11/21/2025
Happy Friday, and welcome back to Tabletop Thoughts!
Last Friday, we forged arcane power in the Shadowdark, crafting spells the old-school way — with ink, grit, and a little danger. Today, I wanted to tackle the divine side of things. Wizards aren’t the only ones chasing forbidden knowledge, after all. Priests have their own path to power… though theirs tends to involve more incense, chanting, and quiet looks of “Are you sure the god is okay with this?”
So let’s talk about something fun:
What happens when a priest wants a miracle that their god hasn’t granted yet? A brand-new prayer. A bespoke blessing. A miracle carved into existence through devotion and risk.
Here’s my take on Divine Spell Creation for Priests in Shadowdark — written to pair perfectly with the wizard system, but flavored in all the right holy (or unholy) ways.
Concepting the Miracle (GM + Player)
Before the priest kneels at the altar, take a moment with your GM to hash out the idea of your new prayer:
- Spell level (1–5)
- What the miracle actually does
- Range, duration, and any thematic flavor tied to the deity
- Inspirations from other games — DCC cleric invocations, D&D divine spells, OSR miracles, etc.
Priests don’t “invent” spells so much as they petition for them, but that doesn’t mean creativity isn’t part of the process. Look at similar spells from other systems to decide if your idea is a Level 1 blessing or a Level 5 earth-shaking divine act. And think about what symbolic elements your god would find meaningful.
Once the concept feels right, the real work begins.
Sacred Components and Offerings
Arcane casters need inks, powders, and vellum. Priests? They need offerings — gifts worthy of divine attention.
To attempt a new prayer, gather:
- 200 gp of holy offerings per spell level
- One exotic component sacred to the deity
This exotic offering is a fantastic quest hook.
A storm goddess might demand thunderstones from atop a mountain.
A god of secrets might require the final words of a dying sage.
A trickster deity could ask for something you probably shouldn’t have taken.
These items aren’t just mechanical — they’re story fuel.
Every day marked off the calendar brings you one step closer to a miracle (or a mishap).
Ritual Time: Weeks of Prayer
Divine creation takes focused devotion: 1 week per spell level of fasting, chanting, meditation, and holy ritual.
This is also another reason you should be using an in-game calendar. Tracking weeks of devotion lets the world breathe. It gives your temple time to bustle, your NPCs time to react, and your adventurer time to feel the weight of their commitment.
Here’s the Tabletop Thoughts article on crafting a campaign calendar if you missed it:
https://tabletop-thoughts.com/2021/10/11/creating-a-fantasy-calendar/
When the incense burns low and the last chant fades… that’s when the god answers.
The Revelation Check
After the rituals are complete, the priest attempts a WIS check to interpret divine will and assemble the miracle into a teachable prayer.
- Success: The deity grants the miracle! The priest crafts the final written or spoken form of the new prayer.
- Failure: The offerings are consumed… and the god’s silence hangs in the air.
But sometimes the gods don’t stay silent. Sometimes they respond in… dramatic ways.
Divine Mishaps (On a Failure by 5+)
Creating a new miracle is not safe. The gods like to remind mortals who’s really in charge.
Roll on this mishap table if the check fails by 5 or more:
1. Scalded by Radiance
Holy (or unholy) power sears you. Take 1d8 damage per spell level.
2. The God Tests Your Worth
Your deity imposes a quest or trial. Complete it before attempting spell creation again.
3. Sacred Backlash
Your holy symbol cracks or burns. Reforging or reconsecrating it costs 50 gp × spell level.
4. Miraculous Interference
A spontaneous minor miracle erupts nearby. Harmless… but highly inconvenient.
5. Divine Silence
Your connection falters. No spellcasting for 1d4 days.
6. Celestial Attention
A spiritual entity manifests briefly. It gives guidance — and a condition. Refusing may permanently bar this spell from ever being granted.
These can be dramatic, comedic, terrifying, or all three — perfect Shadowdark material.
A fresh prayer etched into consecrated parchment — proof the gods were listening.
Learning the New Prayer
Once the miracle is granted, the priest spends 1 day internalizing the holy words, symbols, chants, or motions.
Other priests of the same deity can learn it too — but only after offering proper sacrifices or performing rituals approved by the higher powers.
Final Thoughts
Priest spell research should feel different from Wizard research — not because the numbers change, but because the experience does. Filling your sessions with pilgrimages, signs, sacred spaces, and trials helps everything feel bigger than theFinal Thoughts
Priest spell research should feel different from Wizard research — not because the numbers change, but because the experience does. Filling your sessions with pilgrimages, signs, sacred spaces, and trials helps everything feel bigger than the Priest alone. It’s not arcane tinkering. It’s devotion given form. Priest alone. It’s not arcane tinkering. It’s devotion given form.
Keep on gaming!
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