The Priest/Priestess

Priests and Priestess are those who have dedicated themselves to the service of a particular god or pantheon of gods. They may be members of a church, organization or even a cult.

Most players characters will play a travelling priest or Cleric determined to spread the word of a particular god or pantheon through his or her words or actions. As wandering priest/ess, the character engages in acts worthy of the ways of his or her god/goddess. Priests can be good or evil just as there can be good or evil gods. With rare exceptions, priests are not trained as men of arms or in the use of weapons or armour, although most traveling priests learn at least basic hand to hand combat. Nor are priests men of magic. Their spell casting abilities are gifts granted to them from thier god and are more akin to prayers. Most priests tend to be theologians, philosophers healers or scholars. They act as advisors and teachers.

Priest, Armor & Combat

Weapons can be of many varieties but most priests seem to prefer staves and blunt weapons.

In regard to armour, most priests tend to prefer light armor like padded and leather types because they offer good maneuverability and are more comfortable. Even chain mail starts to become a bit weighty and uncomfortable. The heavy types of armour are cumbersome and confining.

Of course, a priest may elect to use/wear any type of armour he or shedesires, but with the considerations above and the usual encumbrance penalties: -15% to prowl and -20% to climb/scale walls or swim in full splint or plate armour. -10% to prowl, swim or climb in chain or scale mail, and -5% in studded leather.A priest's duties, ability and training will vary depending upon the religious organization, gods, philosophical orientation and needs.

Allegiance to a God

To play a priest (a female can be called either a priest or priestess), the player must choose a god or a pantheon of gods, and/or religion to which his character can devote his life.

While affiliation with an existing, formal church or similar religious organization is not absolutely necessary (and it may be better for game continuity and easier for the Game Master), the character must have an obvious and practiced allegiance to a particular god or pantheon. The deity(s) selected should have a compatible alignment with the character. For example, a good character is not likely to worship a god of darkness, unless he is looking to change his alignment to selfish or evil. The only exception is when an entire pantheon is embraced. A pantheon typically represents a range of good, selfish and evil gods as well as human foibles, vices and emotions. Still, a good character may acknowledge an evil god in his pantheon, but he will not pray to him nor show him allegiance or service other than the acknowledgement. In such cases, the evil and selfish forces are used as examples of what not to do, or what to avoid in life, as well as the struggle between good and evil.

In general, priests usually swear allegiance to one or two specific gods, although they may revere, honor, and obey any or all the gods in the same pantheon. Though a priest may draw his or her inspiration and power from one or two deities, he will know about all the gods in that pantheon and how they interact. Likewise, the priest will know about his pantheon's friends, allies, enemies, rivals, and splinter groups as well as many other supernatural beings and organizations (mortal and supreme).

Each religion has its own laws and moral codes, and priests are expected to follow them. Adherence to such dogma is usuallystrictly upheld at temples, churches and religious organizations locatedat cities and towns. However, the travelling priest, often away from other priests and the rigidity of the church can be more relaxed about formalities and some even "bend" some of the laws, especially to help others.

If a character disobeys, rebukes, or bad-mouths his deity(s), he will be punished, often severely, but usually fairly. Priests who forsake their god(s) completely are stripped of every clerical ability, skill ability and experience! The memories of experiences and people remain, but the skills and power are magically removed. The character starts from scratch with the selection of a new O.C.C. The character can even become the priest of another god or pantheon, but even if sincerely repentant at a later time, he is not likely to ever be reinstated as a priest by the deity he had forsaken (and if he is, he's likely to start at level one or two).

Special Prayers

All priests pray. Prayer serves many functions. It enables the priest to talk/communicate to his deity (one way; the priest does all the talking) and in so doing; gets things off his mind and enables him to focus his thoughts. Prayers are also used during mass and in religious ceremonies, both as a part of tradition and to focus and coordinate the participants which can number into the hundreds or even thousands.Special prayers are pleas to the god(s) for strength, insight, and minor acts of intervention. These are typically limited to the following (some religions and gods may have a few other or additional prayers)

Prayer of Strength of the Blessed/Damned:

Prayer of Communion:

Summon the Minions of Darkness/Light:

Blessings:

Blessing of Water:

Blessing of a person:

Blessing of food:

Prayer of Intervention:

Enables the priest to cast any one spell, of any spell level, that hisgod(s) knows. The priest is able to cast the spell with the effects, spell strength and duration five levels higher than his current experience level! Thus, a third level priest would be able to cast a spell as if he were eighth level. Success Ratio: 21 % at level one, +7% per additional level.
Temporary knowledge to create a magic scroll: This ability is limited to priests of 6th level or higher and can only be attempted once per 24 hour period. The type of spell is limited to the knowledge of his god(s) and is typically equal in spell strength to the level of the priest. The exact spell level potency can be regulated by the priest who is conjuring the scroll. Success Ratio: 9% per level of experience.
Super Healing: The priest's normal healing touch now instantly restores 2D4xlO hit points/S.D.C. (or 4D6 M.D.C. in mega-damage worlds). Duration: Two healing touches. Success Ratio (to get this ~: 21 % at level one, +7% per additional level.

Miracles:

Note: The priest's devotion to his deity(s), sincerity, need and his god's interest in the events unfolding will often be the deciding factors of whether or not a great miracle is granted. Miracles are absolutely impossible if the deity decides that the priest or the reason for the request is undeserving. Asking for a miracle to defeat the guardian of some treasure trove the priest and his companions want will NOT be granted. Nor will one be granted for the priest's personal cause and even many good causes, with the lives of hundreds of people hanging in the balance, will be ignored. Deity(s) just do not provide miracles at the drop of a hat. Miracles are most likely to be provided when the priest is involved in a cause that his deity considers Qf great importance. Typically, one to a half dozen miracles may be available during a campaigninstigated by the deity. Otherwise, a miracle is a rarity with rarely more than one or two being granted every 2D6 years!Duration:.varies. Some effects may be permanent.Success Ratio for Miracles: The Priest's M.A. attribute number plus2% per level of experience. However, if the gods are actively monitoring the priest's progress and he is acting on the god's behalf, a deitymay grant a miracle regardless of whether or not the character's roll was successful (this is absolutely left to the G.M.'s discretion).

Available Types of Miracles:

Miracle of Luck: The priest and up to one additional character perlevel of the priest's experience (but the additional characters must be a follower of that god or pantheon), receive the following bonuses: +4 on initiative, +10 to roll with impact/fall, +10 to save vs horror factor, +8 to dodge, +8 to save vs poison, +3 to save vs magic, and impervious to magic curses and charms. Duration: One minute per level of experience.
Supernatural Strength: The priest is temporarily granted supernatural strength, endurance and abilities. All of his hit points and S.D.C. are temporarily tripled His P.S. is increased by 2D4 and becomes supernatural. Other bonuses: + 1 on initiative, +1 to strike, parry and dodge, and + 1 on all saving throws. While empowered in this way, the character radiates an aura of awe and power that is equal to a horror factor of 12 to his enemies. Duration: One minute per level of experience.
Purification: Same as the wizard's spell.

Great Miracles:

Great Miracle of Increased Power: Any known magic spells or prayers made while this miracle is in force is at double the duration, and double the power/strength. Duration: One minute per level of experience.
Great Miracle of Control Over Nature: Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and storms (not ley line storms) can be stopped in an instant. The direction of the wind can be changed to the desire of the priest, rain made to fall (but not a storm; covers a one mile/l.6 km area per level of experience), clouds created to reduce the heat of the sun, flood waters lowered to normal, flash flood conditions dissipated, and swarms of insects/locusts sent away (unfortunately, they go somewhere else). The priest can also make a spring of fresh water appear in a desert and places without water, make flowers bloom, make bread or potatoes appear out of thin air (up to enough food for a dozen people), increase the amount of available food by three times, double the yield from crops, and repel packs of animals.Duration: Varies. The priest has control over destructive forces of nature for only one minute per level of experience, but is able to avert the impending disaster. The averted disaster (flood, hurricane, earth quake, volcanic eruption, etc.) will remain gone until the next act of nature -there will be at least one week of calm. The creation of rain, clouds, water, etc., will remain in effect for one hour per level of experience or until the priest cancels the magic.
Miraculous Healing (by touch or glance): Heal the crippled (re turn to old statistics or average attributes), restore vision to the blind, give voice to the mute, hearing to the deaf, cure sickness and disease, automatically and instantly dispel possessing entities, automatically dis pel magic curses and sickness, negate poison (even amounts as vast as a lake) and restore one character per level of experience to full health, hit points/S.D.C. Duration: The priest has the power of miraculous healing for one melee (15 seconds or three to six melee actions/acts of healing). The effects of the healing is instant and permanent.
Great Miracle of Control over Magic: Dispel any magic barrier, curses or spell, with the exception of rune magic and spells of legend. Creates an anti-magic cloud or sanctuary, instantly closes a dimensional portal, opens a dimensional Rift to the desired location (only a 10% chance of error), and calm ley line storms (reduce by half and the priest is impervious to damage or side-effects). The priest himself is also im pervious to all magic transformations, charms/mind controls, curses, sickness, insanity and illusions while he has the power to control magic.
Duration: The power to control the forces of magic lasts one melee (15 seconds) per level of the priest. The effects of his control/negation of magic is instant. The ability to cast spells is not part of the control powers.

Knowledge & Abilities of the Priest

Healing Touch: The healing touch restores 2D6 hit points or S.D.C. Priests can perform the healing touch once every other melee round, but cannot use it on themselves.Selling the Healing Touch: Clergy may offer their ability to heal others for free or may charge a fee depending on circumstance, church edict and needs. Fees run as low as five gold per laying of hands to 1D6xl00 gold per touch. However, the average fee is about 25 or 30 gold per touch.
Exorcism: A successful exorcism will drive out/banish any entity or demon from a possessed person, animal, dwelling or area. The exor cised creatures cannot return to the place or person for at least 6 months and are likely to NEVER return (86% likelihood of never returning). A successful exorcism performed in an area such as a graveyard, tomb, etc., will destroy all animated skeletons, corpses, and mummies which inhabit the area of exorcism. Ghouls and zombies will be banished for 10 months, while the greater supernatural creatures, including lesser devils and demons, vampires, ghosts, wraiths and specters, are banished for 6 months.The Rite of Exorcism requires 1D6 hours of prayer and meditationto perform the rite, depending on the strength of the possessing/inhabit ing force. The holy symbols of the priest's religion' are necessary and it is wise to have assistants and bodyguards should fighting be necessary. Success ratio: 7% per level of experience. An exorcism can be at tempted as many times as the priest wants to try.
Curse/Remove Curse:
Resurrection: This is one of the most awesome of all the priest's powers, to actually breathe life into the recently deceased. Impressive asit may be, there are a number of limitations and conditions. The body must have all of its parts; small body parts like fingers and toes may be missing, and will remain missing after the resurrection. The deceased should not have been dead for more than 2 to 4 weeks (refrigeration can add up to 6 months to the four week limit). A penalty of -3% is applied to each month beyond four weeks from the time of death. Deceased over one year old has only a total of a 5% chance for a successful resurrection. Ratio of Success: This ability can only be attempted by priestsof fifth level or higher. At fifth level, the priest has a 10% chance toperform a successful resurrection, plus 3% per each additional level beyond five. Note: A resurrection can only be attempted ONCE on the same character by the same priest. A failed roll means the character remains dead.
Turn Dead: This rite is similar to exorcism, but it can be enacted in only two melee rounds (30 seconds). It affects only animated skeletons and corpses, mummies and ghouls. This ability enables the priest to turn/repel the dead by commanding them to leave in the name of his deity(s). The dead will stop what they were doing and go away. Vampires, ghosts, wraiths, and specters may be temporarily kept at bay, hesitating for one or two melee rounds, but will not be otherwise affected. Demons, deevils, gods and most other supernatural beings are not affected at all! Success Ratio: 20% at first level, plus 5% per additional level ofexperience.
Penance and Sacrifice: The techniques used for self-denial and the exploration of one's self and environment include meditation, fasting, vows of abstinence, and vows of silence. As a result, priests can resist thirst for two days per level of experience, and resist hunger for three days per level of experience. Although the priest is able to ignore the pain and discomfort, and function at close to normal, the physical body does suffer damage from dehydration, starvation, etc.
Animate & Command Dead: This ability is the same as the wizard spell with the following distinct differences. Success ratio: 9% per each level of experience. Duration: This ability can be maintained as long as the priest concentrates on it and does not engage in other activities, thoughts, spells or prayers.In addition to the priest being able to animate and command/control 1D4 dead per level of experience, the villain can try to seize control of dead things animated by another character. The priest can keep such creatures at bay (not turn or repel them, but keep them at bay) with a simple command such as "Stay back," "Move away," or "Stop," and without need of any special roll or attack. To seize full command, the priest must roll ID20 and roll a number one above the animator's spell strength. For example, if a wizard with a spell strength of 12 animates the dead, the priest can usurp control by rolling a 13 or higher and announcing his conquest by bellowing something like, "You are mine to command. Obey me!" followed by an order. These stolen animated dead will remain under his control for the maximum duration of the original spell and serve in addition to those raised by his own magic. Although all priests have the ability to Animate and Control the dead, a priest of light will very rarely ever do so and under the most extreme of circumstances and even then never animate the dead.
Greater Familiar: At sixth level, a priest who has served his Master faithfully, is given a greater familiar (same as the Witch O.C.C.). If the character has not been 100% loyal, this gift will be held back till next level or until he has proven himself worthy.

Spell Casting

Priests gain their spell abilities directly from their deity(s) and their faith. Priests are endowed with the ability to cast spells by their god(s). It is not a learned nor practiced skill. Most clergy know nothing about the ways of magic. The spells of a priest are invoked by the chanting of their god's name and the type of spell needed.

A priest begins to acquire spells starting with first level along with prayers and most other abilities. At first level, the priest automatically gets the spell of tongues and one additional spell selection from either the wizard magic level 1 or the priest level 1. For each subsequent new level of experience, one additional spell can be selected from levels equal to their character level (ie. a 2nd level priest can select from levels 1-2, a third from levels 1-3 etc.). Priests cannot be taught nor purchase additional spell knowledge. Note: Each particular church, religion and/or god is likely to have itsown laws, practices, dogma and rituals. Only a handful require celibacy, most allow its priests to wed and have a family. Only about 50% are gender specific (male or female).

Priest O.C.C.

Attribute Requirements: High M.A. and M.E. recommended.
Alignment: Any
Gender: Male or Female
Race: Any
O.C.C. Skills:

O.C.C. Related Skills: Choose 7 other skills at level 1 , plus 1 per level starting at level 2. All new skills start at Lvl. one proficiency.

Secondary Skills: Choose 4 at level 1, plus 1 per level starting at level 2. All new skills start at Lvl. one proficiency. These are additional areas of knowledge that don't get the O.C.C. bonus.

Starting Equipment: A set of travelling clothes, a travelling robe or cloak with a hood, a cerimonial robe, boots, belt, bedroll, backpack, a medium-sized satchel, four small sacks, water skin, holy symbol, weapon of choice, 150 gold pieces.

Magic Combat:
Level Magic Combat Spell Use/level Experience
1 +1 vs. Spell Magic 4 0-1,930
2 +1 vs. Circles/Wards 6 1,931-3,860
3 +1 Spell Strength 8 3,861-7,720
4 Sence Good/Evil 40% 10 7,721-15,200
5 2 Spell Att/Melee 12 15,201-23,300
6 Recognize Enchantment 30% 14 23,301-36,666
7 +2 vs. Spell Magic 16 36,667-56,666
8 +2 Spell Strength 18 56,667-86,666
9 +2 vs. Circles/Wards 20 86,667-111,666
10 Sence Good/Evil 65% 22 111,667-135,666
11 +2 vs. Circle/Wards 24 135,667-166,666
12 Recognise Enchantment 50% 26 166,667-216,666
13 +3 vs. Spell Magic 28 216,667-266,666
14 Recognize Enchantment 71% 30 266,667-316,666
15 +3 vs. Circle/Wards 32 316,667-386,666

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