Memories of Connor's Adventures

Orlando the Adventurer pulled a Scimitar from beneath his Robes and smiled...

Tuesday 8 May 2018

Basic Expert: An Archer named Gabriel

Gabriel in earliest form of gabar-kukul is originally an archer. Gabar is Gabe (Sheaf)+ar (Arrow) Kukul (maian: Leper) or (cahuilla: owl). The very first Gabriel is an archer who either had arrows with white-grey owl feathers or used arrows dipped in leprosy. And somehow that idea is conveyed through religious mythology in eurasian religions much later. The angel Gabriel is depicted with a Scroll and a white lilly (Mary's Rose). The scroll is likely the sheaf of arrows, and the lilly an arrow. It seems odd that they would have a native american word for an owl for its fletching, and a papuan word for leprosy is just as far, yet just as likely to be both if they all come from a common point of origin. Where is the convergance point for all these ideas? It would need to be protoindoeuropean or earlier?
4th century BC: According to Herodotus, Scythian archers infect their arrows by dipping them into decomposing cadavers and the idea that an archer would use leprosy as a biological weapon should scare the crap out of you. By comparison ancient egyptians employed archers from the African tribes who dipped their arrows in poison.
Setting aside the church politics and a message that an artist might be hiding in religious art that Gabriel's message from God was 'we use biological weapons!' and/or 'Mary's flower' had leprosy, we are looking at something we can add to the D&D game. 

The Paladin taking Oath of the Leper is one stricken with a terrible sickness. Now imagine Gabriel as a Paladin of the Oath of the Leper who becomes an Antipaladin. Rather than suffer leprosy, he used it to taint arrows and spread it to others.
Leprosy: a contagious disease that affects the skin, mucous membranes, and nerves, causing discoloration and lumps on the skin and, in severe cases, disfigurement and deformities. Leprosy is now mainly confined to tropical Africa and Asia. 

BX Leper
You have been stricken by a terrible corruption raising sores that dont heal, and in worse cases a deformity that inhibits dexterity. You are outcast of society, denied entry into towns, and movement in public spaces. 
Weapon: any Bow, dagger
Armour: none (cloth bandaging)
Alignment: Neutral or Chaotic
 Level         Hit Dice       Experience      Notes                            
    1                 1d4                           0            Afflicted with Leprosy
    2                 2d4                       800            -1 charisma penalty
    3                 3d4                     1600            
    4                 4d4                     3200              -1 dexterity penalty
    5                 5d4                     6400               -2 charisma penalty
    6                 6d4                     12800                 
    7                 7d4                      25000              -2 dexterity penalty          
    8                 8d4                     50000              -3 charisma penalty 
Hit roll: as thief
Save as: thief
Magic items: Rings, Potions (poisons), scrolls, bows, arrows, daggers
HD: d4
Thieves skills: 
Hide in shadows
Move silently 



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