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 Tortured Stone
Those who find themselves on this path tend to have a strong connection to earth, rock and stone. Dwarves are especially susceptible to this path, though those who make their living among the rocks, such as miners, masons and sculptors, also succumb easily to its siren call, their bodies and souls hardened, until nothing remains but living, agonised stone.
Step 1 – Tears of Stone
The character’s eyes burn and itch, then begin weeping small, oily pebbles slightly larger than normal teardrops. These fall endlessly from his eyes in a slow avalanche, revealing him as marked by chaos to all who care to look. Should the character not take precautions, he will leave an easily followed trail of pebbles behind him as he moves.
Step 2 – Face of Marble
A chilly hardening sensation accompanies the changes this step brings. The character’s skin is covered in thick, marble like striations, his eyes become flat and lifeless; his facial muscles lose their expressiveness. Changes begin in his soul as well, as his emotions are suppressed and hidden away.
The character gains a +1 natural Armour Class bonus and his ‘poker face’ gives him a +1 bonus to Bluff checks. His slowed reflexes inflict a –2 penalty to Initiative, however.
Step 3 – Scabs of Earth
Thick streams of sludge are exuded from the chaos mage’s flesh, solidifying into brittle plates on the surface of his skin. Scabs and sludge are also exuded from his hands, staining anything he touches and making fine motor control difficult. The material flakes off easily, but the incessant dripping coats flesh again in just moments.
The character loses 2 points of Dexterity, but his natural Armour Class increases to +2.
Step 4 – Stone Limbs
Icy chills run deep inside the mage as threads of chaos solidify into crystalline structures within his arms and legs, emerging from his skin as strangely coloured protrusions. These crystal ridges are potent weapons and also serve to further protect the chaos mage. At this level of ‘evolution’, the character begins to find the idea of movement foreign, and he will happily sit immobile for hours, with no hint of motion. His thoughts, run quiet and deep, rumbling far beneath the surface like worms burrowing in dirt.
The character’s natural Armour Class bonus increases to +3 and his unarmed attacks do slashing damage, rather than nonlethal, though he is still considered unarmed. Conversely, his speed is reduced by 5 feet per round, to a minimum of 10 feet per round.
Step 5 – Eyes of Stone
Stone tears are now joined by a crystalline layer of chaotic material which forms over the mage’s eyes and must be wiped away on a regular basis. The crumbling grit is obvious if the chaos mage’s eyes are not covered, and the detritus leaves vivid stains on the character’s face. The incessant distraction makes it difficult for the mage to concentrate on anything.
The character suffers a -2 penalty to all Concentration checks. His inadvertent mental shielding now grants him a +2 bonus to saves against any mind-affecting spells or effects, but his sensory deprivation penalises all Listen, Search and Spot checks with a –1 modifier.
Step 6 – Calcified Flesh
Shards of stone begin forming just below the surface of the mage’s skin. These provide some measure of protection, but at the cost of mobility. The calcified flesh begins to lose all sensation and the mage can no longer feel the touch of a lover, nor do burrs, thistles or even small injuries draw his attention.
The character’s natural Armour Class bonus increases to +4, but he loses 2 more points of Dexterity.
Step 7 – Earth Locked Joints
Internal agony is not so easily escaped as the external. The natural covering of rock which protects the character becomes thicker, more intrusive and less easily ignored. Each movement is torture, as flesh must crumble, bend and, ultimately, break each time a limb is moved.
The character’s movement rate decreases by another 5 feet per round, to a minimum of 5 feet per round. In addition, he suffers a -1 penalty to all Reflex saves, but gains a +1 bonus to all Fortitude saves. His emotional withdrawal is nearly complete, however, inflicting a –2 penalty to all Charisma-based checks, but increasing his bonus to resist mind-affecting spells and effects by a further +2. The sheer amount of stone in the character’s body increases his raw power, granting a +2 bonus to Strength.
Step 8 – Chaotic Spires
Shrieking howls emanate from the character’s nearly still stony face as the stone laced throughout the mage’s body grows out of control, grinding forth from the character’s body in a frightening array.
Crystalline spines, ranging in size from a few inches to a foot or more, run through his body; these spines serve as conductors for chaos energy, and throb and pulse in a sickly rainbow of colours. At the same time, chaos calcifies the mage’s heart, mind and memory, erasing the last vestiges of emotion, save for one last memory of horrific loss.
The character loses 2 more points of Dexterity, and can no longer wear clothes other than loose robes. His fearsome appearance grants him a +4 bonus to all Intimidation checks, however.
Step 9 – Flowing Stone
Chaotic backlash causes the stone lancing the character’s body to liquefy as it flows into strange, blasphemous shapes of chaotic design. All sensation deserts the mage as his last nerves are evaporated, his sight dims as his hearing is reduced to a low rumble of stone on stone. Emotion simply disappears and the practitioner suffers from a crushing, dreadful apathy, which only the full extent of his willpower can overcome.
The chaos mage suffers a further loss of 2 points of Dexterity, but gains damage reduction 5/- and a further +1 bonus to Fortitude saves. The character ‘s Listen, Search and Spot checks are all inflicted with –2 penalty now.
Step 10 – Pillar of Chaos
Wild sorcery completely destroys the sanity of the chaos mage, reducing his body to a pile of living stone. The character is no longer sentient in any way comprehensible to mortals, and his body periodically merges with the earth, only to reappear in a new location after some random time. This change is permanent, and the character is irrevocably lost to chaos.
