Priests of Mitra

[J-Star]

How do you create such a character? The Scholar class learns magic almost automatically, and priests of Mitra don't use magic.

 

[VincentDarlage]

Several options:

1. Use a commoner from page 295.
2. Use a scholar, but take the bonus feats instead of the sorcery styles (page 62, 5th paragraph, 1st column)
3. Use a noble. In the middle ages, noble sons who stood no chance of inheriting often joined the priesthood.
4. Let the priest of Mitra use magic. Countermagic can be a very potent tool to use against rival priests. (Where does it say priests of Mitra don't use magic? They have divinatory oracles in 'Black Colossus'.)

 

[JamesMishler]

A scholar can always opt to take a bonus feat instead of a new sorcery style, and can also choose to take +2 bonus skill points instead of a new advanced spell.

As a priest of Mitra does not (or should not) know any sorcery, even styles, a priest who is a scholar should not have Power Points. Instead, if a scholar takes the Lay Priest background, and is a priest of Mitra, and does not learn any sorcery (even through the Dabbler feat), at 1st level he should gain a +4 bonus to save against any sorcery. He should gain an additional +1 to that bonus every time he would normally gain a bonus to his base Power Points (2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th levels). This comes from trusting in Mitra to protect him against sorcery. If he ever learns sorcery (such as through the Dabbler feat, or through a pick available through the scholar class), he immediately loses this benefit and gains Corruption equal to half the bonus he possessed (rounded down).

 

[Malkaline]

While researching the question I came across this. In the lay priest background on pg. 61, it refers one to Chapter 5: Tricks of sword and sorcery. Was this a blatant mistake or what. Does this chapter even exist. No chapter numbers and I can't find that title anywhere. Of course I could be blind though.

 

[VincentDarlage]

This comes from trusting in Mitra to protect him against sorcery.

Perhaps some of that 'trust' comes from the countermagic he's learned as a style... The priest just doesn't consider it to be sorcery, but a prayer to his god...

Is there some pastiche out there that has everyone thinking Mitran priests won't learn counterspells, wards and that sort of thing? I can't even think of a Mitran priest that actually appeared on-stage in a Howard story. In 'Black Colossus', Yasmela visited a Mitraic shrine, which evidenced some magic use or, as Howard hinted, trickery of the Mitran priests.

 

[J-Star]

Then where did this come from...

Requirements for Ordained Priesthood: May not know or learn any sorcery styles or associate with sorcerers.

(p. 290)

 

[VincentDarlage]

Good question. I didn't write it, so I don't know.

Anyway, it still leaves the following options:

1. Use a commoner from page 295.
2. Use a scholar, but take the bonus feats instead of the sorcery styles (page 62, 5th paragraph, 1st column)
3. Use a noble. In the middle ages, noble sons who stood no chance of inheriting often joined the priesthood.

Or perhaps create a new prestige class to cover that particular priest.

 

[Gorden the Pict]

It would be nice to hear from Paul or Bear regarding this issue...ie are the Prients mitra going to be featured in a future suppliment...???? A suppliment on the religions of the Hyborian era would be a great read...included NPC charts for differing levels and known individuals... 8)

 

[Anonymous]

Yes We'll be doing something more on the Priests of Mitra (and other religions) in the future though it's not planned for this year.

NPC sheets should be up soon (next day or two I hope).

 

[J-Star]

Good question. I didn't write it, so I don't know.

Anyway, it still leaves the following options:

1. Use a commoner from page 295.
2. Use a scholar, but take the bonus feats instead of the sorcery styles (page 62, 5th paragraph, 1st column)
3. Use a noble. In the middle ages, noble sons who stood no chance of inheriting often joined the priesthood.

Or perhaps create a new prestige class to cover that particular priest.

Both the commoner and the noble idea had occurred to me. But the commoner is illiterate and doesn't have any of the appropriate class skills and what not. The noble, too, doesn't really have the fitting class features. I just had over looked the bit about scholars with bonus feats instead of sorcery styles, but after you mentioned it, I found it in the book. This definitely is, IMO, the best option for priests of Mitra.

Thanks

 

[J-Star]

Yes We'll be doing something more on the Priests of Mitra (and other religions) in the future though it's not planned for this year.

Aw, too bad. I'm sure looking forward to it already. Don't know if I can wait that long though

 

[VincentDarlage]

Both the commoner and the noble idea had occurred to me. But the commoner is illiterate and doesn't have any of the appropriate class skills and what not. The noble, too, doesn't really have the fitting class features. I just had over looked the bit about scholars with bonus feats instead of sorcery styles, but after you mentioned it, I found it in the book. This definitely is, IMO, the best option for priests of Mitra.

Of course, if the character is a Hyborian, he gains the Adaptability feature, that lets the character have two skills as class skills no matter what classes the Hyborian takes - plus with four background skills of your choice, even a commoner could work, although it probably wouldn't work as well as the scholar - but it is possible, I am sure.

 

[Gorden the Pict]

Hour of the Dragon chapter 10 - quote "When the magic of the Mitran priests failed against the magic of Xaltotun's acolyte, they remembered the ancient legend of the heart..."

Mitran priests use magic according to Howard - although its not called 'sorcery'.

Epimitreus is a Mitran priest p290 of Conan RPG and clear his symbol spell is magic. Yet on the same page Mitran's are not allowed to use magic.

Are we looking at the old - Sorcery = black arts, Faith magic = white magic argument

Hopefully 'scrolls' of skellos' will throw some light on this. Personally I think its all down to definition. To a Priest of Mitra anything that advances their religion is ok but every other religion 'use sorcery'. I think I agree with VincentDarlage on this one when he says

Is there some pastiche out there that has everyone thinking Mitran priests won't learn counterspells, wards and that sort of thing? I can't even think of a Mitran priest that actually appeared on-stage in a Howard story. In 'Black Colossus', Yasmela visited a Mitraic shrine, which evidenced some magic use or, as Howard hinted, trickery of the Mitran priests.

I'm looking forward to the future suppliment...

 

[Zul Daire]

Then where did this come from...

Requirements for Ordained Priesthood: May not know or learn any sorcery styles or associate with sorcerers.

(p. 290)

Heretics of Taranta SPOILERS BELOW!!!!!!!!!!!







Was looking through some old posts and this one caught my eye.

The main Mitran Priests (Brotherhood of the Bull) in this adventure know several sorcery styles.

Granted they are of a radical sect wishing to drive out all other religions and the head priest and his clergy feel justified in their actions (learning darker secrets) in seing this kind of end, however I did not see any kind of corruption score for any of the Mitran Priests. Maybe this was a typo or I just did not see it. I would think they would have a corruption score even though they sincerely beleive what they are doing is right. What would other DM's rule?

The module makes it a mystery or leaves it up to the DM to determine what the Arch Sect of Mitrian priests do to the Brotherhood of the Bull when exposed and caught. By all rights they should be kicked out of the priesthood but anything can happen just as the module eludes.

Lets say Constanus became the Archpriest and pushed further with his goal slowly winning over the population? Would it take the Arch-priest of Mitra in Nemedia to take him down and cast him form the order?

Or is there a DM out there who would actually intro King Conan to stop this? :roll:

Or would the religion of Mitra just evolve into something else twisted and corrupted and thats that because if enough people belive it then thats faith?

I see no reason why Mitran Priests can't learn Divination, Counterspells like VD said and maybe some others under the right circumstances.

Greg Lynch and VD, you guys got any further insight on this?

 

[MadDog]

(Where does it say priests of Mitra don't use magic? They have divinatory oracles in 'Black Colossus'.)

There seems to be a change from the original players book to later versions. It looks like they removed the part about "must not practice sorcery" in the pocket edition.

Mad Dog

 

[Yogah of Yag]

(Where does it say priests of Mitra don't use magic? They have divinatory oracles in 'Black Colossus'.)

There seems to be a change from the original players book to later versions. It looks like they removed the part about "must not practice sorcery" in the pocket edition.

Mad Dog

p. 289: I don't see "must not practice sorcery."

 

[MadDog]

The original hardbound (not Aquilonian) on page 290 does list the requirement to not practice sorcery.

Page 353 of the pocket edition lists no requirement to avoid sorcery.

Since the pocket edition came after the original hardbound, I assume it supercedes the original book, and thus allows for Mitran sorcery. Clearly the REH Conan setting allows for it, although in a limited sense (Counterspells, Divination only ?).

Mad Dog

 

[Mark Dunder]

Follow this thread, might answer some questions on Mitra priests:

http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/p...start=30&sid=bfb59782f332c38a1793999c3aa97003