D&D Equivalent to Protective Hand Gestures

[Maelynn]

This may sound oddly specific, but the idea gripped me and now I just need to know. Google doesn't even remotely get me anywhere, hopefully the playground knows more. :)

So in real life, there are certain hand gestures that (religious and/or superstitious) people make as some sort of plea to the divine for mercy or protection. Like these two:

1) sign of the cross - move your right hand from your head to your chest and then from your left shoulder to your right.

2) la corna - outstretched index finger and pink, other two fingers covered by the thumb, hand pointing downward or towards the target.

Is there a D&D equivalent for gestures such as these? There is a situation coming up in my session where NPCs could make this kind of gesture in response to events surrounding or dealings with the party, but naturally it wouldn't make sense for them to make the sign of the cross as there's no such thing as christianity. I'd like to know if there's something similar I could do within the setting, a gesture that would invoke the mercy/protection of D&D deities such as Helm or Ilmater or another that feels appropriate.

[Composer99]

There might be in Realms setting books. Can't think of any off the top of my head.

Seems like a good opportunity to make that stuff up at need.

[Nagog]

Yeah I don't think D&D Sourcebooks are that specific. I'd make up your own, or if the party is not privy to these signs/meanings, have them roll sleight of hand against the party's passive perception scores. If one of them notices, explain that they are making a sign that they know to mean X.

[MaxWilson]

I can imagine the somatic components to Shield or Sanctuary catching on among ignorant folks who don't realize the gestures themselves do nothing unless fueled by the mind of a mage.

Said components are not defined by the game so you might as well make them just happen to coincide with gestures that mean something to your players, whether that is "sign of the cross" or "talk to the hand" or "a-OK" or whatever. My personal sense of humor is such that if I were the one choosing the gesture I'd probably pick either the "peace" sign (index and third finger raised in a V) or the Spider Man web shooter gesture (index, thumb and pinkie raised, others folded, palm raised toward the threat).

Anyway, you can certainly mention to the players that the gesture he's making looks like the somatic component to Sanctuary.

[Maelynn]

Yes, I already expected it to be a detail not covered in any books. I did have a sliver of hope, because the other day I read somewhere that followers of Ilmater sometimes wear a red string around their wrist - it's a tiny detail, nowhere in 5e books or on major sites like the wiki, but hidden in an excerpt of an older version's book. I love small things like that.

As for making up stuff - yes, I already had an idea for a gesture, just wanted to see if something already existed in the canon. I was thinking of crossing the wrists, palms up, and then casting the eyes at the sky, possibly accompanied by an 'Ilmater have mercy'.

Using the somatic components of protective spells is an interesting idea. I wish more spells had a description of the gestures like Burning Hands has, but I suppose a 'nondescript description' would work well. And a gesture like this could also provide players with more options, as then they could roll either a Religion or an Arcana check to see if they recognise the gesture and derive its meaning.

[Man_Over_Game]

This may sound oddly specific, but the idea gripped me and now I just need to know. Google doesn't even remotely get me anywhere, hopefully the playground knows more. :)

So in real life, there are certain hand gestures that (religious and/or superstitious) people make as some sort of plea to the divine for mercy or protection. Like these two:

1) sign of the cross - move your right hand from your head to your chest and then from your left shoulder to your right.

2) la corna - outstretched index finger and pink, other two fingers covered by the thumb, hand pointing downward or towards the target.

Is there a D&D equivalent for gestures such as these? There is a situation coming up in my session where NPCs could make this kind of gesture in response to events surrounding or dealings with the party, but naturally it wouldn't make sense for them to make the sign of the cross as there's no such thing as christianity. I'd like to know if there's something similar I could do within the setting, a gesture that would invoke the mercy/protection of D&D deities such as Helm or Ilmater or another that feels appropriate.

Yup! Read them under the deity descriptions in the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide.

For example, Azuth's sign is simply your left hand pointing towards the sky, as both the universal symbol of "Eureka", and as a means of "commanding" the heavens, which is exactly what Azuth did (started as a Wizard, wanted more until he became a God).

There's a bunch of other cool mentions, like signing the symbol for the goddess of misfortune is done as a means of drawing her attention to you, so she's not looking directly at what you're doing.

[IChosePoorly]

If I remember, clerics of Pharasma (goddess of fate and death from Pathfinder) draw a spiral over their heart with a finger to ward off evil.

Sunites might blow a kiss as a blessing (or just because).

[Maelynn]

Yup! Read them under the deity descriptions in the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide.

Ah, thanks for the source! I'll have a look at it tomorrow, see if I can find anything nice that I could use.

I'm secretly hoping the scene I'm picturing will come to pass... we're playing Dragon Heist, and the party just reached chapter 2. One of them suggested a few ideas like the obvious tavern, but also purposes befitting a follower of Ilmater like a soup kitchen or an orphanage. Hmm, orphanage, I read something about that... oh wait, yes, in the bit about Ulkoria Stonemarrow on p42... oh wauw. And now I can't wait to have the party tell NPCs about their plans for an orphanage in that very spot... *evil smirk*