Artemis Encounters, Part I

 Followers of Artemis

ARTEMISIAN PHILOSOPHY

Though Artemis's followers usually honor all her tenets, many emphasize one or a few. This choice not only guides their motivations and general personality traits, but it can also adjust the mysteries, magical side-effects, and divine test results available as written in Volume I.

Main Emphasis (d10)

1. Care for animals (Potnia Theron)

2. Assist expectant mothers (Eileithyia)
3. Protect children, innocence (Brauronia)

4. Protect wild places - honor sacred barriers (Britomartis)

5. Enjoy the hunt (Agrotera)

6. Savor the liberating light of the moon, transformation (Selene)
7. Protect virginity (Parthenos)
8. Honor bears (Kallisto)

9. Bring harsh judgment upon those who transgress upon innocence (Keladeinē)
10. Split focus (reroll twice)

For example, if a cleric of Artemis' focus is expectant mothers, rather than turning the spell's target into a girl (as in Magical Side-Effect #1), it might turn them into a pregnant woman instead. Such a cleric could also gain a +2 bonus to one of her spell rolls (up to once per day per level), when located near an expectant mother or mothers instead of having access to Artemis' usual mystery.

These variations can serve to offer greater choices for Artemis' cleric-types while maintaining their relative applicability. Once made, they should generally remain set so as to not make their use too powerful. Special quests can be undertaken though in order to change them again.

CLERIC-TYPE OF ARTEMIS GENERATOR

Male Classes (10% chance, d6)

1-3. Ranger (as ranger-wizards detailed in Volume IV, but their spells are selected from Artemis' list)

4-5. Nature Priest (detailed at end of this article)

6. Shaman (detailed with Dionysus)

Female Classes (90% chance, d8)

1-3. Cleric

4-5. Priestess (Hiereia)

6-7. Nature Priestess (detailed at end of this article)

8. Shamaness (detailed with Dionysus)

Hair Color (d6)

1-2. blond

3-4. brunette

5-6. black

Complexion (d6)

1-2. fair

3-5. medium

6. tanned

Garb (d6)

Affected by cleric type too- priestesses favor robes, nature priestesses favor hunting garb or green robes, etc.

1-2. white, red, green, or turquoise robes, all short

2-3. hunting garb
4-6. some furs, little else

Special Possessions (percent chance each)

- camping gear (50%)

- simple jewels (15%)

Clerics or Rangers of Artemis only

- bow and 3d6 arrows (85%)

- sling with 2d4 stones (50%)
- short sword (15% per level)

Special (percent chance each)

- divine blood (5%): gain +2 to Dexterity
- woodland nature (25%): gain a +2d3 bonus to any skill-based rolls made in forest settings

Sample Cleric-Types of Artemis

Braura, Lvl 2 Greek cleric of Artemis, Align: N, MV: 40’, AC: 8, HD: 2, Atk: 1 (bow), Dmg: 1d6, SP: cleric abilities, spells prepared (1st: Sanctuary (in wooded areas), Animal Companion (D), Speak with Animals (D), Warp Wood (D), SV: C2, Mor: 10, Items: holy symbol, green robes, bow, 14 arrows, dagger,  8 silver pieces. Main Emphasis: Protect Wild Places, Bears. Appearance: fair complexion, brown hair.

Sileope, Lvl 1 Greek nature priestess of Artemis, Align: N, MV: 40’, AC: 9, HD: 1, Atk: 1 (bow or sling), Dmg: 1d6 or 1d4, SP: woodland nature +4 bonus to any skill-based rolls made in forest settings, nature priestess abilities (see below), spells prepared (1st: Cure Light Wounds, Detect Evil, Faerie Fire (D) x2). SV: C1, Mor: 8, Items: holy symbol, furs, little else, bow, 8 arrows, sling, 4 stones, dagger, camping gear, 2 silver pieces. Main Emphasis: Savor the Liberating Light of the Moon. Appearance: medium complexion, blonde hair. 

===========================

Greek Nature Priests & Priestesses

* Treat as clerics, except that they cannot wear metal armor.

* They must always work to honor nature, animals, and natural places, as well as following the tenets of their divinity.

* In addition, they must also roll for Nature Priest Magical Side-Effects when casting spells (see below). These results can be adjusted based on the nature priest's tradition, per Referee. 

* In return, they can cast an extra druid spell from their divinity's list, of a level that they could normally cast, each day.

Nature Priest Magical Side-Effects (d6)

The nature priest must have done one of the following sometime within the last 4d6 hours. Otherwise he or she must do so within the same amount of time or face a divine test.

1. Keep a natural area that's sacred to their deity sacrosanct.

2. Work against a threat to their god's or goddess's natural ways.

3. Administer to the plants and/or wildlife sacred to their divinity.

4. Commune in a natural area.

5. Experience the power of their deity in a natural area (5% chance of encountering one of their avatars too).
6. Reroll twice.

Next week: Temples of Artemis in Part II!