Rules

Upon reaching India, the Followers of Set found elements of the Hindu religion that they could exploit to convert Kindred to their cause. Practitioners of Sadhana (known as Sadhus, p. 165) are predominantly drawn from the ranks of the Setite bloodline known as the Daitya. These Setites follow Shiva, who was derived from the god Rudra, a storm deity, and thus identified as being a mask of Set. Believing themselves to be demons in flesh, the Indian Setites see it as their mission to overthrow the gods and take their power for themselves.

Sadhana is the exertion of mind over matter. While it could be argued that their power comes from within as opposed to being channeled from the Dark God, it is their faith and devotion to Shiva that grants them the focus that allows them to direct this power. Without this, it is argued, they would simply lose themselves in meditation. Without Shiva, they would have no power, and thus it is all attributable to the Dark God in the end.

Given the focus upon the power of the mind, the powers of this school manifest in ways that resemble the more “psychic” Paths of Thaumaturgy (Movement of the Mind, Path of Conjuring, etc.), but the way in which they are cast is significantly different. Their doctrine teaches that the material world is an illusion (and thus merely another barrier to Godhood installed by the Aeons). Through sheer force of will, a Sadhu can manipulate the cosmic illusion to make magical things happen.

In addition, much as karma teaches that every deed demands an equal and opposite compensation, the rites

that comprise Sadhana require a degree of sacrifice before a bounty can be harvested. Blood sacrifices are cast into a ceremonial fire, which the Sadhu has to brave. While some practitioners of other schools find this act grounds for concern, claiming the method of practice to be disharmonious with the arts of the Clan (citing the inherent Setite aversion to light and fire), others argue that such a weakness is just another barrier that should be fought against in the ongoing struggle to achieve Godhood. Just because the other schools do not fight against it and indulge in that particular sensation does not mean that it presents any theological opposition to the ideology of any other form of Setite Sorcery.