Roldein

The Deity
The Church
Clerics
Holy Warriors
Prestige Classes

ROLDEIN, god of the water

One of the original five gods, Roldein is the boundless ocean, the mighty river, the tiny stream and the secret waters below the earth. He is the husband of Calandra and the father of Artorius and Borlamnos.  

Associations

Roldein is a god of sailing, fishing and of storms (though he shares the latter distinction with Thandor).  To those dwelling on land, he is a distant god more often appeased than loved.  But to the aquatic races he is Grandfather Ocean, and takes a beloved place similar to that held by Calandra on land.

Alignment

Roldein is Chaotic Neutral.

Representations

Roldein is usually shown as a great humanoid rising from the sea.  His skin is a mottled blue and green and his hair and beard are made of wild seafoam.  He carries a mighty spear and is often shown in armor made of seashells.  Because of his dual nature as life-giver and destroyer, he is frequently portrayed as having two faces, particularly among the Successor States.

Among animals, he is most often portrayed as a whale, though also as a shark, fish or dolphin.  His priests carry holy symbols carved of shell or made of a mosaic of mother-of-pearl and precious stones, which depict a crashing wave.

Purpose

Roldein believes in impermanence.  Ebb and flow and change are the only long-term truths.  All things will change, and all things will end.  Even the world will one day end.  This is the lesson that water teaches us.

Roldein is said to embody two natures, that of nurturer and that of destroyer.  Indeed, in some cultures he is worshipped as two separate gods who war ceaselessly with each other. 

Part of the Sea-King's ever changing nature is the destroyer, who levels proud cities and drowns mortal fleets.  Yet as harsh and unforgiving as he can be, Roldein is also the giver of life-sustaining waters.  Life is impossible without the rivers and pools and rains he sends.  It is his dual nature to nurture and destroy, and thus he is both loved and feared, and takes both as his due.

Those who make their living on the waters make frequent sacrifices to him on altars set above the crashing waves.

Servants

The Untamed One has many servants, who report to him from across the boundless waters of Theeurth.

Arthys - The great titan of the ocean, Arthys is the celestial who makes the currents of the ocean which lies between Theeurth and the Walls of Night.  

A mighty king in his own right, Arthys is said to have challenged Roldein in the first days of the making of the world, to see which of them was the greater.  And indeed, it was Arthys who was the stronger, but it was Roldein who was wiser, and who proved to have the greater knowledge of the thoughts of the One.  So it was that Arthys swore an oath of service to the god of the sea, but is ever restless.

The Vulairi - The Seven daughters of Roldein and Calandra who inhabit the seven seas of Theeurth.  The greatest of these, Vales, inhabits the mighty inner sea named in her honor and is said to be as fickle as her father, delighting in the crash of waves upon rocks.  But she is also said to love the mortals who sail upon her wide domain, and it was she who first taught the elves the art of building ships.  

The Naiads - The countless spirits of stream and pool are all subjects of the great Sea King, though true to their chaotic nature, they are occasionally rebellious or recalcitrant, and certainly care little for his mortal worshippers.

THE CHURCH - The Fonts of Roldein

Church Description

Nearly every seaside city and town contains a temple or shrine to the Father of Waters, and before beginning any significant labor at sea, sacrifices and prayer are very common.  Every year, priests of the Roldeinite faith, known as waves, bless the boats, nets and other nautical gear used by the locals.  

The many merchants, sailors and fishermen who rely upon the waters for their living make Roldein's church a relatively wealthy one (though not so wealthy as the ways of Eristemus or the Great Church). However, little of the wealth is kept; in keeping with their god's teachings on impermanence, the Fonts spend the money freely, often on wild and stormy celebrations, much given to drinking and brawling.

Church Structure

There is no central structure to the Fonts of Roldein.  Each Font is independent of the rest, though they remain in contact because so many of the waves move freely from Font to Font.  However, within each Font, lesser waves respect and obey the more senior waves.  

Roldein himself is quite active in the direction of his church, and is considered to be head of the Order in a very real sense.  Thus, the waves regard themselves more as guides than as authority figures.  Each worshipper is thought to have his or her own direct and personal tie to the god.

Doctrine

All things are impermanent -  The Fonts teach that nothing lasts forever, and that it is false pride to believe otherwise...and the Father of Water punishes false pride above all things.

This belief is also the root of the Roldeinite emphasis on sacrifice.  Since nothing truly belongs to us, but is all the gift of the sea, so we must not try to hold on to mere possessions.  Roldeinites sacrifice often, whether of treasure, of time, or blood.  This belief is not carried to extremes - there are many rich merchants who worship the Sea King, but they are encouraged to give away their wealth before their deaths, and they still sacrifice often...if they know what's good for them.

Holy Days

The holy days of the Roldeinite faith vary by region, but are signaled by the start and end of storm season.  As the weather turns fair for fishing and sailing, the Festival of Lamps is held, when the boats and sailors are blessed by the Waves, and hundreds of paper lanterns are set loose upon the waters of river, lake and sea.   Sacrifices of animals and treasure are offered up to the Sea King in thanks for the use of his domain.

As the weather turns foul and boats are brought in for the year, the Roldeinites hold the solemn rites of Aquas, when all members of the community are expected to wear only sackcloth and remain silent for five days and nights.  This prohibition is taken very seriously, and even accidental speech is considered a grave sin which must be expiated.  The severity of this penance varies widely by region and dedication to the church.

Preferred Weapon

The preferred weapons of the Roldeinite faith are the spear or cutlass.

CLERICS - The Waves of Roldein

The Order

The waves are a powerful and influential order wherever the land meets the sea, or where great rivers flow.  They collect tithes and administer the Fonts and are frequently called upon for advice and blessings. Sometimes they ride upon the vessels of the wealthy or powerful.  Their most important duty is to beseech their deity to avert his sometimes violent anger. 

Most Waves travel a lot, and are second only to the Wayfarers of Eristemus in this regard.  They tend to be skilled in diplomacy and many languages, though there are those who view their emphasis on humility as tedious.

Titles

At 1st level, a Wave is referred to as "Adept".  At 9th level, they achieve the distinction of "Master".

Domains

Waves of Roldein may choose any two of the following domains: Destruction, Ocean, Storm and Water.  The Destruction and Water domains listed here are slightly different than those in the Player's Handbook, while the Ocean and Storm domains are slightly different from those listed in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Sourcebook, both by Wizards of the Coast.

Destruction Domain 
Granted Powers: : You gain the smite power, the supernatural ability to make a single melee attack with a +4 bonus on attack rolls and a bonus on damage rolls equal to your cleric level (if you hit). You must declare the smite before making the attack. This ability is usable once per day.  

Destruction Domain Spells:
1. Inflict Light Wounds                                               6. Harm
2. Raging Wave - Target rages as barbarian.              7. Disintegrate
3. Curse of the Brute  (RR)                                        8. Maelstrom (FRCS)
4. Inflict Critical Wounds                                           9. Implosion
5. Mass Inflict Light Wounds

Ocean Domain 
Granted Powers: : You gain the supernatural ability to breathe water, as if under the effect of a water breathing spell, for up to 0 rounds per level.  This effect occurs automatically as soon as it applies, lasts until it runs out or is no longer needed, and can operate multiple times per day (up to the total daily number of rounds).

Ocean Domain Spells:
1. Endure Elements                                                    6. Otiluke's Freezing Sphere
2. Sound Burst                                                            7. Waterspout (FRCS)
3. Water Breathing                                                      8. Maelstrom (FRCS)
4. Freedom of Movement                                         9. Elemental Swarm (as water spell only)
5. Wall of Ice

Storm Domain 
Granted Powers: : You gain electricity resistance 5.

Ocean Domain Spells:
1. Entropic Shield                                                    6. Summon Monster VI (air spell only)
2. Gust of Wind                                                        7. Control Weather
3. Call Lightning                                                      8. Whirlwind
4. Sleet Storm                                                         9. Storm of Vengeance
5. Ice Storm

Water Domain 
Granted Powers: : Turn or destroy fire creatures as a good cleric turns undead. Rebuke, command, or bolster water creatures as an evil cleric rebukes undead. Use these abilities a total number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. This granted power is a supernatural ability.

Water Domain Spells:
1. Champion Swimmer (RR2)                                   6. Cone of Cold
2. Fog Cloud                                                                 7. Waterspout (FRCS)
3. Water Breathing                                                      8. Horrid Wilting
4. Control Water                                                          9. Elemental Swarm (as water spell only)
5. Ice Storm

Spells

The divine spells of the Waves are laid out on this page.

Alignments

Waves of Roldein may be Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral or Chaotic Evil.

Chaotic Good Waves are most concerned with the welfare of their communities.  They seek to help mariners and those who live on or near the water.  They are the most likely Roldeinites to be adventurers.  

Chaotic Neutral Waves are generally less concerned with the cares of the world, and seek largely to follow their own inner urgings, which they view as the voice of their deity.  This group is still quite protective of what they view as their own community - devout followers of Roldein.

Chaotic Evil Waves believe that they exist to bring low the haughty, the foolish and those who do not propitiate them and their god.  They are reavers, pirates and fanatics, and are hated and detested by the order at large.  Scholars among the churches argue why the god would provide divine power to such individuals; most merely agree that it is in his ever-changing nature to do so.

HOLY WARRIORS* - The Tempests

The Order

The Tempests of Roldein are an unusual order, even among holy warriors, who tend to be extremists to begin with.  They seek to embody the dual nature of their god by being both nurturer and destroyer.  They live their lives dedicated being examples of impermanence.

Tempests have no home, and remain in no place for long.  They have no possessions but what they can carry with them, and retain no more wealth than is absolutely necessary for their own survival. This ever-restless nature actually makes them one of the more common sort of adventuring holy warriors.

Tempests are not actually part of any order, and only occasionally congregate with others of their kind, by accident or by design of their patron.  They are never officially part of a Font, though they will respond swiftly if one is in need or danger. 

These holy warriors are welcome on ships and boats anywhere.  Refusing passage to a Tempest is considered a direct insult to the famously short-tempered Sea-King.  

Titles

Tempests use no titles, and are usually referred to simply as "Tempest", as in "Credh Mahr, Tempest of Roldein". 

Races -  Any race may choose to be a Tempest of Roldein, but it is rare for halflings and  unheard of for a dwarf to do so.  

Hit Die - d10

Class Skills - The Tempest's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: , Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Knowledge (Water)(Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis) and Swim (Str). 

Weapon and Armor - Tempests are proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light, medium and heavy armors, and with shields.  

Ways of Water - The Tempest is intimately familiar with the element of water.  He gains the ability to speak and understand the Aquan language.  He further gains some of the pure power of water.  He gains a sacred bonus to his Swim skill equal to his Charisma modifier multiplied by his level.  He may also breathe underwater once per day for a number of rounds equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier.

Crashing Wave: The Tempest can emulate the unstoppable power of water with his attacks. As rising water finds every crack and crevice, so too does the attack of the Tempest.   Once per day, the Tempest may execute a touch attack with his melee weapon, ignoring all Armor Class bonuses from natural armor, armor and shields.

At 5th level and at every five levels beyond that, the Tempest may use Crashing Wave one additional time per day, to a maximum of 5/day at 20th level. Crashing Wave is a supernatural ability.  

Lay on Hands - Each day a Tempest of 2nd level or greater can cure a total number of hit points equal to the Tempest's Charisma bonus (if any) times the Tempest's level. The Tempest can cure himself. The Tempest may choose to divide his curing among multiple recipients, and he doesn't have to use it all at once. Lay on hands is a spell-like ability whose use is a standard action.

Rebuke Water Elemental - At 2nd level, the Tempest may rebuke creatures from the elemental plane of water exactly as a cleric of his level may rebuke undead.  This ability does not count against the number of times per day that the Tempest's may Turn Undead.  The Extra Turning feat may be applied to this ability, but it must be purchased separately from that for Turn Undead.

Resist Storm - At 3rd level, the Tempest gains a certain resistance to the powers of cold and electricity.  Each day, he ignores an amount of cold and/or electricity damage equal to his Charisma modifier multiplied by his level. This power may not be activated voluntarily and automatically applies to the first such damage done each day.  After such protection has been used up, he takes all other cold and electricity damage normally.

Aura of Change - At 3rd level, the Tempest radiates the unpredictability of his god, making his companions difficult to harm.  The Tempest and all allies within 10 feet of the Tempest receive a +1 bonus to all saving throws. 

Gifts of Roldein

Beginning at 6th level, the Tempest can cast water walk, as per the spell, once per week with a caster level of his class level.  He can use this ability twice per week at 9th level). Water walk is a spell-like ability for Tempests.

Beginning at 12th level, the Tempest may use water walk, as above, or he may choose to use his Gift of Roldein to cast neutralize poison.  He can use either ability more often as he advances in levels (four per week at 15th level and five times per week at 18th level).  Neutralize Poison is a spell-like ability for Tempests.

Spells
Beginning at 4th level, the Tempests gains the ability to cast a few divine spells, listed here.

Animal Companion

At 5th level the Tempest gains an animal companion associated with the sea.  Usually this is a celestial sea bird, such as a an albatross or gull.  Sent by Roldein himself, this creature becomes a close friend to the Tempest, and the two can speak together, just as can a wizard and familiar.

Code of Conduct

The Tempest must never hoard wealth or possessions, nor seek a name, position or power.  Restless as the waves, he must move ever on.  In his travels, he must seek to be an example to others of a holy life, ready to exist in whatever circumstances may come.

Associates

Tempests will associate with any who are good of heart, but will not long remain with those who seek power or personal fame and glory.  They get along well with rogues, rangers, druids and others who traditionally seek to keep a low profile.  They rarely associate with the priests or holy warriors of other faiths.

Alignments

All Tempests are chaotic good.

PRESTIGE CLASSES

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* The Holy Warrior Class is derived from The Book of the Righteous by Green Ronin Publishing.  Details can be found here.