Lhazaaran Cultist
Lhazaaran Elf class — see Classes for the full list.
Over millennia, Lady Illmarrow has founded, infiltrated, and instigated the formation of countless cults. In hopes of gathering more power for herself, she has encouraged her minions to transact with dark powers of all forms. Lhazaaran cultists from her domain willingly embrace the corrupting effects of eldritch magic in their pursuit of the powers and knowledge that can only be granted by alien powers and demonic entities.
Lhazaaran Cultist Level Progression / Divine Spell Progression / Arcane Spell Progression
| Experience | Title | Level | Hit Dice | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Medium | 1 | 1d4+1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3,200 | Occultist | 2 | 2d4 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 6,400 | Spiritualist | 3 | 3d4 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 12,800 | Hexgiver | 4 | 4d4 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
| 25,600 | Cursebringer | 5 | 5d4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 50,200 | Maleficus | 6 | 6d4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 100,000 | Infernalist | 7 | 7d4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 200,000 | Warlock | 8 | 8d4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | - | - | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | - | - |
| 400,000 | Dread Lord | 9 | 9d4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
| 600,000 | Dread Lord, 10th level | 10 | 9d4 + 1* | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - |
| 800,000 | Dread Lord, 11th level | 11 | 9d4 + 2* | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Combat Characteristics
Because of their devotion to magical study, cultists receive limited combat training. They are quite vulnerable to physical danger, and in an adventuring group they should be protected.
Combat Proficiencies: Cultists have weapon proficiency with clubs, daggers, darts, and staffs. They have no armor proficiency. They have fighting style proficiency with the two-handed weapon style (allowing them to use a staff with both hands), but not with the dual weapon or weapon and shield styles.
Combat Progression: Cultists advance in attack throws and saving throws by only two points every six levels. They cannot
Cultist Saving Throws
| Level | Paralysis | Death | Blast | Implement | Spells | Attack Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | 12+ | 12+ | 15+ | 11+ | 12+ | +0 |
| 4-6 | 11+ | 11+ | 14+ | 10+ | 11+ | +1 |
| 7-9 | 10+ | 10+ | 13+ | 9+ | 10+ | +2 |
| 10-11 | 9+ | 9+ | 12+ | 8+ | 9+ | +3 |
cleave, regardless of their level.
Starting Class Powers
Arcane Magic: Lhazaaran cultists can wield potent arcane spells. The number and levels of spells the cultist can use in a single day is summarized on the Lhazaaran Cultist Arcane Spell Progression table. As studious casters, their spell selection is limited to the spells in their repertoire. A cultist’s repertoire can include a number of spells up to the number and level of spells listed for his level, increased by his Intellect bonus.
Studious Divine Magic: Lhazaaran cultists can channel the sacred power of nature with divine spells. Unlike typical divine casters who gain spells from prayer, cultists are studious casters who learn secret mysteries handed down from antiquity. They follow the same rules for learning and casting their divine spells as they do for their arcane spells. They select their spells from the divine spell list, rather than the arcane spell list, however, and cannot use their divine repertoire to learn or cast arcane spells, nor vice versa.
Chaotic Pact: Every cultist has entered into a pact with a powerful chaotic entity. Three such patrons are detailed here: Avassh, il-Lashtavar, and Katashka. The cultist’s chosen patron rewards him with one additional power at 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th level. When the character is created, select one of the patrons below or speak with your Judge about the patrons available in his campaign.
Occultism: Every cultist has studied the forbidden secrets of the occult. On a proficiency throw of 11+, he can name the popular titles and symbols of chthonic powers; identify the type of undead creature encountered; and otherwise recall information of interest to demonology and necromancy. (This class power counts as one rank of Knowledge (Occult) proficiency.)
Additional Class Powers
When they advance in level, cultists gain the following additional class powers:
Chaotic Pact II (3rd): The cultist’s patron grants him his second reward.
Chaotic Pact III (5th): The cultist’s patron grants him his third reward.
Minor Magical Research (5th): The cultist can research spells, scribe magical scrolls, and brew potions. Rules for magic research can be found in Campaigns.
Chaotic Pact IV (7th): The cultist’s patron grants him his fourth reward.
Esoteric Contemplation (7th): By contemplating the mysteries of his sect, the cultist can re-gain the ability to cast a spell of a level he had previously expended. Esoteric contemplation is an ancillary activity requiring one hour (6 turns) of undisturbed meditation. A cultist cannot regain the same level of spell (whether arcane or divine) more than once per day through contemplation. However, if the cultist also has the Contemplation proficiency, he can regain one spell of each level for each magic type per day.
Chaotic Pact V (9th): The cultist’s patron grants him his fifth reward.
Major Magical Research (9th): The cultist can create more powerful magic items such as weapons, rings, and staffs.
Fane of Vol (9th): By acquiring a fane of Vol worth at least 15,000gp, the cultist can attract followers to his service. 1d2x10 1st level cultists plus1d6x30 0th level lhazaaran who wish to join the cult will arrive to serve him as followers within 1d3 months of him acquiring or building the fane. If the cultist already has a fane, the followers will arrive within 1d3 months of him reaching 9th level. Every year 80% of the previous year’s trainees will go mad, commit suicide or run away in terror, and 1d6x20 new 0th level lhazaarans will come in to replace them. An elf in training typically takes 2 years to become a 1st level cultist. Within six months of its establishment, a fane automatically becomes a shadowed sinkhole of evil. It will remain so indefinitely, even if the cultist leaves or dies, unless cleansed.
Chaotic Pact VI (11th): The cultist’s patron grants him his sixth reward.
Supreme Magical Research (11th): The cultist can learn and cast ritual arcane spells of great power (7th, 8th, and 9th level), craft magical constructs, create magical crossbreeds, and perform necromancy.
Cultist Patrons
Avassh, the Twister of Roots
Avassh doesn’t embody mortal fears of nature; rather, it transforms nature to create alien terrors. This transformation appears to be the primary motivation of the daelkyr, and many of Avassh’s creations are deadly threats. Blights kill creatures of flesh and corrupt natural vegetation. The compelling scent of Avassh’s blooms may be poisonous, or they could carry a more insidious threat—psychic spores that take root as powerful psychoses.
Plant Mastery (1st): A cultist of Avassh knows the secrets of plants and fungi. If the cultist touches a fungus, mold, or plant (including plant creatures), he learns its species and type with a proficiency throw of 11+. Because he understands the subtle language by which the these beings whisper to each other, he gains +2 to all reaction rolls when encountering plant creatures. He can take plant creatures as henchmen (HD permitting) and give them simple instructions by concentrating at touch range.
Unnatural Arts (3rd): The cultist of Avassh gains one rank of the Naturalism proficiency. If the character already has three ranks of Naturalism, he can choose any general proficiency instead.
Conjure Galdrtré (5th): The cultist of Avassh gains the ability to cast conjure galdrtré once per day (use the range and duration of conjure hellion).
**Rotless Rot (7th):**Age leads to death, but death is merely fodder for plants and fungi. The cultist of Avassh does not suffer from age related penalties to his ability scores. Anytime he fails a saving throw vs Death due to advancing age, instead of dying he gains a Mutation of the Flesh from the Gifts of the Great Fungi table (see By This Axe p. 87). The character is unlikely to ever die of natural causes, but will eventually become an invertebrate blob of pseudo-fungus…
Power of Sacrifice (9th): The cultist of Avassh learns to harness the power of sacrifice. He can gain arcane power by blood sacrifice and counts any arcane power from blood sacrifice as double its gp value. He can store the arcane power from blood sacrifices indefinitely, even when not actively performing magical research.
Root of All Evil (11th): Every plant is a ghoul that feeds on the dead, for soil is nothing but the rotting remains of things that once lived. The cultist of Avassh can crossbreed plants with undead at half the usual material cost and research cost. The resulting crossbreed is fanatically loyal to the cultist (+4 loyalty).
Il-Lashtavar, the Great Darkness that Dreams
The layers of Dal Quor (the Region of Dreams) are shaped by dreaming minds, but cultists of il-Lashtavar believe the heart of Dal Quor is itself the dream of an immense, ancient spirit. They call this entity the Quor Tarai—the Dream of the Age. But they believe that each incarnation of the Quor Tarai has its own distinct flavor. They refer to the present Quor Tarai is il-Lashtavar, the Great Darkness that Dreams, and they endeavor to channel its malevolence and cruelty to their own ends.
Dream Lore of the Quori (1st): The cultist of il-Lashtavar specializes in enchantments and illusions. When he casts enchantment spells (such as bewitch person) or illusion spells (such as phantasmal figment), the spell effects are calculated as if he were two caster levels higher than his actual caster level. Targets of his enchantment and illusion spells suffer a -2 penalty to their saving throw. His eligibility to conduct research on enchantment and illusion magic is determined as if he were two caster levels higher than actual. He gains a +2 bonus on magic research throws and increases his research rate by 10% when researching enchantment or illusion magic. If the cultist also has Mastery of Enchantments and Illusions proficiency, he can cast enchantments and illusions as if he were three (rather than two) caster levels higher than his actual caster level, and targets suffer a -3 penalty to their saving throws.
Watching the Skies (3rd): The cultist of il-Lashtavar studies the movements of the moons and stars, looking for the time when Dal Quor might once again be reachable from the waking world. He gains one rank of the Knowledge (astrology) Proficiency. If the character already has four ranks of Knowledge (astrology), he may select any general proficiency instead.
Figments of Dream (5th): The cultist of il-Lashtavar can give the semblance of reality to his thoughts and perceptions. He can cast chimerical figment once per day.
Nightmare Made Flesh (7th): The cultist of il-Lashtavar gains an abominable mutation drawn from nightmare. The character can choose from either beast eyes, claw-like nails, scaly skin, or tentacles. Beast eyes grant lightless vision with a range of 60’ but impose a -2 penalty to reaction rolls. Claw-like nails grant two attacks per round dealing 1d4-1 points of damage but impose a -2 penalty to reaction rolls and a -2 penalty on proficiency throws requiring delicate work. Scaly skin grants a +2 AC but reduces maximum movement rate by 25% and imposes a -4 penalty on reaction rolls. Tentacles allow the character to hold torches or other objects while keeping his hands free and grant two attacks per round dealing 1d3-1 points of damage but impose a -2 penalty to reaction rolls. At the Judge’s discretion, other mutations might be available.
Knowledge of the Cosmos (9th): The cultist of il-Lashtavar has learned to decipher the secrets of the universe written in the structure of the heavens. He can meet his daily study requirements for studious spellcasting without physical access to his spell books simply by studying the night sky. He can use the visible heavens as a library for purposes of magical research. The astrographic library has a value of 10,000gp per rank of Knowledge (astrology) the cultist has learned and can substitute for or add to the value of a physical library. When performing magic experimentation, he can add his ranks in Knowledge (astrology) to his throw for the purposes of determining whether he has achieved a breakthrough. If he has four ranks in Knowledge (astrology), he gains one additional experimental advantage.
Ensorcellment Unending (11th): The cultist of il-Lashtavar’s enchantments and illusions endure while his memory endures. He can maintain twice the number of perpetual enchantments and illusions of each level. In addition, perpetual enchantments and illusions cast by the cultist do not automatically expire with his death. Instead they are sustained until the living memory of the cultist dies out. The cultist is considered to be in living memory for as long as his sanctum is still intact and used by cultists in an unbroken chain of apprentices in succession from him, or until 225 years has passed, whichever is longer. The enchantments and illusions can, of course, still be dispelled normally.
Katashka, the Gatekeeper
The overlord Katashka embodies the fears of both death and the undead. Katashka’s cultists embrace this dark destiny, seeking to create, control, and ultimately become undead to increase their own power. His loyalists dream of a world where the dead reign over the living, reveling in the power death holds over the rabble, secure in the belief that Katashka will either grant them immortality through undeath or raise them when they fall.
Secrets of the Dark Arts: (1st) The cultist of Katashka can control undead as a Chaotic cleric of one half his class level. If the character casts death spells, his targets suffer a -2 penalty on their saving throws. When the character casts necromantic spells (such as animate undead), the spell effects are calculated as if he were two class levels higher than his actual level of experience. His eligibility to research death or necromancy magic is determined as if he were two caster levels higher than actual. He gains a +2 bonus on magic research throws and increases his research rate by 10% when researching death or necromancy magic. Secrets of the Dark Arts can partially stack with the Black Lore of Mabar proficiency, such that the character can control undead as a cleric of two-thirds his class level (rounded up), and his death and necromancy spells and research are calculated as if he were three (rather than two) caster levels higher than his actual caster level.
Mortuary Science (3rd): The cultist of Katashka has undertaken a deep study of anatomy, circulation, disease, and vitality. He gains one rank of the Healing proficiency. If he already has 3 ranks of Healing, he may select any general proficiency instead.
Speak with Dead (5th): The dead hold no secrets for the cultist of Katashka. He can cast speak with dead once per day.
Instill Strength (7th): The cultist of Katashka can instill his strength into undead he created and/or controls. Instilling strength requires a few moments of concentration (one round) and affects all of his undead within 30’. Each affected undead gains a pool of temporary hit points equal to the lower of one fourth the cultist’s or the undead’s own hit points. These temporary hit points last for one turn (10 minutes) or until lost to damage, whichever comes first. The cultist can instill strength once per day per level.
Lordship Over the Undead (9th): In black tomes and evil liturgies, the cultist of Katashka has gained lordship over the undead. Whenever the character succeeds in controlling undead (whether from a roll or automatically from a “R” result), the undead are controlled for 1 day per level instead of the usual 1 turn per level. If the undead would have been controlled for 1 day per level (from a “D” result), the undead are instead controlled indefinitely.
Secrets of Life and Death (11th): The cultist has finally unlocked the secrets of life and death. He can perform necromancy at half the usual material cost and research cost.
Racial Traits
As Lhazaaran elves, all bloodsails also possess certain benefits and drawbacks from their bloodline.
After the Flesh: For most mortals, undeath is a curse. For Lhazaaran elves, it is a pathway to power. If transformed into intelligent undead, the Lhazaaran retains his racial powers and his class abilities. Once transformed, the bloodsail can continue to advance in Hit Dice without limit, even past his class’s maximum level. All of the Lhazaaran’s class abilities will continue to progress without regard to his class’s maximum level, to a maximum of 14th level. The ACKS II Judges Journal offers additional rules for characters advancing via this power.
Illmarrow’s Blessing: Because of their connection to the Emerald Queen, Lhazaaran elves are completely unaffected by diseases caused by undead and gain a +1 bonus to Paralysis and Death saving throws. Their robust vitality grants a +1 bonus to their HD roll at 1st level. (These adjustments are already factored into their HD and saving throws on the tables.)
Dark Soul: Because of their black spirits, the grim embrace of death holds special perils for Lhazaaran elves. Whenever a deceased Lhazaaran elf rolls on the Tampering With Mortality table, he suffers a penalty on the 1d20 roll of -1 per class level.
Inexorable: Lhazaarans are inexorable in the face of horrors that terrify normal men. They are immune to all fear effects.
Lhazaaran Tongues: Due to their background and training, all Lhazaarans can speak Caernathi, Common, Dwarf Giant, and Lhazaaran.
Class Proficiencies
Proficiency Progression: At 1st level, cultists gain one class proficiency from their class proficiency list and one general proficiency from the general proficiency list (as indicated by the template rolled). They select an additional class proficiency at 4th, 8th, and 12th level. They select an additional general proficiency at 5th, 9th, and 13th level.
Lhazaaran Cultist Proficiency List: Alchemy, Battle Magic, Black Lore of Mabar, Counterspelling, Divine Blessing, Elementalism, Expanded Repertoire, Experimenting, Familiar, Healing, Illusion Resistance, Knowledge, Language, Loremastery, Magical Engineering, Mastery of Enchantments & Illusions, Mastery of Conjuration & Summoning, Mystic Aura, Naturalism, Poisoning, Prestidigitation, Prophecy, Quiet Magic, Sensing Good, Sensing Power, Soothsaying, Transmogrification, Unflappable Casting
Cultist Templates
| 3d6 | Template | Proficiencies | Starting Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 – 4 | Hedge Cultist (Avassh) | Transmogrification Survival Endurance | Tattered spellbook with pass without trace and bane-rune, rough-cut darkwood staff, dirt-stained gray cassock, leather shoes, small sack, quill & ink, waterskin, 2 weeks’ iron rations, 3gp (enc. 4 st) |
| 5 – 6 | Dark Oracle (il-Lashtavar) | Prophecy Knowledge (astrology) Intimidation | Creepy leather-bound spellbook with , darkwood staff, blue chiton, sandals, small sack, flask of unholy water, waterskin, 1 week’s iron rations, 5gp (enc. 2 4/6 st) |
| 7 – 8 | Garden Tender (Avassh) | Familiar Labor (gardening) Naturalism | Crow familiar, rolled papyrus spellbook with shillelagh and locate animal or plant, simple dagger, brown and green robes, polished iron skullcap, embossed belt, low boots, backpack, quill and ink, waterskin, 2 weeks’ iron rations, 56gp (enc. 3 1/6 st) |
| 9 – 10 | Vivisectionist (Katashka) | Black Lore of Mabar Healing Healing 2 | Bloodstained spellbook with slicing blow and cure light injury, chirugeon’s scalpel, ear plugs (to mask screams), chirugeon’s robe, low boots, backpack, large surgical saw, 1 lb comfrey, 1 lb horsetail, 1 lb willowbark, quill and ink, lantern, tinderbox, 1 lb common oil, waterskin, 1 week’s iron rations, 9gp (3 3/6 st) |
| 11 – 12 | Beguiler (il-Lashtavar) | [[Mastery of Enchantments & Illusions | Mastery of Enchantments and Illusions]] Diplomacy Bargaining |
| 13 – 14 | Secret Seeker (Katashka) | Loremastery Theology Collegiate Wizardry | Well-organized spellbook with choking grip and discern magic, iron-shod staff, officer’s dagger, argent baton, red armiger’s tunic and pants, high boots, backpack, quill and ink, waterskin, 1 week’s iron rations, 74gp (enc. 3 2/6 st) |
| 15 – 16 | Venomist (Avassh) | Poisoning Naturalism Alchemy | Stained spellbook with chameleon and discern poison, smooth-worn staff, argent baton, dark green robe, leather belt, low boots, backpack, 2 vials of giant centipede poison, quill and ink, waterskin, 1 week’s iron rations, 2gp (enc. 3 3/6 st) |
| 17 – 18 | Blessed of Vol (Katashka) | Divine Blessing Riding Leadership | Skull-embossed spellbook with unliving puppet and counterspell, quarterstaff tipped with violet gemstone (45gp value), argent baton, white and black mage’s cassock, extravagant hat, leather belt, leather gloves, high boots, backpack, quill and ink, medium riding horse, riding saddle and tack, leather saddlebag, 2 weeks’ iron rations, 16gp, 5sp (enc. 2 st with rations on horse) |
Notes: Most characters of this class have above average Intellect, and the templates above reflect that. Each template assumes that the character has an INT attribute of between 13 and 15, qualifying him for one bonus proficiency and one bonus spell. The bonus proficiency and bonus spell that each template begins with are noted last. For characters with INT of less than 13, delete the third proficiency and the second spell. For characters with INT higher than 15, select the appropriate number of additional general proficiencies and ask your Judge to determine what additional spells your character knows.
The Garden Tender can choose the class proficiency granted by their familiar.
| Prime Requisite: | INT and DEX |
|---|---|
| Requirements: | None |
| Hit Dice: | 1d6 |
| Maximum Level: | 11 |
Spells
Studious arcane caster: choose the repertoire from the whole arcane spell list. See Magic and Spellcasting for how repertoires work.