Deities

Aglaeca

Aglaeca was once the innocent daughter of Salreth Paranon the elven god of magic. Beautiful but simple and of only minor power herself, she attracted the romantic attention of Valdrez Farnore the elven god of the sky. Valdrez favored Aglaeca and gifted her with a small portion of his power to create life. This act, stirred up jealousy and wrath in the sky god's consort Vashanuna the elven goddess of music, who lured Aglaeca into the wilderness and then cursed her, making her so hideous to behold that her gaze would turn any living being, mortal or immortal to stone. For this reason Aglaeca bandaged over her own eyes, hiding them from the world and dwelled alone in far places where the elves were unlikely to encounter her. There she used her gift of creation to make small things, slimes and frogs and creeping lizards to act as her companions.

When Salreth Paranon discovered that Vashanuna had cursed his daughter he withdrew his favor from the high elves who were creations of Valdrez Farnore. Without the favor of the elven god of magic the high elves powerful spellcraft began to falter and over the centuries the powerful elven kingdoms of old began to crumble and fade. In order to gain revenge against Salreth Paranon for punishing the elves for her curse, Vashanuna engineered a clever trap which reunited Aglaeca with her father but in such a manner that Salreth Paranon gazed into his daughters unfettered eyes and was instantly turned to stone.

Heartbroken, Aglaeca fled into the wilderness and crawled into a deep cavern from which she fashioned trolls and other monstrous creations to loose into the world, monsters to carry her anger against Salreth Paranon and Vashanuna and their beloved elves.

Thus is was for century upon century until the elven kingdoms faltered and slowly crumbled into all but a distant memory. The Kingdoms of Mithril, home of the dwarves, rose and was brought low by the offspring of Gauren over a thousand years and still Aglaeca sat weeping and angry in her black cavern deep beneath the surface of the world.

The Northman hero Luedren, champion of the Warholds and chieftain of fifty warriors descended into the dark caverns of the world seeking after treasure and secrets and magical items of old. Down and down Luedren came until finally he emerged into the cavern of Aglaeca and woke the goddess.

In the battle that followed Aglaeca was wounded by the iron spears and axes of the Northmen but she was still a goddess and was not slain. Luedren and his band fell to her and her trolls and creations and she added their armor, weapons and gold to her own horde.

Then she thought, "I shall go forth into the world and see what has changed and teach these beings who are like elves but are not elves not to wander into secret places where they are not invited nor wanted."

Aglaeca strode up into the world like a giantess. She attacked the villages of the Northmen and piled up the naked corpses of men in heaps as tall as houses.

For decades Aglaeca turned the East most Warholds of the North into a ruin emptied of men. All of the land within fifty miles of the Northern Goblinspite mountains was empty of men, elves or dwarves and only trolls and other monstrous beings dwelt there. After eighty years of this Aglaeca was confronted by the Northern hero Frordrin who tracked down and wounded the giant goddess Aglaeca, avoided her gaze and bound her in chains of silver mithril crafted by the Dwarves.

Frordrin and his followers chained the gigantic gorgon to a large sled and hauled her over ice and snow to a huge open pit in the Earth, the mouth of a dormant volcano, named Vrarskar. Into this pit, Frordrin and his surviving thirty heroic followers push Aglaeca and she tumbled down into the darkness to remain trapped to this day. When she was imprisoned Aglaeca cursed the bloodlines of Frordrin and his thirty heroes and out of their blood lines have come the race of the trollborn.

Trollborn characters are a race and class that players can play in the campaign. They are usually warriors born from Northman stock who develop horrible mutations becoming more and more monstrous as time passes. See the Trollborn race description under the races tab for details.

Aglaeca remains a minor goddess. She calls to her trollborn seeking a hero who will release her from her imprisonment and grant her revenge upon the descendents of the Northmen. She grants no miracles to any who follow her. Aglaeca is chaotic in alignment. She is called the Mother of Monsters and is credited with the creation of slimes and molds and all variety of hulking, slavering monsters which dwell in dark places, especially trolls.

Aglaeca (Mother of Monsters)

Minor God (Evil)

Armor Class -1 (21), Movement: Zero while imprisoned. Infinite if released. Hit Points 300. Number of Attacks 2, Claws 1d12+6 (Claw/Claw) OR Claw + Gaze - Save versus Petrification. Special Attacks: Gaze causes petrification to stone - save negates. Special Defenses: Regenerates 3 HP per combat round, like a troll. Fire damage cannot be regenerated. Magic Resistance 90%, Size G (Giant) 20' Tall. Alignment: Lawful Evil, Worshippers Alignment: Any but usually Evil, Symbol (Medusa head or a coiled snake), Plane (Prime Material Plane), Cleric / Druid (14th level Cleric), Fighter (12th level Fighter), Magic-User 10th level Magic User, Thief (10th level Thief).

Create Troll

If left unengaged in combat Aglaeca can mix her blood with the soil and create a ball of clay. Her next action she can mold the clay into a standard Troll.

Balder

Balder is the Northern God of Wisdom and Leadership. He is portrayed as a bearded Northman warrior of middle age with a crooked nose and a stump where his left hand was bitten off by the world serpent and mother of dragonkind, Fith. Often he is represented in sculptures either seated and looking down in contemplation or standing with a drawn sword held above his head as if preparing to call a force of Northmen to charge.

Balder is often the primary household God of community leaders and Chieftains amongst the small war like Warholds of the Northmen.

Bokstorn

Five thousand years ago Bokstorn, a titan born within the firey heart of the world, created the race of the giants. Giant kind are one of the eldest races and civilizations in the world.

Bokstorn crafted the different varieties of the giants to build kingdoms throughout the world, some in hill country, some in mountains, some in forests and others beneath the ground. Bokstorn required each of these kingdoms to bring him treasures on the first day of each new year. He allowed rivalries and conflicts between his creations because it entertained him.

A thousand years into his reign over the giants Bokstorn decided that he desired the beautiful goddess Curanthie as his bride. He sent war parties of giants to slaughter the elven priests of Curanthie at her temple complex and had them carry her back as a prisoner. Bokstorn married Curanthie but she was more a captive than a wife. The kidnapping of the goddess Curanthie by Bokstorn and his giants spawned a war between the high elves and giant kind which endures to this day.

Over the centuries Bokstorn became more and more demanding of his giants and in the end the old Kings of the four kingdoms of the giants poisoned and murdered Bokstorn. The giant's capital in the Kingdom of Petrurias is said to be constructed over the enormous cairn where Bokstorn's bones were buried.

During the confusion caused by the murder of Bokstorn the goddess Curanthie managed to escape and returned to her priests who constructed a new and secret sanctuary for her somewhere among the islands within the Sea of Harlots.

Two hundred years ago a gigantic spectre of the titan Bokstorn appeared in the frozen wilderness beyond the Goblinspite mountains. This being wanders at night over the tundra and within the Northern most mountain ranges, sometimes invisible and sometimes as a gigantic ghostly figure of the dead titan.

The priests of the North speculate as to why this ancient power has appeared. Some clerics in the North make offerings to Bokstorn and he has begun to grant spells and limited power. Bokstorn does not communicate with his clerics or with anyone or anything. The powers and magic he grants are limited compared to other gods.

It is difficult to say whether the spectre of Bokstorn is intelligent or has appeared for some purpose. Some scholars believe that his appearance his more a warning of a horrible disaster which will soon engulf the last remaining kingdom of giants.

Curanthie

Curanthie is the Goddess of the East Wind. She is of Lawful alignment. Her priests gain the third level miracle of know the path and the fifth level miracle of lesser cure. Her priests and priestesses are not permitted to wear metal armor.

Curanthie is one of the four Norns, the Goddesses of the Sea for whom the Sea of Harlots gains its name. Curanthie is gentle and patient. Her incarnate form dwells primarily atop a mountain temple in the Kingdom of Petrurias, the land of the giant folk.

In ancient times Curanthie was the wife of Bokstorn, the creator god of all giantkind. While the giants rebelled against the cruel rule of Bokstorn they retain good will with the goddess Curanthie.

Death

Death dwells at the top of the world in a palace of iron. Within his throne room he is surrounded by lights from every side so that his body will not cast a shadow, which is known to be able to kill any mortal being it touches. (Save vs. death any time the shadow of Death touches the target's body.) Death appears in his incarnate form as a fairly ordinary middle aged human male with long stringy black hair and very pale skin. His body is thin and very tall, at least seven feet tall but can appear even larger at times. Death dresses in formal clothing from a previous age. His clothes always seem to be constructed out of iron.

It is said that if a mortal can confront Death in his incarnate form either in his palace or while he roams the world on some errand that he can make a bargain to release the soul of one of the deceased from the Darkling Realm, the land of the dead. Death does not give up the dead easily and his bargains tend to turn on the individual who agrees to them.

Death is of Neutral alignment. His priests are always Lawful. The priests of Death are primarily concerned with dispatching any undead they encounter as abominations, sending their soul energy back to the Darkling Realm where it belongs. At the third level of advancement a Cleric of Death gains the miracle "Cheat Death' and at level five a Cleric dedicated to the god of Death gains the miracle "Dice with Death.

Dahgon

Dahgon is one of the powerful elder gods which broke through the ancient teleportation gate network of the Elves to invade this world. Dahgon is a god of chaos and his incarnation is believed to rule over an underwater city inhabited by a race of evil fish beings. Dahgon delights in organizing attacks against surface dwellers either crossing the Sea of Harlots in ships or dwelling in isolated villages along the coast. Dahgon's symbol is the skull and trident. Dahgon's clerics are always aligned with chaos and as they advance in character level and knowledge they frequently become unstable. At third level a cleric of Dahgon gains the miracle of water breathing. At level five the cleric of Dahgon gains the miracle of lesser drowned offering.

The Faceless Lord

The Faceless Lord is a mysterious god for whom the Pontifex of Tyrene speaks. Tyrene is a militarized theocratic kingdom occupying a large island within the Sea of Harlots, Southwest of Sorcerous Xian and Northeast of the desert Empire of Anorak. Only one religion is tolerated within Tyrene and that is the Lawful aligned Church of the Voice. The Church of the Voice represents a Lawful face which is familiar to many within the wider world but whose leaders are blinded by their lust for power and control. Where previous temples of Lawful gods and goddesses had much to do with the protection of the common people and justice as a whole the Church of the Voice is a hammer intent on pounding out its domination of the wider world.

The common population is at a loss as to what to make of this religion which has thrust its claws deep into the heart of a half dozen neighboring kingdoms. Low level Clerics of the Voice represent the Lawful face of the Church. Clerics start out at relatively good individuals who are slowly driven and molded in the direction of fanaticism.

If paladins are available as a character class in your campaign the Church of the Voice does not have paladins. It does have Fighters who belong to specific military religious orders known as Choirs. In the region of the Dragonsmarch the most active Choir of religious fighters assigned to guard the Churches of the Voice and its monks and clerics are the Choir of Hallowed Chanters.

At third level clerics of the Faceless Lord receive the miracle of the Blessed Scourge. At fifth level they receive the miracle of Forced Conversion.

Malryxus

Malryxus is called The Lady of Books. She is the first of the sphinx creatures, cast into this form by the pantheon of the Elves long, long ago. Over the thousands of years that followed Malryxus has transformed the ruined library where she was banished into a laboratory, temple and center of knowledge. It is from her hidden temple from which all other sphinx creatures hail. It is believed that wandering hermits seeking wisdom and a lifetime of scholarship seek out her hidden temple and if they are successful in finding it may be transformed into a sphinx as a part of their reward. Malryxus may have created the race of the sphinxes to be her companions and agents in the world. None of these creatures can be forced to reveal the location of her hidden library no matter what means are used. Malryxus has been known to dispatch a sphinx to seek out a hero of particular interest to recruit as her agent. Usually the places where sphinxes are encountered are ancient centers of learning, lore or the hiding places of artifacts which Malryxus find especially important or worth guarding.

Clerics of Malryxus are usually scholars and hermits. At the third level of experience she grants her Clerics the miracle of Higher Lore. At the fifth level of experience she grants her Clerics the miracle of Blessed Hands.

Moredinak of Law

Mored is the Lawful god of the human Kingdoms of the North, in a very general sense this includes the independent Duchies of Rorgin and Wor, the Kingdom of Etruria, the Kingdom of Daria, the Kingdom of Kyrene and to a lesser extent the Northeastern area of Sorcerous Xian called Greater Lychazia. In a formal sense Moredinak is the protector of cities, villages and towns going back all the way as far as human history in the area has written records. He is portrayed as a sort of humble, tall, middle aged looking every man's human guard or city militiaman. He is almost always portrayed in statues holding a spear and in later sculptures other types of poleweapons such as the halberd with a standard sword hanging from his belt, wearing mail armor and a simple open faced helm.

Mored rewards those who protect their community and attempt at least to live their lives in a more or less upright fashion. Mored does not demand protection from his faithful and sometimes his image is portrayed standing faithful watch in spirit form over a less perfect human guardsman whose long shifts of faithful service, wounds or exhaustion has forced the fellow to pass out or fall asleep on their post. This is not permission by Mored for his followers and especially those guards who revere him to sleep while on duty. It communicates that Mored accepts that even the best and most faithful guardians are mere mortals with mortal frailties and when they might falter in their duties the god Mored never falters and will be ever present guarding the gates of a human castle, village or town even if his faithful watchmen are incapacitated.

Moredinak is portrayed in dozens of stories watching out for the community, providing miracles when necessary and upholding a sense of loyalty and community meant to bind all human communities together in mutual defense if for no other reason.

Clerics of Moredinak may use the spear or any polearm. At third level a Cleric of Mored gains the miracle of hold portal as the wizard spell. At fifth level the Cleric of Moredinak gains the miracle of wizard lock as the wizard spell of the same name.

Nyarmagog of Chaos

Nyarmagog promises to transform the world into a vision of its home plane which is a bizarre alien landscape dominated by fungal life forms. The only priests or clerics of Nyarmagog are Elves who have dedicated themselves to Chaos. They are few in number but dangerous. These few priests of Nyarmagog dwell in subterranean places and work to forward the cause of Nyarmagog below the surface of the world so his domination of the surface world will be that much easier. Open worship of this evil being is outlawed in the civilized Kingdoms of the surface world. There are a few tribes of Picts who worship this being in the dark and remote forests near the Goblinspite Mountains.

At first level a Cleric of Nyarmagog is given a meal of uncooked mushrooms. This meal plants the evil seed of Nyarmagog into the body of the priest. The seed acts as a limited mind control keep the priest devoted. Salvation of a priest of Nyarmagog involves the ritual excise of this seed from the character's body. No special miracles are granted at this stage and one would have to open the belly of a priest to detect the fungoid infection.

At third level a hard knot appears in the abdominal wall of the priest. Should the priest take serious damage the fungus can weave replacement tissue in order to regenerate the damage. This regeneration will heal 2 points of damage per combat round and can be used to replace limbs and organs. The replacement tissue is obviously fungoid and alien in nature. This can make the priest gruesome to gaze upon causing most priests at higher levels to conceal their bodies in heavy robes.

At 5th level the fungoid tumor has replaced most of the priests digestive tract and he or she no longer needs to eat. They can break off small pieces of themselves to create the meal necessary to create a first level Cleric of the god. The priest gains the ability to communicate through telepathy with other priests within a hundred miles once per day.

At 7th level the Cleric may plant a piece of himself which will grow into an enormous glowing mushroom larger than most trees. This plant gives the god a foothold in the area from whence he can grow other forms of alien mushroom and replace the environment within ten miles of the mushroom with the alien life of his home world.

At 10th level the Cleric transforms into a Dark Shambler and is a monster under the control of the referee. Dark Shamblers are found guarding and tending the giant mushrooms at the center of the fungoid groves of this god.

Oknabog - Northern God of Fire and Steel

Oknabog is the Northman god of fire and steel. He is the enormously strong and long bearded Northman god of the forge, weapon and armor creation. Oknabog is a God of Law but he is a Northern image of what Lawful behavior is interpreted to be. Clan loyalty, honesty, bravery especially in battle are qualities that Oknabog upholds. Raiding and pillaging neighbors who are not kinsmen is an acceptable practice to the Northern ethics portrayed by this God. Rules of an eye for an eye and the long blood feud are also acceptable.

Clerics of Oknabog may wield the two handed sword. They may only wear leather types of armor, scale, ring or mail. They may not wear plate armor as this represents an abandonment of the traditions of the Northern forge cult of the god. The primary weapon of Oknabog is the two handed war hammer and the hammer, anvil and flame are his symbols.

At third level a Cleric of Oknabog may work on any standard melee weapon at a forge for an hour and turn it into a temporary weapon of quality which strikes for +1 damage. This bonus lasts for one week of adventuring.

At fifth level a Cleric of Oknabog may work on any standard melee weapon at a forge for an hour and turn it into a temporary weapon of quality with a slight magical aura. This aura is granted as a blessing by the god when his rune is placed on the weapon and it is hardened in the fire. Such a weapon gains both a +1 bonus to damage and a +1 bonus to attack rolls for one week. This bonus can be placed on arrows, bolts and sling stones but does nothing when placed on a bow, crossbow or sling.

Gerda and Freyr

Gerda and Freyr are the Northman gods of Spring and Autumn. They are two of the four Northman primary gods which personify the four seasons. Gerda and Freyr are married in the lore of the North. Gerda represents fertility, beginnings, youth, beauty and renewal. Gerda is a shape shifter with a special affinity for hawks and wolves. Freyr represents plenty, harvests, happiness, fullfillment, crafting and endings. Freyr is also a shapeshifter with a special affinity for boars and bears.

Gerda and Freyr are the gods worshiped by the ragged cloaks, the community Druids identified by the many colored cloaks which they wear made from many contributed bits of cloth and leather given to them by the community members they serve. The ragged cloaks are primarily Lawful or Good in their alignment although some few can be Good or Neutral. The ragged cloaks do not participate in human blood sacrifice as it is not part of their way. Perhaps for this reason they are seen as more friendly and benevolent by the Northern community members which interact with them.

Ragged cloaks are Druids with the greatest affinity with animals and are always shapeshifters themselves.

Gymir and Gullveig

Gymir and Gullveig are the Northman gods that represent the seasons of summer and winter. Gymir is portrayed as a rich king adorned with rings and chains of gold. He is usually portrayed as a portly figure with a balding head and short beard. Gymir represents wealth, success in negotiations and merchant affairs, he also represents schemes and deception and sometimes is associated with sloth. Gullveig is the black eyed goddess of winter. Gullveig represents darkness, cold, famine, betrayal and cruelty. She is the only evil god(dess) in the Northman pantheon although it could be argued that Aglaeca has become more of a goddess of destruction and evil within the Northman pantheon than Gullveig ever was, despite Aglaeca's Elvish origin.

Gymir and Gullveig are both powerful in the arts of sorcery but they are not shape shifters like their cousins. Where the gods of spring and autumn are seen as lovers in a cooperative and healthy relationship, Gymir and Gullveig are seen as static and uncooperative with one another.

Gymir and Gullveig are worshiped by the black and white cloak wearing Druids of the Stonehenge. During the summer months the Druids of the Stonehenge wear their cloaks with the black side out. At the height of the summer the black cloak Druids of the Stonehenge pick one member out of the community, usually out of the Kingdom that the serve, and sacrifice this individual in the Solstice ritual of the Wicker King. At the beginning of Winter the Druids of the Stonehenge reverse their cloaks to the white side and wear this side facing outwards. At the Winter Solstice the white cloaked wearing Druids of the Stonehenge gather at the great complex within the Highlands of Vuxor. There they await the first ray of sun to kiss the key stone and in that moment they sacrifice one member of one of the noble households of the Warholds by cutting out their heart and burning it in a sacrifice to Gullveig, so that she will release the sun and allow the world to warm up again with the new year.

The Druids of the Stonehenge are viewed as authority figures who often handle disputes or act as judges in criminal cases in the lands of the North. They are more cold and removed from the communities where they dwell. The Druids of the Stonehenge and the Ragged Cloak Druids tolerate one another but do not usually mix company. Druids of the Stonehenge tend to be Lawful and Evil or Lawful and Neutral.

Chaotic characters do not usually have the discipline necessary to become Druids but Chaotic aligned warriors frequently revere the Druids and act as their bodyguards when traveling or going about important business.

The Piper

The Dark Lord of Screams, the God of Greater Nightmares - these are some of the many names given to The Piper. The Piper wanders the world as a human looking individual six to seven feet in height wear a ragged and usually reeking remains of a carnival performer's costume. Over his head is a hood or in some cases a leering mask. If the hood or mask is removed always another and different mask is revealed. The only consistent quality of the mask is the dark void where the eyes should be.

Dangling from the belt of the Piper are many odd items. The head of a doll dangles from its hair. A collection of chicken bones swings from a red cord. A broken hour glass swings from a rusty bit of chain. Tucked into his belt are a collection of old straight razors. The Piper always clutches a bone flute in his fingers. He can wield this flute as a weapon but never plays it. Each murder conducted at the behest of the Piper provides more power into the flute which he will use to call in the Powers of Chaos from throughout the universe at the end of the world.

The Piper gravitates towards individuals bent on some horrible and bloody betrayal or crime. He likes to be near such events and will sometimes manipulate others to arrive at the results he enjoys. The work of Assassins is of no interest to him. The Piper is only interest in crimes of brutality, murder and revenge.

The Piper grants his priests the ability to glimpse the future. In return the watch for persons who are suitable vessels for the Piper to act through and report these in their prayers to the god.

At first level a priest of the Piper is granted the ability to read a person's palm. Taking ten minutes to do so the priest can detect if the person in question is aligned with Law, Chaos or Neutrality.

At third level the priest can divine the answer to a single yes or no question through a ten minute palm reading. The can perform this feat once per day.

At fifth level the priest can fashion a charm which provides a simple +1 bonus to any single roll. The charm retains its potency for one week of adventuring and then crumbles into ash.

At seventh level the priest can read a person's palm and determine if they are under a curse. They will know the general nature of the curse (lycanthrope, vampirism, zombie taint, mummy curse, etc...) and what power is responsible for place the curse on the subject. They will also know the means either mundane or magical necessary for removing the curse.

The Rag Man - God of Chaos

The Rag Man is a terrifying being or possibly being(s) which stalk the margins of large villages and human cities. As a rule, it only comes out to hunt after dark and usually is encountered between the hours of eleven in the evening and three in the morning. From a distance and concealed in the shadows of an alley it appears to be a hunched shuffling rag and cloak enveloped beggar. The creature gives off a smell of rotting garbage and trash which is detectable at over a hundred feet but which grows to be almost over powering within twenty feet. Up close the monster is identifiable as nothing human or humanoid. The creature has a face which is some nightmare amalgamation of insectoid and row upon row of nasty curved teeth. The garments of the creature are long wings which allow the creature to fly to escape but also to more easily ambush prey.

The Rag Man strips all of the flesh off of its victims who are usually those who wander into the alleys and seldom traveled passages of the city after dark. Nothing is left after the Rag Man is finished but a heap of bones and hair.

An entire cult has sprung up around this beast not so much as to worship it but to recognize the signs of its arrival in a city and to defend the public against it. Priests of The Rag Man make offerings but these are meant to convince the beast to satisfy itself and quickly take up residence in some other plane of existence. They acknowledge the beast much in the same manner that dancers would march through the streets of medieval cities to ward off the black death.

Clerics of the Rag Man live as beggars in areas where the being is likely to strike. They gain spells normally. At third level a Cleric of the Rag Man gains the miracle of immunity to disease, they become immune to all forms of disease including the paralyzation inflicted by ghouls and the rotting touch of a mummy. At fifth level a cleric of the Rag Man can craft a puppet made out of sticks and cloth. These leering, creepy dolls can be hung up in alleys where the beast has been hunting and it will not appear again in those locations for 1d6 + the Cleric's current experience level in days.

Ultimately a Cleric of the Rag Man works to confront the beast in its lair which can be in the sewers beneath a large city or in some abandoned corner of a forgotten building long abandoned.

Sargon the Sun

Sargon is the god of the sun. His temples first arose in the ancient Empire of Anorak and it is believed that he rides his golden chariot drawn by four golden steads of fire across the sky of that Kingdom first. Sargon is a god of Law.

Priests of Sargon are able to perform the third level miracle of Create Sunlight and the fifth level miracle Destroy Undead.

Sargon's temples are found in many places but North of the Sea of Harlots they are usually confined to large villages and towns.

Samhain - God of Sorcery

Samhain is the God of Sorcery in the Dragonsmarch region. The god is said to inhabit a construct each new year, usually during the Autumn harvest festival. Often Samhain is depicted as an animated and intelligent, sometimes malevolent scarecrow with the head of a carved pumpkin wreathed in a halo of magical fire.

Samhain is the old god of magic in the lands of the Dragonsmarch and all wizards revere or fear him although many of the Pentagarchy wizards no longer worship him. Samhain represents unfettered and unrestricted delving into arcane secrets, a practice which today is considered heretical under the rules established by the Pentagarchy.

Samhain is a Neutral god who has been branded a part of the pantheon of Chaos, wrongly so by the leadership of the Pentagarchy. Samhain sometimes takes an interest in the fate of heretical Sorcerers, Witches and Warlocks who still practice the arts of magic in the old way and who ignore the restrictions decreed by the powerful Pentagarchy.

Samhain has no Clerics but he does have witches and warlocks who serve as a sort of priesthood. These individuals walk the line between Cleric and Wizard and often have a mixed book of spells taken from both disciplines. Samhain no longer provides miracles to his witches and warlocks but they do gain access to schools of magic long closed to other wizards.

Sirocco the South Wind

Sirocco is one of the four winds after which the Sea of Harlots is named. Sirocco is said to dwell incarnated in the virgin priestess of the main temple of the goddess located in the city of Amen'Nekhbet the capital of the Empire of Anorak. She is said to remain in this incarnation until the priestess reaches the age of twenty one at which point she leaves the temple, wandering the world in some other chosen form until she returns exactly a year later to incarnate in one chosen girl out of the seventy seven virgins presented.

Sirocco is the Goddess of Love, Peace and the South Wind. Weapons are strictly forbidden anywhere on the grounds of her temples. Clerics of Sirocco are restricted to defending themselves with their hands or the use of the quarter staff.

Sirocco has temples throughout the City States of Carthusia, the Empire of Anorak and Sorcerous Xian but her following is smaller across the sea.

At third level a Cleric of Sirocco can create a ten foot area of peace and serenity surrounding themselves for 1d6+1 turns. The Cleric must assume a meditative state in order to achieve this effect. Anyone entering the ten foot area or attempting to attack the cleric, even at range, must make a saving throw versus spell or they will be unable to bring themselves to act violently.

At fifth level a Cleric of Sirocco can remove any curse or any form of mind control or possession by kissing the afflicted party. They can perform this miraculous feat once per week.

Shub of Chaos

Shub (Shub) is one of the Elder Gods lingering in the world from the time of the Great Cataclysm. Shub is believed to be at least partially responsible for the growth and movement of the crawling chaos, the vast ocean of tentacle ooze that creeps its way closer to the City States of Carthusia every year.

Shub is believed to conceal herself in a dormant form called the Midnight Orb. The location of the Midnight Orb is a mystery to all but the highest level priests of her evil cult.

Hive Member — 3rd Level

Priests of Shub are lashed to stakes in the presence of the Mid-night Orb so that the master wrigglers present on the surface of the pulsing egg form can worm their way across the cavern floor and up onto the skull of the supplicant. Within a few rounds the mas-ter wriggler burrows into the skull of the priest and consumes a small portion of the higher brain. There it nests itself in a sort of symbiotic relationship with the priest. It grows its own sensory organ which becomes a hidden third eye for the priest.

By third level the priest of shub is a full fledged member of Shub’s global hive. They can communicate with the entire hive and can tune into the whispers and warnings of other hive members at will. Often the priest of Shub seems to be muttering to nobody or cack-ling to himself but in reality he is imparting information to the rest of the hive.

Spawn Slave Wriggler—5th Level

At fifth level the priest of Shub can cough out one slave wriggler per week. This horrifying worm can be placed on the brow of a victim. Within 1d4 rounds the slave wriggler burrows into the skull of the victim and unless a saving throw is made eats most of the higher brain. The victim is for all effective purposes killed at this point as they will never recover their memories of who they were. The victim is unable to speak and loses all emotion. They move around like a wide eye zombie under the full control of the priest’s master wriggler.

The priest of Shub can keep one such slave wriggler under control at any given time. Slaves lose all of their character abilities and function as basic zero level creature of their race. The priest of shub can see, hear, taste and feel everything their new spy experi-ences at any distance. They can command their actions complete-ly even to the point of self destruction.

Referee’s Note

The Cult of Shub is intended as a great evil worth fighting not one for the player characters to join. Shub does not cooperate with any of the other gods or powers. Shub uses her network of agents to worm her way into the power structures of the world. Even the followers of other powers of Chaos will work against Shub when she is encountered.

Silkie the West Wind

Silkie (Silk-ee) is one of the four Norns of the Sea of Harlots. She is the goddess of the West Wind and one of the goddesses of the sea.

Sailor’s Blessing—3rd Level

This blessing provides a +1 bonus to all saving throws by any character aboard a sailing vessel for up to a month. The blessing is cast upon the ship not upon the crew. The blessing comes with a cost of two hundred and fifty gold pieces in religious supplies. This is the cost the priest must pay for their incense and other materials for this blessing not what they charge sea captains who come to them seeking it.

Water Breathing—5th Level

At fifth level the cleric of Silkie can breathe underwater as the spell once per day. Any character within twenty feet of the cleric of Silkie also gains the benefit of this ability.

Skulk

Skulk is the god of sneaking, thieves and rats. For obvious reasons he is believed to be the primary patron god of the small folk by more than a few ignorant humans but this is hardly the case. While there are a very few small folk who venerate the god Skulk there are many more who follow Valeria or Sargon or one of the many other lawful gods in the world.

Skulk’s Grace—3rd Level

Once a day a third level cleric of Skulk may detect the presence of traps, including magical traps in the surrounding hundred foot area. They must spend ten minutes in concentration and prayer to do so. The detection does not reveal the direction, nature or exact location of traps nor does it provide guidance as to the number of traps or their severity. The cleric can only detect whether a trap is present somewhere nearby or not.

Rat Friend—5th Level

At fifth level the cleric of Skulk gains a rat as a familiar. This large rat has the standard stats of any common rat but with +4 hit points. The cleric can communicate with the rat and can speak to any rat they encounter to a limited degree. If the familiar is killed another will appear within 1d4 nights provided the cleric has not offended Skulk in some fashion.

Clerics of Skulk make small offerings to their god by dropping a few shiny coins or a small gem through the open grate leading down into the sewers beneath a local town or city.

Spaetrus - Carthusian God of War

Spaetrus (Spay-tres) is the Carthusian god of war and master of the gladiatorial arena. He rewards those who seek personal glory in battle and punishes cowards who hide or flee from a fight.

Aura of Death—3rd Level

At third level the cleric of Spaetrus can call upon his patron’s name once a day and be surrounded by a halo of doom and dread. Any intelligent creature coming within ten feet of the cleric will suffer an automatic –2 penalty to all morale rolls. The aura lasts for 1d6 combat rounds plus the current level of the cleric. Undead are immune to this aura.

War God’s Touch—5th Level

At fifth level the cleric can lay hands upon a target once per day and heal fifty percent of all of the damage they have received pro-vided the damage inflicted was caused by ranged or melee weap-ons and the subject did not flee from a fight in the last twenty four hours. Damage received from spells or dragon breathe or acid or other effects is not healed by this miracle.

Tanaztuan - Snake Goddess of Amazonia

Tanaztuan (Tenaz-too-an) is the goddess of the Amazons. The jungles are her domain. Snakes are considered holy by her and her symbol is that of a serpent in a spiral. Venomous varieties of snake are less holy to Tanaztuan than non venomous varieties and the giant constrictor snakes are prized by her above all others.

Amazon characters are always of the Amazon Adventurer class. Any clerics of Tanaztuan will be female and from the Amazon culture. They will always be NPC characters.

Shed Pain as Skin - 3rd Level

At third level the cleric of Tanaztuan can spend one full turn to shed a thin outer layer of their skin and any disease which they are infected with it. This miracle will also heal the cleric of 1d8+1 points of damage. They can perform this miracle once per day.

Command Serpents - 5th Level

At fifth level the cleric can command any serpent they encounter up to their level in hit dice. Hit dice under command may be di-vided among multiple snakes. The snakes will follow all directions given so long as they are within one hundred feet of the cleric.

Targos - God of Kings

Targos is the god of the kingship of men and of defense. His cler-ics are tasked with seeking out those born of the noble bloodline of Targos and training them to join the ranks of the Hundred Lords of Man.

Protect Human—3rd Level

At third level any human character standing within ten feet of the cleric of Targos receives a +1 blessing to their attack, damage and saving throw rolls at all times. This aura of protection for humans is active at all times and applies to the cleric as well.

Lesser Revive—5th Level

At fifth level the cleric of Targos can place their hands upon any character who has reached negative hit points and immediately bring them to positive 1d8 provided they are still alive. The cleric of Targos can use this ability once per day. It will work on a non-human but the revived character only receives 1d4 hit points after being brought back to zero.

Tempest the North Wind

Tempest is the ill tempered goddess of the North winds and one of the four Norns of the Sea of Harlots. Sailors fear the wrath of Tempest more than they revere her. She is said to favor giants over men but still has a small following of clerics to attend her few lonely and isolated shrines.

Resist Cold—3rd Level

At third level the cleric of Tempest can ignore the effects of extreme cold including all magical cold attacks and spell effects with the exception of the freezing breathe weapon of dragons. This protection lasts for one combat round plus the cleric’s current level and can be used once per day.

Call Gale—5th Level

Once per week the fifth level cleric of Tempest can spend an hour in prayer to call down a violent storm upon their location. Roll 1d6 for severity and 1d6 for duration. This powerful storm can damage buildings, drive a sailing ship off course or even sink it.

Severity 1d6

1. Thunderstorm with 30 MPH Winds and Rain

2. Storm with 40 MPH Winds and Rain

3. Severe Storm with 50 MPH wind gusts and driving rain.

4. Blasting Winds of up to 60 MPH and periods of blinding rain.

5. Severe thunderstorm precedes a Tornado in the vicinity. Roll percentile, the higher the percentile result the further away the tornado passes from the site of the cleric’s ritual. Percentage rolled x 100 in feet.

6. Hurricane strength storm gathers. Wind gusts of 80 MPH and driving rain making visibility almost zero.

Duration 1d6

1. One Hour

2. Three Hours

3. Five Hours

4. Eight Hours

5. Twelve Hours

6. Twenty Four Hours

Valeria of the Wilderness

Valeria is the goddess of the wilderness and spring. Her shrines are common in the kingdoms of men and her priests are well received. Valeria is a kindly goddess especially to men, elves, dwarves and small folk. It is not unusual for each race to portray Valeria as one of their own kind. Her exact race is unknown, if she even has a mortal form. Her presence is described as a glowing purple and green light from within which her voice emanates.

Potent Cure Light—3rd Level

At third level the cleric of Valeria enjoys a +3 point bonus to the results of any cure light wounds spell that they cast.

Find the Portal—5th Level

At fifth level the cleric of Valeria may perform a one hour ritual once a week which will guide them to the nearest portal leading into the spirit realm. Faerie gates and ghost gates are what these portals are called because of the creatures most widely known to make use of them. The gate must be present within a mile of the cleric when they perform the ritual to work correctly. If no portal is detected the cleric must wait until the following week to try again in a new location.

Vorpus - God of Assassins

Vorpus is the god of Assassins and Lord of Sharp Edges. His scriptures demand discipline, obedience and a certain sense of honor from all who follow him. Assassins who revere Vorpus are not mere butchers, they are faithful professionals battling in the cause of the noble house which they serve. At first level a cleric of Vorpus may wield a dagger along with their usual clerical weapons.

Priest of Blades - 3rd Level

At third level the cleric of Vorpus becomes skilled in all single handed swords.

Backstab - 5th Level

At fifth level the cleric of Vorpus gains the backstab ability which inflicts a bonus +1d6 damage against any foe attacked from behind or a flank from a state of surprise.

Wu Jain - Eastern God of Skulls

Wu Jain (Woo-Jin) is the terrifying war god of the steppe country to the far East. His worshipers are nomads, warriors, horse archers and brigands. Wu Jain requires the taking of trophies from defeated foes as a central part of his worship. In particular the taking of a head and then laying the skull as an offering at the temple of Wu Jain is a common and encouraged practice.

Speak to Horses—3rd Level

At third level the cleric of Wu Jain can speak to any horse at will. They need not make any riding roll to maintain control of their own horse and can use their attack action in combat to calm the horse of any other rider. The cleric can instruct the horses of the adventuring party to stay near the camp or to run if monsters approach and the horses will obey. A horse the cleric of Wu Jain has gotten to know over a period of weeks will come when the cleric whistles for it.

Skull’s Gift—5th Level

At fifth level the cleric of Wu Jain can take the severed head of any foe they have defeated in battle and place this bloody trophy on the chest of a wounded companion. When the cleric performs this action and recites a specific chant Wu Jain will remove curse, cure poison or cure disease on the target. This ability may be used once per day.

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