by C. M. Carney
• ïPerks become available when the master skill has reached the respective tier. All sub skill perks nature and abilities are shadowed until the appropriate tier is reached.
Mana Cost:
• ïNovice tier Specialty Perks cost 50 mana to cast.
• ïEach subsequent tier cost 2x mana of the previous tier. (A: 100; JM: 200; M: 400, GM: 800)
Usage:
• ïAll Specialty perks can be used a number of times per day determined by the following formula.
• ï1+ (Tier Mastery - Perk Tier)
• ïEXP: A Journeyman could use a Novice level perk 3/day. 1+ (3 - 1) = 3
Apart from their exclusivity, Specialty skills granted their adepts a deeper understanding than non-specialists. With a warlock the sub skills that fell under the umbrella of Chthonic Magic were Chthonic Enhancement, Chthonic Summoning and Chthonic Weapons.
His goal was to power up Avernerius. The abyssal terror was by far the most potent weapon available to their Adventure Party and if they had any hope of not only smashing down the door, but of surviving whatever lay behind it, he needed to give the demon some serious upgrades.
Chthonic Might:
This perk tree enables a warlock to enhance the power and potency of any summoned chthonic being.
(B) Chthonic Weapon: Any weapon used by a summoned chthonic creature is imbued with the power chthonic flame. Weapons do 2x damage with a chance to set opponents on fire for 5 DMG/Sec until flames are doused.
(A): Chthonic Armor: Any summoned chthonic creature will grow stony scales of cooled magma increasing their AC by 50%.
He’d long ago spent a point on Chthonic Weapon with terrifyingly awesome results, so he tossed one point into Chthonic Armor. The idle part of his mind, the one that frequently got him into trouble, imagined just how terrifying plates of cooled magma would look on the massive demon.
Chthonic Upgrade:
This perk tree enables a warlock to use the power of the chthonic realm to improve their own bodies using chthonic traits. This usually comes in the form of improvements to their Attributes and/or Stats. Chthonic Upgrade perks come with an increasingly likely chance to obtain a permanent chthonic trait. An obtained chthonic trait will have unknown abilities and consequences. Any offspring the Specialist have may be born with chthonic traits (tail, hooves, etc.) and will possess an Affinity for Chthonic Magic at least the equal of the parent.
(B): Chthonic Blood: Imbues the Specialist’s blood with chthonic blood, granting them a permanent 50% bonus to Health. There is a 10% chance to permanently obtain a chthonic physical trait.
(A) Chthonic Ichor: Imbues the Specialist’s blood with chthonic ichor, granting them a permanent 50% bonus to Mana. It also causes their blood to be poisonous and any beast that bites them will take 5 DMG/Sec for 10 seconds. There is a 25% chance to permanently obtain a chthonic physical trait.
Note: Since Chthonic Upgrade perks are permanent, they require 3x the mana cost to activate. This mana can be obtained via potion, item or other artificial means.
Wick’s eyes went to the Chthonic Upgrade tree, and he gulped. He’d long avoided this array of perks for one simple reason. Upgrading one’s own body with chthonic traits came with a risk of permanently mutating oneself into a chthonic hybrid. Being a warlock already made Wick unpopular, becoming part demon would make him a pariah.
But I need the mana if this plan is going to work. And to get more mana he needed the Chthonic Ichor perk. Even though it sounds disgusting. He moved a Specialty Point onto the Chthonic Blood perk, his virtual hand moving glacial slow. When it clicked into the slot, Wick flinched. Then he waited.
For several seconds nothing happened, then his blood boiled. He would have screamed, but he could not move. Red hot magma burned through his veins and his heart pumped furiously. It lasted mere moments, Wick hoped he never experienced it again.
His health bar jumped up by 50% and he felt livelier and more potent. An odd tingle twitched behind his eyes for several moments before it faded. Oh, crap, did I just become a demon? A few seconds ago, 10% hadn’t sounded all that likely. But when have I ever been lucky? He eased his eyes open and found that he was on his knees. Tifala was there, and she took his head in his hands.
“My eyes?” Wick said in a panicked voice and looked up at the love of his life.
“Still the same sky blue I fell in love with.” Tifala said with a smile and kissed him. She helped him up and hugged him for several moments before pulling back and smiling grimly. “Time to go back in.” Wick nodded and closed his eyes again, returning to the constellation of stars inside his Specialty prompt window.
He dragged another Specialty Point onto Chthonic Ichor. Like before, it took several seconds for anything to happen, but then he felt as if he’d been dipped in a seething cauldron of sewage, bile and various other excreta he did not want to imagine. He gagged and dry heaved for what seemed like hours as the vile stew seeped through his pores and infused his blood and bones alike.
Wick opened his eyes and keeled over as the rations the elves fed him came rushing back up. He vomited while Tifala rubbed his back. “Get it out. It’s okay baby. Just get it out.” A minute later Wick recovered enough to stand. A massive headache from the huge expenditure of mana required to unlock both Chthonic Upgrades punched him in the brain, but a quick look at his blinking mana bar showed him the perk had taken hold.
He sighed before remembering that this perk also had a 25% chance of turning him into a chthonic hybrid. He moved frantic hands up to the crown of his head but found no horns. He patted himself down, praying there was no dangling tail, cloven hooves or claws.
“Phew, that was lucky,” Wick said, grinning at Tifala. Then his skin began to burn as if a horrible sunburn was flaring over the entire surface of his body. His eyes squinted shut as he screamed. Tifala reacted, and he felt her healing hands on him.
Just as suddenly as it started, the pain faded, and he breathed easy again. His eyes opened and four sets of eyes looked at him, wide with alarm. For a moment Wick just stared back and spoke. “What?”
Xeg chortled and laughed, his tiny clawed hand pointing at Wick. “Ha, ha, ha, you look like Xeg, except less good and more stupid.”
Wick looked down at his hands just as they changed from his normal skin tone to the deep purple of a healing bruise. His skin rippled and flowed, and fine scales appeared along the back of his hands. He frantically pulled up his sleeve, hoping the color only inflicted his hands, but scales were flowing up his arms. A tingling sensation moving across his whole body told him it did not stop with his arms.
He cast a terrified gaze up at Tifala, who stared in horror and alarm.
“Oh, fuck me, I’m purple.”
30
Wick’s knees went wobbly as realization punched him full in the brain. I’m demon spawn. Ovrym and Errat rushed to his side and caught him before he could hit the ground. It might have been his imagination, but Wick thought Ovrym flinched as their bare hands touched his scaled hide.
Tifala was at his side, the look of horror had disappeared from her face. Or maybe it was never there, you ponce. She’s better than a hundred of you. She hugged him to her, and he wept, not for himself, but for any child they would have if they lived through the next few hours.
“Our kids are gonna have tails.”
“It’s not too bad,” Tifala said in a voice that suggested she was trying to convince herself as much as him.
“Liar,” Wick said forcing a small grin.
“Yeah, why pretty lady lie. This is much better blue head. No more stinky too.”
Wick glared at the imp and then tentatively sniffed his armpit. He didn’t smell much difference. Maybe a little less musky sweat and more … sulfur? “I have the worst damned luck.”
“I think it looks nice,” Errat said with no hint of jest in his voice.
“Are you going to need to lie on a rock in the sun to get warm from now on?” Ovrym asked.
Wick eyed him.
“Did you just make a joke?”
“Maybe,” the xydai said, showing no hint of humor.
Wick sighed and Tifala drew him in for another hug. “If I get out of this shithole city, I’m going to dig up Cyrus’ corpse and kick him in the junk.”
Xeg’s chortling laughter filled the room again. “Xeg help. Xeg likes kick ugly mortals in dangly bits.”
Wick grimaced at the demonling and then turned back to Tifala. “Guess I should see what this is all about.”
She extended her pinky to him. “Together forever.”
He gripped her pinky with his own. “Together forever.”
He held his purple hands up, closed his eyes and toggled his latest notification prompt open.
Your exposure to Chthonic Ichor has awarded you the Chthonic Trait Scales of the Demon Prince.
The Chthonic Realm is a place of extremes and those who call the realm home must be hearty to survive. You now possess the trait Scales of the Demon Prince and have gained the following powers, immunities and/or abilities.
Passive Powers:
Power (1): Chthonic Absorption. You now have a 100% Resistance to chthonic magic. In addition, you will now absorb 50% of the chthonic magic used against you. Absorbed magic can restore either your Health or your Mana.
Power (2): Fire Absorption. You now have a 100% Resistance to natural and magical fire. In addition, you will now absorb 50% of the fire used against you. You can store this energy for up to 3 hours before it must be exhaled in the form of Demon’s Breath (see below). Unexpurgated fire will inflict 5 DMG/Min of mana damage after 3 hours.
Power (3): Cold Absorption. You now have a 100% Resistance to natural and magical cold. In addition, you will now absorb 50% of the cold used against you. You can store this energy for up to 3 hours before it must be exhaled in the form of Demon’s Breath (see below). Unexpurgated cold will inflict 5 DMG/Min of mana damage after 3 hours.
Active Powers:
Active Power (1): Demon’s Breath. You can use part or all of the absorbed fire or cold in the form of a cone of fire or cold regurgitated via the mouth. This attack can only be used after absorbing fire or cold.
Not bad, Wick thought. As far as demonic mutations went, that one wasn’t all that bad, except for the purple scales. He closed the Trait window and opened his Specialty window once more.
This had better be worth it.
The stars cascaded around him once more, but this time several that had once been mere pinpricks in the darkness blazed a deep purple. Even the Game Mechanics were mocking him. He returned his mind to his task. Avernerius better appreciate this.
Chthonic Mutation:
This perk tree enables a warlock to use the power of the chthonic realm to cause a random chthonic mutation in a summoned chthonic creature or avatar. While it can enhance the combat prowess of a summoned creature, it is also erratic and therefore can be dangerous.
(B) Base: Base level chthonic creatures summoned via spell or perk can be mutated.
(A) Apprentice: Apprentice level chthonic creatures summoned via spell or perk can be mutated.
He eyed the Chthonic Mutation tree for a moment before discounting it. While it could provide Avernerius with some amazing abilities, probably, its complete unpredictability made its usefulness impossible to count on, and that was not something one wanted to add into the mix with demons. With a wave of his virtual hand he moved onto the Chthonic Summoning perk tree.
Summon Chthonic Brawler:
This perk allows a warlock to summon a chthonic beast of the Brawler category. Brawlers are demons of brute strength, power and rage. They are engines of destruction. Point them at enemies and get out of the way.
(B) Summon Gorrath: Gorrath are best described as demon gorillas. A shaggy fur the color of flame and brimstone cover these massive beasts and they bear bony protrusions on their shoulders, head, hands and feet. They are incredibly strong and can punch their way through armor and defensive bulwarks. Their intelligence is limited, and their rage is near uncontrolled. When a gorrath is summoned, the warlock must assign an enemy and the gorrath will attack without mercy, fear or a desire for self-preservation. Gorrath often throw their feces which tend to explode causing damage equal to the warlock’s Chthonic Magic Mastery.
(A) Summon Carraxen: Carraxen answer the question what would happen if a dire wolf made sweet, sweet love to a crab and then added in a dash of chthonic malevolence. These chitinous lupines are fast, deadly and are among the best trackers in all the realms. They attack with fangs, claws and a pair of pincer laden arms that protrude from their shoulders.
Summon Chthonic Flyer
This perk allows a warlock to summon a chthonic beast of the Flyer category. Flyers are weaker than their Brawler brethren but have much greater mobility and usually possess some kind of projectile weapon. Few things in the realms are as terrifying as being descended upon from above by a host of chthonic flyers.
(B) Summon Vulccoth: Vulccoth are carrion eaters that resemble gangly, humanoid vultures. Feathers made from sulfur and flame cover their wings and their skin resembles old melted wax. Their scratch can paralyze the weak of mind with fear. They love to swoop down and rake targets with their diseased claws. Anyone scratched by a vulccoth’s claws may contract Chthonic Rot, a leprosy like disease that slowly turns the body to sulfurous ash while driving the victims insane.
(A) Summon Shadowling: Shadowlings are animated shadows of wing, dark flame and claw. When seen, which rarely happens, they appear to be humanoid bat-like creatures. They exude ash laden clouds of shadow and dust that blinds and chokes living creatures and causes 5DMG/Sec of suffocation damage.
To date, all the chthonic creatures Wick had summoned had come via spell and were limited to Xeg and Avernerius. He had considered purchasing one, or more, of the Summon perks on a number of occasions, but had always held out.
Xeg was a pain in the ass on the best of days and those were the days when Wick could still send him back to the chthonic realm. I really need to figure out why he keeps hanging around. He also knew Avernerius would have killed Wick if given the chance. Bringing more hell beasts into the mortal realms was never something to take lightly. There was another option, but first he had to decide which scary monster would provide the most aid. He inspected the Chthonic Avatar perk tree.
Chthonic Avatar:
This perk tree enables a warlock to use the power of the chthonic realm not to summon a demonic creature, but to draw their powers into an avatar. The user must already be able to summon the chthonic creature whose traits will bind to the avatar. This can be via spell or perk.
(B) Base: Base level chthonic creatures summoned via spell or perk can imbue an avatar.
(A) Apprentice: Base level chthonic creatures summoned via spell or perk can imbue an avatar.
Note: A chthonic being summoned under the bonds of Chthonic Binding can act as an avatar.
A plan formed in his mind. Gorrath were strong demonic battering rams. That was exactly what they needed to knock down the door and save Gryph. But, he did not need to summon a gorrath if he also purchased the Base Chthonic Avatar perk. Instead he could give the abilities of a gorrath to Avernerius.
He quickly dragged two Specialty Points into Summon Gorrath and Base Chthonic Avatar. He felt the expected surge of warmth and then moved on to the other perk trees.
Forces of the Chthonic Realm:
This perk tree allows a warlock to harness the physical forces that inhabit the chthonic realm and draw them into another realm for use as weapons.
(B): Tornado of Claws: Summons a hive mind chthonic creature that takes the form of a tornado of slicing and dicing claws. The summoner must designate a target upon casting or risk an uncontrolled tornado that attacks friend and foe alike.
(A): Chthonic Muck: Transforms a 20x20 foot area into the muck found in the fetid swamps of the chthonic realm. It acts like terrestrial quicksand with the added nastiness of slow burning acid and chthonic leeches.
&nb
sp; • ïAny creature caught cannot move for 1 sec per level of Chthonic Magic mastery. Thereafter they are slowed by 100% minus Dexterity for the rest of the spells duration.
• ïSlow Burning Acid does 1DMG/Sec for every 5 levels of Chthonic Magic Mastery.
• ïSummons 1 Chthonic Leech for every 5 levels of Chthonic Magic Mastery. A leech will attach itself to any creature trapped in the muck and do 1 DMG/Sec until bloated (100 points absorbed). Once bloated they will explode for 50 DMG each.
• ïThe muck lasts 5 seconds per level of Chthonic Magic mastery.
He’d long ago selected the Tornado of Claws perk from the Forces of the Chthonic Realm perk tree, because it sounded so damn cool. He had used it only once before, with mixed results, because an arrow in the leg had broken his concentration and the tornado had run amuck, tearing into friend and foe alike.
Chthonic Muck sounded vile and awesome but was not of much use in his current circumstances. He needed to power up Avernerius, not slow Myrthendir and his arachnid minions down.
Chthonic Crafting:
This perk tree allows a warlock who is also a skilled Crafter (Alchemy, Artifice, Imbue, Smithing, etc.) to incorporate powers, creatures and abilities from the chthonic realm into their crafted products. They must be Level 10 or above in an appropriate crafting skill.
(B) Chthonic Damage: Permanent addition of chthonic damage can be added to any weapon crafted by the user. Damage: .25 points per level of Chthonic Magic Mastery.
(A) Chthonic Defense: A permanent addition to the AC of any armor crafted by the user. AC bonus of .25 per level of Chthonic Magic Mastery.