The Faceless Reaver: Iconic Vile Cyricist

[The Thayan Menace]

I saw this great illustration on ELFWOOD of a scythe wielding Cyricist priest with a leashed pack of undead and it inspired me to create a new NPC template for my current Thayan campaign.

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Check out the:

The Faceless Reavers

When Cyric replaced Myrkul as Lord of the Dead, most of Bezantur’s Myrkulites converted to the faith of the Dark Sun. However, a small group of zealots managed to evade Cyric’s influence and continued worshipping the deposed Lord of Bones.

During the Year of the Gauntlet (1369 DR), these extremists finally capitulated and offered their services to the Church of Cyric. The high priest accepted their loyalty, but he also forced the new converts to undergo a brutal indoctrination procedure that involved intensive scarification, ritual facial flensing, and numerous unspeakable acts with the dead (and undead).

Thus, the former Myrkulites became the Faceless Reavers of Cyric.

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Statistics (EL 7):

Faceless Reaver, Male Human (Rashemi) Clr6: CR 6; Medium humanoid (human); HD 6d8; hp 31; Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; AC 17 (+8 full-plate, -2 Dex, +1 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 17; Base Atk +4; Grp +6; Atk / Full Atk +7 melee (2d4+3/x4, masterwork scythe); SA rebuke undead (as 7th level cleric), spells; SQ aura of evil (strong), aura of necromancy (strong), bears a general of undeath spell (20th level) cast by the high priest of Cyric, scarified flesh (+1 natural armor); AL CE; SV Fort +6, Ref +1, Will +9; Str 14, Dex 6, Con 10, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 14.

Skills: Balance -7, Climb -4, Concentration +9, Diplomacy +2 (+4 with evil creatures), Escape Artist -7, Hide -7, Intimidate +2 (+4 with evil creatures), Jump -4, Knowledge (Religion) +7, Move Silently -7, Swim -9.

Feats: Martial Weapon Proficiency (Scythe), Improved Turning, Lichloved (+1 circumstance bonus to saves versus disease, mind-affecting spells, paralysis, poison, sleep, and stunning), Vile Brand (i.e., a skinned face).

Languages: Common, Thayan.

Spells Prepared (5/4+1/4+1/3+1; save DC 13 + spell level): 0 – cure minor wounds (x3), detect magic, read magic; 1st – bane, command (x2), deathwatch*, shield of faith; 2nd – death knell, desecrate*, eagle’s splendor, hold person (x2); 3rd – contagion*, cure serious wounds, unliving weapon (from the Book of Vile Darkness, p. 108), wrack (BoVD, p. 110).

* Domain Spell; Domains: Destruction [smite attack (1x day): +4 bonus to attack roll and +6 bonus to damage], Evil (+1 caster level for all evil spells).

Possessions: masterwork full-plate armor, masterwork scythe, cloak of resistance +1, slave ring (BoVD, p. 113), bone wand of summon undead III (9 charges), cold iron holy symbol (worth 50 gp), belt pouch [contains five pounds of silver dust (25 gp), a vial of unholy water, and other spell components], backpack [contains flint & steel, hooded lantern, three flasks of oil, and a waterskin].

A typical reaver is accompanied by a retinue of:

Ghoul Servitors (5): hp 19, 15, 14, 12, 7; outfitted with collars and 10’ long leather leashes; Monster Manual, pp. 118-119.

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To introduce a reaver to your party, paraphrase the following description:

In the distance, you see a dark cloaked figure leading a small band of hunched creatures using a series of long hunting leashes. It carries a cumbersome scythe casually over its left shoulder.

When the shrouded hunter moves closer, you realize that it is actually guiding a pack of slavering humanoids with absurdly emaciated bodies, rotting skin, and red eyes.

Although the grim visage of this mysterious huntsman is now clearly discernible, it is not a particularly pleasant sight. The visible musculature of his skinned face is still moist with pus and sanguine residue.

Upon closer inspection, you notice a holy symbol of Cyric hanging from his poorly bandaged neck.

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Well ... with a bit of tinkering, I'm sure some of you can find Faceless Reavers useful for other parts of the FRCS or any campaign world for that matter (just change the name of the gods involved).

Anyway, feel free to let me know what you think.



Enjoy!

 

[Taneel BrightBlade]

I thought Cyric replaced Bhaal. when did he replace Myrkul? I'm confused.
PS: c00l vill4n

 

[hong]

Although the grim visage of this mysterious huntsman is now clearly discernible, it is not a particularly pleasant sight. The visible musculature of his skinned face is still moist with pus and sanguine residue.

"... D00d! You really need Clearasil!"

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Cyric's Portfolio & Why Ex-Myrkulites Flocked to Him

Thanks to Ao's intervention, Cyric was quite the portfolio stealer.

In fact, during the Time of Troubles, Cyric assumed the full portfolios of Bhaal, Leira, AND Myrkul.

According to some sages, he also swiped power from Bane and Mask.

Later on, when Cyric went mad after reading his own cursed tome, Kelemvor took the old Myrkulite portfolio of "the Dead" from him.

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So why do most of Bezantur's former Myrkulites worship Cyric now (c. 1372 DR)?

Much of the reason involves their obsession with animating the dead.

You see, Kelemvor despises undead (and so does Jergal, to a lesser extent). So, although Kelemvor is actually the Lord of the Dead, many of Myrkul's old followers in Bezantur can not abide his authoritarian anti-undead stance.

Furthermore, the worship of Velsharoon (the lich god) is effectively illegal in Thay. (After all, Velsharoon and Szass Tam were rivals in life, and Tam wishes to deny his old enemy as many followers as possible.)

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So ... if you LIKE to animate the dead, and you cannot worship the god of the dead (Kelemvor), his seneschal (Jergal), or the lich god (Velsharoon), who is left?

That would be Cyric (a.k.a. the former god of the dead), a deity who actively encourages his followers to cause strife (which includes animating corpses and sending them against your hapless enemies).

[On another note: In my Thayan campaign, the Cyricists in Bezantur have a near monopoly on undead servitors and supply many of the undying soldiers in Thay's armies.]

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So ... to summarize:

When Cyric briefly served as Lord of the Dead, most of Bezantur's Myrkuilites converted to his worship.

When Kelemvor assumed the portfolio of "the Dead", most of these converts chose to stick it out with Cyric rather than worship a deity that did not like undead.

The Myrkulites that became the Faceless Reavers were simply a little bit late in shifting their loyalties to a "living" deity that would grant them spells (esp. necromantic ones).

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That's my logic on the matter anyway.

Feel free, as always, to give me your input.

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Sunday is the Day of the Reaver

Well, I am going to spring a Faceless Reaver encounter on my players during Sunday's game.

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Quite frankly, I'm wondering if they will survive (even though they are 5th level and there are five of them).

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The party's only cleric has multi-classed into wizard AND mystic theurge, which means he cannot turn undead for beans.

Last time he channeled positive energy, he couldn't even turn ONE ghoul.

I wonder how he'll handle FIVE.

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Still, part of me derives a perverse sense of pleasure by nailing him for his grevious cherry-picking (he wants to be a geomancer next).

After all, this is just a chance to thwart him with "realistic" consequences for playing a ridiculously overdiversified priest with weak turning ability (hey, even powergamer "builds" have drawbacks).

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Anyway, later this morning, the carnage will commence. Hopefully all the PCs won't end up as ghoul chow.

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Faceless Reaver Playtest

The reaver encounter worked out great!

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It inspired a fair bit of terror on behalf of my players, which actually surprised me (since most of them are fairly jaded gamers).

It allowed me to finally use unliving weapon in-game.

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Best of all, after surviving this harrowing ordeal, my players congratulated me on running a good (fun) session.

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Suped-Up Reaver Request

Does anyone have any suggestions for higher-level Faceless Reaver encounters (EL 8+)?

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Shamelessly Unearthed

I'm still curious if anyone has an opinion regarding this NPC; oh well, we'll see if anyone is interested ....

 

[Nightfall]

Just wondering where his boss, the Faceless Great Reaper might fit in...

 

[Alzrius]

Thanks to Ao's intervention, Cyric was quite the portfolio stealer.

In fact, during the Time of Troubles, Cyric assumed the full portfolios of Bhaal, Leira, AND Myrkul.

According to some sages, he also swiped power from Bane and Mask.

A few corrections: Cyric did NOT take Leira's power at the end of the Time of Troubles; Leira was still alive then. Cyric killed her in Pandemonium (Mask lured her there) after the ToT ended. You also neglected to mention that he did gain Bane's portfolio at the same time as he gained Bhaal's and Myrkul's - at the end of the ToT.

Cyric then had the power of four gods. He gained dominion over intrigue (which used to be part of Mask's portfolio) when he destroyed Mask's avatar Godsbane ten years after the ToT. However, Cyric then had some fairly major setbacks, in that Kelemvor Lyonsbane led a revolution in the Realm of the Dead, and became the new God of the Dead. Likewise, almost at the same time, Iyachtu Xvim broke free from under Zhentil Keep, and reclaimed at least some of Bane's (his father's) portfolio. Worse, Cyric had gone mad from reading the Cyrinishad, his own book of lies.

Things have recently started to even out for Cyric though. His most faithful worshipper (and now his Seraph), Malik el Sami yn Nasser, recently cured him of his madness (though Bane himself has returned, and is very hostile to Cyric and his church).