Character Trailers (A Small Sample From An Upcoming "Exalted" Project)

I like to try out new TTRPGs and new systems (both for personal reasons, as well as professional ones), and no one has ever accused me of half-assing something I've done for a table of mine. Recently a friend of mine decided to really make a pitch to get me to try out Exalted. I wasn't a huge fan of the pitches I'd heard in the past, but I was given a little extra incentive with the Green Sun Princes... characters that were given corrupted power through a pact with the deposed and mutilated Primordials who now rule in hell as the Yozi.

I've been craving something grim, dark, and dreadful, and so what was born was a man named Barabbas. A man who lost everything, and has now taken up the cleaver once more in dreadful service to new and terrible masters. Allow me to present the character trailer for Barabbas The Butcher!

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Character Trailers, And a Potential Project

Regular readers round these parts know my fondness for the art of the audio drama, and I like to think that the short little video I made introducing Barabbas above is enough to both convey the broad sweeps of his character, and to give those who see it an idea of who he is, and what he's about. I found myself thinking of it as a character trailer, and I have suggested making them for other members of the game as a way to quickly sketch out who they are, and to give them the same kind of time in the spotlight.

We've met devil Hulk... what about the rest of the team?

While roughly half the players have expressed an interest in getting their own trailers made (and I'm hoping to dump the dossiers on our Sidereal player for the final installments, since all of us are going to be his problem), I feel like this little side project opens a potential door. After all, the world of Creation is a wild setting, and it hasn't gotten as much attention as more traditional, Western fantasy ones have.

If you're a fan of my work, would you like to see me throw my hat in the ring to make more Exalted content? Whether it's to create some towns, villages, or secret societies to find in Creation itself, working on some more mechanics-based supplements, or just expanding on the tales of Barabbas and the others to make something a little heftier, like an episodic podcast telling of their adventures?

All of these are on the table! But I mostly just wanted to share this piece, and get some feedback from folks who didn't see it, or who simply hadn't heard about it. And if you enjoyed this, don't forget to subscribe to both the Azukail Games YouTube channel, as well as my Rumble channel The Literary Mercenary!

As an added note, this story will be set in the 2nd Edition of Exalted, which is not the current edition of the game. If you want to follow-along with the tale, consider grabbing a copy of Exalted's 2nd Edition base book, or if you want to go whole hog, grab the full Exalted 2nd Edition bundle!

Lastly, if you're interested in other contenders for a podcast-style project from me, make sure you check out Windy City Shadows, A Chronicles of Darkness Podcast Proposal as well!

What's Next on Table Talk?

That's it for this installment of Table Talk! What would you like to see next? I'm listening for your comments and votes!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archives, as well as the YouTube channel for Azukail Games. Or, to check out books like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, my hard-boiled noir series featuring the street beasts of NYC in Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, or my recent short story collection The Rejects, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, as well as on Pinterest where I'm building all sorts of boards dedicated to my books, RPG supplements, and greatest hits. Lastly, to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little donation can have a big impact.

The Infernal Grandchild (Wizard Concept)

The mob had gathered, truncheons and pitch forks in their hands. Torches had been lit, and the fire danced in the eyes of the onlookers. Their gazes were fixed on the bloodied figure chained on the block at the edge of the water. With horns cresting from his black hair, and skin red as sin, there had been no trial. No hearing to evaluate the words of those who'd spoken out against him. After all, what could a creature with cloven hooves and a spaded tail truly say in its defense?

"Any last words?" The self-appointed judge asked.

The tiefling nodded his head solemnly. He'd been sitting there, head down, bloody fingers twitching across the stone for nearly ten minutes. He drew himself up, as best he could, and looked into the eye of the man who had sentenced him. He ran his tongue over his bottom lip, ensuring the blood would be a part of what he said. The crowd behind him drew in its breath, as if sensing what was to come. Before anyone could stop him the wizard spoke a single word, his blue forked tongue dancing around the syllables that would have stymied anyone not so blessed.

"Anthiaraxes," he said.

For a moment, nothing happened. It seemed in that second that it had all been a bluff... then the howling began. A wind from nowhere guttered the torches, and darkness bled into the world as if the very air had been stabbed. It congealed, and burst, the shadows birthing something that made all of them draw back. It bore the likeness of a woman, but twisted out of true. The neck was too long, the face too perfect. It bore too many knuckles in its fingers, and its hair whipped like an angry cat's tail, so dark it drank the light. The creature's eyes were the worst; twin voids that would siphon away the soul if one didn't have a will of iron when they met them.

"Before I pass my judgment," Anthiaraxes said, her voice a soft, sibilant whisper that burrowed into the ears and minds of all those present. "Why have you bound and chained my favorite grandson?"

And make it good. I didn't come all the way here for nothing.

When You Have Family in Low Places

Infernal power comes in many shapes and forms. For some it's a result of a pact made with dark powers in exchange for their soul. For others it's a mark of a favored servant, with an archfiend empowering them as a servant of their dire faith. For some it's a result of their bloodline, tainted by the back hand of a devil.

This concept is for characters who fall into the final category.

Whether this character is a tiefling, or they merely have some vestigial connection to the blood of the lower planes, the idea is that they know the true name of a powerful entity connected to their family. Perhaps it's the fiend who first mixed their blood into their line, or if the character is descended from a more potent devil, the name of one of that devil's servants who is bound to answer the call when it goes out. While this can also be accomplished with demons and celestial creatures, those are simply variations on the theme presented below.

The Mechanics

The mechanical trick for this story is the Arcane Discoveries option that was added to wizards in Ultimate Magic for Pathfinder. The discovery True Name allows you to learn the true name of a powerful outsider, which you can then summon to you as if by using planar binding as a spell-like ability. You must be 11th level to take this ability, and the outsider in question can have no more than 12 hit dice. However, if you take this ability at 15th level, the outsider can have no more than 18 hit dice. This functions as greater planar binding.

And if you really want to sell the whole, "favored child of an infernal heritage," my recommendation is to make a conjurer wizard who always falls back on summoned devils, hellhounds, and other similar monsters. Maybe they're servants of the conjurer's ancestor, or they simply recognize the lineage and are hoping they will earn favor by providing good service. But it's helpful to establish a theme as you grow in power, and gain access to stranger and more varied creatures.

 

While you can bring across the flavor using a sorcerer, a warlock (in 5th Edition DND, anyway), they won't give you access to this unique ability. That is, of course, at your discretion.

The Story

What story you make to support this kind of character concept is totally up to you! There are, however, some archetypes and paths you might want to consider.

If you want to play an evil character (keeping in mind all the advice I presented in 5 Tips For Playing Evil Characters, such as being part of a team) you could easily play as an extension of your ancestor's influence on the material plane. This would have many of the same overtones as a cleric of an archfiend; receiving messages from fiends, contacting the outer planes to report on your progress, etc. If you wanted to avoid making the character too edgy or grim, you could even give it a kind of Addams Family vibe where they simply have no idea what it is everyone around them is so upset about. This is just the way things are done at home (petting the hellhounds, laughing at the "playful" imps, etc.).

Alternatively, the character might be actively trying to turn the forces of hell to a good cause. So while the devils they summon are forced by both magic and oaths of allegiance to comply, they know they're going to catch hell from grand mama if she finds out this conjurer was summoning devils to fight against evil cults. You might even be able to set it up as a kind of chess game between the character and the fiend. The Infernal Grandchild thinks they're subverting the fiend's will, but on the grander scale of things it is the Infernal Grandchild who is actually fighting the fiend's foes. For every evil cult they crush, and every demon lord who's plans they undermine, that creates a power vacuum the fiend can then step into in order to expand their own power and position. While their Grandchild might sometimes deal a blow to one of the fiend's allies, or harm their other servants, that's all part of how the game is played. Sometimes you have to sacrifice a pawn or two.

You could even walk a middle path with this story, and create a kind of estranged family relationship. Perhaps the conjurer tries to avoid calling on the servants of the infernal the same way they'd avoid calling home to ask for money after they had a big fight with their father. They wait until there's no other way, and of course the fiend wants to help... because the more often the conjurer asks for help, the easier it will be to become their crutch. So it's a tug-of-war as the fiend tries to ensnare the wizard, and the wizard is trying to remain untethered to the machinations of their line's progenitor.

There's a lot you can do here, and so much of it is left up to you as the player (and your DM, of course). With that said, you might find helpful inspiration for bringing this concept to life in...

- 13 Fiends: A Baker's Dozen of Devils: If you're looking for a powerful fiend to attach mechanics to, the options in here have names, symbols, histories, and purviews you can easily draw on.

- 100 Tieflings To Meet in Your Travels: Whether you just want something to get your wheels turning, or you want to build an extended family, I'll always recommend giving this one a look. You don't have to be a tiefling for this concept to work, but it is fun.

- 5 Tips For Playing Better Tieflings and Aasimar: Again, you don't have to be a tiefling for this concept, but if you're going to be either a tiefling or an aasimar (after all, your ancestor might have fallen from grace), I'd recommend giving this one a look.

 

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Like, Follow, and Stay Tuned For More!

That's all for this installment of Unusual Character Concepts. Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a dungeon master.

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my most recent collection of short stories The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

The Weird And Wild World of Outsiders (Exploring Alternative Aasimar and Tiefling Heritages)

Aasimar and tieflings are often thought of as two sides of the same coin. The dalliances, blessings, and curses of the celestial and the infernal, both mixed with the blood of mortals. This heritage grants their scions power, along with signs (some subtle, and others not-so-subtle) as to the origin of that power.

For most of us, though, these two native outsider races just means we get access to some fun racial feats, some resistances, darkvision, decent stat mods, and a spell-like ability. However, there is a whole slew of weird stuff that you can use to modify these outsiders. All you have to do is look at the tiefling and aasimar pages, paying particular attention to the charts along the bottom of the page with the alternative features.

99 Options

Each chart gives you 99 different options you can take, instead of the tiefling or aasimar's standard spell-like ability (darkness and daylight respectively). In some cases, the options aren't really all that great (gain a +2 bonus on a skill check or specific saving throw), while in other cases the options are pretty goddamn awesome (like switching out daylight for spear of purity, which is going to be a nasty little surprise for enemies who don't know you've got an offensive spell up your sleeve).

Say hello to my little friend!

If you're looking for specific abilities and concepts that would be enhanced by the alternative traits, I did come across a few that stuck out.

- You have oversized limbs, and can wield Large-sized weapons without penalty (tiefling).

- You gain spell resistance equal to 10+1/2 your hit dice (tiefling and aasimar).

- You can cast spear of purity once per day as a spell-like ability (aasimar).

- You can levitate yourself, plus 10 pounds, as per the spell at-will (tiefling).

- You have a natural fly speed of 20 feet (aasimar).

- Your body produces intense heat/cold/acid, and deals damage to those grappling you (tiefling).

These are just a sample of the abilities you can gain, without even needing to burn a feat slot. There's also the option for minor damage reduction, unusual abilities such as being able to turn on a halo for aasimar, or being able to eat ashes and cinders for sustenance for tieflings. There's an option that allows a tiefling to never need sleep, and one that allows an aasimar make any weapon they hold holy for three rounds as a move action once per day.

In most circumstances, these abilities provide a small bonus, or some additional flavor. Used for the right build, though, such as a titan mauler with large weapons, a grappler who specializes in burning his foes, or even an inquisitor who hunts demons and wants an extra edge on top of their bane, these little abilities can make a big impact.

Stranger Things in Heaven and Earth

Even though this is Crunch week, I'd like to take a moment to direct folks' attention to the two charts to the right of the aasimar and tiefling mechanical abilities. Because despite the infinite variety outsiders come in, it feels like our tieflings just look like nightcrawler with horns, while all of our aasimar look like cover models under perfect lighting.

There are so many more options than that.

Like this adorable little prince by Tamaj.

Just glance through some of the choices. Aasimar whose fingerprints always look like holy symbols. Translucent tieflings with see-through skin. Aasimar who make bells ring as they walk past. Tieflings with constantly smoking breath, or eyes. Aasimar with metallic lips and jeweled eyes. Tieflings with fingers that bend backwards.

All the examples I listed above are in the books for effects these native outsiders can possess. And that is just a small selection of the bizarre things their presence and anatomy can do just because they exist. Because while there is nothing that says you have to be a bizarre collection of inhumanly inherited features, there is also nothing that prevents you from being a bird-headed, gold-beaked, ruby-eyed peacock warrior with abnormally long legs. And if that's the sort of native outside that appeals to you, then my collection 100 Unusual Aasimar along with 100 Tieflings To Meet in Your Travels will both be right up your alley!

Just remember, next time you get a chance to play one of these native outsiders, feel free to go absolutely nuts with it!

That's all for this week's Crunch topic! For more of my work, check out my Vocal and Gamers archives, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio! Or if you'd like to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well! And if you'd like to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little bit of help can go a long way, trust me on that one.

The Undead Feats Are Now Available From TPK's "Feats of Legend" Series!

I mentioned awhile back that I was working on the Feats of Legend series with TPK Games. The first one to bear my name is The Infernal Feats, and is already out like I mentioned a few weeks ago. However, the next one in the series has been released, and it's one that players and DMs alike will have a ball with.

What is it? The Undead Feats, of course.

You were expecting something less necrotic?

What's In The Book?

The latest installment in the Feats of Legend series has 22 feats, brought to you by myself, Brian Berg, and by Simon Peter Munoz (who runs the Creative Repository Blog, which you should check out if you haven't already). These feats are for characters who are undead, who hunt undead, or for characters who have access to the undead bloodline.

What do they do? Well, there are 22 feats, so there's a lot of nasty tricks in this book. You'll find feats that let you poison undead, feats that increase your knowledge of undead, and feats that allow you to hide from undead. You'll also find feats that increase undead creatures' natural armor, feats that allow the undead to gain fast healing whenever they kill a living foe, and even feats that allow the undead to resist their greatest bane; positive energy!

If you want to throw your players a curve ball, or if you're a player who wants to really make the most of your character's undead heritage, The Undead Feats is definitely a book you should have on your shelf.

As always, thanks for stopping by! If you want to make sure you don't miss any of my updates, then follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter. If you'd like to help support my blog, then please stop by my Patreon page to become a patron today! Even as little as $1 a month can make a big difference.

Hell Yes! TPK Releases "Feats of Legend" and "The Demonologist"

Normally I dedicate my Monday posts to helping promote others in the gaming industry, or to bring unusual bits of interesting trivia to the attention of my readers. This week, though, I'm giving the post over to complete self-aggrandizement because not one, but two, great products just came out from TPK Games with content by yours truly!

These must-have items? Feats of Legend: The Infernal Feats, and The Demonologist.

You know you want it!

What Are They?

I'm glad you asked, bold, italicized text! Feats of Legend is a small, ongoing feature that TPK Games recently embarked on. The idea is simple; put out a little collection of feats every month, each of them gathered around a theme, so that players can add a little extra oomph to their games. The first installment, The Infernal Feats, has 20 feats by yours truly. Future editions, like Undead feats, will also feature contributions from other RPG designers, both well-known developers and up-and-comers.

The Demonologist, though, is the meat to Feats of Legend's potatoes.

The Abyss yawns open at your feet, filled with legions of howling demons bent on death, destruction, and corruption. Most sane mortals oppose these creatures, using sword and spell to keep the madness of the pit at bay. There are some, though, who seek to harness the power of the Abyss, and the creatures who lie within it. These men and women, called demonologists, hold truck with terrible forces. Attended by powerful demons, and with all the ferocity and knowledge of their servants to hand, they can be valued allies, or dangerous enemies.

Just sign on the dotted line.

The demonologist is a level 1-20 base class that's an alternate version of the Summoner. Based largely off the Pathfinder Unchained rules, this book comes with history, feats, eidolon evolutions, class archetypes, and a variety of other tools to help bring the full power of the pit to your game. My contribution was a good-aligned demonologist archetype, which is meant to let players utilize the class under DMs who disavow evil characters.

And remember, even if the players can't have it, demonologists make for tasty antagonists as well!

As always, thanks for stopping in to check out my Monday update. If you don't want to miss any of my posts, then follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter. If you'd like to help support me and my blog, then head on over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to toss a little bread in my jar. There's a free book in it for you, too, if you become a new patron by the end of November!

The Risen Antipaladin (How You Can Play A Paladin In An Evil Campaign)

Like a lot of other gamers I've been hearing chuckles of wicked glee surrounding the adventure path Way of the Wicked from Fire Mountain Games (if you have no idea what I'm talking about, check it out right here). Not only is it a well-written level 1-20 campaign, but it is a game specifically geared toward evil PCs. It's a game where you get to open up that restricted door and let out the serial killers, the cultists, the brutes, the monsters, and all the other villains that lurk in your shadow's subconscious.

So naturally, that got me thinking about what I'd like to play in an evil campaign. So, when presented a chance to bring any terrifying monster I have locked up in the depths of my mind, I decided I should bring this.

The guy on the left is the one I'm talking about.

In the spirit of my entry about The Android Barbarian, I'd like to discuss my idea of the Risen Antipaladin.

The Redeemed Villain

In the long ago and far away there was a book that sensible DMs kept out of their players' hands; The Book of Exalted Deeds. That book was full of feats and spells of such holy power that they would melt the flesh from the bones of devils, and bring light to the deepest darkness of hell. In the flavor section, the book laid out the basic archetype of the redeemed villain. It is what you think it is; a character who has lived a life of bloodshed, violence, and corruption, but who has turned their back on that life to do good deeds.

The Advanced Player's Guide gave us the antipaladin as the exemplar of evil; a warrior who holds no regard for life, liberty, or the well-being of others. Terrible to behold, and powerful beyond belief, antipaladins are often made from fallen paladins... but sometimes they're not. Sometimes, as you see on page 121 of the APG, antipaladins are rigorously trained for that specific life. In some cases they may even be bred for the role that they'll be forged to fill. While an antipaladin may turn his back on the pain and horror that made him who he is, those things still live inside him. He may try to keep them at bay with prayers, and to smother them beneath the weight of good deeds, but he'll always know what he was... and what he might be again.

The Thin Line Between A Good Man, And A Bad

For Way of The Wicked you begin the game with a prison break. You're all bad guys, and so it makes sense for you to throw in together to get out of this place. Then in walks the new fish. A few weeks ago he was the empire's golden boy; a blade of light, and a shield against evil. Then it came out who he really was, and despite all the good deeds he'd done, he was locked up for the terrible crimes he could never wash out. Maybe some of the villains were arrested by him  when he was called the Hammer of Justice, and was a force for good in the empire. Maybe some of them know him better by his old names; the Bloody Knight, the Bone Burner, or the Shadowman. The right hand of the devil himself, there were some who said that as long as he did the infernal lords' bidding that he couldn't be killed by mortal weapons. That he'd fallen a hundred times, always to rise and wreck bloody vengeance on those who had caused him pain.

A man born and raised in darkness.

Could your villains truly turn down the help of such a powerful ally? Especially if, as some suspect, that his black heart beats closer to the surface than you'd think?

Blood and Bone

There are a lot of ways you can set this situation up. Long-lived characters like elves and dhampir are ideal for those who were once terrible villains, and who have tried to bury that past behind them for many years. Tieflings and aasimar have infernal and divine blood, which can add into the story of struggle to define oneself. Humans are perhaps the simplest, and as paladins (or antipaladins) they'd greatly benefit from the Eldritch Heritage feat tree (more on that feat tree in How To Power Up Your Pathfinder Characters With The Eldritch Heritage Feats).

My particular favorite for this setup is a human paladin with the Infernal eldritch heritage. You have someone who, before he was even born, was being pushed onto the left hand path, and it's only been through sheer will and refusal to let go that he's managed to hang onto the grace he's found at the end of his repentance.

You Won't Last Long Here, Friend

While it might seem like a noble struggle, in an evil campaign it's only a matter of time until your hand is forced. Sooner or later you'll wade through enough filth that your grip on grace will slip, and you'll fall. And when you fall you're going to fall very, very hard.

We're talking ALL the way down.

That sort of thing is to be expected, and it's part of the challenge of the concept. The goal is not to make it through an evil campaign while playing a paragon of virtue; the goal is to see how far you can get before you take that plunge. And if you see your fellow players sniggering and elbowing each other, planning to drag your down off that plinth before you or your story is ready, just deliver a little in-character speech that goes something like this.

"They say the Bloody Knight's blade was never dry. That he would quench that steel in whomever was near to hand at the slightest provocation. Even his own allies. He was a man who would cut the tongues from those who disagreed with him, and who would cripple those he thought less than worthy. He was a creature of suffering, torment, and agony, whom even demons groveled and sniveled before. Tell me truly, do you really want that man to be sitting here by the fire when you sleep tonight?"

You Put Down The Darkness Once... And You Can Do It Again

A fun little hat trick for this concept requires you to get your DM's assistance in one, major manner. You need to give yourself a liege lord, and take the Absolute Loyalty trait at creation. That way you get a get-out-of-falling-free card you can use once and only once to cast atonement on yourself, assuming that what you're doing is at the behest of your lord commander. The trait implies you need to do it immediately, but with storyteller permission you might be able to hold onto it until an appropriately climactic moment so that you can slam the door shut on the fiend, and return to grace.

Even if you don't go that route, though (or do something equally cheap like recruiting a cleric to cast atonement on you once you reach a high enough level), there's nothing that says you have to remain wicked. You redeemed yourself once, and you can do it again... but some situations really do call for a monster.

For more tips applicable to paladins, check out my 5 Tips For Playing Better Paladins!

That's all for this installment of Unusual Character Concepts. Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a dungeon master.

For more of my work, check out my Vocal and Gamers archives, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

What's The Difference Between Devils and Demons?

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Now then, what was I talking about? Oh yes...

The Real Difference Between Devils and Demons

It's a rite of passage for a Dungeons and Dragons party to face down its first infernal foe. Whether it's a fire-belching demon from the pits of hell, or a bone devil in the service of Orcus the Lord of Undeath, devils and demons are the bread and butter of big boss battles.

Say that three times fast and there's a golden fiddle in it for you.

In between all of the holy magic, shouted battle cries, and oaths to send these foul things back to the pits that spawned them though, players sometimes find themselves asking what the difference between devils and demons is (in a totally non-racist kind of way). It's a legitimate question too; after all, how do you tell one scaly, filth-spewing abomination from another?

Is There A Difference?

The hardcore gamers among you will be the first to point out that in both Dungeons and Dragons as well as Pathfinder devils are lawful creatures, whereas demons are chaotic. There may be other cosmetic differences, such as the locations they're summoned from, the languages they speak, but the point is that while similar demons and devils are distinctly different dishes.

Anymore alliteration and I devour you directly.

While we might use these two words interchangeably, we shouldn't, because they each have a unique definition. You see the word demon (daemon, daimon, etc.) goes back at least as far as Socrates, and was used for beings of beyond human power (often beings of pure spirit) in Greek, and then in Latin. Devil, by contrast, comes from Old English. You can get the full details with times and changes in my article here, but the thing that brought these two words together was actually the translating and re-translating of the Bible.

You see these words were originally different, but due to the translations they kept getting mixed up. In modern contexts the word demon refers to evil spirits, but the word devil refers to the singularly powerful entity that rules hell.

Try putting that into your next campaign, and see if your players think Linguistics is a useless skill after that!

Using Religion in Your Roleplaying

An individual's faith is a deeply personal choice, as is the way he or she decides to practice it. Some people are very quiet about their beliefs, not bringing them up in conversation or even making them a part of their common vernaculars. Other people display their faith subtly, perhaps by wearing a symbol to identify themselves or by saying a small, quiet prayer before they eat. Still other people make their religion very plain, following strict rules on dress, behavior, diet, and even about the kinds of people they can associate with according to their faith.

If you want to add an extra dimension to your roleplaying, consider your character's views on the divine.

The Gods Are Real

And they will give you things, if you ask properly.

Let's take the example of a fantasy roleplaying game like Pathfinder. In these games gods, spirits, and other forces are undeniably real. Clerics, paladins, druids, oracles, and others all draw power from the well of the divine. Not only that but those who have been resurrected have given testimony of the worlds beyond, and learned practitioners of the arcane can commune with any number of beings beyond the mortal, material realm.

So, the gods are real.

Take a moment and contemplate that for a moment. Think of a world where there was no question on the existence of gods. A world in which the gods and their servants could be seen, heard, felt, and where there was a better than even chance their mortal mouth-pieces were in fact giving the masses the straight dope on the divine. A world where the pious could perform miracles, where infernal and angelic bloodlines manifested in the populace, and where there was no possibility of it all being smoke and mirrors as a salve on troubled souls.

That's the kind of world your character exists in.

What Sort of Faith Did Your Character Grow Up In?

We do not smile in the graveyard. Pharasma will make our faces stick that way if we do.

Religion, whether by its presence or the lack thereof, shapes people. Just look at people in America. Catholics have saints as well as Jesus and Mary, and there are a hundred rituals and holy days to remember. Lutherans forego many of these things, though they practice ostensibly the same faith. Other religions, like Santeria, Voodoo, Asatru, Wicca, Hinduism and others all come with their own rules and regulations. Not being raised with a faith at all, or being raised in a way that doesn't expose you to a faith, also leaves a mark on a person. These are things that can cling for a lifetime in the form of warding gestures, turns of phrase, or little rituals from lighting candles for the departed to running fingers over a rosary when one is nervous.

So ask yourself what faith or faiths your character grew up with. Was he raised in an orphanage run by clerics of Asmodeus who taught about the contracts of society, and who instilled values of cleverness and power? Perhaps she was brought up in the country, and her father taught her all about nature, and how Erastil had given them a responsibility to support each other and to never take more than they need to live? Maybe your character was raised by wizards, who considered the divine a problem to be solved rather than an idea to be worshiped and followed?

Whatever your unique upbringing was, ask what bits of faith held tight and which fell by the wayside. Maybe it's the curses your character uses, the taboos she avoids, or something even deeper.

How Do You Pray?

Put on your knee pads girls, we're going to be here a while.

Every day clerics have to pray for their spells. This is the same kind of hour-long ritual that wizards and magi have to go through to access their magic for the day. Most players just tell their DM "I pray for spells," the DM nods, and the game continues on.

If you do this you're passing up a huge roleplaying opportunity.

Yes, the mechanical effects of praying for spells don't change from one cleric to another. Every cleric spends an hour at prayer, and as a result said cleric gets a certain number of spells for the day. But what does it look like?

Does a cleric of Gorum passively kneel and pray, or does he clean his armor and weapons to a mirror shine as he recites the tenets of the god of battle? Or does he stand without armor, in just a loincloth with naked steel in hand as he goes through combat forms that represent different spells? Does a cleric of Shelyn create art while praying, or does the cleric play music or dance as a way to create something beautiful as an offering? Does a cleric of Zon Kuthon cut herself, or run needles through her skin in certain patterns to get closer to the god of agony? Do the prayers change over time? Are more elaborate rituals required for those who are higher in power, which explains why they're granted more powerful magic?

This isn't just for clerics either. Any character who worships a god should have little rituals that make them more unique. Barbarians might offer a prayer at the beginning or end of a hunt to commemorate the activity. Rangers who track and kill undead might carve Pharasma's spiral on their arrowheads out of a totemic belief that they'll draw the restless dead home. Fighters who worship Cayden Cailean might offer the first toast to him after a successful adventure in thanks, or before embarking as a prayer for good luck.

When the gods could quite literally be on your side, it's important to make sure they know you're listening.

Monsters and Faith

Sixth level of the Abyss, how can we help you?

Even the most diverse games tend to be very human-heavy; let's face it a bonus feat and skill point are hard to say no to. However, it's important to remember that monstrous races all have their own gods as well. Elves, dwarves, giants, ogres, gnolls, and others all have gods they revere. The question players have to ask in these cases is did these monstrous characters leave their old faiths behind, or cling tight and go on adventures with their primordial patrons looking over their shoulders?

For some races the connection to the gods is even stronger. Tieflings and aasimar are the first that come to mind, but geniekin and others with the blood of powerful outsiders running through their veins are also important candidates for deeper questions. For instance, does a tiefling believe that he's damned simply because of his heritage? Could a lifetime of prejudice and scorn lead him to snap, deciding that he'll commit such atrocities that when he does go to hell they'll make him a duke for his troubles? Does an aasimar regard divine parentage as something more like an extended family than a god, leading them to treat those they're descended from with greater familiarity and less awe than they might otherwise command?

These are good questions to start with. How you answer them will depend on the kind of character you want to make.


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