The Dragon Tablets – Iteration Three: The Warlocks Are Coming to Get You!

We read in Iteration Two a few tidbits about the Warlocks. A group of individuals that have been alchemically altered, raised, and trained by their order. And later in Iteration Three, we will see the Warlock template replace the Experiment template, which never was a good template name for a setting such as Dragon Tablets anyway. The Acrobat, the other bioenhanced template, will also make its debut in this iteration.

But that is later. We are still focused on Alchemy.

Taking the Trails of Change

Warlocks search for future Warlocks as they travel through Menorra and bring the few willing to a Sacred Place to be Changed. Most are five years old when they make the Journey, as that is the easiest time to go through the Change.

The alchemical potions used in the Change are guarded secrets of the Warlocks. Their names, ingredients, and recipes are not shared with outsiders. So to honor their vigilance, we will cover the general process, but not the specific details of the potions themselves. Not even their names.

As this process is taking place, a trusted sorcerer is using arcane magic to empower the potions so that they bind with the candidate in a way beyond what the potions on their own could have done. This is an extremely painful process. When the process is completed, the candidate is no longer whatever race they used to be. They are now Warlocks, though most of their appearance remains the same.

In GURPS terms, Five year olds have a +2 bonus to the roll they have to make to pass a Trail. Ten year olds have a +1 bonus. Children younger than five and adults, from 15 years old, have no modifier to the roll. Those who are old enough to be affected by age, have a -1 penalty per threshold they have past.

When a prospective Warlock has been brought to the Place, they will be taken through five Trails. To pass the Trail of Rocks, they have to make a HT-1 roll. To pass the Trail of Ice, they have to make a Will-1 roll using triple the above modifiers. To pass the Trail of Storms, they have to make a HT-1 roll. To pass the Trail of Heartfire, they have to make a HT-1 roll.

If they make all four rolls, they have survived the transformational Journey. For those that fail any roll, half of them actually fail the Trail of Rocks. Of those that remain, half fail the Trail of Ice. Of those that remain, half fail the Trail of Storms. And of those that remain, half fail the Trail of Heartfire. Those that fail either die or they go insane.

The Trail of Rocks

The Trail of Rocks is the first step in the process of becoming a Warlock. It is all about resilience. The capability to withstand the Change and lay a foundation for the Trails to come. You will drink a BRYW +0/+2/-2/-2 potion before you are submerged in a BRYW -2/-2/+0/-2 potion. How many doses of the second potions that are needed depends on your size and the size of the container you are lying in. You will then be injected with three additional potions with BRYW +2/-2/-1/+2, -2/+0/+1/-2, and +0/-1/+2/-1. The symbol for the Trail of Rocks is the bear.

The Trail of Ice

The Trail of Ice is the second step of the process and is the mental aspect. How much do you really want it? It is mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it won’t matter. And unless you really want to become a Warlock, you won’t make it. You have to eat a crystallized BRYW -2/+2/+2/+1 potion. Followed by a BRYW +0/+2/+2/-1 potion injected into your eyes and a BRYW +1/-1/+2/+1 potion injected into your brain through your temples. Then a BRYW -1/+1/-1/+2 potion and a BRYW +2/+2/+0/+2 potion are mixed together and poured over you. The mixture expands into ice crystals that envelops you completely and freezes you nearly solid. And if you haven’t already passed the Trail of Rocks, this will kill you. The symbol for the Trail of Ice is the weasel.

The Trail of Storms

The Trail of Storms is the third step in the process of becoming a Warlock. This is all about finesse and graceful style. You will begin by rubbing a BRYW -1/+1/+2/-1 ointment into your skin. The number of doses needed depend on big you are. Followed by drinking a BRYW +0/+1/+0/+1 and a BRYW +0/-2/+0/+2 potion. Followed by being injected by a BRYW -2/-2/-2/-2 and a BRYW -2/+1/+2/+0 potion. The symbol for the Trail of Storms is the black jaguar.

The Trail of Heartfire

The Trail of Heartfire is the fourth step in the process of becoming a Warlock. This is all about your willingness to do what is required once you become a Warlock. You will drink a BRYW +2/-1/+1/+0, a BRYW +0/+2/-1/-1, a BRYW +0/+1/-1/+2, a BRYW -1/-2/+2/+0, and a BRYW +2/+0/+1/-2 potion. The symbol for the Trail of Heartfire is the wolf.

The Trail of Darkness

The Trail of Darkness is the fifth and final step. If one can call an ever repeating step final. After the four first steps, you have transformed from whatever race you used to be, into a Warlock. And this is all about the training necessary to do what Warlocks do. The symbol for the Trail of Darkness is the spider monkey.