Religious Theme Name

[steeldragons]

So, I'm workin' on making my own homebrew into its own full system. It is currently incorporating "Themes" as my understanding o the type 5e ws beginning with, though it seems they've gotten a bit confused at the moment. Be that as it may...

What I'm looking for is what resonates best with people for a "religious person" theme, that need not be a cleric, that grants some minor divine magic...like "Arcane Dabbler" but with cleric spells.

Since i don't view divine favor as something you can "dabble" in, this needs to be an individual that has garnered some attention from their/a deity for their "above average" devotion (though still not SO above as a Cleric) and granted the supreme honor of some holy (or unholy) power in the form of minor divine spells (and/or channeling).

[I'm gonna try this whole "poll" thing and see if I can get it right, but if not...]

What's knocking around my head at the moment are:
Prophet
Apostle
Disciple
Chosen
Other -something that I haven't thought of/you like better.

Not really liking the "Chosen" as I tend to think that's Paladin's shtick...and how many Clerics that reach higher levels are fluffed.

Any of the first 3 seem equally good to me...but thought I'd see what the multifaceted wisdom of the ENworlder depths might think.

--SD

 

[Derren]

I assume it is based on abrahamic religions?

- Prophet
A prophet would be considered a major player in a religion and people would gather around him or oppose him heavily depending on their agenda.

- Apostle
Is much less important than a prophet. They are still favored but unlikely to affect the religion as a whole as much as a prophet.

- Disciple
Disciple implies to me that this person is following a mentor. This could be the god, a saint or a prophet or other important person. It also implies that the disciple is still learning.

- Chosen
A pretty generic term which can mean pretty much everything.

When I understand your requirements right I would go with Apostle. Although Chosen would of course also work.

 

[steeldragons]

Keep in mind, I am talking "miiiiinor" use of divine magic. As Themes work now, you atart with 1 at 1st level. Your class determines which theme lists you can choose from and how often you gain an additional theme "rank."

So what I'm thinking of, for now would be, this thing allows:
First rank: 1 first level cleric spell.
2 ranks: 2 1st lvl spells
3 ranks: 3 1st lvl spells and 1 2nd
4 ranks: 4 1st lvl spells and 2 2nd
5 ranks (which would, at earliest possibility, require a 10th level Fighter who put all of their first 5 ranks into this theme): 5 1st lvl spells, 3 2nd lvl spells and channel divinity (possibly only for a "domain" power) once per day.

Probably also give the PC Religious Lore +1 per rank but only as it pertains to their deity.

That would be it.

 

[Ahnehnois]

"Disciple" seems to cover the widest scope to me.

"Prophet" specifically implies prophecy, i.e. seeing the future, which is often but not necessarily part of the divine shtick. "Apostle" also sounds too specific to me. Not a big fan of "chosen" as some might look at this path as the person choosing to be pious rather than the deity choosing him.

 

[steeldragons]

I assume it is based on abrahamic religions?

Well no. I mean, that's where I'm pulling the terms from...but the system is being designed specifically to work in conjunction with my homebrewed world setting (see sig below), which is a decidedly and well-defined polytheistic religious system.

If there are other terms, from other world religions, that you think give a more general religious flavor I'm all ears.

When I understand your requirements right I would go with Apostle. Although Chosen would of course also work.

I'm thinking you're right, after reading your definitions. I was leaning toward Prophet, but as you noted, that would be a significantly higher profile player in the religion than this theme is meant to portray...perhaps as a later "prestige class" or "advanced theme" but for now, I'm lookign for something someone can take from level 1.

Something for the Fighter or Rogue or Mage character concept who can be a religious/spiritual/devoted character...without being a paladin or cleric. OR being a paladin that wants a little spell-use (as my system has spell-less paladins) or the powergamer/munchkin player who just wants a coupla extra divine spell levels...

Thanks for the definitions...and voting.
--SD

 

[Derren]

Well no. I mean, that's where I'm pulling the terms from...but the system is being designed specifically to work in conjunction with my homebrewed world setting (see sig below), which is a decidedly and well-defined polytheistic religious system.

If there are other terms, from other world religions, that you think give a more general religious flavor I'm all ears.

Lama could work (when using the reincarnation aspect instead of the teacher aspect) as could "avatar" gurus (although avatar raises the expectations a bit too high) and more esoteric interpretations of yogi (You of course still have the yoga association to deal with).

I am sure Chinese mythology would have some good names for it as the line between mortal and god is pretty thin in Taoism. Same applies to the ancient Greek pantheon.

 

[tuxgeo]

Hrm. If this is to be a Theme that anyone can take, then there could be five of them in the same world at the same time -- or ten, or twenty, or two hundred, or any number.

I think that this fact mostly rules out each of the listed choices, thus:
• One would ordinarily expect there to be one prophet, at most, of any one god at any one time;
• the number of disciples is limited by the number of people that a typical prophet would directly teach at any one time; and
• it takes having one's writings included in the official church book for a person to become an apostle.

"Saint" comes closer, but even that's far too grand: becoming a saint takes a full lifetime in some religions.

Even "Paragon of Faith" sounds too grand. If what we're looking for is wonder-working, then that's the original meaning of "Thaumaturge" -- but that word, by itself, doesn't have to imply religious faith, so it's still questionable.

"Blessed One" might work, in the sense that a person with this Theme could be seen as having been blessed with some clear benefit that was conferred by some higher power, regardless of whether that benefit is special insight or compassion or healing or the ability to prophesy, or even the ability to turn staves into snakes.

 

[steeldragons]

What about, just, "Devotee"? Meh...now that I've "seen it out loud", I don't like it. Just too bland/broad.

 

[Starfox]

My vote goes for "Devoted"

 

[steeldragons]

What about, just, "Devotee"? Meh...now that I've "seen it out loud", I don't like it.

My vote goes for "Devoted"

Better!

But all of the theme names are nouns: "Arcane Dabbler, Bounty Hunter, Berserker, Chaplain, Ritualist, etc..." So it would have to be "Devoted...something"...Devoted Soul? Devoted Spirit? Devoted Follower? ('meh' to that last one )