Heimiran Heresies: the Order of the Blessed Poor

In the year X.488 the heir to the Dragonfall, a man named Bede, stripped his fine silken tunic off and sold it in the marketplace. His brother, Penda Longsword, was horrified and his father disowned him. Bede claimed he'd had a vision from Heimir himself, and left Rickton to found a monastery in the wild. For three years he was fed only by the grace of the birds and the badgers, and he preached a radical, new, heretical branch of Heimiran doctrine. Thus began the Order of the Blessed Poor.

Bede the Beneficent was roundly condemned by the nobles of Agstowe. Even his own brother, Penda, when he became Erl, ordered him arrested. But the common folk spirited him out of Agstowe after the "Night of Embers" when he led them to burn the grand Metropolitan Temple in Longlaird. He was given shelter in the abbey of Heimirsted in Cymballar before the Convocation of the Abbots Major condemned his sect.

It was too late. Bede was put to death by the Hierians for grave crimes against the Faiths, but the Blessed Poor had taken hold.

Heimirsted was the center of this contagion, producing many mendicant monks who spoke against the unequal ways of the world. By fire and sword, they sought to introduce universal equality, universal justice, and universal poverty. There are still Bands of Peace out there, fighting for Heimir, allied from time to time with Eleians and Hashtemites. Local abbots of Heimir may be more or less tolerant of the Blessed Poor, depending on their own temperaments.

Other kits in this order: Poor Poets, Champions

REQUIREMENTS: Wisdom 12, Charisma 10
PRIME REQ: Wisdom
ALIGNMENT: CG
WEAPONS: Staff, club, sling, knife, spear, hand axe, arming sword, short bow
MAJOR SPHERES: All, Chaos, Creation, Healing, Travelers, Combat, Charm, War
MINOR SPHERES: Animal, Guardian, Plant, Protection, Wards
REQ. PROFS: Religion
BONUS PROFS: Brewing, Herbalism
VOW OF POVERTY: The priests of the blessed poor are forbidden from owning productive property, however they may purchase property in order to communalize it. The priest must dispose of all liquid wealth every 6 months for the good of the poor, keeping no more than 10gp for food. A Priest of the Blessed Poor is permitted a small number of magical items as per a Paladin. The priest may not own any armor heavier than hide. The priest may otherwise own personal arms, armor, and equipment. Priests of the Blessed Poor may select any proficiency at normal cost, as though they belonged to the appropriate class. In addition, Priests of the Blessed Poor gain thief skills as though they were bards, following the bardic progression table. They also have the ability to persuade crowds of common folk as though they were bards.

At 1st level, a Priest of the Blessed Poor may purify food or drink one time per day in addition to any other spells prayed for. Food purified this way will taste hearty and be quite filling, while drinks become a thick mead or stout ale. In this way, a small amount of trail rations or food can be made to last twice as long as normally would if this spell is cast every day upon it.

At 3rd level, the Priest gains supernatural protection. Heimir will grant Priests of the Blessed Poor barkskin 1/week in addition to any other spells prayed for.

At 5th level, a Priest of the Blessed Poor may brew semi-magical brews as per a Mystic of equivalent level (refer to Faiths and Avatars).

At 7th level, Priests of the blessed Poor may exude courage, happiness, friendship, hate, or hope (as per the 4th level wizard spell Emotion) while speaking. These continue to remain in effect as long as the Brother does nothing other than speak.

At 10th level, a Priest of the Blessed Poor may affect anyone who has eaten a piece of food or drink of liquor given to them by that brother with a suggestion spell. The target must have eaten or drunk something granted to him by the Brother within the last round for him to be a susceptible target.

At 15th level, Priests of the Blessed Poor become immune to any ingested poison. Likewise, they can subsist on mere crumbs of bread and sips of dew, though such a life is not very pleasant. Finally, a Brother of this level may create a sanctuary by spending one hour defining its borders. Within a sanctuary, all rolls to recover HP naturally are made at maximum (ie, 4hp/night) and all proficiency checks receive a +1 bonus. All saves also receive a +2 bonus while the characters remain in the sanctuary. A sanctuary may not cover more ground than 10 sq feet/level, and a Brother may only define one sanctuary at a time. Upon defining a new sanctuary, the old one is lost.