Why do clerics charge for spells?

[swrushing]

There is a game balance reason that clerics charge adventurers for spell-casting, but is there a rational justification?

So they can take the monies from that, ahem, "donation" and use it to further the interests of their church/faith.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Which is fine, then I agree with you.

But since I came up with the example situation in the first place, let me clarify that I was talking about a group of PCs who are the world's only hope. That's why I put this line in there:

[PCs die, world ends, all thanks to the lack of a helm of brilliance]

If the PCs weren't the world's only hope, the world would not have ended.

And if the PCs absolutely positively need to have a HoB then it is the DM's duty (not the King's) to make darned sure that they have one.

And be prepared when the world ends anyway because they take the helm and go do something completely wrong with it (or, why I do not like adventures that hinge on the PCs needing to have a particular item/spell/character class to complete... What do you mean the party split up and the group that has the HoB isn't here at the right time?!!! *BOOM!*).

The Auld Grump