Oghma

  • Name: Oghma
  • Allegiance: Gods of Civilization
  • Portfolio: Knowledge, Inspiration, Eloquence, Song, Learning, Scholarship, Literacy, Patron of Scribes and Bards
  • Titles: The Binder, The Binder of What is Known, Lord of Knowledge, Lord of Song, The Wise God, Scribe of the Gods, Knower of All Secrets
  • Symbols: A blank scroll; An open book; A harp; A single lit candle;
  • Worshipper Alignments: Any
  • Core Doctrine: Knowledge is power; Share it.
    • Edicts:
      • Keep no secrets.
      • Allow all ideas to be heard and considered.
      • Sponsor musicians whenever you are able.
      • Always stop to listen when someone is singing.
      • Teach anyone who asks how to read and write.
      • Write or copy lore of value, and give it away freely.
      • Curb and deny rumors and falsehoods when you find them.
    • Anathema:
      • Spreading or repeating rumors or fake news.
      • Charging someone for knowledge or learning.
      • Hiding or hoarding knowledge of any kind, even harmful.
      • Stifling a new idea, no matter how crazed or misguided it may seem.
      • Harming any singer or allowing others to do so (even if an enemy).
  • Allied Faiths: Azuth, Gond, Liira, Mystra
  • Enemy Faiths: Cyric, Leira
  • Pesudonyms: Aasterinian (among Dragons), Curna (in the Shining South), Dugmaren Brightmantle (among Dwarves), Thoth (in Mulhorand)

Base Requirements

  • Races: Any
  • Classes: Cleric
  • Ability Requirements: Leadership 14, Knowledge 12
  • Alignments: LN, TN, CN
  • Starting Cash: By class

Proficiencies

  • Weapon Slots: -1 slot
  • Allowed Weapons: Any One-handed Weapon
  • Allowed Armor: Studded Leather or lighter, Small shields
  • Bonus Weapon Proficiencies: none
  • Required Weapon Proficiencies: none
  • Non-weapon Slots: By class
  • Available Groups: Spiritual, Academic, and Performance
  • Bonus Proficiencies: Folklore, Literacy, Religion, Singing, Teaching
  • Required Proficiencies: none
  • Recommended Proficiencies: Ancient History, Arcanology, Etiquette, Local History, Mediation, Musical Instrument, Research, Screed Lore, Scribe
  • Forbidden Proficiencies: none

Priest Spheres:

  • Major: All, Charm, Combat, Creation, Divination, Guardian, Healing, Thought
  • Minor: Fire, Protection

Overview: Apart from being the patron deity of bards, Oghma is also the deity of knowledge. A cleric of Oghma’s expertise lies in singing, peacekeeping, and arbitration. Just as they seek harmony in their vocals, these clerics seek it in relationships between all people. They are brought in not only to help resolve disputes, but to sing at the inevitable celebration held when both sides come to an agreement.

Already a powerful Greater deity, Oghma’s church has swelled rapidly in the wake of the Day of Black Sun, following the deaths of Oghma’s natural allies Deneir and Milil. Despite Oghma’s long-time enmity for Cyric, this has not stopped some from speculating the Oghma plotted with the god of murder to solidify his own power.

Description: Clerics of Oghma wear white tunics and trousers, and a black vest trimmed with gold. Instead of the small, box-like hat normally worn by the clergy of Oghma, the cleric wears a crimson hat with a feather stuck in it. Many also wear a sleeve protector on the forearm of their writing hand, to protect their shirt sleeve from the ink. These protectors are normally ornamented and serve as a form of recognition. Given their role in the church, these clerics always look neat and clean, well-poised, and their voices are always clear and strong. A cleric of Oghma is definitely not the sort of person one would commonly find traipsing about a dungeon.

Role-Playing: Song is the heart and soul of Oghma’s clerics. Why would one ever simply speak something when it can be sung? Even the holy scriptures of Oghma and its prayers to the deity are sung. Despite bardic tendencies and their reputation for being prideful, arrogant, and self-promoting, the clerics of Oghma are actually humble in their dealings. Clerics of Oghma are diligent, inquisitive, well-read priests who take great pride in their roles as recorders of great deeds. They have transcended the normal mortal desires for attention, and now sing for the glory of Oghma or to share Oghma’s harmony with others in mediation and song alike.

Special Abilities:

  • Clerics of Oghma are held in such high regard as impartial arbiters that they gain a +2 to reactions with NPCs.
  • Clerics of Oghma can cast Legend Lore once per week.
  • Clerics of Oghma can turn undead by singing to banish them.
  • When casting their clerical spells, clerics of Oghma can sing them and forgo the somatic component. This adds 2 to the casting time. Of course, this option is only open if the cleric is able to sing and the song is not somehow being impeded.
  • Once per week per level, a cleric of Oghma can create a Protection from Evil 10-ft. radius effect by singing. The protection remains for as long as the cleric continues to sing, ending when the song stops.
  • Singing something makes it easier to remember. On proficiency checks involving Ancient History, Folklore, or Local History, clerics of Oghma gain a +2 bonus. This bonuses increases by 1 for every three levels of experience.

Special Disadvantages:

  • Singing is such a central point of the life of a cleric of Oghma that sudden deprivation of song has traumatic effects. If a Silence spell is cast upon the cleric, he or she immediately suffers the effects of a Confusion spell. Since the more experienced clerics are even more accustomed to song, the confusion effects last for two rounds per level of the cleric.
  • If a cleric of Oghma fails a Singing proficiency check, he must make a straight, unmodified saving throw vs petrification. Failure means the cleric is utterly humiliated, and will remove himself from the listeners for one hour per level of the singer.

Return to Religions.

Oghma

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