The Merciful Hand

In the wake of the Last War the loss of life was incalculable. Where only some of the secrets of the past could be preserved, the arts of magical healing were among those most often rescued. Ancient divine protocols of succor were passed down among numerous nations and peoples, and the ensuing body of knowledge came to be known in many lands as the Merciful Hand. These adepts are honored in all civilized lands, and only monsters or the truly barbarous would dare to harm them. Custom demands that they give at least an hour or two of their labor wherever they might stay the night. Their hospice-academies are rare, but are invariably well-supported by the local nobility, though in some lands this closeness has become an unhealthily incestuous bond between the Hand and the nobility. In these places only apprentices of suitably good breeding are allowed to enter the academy, thus neglecting suitable candidates of less glorious lineage and leaving the hospice much more interested in the concerns of the great. Given how few have the magical gifts required, this can make an adept of the Hand even rarer than they are now. The tradition’s spells are potent, but have no power to harm a person or affect an unwilling target. Its initiates can prepare some of the more commonly-needed spells beforehand in elixirs and poultices.

Structure

Apprentice The apprentice engages in study of the healing arts and beneficial herbs, with no true magic learned at this level yet. This skill does apply as a useful Fact when performing medical services, however. Adept The adept knows charms to stabilize the gravely wounded, cure non-lethal diseases, numb pain, alleviate non-crippling symptoms, and magically identify even very esoteric diseases. Master The charms of the master cure 1d6 points of physical damage to hit points or hit dice, cure even lethal diseases, bring gravely-wounded sorts back onto their feet and functional so long as they’re not fur- ther harmed, correct lamed limbs and damaged but essentially-intact organs, and grant blessings to protect infection by mundane diseases. Archmage The mighty spells of the archmage can cure 2d6 physical damage, cure even magical diseases, regrow missing limbs and body parts, and provide blessings to protect against infection by magical diseases. Even so, there are some dire sicknesses that cannot be cured even by an archmage of the Merciful Hand, particularly those magical biological weapons unleashed by some of the more merciless civilizations that fought in the Last War.

Type

Religious, Coven