DnD Mystara Part 14 Immortality

Dungeons and Dragons – Mystara

Design Part 14 – Immortality Overview (Tier 4)

Note: Meant for 20th level characters only

– The Petition
– Paths of Immortality
– Ranks of the Immortals
– Effects of Immortality
– Available Wellsprings
– Available Covenants
– Design Decisions

The Petition

There are five paths to Immortality open to players (and some hidden paths). Any intelligent creature may try and earn immortality in any Sphere, although PCs should avoid Entropy for story balance.

This decribes how a character goes about petitioning the Immortals for a chance to join their ranks.

I have also done a GM reference on what happens at The Arrival for the Petition, which is not character information. Players should avoid this section.

Paths of Immortality

The other purpose for Immortals is to sponsor mortals that wish to join them. It is not an easy task, for more perish than ever succeed. One cannot become an Immortal without the help of a sponsor, and there is no guarantee a mortal will ever gain a sponsor. Once a mortal has obtained a sponsor, they must partake of a task to prove the mortal is indeed worthy. Once they start a task they become a Quester.

• The Path of the Dynast is for the Sphere of Time. The hero must prove themselves worthy by building a dynasty worthy of an Immortal. This task requires the hero to establish a long-lasting rule by the hero and descendants. The hero must populate the realm with enough people and build a capitol for the new realm. The other challenge of the Dynast is they must travel in time to help their descendants retain the realm built by the hero. The hero must quest for an artefact to accomplish this, then they are worthy of immortality.
• The Path of the Epic Hero is for the Sphere of Thought, must undergo a series of quests, first to find a powerful artefact of Thought. Then to destroy an artefact of Entropy. Then the Epic Hero must create a great weapon, train a worthy successor and finally complete an epic quest taking no less than five years to accomplish.
• The Path of the Paragon is for the Sphere of Energy, a test of creation and conquest. The hero must find an artefact of Thought, then create an entirely unique magical item that requires at least one impossible component. Once those are finished the Paragon must train no fewer than half a dozen apprentices and see them rise in power. Finally, the Paragon must challenge and defeat all wizards with 1,000 miles before they are eligible.
• The Path of the Polymath is for the Sphere of Matter demands its candidate partake a quest for an artefact that will force the hero to quest for it several times. Each time the hero attains the artefact, the artefact resets the hero back to 1st level of a different class with no memories of the past lives. The hero must then find the artefact again with a party with at least four different classes, until the fourth time when all memories and levels are returned. Then the candidate must build a monument of their achievement.
• The Path of the Conqueror for the Sphere of Entropy. (See GAZ10)

Note: This is meant to be discovered only once a character reaches 16th level or above, only then is how it applies to a campaign discussed.

Ranks of the Immortals

In this setting the gods of the pantheon are all immortal of various ranks. Here are the gods I have available to my players and NPCs in my Wrath of the Immortals campaign.

There is another level called The Old Ones, but only the gods know anything about that one. The number in the brackets after the god represents their power level. The higher the number, the more powerful the god.

The overview of the gods details all the different names that I have for each of the gods that have been written up here, including what they are patrons of and what artefacts are relating to the setting.

There are seven tiers of the gods:

• Hierarch or Rulers: These are the the ruling deities, they set the rules for which all other gods of a lower level must follow. Only the most daring Immortals dare to take the final step into Rulership of their sphere. A Ruler takes on responsibility for all immortals of their Sphere and the management of their sphere in all Immortals councils.
• Eternal or Leaders: These are the greater deities. Very few Immortals dare to take the next step into leadership of their sphere. A leader takes on a group of lesser immortals as part of their duty.
• Empyreal or Transcendent: These are the intermediate deities, who effects are most felt. Few Immortals dare to take the step into Transcendence. Transcendent beings give up the last vestiges of their mortality, becoming fully aligned with the gods. When they act in the mortal or Immortal worlds, they do so without warning or fear of the political consequences. A transcendent being may act as a patron to a group of lesser Immortals, although such arrangements are relatively rare.
• Celestial or Immortal: There are the lesser deities, they are the core of the pantheons, providing most of the maintenance with the worshippers. Those rare few possessing the courage to essay their third great challenge may become true Immortals, beings of tremendous power and prestige. Immortals always wield considerable influence in the politics of their kind, even if they choose to ignore it completely. Their vast array of gifts and abilities makes them dangerous adversaries, while their relationships with the gods mean they are almost untouchable by lesser beings.
• Temporal or Illuminated: These are the the Demi-Gods, beings who while remembering once being mortal are well used to their power. By surviving his second great challenge a wielder becomes one of the illuminated. Most Immortals reach this step and stop; the risks of proceeding become so great only the most dedicated and daring have the courage to attempt them. Illuminated Immortals wield a wide variety of powers. Their Aura is strong enough to sway all but the strongest mortals and even aspirants have difficulty resisting their will. Illuminated beings possess sufficient power to act as a patron to a group of mortal heroes, further expanding their ability to project power.
• Initiate or Wielder: They are the Hero Deities, Immortals who were recently mortal or remember what it is like to be mortal. A wielder has passed his first great challenge. That challenge causes godhead’s fires to burn brightly in his spirit. His aura becomes strong enough to directly affect mortal creatures, while his array of gifts is sufficient to give him options in the ever-evolving intrigues occupying Immortal life.
• Quester or Aspirant: An aspirant has just begun his journey. His first challenge awakens the spark of immortality within his soul. This makes him slightly more than mortal, with abilities even the greatest sorcerers might envy. It also places him in an extremely vulnerable position: he has awakened to the world of Immortal politics but lacks the power and influence to protect himself from its machinations. His Aura is relatively weak, preventing him from empowering servants or creating extensive sanctums from which to mount his own defence.

Effects of Immortality

Title/Step of Apothesis	Victories	Great Challenges	Aura
Quester or Apsirant	1 to 3	0	0 +1 per victory
Iniitate or Wielder	3 to 6	1	5 + 1 per victory
Termporal or Illuminated	6 to 9	2	10 +2 per victory
Celestial or Immortal	9 to 12	3	15 +2 per victory
Empyreal or Transcendent	12 to 15	4	20 +3 per victory
Eternal or Leader	15 to 18	5	25 +3 per victory
Hierarch or Ruler	18 to 21	6	30 +4 per victory

When an Hierach or Ruler completes a Great Challenge they take on a new task to become an Old One. This will be detailed elsewhere.

• Questor or Aspirant: As an aspirant, the character’s perceptions and abilities are not radically different to those of an epic hero. His actions are still largely his own, although he may have a few limits derived from his power sources. He is only partially aware of the difficulties faced by Immortals and a peripheral player in their intrigues. His mortal companions still make up the majority of his social network and mortal concerns still plague him on a daily basis.
• Initiate or Wielder: In the process of becoming a wielder the character’s perceptions suffer irrevocable alterations. The spark of godhood buried in his soul flames into brilliant life. His responsibilities begin to limit his free will, while his powers make him an important part of Immortal intrigue. As he is drawn further and further into the Immortal world he loses his connections with those mortals that once called him friend.
• Temporal or Illuminated: By the time the character passes through his second great challenge, he may have completely forgotten the concerns of mortal life. His powers continue to expand while his options contract. He sees the infinite potential of the mortal spirit, but knows he will never again partake of it. His fellow Immortals intrigue against one another, involving him whether he would like it or not. The character can easily spend all of his time in the company of other Immortals.
• Celestial or Immortal: When a character approaches his third great challenge he must make a decision. He now wields powers beyond mortal comprehension. He is deathless, ageless and in tune with the fundamental forces of the universe. His powers can raise nations or shatter hearts. Does he wish to risk it all pursuing godhood? Does he wish to transcend the mortal coil altogether, or enjoy his powers in an endless dance?
• Those who pass through their third great challenge become true Immortals. They become important characters but are more focused on preparing for their final transcendence than worrying about the petty tribulations of the mortal realm. A character at this step along the path becomes completely unconcerned with the affairs of mortals. He wields incredible powers, but now does almost wholly what he must do rather than what he wishes.
• Empyreal or Transcendent: Once a character passes through the fourth great challenge they transcend the mortal coil completely. He passes beyond the understanding of mortals, leaving his player’s control to explore an unknowable cosmos. He might reappear from time to time as an environmental force, but even the other Immortals will have trouble understanding his motivations and goals.
• Eternal or Leader: Once a character passes through the fifth great challenge they take on the management of the other Immortals of the sphere, looking to help them advance their standings.
• Hierarch or Ruler: Once a character passes through the sixth great challenge they take on the management of the sphere itself.
• Old One: This is the last of the great challenges, and failure is enough that none are known to have attempted it. Once a character passes through the seventh great challenge they move on to another existence beyond the understanding of the Immortals.

Available Wellsprings

– Abstract Wellsprings– Usually associated with a sphere.
– Elemental Wellsprings – Usually associated with a sphere.
– Mythic Wellsprings – A generic group of powers where an Immortal has one based on their alignment.

Maximum Victories:
– #, Limited/Unlimited: Gives the maximum number of victories a character may challenge for at the wellspring. Although taps do not have a maximum number of victories associated with them, a particular wellspring may not be able to support a character through his Transcendence. Once a character reaches the maximum number of victories possible for a particular wellspring he must find another wellspring for the same primal power if he wishes to continue to develop his tap.
– Limited victories indicates that the maximum victories entry above is a cumulative total; the wellspring can only support that number of victories across however many immortals who attempt to tap it.
– Unlimited victories permits each Immortal to challenge for up to the maximum number of victories from the wellspring.

Available Coventants

– Collective Powers – The power comes from the environment.
– Domains – The power comes from the sponsor directly.

Design Decisions

I have added three levels on top of the original rules taken from “The Book of Immortals” and incoroprated it into the base immortal rules from BECMI D&D. This gives an interesting mix of things from BECMI, 3.5 and custom made stuff for 5th Edition.

This may or maynot be balanced, good or even fair, but I will look at how I can make the theme of it true to the base material.

Content Updates

• 2021-09-01 – Added word changes to find out about this at 16th level, even though top of the page does not it was meant for 20th level characters. More work on this page is planned. But as characters are not near this level its not planned to be done anytime soon.

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)

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