Lesser God, Giant pantheon [Intermediate]
God of Fire, Battle, Leadership
| Symbol | Flaming sword (talisman, not an actual sword) | |
| Alignment | Lawful Evil | |
| Priest Alignment | LE | |
| Plane | Gladshiem (Muspelheim and Jotunheim), Fire | |
| Worshippers | Virtually all fire giants, fire cultists, fire creatures | |
| Race | Fire giant (human worshippers are never granted priestly powers) | |
| Sex | Any (mostly male) | |
| Attributes | N/A | |
| Proficiency Groups | Warrior, Priest, General | 5 |
| Bonus Proficiency | N/A | |
| Preferred Weapon | Two-handed sword | |
| Allowed Weapons | Any | 10 |
| Armor | Any, no shield | -5 |
| Primary Sphere | Elemental (fire) | 6 |
| Major Spheres | All, Combat, Guardian, Law, Summoning | 38 |
| Minor Spheres | Divination, Healing, Protection | 15 |
| Additional Spells | Cloak of Bravery/Fear (4th level), Faerie Fire (1st level) | 1 |
| Abilities | ||
| Fire giant followers | 5 | |
| +2 on loyalty and reaction checks with fire giants | 5 | |
| May cast any non-unique spells from the Wizard school of Fire | 25 | |
| 3rd level | Expertise with two-handed sword | 3 |
| Affect Normal Fires 5 (1/day) + 2 (W2) - 1 (3rd level) - 6 (7 powers) = 5 (minimum) |
5 | |
| 5th level | Burning Hands (1/day) 5 (1/day) + 2 (W2) - 2 (5th level) - 6 (7 powers) = 5 (minimum) |
5 |
| 7th level | Pyrotechnics (1/day) 5 (1/day) + 3 (P3) - 3 (7th level) - 6 (7 powers) = 5 (minimum) |
5 |
| 9th level | Fireball (1/day) 5 (/1day) + 6 (W3) - 4 (9th level) - 6 (7 powers) = 5 (minimum) |
5 |
| Incite berserker rage | 6 | |
| 11th level | Wall of Fire (1/day) 5 (1/day) + 8 (W4) - 5 (11th level) - 6 (7 powers) = 5 (minimum) |
5 |
| 14th level | Inspire morale in battle (+4 morale, +2 discipline, +2 on saves vs. mental attacks) | 4 |
| Conjure 16 HD fire elemental (1/week) 3 (1/week) + 9 (P6 x 1.5) - 6 (14th level) - 6 (7 powers) = 3 (minimum) |
3 | |
| Flame Strike, double normal damage (1/week) 3 (1/week) + 8 (P5 x 1.5) - 6 (14th level) - 6 (7 powers) = 3 (minimum) |
3 | |
| Limitations | ||
| Talisman (the sword amulet must be imbued with living fire by the hand of Surtur) | -8 | |
| Obvious casting: increase in temperature to uncomfortable levels | -5 | |
| May not use potions, oils, or scrolls | -5 | |
| Fanatical: priests of Surtur seek to slay any competing fire priests, and dislike other priests in general | -3 | |
| +10% experience cost | -8 | |
| Raiment | War helm, iron plate mail (fiery red apparel) | |
| Animal | Hell hound | |
| Holy Days | Midsummer's Day, burnt offerings (sacrificed in lava when possible) | |
| Notes | ||
| Surtur's priests are not shamans or witch doctors, they are simply priests | ||
| Background | ||
| Surtur, the flame-haired lord of the flame, is both the first and the ideal of fire giantkind. He has a small human following, but does not grant them any powers (unlike his brother-deity Thrym). Surtur's priests are among the most feared warriors of giantkin, and will rarely shrink from battle. In combat, they fight as well as any other fire giant, and retain full use of their granted powers. His priests are typically respected among their kind -- many are nobles or kings.
Surtur is a feared enemy of the Norse pantheon, and as such is more occupied with his struggles on Midgaard and Jotunheim than with the fate of his people on Oerth. He does personally invest each priest with a talisman of living fire, but more often than not this his only contact with the priest, until they have attained sufficient power to Commune. Any priest of Surtur who loses his talisman must perform a great quest to receive a second one -- these quests often involve a trip to Asgard to battle Surtur's enemies, although the priest must find his (or her) own way there. |
||
| Sources | ||
| Deities and Demigods, 1st printing, p.121 Manual of the Planes, pp. 94-96 |
||