Realm of Law

Zhu Bajie

Member
So seeing the wonderful Legacy Warband come together under the theme of a Lawful warband, and re-reading Steve Caseys interview with Bryan Ansell, in which Bryan saieth:

I also talked to John (blanche) about illustrations of four Gods of Law. It’s possible that sketches were done: if so, I have no memory of what they looked like. The Gods of Law were going to be even more ferocious than the Gods of Chaos.

Makes me wonder what would The Realm of Law might have been like, and if it were possible to 'reconstruct' or make it up. we have some evidence:

The Daemons of Law(angels)

800px-C34-03.jpg


There are hints at a mythos of Law and a Nameless God in the leaflet accompanying the Heroic Adventurers
flyer013.jpg
.

Maybe The Emperor from John Blanches Prince and Woodcutter:

b74e1be2fd1487c65ef51431b353a67f.jpg


I imagine that many gifts would be bonuses to Leadership, super-shiny golden armour, Steadfastness. vaguely Arthurian / Byzantine somewhat authoritarian, bonuses for noble conduct. etc.

What say you?
 

Asslessman

Member
I say this is one brilliantly inspiring idea...

Just to be sure and corrected but aren't some of the known gods like Morr and all gods of Law or are they just "good" aligned gods and not the antithesis of the 4 chaos gods as we know them ?
I was feeling like digging what kind of treatment Zuvassin and Malal would have got if they had had RoC books but Making stuff for the gods of law, well, Zhu, once again your ambition is to be praised !

I am REALLY interested in doing this. Shall we try to compile every info we can (from publication or from ol' timers) and then fill up the blanks using nothing but greymatter, pen and paper (and this forum) ?
 
Asslessman":2x3xl4i6 said:
I say this is one brilliantly inspiring idea...

Just to be sure and corrected but aren't some of the known gods like Morr and all gods of Law or are they just "good" aligned gods and not the antithesis of the 4 chaos gods as we know them ?
I was feeling like digging what kind of treatment Zuvassin and Malal would have got if they had had RoC books but Making stuff for the gods of law, well, Zhu, once again your ambition is to be praised !

I am REALLY interested in doing this. Shall we try to compile every info we can (from publication or from ol' timers) and then fill up the blanks using nothing but greymatter, pen and paper (and this forum) ?

No the Gods of Law are different than the good gods. They never really got developed and the only one that still gets mentioned is Solon. I think there were three of them. I seen to remember that they embodied stasis in the same way that Chaos represented change.

I agree, it sounds like a cool project.
 

Asslessman

Member
Thanks for the correction !

I've just found this:

"Alluminas- Opposed to Tzeentch, since stasis and change are inimical.
Solkan- Opposed to Khorne, as one champions unfocused violence and the other is for extremely focused, prejudiced violence.
Arianka- Opposed to Nurgle, since she is the goddess of self-discipline and improvement, in stark contrast to Nurgle's decay and stagnation.
Somorphia- Opposed to Slaanesh, since she is the goddess of eternal purity and beauty and Slaanesh... isn't."

in this thread

Isn't this when we summon Graeme and Bryan ?
 

lenihan

Moderator
Those daemons of law models reminded me of this ceiling mosaic in the chapel at the American cemetery in Cambridge (where a lot of american WW2 servicemen from the air forces are buried); there's something about the angels flying amidst the bombers and fighter planes which is deeply sinister.

6888435337_883e0b9732_b.jpg


There is nothing cuddly or warm about law. The gods of law are cold, and their angels to be feared.
 

Jeff McC

Member
Absolutely. If you look at the Elric novels unrestrained Law is just as perilous to mortal life as unrestrained Chaos.

As an aside, am I the only one that thinks the Tyranids are the "Army of Law" in 40K?
 
Jeff McC":29gdjj1s said:
As an aside, am I the only one that thinks the Tyranids are the "Army of Law" in 40K?

That's a very interesting observation. If the tyranids follow the 'Aliens' trope of a perfect organism designed purely to kill and survive, then i suppose you could say that in this perfect state they have achieved the goal of Law, which is, according to the one source i own on the subject, WHFRP 1st ed, "all change and development would cease, and nothing would ever change".

However, are tyranids the perfect organism? I don't know a huge amount about them but don't they evolve constantly to adapt to their situation and environment? They come in different shapes and forms engineered to perform different tasks, so I'm not sure if they qualify.

There is one race that doesn't seem to change (apart from cosmetically) that lives for but one purpose and never stops to think of the whys and the wherefores... a strong race... and vast race... a GREEN race ;)
 

Zhu Bajie

Member
Ahhhh great stuff!

lenihan":3sf5auet said:
there's something about the angels flying amidst the bombers and fighter planes which is deeply sinister.
I concur. That also reminds me of the Angels of Le Mons, the wikipedia article on that is quite good. Gets close to John Blanches Imperial Gothic Catholicism. Maybe the Cult of Sigmar and the Imperial Cult are already pretty close to something approaching the Gods of Law - the pinnacle of 'humanity' and destroying the psychic / mutants? Are the Gods of Law just other Warp Entities like the Gods of Chaos - psychic beings feeding off mans / elves / dwarves latent psychic energy, or are they something else entirely?

dieu_ordre_arianka.jpg


I'd forgotten about Arianka - nice one Niibl! She's definitely got that sleeping beauty vibe. Seems a bit odd having a God trapped, but perhaps that's part of her power, driving people to great deeds and fanatacism in her name but she can only effect the world in very minor ways, if at all. The crystal thing makes me think of stasis magic, zones of sanctuary, cure light wounds and that kind of thing.

Also what if the manifestation of the god itself were the Crystaline structure (very Ordered, Lawful particles), and the female inside is just an illusion? Perhaps the Crystals of Arianka project whatever best motivates the individual to noble deeds, so in Kalebs case it's a saucy minx in her nightie, but for Borax Bloodaxe maybe some long lost golden heirloom of the Dwarves, or something?
 

area23

Member
Are the Gods of Law just other Warp Entities like the Gods of Chaos
I'm pretty sure that was suggested at some point. I have no idea where (ROC, WHFRP?) but it's how I remember it.
In any case it was fundamental to very existance of Chaos as a cosmic balance.

I might as well have invented that myself as I was much into D.I.Y. comparative religion and shamanism at the time. :mrgreen:
 

Gerner

Member
area23":bko3mplg said:
Are the Gods of Law just other Warp Entities like the Gods of Chaos
I'm pretty sure that was suggested at some point. I have no idea where (ROC, WHFRP?) but it's how I remember it.
In any case it was fundamental to very existence of Chaos as a cosmic balance.
I do too, but can't remember where I got it from. The story goes that the four chaos gods and law gods was born from the female magic god (which name escapes me) in order to keep balance on the planet. The gods tricked and deceived each other until most of the law gods was fallen out of favor (or trapped) and the chaos gods have created so much internal strife they had a hard time working together.

Now I did some research on my laptop and found these, I think most of it is old fanmade, but nevertheless could be rather interesting and hold some truths.

*ARIANKA - Goddess of Law and Discipline

*Description:
Arianka, sister of Solkan and Alluminas and consort of Solkan, is
the embodiment of law and discipline. In the distant past, Tzeentch,
changer of the ways, saw Arianka as a great threat to his plans and
imprisoned her in a crystal coffin which can be opened only by a set
of keys, hidden somewhere in the world but whose whereabouts are
unknown. Many Old Worlders believe Arianka is nothing more than
legend.

One legend tells of how Arianka forged Laihtendrung, her crystal
sword, out of a special magical crystal that shone with a soft inner
light. The tale claims the substance, called Laihtero crystal, was
created as a reaction to the existence of the solidified chaos known
as Warpstone, and that its' properties are such that it produces an
aura of stasis around it, that nothing changes as long as the
crystals' soft light is shining on it. No such crystals have ever
been found, however, and the tales are largely believed to be nothing
more than that.

It is also said that Ariankas' legendary coffin is made of Laihtero
crystal, locking her in the stasis field thus generated around her.
The legend surrounding her does not make clear how her captor trapped
her thus, but the coffin is said to lie in Praag, Kislev. Ariankas'
followers are dedicated to the search for the keys which will free
her from her imprisonment.

*Special Note:
Being as Arianka is imprisoned, she is unique amoung the warhammer
gods in that opinions differ over whether (and how) her cult persists
today. This description cannot cater for all these views and makes
no attempt to do so.
Also, a quest for Ariankas' keys is a good campaign hook, so I'm
leaving out details like the number of keys, etc. as GMs can then
decide on them as fits their campaign. This description assumes the
character worships Arianka alone (as opposed to being in some joint
Arianka/Solkan sub-cult) and is meant as a sort of generic template
to put the scalpel to as you see fit. My personal view on Arianka is
in a section at the end.

*Alignment:
Lawful.

*Symbol:
Ariankas' symbol is her crystal sword, Laihtendrung, with which she
is said to dispense her punishment. Cultists believe that on the
day of her release she will take up Laihtendrung and join Solkan in
taking revenge upon the chaos god who imprisoned her.

*Area of Worship:
Members of the cult come from all over the Old World, but are few in
number, and tend to come from the south of the Old World. Local
cults in a particular area generally get together with others on
Ariankas' holy days to meet in prayer and discuss any leads found in
the search.

*Temples:
All Ariankas' old temples have long since crumbled to ruins. Few
cultists are willing to give up the quest for the keys to oversee the
rebuilding of the temples, and, where a cultist has been willing to
do so, the new temples have reportedly collapsed on placing the last
brick/stone. Services are usually held in shrines set up in cultists
homes or property bought by the cult for the purpose.

*Friend and Enemies:
The cult is contempible towards the majority of Old World religion,
because its' weak stance against chaos, but Ranald in particular is
an enemy for his constant belittling of authority. Not surprisingly,
The cult is vehemently hostile to the chaos gods. Relations are
friendly with the other gods of law.

*Holy Days:
Holy days are the first and last day of each month and since her
imprisonment, the day believed to be the anniversary of her
imprisonment is also held holy.

*Cult Requirements:
New cultists must never have broken the law, except where allowed by
Ariankas' scriptures.

*Strictures:
- Oppose chaos and its' minions whenever they are encountered.
- Oppose weak and foolish laws which make a mockery of law and
dicipline.
- Never let a crime go unpunished.
- Obey and enforce the letter of the law unless this would break any
of the above strictures.
- Never pardon others who question or disobey an order from a
superior, or do so yourself, unless to obey would break any of the
above strictures.

*Spell Use:
Before imprisonment, Arianka granted all petty and battle magic
spells. Being currently imprisoned, however, Arianka has no power to
grant magical aid to clerics.

*Skills:
Initiates of Arianka must buy the Law skill, at normal EP cost,
before advancing to level one cleric.

*Trials:
Trials to Arianka are never set, as the quest for the crystal keys
and coffin is considered too important. When a trial is indicated,
the character must accumulate another 100 EP and try again. Were
Arianka not imprisoned, a typical test might be to thwart a group of
criminals that were currently evading the authorities.

*Blessings:
Arianka favours tests based on Ld, Cool and WP, especially Loyalty,
resistance to bribes, etc., although she has no power to grant
blessings (or curses) while she is imprisoned.

*Personal View (long):
I see the cult of Arianka as being alive and well. When Tzeentch
defeated her, he imprisoned her in a Laihtero crystal coffin which
does indeed lie in Praag, Kislev. The nine keys (also made of
Laihtero, as is Laihtendrung) are hidden somewhere in the world, but
noone knows where - they change location randomly at the whim of
Tzeentch. Her cult collapsed on her imprisonment, but some remnants
survived.
Many cultists were disspirited and never quite recovered. Some were
totally absorbed in the cult of Solkan (who took up the torch of
discipline when she was imprisoned), while some were partially merged
in the cult of Solkan and persist as a sub-cult worshipping both gods
(they are subject to both sets of cult requirements and have to
follow both sets of strictures, holy days, etc. but receive magic and
blessings from Solkan for their dedication).
Others still remained loyal to Arianka alone and this sub-cult of
hers also persists today. This sub-cult is itself composed to two
groups. The first group knows of the true location of her coffin and
go to great lengths to ensure that the world at large does not find
out, a few members of the joint sub-cult with Solkan are also trusted
with this sensitive information. The other group is generally not
trusted enough to be told and will be told only in times when there
is no other choice. Arianka also has an order of knights templar,
the Knights of the Holy Quest.
Not only is her cult alive and well, but so too is Arianka herself.
She is alive and semi-conscious in her coffin, and considerably
weakened in her godly powers by the stasis field. She does, however,
have limited control over the crystal (although exercising it costs
her dearly in strength). She thus has the power to grant magical
spells and effects to cultists within D8-6 yards of the coffin
(reroll every round, minimum of zero) and can grant blessings within
the same range, although these too end when the subject leaves the
range of Ariankas' influence. Laihtendrung lies beside her in the
coffin.

Solkan
Law God of Vengeance and Retribution
Description:
Solkan is the brother of Alluminas (god of heavenly illumination) and brother/consort of Arianka (goddess of law and discipline) and is the angry god of vengeance and retribution. He is most often depicted as a tall, intense man on the edge of fury. Solkan is usually attired either in shiny armor or in black clothing with a wide brim black hat. In either appearance, Solkan is always armed with his flaming sword of vengeance, Flammendrung.
The cult believes that Solkan was the foremost of the Law Gods who allied themselves with the forces opposing the Chaos powers. The alliance was more one of convenience than of convergent beliefs. It was the Law Gods who advocated total war with the goal of eradication of Chaos, even at the risk of destroying everything. When the war ended in stalemate, the Law Gods broke from the alliance. In conjunction with Arianka, Solkan became the most unrelenting foe of Chaos. Sometime later, the complex machinations of Tzeentch, the Changer of the Ways, resulted in the capture and imprisonment of Arianka.

Deprived of his sister/consort (and receiving no help from his esoteric brother Alluminas), Solkan intensified (if such was possible) his campaign against Chaos while searching for Arianka. Solkan also became the patron of law and discipline at the time of Arianka's imprisonment.
Some scholars of divine matters believe the Law Gods to be another manifestation of Chaos and point out that worship of the Law Gods did not commence in any form until sometime after the coming of Chaos. Others say that the Gods of Law pursued the Chaos powers into the world to continue their ages old war. Whatever the truth, all scholars of divine matters agree it is safest not to discuss these matters within earshot of any Gods of Law cultists.

Alignment:
Law.

Symbol:
Solkan's symbol is the flame. Priests wear black hooded robes trimmed with the colors of fire (reds, oranges, and yellows) and wear amulets of blackened iron with a fire opal embedded into its center (representing the cleansing flame).

Area of Worship:
Solkan is worshipped throughout the Old World. In the past, Solkan was the principle deity of the now-extinct, militant Hellene city-state of Spartius. Solkan also enjoyed some popularity (which varied with each Emperor) within the Remean Empire. Currently, the followers of Solkan are few compared to other Old World cults (though more numerous than Alluminas).

Temples:
Once there were great temples dedicated to Solkan. The two largest were located in Spartius (ruins of which are buried beneath the soil in the land of Border Princes) and the Tilean city-state of Remas. These temples were solidly built structures with outer columns surrounding the exterior walls. The columns and walls were austere in design, lacking ornamentation of any sort. The interior of the temples were unfurnished except for an altar and podium upon which stood the Solkan "Book of Laws" (lost in some past disaster). What remains of the temple in Remas is largely ruins with only a small portion still in use. Here, amid uncaring masses (to whom the Chaos threat serves only to frighten wayward children), remains the center of the cult and its hierarchy.
The temples' decline can be traced to increasing intolerance, fear, and distrust of Old Worlders towards the narrow perceptions and rigidness of the Solkanites. In accord with this decline was the rise of the Solkan shrines where cultists meet in small, highly cohesive groups. These shrines are generally located adjacent to homes of a priest, near courtrooms, or housed at a location purchased by cultists. Outwardly, these shrines can not be distinguished from the surrounding buildings. The interiors, however, resemble the old temple interiors with only an altar and podium as furnishings.

Friends and Enemies:
As the cults of Sigmar and Ulric are seen as the forefront of the weak struggle against Chaos, the cult of Solkan affords them minimal respect, while being somewhat contemptible of the other Old World cults. Also, they are openly hostility towards the cult of Ranald for their flaunting of authority.
Moreover, the cult of Solkan has a barely concealed disdain for cults of the Elder Races (they failed miserably in the first battles to
eradicate Chaos).
Further, the cult is the sworn enemies of-- and possess unbridled hatred toward-- all Chaos cults (the four powers and the Horned Rat), including the renegade powers (e.g., Malal, Zuvassin).

Holy Days:
There are no specific holy days dedicated to Solkan as the threat of Chaos is unrelenting and cultists must be ever vigilant.

Cult Requirements:
Any who petition to join the cult must be free of Chaos taint and approved by a Cleric.

Strictures:
Followers of Solkan must abide by the following:
-Always oppose and, if possible, exterminate Chaos and its minions whenever
and wherever they are encountered.
-Never allow those who are soft and blind to the Chaos threat dissuade one from the primary task.
-Never allow others' opinions of oneself or Solkan to deter from the primary duty.
-Always hold inviolate the letter of the law (unless that law is counter to the above principles). The so-called "spirit of the law" concept is employed by those too weak to discipline law-breakers.
-Always oppose foolish "laws" which make a mockery of the natural order. Examples include edicts which would protect servants of Chaos (mutants, cultists, etc.) and those that grant the lowly classes (thieves, beggars, peasants) the same rights as those of higher breeding (aristocracy).
-Never allow a wrong to go unanswered.

Spell Use:
Clerics of Solkan may use all Petty Magic, Battle Magic, and fire-based Elemental Magic spells. In addition, clerics of Solkan may have access to the Daemonic spells Dispel Lesser Daemons (Level 1), Zone of Daemonic Protection (Level 1), Zone of Daemonic Nullification (Level 2), Dispel Daemonic Horde (Level 3), and Dispel Greater Daemon (Level 4). Moreover, the following spells may be used by clerics of Solkan:

Sword of Cleansing Flame
Spell Level: 3
Magic Points: 15
Range: Touch
Duration: 1d6+3 rounds
Ingredients: None
This spell grants the cleric the ability to cause one touched sword to become a magical flaming weapon for the duration of the spell. In addition this spell grants the wielder of the sword of cleansing flame a temporary increase of +10 to WS and +1 to Strength.
Inflammable creatures receive 1d6+2 wounds at the strength of the wielder while flammable creatures receive 2d6+4 wounds at the strength of the wielder. Flammable objects struck by the swordof cleansing flame will be set aflame. The sword of cleansing flame has great power against Daemons and Chaotic beings, causing 3d6+6 wounds at the strength of the wielder. Also, Daemons hit by the sword of the cleansing flame must make an Instability test immediately, even those who are protected by the Daemonic Magic spell Stop Daemonic Instability (Level 2).

Intervention
Spell Level: 4
Magic Points: 25
Range: 100 yards
Duration: 1d3 hours
Ingredients: None
The spell grants the cleric an appeal to his patron to possess a cultist (or invoking Priest) during an extremely dire situation (e.g., being surrounded by a Chaos warband led by a Greater Daemon). The possessed cultist assumes the profile and abilities of a Greater Daemon. In addition, the effected cultist grows in height to that of a Greater Daemon and may cause fear in creatures of less than 10 feet in height. Note: the possessed cultist will always follow the dictates of their patron deity. There is a high degree of risk to the
possessed cultist, however, in that the driving force of Solkan's burning passions may consume the cultist. The effected cultist must test vs. Toughness x 10, adding a +10 modifier. Success means that the cultist will be exhausted and unable to perform strenuous activities for the followind 1d3 hours. If failed by 20 or less points, the cultist suffers 1d6 wounds at strength 5 from burns inflicted by the possession. If failed by over 20 points, the cultist suffers 2d6 wounds at strength 10.

Skills:
In addition to normal skills available to Initiates and Clerics, followers of Solkan may acquire one of the following skills at each level: Dodge Blow, Follow Trail, Immunity to Disease, Law, Orientation, Set Traps, Shadowing, Silent Move-Urban, Sixth Sense, Spot Traps, Strike Mighty Blow, Strike to Injure, Strike to Stun, Torture. As always, skills gained must bepaid for by Experience Points.

Trials:
Trials set by Solkan generally involve confronting and defeating Chaos encroachments. Examples include destroying Chaos shrines, clearing an area of marauding bands of Chaos creatures, and exposing (at great personal risk, naturally) Chaos infiltration at high levels of society.

Blessings:
Skills favored by Solkan tend to be martial in nature (such as Dodge Blow, Strike to Stun, etc.) or those used in pursuing quarry (.g., Follow Trail, Shadowing. Tests favored by Solkan are fear, terror, poison, disease, and other tests made to counter the special attack forms of any servant or creature of Chaos. Other blessings might include a temporary increase to Weapon Skill, Will Power, or Cool.

*Alluminas - Master of Light, Lord of Enlightenment

*Description:
Alluminas, esoteric brother of Arianka and Solkan, embodies a pure, unchanging light which renders anything it strikes unmoving and unchanging, and the idea of total divine enlightenment. His worshippers are few in the Old World, but his centre of worship lies in the far eastern states of Cathay and Nippon, where he has several monastic orders, the Monks of the Light (or 'White Monks': you might like to use the monk careers in the archives or just use the normal cleric careers as an approximation). Nipponese worshippers know Alluminas as Annu-Minato.

Whether in the Old World or the far east, worshippers of Alluminas all share one thing, the search for the Enlightenment which is oneness with their master. They study the scriptures of Alluminas as set out in his holy book (the Alluminamus), meditate to strive for oneness in spirit and follow the Fourfold Path: through
Thought, Meditation, Dedication and Understanding comes, ultimately, divine Enlightenment.

*Alignment: Lawful.

*Symbol:
Alluminas' chief symbol is that of a four spiked wheel, representing the Fourfold Path. A less common symbol, but one more popular in the west, is that of a candle.

The White Monks wear white robes with the four spiked wheel embroidered in gold on the left breast. Old World worshippers usually wear the symbol of the candle somewhere on their clothes or carry an amulet bearing the symbol, but generally not in plain sight.

*Area of Worship:
Alluminas has very few worshippers in the Old World and the vast majority of his cult is made up of the White Monks of Cathay and Nippon, who know him as Annu-Minato and whose monasteries can be found in the mountain foothills. Even in the far east, however, he has relatively few followers and monasteries, due to the strength of the cult of Tzeentch (the strongest of the chaos cults in Cathay and Nippon, where he is known as Lord Tsien-Tsin). Alluminas also has a few followers who travel the world, seeking out chaos, although little else is known of the 'Wanderers' (as the White Monks call them).

*Temples:
Alluminas has no temples or public shrines in the Old World and worshippers generally maintain shrines in their homes. In Cathay and Nippon, temples or shrines are built as part of the monasteries. The White Monks have one head monastery (housing the main temple) and a small number of smaller monasteries who maintain subsidiary temples or shrines.

Whether small shrine or large temple, worship areas consecrated to Alluminas are simple and uncluttered. The focus of the room is a wooden table, covered with a white cloth which is often embroidered with one of Alluminas' symbols. On the table is a candle, which must always remain lit - if it is allowed to go out then the temple/shrine must be re-consecrated to Alluminas before it can be used again. Beside the candle lies the Alluminamus.

*Friends and Enemies:
Alluminas has little to do with the majority of religions - their weak stance against chaos makes them next to useless in the struggle against it and hence not worth his attention. He is hostile to the gods of chaos (especially the traitorous Obscuras, who turned away from law to rule over his own dark shadow realm) and has friendly relations with the other law gods.

*Holy Days:
Alluminas' main holy days are the Spring equinox and Summer solstice, while the Autumn equinox and Winter solstice are lesser holy days, as are days when Mannslieb is full.
Vigils are held on the nights when Morrslieb is full to ward off chaos.

*Cult Requirements:
Followers of Alluminas must be willing to seek the true path of enlightenment and oppose chaos and change, regardless of the sacrifices they have to make.

*Strictures:
- Oppose chaos and change wherever and whenever it is found.
- Study the Alluminamus, spend at least six hours a day in meditation to Alluminas and follow the Fourfold Path.
- Abstain from the consumption of alcohol or other drugs, and from sexual activity. Such things divert the mind from the primary task of seeking enlightenment.

*Spell Use:
For spell use, the White Monks count as varying levels of cleric: Initiate monks get no magic, full monks count as clerics of level 1 to 4 (depending on the monks seniority) and the Abbot is always level four. Alluminas grants access to all petty and battle magic spells, although they must get their gods' permission to use any spell that causes large or permanent change (only granted in extremely rare cases).

*Hand of Light
Level 1, 5 MP, touch range, D6+3 turns duration
This spell causes the casters hand to glow with a soft light, which can be used as a 'weapon' in unarmed combat, although unarmed combat modifiers still apply. A successful touch causes the location touched to become 'frozen' for D6 rounds if the target fails a magic test. The location can be moved as a whole but not internally (e.g. a 'frozen' arm can be moved at the shoulder but can't be bent at the elbow). This causes a -20 (or higher) penalty on all tests an affected limb attempts. 'Frozen' locations may still take damage as normal.

*Enlighten Mind
Level 2, 8 MPs, 36 yards range, D6 rounds duration
This spell causes the target to see mental images of the glory and wisdom of Alluminas, with differing effects according to who/what it is cast upon.
- If the target is a follower of Alluminas, the images temporarily enhances his search for enlightenment, giving him +20 WP.
- Intelligent others (Int>10) feel compelled to study and understand the images, and must pass a magic test for every action attempted (including moving, talking, etc.) to do anything other than contemplate the images floating in their mind.
- Less intelligent others (Int<=10) have no capacity to understand the images but cannot ignore them. They suffer -10 to WS, BS, I and WP, halved if a magic test is passed.

*Remove Mutation
Level 3, 14 MPs, touch range, instantaneous
Based on the Cure Insanity spell of Shallya, this spell allows the caster to attempt to remove one chaos attribute from any one target on a single location touched. The recipient of the spell must make a WP test, with a penalty equal to half the casters WP. If this is successful, the spell has no effect. If the test is failed, however, the location touched is removed of one chaos attribute. The attribute is not healed but simply gone, leaving an open wound in most cases.

*Create Statue
Level 3, 14 MPs, touch range, 2D6 rounds duration
Casting this spell and touching a target causes the target to be 'frozen' in the position they are in for 2D6 rounds on a failed magic test. The statue (which has a toughness of 7 and is a prone target) still takes damage, and will appear to be 'chipped' or bits will break off as appropriate. When the spell expires, chipped areas are equated to wound loss and bits broken off will remain detached (and dead), leaving an open wound where the broken off part was. Should the statues head be broken off, the target will be dead when the spell expires.

*Light Ball
Level x, x MPs, 48 yards range, instantaneous
Essentially a magical missile version of Create Statue, this spell allows the caster to throw a ball of pure white light at the target (within 48 yards), who will be hit automatically. Please refer to the description of Create Statue for further details.

*Skills:
Initiates and initiate monks can and must buy Meditation skill at normal EP cost before advancing to level one cleric or full monk status.

*Trials:
Trials to Alluminas usually involve long periods of meditation (a number of hours equal to twice the characters' WP, say). Trials involving actively seeking out chaos are less common, as they interrupt the quiet life that aids enlightenment. Other possible trials include opposing some of the changes that characterize human society and development (e.g. opposing the clearing of a forest or the construction of a large building).

*Blessings:
Alluminas is extremely selective as regards who he gives blessings, even more so than other gods (I'd suggest he grants a blessing on a roll of 1-2 on D1000), and such blessings are wondrous events, usually given only to Monks of the Light who have spent years or decades in worshipping him. The most wondrous of the blessings Alluminas will grant is the Call of the Ancestors, described below.

At the heart of each monastery, next to the temple or shrine to Alluminas, is the Hall of the Ancestors. This great and wondrous place contains many statues, the forever preserved bodies of those who have achieved total enlightenment and left the confines of their mortal bodies to join Alluminas in his divine realm, the statues of the Enlightened. Occasionally, when a monk reaches a state of almost total understanding, he feels the Call of the Ancestors and makes his way to the hall, where he meditates before one of the holy statues. He enters an almost unbreakable holy trance and his physical needs (food, drink, etc.) become ever smaller, until the monk (after a long period of meditation) becomes perfectly Enlightened. He will be commanded to take up his place with the other statues, and will then
be struck by Alluminas' heavenly light. His body will become frozen as it is, ever preserved, and his spirit will join with Alluminas in his divine realm, becoming a Seraph: a lesser demon of Alluminas, described further below.

*Seraphim
Seraphim (singular form Seraph, also called Angels of Light) are the lesser demons of Alluminas, the ex-mortal servants (usually White Monks) of Alluminas who have achieved total enlightenment and who Alluminas has given immortality. Of Alluminas' demons, Seraphim are the ones most usually sent back to the material realm, especially when the task involves conversing with mortals. Seraphim always appear similar to their mortal form, retaining their mortal size, but gain wings (they fly as swoopers) and their stats are given by taking the mortal stats and applying the following: S+2, T+2, Wx2, I+20, A+2, WP+20.

Any magic a Seraph could cast while mortal it can now cast at no magic point cost and all Seraphim have the ability to imitate the effects of any of Alluminas' special spells at whim (no time need be spent to cast the spells). In addition, they can choose to radiate a weak form of Alluminas' holy light (radius one yard). Chaos creatures within range of the light must pass a WP test or be forced to either flee from it or (in the case of demons) flee back to the warp, while other creatures are affected as if by the Enlighten Mind spell (Alluminas followers: WP+20; intelligent others: must pass WP test to perform any action, including moving and speaking; cerebrally challenged others: -10 to WS, BS, I and WP unless a WP test is passed).

Seraphim cause fear in creatures under ten feet tall and all chaos creatures below the rank of greater demon. They themselves are immune to all psychology except if caused by a greater demon or god. They are immune to non-magical attacks and cause no physical damage themselves. They generally avoid combat, but when forced into it they use the Hand of Light or Create Statue spells.

A Seraph returning to the material world (usually only at the command of Alluminas or to warn former colleagues of some grave threat) always appears similar to its' mortal form. It may choose to appear with or without wings and radiating its' light or not as it wishes.

* Heliaphim (based on an idea by Elvis(mbsimon@artsci.wustl.edu))
[I'm not too sure about this name, which I based on the Greek 'Helios'='sun', but it was the best I could come up with. Ideas for alternative names are welcome.]

The greater demon of Alluminas, Heliaphim (singular form Heliaph, also mistakenly called Light Elementals) have been seen by very few individuals. Appearing at first as a pin-prick of light, everything which is in contact with that point of light stops changing. For plants, they stop moving, the wind keeps the same direction and speed.
The pin-prick appears to grow as everything which stops changing starts giving off light. Intelligent creatures, or those still around, must make a WP test, to do anything. If after one round, the intelligent creature does not act at least once, they are frozen, and become part of the unchanging light.

Being overcome by the light has the following effects. Any chaos attributes are gone. Not healed, just gone. This usually leaves chaos creatures with lots of open wounds. No action may be performed while overcome. One may watch, but cannot move their eyes. Magic wielding PCs or NPCs may 'battle' with the Heliaph, which requires a WP vs. WP test. (Whoever succeeds by the largest amount wins. A tie is redone)

Three successes in a row must be scored, to "force" change on the demon, which dispels it. This has never been done, to anyone's knowledge, but magical theorists swear it works theoretically.

When the demon leaves, those left must make a WP test to move. If they fail they can't move and may try again 2D12 hours later. They do not need food or water while they can't move, but also can't stop others from robbing them.

The main characteristic of a Heliaph is that it doesn't change. No matter what, even if a character hit it, it wouldn't change. The only stat that the Demon needs is WP
100.
 

Zhu Bajie

Member
Wow, that's quite some work there Gerner!

Very good article JB, seems to capture most of the original Law bits without going too far into fannish creations. The Seninels of Law, using the old Fighting Fantasy 60mm plastics as giants made me think of doing something similar with modern large scale figs.

Titan of Arianka

WS-028-02.jpg

Daramis, Healing Light, 54mm

 MWSBSSTWIALdIntClWPPV
Titan of Arianka6447763510101010245


Special Rules: Cause Fear in troops under 10' who also suffer -1 to Hit. Instability. Magical Immunity. Psychological Immunity.

Magical weapon? Sleep attack (1 victim within 4" per turn falls unconscious for 2D6 turns - unable to awake)? Aura of Steadfastness (firendly units within 12" will not rout) Light Blast Blinds (-2 to Hit / random move for 1 turn).

-----

Titan of Solkan

WS-008-01.jpg

Leogante, Wings of Redemption

 MWSBSSTWIALdIntClWPPV
Titan of Solkan6447763510101010245


Special Rules: Cause Fear in troops under 10' who also suffer -1 to Hit. Instability. Magical Immunity. Psychological Immunity.

Magical weapon? Flame attack (1D6 fire damage to flamable targets) ....

-----

hmm?!
 

Zhu Bajie

Member
The direct link to the Christian symbolism, with Saints, Angels etc. is interesting, especially as it ties into more recent 40k imagery. Also the super-powerful sword that can't be used is an interesting plot-device, maybe there are other Sacred Relics of Lawful power dotted around the world (scenario generator!) ?

*Lawgiver - Magic sword -Initiative 20, A5, Hits on Chas x2 dmagae, Hits Undead, Demonic and Deity types, One Lightening Bolt spell per day.
*The Eye-stone - defines the geographical limits of The Realm of Chaos !!!
*Talisman of Law prevents Chaos Beasts coming within 5" (beastmen and hounds? daemons?)
*Knights of Law (converted from 1e)
 MWSBSSTWIALdIntClWPPV
Knight of Law47544282777738

Immune to Fear and Terror
*Armour of Ifram 3+ save
*brass rings 4+ save against death (not just wounds <- nice).
*Gem of Thadors induces sleep for 8 hours.

The only puns I can see are the Journey acros the Aywon and out of the land of Darnsarf - reference to the River Avon, and "Down South", which is what northern english folk call anywhere south of where they are.
 

Dooz

Member
area23":1p8mkcpq said:
Are the Gods of Law just other Warp Entities like the Gods of Chaos
I'm pretty sure that was suggested at some point. I have no idea where (ROC, WHFRP?) but it's how I remember it.
In any case it was fundamental to very existance of Chaos as a cosmic balance.

I might as well have invented that myself as I was much into D.I.Y. comparative religion and shamanism at the time. :mrgreen:

I can confirm this is the case, at least according to the version of WHFRP I own
 

knobgobbler

Member
Not Warhammer related at all but in the old Hellraiser comics (which were quite good early on) the Cenobites were depicted as followers of the god-thing Leviathan... and its main concern was the promotion of order/law... chaos being its antithesis. Suffering was seen as being an important part of that order.
Cenobite influences show up in the dark Eldar... and some of the chaos stuff... but I always thought it was interesting that at least one take on them had that sort of gruesome imagery on the OTHER side of the cosmic battle. It appeals to me more than the tired angel imagery... though traditional angels can be quite terrifying as well.
 

Zhu Bajie

Member
knobgobbler":315td7se said:
Not Warhammer related at all but in the old Hellraiser comics (which were quite good early on) the Cenobites were depicted as followers of the god-thing Leviathan... and its main concern was the promotion of order/law... chaos being its antithesis. Suffering was seen as being an important part of that order.
Cenobite influences show up in the dark Eldar... and some of the chaos stuff... but I always thought it was interesting that at least one take on them had that sort of gruesome imagery on the OTHER side of the cosmic battle. It appeals to me more than the tired angel imagery... though traditional angels can be quite terrifying as well.

I have some of those old Hellraiser comics, one especially, Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean "Wordsworth" - took the idea right back to the Hellbound Heart (Barkers original novelette), and had a crossword puzzle as a Lament Configuration - its a nice story, and quite different to the rest.

I think there is something in the Cenobite > Slanneshi > Dark Eldar mix, and so in Warhammer terms the imagery is quite well incorporated into the mythos. Leviathan itself is interesting tho - IIRC he's depicted as a large geometric form? That kind of fundamental abstraction is great for Law - deamons that look like Platonic solids.

Angelic imagery can be interesting, Sumerian gods are often depicted as winged:

vo4fd20296.GIF


edited to resize image
 
Back
Top