* * * Wizards Community Thread * * * -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Thread : Sammaster Started at 01-21-07 08:00 AM by Ferns Visit at http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=776305 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 1] Author : Ferns Date : 01-21-07 08:00 AM Thread Title : Sammaster I have read some rumors on the net by googling Sammaster, several sites has been proclaiming that he is now a god. That he has slain Tiamat and taken the portfolio of chromatic dragons, others that he got godhood without slaying Tiamat and that Tiamat is his ally. A site even had him covered as follows: Sammaster (the Mad, the Fallen Chosen, Servant of the Sacred Ones, Harbinger of theUndying Queen) CE Demipower of the Prime Material Plane PORTFOLIO: obsession, arcane experimentation, hybridization of monsters, metamagic, dracoliches ALIASES: None DOMAIN NAME: None SUPERIOR: Tiamat ALLIES: Tiamat, Gargauth FOES: Lathander, Kelemvor, Mystra, Azuth, Velsharoon SYMBOL: a tongue of flame with two eyes, hanging above an open dragon claw WOR. ALIGN: N, CN, CE, NE, LE Sammaster's Avatar (Necromancer 30, Cleric 25) Sammaster appears as a skeletal human male with long, stringy silver hair and beard. Shreds of flesh still dangle from his face and arms, and his hands are warped into reptilian talons. His eye sockets burn with mad purple fire. He wears tattered, charred robes of black and purple cloth, and a black sapphire is set into his forehead. He wears a crown and shoulder mantle of dragon bones, and carries a twisted black staff topped with a snarling dragon head. A pair of huge, tattered skeletal wings sprout from his back. He favors spells from the necromantic sphere and the schools of necromancy and metamagic, although he can cast spells from any sphere or school. AC: -4, MV15, Fl36(A), HP 152, THAC0 4; #AT1 Dmg 1d10+1+paralysis (+1Str) or 1d6+3 (staff +2, +1Str) MR55%; Sz L (10 feet tall) Str14, Dex18, Con25, Int23, Wis18, Cha14 Spells P: 11/11/10/10/9/8/4, W: 15/15/15/15/15/8/8/7/7* Saves PPDM RSW PP BW S *assume one extra necromancy spell per spell level & bonus spells from ringof wizardry Special Att/Def: Sammaster can attack with either his chilling touch (identical to that of a lich), dealing 1d10+1 points of damage and requiring that his target succeed at a saving throw vs. paralysis or be paralyzed until the condition is removed magically, or with his Staff of the Wyrm. This powerful staff (apparently a gift from Tiamat) combines all of the abilities of a staff of the magi and an amulet of draconic might, and allows Sammaster to compel the service of any chromatic dragon or dracolich of less than wyrm status with no saving throw. The black sapphire in his forehead acts as a ring of wizardry that doubles 1st-5th lvl spells. Sammaster's robes function as robes of the archmagi and a ring of spell turning. Sammaster enters melee only reluctantly, preferring to decimate his opponents with magic. Sammaster can choose to enhance any spell he casts in one of three ways at the moment of casting: target saving throws are penalized by -3, OR the spells are cast with a tripled duration, OR the spells are cast with a tripled area of effect. Sammaster can cast an additional spell from the metamagic school in addition to his normal spellcasting every round (That is, Sammaster can cast two spells in addition to making physical attacks in a single round, or if he chooses not to attack physically he can cast three spells per round provided in both cases that one of the spells is of the metamagic school). At will, Sammaster radiates dragonfear equal to that of a great wyrm dracolich. He can animate dead by touch, and can telepathically command any undead within 100 yards unless countermanded by a lesser, intermediate, or greater power or the undead creature is already under the control of a being of that status. Interestingly, his commands will override those of Velsharoon the Vaunted...though neither of the two demigods has yet become aware of this. Sammaster employs a constant true seeing. He can be hit only by weapons of +2 or greater enchantment, as is immune to all spells of the necromancy and metamagic schools unless he wishes to be affected by them, as well as mind-affecting spells, paralysis, cold, electricity, insanity, petrification, and polymorph spells. Sammaster's avatar suffers under several weaknesses of which he is completely unaware…apparently as a legacy of his past defeats. Against spells cast by priests of Mystra (including the Chosen and the Magister) or Lathander, his magic resistance is cut in half and he suffers a -2 to his saving throws. He also suffers double damage from Mystra's silver fire, also known as spellfire. Other manifestations: Thus far, Sammaster has manifested as a roaring, billowing white flame with two dark eyes, suspended above an open dragon claw (similar in appearance to his holy symbol and that of the Cult). This manifestation can communicate telepathically with anyone present (it never speaks aloud) and radiates dragon fear if Sammaster so desires. The dragon claw can gesture to guide or direct his followers, or can cast spells or spell-like powers as Sammaster wishes. It is likely he will develop other, more subtle manifestations in the near future. Sammaster is served by all forms of undead, but favors crawling claws, skeletal dragons, zombie dragons, and dracoliches, as well as living chromatic and gem dragons allied to the Cult. He favors no known colors or gemstones. The Church: Clergy: Clerics, specialty priests, mages, necromancers Clergy's Align: LE, NE, CE Turn Undead: C:No, SP:No, M: No, Nec:No Command Undead: C:Yes, SP:Yes, M:No, Nec:No All clerics and specialty priests of Sammaster receive religion (Faerunian) and undead lore as bonus nonweapon proficiencies. His ascension is not yet widely known (even among the Cult's greatest foes, such as the Harpers), but many folk know and hate his followers for the destruction and death they spread. Specialty Priests (Sacred Ones) Requirements: Intelligence 14, Wisdom 16 Prime Req: Intelligence, Wisdom Alignment: LE, NE, CE Weapons: Any bludgeoning (wholly type B) weapons Armor: None Major spheres: All, creation, divination, necromantic, numbers, summoning, time, thought, wards Minor spheres: healing, protection, guardian Magical items: same as clerics, plus wizard items specific to necromancers (including scrolls) Req. Proficiencies: spellcraft Bonus proficiencies: airborne riding (dragons), ancient languages (auld wymish) *Sacred Ones are immune to dragonfear, and gain a +4 to saving throws vs. all other types of fear. *At 3nd lvl, Sacred Ones gain complete knowledge of (that is, can speak, read, and write fluently) any one chromatic dragon language of their choice. They gain the knowledge of an additional chromatic dragon tongue at every other level (5th, 7th, 9th, etc.) *At 5th lvl, Sacred Ones may cast suggestion (as the 3rd lvl wizard spell) 1xday. *At 5th lvl, Sacred Ones gain a +2 bonus to their saving throws vs. all types of breath weapons. This bonus increases to +4 at 10th lvl. *At 7th lvl, Sacred Ones may cast dark wings (as the 3rd lvl priest spell) or animate dead (as the 3rd lvl priest spell) 1xday. *At 10th lvl, Sacred Ones may cast fear aura (as the 5th lvl wizard spell) 1xday. *Upon reaching 12th lvl, A Sacred One in good standing with Sammaster and the Cult of the Dragon is awarded a ring of dragons (detailed in the Cult of the Dragon) by a manifestation of Sammaster in a special ceremony attended by other Cultists and at least one dracolich. If this ring is ever destroyed, lost or stolen, the Sacred One is immediately placed under a geas by Sammaster to recover the ring or create another. Failure to replace or recover the lost ring in a reasonable amount of time (not more than six months) causes the creature to wither and die in 1d4 weeks. This geas cannot be lifted or averted by any mortal magic. *At 13th lvl, Sacred Ones can detect invisibility (as the 2nd lvl wizard spell) at will. *Upon reaching 15th lvl, a Sacred One in good standing with Sammaster and the Cult of the Dragon is awarded an amulet of draconic might (detailed in the Cult of the Dragon) by a manifestation of Sammaster in a special ceremony attended by other Cultists and at least one dracolich. If the amulet is ever destroyed, lost, or stolen, the Sacred One is immediately placed under a geas to recover or replace it as described above. *At 15th lvl, Sacred Ones can cast command monster (as the 6th lvl priest spell detailed in S&M) 1xday Can this be trusted in any way? or is it just some wishfull thinking of an evil mind? -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 2] Author : Fulnitus Date : 01-22-07 12:56 AM Thread Title : Re: Sammaster Well... I've never seen this description (granted: never the best argument, but quite convincing imho :P ) and some of the references/interactions in the descriptions (interference between Sammaster/Velsharoon etc) are worded in such a way that they seem campaign-specific. The wording in general does not strike me as being from an original sourcebook. First of all, there is not a lot on the actual character of Sammaster, his rise to godhood etc. Furthermore, there is only very little on the actual cult, which is generally covered extensively in forgotten realms deity descriptions (holy days, day-to-day activities, dogma, places of worship etc.). In short: the information presented is mostly game mechanics (avatar, specialty priest powers etc). Useful of course, but published products are generally more fleshed out. Of course, these days there is no such thing as 'original' or 'real', but if you're asking me if this description comes from an original AD&D product I'd say no. On the other hand, the description seems quite well-made and more-or-less follows the standard forgotten realms deity format, albeit in a slightly different order than normal. So my conclusion would be that it is not part of the published 2nd edition canon, but if it fits your campaign, use it! I guess that's what the people who posted it on this website (what's the address by the way?) would like you to do. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 3] Author : Ferns Date : 01-22-07 02:53 AM Thread Title : Re: Sammaster Actually it is from REALMS-L Archives -- April 2000, week 3 (#218) here on wizard.com, granted it is said that it is hypothetical, but it is also almost 7 years ago, so i could imagine that it has been published in some way, so that it has become canon. The link is --> http://oracle.wizards.com/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0004c&L=realms-l&D=1&F=&S=&P=23760 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 4] Author : Fulnitus Date : 01-22-07 03:41 AM Thread Title : Re: Sammaster Hi, Checked the original conversations and the guy who wrote up the description states the following: "his is yet another one of my dozens of half-concieved Dragon magazine submissions". [eh, it's a direct quote; can't blame me for not fiksing other poeples spelling ;) ] Actually the conversation tree is a collection of hypotheses and suggested alternatives/comments etc, following the (open) suggestion in 'TSR 9547 (FOR 11): Cult of the Dragon' that Sammaster might ascend to godhood by Tiamat's sponsorship. Excellent book by the way, just like most of the FOR series. By far the most interesting and comprehensive flesh-out-thy-campaign supplements imho. My guess is that the article in Dragon never got published/finished, possibly as a result of the advent of 3E. At least, I don't recall seeing a formal Sammaster-demigod description. But as previously, if it works for you, use it. The entire conversation tree can be found on http://oracle.wizards.com/scripts/wa.exe?A1=ind0004c&L=realms-l -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 5] Author : ZolDarklock Date : 01-22-07 05:59 PM Thread Title : Re: Sammaster In my campaign during the ToT, "I let the players play out the battles between the avatars and other powers" Sammaster allied with Tiamat, and he eventually slew Velsharoon, Mellifluer, Azuth, and Kalchesis, he quickly filled the void as the leading Necromancer his undead dragon and lich and other undead following exploded quickly, he eventually became the God of Necromancy / Liches / Dracoliches / and some Vampires among his followers, he was quickly sponsered by Tiamat :he forced her", because of her weaked positioned from her losses during that time, she needed a strong allie to survive... His Avatar takes the form of a seven headed dracolich, white, black, yellow, green, brown, blue, and red...His portfolio includes Necromantic Magic and lichdom, and undeath, he is a 20 level wizard and priest both of necromancy specialities with a special 10 level PrC that specializes in metamagic, he is considered a intermediate power, he gained a lot thru his deeds during the ToT, he did not sit idoly by, he took the his fight to become what he became to the other gods, there were not many battles between the avatars and other powwers that Sam did not have a hand in one way or the other, my players loved playing him, he gained the well earned title of "Destroyer of the Gods" -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Downloaded from Wizards Community (http://forums.gleemax.com) at 05-10-08 08:21 AM.