The Quintessential Chaos Mage
The Quintessential Chaos Mage front cover
| Author | Patrick Younts |
| Series | Quintessential Series |
| Publisher | Mongoose Publishing |
| Publish date | 2003 |
| Pages | 128 |
| ISBN | 1-904577-54-7 |
| OGL Section 15 | qcmg |
Note: Material in this section may be "mature" in nature.
The material below is designated as Open Game Content
The Path of Screaming Shadows
Named for the practitioner’s inevitable fate, the Path of Screaming Shadows is one of the more subtle and, some would say, appealing of the Paths of Chaos. Certainly it is the least physically painful, but it is also the most seductive. As the strength of the chaos mage’s will increases, his physical power decreases dramatically. The further along the path he progresses, the less able the mage is to affect the world in any way except through magic. When the final transformation takes place, the character becomes trapped in his own shadow forever, his mind tied permanently to the tormentor’s rack of chaos sorcery. All that is left is a nearly mindless, hateful shadow, a wailing spectre mourning the loss of its body.
Step 1 – Mask of Shadows
Chaos gathers about the character like night, forever marking him as a creature of the dark and of the shadow. No matter how the light falls, the mage’s face is always cast in deepest shadow. Even beneath the noonday sun, the chaos mage attracts shadows to his face, leaving him in unnerving dimness.
Step 2 – Tenebrous Will
Benefiting from the power of chaos, the mage’s willpower surges even as his physical strength fades. Simple activities become tiring and more difficult and even walking across the room is a noticeable physical drain. Shadows tend to gather more deeply where the chaos mage walks, pooling around him like a tattered cloak.
The chaos mage’s physical Strength is decreased by 2, while his Charisma is increased by 2.
Step 3 – Shadowed Strength
More shadows cling to the chaos mage, darkening his appearance and leaving no doubt as to his supernatural nature. The shadows seem to feed on the mage’s physical strength, sapping his energy even further and leaving him ever more exhausted.
The mage finds himself unable to accomplish once simple tasks, and any burden leaves him breathless. Simultaneously, he gains the ability to see in darkness as easily as he sees in full daylight.
His Strength score is reduced by 2 more points but he gains darkvision to a range of 30 feet (or his existing darkvision is increased by the same amount).
Step 4 – Spectral Exchange
Shadows cling to the mage’s hands like cobwebs in a dark corner, and he seems insubstantial when exposed to bright light. His terrifying presence is enhanced yet again, causing others to view him with both awe and fear.
The character gains a +2 bonus to all Intimidate skill checks and a +2 circumstance bonus to Hide checks.
Step 5 – Clinging Gloom
More darkness gathers about the mage, and anything he touches seems to fade and darken as though swathed in deepest shadow, an effect which remains for some time after he sets the object down. Where the mage stands, shadows grow unnaturally deep and a palpable chill radiates from his form.
Those with 10 feet of the mage gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Hide skill checks. The mage suffers a –1 penalty to all actions, saves and caster checks, when fully exposed to daylight.
Step 6 – Touch of Twilight
In gathering darkness, the chaos mage perseveres. As his body continues to fail, his willpower increases. Others can see the commanding presence of the
mage, cloaked in shadows and his physical weakness is equally apparent.
The character loses 2 points of both Strength and Constitution and gains 2 points of Wisdom.
Step 7 – Feeble Grasp
Chaos surges through the character’s body, gradually transforming more and more of him into living shadow. The change leaves the character weaker than ever before, and his skin becomes so translucent and smoky that in bright light it is possible to see right through his extremities. At this point along the path, chaos truly begins to take hold of his mind; he becomes monomaniacal and dominating, using his magic to unleash ever more outlandish displays of force. Many become convinced that they have become gods or demigods, and act accordingly.
During daylight hours, the character’s Strength is reduced by 2 – should this be enough to reduce his Strength to 0, he falls into a coma until such time as darkness falls. The mage now benefits from a +2 bonus to all Move Silently checks as his mass is not what it once was. He also gains a +2 bonus to Will saves, but only during the hours between sunset and sunrise.
Step 8 – Blood of Shadows
The chaos mage’s physical self is nearly gone, leaving naughtt but dim shadow. When the character suffers injury, he bleeds flickering, hissing plumes of shadow instead of blood and he radiates a noticeable chill, cold enough to freeze water in just a few minutes time.
The mage gains immunity to non-magical cold, and resistance equal to his class level to magical cold spells and spell like effects. He also loses an additional 2 points of Strength.
Step 9 – Ghostly Flesh
Chaos increases the insubstantial nature of the chaos mage’s body, giving his flesh a ghostly appearance – he is almost literally a shadow of himself. Normal weapons tend to pass right through him without injuring him and he is completely immune to cold.
The chaos mage gains damage reduction 20/magic and is completely immune to both non-magical and magical cold. He no longer ages and need not eat or drink. He suffers an additional 2 points loss to both Strength and Constitution, and dies (as though he had taken the tenth step on this path) should either fall to 0.
Step 10 – Cathedral of Shade
Shadow consumes the mage and he is finally, fully consumed. Only his shadow, its mind wracked by the torturous writhing of primal chaos, remains and that only for moments. The instant the character takes this final step, his body dissolves into a cloud of shadows, which settles like a film over everything in the nearby area. The character is forever lost.
