TEXT: The Glory Road 
  Issue 4 
  Religion, Magic, Tables for Your Table 
  I wanted the feeling of romance and the sense of wonder I had known as a kid. I wanted the world to be what they had promised 
  me it was going to be--instead of the tawdry, lousy, fouled-up mess it is. — Robert A Heinlein, The Glory Road 
  RELIGION & MAGIC 
      In a world where player characters can perform miracles and cast spells, it seems clear that the average character 
  in Estarion is well aware that magic exists, and has been able to observe magical or divine power first-hand. For most 
  people, though, gods and magic are not everyday elements of their lives. Few have actually witnessed the magical 
  professions using spells, seen demons or devils, or been connected to the power of the divine in any meaningful way. 
   
  RELIGION 
  The Aquilans worship the Olympians. The 
  patroness of the city is Hecate in her role as goddess of 
  the moon and secrets. The Temple of the Olympian 
  Twelve holds major shrines to Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, 
  Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Aphrodite, 
  Hermes, Hephaestus and Dionysus, with the worship of 
  the Olympians the official religion of the empire, and 
  thus enjoying an important position as a result.   
  The indigenous Tarquai people still have a 
  strong connection to Astarte in her role both as fertility 
  goddess (though many still remember her role as 
  goddess of war). Her temple and temple prostitutes 
  hold great sway and are known brokers of sensitive 
  information. Foreign gods are not uncommon, though 
  evil cults are illegal and covert. 
   
  Distant Gods 
  The world is not one in which gods walk the 
  land and engage indirect or even proxy wars. Rather, 
  the gods are generally uncaring. Not only do they not 
  intervene in mortal lives, they also do not care to 
  interact with petty normal humans.  The gods’ distance 
  protects reality. Even demons and devils are limited in 
  their ability to freely enter the world. 
  This also means that religious officials do not 
  universally have magical powers, and many are 
  corrupt or act in ways unconnected to their gods. 
  Religious conflicts are less about divine agendas than 
  they do with political agendas. 
   
  Magic 
  Magic is rare enough that ordinary folk look at 
  it with awe and fear. While Player Characters may find 
  themselves often encountering magic, this is not a 
  world of high fantasy. Magic does not substitute for 
  advanced technology across the game world. People 
  tend to distrust magic and those who use it while being 
  utterly fascinated by it, too. 
  For the most part, magicians are insular and 
  disconnected from each other. However, there are two 
  universities in Estarion, and one of them is the Scola 
  Magica in the city’s Second Ward, within which the 
  college of wizardry tries to control the teaching and 
  practice of magic in the city. 
  The Aquilans tend to look at scholastic training in 
  magic or divinely granted magic as signs of a person 
  of learning and importance, even among barbarians. 
  Of course, a learned barbarian is not only still a 
  barbarian, but also she or he is also a potentially very 
  dangerous barbarian. The use of innate or hedge 
  magic, however, is a lowly thing, and clearly likely to 
  be a sign of deviltry or innate corruption. Power gains 
  from such base spirits may be a sign of poor character, 
  evil influences, laziness, or inability to learn properly. 
  The Tarquai tend to look at any magical 
  abilities as suspect. Since magic grants powers beyond 
  those of other mortals and are hard to comprehend for 
  the uninitiated, all magical abilities are treated as 
  unpredictable, as are those who wield them. Even 
  priests and priestesses are people of power whose true 
  loyalties and purposes are shrouded in mystery due to 
  the role of magic in their lives. Most look at magic with 
  a combination of fear and fascination. 
   
  Magic Users in Estarion 
  The Aquilan gods are associated with clerics, 
  with suggested domains following the suggestions on p. 
  298 of the Player’s Handbook. In addition, paladins 
  associated with the Aquilan gods tend to be tied to 
  either the Oath of Devotion or the Oath of Vengeance.  
  The followers of Astarte are associated with 
  druids, rangers, and paladins using the Oath of the 
  Ancients. 
  The Scola Magica is tied to training of bards, 
  particularly of the College of Lore, and Wizards. 
  Sorcerers, Warlocks, Eldritch Knights, and Arcane 
  Tricksters don’t get as much support.  
   
  
  2 
  HIRING CASTERS & OBTAINING MAGIC  
  Characters may purchase spell casting services 
  from temples or wizards. No more than three spells 
  may be purchased per game. Player Characters must 
  have access to a willing temple or NPC. Most of the 
  available spells will be healing spells. 
   
  Spell 
  Cost 
  Cure wounds (lvl 1)........................................... 10 gp 
  Identify............................................................. 20 gp 
  Lesser restoration .............................................. 50 gp 
  Prayer of healing (lvl 2)..................................... 50 gp 
  Remove curse ................................................. 100 gp 
  Speak with dead............................................. 100 gp 
  Divination....................................................... 250 gp 
  Greater restoration ......................................... 500 gp 
  Raise dead .................................................. 2,000 gp 
   
  Magic items in Estarion are rare. There are no magic 
  shops, and no options to buy permanent items. 
  Characters may, however, buy potions of healing and 
  extra healing and scrolls of spells of level 1-3. As with 
  spellcasting, the characters must be able to find a 
  willing temple, ply the Scola Magica, or work with 
  appropriate spellcasters. 
   
  Scroll 
   Cost 
  Level 1 ........................................................... 100 gp 
  Level 2 ........................................................... 300 gp 
  Level 3 .................................................................. 50 
   
  TABLE: BEGGARS 
  Roll a d20 or read across or roll separately . 
  d20 Name 
  Notes 
  1 Rafiq Harad 
  Aggressively seeks coppers 
  from a PC. 
  2 Salima 
  Appears to be blind. 
  3 Mahamut Serad 
  Appears to be missing a leg. 
  4 Severian Argus 
  Badly burned. 
  5 Shara Qassar 
  Appears to be deaf. 
  6 Imri Nussur 
  Wears tattered finery. 
  7 Ibn Fazi 
  Particularly dirty rags. 
  8 Nestor 
  Fidgets continually. 
  9 Bashir Assad 
  Missing both legs. 
  10 Timmur Saad 
  Very, very hairy. 
  11 Mohir Orm 
  Very inebriated or drugged. 
  12 Akim Noor 
  Appears to be missing an eye. 
  13 Walid el-Fadi 
  Smells like rancid butter. 
  14 Darmud Eshnapur Very talkative. 
  15 Urlik Khal 
  Very young. 
  16 Kassir Zahal 
  Missing all teeth. 
  17 Levi 
  Lisp or speech impediment. 
  18 Chagritz the 
  Toothless 
  Lotus powder addict. 
  19 Damiel Mosul 
  Claims to actually be a noble. 
  20 Vorish Ohl 
  Bad case of fleas or lice. 
   
  TABLE: WHAT’S IN ITS POCKETSES? 
  d% 
  Result 
  01-25 Gold equal to the result of the die roll. 
  25-50 Silver equal to twice the result of the die roll 
  51 
  A healing potion 
  52-53 Small bag of salt 
  54 
  Small bag of spices 
  55 
  A small toy or doll 
  56-60 1d6 small gems, 50 gp each 
  61-64 Map 
  65-68 Roll on the Trinket table (pp 160-161, PHB) 
  69-71 Roll d6: 1-2 dice, 3-4 cards, 5 loaded dice, 6 
  marked cards 
  72-74 Whetstone 
  75-77 A wineskin 
  78-79 Small piece of jewelry worth 3d6x10 gp, 
  80-81 Skin or wine. 
  82-83 Pipe and pipeweed 
  84 
  A set of artisan’s tools 
  85 
  Stuffed animal 
  86 
  Signet ring and sealing wax 
  87 
  A love letter 
  88 
  A nice wig, 4d6 gp 
  89 
  Brooch or pin, 5d6 gp 
  90 
  Hairpin, d10 x 10 gp 
  91 
  Silvered dagger 
  92 
  Change of socks 
  93 
  Packet of lotus powder: 4d6 gp 
  94 
  Bottle of perfume: 5d6 gp 
  95 
  Silver hand mirror 
  96 
  Roll d6: 1-2 holy water, 3-4 healing potion, 5 
  acid, 6 poison 
  97 
  Treasure map 
  98 
  Roll 1d6: 1-2 a bag of ball bearings, 3-4 a 
  bag a caltrops, 5-6 a set of fishing tackle 
  99 
  Ring of keys 
  00 
  Set of lock picks 
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Swords & Wizardry/SW Adventures & Settings/Savage Swords of Athanor (SW)/Glory Road (Savage Swords of Athanor Periodical)/Glory Road 04.pdf