Does the Cleric of the Sun god Resist Cold or Fire?

[steeldragons]

As a channeling/domain (or possibly innate at higher levels) power for a cleric of a Sun god...which would they be more prone to exhibit (or want/pray for)? What makes more sense?

Resist Cold...as warming heat is one of the most essential elements of experiencing the sun...I'd go so far as to say, even, that next to "Light" the warmth of the sun's rays are THE essential element of the Sun....which would translate to a resistance if not eventual immunity to cold/ice damage, no?

OR

Resist Fire/Heat...as coming closer and more intimate with the power-that-is, the radiant light and firy power of the sun is everpresent and ever increasing...leading, eventually to a resistance if not immunity for heat/fire damage.

I'm stumped. Both make a ton of sense...

Wut sez y'all?
--SD

 

[Meatboy]

My gut reaction says resist cold makes the most sense, but I don't see why at higher levels or as a feat or something that they can't also gain resist fire. And hey if your still torn why not give them both.

 

[Nagol]

It would depend on where the religion started. If the religion is in an arctic clime, the sun brings life-bearing warmth and the cleric gets Resist Cold to represent that. If the religion is in a tropical clime, the sun is a massive fire that brings oppressive heat and the cleric gets Resist Fire to represent his connection.

 

[Dandu]

Fire elementals resist fire and are vulnerable to cold.

 

[Celebrim]

Both?

I actually have a cleric of a sun diety in my current PC party. While the character hasn't yet strongly explored the dieties portfolio or beliefs, though nominally a good aligned goddess she is known for having a bit of a temper and to be somewhat proudful. She does afterall bake, scorch, and parch the ground and those on it, even to the point of death. Sometimes she does this willfully. Not every society worships her as Good, and I'm about to introduce the player to the concept of heresies (a branch of her chuch isn't actually good aligned, and she tolerates it and possibly encourages it by having Avatar's representing herself in a non-merciful or wrathful state). And the Goblins, for example, who are blinded by her fairly or unfairly aren't really happy with Showna in either form and don't really see her 'goodness' or that her 'goodness' is a desirable and useful thing, and resent that she has scorned the advances of Ishi the moon diety, who they do revere. (The question of whether this is fair or unfair comes down to whether Showna is blinding them willfully out of spite, or whether its some flaw in themselves that they are blinded. The Goblins assume the former, because its what they would do, which may provide something of an answer here.)

In any event, Showna is BOTH the bringer of warmth and life, AND the destroyer that brings scorching fire (whether you consider this a good thing depends on what she is destroying, undead for example) whose true servants bask in and enjoy her warmth. Her servants have the power to protect against both cold and heat. Or I guess more philosophicly, her servants strongly have the power to protect against cold, and strongly have the power to resist heat but less strongly have the ability to extend this protection from heat/fire to others the way they can with cold. However, for the purposes of the spells I allow both.

Of the two though, protection from cold is the stronger general concept IMO. If there is doubt, go with that one.

 

[Starfox]

Tangent: This is a classic environmental problem with monsters as well. On an arctic adventure, the type of damage you should NOT bring is cold, because everything is resistant to it. So if you make a winter witch to play in an arctic campaign, for example, you should try and avoid cold spells. Which is quite strange really.

 

[radja]

in 4e they could be resistant to radiant damage instead.

 

[Bagpuss]

It would depend on where the religion started. If the religion is in an arctic clime, the sun brings life-bearing warmth and the cleric gets Resist Cold to represent that. If the religion is in a tropical clime, the sun is a massive fire that brings oppressive heat and the cleric gets Resist Fire to represent his connection.

Excellent reasoning.

Point is you could go either way and perhaps allow the other at higher levels or even both, but I like the logic behind this reason.

 

[lutecius]

as a default or a permanent power I'd say Resist Heat makes more sense, as it becomes part of that cleric's nature. But he should also be able to pray for warm protective auras (refluffed Resist Cold) and that would be a common spell choice in a hostile or cold environment.

 

[steeldragons]

Thank for all of the responses. Seems opinion is as divided as myself. haha. Since Celebrim did some sharing on his sun god, maybe expanding on the mythology/religion of mine might help...or perhaps muddy things further.

...or have no impact whatsoever and i just feel like sharing.

SO, in the beginning, when the Elder gods still ruled Orea and the Younger [current] gods were still being born, Arinane the greater moon, birthed 4 sons...sometimes referred to in ancient texts as the Four (or three, to be explained momentarily) Knights.

First was Astar. The "Shining Knight" concept moving from warrior-knight to knight as beneficent lord, administer of justice and maintainer of "the [societal] peace." He is Lawful Good and becomes "the Celestial Sovereign", king of the gods, holding provenance over Truth, Justice, Civilization, Order and those traits, powers and forces viewed as "Good." His symbol is the 4-pointed white star, the north star around which all creation circulates, kept in a celestial order.

Next came Dorar. Dorar was prideful. He became jealous of his elder brother's place and power and thirsted for it. He was easily seduced by the temptress Djarthoon, agent of the Chaosbringer, and became the "Dark Knight." With his transformation to Lawful Evil, he became known to Orea as "Do'am" and took his place as god of dominance, power [through force], acquisition and use of force, and the striving thereof. He is known as "the Dark Helm" and his symbol is a black 4-pointed star. According to Do'am's clerics and paladins, Do'am manifests as a stationary black star in the southern sky, standing in constant eternal opposition to his brother Astar's silver northern star. Naturally, only those devoted to the Dark Helm are able to find, see or otherwise acknowledge this "black star."

Then there came Celradorn, the knight as "the Golden Defender". Also Lawful Good. God of Battle/combat Skill (there's a separate deity for war and bloodlust), Guardianship, the armed defense and upholding of the truth/justice/"the Good" ideals espoused by his Celestial Sovereign. His symbol is the 8-pointed red star and is the symbol and namesake of his paladinic order, the Redstar Knights. This star moves across the sky and is visible most of the year, lending to the mythology that Celradorn is in an eternal vigil, "watching over" Orea.

The youngest is Irion, "the Crusader." The knight as fiery cavalier, taking on quests and not just "defending" but taking the fight TO the forces you oppose. He is Neutral [with a slant towards the Good]...willing to "go the distance" and take actions his more stuffy older brothers refuse to.

In the wake of the Godswar, he is "given" the Sun, by Astar (which most of the gods were assuming Astar would keep as his own like his deposed predecessor), as his primary divine responsibility. With it, the young Irion becomes a powerful deity, master of the sun, the light and the day. He also is attributed the protection of travelers...and to a lesser extent travel, in general...and change -specifically recognizing and accepting it (the changes of life from one day to the next, the change of traveling from one place to another, the change of the sun itself -the lengthening/shortening of day through the year, and effecting change through one's actions -"the crusader'). Irion is patron [obviously] of questors and crusaders (and adventurers to a lesser extent). While Irion does not support a paladinic order (paladins on Orea have to be Lawful), a large contingent of his priesthood are questing/"crusader" clerics who are dedicated undead and/or demon hunters.

Mythologically, Irion is most often crusading against the Chaosbringer (the elder god Karos) and his minions who holds sway over both demons and the element/destructive nature of fire...and Karos has often attempted to wrest dominion over the Sun for himself, feeling it to be his by right as the "god of fire."

Irion's religion has a heavy emphasis/reverence on the dawn in particular (though the religion stipulates no fewer than 6 different times of day, each with its own special meaning and importance). Thus, while temples, shrines and monasteries of the sun god can be found throughout Orea (particularly along well-traveled trade routes and crossroads) Irion is primarily worshiped along Orea's eastern/southeastern coastal region and among the United Island Kingdoms (off the southeast mainland).

So, there's my sun god, Irion "the Crusader"...Actually, being reminded of that mythological tension/battle between Irion and Karos (and thus so would exist between their clerics), seems Fire Resistance would have another point in its corner. It's sounding like "both" might be my only answer...but this isn't going to print for some time, so please do continue to let me know what you think.