Located in the cities of Nellix and Inspa and based in the Black Mountain, this Church is dedicated to the god who delivers the sacrifices of mankind to their respective gods in fullfilment of their Pact. In the Theocracy, these clerics fullfill the role of collecting the tithes from the Cities and delivering it to the Theocracy for reapportionment and sacrifice. These clerics oversee the great sacrifices to Tiamat each year, that the volcanic flames burn hot enough to suplicate Nusku for delivery of the sacrifice. The church is the only other church allowed entrance to the Black Mountain save the clerics of Tiamat during non-festival times. Here they maintain the eternal sacrificial flames of the Pale Mountains.
Each of the clerics has taken a vow of poverty to assuage any fears that their responsibilities would corrupt them. Clerics of Nusku will always be dressed in worn and tatered clothing to symbolize this vow. Often they will pose as beggars to punish those whom treat the poor badly.
The clerics rely on charity and demand sacrifices when such charity is not forthcoming (or insufficient). In effect, they live lavishly but wear plain, brown robes.
These clerics can often be found traveling either to negotiate tithe levels for a city, speak on matters of the Theocracy, or deliver the city tithes before the Akitu Festival (1st of the Year), at which time they would be accomanied by their paladin order, the Knights of the Sacrifical Flame. In any Nyrundian City they travel to it is expected that the clerics will be provided any food and shelter they may need. Woe to those who don't. These clerics have much influence in the Theocracy as well with many individual churches throughout Nyrond.
Sacrifice, Travel, Guardian, Protection, Numbers, Fire (includes mage and druid spells dealing with fire, these flames have an astral as well as inner plane component and cannot be invoked where outer planes or inner planes cannot be reached i.e. must be cast on the Prime Material Plane)
1st lvl Penance - For each die of damage done by any fire spell, 5% of the victims wealth and magic items are transported and magically sacrificed to Nusku. (Applies only to those items carried or worn, can be delt with as a % for each item).
5th lvl Living Flame - Cleric may shapechange into a living flame and employ Flame Travel (q.v) (moves at a rate of 24" through flames).
7th lvl- They can call a 6d6 fireball that burns magic items and strips target of all possessions.
9th lvl Passage by Flame - Word of Recall (must be in flames).
Clerics can also augment spells which require sacrifice.
If the target of a fire spell has sacrificed to their god within the last two weeks, they recieve a +2 on their save. If the target has sacrificed to Nusku within the last week, they may save for none or half damage.
Embers of Sacrifice (City)- Nusku brings 0.1% of all wealth that he carries to the Gods to his Cities.
Grand Sacrifice to Tiamat (Akitu Festival) (City)- Makes the volcanic flames of the Black Mountain hot enough to entice Nusku to deliver the sacrifice to Tiamat herself. (the sacrifice is of living food and designed to allow Tiamat to remain asleep without need to wake for nurishment). While in effect, the Grand Sacrifice creates simultaneous near multi-dimensional rift to elemental fire, the fires of Heaven and those in Hell. Anything passing beyond the flames will be transported to Tiamat. The Flames are hot enough to allow a wizard to summon a creature from another dimension. Any witnessing the flames directly and in their entirety will automatically go insane with overconfidence unless protected from insanity. While so affected, the being would be under the effect of three Draw Upon Holy Might miracles (one for each stat) and posses 40 Call Upon Faith Miracles to use at whim. Anyone so affected would, at the end of the duration (3 days) return to the flames and be taken directly to Tiamat as sacrifice.
The Fire of Nusku (7th) - acts as a meteor swarm spell (q.v) for damage and area of effect. As with the God granted power, for each die of damage done to any person 10% of the persons accumulated wealth and magic items is sacrificed directly to Nusku.
Scourge of Nusku (5th) - When a scourge is placed upon a person (no save), losses to wealth and items applies to all accumulated wealth and possesions not on person.
Brighter Flames (5th) (Reversible!)- Will double the HD a wizard can summon using wizardry. Adds +1/3 lvls of cleric to the Test of Wills. If cast on another cleric's or mage's sacrifice, it will increase the chance of success or benefit by +3% per level of the cleric. (includes Legend Lore, Contact Higher Plane, Commune, and Vision spells).
Ban (6th) - Cleric can inhibit another Nyrundian or Aerdian cleric's ability to make any sacrifices. Must be in sight for this to work. Cleric gains a save at -3 plus an additional +1 for every level of the target cleric and -1 for every level of the caster.
Cardinal
5 Archbishops
10 Bishops
High
Priestess
Visier