Tag: path-emph-magus
House Narcosa (Necromancer Order of Salt Shore)
Posted on November 8, 2016 in Steel-Realms
A Standard Steel Realms Occult Order with standard benefits
– Command of Occult arcane powers and entities. The institution maintains the Standard Occult Reliquary of the Steel Realms for members.
“Order of Narcosa, The House of Necromancy”: House Narcosa (sometimes referred to as a ‘guild’) is one of the only 2 major notable institutions to focus on Necromancy in the realms. Understandably so, as their livelihood deals with the undead mostly, and there is a lot of fear and misunderstanding of their order. The order also has a special relationship with the fallen death god Djerduth. The order promotes the old gods ways, carrying on the religious traditions of death as a natural part of life, and seeking its mysteries to better understand the living. Far from the “death-worshiping anemic” its enemies portray it as, its members are the most physically fit and robust of wizardly orders – they practice medicine and are adherents of physical exercise and know the body and its workings like few others. The order serves as healers even in some places, such as North Gate Garrison They are THE premier operators against the undead there and other places in the north, though they number few and ways are kept secret. The Narcosan Watchers is a sect in the order that learns to repair the worst bone and tissue breaks, and can even repair animations.
The small order has been around for thousands of years. It is a fortified tower atop a granite 120’ x 70’ shelf that pushes 20’ above soil level.
Resolute: The lands and city of Reedbed was sacked, it stood. The town of Salt Shore burned, it stood. The shipyards of Salt Shore burned and the city sacked… it stood. Pirates took control of Salt Flats for years… it stood. The purge of Hermenna ousted every malign master and apprentice along the shores of Lake Caolite in 9120 – it was left untouched. Each time the order survived and came out to treat the wounded and bury the dead. Every time some would-be ruler of the town surrounding it threatened the order, the threats quickly stopped. It is unknown what leverage the order has, but no one has tested it. The order is famous in the north, all around the massive Lake Caolite. Disease outbreaks, seasonal debilitations, crop death, clashes of armies, plague… always will they be there. The clergy of Aerna, even the White Sisters, admit to their prowess (albeit grudgingly). When possible, they maintain a fast sloop in Salt Shore, and can go anywhere on the shores of the lake to aid after any disaster – no questions asked, no port dues, no tithes.
- Occult Theme/Motif: Red & White Feathers/Streamers
- Presence Levels: Preeminent in northern heartlands; Order houses all over the north…
- Major: Salt Flats, Lake Caolite (shores)
- Minor: North Gate Garrison, Lim, Arminsted
- Trivial: Twin Springs, Karolak, Soriano, Thurlow
- Alliances: None
- Occult Focus: Schools of Magical Study…
- Major: Necromancy
- Minor:
- Trivial:
- Familiar Specialty: Lesser Homonculous
Fetus like flesh creation @6th (in addition to any other familiar!); AC 12, HD: 1/HP = 4 [Cost = 180 silvers] Dexterity/Wisdom 15, Strength (half creators current; 5), Charisma 3, All Others 10
Never sleeps, never tires, cannot be charmed or slept; sees through illusions. Speaks with creators voice.
Stealth +4, Perception +3, Athletics +3 & Gets creators proficiency bonus. - Potion Specialty: Detect Life [Major Cost Portion/unlimited (2 at a time) for Major Presence]; INT x 10′ range, per Detect Magic
- Scroll Specialty: False Life- “Stolen Life”; Ritual (DC 13) practiced in the Heartlands using special oils and written on prepared skin of a fallen foe (150 silvers) gains an extra +1 HP and immune to Chill Touch until the spell ends or HP used.
- Lore Specialty: +1 Lores when trained for Cleric 1: Undead, Animations/Constructs, Diseases, Poisons.
Sigaek’s Breath Variant: Breath of Bone (bone corset); 4 + D4 casting trinkets; +1 AC vs. undead and animations. Trinkets can also be used to deal an extra 5 damage to an undead or animation that is the target of the wearers spells. “Mantle of Death” – The bones will dig in and do 1 damage per 10 rounds (min 1) that the wearer wishes to be invisible to undead and animations.
> Chain of Authority: Often referred to as “The Shackles of Time” among guild members, it denotes the rank to which they have risen. Special honors and ‘medals’ are presented as chains in this chain. The chain is padded with different color links of “beyond the known” – filler until the ranks or honors can be achieved. Only the wearer or one of higher rank in the guild may remove it from the body, otherwise effort confound the person trying; tangles, twists, broken fingers, etc.
Standard Rank Links
- Apprentice: A character just graduating is given 4 apprentice chain links. This symbolizes the awareness of the living, the eyes that behold north, south, east and west and allow the apprentice to determine their direction; They are painted to look like an eye.
> 5th Apprentice link; “Inner Eye”: If the apprentice can survive a test of physical endurance (DC 10 Constitution) while reciting the proper ritual seeking knowledge (DC 10 Arcana) they are given a 5th link -a black eye – to add to their Chain of Authority, and allow them to seek Eye of the Child.
Honors and Medals Links
- Eye of the Child:
- Square Link: Essentially 2 eyes. It allows the wearer to remove 2 of the apprentice links and use them in a Lesser Homunculus – where they transform into real eyes and allow the Necromancer double the bonded range.
- Rounded Link: The Necromancer may have the guild tattoo an eye upon the palm of their hand. It requires a 1 HP sacrifice permanently. The eye can see as the dead see up to 60′ – even in total and magical darkness. When the Necromancer casts False Life, it grants them 1 extra HP.
- Caress of the Dead: At 3rd level/2nd level Cleric, the character may Offer to Djerduth 1 hp permanently to transform one of their hands into a Crawling Claw that operates as a normal black hand but can detach. If it dies, it will reform after a Long Rest.
| Threshold | Offering |
|---|---|
| 1st | |
| 4th | |
| 7th | |
| 11th |
Death God’s Servants
The guild members can gain Piety from the death god; they must have Religion as a skill
D20
ICoreD20 Institution Features
Incarna Core Institution Features
History
Adventures: Narcosa Cycle
House Malor (Occult Order of Dunstrand)
Posted on July 8, 2016 in Steel-Realms
House Malor is a Standard chartered Steel Realms Occult Order of the realms with standard benefits
– Command of Occult arcane powers and entities. This includes the practices of the Ryadian Oblis in the Steel Realms for Mystical Discernment in most of its chapter houses. The institution maintains the Standard Occult Reliquary of the Steel Realms for members.
- Occult Theme/Motif: None
- Motto: “Security through information.”
- Symbol: A White Pigeon on a diagonal red slash, leaning right and gripping a scroll.
- Periaptery: To denote the magus’ initial training, a charm of iron and wood bearing wings wreathed in a chain is worn.
- Talismanen: “Lens of Discernment” Allows the Attuned (only works for who it was made for) to see codes and symbols through the illusory script and learn the security protocols and passwords past the orders’ various magical alarms, magical wards, etc.
Talismanen: To denote the continued association, a the periaptery has the Eye of Delleb inset into it.
The Eyes of the Order: From the heart of the orders power are drawn crystals that adorn the accouterments of the order. These crystals are secretly placed in meeting halls, council chambers and places of important congregation. They can be used to scry from The Panopticon, and to detect magic read surface thoughts.
Occult Style
Occult Styles Thematic Emphasis: Divination, EarthFrom the Panopticon crystal on rod of office. Adds detect thoughts, still total # = prof bonus
Thematic Ineptitude: Fire, Biomanipulation
Thematic Mastery: Divination
Thematic Frailty: Fire
Interactions with other Occultists
Warlock, wizards, and occultists in general not affiliated with House Malor properly MUST inform the order “before they set foot” in Dunstrand. Nominally, it just means they must check in and inform the group of their intentions while in Dunstrand, not that they become a Minor Presence within the order. No arcane or occult research is allowed within Dunstrand that is not overseen by the order – including ruin exploration and item/knowledge seeking. The exceptions are the Riverdans – which the order has only loose oversight in (much to their dismay). Independent wizards may operate their magical powers “at the forbearance of House Malor” – i.e. the order reserves the right to censure (shut down, inhibit, and even escort to the Duchy’s border if need be) the individual if they do not approve of their actions. The “fruits of any unsanctioned action may be forfeit by such wizards and their companions” in such cases. There is no absolute forbidden or allowed actions – and House Malor likes to keep it nebulous. Outside occultists can expect to have the order’s agents follow them for a while and at random intervals if they stay long. The order is known to use creatures – familiars and homonculus- extensively in this spying.
Organization
- Head of the House
- Master/Mistress of the House (x3)
- Master of the Barque Chapel
- Master of Doves (Mailai)
- Master of Sceptres
- Journeyman of the order (x7)
- Chainforged Master: Oversees the making of the orders’ mystical chains
- Apprentice Arcane of the House (x9 to 15); Apprentices who have finished their initial training and pledged themselves to the order.
- Apprentice Servile to the Order (x11 to 22); These are magi in training. They may advance to Apprentice Arcane, or simply leave the order after their training is complete. They are not entrusted with much knowledge of the inner workings of the order.
- MageGuard of Malor (2 Journeyman, 4 Apprentice Arcane); serves with the Duke and his personal guard.
Service and Tenets
Oath(s): I hereby swear, upon penalty of censure, exile, and even death if it betrays the ducal interests and leads to death, mayhem, and division, that…
- High Oath: Dedicated to the causes and higher members of the order
- Lesser Oath: Casual and lower members of the order
- Oath of Erudition: Passing mages and occultists – The magic I practice, acquire, and that which I witness, shall be reported to authorities of House Malor along with any impressions and ideas that said magic may be against the betterment of the Ducal family and/or the stability of their lands.
Milestones of Service
Ranks
Red Crook: A contact for the order in a locale, they keep a Red Rookery for sending messages. Given an Eye of the Order, under protection of the order. Tithe 10% (rookery expenses paid by the order).
Notable Locations of House Malor
Omnipresent: In every city (and most towns) in Dunstrand is a place to get homing pigeons at the very least to return to Dunstrand City and the order house there.
Members of its order will generally not be found within the Riverdans – as they have no authority nor do the locals support them (though they will not simply hinder them because of their affiliation). In the north of Dunstrand, the twin river counties, the order has a harder time operating. While they nominally have unfettered access, the rulers of the northern counties are known to keep the counsel of the Lightbringer clergy, not House Malor, on matters of the occult.
Characters of House Malor
Benefits:
- Access to libraries of knowledge
- Spell Libraries
- Access to Red Rookeries (messenger pigeons used by the house members – found in all major cities/towns)
- Red Satchel: A [minor magical item] holding a messenger pigeon kept in stasis – every member carries one
- Access to the pure metals mined only in Dunstrand: silver, tin, copper, iron – for making their chain of service
D20 Order Powers
Forging the House Malor Chain of Office: Grey Link at every third level achieved, Copper Link if Divination learned, Silver link if Arcane Eye learned, Iron Link when 7 divination spells learned, Black iron link when a master of Cryptography, Bronze link when True Sight is learned, Crystal link if Scrying is learned.
Background: Scion of House Malor
A Scion of the House is a magus raised from a young age to be part of the house operations. They are dedicated to the mission of the house and steeped in its lore. Scions are housed in guild halls, and travel to all the halls and places of importance to the house. They serve in ceremonial and official capacity, witnessing many events and tending to the needs of house members.
- Skills: Arcana, History
- Lores: Dunstrand +2, House Malor +2; choose 1 from: Law, The Deeping, Cryptography for a +2 bonus
- Spells: Locate Object goes to 1 mile and lasts 30 minutes within Dunstrand; The character may cast Commune with Nature 1/Long Rest while within the confines of the Duchy of Dunstrand – the casting with cause 2 levels of Exhaustion until a short rest is made. All divination spells last only half duration for the first month the character leaves the duchy.
- All other members of House Malor treat the character as if they are Familiar in terms of resisting scrying. All members are required to leave a lock of hair in the guild hall that they were educated in.
Irya’s Chosen
A select few females of the ranks of Scions are chosen to serve in the Irya’s Chapel. This is a sacred place to Ezrilus, the goddess of magic. Human women are brought at the age of 14 to be tested in the eyes of the goddess. They are required to make a Constitution check DC 12, using their Intelligence modifier. They must not be evil or selfish in nature or outlook. Regardless, the victim suffers 1 HP of damage permanently. If the succeed, they take 2 HP damage and their eyes will slowly change to a glittering silvery pale grey over the next 4 years. They become a living link to the power of the goddess, and serve in the Panopticon to channel her power. In exchange, they gain a +1 save against magical affects other than those in the Panopticon, Darkvision 20′, and Resistance to cold. They gain Disadvantage on Stealth checks. The chosen lose the ability to cast any cantrip which uses fire and cannot bear children.
Specialized Knowledge – Arcane Eye: If Silver link forged, can cast up to 4th level divination/detection spells through it.
Specialized Knowledge – Detection: For each grey link in their chain, while within the Duchy of Dunstrand, the duration and/or range is doubled (choose 1).
Incarna Core
A full allowance of starting currency + tithe (50% value of all goods, lands/taxes, property/production)
Benefits:
For each level of sorcery: 1 spell of highest level on gaining new sorcery level
For each level of math: 1 parlor trick
For each level of cryptography: A ring on the rod of office
For each level mana sense: A number of items equal to the achieved level which holds a single use of any spell the apprentice has.
For each 6 months of service: An apprentice rank spell
For each year of service: A novice rank spell
Each guild hall has a Occult library ranging from +1 to +4 with research assistants for a cost (added +1)
For 5 years equiv. service: Teaching the basics of astrology (/iweb/game/pubs/incarnations/issues/vol1/issue2/#astrology)
For 10 year equiv. services: Training for horoscopy (skill path of astrology)
Halas Blaze School (occult order)
Posted on June 28, 2016 in Steel-Realms
The Halas Blaze School is a Standard Steel Realms Occult Order with standard benefits
– Command of Occult arcane powers and entities. The institution maintains the Standard Occult Reliquary of the Steel Realms for members.
Familiar-Killers: The wizards of this order are known to eschew the use of familiars, going so far as to sever their essence which allows this. In exchange for this, they are known to possess a ‘sight’ which allows them to detect familiars – to counter any intelligence gathering being done by them. They have no issue with the destruction of another wizard’s familiar, and using their hidden fire knowledge this way makes it so that it takes longer to be able to summon a new one.
- Occult Theme/Motif: Green Fire/Wisps
Order of the Stone Hand/Graven Glyph
Posted on June 28, 2016 in Steel-Realms
A Standard Steel Realms Occult Order with standard benefits
– Command of Occult arcane powers and entities. The institution maintains the Standard Occult Reliquary of the Steel Realms for members.
Also known as the Order of the Graven Glyph. When it was created, it was created under the this name, and it attempted to bridge the efforts of House Malor in Dunstrand and the Northern Merchant Cities in providing a neutral party for peace negotiations and monitoring arcane perils between the two territories.
- Occult Theme/Motif: None
Karolak
Paul Dorn
House Mataff (Occult Order of the Hinterlands)
Posted on June 3, 2016 in Steel-Realms
A Standard Steel Realms Occult Order with standard benefits
– Command of Occult arcane powers and entities. The institution maintains the Standard Occult Reliquary of the Steel Realms for members.
House Mataff of South Drift – a small order of mages which pursue academic ends; recovery of lost artifacts and knowledge from the ancient northern kingdom. They have long sought out ways of holding back the undead from the ancient places of the north – despite being focused on divination and seeking out lost knowledge (they are rumored to have unearthed their signature ‘frost sigil’ from ancient sources in Fallen Dundaria), they are known as excellent defenders against minor undead. It helps maintain a “Scroll Vault” of the Thanes Library in South Drift that is erected and maintained there – safeguarding knowledge of the northlands.
- Occult Theme/Motif: None
- Presence Levels: Preeminent in South Drift only; Major, Minor, Trivial
– Order Houses in the Hinterlands only. - Alliances:
- Occult Focus: Schools of Magical Study…
- Major: Divination
- Minor:
- Trivial:
- Familiar Specialty: Owl [+5 hp]
- Potion Specialty: Clairvoyance [Major Cost Portion/unlimited (2 at a time) for Major Presence]
- Scroll Specialty: Augury – “The Voice in the Cold Mist”; Ritual practiced in the Hinterlands or Fallen Dundaria can get an extra use per day without penalty by invoking Frost Sigil Power
- Lore Specialty: Undead, Monster, Kaald, Dundaria, Kalascor, Hinterlands
Sigaek’s Breath Variant: Sigil of Frost (“Mist-Sigil of Mataffrey”) – Those not of the order take 1 Cold Damage each sunrise while wearing it; -1 damage from any cold damage source (Occult Affinity or Aptitude); Chill Touch +1 damage and undead -1 saves
> Frost Sigil Power [-1 Essence; tied to Frost Sigil/only Major Presence members or better] they damage increase for Chill Touch happens 1 level less, i.e @4th, etc. If they are in Kaald or Dundaria, for each 4 levels the undead save is additional -1 vs. Chill Touch.
| Threshold | Offering |
|---|---|
| 1st | |
| 4th | |
| 7th | |
| 11th |