Post by Sardinal on Jun 8, 2013 22:40:37 GMT -5
A warm, humid breeze drifted through the meadow, rippling the surface of the small pond at its center. Near the shore of the pond, surrounded by the purple blooms of night blooming orchids, four drow rested on their knees around a large flat rock. The first drow, Vrin Alhura-Veluth, was tall and broad-shouldered. His full plate armor caught the light of Katrunar, the purple moon, and cast a lavender pall on his braided white hair. To his left, Korric Aeradyll sat in prayer. His full plate was a flat black, but the large tattoo of Katdoral's white spider covering his face also shone a soft violet. To Vrin's right was Chal-Tsu Shassa-Telan. His soft gray robes looked darker than they were in the gloom, and soft whispers of prayer fell from his lips. Directly across from Vrin knelt Kaltorel Iraedoluthan. His shaved head reflected the purple moonlight, and he wore only a soft black pants and a loose, deep purple shirt.
On the large rock they knelt around, a unicorn lay on its side. Hemp ropes bound it tightly down to the rock. In several places dark blood leaked around the ropes where they had abraided through fur and skin. Its brilliant white fur seemed to completely ignore the light of Katrunar. It whinnied, refusing to speak the language of its captors, and struggled against its bindings.
"It is time", spoke Vrin, lifting his eyes to Katrunar, home of the Drow God Katdoral. The four drow shifted around until all of them were kneeling on the ground, back strait and rigid, faces lifted to bask in the light of their God's moon.
"Dark Father", intoned Vrin, his deep voice vibrating with his zeal. "Hear us this night of your moon's Ascension. Accept this gift from your loyal servants. In your name we shower this creature with our power."
"For we Worship a God of Destructrion", preached Korric, " and so we sow Destruction." Korric rested his palm on the Unicorn's shoulder and wounds burst open along the creatures body. Small droplets of blood splattered the four.
"For we Worship the Lord of Evil", intoned Chal-Tsu, "and so we spread Evil." He raised his hands and the circle of purple light of a Magic Circle vs Good erupted around the drow and their whimpering victim.
"For we Worship the Dominant Darkness", said Kaltorel, "and so we act in Darkness." He closed his eyes briefly, and a globe of magical darkness fell over them all.
"For we Worship the Father of Drow," chanted Vrin, "and our blood shall rule this world." He slid out an electrum dagger and slashed his palm, coating the blade in his own blood. "Unholy Father, accept this, our first sacrifice. With this creatures blood, steeped in purity and goodness, we dedicate ourselves to your service. Be it your desire, we shall name ourselves Katdoral's Will, and dedicate our lives to your Dark Purpose." With that, he plunged the bloody dagger into the Unicorns forehead. The creature bucked against its bindings once, then lay still.
The warm breeze died suddenly. As the four drow watched, the globe of darkness around them began slowly shrinking, its blackness being drawn into the unicorn's horn. As the darkness seeped into the horn, the horn itself darkened. When all was complete, the horn gleamed a glossy black, with a silvery sheen seen only with the drows darkvision.
"KATDORAL'S WILL," a powerful voice spoke directly to their minds, "KNOW I AM WELL PLEASED. TAKE UP THIS HORN AND FROM IT FORGE FOUR RINGS. YOUR FAITH, YOUR AMBITION, AND YOUR SACRIFICE SHALL BE WELL REWARED. THE PATH YOU PLAN TO TREAD IS ONE I HAVE LAID BEFORE YOU, STRAY NOT FROM IT AND YOU SHALL KNOW POWER DENIED ALL OTHERS." The voice faded from their minds.
The four drow sat back and passed looks of wonder and amazement between them. Their God had heard them, their God had answered them. Everything had changed for them in that moment and the world shone for them with a new dark radiance.
The Dark Mana Resevoirs
The Dark Mana Resevoirs are four rings, carved from the ivory of a unicorn sacrificed to Katdoral. The rings were made by the four original members of the drow adventuring group called Katdoral's Will thousands of years ago. They are powerful artifacts of a most vile nature.
Each ring is roughly one inch wide, and gleaming black. When viewed in darkvision, the rings seem to have a silvery sheen. Each is stamped with the holy symbol of Katdoral on one side, and the sigil of one of the four original drow House Majors on the other.
The rings primary purpose is to act as a reservoir to hold Dark Craft Experience points. Anyone wearing one of the rings performing a ritual sacrifice to Katdoral has the Dark Craft points they garner stored in the rings. The Dark Craft pool is shared between the four rings and anyone wearing one can both add to and pull from the pool. After thousands of years of dark power pouring through them, the rings have become powerful artifacts with several other powers.
Each ring can absorb spells targeted at the wearer that use either Positive or Negative energy as a Rod of Absorbtion. The ring can hold up to 50 spell levels at a time. The spell levels can be used in a variety of ways. One can not spend more charges in a single round than the sum of their Wisdom and Constitution bonuses (min 1). All four rings can be used to augment the Bolster Undead option of the Rebuke/Command undead ability. So augments, the affectd undead gain fast healing 1/3 charges spent in this way. The rest of the rings powers differ from ring to ring.
The Resevoir of St. Vrin
Current Owner: Palleaon Doth'Dakar
as a swift action: 5 charges to Empower Spell
5 charges to Extend Spell
7 charges to Maximise Spell\
9 charges to Twin Spell
The Resevoir of Korric
Current Owner: Korric
as a free action: 2 charges to modify Sacred Boost to affect spells with the Darkness descriptor and spells appearing of the Destruction Domain.
2 charges to modify Sacred Boost to affect spells that deal Unholy Damage and spells appearing on the Retribution Domain.
8 charges to modify spells that deal negative energy damage so that all those healed by that negative energy also gain +3 to attack and Damage for 5
rounds.
The Resevoir of Chal-Tsu
Current Owner: Chal-Tsu
as a swift action: Each charge spent replaces 200gp of material component costs associated with Animate Dead and all other spells that create undead.
Charges can be spent to power the casting of spells from the school of Necromancy as a Rod of Absorbtion.
The Resevoir of Kaltorel
Current Owner: Kaltorel
as a swift action: +10 ft of movement for 1 round / charge spent
+1 Profane bonus to AC for 1 round / 2 charges spent
+ 1 Profane bonus to Attack and Damage for 1 round / 3 charges spent
10 charges to maximize melee damage for 1 round.
The Spiral Knife of St Vrin
The last eight inches of the black unicorn horn were mounted on a Da'Chora wood hilt and made into a ritual dagger. The dagger was used by Vrin for centuries, the Koric after him. Today it is given to the reigning Vicar of Heartwood during his inauguration.
The dagger grants a +30 circumstance bonus to Knowledge: Religion checks made to conduct a sacrifice. Dark Craft points gains from such a sacrifice are added to the pool shared by the rings, though the dagger cannot draw from the pool.
The Spiral Knife of St. Vrin is one of the most holy object of the Drow Faith.
On the large rock they knelt around, a unicorn lay on its side. Hemp ropes bound it tightly down to the rock. In several places dark blood leaked around the ropes where they had abraided through fur and skin. Its brilliant white fur seemed to completely ignore the light of Katrunar. It whinnied, refusing to speak the language of its captors, and struggled against its bindings.
"It is time", spoke Vrin, lifting his eyes to Katrunar, home of the Drow God Katdoral. The four drow shifted around until all of them were kneeling on the ground, back strait and rigid, faces lifted to bask in the light of their God's moon.
"Dark Father", intoned Vrin, his deep voice vibrating with his zeal. "Hear us this night of your moon's Ascension. Accept this gift from your loyal servants. In your name we shower this creature with our power."
"For we Worship a God of Destructrion", preached Korric, " and so we sow Destruction." Korric rested his palm on the Unicorn's shoulder and wounds burst open along the creatures body. Small droplets of blood splattered the four.
"For we Worship the Lord of Evil", intoned Chal-Tsu, "and so we spread Evil." He raised his hands and the circle of purple light of a Magic Circle vs Good erupted around the drow and their whimpering victim.
"For we Worship the Dominant Darkness", said Kaltorel, "and so we act in Darkness." He closed his eyes briefly, and a globe of magical darkness fell over them all.
"For we Worship the Father of Drow," chanted Vrin, "and our blood shall rule this world." He slid out an electrum dagger and slashed his palm, coating the blade in his own blood. "Unholy Father, accept this, our first sacrifice. With this creatures blood, steeped in purity and goodness, we dedicate ourselves to your service. Be it your desire, we shall name ourselves Katdoral's Will, and dedicate our lives to your Dark Purpose." With that, he plunged the bloody dagger into the Unicorns forehead. The creature bucked against its bindings once, then lay still.
The warm breeze died suddenly. As the four drow watched, the globe of darkness around them began slowly shrinking, its blackness being drawn into the unicorn's horn. As the darkness seeped into the horn, the horn itself darkened. When all was complete, the horn gleamed a glossy black, with a silvery sheen seen only with the drows darkvision.
"KATDORAL'S WILL," a powerful voice spoke directly to their minds, "KNOW I AM WELL PLEASED. TAKE UP THIS HORN AND FROM IT FORGE FOUR RINGS. YOUR FAITH, YOUR AMBITION, AND YOUR SACRIFICE SHALL BE WELL REWARED. THE PATH YOU PLAN TO TREAD IS ONE I HAVE LAID BEFORE YOU, STRAY NOT FROM IT AND YOU SHALL KNOW POWER DENIED ALL OTHERS." The voice faded from their minds.
The four drow sat back and passed looks of wonder and amazement between them. Their God had heard them, their God had answered them. Everything had changed for them in that moment and the world shone for them with a new dark radiance.
The Dark Mana Resevoirs
The Dark Mana Resevoirs are four rings, carved from the ivory of a unicorn sacrificed to Katdoral. The rings were made by the four original members of the drow adventuring group called Katdoral's Will thousands of years ago. They are powerful artifacts of a most vile nature.
Each ring is roughly one inch wide, and gleaming black. When viewed in darkvision, the rings seem to have a silvery sheen. Each is stamped with the holy symbol of Katdoral on one side, and the sigil of one of the four original drow House Majors on the other.
The rings primary purpose is to act as a reservoir to hold Dark Craft Experience points. Anyone wearing one of the rings performing a ritual sacrifice to Katdoral has the Dark Craft points they garner stored in the rings. The Dark Craft pool is shared between the four rings and anyone wearing one can both add to and pull from the pool. After thousands of years of dark power pouring through them, the rings have become powerful artifacts with several other powers.
Each ring can absorb spells targeted at the wearer that use either Positive or Negative energy as a Rod of Absorbtion. The ring can hold up to 50 spell levels at a time. The spell levels can be used in a variety of ways. One can not spend more charges in a single round than the sum of their Wisdom and Constitution bonuses (min 1). All four rings can be used to augment the Bolster Undead option of the Rebuke/Command undead ability. So augments, the affectd undead gain fast healing 1/3 charges spent in this way. The rest of the rings powers differ from ring to ring.
The Resevoir of St. Vrin
Current Owner: Palleaon Doth'Dakar
as a swift action: 5 charges to Empower Spell
5 charges to Extend Spell
7 charges to Maximise Spell\
9 charges to Twin Spell
The Resevoir of Korric
Current Owner: Korric
as a free action: 2 charges to modify Sacred Boost to affect spells with the Darkness descriptor and spells appearing of the Destruction Domain.
2 charges to modify Sacred Boost to affect spells that deal Unholy Damage and spells appearing on the Retribution Domain.
8 charges to modify spells that deal negative energy damage so that all those healed by that negative energy also gain +3 to attack and Damage for 5
rounds.
The Resevoir of Chal-Tsu
Current Owner: Chal-Tsu
as a swift action: Each charge spent replaces 200gp of material component costs associated with Animate Dead and all other spells that create undead.
Charges can be spent to power the casting of spells from the school of Necromancy as a Rod of Absorbtion.
The Resevoir of Kaltorel
Current Owner: Kaltorel
as a swift action: +10 ft of movement for 1 round / charge spent
+1 Profane bonus to AC for 1 round / 2 charges spent
+ 1 Profane bonus to Attack and Damage for 1 round / 3 charges spent
10 charges to maximize melee damage for 1 round.
The Spiral Knife of St Vrin
The last eight inches of the black unicorn horn were mounted on a Da'Chora wood hilt and made into a ritual dagger. The dagger was used by Vrin for centuries, the Koric after him. Today it is given to the reigning Vicar of Heartwood during his inauguration.
The dagger grants a +30 circumstance bonus to Knowledge: Religion checks made to conduct a sacrifice. Dark Craft points gains from such a sacrifice are added to the pool shared by the rings, though the dagger cannot draw from the pool.
The Spiral Knife of St. Vrin is one of the most holy object of the Drow Faith.
