Miracles
In Trilhamarga , the powers granted by deities to their devout are called miracles. Divine magic is not studied in dusty grimoires but earned through faith, sacrifice, and alignment with the primordial forces of the world.
DEVOUT: If a character is at least Average (+1) in Will , they may choose to become the devout of a deity and work miracles through it. The devout has access to any miracle tied to the tenets of their deity's domains .
Divine Favor
Acts that honor the deity draw its gaze and grant points of Favor , which can be stored up to work miracles.
A character can hold at most 1 point of Favor for each level of Will they possess.
Acts of Faith
The following list describes the main acts of faith a character can perform to build up their deity's Favor:
PRAYER/MEDITATION: Once per day, after praying or meditating for one continuous hour, the character gains 1 Favor . If this is done in a temple or shrine of the deity, they gain 1 additional Favor .
PENANCE: The character gains 1 Favor by spending a shift in penance. While doing so, they recover no Stamina or arcane fatigue during a short rest .
VIGIL: The character gains 2 Favor by spending the Night shift in vigil. While doing so, they suffer 1d6 fatigue damage and do not rest or recover Stamina , wounds , or arcane fatigue during a long rest .
OFFERINGS: The character gains 1 Favor for every 100 coins' worth of materials duly donated, burned, or destroyed in the deity's name.
SELF-FLAGELLATION: The character gains 3 Favor for every 2 points of severity of a wound self-inflicted in the deity's name; not every deity, however, is pleased by this kind of act of faith.
SMALL ACT OF FAITH: The character gains 1 Favor by performing a mundane action that actively honors the deity's domains, such as helping the sick for the Healing and Life domain, or freeing an animal caught in a trap for Nature and Balance .
GREAT TRIAL: If the character completes a devotional deed without having suffered their deity's disapproval , they gain 6 Favor .
Working Miracles
A devout spends Favor to work miracles based on the tenets of their deity's domains . Each tenet consists of a minor miracle, a medium miracle, and a major miracle, which consume different amounts of Favor .
MINOR MIRACLE: Consumes 1 point of Favor .
MEDIUM MIRACLE: Consumes 3 points of Favor .
MAJOR MIRACLE: Consumes 6 points of Favor .
Divine Disapproval
When a devout violates the taboo of one of their deity's domains, they suffer its disapproval. A character who has suffered their deity's disapproval immediately loses all the Favor points they have stored up and cannot gain more through acts of faith until they have performed a devotional deed .
Devotional Deeds
Devotional deeds are significant actions that demonstrate the character's dedication to the tenets and values of the deity's domain, and may involve sacrifices, rituals, achievements, or grand gestures of faith.
In general, such a deed might involve a pilgrimage to a distant sacred place, which would mean overcoming a series of obstacles in the name of one's faith; the creation of a masterwork dedicated to the deity; or even an adventure aimed at recovering a sacred item for the deity long lost in the wilds, or at purging a creature or entity hostile to it from some location.
Deities
When creating a devout character, the player should develop the deity to which that character is devout with the help of the GM . In developing their deity, the player must choose from 1 to 3 domains to represent it. Each domain grants access to 2 tenets , which in turn give access to specific miracles , but also require that their taboos to be respected.
Domains
Agriculture and Fertility
Guardians of the harvest, the cycle of the seasons, and fertile soil. They bless the land to ensure food, continual growth, and the vital abundance that sustains both civilization and wild life.
TABOO: Wasting food or allowing fertile land to be harmed.
Art and Inspiration
Divine muses of the creative spark and the expression of the soul. They whisper ideas into the minds of dreamers, guiding the hands of artists, bards, and artisans in conceiving masterworks that transcend time and touch the spirit.
TABOO: Destroying or censoring works of art or artistic performances, even those of an enemy.
Chaos and Destruction
Heralds of inevitable ruin, entropy, and absolute disorder. They exist to unravel the web of creation, break established laws, and spread anarchy, purifying the world through constant collapse.
TABOO: Repairing something found broken or destroyed, or following elaborate plans.
Creation and Transformation
Primordial architects of the universe and masters of the cosmic forge. They shape raw matter into wonders, guide the constant evolution of all things, and celebrate the physical world's infinite potential for change and adaptation.
TABOO: Going more than a week without practicing one's craft.
Darkness and Night
Silent lords of the nocturnal dark and unspeakable secrets. They keep the world's hidden mysteries, cloak stealthy steps, and shelter primal fears beneath the vast, silent, star-strewn mantle of the deep night.
TABOO: Letting a source of light reveal your face.
Death and the Underworld
Solemn and inevitable guides of the souls that have left the flesh. They reign with impassive justice over the afterlife, protecting the rest of the grave and keeping the sacred, unstoppable cycle of mortality in perfect balance.
TABOO: Looting the body of buried humanoid creatures or allowing an undead to remain awake.
Fire and Purification
Masters of the sacred flames that purge all taint. They consume corruption, disease, and the wicked, reducing the past to ashes to forge new beginnings through their searing, inexorable heat.
TABOO: Letting oneself be surrounded by darkness (one must always carry a source of light) or allowing bodies to rot (enemy or allied corpses must be cremated).
Healing and Life
Sacred protectors of health and vitality. They are the unseen hands that ward off plague and disease, working benevolent miracles to close wounds, ease pain, and preserve the breath of existence.
TABOO: Using poisons of any kind or withholding aid from someone wounded, even an enemy.
Justice and Protection
Unshakable paladins of law, order, and truth. They stand as impenetrable bulwarks and shields, defending the helpless innocent while hunting down and punishing the wicked with the sword of righteousness.
TABOO: Breaking a promise, lying to authorities, or attacking enemies who have surrendered.
Light and Sun
Radiant bearers of the dawn and of absolute truth. They illuminate the darkest corners of the world, banish the shadows of lies and foul creatures, and nourish the growth of all life with their constant warmth.
TABOO: Concealing oneself or trying to go unnoticed.
Love and Beauty
Deities of burning passion, palpable desire, and aesthetic beauty in all its forms. They weave unbreakable bonds of affection, mend broken hearts, and inspire the magnetic attraction between mortals.
TABOO: Harming beautiful things or standing in the way of true love.
Luck and Destiny
Enigmatic weavers of chance, risky games, and improbable coincidences. They manipulate the fine threads of the future in the cosmic tapestry, dealing unexpected fortunes to the bold or tragic misfortunes to those who trust too much in themselves.
TABOO: Making decisions based on anything other than pure chance.
Magic and Knowledge
Silent guardians of lost lore, unfathomable mysteries, and the secrets of the universe. They illuminate the minds of mages and curious scholars with profound wisdom and offer glimpses of a boundless mystic power.
TABOO: Failing to investigate a possible source of discovery, such as ancient ruins, mysterious texts, or unknown items.
Nature and Balance
Fierce defenders of the untouched forests, the wild beasts, and the spirits of nature. They resist civilization's predatory expansion, fighting to preserve perfect harmony and the natural cycle of prey and predator among the creatures of the world.
TABOO: Killing wild animals except in legitimate self-defense, or spending more than a day and a night within the bounds of a settlement.
Seas and Oceans
Unfathomable rulers of the tides, the abyssal beasts, and the uncharted waters. They govern the world's vast currents with a serene majesty that can, in an instant, turn to terrible, punishing fury.
TABOO: Entering the sea without making the proper offerings and tributes.
Sky and Storms
Absolute lords of the howling winds, the slashing lightning, and the heavy clouds. They rule the weather with fury and relentless power, frequently reminding mortals of their insignificance before nature's untamable wrath.
TABOO: Seeking shelter during a storm.
Trade and Gold
Patrons of ambitious merchants and material wealth. They bless caravans, ensure fairness on the scales of exchange, safeguard the accuracy of profitable contracts, and delight in the seductive gleam of gold.
TABOO: Leaving behind any item of value that could be carried, or doing any good deed without asking for something in return.
Trickery and Deception
Smiling masters of illusion, half-truths, and lies. They walk through the shadows of distrust, sowing confusion among rulers and breaking society's rigid rules out of sheer whim and malice.
TABOO: Telling someone your true name or telling another person an entirely truthful story.
Vengeance and Retribution
Tireless entities focused on wrath and rancor. They collect blood debts at double the weight, blessing the blades of the wronged to ensure that absolutely no offense goes without its due punishment.
TABOO: Accepting the surrender of an enemy who has harmed you or an ally, or ignoring a deliberate insult directed at you.
War and Conflict
Divine commanders of carnage, strategy, and martial glory. They walk unseen through the trenches, inspiring courage in the hearts of soldiers and securing victory on blood-stained battlefields.
TABOO: Fleeing a battle that could still be won.
Winter and Famine
Merciless sovereigns of eternal blizzards, biting ice, and the hunger that gnaws at the bones. They relentlessly test the limits of mortal survival through a cruel cold that freezes both body and soul.
TABOO: Consuming any resource beyond the minimum needed for survival.
Tenets
Tenets define the miracles the devout is able to grant. Each tenet is made up of a minor miracle, a medium miracle, and a major miracle, which consume 1, 3, and 6 points of Favor respectively when performed.
Afflict
Produces effects that scramble the target's mind before the divine power. The affected character may use a major action to make a Will check with a difficulty equal to 7 + the devout's Will to break free of the effect.
MINOR: A target who can see you becomes exposed or shaken until the end of combat.
MEDIUM: A target who can see you becomes confused or burdened until the end of combat.
MAJOR: A target who can see you becomes paralyzed until the end of combat.
Alter
Produces physical effects that alter the environment, reshaping the terrain, creating obstacles, or even calling down precipitation of divine origin.
MINOR: An area of terrain with a 10-foot radius, centered on a point up to 30 feet from you, becomes difficult terrain . Choose a setback related to your deity's domain.
MEDIUM: Lets you shape a significant portion of the terrain to dig paths, build bridges, or raise walls in keeping with your deity's domain.
- Dig paths: Lets you dig a path 5 feet wide and tall and 15 feet deep.
- Build bridges: Lets you build a bridge 5 feet wide and 30 feet long.
- Raise walls: Lets you raise a wall 10 feet tall and 10 feet wide.
MAJOR: You can alter the weather within a 6-mile radius, dissipating or producing precipitation in keeping with your deity's domain. Alternatively, you can produce a warped storm of supernatural origin, in keeping with your deity's domain, within a 2-mile radius.
Bless
Manipulates the devout's luck so that items of value constantly cross their path.
MINOR: When you make a loot roll or a treasure roll , you may choose to reroll one of the dice.
MEDIUM: You may redo a loot roll or a treasure roll .
MAJOR: You turn a loot roll into a treasure roll .
Enhance
Blesses the devout and their allies, letting them fight with relentless lethality, supernatural precision, and unmatched agility on the battlefield.
MINOR: You or a character you can see deals 1d6 additional damage on their next damage roll.
MEDIUM: You or a character you can see gains a positive chance to attack until the end of combat. This effect is not cumulative.
MAJOR: You or a character you can see gains an extra major action per turn until the end of combat. This effect is not cumulative.
Harm
This is the pure, inescapable manifestation of divine wrath. A destroying blessing that rends the flesh and reduces even the strongest foes to dust.
MINOR: Deals 1d3 + 1 divine damage to a character up to 30 feet from you.
MEDIUM: Deals 2d6 divine damage to a character up to 30 feet from you.
MAJOR: Reduces the Stamina of a character up to 30 feet from you to zero. If the target is an NPC , reduce its Vitality by half, rounded up.
Heal
Lets divine energy flow through the devout to restore vigor, close wounds, and purge poisons, preserving the life of those who still have a purpose to fulfill.
MINOR: Heals 1d6 Stamina on a target.
MEDIUM: Fully heals a mild wound , reduces a moderate wound to a mild wound , or neutralizes the effect of a poison of up to 3 potency.
MAJOR: Fully heals a moderate wound , reduces a severe wound to a moderate wound , or neutralizes the effect of a poison of up to 6 potency.
Protect
Raises mystic barriers and divine shields around allies, deflecting fatal blows, repelling necrotic energy, and ensuring their survival against the most brutal dangers.
MINOR: Grants +3 Magic Protection to a character until the end of the scene.
MEDIUM: Opponents have a negative chance to land attacks against a character of your choice up to 30 feet from you, or you make that character immune to necrotic damage until the end of combat.
MAJOR: Opponents have a negative chance to land attacks against you and all your allies within 10 feet, until the end of combat.
Reveal
Opens the character's mind to divine wisdom, granting clarity in complex challenges and allowing direct communion with the gods to uncover the world's hidden truths.
MINOR: Grants a positive chance on a skill check related to your deity's domain.
MEDIUM: You automatically succeed on a skill check related to your deity's domain.
MAJOR: The GM must answer clearly and honestly a question related to your deity's domain in the current situation.
Summon
Lets the devout receive their deity's aid through sacred weapons, blessed mounts, and guardian entities sent directly by it to its devout. Only one weapon, creature, or entity can be conjured at a time per miracle level.
MINOR: Conjures a sacred weapon of your choice that deals divine damage . You add your Will instead of Physique to the damage of medium and large sacred weapons. Alternatively, you summon a small animal with 3 Vitality capable of performing simple tasks for a shift .
MEDIUM: Conjures a spiritual version of a creature with 18 Vitality , in keeping with your deity's domain, for a full day; it can act as an ally in combat or as a mount.
MAJOR: Conjures a powerful entity with 36 Vitality , in keeping with your deity's domain, to fight at your side and protect the party until the end of combat.