Northlandish
Tokiwa-Dai
Land of Five Cities
Southlandish
Demi-human
Titans |
Hardshale
(Greater God, LN)
Description:
General Aspect:
God of Rulership and Wisdom: Hardshale is the patron god of government, in all its aspects: legislative, executive,
and judicial. He is worshipped by government officials and politicians of all sorts, from monarchist to democratic,
because his aspect is that of social order, rather than a particular style of government.
Worshippers:
Royalty, politicians, counselors, courtiers, jurists; anyone in the fields of government and law.
Holy Items:
Holy symbol (a device in the shape of a stone tablet). All legal texts are sacred to Hardshale. Holy water: blessed
water from the community water source (well, aqueduct, river, etc.).
Holy Areas:
Any government building, whether the Senate floor, a king's court, or a theocratic temple. Also, the site of any
court of law.
Restrictions:
Alignment:
Priests: any Lawful
Worshippers: any
Racial Requirements:
Human. Only men are allowed among Hardshale's clergy.
Ability Requirements:
Wisdom: 15
Intelligence: 9
Charisma: 13
Preferred Weapons (in order of preference):
Long sword and mace. No other weapons are allowed.
Armor:
Any.
Magical Items:
Priests of Hardshale can use any magical items normally available to priests. In addition, when a priest of Hardshale
uses a Rod of Rulership, he can command twice the normal number of hit dice of creatures.
Non-weapon Proficiencies:
Required: Local Law (1 Int -2, Priests and Warriors), Etiquette, Reading/Writing. Preferred: Heraldry, Local History,
Religion.
Spheres:
Major:
All
Charm
Divination
Guardian
Law
Protection
Minor:
Healing
Summoning
Wards
Granted Powers:
Know Law
Range: Priest
Duration: 1 turn/level
Preparation Time: 4 seg.
Area of Effect: Priest
Saving Throw: None
Minimum Level: 1
Frequency of Use: 1/day/level
This ability allows the priest to unerringly recall
all the relevant laws on any particular subject, criminal or civil - whether it be codified legislation, theocratic
scripture, established precedent, traditional custom, or the edicts of a ruler. The laws recalled are those of
the jurisdiction in which the case has taken place. It does not enable the priest to determine whether a crime
has been committed, nor who is at fault, beyond his own abilities. It will recall to him all pertinent and existing
laws and their amendments, even if they are contradictory, but it will not recall laws that have been repealed
or otherwise changed. After the duration of the power is exhausted, the priest's recollection of the laws will
fade at the normal rate, as if he had just finished reading them.
Example: A priest of Hardshale is called
by neighbors to the scene of an apparent crime, in a local burgher's house. The burgher's wife and an unknown man
lay dead and bloodied in the burgher's bed, slain by a short sword. The sword in question lies on the floor nearby.
Momentarily, a pair of the garrison troops bring in the burgher himself, spattered with blood and weeping piteously,
his short sword gone from its scabbard. Not certain of the exact considerations appropriate in this matter, the
priest uses the Know Law power to recall what laws and precedents apply. Concentrating,
he pronounces that this appears to be a killing in passion: the crime does not seem to have been planned ahead;
the accused clearly does not have his wits about him; the circumstances would be maddening to the average person;
and the accused used a weapon that was at hand, rather than seeking one out and returning. For this the fine is
paid according to the worth of those slain, to their families, with no further penalty. However, as the passion
was caused by finding his wife in flagrante
delicto with another man, the burgher should
be further absolved of wrongdoing, and owes no fine to the families of the deceased, due to the fact that he was
acting in defense of his honor. Witnesses of both material evidence and character will be sought, a trial will
be held, and the burgher will be judged according to these laws.
Gauge Mood
Range: 30 yds.
Duration: 1 turn/level
Preparation Time: 8 seg.
Area of Effect: 1 group of people
Saving Throw: None
Minimum Level: 2
Frequency of Use: 1/day/level
This granted power allows the priest of Hardshale
to determine, with complete accuracy, the mood of a group of people with regard to authority figures and the government
in general. The subjects of the Gauge Mood power must be within line-of-sight of the priest. The result does not
give reasons for the mood nor intent of the subjects; only vague answers, such as "dissatisfied," "hostile,"
"content," "indifferent," "joyous," etc. During the duration of the spell, the priest
may focus on as many groups as he wishes, or he may monitor the changing moods of one group.
Notify Authorities
Range: 1 mile/level
Duration: Instantaneous
Preparation Time: 2 seg.
Area of Effect: 1 authority
Saving Throw: Negates (Spell)
Minimum Level: 3
Frequency of Use: 1/week/level
When a priest of Hardshale needs to notify an authoritative
body of an emergency, he may use the Notify
Authorities power. This ability instantly
sends a message to the elected or appointed government official who would be most helpful in the situation - determined
by the power (actually, by the power of Hardshale), and taking into consideration distance, jurisdiction, and abilities.
The contents of the message are the facts as known by the priest at the time of sending. The authority receives
the message as if the facts were suddenly implanted in his or her mind. If the authority fails the saving throw,
he or she must immediately take all measures necessary to alleviate the emergency, to the best of his or her ability.
If he or she succeeds the saving throw, he or she is not impelled, but will still be aware of the notification
- whether or not he or she believes it.
Inspire Obedience
Range: Voice
Duration: 1 turn/level
Preparation Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: all people in range
Saving Throw: Negates (Spell)
Minimum Level: 5
Frequency of Use: 1/week/level
This granted power enables Hardshale, using his
priest as a willing vessel, to inspire anyone within range of the priest's shouting voice at the time of casting
to obey the law of the land. Those individuals who fail their saving throws are bound to obey the lawful commands
of those entrusted with enforcing the law, for the duration of the spell. Note that this does not allow a sheriff
or garrison troop to order a citizen to harm another citizen, as this command is not lawful; nor does it allow
the priest to give commands, unless he is an authorized law enforcement officer. Commands need not be verbal, either;
gestures and written commandments which are seen by the subject during the duration of the spell are effective
as well. Magical defense adjustments due to high Wisdom apply, but the elven resistance to charm spells does not.
Notice Oversight
Range: N/A
Duration: Instantaneous
Preparation Time: 1 turn
Area of Effect: Priest
Saving Throw: None
Minimum Level: 8
Frequency of Use: 1/day
No plan is foolproof, and every law has a loophole.
This granted power enables a priest of Hardshale to consider a plan - be it economic, strategic, legislative, tactical,
social, whatever - and discover or detect a fault, oversight, loophole, or circumstance which might nullify the
effectiveness of the plan. This power will detect only one such oversight, but will detect another if used again
on a different day, or by a different priest, on the same plan. The power will detect the most likely oversights
first; repeated uses of the power on the same plan, or use on a plan that is close to foolproof, will eventually
give loopholes that are so unlikely as to be ludicrous (without being impossible).
Example: A party has trapped an orc in a
house. They plan to place half the party by the back door of the house, half the party by the front door, and send
one of the party members in to drive out the orc. One of the party members, a priest of Hardshale, attempts to
Notice
an Oversight
in the plan. He ponders the plan for a few minutes, then realizes that the orc could escape from a side window.
Just then the king and his entourage happen by; several of the king's counselors happen also to be priests of Hardshale,
and they all put their minds to the problem. One realizes that the single party member inside might be ambushed
by the orc. Another points out that the orc might have found a good hiding place in the house, wait until the party
searches the house and gives up, and then slip away unnoticed. Another priest concludes that the orc may have booby-trapped
the house. Still another figures that the orc may have known of a secret escape route from within the house, and
may even now be miles away. Or, perhaps the orc has a magical item such as a ring or potion of invisibility which
might allow him to escape unseen. The ideas flow, until eventually potential problems are proposed that are highly
improbable, such as the possibility that the orc is actually a shape-changing dragon, who even now is awaiting
his first meal. Eventually, the party decides to scrap the original plan and instead burn down the house with the
orc inside.
Enforce Obedience
Range: Hearing
Duration: 1 round/level
Preparation Time: 5 seg.
Area of Effect: 1 person/level
Saving Throw: Special
Minimum Level: 10
Frequency of Use: 1/week
Similar to Inspire
Obedience, a priest using this granted power
can force one person per level of the priest to obey all the laws of the applicable jurisdiction. The subjects
become mentally unable to break the law for the duration of the granted power. Even if an individual succeeds in
a saving throw versus Spells, he or she will act as if under the influence of Inspire
Obedience. Magical defense adjustments due
to high Wisdom apply, but the elven resistance to charm spells does not. Note that in many legal systems, casting
an enchantment, such as Enforce Obedience, on a person is considered an assault, and the subject would
be legally justified in attacking the priest in self-defense (the law does not distinguish between spells and granted
powers).
Turning Undead:
Priests of Hardshale may turn undead as normal.
Ethos:
Whereas the worship of some gods is enforced as
the state religion, the worship of Hardshale is the religion of the state. Hardshale is a god of social order;
the main concern of his religion is the enforcement of peace through proper creation, interpretation, and enforcement
of laws. This is the duty and responsibility of the ruling body of a government, whether it is as simple as a kingship
or as complex as a multi-house parliament. Priests of Hardshale work to reinforce and support the law, whatever
it may be. They are not concerned with justice so much as abiding by the letter of the law.
Despite the emphasis on rulership and governmental dominance, the ethos of Hardshale considers tyranny to be heretical.
Rulers who use their power for individual gain, whether material, emotional, or otherwise, at the expense or to
the detriment of the governed, are considered abominable and should be deposed. A synod, with a quorum of ten Justiciars
and a president of one Superior Justiciar, is required to declare a ruler or government tyrannical. Once this has
occurred, all clergy of Hardshale are authorized and even obligated to work towards the overthrow of this government
at every opportunity. Priests of Hardshale who continue to serve a tyrannical government are excommunicated.
Priests of Hardshale often personally serve in government. They may be counselors to the king in a monarchy, or
members of a senate or parliament, or they may serve in law courts as judges or lawyers. Indeed, there is no restriction
preventing a priest of Hardshale from becoming a monarch himself. Some may choose to work in more academic settings,
as scholars of government or law. In some jurisdictions the clergy of Hardshale may be used as law enforcement
officers, and the results of their god-given powers may be admissible in law courts.
Regular sacrifice is not required of clerics of Hardshale. Confession and atonement, however, are of great import.
A priest of Hardshale who breaks the law must not only confess and render the penalty required in the secular courts,
but must also confess to a superior priest of Hardshale and do additional penance. This usually involves community
service of some nature.
Hierarchical Organization:
The clergy of Hardshale are thoroughly trained in
the law and civil government of their homelands. Due to its insistence that its members follow the laws of their
jurisdictions, there is ironically no all-encompassing law of Hardshale; however, higher-level priests are well
versed in legal theory and quite capable of assisting (or leading) a government in the development of a codified
law, if they feel the legal system is lacking.
Certain rules, however, must be obeyed by clerics of Hardshale, codified in order of importance:
A cleric of Hardshale must obey the laws of the jurisdiction which applies to him.
A cleric of Hardshale must obey superior clerics of Hardshale.
A cleric must support the ruling body of the government which applies to him, unless it has been declared tyrannical
by a proper synod.
The priesthood of Hardshale is ranked according to very strict distinctions, as noted in the table below. There
is no limit to the number of members of any given rank at any given time, but it is unlikely for a large number
of priests of the highest ranks to remain together in one area.
| Title |
Experience Level
|
| Page |
1
|
| Clerk |
2
|
| Petty Officer |
3
|
| Officer |
4
|
| Grand Officer |
5
|
| Petty Jurist |
6
|
| Jurist |
7
|
| Grand Jurist |
8
|
| Petty Justiciar |
9
|
| Justiciar |
10
|
| Grand Justiciar |
11
|
| Superior Justiciar |
12
|
| Supreme Justiciar |
13+
|
|
