PIETY SCORES The gods do reward the devotion of their champions, though. The strength of your devotion to your god is measured by your piety score. As you increase that score, you gain blessings from your god. Piety has nothing to do with faith or belief, except insofar as a person’s thoughts and ideals drive them to action in a god’s service. Your piety score reflects the actions you have taken in your god’s service—actions that the god richly rewards. When you choose a god to worship as a beginning character, your piety score related to that god is 1. Your piety score increases by 1 when you do something to advance the god’s interests or behave in accordance with the god’s ideals. The gods expect great deeds from their champions, so your piety score typically increases only when you accomplish a significant goal (such as the completion of an adventure), make a significant sacrifice of your own self-interest, or otherwise when the DM sees fit. As a general rule, you can expect to increase your piety by 1 during most sessions of play, assuming that you are following your god’s tenets. The DM decides the amount of any increase or decrease, but a single deed typically changes your piety score by only 1 point in either direction unless your action is very significant. PIETY REWARDS The gods bestow favors on those who prove their devotion. When your piety score crosses certain thresholds—5, 12, 25, and 50—you gain a benefit determined by your deity. If your piety score exceeds and then falls below one of those thresholds, you lose the benefit you gained at the higher tier. HELM One eye looking in front, another looking behind. The third one is a secret. Helm is the deity of watchfulness and protection. His sign is invoked by those expecting danger, and it wards against evil. HELM'S CHAMPION Alignment: Usually lawful Suggested Classes: Paladin, Cleric Suggested Cleric Domains: Light, Life, War Suggested Backgrounds: Soldier, Acolyte Champions of Helm are those who would watch the world for signs of danger, ever at the ready for some great crisis to unfold. Some might call it paranoia, but as we all know, it’s only paranoia until they get you. HELM'S FAVOR Helm’s favor is reserved for those who maintain a vigilance that supersedes their other wants or needs. Whether guarding a lone lighthouse against pirates, or scrying for evidence of a demonic incursion, Helm watches the watchers and selects his chosen from among them. Helm’s scions are usually observant and diligent, and frequently have strong ties to an organization or tightly regimented faction, such as the Order of the Gilded Eye. Why did Helm seek you out as a champion? The following offers a few suggestions. CIRCUMSTANCE You saved your village from danger by raising the alarm. You are sure someone is out to get you, and you begged the Watcher for his aid. You have been inducted into a sacred order that watches for extraplanar incursions. Your ancestor kept Helm’s faith, even through his death and rebirth. Helm watches over your line. You long manned a solitary outpost or lighthouse, and came to an understanding with your god. You are unsure what Helm wants with you, but it’s unlikely to be pretty. DEVOTION TO HELM Following Helm means dedicating yourself to vigilance. As a follower of Helm, consider the ideals below as alternatives to those suggested for your background, IDEALS Devotion. My devotion to my god is more important to me than what they stand for. Civic Duty. We are all responsible for keeping the watch, lest our enemies overwhelm us. Protection. I will protect those I love from disaster. Honor. Whether people mock me or no, I stay at my post. Hard Work. True vigilance is without rest or succor. I must be prepared for this. Courage. I must look my fears in the eye, face them boldly, and slay them. EARNING AND LOSING PIETY You increase your piety score to Helm when you expand the god’s influence in the world in a concrete way through acts such as these: Detecting and locating a planar threat Guarding the rest of your allies Keeping your word in the face of pressure to recant Your piety score to Helm decreases if you diminish Helm’s influence in the world or contradict her ideals through acts such as these: Allowing a threat to go undetected and strike you unawares Breaking a vow or promise Shielding yourself before those in your care FAVORED GOD Helm
Piety 5+ Helm trait You gain inspiration when you put yourself in a life threatening way in order to help another living creature. SETTING BOUNDARIES Piety 12+ Helm trait
You can cast alarm with this trait, requiring no material
components. Once you cast the spell in this way, you can’t do
so again until you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting
ability for this spell. ALWAYS WATCHING Piety 25+ Helm trait You cannot be surprised whilst you are awake. CHOSEN OF HELM
Piety 50+ Helm trait You can use your full passive perception score even when asleep/unconscious. You become fully aware of anything you have
observed when you wake. HOAR Violence will meet violence
and evil pay back evil,
but good will come
to those who walk
in the light. Hoar is the god
of vengeance and
retribution. He ensures
that justice follows those who
do wrong, and his name is the
byword for a bitter grudge. HOAR'S CHAMPIONS Alignment: Usually lawful Suggested Classes: Paladin, Barbarian Suggested Cleric Domains: War Suggested Backgrounds: Knight, Outlander Champions of Hoar seek out those who have wronged others,
and mete out punishment for these crimes as they see fit. HOAR'S FAVOR Hoar’s favor is given to those with vigilante leanings - people
with the will to act outside the justice system, and the power to
enact their own punishments on the deserving. Hoar’s scions are often loners and outcasts, able to drop
everything in pursuit of a new targets. They often find
themselves on the wrong side of local law enforcement, and
need to be able to leave in a hurry. Why did Hoar seek you out as a champion? The following offers a few suggestions CIRCUMSTANCE You swore an oath to defeat a superior opponent in combat Someone wronged you. Deeply. You intend to fix it. You work outside the law as a vigilante bringing criminals the punishment you feel is right A large organization killed someone close to you. You’ll destroy them at all costs. You work for hire settling grievances and debts Your mentor lied to you your whole life. You killed them in a fit of rage, and now you are on the run. DEVOTION TO HOAR Following Hoar means dedicating yourself to revenge. As a
follower of Hoar, consider the ideals below as alternatives to
those suggested for your background. IDEALS Devotion. My devotion to my god is more important to me than what they stand for. (Any) Revenge. I am angry and want to hurt those who wronged me Justice. Crimes should be repaid with punishment on a scale with the severity of the transgression Savagery. I pretend I have principles, but I actually rather enjoy the violence of it all Wealth. I’ll punish anyone for enough coin. Destiny. I am chasing my destiny, and that destiny is a showdown with my Nemesis EARNING AND LOSING PIETY You increase your piety score to Hoar when you expand the
god’s influence in the world in a concrete way through acts such
as these: Taking vengeance on a foe for your sake, or the sake of people unable to do so themselves Gaining a new grudge, or settling an old one Subverting the law to apply your own punishment Your piety score to Hoar decreases if you diminish Hoar’s
influence in the world or contradict her ideals through acts such
as these: Forgiving a slight against you without delivering justice Preventing another creature from settling a grudge FAVORED GOD: HOAR Piety 5+ Hoar trait You gain inspiration when you settle a "significant" grudge, or gain a new one. NEMESIS Piety 12+ Hoar trait You can designate a creature which has wronged you as your Nemesis. You know the general direction and general distance to your Nemesis as long as the two of you are on the same plane of existence. You may only have one nemesis at any one time. An enemy ceases to be your nemesis on death. DEAD MAN WALKING Piety 25+ Hoar trait On your death, you may rise as a revenant if you have unfinished business concerning your Nemesis to take care of. CHOSEN OF HOAR Piety 50+ Hoar trait You have advantage on attack rolls against your Nemesis. MALAR Aren’t you going to keep running? Malar is the god of savagery and the
hunt. He holds dominion over evil
lycanthropes, feral animals and other
primal hunters. He epitomises the first
law of nature - the weak are eaten by the
strong. MALAR'S CHAMPIONS Alignment: Usually chaotic evil Suggested Classes: Barbarian, Druid, Ranger Suggested Cleric Domains: Death, War Suggested Backgrounds: Hermit, Criminal Champions of Malar are hunters and killers who relish the chase and the thrill of seeking their prey. MALAR'S FAVOR Malar’s favor is given to those who take pleasure in a prolonged
hunt, followed by a vicious kill. He is infamous for having no mercy,
and is this only propitiated by hunters.
Malar’s scions are understandably rare, and often come from
outside civilization, where their bloody predilections can be
practiced in peace. Why did Malar seek you out as a champion? The following offers a few suggestions. CIRCUMSTANCE You met a big bad wolf in the forest. He ate your grandma. You performed a mass animal sacrifice You were part of a druid cult that hunted humanoids in the deep forest. You left, but your god came with you. You killed your pets as a young child You hunted down someone over a slight and made them pay for the insult with their life You faced down a vicious animal predator with nothing but your bare hands. Perhaps even your bear hands, if you are a druid. DEVOTION TO MALAR Following Malar means dedicating yourself to the hunt. As a
follower of Malar, consider the ideals below as alternatives to
those suggested for your background. IDEALS Devotion. My devotion to my god is more important to me than what they stand for. Hate. Creatures weaker than me deserve contempt. Nature. The hunter cannot be blamed for its appetites. Rage. When I get angry, it’s like a beast takes over my body. Ruthlessness. My enemies would give me no quarter. The feeling is entirely mutual. Hunger. I am ravenous for the sight of blood. EARNING AND LOSING PIETY You increase your piety score to Malar when you expand the god’s influence in the world in a concrete way through acts such as these: Engaging in a hunt or a chase with a view to kill Asserting dominance over weaker creatures through violence Your piety score to Malar decreases if you diminish Malar’s influence in the world or contradict her ideals through acts such as these: Showing mercy to the target of a hunt you have captured Giving up on a hunt or a chase before its conclusion FAVORED GOD: MALAR Piety 5+ Malar trait You gain inspiration when you kill a superior beast or a superior humanoid. THE HUNT IS ON Piety 12+ Malar trait When you succeed on a Wisdom (Survival) check to detect the tracks or scent of a creature, you can flawlessly track that creature across land even when no physical trace remains. This ability is blocked by wide stretches of water. GRANDMA, WHAT BIG EYES YOU HAVE Piety 25+ Malar trait You can cast hold monster with this trait, requiring no components. Once you cast the spell in this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for this spell. This version of the spell only affects beasts and humanoids. CHOSEN OF MALAR Piety 50+ Malar trait You can spend an inspiration die to feast on the corpse of one enemy within 5 feet of you that died within the past minute. Each creature that is within 60 feet of you and able to see you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to this ability for the next 24 hours. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for this determining the DC for this effect. MYSTRA The Art is there to
those who would
reach for it. Mystra is the goddess
of magic and possibility.
She is a powerful god,
paid homage to by good
and evil spellcasters alike,
concerned primarily with
the propagation of magic
across Faerun. MYSTRA'S CHAMPIONS Alignment: Usually good Suggested Classes: Sorcerer, Wizard, Cleric (Spellcaster Only) Suggested Cleric Domains: Arcana, Knowledge Suggested Backgrounds: Sage, Folk Hero, Acolyte Champions of Mystra are those blessed with great magical power. They are people with the ability to make great changes to the world, and they are watched closely. MYSTRA'S FAVOR Mystra’s favor is given to those with innate power such as
sorcerers, or those learned arcanists who show incredible
potential and growth. Mystra works to shepherd these
dangerous people into situations that will provoke them to use
and develop their powers. Mystra’s scions are varied in origin and temperament, united
mainly by a gift for the art of magic. Why did Mystra seek you out as a champion? The following offers a few suggestions. CIRCUMSTANCE Your magical gift destroyed your home before you got it under control. You are a magical prodigy, inventing a new spell by the age of five. You are descended from a being of magical might. You bumped into something magically powerful once. Literally. Maybe some of that magic rubbed off on you. Someone cast a spell on you in your earliest youth, and it never quite washed out. You have no idea why Mystra favors you - you are singularly devoted in the art of magic. DEVOTION TO MYSTRA Following Mystra means dedicating yourself to magic. As a
follower of Mystra, consider the ideals below as alternatives to
those suggested for your background. IDEALS Devotion. My devotion to my god is more important to me than what they stand for. Excellence. Every spell I cast must be perfect. Mystery. I love magic not because of the answers it gives me, but because of the questions it poses. Power. Magic allows me to control things. I crave control. Tutelage. For the art of magic to flourish, some of us must dedicate our lives to teaching others. Passion. The world feels alive when I am using magic. It’s addictive and tempting. EARNING AND LOSING PIETY You increase your piety score to Mystra when you expand the god’s influence in the world in a concrete way through acts such as these: Using a new spell or ritual to solve a problem Encouraging the use of magic in others that fear or resent it Using magic to improve the world for the better Your piety score to Mystra decreases if you diminish Mystra’s influence in the world or contradict her ideals through acts such as these: Repressing or ignoring your magic in favor of other solutions Bringing the reputation of magic into ill repute FAVORED GOD: MYSTRA Piety 5+ Mystra trait You gain Inspiration when you you solve a problem with a spell you know. MAGICAL PRODIGY Piety 12+ Mystra trait Choose one spell you know. You can cast it using no verbal, somatic, or material components. KINDRED SPIRITS Piety 25+ Mystra trait You gain an extra spell slot upon finishing a long rest. This spell slot is equal to the highest level you are able to cast. CHOSEN OF MYSTRA Piety 50+ Mystra trait Mystra bestows on you the gift of Spellfire, a silvery force of ghostly flame that you may invoke to perform great feats of magic. You may spend an inspiration die to summon the Spellfire and cast one of its spells: fireball, cure wounds (5th level), revivify, counterspell, or flight. Once the spellfire has been used to cast a spell, it can’t be used to cast that spell again. When you have cast all of the spells, the list resets. The spells use your spellcasting ability and spell save DC. OGHMA Have you heard the one
about the gnome, the
lizard and the cleric?
No? Wonderful, I’ll tell
you. Oghma is the lord of
knowledge, representing
the abstract idea. He values
education and literacy for all,
opposing those who would
keep secrets and foster ignorance for their own ends. OGHMA'S CHAMPIONS Alignment: Usually lawful Suggested Classes: Bard, Cleric Suggested Cleric Domains: Knowledge Suggested Backgrounds: Sage, Acolyte, Hermit Champions of Oghma are those who value knowledge for its own sake, and who seek to bestow it on others, such as teachers, bards and entertainers. OGHMA'S FAVOR Oghma’s favor is given to those who have dedicated their
life not only to learning, but to making that learning accessible
to others. In Oghma’s eyes, the act of teaching is sacred and
fundamental to a just society. Oghma’s scions are frequently studious types, but also
comprise skilled orators and dastardly playwrights. Why did Oghma seek you out as a champion? The following offers a few suggestions. CIRCUMSTANCE You learned to read when you were two. You’ve read everything you ever came across. You are a worldwide famous poet, though you write under a pseudonym and people rarely believe you. You know an awful, unspeakable truth, and Oghma has charged you as its sole keeper. You once riddled with a sphinx, and came away with your life. You might be the only person in the world who cares about your very very niche area of specialism. Well, you and Oghma. He cares too. You’ve been a teacher all your days. Apparently it was an act of worship all along. You don’t feel holy. Just tired. DEVOTION TO OGHMA Following Oghma means dedicating yourself to learning. As a
follower of Oghma, consider the ideals below as alternatives to
those suggested for your background. IDEALS Devotion. My devotion to my god is more important to me than what they stand for. (Any) Knowledge. I can’t go a day without learning something new. Stewardship. I must protect what I know from those who would try to abuse it. Excellence. I desire to be most knowledgeable expert in my field the world has ever seen. Tutelage. I really want to talk about my specialism. This shouldn’t take more than a few hours. Wait, why are you running away? Logic. With enough facts, I can work out the correct answer to any problem in this world. EARNING AND LOSING PIETY You increase your piety score to Oghma when you expand the god’s influence in the world in a concrete way through acts such as these: You write an influential new book, poem or text You teach another creature something new You uncover a lie and expose it to the truth Your piety score to Oghma decreases if you diminish Oghma’s influence in the world or contradict her ideals through acts such as these: Hiding knowledge from another creature for any reason Destroying a inspirational book or text FAVORED GOD: OGHMA Piety 5+ Oghma trait You gain Inspiration when you relate a helpful story or anecdote relevant to the encounter at hand. ADAPTABLE KNOWLEDGE Piety 12+ Oghma trait Choose a skill not linked to Intelligence. You may now use Intelligence to calculate your ability score bonus for that skill instead of the normal ability. MEMORIES FROM A PAST LIFE Piety 25+ Oghma trait When you fail an Intelligence based ability check, you instead suddenly become aware of a piece of related trivia. CHOSEN OF OGHMA Piety 50+ Oghma trait You can spend an inspiration die to cast legend lore as a ritual with this trait, requiring no components. Once you cast the spell in this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
