From: Mike Phillips ([m s phil] at [birds.wm.edu]) Apollo (Sunlight, Agathocacological, Ordered, Major God) Apollo, sometimes called Phoebus Apollo, was the god of the sun, light, harp, music, and more. He was often portrayed as being bardic in nature, with a lyre, and he was twin brother to Diana (Greek: Artemis), goddess of the moon and archery. He is served by the Nine Muses. Apollo's priests are a mixture of male and female, with the exact balance shifting over time. Nearly all are accomplished musicians of some sort, with a heavy preference towards lyrical composition and harping, and most end up with at least passing acquaintance with the lyre. Not a few are also moderately adept with Spellsongs. Many come from humble origins, as Apollo is heavily revered among shepherds. The priesthood itself is but loosely organized, with orders and gatherings along the divisions of the Nine Muses (Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Plyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia, and Urania), with Calliope, Erato, Euterpe and Polyhymnia having the largest number of devotees. A few blest priestesses (and, rarely, priests) end up with prophetic abilities, and these oracles are often consulted. The greatest and best known is probably the Oracle at Delphi, hidden within Achaea. Grade I: MUSEASPECT RITUAL Time: 1 AT Other Heka Costs: Area: Self R&D: Nil Distance: 0 Other: 10:1 add'l AT E/F/M: By means of this Casting, the priest or priestess can take on minor traits associated with one of the nine muses, to wit: Calliope (epic poetry) -- +5 to Poetry/Lyrics STEEP Clio (history) -- +5 to History STEEP Erato (love poetry, lyrics) -- +5 to Poetry/Lyrics STEEP Euterpe (music) -- +5 to Music STEEP Melpomene (tragedy) -- +5 to Writing, Creative STEEP Polyhymnia (singing, oratory, rhetoric) -- +5 to Charismaticism STEEP Terpsichore (dancing) -- +5 to Dance STEEP Thalia (comedy) -- +5 to Writing, Creative STEEP Urania (astronomy) -- +5 to Astronomy STEEP (In the case of Muses such as Calliope, the bonus will only apply to creations which suit the individual Muse's area.) The time of the Casting may be extended by an additional expenditure of 10 Heka for every additional AT which is desired, to a total of 1 AT per 10 STEEP possessed in Priestcraeft. SOFTLIGHT CHARM Time: 1 hour Other Heka Costs: Area: 1 rod diameter sphere R&D: Nil Distance: 1 chain Other: 10:1 add'l half-hour E/F/M: This Casting causes a soft light to appear within a sphere of 1 rod in diameter, no more than 1 chain distant from the priest. The light is as bright as a cloudy day (although the light is additive, so that it can increase extant light conditions), though it is not considered sunlight for those things affected thereby. The point upon which the charm is woven is not mobile, such that it is placed on a position, and not an item (in other words, if it is cast on the tip of a staff, and the staff is subsequently moved, the light stays put). The duration of the Casting may be extended by an additional half hour per 10 Heka expended, to a total not to exceed 1 additional half hour per 10 STEEP possessed. Grade II: LYRE OF APOLLO CHARM Time: 1 AT Other Heka Costs: Area: Priest R&D: Nil Distance: 0 Other: Nil E/F/M: By means of this Charm, the Priest brings Apollo's blessing upon his or her Lyre, and for as long as the Charm lasts, the Priest may play the Lyre at +10 STEEP, or may use it to weave Spellsongs, at +5 STEEP. The duration may not be extended by any means, and the blessing may be withheld if the Priest has offended Apollo. In any case, the blessing may not be invoked more frequently than once per day, and the Priest must be in natural sunlight for it to be effective. MINOR PROPHECY RITUAL Time: Special Other Heka Costs: Area: Priest R&D: Nil Distance: 0 Other: Nil Special Materia Cost: a golden symbol of the sun, or other appropriate symbol worth no less than 100 BUCs, properly consecrated to Apollo E/F/M: This Ritual, which takes fifteen minutes to perform, will grant the Priest the ability to seek the answer to a question of minor import. The more important the question, the more obscure the answer. Grade III: HEALING LIGHT RITUAL Time: 1 AT Other Heka Costs: Area: 1 subject R&D: Nil Distance: Touch Other: 10:1 add'l BT E/F/M: This Casting causes a golden glow around the subject, a soft light that is ineffectual as illumination (being a beacon in pitch black, but barely brighter than starlight for purposes of vision). However, within the peaceful aura, the subject will heal 1 point of Physical, Mental, and Spiritual damage per BT under the influence of the light. For the expenditure of an additional 10 Heka per BT, the duration may be extended up to 1 BT per 10 STEEP possessed by the Priest. Grade IV: SHEPHERD'S WATCH SPELL Time: 1 hour Other Heka Costs: Area: 1 flock R&D: Nil Distance: 1 chain per 10 STEEP Other: 25:1 add'l hour E/F/M: This beneficent spell lays the blessing of Apollo upon a shepherd and his flock, drastically decreasing the probability of untoward events occuring in the immediate vicinity (predators will tend to hunt elsewhere, brigands will seek other victims if they approach), provided of course that the shepherd in question is devoted to Apollo. The watch may extend throughout the night, although it may not cross the boundaries of sunrise or sunset. Like most deital castings, it may be withheld if the Priest relies upon it too much, or if it begins being used for purposes which do not hold with Apollo's precepts. Grade V: APOLLO'S SONG OF THE SUN FORMULA Time: 1 AT per 10 STEEP Other Heka Costs: Area: 1 chain diameter sphere R&D: Nil Distance: 1 rod per 10 STEEP Other: Nil E/F/M: By means of this involuted song, which must be accompanied upon a golden lyre, the Priest causes a sphere of golden sunlight to spring into being. For nearly all purposes, this counts as true sunlight (although it is not natural, so is unsuitable for the Lyre of Apollo Charm), including for creatures with appropriate susceptibilities. The only restriction upon the creation of the light is that it must be possible for sunlight to normally reach the place wherein the light is created, so it is ineffectual in Subterranean AErth and the deep interior of windowless buildings (for instance, deep into a pyramid). Hopefully, the above will find a home in someone's campaign. If they do, please let me know! I so appreciate feedback..... Let's see, that leaves but three more of the Twelve Olympians to develop: Hestia, Mercury, and Vulcan. Let's see what the fevered fingers can turn out next.... And there are so many interesting deities of minor sort. And yes, these Castings lists are being gathered into a net.pantheary, of sorts. It's just now getting its first revision, and I expect good things of it within the next couple months. (My initial goal is to provide a fairly complete treatment of the Olympians, plus one or two, in a usable game format before the end of the semester.) Mike Phillips [m s phil] at [birds.wm.edu] I have developed Castings for the following deities: Greco-Roman: Apollo, Bacchus, Ceres, Diana, Jupiter, Juno, Mars, Minerva, Neptune, Pluto, Venus Norse: Odin, Thor (minimal)