Cleric (FiD)
Starfox's Blades in the Dark fan page |
You channel divine power through the disciplined study of sacred traditions and the invocation of divine mysteries. Your mastery of theurgy—an art rooted in ritual and ancient knowledge—allows you to evoke miracles through precise words, gestures, and symbols, replicating the circumstances of past divine interventions.
Unlike Saints, who are chosen by divine will, clerics gain their power through structured learning and practice. Most clerics serve a specific deity or faith, but their abilities are tied to their training rather than direct attention from the divine. This makes clerics versatile, able to adapt to different traditions and patrons across their careers.
Clerics often hold positions of authority within organized religions, where their knowledge and power maintain the faith’s structure. However, this professional approach can bring them into conflict with fervent Saints or reformers, who might view their methods as rigid or lacking divine inspiration.
Touchstones: The Bishop (Ladyhawke, 1985), Imhotep (The Mummy, 1999), Father Moore (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, 2005), The Red Priestess Melisandre (Game of Thrones, 2012–2019).
Trauma Condition—Enactment
You are invoking divine power through lore and ritual. You quote scriptures in a liturgical language and use ritual gestures, symbols, and objects to activate powers. At a minimum you need a holy symbol and a rosary.
Theurgy does not require faith, but using divine powers creates expectations, both within yourself and others. Failing external expectations can lead to persecution, failing inner expectations can lead to a temporary loss of powers.
Special Abilities
- Community: Gain +1d on all insight and resolve action checks when dealing with people that share your faith and +increased effect when using any power in the presence of a congregation of a size matching the scale of your tier (p 221) of people who share your system of belief, even if they belong to a different faction or sect.
- Enchanter: When you invent or craft (p 224) Alchemy, Armaments, and Magic Items, take +1d to your roll. You can make new Designs and Formulas. You begin with one Design or Formula already known.
- Judgement: You can bless or curse creatures around you, which fills them with bright or dark moods. For the next 48 hours, you can Assist (p 134) and Protect (p 135) them even if you are not present. You can even assist fortune rolls. Twice per score you can Assist without spending stress.
- Ritualist: You can use occult Ritual to summon a supernatural effect or being. You know the arcane Procedure to perform a specific ritual and can research Procedures for new rituals. See p 222.
- Spirit Ward: You know how to sanctify an area with arcane substances and methods making it anathema to undead, angels, or devils (your choice). This takes a minute and you can do it again to ward a larger area or against multiple powers.
- Studied Domains You can now learn any power and use them with clerical magic. This lessens the restrictions of Trauma Condition—Enactment.
- Warded: You may expend your Special Armor to resist a magical or spiritual consequence, or to push yourself when you deal with spiritual forces.
- Powers: Air, Animal, Barrier, Darkness, Death, Earth, Electricity, Fire, Ice, Flux, Illusion, Kinesis, Life, Light, Metal, Mind, Order, Plant, Space, Time, Water.
Divine Associates and Adversaries
- ˄ ˅ Halim, a monastic.
- ˄ ˅ Kavi, a politician.
- ˄ ˅ Lenar, a cleric.
- ˄ ˅ Majan, one of the chosen.
- ˄ ˅ Solen, a sage.
Inventory
- ☐☐ Liturgical Robe.
- ☐ Potent hand weapon.
- ☐ Scroll.
- ☐ Shield.
- Liturgical Robe ☐☐: Extravagant robe embroidered with mystic symbols, along with a ceremonial hat and other religious symbols such as prayer beads and a censer. Reduces the stress cost of powers by 1. Playbook.
- Potent Hand Weapon ☐: A masterwork hand weapon, often a mace or your patron's favored weapon. This weapon has been blessed making it potent. The potency allows you to damage supernatural targets.
- Scroll ☐: Allows a single use of a power available to your playbook but not known to you. Playbook.
- Shield ☐: A defensive weapon carried in one hand. Functions as armor and stacks with other armor. Cannot be used with a heavy or off-hand weapon.
XP
- Every time you roll a desperate action, mark xp in that action's attribute.
At the end of each session, for each item below, mark 1 xp (in your playbook or an attribute) or 2 xp if that item occurred multiple times.
- You addressed a challenge using powers or diplomacy.
- You expressed your beliefs, drives, heritage, or background.
- You struggled with issues from your vice or traumas during the session.
Starting Actions
- Study 2
- Wreck 1
- 4 points by choice, no higher than 2 in any one.