Difference between revisions of "Religious History (sage ability)"

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Provides a perspective of the timeline of history, allowing the character insight into the waxing and waning of religious forces battling for possession of power throughout civilization. The study focuses primarily upon the rise and fall of religious belief, the appearance and dangers presented by new religious ideas and patterns of how religion has traditionally spread from one area to another.
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'''Religious history''' is an [[Knowledge Points|amateur]]-status [[Sage Ability|sage ability]] in the [[Sage Study|study]] of [[History (sage study)|History]] that gives knowledge of religion's influence over world history.  This enables the character to understand the comparative power of religious forces battling for the souls of the world's inhabitants. The ability gives special, detailed knowledge of the character's chosen religion, but also provides an overview — and appreciation — for other religions as well.
  
The study also provides a practical knowledge of what makes religions popular or why they have been known to fail, in addition to a geographical knowledge of what religions did or now dominate what regions relating to periods or regions chosen by the character.
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The ability also gives knowledge of the religion's triumphs and blasphemies.  More than anyone, the character has a clear understanding of the dangers presented by new religious ideas — how they fracture the beliefs of followers and spawn heretical factionalism.  Knowing this can serve as a powerful justification for eradicating blasphemers, burning heretics and crusades against non-believers.
  
This insight provides a +1 saving throw against spells of clerical influence when cast by a cleric of another religion (the bonus is not gained when encountering clerics of the same religion) due to an understanding of tricks and guises of these other religions. Spells defended against include [[Enthrall (spell)|enthrall]], [[Hold Person (spell)|hold person]], [[Cure Blindness (spell)|cause blindness]], [[Cure Disease (spell)|cause disease]], [[Cloak of Fear (spell)|cloak of fear]], [[Quest (spell)|quest]], [[Forbiddance (spell)|forbiddance]] and [[Holy Word (spell)|holy word]].
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== Benefits ==
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This perspective provides the character with a defensive, reasoning cynicism, regarding their religion.  Acts of cruelty are "necessary."  True belief is "necessary."  In support of this, the sage ability grants a '''+1 saving throw versus clerical spells''' and other forms of religious magic.
  
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Additionally, because the character understands the importance of great works to religious fervor, a visit to an awe-inspiring [[Great Religious Sites|religious site]] related to the character's religion provides a flat, one-time increase in the character's [[Experience (X.P.)|experience]] by +2%.  For example, a Catholic character with 20,000 X.P. would gain 400 more simply by looking upon the Sistine Chapel.
  
See [[History (sage study)|History]]
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Furthermore, any and all experience gained over the next month is adjusted by +3%, due to the inspiration of having visited the religious site.  Multiple visits to multiple sites are not cumulative, however.  Character should take care to space these [[Pilgrimage|pilgrimages]] apart accordingly.
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[[Category: Sage Abilities]][[Category: Don't Review until 2024]]

Latest revision as of 17:50, 26 February 2023

Religious History (sage ability).jpg

Religious history is an amateur-status sage ability in the study of History that gives knowledge of religion's influence over world history. This enables the character to understand the comparative power of religious forces battling for the souls of the world's inhabitants. The ability gives special, detailed knowledge of the character's chosen religion, but also provides an overview — and appreciation — for other religions as well.

The ability also gives knowledge of the religion's triumphs and blasphemies. More than anyone, the character has a clear understanding of the dangers presented by new religious ideas — how they fracture the beliefs of followers and spawn heretical factionalism. Knowing this can serve as a powerful justification for eradicating blasphemers, burning heretics and crusades against non-believers.

Benefits

This perspective provides the character with a defensive, reasoning cynicism, regarding their religion. Acts of cruelty are "necessary." True belief is "necessary." In support of this, the sage ability grants a +1 saving throw versus clerical spells and other forms of religious magic.

Additionally, because the character understands the importance of great works to religious fervor, a visit to an awe-inspiring religious site related to the character's religion provides a flat, one-time increase in the character's experience by +2%. For example, a Catholic character with 20,000 X.P. would gain 400 more simply by looking upon the Sistine Chapel.

Furthermore, any and all experience gained over the next month is adjusted by +3%, due to the inspiration of having visited the religious site. Multiple visits to multiple sites are not cumulative, however. Character should take care to space these pilgrimages apart accordingly.