Outside the city-states, away from the bureaucracy of the sorcerer-kings and their templars, the most common type of priest is the cleric. All clerics worship the elemental planes and draw their magical energies directly from them. However, the backgrounds and motivations for clerics may be vastly different—the shamans of the Halfling, the elemental singers of the elf tribes, and the healers among the herding communities are all dissimilar, but they're all still clerics. Every cleric must choose one elemental plane as his focus of worship. This choice dictates what spells he can call upon and what types of weapons he prefers to use. A cleric has major access to the sphere of his element of worship and minor access to the Sphere of the Cosmos. Clerics concentrate their efforts on magical and spiritual pursuits, generally leaving combat to others. However, Athas is a violent world, and practicality dictates that they train in combat as well. Clerics aren't restricted with regard to the armor they may wear. Their weapons of choice are related to their particular elemental plane of worship (see specific sphere-cleric descriptions below).
Athasian clerics aren't strictly forbidden from using weapons that don't conform to those listed with their sphere. However, clerics don't gain their share of group experience awards for creatures they helped defeat using weapons outside those noted in this scheme. Likewise, clerics conform to many other rules in the Player's Handbook. For instance, elemental clerics have power over undead, just as described in the Player's Handbook. In a Dark Sun campaign, however, undead are classified as either controlled or free-willed, but the cleric’s ability to turn or dispel them is the same unless stated differently in an undead monster's description. As undead are outside the natural cycle of life and death, elemental clerics consider them to be abominations (though evil clerics can control them, as stated in the Player's Handbook).
Clerics draw their magical energies directly from the planes that they worship. Clerics have major access to the elemental sphere that they worship, and minor access to the Cosmos Sphere. Under House rules, this means that each spell from the minor access is counted in all respects as if it was one spell level higher. (Elemental and Cosmos spheres are detailed in EAFW and RDSHB).
Unlike warriors, Athasian clerics never do gain followers simply as a reward for advancing in levels, nor do they ever gain official approval to establish a stronghold. If the DM wishes, however, any of these things may come about as a result of good role-playing. Fortunately, clerics do gain certain powers with regard to their elemental planes of worship as they advance in level, as follows:
 | Elemental clerics can ignore the physical effects of the element they worship upon reaching 5th level. The duration of this power is a number of rounds equal to the cleric's level, and it can only be used once per day. Thus, a water cleric may move through water freely, and an earth cleric may pass through stone walls as if they weren't there. Force exerted on the cleric by the element may also be ignored—a great wind won't affect an air cleric, for example, nor would flames burn a fire cleric. This protection extends to everything that the cleric carries on his person at the time. |
| A cleric can gate material directly from his elemental plane upon reaching 7th level. The amount of material gated is one cubic foot per level above 6th. The material is a pure specimen from the plane in question: earth, air, fire, or water. The exact nature of the material is in its purest, most basic form. Earth arrives as dense stone, water as pure liquid, fire as cleansing flame, and air in the form of a tremendous cyclonic wind that's capable of knocking down all huge or smaller creatures and lasts one round. The shape of this gated material may be dictated by the cleric (a stone wall one-inch thick, a sheet of flame surrounding an altar, etc.), but it can't be gated to a distance more than 50 feet from the cleric. Material may be gated only once per day. |
| Though not a granted power, a cleric can conjure elementals from his elemental plane when he reaches 9th level, since conjure elemental is a 5th-level spell in the DARK SUN campaign. The 6th-level spell conjure fire elemental and the 7th-level spell conjure earth elemental have been removed from the Dark Sun priest spell lists. In all cases where the rules here don't contradict them, the rules for clerics in the Player's Handbook apply. |
Each Elemental sphere of worship requires specific weapon/armor restrictions, and offers minor elemental powers. See below for details
To a some degree, the elements reflect general philosophies (though not precisely alignment), which should be roughly represented by the cleric.
Element |
Ideal |
Antithesis |
Forbidden |
Air |
Freedom |
Slavery |
Lawful |
Earth |
Protection |
Carelessness |
Chaotic |
Fire |
Revenge |
Restraint |
Lawful |
Water |
Preservation |
Waste |
Evil |
The champions of the elemental lords tend to hold the same views as their elemental masters. This is a result of the peculiar selection process of the elementals and of the initiation that all clerics must suffer. For instance, all air clerics oppose slavery. This is because the air spirits would not accept any petitioner who could accept enforced servitude. Of course, some may feel more strongly about the issue than others.
The point is that each cleric should be portrayed as a living, thinking being with all the faults and virtues that that entails. This is what good role-playing is all about. However, because of the elementals' selective process, the clerics of each sphere share some of the same basic ideals.
A player might find some reason for his slave-holding, dirt-farming, land-bound character to be accepted by the air elementals, but there had better be a very good reason for their acceptance.
| +10 Minor Access to element instead of major access. The cleric can cast elemental spells as if the spells were one level higher. |
| 10 Command radius of fighter of the same level. |
| 15 Elemental Wizard Spells. The PC has access to all the wizard spells of his chosen element. A list of wizard spells by element can be found in Sp&M. |
| 10* Elemental Channeling Protection. The cleric is immune from channeling fatigue from casting spells from his own element. |
| 10 Fighter THAC0. The Cleric uses the Fighter THAC0 instead of the Priest THAC0. |
| 10* Granted elemental powers—Major. Major powers include gating and ignoring the element, as described in AoH, EAFW, and on the following pages. |
| 10* Granted elemental powers—Minor. These powers are listed in EAFW and on the following pages. |
| 10 Greater hit points. The cleric uses d10 instead of d8. |
| 15* Minor spell access to cosmos. The cleric can cast cosmos spells as if they were one level higher. |
| 30 Major spell access to cosmos. The cleric can cast spells from the cosmos sphere without restriction. |
| 5* Spell bonus for high wisdom. See page 4 of this document. |
| 10 Weapon Mastery: The PC can specialize in a single weapon. The charp cost for acquiring the specialization must be met in addition to paying for this option. The PC can learn up to mastery in one weapon. |
| 5 Weapon Specialization: Like weapon mastery, except that the priest can learn no more than specialization. |
| 10 Unarmed specialization: The PC can specialize in a single unarmed style or martial art. The charp cost for acquiring the specialization must be met in addition to paying for this option. The PC can learn up to grand mastery in one unarmed style or martial art. |
Rock, sand, trees, silt everything of earth is raw material for earth clerics. It is their duty to protect and preserve these, and they constantly strive to enrich and shield the harsh wastes of Athas.
Earth clerics tend to be defensive. Beneath the savage fury of a dark sun, the best defense is usually a good offense—a tactic that these clerics employ. Closely tied to nature, earth priests understand the true nature of the cycle of life. When something dies, its organic material is returned to the soil to provide life for another, and in another form. Therefore, the earth clerics' outlook on life is a utilitarian one. The death of a comrade, though tragic, is simply one stage in nature's endless chain of creation and annihilation.
Earth endures, and like the mountains and the drying plains, earth clerics must bear the brunt of the fight for Athas's survival. Because air, fire, and water all depend on growing things for their enrichment, and because earth alone must sustain itself, it is the earth clerics who must carry on the burden of preventing the environmental holocaust looming over Athas. For, if they do not preserve the land, will not the death of Athas weigh upon their shoulders?
| Aarakokran | 6 |
Halfling | 12 |
|
| Dwarf | U |
Humans | U |
|
| Elf | 12 |
Mul | 10 |
|
| Half-elf | 16 |
Thri-kreen | 14 |
|
| Half-giant | 8 |
The beings that dwell in the Plane of Earth expect their champions to perform certain duties. Earth clerics must always be in opposition to defilers. They may not travel with a known defiler, work with one, or allow a defiler to cast a spell in their presence. Earth elementals know that defiling magic lies beyond the normal boundary of the creation/annihilation chain—what defilers destroy never returns. Therefore, earth clerics try to reform any friendly defilers they meet and may destroy those who refuse to change their robes.
Earth clerics don't usually seek revenge in the same way that druids do, for their opposition to the defilers is purely defensive. When they are up against a known defiler, earth clerics are far more likely to incite others to fight for them, while they continue their silent opposition in the background.
Earth clerics are required to teach the nature of the life cycle that every living thing must eventually die, and death supports new life. Earth clerics understand this better than anyone, for the raw material of their patron is both the giver and the taker of life. Perhaps the most important task of an earth cleric is to teach the Athasians proper agricultural techniques. This means they automatically gain the agriculture proficiency and that they seek to teach these methods to all. This skill is in addition to normal proficiencies. Villagers are taught to rotate their crops and to spread their waste over the fields so that it will break down and return to the soil from which it came.
Clerics of the earth are usually the best armed since they can use stone and metal in their weapons. Wood is also acceptable to them since it originally grew in the ground. They may use any weapons made of these materials that are listed in this book or the Player's Handbook.
Earth clerics may use any type of stone, wood, or metal weapons, so they have no restrictions placed on weapon type. Armor is not restricted either, and earth clerics are fond of using as much metal as possible in their protective clothing.
An earth cleric may ignore the presence of earth when he reaches the 5th level. The duration of this power is a number of rounds equal to his level, and this may occur only once per day. He may move through stone, wade through an avalanche, and otherwise ignore rock, metal, wood, or any other earth material. If the cleric is still "inside" the rock, metal, or wood, when the duration of his power expires, he is instantly expelled and takes 4d8 points of damage.
This allows an earth cleric to move beneath the surface of the land. In this state his movement rate remains the same as long as he travels in straight lines or descents into the earth. He is treated as if he were walking, but only so long as he remains in earth (not water or air). If he must rise through the material, his movement rate is cut in half. He is in complete control and will not sink or otherwise "drift" when passing through the soil.
A cleric may gate material directly from the elemental Plane of Earth when he reaches the 7th level. The amount is equal to 1 cubic foot for each level above the 6th. The material is always stone, not metal or wood. Nor does the cleric have any control over what kind of stone will appear, though it is usually obsidian or sandstone.
The shape of the stone may be round, square, triangular, or any other basic shape, but cannot be intricate or ornate. A cleric could, for example, form a wall about herself, or in front of a running attacker, but the wall would not be carved or otherwise detailed.
The stone will appear anywhere the priest commands up to a distance of 50 feet, as long as he can actually see the target. If the stone materializes above an enemy's head, it falls instantly, causing d6 points of damage for every cubic foot (or d6 for every level over 6th). A successful saving throw reduces the damage by half.
In addition to powers common to all priests, the earth cleric may choose one of the following powers at 3rd level, and add another every two levels thereafter. A character may choose a minor granted power at levels 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11.
Eliminate Tracks: This ability functions much like the 1st-level spell pass without trace, but with two important limitations. The cleric still leaves a scent, and he cannot exercise this ability in snow or mud. Only sand or hard earth instantly reforms to cover the priest’s tracks. The power will function whenever the priest's bare feet are in contact with the earth.
Encasement An earth cleric can bury himself beneath loose earth, sand, or topsoil for up to eight hours. For each hour spent beneath the earth, the cleric will regain 1 hit point. This is an excellent method of concealment, day or night. Spell casting is possible if the spell does not require elaborate somatic material components. A typical tactic is for a priest to encase himself beneath the earth and then cast plant growth to pro vile more camouflage for his hiding place. He may not move from the spot without emerging, unless he uses the 5th-level power to ignore the element.
Meld into Stone This power functions the same as the 3rd-level priest spell of the same name. The cleric may exercise this ability once per day.
Enhanced Saving Throw Earth clerics may chose to take a +2 to all saving throws vs. any spell whose sphere is of earth. The character is now so tied to the earth, however, that he must suffer the loss of 1 additional hit point whenever he loses one to defiling magic by spell or by sacrificing himself for the environment.
Endure: Earth clerics, more than any others are dedicated to protecting Athas from the defilers. To use this ability, the cleric must be within the radius of a defiler’s magical destruction area x 2, and make a successful Wisdom check. Whenever a spell is cast, the actual area of destruction is halved. The earth cleric channels energy from his surroundings to reduce the defiler’s required energy to a smaller patch of earth. Like the mighty oak that bends rather than breaks in the face of a hurricane, the earth cleric realizes that the land must give in order to preserve.
This is the role most common for priests of earth. They are constantly seen traveling from settlement to settlement, preaching words of wisdom, and showing all that would learn the proper care of the earth.
Shrines to the earth powers can be found in the isolated grottos and caverns of the Ringing Mountains, and occasionally atop the ruins of an ancient city now covered by the sands of Athas.
More often than not, earth clerics are friendly to travelers, and may even use their shrines as temporary sanctuaries or hospitals for those in need.
Earth clerics who live in cities typically act as advisors for the farmers of the outlying areas, or they wander the streets and alleyways spreading their message to any who will listen. For the most part, the templars believe the earth clerics to be harmless, and frequently tolerate them because of their devotion to the crops of the nobles.
If the templars listened more closely to the earth priests' tales, they might reconsider this policy.
Shamans of the sphere of earth are fairly prevalent because of the protective nature of earth and the fact that it is the most common and accessible of all of the elements. This serves the goals of the elemental lords as well as the shaman's village or tribe.
Villages with earth shamans are often located in hidden grottos and ravines, deep within caverns, or beneath the surface in the ruins of the ancients. Others live on the plains, bordered by towering buttes and majestic ridges.
These tribes normally revere the earth and disdain those who harm it, owing to the constant presence of their spiritual leader.
Clerics who make pacts with the denizens of the Plane of Air are perhaps the most misunderstood of all the elemental clerics. They are wanderers, diviners, travelers, and mystics. There are those who even call them frauds, but not to their faces.
Villagers and nomads often ask the air clerics to peer into the future and tell of the success or failure of crops, marriages, and fate. Though their answers are often difficult to understand, careful listeners may well be forearmed against potential disaster.
Like the winds, their minds are constantly wandering, and they rarely seem focused on a current problem or situation. Some say that is because they are empowered by flighty patrons, and others say that repetitive viewing of the future drives one mad.
Strangely, the one question they don't seem able to answer is whether Athas will recover from the devastation that the defilers have inflicted upon her. Clerics of the air say that the answer is beyond the scope of their abilities, but others say they are simply afraid to seek the answer.
| Aarakokran | U | Halfling | 12 |
|
| Dwarf | 10 | Humans | U |
|
| Elf | 20 | Mul | 8 |
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| Half-elf | 16 | Thri-kreen | 14 |
|
| Half-giant | 12 |
The test of the air cleric is perhaps the most terrifying of the elemental initiations. A cleric begins the ordeal by spending two weeks in the highest mountains he and his mentor can find, usually a peak within the Ringing or Mekillot Mountains. The mountain trek is often as arduous and dangerous as the test itself.
During this two-week period, the candidate and his mentor scale the high peaks and spend hours in meditation on windy ledges. When the initiate feels he is ready, he walks to an overhang where his mentor casts a protective spell over him. Then, the student leaps from the precipice, throwing off the shackling chains of the earth and giving himself completely to the wind.
As the petitioner falls, the air spirits will speak with him and attempt to forge the pact of air. If the student agrees and the air spirits accept him, he is gently lowered to the ground, now a 1st-level Cleric of Air. If the spirits don't accept the candidate, he is dropped the remaining distance to the earth—typically 10 to 60 feet.
The single most important principle of the lords of the air and their initiates is freedom. They loathe restriction in their movements, personalities, beliefs, practices, and clothing, and they rebel against any attempts to impose limitations.
This makes them enemies of all forms of bondage, and they are required to do what they can to fight slavery whenever possible. A cleric of the air who frees a slave should receive a 10% bonus to the experience points earned during the adventure. Criminals may be similarly freed if the cleric honestly believes the felon was unjustly imprisoned. Political prisoners in particular are often grateful to see a priest of the air take notice of their plight.
The growing power of the sun has also angered the air elementals; its constant heat stills the earth and turns it dry and lifeless, and the air hangs in hot pockets of lethargy. Then too, where once mighty oceans gave birth to terrible hurricanes and typhoons, the winds must now be content to scream weakly in the barren wastes. Because of this, air elementals require their clerics to protect and preserve earth and water. By doing this, the elementals hope that the mighty forests will return to shelter the planet from the harsh sun, and that the raging oceans will once again fill the great silt basins. Only then will they regain the unbridled freedom they once knew.
Since the air doesn't easily lend itself to being made into an offensive weapon, clerics of the air rely instead on weapons that are guided by the air. They may use any sort of bow, blowgun, or sling, regardless of the material used to construct it. Spears are also acceptable and are used as either melee or missile weapons.
Clerics of the air rarely engage in physical combat with more powerful opponents. Instead, they prefer to stand at a distance and let the wind carry deadly missiles to the enemy. Priests of the air can use missile weapons of any sort. This includes bows, crossbows, slings, javelins, and spears. Spears may be used in melees.
Air clerics don't like restrictive bonds, so they rarely wear anything heavier than leather armor. They are not restricted to leather; this is a matter of personal taste. Regardless, they usually wear long flowing robes over any other protection. The breezy flutter of their loose garments is a particularly gratifying symbol for air clerics.
At the 5th level, air clerics may ignore the presence of air for a number of rounds equal to their level. Air priests are not affected by spells that attack with wind or air, and the cleric does not have to breathe. A 5th-level air cleric is unaffected by poison gas or by spells such as stinking cloud. Should his power be expended while the cleric is subjected to a spell or condition, he is affected normally.
Like all elemental priests, air clerics may gate in material directly from the Plane of Air upon reaching the 7th level. In this case the "material" is a terrific wind capable of knocking down all creatures sized huge or less for one round.
A sheet of wind, 2 feet wile for every level above the 6th, whips about at his command for one round, moving at gale speed. This means the priest can affect 114 individuals for every level above the 6th before the wind finally subsides. Anyone hit must make a saving throw vs. paralyzation or be knocked to the ground for the rest of the round. This prevents opponents from making magical, missile, or melee attacks.
The wind must start at a point no more than 50 feet from the cleric, but can be directed farther once it is set in motion. In a single round, a gale force wind can travel about 1000 yards.
While the wind is much less destructive than the materials gated by other clerics, its advantage is its terrific range.
In addition to the major powers listed above, the cleric may choose one of the following minor powers at levels 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13. Only the priest receives the direct benefits of these powers.
Clean Air: This power automatically transforms unhealthy air or vapor into clean, breathable oxygen as it enters the cleric's nose or mouth. The duration is equal to the priest's level, and this power can only be invoked once per day.
Refreshing Breeze: A constant breeze will caress the cleric's skin whenever he is outdoors. The cooling this provides will reduce his water requirements by one-half, and that grants him a + 1 reaction bonus because of his relaxed composure. The priest will hardly sweat when others are drenched, but can sunburn and suffer other such effects normally.
Missile Stream The spirits of the air help compensate for their champions' poor melee ability by guiding their missiles to their targets. This gives the cleric a + 1 to hit with any missile that might logically be affected by slight winds. The guidance includes arrows, bolts, and darts, but not boulders or flaming pitch from catapults. This power will work continuously as long as the priest remains outdoors.
Missile reflection: The reverse of missile stream. This power will help steer incoming missile weapons away from the cleric, effectively subtracting 1 from the enemy's attack roll. It is always considered to be active while outdoors and can only be used indoors if there is an adequate source of wind. A priest must be at least 5th level to choose this power.
Control Winds: This power functions the same as the 5th level-priest spell of the same name.
Protection from Wind: With this power, a cleric always has a +2 saving throw vs. any wind based attack.
Feather fall: At the 3rd level, a cleric of air may choose to invoke feather fall once per lay. The duration of this ability is the extent of the fall. If the priest should happen to fall a second time, he had best have a spell of the same name prepared.
It is almost redundant to call them "wandering" air clerics, for travel has been ingrained into the spirits of these roving prophets since birth.
Typically, they wander from settlement to settlement sharing prophecies, telling fortunes, and teaching conservation and the manufacture of wind-powered devices.
Visiting air clerics are seen as eccentric but beneficent madmen with a unique gift for telling the future. Because of this, most people are reluctant to invite them into their homes, but they are more than willing to take advantage of their divinatory talents.
The shrines of air are located only on the highest peaks of Athas's mountains, or at the ends of deep valleys where the rushing winds break against the cliffs that confine them.
Because of the wandering nature of these priests, the shrines are visited but rarely, and are usually tended by those who have become physically unable to travel in any sense but the spiritual.
Air clerics are reluctant to spend much time in the cities of the sorcerer-kings. The people of the cities seem to be shackled to their everyday concerns, and the constant surveillance of the templars chains the spirits of these unfettered wanderers.
When air clerics are fount in a city, it is usually in connection with an underground caravan. These organizations attempt to free slaves by smuggling, disguise, bribery, or any other means necessary.
Nomadic tribes are almost always accompanied by shamans of the air. The shaman represents their wandering nature and their ideal of living free of the yokes imposed by owning land.
Though all clerics of the air tent to be mysterious and elusive, the shamans of the air are even stranger. Rarely seen among their tribesmen, they have an uncanny knack for appearing during times of need, when their council is desperately required. Healing is a role they disdain and perform only if the afflicted individual is deemed "worthy." It is not wise to get on the wrong side of the tribal shaman.
Their primary functions are as advisors and seers, but even these tasks are performed grudgingly. Petty or personal questions are almost always ignored, and draw disfavor. In some clans, only the senior elder is allowed to speak with the shaman.
The most feared and unpredictable of the Athasian clerics are those of the Elemental Plane of Fire. Some say these individuals become crazed during initiation, and others say that one must be insane to petition the destructive lords of flame in the first place. Whatever the reason for their erratic nature, fire clerics are the most powerful and the most destructive of the elemental priests.
Fire priests have earned their reputations for two reasons; they are very aggressive and very offensive. They will laugh maniacally while their enemies are incinerated, and they appear to thrive only when the fiery appetites of their patrons are devouring everything around them.
But it is the sorcerer-kings and the defilers who harbor the greatest fear of the priests of fire. They are horrified by their destructive nature, because fire deprives them of the organic matter they need to power their own spells. They see fire clerics as wandering madmen who squander their resources for no discern able reason.
But every priest of fire knows that when the forests and plains are destroyed by his flaming touch, the land will grow back even stronger than before. When a defiler ruins an area, that land lies sterile for millennia, and there will be nothing to feed the infernal appetites of the fire clerics’ patrons.
Clerics of the other elements usually don’t understand this, and more than one fight has erupted between the exuberant warriors of flame and their erstwhile associates. Even those priests who do understand the ways of their insane brethren are reluctant to let them have their way. The balance of creation/annihilation is delicate, and the fire priests are frequently over zealous about their work. They often tease somber water clerics with an old jest: "To destroy the world is to destroy the defilers." The water clerics wonder if they are truly joking.
| Aarakokran | 6 |
Halfling | 14 |
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| Dwarf | 14 |
Humans | U |
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| Elf | 16 |
Mul | 10 |
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| Half-elf | 16 |
Thri-kreen | 8 |
|
| Half-giant | 6 |
The pact of fire is the most ironic of the clerical oaths. The creatures of the Elemental Plane of Fire demand that their servants preserve Athas only so that they might destroy it again. Specifically, the Plane of Fire needs the forests and the cities of man to return. This means that their clerics must encourage the growth of forests, cities, and fields.
A large part of the pact is dedicated to the defeat of the sorcerer-kings and all defilers. This is a goal they share with the druids, but the priests of fire are too eccentric to form long, lasting relationships with the members of that elusive order. A frontal assault wielding the power of the inferno is their usual tactic.
Clerics who worship this plane rely on flaming weapons. Favored weapons include flaming arrows, burning oil, and magical weapons enchanted to somehow burn or scald. Heating metal weapons (when they're available) to cause searing damage is another acceptable practice among fire clerics. Because it was once fused under great pressure and heat, weapons made from obsidian are also acceptable.
Fire clerics dislike normal weapons like swords and bows, unless they can be en flamed. Any metal weapon may be carried by a fire cleric, but he must magically light it or smear oil on it, igniting it before combat in order to use it effectively. If the weapon cannot be ignited the priest gains no experience for that encounter. Most fire clerics don't even carry weapons, relying on the spell flame blade instead.
They will use bows and crossbows, but gain no experience if they cannot ignite the arrows or bolts. Obsidian weapons, however, are acceptable for fire clerics, because they were forged under great heat. Even these weapons, though, will be slicked with oil, ready to inflame. There is no experience point penalty if they are not.
Fire clerics may use any armor, and they usually paint it brilliant red or char it to black.
At the 5th level, fire clerics may ignore fire and heat for a number of rounds equal to their level. Their weapons and possessions are also protected. A heat metal spell would make a priest's sword glowing hot, but it would not warp or otherwise affect it. When the time limit has passed, the priest is subject to the full effects of whatever is attacking him. Items that have been heated to extremes will suffer whatever effects are appropriate if they are not cooled before the power fades. The sword in the example above would warp as soon as the cleric's power stopped functioning if a heat metal spell was still in effect.
At the 7th level, the cleric can gate in raw flame from the Elemental Plane of Fire. The flame can 6e as small as the character wishes, its maximum size is 1 cubic foot for every level of the priest above the 6th. Each cubic foot can affect one medium to large sized creature. As the total volume increases, so does the heat and damage. Every cubic foot gated in does 1 d6 points of damage to anything that it touches. A successful saving throw will cut this in half.
Fire without fuel will last only a single round. It ignites paper, clothing, hair, wood, and other light materials if a successful saving throw vs. magical fire is not made. Summoned fire that catches on combustible materials will burn normally and destroy material items accordingly.
A cleric may not move the flame once it has materialized, and it must appear at a point no more than 50 feet away. Anything that can ignite will, unless a saving throw vs. magical fire is successful. Items carried by characters who make the saving throw are also unaffected. Burning items inflict damage normally.
In addition to the major powers listed above, the cleric may choose one of the following minor powers at levels 3, 5, 7, 9, 11
Enflame: The priest does not gate flame from his plane, but creates small fires the size of a matchstick at will. This power ignites torches and larger materials normally. The ability has a range of 1 yard per level of the caster.
Affect Normal Fires: This ability functions once per lay, and acts exactly as the 1st-level wizard spell of the same name.
Cleansing Flame: The cleric steps into a flame the size of a campfire for no more than one round. This allows him to skip one meal (fool and water), cures him of 1d4 points of damage, and cleans his holy of tire and filth. If the cleric is poisoned, the cleansing flame will allow him a second saving throw. Note that this "meal" is not enough to sustain the cleric for any length of time. He will still need normal fool and water to supplement the energy given him by the cleansing flame.
A character may invoke this ability when attacked by a fireball, when stepping into a burning building, or at any other time of need. The effects last for only one round. After that, the priest either suffers the usual lam age, or he has to use his ability to ignore the element to protect himself. He may use this ability once per day.
Control Flame: A fire priest can control any fires smaller than torch heal. He may cause them to smother, spread, or move, as long as the flames remain in contact with combustible material. The fire may even perform short leaps through the air by expanding and catching on other materials, but this range is limited to 6 inches per level of the caster. A 6th-level cleric could cause the flame to leap 36 inches, or 1 yard.
Protection from Flame: A fire cleric may take this ability upon reaching the 5th level. It grants him a +2 to saving throws vs. any fire-based attack. The disadvantage of this ability is that the priest is at -2 to any water based attacks, since casting protection from flame will dowse his own fiery energies.
The most common fire clerics are the roving priests of fire. These hearty individuals like to make dramatic entrances in the settlements and cities they visit. They are especially font of arriving just as a village is being attacked or in the middle of some local crisis.
Once things have calmed down, the priest performs much the same role as an earth cleric. He will lecture about preservation, teach reverence for the flame, and heal those who have listened to his message.
Fire clerics know that the remains of the fallen should be placed in the ground to begin the cycle again, but their patrons' nature compels them to teach cremation.
The shrines of the lords of fire are the most common elemental temples on the face of Athas. Many fire clerics are content to live near these holy places and give aid to those who make an offering to the eternal flames they protect.
Villages near fire shrines often petition the guardian cleric to save them from local terrors. In the rare cases when a defiler threatens them, the villages have learned to think long and hart before asking the cleric for ail—sometimes the offering required will be their very homes!
Priests of fire who operate in the cities of the sorcerer-kings do not reach old age. Their flamboyant methods do not allow for anonymity, and the templars need no excuse to arrest and execute them.
To the Veiled Alliance, fire clerics are a mixed blessing. On the one hand, they are as powerful as many sorcerers, but on the other, they draw too much attention to what are supposed to be secret operations.
Still, one of the goals of the fire priests is to encourage the growth of the cities so that the fire elementals may once again feast on them. To pursue this goal, they try to live among the people and do and teach whatever they can to help them survive. Often, this means saving them from the whims of a city's ruler or even joining the templars in the face of some imminent attack against a settlement.
Playing a fire priest in a city-based campaign is challenging. PC fire clerics should be proud, boastful, and generally a frail of nothing, but these very actions will be met with a quick response from the templars. Wiser fire clerics will remain in the background as much as possible, but even then they will boast of their handiwork from time to time.
Fortunately, shamans who wield the power of fire are rare. Most tribal shamans associate themselves with the most common element in their homeland. Besides, continuous, open flame is rare in the sparse lands of Athas.
Only the most ferocious tribesmen become fire shamans. It is the nature of these savages, rather than any link to the material world, that fuels their raging power. Gith and belgoi are all likely to have fire shamans in battle.
Even more terrifying is the fact that larger tribes and groups often have several shamans. Some have been known to have a council of silt clerics and a champion of fire. Champions are rarely seen by the savages they lead, except in battle. Their fiery passions lead attacks with reckless abandon and severe consequences for all who stand in their way.
Among the elemental brotherhood, none are more desperate than the lords of the Elemental Plane of Water. Millennia ago, these beings were happy, babbling through brooks and floating leisurely in the vast blue seas. Now they are claustrophobic, screaming for each drop lost to the parched earth.
They know that they must quench the thirst of the land before their streams and rivers can return, but every spinet drop of water is yielded grudgingly. It must be so, for the Plane of Water has nearly perished.
The champions of the dying Plane of Water are few, their lords barely able to empower them. But those who underestimate them are mistaken, for although the champions of water are given less power than most, they are far more desperate, and far more vengeful.
Still, they perform the age-old functions of water as healer and bringer of life. Since their creation, the patient water lords poured their very souls over the land, knowing that the land would eventually be saturated with their life giving liquids. They hat not counted on the mass destruction caused by the defilers. Their evil spells turned everything to ash, and all ambient moisture was lost. And this was new. Water had evaporated, frozen, boiled, and passed through the systems of a billion beings, but it had never before been destroyed.
| Aarakokran | 8 |
Halfling | U |
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| Dwarf | 14 |
Humans | U |
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| Elf | 14 |
Mul | 8 |
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| Half-elf | 16 |
Thri-kreen | 10 |
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| Half-giant | 10 |
Water is the giver of life, but the elemental lords now perform their sacred tasks grudgingly. Still, it is the duty of water clerics to give water and aid to any in need, of any alignment, of any nature. The only exceptions are those who criminally waste water. In this case, the water clerics are known to be meticulous in the cruelty of their vengeance. This specifically applies to defilers.
The second demand of the Plane of Water is that clerics preserve and protect the water that remains. Water clerics should never allow a defiler to cast a spell near a water source, nor permit a forest or any other moisture producing area be destroyed. They must teach these ideas to any that will listen. Typically, this involves irrigation, conservation, and the cleansing of existing water supplies. Unfortunately, it also means frequent contact with defilers and the lackeys of the sorcerer-kings.
Clerics who draw power from this plane recognize water as the bringer of life to the
wastes, the originator of all that grows. Therefore, elemental water clerics may use any
weapon that is organic in origin, usually wood or bone. They may use bows, clubs, maces,
javelins, quarterstaves, spears, and war hammers made from these substances.
Since water is the beginning of life and of all living things, clerics of water may use
any weapon of organic origin. This usually includes wooden or bone weapons, as well as
bows, clubs, maces, javelins, quarter staffs, spears, and war hammers.
Leather or bone armor is preferred by water clerics since these also came from organic material, though they may wear metal if seriously threatened.
At the 5th level, the cleric gains the ability to ignore the element of water for a number of rounds equal to his level. Water clerics can breathe under water, are not affected by most water spells, and can even move through water as if it wasn't there. When the ability expires, the cleric is subject to the usual and appropriate affects.
The cleric can gate in water from the elemental plane when he reaches the 7th level 1 cubic foot for every level above the 6th. The water will be pure, and can only materialize in a spot that the cleric can see, within 50 feet. This can mean multiple locations, but he must be able to see all of them. The water does not arrive under pressure, and no damage can be inflicted with this ability.
In addition to the major powers listed above, the cleric may choose one of the following minor powers at levels 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13. Only the priest may directly benefit from these powers.
Quench Thirst The cleric can chew on almost anything and extract moisture from it. Mud, plant matter, even rock will yield up to one-third of the character's daily water requirement.
Healing Draft. Before he can use this ability, the priest must have carried a skin of water on his person for at least an hour. After that, anyone who drinks from the skin will be cured of light bleeding, and regain 1 to 2 hit points. Enough water may be enchanted to heal 10 people. An individual may drink as much of the water as he desires, but it will have no additional effect other than to quench his thirst. The priest may only carry one such skin.
Resistance to Water: A priest with this power gains a +2 to saving throws vs. water. As a side effect, he must take a -2 saving throw vs. spells of fire or sun.
Body of Water: Upon reaching the 5th level, water clerics' bodies are partially transformed. Impurities, even toxins, are constantly filtered out of the body to emerge as harmless sweat. This gives the priest a +4 to any saving throw vs. poison.
Spark of Life. Only water priests of the 7th level and above may select this power, and it may only be used in conjunction with a healing draft. When invoked, the priest can give a healing do to any creature of flesh and blood that has died in the last three rounds, and who still has hit points (-9 minimum). A small amount of the priest's life is used to spark the creatures, and this costs the priest 1 hit point for as long as the creature remains alive.
The healing draft brings the character back to life with 1 hit point. After healing, the character retains the extra hit point, a tiny part of the priest who healed him. When he dies, the tiny bit of life essence magically returns to its rightful owner.
Wandering water clerics fulfill several roles in the tribes, villages, and nomads they visit. Water priests perform healing and purify polluted water sources. In times of severe drought they will provide drinking water until the water supply has recovered.
Unlike the shrines of the other elements, those dedicated to water almost always have a protector. Water clerics seize the rare pools that form the shrines in order to protect them from settlers, defilers, or the simple, natural hazards of nature.
A priest who has attached himself to a shrine has related duties that may require his absence for short periods of time. The surrounding region is the foundation of the water table, and the cleric must insure that the land has not been polluted or otherwise tampered with. Tampering could include actual organized attacks, damming, or poisoning—anything that threatens the water supply.
Water priests are the least threatened elemental clerics residing in the cities. Their safety lies in the fact that they provide water for the poor and desperate, and are frequently called upon for healing.
Occasionally, templars even recruit water clerics to accompany them on particularly dangerous missions, and water clerics do not believe that the Elemental Plane of Water is a purely pacifist sphere. That which serves water, serves them.