(Lord of the Sun, Master of Vengeance, Ruler of Mulhorand, Pharaoh of the Gods)
Greater Power of Arcadia, LG
PORTFOLIO: The sun, vengeance, rulership, kings, life
ALIASES: Helcaliant (Thay), Hokatep (Unther)
DOMAIN NAME: Buxenus/Heliopolis (Thekele-Re)
SUPERIOR: None
ALLIES: Isis, Osiris, Thoth
FOES: Set
SYMBOL: A hawk's head wearing a pharaoh's crown surrounded by a solar circle
WOR. ALIGN.: LG, NG, CG, LN, N, LE
Eclipse of the Sun
Long ago, a horde of humanoids emerged in the northern territories of Unther and Mulhorand through a massive gate from another world. These creatures, known as orcs, quickly overran much of the surrounding territory and slew thousands of the region's inhabitants.
The god-kings of Mulhorand and Unther mustered their armies and marched north to face this unexpected threat. Unther's armies and their divine generals reached the orc hordes first and smashed deep into their lines. In response, the orc shamans called on their own gods and were rewarded with the appearance of the avatars of the orcish pantheon to lead the counterattack.
The Orcgate Wars raged for the next four years, and many gods from both sides of the conflict were destroyed. The god-kings and armies of Unther suffered horrific losses driving the orc hordes eastward against the anvil of Mulhorand's forces.
Despite their losses, the orcs nearly overran Mulhorand's hastily mustered troops. Re, Lord of the Sun, called on his powers to blind the orcs as the armies of Mulhorand fell back. Infuriated, Gruumsh and his divine allies charged forth and slew the Pharaoh of the Gods at great cost to themselves. Behind them surged the orc armies as the sky grew dark, the very solar orb seemingly snatched from the sky, and the days of the god-kings and their peoples seemed numbered. Some believe that Re might have well survived the onslaught were it not for the perfidy of Set, who it is said poisoned Re's wounds. Such treachery was nevery proven, however, and Re hastily bequeathed his powers and portfolio upon his son, Horus, who was thrown into a confused state by the abrupt upwelling of power and knowledge within him as Re left Realmspace for the Outer Planes.
The death of Re was not in vain, however, for Anhur, Lord of War, had organized a brilliant trap. As the orcs charged forth, the elite legions of Unther and Mulhorand, long held in reserve, smashed into the orc horde's flanks and scattered the orc army while Gruumsh and the rest of the orc pantheon had to withdraw from the field, severely weakened by their battle with Re.
Following the Battle of the Gods, the surviving god-kings spent the next two years driving the remaining orcs from the south. Unther had no hope of regaining its former glory with the death of most of its reigning god-kings in the early conflicts of the Orcgate Wars, and Mulhorand's opportunity was squandered in the subsequent power struggle between Osiris and Set. It would take nearly nine centuries for the two ancient empires to regain their lost glory.
Horus-Re is the chief deity of Mulhorand, a fusion of the gods Horus and the now-deceased Re. He is also known by the relatively meaningless titles of Protector of the Priador, Overseer of Thesk, and Guardian of Semphar. When the manifestation of Re was slain during the Orcgate Wars, he bequeathed his power to the young god Horus, who took the name Horus-Re. Horus-Re then assumed the position of chief deity of the Mulhorand pantheon, banishing the usurper Set.
Horus-Re is a confident deity who believes strongly in the concept of maat (justice, honor, order, and righteousness). More than a code of chivalry, maat is the natural state of the universe and all things are expected to conform to it. Only by doing so can the citizens of Mulhorand be at peace with the gods and live a happy life.
Horus-Re believes that Mulhorand is eternal, and to promote eternity, one must deny change, so Horus-Re tries to discourage change. As a result, he is troubled by the actions of his cousin, Anhur, an aggressive advocate of change and conflict, and usually contradicts or opposes the positions Anhur takes and the actions he makes, often ordering his priesthood to take active countering measures.
Quite ironically, considering his stance on eternity being unchanging, Horus-Re has considerably changed since taking on the mantle of Re's power. The deity Horus was impulsive, hot-headed, and considerably more likely to side with Anhur when he and Re came into conflict over allowing change than with Re, but he was also more independent, easy-going, and able to enjoy the many facets of existence than the current Horus-Re. Horus was mainly concerned with supporting and protecting his family and seeking vengeance upon Set for the many past actions of treachery and murder he has perpetrated upon Horus's family (Isis, Nephthys, and Osiris, especially). In the move to a more broad focus to his godhood forced upon him by assuming Re's mantle, Horus appears to have had most of his personal nature overwhelmed by the power and consciousness of Re, and still parrots Re's viewpoints almost verbatim. Many of the people of Mulhorand secretly hope for a gradual shift in Horus-Re's position toward a compromise between eternal unchangingness and constant change that might come about because of the eventual reassertion of Horus's buried personality to balance to that of Re, but such hopes have seen no actions to evidence they might come true.
The Lord of the Sun is a dedicated foe of evil and is merciless and relentless in his war against the forces of Set. He abhors deceit and treachery, and nothing stands in his way when he is attempting to right a wrong or slay a traitor. Horus-Re maintains a perpetually stern demeanor and speaks with such command that it is nearly impossible for a mortal to disobey his commands. He has never been known to smile or laugh, and he regards any mortal in his presence with a distant, extremely detached stare.
Horus-Re is served by divine minions that can assume the form of a hawk or a lion.
Horus-Re's Avatar (Paladin 40, Fighter 15, Cleric 20, Mage 19)
Horus-Re appears as a large, powerful, muscular Mulhorandi man with the head of a hawk. His arrival is usually presaged by a unnatural calm followed by a strong breeze. His left eye glows brightly, for it is a piece of the sun. He often carries a glowing ankh as a symbol of his great power and usually manifests riding his (flying or floating) galley known as Matet or Semktet, depending on whether it is day or night. Horus-Re is frequently physically present in the Realms, as his avatar is often summoned to inhabit the body of the current pharaoh, Horustep III, transforming it into the avatar's form when he does. (Horus-Re is getting a little annoyed at this.) Horus-Re has access to any sphere or school of magic for his spells, but favors those that employ fire, heat, or bright light.
AC -3; MV 15 (Fl 24 (B) in his galley in air, Sw 21 on water); HP 254; THAC0 -10; #AT 1 or 5/2
Dmg 1d10+14 (+14 STR) or 2d10+21 (Sword of Horus +5, +14 STR, +2 spec. bonus in Sword of Horus)
MR 80%; SZ L (7 feet)
STR 25, DEX 25, CON 25, INT 25, WIS 21, CHA 24
Spells P: 12/12/12/10/8/5/2, W: 5/5/5/5/5/3/3/3/1
Saves PPDM 2, RSW 5, PP 4, BW 4, Sp 6
Special Att/Def: Although Horus-Re fights if pressed, he prefers to negotiate solutions to problems. He generally employs weapons in combat only when he feels it would be honorable to face a particular foe in that manner. Often he uses his fists, his magical ankh, or a stream of solar flame that he can release from his left eye. This solar flame has a range of 400 feet and inflicts 4d20 points of damage. Victims are entitled to a saving throw vs. breath weapon. Success indicates that they take only half damage.
At will, Horus-Re can use his ankh to instantly destroy any form of undead creature or being within a 60-foot radius that is not on its home plane. In addition, Horus-Re can employ a sunray or firestorm spell at will (once per round). The use of these spells is considered an ability and does not count against his memorized spell limits given above.
When Horus-Re uses a weapon, it is the Sword of Horus. Horus-Re is considered proficient with any weapon he uses, but is only specialized in the Sword of Horus. This magical weapon acts as a sword +5, holy avenger, but also has the special abilities of a luck blade, defender, and vorpal sword.
Horus-Re is immune to all illusion/phantasm spells and all necromancy, necromantic, or enchantment/charm spells he does not wish to be affected by.
Other Manifestations
Horus-Re is said to exist everywhere throughout Mulhorand and embodies the spirit that makes Mulhorand a nation. The sun is seen as the omnipresent manifestation of Horus-Re. During the day, a solitary hawk circling overhead that casts no shadow is said to be the eye of Horus-Re. At night, the Lord of the Sun is known to manifest as a flaming shooting star. Priests of Horus-Re claim that the corona visible during a solar eclipse is the divine crown of the Pharaoh of the Gods.
When a criminal receives fitting justice for a crime, the cry of a distant hawk is often heard. When an insult to one's honor of family is avenged in a fitting manner, Horus-Re shows his favor with a thunder clap that resembles the roar of a lion, even on a cloudless day. When followers of Horus-Re fail to abide by the principles of maat, they (and only they) perceive a subtle darkeneing in the light of the sun indicating their fall from favor. It is said if Set ever wins the collective heart of Mulhorand's citizens, Horus-Re will permanently extinguish the sun as a sign of his people's fall from grace.
Horus-Re also shows his presence, approval, or disapproval through the actions of solars, light aasimons, lammasu, androsphinxes, hawks, and gold-colored animals. Sunstones, amber, and topazes, along with other golden gems, are sacred to him.
The Church
CLERGY: Clerics, specialty priests
ALIGNMENT: LG, LN, NG, CG
TURN UNDEAD: C: Yes, SP: Yes
CMND. UNDEAD: C: No, SP: No
All clerics and specialty priests of Horus-Re receive religion (Mulhorandi), reading/writing (Mulhorandi), and modern languages (Common) as bonus nonweapon proficiencies. As Mulhorandi, they all also know Mulhorandi as their native tongue. All of Horus-Re's clergy must be humans of Mulhorandi extraction. The priesthood is largely hereditary, and almost all of Horus-Re's specialty priests are members of the House of Helcaliant, composed of human descendants of divine incarnations of Horus, Re, and Horus-Re. While within the Mulhorandi pantheon's geographic sphere of influence, in lieu of a paladin's normal detect evil ability, a paladin of Horus-Re can cast the priest spell test of maat at will.
Horustep III, the pharaoh of Mulhorand, is the religious head of the church of Horus-Re, but the actual leader of the priesthood is his new vizier, Kalarzim. The priesthood of Horus-Re is both a political and religious structure, since Mulhorand is a theocracy. It suffers from extensive infighting, power struggles, and useless bickering. The priests of Horus-Re are the most arrogant nobles of the land, and they are extremely haughty with everyone who is not their direct superior in the church of Horus-Re. The Mulhorandi people are expected to submit to the authority of priests in general and the clergy of Horus-Re in particular in all things, and most do so willingly. Whenever any priest walks by, citizens are expected to bow their heads or turn away so as not to interfere with the priest's journey. Priests of Horus-Re in particular demand these shows of respect.
The church of Horus-Re has yet to face its most earth-shattering reveleation: the fact that its pharaoh, once a deity, is now merely a mortal of divine lineage. Horustep has known this since the Time of Troubles, but has revealed it to no one. He frequently summons an avatar of Horus-Re, who inhabits Horustep's form, transforming it while Horus-Re is present. Horustep is attempting, for the first time in centuries, the exercise a great deal of influence over the daily rule of his people and has recently appointed a new vizier to help him do so; however, Horustep fears that others may have discovered his secret and knows he has many enemies, even within his own church, so he suspects assassins hide around every corner.
Temples of Horus-Re serve as centers of government and might be called government ministry buildings in other kingdoms. All share common architectural themes of openness to the sky and the sun. Most are constructed of gleaming white limestone or marble. Statues of Horus-Re, often of immense size, dominate each room and hallway. A massive solarium serves as the chapel and center of religious observances. No matter what the weather outside, from the perspective of someone within a temple of Horus-Re looking out, there is never a cloud in the sky, nor a drop of rain falling, nor even the slightest breeze.
All priests of Horus-Re are addressed in public as "Lord Priest" or "Lord High Priest" (if of 9th level or greater). Within their ranks, priests of Horus-Re use such titles as (in ascending order of rank) Avenger, Hawkflyer, Huntlion, Heliant, Illuminator, Lightbringer, and Sonrey (pronounced "sunray"). Specialty priests, known as sunhawks, make up only 20% of the clergy, and few hold any high-ranking positions. Most sunhawks are too active to develop the necessary political knowledge to climb to great heights in the church's hierarchy, and those few of a chaotic bent (allowed into the priesthood in memory of Horus's more chaotic past) often offend those in charge of the church through trying to enact changes in its perpetual and unchanging order.
Dogma: Priests of Horus-Re must provide leadership. They are sworn to use church property honestly, although this provision is often loosely interpreted. They are to guard the person, property, and hallowed places of Horus-Re and the pharaoh, the living Horus-Re on earth, with their lives. All must abide by the concept of maat. They are sworn enemies of Set.
Novices of the church are charged as follows: "Goodness, honor, and order are the natural state, and that which leads to evil, treachery, and chaos is by rights unnatural and the enemy. Lead Mulhorand by example, and let your deeds speak your intentions. Goodness and harmony come from living within maat rather than fighting it. An organized approach brings the most good for all. Laws exist to bring prosperity to those under them. The pharaoh and the church of Horus-Re rule with Horus-Re's guidance and set laws as guidelines for honorable action within Mulhorand's tradition. Those guidelines must be applied with honor; when honor is lacking in their application, the fair judgment of Osiris shall be as law. Cause the most good to Mulhorand's people through the least harm. Make no hasty changes or decisions, as their consequences are always suspect and may undermine the steadfast rule of eternity. Protect the weak and avenge all wrongs. Abide the existence of no traitors, for they are without honor and therefore against the order of things. Smite them with righteous vengeance. Protect the pharaoh, his goods, and the holy places and property of the church. Action against them is action against Horus-Re and an offense in his eyes."
Day-to-Day Activities: Priests of Horus-Re are precepts (provincial governers and rulers of cities) and administrators; they control vast tracts of land and thousands of slaves. Mulhorand's most powerful government position after the pharaoh is the vizier, a position traditionally held by the highest-ranking priest of Horus-Re. Before the Time of Troubles, the clergy of Horus-Re was so busy governing and engaging in political infighting that they had very little time for actual religion. Since the Time of Troubles, Horustep has tried to reorient this highly politicized culture toward greater religious fervor in order to spread the faith and increase the number of Horus-Re's worshipers in the Realms. His efforts are meeting with some success, but are somewhat confusing to many Mulhorandi who are, after all, used to living with centuries of little change. Kalarzim, an expansionist in his views, is planning to eventually retake the lands that have slipped from Mulhorand's direct control and to restore Mulhorand to its ancient glory.
Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: Priests of Horus-Re venerate their god in three daily rituals. Each sunrise they greet the return of their lord with a set of welcoming prayers known as the Greeting of the Lord. The most important ceremony of the day occurs at noon when the sun is directly overhead. Immediately prior to noon, most of the inhabitants of Mulhorand gather in front of the numerous balconies protruding from the Sun Lord's temples. The priests of Horus-Re then deliver a daily sermon known as the Zenith Aspirant. (Competing factions of priests within the clergy often strive to outdo their rivals by drawing larger crowds of people to this daily sermon.) In the evening the clergy of Horus-Re pledge to guard Mulhorand through the nighttime hours in a private ceremony known as the Girding of the Guard involving the girding of ceremonial weapons.
The most important annual holiday is Midsummer's Day when all the priests of Horus-Re gather in his temples to sing his praises. Unlike most of the rest of the year, this is truly a day of religious devotion and to cerebrate it almost the entire government of Mulhorandi shuts down.
Solar eclipses are considered a reaffirmation of Horus-Re's eternal rulership. The visible corona is seen as the crown of the Lord of the Sun. Any priest of Horus-Re who slays a priest of Set or thwarts one of his major plots during a solar eclipse receives a limited wish or wish from Horus-Re (depending on the difficulty of the task as adjudicated by the DM). This benefit can only occur once in a priest's lifetime.
Major Centers of Worship: The center of Horus-Re's worship is in Skuld, but there are many temples throughout Mulhorand devoted to him. The Solarium in Skuld is a magnificent tample resembling a great pyramind with the top half made of gleaming glass. It is surrounded by a ring of alternating white and pink marble towers connected by unrailed walkways at various levels. The towers serve as the administrative offices of the clergy and government. The pharaoh of Mulhorand is normally found meditating on his throne in the center of the Solarium, outlined with a blinding nimbus of golden light.
Since the Time of Troubles, the priesthood of Mulhorand has embarked on an ambitious program of temple construction in Unther as its members have moved into the religious and leadership vacuum there following the death of Gilgeam. Their efforts to establish a religious foothold are paying off well, but their exertions on the secular side are meeting with stiff resistance from the numerous factions contending to rule Unther. The heavy tax burden required to fund this boom is being carried primarily by the citizens of Unther, adding to that nation's woes. The clergy of Horus-Re considers the result worth the sacrifice, however.
Affiliated Orders: Following the Time of Troubles, Horus-Re founded an order of paladins known as the Claws of the Sun and the Ankh. (Previously all paladins of Mulhorand has served Osiris.) This brotherhood is young and untested, but its ranks are expanding quickly. Unlike the mainstream clergy of Horus-Re, the Claws are fanatic devotees of the Lord of the Sun who care nothing for the day-to-day politics of Mulhorand. Much of the fledgling order's energy is directed at doing battle with the Fangs of Set, but its members are often distracted into sparring with the clergy of Anhur. While within the Mulhorandi pantheon's geographic sphere of influence, in lieu of a paladin's normal detect evil ability, initiates of the Claws can cast the priest spell test of maat at will.
Priestly Vestments: The clergy of Horus-Re dress in kalasiris (white tight-fitting linen skirts stretching from under the arm to the knees or from the waist to the knees), sandals, and a headdress. Sometimes they wear a transparent white robe over the tops of their kalasirises. They shave their heads bald (though some wear elaborate wigs) and paint three blue circles on their foreheads indicating that they are priests. While conducting government business, they typically wear a false beard, hung with loops around the ears. High-ranking priests adorn themselves with elaborate cloth headdresses emblazoned with the symbol of Horus-Re on the brow, bejeweled gold pectoral collars shaped in the image of a hawk, and the skin of a great cat or other predator draped over their shoulders. The relative affluence of a priest's vestments loosely indicates his relative wealth, power, and prestige. The standard holy symbol of priests of the faith is a large ankh on which clerics and specialty priests of sufficient level usually cast continual light.
Adventuring Garb: Like most priests in Mulhorand, the clergy of Horus-Re dress very practically when adventuring, leaving their ornamental gear in the temple. A simple cloth headdress with a symbol of Horus-Re on the forehead is always worn. Heavy armor is typically eschewed in Mulhorand and Unther due to the blazing heat. Priests of Horus-Re tend to wield more traditional weapons, even when battling foreigners. Only recently has the clergy adopted the long sword as an allowable weapon, and the more conservative clergy still favor the khopesh.
Specialty Priests (Sunhawks)
REQUIREMENTS: Strength 12, Constitution 9, Wisdom 13, Charisma 17
PRIME REQ.: Wisdom, Charisma
ALIGNMENT: LG, CG
WEAPONS: Mace, staff, staff sling, khopesh, long sword
ARMOR: Any
MAJOR SPHERES: All, astral, charm, combat, elemental (fire and air), law, sun, summoning, war
MINOR SPHERES: Creation, divination, elemental (earth and water), guardian, animal, healing, necromantic,
protection, time, weather
MAGICAL ITEMS: Same as clerics
REQ. PROFS: Etiquette, modern languages (Untheric)
BONUS PROFS: Charioteering
1st Level
Test of Maat (Pr 1; Divination)
Sphere: Divination, Law
Range: 0
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Special
Casting Time: 1 round
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: None
This spell has two distinct uses, one of which must be chosen during spellcasting.
In its primary form, a test of maat discovers emanations of injustice, dishonor, and sin from any creature within its area of effect, a corridor 10 feet wide and 120 yards long. The duration of this spell effect is 1 turn+5 rounds/level. Character alignment (or, more precisely, deviation from the ethos of law and good) is revealed only indirectly, if at all. The primary effect of this spell is to reveal whether a creature is in accordance with the concept of maat-that is if they are at peace with the gods and living a happy life. A test of maat registers (indirectly) whether the person has performed activities offensive to Horus-Re such as providing offerings to Set or Sebek, acting disrespectfully to priests, treating slaves poorly, etc. If multiple individuals are within the area of effect, a priest must be of 5th level or greater to differentiate the status of each individual; otherwise the group is perceived as an average of sorts. The degree of discord in an individual at its general nature can be sensed by a priest of 9th level or higher. The priest must concentrate-stop, have quiet, and intently seek to detect the aura of maat-for at least one round to receive a reading. This aspect of the spell only functions within the geographic sphere of influence of the Mulhorandi pantheon.
In its alternative form, a test of maat spell allows a priest to determine whether or not a morally ambiguous contemplated action falls within the strictures of maat. In this form, when a test of maat is cast, the priest imagines a possible course of action for himself or herself (and possibly some companions). The spellcaster immediately receives a positive or negative feeling as to whether or not the contemplated action would violate the limits of maat, and the spell effect ends immediately thereafter. There is a base 100% chance of receiving and answer to this form of test of maat. However, Horus-Re encourages his followers' ability to think for themselves and is less responsive to requires to provide advice that occur less than a tenday apart. For every day less than 10 that has yet to pass between castings of this spell, the base chance of not receiving a response increases by 10%. For example, if this form of a test of maat was last used three days ago prior to the current spellcasting, there is a 70% chance of not receiving a response.
The material component for this spell is the priest's holy symbol held over his left eye with his right hand.
2nd Level
Stormvoice (Pr 2; Alteration)
Sphere: Weather
Range: Special
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 round
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: Neg.
This spell enables the caster to speak with the voice of a storm. The caster can be heard clearly at 10 times normal distance. All creatures within a 20-foot radius of the caster must roll successful saving throws vs. spell or be deafened for 1d4 rounds and be knocked from their feet.
3rd Level
Eye of Fire (Pr 3; Evocation)
Sphere: Combat, Sun
Range: 30 yards + 10 yards/level
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Casting Time: 6
Area of Effect: One creature
Saving Throw: ½
When the casting priest points at the target creature (who the priest must be able to see) and utters the Mulhorandi word for vengeance, this spell causes a blazing beam of fire to emit from the priest's left eye. The beam burns with the intense heat of the sun. A creature struck by the narrow beam of flame suffers 1d4 points of damage per level of experience of the priest, up to a maximum of 10d4. Undead creatures suffer 1d6 points of damage per level of the priest, up to a maximum of 10d6. A creature who fails its saving throw vs. spell suffers full damage, while one who succeeds manages to dodge partially out of the way and suffers only half damage.
The intense beam of heat can ignite combustible items or melt other items. Items worn or carried by a target creatures who fails its saving throw against the effects of eye of fire require saving throws vs. magical fire to determine if they burn or melt, but items in the possession of a creature who succeeds at its saving throw are unaffected.
Sunstroke (Pr 3; Alteration)
Sphere: Elemental (Fire), Sun
Range: 60 yards
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 round/level
Casting Time: 6
Area of Effect: One creature
Saving Throw: Neg.
Sunstroke afflicts the target with the effects of heat stroke for the duration of the spell. While suffering from the effects of isolation, the target's internal body temperature rises by 1° Fahrenheit per round, to a maximum of 8° higher than normal.
Undead and creatures immune to heat or fire are totally unaffected by this spell. Cold-blooded animals simply move slower and slower. For every degree of increased temperature, cold-blooded creatures have a -1 penalty to initiative.
Warm-blooded creatures display increasingly feverish side effects while under the effects of this spell. For every degree of increased temperature, warm-blooded creatures suffer 1 point of damage and suffer a -1 penalty to their attack, damage, saving throw, and initiative rolls, to a maximum penalty of -5. If the target's body temperature rises 6° or more above normal, the target is wracked by convulsions and cannot attack, defend, or cast spells. If the target's body temperature rises 8° above normal, it immediately lapses into a coma and cannot be revived until the spell effect expires.
A successful saving throw vs. spell negates this spell immediately. Targets are entitled to a saving throw when the spell is cast and once every second round thereafter. An endure heat spell in effect on the target when sunstroke is cast grants the target a +1 bonus to its saving throw; a resist fire grants the target a +3 bonus; and a protection from fire grants immunity to the spell's effects.
Sunstroke's effects can be halted immediately by means of a dispel magic, remove curse, cure disease, or heal spell. Other healing spells have no effect.
The material components of this spell are the priest's holy symbol and a small piece of flammable material (paper, cloth, dry wood).
4th Level
Mirage (Pr 4; Illusion/Phantasm)
Sphere: Sun
Range: 10 yards/level
Components: V, S, M
Duration: 1 hour/level
Casting Time: 7
Area of Effect: 30-foot cube
Saving Throw: Neg.
This spell creates an elusive mirage in the minds of its targets that beckons convincingly from the horizon, but never seems to draw closer no matter how they proceed. Unlike the optical phenomenon of the same name, an illusion created by means of this spell is not restricted to the depiction of a pool of water. Instead, by means of this spel, the spellcaster can create nearly any image he desires.
A mirage is subject to several constraints. It must appear on the horizon, although the direction is up to the priest. It cannot occupy more than a 45° arc of the horizon (vertically or horizontally). A mirage always appears fuzzy and appears to shimmer in the heat.
When cast, any targets within the area of effect must make a saving throw vs. spell or perceive the mirage. Even if a target is not facing in the direction of the mirage, a flicker appears in the corner of their peripheral vision, requiring them to make the requisite saving throw. If conditions are not appropriate for rendering distant objects fuzzy and for making them appear to shimmer, everyone within the spell effect receives a +5 bonus to their saving throws. Those who fail at their saving throws see the mirage envisioned by the spellcaster and cannot be convinced it does not exist while the spell effect persists.
In addition, if the mirage depicts something very desirable (such as a pool of water in a desert), as adjudicated by the DM, anyone failing the first saving throw must make a second saving throw vs. spell without the bonus mentioned above or immediately feel compelled to head toward the mirage for the duration of the spell.
A successful dispel magic spell ends this spell effect immediately.
The material components of this spell are the priest's holy symbol and several drops of water flicked into the air.
6th Level
Dying Curse (Pr 6; Abjuration)
Sphere: Protection
Range: 0
Components: V, S
Duration: Permanent until dispelled
Casting Time: 2 turns
Area of Effect: Special
Saving Throw: None
When priests cast a dying curse spell, they are avenging themselves against future death. Anyone who kills the priest, even if the priest is later resurrected, becomes the victim of a major curse with no saving throw (thus the major curse is automatically permanent). Only a wish or remove bane spell can remove this curse. (See the entry on Nephthys for the major curse spell.)
7th Level
Bane (Pr 7; Abjuration) Reversible
Sphere: Protection
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Permanent until dispelled
Casting Time: 9
Area of Effect: 1 creature
Saving Throw: Special
When a priest casts a bane spell, she or he bestows an extremely powerful curse on a target. After casting the spell, the priest must successfully touch the intended target within one turn or the spell ends ineffectively. If the priest makes contact, the target gets a saving throw. If the saving throw is successful, the victim receives a curse of dire proportion that only a remove curse spell cast by a deity or a reverse bane or a wish cast by a mortal can remove. If the victim fails the saving throw, she or he suffers a -5 penalty to all attack and damage rolls while opponents receive a +5 bonus to their attack rolls against the victim. In addition, the victim automatically fails all saving throws and all attacks against him or her cause maximum damage.
The reverse of this spell, reverse bane, removes the effect of any curse-type spell (including bestow curse, major curse, bane, and other similar spells) except for instantaneous curse effects. (For example, it does not teleport a party back to the dungeon after they have opened a cursed scroll that teleported them out.)