Klute

The Witch-Queen, Mother of the Broos

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History

Before Time

Originally a minor deity, some say related to Pan and other bestial Gods. She was of little significance until the Devil rent the fabric of the World and brought Chaos and Darkness. As well as his progeny who set about acquiring allies by infiltration, coersion and seduction, the Devil also sought allies and to this end he seduced Klute and her sister Engariel. He took them for his concubines offering power and fame as Chaos Deities, which they couldn't hope for as Gods of Law.

Klute had been a Goddess of Magic and the acquisition of Chaos warped her powers into hideous Voodoo magics whilst the Devil sired on her a race of Chaotic Goat-headed Beastmen which even today are the scourge of civilisation. The innate creative power of Chaos plus her sisters Fertility powers ensured that her children became the most fecund race once the Trolls were cursed. Klute revelled in her new found powers, relishing the release from mediocraty, following the Devil in all his enterprises until she joined in his eventual fall and banishment to the Chaos-Void.

Since Time

The Broos have multiplied and spread throughout the world taking their Mother's cult with them. Originally a tribal cult, the cult has become endemic to civilised cities, only the plague of Broohood forming an effective break to its fecundity. The Broos themselves continue to be the most numerous and troublesome of the innately chaotic races despite the numerous crusades, jihads and pogroms launched against them.

Life After Death

Kluties dedicate their souls to their Mistress and Master. Klute is very jealous of her children and denies them any form of return from the dead save by directly pertitioning her, this is as for Runelords but at 1½ times the POW cost and also a geas which frequently takes the form of a task to be fulfilled. Frequently the cost of a Divint may be so onerous that the cultist may well consider himself better-off dead. Aside from this petitioning, there is no return from death, for Klute keeps a firm hold on all her souls. Some say that she consumes souls to maintain her existence in the Void, but cultists believe that only ill-favoured spirits are so consumed, and that the majority of her children are held by her to form the backbone of the Devil's armies come the Last Battle.

Runic Associations

Klute was originally a minor deity of Man and Beast, but expressed her animalness through the Magic Rune which when warped by Chaos became Voodoo. Some sages ascribe the Fertility Rune to Klute in place of Man, but this is held to be erroneous as the Man Rune is what allows Klute to change people to Broos, (the alternative name of Goat-Man). The aspects of Fertility ascribed to Broos can be attributed to the influence of Klute's sister Engariel and the raw power of the Chaos Rune.

Nature of Cult

The Cult exists primitively in Broo society as a vehicle for the sustenance of the Tribes. The magics and abilities of the Runelevels naturally ensures their dominance over the mere initiate warriors. Klute is the dominant cult in all Broo Tribes and most Chaos Zones. Broo fecundity means that the cult is continually outgrowing the Chaos Wilderness, thereby causing the Broos to export their Voodoo Magic to more civilised places. As long as the Broos exist, then Klute will also exist and will continues to reinfect civilised cities and towns.

Particular Likes and Dislikes

Klute is obviously at odds with the Chaos-Riever Cults, (Typhon, Viking, Rhadamanthus, Zorak Zoran and especially Blueface). Most Chaos cults are regarded as friendly with Engariel, Uriah and Zadok & Banuril being particularly preferred. In civilised areas, most other cults are viewed with neutrality and used as pawns.

Socio-Political Position and Power

Klute is the dominant cult in the Broo Tribes and most tribal chiefs are in the cult. Where it is found in civilised places, the cult will seek-out great political power. The Voodoo magic lends itself to blackmail and extortion, for when a Manikin has been fashioned of a political figure, it is an easy matter to manipulate him through fear and of course if necessary he can be killed, anywhere! anytime! Often a city coven will itself be controlled from without the city by a more senior Runepriest. It is difficult for any cultist to escape the clutches of his Coven-Master, and so a city's politicians may be controlled via a hierarchy of covens from far away.

Organisation

Both tribal and urban organisation is based around the coven, twelve acolytes serving a central Runelevel who may himself be in a coven serving an older witch. Covens and Tribes seldom cooperate save through coercion. Coven discipline is as strict as the Coven-Master, in a Broo tribe it is frankly arbitrary. Obviously the only sure way to escape the manipulations of a Coven-Master in possession of your manikin is to kill him, therefore in-fighting within and between covens is rife and assassinations common. Members of a coven frequently conspire with foreign Coven-Masters to kill their own, just so that they can gain their freedom. Klute does nothing to prevent this, but should the Coven-Master foil the attempted assassination, he is certain to exact his revenge by means of his manikin in a horrible manner.

Centres of Power/Holy Places

The Power-Bases of Klute are continually shifting as the Chaos-Rievers destroy old covens and new ones spring into existance. All marshes are held to be Holy as each is purported to have its origins in the Chaos-Slime that oozed from the Devil's wounds. Other places are spoken-of in legend, but their location is not known.

Holy Days and High Holy Days

Holy Days are called Sabbats and are held on Wild Day of Dissorder Week. On these days occur the Chaos-Rebirth and POW sacrifices to Klute for membership and maintainance of manikins. The yearly Grand-Sabbat occurs on Year's End.

Lay Membership

All Tribal Broos are born into the cult as Laymen. Other races may join tribes, but at a −10 CHA penalty in a test of (POW+CHA)×⁵⁄₂% unless overtly chaotic. In civilised areas, most coverns are very particular about who they take into the cult. Laymen are advised to obey their superiors and must sacrifice one point of POW to Klute at every Sabbat, and 2 points on the Grand-Sabbat. They may be called on to perform services and tasks for their coven, they are not usually important enough to warrant direct control by manikins.

In urban covens skill training is limitted. Skills and spells are given only at the descretion of the Coven-Master, and of course there must be someone to teach the skill or spell. Manikin Making may be available, most Laymen who are trusted will be trained to 25% plus bonuses for free.

In the Broo tribes, the tribal weapons are free and the skills of Climbing, Jumping, Tracking, Move Quietly, Hide in Cover and Tribal Weapon Making are at half price; plus Listen, Spot Hidden, Spot Trap, Spot Ambush, Camouflage, Set/Disarm Trap and Treat Poison are at full cost. All Oratory skills are at double cost, as is Manikin Making. All spells can be taught at full cost, provided they are known within a tribe by a priest.

Most Broos go on to Initiate into Klute, Engariel or Uriah, some join Primal Chaos or Zadok. Only the very occasional non-Chaotic Broo will actively seek out the Lawful cults, but these are themselves the most diligent persecutors of Klute. The most famous in recent times is the Typhon Stormlord Grizzly Adams. Broos atempting to run away from the tribe must make a POW×7%, failure indicates capture and sacrifice to Klute on the next Sabbat.

Initiate Membership

All Broos may initiate into their tribes upon attaining 50% in a Tribal Melee Weapon Attack and Parry, plus any three of Climbing, Hide in Cover, Jumping, Move Quietly and Tracking at 50%. They must pass a test of (POW+CHA)׳⁄₂% with CHA modifiers as for Laymen, +10% per overt Chaos Feature + Manikin Making. Failure for Broos means waiting another year, for non-Broos it is fatal. In urban covens, a melee weapon is usually required at 50% and Manikin Making at 50%, the test being (POW+CHA)×5% but urban covens are generally very twitchy about people who fail.

Initiates are allotted to a Coven-Master's coven, who fashions dolls of each of them. It is a rare thing for a Coven-Master to destroy or relinquish a manikin, for it is by this means that he controls his coven. In return for assisting the Coven-Master, providing POW to maintain manikins, he ensures they receive training and teaching, for his own power stems from his coven as well as his own abilities.

Initiates are initiated by the vile ceremony of Chaos-Rebirth. All who qualify take part passively in the ritual, whilst the Priesthood impregnate them with the Seed of Chaos. The Chaos Rebirth spell is then cast and every participant suffers screaming agony as the Chaos within him is released. They receive a random chaos feature with all the normal drawbacks, including the chance of Broohood. On any Sabbat, the initiate may resubmit himself to the ceremony of Chaos Rebirth, and thereby gain an extra Chaos Feature.

Tribal Initiates gain free training in Tribal Weapons, Manikin Making, Climbing, Jumping and Tracking; plus half price training in Move Quietly, Hide in Cover, Tribal Weapon Making, Listen and Spot Hidden; all other Lay skills at full cost, save double cost Oratory.

Initiates gain free Detect Magic, Curdle and Revulsion; plus half price Dispel Magic, Ironhand, Countermagic and Potency (from Engariel). All other Battlemagic is available provided the Witches know it.

Urban Covens will only guarantee Manikin Making, and will teach it for free. But other skills, including weapons, can only be taught by members of the coven. However Coven-Members will usually have a cover by which they gain access to other skills. Spell Teaching is the same as for the Tribal Covens.

Initiates are expected to support their Coven-Masters, they must sacrifice 3 points of POW to Klute on a Sabbat, 5 on a Grand Sabbat. This is in addition to whatever is required by the Coven-Master, thus POW sacrifice requirements can seem excessive and it is not unusual for a Klutie initiate to have his POW on 1 for the entire day, particularly in an urban coven.

Lay Broos have 1D4 sized horns and no beard. Upon Initiating they quickly grow to 1D6 size. This is actually merely a time function representing natural growth. If not initiated into the cult, then horn and beard growth will happen, but Beast Rune cults make it instantaneous.

Finally all initiates gain a Runelord Divint at 1½ times normal POW cost (round up) and a geas. They have access to all reusable 1 and 2 point Cult Special Runespells non-reusably.

Runelordhood - The Warlocks

To qualify for Runelord, an initiate must have 15+ POW, 90% in a melee weapon attack and parry, climbing, jumping, tracking and one other skill which may be a weapon skill, but if not including a parry must be combined with mastery of butt, (for a missile skill), or mastery of a missile, (for melee attacks). He must also have 75%+ in manikin making and must pass a test of (STR+CON)×⁵⁄₂%. He applies and is inaugurated on the Grand Sabbat. He may undergo the Chaos Rebirth if he so wishes, but this is not necessary. He may commence building his coven, which he will probably rule through force of arms rather than spells. Warlocks tend to have smaller covens than Witches and fashion combat teams. Warlocks are extremely rare in urban covens, but very common in Broo Tribes.

Klutie broo Runelords gain an impressive beard and butt for 1D6+2 damage, this damage will continue to increase as their horns grow larger reaching a maximum of 1D6+6 by which time the broo is probably too old to use them.

Divine Intervention is obtained at normal POW cost, but still the obligatory geas must be taken. All other normal benefits and restrictions of their status apply. They may attune iron, but are unlikely to be given any as Broo tribes have very little metal - even bronze. They receive an ally spirit which they place in a familiar, (see Miscellaneous Notes).

Warlocks are feared and hated, but are thankfully nowhere as dangerous as the Witchpriests.

Runepriesthood - The Witches

Klutie Runepriests are where the real power lies in the cult. They are called Witches or Witchpriests both by cultists and non-cultists alike. The requirements are 18+ POW, 90% manikin making and must have the Runespells of Create Manikin and one of Needling, Burning or Biting. Warlocks may become Witches automatically, others must pass a test of (INT+POW)×⁵⁄₂%. The requirements are identical for tribal and urban covens, as is the test, but non-Broo joining a Tribal coven suffer −5 CHA or −10 if they have no obvious chaos feature and −15 for certain races, (non-hairy ones mainly). Successful applicants are ordained at the next Grand Sabbat.

Witches gain all the normal benefits and restrictions of their status, save that they use the Runelord Divint upon death only, still with the geas restriction. A Witch may start to build his coven, which he will need to maintain the many dolls he constructs. Witches dominate their covens and local VIP's via their voodoo magics made using their create manikin skill.

Witches grow long beards and horns as do Warlocks.

Runespell Compatibility

Thanks to Klute's exile into the chaos Void, she cannot give any standard Runemagics to her children, though she has an impressive battery of cult special Runespells, most of which can only be used via a properly fashioned doll using the manikin making skill and the Runespell Create Manikin. Only one doll can be held by one individual of another and only one voodoo curse can be inflicted on each doll at a time. Therefore Witches wishing to inflict multiple curses upon their victims make their covenlings make dolls of the same person. All voodoo curses have an unlimited duration and may be lifted voluntarily at any time, provided that the Witch has access to the doll. To cast a curse, the Witch must cast a spell upon a doll he's holding, range to the victim is immaterial, as is his magical protection or even if he's inside a Temple or on another plane. All are non-stackable and reusable, but any one point curse in effect when a doll is destroyed, (either by destroy manikin or by failure to maintain the doll at a Sabat), is lost.

The spells below are those curses typically available, but is has been noticed that voodoo Witchcraft is more variable than normal Runemagics and many subtle variants have been observed. All spells labelled `V' are voodoo curses and may only be cast upon a full voodoo doll.

One Point Spells

Blindness^V Range: Special; Duration: Special; Non-Stackable; Reusable
Victim loses sight completely for the duration of the curse.

Clumsiness^V Range: Special; Duration: Special; Non-Stackable; Reusable
Victim's DEX falls at 1 point per day to racial minimum for the duration of the curse.

Deafness^V Range: Special; Duration: Special; Non-Stackable; Reusable
Victim loses powers of hearing for the duration of the curse.

Dumbness^V Range: Special; Duration: Special; Non-Stackable; Reusable
Victim loses power of speech for the duration of the curse.

Feebleness^V Range: Special; Duration: Special; Non-Stackable; Reusable
Victim's STR falls by 1 point per day to racial minimum for the duration of the curse.

Hammerhead Range: 160m; Duration: 15 mins; Stackable - to 4 pts; Reusable
Confers upon the recipient the equivalent of Ironhand IV and Protection IV upon the head only. Compatible with Battlemagic, but not Shield, Absorbtion, etc.

Speak to Beasts Range: 160m; Duration 15 mins; Non-Stackable; Reusable
Allows the recipient to converse with mammals of INT ≤3. Any number of animals of different types may be conversed with, 1 type per round. May be influenced using Oratory!

Talking Voodoo^V Range: Special; Duration: Special; Non-Stackable; Reusable
Enables the caster to talk to his victim via the Voodoo Doll. Conversation must be as normal, any persons at each end will hear a one sided conversation. This spell can be used as a communication devise between coven-members and Coven-Master, but can also be used as a curse to taunt and mock a victim and deprive him of sleep, for he cannot prevent the Witch's voice from being heard.

Ugliness^V Range: Special; Duration: Special; Non-Stackable; Reusable
Victim's CHA falls by 1 point per day to racial minimum for the duration of the curse.

Weakness^V Range: Special; Duration: Special; Non-Stackable; Reusable
Victim's CON falls by 1 point per day to racial minimum for the duration of the curse.

Two Point Spells

Biting^V Range: Special; Duration: Special; Non-Stackable; Reusable
When exposed to animal's teeth, creates the sensation of being bitten, the intensity dependant upon the type of animal, e.g. an anthill will produce the sensation of a myriad small bites whereas, if placed in a cauldron with half a dozen hungry rats, the victim will feel he's being eaten alive and so incapacitated and probably terrified. The effects can be alleviated by either lifting the curse or by removing the irritation, the latter can of course be reintroduced and so one spell can be used to fine-tune control of a victim. Damage is not actual.

Burning^V Range: Special; Duration: Special; Non-Stackable; Reusable
As Biting save that a flame is used to create a sensation of burning in the victim. In all spells of this type, the damage is not actual, but feels real to the victim and so can produce functional incapacitation. Variants of this spell can produce drowning or crushing weights on chest, etc.

Create Manikin Range: Touch; Duration; Permanent; Non-Stackable; Reusable
This spell turns a properly fashioned doll into a voodoo manikin. The doll must be made as in the manikin making skill and this must be tested as the spell is cast, failure means the doll and all its parts are useless, a fumble causes loss of the Create Manikin Spell. Success means that the manikin is now capable of taking any voodoo curse, such a curse cannot be dispelled save by dispelling the spell on the doll. The manikin is effectively indestructible save by the Destroy Manikin spell, and certain esoteric Runemagics. It cannot be dispelled, each doll requires 1 point of Battlemagic POW plus one point of curse in effect upon it to maintain the doll. If the doll is not maintained thus every Sabbat, then it disintegrates and all links with the victim are broken. The safest way to break a curse is to gain possession of a doll and keep it away from all Klute cultists until after the next Sabbat. Any Klute initiate may sacrifice the POW to maintain the doll, but only the caster may use it to curse. dolls can be transferred by the receiver recasting the Create Manikin spell and testing his own make manikin skill.

Deathtrance Range: 160m; Duration: 15 mins; Non-Stackable; Reusable
On a successful POW vs. POW roll, the victim falls over as if dead. No physical examination will reveal any signs of life, although he'll still show-up on a Detect Life spell. Nothing will wake him up for the duration of the spell, save Dispel Magic IV. If, when casting the spell, a critical is rolled, the effects are permanent, and the victim will die in days equal to his CON unless cured. If a special is rolled, the duration is 12 hours. Fumbles affect the caster permanently. This spell is often used to knock-out a victim while samples are taken of his blood, hair etc. for making manikins.

Needling^V Range: Special; Duration: Special; Non-Stackable; Reusable
As Biting, save the causative agent is a pin, which can be used to inflict the sensation of impaling wounds upon the victim. Thus limbs can be incapacitated, and wounds to the head and torso can render the victim bedridden. As with similar spells, the wielder can fine-tune the agony. Damage is not actual!

Three Point Spells

Destroy Manikin^V Range: Special; Duration: Special; Non-Stackable; Reusable
Must be placed on a manikin if stacked with Biting, Burning or Needling etc. It renders the damage inflicted actual, and can therefore be used to kill a victim; when the victim dies, the manikin is destroyed. Damage inflicted need not be lethal if the caster so desires, for example putting a pin in a Manikin with this spell and Needling would cause a wound to appear on the victim looking much like that from an impaling weapon, but it could not be healed until the pin was removed. For killing, Burning is favoured as the death is spectacular and the body is reduced to ash, thus preventing most resurrections. Biting is also good as the flesh can be entirely consumed leaving an unressurectable corpse that appears ghastly. Needling is used for discrete killing, for it can leave a corpse with a wound indistinguishable from an impaling weapon that has been removed. Variations enable the victim to be strangled, (by his own hair), drowned, etc.

Rebirth in Chaos Range: 160m radius; Duration: 15 mins; Non-Stackable; Reusable
This is the rite that causes the participants to gain a Chaos Feature. Only cast at Sabbats. Participants mimic the seduction of Klute. Participants may take the part of Satanus or Klute, but not both. The Devil mimic must be chaotic, but the Klute mimic need not be. Neither needs to be an initiate of Klute. Participants copulate, (not necessarily voluntarily), and the Devil impregnates Klute with the Seed of Chaos which then bursts forth and grants a chaos feature to the Klute participant, with all the normal drawbacks and risks. Voluntary participants may initiate into Klute if the caster desires.

Summon the Goatmother Range: 160m; Duration: 15 mins; Non-Stackable; Non-Reusable
Only usable on a Sabbat, effectively it summons a part of Klute back from the Chaos Void and must be stacked with Create Chaos Void, so requiring an allied Slimepriest. The normal Sabbat festivities take place, including a Rebirth in Chaos, and all the POW sacrifices of participants. The Chaos Void is created then the summoner casts this spell. He is successful on a (CHA+POW) ⁄ 2 on any Sabbat and (CHA+POW)×⁵⁄₂ on a Grand Sabbat.

On a fumble, Klute consumes the caster's soul in a fury and everyone else, save the Slimepriest, must flee and roll POW×5% or else their souls are eaten and taken into the Chaos Void. The Slimepriest is never touched!

On a success, Klute manifests as a wavering spirit and demands 6D6+26 sentient sacrifices that she will eat accordingly to the following priority: Non-Chaots, Non-Associates, Non-Cultists, Laymen, Initiates and finally Runelords of Klute; she will not eat Witchpriests, (save on a fumbled summoning). It is usual to have sentient sacrifices at hand to assuage her hunger. If she is not fully fed, she will eat what she can and then leave. If content with the sacrifice she will manifest physically with SIZ and STR = Sacrifices SIZ ⁄ 7, POW = Sacrifices ⁄ 3 (-3 per point of DEX), INT 28, DEX = 1 point per 3 points of POW sacrificed by the manifestation. She is unarmed, but can Butt for 4D6 + DB. All Knowledge/Perception skills function at POW×5%, all Dexterity skills function at DEX×5%.

Klute will grant any one request, within her ability, for free provided she does not have to leave the confines of the spell range. This includes slaying or taking any or all the participants of the spell; granting extra SIZ, STR, CON or DEX to the summoner. Requests that take Klute outside the spell perimeter will be granted at the expense of an instant Chaos Rebirth and a random geas. Such requests are, for example, a ready-made manikin of any one person in the world. As with Divints, Klute will avoid a direct confrontation and so will not indulge in overt offensive actions against persons outside the spell perimeter, but for a successful Divine Intervention by the caster, she will fight in a battle for a 15 minute period anytime in the next season, (if summoned on a Sabbat), or year (Grand Sabbat). Persons attacked by Klute can only Divint to save themselves, no-one else. Typhon Runelevels can dispel her instantly using Wrath of the Storm with all the usual effects. Other requests might be magic items, etc. But asking for things she cannot give makes her very angry.

Subservient Cults

Spirit of Reprisal

There is no true Cult Spirit of Reprisal. Most Initiates are kept in line by fear of their Coven-Masters and their dolls. None-the-less, infighting is endemic, particularly between covens, and Klute does not seem to care if her children slay each other. However, she does have the ultimate sanction of eating the soul of an initiate upon any Sabbat, or when petitioned for intervention. Exactly what warrants this censure is unknown as she is a most arbitrary Goddess.

Associate Cults

Engarial

Engarial has always been close to her sister and disease is endemic in Broo society. Often one Broo will initiate into both cults, but as this exposes him to double doses of political infighting, such Broo are seldom successful. It has been known for diseases to be inflicted by voodoo witchcraft and Engarial offers the following spell in token of her affection.

Infestation Range: 160m; Duration: Instant; Non-Stackable; Reusable, 2pts
On a successful POW vs. POW roll, the victim becomes an attractant to all manner of parasites, fleas, lice, worms, etc. He will lose 2D4 CHA at 1 point per day and 1D6 CON at the same rate until cured from the debilitating effects of the infestation, they recover at the same rate once he is deloused. The victim will resist all disease at half CON. Klute cultists can use infestation as a Voodoo curse, when used in this manner the range and duration become like other voodoo curses.

Primal Chaos

Klute was the Devil's concubine, and no other remains as closely tied to Chaos. In addition to the other particulars of Chaos, Satanus extends the following spell with all the usual side effects.

Chaos Feature Range: Touch; Duration: Instant; Non-Stackable; Non-Reusable; 3 pts
Causes the willing recipient to gain a chaos feature rolled randomly. The creature must roll CON×5% to avoid collapsing into a Gorp. Also, any non-Broo must roll 1D100 and if the result is equal to less than the sum of his chaos features ×10% then he becomes a Broo.

Uriah

The Chaos-Shaman, like his mother, has always been close to his aunt, they fought rapaciously and to this day, every Broo tribe has at least one Chaos Shaman adding yet another dimension to Tribal Politics. Uriah offers his aunt.

Summon Chaotic Ancestor Range: 160m; Duration: 15 mins; Non-Stackable; Reusable; 1 pt
Summon's a random chaotic ancestor from Klute's grasp, otherwise treat as Azrael's Summon Ancestor, but with a POW×5% chance of a Chaos Feature.

Zadok and Banuril

Klute received considerable aid from the Chaos Druids, and Zadok to this day remains associate, even though fighting is often the outcome of chance encounters between druids and broo. The following spell is given to Klute by the Twins from before their respective paths were sundered.

Catseye Range: Touch; Duration: 12 hrs; Non-Stackable; Reusable; 1 pt
Causes the recipient's eyes to function like a cat's in darkness. Confers excellent night-vision, even in Starlight. Eyes glimmer green in torch light.

Miscellaneous Notes

Klute Geases

There follows the typical geases for Divine Intervention conferred by Klute. Occasionally she confers geases for other, sometimes arbitrary, reasons.