The Fortnight of Chaos continues today with details of chaos bray-shamans, sorcerers and priests. While, strictly speaking, there are no "chaos priests" other than bray-shamans in the 2002- and 2003-era version of the Warhammer Fantasy Battle rules (and none in the original 80's versions), I've included them in these Labyrinth Lord conversions for completeness. It would just seem odd not to have priests devoted to the gods of chaos in any old-school fantasy game.
CHAOS BRAY-SHAMANS
The chaos gods favor bray-shamans for
they have granted them dark powers. It is said they wander mystical realms as
spirits, divining secrets of the past and omens of the future through dream
visions. Amongst the beastmen hordes, bray-shamans serve as priests and
leaders, and are greatly feared. Even the most volatile beastman would never
risk the wrath of the gods or other beastmen by striking a bray-shaman.
Combat: Bray-shamans
wield spells in combat, inflicting suffering upon foes and conjuring protections
upon allies. Their favored melee weapon is a cruelly knotted rod called a
braystaff, and their thick hides and piecemeal armor protect them as studded
leather armor. Great bray-shamans also wield braystaffs, and their hide and
piecemeal armor protects them as scale mail armor. There is a 50% chance that
bray-shamans possess magic items.
Bray-Shaman: AC
7; HD 3; hp 14; MV 150’ (50’); #AT 1 braystaff or sling; DAM 1d6 or 1d4; SA
spells; SV C3; ML 8; AL CE; XP 65. Spells: cause
light wounds, command, bless. Note: 50% chance to possess magic items.
Great Bray-Shaman: AC 6; HD 5; hp 23; MV 120’ (40’); #AT 1 braystaff or sling; DAM 1d6 or
1d4; SA spells; SV C5; ML 9; AL CE; XP 350. Spells: cause fear, cause light wounds, command, bless, hold person, striking.
Note: 50% chance to possess magic items.
CHAOS SORCERERS
Amongst the most feared of mortal
chaos fanatics, sorcerers are gifted with power to manipulate dark magics.
Sorcerers unleash devastation upon all who oppose them, blasting foes into
cinders with fiery wrath or destroying minds with horrific psychic onslaughts.
But with this power comes corruption, for the chaos gods do not idly grant such
blessings. In time, sorcerers succumb to the mental and physical rigors of the
evil arcane energies they wield. Their minds collapse into vortices of insanity
and their bodies twist into mockeries of their former glory. Such is the toll for power exacted by the chaos gods.
Combat: Chaos
sorcerers harness spells in combat for they are weak fighters. When they must
engage in melee, sorcerers wield unwholesomely shaped black staves or wickedly
curved daggers. However, sorcerers are master tacticians and often lead
warbands or armies into battle. Neophytes do not have magic items, but
sorcerers and exalted sorcerers have a 50% chance to possess magic items.
Because of their corrupted nature, chaos sorcerers use d6 for their hit dice.
Chaos Neophyte:
AC 8; HD 3; hp 11; MV 120’ (40’); #AT 1 staff or dagger; DAM 1d6 or 1d4; SA
spells; SV MU3; ML 9; AL CE; XP 65. Spells: magic
missile, shield, scare.
Sorcerer: AC 8;
HD 5; hp 18; MV 120’ (40’); #AT 1 staff or dagger; DAM 1d6 or 1d4; SA spells;
SV MU5; ML 10; AL CE; XP 350. Spells: magic
missile, shield, scare, stinking cloud, fireball. Notes: 50% chance to
possess magic items.
Exalted Sorcerer:
AC 8; HD 7; hp 25; MV 120’ (40’); #AT 1 staff or dagger; DAM 1d6 or 1d4; SA
spells; SV MU7; ML 11; AL CE; XP 790. Spells: charm person, magic missile, shield, scare, stinking cloud, dispel
magic, fireball, fear. Notes: 50% chance to possess magic items.
CHAOS PRIESTS
Chaos priests are northmen who have
abandoned their former faiths and turned to the chaos gods for spiritual
strength and earthly power. Priests are feared leaders amongst the mortal chaos
followers, as well as military advisors and tacticians. Priests also serve as
spies and recruiters in the civilized lands, hatching insidious schemes or
playing to the vanity of nobles ripe for conquest, and luring new followers to
the dark paths of the chaos gods. The cost of their powers is high, however,
and chaos priests eventually succumb to mental and physical mutations like
sorcerers.
Combat: Priests
are the unholy warriors of the chaos gods. They also shape the very will of the
chaos gods into spells that inflict suffering and fear in their foes or bolster
and rally their allies. Acolytes are the weakest priests, wearing studded
leathers and wielding maces and slings. There is a 50% chance any group of
acolytes will possess shields. Priests and exalted priests favor cruel maces or
flails as weapons, and array themselves in dark mail. There is a 50% chance
priests will have shields; exalted priests do not use shields for their maces
and flails are heavy two-handed weapons. Priests and exalted priests have a 50%
chance to possess magic items.
Chaos Acolyte:
AC 7; HD 1+1; hp 6; MV 120’ (40’); #AT 1 mace (or flail) or sling; DAM 1d6 or
1d4; SA spells; SV C1; ML 8; AL CE; XP 21. Spell: command.
Priest: AC 6;
HD 3+2; hp 16; MV 90’ (30’); #AT 1 mace (or flail) or sling; DAM 1d6 or 1d4; SA
spells; SV C3; ML 9; AL CE; XP 100. Spells: cause
light wounds, command, bless. Notes: 50% chance to possess magic items.
Exalted Priest:
AC 5; HD 5+3; hp 26; MV 90’ (30’); #AT 1 heavy flail; DAM 1d8; SA spells; SV
C5; ML 10; AL CE; XP 460. Spells: cause
fear, cause light wounds, command, hold person, silence 15’ radius, prayer.
Notes: 50% chance to possess magic items.
Encounters & Treasure: All bray-shamans, sorcerers and priests are encountered
singly as part of a warband or as members of a demonic retinue or personal
guard. Within a temple complex or citadel, neophyte sorcerers and acolyte
priests may be encountered in groups of 1d8. Neophyte sorcerers and acolyte
priests use hoard classes (HC) II, III and IV. Bray-shamans, sorcerers and priests
use hoard class VI and have a 50% chance to possess magic items. Great
bray-shamans, exalted sorcerers and exalted priests use HC VII and have a 50%
chance to possess magic items.
CHAOS MAGIC ITEMS
The following tables detail magic
items commonly possessed by bray-shamans, sorcerers and priests. For brevity,
the generic term “sorcerer” is used hereafter instead of bray-shaman, sorcerer
and priest. Roll 1d10 to determine if the sorcerer possesses magic items, then
roll on the other tables as indicated to generate specific magic items.
If it’s not explicitly obvious, a
miscellaneous magic item may be considered part of a talisman, jewelry, holy
symbol, staff or some other device worn or carried in-hand (referee’s
discretion) by the sorcerer. Magic armor is always the same type as a
sorcerer’s normal armor, with a +1 bonus to AC. Magic bracers will provide base
AC 7 when worn. Cloaks will provide a +1 bonus to AC and saving throws when
worn.
If any of these items are recovered
and used by non-evil characters, the dark sorceries imbued within them will
cause serious harm, if not death. As a rule of thumb, when any non-evil
character touches or attempts to use a chaos magic item, he must succeed at a
save vs spells or immediately lose one experience level (or hit die).
Characters should not be messing with dark chaos powers! In fact, finding the
means to destroy chaos magic items could be an engaging adventure unto itself…
CHAOS MAGIC ITEMS TABLE IV
Roll 1d10
|
Magic Items
Possessed
|
1-5
|
None
|
6-7
|
Miscellaneous item, roll on Table V
|
8
|
Weapon, roll on Table VI
|
9
|
Armor, bracers or cloak, roll on Table VII
|
10
|
Two items, roll 1d6 for each: 1-2 miscellaneous, 3-4 weapon,
5-6 armor, bracers or cloak
|
CHAOS MAGIC ITEMS TABLE V: MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
Roll 1d8
|
Magic Weapon
|
1
|
Amulet
of Chaos: At the start of its turn
each round, any foe engaged in melee combat with the sorcerer must make a
save vs spells or suffer 1d6 damage from the powerful aura of chaotic evil
surrounding the sorcerer.
|
2
|
Beguiling
Gemstone: At the start of its turn
each round, any foe engaged in melee combat with the sorcerer must make a
save vs spells or suffer the effects of a confusion
spell for that round.
|
3
|
Book
of Secrets: This corrupting tome
permits the sorcerer to prepare two levels worth of extra spells each day
(i.e. two 1st-level or one 2nd-level spell). However, when he casts any of
these extra spells, there is a 50% chance the sorcerer must make a save vs
death or suffer 1d4 damage.
|
4
|
Collar
of Chaos: The sorcerer gains +2 to
all saving throws against magical effects.
|
5
|
Crown
of Conquest: This darkling crown
enables the sorcerer to regenerate 1d3 hit points at the start of his turn
after a combat round in which he has been damaged by enemies.
|
6
|
Heart
of Darkness: This heart-shaped,
blood-red gemstone grants the sorcerer use of the bless spell once per day.
|
7
|
Powerstone: This radiant purple crystal-like gemstone grants
the sorcerer the re-use of one spell each day. Roll 1d6 to determine the
spell level: 1-3 = 1st level, 4-5 = 2nd level, 6 = 3rd level.
|
8
|
Skull
of Whispers: This skull floats around
the sorcerer’s head when in use, whispering words of power in his ears. The
sorcerer gains +1 to each damage die rolled for his spells. If a spell does
not deal damage, the targets suffer -1 to their saving throws against it
instead. The effect lasts 1 turn and the sorcerer may use the skull once per
day.
|
CHAOS MAGIC ITEMS TABLE VI: WEAPONS
Roll 1d8
|
Magic Weapon
|
1
|
Blood
Weapon: Upon a successful hit, the
victim of this weapon must make a save vs death. Failure indicates the
attacking sorcerer gains 1d4 temporary hit points. These hit points are lost
first when the sorcerer is damaged or disappear after 1 turn (whichever comes
first).
|
2
|
Bonecrusher
Weapon: When the sorcerer hits an
enemy with this melee weapon, damage dice are rolled twice and the higher of
the two rolls is applied.
|
3
|
Chaos
Runeweapon: When wielding this
weapon, the sorcerer gains +1 to hit and damage, as well as an extra attack
every second combat round.
|
4
|
Rod
of Corruption: With this rod, the
sorcerer targets one enemy he can see within 60 feet. The target must save vs
spells or suffer 2d4+1 damage as corrupting energy courses through him
(half-damage on a successful save). At the start of each of the target’s
subsequent turns, he must make a save vs spells or suffer an additional 2d4+1
damage. Two successful saving throws in a row ends the rod’s corrupting
effect upon the target.
|
5
|
Scepter
of Domination: When wielding this
staff, the sorcerer gains +1 to hit and damage. In addition, once per day,
the sorcerer may cast charm person.
|
6
|
Staff
of Change: When wielding this staff, the sorcerer gains +1 to hit and damage. In addition, all saving throws against
spells cast by the sorcerer suffer a -1 penalty.
|
7
|
Summoning
Weapon: Instead of making a normal
melee attack, the sorcerer may dramatically brandish this weapon to
immediately summon 2d4 demonic 1 HD monsters to fight for him (similar to the
spell summon monster I). The
monsters are mutated, chaotic versions of normal monsters, but use their
standard game stats for combat. The monsters disappear after 2d6 rounds or
when slain.
|
8
|
Terror
Weapon: Instead of making a normal
melee attack, the sorcerer may dramatically brandish this weapon to cause fear (similar to the spell) in
all enemies within 20 feet of him. Foes within range must make a successful
save vs spells or flee in panic for 1d6 rounds. Those who succeed at the
saving throw are immune to the weapon’s fear effect for the rest of the day.
|
CHAOS MAGIC ITEMS TABLE VII: ARMOR, BRACERS AND CLOAKS
Roll 1d8
|
Magic Armor
|
1
|
Armor
or Bracers of Crimson Flame: Any foe
attempting to make a melee attack against the sorcerer must make a save vs
spells. If failed, the enemy loses his attack as he recoils in horror at an imaginary
conflagration bursting from the sorcerer. If successful on his saving throw,
the enemy may attack the sorcerer normally. Once a successful saving throw is
made, that enemy is immune to the imaginary flame effect for the remainder of
the day.
|
2
|
Armor
or Bracers of Damnation: A
successful attack against the sorcerer must be re-rolled. The re-roll stands
whether a hit or miss.
|
3
|
Armor
or Bracers of Tortured Souls: This
armor provides the sorcerer an additional +1 AC bonus against all normal
(non-magical) attacks.
|
4
|
Armor
or Bracers of the Void: If the
sorcerer makes a successful saving throw against a spell cast against him,
the enemy who cast that spell must make a save vs spells. If the enemy caster
fails this save, the spell he just cast is permanently lost to him as dark
chaotic forces summoned from beyond the Void invade and wipe his mind of magical power. When the caster next looks in his spellbook (or prays for his spells if he is a cleric or druid), he cannot
recognize the writings for the lost spell (or cannot properly demonstrate his faith). At the referee’s discretion, the
spell lost is not permanent and the caster is simply temporarily confused by
the writing in his spellbook (or his prayers) and cannot prepare it for 2d6 weeks.
Alternatively, the spell may be re-learned if the caster comes across another
version or has some divine inspiration.
|
5
|
Armor
or Cloak of Shadows: The sorcerer is
engulfed in shadow and surrounded by 1d4 shadowy duplicates, making it
difficult to tell his exact position. This effect functions exactly as the
spell mirror image and is usable
once per day.
|
6
|
Chaos
Runecloak: On a successful hit
against the sorcerer with a magic weapon that weapon is negated of all magic
properties for 1d6 rounds.
|
7
|
Spelleater
Cloak: This cloak grants the sorcerer
a re-roll on any failed saving throw vs spells. The re-roll stands whether
successful or not.
|
8
|
Wraithform
Armor or Cloak: This armor makes the
sorcerer appear incorporeal similar to a wraith. While wearing this armor,
the sorcerer is unharmed by nonmagical weapons and silver weapons deal only
half-damage to him.
|
