The religion of the Dark Gods has little formal structure. The myths and beliefs underpinning it bend to conform to the expectations of their followers. Priests of the faith are as much warriors as they are religious leaders, and they offer the carnage they create as prayers to the mad gods who watch over them. Most priests of the Dark Gods go on to become gothi, religious battle leaders and advisors to the chieftains and thanes. Some priests and other warriors as well, though, the Dark Gods single out for another purpose: to become ruiners, avatars of their destructive impulse.
Like berserkers, ruiners hew their way across battlefields, heedless of the injuries they sustain along the way. As they rush down the path of rage and ruin, these crazed individuals become divorced from their kith and kin, driven by supernatural impulse to create chaos and kill. As a result, ruiners are feared by other members of their faith. They are most common among orc followers of the Dark Gods.
Level 3 Ruiner
Attributes. Increase two by 1
Characteristics. Health +4, Power +1
Languages and Profession. You either speak another language or add a military or wilderness profession to your list of professions.
Magic Choose one of the following options:
- Discover the Battle, Destruction, or Rune tradition
- Learn one Battle, Destruction, or Rune spell
Cowards Wear Armor If you wear armor, your Power score drops to 0 and you make attack rolls and challenge rolls with 1 bane.
Dark Savagery When you attack with a weapon, you can use a triggered action to expend a casting of a Battle, Destruction, or Rune spell. If you do, you make the attack roll with 1 boon and the attack deals 1d6 extra damage per rank of the spell expended. If you expended a casting of a rank 0 spell, the attack deals 1d3 extra damage.
Fearsome Might When you expend the casting of a rank 2 or higher spell using Dark Savagery, each creature you choose with 1 yard of you must get a success on a Will challenge roll or become frightened for 1 minute.
Level 6 Ruiner
Characteristics. Health +4
Magic You learn one spell.
Ruinous Aura You can use an action, or a triggered action on your turn, to invoke the destructive wrath of the Dark Gods. For a number of rounds equal to your Power score, you emit an invisible field of destructive energy in a radius centered on a point in your space that extends out a number of yards equal to 1 + your Power score. Until the effect ends, when a creature in the area other than you takes damage, it takes 1d6 extra damage.
Level 9 Master Ruiner
Characteristics. Health +4, Power +1
Magic You learn one spell.
*Divine Fury Whenever you cast a rank 1 or higher spell from the Battle, Destruction, or Rune traditions, you can choose to gain Insanity equal to the spell’s rank. You do not become frightened from gaining Insanity in this way. Instead, you make attack rolls with 1 boon for a number of rounds equal to your Insanity score. If gaining this Insanity would cause you to go mad, you must move up to your Speed toward the nearest creature and attack that creature with a weapon you are wielding. You make the attack roll with a number of boons equal to your Power score and the attack deals 2d6 extra damage. You then determine your madness as normal.