Outlaw priest

Description

This priest has decided to become part of some sort of outlaw community and serve that community's religious needs. The trouble is, for the character to take this kit, this group or community must be sufficiently outlawed that the priesthood in question does not approve of it. Alternatively, the priest may have decided that the god's priesthood is not serving him in an appropriate way, and he will have decided to create his own priestly order serving the same god. In this case, too, the regular priesthood does not approve of him. In either case, the priest must believe that he is still serving the god in a fashion that the god approves of. (The DM, obviously, must agree.)
Friar Tuck. the cleric who tended to Robin Hood's Merry Men, is the classic example of this type of priest.
This priest, in the pursuit of his duties, is opposed by other priests serving the same god. In addition, if he's identified himself with an outlaw or pirate band, he'll be wanted by the authorities as a member of that band.
There are no special ability-score requirements to be an Outlaw Priest.
A priest abandons this kit by leaving the outlaw band or opposing/disbanding the new religious order, whichever is pertinent. Additionally, by role-playing in the campaign, he must answer all the charges pressed against him by the authorities (he might do this by being tried and going to prison for a time, or paying reparations, or accepting tasks of penance from his temple if he does not, he will continue to be opposed by his temple and wanted by the authorities.

Barred

Priests of the gods of Community may not take this kit.
Priests of no Philosophy or Force may take this kit. (They can associate themselves with pirate or outlaw bands, but there is no censure within their orders because of it, and therefore no disadvantage to belonging to such a band.)

Role

This sort of priest has one of two roles, depending on the situation.
(1) With the first situation mentioned above, the priest has joined an outlaw or pirate band. In the campaign, then, he's the rogue priest who has decided that the band deserves his priestly guidance, and that this is more important than the demands of his priestly order. The priest either agrees with the band's outlaw activities or ignores them; his concern is that they receive the blessings of his god. Perhaps, too, he thinks that they'll be a more ethical group with him around; he may be present to keep them from performing acts of brutality or rapine, which they might undertake were he not present.
(2) In the second situation mentioned above, the priest is a rogue visionary who thinks that he must serve his god in a way not approved of by the normal priesthood. This character is probably someone who went through the temple's normal priestly training, decided that there was something wrong or lacking in it, and set out to found his own order. A classic example of this is the situation where a priesthood has become corrupt and lazy, and a reformer priest has appeared to try to return the worship of the god to its former honorable state: the corrupt priests naturally wish to maintain the status quo.

Weapon Proficiencies

Required

None

Recommended

If Pirate, cutlass, belaying pin, bill
If Outlaw, weapon choices appropriate for the outlaw band.

Non-weapon Proficiencies

Bonus Proficiency

Religion

Pirate Priest

Recommended Proficiencies

General

Rope Use, Seamanship, Swimming, Weather Sense

Warrior

(double slots unless priest-class dictates otherwise)
Navigation

Priest

Engineering (for shipbuilding), Reading/Writing (for mapmaking)

Rogue

(double slots unless priest-class dictates otherwise)
Appraising, Set Snares (in association with Rope Use skill), Tightrope Walking, Tumbling

Outlaw Priest

Recommended Proficiencies

General

Direction Sense, Fire-Building, Riding (Land-Based)

Warrior

(double slots unless priest-class dictates otherwise)
Animal Lore, Bowyer/Fletcher, Endurance, Hunting, Running, Set Snares, Survival, Tracking,

Priest

Healing, Herbalism, Local History

Rogue

(double slots unless priest-class dictates otherwise)
Disguise

Equipment

No restrictions. Within the context of the campaign, if this is a pirate or outlaw band, it's a bad idea to wear metal armor (banded, brigandine, bronze plate, chain, field plate, full plate, plate mail, and ring mail). Metal armor drags pirates down to their deaths when they fall overboard; and it's noisy when worn by outlaws trying to ambush their prey. But this is just a factor the DM needs to remember, not a re- striction on the kit.

Special Benefits

The main benefit of this kit is that the priest does not have any superiors. He takes orders from no superior religious authority (unless the god himself chooses to issue some).

Special Hindrances

The outlaw priest is opposed by the normal priestly order serving his god. When they hear of his plans, they try to thwart them (break up religious meetings, disrupt building of his temple, etc.). This priest never gets to build a temple at cut-rate prices; he must always spend the whole amount to build his temple.
If he ever abandons his kit, the regular priesthood may accept his temple as one belonging to the priesthood, but will never recompense him half the money it took to build it. If the outlaw priest is part of an outlaw or pirate band, he is sought by the same authorities that seek that band, and will pay the same penalties under the law as they do if he is caught.

Wealth Options

Outlaw priests get the standard 3d6x10 gp for starting gold.

Races

No special restrictions

[Complete Priest's Handbook]