Divinity Sparks

evil sorceress,or powerful tyrant from achieving godhood. Regardless ofthe alignment ofits subject,the Ritual of Ascendancy often lays waste to the surrounding land(s),so it is generally in everyone’s best interests to stop it from happening.

Small bits ofloosed divinity sometimes coagulate into balls ofenergy that look a little like tiny stars.These balls,called divinity sparks,are both desirable and dangerous.Divinity sparks represent a concentration ofdivine power.Those in the know can use the power in these sparks to their own ends. The death ofa god releases some divinity sparks right away,a number equal to 1d20 + the deity’s 1-to-20 power rating.About 10 percent of these immediately flit off into the Astral Plane, where they eventually get lost,recoverable only through extensive searching with magical aid. Another 10 percent tend to fade away (disappear into the Astral Plane, move offelsewhere in the universe,or become absorbed by someone or something) about every six months.Thus,the divinity spark phenomenon eventually disappears altogether from the site of the god’s death. Ifthe god’s corpse does not remain at the site ofthe demise (see “Post Mortem” in Chapter One),an additional 1d6+1 divinity sparks hover about the actual corpus dei,beyond those released upon death.

Difficulties may arise when characters try to find and capture divinity sparks.Sometimes they are only visible under certain circumstances,such as at a particular time ofday,by those ofa specific alignment or outlook,from a certain angle,or only by using magic.Further,divinity sparks have an Armor Class of25 (+4 due to size,+5 due to

swiftness/Dexterity,+6 due to magical deflection),which makes them hard to grab.While not intelligent,they do normally resist those attempting to touch them,unless some pre-set conditions favor it. DMs should decide ahead oftime whether they want to create any special conditions for finding or grabbing divinity sparks around a particularly deity.Keep in mind that these sparks are the most valuable ofa dead god’s treasures.They likely have guardians,such as spectres ofthe divine or creatures with the divinely infused template (see Chapter Checklist Seven).You should make the challenge ofgetting a divinity Establish the effects of loosed spark equal to the spark’s worth. divinity upon the immediate locality. Divinity sparks feel tingly to the touch,and ever-so-slightly Which of the god’s domain- warm.Anyone touching one automatically knows the alignbased effects occur? ment ofthe dead god that loosed the power to make it. Are they positive or negative? Consider the specifics of the Ritual of Ascendancy. Is it possible to rise to godhood via this rite? If so, what components and preparations does it require? Roll for the number of divinity sparks around the death site. Number of sparks = 1d20 + deity’s 1-to-20 power rating, less 10 percent. Add 1d6+1 sparks around the corpus dei, if not present at death site. Decide whether special conditions modify the difficulty of finding or seizing a spark. Are there guardians? Determine whether any NPCs have already gained sparks. What have they done with them? What will they do? What effects did the spark confer upon these possessors? Have any been absorbed to create divinely infused creatures? Have any been absorbed to form intelligent items or artifacts? Using Divinity Sparks

Once it’s captured,a character can store away a divinity spark in some safe container,absorb it,or transfer it to another creature or object.Most people use small,locked iron boxes to contain a spark,but anything will do.

A stored divinity spark grants its possessor one ofthe following effects: • Grants a +2 divine bonus to one ability score ofthe creature’s choosing.Once it’s chosen,the character cannot change the ability score.The spark must be in the possession ofthe character for the bonus to be in effect. • Activates the abilities ofa disaffected (see Chapter

Three) • Serves as an experience source for making magic items or casting spells requiring an experience-point component.A divinity spark can offer a total of1,000 XP in this way.

Once the possessor chooses a function for a stored divinity spark,the choice cannot be changed.For example,a character who uses it to activate his ability to become a disaffected cannot later use it to gain a bonus to an ability.He can,however,give it to another to use to gain any ofthe three effects.

A creature can absorb a divinity spark into itself,or cause a divinity spark to be absorbed into an object.A creature absorbing a divinity spark gains a +2 permanent,inherent bonus to an ability score one time only.A character who absorbs two sparks gains no additional abilities beyond those granted by the first one,even ifthey come from different deities.Absorbing three divinity sparks negates the inherent bonus but confers upon the creature the divinely infused creature template (see Chapter Seven).Only ifall the sparks come from the same god,such a creature takes on the alignment ofthe dead god who generated the sparks.