"The gods speak in whispers, but it is in the stillness of the temple where their voices become clear. My hands may scrub floors, but my heart holds their wisdom."
— Elara Lightbloom, former Temple Apprentice
Description
You began your journey within the hallowed halls of a temple, dedicating your life to study, service, and devotion. Whether you sought divine guidance, spiritual enlightenment, or refuge from the outside world, the temple became both your sanctuary and your teacher. Under the watchful eyes of priests and clerics, you learned sacred rites, maintained holy spaces, and supported the spiritual well-being of the faithful.
As a Temple Apprentice, you gained a deep understanding of divine traditions and developed the discipline needed to navigate both the sacred and the mundane. Your time in the temple taught you humility, patience, and the importance of balance. Now, whether you carry the temple’s teachings into the world or seek answers that lie beyond its walls, your experiences have shaped you into a vessel of faith and knowledge.
Attribute Bonuses
Primary Attribute: Wisdom (+1)
- Wisdom reflects the Temple Apprentice’s insight, spiritual connection, and understanding of divine teachings. It enhances abilities like perception, medicine, and spellcasting for clerics and druids.
Secondary Attribute: Intelligence or Charisma (+1)
- Intelligence: Represents the Apprentice’s academic study of religious texts, rituals, and histories.
- Charisma: Reflects their ability to inspire others, lead rituals, or act as a representative of their faith.
Feats
- Ritual Caster
Your time in the temple has taught you the value of ritual magic for sacred rites.
- Benefit: Gain a ritual spellbook and the ability to cast spells with the ritual tag from either the Cleric or Druid spell lists.
- Healer
You’ve gained practical experience in tending to the wounded during your temple service.
- Benefit: Use a healer’s kit to stabilize a dying creature, restoring hit points. Creatures regain additional hit points when healed during a short rest.
- Observant
Your keen sense of observation aids in deciphering holy texts and detecting divine signs.
- Benefit: Increase your Wisdom or Intelligence by 1. Gain a +5 bonus to passive Perception and Investigation scores.
- Fey Touched
Contact with divine or fey spirits has left a mark on your soul.
- Benefit: Increase your Wisdom or Charisma by 1. Learn the Misty Step spell and one 1st-level spell of your choice from the Divination or Enchantment schools.
- Resilient Faith (Homebrew)
Your unwavering belief grants you strength against magical or supernatural influences.
- Benefit:
- Increase your Wisdom by 1.
- Gain advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened by magical effects.
- Elemental Adept (Radiant or Fire)
Your divine connection strengthens your ability to channel holy flames or radiant energy.
- Benefit: Spells you cast that deal radiant or fire damage ignore resistance, and you treat rolls of 1 on damage dice as 2.
Roleplay Applications
A Temple Apprentice can fit into campaigns involving religious mysteries, divine intervention, or personal redemption. They serve as advisors, spiritual guides, or seekers of divine truths. Whether you remain devoted to your temple or strive to forge your own path, your background offers a foundation of wisdom and faith.
- Skill Proficiencies:
- Skill Proficiencies: Religion, Insight
- Tool Proficiencies:
- Tool Proficiencies: Calligrapher’s supplies or Herbalism kit
- Languages:
- Languages: One language of your choice, typically Celestial or a regional dialect related to your temple.
- Equipment:
- Equipment: A holy symbol, a journal of prayers and notes, a set of common clothes, an incense burner, and a pouch containing 15 gold pieces.
As a Temple Apprentice, your life in service to the divine has left a lasting mark. Roll a d8 or choose an option to further define your past.
| d8 | Temple Experiences |
|---|---|
| 1 | You witnessed a miracle. An undeniable act of divine power occurred during your apprenticeship, forever shaping your faith. |
| 2 | You carry a sacred duty. The temple entrusted you with a relic, message, or task of great importance. |
| 3 | You doubted your faith. A moment of crisis led you to question your beliefs, but you emerged stronger for it—or still search for clarity. |
| 4 | You served a mysterious figure. A stranger visited the temple and imparted wisdom that changed your life. |
| 5 | You were responsible for a ritual. The success—or failure—of an important rite fell squarely on your shoulders. |
| 6 | You uncovered a secret. Hidden knowledge about your temple or its deity lies locked in your memory. |
| 7 | You formed a bond with a cleric. A mentor shaped your understanding of faith and the divine. |
| 8 | You fled the temple. Something drove you to leave, whether a mistake, persecution, or a personal revelation. |
Your time in the temple has granted you an aura of trustworthiness among the faithful. When you interact with members of a religious community or temple, they are inclined to assist you, provided your actions do not conflict with their beliefs. Additionally, you can request minor favors, such as temporary lodging, information, or access to temple resources.
Suggested Characteristics
| d4 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | “I find comfort in structure and routine; the temple taught me the value of order.” |
| 2 | “I’m endlessly curious about the divine and seek answers to questions others dare not ask.” |
| 3 | “The calm of the temple stills my heart, no matter where I go.” |
| 4 | “I am always ready to lend a hand, just as I was taught in service.” |
| d4 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Faith: “My faith in the divine is unshakable.” (Good) |
| 2 | Knowledge: “The pursuit of truth, sacred or otherwise, is my highest calling.” (Neutral) |
| 3 | Community: “The strength of the many lies in their unity.” (Lawful) |
| 4 | Freedom: “Faith must come from within, not through the demands of dogma.” (Chaotic) |
| d4 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | “My temple is my home, and I will do anything to protect it.” |
| 2 | “A relic from my temple holds deep meaning to me; I’ll never part with it.” |
| 3 | “A dear friend or mentor taught me everything I know; I owe them my loyalty.” |
| 4 | “I left someone behind in the temple—someone I must find again.” |
| d4 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | “I struggle to forgive myself for a mistake I made during my apprenticeship.” |
| 2 | “I place too much trust in authority figures, even when they might not deserve it.” |
| 3 | “I sometimes see signs and omens where there are none.” |
| 4 | “I tend to push my beliefs on others, even when unwelcome.” |
Contacts
Temple Apprentice Contacts
As a Temple Apprentice, your path of service and devotion has connected you with someone deeply intertwined with the spiritual or organizational life of your temple. This contact could be a mentor who guided you in your studies, a fellow apprentice with whom you shared countless hours of training, or a layperson whose faith or contributions to the temple strengthened your bond.
Your contact might be a wise and patient priest who saw potential in you and encouraged your growth, entrusting you with sacred responsibilities. Alternatively, it could be an enigmatic elder who taught you secretive rituals or revealed hidden truths about your faith. Perhaps it’s a devout noble who regularly visits the temple, providing funding or resources and relying on your insight for spiritual guidance. This person’s connection to the temple gives them access to knowledge, resources, or political influence that can aid you in your endeavors.
This contact might call upon you for assistance in performing a sacred rite, safeguarding a relic, or advising on matters of faith. In return, they offer you guidance, a place of sanctuary, or access to the temple’s archives and resources. Your relationship is built on mutual respect, shared values, and a recognition of your shared role in upholding the tenets of your faith.
"The temple taught me that faith is more than prayer—it's the courage to act, the wisdom to guide, and the strength to endure."
— Elena Brightheart, Temple Apprentice of the Dawnspire
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