User:Diarik/Proposal for Altar Creation

This is a proposal written by the player of Diarik Erasto on his ideas for Altar Creation. Diarik further feels that it is pertient to note that other guilds ought to receive similarly powerful 100th circle abilities, but if they'd been cool enough to appeal to him to play, he would've written up a system for them, too. As it stands, too bad for you. You can go be creative.

Quick History

How to make clerics better and Altar Creation, specifically

* Altar creation - This is an Idea (started by a player which Zabari then carried through to today) to allow high level players to craft their own altars. These will be semi-permanent creations that will allow worshippers to stop to make offerings. I envision worshippers being non-clerical players. Worshippers would be granted a bonus or "blessing" to something based upon what the altar is. The more worshippers that attend that altar and the more clerics supervise it the greater that altar's power becomes. The idea is to have each of the immortal's "influence" in a region affected. The more influence that immortal has the greater the effect of the blessing. Having a cleric "afficiate" or assist in your worship also increases the effect. Higher level clerics will be able to "sense" the strongest influence in the region. Events like Asketi's Ride and wars will also affect them. ;)

-- GM Heiu, Clerical Vision

Spiritweaving Proposal (unfinished; not expecting to ever finish)

Altars, a 100th circle ability

I would propose that clerics receive altars as a 100th circle ability. This proposition is contingent upon a thousand other factors, none of which are in the least bit under my direct or indirect control. This proposal, therefore, makes a number of assumptions. It assumes some things will stay the same and other things will change. I will attempt to make note of any assumptions I take, but that's a difficult thing.

Creation of an Altar

An altar is a greater power than has ever been placed upon Elanthia. Because it is maintained by elite adventurers who have proven themselves, the Immortals deign to take special note of the creators and worshippers at these altars, whereas at others, they merely give token acknowledgement in the form of a favor.

First, an altar cannot be constructed quickly. While it may be built of many materials, its power must be conjured with effort, not tossed up at a whim. There is sacrifice inherent in its creation. An altar should take no less than an hour to construct, unless extraordinary efforts are taken to speed its process.

Possible materials include nearly everything in the realm, including straight coinage. The total appraisal value (or simply value, in the case of coins) of all items must total 2 platinum in the province you are in. While this may seem like a rip-off, remember that standard creature drops are also items of value, and may be contributed. Further, forageable items are also valuable; wood logs and limbs are 15 lirums. Anyone can contribute these items, and nothing special must be done except adding them to the altar site. That means roughly 1334 logs would be needed to construct the altar, if you used nothing else. Herbs work remarkably well: 20,000 roses, or 73 jadice flowers, or 61 riolur leaves also total 2 plat. Skins work similarly. (Testing has been done in lirums.) (THIS PARAGRAPH IS CONSIDERED HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE AND READERS SHOULD CONSIDER ALL CONTENTS TO BE CHANGEABLE WITH MINIMAL JUSTIFICATION.)

An altar site is produced by taking a mundane item, such as a rock, sprinkling holy water upon it, and invoking the COMMUNE verb. Once dropped, this item is transformed into "an unfinished altar" and cannot be interacted with except using the APPRAISE, LOOK, and PUT verbs. The first two will tell you how far it is into completion, and last will add to its progress. An unfinished altar will last for 7 Earth days past the last time it was added to. Once an Earth week passes, your altar disappears, eroded away by neglect.

Once you complete the construction of the altar, it will simply be "an altar". The same mechanics of decay apply, except this time, the altar's decay timer is based on its dedication. The presence of an altar automatically confers a straight +1 to the level of mana perceived by any cleric in that room.

An altar can only be started by a 100th circle cleric, because no one else has access to the necessary power. Beyond that, the 100th circle cleric is no longer strictly required. There should be the possibility of an altar being altered to have a different look (it should change based on the deities worshipped at it, anyways), and further, the possibility of placing the creator cleric's name on it somehow.

Dedication of an Altar

To dedicate an altar means to invoke the specific favor of a particular Immortal. Specific Immortals require specific tasks or offerings. (If any difference in difficulty is present, it should either be Immortal-specific (an altar to Eluned in Muspar'i should be harder than one on Aesry), or aspect specific (dark is more difficult than light is more difficult than neutral).)

An example task might be the sacrifice of five undead skins to invoke Faenella. Some tasks should be performable by non-clerics. (Perhaps a Trader wishes to donate ten plat to the altar of Kertigen.)

An altar may have up to three Immortals dedicated to it; this is an arbitrary restriction, and I see no reason why it should stay if there's an objection.

An altar is "charged up" by shows of devotion. The room it's in is automatically consecrated (as if Meraud's Blessing was in permanent effect), such that normal acts of devotion gain are possible. The level of power an altar has is decreased by usage, and recharged by devotion. Such power has a capped duration of 28 Earth days, and a minimum duration of 7 Earth days. Every dedication has its own timer. When a altar loses all of its power (no Immortals are dedicated), it remains for one last day before disappearing.

So, let's say an altar is dedicated to Kertigen, Hodierna, and Meraud. People happen to like Hodierna a lot, so Hodierna is charged up to 28 days. People have been dismissive of Kertigen, however, so he is at a mere 10 days, while Meraud is at a decent 15. Now, let's say the next day, there is a rash of usage of Hodierna's power. She drops to 7 days, and can no longer be used until further devotion. But for some reason, people stop going. Say everyone who knew about the altar decided not to log in for two weeks. What happens is that the altar falls into a bit of disrepair. None of its powers can be invoked until some serious effort is put into rededicating it. On the other hand, perhaps it's intentional, because they want to dedicate it to Damaris. Well, by now, it's only Meraud left for one day, so there are two open slots. But it's forgotten about, and one day later, Meraud is gone. The next day, a cleric finally remembers and runs over, only to discover he's too late. By the time he's gotten dedication material ready, the altar is gone.

An altar may only be charged up by a cleric. The cleric receives a bonus if his deity (last favor) is to the same deity he is charging up. There is no penalty for having a different deity. A cleric may receive aid from worshippers (from procuring the necessary materials to sacrificing spirit so that the cleric doesn't lose devotion), but the actual act of increasing altar power can only be enacted by a cleric.

Altar Powers

There is no real reason to create some kind of "balance" between various Immortals, though there are arguments for this. That said, there ought to be a minimum amount of powers per Immortal to ensure mechanical desirability of each Immortal. I'd advise three powers minimum per Immortal: two are public knowledge, and one secret. There should be a reasonable amount of variability.

Of note: Those powers that directly mimic spells do not account for Magic Resistance, due to the fact that gods are quite capable of overriding such things when they wish.

Berengaria

"Bountiful Harvest"

Room effect. Increases the chances of foraging anything in that room.

Creates a random food item on the altar if room is noforage.

Firulf

"Staff of Firulf"

Invoked without target. Creates a black staff with ten charges of Lightning Bolt.

Staff disappears upon expenditure of all charges or 24 hours.

Ushnish

"Thunder of the Earth"

Area of Effect. Causes a powerful earthquake in the room, making it impossible to hide or even stand.

Continues for 10 minutes. Variable power.

Tamsine

"Safe at Home"

Invoked upon a single character. Returns them upon death to the altar.

Albreda

"Harmonious Accord"

Area of Effect. Creates a Banner of Truce in the room.

Lasts for five hours.

Chadatru

"Divine Shieldwarden"

Invoked upon a single character. Creates a shield which perfectly blocks all non-DFA attacks. Is not held.

Remains until character leaves the room.

Aldauth

"Ebbing Strength"

An extraordinarily powerful Malediction is placed on the defensive abilities of all in the room.