Blueface

The Baboon-Beastman Cult of Death

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History

Before Time

The Baboons appeared in the Great Darkness, the result of a curse. No one knows when or where they first came; only that when the Darkness ended the baboons were there.

Since Time

The baboons were frequently an oppressed people. Unlike the ducks they were not left defenceless when barred from weapons use. Racial bigotry when directed towards the baboons was of a more social nature and so they remained an essentially barbarian, nomadic people. Then came Blueface, of the Mandrill tribe, who had led the baboons in their guerrilla war against the Trolls in the second darkness and then the forces of chaos. Blueface is now believed to be an avatar of an earlier godling; prior to his time Baboons had either been cultless or else joined Azrael or a chaos cult. In the Troll and Chaos wars of the dawn age, Blueface gave the baboons their own identity and a taste of respect from the other races. Blueface ascended to Godhood as did several others shortly after these chaos wars, but his race continue their guerrilla war against their old enemies.

Life after Death

All baboons who worship Blueface believe they will join Blueface as his legion of chaos-killing scouts. Blueface allows resurrection and death divints.

Runic Associations

Blueface is the premier lawful cult for Beast-Men and as such is more heavily tied to these two runes than even Klute or Zadok. Blueface's innate nature gave the cult the Death-rune and tied it heavily to Azrael in which many baboons are still members today.

Nature of Cult

The cult exists as a vehicle for baboon racial identity , it offers a goal in life of the eternal fight against chaos, as long as baboons exist and chaos perverts the wilds, Blueface will attract the beastmen in droves.

Socio-Political Position and Power

Baboons are still regarded as barbarians and treated with contempt by the civilised races. In the wilderness however it is recognised that there are no finer rangers or scouts and several warrior cults will grant a grudging appreciation of their art. Most people still regard them as flea-ridden, dog-apes, fit only for cages. The most common rejoinder from landlords when asked for rooms is:

"Yes sir, our accommodation is the best, a room for you and your wife, bedding for your men in the hall, and a kennel for your 'dog' out the back."

Many baboons resent this, but violence only tends to confirm these peoples' (low) opinion of the beast-men.

Particular Likes and Dislikes

The cult has its roots in fighting chaos in the wilds and in particular Klute and Zadok and Banuril are given no quarter, Bagog also is hunted down without mercy. The baboons have always maintained close links with Azrael and this is still reflected in his relationship with Blueface. Moonbeak also feels a close association for the baboon cult due to their very similar origins. Finally, Blueface has gained a deal of respect from the Elves due to their devotion to defending the natural environment.

Organisation

Blueface is a wandering cult with a tribal organisation. Temples are based around the family groups each of which will have at least one runelord, one or more runepriests plus any number of initiates up to fifty. There is a single High-Priest who leads the ceremonies at the cult High Holy Day once per year and who would command all the cultists in a set campaign but who normally functions as a more powerful runepriest. Runelords are always heads of family groups and usually command important forays into the jungle. If two opposing runelords meet then there will be a face-off to decide who has precedence and the baboon with the total of STR, SIZ and CHA will win. All baboon precedence complaints are settled in this way without bloodshed unless a known underdog tries to usurp his station. There is little formal co-operation between family groups unless a general action is declared by the High-priest, but frequently two clans will co-operate against a particular foe. There is little inter-clan strife as each clan has a recognised territory which all baboons respect.

Centres of Power and Holy Places

The cult is entirely nomad, its centres of power are wherever there are enough cultists to wield power - usually in the woods bordering chaos zones. There are no known recognised Holy Places, save Apemoot - a huge natural amphitheatre in rock.

Holy Days and High Holy Days

The seasonal Holy Day is on Wildday, (called Apeday by cultists) of Death Week. The High Holy Day varies from year to year as it has a definition dependant upon the conjunction of the Deathstar with the Dogstar (Planet and Star respectively). This can occur at any time between late Sacred-Time and early Fire Season. On this day, all the tribes meet at Apemoot and celebrate a festival with much eating and drinking. Here will be discussed any joint ventures against Chaos, or more rarely Trolls. This is also where non-cultists come to make alliances with the Blueface hierarchy or to initiate into the cult.

Lay Membership

All baboons are lay members from birth, non-baboons can join by attending the High Holy Day at Apemoot and influencing the High Priest (pass a test of [ POW + CHA ] ⁄ 2 × 5% ). Races allowed to join are : Humans, Ducks and any Beastmen. Such applicants must not be tied at initiate level or higher to any other than associate cults. Ducks pass automatically, Humans and Beastmen at full CHA. No creature with a chaotic feature will be accepted, instead they will be torn to pieces by cultists as soon as it is recognised. There are 8 true tribes of baboons, varying in the number of clans they contain, all with different markings. There are also two honorary tribes, each of 1 clan, which non-baboon members join, these are the Duck Tribe for all true Ducks, and the Tribe of the Naked Apes for Humans, etc. These last two always serve as adjuncts of the High Priest's clan so that they can be trained effectively without taking runelevel Baboons away from their own clans. There are also 4 Gibbon clans.

To settle the tribe of a baboon, roll 1D100 and consult the following table:

Baboon Tribes

Roll	Tribe	Description
01-25	Mandrill	Grey / Brown colouring with a Blue muzzle, Purple rump. Weapons are 1-handed spear, javelin and sling.
26-40	Hamadryas	Grey /Brown colouring with Blue and Yellow muzzle bars and a Red nasal stripe, Blue rump. Weapons are 1-handed sword, javelin and sling.
41-55	Trollcrusher	Red/Brown colouring with a Blue muzzle, Purple rump. Weapons are 2-handed sword, javelin and sling.
56-65	Silverback	Silvery Grey colouring with a Black muzzle and a Red nasal stripe, Red rump. Weapons are 1-handed sword, javelin and composite bow.
66-75	Blackdog	Black colouring with a Black muzzle, Purple rump. Weapons are 1-handed spear, javelin and composite bow.
76-80	Yellowface	Smoky Grey colouring, with a yellow muzzle and rump. Weapons are 2-handed axe (not poleaxe), sling and tomahawk.
81-95	Pharaoh	Brown colouring with Blue and Red nasal stripes and eyebrows, Red rump. Weapons are 1-handed axe, tomahawk and sling.
96-00	Bananabunch	Dark Brown colouring with Black and White muzzle bars, Blue rump. Weapons are 1-handed axe, bow and tomahawk.

Lay members are fed from clan meat and fruit brought in by the hunters and females respectively. They are not expected to hunt for food or to fight except in direct defence of the clan. They are expected to go with the females to gather fruit, nuts and berries, and to serve as an escort, and they will be expected to practise their cult skills as much as possible. They get one free set of cult weapons.

Lay members will be trained for free in climbing and jumping and at half price in cult weapons plus bite and claw if baboon, and the skills of tracking, hide in cover, camouflage and move silently. Swimming will not be taught at any price (baboons do not swim and can never improve their swimming beyond 5% plus natural bonus). Non-baboon cultists can receive half price ironhand, protection and speedart. Baboons will always start with protection 2, ironhand 2 and speedart; and have climbing and jumping at 70% plus bonus and all half price skills at 50% plus bonus, and spot trap at 25% and brachiation at half the average of climbing and jumping, rounded down.

Initiate Membership

Baboons can initiate on any Holy Day upon passing a test equal to (POW + DEX) ⁄ 2 × 7%. Non-baboons lay members can only initiate after one year as a lay member. Their test is (CHA + POW) x 5% plus 5% for each spell or skill learnt to at least as high as a degree as a starting Baboon, Ducks have no CHA minus, Beastmen -5 and Humans -10. Failure means that the applicant has to spend another year as a lay member. Fumble means that he has offended the cult dictates and will be thrown out. If the candidate applies next year the test will be at × 4%, then × 3% and so on. Five failures in successive years causes the candidates dismissal in contempt.

Non-baboons who initiate into Blueface will be known as "Feathered-Apes" if ducks, "Naked-Apes" if human or ogre, "Horned-Apes" if goatmen. All initiates must obey their Runelord / clan-chief and his supporting priests, they will be viewed as family members by others of their clan and can rely upon their Runelord to organise rescue or ransom if captured. An initiate is expected to hunt for food but not to gather fruit etc. (regardless of sex - some female baboons enter into the fighting side of the cult). An initiate will be expected to follow his Runelord/clan-chief's orders concerning missions and chaos fighting. Male initiates have no access to clan females for mating, and often leave the clan for long periods to avoid sexual frustration and their Runelord's authoritarian rule.

Initiates get free Climbing, Jumping, Tracking and Camouflage plus half price Cult Weapons, Bite, Claw attacks, Spot Trap, Spot Hidden, Hide in Cover and Move Silently. They also get the free oratory skill - Folksinging. This is important as baboons have no written language and pass on cult/racial history and skill teaching by means of songs learnt from the cult elders. Baboons can influence each other by using folksinging as oratory. Baboons who have learnt Manspeech can sing to other races at either their Manspeech or folksinging skill whichever is the lower.

Non-Baboon initiates can also begin the skill of brachiation at 5% plus bonus, Training is free. Non-Baboons will learn Baboonspeech to 25% for free, then at half price.

Initiates can learn free Ironhand, half price Protection, Speedart, Detection Blank, Disruption and Mobility. Spirit Binding can be bought at half price from Azrael. The following spells can also be learnt from Blueface at full cost: Bladesharp, Detect Detection, Detect Enemies, Detect Life, Detect Magic, Dispel Magic, Extinguish, Healing, Invisibility, Light, Mindspeech, Multimissile, Repair, Silence and Strength and the cult special spell Detect Chaos.

Runelord Membership - The Clan-Chief

The runelords of Blueface are all Clan-Chiefs or Under-Chiefs of the family units. They are the military and social leaders of Baboon society. A Baboon that qualifies for runelordhood can become a Clan-Chief by:

1. Challenging his present runelord and taking over his clan (decided by a face-off),
2. Take over leadership of his clan should his runelord die or
3. Gain permission from the High Priest to form a new clan of his tribe, pass a test of (STR + SIZ + CHA) × 1%.

If the candidate is unsuccessful he must go alone into the world until the next High Holy Day as no Clan-chief could tolerate so powerful a threat to his authority in the clan.

The requirements for runelord are: 15+ POW, 90% in two cult weapons, any two of spot trap, spot hidden, hide in cover or move silently, and brachiation.

Runelords gain all the normal advantages of their status. They gain first choice of clan food and have access to the clan females when they are on heat. The cult has little iron but the clan will have one set of iron clan weapons, which becomes the chief's.

Runelords have absolute authority over their respective clans. They have a deep responsibility to their clan members and must especially protect the females and young. The clan must always be camped in a safe place with adequate security before the runelord leads a raid into chaos. A chaos assault on an encamped clan should be suicide for the chaotics involved. Female Baboons are never runelords.

Runepriesthood

Runepriests are respected as the spiritual leaders of the clan. They administer the ceremonies on the Holy Days and are directly responsible to their Clan-chief, they may not leave the clan without his permission.

To qualify for runepriesthood, the candidate must have 18+ POW, have been an initiate for at least two years, know folksinging at 90% (non-Baboons must also have Baboonspeech at 90%), and must convince the examiner by passing a test of (DEX + CHA) ⁄ 2 × 5%, Baboons and Ducks can use their full CHA, Beastmen use CHA −5, Humans CHA −10. Candidates can apply once per year at Apemoot on the High Holy Day. Priests gain all the normal advantages of their status, however there is only rarely any iron armour available for them, they must find their own. Runepriests are not expected to hunt for food or gather fruit. Their cult duties are lighter than for most priests and this allows them to train their DEX but not their skills, these can only rise through experience and may never exceed the usual DEX × 5% limit. Runepriests have next choice after clan-chiefs of all cult food taken in order of precedence. The runelord may allow male runepriests limited access to clan females when on heat. All female runepriests are recognised as being the exclusive domain of the clan-chief.

Runespell Compatibility

Blueface runepriests gain access to all 1 point standard runemagics and the 2 point spells of concealment and vision. They also gain access to the following cult special runemagic:

One Point Spells

Riprend Range: 160m; Duration: 15 mins; Stackable up to 4 points; Reusable
Acts as two points of Ironhand and Countermagic per point of Riprend stacked. Compatible with both of these spells, it is incompatible with shield, flurry, absorption, reflection or spirit block.

Speak to Beasts Range: 160m; Duration: 15 mins; Non-Stackable; Reusable
Allows the recipient to converse with all creatures of INT 3 or less of basic mammalian type. Any number of animals of different types may be conversed with, 1 per round. Successful use of oratory allows the caster to influence them as he would a crowd of people.

Two Point Spells

Counter Chaos Range: 160m; Duration:15 mins; Non-Stackable; Reusable
Protects the recipient from the effects of any chaotic features an opponent may have.

Seal Wound Range: 160m; Duration: 15 mins; Non-Stackable; Reusable
When placed on any weapon, any damage done by that weapon cannot be healed or regenerated but must heal naturally. When cast upon the recipient's person, it affects both claw and bite attacks.

Subservient Cult

Spirit of Reprisal - King Ape

Blueface subjugated King Ape and now King Ape serves him faithfully as no one else has ever beaten him. Any cultist who breaks a cult dictate will be warned by seeing his shape close to them at night. Any cultist who ignores the warning, or insists upon leaving the cult will one-day be attacked, at night, by surprise by King Ape. King Ape does not mind spectators, but the proceedings always take place under a spell that prevents all who witness the event from acting until too late. King Ape looks like an enormous gorilla with a hideous black face, he has the indicated stats:

King Ape will attack the miscreant and maul him violently so as to maim but not kill him. No damage inflicted by King Ape can be healed naturally or otherwise unless the transgressor fully atones for his sins to a runepriest of higher precedence. If a cultist has left Blueface for a chaos cult then King Ape will kill him.

Associate Cults

Azrael

Azrael has a close connection with Baboon life, and many Azrael cultists are to be found in the clans rubbing shoulders with the Blueface clansmen. Female Baboons often prefer to join Azrael. He offers the Beastman Deathgod:

Sever Spirit Range: 160m; Duration: Instant; Non-Stackable, Non-Reusable, 3pts
When cast a successful POW vs. POW roll causes the victims spirit to be torn from his body. If unsuccessful, the victim takes 1D6+1 CON damage.

Bullhead

Together with Pan, Bullhead and Blueface form the three woodland beast cults. Together they defend the woods against chaos. They offer the following spell to Blueface.

Summon Ancestor Range: 160m; Duration: 15 min; Non-Stackable; Reusable; 1pt
Summons a random ancestor spirit of the caster's back from the Halls of the Dead, as per the Ancestral Summons Table.

Faerie

The elf-cult has great respect for their fellow wilderness chaos fighters, they offer the following spell to Trollcrushers only.

Soundfree Range: 160m; Duration: 15 mins; Non-Stackable; Reusable, 1pt
Prevents any sound created by the recipient from leaving an area of 1m radius. It confuses trolls darksense.

They also offer the following spell, except to Trollcrushers.

Speak to Plants Range: 160m; Duration: 15 mins; Non-Stackable, Reusable; 2pts
Allows the recipient to talk with any plant of at least the size of a small bush, he may talk to one type of plant per round. Oratory can be used to influence them. This spell must be use to give orders to a Warrior of Wood. The sentience of the plant is irrelevant.

Gowrie

Gowrie is the source of all art, and he taught folksinging to the baboons in the God Time.

Moonbeak

Both the ducks and the baboons were both cursed races from the God Time, and were both rescued by their respective heroes. Due to this they have always felt a close friendship, and there are stories of Moonbeak and Blueface questing together. He offers Blueface cultists the following spell.

Moonbeam Range: 160m; Duration: 15 mins, Stackable-No Limit; Reusable, 1pt
This spell functions in one or two ways.

1. Can be used to illuminate an area in darkness of 20m in diameter as if in bright moonlight. Each extra point stacked will double the radius, i.e. Moonbeam IV gives 160m radius.
2. It can be used to 'spotlight' an intruder within the spell range with a Moonbeam from the moon above, it is not necessary to know where the target is. Each extra point stacked enables one extra Moonbeam to be used. If there are more intruders than Moonbeams then the spell will illuminate:
1. All trolls,
2. All other darkness cultists, and
3. Finally in order of closest to the focal point of the spell first.

Note: Invisible intruders may be spot lit, in which case, they may not be seen but their location will be known.

The width of the Moonbeam is 5m, it makes all troll's skin glow faintly. If illuminated targets are killed, or leave the area of effect, before the spell expires then the beam will select a new target. Beams already spotlighting an intruder will not pull off to illuminate a new intruder of higher priority.

Moonbeak also teaches Blueface cultists leather-working at half price.

Pan

Together with Bullhead, Pan and Blueface form the three woodland beast cults. Together they defend the woods against chaos. He teaches Play Panpipes at full cost.

Typhon

Both the Ape God and the Storm Lord respect each other for their diligence against the threat of chaos. In recognition of past aid Typhon offers the following spell.

Windrush Range: 160m; Duration: 15 mins; Non-Stackable; Reusable; 1pt

Allows the recipient to move with the aid of the wind at movement rate 12, subtract one from strike ranks and add 10% to defense.

Miscellaneous Notes

Cult Skills

Brachiation: Manipulation skill, Base 05%, Cost: 250 / 500 / 1200 / EXP
This allows movement through the branches of woods, forests and jungles at the rate of 10% of skill rounded up. If a failure to use the skill occurs then no movement is possible, if the character fumbles then roll on the skill again, failure indicates that the Baboon falls to the ground. Ducks cannot get this skill; Humans, etc. can learn it but their movement rate is skill ⁄ 15 rounded up and any fumble means an automatic fall with no saving throw. A cultist using this skill must have both hands free. Brachiation enables swift movement over difficult undergrowth, immunity to tracking except by another brachiator and excellent opportunities for surprise swoops on an enemy from the treetops. The skill cannot be used until the Baboon is actually up a tree, it cannot be started from the ground.

Cult Spells

Detect Chaos Range 40m; Focused; Instant; Cost 1500s; 2 points
Acts as detect life, but reveals only the presence of creatures of Chaos. Due to its specific nature it is capable of detecting even the chaos feature 'indetectable by magic' but can be stopped as usual by detection blank.

Gibbons

These are a form of beastmen, closely allied to the baboons but smaller, weaker and more slender.

They have 1pt natural armour (their fur), a natural Bite Attack for 1D6 + damage bonus and a Move of 10.

All gibbons start as lay member Blueface cultists. Weapon skills are dependent upon tribe as indicated.