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A few people may remember this domain from back when I first posted it. Well, now that Keith Baker has come along with his blessed birth spell and rendered the domain's 2nd level spell obsolete, I need a new one. I've reposted the domain and its spells a) to (re)familiarize you with the flavor of the domain, and b) to prevent you from having to dig through my campaign setting thread to find it.
The spell that needs to be replaced is ease birth; and just as a quick note, this domain is concerned with human and demihuman fertility primarily, with some applications for animal fertility. Plant fertility is handled already by the Plant domain, so all you people who want to go on and on about ancient fertility cults and the involvement of plants and animals can just bugger off and keep yer yaps shut. Thank you.
Fertility Domain Deities: Fortuna, Maia, Mariko Granted Power: You are immune to all mundane disease. At 5th level, you become immune to supernatural disease as well. Spells 1Conceive/Contraceive*: Guarantees conception or contraception for 1 hour after cast. 2Protected Youth*: Protects one infant from disease and poison until adulthood. 3Protection from Disease*: Grants temporary immunity to mundane disease. 4Bestow/Remove Potency*: Makes one subject sexually potent or impotent. 5Bestow/Remove Fertility*: Makes one subject fertile or infertile. 6Miraculous Birth*: Magically removes a baby from the mother during labor. 7Protection from Disease, Greater*: As protection from disease, but protects against supernatural disease as well. 8Parthenogenesis*: One woman magically conceives without having intercourse. 9Transfer Pregnancy*: Transfers a developing fetus from one woman to another.
Bestow/Remove Fertility
Transmutation Level: Druid 5, Fertility 5 Components: V, S, DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: 1 creature within range Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fort negates Spell Resistance: Yes
If you picked bestow fertility, target creature becomes fertile; that is, able to father or bear children. If you picked remove fertility, target creature becomes infertile; that is, unable to father or bear children. Bestow/remove fertility counters and dispels itself. This spell only affects creatures capable of sexual reproduction.
Bestow/Remove Potency
Transmutation Level: Druid 4, Fertility 4 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: 1 male creature within range Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fort negates Spell Resistance: Yes
If you picked bestow potency, target creature becomes sexually potent. If you picked remove potency, target creature becomes sexually impotent. Bestow/remove potency counters and dispels itself. This spell only affects creatures capable of sexual reproduction.
Conceive/Contraceive
Conjuration Level: Druid 1, Fertility 1 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: Creature touched Duration: 1 hour/level or Instantaneous; see text Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
For 1 hour/level after the casting of this spell, if the subject engages in sexual intercourse, one of two effects will take place, depending on the version of the spell you chose: Conceive: The target becomes pregnant. Conceive counters and dispels contraceive. Contraceive: The target does not become pregnant. Alternatively, contraceive can be used to prevent pregnancy from occurring if cast up to 1 hour/level after intercourse. This use of the spell is instantaneous in duration. Either version of contraceive counters and dispels conceive.
If two partners have opposing versions on themselves both are dispelled. This spell only affects creatures capable of sexual reproduction.
Miraculous Birth
Conjuration (Healing, Creation) Level: Fertility 6 Components: V, S, DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: 1 woman in labor and 1 infant being born within range Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No
The infant is removed from the mother, the umbilical cord cut and tied, the infant cleaned, wrapped in blankets or other cloth, and deposited in the caster's arms. Both the mother and the infant are healthy.
Parthenogenesis
Conjuration Level: Fertility 8 Components: V, S, M, DF Casting Time: 1 hour Range: Touch Target: 1 female creature of childbearing age touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fort negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
One female creature of childbearing age whom you touch conceives a child. You must specify the gender of the child during the casting of this spell. This spell only affects creatures capable of sexual reproduction. Material component: A few drops of fresh semen. You must supply this component even if you possess the Eschew Materials feat, and this component is not contained within spell component pouches.
Protected Youth
Aburjation Level: Druid 2, Fertility 2 Components: V, S, M, DF Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: touch Target: 1 newborn infant Duration: varies; see text Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No
The child is blessed with health through his developmental years and gains a +2 to his fortitude saves against poison, disease, and sickness until around the time of his adulthood. Though the exact time that the benefit wears off can't be fully predicted, it is always gone by the time the child is fully developed into adulthood. Material component: A bit of holy water or holly ashes to be sprinkled on the baby.
Protection from Disease
Abjuration Level: Druid 3, Fertility 3 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: Creature touched Duration: 10 minutes/level Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
The target is immune to mundane disease for the duration of this spell.
Protection from Disease, Greater
Abjuration Level: Fertility 7
As protection from disease, except that the spell grants immunity to supernatural disease in addition to mundane disease, and as noted above.
Transfer Pregnancy
Transmutation Level: Fertility 9 Components: V, S, DF Casting Time: 1 hour Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: 2 female humanoids of childbearing age of the same race within range, one of whom is pregnant Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fort negates Spell Resistance: Yes
When you cast this spell, the pregnant target ceases to be pregnant, and the other target becomes pregnant with the same child. The newly pregnant target is at the same stage of pregnancy as the target who was originally pregnant.
Last edited by Lord Iames Osari : 01-05-2007 at 10:02 AM.
It would probably be a good idea, in the interest of my not re-covering ground, to say what blessed birth does. I assume it ensures an automatically safe delivery, but it would be nice to state it's precise effects.
I don't know if you have pregnancy rules either, but a spell like relieve morning sickness, or some varient would be in-flavor and useful, though perhaps you'd consider it already covered in remove disease. It also may be a somewhat paltry effect for second level, but it's hard to judge with this pregnancy stuff, as it is almost completely out of combat. Maybe, then, avoid nausia, or something, would be something more generally useful, but still have the application for easing pregnancy/birth.
That's all I have right now. I'll come back if I think of anything else.
Blessed birth is a spell created by Keith Baker for the Gleaner class here on GitP. Gimme a sec to go grab the text and post it here (dunno why I didn't before - it is OGC, after all).
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Blessed Birth
Conjuration (Healing) Level: Clr 1, Drd 1, Gleaner 1 Components: V, S, DF Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: Pregnant creature touched Duration: 24 hours Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless) Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
You channel positive energy to ease the birthing process of any mother to be. If a child is born while the mother is under the influence of this spell, the birth will be swift, pain will be limited, and chances of survival are greatly increased. This spell also provides the subject with a +3 resistance bonus to Fortitude and Will saving throws against effects based on extreme pain, such as symbol of pain or recall agony.
I'm not totally certain whether Brace New World or Transfer Pregnancy would be considered Harmless, but I understand the situation.
It's a really interesting spell list and Domain. I love the flavor idea that's associated with this Domain. In practical use for an adventurer this Domain isn't so important, but Fertility Gods are a normal part of some societies and the players could easily come across a group that uses this Domain. I like it!
I wonder if there are any other classes that might have access to these spells. Druid and Domain make a lot of sense, but I'm almost tempted to ask about Bards.
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This is something I've been tossing around, but want to know if it's appropriate for the flavor you want before doing anything concrete. I was thinking of something where you bless the child itself, perhaps only usable on fetuses and three-month-olders, that helps them through childhood in some way. I have a few ideas on this, but want to know if it's the sort of thing you might want first.
Doesn't the material component of Brave New Word kinda defeat the purpose unless one of the couple has a Vow of Sexual Abstinence?
...By the way, what happens if a Cleric with Eschew Materials casts the spell? Is is the child biologically his? What if the Cleric's a woman? Or do you just force the player to acquire some semen and say Eschew Materials doesn't apply to that spell (as is sometimes done with Plane Shift)?
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Originally Posted by Winterwind
Mewtarthio, you have scared my brain into hiding, a trembling, broken shadow of a thing, cowering somewhere in the soothing darkness and singing nursery rhymes in the hope of obscuring the Lovecraftian facts you so boldly brought into daylight.
The child quite literally has no father. The gender of the cleric is immaterial, and I will add text to the effect that the semen is required even if the caster possesses the Eschew Materials feat.
I had three ideas along that vein. Both of them would have little to no effect on the PC's, but that's pretty much true for most of these spells. Again, the essential idea is that the child is given a blessing, to aid in its development.
In each case the target would be "one fetus or one child of less than three (or whatever) months of age," and in each case the spell works only once on any single child. In each case the spell is supposed to ensure that the child grows up safely.
Idea #1: The child is blessed with health through his/her developmental years and gains a +2 to his/her saves vs disease/sickness until around his/her adulthood. Though the exact time that the benifit wears off can't be fully predicted, it is always gone by the time the child is fully developed. (this is the simplest one, and probably my favorite).
Idea #2: The child's growth is blessed, and the child is watched by divine agents. This gives the child extraordinary luck at a critical time during his/her life. The first time in the child's life that the child would be reduced to 0 hp because of a failed save, the child may reroll the save with a +2 luck bonus. This check may be made after the result of the initial save is known. (This one is somewhat problematic, as this event in the child's life would never bee "seen." Still, it could be described as an, "this one time I almost got buried by a rockslide, but luckily X happened and I was alright" story in the child's life. Still, if it was to be used it could probably do with some more tweaking.)
Idea #3: The child grows up to be extraordinarily healthy. He/she gets a +1 perminant bonus to his/her constitution. (This one has rather obvious problems. In the case of the players, if any of them were to have been blessed by this effect as a child, one could just rule that one of their constitution points they had anyways was because of this.)
I thought so too, I just wanted to give options. They were just the possible interpretations for a "blessed child" I could think of.
One other idea that just came to me is a divination that is essentially the equivilent of a modern sonogram. I don't know what the exact implications of this would be in terms of the rules (heck, I don't even know why sonograms help, and the divinatoion would do it much better.) Just throwing stuff out there.
Yeah, existing divinations aready cover that aspect. I like the blessed child thing much better. If you're any good at statting up spells, go on ahead and write it up, and I'll put you on my list of contributors.
Points for Brave New World. May those born of it be wonderous people. Increased fertility and increased potency seem kind of redundent. On a side note, do you find players mature enough for this? it seems kind of, well, many groups dont get past the sophmoric notion that female PC's (or NPC's of signifigance) have a certain minimum cup size.
With what degree of finesse is such a topic handled?
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This is my write up. (obviously) I changed the maximum age for the child, because one could probably use the phases of the moon, or something, to describe the reasoning for this, if necessary.
Enduring Beginnings
Aburjation Level: Fertility 2 Components: V, S, M, DF Casting Time: ten minutes Range: touch Target: 1 unborn infant or 1 baby less than one month old Duration: varies; see text Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No
The child is blessed with health through his developmental years and gains a +2 to his fortitude saves vs poison, disease, and sickness until around the time of his adulthood. Though the exact time that the benifit wears off can't be fully predicted, it is always gone by the time the child is fully developed into adulthood. Material component: A bit of holy water, to be sprinkled on the child (or mother if the baby is unborn), or a bit of holly (or other holy plant), to be burned.
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Last edited by averagejoe : 12-07-2006 at 01:13 AM.
Problem: This spell has the same name as the one Keith Baker invented. Give it a new name, and we're set.
@ TimeWizard: Well, fertility and potency are different things. I suggest you look them up before saying that they are redundant. As for the maturity level, that will obviously vary from group to group, as will the degree of finesse required to handle the topic.
D'oh. Musta been subconcious. I hate it when I do that. Erm... sorry Kieth, if you're out there.
How about Enduring Beginnings? I'll go ahead and retroactively change... I mean, do nothing because you're obviously mistaken. I had this name up the whole time.
Also, if you hit someone with "Remove Potency," does that really mean that they are rendered sexually impotent forever? I know there's no mechanical downside, but it still seems harsh. Can "Remove Curse" restore potency, or do you have to find another cleric of a fertility god/goddess?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Winterwind
Mewtarthio, you have scared my brain into hiding, a trembling, broken shadow of a thing, cowering somewhere in the soothing darkness and singing nursery rhymes in the hope of obscuring the Lovecraftian facts you so boldly brought into daylight.
Also, if you hit someone with "Remove Potency," does that really mean that they are rendered sexually impotent forever?
Yes.
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Can "Remove Curse" restore potency, or do you have to find another cleric of a fertility god/goddess?
Hm. I'm going to go with having to find another fertility cleric. Bestow/remove potency is an instantaneous effect, so there's no curse to be removed. It's bad to tick off the goddess of sex. Fortunately, there are 3 goddesses with this domain, so...
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Originally Posted by Rebonack
I would suggest changing the name of Brave New World to Parthenogenesis for two reasons.
1) It the technical term for a virgin birth.
and
2) It sounds spiffyer.
Done.
And As for the spell formerly known as Pri - no, sorry, Enduring Beginnings, there've been a lot of good suggestions so far. "Auspicious Childhood" was my favorite until I thought of this one: Sheltered Youth.
Last edited by Lord Iames Osari : 12-07-2006 at 12:01 PM.
Yeah, any of those are way better than my names. Naming just doesn't tend to be my strong suit. I like Auspicious Childhood myself. Sheltered Youth makes him sound like he was "uncool" as a child because he wasn't exposed to enough sex/violence/swearing as a child. You know, like the stereotypical "homeschooled kid." (Stereotypical, I said. I know it doesn't fit most of the time. Sheesh.)
Hm. I'm going to go with having to find another fertility cleric. Bestow/remove potency is an instantaneous effect, so there's no curse to be removed. It's bad to tick off the goddess of sex. Fortunately, there are 3 goddesses with this domain, so...
Well, break enchantment would work. But finding another fertility cleric would probably be easier (4th level spell vs 5th).
I like the overall idea, but something about it seems vaguely... unsatisfying. It feels a little lacking in cohesion, like some/many of the spells were just thrown in to fill domain levels. (Which is what it does look like, reading this thread -- no offence intended, mind.) Perhaps a better way would be to brainstorm a bunch of ideas, then simplify down.
As a specific case, I agree with TimeWizard. Yes, fertility and potency are two different things, but ultimately the spell reduces to effectively the same thing. I can see a case for keeping the two spells, but as domain spells they just don't excite me. 4th level... grant/remove the capability to engage in reproductive behaviour. 5th level... grant/remove the capability for anything to come of reproductive behaviour.
And if you keep bestow/remove potency, work on its description. Male subjects only? (...actually a lot of the spells could do with better specifying of targets. Humanoid [male/female only where appropriate] would be a good limitation for most of them.) What does bestow do to a character not currently affected by remove (or the equivalent mundane medical condition)?
I like the overall idea, but something about it seems vaguely... unsatisfying. It feels a little lacking in cohesion, like some/many of the spells were just thrown in to fill domain levels. (Which is what it does look like, reading this thread -- no offence intended, mind.) Perhaps a better way would be to brainstorm a bunch of ideas, then simplify down.
Well, if you have suggestions, feel free to put them forward. What with the rest of my campaign setting, I'm brainstormed out.
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And if you keep bestow/remove potency, work on its description. Male subjects only? (...actually a lot of the spells could do with better specifying of targets. Humanoid [male/female only where appropriate] would be a good limitation for most of them.) What does bestow do to a character not currently affected by remove (or the equivalent mundane medical condition)?
Yes, you're right, bestow/remove potency should be male only... I'm pretty sure the spells dealing with pregnancies already specify females, and why should I want to limit the spells to humanoid only? And as for what bestow would do if cast on a target not affected by the opposing remove or the mundane medical condition, the answer is "the same thing that happens when a cure spell is cast on someone with full hp".
...why should I want to limit the spells to humanoid only?
Because that avoids a whole lot of corner cases, like casting on constructs, oozes or (*shudder*) undead. Some aberrations, magical beasts, and even animals and vermin would obey the rules for sexual reproduction that your spells assume, others wouldn't (and then there's oviparous vs viviparous creatures), so you wouldn't want to blanket-include their types. Giants, fey, monstrous humanoids, and perhaps dragons would probably be safe, but how certain of that can we be? Plants may reproduce sexually, but several concepts used of humanoid reproduction would not apply. Lastly, 'woman' isn't a very well-defined game term (it could mean only female humans, for instance), but 'female humanoid' is, and I think it's about what you're after as the target for such spells as parthenogenesis.
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And as for what bestow would do if cast on a target not affected by the opposing remove or the mundane medical condition, the answer is "the same thing that happens when a cure spell is cast on someone with full hp".
Righto then. I just thought it might... actually, never mind.
Because that avoids a whole lot of corner cases, like casting on constructs, oozes or (*shudder*) undead. Some aberrations, magical beasts, and even animals and vermin would obey the rules for sexual reproduction that your spells assume, others wouldn't (and then there's oviparous vs viviparous creatures), so you wouldn't want to blanket-include their types. Giants, fey, monstrous humanoids, and perhaps dragons would probably be safe, but how certain of that can we be? Plants may reproduce sexually, but several concepts used of humanoid reproduction would not apply. Lastly, 'woman' isn't a very well-defined game term (it could mean only female humans, for instance), but 'female humanoid' is, and I think it's about what you're after as the target for such spells as parthenogenesis.
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Fertility Domain Redux [TCS]
Fortunately, there are 3 goddesses with this domain, so...
