Hello everyone,
I've used the search but couldn't really find what I was looking for, so I hope some of you could help me.
My GM has a problem with the oracle fluff, as in, he doesn't "get" them. I would like to play one sometime but have to explain them to him.
How do you roleplay the oracle? It is strange that she would get powers from both Sarenrae and Asmodeus, for example. And why would the god(s) who give her powers also curse them so badly? Would the oracle worship all gods with the domains or just one or wouldn't care at all?
These are the questions I need to get answered.
Do you have any character ideas/concepts that you would like to share?
This would really help me a lot :)
~Gwen
It would be very strange for her to be getting powers from both Sarenrae and Asmodeus, yes. There's not a lot of common ground for them to share.
Personally, my Oracles rarely have much to do with the divine. Where Sorcerers have powers granted by something in their family's past, I tend to treat Oracles as having gotten their powers through cosmic accident. They may not ever know who or what was/is responsible. They might hate the gods for toying with them, they might seek the aid of the gods in removing their affliction, they might choose to embrace it (particularly if they attribute it to Lamashtu), or they might pick a deity to venerate. I definitely wouldn't have them worship all deities with a domain similar to their mystery, though. One fun option is to have them pray against a particular deity they think is toying with them, offering up prayers for that deity to overlook them.
My particular Oracle started out as a Sorcerer in concept. He's a cowardly Kitsune with the Wrecking Mysticism curse (for more magical trickery and illusion, with the drawbacks simply representing how weak he is physically) and the Lunar mystery (for a wolf animal companion). He's opportunistically religious, praying to anybody who's listening. He was saved once and not really knowing who to attribute it to. In particular, he worships Nethys (because he's magical), Desna (because he's a wanderer), Gozreh (for protection in the wilderness), Cayden Cailean (because he's a liar and a cheat), and Shelyn (because he's just too pretty to die).
Normally oracles get their powers from just one deity. Those listed are just the ones who can grant the mysteries in question.
The oracle doesn't have to worship the diety granting the power. Some could even dispise the god.
Why would they curse them? Clerics get their power for venerating a god and for furthering their religion. Oraces get powers balanced by curses because a deity found it was a fun idea. Or has a secred agenda.
It is a bit like in the books of lost swords. There a god chooses a smith to help him forge several magic swords. In the end the god cuts off one of the smith's arms and leaves him with one of the magic swords. Boon and curse.
It doesn't even necessarily have to be specifically bestowed by a god, for good or ill - it can be exposure to the energy from a ritual that went awry, or a lot of time spent in an especially holy site. All that's required fluff-wise is that they were exposed to some kind of divine power that has lingered with them.
The curse comes from old storytelling archetypes - think the blind seer - but can also be explained as lingering side effects of exposure to powers much greater than the body is meant to handle. (One of many possible explanations, but the most common, I think.)
How I like to think of oracles, is they get there power from many gods or deities, but this clash of overwhelming power takes a tole on them in the forum of a curse.
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My oracles almost allways hate the deities who cursed them, but in this particular case you can say it was a dispute between the two goods, or maybe a bet. One of them give you a curse and the other gives you powers.
O you can take a dual cursed oracle and make things easier.
Remember that gods may be a little whimsical so there you have your powers.
Finally you can say the curse was a punishment to your character for something he did. Like leaving be a undead because in the past he was a fried of you and then Sarenrae got angry.
Wish that helps
Wow thank you guys! These are many different and interesting answers.
@QuidEst: I really like the "cosmic" accident idea. You gave me a lot of helpful input, my GM also liked it :) And also thanks for sharing your Kitsune idea, I didn't know that there was a special curse for them.
@Just a Guess: Yeah, that was kind of my view of oracles as well, but my GM wasn't too happy with this explanation. I don't know your example, but it sounds interesting!
@Rennaivx: Thant is also an idea I could use, sounds a bit like how Tieflings and Aasimars are "created". I didn't think of the "powers too great to handle" part, thanks for that!
@Artifix: Thats also a very simple but (in my opinion) nicer view of the roots of the oracle curse than a deity just having "fun". ;)
@Targutai Minyatur: Haha that sounds mean, but I like it. I never thought about the oracle hating the powers that they are gifted with. I'm glad that some of you suggested it. Yeah, it certanly helped!
@My Self: I actually know the story of Cassandra, thanks for reminding me. Maybe I should look more into these old storys for oracle inspiration. Do you recommend some Chinese oracle storys? I don't know any at all!
@Lincoln Hills: Hmm, so maybe we (My GM and I) should really look at the Oracles more like Sorcerers (Or witches, as you have said), it seems. Ohh, an oracle who thinks deities aren't necessary? Fun idea! :)
Thank you all for your input, it gave me many wonderful ideas and views of the oracle! It helps me understanding the class better. I also love your character ideas and appreciate any more that might come. :)
~Gwen
Some more oracle ideas:
Oracle of battle (Gorum): Gorum found this womanizer who wasted his potential hedonistic idle time. So he cursed him with uglyness by means of the wasting curse and granted him the battle mystery. His hopes were that the man would take to war when he can't get women anymore.
oracle of life (Sarenrae): A patient in some kind of hospital was careless, left a candle burning when he went to sleep. He knocked the candle over in his sleep and the hospital burned down. Sarenrae, godess of fire, redemption and healing saw this and interfered. She saved the man and healed him, but in a way that he will ever retain his burns in the way of the blackened curse, granting him the life mystery so he can redeem himself by doing the healing the dead hospital crew can't do anymore.
A couple of quotes from the Oracle class.
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 her magic through devotion to a deity, oracles garner strength and power from many sources, namely those patron deities who support their ideals. Instead of worshiping a single source, oracles tend to venerate all of the gods that share their beliefs.
Oracles do not usually associate with any one church or temple
So yes, the Oracle's power comes from the gods. But not a single god, but all the gods associated with their Mystery. I think any power that normally grants divine spellcasting is included, such as gods, archdevils, demon lords, the First of the fey, etc.
Oracles don't have to worship any of these gods (or any god at all) to receive their powers. Many do not have a single divine patron, though you certainly could if you wanted.
Why do gods that may normally be enemies "cooperate" to give the Oracle spells? Well, that's kinda up to you and the DM. I see it as a case that, by embodying their Mystery, they strengthen all the deities that correspond to that mystery. It benefits both Asomedeus and Sarenrae to further the power of fire, since they are both deities of fire.
The curse is comes from the RW historical, mythological roots of the class. Perhaps it is a side effect of the "mixing" of divine magic from so many sources, or a type of trial for the Oracle to overcome.
Wow thank you guys! These are many different and interesting answers.
@QuidEst: I really like the "cosmic" accident idea. You gave me a lot of helpful input, my GM also liked it :) And also thanks for sharing your Kitsune idea, I didn't know that there was a special curse for them.
Glad I could help! Hope you have fun with your Oracle.
The way oracles work is that some big, shiny power got shoved into their head, and it was WAY too big for their head to handle it. And the stress and side effects from getting it shoved in is the curse- an unavoidable event when the thing gets shoved. Oh, sure, your head eventually grows bigger and there is less stress (ie- later curse powers)..but the pressure is still there/
Note that oracle powers may not come exclusive from the gods. Although they tend to be the ones with the most big shiny powers, and the ones that can make a conscious decision to shove it into peoples heads, which makes it more common than just accidentally getting it shoved in there.
Oracles can be the idiots that shove their heads into the big shiny things themselves. The black blood curse, an archetype that basically gives a unique curse, is based around being infected with some weird underground necromancy thing.
So this is a class for people that also do the thing that often end the story with "and then he died" or "and then he turned into a big monster". So yeah...even if it works, there are side effects.
@Char-Gen addict: The Gorum-oracle idea is so mean yet fun. I like it! The Sarenrae idea is also very intriguing. Thanks for your input! :)
@Samasboy1: Thank you for your view on the class. I'm very glad to hear so many explanations, it gives me such a better understanding of the class.
@QuidESt: Thanks :)
@lemeres: Hehe, very pictoral ;) Yeah, I like to see the oracles more like sorceres now. Thank you as well for your input.^^
~Gwen
@lemeres: Hehe, very pictoral ;) Yeah, I like to see the oracles more like sorceres now. Thank you as well for your input.
Just note- sorcerers tend to be born with their power (even if it takes time to manifest), while oracles get it after the fact either through divine intervention or cosmic happenstance.
Sorcerers have their power tied to them since conception, either through bloodline or by being affected in the womb. Their bodies and souls are at peace with their power. Oracles... their pwoers are grafted into them. It tends to have side effects similar to rejecting an implanted organ. Thus the curse.
Ah, thanks for the heads-up, I will keep it in mind.
Oracles draw power from deities that share their ideals beliefs, which has little to do with most mysteries. So a good flame oracle may draw power Serenrae while having nothing to do with Asmodeus.
Here's how I'm fluffing Rataji... She's part Mwangi, and the Mwangi are in to ancestor worship. Her ancestors haunt her (literally) but she derives part of her powers from her connection to them.
Taj is an oracle, blessed (cursed) by the spirits of her ancestors. They're all there. Her crusty auntie Sourface (real name Manju, but no one calls her that) who had a gift for healing, her crazy nudist uncle who loved to be one with nature, the creepy grandmother who was a medium and consorted with the dead, the bright shining Shivaji, who could summon flames from his hands and believed that he's god's gift to women. Taj's got a gift for hearing everyone in her family who's passed to the other side, and they won't shut up and leave her alone. Each day, she picks which spirit is going to aid her -- while listening to the rest bicker in her head. It drives her crazy. Interestingly enough, it's only the human side that she hears.
You can see the fluff and crunch if you click on the character's avatar.
Whereas my Oradin, Lyric the Singing Paladin, has been gifted with the ability to heal people by her goddess Shelyn, but at a high price. Lyric is now deaf, and can no longer hear the music she loves, but she's willing to pay this price to help others achieve redemption.
Two different origin stories... one god heavy, one not.
for a home game i made a samsaran oracle who got his powers mostly by accident, no gods involved.
he was enslaved by some drow as a child and put to work in either a mine or a tunneling crew, he still isnt sure which. his life as a drow slave basically sucked, he had no contact with anyone but the people he was chained to and his overseers.
being a samsaran he had some vague memories of his past lives but he had nothing to compare those memories to in his current one. the disjoint started to drive him a little insane, in particular the recollections of religion. the idea that there was a greater power (he had no concept of gods) out there that didn't want to hurt him was totally alien to his world. he decided that he would try asking the greatest power he knew of for help, (the earth/stone around him) and he got it. he became a Stone Oracle, Haunted by his past lives, and freed himself from his chains and ran. eventually he reached the surface and has been wandering ever since. he has a hatred for the concept of slavery, and any time he sees chains he is compelled to destroy them
Personally, I like to think that the Mysteries that are granted to the Oracles are exactly that: mysteries. I have this idea that the oracle in question has been pondering the mysteries that grant him powers for years, and by unlocking certain "spiritual truths" (revelations) they unlock certain powers and abilities related to their mystery. I would role-play an oracle as exactly that; constantly exploring and trying to understand my mystery. For instance, a Life Oracle is constantly trying to understand the meaning of existence and life, but at the same time, probably fairly easy going, as he believes that Life will take him along the path he's meant to be on.
Purely my speculation, of course.
Also, as far as curses go, I think it's the price they pay for their inherent magical abilities. Clerics pray for the spells and are given them by a deity; a wizard memorizes and recites his spells through constant education and understanding. But a sorcerer and an oracle have "traded" their powers in exchange for something. In the sorcerer's case, it's a "muddying" of the bloodlines, (or purifying them, depending on the bloodline and how you look at it) and in the Oracle's case, it's the payment they receive from their individual curse. But that's just my two coppers.