New Spell – Divine / Infernal Pact

Cleric and/or Magic User

Level: 1
Casting Time: 1 Day
Duration: Special

Casting this spell contacts a being from another plane, planet or dimension. For clerics, this can be a saint, bodhisattva, demigod, angel, devil… For magic users, the otherworldly being can be a demon, elemental, efreet, primordial chaos god, alien, etc.

The caster then bargains with the being for more power. If the caster is willing to pay the price, then in addition to his normal spells, he gets extra spell slots which can are replinished daily with specific spells granted from this being. It is even possible for clerics to gain magic user spells and vice versa, provided the GM allows it. If this spell is found on a scroll, any character class can do this.

The duration of the pact and the price to be paid varies by player, campaign and GM. For a few extra healing spells, for example, Apollo might require a weekly sacrifice of 10GP’s worth of honey for every 10 HP healed that week. For a fireball spell, Baal might require the sacrifice of a third-level or higher cleric of Ishtar. Or the GM might plant an adventure hook in Mithra’s demand that the Minotaur of Lundimium be smuggled to Crete. St. Michael might want a hospital to be protected during a siege. Whatever the price, the GM should make sure it seems a bit more than the player would like.

Once a pact is over, it’s over and considered satisfied. If obligations are fulfilled to the exact letter if not spirit (that is, if there is trickery that technically works) a lawful supernatural being will consider the matter closed (but not forget). A chaotic or neutral being would likely seek vengeance. Failure is considered the same as breaking a deal and some sort of retribution will be sought.

In order to make this pact, the character must learn the true name of the supernatural being. As you adventure, you will encounter the temples, libraries, statues and churches. You should make notes.  The more information you have about the being, the better your chance of finding its true name. To attempt to learn the true name, you must make chant a daylong ceremony.

To determine your chance of success, roll d% under your score as as calculated below:

Base Percentage = 10%

If you know the being’s life story or important legends: +5%

If the being is related to or in the same pantheon as one you worship or apprentice to or are related to:  +10%

You have at least one holy text: +10%

You have a personal item or relic of the being: +20%

You have at least one graven image or realistic likeness: +10%

You have consulted a library or sage regarding this being and spent at least 1000gp in research: +10%

For your level: +1%

For your wisdom bonus: +1% over 12

If you succeed, you have the name of that god and have contacted it. Most gods will not be happy to be contacted, but here’s your chance. Make the best of it. If you fail, you can never learn the true name of that deity, even if they whispered it in your ear. Sorry.

So there you have it. I’ve worked this over and over in drafts and this seems to be the most reasonable option. Other options had clerics using this method to demand spells of different gods, but gave them way too man spell slots. And I thought magic users contacting the divine and infernal as Stephen Strange might, would be cool.

Thoughts?