Culture

Beliefs

Revenants often hold onto the belief system they held in Life or that which is imposed upon them by their Maker. There have been rumors surfacing, mostly from Latin America, of Revenant cults worshiping a warped version of Dios de Los Muertos; where members engage in ritual sacrifice and rebirth to swell their numbers.

Revenants do not typically engage in mating rituals. While Revenants are capable of sexual encounters, they lack the ability to produce offspring.

Their focus and obsession is the task or person they are bound to. If they had a mate before their death their connection could remain. 

It’s important to acknowledge that Revenants might hold resentment toward the person who resurrected them. This can result in a bond characterized by obligation and duty rather than genuine companionship.

Grouping

Amongst themselves, Revenants seldom engage in socialization. They tend to remain in close proximity to the one who they are bound to, or stay focused on their designated task. Occasionally, they may interact with other species, continuing to associate with an established group they were a part of prior to their transformation.

Characteristics

Revenants are created through a process, rather than being born naturally. They originate from human or non-human species. Any species has the potential to become a Revenant, but in doing so, they forfeit all inherent species abilities.

Revs can live relatively normal lives, but their primary loyalty lies with a person or duty above all else. While Revenants have the ability to consume food and beverages, they can also rely on the Lode to sustain them for extended periods.

Appearance

Revenants are bound at or soon after the point of death. The longer the interval since their passing, the less human-like their physical appearance becomes. While they retain their sight, their eyes lack color due to their ability to perceive and engage with the Lode.

The Ritual

Bringing someone back from the dead is often considered taboo because it disrupts the natural order of life and death. Doing so could potentially cause chaos and harm, and could lead to malevolent intentions. Therefore a sacrifice is required and is different for each individual involved.

• The Revenant: May experience confusion, anger, and resentment at having their afterlife interrupted, leading to a strained existence.
• The Binder: Risks losing any genuine connection with the Revenant, who is now bound to their will, creating a relationship built on obligation rather than true companionship.
• The Witches: Sacrifice a piece of their own soul during the ritual, leading to emotional instability and lasting psychological effects.
• The Fae: Similar to the witch effects, however recovery is quicker due to their direct connection to the Lode.

What is Needed

• The body 
• A diamond
• A coven to perform. At least one member must be a divination witch. Fae may also be allowed to join the ritual to help channel the Lode.
• Personal blood sacrifice from the Binder

When to Perform The Ritual

During a full moon, the witches are at a lower risk of harm or injury while performing the ritual. However, while the ritual can be performed whenever the requirements are met, there is a greater risk of an energy burnout that can last for days or even weeks leaving the witches unable to channel or cast.

Regardless of the timing, the witches sacrifice a fragment of their souls during casting. This sacrifice leaves them emotionally unstable, manifesting as moodiness, agitation, depression, or even catatonia. The effects linger for several months until they gradually heal.

How to Perform The Ritual

• The body must be free of the grave but laying atop dirt from sacred ground (ie. cemetery dirt)
• The Dagaz Rune must be carved into the flesh of the body (typically the chest or abdomen)
• The diamond must be broken in half. One half is put inside the heart of the Revenant. This is known as the Gem Heart. The second half is held by the Binder. This half is known as the Gem Key. 
• The Binder must offer up their own blood, spilling it into the chest cavity coating the Gem Heart and then coating the Gem Key.
• The Binder sits next to the body, enclosed in a circle of candles each sat at the point of a pentagram representing spirit at the top point followed by earth, water, air, fire.
• An incantation is repeated as the witches summon the energy to imbue the diamond halves with the Lode. 

The Incantation

Part 1 (Spoken while the Binder does blood sacrifice)

By this blood I, [insert name], bind

The heart, body, soul and mind of [name of the one being bound]

To [then state task or desired outcome from the binding]

Part 2 (Speak Once)

By the element of earth be grounded to the physical world

By the element of water let vitae flow freely in the veins 

By the element of air allow breath to fill the lungs

By the element of fire let the soul be awakened

Part 3 (Repeat til the person awakens)

Marrow of life

Take haste, take hold

Quicken the breath, awaken the soul

After the Ritual

When the Revenant awakens, they will be confused with sensitivity to their five senses. After a few days, they will settle back into their bodies and seem to be regaining their natural abilities allowing them normal function. Their new gained abilities may take up to a month or more to get used to and will grow stronger with each year.

The Bond

The Binder must maintain the bond by coating the Gem Key with their blood each full moon. If a month is missed, the Revenant will become restless and difficult to control. If continued neglect happens, the Revenant will begin to decay and eventually become increasingly mindless.

Revenants possess a unique path to freedom from their Binder or assigned task: acquiring the Gem Key. These coveted artifacts grant them true freedom, a secret closely guarded due to the immense value of these gems among Witches and Fae. Should a Revenant reclaim their Gem Key and reunite it with their Gem Heart, a powerful Sovereign Diamond is formed, capable of harnessing the combined energies of the four houses.

Note: The Sovereign Diamond must be fused back together by a Divination Witch. Please see Wayward Grimoire for more details.

Abilities

• Bear the Lode: Revenants can see and interact with the Lode, disrupting or corrupting users of its power. Because of this, the gem in their heart does not need to be recharged, although it must be connected to the wider Lode (see Lodeborne).
• Silent Movement: Revs make no sound when they move. They also have no pulse.
• Stasis: Revenants can pass large periods of time in a type of hibernation, making them a popular choice for Vampire Elders.

Vulnerabilities

• Bound in Blood: Bonds must be maintained or the Revenant will decay and become increasingly mindless. Exactly how long depends how the length of the bond, for each year bound the duration apart can increase by one week.
• Lodeborne: The Revenant must have access to The Lode in order to keep their gem heart powered. Longer durations cut off from The Lode will result in a slow weakening and decay of the Revenant; being cut off can either be accidental or malicious, such as entombing a Revenant inside a lead-lined casket. 
• No Third Chances: Just as the process of becoming a Revenant is irreversible, being one does not guarantee immortality. Revenants can and have been killed, most often by having their gem heart forcibly removed or otherwise destroyed – Once removed or destroyed, the Revenant is killed and cannot be resurrected a second time. They can also die by decapitation or lethal damage to the brain.