Great Spirit (LL)

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==Great Spirit (greater god)==
The Great Spirit dwells in the Upper World and is the most powerful of all North American Indian deities. Though it would be incorrect to say that he is the leader or ruler of the pantheon, he is the master of light and the breath of life. Without him, no living thing would inhabit the physical world.
The Great Spirit is known by a variety of names, including Master of Life, Father the Sky, Great Mystery, Wakonda, Tirawa, Arch of Heaven, and the Kitcki Manitou. In his primary form, he appears to be a disc of white light more brilliant than the sun, and mortals daring to look upon him are always blinded (no saving throw possible). Only another greater god can restore the eyesight of a mortal so marked.
The Great Spirit has all of the powers of a normal greater god. In addition, he controls the weather of the physical world, can assume the shape of any animal in nature (though the animal always appears to be made of light), and can animate and breathe life into any substance—be it rock, wood, or dead flesh.
Although the Great Spirit is aware of all things, he rarely intervenes in the affairs of men. The only exception to this is when an entire tribe or nation is threatened by some form of supernatural evil. On such occasions, he usually attempts to thwart the evil by manifesting himself in the form of some awe-inspiring animal and warning the offenders away. He only resorts to the taking of life as a last resort.
Role-playing Notes: As discussed above, the great spirit seldom answers any mortal summons, though he is always aware of everything happening in the physical world. When he intercedes in human affairs, it will always be of his own accord and on the behalf of a large number of people of good alignment.
Very occasionally, the Great Spirit will send an omen to a medicine man worshiping him. This omen always takes the form of bright light, and usually relies on color to convey the deity's message. For example, if the Great Spirit is pleased with the cleric's efforts, he might have a luminous white owl land on the man's shoulder. If angered by a betrayal of faith, he might send a glowing red eagle to attack the medicine man.
When he finds it necessary to discipline a priest, the Great Spirit's punishments generally involve light in some manner. A minor punishment might deprive the medicine man of the ability to see colors, while a more severe punishment could be total blindness. In extreme cases, such as when a medicine man betrays his own people and the Great Spirit, the offender might even be struck dead by a bolt of lightning.
Statistics: AL lg; WAL any good; AoC life, nature, creation, and light; SY shining globe.
==Great Spirit's Avatar (Ranger 14, Druid 18)==
Most often, the Great Spirit's avatar appears in the form of a white, luminous bear, although it can assume the shape of any animal in nature. The avatar always receives the benefit of any special abilities of the animal whose shape it assumes.
: Str 19
: Int 15
: MV 20 f,sw
: AC -3
: #AT 3	
: Dex 18
: Wis 18
: SZ 10'+
: HD 18
: THAC0 3	
: Con 18
: Cha l6
: MR 55%
: HP 144
: Dmg 1d8/1d8/1d12 + 7
Special Att/Def: The statistics above are for the avatar's favorite form: a bear. The avatar retains the bear's ability to hug its victims for 2d4 + 7 additional damage on a to-hit roll of 18 or better. Even though the avatar has the form of a bear, it can cast spells as an 18th level Druid and all spells in the All, Animal, Elemental, Plant, and Weather spheres are available to it.
==Duties of the Priesthood==
A medicine man who worships the Great Spirit is venerating the most powerful of Indian spirits. Although he has access to great powers, the Great Spirit seldom grants these powers to him easily or rapidly. Priests must lead lives of exemplary virtue.
They must always strive to drive evil from the world through their own kindness and wisdom, relying upon force only when the lives of their fellows are in danger. Clerics of the Great Spirit may never live with evil or war-like tribes, unless they are doing so in order to change the wicked ways of such people.
As a priest of the Great Spirit, a medicine man must constantly strive to promote life and nature. He must subsist on a vegetarian diet and may never eat flesh, even in the most desperate circumstances. Because the Great Spirit remains so aloof, his clerics preside over very few ceremonies, and only beseech his aid in the most dire of circumstances.
Requirements: AB standard; AL lg; WP sling & blunt weapons; AR b; SP all, animal, elemental, healing, plant, protection, sun, & weather; PW 5) Shape Change (animal forms only), 7) Control Weather (1 mile radius), 10) Raise Dead (once per week); TU nil.
==Sage Advice (Dragon Issue #197)==
Last issue, I promised to start giving unofficial suggestions for using the optional spheres of priest spells from the Tome of Magic with the deities in Legends & Lore. I'll work through one pantheon a month until they're all done. Here's the list for the pantheon:
* Great Spirit: Major: Time, Wards; Minor: Thought, Law.