*Alluminas - Master of Light, Lord of Enlightenment *Description: Alluminas, esoteric brother of Arianka and Solkan, embodies a pure, unchanging light which renders anything it strikes unmoving and unchanging, and the idea of total divine enlightenment. His worshippers are few in the Old World, but his centre of worship lies in the far eastern states of Cathay and Nippon, where he has several monastic orders, the Monks of the Light (or 'White Monks': you might like to use the monk careers in the archives or just use the normal cleric careers as an approximation). Nipponese worshippers know Alluminas as Annu-Minato. Whether in the Old World or the far east, worshippers of Alluminas all share one thing, the search for the Enlightenment which is oneness with their master. They study the scriptures of Alluminas as set out in his holy book (the Alluminamus), meditate to strive for oneness in spirit and follow the Fourfold Path: through Thought, Meditation, Dedication and Understanding comes, ultimately, divine Enlightenment. *Alignment: Lawful. *Symbol: Alluminas' chief symbol is that of a four spoked wheel, representing the Fourfold Path. A less common symbol, but one more popular in the west, is that of a candle. The White Monks wear white robes with the four spoked wheel embroidered in gold on the left breast. Old World worshippers usually wear the symbol of the candle somewhere on their clothes or carry an amulet bearing the symbol, but generally not in plain sight. *Area of Worship: Alluminas has very few worshippers in the Old World and the vast majority of his cult is made up of the White Monks of Cathay and Nippon, who know him as Annu-Minato and whose monasteries can be found in the mountain foothills. Even in the far east, however, he has relatively few followers and monasteries, due to the strength of the cult of Tzeentch (the strongest of the chaos cults in Cathay and Nippon, where he is known as Lord Tsien-Tsin). Alluminas also has a few followers who travel the world, seeking out chaos, although little else is known of the 'Wanderers' (as the White Monks call them). *Temples: Alluminas has no temples or public shrines in the Old World and worshippers generally maintain shrines in their homes. In Cathay and Nippon, temples or shrines are built as part of the monasteries. The White Monks have one head monastery (housing the main temple) and a small number of smaller monasteries who maintain subsidiary temples or shrines. Whether small shrine or large temple, worship areas consecrated to Alluminas are simple and uncluttered. The focus of the room is a wooden table, covered with a white cloth which is often embroidered with one of Alluminas' symbols. On the table is a candle, which must always remain lit - if it is allowed to go out then the temple/shrine must be reconsecrated to Alluminas before it can be used again. Beside the candle lies the Alluminamus. *Friends and Enemies: Alluminas has little to do with the majority of religions - their weak stance against chaos makes them next to useless in the struggle against it and hence not worth his attention. He is hostile to the gods of chaos (especially the traitorous Obscuras, who turned away from law to rule over his own dark shadow realm) and has friendly relations with the other law gods. *Holy Days: Alluminas' main holy days are the Spring equinox and Summer soltice, while the Autumn equinox and Winter solstice are lesser holy days, as are days when Mannslieb is full. Vigils are held on the nights when Morrslieb is full to ward off chaos. *Cult Requirements: Followers of Alluminas must be willing to seek the true path of enlightenment and oppose chaos and change, regardless of the sacrifices they have to make. *Strictures: - Oppose chaos and change whereever and whenever it is found. - Study the Alluminamus, spend at least six hours a day in meditation to Alluminas and follow the Fourfold Path. - Abstain from the consumption of alcohol or other drugs, and from sexual activity. Such things divert the mind from the primary task of seeking enlightenment. *Spell Use: For spell use, the White Monks count as varying levels of cleric: Initiate monks get no magic, full monks count as clerics of level 1 to 4 (depending on the monks seniority) and the Abbot is always level four. Alluminas grants access to all petty and battle magic spells, although they must get their gods' permission to use any spell that causes large or permanent change (only granted in extremely rare cases). *Hand of Light Level 1, 5 MP, touch range, D6+3 turns duration This spell causes the casters hand to glow with a soft light, which can be used as a 'weapon' in unarmed combat, although unarmed combat modifiers still apply. A successful touch causes the location touched to become 'frozen' for D6 rounds if the target fails a magic test. The location can be moved as a whole but not internally (eg. a 'frozen' arm can be moved at the shoulder but can't be bent at the elbow). This causes a -20 (or higher) penalty on all tests an affected limb attempts. 'Frozen' locations may still take damage as normal. *Enlighten Mind Level 2, 8 MPs, 36 yds range, D6 rounds duration This spell causes the target to see mental images of the glory and wisdom of Alluminas, with differing effects according to who/what it is cast upon. - If the target is a follower of Alluminas, the images temporarily enhances his search for enlightment, giving him +20 WP. - Intelligent others (Int>10) feel compelled to study and understand the images, and must pass a magic test for every action attempted (including moving, talking, etc.) to do anything other than contemplate the images floating in their mind. - Less intelligent others (Int<=10) have no capacity to understand the images but cannot ignore them. They suffer -10 to WS, BS, I and WP, halved if a magic test is passed. *Remove Mutation Level 3, 14 MPs, touch range, instantaneous Based on the Cure Insanity spell of Shallya, this spell allows the caster to attempt to remove one chaos atrribute from any one target on a single location touched. The recipient of the spell must make a WP test, with a penalty equal to half the casters WP. If this is successful, the spell has no effect. If the test is failed, however, the location touched is removed of one chaos attribute. The attribute is not healed but simply gone, leaving an open wound in most cases. *Create Statue Level 3, 14 MPs, touch range, 2D6 rounds duration Casting this spell and touching a target causes the target to be 'frozen' in the position they are in for 2D6 rounds on a failed magic test. The statue (which has a toughness of 7 and is a prone target) still takes damage, and will appear to be 'chipped' or bits will break off as appropriate. When the spell expires, chipped areas are equated to wound loss and bits broken off will remain detached (and dead), leaving an open wound where the broken off part was. Should the statues head be broken off, the target will be dead when the spell expires. *LightBall Level x, x MPs, 48 yds range, instantaneous Essentially a magical missile version of Create Statue, this spell allows the caster to throw a ball of pure white light at the target (within 48 yds), who will be hit automatically. Please refer to the description of Create Statue for further details. *Skills: Initiates and initiate monks can and must buy Meditation skill at normal EP cost before advancing to level one cleric or full monk status. *Trials: Trials to Alluminas usually involve long periods of meditation (a number of hours equal to twice the characters' WP, say). Trials involving actively seeking out chaos are less common, as they interrupt the quiet life that aids enlightenment. Other possible trials include opposing some of the changes that characterise human society and development (eg. opposing the clearing of a forest or the construction of a large building). *Blessings: Alluminas is extremely selective as regards who he gives blessings, even more so than other gods (I'd suggest he grants a blessing on a roll of 1-2 on D1000), and such blessings are wondrous events, usually given only to Monks of the Light who have spent years or decades in worshipping him. The most wondrous of the blessings Alluminas will grant is the Call of the Ancestors, described below. At the heart of each monastery, next to the temple or shrine to Alluminas, is the Hall of the Ancestors. This great and wondrous place contains many statues, the forever preserved bodies of those who have acheived total enlightenment and left the confines of their mortal bodies to join Alluminas in his divine realm, the statues of the Enlightened. Ocasionally, when a monk reaches a state of almost total understanding, he feels the Call of the Ancestors and makes his way to the hall, where he meditates before one of the holy statues. He enters an almost unbreakable holy trance and his physical needs (food, drink, etc.) become ever smaller, until the monk (after a long period of meditation) becomes perfectly Enlightened. He will be commanded to take up his place with the other statues, and will then be struck by Alluminas' heavenly light. His body will become frozen as it is, ever preserved, and his spirit will join with Alluminas in his divine realm, becoming a Seraph: a lesser demon of Alluminas, described further below. *Seraphim Seraphim (singular form Seraph, also called Angels of Light) are the lesser demons of Alluminas, the ex-mortal servants (usually White Monks) of Alluminas who have acheived total enlightenment and who Alluminas has given immortality. Of Alluminas' demons, Seraphim are the ones most usually sent back to the material realm, especially when the task involves conversing with mortals. Seraphim always appear similar to their mortal form, retaining their mortal size, but gain wings (they fly as swoopers) and their stats are given by taking the mortal stats and applying the following: S+2, T+2, Wx2, I+20, A+2, WP+20. Any magic a Seraph could cast while mortal it can now cast at no magic point cost and all Seraphim have the ability to imitate the effects of any of Alluminas' special spells at whim (no time need be spent to cast the spells). In addition, they can choose to radiate a weak form of Alluminas' holy light (radius one yard). Chaos creatures within range of the light must pass a WP test or be forced to either flee from it or (in the case of demons) flee back to the warp, while other creatures are affected as if by the Enlighten Mind spell (Alluminas followers: WP+20; intelligent others: must pass WP test to perform any action, including moving and speaking; cerebrally challenged others: -10 to WS, BS, I and WP unless a WP test is passed). Seraphim cause fear in creatures under ten feet tall and all chaos creatures below the rank of greater demon. They themselves are immune to all psychology except if caused by a greater demon or god. They are immune to non-magical attacks and cause no physical damage themselves. They generally avoid combat, but when forced into it they use the Hand of Light or Create Statue spells. A Seraph returning to the material world (usually only at the command of Alluminas or to warn former colleagues of some grave threat) always appears similar to its' mortal form. It may choose to appear with or without wings and radiating its' light or not as it wishes. * Heliaphim (based on an idea by Elvis(mbsimon@artsci.wustl.edu)) [I'm not too sure about this name, which I based on the greek 'helios'='sun', but it was the best I could come up with. Ideas for alternative names are welcome.] The greater demon of Alluminas, Heliaphim (singular form Heliaph, also mistakenly called Light Elementals) have been seen by very few individuals. Appearing at first as a pin-prick of light, everything which is in contact with that point of light stops changing. For plants, they stop moving, the wind keeps the same direction and speed. The pin-prick appears to grow as everything which stops changing starts giving off light. Intelligent creatures, or those still around, must make a WP test, to do anything. If after one round, the intelligent creature does not act at least once, they are frozen, and become part of the unchanging light. Being overcome by the light has the following effects. Any chaos attributes are gone. Not healed, just gone. This usually leaves chaos creatures with lots of open wounds. No action may be performed while overcome. One may watch, but cannot move their eyes. Magic wielding PCs or NPCs may 'battle' with the Heliaph, which requires a WP vs WP test. (Whoever succeeds by the largest amount wins. A tie is redone) Three successes in a row must be scored, to "force" change on the demon, which dispels it. This has never been done, to anyone's knowledge, but magical theorists swear it works theoretically. When the demon leaves, those left must make a WP test to move. If they fail they can't move and may try again 2D12 hours later. They do not need food or water while they can't move, but also can't stop others from robbing them. The main characteristic of a Heliaph is that it doesn't change. No matter what, even if a character hit it, it wouldn't change. The only stat that the Demon needs is WP 100.