No creature sapient, sentient or otherwise makes a stronger claim to self sacrifice and endurance than a Sundered Priest. Allowing a piece of your body to be ripped from the whole that was once you is one sacrifice, but following the ritual of The Tear a Sundered Priest lives a deprived life by choice. Stability is not to be found except for in the spirit. They move at the whims of the Church of Hormus and carry out their mission: To live lives of sacrifice in the shadow of Hormus and bolster the Bereaved wherever they are to be found.
Special Rules
Your stats and starting moves depend on the part you have sacrificed to Hormus. This part takes the place of either your first or last name (most choose the first) i.e. Arm Hector. Some advanced moves require specific part choices and will list such requirements under the title of said move.
All Sundered Priests get the following starting moves:
Sacrificial Life
Whenever you sacrifice something for the well being of others or your spirituality say what you do:
…if it is a sacrifice of your physical body roll+CON
…if it is a sacrifice of worldly possessions roll+CHA
…if it is a sacrifice of ego or self roll+WIS
On a 10+ you receive a blessing from Hormus himself take +1 ongoing in the stat used for the roll until
Notes
This sacrifice and boon is a heavy cost benefit analysis for you as the player and for the GM. Things that likely don’t count as a worthy sacrifice:
- Handing an orphan a few Clips
- Skipping lunch
Things that probably should count: - Giving a widow the magical amulet you received as a reward on your last excursion.
- Give in to an argument with someone you despise with no recourse.
The GM should also feel free to grant additional boons or boost the boon as it stands if the sacrifice is especially powerful.
A Priest Above All
You and your allies will be cared for properly and allowed to sleep in any Temple of Hormus found upon the continent. However anytime you interact with the church and are not already on a church sanctioned mission roll+CHA. On a 10+ you receive good treatment and nothing is asked of you in return. On a 7-9 the church requires aid in the immediate area, it may be minor it may be important either way you are compelled to help however you can. You may deny this, but will suffer the consequences. On a 6- the Church requires aid either more than a days travel away or of substantial need/danger in the immediate area the GM will tell you which.
Sundered Bond
One pivotal part of The Tear is the Tether formed with Hormus himself, this gives you access to a Meyda-well. You are also given a copy of The Sundered Workings which provides the list of Workings you start with to choose from. Select 2 Workings of Complexity 1. You know them at Competency 1. Pick 2 Triflings and record them at Competency 2. Any Workings not recorded but found in The Sundered Workings can be attempted as a Ritual or Transfusion by a Sundered Priest at Competency -2. This of course only works if you still have your copy. Whenever you level up record a new Working from this list with Complexity equal to or less than your level at Competency 1.
Eye
You sacrifice your dominant eye to the Tear
Stats
Your maximum HP is 8+Constitution
Your base damage is d4
Starting Moves
Healing Gaze
When you set your eyes on an ally and seek to heal them roll+CHA on a 10+ you heal their wounds for 2d6. On a 7-9 you heal their wounds for 1d6 but are put in a spot or given a hard choice by the GM.
Studied Healer
Anytime you spout lore about remedies or illness take +1.
Head
You sacrifice your head to the Tear
Stats
Your maximum HP is 6+Constitution
Your base damage is d6
Starting Moves
Riychack
You can communicate telepathically with any number of creatures within 120 feet of you. You may choose who can hear you and how loud your voice sounds in their mind.
Ethereal Senses
You can sense the world around you in a 120 foot diameter. This cannot be occluded by anything but solid silver which appears like a wall. If you Discern Realities under little pressure take +1.
Arm
You sacrifice your dominant arm to the Tear
Stats
Your maximum HP is 10+Constitution
Your base damage is d10
Starting Moves
Hand
You sacrifice your dominant hand to the Tear
Stats
Your maximum HP is 8+Constitution
Your base damage is d4
Starting Moves
Human Shield
You always have +1 to defend so long as you are not defending yourself. You may throw yourself into the path of danger with an empowering speed that often overcomes otherwise unobtainable distances in seconds. Doing so gives you +2 to aid or defend the person or thing in question, but you receive the incoming damage no matter what.
Foot
You sacrifice your dominant foot to the Tear
Stats
Your maximum HP is 8+Constitution
Your base damage is d6
Starting Moves
Leg
Stats
Your maximum HP is 8+Constitution
Your base damage is d6
Starting Moves
Uncanny Balance
You are extremely hard to move against your will despite missing an entire leg. Take +1 to any roll that involves you remaining stable in balance, stance and/or position. This includes relatively inhuman acts such as stopping an oncoming boulder.
Torso
You sacrifice your torso to the Tear.
Stats
Your maximum HP is 10+Constitution
Your base damage is d6
Starting Moves
The Music of Bone
Your exposed spinal cord makes discomforting noises when you make most movements as the vertebrae and ribs grind bone to bone. When attempting to Parley and leveraging with violence or fear take +1. All eyes turn towards you when you enter a building or otherwise crowded location. Take -1 anytime you are doing anything that requires silence.
Divine Vitality
An uncanny vitality pervades your body in return for the grizzly sacrifice you suffered for your god. If you make the Last Breath move roll+CON instead of nothing.
Additionally your potency is also 5xLevel instead of 4.
Gear
Your load is 6+STR. You carry 10 Clips, dungeon rations (5 uses, 1 weight) and some symbol of Hormus most commonly the Shevagram as an amulet or otherwise wearable token, describe it (0 weight). Choose your defenses:
- Chainmail (1 armor, 1 weight)
- Shield (+1 armor, 2 weight)
Choose your armament: - Staff (close, two-handed, 1 weight)
- Short sword (close, 1 weight)
- Kinsi (reach, 1d6 monster-bane, 2 weight)
Bonds
Fill in the name of one of your companions in at least one:
____ doesn’t live sacrificially, I can show them how.
____ is discomforted by my appearance, I must fix this misunderstanding.
Advanced Moves
When you gain a level from 2-5, choose from these moves. You also add a new Working to your Recorded Workings at Competency 0 each even numbered level
Retaliatory Flesh
Your flesh is divinely protected, should you take damage that harms your flesh directly retaliate against the source (even if you would not normally be able to do so) with d4 damage that manifests as blinding, white hot white.
Wailing Bones
Requires: Torn Torso
When attempting to Parley and leveraging with violence or fear take +2 instead of +1.
Practiced Potency
Choose a Complexity 1 Working which you have at Competency 2 or greater, that Working requires 1 less potency (This can’t reduce potency below 0).
Incite Lahettaa
When you make a sacrifice to Hormus and spend time in meditation seeking answers The Head Priest sends you a simple message of guidance.
When you gain a level from 6-10, choose from these moves or the level 2-5 moves.
Rebuking Flesh
Replaces: Retaliatory Flesh
Whenever your flesh would be harmed by a sentient or otherwise antagonistic source you retaliate (even if you would not normally be able to do so) with d6 damage that manifests as divine explosions of light that shake the air.
Bolstered Soul
Choose a Complexity 2 Working which you have at Competency 2 or greater, that Working requires 1 less potency (This can’t reduce potency below 0).
Convert a Bereaved
When you share the tenants of the Church of Hormus with the intention to convert roll+CHA. On a 10+ that person requests to follow you for an arbitrary duration, becoming a hireling if you so choose and do not already have a disciple. They have 8 points to distribute. On a 7-9 they follow you under some specified condition and only get 4 points.
The Sundered Workings
Complexity 0 (Triflings)
See the starter Workings list in the Meyda-work rules.
Complexity 1
Depict Tethers (touch, Potency-1)
Visualize the Tethers which are connected to an individual’s Soul. These appear as thin blue lines which appear from inside the head of the target and travel towards and terminate at any other Souls or False Souls which they have a Contract with. This is a common way by which the Church of Hormus examines suspects to detect strange Tethers that might be connected to corrupt entities.
Gentle Mend (touch, Potency-2)
You may heal small cuts, bruises and fractures so long as you know where they are with certainty and can draw a small circle around them. The target of this Working heals for 1d4 health. This Working cannot be pre-targeted as the injury(s) being healed must be seen or felt by the Meyda-worker.
Melt Stone (touch, Potency-1, permanent)
Targets a circular area of rock or stone roughly 5 feet in diameter. Upon completing the Working the stone in question becomes nearly liquid, turning into a soft mod. Walls fall in heaps and areas of the ground turn into annoying terrain to traverse.
Complexity 2
Purifying Flame (touch, Potency-2, 1d8, lifetime-1minute, sustain-1, fire)
A creature or object which you touch or pre-target with a Meyda-mark bursts into flame and burns for the duration. This flame is not supernatural after it begins and can be put out prematurely to mitigate damage.
Sustenance for the Journey (area-small, Potency-3, lifetime-1day, circle)
A number of creatures which fit within a 10x10 foot circle (the target circle of the Meyda-circle itself) are given a divine vitality. They do not need to consume food or water for the duration.
Stone Pillar (touch, Potency-2, loud, permanent)
Targets a circular area of rock or stone roughly 5 feet in diameter. Upon completing the Working the stone grows in the direction the surface of the Working is facing. The amount it grows depends on how much surrounding stone it can pull from, and it caps out around 10 feet in the air.
Aiding Wind (close, Potency-3, area-small, lifetime-1hour, sustain-2)
You request from Hormus an aiding wind to your back, you and your party gain +10 movement speed and +1 to Dexterity checks ongoing until the Working ends.
Complexity 3
Rupture False Soul (touch, Potency-5, 4d8)
You touch an entity with a False Soul, you rebuke its profane life force and can often break the Minor Stone being used to facilitate the instructions within. Common False Soul’s are found in most “Undead” and other animated objects. This can also however, be used on certain items which have embedded Workings destroying the instruction set if its source is a Minor Stone or weaker (this spell cannot do anything against a God Stone)
Healing Aura (circle, potency-6, lifetime-1hour)
When inside the Meyda-circle of this Working a living creature’s body has its natural healing abilities enhanced. Spending ten, uninterrupted minutes inside the circle heals a living creature 1d6. Injuries or ailments that would not be healed by the body naturally will be unaffected.
Complexity 4
Heat Metal (touch, Potency-9, lifetime-1minute, sustain-6)
Metal you touch begins to conduct heat from the environment rapidly becoming red hot in a matter of seconds. Anything flammable touching the surface of the target will surely ignite and creatures with any large scale contact to the surface should take anywhere from 1d4-5d4 damage depending on the severity.
Complexity 6
Imbibe Soul Memory (touch, Potency-17)
You receive a flood of deep memories from the target. The GM will tell you what they are, and depending on your roll or lack thereof, what they elucidate about the target or your current situation. Doing this to someone forces a drain of potency from their own Soul and will usually give them at least a headache. If done on someone with a weak Soul or a child the risk may increase.