Eclipse d20 – Binding Mysterious Spirits IV. Agares, Andras, Arete, Glaysa-Labolas, Astaroth, Belial, Buer, Kabeiroi, Eurynome, Echoing Vengeance, and Oculi Umbra.

As always, Level Four Mysteries build on the Bokor power package, so anyone calling one (or who wants to use one as a template) is assumed to have Witchcraft II, +6d6 Power, Dismissal, The Sight, and Divination already – although those are limited in the Bokor build to wind up with a total cost of 14 CP. Taking the full Bokor package at 24 CP is highly recommended though. As with most Witchcraft enhancements it can be useful to anyone who isn’t a primary spellcaster and the package is tweaked to be as efficient as possible.

Agares (32 CP + 3 CP Disadvantage / Healing Resistant. A character channeling Agares gains only half the benefit of Cure Wounds or Heal spells. Neutralize and Remove spells grant a new save, but are not automatic fixes. On the other hand, the relevant Inflict Wounds, Harm, Contagion, Poison, and Blindness/Deafness spells allow an extra save or have their effect halved).

Agares is yet another resident of the Ars Goetia – according to which he can make runaways and deserters come back or make enemies flee, exalt people or destroy dignities both Temporal and Supernatural, enhance communication, and “make the earth spirits dance” (cause earthquakes). His element is the Earth, his direction is North, and his Sign is Aries, giving him some power over war. As usual, he’s supposed to command legions of lesser spirits, but that’s a listed attribute of every demon in the Ars Goetia, since they were all supposed to be great powers of the abyssal realms. He enjoys teaching immorality and appears as a pale old man riding a crocodile and carrying a hawk.

Wizards of the Coast made him into a General of the Elemental Plane of Earth, granting a small (but untyped) bonus if both he and a foe are touching the ground and immunity to fear (although the standard binder gets that anyway, making it pretty pointless). He also provides a bit of extra protection against airborne foes, lets you understand languages, can shake the earth in a 10′ radius, and lets you call up a (very weak for the level it appears at) earth elemental to help you out. Overall the usual evaluation is somewhere between “Bad” and “Very Bad”.

I’ll be going back towards the original notion – including allowing Agares to control a selection of minions.

• Elemental Leadership: Agares brings along 2 x (Channeler’s Level + Cha Mod) ECL of creatures from the Elemental Planes. Their maximum individual ECL is (Channeler’s Level – 3) and they vanish at 0 HP, returning to the elemental planes. Any that are banished in this fashion cannot be recalled for at least a week, even if you summon Agares again. A channeler does, however, get to select them anew each time they go up a level (9 CP).
• Strength of the Elements; Witchcraft III, Specialized and Corrupted for Triple Effect/each basic ability is limited to a fairly specific, simple effect (rather than allowing dozens), often with additional limitations (6 CP).
  • Hand of Shadows / Shockwave: You radiate a concussive blast. You, and up to (Cha Mod) other creatures of your selection are not affected. Other creatures in a 20′ radius take (2d6+Level, max +20) Force Damage and must make Will saves (DC 16 + Cha Mod) or fall prone (and yes, this will knock down flying creatures if they fail to save).
  • The Adamant Will / Ironheart: You are immune to fear. This is a constant effect with no cost.
  • Witchsight / Read the Winds: You may spend 1 Power to gain 60′ Blindsight for the next hour.
  • The Inner Eye / Language Sharing. You may spend 1 Power to be able to speak and read (if there is a written form) any language spoken by any creature within 30′ for the next hour.
• The Path of Earth/Bones of Iron (6 CP). Allows the user to enhance his strength and toughness in a variety of ways, activating one technique per round as a free action.
• +3d6 Mana as 9d6 (32) Power, Specialized and Corrupted/only to power the Strength of the Elements, above (6 CP).
• Rite of Chi with +12 Bonus Uses, Specialized and Corrupted/only usable between encounters to regain the Strength of the Elements Power Pool, above (8 CP).

This version of Agares commands a selection of elemental minions, can enhance a channeler’s physical form in a variety of ways, possesses a handful of psychic tricks – and allows a summoner to tap into tremendous reserves of power to channel into those abilities (thirteen dedicated uses of Rite of Chi to regain power can be expected to restore 182 Power over the course of a day; a character channeling Agares can afford to burn all 32 points in that dedicated pool in pretty much every fight – making Bones of Iron far more useful). The healing resistance is a nuisance, but the defense it offers is sometimes useful.

Andras (32 CP + 3 CP Disadvantage / Insane. A character channeling Andras sees no inherent value in leaving people alive – and makes no secret of that feeling)

According to the grimoires, Andras can make people quarrel with each other, offers instructions in killing, rides upon a great wolf, and personally kills people – quickly, efficiently, and with great thoroughness. Given that he had a nasty tendency to kill off his summoner, as well as his summoners assistants, allies, friends, and relatives, it’s hard to see why anyone would want to summon him unless they no longer cared for anything but having someone killed. Fortunately, in d20, summoning and controlling a spirit is a routine thing, rather than a great and dangerous act of magic.

• Innate Enchantment (11 CP):
  • Master’s Touch: Andras makes you proficient with whatever you pick up in the way of weapons, armor, and shields (2000 GP).
  • Mountain Stance: Add (L/6 + 1)d6 (to a maximum of +4d6) to the damage inflicted by the target’s melee attacks this round. This is considered normal weapon damage; the spell simply lets the user hit things harder (1400 GP).
  • Personal Haste: +30′ Movement, +1 attack when making a full attack (2000 GP). His channelers appear to be riding a mount, but this is merely appearance; any attacks directed at the “mount” are in fact directed against the channeler.
  • Immortal Vigor: +(12 + 2 x Con Mod) HP (1400 GP).
  • Wrath (+2 Morale Bonus to Strength, +2 Morale Bonus to Constitution, +1 Morale Bonus to Will, -2 AC). X.9 (Cannot be turned off) = 1260 “GP”.
  • Shield: +4 Shield Bonus to AC (2000 GP).
  • Weapons: Composite Longbow (100 GP), Greatsword (50 GP), Longword (15 GP), Scythe (18 GP), Lucerne Hammer (15 GP), Fauchard (14 GP), Naginata (35 GP), and Kusarigama (12 GP).
• Metamagical Theorem: Amplify with +4 levels of Streamline, Specialized and Corrupted/only for Innate Enchantments in this package, only to enhance their caster level one effects (10 CP). Enhanced effects are as follows:
  • Master’s Touch: Provides a Feat related to the weapon (Most often Improved Critical, but it can vary with each weapon and each summoning).
  • Mountain Stance: +2d6 Damage on each physical attack.
  • Personal Haste: +60 Move, +2 Attacks when making a full attack.
  • Immortal Vigor: +(24 + 4 x Con Mod) HP.
  • Shield: +8 Shield Bonus to AC.
  • Wrath: +4 Morale Bonus to Str and Con, +2 Morale Bonus to Will, -4 AC.
• Deathbringer: Witchcraft III, Specialized and Corrupted for Triple Effect/each basic ability is limited to a fairly specific, simple effect (rather than allowing dozens), often with additional limitations (6 CP).
  • Hand of Shadows / Bladestorm: You may spend 2 Power and a standard action to attempt one attack at your full BAB against everyone you desire either along a 60′ line, in a 40′ cone, or in a 15′ radius around yourself. Hits inflict normal damage for your base attack.
  • Witchfire/Choice of Deaths: You may spend 2 Power and a standard action to imbue one weapon (or up to 50 projectiles) with “+2″ worth of weapon enhancements of choice for the next three minutes. This stacks with dissimilar abilities from other sources (albeit not with itself) and need not include an Enhancement Bonus – but weapons without enhancement bonuses do not count as “magic”.
  • Glamour/Mass Murderous Command: You may spend 2 Power and a standard action to subject all enemies within 30′ to a Murderous Command (Pathfinder), Save DC 16 + Cha Mod.
  • Witchfire/Adjust Bow: You may spend 1 Power as a standard action to “customize” a bow for the next 24 hours – adjusting it to suit your strength and grip. You may apply your (Str Mod) to the bows damage.
• +2d6 Mana as 6d6 (21) Power, Specialized and Corrupted/only to power the Strength of the Elements, above (4 CP).
• Rite of Chi with +4 Bonus Uses, Specialized and Corrupted/only usable between encounters to regain the Strength of the Elements Power Pool, above (4 CP).

This version of Andras gives you proficiency with everything, boosted movement and attacks, bonuses to Str (+4), Con (+4), Damage (+2d6), Will (+2), and AC (+4) which always apply, a free Feat of choice with every weapon, mass murderous command, the ability to add magical properties to your weapons, and the ability to make area of effect attacks. Sadly this doesn’t let you play games converting a “Smite Evil” effect to other things – but if that was the attraction… find something you can have fun with without a cheap exploit.

Arete (32 CP + 3 CP Disadvantage / Compulsive (Insatiable Curiosity). Arete fills channelers with the urge to comprehend all things. Any attempt to do research or gather information while hosting Arete will take 1d4+2 times as long, but will also yield 1d3 interesting bits of information. If a character gathers enough experience points to level while hosting Arete, he or she must spend at least 4 CP on Knowledges).

Arete isn’t a classical demon, or even a creature; it’s a word. In greek it’s “Excellence”, “Moral Virtue”, “Knowledge”, or “Fulfilled Potential” and applies to all kinds of things. The arete of a fine stallion is quite different from that of a bird, house, or person. As an english noun, it’s “the aggregate of qualities, as valor and virtue, making up good character” – or, in french, “a sharp ridge separating two cirques or glacial valleys in mountainous regions” (I have no idea if there’s some sort of linguistic relationship buried there or not). In White Wolf’s Mage it’s a measure of enlightenment. Wizards of the Coast used it as the name for a Psionic Vestige which (sadly enough) provides a bit of Power, three near-useless psionic abilities, some damage reduction, and a save boost. None of that is all that impressive, and while the damage reduction is nice, you still need some actual powers to do anything. Ergo, I’m going to use a more eastern concept of what “enlightenment” means and go for “health-bestowing”.

• +1d6 Mana as 3d6 (10) Power (6 CP).
• Advanced Occult Talent using Psychic Spellcasting (2 Power/Spell Level), Specialized for Double Effect (no L0 spells, doubled (6) L1 Spells, +12 Power) (12 CP): Lesser Vigor (Spell Compendium), Lesser Restoration (SRD), Sustenance (The Practical Enchanter), Protection From Evil (SRD), Divine Favor (SRD), and Remove Sickness (Pathfinder).
• Double Enthusiast, Specialized and Corrupted for Triple Effect/Only to buy Resistance (6 CP). This provides a total of a +4 bonus to divide between your saves.
• Immunity: Time required to change Enthusiast (Uncommon, Minor, Great, Specialized in the Save bonus above, 3 CP). This allows the resistance bonus to be re-allotted each round as a free action.
• Damage Reduction 3/-, Specialized in Physical Attacks for Double Effect (6/-) (6 CP).

This mystery allows a channeler to restore their, and others, bodies when they are injured and to resist various attacks to some degree – but channeling a near forgotten notion of physical virtue simply isn’t very effective, even if the Mystery is a notable improvement on the Vestige. Forget Arete. It simply isn’t a good choice. If you want a serious healing Mystery, call upon…

Glasya-Labolas (Bonus Mystery, 32 CP + 3 CP Disadvantage / Compulsive. Glasya-Labolas is a collector of monster organs, exotic poisons, lethal viruses, deadly plants and animals, and similar items, and will tend to pick them up along the way. This… can be VERY difficult to explain.

In demonology, Glasya-Labolas teaches the liberal arts, and has mastered many secrets of the body and soul (in this case allowing him healing skills and granting his channelers instantaneous regeneration of minor wounds). He grants murderous skills to those he inspires, makes men invisible, and sees the past, present ,and the future. He appears as a dog with gryphon wings.

In this case I’m going to lean heavily on the (vague) association with healing, so as to provide a useful, and reasonably low-level, healing Mystery.

• Damage Reduction 3/-, Specialized in Physical Attacks for Double Effect (6/-) (6 CP). Wounds inflicted on one who hosts Glasya-Labolas will heal themselves, at least to some extent, virtually instantaneously.
• Master Physician: Witchcraft III, Specialized and Corrupted for Triple Effect/each basic ability is limited to a fairly specific, simple effect (rather than allowing dozens), often with additional limitations (6 CP).
  • Hyloka/Breath of Life: You may spend 1 Power and a standard action to provide your target with a full days worth of healing (2 HP/Level and/or 2 points of Attribute Damage and a bonus check against negative levels, the first two doubled and the negative level save given a +5 with a DC 15 Heal Check; this check may be made as a part of the casting).
  • Witchsight/Diagnostics: Provides a +12 bonus to the Heal skill at no cost.
  • Hyloka/Healing Mastery. You may spend 3 Power and a Standard Action to produce the effects of a Panacea spell (Spell Compendium).
  • Witchsight/The Evil Doctor’s Trick: You may spend 1 Power as a Swift Action to gain +4d6 Sneak Attack for one hour.
• Master PhysicianMaster Physician//Blessing, Specialized and Corrupted/Only for Saving Throws. Bestow a +2/+3/+4 Luck Bonus to Saves at levels 3+/7+/12+ to an individual for ten minutes for 1 Power, to all desired targets within 30′ for 2 Power (6 CP).
• Breath of Puruza (6 CP). The user may support their life processes with Power, allowing him or her to override paralysis, pain, normally fatal damage, poisons, and other problems.
• +3d6 Mana as +9d6 (32) Power, Specialized and Corrupted/only to power the six Master Physician abilities listed above (6 CP).
• Rite of Chi with +6 Bonus Uses, Specialized and Corrupted/only for Power, only to rebuild the Master Physician Power Pool above (5 CP).

Glasya-Labolas is a formidable healer, although – as usual – hit points are generally best restored out of combat. Incapacitating conditions, however, are often well worth fixing during a fight. He offers some decent defensive and minor offensive boosts and lets his channelers resist a variety of special attacks. He’s still not a particularly spectacular Mystery, but he can be quite useful.

Astaroth (32 CP + 3 CP Disadvantage / Compulsive. Those channeling Astaroth can never admit that anyone else is right about anything, always feeling it necessary to say “except when…” for anything more complex that simple observations).

According to the grimoires, Astaroth seduces mortals into evil and madness by means of vanity, laziness, and philosophical rationalizations. He teaches mathematics, crafts, the arts of oratory and invisibility. and can draw upon hidden treasures. He is wise, and grants power over serpents. Wizards of the Coast made him smell bad. I have no idea why, although I might be able to dig up something by going through his associations.

• Lore of Ages: +1 on each of the eight basic Knowledges, Specialized/does not actually provide a bonus, merely allows making all Knowledge Checks as Skilled Checks (4 CP).
• Secrets of the Cosmos: Luck with +4 Bonus Uses, Specialized for Half Cost, Corrupted for Increased Effect (May “Take 30″ in advance or “Take 15″ after the roll). Only for Skills, only for Knowledge Skills (6 CP).
• Master of Manipulation: Witchcraft III, Specialized and Corrupted for Triple Effect/each basic ability is limited to a fairly specific, simple effect (rather than allowing dozens), often with additional limitations (6 CP).
  • Witchfire/Breath of Synthesis. You may spend 2 Power and a Standard Action to “exhale” a 60′ cone of irritating or nauseating gas. Those in the area and not immune to poisons must make a DC (16 + Cha Mod) Fortitude Save or suffer your choice of a primary effect for one round and a secondary effect for 1d4 additional rounds. Those who save only suffer the secondary effect for one round. Possible effects include Nauseated/Sickened, Blinded/Dazzled, Frightened/Shaken, and Exhausted/Fatigued. Since this is a physical manipulation of the atmosphere, spell and power resistance does not apply.
  • Glamour/Honeyed Words: Gain a +12 bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate at no cost.
  • Witchfire: Gain a +6 bonus on Craft skills at no cost.
  • Glamour/Suggestion: You may spend 1 Power to use a Suggestion effect as a supernatural power with a Will save DC of (16 + Cha Mod).
• +4d6 Mana as +12d6 (42) Power, Specialized and Corrupted/only to power the four Manipulative powers listed above (8 CP).
• Rite of Chi with +6 Bonus Uses, Specialized and Corrupted/only for Power, only to rebuild the power pool for his Manipulative Powers, above (5 CP).
• Double Enthusiast, Specialized and Corrupted/only to take a Crafting-related abilities, can only be changed when Astaroth is summoned (6 CP).

Astaroth is obviously a powerful crafter, capable – if working with someone who can provide the necessary spells and powers – of making almost any item a party might require. Of course, there are a lot of other ways to do that.

For some reason (lack of communication between writers?) there’s another version of Asteroth. It’s mostly notable because it uses a mechanic from the Book of Vile Darkness – Vile Damage That’s damage, whether to hit points or an ability, which is just such an evil violation of a characters body or soul that it can only be healed by casting appropriate healing magic within the area of a Consecrate or Hallow spell (apparently going to a good-dominant plane will not work). It also works on inanimate objects and on things that are MADE of evilness, but oh well. It may or may not thwart regeneration and (natural) fast healing; the book never says. There are a number of feats and enhancements which allow their user’s to add one point of vile damage to their attacks (although there’s nothing about how it interacts with damage reduction), a way to make half the damage of a spell-like ability vile which specifically notes that an immunity to the base damage type of the ability will protect you (nothing about whether resistance helps – although it seems like it should; if you don’t take the damage how can it be vile?).

Of course, by the time a party encounters any of the (extremely rare) sources of Vile Damage… getting an area Consecrated is generally trivial. It’s only a second level spell. The only real point is to say “You can’t heal this during combat!” – but in-combat healing generally isn’t a big thing anyway, although the Book of Vile Darkness tries to make Vile Damage a very big deal indeed.

Ergo, here we have…

Belial, the Tongue of Corruption (32 CP + 3 CP Disadvantage / Untrustworthy. While you channel Belial, people will see you as untrustworthy and you will have a terrible time convincing them of even the most obvious truths. Annoyingly, this never works when you WANT it to. It has no effect when trying to convince people of untruths).

Belial renders things worthless, corrupting vows, properties, intentions, and sacred places alike.

• Augmented Bonus: Add (Cha Mod) to (Int Mod) for Skill Points through L1, Specialized and Corrupted for Triple Effect/may only be spent on Bluff, Disguise, and Intimidate, must be evenly split between them. This effectively provides a bonus of (Cha Mod) x 4 skill points in each of those skills (6 CP).
• (1 + 4 x Cha Mod) uses of Channeling, Specialized/only for Conversion, Conversion to a set of Sixth Level Spells, both Corrupted / the powers of Belial render that which is nearby worthless. Each time you employ these powers you will drain a charge from some nearby magical item at the option of the game master (18 CP).
  • Cancerous Rune: Up to eight creatures within short range will be surrounded by an aura that distorts incoming healing effects; for the next twenty-four hours (10 minutes if a DC 16 + Cha Mod) Will save succeeds) or until they receive a Remove Curse spell. During that time healing is ineffectual, producing strange growths, stinking pussy discharges, and similar messes instead of repairing any damage.
  • Corrosive Rune: As per Acid Storm. Save DC (16 + Cha Mod).
  • Plague Rune: As per Bestow Curse, but with medium range and affecting up to 4 targets within a 30′ radius. Save DC (16 + Cha Mod). If used to curse an area it can Desecrate it or counter a Hallow effect for an hour.
  • Desiccating Rune: As per Mummify. Save DC (16 + Cha Mod).
• Casting the Runes: Enthusiast, Specialized for Increased Effect (+2 CP) and Corrupted for Reduced Cost (2 CP). Only to expand the user’s Witchcraft Abilities, and only two choices, selected from when Belial is summoned: either +10 Power or to upgrade The Sight and Divination to Corrupted for Increased Effect (the two abilities also offer access to Contact Other Plane, Divination, Locate Weakness (Pathfinder), and Unluck. All, where relevant, require a Standard Action, the expenditure of 2 Power, and have a Will Save DC of (16 + Cha Mod).
• Shattering Runes. You may augment your attacks with destructive runes, allowing them to better penetrate defenses. Augmented Attack/+3d6 (+10) Damage to overcome Damage Reduction and Hardness Only (9 CP).

Belial provides a reasonably strong offense, some social skills, and excellent sources of information. While he lacks the raw power in any given field that comes with specialization, he also covers a much broader range of abilities than most Mysteries. If you aren’t sure what you’re going to be facing, Belial is an excellent choice.

Buer (32 CP + 3 CP Disadvantage / Obligations. Buer is a healer, and those channeling him share his oaths. The user must go to the aid of plague-stricken villages, stop to help disaster victims, and aid those who have been injured by accidents).

According to the Ars Geotia Buer teaches Natural and Moral Philosophy, Logic, and the virtues of all herbs and plants. He also heals all infirmities and gives good familiars. He is depicted in the shape of a centaur with a bow and arrows.

Wizards of the Coast gave him a sex change and focused on healing powers. Of course, as usual, Buer has a problem. Her healing powers may be unlimited use, but they’re simply too weak to be useful in combat – and she’s not supposed to be available until sixth or seventh level, by which time getting healed up between fights is pretty trivial, even if you have to resort to a nice, cheap, Wand of Lesser Vigor or have everyone put on Healing Belts after the fight.

Well, the “Virtues of all herbs and plants” is pretty strongly linked to herbal medicine, and the healing all infirmities is blatant – so the healing part seems fair enough. Ergo, a competent healer with a few other powers.

• Adept: Heal, Knowledge/Nature, and Survival (6 CP).
• Augmented Bonus: Add (Cha Mod) to (Int Mod) for Skill Points through L1, Specialized and Corrupted for Triple Effect/may only be spent on the three Adept skills, must be evenly split between them. This effectively provides a bonus of (Cha Mod) x 4 skill points in each of those skills. With Adept, that gets you a base of (Cha Mod x 8) (6 CP). Fortunately, skill bonuses from Templates are uncapped.
• Nature’s Path: Witchcraft III, Specialized and Corrupted for Triple Effect/each basic ability is limited to a fairly specific, simple effect (rather than allowing dozens), often with additional limitations (6 CP).
  • Witchsight/Diagnostics: Provides a +12 bonus to the Heal skill at no cost.
  • Hand of Shadows/Words of Power: You may spend 2 Power and a Swift Action to apply a physical skill (and the equivalent of one minute of work) to every appropriate target within 30 feet. While the effect need not be the same for all targets, unwilling targets get a Will save (DC 16 + Cha Mod) to resist.
  • Hyloka: You save against poisons and diseases with a +15 bonus and do not automatically fail on a “1″. If you make your save, the poison or disease is completely eliminated from your system.
  • Witchsight/Nature’s Awareness. You gain a +8 bonus to Survival and Knowledge/Nature, may track at normal speed without penalty, and may roll to identify plants, animals, and pure water as a free action. There is no cost to use this ability.
• Immunity: The normal limits of the Heal skill (Uncommon, Major, Major, 6 CP). In general, this allows the user to produce quasi-magical effects (Cure or Close Wounds, Panacea, Revify/Breath of Life, Heal, Cure/Delay Disease, Cure/Delay Poison, Restoration, Heal, Remove Paralysis, etc, etc, etc…) at a DC of (35 + 5 x Spell Level). Sadly, a target can only accept (Constitution) effective levels of such effects daily and attempting to raise someone who’s been dead for more five minutes will, at best, produce an uncontrolled flesh golem – and usually fails entirely. The user may also use 3.5 rules, Pathfinder Rules, or Pathfinder Unchained rules when using the Heal skill as he or she desires. Note that, if using Pathfinder rules, this effect may also be used to hurt people.
  • It’s worth noting that – presuming a host with a +4 Charisma Bonus – Buer grants a base heal check of (+32 “Racial” +12 (Untyped) +2 (Masterwork Kit) = +46, +49 if the Skill Speciality applies, plus the hosts Wisdom Modifier – and if the host has some skill at healing, it gets added right in.
• Form of the Centaur: While you channel Buer you may change into a Centaur whenever you wish. Innate Enchantment, Spell Level One x Caster Level One x 2000 GP Unlimited-Use Use-Activated x.7 Personal Only when applicable: Enlarge Person (Does not allow the use of larger weapons, x.7, 980 GP), Barkskin (+2 Natural armor, 1400 GP), Personal Haste (Only to increase movement, x.7, 980 GP), Wrath (Morale Bonuses: +2 Str, +2 Con, +1 Will, -2 AC, 1400 GP), +2 Str (Enh, 1400 GP), +2 Con (Enh, 1400 GP), Ant Haul (1400 GP, triple carrying capacity), Claws (Hooves) of the Bear (2000 GP), and Boots of the Earth (Pathfinder, 5000 GP) = 16,720 GP. Specialized; this is an all or nothing deal and involves taking the form of a centaur, which is often awkward (9 CP).
• Immunity/the need to actually have a Healer’s Kit to get the bonus for having one (Uncommon, Trivial, Trivial, 1 CP).
• Skill Specialty: Healing, +3 to produce the effects of spells in the Healing domain (1 CP).

This version of Buer is an effective combat healer – capable of providing healing that covers both physical damage and status conditions, to multiple characters at once, at a modest range, and as a swift action. If offensive applications of the Heal skill are allowed in the game, she can also do things like Cause Wounds as a part of the same action. The (considerable) bonuses to Survival and Knowledge/Nature – along with the ability to take the form of a centaur – are simply bonuses, as this version of Buer is well worth channeling in her own right.

Kabeiroi (32 CP + 3 CP Disadvantage / Obligations. Whenever you visit a settlement and are currently channeling Kabeiroi you must attempt to organize a celebration or party in honor of the local goddesses of nature and magic).

The Kabeiroi / Cabiri were very minor, and very obscure, secondary divinities of the Greek mythos. From the few mentions… they were probably sons of Hephaestus, and helped him at his forge. They may have also (for some reason and in some stories) presided over celebrations and dances held in honor of Demeter, Persephone, and Hekate. They may have occasionally came to the aid of distressed sailors. Anything beyond those fragments is pretty much unknown.

I suppose that would qualify them as a Vestige, but there’s very little to go on here – which may be why the Wizards of the Coast version is almost completely useless. Ergo, I shall build a more effective Mystery. For my purposes… I shall assume that he/they were the offspring of Eurynome (below) through an affair with Hephaestus, took her side in a quarrel with Zeus, and wound up being thrown out of normal existence along with her.

• Augmented Bonus: Add (Cha Mod) to (Int Mod) for Skill Points through L1, Specialized and Corrupted for Triple Effect/may only be spent on Craft/Metalworking, Perform/Dance, and Profession/Sailor, must be evenly split between them. This effectively provides a bonus of (Cha Mod) x 4 skill points in each of those skills. (6 CP)
• Doubled Enthusiast, Specialized and Corrupted for Increased Effect, only to buy Augmented Bonus (Add another attribute modifier to to DC of some of the user’s occult effects). The original version purchased an effect that was ALSO Specialized and Corrupted for triple effect (Scrying spells only) – which sounded nice until you noted that the only scrying effects are few and far between and the Wizards of the Coast version did not provide one that had a save in the first place. This version can, however, be used to boost a wide variety of different abilities (6 CP).
• Eyes of the Night/Witchcraft III, Specialized and Corrupted for Triple Effect/each basic ability is limited to a fairly specific, simple effect (rather than allowing dozens), often with additional limitations (6 CP).
  • Dreamfaring/The Wandering Spark: The user may spend 1 Power and a Standard Action to release a tiny spark of his or her own essence as a probe – an effect equivalent to an Arcane Eye spell.
  • Witchsight/Eyes of the Night: The user has Darkvision and Low-Light Vision, or an extended version if he or she has Darkvision already. This has no cost.
  • Glamour/Horrific Visions: The user may spend 2 power and a Standard Action to unleash a Phantasmal Killer (Save DC 16 + Cha Mod).
  • Witchfire: Eyes of Fire: You may spend 2 Power and a Swift Action to gain a Gaze Attack that inflicts 3d6 Fire damage, or half that against a DC (16 + Cha Mod) Fortitude Save for up to one round per level. This supernatural ability works on constructs.
• Nightforge (6 CP). Where Cabiri chooses to see darkness, it becomes impenetrable.
• +3d6 Mana as +9d6 (32) Power, Specialized and Corrupted/only to power the four Manipulative powers listed above (6 CP).
• Rite of Chi with +6 Bonus Uses, Specialized and Corrupted/only for Power, only to rebuild the power pool for his Eyes of the Night Powers, above (5 CP).

Kabeiroi is reasonably effective, and his (their?) abilities work fairly well when combined with almost any type of spellcaster. He/they still suffers a bit from the lack of any real theme, but you can’t have everything. Clever players may want to focus the “group of occult abilities” DC boost on Phantasmal Killer, making it extremely lethal; it’s probably best to think about the likely results for a few moments before allowing that option.

Eurynome (32 CP + 3 CP Disadvantage / Corrosively Sarcastic. Anyone hosting Eurynome cannot hold their tongue, suffering a -5 modifier on Diplomacy checks).

Another Greek wanderer, Eurynome (“She of Broad Pastures”) was Zeus’s third wife, goddess of water-meadows and pasture, and mother of the Kharites / Charities – minor goddesses of grace and beauty. She was one of the sea-goddesses who caught Hephaestus when he was cast from Olympus. A very minor figure yes, but there wasn’t anything to suggest her being more or less banished from reality. Robert Graves argued that classical scholars lacked “the poetic capacity to forensically examine mythology” and that he was therefore uniquely qualified to determine what the “original” myths (that supposedly gave rise to the myths we’ve actually got) had been – based on nothing but his intuition (actual scholars call this “making stuff up”). He created a supposedly Pelasgian story wherein Eurynome was a supreme goddess who created the universe by dancing on the waves. I’m going to discount that one. If I’m going to go with sources people simply made up, I’d at least like them to be popular enough for most players to identify or find easily on the internet.

OK, so a minor nature goddess of the wetlands who got severely upset with her husband Zeus and wound up being banished from reality for it? Perhaps after going to Hephaestus for a really good weapon to smack him with?

• Augmented Bonus: Add (Cha Mod) to (Int Mod) for Skill Points through L1, Specialized and Corrupted for Triple Effect/points may only be spent on the Sky Cutting Martial Art, Handle Animal, and Knowledge/Nature and must be evenly split between them (6 CP). This effectively provides a bonus of (Cha Mod) x 4 skill points in each those three skills. If the user doesn’t have the skill otherwse the relevant attribute modifier gets added in as well (For the Sky Cutting Style it’s Dex).
• Immunity/The Distinction between Occult Techniques and Advanced/Master Techniques (Uncommon, Minor, Major, Specialized and Corrupted/only to allow the Sky Cutter Martial Arts allotment of Occult Techniques to be replaced with Advanced or Master Techniques (1 CP).
  • Sky Cutting Total: 01: DR 1/-, 03: DR 2/-, 05: Attack +1, 07: Combat Reflexes, 09: Mighty Blow (opponent is automatically tripped on a critical hit), 11: Blinding Strike (opponent suffers penalties on a critical hit), 13: Crippling (may opt to do 1d4 Constitution damage instead of extra hit point damage on a critical hit), 15) Attack +2, 17) Improved Trip, 19: Mind Like Moon, 21: +5′ Reach, 23: Prone Combat, 25: Attack +3, 27: DR 3/-, 29: Attack +4, 31: DR 4/-, 33: Power +1, 35: Power +2, 37: Power +3, and 39: Power +4.
• Innate Enchantment, Corrupted/user is covered with glowing “tattoos” which clearly give away that the user is channeling Eurynome and the powers that he or she has available (including the current abilities of Munkattingusupia) when any of these powers are active. (8 CP).
  • Munkattingusupia, an Adamant Pitspawned (+2 to confirm criticals) Fauchard (1d10, Crit 18-20/x2, Reach, Trip, with a Wand Chamber (4114 GP). The channeler can call this weapon forth at will, but it will vanish one round after it leaves his or her hand.
  • Floating Disc with Rapid Casting (cost x 2), only usable to allow the channeler to walk along a few feet above a surface on a “cloud of mist” (x.5) – avoiding leaving a trail and gaining a +1 to hit in Melee for being on higher ground (2000 GP).
  • Master’s Touch, only to grant the channeler proficiency with Munkattingusupia, Eurynome’s personal weapon (x.4) = 800 GP.
  • Enlarge Person, Personal-Only (x.7) (1400 GP). However minor, Eurynome was still a Greek Goddess. She and her hosts tower over everyone else.
  • Speak with Animals (2000 GP).
• Immunity to Dispelling effects (Common/Minor/Great, Specialized and Corrupted / only to protect Innate Enchantments, Only those that come with this Mystery, 4 CP).
• Presence/Shocking (Corrosive) Grasp, Specialized and Corrupted/only works on creatures which wound her with natural weapons or swallow her, leaves your clothing severely damaged after a few hours of channeling her (2 CP).
• Immunity/to not being able to use a Reach Weapon to attack adjacent spaces normally (Common, Minor, Minor, Specialized in Fauchard, 2 CP).
• Munkattingusupia (The Moon-Cutting Blade): Improved Superior Focused Imbuement, Specialized for Reduced Cost/only works on Adamantium Pitcrafted Fauchards (12 CP).
  • Levels 1-2: +1
  • Levels 3-4: +1 Corrosive
  • Levels 5-6 +1: Corrosive Keen
  • Levels 7-8: +1 Corrosive Keen Energy Surge
  • Levels 9-10: +2 Corrosive Keen Energy Surge
  • Levels 11-12: +1 Corrosive Keen Energy Surge Vampiric
  • Levels 13-14: +1 Corrosive Keen Energy Surge Vampiric Priced Functions (Difference between +6 and +7, 26,000 GP); Prismatic 3/Day (18,000), Intelligent (Int 10, Cha 10, Wis 12, 1000), Telepathy (1000), 120′ Senses (1000), Ring of the Forcewall Functions (5100). Special Purpose: Aid the Channeler of Eurynome. Since the weapons intelligence is a manifestation of the user’s powers Ego is irrelevant. Munkattingusupia has it’s own actions to use it’s Forcewall Ring in; it usually holds to block charges and such.
  • Levels 15-16: +1 Corrosive Keen Energy Surge Vampiric Priced Functions (Difference between +6 and +8; 56,000 GP); Prismatic (30,000), Intelligent (Int 10, Cha 10, Wis 12, 1000), Telepathy (1000), 120′ Senses (1000), can draw a charge from any device that casts a “Cure” spell to generate a Panacea effect 2/day (Panacea, with the Arcanum Minimus/Magical Devices limitation, making it L3, 12,000 GP). Magic Missile 3/Day (1200), Acid (Shocking) Grasp 3/Day (Usually used to boost an attack, 1200), Resurgence 3/Day (1200)), Acid (Magic) Missiles 3/Day (1200), Special Purpose: Aid the Channeler of Eurynome (no cost), “possesses” a Ring of the Forcewall (5100) and a Healing Belt (750) = 55,650 GP.
  • Levels 17–18: +1 Corrosive Keen Energy Surge Vampiric Priced Functions (Difference between +6 and +9; 90,000 GP); As per L15-16, but upgrade Panacea to unlimited (or as many times as you have charges to fuel it) use (+18,000 GP), add Read Languages (1000 GP), Read Magic (2000 GP), and Blindsense (5000 GP), Aquatic (2000 GP), Everbright (2000 GP), “possesses” Goggles of the Golden Sun (Acid variant “Fireball”, 4000 GP).
  • Levels 19-20: +1 Corrosive Keen Energy Surge Vampiric Heretical (as per Magebane, but targets divine casters and those using divinely-granted powers) Priced Functions (Difference between +7 and +10; 102,000 GP); As per L17-18, adding Gauntlets of Ghost Fighting (4000 GP), Sphere of Awakening (1800 GP), Orb of Mental Renewal (3100 GP) and Rod of Bodily Restoration (3100 GP).

Eurynome is actually fairly nasty, particularly at high levels where Munkattingusupia comes into its own. With a high critical range, a bunch of different critical-based effects thrown in, high base damage, and the support of a spellcasting sapient weapon she can be quite effective in melee. Given that she’s a fourth level Mystery – and so comes into play just when a Bokor can channel two at once – her most obvious compliment is Andras. The two of them make a fairly nasty combo.

Kas was originally a lieutenant of the arch-lich Vecna. He was supposedly given a massively powerful artifact-sword, tried to overthrow Vecna, and lost. Thus the “Sword of Kas” way back on the first edition artifact list (+6 Defender short sword, Int 15, Ego 19, double damage against non-Prime Material Plane beings. 5 benign powers, 2 major powers, 1 minor malevolent power, 2 major malevolent powers, 2 prime powers and 1 side effect). Edition bloat took over later of course.

Kas actually has a sensible reason to be a Vestige. Presumably Vecna killed him really thoroughly. He even has a good reason to have it in for Undead. Of course… “A powerful warrior who was really thoroughly killed by a Lich and who’s remaining soul-fragments really hate the undead” is a good deal more generic than you think; how many powerful warriors do you think have been really nastily killed by Liches throughout the history of the multiverse? I’d say “a lot”. So, OK; that’s easy enough. Ergo…

Echoing Vengeance (32 CP + 3 CP Disadvantage / Compulsively attacks the Undead, barring a DC 15 Will save).

They died horribly, leaving nothing behind save rage, and echoing pain, and a cry for vengeance with no throat to hold it or body to let it act. Mingling on the borders of life and death, concerns of mortality shed, but unwilling to depart, those manifold cries form a great pool of power – a dark well that only the most foolhardy would dare to touch.

Still, most adventurers don’t even seem to know what “caution” means.

• Double Enthusiast, Specialized and Corrupted/Only for buying Imbuement (something the user normally wears, causing it to operate like a Gem of Fortification) Specialized in Fortification and Resistance to Negative Energy for Double Effect (6 CP). This results in Light fortification at L1, Light Fortification and Medium Fortification against Undead at L3, Medium Fortification at L5, Medium Fortification, Heavy against Undead at L7, Heavy Fortification at L9, Heavy Fortification Death Ward at L11, Heavy Fortification Death Ward II (3 Uses/Day) at L13, Heavy Fortification Death Ward III (6 Uses/Day) at L15, and Heavy Fortification Soulfire at L17+.

Adding multiple uses of things to armor is a little odd; a first use costs [(Existing Bonus + Bonus of Ability) squared – (Existing Bonus) squared] x 1000 GP. In this case the first instance of Death Ward costs [(5 + 1) x (5 + 1) – (5 x 5)] x 1000 GP = 11,000 GP. The Second instance costs 13,000 GP, and the third costs 15,000 GP – so each extra use gets progressively more expensive. Ergo, adding a second instance adds (the baseline number of uses + the number of times the ability has been added past the first) uses.

• Augmented Attack, +4d6 (15) damage, only to overcome Damage Reduction, Specialized/only versus Undead (6 CP).
• Proficiency with Swords (6 CP).
• Witchcraft III, Specialized and Corrupted for Triple Effect/each basic ability is limited to a fairly specific, simple effect (rather than allowing dozens), often with additional limitations (6 CP).
  • Elfshot/Blinding Strike: The user may expend 2 Power on a critical hit (this does not count as an action) to force the target to make a Will Save at DC (16 + Cha Mod) or be stricken permanently blind. This affects constructs, undead, and other creatures unless they’re immune to curses.
  • Glamour/Iron Will: The user gains a +8 bonus on Bluff and Intimidate at no cost.
  • The Adamant Will/Deathless Rage: The user is immune to all fear and to mind-affecting powers used by Undead at no cost.
  • Shadowweave/Vengeful Gaze: The user may spend 3 Power and a Standard Action to generate a Prismatic Ray with a save DC of (18 + Cha Mod).
• +3d6 Mana as +9d6 (32) Power, Specialized and Corrupted/only to power the four Manipulative powers listed above (6 CP).
• Rite of Chi with +6 Bonus Uses, Specialized and Corrupted/only for Power, only to rebuild the power pool for his Eyes of the Night Powers, above (5 CP).

Echoing Vengeance is obviously at its best against undead (and has obvious synergies with Eurynome), but is fairly handy for anyone who wants to try being fighty – especially at higher levels, where his Fortification and Soulfire are fully online. Minor variants – substituting other groups for “undead” – are certainly possible. A Dragonslayer version might have protection from energy or breath weapons instead of Soulfire, while a Demonslayer would take still other things – but the basic pattern is obvious enough.

Oculi Umbra (32 CP + 3 CP Disadvantage / Blocked. While channeling Oculi Umbra you cannot use any light-based effects).

Tenebrous is a bit of a problem. First of all, “tenebrous” isn’t a name, or any kind of traditional demonic or mythic creature; it’s just a mildly-uncommon word that means “shadowy” – derived from Tenebrae (“Darkness”). That’s not really a lot to go on.

Tenebrous also illustrates one of the major problems with conversions to Eclipse. Depending on how you read his/her “Turning” ability it may or may not offer limitless uses of Channeling. Eclipse adds enough high-end options for Channeling to turn it into a power source on a level with primary spellcasting. Unfortunately, that means that bestowing unlimited-use Channeling is roughly equivalent to giving a Sorcerer unlimited use of his or her spells. Ergo, I’m going with the interpretation that says “as a cleric” means that uses are limited as a basic cleric and providing a few other little upgrades.

So… let us create that which looks with envy upon existence, peering out from every shadow – Oculi Umbra.

• Channeling (either positive or negative): 3 + (3 x Cha Mod) uses per day at +4 Intensity, Corrupted / you may only spend one of these uses every five rounds (18 CP).
• +10 Bonus Uses of Channeling, Specialized and Corrupted/only for Conversion, below, activates Aura of the Night and Eyes of Shadow automatically during the Summoning and must be used (if available) to reactivate either if they are deactivated during the summoning (5 CP).
• Conversion to any one of a set of level five spells (12 CP):
  • Aura of the Night: Deeper Darkness with +2 levels of Sculpting (may alter the radius from 0 (inactive) up to a 60′ radius as a free action, +1 level of Difficult to Dispel (+5 verus Dispelling), and -1 level for 3+ levels of built-in Metamagic = L5 Base.
  • Before The Darkness: As a swift action you infuse up to two weapons, your unarmed attacks, or up to 100 projectiles (in two groups of fifty) with primal power for one minute. During that time those weapons inflict 4d8 extra damage – 1d8 each of Fire, Lightning, Acid, and Sonic damage. (L1 Blades of Fire, +1 level extended duration, +3 levels combined spell (4 x L1), +0 levels Change Elemental Type, +1 level of Difficult to Dispel (+5 verus Dispelling), -1 level for 3+ levels of built-in Metamagic = L5 Base.
  • Eyes of Shadow: Dragonsight (Spell Compendium, L5).
  • Oblivion Stride: For one minute per level you can bend space – ignoring up to 60 feet of distance once per round as an immediate action. This may be used to move from place to place, ignoring barriers that do not stop planar travel, to dodge an attack (providing a 50% miss chance), or to make a single melee attack at range without moving from your current position. You do threaten each square within range, but are still limited to a single strike using an immediate action (L5). Unfortunately, activating this ability is a standard action.

Oculi Umbra is a somewhat fragile Mystery, as befits a shadow of existence; unlike most Mysteries, many of his powers are subject to Dispelling – although they are quite potent otherwise.

Well there were a lot of those weren’t there? I probably spent much more time than I should have on Munkattingusupia, but hopefully it will make a good example.