Priestesses of Hewsos, Part I

Hewsos
Proto Indo-European Dawn Goddess

Tenets of Hewsos

• Be Eternally Reborn
• Emphasize Beauty
• Move & Dance Throughout the World
• Doing Your Duty too
• Bringing Light
  
  

Priestesses of Hewsos

• Special: She is mainly served by priestesses and cleric-acrobats. Many Proto Indo-European heroes honor her too (see Part II).
• Allowed Weapons: Spear, staff, dagger, bow, with any tips and sharp edges made of bronze, copper, or stone
• Allowed Armor: None
• Symbols: Dawn, Red, Gold, Pink, Dancing Maiden, Light
• Can Turn: Those who don't appreciate the priestess's emphasis- see below (if not known, a base 20% chance). For priestesses with multiple emphases, roll to see which one applies in each encounter.

• Mysteries of  the Dawn: Once per day per level, a priestess of Hewsos can use the abilities of another class for 1d3 turns or even another divinity's mysteries that reflect her emphasis in some way. In either case, use the priestess's level to determine any level effects, though she must use a certain item, liquid, or familiar to channel or trigger the effect. Once chosen, which class or mystery it is, as well as the implement type, usually remains the same. For example, one priestess of Hewsos with an emphasis of Doing Your Duty might be able to act as a ranger or a thief of the same level for 1d3 turns per use as long as she's holding a bow or wearing a hooded cloak and performing her set task. Another might access a specific mystery of Yemo by wearing a necklace or drinking wine then being flirtatious, thanks to her focus on Fertility.

Emphasis 

Her followers almost always have two or more. Roll d6, then roll again for the specific emphasis on the list.
   1. Be Eternally Reborn, Rejuvenation, Dreams

   2. Emphasize Beauty, Love, Celestial Colors

   3. Dance Throughout the World, Fertility, Sweet Joy

   4. Doing Your Duty, Sacrosanct Innocence / Daughter of the Sky God, Independence

   5. Bringing Light, Enlightenment, Focus

   6. Dawn Itself, Banishing Darkness, Intuition

Magical Side-Effects of Hewsos

Replace the Hewsos words with the priestess's emphasis. Roll d12.

1. Lament of Hewsos: Maybe the spell's target would do better as the cleric’s emphasis? Hewsos would like to find out, turning them into something related to it for 1d4 hours (save vs. death/ Will save DC 10 negates). Ability scores may be adjusted during this time to match, unless of course the target is already one. 

2. Hewsos Spell: If it’s meant to help the one affected, then the Dawn Goddess sends an emissary based on the cleric’s emphasis to administer the spell’s effects, often with 1d2 damage to a fitting ability score to them. A sacrifice worth 1d6 gold pieces per spell level can counteract this.

3. Hewsos-struck: Usually reserved to ease an innocent’s pain, Hewsos deigns to use her light on the spell’s target instead. The subject then must immediately save vs. death/ make a Will save DC 10 or behave in a manner that fits the priestess’s emphasis for d30 minutes, as well as having a 5% chance of actually dying painlessly, since that’s what the dawn can be intended to do.

4. Hewsos Succor: The spell must be cast in some place that matches the priestess’s emphasis. Otherwise, it only has 50% of its usual intensity.

5. Hewsos Call: All within 120’ have a 25% chance of feeling an indelible urge to act in a way that matches the priestess’s emphasis for 1d6 turns. They must make a Wisdom check (DC 15) or do so as soon as possible.

6-8. Standard Casting: The spell works normally this time even though there’s a chance of the priestess’s emphasis showing too (a 33% chance).

9. Hewsos Magic: All within 60’ of the cleric must save vs. spell/ make a Will save DC 15 or engage in activities that reflect the priestess’s emphasis for 1d6 rounds right away. Such is the power of nature and thrill of the chase! 

10. Inviolate Hewsos: The target experiences double the spell’s effect, range, or duration. If it’s meant to help them though, then its power is reduced by 50% for every time they have dishonored the priestess’s emphasis over the past d30 days, possibly even causing harm if 3 or more have occurred during that time!

11. By the Light of Hewsos... The magic occurs with double the effect, range, or duration, but only if the priestess’s emphasis is around or nearby the spell’s target.

12. Blessing of Hewsos: The spell works for double the effect, range, or duration, as well as not being expended so it can be cast again that day. Also, if it’s meant to help the target, then Hewsos grants them a +2 bonus for 1d2 hours to all their rolls as long as they support the priestess’s emphasis.

For example, if a priestess of Hewsos' emphasis is the Dawn Itself, Magical Side-Effect #1 might turn one's hair into different shades of red, gold, and pink, as well as causing them to rise each day at daybreak, calling it Lament of Dawn. Such a priestess could also play a flute so that she can cast spells as a sorceress for 1d3 turns per use, reflecting Sweet Joy, her other emphasis.

Next week: tests of Hewsos, cleric-acrobats, heroes, and folk variations.

 RPG srd Old School 1st ed AD&D Artemis Athena Aphrodite Eos Proto-Indo-European Cleric Domains Priest Spheres PDF Yamnaya