Priesthood of Hera
Overview
Hera -is the Goddess most associated with the Family and Home. Hera as the goddess of women, marriage, family and birth is focused on the family home. She acts as the Patroness of all married women, and is responsible for upholding the matrimonial bonds and vows. Her Clerics act as social counselors, family advisors, mid-wives, and social justice advocates. Very few adventurers follow Hera, but some are hired by her clergy to help in some situations.Holy Symbol
Peacock and Lotus StaffChronic Anachronism Control
Hera uses the gossip, the making and the breaking of vows to create a metronomic addition to strengthen the pattern or rhythm of time. But it is said to be one of the weakest forms of addition to the rhythm and is largely available only during certain months and times of the day.
Priesthood Requirements
Any alignment but focuses on wives and intriguers
Clerics plot to defeat any against them
Druids: Yes
Skill Acquisition Requirements
Although not the Goddess of Midwifery, Hera has the power to delay or accelerate birth. As such she is critical in the cycles of all animals and sentient beings. Druids seek to increase the propagation of species.
When seeking revenge, the Clerics of Hera act as detectives of infidelity and gain confessions from the guilty. Sometimes they are required to hunt down the individuals involved and this is where player characters can become involved in the hunt.
The Clerics of Hera gain the Non Weapon Prof: Debate (1 Intelligence 0 Al-Qadim Arabian Adventures (pg. 73)) and Observation (1 Intelligence 0 The Complete Thief's Handbook (pg. 19)) at Level 1 as bonus Proficiencies.
They are expected to learn Tracking, Etiquette, Local History, and the Thieves Skill of Disguise by Level 5.
By Level 9 they are expected to also have learned the Thieves Skills of: Information Gathering, Intimidation, Reading Lips, and Trailing.
In this way each High Level Cleric of Hera becomes a natural gossip monger, and detective of society's behaviors.
All Priests of Hera carry a Peacock feather, and any scrolls or oaths written must be written using such a feather as a quill to be binding. At 7th level the Clerics of Hera gain the ability to cast spells below 3rd level without any material components - needing only to trace the spell name in the air before them using their quills. At 9th level they can do the same for spells of 4th level and below.
Weaponry
The Priests of Hera usually fight with Lotus Staves, and all other weapons normally used by Priests - with the addition of Hair Pins - which are treated as throwing daggers. The Hairpin is used to put the hair up in a married style - the pin used is therefore sacred to Hera and can be used by her clerics in combat.Armour
The Clerics of Hera rarely get into combat but can use any armour or shield if needed.Her temples are known as Heraion.
Spheres of Magic
According to Plutarch, Hera was an allegorical name and an anagram of aēr (ἀήρ, "air"). As such the element of air is within her domain.
The Clerics of Hera have the following spheres:
All
Animal (Major)
Astral (Major)
Charm (Major)
Combat (Minor Plus Holy Word)
Creation (Minor /Druids Only -Major)
Divination (Major)
Elemental ( Air - Major. Water Minor, for Druids - Fire Major also)
Guardian (Major)
Healing (Major)
Necromantic (Major)
Plant (Druid Only - Major)
Protection (Major)
Summoning (All Up To Level 4 ONLY)
Sun (Clerics Minor/ Druids - Major)
Weather (Druids only - Major)
Extra Spells and Mounts
None
Higher Level Revelation
From Level 5 the Druid or Cleric of Hera can understand and use the languages of the Elemental Plane of Air, and can turn Genie/Djinn as undead - this does not give them control of the Genie but allows them to be banished back to the Elemental Plane of Air.
Other Spell Changes
None
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