Basic Information
Classes Allowed: Priest of Osiris
Races Allowed: Human, Half-Elf, Half-Vistani
Alignments Allowed: Neutral Good
Ability Requirements: Wisdom 16+
Prime Requisite: Wisdom
Starting Cash: 3d6 x 10 gp
Proficiencies
Available Categories: Common, Priest, By Race
Bonus Proficiencies: Religion
Recommended Proficiencies: Ancient Language, Ancient History
Inhabitants of the desert domain of Har'Akir and the other lands of the Amber Wastes view the god Osiris as the protector of graves and enemy of the undead. The Green Hand (named for the fact that Osiris is believed to be green-skinned) dedicates itself to the sanctity of the grave and the destruction of undead - or those who defile the resting places of the dead.
Requirements
In order to qualify for membership in The Green Hand, a character must be a human, half-elf, or half-Vistani. In addition, he must be of neutral-good alignment and may not have a Wisdom score of less than 16.
As indicated on the table above, a member must allocate proficiency slots to master reading the hieroglyphic language of Har'Akir (treated as an ancient language) and the religion proficiency. It is important to note that this language is not the modern script used in that desert realm, but its ancient ancestor. The two have as much in common as modern romance languages and the Latin from which they have evolved.
All characters created with this kit must be natives of Har'Akir or one of the other domains comprising the Amber Wastes. In addition they must be classed as specialty priests who have devoted themselves to the service of Osiris, the protector of the dead. For those who do not own a copy of Legends & Lore, game statistics for priests of Osiris appear on the next page.
In order to take on the responsibilities of this kit, the character must have never participated in robbing a grave or looting a dead body. For newly created player characters, this should be no problem. For characters that have been in play for some time, the matter must be left to the discretion of the Dungeon Master.
Description
Agents of the Green Hand dress in clothing that is distinctly Egyptian in style. As such, they often appear out of place in the more traditional European settings of Ravenloft's Core domains. Even when such characters dress themselves in local garb, their complexion, accent, and mannerisms mark them as travelers from a distant and foreign land. As it is the traditional symbol of Osiris, each member of the Green Hand must carry an ornate flail which bears an inscription in the ancient language of Har'Akir. One member identifies himself to another by reading aloud the glyphs on the other's flail. These are always personalized oaths dedicating the weapon to the battle against undead and the defilers of the grave. In combat, the weapon is wielded as a footman's flail.
Priests of OsirisAll agents of the Green Hand must be priests of the Egyptian god Osiris. While complete statistics for such characters appear in Legends & Lore, the following summary allows such characters to be built independently of that book.
Priests of Osiris have major access to the all, astral, guardian, healing, necromantic, and protection spheres. They have minor access to the charm and combat spheres. In addition, priests of Osiris have the ability to cast spells from the wizard's school of necromancy as if they were from the necromantic sphere of priestly magic.
Osiris grants his priests the ability to turn undead at two levels higher. Thus, a 10th-level priest turns undead as if he were 12th level.
Once a priest of the Green Hand attains 10th-level, any amimate dead spell that he casts doubles in effectiveness.
If a priest of Osiris ever participates in or condones the looting of a grave or the desecration of a tomb, he immediately loses all of his powers and abilities and is cast out of the order of the Green Hand. A priest who dies while so disgraced rises again in 2d4 weeks as a greater mummy.
Roleplaying
The agents of the Green Hand are generally active only in the Amber Wastes. Player characters created with this kit represent those few exceptions to this rule.
The persistence of the Green Hand is nothing short of amazing. When a grave robber, or other enemy of the order, travels beyond the borders of the Amber Wastes, members of this secret society have been known to pursue their quarry all the way across the Demiplane of Dread. Indeed, legends claim that a few members have actually followed their prey beyond the Misty Border itself.
All player characters created with this kit must be specialty priests. As such, they often preside over funeral services and other religious ceremonies that honor or involve the dead.
At no time do members of the Green Hand allow a grave or other burial site, even an evil one, to be defiled or looted. They are adamant in this, taking up arms against those who ignore their wishes. Players and Dungeon Masters should note that this even includes the looting of fallen enemies or allies. The tenets of faith mandate that the dead move on to the afterlife with their earthly possessions intact.
Benefits
In addition to the regular abilities granted to priests of Osiris, priests of the Green Hand have special power over the dead. Any body over which such a character says a final blessing cannot become undead, no matter how the person died. The priest can use this ability only once per day but can affect a number of bodies equal to his experience level. This power requires the character to cast a bless spell on the body or bodies.
Agents of the Green Hand need not normally make powers checks when using spells from the necromantic sphere (or school of necromancy). If the Dungeon Master rules that the spell is being used for an evil purpose, however, the normal powers check is required.
Hindrances
An agent of the Green Hand always insists upon a proper burial for both friends and enemies, even if this involves nothing more than a funeral pyre. Characters created with this kit receive no experience points for slain enemies unless some sort of funeral service is held for them. Such a ceremony requires one turn per Hit Die of the enemy, as worthy opponents deserve more than a fleeting few words. The length of the ceremony is the same no matter how many bodies are being laid to rest. Thus, a funeral service for ten quevari takes no longer than a service for one. Services need be held only for enemies of "Low" or higher Intelligence.
Should the priest opt or be forced to neglect this duty, there is a 10% chance per Hit Die (of the deceased) that the spirits of the fallen rise to torment the character. Although these are always incorporeal spirits, the Dungeon Master should determine their exact nature. If the Requiem rules for undead characters are in use, it may be possible to translate the slain enemies directly into unique undead. Clearly, this option is preferable to simply selecting a generic type of spirit.
