DnD Mystara Part 04 Divine Features

Dungeons and Dragons – Mystara

Design – Part 4 – The Divine Features

As part of my Five Elements discussion, I am now going into what that provides to characters who follow a Specific God or a Pantheon.

When following a specific god, all characters gain the following bonus based on their god’s sphere of influence. This is chosen between Energy, Entropy, Matter, Thought, and Time. Most characters will not follow a specific god, which is why the base anathema relating to spheres is more restrictive than for a pantheon.

Energy Sphere

Closely associated with the Element of Fire and Energy type of Fire and the colour red. Desires activity and chaos, and the schools of evocation and illusion. The guiding principle is Energy dominates Matter by making it unstable, opposes Thought’s categorisation, and is subject to Time’s organisation. Fire burns earth and is in turn quenched by water.

• Attribute – Divine Features:
  • Protected by Energy: You can make death saving throws when reduced to zero hit points and can be brought back from the dead.
  • Spell Affinity (Energy): You have Energy Sphere affinity, your fire spells have a DC modifier of +1, and you can’t cast cold spells. If you also follow a pantheon, then the other sphere’s element and energy types have a spell DC modifier of -1 and any cold damage you deal is always minimum.
  • Base Anathema (Energy): Water or Time abilities.

Entropy Sphere

Closely associated with the Element of Death and Energy type of Necrotic and the colour black. Desires death and destruction, and not associated with any particular school or element. The guiding principle is Entropy is in opposition to all the other principles. Entropy seeks to Destroy Matter, dissipate Energy, stagnate Time, and Stifle Thought.

• Attribute – Divine Features:
  • Protected by Entropy: You can make death saving throws when reduced to zero hit points and can be brought back from the dead.
  • Spell Affinity (Entropy): You have Entropy Sphere affinity, your death or necrotic spells have a DC modifier of +1, and you can’t cast radiant spells. If you have an affinity with more than one sphere, then the sphere’s in which you do not have affinity have their element and energy types have a spell DC modifier of -1 and any radiant damage you deal is always minimum.
  • Base Anathema (Entropy): Radiant or Light abilities.

Matter Sphere

Closely associated with the Element of Earth and Energy type of Acid and the colour green. Desires stasis and stability, and the schools of abjuration and conjuration. The guiding principle is Matter dominates Thought by forcing it to be logical, opposes Time’s attempts to change things, and is subject to Energy’s introduction of chaos. Earth chokes air and is in turn burned by fire.

• Attribute – Divine Features:
  • Protected by Matter: You can make death saving throws when reduced to zero hit points and can be brought back from the dead.
  • Spell Affinity (Matter): You have Matter Sphere affinity, your earth or acid spells have a DC modifier of +1, and you can’t cast lighting or thunder spells. If you have an affinity with more than one sphere, then the sphere’s in which you do not have affinity have their element and energy types have a spell DC modifier of -1 and any thunder or lightning damage you deal is always minimum.
  • Base Anathema (Matter): Air or Thought abilities.

Thought Sphere

Closely associated with the Element of Air and Energy type of Lighting and Thunder and the colour white. Desires perception and categorisation, and the schools of divination and enchantment. The guiding principle is Thought dominates Time by enforcing free will, opposes Energy’s chaos, and is subject to Matter’s restriction. Wind dries water and is in turn blocked by earth.

• Divine Features:
  • Protected by Thought: You can make death saving throws when reduced to zero hit points and can be brought back from the dead.
  • Spell Affinity (Thought): You have Thought Sphere affinity, your air, lightning or thunder spells have a DC modifier of +1, and you can’t cast acid spells. If you have an affinity with more than one sphere, then the sphere’s in which you do not have affinity have their element and energy types have a spell DC modifier of -1 and any acid damage you deal is always minimum.
  • Base Anathema (Thought): Earth or Matter Abilities.

Time Sphere

Closely associated with the Element of Water and Energy type of Cold and the colour blue. Desires steady change, and the schools of necromancy and transmutation. The guiding principle is Time dominates Energy’s chaos by organising its change, opposes Matter’s stability, and is subject to Thought’s imposition of free will. Water quenches fire and is in turn dried by wind.

• Divine Features:
  • Protected by Time: You can make death saving throws when reduced to zero hit points and can be brought back from the dead.
  • Spell Affinity (Time): You have Time Sphere affinity, your water or cold spells have a DC modifier of +1, and you can’t cast fire spells. If you have an affinity with more than one sphere, then the sphere’s in which you do not have affinity have their element and energy types have a spell DC modifier of -1 and any fire damage you deal is always minimum.
  • Base Anathema (Time): Fire or Energy abilities.

Elemental Pantheons

The general pantheons are more based around nature and the environment that any one particular race or culture. These pantheons represent various environments around the setting and are good places for druids and rangers to find their gods (Immortal) or simply follow the concept of the Pantheon. The Environments are Forest, Ocean, Shadowlands and Sky.

• Attribute – Divine Features:
  • Protected by Element: You can make death saving throws when reduced to zero hit points and can be brought back from the dead.
  • Spell Affinity (Element): You have elemental affinity to the element and your spells have a DC modifier of +1 when standing in the element.
  • Base Anathema (Element): Destroying the sustainability of the element.

Racial Pantheons

These are pantheons that are more to do with a character’s race than where they are or what sort of environment they prefer. They usually feature racial heroes who have become gods. The Races are Dragon, Dwarf, Elven, Genasi, Halfling and Humanoids.

• Attribute – Divine Features:
  • Protected by Race: You can make death saving throws when reduced to zero hit points and can be brought back from the dead.
  • Spell Affinity (Race): You have a racial pantheon affinity and your spells have a Dice roll and DC modifier of +1 when used against that race or in regions controlled by the race.
  • Base Anathema (Race): Destroying the sustainability of the race.

Cultural Pantheon

The last pantheon group is based on cultures, where most culture are kingdom based, though some are regional as well.

• Attribute – Divine Features:
  • Protected by Culture: You can make death saving throws when reduced to zero hit points and can be brought back from the dead.
  • Spell Affinity (Culture): You have Culture Pantheon affinity and your spells have a Dice roll and DC modifier of +1 when used against that culture or in regions controlled by that culture.
  • Base Anathema (Culture): Destroying the sustainability of the culture.

Concluding Thoughts

This is a base look at what I have for my divine features for characters. Each god and pantheon can be expected to add this based on player input.

The base anathema of any of these is something that would destroy the followers of those who worship that religion.

This will be revisited as I work on the features to clean up the wording and expand upon what is there.

Content Updates

• 2021-08-04 – Updated the layout, links and menu.
• 2020-04-18 – Clean up.
• 2020-04-08 – Structure cleanup.

WRATH Design

Setting Design:
Part 1 – Five Elements,
Part 2 – Five Spheres,
Part 3 – Pantheons,
Part 4 – Divine Features,
Part 5 – Reference Material,
Part 6 – Races,
Part 7 – Secret Crafts,
Part 8 – Weapons Mastery,
Part 9 – Setting,
Part 10 – Timeline,
Part 11 – Magical Item,
Part 12 – Classes,
Part 13 – Downtime,
Part 14 – Immortality,
Part 15 – Elemental Aspects,
Part 16 – Immortal Patrons,
Part 17 – New Directions,
Part 18 – Symbols

Kingdom Building:
Part 1 – Mapping

D&D Gods

The Gods: The Immortals Overview, Patrons

GM Section: Immortality Overview, Path Conqueror, Path Dragon, Path Dynast, Path Epic Hero, Path Paragon, Path Polymath, Quest Petition, Quest Meeting

Wellsprings: Fire, Magic

Energy/Fire (31): Alphatia (16), Bartziluth (24), Bemarris (3), Benekander (1), Branden 11), Coberham (18), Fire Elemaster (33), Guidarezzo (15), Heimdall (30), Iliric (8), Ilsundal (34), Ixion (36), Madarua (26), Mazikeen (27), Mahmatti (14), Matin (19), Mealiden (23), Minroth (13), Ninsun (35), Patura (10), Pflarr (25), Rad (22), Rafiel (21), Raith (12), Rathanos (28), Razud (31), Saturnius (20), The Shaper (7), The Shining One (29), Zirchev (17), Zugzul (32)

Entropy/Darkness (35): Alphaks (20), Aracne Prime (6), Arik (18), Atzanteotl (31), Bachraeus (19), Bagni (24), Brissard (10), Danel (14), Demogorgon (29), Harrow (11), Hel (36), Hircismus (12), Idris (15), Jammudaru (5), Kallala (22), Kiranjo (7), Kythria (2), Loki (30), Loup (9), Macroblan (27), Marwdyn (4), Masauwu (28), Nyx (33), Orcus (26), Ouranos (34), Pharamond (32), Qywattz (21), Ranivorus (16), Ruaidhri (3), Saasskas (23), Slizzark (17), Stodos (6), Talitha (25), Thanatos (35), Yagrai (13)

Matter/Earth (34): Atruaghin (32), Buglore (9), Chiron (6), Diamond (21), Djaea (34), Earth Elemaster (33), Faunus (11), Forsetta (7), Garl (13), Ground (19), Hattani (15), Ilmarinen (20), Infaust (16), Ka (35), Kagyar (28), Land (27), Lokena (2), Lornasen (10), Maat (30), N’grath (29), Opal (18), Paarkum (8), Polunius (25), Pearl (12), Tahkati (17), Terra (36), The Eternal General (14), The Great One (26), The Korrigans (24), The Twelve Watches (4), Utnapishtim (23), Valerias (31), Wayland (24), Wogar (5)

Thought/Air (36): Air Elemaster (32), Arnelee (8), Asterius (28), Clebard (2), Cochere (12), Cretia (16), Diulanna (18), Eiryndul (20), Frey (13), Freyja (13), Gorm (22), Halav (17), Karaash (5), Kersy (21), Korotiku (32), Koryis (10), Malinois (15), Ninfangle (27), Nob Nar (5), Noumena (34), Odin (36), Orisis (19), Palartarkan (11), Palson (4), Pax (35), Ralon (9), Sinbad (25), Soubrette (24), Ssu-Ma (23), Tarastia (30), Taroyas (6), Thalia (31), Thor (29), Turmis (1), Urtson (7), Usamigaras (27)

Time/Water (33): Al-Kalim (3), Ahmanni (14), Bastet (22), Brindorhin (14), Calitha (18), Carnelian (11), Chardastes (24), Crakkak (10), Finidel (7), Fugit (30), Gorrziok (25), Hymir (13), Khoronus (36), Liena (1), Luca (12), Malafor (15), Oleyan (6), Ordana (31), Petra (17), Protius (29), Raven (21), Sharpcrest (19), Simurgh (19), Skuld (34), Tiresias (9), Tourlain (8), Tyche (28), Urd (32), Vanya (23), Vethandi (35), Water Elemaster (33), Yav (20), Zalaj (27)

D&D Pantheons

The Pantheons, The Immortals, The Divine Features

Racial Pantheons: Atruaghin, Dragonkin, Dwarven and Gnome, Elven, Ethengarian, Giantkin, Halfling, Traladaran

Cultural Pantheons: Alphatian Empire, Land Guilds, Makai, Norse, Ocean Guilds, Outcast, Thyatian Empire, Ylari

Elemental Pantheons: Air, Darkness, Earth, Fire, Forest, Ocean, Radiance, Shadowlands, Sky, Water

Immortal Pantheons: Celestials, Elemental Rulers, Empyreals, Energy, Entropy, Eternals, Hierarchs, Initiates, Matter, Spheres, Temporals, Thought, Time

Special Pantheons: Ancient Ones, Assembly, Azcan, Davania, Hollow World, Myoshima, Nithian, Norwold, Old Ones, Olympian, Savage Coast

D&D 5E in Mystara

D&D Menu – Adventures, Artefacts, Backgrounds, Classes, Dominions, Downtime, Feats, Gazetteers, Gods, Magical Items, Monsters, Organisations, Pantheons, Races, Ranks & Titles, Rune Magic, Secret Crafts, Settlements, Spells, Timeline, Weapons Mastery

WRATH: Campaign, Design

Game Management – Annotated Stat Block, Character Creation, Choosing a New Campaign, Gaming over Skype, GM’s Luck Roll, Tracking Experience

Class Builds –
Artificer – Bombardier (Tinkerkin),
Barbarian – Totem Warrior (Plamin, Camdu),
Bard – College of Valour (Sunfey),
Druid – Circle of Dreams (Woodfey), Circle of the Tree of Life (Seasonfey),
Fighter – Battlemaster (Seashire), Eldritch Knight (Kerendan), Weapons Master (Lani), Weapons Master (Stonebound),
Monk – Way of the Elements (Tidal),
Paladin – Oath of Radiance (Sunfey), Oath of Vengeance (Firechild),
Sorcerer – Wild Magic (Shadowfey),
Warlock – Celestial (Llewell),
Wizard – Bladesinger (Nerye),
Dragon – White (Calcryx).
Multiclass – Cleric/Wizard (Xhall), Rogue/Cleric (Dracnomir), Rogue/Sorcerer (Yodrey), Wizard/Rogue (Traladaran)

Floorplans – Thyatian

Session Recordings – Campaign Journals

Library of Books

B5, d20 System, Pathfinder, SW

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