Does Rahadoum tolerate divine magic healing spells within its borders?


Lost Omens Campaign Setting General Discussion

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Liberty's Edge

Hi all,

I've run a few scenarios in Rahadoum where Divine magic is strictly banned to the extent that wounded NPCs would rather die then be healed by the gods. Is this an accurate interpretation of the super atheist nation? If so then how does their military deal with injury and disease?

Thanks!

Sovereign Court

Delrik wrote:

how does their military deal with injury and disease?

Slowly... or with rogues with the Heal skill unlock...


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Other possibilities would be a Chirugeon Alchemist.

But yes, the intolerance of divine magic is absolute, no exceptions whatsoever as the backstory of the protagonist in "Death's Heretic" makes abundantly clear.

But even in other nations, clerics aren't so common that an ordinary foot soldier is going to be seen to by a casting healer.


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Bards and Witches? Both can cast healing magic as Arcane.


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Josh-o-Lantern wrote:
Bards and Witches? Both can cast healing magic as Arcane.

Witches have that outsider pact thing which is close enough to being a divine agent for the Pure Legion. (Did I mention that extreme no-tolerance thing before?)

Bards with healing ability aren't going to be that common.... because true bards themselves are not... and most that are... aren't the kind to submit to conscription or the demands of a military career.

Rahadoum is clearly showing as paying a heavy price for it's banishment of the divine, a price not being mitigated by meta-gamingly clever shortcuts.

Sovereign Court

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ah those dang bards! always forget about their limited healing! and they'll do it for a song! :P


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In Death's Heretic, Selim in desperation calls out for and receives a healing spell to save the life of his companion, a woman he has come close to the point of falling in love.

Now most people would assume that casting a healing spell would make a good-aligned caster feel good about being a conduit for divine healing... especially if they are saving someone they've come to care about it. Selim feels nothing but an utter sense of degradation of being used by some "thing" and putting himself in debt just as he did when he had caused his initial downfall when he saved his wife the same way and as a result, betrayed everyone that he ever cared about.


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Pathfinder Maps, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Maps, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

It depends on how strongly the NPC feels about the law.

The ban on divine casters in that area was brought about because of decades of religious strife and warfare. As a result, laws were made to prohibit and discourage religious activities, likely painting a picture of divine casters as fanatics that will do more harm than good. I could see that territory encouraging the idea that healing magic is the hook that divine casters use to brainwash or blackmail people into following their zealous beliefs, like a drug dealer pushing addictive substances.

This means that on an average day, an NPC would at the very least shun any openly religious person as being a misguided hazard to society. If that NPC was dying, survival would trump most people's belief in law - yet they would take great care to hide the incident and take great lengths to not get caught.

This doesn't mean ALL NPCs would take the healing as long as no one finds out - some might have strong support for the ban on all divine casters, such as those that have been traumatized by the holy wars or lost loved ones to the conflicts. Some NPCs might be plain evil and accept the healing only to turn in the caster for a reward later, or blackmail the caster for added services. Some NPCs might be less favorable to the law and try to aid the caster or keep the secret as a rebellious act.

As for how that society deals with healing magic, I am certain that more than a few enterprising witches and bards are filling their pockets to supply that demand.


Drahliana Moonrunner wrote:

Bards with healing ability aren't going to be that common.... because true bards themselves are not... and most that are... aren't the kind to submit to conscription or the demands of a military career.

Rahadoum is clearly showing as paying a heavy price for it's banishment of the divine, a price not being mitigated by meta-gamingly clever shortcuts.

Common Bards? Maybe not, but you know what the military of all nations are pretty good at? Training. If you need a medic and your options are "Die in a trench or learn to sing" I know I'll belt out a few broken notes. It's not "meta-gamingly" to find a really simple solution to a common problem. No splat books, no obscure archetype or organizational ties. Just good old fashion core players handbook class.


Wizards and Sorcerer's could take a page out of Baba Yaga's book and research arcane versions of divine spells.


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^That's a decent candidate for the origin of Infernal Healing . . .

Josh-o-Lantern wrote:
Drahliana Moonrunner wrote:

Bards with healing ability aren't going to be that common.... because true bards themselves are not... and most that are... aren't the kind to submit to conscription or the demands of a military career.

Rahadoum is clearly showing as paying a heavy price for it's banishment of the divine, a price not being mitigated by meta-gamingly clever shortcuts.

Common Bards? Maybe not, but you know what the military of all nations are pretty good at? Training. If you need a medic and your options are "Die in a trench or learn to sing" I know I'll belt out a few broken notes. It's not "meta-gamingly" to find a really simple solution to a common problem. No splat books, no obscure archetype or organizational ties. Just good old fashion core players handbook class.

Whoa whoa WHOA! First set up a safety perimeter! Do you have any idea how deadly a bad voice can be, or how deadly a violin can be in the wrong hands? Or that the Combat Bassoon(*), designed to force enemy orchestras to surrender, had to be withdrawn from service almost immediately due to an unacceptably high frequency of friendly fire incidents?

(*)Its heftier cousin, the Iran-Contrabassoon, actually saw some covert service, although officially this has been terminated due to blowback . . .


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Josh-o-Lantern wrote:
Drahliana Moonrunner wrote:

Bards with healing ability aren't going to be that common.... because true bards themselves are not... and most that are... aren't the kind to submit to conscription or the demands of a military career.

Rahadoum is clearly showing as paying a heavy price for it's banishment of the divine, a price not being mitigated by meta-gamingly clever shortcuts.

Common Bards? Maybe not, but you know what the military of all nations are pretty good at? Training. If you need a medic and your options are "Die in a trench or learn to sing" I know I'll belt out a few broken notes. It's not "meta-gamingly" to find a really simple solution to a common problem. No splat books, no obscure archetype or organizational ties. Just good old fashion core players handbook class.

"Belting out a few notes." does not a Bard make. You either have talent or don't. Just because a player can add a class to his character sheet, doesn't make it as common as corn in NPC land.

Liberty's Edge

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Doesn't Alahazra's backstory specifically have her father calling for bards when she becomes sick? I'm pretty sure it's established that they do in fact use bards to heal the injured in Rahadoum. And bards are just as much about esoteric knowledge as they are about music. They were the ones who wandered and learned stories and songs and legends, and their powers are supposed to come from secrets that they learned along the way. So there's no need to be a musician, just because you're a bard.

Liberty's Edge

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Also, I have to believe that alchemists would be fairly common, especially being so close to Thuvia.

Now, if you're looking for kinds of healing that would actually be really rare, you might be looking for something like the Magambyaan Arcanist, who adds druid spells to her spell list.


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Didn't think of alchemists, but they can heal and brew everyone's favourite CLW potions.

How does Rahadoum feel about arcane magic, anyway? I forget, and my current game's in Varisia so no-one ICly cares, but ...


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Drahliana Moonrunner wrote:
Josh-o-Lantern wrote:
Bards and Witches? Both can cast healing magic as Arcane.
Witches have that outsider pact thing which is close enough to being a divine agent for the Pure Legion. (Did I mention that extreme no-tolerance thing before?)

Actually Rahadoum allows Witches as their patron is an associate and a teacher instead of an object of worship.


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I was under the impression that the Arcane Healer Archetype for Bards was added to Faiths & Philosophies as a note to Rahadoum's way to heal.
Also, there's the Chirurgeon Archetype for Alchemists.
And the White Mage Archetype for Arcanists, though those are fluffed as "touched by divine power" and thus have divine cooties.

Long story short: Arcane healing. It's not *as* common, but it exists.

Oh, and on the other end of the spectrum: the Hidden Priest Archetype for Clerics, which is a cleric, but *looks* like an arcane caster.

Liberty's Edge

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Officially speaking, I believe it's the worship of Gods (and anything else like spirits, I suppose), not divine magic per se that's illegal in Rahadoum. A Druid, or an Inquisitor, Oracle, or Paladin who had no deity wouldn't technically be in violation of an laws. However, as Alahazra's case demonstrates, prejudice-wise, all Divine magic comes in for suspicion/serious problems, as does arcane magic that could actually be a priest faking it, actually, making any spell-caster who can heal significantly rarer and more likely to be looked on with suspicion/checked regularly.

People with the Heal skill unlock (if allowed), Alchemists/Investigators, and those Arcane or Psychic casters who can heal (Bards, Witches, Occultists, Spiritualists, Kineticists) do the healing in Rahadoum for the most part, and they do seem to cultivate Bards and Alchemists for these purposes, with the other options legal, perhaps, but much rarer.

As for the Death's Heretic reference:

Spoiler:
She was dead, not merely injured. Of those Classes I mention above, not a one has Raise Dead, and only Witch has Reincarnate. Nobody around there being able to raise her seems pretty plausible.

Qaianna wrote:

Didn't think of alchemists, but they can heal and brew everyone's favourite CLW potions.

How does Rahadoum feel about arcane magic, anyway? I forget, and my current game's in Varisia so no-one ICly cares, but ...

They're actually one of the more advanced nations in the Inner Sea Arcane Magic-wise. They view it as a triumph of humanity over the forces of nature. Check out the Meet The Iconics post for Enora (the Arcanist) she's Rahadoumi, and despite converting to Nethys she's keeping that a secret to maintain access to their wonderful libraries (and to be able to continue seeing her family).

And bear in mind that Alchemists can also do Infusions, and thus heal people even without expending gold. They're actually pretty good at condition removal, too, being prepared casters.


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Deadmanwalking wrote:
Officially speaking, I believe it's the worship of Gods (and anything else like spirits, I suppose), not divine magic per se that's illegal in Rahadoum. A Druid, or an Inquisitor, Oracle, or Paladin who had no deity wouldn't technically be in violation of an laws.

This is the Golgarion Setting. For divine magic, you *must* worship a God.

/Edit: Whoops, that's only spelled out for Clerics. Not sure if it applies to other divine casters.


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Kind of like the military in our world deals with injury and disease. Medicine, i.e. Heal skill.


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Ajit Shyama, Shadow Caller wrote:
Deadmanwalking wrote:
Officially speaking, I believe it's the worship of Gods (and anything else like spirits, I suppose), not divine magic per se that's illegal in Rahadoum. A Druid, or an Inquisitor, Oracle, or Paladin who had no deity wouldn't technically be in violation of an laws.
This is the Golgarion Setting. For divine magic, you *must* worship a God.

Correct on inquisitor and paladin, not on oracle. Their power is specifically not tied to a particular deity (in fact, the iconic oracle is semi-agnostic, viewing those gods she does respect more as allies than objects of worship).

Liberty's Edge

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Per James Jacobs, whose word is controlling in regards to Golarion (and a lack of word in the books saying otherwise), neither Inquisitors or Paladins need worship a deity, most just do.

Now, in PFS, Inquisitors and Paladins need a God, but that's to standardize mechanics, not a world limitation. And Oracles are never stated to need one anywhere. Indeed, Alahazra, the aforementioned Iconic Oracle is an atheist from Rahadoum, actually...she's fairly friendly with the faithful and unfriendly with Rahadoum due to that whole 'I got kicked out of Rahadoum for existing' thing, but she's still an atheist.


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It's worth remembering, as well, that the Pure Legionnaire prestige class has a prerequisite of the Godless Healing feat. Their elite can heal themselves, even if they're martial.

If we assume some degree of Occult class presence, the Spiritualist, Kineticist, and Occultist all have access to healing without divine magic.


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Too bad Hidden Priest couldn't figure out how to become a Psychic/Divine hybrid spellcaster . . . .


I see them as not being atheists, per se, at least not like they are here on Earth. Here, it's defined more that they completely deny any deities exist; on Golarion, you'd literally be crazy NOT to know the deities exist, they just don't want any organized religion of any level (I guess even "Gods-dammit!" as an expletive is out, or wasting salt by throwing it over your shoulder, etc. ;->) to be darkening their doorstep.

And considering how much "holy" wars nearly wiped out the country, I can't say I blame them there. ;->

Nah, I'd call them more...areligious? Irreligious? than atheistic. ;->

LB


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Technically, they are misotheist rather than atheist. But it is not too far-fetched a hypothesis that the Taldane/Common word whose Jistka/et. roots translate most directly as "atheist" drifted in meaning to mean what we think of as misotheist.

Silver Crusade

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In PFS I have a gnome 2nd level rogue/9th level Alchemist (Chirgeon). If he gets to 12 level, as a 10 level alchemist chirgeon he will be able to get access to the Breath of Life spell...Then he plans to retire in Rahadoum and open an apothecary....and make lots of money. :D

I wonder how much he can charge for his healing services? I wonder what the Rahadoum market would bear?


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ElyasRavenwood wrote:

In PFS I have a gnome 2nd level rogue/9th level Alchemist (Chirgeon). If he gets to 12 level, as a 10 level alchemist chirgeon he will be able to get access to the Breath of Life spell...Then he plans to retire in Rahadoum and open an apothecary....and make lots of money. :D

I wonder how much he can charge for his healing services? I wonder what the Rahadoum market would bear?

If you're retiring on a 12th level adventurer's gold, You could probably sell your services for copper pieces and still live comfortably. Even if you only sell back your adventuring gear for half your WBL, you're sitting on 54,000 gp. At 100 gp a month, you can live in a nice home of your own and never worry about paying for meals for 45 years even if you just stop working.

Spellcasting services have a listed price of CL x Spell Level x 10. That would generally be accepted in an average city.

Breath of Life casting cost = CL 10 x Spell level 4 x 10 = 400 gp

Obviously, this only works within one round of their death, so you wouldn't get much business with this spell.

What would be a viable product is the Cure X Wounds spells:

  • Cure Serious Wounds - 23.5 average HP for 10 x 3 x 10 = 300 gp

  • Cure Moderate Wounds - 19 average HP for 10 x 2 x 10 = 200 gp

  • Cure Light Wounds - 9.5 average HP for 5 x 1 x 10 = 50 gp

Most of the time, people won't even have enough HP for the higher level ones. So they come to you with gaping chest wounds, 50 gp, get some bedrest, all better. You can also use Delay Poison and Delay Disease so that customers patients don't make your job harder while you're operating on them.

That's two CLW's a month to break even. Luckily you don't even need that because you have Skill Focus (Heal), 10 Wisdom, max ranks in the skill and a healer's kit.

That's a 20 + d20 on Heal checks. A guaranteed success on all uses of the Heal skill unless the Commoners in Rahadoum come into contact with DC 22+ poisons and diseases. Hell, most adventurers don't see DC 22 poisons all that often. This sort of service is so commonly needed, you could easily charge next to nothing and still be making a profit.

This doesn't even get into using alchemy to craft wares (with a +5 from Crafter's Fortune), getting Aid Another from Expert NPC nurses, and many other cheap methods of non-adventuring awesomeness.

I put way too much thought into something that will never be mechanically played out, but it's an easy life to be sure.

Liberty's Edge

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Why would you sell your gear? You can live perfectly well without doing anything of the sort.


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I'm just saying, he could live off his sold gear for 45 years.


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DominusMegadeus wrote:
I'm just saying, he could live off his sold gear for 45 years.

I can imagine this now with some adventurer. 'I need fifty pounds of flour. Do you have change for a +1 longsword?'


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Deadmanwalking wrote:
<spoiler> ... not a one has Raise Dead, and only Witch has Reincarnate </spoiler>

PRD

Standard Witch has Reincarnate at 5th.
Standard Witch has Raise Dead at 6th.
Standard Witch has Heal at 7th.
Standard Witch has Resurrection at 8th.

/cevah

Silver Crusade

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DomeinusMegadeus,

Thank you for crunching the numbers. I figure my gnome character would run his apothecary/chirugeon business as much because he enjoys it, and always finds new novelty in putting people back together.

I figure he could earn quite a bit as a personal physician to an important muckety muck...oh crap I've been poisoned....No worries here is a Neutralize poison extract....and a restoration extract......oh my thats going to leave a mark....let me get that crossbow bolt out of your heart, and don't leave me yet, I got a breath of life extract for you.....

Or more likely....Hm where did I leave that sponge? Oh my my patient has expired....Well here is a breath of life extract.....get up your not dead yet......

I figure the endless complexity of running a business, haggling for prices, brewing alchemical concoctions, and healing people could be what he finds interesting and holds the bleaching at bay.

Again thank you

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16

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Deadman,

Spoiler:
I think Selim's ORIGINAL fall was that his wife died, he called on someone, and Pharasma decided to answer.
During the story, the noblewoman whose name escapes me, and he calls on Pharsma to heal her, I don't believe she dies.

I had to read Drahliana's post twice, too.

==Aelryinth

Liberty's Edge

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Cevah wrote:
Deadmanwalking wrote:
<spoiler> ... not a one has Raise Dead, and only Witch has Reincarnate </spoiler>

PRD

Standard Witch has Reincarnate at 5th.
Standard Witch has Raise Dead at 6th.
Standard Witch has Heal at 7th.
Standard Witch has Resurrection at 8th.

/cevah

Ah, true. I always forget that.

Still, Witches are by far the most likely Arcane caster to get suspected of deity worship, so they're still likely to be rare. Not having a high level Witch around remains pretty plausible IMO.


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I also see the Troll Styptic seeing some service for those who want to be absolutely sure their healing is not 'tainted' by the divine.


Wizard with Sage Archetype can cast any divine spell as Arcane

Arcane Savant ‎Prestige Classes‎ can give you few healing spells
and Magaambyan Arcanist can grant few to


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James Jacobs said no Rahadoum does NOT tolerate any divine magic. So no


xavier c wrote:
James Jacobs said no Rahadoum does NOT tolerate any divine magic. So no

Makes sense to me. After all, even those divine casters who claim to have "no connection" to the Gods could easily be lying. Really, why even trust them? Better to just chuck the whole thing out and rely on good old-fashioned heal checks. Possibly alchemy, since alchemists aren't divine... at least, they don't register that way according to the people who'd be able to tell.

Liberty's Edge

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xavier c wrote:
James Jacobs said no Rahadoum does NOT tolerate any divine magic. So no

That's not exactly what he's said.

Here are a few different links.

I think the general consensus is that the law itself is only against deities, but the prevailing attitude and prejudices extend to all Divine Casters. Which seems plausible enough.

and that does, as mentioned, leave them with Alchemists, Investigators, Bards, and Witches to heal them. Plus people with a Skill Unlock in Heal.


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Deadmanwalking wrote:
xavier c wrote:
James Jacobs said no Rahadoum does NOT tolerate any divine magic. So no

That's not exactly what he's said.

Here are a few different links.

I think the general consensus is that the law itself is only against deities, but the prevailing attitude and prejudices extend to all Divine Casters. Which seems plausible enough.

and that does, as mentioned, leave them with Alchemists, Investigators, Bards, and Witches to heal them. Plus people with a Skill Unlock in Heal.

Witches get their powers from otherworldly patrons that they make pacts to, so I'd think they'd fall on the ban as well.

Liberty's Edge

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Drahliana Moonrunner wrote:
Witches get their powers from otherworldly patrons that they make pacts to, so I'd think they'd fall on the ban as well.

Suspicion? Yes. Ban? No.

Witches aren't empowered by their patron, merely taught things by them, and not all patrons are gods or anything similar, so the distinction is valid.


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IMC Azir has an unusually thriving arts scene (including theatre and opera), which is in part thanks to civic subsidies attempting (successfully) to draw bards to the city.

Shadow Lodge

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I'd say witches probably have it worst of all, hitting both the worst suspicions if the "enlightened" people, but also because just like any priest, they are beholden to an outside, non-mortal entity.

No one is going to know (or care) about the differences between a "patron" and a Patron Deity, if there really even are any in a setting sense. A Witch would basically be no different than a religious Wizard, but probably viewed much more like how the rest of the world sees a cultist to a foul entity.

From the mechanics/story side, it kind of defeats the point of the nation to allow Witches to skirt the edicts as well, as one of the cooler aspects is how terrible Rahadoum has it because they have turned their backs on and blame religion, and having to deal with it.

Liberty's Edge

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DM Beckett wrote:
I'd say witches probably have it worst of all, hitting both the worst suspicions if the "enlightened" people, but also because just like any priest, they are beholden to an outside, non-mortal entity.

'Beholden' is not exactly the right term. They've been instructed by a non-mortal entity. It's not really the same thing. They can be beholden, but that's not inevitable.

DM Beckett wrote:
No one is going to know (or care) about the differences between a "patron" and a Patron Deity, if there really even are any in a setting sense.

There is. There are several non-deity patrons. Baba Yaga being an obvious example. Additionally, there are clear in-setting ways to check the difference between arcane and Divine magic, which helps Witches quite a bit on this one.

DM Beckett wrote:
A Witch would basically be no different than a religious Wizard, but probably viewed much more like how the rest of the world sees a cultist to a foul entity.

Depends on whether they're religious or a cultist. You can have an absolutely rational Witch with a clear written contract for instruction in exchange for X, or a host of other arrangements that don't even imply worship.

Now, they'll certainly come in for a huge amount of prejudice, but one seems like they could make it work if they tried hard enough.

DM Beckett wrote:
From the mechanics/story side, it kind of defeats the point of the nation to allow Witches to skirt the edicts as well, as one of the cooler aspects is how terrible Rahadoum has it because they have turned their backs on and blame religion, and having to deal with it.

I disagree. Healing is intended to be rarer in Rahadoum, but allowing the occasional Witch doesn't change that. Their healing doesn't mostly come from deities anyway.


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Drahliana Moonrunner wrote:
Witches get their powers from otherworldly patrons that they make pacts to, so I'd think they'd fall on the ban as well.
DM Beckett wrote:
I'd say witches probably have it worst of all, hitting both the worst suspicions if the "enlightened" people, but also because just like any priest, they are beholden to an outside, non-mortal entity.

But no, they're not really beholden to any body, their powers can never be taken away for any reason, aligment wise or disobedience. So it's just not similar to clerics and deities. I mean, a fighter or monk may have learned their skills from somebody, doesn't make them similar to a cleric.

Shadow Lodge

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It is within the context of the discussion. In the same way that Witches are not "beholden", neither are Oracles, Paladins, Rangers, Druids, etc, and they too are all banned, albeit because there is a disconnect between rules (divine magic) and setting (faith/religion/worship).

Liberty's Edge

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DM Beckett wrote:
It is within the context of the discussion. In the same way that Witches are not "beholden", neither are Oracles, Paladins, Rangers, Druids, etc, and they too are all banned, albeit because there is a disconnect between rules (divine magic) and setting (faith/religion/worship).

That's not exactly why they're not approved of. See, there are legitimate ways to tell the difference between Arcane and Divine magic. But none to tell, say, Clerical from Druidic. So there's literally no way to tell a Cleric of Gozreh from a Druid if she's trying to hide what she is. This makes all Divine casters suspect, even though most are likely not banned outright.

So...that explains some of that.

Additionally, in-universe, the difference between arcane and divine magic is, in many ways, the difference between internal and external power. Divine magic is definitionally you being empowered by an external force. It may not be a god (nature itself and pure righteousness itself seem able to do so, for example), but it isn't you. Arcane magic, on the other hand, is something internal. Something you do with your own will or knowledge, not something external at all.

Arcane magic is thus much more in tune with Rahadoum's ethos than even non-deity based Divine magic.

Now, all that is stuff that the philosophers and scholars who came up with The Laws of Man might say. The man on the street in Rahadoum might well just think 'Divine magic is from the Gods, I mean it's right there in the name!' and think all of it is inherently bad for that reason. that certainly seems to be the kind of attitude that impacted Alahazra. But contrariwise, they likely don't even know what a witch is, and if they do, would be suspicious that they're a lying Cleric more than angry about them having an unusual magic instructor.

Shadow Lodge

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I understand what you are saying, I just disagree with your conclusion. Yes, some can tell the difference between Divine and Arcane magic, but that's not that relevant, as not all Divine Magic is received from being beholden to a god. As I said, Oracles, Paladins, and Druids do not receive their abilities by being beholden to a god. Of the three, only Oracles need to even have a link to one at all, and that could very literally have been something that affected their parents before they where even born and was passed onto them. I'd also say that Rahadoum is the most likely place that Divine Casters/priests would be hiding their spellcasting, or connection to a deity, as well.

Witches fall into a place that is, from the Rahadoumi point of view, no different than a priest.

APG wrote:
Some gain power through study, some through devotion, others through blood, but the witch gains power from her communion with the unknown. Generally feared and misunderstood, the witch draws her magic from a pact made with an otherworldly power. Communing with that source, using her familiar as a conduit, the witch gains not only a host of spells, but a number of strange abilities known as hexes. As a witch grows in power, she might learn about the source of her magic, but some remain blissfully unaware. Some are even afraid of that source, fearful of what it might be or where its true purposes lie.

It's also worth reiterating that it's not explicitly Divine Magic that is banned, but rather religion, faith, and being linked to a deity, or allowing a deity to gain influence in the nation. That's the disconnect I was speaking about earlier. Divine Magic is similar to, but not the same thing as religion and gods. A faithful <Wizard> priest of Nethys with no Divine Casting is still risking execution or exile in Rahadoum, for the exact same reason a Cleric would.

Although the Witch casts Arcane Spells, they are still violating that First Law of Man, because there is no real criteria of what a god is, (vs a powerful outsider), and there are also plenty of religions that do not venerate a deity, or a single deity that are likewise banned. So, for instance, there is no practical difference between a Cleric that worships Sarenrae <a goddess> vs a Cleric that worships Ragathiel <a powerful Outsider Entity, but NOT a god> vs The Old Ones <again, who are NOT gods>, vs an Oracle of The Whispering Way <a religious philosophy>. All of these are banned in Rahadoum.

ISWG wrote:
Since then, Rahadoum has charted a resolutely secular path. No one denies the existence or power of the gods, but their aegis comes at too high a price for the people of Rahadoum. The lack of religion has brought the region the peace it so desperately desired, though it has also brought its own costs. Plague has ravaged Azir and Botosani three times in the past 500 years, and the prospect of famine hovers over the fragile land like a shroud. A century ago, Manaket was among the lushest ports of the Inner Sea. Today, it is choked by encroaching desert sands, and its famous gardens are a memory of the distant past. While few dare speak it aloud, nervous whispers abound that the gods have finally decided to punish the people of Rahadoum for their insolence. Still, the Rahadoumi resolutely hold to their ancient laws and avoid any contact with religion.

Finally, once again, the entire point of Rahadoum is a mixture of "reaping what they have sown" and hypocritical fanaticism. They place the blame so easily on their scapegoat of religion (as a whole) and are blind to the fact that they have dug themselves into an even deeper hole in the process. They have murdered, humiliated, enslaved, and/or exiled all of the priests that could help them out, but would rather see their own people, families, and friends suffer or die because of the "cost". But, they had and continue to make that choice and the downside is that they lack methods of gaining enough food, allies, or methods to fight plague, disease, and the like.

Simply saying a Witch can do all that instead both defeats the point and the theme of the nation/setting, the exact same way that allowing an Oracle or a Druid to operate fine would. Neither of them are beholden to a god, <or would loose their powers if they swapped faiths or had no patron god>, and it isn't Divine Magic that is banned.

Silver Crusade

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By that virtue, Rahadoumi would have long time ago chased out Wizards and Sorcs because hey, where does it say that their spells don't come from Nethys. Somehow, they haven't. Someone out there can tell one apart from another.

Besides, it's all moot anyway because most Occult classes can solve the lack of divine magic problem anyway, so all Rahadoumi need to do is to pony up enough gp for a high-level party made up of occult folks who can cure wounds and heal diseases. There, hokey religions and ancient beliefs are not match for pure phrenic power of psionics.

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