“We see, but we do not understand.”
“You do,” said Majere. He folded his hands and gazed out into the firmaments. “You don’t want to.”
He did not see the stars. He saw the stars’ first light.
“It began at the beginning of time.” he said, “And it began in joy.” He sighed deeply. “Now, because I did not speak, it could end in bitter sorrow.”
“Explain yourself, Majere!” growled Sargonnas. “We have no time for your blathering!”
Majere shifted his gaze from the time’s beginning to the present. He looked at his fellows.
“You need no explanation. You can see for yourselves. She is a god. A god who does not know she is a god. She is a god who was deceived by Takhisis into thinking she is human.”
“A god of Darkness!” said Sargonas, exultant.
Majere paused. When he spoke, his voice was soft with sorrow. “She was tricked by Takhisis into serving Darkness. She is—or was—a god of Light.”
eath stands as the greatest fear of the mortal races upon Krynn. Maiden and crone, warrior and wizard, sinner and cleric: only the few who have found true peace can look to their soul’s passing and not shudder at the passing of death’s icy fingertips over warm, living flesh. Chemosh is the god of death and is known by all, either directly by name or simply as a terrifying abstract concept.
Fear of death has won Chemosh many souls and worshippers down through the ages of the world. His clerics wielded dark magic, causing long-dead corpses to tear themselves out from the earth. Wizards loyal for a lifetime to the Conclave and the teachings of Nuitari also came to Chemosh, learning the secrets of lichdom and becoming powerful agents of death. Graverobbers, fearful of offending the Lord of Bones, left offerings for his priests.
The theft of the world by the fallen and slain goddess, Takhisis, forever changed the realms of the gods and their relationship with the mortal world. Some gods struggled over the power vacuum left by their former brethren, becoming determined to occupy the thrones of power. Others were forced to evaluate their goals, plans, and methods—set in place for eons—and look to what place there might be for gods in an Age of Mortals. The god of death is determined to fill the void left by the Queen of Darkness and also to change the very image of death in the minds of the living. Chemosh no longer chooses to seek the devotion of necromancers and embalmers. He would prefer to have followers who are vibrant, young, and full of life. Rather than enjoy the fear of mortals, he would gain their love.
The love of the god of death has spread across Ansalon like a plague.
SEDUCTION
When one of the Beloved of Chemosh enters a community, he is often remembered for a lust for life, not a connection with death. Usually attractive and always confident and charming, the Beloved are the life of the party. They crave flavorful food and strong drink, seek games and rousing conversation. People who stagger home from an evening spent with Chemosh’s chosen, their stomachs full and heads buzzing, might more easily imagine they have spent time with a fun-loving gully dwarf than a chosen servant of the Lord of Bones.
Those who go home from such an evening are the lucky ones, however. A Beloved will inevitably choose one special companion for more special attention. Though it could be a man or woman of any age or profession, it is often someone young and attractive, one eager for a liaison with the Beloved.
The encounter goes much as the victim first intends. The Beloved are passionate in intimate company. When desire has built and the victim is most likely to agree to anything, the Beloved makes a request.
The victim must swear his or her soul to Chemosh.
Many times this request is made lightly, as if such an oath carries no consequences. Other times, the requests are solemn and earnest, with claims that Chemosh is not truly the god of death but is actually one of life unending. If a Beloved does not gain his way immediately, it will beg, plead, and even threaten in order to secure the oath of the victim.
Once the words “I pledge myself to Chemosh” are uttered, the Beloved plants a kiss on the victim directly above the heart.
Death then claims the victim, both in the literal and spiritual sense. At first the victim feels panic and pain as his life begins to seep away, but stillness settles upon the body as the spirit is ripped from still-warm flesh. When the victim’s eyes open once more, a new Beloved of Chemosh rises, ready to bring new souls to the Lord of Death.
REVELATION
At first the new Beloved believes all of the promises of eternal life and youth have come true. It seems a beautiful, impossible dream, and it is just that—an impossible dream—for instead of eternal life, a Beloved finds unending death.
The lusts and desires that led a Beloved down a path of damnation and servitude continue to plague it in unlife. But wine and spirits neither satisfy thirst nor lead to pleasant, mind-numbing intoxication; no amount of food can cure the Beloved’s endless hunger. Though consumed with desire, it can never feel satiated.
The Beloved’s memories, both of its former life and its activities after death, eventually fade away like a dream upon waking. Friends, family, and former lovers are all forgotten. Only its endless cravings and the commandments of Chemosh remain.
Eventually, however, the Beloved of Chemosh discover a terrible pain in their existence. Even as other senses dull, they begin to experience a throbbing pressure. Only killing eases the pain. Poisons, swords, suffocation—it makes no difference. All souls go before Chemosh, and the Beloved’s suffering is eased for a time.
The only subject known to distract a Beloved from its purpose is the mention of a name: Mina. All other interests and activities cease at the sound of her name. All hope to find her. Though most have never met Mina, all know her name and see her in their minds whenever they close their eyes. Her voice echoes in their ears, bringing with it the commandments of the Lord of Death.
DETECTION
Even those aware of the threat posed by Chemosh’s new disciples have trouble seeking them out. Simple spells fail to reveal the wolves among the sheep. Glance among revelers at a village fair, and the Beloved might well be anyone among them. Some keep up the façade of their former lives, so Beloved can even be the acquaintances or loved ones of those who hunt the undead.
Some who look deep into the eyes of a Beloved claim to be able to see the emptiness within, but this is neither certain nor consistent enough in practice to be relied on. Some animals shy away or may even attack at the presence of the undead, but only those who are sensitive or exceptional seem to sense that something is truly wrong.
Physically, the Beloved appear exactly as in life. Though dead, the flesh is still warm to the touch. They breathe, eat, drink, smile, laugh, and weep. The only reliable sign of a Beloved is a mark that can always be found above the heart, a discoloration in the shape of a woman’s lips—“Mina’s Kiss,” they tell those who ask of it, and speak the name with reverence and longing.
Divine magic is the only reliable method of revealing the Beloved, and even this is the province of those whose magic deals with souls or the spirits of the dead. Clerics and mystics who are able to detect the aura of the living, along with the unusual kender who call themselves “nightstalkers,” can see that the Beloved possess no soul, no living aura; that they are nothing more than very lively corpses.
DESTRUCTION
After early failed attempts to stop the threat of the Beloved, some feared they could not be destroyed. Indeed, the Beloved give every indication of true immortality. Both arcane and divine spells have little effect on the Beloved of Chemosh and usually rebound on the spellcaster, while rarely making the Beloved so much as flinch. Suffocation, fire, ice, lightning, and holy water might slow the Beloved, but they do little else. Dismemberment merely inconveniences the Beloved, since the undead being is quickly able to pull itself together again.
Though a Beloved is stronger in undeath than in life, it does not gain any special powers beyond its unaging invulnerability. Thus most B
eloved have to resort to mundane methods to bring their quota of souls to Chemosh, since very few possessors of true power and ability will swear themselves over to the god of death.
Lately word has spread that the Beloved do indeed have a weakness—one so terrible that few are willing to pay the awful price to end the threat of Chemosh’s chosen disciples. The laws of balance and magic on Krynn, set down by the Highgod during the Age of Starbirth, does not allow Chemosh to create immortal servants, so the spell that gives life to the dead can be unraveled … by the hand of a child.
If a child strikes a Beloved in anger, its true nature as an ambulatory corpse is revealed, and it will be consumed in an unnatural fire that will not harm anyone but the failed servant of the dark god. Innocence destroys the Beloved, though innocence is in turn destroyed. Children who witness such a terrible sight will very likely be traumatized for life unless the healing powers of other gods can intervene.
FUTURE
The Beloved spread from one town to the next, taking the young and the beautiful, those eager to please or easily swayed by false promises. No one knows how many Beloved are in existence, but it is likely every city has several inside its walls. Though the secrets of their detection and destruction have been revealed, it may be too late to prevent them from fulfilling whatever terrible purpose the god of death has in store.
Beloved of Chemosh
Having given their souls to the Lord of Bones, the Beloved present a convincing mockery of life. Their purpose is to bring more souls to their dark god.
The Beloved appear to most exactly as they did in life and retain much of their original personalities—though people who know them well might notice odd behavior. The Beloved breathe, eat, drink, and otherwise give all indications they are still alive. Someone who gets close and looks deep within a Beloved’s eyes might see the truth. Its eyes are flat and empty—devoid of either life or hope. Those with the talent to see living auras or with the power to see and communicate with incorporeal spirits (such as kender nightstalkers) immediately notice something is wrong with the Beloved, for they all lack a living soul.
Beloved speak any languages they knew in life.
Sample Beloved of Chemosh: Cam, Former Vallenwood Guard
Once a Vallenwood Guard, those warriors who protect the stairs leading to the raised walkways in the tree-town of Solace, Cam was seduced into the ranks of the Beloved with promises of pleasure and eternal youth. Still attractive and charming, the Beloved is now consumed with bringing more victims to Chemosh and the woman he has never met, yet he knows her amber eyes and will recognize her commanding voice: Mina.
Cam: Male human fighter 2; CR 5; Medium undead (augmented humanoid); HD 2d12; hp 16; Init +5; Spd 30 ft.; AC 15 (touch 11, flat-footed 14); Atk +6 (1d6+4 short sword) or +6 (1d3+4 unarmed strike); SA Mina’s kiss; SQ Beloved of Chemosh weaknesses, fast healing 5, immunity to magic, turn immunity, undead traits; AL NE; SV Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +2; Str 19, Dex 12 Con –, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 17.
Skills and Feats: Climb +6, Diplomacy +6*, Intimidate +7, Jump +5, Swim +4; Charming, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike.
Possessions: Chain shirt, short sword.
Creating a Beloved of Chemosh
“Beloved of Chemosh” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
A Beloved of Chemosh uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead. (augmented humanoid). Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.
Hit Dice: Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s.
Speed: Same as the base creature. If the base creature has a swim or fly speed, the Beloved of Chemosh retains the ability to swim or fly.
Special Attacks: A Beloved of Chemosh retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains those described below.
Mina’s Kiss (Su): A Beloved of Chemosh has the ability to create more of its kind but may do so only with those willing to swear their souls to Chemosh and allow the Beloved to place a kiss on their bare skin directly above the heart. Mina’s Kiss requires a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity. No saving throw is allowed. Victims appear dead for one minute then rise, acquiring the Beloved of Chemosh template.
Special Qualities: A Beloved of Chemosh retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those described below.
Fast Healing (Ex): A Beloved of Chemosh heals 5 points of damage each round, even when it has been reduced to 0 or fewer hit points and will eventually recover even from complete physical destruction. If a limb or body part is severed, it can either re-grow the member in one day, or re-attach it instantly by holding it to the stump. Severed members that are not reattached will wither into dust after 10 minutes.
Immunity to Magic (Ex): A Beloved of Chemosh is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. Those who cast spells against one often report sensing a magical backlash (though it causes no damage to the caster).
Turn Immunity (Ex): A Beloved of Chemosh cannot be turned. He can be banished with holy word, however, just as if he were an evil outsider. (If banished, he is sent to the Abyss.)
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +4, Cha +4. As an undead creature, a Beloved of Chemosh has no Constitution score.
Environment: Any, usually same as base creature.
Organization: Solitary, pair, gang (3–5)
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +3.
Alignment: Always evil (any).
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +6.
Beloved Weaknesses
Beloved of Chemosh, for all of their invulnerabilities, are not immortal. Unfortunately, the weakness that the Lord of Bones chose for his new disciples is so terrible that most will be unwilling to exploit it.
Detection: Beloved cannot be detected by normal means. However, their true nature is immediately revealed to clerics or mystics with the Channeling, Necromancy, or Undeath domains and by any character with the Death Sight spell-like ability. Particularly sensitive animals often act skittish or hostile in the presence of a Beloved of Chemosh. A mundane method of revealing a Beloved of Chemosh is to examine the skin directly above his heart, which will reveal a mark in the shape of a woman’s lips (the mark of Mina’s Kiss).
Hand of a Child: A Beloved of Chemosh suffers terrible, permanent damage when attacked by an innocent child. An innocent child must be younger than Adulthood (as defined in the Player’s Handbook, pg. 109) and one who has never caused the death of any creature with an intelligence score. Any unarmed or armed attack by an innocent child against a Beloved of Chemosh gains the Disruption quality (equivalent to a magical weapon, see the Dungeon Master’s Guide, pg. 224), requiring the Beloved to succeed on a DC 14 Will save or be destroyed. In addition, the attack causes 1d6 points of bonus damage that cannot be healed through the Beloved’s fast healing special quality. An innocent child who witnesses the destruction of a Beloved of Chemosh in this way suffers 1d4 points of temporary Wisdom and Charisma damage and forever loses the ability to harm a Beloved (because they are no longer innocent). All Beloved of Chemosh are aware of their weakness to children and usually avoid direct contact with youngsters.
Beloved of Chemosh Characters
Beloved of Chemosh are always evil and have Chemosh as their patron deity, which causes certain classes to lose some class abilities. In addition, certain classes take additional penalties.
Clerics: Beloved of Chemosh clerics lose their ability to turn undead but gain the ability to rebuke undead.
Sorcerers, Wizards, and Wizards of High Sorcery: Beloved of Chemosh sorcerers and wizards retain their class abilities, but the link between master and familiar is broken, and the familiar shuns its former companion. The character cannot summon anot
her familiar.
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About the Author
Margaret Weis was born and raised in Independence, Missouri. In 1983, she moved to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, to take a job as book editor at TSR, Inc., producers of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® role playing game.
At TSR, Weis became part of the DRAGONLANCE® design team. In collaboration with Tracy Hickman, she wrote the DRAGONLANCE Chronicles, which has sold over twenty million copies worldwide. Weis is also the author of many best-selling series, including the Death-gate Cycle, the Sovereign Stone series, and her new Dragonvarld series for Tor Books.
Weis is also the owner of Sovereign Press, the publisher of the DRAGONLANCE d20 roleplaying products licensed from Wizards of the Coast LLC.
DRAGONLANCE, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, d20, WIZARDS OF THE COAST, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries. ©2011 Wizards.
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