Speciality Priests of the Devourer
by Jim BobbMy Mystara campaign has taken a dark twist this past weekend. The dozen brave heroes and adventurers entering the famed Tomb of the legendary Arch-mage Acererak had returned, with 9 of their number lost, with a chilling tale of horror and defeat. The demon demilich fed off the souls of their fallen companions and used the soul energy he'd collected over the centuries to empower himself and propel him into the ranks of the Immortals. Among the survivors all had been marked for life by the physical and mental stresses Acererak put them through. One of them had been infected with vampirism, but retained control until the hapless group came face to face with the Devourer. It bent the poor character's will as the wind parts grass and humbled the other heroes as it ascended the mortal world and joined the ranks of the Immortals. Now the vampire is in the process of establishing the first centre of worship to Acererak the Devourer in the Malpheggi Swamp.
Speciality Priests of the Devourer (Devourers)
Requirements: Constitution 12,
Intelligence 14, Wisdom 14
Prime Requisite: Wisdom
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Weapons Allowed: All Blunt (type B) weapons, daggers, scimitars,
scourges and scythes
Armour Allowed: Hide armour, leather, studded leather and
shields
Major Spheres: All, astral, chaos, divination, healing (rev),
necromantic, summoning, time
Minor Spheres: Charm, creation (rev), healing, protection, sun
(rev), wards
Magical Items: Same as clerics, plus those allowed specifically to
necromancers
Required Proficiencies: Astrology
Bonus Proficiencies: Necrology, netherworld knowledge
1) Devourers can command undead,
commanding triple the normal number of skeletons and zombies.
2) Devourers are resistant to negative energy attacks (such as
energy draining and ability draining), gaining a +3 bonus to saving
throws against these attacks. If the attack offers no saving throw,
the priest may make a special save to resist the attack, succeeding
if they roll a 17 or higher on a d20.
3) Devourers are very resistant to the rotting diseases that
various undead creatures possess. They gain a +3 bonus to any
saving throws against diseased and withering attack forms, such as
mummy rot or the attack of a Staff of Withering. If the attack
offers no saving throw, the priest may make a special save to
resist the attack, succeeding if they roll a 17 or higher on a
d20.
4) Devourers are able to make an Undead Servant (as the 1st level
wizard spell) once per day.
5) At 3rd level, devourers are able to cast Rain of Blood (as the
2nd level wizard spell) once per week.
6) At 5th level, devourers are able to cast Manyjaws (as the 3rd
level wizard spell) once per week.
7) At 5th level, devourers gain the ability to speak with any type
of intelligent undead creature. The does not make the undead more
disposed towards conversing, just grants the priest the ability
to.
8) At 7th level devourers gain the ability to gate in tanar'ri once
per month for lasting 1 round per level:
| % Roll | Type |
| 01-10 | Alu-fiend (1d2) |
| 11-20 | Bar-lgura (1d2) |
| 21-30 | Cambion, Major (1d2) |
| 31-58 | Dretch (1d3) |
| 59-71 | Manes (1d3) |
| 72-96 | Rutterkin (1d3) |
| 97-00 | Succubus (1d2) |
9) At 9th level, devourers are able
to cast Time Pool (as the 5th level priest spell).
10) At 12th level, devourers become immune to mental control and
emotional influence caused by undead, such as a vampire's charm
attack.
11) At 15th level, devourers are able to absorb the spirits of
newly deceased creatures. If the priest performs a small defiling
ceremony requiring 5 rounds to the body within 1 turn of the
creature's demise, the soul receives a saving throw versus death
magic at the creature's former level. If failed, the priest is
filled with a surge of life energy, temporarily gaining the
following benefits:
A +1 bonus to natural Strength and
Constitution scores for 1 turn per hit dice of the creature, up to
the priest's racial maximum.
The priest is healed of 1 hit point
of damage per hit dice of the creature.
If the creature was at least 10 hit
dice, the life energy may be used to restore 1 level of energy
draining on anyone the priest touches within 2 rounds instead of
the above benefits.
Each time this absorbing ability is
used, the priest must succeed a system shock roll or age 1 year due
to the supernatural strain. Creatures that are devoured are
irrevocably lost and may not be brought back by any means, mortal
or divine. If a soul resists the priest successfully, it departs
for it's afterlife.