Nethys
To some, magic is a powerful weapon. To others, it’s a malleable tool. And
to a few, it’s a source of purpose. With an understanding of spellcasting,
creatures can cause fire to erupt from their hands, call otherworldly beings
to aid them, bewitch the senses, and even bring the dead
back to life. The ability to reshape reality to better suit
one’s needs and desires is a powerful call that most only
dream of being able to answer, and few are ever able to truly
master such might.
Those who encounter Nethys typically describe him as unpredictable.
His shifts in mood and outlook, which occur without reason, often make
interactions with him strained. Yet despite the difficulties, he teaches
those who seek him out, regardless of their intent. So long as they strive
to use magic, to explore its limitless potential, they can earn Nethys’
patronage. From the vilest curses to the purest remedies, magic and
its continued use seem to be the only drive Nethys maintains. This
is often reflected in his followers, who may seek to uncover all
they can about the arcane by crafting new uses for existing spells,
or to simplify mundane tasks through magical means. Using magic
whenever possible is an often-practiced tenet of Nethys’s followers.
Some of the more zealous followers take it to the fullest extent, opting
to use magic for doing all their household tasks at once, utilizing only
magical sources of light, or constantly providing themselves with a
light breeze.
Nethys’s worshippers seek to gain greater knowledge and expand upon
their powers. While the majority of his faithful welcome those who seek to
learn and understand magic, a fair portion actively shun those without
the talent or patience for it. Many followers push for others to learn,
often withholding the full answers to questions and offering just enough
information to lead others to seek out the answers themselves and learn from
their own pursuits. Some instead guard their knowledge jealously, hoping
to ensure their own understanding far outpaces that of others who chase
similar knowledge. It is common for the followers of Nethys
to come off as aloof or indifferent, perhaps even mirroring
the god of magic by attempting to balance the world around
them, allowing disaster that could be prevented while
bringing structure where it is lacking. Most refrain from
politics, instead choosing to take impartial viewpoints that
do not require taking hard stances, though a Nethysian’s
neutral stance makes them perfect advisors for rulers dealing
with magic-related issues.
Standalone temples constructed solely for the worship
of Nethys are rare. Instead, many double as libraries
and studies, and preexisting libraries and colleges often
hold shrines to Nethys within. Most of these temples
are grandiose edifices whose imposing nature suggest
architecture only capable with the aid of magic. In fact,
many of the caretakers of such sites take pride in the unique
spells required in the creation of the more elaborate temples of Nethys. A
few more remote locations hold small shrines to Nethys, often containing
small traveling libraries along with various scraps of research that might
spur those who stop and partake to pursue new knowledge, though
such shrines are particularly rare. These shrines and their libraries are
constructed by followers who actively roam the lands in search of new
secrets. Priests of Nethys commonly wear contrasting colors, often one
light and one dark, or take to painting or tattooing one half of their body
to better represent the duality of the god of magic.
DIVINE INTERCESSION
Nethys is often impartial to his followers and their wishes, so it is rare to gain a heightened favor from the god of magic. However, blatant disregard and stifling of magic will certainly earn his ire. Minor Boon: Nethys casts a powerful spell to help you in a pinch. Once, Nethys casts a spell 1 level higher than the highest-level spell you can cast. If you can’t cast spells, Nethys casts a 1st-level spell to help you. Moderate Boon: Nethys grants you insight into the secrets of magic. Add one spell from a different tradition of magic to your spell list. You still must learn it or add it to your repertoire normally. Major Boon: You are granted supreme magical knowledge and mastery. If you are a prepared spellcaster, you can switch one of your prepared spells for another spell you could have prepared in that slot; if you are a spontaneous spellcaster, you can switch one of the spells in your spell repertoire for another spell you could have chosen for your repertoire instead. In either case, you make this switch by using a single action, which has the concentrate trait. (If you are neither a prepared nor a spontaneous spellcaster, Nethys won’t grant you his major boon.) Minor Curse: The secrets of magic become mentally taxing. You are permanently stupefied 1. Moderate Curse: Your magic wars against itself like Nethys’s dueling halves. Whenever you cast a spell, attempt a DC 11 flat check. On a failure, if your spell was harmful, you instead cast a beneficial spell of the same level on your intended targets, and if it was beneficial, you instead cast a harmful spell of the same level on your intended targets. If the spell benefited some targets and harmed others, you cast a spell of the same level that switches who benefited (for instance, changing a heal spell that harmed undead and healed the living to a harm spell that healed undead and harmed the living). You still lose the spell slot for the spell you were trying to cast. Major Curse: Nethys severs your connection to magic. You lose all your spellcasting abilities and cannot gain any future spellcasting.
Comments