moonfly7
2019-12-03, 09:26 PM
This is an idea I've been stewing on for awhile, a fun but none stereotypical way to play a cleric that basically follows halloween. What I've created is Jack O' The Lantern, not entirely a god, but more of a guardian spirit who has followers. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy, and I hope that this at the very least gives you inspiration.
Long ago, back when the veil between the planes of existence were thinner, beings of all kinds found their way easily into the material plane. Many of these creatures were malignant and ill-meaning, like Pit-Fiends from the deepest corners of hell, and dark creatures birthed from the fears of those who resided on the material plane. During this time mortals feared for their lives greatly, as the strange unearthly monsters ravaged the world, with all powerless to stop it.
For many, many years it was like this, evil from other planes coming unchecked into the material realm and pushing it’s inhabitants deeper into despair. Until, one day, a poor halfling family was attacked by these evil interlopers. It came that the entire family, a father and mother, and two sons, were devoured by the evil beasts, leaving nothing behind but their youngest, hiding in a corner. This child, called Jack by his late family, thought the monsters to be gone when his house went quiet, and lit the lantern he had kept close by so as to try and find his family.
Now in those days, even halflings were poor and desperate, and Jack’s family could not even afford a lantern. So they made one, out of a pumpkin growing in there garden(a rather large turnip is also used in some versions of the myth, and both are supported by existing evidence). It was this lantern that young Jack struck that fateful night, hoping to once again find his loving family.
Unbeknownst to Jack, the creatures of the dark that had destroyed his home and devoured his family had simply been waiting, hiding in the dark for some sign of life, and when he lit his tiny lantern, the monsters pounced on the young halfling. But this was not the end for Jack, but rather, his new beginning, for as the creatures moved into the dim light cast by the crude lantern, there was a great howling of pain and fright, as the marauding creatures were pushed from our world and into theirs, back through the veil.
Young Jack would live to see the next day because of his remarkable discovery, and the news spread like wildfire through the superstitious halfling village. Soon, every house had at least five pumpkin(or turnip) lanterns lit inside them, and the village remained untouched. Soon, this miracle would spread from village to village, and the number of attacks by the creatures of the dark began to decrease again and again.
But in those days the veil was still weak, and the creatures though dispelled, could simply crossover again, and again. Years went by, and the young halfling devoted them to learning everything he could about his strange discovery.
When he was a young man, he found his answer.
Ancient legends and the most age ridden arcane tomes spoke of light from a living source that was capable of dispelling evil. This light was commonly referred to as the light of life, and the candle light filtered through the holes in the pumpkin, or any plant, could create a very weak deterrent against the evils of the world. But simple pumpkin lights would never be enough, and so, young Jack devoted his life to one purpose: holding back the dark.
It would be nearly a century later, but still long before our forefathers were even conceived, that Jack would finish his studies and preparations.
One foggy harvest season night, at the stroke of midnight, Jack began a ritual lost to time. Surrounded by a field of pumpkins specifically grown and nurtured with magic for fifty years for this one night. There, in the middle of that field, surrounded by the night, but protected by a thousand gleaming lanterns carved out of pumpkins still on the vine, Jack did something no one before or since has accomplished: he sparked a flame that shed pure living light. No one quite knows what happened in that field, all anyone knows for sure is that a single black flamed candle was created and lit that night, burning on the fuel of Jacks willingly given soul and cut short life.
Ever since that day, the veil between worlds has been strengthened a thousand times, and only entities of great power and pass through them. But Jack’s sacrifice didn’t just protect the material plane from outside threats, ever since that day so many, many centuries ago, a guardian spirit with a pumpkin for a head, and a balck candle glowing inside it has watched over the lands, keeping away the darkness with the purest light imaginable.
Even to this day, to this day, we celebrate a good harvest on the anniversary of that fateful night, but we also light a candle for one mans brave sacrifice to make the world a little brighter.
So on the nights where the dark gets to be too much, or when the evils of this world feel insurmountable, remember that were not alone my child, for Jack O’ The Lantern watches over us ever more.
The above is folk tale told among halflings about the guardian spirit that they call Jack’O The Lantern. It cannot be ascertained whether this is a true story or just a myth to describe this strange spirit and his followers dedication to the “living light”, but no other story exists, and story’s and truth are closer than one might think where gods and spirits are concerned.
Cleric's of the Spirit Jack'O The Lantern drive out darkness wherever they find it, always with a smile on their lips and a joke ready for quick fire. Jack's clerics are called "Lanterns of the Living Light" or just "Lanterns" and are hand chosen by the spirit himself, often called to his service by a nighttime visit on his holiday. Lanterns are all willing followers, and all swear an oath similare to that of a paladins when joining Jack's followers. They swear to:
Spread the light
drive out evil
promote the light in others
perserve authorities humility
and keep hearts and minds pointed toward the light
Lanterns uphold this oath by travelling the world, using their living lanterns(pumpkins or turnips that are still living and growing with magical candles in them) to push back the forces of evil, and protect the innocent. Lanterns often preserve authorities humiltiy by humorously bringing those in charge down a peg or two when they become a bit to pompous, they also laughter and their tendency for pranks to cheer up those who need it, because there are many kinds of darkness in the world, and Lanterns excel at driving out all of them.
Lanterns are typically halflings but can be any race. Most Lanterns are light clerics, but they can also be light or trickery clerics, as healing and laughter are every bit as important as the physical fighting of evil.
think about why your Character was chosen by Jack'O the Lantern: did he see something that scarred him for life that the immortal trcikster wants to underhandedly heal? is he a humble farmer who believes in community and safety in the arms of family who Jack has whicked away from his home to show others the light? or is he a prankster about to learn what true mirth really is?
whatever the case, I hope your character is a fun one.
Please feel free to use any of this for either inspiration, as a diety in your setting, or in any amount of ways you can think of, all I ask is that you tell me what you did and how it went, I'm very interested in seeing what people do with things like this!
Long ago, back when the veil between the planes of existence were thinner, beings of all kinds found their way easily into the material plane. Many of these creatures were malignant and ill-meaning, like Pit-Fiends from the deepest corners of hell, and dark creatures birthed from the fears of those who resided on the material plane. During this time mortals feared for their lives greatly, as the strange unearthly monsters ravaged the world, with all powerless to stop it.
For many, many years it was like this, evil from other planes coming unchecked into the material realm and pushing it’s inhabitants deeper into despair. Until, one day, a poor halfling family was attacked by these evil interlopers. It came that the entire family, a father and mother, and two sons, were devoured by the evil beasts, leaving nothing behind but their youngest, hiding in a corner. This child, called Jack by his late family, thought the monsters to be gone when his house went quiet, and lit the lantern he had kept close by so as to try and find his family.
Now in those days, even halflings were poor and desperate, and Jack’s family could not even afford a lantern. So they made one, out of a pumpkin growing in there garden(a rather large turnip is also used in some versions of the myth, and both are supported by existing evidence). It was this lantern that young Jack struck that fateful night, hoping to once again find his loving family.
Unbeknownst to Jack, the creatures of the dark that had destroyed his home and devoured his family had simply been waiting, hiding in the dark for some sign of life, and when he lit his tiny lantern, the monsters pounced on the young halfling. But this was not the end for Jack, but rather, his new beginning, for as the creatures moved into the dim light cast by the crude lantern, there was a great howling of pain and fright, as the marauding creatures were pushed from our world and into theirs, back through the veil.
Young Jack would live to see the next day because of his remarkable discovery, and the news spread like wildfire through the superstitious halfling village. Soon, every house had at least five pumpkin(or turnip) lanterns lit inside them, and the village remained untouched. Soon, this miracle would spread from village to village, and the number of attacks by the creatures of the dark began to decrease again and again.
But in those days the veil was still weak, and the creatures though dispelled, could simply crossover again, and again. Years went by, and the young halfling devoted them to learning everything he could about his strange discovery.
When he was a young man, he found his answer.
Ancient legends and the most age ridden arcane tomes spoke of light from a living source that was capable of dispelling evil. This light was commonly referred to as the light of life, and the candle light filtered through the holes in the pumpkin, or any plant, could create a very weak deterrent against the evils of the world. But simple pumpkin lights would never be enough, and so, young Jack devoted his life to one purpose: holding back the dark.
It would be nearly a century later, but still long before our forefathers were even conceived, that Jack would finish his studies and preparations.
One foggy harvest season night, at the stroke of midnight, Jack began a ritual lost to time. Surrounded by a field of pumpkins specifically grown and nurtured with magic for fifty years for this one night. There, in the middle of that field, surrounded by the night, but protected by a thousand gleaming lanterns carved out of pumpkins still on the vine, Jack did something no one before or since has accomplished: he sparked a flame that shed pure living light. No one quite knows what happened in that field, all anyone knows for sure is that a single black flamed candle was created and lit that night, burning on the fuel of Jacks willingly given soul and cut short life.
Ever since that day, the veil between worlds has been strengthened a thousand times, and only entities of great power and pass through them. But Jack’s sacrifice didn’t just protect the material plane from outside threats, ever since that day so many, many centuries ago, a guardian spirit with a pumpkin for a head, and a balck candle glowing inside it has watched over the lands, keeping away the darkness with the purest light imaginable.
Even to this day, to this day, we celebrate a good harvest on the anniversary of that fateful night, but we also light a candle for one mans brave sacrifice to make the world a little brighter.
So on the nights where the dark gets to be too much, or when the evils of this world feel insurmountable, remember that were not alone my child, for Jack O’ The Lantern watches over us ever more.
The above is folk tale told among halflings about the guardian spirit that they call Jack’O The Lantern. It cannot be ascertained whether this is a true story or just a myth to describe this strange spirit and his followers dedication to the “living light”, but no other story exists, and story’s and truth are closer than one might think where gods and spirits are concerned.
Cleric's of the Spirit Jack'O The Lantern drive out darkness wherever they find it, always with a smile on their lips and a joke ready for quick fire. Jack's clerics are called "Lanterns of the Living Light" or just "Lanterns" and are hand chosen by the spirit himself, often called to his service by a nighttime visit on his holiday. Lanterns are all willing followers, and all swear an oath similare to that of a paladins when joining Jack's followers. They swear to:
Spread the light
drive out evil
promote the light in others
perserve authorities humility
and keep hearts and minds pointed toward the light
Lanterns uphold this oath by travelling the world, using their living lanterns(pumpkins or turnips that are still living and growing with magical candles in them) to push back the forces of evil, and protect the innocent. Lanterns often preserve authorities humiltiy by humorously bringing those in charge down a peg or two when they become a bit to pompous, they also laughter and their tendency for pranks to cheer up those who need it, because there are many kinds of darkness in the world, and Lanterns excel at driving out all of them.
Lanterns are typically halflings but can be any race. Most Lanterns are light clerics, but they can also be light or trickery clerics, as healing and laughter are every bit as important as the physical fighting of evil.
think about why your Character was chosen by Jack'O the Lantern: did he see something that scarred him for life that the immortal trcikster wants to underhandedly heal? is he a humble farmer who believes in community and safety in the arms of family who Jack has whicked away from his home to show others the light? or is he a prankster about to learn what true mirth really is?
whatever the case, I hope your character is a fun one.
Please feel free to use any of this for either inspiration, as a diety in your setting, or in any amount of ways you can think of, all I ask is that you tell me what you did and how it went, I'm very interested in seeing what people do with things like this!