Page 198 - Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations

be working to infiltrate a cult base, encounter an undercover result should also show the character what the Cerulean Sign

keeper already established in the cult, and join forces with her looks like.
to achieve their common goal. DC 30: Characters who achieve this level of success can
learn important details about powerful keepers, including
Organization their names, who they ally themselves with, and details of the
Although the keepers of the Cerulean Sign operate alone, cults they have disrupted.
they understand the value of having friends and allies. A
keeper often offers her services to an organization that has KEEPERS OF THE CERULEAN SIGN
goals similar to her own, such as the Circle of the True or a IN THE GAME
good-aligned religion. In such cases, the keeper is afforded a A keeper of the Cerulean Sign might appear whenever a cult
place on the periphery of the organization. Despite not being of aberration worshipers figures in the storyline. The keeper

a true member, she is nonetheless treated as an equal. Her might not be an obvious part of the story, but her presence HUNTER CHAPTER 9
quarters on site are set off from the rest of the barracks, more should nonetheless be felt at some point by the PCs. Perhaps THE ABERRATION
out of respect than for any other reason. Keepers tend not to they need to convince the keeper of their honorable intentions
be interested in achieving or maintaining positions of power to progress in their quest. Likewise, a keeper might have run
among the leadership of an allied organization. Likewise, they into a dead end in her investigations and could make contact
feel no urge to follow the orders of an allied organization’s with the PCs herself to recruit their aid.
commanders, but they usually do so nonetheless to maintain
goodwill. Adaptation
If your campaign doesn’t feature cultists who worship aber-
NPC Reactions rations or are easily dominated by them, you can still use
A keeper of the Cerulean Sign who displays the sign, either by this prestige class by adjusting its focus. Perhaps the keepers

wearing her personal cerulean sign openly or wearing clothing oppose a specific evil religion in your campaign world or a
or armor emblazoned with the rune, can expect others who corrupt government. One possible way to adapt this prestige
recognize the sign to react appropriately. Aberrations, and class is to reverse its role. Perhaps the keepers serve an ancient
those allied with them, almost always have an initial attitude philosophy that would see the aberrations rule the world.

of hostile toward a keeper. Druids, good clerics, members of They infiltrate churches and organizations and use their skills
the Circle of the True, and similarly minded individuals have to subtly twist and taint the members into worshiping and
an initial attitude of helpful. supporting aberrations, effectively becoming that which the
Strangely, government leaders, paladins, and others with keeper described here works so hard to oppose.
investment in a lawful society distrust those who wear the sign,
most likely because their efforts to uproot and destroy aberra- Encounters
tion cults can completely disrupt the social order, especially A keeper of the Cerulean Sign is most likely to appear as a
when members of the cult also happen to be high-ranking much-needed ally for a company of adventurers campaign-

officials. The keepers of the Cerulean Sign have a reputation for ing against an aberration threat. The keeper might provide
not helping to sort out the mess this creates, since they would spellcasting or information to the PCs, or even join the party
rather turn their efforts toward tracking down the remnants of for a time to battle the aberrations. A keeper might appear as

the cult who might have escaped judgment. As a result, while an enemy if the party includes aberrant heroes such as flesh-

government officials, paladins, and clerics of lawful deities can warpers or characters who have willingly allowed themselves
have a wide range of initial attitudes toward a keeper (usually to be altered with grafts.
indifferent), the keeper takes a –4 penalty on all skill checks EL 13: Three years ago, Selsharra Derissor and her adventur-
made to adjust such an individual’s initial reaction. ing company confronted a widespread and powerful beholder
cult that had poisoned a lonely barony in the backlands of
KEEPER OF THE CERULEAN SIGN Furyondy. She and her friends fought bravely against their
LORE abominable foes and discovered that they were not alone in
Characters with Knowledge (history) can research the keep- their fight. A mysterious wizard named Ildrazar joined their

ers of the Cerulean Sign to learn more about them. When a party and guided them in their battles against the beholder
character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, overlords who ruled the cult. By wielding the power of a potent
including the information from lower DCs. mystic sign, Ildrazar provided assistance that proved decisive
DC 10: “The keepers fight against the formation of cults in their crusade. Before he left, Ildrazar took Selsharra aside

founded by aberrations.” and taught her the secrets of the Cerulean Sign, instructing
DC 15: “The keepers aren’t an organized group; each of their her in the lore of the keepers. She now continues his lonely
members operates alone. They do share a common devotion crusade, seeking resolute and skillful adventurers to whom
to a strange rune.” she might pass on the Sign.
DC 20: “The Cerulean Sign that the keepers revere is an Selsharra is a tall elf with a distant and thoughtful demeanor.
ancient rune that is said to predate the gods themselves.” This She rarely indulges in lighthearted or merry tunes; instead,
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