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Subject: Re: Beggar Priest

Hi,In response to your beggar priest/thief... I would not make him a

multi-class human, this would break one of the cardinal rules. Althoughthis is really only a matter of nomenclature. But who cares if a thiefis multi-class and takes a kit. However, I would not recomend either ofthese routes. I took a few minutes to draw up an example that you mightfind suitable. I don't remember the God (I ran a Grewhawk campaign withthe origional set about six years ago) so some of the things I usedmight need to be altered. I imagined a priest of a good-aligneddemipower (if only marginally) who combined the aspects of a priest anda thief. As a granted power they would recieve some of the thiefabilities, to counter this would be a smaller number of selectablespheres for spells.

LOWMAN (sometmes called a MISSIONARY)

Portfolio: Humility, the Holiness in Lowliness, and MercyRequirements:Wisdom 9, Dexterriry 9, Alignment any GoodWeapons: weapons purchased may not cost more than 2 gp, or must bestolen or gifts. No equipment that is extravigant or obviouslyexpensive can be kept.Armor: Any up to leather, Piecemiel armor may be used if DM allows (seefighter's Handbook)Major Spheres: All, Gaurdian, Healing, Protection, WardsMinor Spheres: Charm, DivinationMagical Items: As cleric and thief (No jewelry or gems, except: Amuletof proof against detection and location, Necklace of Prayer Beads, Pearlof wisdom, Talis man of pure good.)Granted Powers:

- All Lowmen have the following thieving skills at 1st level:Pick Pockets: 20%; Move Silently: 20%; Hide in Shadows: 15%;Detect Noise 10%;

They also recieve 20 extra percentage points which they maydistribute to these skills at first level, and gain an additional 15%per level thereafter. Hide in Shadows may also be used to dissapearinto a crowd from even the most wiley attempts at tailing. They must bealone (or split up form companions) and may attempt this without penaltyeven while under observation. (Now you see him, now you don't) Theremust be a sufficient crowd present. If there is not, the DM is free toapply a negative modifier to the roll - up to "NO chance pal."

- They may "gather alms" at any time during the day. This is doneeither by staying in one place - or by approaching people on the street

and asking for alms. For every hour the priest spends on the street hemust make both a wisdom check and a charisma check (for every threelevels of experience he has, he may add a +1 bonus to either check -wisdom for remaining statonary, and Charisma for approaching citizens)The following posts the results per condition - The first number is forboth checks failed, the second is one check made, the other is for bothchecks successful: Horrible 0, 0, 1cp; Poor 0, 1cp, 2d4 cp; Fair 1cp,2d4 cp, 1 sp; Good 2d4 cp, 1sp, 1d4 sp; Excellent 1sp, 1d4 sp, 2d4 sp.(These are the equivalents in coinage not actual coin. It is rare forsomeone to give up an entire silverpiece to a beggar.)

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- They are immune to disease; and often use this ability to stayalive by eating almost anything organic they can find (i.e. food in anystate of rot) without getting sick.

- They may not turn undead, bt are immune to the draining effects ofundead (Abilties and levels, etc.) due to contact with the Negativeaterial Plane. Some believe that this s because of the level loss thatmany a priest has suffered for being unable to help those in need.Some, jokingly, think that the priests are such low creatures that noteven the negative plane wants their energy.Other Notes:

They may not enter any dwelling to steal, and never rob from thosewho "dersrve" their money. The definition of "deserve" is left up tothe individual DM. Mostly they will see a fat aristocrat in a crowd whohas a purse that is far too heavy for them... 75% of their income mustgo to feed the poor - if the priest needs at more than this to stayalive then he may withold a little for the time being, but this betternot become a habit. If they ever turn away someone with a plea for aid(unless they themselves are currently in danger or helpng someone elsewho urgently needs it at the moment), they immediately lose two levelsof experience and must relieve themselves of all worldly good beforegaining any new experience. For the most part these are solitaryclerics. They worship with their own rules and their own prayers.

At 10th level they may join or establish a Missionary (A Lowman mayjoin a missionary at any level) The missionary is dedicated to caring

for the poor and sick. This is the only sort of "church" these priestsare known to harbor, although no scheduled services take place and anyusing the facility is free to worship how they see fit - as long as itdoesn't disturb the others. They will offer counseling and food andhealing, and whatever the poor creatures need as long as they canprovide it. When a character of at least 10th level establishes such amission - or a charcater already involved in a mission reaches 10thlevel he attracts 1d10 followers, use the following table:

Roll 1d% 1d10 times:1-40 0-level vagrant; 41-50 mid level cityofficial who, while not openly an aquaintance of the Lowmman, wile offeraid in whatever ways he can, if does not jeopardize his standing or hisjob; 51-60 3,4, or 5th level Fighter (Determine alignment); 61-70 6,7,or 8th level thief (Determine alignment); 71-80 1st level Lowman; 81-85

8th level thief with an appropriate Kit (determine alignment); 85-90 adoo-gooder mage of 1d4 levels; 90-95 a moderatley knowledgeable sageinterested in teaching the poor; 96-99 a paladin (levels 4-7) who willspen several days out of each month helpinh with the Mission, and willchampion it in need; 100 the mission will attract the attention of amajor noble (king, mayor, prince) this may be good or bad depending onalignment, or public or secretive depending on the campain needs.

The alignemnt of a follower has a great affect on the service of theNPC. Most good alignemnts will be a great boon to the Mission. (Goodvagrants will raise alms, provide strong backs without complaint etc..)Those of Chaotic Neutral alignment will will come and go as they please,sometimes brings great tidings, sometimes bringing doom, sometimes justthemselves; Ne followers will stick around and help until there is

nothing left in it for them, then they will depart - probably forever;LE will usually try to turn the Mission into some kind of front for someillegeal activity, and may even try to keep this secret from theMission's opperators; CE followers will usually be driven by a simpleinsane lust to kick those who are down. They may be crazed serialkillers who cleverly smother vagrants in their sleep, or they might justexplode one day in a massive violent assualt on everyone within themission at any given time.

New Spell:Mask Useful Item - I leave the specifics up to you, but this god may

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allow priests to petition it through this prayer to make an extarvagantbut very useful item look like something that belongs on the badlydressed priests. A gleaming shortsword with gold inlays may keep thatevil band of city thugs from beating up your alms squad, but the squadmight expect you to sell it, because the poor could use the food. Thepriest asks the god to consider its uesfullness, the God does so, and ina few days/weeks/hours/minutes he replies, by either doing nothing(unload the item you warthog) or by changing it into a decrepit-lookingthing with all of the same properties. (i.e. the gleaming shrtswordsuddenly has a corroded edge and a hilt that will fall off if anyoneelse picks it up.) Even so the priest may only have three of theseitems at a time, and must give up an old one, if he wants to have a newone.

They tend to dress in whatever clothes are given to them and areforbidden to bathe more than once a year. Lowman own only what they cancarry, and care for animals only if the animal has come to it or wasgiven to the priest and it doesn't wander off of its own free will. TheLowmen have only what they can carry and do not consider this "having"an ownership at all. If someone else needs something a Lowman and couldmake better use of it then that person should have it...this is alsotheir justification for theft - but this must be heavilly consideredfirst...

RAX