All subjects detailed below are considered outlaws and law-breakers under Imperial Law. All agents of His Imperium, if they encounter one of the individuals below should make all efforts to seize them, so that they may be brought before a Justice of His Imperium to receive due punishment. Additionally, if any subject of His Imperium possesses the sufficient strength or skill with arms to apprehend one of the criminals, they should be awarded just compensation by an agent of His Imperium. So says the agent of His Imperium.]
by BAKIfanCLUB
Lozo Lightfoot
Lozo is a ruthless and capable warrior, as well as a loyal operative. He is currently in charge of one of my smash and grab teams, having proved his competence and cunning to both me and his subordinates. He is, in many ways, the pattern of conduct for the Brotherhood- efficient, obedient and utterly resilient.
Lozo was born somewhere in the distant West, in some backwater land where killing someone is such a common crime they don't bother executing you. As such, when Lozo committed the same crime, he was exiled and sent East, into the harsh lands beyond the little bubble of civilization he called home. He has told me of his journeys and I will not recount them all here, as the tale is as long and violent as it is senseless. However, I will include the pressing facts. Firstly, Lozo had to spend several years surviving on his own, fighting off attacks from wild animals and locals who disliked him robbing their vegetable gardens or chicken coop. A lifestyle like this would have destroyed most people, but Lozo possesses an astounding drive and a seemingly bottomless well of resolve to survive. I have never asked if this drive is merely instinct or something deeper, it matters not to me. To continue though, all this combat and harsh living stripped away anything resembling weakness from Lozo, transforming him into the ideal physical specimen.
Still, despite his physical prowess, he might have remained nothing more than an interesting local legend, perhaps the Catman of the Bog, had he not had a chance encounter with a traveling mystic. He attacked the mystic without thinking, hoping for an easy kill. Unfortunately for him, or perhaps fortunately, the Mystic proved to be a practitioner of Fist Arts, and clobbered Lozo. Then, in another stroke of luck, the Mystic didn't kill him.
Now with a clear goal, Lozo left his territory, going on a journey to learn these mysterious arts. And while he never succeeded in learning any of the Fist Arts to even the satisfaction of the novice, his scrappy, unformed style still had its uses. At first, Lozo used it to return and take revenge on the people who had harassed him for years. One of the particular tribes was so pressed by his night raids and terrible, swift attacks that they reached out for help with us. However, when the Brothers sent to kill him encountered him, they were so impressed they captured Lozo and brought him before me, sure he would impress me. In the final stroke of love, they were totally correct. I saw his strength immediately, and since I despise competition, I offered him a position in my organization. I promised him riches and power and a noble cause, but none of those proved necessary. After I told him Brothers received free food and lodging as long as they worked for me and followed orders, he was more than willing to kneel. He later told me this was because he hadn't slept on anything softer than packed dirt in half a decade.
Three days after his induction into the Brotherhood, Orvan went to check on Lozo. He found Lozo sleeping outside the barracks underneath an ash tree. When Orvan asked him why, Lozo told him that he found the softness of the straw mattress unbearable, and the roof over his head was making him claustrophobic. Time makes fools of us all, I suppose.
Weakness: Lozo has a warrior's pride. He refuses to attack an unaware opponent, refusing to allow them the satisfaction of believing they were only defeated because of his surprise attack.
Statblock:
Lozo Lightfoot
HD 6 AC 11 Atk(+5) Unarmed Strike 1d6+1/1d6+1
Mor 9 Saves 10 or less is a success
Jab: As a free action on his turn, Lozo may make a Jab attack against someone. This attack only does 1 damage on a hit, but it automatically imposes a -1d6 penalty on anyone who attacks him back. If Lozo makes a Jab attack on his turn, he may make 1 Jab attack on each round until his next turn.
Clinch: As an action, Lozo may attack someone with a Clinch attack. This attack does no damage. On a hit, the person hit is grappled and cannot make attacks or cast spells. However, Lozo cannot make attacks or use his abilities while he has a person in a Clinch.
Iron Guard: As an action, Lozo may prepare his defenses. For the next round, until his next turn, reduce all non-magical damage against him by -4.
Straight: As a free action, instead of two Unarmed Strikes, Lozo may make 1 Straight attack that does 2d8 damage on a hit. This attack still uses his attack bonus.
Tactics:
- Walk right up to the strongest person
- Hit them with your Straight
- Then use Jab to prevent retaliation
- Finish off the strongest person, then work your way down
- If things look bad, and you're fighting multiple opponents, use Iron Guard
- If things look bad but you're only fighting one or only one opponent is causing problems, use Clinch
Status: Active. Lozo is not currently leading his whole team, but is on a mission with the "Wizard" Agnemeno, Son of Abradar to retrieve a dangerous magical weapon from a temple vault where it has been safely stored for a generation. Unfortunately, I hear that this particular weapon is being guarded by a holy warrior blessed by the Gods, an Imperial Wizard and enough armed men to form half a company, which is just too bad: for them.
<Referee's note>
The following group of enemies is actually quite strong. The whole group is easily a boss fight in and of themselves. I recommend parceling them out into small sub-groups, then having them to come together for the explosive climax of the adventure.
To demonstrate, I have already separated them into two groups, one made up of Lozo Lightfoot and "Wizard" Agnemeno, Son of Abradar and the other made up of Hale Cliffjumper, Catamori Magnosa and Torkin, Thirty and Two Plagueborn.
</Referee's note>
by Blade-Fury
Hale Cliffjumper, Bearer of the Word "DESCEND", Prophet of the God [Omitted] and Maggot on the Corpse of Man
Hale Cliffjumper is someone who almost made me consider worshiping the Gods again. Hale began life as a Buffaloboy, one of those unpleasant prairie dwellers who have menaced many a homestead and stolen many a head of cattle. He was just one of the rank and file, living a simple, brutal life as a raider, until one fateful day, he stumbled upon a barrow mound. He investigated it and found, to his surprise, that this barrow mound had not been discovered and looted. So he carefully concealed it and did not report it. Later on, he returned to loot the place for himself.
He got much more than he bargained for, however. For there was a reason this barrow mound hadn't been looted yet.
Brothers all across the region bordering the Golden Grass reported disturbing rumors of a plague of demon cultists ravaging the countryside. The cultists were all deformed, freakish creatures with acidic spittle, spines sprouting from their heads and backs, and disturbing eyes. These cultists would appear as if by random chance and begin killing, maiming, and doing other hideous things to anyone in the vicinity, before being killed or escaping into the night. When I received reports of this I ordered an immediate investigation. It turns out these deformed creatures were the work of a Buffaloboy who had been drafted by a half-dead God who had been slumbering beneath the Golden Grass for centuries.
Hale had been gifted one of the Secret Names of God and the strain of it had nearly broken him. He was in a state of delirium, a fever dream where nothing made sense to him. Anyone who got too close or frightened him, he unleashed the power of the Secret Name on them. This was the fate of several of the Brothers who approached him. However, one of them eventually managed to get through to him, and he was brought back to reality.
After that, Hale negotiated with the Brothers to help him with his situation. He wanted them to free him from his new master, which the Brothers pretended to agree to do. Of course, they had no intention of doing anything like that. They instead made contact with the God who had blessed Hale and got the Deity's opinion on the situation. The God's name isn't important, and will not be printed here. I know how powerful a God's name can be. Even if this volume is secret, the odds of someone hearing it are far too high. To continue, though, this God was badly injured in some ancient conflict, and would need many sacrifices and much worship to recover its strength. The Brothers somehow managed to convince the Deity that the best one to provide this would be me, and thus returned from their mission with several mutated Brothers, a renegade God, and Hale Cliffjumper. I welcomed them all with open arms, as I am a kind and generous soul. A few kind words and some whispered promises later, they were all mine.
The mutated Brothers I kept as particularly brutal housepets. The God became the divine patron of our organization, with its own private shrine deep beneath my fortress. And Hale? He continues to obey me, ever diligent, ever loyal. I do not trust him, but I do not need to. For he does not serve me out of loyalty or sentiment, but out of a desire to obey the word of God.
Weakness: Cliffjumper is a mocking nickname. In truth, Hale is a bit of a coward. He will flee from any opponent who looks too dangerous, and is easily convinced to retreat.
Statblock:
Hale Cliffjumper
HD 5 AC 13 Atk(+3) Lunar Gale (enchanted Partisan (polearm)) 1d8/1d8
Mor 6 Saves 9 or less is a success
Bearer of the Word "DESCEND": As an action, Hale can speak the Secret Name of God he was given. He can target everyone within 30' or one person. Each person who hears the word must save. On a failure, they are overtaken by vile impulses and transformed into Degenerate Ones (see below). On a success, they resist these impulses, and no effect occurs. Those who are exceptionally virtuous may receive a bonus to this save, and those who are wicked may receive a penalty to this save, with the Referee's Discretion. Hale may also retract this word and turn people back, if he so chooses.
Enchanted weapon- Lunar Gale: Hale wields this enchanted partisan. As a reaction to having a spell cast upon him, he can make a saving throw. On a success, Lunar Gale absorbs the spell, storing it inside. On a failure, however, the spell works as normal. Lunar Gale can only store one spell at once. Hale may then fling the spell back at any he chooses as an action. From their, the spell behaves exactly as if it was originally cast on that person.
Tactics:
- Use your Divine Word on one person
- Threaten the person's friends with the fact that only you can turn them back
- Use that as leverage to force them to obey you
Degenerate Ones
HD 2 AC 14 Atk Natural Weapon(+1) 1d6/1d6 or Sludgeball
Mor 12 Saves 8 or less is a success
Sludgeball: Degenerate Ones can create balls of liquid sin and fling them at people as attacks. These attacks do 2d6 necrotic damage against anyone even moderately virtuous, but do no damage against wicked or evil people, including fellow Degenerate Ones.
Mutation: When someone becomes a Degenerate One, they gain a mutation. Roll on your favorite diabolic mutation table, or use the one below to see what you get.
1d6
1- You grow horns.
2- Tentacles emerge from some unsightly place, such as your chin, ears, wrists or etc.
3- Dyed some ugly color: 1d4 [1= Lurid Yellow; 2= Torrid Green; 3= Eye-rending Pink; 4= Ostentatious Red.]
4- Claws burst from your nail beds.
5- Eyes change into something gross and distressing: 1d4 [1= They fall out (you can still see); 2= They become windows into an infinite well of black; 3= They turn solid white; 4= You start constantly weeping tears of blood.]
6- Your face subtly changes, so it doesn't look quite normal. There's just something about you that makes people uneasy, but they're unable to tell why.
Dark Conviction: When someone becomes a Degenerate One, they gain a Dark Conviction. Roll on the table below to see what this Conviction is. All Degenerate Ones get a -4 penalty to any save based on resisting their Convictions.
1d6
1- You love killing people. Whenever you get the chance, you will act according to your Conviction. You must successfully save to resist.
2- You have a perverted and unnatural sexuality. One really weird thing gets you aroused, which is: 1d6 [1= Cannibalism; 2= Being hurt; 3= Hurting people; 4= Being treated like furniture; 5= Being raped; 6= (Almost) drowning yourself.] Whenever you get the chance, you will act according to your Conviction.
3- You are a kleptomaniac. You love stealing stuff. Small stuff, valuable stuff, useless stuff, it's all the same. Whenever you get the chance, you will act according to your Conviction.
4- You love breaking stuff and destroying things. Whenever you get the chance, you will act according to your Conviction.
5- You are seriously aroused by being ordered to do things. You will want to seek out someone who will abuse and treat you like their slave. Whenever you get the chance, you will act according to your Conviction.
6- You become obsessed with a random person and start following them around. Whenever you get the chance, you will act according to your Conviction.
Tactics:
- Attack recklessly
- Despise anything virtuous, pretty or good
- Say and do anything to win
Status: Active. Despite his reluctance, his God and my, kind words, have ensured Hale has bottomless energy when it comes to following orders. He is currently accompanying the other half of the team, namely Torkin, Thirty and Two Plagueborn and Catamori Magnosa, on a mission to find and punish a certain Wizard who thinks that his status and magical talent will protect him from me. I have instructed Hale and his companions to teach the Wizard the error of his ways.
Catamori Magnosa
Catamori Magnosa is a Brackle, one of those peculiar Plantfolk who lives only a year. This is not an unknown fact, but it is a disconcerting one, as that means that Catamori has severed me for over 3 years. By all rights, he should be dead. Yet there he is, perfectly alive. I find this fact as interesting as I do anxiety inducing. If Catamori's secret is discovered, he may very well end up strapped to a table in some Warlord's dungeon, being tortured for a secret he cannot explain. This distresses me, because the only Warlord who is permitted to interrogate Catamori Magnosa is me.
Catamori didn't exactly wash up on the shores of my island, but he would have, had he not been intercepted by one of our naval patrols. I found he was a Brackle with nothing in his head but confused, conflicting memories- with some big holes in his recollection of things as well. So after some consideration, he was recruited, as his trainers were assured that even if he was a miserable Brother, he would be dead within the year. He soon proved to be a capable operative, with his strange weapons and unique powers making him a menace to fight.
Things didn't get odd until a year had passed and Catamori was still alive. That was when he drew my attention. I have kept a close eye on him since then, having rewarded one of his comrades to spy on him and try to discover the secret of Catamori's agelessness. I hope that this informer can discover the truth of Catamori's ability, as while I desire it, I also know Catamori's worth to the organization. He would be a true chore to replace. That being said, sometimes, we must make certain sacrifices for the good of the whole.
Weakness: Catamori is in love with War. He cannot resist the song of steel; whenever presented with an opportunity to battle someone strong, Catamori will accept, unless it is obviously suicidal. He wouldn't accept the offer to duel from a God or a Dragon or a Master of Ki Rata, but from anyone he could beat, he would.
Statblock:
Catamori Magnosa
HD 2 AC 15 Atk(+1) Cross the Heavens (Enchanted Spear) 1d8
Mor 10 Saves 8 or less is a success
Bite: Catamori has long fangs that he can stab someone with. Anyone bitten by Catamori takes 1d12 damage. However, he gets a -4 penalty to bite anyone who is not sleeping, unconscious, or helpless. Catamori can continue automatically doing damage to someone each round until he is shaken off or the person dies.
Regeneration: If Catamori bites someone, he regenerates 1 HD.
Enchanted weapon- Cross the Heavens: Catamori's spear is enchanted. After wounding someone, even if it only sheds a drop of blood, the speartip always changes to what would be most damaging to that person. For example, if he is fighting a Fire Elemental who are damaged by water, the tip of the spear would transform into water. However, if he was intercepted by a normal person and stabbed them instead, the speartip wouldn't change back. Or if he damaged someone else, the speartip would change to what would be most damaging to that person.
Sunlight Vulnerability: Catamori wilts in the sunlight. If he is in direct sunlight, he gets -4 to do anything.
Tactics:
- Focus on the strongest person
- Eavde attacks from others
- Have no fear, unless its justified
Status: Active. Due to the sensitive nature of Catamori's condition, along with the need for secrecy, I have put him on a team known for its high workload and paired him with Torkin, Thirty and Two Plagueborn and Hale Cliffjumper, two of our organization's most passionate workaholics as an excuse to keep him constantly away from my fortress on missions. For now, this has prevented any rumors from circulating, but I fear it will not be enough. Secrets like these always have a way of slipping out when you least expect it.
Torkin, Thirty and Two Plagueborn, of the Quane
Unlike many of the other Brothers, Torkin did not join my organization because of a lust for power, greed, or even belief in my rhetoric about liberating the oppressed and shattering the chains that bind us. Now, Torkin joined my organization for one reason only- he wanted to kill Plagueborn. I don't think you need to be told why, but I will recount the details that he has revealed to others. Torkin is a Dwarf, obviously, but he was from the Northern fringe of Dwarven territory, belonging to a small tribe of frost-bitten farmers and fisherfolk. Then one day, a drifting vessel was spotted by one of their ships. The fishermen summoned their kinsmen and boarded the ship, looking for loot, supplies or survivors. However, they found only death. The ship was a Plagueship, with a small group of Plagueborn in hibernation and a hold bursting with their Skags. The Skags had all frozen solid by the time the fisherfolk found them and most of the Plagueborn would never awaken, but one did. That Plagueborn woke up and managed to carve a bloody swath through the fisherfolk, infecting dozens of others, before escaping.
The fisherfolk returned to their homes, despairing as those wounded quickly sickened and died. Unfortunately, they would be given no chance to mourn. Had they not been so ignorant, they might have recognized what the Plagueborn was. Unfortunately, they did not and did not take the appropriate precautions. Later that night, those infected rose from their sickbeds to feast on their kinsmen. The Plagueborn returned then, to conduct its infected army. The entire tribe was nearly wiped out, and that particular Plagueborn ravaged the countryside for weeks, until the vast majority of the infected were swept into the sea by a coalition of tribes wielding fire and heated steel. The Quane managed to survive the assault, with a few families escaping to distant relatives far away.
Torkin was not one of those survivors. He had been hiding in a small crawlspace, evading Skags and Plagueborn for that whole time, watching everyone he knew be devoured or raised as a hideous parody of a person, only to then be killed again. He managed to avoid being infected, only to fall victim to a much more dangerous disease, the all-consuming flame of hatred.
Torkin spent many years training and honing his skills, then began his one-man crusade against the Plagueborn. He joined my organization because it afforded him the best opportunity to travel far and wide. He will take and complete any mission that enables him to try and kill Plagueborn. I do not trust him, because I know his crusade is far more important than any mission. Still, until the day he disobeys, I will continue to allow him to serve me. For while he trained to kill Plagueborn, he is undoubtably effective.
Weakness: Torkin despises the Plagueborn on a visceral level. He hates them so much that when choosing the second part of his name, the part that Dwarves usually use to display their proudest accomplishment, he inserted the number of Plagueborn he has killed. If there is a chance for him to kill a Plagueborn, he will take it.
Statblock:
Torkin, Thirty and Two Plagueborn, of the Quane
HD 3 AC 14 Atk(+2) Longsword 1d8
Parry: Once per round, Torkin can reduce the damage taken from one attack by 1d8. He can only do this to attacks he could blunt with a sword.
Bite Me: As an action, Torkin can force someone to save. On a failure, they must attack him, if they attack anyone. If they do not attack him, they get a -4 penalty to hit.
Tactics:
- Defend your allies
- Draw the fire of the strongest person
- Despise the Plagueborn
Status: Active. He is currently accompanying Hale Cliffjumper and Catamori Magnosa on a mission to teach a Wizard with financial difficulties what it means to fail to pay me back. I also instructed to his superiors to hint that the Wizard might be connected to a hospice of Plagueborn and that was enough to send Torkin back to his room to gather his weapons.
"The Wizard" Agnemeno, Son of Abradar
Agnemeno is an interesting man. He is a human, one of those savages from the distant west. When first encountered by my operatives, I found him as the petty king of a small city-state. There he awed his superstitious subjects into obedience through use of his "magical powers". Unfortunately, while his subjects were obedient and zealously loyal, when he attempted to expand his holdings, he also discovered they made for a poor army. The defeat cost him many loyal servants, as well as his crown. Luckily, before the angry mob could get him, my operatives snatched him out from under their noses and brought him to me. After hearing who the Brothers who rescued him were and what opportunities joining my organization would present him, Agnemeno leapt at the chance to join.
Since then, Agnemeno has proved a loyalish Brother, serving as an excellent source of sound judgement and self-preservation instinct for his more fanatical teammates. I have also employed him as a spy and an informant on several occasions. However, I do not trust Agnemeno. We have an understanding, him and I; I will not reveal the relatively mundane if he serves me. At the same time though, I know Agnemeno's type. He is the type of person who lies like he breathes and changes names and identities like other people put on clean clothes. I also have no illusions about where his true loyalties lie- Agnemeno is going to look out for himself before anyone else. At the same time, I hope he remains loyal, as of right now, he is too useful to kill and he has committed no crime that would merit dismissal or execution (but I repeat myself). If Agnemeno decides not to be loyal, however, he will discover that my "magicks" are far greater than his.
Weakness: Agnemeno is clever, but is not actually as smart as he thinks he is. While he will not fall for obvious traps, any clever strategem is likely to succeed. He is also highly unlikely to be able to see through any form of disguise or false identity. After all, the easiest person to rob is a thief.
Statblock:
Agnemeno, Son of Abradar
HD 2 AC 14 Atk(+2) Poisoned Throwing Knives 1d6
Mor 5 Saves 8 or less is a success
Poisoned Blades: If anyone is injured by Agnemeno's poisoned knives, they must save. On a failure, they take an additional 1d6 damage. On a failed save, they take an additional 1d6 damage. They may save each time it is their turn. This continues for three turns, then the effect automatically ends. On a successful save, the person wounded take no additional damage and the poisoning effect automatically ends.
Sticky Spray: As an action, Agnemeno can spray an object or surface up to 10 square feet in a sticky, glue-like substance. The first object to touch this substance becomes stuck to it, and can only be unstuck by a STR check of DC 15. The sticky substance is also water-soluble, but it must soak for at least 10 minutes to dissolve. Additionally, if the substance is forcibly removed from an object and one of those objects is a creature, that creature takes 1d6 damage when the sticky substance is torn off.
Smoke Bomb: As a free action, Agnemeno can throw a small bomb that explodes, doing no damage but flooding the area with thick smoke that obscures the area for 30'. This smoke hangs around for 1d6 turns.
Halluciogenic Powder: As an action, Agnemeno can throw powder in someone's face. If this someone is a creature, they begin suffering intense hallucinations that last for 1d8 hours.
Tactics:
- Don't fight if you have to
- Keep your distance
- Throw poisoned knives at anyone who is far away
- Use Halluciogenic Powder on anyone who is close
- If in danger, use your Smoke Bomb to escape
Status: Active. Agnemeno is currently accompanying Lozo Lightfoot on a mission to retrieve a dangerous magical weapon from a temple vault where it has been safely stored for a generation. The vault is heavily guarded by a warrior mystic, an Imperial Wizard and almost a hundred armed men. I look forward to seeing how Agnemeno makes it out of this one alive.
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