Lore 2 (angels),Finesse 1 (Wonders), Gematria 4(Understanding), Hebrew 5 (Torah read-ings), Judaic Lore 2 (folklore), Kabbalah4 +2 (Wonders), Leadership 2 (incourt), Local Language 5 (storytelling),Penetration 2 (Wonders), Philosophiae1 (natural philosophy), Rabbinical Law4 (property), Teaching 3 (Talmud),Theology: Judaism 2 (Halakha),Understanding 4 (concerning Jews),Wonders 4 (golems)

Equipment: Hebrew books, rabbinicalrobes, Jewish hat, outer clothes withJewish badge emblazoned upon them

Notes: As a rabbi, he must tend to the earth-ly concerns of his community, but as akabbalist there are Divine truths that hestrives to understand. These dual inter-ests can sometimes conflict and the kab-balist must work hard to ensure that hedoes not become so absorbed by mysti-cal ephemera that he ignores his obliga-tions. The kabbalist has been created asa Mythic Companion.

RADHANITE MERCHANT

Characteristics: Int +1, Per +2, Pre 0, Com+2, Str 0, Sta 0, Dex 0, Qik 0

Size: 0Age: 40 (40)Warping Score: 0 (0)Confidence: 1 (3)Virtues and Flaws: Merchant; Wealthy;

Educated (Hebrew), Protection,Puissant Merchant, Social Contacts,Well-Traveled; Enemies (Christian mer-chants), Outsider (Major, Jew); Greedy(Minor), Obese

Personality Traits: Greedy +2, Ruthless +1,Fair –1

Reputations: Jew 3 (Christians), Protectedby Muqta’ of Baghdad 3 (Merchants)

Combat: Dodge: Init +0, Attack N/A, Defense +0,


+0Knife: Init +0, Attack +1, Defense +0,


Unconscious

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Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5(11–15), Incapacitated (16–20), Dead(21+)

Abilities: Arabic 5 (mercantile matters),Mediterranean Lore 4 (personalities),Artes Liberales 3 (arithmetic), Bargain 4(silk), Carouse 3 (power drinking),Charm 4 (being witty), Common Law 2(exchequer law), Etiquette 3 (merchantsociety), Folk Ken 4 (merchants), French4 (mercantile matters), Guile 4 (lyingabout weights and measures), Hebrew 5(prayers and blessings), Intrigue 3 (themuqta’s enemies), Italian 4 (mercantilematters), Judaic Lore 2 (poetry), Latin 2(academic usage), Leadership 3 (intimi-dation), Merchant 5 +2 (silk), Persian 5(mercantile matters), Philosophiae 1(moral philosophy), Slavic 1 (mercantilematters), Spanish 4 (mercantile matters),Theology: Judaism 2 (mitzvot)

Equipment: Letters of credit, pouches ofmoney, bodyguards, outer clothes witha Jewish badge emblazoned upon them

Notes: The Radhanite merchant is a wealthyman in his own right, but serves onericher and more powerful still.

Story Hook: In searching for anapprentice, the magus discoversa Gifted child in the heart of theJewish community. Does thecommunity allow the child to betaken? What assurances can themagus make as to his religiouswell-being? If the magus takeshim without consent, how doesthe community respond?

JewishMysticism

Ten are the numbers of the inef-fable sephirot, ten and not nine,ten and not eleven. Learn thiswisdom, and be wise to theunderstanding of it, investigatethese numbers and draw knowl-edge from them, fix the designin its purity and pass from it toits Creator seated on his throne.

Sefer Yetzirah

Kabbalah is the Jewish occult tradi-tion that arose in Iberia and southernFrance at the beginning of the twelfthcentury, although its roots are in both ear-

lier theurgistic practices and in the currentexpansion of Jewish philosophy and acad-emia. Kabbalah is properly the study ofthe Sefirot, or emanations, discussed later,but the term has been expanded to coverall forms of Jewish mysticism.

The aim of Kabbalah is to bringworldly change by the study and practice ofDivine principles as manifest on earth.While its study is academic, the power orig-inates from the Divine and is intrinsicallytied to Jewish theology and philosophy.

Kabbalistic tradition has three chiefmeans of altering the world, each repre-sented by a distinct occult practice. Thefirst is by the speculative textual interpre-tation and manipulation of holy texts. Thesecond is through practical philosophicalinquiry into the nature of the world and itscreative forces. The final element is directcommunication with Divine entities andthe experience of direct revelation.

GematriaFrom the Greek for “calculations,”

Gematria is a method of divination thatreveals messages and meanings hiddenwithin the Torah. Each character of theHebrew alphabet has a numeric value,which means that words also have valuesdetermined by their constituent charac-ters. By manipulating these values accord-ing to prescribed techniques it is possibleto derive relationships between words,which in turn revelation their underlyingoccult meanings. The Sefer Yetzirah teachesthat numbers are the fundamental matterthat God used to construct the universe,which means that the relationshipsbetween words and passages in the Bibleare neither accidental nor coincidental.

There are many ways of manipulat-ing texts in order to gain numeric valuesfrom them and many ways of assigningvalues to specific characters and words. Aspractitioners of Gematria progress theylearn ever more complex ways of inter-preting the same passages. It is this thatallows repeated study and interpretationof the Torah. The application of Gematriato other texts also provides insight, butthe conclusions cannot be trusted as onlythe Torah is the direct unchanged word ofGod in written form. Using other booksrequires a stress die. Books on Arts orAccelerated Abilities cannot be used.

SHINNUI SHEM

Kabbalists have found a way to fore-stall death and increase their natural lifes-

pan by the practice of Shinnui Shem. It issaid that if a man changes his name thenthe angel of death cannot find him and socannot carry him away. By using Gematriathe kabbalist finds secret connectionsbetween his name and the circumstances ofhis birth and names or teachings within theTanakh and so reveal his own true name.Over the course of a season he uses theseconnections to change his true name, againbased on numerological interpretation ofbiblical texts or those on Dominion Lore.This has two effects. Firstly, any currentarcane connections to the individual aresevered. Secondly, the kabbalist gains abonus to future Aging Rolls.

BONUS TO AGING ROLL: (Simple Die + Intelligence + Gematria

+ Understanding + Book Quality + Dominion Aura) / 5

The protection against aging endswhen the character next gains an AgingPoint. A character may only be renamedonce by Shinnui Shem, but the kabbalistmay perform the rites of Shinnui Shem forothers. The bonus to Aging Rolls resultingfrom Shinnui Shem is not cumulative withother supernatural bonuses, includingthose from Hermetic longevity rituals.

KabbalahMore properly termed kabbalah

shimmush, or practical kabbalah, this is apragmatic application of the forces of cre-ation. It is this branch of mysticism that isrelatively new, being born of recent philo-sophical and theological study. Kabbalahis a ritualistic practice, and by researching,learning, and performing divine rites thekabbalist influences creation, drawing itinto alignment with his will.

The chief text of Kabbalah is the SeferYetzirah, which describes how God createdthe universe from numbers, writing, andspeech. If these are the tools which mustbe used, then the ten Sefirot, or emana-tions, described by the same text provideinstruction in how to wield those tools.

The Sefirot are most often represent-ed in visual form, interconnected by 22pathways aligned to the 22 characters ofthe Hebrew alphabet. This arrangement iscalled the Etz Chayim, The Tree of Life,with its roots towards heaven and thetrunk and branches emanating towards theEarth. Students and practitioners of theKabbalah chart their understandingthrough this depiction of the Sefirot, start-ing with Malchut and ending with Keter.As a character increases his Kabbalah

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Ability score, he can be said to haveachieved understanding of a new Sefirah,so a kabbalist with a score of 5 in Kabbalahhas achieved the understanding of tiferetand those with a score of 10 or moreachieve understanding of Keter. But theSefirot described in the Sefer Yetzirah repre-sent only the knowable aspects of cre-ation, the counterparts to the ein sof, or theinfinite and unknowable. Hubristic kabbal-ists may strive for the ein sof but they aremore likely to be led into temptation.

GolemsWhile Kabbalah is used by Jewish

practitioners in place of the InvocationHoly Method, the pinnacle of kabbalisticachievement is the creation of the golem,unliving clay brought to life by Divineenergies directed by the kabbalist. Golemscan be formed into the shape of any livingcreature and when God breathes life intothem they become natural examples oftheir kind. The most important golems arethose formed into the shape of men, forthese act as protectors of a community.Although that community is usuallyJewish, the Book of Jeremiah tells the Jewishpeople to seek the well-being of any placein which they live, and the use of a golemto protect that place is entirely in keepingwith that injunction.

CREATING GOLEMS

The creation of a golem takes severalseasons and requires the dedicated atten-tion of one or more kabbalists. During thefirst season the body of the golem is formedfrom clay, including earth from beneath asynagogue, which is then inscribed withastrological and holy symbols.

The second and subsequent seasonsare spent awakening the lifeless formthrough generating an Awaken GolemTotal. For each point by which the totalexceeds the Ease Factor, the kabbalistaccumulates one point towards thegolem’s Might Score. The kabbalist maychoose to extend the ritual for additionalconsecutive seasons, carrying any accu-mulated points forward. A Stress Die isrolled in the final season and added to thetotal. The golem’s Might is capped at 5times the lead kabbalist’s Kabbalah score.

Given the difficulty of this task, kab-balists with the Ceremony Ability usuallylead others in awakening the golem, gain-ing a Ceremony bonus equal to theirIntelligence + Kabbalah scores.

AWAKEN GOLEM TOTAL: Intelligence + Kabbalah + Wonders

+ Ceremony Bonus + Dominion Aura

AWAKEN GOLEM EASE FACTOR: 30

GOLEM’S DIVINE MIGHT: AccumulatedPoints + Stress Die

MIGHT CAP: Kabbalah x 5

Botch dice on the Awaken Golemroll are equal to the number of kabbaliststaking part in the work.

At the culmination of the final sea-son, an awakening ceremony is conduct-ed, during which the golem is entreated toprotect a given community. As a rule ofthumb, any community marked out by aboundary can be specified. A temporaryeruv is commonly put in place to definethe boundary. A community can only be

protected by one living golem at a time.Attempting to create a second golem toprotect a named community automatical-ly causes each kabbalist involved to suffera Minor Tragedy of Hubris and the ritesto awaken the golem fail.

The awakened golem ceases to be athing of clay and becomes living breath-ing flesh, affected by spells and powersthat affect the body and mind. The golemhas the capacity to learn but cannot itselfstudy or practice; it must be activelytaught by a teacher, which means that it isincapable of gaining exposure experience.Golems are revered members of the com-munity and are supported by them, whichaffords them four full seasons each year inwhich to learn. Unless ordered into tor-por, as described below, the golem musteat, drink, breathe, and sleep as any otherman. A golem is also capable of taking awife and fathering children, thoughwhether the kabbalist, the communityshadchan, or the prospective wife woulddeem this appropriate is questionable.

EMPOWERING GOLEMS

The kabbalist may empower thegolem by giving them Divine powers.This need not be done immediately andthe required rituals can be performedduring any season after the golem hasbeen awakened.

With access to the golem through-out, the kabbalist spends one or more sea-sons designing the powers they wish thegolem to express. These effects aredesigned using the guidelines for HolyMethods and Powers, including those thatthe kabbalist cannot personally use. Allpowers treat the golem as the caster.

At the end of the season, the kabbalistgenerates an Empower Golem Total basedon Kabbalah and Wonders. A Ceremonybonus is included where appropriate.

EMPOWER GOLEM TOTAL: Intelligence + Kabbalah + Wonders


The Empower Golem Total mustexceed the power’s target level. Each sea-son, for every point by which the totalexceeds this level one point is accumulat-ed. Once a number of points equal to thetarget level have been accumulated thegolem acquires and may use the power. Agolem may have a number of magnitudesof powers equal to its Divine Might Score.

Using a power costs a number ofDivine Might points equal to the power’smagnitude and has an initiative equal tothe golem’s Quickness. Penetration for

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Standard Golem TraitsGolems do have a True Name,

which is determined during their cre-ation. It cannot be subsequentlychanged, through the application ofShinnui Shem, for instance, as it isderived by a similar process.

Although limited, Golems madein human form may be played asCompanion characters and have thefollowing attributes when first created.

GOLEM CHARACTERISTICSThe kabbalist may assign

Characteristic scores, including thebonus for the Improved CharacteristicsVirtue, freely when designing thegolem.

VIRTUES & FLAWSAll golems have the Unaging and

Improved Characteristics Virtues.They also suffer from the Weak-WilledFlaw, representing their trustingnature. They may gain other Virtues orFlaws through play.

ABILITIESAll golems start with the follow-

ing Abilities: (Area) Lore 5, Awareness1, Brawl 5, Charm 3, Concentration 1,Hebrew 5.

The troupe may assign specialtiesas desired.

GOLEM PERSONALITY TRAITSAll golems have the following

Personality Traits: Loyal to itsCommunity +3, Trusting +3, Vengeful –3


these powers is as described in ArM5,page 191, and the golem’s Might Poolregenerates at the beginning of each newday, which in Jewish tradition is at sunset.

ALTERING THE GOLEM’S POWERS

The powers bestowed upon a golemare not final and can be changed by thekabbalist. By removing an existing power,the kabbalist gains a bonus equal to thatpower’s level to his Empower GolemTotal. The alteration of powers can onlybe performed by a kabbalist who hasalready participated in either awakeningor empowering the golem.

Exempli Gratia: Moshe ben Isaacdecides to create a golem to pro-tect his community from the cor-rupt tax collector oppressing hispeople. During the first season,Moshe creates the clay form ofthe golem in the shape of a man,from earth taken from beneaththe synagogue. In the secondseason, he begins to build thegolem’s Might. He hasIntelligence of +2, Kabbalah of 6(including a specialty in golems),Wonders of 3, and he is workingin a level 4 Dominion aura, for atotal of 15. He leads three otherkabbalists and gains a CeremonyBonus of 20 for a total of 35. Thecabal works for three seasons,building a an AccumulatedMight of 15 and then attemptsto awaken the golem. Mosherolls an 8 on the stress die for atotal of 23. The golem awakenswith a Divine Might of 23 (lessthan 5 times Moshe’s Kabbalahscore) and becomes a livingbreathing human male. Moshenames him Isaac in honor of hisown father. Isaac has Divineknowledge of the communitybut few other skills so Moshetakes him to those he can trustfor tuition. In the meantime,Moshe turns his attention toempowering Isaac. He decidesthat the tax collector must beconfronted by his greed anddesigns a power to do so. Thepower is based on the level 20Meditation and Interventionguideline, at Eye range and ofMoon duration for a final level of40. It takes Moshe three seasonsto develop the correct rituals. Atthe end of this time Isaac gainsthe power to instill the tax col-

lector with a Divinely-inspiredanxiety over his own greed. Isaaccan still contain a further 15magnitudes of Divine powers.

MADNESS

Golems are vulnerable creatures and,if the kabbalist is not careful, are subjectto falling into madness. Each time anykabbalist involved in awakening thegolem suffers a tragedy of hubris, thegolem is commanded to do somethingthat would transgress a mitzvah, or istaken outside its community, the sto-ryguide should roll a stress die, comparingthe result to the table below.

ROLL EFFECTBotch Madness0-4 –1 to Trusting Personality Trait5-9 +1 to Vengeful Personality Trait10-14 –1 to Loyal to Community

Personality Trait15+ Roll twice more

As the golem’s Vengeful PersonalityTrait increases, it becomes more likely touse violence to settle even minor dis-

agreements and it starts to become a dan-ger to those around it. As the TrustingPersonality Trait decreases, the golembegins to question the guidance it receivesand may not carry out instructions. And asits Loyalty decreases it loses interest inthe well-being of the community, becom-ing more aloof. These changes toPersonality Traits are permanent.

DESTROYING A GOLEM

There are three ways of destroying agolem. The first is to destroy its body, aswith a mortal man. The second is to reduceits Might Score to zero. The third is to can-cel out the act of its creation. Upon cre-ation, the golem has a single word drawnupon its forehead: emet, or “truth.” If the firstcharacter of the word, aleph, is purposefullyerased, “emet” becomes “met,” or death. Atthat instant the golem returns to an unliv-ing thing of clay. No incidental or acciden-tal act can erase the aleph.

In addition, any golem with a posi-tive Trusting Personality Trait can becommanded to sleep by a member of itsprotected community, which sends thegolem into a torpor. While in this state, it

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need not eat, drink, or even breathe tosustain itself and it does not age. It can becommanded to sleep until awoken, oruntil a certain event occurs.

Merkavah and TheChariot Mysteries

Merkavah and the study of the chari-ot mysteries is an ancient mystical practicedating to the founding of the Jewish peo-ple. Taking Ezekiel’s visions of the divinechariot and the enthronement visions ofIsaiah as their inspiration, practitioners ofMerkavah seek visions of and communionwith the angels. While the MerkavahAbility can be used in place of the PurityHoly Method, it also represents the searchfor true understanding of the angels, repre-sented by knowledge of their True Names.

UNDERSTANDING THETRUE NAMES OF ANGELS

Through acts of fasting, prayer, andritual ablutions, the kabbalist is able to

bring visions that reveal the True Names ofangels, demons, or even faeries and magi-cal creatures. Before starting, the kabbalistmust have some knowledge of the entity heis searching for, either previously been inits presence, learned of the entity from atext, or been told about it by another.

He then spends at least a season inpreparation, expending a long termfatigue level each season through the rig-ors of fasting and repeated prayer. Thesefatigue levels cannot be regained until theritual ends. At the end of each season thecharacter generates a total:

MERKAVAH TOTAL: Stamina + Merkavah + Adjuration


EASE FACTOR: Target’s Might Score

If the kabbalist has the CeremonyAbility, he may lead others in attemptingto contact the target entity, in which casehe gains a Ceremony bonus equal to theirStamina + Merkavah scores. For eachpoint by which the Merkavah Totalexceeds the Ease Factor the kabbalistaccumulates one point. When these accu-mulated points exceed the target’s Might

Score the kabbalist experiences intensevisions concerning the target and its TrueName is revealed. This True Name canthen be used as a Holy Connection,allowing the kabbalist to affect it withHoly Methods and Powers, and providesa +5 bonus to his Penetration modifierwhen affecting the being. The seasonsspent in ritual do not need to penetratethe target’s resistance.

THE DANGERS OF STUDY

The secrets revealed through thestudy of Merkavah are a source of tempta-tion that draws the eager towards indisci-pline and the search for faster and easierpaths to power. At the end of any seasonin which a student either studies or usesthe Merkavah alone the character mustmake a Disciplined Personality Stress Rollagainst Ease Factor 9. Failure draws thestudent towards obsession and the studentmust continue to study the same source,without benefit, the next season. A botchresults in Infernal spirits becoming alertedto his search for knowledge, and the stu-dent gains the Plagued by SupernaturalEntity Story Flaw.

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