From: Shannon Appel <appel@erzo.berkeley.edu>
Subject: The Altar of Blood
System: Elric!

I've been enjoying the writeups that Matt Hyde has been doing of interesting locations in Pan Tang. Thus, I've decided to write up a magical locale of my own.

            THE ALTAR OF BLOOD

"Upon the rock was a building, a great castle all colored scarlet. And the scarlet rippled as if water had somehow been molded into a permanent shape. A familiar, salty smell came from the scarlet castle." -Description of Duke Teer's Castle, _The King of the Swords_, Book 2, Chapter 2

In the wilderness of Ilmoria, amidst the grasslands that are still untamed by the young nation, there is an ancient altar to chaos which was once worshiped at by a people that are now long dead. It has been abandoned for ages, but very recently, new worshipers have been drawn to it.

The altar is a shrine to Duke Teer, the Lord of Blood. It is approximately rectangular in shape, five feet long, two feet wide and two and half feet high. The entire altar is composed of blood. It is fluid, constantly rippling, yet it is set into its current form. Occasionally, shapes can be seen in the rippling surface, sculptures made of blood. The altar is not fully solid, but there is increasing resistance if anyone tries to reach into it. The stench of blood can be smelled for hundreds of feet around. Carrion eaters constantly circle the altar, but seem unwilling to actually touch it.

Duke Teer has been banished from the Young Kingdoms for long age, but now that Old Ollen has rediscovered the altar, he is reawakening the
worship of Duke Teer. He has over a dozen cultists who have joined in his worship, and he is preparing to spread the cult of Duke Teer further.

The PCs can be drawn to the area of the altar when the followers of Duke Teer begin kidnapping local people to drain their blood in rituals to Duke Teer. They will likely end up in conflict with Old Ollen, many cultists and creatures of blood. If they defeat Duke Teer, they will still need to figure out what to do with the Altar of Blood, since it cannot be destroyed by normal, mundane means. If the PCs are unable to stop the followers of Teer now, the Cult will slowly spread across the Young Kingdoms, and become an important force in the future.

SPELLS OF BLOOD

Followers of Duke Teer may learn certain spells of Chaos unique to the Lord of Blood. To do so, they must worship at the Altar of Blood for a
week, and then suceed at an INTx1 roll. Below are the two spells available in this way.

Shape Blood (1 POW + varies) - Range is touch. Chaotic. This spell allows the caster to shape a quantity of blood into some solid form. One magic point must be expended when casting this spell for every SIZ point worth of blood that is shaped. All such items created are sacred to Duke Teer. Teer's followers believe that it is their duty to one day cover the entire world in blood.

Stop Blood(3) - This spell disrupts the flow of blood within a victim, causing them considerable pain. If the caster suceeds in overcoming the victim in a MP:MP roll, the victim immediately takes 1D3 damage. In addition, the victim will be unable to act in the next round unless he suceeds at a CONx3 roll.

THE CULTISTS

Below are stats for Old Ollen, the current high priest of Duke Teer. Statistics for cultists should be created as appropriate. They should be moderate warriors, who are utterly amoral. A few will know Duke Teer's special spells.

Old Ollen, High Priest of Duke Teer
Chaos 62, Balance 18, Law 2

STR    9    CON    13    SIZ     11    INT    17    POW     18
DEX    16    APP    6                     HP     12

Damage Bonus: none

Weapons:
Blood Dagger 75%, damage 1D4+2

Armor: none

Spells: Affliction (BG), Hell's Razor, Shape Blood, Stop Blood

Demons & Enchantments: see Blood Monsters below

Skills: Craft (Blood) 93%, Disguise 51%, Dodge 78%, Fast Talk 49%,
Hide 83%, Insight 75%, Oratory 97%, Own Language 85%, Search 67%,
Young Kingdoms 34%

Old Ollen has totally accepted the ways of Duke Teer, and is committed to bringing them to all of the Young Kingdoms. He sees humans merely
as vessels. Some, he allows to be tools to spread the ways of his lord to all.

BLOOD MONSTERS

Duke Teer has gifted his greatest worshiper in the Young Kingdoms with creatures composed entirely of blood, to protect him, and help him to
spread the word of Teer.

All creatures of blood have the following characteristics:

* impaling weapons do no damage
* edged weapons do half damage
* blunt weapons do normal damage
* when they are slain, they explode, sending blood in all directions

One example of a Blood Monster is given below. Old Ollen should have several more at his disposal. Simply adapt demons as necessary for these.

Blood Monster

STR    24    CON    20    SIZ     25    INT    5    POW     10
DEX    12    APP    3                     HP     23

Damage Bonus: +2D6

Abilities:

Absorb Missile at 90%
Vomit Acidic Blood at 50%, POT 1D10, 5 yard range

Weapons:

Claws 90%, damage 2D6+db
Bite 60%, damage 3D8+dbp

Armor: none, but see special notes above

Skills: Act Threateningly 99%, Climb 50%, Dodge 30%, Wrestle 60%

Need: 1 SIZ of blood each day