Keeping Gods Mysterious Maintains Their Mystique in Your Game

It isn't easy being a Game Master, and even the best of us will make missteps along the way as we perfect our storytelling style. However, there is one little area that a lot of folks sitting in the big chair should consider when it comes to their games; the gods.

Often a forgotten or overlooked element, the challenge a good Game Master faces is making the gods feel real, tangible, and present, while also making them feel far-off, elemental, and mysterious. It isn't easy, but I thought I'd share some of my thoughts on pulling off this particular hat trick this week.

And if you don't have this supplement, check it out!

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Gods Don't Have Stats

Perhaps one of the smartest moves I think Paizo publishing made with their Golarion setting is that it is expressly clear that none of the gods in the game have stats. Unlike what we saw with Deities and Demigods back in Dungeons and Dragons 3.0, which assigned levels, feats, skills, and powers to entire pantheons, Golarion's gods are well and truly apart from mortal ken.

This is a small but concrete example of how you can keep your gods less defined in meaningful ways. Because even if the character doesn't know this god has 20 levels of barbarian and 20 levels of cleric with 1,000 hit points, if the player knows that they can't help but compare and quantify things in game terms. It puts limits on the divine in a way that can make them feel like just another mechanical element of the game world... and that is the last thing you want to do as a Game Master.

Maybe I can't take him... but if we work together, I think we've got a shot!

Another example of this is how gods are often portrayed by Game Masters. If the characters meet and interact with the gods (as so often happens in games) the god always ends up being exactly what's shown in the holy texts, the artwork, and described in their books. But more than just looking and acting exactly how you might expect them to look and act based off their myths, being able to talk one-on-one with the divine makes them seem... less special in a lot of ways. It strips away the glamour and the majesty, and it makes them feel like just another character on the board.

A powerful character, sure, but a god shouldn't feel like just a higher-level PC. They should feel like what they are... and like the monsters in horror movies, little glimpses often work way better than giving them lingering shots on-camera and a monologue to deliver.

I talked about this more over on the Azukail Games YouTube channel, for those who prefer videos to text (also, consider subscribing while you're there)!

A Presence, Without Being Present

Gods are fundamental forces of the world. They can create storms just by being angry, flowers bloom in their footsteps, and those who hear their echoing battle cries are driven to homicidal furies they might never come out of. Gods are cosmic beings, whose very existence is beyond the ability of mortals to perceive except cloaked in metaphor and wrapped in illusion.

And while the Great Old Ones might not be present in every setting (and not all the gods should have the overtones of inhuman horror that comes with those beings) Game Masters can learn a lot about giving their gods serious gravitas from looking at how these creatures are portrayed in stories. The idea that just the dreams of gods can affect mortals, that those who witness them are driven to madness by understanding more of the cosmos than the mortal mind was meant to grasp, or that gods have concerns far greater than any insignificant mortal and their struggles, are all elements that can be brought to bear on a story.

There are things outside your perceptions in the Dark Woods, young one.

We can also draw on elements from world mythology for this. For example, gods are often feared as much as they are worshiped, and they tend to either work through intermediaries or to appear in disguise. A wandering old man giving gifts to warriors in dire straits is a common motif in many Norse myths, for instance, and this almost invariably turns out to be Odin putting his thumb on the scales in a way that isn't immediately recognizable to affect a particular outcome. Alternatively, there are myths like when Eros took a mortal lover, and he made her keep her eyes closed while making love to him in the darkness. When she disobeys and looks upon him in his full, divine glory, it unmakes her, reducing her to ash; not because he did anything, but merely because his existence is too much for her to bear.

Because they are so massive in terms of scale and power, gods often work through agents to bring word to those they wish to influence. Whether it's using signs and portents like certain creatures leading their followers out of danger, or giving prophecies to oracles, gods often deliver their will in cryptic ways. A selection of these can be found in 100 Random Oracular Pronouncements, for Game Masters who are looking for some inspiration. Not only that, but there are entire sections in my supplement Gods of Sundara (available for either Pathfinder or for Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition) that discuss the signs individuals may find when a god is pleased with them, along with the signs of a god's displeasure.

Lastly, and this is something I've touched on in previous entries, don't be afraid to have the divine meddle from afar in the affairs of your mortals... but make sure it feels appropriate to the situation.

If the fighter is a faithful follower of the god of war, and they are facing down that god's enemies, consider granting them the ability to ignore dire wounds and fight on while in negative hit points if it's thematically appropriate. If the rogue is a devout believer in the goddess of the sun, using their talents to undermine cults of the undead, have their weapon burst into flames if they call out to her in the heat of battle. And so on, and so forth.

There are a few key things to remember with this strategy, though. Firstly, it should apply to the villains as well as to the heroes; especially since the villains always seem to be neck-deep in the worship of dark gods and ruinous powers. Secondly, this shouldn't be treated as something that happens all the time, or at-will; it doesn't come from the characters, their class features, or associated game mechanics. It's a blessing from the divine, and gods can be fickle. Sometimes they help, because they want to. Sometimes they don't. It's a handy way to adjust challenge, reward good roleplaying, add in unexpected elements, and to remind your players that the gods are listening and watching, even if they don't see them.

Lastly, if you're looking for more strategies to up your game, consider grabbing a copy of 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better Game Master!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, 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 cat noir thriller Marked Territory, its sequel Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection 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!

Examining The Fantasy Atheist

For a moment, the light dimmed. It was as if a cloud had passed over the sun, leaving the companions in shadow. Then there was an impact in the air, as if the world itself had gasped, and a being stood before them. It glowed with a preternatural light, and it gazed upon them with eyes of fire. It possessed a dozen arms, each bearing items of a strange, alien origin. It turned to the one who had summoned it, nodding its head in acknowledgement. Before it could speak, though, Korrun rolled his eyes.

"Really?" he said. "Don't you think this is taking your make believe a little far?"

The Herald reached out its empty hand, and touched the cleric on the shoulder. "You bear a great burden traveling with this one."

"I do," Invaris replied. "This I know well."

Could I trade him to you? Please? Any bid, I'm listening.

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There Are No Gods!

Chances are good that if you've been playing fantasy RPGs for a while that you've come across the atheist character at some point. Though, for added clarity, The Fantasy Atheist is the name of a trope, and is not meant to be a deeper examination of this form of philosophy... especially since that's not how these characters tend to be played when someone decides to use this archetype. These characters are, in most cases, merely a more specialized version of the Fantasy Flat Earther, which I talked about in Examining The "Doubting Thomas" Character Archetype in Fantasy RPGs a while back. Because just like the sorcerer who claims magic isn't real, the Fantasy Atheist will watch a cleric perform a miracle, or even summon a celestial being from the outer planes, and stubbornly fold their arms, refusing to acknowledge the divine exists at all.

This is not a clever or unique character concept. It's a joke character, and it's a joke that was never funny to begin with.

You Can Make It Work (With The Right Circumstances)

With all of that said, there are certain ways you can play this style of character, and certain circumstances that can make them workable. I would still recommend against it due to the baggage the concept has, but you can do it if you're determined enough.

I provided some circumstances in my Sundara setting.

The first way to make this concept work is to play in a setting where the divine is largely mysterious, unknown, and unknowable. Mortals still have their myths and their legends, and you'll still find clerics, oracles, druids, and others wielding the power of the divine, but the gods aren't fully known or understood. Settings where there's an unknown quantity of gods, or where it's impossible to know if the gods of a certain faith are who their followers believe they are, work as well. In short, you need some kind of doubt that what people believe (even people who have been empowered by the gods) is the truth of what's happening beyond the material world.

This is very much the sort of setup you find in my recent release Gods of Sundara, available both in a Pathfinder version and a DND 5E version. Because in Sundara the gods are truly cosmic, which means that mortals can only ever see and comprehend a small portion of these beings. They are alien in many respects, taking different forms and appearing in different ways to different people. So Grimwald with his black sword worshiped by the hill clans of the far north, and the colossal dragon De'nagi paid homage by the lizard folk tribes of the southern swamps are, in fact, both manifestations of the same god; Charne, god of war. The fluid nature of the divine, where people really do have to take it on faith that the things they believe are even remotely true (and not some shell game played by the beings of the spirit realm) means there actually is plenty of room for doubt and argument as to whether a particular god or a particular faith is what someone thinks it is. And that leaves room for discussions on faith, the trustworthiness of religion, and how much knowledge is lost or misunderstood in translation from the realm of the gods to the mortals.

On that note, wanted to mention my 5 Tips For Playing Better Clerics for those who haven't checked it out yet!

Alternatively, You Need To Change Your Character

Not every fantasy setting has that element of mystery to it regarding the divine. In a lot of settings the gods are set in stone, and the faith taught to people on the mortal plane is true. The myths and legends are real, and these divinities will walk the world and perform great deeds... and when they aren't personally appearing, their servants often will in the form of angels, devils, and other divine/infernal beings.

If you're playing in a setting where there's no need to take things on faith because they've been confirmed multiple times, and there are records that this is how the cosmos is structured, then you don't have the wiggle room of a setting where things are more vague. It's hard to argue that the gods don't exist when their servants can wield divine fire to slay demons, and when avatars manifest to aid in your fight against the army of undeath around level 12.

All right, all right, I get it. They're real, okay!

In a setting that doesn't really require belief (since these creatures and powers are just facts of life), you have a few options to really make the atheist character work. The first is using it as a character arc as they learn more about the universe itself. We saw a version of this in Marvel comics when for years Tony Stark refused to believe that Thor was who he said he was. Until finally, out of patience, Thor grabbed Tony and transported them both to Asgard. So Tony saw with his own two eyes that the rainbow bridge, the city of the gods, and more were real. And he learned that the Thor from the old Norse myths and the being he fought alongside were truly one and the same.

As a character arc, this works pretty well. It's usually meant as a way to take an arrogant aspect of a character, and to humble them by showing there are things they don't know, and entities beyond them in the universe. It's similar, in a way, to how we see Han Solo go from, "The force is just a fairy tale," to simply acknowledging it as a fact of the universe.

However, there's the seed of a second way to play this in the Thor and Iron Man example. Because as folks who read Marvel know, Asgardians are not gods as we typically think of them. They are an alien species whose technology is so advanced that it is in many ways indistinguishable from magic. So while it is not inaccurate to call them gods, it is also accurate to say they are highly advanced beings whose understanding of the universe is inexplicable to humanity. It doesn't change the nature of what they are, but the altered definition can make someone seem far more reasonable. Because they aren't denying that these beings exist, nor are they denying the power they wield. Instead, they are simply saying that calling them "gods" is inaccurate, and that more nuanced language is required to understand them more precisely.

The third option was one popularized by Rahadoum in the Golarion setting for Pathfinder. The so-called Kingdom of Man does not allow divine worship or magic within its borders. Not because the gods aren't real, but because the nation acknowledges that they are real, and they want no part of the gods or their followers within their borders. So in this case the "atheist" character isn't denying that gods exist, and that there's some other explanation for extraplanar manifestations and the power of divine characters; they're just saying they want no part of the divine and the mess it represents.

Of the three of these options, the third is probably the easiest to make work in a high fantasy game. From refusing boosts from the cleric, to using health potions and alchemical tablets for restoring your own hit points, to refusing to participate in any form of religious ceremony (or merely making sure others understand you're just being polite), it can cause some friction and challenge, but it isn't usually enough to make the rest of the table want to grab you by the shoulders and shake you for obstinately proclaiming the sky to be chartreuse when we can all plainly see that it's blue.

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 game 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 alley cat noir novel Marked Territory, its sequel Painted Cats, 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!

"Gods of Sundara" Takes Aim at Monolithic Religions and Gods in Fantasy RPGs

When I first set out to make my setting for Sundara: Dawn of a New Age, I wanted to take the opportunity to really scour away aspects of the game that bothered me, or which I felt were leftovers from previous editions. For example, I wanted to entirely eliminate alignment from this setting, which is something I've done. I also wanted to try to break down the idea of mono-cultures that led players to always associate dwarves with the highlands of Scotland, elves with the deep forests, and so on, and so forth.

One of my big beefs, though, was how in many games the gods were always the same within the world. It didn't matter if you had characters from radically different nations, cultures, or even species, the god was always the same across the board. Not only that, but the churches, doctrine, and dogma were pretty universal. Whether you were from the frozen mountains of the north, or the deep jungles of the south, if two characters worshiped the same god then the two of you got the same book, and had the same trust that everything your branch of the church told you was true.

And that was the issue I took aim at in Gods of Sundara, which is now available in both a Pathfinder Classic version, as well as a Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition version.

And if you haven't gotten your copy yet, you really should!

Before I get into the nitty gritty details, wanted to take a moment to remind folks to sign up for my weekly newsletter so you don't miss any of my updates. And if you want to help me keep the wheels turning and the lights on, consider becoming one of my Patreon patrons today!

Why Are All The Gods The Same?

Most fantasy RPGs (not all, but most) tend to have a lot of different gods. They'll usually provide a core pantheon of the most common/powerful deities, and then it spirals out from there. Most often there will be gods dedicated to certain species (like how you'll usually find elven gods, dwarven gods, giant gods, dragon gods, etc.), and then you'll find a few minor or obscure gods. If you have a good/evil dynamic in your cosmos, you'll also have archfiends, major demon lords, and so on who can act as evil gods to empower cults and wicked clerics to do their bidding.

However, as many options as there are, they always seemed to run into the same issue. No matter how big or small a god was, their worship was always the same across the board. All their followers agreed on what their doctrines were, their holy texts were always correct, and even the images of the gods almost never changed. For beings of cosmic importance and limitless power, it always nagged at me that they felt so archetypal, and stagnant.

There could be anything under there...

So when I designed Sundara, I wanted to start with a fresh slate. I didn't just want to follow the templates that had come before with a different color palate... I wanted to give players and GMs alike the opportunity to have flexible divinities, as well as the ability to create their own inclusions into the world if what I provided didn't cover all their needs. Not only that, but I wanted the gods to be more mysterious than they typically are in a fantasy RPG setting. I wanted them to be, at least partially, beyond the ken of mortals who simply cannot fathom the fullness of these cosmic beings, their wants, needs, and desires, but who can only comprehend them through a mirror darkly.

The Thousand Faces of a Thousand Gods

The first thing I did in this book was to wipe away the usual plethora of planes that have only grown bigger and bigger over so many editions. Because if there's no alignment you can't have places like heaven and hell, the abyss or the celestial realms... these places are created entirely out of the idea of good and evil. The same is true of the beings that reside within them, so angels and devils, tieflings and aasimar, they all got the boot as well. The rest of the planes, those that weren't meant to entirely represent an aspect of alignment, got smushed together into a single plane known as the Prim.

Also, for those who are upset at the removal of tieflings and aasimar, don't worry... Gods of Sundara introduced the Prim-Touched species, which combines both of them, and removes all of the good/evil hints to leave you with something that's just all-around Other instead.

But what is the Prim? It is the realm of magic that exists apart from the material world. It is where gods of all shapes and sizes dwell, where souls go after death, and where the raw, swirling powers of thought, imagination, and belief can coalesce into beings and constructs. It is apart from the material realm, but it can be accessed by those who know the correct rites, who have a bloodline connection, or who believe strongly enough in the gods to form a bridge between themselves and that great consciousness beyond.

I had the strangest dream... and when I woke, I felt power within me.

This is where the concept of Faces, and the 5 Pillars of The Gods comes into the picture.

In Sundara, the gods are usually so vast that they are best expressed as formations of an idea. Concepts like War, Knowledge, Secrets, Love, and so forth. However, a god's will and appearance must still be interpreted by those who witness it, and the images and understandings are colored by the witness. So while the highland warriors of the Thendren clans may hold One-Eyed Grimnir with his great sword in high esteem, and the lizardfolk of the Artovan swamp may pray to the godly black dragon Thess'drak, whose glare is fear and whose maw is death, both of these are merely Faces of Charne, the god of Battle.

A god may create Faces in two different ways; purposefully, or incidentally. A purposeful Face is created when a god specifically puts on a guise, or attempts to create a certain impression among a group of people to create this new legend. Incidental Faces are created when a new Face is created purely by mortal interpretation, such as when a species perceives a god in a certain way, assigns them a different name due to linguistic differences, etc.

In addition to all the Faces, there are an unknown/unquantifiable number of minor faiths and gods. From regional protector spirits, to genius loci, to tribal gods, anything you want to add into your corner of the world is encouraged in Sundara. And if you want your divine force to be genuinely separate and apart from the starting "pantheon" I provided, I encourage players and GMs alike to do so!

And how the hell do you keep that straight?

With so many different interpretations of the gods, and an unknown number of divine beings exerting their influence on the world from the Prim, a lot of folks wondered how a GM is supposed to keep track of anything... especially when there's no alignment in this world, so you can't just tell your players, "Remember, stay within one step on the axis!"

That's where the 5 Pillars comes in.

The idea behind this is that whatever interpretation a culture has of a god, and whatever Face they pray to, there are notable similarities in that god's wants, desires, and messages. The god of nature always abhors the creation of undead as something that breaks the natural cycle of death and rebirth, for example, and this happens whether they're worshiped as the Green Mother, Father Storm, or any other Face. The god of knowledge refuses to allow knowledge to be destroyed, no matter how dangerous it could be in the wrong hands. And so on, and so forth.

The idea is that the 5 Pillars provide players and game masters alike with a general idea of what a god wants, and expects. Some of the pillars are thou-shalt-nots, but others are things followers are encouraged to do. And while this can apply to any follower of any god (or the Face of any god), they're only truly consequential for those who are granted power by a divine force... though it is suggested that those who please a god, regardless of what classes they have levels in, should receive some sort of sign from the divine to show their actions have been noticed.

Something that can be supplemented by 100 Random Oracular Pronouncements, for those who are bad at coming up with signs from the divine on the spur-of-the-moment!

The gods should be mysterious, but also present in a way that isn't showing up in burning bushes, or sending shining heralds to deliver their news directly to those they wish to influence. The idea behind this book is to give the gods back some of the subtlety that we often take away from them; to make them less blatant, but also more present since they now have a much lighter touch upon the world and those who adventure within it.

What's Coming Next?

Starting with the next installment, I'm moving into Species of Sundara, where I offer some looks at the unique variations and cultures among classic fantasy species in the Sundara setting. The idea is to give players and GMs unique options, and to show that just because two characters might both be elves, or dwarves, or orcs, that is only a single facet of who and what they are.

And if you've already gotten your copy of Gods of Sundara (Pathfinder, DND 5E, or both if you're bold!), consider checking out some of the Cities of Sundara splats that started this world off!

- Ironfire: The City of Steel (Pathfinder and 5E): Built around the Dragon Forge, Ironfire is where the secret to dragon steel was first cracked. The center of the mercenary trade in the region, as well as boasting some of the finest schools for teaching practical sciences, Ironfire is a place where discovery and danger walk hand in hand!

- Moüd: The City of Bones (Pathfinder and 5E): An ancient center of trade and magic, Moüd was lost to a cataclysm, and then buried in myth. Reclaimed by the necromantic arts of the Silver Wraiths guild, this city has once again become a place teeming with life. Despite the burgeoning population, though, it is the continued presence of the undead that helps keep the city running, ensuring that Moüd is not swallowed up once more.

- Silkgift: The City of Sails (Pathfinder and 5E): Built on the cottage industry of Archer cloth (an extremely durable material used for sails, windmills, etc.), Silkgift is a place that prizes invention and discovery. From gravity batteries that store the potential of the wind, to unique irrigation systems, to aether weapons, the city positively churns out discoveries... and then there's the canal they cut through the mountains that makes them a major center of trade across the region.

- Hoardreach: The City of Wyrms (Pathfinder and 5E): A center of power across an entire region, Hoardreach is ruled over by a Cooperation of five different dragons. A place for refugees and outcasts of all sorts, Hoardreach boasts some of the most unusual citizens and creations from across Sundara. Infamous for their sky ships, which require the cast-off scales and unique arcane sciences of the Dragon Works to take to the air, one never knows just what they'll find in this city built atop a mountain.

- Archbliss: The City of The Sorcerers (Pathfinder and 5E): A floating city in the sky, Archbliss has been a refuge for sorcerers for thousands of years. It's only in relatively recent years that the city has allowed those from the ground below who lack the power of a bloodline to join them in the clouds. However, while there are certainly amazing wonders to behold, there is a darkness in Archbliss. Something rotting away at its heart that could, if not healed, bring the city crashing to the ground once more.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, 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 cat noir thriller Marked Territory, its sequel Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection 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 Chosen (A Cleric Character Concept)

"But... why?" Gerald asked, the word coming out in a breath as he wrung his hands. "How?"

"Those are not our answers to have, Gerald," Constantine said, patting the young priest on the shoulder. "And they are, in the end, fruitless questions to ask. You should rejoice that our Lord has shown his favor to someone in our midst."

"Are we certain, though?" Gerald asked, his face still troubled. "She has no training. No schooling. She barely knows her letters. She was grubbing in a pig pen before the attack, and then-"

"And then the power manifested within her," Constantine said, cutting off his companion. "Our lord chose the steel, Gerald. It is not our job to question why, but to take up our rasps and cloths, and to shape and polish her until she reflects his light more completely."

"Of course," Gerald said, inclining his head. It was a contrite gesture, but his eyes said he was confused... and perhaps resentful. Constantine noted it. He would need to help Gerald douse those sparks before they grew into something worse.

"Now then, enough of this," Constantine said, taking Gerald by the arm. "Let us, instead, spend our energies where they may truly be useful."

She must learn control, if nothing else.

The Chosen

When we think of a cleric we usually imagine the character's class as their profession; a priest who is a living conduit to the god whose church they serve. After all, if a god needs someone to carry their power in the material plane, and to act as their representative, why wouldn't they choose from those who are near-to-hand who are ready and willing to accept that responsibility?

Well, perhaps it's because they are not the right tool for the job.

If a god needed a sword, there are plenty of priests who'd be willing to put their blood on the line for their faith... but perhaps it's the grizzled mercenary who has been tempered by years of battle that this god instills with their power. Perhaps they need a voice to spread their word, but rather than reaching to the pulpit, the god finds their vessel strumming a lute in a tavern and singing for whiskey shots and silver coins. There are many among the clergy who might be willing to travel and heal in their god's name, but a barber surgeon or bonesetter who has chosen that life to help others rather than to bask in the reflected glory of their deity's favor may be a better instrument for affecting change.

This is the idea of the chosen. Not that they have some great destiny ahead of them, or that they're instrumental in some grand design; they are, rather, the ideal tool for the job at-hand.

The bones have spoken!

The Chosen is a fun concept for multiclass clerics, or for those who have unexpected/unusual backgrounds, histories, or who don't seem to fit the role of a traditional, priestly character.

The go-to example is the cleric who has little to no knowledge of religious matters. They might be the person with calloused hands and rough speech, standing like a wolf among the sheep of dedicated holy men and women who've been brought up and educated by the clergy. They might be a scion of a noble bloodline who, to the surprise of many, has a glimmer of the divine right of kings that made them an ideal vessel for divine power. In some cases there may be no logical explanation for why a particular god chose a failed wizard's apprentice, a one-eyed orc warrior, or a butcher who seemed to be trying her best to just handle the demands of her trade.

Why these particular individuals were chosen is up to you, and your game master. Of course, if an immediate idea doesn't occur to you, or you prefer to leave the question up to the imaginations of the table, never give a concrete answer.

After all, the gods often work in truly mysterious ways...

Speaking of the mysterious ways of the divine, if you need a little on-hand mystery to drop, consider checking out 100 Random Oracular Pronouncements. And if you're looking for more ways to step outside the usual box when it comes to these particular divine casters, make sure you take a look at 5 Tips For Playing Better Clerics, too!

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 game 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 alley cat noir novel Marked Territory, 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 Righteous Barbarian

"You?" the Great Fang asked as the man stepped into the warrior's circle. "You are the Lightning Sword? The Wrath of Thunder? Surely you jest!"

The man who stood before him was no stripling, and there was strength in his heavy chest and shoulders. But he looked no different than a dozen other dirt-streaked warriors who had taken the field that day. With his wild hair and thorny beard, there was nothing unusual about him at a glance. Certainly nothing that would warrant the reverence of those who parted to let him stand within the Ring of Skulls.

"No," the man said, shaking his head. "My name is Einar. I am but a vessel."

The Great Fang snorted, and spat, he hefted his ax high, and charged across the circle, bellowing his war cry. As the ax came down, though, there was a shift in the wind. A tension in the air, like the calm just before a storm. Faster than the eye could blink, the man called Einar drew his blade, and crashed it into the ax. The steel head creaked, then exploded in shards of burning metal. The Fang staggered back, his eyes wide. The man followed him, walking calmly. The steel fragments had bounced off his skin, and his eyes burned with a bright, white light.

"I am the Sword," the man said, his voice booming like thunder. "And now you, too, shall know the storm."

Do not challenge the gods. They may accept.

The Wrath of The Gods

When most of us picture a barbarian, we imagine someone like Conan or Kull. Warriors who rely on their own wits and strength, with no concern for the gods and spirits of the world around them. They believe in steel and strength, not in magic or in the aid of the divine.

The Righteous Barbarian, though, has dedicated themselves to the service of a god... or gods.

What form this dedication takes can vary wildly, depending on the origin and style of the character. For example, the character may be a member of a holy order of knights who is filled with righteous fury when taking the field in service of their god. They might be a tribal protector, tattooed with the sigils of their clan totem in order to summon the power of that spirit in defense of their people. In some cases, the warrior may even be possessed by a spirit, being dragged into situations it demands whether they want to be involved or not.

Whether it's simply a cultural or religious belief, an oath the character has sworn, a mechanical implication of their rage powers (as I mentioned back in 50 Shades of Rage: Flavoring The Barbarian's Signature Class Feature), or some combination of all of them, the Righteous Barbarian is the sword of the gods.

Build Recommendations

The first thing you need to ask yourself for this concept is how big a part of the character's life the divine plays a hand. On the smaller end of the scale, the Righteous Barbarian is simply a faithful warrior who shapes their life, morality, and what sort of causes they support. Larger forms of divine involvement include things like celestial totem rage powers, or for those who want to go the bloodrager route taking appropriate bloodline powers to tie you to the greater powers (including the celestial bloodline, or taking something like the abyssal or infernal bloodline and turning those powers against evil). The character may receive dreams from the divine, or see signs of the gods' displeasure much like a cleric would, but it's more of an occasional, instinctual call from their patron than a direct connection.

The most extreme version of the Righteous Barbarian is when the character is a direct instrument of the divine... willingly, or not. A character with the trait possessed for example has a spirit that lives within them, and whispers to them. Someone who gains a cohort, or who acquires an unusual mount or familiar (through the Eldritch Heritage feat tree, or by taking the Familiar Bond feat tree) could use that creature as a conduit to their deity, listening to what they demand of them. Characters who are at the most extreme end of this concept may even go into fugue states when they Rage, channeling the powers of the divine through themselves, having little to no memory of who they were (or what they did) during combat. These characters may even be prone to black outs, finding the gods control them when they attempt to go against their wishes, dragging them forcibly into adventures.

How deeply the concept runs in your character is entirely up to you!

Also, for more tips on making your barbarians unique, make sure you check out 5 Tips For Playing Better Barbarians, along with the rest of my ongoing 5 Tips series!

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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 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!

Examining The "Doubting Thomas" Character Archetype in Fantasy RPGs

Normally when it's time for an Unusual Character Concepts update I'll talk about a new spin you can put on an old class, or how you can step outside the usual tropes and archetypes that cling to certain concepts. This month, though, I'd like to address a character concept that I've seen a lot, but which has rarely been played well. A character archetype I refer to as the Doubting Thomas.

Look, can we just stop with all this talk of "magic" and "vampires" already?

What is The Doubting Thomas?

For those of you who haven't been to Sunday school in a while, the term Doubting Thomas refers to how one of the apostles refused to take the word of the others that Jesus had risen from the dead until he'd seen him with his own eyes, and touched the wounds left behind. Colloquially, the term refers to someone who remains skeptical about the stories told to them by other people until they have experienced the phenomenon themselves.

In short, for Thomas, seeing was believing.

All right, my bad, looks like you were all telling the truth about this.

In the case of fantasy RPGs (this archetype is pretty scarce in other genres) I use the term Doubting Thomas to refer to a character who refuses to believe in some supernatural part of the game. Done right, this concept is the mythos investigator in Call of Cthulhu who is always looking for a rational explanation to what's happening, or the private eye in a Chronicles of Darkness Mortals campaign who doesn't believe in vampires and thinks it's just a gang of delusional serial killers responsible for all these deaths they're tracking down.

In order for the Doubting Thomas to work, though, they need to be doubtful of something that is not a part of the day-to-day mechanics of the world. They need to be skeptical of something that is rare, unusual, or which is widely deemed impossible... like a crucified man coming back from the dead three days later, still bearing the wounds of his ordeal.

Because if you are skeptical of the regular, operating reality of the world in which you live, you don't look or sound like a reasonable skeptic... you just come across as a crackpot.

How To Avoid Becoming a Fantasy Flat Earther

Generally speaking, if something is in the common knowledge sections of the game, you can take it as writ that people know this thing exists. People outside certain communities might not know the tribal traditions and naming structure of the orcs of the Shadoval Reaches, but most of the time they're at least going to recognize that the character is an orc. And even if someone was playing a sheltered farm boy who'd never been more than two miles from where he was born, someone who thought all these other fantasy races were just bedtime stories, you wouldn't sit across the table from Harton Ax Hand and Simerian Heartsfire and tell them to their faces that orcs and elves don't exist.

They're right in front of you. It's a fact of the world.

This applies to basically everything that you will encounter.

This doesn't work any better with magical skepticists in high-magic setting, either. If a character comes from a place where there is no magic to speak of (no magical creatures, no enchantments, no sorcerers or wizards, etc.), then sure, they might initially believe that tales of magic are all fairy tales and hokum. But the first time a goblin shaman flings a fireball at them, or the first time they see a cleric repair wounds with a touch of their hand, they have seen the evidence that such a thing is real, and exists.

Denying it at that point isn't a unique or interesting character quirk. It just makes them look unreasonable at best, or stupid at worst.

You can apply this to basically any element of an accepted setting that a character refuses to believe in once they have experienced evidence that it exists. Whether it's the avowed atheist in a fantasy setting where divine envoys can be summoned with a word, or someone who refuses to believe the dead can walk being attacked by a horde of zombies, these are things they know are real aspects of the world. A character may believe in alternative explanations for what they experienced (someone who feels that god is a misnomer for the beings whose servants wield their power, for instance, or someone who feels that "arcane science" is a more accurate term instead of something vulgar like "magic"), but they shouldn't deny what is right in front of their eyes.

The thing to remember is there are plenty of rare phenomenon in any setting that one might never actually come into contact with, or be proven wrong about. Someone might feel that the ancient empire of Kalasar is actually just a myth, as were the Jadori people that made their cities fly on glowing crystals harvested from the chests of dragons in the deep earth. Stating that, from a scholarly perspective, there is no evidence that such places ever existed is probably safe, since the civilization isn't a part of everyday life.

On the other hand, if the party finds themselves in the midst of a ruin of this forgotten people, and then a massive crystal flares to life and the ruins start flying... that's probably when it's time to rethink what your character does and doesn't believe.

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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 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!

5 Low-Level Protection Spells That Never Stop Being Useful (in Pathfinder)

Magic is one of the most useful resources in Pathfinder, but too often we end up letting our smaller spells sort of fall by the wayside, forgetting that our lower-level slots can still be useful even at higher levels of play. If you're looking for some ways to keep yourself (and your party) protected when crawling through dungeons and brawling through the bestiary, keep these simple spells in mind, as well as your daily preparations.

Also, for those who like to throw some mud in your enemies' eyes, check out 5 Low-Level Debuff Spells That Never Stop Being Useful (in Pathfinder) as well!

All right... let's talk protection!

#1: Delay Disease

Don't let charisma damage happen to you!

If you've ever played a paladin, then you understand exactly how invulnerable you feel when you can ignore the bite of a werewolf, or sneer at mummy rot because you are protected by a higher power. While getting permanent immunity to disease is tough, getting temporary immunity can be just as effective in the short-term.

Delay disease is a 2nd-level divine spell which also appears on the witch list as a 1st-level spell. Once cast it provides 24 hour protection against any disease taking effect on the target, and if there is already a disease present then the spell can halt it with an appropriate caster-level check. If you want to have something in place to keep your teammates safe before a dungeon delve, this is a solid one to keep in a wand and pass around before you kick in the door.

#2: Delay Poison

And I hit! What? Ah crap...

In the same boat as delay disease is another 2nd-level spell delay poison! This one only works for 1 hour per level, but it essentially stops the clock on any poison in someone's system (without a caster level check), and if someone is under the effects of this spell they can ignore any poison in their veins until it runs out. If you're high enough level that you have a lot of 2nd level slots to spare, this is a good one to keep on-hand, but even if you just have it in a wand for those rainy days when you need to stop a poison from spreading it's quite handy to have.

#3: Defending Bone

Don't worry boss, I got you!

Defending bone is a spell that is likely going to wind up on every character I ever play just for the way it looks. You animate either the femur bone or skull of a Medium-sized creature, and it floats around you. It interposes itself between you and physical attacks, granting you DR 5/bludgeoning. It lasts for 1 hour per level, and it will absorb 5 points per caster level with a maximum of 50 points before it gets turned to dust.

The most useful thing here is that the spell doesn't say you need to be aware of the attack for the bone to protect you. So if you're ambushed, or you have invisible rogues stabbing at you, the bone still interposes itself. Even better, if the DR negates an attack's damage entirely (say, a poisoned dart being fired from cover) then that will block any poison on the weapon as well.

#4: Protection From X/Y/Z

Don't touch me, don't touch me, don't touch me...

Protection from evil, and the variants that apply to good, law, and chaos are basic, 1st level spells that show up on most spellcasting lists. When we initially take them it's usually the boost to armor class and saves that we consider most important, but the other effects of the spell are arguably a lot more important at later levels.

The first is that it protects you from enchantment (compulsion) and (charm) effects, making it basically impossible for a big villain to just reach into the fighter's head and turn him into a party-killing puppet if there's a protected alignment in play. The second is that it means summoned creatures whose alignment matches the protection spell can't make contact with you unless you first attack them. This can be a life saver when a high-level villain is depending on summoned monsters to tear you to pieces, but the demons, archons, or chaos beasts can't get within a foot of you due to a lowly 1st-level spell.

While you get the biggest benefits from casting it at your character level, this is one that's fine to put in potions for immediate battlefield consumption.

#5: Stone Shield

Oh boy, that's gonna be nasty!

Stone shield is an immediate action spell that essentially lets you earth-bend a slab of stone out of the floor, making it rise up to protect you. It grants you cover (+4 bonus to AC and a +2 bonus to Reflex saves), and it basically lasts 1 round, or until something destroys it.

Those are relatively small bonuses, but they can be very helpful in a pinch. Especially when you consider that cover bonuses can be a life saver against ray spells, when there are so few things that help improve your touch AC. Additionally, if you have cover from an enemy, they can't take attacks of opportunity against you, so this is a great method to both cover your butt, and get the hell out of a dangerous situation while maintaining your standard action to heal up, or to cast something bigger once you're at a safe distance.

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That's all for this week's Crunch topic! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, 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 or my latest 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, 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 Reluctant Cleric

Gendrick tried not to listen to what was happening in the street. He tried not to hear the shouts, the jeers, and under them, the pleas. He sipped at his wine, but it had gone bitter in his mouth. He thought about ordering another, but he knew it wouldn't taste any sweeter. He wondered, and not for the first time, why of all the drunks in all the bars the world over, it had to be his problem. Then he sighed, and stood. He picked up his sheathed rapier in his left hand, and walked out of the tavern.

They had the rope thrown over a beam, the noose swinging loosely. The boy was beaten almost blind, whimpering through swollen lips. The mob was a dull roar as its leader spat vile curses, accusing the boy of the darkest of deeds. Gendrick raised his voice, a leather-lunged bellow that had cut through the din of a battlefield in its day.

"Pardon me, friend," he shouted, cutting off the leader in mid rant. "Do you have a cure for what ails me?"

The man turned, sputtering and raising his fist. Gendrick threw his sour wine into the man's face, and drew his sword, smashing him square in the teeth with the pommel as he drew. The mob turned, and stared at him. Gendrick smiled; the smile of a drunk who had tried to keep the bottle closed, but who was now filled with enough liquid courage to make him feel invincible. He spoke a word of power, and cords of light danced around his blade. This was the last time... then again, that was what he said every time.

Take one down, pass it around, 99 favored weapons on the wall...

The Gods Choose Who They Will

When people think of clerics, they tend to picture priests who have trained their entire lives to serve their god. In some circumstances they may even be laymen, or just people devout enough to warrant the god's attention. However, there are some for whom serving a god is a burden they do not want. Because while they may be the right tool for the job, they truly wish they were not wielded. But the gods move in mysterious ways, and when they do finally break down and pray, they are given the power to move mountains.

Or to slay the first born, you know, whatever.

 

The idea behind the reluctant cleric is that, for whatever reason, you have a person who has been made into a divine conduit who really does not want that power. Maybe they've run from it, trying to live a simple life. Perhaps, like Gendrick, they find the raw power of divine magic akin to a drug; something that feels amazing, but which they try (often unsuccessfully) to stay away from. They may even be someone who has served a god for a long time, but they feel they no longer need to fulfill that purpose. Such as a cleric of a god of war who fought on a dozen battlefields, but who now wants to leave the blood and iron behind him... though, like a trusted sword, his god simply will not sheathe him.

A reluctant cleric has to be someone that the god in question feels is a good tool (and this can extend to other areas, like warpriests, and even to witch patrons if you wish). That means they have to meet the alignment restrictions, and there should be something inside them that speaks to the god's purpose. Someone who lived a life as a woods' guide being chosen by a nature god, for instance, or someone who knows what it is to have loved and lost being chosen by a god of love. Someone who always tries to do the right thing being chosen by a chaotic good deity, or someone who tells themselves they're truly a good person, and that this isn't who they really are, being imbued with power by a neutral evil deity of lies, secrets, or even assassins.

The most important thing to remember is that reluctant clerics have an arc. They want to avoid using their powers, for whatever reason, but they shouldn't remain in that arc forever. Perhaps they embrace their true nature, and become the savior, the warrior, or the storm that their god intended for them to be. Or, perhaps, they finally fulfill their god's needs, and they are allowed to rest. To put down the burden of their power, so that it may be given to another.

The concept was even mentioned in the latest Mythconceptions episode over on Dungeon Keeper Radio... Clerical Errors!

If you enjoyed this concept, you might also want to take a look at The Sacred Sorcerer, and The Heretic. Additionally, if you're looking for more ways to step outside of the stereotypes clerics often fall into, take a look at 5 Tips For Playing Better Clerics as well!

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 game 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 alley cat noir novel Marked Territory, 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 Heretic

The folk of the region have learned to avoid the Crag Woman. They say she's mad. Dangerous. Touched by the gods, or whispered to by devils, no one can seem to agree on. But when someone gets ill, or hurt, or there is danger too great to be dealt with, someone always climbs the mountain to beg her for aid. Sometimes she even gives it, coming down from the peaks and bringing a healing touch, or smiting those who stand in her path. Those who've seen her claims she has a birthmark in the shape of their god's symbol... but others say she was branded for her wickedness.

Oddly, most of those in the latter camp seem to be part of the church. But as much as they may deny the Crag Woman serves their god, they cannot deny the power she wields.

She comes like a storm... when she wants, rather than when you are ready.

The Separation of Cleric and Church

Clerics, as we all know, are granted powers by the gods. They have personal relationships with these deities, and they are granted magic, as well as other powers, by their patrons. More importantly, though, if a cleric steps too far outside the bounds of what their god deems acceptable, they can have their powers stripped from them.

What is not required, though, is for clerics to be members of the church. While we typically associate clerics with organized religion, in much the same way we associate paladins with knightly orders, that is not a requirement of the class, nor a feature they're granted mechanically. As I said in my article 5 Tips For Playing Better Clerics, while you can play a cleric who is also a priest, the two are not necessarily the same thing.

This leaves some interesting doors open for roleplay purposes. Because what happens when the official position of a religion differs from the one espoused by someone who has literally been chosen by that god? Does the church choose to listen to the wielder of divine power? Or would they ostracize someone who doesn't toe the line on doctrine, because their example could loosen the power of an organized church? Regardless of whether or not the person in question is, or was, once an official member of the clergy?

How Did You Step Out Of Line?

A heretic stands out in some way from the general views other followers accept as true. For example, if you follow a god of war, what happens when you seek peaceful solutions to problems in a way everyone else can see? What if you were just a common soldier, a miller, or a woodsman, and you were chosen to wield divine power instead of a priest who dedicated their lives to the worship and glory of a god? What if you were ex-communicated by the church for breaking an oath, or a vow, but rather than abandoning you, your god chose to leave their power in your hands.

Any one of these situations could be a PR nightmare for a church.

Or are you just part of a sect the wider church tries not to associate with?

 

This concept allows players to step outside the typical bounds we see clerics being played with. You don't necessarily have to go through seminary, or be anointed by an organization to gain the favor of a god. But when you lack the ceremony associated with that faith, that could lead to serious butting of heads between yourself and people who consider themselves higher authorities than you.

Common people may mistrust that you truly represent their god, ostracizing you unless they need your aid. A church may turn you out if your reputation is known. If an area is particularly religious, it could even lead to torch-wielding mobs who blame you for the fact they've been abandoned by their god, when in fact it was the god in question who sent you to make things right.

That's a lot to overcome, but it can lead to a lot of plot. And someone being cast out like that would need powerful allies... which could conveniently result in joining a party! Also, for those who want to see more with this concept, it's the cornerstone of the character of Mustafa, who showed up in the Clerical Errors episode of Mythconceptions over on Dungeon Keeper Radio!

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 game 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 alley cat noir novel Marked Territory, 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!