Pantheon Monday: Topaz Firegem

TOPAZ FIREGEM

(the Cunning, the Mystic)

Greater God, NG

Portfolio: Fire, magic, community

Aliases: None

Domain Name: The Warm Hearth, Valingas

Superior: None

Allies: Quilian Knowais

Foes: Pogrillius Tosscobble

Symbol: A crystalline flame

Worshipper Alignment: Any

Topaz (TOE-paz) Firegem is the chief god of the Smallfolk pantheon. He is the longtime husband of Leesha Roseheart (though she has snubbed, cuckolded, and scorned him time and time again) and is less nicely known as the Hornéd God. He is a serious creature and a member of the youngest race of deities, the Vinthar.

As the chief male in the Vinthian pantheon, Topaz bears great responsibility to ensure that the evil things from the monstrous realms that despise halflings and gnomes are kept at bay. He often fights alongside Halmun Deepdelve, Beryl Ironfoot, and Solmon Woodhome when the monstrous gods press close.

The Vinthar are an interfering race, and Topaz is one of the most interfering Vinthar of all. Like Leesha he often appears to his followers and even deigns to disguise himself and walk amongst them, masquerading as a gnomish magic-worker.

He despises the heros and gods that win his wife’s affections, so he is often at odds with Pogrillius Tosscobble (her current fling) and Lapris Cleverfingers (one of her old paramours).

Topaz appears as a red-bearded gnome with a face heavily lined with cares. He generally wears flashy robes and curly slippers and carries a wand with a ruby on its tip carved into a fantastic flickering fire.

The Church

Clergy: Speciality priests, evokers

Clergy’s Alignment: Any good

Turn Undead: Yes

Command Undead: No

Lapris’ church is worshipped solely by gnomes. Halflings have no interest or capability with magic and so they would rather worship his rivals, Tosscobble or Cleverfingers. Amongst gnomes, however, his is one of the most common churches.

Temples to the Firegem are generally made in warm dry caves or the hollow boles of ancient trees. They are bedecked in reds and oranges, supplied with braziers which burn brilliantly, and wrapped in mystical atmospheres. Gnomish wizards of all colors, illusionist and evoker both, visit these temples with some frequency.

The chief priest of the Firegem is known as the Firekeeper. The Firekeeper is the high priest of the temple at Craftsman’s Reach called the Labyrinth of Flames. All other high priests must bow before him, and he has the authority to summon what are known as the Mystic Synods to discuss the contents of the ancient but revered Books of the Spell.

Dogma: To learn, to know, to contemplate magic is the stuff of life.

Day-to-Day Activities: The priests of Topaz spend their days praying, tending to the community and its members. When not engaged in this activity, magical research and the preservation of tomes is their order of the day.

Major Centers of Worship: Craftsman’s Reach, particularly the Labyrinth of Fire.

Affiliated Orders: None.

Priestly Vestments: Red robes and the ruby fire-gem are the common symbols of Topaz. Full fledged priests often wear a circlet of bronze as well.

Adventuring Garb: The circlet of bronze and the flame-like gemstones are the only thing that are common amongst all adventuring priests.

Priest of the Sacred Flame

(Specialty Priest)

REQUIREMENTS: Intelligence 12, Wisdom 8

PRIME REQ: Wisdom

ALIGNMENT: NG

WEAPONS: Staff, club, knife, dagger, sling

MAJOR SPHERES: All, divination, elemental (fire), guardian, healing, necromantic

MINOR SPHERES: Combat, elemental (air), protection, sun, time

MAGICAL ITEMS: Any priestly, any wizardly that is not a book or scroll

REQ. PROFS: Spellcraft

BONUS PROFS: Reading/Writing (any one), Firebuilding

Priests of the Sacred Flame are naturally protected from cold and can kindle a fire almost anywhere save a glacier as long as they have fuel.

At 3rd level, the priest of the sacred flame may affect normal fires or use a pyrotechnics spell once per day for every three levels of experience.

At 5th level, the priest of the sacred flame receives a +3 bonus to dispel any evocations or fire-based magic. They also receive a +2 bonus to save against fire-based attacks.

At 7th level, the priest may cast a chromatic orb once per day as though he were a wizard of the same level. He doesn’t require the gem normally necessary for this spell.

At 10th level, the priest can summon a fire elemental from any flame source that is potent enough once per day as though he were casting conjure fire elemental.

At 15th level, the priest can produce flame at will.