The Horned Rat - Skaven deity

By WarlordQueek

Description:
The Horned Rat is the feared deity of the Skaven. The mighty Chaos god who gnaws at the fabric of the universe. The Horned Rat stands for spreading diseases and his followers are also known for looking for new ways to intrigue and and lying. He is often portrayed as very tall Ratman with cloven hooves, huge rams horns and with a skeletal rat's face. His skin is often covered with welts dripping pus, and in some places, with flesh sloughed away from his bones..
Alignment:
Chaotic.
Symbol:
The Horned Rat has no special symbol, although the Skaven Clan Pestelins claim that their clan symbol, an inverted triangle with the edges pushed in so that the ends stick out, is indeed the ancient symbol of the Horned Rat. The Horned Rat is greatly associated with the number thirteen.
Area of Worship:
The Horned Rat is worshipped by all Skaven, although his worship is not restricted solely to the Ratmen - some greedy or evil Humans also offer prayers and sacrifice. These Human followers can be found throughout the Empire's cities, where they serve as spies for the Skaven and also as suppliers of sacrificial victims. Many of these worshippers hope to be spared the doom that will befall their fellows, or hope to benefit from the cult. Almost all such humans are incredibly selfish, much like the Skaven themselves. The organisation of these cults varies greatly. Some are headed by Skaven who lead bizarre rituals in catacombs deep beneath the towns and cities, while others are led by Humans who meet occasionally with the Skaven to receive instructions on how they can best serve the Horned One. Cultists in prominent positions do their utmost to hinder the improvement of urban areas and attempt to close down or reduce any operations involved with the maintainance of sewers or other public works. They also seek to promote disease and direct thier attentions towards the inheritance of the world by the Skaven.
Temples:
The chief temple to the Horned Rat is in the Skaven city of Skavenblight. This ancient temple has been built on foot of a cloud-breaking tower, which had once been built by Dwarfs and Humans. At the moment, there are no other temples to the Horned Rat, but there are shrines dedicated to him in various Skaven strongholds, lairs and even hidden in the sewer systems below some of the Empire's cities.
Friends and Enemies:
All civilised races like Humans, Dwarfs or Elves are natural enemies in the eyes of the Horned Rat's followers. Of course, the Spreader of Decay seeks to let Skaven gain control over other races and for this reason, he allows his followers to arrange temporary pacts with traitors or other fools of these races. Alliances entered into just to spread disinformation, distrust and corruption. Even towards other Chaos gods the cult of the Horned Rat is hostile, but there are indications about a certain sympathy towards followers of Nurgle who aren't in the way.
Holy Days:
There is only one major holy day for the cult of the Horned Rat, the day of the Horned One's Incarnation during Vermintide, in the depths of winter. Minor feast days include those when warpsone meteors rain down from the blood red moon of Morrsleib, but these are just meetings to plan for the retrieval of these meteors.
Cult Requirements:
Non-Skaven followers must have finished at least one military or sorcerous career to be accepted by other cult members. Beggars are always readily accepted, as their squalid position is perfect for spying and other tasks set by the Skaven overlords. (and not to end up as sacrificial giving to the Spreader of Decay immediately).
Strictures:
Initiates and Clerics of the Horned Rat must abid by the following strictures:
Spell Use:
Clerics of the Horned Rat as well as the Grey Seers are able to use all Battle Magic spells except those of aura or zone type, as well as the following others:
Bind Demon.............................Level 1 Demonic Spell
Spread Insanity.........................Level 3 Demonic Spell
Wither Vegitation......................Level 2 Elemental Spell
Foul Air....................................Level 3 Elemental Spell
Summon Rat Swarm.................Level 4 Elemental Spell
Tunnel Through Stone...............Level 4 Elemental Spell
Animal Mastery(rats only).........Level 1 Druidic Spell
Giant Animal Mastery(rats only)Level 2 Druidic Spell
Decompose..............................Level 3 Druidic Spell
Create Bog...............................Level 4 Druidic Spell
There are two spells only available for Clerics of the Horned Rat:

Summon Pox Bearers

Spell Level: 3
Magic Points: 4 + number of pox bearers (minimum of 10)
Range: 100 yards per level
Duration: 1 hour per level
Ingredients: The heart of a Rat Catcher
Spell Effects: This spell must be cast at least 6 feet beneath ground (like in a sewer system or Skaven tunnel) or fail automatically. The Cleric summons 2D10 creatures which carry the Red Pox disease. The creatures usually will be rats of any size, but the GM may choose any species he sees fit. The creatures appear within a number (Level of caster D100) of yards away from the caster out of nothing. The creatures move and attack as a Swarm. The caster is allowed to direct the swarm initially into one direction. The swarm then attacks the first living creature in sight and range or otherwise do nothing (except waiting for someone to be seen in this direction) until unsummoned or otherwise disappearing.
Living creatures whose S or T is reduced to zero or below because of an infection caused by those carriers collapse and die.

Summon Vermin Lord

Spell Level: 4
Magic Points: 27
Range: Not Applicable
Duration: Until task completed
Ingredients: A piece of pure warpstone at least 2 kilos in weight.
The caster can use this spell to summon a Vermin Lord, a greater demon of the Horned Rat. The creature appears within 6 yards of the caster. However, this spell may only be cast if the demon has already been summoned, controlled, and bargained with - according to the rules given under summoning demons

Once the Vermin Lord has been summoned and successfully controlled, the caster may set it one task. The Vermin Lord will remain until the task is completed, or it is dispelled. If the summoner is killed, however, unlike normal Demons, the Vermin Lord will survive, but will no longer be under the casters control. It will then go on a rampage, claiming souls and spreading disease for the greater glory of the Horned Rat, until it decides to return to the Demonic plane.

Skills:
In addition to the skills normally available to Initiates and Clerics, priests of the Horned Rat gain Seduction, Immunity to disease and Bribery at Level 1, and Animal Care and Training of plauge rats at Level 2. They have to pay for these skills at the normal amount of 100 EP. Initiates automatically recieve Escapology when they reach Level 1 Cleric.
Trials:
Trials set to followers of te Horned Rat normally include finding a specific piece of warpstone, killing a certain enemy, spreading a plauge through a certain area(eg. introducing plauge rats to a city sewer system) or infiltrating a civilised society. In rare cases, trials may include building a new tunnel leading to a certain place or examine and prepare some city's sewer system for an invasion or similar action.
Blessings:
A well known blessing for Skaven followers is gaining the ability to transform warpstone into magical energy (Magic Points). Other blessings may be a bonus to a specific Bluff test, or bonuses to sneak or disease tests. Favoured skills for followers of the Spreader of Decay are Orientation (underground only), Immunity to Disease, and Silent Move Urban

Vermin Lord

The Vermin Lords are thought to be the demonic forms of the ancient Lords of Decay, warped by the influence of the Horned Rat into his immortal servants. They are great, powerful creatures, surrounded by an aura of creeping decay and inscrutable knowledge. Their heads are bedecked with the spiralling horns and sloughing flesh of the Horned Rat himself. Warpstone amulets and torcs decorate the Vermin Lord's leprous form, along with chunks of raw warpstone hammered into their flesh. Vermin Lords are often seen armed with huge, wicked looking glaives that are fully twice the height of a man but their chisel teeth and sharp claws are easily capable of tearing a creature to pieces.

Only powerful servants of the Horned Rat hold the keys to summon the Vermin Lords into the material world, and they are loath to do so without great need, fearing to summon up what they cannot dismiss. A Vermin Lord is wiser and more wicked than any living Skaven and yet retains its mortal lust for power and love of betrayal. A bargain struck with one of the Vermin Lords will bring great power to the supplicant but will cost him dearly - the unwary can find themselves paying with their soul as well as their life.

All Vermin Lords can cast spells as a Level 4 Cleric of the Horned Rat, and will have D4+3 spells at each level. In addition to this, ALL Vermin Lords have the Level 4 Illusionist Spell Teleport. They do not require ingredients to power their spells. A Vermin Lord will be encountered with 40 Magic points, or 12D6 is you want to determine randomly, and will have 2D6 Warpstone chunks, each of which will restore 1D6 points when used.

A Vermin Lord makes 10 attacks per round in total. Five of these will be with its Doom Glaive, or by clawing; 2 will be kick/stomps; one will be a tail-lash; and 2 will be bites.

Alignment: Chaotic

Phychological Traits: Vermin Lords cause fear in all living creatures and terror in living creatures under 10 feet tall. They, unlike most demons, are not subject to instability.

Special Rules: Vermin Lords are, like most demons, immune to normal weapons while all of their attacks count as magical and can affect creatures which are invulnerable to non-magical weapons. A Vermin Lord's Doom Glaive causes +4 Damage with each hit.

M WS BS S T W I A Dex Ld Int Cl WP Fel
8 89 93 8 7 50 100 10 100 100 89 89 89 100