Religious History (sage ability)

Religious history is an amateur-status sage ability that gives knowledge of religion's influence over world history, enabling the character to understand the waxing and waning of religious forces that have battled 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 focuses upon the rise and fall of theological beliefs, both as whole religions and as blasphemies within a given religion. More than anyone, the character has a clear understanding of the dangers presented by new religious ideas — that is, how they fracture the beliefs of followers and spawn heretical factionalism. This knowledge can serve as a powerful justification for the eradication of blasphemers, the burning of heretics and the constant need for crusades against non-believers ... all the more because of the character's understanding of why these alternatives are so compelling.

Benefits

While seemingly impractical for traditional adventuring D&D characters, the perspective supplied provides the character a form of defensive, reasoning cynicism. This translates as a +1 saving throw versus clerical spells and other religious magic.

Additionally, because the character has the potential to understand what's being seen, visits to great religious sites based upon any religion will automatically increase the character's experience by +2%, once per site per lifetime. Furthermore, any and all experience gained over the next month will be adjusted by +3%, as the character's purpose and direction has been inspired by the visit. Multiple visits to multiple sites are not cumulative, so a character would do best to space these pilgrimages apart accordingly.

See History