Heimdall
by Brian Caraway(The Watcher, The Eternal Guardian, He Who Never Sleeps)
Intermediate Power of Gladsheim, LN
Portfolio: Guardians, protection, protectors, the dawn, dawn light.
Aliases: None.
Domain Name:
Superior: Odin
Allies: Diulanna, Halav, Ixion, Koryis, Mirrah, Odin, Sif, Tarastia, Thor
Foes: Loki, Alphaks, Korotiku, Martokk, Loviatar, Zirchev
Symbol: The Gjallerhorn
Worshippers’ Alignment: LG, LN, NG, N, CG, CN
The Church
Clergy: Clerics, specialty priests, crusaders, paladins, monks, sentinels, lyans (LN paladins)
Clergy's Alignment: LG, LN, N, NG.
Turn Undead: C: Yes, SP: Yes, Cru: No, Pal: Yes, Mon: No, Lyan: No.
Command Undead: C: No, SP: No, Cru: No, Pal: No, Mon: No, Lyan: No.
Dogma: To be the chosen of Heimdall is to show diligence and patience in all things. You must be ever watchful, vigilant, and protective of your charge, be it a person, place, or thing. Deploy sound stratagems that allow you to protect your charge. Be on the alert for treachery of any kind, even from those who would employ you. Protect those who cannot protect themselves, be fair in your dealings, and strive to conduct yourself with honor and integrity.
Day-to-Day Activities: Heimdall's faithful constantly hire themselves out as caravan guards, personal bodyguards, and ranking officers in both law enforcement and military outfits. The higher ranking clergy either hold or have held rank in a constabulary or standing army, and have now "come home" to administer Heimdall's temples and to pass on the knowledge they've acquired to the lower ranking acolytes and initiates.
Relationship with Other Deities and Faiths: The faithful of Heimdall have a rather uneasy truce with the faithful of Ixion since Ixion gained dominion over the light portfolio that used to belong to Heimdall. The little known fact of the matter is that Heimdall willingly gave most of that portion of his portfolio to Ixion (keeping the dawn light for himself) as a way to counter the threat that both Alphaks and Loki presented to the mortal world. Ixion opposes Alphaks directly, leaving Heimdall more time to guard and counter against the machinations of Loki and his faithful. However, some of the older and more hidebound priests among the faithful of Heimdall believe Ixion to be some sort of interloper into the Watcher’s domain, and relations between the two faiths have been somewhat strained because of it.
Major Centers of Worship: Being another Norse power, Heimdall's center of power is located in the Northern Reaches, but he is one of the few Norse powers who has a temple in almost every nation in the Known World.
Affiliated Orders: As one might think, there are literally dozens of adventuring bands, mercenary companies, and church sanctioned orders who march hither and yon in the Guardian's name. One such band is the Brotherhood of the Watching Eye, a group of thirty warriors, priests, and monks that patrol main roads of the Grand Duchy of Karameikos, looking for goblinoid incursions and eliminating them.
Priestly Vestments: Priests of Heimdall usually wear suits of splint or plate mail armor with open faced helms. Lower ranking clerics wear splint, those of medium rank wear plate mail. High ranking priests wear field plate armor, and high priests wear full plate armor. It is quite common for a priest to have two sets of armor; one for ceremonies, and one for practical use.
Adventuring Garb: As was said previously, it is a common practice for priests of Hemidall to have a set of armor for every day wear and another for going into the field. Usually adventuring priests wear unassuming clothing to avoid drawing attention to themselves, and take good care of their equipment.
Followers and Strongholds: The followers are received at 9th level, and consist of one 5th level priest, three 3rd level priests and six 1st level acolytes, plus one 3rd level fighter and eight 1st level fighters to act as temple guards (Note: these fighters all have the Sentinel warrior kit). The temple must also serve as a place to train guardians and sentinels as well.
Other Limitations: Priests of Heimdall are the sworn enemies of the priests of both Loki and Alphaks, and open hostility is the best one can hope for if these priests meet any of Heimdall’s faithful.
All priests of Heimdall receive religion as a bonus proficiency. Their temples are usually constructed in medium- to large-sized towns and cities. All members of the clergy hire themselves out as guardians for varying tasks, ranging from caravan guards to personal bodyguards for merchants and foreign ambassadors. The priesthood is mostly human (85%), and male (90%), though beings of any race or gender are welcome.
Specialty Priests (Watchers)
Requirements: Strength 14, Wisdom 13, Perception 15.
Prime Requisite: Strength, Wisdom, Perception.
Alignment: LG, LN.
Weapons: All bludgeoning, plus all swords and spears.
Armor: Any.
Major Spheres: All, astral, combat, divination, guardian, protection, sun, wards.
Minor Spheres: Creation, elemental, healing, war.
Magical Items: As clerics, plus all swords and spears.
Required Proficiencies: Alertness.
Bonus Proficiencies: Blind-fighting, etiquette.
Watchers gain an advantage against being surprised. A watcher gains a +2 bonus to his surprise rolls, which is reduced to +1 if accompanied by non-watchers.
Watchers may create a short term glyph of warding (Player's Handbook, pp 210-211) once per day that lasts for one day per level. They may choose the effects of the glyph from those spells they normally cast, regardless of the sphere of the spell involved in creating the glyph.
At 1st level, watchers may cast sunscorch (Spells and Magic, pg 163), once per day. They may also cast light (Player's Handbook, pg 201) three times per day.
At 3rd level, watchers may cast sentry of Heimdall (see sentry of Helm, Faiths & Avatars, pg 92) or wyvern watch (Player's Handbook, pg 208) once per day.
At 5th level, a watcher's range of vision increases dramatically. By concentrating for one round, the watcher can see up to 100 yards distant, regardless of weather conditions or lighting levels. This ability can be used at will, but the watcher still needs a full round of uninterrupted concentration.
At 5th level, watchers can cast sunrise (Faiths & Avatars, pg 92) once per day.
At 7th level, watchers can cast seeking sword (Faith & Avatars, pg 71) once per day.
At 7th level watchers can make three melee attacks every two melee rounds.
At 9th level, watchers can cast false dawn (Faiths & Avatars, page 93) once per day.
At 10th level, a watcher's range of hearing increases dramatically. By taking one round to concentrate, the watcher can attempt to hear any specific sound with 500 yards of him by making a successful Perception check. Also, a watcher can never be surprised.
At 10th level, watchers can cast summon spectator (Faiths & Avatars, page 71) once per week.
At 13th level, watchers can make two melee attacks per round.
Special Spells: Sentry of Heimdall (Helm), false dawn, summon spectator.