Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Cleric Encounters: Thoth

14th in the gods and goddesses series for Divinities and Cults: Volume III, we have Thoth, Egyptian god of knowledge, balance, and judgment.

1d12
1. During the next meditation, study, or prayer session, any spellcasters in the party become disturbed by an irritating noise. It is (roll 1d8): [1] loud talking, 
[2] laughing, [3] yelling, [4] barking, [5] music, 
[6] screaming, [7] roaring, [8] reroll twice. They must make Wisdom checks or have to take an extra hour to prepare any spells; that is, if the noise stops by then (a base 65% chance)!

2. The clear-mindedness of Thoth fills the immediate area. It lasts for the next hour and all affected who engage in calm action gain a +4 to such rolls.  

3. Upon the horizon, the moon shows large and bright. All Neutral beings (or those engaged in balanced pursuits) may reroll one roll of their choice once before it sets again, 1d6 x 10 minutes later.

4. The wisest member of the party seems to age mysteriously for the next 24 hours, gaining +2 Wisdom, but also an aspect of decrepitude (roll 1d6): [1] trouble with short-term memory, [2] difficulty urinating, [3] hard of hearing, [4] predilection to go on for 4d4 minutes at a time about ‘the good ‘ole days’ whenever possible, [5] plagued by aches and pains, [6] reroll twice. During this time, the Referee can require the one affected to make ability checks in order to do such things that would normally come easily in one’s youth.

5. A dog-headed ape leaps out suddenly. Though sacred to Thoth, this creature might end up monkeying around (a base 50% chance). In aani case, treat it as a baboon.

6. The basis of nearly all fell cults is their lack of reason. The party encounters 1d6 such lunatics who, along with giving the moon (and thereby Thoth) a bad name, espouse (roll 1d4): [1] near-constant yelling and other forms of loudness, [2] laboring all day in order to purchase overly priced goods that aren’t really needed, [3] facilitating the ethnic cleansing of their own people, [4] attempting to tyrannize those who they consider tyrants.

7.  A number of scrolls are uncovered. Those attempting to discern their meaning must make an Intelligence check first (roll 1d4): [1] a random Thoth cleric spell, [2] a historical record, [3] a philosophical treatise, [4] reroll twice.

8. A disciple of Thoth approaches the party. He turns out to be a (roll 1d12): [1-4] cleric, [5-7] priest, 
[8] lector priest, [9] monk, [10] mystic, [11] simply a faithful follower, [12} Thoth Avatar. He requests that they retrieve an item of knowledge for him.

9. As #8 above, except that the disciple now asks that the party help the cause of Thoth by promoting balance (roll 1d4): [1] assist a Lawful group, [2] weaken a Lawful group, [3] assist a Chaotic group, 
[4] weaken a Chaotic group

10. With an ancient trove of lore, the party uncovers a Hermopolis of sorts. Though it may be ruined (a base 50% chance), it will also contain at least one temple of Thoth, along with (roll 1d6): [1] a strange, hippopotaman temple of Set, [2] grotto burials, [3] an enormous ibis (treat as a roc), [4] associations with the Greek divinity Hermes (see Mercury in Volume II), [5] 2d4 dangerously large baboons (treat as man-eating apes), [6] reroll twice.

11. A merchant offers the ‘Book of Thoth’ to sell to the party for 1d6 x 1000 gold pieces. It turns out to be (roll 1d6): [1] authentic, granting its readers a +1 bonus to Intelligence or Wisdom, [2] an imperfect copy, only having a 50% chance of granting its readers +1 to Intelligence or Wisdom, [3] utter nonsense, 
[4] a cookbook- recipes have a 50% chance of actually being tasty though, [5] as the scrolls in #7 above, [6] cursed with vile deceptions, causing its readers a -1 penalty to Intelligence and Wisdom. Any followers of Thoth will of course attempt to vigorously investigate the book (and the merchant), no matter what it does!

12. The party comes across an Egyptian temple (see Volume III for details). Though many Egyptian divinities are worshipped there, its main patron is (roll 1d10): [1] Anubis, [2] Bast, [3] Horus, [4] Isis, [5] Osiris, [6] Ra, [7] Thoth, [8] the Pharaoh, [9] Apep, [10] Set.

  
Sample 14th Level Cleric of Thoth
Align: N
MV: 40’
AC: 6
HD: 14
Atk: 1
Dmg: 1d6+2 (+2 staff) or 1d6+1 (+1 mace)
SP: Thoth turn ability, mysteries, Ibis Head, Lunar Headdress, Babi, A’ah-Djehuty (divine tests), 75% chance of being confused for a monster
Spells prepared:
1st level: (6+2) Cure Light Wounds (x2), Detect Magic, Sanctuary, Comprehend Languages*, Feather Fall*, Read Languages*, Scribe*
2nd level: (5+2) Augury, Find Traps, Know Alignment, Silence 15’ radius, Speak with Animal, ESP* (x2)
3rd level: (5+1) Cure Disease, Dispel Magic (x2), Locate Object, Prayer, Clairvoyance*
4th Level: (4) Cure Serious Wounds, Divination, Protection from Evil 10’ Radius, Tongues
5th level: (3) Plane Shift, True Seeing*, Telekinesis*
6th level: (3) Find the Path, Heal, Legend Lore*
SV: C14
Mor: 9
Possessions: +2 Shield, +2 staff, +1 mace, 627 gold pieces, 4 random magic items, 6 useful scrolls (as #7 above), three 1st level Thoth cleric followers, one 3rd level Thoth monk bodyguard



Next week: cleric encounters, Apep!