Clerics of Dyeus Phater, Part III

Spells of Dyeus Phater
The Sky Father grants great might, both from above and via his magic. Such things usually cannot be repeated until the sky renews though. As such, clerics of Dyeus Phater and other Proto Indo-European deities cannot cast the same spell more than once each day unless under special circumstances, detailed further below. Being the 'original edition' of many later pantheons, similar restrictions apply to the other Proto Indo-European gods as well.

1st Level: Command, Cure Light Wounds, Light, Protection from Evil, Purify Food and Drink, Remove Fear (reversible), Divine Weather (D)

2nd Level: Augury, Bless, Hold Person, Holy Chant, Spiritual Weapon (wielded by a phantom patriarch)

3rd Level: Cure Blindness, Cure Disease, Dispel Magic, Prayer, Remove Curse, Striking (on copper, wood, or stone weapons), Gust of Wind*

4th Level: Cure Serious Wounds, Detect Lie, Exorcise, Neutralize Poison, Protection from Evil 10’ Radius, Protection from Electricity (D)

5th Level: Commune, Cure Critical Wounds, Dispel Evil, Flame Strike (as a blast of wind), Quest

6th Level: Control Weather, Find the Path, Heal, Summon Aerial Servant

7th Level: Holy Word, Restoration, Wind Walk, Control Weather (Greater, D)

Emphasis Spells
Though they generally cannot prepare or cast the same spells more than once per day, a cleric's emphasis can be used as a circumvention. In return for giving up knowledge of another spell of equivalent level, he may select one that matches his emphasis from the list below and repeatedly use it as many times per day as other clerics can- as long as he casts it in a certain way henceforth. And if the spell is already on Dyeus Phater's main list, the emphasis spell can replace that one instead. 

1. Lead Your People to Greatness
   Holy Chant: if cast on your people.

2. Everything for Your People, Nothing for Others
    Purify Food and Drink (reversible): if cast on what's been taken from enemy groups.

3. Honor Those Who Came Before, Perpetuating Traditional Ways
   Augury: if related to ancestors or the old ways.

4. Expand Your Seed, Helping Your Children Take New Lands
    Protection from Evil: if used on one's offspring or descendants.

5. The Sacred Against Chaos
    Cure Light Wounds (reverse): if applied against chaotic beings.

6. Only True Men Can Do This, Patriarchy (Wedh)
    Remove Fear: if cast on your men.

7. The Daylight Sky (Deywos)
    Light: if used outdoors or near an opening to the sky at any time, or underground during the daytime.

8. Winds (Hwento)
    Detect Evil: if used to enact justice or in a windy area.

9. The Open Steppe, Horses (Ekwos)
    Haste: if cast outdoors on flat terrain or when mounted.

10. Sacrifice, Sacred Cattle (Gwows)
    Bless: if done in conjunction when doing so.

11. Conquest, the Wheel (Kwekwlo)
    Command: if made while the cleric is mounted or on a chariot.

12. Father of the Gods: prosperity, fertility, law, or weather
     Per Dheghom Mehter, Perkwunos, Héwsōs, or the others

For example, if a cleric of Dyeus Phater's emphasis is the Daylight Sky, then he could opt to cast Light more than once during the same day, but must do so with such restrictions as being outside or near a window at night, or when in a cave at noon from now on, bringing the Sky Father's illumination to the dim.

Related Divinities & Spirits
Many Indo-European gods derive from Dyeus Phater, being Sky Fathers themselves. Their guidelines, magical side-effects, divine tests, and spells can be substituted with those of his, as needed. In addition, a number of beast spirits can correspond with him too.

• the Bull - meant for sacred sacrifice, meat, and even milk (in the case of cows), described in Volume V.
• the Dagda - Celtic, described in Volume II, through his celestial aspect.
• Deivas - Baltic, to be detailed in future posts.
• the Horse - a source of mobility on open plains, described in Volume V.
• Jupiter - Roman, similar to Zeus, but more ritualistic and formalized.
• Odin - Norse, described in Volume I and the upcoming Companion I, he espouses deep wisdom, sacrifice, and death as well.
• Papaios - Scythian, he can include much mobile raiding too.
• Svarog - Slavic, described in Volume IV, a very clear reflection, coupled with smithcraft and great order.
• Tyr - also Norse, described in Volume I and upcoming Companion I, his original Germanic role fits well.
• Ukko - Finnish, described in Volume IV, focused on spirits, though they all arise to the sky.
• Zeus - Greek, described in Volume I and upcoming Companion I, his contests with rivals can be emphasized.
• Zibelthiurdos - Thracian, combining aspects with the thunderer (link).

For example, a cleric of Zeus could use some of the allowed weapons, magical side-effects, and turn ability of Dyeus Phater, and vice versa.

The Return of Our Lands
The Sky Father wishes what his people have once taken to be taken by them again.

Map by https://watabou.itch.io/cave-generator (modified)

Start

Whether via followers of Dyeus Phater or stumbling upon such a place themselves, the party can be tasked or hired to investigate, liberate, or even restore this once-great place.

The Town

Held by goodly human folk, claimed in the name of the Sky Father in years past, it is now nearly completely overrun by goblinkind. And though some humans remain, most are cultists who had encouraged and even now still protect the goblins to this day, being altogether worse than the invaders themselves.

Location 1. The Church of Universal Love: In the name of the (fell) prophet Ilmomar, the people are 'encouraged' to pray for all their apparent trespasses, grateful to give their town to the goblins here, which is even then, never enough. The Church demands that humans (and only humans) are required to make eternal amends. If the party attends in a non-violent manner, they will be cordially invited to be guests for dinner, in which they will be likely drugged and then disposed of in the name of Universal Love.

   Mislead Parishioners: They might mean well, making them especially dangerous.
   MV: 40’, AC 9, HD 1-1, Atk: 1 (outraged slap), Dmg: 1d2-1, SP: +1d3 to all rolls when screaming to protect goblins and other inhumans, most characters would still want to avoid slaying them, can drug food- save vs. poison/ make a Fortitude save DC 15 or pass out for 1d4 hours, SV: F1, Mor: 11

   Hstalkera, Lvl 3 Priestess of Ilmomar (actually a witch (link) of NgWhi- detailed in a few weeks- until then, select spells from Apep or Tiamat in Volume III)

   Align: C, MV: 40’, AC: 9, HD: 3, HP: 10, Atk: 1, Dmg: 1d4 (curved dagger), SP: witch abilities- priestess x2 & hedge witch x1 (link), spells prepared

   1st Level:  Charm Person, pick 2 more- 1 of them prepared as a potion

   2nd Level: Amnesia,  pick 1 more

   SV: C3, Mor: 8, Items: unholy symbol, rainbow robes, curved dagger, 55 gps. Appearance: medium complexion, gray hair, slender build.

Location 2. Affluent Woods: The aristocrats in this reserved area have made much wealth thanks to the influx of the goblins, though they will only say that they helped change the town because of their abiding by Universal Love. For now, the goblins perform menial labor for the aristocrats, though when their numbers become great enough, the former will likely eat the latter.

   Aristocrats: Fancy humans who are woefully deluded to the goblin danger.
   MV: 40’, AC 9, HD 1, Atk: 1 (dagger), Dmg: 1d4, SP: most characters would want to avoid slaying them, they have many fine things, SV: F1, Mor: 11

   Goblin Servants - Currently numbering 15, though being goblins, where there's a few, there almost always many more. In any case, they are dun-hided, and thereby greatly prefer attacking those they outnumber. One is also (secretly) a goblin sneak. See Volume V for additional details.

    MV: 35’, AC 6, HD 1-1, Atk: 1 (sharp club), Dmg: 1d4-1, SP: goblin traits, gain a +1 to their rolls when outnumbering foes by 2:1 or more, but -1 when not, SV: F1, Mor: 7

Goblin Sneak: Add 1d4 to avoid being detected, but must flee from any foe that's seemingly stronger or that outnumbers them.

Location 3, Worker Fields: Huts and hovels, 75% of those encountered here will be goblin-types. The rest are humans, some had even believed the edicts of Universal Love at first until they became a clear minority. Now they attempt to avoid the beatings by their replacements. A cleric of Dyeus Phater secretly works amongst them, looking for an opportunity to remove the goblins and their enablers permanently. The party might just be the sign from above that he's been looking for.

   Goblin Gang - 2d6 amass at a time to harass smaller numbers of humans, especially including the party. Some gangs have hides of brown, others of burnt orange (equal chance of either). Use the stats for Goblin Servants above, except in the case of the orange ones, they gain a +1 bonus to their rolls when taking sacrificial victims (and penalty when not) instead.

 Mhatt the Whalsh, Lvl 2 Cleric of Dyeus Phater  

   Align: L, MV: 40’, AC: 8, HD: 2, HP: 9, Atk: 1, Dmg: 1d4 (well-carved club), SP: cleric abilities, spells prepared

   1st Level: Command, Cure Light Wounds (reversed, emphasis spell), Remove Fear (reversed)

   SV: C2, Mor: 11, Items: holy symbol, workman's clothes, 55 cps. 

   Emphasis: The Sacred Against Chaos. Appearance: fair complexion, black hair & beard, medium build.

  

Location 4, Market Place: Now derelict, it was once somewhat safer, with the aristocrats wishing for it to remain at least somewhat useful even as the town's population transformed. It had allowed trading with other areas for a time (thanks to not actually embracing Universal Love), though eventually that cult and its goblin infestation drove it into failure.

Next week: priestesses of Dheghom Mehter 

 RPG srd Old School 1st ed AD&D Zeus Sky God Deus Pater Cleric Domains Priest Spheres Yamnaya