Dionysus (LL)

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==Dionysus (intermediate god)==
As the god of wine, Dionysus has a dual nature. On one hand, he is the embodiment of joy, pleasure, and camaraderie. On the other, he embodies brutality, idiocy, and madness. His twin nature is a reflection of the dual properties of wine in the eyes of the Greeks: imbibed in moderation, it brings pleasure and comfort, but in excess, it brings nothing but depraved misery. He has the power to turn an unlimited amount of water to wine, to make any vine grow anywhere, and to inflict madness upon any intelligent being (save at -4).
Although he can change shape into any living creature, his true form is that of a handsome young man.
Role-playing Notes: Dionysus is a raucous, unruly deity who likes nothing better than drinking to excess and wild uninhibited behavior. If left alone, he and his boisterous worshipers are usually no more than a minor annoyance. But if someone tries to inhibit his worshipers fun, or to drive them away, Dionysus is quick to mock them. If that doesn't work, he won't hesitate to use his powers against the intruders. Omens from Dionysus often take the form of hallucinations, especially while drinking wine.
Statistics: AL en; WAL any; AoC mirth, madness; SY staff tipped with pine cone and twined with a vine.
==Dionysus' Avatar (bard 17, wizard 12)==
Dionysus' avatar usually appears as a handsome young man carrying plenty of wine, a lyre, and a thyrsus (staff twined with vines). He can call upon any school of magic for his spells.
: Str 19
: Int 15
: MV 16
: AC -2
: #AT 1	
: Dex 18
: Wis 13
: SZ 6'
: HD 17
: THAC0 3	
: Con 18
: Cha 18
: MR 30%
: HP 136
: Dmg 1d6 (staff) +7
Special Att/Def: Anyone who is touched by the staff of Dionysus' avatar must save versus spell or suffer from confusion as the priest spell.
==Duties of the Priesthood:==
People usually become priests of Dionysus because they like to carouse and engage in wild parties. If so, they have decided to worship the right deity, for Dionysus expects them to view life as one long celebration. Their only true duty is to cultivate grapevines and make wine, which they sell to earn money to support their temple. As a reflection of this, all priests of Dionysus are required to take the non-weapon proficiency of brewing (if those rules are used in the campaign).
Requirements: AB standard; AL any except lg; WP poison, staff, whip, net; AR a; SP all, charm, creation, healing, plant, weather ; PW 1) neutralize poison; 10) Constitution raised to 18; TU nil.
==Sage Advice (Dragon Issue #202)==
These are unofficial suggestions for using the optional spheres of priest spells from the Tome of Magic with the deities of the Greek pantheon in Legends & Lore:
* Dionysus: Major: None; Minor: Chaos, Time.