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ItoSaithWebb |
![Beatific One](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/BeatificOne_final.jpg)
OK, I know that this is not a play test but it is the only place I know right now to find an answer.
Although the gods work through many agents, perhaps
none is more mysterious than the oracle. These divine
vessels are granted power without their choice, selected
by providence to wield powers that even they do not
fully understand. Unlike a cleric, who draws his magic
through devotion to a deity, oracles garner strength and
power from many sources, namely those patron deities
that support their ideals. Instead of worshiping a single
source, oracles tend to venerate all of the gods that share
their beliefs. While some see the powers of the oracle as a
gift, others view them as a curse, changing the life of the
chosen in unforeseen ways.
This here, if I read it correctly, states that an oracle is an agent of all the gods like she or he was a cosmic radio. The Gods that do transmit through the oracle are akin to the personality and values of the oracle her or himself.
Now I was recently just going through the bestiary and I was reading up on the Angel. Now it states that it is possible for a mortal to become a angel and that most modern angels are in fact just that.
Now here is my question. What if a truly exceptional oracle is qualified to become an angel when the oracle eventually dies but since an oracle follows no specific deity then this creates a interesting problem.
Now flavor wise it would be really cool if the curse hung on after the transformation. I.E. The blind, Deaf, or lame angel.
Would the angle follow just one god she or he most favor's, would there be a fight or contest among the gods for the rights to the new angel, or would the oracle angel be kind of a free agent of the Gods sort of like an angelic merc?
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Quandary |
![Ardeth](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/ardeth.jpg)
Well, my reading of that passage would be more akin to the Oracle AND Dieties with similar portfolios ALL being "tuned in" to the same cosmic radio frequency. Oracles do not in any way seem to presented as "agents" of Dieties, even collectively. I see it as more like creature subtypes, each Domain/Mystery is a type that can be shared by Diety-level beings, as well as Oracles (and Monsters that count as having Oracle levels) who have less personal power (and ability to grant powers to those not directly connected to these Portfolios), but are more or less still 'tuned in' to the same frequency. Just because creatures share the same subtype [cold], [extraplaner], [evil] doesn't make them allies or imply any relationship at all. Same with sharing a Domain/Mystery/etc. Obviously, if you like surfing and I like surfing, it opens a possiblity for a connection/relationship, but it can just as much mean we'd rather ignore each other or are mortal enemies.
Building on that, what is the natural progression of a high level Oracle? Obviously, becoming a minor Diety themself. Why not?, if they already are master of one Domain, and if they are successful at Divine Politics, perhaps they can start collecting more Domains/Mysteries (Epic Levels of course).
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KaeYoss |
![The Jester](http://cdn.paizo.com/image/avatar/jester.jpg)
I think it works like this: If you're the follower of a deity, you'll go to her place after you die. If you're not a direct follower but really full of some alignment, you'll go to the respective plane and become a more general partitioner.
Atheist and agnostics do have some special fates, but the gods' ways - and the ways of the verse - being ineffable, there's no simple Score Card you fill out that tells you whether you qualify for a gig.
So when you're not a fervent follower of some deity but are really, really, really good, you will probably go to nirvana (or another paradisal plane) and might eventually become an angel.
In many, maybe all, cases, you won't retain your memories, anyway.