Wednesday, August 22, 2018

The Alphabet of Outer Beings - U is for Unholy

Image Source: https://www.deviantart.com/chadmichaelward/art/Unholy-Trinity-106868752

U is for Unholy

The clerics of most deities have the ability to channel divine energies to rebuff, damage, and even destroy utterly, entities that their deity considers anathema. Deemed "unholy" by their mortal worshippers these abominations in the sight of the gods are often used as targets for questing knights of holy orders, and are often rare to find within the domains of followers of such deities. Deities often take offense to the existence of multiple creature types, but some may focus their enmity on fewer, or even single creature types. A cleric of such a deity will find their ability to "turn unholy" especially effective in such cases.

Table U1: Number of Unholy (roll 2d4)
  • 2: A single creature type is truly abhorrent to the deity to the exclusion of others. (skip Table U2
    • When turned, these unholy suffer a turn effect three steps/levels/results worse than the normal effect.
    • Roll 3 times on Table U3 and gain +3 for each benefit rolled.
  • 3: Roll 2+1d3 creature types on Table U2
    • When turned, these unholy suffer a turn effect one step/level/result worse than the normal effect.
    • Roll 2 times on Table U3 and gain +2 for each benefit rolled.
  • 4-6: Roll 5+1d3 creature types on Table U2
    • Turned as normal.
    • Roll once on Table U3 and gain +1 for the benefit rolled.
  • 7: Roll 2+1d3 creature types on Table U2
    • When turned, these unholy suffer a turn effect one step/level/result worse than the normal effect.
    • Roll 2 times on Table U3 and gain +2 for each benefit rolled.
  • 8: A single creature type is truly abhorrent to the deity to the exclusion of others. (skip Table U2
    • When turned, these unholy suffer a turn effect three steps/levels/results worse than the normal effect.
    • Roll 3 times on Table U3 and gain +3 for each benefit rolled.
Table U2: Types of Unholy Creatures (roll 1d12 as indicated by Table U1) 
In addition to the unholy rolled below, Lawful and Chaotic deities automatically gain all creatures of opposing alignment as unholy.
  1. Undead
  2. Demons and/or Devils 
  3. Magical Constructs (golems, homunculi, etc.)
  4. Unnatural Creatures (slimes, molds, gelatinous cubes, etc)
  5. Humanoids (roll 1d10 to determine species)
    1. Dwarfs
    2. Elfs
    3. Halflings
    4. Humans
    5. Goblins
    6. Orks
    7. Trolls
    8. Ogres
    9. Lizardmen
    10. Serpentfolk
  6. Natural Animals
  7. Dragons
  8. Hybrid Creatures (such a chimera, griffins, manticore, sphynx, etc.)
  9. Monsters (basilisks, phase creatures, hydra, etc.)
  10. Fae/Fairies
  11. Celestials/Angels
  12. Shapeshifters (lycanthropes, changelings, etc)
Table U3: Special Benefits Against Unholy (roll 1d8 as indicated in Table U1)
  1. Your deity's holy symbol repulses the Unholy and their powers passively; your bonus applies to all saving throws against Unholy powers. 
  2. Your training makes you especially adept at combat against the Unholy; your bonus applies to attack rolls against the Unholy creatures. 
  3. Your deity has bond with a key substance (such as water, oil, silver, etc.) that takes their blessing strongly and reacts to Unholy creatures; when using a blessed item of that substance against Unholy creatures your bonus increases the result of the blessing accordingly.
  4. Your faith acts as a symbol for those who follow you to rally around; your allies gain your bonus to their Will saves against the Unholy. 
  5. Your faith acts as a shield against the Unholy for those who follow you; your allies gain your bonus to their AC against the Unholy. 
  6. You faith strengthens your allies against the Unholy; your allies gain your bonus to their Fortitude saves against the Unholy. 
  7. Your deity's servants are especially quick to answer your pleas for aid against the Unholy; you gain your bonus for any attempts to summon such servants to aid you against the Unholy. 
  8. You deity's holy symbol burns the Unholy like a brand; you may wield your holy symbol as a weapon dealing 1d6 plus your bonus as damage.