Children of Rebirth

D&D 3e (3.0/3.5) Rules

by Khirsah

Entry in the 2006 Nexus Organizations Contest.

History

"A tired old priest walks up to you as the congregation says the final words of the prayer. The alter glistens with blood as the young woman chosen for the ritual cries out her dying breath. You smile and turn to the priest. He is new in town, or simply passing through, you are unsure of which.
"Child, i would like to speak with you for a moment," he says, drawing you off into one of the secluded prayer rooms. Your curiousity allows you to be taken along. He asks you questions, quizzing you on matters of faith, then after a while he decides to get to what he really wanted to talk about. "I'm part of a brotherhood to the Lich Lord..."

The Children of Rebirth were started by Sebastian Harpsong, an elven vampire of some years. He was approched by Chemosh and told to build an army of followers and undead to take over the world. That was right after the War of the Souls. The vampire sent out his brood to find the best and brightest followers, giving orders to bring them to the old elven fortress of Sithelbec. He went ahead and laid the Barrier spells around the area, infusing the earth with unholy magic and evil to keep out anything that may try to disturb their unholy work.

The first recruits were brought back and taught the values the group was looking for and sent out as the first Recruiters. They brought back more Inductees and soon the organization swelled, both in number of clerics and masses of undead. Sebastian's brood was assigned various jobs within the camp and the members were set to pretty much carry on the day to day work after about the first year.

They remain in the shadows, collaborating with the clerics of Morgion to find a way to conquer the whole continent. Their vows of secrecy keep the group hidden and safe for now. Soon though, they plan to unleash a plague to bring death to the world so that they may create unlife from the ashes and have the world reborn in the image of their immortal leader and god.

Goals/Motivations

"Go forth Sebastian and create an army. We will rule this world my son and all will bow to an eternity of death."
"As you command, my lord." The vampire bows slowly. His mind is clouded with confustion.
"You have questions." The finely dressed lich lord said.
The former elf nodded. "How do i make an army with so few servants?"
"We have many. Sent your thralls to find those who revere me. Choose only the best and take them as clerics and fighters. When the time comes those left shall willingly become the undead that will fight."
"I see. And through me you will choose this truly worthy?" The lich nodded. "And we keep this a secret until we strike." Again a nod.
"A high cleric of Morgion will find you as well. We will cooperate for now."
A small understanding smile formed on the vampire's face. "I see."
Chemosh stood and smiled as his servant bowed. Before Sebastian could again look up he was gone.

The group's ultimate goal is to bring their Lord to the material plane so that he may rule over all the world. Their short term goals are to build up a large number of followers and create an undead army to beat back the forces of light as they put their plan into effect. Each cultist has been promised a place of power in the new world order as well as the offer of immortality and strength beyond anything they currently imagine.

Membership

"You can tell no one of this offer. Our order cannot even be known by those that worship the lord of death for we are those chosen by him to lead his glorious revolution." The strange priest says softly. You've been confering with him for hours, being quizzed on all matters of faith; the offer somehow doesn't surprise you. Slowly you nod. He stands and offers you his hand. You take it and are helped to your feet. "Gather your things. Tell no one where you are going." He says. Again you nod and leave to get what you need.

Members of the group are sworn to secrecy, even from other followers of Chemosh. Once they are inducted they are supposed to simply vanish from the lives they lived before. They are to be dead to the world, to be reborn as something with a higher purpose. The Children are expected to wear their new allegiance proudly, displaying the medallion of faith that each is given upon completion of the induction ceremony. Other than that they are allowed to wear whatever they wish, though most wear black armor or robes with deep hoods to hide their faces.

Costs and Benefits of Membership

"You can never return to the life you led back there. Your future is before you." The priest says as you exit the city gates. "When you die your body will feed our army, so that even in death you may serve."
You nod and consider what you are being drafted into. Rebirth as a child of chemosh, to become one of his favored because of your faith. It's your dream.
"Serving the master is not all sacrifice child. He will grant you power such as you can only imagine. When the world is his, we will be the masters in his name."

Every member is forced to give up all life, wealth, status, and family they had to prove their dedication. Upon their death, they will be reanimated as undead slaves to the cause they once served willingly. They are all forced to wear their medallions of faith in the open, causing most people to either fear or hate them, granting them a -4 to Charisma around all non evil people. They lose an additional 1 point of Charisma due to their pale, sickly appearance that is caused by the rampant disease in the group headquarters.

Serving the Lord of Undeath has it's advantages as well. All members gain an improved resistance to disease (+1 Con) due to the fact that clerics of Morgion in Sithelbec are experimenting with diseases and being around them builds up a resistance to them. They gain 2 additional cleric spells per day of their highest level and can cast Animate Dead 3 times per day as a spell-like ability.

Headquarters/Areas of Influence

The minotaurs followed the tracks that led deeper into "their" forest, assuming the large number of tracks would lead to another resistance camp. As they continued the air became thick with the scent of rot and decay, causing some of the persuers to lag behind, retching and gasping for clear air. The ones that pressed on soon found themselves overcome by a bone numbing chill that seemed to pierce right to their bones. Those that pressed on into the cold one by one fell. Hours later they rose again and walked with an odd, stumbling stride deeper into the forest and into the pens with the other undead slaves.

The group's current headquarters is in the Silvanesti forest in the ruins of the old fortress Sithelbec. At the present time they are attempting to restore it to house the growing number of members. The minotaurs are kept away from it by the constant chill of death and stink of decay that seems to radiate miles from the ruins. Those loyal to Morgion or Chemosh are immune to the sickening stench and the soul-chilling cold.

Allies and Enemies

All around you the camp seems busy with people hustling about. Now and then a scream arises from a tent nearby. You see the dark robed Children inspecting the pens where they store the mindless undead. Occasionally a cleric of Morgion, recognized by his attire and the medallion around his neck, comes and takes one of the watchers away. He returns soon after with another undead thrall to shove into the pens.
"Avoid those tents." The priest that brought you says as you look toward the sound of screaming.
"Morgion's people are experimenting on some do-gooder that made it past the Barrier."
You nod slowly, a smile forming on your lips. He takes your shoulder and steers you toward a large, plain black tent.

Right now the church of Morgion is the only group they are officially allied with, but that will only last until one of the gods tries to usurp the other in the power struggle for Takhisis' vacant seat as head of the forces of darkness.

In general their relationship with other groups, including the Wizards of High Sorcery stands at a "you stay out of my way and i'll let you live." White Robes are treated curtly, or with open hostility by some, Red Robes are mostly ignored, and many members feel that Black Robes are serving the wrong god. They have a few renegade mages and sorcerers in their ranks, but for the most part they try to avoid the Orders. They are openly hostile to the knights of Solamnia, mainly because the Knights tend to make them sick with their mere presence.

Pretty much any good aligned group is treated with contempt and avoided. Evil groups are treated in many cases as competition. Neutral groups are allowed to live until they get in the way.

Leadership/Organization

A pale figure sits on a very ornate, yet comfortable looking throne. The initiate before you squints into the darkness and is brought closer to the man. The person seems to wince as he notices the faint glow of his red eyes. Around him at his feet are seated five others, they all have the same corpse-like pallor as the creature in the chair. One smiles, revealing a set of bloodstained fangs. The figure stands, his face coming into the light. His features are that of an elf but you know that he is no longer of that race. He is a vampire, as are those at his feet."
The elven vampire extends a fine boned hand toward the other man and you can see him wince in revulsion. He cannot meet the vampire's eyes until an icy hand forces his face up. The vampire's thin lipped face is twisted into a frown. With no visible effort he tosses the man aside and the others approch the broken figure. They fall upon him, his cries echoing throughout the room. The vampire looks and you and waves you in.

Sebastian Harpsong is the "man behind the curtain" so to speak. He is a very old vampire that has been in direct contact with Chemosh since before his demise. His eternal life was a reward for his faith through much suffering, and because the god knew it was a good idea to keep a loyal and charismatic supporter alive. The elf is well versed in all forms of magic as a cleric of Chemosh and a Renegade Mage. He has dabbled in Sorcery as well as Wizardry, though his skill is not quite as good in the former as in the latter.

The hierarchy of the group is rather simple. Sebastian is the uncontested leader, his vampire slaves are his trusted generals. Three, a former human woman named Leann Dernell, a fellow elf-turned-vampire named Alian Windthrall, and a "mutt" named Jacob Ingra, all serve as his generals and tacticians. Beneath them is an intricate network of cultist priests and grunts that for the most part are ranked on power and devotion. Those who wish to rise within the ranks challenge another to a duel, if a person happens to die in such a duel they simply become another minion in the horde of undead. Another two vampires, Frea and Sean Calen, serve as the slave masters; they keep an eye on the undead host that guard the camp and serve as the main commanders for the undead section of the army.

Joining the Organization

The man that stands before you looks like an elf, but his deathly pale skin and faintly glowing red eyes give him away as something more sinister. He wears fadded black robes, embroidered with scenes of death and murder in black thread. Around his neck hangs a heavy wrought iron medallion with the death's head embedded in it. Behind him on the dias sit five others like him. Each smile at you, showing off their bloodied teeth. Those who fail the final test are given to them, as you have seen.
The air grows cold as the master approches you, your body trembling slightly against your will. He smiles and almost appears friendly but that dark hunger in his eyes scares you. Your fear seems to only make him happier. He inspects you, reaching out a hand to touch your face. "Servant of the Lord of Death, kneel." He says, his voice smooth and calm, nothing like you expected it. His hand lingers on your cheek, forcing you to look at his face as you kneel before him. In your head you can feel an intrusion in your mind as if he is looking for something but are unable to do anything. You find that you can't move and panic rises within you. You shove it down and submit. This is the Lord's Chosen.
What feels like an eternity later he releases you from that horrid gaze and speaks again. "Dedication to death and the life that lies beyond is hard to achieve, but the rewards are great." He kneels down before you, and gazes into your eyes again, you notice that they are blood red. "Are you proud of your Lord?" You nod slowly. "Then wear your allegiance with pride, Child of Death."
The weight of a heavy wrought iron medallion is placed around your neck. The elven vampire offers you his hand and helps you up. The chill spreads down your arm but it no longer matters. With a bow you leave the presence of the Chosen and follow a Priest to your new home. You have been reborn as a Child of Death.

Members are chosen from already established churches. When a high ranking member finds a prospective new recruit he spends hours, possibly day talking with the person, gaging their knowledge and understanding along with their devotion to the Lich Lord. Should the member find the person worthy they are offered a place as an Inductee. Should the person refuse they are slain on the spot. If they decide to take the offer they are taken back to Sithelbec and presented to the High Court (Sebastian and his slaves). Should the vampire deem the Inductee fit and worthy, they take the vows and he places them in a position befitting them. Should he find them unfit they are slain and raised as another minion for the army.

Members must be clerics of Chemosh able to cast 3rd level spells. Renegade mages specializing in necromancy can be recruited as well though they are more likely to find the Children rather than be offered a place.

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