(TFT) Priesthood: Another Look

["grabowski" <grabowski@erols.com>]

Another look at priesthood in TFT.

In the system I had used in my campaign, I separated the priesthood into
three separate talents rather than the two found in TFT.  The three talents
were

IQ 9
Seminarian (2).  This is a devout layperson, deacon, or priest-in-training.
This allows the seminarian to call upon his god minor blessings.

IQ 11
Priest (2).  Treat as the IQ 9 talent (TFT:ITL) but has the ability to call
upon his god for minor and major blessings.  Prerequisite: Seminarian and
literacy

IQ 14
Theologian (2).  As the IQ 14 talent of the same name.  This level of
priesthood can call upon their god for minor and major blessings, as well
as, miracles.  Prerequisite:  Priest

Both the priest and theologian have an understanding of the basic concepts
of their religion.  This would include an knowledge of the litergy and the
rituals associated with the sacraments of baptism, marriage, and death.  The
seminarian has only some knowledge of these rituals.  Any time a seminarian
tries these rituals, he/she must make a 3d6 v. IQ or fail in the ritual.
Failure is up to the GM. An example is the ritual of last rites, allows the
soul of the dead person to continue on and allows it to go to its final
reward.  So hence, the spirit passes and there is little chance of it
becoming a ghost.

Each level of the priesthood has a differing ability to call for their god's
assistance.  These are called blessings and miracles.  In order to obtain
these blessings or miracles, the priest needs to study the rites associated
with each of them.  So a priest must spend 1 IQ point for each blessing or
miracle they want to be able to do.  This is much like a wizard buying
his/her spells.  The difference between spells and blessings/miracles is
that the blessing/miracles are not restricted by IQ but by level of
priesthood talent.   The priest still spends fatique points to channel these
blessings/miracles, exactly like a wizard does with his/her spells.

BLESSINGS and MIRACLES

A seminarian has the ability to learn the three minor blessings.

AID (T).  Treat exactly like the wizard IQ 9 spell.
SANCTIFY (S).  This blessing works only for the priest.  When using this
spell treat the priest as if he was wearing a +1 charm.  This blessing
cannot be doubled to make it a +2 charm.  Costs 3 ST plus 1 per turn this
spell continues.
DETECT MAGIC (T).  Treat exactly like the wizard IQ 8 spell.

The priest has the ability to learn the three minor blessings and the eleven
major blessings.

CALM (T).  This blessing if used against a character/creature will calm
their tempers enough that they will stop fighting until they make a 3d6 IQ
roll.  While under the  influence of this blessing, the victim of this spell
cannot do any offensive combat option.  This would include moving toward the
enemy.  The victim can DEFEND/DODGE or move away from the combat.  They can
use protective spells but not any spell that in any way act in an offensive
manner (do damage to the enemy), while under this blessings influence.  If
this blessing is used against someone who is berserk, the berserk ends but
the character still may fight.  If a berserk rage is removed in this way,
the berserker will only lose 1 ST rather than the 2 ST loss.  Provoking any
character/creature under this blessing (ie. hitting them, knocking them
down, etc...) will automatically break this spell.  Costs: 3 ST
EMPATHY (S).  This blessing transfers damage directly from the recipient of
the blessing to the priest.  The damage could be either physical or fatigue.
No amount of physickering will remove this damage from the priest; only
time, potions, another blessing or miracle, or a wish will remove the damage
that the priest transfered to him/herself.  Cost is in damage taken by the
priest.
PROTECTION (T).  Throws a blessing around the recipient that subtracts 2
from DX and -1 damage from all attacks aimed at the recipient of the spell.
As with the wizard's blur spell, this blessing is not cumulative.  Costs: 3
ST for 6 turns of use.
CLEANSE FOOD AND WATER (T).  Treat as the wizard IQ 17 cleansing spell but
will only work on food and water (any human libation).  Costs:  1 ST per .5
kg. of food or water.
BLESS (T).  Treat as the minor blessing, Sanctify, but it can be used on
other characters/creatures besides the priest.  Costs:  3 ST plus 1 per
turn.
DIVINE  (S).  This blessing allows the priest to ask one yes or no question
from his/her diety.  Costs: 5 ST per question asked.
CURSE (T).  Treat exactly like the wizard IQ 13 spell
REMOVE CURSE (T).  The blessing can remove a curse.  Cost:  Exactly the same
amount of ST the curser put into the spell/blessing.
CONTROL ANIMAL (T).  Treat like the IQ 11 wizard spell except for control
roll and costs.  Animal makes a 4d v. IQ to resist.  Cost:  1 ST plus 1 per
turn
WRATH (T).  A ball of lightning, pillar of fire, or whatever appears from
nowhere and strikes the victim doing damage.  For each ST point placed in
the blessing the wrath does one die of damage.  No more than 5 ST can be
placed in this blessing.
TEMPLE (C).  Creates a comfortable area that keeps out and protects all
within from the elements (not elementals).  The area is a megahex in size.
Cost: 3 ST for one hour plus 1 ST for each extra hour.

The theologian has the ability to learn all of the minor and major
blessings, as well as, all the miracles.

CURE (S).  Cures 1 ST of wounds for each for each 5 ST fatigue used by the
priest.  Recipient of the spell must be touched.
REMOVE CURSED OBJECT (T).  Treat exactly like the IQ 17 wizard spell.
MANA FROM THE HEAVENS (S).  For every 5 ST spent enough food and water
appears (in backpack/canteen) to sustain a person for one day.
CONTROL PERSON (T).  Treat exactly like wizard IQ 13 spell except the person
must make a 4d v. IQ roll.
REAPER (T).  Treat exactly like the wizard IQ 16 DEATH spell.
QUEST (S).  Treat exactly like the wizard IQ 17 spell GEAS.
CLEANSING (T).  Treat exactly like the wizard IQ 17 spell except for costs.
Cost:  10 ST per hex.
UNIVERSAL BLESSING (S).  Treat as priest BLESS but that works on all
friendly characters/creatures within the same megahex as the priest.  The
megahex being centered on the priest.  Cost:  5 ST plus 1 per turn.
WORDS OF COMMAND (S). Treat like the wizard IQ 20 spell but the priest may
only use the following command words; flee, surrender, stop, come and obey.
WRATH OF GOD (T).  Treat like the blessing, WRATH, except that this spell
affects all "enemies" within a megahex.  The target hex of this thrown
miracle is the center of the megahex.  Cost: 3 ST per die of damage and no
more than 15 ST can be spent on this miracle.
SUMMON GUARDIAN (C).  Summons an attendant (angel, demon, or whatever) of
the priest'd diety, who will serve the priest for 12 turns or until it is
destroyed.  The Guardian is a one hex creature with a ST 40  DX 15  IQ 20
with an infinite MA due to its ability to teleport itself (only).  It does 2
dice of damage in combat and stops 5 hits per attack.  It appears fully on
the turn after it was summoned.
Cost: 15 ST
SANCTUARY (C).  Treat as the wizard IQ 15 PENTAGRAM spell with no catches
like the wizard spell.  The SANCTUARY megahex is centered on the hex the
priest is located.  Cost: 5 ST plus 1 ST per turn.
RESURRECTION (T).  Treat like the wizard IQ 19 REVIVAL spell except the cost
is 30 ST.  Unlike the REVIVAL spell, the character or creature can be dead
for up to three days each day after the first doubling the ST cost to use.
So on the third day it would cost the priest 120 ST to resurrect a
character/creature.

OTHER PRIESTHOOD RULES

1)  Blessings and miracles are not affected by the presence of iron, so a
priest may wear metal armor.  Some religions though may have strict
guidelines about both armor and weapons though.

2)  A priest gains experience just as a wizard does for using spells.
Although each wound that the priest takes from the EMPATHY blessing is worth
5 experience points.

3)  A priest that wants to use a blessing/miracle has to use option I.e from
Advanced Melee (p. 3).


If there are any more blessings or miracles that you can think of please
post them to the list.  These blessing and miracles are generally based on a
good god and I am sure there are some nasties out there for evil gods.

Yours in Cidri,
Justin

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