Dzzhali
PatronDCC ANNUAL · p.56
Open source p.56Patron Taint
| 1 | The caster’s soul is marred with chaotic corruption. The caster rolls on Table 5-3: Minor Corruption (DCC RPG, p. 116). The caster’s soul takes on this appearance even though the corruption does not appear on the caster’s body and is not externally visible. Creatures can sense the taint on the caster’s soul, however, and react to the caster being marked by Chaos in accordance with their alignment and/or nature. If this result is rolled a second time, the caster’s soul is corrupted by the result of a roll on Table 5-4: Major Corruption (p. 118). If this result is rolled a third time, the caster’s soul is corrupted by the result of a roll on Table 5-5: Greater Corruption (p. 119). |
| 2 | The caster’s magic is tainted with Dzzhali’s general malevolence. Every time the caster successfully casts a spell that causes damage to an opponent, 1d3 damage is dealt to an ally of the caster chosen by the judge as an expression of Dzzhali’s malice. The second time this result is rolled the damage caused to an ally increases to 1d4. The third time this result is rolled the damage increases to 1d5. |
| 3 | Anytime PCs perform a formal appraisal or begin to spend treasure gained from their last adventure, the caster’s share of treasure is mysteriously and unexpectedly worth 10% (rounded up) more than originally believed and one ally’s share (chosen by the judge as an expression of Dzzhali’s malice) is worth 15% less (rounded down, of course!). If this result is rolled a second time, the caster’s share of treasure is worth 15% more than originally believed (rounded up) and one ally’s share (chosen by the judge) is worth 25% less than originally appraised (rounded down). If this result is rolled a third time, the caster’s share of treasure is worth 10% more than originally believed (rounded up) and ALL the caster’s allies’ shares are worth 20% less (rounded down). These inequities are made mystically and manifest no matter how a party tries to adjust for them when they divide treasure amongst themselves. |
| 4 | The caster’s magic is tainted with Dzzhali’s general antipathy towards living beings. Anytime the caster successfully casts a spell that directly benefits one or more of his allies, one ally (chosen by the judge as an expression of Dzzhali’s malice) must make a DC 12 Will save or forego the benefits of the spell. (Examples of direct benefits include such things as making an ally invisible or increasing an ally’s armor class. This is in contrast to indirect benefits, such as damage that may kill or incapacitate opponents so they can’t attack the caster’s allies.) The second time this result is rolled, the Will save increases to DC 14. The third time this result is rolled the Will save increases to DC 16. |
| 5 | The caster’s magic is imbued with the indiscriminate nature of Dzzhali’s power. Any time the caster is healed by magical means, one point per hit die of healing is added to the hit point total of one opponent (chosen by the judge) in the next encounter involving the caster or his allies. (Healing that removes conditions does not invoke the taint.) The second time this result is rolled, when the caster benefits from magical healing that restores hit points, 1d3 hit points are added to the hit point total of all opponents in the next encounter that involves the caster or his allies. The third time this result is rolled, 1d3 hit points per hit die of healing are added to the hit points of all opponents in the next encounter involving the caster or his allies. |
| 6 | The caster becomes unnaturally attractive to a specific type of creature and simultaneously repulsive to that creature’s antipode. For example, the caster may be attractive to elves but repulsive to dwarves, or attractive to children but repulsive to the children’s parents, or the caster may become attractive to cats but repulsive to dogs. The attraction is a form of fascination that stops short of being a magical charm: creatures attracted to the caster will follow him around, take a positive interest in his activities, and be willing to perform small tasks in exchange for small favors. Creatures attracted to the caster will not otherwise go against their nature, perform services to their own detriment, take risks or put themselves in harm’s way. Creatures repulsed by the caster will react negatively to the caster’s arrival, communicate their displeasure to others, avoid and shun the caster, and attempt to impede the caster in any way that the creatures do not think will draw the caster’s attention to them directly. The second time this result is rolled, the caster becomes unnaturally attractive/repulsive to a new pairing of creatures. The third time this result is rolled, the caster becomes unnaturally attractive/repulsive to yet another pairing of creatures. |
Spellburn
| 1 | Dzzhali requires that the caster dissolve relationship ties as part of drawing needed magical energy. The caster must publically renounce a formal bond of friendship, fealty, fellowship or kinship. Examples of this include disowning a family member, resigning a membership in an Order, or cancelling all obligations – explicit or tacit – to an adventuring companion. The bond is forsaken until or unless it is formally and ritually renewed on terms both agreeable and beneficial to the other party. |
| 2 | Dzzhali allows the caster to draw the needed magical energy out of the creation of conflict. The caster must oathswear a blood-feud against a clan, tribe, race, etc. The caster has fulfilled his oath when he has killed, maimed or enslaved a member of the clan, tribe or race with whom he feuds. |
| 3 | Dzzhali demands that her followers understand personal suffering. A caster who uses spellburn must forsake a human comfort for one month. The expenditure of magical energy through the use of spellburn takes all pleasure out of the chosen comfort, making the caster experience it as hollow, meaningless and mildly unpleasant: music sounds thin and flat, all food and drink tastes bland or even ashen, the touch of another person brings no warmth or comfort, etc. This results in a permanent -1 penalty to the caster’s Fort saves. |
| 4 | Dzzhali demands that her followers overcome serious setbacks and still achieve their goals. Casters who use spellburn lose 1 XP + 1 XP/level of the spell. If losing XP for spellburn would cause the caster to lose a level, the caster experiences a different one of Dzzhali’s spellburn effects. |
any sages say of Dzzhali (also called The Strangled Bride) that she was once a mortal. They say that after being murdered by her husband on their wedding night, she sent her own soul into the Abyss rather than go to her rest leaving the wrongs done to her unanswered. Legend has it that she crawled out of the Sea of Chaos and then conspired and clawed her way to power in the Courts of Chaos. But many seers tell a different tale. They say Dzzhali was never mortal. They say that she is the pure essence of cold, singular, rage made manifest, a primal response to all the betrayals across history given form, voice and power. What is undisputed is that Dzzhali endeavors to deliver vengeance, malice and anguish wherever she can reach, spreading mistrust and doubt to all caught up in her never-ending reprisals. Mortals cannot persuade Dzzhali to provide patronage - she decides whose hearts have been well and truly rent by betrayal and binds them to her service with the gift of potent powers; powers that often do not discriminate among hated enemies, devoted followers, loyal supporters and innocent bystanders. Invoke Patron check results: 12-13 Dzzahli helps the caster look into the heart of one opponent and learn his hidden weaknesses. The caster goes up two steps on the dice chain for the next action die roll he makes against that opponent. In turn, that opponent gets a bonus to his next action die roll against one of the caster’s allies. 14-17 Dzzahli sends a blade of invisible force that strikes a visible opponent chosen by the caster, from behind. The strike does damage and the victim must make a DC 12 Ref save or receive a critical hit (roll on Table II). If the opponent survives the strike, he will attribute the attack to the nearest of the caster’s allies and relentlessly attack that individual until either the target or the caster’s ally is defeated. The opponent gets a Will save each round to cancel this compulsion. 18-19 The caster’s opponents become uncertain about who is friend and who is foe. All enemies and one ally (chosen by the judge as an expression of Dzzhali’s malice) within a 30’ radius of the caster must make a DC 13 Will save each time they target an ally of the caster with a hostile action. If they fail the save they are uncertain whether their intended target is friend or foe and change their choice of targets. If an opponent is already engaged in melee when he becomes confused, he will withhold his attack rather than breaking off from melee to change targets. 20-23 The caster’s opponents are plagued with self-doubt. All enemies within 30’ of the caster drop down two steps on the dice chain for all action die rolls for rounds (DC 18 Will save to drop down one step on the dice chain instead). One of the caster’s allies (chosen by the judge as an expression of Dzzhali’s malice) takes a penalty to all action die rolls during the same time period (no save). 24-27 The caster’s opponents are smitten with a blushing infatuation with him. All enemies within a 60’ radius must make a DC 16 Will save or be affected by a charm person spell as if the caster had rolled a spell check in the 14-17 result range (DCC RPG core rulebook, p. 131). Even those opponents who succeed at the save are affected by a charm person spell as if the caster had rolled a spell check in the 12-13 result range. One of the caster’s allies (chosen by the judge as an expression of Dzzhali’s malice) experiences an intense jealousy of the caster’s effect on his opponents. That ally will disagree with the caster’s opinions and decisions and take different positions on important issues for hours (no save). 28-29 Dzzhali causes the caster’s opponents to be stricken with a moribund sense of ennui. All enemies within a 30’ radius of the caster fall into a torpor. Their movement rate is halved and must make a DC 20 Will save to act against the caster or his allies. Opponents who make their save and are able to act, drop down one step on the dice chain for all action die rolls and incur a penalty to AC. Any and all of the caster’s allies in the area of effect incur a penalty to action die rolls (DC 15 Will save for penalty instead). 30-31 The caster states a goal when he asks for aid. Dzzahli lends the caster a portion of her indomitable will and drive such that, for the next rounds, the caster is immune to anything that would directly impede his progress toward that goal: spell effects, incapacitation by wounds, death, etc. At the end of the duration of the effect, any and all impediments that were removed or resisted are experienced simultaneously and instantaneously by one of the caster’s allies (chosen by the judge as an expression of Dzzhali’s malice). 32+ Dzzhali sends a Fiend Fatale to serve the caster faithfully for hours. The Fiend Fatale is a type III demon in the form of a beautiful, raven-haired, rouge-eyed, voluptuous woman. Fiend Fatale: Init ; Atk slap () or grapple; AC 20; HD ; MV 30’; Act ; SP heartsickness, charm person ( spell check), curse, demon traits; SV Fort , Ref , Will ; AL C. Anyone successfully pinned by the Fiend Fatale by a grappling attack for two or more consecutive rounds must make a DC 18 Fort save or be stricken with heartsickness. Heartsickness rots an individual from within, lowering the afflicted’s stamina by one point per hour. When stamina drops below 3 the sufferer collapses and can take no actions, unable even to feed himself. Once every hour that the Fiend Fatale serves the caster, one of the caster’s allies must make a DC 10 Will save or be cursed with Profane Lust (see below). This curse is carried by demons — such as succubae and vampires — whose other-worldly sensuality and mesmerizing allure directly contrasts with their utter lack of real emotions, most notably love. The curse descends on the victim when the issuer chants — usually in one of three languages: Chaotic, Demonic or Ageless Necrotic — the following lines: Lust slithers forth forbidden To caress with writhing glee Then lust crawls back to fawning dark With blackened heart you gave it free The curse carries a Luck penalty and also reduces the victim’s Personality by 2. It fills the victim with obsessive selfloathing, leading the victim to compulsively self-inflict minor wounds (scratching himself bloody, pulling out hanks of hair, abrading himself against rough surfaces, etc.). This self-harm prevents the victim from benefitting from naturally occurring healing (i.e., from overnight rest). The curse can be remedied by the victim bathing a newborn child in Waters of Forgiveness brought from the Plane of Law and then performing ablutions using that wash water.