Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Cleric Encounters: Anubis

8th in the gods and goddesses series for Divinities and Cults: Volume III, we have Anubis, Egyptian god of the dead.

Anubis Encounters
1d12
1. A dread and menacing aura can be felt. Is the god of death angry or merely watchful? In fact, there is an equal chance of either being the case.

2. Stories of strange, leaping dog men, rumored to be followers of Anubis, are heard. Investigation will show that they are actually Uridimmu, though the real followers of Anubis will be very interested in quieting such noisy dogs.

3. The party comes across a ceremony amidst a gravesite. It is a cleric of Anubis and his entourage administering final rites. If the party is respectful, then the cleric may lend them some assistance afterwards (a base 50% chance). If not, then the party might need some final rites administered of their own!

4. Suddenly, a black dog or jackal is spotted. If followed, it will either lead the party to (roll 1d4): [1] a grave, [2] a tomb, 
[3] a pyramid, [4] undead (to be slain). In any case, when it comes to serving Anubis, the beast can’t get its fill.

5. A tomb is uncovered! It is guarded by either a (roll 1d4): [1] cleric of Anubis, [2] priest of Anubis, 
[3] monk of Anubis, [4] Avatar of Anubis. He will attempt to stop all non-faithful from entering. Otherwise, Tomb Encounters in Volume III would be a great way to generate the rest of the place.

6. As fate would have it, a random NPC turns out to be partially mummified (but still alive). He or she is a secret servant of Anubis and has been affected by one of his divine tests. Any accusations that the NPC is undead will be met with fierce denials though, and likely biting.

7.  Running across a strange, stuffed animal skin, the party may learn that it is in fact an Imiut Fetish. Sacred to Anubis, the skin also has a base 25% chance of being magical, allowing its user to cast a random 2nd level spell from Anubis’s list, as long as it’s not used to help grave robbers or the undead.

8. The local villagers are terrified of some rampaging crocodile-headed, lion-hippo monster that regurgitates those it swallows as animate dead. Despite any assumptions that it is the delusion of some peasant’s drunken stupor, the beast is actually real- an ammit, in fact- and any faithful of Anubis would like to find out just how it escaped the underworld.

9. A ghost is apparently haunting the area. Those brave enough to face it will find it to actually only be some old, mortal man engaged in a hoax. The local priesthood of Anubis would be very pleased in punishing such an evil-doer, especially one who would make such a mockery of the dead, and also pleased with anyone who unmasks him.

10. The party awakes to darkness. Somehow finding light, it is shown that they have been entombed! They only have 4d4 turns to escape before they run out of air, unless of course, the partially-mummified monk of Anubis ordered to keep them there stops them first.

11. A great terror is lurking the land. The party may find it and see it to be a mummy, but it is no ordinary one, for it is an Egyptian mummy! It likely is only upset (and therefore lurking) over having its tomb defiled, though its real motivations depend on which deity it serves (roll 1d4): [1] Anubis, 
[2] Osiris, [3] Ra, [4] Set.

12. The next character who dies must have his or her heart weighed by Anubis.  If it is light enough (per Referee), then they enter a happy Afterlife. If not, then it is consumed by Ammit! See also Afterlife Encounters and Near Death Experiences in Volume III for additional details.


Sample 8th Level Cleric of Anubis
Align: L
MV: 40’
AC: 6
HD: 8
Atk: 2
Dmg: 1d3 (bite) & 1d8+2 (flail) or 1d6+1 (crook)
SP: Anubis turn ability, mysteries, jackal's head and jackal’s feet (divine tests)
Spells prepared:
1st level: 4+2 Cure Light Wounds, Detect Evil, Remove Fear (reverse), Locate CreatureD, Pass without TraceDHold Portal*
2nd level: 4+2 Find Traps, Resist Fire, Reveal Charm, Silence 15’ Radius, Speak with Animal (canids), Scare*
3rd level: 3+1 Cure Disease, Dispel Magic, Hieroglyph of Warding, Speak with Dead
4th Level: 2 Cure Serious Wounds, Exorcise
SV: C8
Mor: 11
Possessions: +2 Hide armor, holy symbol, +2 flail, 125 gold pieces



Next week: cleric encounters, Bast!