Monday, November 25, 2024

Priests in Savage Dark Sun

 I think I've reached my limit with this project, at least for now. I'll post what I have, of course, but I don't know if I'll work on more monsters (the bestiary is at 35, now). Ascended beings will also have to wait. However, here's Athasian Priests... Elemental Clerics, Templars, and Druids.



Athasian clerical magic comes in three varieties... elemental priests, druids linked to spirits of the land, and the Templars of the [remaining] Sorcerer-Kings. Each is a unique variety of magic, drawn from elemental power. Clerics draw specifically from a single element... a cleric of water will not have powers that directly deal with fire, air, or earth, though they are not necessarily opposed to clerics of those other elements. Druids have a unique connection to a Spirit of the Land, and Templars are empowered by a connection with a near-extinct species of elemental vortex, with that connection being regulated by their sorcerer-king. These are each unique sorts of magic, grouped together only by the fact that they interact with Power Points relatively normally; they have a store of power points, that returns at a rate of 5 per hour, that they use to fuel their Powers.

Elemental Cleric (Arcane Background)
Requirements: d6+ Spirit
Arcane Skill: Faith (Spirit)
Starting Powers: Elemental Manipulation (chosen element only), Environmental Protection (chosen element only), and three powers chosen from the list below.
Power Points: 10

Available Powers: Barrier, blast, blessing, blind, bolt, burrow (earth only), burst, confusion, conjure item (earth and water only), curse, damage field (fire only), deflection, divination, elemental manipulation (native element only), entangle (earth and water only), environmental protection (native element only), fly (air only), havoc (air only), healing, plane shift (native elemental planes only), protection, relief, smite (fire only), summon monster (elementals of their chosen element only), telekinesis (air only)

Elemental Clerics share features of both the Cleric and Elementalist Arcane Backgrounds. As Clerics, they have the Holy Symbol feature, and a Vow, which both binds them to their element, and restricts the weapons they may use; they do not have restrictions on armor use, but do have preferences and traditions. They may choose the Destroy Undead and Mercy Edges as clerics. As Elementalists, they share the Elemental Origin and Elemental Synergy features, and may take the Elemental Absorption Edge (but not Elemental Master).

Elemental Vows

Air Clerics are wanderers, travelers, and diviners. Their Vow demands freedom, and makes them enemies of slavers. They prefer choose armors that provide a large degree of movement, or no armor at all. All of their weapons must be traditionally usable at range, and thus guided by the air; bows and javelins, but also spears, throwing axes, and daggers. Their holy symbol is their own breath.

Earth Clerics endure, just as Earth itself does. All living things on Athas rely upon the Earth, and so Earth must sustain itself. Because they destroy the sacred Earth, Earth Clerics must be in opposition to defilers, and teach the life cycle of birth, growth, and death, for Earth is both the giver and taker of life. Earth clerics may use weapons of stone, wood, or metal, but are not restricted in their choice of armor (though they prefer to use as much metal as possible). Earth Clerics carry some kind of unusual stone or metal ore as their symbol.

Fire Clerics seek the return of forests and cities to the face of Athas, so that Fire might consume them. In the absence of a world full of fuel, it is their job to create more, and oppose those, like defilers and sorcerer-kings, who would strip the world of what Fire needs to grow and spread. Fire clerics prefer to use weapons of flame, or to enflame them with Smite spells. In the absence of this, they may freely use obsidian weapons. They are not limited in their armor, but prefer to paint it red... or lightly char it to black. Their holy symbol is a piece of obsidian, often carved or melted into the shape of a flame.

Water is the giver of life, and so Water Clerics must give Water and aid to those in need, unless they are flagrant wasters of Water... which includes defilers, whose spells turn the Water to dust. Water spilled upon the ground, or even thrown upon a fire, is not wasted to the same degree as that destroyed by defiling. Water clerics may use any weapon made of life... most often wood and bone. They prefer armor of leather and/or bone, as well, but may wear any armor if threatened. Their holy symbol is a vial of pure water. Replacing this symbol often involves using Elemental Manipulation to draw water from the air, but "natural" water (found in pools or condensed from dew) is preferred.

Templar (Arcane Background)
Requirements: Smarts d6+, Spirit d6+
Arcane Skill: Faith (Spirit)
Starting Powers: Any three powers
Power Points: 10

Templars are among the most powerful mortal spellcasters on Athas, with access to all of the powers. However, they also operate under very strict rules, and their Sorcerer-King may, at any time, strip them of their abilities. They have an Obligation (Major) to serve their monarch, and the Enemy (Minor) hindrance, as few like the Templars, but fewer are willing to assault a random Templar on the street. They have the Connections Edge with other Templars of their Sorcerer-King; when they reach Seasoned rank, they receive the Aristocrat and Rich edges. When within their city, they have +1 to Intimidation and Persuasion rolls. They may not have the Enslaved, Illiterate, Poverty, or Young Hindrances.

Many Templars will have personality hindrances like Bloodthirsty, Greedy, Mean, and Ruthless. Some will have the Corruption hindrance, though that is not necessarily common.

Druid (Arcane Background)
Requirements: Spirit d6+, Survival d6+
Arcane Skill: Faith (Spirit)
Starting Powers: Beast Friend, environmental protection, shape change, and two powers from the Nature Domain list (FC 107)
Power Points: 10

As a Templar is devoted to their Sorcerer-King, so, too, is a druid devoted to their Spirit of the Land. A Spirit of the Land is not as broad as "Earth" or "Fire", but, rather, "The rock outcropping from which you can see Balic on the horizon to the northeast" or, more simply, "The area around here". Most guarded lands will be between 25 and 100 square miles.

Druids have the Vow (Major) and  Armor Interference (Major) hindrances at all times. When not on their guarded lands, they have the Components (Major) and Talisman (Major) Hindrances; their talisman is a piece of their guarded lands. Druids of Veteran rank or better have an Obligation (Major) to their guarded lands; they cannot stray far from then on. The trappings of their spells should always be related to their guarded lands; their entangle may evoke the silt of their estuary, or the shifting sands of their dunes. When they use shape change, it should be to a creature native to their guarded lands.

When on their guarded lands, they have the Favored Terrain (FC 32) and Woodsman (SWADE 50) edges, as well as the One With Nature and Wilderness Stride features of the standard Druid Arcane Background (FC 87). They do not have these features when not on their guarded lands. They may take the Heartwood Staff and True Form edges of the Druid Arcane Background, but the staff must come from their guarded lands. At Veteran rank (when they receive their Obligation), they receive a +4 to resist all hazards while on their guarded lands.

Altered Edges

Blood Magic (FC 36): This is rare among clerics and druids, but not uncommon among Templars, especially those from Draj.

Epic Mastery (FC 36): Templars may not learn the Epic Mastery talent; their sorcerer-kings will not allow them that power. Druids may only use the Epic Mastery talent while on their guarded lands.

Holy/Unholy Warrior (SWADE 46): This is available to Clerics and Druids, but not to Templars.

Transfer (FC 38): Clerics, Druids, and Templars may take and make use of this edge. Druids and Clerics must use caution when transferring to wizards; if that wizard is a habitual defiler, they may find themselves in violation of their Vow. Templars, on the other hand, are often called to support defilers in the service to their sorcerer-king.

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