QuoteI'm familiar with 20th century sword and sorcery pulp, but there are many holes in my learning... and, alas, there are many stories I've only read once years ago.  Last night, I began a weird tale that gripped me like few others, keeping me in its rapacious grasp until the very end.  This short story was, "The Charnel God" by Clark Ashton Smith.  In all seriousness, it was one of the best dark fantasy stories I've ever read.

It also compelled me to re-think the traditional RPG wizard character class.  The following is what I came up with...


The Baleful Sorcerer of Tsathag'kha character class

The baleful sorcerer of Tsathag'kha is extremely powerful, but his power comes at a terrible price!  Taught his wicked ways by those who worship the hideous toad god Tsathag'kha, this sorcerer is familiar with the living dead, poison, certain edged weapons, and a concise selection of spells.

His spells total nine, the foundation of sorcery for this vocation.  They are listed from easiest to hardest in difficulty and potency.  At first level, the sorcerer knows spell #1.  At second level, he understands #2, and so on... each advancement bringing a new fragment of arcane lore.  For example, at 1st level a baleful sorcerer would only be able to cast discern magic.  Upon reaching 3rd level, he would have access to discern magic, sacrosanct, and deception.

The GM may allow a baleful sorcerer to attempt the casting of a higher level spell, but there is great risk involved.  The sorcerer himself must roll a saving throw.  Failure means the caster takes the constitution drain himself and is also whisked away by the corpulent servants of Tsathag'kha where the sorcerer is imperiled for 1d4 hours as his infernal attendants acquire all that the sorcerer knows.

Hit Die: D6

Proficiencies:  No armor may be worn.  Sorcerers may use daggers, short swords, and scimitars without penalty.  A baleful sorcerer may use poison as a thief of same level.

Progression:  Attack, saving throws, and all other progressions as the magic-user / wizard class.

Special Abilities:  The baleful sorcerer has the power to rebuke or command undead as a cleric of same level.

Drawbacks and Other Considerations:  He can never acquire a familiar nor multi-class.  Upon death, the baleful sorcerer's soul is promised to Tsathag'kha.  Furthermore, there's a 23% chance that the putrescent husk of a sorcerer-corpse assumes the semblance of life shortly after interment, rising of its own accord as a Lich.

Because a sorcerer is granted his dominion by the hideous grace of the toad god himself, spell books are unnecessary.  He doesn't forget his spells, and is able to cast and keep casting until physically spent.  This mitigates the drawback of spell limitation.

Points of constitution drain/damage can either occur per spell level or as noted in each spell's description, depending on the GM's wishes.  The constitution drain affects a character's hit points and stamina, but not necessarily the sorcerer's - both willing and unwilling victims may share the fatigue instead of, or in addition to, a baleful sorcerer, as long as, the victim is either physically touched at the time of casting or blood was drawn in preparation.

Constitution recharges after an uninterrupted six hours of rest and meditation.  However, those who go below 3 points of constitution must roll a saving throw or be instantly killed by the shock.


Spell List

1.  Discern Magic - essentially detect magic, read magic, identify, and use magical device all rolled up into a single spell.  Constitution drain:  1 point.

2.  Sacrosanct - the culmination of mage armor, shield, and protection from arrows, spells, good, evil, etc.  Constitution drain:  1d3 points.

3.  Deception - for creating illusions and disguising the sorcerer or an intended subject.  Constitution drain:  1d4 points.  The observer must have familiar knowledge of a person, object, place, culture, and so forth in order to have a chance of seeing through the deception.

4.  Compel - command; forcing weak-willed individuals to do the sorcerer's bidding.  Constitution drain:  1d6 points.  Victim gets a saving throw to resist initially and then once per day to break free of the sorcerer's will.

5.  Infernal Trafficking - communicating with, summoning, and binding all manner of Devils, Demons, and Outsiders.  Constitution drain:  1d8 points.

6.  Blackish Purple Tentacles of Abnon'Tha - horrid tendrils rise out of the ground and flail around, squeezing the life out of the sorcerer's foes.  Constitution drain:  2d4 points.  Each tentacle does 2d8 of constricting damage per round to those grasped (save each round to avoid).  Up to thirteen man-sized individuals within a 30' radius are affected.

7.  Ichorous Inferno - streams of liquid green fire spraying out in various directions, incinerating those in the sorcerer's way.  Constitution drain:  1d4 and 1d6 points.  Save to avoid being roasted alive for 5d6 damage in a cone up to 50' from the sorcerer, 7d6 at tenth level.

8.  Necromancy - speak with dead, causing the dead to rise and do as the sorcerer instructs for one night (24 hour period) per level of sorcerer.  Constitution drain:  1d10 points.

9.  Extinguish Life - the act of murder via sorcery.  Constitution drain:  1d12 points.  Save versus death; a successful saving throw means victim only takes 2d6 damage (unless a natural 20 is rolled whereupon no damage is taken).  Intended victim must be within 100' of the sorcerer when the spell is cast.

...

Special Thanks goes out to Clark Ashton Smith, Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, Lin Carter, the hideous toad god Tsathag'kha, Brendan Strejcek, Matt Finch, Michael Prescott, Anthony Emmel, Todd Rokely, Shane Ward, Christian Sturke, and Thorswulf for inspiration and helpful suggestions.

Quote from: The Traveller;709050I don't think S&S magic users had much difficulty with using a variety of weapons or armour. The risk of being grilled by your demon patron's servants if you use too much power is an excellent touch though.

Quote from: VengerSatanis;709070I was going for deadly, but unskilled in the more serious and heavy martial weapons like longsword, battleaxe, etc.  I can't recall a story where a sorcerer was wearing chainmail or wielding a halberd; it was pretty much silk robes and scimitars.

Quote from: VengerSatanis;709070And thanks for the comment and kudos.

Quote from: The Traveller;709050I don't think S&S magic users had much difficulty with using a variety of weapons or armour. The risk of being grilled by your demon patron's servants if you use too much power is an excellent touch though.

Quote from: danbuter;709286You've never read Elric, have you?

Quote from: VengerSatanis;709213Looks like we have similar taste in movies.  Conan the Barbarian and Big Trouble in Little China.  Nice.

Quote from: Bill;710523Looks like a cool sorcerer.

The con drain keeps him very under control, so I don't see this class as too powerful.

Might consider giving him the ability to use another persons Con to power a single spell each day. Willing or unwilling

Quote from: TristramEvans;710526I'd make the percentage chance of returning as a Lich based on the character's level when they die. Maybe something like Level + 20 = % chance