Priesthood of Hephaestus
Overview
Hephaestus -is the lame god of Blacksmithing and Metalworking.Holy Symbol
Anvil and HammerChronic Anachronism Control
Hephaestus aids the maintenance of time in two ways - the first is through the slow development of clocks and the use of mechanisms to replace the metronomic nature of time, but there are still too few clocks to make even a dent in the rhythm, the second way is through the metronomic hitting of anvils that is done in the forging of any item of metal in Atlantis. Through the use of the forge and the smiths that are working in them - Hephaestus seeks to help maintain the flow of time in Atlantis.
Priesthood Requirements
Clerics can be any Alignment and includes all metalworkers.
Dwarven Kingdom as a whole follow Hephaestus and some follow Athena (also a Goddess linked to Metalworking).
Druids: No
Skill Acquisition Requirements
The Clerics of Hephaestus gain Blacksmithing at no cost at Level 1.
At level 3 the cleric also gains a specialised form of Appraisal, in this case Craft Appraisal - it allows them to appraise the quality of any metal crafted item - this includes determining the magical qualities of the item (5% per level chance + 5% per 20 years of life - this is to recognise the experience gained over time.) There is always a 5% chance of this being incorrectly appraised.
All Priests of Hephaestus must carry a small anvil with them - this is their altar. (Weight minimum of 20lbs).
Weaponry
The Priests of Hephaestus usually fight with Hammers and Warhammers, they often have throwing hammers too. All other weapons standard to Clerics are permitted.Armour
The Clerics of Hephaestus will never wear leather or skin based armors (this includes draconic scale armors) but will always strive to wear metal forged armor.Spheres of Magic
The Clerics of Hephaestus have the following spheres:
All
Combat (Minor PLUS Flame Strike)
Creation (Major)
Note: Wall of Thorns results in a Wall of Iron or Bronze Thorns (50% for each), Changestaff results in a Bronze Bull (Demi-Colchis Bull) with the same stats as the Treant style creation in the original spell. Staff and other components are Irudiated Bronze Staff (6') and Fire Opal or Jacinth Gems for eyes worth at least 1000gp each.
Divination (Major)
Elemental ( Fire, Metal, and Earth - Major. Water Minor)
Guardian (Major)
Healing (Major)
Necromantic (Up to Level 5)
Protection (Major)
Summoning (Major All Up To Level 6 ONLY)
NOTE: All animal conjuring and summoning spells cast by the Cleric will result in varieties of Canines coming to their aid - these are the attack animals most associated with Hephaestus.
Sun (Minor)
Weather (Minor PLUS 4th Level)
Extra Spells and Mounts
The God will provide his clerics with Construct Dreams to show how to forge or manufacture items of use or value. This acts as a type of Geas on the Priest = requiring them to complete it. Each Construct dream has a non-cumulative chance of resulting in a Hephaestus Forged Shield being given to them, and often the items to be made are of use to the Priest as well.
Additional Spells
Level 2
Heat Metal
Produce Flame
Level 3
Protection from Fire
Level 4
Produce Fire
Higher Level Revelation
Clerics above 9th level are allowed to talk to him directly
There is a 5% chance when helping Hephaestus that he will issue a magical +5 shield to the character - note that this shield is usable by ANY class and never gets in the way of any actions.
At 9th Level the Clerics of Hephaestus receive a Dream of Construct - this particular construct is for a type of clockwork mount, known as the Windsteed, that when not in use can fold up into a box that can be stored in the backpack.
Other Spell Changes
Heroic Feast (Level 6 spell)
This results in the creation of THE GOLDEN TRIPODS OF OLYMPUS which serve the feast and then dismantle into piles of gold worth 10X5gp for each Tripod, and upto 1D6+1 Tripods appear to serve the Feast.
In the Iliad, Hephaestus created 20 examples of these three wheeled tripod automatons to help him.Homer, Iliad 18. 371 ff (trans. Lattimore) (Greek epic C8th B.C.) :
"[Hephaistos (Hephaestus) was] sweating as he turned here and there to his bellows busily, since he was working on twenty tripods which were to stand against the wall of his strong-founded dwelling. And he had set golden wheels underneath the base of each one so that of their own motion they could wheel into the immortal gathering, and return to his house: a wonder to look at. These were so far finished, but the elaborate ear handles were not yet on. He was forging these, and beating the chains out."
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