High Priest

*"Blessed be Sigmar for his many boons. He has shown us great favour this day by granting us the strength to defeat our foes and spread his most holy word."*

## Advanced

(Core) A High Priest is the living embodiment of his God’s will in the Old World. They are fairly rare, as few individuals have both the strength of character and the boundless faith it takes to reach such a lofty post. High Priests, with very few exceptions, will operate out of one of the primary centres of their faith. Pilgrims will travel the breadth of the Empire just to speak for a few moments with such a being. High Priests tend to either reject the physical world, retiring to a monastery or embrace the temporal, becoming powerful secular leaders.

### Secondary Profile

**Skills:** Academic Knowledge (any three), Academic Knowledge (Theology), Channelling, Charm, Common Knowledge (any two), Gossip, Heal, Intimidate, Magical Sense, Ride or Swim, Speak Arcane Language (Magick), Speak Language (any three)

**Talents:** Aethyric Attunement or Meditation, Armoured Casting or Mighty Missile, Etiquette, Fast Hands or Strong-minded, Lesser Magic (any two)

**Trappings:** Religious Relic

## Pomp and Ceremony

Many folk decry the pomp of the Empire’s high priests, arguing they are wrong to enjoy such luxury when most of their congregation can barely scratch a living.

True, the trappings of a high priest include rich ceremonial garb (and for especially high-ranking clergy, a grand pontifical palace) but their apologists argue that as interceders with the gods and ambassadors of their faith, high priests must behave with dignity befitting their station.

Sadly, it is true that some high priests do abuse their influence, glutting themselves on luxury and employing a steward to maintain their affairs. The lower clergy, unchecked by an indolent superior, may become lazy in their vocation. However, this leads to vacant pews and, worse, empty offering plates. It is not unknown for an irresolute high priest to be hounded out of office by zealous clergy who rouse the rabble against his impious ways. The cult authorities are quick to replace him with a more devout candidate. Thankfully this is a rare occurence.

## The Golden Tongue

On the day of Year’s Blessing, pilgrims swarm to the remote Temple of the Silver Well to hear the honey-toned sermons of the “Golden Tongue,” Chrysostom, High Priest of Verena. Blind and deaf, with a flowing, snowy beard, he preaches his goddess’s holy truths from his pulpit, his limbless torso supported by two of his most faithful minions.

Half a century ago, goblins raided the temple, murdering its priests. The greenskins spared only Chrysostom. Pickings were meagre, useless scrolls and musty books, and the goblins were desperate to know the location of the temple’s gold. The fiends hacked at their captive’s limbs,gouged out his eyes, and sliced off his ears. However, it was only when they tried to cut out his tongue that Chrysostom revealed the temple’s real treasure.

The white flame of Verena’s truth flickered on his tongue. Chrysostom began to talk, and though he spoke in the classical language of the ancients, the goblins understood every word. He revealed to them the utter worthlessness of their lives, and the universal hatred their kind inspired. He taught the concept of shame to the shameless, and in their self-loathing some fell on their own swords, while the rest fled to their lairs in despair.

In time the temple was rebuilt, and the tale of the high priest’s miraculous deliverance spread throughout the Empire. Chrysostom is the epitomy of what a high priest should aim to become: a person of unblemished tongue and devout heart.