Special Character: Rachel d'Astatic

Rachel d’Astatic is many things: warrior, strategist, adventurer, ruler, prophetess, wife and sorceress. She is kind and demure, well-spoken and well-bred but she can also be bombastic and cunning, direct and commanding. She is the merchant queen of Tempest Falls, the most southern outpost of the Bretonnians, on the eastern border of the Border Princes and she is a Prophetess of the Lady, a powerful spell caster and a competent military general if the need should arise. And she is something more... something far darker than anybody suspects: two strands of corruption twining around her soul and threatening to engulf her.

In her early days, Rachel was like any other lady at court. She was the daughter of Duke Gerard d’Astatic but it was long years before there would be talk of queens and kingdoms. Her responsibilities were few and she expected nothing more than a sedate life of embroidery and gossip. She took a kind and gentle husband named Bernarde and gave him a son and perhaps her story would have ended there. But it was not to be.

With her brother, Jordan’s, betrayal and the murder of her family, Rachel tapped into the Chaos Vein, deep beneath the ground to curse her sibling and became forever changed. It wasn’t until years later that it developed fully but the connection she made then greatly enhanced her latent natural affinity to magic and also set her on a dangerous path that she has yet to conclude. Deep in her body, the Chaos Vein took root, beginning a powerful seduction that has yet to fruit.

When Tempest Falls was drawn into Ravenloft, the Demiplane of Dread, and Rachel met Spheric, she became, under his tutelage, a great warrior and adventurer, travelling the dark lands and battling against the dark lords. Wielding her father’s sword, Jubilant, Rachel was every part the equal in battle of the Knights of Tempest Falls.

On her father’s death, Rachel put aside battle and declared herself the queen of Tempest Falls. Her life became consumed by her responsibilities to her people and her kingdom and she was a great and fair ruler. It was now that she started to develop her powers as a sorceress but unlike the other Devoted of the Lady she was not chosen by the Fay Enchantress, nor did she spend time in Otherworld being schooled on the correct way to use her incredible new powers. When her ability exceeded that of her peers it became obvious that she was something different... something new. And within her, the Chaos Vein continued to stretch out its roots.

Following the betrayal of Methuselah, Rachel was grievously wounded and it was left to Spheric to save her; but what he did to do so is unknown. Suffice to say, it cured her where magic and science had hitherto been unable to and it turned her into something not quite human.

The kingdom of Tempest Falls was returned to the Border Princes and all reality rewritten until now Rachel believes herself to be the devoted wife of Methuselah. But she is still every bit the warrior; every bit the sorceress. She is powerful and wise and determined to drive all evil from her land.  

There are few magic users as powerful as she and she continues to be able to tap into more and more power should her need be great. But always there is risk. The greater the power Rachel wields, the tighter the Chaos Vein winds around her soul, and soon the lure and gifts of Chaos may prove to be her undoing...

	M	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld
Rachel d’Astatic	4	5	4	3	4	4	4	2	9
Warhorse	8	3	0	3	3	1	3	1	5

Points: 275

DARK MAGIC

Rachel d’Astatic is a Level 4 Wizard who can use spells from the Lore of Beasts, Life or Heavens lists or from the Daemon Lore of Tzeentch. She may gain access to other lores of magic as her level of Taint increases during the campaign (see below).

SPECIAL RULES

Unkillable: Due to the mysterious process enacted on her by Spheric, Rachel is, like him, extremely tough and almost impossible to kill though can be temporarily defeated. During campaign play, Rachel cannot be permanently killed and suffers no long-term debilitating effects from injuries. She can still potentially be captured. Her preternatural toughness grants her a 5+ Ward Save. She gains no further benefit from the Blessing of the Lady.

Taint: The Chaos Vein within her offers Rachel great power that comes with a terrible price. Once per game, when she perceives her need is greatest, Rachel may choose to cast any spell she chooses from a daemonic lore she currently has access to. When casting this spell she has +1d6 power dice that must be used on the spell (in addition to any she chooses to spend from the Power Pool). If more than one six is rolled the spell is cast with irresistible force but instead of rolling on the miscast table, Rachel gains one point of Taint. Keep track of this as the campaign progresses and apply the permanent effects on Rachel’s abilities shown below as the darkness continues to take root. Changes take place as each of the milestones is reached.

Taint	Effect
2	+1 Strength
4	Gains access to the Daemon Lore of Slaanesh
6	+1 Toughness
8	Gains access to the Daemon Lore of Nurgle
10	+1 Attack
12	+1 Initiative
14	Becomes classified as Daemonic, giving her a 5+ Ward Save, magical attacks and making her Immune to Psychology
16	Gains 4+ Armour Save
18	+2 to all casting rolls
20	+2 Movement. May no longer ride a horse
22	+1 Initiative
24	+2 Movement
26	+1 Attack. May no longer use her magical sword
28	+1 Strength
30	+1 Attack
32	Becomes classified as a Daemon Princess, gaining wings and the Fly special rule
34	Gains Regeneration (4+)

MAGIC ITEMS

Jubilant (Magic Weapon)

This magical sword slices through armour as though it wasn’t even there. No Armour Saves may be taken against Rachel when she uses this weapon.