Acolyte

You have spent your life in the service of a temple

to a specific god or pantheon of gods. You act as an

intermediary between the realm of the holy and the

mortal world, performing sacred rites and offering

sacrifices in order to conduct worshipers into the

presence of the divine. You are not necessarily a

cleric—performing sacred rites is not the same thing as

channeling divine power.

Choose a god, a pantheon of gods, or some other

quasi-divine being, and work with your DM to detail the

nature of your religious service. Appendix B contains a

sample pantheon, from the Forgotten Realms setting.

Were you a lesser functionary in a temple, raised from

childhood to assist the priests in the sacred rites? Or

were you a high priest who suddenly experienced a call

to serve your god in a different way? Perhaps you were

the leader of a small cult outside of any established

temple structure, or even an occult group that served a

fiendish master that you now deny.

Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Religion

Languages: Two of your choice

Equipment: A holy symbol (a gift to you when you

entered the priesthood), a prayer book or prayer

wheel, 5 sticks of incense, vestments, a set of common

clothes, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp

Feature: Shelter of the Faithful

As an acolyte, you command the respect of those who

share your faith, and you can perform the religious

ceremonies of your deity. You and your adventuring

companions can expect to receive free healing and

care at a temple, shrine, or other established presence

of your faith, though you must provide any material

components needed for spells. Those who share

your religion will support you (but only you) at a

modest lifestyle.

You might also have ties to a specific temple dedicated

to your chosen deity or pantheon, and you have a

residence there. This could be the temple where you

used to serve, if you remain on good terms with it, or a

temple where you have found a new home. While near

your temple, you can call upon the priests for assistance,

provided the assistance you ask for is not hazardous and

you remain in good standing with your temple.

Suggested Characteristics

Acolytes are shaped by their experience in temples or

other religious communities. Their study of the history

and tenets of their faith and their relationships to

temples, shrines, or hierarchies affect their mannerisms

and ideals. Their flaws might be some hidden

hypocrisy or heretical idea, or an ideal or bond taken

to an extreme.

d8 Personality Trait

1 I idolize a particular hero of my faith, and constantly

refer to that person’s deeds and example.

2 I can find common ground between the fiercest

enemies, empathizing with them and always working

toward peace.

3 I see omens in every event and action. The gods try to

speak to us, we just need to listen

4 Nothing can shake my optimistic attitude.

5 I quote (or misquote) sacred texts and proverbs in

almost every situation.

6 I am tolerant (or intolerant) of other faiths and respect

(or condemn) the worship of other gods.

7 I’ve enjoyed fine food, drink, and high society among

my temple’s elite. Rough living grates on me.

8 I’ve spent so long in the temple that I have little

practical experience dealing with people in the

outside world.

d6 Ideal

1 Tradition. The ancient traditions of worship and

sacrifice must be preserved and upheld. (Lawful)

2 Charity. I always try to help those in need, no matter

what the personal cost. (Good)

3 Change. We must help bring about the changes the

gods are constantly working in the world. (Chaotic)

4 Power. I hope to one day rise to the top of my faith’s

religious hierarchy. (Lawful)

5 Faith. I trust that my deity will guide my actions. I have

faith that if I work hard, things will go well. (Lawful)

6 Aspiration. I seek to prove myself worthy of my god’s

favor by matching my actions against his or her

teachings. (Any)

d6 Bond

1 I would die to recover an ancient relic of my faith that

was lost long ago.

2 I will someday get revenge on the corrupt temple

hierarchy who branded me a heretic.

3 I owe my life to the priest who took me in when my

parents died.

4 Everything I do is for the common people.

5 I will do anything to protect the temple where I served.

6 I seek to preserve a sacred text that my enemies

consider heretical and seek to destroy.

d6 Flaw

1 I judge others harshly, and myself even more severely.

2 I put too much trust in those who wield power within

my temple’s hierarchy.

3 My piety sometimes leads me to blindly trust those

that profess faith in my god.

4 I am inflexible in my thinking.

5 I am suspicious of strangers and expect the

worst of them.

6 Once I pick a goal, I become obsessed with it to the

detriment of everything else in my life.