Siva (LL)

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==Siva (intermediate god)==
Siva should not to be mistaken for the Hindu god "Shiva the Destroyer," which is a composite of many older gods. Siva is such an important manifestation of Rudra (the destructive god of storms and diseases) that he can be regarded as a separate deity. Siva is power incarnate, a fierce ascetic who repeatedly brings the world to the brink of annihilation by dancing in fire. He is the negative force of the cosmos, destroying whatever he touches in order that it may be reincorporated into unity with the spirit of the cosmos. Anything that Siva touches is utterly annihilated and can never be reconstructed, raised, or reincarnated. In his true form, Siva is a man with four arms and three eyes, usually wearing a tiger skin and a snake collar.
Role-playing Notes: Though determined to destroy all of existence, Siva does not consider himself evil. He is merely attempting to return everything to unity with the cosmic spirit. He is an impersonal god who seldom answers prayers, but he occasionally sends his avatar to defend one of his temples.
Statistics: AL ne; WAL ne; AoC destruction; SY cobra head.
==Siva's Avatar (fighter 20, wizard 15)==
Siva's avatar takes the form of a very large, four armed man with three eyes. As he walks, the ground beneath his feet disappears. He can call upon the alteration school ofr magic for his spells.
: Str 21
: Int 19
: MV 18
: AC -4
: #AT 2	
: Dex 18
: Wis 19
: SZ 7'
: HD 20
: THAC0 1	
: Con 18
: Cha 18
: MR 25%
: HP 160
: Dmg 2d10 (sword) +9
Special Att/Def: Anything hit by the avatar's scimitar, or that touches the avatar, must save versus disintegration (items) or death (beings). Failure means the item or being has been disintegrated and cannot be reconstructed (raised or reincarnated). The avatar may use his extra arms to cast one spell per round, even while engaged in melee. His third eye shoots a beam of annihilation up to 100' that hits as a missile weapon and has the same effects as a blow from his scimitar.
==Duties of the Priesthood==
Priests of Siva are noted for their monthly fire dance. After scouring the countryside in search of sacrifices (which includes everything from furniture to living beings), the priests spend several hours dancing in a huge bon-fire. They end the ceremony by throwing everything they have collected into the fire.
Requirements: AB standard; AL ne; WP any; AR a; SP all, combat, divination, elemental, necromantic, sun, weather; PW 1) immune to fire damage; TU control (upon reaching 10th level).
==Sage Advice (Dragon Issue #203)==
These are unofficial suggestions for using the optional spheres of priest spells from the Tome of Magic with the deities of the Indian pantheon in Legends & Lore:
* Siva: Major: Time; Minor: Numbers, Thought.