By Diane Keating-Sciacca ([email protected])
While the Dispossessed deal with the Silent Striders' exile from Kemi in a fatalistic way, there is a faction within the tribe that doesn't want to take it sitting down either, but has no taste for misleading the world and committing spiritual suicide. This faction is called the Hounds of Abydos and they prefer a more confrontational approach. Made up primarily of Ahrouns who took the diaspora badly, this camp has fallen back on the time-honoured Egyptian tradition of vengeance and have become hunters of the Setites who drove them from their homeland and seek the tribe's extinction to this day. Taking their name from the epic battle waged between Heru and Set on the plains of Abydos in the form of wolves, they are as vengeful and savage as the battle which gave the camp rise.
Members of the Hounds of Abydos camp are almost to a wolf Full Moons, but the Striders are nothing if not egalitarian: they'll accept anyone who desires vengeance. Theurges with a sense for war and revenge are the second biggest demographic within the camp. The Hounds' often meet in windswept, lonely places and conduct impassioned rites of chanting, blood, fire dances, and sparring. Favoured activities include a riff on the Pakiv Darane, with the camp members trading tales of the fight, reports of vengeance gained and swearing solidarity to each other. Once thought to have risen from the pack of a powerful Ahroun, this camp isn't very large but it's growing, as more and more Striders register discontent with their present situation.
Characters can join the camp simply by attending one of their moots, and formally taking an oath of vengeance. Camp Theurges often contact the camp's patron totem, Heru Behdety and ask him to send a Jaggling to witness the testimonial. The camp takes its mission seriously and the character should have an excellent reason for wanting revenge to gain their patronage (i.e., it must be something serious such as someone killing a mate and/or Kinfolk, desecration of a caern, driving you from your home, giving Kinfolk the Embrace, betrayal to enemies, continual harassment, attempts on your life -- you can't swear revenge if someone spits on your foot or insults your Honour). The Hounds of Abydos are a court of last resort.
If the Hounds judge your cause for vengeance to be a sound one, you can count on a network of spies, assassins, warriors, safe houses, contacts and allies that only a Silent Strider could dig up to help you in your quest for redress. The character should be prepared for an ugly scene should it come to fruit: the Hounds, as mentioned before, take their mission seriously -- when they get behind someone, they are there unto the death.
At present the camp is working up resources to reclaim and reopen their ancient caern, the Temple of Abydos in Egypt.
It is whispered that the Hounds of Abydos have tentative alliances with the Children of Osiris and Gangrel Vampire clans.
"Heru Behdety! Wolf-headed One! Thou avenged thy father Asar! Help us throw down the Corrupter!
"Heru Behdety! Prince of Abdua! You watered the plains with your blood and the blood of thine enemy, Set! Hear our call!
"Heru Behdety! Whose fur is dark and spiked with blood! Lend us thy might, thy Rage, thy light! Help us aid this brother who comes to us, and strengthen us as we turn at bay to meet the foe!
"Heru Behdety! Thou art Maat-kheru! Embrace us in thy Fire!
"Kheper!"