Sho'

Sho', Goddess of Life

Priests of Sho' value life above all other things. This does not mean they do not fight for their ideals, indeed, a priest of Sho' defending the lives of his friends or townsmen can be a terrifying thing indeed. They are not prohibited from taking life, only from taking life needlessly. For example, a priest that did not finish off a wandering demon or wight would face the displeasure of Sho' for the death that creature would cause later. Killing a man in a bar brawl is another matter. In general, self-defense and fighting for a good cause are all sufficient reasons.

Priesthood of Sho'

The Order of Maeder

I. Item : Sho' holds water sacred. When a Level I power is used, the appropriate amount of water fades into white wisps of fog.

*Modifiers [1-4] - Sho' grants plusses to consciousness checks, death checks, and defense rolls. She also will allow minuses to damage. Any roll out of combat that has the potential to save life can have modifiers, too. So a priest or his party attempting to jump over a pit of spikes could certainly have plusses to the DX check. The maximum amount of additions or subtractions in one round is 4.

Normal Skills [3,4] - She will temporarily grant defensive and survival skills, including blocks and parries. This is subject to the GMs approval; generally the player should have a good explanation why the skill is furthering Sho's cause. A Stealth skill to sneak past a guard and save some prisoners is a good example. Three items will grant a skill of 10 + the priests's level, and 4 give a skill of 12 + level. The skill lasts for 1 minute per 3 or 4 items spent.

Normal Advantages [1/5pts] - Sho' will grant Toughness, Longevity, and other such advantages. As for skills, if the player can explain how the advantage will help save life, it will generally be allowed. They must sacrifice 1 item for every 5 points the advantage costs, to a limit of 25 points. If a Level II priest uses this skill with fatigue, his limit is raised to 50 points.

II. Fatigue : A halo of white light travels the priest's body from head to toe.

Create Temporary Items [1/5lb]

Divination [6]

Temporary Super Advantages [1/5pts]

*Peek [2]

*Redo [2+extra] - Sho? will allow the priest to have any out-of-combat roll that was just failed to be counted as an exact success instead. To have the roll succeed by a certain amount, he must spend more points. Every additional point used raises the success of the roll by 2. So spending 5 points to redo an eye shot would have the roll succeed by 6.

*Mask [0, 2+1/skill]

Dismiss [2]

Summon [2,4,6,8]

[2] Dove : ST 2, DX 14, IQ 5, HT 12/3; PD 0 DR 0

Move (10 Flying), Dodge 11

- The dove has a telepathic link with its priest and can communicate what it sees. The priest can command it through this link.

[4] White Guardian : The Guardian looks like a thin white mist that can adapt to its surroundings to camouflage an area.

- It can give an area with a radius equal to the priest's level squared a Stealth of (14).

- A White Guardian does not follow the normal rules for duration; instead it will stay for an entire night while the priest and his party sleeps, or it can guard an area for one day per level of the priest.

- It can warn the priest telepathically at any sign of an intruder within 100' of the area it is guarding. For the purpose of spotting such creatures, it has Vision (20), Darkvision and Infravision. It has a rudimentary intelligence and can tell the priest what the intruders look like.

[6] Living Wall : The Living Wall appears to seal an entrance or surround the priest (protecting him) or imprison an enemy. It looks like smooth, light blue rubber and can be any shape up to a 100 foot square.

ST 0, DX 14, IQ 10, HT 20; PD 0 DR 4

- The Wall takes half damage from all non-magical attacks

- Any creature that attacks the Wall must make an IQ check or become docile and unagressive until it makes an IQ check at -2.

- The Wall is intelligent and can manipulate its shape to form doors or plug holes. It cannot move from it's original position.

- It can communicate telepathically with its priest to a distance of 1 mile.

[6] Lightning Panther : A huge creature, this 7' panther is brilliantly white, almost to the point of shining.

ST 40, DX 16, IQ 10, HT 15/25, PD 3 DR 4

Move 10 (15 running), Dodge 14, 2 Attacks

- Claw (17) [2d+2 cutting]

- Bite (15) [2d-1 impaling]

- If two claw attacks are successful in a single round, the Lightning Panther can rake with it's back claws for [3d cutting].

- Infravision

- Magic Resistance +5

- Psionic Resistance +5

- Note that although the panther is quite powerful, all damage done by the beast disappears after 10 minutes per level of Divine Bestowal. Damaged creatures still roll for unconsciousness but cannot be killed by damage from the panther.

[8] Star Cloak : The Star Cloak is a wispy garment of white energy that surrounds its priest.

ST 0, DX 0, IQ 12, HT 0; PD +2 DR +4

Move +1

- Its PD, DR, and Move are added to that of the priest.

- The Cloak can heal its priest or anyone the priest touches by 1 HT/round.

- While wearing it, the priest gains +4 to all unconsciousness and death checks.

- The Cloak has an automatic Area Knowledge (14) and also knows about the flora and fauna of the area, Naturalist (14).

- It also has Empathy (14) and will advise the priest telepathically about the emotions of the creatures he is dealing with.

- At any time the priest may have the Star Cloak absorb one attack or spell. When it does, the Cloak bursts into white points of light and the effect of the spell or damage of the attack is completely nullified. This destroys the Star Cloak.

III. Character Points : The priest's blood becomes luminescent, shining through his skin.

Undo [2 + 1/day elapsed, +1/person]

Bestowal [+5]

Steal [5]

Permanent Create [1/5lbs]

Banish [10]

Sanctify Area [1/100' cube]

IV. Attributes : For the highest powers granted by the gods, priests must sacrifice some of their own life energy. Upon using one of these powers the priest chooses an attribute and it immediately drops the required number of points. Any skills based on that attribute also drop. Attributes may be regained as normal, but always cost double the initial character point value. When a priest of Sho' uses a Level IV power, he is surrounded by whirling white discs of light that meld into his body and briefly turn him into pure light, too brilliant to look at.

*Divine Intervention [2]

*Mythos [1] - The priest of Sho' has a choice upon using his Mythos. He may choose to resurrect up to five beings, or he may prevent his own death. Thus, upon failing a death check he could use this power. If the priest was killed in some odd manner, like crushed between two stones, he is still saved. The manner in which he reappears is up to Sho?. If the priest has not entirely pleased her, for example, he might reappear with no items!

Sacred Item [2]

Servant [2] - For 2 attribute points the priest can summon a Star Serpent. It is a translucent, insubstantial snake-like creature that flows gracefully through the air. It has no real substance.

Star Serpent : ST 0, DX 16, IQ 16, HT 18; PD 4 DR 6

Move +2, 18 Flying

- While the Serpent is touching the priest; he cannot die. All death and unconsciousness checks are assumed to be made. If he reaches -5xHT, further damage simply does not affect him. His limbs cannot be crippled. The priest will still age as normal.

- Its PD, DR, and Move are added to that of the priest, including the ability to fly at the Serpent's move.

- The priest may have his servant constrict an enemy, rolling against its DX to surround him. If it does, then the creature must make an IQ-2 check vs. the Serpent's IQ or become non-violent and docile until the Serpent releases him.

- The Serpent can heal the priest or anyone it touches by 2 HT per round; this healing will also restore crippled limbs and cure poisons and disease.

- Physical attacks will not harm it, only magic and psionics.

- The priest may summon the Star Serpent to him by spending 2 fatigue.

- The Serpent regenerates 2 HT per day.

- If it is ever killed, the priest is mentally and physically stunned.