Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Dreamlands: Ghoul Player Characters


GHOUL (Race)
Mr. Ombro Ghoul Thief
Ghouls are a species of undead living as their own society. Ghouls are white or green-skinned humanoid hairless creatures with sharp teeth, pointed ears, and claws. The feet of some "families" of ghouls have further mutated, almost becoming hooves. They inhabit networks of underground tunnels and crypts, and eat the corpses of dead humans. Despite their favored food and reclusive habits, Ghouls are usually not hostile creatures, and can even be decent in their own way.
Ghouls are medium-sized creatures with a base speed of 30 feet. They are rubbery-strong and agile, and so add one point to their starting strength and dexterity scores. Unfortunately, they are disturbing to look upon and have strange ways, and suffer a two point penalty to their starting charisma score. These modifications cannot put a score above 18 or below 3.
Ghouls have a claws that deal 1d4 damage. Opponents hit by their claws must pass a Fortitude saving throw or be be stunned for 1d6 rounds. This does not work on plants, constructs, undead or elementals.
Ghouls have a natural armor class of 12. They are immune to poison and disease and need not breathe or eat, though they can imbibe magical potions and receive the benefit of them.
Ghouls are immune to illusions and mind-affecting effects, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, stunning attacks and death effects. They are also immune to ability damage and drain and to energy damage and drain, as well as fatigue. Ghouls are damaged by cure wounds spells and healed by inflict wounds spells, and are unaffected by raise dead and reincarnate spells. Ghouls do not breathe, eat (though they want to) or sleep.
Ghouls are subject to clerical turning, but player character ghouls may make a Will save to avoid this effect. A result of Destroy Undead inflicts 3d6 damage to the ghoul on a ghoul character. Similarly, control undead attempts act as the dominate monster spell
Ghouls speak Common and Ghoulish and might have picked up virtually any other language. They can advance as cleric/thieves, fighter/thieves or magic-user/thieves.

Ghoul Breeding
Despite being undead, ghouls still feel a need to raise more ghouls. This is managed by inducting humans and other humanoid species into their ranks. Such new ghouls are often drawn from the ranks of orphans and foundlings, raised on ghoulish milk (*gag!*) and food. Eventually these children transform into true undead upon reaching adulthood. Similarly, those slain by a ghouls bite (and not eaten) will rise as a ghoul.

Mordiggian "The Charnel God"
Mordiggian is a Great Old One and is worshipped by ghouls. Mordiggian does not appear to be especially malevolent and has been known to spare those who have not personally offended him or his followers (the ghouls). A different name for Mordiggian is Morddoth, mentioned as the dark god of the ghouls revered in the city of K’n-yan in the Vale of Pnath and remote villages in the land of Khem.
Mordiggian's cult consists exclusively of ghouls, though other races may offer up their dead to the Charnel God, but only as appeasement and not as actual worship. The ghoul priests of Mordiggian cover themselves in long hooded robes of funeral-purple and silver skull-like masks. A tome known as The Ghoul's Manuscript deals with Mordiggian and his cult.
Cleric Alignments: Any
Cleric Powers: Clerics of Mordiggian can use piercing and slashing weapons and are skilled in survival, but have no special power over undead.

These rules are made for use with the Blood and Treasure RPG by John Stater

No comments:

DISNEY & DRAGONS: D&D in Fantasyland

Many times, in recent years I have encountered would-be players of Dungeons and Dragons whose sole experience with the fantasy genre h...