Lowbrow Crazynerk

Cave Troll Hero

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History

Before Time

The Cave Trolls appeared during the Great Darkness, being born of Stygia by her seduction by the Devil. Seeing what she had given birth to, she cast-out the Cave Trolls and they became a furtive race dwelling in subterranean places upon the outskirts of Troll Society, often persecuted and cringing away from the Sunlight, fearing the persecution by the Lightbringer Troll Haters and the Zorak Zoran Chaos Rievers.

Since Time

For long, the Cave Trolls languished under persecution until finally, after centuries of persecution, the only Cave Troll Hero ever recorded in History embarked upon a series of quests. His name was Lowbrow Crazynerk and he gave the Cave Trolls the leadership and, upon his death and deification, the Faith that they had lacked. Now the Cave Trolls are still persecuted, but at least they have the weapon's, history and the ability to fight back.

Life After Death

The worshippers of Lowbrow believe that upon their death, they shall join him in a paradise where they can slaughter their foes to their hearts content in complete Darkness. Cultists do not gain a Divint, but may be resurrected.

Runic Associations

The Troll associations with Darkness/Man are linked with Disorder expressed in Chaos. This is the only chaos troll cult and, perhaps it is quite fortunate that there are not more such and that its worshippers are not numerous.

Nature of Cult

The nature of Lowbrow was violent, chaotic and trollish, and this sums up his worshippers. The entire cult is devoted to fighting by means most unfair and unwholesome using treachery, berserk ambush and poisoned weapons. Being Disorderly they fight berserkly, but (probably because they are not attached to the Death Rune) they are cunning and usually attack from carefully prepared ambushes. They tend not to kill immediately, but instead maim, terrorise and capture. Captives may be ransomed, (beware treachery), but are more likely to be used as slaves for a while and then tortured and eaten. Their favourite combat technique is to smear their weapons with Chaos Slime - a most unpleasant habit!

Socio-Political Position and Power

The cult has no influence outside its own environs. In places where Cave Trolls are common it is feared and hated, especially by Light worshippers.

Particular Likes and Dislikes

The cult gets on well with the majority of Chaos Cults especially the Darkness Chaos cults, but predictably hates Selene and Phoenix. All the Lightbringer cults are anathema, as are all Chaos killing cults, especially Zorak Zoran. The other Troll cults have varied reactions, Stygia being neutral to hostile, Xenoiré actually associated. Note however that the Cave Trolls basically view their life as an "Us-verses-the-World" situation and their Trollish outlook sees any weaker neighbour as a sucker to be oppressed and exploited.

Organisation

Minimally tribal, the strong coerce the weak. Infighting is endemic, but clan members will unite against an external threat. It is practically impossible for cultists to organise in large groups however. They are useless as soldiers and never set camp guards or watches. Clan Chiefs lead by the delicate use of brute-force and ignorance in overpowering amounts.

Centres of Power and Holy Places

The cult only has power where Cave Trolls exist. Cave Trolls dwell in caves in cliffs and mountains and live on the edges of the Trollands particularly to the east, and in mountainous areas of the Chaos Wastes. The cult holds several places to be holy. The Chaos Marshes where Lowbrow gained instruction in Chaos Slime from the worshippers of Primal Chaos and Schwarzkopf, the mountain where Lowbrow Crazynerk ascended to Godhood.

Holy Days and High Holy Days

Freezeday, Disorder Week is the Seasonal Holy Day. The High Holy Day is called "Ascension Day" in Trollish and occurs on Wildday, Movement Week, Dark Season and is an occasion celebrated by much rejoicing and eating of Minstrels plus a peculiar custom by which cultists leap off high peaks in an attempt to emulate Lowbrow. The survival rate is surprisingly high as Lowbrow seems to protect his followers from themselves upon this day, POW×5% to survive.

Lay Membership

Open to all Cave Trolls and any Troll or Trollkin possessing a chaos feature. Other Trolls and Trollkin, plus other races with chaos features may join, but at CHA−10, in a test of (STR+CHA)×⁵⁄₂. Failures are usually tortured to death and eaten.

Lay Members can gain training only in the cult weapons of Sling, Thrown Rock, Spiked Mace and Maul for free and in the skills of Climbing, Jumping, Camouflage, Set Ambush, Move Quietly, Hide in Cover and Tribal Weaponmaking at normal cost. Spell Teaching is available in Bludgeon, Countermagic, Demoralise, Detect Detection, Disruption, Dullblade, Healing, Iron Hand, Mobility, Protection, Shimmer, Silence, Speedart, Spirit Binding, Strength and Vigour all at normal cost plus Darkwall and Extinguish at half price. No other spells can be learnt from the cult, though there is no bar to learning them elsewhere.

Lay Members will not be tortured and eaten unless the cult has completely run-out of other sources of food. They are expected to join-in ambushes upon the unwary and to avoid all combat with Lightbringers and Chaos Slayers. They should stay out of the Sun.

Initiate Membership

When the Lay Members has a Weapon Attack at 70%+ and one of Camouflage or Set Ambush at 50%+, he/she may initiate at the next Holy Day. All Cave Trolls and any Troll or Trollkin with a Chaos Feature may initiate upon passing a test of (STR+SIZ+CHA)×5%. All other races at CHA−10. Failure brings the expected penalty. During the initiation ceremony, the cultist receives the gift of Lowbrow Crazynerk, which is, without the usual drawbacks, the Chaos Feature Always berserk in combat, cannot be Demoralised.

NOTE: This only has effect actually in Melee combat, once melee is over cultists revert back to normal. This makes them more restrained than might be expected of a Chaos Disorder cult. This Berserker effect is of doubled effect when fighting against a Fire/Sunlight worshipper.

Initiates gain free training in Sling, Thrown-Rock, Spiked Mace and Spiked Maul; half price training in Camouflage, Set Ambush, Torture, Tribal Weaponmaking and Brew Chaos Slime; and Brew Poison and Cooking can be bought at full cost, along with all other Lay Member skills. Whilst Dark Sense, Listen, Spot Hidden and Spot Trap can be gained at double cost.

Spells taught are Darkwall and Extinguish for free; half price Bludgeon, Demoralise and Dullblade. All others listed under Lay Membership are normal cost. All other spells may be learnt if the initiate can find a teacher save for Firearrow, Fireblade, Ignite, Light, Lightwall, Peaceful Cut and Reaping which are forbidden and will be forgotten upon initiation.

Initiates will never be tortured and eaten unless they annoy their elders. They are expected to destroy all oppression of Cave Trolls and to subjugate anyone smaller and weaker than themselves. They have a secondary commitment to spread chaos and their favoured method is to smear chaos slime on their weapons which are spiked for this purpose. Lowbrow initiates believe that the more mundane the aspects of soldiering such as watch keeping, reconnaissance and setting camp are beneath them and depend upon slaves for such services. Not surprisingly. Lowbrow gangs are not known for their security and all members tend to avoid sunlight and sleep during the day, under cover.

Runelord Membership

To qualify for Runelord, the applicant requires 15+ POW and 90% skills in 2 melee weapon attacks plus Camouflage, Set Ambush and any two of Tribal Weaponmaking, Torture, Brew Chaos Slime, Brew Poison, Sling Attack and Throw Rock, (only one other weapon allowed). However Cave Troll society is flexible and so an applicant may be accepted with an unusual mastered skill if the elders agree, (DMs discretion). Roll on the accompanying table for the result of the Runelord test.

Runelords do not gain a Divint, but they do gain all the other benefits of their status. The cult will give them one item of lead rolled randomly below.

Lowbrow Runelords are masters of Ambush, Skullduggery and Treachery; guerrilla warfare is their forté. A Runelord is expected to maintain a personal entourage of slaves; the more slaves he has, the more he displays his ability to oppress weak types. No Runelord may keep slaves of greater size than himself and this can restrict the occasional Runelord Trollkin, but these tend not to do well anyway. Allied spirits are placed in cult familiars (see Runepriests).

Runepriesthood

A Runepriest needs 18+ POW and 90% Brew Chaos Slime or Brew Poison. They must pass a test of (POW×5 + Camouflage) ⁄ 2%, failure means waiting for another year and reapplying, a fumble means thumb-screws and cooking-pots! The successful applicant is ordained upon the next High Holy Day. He gains all the normal benefits and restrictions, but he may continue to train his DEX and DEX based skills up to DEX x 5% as the Priesthood have virtually no time restrictions aside from the Regulation Spell Teaching. Runepriests are the most disciplined of the cult, (which isn't saying much!). Both Runelords and Runepriests place their Ally Spirits in Chaos Insectoid types found deep inside the caves they live in, as rolled randomly below.

The familiars will stand watch over their masters if asked, but not too often.

Runespell Compatibility

The Cult Standard Runespells are limited to Dismiss Elemental I, II & III, Divination, Extension I, Shield and Spell teaching. Divination is fairly limited due to Lowbrow's unfortunate Cosmic INT - he doesn't know a lot! The cult summons Small Shades as its elementals and Runepriests have access to the following Cult Special Runespells.

One Point Spells

Command Chaos: Range: 160m; Duration: Permanent; Non-Stackable; Non-Reusable
The caster can gain control over any unintelligent Chaos creature upon a successful POW v POW roll. The control is similar to that over elementals. Save for the reusability, this spell is identical to the Primal Chaos Spell.

Darksee: Range: 160m; Duration: 15 mins; Stackable; Reusable
Allows creatures that see best in daylight to see in darkness and vice-versa. Negates the effects of Daylight upon Trollkin and Cave Trolls. Each extra point stacked doubles the duration of the spell.

Defend Against Light: Range: 160m; Duration: 15 mins; Stackable to 4 points; Reusable
Functions as 2 points of Shimmer per point stacked. Double effect verses any initiate of a Fire/Light cult.

Hellroar: Range: Self; Duration: 15 mins; Non-Stackable; Reusable
When cast, it forces the caster to emit a very loud, frightening bellow, this renders stealth impossible; however, in melee, the caster can bellow in the face of one opponent every round forcing him to make a POW×5% or else act demoralised for the next 12 SR, due to the incredibly intimidating noise. Each bellow occurs on the Caster's DEX SR.

Two Point Spells

Arghsplat: Range: Touch; Duration: 15 mins; Non-Stackable; Reusable
This spell can only be cast upon a spiked crushing weapon, such a weapon immediately takes on a very characteristic look with the spikes elongating and twisting into fantastic chaotic shapes and strange meaningless symbols will appear to hang from them and then fade to be replaced by others. The cult is very fond of this most impressive spell. In combat, this causes +20% to be added to the attack and upon hitting, it does an extra 1D8 damage, it is now an impaling instead of a crushing weapon.

Darken: Range: 60m; Duration: 15 mins; Non-Stackable; Reusable
Causes a 60m radius of darkness around the recipient giving the effect of a moonlit night. It cancels Sunbright and the area effect of Moonbeam. It demoralises Imps and Salamanders and increases the POW of any fearshock attack by 3 points. It confers an extra 10% defense to the recipient.

Three Point Spells

Nightwarden: Range: Self; Duration: 15 mins; Non-Stackable; Reusable
Can only be cast at night without a full-moon in the sky. When cast, it causes a shadow to envelop the caster, this is a protective guardian with stats the same as the caster's, who will parry at DEX×5% on the casters behalf absorbing damage as if its hit-points were those of a weapon. If destroyed by losing all its hit-points then the spell must be resacrificed for. It can be dismissed by Dismiss Elemental II. It has no fearshock attack, but otherwise behaves as a Shade. It has 1 parry per round and is in Mindlink with its summoner.

Subservient Cults

Spirit of Reprisal

There is no real Spirit of Reprisal, initiates are informed that should they leave the cult "Lowbrow will get you", actually what happens is that Runemagics become Non-Reusable and Lowbrow's Berserk Gift is withdrawn, then the cult comes after them. This can be very nasty if they catch-up! Very few cultists leave as the basic reason for Lowbrow's existence is that there is nowhere else for a Chaotic-Troll to go.

Snotling - The Slave

This is the name of the Trollkin Slave that followed Lowbrow in his wanderings and into which all Trollkin and any applicant smaller than the smallest Cave Troll must Initiate. The benefits for Trollkin is that Lowbrow extends a wonderful gift in addition to his Berserkness, in that they may exchange a point of INT for 1 point increase in racial maximum POW with no limit. Thus just one point of INT sacrificed enables a Trollkin to become a Runelord. Runepriesthood requires at least another 3 points on top of this and then Runemagic can only be attained by further sacrifice, therefore Trollkin Runepriests in Lowbrow tend to be extremely thick and there have been very few. In return for this gift, Lowbrow demands that the Snotling obeys without question the orders of any cultist he cannot beat in a fight, fair or otherwise.

Associate Cults

Primal Chaos
Lowbrow's Herculean Quest led him to the Chaos Marshes where he leant the skill of Brew Chaos Slime and so all cultists swear to spread chaos wherever they can. Primal Chaos gives Lowbrow the following spell.

Chaos Feature: Range Touch; Duration Instant; Non-Stackable; Non-Reusable; 3 pt
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 or less than the sum of his chaos features×10% then he becomes a broo.

Xenoiré
The Troll Healers were the only Troll Cult to show any regard for the poor Cave Trolls before Lowbrow and they remain the cult's only true friends. Many Xenoiré cultists remain in the Clans of the Cave Trolls and they even allow Chaos Trolls to join, but do not allow Chaotics to reach Runelevel. In regard for the Cave Trolls, Xenoiré offers Lowbrow the following spell.

Regeneration: Range: Touch; Duration: 15 mins; Non-Stackable; Reusable; 2 pt
Causes the recipient to begin healing all damage at the rate of 1 HP/minute provided that dismemberment has not occurred. Can be used to regenerate Limbs, but only at the expense of the spell's reusability.

Miscellaneous Notes

Starting Character Cave Trolls

Starting Character Cave Trolls have 50% Attack in one of Maul or Heavy Mace plus bonuses, and also in Claw Attack. The other weapons of Sling, Thrown Rock and the alternative weapon are known at 30% plus bonuses. They also know the skills of Camouflage and Set Ambush at 50% plus bonuses; plus Climbing, jumping and Tribal Weaponmaking at 30% plus bonuses. All other skills are basic. For spells they will know Darkwall, Extinguish and Bludgeon II. If INT is limiting then they will suppress the Extinguish first and then the Bludgeon. Darkwall is never suppressed as the Dark is so comforting when a Cave Troll has to walk in Light places. Cultists will have a complete set of weapons (Maul, Mace, Sling and Bullets and a sack of 1D4 rocks), and Light Cavalry armour, but no money.