We received a few cool submissions for our Deity Contest and I’d like to announce the winners!

First Place

Author: Siddharth Singh

Second Place

Author: Derek Miller

Kurunnitu

(Lesser) Goddess of Beer, Mother of Civilization

Portfolio: Death, decay, fermentation, alcohol-related insights

Holy Days: Equinoxes

Symbol: Ceremonial cup

Alignment: True Neutral

Worshiper’s Alignment: Any

The first human to truly study fermentation, Kurunnitu — upon brewing a nourishing substance that was part beer and part bread — ushered in a change from hunter-gatherer wandering to agriculture in what became mankind’s first city, and learned how alcohol could spark insights that may never occur to a sober mind (such as seeing if alcohol, the result of decay, could work as a preservative against decay; and as a pesticide and a sedative and a disinfectant and a painkiller and so on).  Celebrated by name whenever drinks were poured for a wedding or a wake — or any other social occasion — she was honored for each innovation that followed at that settlement (even down to potters placing her petite-and-dark-eyed image on fire-hardened clay, to store everything from pickled vegetables to concoctions that helped embalmers curb decomposition). As a result, she eventually found herself figuratively and literally deified.

Specialty Priest

• Titles: Brewmistress (Female) or Brewmaster (Male).
• Requirements: Wisdom 10
• Weapons: Blowgun, club, dagger, hand axe, knife, lasso, net, scourge, sling, staff, staff sling, whip
• Armor: All non-metal armor; wooden shields
• Required Proficiency: Brewing
• Bonus Proficiencies: Agriculture or Herbalism (player choice), Pottery or Reading/Writing (player choice).
• Duties: Kurunnitu is different from the other deities of nature and natural forces, in that she represents the elements of growing that people utilize and can control.  Kurunnitu’s priests therefore work to keep the flock appreciating, and emulating, her virtues: promoting sensible solutions and actions on the part of the flock, but with the twist of preaching that, sometimes, it’s wisest to put in the work — for example, by researching new recipes and uses for everything from ammonia to vinegar — but, sometimes, the only reasonable thing to do is knock back a strong drink and see if inspiration occurs.  What her priests do with any knowledge they thereby acquire — outside the context of helping their temple — is up to them, as long as they take care to participate in semiannual events where fermented goods of all sorts are displayed and promoted (before the throne or in market).
• Major Spheres: All, Creation, Elemental, Healing, Necromantic, Thought, Time
• Minor Spheres: Animal, Charm, Plant, Protection
• Brewmistress/Brewmaster Spells:
• Level 1
  • Elixir of Age
    • Sphere: Time
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: V, S, M
  • Duration: See below
  • Casting Time: 5
  • Area of Effect: One pint of water
  • Saving Throw: None
  • This spell permanently transmutes a pint of water into an Elixir of Age, a beer that — when imbibed by a person — grants the drinker, for one hour per level of the caster, the effects of an age category selected by the caster at the time the drink is prepared.  So it can serve as a potent restorative (letting an aging warrior briefly regain a measure of youthful vigor, while somewhat impairing his judgment) or enable a temporary state of heightened understanding (while somewhat impairing the drinker’s physical abilities).  The material component is a berry soaked in alcohol.
• Level 2
  • Metamorphose Liquids
    • Sphere: Elemental (Water)
  • Range: 30 ft.
  • Components: V, S, M
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Casting Time: 2 rounds
  • Area of Effect: 2’-cube/level
  • Saving Throw: Special
  • This spell, except as noted above, is the same as the first-level wizard Metamorphose Liquids spell.
• Level 3
  • Cakes & Ale
    • Sphere: Creation
  • Range: 10 yds.
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Special
  • Casting Time: 1 turn
  • Area of Effect: 1 cu. ft./level
  • Saving Throw: None
  • This specialized variant of Create Food & Water, known to Brewmistresses and Brewmasters — for whom Create Food & Water is only a second-level spell — creates sustenance that, while equally nourishing, appears as whatever nonmagical fare the caster has previously sampled and selects at the time of casting.  Brewmistresses and Brewmasters often opt for choices that showcase fermentation (be it beer and pretzels, or sausage and cider, or wine and cheese, or anything else from pickled eggs to sourdough bread).
• Level 4
  • Fermenting Ideas
    • Sphere: Thought
  • Range: 0
  • Components: V, S, M
  • Duration: Instantaneous
  • Casting Time: 1 round
  • Area of Effect: Radius 10 feet around caster
  • Saving Throw: None
  • Identical in function to Idea, this spell affects everyone within 10 feet of the caster who drinks a beer served to them by the caster that round (with the service and the beer being the somatic and material component).
• Level 5
  • Golden Dream
    • Sphere: Time
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: V, S
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Casting Time: 1 day
  • Area of Effect: Special
  • Saving Throw: None
  • Golden Dream transmutes an Elixir of Age into an Elixir of Youth.  The priest can use this spell but once per season.
• Level 6
  • Corpse Reviver
    • Sphere: Necromancy
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: V, S, M
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Casting Time: 1 round
  • Area of Effect: 1 person
  • Saving Throw: None
  • As Raise Dead, though not reversible and with no need for a resurrection survival check; the magic will be effectuated 24 to 48 hours thereafter. The material component is an especially smooth honey-based beer personally brewed by the priest.
• Granted Powers:
  • 1) Cakes & Ale once per day; 10) Commune with Kurunnitu once per week; TU Command
• Followers and Strongholds: The followers are received at 7th level, and consist of one fifth-level priest, three third-level priests, and sixteen first-level priests of the same order. The priest may take the following on adventures: Three priests (only one of whom may be third level) of his choice. The priesthood will pay for half of the cost of stronghold construction at 7th level. Part of the stronghold must be a tavern where visitors may meet with the priests (and where drinks can be brewed on the spot).

I’d like to thank both Siddharth and Derek for sharing their creativity and taking the time to put these excellent deities together! I’ll be contacting you both to see what prizes you desire:

First Place: Siddharth— Ill add your name to the credits for your creation in The Marrow Ravine, AND I’ll give you a copy of our newly released The Coming of Winter (PDF AND pay for cost POD) OR 3 adventures (PDF and at cost POD) of your choosing.

Second Place: Derek— will receive The Coming of Winter PDF OR 2 adventures (PDF only) of your choosing.

I also talked it over with Jonbar and we decided, with Siddharth’s and Derek’s permission, we would add both deities to our growing Pantheon. Also with their permission, I’d like to add components of their deity to the new adventure I’m working on–The Marrow Ravine (Part 2 of Tar Pits of the Bone Toilers). I haven’t started this adventure yet so may be awhile, but I have 90% of the ideas in my head, just need to find some time….

–Malrex