TEMPUS

( Lord of Battles, Foehammer)

Greater Power of Limbo: Chaotic Neutral

Portfolio: War, Battle, Warriors

Symbol: A blazing silver sword on blood-red field.

Weapons Allowed: All bludgeoning weapons, the spiked glove, plus one other weapon of choice-any one weapon chosen by the cleric.

Armor Allowed: Any. If a two-handed weapon is taken as the chosen weapon,no shield may be used.

Major Spheres: Animal, Combat, Divination weapons.", Elemental, Healing, Necromantic, Protection, Weather

Minor Spheres: All, Guardian, Summoning, Sun

Magical Items Allowed: Same as clerics, plus magical versions of their individual "chosen weapons."

The Lord of Battles is venerated by all alignments and all causes in conflict. He appears as a 12 foot tall human giant in battered and bloodied armor, his face hidden by a massive war helm. His shoulders and legs are bare and crossed with wounds, and he is always bleeding, though never tiring. He bears a great battle axe or a black sword notched and stained from much use in his gauntleted hands. Tempus is called upon before the evening of battle, to enhance the skills of one side and curse another. Tempus has been known to manifest to one side or the other in battle to indicate his favor. Most often he is seen standing with one foot on a white mare, Veiros, and the other on a black stallion, Deiros. If seen riding the mare, favor in battle is indicated, while riding the stallion foretells defeat.

Specialty priests favored by Tempus: Soldiers of Light.

Granted Powers: Specialty priests of Tempus can incite a beserker rage in themselves and others. The rage lasts for 10 rounds. At initiation, the specialty priest of Tempus chooses a particular weapon as his/her chosen weapon. This is not a weapon type (such as "all flails") but one specific weapon (such as "this flail that I'm holding right now"). This chosen weapon may be of any type{ ax, sword, etc. }. When using that particular weapon, he/she gains specific benefits that allow him/her to hit and do damage more then normal. While recognizing the need for bows and slings, the specialty followers of Tempus take a dim view of missile weapons. In a perfect world, no one would use such cowardly items, but the world is imperfect. Therefor, no missile weapon can be taken as a chosen weapon unless it can also be used as a melee weapon (like a spear). Specialty priests of Tempus have an excellent feel for weapons. They can discern the workmanship and potential magical ability of a weapon merely by handling it. The specialty priest can determine the magical pluses (though not any other special or magical abilities) of any weapon that he/she is proficient with (including his/her weapon of choice) All specialty priests of Tempus have the following non-weapon proficiencies at no cost: armorer, blind fighting, and weapon Smithing. Specialty priests of Tempus, particularly those of high rank, wear a spiked gauntlet as a symbol of office. The gauntlet usually is worn by priests of some sort of authority -- those in charge of temples of leading crusades.

Other Notes: Ceremonial garb is the same for both clerics and specialty priests of Tempus, whether they are in the temple of on the battlefield (it is all the same to a priest of Tempus). They wear full plate, spattered with blood. The arms and legs may have white saffron over the plate, but this, too, is spattered with red. A full helm is usually common, but with no face plate (or an open face plate). In those few areas untouched by war, a steel skullcap is worn instead. The orders of Tempus are militant orders, and military ranks within the faint are common, such as priest-captain and most holy general. Ranks are assigned by higher-ups, in light of service, needs, and situation, and brevets (temporary) commands are common in desperate situations and suicidal missions. The leaders of a temple or crusade are entitled to wear the heavy battle gauntlet of rank. Tempurian crusades have been referred to as "a civilized man's barbarian horde." Whipped into a frenzy by a strongly charismatic leader, such crusades where known to travel great distances and level the castles of those (good, evil or unaligned) who pose a threat to the faith. There have been rumblings here and there in the past century, but no full-blown crusade has rocked the lands from Waterdeep to Cormyr in recent memory.

This page was last updated on April 04, 2000 11:08:39 AM
Page created by Epic, modified and maintained by Entres.
Image created and modified by Abyss and Tazor