Blakean Humanist Clerics

 

So I rolled "cleric" for GLoGtober day 5. I have neither played nor wanted to play a cleric. Ever. 

Apparently the first DnD clerics were supposed to be VanHelsing type vampire hunters. I am more inclined to design for that than the stereotypical DnD cleric. But turn undead is iconic. Paired with this, I've been re-reading the poetry of William Blake, and he is the coolest and most DnD poet. Looks like this will be the Class Chassis for today.

The State of Mankind

The human form is sacred. Profane actions twist men and women away from this ideal. Their sins bring about their aberration, and the unclean must be cleansed. Their imaginations must be turned. Four great sins rise above the rest. Cruelty, Jealousy, Terror, and Secrecy. Respectively, these sins are responsible for vampires, drow, werewolves, and the undead. As a cleric, your charge is the restoration of the image of man in these beasts. Not every beast can be restored. In this case, it falls to you to put them to rest.

The Blakean Humanist Cleric

You’ve seen the Human Form Divine. Monstrosity is a movement away from humanity, and humanity is to be championed. You fight for mankind.

For every Blakean Humanist Cleric template you gain +2 resistance to fear and your party members gain +1 morale (intended for hirelings)

Starting Equipment – A book of axioms, maxims, and aphorisms, an inkwell and a sharp pen, a dagger

Starting Skills: Drawing, Epistulatory writing, Hosting

Template A – Calling, Visionary

Template B – Poetic Genius

Template C – [see Calling]

Template D – Turn the Unseeing

Calling - You fight for mankind, but you specifically fight for the incipient humanity of the beasts of your calling. Choose from the following beasts and reference their tables for the additional skills and templates added: Undead, Vampire, Drow, Werebeast  of your calling. Choose from Vampires, Undead, Drow, or Werewolves.

 [Sorry, all of these are only upcoming for the time being. I’m intending to have undead and Drow done by next week’s cleric post]

Visionary – “Man’s perceptions are not bounded by organs of perception” You realize this, and you see. You are aware when you are in the presence (within 10 feet) of something beyond perception. This includes magics, ghosts, and lay lines among other things. On a Template +1 in 6, you can also see through illusions and supernatural invisibilities. You always see angels (fallen or otherwise) if they are present.

Poetic Genius – Your words resonate. There isn’t magic to them, just art. Given ten minutes in a public place you can gather the attention of all present and then some. They’ll at least listen to what you have to say next.  In contrast, if you speak to an individual neutral or friendly to you for ten minutes 1 on 1, you can instill a single strong emotion in them.

Tune Imagination – Once per day, you may share a visionary word to a single target who has not had their imagination turned. They understand. For 1d10 rounds, they are stunned by the revelation. No save. Damage breaks this stun. If you use this on a target immediately after 10 minutes of speaking to them with your Poetic Genius ability, you may instill fear and visions that leaves them permanently terrified of you or you may instill joy and grant them a template of Blakean Humanist Cleric with the same calling as yours. See your Calling for further effects of the turning.

Thoughts

This is again a somewhat draftlike post. I’m not yet happy with the synthesis of theme and mechanics here yet. Mixing Blake and this… “Clerics against abberations of man” idea don’t yet fully fit. I might need to later split them into a strait up Blakean Visionary class and a more basic Clerical template later. For now, and at least for a first iteration of the callings, this is what we’ve got though. Any fans of William Blake out there? Ideas of how his work could be adapted for a game?

Oh, also: Day 4 of GLoGtober will come at some point this month. I rolled "Heist" and any adventure form module/post is going to be something I tinker away at for most of the month. I see no reason posting a half baked heist, so it's just going to wait for a time. 

Thanks All!