Divine Tests
Trickery can lead the blind to catastrophe.
1-11. Baldr calls his faithful to be restored in his ways. His cleric loses access to some of his spells (50% chance for each one), possibly including his turn ability. Roll 1d6 to determine what he must do to have every one of them restored.
[1] Appreciate a thing of beauty for 4d6 turns.
[2] Be peaceful (unless attacked first) for 2d4 hours.
[3] Allow himself to be hit by 1d3 ranged attacks. He may use his mysteries of Baldr to protect himself if he wishes, that is, if he has enough of them remaining that day.
[4] Glow bright white for 2d6 hours, making detection and love from the goodly automatic, gaining +1d4 Charisma with such types, the reverse with all others.
[5] Meet with a diviner for 3d4 turns, seeking guidance on one's doom.
[6] Be kind to all he meets for the next 1d6 hours, no matter their disposition.
12-17. The wanderer asks what fate might befall Baldr, and the answers are grim. Roll 1d7 to see what the cleric must do.
[1] All the coverings may not be enough. The cleric needs to get 2d3 others to vow to do no harm to him, and it ought to be those who have not pledged to do so already. Until then, all gain a +4 bonus to hit him, along with gaining Frigg's chagrin.
[2] Push a funeral boat out to sea. A giant like Hyrrokkin might be needed to help, for it is quite heavy (STR 20 or better required), as with Hringhorni. Until remedied, Thor will kick any dwarf that the cleric comes in contact with for 1d8 damage.
[3] Like loyal, loving Nanna, the next one the cleric sees who's significant other has or will meet their demise (including possibly himself) must then attempt to meet their own demise too. If so, they will be reunited eternally in the hereafter.
[4] Travel to the underworld to entreat with one in authority there, just as Hermod did, returning with at least one gift for those on the surface.
[5] Create an heir to avenge a loved one, in correspondence to how Odin begat Vali. The cleric should get busy.
[6] Weep, except for Thokk. Things lost and those who don't care, the cleric will encounter a group that harshly refuses to honor the memory of what was taken (roll 1d5): [1] 2d4 blind spear throwers, [2] 1d3 insensitive giants, [3] 4d4 goblins playing in what was once human lands, [4] a traveler going less than half speed down some narrow path, [5] a trickster who works to bring about the cleric's demise, likely through one or more of the previous results.
[7] Punish one who has greatly harmed another. The culprit must meet what's fitting.
18+ Mistletoe flying overhead doesn't always lead to affection. The cleric is struck by such a projectile, taking 2d6 damage per divine test result over 17. The cleric's mysteries of Baldr will of course fail to protect him, nor will any other mundane or enchanted ward. If lost, then his loved ones should inevitably let him go as all loved ones should.
Folk Variations
Different guidelines, magical side-effects, divine tests, and spells of similar divinities can be substituted for and with those of Baldr to provide additional options if applicable.
Balderus: Danish
Herebeald: Saxon
Lemminkainen: Finnish
Orpheus: Thracian
For example, a cleric of Baldr could have some of the same magical side-effects, tests, and spells as Lemminkainen, but not turn ability, since the latter is a demigod.
Fossegrim
Handsome Norse male water beings, they prefer waterfalls and are noted fiddlers. As such move and flow, they are a fitting tribute to bright Baldr's passing, which can certainly be grim.
Their special abilities include:
- Aquatic: Can breathe and function normally in and underwater at will.
- Force of a Thousand Waterfalls: Gain a +3 to all rolls and improve all stats +3 when in water, +6 to rolls related to courtship or fiddling, +6 to any rolls and stats when in splashing water.
- Fossefiddle: Can cast the equivalent of Charm Person or Remove Fear (reversible) on any within hearing range up to thrice per day.
- Nourishing Flow: Regenerate 1d6 damage when in splashing water each round.
Fossegrim Types
Fossegrim (new class)
- They fight as fighters (using their bonus to hit, HD, and saves), but can only wear chainmail armor or lighter, and gain no weapon specialization or other fighter abilities.
- In return, fossegrim gain the use of fossegrim abilities and/or spells. They abide by their divinity's magical side-effects and tests when using them. For every odd level they have (1st, 3rd, etc.), they can select:
- One of the special abilities above or
- A spell that involves water and is at least 1/2 their fossegrim level (e.g. a 3rd level fossegrim could select Create Water, a 7th level one could select Breathe Water). Each spell can be cast once per day. - What is more, they are water dependent, suffering a -3 to all rolls and stats if they haven't fully bathed in water at least once that day, -6 if it's been over 2 days.
Fossegrim (spirit or magical being)
Instead of being mortal, they can be:
- Spirits too, generally invincible (see Volume IV), and/or
- Magical beings: immune to spells and only harmed by magic weapons when in splashing water.
Next week: spells of Baldr and a Baldr encounter!
RPG srd Old School 1st ed D&D Balder
