The Plague: An Antipaladin Concept

The bells were tolling again, the streets empty of all but the dying and the dead. The tavern was shut up tight, the doorman wrapping a butcher's mask round his mouth and nose before looking on the stoop. Everyone had to roll back their sleeves to show a clean set of wrists, the veins untainted by the bloodrot. Some refused, and others simply left, walking among the coughing wretches through clouds of incense that did nothing but sting the eyes, and cover up the stink of the bodies.

"Anyone find what's bringing it?" Shamus asked, his hands clasped around his cup of popskull.

"Probably in the water," Ginny laughed, hiccoughing slightly. "If that's so, then I'm safe."

"Doomsayers claim it's a curse from the dark ones," a stranger said. With his long, pale hair and his burning green eyes, he was certainly handsome. There was more to him, though. A presence lurked around him; an air of violence like a half-feral beast. He drank from his cup, leaving a few swallows behind.

"They always say that," Ginny muttered, tossing back the rest of her drink.

"They do," the stranger said. He plucked up his glass, and handed it to the barkeep.

"You want another?" he asked.

"No," the stranger said. "One for the all-sorts barrel."

"Damn waste," the keep said.

The stranger's grin grew wider, showing his strong, square teeth. "It's for luck."

"Gods go with you," the keep said, tossing the last of the drink into the communal barrel.

"I shan't need them," he said, pulling up his hood as the doorman unbarred the main door. "But my thanks all the same."

Careful... that barrel's got a bite to it.

The Plague

Antipaladins are the chosen warriors of the fell powers. Corrupt, wicked, and brutal, they are the hands of the dark lords and old gods who seek to quench the light of the world, and to topple the bastions that stand against the horrors that lurk in the shadowy places of the world. This much is known.

While there are some antipaladins who assault the foundations of civilization with sword and flame, bellowing their war cries and spilling blood in the open, others use more subtle weapons. For while all of these dark warriors are immune to the touch of disease, there are some who nurture these foul contagions at their bosom. These creatures spread pestilence with a brush of their hand, foul the air with every laugh, and a single kiss from their beautiful, corrupt lips could spell death for an entire city.

They are the Plague.

The Mechanics of The Plague

All antipaladins are immune to the damages and effects of disease at level 3, but these conditions still fester inside them, turning them into breeding grounds for sickness and rot. An antipaladin who purposefully inflicts diseases on themselves (either through exposure, contagion, or similar effects), becomes a walking repository of sicknesses. Everything from bubonic plague, to leprosy, to mummy rot lurks in their blood and on their breath, waiting for someone who gets close enough to touch them. Or even, in some cases, just to breathe the same air.

While any antipaladin can store disease within themselves, what makes a Plague different is that pestilence becomes their primary weapon against society. They come not as fearsome conquerors, but as travelers. As merchants. A simple soldiers of fortune. They clasp wrists with gate watchers, bed down in common houses, wash their hands in public founts, and make sure they rub shoulders during festivals. They bring corruption from within, allowing their disease to weaken a city, or even a nation, and for exhaustion and paranoia to set in.

Then, and only then, will a Plague descend. Either as a savior to take away the suffering in the name of their dark masters, or as a conqueror to spill the sickened blood in the streets, and to burn the bodies as a charred offering to the gods of illness and rot.

Do you smell that? It smells like about 3 Fortitude saves to me.

 

In addition to this underhanded, devastating strategy, a Plague is still just as dangerous when confronted openly. Those who spill a Plague's blood may find themselves riddled with disease, even if they are triumphant. And if the Plague can call on contagion with a touch of their hand, their battle may have a lasting legacy, turning the warriors who stood before him into bearers of his sickness.

One of the only notable features of a Plague is that they tend to work alone, or with others of their ilk. They may be immune to the ill effects of their own pestilence, but the same is not true of their servants and allies. So while they may be supported by servants of foul gods, or plague cults, they are just as harmful to any living allies as they are to their enemies. This rarely bothers most Plagues, though... those weak enough to be sickened will simply be made carriers in their unholy wars.

Advice For A Plague

If you're going to put together a Plague as a player character, the first thing I would suggest is reading 5 Tips For Playing Better Evil Characters. Because if you are a walking pestilence, you need to make sure you are not a hindrance to your allies just by being part of the same party. In these instances using pathogens that are bloodborne might be more useful, allowing you to pick and choose your infections carefully. You may also have more of a reliance on the Cruelties than a Plague set out as an antagonist, as it gives you greater control.

The other thing you should have, to really sell yourself as a threat, is a collection of allies who are helping you in your missions, or who know about you. Because a Plague isn't just your run-of-the-mill antipaladin; they are significant threats. They are the bearers of pestilence, and even if their true names aren't known, people will spin tales about them. The Red Lady with her sweet, corrupt kisses. Grinning Death, whose friendly smile and strong handshake steals the life and strength from anyone it touches. The Gray Man, who spreads rot in his wake, felling even the strongest of cities. Someone with that kind of rep should have allies (or at least acquaintances), which provides you avenues to seek aid through, and it also helps build up your Small Legend. More about that in Character Reputation in RPGs: The Small Legend.

If you're looking for places to find some allies, you might want to check out:

- 100 Prisoners For A Fantasy Jail: Jails are perfect places for a Plague, as the closer quarters and inescapable nature allows them to spread their filth. Saving someone from your own pestilence could make them quite a loyal follower.

- 100 Pirates To Encounter: The black ship of the Plague Doctor would be an ideal platform for an antipaladin looking to spread their filth along the waves, and dozens of other crews would make potent allies for such a dark warrior.

- 100 Random Bandits to Meet: From the servants of the Darkskull, to the blackguards who follow the Man-Eater, bandits aren't always picky with their company. Greed and lack of morals can make them particularly useful for a Plague... especially if he takes over the gang himself, using them to spread his corruption far and wide along the roads.

Lastly, if you liked this character concept, then you might also want to check out The "Compassionate" Antipaladin, as well as The Pill-Popping Paladin. The latter, in particular, could be useful when combined with a Plague.

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That's all for this installment of Unusual Character Concepts. Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a game master.

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