Foundations | |
Required Abilities | Dex, Wis, Cha |
Axiom | Servant |
Affinity | Divine |
Spell Casting | Wis |
Spell Attack | Wis |
Saving Throws | Dex, Wis, Cha |
Hit Dice | D8 |
HP @ Lvl 1 | Your Con Modifier + 1d8 or 5. |
HP @ Higher Lvls | Your Con Modifier + 1d8 / Level After 1st |
Introduction
Yeah, I know, you’ve heard it all before. Goody-two-shoes. Sparkly cheer. The power of Love, of Friendship, of whatever sappy thing you want to say, and I am just going to settle things right here and now: it is all true. Because what else is going to be able to tackle something that you can barely see but that brings the dead back to life or comes meandering through to eat your brains?
Oh, a sword will do it, you say? Yeah, go ahead. Chop them. Take their heads off. And while you are doing that to one, remember that there are seven others, and the pieces of them can still move and just because you chop off a head doesn’t mean the thing is down.
I know Paladins get all the fame and glory. I’m not in it for that. I was called to serve a higher power, and then I was asked again to do it, and to help people in ways that don’t involve having to fend off evil all day. That’s the easy way. I get to help people in ways that matter, ways that count, and you can laugh at me all you want, because I know that when you need a hand to hold in the dark more than a light to see in it, I will be the one you turn to.
And I will be there.
Background
Into that challenge, that need to find a way to resist the impact of the undead, comes the need to find ways to aid the whole of humanity to come to the recognition and following of the Powers That Be, to earn that trust back. While Paladins may be the ones best known for fighting the tide of darkness back with shield and sword, the daily fight against that which terrifies and creates despair falls to the task of the humble folks whose lives are spent in the protection and service of the Shrines.
Shrines exist where there is great beauty and wonder, and they serve to protect it, to preserve it, to enhance it and allow others to share in it. They are sacred spaces that can be found everywhere, far more widely scattered and less centralized than the Temples are. Every Shrine is attended to by Shrinewards and Clerics, working to ensure that the care and worship of the Powers is accomplished, and the needs of the people are met. However, not all those who serve a shrine only serve within its precincts.
As with all the clergy, Shrinewards are called to their service – they are servants of the divine, after all. But sometimes, once in a while, a few are asked to take up the mantle of a special protector, one who is meant to embody what it means to be a being of love, of kindness, of caring, of friendship, of safety and succor.
They are offered a bargain, a deal, and with it they gain power from the Radiant to oppose the Necrotic, to help the everyday, to be the hero of the moment, even if they will never be fully remembered or seen for being that person.
As with any Pact with a great Power, the price is always high. For many it is solitude, separation. For others it is something physical, or perhaps mental. But what is gained in return is a chance at a life filled with youth, with danger, and there is always some reward for service well rendered. I need not mention that such a reward is often Love. Anyone who has lived in a village or town or city has seen or heard the tales; the girl who guides a lost child back to her mother, the young man who kept the horses from trampling a young woman, the enby juvenal who turned the tide of zombies given life from the local graveyard, the strange youngster whose presence brought good luck. And all will recall that no one can ever say what they look like, exactly, nor can they ever find them when they are not out doing good works.
They are the Shrinewards. Gifted with power, gifted with youth, gifted with Divine and Radiant power, they are a bulwark not against corruption and destruction, but against despair and loneliness, grief and bitterness. They are the other side of the Paladin’s Coin, and where one may fear to tread, the other will step forward.
Legend
The first Shrineward was Elaine of Tremont, a follower of Vulcana who rose to fame first as a life saver during the early months of the first Skyfall, and then became a legend as she faced the wrath of the necromancer Haridas Consolan and saved all of Liones itself from being overrun by a zombie horde.
Shrinewards are not surgical tools of the Powers That Be. They are Weapons of Mass Destruction in as seemingly harmless a form as possible: Juvenals.
Your typical Shrineward appears to be between the ages of 14 and 18, no matter their actual age, and when in their Vestments, they cannot be fully recalled as to their appearance. They are charged with keeping the sprits and hope of people alive, and they take that task at least as seriously as Paladins do the task of combatting corruption and cruelty.
Most importantly, Shrinewards are Divine Servants. They are particularly effective against and around necrotic forces, and undead are their main foe in all their forms, for they are the enemies of Ghasts, Ghouls, Miasmas, Pneumas, Zyma, Humors, and Vapours. They accomplish this in part by being filled with Radiance, granting them good fortune, an aura of hope, and pretty potent magical abilities.
This makes Meka uncomfortable around Shrinewards, who have the ability to impact the abiding pneuma that gives them life.
Shrinewards are given gifts specific to a certain kind of nature, such as friendship, love, the moon, the stars, the planet, elements, and other abstract concepts. All spells and magic they use must feed into this, but the way that is expressed can be combative, supportive, defensive, protective, etc. This is called their Cause.
Paladins may have the Infernal to oppose, and Clerics may be about letting others move on, but Shrinewards are about opposing the forces of Death itself, in service most often to the Radiant, to bringing the power of luck, fortune, and life to bear.
Above all else, Shrinewards are there to show the people the power of the heart, of friendship, of community, of kindness and caring, and to be the brightest light when the darkness falls.
A Shrineward is easily one of the best forms of public relations for the Powers that Be, for they are given over to the Service they take as protectors of what is sacred, what is pretty and beautiful, what is sacred and divine, what is most uplifting and fulfilling, what brings peace and contentment.
Many say that Shrinewards are unbearably naive or overly concerned with “goodness”, but these people have never seen what it takes to be able to stand against a zombie horde or a massive giant beast or a Yuma.
Knowing who a Shrineward is can be a different thing from actually seeing them in action. This is in part because of one of the core capabilities of Shrinewardens: their transformation.
Role
Proficiencies | |
Skills (Pick 2) | Climb, Swimb, Athletics, Acrobatics, Contortion, Medicine, Insight, Eavesdrop, Persuade, Counsel, Theology, Hospitality, Etiquette, Tumbling, Ritual Dance |
Spell Proficiency | Simple, Rudimentary, Intermediate |
Armor Training | Standard, Shield |
Weapon Training | Simple, Common, Specialist |
People tell stories about Shrinewards. They will tell the story of how a Shrineward became a Shrinewarden, often with eyes filled with Pride. They will tell the tale of children rescued, or the elderly or infirm being saved, of foul creatures pushed back, of the dead returned to their graves, of the abomination sealed.
And they will always include in their tales some mention of how the Shrineward was young, so young, a juvenal or apprentice, but they could never quite make out their face or be able to identify them. They are always earnest in their efforts, as well.
That Earnestness often causes people to think less of them, to question their sanity, and to even mock them, all of which feed into the power that ultimately drives and gives meaning to the Shrinewards. They are meant to be a little sappy, meant to be the people that endure, and it matters because the things that Shrinewards face are not even remotely interested in such, and are capable of killing them as easily as they are of being destroyed.
Shrinewards are not common. A large city may have a half dozen, a town two, a village will be lucky if it has one. Every shrine potentially has at least one candidate, should a previous one fall, but not all candidates are finally chosen.
All of this is because Shrinewards are seen as Role Models at all times, and are charged with being Pure of Heart, Innocent, and Good. All of which are necessary when dealing with Ghouls and Ghasts, Miasmas and Humours, who can inhabit a host body and indulge in wild and terrifying things, almost always with a plan that involves harm to those who cannot stand up for themselves.
One Shrineward describes her actual day to day efforts as part cleric, part best friend, part healer, and part exorcist. She was responsible for keeping the calendar, divinations, as well as watching for auspicious changes and alterations in the flow and ebb of the city and the people.
Those who serve in Shrines are often collectively just called Shrinewards, though that particular term is actually meant to apply to the Soulwarden who has been bound to that Shrine – and it is important to note that once bound, a Soulwarden never leaves the consecrated ground again. It is where they will remain, and when they pass on, it is where their remains will lay. A Shrineward is not yet bound to a Shrine and may never be.
While Priests can be identified by their robes and sashes, Shrinewards are identified by the distinctive uniform they wear. It consists of a tight-fitting, mid-waisted white jacket with long, bell sleeves that drape dramatically and are set to be one finger longer than the length of their arms.
This jacket is always trimmed in ribbons with the second color of the power and seems to never get dirty – it is always a bright white. Beneath it they will wear a wrap shirt of the third color of the Power, and then they will always wear a pair of very loose, skirt like trousers – dance is a frequent act for them, and range of motion is important.
They normally wear sandals, but some will wear boots, especially when traveling. The trousers ae always the first color of that power. White is what stands out, and each is a solid color. It is said that the garments are gifted by the powers directly, as no one has ever been found to make them, and duplicating the dyes is seemingly all but impossible, and never for such clothing. They are potent and persistent reminder that these are people that have been specifically chosen by a power.
Shrinewards are chosen and have unique gifts, but they are not the only ones so chosen. The role of a Shrineward, however, is to assist in the task of turning back the denizens of the Necrotic – often thought to mean that the role of a Shrineward is to turn the undead, though it is both narrower and broader than that thought. Shrinewards are often members of the Adventurer’s guild, as well, and they are the rare but still found folks who will travel, for they do not get to take time off – they are the representatives of their Power, and they have a mission to bring more people to follow that Power.
All of the abilities of a Shrineward are bent to these tasks: protecting the faithful, bringing in new faithful, defending the shrine, and opposing the necrotic. Training, from common rites and rituals to the elaborate dances, to the purification rituals (dawn for women, noon for enbys, dusk for men), gives them a sense of stability and continuity.
Fortes
The Power: All Shrinewards serve a Power That Is and are allowed to only serve that one. They must forego consecration to any other power, but they do not gain a limitation of only being able to help those who follow that power – their abilities are for them to use for anyone. Shrinewards can only serve the Seven or the Five, although rumor has it that Urisha employs them.
The Cause: All Shrinewards have a Cause. A Cause is what they seek to preserve and protect and is always expressed in a combination of literal and metaphorical terms about a concept of grand meaning and universal import. Common causes are Love, Friendship, Good Will, Beauty, Kindness, Compassion, Balance, Hope, Joy, Euphoria, Luck, and similar. To determine if it makes a good cause, shout out “In the name of “X”, I am here to defy you!” and if it doesn’t seem especially earnest and somewhat groanworthy, then it isn’t a good cause.
Shrinewards make a Sacrifice. This is something they give up that has great and important meaning and is often linked directly to their Cause. A sacrifice may be “having children” or “finding love” or “being wealthy” or “never being hungry”. It is always something that is then tested against the Shrineward, over and over again, in ways that they often did not realize when they first accepted the role.
Should a Shrineward decide to give up their Cause or seek to follow another Power, or surrender their status, the lose all their Shimi, and with them goes all the powers they have access to as a result of them.
Shrinewards serve a Power. Indeed, some may serve up to two, though one is always their Primary, and they are always concerned with the well-being of those who they are tasked with bringing into the faithful. They are very special group of people, and they have unique capabilities, but they are also those who oppose the denizens of the Necrotic, and so they are the first line of defense against the undead and the constructs and the possessed.
One of the benefits to being a Shrinewarden is that you are going to appear to be between 14 and 21 years of age whenever you are empowered, no matter how old you are truly. Additionally, hair and eye color change, and hair style changes – Shrinewards always have ponytails that are very long, and this can cause some discomfort for the masculine and nonbinary Shrinewardens when they are older.
Shrinewards are also always able to seek shelter and community within any temple or other shrine of their Power – and there are always two or three well-appointed rooms for them in any of these locations should they pass through.
Fortune’s Favor
At 1st Level, Shrinewards are all given a gift that helps to define them as such in the form of a dimensional familiar, a denizen of the Eighth or Ex Dimensions, that is visible and audible only to the Shrineward unless all concerned are on the Radiant Plane. This kind of familiar is called a Shimi.
Communicating telepathically, they are always in the form of a small, cute, furry being that seems to be some sort of cross between two or three types of cute, furry mammals. They may or may not have wings, but can often float or fly near their Shrineward, and will appear to others only on request – but will rarely take action on their own in any direct way except as it pertains to the relics they provide..
This Shimi is the source of their power and the link of their bond should they forego their pact, they will lose the Shimi and thus their powers. These powers all stem from the items that the Shimi grants as part of their Ward’s Raiment.
At 5th Level, they gain a second Shimi.
At 9th Level, they gain a third Shimi.
At 13th Level, they gain a fourth Shimi.
With each Shimi gained, an additional part of their Raiment is brought after time spent by the Shimi determining what would be best for the Shrineward in terms of Cause and Power.
The Shimis have a potent ability to make it difficult to recognize the Shrineward in their empowered form, acting as a disguise. To perceive them, one must make a PERception check with a CR of 15. This includes even if the ‘Ward tells others, who may not believe them.
Radiant Ghost
At 17th Level, you gain the ability to teleport behind an enemy in response to harm. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to teleport up to 10 feet per level in any direction that does not place you inside a solid surface, gaining advantage. This happens in a blinding flash of light that causes a Con Save against a DC of your PC level or be blinded for a number of turns equal to your proficiency bonus.
Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until after a long rest.
Shrine Vestments
At 1st Level, you gain the ability to transform into your Shrine Guardian form, giving you special capabilities that define your abilities. Transformation is an Action, and you cannot take any Movement, Reactions, Bonus Actions, or other efforts while you transform. Transformation takes 1 round.
Vestments or Raiment
Shrineward use a very specific set of powerful Foci that is given to them as part of the Pact, by which they are granted their powers. These foci are summoned by them asking their familiars for them (the Shimis that only they can see and hear). Shrineward Foci can only be summoned for a maximum of two hours at a time, no more than four times between long rests. You regain all your uses after a long. Roughly once every four hours, in game time.
The Vestments can only be used by the ‘Ward they were gifted to but can be handled by others, although as long as they are within 60 feet of the Shrineward, they can be compelled to return to them (brought to them by their Shimis) with an Action.
These Foci come in different forms, the first four each brought by a different Shimi: Armor, Tool, Weapon, Amulet, and Decoration. The Decoration arrives directly from the Power whom they serve.
1st Level | Armor | Embellished with filigree and brocade embroidery, always exaggerated, conforming to the person in a manner that gives the best appearance, this is a set of magical clothing that is distinct from anything they might normally wear. |
5th Level | Tool | An ornately decorated Baton or Wand. When not in use, it appears to be some ordinary item, such as a compact, amulet, or other trinket, changing shape so as to be of little notice. |
9th Level | Weapon | A special weapon of the Shrineward, always one of five types. It is intricately detailed, and highly decorated, but appears nondescript and usually not even as a weapon when not in use. |
13th Level | Amulet | A pendant of some sort, worn on a slim chain around the neck, conveying some aspect of their Sacrifice in meaning. It appears to be quite valuable when in use but appears to be almost worth discarding when not. |
17th Level | Decoration | Always some sort of exceptionally ornate jewelry, such as a tiara, ornate bangle, ornate armband, ornate belt, special hat, hair decoration, etc. It must be worn at all times and can be used even when the other foci are not in use, subject to the same limitations. |
Raiment Armor
This Gift changes the character’s normal clothing and armor into the magical armor that is the gift. It is summoned with a verbal command that always has something to do with the nature of their magic and their powers they are given, usually involving a light show that obscures the character’s body, as the clothing they wear is dissolved in a flashy show that cannot be seen through and the armor forms around them, somatic gestures (such as a spin, with arms raised and legs raised), and ending with a “combat ready” pose, taking a full turn to do so; this creates an outfit that does not appear to be armor and is treated as magical armor.
This focus is always a very, very exaggerated form of clothing or armor that may or may not cover or seemingly protect the entirety of the wearer. It varies according to the gender and perspective of the Shrineward, from an ornate, very feminine dress or skirt outfit, with hair styling and ribbons and bows or it may exaggerate their size and muscle, or even be a combination of factors that make it difficult to determine their gender.
At 1st Level, the Armor focus gives the wearer an Armor Class of 12 + Dex Modifier, with an additional AC bonus of +.5 per level of the Shrineward (+1 for every two levels of the Shrineward)
Raiment Tool
As noted, it will return to them even if it is held or otherwise locked way by nonmagical means, though magical means can stop this. The Tool enables them to use certain Shrine Fortunes.
Raiment Weapon
This weapon is always one of five different types, although it is the character’s choice:
Staff | Spear | Scythe | Bow | Mace |
The Weapon appears during the Investiture, and vanishes in sparkling motes of light when the Vestments are returned.
Raiment Amulet
This is a vestment that is thereafter worn at all times by the ‘Ward. It cannot be removed from them without their consent.
Raiment Décor
This is a vestment that marks them as a powerful servant of a given power, and while it can be freely removed and stored and placed around by the ‘Ward, it is unable too be moved by anyone who is not another Shrinewarden, and only the ‘Ward to whom it is given can use it.
Radiant Influence
Starting at 5th Level, Shrinewards gain the ability to use the discipline of Radiant Influence, which has several purposes and features as they increase in mastery. This discipline does not have a mana cost and does not manifest as a magical spell.
Turn Undead
Gained at 5th Level, using an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer censuring the undead. Each undead that can see or hear you within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is turned for 1 minute or until it takes any damage.
A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can’t willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. It also can’t take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there’s nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.
At each Degree of Mastery, the radius increases by 10 feet.
At 9th Level, this grants the ability to drive the denizen back to their plane. when an undead fails its saving throw against your Turn Undead feature, the creature is instantly destroyed if its challenge rating is 2 or more below the level of the Shrineward.
Know Necrotic
Gained at 5th level, you learn Detect Miasma at will within 30 feet of you. At each Degree of Mastery, this extends another 30 feet. Miasmas include anything empowered or possessed by Miasmas, Pneumas, Zyma, Humors, and Vapours.
Defy Necrotic
Starting at 9th level, you have learned to ward yourself against attack and can turn your enemy’s failed strike into good luck for yourself. When a necrotic creature makes an attack against you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on that roll. If the attack misses you, your next attack roll has the advantage if you make it before the end of your next turn.
Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until after a short or long rest.
Deny Necrotic
At 13th Level, you can face a single creature who is Necrotic and hurl it into a Dimensional Gate. The creature disappears and hurtles through a dimensional rift and takes 10d10 Radiant Damage as it reels from the horrific (to it) experience.
Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until after a long rest.
Shrine Fortunes
Starting at 1st Level, Shrinewards do not receive an Esoterica slot, they begin to learn Shrine Fortunes. Shrine Fortunes always cost 5 Mana points to use and can be used a number of times per day equal to their degree of mastery. A short rest will restore one use of them, a long rest will restore all uses.
A Shrine Fortune is a small piece of paper, upon which is magically inscribed a sigil of a specific sort. These small strips of paper can be thrown up to 5 feet per level of the Shrineward plus their Dexterity modifier as a thrown attack to strike a target (living or not, stationary or not). On contact, the paper will stick to the object magically.
At 5th Level, they can choose two of them that they qualify for. Thereafter, at each level, they can choose one additional Fortune for their Apocrypha. They gain an additional two at 9th, 13th, and 17th Levels.
The following table lists the Shrine Fortunes available for them to choose from. The table gives the Focus needed for that Fortune, the term that must be shouted as a “call out”, and the effects of it.
Where “C” appears, it is their Cause, where “S” appears, it is their Sacrifice, where “P” appears it is the Power they serve.
Fortune | Focus Needed | Fortune Call! | Effects |
Agonizing Blast | Armor | Punishment! | Name change only |
Armor of Shadows | Armor | Armor of Hope! | Applies to one other person within 30 feet of the Shrineward |
Ascendant Step | Armor | Leviosa! | Name change only |
Beast Speech | Armor | Cute Commune! | Name change only |
Beguiling Influence | Armor | For (X)! | Name change only |
Bewitching Whispers | Tool | Soul Speak! | Name change only |
Book of Ancient Secrets | Armor | The (X) Reveals! | These are symbols that are inscribed magically on the Tool Focus |
Chains of Carceri | Weapon | (P)’s Holdfast! | Name change only |
Devil’s Sight | Armor | (X)’s Eyes! | Can be applied to one other person within 30 feet of the Shrineward. |
Dreadful Word | Tool | Look, Over There! | Name change only |
Eldritch Sight | Armor | Reveal Magic! | Name change only |
Eldritch Spear | Armor | Heart Punishment! | Name change only |
Eyes of the Rune Keeper | Armor | (P)’s Revelation! | Name change only |
Fiendish Vigor | Armor | Extra Life! | Name change only |
Gaze of Two Minds | Armor | Shared Heart! | Name change only |
Lifedrinker | Amulet | Punishment in the Name of (X)!! | Name change only |
Mask of Many Faces | Armor | Cover of (P)! | Name change only |
Master of Myriad forms | Amulet | Face Off, Face On! | Name change only |
Minions of Chaos | Weapon | Minion of (X)! | Name change only |
Mire the Mind | Tool | (P) says Slow Down! | Name change only |
Misty Visions | Armor | Misty Vision! | Name change only |
One With Shadows | Tool | Unvisible! | Name change only |
Otherworldly Leap | Weapon | Leap of Faith | Name change only |
Repelling Blast | Armor | (X) Punishment! | Name change only |
Sculptor of Flesh | Decor | Abracadabra | Other words available include Alakazam, Hocus Pocus, Oo Ee Oo Ah Ah Ting Tang Walla Walla Bing Bang, Presto, and so forth. |
Sign of Ill Omen | Tool | Curse of (P) | Name change only |
Thief of Five Fates | Armor | Curse of (X) | Name change only |
Thirsting Blade | Weapon | Super Focus! | Name change only (note that the Focus tool is their Pact weapon) |
Visions of Distant Realms | Armor | (P) sees all! | Name change only |
Voice of the Chain Master | Armor | Talk to me, Buddy! | The familiar in this case is the Shimi. |
Whispers of the Grave | Weapon | Tell me (Y) this to you! | (Y) = who did, what happened, etc |
Witch Sight | Amulet | (X) Shows the Truth! | Name change only |
Note that a Grand Master Shrineward is exceptionally dangerous even before you add in their ability to use magic.
Apprenticeship
Starting Gear | |
Gear | Small Backpack, Tinderbox, Large Sack, 30’ Rope, Waterskin |
Tools or Kit | Choice of Apothecary, Healers, or Handiwork |
Focus | Vestments |
Armor | any 1 set of Standard. |
Weaponry | Any 1 Simple, Common, or Specialist weapon |
Wealth Bonus | 35 |
Shrinewards are offered the role by a Shimi, who appears to them secretly on the day of their 15th year birthday. They begin their Apprenticeship that day if they accept, and the bond they forge is lifelong.
There are men and Enby folks who are Shrinewards, and they do not appear to change their gender – a common misconception among the general public, who tend to remember the feminine ones more clearly. According to those in the know, it is the dresses.
Learning to Empower themselves is the first task of a Shrineward in training, building up the ability to turn it on and off.
Shrinewards are trained by Wardens and Priests at a Shrine. They are often younger than others who adventure and are often free to explore and interact with others (though always watched over by their Mentors). “wards are encouraged to be involved with people, to solve problems, to provide help and support, to be free to have fun and enjoy themselves – while still being very serious about their studies and their devotion.
Shrinewards must be trained at a full Shrine for at least some of their apprenticeship. While they may serve at a small Village or hamlet shrine during much of their training, they also must travel to the larger Shrine for a minimum of one year’s service. These shrines are located in different realms:
Location | Shrines | Location | Shrines | |
Akadia | Paria, Tamasin | Sibola | Melane, Kybele | |
Aztlan | Gallae, Kybele | Sea Realms | Lamia, Qetza | |
Dorado | Antelle, Qetza | Kahokia | Lamia, Gaea | |
Durango | Melane, Kybele | Hyboria | Paria, Qetza | |
Lyonese | Gallae, Ululani | Antilia | Melane, Mansa | |
Qivira | Antelle, Vulcana |
After that yearlong sojourn, they return to their home shrine for one final year of training, where they join the local ‘Wards in protecting and defending the area, preparing to master their assorted gifts.
Shrinewards who travel are always on the lookout for a place to build a new shrine and shift from Shrineward to Shrinewarden. That shift can only happen once they are a Master, but many will mark a place long before then and return to it when they can, settling and establishing themselves as they settle in.
Within a Shrine, a Shrinewarden is considered part of the Shrine itself, and so gains the divine protection of consecration and becomes inviolate, though they can never again leave that shrine.
Aspects
Orders
At 5th Level, they gain 1 First Order.
At 13th Level they gain 1 Second Order.
Shrinewards can specialize in the Weapon type that they will receive as part of their vestment, only.
Precepts
At 3rd Level, you can choose one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 7th Level, you can choose one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 11th Level you can choose one aspect from the Member list, or one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 15th Level you can choose one aspect from the Hieros list, or one aspect from the Member list, or one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 19th Level you can choose one aspect from the Alumni list, or one aspect from the Hieros list, or one aspect from the Member list, or one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
Maxims
At 4th Level, you can choose one Dedicated Maxim.
At 8th Level you can choose one Persistent Maxim or one Dedicated Maxim.
At 12th Level you can choose one Zealous Maxim or one Persistent Maxim or one Dedicated Maxim.
At 16th Level you can choose one Unyielding Maxim or one Zealous Maxim or one Persistent Maxim or one Dedicated Maxim.
At 20th Level you can choose one Absolutist Maxim or one Unyielding Maxim or one Zealous Maxim or one Persistent Maxim or one Dedicated Maxim.
Esoterica
At 6th Level, you can choose one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 10th Level, you can choose one aspect from the Member list, or one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 14th Level, you can choose one aspect from the Hieros list, or one aspect from the Member list, or one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
At 18th Level, you can choose one aspect from the Alumni list, or one aspect from the Hieros list, or one aspect from the Member list, or one aspect from the Initiate list, or one aspect from the Postulant list.
Mysteries
Affinity | Axiom | Cipher | Manifestation | Orgone |
Divine | Servant | 
| Motes | Mantra |
Affinity Score | Axiom Score | Spell | Spell Book | Focal |
Wis | Wis | Prayer | Apocrypha | Vestment |
Shrinewards use the Shrineward Spell List.
Spell Level | Spell Point Cost | Actions to Cast |
Cantrips / 0 | 1 | 1 |
1 Level Spells | 3 | 1 |
2 Level Spells | 5 | 2 |
3 Level Spells | 8 | 2 |
4 Level Spells | 12 | 3 |
5 Level Spells | 14 | 3 |
Spellcasting Quirk:
As Divine Servants, Shrinewards have an additional burden levied on them by the Powers That Be. Any spell cast requires they perform a ritualized series of moves, assume a specific stance, and speak a rhyming or alliterative statement that invokes their Patron, invokes their cause, describes the purpose of the effect, ending with the effect’s name.
For example, casting a magic missile might mean they cry out “By the Power of Gaea, in the Cause of Righteousness, to send you on a mission: Magic missile!” while doing a spin and pose, ending with the tool pointing at their target.
At 1st Level, they gain Simple Mysteries.
At 9th Level they gain Rudimentary Mysteries.
At 17th Level they gain Intermediate Mysteries.
Mana Stored & Spells Per Level
Complexity -> | Mana Stored | Simple | Rudimentary | Intermediate | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mastery | Level | Cantrip | 1st Level | 2nd Level | 3rd Level | 4th Level | 5th Level | |
Novice | 1 | 10 | 3 | |||||
2 | 20 | 4 | 1 | |||||
3 | 30 | 4 | 1 | |||||
4 | 40 | 4 | 2 | 1 | ||||
Yeoman | 5 | 50 | 5 | 2 | 1 | |||
6 | 60 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||
7 | 70 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||
8 | 80 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | ||
Adept | 9 | 90 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
10 | 100 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
11 | 110 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
12 | 120 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | |
Master | 13 | 130 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
14 | 140 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | |
15 | 150 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | |
16 | 160 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | |
Grand Master | 17 | 170 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
18 | 180 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | |
19 | 190 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | |
20 | 200 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | |
Leveling Table
Level | Mastery | Prof Bonus | Skill | Forte | ASI | Maxims | Precepts | Mysteries | Orders | Esoterica |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Novice | 0 | Yes | Simple | First | |||||
2 | 0 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
3 | 0 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
4 | +1 | Yes | Rudiments | |||||||
5 | Yeoman / Doyen | +1 | Yes | Second | ||||||
6 | +1 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
7 | +1 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
8 | +2 | Yes | Medial | |||||||
9 | Adept | +2 | Yes | Third | ||||||
10 | +2 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
11 | +2 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
12 | +3 | Yes | Advanced | |||||||
13 | Master | +3 | Yes | Fourth | ||||||
14 | +3 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
15 | +3 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
16 | +4 | Yes | Expert | |||||||
17 | Grand Master | +4 | Yes | Fifth | ||||||
18 | +4 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
19 | +4 | Yes | Yes | |||||||
20 | +5 | Yes |
