What is the cost of forgiveness?
- Thread starter SS
- Start date
Infiniti2000
First Post
It depends on the average salary of those attendants. I'd put it at 10% of weekly income, modified by existing world/local events (draught? add 5%, tarrasque in the area? add 100%).
It depends enormously on the church and the setting.
If you're in a major city in where a lot of adventurers congregate, and the church follows a deity of luck or battle prowess or some such, you might easily receive thousands of gold pieces per hundred attendants. High-level adventurers are so wealthy, 10gp is small pocket change.
On the other hand, down at the village church of the God Of First-Level Peasants, the same size service may collect only a few dozen coppers. The attendees just don't have any disposable income to throw around, even if they want to.
If you're in a major city in where a lot of adventurers congregate, and the church follows a deity of luck or battle prowess or some such, you might easily receive thousands of gold pieces per hundred attendants. High-level adventurers are so wealthy, 10gp is small pocket change.
On the other hand, down at the village church of the God Of First-Level Peasants, the same size service may collect only a few dozen coppers. The attendees just don't have any disposable income to throw around, even if they want to.
Infiniti2000 said:
The percentage of income is also very dependent on how devout the followers are. I would consider this to be a complete campaign specific (and god specific) question.
Also, while I can see that something like a drought would make the offerings raise initially, after time it would also make offerings drob down to nothing (when the locals have lost all their money and can't afford to feed themselves anymore).
If this came up in a campaign, I'd probably just throw a number out and run with it.
Ambrus
Explorer
Speaking of averages; an average commoner makes 1 sp per day of labour and a devout follower's tithe is 10% of his income. Some followers can afford a bit more while others can afford less or nothing at all; simply assume it balances out overall. So, ignoring setting specific details, I'd say that an average temple pulls in 1 gp per day per 100 followers in its congregation. If they all tithe on the same day of the week, say during a service, then the temple would have 7 gp per 100 attendants.
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frankthedm
First Post
And one more thing, other than clerics, paladins and a few other odd folks, D&D NPC give praise to multiple gods. Some will temples will do better than others depending on the area, but if a commoner donates 10% of his value to divine expendatures, that also gets divided up amoung a lot of gods.
Forgiveness costs 3000 gold, available in large cities.
5th level Atonement spell cast by a 9th level caster. 450 gp
Care and handling of the expensive spell focus. 50 gp
Reinbursment for the 500 XP it costs him. 2500 gp
Being sent on a Quest to prove you are worthy. Priceless
Atonement
Abjuration
Level: Clr 5, Drd 5
Components: V, S, M, F, DF, XP
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Target: Living creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell removes the burden of evil acts or misdeeds from the subject. The creature seeking atonement must be truly repentant and desirous of setting right its misdeeds. If the atoning creature committed the evil act unwittingly or under some form of compulsion, atonement operates normally at no cost to you. However, in the case of a creature atoning for deliberate misdeeds and acts of a knowing and willful nature, you must intercede with your deity (requiring you to expend 500 XP) in order to expunge the subject’s burden. Many casters first assign a subject of this sort a quest (see geas/quest) or similar penance to determine whether the creature is truly contrite before casting the atonement spell on its behalf.
Atonement may be cast for one of several purposes, depending on the version selected.
Reverse Magical Alignment Change
If a creature has had its alignment magically changed, atonement returns its alignment to its original status at no cost in experience points.
Restore Class
A paladin who has lost her class features due to committing an evil act may have her paladinhood restored to her by this spell.
Restore Cleric or Druid Spell Powers
A cleric or druid who has lost the ability to cast spells by incurring the anger of his or her deity may regain that ability by seeking atonement from another cleric of the same deity or another druid. If the transgression was intentional, the casting cleric loses 500 XP for his intercession. If the transgression was unintentional, he does not lose XP.
Redemption or Temptation
You may cast this spell upon a creature of an opposing alignment in order to offer it a chance to change its alignment to match yours. The prospective subject must be present for the entire casting process. Upon completion of the spell, the subject freely chooses whether it retains its original alignment or acquiesces to your offer and changes to your alignment. No duress, compulsion, or magical influence can force the subject to take advantage of the opportunity offered if it is unwilling to abandon its old alignment. This use of the spell does not work on outsiders or any creature incapable of changing its alignment naturally.
Though the spell description refers to evil acts, atonement can also be used on any creature that has performed acts against its alignment, whether those acts are evil, good, chaotic, or lawful.
Note: Normally, changing alignment is up to the player. This use of atonement simply offers a believable way for a character to change his or her alignment drastically, suddenly, and definitively.
Material Component
Burning incense.
Focus
In addition to your holy symbol or normal divine focus, you need a set of prayer beads (or other prayer device, such as a prayer wheel or prayer book) worth at least 500 gp.
XP Cost
When cast for the benefit of a creature whose guilt was the result of deliberate acts, the cost to you is 500 XP per casting (see above).
"May the Harvester stay his scythe."
Forgiveness costs 3000 gold, available in large cities.
5th level Atonement spell cast by a 9th level caster. 450 gp
Care and handling of the expensive spell focus. 50 gp
Reinbursment for the 500 XP it costs him. 2500 gp
Being sent on a Quest to prove you are worthy. Priceless
Atonement
Abjuration
Level: Clr 5, Drd 5
Components: V, S, M, F, DF, XP
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Touch
Target: Living creature touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell removes the burden of evil acts or misdeeds from the subject. The creature seeking atonement must be truly repentant and desirous of setting right its misdeeds. If the atoning creature committed the evil act unwittingly or under some form of compulsion, atonement operates normally at no cost to you. However, in the case of a creature atoning for deliberate misdeeds and acts of a knowing and willful nature, you must intercede with your deity (requiring you to expend 500 XP) in order to expunge the subject’s burden. Many casters first assign a subject of this sort a quest (see geas/quest) or similar penance to determine whether the creature is truly contrite before casting the atonement spell on its behalf.
Atonement may be cast for one of several purposes, depending on the version selected.
Reverse Magical Alignment Change
If a creature has had its alignment magically changed, atonement returns its alignment to its original status at no cost in experience points.
Restore Class
A paladin who has lost her class features due to committing an evil act may have her paladinhood restored to her by this spell.
Restore Cleric or Druid Spell Powers
A cleric or druid who has lost the ability to cast spells by incurring the anger of his or her deity may regain that ability by seeking atonement from another cleric of the same deity or another druid. If the transgression was intentional, the casting cleric loses 500 XP for his intercession. If the transgression was unintentional, he does not lose XP.
Redemption or Temptation
You may cast this spell upon a creature of an opposing alignment in order to offer it a chance to change its alignment to match yours. The prospective subject must be present for the entire casting process. Upon completion of the spell, the subject freely chooses whether it retains its original alignment or acquiesces to your offer and changes to your alignment. No duress, compulsion, or magical influence can force the subject to take advantage of the opportunity offered if it is unwilling to abandon its old alignment. This use of the spell does not work on outsiders or any creature incapable of changing its alignment naturally.
Though the spell description refers to evil acts, atonement can also be used on any creature that has performed acts against its alignment, whether those acts are evil, good, chaotic, or lawful.
Note: Normally, changing alignment is up to the player. This use of atonement simply offers a believable way for a character to change his or her alignment drastically, suddenly, and definitively.
Material Component
Burning incense.
Focus
In addition to your holy symbol or normal divine focus, you need a set of prayer beads (or other prayer device, such as a prayer wheel or prayer book) worth at least 500 gp.
XP Cost
When cast for the benefit of a creature whose guilt was the result of deliberate acts, the cost to you is 500 XP per casting (see above).
"May the Harvester stay his scythe."
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Thank you all, this is a lot of great help.
The setting is a home world named Thaer (Earth), with only six gods left. The world currently has a problem with inflation (this is my attempt at mocking the standard economy from most standard settings). After the players get used to this situation where they make a huge amount of money, but then at the same time spend an increased amount too, the world is forever changed by a vengeful God named Mortis. The world as it is now has no undead, other than a few lost souls, or a ghost with some unfinished business. The angered God (for an unknown reason to the players) begins to cast a spell. It takes him two years to fully cast it. When he is done, the world is cursed with the plague of undead. The undead congregate into armies with a unified plan and strike with an unexpected intelligence. The spell itself has the casting cost of all minted gold coins. The secondary effect of the spell turns kings into paupers and paupers into...
So as it is now, the economy is out of whack. The average commoner makes 1-3 gold a week. There are a few churches in the small town of Kingsport, where the players currently reside.
I used to have a Goddess nicknamed "The Narcissistic Queen". She demanded no less than a tithe of 25%. I miss her.
The setting is a home world named Thaer (Earth), with only six gods left. The world currently has a problem with inflation (this is my attempt at mocking the standard economy from most standard settings). After the players get used to this situation where they make a huge amount of money, but then at the same time spend an increased amount too, the world is forever changed by a vengeful God named Mortis. The world as it is now has no undead, other than a few lost souls, or a ghost with some unfinished business. The angered God (for an unknown reason to the players) begins to cast a spell. It takes him two years to fully cast it. When he is done, the world is cursed with the plague of undead. The undead congregate into armies with a unified plan and strike with an unexpected intelligence. The spell itself has the casting cost of all minted gold coins. The secondary effect of the spell turns kings into paupers and paupers into...
So as it is now, the economy is out of whack. The average commoner makes 1-3 gold a week. There are a few churches in the small town of Kingsport, where the players currently reside.
I used to have a Goddess nicknamed "The Narcissistic Queen". She demanded no less than a tithe of 25%. I miss her.
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Infiniti2000
First Post
SS said:
This is a funny typo! What do they pop? Heh heh, the word you're looking for is pauper.
