The Pantheistic Tournament

Deities and Domains

so could save this most basic building block of life and

This holy quest is of world-altering import. Most deities— the environment. even evil ones—would prefer that the realm of mortals not be Protection: Followers of protective deities care less about destroyed by famine, drought, heat, and flame. Followers of the specifics of what is happening and more about the end the nature gods are especially determined to see the natural result—people are suffering and dying. The threatened order set right, but any deity wishing to preserve its mortal individuals and communities must be guarded at all costs. following has a stake in the outcome. The deities most likely (This attitude does not extend to anyone who might be aiding to send their own champions into the fray are those whose the fiends and fire elementals in their activities. ) areas of interest include the Animal, Fire, Healing, Plant, Water: Perhaps the most devoted and militant of all who Protection, and Water domains. strive against the spreading deserts are the followers of the

Animal: The animals of the world suffer as much as water deities. They see a danger not only to the world, but humanoids when the deserts expand and the fertile lands also to the gods themselves, if this primary element of their

Me—perhaps even more, since they lack access to technologi- divine portfolios weakens and fades from the world. For these cal and magical means of survival. Not only should adherents champions, saving lives and communities is of secondary of the Animal domain seek to protect these creatures, but they importance to restoring the elemental Wellsprings and rean also make use of their connection turning the four elements with the beasts to help locate the to a state of balance. Some enemy and the elemental zealous followers might

Wellsprings. From the seek retribution in the animals, they can find process, hoping mit where the land first to raise the elebegan to die, and what ment of water areas the animals avoid to prominence for fear of the alien over the others. rod deadly creatures that now dwell there. Suggested

Those who com Rewards mune with animals For most charalso have spies and acters, saving scouts who can lead the world and them where they gaining treamust go. sure from the

Fire: One might potent enemies expect followers of they face constiire to support the tute sufficient spread of their ele- reward. Howment, and indeed ever, Obad-Hai, some do. But oth¬ Ehlonna, and ers know from holy Yondalla have a writ or personal ex direct stake in perience that fire out the completion of control is to be feared of this mission. rather than revered. Thus, they All three gods strive as hard as any to see the If they are not staffed, the beasts of fire will continue to corrupt are grateful to have such deworld put to rights, so that the the elemental wellspring of water with foul sacrifices voted and potent servants on the power of the flame can once Material Plane and are willing to again be brought under their deities' influence. Clerics of fire take steps to keep them there. Any characters serving one can force the obedience of elementals, which might prove of those deities who is slain in the course of a subsequent instrumental in the acquisition of information. adventure is immediately subject to a reincarnate spell (PH

Healing: The people who have suffered, and the land itself, 270), without the standard level loss or expensive material must be healed. Beasts of fire and fiends of the Lower Planes component. Each character can benefit from this blessing are anathema to life, so those who revere healing must stop only once. them. Deities that offer the Healing domain do not consider it sufficient that their champions simply halt the destruction; THE PANTHEISTIC TOURNAMENT they must find a way to undo it. Plant: Plants as well as animals die when the desert spreads. Deities of plants and woodlands know that the encroachment of fire endangers not only the plants themselves, but ultimately every creature in the world that relies Once per generation, a continentwide gathering occurs of the greatest athletes alive. Officially, this event is a sequence of sporting and athletic contests intended to honor the gods by showing them the greatest specimens the mortal races have to offer. Informally, it is a chance for nations to settle minor on any sort of food. Those who revere plants are willing differences without resorting to war, for various sects and facto sacrifice animals or even people, if they must, if doing tions to make the public aware of their existence, for churches