Fire Vampire

Description

Appearance

Fire Vampires look like tiny stars, and are similar to fire elementals.

Combat

In combat, they attack by touching objects and causing them to catch fire. Damage is 2-20 points per hit, or half that if a save vs. breath weapon is made. They take damage from water, however, at 1 hp/ half-gallon.

Habitat/Society

Fire Vampires live in fire bodies, and are believed to have originated near Fomalhaut.

Ecology

Fire Vampires have no place in the ecology at large.

Also in this section of the source

Ithaqua (Lesser God)

Ithaqua, also known as the Wendigo and the Walker on the Wind, is particularly recognized in cold wastelands, as he is associated with the freezing winds, snowstorms and other destructive forces of weather in such regions. Ithaqua typically appears as a huge cloud of fog or snow in a vaguely humanoid shape, with blazing red eyes. When passing overhead, it gives the optical illusion of two bright stars close together visible through a storm.

Role-playing notes: Ithaqua considers cold wastelands to be his special province, and if one of his avatars has taken up residence in such a realm, he will wander it aimlessly, preying upon travellers if he so chooses, and accepting human sacrifices from local inhabitants.

Statistics: AL ce; WAL any evil or cn; AoC cold storms, wastelands, etc.; SY two burning eyes in a human-shaped cloud of snow.

Ithaqua's Avatar (fighter 15, wizard 15, priest 15)

Ithaqua's Avatars almost universally appear in his natural form. He often stalks his wastelands, picking up human sacrifices and waylaying travellers; his victims are often discovered weeks or months later, frozen solid, and missing significant portions of their bodies.

Stat	Value	Stat	Value	Stat	Value
Str	21	Dex	18	Con	20
Int	18	Wis	18	Cha	-1
MV	24	SZ	20'	MR	30%
AC	2	HD	15	HP	120
#AT	2	THAC0	5	Dmg	4-40 each

Special att/def: His most potent weapon is his ability of controlling weather, usable at will, with triple range and effects. If he is within 36 yards of his victim, he can pick him up and carry him away, or drop him from 1d10x10 feet (standard d6 damage per 10 feet fallen); if the victim resists, he must make a successful strength check, in which case Ithaqua must make a successful attack roll to pick him up. He may also attack with his claws. If he hits, grasping can follow automatically. Viewing Ithaqua requires that one save vs. death magic or go mad; after every three months, another save may be attempted to regain sanity. Should that same character ever see Ithaqua again, however, the madness returns automatically, and even hearing his howl in the wind requires a save at -3 to avoid recurrence.

Duties of the Priesthood

Ithaqua has no regular priesthood, as most of his worship is of a preventative nature. He does, however, have a few unscrupulous shamans in his service.

Requirements: AB standard; AL ce; WP any; AR b; SP all, combat, elemental air, summoning, weather; PW nil; TU nil.

Closing Remarks

Dawn is approaching fast, and I must close my post. As I wrote, however, and most particularly while I wrote about Ithaqua, I was very aware of the high winds that are still circulating outside. Now, in retrospect, particularly in light of the great storm that struck this weekend, I wonder why it is that I waited so long to send out this final installment. I have heard this referred to as the storm of the century on several occasions, and I must indeed wonder.

At any rate, a final caveat must be offered to DM's using the priesthood of Cthugha: do not inform the players in too much detail of the abilities available to them, as many players will clamour to take the role. Immunity to fire and wizard fire spells must surely be attractive in particular to those powergamers out there who see the sole aim of a campaign as the acquisition of power for their characters. The best solution to this problem is to bear in mind that in a Lovecraftian milieu, atmosphere and then plot come first. True, the character might have considerable power -- but then, give him assignments designed to bring the worship of Cthugha and of the other Great Old Ones into some other Plane of existence or Crystal Sphere. Force him to work with some of the monsters, or even an Avatar, of the Mythos. Sooner or later, the character will be irretrievably mad. Furthermore, there will be nowhere where a priest of Cthugha will not be hunted; remember, even in the home planes of the Mythos, the Great Old Ones are not yet free, and they still have enemies. Similar warnings apply to the other priesthoods, should players seek to play them. And finally, if the players should still wish to play them, then by all means let them, at least if you have no objection to running a campaign dominated by the Mythos, as it surely would be if one or more of the PC's followed its gods!

Good day, and enjoy the ghastliness that can spice up your campaigns!

Adelheyde

From:

Note: Greater Deities (GD) can grant all levels of spells to their priests. Intermediate Deities (ID) can grant all levels of spells to their priests, but to grant Quest spells they must have consent from the chief god of the pantheon. Lesser Deities (LD) can only grant spells up to level six, inclusive. Demigods (DG) can only grant spells up to level five, inclusive. I write my priesthoods based closely on the CPH's guidelines, but not quite as weak as they propose.

Greek Deities

Aphrodite (ID)

• AoC: love, beauty
• Req: WIS 9, CHA 16, non-evil
• Wpn: bow, net, staff
• Amr: any
• MA: All, Charm, Guardian, Healing
• ma: Creation, Protection, Thought, Wards
• MI: as cleric
• GP: 5) charm person (opposite sex only) 10) CHA increased to 18 15) arouse feelings of love as a philter of love on any intelligent being
• note: must release white doves every 10 days, throw art objects into the sea every new moon

Apollo (Silverbow) (ID)

• AoC: light, prophecy, music, healing
• Req: WIS 9, any good
• Wpn: staff, net, bow
• Amr: nonmetal
• MA: All, Charm, Divination, Healing, Sun, Thought
• ma: Animal, Elemental, Necromantic, Plant, Time
• MI: as cleric
• GP: 1) turn undead 5) cure disease 10) heal

Ares (ID)

• AoC: war, killing, strife
• Req: STR 9, WIS 9, non-good
• Wpn: any
• Amr: any
• MA: All, Combat, War, Weather
• ma: Chaos, Elemental
• MI: as cleric
• GP: 12) raise dead
• note: must multi-class with fighter (this is an exception to the rule that humans cannot multi-class)

Artemis (Archeress) (ID)

• AoC: hunting, wild beasts, childbirth
• Req: WIS 12, CHA 15, female, TN
• Wpn: club, sickle, dart, spear, dagger, scimitar, sling, staff, bows
• Amr: nonmetal
• MA: All, Animal, Elemental, Healing, Plant, Weather
• ma: Combat, Divination
• MI: as cleric
• GP: 7) ignore range penalties to archery up to 500 yards 14) complete control of animals within 1000 yards
• note: must remain chaste and avoid men

Athena (Brighteyes) (ID)

• AoC: wisdom, crafts, war
• Req: WIS 9, LG, chastity
• Wpn: spear, swords
• Amr: any
• MA: All, Combat, Divination, Protection, Thought
• ma: Charm, Healing, War
• MI: as cleric
• GP: 5) regenerate 1 hp/turn 15) commune with Athena once/week (one question)

Cronus (Crookmind) (GD)

• AoC: sinister ambition
• Req: WIS 9, non-good
• Wpn: sickle
• Amr: any
• MA: (Cronus cannot grant spells)
• ma: (Cronus cannot grant spells)
• MI: as cleric
• GP: nil

Demeter (ID)

• AoC: agriculture
• Req: WIS 9, non-evil
• Wpn: sickle, club, flail
• Amr: nonmetal
• MA: All, Animal, Elemental, Healing, Plant, Time, Weather
• ma: Divination, Sun, Wards
• MI: as cleric
• GP: 1) plant growth 5) turn undead at -2 levels 10) control weather 20) create a potion of longevity for the priest's use only
• note: must return to Eleusis every February to help in the Lesser Mysteries (may miss if there is a good reason), must return every fifth year in September for the Greater Mysteries or lose all powers until they attend the next one (in five years)

Dionysus (ID)

• AoC: mirth, madness
• Req: WIS 9, non-LG
• Wpn: staff, whip, net, may use poison
• Amr: any
• MA: All, Chaos, Charm, Healing, Plant
• ma: Creation, Weather
• MI: as cleric
• GP: 1) neutralize poison 10) CON is raised to 18
• note: must take the brewing NWP at 1st level

Gaea (Mother Earth) (GD)

• AoC: fertility, health, prophecy
• Req: WIS 12, CHA 15, TN
• Wpn: club, sickle, quarterstaff, 'agricultural' weapons
• Amr: nonmetal
• MA: All, Animal, Elemental, Healing, Plant, Weather
• ma: Divination
• MI: as cleric
• GP: 1) turn undead 5) cure disease 15) divination
• note: use druid exp table

Hades (ID)

• AoC: the dead, wealth
• Req: WIS 9, non-good, non-chaotic
• Wpn: any
• Amr: any
• MA: All, Elemental (ef), Necromantic (rev only for 4th and higher), Wards
• ma: Charm, Healing, Summoning
• MI: as cleric
• GP: 1) turn undead 3) see in darkness 5) darkness 10' radius 10) death touch (save or die) 20) regenerate 5 hp/round

Hecate (ID)

• AoC: magic, moon, abundance
• (Hecate has no priesthood)

Hephaestus (Crookshank) (ID)

• AoC: smithing, crafts
• Req: STR 15, WIS 9, non-evil
• Wpn: hammer
• Amr: any made by a priest of Hephaestus
• MA: All, Combat, Creation, Elemental, Guardian, Healing
• ma: Divination, Sun, War, Weather
• MI: as cleric
• GP: 1) +1/level bonus to blacksmithing checks 5) can repair magical weapons and armor on successful proficiency check 10) can craft magical weapons and armor with a bonus of +1/3 levels (max of +5)
• note: must be kind to those with deformities, must take the blacksmithing NWP at 1st level

Hera (GD)

• AoC: marriage
• Req: WIS 9, non-LG
• Wpn: club, cudgel, staff
• Amr: any
• MA: All, Charm, Divination, Healing, Protection
• ma: Combat
• MI: as cleric
• GP: 5) detect lie 12) clairvoyance centered on any acquaintance

Hermes (Luckbringer) (ID)

• AoC: travel, trade, thievery, gambling, running
• Req: CON 15, WIS 15, non-evil
• Wpn: type B
• Amr: none
• MA: All, Chaos, Charm, Divination, Numbers, Protection, Travelers, Wards
• ma: Guardian, Healing, Weather
• MI: as cleric
• GP: 1) -1 bonus to AC/level up to 10th 5) detect lie (no save) 10) always move as if hasted (movement and initiative bonuses only)
• note: must take running NWP at 1st level (costs 1 slot), if they take bribe there is a 15% chance Hermes notices and takes offense

Rhea (GD)

• AoC: fertility, life
• Req: WIS 9, non-evil
• Wpn: type B
• Amr: any
• MA: All, Animal, Elemental (e), Healing, Plant, Protection
• ma: Charm, Creation
• MI: as cleric
• GP: 1) turn undead 8) summon rain on 2 mile radius

Poseidon (Earthshaker) (ID)

• AoC: water, earthquakes, creation
• Req: WIS 9, non-good
• Wpn: trident
• Amr: non-metal
• MA: All, Animal, Chaos, Creation, Elemental (ew), Healing, Weather
• ma: Divination, Elemental (af), Plant
• MI: as cleric
• GP: 5) water freedom (as ring of swimming, water breathing) 10) control winds (direction only) for up to 8 hours 15) earthquake
• note: must sacrifice a bull to the sea once a month

Uranus (Father Heaven) (GD)

• AoC: sky
• Req: STR 13, WIS 9, non-good
• Wpn: any
• Amr: any
• MA: All, Astral, Combat, Elemental (a)
• ma: Divination, Healing, Protection
• MI: as cleric
• GP: 1) turn undead 10) cast spells without any components
• note: this is a secret cult, the priests pose as fighters