Dragon WarriorsPriests
by Callum of Hampton-by-Sea

Character Creation Summary

• A. Intelligence and Psychic Talent must both be at least 9 for a character to qualify as a Priest
• B. Health Points: roll 1d6+5
• C. Basic ATTACK 11, DEFENCE 6
• D. Basic MAGICAL ATTACK 14, MAGICAL DEFENCE 5
• E. Basic EVASION 3
• F. Basic STEALTH 13, PERCEPTION 5
• G. Initially equipped with backpack, lantern, flint-&-tinder, shield, ringmail armour, dagger, mace OR flail, bible, crucifix, 25 Florins
• H. Priests use the same background tables as Knights except that they are automatically literate and able to speak Bacchile to Intermediate level

Advancement

• +1 to both ATTACK and DEFENCE when the character reaches 3rd rank, then +1 at 5th rank, +1 at 7th rank, etc.
• +1 to the character's normal Health Points score when he reaches 2nd rank, 4th rank, 6th rank, etc.
• +1 to both MAGICAL ATTACK and MAGICAL DEFENCE each time the character increases in rank, with an additional +1 MAGICAL DEFENCE at 7th rank and at 12th rank.
• +1 to EVASION when the character reaches 5th rank, then a further +1 when he reaches 9th rank.
• +1 to STEALTH when the character reaches 4th rank, a further +1 at 8th rank and a final +1 at 12th rank.
• +3 to PERCEPTION when the character reaches 4th rank, a further +2 at 8th rank and a final +2 at 12th rank.

Priests and Armour

Priests are not really at home in a heavy suit of armour. They have not received appropriate training for its use and suffer penalties due to its encumbrance, as detailed below:

• Chainmail: -2 to ATTACK and DEFENCE
• Plate Armour: -4 to ATTACK and DEFENCE

Priestly Special Abilities

Rituals

(available at all ranks)

Priests are able to invoke considerable powers: powers that either stem from the will of God himself or from within the Priest's own Psychic reserves, depending on your opinion of religious dogma.

Rituals are categorized into levels of increasing power and complexity, and a Priest cannot use Rituals of a level higher than his rank. Whenever a Priest uses a Ritual, he must make a check to see whether the effort Fatigues him. To avoid Fatigue, the Priest must roll equal to or less than (13 + his rank - Ritual's level) on 1d20. This is called the Fatigue Check. If it fails, the Priest cannot use any more Rituals that day. Priests automatically recover from Fatigue at dawn.

Note that when making a Fatigue Check, a roll of 20 always results in Fatigue, whatever the Priest's rank or the level of Ritual he is using.

Fortifying Rituals

For the purposes of penetrating sorcerous defences such as Wall of Magic and Spell Screen, Rituals are considered to have a ÔMagic Point strength' equal to their level. Thus (even though Priests do not use Magic Points or even consider Rituals to be magical in nature), an Entrap Evil Ritual, being of level seven is equivalent in strength to a 7 MP Sorcerer spell such as Enslave.

Sorcerers can put extra Magic Points into a spell to help it Ôpunch through' magical defences. Priests cannot do that, but they can choose to Fortify a Ritual above its normal level. This increases the chance of Fatigue but gives a more powerful Ritual. As an example, consider Brother Alaric, a Priest who is about to use a Ritual to attack a Sorcerer. Suspecting that his opponent has employed a 4 MP Wall of Magic, Brother Alaric Fortifies his Entrap Evil Ritual by four levels, increasing it to an effective level of 11. Alaric makes his Fatigue Check as though he had used a level 11 Ritual (even though such things do not actually exist). His Entrap Evil - after losing the equivalent of 4 Magic Points to the Wall of Magic - is reduced to seventh level and attacks the Sorcerer normally.

Terminating a Ritual

Some Rituals are durational: that is, they last for an extended period. Sometimes this period is indicated in minutes or Combat Rounds, but often the notation "Ritual Expiry Roll applies" will be shown.

A Ritual Expiry Roll is made by rolling 2d6 . On a roll of 2-11, the spell continues to operate. On a roll of 12, it wears off. This Ritual Expiry Roll is made at the start of each Combat Round following that in which the spell was cast. A separate Ritual Expiry Roll must be made for every Ritual the Priest has in operation.

A Priest can terminate his own durational Rituals at any time. It does not require any time or effort to do so: he simply ceases to bother sustaining them.

If a Priest is killed or knocked unconscious, any durational Rituals he has going at the time will expire immediately.

A Priest gains nothing by prematurely terminating a Ritual, and will usually choose to leave it going until it expires naturally. It is inconvenient for players and the GM to have to make a Ritual Expiry Roll for every six seconds of game-time when there is no longer a combat in progress. Instead, the Priest should roll once per minute to see whether the Ritual wears off: the chance that it will still be operating after one minute is 75% (which is statistically equivalent to ten successive Ritual Expiry Rolls).

Rituals and the Unholy

The Church has identified several groups and races as intrinsically "Unholy". The truth or otherwise of this position is open to debate, but what is certain is that many Priestly Rituals are more effective against these creatures than against an average person.

The list of Unholy creatures follows:

• Boggarts
• Elves
• Goblins
• Hags
• Hellions
• Hellrots
• Hobgoblins
• Ire Goblins
• The Malgash
• Spriggans
• Trolls
• Undead (any and all, including Cadavers)
• Witches (Darkness Elementalists)

Note that certain other creatures and groups that are considered Pagan and thus opponents of the church (eg Sorcerers and Druids (Elementalists)) are not Unholy.

Ceremony (4th rank)
This ability, which is usable only once per day, allows a Priest to combine his power with that of others for a brief time (5 Combat Rounds). The Priest can combine his power with up to one other person for every four full ranks he has attained. Thus a 9th rank Priest can combine in Ceremony with up to two other characters. No Unholy character can be involved in a Ceremony.

Participants in a Ceremony each resist hostile direct-attack spells with the total MAGICAL DEFENCE of the whole group.

Scripture (6th rank)
This is the ability to prepare Holy scrolls, a skill similar in function to a Sorcerer's Calligraphy.

The total cost of the basic materials of a Holy scroll will be 1-6 Crowns per level of the Ritual to be inscribed (a Sigil of Holiness scroll should be considered as an 8th level Ritual, regardless of what spell is actually bound into it): parchment of high quality is called for, along with gold leaf and some rare and expensive pigments for the illuminated lettering.

The scroll may be for any Ritual that the Priest is able to employ and the maximum effective level of the Ritual is limited to the Rank of the Priest (thus Brother Alaric, who is seventh rank, cannot Fortify an Entrap Evil scroll even though he could personally Fortify the Ritual at many levels more strength were he to employ it normally). The process of inscribing and illuminating a Holy scroll takes a week for every effective level of the Ritual being inscribed.

Each Holy scroll that a Priest prepares reduces his ability to resist Fatigue. For each scroll he has in existence, the Priest is considered to be one rank lower than he actually is for purposes of Fatigue Checks. Thus a tenth rank Priest who has three scrolls at his belt would be treated as seventh rank for purposes of his Fatigue Checks.

As a consequence of this limitation, Rituals committed to scrolls tend to be of the more powerful levels. Roll 1d100 to determine what level of Ritual is found on a randomly encountered scroll:

Once the level of Ritual is known, roll d3 to determine the exact Ritual.

Sainthood (9th rank)
The Priest may attempt to attain Sainthood when he reaches 9th rank. He must find retire to the contemplative life of a monk to meditate on his relation with God and to fortify his spiritual self. Each day he meditates, and at the end of the week he checks to see if he has achieved Sainthood (in game-terms, this is indicated by a roll of 20 on 1d20. However, in the case of a player-character, the GamesMaster should be satisfied that the player's interpretation of his character role is appropriate for the character to become a Saint).

A Saint is spiritually at the pinnacle of perfection - and physically not far from that. His Reflexes and Psychic Talent scores both increase to 18. His natural rate of healing from wounds is doubled, and he becomes immune to poison and disease. His serenity cannot be perturbed by external influences, rendering him inviolate against fright attacks, mind-controlling spells, possession by demons or spirits, etc.

The Rituals

1st level

Banish the Darkness

Fortify the Faithful

Scourge the Unclean

2nd level

Aura of Sanctity

Perception of Sorcery

Sustain the Worthy

3rd level

Blessed Action

Faith Healing

Strength of Faith

4th level

Cleanse the Sickened

Divine His Will

Know the Devil

5th level

Destroy Ensorcellment

Endure Ordeal

Fires of Atonement

6th level

Miracle

Relieve Poisoning

Rest the Damned

7th level

Destroy the Foul

Entrap Evil

Summon Avatar

8th level

Divine Retribution

Sigil of Holiness

Word of God

9th level

Resurrection

1st level Rituals

BANISH THE DARKNESS

Durational - lasts 3d6 minutes

This Ritual lights an area of 5m radius, centred on the Priest who invoked it. Like the Sorcerous spell Moonglow, this light is sufficiently diffuse to allow a 1-in-6 chance of surprising enemies.

FORTIFY THE FAITHFUL

Range - touch

This Ritual restores 2 Health Points to a wounded character. It will not increase his Health Points score above its normal (unwounded) level or bring a character back from the dead.

SCOURGE THE UNCLEAN

Direct Attack
Range - 10m

This Ritual creates a psychic assault that tears at the spirit of one target whom the Priest nominates. If successful, Scourge the Unclean does d4+1 damage to its target, or d4+4 if the target is Unholy.

2nd level Rituals

AURA OF SANCTITY

Direct Attack
Durational - Ritual Expiry Roll applies

This Ritual creates a zone around the Priest who invoked it, 2m in radius, which affects any Unholy creature whose rank-equivalent does not exceed the Priest's. If such creatures enter the zone they are immediately subject to a magical attack which, if successful, prevents them from approaching the Priest as long as the Ritual lasts.

PERCEPTION OF SORCERY

Durational - Ritual Expiry Roll applies

This Ritual allows the Priest (or another on whom he invokes the Ritual) to see the supernatural aura which surrounds enchanted beings and objects.

SUSTAIN THE WORTHY

By means of this Ritual, a Priest may create enough food and drink to provide one meal for up to five people. The food is wholesome, nourishing and tasty but does not keep: it will spoil within a few hours if not consumed.

3rd level Rituals

BLESSED ACTION

Durational - Ritual Expiry Roll applies

Whilst this Ritual is in effect the Priest who invoked it receives a bonus of +1 to ATTACK, MAGICAL ATTACK and to Armour Bypass Rolls. This bonus increases to +2 if the Priest is fighting an Unholy creature.

FAITH HEALING

Range - touch

By means of this Ritual, the Priest can restore up to 8 Health Points to himself or an injured comrade, subject to the same limitations as on the Ritual Fortify the Faithful.

STRENGTH OF FAITH

Durational - Ritual Expiry Roll applies

Whilst this Ritual is in effect the Priest who invoked it gains a bonus of +3 to his Strength, subject to a maximum value of 19. All attendant bonuses that would be accrued for this increase in Strength (such as an improved ATTACK score) are also gained during this time. Note that this Ritual is not cumulative with a Strength Potion.

4th level Rituals

CLEANSE THE SICKENED

Range - touch

The recipient of this Ritual is immediately cured of all disease, whether natural or supernatural in origion. Note however that any damage already caused by the disease is not healed by this Ritual.

DIVINE HIS

Durational - lasts one minute

The Priest who invokes this ritual may pose a single question. In answer to this question, he is granted a vision or hears a voice speaking to him. The answer given is both correct and relevant to the question the Priest asked, but is always couched in riddle-like or symbolic form, and thus is often unclear or subject to misinterpretation.

KNOW THE DEVIL

Durational - Ritual Expiry Roll applies

Whilst this Ritual is in effect, any creature of Unholy nature or of evil intent who comes within 10m of the Priest is silhouetted in a deep red glow. At the time of invoking this ritual, the Priest can decide whether this glow will be visible only to him, or to all present (including the affected creature).

5th level Rituals

DESTROY ENSORCELLMENT

Range - 5m

When this Ritual is invoked, any durational spells or Rituals within its range (except for those which cost more Magic Points or levels to cast than the Destroy Ensorcellment) immediately expire. Destroy Ensorcellment is not directional, and may therefore terminate the Priest's own durational Rituals as well as his opponent's spells.

Naturally, by making a higher level Fatigue Check, the Priest can destroy more powerful durational magics.

ENDURE ORDEAL

Durational - lasts up to one day

A Priest who has invoked this Ritual is able to endure extremes of heat and cold (but is not protected from fire). The Priest further requires no sustenance and not more than one breath every hour whilst the Ritual is functioning. Using this Ritual requires intense meditation throughout its duration and the Priest must remain immobile or the Ritual will expire. However, the Priest retains the option at all times to cancel the Ritual's effects and resume movement.

FIRES OF ATONEMENT

Indirect Attack (SPEED 15)
Range - 25m

When this Ritual is invoked, a powerful jet of cleansing Holy Fire leaps from the Priest's hands to strike one target. If the bolt hits, it inflicts 2d6+3 Health Points of damage, less the target's Armour Factor, if any. Unholy creatures take an additional 2d6 points of damage, for a total of 4d6+3.

6th level Rituals

MIRACLE

Range - touch

Use of this Ritual restores the recipient to his full normal Health Points score, cures any diseases he may be suffering from and regenerates any missing limbs or organs. Miracle has no effect on a dead character or on poison.

RELIEVE POISONING

Range - touch

This Ritual reduces the potency of poisons or drugs in a character's bloodstream by 2d6. The Ritual must be used within one Combat Round (six seconds) of the character being poisoned. Relieve Poisoning has no effect on any damage or other effect already caused by the poison.

REST THE DAMNED

Direct Attack
Range - 15m

All Undead within 15m of a Priest who invokes this Ritual suffer a magical attack equal to that of the Priest's. Undead with a rank-equivalent that is equal to or lower than that of the Priest are instantly destroyed if the attack is successful, and still take 1d6 damage if it is not. Undead that have a rank-equivalent higher than that of the Priest take 2d6 damage if the attack is successful but none if it fails.

7th level Rituals

DESTROY THE FOUL

Indirect Attack (SPEED 18)
Range - 25m

When a Priest invokes this Ritual he can choose to target up to six opponents, as long as all are within range. Destroy the Foul summons down six bolts of Holy fire, which the Priest can choose to split across his opponents as he wishes. Each bolt inflicts one die of damage (eight-sided normally, twelve-sided if the spell is used against an Unholy target). Magical armour reduces the damage by 1 point per die (normal armour has no effect). If multiple bolts are thrown at one target, each must be dodged separately.

For example: Brother Alaric is fighting a Sorcerer named Eltosh and the Sorcerer's Hobgoblin ally, Na'Brok. Both are within 25m. Invoking Destroy the Foul, Brother Alaric targets Eltosh with four bolts and Na'Brok with two. Thus Eltosh is the subject of four SPEED 18 attacks doing d8 damage each whilst Na'Brok, as an Unholy creature, suffers two SPEED 18 attacks doing d12 damage apiece.

ENTRAP EVIL

Direct Attack
Range - 15m
Durational - Ritual Expiry Roll applies

This power of this Ritual causes the target's voluntary muscles to seize up, leaving the victim locked in position. The Entrapped character has his EVASION and movement reduced to 0 and is entirely immobile for the duration of the spell, though involuntary functions such as heartbeat and breathing do continue. Of the spell-using professions, only Mystics can still cast spells in this state. Priests are similarly unaffected.

SUMMON AVATAR

Durational - Ritual Expiry Roll applies

When a Priest invokes this Ritual, he summons a glowing, white-clad warrior to do battle at his command. This Avatar can only be used for combat (it cannot perform other services) and has the following statistics:

• ATTACK - 32
• MAGICAL DEFENCE - 20
• DEFENCE - 20
• EVASION - 7
• Health Points - 20
• Armour Factor - 5
• Strength - 16
• Reflexes - 15

The Avatar wields a Sword (d8+1,5 due to Strength), carries a shield and wears silvery-white Plate Armour. Although neither weapon or armour has any pluses, both are considered to be magical in nature.

Only one Avatar may be summoned by any one Priest at the same time. If he attempts to summon a second before the first has expired or been destroyed the Ritual fails and the Priest automatically becomes Fatigued.

8th level Rituals

DIVINE RETRIBUTION

Direct Attack
Range - 10m

When this Ritual is invoked all Unholy creatures within range must successfully resist the Priest's magical attack or be immediately destroyed. Additionally, any non-Unholy creature in range who wishes to bring harm to the Priest must successfully resist the magical attack or suffer the loss of 2d6+3 Health Points.

SIGIL OF HOLINESS

Durational - lasts until activated

To perform this Ritual, the Priest must first inscribe a complex symbol upon a wall, tapestry or other suitable object. The symbol must be exposed to function but is often included in part of a larger decoration so as to conceal its purpose.

After inscribing the symbol, the Priest uses this Ritual to weave ties of power to it, allowing him to store within the symbol itself the effects of one of the other Rituals available to him. The Priest has approximately five minutes to choose and perform a second Ritual after the Sigil of Holiness has been invoked. If he fails to do so, the symbol he inscribed will fade away. Rather than actually taking place at the time of the invocation, however, this second Ritual is now stored within the symbol and will take effect when conditions set by the Priest are met (for instance "when anyone not a Priest of the Church opens this chest"). Favourite choices for second Rituals are Destroy the Foul, Fires of Atonement and Entrap Evil. Rituals invoked into a Sigil are limited in power to a level equal to the Priest's rank (this limitation is identical to that of Scrolls).

Invoking a Sigil of Holiness does not require a Fatigue check. However, the Priest is automatically fatigued by invoking the second Ritual.

A Priest may only have one Sigil at any one time, though he can cancel his existing one with but a simple thought.

WORD OF GOD

Direct Attack
Range - 10m
Durational - Ritual Expiry Roll applies

When a Priest invokes this powerful Ritual he creates a powerful aura that prevents any Sorcerer, Elementalist or Warlock spell of 1st to 5th level of effect (that is, cast with between one and five Magic Points) from functioning within ten feet of him. Note that this includes all spells of this type, whether they be direct attack, indirect attack, detection, healing or any other sort of spell.

Any spells in this category that are functioning in the area when the Word is invoked instantly expire and those cast into the area simply do not manifest, though the Magic Point cost of the spell must still be paid.

Mystic spells and Priestly Rituals are not affected by the Word and function normally.

Some creatures are able to generate magical spell-like effects that are not actually spells. These effects are affected by the Word. They are considered to have a level of effect equal to that of the creature's rank-equivalent. (If the creature is Unholy, use half the rank-equivalent instead, rounding up).

9th level Rituals

RESURRECTION

Range - touch
This Ritual will restore to life any character that has been dead for three days or less. The character will be restored with almost all the abilities possessed prior to their death, suffering only the loss of 1 Health Point from their normal maximum total.

Additionally, the newly Resurrected character will be weak for several (roll 2d6) hours: during this time he has only half normal Strength and Reflexes.

The Resurrection Ritual can only be invoked on hallowed ground and is extremely draining upon the Priest who performs it: he will automatically be Fatigued after finishing the Ritual and will further suffer the permanent loss of 1 point from one of the following (roll d6 to determine which is reduced):

As a consequence of the severe repercussions of performing this Ritual, most Priests require a donation of several hundred Gold Crowns to both themselves and the Church, or the performance of an equally significant service on the part of the recipient (such as the recovery of the bones of a Saint from the depths of Marazid, for example).

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