** Divine Intervention
Generally-speaking, and unlike in other game settings, the gods of Therafim are not allowed to directly intervene in the affairs of mortals as avatars. This is why it is so vital for them to provide their clerics and other followers with frequent demonstrations of their presence and power, usually in the form of divine magic, dreams, omens, and various miracles.
The gods may directly intervene as a physical presence in the affairs of mortals, but doing so leaves them vulnerable in two ways: first, it leaves their holdings on other planes undefended; second, gods can be killed on the Prime Material Plane (this generally requires another god to do so, however, and is thus an unlikely occurrence). Because of this great danger, while the gods do frequently visit the Prime Material Plane, they usually do so in disguise or in other subtle ways so as not to attract the attention of the other gods.
If gods go through Umnos before they manifest themselves in some fashion (as is usually the case for divine magic), they will have the Divine Machine's protection as well as their personal powers, which generally ensures that they and their holdings will be protected while they are involved in mortal affairs. If they decide to interact with the mortal realm without using such official channels, they are on their own, and may also attract the attention of Umnos, who may take steps against the deity in question.
Rules are given below to determine the percentage chance that a given deity will intervene in mortal affairs if called upon by a given mortal. Times when a deity intervenes when not called upon by mortals to do so are left to the complete discretion of the Dungeon Master, as does the possibility that a deity will intervene at all, regardless of any rolls made.
** Divine Intervention Rules
Before taking anything else into consideration, the deity must be interested in the matter involved. What exactly draws the attention of a deity is listed in a given deity's entry under "Favored Offerings and Justification for Direct Intervention." If the situation in question does not involve anything listed in this section of a deity's entry, then there is no need to roll: the deity will not intervene at all. This applies to requests for a deity to manifest on the Prime Material Plane; such manifestations are dangerous to all deities, and so they do so only for plot-important events, and not on the whim of mortals. Generally, if a god's entry says that god does not get involved in mortal affairs much, then this should be taken at face value, and the god is unlikely to intervene under any but the most extreme of circumstances.
If the matter is of interest to the deity in question, then the following factors help determine if the deity will intervene:
- +1% for every level of the character calling for divine intervention. This only counts once for the leader of a group.
- +5% for an especially devout worshiper of the same alignment as the deity. This only counts once for the leader of a group.
- +1% for every 100 devout worshipers of the deity's alignment involved in asking for divine intervention. This number does not include the leader of such groups.
- +1% for every previously failed request for divine intervention, with only one request being allowed per day. Once a request finally succeeds, then this cumulative bonus goes away for a full year starting from the time of success (and see below).
- +2% for every special ritual or appropriate offering performed while making the request. As a general rule, this is for every 5 Hit Dice worth of sacrifices, and every 500 gold pieces worth of offerings.
- +5% if the requested divine intervention replicates any divine spell of any level. This does not stack with the bonus below.
- +10% if the requested divine intervention replicates a divine spell that the one (or someone in a group) requesting aid could normally cast, after all spells of that level have already been expended. If all spells of that level have not been expended yet, then the request automatically fails without providing any bonus (see above). This does not stack with the bonus above.
- +10% if the request is made to one of the creator, ruling, or draconic gods.
- +5% if the request is made to a titanborn or mortalborn god.
- -5% if the request is made to a demigod.
- -10% if the request is made to a forbidden god.
- -20% if the one requesting aid is not of the deity's alignment or otherwise not a devout worshiper (this does not apply to groups).
- -1% for every person not of a deity's alignment or otherwise not a devout worshiper in a group requesting divine intervention (this only applies to groups).
If a deity has been successfully called upon to intervene for a given individual or group of individuals, then an additional request for divine aid cannot be made by that individual, or any individual in a group, for a full year. If such an individual is in a larger group requesting divine intervention, that person's presence counts as though the person were not of the deity's alignment (see above). Individuals of this sort cannot serve as the leader of a group requesting divine intervention - if they attempt it, the request automatically fails. This is because other gods do not tolerate too much intervention being handed out to mortals, since it can tilt the balance of power too far in favor of one deity or another.
This percentage chance can be directly countered by an opposing individual or group requesting divine intervention that runs counter to the request of another group. For example, if two opposing armies with equal numbers of troops or equal piety, with clerics of equal level to lead them in prayer, call on the gods to smite their foes, their equal percentage chances of success will cancel each other out, resulting in no roll being made for either side. If one side makes an offering to the gods along with their request, however, then that side would get the percentage chance of intervention the offering would normally provide.
If the percentage chance for divine intervention drops below 0% for any reason, then there is no need for a roll: the request fails automatically.
Results of Divine Intervention
When a request for divine intervention succeeds, then the deity called upon intervenes in some manner.
If a spell effect is requested, divine or arcane, then it takes effect immediately after the prayer for intervention has been completed, regardless of its normal time or material component requirements.
If another effect is requested that is not so easily determined by spell effects, then it takes place as soon as is possible, provided that it is fairly reasonable, and does not unbalance the plans of other deities by too much.
If a request for divine intervention is too unbalancing (as determined by the Dungeon Master), then other deities will take notice. This usually results in the effects of a Bestow Curse spell being placed on those whose requests were answered until a given set of circumstances are fulfilled, as determined by the deity offended, though these circumstances must be within the capacity of the mortal or group of mortals in question to accomplish. Removing this curse can be done as normal.
Divine Love and Incarnation
Occasionally, gods will fall in love with mortals, or otherwise desire to have relations with mortals. This results in pregnancy on the part of the deity or the mortal (depending on who is the female in the relationship) at the will of the deity. On other occasions, the gods simply take a special interest in a mortal, and grant that mortal special blessings. Whichever occurs, the result of such divine interest is generally a legendary animal (see Monster Manual 2), a monster of legend (also see Monster Manual 2), or a god-blooded being (see Monster Manual 5) of the same race as the mortal parent, though it can also just be an exceptional member of a mortal race. Whether a mortal or a god dives birth to such a special being, a mortal will be expected to raise the child once it is born, though this mortal may not necessarily be the mortal parent.
