Right Hand Sorcerer

Right Hand Sorcerer

A new Class for The Lone Wolf Roleplaying Game

by Marco Conti

6

Adventures

As many scholars know, the Principle of the Duality of Aon states that nothing could exist without its opposite. The truth of this principle is a fact for the magic-users of Magnamund. Here, the Magic is divided in two Paths, identified by the Right and Left Hand. According to the Brothers of the Crystal Star, the magical power comes from the stars, and the men can channel it through the strength of a pure heart. If there’s truth behind this theory, what is the Right Hand Magic?

The Nadziranim are the only ones who could possibly answer to this question (if we don’t count the Darklord Gnaag), but their minds are so alien that hardly a puny human could understand such an answer. Suffice to say that the Right Hand Magic is the raw energy of the Plane of the Darkness; its horrible power is so strong that the human body is too frail to endure it without aid, study and knowledge.

Despite its evil nature, there are always people who are entangled by the seductive power of the Right Hand Magic, men and women who decide to sacrifice their lives to the study of the Black Magic. These individuals are named, with fear, hate and respect, Right Hand Sorcerer.

There are two types of Sorcerers. First, there are the Nadziranim. In these creatures, the power of the Right Hand flows as a river, their body unharmed by it. Then, at an inferior level of power, there are the weak human Sorcerers, those who succeed to stay alive despite the corrupting power of the Right Hand (losing their soul in the process).

In this chapter we’ll analyze only the human Sorcerers: it’s better to leave the too powerful Nadziranim and their schemes to the Game Master.

The human Right Hand Sorcerers of every kind and race (Durenese, Drakkarim etc.) devote their lives to the study of the Black Magic. No one can become a Right Hand Sorcerer: every time, there’s a Master who enslaves and corrupts some students, giving life to blasphemous Brotherhoods, often hidden in the most unassuming homes and families.

The first goal of a Sorcerer is understand how use the powerful energies of the Right Hand to achieve the best results (the disruption of the forces of Kai and Ishir); the second is obviously blend himself in the society of the Free Lands, to corrupt it and accelerate the final conquest of the Darklords.

When a Sorcerers goes through a journey, has a clear goal: some want to reach the Darklands to study with the Nadziranim. Others go in search of ancient relics an tomes. All are driven by an evil hunger for death and blood, that force them to seek another victim to sacrifice to the altar of Naar.

Characteristics

While the Dark Cultists work to increase the number of souls devoted to the Black Deities, the Right Hand Sorcerers’ task is to research new magics and tools to improve their power. The Right Hand Sorcerers spread fear, corruption and hate in the hearts of the men and women in the Free Lands. Sometimes, a Black Sorcerer goes in search of ancient artifacts crafted by the servants of Darkness in remote times; but sometimes a Sorcerer will try to locate a powerful artifact of Light, with the intent to destroy it once and for all. The most attempted (and failed) of these quests is obviously the search for the lost Doomstones and Runes of Agarash the Damned.

Allegiance

A Right Hand Sorcerer is bound to the Darkness without hope. Those who can follow the Path of the Right Hand without being completely evil are a rare breed. Sometimes, those who renounce to advance in this Class are considered traitors by others Right Hand Sorcerers and renegades by the followers of Light, and have a very hard life…

Religion

The Right Hand Sorcerers are more scientist than priests, but they have a strong faith in the Five Deities of Darkness, and, above all, they worship Naar.

Background

The Nadziranim are the most powerful Sorcerers of the Right Hand in the world of Magnamund: to them are open tools and possibilities far beyond the reach of any mortal apprentice outside the Darklands. However, the Nadziranim have instructed a lot of people in the ways of the Black Hand, be they Drakkarim or humans from the Free Realms. It is rumored that even some Giaks have learned some of the powers of the Right Hand, but the only one to know the truth about this fact is the Darklord Gnaag himself. A Right Hand Sorcerer born outside the Darklands keeps the benefits of his country.

Other Classes

A Right Hand Sorcerer could expect to find help only from other followers of the Darkness from someone unaware of the evil in the Sorcerer’s soul. The natural allies of the Right Hand Sorcerer are the Dark Cultist, the Dark Warriors, and, sometimes, the Cener Druids. If there some common goals, a temporary alliance could be signed between a Right Hand Sorcerer and a Shadakine Wytch.

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Level / Base Combat Skill / Fort Save / Ref Save / Will Save / Base Magical Combat Skill / Base Magical Damage / Special
1 / +0 / +0 / +0 / +2 / +1 / 1d6 / Right Hand Spells (Tier I), Willpower, First Pact of Darkness
2 / +1 / +0 / +0 / +3 / +2 / 1d6 / Dark Wand, Conceal Aura +2
3 / +1 / +1 / +1 / +3 / +3 / 1d6 / Erect a Shield
4 / +2 / +1 / +1 / +4 / +4 / 1d8 / Focus 1/day
5 / +2 / +1 / +1 / +4 / +5 / 1d8 / Power Crystal
6 / +3 / +2 / +2 / +5 / +6/+1 / 1d8 / Attack, Right Hand Spells (Tier II), Second Pact of Darkness
7 / +3 / +2 / +2 / +5 / +7/+2 / 1d8
8 / +4 / +2 / +2 / +6 / +8/+3 / 1d10 / Focus 2/day
9 / +4 / +3 / +3 / +6 / +9/+4 / 1d10 / Stun
10 / +5 / +3 / +3 / +7 / +10/+5 / 1d10 / Conceal Aura +4
11 / +5 / +3 / +3 / +7 / +11/+6/+1 / 1d10 / Right Hand Spells (Tier III), Third Pact of Darkness
12 / +6/+1 / +4 / +4 / +8 / +12/+7/+2 / 2d6 / Focus 3/day, Instinctive Shield
13 / +6/+1 / +4 / +4 / +8 / +13/+8/+3 / 2d6
14 / +7/+2 / +4 / +4 / +9 / +14/+9/+4 / 2d6
15 / +7/+2 / +5 / +5 / +9 / +15/+10/+5 / 2d6
16 / +8/+3 / +5 / +5 / +10 / +16/+11/+6/+1 / 2d8 / Focus 4/day
17 / +8/+3 / +5 / +5 / +10 / +17/+12/+7/+2 / 2d8
18 / +9/+4 / +6 / +6 / +11 / +18/+13/+8/+3 / 2d8 / Conceal Aura +6
19 / +9/+4 / +6 / +6 / +11 / +19/+14/+9/+4 / 2d8
20 / +10/+5 / +6 / +6 / +12 / +20/+15/+10/+5 / 2d10 / Focus 5/day, Crucible of Power

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Game Rule Information

Abilities: Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma and Constitution are the keys to achieve the power of the Right Hand. Only a keen mind, with great awareness and a strong personality is able to manipulate the horrible, corrupting force of the Right Hand. However, without an healthy body, the Sorcerer is doomed to certain death.

Endurance Die: d6.

Base Speed: 30 feet.

Class Skills

The Right Hand Sorcerer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (any, taken as

separate skills) (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Sag), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (any, taken as separate skills) (Int), Occult (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (any, taken as separate skills) (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (n/a), Use Magical Items (Char).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (5 +Int modifier)x4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 5 +Int modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Right Hand Sorcerer.

Armour and Weapons Proficiency: the Right Hand Sorcerers are proficient only in the use of the leather armours. The Right Hand Sorcerers know how to use the following weapons: dagger, club, whip, short sword and broadsword.

Attack: At 6th Level, the Sorcerer is able to use his mental powers to perform the Attack psychic action. For further information, see page 151 (and following) in the Lone Wolf Roleplaying Game.

Conceal Aura: the Sorcerer can make a Will Save every time is targeted by a magical analysis and/or the effects of a Kai Discipline. This power is active even if the Sorcerer is unconscious. The bonus given in the table isn’t cumulative; every new number replaces the older one. If the Sorcerer makes the Save, she will appear as a person aligned with the Light or the Balance, as the situation imposes. Additionally, the Sorcerer will appear as an Adept with a great strength.

Crucible of Power: at 20th Level the Sorcerer has reached the summit of the lore of the Right Hand Magic, and has shown to the Five Gods of Darkness her value. As a reward for her services, the Gods grant to the Sorcerer the ability to cast, only on self, only two times per day, without Endurance costs, the Crucible of Power. This powerful spell cannot be Counterspelled and has a duration of 20 rounds. When this spell is active, the Sorcerer gains 24 temporary Endurance points that can be used to cast spells, 4 bonus points to all Saves, and the Sorcerer’s Base Damage is doubled.

Dark Wand: at 2nd Level, the Sorcerer is able to forge a Dark Wand. The Sorcerer must acquire in some way some nyneril worth 1000 Crowns, and must make a Craft (Alchemy) check with a DC of 20 to actually give a form to the wand. During this process, the Sorcerer cannot use any spells. To create a Dark Wand, the Sorcerer must have a full week. At the end of this week, the Sorcerer must succeed in a Concentration Check with a DC of 20, and spend 1000 XP. The Sorcerer cannot loose Levels during the creation of a Dark Wand, but, if she doesn’t have the XP, she can transform the number required in a penalty to the next Level.

For example: Zar is a Right Hand Sorcerer of the 2nd Level, and has 1500 XP. Zar wants to create his first Dark Wand. Zar make the checks and spends the XP. Now, to reach the 3rd Level Zar needs to acquire 2500, instead of the normal 2000, because the lacking XP were transformed in an XP penalty.

During a single Level, a Sorcerer can forge only one Dark Wand. The Character who wield a Dark Wand, if has the Magical Combat Class Feature, can spend up to 3 Willpower points to make a ranged magical attack, dealing a damage equal to her Base Magical Damage + 1d6 x Willpower Points used. The Dark Wand is very light, and its length is about one foot, so it cannot be used as a melee weapon. When the Dark Wand is completed, the brightness and the transparency of the nyneril used to forge it completely disappear, because the power of the Right Hand has infused totally the crystal, that becomes black as the darkest of nights, and seems to devour the light around the Wand. Very often the Dark Wands are engraved with arcane symbols, representing the Pentad, the face of Agarash or the symbol of a Darklord.

Erect a Shield: at 3rd Level, the Sorcerer is able to use her mental powers to perform the psychic action Erect a Shield. For further informations, see page 151 (and following) in the Lone Wolf Roleplaying Game.

Focus: a Right Hand Sorcerer can try to concentrate and regain a number of Willpower Points equal to the Sorcerer’s Wisdom score as a psychic action, even in the middle of a psychic combat. To do this, the Sorcerer must make a Concentration Check with a DC equal to (maximum Willpower Points – current Willpower Points, up to 30). If the check fails, the Sorcerer suffer the loss of 1d6 Endurance for the stress. The Sorcerers can try to Focus one time per day at 4th Level, and one more time per day for every four Levels thereafter.

Pacts of Darkness: to become a Right Hand Sorcerer, a common mortal must consecrate his body and mind to Pentad of Darkness. To reach this goal is necessary to perform a ritual in a new moon night, when the power of Ishir is weaker. This ritual is called The First Pact, and is fulfilled at 1st Level. Then, a Right Hand Sorcerer renew the Pact of Darkness at 5th and 11th Level.

·  The First Pact: the ritual of the 1st Level is very simple and not dangerous for the would-be Sorcerer. With the aid of a Dark Cultist of Naar, the apprentice Sorcerer inscribe on his body some tattoos (made with ink and human blood), representing the Five Gods of Darkness. If one of the Dark Powers doesn’t accept the would-be Sorcerer as a servant of Darkness, the poor apprentice die, suffering extreme pain. If the Pentad consider the applicant worthy, the new Sorcerer gains the Darkspawn Subtype, the knowledge of the Dark Tongue (written and spoken), and, above all, the ability to manipulate the forces of the Right Hand magic. It’s important to say that the Nadziranim don’t have to perform this ritual to gain access to this Class, whereas the Drakkar must sign the First Pact to advance in this Class. With the completion of the First Pact, the tattoos act as small portals opened to the Plane of Darkness, the source of Right Hand magic. Holding the essence of the Plane of Darkness in the body is a dangerous action: at 1st Level the Right Hand Sorcerer is forced to determine randomly his starting Endurance Points, instead of taking the maxim result as the other characters. The Sorcerer can add his Constitution modifier to the Endurance die.

·  The Second Pact: to reach the 6th Level in this Class, the Sorcerer must renew his bond with the Darkness. He must perform a second ritual, again with a Naar Dark Cultist’s aid in a night of new moon. This, the Sorcerer must imbibe a mixture made of human blood, Darkspawn Essence (see p. 162 of the Lone Wolf Roleplaying Game) and the fragments of the first Power Crystal crafted by the Character. This lethal beverage lowers permanently by 3 points the Sorcerer’s Strength score and forces the Character to gain only 1 Endurance Point from his new Endurance die and the Sorcerer is not allowed to add his Constitution modifier to this die. Additionally, the Sorcerer gains a number of Corruption Points equal to 6 + Constitution modifier; this number becomes the new minimum score of Corruption Points for the Sorcerer: from this moment the Sorcerer can’t lower his Corruption Points below this number. However, the magic power of the Plane of Darkness flows with ease in the Sorcerer’s blood, allowing him to cast the Right Hand Spells of the Second Tier.