Realms of Divine Magick Sampler Extracts from the Realms of Divine Magick manuscript by Ken Rolston (kenrolston@aol.com) The following material remains the copyright of the author and has kindly been provided by the author for the benefit of the WFRP list members who wish to write their own material to be compatible with the forthcoming Realms of Divine Magick tome. Chapter 2b: Skills________ Clerical Skills______________________________________ The following skills are often learned through clerical careers, but may be learned through various other careers, or may be learned as non-career skills. (Those clerical skills that may not be learned as non-career skills are indicated in the skill descriptions below.) Associated Skill Characteristic and Skill Rating: After the title of each skill is listed the skill's associated characteristic. Each skill has a skill rating which is equal to the score of the character's associated characteristic score for that skill. Skill ratings may be used in two ways: 1. to test against in determining success or failure in the use of the skill, and 2. as a general indication of the character's competence in the skill. Gamemasters should use these competence guidelines to judge whether easy tasks might deserve a bonus for those of above-average competence, or whether difficult tasks might receive penalties for those of below average competence. Use the following guidelines to judge a character's competence with a skill: Skill Rating Skill Guideline 01-25: Below average for a person professing the skill, but more knowledgeable and adept than someone completely ignorant of the skill. May be a beginner, a dilettante, or a clod. Capable of competent work, but when hurried or careless, even if successful may produce at only a barely passable or substandard level. 026-50: Average for a person professing the skill. Fairly knowledgeable -- doesn't embarrass himself in bull discussions or boasting matches -- but unfamiliar with eccentric, sophisticated, or innovative aspects of the skill. Capable of performing most common tasks effectively, given time, and making allowances for mistakes. Seldom brilliant, but occasionally clever or notably effective. 51-75: Above average knowledge and competence. Often recognized by neighbors and colleagues as an expert. Very rarely makes serious mistakes with common tasks, and may be capable of occasional brilliance. 76-00: Superhuman or heroic ability. Likely to have a substantial reputation. Difficult tasks are performed with ease. Impossible tasks may be attempted with enthusiasm. Example #1: Uschi, a priestess of Shallya, has the cult doctrine skill. The associated characteristic for cult doctrine is Intelligence (Int). Uschi has an Int score of 45. Uschi's skill rating for cult doctrine is 45. Testing for Success with the Skill: Uschi's companions attack a manticore. The Shallya cult prohibits killing, even in self-defense. But... can she kill to protect the lives of others? Can Uschi come to the aid of her companions? Uschi consults her cult doctrine skill. The dice are rolled -- 67 -- indicating that Uschi doesn't know, or doesn't remember, whether killing might be justified in this case. (If the dice has rolled 45 or lower, Uschi might have remembered that some cult scholars hold that taking one life to save several others may be justified in certain circumstances. Whether these are those ertain circumstnaces, Uschi must decide for herself.) Example #2: Alexis, a priest of Ulric, has the cult doctrine skill, too, but has an Int of 70. General Indication of Competence: Alexis is taken captive by a goblin raiding band and tortured to force him to reveal the details of a border fort's defenses. The Ulric cult prohibits its initiates and priests from the use of trickery or deceit, but exaggerating the fort's strengths, particularly since the goblins know Alexis is a priest of Ulric and prohibited from lying, might discourage the goblins from attacking the defenseless fort and its citizens. With a skill rating of 70, Alexis is wise and experienced in interpreting cult doctrine, and he would realize that, though exaggerating the fort's strength is dishonest and a sin by cult standards, it is nonetheless a good thing to do in these circumstances, even though it means that Alexis must make a minor penance for breaking the cult's rules. Resist Magic (Will Power) Beings with this skill receive a +20 bonus to tests vs. WP to resist magick effects. Sense Magic (Intelligence) Active magickal effects cause perceptable disturbances in the aethyr. Use of this skill reveals 1. the presence of active magickal effects within ten yards [note change from "BMP yards"] and 2. the direction from the character to the magickal effects. Unskilled characters have a Default Rating of 5% with this skill. Inactive Magickal Effects (for example, inactive divine artifacts and sacred tokens) cannot be perceived with this skill. Thus, one cannot identify a being or object as being capable of producing magickal effects with this skill. (See Active and Inactive Magickal Effects" in Terms above.) Background: Aethyrial disturbances accompanying magickal effects are perceiveable by the Spirit, though untrained individuals cannot effectively interpret the features of the sensations or distinguish the source of the emanations. GM Guidelines: Use the following guidelines for modifiers to tests to sense exceptionally powerful divine magickal sources: Divine Artifacts (eg, magickal devices associated with greater and lesser divine powers) -- +20 bonus. GM Note: Sense Magic replaces the original WFRP skills Magical Sense and Magical Awareness. Meditation (Cool) Beings with this skill are able to enter a dream-trance state in which they can swiftly replenish their reservoirs of magick potential. The character remains in the meditation trance for 2 hours, then tests against Cool. If the test is successful, the being recovers 100% of his Basic Magic Potential (ie, he is restored to full BMP). If the test fails by 1-29 points, the being recovers to at least 50% of his Basic Magic Potential. If he is already at 50% of his BMP or better, there is no further effect. If the test fails by 30 points or more, the being recovers no magic points. In addition, if 96-00 is rolled, 1 Insanity Point is gained. While in a mediation trance, a being is unaware of its surroundings and cannot stir if attacked or otherwise disturbed for the duration of the 2-hour trance. They are completely helpless during the trance duration (treat as prone in combat), and cannot move, speak, or otherwise respond to other beings or events. Cult Doctrine (Intelligence) All cultists are expected to know the basic beliefs and responsibilities of a cult member. However, Initiates, Priests, Druids, and Fanatics are expected to understand and memorize details of religious ceremony, appropriate garb, holy days, special observances, honored and prohibited behavior, and so forth, and to be able to teach these details to interested cultists and supplicants. GM Guidelines: An initiate should at least have memorized the cult requirements and strictures as described in Cult Descriptions. Priests should be able to describe the cult symbols, typical ceremonies and other religious observances, list and explain the significance of the holy days celebrated by the cult, and and describe the traditional layouts of cult shrines and temples. In religious arguments, characters should test vs. Cult Doctrine. The highest successful Cult Doctrine score indicates the character whose argument is most persuasive. (It may, of course, be completely heretical as cult doctrine, but the other characters, unable to refute his arguments, will yield to his superior logic.) Skill Rating Skill Guideline 01-25: Knows where the local shrine is and how to behave there. Knows what behavior is absolutely prohibited by the cult. Knows the cult holy days. Recognizes initiates and priests of own cult, and knows cult's worst enemies and best friends. 026-50: General knowledge of cult ceremony, history, and philosophy. Knows local shrines and temples; has knowledge of famous shrines in distant lands. Recognizes initiates and priests of most Old World cults. Knows benefits and responsibilities of advanced clercial careers within cult. Appreciates obvious similarities and differences in major Old World cult doctrines. 51-75: Detailed knowledge of cult ceremony, history, and philosophy. Accounted wise in everyday affairs and on larger philosophical issues. General knowledge of major Old World cults, even outlawed cults. 76-00: Saintly comprehension of cult doctrine. Judgements are often inspired by divine insights. Widely quoted and praised for his wisdom. Actions are taken as examples for the instruction of the devout. Invoke Prayer (Intelligence) There are specific invocation skills for each Mastery Level of the Initiate and Priest careers. Characters can only obtain these skills by entering the appropriate career, and by learning the skill as all other skills are learned. Ceremony (Intelligence) Once a day the cleric may conduct a ceremony dedicated to his divine patron. The ceremony must take place on sacred ground, and all cultists to benefit from the ceremony must stand on sacred ground. The Cleric tests vs. Int. If the Int test is successful, all followers (including the cleric) within the effect of the ceremony test vs. WP. A successful WP test means the cultist regains 1d6+3 MP. A failed test means the cultist receives 1 MP. If the cleric's Int test fails, the cleric has failed to please his divine patron; no MP are regained, and the discouraged cleric is at a -10 WP penalty for the following 24 hours. Retreat (Cool) The cleric retreats into personal prayer and devotions in a shrine or on other sacred ground for 24 hours. At the end of this time the cleric is refreshed and renewed in spirit, and he regains all expended MP up to his full BMP score. Test vs. Cool. If successful, also receive a cult blessing (a one-time-use +10 bonus with any skill test favored by the cult). Bind Wound (Intelligence) This is a first aid skill for emergency treatment of victims of sccidents, natural disasters, and battlefield wounds, including stopping bleeding, bandaging open-wounds, and immobilizing broken bones. Successful use of this skill stops continuing wound losses resulting from Critical Hit Table results and stabilizes the victim's condition. Specifically stops terminal bleeding. Does not restore wounds, does not repair injuries or remove penalites resulting from injuries. True Sight (WP) At the cost of one MP, a character is warned of impending Danger, Betrayal, Friendship, and Good Fortune. The use of the skill may be triggered voluntarily when a character uses the divination skill, or it may be triggered involuntarily at the GM's discretion as a sign of the divine patron's will. Test vs. the character's WP. If the test is successful, the character receives a specific image of an impending event. If the test is failed, the character receives vague premonitions of portentious events ahead. Divine Notes Part Three Cult Membership and Laymen's Benefits__ Becoming a Layman Rule Summary: The cost of becoming a layman of a cult is 100 EPs and an offering of 20GC per career completed, or, if no careers have been completed, an offering of 3 GC. Cult Member Benefits Laymen, Initiates, and Priests in good standing may expect the following benefits from their cult membership: - Members of a cult may receive the renewing of spiritual energy (recharging of lost MP) though the use of the ceremony skill by a cult cleric ( see "Ceremony" on page ??). - Food and shelter for traveling cult members may be found at a cult shrine or temple at a nominal fee (2 shillings) or for labor. The accommodations and fare are typically modest (equivalent of lodging in an decent inn's common room), and often frequented by lower classes persons forced to travel on personal business, but clean and fairly safe nonetheless. More-fortunate cultists are expected to volunteer a little extra in payment to defray the costs of their less-fortunate cult bret hren. - Cult members may receive medical care and healing prayers where available. The qual ity of medical care available varies greatly. - Cult members who perform an extraordinary service for the cult may receive a fate point as a blessing of the divine patron. This personal recognition of ea cult member by a god is extremely rare, and granted only for exceptional services. - Cult members may receive training in skills favored by the cult at one-half the normal ep cost, and even if the skill to be learned is outside the cult member's current career, the skill may be learned as if it were within the current career -- that is, without passing an Int test (see WFRP, Character Advancement and Experie nce, "Non-Career Skills," page 93). - Priests and cult members of certain favored careers (eg, Templars of the Fiery Heart of the cult of Sigmar) may receive special magickal "gifts" as a sign of the deity's favor (see below). - Other benefits for cult members may be available according to the individual cult (see Cult Descriptions for details). Gifts Gifts are extraordinary abilities granted by a divine patron to priests and some special groups of laymen including Forestors, Templars, Demagogues, Assassins and other careers as described in individual Cult Descriptions. These gifts are received when a character achieves a new Rank of the Priest Career or when he enters one of the careers specially favored by his cult. These gifts are kept as long as the character remains a cleric or a favored lay member of his cult in good standing. Each cult has its own gifts. For a list of gifts granted by each cult to clerics and favored laymen, see Cult Descriptions. Cult Member Obligations 1. OBSERVE CULT DEVOTIONS 2. SEEK JUDGEMENT ON ORDAINED CULT HOLY DAYS 3. RESPECT AND DEFEND CULT PRINCIPLES AND DOCTRINES 4. RESPECT AND DEFEND CULT INITIATES AND PRIESTS (AND OTHER ESPECIALLY FAVORED CULT LAYMEN LIKE TEMPLARS, DEMAGOGUES, ETC.) 5. RESPECT AND DEFEND SACRED GROUND, SHRINES, AND TEMPLES 6. HONOR THE CONDITIONS OF ANY TERRIBLE OATH SWORN Devotions Devotions are regular, daily religious observances required by one's cult. All cult members must make an offering of 1 MP per day in personal devotions. When possible, devotions must be made on sacred ground under the guidance of a cult cleric. If not possible, one's god must be satisfied with the circumstances, or one may be called to account on regular Judgement Day (holy days). An occasional lapse may require a small penance. A serious lapse may result in loss of benefits until a penance is served. Divine Judgement, Holy Days, Blessings, and Penances On specified cult holy days each cultist must go to a temple, shrine, or other cult sacred ground and ask for divine judgement. Details vary from cult to cult, but in essence the cultist privately and personally asks his divine patron to review the cultist's recent thoughts and actions and judge whether the cultist has been a worthy follower. Normally a cultist who has earnestly tried to observe the doctrines and devotions of the cult, and whose dedication to the cult is sincere, will satisfy his god's scrutiny and will feel refreshed in spirit and strengthed in his faith. A character who has been especially virtuous and devoted to the cult may receive a small blessing in token of the god's favor. (In game terms, the blessing is in the form of a one-use 10-point bonus on the use of any cult-favored skill.) A cultist who has failed in the regular observance of his devotions, or who has failed to honor the basic cult doctrines or strictures, or who has disgraced or offended his divine patron in some way, receives a rebuke from his divine patron. An offending cultist is told of the nature of his fault ("You have been lax in your daily devotions." "You have offended against the Word of Ranald in the wanton use of violence in your roguish pursuits.") and warned to amend his ways or face banishment from the cult. If the cultist's faults are serious, or his transgressions habitual (ie, he has received Judgement Day rebukes in the past), he may also receive a penance (see below). A cultist who has been given a penance by his god is denied the benefits of his cult until the penance is completed. Losing Cult Member Benefits Failure to observe cult doctrines and practices may result in temporary loss of cult benefits. The following misdeeds automatically result in temp orary loss of cult benefits: - Omission of Daily Devotions: The cultist receives no cult ben efits until regular daily devotions are once again observed. - Failure to seek Judgement on the Appointed Cult Holy Day: The cultist receives no cult benefits until he appears to receive Judgement on sacred ground or in the presence of a cult cleric. Penances A cultist assigned a penance by his god loses all cult benefits until his penance is completed. Penances vary according to the cult and the circumstances and severity of the transgression. Light Penances: Minor transgressions by otherwise dedicated cultists usually receive light penances. For example: - Make a special offering of 1GC to the cult. - Spend one full day in devotions at a shrine or temple. - Humble yourself to cleaning the steps to the temple at the direction of your priest. Stern Penances: More serious offenses, or minor offe nses repeated by already-rebuked cultists, may result in a stern penance. For example: - Make a s pecial offering of 50GC to the cult. - Place yourself at the disposal of the shrine's priest for one month, during which you shall feed and care for the poor and attend to their needs. - Deny yourself the pleasures of ale or strong spirits for one month as a sign of your resolve to mend your ways. - Make a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Sigmar in Middenheim and make an offering of 100GC there in Sigmar's name. Heavy Penances: Repeated serious offenses against cult doctrines and practices may result in the levying of a heavy penance. Such heavy penances are signs that the god has wearied of the cultist's m isdeeds, and is doubtful of the cultist's suitability to serve the cult. For example: - Go forth into the Great Forest, seek out Archdruid Matham, and serve at his bidding for one full turn of the seasons. - Yield up thy robes, pens, books, and scholarship. Go into the streets of Altdorf and live as a beggar fom the fall to the winter solstice, and learn more of your fellow man than you have learned from your books. - Go forth into the wilderness among the heathen orcs for the summer campaign season. Refuse no challenge. Refuse no opportunity to test your strength at arms and your honor in combat. Come back with your shield or on it. Renouncing a Cult One may renounce membership in the former cult. Such a character of course immediately loses all benefits of that cult, and he may never join that cult again; in addition, a minor or great curse is usually placed on such a character. Divine Notes Part Four Divine Summonings__________________ Warhammer cultists are granted by their divine patrons the power to summon various magickal creatures and spirit beings. Cultists don't need to prepare pentagrams or engage in contests of wills to control divine summonations -- the divine patron guarantees the summoning's willing service -- but summonings may be more or less cooperative in fulfilling the cultist's request for specific services according to temperment, circumstances, and cult doctrine. The four basic varieties o f magickal creatures and spirit beings summonable with divine magick -- numina, Khaine's Undead, elementals and daemons -- are described in the sections that follow. Many divine summonings are intelligent creatures with distinctive magickal powers. As such, they require the same forethought and development as other important non-player characters in your scenarios. Numina _________________________________________________ Numina (singular numen; Classical Old Worlder -- "divine will" or "divine power") are divine spirit and magickal entities summoned from the shadowrealms to aid, protect, and counsel cult priests. The characteristics and abilities of numina vary from cult to cult, but they all fall into four categories: divine counselors: ghostlike spirits, typically of deceased cultists, who may share their experience, wisdom, and practical knowledge, but who have little or no power to act on this plane divine guardians: magickal creatures or ghostlike spirits which protect cultists or sacred ground from enemies or intruders divine servants: ghostlike spirits, typically of deceased cultists, who may provide both counsel and magickal assistance to a cultist divine avatars: immensely powerful divine spirits which embody the virtues and principles of the divine patron Abilities and Limitations of Numina Abilities: All numina have the following abilities, including those listed in the specific descriptions below: 1. A magickal attack (spell, prayer, enchanted or blessed weapon, etc.) or a weapon forged or coated with True Silver is required to hit a numen. 2. A numen's attack is magickal, and therefore may affect beings affected only by magickal attacks. 3. Numina sense magickal emanations and recognize cult alignments of creatures. These abilities work the same way as the petty prayer detect magick and the third rank prayer know alignment, but numina may exercise these abilities at will, without expending MP. 4. Numina with other magickal abilities (ie, the ability to invoke prayers or create other special magickal effects) expend MP to produce those effects, just like clerics, unless stated otherwise. Limitations: All numina have the following limitations, including those listed in the specific descriptions below: 1. Numina are subject to instability (see Rules, page ??). 2. When reduced to zero wounds, numina are unable to maintain their magickal and substantial manifestations on this plane and must return immediately to the shadowrealm of their divine patron. Example of Numina Divine Counselors__________________________________________ Divine counselors generally appear as ghostly apparitions of deceased cultists who have served their divine patrons well in life, and who have been chosen as spiritual guides to advise and chasten the cult's mortal followers. Divine counselors are like ghosts in that they: 1. can pass through solid objects without penalty, 2. cannot be wounded by non-magickal weapons and 3. cannot cause damage to mortal beings or objects in the material plane. However, they are unlike ghosts in that they are visible only to cultists of the counselor's divine patron, and in that they do not cause fear in those who gaze upon them. Divine counselors must also remain within the bounds of the sacred ground where they were summoned, and may not move beyond those bounds. Divine counselors are summoned to share the benefits of their life experience, wisdom, and common sense with the petitioning cultist. Though they are occasionally knowledgeable, particularly in the skills favored by the cult, and often make useful observations and suggestions, they also seem to take a great delight in chastizing cultists for their folly and carelessness in adherence to cult doctrine. Like all teachers and counselors, they vary in the quality and charm of their advice. (See summon counselor prayer, page ??, and Staging Divine Magicks, "Hints and Guidelines for Presenting Divine Counselors, Servants, and Avatars," page ??, for further details on summoning divine counselors.) Divine Counselor M WS BS S T W I A Dx Ld Int Cl WP Fel MP 4 10 10 2 5 10 60 1 50 50 50 60 60 50 10 Fly as swoopers. Skills: (Own) Cult Doctrine, Cult Lore, all layman cult skills, other skills at GM discretion. Example of Elementals Elementals are magickal creatures of the elemental domains. Cultists are granted the power to summon them directly through the divine patron or indirectly through agreements between the divine patron and the rulers of the elemental domains. Abilities and Limitations of Elementals Abilities: All elemental have the following abilities, in addition to those listed in the specific descriptions below: 1. A magickal attack or a weapon forged or coated with True Silver is required to hit an elemental. 2. An elemental's attack is magickal, and therefore may affect beings which are only affected by magickal attacks. 3. Elementals sense magick emanations and perceive spirits of the living and undead creatures. These abilities work in the same way as the petty sorcery spells detect magick and perceive spirit, but elementals may exercise these abilities at will, without expending MP. (The sorcerous detect magick spell is similar to the divine petty prayer of the same name; the perceive spirit spell permits the being to be aware of the presence and location of the spirits of all living beings within approximately 15 yards.) 4. Elementals with other magickal abilities (ie, abilities to cast spells, rituals, invoke prayers, or to create other magickal effects) expend MP to produce those effects, just like sorcerors and clerics. 5. Elementals can communicate telepathically or empathically with their summoners as long as they are within line of sight and within 10 yards of the summoner. Limitations: Elemental must remain in a sustaining environment with an adequate volume of substance associated with their elemental domain, or they rapidly weaken, losing the ability to manifest in the Material Realm. An elemental in complete isolation from a sustaining environment loses 1 Strength point for each round it is isolated. When its Strength is reduced to zero, its elemental consciousness fails, its elemental substance dissipates, and it disappears. If returned to its sustaining environment, lost Strength returns at 1 point per round. Sustaining environments for each of the elemental domains are: Earth: ground, soil, stone Air: air Fire: flammable substances Water: a substantial body of water When reduced to zero wounds, elemental sprites lose their substantial manifestations and disappear from the material world. They do not, however, "die" in a sense that mortals understand. They retain their consciousness and memories of events, though less intelligent sprites remember hardly more than an instinctive positive or negative feeling for familiar persons, locations, and events. Other Abilities and Limitations: Elementals may also have other abilities and limitations at the GM's discretion. If an ability or limitation is not explicitly listed here or in the descriptions below, that does NOT imply that the elemental CANNOT have that ability. Use common sense. For example, water elementals are not listed as extinguishing fires -- because common sense indicates that water will extinguish fire. Service Traits and Service Tests Elementals of different domains are more or less reliable as summoned servants. When a caster gives a summoned elemental a command, a Service Test must be made against the Faithful and Vengef ul Traits of the sprite. (See Rules and Terms, "Service Traits and Service Tests," page ??.) Below are listed the Service Traits for each of the Elemental Domains: Elemental Air: Faithful 10, Vengeful 4. Elemental Fire: Faithful 7, Vengeful 10. Elemental Water: Faithful 17, Vengeful 5. Elemental Earth: Faithful 17, Vengeful 3. Least Elementals (also known as Elemental Servants)_____ Least Elementals are modest coherences of elemental matter no more than 1 cubic yard in volume. They usually assume the forms of small animals, but may also appear as miniature versions of natural phenomena (eg, whirlwinds, flames, fountain, etc.). Basic profiles of two sample forms are given below for each type of least elemental. Servants cannot use armor, weapons, and/or tools. Least elementals are fairly intelligent, can understand and speak Elemental Tongue, and can follow directions about as well as a well-trained, supernaturally-intelligent domestic animal. They follow commands literally, however, and seldom show initiative or imagination, except when presented with an undesirable task, when they may display some ingenuity in avoiding the task without directly refusing to complete it. The GM may require Intelligence tests (did the least elemental understand the command?) and Will Power tests (was the caster persuasive?) at his discretion. Though all least elementals of a given domain are similar in attitude and temperment, they vary in character about as much as do domestic animals. Least elementals are fairly tractable, but least pyronomes and geonomes in particular may present some threat to the summoning cultist if not controlled. Least Aeronome Dust Devil form: A small, whirling tornado funnel. Swift, aggressive fighter. Reckless and carelessly destructive. Fly as hoverer. M WS BS S T W I A Dx Ld IQ CL WP Fel MP 10 35 0 1 2 6 70 1 20 10 15 10 30 20 8 Crow form: A black, yellow-billed bird about 12-18 inches tall. Mimicks human speech. Manipulates objects well with beak and claws. Fly as swooper. M WS BS S T W I A Dx Ld IQ CL WP Fel MP 8 25 0 2 2 6 70 1 30 10 20 10 30 20 8 Restrictions: -2 modifier to damage. Service Traits: Faithful 10, Vengeful 4. Attitude and Temperment: Occasionally playful and distractable but likely to concentrate on a task and use some ingenuity when presented with unforeseen difficulties. Quirky and tempermental at times, often rude and disrespectful. Similar to a parrot or trained raven in personality. Typical Applications: Produce light equivalent to a lantern. Carry or crudely manipulate light objects (ie, torch, tankard of ale, etc. of Encumbrance 5 or less). Retrieve remote objects. Distract and confuse opponents in melee. Scout for living beings or magickal emanations. A Sample Cult - Ecate Ecate Cult______________________________________ "By the pricking of my thumbs/ something wicked this way comes." Shakespeare, Macbeth Description: Lesser God; Dark Children pantheon; dau ghter of the Earth Mother, mistress of Taal, mother of Khaine. Ecate is the patroness of bitter truths, vengeance, dark knowledge, and black magick. The search for Mastery is the burning desire of man; Mastery is sought through acknowledgement of the dark human desires of lust, greed, and domination, ruthless weighing of greed and pain, and unflinching pursuit of the Dark Sources of Power. Where Worshipped: Worshipped by the nomadic Romany peoples throughout the Old World, by various other barbarian cul tures under other names, and by scattered secret cults and individuals. Ecate worship is generally considered evil, and is outlawed or persecuted except in several kingdoms of the Border Princedoms. Alignments: Neutral and Evil are preferred. Good (and Slaneesh Chaos only) are accepted. Law and Chao s (other than Slaneesh) are prohibited. (Worshippers of Ecate are not necessarily evil, but are often the enemies of the common Old World cults and cultures. Most Lay Priests and masters will be harmless hedgewizard-equivalents who sell modest magickal services to the people. However, since the principles guiding the use of those magickal powers are hardly humanistic, witches do tend to be the source of more harm than good. Witches often protest that they are just providing the weak and poor with services that normally only the rich and powerful can afford; nonetheless, those magickal services are more often spiteful and greedy than compassionate and community-minded.) Friends and Enemies: Allied with Khaine, though disdainful and wary of his madness. Wary diplomacy with Slaneesh; hostile to other Chaos Powers. Bitter hostility towards Young Gods. Rebellious but respectful of Old Faith. Neutral but sympathetic with Elder Race cults. Cult Symbols and Dress: The symbolic correspondences of Ecate are pe rsonal and idiosyncratic; universally associated with Ecate worship, however, is the cauldron -- the mystical source of dark magicks. Lay Priests and Priests of Ecate are referred to as Masters or Mistresses of the Craft, and are popularly known as Witches and Warlocks. Advanced clerical careers in E cate do not perform conventional priestly duties, though they may lead worship ceremonies at religious festivals like the Sabbats. Ceremony and tradition dictates that black or dark garments be worn, but i t is not obligatory. Masters who emphasize the revenge and domination principles of Ecate we ar black; Masters who seek dark knowledge and power for its own sake wear white, and are called "Whi te Witches." Cult Careers Available: Lay Priest, Priest (called Master or Mistress of the Craft; Lay Priest and Priest alike are commonly called Witches and Warlocks) Distinguishing Principles and Doctrines: The mysteries of Craft must be kept secret from Outsiders -- likewise the identities of Masters of Craft. Serve yourself, your family, your companions. Trust no Outsider; they are your enemies, and you must muster your strength to defend yourself against them. The Outsiders are cattle. Only the strong may Master the Craft. Knowledge is power. The knowledge that others seek to forbid you is the power they seek to deny you for their own ends. Just because you fear a thing does not make it evil. It may simply be dangerous, and you must be more dangerous still to deal with it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. If you seek power, you must risk. Be bloody, bold, and resolute. All beings seek gratification, wealth, and power. Champions of other ideals may be well-intentioned, tender-hearted dreamers, but they are deluded -- or they may use these ideals as postures to conceal their true desires. The Old Ways are best -- serve and protect the clan, honor the Powers that preserve you, and shun not the Darkness. Afterworld: After death there is nothing for the individual. When the body dies, the individual dies. Normally the spirit goes to Ecate in payment for the power and protection the body received in life. Those who have Mastery may choose to avoid the death of the individual, but the price is great, and the life of undying spirit is bitter -- but Masters with great desires for vengeance or domination may elect to remain as ghosts, haunts, or other shades. Temple and Shrines: No temples or shrines. Worship is pursued in secret. There is no formal hierarchy, but Masters of the Craft are acknowledged as such and shown respect and deference. Convocations may be called by a Grand Master or by a group of Crafters to consider and discuss issues of common interest to many worshippers. A coven is a formal bonding of Craft Masters for mutual support, protection, and sharing of knowledge and craft; such groups are not ordained but are fav ored by Ecate. Traditionally the number of a coven is thirteen; in practice any number of Crafters may establish themselves as a coven. Each coven determines its own rule: some are dominated by one or two powerful Crafters; others are communities of more-or-less equals. Some covens may have regular meetings for worship and practice of magick; other covens gather irregularly if at all. Saints and Heroe s: Because of Ecate's dedication to secrecy, most saints and heroes of the cult are anonymous, known only by the legends of their exploits. The greatest of these saints and heroes are the anonymous authors and compilers of the great grimoires -- books recording the secret knowledge of the Craft, ha nded down from one generation to next, like Liber Spiritum, Grimoire Verum, The Fiend's Coercion, Sword of Urtur, Key of Hermes, etc. Since many of the Craft are illiterate, these ancient books seem all the more marvelous. The science of alchemy is thought to have learned many secrets from the perusa l of such books; among alchemists there may be many who worship Ecate. Cult Requirements: Requirements for Layman Status: Automatic for offspring of the Romany. Others are elected for initiation by Lay Priests or priests. One cannot apply for initiation to the cult in any formal manner, though those expressing a desire for Dark Knowledge, Power, or Revenge are often made known to the Craft in some unknown fashion. Requirements for Lay Priest Status: Granting of detect magick is commonly acknowledged as a sign of a Calling. Usually elected and sponsored by a Master or Mistress of the Craft; occasionally pe rsonally elected by Ecate herself. Requirements for Priest Status: Usually elected and spon sored by a Master or Mistress of the Craft; occasionally personally elected by Ecate herself. Trials: Trials typically involve searching out a Master or Mistress to Lay Priest the aspiring cultist in some Mystery of Dark Knowledge -- often a difficult and dangerous task, since Masters and Mistresses of the Craft are secretive and perilously aggressive in protecting their privacy. Blessings: One-time-use bonus or automatic success with silent move rural, concealment rural, charm, charm animal, sixth sense, luck , palm object, pick pocket, flee!, divination skills. Penances: Ecate rarely commands a formal penance from a worshipper. A worshipper in disfavor is simply denied access to magickal power or ben efits of the cult; it is up to the worshipper to figure out what actions have offended Ecate, and how to redeem himself in her eyes. Holy Days: Ecate does not observe formal Judgement Days. She takes little personal interest in her worshippers. They usually do not come to her attention except through dramatic service or disservice to the cult, or through direct contact with the goddess (either through personal petition, or through favorable or unfavorable report by a fellow Crafter). Worshippers wishing the direct attention of Ecate may participate in the occasional festivals called Sabbats. There are no regular schedules or provisions for calling a Sabbat; such celebrations rely on the spontaneous energies and ambitions of Masters or Mistresses. Traditionally Sabbats are observed on nights of a full moon, from midnight to cock-crow at a crossroads or Old Faith ley site; worship services are usually led by a prominent Master or Mistress. Newcomers are Lay Priestd, and worship ceremonies and rituals are accompanied by orgiastic dancing and sexual activities. Worshippers participating in sabbats may receive blessings just as worshippers of other cults receive blessings on Judgements Days; they may also make special petitions; Terrible Oaths sworn at a Sabbat receive special and usually favorable attention from Ecate. Gifts: Rank 1: Gain an animal-spirit familiar as a companion. Upon becoming a Priest 1st Rank the Master is granted a dream vision in which a spirit-creature comes to him. Roll once on th e Ecate Familiar Table (see "Special Rules" below) to discover the familiar's species. The spirit-creature becomes the character's constant companion, and confers certain advantages to the character in keeping with the spirit-creature's nature, while in return the character is required to honor certain strictures. In addition, the character is assured of a friendly, or at least neutral, response from all encountered animals of the familiar's species. See Divine Terms and Rules, "Familiars," pp. ??-??, for details concerning familiars. Use the evil eye ability as the Level 2 Necromantic spell evil eye once per day Prayer List Petty Prayer Table Prayer MP Range Duration Area of Effect Resist? Effects Summary Page # Animal Empathy 1 6 yards 1 turn One Creature of Nature None read beast (Int6-14) emotions ??? Bless Token 1 token 1d6+3 hours one sacred to ken None token is sacred ground ??? Blessed Sacraments 1 touch 1d6+3 turns F ood,drink for 10 None +10 Cool,WP; 1d4 hrs ??? Detect Magic 2 token Instantaneo us 6 yards square None reveal passive & active magick ??? Exalted Shield 1 6 yar ds 1d6+3 rounds one cultist shield None parry 1 melee or missile attack ??? Gift of Tongues 2 self/cultist 1d6+6 turns 10 yard radius none understand & speak language ??? Heal Cultist 3 Touch Instantaneous one cultist None heal 1d6+1 W for cultist ??? Heal Petitioner 3 Touch Instantaneous one non-cultist None heal 1d6-1 W for non-cultist ??? Know Follower 1 token Instantaneous 10 yard ra dius None locate cultists ??? Light the Path 1 sacred token one hour 6 yard radius None shed light like a lamp ??? Obscure the Path 3 self 1 hour cle ric's trail None conceal trail and scents ??? Seek Shrine 1 Self Instantaneous Self None location of nearest sacred ground ??? Shadeward 2 touch 1d6+3 roun ds cleric/cultist None +20 WP vs. fear of undead ??? Summon Skel. Warrior 3 10 y ards 'til next dawn NA None 1 skeletal warrior of Khaine ??? Vigilance 3 Self 1d6+3 hours Self None no surprise or +20 Init ??? Ecate Familiar Table _________ Strictures _____________________________________ D100 Familiar Skills Armor Shield Weapons Times/Places 01-05 Bat Night Vision, Acute Hearing leather no 2-handed, firearms night 06-10 Cat Silent Move Rural, Li ghtning Reflexes none no blunt, 2-handed forest or mountain 11-15 Eagle Excel. Vision, Animal Training (hawk) none no blunt mountain 16-20 Frog Swim , Acrobatics none no 2-handed, firearms water 21-25 Owl Night Vision, Silent Mov e Rural none no blunt night 26-30 Rabbit Flee!, Dodge Blow none no 2-handed, firearms night, underground 31-35 Rat Immunity to Disease, Frenzied Attack leather yes 2-handed night, underground, town 36-40 Raven Excellent Vision, Divi ning none no blunt forest, battlefield 41-45 Stoat Hypnotise, Game Hunting leather yes 2-handed forest 46-50 Viper Immunity to Poison, Hypnotize leath er no 2-handed not town 51-00 Imp Sixth Sense, Luck leather no none dusk, midnight, dawn Skills: The first skill listed is gained at 1st rank, the second skill listed at 2nd rank. Both skills are received free without ep cost. Armor, Shield, & Weapons: Shows type of armor permitted, whether shield is permitted, and prohibited weapon types. Times/Places: The character can regain magick points with meditation only at the listed times and places.