MOON PRIESTS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: HERO System is a trademark of Hero Games, Inc. Any reference to HERO, the HERO System Rulesbook, or any of the HERO System supplements should not be construed as a challenge to the trademark status. The author is not affiliated in any manner with Hero Games, Inc. You can distribute this product freely, but you can not charge more than a minimum delivery fee. Copyright 1994, All rights reserved. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- This series of supplements can be used to expand those available in the Fantasy HERO books from HERO Games, Inc. They can not be used without reference to the the HERO System Rulesbook. This material is a mix of adaptations from other game systems and a original designs. Bob Hall (iceblade@eskimo.com) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the following spells, one point of KS: Religious Procedures can be substituted for each 5 points worth of the Spells from Lunar College limitation. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Priests of this sect worship the moon, and draw all their magical energy from their god. The major aspects of Lunar Magic include monthly cycles, silver, insanity, and the night. The power of a Moon Priest waxes and wanes with the phases of the moon, peaking during the week centered on a full moon and all but vanishing during the week of a new moon. Most of the Moon Priest spells require a polished silver Crescent Moon pendant as a focus. Because the powers of the Moon Priests wane during the week of a new moon, they often have some proficiency in the more mundane combat arts. The standard weapon of a Moon Priest is a crescent staff - a staff with a crescent-shaped blade attached to the end. (The Crescent Staff functions identically to a Military Fork.) This staff is also a symbol of power within the priesthood. There have long been rumors of an association between Lycanthropy and Lunar Worship, although most priest will disavow any knowledge of such. The existance of Lycanthropic members is a closely guarded secret within the church, and such priests are carefully hidden and guarded from outsiders. On worlds where there are more than one moon, the Moon Priests worship only one of the heavenly bodies. Diffirent Moon Priests cults can worship different moons, and a strong rivalry usually exists between these groups. Common Limitations: Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Characters Must have at least 20 points from college (-1/2), Requires Magic Skill Roll (-1/2), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Side Effects (-1/2), Religious Restrictions (-1/2) ----------------------------------------------------------------- BASIC SPELLS ----------------------------------------------------------------- MOON BEAM Upon casting this spell, a ray of sparkling light flashes toward the head of the target, stunning the victim with a mental attack. If the priest fails his Magic Skill roll, he is temporarily stunned by mental feedback. Power: 3d6 Ego Attack Modifiers: Visible (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Character must have at least 20 points in spells from Lunar College (-1/2), Requires Magic Skill Roll (-1/2), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4), Side Effect (3d6 STUN Drain) (-1), (+3 STUN during Full Moon, -3 during New Moon) (0). Active Cost = 30 points. END Cost: 3; Magic Roll: -3; Casting Time: 1/2 phase. Real Cost: 6. DETECT Moon priests can use this spell to detect the presence or use of magic nearby. Once cast, any magic will give off a silvery glow. If the caster fails his roll he will be temporarily blinded by a flash of silvery light. Power: Detect Magic (Sense, Ranged, Targeting) Modifiers: Costs END (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Character must have at least 20 points in spells from Lunar College (-1/2), Requires Magic Skill Roll (-1/2), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4), Side Effect (3d6 Flash) (-1/2), (+3 PER during Full Moon, -3 during New Moon) (0). Active Cost = 30 points. END Cost: 3; Magic Roll: -3; Casting Time: 1/2 phase. Real Cost: 6. OWL SENSE This spell allows the caster to see and hear as efficiently as an owl. If the Priest fails his Magic Skill roll, he is blinded by a flash of silvery light. Power: Targeted Hearing, +2 Enhanced Perception, +6 Telescopic Sight Modifiers: Costs 1/2 END to use (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Character must have at least 20 points in spells from Lunar College (-1/2), Requires Magic Skill Roll (-1/2), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4), Side Effects (3d6 Flash sight) (-1/2), (+1 PER during Full Moon, -1 during New Moon) (0). Active Cost = 35 points. END Cost: 2; Magic Roll: -3; Casting Time: 1/2 phase. Real Cost: 8. KNOW MOON This spell allows the caster to know the direction and current phase of the moon. This in turn will allow him to know the approximate period of the month within a day or two. If he can determine the time of the day, then he will also be able to orientate himself. Finally, he can determine the current state of the tides and thus the effectiveness of his magic. Power: Detect Moon (Ranged, Discriminatory) Modifiers: Costs END to use (-1/2), 1/2 DCV Throughout (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Character must have at least 20 points in spells from Lunar College (-1/2), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4). Active Cost = 13 points. END Cost: 1; Magic Roll: -1; Casting Time: 1/2 phase. Real Cost: 3. ----------------------------------------------------------------- COLLEGE SPELLS ----------------------------------------------------------------- AWE STRUCK When this spell is cast, silvery beams erupt from the palm of the priest to strike the target. The beams reduce the Ego of the victim and transfer the resulting points to the Presence rating of the priest, making the target particularly vulnerable to Presence attacks by the caster. If the priest fails his Magic Skill roll, his Ego is drained and he becomes confused and indecisive. Power: 2d6 Transfer (EGO to PRE) Modifiers: Ranged (+1/2); Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Character must have at least 20 points in spells from Lunar College (-1/2), PRE increase only versus target (-1), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4), Side Effect (4d6 EGO Drain of caster) (-1/2), (+6 Maximum Transfer during Full Moon, -6 Maximum Transfer during New Moon) (0). Active Cost = 45 points. END Cost: 4; Magic Roll: -4; Casting Time: 1/2 phase. Real Cost: 9. ECLIPSE This impressive incantation causes the sun to be totally eclipsed by a circular body, causing a large area to grow as dark as late evening for as long as the spell is maintained. All vision PER rolls receive a -1 modifier within the darkened area, during the daytime. Power: Change Environment (Darken 250km radius) Modifiers: Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Character must have at least 20 points in spells from Lunar College (-1/2), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4), Extra Time - 1 hour (-2), Only once per month (-2). Active Cost = 90 points. END Cost: 9; Magic Roll: -9; Casting Time: 1 hour. Real Cost: 12. ENHANCE FERTILITY This spell can be used to make any one animal more fertile. The odds of becoming pregnant are doubled, as are the odds of having twins or larger batches of offspring. If a creature is currently infertile due to age or medical problems, this spell will restore the normal level of fertility. Additional use of this spell on the same creature has no further effect beyond those already listed. Power: 3d6 Cosmetic Transform (Repair or Double Fertility) Modifiers: Cummulative (+1/2); Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Character must have at least 10 points in spells from Lunar College (-1/4), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4), Only during full moon (-2). Active Cost = 22 points. END Cost: 2; Magic Roll: -2; Casting Time: 1/2 phase. Real Cost: 4. HARVEST MOON This spell causes the moon to appear many times larger than normal, increasing the level of illumination within the 128" radius target area to the equivalent of dusk. This spell is most useful at night in full moonlight. During the daylight hours, the effect is primarily used to impress worshippers and visitors. Power: Images Modifiers: 128" Radius (+2+3/4), 1/2 END (+1/4); Only in clear moonlight (-1/2), Only to enlarge size of moon (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Character must have at least 20 points in spells from Lunar College (-1/2), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4), Side Effect (Moonlight Flash) (-1). Active Cost = 40 points. END Cost: 2; Magic Roll: -4; Casting Time: 1/2 phase. Real Cost: 8. LUNATIC This spell causes the target to go berserk (as per the Character Disadvantage), attacking the nearest target(s). The spell will only function during the week of a full moon. If the spell caster fails his Magic Skill roll, he suffers STUN damage from mental feedback. Power: 12d6 Mind Control Modifiers: No Verbal Communication (+1/4); Single Command (-1/2), Only to go berserk (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Character must have at least 20 points in spells from Lunar College (-1/2), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4), Only during week of full moon (-1), Side Effect (4d6 Ego Attack) (-1/2). Active Cost = 75 points. END Cost: 7; Magic Roll: -7; Casting Time: 1/2 phase. Real Cost: 13. MOON DANCE The target of this spell is able to leap and jump about in spectacular fashion, as if he weighed much less than normal. However, this lightened state makes the target more vulnerable to Knockback. Power: 14- Acrobatics Modifiers: (+1 during Full Moon, -1 during New Moon) (0). Active Cost = 20 points. Power: +5" Superleap Modifiers: Linked to Acrobatics (-1/2), (+2" during Full Moon, -2" during New Moon) (0). Active Cost = 10 points. Both: Useable by Others at Range (+1); Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Character must have at least 20 points in spells from Lunar College (-1/2), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4), Double Knockback from Attacks (-3/4). END Cost: 3; Magic Roll: -3; Casting Time: 1/2 phase. Real Cost: 7. NIGHT SCARE This spell allows the priest to draw together beams of moonlight to form a ghostly apparition that can strike with an icy touch. The image has the appearance of a pale-white, transmogrified human form floating just above the ground, anywhere within a 8" radius of the target hex. When the hands of the image strike a target in the hex, they inflict cold damage from Energy Blast. The image attacks with the same abilities as the caster, and is, of course, immune to combat damage. However, the Priest can cause the image to appear to suffer damage in order to make the images more believable. Power: Image (Sight, Heat) Modifiers: x8 Radius (+3/4); Form is a cold, ghostly apparition (-1). Active Cost = 41 points. Power: 2d6 Energy Blast (Cold) Modifiers: Attack Versus Limited Defense (Power Defense) (+1+1/2), No Range Penalty (+1/2); Linked to Image (-1/2), Reduced Penetration (-1/4). Active Cost = 40 points. Combined: Invisible Power Effects (+1); Only at night (-1/2), Only in clear moonlight (-1/2), 1/2 DCV Concentrate Throughout (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Character must have at least 20 points in spells from Lunar College (-1/2), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4). END Cost: 8; Magic Roll: -8; Casting Time: 1/2 phase. Real Cost: 15. OWL FORM This spell allows the Moon Priest to change his form to that of a Great Horned Owl, the animal form of the Moon Goddess. (See the HERO* Bestiary for details. The priest must have a total of at least 108 character points before he can use this spell.) Once the sun rises, the Priest is automatically restored to his normal form, even if flying, underground, or hidden from the sunlight. Power: Multiform (Great Horned Owl) Modifiers: Persistent (+1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Character must have at least 20 points in spells from Lunar College (-1/2), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4), Extra Time - 1 turn (-1), Only at night (-1/2), Not during week of New Moon (-1/2). Active Cost = 31 points. END Cost: 0; Magic Roll: -3; Casting Time: 1 turn. Real Cost: 6. PASS MONTH This spell opens a silvery-gray portal that allows the Priest to move a single (voluntary) target, with a mass of up to 400kg, forward in time a month without aging. This time travel can only be performed once each month. Power: Extra-Dimensional Movement (400kg Through Time) Modifiers: Useable by Anyone (+3/4); Only travel one month forward to same location (-1), x2 END (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Character must have at least 30 points in spells from Lunar College (-3/4), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4), Extra Time - 1 Turn (-1), (+200kg during Full Moon, -200kg during New Moon) (0), Only once per month (-2). Active Cost = 87 points. END Cost: 18; Magic Roll: -9; Casting Time: 1 turn. Real Cost: 11. SILVER BURST This spell is the most potent offensive weapon available to a Moon Priest. Upon completing the prayer, a burst of up to five blazing white nodes of pure Lunar essence shoot forth from a point above the head of the caster toward the target(s). The priest must pay the END cost for each bolt fired. If the priest fails his Magic Skill roll, he suddenly becomes weakened. Power: 2d6 RKA (5 Essence Bolts) Modifiers: Autofire (+1/2), 1/2 END (+1/2), Armor Piercing (+1/2), Indirect (+1/4); No Knockback (-1/4), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Character must have at least 30 points in spells from Lunar College (-3/4), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4), Side Effect (4d6 STR Drain) (-1/2), Not during week of new moon (-1/2). Active Cost = 82 points. END Cost: 4 each; Magic Roll: -8; Casting Time: 1/2 phase. Real Cost: 17. SWAY EMOTIONS This spell causes the subject to completely reverse their current emotional state. Hatred becomes adulation, sadness becomes joy, boredom becomes fascination, and so on. The reaction depends on the type and intensity of the emotion. The Priest must be able to converse with the subject in order to effect the emotion reversal. If the caster fails his Magic Skill roll, the Priest suffers an emotional backlash. Power: 10d6 Mind Control Modifiers: Only to Reverse Emotional State (-1/2), Only in clear moonlight (-1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Character must have at least 30 points in spells from Lunar College (-3/4), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4). Active Cost = 50 points. END Cost: 5; Magic Roll: -5; Casting Time: 1/2 phase. Real Cost: 12. TURN TIDES This spell allows the Moon Priest to change the state of the tide within a 1 kilometer radius. The height of the tide must be selected from an actual level during the next 24 hours, and the change requires several minutes to complete. (The tidal current is slow enough not to create a tidal bore, unless that occurs normally.) Once the regular tide matches the imposed level, the spell is cancelled. Power: Change Environment (Tides in 1km radius) Modifiers: No Range (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Character must have at least 20 points in spells from Lunar College (-1/2), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4), Extra Time - 5 minutes (-2), Independent (-2), Lasts until tides match (-1/2). Active Cost = 50 points. END Cost: 5; Magic Roll: -5; Casting Time: 5 minutes. Real Cost: 6. ----------------------------------------------------------------- UNIQUE SPELLS ----------------------------------------------------------------- ASTRAL TRAVEL This difficult and powerful spell allows the Priest to depart his physical body and journey along the Astral Plane to distant locations. Astral Travel by Moon Priests is not possible during the week of a new moon, however. Power: Invisibility (All Sight, Smell, and Hearing; no fringe) Modifiers: No effect on other Astral beings (-1/4). Active Cost = 82 points. Power: Desolidification (vulnerable to Magical Special Effects) Modifiers: Leave physical body behind (-1), Linked to Invisibility (-1/2). Active Cost = 60 points. Power: 10" Flight (Non-combat movement doubled) Modifiers: Invisible Power Effects (+1); Linked to Invisibility (-1/2). Active Cost = 50 points. Combined: 0 END (+1/2); 0 DCV Concentrate while casting (-1/2), Incantations (-1/4), Character must have at least 30 points in spells from Lunar College (-3/4), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4), Extra Time - 5 minutes (-2), Not during week of new moon (-1/2). END Cost: 0; Magic Roll: -19; Casting Time: 5 minutes. Real Cost: 28. BLUE MOON This very powerful spell allows the Priest to reenact the current phase. The trigger for the spell must be decided when it is cast, and should be written down. The Priest does not escape any of the harmful effects from the first time through this phase, he merely has the opportunity to avoid his mistakes. This spell will only function on the day of a full moon. Power: 200kg Extra-Dimensional Movement (Time Travel) Modifiers: Trigger (+1/2); Only backwards 1 phase (-1), Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Character must have at least 30 points in spells from Lunar College (-3/4), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4), Only during Full Moon (-2). Active Cost = 67 points. END Cost: 7; Magic Roll: -7; Casting Time: 1/2 phase. Real Cost: 10. ENDLESS VOID If the target of this spell fails his EGO roll, he suddenly finds himself floating in darkness above a lifeless grey landscape. From the outside, the target become englobed by a mottled grey sphere which then rises 4" above the ground. When the spell is terminated, the target floats gently back to the ground. If the Priest fails his Magic Skill roll, he is englobed instead of the target. Power: Darkness (Normal Sight & Hearing) Modifiers: Hole in the Middle (+1/2). Active Cost = 30 points. Power: 5" Flight Modifiers: Useable against any Target at Range (+1); Linked to Darkness (-1/2), Only to float target 4" off the ground (-1), Float to ground upon normal spell termination (0). Active Cost = 20 points. Power: Images (Sight) Modifiers: Only lifeless grey landscape (-1), Linked to Darkness (-1/2). Active Cost = 10 points. Combined: Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4), Character must have at least 20 points in spells from Lunar College (-1/2), OAF Moon Crescent (-1), Religious Restrictions (-1/4), Side Effect (Caster Englobed for 2 turns) (-1), Not during week of New Moon (-1/2). END Cost: 6; Magic Roll: -6; Casting Time: 1/2 phase. Real Cost: 11.