Delcan
2006-11-14, 09:28 PM
A lady doesn't leave her escort
It isn't fair, it isn't nice
A lady doesn't wander all over the room
And blow on some other guy's dice.
So let's keep the party polite
Never get out of my sight
Stick with me baby, I'm the fellow you came in with.
-Frank Sinatra, Luck Be A Lady
Bartimus
Lucky Seven, Lucky Thirteen, The Cheat
Lesser Deity
Symbol: A die, showing a face with seven pips
Home Plane: The Outlands
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Portfolio: Chance, luck, beating the house
Worshippers: Few official - but plenty of under-the-table prayers
Cleric Alignments: CG, CN
Domains: Chaos, Luck
Favored Weapon: Dagger
Unlike most deities of fortune and luck, Bartimus doesn't take kindly to the idea that luck is a wild thing that can never be tamed. The Church of Sevens teaches that luck can be earned through the proper mindset, the right attitude, a few precautionary prayers, a couple of sacrifices to the right forces. Chance is not a fickle mistress who must be treated with kid gloves, the Sons of Bartimus contend, but a rowdy gal who can be bribed, swung about, and who will drag you along with her if she thinks you can handle her. The truly lucky are the ones who can make the luck happen, as Bartimus once demonstrated in his greatest tale of a gambit for divinity won by rolling an impossible thirteen.
Few actually follow, or indeed are even familiar with, the teachings of Bartimus. Most folks simply utter a quick prayer to him whenever they need a little bit of luck. The few that choose to follow Bartimus' advice and instructions are known for their supernatural ability to get away with just about everything. They're the most likely to get out of combat unscathed, get out of a burglary uncaught, and get out of a card game holding all the chips. It's no wonder that Bartimus is known as the Patron Saint of Cheats, because his clerics seem to make such egregious chances look like an easy thing to steal.
Bartimus is depicted in holy texts as an unshaven lout with stylish-yet-unkempt clothing, a beer belly, and a leather eyepatch over one eye - a reminder that even the luckiest folks get what's coming to them sometimes. His clerics refer to themselves as the "Sons of Bartimus"; however, most common folk refer to them with titles like "cheating sons-of-orcs" when they feel particularly polite.
The Church of Sevens isn't really a church, per se. It's hardly even a religion, let alone an organized one; without a unifying, dogmatic faith, most Sons simply go their own ambitious way in life and occasionally teach a few new students how to bribe luck to keep them company. About the most orderly and predictable thing you'll ever see a Son of Bartimus doing is taking bets at the bartop. If they're not managing gambles, the Sons make gambles of their own, in whatever they feel competent enough to get away with - whether it be simple games like horseshoes or arm wrestling, or noble sports like jousting, duelling, or spellfire. Of course, the Church of Sevens' own spin on games can often get the Sons kicked out of the contest - or worse.
Peculiarities of the Faith:
-Enemies: The clerics of St. Cuthbert would like nothing more than to see the vigorous application of maces to the heads of the Sons, for being unruly louts in general. Other than that, the Sons have a surprisingly good reputation with many other faiths. Despite their unreliability and their penchant for illicit behavior, most use fortune's boons for others as well as themselves, and all Sons of Bartimus extol the virtues of a life lived well with others - if only because enemies make for an unpleasant time of things.
Theft: The Sons openly state that they do not approve of stealing from the more fortunate. In more fitting company, they agree that theft is only against the law if you're caught. Some of the most skilled Sons of Bartimus are employed full-time by thieves' guilds, as their own organizational "lucky charms."
Adventuring: Almost all Sons of Bartimus are by nature; who needs a steady job when you're a lodestone for luck all by yourself? Adventuring parties both welcome the clerics for their talents and curse them for being the most likely to sit pretty while everyone else suffers around them.
Alternate Cleric Class Features:
Skills:The Sons of Bartimus add Bluff and Knowledge (local) to their list of cleric class skills.
Proficiencies:The Sons of Bartimus are proficient with simple weapons, the short sword, and the hand crossbow. They are proficient with light armor and shields.
Lucky Turn (Su):
Sons of Bartimus cannot turn or rebuke undead. However, their strong connections to fortune's favor let them coax many tight situations to their advantage. Once per round, a Son of Bartimus may attempt a lucky turn for a better result on a single d20 or percentile die roll that they rolled. Roll 1d20+Charisma modifier and consult the following table to determine how a particular die roll is modified. All modifiers are luck bonuses (or penalties) and stack with other luck modifiers.
Roll: Result
Less than 3: -3 penalty
3 to 5: -2 penalty
6 to 8: -1 penalty
9 to 11: +1 bonus
12 to 14: +2 bonus
15 to 17: +3 bonus
18 to 20: +4 bonus
Greater than 21: Special (DM's discretion)
If the player's modified roll is higher than 20, the result is something strange, unexpected, and somehow fitting, at the DM's option. This can include but is most certainly not limited to: The arrival of an ally on either side of combat; a jammed gear in a trap; realization that the cat really DID steal Farmor Jonas' rutabagas; or even rolling a seven with a six-sided die.
A Son of Bartimus can use their lucky turn ability (3 + Charisma modifier) times a day.
It isn't fair, it isn't nice
A lady doesn't wander all over the room
And blow on some other guy's dice.
So let's keep the party polite
Never get out of my sight
Stick with me baby, I'm the fellow you came in with.
-Frank Sinatra, Luck Be A Lady
Bartimus
Lucky Seven, Lucky Thirteen, The Cheat
Lesser Deity
Symbol: A die, showing a face with seven pips
Home Plane: The Outlands
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Portfolio: Chance, luck, beating the house
Worshippers: Few official - but plenty of under-the-table prayers
Cleric Alignments: CG, CN
Domains: Chaos, Luck
Favored Weapon: Dagger
Unlike most deities of fortune and luck, Bartimus doesn't take kindly to the idea that luck is a wild thing that can never be tamed. The Church of Sevens teaches that luck can be earned through the proper mindset, the right attitude, a few precautionary prayers, a couple of sacrifices to the right forces. Chance is not a fickle mistress who must be treated with kid gloves, the Sons of Bartimus contend, but a rowdy gal who can be bribed, swung about, and who will drag you along with her if she thinks you can handle her. The truly lucky are the ones who can make the luck happen, as Bartimus once demonstrated in his greatest tale of a gambit for divinity won by rolling an impossible thirteen.
Few actually follow, or indeed are even familiar with, the teachings of Bartimus. Most folks simply utter a quick prayer to him whenever they need a little bit of luck. The few that choose to follow Bartimus' advice and instructions are known for their supernatural ability to get away with just about everything. They're the most likely to get out of combat unscathed, get out of a burglary uncaught, and get out of a card game holding all the chips. It's no wonder that Bartimus is known as the Patron Saint of Cheats, because his clerics seem to make such egregious chances look like an easy thing to steal.
Bartimus is depicted in holy texts as an unshaven lout with stylish-yet-unkempt clothing, a beer belly, and a leather eyepatch over one eye - a reminder that even the luckiest folks get what's coming to them sometimes. His clerics refer to themselves as the "Sons of Bartimus"; however, most common folk refer to them with titles like "cheating sons-of-orcs" when they feel particularly polite.
The Church of Sevens isn't really a church, per se. It's hardly even a religion, let alone an organized one; without a unifying, dogmatic faith, most Sons simply go their own ambitious way in life and occasionally teach a few new students how to bribe luck to keep them company. About the most orderly and predictable thing you'll ever see a Son of Bartimus doing is taking bets at the bartop. If they're not managing gambles, the Sons make gambles of their own, in whatever they feel competent enough to get away with - whether it be simple games like horseshoes or arm wrestling, or noble sports like jousting, duelling, or spellfire. Of course, the Church of Sevens' own spin on games can often get the Sons kicked out of the contest - or worse.
Peculiarities of the Faith:
-Enemies: The clerics of St. Cuthbert would like nothing more than to see the vigorous application of maces to the heads of the Sons, for being unruly louts in general. Other than that, the Sons have a surprisingly good reputation with many other faiths. Despite their unreliability and their penchant for illicit behavior, most use fortune's boons for others as well as themselves, and all Sons of Bartimus extol the virtues of a life lived well with others - if only because enemies make for an unpleasant time of things.
Theft: The Sons openly state that they do not approve of stealing from the more fortunate. In more fitting company, they agree that theft is only against the law if you're caught. Some of the most skilled Sons of Bartimus are employed full-time by thieves' guilds, as their own organizational "lucky charms."
Adventuring: Almost all Sons of Bartimus are by nature; who needs a steady job when you're a lodestone for luck all by yourself? Adventuring parties both welcome the clerics for their talents and curse them for being the most likely to sit pretty while everyone else suffers around them.
Alternate Cleric Class Features:
Skills:The Sons of Bartimus add Bluff and Knowledge (local) to their list of cleric class skills.
Proficiencies:The Sons of Bartimus are proficient with simple weapons, the short sword, and the hand crossbow. They are proficient with light armor and shields.
Lucky Turn (Su):
Sons of Bartimus cannot turn or rebuke undead. However, their strong connections to fortune's favor let them coax many tight situations to their advantage. Once per round, a Son of Bartimus may attempt a lucky turn for a better result on a single d20 or percentile die roll that they rolled. Roll 1d20+Charisma modifier and consult the following table to determine how a particular die roll is modified. All modifiers are luck bonuses (or penalties) and stack with other luck modifiers.
Roll: Result
Less than 3: -3 penalty
3 to 5: -2 penalty
6 to 8: -1 penalty
9 to 11: +1 bonus
12 to 14: +2 bonus
15 to 17: +3 bonus
18 to 20: +4 bonus
Greater than 21: Special (DM's discretion)
If the player's modified roll is higher than 20, the result is something strange, unexpected, and somehow fitting, at the DM's option. This can include but is most certainly not limited to: The arrival of an ally on either side of combat; a jammed gear in a trap; realization that the cat really DID steal Farmor Jonas' rutabagas; or even rolling a seven with a six-sided die.
A Son of Bartimus can use their lucky turn ability (3 + Charisma modifier) times a day.