Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Clerics of Ninhursag, Part I

Ninhursag
Neutral Mesopotamian Goddess of Fertility and Mountains
Tenets of Ninhursag
* Honor the sacred mountains & growing things
* Engage in fertility rites, giving birth to many
* Nourish others with your bounty

Clerics of Ninhursag
Special: Ninhursag is mainly served by clerics, priestesses, and druidesses.
Allowed Weapons: Club. axe, staff
Allowed Armor: Furs or lighter
Holy Symbol: Omega, Mountains, Mountain Woman
Can Turn: Those who would harm mountains or plants (if not known, a base 66% chance if human or humanoid; 33% chance for all others)
Mysteries of Ninhursag: Up to once per day per level, a priestess of Ninhursag can gain a +2 to one of her spells when her breasts are bared or when she is standing upon a mountain, +3 if both are the case.

Magical Side-Effects
The power of Ninhursag reflects her mountainous and fertile nature. Roll 1d12 to see what happens when her clerics cast a spell.

1. Sacrifice: Rituals and offerings are needed for the spell to work: 1d3 rounds and 1d6 gold pieces per spell level. If upon a mountain or hill though, then none are needed.

2. Birth Pains: Enki may have gotten ill from the sacred plants, but Ninhursag took them from him, mothering many gods and goddesses in the process. As such, the magic must not cause any direct harm if it is to work and can even allow double healing if the cleric takes 1d3 damage.

3. Mountain Mother: Life-giving milk flows from the cleric’s bosom, granting the full effect of the spell to all who suckle. If not, then it only works for 50% its normal effect.

4. Upon the Fertile Rises: A 1d6 x 10’ area around the spell’s casting becomes verdant, hilly, and uneven, causing all non-mountainous, non-hilly types who walk upon it to move at only 1/4 speed. The area also remains quite fertile until dispelled.

5-9. Standard Magic: The spell works without side-effect this time.

10. Giantess Spell: The magic works normally and if the cleric allows herself to grow in size (as per the enlarge spell, treated as if the cleric cast it), she can gain a 50% bonus to its effect, range, or duration, thanks to her larger stature and better vantage point.

11-12. Bounty of Ninhursag: The spell works automatically for double the effect, range, or duration, triple if it is related to healing, nourishment, or fertility.


Next week: Clerics of Ninhursag, Part II!