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Bastet

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Kuasha Rites

During a werecat’s “apprenticeship,” he undergoes many trials and learns many things. Most kuasha celebrate a pupil’s progress with a series of rites which they pass to a new Bastet as his teachings end. Most of these rituals are considered Level One rites; once taught, they can be performed at any time. The kit has earned the privilege to learn the secrets. The more advanced rites are taught to brilliant pupils who attain higher levels of knowledge before they finish their training. Of course, if the Tekhmet fails his First Year, or if he has no official training at all (like the Hitchhiker template in chapter five), he won’t know any of these rites until another Bastet sees fit to teach him.

Level One

Speaking of the Name

Names have power; thus, all Bastet change their birth names to new titles during their First Year. This rite, performed by the Tekhmet and the kuasha together, “seals” that new name and makes it part of the cat. Traditionally, the Swara mark this rite (and the apprentice) with a ceremonial tattoo, usually across the initiate’s chest. The Balam often pierce the newcomer’s lip, earlobe or nostrils with a jeweled plug. Simba and Khan mark the rite with a hunt, usually a human target, in which the initiate tastes the blood of her first kill as a Bastet. Pumonca and Qualmi send their kits on short vision quests, take them to sweat lodges, or offer them ordeal rituals like the Sioux sun dance, while the Celican bless their new members in old faerie rings. The more ceremonial Bagheera and Bubasti perform elaborate and formal rites to welcome their offspring; these rituals, which might take as long as a day to complete, often involve two or more elders who have been invited to attend.

System: Aside from a standard roll, a new name and the ritual needs of the tribal ceremonies, this rite requires nothing special.

Level Two

Rite of Recognition

To be accepted into a new Rank, a Bastet must perform this rite before the spirits, his peers, or both. Like many werecat rituals, this ceremony can be done by a solitary cat, and it often is. A Balam in the wilderness doesn’t have to travel to the nearest taghairm to be recognized - the spirits will carry tales of his deeds to other cats.

To petition for a new Rank, the cat stands in a circle prepared for the rite with herbs and, if possible, trophies of his achievements. Speaking the ritual phrases, he recites his deeds, relates his accomplishments since attaining the last Rank, and demands to be recognized for what he has done. If he succeeds, the others agree and declare his new standing; if not, they tell him why they’re dissatisfied and deny his petition. These reasons can range anywhere from a lack of progress to bad politics. The Bastet may only perform this rite once per season.

System: In addition to the usual rite roll, the cat must make a good impression (either Charisma or Manipulation + either Enigmas, Etiquette, Expression, Leadership, Occult or Politics, depending on the cat, his audience, and the case he’s trying to make). The difficulty for this roll often depends on what the cat has done in the past, and how he stands in the eyes of his jury. Unless the werecat does something truly striking between attempts, this rite rises in difficulty each time it’s failed, then repeated. Neither the cats nor the spirits respect a loser.

Passing the Yava

These secrets contain the seeds of survival or destruction for the entire tribe. Passing them on to a youngster is a sign of the utmost trust and pride. Imagine handing a loaded gun to you child and telling him to shoot at a target behind your head; that’s the kind of importance the Yava convey. They’re not passed on lightly, or to fools. Thus, this exchange, often the last rite between the kit and her mentor, is deeply important.

This ritual, traditionally performed at dusk, involves a recitation of the three secrets, a reminder of their importance, and an admonishment to keep them safe. The kuasha informs her apprentice that someday he too will pass on the Yava, and that his judgment will reflect the future of the tribe. To betray the trust, even under torment, is the worst crime a Bastet can commit. Before this rite is performed, the mentor scans the area for spirits or other eavesdroppers. If the area is clear, the secrets are then between elder and kit. Afterward, the two spend their last night together and part ways at dawn. Although they may very well remain friends, the first Year has ended. The kit is on his own.

System: Although the kuasha traditionally checks and secures the ritual site before beginning the rite, this ceremony requires no special materials.

Level Three

Kuasha Degree

With this rite, a teacher passes on the secrets of her teaching, so that the pupil may become a kuasha. Normally, the Degree must be uncovered through the “proper channels” - that is, the secrets of the rite must be dug out of a series of mentors, contacts and friends, then pieced together. An especially apt Tekhmet might impress her mentor so well that he passes on everything she needs to know before her apprenticeship ends; it’s rare, but it has been known to happen.

The Kuasha Degree contains all the rites, advice, secrets and preparations a Bastet needs in order to take a pupil, and confers the right to do so. Even so, the elder usually cautions her kit to take a bit of time to see the world for himself before he begins teaching someone else about it. Taking a kit means responsibility; most kuashas stress that their pupils must run free for a while before taking on such a burden. At the end of the ritual, the mentor invests her student with the power to take a student of his own, and advises him to do so carefully.

In the Degree, a Tekhmet learns how to find taghairms, how to petition spirits, how to find a new-Changed Bastet and how to chastise him for doing wrong. It relates to responsibilities and rights the mentor receives under Bastet law, and offers lots of common wisdom about the feeding and caring of a kit. The Yava is not passed on through this rite - that requires its own rite. The Tekhmet has been taught how to pass on the tribal secrets, but isn’t told what they are until the mentor and student part ways.

System: This rite takes six hours, often longer, Aside from making time to talk and having the freedom to do so, this rite doesn’t require special preparations.