New Company: The Eternal Temple of Mystics

[Tehet]

The Eternal Temple of Mystics

To maintain a world of harmony and peace requires the balance between light and dark and good and evil to be maintained whatever the cost. This is the guiding principle of the Eternal Temple. Strictly Neutral, the Temple does not align itself with any other faction or power instead it will act to blunt any action which favours one over the other.

The home of the Eternal Temple is in the Punjab, surrounded by deep, almost impenetrable jungle. There stands the great stone edifice known as the Balance, perfectly formed from two great ziggurats, equal and opposite, white as snow and black as ebony. Protecting this structure are the Guardians, fanatical Warriors of pure and noble descent.

The Guardians are chosen from the elites of the Sikh regiments, often spirited away from the British ranks during the night never to be seen again. The foot soldiers of this Order are the Temple Warriors armed with talwar and khanda (sabre and great-sword). Those who choose to travel further along the path of enlightenment can become Tiger Warriors and those of the greatest devotion may be granted the status of saint-soldier.

Temple worship is led by its Guru and his cortčge of Granthi Priests, unarmed holy men who can wield great mystical power. Yet more deadly is their ability to call on the greatest of the Jungle denizens, the mighty Weretigers. Temple Weretigers serve as bodyguards for the Priests and stay within the confines of the Eternal Temple, but when required, the Guru can summon their fully mature brethren to come in from the jungle. On rare occasions, the call may attract the greatest of their kind, an Ancient Weretiger who has lived for centuries.

On rare occasions when Mystics of the Eternal Temple have been known to travel abroad, it is rumoured that they are accompanied by Weretigers in human form. No independent witness has ever been found to verify this and since a fully transformed Weretiger can be ten feet of muscle, fur, claws and teeth it is unlikely any would survive to tell the story.

The reputation of the Temple as a sanctuary has also brought two Mountain Yeti into their flock. Caught and caged by European hunters these gentle creatures broke free and came through the jungle to seek protection from the Guru. In repayment of his kindness, they now serve as his most loyal bodyguards. They form an uneasy alliance with the Weretigers.

The Holy Men

Guru Anudeepthi (28 Points)
PL 3+/FV +0/SV +0/SP +2/AR 8
Inspirational, Leadership +2, Up to 40 Points of Mystical Powers
Lined Coat, unarmed

Granthi Priest (11 Points)
PL 6+/FV +0/SV +0/SP +2/AR 7
Medic, Up to 30 Points of Mystical Powers
Unarmed

The Guardians

Saint Soldier Ajeet, the Hunter (36 Points)
PL 4+/FV +2/SV +3/SP +1/AR 9
Fanatic, Leadership +1, Marksman
Brigandine, Musket (Muzzle Loading Rifle) and Talwar (Sword)

Saint Soldier Akalbir, the Brave (33 Points)
PL 4+/FV +3/SV +2/SP +1/AR 9
Fanatic, Leadership +1, Duellist (Talwar)
Brigandine, Pistol and Talwar (Sword)

Temple Warrior (9 Points)
PL 6+/FV +1/SV +1/SP +0/AR 7
Khanda (Large Sword)

Ketak and Kesar, Himalayan Yeti (each 45 Points)
PL 3+/FV +5/SV +0/SP +0/AR 9
Berserker, Terrifying
Thick Furry Hide, Claws and Teeth (Fighting Knives)
Note: If Guru Anudeepthi is in play at least one Yeti must be part of his Company and will stay within 8” of their beloved Master.

The Tigris Lycanthrope

Tigris Primus, Ancient Weretiger (66 Points)
PL 2+/FV +5/SV +0/SP +1/AR 11
Numb, Terrifying
Supernatural Hide, Claws and Teeth (Swords)

Tigris Secundus, Mature Weretiger (47 Points)
PL 3+/FV +4/SV +0/SP +1/AR 10
Numb, Terrifying
Supernatural Hide, Claws and Teeth (Swords)

Tigris Triarus, Temple Weretiger (31 Points)
PL 4+/FV +3/SV +0/SP +1/AR 10
Tough, Terrifying
Supernatural Hide, Claws and Teeth (Fighting Knives)
Note: Weretigers only appear in lycanthropic form, their human aspects are unknown, even to the Temple.

Available Upgrades and Cost

The Guru and any Granthi Priest may be given the ‘Stealth’ talent at an additional cost of 5 points each.

Any Weretiger may be given the ‘Fanatic’ talent at an additional cost of 5 points each.  

Any Weretiger may be given the ‘Roar’ talent at an additional cost of 5 points each (treat as Erudite Wit).

Any Temple Warrior may exchange his Khanda for a Talwar and Shield (deduct 1 point), or Kukri (Fighting Knife (deduct 3 points))

Any Temple Warrior may be given one of the following ranged weapons, Musket (+6 points), Charkram (Throwing Axe) or Bow (+4 points)

Any Temple Warrior may be given a Lined Coat at a cost of 1 point each or a Brigandine at a cost of 2 points each

Any Temple Warrior may be upgraded to Tiger Warrior by being given the ‘Fanatic’ talent at an additional cost of 5 points each

Any Tiger Warrior may be given a Pluck of 5+ at a cost of 1 point each and/or the ‘Tough’ talent at a cost of 5 points each

One Tiger Warrior may be upgraded to a Saint-Soldier with FV +2, SV +2 and PL 5+ at a cost of 3 points and given a Pistol at a cost of 3 points

Notes on Figures:

Guru and Priests: These may be represented by Indian holy men, think Gandhi for the Guru and similarly garbed figures for the priests. Alternatively an unarmed turbaned equivalent may be used.

Ajeet and Akalbir: I used figures from the Westwind Gothic Antagonists range Vampire Count 4 and Vampire Count 5.

Temple Warriors: Arabesque or Indian Warriors from Old Glory or Foundry.

Were Tigers: Ancient and Mature Were Tigers; the Cat by Blows’ blister is perfect from the Westwind Gothic range. The smaller Temple versions came from Reaper miniatures.

Yetis: Obviously there is the Black Dragon Tong Yeti, but for variety I used the two Yetis from the Copplestone range and there is yet more Yeti goodness in Westwind’s Gothic range.  

[Elk101]

Great idea and nicely detailed. I do like the Weretigers.

[Tehet]

Additional Rules:

These apply to all Lycanthropic Creatures

For the purposes of Campaign Games Weretigers are Immortal (+10 Points)
Weretigers are vulnerable to Silver Weapons
Weretigers may be given the antivenom talent (+5 Points)

Silver Weapons (suggested)*
Cost and rules are as for Poison Weapons except as follows...
They only affect Lycanthropes, Werewolves, Weretigers, Werebears etcetera.
They impose a -4 penalty on the Pluck roll of these Creatures.
There is no gas form (although it is rumoured experiments with a similar compound have been tried out in the Belgian Congo against the warrior apes of the noble tribes)

*This is a suggestion as I suspect rules may already be forthcoming in the new rules additions...

[Craig]

One could make silver grenades simply by surrounding the explosive charge with silver balls, or tying a dinner service to a stick of dynamite 

[Tehet]

Only those damnable English would insist on taking a full silver service into the jungle!

[Craig]

Fine dining is the height of civilisation you know old chap!

Have you not seen 'Carry On Up The Khyber'?

[Tehet]

In line with my other efforts, I have now updated and completed the Eternal Temple as an attached PDF...