Race

This god is the mentor of a specific sentient race (dwarf, elf, gnome, halfling, and human, and even half-elf if there enough half-elves that they are recognized as being an actual species). Usually, the god is the one who, in the legends, created the race in question -- or at least nurtured and educated the race in difficult years.

Naturally, there is a separate race-god for each race.

The gods' priesthoods are dedicated to staving off threats against the race, persuading members of the race to achieve their maximum potential and destiny, and to preventing members of the race from betraying the race (or, for that matter, the world, or all life on the world).

A race-god is as likely to be male as female.

The priests of this god are on good terms with the priests of Ancestors, Birth/Children, Community, Culture, Good, and Marriage. Also: (Dwarves) Crafts, Fire, Lightning, Metalwork, Thunder. (Elves) Animals, Crafts, Nature, Race/Half-Elven. (Gnomes) Mischief/Trickery. (Half-Elves) Race/Elven, Race/Human. (Halflings) Mischief/Trickery, Peace, Prosperity. (Humans) Divinity of Mankind, Race/Half-Elven.

Alignment: The deity is good; at the DM's discretion, he may be chaotic good, neutral good, or lawful good, but tends to be neutral good. Regardless of his alignment, his priests may be of any good alignment. The flock may be of any neutral or good alignment.

Minimum Ability Scores: Wisdom 12. Wisdom 16 means +10% experience.

Races Allowed: Only dwarves can be priests of the god of the dwarven race, only elves can be priests of the god of the elven race, etc. The only exception to this pattern is the half-elf. A half-elf can be a priest of the god of the elven race, of the god of the human race, or of the god of the half-elven race (assuming that the DM even has a god of the half-elven race). If a half-elf is the priest of the god of the elven race, he follows all the guidelines (in this priest description) for those priests instead of half-elven priests; if he is the priest of the god of the human race, he follows all the guidelines for those priests instead of half-elven priests.

Nonweapon and Weapon Proficiencies: Nonweapon Proficiencies Required: Ancient History. Nonweapon Proficiencies Recommended: Local History, Reading/Writing, Religion, (Dwarves) Blacksmithing, Armorer, Mountaineering, Weaponsmithing, (Elves) Animal Handling, Animal Lore, Bowyer/Fletcher, Dancing, Running, Tracking, (Humans) Riding Land-Based, Navigation, Heraldry. Weapon Proficiencies Required: None. Nonweapon Proficiency Group Crossovers: Priest, General, Warrior.

Duties of the Priest: Guidance, Marriage. Vigilance against enemies of the race and their plots.

Weapon and Armor Restrictions: Naturally, Weapon and Armor Restrictions vary from race to race. Broken down by race, they include:

Dwarves: Weapons Permitted: Battle axe, club, crossbow, flails (both), hand/throwing axe, mace, maul, morning star, picks (all), warhammer. Armor Permitted: All armor and all shields. All together, these constitute Good combat abilities.

Elves: Weapons Permitted: Bows (all), dagger/dirk, javelin, knife, lance, quarterstaff, spear, sword/short, sword/long. Armor Permitted: All non-metal armor; any metal armor made by elven craftsmen; all shields. Oriental Campaigns: Also bo stick, daikyu. All together, these constitute Good combat abilities.

Gnomes: Weapons Permitted: Bows (all)/short, crossbow/light, hand/throwing axe, javelin, sling. Armor Permitted: All armor and shields. All together, these constitute Good combat abilities.

Half-Elves: Weapons Permitted: Bows (all), dagger/dirk, knife, lance, lasso, swords (all). Armor Permitted: All armor and shields. All together, these constitute Good combat abilities.

Halflings: Weapons Permitted: Club, dagger/dirk, dart, hand/throwing axe, javelin, knife, sling, staff sling. Armor Permitted: All armor; no shields. All together, these constitute Medium combat abilities.

Humans: Weapons Permitted: Bows (all), dagger/dirk, knife, lance, spear, sword/long. Armor Permitted: All non-magical armor and shields. All together, these constitute Good combat abilities.

Other Limitations: Whenever they appear in public, these priests must wear clothing or badges which indicate their status as priests of the race. Important Note: There is no limitation on whom these racial priests can heal. A dwarf-race priest can heal anyone he chooses -- humans, half-elves, gnomes, halflings, even elves. Of course, racial prejudice might prompt the priest to deny healing to those of another race... but that's his individual choice, not a requirement of his faith.

Spheres of Influence:

Dwarves: Major Access to All, Combat, Protection. Minor Access to Divination, Healing.

Elves: Major Access to All, Plant, Summoning. Minor Access to Healing, Sun. The DM may, at his sole discretion, substitute Major Access to Animal sphere for the Major Access to Summoning sphere; alternatively, he may give the player the option of choosing Animal or Summoning.

Gnomes: Major Access to All, Plant, Protection. Minor Access to Divination, Healing.

Half-Elves: Major Access to All, Healing, and player's choice of one from the following list: Animal, Plant, Protection, or Summoning. Minor Access to Divination, Necromantic.

Halflings: Major Access to All, Creation, Divination, Guardian, Pro tection. Minor Access to Charm, Healing, Necromantic, Sun.

Humans: Major Access to All, Divination, Healing. Minor Access to Necromantic, Sun.

Powers: Incite Berserker Rage (as per the Designing Faiths chapter). Inspire Fear (as per the Designing Faiths chapter). Soothing Word (as per the Designing Faiths chapter). At 5th level: Laying On of Hands (same as the Paladin ability). At 8th level: Turn Undead (same as the Cleric ability).

Followers and Strongholds: The followers are received at 8th level. The priesthood will pay for half of the cost of stronghold construction at 8th level.

For Dwarf priests, the followers consist of: One fifth-level priest, one third-level priest, and two first-level priests of the same order; two fifth-level dwarf-fighters who act as bodyguards; and twenty first-level dwarf-fighters, each with a Nonweapon Proficiency appropriate to the temple (blacksmithing and mining especially). The priest may take the following on adventures: Two priests and two first-level fighters of his choice, and his fifth-level bodyguards.

For Elf priests, the followers consist of: One fifth-level priest, one third-level priest, and two first-level priests of the same order; two fifth-level elf-fighters who act as bodyguards; and ten first-level elf-fighters, each with a Nonweapon Proficiency appropriate to the temple (animal lore, bowyer/fletcher, hunting, set snares, and tracking especially). The priest may take the following on adventures: Two priests and two first-level fighters of his choice, and his fifth-level bodyguards.

For Gnome priests, the followers consist of: One fifth-level priest, one third-level priest, and two first-level priests of the same order; two fifth-level gnome-fighters who act as bodyguards; and ten first-level gnome-fighters, each with a Nonweapon Proficiency appropriate to the temple (mining, set snares, and tracking especially). The priest may take the following on adventures: Two priests and two first-level fighters of his choice, and his fifth-level bodyguards.

For Half-Elf priests, the followers consist of: One fifth-level priest, one third-level priest, and two first-level priests of the same order; two fifth-level half-elf-fighters who act as bodyguards; and ten first-level half-elf-fighters, each with a Nonweapon Proficiency appropriate to the temple (reading/writing especially). The priest may take the following on adventures: Two priests and two first-level fighters of his choice, and his fifth-level bodyguards.

For Halfling priests, the followers consist of: One fifth-level priest, one third-level priest, and two first-level priests of the same order; two fifth-level halfling-fighters who act as bodyguards; and ten first-level halfling-fighters, each with a Nonweapon Proficiency appropriate to the temple (agriculture and reading/writing especially). The priest may take the following on adventures: Two priests and two first-level fighters of his choice, and his fifth-level bodyguards.

For Human priests, the followers consist of: One fifth-level priest, one third-level priest, and two first-level priests of the same order; two fifth-level human fighters who act as bodyguards; and ten first-level human fighters, each with a Nonweapon Proficiency appropriate to the temple (ancient history, local history, and reading/writing especially). The priest may take the following on adventures: Two priests and two first-level fighters of his choice, and his fifth-level bodyguards.

Possible Symbols: (Dwarf) Axe, Warhammer, Anvil; (Elf) Tree, Bow; (Gnome) Throwing Axe; (Half-Elf) Crossed Bow & Sword; (Halfling) Low Hill With Windows; (Human) Crossed Sword & Shield or Spear & Shield.

Notes: The DM can create many more racial priesthoods based on the above examples, to reflect variations within races. He could have a racial priesthood for the Aquatic Elf, similar to that of the Elf but using the weapons which the priests of oceans and rivers can use. He could have another for the desert-dwelling human where sabres, horse-back riding, desert survival and no armor are the order of the day.

The DM should be careful when letting race-oriented priests in his campaign. It's not difficult for new or inexperienced players to misinterpret this class as a priesthood of prejudice, which is not the intent at all. These priests are supposed to support and celebrate the virtues of their own race, but not to be nasty to other races, contribute to stereotypes about them, exalt in jokes about them, etc. There may be priests like that in any order, but they should be NPCs who are not liked or appreciated by their fellows.

Table of Contents