Beogh

"Drown the unbelievers in a sea of blood!"

Beogh the Brigand is a deity worshiped by the Cave Orcs native to the Dungeon. Only Orcs may devote their service to Beogh, and must prove their devotion by bloodshed and sacrifice. Devout followers of Beogh can smite their foes, and especially fervent devotees of Beogh may even gain followers of their own, for the Orcs still await their Messiah. There is no altar to Beogh in the Ecumenical Temple, but altars to him can often be found in the Orcish Mines.

Beogh is considered an evil god.

Hill Orc Priests may begin the game with this religion.

Racial Restrictions

Beogh only tolerates Hill Orcs as worshipers (at least among the player species).

Appreciates

• You or your allies killing a living, holy, undead, or demonic creature.
• You killing a hostile priest.
• Blessing the corpse of an Orc (praying while standing on an Orc corpse).

Deprecates

You lose on average 1 Piety point every 320 turns, thus you should constantly find a way to counter this loss. If you drop to 0 Piety, you'll be excommunicated. You will also lose Piety (or incur penance) for the following:

• Desecrating orcish remains (using Orc corpses for any purpose, like Animate Dead or Sublimation of Blood).
• Cannibalism (eating chunks from Orc corpses).
• Destroying an Orcish Idol.
• Attacking an Orcish ally. (Be careful if you are confused!)

Given Abilities

Piety level -: "Messenger"

• Protection from harm - If you receive damage that should kill you, there's a 10 + (Piety/10) % chance to cancel all damage (instead, your Piety is reduced by 20 + 1d20). Unlike with good gods, this protection is canceled if you're under penance.

Piety level *: "Proselytiser"

• Bonuses for using orcish gear - The AC bonus of orcish shields and armour (13%) is increased depending on your Piety, and may reach up to 30% when your Piety is nearly maxed out. The accuracy of all orcish weapons is increased by 1. Hitting with an orcish weapon will inflict a random amount up to Piety/33 + 1 more damage (in addition to the 50% chance to inflict +1 damage when using orcish gear for an Orc).

Piety level **: "Priest"

• Smiting - You can smite any monster in view for around 6 + 1d(5 + Invocation Skill) HP. Neither magic resistance nor AC apply. (3 MP, 80-160 Food, 3 Piety)

Piety level ***: "Missionary"

• Gain orcish followers - Non-summoned, shapeshifted, sleeping, confused or paralyzed Orcs (even uniques, eg. Blork) around you may recognize you as their Messiah and turn friendly. The chance depends on your Piety and experience level (the higher, the better) and the hit dice of the Orc (the lower, the better). Using a weapon of orc slaying will reduce the conversion rate by half. Conversions may happen when:
  • A hostile Orc notices you for the first time (including because you hit it or cast a spell on it)
  • A hostile Orc becomes significantly wounded (best not use poison!)
  • You or one of your ally kill a non-ordinary Orc (in this case, the monster will survive the killing blow, unless it was reduced under its max HP in negative). This works best on higher level Orcs.
• Bless your orcish followers - Beogh may bless one of your followers when it kills an enemy or otherwise gains experience. The chance is 1d(Piety) >= 30, or one at random when you kill an enemy (10% chance). The blessing has one of the following effects:
  • 10%: An ordinary Orc becomes an Orc Priest, otherwise 25% chance to add +1 to their weapon's accuracy, 25% chance to add +1 to their weapon's damage, 50% chance to add +1 to their armour's AC.
  • 90%: 50% chance to remove Poison, Sickness, Confusion, Rotting, Slowing or Exhaustion (if they are so afflicted), otherwise heals 25% of the follower's HP.

Piety level ****: "Evangelist"

• Recall your orcish followers - You can recall your orcish allies, as per the Recall spell (but only for orcs): all your orcish followers are immediately teleported close to you. (2 MP, 50-100 Food)
• Orc reinforcements - If you have no followers on this level, there's a small chance that Beogh will instead (permanently) summon several friendly Orcs for you.

Piety level *****: "Apostle"

• Walk on water - You can cross deep water as if it was normal floor. Be careful not to let your Piety drop under 120 or incur penance while you're walking over deep water!

Piety level ******: "Messiah"

• No new abilities.

Punishments

• 25%: Suffer Smiting (there is a Piety/4 % chance that your eventual new god will protect you against this).
• 13%: Summon 1d2 hostile dancing weapons. These weapon will be +1d3-1/+1d3-1, cursed 50% of the time and branded with Orc slaying.
• 25%: Followers around you have a chance to turn hostile (only if you're still a follower of Beogh).
• 37% (62% if you changed religion): Summon a band of hostile Orcs, led by a stronger Orc (type depending on your experience level).

Strategy

Hill Orc Priest guide