Cleric
There are rules that govern the multiverse, some deciphered by man and some opaque. The oldest rules are the Void, which no man or god understands, only Cthulhu and the Old Ones. Then the Old Ones established Law and Chaos, which created and divided the gods. From the gods came divine rules for the behaviors of mortal man, and if man lives by these rules, his gods reward him in this life or the next.
That is what your god tells you, and as his cleric, you
will persuade, convert, or destroy those who speak
otherwise. You adventure to find gold or holy relics,
destroy abominations and enemies, and convert heathens
to the truth. You’ll be rewarded – even if you
have to die to receive that reward.
An adventuring cleric is a militant servant of a god,
often part of a larger order of brothers. He wields the
weapons of his faith: physical, spiritual, and magical.
Physically, he is a skilled fighter when using his god’s
chosen weapons. Spiritually, he is a vessel for the expression
of his god’s ideals, able to channel holy powers
that harm his god’s enemies. Magically, he is able
to call upon his god to perform amazing feats.
Both clerics and wizards may gain powers from gods,
but in different ways. A cleric worships a greater power
and is rewarded for his service. A wizard unlocks
the hidden mysteries of the universe in order to dominate
powers both known and unknowable.
Hit points: A cleric gains 1d8 hit points at each level.
Choosing a god: At 1st level, a cleric selects a god to
worship, and in doing so chooses one side of the eternal
struggle. Clerics who worship demons and devils,
monsters, fiends, Chaos Lords, and Set and the other
dark gods of the naga are servants of Chaos. Clerics
who worship lawful gods, nascent demi-gods, principles
of good, immortals, celestials, guardians, and
the prehistoric gods of the sphinxes are servants of
Law. Clerics who stand at the balancing point, placing
faith in the eternal struggle itself rather than the factions
arrayed about it, are neutral in alignment. These
“neutral” clerics may still be good, evil, or truly neutral,
and as such are either druids, Cthulhu cultists, or
guardians of balance.
All clerics pray to join their god in a never-ending afterlife.
While still clothed in mortal form, clerics find
a place among others with similar beliefs. The weak
follow their order, the strong lead their order, and the
mighty are living avatars of their gods. As a cleric progresses
in level, he moves through these ranks.
A cleric’s choice of god must match his alignment, and
determines weapon groups, holy powers, and magical
spells. Clerics may choose from the gods shown on
page 32.
Weapon training: A cleric is trained in the weapons
used by faithful followers of his god, as shown on page
32. Clerics may wear any armor and their spell checks
are not hindered by its use.
Alignment: A cleric’s alignment must match his god’s.
Clerics of chaotic alignments belong to secret cults and strange sects. They travel the world to recruit new cultists and undermine their enemies. Clerics of lawful alignments belong to organized religious groups. They may lead a rural congregation, adventure on great crusades to convert heathens, or defend holy relics as a militant arm of the church. Neutral clerics tend toward philosophical affiliations. They may be druids who worship the oneness of nature or dark theosophists who research the dead gods that originally created the universe.
Caster level: Caster level is a measurement of a cleric’s
power in channeling his god’s energy. A cleric’s caster
level is usually his level as a cleric but may be modified
under certain circumstances. Many clerics adventure
in search of holy relics that bring them closer to their
gods and thus increase caster level.
Magic: To cast a spell, a cleric makes a spell check (see page
106). The spell check is made like any other check: roll
1d20 + Personality modifier + caster level. If the cleric
succeeds, his god attends to his request – not always
predictably, but with generally positive results.
If the cleric fails he risks disapproval. His god is preoccupied,
annoyed, or facing its own battle – or questions
the cleric’s use of its power. Some of the most powerful
gods are in turn the most fickle.
Lawful deities: Club/mace/sling/staff/warhammer, turn Un-dead, demons, devils, chaotic extraplanar creatures, monsters (e.g., basilisk or medusa), Chaos Primes, chaotic humanoids (e.g., orcs), chaotic dragons
Shul, god of the moon, Klazath, god of war, Ulesh, god of peace, Choranus, the Seer Father, lord of creation, Daenthar, the Mountain Lord, greater god of earth and industry, Gorhan, the Helmed Vengeance, god of valor and chivalry, Justicia, goddess of justice and mercy, Aristemis, the Insightful One, demigoddess of true seeing and strategy
Neutral deities: dagger/mace/sling/staff/sword, turn Mundane animals, un-dead, demons, devils, monsters (e.g., basilisk or medusa), lycanthropes, perversions of nature (e.g., otyughs and slimes)
Amun Tor, god of mysteries and riddles, Ildavir, goddess of nature, Pelagia, goddess of the sea, Cthulhu, priest of the Old Ones
Chaotic deities: Axe/bow/dagger/dart/flail, turn Angels, paladins, lawful dragons, Lords of Law, Lawful Primes, and Law-aligned humanoids (e.g., goblins)
Ahriman, god of death and disease, Hidden Lord, god of secrets, Azi Dahaka, demon prince of storms and waste, Bobugbubilz, demon lord of evil, amphibians, Cadixtat, chaos titan, Nimlurun, the unclean one, lord of filth and pollution, Malotoch, the carrion crow god
