The Celestial Elements of Harmony -- A Pantheon

[Susano]

For your consideration.

 

 

 

Membership

The primary members of the pantheon are:

Celestia, Goddess of the Sun and the Day, and Luna, Goddess of the Moon and the Night.

These two are attended by six powerful Avatars, each a symbol of certain desirable aspect of mortal nature. They are:

Applejack:  Avatar of Truth and Patron of Farmers and all those who work the earth.

Fluttershy:  Avatar of Kindness and Patron of Herdsman all those who see to the needs of animals.

Pinkamina:  Avatar of Laughter and Patron of Bards, Entertainers, and Jesters.

Rainbow Dash:  Avatar of Loyalty and Patron of Competitors, Sailors, and Soldiers.

Rarity:  Avatar of Generosity and Patron of Artisans.

Twilight:  Avatar of Magic and Patron of Sages and Scholars.

 

Background/History

Learned men say that long ago the universe was not as we know it now, but rather had no form, no shape, and no meaning. Instead, it was a vast cloud of seething chaos, without rhyme or reason, where the natural laws as we understand them did not exist. Rather, the cloud behaved according to its own whims and desires, doing as it pleased according to a logic beyond all mortal ken.

 

Over the passage of countless eons, life was spawned within this swirling mass of constant confusion. These creatures came in a myriad of shapes, each more bizarre than the last and many unknowable to mortal eyes. The merest of these beings were small points of light and heat, akin to fireflies, that swarmed in untold billions. As time passed, these swarms gathered together, eventually coalescing into a sphere of burning brightness. Within, a spark of intelligence formed, and as it grew, it cast forth light across the void, slowly bringing order out of chaos. In due time, this sphere gave birth to Celestia, the Goddess of the daystar, who honored her mother by placing her high in the sky to watch over all that was to come. As the first true living being, it was Celestia’s responsibility to divide the heavens from the earth, the land from the water, and the day from the night. Seeing that her tasks were too great for a single individual, no matter the scope of her divine power, Celestia formed a second body out of the turmoil around her. Placing this in the sky opposite the life-giving daystar, she created the moon, to provide the world with a modicum of light when the sun left to prepare for its next journey across the sky. In due time, the moon gave birth to Celestia’s sister Luna, the Goddess of the night.

 

Together, these two divine beings made the world and all that dwelt upon and within it. Celestia, as daughter of the daystar, took responsibility for the the creatures and plants that depend upon the sun for life. She made the peoples of the world, the animals they raise, the crops they grow, and all other such things. Luna, in turn, took responsibility for the night, the night sky, and the celestial bodies seen therein. In addition, the two sisters took it upon themselves to create additional servants—avatars to aid them in their duties—beings who would look after the Goddesses’ creations and ensure the proper order was maintained.

 

Group Relations

As manifestations of the Elements of Harmony, the six Avatars get along and work well together. Of course, this doesn’t prevent them from the occasional disagreements—the rivalry between Applejack and Rainbow Dash over their physical prowess as athletes is legendary. The Elements also get along well with Celestia, although as the Avatar of Magic, Twilight is closer than the others and often receives Celestia’s personal attention (usually with regards to magical subjects). The Elements are less familiar with Luna, who tends to keep to herself and associates mostly with her sister. As for Celestia, she sees all of the Avatars and Patrons as her children, and tends to treat them with the love and respect any mother would have for her offspring. At the same time, she’s closest to her sister Luna and can be very protective of her younger sibling.

 

Tactics

As divine beings, the Avatars and Patrons all have a degree of celestial power. The typical member of the pantheon is immortal, resistant to a good deal of physical harm, and possess a pool of spells and powers relating to their calling. In addition, certain members of the pantheon manifest either great feathered wings or a horn-like crown when calling upon their powers (or in the case of Twilight, both).

 

While Patrons tend to live within Celestia’s court, the Avatars are often sent to the mortal world at the behest of Celestia herself (or rarely, Luna). There they investigate rumors of infernal incursions, manifestations of dangerous magics and monsters, meet with worthy mortals in need of divine advice and inspiration, and otherwise work the will of Celestia, Luna, and their Celestial Court.

 

Campaign Use

The use of the Celestial Elements of Harmony in a Fantasy Hero campaign depends on the GM’s need for a divine hierarchy. The most obvious use is to make them the gods of a nation of elves (or another such race of nature-worshipers), although they can also be patrons for PC clerics, druids, and rangers. However, while worshiped and honored, odds are such beings would never be seen. But honestly, with names like Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, where’s the fun in that?

 

The Celestial Elements of Harmony would work best in a world akin to that of the Greek heroes, in which the gods take an active roll in events all of the time. As mentioned under Tactics, the Avatars are often sent to the mortal world, either singly or in groups, to advise worthy heroes. If you want an even more direct connection between the PCs and the Elements, make the PCs the children of the various Avatars (or even Celestia or Luna themselves.) This latter concept would be very much in line with several pantheons (specifically Greek and Finnish) which feature numerous heroes with divine ancestry. Obviously, any such characters would have the Demigod Template from Fantasy Hero along with select powers (albeit on a lower scale) similar in nature to the ones possessed by their divine parent.

 

<sidebar>

The Goddesses, Avatars, and Patrons have all been created and developed using Greek mythology as the basis for the character concepts and personalities. Thus, the various members of the pantheon tend to be somewhat exaggerated versions of humanity—with regards to their personalities and the like—and can be hurt by sufficiently powerful mortals and the like. They also tend to watch (and meddle) in mortal affairs, take mortal lovers, aid their favorites, and hinder those they don’t care for (and/or who’re the favorites of others). And while Celestia, Luna, and the six Elements of Harmony all get along rather well, the same can’t be said for the rest of the pantheon.

<sidebar end>

 

Associates, Allies, and Adversaries

Ahuizotl:  The Patron of Thieves (as well as cheats, swindlers, and the like), Ahuizotl appears as a blue-furred dog-like creature with ape-like forelimbs and a monkey-like tail (with human hand on the end). Greed personified, he lusts for the riches of others, and is known to have stolen numerous items of value from the other Avatars and Patrons of the pantheon. However, his victories are often short-lived, as Daring Do will usually see to it the objects are recovered and returned to their rightful owners. The enmity between the two is legendary, and often extends to the mortal realm, with the patron’s followers doing battle by proxy.

 

Brighteyes:  This Patron of Messengers appears as a woman with gray-feathered wings, along with golden eyes and hair. She serves as the personal messenger for both Celestia and Luna, and is often dispatched to the mortal world bearing missives from either of the two Goddesses to those heroes deemed worthy of their personal attention. As the bearer of tidings from afar, Brighteyes is often called upon by the general populace, who sacrifice baked goods (especially muffins) in her honor in hopes of receiving good news. Curiously, those who wish to avoid ill news also make sacrifices, but instead call upon Brighteyes’s alter-ego, a cross-eyed individual known as Ditzy (or sometimes Derpy.)

 

Cadance:  Appearing as a woman with brilliantly-striped hair and pink-feathered wings, Cadance (or Mi Amore Cadenza to use her full name) is the closest the pantheon has a to a love Goddess. However, unlike some such beings, Cadance is more interested in ending strife and bringing about the warmth of caring love than inspiring any sort of lust. Thus, she’s more of a patron of motherhood and family harmony, and is often called upon to bless marriages. At the same time, young lovers will offer her sacrifices in the hope she will look benignly upon them and the object of their affections. She is also called upon by those who need to mediate a dispute and those who wish fair judgements.

 

Chrysalis:  Queen of the Changelings (a race of shape-shifters), Chrysalis can appear as anything she wants, and normally takes the shape of her victim’s greatest love. Her true form is a horrific mockery of an alicorn (a winged unicorn), with a limp, straggling mane, wings akin to those of a dragonfly, and a single twisted horn set atop her head. Worse yet, her legs, wings, horn, and mane are shot through with holes, as if her body has been partially eaten by wood-boring worms.

As with all Changelings, Chrysalis feeds off of emotions, and finds love and affection to be the most appealing, tasty, and powerful. However, she (and all her kind) can’t comprehend such emotions themselves, and thus Changelings tend to be cruel and self-centered, interested and caring for non-Changelings only so long as such actions provide them with a meal. That said, Chrysalis does care about her people, if only in that her plans usually involve ways to ensure that they’re well fed. In addition, the Changelings work well together as a whole.

 

Game Information:  Game Masters wishing to include Chrysalis or the Changelings in their games should look at the Masquer on page 251 of the Hero System Bestiary. Couple the Masquer’s Shape Shift with certain Emotion Control Powers (such as Read Emotions and Detect Emotions [see pages 122-127 of Champions Powers]) and you’re all set. Certainly Queen Chrysalis should have a full suite of emotion control powers, as well as secondary spell-like abilities. These later abilities should consist of various offensive, defensive, and movement powers, all of which have lurid green flame effects when cast.

 

Daring Do:  The Patron of Explorers, Daring Do epitomizes the spirit of discovery and adventure. Appearing a lithe woman with gray hair and tan-feathered wings, she normally dresses in the manner of a warrior, with helmet and harness, and tends to arm herself with a bullwhip (which she uses as a tool almost as much as a weapon). Her exploits are famous, and there are many tales told of her escapades, many of which involve her acquiring artifacts that are either thought to have been lost, or are guarded by nightmarish monsters. Those who intend to venture forth in search of adventure and glory often call upon Daring Do to watch over them.

 

Discord:  The malevolent being known as Discord is believed to be a remanent of the original primordial chaos from which the universe was formed. He normally manifests as a horrific chimera, appearing to be a patchwork collection of animals assembled without rhyme or reason. His general shape is snake-like, reminiscent of a Chinese kioh-lung; yet while the Chinese dragon is a harmonious blend of animal types, Discord is anything but. For example, each limb ends in a different animal’s claw, while his goat-like head sports an ibex’s horn on one side and a stag’s on the other. In addition, due to his chaotic origins, his body is known to change over time, with different animal parts appearing and vanishing, purely at random. However, one thing does remain constant—his great size and his great power. Discord is roughly fifty feet in length and possess vast reality warping powers. He can not only remake the physical world as he sees fit, but also can sway even the most disciplined of minds, spreading, as his name implies, conflict and strife wherever he goes. Curiously, despite his nature, Discord doesn’t destroy wantonly, but is more interested in forcing change (and the chaos it brings) upon the world. Fortunately, his power is normally kept in check by the watchful eyes of Celestia and Luna.

 

Game Information:  Game Masters wishing to build Discord should start with the character sheet for a kioh-lung (found on page 342 of the Hero System Bestiary), remove any powers they don’t feel fit, add in the Divine and/or Infernal Templates (found on pages 28 and 30 of the same volume), and then give Discord a vast Variable Power Pool of Chaos and Entropy powers (found on pages 50-58 of Champions Powers.) See the character sheet for Celestia for ideas on over-all power scale.

 

Octavia:  A Patron of Musicians, Octavia is one of several beings who are worshiped by those with musical talents. She normally appears as a an elegantly-proportioned woman with pale gray skin and rich black hair. A master of numerous stringed instruments, she often is found performing in the court of either Celestia or Luna or during the two Goddesses’ great feasts and banquets.

 

Shining Armor:  The Patron of Soldiers, Shining Armor is considered the paragon of chivalry. He normally appears as a powerfully-built man, dressed in polished plate armor, with dark blue hair shot through with streaks of brighter blue. He is the captain of Celestia’s palace guard, the destroyer of innumerable evil spirits and dark monsters, and a symbol of courage to all warriors. In the the moral realm, there is an order of paladins who seek to emulate his actions, if not in deed, at then at least in spirit.

 

Spike:  The Patron of Scribes, Spike is usually portrayed as a small humanoid dragon with purple scales and green spines along his back. He is a tireless worker, able to compose missives at a supernatural rate without ever making a mistake. Many tales are told about the speed and skill at which he writes, as well as about his pen of endless ink and his scroll of endless parchment. By incinerating anything he was written with his fiery breath, Spike can instantly transmit the document to either of the two Goddesses, each of the Avatars, or any Patron. However, those mortals wishing to avail themselves of Spike’s message-sending powers better beware, he eats only gems and normally asks for the finest of jewels as payment for his services.

 

Sombra:  Born from the same primordial essence as that created Discord, Sombra is a being of great darkness. He is sometimes called “King” Sombra (in counterpart to Queen Chrysalis), but is also known as the Dark Lord, the Nameless One (since speaking his name is supposed to draw his attention), and the Lord of Absolute Order. Appearing as a man of great height (equal in stature to Celestia), his long hair is deep black, his skin is gray, and his eyes are red and green. He tends to wear dark plate armor in battle, and carry both a great spear and a long sword. 

As obsessed with order and perfection as Discord is with chaos and mayhem, Sombra’s realm is modeled after the mathematical perfection of crystals. There, everything has its place and nothing is allowed to disturb the natural order. Most beings who dwell within Sombra’s realm are crystalline constructs, grown in great alchemical vats, and built to serve Sombra and his needs. Those not native to Somba’s realm live a life of servitude and slavery, every move they make carefully planned for them. 

 

Sombra wishes to bring all of the mortal realm under his domain. He desires to bring an end to the random cycle of life and death, of the seasonal variations of day and night, and even the chaotic nature of the weather. If he ever manages to make his desires a reality, then the mortal realm will become a place where the randomness of the natural world is replaced by pure mathematical precision. Freedom of thought, will, and deed will become just a memory.

 

Time Turner:  The Patron of Clockmakers, Time Turner is said to be a master of space and time, able to appear when and where he wishes. He is also said to be the steward of the seasons, the chronicler of history, and the keeper of minutes, hours, and days. Due to his mastery of time, no one is sure of his exact appearance or even his preferred mode of dress. He is known to dwell in a small tower that is said to be larger on the inside than the outside, which can travel through the various divine and mortal realms with ease.

 

Tirek:  This monstrous being is said to hail from the infernal realms. He appears as an immense centaur, with dark red skin, white hair and beard, black fur, cloven hooves, and large curving horns. He is obsessed with power and normally seeks to augment his own impressive powers by absorbing the magic of various divine beings (such as members of Celestia’s court). Worse yet, this absorption is accomplished by Tirek literally devouring his victims. Fortunately, Tirek’s realm is a chaotic one, and much of his time and energy is spent quelling his unruly ‘subjects’. However, there is the constant fear that one day he’ll manage to leave his realm long enough to wreck havoc on the mortal world, consuming enough magical energy to make it possible for him to directly challenge the Celestial Court.

 

Trixie, The Great and Powerful:  The Patron of Illusions, Stage Magic, and Tricksters, Trixie is often considered the troublemaker of the pantheon, somewhat akin to the Norse god of Loki. A woman with pale blue skin and ice-blue hair, Trixie normally dresses in a tall, conical, broad-brimmed hat, as well as a high-collared flowing cloak. However, she’s a proficient shape-shifter (as benefits a mistress of illusion) and can appear as almost anything she desires. However, her vanity is such she normally keeps the hat and cloak (or wears something close to it.) While a notably selfish and self-centered Patron, she does enjoy attention and may respond to entreaties from devoted followers, especially if it is made on the eve of an audacious scam or show. On the other hand, she’s also a notorious liar, and virtually none of her announcements, proclamations, and statements can be considered a reliable source of information.

 

Zecora:  The Patron of Alchemy and Medicine, Zecora is a dark-skinned and strongly-built woman with black-and-white striped hair. She is the most mysterious of the Patrons and little is known about her among the general population, leading to such mistaken beliefs that she’s some form of evil enchantress. However, among her devoted followers, Zecora’s known to be wise and attentive, who speaks only in rhyme so as to ensure those who worship her consider her words with great care. Also, unlike Trixie, everything she says is absolutely accurate, even if the exact meaning and intent is obscure.

 

Divine Avatar Template

All members of the Pantheon use the following template. Depending on the Avatar (or Patron) in question, additional Characteristics, Skills, and Powers will be added to this base template.

 

Cost Power

10 +10 STR

6 +3 DEX

3 +3 CON

3 +3 INT

3 +3 EGO

5 +5 PRE

5 +1 OCV

5 +1 DCV

3 +1 OMCV

3 +1 DMCV

10 +1 SPD

2 +2 PD

1 +1 ED

3 +3 REC

2 +6 END

4 +7 STUN

60 Divine Aura:  Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% plus Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50%

10 Divine Aura:  Power Defense (10 points)

5 Divine Heritage:  LS  (Longevity: Immortal)

10 Divine Heritage:  LS  (Immunity All terrestrial poisons; Immunity: All terrestrial diseases)

6 Divine Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense Groups

3 Divine Beauty:  +1/+1d6 Striking Appearance (vs. all characters)

24 Divine Grace:  +2 Overall

20 Skill In Battle:  +2 with All Attacks

 

205 Total

[bluesguy]

I really like your ideas for a pantheon.  I wish I had these when I was setting up my home brew campaign....

[Michael Hopcroft]

I'm sure you didn't forget Luna's psychotic alter-ego Nightmare Moon. She was once corrupted by envy and greed, to the point that she was exiled from the divine realm, until the corruption was purged and she was redeemed and returned to her place by her sister's side. Celestia is still haunted by what she had to do to protect herself and the realm from her sister.

 

Chaos is a creative force as well as a destructive one. The creative side of Chaos may well find a Patron in Pinkie. In any event, you could say that without her  the world would be unchanging, stagnant, and even boring. Pinkie would thus be the patron of creative thinkers, the ones who see no reason not to express and give into their whims even when others think they're silly and useless.

[Susano]

Actually, I did 'forget' Nightmare moon. If I brought it in, it would be an independent aspect, since there was also Nightmare Rarity.

I've also finished this (well finished Celestia, Luna, and the Mane Six) and have them ready for an upcoming Haymaker.

[Susano]

Updated Template

Cost Ability

10 +10 STR

6 +3 DEX

3 +3 CON

3 +3 INT

3 +3 EGO

5 +5 PRE

5 +1 OCV

5 +1DCV

3 +1 OMCV

3 +1 DMCV

10 +1 SPD

2 +2 PD

1 +1 ED

3 +3 REC

2 +6 END

4 +7 STUN

120 Domain Powers:  Variable Power Pool, 60 base + 60 control cost, Powers Can Be Changed As A Zero-Phase Action (+1), No Skill Roll Required (+1); Limited Special Effects (domain-based powers only; -½)

17 Inspire:  Aid PRE 2d6, Delayed Fade Rate (points fade at  the rate of 5 per Minute; +1),Area Of Effect (16 2m Areas; Voice Range; +1), Selective (+¼); Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Incantations (-¼), Only to Aid Others (-½)

60 Divine Aura:  Physical and Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50%

10 Divine Aura:  Power Defense (10 points)

32 Can Travel The Celestial And Mortal Realms At Will: Extra-Dimensional Movement (Related Group of Dimensions, Any Location corresponding to current  physical location)

5 Divine Heritage:  LS  (Longevity: Immortal)

10 Divine Heritage:  LS  (Immunity All terrestrial poisons; Immunity: All terrestrial diseases)

6 Divine Senses:  +2 PER with all Sense Groups

30 Assume "Mortal" Form:  Shape Shift  (Sight, Hearing, Smell/Taste and Touch Groups), Instant Change, Makeover

3 Divine Beauty:  Striking Appearance (+1/+1d6)

24 Divine Grace:  +2 Overall

20 Skill In Battle:  +2 with All Attacks

 

Total Cost Of Template:  399

 

Value Complications

15 Distinctive Features:  Divine Aura (Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

5 Enraged:  action that would incur divine wrath (Uncommon), go 8-, recover 14-

10 Hunted:  Assorted Enemies (Chrysalis, Discord, Sombra, Tirek) Infrequently (As Pow; Harshly Punish)

5 Vulnerability:  1 ½ x effect from attacks that run contrary to the Avatar’s domain (Uncommon)

 

Total Value Of Template Complications:  30

[Zeropoint]

 

I've also finished this (well finished Celestia, Luna, and the Mane Six) and have then ready for an upcoming Haymaker.

Shouldn't that be Hayburner?

[Michael Hopcroft]

Shouldn't that be Hayburner?

Oddly enough, I've rarely seen ponies eating hay in the series. Or even mention it. A lot of time in the series is spent on preparing, selling, and eating things that might not be so good for horses, but evidently work just fine for ponies. And no TV show would ever dive into the problem of keeping a town of at least five hundred sapient horses sanitary.

 

It's like the "Pregnant Ranma problem" in anime. To quote Rumiko Takahashi, "I don't think about such things. And neither should you!"

[Zeropoint]

Spike was able to order hay fries at the restaurant in "Ticket Master", so there must be enough ponies eating them to keep them on the menu.

 

You're right, though, that we don't see the ponies eating grass, hay, or oats much. I assume they're just as capable of living on such things as our equines are, but enjoy a variety of flavors and textures enough to cook for themselves.

[Susano]

Shouldn't that be Hayburner?

 

Since the homies are humans in this pantheon, naw.

[Susano]

Oddly enough, I've rarely seen ponies eating hay in the series. Or even mention it. A lot of time in the series is spent on preparing, selling, and eating things that might not be so good for horses, but evidently work just fine for ponies. And no TV show would ever dive into the problem of keeping a town of at least five hundred sapient horses sanitary.

 

It's like the "Pregnant Ranma problem" in anime. To quote Rumiko Takahashi, "I don't think about such things. And neither should you!"

 

Well, for starters, I think it's safe to assume sapient horses don't relieve themselves in the middle of the street.

[Susano]

Oh, I finished all of the characters for the pantheon. So far....

[Clonus]

Oddly enough, I've rarely seen ponies eating hay in the series. Or even mention it. A lot of time in the series is spent on preparing, selling, and eating things that might not be so good for horses, but evidently work just fine for ponies. And no TV show would ever dive into the problem of keeping a town of at least five hundred sapient horses sanitary.

 

 

Yeah, that's what you'd think:

 

 

 

What's that behind Cherry?  

[Clonus]

Incidentally the thought occurs to me that Starlight Glimmer even comes with her own prepackaged cult.  

[Michael Hopcroft]

If you're using Octavia you can use the other Patron of Music, Vinyl Scratch. While Octavia would be the patron of "classical" or "refined" music, Vinyl Scratch is the Patron of "Popular" music. Ironically she never speaks and mainly uses the "beat" to express herself.

 

Despite their differences, they could get along surprisingly well. Alternatively, they could look down on each other -- with Octavia thinking of Vinyl Scratch as vulgar while Vynil Scratch views Octavia as snooty and pretentious. 

[Clonus]

If you're using Octavia you can use the other Patron of Music, Vinyl Scratch. While Octavia would be the patron of "classical" or "refined" music, Vinyl Scratch is the Patron of "Popular" music. Ironically she never speaks and mainly uses the "beat" to express herself.

 

Despite their differences, they could get along surprisingly well. Alternatively, they could look down on each other -- with Octavia thinking of Vinyl Scratch as vulgar while Vynil Scratch views Octavia as snooty and pretentious. 

 

If it's a swords and sorcery setting Vinyl would be a smidge anachronistic.  

[Susano]

If you're using Octavia you can use the other Patron of Music, Vinyl Scratch. While Octavia would be the patron of "classical" or "refined" music, Vinyl Scratch is the Patron of "Popular" music. Ironically she never speaks and mainly uses the "beat" to express herself.

 

Despite their differences, they could get along surprisingly well. Alternatively, they could look down on each other -- with Octavia thinking of Vinyl Scratch as vulgar while Vynil Scratch views Octavia as snooty and pretentious. 

 

What Clonus said. And DJ-Pon3 is even more "out there". 

[Susano]

If it's a swords and sorcery setting Vinyl would be a smidge anachronistic.  

 

While there's no setting assigned, this is meant to be a pantheon for a fantasy setting akin to Greyhawk, or Forgotten Realms, or Pathfinder, or ... well, you get the idea.

[Zeropoint]

 

Despite their differences, they could get along surprisingly well. Alternatively, they could look down on each other -- with Octavia thinking of Vinyl Scratch as vulgar while Vynil Scratch views Octavia as snooty and pretentious.

As of episode 100, "Slice of Life", the canon situation appears to be "both". I can see their bard-clerics having a lot of rivalry but coming together when necessary over the deep love of music that connects them.

[Susano]

As of episode 100, "Slice of Life", the canon situation appears to be "both". I can see their bard-clerics having a lot of rivalry but coming together when necessary over the deep love of music that connects them.

 

Bard-clerics is an awesome idea.

 

 

[Michael Hopcroft]

As of episode 100, "Slice of Life", the canon situation appears to be "both". I can see their bard-clerics having a lot of rivalry but coming together when necessary over the deep love of music that connects them.

 

 

Bard-clerics is an awesome idea.

 

 

It would be a great Profession for FH. You can't start out as good at barding or clericing as someone more specialized, but there are some other things available to you to make up for it, and you can take on the best of both professions as you improve.

 

A bard-cleric who bought healing magic might have it involve singing a soothing song to the person they're healing, which has the added advantage of calming a wounded character (who might be rather stressed out, especially in a game where combat is rare, dangerous, and mainly to be avoided).  They would also be able to heal emotional and mental trauma in the same way (however you model it), including in themselves ("Whistle a little tune so nobody will know I'm afraid" actually works for them!).

[Zeropoint]

Now I want to play someone who can Turn Undead with the Power of Rock!