Fertility

This god represents the fertility of beasts, crops, and sentient races. He represents new generations of each species, defiance of death, and sexuality.

Priests of this god conduct rituals which are supposed to interest the god in the fertility of the celebrants, their fields and animals. Through the rituals of the priests, childless couples pray for children, farmers pray for good crops, ranchers and animal handlers pray for their herds to grow fast and strong. In addition to routine prayers, the priests conduct great, semiannual celebrations (usually at the start of the planting and the harvesting season).

Lesser gods of this attribute would be gods of the fertility of specific species or groups of living things; one might be the god of cattle fertility, one of human fertility, one of elf fertility, one of wheat fertility. The god of Agriculture could be considered a deity of one specific part of the fertility attribute.

Fertility gods are as likely to be male as female. Those representing animal life are more likely to be male, those representing plant life more likely to be female.

The priests of this god are on good terms with Druids and the priests of Agriculture, Animals, Birth/Children, Earth, Elemental Forces, Life-Death-Rebirth Cycle, Nature, Seasons, Sky/Weather, and Vegetation. The priests of this god dislike the priests of Death.

Alignment: The deity is true neutral. The priests may be true neutral or neutral good. The flock may be of any alignment.

Minimum Ability Scores: Wisdom 12, Charisma 12. Wisdom or Charisma 16 means +5% experience; Wisdom and Charisma 16 means +10% experience.

Races Allowed: Dwarves, elves, gnomes, half-elves, halflings, humans.

Nonweapon and Weapon Proficiencies: Nonweapon Proficiencies Required: Herbalism. Non-weapon Proficiencies Recommended: Agriculture, Animal Handling, Brewing, Dancing, Musical Instrument, Reading/Writing, Religion. Weapon Proficiencies Required: None. Nonweapon Proficiency Group Crossovers: Priest, General.

Duties of the Priest: Guidance, Marriage. These priests are bound to conduct ceremonies which celebrate and promote fertility in all living beings; these ceremonies occur at the start of spring and at harvest-time, and in some places are characterized by orgiastic behavior. Vigilance against the doings of the priests of death, whom they regard with suspicion and dislike.

Weapon and Armor Restrictions: Weapons Permitted: Javelin, polearm, spear. Armor Permitted: Hide armor and leather armor (normal or magical), all non-metal shields. All together, these constitute Medium combat abilities.

Other Limitations: Priests of the god of Fertility are not allowed to remain chaste.

Spheres of Influence: Major Access to All, Healing, Necromantic, Plant, Summoning. Minor Access to Animal, Charm, Creation, Divination, Protection, Weather. This priesthood has two extra minor accesses; it will not have very strong Granted Powers.

Powers: Charm/Fascination (as per the Designing Faiths chapter, but never in combat, and only once per day). Incite Berserker Rage (as per the Designing Faiths chapter). Language/Communication (as per the Designing Faiths chapter): The priest may choose one species of animal with whom he can communicate, from the following list: Cattle, goats, horses, rabbits, sheep, snakes. (This does not give him any control over the animal; he may merely talk with it.)

Followers and Strongholds: The followers are received at 9th level, and consist of one fifth-level priest, three third-level priests, and six first-level priests of the same alignment, plus fifteen first-level fighters. These fighters act as guards during the more somber of the god's rituals but participate in the more chaotic rituals. The priest may take the following on adventures: One priest (it may not be the fifth-level priest) and six fighters. In some sects, the fighters are all women of any chaotic alignment, and they are called maenads. For others, the DM can substitute intelligent wood-beings such as satyrs, centaurs, dryads, and nymphs, up to 10 HD of them, and they can accompany the priest on woodland adventures. (Nymphs are identical to dryads with these exceptions: They are not bound to specific trees, and can voyage in any forested realm; and when they charm victims, there is no chance that the victims will disappear forever; after a day in the company of the nymph, the victim can choose to stay as long as he and the nymph collectively wish, or to leave whenever he wants.) The priesthood will pay for half of the cost of stronghold construction at 9th level.

Possible Symbols: Bull, Corn, Cow, Goat, Pine-cone, Ram, Snake, Wheat.

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