Saints
With the loss of numerous gods after the events predating and during the Gap, the common people of the Material Plane were left with few divine protectors. While deities like Triune and Desna still rule from their seats in the heavens, recent centuries have diversified the subjects of common mortal worship, now including archangels, empyreal lords, and even forces of nature.
Collectively known as the Saints, these entities have no real connection or allegiance to one another, but are typically good-aligned, or at least neutral in their ideology. Unfortunately, this diversification of worship also saw increased attention in the Outer Gods and Great Old Ones, who are the sworn enemy of all Saints.
A Saint-level creature is essentially any creature classified as a demigod in the Pathfinder or Starfinder ruleset, with enough exceptions to require a broader term. Anything higher than that is usually considered a god, or an overgod like the One God. Of note in this campaign, Saint-level creatures include Great Old Ones (e.g. Jestyr and Cthulhu), Heralds/Divine Aspects (e.g. Carsai the King), the Horsemen of Abaddon, the Eldest (e.g. the Green Mother and Magdh), and Elder Numens (e.g. Carrot and the Eshtayiv). If a creature is Saint-level or higher, are they immune to all Blessings?
Not necessarily. There are certain effects, like the Wave and the Wolf Queen, that create effects instead of directly interacting with a creature. While these effects may not be as effective against a Saint-level creature, they would still function (e.g. the Wave's Blessing would create an natural disaster, but the intended target may just plane shift away until it passes). On the flip side, the Blessing of the Hunter or the Maze simply would not work against a Saint-level creature, e.g. one of the Saints, Jestyr, or Carrot. It is worth pointing out that a Blessing is not equivalent to the effect generated by the original source. For example, if Chamas threw a spear from the Blessing of the Hunter at Rovagug, nothing would happen. If the Hunter were to throw his actual spear, using his divine power as a weapon, Rovagug could be harmed. In general, are there effects or creatures that can stop Blessings from working as intended?
Yes. As an unspoken rule, conflicting abilities from Saint-level creatures (either themselves directly or creatures using their Blessings) will often require some kind of roll from both sources, or a GM ruling if more than two effects are in conflict (e.g. a Saint's Blessing, a Great Old One's Blessing, and a Herald's divine power). There are also Blessings that function in a certain way against specific Saint-level effects -- e.g. if the Hunter's Blessing and the Shield of Light collide, the result might be interesting! Deities and any conflicting effects they generate would overcome and override a Saint-level effect. Can Blessings be combined to create interesting effects?
It depends! Certain Blessings have well-defined synergies, such as the Beekeeper and the Dreamer, which when held consecutively often grant the Blessed additional dreams. Others, like the Faded and the Disciple, have logical synergies that make sense when used in tandem. When trying to combine Blessings, it's important to keep an eye on what action that Blessing takes to invoke, the duration, who is invoking it (especially in regards to initiative and range), and who the targets are.
Blessings
Throughout their few centuries of recognition and worship, each of the Saints has been attributed to a specific display of their favor, often called a Blessing. To have the Blessing of a Saint is a powerful thing, and is often the highlight of their followers' legends. Although a some of the greatest devout have been given the Blessings of a few Saints in their lifetime, none have achieved the collective favor of all thirty Saints. However, it is worth noting that these Blessings come with limitations. Despite their power, it is well-known that the Saints are weaker than the gods, and thus their boons cannot defy them. This is similarly true of archangels, demon lords, and other outsiders that are equal to the Saints in strength. In addition, while the Blessings create wondrous effects, their usage is typically taxing upon the caster, and may come with a negative aftereffect. Unless otherwise specified, the negative aftereffect of a Blessing can only be countered by a defense ability of Saint-level or higher.FAQ
I see a lot of references to "Saint-level or higher" in the Blessings. What does that mean?A Saint-level creature is essentially any creature classified as a demigod in the Pathfinder or Starfinder ruleset, with enough exceptions to require a broader term. Anything higher than that is usually considered a god, or an overgod like the One God. Of note in this campaign, Saint-level creatures include Great Old Ones (e.g. Jestyr and Cthulhu), Heralds/Divine Aspects (e.g. Carsai the King), the Horsemen of Abaddon, the Eldest (e.g. the Green Mother and Magdh), and Elder Numens (e.g. Carrot and the Eshtayiv). If a creature is Saint-level or higher, are they immune to all Blessings?
Not necessarily. There are certain effects, like the Wave and the Wolf Queen, that create effects instead of directly interacting with a creature. While these effects may not be as effective against a Saint-level creature, they would still function (e.g. the Wave's Blessing would create an natural disaster, but the intended target may just plane shift away until it passes). On the flip side, the Blessing of the Hunter or the Maze simply would not work against a Saint-level creature, e.g. one of the Saints, Jestyr, or Carrot. It is worth pointing out that a Blessing is not equivalent to the effect generated by the original source. For example, if Chamas threw a spear from the Blessing of the Hunter at Rovagug, nothing would happen. If the Hunter were to throw his actual spear, using his divine power as a weapon, Rovagug could be harmed. In general, are there effects or creatures that can stop Blessings from working as intended?
Yes. As an unspoken rule, conflicting abilities from Saint-level creatures (either themselves directly or creatures using their Blessings) will often require some kind of roll from both sources, or a GM ruling if more than two effects are in conflict (e.g. a Saint's Blessing, a Great Old One's Blessing, and a Herald's divine power). There are also Blessings that function in a certain way against specific Saint-level effects -- e.g. if the Hunter's Blessing and the Shield of Light collide, the result might be interesting! Deities and any conflicting effects they generate would overcome and override a Saint-level effect. Can Blessings be combined to create interesting effects?
It depends! Certain Blessings have well-defined synergies, such as the Beekeeper and the Dreamer, which when held consecutively often grant the Blessed additional dreams. Others, like the Faded and the Disciple, have logical synergies that make sense when used in tandem. When trying to combine Blessings, it's important to keep an eye on what action that Blessing takes to invoke, the duration, who is invoking it (especially in regards to initiative and range), and who the targets are.
Founding Date
1 AG
Type
Religious, Pantheon
Location
Comments