History: The ring of fire is a cabalistic group that venerates Cthuga. It was founded by a resurrected Ren-shal who didn't share the rogue Ren-shal's hatred of the Old Ones. This Ren-shal, known only as ‘Pyre’, was nearly destroyed by the ancient rogue cabalists who brought him back to life. When he refused to join with the rogues who were attempting to revive the other Ren-shal, they decided that he posed too great a risk. While he lay weakened, recovering from the age-defying resurrection, the others plotted together and sealed Pyre in the center of a glacier.

While entombed, Pyre succumbed to the later stages of hypothermia and entered a deep sleep. He traveled to the dreamlands and tried to use his contact outer plane ability to beseech Cthuga to free him, so he could enact his revenge on the traitorous Ren-shal in the fire god's name. Unfortunately, while Pyre had slept away the ages after the apocalypse of the Paring, Cthuga was destroyed by Andraxas, who also consumed Cthuga's godhead for his own deification. But Pyre's plea was heard by another entity that makes its home on the elemental plane of fire. A being known in Realmspace as Kossoth answered his prayers. Pyre was asked if he believed in the purity of fire, and if so, to prove it by grasping a strange torch that suddenly appeared in the glacier with him. Upon doing so, Pyre was utterly consumed by the flames of this torch.

Pyre spent an unknown time in a void that can be best describe as a warm orange light. Upon wakening he climbed from the lava in the volcanic cauldron of Mount Vurmidurth, Cthuga’s former domicile and his place of destruction. Pyre sensed he was something else; something more powerful. He still held the torch in his hand, which empathetically told him that he died in the glacier, but the new ‘Cthuga’ resurrected him into a firelich. A fire elemental of titanic size (the avatar of Kossoth) appeared in the volcano with him and informed Pyre that It has taken the portfolio of fire in the Arkaelan Pantheon and that It shall be known as Cthuga, reborn in this crystal sphere. The newly self-titled Cthuga granted Pyre the title of the Chosen Ren-shal of Cthuga, and gave him the torch (which as turns out, is a great artifact), as well as a small fragment from the Necronomicon {which had been lost within the lava since the book was shattered by Cthulu}, and charged him with restarting a cabal in his name.

Current Sketch: The Ring of Fire are bitter enemies of the cabalists that serve Cthulu and Ithaqua, due to the new Cthuga's hatred of Powers of water (Cthulu) and ice (Ithaqua). Since wind and air greatly aid fire, they are allied with the cabalist of Hastur. They are pretty much neutral with regards to the other cabals of the Old Ones. Their goals are to destroy the cabals of Cthulu and Ithaqua and to create great magical items of a fiery nature. It is also Pyre’s wish to retake Mount Vurmidurth from the Doomgiver and continue its use as a place of great magical construction, but for his own deity. His efforts have so far been soundly thwarted, due to Andraxas’ protectiveness of his Forge and the many powerful traps and wards placed on this volcano. The Ring of Fire cabal also strive to summon creatures native to the elemental plane of fire to serve them in their conquests. They also like to make powerful skeletal undead and imbue them with fire magic. Lastly, they strive to keep secret that they possess one of the only found fragments of the dreaded Necronomicon.

Role-playing Notes: Members of the Ring of Fire dress in red, orange, and yellow robes cut to resemble fire. They also adorn themselves with gems of the previous mentioned colors. Jacnith and fire opals are the most sacred, and are frequently used in magic items, talismans, staffs, and power rituals. In addition to the normal spell repertoire of the cabalist class, the Ring of Fire also favors spells of elemental fire. They also love to

acquire magic items like rings of fire resistance, wands of fire, and the like. Another note: while Pyre knows well that ‘Cthuga’ is actually the Realms deity Kossoth, he will never reveal this to his followers.

Fiery Familiars: It is common for cabalists to acquire a familiar, and the Ring of Fire is no exception. They however tend to attract familiars of a fiery nature. It is up to the individual DM to make a random list of potential familiars but, it should include creatures like fire snakes, fire bats, fire falcons, a minor fire elemental, etc. The more powerful among them may call forth a Flame Creature to serve them, if Pyre grants his permission.

Magic Items: The Ring of Fire has a few magic items that are unique to this cabalistic brotherhood. They are made in special power rituals. Again this is mainly up to the DM to design the power rituals and spells needed for PC's to make these items. I have decided to omit most details due to the fact some people may not have the all the AD&D products that I have. This leaves it open for DM's to tailor their own power rituals to their own resources. The below list is an example of things that can be made in a power ritual. They get more complex as the list progresses.

Fire Gems: These are one of the most easiest for cabalists to make. In comparison it is not too complex of a power ritual, and can be done on a minor astrological event, one that occurs monthly, like the new moon. It only takes one night and the material components are a number of small fire opals. If the ritual is successful it yields 1d4+1 fire gems. In game terms the fire gems work as spell containers; each one can hold a spell of any level the creator can use {maximum 5^th level} from the sphere of fire. They last until used, at which time the gem turns to dust. A cabalist can perform a the power ritual to make these once a month.

Cthuga Scrolls: These scrolls are symbolic in nature. The ritual involves the sacrifice of captured Deep Ones. It begins a week before a solar eclipse occurs in the area in which the cabalist lairs. During that week, the captured Deep Ones are staked on the ground to suffer the dehydration effects of the sun. They are kept alive until the moment of the eclipse, then are burned alive by the cabalist. The slain Deep Ones are then animated into undeath and serve the cabalist in the ensuing power ritual. As stated elsewhere, Deep Ones are soulless, and so one of the surviving Cthuga's Flame Creatures are actually summoned into service by possessing the animated corpse. During the week before the eclipse, the cabalist fashions a scroll case of an ivory tube capped with fire opals. They then write up a scroll with runes of summoning and binding from a fragment of the Necronomicon, and seal it in the scroll case. After the power ritual, if successful, the creating cabalist can command this Firey Evil Dead {described in the Spirits section} to do his bidding.

Fire Jambiya: For the small blade requirement of the cabalist class, the ring of fire prefers a curved arabian dagger called a jambiya.

Type: P/S

Speed: 2

Damage: 1d4/1d4.
Once back in action, Pyre summoned and bound an efretti noble and forced her to service. He made her deal for her release, at great price: she must have her Azer (fire dwarves) retainers fashion brass jambiyas for the use of the brotherhood. Upon 7th level, any cabalist in the Ring of Fire recieves one of these jambiyas. They are magical weapons and act as a flame tongue sword in function, with damage as a dagger.

Fire Wands: Fire wands must be made from the wood, from the center of a tree, that was destroyed by fire. They should also have red gold veins on it inlayed with jacnith gems. The power ritual should occur on some kind of special planetary alignment, and include the sacrifice of a sentient water creature. If the ritual is successful they are granted a fire wand. Fire wands are used in conjunction with the casting of fire based spells and increase the casting time by one. However the damage dice have a +1 bonus per damage die, and the target of the attack has a -1 penalty to their saving throw. When created they have 1d20+40 charges. Each use costs one charge and they cannot be recharged.

Once the last charge is spent, the wand explodes in a 30' radius and does 5d6 points of damage (save vs. wands for half damage) to all within range.