Skanthus
The Morokanth Messiah
History
Before Time
In Godtime, the Morokanths were mindless, used extensively by humans as bipedal beasts of burden. Among his many heinous acts, the devil cursed the Morokanths with awareness of their condition. Each knew not that it was sentient until a great hero called Skanthus Widgery led them in a rebellion upon their masters. This is why some barbarian tribes have no tribal beasts. Their war of liberation was just one of the conflicts in Godtime and extended into the Dawn-Age. The Morokanths were exterminated everywhere as a chaotic abomination and only survived deep in the Chaos-Zone. Skanthus taught his people how to herd people and how to survive in the Chaos-Zone.
Since Time
Skanthus Widgery ascended to Godhood, revered by the Morokanths as a saviour. At the end of each age since then, a new Morokanth hero has arisen and added to the cult's powers. Each hero has been regarded as the reincarnation of Skanthus Widgery. At the end of the Dawn-Age, it was Skanthus Orchron who adroitly aided the Lunar Pantheon in the establishment of Moonguard in return for Lunar magics. The Moon-Age's end saw Skanthus Schleplat seize the spells of Demosthenes. And recently, the Timestop proved the stage for Skanthus Norbdug to aid in the demise of Thanatos while gaining some anti-undead magics for his cult. The Morokanths believe that eventually a hero will arise who will finally avenge their treatment at the hands of the civilised people. This hero is referred to as Skanthus Messiah. As this future legend fits in with Chaos' prophecies of Armageddon, the Morokanths must be regarded as fully paid up members of the Chaos Pantheon despite enslaving chaos races as often as non-chaotic.
Life After Death
Morokanths are ancestor worshippers. They believe they go to a place in Hell where they wait for an indeterminate time before reincarnating. This reincarnation can be demonstrated by certain arcane magics of the ancestor worship type. All cultists look to the day when Skanthus shall call them back to fight the final war of freedom and revenge against the reviled men.
Runic Associations
The Morokanths were always Beasts and remain tied to this rune. Through Chaos they seek to Master Man.
Nature of Cult
Skanthus' cult is intimately tied to the Morokanths who follow a tribal existence in the Chaos-Zone. As long as they exist, Skanthus' worship will continue to provide the vehicle for their spiritual needs and the skills to sustain their existence in the Chaos Wilds. As with other hero-gods, (Moonbeak, Poonin), Skanthus is heavily into questing for new powers and abilities.
Socio-Political Position and Power
Outside the Chaos-Zone, Skanthus is viewed as anathema and is persecuted by any cult with the Man rune and a few without, chaotic or otherwise. Within the Chaos-Zone, Skanthus has only that power which the cult can gather to itself, usually in the face of opposition of the other chaos denizens. As with anything else chaotic, the precise power wielded by the cult varies widely with both time and place.
Particular Likes and Dislikes
Obviously the Chaos-Rievers are feared but the Morokanths detest people that herd beasts and also hate the barbarians that don't (because of their origin in God-Time). Thus the Death/Man pantheon are all anathema. Of the Chaos cults, the other Hero Gods are preferred. Sages have conjectured that the Morokanths have an inferiority complex toward those deities whose origins are in God-Time. Many of the other Chaos religions do indeed despise them. Bagog, Christos-Farlae, Ma-Fear, and Thanatar has been known to actively persecute Skanthus though this may be due to their habit of wiping minds. Generally, all Man-rune cults are anathema or hostile.
Organisation
Morokanth tribes are typically large, (never less than a couple of hundred), and full of minor subcults. Status is dependant upon the size and quality of human herd. Strength and fighting ability are also important as stealing or slaying another's herd is a perfectly viable way of gaining status. Each of Skanthus' avatars claims superiority over the others. Usually Widgery is actually numerically dominant but this is not always so. In addition, there are often small groups and individuals that have quested or traded for unusual magics. Occasionally these morokanths claim to be another incarnation of Skanthus. This is not regarded as heresy. Ultimate leadership in morokanth tribes comes down to power and status.
Centres of Power and Holy Places
The cult has no power outside the Chaos-Zone. Within the Chaos-Zone and on the borders, the cult is viewed with loathing and horror for its mind-destroying spells. Only Morokanths love Morokanths!
Holy Days and High Holy Days
Auspicious days are determined by the tribal shaman-priests who cast for omens. On these days the warriors of the tribe submit their catches to the priests for mindwiping. The cult has a High Holy Day on Wildday, Disorder Week, Dark Season when they celebrate the ascension of Skanthus Widgery to godhead. On this day, each tribe sacrifices one or more of its herd, reads the entrails for omens and eats the leftovers. It is all right to slay a sentient human for this purpose. Mindlessness is merely an aid to herding!
Lay Membership
Lay membership is open to all Morokanths. Other races can join as lay member slaves by being docile and servile. Such persons are usually those with useful skills such as healers or who can train their owners in unusual skills, especially subservient cult skills. All Morokanths are expected to join. Failure to do so means that they may be captured and enslaved by others of their tribe and even Mindwiped. Some few have run away but have always met with deep prejudice that is almost impossible to overcome. Interestingly, Skanthus has always incarnated as a renegade who initiates, runs away, joins another cult and then returns as a Hero with new spells and abilities.
Lay members may learn tribal weapons of claw, whip, net and medium shield at half-price, no other weapons are taught but only the sword is proscribed as a symbol of the civilised Man-rune cults. The non-weapon skills of Brew Paralytic Poison, Tracking and Herd Man are also half-price. Butchery, Jumping, Spot/Set Ambush, Spot Trap, Set/Disarm Trap, Listen, First-Aid, Brew Chaos Slime, Camouflage, Hide in Cover, Move Quietly and Cult Weapon Making are also taught at full cost. Binding and Whiplash are half-price, other available battlemagics are Countermagic, Detect Enemies, Detect Life, Detect Spirit, Farsee, Healing, Iron-Hand, Mobility, Multimissile, Parry, Protection, Shimmer, Silence, Spirit Binding, Spirit Screen, Strength, Vigour and Xenohealing. Xenohealing is of course important for maintaining the herd.
Initiate Membership
When the young morokanth has attained 75% in a weapon attack and shield parry, 50% in Herd Man and Tracking and at least Xenohealing II. He is invited to initiate on an auspicious Holy Day. All morokanths are expected to join and will suffer tribal vengeance if they don't. The only exception to this is those that initiate into Primal Chaos as these are viewed as following some mystical path. Primal Chaos worshippers leave the tribe anyway and live as hermits, occasionally being approached by the tribe for aid and advice. An applicant must present a captured, sentient being as a sacrifice. During the ceremony, he must swear to uphold the tribe and to work toward enslaving all the lesser races. This means all races with the Man Rune.
All the lay member half-price skills become free. Butchery, Spot/Set Ambush, Spot Trap, Set/Disarm Trap, Listen, Camouflage and Cult Weapon Making become half-price as do the spells of Binding, Iron-Hand, Xenohealing and Whiplash. Binding and Whiplash II are free. Bladesharp is forbidden and will be forgotten if known. All other spells are full-cost.
Runelordhood
Runelords are known as Slavelords in Morokanthi. To become a Slavelord requires mastery of the cult weapons, three attacks and a parry plus three of Tracking, Spot/Set Ambush, Camouflage, Brew Paralytic Poison and Herd Man. He must also know Xenohealing IV.
Slavelords are the foremost warriors of the tribe. By being a Slavelord, great status is gained as he can often just take nice slaves belonging to others. He gains no Divine Intervention but may attune any iron he finds and may be given an iron cestus or two. (POW×1 for two, ×3 for one.) Traditionally, cesti are made from bits of broken sword-blade set in a lesser metal or wood. They enhance claw damage but are most useful as symbols of Slavelordhood. Slavelords may sacrifice for all cult special runemagic and the subservient cult runemagics if they qualify on a non-reusable basis. They may chose to awaken a herd-man as a familiar. By casting the spell Awaken Herd. If the familiar was ever once of free mind, he will recall his former spells and skills, many slavelords choose to quest for suitable candidates from neighbouring chaos races.
Runepriest/Shamanhood
To be a shaman requires the same procedures as the Tribal Cults. The shamanling learns Spiritspeech and Tribal Ancestor Lore, (see Azrael). When both reach mastery and he has Xenohealing VI, he is a shaman. When a shaman gains 18 power, he is a priest. Both are subject to all the usual restrictions of their classes. A shaman gains a fetch which is usually a spirit of an ancestor. When he becomes a priest, he may also gain a familiar as per the slavelords. Neither may attune iron, otherwise they gain the same benefits as others of their rank in other cults.
Runespell Compatibility
Skanthus has a paucity of standard runemagics. Extension I, Multispell I, Spell Teaching and Warding are all available to the runepriests reusably. Priests also have access to the following cult special runemagic. They also gain access to the subservient cult runemagic if they qualify.
One Point Spells
Awaken Herd: Range: Touch; Duration: Permanent until dispelled; Non-stackable; Reusable
When cast upon an unintelligent human, this spell awakens him/her as a familiar of the caster. The recipient gains full intelligence and awareness but
is totally under the caster's control by a mindlink. The spell lasts until it is removed or one of the two participants dies, whereupon the recipient
returns to mindlessness. Humans who have had a previously normal life regain all their skills and spells and are frequently coveted by slavelords as
valued familiars.
Discorporation: Range: Touch; Duration: 15 minutes; Stackable - no limit; Reusable
As per the standard RQ spell save that stacking doubles the duration for each point stacked.
Mindwipe: Range: Touch; Duration: Permanent; Non-stackable; Reusable
This is the awful spell that causes a sentient victim to become an unintelligent beast. The spell is only reusable on auspicious tribal Holy Days
which are unpredictable but average one per season.
Speak to Man: Range: 160 m; Duration: 15 minutes; Non-stackable; Reusable
Allows the recipient to converse with any non-sentient Man-rune creatures. Oratory may be used to influence them but Morokanths prefer whips!
Spirit Block: Range: 160 m; Duration: 15 minutes; Stackable; Reusable
As per Azrael spell.
Spirit Shield: Range: 160 m; Duration: 15 minutes; Stackable; Reusable
As per Azrael spell.
Summon Chaotic Ancestor: Range: 160 m; Duration: 15 minutes; Non-stackable; Reusable
As per Uriah spell.
Three Point Spells
Incarnation: Range: 160 m; Duration: 15 minutes; Non-stackable; Reusable
As per Azrael spell.
Subservient Cults
Cult Spirit of Reprisal: Skanthus' Spite
Should an initiate leave the cult or betray a morokanth to a creature of the Man-rune, this spirit of reprisal will visit him subsequently at a time of its choosing most inconvenient to the victim. It manifests as an old but hale morokanth with four arms, festooned with iron and items of power and a POW of 3d6. It will attack the victim in spirit combat, draining INT instead of POW until the victim is mindless or the spirit has under 3 POW. This INT loss is permanent and may not be regained by any means. Initiates who merely transgress against their tribe but not their religion may suffer tribal vengeance at the hands of the warriors and shaman of the tribe.
Azrael
At the end of Godtime and the beginning of the Dawn Age, Skanthus Widgery gained the basic powers of the cult, devising Awaken Herd, Mindwipe and Speak to Man. These were supplemented by spells stolen from Azrael who was the first of Skanthus' subservients, to demonstrate Morokanth freedom from the First Man. All the cult's shaman skills and spirit magics come from this relationship. Azrael is more closely bound to Skanthus than later subservient gods and such spells are available to all Skanthus worshippers without more than the usual restrictions.
Selene
At the end of the Dawn Age and the birth of the Moon Age, Skanthus Orchron aided the Lightbringers in the defeat of Thanatos and the worshippers of the Moon Goddess in the creation of Moonguard. At that time, he stole the spells of Image and Delusion from Selene though she holds no grudge as it aids the spread of illusion and madness. These spells are available non-reusably to any initiates with at least 50% Ravings or any Lunar Philosophy. They are reusable to initiates with 50% Lunar Philosophy and mastery of the Ravings. Initiates with any of either skill may claim spell teaching in Light, Moonwall and Foxtroll.
Demosthenes
At the end of the Moon Age and the start of the Third Age, Skanthus Schleplat won knowledge magics from the Sage God. These are available non-reusably to any initiates who gain 50% in a written script; reusably to initiates who gain mastery. The spells so gained are Translate and General Knowledge. In most tribes there are always some literate morokanths.
Humakt
At the close of the Third Age and the opening of the Fourth, Skanthus Norbdug aided the world in defeating Thanatos and ending the Long Winter. In return he won abilities from Humakt for the cult of Skanthus. An initiate who learns any Undead Lore or Death Lore may learn Detect Undead at half-price. Initiates who learn both may sacrifice for Turn Undead non-reusably. Those that gain 50% in Undead Lore may sacrifice for Turn Undead reusably and Smite Unliving non-reusably.
Associate Cults
Skanthus belongs with the second rank of Chaos Gods and naturally forms ties with the Broo pantheon. However, as with most chaotic relationships, they seek to subvert the morokanths using disease, voodoo and spirit magics and Skanthus is not averse to herding broo when times get tough. In token of their common goals, the broo pantheon offer the following spells to Skanthus' cult.
- Engariel gives Summon Specific Spirit of Disease - 2pts
- Klute gives Speak to Beasts - 1pt
- Primal Chaos gives Chaos Feature - 3pts
- Uriah gives Summon Chaotic Ancestor - 1 pts
Miscellaneous Notes
Player Character Morokanths
Skills:
Whip and Claw attacks, Shield parry @ 50%+; Net attack @ 30%+; Claw parry @ 25%+.
Brew Paralytic Poison, Tracking and Herd Man @ 50%+.
Butchery, Spot/Set Ambush, Spot Trap, Set/Disarm Trap, Listen, Camouflage, Cult Weapon Making; 2 @ 50%+, the rest 30%+.
Jumping, First-Aid, Brew Chaos Slime, Hide in Cover, Move Quietly; 2 @ 30%+, the rest @ base.
Spells:
Binding, Whiplash II, Xenohealing II
Equipment:
Double leather armour of tanned human hides.
A full set of weapons.
No money!
A chip on the shoulder.
Cult Spells
Whiplash
As per bladesharp save it functions only on whips and like flexible weapons.
Cult Weapons
Whip:
A ranged weapon held in the hand. It has one range of 2 to 10 yards. A skilled user can opt to limit the damage and in fact do no damage unless
specials are made to hit. He can also opt to entangle the victim rather than damage him in his statement of intent; this is a separate skill, rolled
for after the hit . Whips can be parried in which case they automatically damage or entangle the parrying weapon. Opponents should make declarations
beforehand. Once entangled, both parties may attack each others' sizes with their strengths to pull the other off his feet. Whips have 8 hit points
and do d6+1+ ½ damage bonus on a DEX strike-rank. Morokanths like to treat their whips with paralytic poison!
| Weapon | Type | Cost | HP | STR | DEX | Base | Training |
| Whip | 1-handed | 40 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 05 | 400/800/1600/EXP |
Net:
Nets are missile weapons that take a full turn to prepare. Thrown with one hand on Dex strike-rank, they do no damage but can entangle the target. If
parried, they automatically hit the parrying arm, otherwise they hit a random hit location. The victim then rolls against the average of DEX and POW.
| (DEX+POW)×½ | Effect |
|---|---|
| ×1 | Not entangled and the net falls to the floor |
| ×3 | Hit location is immobilised |
| ×5 | The target location and a neighbouring location are immobilised |
| ×7 | The target location and two near locations are immobilised |
| fail×7 | the victim is completely immobilised and falls over |
A victim can try to break free with either a critical DEX×5 or by breaking the net which has a strength of 12, (match versus rolled damage bonus). If the victim has an edged weapon handy and a free arm, he can cut his way out in a d6 rounds.
| Weapon | Type | Cost | HP | STR | DEX | Base | Training |
| Net | 1-handed | 20 | 12 | 7 | 13 | 05 | 300/600/1200/EXP |
Cestus:
Metal cesti add +2 to claw damage and permit parrying as a natural weapon as if with an 8pt or 12pt (iron) weapon. Slavelords will try to get matching
pairs of cesti but mainly use only one in combat to leave the other arm free to wield whip, net or shield. Morokanths with extra arms are regarded as
paragons of their god. Skanthus is often portrayed as having four arms with a weapon in each.