From: Ian Ward Subject: [WFRP:1384] Alluminas description *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). 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 come, ultimately, divine Enlightenment. >Alignment: Lawful. >Symbol: Alluminas' chief symbol is that of a four spoked 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 spoked 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, whose monasteries can be found in the more mountainous areas. He also has a few followers who travel the world, seeking out chaos, though little else is known of them. >Temples: Alluminas has no temples or shrines in the Old World and worshippers generally maintain shrines in their homes. In Cathay and Nippon, temples are built as part of the monasteries. 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 reconsecrated 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 soltice, 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 human and be willing to seek the true path of enlightenment, regardless of the sacrifices they have to make. >Strictures: - Oppose chaos whereever 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, as well as the following special spells: >Enlighten mind Level 1, 6 MP, 48 yds range, D2 rounds duration This spell, which can be cast at any target within 48 yds or on the caster himself, has varying effects, depending on who it is cast on: - On followers of Alluminas it brings temporarily heightened enlightenment on the glory of Alluminas, giving +20 WP. - On the unenlightened (anyone else), it casts the same images into their minds but they are interpreted differently and cause temporary confusion and distraction. The target suffers -20 to BS, I and Int, and -10 to WS and WP. These penalties are halved if the target passes a WP test. >Hand of Light Level 2, 8 MP, personal range, D6+3 turns duration This spell causes the casters hand to glow with an intense light. The light has two effects: (i) It inflicts D6 W's at (casters' S)+1 on a successful touch in unarmed combat. Normal unarmed combat modifiers apply. (ii) It distracts melee opponents, causing them to have a -10 penalty to I and WS. This effect is avoided if the opponent passes a WP roll to keep his concentration. Note that the opponent attempting to shield or avert his eyes from the light would cause the same penalties. >LightBall Level 3, 12 MP, 48 yds range, instantaneous This spell allows the caster to throw a ball of pure light at a target within 48 yds. It is a magical missile and automatically hits its' target. It inflicts D10 W's at a stength of 6 and non-magical armour is ignored. Targets with Night Vision or who are currently affected by the Night Sight spell are partially blinded for one round (-20 to WS, BS and I) by the intense frequencies contained within the ball that are outside the normal visible range. >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. >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. *The Call of the Ancestors The Hall of the Ancestors is a great and wondrous place. It is a great hall with many statues, the forever preserved bodies of those who have acheived total enlightenment and left the confines of their mortal bodies to join Alluminas in his divine realm. They are the statues of the Enlightened. Ocasionally, 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, sleep) become ever smaller, until the monk (after many years of meditation at least) 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. The spirit becomes a Seraph, a divine agent (I don't like the word 'demon' with the law gods) of Alluminas. It gains wings and its' true height is doubled to a minimum of ten feet. The Seraphs' stats are given by taking the mortal stats and applying the following: S+2, T+2, Wx2, I+20, A+2, WP+20. Seraphim are immune to non-magical attacks and all psychology except if caused by a god. They cause fear in creatures under ten feet tall and all chaos creatures below the rank of greater demon, and their own attacks count as magical. Any magic a Seraph could cast while mortal it can now cast at no magic point cost. When Seraphim return to the material realm (usually only at the command of Alluminas or to warn former colleagues of some grave threat) they can choose to appear in their true form (complete with wings and all ten feet of height) or as when mortal. In the latter case, a Seraph may choose to cause fear or not (and in whom it wants to), walking around and getting no special attention at all, as it desires. TTFN. Ian Ward aca95idw@sheffield.ac.uk --------------------------------------------- "That which we do not bring to consciousness, appears in our lives as fate." (C.C.Jung)