Fire Island Pantheon - DOWNLOAD READY

[CleverNickName]

LATEST UPDATE (09-14-08):

Stuff that changed since last time:

I have compiled all of my notes into a single, downloadable, Open Gaming Licensed product. There are still some large gaps in the "fluff" of the document, but the "crunch" is fairly solid.

You can download the whole PDF here at EnWorld!


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As I’ve said before, I am developing a new campaign with a “tropical island” theme, which I have decided to call "The Fire Islands." This first installment focuses on the mythology and religion of the campaign. I present them here for everyone to critique and comment on; if you spot any glaring errors or balance issues, please let me know and I'll get my keyboard right on it.

Religion in the Fire Islands
I did my final Cultural Anthropology paper on the Māori, the indigenous people of the islands in and around New Zealand. With all of that research behind me, it didn’t take much more elbow grease to adapt it to a D20 game system. While I did my best to remain faithful to the original mythology and stories that my research uncovered, I had to make a few changes and embellishments to make it suitable for a fantasy game setting. Thus, this document is no longer intended to be an anthropological study of the Māori people, but a work of fiction based on mythology.

I would like to stress that I mean no disrespect to the people or culture of New Zealand. I adapted their mythology to a role-playing game system out of genuine interest, genuine respect, and a genuine desire to promote their culture. This was never intended to be a mockery in any way.

That being said, I believe that this pantheon would be suitable for any tropical island/coastal setting, in any game world. I hope you enjoy.

 

[CleverNickName]

Gods of the Fire Islands

The Gods of the Fire Islands

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Deity                                                                        Favored
Name      Alignment    Domains                                               Weapon                      Portfolio
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Rangi        NG        Air, Ancestor*, Creation, Rain*, Star*, Sun           Shortspear                  Stars, the sky, the milky way, rain, sun, moon
Papa         NG        Ancestor*, Good, Healing, Earth, Protection           Heavy mace                  Earthquakes, soil, rocks, motherhood, safety
Haumia       N         Animal, Earth, Plant                                  Sickle                      Wilderness, food, ferns, hunters, gatherers
Hine         N         Darkness, Death, Magic, Underworld*                   Dagger                      Death, the afterlife, night creatures, darkness
Mahuika      CN        Destruction, Fire, Knowledge, Underworld*             Shortsword                  Fire, volcanoes, destruction
Māui         CG        Charm, Strength, Trickery                             Greatclub                   Resourcefulness, cleverness, bravery, foolishness
Rongo        LN        Earth, Harvest*, Law, Plant, Rain*                    Flail                       Gardens, beer, potatoes, the seasons, life
Tangaroa     CN        Fish*, Scalykind, Travel, Water                       Net                         Turtles, fish, serpents, kelp, the ocean, coral
Tāne         CG        Bird*, Good, Plant, Knowledge, Light*                 Quarterstaff                Palm trees, coconuts, sea birds, strength
Tāwhiri      CE        Air, Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Storm*                 Javelin                     Hurricanes, storms, wind, clouds, devastation
Tiki         N         Ancestor*, Community, Fertility*, Luck                Spear                       History, families, fertility, love, good fortune
Tinirau      LG        Animal, Fish*, Protection, Travel, Water              Trident                     Sharks, whales, justice, protection, ferocity
Tū           CN        Chaos, Destruction, Strength, War                     Longspear                   Warfare, cannibalism, power, strength
Whiro        LE        Evil, Fear*, Madness, Scalykind, Underworld           Dart                        Snakes, vermin, pestilence, insanity, undead
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Polytheistic Faiths
Entire       Any       Air, Ancestor*, Animal, Creation, Charm, Chaos,       Shortspear, heavy mace,     Any
Pantheon               Community, Darkness, Death, Destruction, Earth,       sickle, dagger, short-
                       Evil, Fear*, Fertility*, Fire, Fish*, Good,           sword, greatclub, flail,
                       Harvest*, Healing, Knowledge, Law, Light*,            net, quarterstaff,
                       Luck, Madness, Magic, Plant, Protection, Rain*,       javelin, spear, trident,
                       Scalykind, Star*, Strength, Storm*, Sun,              longspear, or dart
                       Travel, Trickery, Underworld*, War, Water

Creator      Any       Ancestor, Community, Creation, Fertility,             heavy mace, shortspear,     life, cities, community, commerce, duty, families
Gods (Iō)    Good      Knowledge, Light, Star                                spear, or quarterstaff

Elemental    Any       Air, Animal, Bird*, Earth, Fire, Fish*, Plant,        Quarterstaff, shortspear,   wilderness, hunting, gathering, harmony, balance
Gods         Neutral   Rain*, Storm*, Water                                  or spear
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*New Domain, see below

The gods of the Fire Islands do not appear before mortals, so nobody knows what they look like. During religious festivals and ceremonies, it is customary for a priest to wear a ceremonial "spirit mask" decorated with the colors, symbols, and likenesses of the god, and to carry a special talisman or scepter that represents the god's presence among them. Thus, the physical descriptions of the gods have been omitted, and the spirit mask described instead.

Descriptions and Details


Rangi, the Sky Father
Greater Deity
Alignment: NG
Domains: Air, Ancestor, Creation, Light, Rain, Sun
Favored Weapon: shortspear
Symbol: a crescent moon

Spoiler: Description

Rangi (pronounced “RAN-gee”), or the Sky Father, is the father of the universe. At the dawn of creation, he and his wife Papa were locked together in a tight embrace, but their children forced them apart to make room for themselves and all other creatures to grow. Now, held apart from his love, Rangi cries and longs for his wife’s embrace...his tears fall toward Papa to show how much he loves her.

Rangi's mask is white, and decorated with blue stars and a crescent moon. During worship rituals, his presence is symbolized by a rainmaker (a ceremonial rattle.) He is worshipped and revered by all sky creatures, such as air elementals and silver dragons.

Papa, the Earth Mother
Alignment: NG
Domains: Ancestor, Good, Healing, Earth, Protection
Favored Weapon: heavy mace
Symbol: a snow-capped mountain

Spoiler: Description

Papa (pronounced “PAH-pah”), or Earth Mother, is the mother of creation. At the dawn of time, she was locked in an eternal embrace with her husband Rangi, until her children forced them apart to make room for themselves. Now, held apart from her lover, she yearns for him constantly, often heaving and reaching so strongly that earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. When mist rises from the forests, these are Papa’s sighs as the warmth of her body yearns for Rangi.

Papa's mask is brown, painted with white triangles that represent snow-capped peaks. During worship rituals, her presence is symbolized by a large clay drum. She is worshipped by all earth creatures, such as earth elementals, dwarves, and copper dragons.

Haumia, God of Wild Foods
Alignment: N
Domains: Animal, Earth, Plant
Favored Weapon: sickle
Symbol: a fern leaf

Spoiler: Description

Haumia (pronounced “how-MEE-uh”) is the God of Wild Foods, who has dominion over all foods that are hunted and gathered from the wild forests of the Fire Islands, from mushrooms and bananas to rabbits and honeybees. In particular, he is associated with aruhe (pronounced “ar-ROO-hee”), the starchy rhizome of the braken fern which is cooked and eaten like potatoes, or dried and powdered to make flour. Aruhe is an important food among the people of the Fire Islands, appreciated for its ready availability and the ease with which it can be stored.

Haumia is one of the sons of Rangi and Papa, who agreed to the forced separation of his parents. Because of this, he was subjected to the fury of his brother Tāwhiri the God of Storms, who would have killed him if their mother had not hidden him in her body (the ground). When he escaped from Tāwhiri, he was later discovered by mankind, who saw Haumia’s hair (the ferns) sticking up out of the earth.

Haumia’s mask is green, decorated with black spirals (which represent the bracken fiddleheads) and topped with fern leaves for hair. During rituals and ceremonies, his presence is signified by a tassle of fresh fern leaves gathered that morning. It is said that he visits the islands every day, coming in on the morning mist and walking the forest paths to tend his ferns and mushrooms, feed his rabbits, make honey for his bees, and cause his bananas and coconuts to ripen. In appreciation, the people of the Fire Islands leave small offerings of aruhe bread and honey near the forest paths.

Hine, Goddess of Death
Alignment: N
Domains: Darkness, Death, Magic, Underworld
Favored Weapon: dagger
Symbol: a bat

Spoiler: Description

Hine (pronounced “HEE-nay”) is the goddess of night and death. She fled to the underworld because she discovered that Tāne, whom she had married, was also her father.

All of the children of Rangi and Papa were male. It was Tāne who first felt the need for a wife and began to look for a companion. His mother made a woman’s form from clay and breathed life into it, forming the first woman. Tāne mated with this earth-formed maiden, and sired a child named Hine. Tāne then took his daughter to be his wife.

One day while Tāne was away, Hine began to wonder who her father was. She was disgusted and ashamed when she heard that her husband was also her father, and she ran away. When Tāne returned he was told that she had run off to the spirit-world, and he quickly followed after her. But he was stopped from entering by Hine herself, in her new role as goddess of the underworld. So Tāne came back to the upper world, while Hine stayed below.

Later, Māui attempted to make mankind immortal by crawling through Hine’s body while she slept. To his demise, the laughter of Māui’s companions awoke Hine, who crushed him with her vagina. Thus Māui became the first man to die, and death entered the world.

Hine’s mask is black, with the eyes and nose of a bat outlined in white paint. During funeral services, her presence is symbolized by a live bat held in a wooden cage. Most of her worshippers are the close family and friends of a departed loved one, who seek the counsel and communion with the deceased. Other followers seek her wrath and power to exact revenge on those who have wronged them. Thus she is worshipped by both good and evil followers, as well as all creatures of darkness and night.

Mahuika, the Fire Goddess
Alignment: CN
Domains: Destruction, Fire, Knowledge, Underworld
Favored Weapon: shortsword
Symbol: a burning hand

Spoiler: Description

The terrible and powerful Mahuika (pronounced “MAH-hoo-EE-kuh”) is the goddess of fire. She is responsible for the eruption of volcanoes, through which she displays her power over the land, sky, and sea.

Māui was the first and only man to challenge Mahuika and survive. In his quests, Māui went to Mahuika and tricked her into teaching him the secrets of fire, which he stole and gave to all people. Because of this, Mahuika is resentful of mankind for using her gift without permission. Whenever a fire must be built, it is customary to burn a small offering of food to appease Mahuika, lest she learn of the fire’s location and come to reclaim it.

Mahuika’s mask is orange, with red handprints on the cheeks and forehead that represent flames. During worship ceremonies, her presence is signified by a burning torch (often carried by a skilled fire dancer.) She is worshipped by all evil creatures, fire-based creatures, and red dragons above all others. She is feared by practically everyone else.

Māui, the Clever One
Alignment: CG
Domains: Charm, Strength, Trickery
Favored Weapon: greatclub
Symbol: A jawbone club

Spoiler: Description

Māui (pronounced “MAY-we”) was the only god born of mortal parents, and was the first man to die. He was a legendary adventurer known all over the islands for his clever trickery, resourcefulness, and daring. He had many successful adventures: he captured and beat the sun itself, he pulled the great island of Te Ika (pronounced “TAY ICK-uh”) up from the depths of the ocean with a fishhook, and he stole the secrets of fire from Mahuika by his trickery. But he failed in his final quest to win immortality for all of mankind. This failure cost Māui his life, and now all of mankind are doomed to die as well.

Even though he is dead, Māui is revered by the people of the Fire Islands for his bravery, his resourcefulness, and his noble spirit. His mask is pink, and decorated with a white crescent (symbolizing the jawbone club), a brown triangle (symbolizing the island of Ti Ika), and a red handprint (symbolizing fire.) During festivals and feasts, his presence is symbolized by a ceremonial scepter made from the jawbone of a large fish.

Rongo, God of Cultivation
Alignment: LN
Domains: Earth, Harvest, Law, Plant, Rain
Favored Weapon: light flail
Symbol: a heart-shaped leaf

Spoiler: Description

Nearly the opposite of his brother Tū, Rongo (pronounced “RON-go”) is the peaceful god of cultivation. He is associated with farming and community, peace, and the order of the seasons. He is the god of all foods that are cultivated, especially the kūmara (pronounced “koo-MAR-uh,” a type of sweet potato), the staple food from which bread and beer is made.

Following their separation, Papa the Earth Mother hid Rongo and his brother Haumia (the god of wild foods) so that they were able to escape Tū’s wrath. Because of her kindness, their children (edible plants) remain on earth to nourish mankind.

Rongo’s mask is orange, with the white and pink flowers of the kūmara plant painted on the cheeks and topped with the green, heart-shaped leaves of the kūmara plant for hair. During planting and harvesting festivals, his presence is represented as a ceremonial goblet of beer. He is said to secretly walk among the morning mist before the light of dawn, tending to his children...so many farmers leave small offerings of beer or bread near their potato fields for him.

Tangaroa, God of the Ocean
Alignment: CN
Domains: Fish, Scalykind, Travel, Water
Favored Weapon: net
Symbol: a fish

Spoiler: Description

Tangaroa (pronounced “TAN-guh-ROW-uh”) is one of the great gods of the Fire Islands, the God of the Sea. After he joined his brothers Rongo, Tū, Haumia, and Tāne in the forcible separation of their parents, he was attacked by his brother Tāwhiri the God of Storms, and was forced to hide in the sea.

Tangaroa is the father of all fish, shellfish, reptiles, and turtles. During Tāwhiri’s onslaught, half of his children (the fish and shellfish) sought shelter in the sea, while the other half of his children (turtles and reptiles) sought shelter in the forests. Ever since, Tangaroa has held a grudge with Tāne the God of Forests, because he offers refuge to his runaway children.

The contention between Tangaroa and Tāne is symbolic of water and earth being separate, opposing realms. When people go out to sea to fish or travel, they become Tāne’s representatives traveling through the territory of his enemy, Tangaroa. For this reason, it is very important that offerings be made to Tangaroa before any such expedition, lest these travelers provoke Tangaroa’s wrath.

Tangaroa’s mask is blue, with white crescents on the cheeks and forehead that represent the waves of the sea, and black lines on the cheeks that represent fish. During ceremonies and rituals, his presence is represented by a special scepter made from a polished turtle, clam, or conch shell. He is worshipped by merfolk, aquatic elves, tritons, and other creatures who live peacefully within the ocean.

Tāne, God of Forests
Alignment: CG
Domains: Bird, Good, Plant, Knowledge, Light
Favored Weapon: quarterstaff
Symbol: a palm tree

Spoiler: Description

Tāne (pronounced “TAY-nay”) is given credit for bringing light into the world. When all of his other brothers had failed, it was Tāne who was finally able to pry his parents apart, by bracing his back against the earth and using his strong legs to push the sky upward. Thus he gained the respect of all of his brothers, but alienated his father and provoked the wrath of Tū and Tāwhiri.

In addition to creating light, Tāne is credited with bringing knowledge to the world of man. It was Tāne who climbed into the Twelve Heavens to bring down the knowledge of Rangi in three baskets: kete-aronui, which held the knowledge of farming and medicine and all helpful things for mankind; kete-tuauri, which held the knowledge of religious rituals and thoughts; and kete-tuatea, which held the knowledge of good and evil.

Tāne’s mask is green, with thick brown stripes on the cheeks that represent the trunks of palm trees. The mask is decorated with white double-crescents to represent sea birds, and topped with palm leaves for hair. During festivals and ceremonies, his presence is signified by a large fan made from fresh palm leaves. He is worshipped by all forest creatures, such as elves, fey, and bronze dragons.

Tāwhiri, God of Storms
Alignment: CE
Domains: Air, Chaos, Destruction, Evil, Storm
Favored Weapon: javelin
Symbol: a forked bolt of lightning

Spoiler: Description

Tāwhiri (pronounced “tay-WEER-ree”) is the fierce and powerful God of Storms, including thunder and lightning, wind, clouds, and other violent weather. He is a son of Rangi and Papa, who was opposed to his brothers forcing their parents apart. In his anger for separating their parents, Tāwhiri formed an army from his children (winds and clouds of all kinds) and destroyed the forests of Tāne, drove Tangaroa and his progeny out to sea, pursued Rongo and Haumia until they had to take refuge in the bosom of their mother Papa, and only found in Tū a worthy opponent and eternal enemy.

Tāwhiri’s mask is gray, with jagged yellow lines on the forehead that represent lightning, and blue spirals on the cheeks that represent wind. His presence is represented by smoldering incense. Tāwhiri is worshipped by the people of the Fire Islands out of fear, not respect: incense and burnt offerings are made for him in special rooftop shrines, in the hope that the appearance of smoke will remind Tāwhiri of his own children (the clouds) and placate him into sparing the island. His true followers, those who seek his will and power, are sahuagin, blue dragons, and other evil creatures who admire destruction.

Tiki, the First Man
Alignment: N
Domains: Ancestor, Community, Fertility, Luck
Favored Weapon: spear
Symbol: image of the deity

Spoiler: Description

Tiki (pronounced “TEE-key”) is one of the most popular and important gods in the Fire Islands. He is the god of mankind, the father of all people, and the Great Ancestor. His name is evoked during marriages and funerals, and his blessings are sought by pregnant women and barren women alike for his powerful fertility powers. He is also the god of good fortune and peace, and wooden carvings in his image are made and sold throughout the Fire Islands as talismans against evil spirits and bad luck.

There are many stories of Tiki, depending on the family clan that is telling the tales. One of the most common stories, however, is the story of how Tiki became the father of all mankind.

Tiki was the first man, created by Papa and Rangi before they were separated. As the only human in the new world, Tiki was very lonely and began to pine for a companion. He saw his reflection in a pool of water, and thinking that he had found someone like himself to be friends with, he dove into the pool. This shattered the image, and Tiki became very sad. It came to pass that a few days later, he happened upon his reflection in a second pool of water. He sprinkled the water with dust and ashes, taking great care not to disturb the reflection, until the water hardened. This hardened reflection came to life, and became the first woman. Thus Tiki made a wife for himself, and they populated all of the islands with their offspring.

Tiki’s mask is brown, with black lines on the forehead and cheeks that symbolize his many children. His presence is shown, not only during festivals but all the time, as wooden carvings of the deity himself. The smaller carvings are worn around the neck as lucky charms, and the larger ones are erected as statues or building pillars in front of huts. As the father of all people, he is worshipped in many different ways by all families and clans, from the elves deep in the forests, to the dwarves under the mountains, to the humans and halflings along the shores.

Tinirau, Guardian of Fishes
Alignment: LG
Domains: Animal, Fish, Protection, Travel, Water
Favored Weapon: trident
Symbol: a shark or shark’s tooth

Spoiler: Description

Tinirau (pronounced “TEN-ir-ow”) is the god of sharks, whales, and other predatory fishes. He is a fierce, warrior-like protector of the oceans, the sea, and the coral reefs. There are many stories told of Tinirau, but one of the most common is the story of ‘Ae and the Two Turtles.

A man named ‘Ae (pronounced “ay-EE”) was lost at sea after his canoe capsized. He cried out to the gods for help, and Tinirau lent him two of his great sea turtles to give him a ride home. Instead of returning the great turtles to Tinirau, ‘Ae killed the turtles and cooked a great feast for himself. When the blood of the turtles touched the waves on the beach, Tinirau immediately knew what the wicked ‘Ae had done. He left the ocean and found ‘Ae asleep from the great meal he had eaten, and became furious. He captured ‘Ae, and repaid him for his treachery by feeding him to the sharks of the sea. Because of this, sharks developed a taste for the flesh of mankind.

Tinirau’s mask is blue, with a shark’s mouth, teeth, and eyes done in white paint. In worship ceremonies, his presence is represented by special talismans made from large shark teeth that are worn around the necks of his priests. He is worshipped by the aquatic elves above all others, but also by fishermen, pearl divers, and kelp harvesters who hope to stay on his good side.

Tū, God of War
Alignment: CN
Domains: Chaos, Destruction, Strength, War
Favored Weapon: longspear
Symbol: a black spear

Spoiler: Description

Tū (pronounced “TOO”) is the fearsome, unpredictable god of warfare and battle. Before creation, when the Sons of Rangi and Papa were still held between the embrace of their parents, it was Tū who suggested they kill their parents to escape their plight. On the other hand, after his parents were forced apart, it was this same Tū who sought revenge against his brothers for causing his parents such great sadness. At his best, he is the god of honorable death and noble causes. At his worst, he is the thoughtless god of destruction and the bringer of war.

Tū’s actions provide a pattern for human activities in the Fire Islands. Because Tū defeated his brothers, the people can now (if they perform the appropriate rituals), kill and eat birds (the children of Tāne), fish (the children of Tangaroa), cultivate and harvest food plants (the children of Rongo and Haumia), and generally harness the resources of the natural world. Likewise, people kill and eat each other now because Tū provided the example to follow. When rituals are performed over warriors before battle, or when an infant is dedicated to a future role as a fighter, Tū is invoked as the source of their duty. The body of the first warrior to fall in battle is offered up to Tū in a ceremonial fire.

Tū’s mask is black, with brown lines on the cheeks that represent his many battle scars. His eyes and mouth are red, symbolic of the bloodshed that he brings. During worship rituals, his presence is represented with a large masterwork spear made from copper. Because of his war-like attitude and supreme strength, he is worshipped by creatures who seek power above all else.

Whiro, the Wicked One
Alignment: LE
Domains: Evil, Madness, Scalykind, Underworld
Favored Weapon: dart
Symbol: a snake

Spoiler: Description

Whiro (pronounced “WHY-row”) is the lizard-god of the dead, evil, and darkness. He lives in the dark misty underworld and is accompanied by the spirits of evil men. He inspires evil thoughts in the minds of people, and plagues mankind with vermin and disease.

When Tāne climbed up to the Twelve Heavens to gather knowledge for mankind, Whiro coveted the knowledge for himself. He sent his flying reptiles up into the sky to stop Tāne and capture the Knowledge Baskets, but Rangi favored Tāne and stopped the attack. The flying reptiles were thrown to the ground by a great wind, and became all of the crawling things of the earth (snakes, worms, and insects).

Whiro's mask is black, with the white mouth of a snake and brown spots on the forehead that represent insects, boils, or sickness. It is forbidden to make or wear the mask of Whiro, for it is believed that plague and death follows the mask.

Polytheistic Religions and Followers

Like many religions of the Known World, many people of the Fire Islands do not serve a single god. The majority of religious people hold to the entire pantheon of traditional deities, and certain islands may have religious cults that only worship a specific set of deities. These polytheistic faiths may be selected by clerics as deities in their own right, granting a broader list of domains and favored weapons to choose from.

Spoiler: The Fire Islands Pantheon

People who wish to follow the goals and ideals of the entire culture rather than single out a single being for worship are said to be "pantheon" worshippers. They encompass the broadest variety of alignments, from Good-aligned healers to Chaotic headhunters and Evil sorcerers, making them the most common faith in all of the Fire Islands, and has even spread to the mainland in some form or another.

Clerics of the Fire Island Pantheon may be of any alignment. They may choose any two domains they wish, to represent the qualities of the faith that they revere the most (healers most often choose the Good and Healing domains, for example, while war leaders might choose Destruction and War.) Likewise, they may select any other god's favored weapon to be their own.

Spoiler: The Creator Gods

Many people of The Fire Islands view all of the ancestor gods as different personalities of the same supreme god, known as Iō. Iō is a melding of the four important creators in the Fire Islands pantheon, Rangi, Papa, Tāne, and Tiki. Followers of Iō regard Rangi as the head or mind of Iō, Papa as the body of Iō , Tiki as the arms of Iō, and Tāne as the legs of Iō...four separate beings who form a whole.

This melding of different gods into a single deity was probably the result of cultural influences from monotheistic religions of other lands, since it is most prevalent on the larger islands closer to the main continent. Followers of Iō are extremely rare elsewhere in the Fire Islands.

Clerics of Iō may be of any non-evil alignment. They have access to the Ancestor, Community, Creation, Fertility, Knowledge, Light, and Star domains, and their favored weapon may be a heavy mace, shortspear, spear, or quarterstaff.

Spoiler: The Elemental Gods

The servants of the elemental gods revere the powers of nature above all others. Exclusive worship of the Elemental Gods is most common in primitive communities or isolated islands, and is the chief religion among druids and elves.

Clerics of the Elemental Gods must be neutral on at least one axis of their alignment, with true neutral being the most common. Their domains are Air, Animal, Bird, Earth, Fire, Fish, Plant, Rain, Storm, and Water. Clerics of the Elemetal Gods may choose either the quarterstaff, shortspear, or spear as their favored weapons.

 

[CleverNickName]

New Domains of the Fire Islands

New Domains of the Fire Islands
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Spoiler: Ancestor Domain

This domain is most often selected by clerics who seek to learn what once was forgotten, and to see what is yet to come. Ancestor Clerics owe their gifts of divination and knowledge to an intimate link with the spirits of their ancestors.

Deities: Papa, Rangi, Tiki
Granted Power: All Knowledge skills are class skills for your character. You gain a +2 bonus to all Diplomacy checks.

Bonus Spells
1 Bless – allies gain +1 on attack rolls and saves against fear
2 Auguary – learn whether an action will be good or bad
3 Speak with Dead – corpse answers 1 question/2 levels
4 Divination – provides useful advice for specific proposed actions
5 Telepathic Bond – link allows allies to communicate
6 Find the Path – shows most direct way to a location
7 Legend Lore – learn tales about a person, place, or thing
8 Moment Of Prescience - you gain insight bonus on single attack roll, check, or save
9 Astral Projection – projects you and companions onto Astral Plane

Spoiler: Bird Domain

Birds are revered throughout the Fire Islands, considered to be representatives of the gods themselves. In fact, many gods of the Fire Islands have symbolic birds, in much the same way that the gods of other lands have symbolic markings. This domain is a more highly-focused version of the Animal domain.

adapted from “Nyambe: African Adventures,” by Chris Dolunt

Deities: Tāne
Granted Power: you may speak with all birds (only), as if under the effects of a permanent speak with animals spell. Knowledge (nature) is a class skill.

Bonus Spells
1 Animal Messenger – sends a Tiny animal (bird only) to a specific place
2 Levitate – subject moves up or down at your direction
3 Fly – subject flies at a speed of 90 feet
4 Polymorph – give one willing subject a new form (bird only)
5 Commune with Nature – learn about terrain for 1 mile/level
6 Control Weather – changes weather in local area
7 Animal Shapes – one ally per level polymorphs into chosen animal (birds only)
8 Summon Nature’s Ally VIII – calls a creature to fight for you (winged creatures only)
9 Shapechange – transforms you into any creature, and you can change form once per round (birds only)

Spoiler: Fear Domain

This domain focuses on fear-based magic, and is most commonly selected by clerics who wish to manipulate or terrorize others.

Deities: Whiro
Granted Power: You gain a +2 competence bonus to the save DCs of all Necromancy [Fear] and Compulsion [Fear] spells. Intimidate is a class skill.

Bonus Spells
1 Doom - one subject suffers a -2 penalty on attacks, damage, save throws, and skill checks
2 Scare - panics creatures up to 5 HD (15-ft. radius)
3 Confusion - Makes subject behave oddly for 1 round/level
4 Fear - subjects within cone flee for 1 round/level
5 Emotion - arouses strong emotion in subject
6 Nightmare - sends vision dealing 1d10 damage, fatigue
7 Repulsion - creatures cannot approach you
8 Insanity - subject suffers continuous confusion
9 Wail of the Banshee - kills one creature/level

Spoiler: Fertility Domain

The clerics of Tiki are known for their fertility powers, which are always in high demand throughout the Fire Islands. In fact, a cleric of the Fertility domain can make a very good living off of providing his fertility charm services alone. This domain focuses on the miraculous powers of creation.

adapted from “Nyambe: African Adventures,” by Chris Dolunt

Deities: Tiki
Granted Power: once per day, you can use a special fertility charm that allows any willing adult subject to father children (if male) or become pregnant (if female), regardless of physical condition, age, or disease. This power will work on any creature capable of sexual production, be it humanoid, animal, or other. Though the spell makes conception possible, it does not guarantee it or a live birth. The effect lasts for 1 hour per cleric level.

Bonus Spells
1 Charm Person – makes one person your friend
2 Make Whole – repairs an object
3 Plant Growth – grows vegetation, improves crops
4 Charm Monster – makes creature believe it is your ally
5 Minor Creation – creates one wood or cloth object
6 Permanency – makes certain spells permanent
7 Major Creation – as minor creation, plus stone or metal
8 True Creation – as major creation, but permanent
9 Clone – duplicate awakens when original dies

Spoiler: Fish Domain

An important food source, fish are vital to the Fire Islands community. Clerics of the Fish domain are often servants of fishing communities or the protectors of sacred reefs.

adapted from “Nyambe: African Adventures,” by Chris Dolunt

Deities: Tangaroa
Granted Power: Knowledge (nature) and Swim are class skills. You may rebuke or command creatures with the [Aquatic] subtype as an evil cleric rebukes or commands undead. You may use this ability a total number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.

Bonus Spells
1 Bless Water – makes holy water
2 Hold Animal – paralyzes one animal for 1 round/level (fish only)
3 Water Breathing – subjects can breathe underwater
4 Freedom of Movement – Subject moves normally despite impediments
5 Polymorph Self – You assume a new form (aquatic creatures only)
6 Control Water – Raises, lowers, or parts bodies of water
7 Animal Shapes – One ally per level polymorphs into chosen animal (fish only)
8 Horrid Wilting – Deals 1d8 damage per level within 30 feet
9 Shapechange – Transforms you into any creature, and change form once per round (fish only)

Spoiler: Harvest Domain

While the Plant domain focuses more on the wild flora of the Fire Islands, the Harvest domain centers around cultivated plants, containing a variety of spells that enhance a community's farming capabilities.

Deities: Tangaroa
Granted Power: you may cast speak with plants once per day as a spell-like ability. Knowledge (nature) is a class skill.

Bonus Spells
1 Entangle – plants entangle everyone in 40-ft. radius circle
2 Soften Earth and Stone – turns stone to clay or dirt to sand or mud
3 Plant Growth – grows vegetation, improves crops
4 Create Food and Water – feeds three humans/level
5 Transmute Rock to Mud – transforms two 10-ft. cubes per level
6 Heroes’ Feast – food for one creature/level cures and grants combat bonuses
7 Animate Plants – one or more trees animate and fight for you
8 Control Plants – controls actions of one or more plant creatures
9 Genesis – creates a small demiplane

Spoiler: Light Domain

The Light domain grants special powers over darkness. Many of the spells in this domain allow the cleric to harness the power of the rainbow, creating dazzling and often unpredictable effects.

Deities: Tāne
Granted Power: You may cast light as a spell-like ability, a number of times per day equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum 1.) You cast this spell and all spells with the [Light] descriptor at +2 caster levels.

Bonus Spells
1 Color Spray - knocks unconscious, blinds, and/or stuns weak creatures
2 Faerie Fire - outlines subject with light, canceling concealment
3 Daylight - 60-ft. radius of bright light
4 Rainbow Pattern - lights fascinate 24 HD of creatures
5 True Seeing - lets you see all things as they really are
6 Sunbeam - beam blinds and deals 4d6 damage
7 Sunburst - blinds all within 10 ft., deals 6d6 damage
8 Prismatic Spray - rays hit subjects with variety of effects
9 Prismatic Sphere - walls surround subject, have array of effects

Spoiler: Rain Domain

The Rain domain is a specialized version of the Weather domain, which grants its clerics the important power to forecast the weather. It is typically selected by clerics of good-aligned deities, who focus more on the positive aspects of inclement weather.

Deities: Rangi
Granted Power: Survival is a class skill. With a successful Survival check (DC 15), you can successfully predict the natural weather conditions over the next 48 hours.

Bonus Spells
1 Obscuring Mist – fog surrounds you
2 Fog Cloud – fog obscures vision
3 Quench – extinguishes nonmagical fires or one magic item
4 Sleet Storm – hampers vision and movement
5 Transmute Rock to Mud – transforms two 10-ft. cubes per level
6 Control Winds – change wind direction and speed
7 Control Weather – changes weather in local area
8 Whirlwind – cyclone deals damage and can pick up creatures
9 Storm of Vengeance – storm rains acid, lightning, and hail

Spoiler: Star Domain

This domain is typically chosen by those who wish to be close to the gods in the literal sense. High-level clerics of the Star Domain are rarely met on the Material Plane, preferring to spend their time on the Astral Plane with their patron.

Deities: Rangi
Granted Power: you turn or destroy creatures with the [Extraplanar] subtype as a cleric turns or destroys undead. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your charisma modifier.
Bonus Spells
1 Protection from Chaos/Evil/Good/Law - +2 to AC and saves, counter mind control, hedge out elementals and outsiders
2 Rope Trick - as many as eight creatures hide in extradimensional space
3 Blink - you randomly vanish and reappear for 1 round/level
4 Dismissal - forces a creature to return to native plane
5 Contact Outer Plane - lets you ask question of extraplanar entity
6 Plane Shift - as many as eight subjects travel to another plane
7 Ethereal Jaunt - you become ethereal for 1 round/level
8 Dimensional Lock - teleportation and interplanar travel blocked for one level/day
9 Astral Projection - projects you and companions onto Astral Plane

Spoiler: Storm Domain

In contrast to Rain, the Storm domain focuses on the fury and power of the storm. It is typically selected by clerics of evil-aligned deities, who admire the widespread destruction of the strongest storms.

Deities: Tāwhiri
Granted Power: you gain electricity resistance 5.

Bonus Spells
1 Entropic Shield – ranged attacks against you have 20% miss chance
2 Gust of Wind – blows away or knocks down smaller creatures
3 Call Lightning – calls down lightning bolts (3d6 per bolt) from sky
4 Sleet Storm – hampers vision and movement
5 Ice Storm – hail deals 5d6 damage in cylinder 40 feet across
6 Call Lightning Storm – as call lightning, but 5d6 damage per bolt
7 Control Weather – changes weather in local area
8 Whirlwind – cyclone deals damage and can pick up creatures
9 Storm of Vengeance – storm rains acid, lightning, and hail

Spoiler: Underworld Domain

The domain for clerics who serve the dark gods of the Underworld, their powers focus on the creation and manipulation of the undead. Non-evil clerics of this domain are very rare.

Deities: Hine, Whiro
Granted Power: You can cast detect undead at will as a spell-like ability

Bonus Spells
1 Deathwatch - Reveals how near death subjects within 30 ft. are
2 Ghoul Touch - paralyzes one subject, which exudes stench
3 Animate Dead - create skeletons or zombies
4 Death Ward - grants immunity to death spells and negative energy effects
5 Commune - deity answers one yes-or-no question/level
6 Create Undead - create ghouls, ghasts, mummies, or mohrgs
7 Undeath to Death - destroys 1d4 HD/level of undead (20d4 max)
8 Create Greater Undead - create shadows, wraiths, spectres, or devourers
9 Soul Bind - traps newly dead soul to prevent resurrection

 

[CleverNickName]

Mythology of the Fire Islands

Mythology of the Fire Islands
--------------------------------

Spoiler: Creation of the World

Rangi and Papa are the creators of the universe, the Earth Mother (Papa) and the Sky Father (Rangi). At the dawn of time they were locked together in an eternal embrace. They had many children, and these children were forced to live in the darkness between Papa and Rangi.

As their children grew up, they began to complain about the cramped dark space between the sky and earth, and how there wasn’t enough room for them to stand and move about. They discussed what they could do to separate their parents so that they would be able to live in the light and have room for themselves. Tū, the god of war, suggested that they kill their parents and claim both the sky and earth for themselves. His brother Tāne proposed that it would be better to push them apart, to let Rangi be as a stranger to them in the sky above, while they remained close to the nurturing Papa.

The other siblings agreed with Tāne, and together they developed a plan to push their parents apart. Rongo, the god of gardens, tried first to push his parents apart, but his arms were too short. Tangaroa, the god of the ocean, tried next, but his arms were too soft. Haumia, the god of wild foods, also failed because his arms were different lengths. In spite of many attempts, the embrace of Rangi and Papa was just too strong. Finally it was Tāne, the god of forests and birds, who forced his parents apart: instead of standing upright and pushing with his arms, he lay on his back and pushed upward with his strong legs. Thus, Rangi and Papa were separated at last, and the space between them was filled with light.

Spoiler: The War in the Heavens

And so the children of Rangi and Papa were living in the light, and were able to move around the world for the first time. This pleased the other children greatly, but angered Tāwhiri, the god of storms. Tāwhiri could not bear to hear the cries of his mother or the tears of his father and grew angry, and poured his fury out upon his rebellious siblings. He gathered an army of his own children, the winds, the clouds, and the rains of all kind, and threw them upon his brothers.

Tāwhiri first poured his wrath out onto the great forest trees of Tāne, where they were smashed and thrown to the ground to become food for the insects. Then Tāwhiri attacked the oceans, and huge waves rose, whirlpools formed, and Tangaroa, the god of the sea, fled in panic.

Tangaroa has many children: the fish, turtles, shellfish, and other sea creatures. Terrified by Tāwhiri’s attack, the fish sought shelter in the sea, while the reptiles fled to the forests of Tāne. Ever since, Tangaroa has been angry with Tāne for giving refuge to his runaway children. So it is to this day, that Tāne gives mankind the canoes, spears, and nets he needs to catch the descendants of Tangaroa, and Tangaroa retaliates by swamping canoes and sweeping away houses, land and trees in the seasonal floods.

Tāwhiri next attacked his brothers Rongo and Haumia, the food gods. As the wind and rain and lightning fell upon them, Papa the Earth Mother intervened on their behalf. She decided to keep these for her other children (mankind), and hid them so well that Tāwhiri could not find them.

Finally, Tāwhiri poured his wrath out upon his brother Tū. He used all of his strength, but he could not overcome the mighty warrior. At last the anger of the storm god passed, and peace prevailed.

Tū thought about what the gods had done, and about the great sadness between his Sky Father and Earth Mother at being separated. So he made nets to catch the birds (the children of Tāne) and the fish (the children of Tangaroa), and he made plows and baskets to trap the children of Rongo and Haumia (plants). He piles up these children of his brothers onto the shore, the fish, birds, grains, fruits, and vegetables, and feeds them to mankind as punishment for the torment his brothers have caused his parents. Thus Tū gave mankind the tools to subdue all of the gods except for Tāwhiri, whose storms and floods still attack humankind to this day.

Tangaroa also felt remorse for his parents, and searched for lights to clothe his naked father with. He gathered the stars from the sparkling tops of the ocean, and the Milky Way from the spray of his waves crashing on shore, and tossed them all upward for his father to wear. Rangi and Papa continue to long for each other's embrace to this very day: Rangi's tears fall upon Papa in the form of rain, and Papa heaves and strains upward for her husband in the form of volcanoes and earthquakes.

Spoiler: Tāne and the Baskets of Knowledge

When mankind began to reproduce and fill the islands with their numbers, the gods saw that mankind had no knowledge, that they were as the animals. So Tāne, the God of the Forest, decided he would climb up into the Twelve Heavens and bring knowledge down to the people below.

Whiro, the Wicked One, believed that he should have the right to the knowledge first, for he was older than his brother Tāne. The two brothers fought with each other over the right to climb into the heavens, but in the end The Sky Powers chose Tāne to be the bearer of knowledge.

Whiro became very angry, and sent his winged serpents to attack Tāne as he ascended into heaven. But Tāne had the help of the Sky Power, and great winds lifted him up into heaven before the winged serpents could harm him.

Tāne climbed to the highest plane of Heaven, called Toi-ö-ngä-rangi (TOY o n'GAH RAN gee, or "top of the sky") he was greeted by the Sky Powers and was given three kete (KAY tay, "baskets.") Each kete contained a special gift of knowledge for mankind below.

The first basket, aronui, (ar OWN we) contained the knowledge of all of the good and helpful things of the world, like love and medicine and peace. The second, tuauri (tu ARE ri), contained the knowledge of proper ritual, prayer, and magic. The third basket, tuatea (two ATE ay) contained the knowledge of evil and forbidden things.

As Tāne began to descend from the heavens with the baskets, Whiro had been waiting for him. He sent a great horde of his winged creatures to attack Tāne in the air, far more than he had sent earlier. Tāne was almost overwhelmed by the creatures, and cried out for help. The Sky Powers answered him once more, and sent a great wind against Whiro and his creatures. The wind blew Whiro's hordes to the ground with such force that their wings broke off. These creatures became the worms, snakes, insects, and all other crawling things of the earth, and remain so to this day.

When Tāne had landed safely, he built a special temple to house the knowledge in. He called this temple whare kura (WAH ray KOO ruh), and gathered all of mankind to learn the knowledge of the gods. For his treachery, Whiro was banished to the Underworld, where he continually causes trouble for mankind and the gods alike.

Spoiler: Māui and the Quest for Immortality

Māui was the only god born of mortal parents, and was the first man to die. He was born prematurely, and his mother wrapped him in her topknot and threw him into the sea. The ocean spirits found him and wrapped him in seaweed, and cared for him until he was an adolescent. Then a storm carried him back to the land, where he rediscovered his parents and grew into a clever young man.

Māui had many adventures, which brought him glory and honor. In his first quest, he made the days longer by restraining the Sun itself. The days had become too short for people to finish their work, so Māui fashioned a club from the jawbone of one of his ancestors (probably a whale or shark). He used the jawbone to snare the Sun and beat it severely until it promised to give mankind twelve hours between dawn and dusk.

In his second quest, he created the large island of Te Ika. Using his jawbone club as a giant hook, and using blood from his nose as bait, Māui caught a great fish and hauled it up from the depths of the sea. When it emerged from the water, Māui went to find a priest to perform the appropriate ceremonies and prayers, leaving his servants in charge of the fish. The servants did not wait for Māui to return, but began to cut up the fish to be eaten. The great fish began to writhe and scream in agony, causing it to break up into mountains, cliffs, and valleys. If the servants had listened to Māui the fish would have become a level plain and people would have been able to travel easily across it, but because of their eagerness and impatience the island is jagged, broken, and rocky instead.

In his third quest, Māui recovered the secrets of fire that had been lost since the War in the Heavens. Māui, finding that fire has been lost on earth, resolved himself to find Mahuika, the Fire-goddess, and trick her into giving him the secret of making fire. He visits her, but his tricks make her furious, and although he obtains the secret of fire, he barely escapes with his life. He transforms himself into a hawk but to no avail, for Mahuika sets both the land and sea on fire. Māui prays to Tāwhiri, who answers with pouring rain and extinguishes the fire.

Māui, after his three successful quests, began to consider himself ready to win immortality for humankind. Though his parents tried to dissuade him, he convinced his parents to reveal the secret of immortality--he would have to pass through the body of Hine, the goddess of the Underworld, and emerged unharmed. So Māui took with him the smallest of the birds of the forest: the tomtit, the robin, the warbler, and the fantail, and took them down into the Underworld with him to challenge Hine.

He found Hine asleep with her legs apart, and told his companions to be quiet as he passed through her body. He was only halfway inside Hine when the fantail laughed at him. The laughter awoke Hine, who clasped her legs together suddenly and cut Māui in two. Thus Māui became the first man to die, and because he failed in his quest for immortality all of mankind is doomed to die as well.

Spoiler: Māori Cosmology

In the beginning, there was only the Ethereal plane (Papa) and the Astral plane (Rangi). When the two were forced apart, light and matter (the Prime Plane) began to coexist between them. Thus, the universe according to the Fire Island traditions is organized with the Prime Plane wedged tightly between the Astral and Ethereal planes.

The Material Plane, or “Papa,” is organized by its four distinct layers of elements, in three layers. Earth and Water are side-by-side in the middle, with Fire below and Earth above (see figure). The elemental demi-planes (not shown), such as Dust, Rain, Mud, Steam, and Magma, form on the boundaries of these planes, and are evident in the material plane wherever two or more planes overlap (i.e., Magma lies on the boundary of Earth and Fire, and Rain lies on the boundary between Water and Air.)



The Plane of Shadow, the Infinite Layers of the Abyss, the Negative Energy Plane, and the Nine Hells are all demi-planes within the Ethereal Plane, and are collectively referred to as “The Underworld.” Buried beneath the world, these demi-planes are not visible from the Prime Plane.

Likewise, the Positive Energy Plane, The Celestial Realms, the Twelve High Heavens, and The Void are demi-planes within the Astral Plane, and are collectively referred to as “Rangi,” or The Sky Powers. They appear in the Prime Plane as the sun (Heaven), the moon (Positive Energy Plane), and stars (The Celestial Realms) moving across the sky (The Void).

Hawaiki is the land of mankind’s ancestors, the birthplace of Tiki and the place where his children's souls live forever in peace. It lies adjacent to the Material Plane, but is accessible only by traveling through the Underworld. When a person dies, their soul is sent to the Underworld for judgment, and those who are found worthy are carried to the Ancestor Island in a canoe rowed by beautiful women. Those who are found wanting are forced to remain in the Underworld forever.

 

[Tonguez]

As I’ve said before, I am developing a new campaign with a “tropical island” theme, which I have decided to call "The Fire Islands." This first installment focuses on the mythology and religion of the campaign. I present them here for everyone to critique and comment on; if you spot any glaring errors or balance issues, please let me know and I'll get my keyboard right on it.

-----

Religion in the Fire Islands

I did my final Cultural Anthropology paper on the Māori, the indigenous people of the islands in and around New Zealand. With all of that research behind me, it didn’t take much more elbow grease to adapt it to a D20 game system. While I did my best to remain faithful to the original mythology and stories that my research uncovered, I had to make a few changes and embellishments to make it suitable for a fantasy game setting. Thus, this document is no longer intended to be an anthropological study of the Māori people, but a work of fiction based on mythology.

I would like to stress that I mean no disrespect to the people or culture of New Zealand. I adapted their mythology to a role-playing game system out of genuine interest, genuine respect, and a genuine desire to promote their culture. This is not intended to be a mockery in any way, and I hope we can keep it that way.

That being said, I believe that this pantheon would be suitable for any tropical island/coastal setting, in any game world. I hope you enjoy.

Kia ora

I'm Maori and also have a anthropology degree. I've also spent many years teaching 'Maori Traditions and Mythology' so seeing this treatment of that subject is of interest to me. Of course I don't represent all the people in my culture but I can say that personally I like what you have done and am not at all offended.

The only two elements that caused my eyebrows to raise were linking Maui with Nobility and Mahuika with Evil. Maui was anything but Noble (he was a Rogue) and I'd have made Trickery his primary domain. For me I'd link Nobility to Tiki and give Maui your Ancestor domain instead (its a nice domain btw - yoink!)

I like the Mask innovation too

If you need any help I'll do what I can

 

[Nifft]

Minor editing error: Papa's description lists her husband as Papa; should be Rangi.

Ancestor Domain: like the Divination focus, but think it should be more focused. Suggestion:
1/ Identify
2/ Augury
3/ Speak With Dead? Helping Hand? Locate Object?
4/ Divination
5/ Commune
6/ Heroes’ Feast
7/ Legend Lore
8/ Discern Location
9/ Foresight

Also, the Domain power is kinda weak, given how few Divination spells are affected by caster level. I suggest you steal the Knowledge domain benefit, because none of these gods grant the Knowledge domain, do they?


I see too much overlap between Rain and Storm. IMHO, Storm should not give out lightning bolt and chain lightning -- much better if Storm gave out call lightning (storm), because those spells will actually benefit from being cast in a stormy area!

Suggestions for Rain:
1/ Endure Elements
2/ Fog Cloud
3/ Quench
4/ Sleet Storm
5/ Transmute Rock to Mud
6/ Control Winds
7/ Control Weather
8/ Whirlwind
9/ Storm of Vengeance


Storm domain then becomes:
1/ Entropic Shield
2/ Gust of Wind
3/ Call Lightning
4/ Sleet Storm
5/ Ice Storm
6/ Call Lightning Storm
7/ Control Weather
8/ Whirlwind
9/ Storm of Vengeance


Bird domain: consider baleful polymorph in there somewhere (perhaps in place of polymorph self, which no longer exists ). Power Word: Kererū! (mmm, delicious)


Underworld is an odd domain. Looks very unfocused. Is the goal to give out spells that have to do with transportation, with darkness & fear, or divination? Why isn't speak with dead on that list, and why is suggestion?

Hei kona, -- N

 

[CleverNickName]

Kia ora

I'm Maori and also have a anthropology degree.

Kia ora! Man, am I glad to see you! I am not Maori (or even Polynesian, for that matter), so I am at a significant disadvantage here. I am studying Geology, and the two anthropology classes I have taken so far are electives within that degree program. I might claim anthro as a minor, however...I really enjoy that subject.

In short, I am a scientist trying to study culture.

The only two elements that caused my eyebrows to raise were linking Maui with Nobility and Mahuika with Evil. Maui was anything but Noble (he was a Rogue) and I'd have made Trickery his primary domain. For me I'd link Nobility to Tiki and give Maui your Ancestor domain instead (its a nice domain btw - yoink!)

Maui was especially difficult for me to connect to domains, because there are so many different (and conflicting) stories about him. I gave him the Nobility domain because it was the closest thing I could find to "bravery," which was a recurring theme in most stories I researched. In retrospect, I suppose a lot of his so-called bravery could have been foolhardiness and arrogance....

I'm okay with scrapping the Nobility domain, and Ancestor seems to be a good substitution (since there are so many stories about him and his wife.) But it still seems to be lacking...what else would you add to his list of domains?

Mahuika...yeah, associating her to evil was short-sighted (and very lazy) of me. My reasoning was because in all of the stories that I researched, she was the antagonist. And since I needed a Lawful Evil in my pantheon, I tweaked her persona to fit. I was able to find at least one story that supported my adaptation, so I thought that would be sufficient. Lazy, I know. How would you adjust her domains, alignment, and backstory to be more faithful to the culture? How about Knowledge and Magic?

If you need any help I'll do what I can

Awesome, man...I appreciate the feedback. If you have any other stories, or know of any other cultural resources out there (books, articles, History Channel episodes, whatever) that I could use to expand my knowledge of the culture, please let me know. I want this campaign to feel ALIVE.

I was really nervous about getting the mythology right, because they are going to be the backbone of the whole campaign. Did everything look copasetic?

 

[CleverNickName]

Also, the Domain power is kinda weak, given how few Divination spells are affected by caster level. I suggest you steal the Knowledge domain benefit, because none of these gods grant the Knowledge domain, do they?

Holy carp, that is a brilliant idea. (I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner, in fact.) I will change it thusly:

Granted power: All Knowledge skills are class skills for your character, and you gain a +2 bonus to all Diplomacy checks.

I'll then change the bonus spell list to be more suitable to the ancestor way of doing things (possibly borrowing heavily from the Community and Nobility domains, as well as from the Knowledge.) I hope to make Ancestor different enough from the Knowledge domain, that I can put them both in the same pantheon and people would still want to take them. And I still can't believe I forgot to include the Knowledge domain in my pantheon (smacks forehead.)

I see too much overlap between Rain and Storm. IMHO, Storm should not give out lightning bolt and chain lightning -- much better if Storm gave out call lightning (storm), because those spells will actually benefit from being cast in a stormy area!

You are absolutely right...that should have been a no-brainer. My goal here was to make Rain and Storm do sort of the same thing, but be more influenced with good and evil...similar to the way Death and Repose work. Good: rain, Evil: storm, that sort of thing.

Bird domain: consider baleful polymorph in there somewhere (perhaps in place of polymorph self, which no longer exists ). Power Word: Kererū! (mmm, delicious)

I considered it, and I would have gone with it instead of Tane were evil. But since he's obviously Good, I figured this way would be more faithful to the inspiration. And you are absolutely right, polymorph self should just be plain ol' polymorph. I'm old-school that way.

Underworld is an odd domain. Looks very unfocused. Is the goal to give out spells that have to do with transportation, with darkness & fear, or divination? Why isn't speak with dead on that list, and why is suggestion?

I borrowed spells from the Cavern domain (in Forgotten Realms) and the Darkness domain. And I did so very poorly. Of the new domains that I created, that one is my least-favorite...I'm considering scrapping the Underworld domain altogether, and just replacing it with a modified version of Cavern, and another domain I am working on, tentatively called Bat or Night (a more outdoorsy Darkness).

 

[Nifft]

Holy carp, that is a brilliant idea. (I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner, in fact.) I will change it thusly:

Granted power: All Knowledge skills are class skills for your character, and you gain a +2 bonus to all Diplomacy checks.

I'll then change the bonus spell list to be more suitable to the ancestor way of doing things (possibly borrowing heavily from the Community and Nobility domains, as well as from the Knowledge.) I hope to make Ancestor different enough from the Knowledge domain, that I can put them both in the same pantheon and people would still want to take them. And I still can't believe I forgot to include the Knowledge domain in my pantheon (smacks forehead.)

Seems to me that a sufficiently ancestor-centric culture might not distinguish between Knowledge and Ancestor. No real reason you can't replace Knowledge with Ancestor. It would emphasize how non-European the culture is. Of course, nothing wrong with having both.

You are absolutely right...that should have been a no-brainer. My goal here was to make Rain and Storm do sort of the same thing, but be more influenced with good and evil...similar to the way Death and Repose work. Good: rain, Evil: storm, that sort of thing.

Killin' stuff isn't evil. There should be some mist-based healing spells in Spell Compendium or one of the Faerun supliments... if not, we could make some up.

I considered it, and I would have gone with it instead of Tane were evil. But since he's obviously Good [...]

What's so evil about turning someone into a chicken? If you can cast baleful polymorph, you can also cast break enchantment, so you can reverse it... no? Seems to be one of the more humane save-or-lose spells... very good for capturing foes who would be difficult to otherwise subdue. (It would also explain why wood pigeons often fly around drunk... )

I borrowed spells from the Cavern domain (in Forgotten Realms) and the Darkness domain. And I did so very poorly. Of the new domains that I created, that one is my least-favorite...I'm considering scrapping the Underworld domain altogether, and just replacing it with a modified version of Cavern, and another domain I am working on, tentatively called Bat or Night (a more outdoorsy Darkness).

Let's see. How are you handling Turn Undead? Do all clerics get it automatically, or are undead really scary? If not, you could make Sun domain grant Turn Undead as its special power, and Underworld grant Rebuke Undead.

Underworld
1/ Darkness
2/ Command Undead
3/ Speak With Dead
4/ Fear
5/ Waves of Fatigue
6/ Shadow Walk
7/ Waves of Exhaustion
8/ Binding
9/ Astral Projection

Another direction to go would be to tie this with Earth... use meld into stone and spike stones, but the latter would be sharp bones sticking up instead of sharp rocks.

Cheers, -- N

PS: Why does a True Neutral god (Haumia) have the Good domain?

 

[CleverNickName]

Seems to me that a sufficiently ancestor-centric culture might not distinguish between Knowledge and Ancestor. No real reason you can't replace Knowledge with Ancestor. It would emphasize how non-European the culture is.

My friend, you are absolutely right...I think I am going to allow both, but they will be similar enough to be essentially the same domain. Then I can give Mahuika the Knowledge domain (since the knowledge of fire-making came from her), and everyone else can get Ancestor. Awesome idea!

What's so evil about turning someone into a chicken? If you can cast baleful polymorph, you can also cast break enchantment, so you can reverse it... no? Seems to be one of the more humane save-or-lose spells...

Maybe "Evil" is too strong of a word. I suppose in the grand scheme of things, turning someone into a chicken isn't evil, especially compared to smashing someone to bits with a hammer. But in faerie tales and mythology, it is never done for humane, convenient, or even comic reasons. It just seems like a good-aligned witch would ask first, before turning you into a newt. I think I'll stick with regular old polymorph.

There should be some mist-based healing spells in Spell Compendium or one of the Faerun supliments... if not, we could make some up.

Let's see. How are you handling Turn Undead?

I kinda want to keep it as close to SRD as possible. My goal is to make this as easily-adaptable as possible so that anyone, from Forgotten Realms to Eberron, can just drop it right into their existing game without reinventing the wheel. So I'm going to go with standard Turning/Rebuking rules, and let everyone sort out their own house rules.

But for the record, I hate loathe the SRD's Turn Undead rules. I'm kicking around all kinds of ideas on how to make it work better...from feats, to skills, to spells. If I figure out a better way of doing it, I'll consider incorporating it into this and forthcoming campaigns. (Might be good fodder for a different thread.)

PS: Why does a True Neutral god (Haumia) have the Good domain?

An oversight. I forgot to strip it from his list of domains when I changed his alignment from NG. I'll get it fixed on the double.