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Demzer
Senior Scribe
877 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Mar 2014 : 09:06:57
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Greetings fellow scribes,
i just realized that while writing my campaigns and creating NPCs i have some "go-to" churches i use when selecting the faith of NPC clerics, be they friends or enemies of the PCs, and this led me to further realize that except for specific cases in which the flavor of some particular deity fits way better my generic NPCs clerics come from a very small list of churches:
- Evil: Cyric's if they are too stupid for their own good, Bane's if they have some dignity, Shar's if they're smart and subtle;
- Neutral: Helm's almost every time;
- Good: Lathander's almost always;
So, am i the only one that when is in a hurry to write an NPC slaps a familiar faith on it and it's good to go?
Do you have some faith you use consistently in a similar way to fit the role of evil/neutral/good generic divine worshiper in your campaigns?
NOTE: i'm in no way, shape or form advocating for another divine reaping, nor am i purposefully ignoring all the wonderful different faiths of the Realms: i have created Sharessin that almost converted the whole party in one single night of revel, crazy Umberlants pimps, necromancers of Kiaransalee, blade dancers of Eilistraee and a cleric of Talona specialized in poison-making and "biological-warfare". It's just that when i need a cleric in a hurry i decide the alignment and then those faiths are almost automatically the ones i use.
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3806 Posts |
Posted - 03 Mar 2014 : 10:09:00
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I've recently (well, 5-6 months) found time and people to run a campaign, and I too have some ''go-to'' deities when a priest(ess) is needed.
When looking for ''evil'', I too tend to use Bane/Shar for the ''brainy'' types, and I'd consider Bhaal for the bloodthirsty ones.
Neutral, I like Helm, but also Shaundakul (as wandering priests and explorers) and Mask (shady, individualistic types, not necessarily evil or ill-intentioned, but -generally- not trustworthy).
For ''good'', Selune is one of my favorites, sometimes Illmater too.
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Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
Edited by - Irennan on 03 Mar 2014 10:21:43 |
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1847 Posts |
Posted - 03 Mar 2014 : 13:08:03
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Good: Lathander tops the list, followed by Torm, Selune and Mishakal (I use her instead of Ilmater who is a very minor deity in my campaign).
Neutral: Helm is pretty much it.
Evil: Bane and Mask. I use Cyric as a 'Loki' type god and I use Shar for subtle evils (but NOT on the level she was used in late 3e and 4e).
I use other deities based on the needs of the campaign with churches of Oghma, Mystra/Azuth, Myrkul, Chauntea and Silvanus being the most used secondaries. |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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portose_sharpe
Seeker
Ireland
74 Posts |
Posted - 04 Mar 2014 : 00:30:16
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good, torm, lathander, chauntea, sune, selune,
neutral , helm, tempus, msytra
evil, bane, shar, cyric, mask, talos |
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 04 Mar 2014 : 02:31:04
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Good: Tyr almost always, Oghma, Mystra, Tymora
Neutral: Helm
Evil: Loviatar. Velsharoon, Bane
Also priest of Orcus and sometimes Kiaransalee. |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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Eilserus
Master of Realmslore
USA
1446 Posts |
Posted - 04 Mar 2014 : 03:10:09
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| I had a captive NPC claim to be a priest of Tymora, but is actually a priest of Bane. Hook, line, and sinker (couldn't believe my luck in that scam, course he was beaten and hanging on wall shackles in a goblinkin prison cell when found)...can't wait to see what kind of trouble he gets into once the PC's finish escorting him back to the trading post. |
Edited by - Eilserus on 04 Mar 2014 03:10:34 |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 05 Mar 2014 : 23:10:09
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Hmm, city maps often detail which temples and shrines are available. Most often, my PCs will approach whichever healing happens to be closest in times of need ...
It‘s pretty much a given that PC priests/paladins/etc will report to a place of worship dedicated to *their* particular deity, dragging their indifferent party along.
I used to emphasize city role-playing stuff, giving the PCs a sort of reputation with each local faction. They might be well-received at a temple where they‘ve performed some sort of quest or service. They might be barely tolerated or turned away from one which feels offended. Desperate priests sometimes rely on lowly adventurers to obtain ... illicit things ... ranging from theft and vandalism and assassination (of competing priests/temples, or even their own peers/superiors) to bewildering things like arranged romantic liasons and allegiance of a noble patron and the passing of certain specific state laws. Adventurers are as much a resource to priests as the inverse, and wily DMs will exchange healing for intangibles instead of mere gold. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2014 : 07:57:26
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quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik
Adventurers are as much a resource to priests as the inverse, and wily DMs will exchange healing for intangibles instead of mere gold.
If there is any justice in the world, WotC will ask permission to quote your statement in the 5E DMG.
quote:
Originally posted by Eilserus
I had a captive NPC claim to be a priest of Tymora, but is actually a priest of Bane.
I like having priests of one deity pose as priests of another deity.
Sometimes it can be tricky with PC Paladins and their pesky detect evil ability, but it's worth it in the end when players uncover the ruse. |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
Edited by - Jeremy Grenemyer on 06 Mar 2014 07:59:05 |
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BlackAce
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
358 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2014 : 09:49:56
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Heh, many of my old players used to look for a priest of Ilmater as they would usually offer healing cheaply while just about all the others would gouge them or call in favors. At least one of my players rued the day he asked a druid to reincarnate his companion. IIRC that guy is still a dryad. lol!
and speaking of justice, I've always held to the notion that the lawful good portfolios invariably mean the churches play a big part in law and order. In my old campaign when one of the PCs was on trial, the judge was a Justiciar of Tyr, the Stenographer; a cleric of Deneir, the Bailiffs where Watchers of Helm, while in custody, the prisoners were looked after by priests of Ilmater, the condemned dealt with by the Church of Kelemvor and the court transcrips had to be entered into the public record via the public library of the local temple of Oghma.
I wonder what a lawful evil courtroom looks like? |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2014 : 23:21:24
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I imagine priests serving Helm or Torm (or *ahem* Bane) would make excellent tax-collectors. In lieu of Waukeenites, of course.
Healing NPCs seem an excellent method of introducing new/oddball/false religions. Including pretender deities with darker motives. I suppose there‘s many itenerant priests of Tymora wandering the roads, and many priests of Tempus refusing to heal glorious battle wounds, and many snake-oil charlatans trying to sell questionable curatives to wayward adventurers. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Your "go-to" churches for NPC clerics
