Ra (Greater God)
Ra is the father of the Egyptian pantheon. He gave birth to Shu, who became the air. and Tefnut, who became moisture.
He is the grandfather of Geb (the earth) and Nuth (the sky), and the great-grandfather of Osiris, Isis, Set, and Nephythys.
Together, these gods form the Great Ennead of Heliopolis, the city of the sun. He is said to have created mortal man from his tears. Every day, Ra rises above Manu (the hill of sunrises) aboard his great boat Manjet and looks down upon the world with his blazing eye (the sun).
Manjet is a large war galley that was constructed from solar flames and is sheathed in an aura of fire that will inflict 40 points of damage each round (no saving throw) to any being that touches the craft without Ra’s permission.
At night, Manjet transforms itself into Mesektet, a funeral barge, and Ra guides it back across the waters of the underworld, so that he may once again cross the sky in the morning.
In both forms, the craft radiates an antimagic shell that prevents anyone but Ra from employing spells. In addition to its ability to fly, the craft can become invisible, assume a wraithform, or plane shift when commanded to do so by Ra. Thrice per day Ra can command Manjet (but not Mesektet) to deliver a bolt of solar fire at any target in his sight. This bolt always hits and inflicts 100 points of damage (no saving throw and no defense).
There is a great bond between Ra and the pharaohs of Egypt. Without his divine grace, they cannot rule. Anyone who claims the throne of Egypt without approval from the sun god will be instantly consumed by fire. There is no warning, no chance of survival, and no hope of resurrection.
Ra is the patron of many things, but is most commonly associated with the sun and kings. He is noted for his diplomatic skill and his general dislike for the humans he created from his tears.
Roleplaying Tips
Ra maintains a low profile. He has little interest in the affairs of men, for he finds them bothersome and petty. His stature as King of the Gods and as the God of Kings, however, makes him an important figure in daily life. Thus, he does his best to be a responsible deity and watches over his followers on Earth. Omens from Ra often take the form of strange behavior on the part of the sun.
STATISTICS
- Alignment. Lawful Neutral.
- Worshippers Alignment. Any lawful alignment.
- Spheres of Influence. Sun, Kings.
- Holy Symbol. Ankh on a solar disc.
Clerics of Ra
Priests of Ra are often the advisors to kings, if not kings themselves. Priests of Ra must greet him each morning as he guides Manjet into the sky and bid him farewell at dusk when he leaves the sky. Failure to meet these obligations is certain to result in the loss of spells until the oversight is corrected.
Alignment Restriction. Lawful Good.
Weapons Allowed. Any weapon.
Armors Allowed. Any armor.
Divine Domains. Forge, Light, Tempest, Trickery.
GRANTED POWERS
- Level 1. Continual Flame (spell).
- Level 5. Flame Arrows (spell).
- Level 10. Shape Change (spell, into a hawk only).
- Level 15. Sunbeam (spell, no concentration required).