Player characters in this campaign are assumed to be special, even unique persons with a distinct reason for fighting against the minions of Night. There should be an event in your past which caused you particularly to hate Night and all that fiend stands for — whether a murdered relative, confiscated property, or having a parent or grandparent who was a Knight of the Chalice. An intense loathing of evil in general, and of Night in particular, is a prerequisite for player characters in the campaign.

At some time after that intense hatred developed, but still before the start of the campaign, every player character had another experience. It may have followed immediately on the first event, or come some years later, but it is the event which directly precipitated the start of your adventuring career. While in the woods or hills for some reason, you encountered a black unicorn.

You had never seen or even imagined a creature of such beauty before. It moved with easy grace, yet powerful muscles rippled underneath its glossy black coat. You stood entranced while the beast approached silently. It stood face-to-face with you, its gentle brown eyes looking deeply into yours. You felt naked, yet unashamed, and you felt no fear, even as it lowered its horn to softly touch your shoulder. Power seemed to flow from its horn through your body, and your heart seemed to burn within you. Slowly the unicorn turned to return to the woods, and you noticed for the first time a long, angry red scar behind its left shoulder blade. Then it was gone.

The encounter with the unicorn left you with three lasting results. First, there is a mark on your shoulder where the horn touched you, a dark red blotch that looks something like a cup or chalice. Second, though the unicorn said nothing, you felt at the time and still feel a sense of calling, as if you had been specially chosen as a champion of good to fight the forces of evil in the world. Third, you have a special magical ability to aid you in that fight.

Gifts of the Black Unicorn

Roll 1d8 for the character's special gift:

1. Alter appearance — as change self, level 5 caster, duration 1 turn + 1 rd./level
2. Banish evil — 1/day, either dispel magic (base 100% chance, cast as priest of same level) or remove curse
3. Detect magic — 10%/level, at will
4. Healing — cure 1d6 + 1/level 1/day, remove paralysis 1/day, cure disease or cure blindness 1/day
5. Prayer — 1/day
6. Protection from evil — as paladin (15' radius for paladins)
7. Resistance — 50% immunity to charm spells cast by evil creatures (elves 100% immunity)
   
8. Player's choice

In addition to this particular ability, the character also has the ability to recognize another character with a Gift at a range of up to 60'. This is involuntary; the character simply becomes aware that another person nearby has been touched by the Black Unicorn, and that other person immediately comes to the attention of the character.