“Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one’s weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.”
A religious service can be anything from attending rites, proselytizing in the community or aiding the temple with various tasks (i.e. help construct a building, delivery goods to disciples, representing the church in certain matter). By performing these tasks, the character has a chance of winning the favor of the temples leaders.
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- A character can have a maximum number of unused favors equal to 1 + the character’s Charisma OR Intelligence modifier (minimum of one unused favor.)
To perform religious services, a character needs access to a temple whose beliefs and ethos align AND in good standing with the temple.
- This activity takes 5 downtime days.
- No gold is required for this activity.
- Features, spells and items are allowed for this downtime activity.
Success | Value Acquired |
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1-10 | No effort. Character fails to make a lasting impression with the church. |
11-20 | You earn one favor. |
21+ | You earn two favor. |
How to Do Religious Services Downtime
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- State the gambling amount in #downtime-log with all features, spells and items prefaced BEFORE rolling. Refer to the example below.
- Make a choice of one of the following below to complete the service.
- Religion (INT)
- Persuasion (CHA)
- The total of the check determines the benefits of service.
- Roll for the chance of complication.
- If the result is a 1 on a d10 or 1-10 on d100, refer to the complication section.
Downtime Example: Zera spends 5 days in religious service to the Mother of the Waters. Rolling the Persuasion check. (modest lifestyle)
Complications: Temples can be labyrinths of political and social scheming. Even the best-intentioned follower can fall prone to problems. For each workweek spent in religious service, there is a 10 percent chance of a complication. For more information, click here for the Hostiles & Rivals.
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- Hostile Contacts give -1 on every skill check involving downtime. Characters are required to spend these until no hostile contacts remaining.
- Rival Contact give a permanent -1 to all checks involving the downtime performed by that character, until resolved.
D6 | Complication Outcome |
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1 | You have offended a priest through your words or actions. (Apology and donation of at least 50GP, to the church required.) |
2 | Blasphemy is still blasphemy, even if you did it by accident. (Hostile) |
3 | A secret sect in the temple offers you membership. (Religion invitation) |
4 | Another temple tries to recruit you as a spy to steal offerings. (Crime downtime, any DC) |
5 | The temple elders implore you to take up a holy quest. (TRP or minor session) |
6 |
You accidentally discover that an important person in the temple is a fiend worshiper. (Rival)
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Favors are defined in Xanathar’s as “a favor, in broad terms, is a promise of future assistance from a representative of the temple.”
The table below provides a list of possible favor exchanges, but a dungeon master may allow something else in sessions.
Examples of Possible Favor Exchanges |
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Provide guidance on a current quest (where to go, what they should look for, a contact to speak with) |
Give directions, or a map of the current area. |
Provide the players with an NPC contact for something they may need. |
Give a low-level clerical scroll (up to Lv. 3) |
Offer temple services at 50% off. |
Offer to get them a discount at a local vendor who shares the faith. |
Give access to a protected area (an archive, a locked tomb, a meeting with a diplomat) |
Give an omen, vision, or minor miracle. |