Vhaeraun - extensive info

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description history avatar

the church champion of faith spells

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Vhaeraun
(The Masked Lord, the Masked God of Night, the Shadow)

Lesser Power of the Carceri, CE

PORTFOLIO: Thievery, drow males, territory, evil activity on the
surface world
ALIASES: Vhaerun
DOMAIN NAME: Colothys/Ellaniath
SUPERIOR: None
ALLIES: Mask, Shar, Talona
FOES: Cyrrollalee, Deep Duerra, Eilistraee,
Ghaunadaur, Laduguer, Lolth, the Seldarine,
Sharess, Blibdoolpoolp, the Blood Queen,
Diinkarazan, Diirinka, Great Mother, Gzemnid,
Ilsensine, Ilxendren, Laogzed, Maanzecorian (dead),
Psilofyr
SYMBOL: Black half-mask
WOR. ALIGN.: LN, N, CN, LE, NE, CE

Vhaeraun (Vay-RAWN) is the god of thievery and the furthering of drow
aims, interests, and power in the Night Above, as the surface world is
known to the faithful. He is also the god of drow males opposed to the
matriarchy of Lolth, teaching that males are as skilled and valuable as
females, and thus passively opposing the teachings of Lolth's
priesthood on this point. He believes that drow should work with the
other elven races for common advancement and never associate or trade
with duergar, svirfneblin, or other dwarven and gnome races. (Humans
and halflings can be tolerated.)

Vhaeraun is vain, proud, sometimes haughty, bears grudges of legendary
length, and never forgets slights or deceptions. Any underhanded means
and treachery is acceptable to him if it furthers his aims or is done
in his service-but if others so treat him or his people, it is a deep
sin that cannot go unpunished. He actively involves himself in drow
affairs and moderately often sends an avatar to assist the work of his
priests if the proper rituals are performed and the need is genuine.

Vhaeraun is the brother of Eilistraee and the son of Araushnee, who was
cast out and became Lolth, and Corellon Larethian. The Masked Lord was
cast out of the Seldarine and banished from Arvandor, along with his
mother and sister, when his complicity was revealed in Araushnee's plot
to destroy Corellon. While he hates all of the Seldarine, Vhaeraun
harbors a
particular enmity for Sehanine Moonbow, who escaped the Masked Lord's
prison at great cost to herself and unmasked the culpability of both
Vhaeraun and Araushnee. Likewise, the Masked Lord nurtures an abiding
hatred of Eilistraee. The Dark Maiden always held Corellon's favor more
than her hateful brother, and she thwarted Vhaeraun's early efforts to
bring all the Ilythiiri (southern, dark-skinned elves) under his sway,
enabling Lolth and Ghaunadaur to make great inroads among those who
would become the drow. Vhaeraun reserves his greatest hatred for the
Spider Queen who gave birth to him long ago. The Masked Lord lacks the
strength to challenge Lolth directly, so he works against her in
shadow, undermines her in silence, and looks to unite the other drow
powers against her.

Vhaeraun's Avatar (Thief 30, Fighter 25)

Vhaeraun frequently dispatches his avatar to answer a summoning ritual
performed by his priests. He appears as a well-muscled, slim, graceful,
handsome drow male with eyes and hair that change in hue from red (for
anger) to gold (triumph) to blue (amusement) and green (puzzlement or
curious interest) to reflect his mood. He never wears armor of any
sort, but he always wears a long, flowing black cloak.

AC-2; MV 15; HP 191; THACO -4; #AT 7/2
Dmg ld8+10 (long sword +4, +4 STR, +2 spec. bonus in long sword) and
1d6+5 (short sword +1, +4 STR)
MR 65%; SZH (16 feet high)
STR 18/76, DEX 24, CON 18, INT 20, Wis 14, CHA 21
Spells P: See below, W: See below
Saves PPDM 3, RSW 4, PP 4, BW 4, Sp 5

Special Att/Def: Vhaeraun wields Nightshadow, a jet-black long sword +4
of quickness that is invisible in darkness and Shadowflash, a silver
short sword +1 that can flash with an eerie light equal to a continual
light at will. (Those who witness such a flash, apart from Vhaeraun,
must succeed at a saving throw vs. spell to avoid being blinded for
1d4+1 rounds.) While holding Nightshadow, he can create a magical
bladebend effect once every 6 rounds. The bladebend causes the blade of
any one edged weapon currently held within 70 feet of Vhaeraun to twist
about to strike its holder for maximum damage. (The blade then
instantly returns to normal.)

Those looking at Vhaeraun's cloak in darkness can see through it the
stars, the moon, or whatever else is behind it even if Vhaeraun is
obviously within the portion they are observing. Vhaeraun's cloak melts
into nothingness if removed from him or if he is slain. Its folds can
harmlessly absorb seven spells of any level per day and also attract
both magic missiles and area-of-effect spells such as fireball,
completely protecting the wearer (and nearby beings who would otherwise
be harmed) as if the cloak were some sort of infinitely charged special
brooch of shielding.

Vhaeraun can use magical items given to him by worshipers regardless of
class restrictions, so long as they function for beings of his
alignment. The Masked God has no spellcasting ability of his own, but
in addition to his physical attacks during a round, he can duplicate
any priest or wizard spell in the mind of a priest or follower of his
faith who is within 180 feet, regardless of school or sphere. Vhaeraun
always passes without trace and can turn invisible at will. Vhaeraun
can cast bladebend once every 6 rounds, and such attacks always hit for
full damage.

He is immune to the effects of illusions (apart from those created by a
divine being) and cannot be charmed. He can only be struck by +1 or
better magical weapons.

Other Manifestations

Vhaeraun prefers to appear as an avatar but only comes when summoned by
a magical ritual. (In fact, he forbids his priests to use spells from
the summoning sphere or sphere as they are only to summon him.) When he
cannot send his avatar (in other words, when the ritual of summoning
has not been performed), he sends a flitting black shadow. It cloaks a
favored being about the face like a half-mask and remains for 9 rounds.
During that time, the favored being is empowered with true seeing;
empowered to strike creatures normally hit only with the most powerful
magical weapons, such as those struck only by +3 or better magical
weapons, even if the weapon employed is not magical; unable to fall,
fumble, or miss its footing or a leap or catch; able to move silently
and pass without trace; and healed of 2d4 points of current damage.
This manifestation never favors the same being more than once per day.

Vhaeraun may also send a manifestation to signify his displeasure or
his defiance of rivals or enemies of his people. This takes the form of
a floating, insubstantial half-mask of shadows that drifts silently to
confront the beings he wishes to (passing any magical barriers, and
entering any place, regardless of guards, holiness to another deity,
etc.). The mask can only move and (twice per appearance) utter a
chilling, mocking laugh. Those hearing it must succeed at a saving
throw vs. spell or be affected as if by a fear spell.

The Church

CLERGY: Clerics, crusaders, specialty priests, thieves
CLERGY'S ALIGN.: NE, CE
TURN UNDEAD: C: No, Cru: No, SP: No, T: No
CMND. UNDEAD: C: Yes, Cru; No, SP: Yes, at priest level -2, T: No

Vhaeraun also acts through the appearance or presence of gehreleths
(farastu, kelubar, and shator), mephits (air, smoke, and earth), shadow
dragons, shadow fiends, yeth hounds, and undead shadows. More commonly
he sends a region of absolute, impenetrable darkness, black cats,
ravens, dead spiders, agni manis, black opals, black sapphires,
blackhued chalcedony, crown of silver, hematite, horn coral, black-hued
jasper, jet, black-hued marble, obsidian, black-hued onyx, black-hued
pearls, ravenar, or samarskite to show his favor or displeasure and as
a sign to inspire his faithful.

All clerics (including cleric/thieves, a multiclassed combination
allowed to drow priests of Vhaeraun), crusaders, and specialty priests
of Vhaeraun receive religion (drow), religion (elven), and
reading/writing (drowic) as bonus nonweapon proficiencies. All priests
of the Masked Lord must be male, with the rare exception of suborned
priests of Lolth. Priests of Vhaeraun may not cast any spell from the
sphere of summoning or the school of summoning that does not directly
summon the avatar of the Masked God of Night or request his favor (such
as blessing of Vhaeraun). Spells that are strictly of the conjuration
school are permitted Vhaeraun is little known on the surface world
among nondrow or in the Lolth-dominated cities of the dark elves in the
Underdark. Among those nondrow aware of the activities of his followers
in the surface world, the Masked Lord is often confused with the human
god of thieves, Mask. Very few surface dwellers appreciate the threat
Vhaeraun and his followers represent to the established order. In the
wilds of the Underdark, the faith of Vhaeraun is seen to be slowly
expanding in power and influence, and the followers of the Masked Lord
are viewed with fearful respect. To priests of Lolth, priests of
Vhaeraun are the enemy, to be hunted down by any means possible-torture
of suspected drow is a favorite tactic-and eradicated on the altars of
Lolth to earn the maximum glory of the goddess and derive the most
personal enjoyment out of one's efforts. To dissatisfied, city-dwelling
drow, particularly males, who somehow learn of the Masked Lord,
Vhaeraun's faith is seen to offer a means of escape from the
enslavement the Spider Queen.

In the Underdark, Vhaeraun is worshiped in deep caverns cloaked in
multiple, overlapping darkness spells. Such temples are typically
natural amphitheaters, with soaring ceilings studded with sparkling
beljurils spaced to resemble stars. In the Night Above, the Masked Lord
is venerated in shallow woodland caves cloaked by layers of leaves of
deep forest canopies that allow little light to reach the forest floor.
Such shrines are typically located near or in small communities of
surface-dwelling drow who seek the return of the drow to the Night
Above as the Masked Lord has called for. One such temple and community
may be found in the western fringes of the High Forest, just two days
south of the River Dessarin's headwaters near the Lost Peaks.

Vhaeraun's clergy are known collectively as the Masked. Novices of
Vhaeraun are known as the Uncloaked. All other members of the clergy
are known as Nightshadows. Titles used by Vhaeraunan priests vary
widely across temple hierarchies, but typical titles (in no particular
order) include Ascendant Darkness, Black Moon, Dark Mantle, Deep Rogue,
Enveloping Night, Raven's Caw, Shadow Hunter, Silent Sable, and
Twilight's Herald. High-ranking priests of the Masked Lord have unique
individual titles. Specialty priests are known as darkmasks, and
traitorous priests of Lolth are known as masked traitors. The clergy
of Vhaeraun includes only dark elves, over 99% of whom are male.
Vhaeraun's clergy includes specialty
priests (55%), thieves (25%, including nonpriest multiclassed thieves),
clerics (10%), cleric/thieves (7%), crusaders (2%), and masked traitors
(1%).

Dogma: The shadows of the Masked Lord must cast off the tyranny of the
Spider Queen and forcibly reclaim their birthright and rightful place
in the Night Above. The existing drow matriarchies must be smashed, and
the warring practices of twisted Lolth done away with so that the drow
are welded into a united people, not a squabbling gaggle of rival
Houses, clans, and aims. Vhaeraun will lead his followers into a
society where the Ilythiiri once again reign supreme over the other,
lesser races, and there is equality between males and females.

Priests of Vhaeraun must encourage, lead, or aid bands of drow and
allied chaotic evil creatures in thievery and instigate plots,
intrigues, and events to continually increase drow influence and real
power in the surface Realms. They must manipulate trade, creatures, and
intrigues designed to lessen the power of and frustrate the plans of
drow priests (particularly those who serve Lolth), and continually
foment rebellion or disobedience among drow males. Drow thieves in need
must be aided (even if female): healed, bailed out of jail, or
forcibly rescued. Drow men oppressed or under attack by drow women must
be physically aided in any circumstances. Cruelties against drow men
must be avenged.

Day-to-Day Activities: Vhaeraun's priesthood is nearly exclusively male
and practices passive opposition to Lolth's priests. They are also
active in the surface world, and some preach a heresy of the unity of
elven races and their need to work together for dominion. They
specialize in intrigue, trickery, and treachery and foment disobedience
and rebellion among males. In drow communities, Vhaeraun's priests
often disguise their allegiance, for obvious reasons.

Every priest works to establish some sort of permanent drow
settlement on the surface world, and either support that settlement's
needs personally, or (preferably) make it self-supporting. (The
settlement of Vhaeraun worshipers in the High Forest, as discussed
above, was established by the drow wizard Nisstyre, captain of the
merchant band Dragon's Hoard, before his death in a clash with the
Dark Maidens of the Promenade in chambers beneath Skullport.) Poison use,
manufacture, and experimentation is also common. Especially effective
spells, poisons, and tactics devised by a priest are to be shared with
the Masked Lord-and thence, all clergy.

Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: The most important attacks,
negotiations, and other activities of the clergy must occur at night.
Priests of Vhaeraun utter prayers to the Masked God of Night whenever
they accomplish something to further his aims. Offerings of the wealth
and weapons of those they vanquish (enemies of the drow, or regalia of
female drow priests) are to be melted in black, bowl-shaped altars.
Offerings of magic and wealth are made regularly. The more and the more
value, the more Vhaeraun is pleased, though he favors daily diligence
more than rare, huge hauls.

Midwinter Night, known to Vhaeraun's followers as the Masked Lord's
Embrace, is the most sacred time of the year to the followers of the
Masked Lord. This annual holy day is celebrated by the Masked Lord's
followers with daylong introspective rituals of total sensory
deprivation. Each worshiper is expected to cloak himself in a region of
magical darkness and levitate at the middle of the effect for a full 24
hours while contemplating Vhaeraun's teachings and dreaming up schemes
to advance the Masked Lord's goals in the coming year. All followers of
Vhaeraun who wish to perform this ritual are granted the ability to
employ both spell-like effects on this day, with the necessary extended
duration, by a special boon of the Masked Lord.

In the Night Above, nights of the new moon are considered sacred to the
followers of the Masked Lord. Such occasions are observed with midnight
stag hunts that range over miles of shadowy woodlands, such as the
Forest of Lethyr, the Forest of Mir, the Frozen Forest, the Lurkwood,
Rawl-inswood, the Trollbark Forest, and the Winterwood. Packs of
Vhaeraun worshipers, mounted on riding lizards brought up from the
Underdark, run down a noble hart and then sacrifice its rack of antlers
and still-beating heart to the Masked Lord in dark rites that pervert
the ancient ways of the surface elves.

Major Centers of Worship: One of the largest, if not the largest,
concentration of dark elves on the surface of Faerun is found in the
northern reaches of Sarenestar, also known as the Forest of Mir, on the
border of Tethyr and Calimshan. The drow who reside within this great
timberland are concentrated in three separate settlements, all
connected by tunnels and caverns created during the Night Wars. Each
city consists of a few buildings dotting the surface and extensive
caverns below. Unlike the egalitarian Holldaybim where both males and
females rule, most of the drow who inhabit Daltnothax and Iskasshyoll
are ardent Vhaeraun worshipers. Both patriarchal societies have been
engaged in a centuries-long conflict with the Spider Queen's followers
in Guallidurth, a drow city deep beneath Calimshan from which their
ancestors escaped long ago. As part of this unending, intermittent
conflict, the small temples to the Masked Lord found within Dallnothax
and Iskasshyoll-the Hall of Midnight Bloodshed and the Onyx Labyrinth,
respectively-have been sacked on several occasions by Lolth's
worshipers. Both shrines serve their true purpose, however, by
diverting attacks from the true center of the Masked Lord's worship in
the region, a vast underground temple hidden beneath the flanks of
Mount Sarenegard known as the Vault of Cloaked Midnight. Under the able
leadership of Envenomed Edge Masoj Naerth, the southern Nightshadows
have recovered much of their strength since the near disintegration of
the Calishite-based cells of the Dark Dagger (see below) in the
Darkstalker Wars of the Year of the Serpent (1359 DR).

Affiliated Orders: The Dark Dagger, composed of drow who venerate
Vhaeraun, is a whispered name of growing weight in the dark alleys
around the Inner Sea lands. Individually powerful hut few in number,
Dagger agents habitually use poison (which they are largely immune to,
thanks to lifelong incremental dosage procedures). Active in Skullport
(in Undermountain, beneath Waterdeep), in Turmish and the Vilhon Reach,
and to a lesser extent in Amn and Calimshan, the various Points of the
Dagger are now beginning to infiltrate coast cities all around the Sea
of Fallen Stars. They like to take control of local thieving guilds and
fellowships behind the scenes, hire skilled human and humanoid agents,
and establish hidden temples to Vhaeraun. They recruit disaffected
half-elves and humans to worship the Masked Lord, whose symbol is
identical to that of Mask, the Lord of Shadows.

Very rare, but greatly feared in Lolth-fostered drow folklore and among
living priests of Lolth, is the traitor priest who serves Lolth and
another deity (usually Vhaeraun). It is for this reason that male drow
who aspire to be priests in Lolth s service seldom rise very far in
levels: even if they overcome the hatred and resentment of any female
drow clergy they must work with, the Spider Queen simply does not trust
them-they tend to end their days quickly, being used as temple
enforcers or guards. In this role they face many spell battles with
intruders (such as drow trying to settle grudges with enemies in the
clergy) or priests who are rebellious, or feuding, or who have
succumbed to insanity under the pressures of their station or contact
with lower-planar creatures. There are priests who serve Lolth on the
surface, and Vhaeraun underneath. The reverse is almost unknown, though
the destructive potential of such an individual keeps the idea a dark
and secret dream that fires a glint in the eyes of many a high priest.
The glory for training and placing such a one would be very great, but
finding suitable candidates and steering them alive through the perils
of preparation without losing their loyalty to Lolth and to their
handler is unlikely in the extreme-and so far, as far as it is can be
told from the news of the Underdark, so unlikely as to be unknown.

How can such treachery be tolerated by the Spider Queen? Surely she
knows the heart of every worshiper, and could prevail over any
influences of a god of lesser power, such as Vhaeraun? The truth is
that Vhaeraun is not so much less powerful than the Spider Queen-he
simply uses his power in subtle, hidden, behind-the-scenes ways, not in
the tyrannical, exultant, and brutal-naked-force manner so beloved by
Lolth. He also watches over the drow in any place ruled by Lolth where
he does have worshipers (such as the drow cities of Menzoberranzan,
Tiethtyrr, and Waerglarn) often and attentively, looking into their
minds for doubts and misgivings. If he finds great hatred or open
rebellion against the dictates of the Spider Queen (or against her
local high priests) and can find an opportunity for a private audience
with the wavering Lolth worshiper, Vhaeraun manifests as a shadowy
black face mask, and telepathically speaks to the individual. If the
individual is discovered or attacked by others, Vhaeraun typically
leaves-after using spells to destroy the beings who discovered or
attacked his intended faithful. In doing this he manifests a sign of
his power over Lolth and preserves the intended worshiper for another
attempt at conversion later.

A double agent priest or priest continues to advance in Lolth's service
and to gain spells normally. If the individual's loyalty to Vhaeraun is
ever discovered, Lolth typically alerts nearby drow, and refuses to
grant any further spells to the traitor-but does not strip the drow of
any presently memorized spells. If the drow survives long enough to
flee Lolth worshipers and any community they control, she or he
continues at the same priest level and spell power, losing only access
to spells specifically and only granted by Lolth (note that the conceal
item spell is granted by other deities than the Spider Queen, and there
may well be other Lolth- granted spells that have been granted in
parallel for, by rival deities). The double agent becomes a cleric or
specialty priest of Vhaeraun (although the dress and manners of a Lolth
worshiper may be retained for use as a disguise), and typically travels
to near-surface drow holdings or trading communities used by several
races (such as Skullport). Drow tend not to speak the names or want to
remember such traitors-their Houses disown them for safety's sake, and
other drow are urged by the yochlol not to remind people of treachery
to Lolth by keeping alive names of those who have so sinned.

Priestly Vestments: Vhaeraun's clergy garb themselves in half-masks,
loose silk shirts, form-fitting pants, and leather boots, all of which
are jet black. They are never without at least one black-edged bladed
weapon on their persons, and most are bedecked with half a dozen or
more such weapons. The god's holy symbol is a black half-mask that can,
of course, be worn and used like any mask. Priests of Vhaeraun need
only be within a mile of their holy symbol to use it in working spells
given to them by the Masked Lord. It need not ever be on their persons
(except when they first wear it to become attuned or linked to it) or
brandished in spellcasting or dealing with undead.

Adventuring Garb: No priest of Vhaeraun can wear any type of armor
except leather armor, and dark garb is always preferred. Vhaeraun's
clergy favor daggers, short swords, and long swords, but they always
select the most appropriate weapon for the task at hand. The Masked
Lord's priests are well versed in the use of poisons, and typically
prepare several varieties of widely varying onset times, methods of
application, and strengths before embarking on a dangerous undertaking.

Specialty Priests (Darkmasks)

REQUIREMENTS: Dexterity 12, Wisdom 9
PRIME REQ.: Dexterity, Wisdom
ALIGNMENT: NE, CE
WEAPONS: Any
ARMOR: Padded, leather, studded leather, drow chain
mail, or elven chain mail; no shield
MAJOR SPHERES: All, chaos, charm, combat, divination,
elemental (air, earth), guardian, healing,
necromantic, sun (reversed)
MINOR SPHERES: Creation, elemental (water, fire), protection,
time, travelers
MAGICAL ITEMS: As clerics
REQ. PROFS: A black-edged bladed weapon, disguise, herbalism
BONUS PROFS: Alertness, blindfighting

* Darkmasks must be male drow.

* Darkmasks are not allowed to multiclass.

* Darkmasks have limited thieving skills as defined in the Limited
Thieving Skills section of "Appendix 1: Demihuman Priests."

* Darkmasks may select nonweapon proficiencies from the rogue group
without penalty.

* Darkmasks can cast darkfire (as the 2nd-level priest spell detailed
in the Lolth entry earlier in this chapter) once per day. Use of this
ability increases one time per day each time an experience level
divisible by five is reached (at 5th, 10th, 15th, etc.) to a maximum
of four uses at 20th level.

* At 3rd level, darkmasks can cast pass without trace (as the 1st-level
priest spell) once per day for every level of experience above 2nd.

* At 5th level, darkmasks are immune to penalties from light, continual
light, or spells with similar effects. (This granted power does not
confer any protection against true sunlight or extend to any magical
items possessed by a darkmask.)

* At 5th level, darkmasks can cast alter self (as the 2nd-level wizard
spell once per day.

* At 7th level, darkmasks can cast dark embrace (as the 3rd-level
priest spell) once per day.

* At 10th level, darkmasks can cast locate object (as the 2nd-level
wizard spell) once per day.

* At 13th level, darkmasks can magically create a cloak of protection
+4 once per day for 1 turn. The cloak fades away to nothingness if
removed or when the duration expires.

* At 13th level, darkmasks can cast Lorloveim's shadowy transformation
(as the 6th-level wizard spell) once per day.

* At 15th level, darkmasks can create a dagger of venom +2 that injects
poison on a natural roll of 18, 19, or 20. This costs them three
months of time (during the final month of which they can pursue no
other activities other than personal grooming, eating, and sleeping),
15,000 gp, two black star sapphires of at least 1,000 gp value each,
and a suitable chunk of either mithral or adamantite to have the
weapon forged from. If the black star sapphires are worth over 3,000
gp each, there is a 50% chance the dagger created can hold a +3
enchantment (but the poison injection chance does not change).

Specialty Priests (Masked Traitors)

REQUIREMENTS: Wisdom 9
PRIME REQ.: Wisdom
ALIGNMENT: CE
WEAPONS: As priest of Lolth
ARMOR: As priest of Lolth
MAJOR SPHERES: As priest of Lolth
MINOR SPHERES: As priest of Lolth
MAGICAL ITEMS: As clerics
REQ. PROFS: None
BONUS PROFS: None

Masked traitors are priestesses (including clerics, crusaders, and
specialty priests) who serve Lolth on the surface and Vhaeraun
underneath. The abilities and restrictions of masked traitors, aside
from the changes noted above and later in this section, are identical
to those of the type of priest of Lolth (cleric, crusader, or specialty
priest) they pretend to be on the surface. All suborned priests of
Lolth retain their nonweapon proficiency in ancient languages (high
drow).

* Masked traitors must be drow and are almost always female, but need
not be the latter.

* Masked traitors are given access to all spells known to Vhaeraun's
faith, notably chaotic combat (which works only when cast by the
priest on herself, or another faithful of Vhaeraun, regardless of
class), create holy symbol, divine inspiration, mindnet, reversion,
and seclusion.

* Masked traitors can cast blessing of Vhaeraun once per day.

* Masked traitors can cast 'deceive prying' once at will at any time
after entering the service of the Masked Lord. Thereafter the spell
must be prayed for normally, occupying a regular spell slot, assuming
the priest is of sufficient level to cast it.

* Masked traitors receive the personal attention of Vhaeraun in the
form of useful information imparted to them from time to time in
their dreams. The Masked Lord richly rewards those who do well in
his service, and he often (falsely) hints he is willing grant
immortality to worthy traitors or even elevate them to the role of
his consort.

* Masked traitors can function without any penalties in full or bright
light, in part because the eyes of the faithful are shaded with the
shadow of Vhaeraun's power. Note that this does not negate the
effects of sunlight on drow armor and weapons.

Selvetarmite Spells

Priests or the Masked Lord have devised many spells, some of which have
passed into general use. If not combat-oriented, such spells can be
sold to wizards of other races-serving as templates on which to base
similar wizard spells-to enrich the priesthood of the Masked Lord.

In addition to the spells listed below and those spells common to all
drow priests, the Masked Lord's clergy can also cast the 3rd-level
priest spell conceal item, detailed in the Lolth entry in this chapter
and the 5th-level spell air walk found in the Player's Handbook.

2nd Level

Blessing of Vhaeraun (Pr 2; Conjuration/Summoning)

Sphere: Combat
Range: Touch
Components; V,S
Duration: 1 turn or until used
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: Creature touched
Saving Throw: None

This spell enables any one single use of a thief skill or single weapon
attack of the caster or a touched spell recipient to be performed with
a +3 attack roll bonus or +15% ability bonus. Any damage caused by this
action (harm- ful or beneficial to the recipient) is the maximum
possible on a ld8 roll of 1-6; otherwise, determine damage normally.
The spell lasts for up to 1 turn or until the single use or attack is
made. When the aid granted by the spell is to be used, the spelt
recipient must state so aloud before making the skill check or attack
roll. The latent bonus granted by the spell also dissipates unused if a
successful dispel magic is cast on the recipient before the round in
which the blessing is used.

4th Level

Dark Embrace (Pr 4; Conjuration/Summoning)

Sphere: Combat
Range: 10 yards+10 yards/level
Components: V
Duration: 1 tum+1 round/level or until used
Casting Time: 7
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: Special

This spell manifests as a dark shadow that flits about the spellcaster
for a few moments before coalescing into a half-mask of black velvet on
the spellcaster's face. Vhaeraun's dark embrace lasts for at most 1
turn plus 1 round per level of the spellcaster before dissipating into
nothingness. Once clad in the black half-mask created by Vhaeraun's
dark embrace- although not in the same round in which the dark embrace
is cast-a priest can unleash another memorized spell of 3rd level or
less with a single word of power: in other words, a casting time of 1.
Such spells must be touch spells or must be area effect spells that
have no physical manifestation. For example, cause light wounds or hold
person could be delivered by a dark embrace, but a flame strike could
not.

Upon the utterance of the command word, the black half-mask dissolves
once again into a dark shadow that then moves to envelop the intended
target. The dark embrace acts as a carrier of the second spell: No
magic resistance check or saving throw is allowed against it. Instead,
the target creatures receives magic resistance checks and saving throws
only against the spell delivered. Such magic resistance checks are made
with a -10% penalty, and all saving throws are made with -3 penalty.
Only the target creature is affected by the transferred spell, even if
it is normally an area effect spell.

If the spell transferred by means of a dark embrace requires a holy
symbol as a material component, the black half-mask created by the dark
embrace serves as such.

6th Level

Deceive Prying (Pr 6; Divination)

Sphere: All
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 hour /level to a maximum of 1 day
Casting Time: 9
Area of Effect: Creature touched
Saving Throw: None

Priests of Vhaeraun use this spell to hide from those trying to
discover their identities. This spell protects the priest or another
touched being from magical and psionic examination (not attack). The
alignment aura, faith, and thoughts of the recipient are overlaid by a
false alignment and set of beliefs chosen during casting, and random
surface thoughts are supplied by the spell in response to what the
being sees happening and the false alignment and faith chosen. The
being can cast spells without breaking this protection, and conduct any
mental activity desired (including the use of psionics or telepathy)
behind the mental screen. A deceive prying spell provides no protection
against enchantment/charm spells or psionic attacks except to give a +1
bonus to the initial saving throw against a charm person or charm
person or mammal magic (not the more powerful charm monster) by making
the attacker's mind assault less precise.

7th Level

Soultheft (Pr 7; Alteration, Necromancy)

Sphere: Necromantic
Range: Touch
Components: V,S,M
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: Neg.

The material components are a drop of cranial fluid and a small cube of
iron.

This spell enables the caster to steal the soul or spirit of a recently
slain being to empower magic. The caster's holy symbol must be touched
to the corpse within 1 turn per level of the caster of its death. If
the target succeeds at a saving throw vs. death magic, the spell tails.
The spell calls the life force of the dead being hack into the holy
symbol. It escapes again, by itself, if the holy symbol is not touched
to another specially prepared magical object within 4 turns. (Note that
the corpse is not harmed by the soultheft.)

The object to receive the life force must be touched by the holy symbol
as a secret word is spoken. The transfer takes 6 rounds to occur. If
the transfer is interrupted, the life force snaps back into the holy
symbol, but the transfer can be attempted again.

Once transferred, the life force empowers an item to function magically
for 1 month or 10 charges per level or Hit Dice (in life) of the dead
being. The spell uses a trapped soul or spirit as an engine to power a
previously enchanted magical item. It cannot be used to turn a plain
item into a magical one; in other words, one cannot use soultheft to
turn a sword into a holy avenger +5. The magical item must either be
specially crafted to harness a stolen life force (in which case the
time duration is used) or must be a charged item that is already
enchanted (in which case the recharging function applies). Once this
duration is at and end or these charges are used (such charges are
always used first), the spirit is released unless the spell is renewed.

Renewing soultheft involves simply recasting the spell on the enchanted
item and does not require the original corpse. When such a spell is
renewed, the imprisoned life force must make a system shock survival
check or it is annihiliated.

The being whose life force has been stolen cannot be contacted, raised,
wished back, or otherwise called back to living existence unless the
object empowered by the stolen life force is identified, seized, and
held by the being doing the raising. The enchanted object betrays the
fact that it holds the essence of the particular being to any magical
scrutiny-in other words, a detect magic not only shows a magical aura,
but also reveals the ghostly image of the stolen soul trapped within
the item.

The material component of this spell is the priest's holy symbol. A
suitable enchanted item must also be prepared, but need not be present
at the initial casting of the soultheft. (It must, of course, be
present at any renewal.)

 

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