Toln, God of War

            Toln is known as the god of war and violence.  He is sometimes called the Blood Thirsty God, the Celestial Warrior, or the Defender of Varloche.  This last comes from an ancient myth that during the war of the gods, he defended the home of Khadina from a group of five other gods.  Why he did this is not known, for every version of the myth offers different reasons.

            Ministers of Toln believe that war is the ultimate expression of life and power.  While magic can often gain the same results as a long and hard fought battle, there is little risk to one’s own person, thus there is no reason to develop the body, reflexes and skills that are required to survive.  All ministers of Toln are trained in all manner of weapons, including their own physical bodies.  

            All priests of Toln begin the game with four weapons of their choice.  They must have skill in the weapons.  In addition the priest may roll on the table below to determine the type of armor owned at creation.

1 Padded Armor
2 - 3 Leather Armor
4 - 5 Cuir-bouilli Lamellar
6 - 7 Studded Leather
8 - 9 Cuir-bouilli Studded
10 Chain Mail

Orders & Cults of Toln Rituals of War

Orders and Cults of Toln

Every Disciple of Toln must choose one of the following orders or cults.  Each order trains their followers slightly differently, and are granted different powers by Toln.  Unless otherwise specified, all of the Orders of Toln are very friendly and often work together for their mutual benefit.

Berserkers of Toln

The largest group of priests in the Church of Toln, most people associate the Berserkers when thinking of Toln.  Bloodthirsty, dedicated, courageous, and very common in the Empire.  While Berserkers are the most numerous, they often do not rise very high in the Church's hierarchy.  Falling prey to glorious death in combat, most Berserkers do not live long enough to gain the wisdom needed to run such a large organization.

 

Shield-brothers of Toln

Shield-brothers are also known as defenders.  The Shield-brothers are often mixed with protectors of Toln and will often perform very similar duties. Body-guarding, defending the helpless, and warding over their fallen brothers are all duties of the Shield-brothers.  They also train and aid the Imperial Order of the Shield, an order of knighthood that protects the Emperor exclusively.  Shield-brothers often know the limitations of war, and while they will never hesitate to finish a fight they may hesitate in starting one.

Weapon Priest s of Ulthnar

Ulthnar was a very famous warrior-priest during the first mage-war.  His knowledge of siege warfare, arts of war, and diplomatic pressures for war are still studied by anyone who wishes to become a great general.  He believed that the best way to worship Toln was focus and dedication.  His philosophy slowly began to gather followers, and some time after his death the Order of Ulthnar was founded.  They believe that by focusing upon only one weapon they may become the ultimate warriors.  They will do their utmost to fight with only that one weapon, to exclusion of all others.  Weapon Priests are often very skilled and knowledgeable, devoting the time that they do not spend practicing and worshiping to other, less warfare-oriented skills.

The word “style” can cover a variety of skills.  It can include Unarmed Combat, Martial Arts, or using two weapons at one time.  In all these cases, one (or both) of the extra “skills of choice” must be used to purchase the desired skill.  Some examples include Unarmed Combat (the single Combat skill plus one skill of choice), Martial Arts (the single Combat skill plus both skills of choice), two weapon combat (for example Short Sword Right Hand and Short Sword Left Hand).  Some players or GMs may go so far as to say that using Unarmed Combat or Martial Arts with or without the use of brass knuckles or gauntlets may be cause for the bonus or penalty.  Additionally, if using the rules for single spell use, one might wish to use the spell “Animal Weaponry”.


Rituals of War

            These rituals are sometimes used by the priests of Toln before a battle.  These rituals take at least an hour to perform, so they must know that they are going to war.  All participating ministers of Toln will be affected by the ritual, regardless of affiliated Order.  


© 2000 J. K. Wykowski & T. Coonrod