Emere
Emere (pronounced “ay-mare-ay”) are the fae folk of Africa…more broadly, the fae of Africa south of the Sahara Desert. The Eshu traditionally walked the lands of North Africa, and only they dare to travel deeper into the “Dark Continent”. Where European colonies once thrived, where Westerners are still tolerated, such as in South Africa, European Kithain may be found. But much of the continent is still mysterious and unknown. Hidden near or among their tribal identities, the Emere are spirits in the flesh, so-called myths come alive.
When Things Fall Apart
Originally, there was harmony in the world. Mankind co-existed with nature, heeding the wise men and honoring the heavens and the earth. Humanity did not simply “know” how to behave, however. The gods had to teach their mortal charges. And to do that, they created the Emere. The Emere were spirits that dwelled on Earth and insured man followed the true ways and rituals of the gods. Some Emere did this with instruction and patience. Others stalked and struck fear into the hearts of man to teach them respect. All Emere came to love humanity, even if they felt obliged to mainly show only “tough love”. Often they acted as emissaries and go-betweens for mankind and the other supernatural denizens of Africa, such as the shapeshifting man-beasts and talented witch doctors.
For ages, this was how it went in Africa. The Emere were spirits only, moving through the Olorun (the Dreaming) from Orun-Rere (Heaven) to Earth to teach man one way or the other. The Emere minded their own business. As such, the Elegbara – also called Eshu – were the only faeries that ever knew of the Emere. And they kept their lips sealed, knowing how the other Kithain would try to exploit these honest Gallain and steal their Ase (Glamour).
As such, the bringers of Islam – with whom the Eshu traveled – impacted the Emere little. Some native Africans adapted this religion in the east and especially the far north, but it was not enough to affect the Emere or their mortal charges much. Many came to see the Emere as angels, which they were – though of powers the Muslims did not understand or worship. Nevertheless, the exchange broadened the Emere’s horizons to the world beyond Africa greatly. Of course, few were intrigued enough to take up the wandering road of the Elegbara. Most stayed close to the human tribes and kingdoms in which they always dwelled and took the stories of lands to the far east and north in stride.
The Emere heard of the terrible plague affecting much of Europe but did not worry. After suffering under the Black Plague for a century, the European fae had undergone a drastic change. When nationalism rose and explorers went forth, Kithain often tolerated the Christians in the hope and hunger for adventure. Many of these explorers came to Africa, starting with the Portuguese in 1415. As a result, the Emere suffered their own Shattering.
It had nothing to do with the plague, however. It was the aggressive arrival of Christianity. Combined with the lingering presence of Muslims, who did not honor the old ways of the Emere, the African faeries found themselves between a rock and a hard place. Their culture was endangered. To make matters worse, the gods they served suddenly abandoned them! The gods claimed that to maintain their strength in the rising face of monotheistic religions from abroad, they had to cut loose all earthly bonds and focus on retaining celestial power. The Emere were among those “laid off”!
They quickly realized that the only way they would survive would be to intermingle with the human beings they appreciated so much. Thus new generations of Emere were born of both flesh and spirit: changelings. Their role was unchanged, but they no longer knew if they could pursue their duties. Some even challenged if they should, since the gods abandoned them and cut them off from Orun-Rere forever. Only through great devotion and selfless service did the gods claim that an Emere might return to Heaven.
With such a difficult path, embattled on every side by loss of cultural identity and territory, religious takeovers, and rapacious enemies, it was no wonder that the Emere came to despise Westerners so much. Their lives became uphill struggles all the way. What had they ever done to warrant such a terrible test? Some wise Emere realized that because they had never done anything, this was their proving grounds. Whether an Emere agreed with Heaven or not, peace and harmony could only be found by pursuing that nearly forgotten dream of reverence for the gods and ritual observance of all moral and cultural principles. Surrendering this dream was surely a path only to Banality and the Undoing.
Courts & Seemings
Unlike other native Folk, the Emere do not subscribe their natures by season. With more constant focus required to avoid imbalance, they instead go by Day and Night. Most Emere lean toward one or the other, depending especially on their kith-based tendencies. Few manage to stay in between, known as Dusk (the equivalent to the trickster camp), for very long. The Emere’s nature can thusly swing more frequently than any other faeries, but many maintain their roots in either Day or Night, are never consumed by the other entirely. Still, the Emere appear more insane than most other changelings. Can they be blamed? They were abandoned by their gods yet depend on them and must beg them for aid still?
Emere use the same three Seemings of all fae. Childlings are omode, Wilders are called eniyan, and Grumps are alagba.
Ifa
Ifa (cantrips) is the magic of the Emere. All Ifa are performed with a mind toward proper ritual, reverence, and obeisance made to the appropriate spirits, ancestors, and gods. All of the methods of Ifa are part of a complex network of stories, song, and legends that span the continent in varying forms.
For the Emere, it is vital to maintain a strong spirit and struggle always between the opposing principles that they embody. Those principles include spirit versus the flesh, good versus evil, needs versus wants, and baseness versus purity. The Emere seek harmony in all their actions, but find it difficult while cut off from Orun-Rere. Many sink into one camp or the other.
Luckily, perhaps because the gods know that they have left the Emere behind, they rarely hesitate to help their messengers to man. Many Totems (called Lwa) readily answer an Emere’s request for friendship and aid. Furthermore, an Emere that pursues the true way of his kind gains a boon when invoking Ifa (see below under Bunks).
An astute observer may recognize that the Emere beliefs and culture is dominated by Yoruba concepts and terms. This is not because fae associated with the Yoruba (notably the Aziza) are in “charge”. In fact, the various Emere kiths tend to use other terms and some stray from the idea of “perfect harmony”, due to the beliefs and cultures of the human tribes with which they are associated. This may be because since the Emere’s Shattering in the 15th century the African fae have been forced to adopt the identity of human cultures. Perhaps the original Emere beliefs were broadly more like these Yoruba-ish ideals, but only some of the Emere now strictly stick to them today. Another reason for the use of this single (albeit major) belief system for the Emere may be through the eyes of non-Emere, such as the Eshu, who simplified it to better explain to others.
Bunks
Bunks reflect the devoted ritualism and reverence of the gods, of nature, and the heavens of the Emere. Many Bunks are involved efforts. They include ebo (offerings of objects, crops, and sacrificed animals), divination ceremonies, and various uses of cowry shells. Cowries are a common form of decoration in jewelry as well as used in divination practices. Many of the practices found in Caribbean voodoo were founded in Western and Central African beliefs and religious; some still thrive in the workings of the Emere.
So long as the Emere uses one of the traditional Bunks of his kin, he reduces the difficulty of his cantrip roll by 1 (this is in addition to the level of the Bunk). That means an Emere’s magic roll is based on a difficulty equal to Banality +3 instead of +4.
Totems
The Emere have good relations with many different kinds of spirits. Unlike many native fae, the Emere associate with animal totems (called Lwa) more often than plant or mineral spirits. Such Totems often grant great strength or cunning.
Bull
Background Cost: 3
Bull is a powerful Totem. But to the Emere, he is not just a symbol of strength and virility. He represents wealth and bounty; indeed, cattle remain (and have been long before the coming of Europeans) a vital element of the economy in certain parts of Africa (especially southern and eastern).
Gifts: Children of Bull gain +1 Strength and Brawl 2.
Bans: Bull requires that his children take good care of all cattle with which they come into contact, including preventing others from abusing them. Thus, most commercial cattle industries are the declared enemy of Bull and his Emere children.
Disa (Orchid)
Background Cost: 2
Disa is a representative of the fragile beauty in Africa. Her petals are vibrant yet delicate. She fills the air with soft scents and lacks the pretense of other, statelier flowers. Disa is a good Totem for Emere who find no use in the constant bloodshed that wracks the continent, and instead seek to fill their lives and the lives around them with hope.
Gifts: Disa’s children receive a +1 Charisma and +1 Appearance bonus.
Bans: Disa asks that her children use her gifts only to bring hope and foster trust. To avoid her wrath, her children often avoid lingering in their Night natures for long. The orchid blooms best in the day anyway!
Lion
Background Cost: 4
King of the beasts, Lion has always been known for his strength and nobility. To Emere, he is more than just “the king of the jungle”. He is a mighty opponent on the savannah, and the strongest Emere challenge Lion’s children to prove their own might as rites of passage. Lion appreciates such bravery, and will sometimes deem to patronize a changeling who can comport himself with enough strength and dignity.
Gifts: A child of Lion gains +1 Strength and +1 Dexterity. He also gains Intimidation 2.
Bans: A child of Lion must never display cowardice or a lack of class. Though strong Emere often lean toward the Night Camp, they must take care that they do not sink into barbarism. Lion will abandon them in a heartbeat.
Volcano
Background Cost: 5
A powerful and dangerous Totem, Volcano embodies the changing earth. Few fae are hardy enough to channel this Totem, and the Emere rank among them. Accepting Volcano as one’s patron donates great power, but often alienates the changeling from others as she becomes Volcano’s agent of destruction.
Gifts: A child of Volcano gains a potent ability that can be used once per day. She can transform her insides into volcanic essence. Her skin becomes as hot as liquid magma, her eyes blaze with fire, and her merest touch inflicts searing wounds. In game terms, anyone touching the character receives 2 levels of aggravated damage (which can be soaked only at difficulty 9 if one can soak such damage at all), and the character inflicts such superheated aggravated wounds with his Brawl attacks! This power lasts for one scene and cannot be “turned off” once activated.
Bans: A child of Volcano becomes a pyromaniac. She cannot resist setting flammable materials alight (whether with her Totem power or via some other means). If nothing has been set aflame in any given set of time, generally a few hours (i.e., a scene), the character must succeed on a Willpower roll (difficulty 8) or immediately be driven to compulsory arson.