Tuesday, August 12, 2014

The Center Cannot Hold: The REVOLUTION

The Revolution
"And The Revolution lives on!"
Titles: The Glorious Revolution, The Terror
Areas of Concern: Revolution, Liberation, Mob Rule
Favored Animals: None
Holy Symbol: A Torch
Worshippers: Revolutionaries, Common Folk, Reformers, Anarchists
Domains: Liberation, Glory, War, Destruction, Madness
Favored Weapon: Any Improvised Weapon

Ainesia's part of the Revolution Wars waged far longer than Ith's.  The Treaty of Lutetia, signed in one of the larger kingdoms of Ainesia ended the conflict between Othebea and Ith.  It also led to the freedom of a small southern set of Othebean colonies.  For the states of Ainesia, this was a new opportunity in their ages-old political tug-of-war for control.  This new independent state continued the Revolution Wars, having discovered a new divine force: The Revolution itself.

The Revolution is a divine power borne out of shared belief in the principles of Kisian Philosophy; state ownership and radical reforms in the way people are governed.  Rule of the learned over that of the blooded.  Democratic and socialist systems, with a firm central authority.  A Revolution for a new sort of enlightened state.

It swept across Ainesia.  Poor Clerics of a myriad of other faiths took up the Revolution instead, finding they could draw on the raw fervor and glory of the Revolution itself.  They let armies of mobs, made allies with minor nobles willing to accept reform and toppled tyranny after tyranny.

The Revolution still burns bright, its principles writ into stone: the People choose who governs them.  This fervor doesn't seem to care for what sort of government.  It only acts for immediately change.  The Revolution calls for constant reform.  The Revolution calls the death of tyrants.  The Revolution creates glory and the Revolution revels in terror.

The Revolution is no deity, but it has heralds of its own.  These outsiders led the mob, angels with blood red wings or devils in blue uniforms waving banners high.  It isn't a being, but it is like a self-aware concept, its clerics wandering between town and town, eager to find any sign of tyranny and any chance to trigger more change.

Clerics of the revolution always wear Red of some kind.  Because of they detest tyrants, often this means they are rarely lawful.  But lawful members of the Revolution do exist, believing they can use reform and preserve the old system without compromise.  Most often, these members act as spies, infiltrating nations and other churches in order to make sure the Revolution can be spread.  Lawful characters also act as lawmakers, organizers and coordinators, often acting as a cool mind that helps the Revolution stabilize and not just remain burning fervor.

The Fervor: The most frightening aspect of the Revolution is what it can trigger in people.  The Fervor is a kind of mental disease.  It spreads through crowds quickly.  The Fervor can drive a group of people to chaotic acts they might never do otherwise, taking their control away and instilling a sort of rage driven to change government for the better.

Lawful characters are the worst abused by the Fervor.  It is a inherent chaotic act, and being forced to join in chaotic acts can be more harmful to a lawful person than just needing a atonement spell or an alignment change.  It can create a sort of Fervent madness, where the lawful character can't leave the anger of the fervor.  They fall apart, going insane, and insist that the world is the problem.  They gain the Psychosis insanity, except that they revert to their Lawful when they suppress their psychosis; otherwise, they are Chaotic Evil.  This is rare, however.  Many lawful characters recover from the Fervor with no permanent effects, often more shamed by what they did.

THE FERVOR
Type curse; Save Will DC 20 negates
Onset 1d3 rounds; Frequency 1/hour
Effect 1d4 Wisdom damage and target rages (as a Barbarian, except that characters can attempt Charisma-based skills) for the next five rounds.  They attack anything that suggests a lawful authority figure- soldiers, constabulary, courthouses, government buildings, etc.; Cure Knocking the target unconscious rids them of the Fervor, as does rendering them exhausted; calm emotions also cures a subject of the Fervor.
Description
This curse is a the result of the work of Clerics of the Revolution, who can whip crowds into mobs with it.  The Fervor is a dangerous tool however, and many Clerics of the Revolution have had the Fervor backfire and target them instantly upon casting.  It isn't contagious, however, but can be spread through spellcraft or the right potion.

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