Sarakasas the Penitent

HISTORY

• A century or so ago… an infamous pirate was scouring the coasts of the northern seas. He was Sarakasas the Skinner, a name synonymous with terror, plunder, and large scale massacre. He was so evil that his men themselves eventually mutinied and, too afraid to murder their captain, marooned him on a tiny rock in the middle of the ocean, condemning him to certain death.
• About fifty years ago... misfortune befell Nijmauwrgen, then a flourishing fishing port. Fish inexplicably began deserting the coast, and then disappeared completely. Not a single sardine in the fishermen's nets. Famine set in, followed closely by disease and mourning. Witches were burned, sacrifices were made to uncaring gods, nothing changed.
• A few months later... a skeletal old man, calling himself Sarakasas the Penitent, appeared on a skiff in the harbour of Nijmauwrgen. He claimed to be a high priest of the Black Sun of the Deep and called the fishermen, convincing them to gather up their nets and board their boats. He led them to a spot a few cables from the harbour, where the nets came with a miraculous catch. As a reward, Sarakasas asked that the old lighthouse on the headland be donated to him and that he be allowed to build a temple there. In the time that followed, all the fishermen who attended his service returned every day with full nets. The Black Sun cult was established for good.
• In the following years... the cult grew in followers and authority, eclipsing the strength of other local powers. Step by step, Sarakasas is getting close to the Black Sun's great goal (see p. 9) while the underwater colony of Deep Ones grew with every passing year.
• Today… most of the population follows the precepts of the Black Sun of the Deep, which resemble those of any sea deity. The other cults have gradually disappeared, even if some still privately worship other gods or demons, and a few old chapels or temples are still visited by dwindling congregations.

The Black Sun is made up of a hundred full-time cultists who live in the temple or in the adjoining buildings, as many templars, and a squad of a dozen infiltrators, all of whom obey nine priests appointed by Sarakasas himself. The high priest doesn't seem to be getting any older, and no one could tell how old he is. His authority over the city is uncontested. So much so that the city's militia has been replaced by the Templars (see p. 9) who are now the only peacekeepers. The priests command the Deep Ones with the Drum of the Deep (see p. 25). This is how the monsters know which fishing vessel to favour with extra fish, and which to lay waste to. But the voracity and the aggressiveness of the Deep Ones is contained with more and more difficulty. They have started coming out at night to feed in the streets. This is the reason why Sarakasas intends to start the Rise from the Deep (see opposite) in Ud12 days.

Ageless man (actually he's immortal) with dead yet glowing eyes, hair like seaweed falling to his knees, and long, skeletal arms waving like spider limbs. He is naked in all circumstances, with the symbol of the cult tattooed on his chest: a black sun made of a fish's eye and six tentacles. He never addresses anyone directly, whispering in the ear of a priest at his side who repeats his words in a booming voice.

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▶ Spectral tentacles
The tattoo on Sarakasas' chest comes to life. He can project up to six tentacles that:

• slap and scratch (DEX or STR): 6 to a Close target, 3 to a Nearby target
• or grab (DEX): 4 per Turn until the target makes a STR check or Sarakasas lets them go; all attacks against a grabbed target are made with Advantage

▶ Appeasement (WIS): If a Close or Nearby attacker meets Sarakasas' eyes, they lose all desire to harm him until they make a WIS test (they can roll every Turn)
▶ Internal drowning: Ud4 ongoing damage, as the water in the victim's body rushes inside their lungs

• Resistance: mundane weapons inflict no damage. (Note: if you have a runic weapon in the game, you should apply limitations when it attacks this guy. After all, he is one of the first sons of Dagon, and the weapon may not want to risk a cosmic level diplomatic incident.)

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