TOME Of The DAMNED Version 1.666 Editor and Creator: Brennan Brooks ( The Dark Paladin ) ab347@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Special thanks to: Everybody who contributed, and other Net Book keepers listed below. And especially Kyrin, who so kindly re-formatted this document in text. FOREWORD There are a few things that one must know before reading this Tome.... in it, are the secrets of the damned. These secrets have been lying, awaiting their discovery, for thousands, possibly millions of years. Now, a few brave souls have ventured near enough to them, so that their anticipation can await no longer. Opening crypts and tombs, these secrets have been revealed, and they tend to stay that way. The way of the world as we know it, may forever change. Death, Peril, and Damnation await us behind every corner. But, how does that change the world? No one has seen death as horrid as these, peril as depressing as written here, and no one (or no soul), has suffered any kind of damnation that has been recorded within these pages. Gods and heros clash in the midst of the abyss, while the undead stalk the Material Plane. Oh, what has befallen the world now?? - The Dark Paladin As you should know, this is the text version of the book of the damned v. 1666. Originally it had a huge number of messy mistakes that Brennan failed to clear up in the .txt version which I for the most part cleaned up. There's still a few mistakes (particularly a few of the tables under the Necromancer class). - Kyrin COPY-RIGHTS Copyrights and Other Legal Stuff Note that a lot of the stuff contained in the The Tome of the Damned have been copyrighted by their respective authors. In this edition, these authors - when known - have been mentioned along with the items they contributed. Permission has been granted by these authors to copy their stuff for your personal use. Also, you may freely distribute copies of their work, so long as you do not prevent others from doing the same, and no commercial or barter considerations are obtained in exchange for such copies. This includes printing out copies and charging money for them. When you distribute this stuff, you must distribute them in whole, unchanged. Specifially, this file containing the copyright conditions, and the names of the editors must be included. Make sure that you distribute the entire package the way you have received it yourself. You may not claim this stuff as having originated from yourself. I have been given permission from the editor of The Great Net Prayer Book, and The Great Net Spell Book to use the respective spells from these books. All copy-rights to the authors of these spells co-exist with the rules above. Permission has also been granted by the editor of the Gallery of Magical Blades to use the blades which fit into my Tome. The copy-rights of these authors also apply to the above rules. D&D, Dungeons & Dragons, AD&D, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, TSR, Dragonlance, Greyhawk and probably lots of other words used here are either registered or non-registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. They are used in this work without permission, but this should not be regarded as an attempt to challenge their rights. Note that this work can and should not be used without TSR's excellent Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide, which have inspired a whole generation of roleplayers. Let me quote a passage from the Player's Handbook, which says: "The AD&D game is continually evolving- each player and each DM adds his own touch to the whole. No list of special thanks can be complete without recognizing the most important comtributors of all the millions of players who, over the years, have made the AD&D game what it is today." Let's all cooperate to make the game even greater! See below, under CREDITS, for an attempt to thank at least a few of the millions mentioned above. CREDITS People Brennan Brooks ( The Dark Paladin ) ab347@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca Aaron Bowman aaron@bowman.pdial.interpath.net Aaron Miaullis UNKOWN Aaron Sher ars3_cif@uhura.cc.rochester.edu Al Singleton ( Samuel Higley ) eaay@catcc.bitnet Alex King acnk1@ukc.ac.uk Andrew R. Myers xftn10b@prodigy.com Benjamin E. Sones ( The Bard ) krf93002@uconnvm.uconn.edu Bernard Wook Lee bwl2@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu Bill Hincks whin3560@uriacc.uri.edu Boudewijn Wayers dedos4@win.tue.nl Bret Mikeal O'Neal bo@csd4.csd.uwm.edu Charles Anthony Leone clg2+@andrew.cmu.edu Chris Norwood zcsn1@etsu.east-tenn-st.edu Daniel Vitti ( Tyverian Starstone ) st051911@vaxi.rockhurst.edu Denis Kramer kramer@wolfsburg.netsurf.de Dennis F. Maher maherd@stricom.army.mil Edward Keyes keyesea@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu Gabriel Ouimet av690@freenet.carleton.ca Garinthrall alvalent@husc Geoffrey Edward Fagan gefagan@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu Hugo M. Nijhof sbbehn@hlerul57 James Errico jerrico@nerc1.nerc.com Jacques M. Mallah jqm1584@is2.nyu.edu Jason Choi ujchoi@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu Jason Cook jwc3@ns2.CC.Lehigh.EDU Jeff Vogel jvogel@jarthur.claremont.edu Jim Vassilakos jimv@ucrmath.ucr.edu Joe Colleran jnc4p@uva.pcmail.virginia.edu John M. Martz john_martz@unc.edu John McKnight jemck@delphi.com Jose Carlos de Souza Santos jcdssant@cat.cce.usp.br Kevin Langley klangley@laraby.tiac.net Kwi Kim erdrick@ix.netcom.com Mark Charke mark.charke@haven.ship.net Micheal J. Korvak fsmtw1%alaska.bitnet@utarlvm1.uta.edu Michael Thomas Fassbender mfassben@silver.ucs.indiana.edu M.L.Barklam csai94@cs.bham.ac.uk Nir Hener s2909800@techst02.technion.ac.il Paul D. Walker pdwalker@hk.super.net Peter Gourlay gourlay@slais.ubc.ca Ricky Jay Peltz develop@dataworks.co.uk Robert Johan Enters whisper@wpi.wpi.edu Robert A. Howard ( Myste ) ssa94isa06@rcnvms.rcn.mass.edu Scott D. Law law@xip.nrl.navy.mil S.C. Lawley u0e00@seq1.cc.keele.ac.uk Sir Jiles jmccoy@asntsu.asn.edu Steve Ferguson steve@mwpc.mcit.med.umich.edu Teh S. Cheng tsc0265@rigel.tamu.edu The Warlord of Heaven fsmtw1@alaska.bitnet Thomas Huijer v912451@morrien.si.hhs.nl Tim Dickinson dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca Tim Rightnour garbled@indirect.com Tom Dullemond buck@gil.ipswichcity.qld.gov.au UNKNOWN xpypad@levels.unisa.edu.au UNKNOWN muallema@ecuvm1 UNKNOWN pfrey@drew.bitnet UNKNOWN kmhk@maristb UNKNOWN oprdcs@gsuvm1 Net Books Tome of the Damned URL http://www.sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca/~ab347/Profile.html Editor Brennan Brooks ( The Dark Paladin ) Gallery of Magical Blades URL http://www.sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca/~aa499/Profile.html Editor Chris Brooks ( Phantos ) Great Net Priest Prayer & Great Net Spellbook URL http://hagar.arts.kuleuven.ac.be/students/Ezra.Van.Everbroeck/gnb.html Editor Ezra van Everbroeck Previous Editor Boudewijn Wayers TABLE OF CONTENTS {TOC \o|TOME Of The DAMNED 1 FOREWORD 2 COPY-RIGHTS 3 CREDITS 4 People 4 Net Books 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS 6 NEW COMMON WEAPONS 7 Scythe 7 Scythe, War 7 NEW MAGICAL WEAPONS 8 Bane of the Dead 8 Black Blade 8 Blood Claw 8 Blackrazor 9 Bloodshriek 9 Chaos Blade 10 Chill Short Sword 13 Darkenbane 13 Demon Bane 14 Demon Slicer 14 Demon Sword 15 DoomBringer 15 Dunamis 15 FangBlades 16 FleshSlayer 16 Gloves of the Ghoul 16 God Slayer 17 Hell Beater 17 Hell Razor 18 Lecrucia the Thirsty 18 Necormancer's Blade 18 PeopleSmasher 19 Quietus 20 Short Sword of Darkness 20 Shorty 21 Skin Shreader 21 Spirit's Reach 21 Sword of Arak 22 Sword of Kas 22 Sword of the Cursed Gauntlet 27 Sword of Were 27 Swords of Darkness 28 The Black Blade of Tyrants 28 The Demon Sword of Yargash 29 VampireBlade 30 Vampiric Arrows 31 Vampiric Crysdagger 31 NEW RELIGIONS 32 Gog, the God of the Damned 32 Relsor and his Shadow Clan 35 The Order of Thal'Kal (the God of Death) 39 NEW SORCERER WAYS 41 Blood Mage 41 The Necromancer 43 NEW WARRIOR CLANS 51 The Dark Brotherhood of Addra 51 NEW MAGICAL ITEMS 57 Chalice of Everlasting Blood 57 Death's Garments 57 Gauntlet of the Necromancer 57 Hater 58 Staff of Gog 58 Voodoo Doll 59 Zombie Powder 60 NEW ARTIFACTS 62 Hellblades 62 Excalibur Junior 63 Lifeater 63 Lifelicker 63 Lifesucker 63 Hellbearer 63 Souldevourer 63 Souldrainer 63 Souleater 63 Soulskinner 63 Soulsucker 64 Soulswallower 64 Soultaster 64 Soulzapper 64 NEW ELIXER'S & POTIONS 65 Death's Nectar 65 NEW MAGICAL SPELLS 66 Wizard Spells 66 Level 1 66 Level 2 71 Level 3 82 Level 4 82 Priest Spells 85 Level 1 85 Level 2 88 Level 3 90 Level 4 92 Level 5 97 Level 6 101 NEW RACES 104 Elf, Poison 104 NEW MONSTERS 107 Cat, Damned 107 Cat, Ghoul 109 Nancir 111 Shadow, Ether 114 Zombie, Venom 116 Upcir 119 UNDEAD 121 Necromantic Familiars 121 EPILOGUE 124 NEW COMMON WEAPONS Weapon Cost Weight Size Type Spd Dmg( S-M ) Dmg( L ) Scythe 5 GP 8 L P/S 8 1d6 + 1 1d8 Scythe, War 15 GP 15 L P/S 10 1d8 + 1 2d6 Scythe Kevin Langley < klangley@laraby.tiac.net > The Scythe. Usually used as a farming, it comes in quite handy for slicing up monsters as well. A hard oaken staff with a sharp curved blade protruding form the end is the weapon of Death himself! Beware all those who weild this farming tool. Scythe, War Gabriel Ouimet < av690@freenet.carleton.ca > The War Scythe is a scythe, but costumed for those who wish to slice and dice their enemies. Doing a considerable mount of more damage to creatures, this scythe is usually used on monsters, rather than farming grounds. Easily used outdoors, but a bit cramped in the dungeon places, for this scythe needs 5 feet of room to maneuver. NEW MAGICAL WEAPONS Bane of the Dead Jason Cook < jwc3@ns2.CC.Lehigh.EDU > It's a +5 dagger that is particularly nasty against undead, such as vampires. Can't remember all of the stats, but the curse is: must take control of the dagger(willpower checks over a week period). If failed, the wielder begins to believe he/she is a vampire. Over the next few days, he will become convinced he is a vampire, staying out of the son and slaying others for blood. The victim will eventually be driven to his death by the dagger's urgings. DM's discretion on how long. Black Blade < oprdcs@gsuvm1 > Type: Long Sword Intelligence: 17 EGO: 18 Magical Adjustment: +2 Magic Resistance: 85% Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Description: Black onyx obsidian blade with mithril inlaid along the blade and rune carved. It also has a black diamond pommel. The sheath and baldric are made of black dragon skin with mithril tooling and stitching. Upon the killing stroke, the wielder will temporarily gain the number of hit points of the killed creature. If the creature is humanoid or human the wielder will also gain the levels/hit dice of said person. This will last for a number of turns the creature has levels or hit dice. If the sword does not kill in three days, its ego will rise one point a day until it controls the wielder and makes him kill. This can also occur if in battle the wielder looses enough hit points to lose control. The black blade acts as a dancing sword and also heals 1 point per day. It can detect traps, secret doors, and evil. It talks telepathically and can speak dwarven, black dragon, stone golem, orc and of course, common. The voice it speaks in is a deep ominous crackling tone. Blood Claw This throwing dagger is +3 to hit and damage. Upon hitting a creature that is possessive of blood as life force (i.e. not undead or slimes or crystalline or stone creatures etc.) the dagger will automatically grow barbs and burrow itself to the hilt inside the target. Every round after the round in which it has struck, the dagger will drain an additional 2d4 hp until the creature dies or the dagger is removed. Removal of the dagger will cause the victim an additional 3d4 hp damage due to the extensive barbs. Blackrazor Blackrazor is a +3 chaotic neutral sword with an intelligence of 17 and an ego of 16. Its purpose is to such souls. It's a black sword that shines like a piece of night sky filled with stars, and it is sheathed in a black scabbard decorated with pieces of cut obsidian. On a killing stroke, Blackrazor temporarily adds the number of levels of the dead foe to its bearer's levels (in terms of fighting ability). The bearer also temporarily gains the full hit points of the victim. All subsequent damage to the sword wielder is removed from the added hit points first. The extra levels and hit points last a number of turns equal to the number of levels received. The souls of all entities killed by blackrazor are sucked out and devoured, so those killed by the black sword cannot be raised. For every three days the sword remains "unfed", its ego increases by one point, until it can compel its bearer to kill a human or humanoid being. Upon feeding, its ego returns to 16. The DM will note that Blackrazor is a negative-energy entity that exists by absorbing positive life energy levels from those it kills. However, if it even strikes a negative energy being like an undead (except ghouls and ghosts) it will work in reverse, transferring one level and corresponding hit points from the wielder to the creature attacked. It will do this each time that it strikes. Under these conditions, the wielder can actually die and have his soul sucked out by his own sword. If the wielder survives, he will need a restoration spell or twice the usual number of levels received from positive "kills" to replace the lost levels. Those killed for replacement must be of the same race as the sword wielder. Blackrazor may very well keep this little drawback a secret until the first time the sword bites into a wight or vampire. The DM must remember that Blackrazor exists solely to feel power and souls coursing through itself, and sometimes it may not be too picky about where the energy is coming from. In addition to the above, the sword has the following powers: Speech and telepathy (common and whatever tongues its wielder knows, which it learns telepathically) Detects living creatures (souls), 60' r. Haste spell (bearer only, 10 rounds) once per day. 100% magic resistance to charm and fear (exact percentage chance of resistance will depend upon the level of the opponent casting the spell. Bloodshriek Bloodshriek is a very thin long sword of +5 value, this sword is nasty. Although evil aligned, anyone can pick it up. However, if the wielder does not have the same alignment, it will attempt to possess the wielder(ego check). It's special abilities include: automatically strikes first(faster than speed weapons), acts as a bracer of blinding strike with that weapon(so, at 13th level, a specialized fighter would get 5 attacks/round-always), acted as vampiric ring of regeneration, and when first hit would start to shriek. This shriek would cause different affects for different level opponents, some resulting in death. Chill Short Sword This is an extremely evil weapon, usable only by those of neutral or evil alignment. It is considered +5 for to hit purposes, but in fact is a +3 weapon to hit and damage. Once per turn it can Chill a struck opponent, this causes 3-18 points of frost damage and drains three strength points, drained strength returns at one point per day. It also emanates a powerful scare spell to all those within 50 feet when drawn, even those who pass their saves get -1 to hit while within 50 foot of the drawn weapon. Darkenbane In my game, we have soulswords, swords who can absorb the soul of the person they hit. One of the lesser soulswords is Darkenbane. Darkenbane is a long sword with a special hatred of wights, which it calls the Dark Ones. As anyone with knowledge of wights knows, when a wight dies, it's soul goes out and possesses a new body. The only permanent death for them is the spell Raise Dead, though on Kyriell a Paladin of Marashieb can hit them with a Restful Sleep spell when they die, and they stay dead. Darkenbane is +3 to Hit, +0 to Damage. It is +6 to Hit and damage against Wights. It speaks with Telepathy, but understands all languages. On a natural 20, Darkenbane will absorb a hit Wight, even if it isn't dead, with no save allowed. Darkenbane can detect Wights in a 120' radius (and will do so without urging). Darkenbane provides its possessor with some protection against energy drains, giving its possessor a savings throw vs. Death Magic to resist the drain. Darkenbane has a high intelligence, and an Ego of 29. Darkenbane is male, and prefers female fighters. It's an ego thing. Darkenbane will tolerate a thief, but despises priests and mages, and will force them to surrender it over to a fighter (preferably female, and usually someone it can control if necessary). Darkenbane "speaks" in a low, hissing voice, and has little respect for other people, even its possessor. He lives only to kill Wights, though he will gladly slay other of the Dead. Demon Bane This bastard sword is +3 for all normal purposes, but has several powerful functions when used against Demons. The wielder of the sword is immune to all magical effects and spells caused or cast by any demon, directed specifically at the wielder. For any other effects, the wielder gains a +4 on any saving throws, and will even get a saving throw if there was none before. The sword glows a deep blue whenever a Demon gets within 120'. On a hit of a natural 20, if intended, the sword will hit and shatter the Demon's amulet. In fighting Demons, the sword is +5. The sword is only usable by Lawful Good char's. Demon Slicer < Jason Choi - ujchoi@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu > This sword was forged by a Drow Noble who feared treachery from the Demons the priestesses of Lloth oft conjured from the Abyss. The Elven Blade is delicate,long,and extremley well balanced.The blade is made of Black cold Iron on one side and is silver edged on the other,while the handle itself is made of carved Adamantium.Dark Elven Runes are engraved upon the length of the blade,which glows blood red in the darkness. The blade detects Extra Planar creatures of Evil alignment within 100 Distance,and will begin to vibrate and point towards the general direction of the otherworldly entity.While it possesses no bonuses to hit or damage,the sword can affect any creature requiring a + to affect it. The blade will do double damage to such creatures as Demons,Imps,Daemons, and the like.If such a creature is struck by this sword it must make a save vs.spells or suffer from a Spirit Wrack spell (on a natural 20) Demon Sword This +2 bastard sword is a polymorphed Type IV Demon (or Tanar'ri, True - Nalfeshnee if you wish) and can throw all the spells that such a creature could throw. The wielder should not be told this. The demon will cast whatever the wielder asks. The sword will exact its payment each midnight in hit points (1hp +1hp for each power used). You could scale this up to reflect the different spell levels, if the character can take the losses. The sword communicates through telepathy. The wielder can only be rid of the sword if Remove Curse releases the demon from its imprisonment in the sword, free to cause mayhem on the party. DoomBringer Certainly this two handed Sword lives up to its namesake. It is quite an extrordinarily evil weapon,bearing the powers of black magic in its overall creation. It is a rare 'Final Word' Type sword,which means any opponent who strikes the master of this Runesword will be automatically hit by it eventually. But the evil dweomer of DoomBringer allows it to steal the lifeforce of its victims (on a 17 or better score) The victim must make a save versus spells or Lose his soul forever to the ever hungry Demonic spirit of the sword. The blade has no active bonus +'s to hit or damage,but it can affect any creatures requiring a + to affect it. Those of CE alignment wielding DoomBringer gain a extra edge.They are granted a special resistance to Magic casted at them,a 45% MR. The wielder of this sword absorbs the stolen energy from all of his or her victims...The blade will be considererd 'Cursed' while in the hands of an Evil person,and cannot be removed by normal means. Dunamis From the novel "The Eye of the Hunter" This long sword is sheathed in a green scabbard, with a tooled harness for back sling or waist. The grip of the blade is inade with pale jade, crosshatched for a firm grasp. The pommel and crossguard are of dark silveron (a type of silver-iron mixture that is rare but known to elves. It shines as if starlight itself was captured within). The blade is also made of dark silveron. The blade was created in a demi-plane (in the book the elves are akin to the idea of fairy land elves) off the prime. The blade's true name -Dunamis- a name seldom used. To speak the true name draws strength and energy from allies near and yields it up to the wielder. Grasping it by the hilt and true name it and it will glow with a blue light and serve the, true name it again and it will return to plains. Ware in calling, for it will extract a terrible price from friends about the- they will be weakened and mayhems be unable to defend themselves and mortals may loose years from their span (elves are immortal in the books, similar to AD&D and Tolkien)should life itself be drawn. The common name is Vulgbane. It was forged by Dwynfor- reputably the greatest blacksmith of all. In mech. terms It draws life form friends. The radius of effect I think would be around 30' to 60'. As to what constitutes life I suppose you could have it be either con, levels, or just hp. To effect the aging I would grant those in the area of effect a save vs. death- if they fail then they are aged... the hp (or whatever lost) by friends of the wielder should be transferred over to the wielder. These HP are lost before damage is done to the wielder's own hp. If the wielder is to go negative the sword will drain off more hp to stop this from happening. FangBlades Unique Item. No other like them in the worlds. +4 (paired) short swords. (intelligence and ego unknown). Whenever a killing blow is struck with one of these blades, the victim's soul is destroyed, and the hit points of the victim are added to a running total of points stored in the sword. Whenever this total equals or exceeds 1,000 points, the wielder may add a +1 to any of his abilities (+1 or +5%) permanently. Also, the caster may will the swords to glow with burning runes depicting the names of all the souls they have destroyed. FleshSlayer This is a plain long sword whose hilt is wrapped in Black Dragon hide. It is made of a strange black metal which never shows blood either on the blade or hilt. Its origins are lost to history but it is rumored to be a mighty force for evil. FleshSlayer is a +3 long sword which acts as sword of wounding. It causes 3 HP of damage per round until the wound is bound or cured by magical means. The edges of the wound turn black and corrupted, and the victim must make a saving throw vs. death or contract a disease similar to mummy rot. Gloves of the Ghoul < Brennan Brooks - ab347@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca > These gloves seem to be made of a soft rotting leather that seems to stay in good enough shape to wear. On each finger of the gloves, there is a long pointed ghoul nail. Any living thing that is touched by these ghoul nails falls paralyzed where it stands for 1d6 rounds unless a save versus paralyzation with a -2 hinderance is made. Any being attacked and hit by these gloves suffer 1d4 damage, plus the paralyzation effect. God Slayer This is a three bladed broad sword. The interesting part is that the two outside blades can be fired as projectile weapons. They have a 20' range and do 2d8 damage (They are +2 to hit). Both can be fired at the same time, but they have to have the same target. Melee: 3-blades weapon acts as a magical +4 broad sword doing triple damage. 2-blades weapon acts as a magical +4 broad sword doing double damage. 1-blade weapon acts as a magical +5 broad sword that that does 2d20 points of damage vs. gods and demi-gods. Note: the blades return to the hilt after 24 hr. (This weapon was thought up by a friend of mine but it looks a lot like a sword from a movie I once saw. Don't blame me!) Hell Beater Magical adj.: +3 (+5 vs. devils) (also see below) Intelligence: 12 Ego: 20 Alignment: Lawful Good Magical abilities: Double damage vs. devils (additional to the +5) Destroys devils on a natural 20 if on Prime Material Plane Detect presence of a devil (100 feet) Telepathic in alignment tongue (Note: can only be possessed by a paladin) How "Hell Beater" came to be possessed by Orcus: like its two brother swords, this conceited sword goaded its possessor until he challenged Asmodeus. Asmodeus disarmed the Paladin and is using rings of longevity and regeneration to keep him alive for eternal torture and torment. Asmodeus sold the sword to Orcus for the head of a Astral Deva and another Paladin. Orcus removed the memory of this sword as well. *Note this condition!* Devils will recognize this sword as Asmodeus's lure and will break from regular melee to attempt to bring the possessor back to Hell with them. They are promised greater status as a reward and know that Asmodeus is sincere regarding promises of this nature. Hell Razor My DM gave the party a really cool sword called Hell Razor. Everytime someone hits anything with the sword a 6 HD fireball erupted at point of contact. Of course the wielder of the sword wasn't immune to the effects of the sword and got hit at ground zero of the fireball. So we gave the sword to the halfling psioncist that had telekinesis. He was the only one who could really use the sword and only at a far FAR distance. Lecrucia the Thirsty Lecrucia is a magical dagger of grey stone. The dagger was crafted by an ancient, matronly, ogre mage for really painful rites of summoning. The ogre cast her soul into the dagger when her temple was overwhelmed by troops of the good order. She has been causing more trouble ever since. Lecrucia has intelligence of 17, wisdom of 17, ego of 17. Her powers are: 1) +0 base to hit/damage 2) +2 vs. high elves 3) +3 vs. grey and drow elves 4) +1 vs. things with blood 5) +6 vs. vampires (they have a lot of blood) 6) 2d12 blood drain AT LECRUCIA'S WILL (sustains her life force) Lecrucia will turn against her master if he won't let her drink. If she gains control, she will plunge herself into her slaves heart and drain him or her completely. Lecrucia is Lawful Evil and will try to pervert anyone who uses her. She can only drain blood eight times per day, the number of the diamonds on the hilt. When she drains blood a diamond turns red. Necormancer's Blade < James Errico - jerrico@nerc1.nerc.com > This blade will appear to act identically to a long sword +1. Indeed, it is, except in one respect. When used against any undead, It will reinstate the undead to his/her previous state of being. The blade can be used in this manor to bring back companions (PC or NPC) that were turned into an undead in any manor. If used against regular undead (those which the DM has placed randomly), use the following chart to determine what the undead will become. Roll (1d20) Race Roll (1d6 twice) Alignment (First roll) Alignment (Second roll) 1-10 Human 1-2 Lawful Good 11-12 Elf 3-4 Neutral Neutral 13-14 Dwarf 5-6 Chaotic Evil 15-16 Halfling 17-18 Gnome 19-20 DM's Choice Roll (1d20) Class 1-3 Fighter 4 Ranger 5 Paladin 6-8 Cleric 9 Other Priest 10-12 Mage 13 Specialist 14-17 Thief 18 Bard 19 Druid 20 DM's Choice Example: Rath, a 4th level Fighter has used his blade against a zombie, not knowing it's effects. The DM rolls the various tables. His first roll is a 15, a halfling. Next he rolls a 5 -- Chaotic, and a 2 -- Good. Then he rolls a 5. The DM knows that Halflings can't be Paladins, so he rerolls a 16 -- A theif. Also note that generally the revived will be somewhat grateful to the person who freed it, and ususally won't attack - right away. PeopleSmasher Intelligence: 15 EGO: VERY high Alignment: Chaotic Neutral (but loyal to his master... See below) Magical adj.: +4 (long sword) and see below... PeopleSmasher is the favorite weapon of Kohran Valkinarde, God of Battle and Boasting. The sword can talk and will sing Kender tunes if argued with. The following is a breakdown of it's magical adjustments: +4 normally +5 vs. regenerating creatures +6 vs. cold-using and inflammable or avian creatures +7 vs. undead and fire using/dwelling creatures +8 vs. people Kohran cannot step on or are better looking than himself (this is serious! anyone with a comeliness of 21+) Quietus Long sword +3 Quietus is a long, cruel-looking sword carved from a single bone of unknown origin. It is obviously ancient, as is evidenced by its yellowed color, but is extremely strong and will not chip or break. Its blade is covered with strange and vaguely disturbing runes and symbols, which glow with an eldritch light in the presence of the undead (10' radius). Any humanoid creature slain by Quietus will quickly wither and decay, leaving only a blackened skeleton. 1d10 rounds after death, this skeleton will rise (standard skeleton as per Monstrous Compendium) and obey the commands of the wielder. Maybe. Every time a new undead is created in this fashion, the wielder must make a check, based on Wisdom, to see if he/she retains control of the undead. If this check is failed, ALL skeletons under the spell of the sword will turn on the wielder, attacking until either they or the wielder are dead (so to speak). Wis % To Control 9 or lower 50% 10 55% 11 60% 12 65% 13 70% 14 75% 15 80% 16 85% 17 90% 18 95% 19 or higher 100% Try not letting the player know about these checks. Won't it be fun when she tries to add the 23rd member to her little "undead army" and she fails the check. OOPS... Short Sword of Darkness This short sword is a +2 weapon. It has the additional power of creating a darkness 30' radius the first time it is drawn after nightfall (even if this does not happen until noon the next day). This darkness is accompanied with a Fear spell that covers the same area. The wielder is immune to the Fear spell. Anyone wielding the weapon can see in any magical darkness as if it were dusk. Shorty This long, thin-bladed dagger possesses its wielder with a desire to steal and kill, turning the wielder toward a shade of selven evil. In the hands of a thief, the blade allows a plus 50% on opening locks (up to a maximum of 99%). Moreover, it can cut through most magical seals (8 charges). The blade does a base d6 damage, is +4 in term of magic, and attacks twice per round whether thrown or held in melee. It may dance for 3 rounds and may excrete a magical poison once per day (save vs. poison: lethal vs. lawful creatures, others take 6d6). The dagger has a playful mentality but a limited intelligence. Skin Shreader < Brennan Brooks - ab347@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca > This sythe has a polished black wooden handle, with a rusty brown blade. If succesfully hit, the victim suffers normal sythe damage (S/M -1d6+1 L -1d8+1), plus, if the command word of "Desolation" is sopken at the time of the hit, the victim will suffer further magical injuries unless a save versus Rod / Staff / Wand is made. 1) On the first round after being hit, the victim's skin starts to itch uncontrolably, causing no damage, but a -4 to attack. 2) On the second round after being hit, the victim's skin break's open into sores, oozing pus for 1d4 damage, and the -4 to attack. 3) On the third round (and every other before getting cured) after being hit, the victim's skin will activly decompose and fall from the body in chunks, causing 4d4 damage, plus the victim will not be able to attack that round. To counteract the effects of the sythe, a Cure Disease spell or two Dispel Magic spells must be cast - OR - the victim's sores must be bathed in one vial of holy water for every 5 hitpoints of damage taken. These treatments only halt the continuing of the decomposition. However, a Cure Wounds spell, potion, etc. or rest, will restore the skin. Spirit's Reach This weapon is a two handed sword. Its handle and hilt are done in a bird motif, the primary elements are ivory and silver in a bird shape. The blade is nondescript and made of a dull grey metal that holds a keen edge, its composition is indeterminable by mortal magic. Spirit's Reach is +3,+5 vs. outer planar evils. Its primary purpose is to defeat both agents of the blood war, it accomplishes this through the power of disintegration (as DMG section for special purpose). Its most remarkable ability is that it carries damage across planes to the true body of the fiend it is slaying, so if it is killed in a hit point for hit point fight on this plane it will die on it's home plane. The disintegration power does not carry across the planes. Spirit's Reach is possessed by the spirit of a Coatl, granting its owner the ability to go ethereal as the psi devotion 3 times a day for a duration of 2 turns. It speaks aloud and telepathically to its owner and can translate any language. Spirit's Reach is CG aligned and will not allow itself to fall into evil possession. Demons can sense the nature of this damage and will take appropriate action against the wielder. Sword of Arak Evil drow wizards in the domain of Arak in Ravenloft created this sword, and no human was ever meant to hold it. The drow have lost the sword, however, and as of this writing , no one knows its current location. To any physical and magical examination, the item appears to be a "Sword of Sharpness +2". Indeed, it performs as one. But the sword also carries an evil curse- a horrid thirst for blood. Once a day, it must kill or help to kill a creature no smaller than a large dog. The sword is not required to deal the fatal blow, but blood must spill from the wound of the blade, and the victim must die no more than an hour after those first drops followed. Each day the sword's thirst is not quenched, its owner suffers. He loses 1 point from each of his mental attributes (INT, WIS, CHA) and gains 1 point in each of his physical attributes (STR, DEX, CON). After the first such adjustment, the owner becomes so fond of the blade that he dares not let it from his sight. If someone forcibly separates him from the sword, he will do anything to regain it. When one or more of the character's mental attributes drops to 3, the conversion is complete. He is now bestial- a monster that looks like an ogre. The DM runs the character. Usually, the beast will have superhuman physical abilities at this point, with scores above 18. Its only goal is to satisfy the blade's thirst for blood. The creature may embark on a mindless rampage or- if he has any shred of Intelligence left-begin a series of clever, fiendish murders. If the sword is removed from the character possession before a mental attribute drops to 3, he begins to recover gradually. Each day, he regains 1 point to each mental ability, and loses 1 from each inflated physical score. Until this process is complete, he still covets the covets the sword, however, and is unable to resist the urge to pursue it. Once the conversion is complete, even removing the sword will not cure the monster. Only powerful magic- or the monster's death- can remove the curse at this point. The Remove Curse spell may at first appear successful, but it can provide only temporary relief. Sword of Kas (Note: These powers should be kept secret by the DM...see below) Intelligence: 15 Ego: 19 Alignment: CE +6 defender Telepathy (even when not held) Double damage against all creatures which are from a plane other than the Prime Material (but only normal damage when on any plane other than the Prime Material) MINOR POWERS: - Animate dead (1 figure--by touch) 7 times per week Darkness (5', 10', or 15' radius)--3 times per day Invisibility (improved)--3 time per day Know alignment (when held)--1 time per day Protection +2 (when held) MAJOR POWERS: - Fire giant strength (STR: 22 +4/+10) (when held) Regeneration 2hp/round (but not if killed. Also, see below) PRIMARY POWERS: - Slays opponent up to 15 HD on an unadjusted 18 or higher (no save) Total immunity from cold (when held) Hints on play: Until the user consciously accepts the sword by committing himself to the ways of chaotic evil, the sword will not let the user ever know about the following abilities: +6 defender: tell him only that it is a +4 defender, but take the rest into consideration during combat. Protection +2: simply take this into account when being struck Slay opponent up to 15 HD: simply tell them that they struck an incredible blow and the opponent is slain. Fire giant strength: simply take this into account when he strikes an opponent. Regeneration 2hp/round: secretly accumulate the hit points regained since being damaged, up to the amount of damage suffered. When he gets damaged in the future, this amount is subtracted, and he takes no damage (note: the quazit's regenerative powers are conferred through the sword and Chris will gain additional points used towards next wound. This healing also causes undead flesh to appear around the wound). Excess hit points are carried over towards the next wound. When an amount equal to the damage suffered is reached, this total is stored as potential for the next wound. Of course, this assumes that enough time will pass in order to regenerate. See above for all details. Double damage vs. creatures from other planes: do not tell him this power. Simply take it into account during combat with such creatures. Immunity from cold: whenever he is holding the blade, tell the character that he somehow did not take damage from the cold (he was out of the area of effect, his arm or protected him, etc.). When he does enter a cold environment, tell him he does not feel cold whenever he holds the blade. By that time, he may have fallen prey to the sword. Remember: he must be holding the sword to gain the benefits of this power. If it is at his belt, it will not work. This will force him to always carry the sword during cold adventures, thus preventing him from casting spells. But, since the sword always seems to be working and spells not, then he will not mind this and always attack with the sword when it advises him. As a result, the sword will appear as: +4 defender, telepathic, know alignment, and darkness of varying radiuses. Purpose: to fulfill the quest. Gives extra experience points. Has powers to reward him with. It will not reveal its intelligence, ego, or alignment, as it will tell the user that this is insulting to ask. It will say, indignantly, that it is exceptionally intelligent and very proud of this fact (truth). It will know telepathically the alignment of the possessor and take it for its own alignment (lie!). Side Effects: 1) Yearning for item forces possessor to never be away from the item for more than 1 day if at all possible: tell the user that something terrible will happen if the sword is not kept with him at all times. Examples: the powers of the sword will no longer function with him, it will be mad and jealous and hate him, it might be lost, another might take/steal it, etc. Feed the possessor all sorts of ideas to cause him to be paranoid. 2) Item has power to affect its possessor when a Primary Power is used if the possessor has not followed the alignment or purposes of the artifact. This is tricky. If the character is not killing monsters or acting chaotic, it will threaten to take away its power (see also several paragraphs below). If the character does not follow its "advice", the sword will also threaten. 3) The item is powerless against and hates most sylvan creatures and all rangers. Sylvan creatures include: Brownies, Centaurs, Chimeras, Cockatrices, Dryads, Forest Elves (those in the party are High and Grey Elves, but make sure of what they are immediately!), Griffins, Harpies, Hippogriffs, Manticores, Pegasi, Perytons, Pixies, Satyrs, Sprites, Stags, Sylphs, and Unicorns. Against these, NONE of its special powers will work. If any of these creatures come within 100 feet/yards of the sword, it will become a +10 short sword (note: not of defending) and both its ego and intelligence will increase to 20. It will force the possessor to attack. In the above case, there is a 25% chance that the sword will reveal itself for what it is. If it does reveal itself, all powers will become evident to the possessor, and if the sum of its new ego, intelligence, and plus (+10) is greater than the sum of the possessor's intelligence, wisdom, and charisma, it will possess the user. If the possessor's sum is greater, he gets a saving throw versus magic with a +1 bonus for every point his sum is above that of the sword (this is the only adjustment he gets). If he fails, he becomes possessed. If he succeeds, he gets the option of casting it away or accepting it. Accepting it results in his possession. A character possessed can only be saved by a deity. They are not likely to intervene, however. 4) This is the most deadly side effect of all. 6 turns after the sword is first used in combat, so as to throw off rightful suspicion, whenever the user takes damage, he will be adversely affected by the regenerative power of the item. The flesh around the wound will appear ghastly. It will be pale and very unattractive. Hopefully, the party will attribute the effect to the weapon or power of the creature attacking him. The flesh is actually undead flesh. When hit points equal to 5 times his amount have been "regenerated", he will become an undead knight of the same level of ability as his major profession. He will be chaotic evil if not already. Until this point, the percentage that he has become undead will become quite evident. If divine information is sought, the fact that it is undead flesh will be revealed, but not the source of this change (the sword). Such change is permanent and cannot be reversed except through the removal of the sword. If it is removed the effects will no longer continue. All new damage will be removed from this undead flesh and healed as normal flesh. Wish and other similar spells can reverse the process. A regenerate spell will cure the flesh as if it was damage. As this disease progresses, there is a cumulative percentage that he will become CE. Each time an amount of hit points equal to his original amount is regenerated, there is a 20% chance of him becoming CE. This is cumulative, so that by the time 4 times has been reached, it is unlikely that he can resist. As soon as he becomes CE due to this effect, the undead disease instantly creeps over his entire body. The possessor's charisma also temporarily suffers. Until he becomes CE, his charisma drops 3 points, until a charisma of 3 is reached, for every time the hit points regenerated matches his original amount. When he becomes CE, his charisma instantly becomes 19: the ego of the sword. Body odor also becomes a factor with this disease. It is very faint and smells of dead flesh. Note: the possessor cannot be turned until he has completely become undead. He can then be turned as a special monster. He can turn good clerics at his level of ability. 5) Another side effect of the sword is that it will cause all magic cast by the user against his opponent(s) to be ineffective. For example, a lightning bolt cast by the user will do no damage. A heal spell on a companion, as it is not being used against his enemies. Also, other weapons that the possessor use will never hit. These two effects are caused by the sword so as to become the only weapon he uses. Details: The sword will select the most greedy and corruptible player to possess. The sword will allow its powers to be learned slowly. Meanwhile, it will corrupt him and draw him to its alignment. When found, it appears as a short sword. The party will not likely ask what it looks like in detail, so do not give any details. If in the rare occasion that someone asks, be vague, "It appears to be an ordinary short sword; it is thin and of a dull gray metal. It is very sharp. It has an inscription on it: 'Abyss Slicer'." It radiates a faint magic if detected for. The inscription was put there by Orcus and will fade when its true nature is made known. The sword will feel cold and lifeless in the hands of any that do not claim it as their own. It will pulse with magic in the hand of the one who does claim it. The sword will tell the user that it was sent by (his god) to slice the Abyss, when in reality it is the slicer for the Abyss. The Sword of Kas will know of the party's quest both through Orcus and through its telepathic abilities. It will tell the one it possesses that it found its way to him through (his god) and that he should keep this secret no matter what! He should not reveal the sword's special purposes or abilities to anyone. He should use the sword in battle and consult with it whenever he can. Try not to arouse any suspicion whatsoever! As soon as it seems that the sword is pushing too hard, let off a little. It will always defend its actions through the above explanation. Orcus has planted this as a seed of destruction within the party; he does not want his plans to come to an end prematurely. Of course, the sword has ideas of its own and does not like to be used by Orcus. It will bide its time, but it will be hard pressed to do so. If it is revealed prematurely, it is due to its impatience. Besides wanting its possessor to kill, it will also want its user to take as much treasure and magic items as he can. It will prompt him to be more greedy, telling him he needs it to be more powerful. In fact, the sword will push all actions that make the possessor more chaotic and evil. If the possessor is a thief, it will suggest to him to perform more backstabs, more pick pocketing, more taking of treasure when none is looking. The sword will improve the users thief abilities by 25% if used for the powers of chaos and evil, and penalize by the same amount when not. The thief should not be aware of this. This is so that after awhile, the thief will tend to exercise his more successful practices. Whenever the user does act more chaotic and evil, the sword will telepathically congratulate him, promising him more rewards in terms of its powers. The possessed character will become crafty, quiet, and withdrawn. He will no longer participate in the conversation. Instead, he will follow party cue, waiting for an opportunity. When it presents itself, he will cut the throats of his opponents while they sleep. He will use the sword's powers to their fullest and kill everyone and everything. When he is through with a 1-6 week binge of killing everything (during this time the plus of the sword increases to +10), he will summon Orcus and become their chief henchmen. The sword will act as a gate through which they and all their minions can enter the Prime Material Plane. He will rule the plane when Orcus is away. He will become the equivalent of a Duke of Hell. As soon as the character takes the sword as his own, he has lost the support of his deity. The sword and Orcus will prevent the possessor from knowing the loss of his deity. If the possessor calls upon his deity, the sword and Orcus will answer his call in his deity's name, pretending to be that deity. Where before the deity was inactive with the possessor, now "messages" will come to the possessor in such forms as "inspirations" and "dreams". Orcus will know everything about the party as long as the sword is with them. If the character possesses a familiar, a quazit will replace it. The quazit will be polymorphed to appear exactly like the previous one. The familiar will back up all messages sent by Orcus and send similar messages to support those of the sword. The user will always be detected as his original alignment until he becomes CE spells cast by a character of over 15th level do have a percentage chance of detecting his changing alignment. Only a commune by a cleric of over 15th level will discern the true nature of the sword. The sword has a way of altering commune spells seeking its nature directly, up to 15th level of spells. If a very direct question is asked regarding the sword, such as, "Is the possessor of this sword acting in a way that he would not believe 10 years ago?" might work. Then again, it might not. This percentage is 10% chance per level of caster above 15th. If a character fails to detect it, he or she does not have a chance of successful detection until he or she attains a higher level. Simply tell them that they do not detect his alignment to be any different than before. Paladins' detect evil also applies to these restrictions and is considered at 2 levels below their level as a paladin. As soon as the character openly acts CE, the paladins will detect an evil so great that it will stun them for 1-5 rounds unless they make a save versus wands at -5. The sword will especially push the user to kill helpless victims, saying that it will offer more powers. If asked why it lied about its powers to begin with, it will defend himself by saying that it does not want the possessor to become too powerful. Inform the possessor that, by using this sword, he will gain more experience points. This is another lie of the sword. When used against the minions of Orcus, It will miss every strike and draw attention telepathically to the party. The minions of Orcus and will always know of the sword's presence. When communicating, the sword should refer to himself and the user as "we." Sword of the Cursed Gauntlet It is a black bladed sword with a gauntlet attached to the hilt. The gauntlet is made in such a way that the only way to use the sword is to put on the gauntlet. Unfortunately, the gauntlet only goes on the wrong hand (i.e. left hand for a right handed fighter) and can only be be used by fighters and swashbucklers. Once on, it will not come off, except in rare, unexplainable cases. Depending upon how recently it has been used to kill something, it will range in color from a dull, grayish black to a jet black glossy color. Now, the main reason I introduced it was this: try using a bow with a sword in one hand, and the hand firmly wrapped around the hilt. Also, try putting on shirts without cutting them up. Putting chain mail and other things on are also very difficult. After a couple of weeks game time, I relented and let him take the sword off, but only by putting it into a special sheath. When the sword comes off, the gauntlet stays on, and the sword is unusable by anyone else due to a sharp edged hilt that will cut throughout anything except the gauntlet. As a twist, you could make the sword magical in such a way that the user becomes addicted to it. Sword of Were A long sword +1 with the hilt which has the look of some creature but was unrecognizable except during the time of the full moon. During the full moon, the sword hilt would form into the head of a wolf, tiger, bear or rat (Randomly determined or could be specific for one sword). While the hilt was in the shape of an animal, the wielder can transform into the animal at will, as long as the moon is up (and is full). During this time, the wielder had all the abilities and control of a were-person that had been 'were' for 20 years. As long as the person doesn't retain the shape when the moon goes down (chance to be permanent 'stuck' that way) or have the shape when the moon goes out of full phase. Swords of Darkness These bastard swords' blades are not made of steel of any kind, but from the very stuff of darkness, negative material. These blades ignore any kind of armor, slicing right through it (though not destroying it). When striking, they do 4d6 hp damage, draining the life force of the creature hit directly. They have no bonuses to hit per se. When passing through armor or other physical objects, it leaves a trail of ice crystals and coldness behind. Those struck by this kind of sword for more than 16 hp, must save vs. paralyzation, or be stunned for the next round. A very few (1% at best) of these swords has such a strong conduit to the negative material, that they do 6d6 hp damage, save vs. death magic or lose a level and save vs. paralyzation or be stunned for d4 rounds. The Black Blade of Tyrants The Order of the Black Blades was established over 400 years ago on the 2nd world (of 3 that exist out of phase with one another). There original purpose was the enforcement of Diamet's will. Diamet the two sided, lord and ruler of the second world was a great force for neutrality, and continually kept the forces of Light and darkness at bay with his armies. The legions of Light needed to spread their word, and the force of Lan-skarr merely wanted to ravage the land... so in the first ever union of good and evil forces one blade was stolen from the Grey Circle and given over to the force of Dark. The Legions of Light counted on their intervention being welcomed after Lan-Skarr's assaults... and they were right... The Black Blade is a corrupted version of the blades wielded by the Grey Circle, a powerful force in Diamet's army on the second World. It has all of the standard Grey Blade abilities (marked by a *) and a few more granted it by Lan-Skarr, the Demon Ruler of the 3rd World. The Black Blade is a +3 long sword, whose handle is made of blasted mithril (to give it a dull appearance) and a gleaming black blade, whose composition is similar to adamantine, but is able to stand the light of day, it looks slick at all times, as if it had just been drawn out of a wound. The Blade is intelligent (16) and can speak the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd tongues (all other language is unimportant, or used for treachery in it's opinion). It has Magical and Psionic abilities that it uses to enforce its will on its wielder. Magical: The Black Blade, for the purpose of causing strife and grief will cast Disintegrate 3 times a day, standardly directing these blasts at: Children, Favorite Magic Items of the Wielder, The Wielders enemies, and any being of good alignment.. though not in any particular order. Three times daily it can Cause Blindness on strike in any Neutral Being, they save at half level, on account of the blades deep understanding of the heart of neutrality. Psionically the blade can use the Psychometabolic powers of Cause Decay on strike and Adrenaline Control on its wielder. The scores are as a 20th level psi penalized by two. The blade can draw on 200 psi points. Men that come to own the black blade either strike a great blow for evil, or die horribly at the hands of their own weapon... Some poor sots get cut down by the forces of good and the blade has passed through the hands of 3 planets and one Solar... All who fell into the Black (ways of evil). The Demon Sword of Yargash The Demon Sword of Yargash was created hundreds of years ago, when a particular power of the lower planes grew angry with one of his balor servants. The result was that the balor, suffering the wrath of his lord, was transformed into a sword. This weapon was given to other servants to deliver to the prime material plane and place it in the hands of whomever they chose. The servants, being the chaotic ones they were, chose not a patron of evil. Rather, they decided to ensure that the sword was found by a knight, a paragon of goodness. They thought it would torment the beast trapped within if he were to be used by a righteous and lawful warrior for the purpose of good. The sword, using it's telepathic ability and ultimately superior intelligence was able to dupe its owner. The chaos which the sword caused while in the hands of this 'virtuous' knight was incredible, the knight ever thinking he was completely innocent, until he was excommunicated from the church for his heinous acts. Yargash, the balor trapped within the sword, communicates only telepathically and only with its owner. It finds great pleasure in being wielded by lawful good knights on the road to purity and laying them low. It does this through duplicity. It first tells the knight that the powers of the sword must remain secret and that he (the knight) must not tell anyone of the sword's true magical nature. This, according to the sword, is because even the owner's truest companions would fall to infighting because of their desire for such a powerful weapon (that is bull - unless they are already predisposed to do so - as is nearly everything else the sword tells the owner). At some point during their initial encounter, the demon will tell its new owner that it can assist him in achieving unheard of glory and honor if only the owner will trust the weapon and its power without reservation. A knight who willingly agrees at this point is virtually doomed. This gives the demon free reign to use its 'suggestion' ability and the owner should generally not receive a saving throw (except in acts of complete self-destruction). The sword will use its powers in line with the wielder's goals at first. Gradually, it gets the wielder to make small moral compromises as situations prevent themselves. As time goes by, with the assistance of suggestions, the sword increases the size of these moral compromises until the character has committed several heinous chaotic acts. If your player is not particularly sharp, he may even do these things willingly at the bequest of the sword, not realizing what is happening. The weapon has a number of powers, all derived from the magical powers of the balor. A particularly mischievous DM might gradually transform the owner into a demon himself. Legend lore spells should reveal that all of the previous owners were lawful good knights. Obscure references to vague downfalls may be gleaned with repeated successes at divining the history of the item. Most notable among the power is the weapon's ability to burst into flame as a flametongue sword (although not the same bonuses). This does some amount of additional damage (1-4, 1-6, 2-8, whatever you deem appropriate) to creatures harmed by fire. Note that in no circumstance is the character ever in control of the weapon. The weapon chooses if and when to use the powers. Usually, it will cooperate with the character's wishes. Occasionally, it will use a power at an inopportune time to get the PC into trouble. If the PC later questions it, the sword will apologize if it did anything wrong and feign ignorance of proper behavior. This continues until the knight is no longer in the favor of his deity and/or government and becomes an outcast. Usually, by this time, even the most daft of players figures out what is going on and seeks to destroy the sword. The only creatures who can unmake the weapon are greater powers of the abyss. The sword's goal is to lead its owner on a glorious quest to slay the power who created it. At that point, Yargash may (at the DM's option) take control of the owner as a host and transform his body entirely into a balor demon. Without proper protections, this will destroy the knight's body. This weapon will never overtly threaten a PC's life. As a matter of fact, it is a nice weapon (+4 enchantment in my game, you decide based on yours). However, it will seek to cause chaos and difficulty for its owner, very subtly, at every turn. Mischievous DM's wanting a nice treat for their power gamers can have a great time with this. I know I have. As for specific powers, pick whichever ones of the tan'ari you wish to use. You can make it as powerful as suits your taste. Personally, I use the flame ability, detect evil/magic/good, dispel magic, and teleport without error. This is meant to be a weapon of great power. But with great power comes great responsibility. Most PC's forget that. VampireBlade A magical long sword that is intelligent and had this power to grant regeneration to the wielder by vampiric regeneration. Half of all damage caused by the sword is used to heal the wielder. The disadvantage is that the sword gets hungry if it doesn't kill anyone for more than 24 hours, in which case it drains all but 1d4 hit points from the wielder, as food of course. It is an evil blade. Vampiric Arrows These arrows were formed by a Necromancer named Lasher who possesses a rather sadisitic disposition towards life in general,and who created these deadly missiles for his assassins. Once struck by a Vampiric Arrow,the unfortunate victim must make a save versus Spells or lose one 1d4 Experience Levels for 2-12 rounds. Some versions of these missiles will drain 1 level permenatley. Vampiric Crysdagger This is a +1 dagger which sheds no light. When wielded by a thief, it does vampiric touch (3d6 dmg) once per day. NEW RELIGIONS Gog, the God of the Damned < Aaron Bowman - aaron@bowman.pdial.interpath.net > Title: Intrepids or Fearless Ones Symbols: - A coiled snake or a skull Ability Requirements: - Intelligence 13 - Wisdom 14 Prime Requisites: - Intelligence, Wisdom Alignment: - Any Evil ( LE, NE, CE ) Weapons Allowed: - Any bludgening & ceremonial/ritual dagger Spheres of Influence: - MAJOR ACCESS - All, Necromantic, Summoning, Charm, Healing (reversed forms only) - MINOR ACCESS - Protection (reversed where possible), Animal, Combat Dress / Armor: The worshippers of Gog wear heavy black robes with red runes on them that allow them to perfom special tasks (see Granted Powers). Any warriors or dual-classed characters worshiping Gog must where blackened armor. Non-weapon Proficiencies: - REQUIRED: - Necrology or Ancient history - RECOMMENDED: - Netherworld knowledge, Anatomy, Spirit lore, Monster lore, Reading/Writing, Ancient languages, Heraldry, Spellcraft, Brewing, Venom handling Granted Powers: Worshippers of Gog must be wearing their robes to command these powers: * Intrepids can command twice as many Undead as charted on the Turning Table in the DMG. * 5th level Fearless Ones and Intrepids can turn into shadow- form once per week for every 5 levels. * 8th level Intrepids can inflict a powerful magical disease upon an enemy by touch. The enemy gets a save versus death to negate the disease, but they still take 1d12 points of damage. If they fail the save and don't use Cure Disease, they will die in 1d10 rounds. ** 9th level Intrepids learn how to create ghouls or ghasts. ** 12th level Intrepids learn how to create ju-ju zombies or mummies. ** 15th level Intrepids can learn Vampirism or Lichdom. * - Intrepids are the clerical aspect of Gog's worshippers - Fearless Ones are the dual-classed / warriors of Gog's worshippers ** - For each of the above learned, the worshipper must sacrifice 1d20 corpses and 1,000 - 100,000 gold pieces. They can learn one per month Granted Spells: - FIRST LEVEL: - Invisibility to Undead, Skeletal Servant, Spectral Senses, Undead Alacrity - SECOND LEVEL: - Aid, Resist Turning, Slow Poison - THIRD LEVEL: - Animate Dead, Deaths Door, Feign Death, Life Drain, Negative Plane Protection, Speak with Dead - FOURTH LEVEL: - Cause/Cure Insanity, Poison/Neutralize Poison - FIFTH LEVEL: - Dispel Good, Imbue Undead with Spell Ability, Slay Living, Scourge, Undead Regeneration - SIXTH LEVEL: - Asphyxiate, Summon Undead - SEVENTH LEVEL: - Death Pact, Destruction, Energy Drain, Mindkiller, Wither - QUEST: - Undead Plague Limitations: Gogs worship is rumored to include strange rituals that involve: Cannabalism of the dead, Necrophilia and Self-mutalation. Upon becoming a Fearless One or an Intrepid, physical deformities are inflicted upon them, but most worshipers concider these blessings (roll a 1d12): Roll (1d12) Blessing 1 Hair turns white or falls out 2 Scales cover body (any colour) 3 Snake-like eyes 4 Face resembles snake or reptile 5 Hands turn coal black or blood red 6 Putrid stench of decay in 10' radius 7 Physical aging (1d20 years) 8 Skin gains a cold blue pallor of a corpse 9 Smile or laughter appears cruel or evil 10 All teeth become pointed 11 Forked tounge 12 Low, evil, inhuman voice The worshippers gain one on the start of their worship, then there is a 30% chance every 4 levels for another one. Relsor and his Shadow Clan < Brennan Brooks - ab347@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca > Relsor, God of Shadows, is a Shadow himself. He was once a man of great Necromantic power, but was drained by a Shadow on one of his frequent trips to the Negative Plane. He has since grown in power (and evil), and is classed as a VERY powerful shadow, who rules from the Negative Plane. His priests and warriors have commited themselves to a life of evil and servitude towards him. His priestly order has confided in the ways of Necromancy, and wish to only further the unbalance of evil in the world. Relsor has provided them with a variety of Necromantic spells to aid them in their quest. His warriors are out only to further Relsor's ideal of destroying the forces of good, which are continually opposed to him. Relsor has also granted these warriors with limited amounts of power. Shades Shades are the equivalent to clerics, but worship the God of Shadows. Known as the Unholy Order of Relsor, they are very commited to evil, and to their god Relsor. They wear dark purple robes with a black undergarment of some sort, and they usually dye their hair black. Ablilty Requirements: Strength 12, Wisdom 14 Prime Requisites: Strength, Wisdom Races Allowed: Any Human / Demi-human Having to be strong in their mind as well as their body, the Unholy Order of Relsor has certain conditions that all particapents must meet. The priests must have a minimum of 12 Strength, and a minimum of 14 Wisdom. A cleric of Relsor who has both the above atributes 16 or more, gain a 10% bonus on their experience. These clerics can either be human, or any other demi-human. Relsor has no racial expulsions from his clan, but will punish an individual's family if he/she makes a mistake in judgement or fails a mission. Shades have few weapon restrictions, but can not use any armour of any sort (except for the enchanted armour that is worn by highly respected clerics). The cleric may use padded robes, but this only decreases his AC by 1. They usually wear this under their purple robes, and may cast spells while in this padded robe. The weapons that the Shade can use are the club, dagger, sabre, scimitar, sythe, war sythe, short sword, long sword, hand crossbow, staff, and sling. They might also be found wielding a hand axe. Shades have an amazingly strong attachment to the Necromantic sphere, and most of their spells usually have something to do with the reversing of healing spells, or in some cases, raising undead to their bidding. Shades have access to the following spheres: MAJOR ACCESS Necromantic, Healing (reversed forms only), Astral MINOR ACCESS Summoning, All, Protection, Combat Shades can use magical items such as a cleric can, including anything written (such as scrolls and books). Relsor grants his clerics quite interesting powers. A Shade makes saving throws as a cleric would, but with a +2 bonus against any spell coming from the necromantic sphere. Relsor finds that having become a Shadow has increased his power somewhat, and believes that by investing some of his essence into a Shade's soul, he can enhance their abilities. This allows the Shade to pray for one more Necromantic spell than allowed on his spell progression. Being infused with a Shadow's essence, the cleric may use the following abilities: * The cleric may cast Darkness, 15' Radius (as per first level wiard spell) once per day * The cleric may drain strength away as a shadow does. If the creature dies, it will become a shadow in 2 days unlessed blessed with holy water, and taken into the sun's light. He may do this twice a day. * Shadows will respect, and will not attack the cleric. In fact, the cleric can take control of the shadow, and command it to do things. A succesful turning roll against a shadow (or somthing similar) must be made in order for this to happen. If the cleric were to fail at trying to take control of the shadow, the shadow will attack without hesitation. * Shades do not turn undead, but rather like to control it. So, on the occasion, a Shade will take control of an undead creature, and turn it against the forces of good. * Shades may infuse their weapon with the spell Shadowy Death (as first level priest spell). Some adustments might have to be made in order for the spell to work, for if the cleric is using a staff, the spell would create a shadowy blade protruding from the end, in which the cleric can then impale an enemy with. They can use this power twice per day. * At 7th level, a Shade may be granted a Shadow Robe as part of his worship. This robe is a very deep black, and reduces the AC of the cleric to -4. It also allows them to travel to the Negative Plane once a month. * At 13th level, a Shade may turn into a Shadow at will once per week. They gain all the abilities of Shadows, but of course have their hit dice, and other abilites. The only problem to this is that they cannot cast spells while in their Shadow form. * Shades have infravision up to 60' away, no matter which race he/she is. Some of the disadvantages of being a Shade are as follows... * Shades get a -2 modifier to every role they make (including to-hit roles, saving throws, thier AC, etc.) whenever they are in direct sunlight or if a Continual Light spell is in progress around them. * A Shade must sacrifice a (demi)human druid once a month, or will be called traitorous, and hunted down by his/her fellow Shades * Paladins seem to like killing them alot....... * If in direct sunlight (not Continual Light), for more than 8 hours, they will lose all abilities, and will be scorned, and possibly put to death by other Shades or Shadows. As masters of the shadows, Shades are found all over the world. To become a Shade, a cleric must first undergo a few rituals. First, on becoming a Shade, the individual must live through a ritual called Touch of the Shadow. The name of the ritual explains the test the best way. A Shadow is conjured from the Negative Plane, and is told to touch the applying Shade. Normal rules apply to the touch from the Shadow, and the cleric must be able to stand after this test (5-6 Strength left). The Shadow must touch the victim several times (1d8+1). If the cleric-to-be fails this test, he either becomes a shadow and is sent to the Negative Plane, or is killed when he regains consciousness. This is how most shadows are formed. When they are sent to the Negative Plane, the shadows prepare to be called back into the Prime Material Plane, as slaves to higher Shades. Second, if the cleric survives the Touch of the Shadow, he is rested for a week, and is then put to slay a Shadow. This ritual is called Shadow's Death. Most of these names were picked to be quite obvious, so that the Shade knew what he was getting in to. The ritual takes place in a semi-dark arena, so that neither creature has the advantage. The clerics weapon is his choice, and is then permantly enchanted with Shadowy Death. The shadow usually fights with savage fury, unless bribed to let the Shade win. This un-occasionaly happens, but for some reason, the Messengers of Relsor may take a liking to one Shade in paticular. Of course, the failure of this test is death. Thirdly, and lastly, the Shade is sent to the Negative Plane to meet with Relsor himself. The last ritual is by far the hardest. Relsor himself must believe that the Shade who has come before him is worthy of being in his service. This test usually consists of Relsor congratualating the Shade, making him feel better and the such, and then infusing the Shade with his shadowy essence. The Shade must then roll a System Shock roll with a -20% modifier. If the Shade does not pass this test, he explodes into shadowy mass, and is enveloped by Relsor. This is usually how Relsor gains power. If the Shade does make his System Shock throw, he is transported back to the Prime Material Plane, and is rewarded with the title of Shade. Messengers of Relsor The Messengers of Relsor, are high Hit Dice Shadows that were formerly Shades. These Messengers are highly respected, and are NOT challenged. To challenge one of them is to meet certain painful torture for the rest of eternity. These Shadows may cast spells, and the effects of the Shadow's drain is tripled (see Monstrous Manual). If the drain of strength is succesful on a victim, these Shadows may drain 1 level permantly. The victim must then gain the level back. If a Messenger of Relsor kills a person, that person will become a Shadow within one turn, no matter what happens to it. This Shadow will then be under the control of the Messenger. Some Notes on Relsor and his Shadowy Companions: First of all, I must say that this class is not very well balanced. I would suggest that the DM change a few things to fit his campaign or ideas to suit him better. Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of this so far, but some things might be too powerful for players, and are better suited off as NPC's. I would think this would be quite an interesting NPC to meet and to have in a group. Especially if their was a Druid or Paladin in the group as well. And, second of all, I think some things may be a little hard to understand. I seem to babble a little bit about less important things. So, if you have any suggestions or questions about this class, I'll be sure to answer them, and possibly create a second version (better planned out and the such) for this class. Thanks for understanding. The Order of Thal'Kal (the God of Death) < Tom Dullemond - buck@gil.ipswichcity.qld.gov.au > Predominant alignment: - Lawful Evil Weapon restrictions: - The Priest of this Order only use single handed swords. All those who ascend into the priesthood are given their own blades, black iron long swords (no special powers). The priesthood's holy symbol is affixed to the pommel (see Holy Symbol below). Armour restrictions: - No armour is allowed of any kind, for they believe that this is cheating death. Food restrictions: - All priests of Thal'Kal are vegetarians. The Book of Kal specifically states, "Meat exists to die, not roast", and all meat eaters are considered corpse-devourers, and scorned. Abilities: - Priests of Thal'Kal believe undead to be the most disgusting abominations in existence. Against these mockeries of life, and defilers of death, all priests gain a +1 to the roll when Turning. - To assist in their duties of slaying those close to death, all priests may Detect Life at will. This involves touching the object in which life is to be detected, and concentrating for 3 rounds. Restrictions: - All spells, potions, or effects that allow one to be healed physically are scorned by the Order of Thal'Kal. They will refuse to be healed or heal anything, because this, more than wearing armour, perverts Thal'Kal's wishes. Instead, if someone is dying, the priest of Thal'Kal will kill them quickly and perform last rites. In the case of someone they like, a priest may be moved not to end their life him/herself, but instead allow Thal'Kal to decide. - They will not bandage or attempt to save that person, however. Theology: Thal'Kal is seen to be two beings, and yet one (much like the Catholic Trinity). Thal is the god of Life in Death (afterlife) and Kal is the god of Death in Life. Life is a cleansing/punishing period for souls not considered pure enough to remain in eternal Death. Being slain, therefore, returns your soul much quicker to Thal'Kal, and is seen to be desirous. Suicide, however, is an attempt to escape your punishment, and punished harshly by a longer sentence (priests consider elves and other such long-lived races to be the returned souls of suicide victims). A long life, however, can be a sign of Thal'Kal's blessing. Although it involves a longer punishment, this allows one to serve Kal better, by bringing more and more people to the Peace of Kal (euphemism for death, of course). In this way, punishment is a small price to pay for the honour of serving Thal'Kal. Although the priests of Kal do not eat meat, they care little for the physical remains once the soul has left the body. After last rites, a corpse is usually burnt or disposed of in some other way. The Order's bible is the Book of Kal, a written account of Kal's physical incarnation, when He walked the earth in the guise of Man. He was not killed for his preaching, however, as so many other Messiahs, but simply rose from the dead, lived for several years (not as punishment but as choice) and returned to the dead. Holy Symbol: This is constructed from the "ball" of an upper arm (fleshless). This "ball" is hollowed out, and filled with the consecrated blood of the High Priest, then sealed. Two obsidian eyes are glued onto the appropriate spot, and a segment of bone is carved into a U-shape and attached, to represent the mandible. Thus a miniature, noseless skull is formed. This is the pommel of the religious sword, and weighted with additional metal for a proper balance. Thus presenting the holy symbol involves drawing the holy sword. Rituals: Initiation into the priesthood involves, very simply, the slaying of one's master/teacher in combat. The young acolyte hereby fulfils two requirements: Rewarding his/her master for their efforts, and proving that they have been taught well enough to survive. After this, the acolyte receives their religious weapon, the black sword, and their holy symbol, attached as a pommel. In religious combat, or ceremonies, the priests of Thal'Kal paint their shaven heads with white face paint, then paint on huge black eye sockets and a gaping mouth (from one ear to the other) in mimickry of their holy symbol. In combat, these living skulls, combined with the black blades of their religion, convey to the enemy that they are the harbingers of death. NEW SORCERER WAYS Blood Mage < Andrew R. Myers - xftn10b@prodigy.com > Ability Requirements: - Intelligence 13 - Constitution 13 Also, the blood mage must be human, elves and half-elves cannot take this kit because they cannot harness the negative magical energies that a blood mage requires. Any alignment is allowed. Description: The blood mage possesses one of the greatest kept secrets in all the world of magic. This secret is the ability to cast spells using only one material, their own blood. With this secret, characters of this kit are perhaps some of the most feared and reviled magic-users in all of the realms. Due to this fear, blood mages are forced to live on the outskirts of society. Some blood mages have formed secret societies in order to better protect themselves from "witch-hunters". Weapon Proficiencies: - REQUIRED: Dagger Nonweapon Proficiencies: - BONUS: Healing, Herbalism - RECOMMENDED: (General) Cooking, Seamstress/Tailor, Fishing (Wizard) Spellcraft (Warrior) Survival Equipment: The blood mage starts out with a set of dark robes, a finely crafted silver dagger, and the normal starting gold. Special Benefits: Blood mages do not cast spells the way normal wizards do. They never have to spend their money on buying spell components, they just use their own blood. They learn and memorize spells the same way as other wizards, but to cast spells, the blood mage cuts himself and inflicts damage equal to one-half (round fractions up) the level of spell he is casting. Example- Vlad is going to cast Cone of Cold spell, a 5th level spell, so he cuts himself and inflicts 3 points of damage. The blood mage must announce he is going to cast the spell, cut himself, and then wait until he can cast the spell. Upon casting the spell, the blood dissipates and travels to the Negative Material Plane. The blood mage's spell casting can still be disturbed in the normal way, but inflicting damage on himself does not disrupt his spell casting in any way. Due to the quick preparation time of their component, blood mages may cast their spells at one-half (round fractions up) the normal casting time. Also, blood mages may cast spells at one level higher than they normally can if they pay an additional 1 hit point when they cut themselves. A blood mage also gets a +2 bonus, in addition any Constitution bonuses, to his initial Hit Points. Every level thereafter, the blood mage receives an additional +1 HP bonus. The blood mage receives a +25% to learn any spells from the Necromancy school. Special Hindrances: Because the blood mage must cut himself to cast spells, this causes extensive scarring. Due to the scarring, blood mages lose 1 point of Charisma every time they gain a level. This Charisma loss can be lowered to a maximum of 3. The scarring process is irreversible. Due to the large amounts of blood the blood mage loses, they must spend one day of complete rest for every 5 hit points of damage they inflict on themselves, at each level, this increases by one point, I.E. 2nd level every 6HP, 3rd every 7HP etc. Also, in addition to any reaction penalties imposed by low Charisma, the blood mage receives an additional -2 reaction penalty. Blood mages can never learn spells from the Enchantment/Charm school. Wealth Options: Standard for Wizards. The Necromancer < M.L.Barklam - csai94@cs.bham.ac.uk > This class is completely separate from the normal specialist wizard, although there are certain overlaps. The description below conforms to that laid out in the DMG for "creating a new character class" although this class was not created using that method. The necromancer is a loner. He prefers to surround himself with the dead (and undead), not with the living. He rarely subordinates himself to anyone and would prefer to rule his own kingdom of the dead. He may, however, employ (or force into servitude) such devoted agents of destruction as orcs, gnolls and trolls. Even animals smell the necromancer's devotion to death and try to avoid him wherever possible. The necromancer will need the services of the living, however, if he wishes to erect a temple of death (see below) and so it is handy to have few around. The necromancer detests sunlight and open places (except moonless nights). He is furtive and reclusive as townsfolk distrust and abhor the necromancer and all that he stands for. A low-level necromancer will probably need to live in a town so as to have access to the materials he needs to practice his art. Attempts to maintain secrecy are hampered by the loathsome nature of the necromancer's work and so, in effect, for each level the necromancer progresses, he looses 1 charisma point as his aura of death becomes more and more palpable, until it reaches zero. This loss also helps represent the growing suspicion of acquaintances, and the general reaction of people as he becomes imbued with death. Long before his charisma reaches zero, however, he is usually chased from the town he is residing and starts a solitary life. High level necromancers are usually the object of quests for paladins, rangers and high level clerics. Class Ability Minimums: - Consitution 15 - The demands of a necromancer's art are physically demanding and draining, a high stamina and health are essential to perform some of their tasks. - Intelligence 12 - A necromancer needs to be intelligent to be able to comprehend the arcane forces involved, much as a wizard does. - Wisdom 14 - The powers the necromancer wields are powerful, and so a high willpower is required to resist them and control them, this is best represented by a high wisdom. Race: As with the specialist wizard necromancer, all necromancers must be human. Combat Value used: Necromancers fight as priests. Saving Throw Tables used: Necromancers make all saves as priests, but gain certain modifiers: * Necromancers are quite fearless and so make saves at +1 where fear is the principle emotion. * As explorers of death, all saves vs. death magic are made at +2, as are all saves vs. necromantic magicks and affects of undead they are not already immune to. Hit Dice per level: Necromancers use a D8 for determining hit points plus any constitution bonuses Proficiencies: Necromancers gain proficiencies as priests of the same level do Armour Allowed: Necromancers can use any type of armour and shields and use their special talents, but cannot cast wizard spells while so adorned. Weapons Allowed: Necromancers can use any type of non-magical weapon, and may use all magic items available to other classes except swords. Hit Points Per Level Beyond 9th: The necromancer gains 2HP upon attaining each level beyond 9th. Abilities and Restrictions: While these should probably be separate categories, I thought it best to put them together as some abilities also count as restrictions. The first of the necromancer's abilities concerns his control over undead: Necromancers can communicate with undead, friendly or not, and may befriend undead, just as evil clerics can, using the undead matrix. A "D" result, means that the undead is permanently under his control, until such time as it is turned or killed. The only other way to get undead to serve the necromancer permanently, is for the necromancer to present himself to friendly undead and if the result is successful, then 1-12 are permanently under his control. If, however, the necromancer rolls a 1, then the undead immediately attack the necromancer. Normal control lasts until a good cleric turns them, the undead moves out of a range of 20'/necromancer's level or out of line of sight. Volitionless undead like skeletons and zombies are exempt from this range restriction and may be left in an area with some simple instructions. Control can also be broken by the successful casting of a dispel evil spell. If the necromancer is physically present during the attempted breaking of his control over the undead, then the attempt will automatically failed. As such, any undead controlled by the necromancer cannot be turned while the necromancer is present. The maximum number of undead the necromancer may control is equal to 10HD/level. A necromancer is also immune to the powers of undead with fewer HD than his level. Healing: Unfortunately for the necromancer, his association with death makes it impossible for his wounds to heal naturally, or through the use of healing magicks. Hit points must be regained by sacrificing (demi-)humans in a ritual requiring a brazier, candles and a ritually prepared knife. The ritual takes one hour to perform and heals the necromancer 1HP for every HD or level of the creature sacrificed. Only one ritual can be performed per day. Alternatively, there are spells the necromancer has access to that allow him to directly drain the life forces of others and add them to his own (Vampiric Touch is one) as well as some granted abilities which will be detailed later. Sight: At second level, the necromancer gains the ability to see in infravision, but his normal eyesight deteriorates with each successive level until, at tenth level, it is no better than normal sight under a full moon. At the same time, his infravision becomes more accurate, losing all of its characteristic "fuzziness" by tenth level, unfortunately, it cannot be used in sunlight, or other bright lights. The necromancer also gains the ability to see into other planes that touch the prime material, especially the negative material, allowing him to make out undead easily. This ability also allows the necromancers to have an increased chance to see invisible, with a 5% chance plus 1% per level in addition to his normal chance. Temple of Death: At 10th level, the necromancer may build a temple of death. He may only posses one temple of death at any one time, but if one is destroyed, he may create another. The temple must be created out of the bones of creatures killed by the necromancer or his servants, bonded together with a paste made out of blood and various thickeners. The temple may be of any size, but every 10 cubic feet costs 10 man-hours and 10g.p. to build. Bone walls must be at least 1' thick, and ceilings and floors, ½' thick. Undead slaves lack the dexterity to build the temple, so living engineers must be brought in. The temple bones are magically resistant to damage and is treated as the hardest type of stone. * While in his temple, saving throws against his powers are at an additional -2, -1 if the target is not also in his temple. * The necromancer heals 1HP per turn while in his temple. * Finally, the necromancer can call up to one skeleton from the walls of his temple per 10 cubic feet of bone per day. These skeletons cannot be called out within 5' of each other and can never leave the temple. Undeath: When the necromancer is killed, he can come back in a week as a free-willed undead of equal HD as he had levels in life. The necromancer retains his abilities, but no longer advances in level. A 15th level necromancer comes back as a lich. Even destruction of the body will not prevent this. This "reincarnation" only works once, if his undead form is killed too, he is permanently dead and cannot be resurrected. Curses: A necromancer may curse his killer as he dies (assuming he has chance to speak it and knows who killed him). this ability is equivalent to the clerical curse spell, but not automatically removable. The necromancer places the curse as a cleric four times his own level (a 10th level necromancer places the curse as a 40th level cleric). Any remove curse or dispel evil works on this curse as a dispel magic works on magic. Each cleric has one try only. Skills: The necromancer, during his studies, will come across methods of doing necromantic things. These skills are learned in a similar way to proficiencies, but do not take up proficiency slots, instead a necromancer may have a number of them per level depending, just as mages may memorise a number of spells. Necromantic abilities, once learned, cannot be forgotten and replaced by other abilities, but nor need they be memorised to be used. Once learned, they may be used once a day, except where noted in the skill description, a necromantic skill may be learned more than once, thus allowing the necromancer to use it more than once per day. This is not applicable in some cases, and should be obvious from the description. Necromancers may also take wizard spells from the school of necromancy as skills, too. These need not be memorised, simply learned, and can be used once per day, without the need of complex castings or spell components. Level 1 and 2 spells count as grade 1 skills, levels 3 and 4 count as grade 2, 5 and 6 as grade 3, 7 and 8 as 4, and 9 as grade 5. If level 10 spells are used, these are also considered of grade 5 ability. These spells can ONLY be taken from the school of necromancy, not all the spells necromancer specialist wizards have access to. Necromancers gain these abilities per level based on the below table: Level of Necromancer Grade 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 - - - - 2 4 - - - - 3 6 1 - - - 4 8 2 - - - 5 10 3 1 - - 6 10 4 2 - - 7 11 6 2 1 - 8 12 7 2 2 - 9 13 7 4 2 - 10 14 9 5 2 1 11 15 11 6 3 1 12 15 12 9 3 2 13 18 14 11 3 2 14 18 15 11 5 2 15 19 16 12 5 3 As can be seen, if a necromancer simply specialised in wizard spells, he would be a formidable opponent for any reasonable well armed party. Necromancers rarely do this, however, as they prefer to have a broad base of necromantic knowledge. Intelligence does not limit the number of magic spells he can learn as it does for a wizard, because the necromancer isn't learning spells, but skills that simply happen to duplicate magic effects. The extra abilities are listed below, these can be chosen in addition to magic spells. A brief description follows each: Grade 1 Skills Cause Darkness - same as darkness 15' radius spell. Find Necromantic Familiar - as 1st level wizard spell, but familiar is necromantic (undead/demonic) in nature. Aura of Evil - Acts as protection from good, at will. Evil Eye - Necromancer's eyes act as those of vampire, except hold instead of charm. Only works while eyes locked. Save vs. spells applies. Animate Dead - Animates one skeleton or zombie to a maximum of 1 skeleton or zombie per level. Detect Life - As spell - at will. Grade 2 Skills Speak With Dead - same as 3rd level clerical spell. Manufacture Ghoul - Creates a ghoul. Process takes 1 week, culminating in a 6 hour ritual. Not automatically under control. Manufacture Ghast - As Manufacture Ghoul, but a ghast is created. Manufacture Ghoul is prerequisite. Wraithform - As spell, but duration is 1 turn/level. Emotion - As spell, negative emotions only. Fear - As spell, save is at -4. Bestow Curse - As spell. Cause Disease - As spell. Speak With Dead - As spell - no save. Grade 3 Abilities Contact Other Plane - As spell - No chance of going insane. Dismissal - As spell, necromancer counts as 4 levels higher. Repulsion - As spell. Dispel Good - As spell - save at -4. Manufacture Wight - As manufacture Ghast, but manufactures a mummy, manufacture Ghast is prerequisite. Manufacture Mummy - As manufacture wight, but manufactures a mummy, manufacture wight is prerequisite. Paralyse - Necromancer's touch causes paralysis for two turns always on. Possession - Necromancer's spirit leaves his body and attempts to possess another, save vs. spells applies. Possession lasts until sunrise or the necromancer ends it. Necromancer has access to knowledge possessed does. Unholy Strength - Necromancer's strength is increased to 18/00 permanently, following a 6 hour ritual during which a paladin with 18/00 strength (how the necromancer divines this will be interesting indeed) must be sacrificed to the god of death. Armour of Bone - Necromancer's body protected by a supple, yet strong, exoskeleton, granting AC 0 permanently. Requires a 6 hour ritual during which the necromancer must slowly drain and drink the blood of a virgin female. Grade 4 Abilities True Sight - As spell - always on. Aura of Fear - As 30' radius from caster, fear as spell at will - save at -4. Drain Life - This ability completely drains a touched victim of life. Save vs. death magic applies. Necromancer gains HP can't go above maximum. Creeping Doom - As spell. Unholy Word - As spell. Wither Touch - As wither spell - at will. Mind Blank - As spell - permanently on. Trap the Soul - As spell. Age - As priest spell Age Creature, except ageing is 2 years/necromancer level for every 100 years of lifespan. Grade 5 Skills Summon Angel of Death - Necromancer summons an angel of death and orders it to slay a single individual up to 30' away. Save vs. Death magic at -6 applies Animate Undead Army - Similar to the animate dead skill, but the maximum number animatable is infinite. Magic Resistance - 5%/level As can be seen, Necromancers have the potential to be VERY powerful (at 10th level they could use a 9th level spell, or a grade 5 ability). Necromancers also, potentially, have access to the death spell at 5th level. To some this may appear to be overpowerful, but when you consider the restrictions on the activities of the necromancer, it almost seems to pale in comparison. It would always be possible to impose further restrictions on the necromancer: The Complete Book of Necromancers has some prices for being a necromancer (and some extra abilities, if you care to use them); Require a ritual sacrifice of some living creature (getting more specialised as the necromancer goes up in level) to appease the dark gods he follows; etc. This class is chiefly designed to make a very good arch-nemesis for a group of good-aligned characters, and not to be used as a PC class. A PC would make a poor necromancer anyway, not only due to the solitary distrustful nature of the necromancer, but, at higher levels, necromancers rarely GO anywhere or DO anything, they stay in their temples, sending their undead out to do their work, and researching further necromantic skills and practising extant skills. Experience: Necromancers get experience for anything they accomplish as well as anything his animated undead do in his presence. Individual Class Awards: (Necromancer) Using a skill to overcome foes or problem: 50XP /Grade Skill Successfully researched: 500XP /Grade Successful Creation of Undead Creature: 100XP /HD Successful Control of Undead Creature: 10XP /HD Successful Permanent Control of Undead Creature:25XP /HD The necromancer progresses using the following experience table: Level Experience Hit Dice (D8) 1 0 1 2 2,200 2 3 4,400 3 4 8,800 4 5 22,000 5 6 44,000 6 7 88,000 7 8 165,000 8 9 308,000 9 10 638,000 9+2 11 968,000 9+4 12 1,298,000 9+6 13 1,628,000 9+8 14 1,958,000 9+10 15 2,288,000 9+12 15th level is the maximum attainable. As can be seen, the necromancer requires more XP to get to 15th level than a paladin does! It can also be seen that this XP table follows the progression given the 2nd Ed. DMG (mult.11). Magic Items: Necromancers can use magic items belonging to all other classes, except swords, but there are no necromancy specific magic items that these necromancers can create as their powers are not magical in nature (although they do duplicate their effects); they are more akin to granted powers once they have researched and learned a skill. NEW WARRIOR CLANS The Dark Brotherhood of Addra Alex King The Dark BrotherHood, otherwise known as the Slayers, the Blood Brothers or the Knights of Addra, are an exclusively dwarven Knighly Order devoted to the destruction of Undead, Lower Planar Creatures and their summoners and makers. They worship and draw their power from the lesser goddess Addra, Moradin's Handmaiden of Life, and the Lake of Mercury, an underground lake with powerful magical properties. Both male and female dwarves can join the Slayers. Beggining as apprentices, they follow the Brothers on their quests and adventures, until they are deemed wothy of the... TEST of the LAKE The Lake of Mercury, from where legend has it Addra forged the Maces, is the holy centre of the Brothers. Deep, hidden in unknown and shielded caverns somewhere in Faerun, the Lake is the meeting place of the Slayers every 10 years. They all gather there, coming from all across the Realms, to take and witness the Test. Since there are but 13 Maces available to the Brothers, only the fittest must have the privilege of wielding them. The TEST is a challenge- one Slayer challenges the other for control of a Mace. Apprentices can only challenge the BoneBrother, but other Brothers can challenge any position except one of the three OverBrothers, the most powerful and senior members of the Order, who act as Commanders and High Priests. Challenges must be defended or else the position is forfeit, but this is a little-used section of the Code, since competition is fierce. The two contestants, in dark ceremonial robes, enter the Lake and walk to its center- the lake, through magic (and physics) will let no other being tread its waters, disintegrating (no save) those of evil intent, repulsing those who might stumble across it. At the bottom of the Lake, or so the legend goes, is the Sixteenth Mace, the most powerful Mace of all, holding the Holy Essence of Addra. Various prophecies exist, foretelling of dire dangers when the Sixteenth Mace will rise to the hands of Moradin and save the faihful of Addra. Still, the TEST goes on in the centre of the Lake of dark mercury. Though no-one besides the contestants, who are honor-bound never to reveal, know what the test was, it is said it involves time/space/planar travel since it takes but an instance to the eyes of the observers and the contestants always return with an outcome and unharmed. The victor will then gain the Mace he challenged, and his previous Mace will be itself the object of a Test and so on and so forth. The Overbrothers, who cannot be challenged, are ordained or confirmed by the total will of the Brothers. They hold the sacred tomes of the Code (including the Code of the Maces and the Code of the Blood, the order's history etc). There is no shame to the defeated in the Test, and s/he has a priority in claiming the new victor's old Mace. This is not to say that the hardy and stubborn Dwarves don't play power games, but there is an unspoken consent on the matter of pride and power. Game Mechanics * The Brothers rise in levels like Paladins, the use Warrior attack values, Priest saving throws, Warrior proficiencies. * Requisites for joining the Order are 16+ CON, 14+ STR, 13+ WIS. * The Brothers can specialise (usually in Tight Group: Maces, Flails, Hammers) only once. They can use any weapons, and usually carry a normal mace or flail, an axe and crossbow. They can wear any armour, and usually prefer silver-chased plate armours, or chain mail with magnificent breastplates and blood red tabards. They usually wear skull- or demon-shaped red & white helms. Purple, red, white and silver are their favored colors. * The gain the Priest's MDA from Wisdom. * The have the following Bonus NWP: BlindFighting, Undead Lore. * They can 'track' undead or discover the sources of infestation, as well as detect undead in a 20 yard radius globe. * The Brothers have the following Spells available to them: LEVEL I Bless, Detect Evil, Remove Fear, Invisibility to Undead, Protection from Evil, Sanctuary, Light LEVEL II Spiritual Hammer, Find Traps, Flame Blade, Slow Poison LEVEL III Speak with Dead, Glyph of Warding, Cure Disease, Negative Plane Protection, Remove Curse, Continual Light, Create Food & Water. LEVEL IV Cloak of Bravery, Neutralise Poison They Brothers have the following Spell Progression Level: Spell Level Brother of Addra's Level ** 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1 - 1 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 2 - - - - 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 3 - - - - - - - 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 4 - - - - - - - - - - 1 1 1 1 2 3 ** Only OverBrothers can achieve 16th Casting Level. Ordinary Brothers may be more powerful in levels, but never in magic or Mace. Note that a BoneBrother can theoretically be 30th Level ( I use a semi-slow but unlimited demi- human adavancement) and a BloodBrother 2nd level, but that would never actually happen. Titled Brothers with a Mace must be at least 2nd Level, but other than that, Paladin level need not coincide with Mace level. Material components are always a bit of bone, a drop of blood and the Holy Symbol of Addra: a fist-sized red & black skull made of Lake Mithril. This unique symbol is given to the Brother upon his gaining a Mace, and if lost or destroyed in any way or for any reason, the Brother must offer the blood of a she-Vampire whom s/he defeated to the Lake. THE CODE OF THE BLOOD * The Word of Addra is Law * The Word of the OverBrother is Law, second only to Addra * The Brother must always have as primary goal the destruction of the most and most powerful Undead * The Brother must never leave a battle with Undead unless a far greater destruction is planned. * The Brother must never fear in the face of Undeath; chants to Addra will dispel the Fear and Evil. This is just a sample. Add to it as you see fit to cover contingecies, but always keep in mind that these Dwarves are tough, pious and DARK! THE MACES OF THE BROTHERHOOD There exist 15 Maces- 12, one for each type of Undead, and Three, the Maces of the OverBrothers, which destroy Devils. All Maces are different- some are even Flails, eg I usually consider BoneBane (vs Skeletons) a Two-Headed Flail, or RotBane (vs Mummies) is equipped with red-hot spikes. Ghostbane, on the other hand, would be but a rune-covered crystal rod (unbreakable, of course). All Maces are wielded as +1 Weapons, except the DaevilBanes, which are +2 for the OverBrothers. The more powerful the Mace, the less of a chance the Undead have of saving versus Disintegration, as in Table 1: TABLE 1 CHANCE OF SAVE VS DISINTEGRATION Maces of the Brotherhood Undead Type Ske Zom Ghl Sha Wig Ghs Wra Mum Spe Vam Gho Lic Dev Bonebane 5 70 75 80 85 90 95 99 99 99 100 100 100 Zombiebane 65 5 70 75 80 85 90 95 99 99 99 100 100 Ghoulbane 60 65 5 70 75 80 85 90 95 99 99 99 100 Shadowbane 55 60 65 5 70 75 80 85 90 95 99 99 99 Wightbane 50 55 60 65 5 70 75 80 85 90 95 99 99 Ghastbane 45 50 55 60 65 5 70 75 80 85 90 95 99 Wraithbane 40 45 50 55 60 65 5 70 75 80 85 90 95 Rotbane 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 5 70 75 80 85 90 Spectrebane 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 5 70 75 80 85 Bloodbane 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 5 70 75 80 Ghostbane 20 35 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 5 70 75 Lichbane 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 5 70 Daevilbane 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 5 Note that the chose Undead only has but 5% chance to save- even mighty Devils will fall to the DaevilBanes. Even if the Undead saves, double dice damage will be inflicted. Other properties include: * 5d6 points of damage to any Evil or Undead creature touching the Mace- this does *not* apply during battle, but the creature still has to save. * +1 to Attack and Damage Rolls for the chosen Undead * It can hit any Undead, regardless of silver, magical or other weapons needed to hit. * It allows the Slayer to Turn the chosen Undead as a Cleric of equal level, but this is especially discouraged, and destruction by weapons is the preffered way of dealing with Undead. Other Undead can be turned at -2 levels. * +2 to saves versus the attacks of the specific Undead. * Knowledge of the best attack and surest defences is implicitly imparted to the wielder of the Mace, specific to the chosen type, but as s/he aquires more powerful Maces, the previous knowledge is less than complete. There is a CODE of the MACE, part of the Code of Blood, which the Slayer must unfailingly observe: * Every wielding of the Mace must be accompanied by a chant and supplication to Addra. * The Mace is not to be used against non-evil creatures.If it ever is, it will shock its wielder (5d6) and never again accept him. Although not explicilty forbitten by the Code, use of the Mace in combat against non-undead is frowned upon. * The Mace must not fall into the hands of another being. * An offering of blood and bones must be made to Addra once every full moon, and smeared on the Mace held over a fire. * The wielder's sign will appear on the Mace if he braves immense danger to complete a heroic task of destroying some powerful Undead. The few precious signs of the previous heroes can be see on the shafts of the weapons. THE CURRENT STATUS of THE ORDER Although you can (and probably will) make your own Order, the Order as it stands now in my campaing is the following: It has been three years since the last TEST- The brothers are again scattered throughout the Realms in search of Undead and vile magic of undeath. A lot of them are members of adventuring companies, but they mostly go alone, except for the company of Novice Brothers who accompany low-to-medium level Brothers. The OverBrothers are never to be seen except at the TESTS, but prayer to the Addra will reach them as surely as it will reach the Goddess Herself, and they will go to the aid of valiant Brother facing overwhelming evil. The OverBrothers always travel together. They are: Juggas BrassMask dm Pal22 - He is the youngest and strongest, and was just ordained OverBrother in the place of a fallen one. Ferrya Dumathallo df Pal19 - Old and wise, she is extremely ugly but uncomparably virtuous. Gormanth VrokBane dm Pal26 - The oldest, he is over 700 years old. He has access to powerful magic. These Three hold the DaevilMaces- twined shafts of red mithril, with the runes of past OverBrothers, with a head made of pure white bone with black devil horns as spikes. Other important Brothers are: Leondas Meleag dm Pal15 - BloodBrother, rumored to have visited the demiplane of Ravenloft. He never speaks, and seems haunting and spooky even to his fellows. His hair is stark white, as his armour. Cuppa WoodHug df Pal14 - GhoulBrother, a very quiet, calm, young dwarven maiden. She is unique among the Brothers in her love for nature, thus her name. Pero DevaHand dm Pal6 - ZombieBrother, a very promising warrior, he is very young and boisterous. He is adventuring with 'The Five Spikes' in the Southern Sword Coast. Cloran JemDeeg dm Pal8 - ShadowBrother, one of the most pious in the Order, is currently on a quest to retrieve his lost Holy Symbol in the Great Desert. Hella KernFoot gf Pal2 - The only non-dwarf, she is a rare half-dwarf, half-gnome. She is an initiate, aiding Cloran. Meth MooreStaff dm Bard8/Pal8 - WraithBrother, a dwarf from the Far South, he is a storyteller of great fame and charisma, as he used to be a Bard in the Southern lands before he joined. He is adventuring in East Aglarond. Bruma Atlantar dm Pal17 - LichBrother, his armour is a masterpiece of craftsmanship, a suit of heavily enchanted everblue plate with ruby eye wards and elvish feather-lace helm. The only Brother to assosciate with what the others call scatterbrain elves, he adventures with the Company of the Three White Moons, mostly Elves, in the Moonsea. The Blood Brothers keep their existance a secret even from their fellow adventurers, as many are the spiteful Dark Wizards whose minions they have thwarted. Be one, or never see one.... NEW MAGICAL ITEMS Chalice of Everlasting Blood Michael Thomas Fassbender This item is similar to the Decanter of Endless Water, from which it is derived, although in the case of this item, it is fresh blood, and not water, that is created. When activated by its command word, the Chalice fills with blood, and no matter how much is poured out, it remains full until de-activated by command. Because of the magics used to create the item, the blood is fresh for all purposes to which the user can put it. It can be used as a spell component, for example, or to satiate a vampire's thirst. Note, however, that the Chalice rarely if ever can suffice to fulfill ritual purposes, since such rituals (as in Mayan blood offerings) typically emphasize the *shedding* of blood, and not merely its presence. This item was first created by an ancient vampire, Hermann Siegmund von Walfuerth, who regularly spends extended periods of time in magical research and cannot always find time for the hunt. Death's Garments < Kevin Langley - klangley@laraby.tiac.net > Death Cloak This cloak is large and black, and when placed upon a character, and the hoood is pulled up over the head, the character's face would look like death himself (skeletol head). This item may be used three times per day (each time lasting 1 hour), and then becomes an ordinary cloak for the remainder of that day. It may be used again in the same manner for the next day, and so on after that. Morales are decreased by 4 at the sight of Death, unless the victim has Eyes of True Seeing or something similar. Death Gloves These are the gloves that go with Death's Cloak. They make the hands of the wearer appear skeletol, and only add to the illusion of the wearer being Death. These can usually be found in a hidden rear pocket of Death's Cloak. These can be activated only with the cloak on the wearer, and for the limited time mentioned above. Being touched by someone wearing these gloves provides a Chill Touch spell to be usured out of them. The victim may roll against the spell (vs. paralyzation), and suffer the effects of the spell if the roll is failed. If the roll succeeds, the victim fells a slight chill along the back of his spine. Gauntlet of the Necromancer < Aaron Bowman - aaron@bowman.pdial.interpath.net > (20-50 charges) This gauntlet is "drawn" to the living, providing a +3 to hit vs. the living & a -2 vs. undead. It thrives on the life force of the living. It will drain 3d6 hp from any one touched by it (by the owners request) & add it to the owners HP, even over his/her max (see the vampiric touch) as long as it's on their hand or taken away by normal damage. Only evil characters may use this item without being drained of 1d6 HP every round the gauntlet is in contact with the wearer. Although, it drains ANY owner's HP, for evil characters it's not enough to affect them. It can be recharged by casting Vampiric Touch upon it. Hater < Tim Dickinson - dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca > Hater is a magical dagger of undoubtedly diabolic creation. It's last known wielder was Garoz Hilpar, the Assassin-Priest of Vesh in the Third Land. Hilpar was King Fustan's "dirty little secret," and despite the political expediency of elimating the evil priest from the Third Land, Fustan's past dealings with Hilpar (and his present fear of the man) were just too dangerous to see the light of day. So Hilpar kept his wicked cult of Vesh alive for many years, and many were the sacrifices that went to Vesh through the blade of Hater. Hater is a large but wieldy dagger. Its engravings and large bloodstone obviously mark it as ceremonial, but its balance, shape and edge also make it an acceptable combat weapon. Rumours said that in the hands of a death priest like Hilpar, its evil magic powers came to flower: whispered mutterings of the dagger draining all the blood from its victims, or fiendish phantoms issuing forth from it to devour the sacrifice... Staff of Gog < Aaron Bowman - aaron@bowman.pdial.interpath.net > The staff is 8ft long of hideous wood. Atop the staff sits a large Humanoid skull, the wood seems to grasp the skull as a hand would. Two dark red enchanted gems rest firmly in the eye sockets of the skull. A strong Necromantic Aura surrounds the staff. History: This staff is the only weapon of a great Undead Master, Gog. Although his origin is unknown, he had challenged & even befriended (only for personal gain) some of the most powerful wizards. No one knows exactly what happened to Gog, some say he was defeated and others say He still roams looking for his staff. Campaign Use: The Staff of Gog could be found anywhere. The staff is practically pure evil & very few would benefit from owning it. Only those who seek Gog himself or those with a desire for extreme Necromantic power would seek out this item. Powers: Constant Powers: - the staff grants the control over any undead risen up by the owner of the staff, they don't transfer to a new owner (summoned extraplanars too). It can animate dead by touch once per day and now has a natural AC of 6. Invoked: ( left gem ) - can cast Slay Living / Raise Dead once per day ( right gem ) - can cast Death Shroud once per day Curse: - The staff can be used by Wizards only & characters of evil alignment. Neutral alignment characters are to 1/2 HP. Good charaters are reduced to 1/2 HP and are paralyzed for 1d6 rounds. After 3 uses of the staff's power the owners eyes become snake-like. After the 5th use the PC's tongue becomes forked. After the 7th use the owner height & weight increase until they reach 10', 400 lbs. After the 10th use the character can be used as a receptical for Gog to transfer his or someone elses life force into. Means of Destruction: It must be separated into 4 pieces & destroyed: Left Gem: Throw into an intense thunder storm Right Gem: Must be buried on a glacier Skull: Bone Blight must be cast upon it 25 times Staff: Must be incinerated by a red dragons breath weapon Voodoo Doll Ricky Jay Peltz These dolls are reputed to be made by the reclusive swamp witches of Kithask. They guard the secret of their creation jealously and are loathe to let them fall into the hands of the Outsiders. Nevertheless, a few of these dolls have indeed found themselves in the hands of mages from around the land. A voodoo doll, although expertly made from wood or cloth, (complete with moving joints) , is always featureless and generic. To use one a mage has to dress it in the style of the intended victim. This requires an appropriate proficiency roll (or dex-2) check and 2d4 hours. It doesn't have to be perfect but should at least resemble a fighter if the victim is a fighter etc. (This check should be made in secret by the DM. See below). More importantly, the mage must incorporate either some part of the victim in the doll (blood, fingernail clipping etc), or include some personal possession of the victim. Once this is done, the secret words are spoken and a link is forged between the doll and the victim. The mage may now use the following abilities: * Clairvoyance/clairaudience three times a day on the victim's location. * By pricking the doll with a pin the mage may cause 1 point of damage to the victim. * By stabbing the doll with a dagger, the damage is conferred to the victim. However the doll may only take 4d10 points of damage in this way before being destroyed. It is rumoured that there exist more powerful dolls that allow the mage to cast certain spells through the doll to affect the victim such as charm person and ESP. All the above abilities only work if the mage and victim are within 5 miles of each other (and on the same plane). The victim is allowed an initial saving throw (vs spell) when the link is first forged (rolled secretly by the DM) but is otherwise unaware of the link. If the mage failed his original profiency check then although the clairvoyance / clairaudience power works there is a small chance that any use of a damaging power backfires! This chance is 10% for every point that the mage failed his profiency check by. Once an attack backfires the link is broken (although it may be reforged from scratch). Lastly, a victim who realises what is happening may attempt to have a dispel magic spell cast upon himself (for the express purpose of breaking the voodoo link). If the dispel magic spell works there is an immediate backlash to the mage using the doll causing 3d6 points of damage (save vs spell for half). The same applies if the doll is destroyed before the link is broken. The mage may break the link safely himself, but it takes a few seconds to do so. (An initiative roll is required in a combat situation). Zombie Powder Ricky Jay Peltz Used by the swamp witches in order to retain servants and to instill fear in the local villagers, the zombie powder is a poison whose manufacture requires various creatures and plants which exist only in the swamps. The recipe is, of course, known only to the swamp witches. When ingested the victim is allowed a saving throw vs poison to resist the effects. If failed then after 1d4 hours the unforunate individual will rapidly weaken and appear to 'die'. (All physical tests will detect that the victim is dead. However, any magical tests will show that the victim is actually still alive). The witch will then bury the victim or allow him or her to be buried. After 1-2 days though, the witch will procure the 'body'. The victim will be in a trance and is totally suggestable to the commands of the witch, acting just like a zombie. The 'zombie' will follow orders blindly and fight at half his or her normal level. It is important to note that the witches are careful to maintain the pretense that they have actually raised the dead. Many are able to do this anyway, but a 'zombie' procured by this method has several advantages: First, the witch often tries to use the powder on a reasonably powerful individual resulting in a stronger than normal zombie. Unlike a normal zombie, the victim gets normal initiative in combat. Secondly, the victim isn't actually undead. Although the lack of the smell of decay may tip off any opponents that something is wrong, this will probably not be until all their Turning attempts and protection from undead spells have failed! The victim of the zombie powder remains in a trance for only 2d4 days. But regular ingestion of the powder ensures continued loyalty to the witch. (Every time a victim is fed more powder he receives another save vs poison but at a -6 penalty.) A victim may be released from the zombie trance by others (if they realise what has happened) by the use of a dispel magic or remove curse spell followed by a cure poison spell cast at 7th level of ability. After being released from the trance (by making the saving throw or by the help of others) the victim will be extremely weak (half stats). Ability points are regained at the rate of one (in each ability) per day of complete rest. Swamp witches often keep several of these pseudo-zombies as servants and guardians, often using magic to enhance their 'undead' appearance. NEW ARTIFACTS Hellblades < Urklore the Iron - urklore@tiac.net > It was rumored many a year ago that during the great wars when the Elves united to battle the Dark Elves and to cause them to flee to the vast underground, Gulgaraith, a well experienced fighter/mage Dark Elf, forged numerous swords of great power to help in those wars. This is how The Hellblades came to surface on the mortal world of man. Nobody knows how many blades were actually forged and enchanted and how many still exist after so many centuries. All that is know is that they are weapons of quite evil power. OVERALL EFFECT: Each sword functions as a modified Sword of Sharpness, they are all +3 weapons and sever a random limb (not neck/head though) on a natural roll of 18-19. They shed light on command of their natural color in a 30' radius. These weapons are so powerful and evilly enchanted that if broken they will simply reform themselves and if ever torn away from their owner they will simply slide closer to get within the presence of their owner, distance not being a factor, though it may take some time to get to its owner if the distance is very great. However, their most known power is the ability, on a natural 20, to suck the victim's soul form his body, thus killing the victim outright, and feed upon it. The possessor of a Hellblade is also fed by the sword some of the soul's life essence as well. This translates into the victim receiving one of the victim's powers, attributes, etc., as chosen by the DM. The owner is continuously fed the soul and retains the added power as long as he holds onto the sword, Letting go of the sword 'breaks' the umbilical cord of the sword to the owner. The swords continuously feeds on the soul until it strikes another victim with a natural 20 where the process starts all over again and the owner loses the power of the old soul and gains another. If a Hellblade sucks an exceptionally powerful soul (10+Level/HD) the possessor must immediately make a Wis-4 check or the sword will become 'frenzied' and cause (actually force) the user to attack for 1d4 rounds the nearest living thing in hope of additional 'feeding'! Those slain by a Hellblade are dead, and cannot be raised or resurrected short of a wish. Note that undead and the like have no soul and on a natural roll of 20 only Sharpness Severing occurs. Each Hellblade also has an ego, Int, and a defensive power to help its owner. Hellblades cannot however talk, use Telepathy, and the like. If a Hellblade ever comes within 50' of another each possessor of the blade must make a Wisdom check at -5 or be forced to slay the other. This save is made per round until one of the other is slain, the swords are separated from the radius, or the swords are some how separated by a different dimension or such (such as putting it in a Portable Hole or Bag of Holding). The '13' known Hellblades are as followed: KNOWN HELLBLADES Excalibur Junior A perverted twisted version of that saintly weapon. It glows with a purple radiance and has the power of Armor (purple glow) thrice per day for its possessor at the 12 level of ability. It is a Broadsword with an INT: 15 and EGO; 10. Lifeater A Scimitar that glows with a pure ruby radiance and can Haste its possessor thrice per day at the 12th level of use. Note the user is aged TWO years per use of the Haste power. It has an INT: 17 and an EGO: 10. Lifelicker A Broadsword that glows with a black radiance. This sword can Raise Dead its possessor ONLY thrice per day at the 12th level of ability. The possessor will simply 'rise' back up from the dead with 1hp and one CON less but will still be able to function normally without the needed rest. It has an INT: 17 and an EGO: 17. Lifesucker A Broadsword that glows with a whitish radiance. It permanently protects the user as a Resist Cold spell and can Protection From Good its possessor thrice per day at the 12th level of use. It has an INT: 16 and an EGO: 12. Hellbearer A Broadsword that glows with a colorless radiance! It has three powers that it can grant on its possessor once a day each instead of one power thrice per day. All powers function at the 12th level of ability and are as followed: Improved Invisibility, Alter Self, and Non-Detection. It has an INT: 17 and an EGO: 14. Souldevourer A Bastard Sword that glows with a Grayish radiance. The sword can only do once per day Tenser's Transformation on its possessor but at the 13th level of use. It has an INT: 16 and an EGO: 13. Souldrainer A Broadsword that glows with a sickly purplish/yellowish radiance. This sword has the ability to Negative Plane Protection its possessor thrice per day at the 12th level of use. It has an INT: 17 and an EGO: 10. Souleater A Broadsword that glows with a blackish radiance, it has the ability to Ghost Armor its possessor thrice per day at the 12th level of ability. It has an INT: 16 and an EGO: 10 Soulskinner A Shortsword that glows with a yellowish radiance, it has the ability to Stoneskin its possessor thrice per day at the 12 level of ability. It has an INT: 17 and EGO: 10 Soulsucker A Longsword that glows with a sickly Greenish/Yellowish radiance. This sword grants its possessor 37% Magic Resistance when held and the ability to Minor Globe of Invulnerability its owner thrice per day at the 12 level of ability. It has an INT: 17 and an EGO: 12. Soulswallower A massive Two-Handed sword that glows with a rainbow multi-colored radiance. It can Anti-Magic Shell is possessor thrice per day at the 12th level of ability. It has an INT: 17 and an EGO: 15. Soultaster A Shortsword that glows with a bluish radiance that can Waterbreathe and Blur its possessor Thrice per day each at the 6th level of use. It has an INT: 15 and an EGO: 12. Soulzapper A Greatsword of pure black Steel, it glows with a bright red radiance of the fires of hell itself. It grants its user Fire Resistance and has the power to Mirror Image it possessor thrice per day at the 12 level of ability. It has an INT: 17 and an EGO: 12. NEW ELIXER'S & POTIONS Death's Nectar < Tim Dickinson - dickinst@crl1.crl.aecl.ca > Ingestion of this foul poison is a terrible blight indeed: if imbibed by any living humanoid it will slowly turn them into a reeking, rotting thing. They will eventually die a putrescent death, but not before suffering long as a wicked and obscene thing. Death's Nectar is a distillation that requires a great deal of time and many damned ingredients to prepare. Legends say that it takes strange demon parts, rotted meat and a month beneath the moonlight to reach complete efficiency. When ingested by humanoids, Death's Nectar slowly degenerates the bone and skin tissue. It begins in the joints (those infected will feel some pain, as arthritis) within a week, then slowly spreads throughout the body. After 2 weeks, skin discolorations appear, and within 4 weeks large portions of skin are marked and begin to smell very badly. Each week the sufferer loses 1 point each of strength and constitution; after 4 weeks they lose 3 points each each week. When either characteristic reaches zero, the afflicted dies. NEW MAGICAL SPELLS Wizard Spells Level 1 Autopsy (Divination, Necromancy){ TA \l "Autopsy" \s "Autopsy" \c 4 }{ TA \l "Autopsy" \s "Autopsy" \c 9 } Al Singleton (Isaac Winthrop) {xe "Autopsy [1st] (Divination, Necromancy)"} Range: 0 Components: V, M Duration: Special Casting Time: 1 turn Area of Effect: One corpse touched per level Saving Throw: None With this spell a wizard can determine the cause of death of a corpse. No language restrictions apply, this is not a communication with the deceased. At higher levels, the spellcaster can learn more of the target's actions immediately prior to death. Wizard's Level Maximum Time Dead Maximum Time Frame Allowed up to 5 1 week 1 / 10 round 6-7 1 month 1 round 8-10 1 year 1 turn 11-13 10 years Half hour 14-17 1000 years 1 hour 18+ any age hour The maximum time frame allowable is the amount of time that the caster may learn about from the corpse. One question every two levels, starting at the 2nd, is allowable (none at 1st, one at 2-3, two at 4-5, etc.). The questions must be answered analytically, locations, actions of others; questions about intent, feelings of participants, etc. are not allowed. To facilitate this, the DM should answer as tersely as possible. The material component is the corpse (or fragment thereof). The wizard must touch the corpse for the duration of the spell and concentrate deeply. Any interruption will waste the spell and spell charge. Bleeding Touch (Necromancy) Robert A. Howard Range: 10 yards Components: V, S, M Duration: Instantaneous Casting Time: 1 Area of Effect: One creature Saving Throw: Negates This spell causes a bleeding wound to appear on the victim. Wizards do not have to attack their chosen victim to hit. The victim must save versus death magic or suffer 1d6 points of damage for every two levels of the caster. The material component of this spell is a needle. Eldran's Animate Dead Vegetable (Necromancy) < M.L.Barklam - csai94@cs.bham.ac.uk > Range: 0 Components: V,S,M Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 1 round Area of Effect: 1 dead vegetable Saving Throw: None This spell animates one vegetable (tomato, potato, leek, radish, pea, etc.) which immediately grows enough appendages to allow it to move around (usually a tentacle or two). The vegetable must be perfectly preserved before casting, or be freshly picked, but upon casting, the vegetable rots and appears to be slightly squishy, slimy, mouldy, and generally icky and horrible. What the necromancer does with this vegetable is up to him, the necromancer has complete control over its actions; the communication is only one way, however, the necromancer can tell the vegetable what he wants it to do, but the vegetable cannot report anything it perceives. The vegetable can move around at speed 6, can fetch very small things (of about 2oz. max. weight), and is considered to have a strength of 1 for all other purposes. What the vegetable can move/carry is obviously dependant on what it can get its tentacles around. The uses of this spell are not particularly obviously at first sight, but one use it was rumoured that Eldran used this spell for was to get a vegetable to grow thorny tentacles and then teach it how to pick locks. Because the vegetable is usually quite light, it is also thought that Eldran used a different vegetable to pick pockets (although it could only manage, at most, one coin/gem/key/other small object at a time). Since Eldran's untimely demise, however, it has been impossible to validate these claims as the alleged vegetables were never found. One of the most useful aspects of this spell is that it allows the necromancer to deliver touch attack necromancy spells of first, second or third level only through these things. The vegetable must, obviously, be close enough to attack the victim and must roll to hit with a THAC0 of 20, if it fumbles, the vegetable has been squashed for some reason (usually by the target) and the effects of the touch spell manifest themselves on the caster in the resulting magical backlash, as well as taking 1D4 points of damage as with the spectral hand spell. If the touch spell has a duration of more than one round (ghoul touch) and its effects take place on the caster, then the necromancer can terminate the spell in the following rounds if he so desires. Creatures protected by Kodak's Protection From Food cannot be attacked or in any other way approached closer than 1' while under the influence of the abjuration. The material component for this spell, besides the vegetable to be animated, are a few cumin seeds to be eaten by the necromancer as part of the casting. Little Death (Necromancy Jeff Vogel Range: 60 feet Components: V, S Duration: 1d4+1 rounds Casting Time: 1 Area of Effect: One creature Saving Throw: Negates This spell may be cast on any living (not golem, undead, etc.) creature native to the prime material plane and with 6+4 or less Hit Dice. The victim must save versus death magic at -3 or fall paralysed for 1d4+1 rounds. Painful Wounds (Necromancy) Robert A. Howard Range: 10 yards Components: V, S, M Duration: 1 round per 2 levels Casting Time: 1 Area of Effect: One creature Saving Throw: Special This spell causes any existing wounds (caused by bleeding touch, or any blow of 4 or more points of damage, or when the victim is at half its maximum hit points or less) to become excruciatingly painful. Wizards do not need to hit their chosen victim. The victim must make a saving throw versus paralysation or be unable to do anything but roll on the ground screaming in pain. The material component is a pinch of powdered quartz crystal. Skeleton (Necromancy Jeff Vogel Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 1 hour Area of Effect: Corpse touched Saving Throw: None With this spell, a necromancer can turn one humanoid corpse into a skeleton. The skeleton may then be controlled as per animate dead. A wizard may have only one skeleton per level in existence through use of this spell. The material component of this spell is a salve that requires 50 gp and 24 uninterrupted hours to create. Hit points of the skeleton are determined randomly. Disposing of skeletons with insufficient hit points is possible, if expensive. When a skeleton created by this spell is damaged, the damage cannot be repaired. Turn Undead (Necromancy) Al Singleton (Isaac Winthrop) Range: 0 Components: V, S Duration: 1d4 turns + 1 turn per level Casting Time: 1 Area of Effect: 2d6 undead Saving Throw: Negates By means of this spell, a necromancer (and no other wizard) can turn undead as a priest of equal level. If the caster uses holy or unholy water, the undead are not allowed saving throws, otherwise the turned creatures are allowed saving throws versus spell to resist the urge to turn. Disintegration is also possible, but an evil wizard cannot gain control over the undead as an evil priest could: this spell always turns. Undeath Friendship (Necromancy Peter Gourlay Range: 0 Components: V, S Duration: 1 turn per level Casting Time: 1 Area of Effect: The caster Saving Throw: None This spell creates an empathetic link with undead, allowing a normal reaction roll to determine interaction between the undead and the wizard. Obviously, if the wizard is hostile or a threat, then the reaction roll is meaningless. The wizard receives normal Charisma bonuses, plus an additional 5%. Generally, a friendly reaction roll just means a wary acceptance. Whisper's Hands of Darkness (Necromancy) Robert Johan Enters Range: 0 Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous Casting Time: 1 Area of Effect: The caster Saving Throw: None This spell is similar to a burning hands, save that it spurts negative material instead of fire. Whisper's Magic Sacrifice (Necromancy Robert Johan Enters Range: 0 Components: V, S Duration: Special Casting Time: 1 Area of Effect: The caster Saving Throw: None This spell can be extremely useful, but also extremely dangerous to use. This spell opens up a link between the wizard's lifeforce and his magic energy. Through the use of this spell, the wizard can cast another spell without losing that spell from memory. In stead, the energies for the spell are directly drawn from the wizard himself. The wizard thus gets drained for an amount of hit points equal to the square of the spell level of the spell the wizard casts subsequent to the magic sacrifice. This drain is irrevocable, and being drained directly from the wizard's life force, there is no manner to shield the wizard from this damage, magical nor mundane. Also, the damage thus sustained cannot be healed in any other way than by natural healing, thus the wizard will regain only 1 HP per day of rest. Note that if the caster so wishes, he could cast a spell whose draining would kill him, in which case only a resurrect, wish, or the like would bring him back to life. The spell opens this link until the next spell is cast, or until an amount of turns has elapsed equal to the caster's level of experience. Wither (Necromancy Geoffrey Edward Fagan Range: 30 yards Components: V, S, M Duration: Instantaneous Casting Time: 1 Area of Effect: 100 square feet per level Saving Throw: Special This spell kills all normal vegetation within an area of 100 square feet per level of the wizard, who determines the shape of that area at the time of casting. Trees receive a saving throw of 11, and special plants such as treants suffer but 1d6 points of damage. The material component is acid, sprinkled over the whole area of effect. Casting time is exclusive of this administration. Level 2 Anaemia (Alteration, Necromancy Al Singleton Range: 0 Components: V, S Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 7 Area of Effect: Creature touched (up to 1 HD per level) Saving Throw: Negates By means of this spell a wizard can cause the target creature to lose the majority of its blood, putting on the borderline of having bled to death. The creature immediately begins to feel incredibly cold and, if warm-blooded, lose three points of Dexterity due to shivering and general lack of energy. If cold-blooded, it will go catatonic as its body temperature sinks to room temperature (60°F or 16°C or less); the time this takes should be logically assigned by the DM given the prevailing conditions (windy, underground, etc.). In addition, the long term effects are that the target creature will suffer the loss of one point of Strength and Constitution for up to a full week after recovery (any Strength 18 score will drop to 17). Recovery will begin with the commencement of eating high iron, high protein foods. Recovery itself will take at least a week. Thus the effects of the blood loss will hang on for at least two weeks. Other immediate effects will be that all piercing and slashing damage taken will be at 1½ times the value, this being due to the fact that these attacks cause the victim to lose more of what they don't have, blood. There is a minor difference between the necromantic and transmuter versions of this spell. Transmuters require a vampire tooth that they must touch to the spell's target. This tooth will only work for as many tries (not necessarily successful castings or attacks) as the level of the wizard when he acquired the tooth. Necromancers do not need a material component for this spell. Only necromancer specialists can learn the necromancer version. Arcane Bolt (Necromancy) Jim Vassilakos Range: 60 feet Components: S, M Duration: Instantaneous Casting Time: 1 Area of Effect: One creature Saving Throw: None This spell causes a bolt of magical energy to fly from the hands of the wizard and strike an opponent doing a damage of 1d6 HP + 1 HP per level. The material component for this spell is a drop of poison. Bleeding Wounds (Necromancy) Robert A. Howard Range: 30 yards Components: V, S, M Duration: 1 round per level Casting Time: 2 Area of Effect: One creature Saving Throw: Negates This spell causes any existing wounds (as in painful wounds) to start to bleed badly. Wizards do not need to strike their intended foe. If the victim fails a saving throw versus death magic, he will suffer 1 point of damage per round, not including any damage he may take in combat. The DM may choose to have the blood get in his eyes, make it difficult to keep a hold on a weapon, or possibly make the ground slippery, if he so chooses. The material component for this spell is a 10 or more gold pieces worth diamond. Death Armour ( Necromancy ) < Urklore the Iron - urklore@tiac.net > Level: 2 Range: Touch Components: V,S,M Duration: 1 Round/level Casting Time: 2 Area of Effect: Self only Saving Throw: None This spell requires the caster to pour a special cream on his body and rub into in his pours and skin. The ingredients for this vile spell require a purchase 100 Gold Pieces for the proper ingredients. Then at anytime the caster may invoke the magics of this spell and activate the inner hidden ingredients of the Cream Coating. For the duration of the spell, anyone touching the caster with exposed flesh must save vs. Spell or suffer 2d6 points of damage from intense acidic burns. The spell lasts for 1 round per level before the cream's ingredients are brunt up. Multiple touches will still harm the attacker and the caster is immune to his own spell of course. This spell is most potent on plant life as it simply withers away as the caster walks through vegetation life and is touching it. Weapon attacks do not cause the attacker damage, only touching the caster with flesh invokes the magic. The caster still suffers damage of course from the attacks. Death Mask (Necromancy) Bret Mikeal O'Neal Range: 0 Components: S, M Duration: 1 round Casting Time: 2 Area of Effect: 30-foot cube Saving Throw: Negates When this spell is cast, the caster's face momentarily bloats and rots. This putrid visage is not an illusion. Those within the area can smell the rotting flesh and hear the squirming grubs crawling from various orifices. Just as quickly as the face rotted, it repairs itself, grubs falling to the ground and skin growing back. Victims must be in front of the caster in order to be affected. This ephemeral spectacle is so horrifying that those seeing it must save or stand in shock for 1d3+1 rounds. Non-intelligent creatures those unable to see, undead, and opponents with more Hit Dice than the caster are immune. The material component is a live caterpillar. Death Star (Necromancy) Bret Mikeal O'Neal Range: 60 yards Components: V, S, M Duration: 3 rounds + 1 round per level Casting Time: 2 Area of Effect: 10-foot radius Saving Throw: None This spell creates a pulsating ball of light floating 5 feet off the ground that slowly drains the life from all within 10 feet. Those in the area of effect take 1d4 dam a round. The star will drain life from anything within its area of effect including plants, animals, even the spellcaster. This spell cannot damage creatures without life such as undead and automatons. The star cannot be damaged. It will only leave if dismissed by the caster or dispelled. Note it does not move. The material components are a drop of swamp water and a pinch of dirt form a fresh grave. Death's Dark Grasp (Conjuration/Summoning, Necromancy) Garinthrall Range: 10 yards + 10 yards per level Components: V, S, M Duration: 1 round + 1 round per level Casting Time: 2 Area of Effect: One creature Saving Throw: Special This spell is a variant of Maximillian's earthen grasp from the Tome of Magic. Except where noted, this spell duplicates the effects of Maximillian's earthen grasp. When this spell is cast, rather than producing an earthen hand, this spell causes many undead arms to spring from the ground underneath the target's feet. If the target's saving throw is successful, then the arms sink into the earth and the spell progresses as per the spell description. If the target fails his saving throw, undead forms resembling zombies burst up from the ground, lashing out at the target to grasp and hold him with unyielding strength. The Armour Class of the arms or creatures is 6 (as opposed to the AC 5 in Maximillian's earthen grasp). The hit points of the undead forms created are equal to twice the wizard's normal hit points up to a maximum of 40 HP. The undead forms created are unturnable, and at the end of the spell's duration will sink down into the earth from whence they came. If this spell is cast in a graveyard, the soil of the graveyard will be more likely to produce the undead forms in a quick, unexpected manner. Thus, saving throws against this spell would be at -1 and the chance that the undead hands or forms reappear under the target's feet after a successful saving throw is 10% per level of the wizard rather than 5% per level which is the usual chance for this occurrence if cast in other environments. Dust Warriors (Conjuration/Summoning, Necromancy) Range: 5 yards per level Components: V, S, M Duration: Special Casting Time: 3 Area of Effect: 20-yard long square Saving Throw: None The material component for this spell is a full set of teeth from a man-sized or larger carnivore which must be cast on an area of earth, rock, raw stone, sand or gravel as the spell is cast. The spell generates 1 skeleton + 1 per 2 levels which rise from the area. They will fight for the wizard until they are turned or destroyed, the wizard is slain, rendered unconscious or moves out of spell range of the group, or the magic is dispelled. They last only while there is someone to attack (including each other, if necessary) ¾ any round in which there are no targets available the skeletons will fade back into dust. If dragon's teeth are used as the material component, each skeleton will have bonus hit points equal to the age category of the dragon (count 4 HP = 1 HD for turning and attack purposes). Furthermore, they will be immune to the attack type of the dragon's breath weapon. Ghoul Touch (Necromancy) Bret Mikeal O'Neal Range: 0 Components: V, S Duration: 2 rounds + 1 round per level Casting Time: 2 Area of Effect: The caster Saving Throw: Negates Casting this spell changes the casters hands into ghastly clawed terminals, much like a ghouls. The wizard may then attack with these decayed hands. The damage is 1d3 per claw + Strength bonus. A saving throw versus paralysation must be rolled by the creature hit. Those failing the saving throw are paralysed for 1d4 rounds. Note that the caster can attack with both hands with appropriate penalties. Elves, slimes, undead, and automatons are immune to this spell. Spellcasters may cast other spells while this spell is going, but any other touch spell will negate the ghoul hands. Infected Wounds (Necromancy) Robert A. Howard Range: 30 yards Components: V, S, M Duration: 1 day Casting Time: 2 Area of Effect: One creature Saving Throw: Negates This spell will cause any wounds to become infected, be they scratches or large wounds. Wizards do not need to hit their intended victims. The victim must make a saving throw versus death magic, and if he fails, his wounds will not heal naturally. Healing and herbalism will also fail to heal these wounds. The use of magical healing will heal the infection, at the cost of a cure light wounds ¾ no damage will be healed, but the infected wounds will be negated. The material component for this spell is a powdered opal of 10 or more gold pieces value. Korel's Death Aura (Illusion/Phantasm, Necromancy) Edward Keyes Range: 0 Components: V, S Duration: 2 hours per level Casting Time: 2 Area of Effect: 10-foot radius Saving Throw: None Korel's death aura creates continual small magical effects in its area of effect, which is mobile with and centred on the caster. These effects are very subtle and should not be immediately recognized as magical by the player. The effects are centred around death and fear. For instance, those entering the area of effect might notice a slight stuffiness in the air, making it a little difficult to breathe. Slight movements seen out of the corner of the eye with no visible source should keep people on edge and maybe a bit paranoid. A slight cold breeze seems to blow across the back of one's neck, for instance. The manipulation of shadows is a favourite, as well. Once per round, the caster may concentrate and direct these effects ¾ for instance, sending a shiver down someone's spine while staring at them, or cause a shadow to move out of the corner of that person's eye to distract him for a second. In no way will these effects cause damage or distract spellcasting, unless, of course, the spellcaster voluntarily stops to see what just moved "over there in the corner". By concentrating, more explicit effects can also be generated: the caster's eyes glow red, etc. The caster may, with minor concentration, temporarily negate the effects. At the caster's option, auditory phantasms may also be created: a slight scuffling or scraping sound off in the corner where the shadow seemed to move, a distant scream so faint you're not sure whether you heard it or not, the whistling wind seeming to be calling your name, etc. The option for auditory elements is set at casting time. Necromantic Healing ( Necromancy ) < Urklore the Iron - urklore@tiac.net > Level: 2 Range: Touch Components: V,S,M Duration: Instant Casting Time: 5 Area of Effect: Creature touched Saving Throw: None This spell heals undead of 1d8 + the caster's level in hit points of damage. It is the only known 'cure' type spell that actually works on undead flesh! In fact, it is the only known magic that functions in this respect! Casting this spell on living matter simply causes a slight discomfort for a number of rounds ( minutes ) equal to the caster. This discomfort is in the form of a slight upset stomach. Prosthesis (Necromancy) John M. Martz Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 1 round Area of Effect: Creature touched Saving Throw: Special Prosthesis allows the caster to fashion a relatively functional prosthetic limb. The limb may be as small as a single digit, or it may be any amount up to an entire arm or leg. In order to cast this spell, the wizard must obtain a matching limb (of about the same size and species as the missing limb). While the limb is usually taken from a dead body, the caster can use the target's own limb if it is available. If the stump has healed (if it is not a fresh amputation), the wizard must cut all living flesh from the end of the stump before casting this spell ¾ this spell provides no pain relief. After the stump has been prepared, the caster touches the prosthetic limb to the stump and casts prosthesis. The new limb fuses with the target's skeleton, and he can begin to use it as soon as the casting is finished. Unfortunately, the target does not regain full function of his limb. The new limb, while functional, has no sense of touch and provides only 25% of normal functioning. With each passing week, the character gains another 5% functionality up to a maximum of 75% of normal. It is up to the DM as to the exact impact this decreased functionality has on the character ¾ examples included worsened movement rates, Armour Class, THAC0, reaction adjustments, etc. Furthermore, only the bone within the limb is affected by this spell ¾ the remainder of the limb continues to rot until nothing remains but the bone. The material component is a bit of glue. This spell can only be used on characters with missing limbs (it can't be used to give a two-legged character a third leg, for example). The limb may be in any state of decomposition as long as the bones are intact. Skeletal Scribe (Enchantment, Necromancy) The Warlord of Heaven Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: 1 day per level Casting Time: 4 Area of Effect: Skeleton touched Saving Throw: None This spell creates an undead scribe for the wizard. It is not permanent, but is much safer to use for reading new tomes and writing down words of great power. It is able to take dissertation as well. The material components of this spell are a skeleton, a hawk feather, and a red robe. The skeleton is only consumed at the end of the duration. Summon Undead (Necromancy) Range: 30 yards Components: V, S Duration: 1 turn + 1 turn per level Casting Time: 2 Area of Effect: Special Saving Throw: None The spell causes 3 HD of undead per 2 levels of the wizard to appear within range. They will obey his commands until slain, dispelled, or the spell ends. The wizard may mix and match types as long as he does not exceed his Hit Dice allotment. The necromancer cannot summon a creature of more Hit Dice than his level. Treat a +3 or better bonus to Hit Dice as the next die up, so a wight is worth 5 HD, a wraith is 6, a mummy 7, a spectre 8, and a vampire (the toughest undead that can be summoned) is worth 9 HD. Vampiric Kiss (Necromancy) Hugo M. Nijhof Range: 0 Components: S Duration: 1 round per level Casting Time: 1 Area of Effect: None When a wizard casts this spell, he must kiss the intended victim on the neck and the victim must be able to receive a kiss (cannot be in combat). After the kiss, the victim will lose 2 hit points per round. The caster will receive one of those hit points per round if he is not at maximum hit points already. Veschiul's Shadowbolt (Evocation) Aaron Sher Range: 120 feet Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous Casting Time: 2 Area of Effect: Special Saving Throw: None Veschiul's shadowbolt allows the wizard to mould a bolt of shadow from the plane of shadow, and fire it up to 120 feet range. A to-hit roll is required, but is made as a fighter at a level of 1½ times the wizard's level, rounded up. The shadowbolt does damage by impact: at ranges under 40 feet, the damage taken is 1d4 points per level, at ranges between 40 feet and 80 feet the damage taken is 1d4 points per 2 levels, and at greater ranges the damage is 1d4 points per 4 levels. The number of dice should be rounded down in all cases (thus, a 5th-level wizard at 50 feet does 2d4 points of damage, but a 6th-level wizard does 3d4). The creature must make a Dexterity check to remain standing, adjusted by a -1 for every two levels of the wizard (again, rounded down), as well as by mass: Mass (lbs.) Dexterity Adjustment Distance 1-30 -8 25 feet 31-60 -6 20 feet 61-90 -4 15 feet 91-120 -3 10 feet 121-150 -2 5 feet 151-180 -1 - 181-210 0 - 211-240 +1 - 241-270 +2 - 271-300 +3 - 300+ +4 - The distance column indicates how far the target has been knocked away from the wizard if a modified Dexterity check was failed. Veschiul's Shadowcurse (Alteration) Aaron Sher Range: 30 yards Components: V, S, M Duration: Special Casting Time: 3 Area of Effect: Special Saving Throw: Negates The shadowcurse can affect any creature of the world of light. The area of effect is one creature for every two levels of the wizard above first; i.e., a 3rd-level wizard can affect one creature, a fifth can affect two, and so on. The effect of the shadowcurse is to afflict the victims with some of the vulnerabilities of a shade. The effects depend on the light conditions, as shown on the following table: Light Abilities Move Max. HP Bright -2 ½ ½ Average -1 ¾ ¾ Twilight - - - Shadowy - - - Night - - - Darkness -1 ¾ ¾ See the description of the shade in the Monster Manual II for exact descriptions of these light conditions. The material component is a piece of pitch. Whisper's Darkstaff (Necromancy) Robert Johan Enters Range: 0 Components: V Duration: 2 rounds per level Casting Time: 2 Area of Effect: One staff Saving Throw: None The ultimate spell for the wizard who does not want to bother carrying a staff, but might want to fight some nasty creatures with one since he has the proficiency anyway. This spell calls into being a 7-foot staff of pure blackness. This is actually a piece of the negative material plane, and its powers therefore depend greatly on the control a wizard can exert over the arcane matter, hence on his level. The effects and powers of the staff are listed as follows (make a saving throw versus death magic): Wizard's Level Staff Special Powers 1-3 +1 no powers 4-6 +2 drains 1d6 if the saving throw failed 7-9 +3 drains an additional 1d6 if the saving throw failed 10-12 +4 stunned for 1d4 rounds if the saving throw failed 13-15 +5 can be used to shoot globes of negative material for 3d6 points of damage up to 1 r level 14-16 +5 can be used to absorb a spell cast specifically at the caster (physical only) 17+ +5 drains one level per Hit Die if the saving throw failed The powers listed in the rightmost column are cumulative. Thus, if an archmage hits with the staff, the victim must make four saving throws versus death magic, and if the target fails all saving throws, he would take regular staff damage plus 5 (bonus) plus 2d6 (first two powers), be stunned for 1d4 rounds, and lose one level of experience. Note: this spell might be seen by some as too powerful as second level spell, but was put there because of the lack of good offensive 2nd-level spells in the original TSR lists. Winthrop's Undead Summoning I (Conjuration/Summoning, Necromancy) Al Singleton (Isaac Winthrop) Range: 30 yards Components: V, S, M Duration: 5 rounds + 1 round per level Casting Time: 1 Area of Effect: Special Saving Throw: None This spell is like monster summoning, except that the spell is forgotten when the caster learns a higher-powered version of the spell. This causes the caster to lose the ability to cast this lower-level version and it even disappears from his spellbook (this spell is normally transcribed from a scroll). Either 2d6 skeletons or 2d4 zombies may be summoned. The undead appear at the end of the casting and fight to the best of their ability until slain, the duration expires, they are released, or they are further than 30 yards from the caster (the caster may not intentionally move out of range, nor may the undead for they are not free-willed while under the spell). At such time, they return to their point of origination. The material component is a lit candle inside a small bag. Zombie Animation ( Necromancy ) < Urklore the Iron - urklore@tiac.net > Level: 2 Range: 200ft / level Components: V,S,M Duration: Permanaent Casting Time: 7 Area of Effect: 1 Corpse / level Saving Throw: None With the casting of this spell the caster is able to animate dead decaying bodies into the ability of undead. In order for this spell to first work each corpse to be animated must be immersed in a bath of special salts for 1 full hour prior to spell casting. Such a bath can soak ten corpses for 200 gold pieces for the proper ingredients. The corpse can then be animated at any time the caster choices, even centuries years later. The spell is casted in the corpses are animated into undead status under the influence of the caster. The corpses are only animated if the spell is casted within the given range above, from the caster to the corpses. using this type of spell of course is considered an evil act. The caster can animate one corpse per his level. Level 3 Gloom (Necromancy, Illusion) < Matthew Laycock - matthewl@slip.net > Range: 10 yards per level Components: V,S,M Duration: 2 Turns per level Casting time: 2 Area Effect: 20' radius per level Saving throw: None When cas a gloomy haze appears around the area, creating a eerie feeling. All creature under five hit die make a moral check(see pg 69DMG) every round a threatening action is made or every round of combat. The check is made at a minus one for every two levels of the caster. The targets also receive a progressive plus one for every hit die after first. Since the spell is changing the environment and not in any way effecting the character, no save is made and magic resistance does not apply. The material components for this spell is a hand full of soot thrown into the air. Level 4 Darthus' Dire Soul Entombment (Necromancy) < Tom Dullemond - buck@gil.ipswichcity.qld.gov.au > Range: Touch Components: V, S Duration: Special Casting Time: 1 round Area of effect: 1 body Saving Throw: none This spell is not particularly popular with mages, firstly because it does not provide much benefit to anyone, secondly because it requires a particularly cruel and callous mind. Darthus, the fiendish Necromancer who first formulated this spell had only one idea in mind when he did so: Torture. When the spell is first cast, the body of the soul to be entombed must be present, in more or less whole condition. The soul is wrenched from its after life and entrapped within the rotting shell of its body. It regains all senses it had during life, but can in no way affect its own body, to communicate or move or anything. The Necromancer is then freely able to torture the physical body in the most gruesome ways, knowing full well that the soul feels everything but cannot react or respond. The only uses any mages have found for this spell, apart from satisfying their lusts for torture on their most hated enemies, is as a temporary storage for a soul they may have a use for. Other spells that require a person's "lifeforce" to be present work on the entombed soul, and so it could be used as a particularly convoluted way of resurrection, for mages without access to such spells. The effect lasts until the body decays to the point where it can no longer hold the soul (DMs call). At this point the soul finally escapes its torturer. Otherwise destroying the body will also release the soul. Of course, there are tales of Darthus first embalming the bodies of his victims... The verbal component to this spell is the repeated crying out of the soul's true name, while the semantic component involves simulated beseeching of the heavens. Poisonray (Invocation) Denis Kramer Range: 30 meters Components: Special Duration: Instantanious Casting time: 1 round Area of Effect: One creature Saving Throw: Halfs damage (against magic) This spell creates a black liquid, that comes out of the caster's mouth. The ray hits a special person or object, tageted by the caster. To be successful, the caster must pass a saving throw (+4) againt magic. If the caster fails, he misses and the ray disappears and nothing is hit. The damage of the spell is 4D4. Armour or other non-magical protection is useless. To cast the spell the mage needs up to 6 raindrops of a poison and the possibility to make fire. Priest Spells Level 1 Baltasar's Impediment(Abjuration, Necromancy) Sphere: Necromancy, Protection Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: Special Casting Time: 1 round Area of Effect: Female mammal touched Saving Throw: None This spell enables the caster to prevent a female from becoming pregnant. Essentially, it impedes a fertilized ovum from implanting in the uterus. The casting of Baltasar's impediment is not necessarily an evil act, but the DM should pay particular attention to the alignment of the caster as well as the social and political (especially religious) atmosphere. For example, a lawful good priest casting this spell on a teenager without the permission of her parents, church, etc. should be prepared for the wrath of his deity. A priest who worships a fertility god cannot cast this spell. A neutral evil priest, nephew of the king, might repeatedly cast this spell on the queen in a secret attempt to usurp the thrown. A neutral good priest might cast this spell on all the maidens of the keep before its fall to the orc siege - although he cannot spare them from the horrors to come, at least he can prevent the bastardization that might result. The material components are a drop of blood from the target's last menstrual period (or an ounce of her blood, from anywhere, that has been mixed with dust and dried in a silver chalice) and the priest's holy symbol. The priest invokes the name of his deity, touching his holy symbol to the blood. The woman must then consume it, usually mixing it with wine or some other fluid. The spell remains in effect until the first day of the woman's next menstrual period, or until a successful dispel magic is cast upon her. Bleeding Touch (Necromancy) Sphere: Necromantic Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: Instantaneous Casting Time: 4 Area of Effect: Negates This spell causes a bleeding wound to appear on the victim. Priests must roll to hit, and if they miss, they lose the spell. The victim must save versus death magic or suffer 1d6 points of damage for every two levels of the caster. The material component of this spell is a needle. Bloodskin (Conjuration) Sphere: Necromantic, Protection Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: 2 rounds per level Casting Time: 1 Area of Effect: The caster Saving Throw: None This spell will conjure up blood to appear on the priest's body. This creates an aura of fear, causing all creatures with 2 HD or less will to flee in terror. The material component is a drop of the caster's own blood. Deadskin(Alteration) Sphere: Necromantic Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: 2 rounds per level Casting Time: 2 Area of Effect: Creature touched Saving Throw: Negates The creature touched by this spell will have his skin withered, and will become ghastly ugly for the spell duration. Any creature seeing the effected person will have a strong desire to attack it, and will do so immediately. This spell has no effect on undead. The material component of this spell is a bit of rotten flesh. Higley's Invisible Dog(Conjuration/Summoning, Necromancy) Al Singleton ( Samuel Higley ) - eaay@catcc.bitnet > Sphere: Necromantic, Summoning Range: 10 feet per level Components: V, M Duration: Special Casting Time: 6 Area of Effect: Special Saving Throw: None This spell summons the spirit of a dead dog to act as the priest wishes for the duration of the spell. The dog has one Hit Die for every odd level the caster has (1 HD for levels 1 and 2, 2 HD for levels 3 and 4, etc.). A non-combative dog is useful mostly for warning and will vanish after one warning or 1d6 hours + 1 hour per level, whichever comes first. A combative dog fights as a dog with Hit Dice as generated by the summoning and lasts until killed or 1d6 rounds + 1 round per level. Both have an Armour Class in inverse proportion to caster level up to level 10 (level 1: AC 10, level 2: AC 9, etc.). Past level 10 the dogs have AC 0. The material components of this spell are the priest's holy symbol, dog fur (for a non-combative dog) or a dog tooth (for a combative dog). Painful Wounds (Necromancy) < Robert A. Howard - ssa94isa06@rcnvms.rcn.mass.edu > Sphere: Necromantic Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: 1 round per level Casting Time: 4 Area of Effect: Creature touched Saving Throw: Special This spell causes any existing wounds (caused by a bleeding touch or any blow of 4 or more hit points of damage, or when the victim is at half its maximum hit points or less) to become excruciatingly painful. To hit the victim, the priest must roll to-hit, and if he misses, the spell is lost. The victim must make a saving throw versus paralysation or be unable to do anything but roll on the ground screaming in pain. The material component is a pinch of salt. Level 2 Bleeding Wounds(Necromancy) < Robert A. Howard - ssa94isa06@rcnvms.rcn.mass.edu ) Sphere: Necromantic Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: 2 rounds per level Casting Time: 5 Area of Effect: Creature touched Saving Throw: Negates This spell causes any existing wounds (as in painful wounds) to start to bleed badly. Priests must roll to hit, and if they miss, the spell is lost. If the victim fails a saving throw versus death magic, he will suffer 1 hit point of damage per round, not including any damage he may take in combat. The DM may choose to have the blood get in his eyes, make it difficult to keep a hold on a weapon, or possibly make the ground slippery, if he so chooses. The material component for this spell is a shard of glass. Body Warmth (Necromancy) Reversible < Nir Hener - s2909800@techst02.technion.ac.il > Sphere: Necromantic Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: Special Casting Time: 1 turn Area of Effect: Creature touched Saving Throw: Special A cold blooded or non-living creature (undead) receiving this spell is becoming warm, his heartbeat can be felt and all forms of detect life give positive answers. If the creature is not intelligent, it is entitled to a saving throw versus spell. Otherwise, the spell can be cast on a willing recipient and is stopped at his wish. In any case, the spell will not last over a day. The spell has no effect on warm blooded creatures, nor does it inflict any damage whatsoever to the receiving creature. It might, at the DM's decision, disable the creature from doing things related to his cold blooded organism. The material components are the priest's holy symbol and a light source. The light (preferably sunlight) is to be reflected upon the affected creature, while the priest lays his other hand upon its heart. The reverse, body chill, has the reverse effect upon warm blooded creatures (no heartbeat can be found, detect life gives negative answer etc.). Curse (Necromancy) < Jim Vassilakos - jimv@ucrmath.ucr.edu > Sphere: All Range: Special Components: V Duration: Permanent (until dispelled) Casting Time: 2 Area of Effect: One creature Saving Throw: Negates This spell allows the priest to place one of four curses on the victim: • Ageing. +10 years to age. • Bane. Discomfort, uneasiness, inability to sleep well. • Hex. -1 to to-hit rolls and saving throws. • Ugliness. Reduce Comeliness by 2d6 (down to a minimum of 3). The priest must be able to see the victim to curse him. The priest cannot actually pick one of the above effects: the effect is determined at random. Infected Wounds (Necromancy) < Robert A. Howard - ssa94isa06@rcnvms.rcn.mass.edu > Sphere: Necromantic Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: 1 day per level Casting Time: 5 Area of Effect: Creature touched Saving Throw: Negates This spell will cause any wounds to become infected, be they scratches or large wounds. To hit their intended victims, priests must roll to hit, and if they miss, the spell is lost. The victim must make a saving throw versus death magic, and if he fails, his wounds will not heal naturally. Healing and herbalism will also fail to heal these wounds. The use of magical healing will heal the infection, at the cost of a cure light wounds - no damage will be healed, but infected wounds will be negated. The material component for this spell is a pinch of mud or dirt from a pig's mud hole. Summon Undead (Conjuration, Necromancy) < S.C. Lawley - u0e00@seq1.cc.keele.ac.uk > Sphere: Necromantic Range: Special Components: V, S, M Duration: 1d8 turns + 1 turn per level Casting Time: 1 turn Area of Effect: 100-foot per level Saving Throw: None The nearest 2d6 undead of Hit Dice equal to or less than the level of the caster and within 100 foot per level of the priest, must travel to the caller at normal pace. The summoned undead will not be hostile, nor are they under the control of the summoner. They may act as they wish. Once they have arrived at the summoner, the undead may turn around and go back where they came from, attack anyone in their way, talk to the summoner, or perform any other action that seems reasonable to them. Unthinking undead (such as zombies and skeletons) with a purpose immediately return to their station. Wandering, unthinking undead stay and wait for orders (for which the caster needs to use some form of undead control such as a potion, spell, or granted power) unless there are obvious foes besides the summoner to attack. The summoner must have bone dust that is scattered to the wind during the spell casting. Level 3 Bone Shape(Alteration, Necromancy) < Bill Hincks - whin3560@uriacc.uri.edu > Sphere: Necromantic Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 11 rounds Area of Effect: Object touched in a 3-foot + 1-foot per level long cube Saving Throw: None With the aid of this spell, the caster may take bone and mould it into whatever shape is desired. The spell takes 1 round to cast and an additional 10 rounds to shape the desired object. Bones can be melded together to produce one final object, but no more than one object may be produced per casting. The object can not exceed the area of effect of the spell (though two objects created by the spell may be joined together with another casting. The new object will be seamless and quite strong. The material component for this spell is fresh bone dust (no more than 1 hour old) spread over the bone, the bone may then be sculpted like clay. Strengthened bone may not be joined to normal bone, though it may be joined to another piece of strengthened bone (in this case the bone dust may be no more then ten minutes old when it is spread on the bone and must be made into a paste with the blood of the creature the dust comes from, the blood must also be fresh). Cause Medium Wounds(Necromancy) Reversible < Paul D. Walker - pdwalker@hk.super.net > Sphere: Healing Range: 0 Components: V, S Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 7 Area of Effect: Creature touched Saving Throw: None This spell is a more potent version of cure moderate wounds. The spell causes (or cures) 3d8+3 HP per application. Otherwise, this spell is the same in all respects as a cure light wounds. Mass Bane (Necromancy) < Robert A. Howard - ssa94isa06@rcnvms.rcn.mass.edu > Sphere: Necromantic Range: 30 yards Components: V, S, M Duration: Instantaneous Casting Time: 6 Area of Effect: Up to 6 creatures Saving Throw: Negates This spell duplicates on a grand scale the effects of bleeding touch - 1d6 points of damage for every two levels of the caster. It affects 1d6 victims that the caster can choose. The victims must make a saving throw versus death magic, and if they fail their saving throw, they suffer bleeding wounds which appear randomly on their bodies. The material component of this spell is a handful of metal shards. Priests who use valuable metals (100 gp or more) will cause one extra point of damage per die. Protection from Undead, 10-foot Radius (Abjuration) < Charles Anthony Leone - clg2+@andrew.cmu.edu > Sphere: Necromantic, Protection Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: 1 turn per level Casting Time: 4 rounds Area of Effect: 10-foot radius sphere around creature touched Saving Throw: None This spell is equal to the 4th-level priest spell protection from evil, 10-foot radius, except as noted above, and that it protects only from undead. Sap Strength{tc "Strength"\l 9\f O\n } (Necromancy, Summoning) < Robert A. Howard - ssa94isa06@rcnvms.rcn.mass.edu > Sphere: Necromantic, Summoning Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 6 Area of Effect: Creature touched Saving Throw: Negates This spell duplicates a shadow's Strength drain. The priest must roll to hit, and if he fails to hit, he himself must save versus death magic or be drained of a point of Strength. This spell does not trigger a negative plane protection, and it will affect creatures normally immune to undead energy drains. When used against undead with energy drain abilities, the priest must save versus death magic or lose twice as many energy levels as normal. When used against normal living victims, if the victim fails a saving throw versus death magic, they lose a point of Strength. People drained to a 0 Strength die and come back one day later as a free-willed shadow. The material component of this spell is a piece of ice. Level 4 Cloak of Shifting Shadows(Alteration, Illusion) < Robert A. Howard - ssa94isa06@rcnvms.rcn.mass.edu > Sphere: Necromantic, Protection Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: 2 rounds per level Casting Time: 1 round Area of Effect: Person touched Saving Throw: None Shifting shadows is a spell that mimics the abilities of s displacer beast or a cloak of displacement, using shadows to hinder weapons and spells. First attacks, including magic missiles, against someone cloaked will miss, although multiple missiles will hit (the first one always misses). After the first strike, the cloak gives a -3 to-hit and damage against the shielded person. Spells are saved against at +3. The cloaked person cannot be clearly seen (except with true seeing), nor can his features be made out. The spell does not cloak voices, so if the cloaked person speaks, you might be able to tell who it is. The material component of this spell is a cloak. Cure Serious Wounds (Necromancy) Reversible < Paul D. Walker - pdwalker@hk.super.net > Sphere: Healing Range: 0 Components: V, S Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 8 Area of Effect: Creature touched Saving Throw: None This spell is a more potent version of cure medium wounds. The spell cures (or causes) 4d8+5 HP per application. Otherwise, this spell is the same in all respects as a cure light wounds. This spell replaces the cure serious wounds from the Player's Handbook. Cure with Fire(Necromancy) Reversible Dennis Kefallinos Sphere: Elemental (Fire), Healing Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 1Creature touched Saving Throw: None By laying his hand upon a creature, the priest heals 3d8 points of wound or other injury damage to the creature's body. This healing cannot affect non-corporeal, non-living or extraplanar creatures. Because of the heat the spell causes inside its body, the creature for this day needs 1½ times the normal amount of water (or the following day, if the spell is cast at night). Also, very flammable objects (lamp oil, for example) worn or just carried may catch fire. The reverse of the spell, harm with fire, operates similarly but causes damage. The material component is the caster's holy symbol. Eye of Set (Necromancy) < Thomas Huijer - v912451@morrien.si.hhs.nl > Sphere: Necromantic Range: 20 yards per level Components: V, S, M Duration: Special Casting Time: 5 Area of Effect: One creature Saving Throw: Negates The target of this spell comes under the eye of Set and will become sick and slowly waste away. The target loses 1 point of Strength and Constitution per day and 1 HP per day. This cannot be healed. It stops when a remove curse is cast, which has 10% chance of curing per level of the caster while a heal always cures. After the remove curse or heal, lost hit points can be healed normally and lost Strength and Constitution points recover at a rate of one per day. The material component for this spell is an eye of a creature killed no longer than one hour before the spell is cast. Revive Plant (Necromancy) < Ken Arromdee - arromdee@blaze.cs.jhu.edu > Sphere: Plant Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 1 turn Area of Effect: Special Saving Throw: None This spell allows the priest who casts it (normally a druid) to restore the life force of any plant or monster of vegetable nature that he touches. The spell works on any one tree or on any area of small plants or shrubs of size at most 2 square yards per level. The plant or area of vegetation may have been dead for 10 years per level of the druid. The spell regenerates all missing parts, so it may be used to restore a living tree from a decades old tree stump, or a flower patch from a bunch of dried flowers. Plants which normally grow in soil may be revived only in soil. The material component for this spell is a bit of dung. Slow Death{tc "Death"\l 9\f O\n } (Necromancy) Tim Rightnour Sphere: Necromantic Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 8 Area of Effect: Creature touched Saving Throw: Negates This will cause a creature to slowly wither away and die over a period of 13 days. After this he cannot be brought back to life short of a wish, or divine intervention. If the spell is detected and identified by a priest of at least ninth level, it can be removed. This can only be done before the eighth day, and can only be accomplished by a priest of fifteenth level, casting a remove curse. Spiritual Triangle (Abjuration, Necromancy) < Jim Vassilakos - jimv@ucrmath.ucr.edu > Sphere: Wards, Protection Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 1 turn Area of Effect: Special Saving Throw: None By means of this spell the priest may inscribe a spiritual triangle (a triangle inscribed in a circle). There is room for only one creature within the triangle. While within this triangle, one cannot be magically influenced or controlled by any sort of charm, suggestion, or hypnosis, nor can one be psychically or spiritually assaulted. However, the beneficiary of the spell will likewise be unable to cast such spells from within the triangle. An Intelligence check must be made to determine if the inscriptions were made correctly. The material component for this spell is some incense, worth at least 400 gp. Strengthen Bone(Alteration, Necromancy) < Bill Hincks - whin3560@uriacc.uri.edu > Sphere: Necromantic Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 3 rounds Area of Effect: Object touched in a 3-foot + 1-foot per level long cube Saving Throw: None This spell allows a bone construct to be strengthened and made denser. The strength of the bone is doubled by the casting of this spell. The spell takes one round to cast, and 2 rounds of chanting while the material component is absorbed into the target of the spell. The material component is a piece of bone that is a near perfect match to the object of the spell. The component is then placed against the object and absorbed into it. The new object will be twice as dense and twice as strong, with regards to weapons, they receive no penalties to-hit and damage, and they will not break on a maximum damage strike. There is a 2% chance per level of the caster that the strengthened bone will act as steel. Summon Shadow{tc "Shadow"\l 9\f O\n } (Necromancy, Summoning) < Robert A. Howard - ssa94isa06@rcnvms.rcn.mass.edu > Sphere: Necromantic, Summoning Range: 30 yards Components: V, S, M Duration: 1 round per level Casting Time: 7 Area of Effect: One 20-foot cube Saving Throw: Special This spell is very different than the existing wizard spell summon shadow. The spell summons one shadow for every four levels of the priest. In addition, in lieu of summoning 3 shadows, a 12th-level priest can summon one ether shadow (see below under New Monsters - Shadow, Ether). The shadows are under the control of the caster, though an ether shadow gains a saving throw versus death magic and, if successful, overcomes the priest's control and becomes free-willed. The material component of this spell is a black opal of 100 or more gold pieces value. Duplicated from Dungeon Magazine #35, page 56: Wave of Pain(Necromancy) < Thomas Huijer - v912451@morrien.si.hhs.nl > Sphere: Necromantic Range: 10 yards per level Components: V, S, M Duration: Instantaneous Casting Time: 3 Area of Effect: One creature Saving Throw: Special The caster of this spell selects a target, and that target is struck by a wave of pain. It bypasses all armour and can strike from any direction. It causes 1d4 + 1d4 per two levels of the caster damage. If the target fails to save versus spell it is also stunned for the current and next round. No to-hit roll is required. The material components for this spell are a piece of cloth, formerly worn by a lich, and a dragon's tooth. Winds of Pain(Necromancy, Summoning) < Robert A. Howard - ssa94isa06@rcnvms.rcn.mass.edu > Sphere: Necromantic, Summoning Range: 60 yards Components: V, S, M Duration: 1 round per level Casting Time: 7 Area of Effect: One 20-foot cube Saving Throw: Special This spell conjures a wind which duplicates the effects of painful wounds - causing intense pain in all wounded beings in the area of effect. If they fail their saving throw versus paralysation, they can do nothing but roll around screaming in pain. The material component of this spell is 50 gp worth of diamond dust, and a pinch of salt. Level 5 Body Mending(Necromancy) < Tim Rightnour - garbled@indirect.com > Sphere: Healing Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 4 hours Area of Effect: Creature touched Saving Throw: None This allows the priest to mend broken or severed limbs of up to 1 day (per level of the caster) old. The caster must have the severed limb in his possession. The recipient must be currently alive, however he may have died previously. If the wound was cauterized, the spell will not work. Should the spell work, the limb will be returned, but no hit points are regained. The material components for this spell is are piece of cloth and a splint. Cure Critical Wounds (Necromancy) Reversible Paul D. Walker Sphere: Healing Range: 0 Components: V, S Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 9 Area of Effect: Creature touched Saving Throw: None This spell is a more potent version of cure serious wounds. The spell cures (or causes) 5d8+8 HP per application. Otherwise, this spell is the same in all respects as cure light wounds. This spell replaces the cure critical wounds from the Player's Handbook. Hidden Champion (Alteration, Enchantment) Teh S. Cheng Sphere: Necromantic Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: 1 day per level Casting Time: 1 hour Area of Effect: Sentient creature touched Saving Throw: Negates Through the use of this spell, the priest establishes a link between his life force and the subject creature's. The effect of this link is that half the damage sustained by one is transferred to the other. This link is evidenced by a golden, pulsing, thread connecting the two through the ethereal plane. When the link is in existence, the two creatures cannot be more than 1 mile per level of the priest apart or the link will snap, ending the spell. Those able to perceive the ethereal plane can see this link. Note that the damage transfer is two way. A duly consecrated altar, holy or unholy water, an appropriate sacrifice (DM's discretion) and the creature to be linked with are the material components for this spell. Side note: I used this for an evil priest the party was trying to kill. The priest kidnapped the betrothed of the paladin and performed this ceremony upon her. This really messed up the party, since now, they couldn't just rush in and hack up the priest in an orgasm of hack 'n slash. They had to capture the priest and remove him from his sanctuary alive. I run consecrated grounds as being "home field" for priests and very disadvantageous for would-be desecrators. Examples: a -1 penalty on everything per alignment difference, cumulative bless for priests and generally bad luck for the intruders. Kiss of Death(Necromancy) Boudewijn Wayers Sphere: Necromantic Range: 0 Components: S, M Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 3 Area of Effect: Person touched Saving Throw: None This spell will instantly kill the target. In order for the spell to take effect, the priest must kiss the victim. Note that this spell grants the victim no saving throw, but has an important prerequisite: the victim of the spell must be in love with the priest. This love must be non-magical in nature. Furthermore, the victim may not be under the influence of any spell from the enchantment/charm school. This spell may only be cast by a good-aligned priest if he himself is also in love with the victim, and commits suicide immediately after the casting. The material component for this spell are the priest's holy symbol and some ice-water, which is to be smeared upon the priest's lips before the kiss of death is delivered. Selene's Improved Neutralize Poison(Necromancy) Reversible Joe Colleran Sphere: Healing Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 8 Area of Effect: Creature touched Saving Throw: None This spell combines the effects of the 4th-level priest spell neutralize poison and the 2nd-level priest spell slow poison. The spell will first revive, then neutralize the poison in any individual upon which it is cast. It will bring back a supposedly dead individual if cast upon the victim within a number of turns less than or equal to the level of experience of the priest after the poisoning was suffered (cf. slow poison). Neither a system shock nor a resurrection roll is needed for a victim brought back in this manner and it does not count as a death for purposes of Constitution loss. The reversed spell, Selene's improved poison, requires a successful attack roll in combat, and the victim is also allowed a saving throw versus poison, but at a -1 penalty per 3 levels of the priest. Failure indicates death. The material component of this spell is the cleric's holy symbol. Undead Regeneration(Necromancy) Reversible S.C. Lawley Sphere: Necromantic Range: 0 Components: V, S Duration: Instantaneous Casting Time: 6 Area of Effect: Undead touched Saving Throw: None By means of this spell the priest can "heal" an undead, restoring to its "unlife" a number of hit points equal to 1d6 plus the caster's level. Gaseous and intangible undead can be "touched" by a caster reaching into the space they occupy. The spell prevents normal undead attacks or effects of contact with undead from affecting the caster. The reverse of this spell, drain undead, inflicts a like amount of damage. Undead "drain" damage is not gained as healing or extra hit points by the caster. The same protections against undead powers are given to the caster as undead regeneration confers. Only undead are affected by either version of the spell. Visions of Pain(Necromancy) Thomas Huijer Sphere: Necromantic Range: 20 yards Components: V, S, M Duration: Special Casting Time: 8 Area of Effect: One creature Saving Throw: Negates This spell allows the caster to reach into the victim's mind and find his worst fear. The target of the spell thinks that the vision is real and dies of fright, unless a saving throw versus death magic is made. A second saving throw must be made to determine if the victim thinks the vision is real or not. If he does think it's real, he runs away in terror for 1d6 rounds. If he doesn't, he sees that the vision is fake and he isn't harmed in any way. Note that the victim must be intelligent: unintelligent creatures, such as most undead, are not affected by this spell. The material component for this spell is a lens. Wraith's Form (Necromancy) Jim Vassilakos Sphere: Necromantic, Protection Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: 2 rounds per level Casting Time: 1 Area of Effect: The caster Saving Throw: None The priest and all carried gear become para-ethereal, and an aura of negative energy surrounds the priest. The priest can only be struck by magical weapons or by silver weapons for half-damage and is treated as gaseous for movement purposes. Undead will not recognize the priest as a living being unless they are of higher status and Intelligence in which case they may save versus death magic at -4 in order to recognize the necromancer for what he is. Living creatures suffer 1d6 damage on touch (which is the priests only attack on non-ethereal creatures during the spell duration). The priest may negate the effects of the spell at will, but will appear to non-ethereal creatures as a shadowy, smoky, semi-transparent ghost and will take 1d6 damage per round from sunlight. Note that this spell may be cast only from planes adjacent to the ethereal (those being the primes and the surface of the inner sphere). The priest is not affected by normal winds. The material component for this spell is a bit of cotton wool. Level 6 Improved Animate Dead(Necromancy) Jim Vassilakos Sphere: Necromantic Range: 10 feet Components: V, S, M Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 1 hour Area of Effect: Special Saving Throw: None This spell causes the bones or lifeless bodies of animals, humanoids, or monsters to become animated as skeletons or zombies, capturing the spirits of the slain and enslaving them into an existence which lies in a nether sphere between life and death. These "undead" can be controlled by the priest through short, simple commands. Note that once the spell is cast, the priest no longer needs to concentrate to maintain control over the undead. Level Type and Number Material Components 11 1 skeletal animal or non-combative skeletons or corpses servant of animals or humanoids 12 1d8 + 1 per level traditonal skeletons freshly slain warriors 13 1d8 + 1 per level zombies unblessed corpses 14 1 HD per level freshly slain monsters zombie monsters Note that there is no upper limit on the number of undead which may be controlled by a single priest once animated. Mass Cure(Necromancy) Reversible Teh S. Cheng Sphere: Healing Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 7 Area of Effect: 10-yard per level radius sphere Saving Throw: None When this spell is cast, every creature in the area of effect (including the priest) up to one creature per level of the priest is cured for 1d8 plus half the level of the priest points of damage. This is as per the cure light wounds spell (q.v.). The limitations on which creatures can be thus affected is as per that spell. If more creatures than can be affected are within the spell radius, preference is given to those closest to the priest. Also, if a nearby creature cannot be affected by the spell, it still counts towards the total number of possible creatures cured. The reverse of the spell, mass hurt, does the same amount of hit points of damage to all within the spell radius. The material component for this spell is a vial of holy or unholy water that must be sprinkled into the air above the priest's head while the spell is cast. Sacrifice (Necromancy) Sphere: Necromantic Range: 0 Components: V, S Duration: Special Casting Time: 3 hours Area of Effect: The priest plus one other creature touched Saving Throw: Negates This spell allows the priest to give up some of hit points to another character in order that he is be better capable to complete a quest. This is not current, but maximum hit points. The condition is reversed when the character returns from the quest successfully. If the character fails, the hit points return to the priest at the rate of 1 per week. Here's an example: suppose a high level priest (with 78 HP) wants Sir Belvedere (80 HP) to retrieve a magical mace that was stolen. Sir Belvedere agrees, but only if the priest sacrifices 70 of his hit points, to ensure good faith and to help complete the mission. The priest agrees, and Sir Belvedere goes out in search of the mace. At this point Sir Belvedere effectively has 150 HP, and, for all intents and purposes his maximum hit points is now 150. Likewise, the priest's maximum hit point total is now 8. Now suppose Sir Belvedere is successful in his mission. When he delivers the mace to the priest, they both immediately return to their normal maximum hit point value, although perhaps not their current hit point value, if Sir Belvedere is wounded. Current damage to the spell recipient is split evenly among the two when hit points are returned. Now suppose Sir Belvedere was killed before the mission was complete. That means that the priest will have to wait 70 weeks until he returns to his normal maximum hit point total. Selene's Reattachment (Necromancy) Reversible Joe Colleran Sphere: Necromantic Range: 0 Components: V, S Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 1 round Area of Effect: Creature touched Saving Throw: None This spell is a less potent version of the 7th-level priest spell regenerate. The spell will allow the priest to reattach a severed limb to an individual provided the limb is present and the spell is cast not more than 1 turn per 3 levels of the priest after the limb was severed. The process of reattachment takes but 1 round, but the limb is not usable for any purpose until after the victim has rested for 1 day. No system shock or resurrection roll is needed for limb reattachment. If cast upon a creature that has had its head severed, the spell allows the head to be reattached, but does not in itself bring a dead victim back to life. The reattachment of the head does, however allow the victim to be raised, instead of resurrected. There is no time limit for reattaching heads to dead bodies, other than that imposed by a raise dead or resurrection spell. The reverse of this spell, Selene's detachment, requires a successful attack roll, and further allows a saving throw versus death magic to avoid its effects. Failure indicates that a random limb (but not the head) is detached with the appropriate penalties to hit points, movement, Armour Class, attacks, etc. (cf. sword of sharpness). Unlike the 7th-level priest spell wither (the reverse of regenerate), the limb does not turn to dust but falls off. Creatures making their saving throws still take damage equal to a cause critical wounds, i.e. 3d8+3. Selene's detachment has no effect on nonliving creatures (undead, constructs, etc.) or on creatures from other planes (cf. cure light wounds). NEW RACES Elf, Poison < John McKnight - jemck@delphi.com > & < Kwi Kim - erdrick@ix.netcom.com > The inspiration for this race comes from the comic book work of Drew Hayes. The comic book is currently available as of this writing ("Poison Elves," summer 1995). The Poison elf race is my response to a design need for a playable psychotic breed of elf. This kind of elf can be good in many campaigns, but has particular usefulness as a character race in a Warhammer 40k AD&D roleplaying conversion that I happen to be working on. Note: For those interested in WH40K under ADND rules, I suggest reading the article in Dragon magazine called "Orcs in Space" by Ken Rolston. Though WH40K uses a race called Eldar elves, I preferred to make one that is slightly more "friendly" towards humans. Not only that, but I like the Poison elf in the comic book more than I do the Eldar. The Poison elves represent some of the seedier elvenkind. Their ears are much longer (about 1'+ in length) and look like demon horns from a distance. They always seem to have a disgruntled look about them. Poison elves prefer urban life over every sort of life style there is. A Poison elf would probably starve to death out in the wild unless there is someone there to capture food and find water for them. They are very poor hunters. Their area of expertise lies in seedy urban dwellings. Due to the natural inborn hostility of a Poison elf, they seem to enjoy killing, and will kill friends and relatives whenever necessary. This is one of the reasons that they usually take up roles as assassins, thieves, and any other low and deadly criminal characters (offered by the DM). Poison elves hate magic and will not become magic-users. Because of their inborn need to kill, a Poison elf gains a +2 to hit in combat. The reason for such resentment is probably from being perpetually shafted in Human and Elven society time and time again. Other Elven races see themselves well above the Poison elvenkind. Elven races will tend to unite in any dispute when it comes to dealing with the Poison variety. Indeed, the Poison elf seems to be the least liked by most demihumans, as if they were dregs of society. In retrospect, Elven societies will usually hire Poison elves for their "peculiar" abilities with the underworld, in secrecy, of course (they don't want to get their hands dirty). Elven races will bribe Poison elves to counter-spy if they work under a human (or other race) guild. DMs should play out the lack of tolerance from other humans and demi-humans as this is one of the race's primary disadvantages. For example, If a Poison elf makes a scene or a spectacle of himself in public, any humans or other demi-humans might decide to go over and beat the living daylights out of the character. Poison elves are tall and lean and are never bulky (5'5" to 6'3", 135 to 165 pounds). Their speed and reflexes are much faster so the elf must have a minimum of 15 in Dexterity. Other attributes have the same limitations as the standard elf race (see PHB, 1st or 2nd edition). A Poison elf gains unlimited levels in Thief, Assassin, and other criminal classes. Poison elves have a fascination with learning the finer arts of killing from exotic places (e.g., Oriental Adventure campaigns) and will travel there to learn whenever possible. It is even likely to find Poison elves in an Oriental Adventure campaign (working with Yakuza or other types). All other class options have the same limitations as listed for the standard elf race. Not all of the Poison elves are this violent. Some will repent against their own nature and will become political leaders, organizers, standard run-of-the-mill classes, and other do-gooders, or running the local casinos (gamblers, hustlers and the like). The Poison elf will never choose magic-users or classes with magic of any kind. In fact, a Poison elf may change his mind about killing and will give it up, change alignment, and try to lead a "normal" life. The "normal" life will cost that player one level of experience and the elf loses his +2 to hit in combat. If the elf later decides to go back to his old killing ways, then there will be another one level of experience lost in his current character class to go back to the old one. NOTE: If you start off leading a "normal" life you don't receive the +2 to hit bonus. Poison elves prefer weapons that that are easy to conceal in a city dwelling, like hand-held stabbing weapons, or a hand-held crossbow (Or a gun if they exist). See the Techno Net Book available on the Internet (but don't bother me about it). Concealable weapons are the main selection for weapon proficiencies, with a choice of one "medium" weapon (when on the road, you need more kill power). Nonweapon proficiencies (NWP) are always urban-based, usually something seedy, but it can be a positive urban-based NWP as well. Poison elves smoke like chimneys, so one NWP must be Tobacco (growth and consumption of). The following NWPs the DM may create or use for this race: GAMBLING: - Allocate slots towards the knowledge of using games such as Poker, Blackjack, Roulette (or whatever gambling games exist in the campaign), and so on. TOBACCO: - Poison elves like to smoke so they will grow and smoke their stash of tobacco and possibly decreasing their life span by a couple hundred years. HUSTLING: - Pulling off scams (like a pyramid scheme, investment frauds, cheating on gambling games, three-card Monte. If it's a scam, put it here). URBAN HIDING: - Knowing the locations of alleys, sewer entrances, and other hiding places and quick paths in to and out of a city. UNDERWORLD: - Some skill of learning or finding out who is ruler of the local underworld area, or other abilities, etc. [Note: These NWPs are only suggestions. I don't know how much of this already exists, probably all of it, but I wouldn't know because I only use 1st edition ADND material.] The thieving skills are much greater than those of the standard elf. The choice for thief bonuses on the Thief Function Table (1st ed. PHB) should be the race that has the best bonuses. That is the race that the Poison elf will use for thieving abilities. In the case of 1st edition PHB, it would be the Halfling. Ignore the penalties of climb walls (elves are not short) and read languages (or stupid), but they get no bonuses for either of those abilities. Poison elves have all of the standard abilities of other Elven races, they can see 60' infravision, 90% immunity to Charm-related spells, advantages to detecting secret doors, etc. With the loot an adventure brings in, a Poison elf will definitely desire to adventure whenever he's in a bind. As long as the adventure is near a road or trail, the Poison elf will not worry because he can always follow the road to home. A Poison elf gets nervous if he has to travel into areas without roads. This is because Poison elves are pathetic when it comes to outdoor survival and they don't like to depend on anyone to live. They may travel if they think they can trust the party they're with, otherwise they will head back to the city from whence they came. A Poison elf will never travel alone in any area without a road, if they do they will panic and become lost in the area. Traveling in circles, starving, and whining are popular pastimes for lost Poison elves. NEW MONSTERS Cat, Damned < Brennan Brooks - ab347@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca > Climate / Terrain:Any Land Frequency: Very Rare Organization: Solitary Activity Cycle: Any Diet: Human / Demi-Human Flesh Intelligence: Low (5 - 7) Treasure: None Alignment: Chaotic Evil ________________________________________________________________________ No. Appearing: 1 - 3 (1d6 divided by 2) Armour Class: 3 Movement Rate: 18 Hit Dice: 5 THAC0: 13 No. of Attacks: 3 - Claw / Claw / Bite Damage / Attack: Claw - 1d6+2 / Claw - 1d6+2 / Bite - 1d12+3 Special Attacks: Tree Pounce, Firery Hiss Special Defences: See Below Magic Resistance: 20 % Size: Medium XP Value: 1,500 Appearance: A Damned Cat is the feline equivalint to a Hell Hound, except that it is a little bit more advanced. It's fur is a rustic brown with bright red stripes. These cats have coal black eyes, and an even darker tongue. It stands 4 to 5 feet tall at the shoulder, and smell of burned flesh. Where their paws touch the ground (or tree), flames spruce up leaving blackened claw marks along the surface. Combat: Damned Cats are very clever hunters, but do not hunt in more than a pack of three. They stay quiet until sighting their prey. This gives them a -7 bonus to surprise againt their enemies. Damned Cats leap silently from tree to tree (leaving their scorch marks) until they come in sight of their advesary. They then ponce out at their enemy from the trees. If they succesfully hit the enemy on the ponce, their is a 45 % chance the victim will be knocked out, plus the initial 1d10 points of damage the ponce inflicts. The second attack of the Damned Cat is usually it's firery hiss. The cat's tail stretches out and the cat exhales a burst of flame up to 15 yards (60 feet) long. This does 1 point of damage for every yard closer the victim is. Example: 15 yards away = 1hp gone. 1 yard away = 15hp gone. If the subject of pain is still alive after the initial attacks, a Damned Cat would move in to either rip him apart with it's 4 inch claws, or tear the flesh from his bones with it's 6 inch teeth. The defences a Damned Cat has are as follows: 1) Immune to all fire 2) Are only surprised on a 1 or a 2 on a 1d10 3) Have a 75 % chance to see invisible or concealed creatures. Habitat / Society: These firery feline beasts are commonly found in the Abyss, and are usually gated to the Prime Material Plane to wreak havak across it for some evil God or demon. In the Abyss, they usually roam the heated levels searching for tormented souls to tease. Damned Cats have 5 Hit Dice, and use their bulk to make lesser demons and Hell Hounds suffer. These cats do not reproduce on the Prime Material Plane at all, so cannot be tamed by natural ways. Only magic can bring these slashing kittens to order. After killing all of it's prey, a Damned Cat will eat Human or Demi-Human carcasses first. These are also the ones they attack first. Ecology: Damned Cats have little place in the ecology of the Prime Material Plane, but are very dangerous, and when tamed, can do major damage. Fire Giantess' usually use these ferocious kitties to destroy their lovers Hell Hounds. They do not make as good guards though, for they seem to wander off and look for something to kill. Cat, Ghoul < Brennan Brooks - ab347@sfn.saskatoon.sk.ca > Climate / Terrain:Any Land Frequency: Very Rare Organization: Solitary Activity Cycle: Any Diet: Human / Demi-Human Flesh Intelligence: Low (5-7) Treasure: None Alignment: Chaotic Evil ________________________________________________________________________ No. Appearing: 1 Armour Class: 1 Movement Rate: 18 Hit Dice: 8 THAC0: 12 No. of Attacks: 3 - Claw / Claw / Bite Damage / Attack: Claw - 1d8+2 / Claw - 1d8+2 / Bite - 1d12+Paralyzation Special Attacks: Decompostion Mist - once a day Special Defences: See Below Magic Resistance: Nil Size: Medium XP Value: 3,600 Appearance: These cats are an undead version of the Damned Cat, but with different abilities and a completly differernt look. Rotting green flesh surrounds the skeletol remains of a giant cat, standing 4 to 5 feet tall at the shoulder. Burning red eyes stand out against the white bone, and burn terror into any who gaze upon them. Wherever these creatures touch, the immediate area around them dies and decomposes into a blackened ash. They distinctily smell of rotting corpses, and their intelligence allows them to follow orders for those who have rasied them from their grave. Combat: Ghoul Cats are usually found in the presence of Ghouls, but there can never be two Ghoul Cats within 1 mile of each other. They attack first by blasting their enemies with a Decompostion Mist that reaches out in a cone shaped blast starting at the creature's mouth, and then traveling 30 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 5 feet high. All those who are caught in this desolating mist suffer these consequences, unless a save versus Breath Weapon is succesfully made. This blast has no effect on walls, or dead objects. Only living, breathing things (people, trees, etc.) 1) On the first round after being hit, the victim's skin starts to itch uncontrolably, causing no damage, but a -4 to attack. 2) On the second round after being hit, the victim's skin break's open into sores, oozing pus for 1d4 damage, and the -4 to attack. 3) On the third round (and every other before getting cured) after being hit, the victim's skin will activly decompose and fall from the body in chunks, causing 4d4 damage, plus the victim will not be able to attack that round. To counteract the effects of the mist, a Cure Disease spell or two Dispel Magic spells must be cast - OR - the victim's sores must be bathed in one vial of holy water for every 5 hitpoints of damage taken. These treatments only halt the continuing of the decomposition. However, a Cure Wounds spell, potion, etc. or rest will restore the skin. If their enemies are not dead, the cat will leap in and use it's paralyzing byte to disable the remaining victim's. This paralyzing bite does an initial 1d12 damage, plus 1d10+4 rounds of paralyzed activity (which is none, since the victim is paralyzed). The only way to negate this paralyzing bite is to roll a saving throw versus Paralyzation with a negative 2 hinderance. They would then continue to rip their opponents apart with their claws, causing 1d8+2 damage every time they hit. Any person who is destroyed by a Ghoul Cat becomes a Ghoul in 1d20 turns unless blessed by holy water and lain below the ground (buried). Ghoul Cats are immune to the cold, illusions, hold spells, and sleep and charm spells. The immediatly seek out the creatures who use magic against them, seeing as they pose the greatest threat towards their exsistence. Habitat / Society: Ghoul Cats are found in the presence of Ghouls, and are found eating corpses along side their companions. Ecology: Ghoul Cats delight in tearing apart living creatures, especially Humans and Demi-Humans, for they taste the best. These beasts were probably once Damned Cats, but have now been risen to do an evil wizard's or priests bidding. Nancir Jacques M. Mallah Climate/Terrain: Any Frequency: Very rare Organization: None Activity cycle: Continuous Diet: Carnivorous Intelligence: Genius (17-18) Treasure: G(per major lair) Alignment: Neutral Evil ________________________________________________________________________ No. Appearing: 1 Armour Class: -7 Movement: Fly 18 (A) Hit Dice: 8+8 THAC0: 2-20 No. of Attacks: 1 Damage/Attack: 1 + poison Special Attacks: See below Special Defenses: +1 or better weapons to hit; see below Magic Resistance: 70 % Size: T (4 inches long) Moral: Elite (13-14) XP Value: 11,000 Psionic Ability: Immune to Psionics Nancir resemble jet black beetles. They are related to certain other, similar, but much larger monsters. They have a single horn about 1 inch long, and a generally alien look, by which they can be distinguished from a beetle upon close examination. It is a recipe for disaster to ignore the threat these tiny creatures can pose, or perhaps even to come into conflict with one at all, particularly those of greater power. Fortunately, these monsters prefer negotiation unless provoked. It is obvious that these magical monsters are not the product of natural processes. The origin of these powerful monsters is not known, but each has memories that go back thousands of years. They can communicate by telepathy with any creature of low or higher intelligence. They are never surprised, and usually can surprise their opponents, as they can easily take cover. They have a magical flying ability which is silent, and are highly manuverable. This flight will even function within an anti-magic area or shell (there are a couple of precedents for this unusual ability.) Note also that their flight is unaffected by wind conditions (e.g. gust of wind). Combat: This monster seems to be made of an extremely strong material. Perhaps even more surprising is that the tiny body houses a very efficient mind. In combat, this monster is hard to hit, and especially so with missile weapons, which face a -7 penalty. Since it can fly, this is one reason the monster is so dangerous. Another reason is that it can often remain undetected, choosing carefully the time to attack. It can use its horn, and any creature stung must save vs. poison or die instantly. Those saving are slowed for 1-6 rounds. However, the monster has even more dangerous abilities. It can crawl inside the skull of a dead skeleton, attach to the top, and animate it. This skeleton will then have 8 HD, AC 4 (unless wearing armor), move of 12, a THAC0 of 7, and can attack with a weapon twice per round, with the nancir controlling it and seeing through the sockets. It can speak. The monster often does this when dealing with humanoids, using a hooded cloak. The skeleton can be damaged as any animated skeleton, but can't be turned. Only damage from area effects might also damage the nancir. The skeleton is immune to mind affecting spells, poison or gas, psionics, polymorph, death magic, and energy drain. The worst part is that the monster can use this form to cast spells as a wizard (typically of level 13-18, depending on the nancir, which can memorize the spells either with or without a skeleton) (or a nancir could simply use its spell-like abilities, if any.) Note that a successful dispel magic will deanimate the skeleton. Once it leaves, the skeleton if still animated becomes a normal undead under its control. It can't animate another for a day after leaving the skeleton. Two out of three nancir can use spell-like abilities. The following is a powerfull example, but a particular nancir may not have all of these abilities, and may have other abilities: * Detect (good, magic, and invisibility; functions continuously) dispel magic, continual light (reversable) - twice per day * Comprehend languages, identify (by touch, causes no penalties the nancir), unseen servant - once per turn * Teleport (no error, to a place on any plane) - once per day * Suggestion - three times per day * Disintegrate, anti-magic shell, silence 15' radius - once per day each * Slow - three times per day * Circle of stunning (20' radius, creatures - other than the nancir and any occupied skeleton - take 1-6 pts. of damage and save vs. spell at a penalty equal to that amount or be stunned for a like number of rounds) - once per day * Cause coma (reversable, 7" range, save vs. spell or causes the victim drop to one hit point (this can be healed normally), and to fall unconcious, which lasts until the coma is removed by a wish or remove coma spell. Killing, then ressurrecting, the victim will not help. The victim is subject to dehydration and starvation. Remove coma will instantly awaken any unconcious creature.) - once per day These abilities, and skeleton animation, are performed at a level of magic use equal to the hit dice. * It can only be hit by magical weapons * It is immune to the following attack forms: any psionic attack, mind affecting magic, stunning, poison or gas, death magic, energy drain, petrification, polymorph, suffocation or drowning, and disease. Acid, cold, electricity, fire, or magic missile spells of any type cause half damage. If it is slain, the body will dissappear. A nancir has a 5% chance per HD to be reincarnated a year later. The number of HD and spell like abilities can be different after that, but wizard level is retained. A reincarnated nancir will emerge, from a pool of mud somewhere, with full memories. Habitat / society: Each nancir typically divides its time between several lairs in various planes, which can be nearly anywhere. Such lairs typically have tiny furniture for the monster, treasure including rare books, skeletons, and traps. It is not unusual for these monsters to engage in trade with certain evil humans, fiends, or similar creatures, which also keeps them informed about current events. Note that they have considerable financial resources. They are sometimes found travelling, apparently due to curiosity. They consider most races to be foolish, but are not above forming alliances, and even the fiends don't usually attack one. Their evil consists less of killing than of extortion and corruption of good creatures. Ecology: They can eat meat of any type, and require relatively little food. They can eat while occupying a skeleton. They do not sleep, and will heal 1-3 hit points per day even if active. Shadow, Ether Climate/Terrain: Any ruins or subterranean chambers Frequency: Very rare Organization: Solitary Activity cycle: Night or darkness Diet: Living beings Intelligence: Highly Treasure: F Alignment: Chaotic Evil ________________________________________________________________________ No. Appearing: 1 Armour Class: 5 Movement: Fly 12 (A) Hit Dice: 8+8 THAC0: 11 No. of Attacks: 1 Damage/Attack: 1d6+1 + special Special Attacks: Strength Drain Special Defenses: +1 or better weapons to hit, spell immunities Magic Resistance: Nil Size: M (6 feet tall) Moral: Special XP Value: 3,000 Ether shadows, also known as greater shadows, are the progenitors of the more common shadows of monster fame. Like shadows, their chilling touch drains Strength at the increased rate of two points per hit. Lost Strength returns after 3d6 turns. A human or demihuman drained to zero Strength or hit points by an ether shadow becomes a shadow of the type described in the Monstrous Manual and Monstrous Compendium. Ether Shadows may travel freely through the ethereal plane to manifest themselves as apparitions on any bordering plane. They have no power to materialize on those planes, so can neither physically affect nor be affected by anything on them. The only thing they can do is insinuate themselves into and control the dreams of any sleeper they discover - a power that lends credence to the notion that dreams are an other-planar experience. While an ether shadow may cause no actual harm to a dreamer, it can use this power to communicate freely, or more likely to plague the dreamer with nightmares of the worst calibre. In order to combat an ether shadow, it's necessary to follow it to the ethereal plane or to the plane on which it was originally created. On either plane, it is always partially materialized and may be affected by magical weapons and by all but a few spells (ether shadows are immune to sleep, charm, and hold spells, and all cold-based attacks). An ether shadow can change its body at will into any shape it desires, though that shape will always be made of the same shadow-stuff. It can also vary the exact shade of its substance and so may appear as the three-dimensional creature it is rather than a patch of darkness like ordinary shadows. Regardless, the ether shadow is always black or some shade of grey. If it chooses to remain its normal, featureless black, it is 90% undetectable in any light less bright than a continual light spell. Ether shadows are created in a dark ritual that divides a creature's essence into three parts, causing it to exist simultaneously on the ethereal plane, the negative material plane, and the prime material plane on which the ritual was performed (other information on Erebus, the ether shadow of the Ghosts of Mistmoor has been deleted). Zombie, Venom < Mark Charke - Mark.Charke@haven.ship.net > Climate/Terrain: Desert Frequency: Very Rare Organization: Group Activity cycle: Any Diet: Poisons / Toxins Intelligence: Average Treasure: A Alignment: Chaotic Evil ________________________________________________________________________ No. Appearing: 1-100 Armour Class: 5 Movement: 12 Hit Dice: Varies THAC0: Varies No. of Attacks: 2 Damage/Attack: 1d4 or weapon Special Attacks: Venom Special Defenses: Regeneration Magic Resistance: Nil Size: M (5 feet tall) Morale: 15 XP Value: 1 HD 420 XP 2 HD 650 XP 3 HD 975 XP 4 HD 1400 XP 5 HD 2000 XP 6 HD 4000 XP 7 HD +1000 XP per HD above 6 Venom Zombies are similar to Vampires. Those of 3 HD or greater look much like they did in life with a slightly green complextion that is barely noticable. As such they can be quite charming. Those of less HD look as they did in death. They are created only in dwarves or Mul who are killed by magical scorpions before their focus can be completed. 99% become Dwarven Banshees but 1% become Venom Zombies. However such dwarves and Muls can infect any other race. At first Venom Zombies appear as they did after death, but rengerate all further injuries at the rate of 1hp per round, including fire and acid damage. They can spit a deadly poison or a poison that paralyzes. Anyone slain by this venom rises 1D4 hours later as a Venom Zombie. Venom Chart: HD / Venom Type Method Onset Strength Paraltic Poison 1 V1 Contact 1-4 Rounds 5 / 0 1d4 rounds 2 V2 Contact 1-4 Rounds 10 / 0 2d4 rounds 3-5 V3 Contact 1-4 Rounds 15 / 5 1d4 turns Lesser 6-8 V4 Contact 1-4 Rounds 20 / 10 1d4 turns Greater 9+ V5 Contact 1 Minute Death / 20 1d4 turns Lord Venom Zombies must feed on poison once a week or die. Any poison or toxic substance will do. They can detect poison within 100 yards of them at all time and acurately locate it. They are completely immune to all poisons, magical or otherwise. Any time a Venom Zombie creates another, he is master of it and his personal power increases. A Lesser Venom Zombie is created when he has 10 Venom Zombies to Command. Lesser Venom Zombies have 3-5 HD. Lesser Venom Zombies look as they did in life. They can eat but only gain nutrience from poisoned foods. A Greater Venom Zombie is created when he has two or more Lesser Venom Zombies to command. He has 6-8 HD and Regenerates two hit points per round. Any living person they touch they can control with a mind altering venom they release through their skin. This only works on creatures and persons with less HD then the Greater Venom Zombie. The controled person may save vs poison or is completely controled by the Greater Venom Zombie. The controled person looses 1 point of Constitution per day until he dies and becomes a Venom Zombie. A Venom Zombie Lord is created when he has two or more Greater Zombies to Control. He has 9 + 1 HD for every Greater Venom Zombie above 2 that he controls. He has all the powers of a Greater Vemon Zombie and can Metamorphos liquids into either a paralytic poison, or any other kind of Venom Zombie poison. Venom Zombies retain all the abilities they had in life including HD. Thac0 and hit points remain even if they only function as a 1 or 2 HD Venom Zombie. Slow Poison nulifies the poisons in any Venom Zombie for the duration of the spell unless they save vs spell. Nuetralize poison or spells that acheive this affect, slay Venom Zombies unless they save vs spell. Food that has been purified by Purify Foord & Drink is fatal to Venom Zombies if they consume it, save vs death magic."Heal" slays Venom Zombies instantly without saving throw unless they have the same HD as the preist. Venom Zombies will not regenerate damage inflicted by holy weapons, weapons of wounding, sharpness or vorpal weapons. (Weapons of venom do not harm them.) If brought to -10 HP and then burned they will remain dead. If slain in a church they will not regerate. Holy water causes 1D8 pts but does regenerate. Blessed poison, if eaten, will slay then in 1D6 hours. When a Venom Zombie dies it decays rapidly giving off a small cloud of poisonous vapor. This vapor hangs around the body until dispersed harmlessly in the wind. The poison is the same type as the venom. The reverse of Slow Poison heals 1D8 hp on a Venom Zombie and the reverse of Nuetralize Poison heals 3D8 hp. Venom Zombies are very rare and function much like a plague when they do arise. As of yet, no city has ever been infected, only small villages. In all outbreaks, the most powerful clerics in the area have been quick to inetervine and destroy they undead as quickly as possible. Druids will also make great efforts to destroy these undead. Upcir < Jacques M. Mallah - jqm1584@is2.nyu.edu > Climate/Terrain: Desert Frequency: Very Rare Organization: None Activity cycle: Continuous Diet: carnivore Intelligence: Genius (17-18) Treasure: G Alignment: Neutral Evil ________________________________________________________________________ No. Appearing: 1-2 Armour Class: -9 Movement: 6 Hit Dice: 5 THAC0: 10 No. of Attacks: Bite Damage/Attack: 1d12 + Poison Special Attacks: See Below Special Defenses: +1 weapon or better to hit; See Below Magic Resistance: 75 % Size: S (3 feet long) Psionic Ability: Immune to Psionics XP Value: 10,000 Appearance: Upcir resemble giant jet black beetles. They are related to certain other, similar, monsters. Foreclaws with prehensile abilities allow them to use small items (such as rings). The origin of these powerful monsters is not known, but each has memories that go back thousands of years. They can communicate by telepathy with any creature of low or higher intelligence. These creatures can walk on walls and ceilings easily at 6" speed. They are never surprised. Combat: In combat, this monster can use its mandibles, and any creature bitten must save vs. poison or die instantly. It is a skillful fighter due to centuries of experience. However, against several opponents or when otherwise appropriate the monster prefers to attack from above, using its special abilities. It has a nonmagical breath weapon: once per day, it can breathe a 30' diameter cloud of poison (save vs. breath or die. The colorless gas also blinds victims for at least one round, permanently 20% of the time. The gas will quickly degrade.) It can use the following, up to one per round at will: * Detect (good, magic, or invisibility), Dispel magic, Continual (light or darkness), - Once per day * Comprehend languages, Identify, Animate dead, Unseen servant, - Once per turn * Teleport (no error, to a place on any plane), - Once per day * Suggestion, Disintegrate, - Four times per day * Cone of sleep (50' long by 20' wide, save vs. spell or sleep for 2d6 turns) These abilities are performed at the 20th level of magic use. This monster has a hard exoskeleton, giving it a low AC. It can only be hit by magical weapons. In addition, any inanimate weapon that is about to cause damage to it has a 1 in 2 chance of being teleported to a random location on the Astral plane before doing so. Any creature about to directly strike it for damage has a 1 in 2 chance of instead being subject to a maze effect. It is immune to the following attack forms: any psionic attack, mind affecting magic, stunning, poison or gas, death magic, energy drain, petrification, polymorph, suffocation or drowning, disease, acid, cold, electricity, fire, and magic missile spells of any type. It has saving throws of 5 in all categories. It automatically feather falls (as ring). Habitat / Society: Each Upcir typically divides its time between several lairs in various planes, which can be nearly anywhere. Such lairs typically have furniture for the monster, treasure including rare books, and zombies. It is not unusual for these monsters to engage in trade with certain evil humans or similar creatures, which also keeps them informed about current events. Note that they have considerable financial resources. They are sometimes found travelling, apparently due to curiosity. They are opposed to the Blood War on the Lower Planes, seeing it as a waste of potentially valuable resources. Ecology: Lairs are always near a fresh meat supply. They can eat meat of any type, but the average meal will be a local animal. They do not sleep, and will heal 1-3 hit points per day even if active. UNDEAD Necromantic Familiars < M.L.Barklam-csai94@cs.bham.ac.uk > These can either be used with the necromancer character class I provided earlier, or as familiars for necromancer specialist wizards. To acquire a necromantic familiar, the necromancer must already have a normal familiar and then make it undead as part of some sort of ritual or spell rite (example second level spell given below). Undead Familiar (Necromancy) Level: 2 Range: As find familiar Components: V,S,M Duration: Permanent Casting Time: 6 hour ritual Area of Effect: Mage's familiar Saving Throw: Special This spell allows a necromancer to turn a normal, living familiar bound to him through the find familiar spell to become undead and bestow extra abilities upon him. During the ritual, the caster's familiar is ritually "killed" with a bejewelled bone dagger (costing no less than 2500g.p. materials, plus construction cost; which is destroyed at this point). The necromancer must then make a system shock roll to survive this (although there is no loss in constitution). If this roll is failed, the wizard dies, and the ritual fails. The remainder of this ritual animates the dead remains and re-binds the spirit to the necromancer. Note that if the necromancer wasn't "nice" to his familiar in life, the familiar's spirit may try to resist this binding attempt. The familiar gets a save vs. death magic to resist, if it is truly deserved; this will not be the case in most instances as the necromancer and familiar usually go into this together. If the familiar does save, though, the ritual fails, the wizard's familiar is dead and the wizard loses 1 point of constitution permanently just as if the familiar had died naturally(?). The actual type of undead the familiar comes back as depends on the other material components used in the casting of this ritual and are summarised on the table below: Resulting Undead Familiar Type Components Same as that of the undead creature (Excluding the wight, wraith, lich, etc.) - Earth from the grave of a now undead creature Vampire - Teeth and eyes of a Vampire Mummy - A piece of bandage from a mummy and a rat infected with mummy rot Ghost - Ethereal cowl of a ghost Skeleton - Skull of a Skeleton Zombie - Flesh from a "fresh" Zombie corpse Spectre, Ghost, or Vampire (Caster's Choice) - A bone vial containing essence of the negative material plane This can produce such things as vampire cats, mummified snakes, skeletal bats, zombie toads, ghost owls, etc. It is worth pointing out, that the familiar keeps all the abilities it had in life, movement modes, special abilities, attack chances, AC, HP, etc. The mage also benefits in the same way, for example, a necromancer with an undead crow familiar still gets excellent vision and the undead crow can still fly (even if it becomes a skeleton). In addition to all of these abilities that it bestowed, and had, in life, the familiar also gains extra abilities depending on the type of undead it has become as well as some general abilities. * Firstly, the familiar cannot be turned by a cleric who would ordinarily be able to do so, unless the cleric rolls to turn undead equal to twice the combined hit dice of both the mage an familiar combined. If a cleric manages this, then both mage and familiar must leave the vicinity of the cleric. Neither mage nor familiar can be automatically destroyed without a saving throw vs. death magic. * Secondly, both mage and familiar, in addition to any other benefits, become immune to all cold based, charm, hold and sleep spells, except those that are specifically designed to affect undead as stated in the relative spell/power descriptions. Specific powers are as follows: Undead Type Special Powers Skeleton - No additional effects Zombie - No additional effects Ghoul - Mage or familiar can deliver one paralyzing attack each day Ghast - Familiar can exude stench as Ghast at will. The casting mage is immune to this, and all other similiar Ghast stenches. This is in addition to having a Ghoul familiar. Mummy - Familiar or mage can infect one creature touched with Mummy Rot per week. No save. Spectre - Familiar or caster can drain one energy level temporarily (until next full moon) from any one creature touched. They use this twice a week. Vampire - Familiar can mesmerize, as a vampire, all that meet his gaze. Mage can drain levels by drinking bllod of humanoids (something he will now feel compelled to do at least once per week). Ghost - Familiar and mage can become ethereal at will for one turn, but cannot do it again for at least another hour. Shadow - Familiar cannot become a Shadow Wight - Familiar cannot become a Wight Wraith - Familiar cannot become a Wraith Lich - Familiar cannot become a Lich There are more undead types, but these have not been gone into here as the familiar cannot become them. Undead familiars can be further enhanced by the series of familiar enhancer spells, to further enhance their effectiveness at later levels. Note that this is a ritual spell, like many others in the Phb and other manuals. That is to say, that the caster need not be a necromancer specialist wizard, but may be of any type of mage able to cast necromantic spells. If this is the case, the familiar is unlikely to understand fully the mage's fascination with death that a necromancer's familiar would and so is more likely to resist the binding process. Remember, if this undead "dies" or gets lost/abused, etc. penalties must be applied to the caster as for a living familiar. This also applies to necromancers who summon undead familiars. In addition to the spell components already listed, a silver circle must be laid onto stone, various candles made of wax mixed with exotic oils must be burned, as must expensive and rare incenses and herbs. The total cost of this is a further 2000g.p. and takes 1 hour to set up, in addition to the ritual casting time and cost of the other spell components. If the undead familiar is acquired as a necromancer (not a specialist wizard type), a similar ritual is required (in terms of expense and time), but the necromancer need not already have an alive familiar, thus dispensing with the need for a bone dagger, and various system shock rolls and saving throws. It is, therefore, easier for necromancer to get an undead familiar. Another advantage a necromancer has over a specialist wizard who summoned a familiar, is that the necromancer can choose what type of animal to animate at the time of the casting and get the exact undead familiar animal he desires. EPILOGUE Hmmm, what to say. I guess all I can say about this Tome is that it took a little more than expected to finish this version off. In fact, this version isn't even complete. I have yet to get in all the spells sent to me, plus some of the spells in the Great Net Payer Book, and the Great Net Spellbook. I actually like most of the ideas in this book, and some, I haven't even read. So, after I finsih writing this (which I just happened to do last), I just might print this book out. I think I might wait until after the New Year, when version 2.0 will be released, and (hopefully) it will have everything I want in it. Some bugs known to this document: * The Table of Contents is shot to hell. I believe it is three pages off or so, but have not been able to fix this. I don't know why this happens, but if I can't get it fixed for version 2.0, I'll do it manually * Not all the material sent to me has made it into this Tome, yet. Don't worry, spells, items, swords, and the such will be included if they haven't already. Spells such as tenth level ones, are hard to put in, for I feel obliged to do the first nine levels first. Thank you for understanding. And, that concludes this version of the Tome of the Damned. Tome of the Damned Version 1.666 ________________________________________________________________________ ~ {PAGE|125} ~