BALIAL – God of the Underworld

Status:  Younger God

Level:  5000

Avatar:  Aarint

Balial is the patron deity of Necromancers and witches. She was originally a servant of Mirkos, a great Avatar who was renowned for her warrior prowess in conquering the Undead. Balial had always had a fascination for the dead and it did not take much for the perverse teachings of Taoune to sway her loyalty away from Mirkos.

Taoune offered her the chance to study the real dead; the dead who are able to walk the world of Eä. In exchange she would lead souls from Mirkos’ realm to Taoune’s.

Balial eagerly agreed and taking a brilliant torch from Taoune began the task of leading the hapless souls who wandered through Mirkos’ realm to Taoune’s, tempting them with the pure light of her torch and promises of everlasting life.

Eventually Mirkos caught his fallen disciple in the act; however Taoune had foreseen this happening and whisked Balial away with his dark magic’s, back to his twisted realm. It is here that Balial became a lover of Taoune and learnt all the dark arts of witchcraft and Necromancy.

Balial is depicted as a beautiful white skinned woman who rides upon a skeletal lion or tiger. In her hands she holds a burning torch ‘ Death’s Light’.

As Balial is actually an Avatar she is able to leave Bifrost at whim and has often been spotted, by those in the know, wandering graveyards or visiting cremation sites.

SYMBOL

A Symbolic Torch

WORSHIP

Followers of Balial are known as moon-worshippers. Artistic renditions always show Balial carrying a lit torch (the torch, which she used to tempt the souls from the realm of Mirkos).

TEMPLES

There are no temples or holy sites to Balial. Her worshippers only offer lip service to the dark lady. However Graveyards hold a special place in her followers hearts.

HOLY DAYS

All Hallows Eve is a time when Balial chooses to walk Ea. It is said the better the sacrifice the more chance Balial will come to your celebration.

FRIENDS AND ENEMIES

All followers of Balial hate the religion of Mirkos, and they will attempt to thwart them in everything they do. Taoune followers are treated with indifference.

CULT REQUIREMENTS

Followers must be a Necromancer, Black Witch Fortune mage or a Black Witch.

STRICTURES

• Where possible the works of Mirkos must be undone.
• Never ‘Kill’ any form of undead creature.
• Were possible, strive to become of the Undead yourself.

CREATING SÄ CARDS

Balial only allows her priests to enchant their Sä cards at the apex of the Moon (midnight). If a Priest tries to enchant his Sä Cards at the apex of the sun, he will be unable to focus and channel the Gods Sä into the card. Thus wasting the hours of meditation.

MIRACLE CASTING

Miracle casting for priests of Balial is somewhat different to that of the normal priest. They still have to buy levels/Theology in exactly the same way as normal priests, but priests of Balial do not only use cards they also utalise unique Sä ‘Magic’ scrolls.

Priests of Balial get the normal standard miracles that a priest would gain enchanting their cards as normal. They also get all the spells open to a Magic User Necromancer of their respective level in magic (I.e. a Level three Balial priest can cast Necromantic magic spells up to Level Three). To cast these spell miracles the priest needs to create a ‘Sä scroll’.

To enchant any given ‘Scroll’ the priest must draw Balial’s symbol at the top of the page then they must write out word for word the spell vocals (exactly as per the Necromantic spells in the Magic Rules). They will then enchant the scroll as normal transferring their Sä into the spell. The Sä cost to enchant this spell is the equivalent of the spells level.

To cast the miracle the priest would then read aloud the vocals from the scroll, the effect being exactly the same as the Magic Spell effect. (NB: - these spells can not be ‘manipulated’ in anyway)

These scrolls are treated exactly in the same way as a Sä card with respect to loosing, destroying etc. The scrolls are not magical in anyway; Balial is in effect casting the spell on behalf of the priest utilising her Sä instead of magic points. However the miracles effects are magical. Thus a detect magic on the scroll would show ‘no magic’ but should the spell be cast at a victim utilising a magic mirror the miracle would be bounced back onto the caster as though it were a normal spell.

Should an effect level be needed for the spells casting, it is the Priests level (not Balial’s!!!).