Cherubim

 

I have racked up quite a Joesky Tax bill recently. I also saw some drawings online that I really liked. One thing led to another. 

It is well known that dogs and cats and foxes dream as humans dream, and that some live strangely exaggerated, human-ish lives in the dreamlands. 

Cherubim are dreaming mice, who dream about what it might be like to be brave instead of terrified, and strong instead of helpless. They are beloved by the Prince, who they all serve, and he dresses them in enchanted silver mail and plumed helms, and bestows on them shining swords and lances. They are his messengers and spies, and sometimes his assassins and enforcers. A Cherubim is immaculately groomed, proud, watchful, quick and deadly, absolutely sure of themselves. 

They are still quite small, maybe 15cm tall. They ride steel-spurred cockerels dressed in elaborate livery, and are often accompanied by small courts of fairies, and other friendly insects. Dreaming of them is universally considered a good omen, and gaining the dream-friendship of one of the Cherubim has given many Baronial children their first taste of the adventuring life. 

Cherubim

d3 hp, armed with: Sword of the Brave, Lance of the Pure, 3x Secret Darts, armoured in: Shining Mail and shield, movement: human, disposition: a knight in a fairy tale, generally: courteous, quick to wrath, equally quick to forgive, merciless in the face of evil.

Cherubim are completely fearless, completely incorruptible, and completely selfless. They are very skilled, and get +4 to hit with their weapons. 

Sword of the Brave: a shining silver sword, that fills those that see it wielded with hope and courage. It is a tiny slashing weapon (d3), and while its bearer lives it gives all allies in the combat immunity to fear. Against Orcs, Goblins, Bugbears, and other nightmares, a Sword of the Brave deals d8 damage, and negates any special abilities that they possess. 

Lance of the Pure: a long white lance, which banishes evil. Can only be used in concert with a mounted charge, and deals d6 piercing once, before shattering. When used in defence of someone in distress, it instead deals d12 damage. If the lance is held high beneath the sky, sunlight or starlight will always find its tip. 

Secret Darts: poisoned, used out of sight to silently eliminate the political enemies of the Prince. Thrown, and deal no damage on a hit. Anyone struck by one must save CON or sleep, take 2d6 poison damage, or fall in love with the next person they see. Randomise it, or choose which darts a given Cherubim is carrying with them.

Shining Mail: beautiful, delicate silver armour, so burnished that it blazes almost white. Counts as plate to anything the Cherubim's size, and leather to anything human sized. While wearing it, the Cherubim must be killed thrice for the death to stick - the first two times they are simply knocked around violently but non-fatally. 

Cockerel Destrier

Proud war beasts, pampered and loved by their riders. They sing in the breaking dawn, and their cry banishes nightmares. 

HD1, steel spurs (d3 piercing), cockerel barding (as leather), speed: twice human, disposition: a very well trained dog. 

Dawn Caller: All nightmares are destroyed without a save when the cockerel crows, but it can only do this while it sees the sun rising, but not yet over the horizon. 

Fairy Attendants

A Cherubim will be accompanied by d6-1 fairies. Roll them up as usual. One of them may be a War Bee:

War Bee

A brave fellow, with a friendly buzz and a devil-may-care attitude. As a fairy that can't speak, but stings for d4 damage when it attacks. Produces 1 ration of dream honey per day, and always knows immediately when someone is lying. 

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