What you need to know about Voodoo On Cajun: Background Info The Drought Up until very recently, a spate of powerlessness crept over New Orleans for all Voodoun. This has been called "The Drought." It saw the diminishing of all voodoo magic, and has been going on for some time. Ancient artifacts that were made a hundred years ago lost their power forever. Clergy were unable to eck even a little Mojo from the Orisha. Even sacred places became suddenly mundane. Many voodoun left New Orleans for places South, to Cuba, to Haiti, to Miami. Only since last Mardi Gras has the mojo begun to trickle in, and now this Mardi Gras has seen the return of the Seven African Powers. No one knows why exactly this Drought occured, and the Orisha aren't saying, except that it's true that something deep in the swamps has been re-awakened and seems to be linked in with the resurgence. Since the local traditions are mostly oral traditions, and since most of the old people took the opportunity to leave the city, nobody knows if a Drought has ever happened before, and if it will happen again. This has made many voodoun quite nervous. However, post-Drought New Orleans is now a brand new frontier for Voodoun - a blank slate. The Old Guard of voodoo power has left for warmer, more potent climes or has retired. The Orisha have come back in force to re- claim that which was once theirs fully. This is a new age of Voodoo. The Barons The Barons are a group of trickster Orisha who are affiliated with Death. Baron Samedi is the most famous of these, both others are Baron La Croix and Baron Cimataire. They are loud, wild, raucous, perverse, and dark. These Orisha are the wild cards in the deck - you'll never know when they'll show up and cause trouble. They serve no one but themselves, and only rarely Touch mortals, preferring to consort with perverse undead and corrupt sorcerors. The Lost Ones There are powerful voodoun who have retired to the swamp to meditate. The Drought struck them hard, but most were powerful enough to simply understand it was time to move on. The Lost Ones are out there somewhere. They don't actually exist all the time in the real world - they fade in and out like shadows. You never know when some old woman or man will be a Lost One, so you better be nice to every one of them! Especially if they come from the swamp. Eminent Doom Because the power of voodoo itself has been virtually non-existant during the Drought, the powers of Hex have been also tamped. Now that voodoo magic is back, Hex is back again, active. There are quite a few folks who have been deluded into thinking they were no longer Hexed, and are now going to discover, much to their chagrin, otherwise. The Heirlooms There are so many ancient voodoo objects of power that were thought destroyed when the Drought came and are only now resurging in power and awareness. These Heirlooms have all but been lost. A few of them have Ancestor Orisha of their very own to watch over them and power them. Heirlooms such as the Mirror of Laveau, Doctor John's Rattle, the Petro Drum, and the White Dagger of Ogoun are still at large and may still be powerful, or regaining power in the resurgence after the Drought. More common juju bags and the like were destroyed, except for a few housed in special tombs and crypts protected from the Drought. La Baton Morte One voodoo society which may still be active, though no one knows for sure, is a group of non-initiate but still powerful voodoun who have always flaunted voodoo society in New Orleans. They've done what they damn well pleased. Rumors that they were involved with a drug ring, and that they conducted child prostitution may very well be true. They have been known to use a combination of drugs and dark Mojo to create zombi slaves. Who knows where these Baron-followers will show up, now that the Drought is over? Harriet's Herbals Harriet McNamara's mother Sarah is one of the many voodoun who left for Miami when the Drought came on. Since then, Harriet has become full owner in her mother's root shop, and has renamed it and re-styled it to be more of a herbal and new age place than a purely Voodoo-oriented Botanica. Some wonder if Sarah's legacy of strong voodoo power and healing ability have bred true in Harriet. Since none of the former societies or ritual circles are around any longer to say one way or another, no one's quite sure if Harriet has been properly Initiated or not. So she may or may not be a Mambo. One thing is for certain, however, Sarah was a potent Voodoun, and her daughter is likely to also be. Voodoo Places of Power In New Orleans Currently there are no places of power in New Olreans. The Drought wiped out any sacred ground that had been created, and all the hounfors of the previous clergy have been descrated or destroyed by the fleeing voodoun. In addition, all of the "traditional" voodoo places in the city are now being run by folks who have no real idea of true Voodoo. Places like Marie LaVeau's, Whodo Voodoo, and the St. Louis Cemetary are no longer places of voodoun magical power. However, there's nothing that says these places can't once again become powerful - and it may be possible that there are some places of power in the swamp which have escaped the influence of the Drought. The Orisha Manifest The resurgence of the power of voodoo has meant that, for a time, the Orisha themselves have been trying to make contact with humanity again. That means their level of activity is almost frenetic, and they are starting to develop spontaneous relationships with mortals. This means that a Mambo might stumble upon an otherwise normal person, with no formal training or initiation, who might have a Knowing and be a voodoun by default. As well, there have been rumors that the Orisha have actually materialized - manifested in the real world - in the form of seemingly normal-looking humans, but very recognizable to those voodoun who know what to look for. This is an exciting time for the voodoun for this reason alone - how many worshippers get a chance to meet their deities face-to-face and tell the tale! The Mysteries Both Orisha and voodoun have a serious tradition of silence that is broken only at dire peril. Although the power of the old voodoo societies is now negligable, it's quite clear that the Orisha themselves do not wish their activities, wisdom, and power revealed to the general public. Especially now that their hold on reality is just now returning. As a result, conversations about the Mysteries are held in private, and only the most circumspect of clergy chooses to speak to the Media, and what they share to the world is nothing of the total truth. There are some things only an Initiated is meant to know. Supernatural Knowledge "Starting Lore" refers to level of Lore that a Voodoun Character might be allowed to take at chargen if their concept matches up. "General Knowledge" is what any Voodoun character can claim to know as a result of being affiliated with Voodoo culture. Some Voodoun characters have been isolated from this culture and start as normal humans do. Others are more closely involved with one Supernatural over another, and have more inherent knowledge. In general, however, super knowledge over this "General" amount should be taken as Lore. Vampires Clergy (houngan / mambo) can start the game with up to Kindred Lore 2 General Knowledge They know there are Such Things as Vampires, and all know they fear flame and drink blood and have powers, and have a Masquerade that is supported by the voodoo culture. There are Clans of Vampires, each with their own particular characteristics, but each individual clan information isn't known past sketchy details except that one of those clans are favorites of the Orisha Baron Samedi. Werewolves Clergy can start the game with up to Garou Lore of 2. General Knowledge They know werewolves exist, know they are generally honorable but prone to frenzies, and are aware of the Uktena and the Silent Striders as seperate tribes, but not much about them. They know Garou are harmed by silver. Mages Starting Lore: Clergy can have up to Mage Lore of 2 at start. General Knowledge They know mages exist, but have no idea of the Traditions. Just "powerful European esoterics" who have powers outside the reckoning of events. They're aware that the government has psychic experts and scientists who might clamp down on Voodoo if it "gets out of hand," but they don't know about the Technocracy per se. Ritual Circles / Lodges / Voodoo Societies The Drought has caused most of the old formal voodoo organizations to lose their power and move further South. As a result, it is up to the "new breed" of voodoun to create their own societies. Some of the old societies may return to New Orleans once it is generally known that the Drought is over, but for now, everything is up for grabs. Smart voodoun will shore up their political and magical power and prepare for a possible incursion of the Old Guard. HOW TO APPLY TO BECOME A VOODOUN Below are a list of questions for you to answer in application to becoming a voodoun character on Cajun Nights: 1. Are you intending to be a regular voodoun (non-clergy) or an initiated Clergy? (houngan/mambo) 2. What levels of Knowing will your character have? Remember that all non-initiated characters can never have greater than 3 levels of Knowing for any one Orisha. 3. What Orisha will be your principle Patron (if any)? 4. Explain how your character came into this relationship with the Orisha. Was it a traditional way (your family was involved with voodoo), or a more esoteric path? (you read a book on voodoo, or visited New Orleans as a child and an Orisha Touched you, or you interacted with a Manifest orisha without knowing) 5. Describe your relationship with all the Orisha you have. What is it like? Strained and conflicted, melancholy and distant, close-knit and harmonious, or intermittent? 6. What is your character's opinion on Petro magic versus Rada magic (violent, negative curse magic versus healing, positive magic)? Is this character eligible for beginning points in Hex as a result? 7. Describe how your character integrates her voodoo life with her more mundane life, if she has one. 8. Describe your character's chiefest fear having to do with Voodoo. 9. Describe how you feel about other voodoun. 10. Describe how you will interact with other voodoun in New Orleans, now that the Drought is over. 11. What Mojo-rituals do you want for your character? Mojo-rituals are ritualistic things that serve your Orisha which give you points of Mojo energy. 12. If you've chosen the Heirlooms background, what voodoo Heirlooms do you have? Special questions for Clergy Only: 1. Who initiated you? Answer as many questions from the section above about this person as you can. 2. What Patron Gift do you want? 3. What will be your principle place of worship/practice (hounfor)? 4. Where will your primary altar be located? 5. What, if any, Workings do you have that are still in force?