Primordial Tests
Many are the strange ways of Yemo. Stranger still are its ordeals. The cleric...
1-6: Suffers a -1d6 penalty to their rolls based on their emphasis for the next 1d6 turns. This malison affects a noticeable physical or psychological change as well.
-
For example, Twin could cause one to develop an extra, troublesome limb (or even delusion that one is there), inflicting a -3 to all their rolls for 2 turns.
7-11: Loses access to all their spells and turn ability. They may only be recovered after taking 1d6 actions that fulfil the cleric's emphasis.
-
With emphases of Blood & Fire, the cleric may be haunted with an overwhelming urge, causing him to even awake each night until it's sated. He would be obliged to drink some blood, give some of his own blood, and burn 2 important things in order to be able to use his magic again. After, the cleric may not have to experience more nights of blood and fire.
12-17: Experiences their mystery of the Self-Creator / Destroyer ongoingly now, whether they wish for it or not.
- Tripartite Society, with commoners selected could make the cleric appear as one, having such knowledge and skills from now on. It would also prevent them from taking on any other form though, even the cleric's original one, even if they can keep using their own magic.
18+ Causes the area to be changed dramatically within the next 1d20 turns. All within 1/4 mile then take 2d6 damage from the cleric's emphasis. Compound the range and damage done for each primordial test result over 17. Those affected can save vs. spell / make a Fortitude save DC 15, also made 1 more difficult per result over 17. Those who would otherwise be immune can ignore it altogether. In any case, though the initial damage is immediate, environmental and cosmetic effects may last until removed. Yemo's concerns of creation, sacrifice, division, and destruction will continue regardless.
- Frost with a test of 20 might bring harsh cold and ice to all within 3/4 mile in 4 turns, causing 6d6 damage unless saved against with a -3 penalty. Cold-immune individuals remain unharmed, and any hindrances to travel and chances of slipping may linger until the area becomes warm again. Then, lunatics and aggressors are unfortunately more likely to come out.
As with all results, if the cleric has more than one emphasis, choose which one applies at random.
Emphases of Yemo
Roll 1d4, then roll 1d3 for the specific emphasis or emphases in the list.
1. Create from Oneself
Twin (solitariness, extra body parts), Switch (hermaphroditism), Cow (cosmic sustenance / horns)
Twin (solitariness, extra body parts), Switch (hermaphroditism), Cow (cosmic sustenance / horns)
2. Be Sacrificed
Manu (ritual), Blood, Fire
Manu (ritual), Blood, Fire
3. Divide the World
Physical Spaces (earth, air, or water), Tripartite Society (priests, warriors, commoners), Trito (growing large, defeating NgWhi)
Physical Spaces (earth, air, or water), Tripartite Society (priests, warriors, commoners), Trito (growing large, defeating NgWhi)
4. Lead to Destruction
Frost, Illness, Death
Frost, Illness, Death
Mysteries of Yemo (Expanded Rules)
Quite potent, though most Proto Indo-Europeans and related folk would find them bizarre at best, even if each normally only lasts for 1d3 turns per use. Those followers with more than one emphasis can take on yet more bizarre forms by expending multiple daily uses at once, though they still can be used just once per day per level.
Create from Oneself
Twin - (pick one) Gain an extra head, extra pair of arms, or extra pair of legs. They allow one to either say two things or cast 2 spells at once, make an extra melee attack or otherwise use extra hands during a round, or move at +50% speed. Still, there's a 25% chance of being unable to act each round at all as a result of the heads arguing, the arms fighting each other, or the legs getting tied up.
Switched - Can fertilize self or willing women, gaining a 1d3 bonus to their non-combat related rolls, and making the save against their effects 1d3 harder. Nevertheless, they suffer a 1d3 penalty to AC due to having an extra target to be hit, must save vs. spell/ make a Will save DC 15 to not lie with willing women (even if unwise), and folk who don't like such things will find it specifically perverse and react badly. The appendage in question may thereby need to be hidden if not being used for fertility, pleasure, or potence.
Cow - May produce sustenance for oneself and one other every day by only licking salt or ice, gain a pair of horns that allow one to counterattack a melee attack per round for 1d4 damage, and gain 1 HD due to mass. In return, they suffer a 25% speed penalty and a -4 penalty to maintain balance due to ungainliness, despite all the benefits. They become quite bulky and/or bovine to match.
Be Sacrificed
Manu (ritual) - Is able to cast extra cleric spells each day, but must give up 1d3 hit points per spell level to do so or gain the same from a worthy substitute. Will also wear robes or other priestly vestments whenever possible to fit the rites.
Blood - Every hit point lost from them can be ingested by another to heal themselves, and they can, in turn, drain blood to cause the same effect to others, leading to both selfless and vampiric circumstances. They gain a pale or ruddy hue to match.
Fire - Become immune to flame and all harmful effects to their body from heat, but suffer a -6 penalty to saves against frost and cold. Useful things that aren't fireproof burn away at their touch too. Their hue grows reddish or charred, along with the likely need for special garb in order to remain dressed, even if they can endure burnt food and boiling drink.
Divide the World
Physical - (pick one) Earth, air, or water. Become immune to harm from that element, but take a -6 penalty to saves against one of its opposites: earth - water or air; air - earth or water; water - air, earth, or fire). Gain a hue that matches that element to boot.
Social Caste - (pick one) Commoner, warrior, or priest. Can appear as a generic version of that type, having the usual knowledge and skills of them, fitting in unless the astute (with an Intelligence check) or if specific magic is used to identify them as something else.
Trito - Gain +1d3 Strength, +1d3 HD, and +1d3' of height. Can also sense the followers of NgWhi when within 60'. Still, being larger, may have trouble fitting in enclosed areas, riding a mount, avoiding detection, not being targeted first, and the like. Must also save vs. spell/ make a Will save DC 15 to resist the urge to attack foes first (even if unwise), despite the fact of being the Third.
Lead to Destruction
Frost - Is immune to all harmful effects from cold, but suffer a -6 penalty to saves against fire and heat. Their touch can cause 1d3 damage per round to both matter and flesh, but they suffer a -1d3 penalty to their rolls when not in an at least chilly area. They gain a fitting pure white or bluish hue too.
Disease - Ignore the harmful effects of illness and poison, but suffer a -6 penalty to their rolls when in the presence of bright sunlight or cleanliness. Those they touch have a 25% chance (5% chance when in bright sunlight or a clean area) of having to save vs. spell/ make a Fortitude save DC 15 or suffer from a malady, taking -1d6 to all rolls for the next 1d6 hours, with the same chance of spreading it to others. In addition, they take 6d6 damage if Cure Disease or similar remedy is cast or used on them. Finally, they gain a sickly green and/or yellowish appearance.
Death - Unaffected by negative energy, they also gain undead traits, but suffer a -6 penalty to their rolls when in bright sunlight, holy ground, and may be turned as undead. Their touch can even kill within 1d12 rounds those who fail to save vs. death/ make a Will save DC 10. The latter is usable up to 1d3 times per day. They are noted for their pale white or dark complexions.
Folk Variations
Yemo's guidelines, magical side-effects, divine tests, and spells can be used for similar primordial beings.
- Romulus & Remus: Roman, founding a nation and later, an empire, though suckled from a wolf rather than cow.
- Tuisto & Mannus: Germanic, embodying the Sacrificed One and the Twin and lineage of the Ingaevones, Herminones, and Istaevones.
- Ymir: Norse, emphasizing Frost and birthing the jotnar with it being Switched, feeding on Audhumla the Cow.
For example, a cleric of Ymir could use some of the magical side-effects and spells of Yemo combined with that of Thrym or another jotun.
Next week: spells of Yemo and Yemo encounters
RPG srd Old School 1st ed AD&D Ice God Proto-Indo-European Cleric Domains Priest Spheres Titans Jotnar PDF Yamnaya
