Divine Domain
Revelry
Revelry, rioting, and unbridled chaos! This domain is specifically found on the plane of Ravnica, within the Cult of Rakdos. Although, you could probably find clerics of this domain on other planes, worshiping deities such as Bes, Dionysus, Loki, Loviatar, or Pan.
Usually these clerics are flamboyant and outspoken, often flaunting their giddy irreverence for everything in their path.
Revelry Domain Features
| Cleric Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 1st | Domain Spells, Bonus Proficiencies, Crowd Pleaser, Searing Insults |
| 2nd | Channel Divinity: Grin Reaper |
| 6th | Infinite Jest |
| 8th | Blessed Strikes |
| 17th | Fires of Mayhem |
Domain Spells
You gain domain spells at the cleric levels listed in the Revelry Domain Spells table. See the Divine Domain class feature for how domain spells work.
Revelry Domain Spells
| Cleric Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 1st | hellish rebuke, Tasha’s hideous laughter |
| 3rd | pyrotechnics, scorching ray |
| 5th | feign death, hypnotic pattern |
| 7th | confusion, wall of fire |
| 9th | danse macabre, mislead |
Bonus Proficiencies
At 1st level, you gain proficiency with martial weapons. You also gain proficiency in the intimidation skill or a musical instrument (your choice).
Crowd Pleaser
At 1st level, you can do raucous acrobatics, such as dancing, cartwheeling, or somersaulting, to disorient any onlookers. As a bonus action, you can dash in a 30 foot line at a cost of 20 feet of your movement, and gain the effects of taking the Dodge action. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Searing Insults
Also at 1st level, you can heckle your foes with fiery taunts and jeer, hindering their attacks. When you are attacked by a creature within 30 feet of you that you can see, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. The creature takes 2d8 fire or psychic damage (your choice) on a failed attack, or half as much damage on a successful one. An attacker that is deafened or can’t hear is immune to this feature.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Channel Divinity: Grin Reaper
Starting at 2nd level, you can use your channel divinity to cause a crowd to go wild, and reap the rewards of the riot.
As an action, you present your holy symbol, and each creature of your choice that can see or hear you within 30 feet of you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you and forced to dance for 1 minute. While a creature is dancing, at the start of their turn they attempt to attack their nearest ally. A creature may repeat the saving throw at the end of their turn.
In addition, you gain 2 temporary hit points for each creature charmed with this ability.
Infinite Jest
At 6th level, you become filled with eternal humor and vigor.
As an action, you can enter a state of uncontrollable laughter until the end of your next turn. At the start of your next turn, you regain a number of hit points equal to your hit die + your Cleric level. While in this state, if you fail a saving throw against an effect that would either charm, frighten, or stun you, you can choose to succeed instead.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses of it when you finish a long rest.
Blessed Strikes
At 8th level, you are blessed with divine might. When a creature takes damage from one of your spells or weapon attacks, you can also deal 1d8 fire, psychic, or necrotic damage to that creature. Once you deal this damage, you can’t use this feature again until the start of your next turn.
Fires of Mayhem
At 17th level, you can create mesmerizing flames to light your entrance and enhance your riotous revels. As an action, you can wreathe yourself in illusory flames, shedding bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. Any creatures in the bright light have disadvantage against saving throws you impose on them. This effect lasts for 1 minute, or until you dismiss it as an action.
Revelation in Ecstacy -- Tenets & Traditions of the Revelry Domain
"Welcome to the party at the end of the world." —Dionysus, The Wicked + The Divine Issue 8
Merriment, festivities, and debauchery are the forms of worship these celebrants of this domain use to display their devotion. The Revelry Domain represents the emotions that are brought to fruition with good debauchery, irreverent celebration, and satisfaction of pleasuring.
Tenets of Revelry
Amaze and Inspire. Your life is a fire, a flame raging against the darkness. Spread your flame to others by shining brightly.
Embrace Absurdity. The nature of reality is malleable, and the mundanities of life are inherently absurd. Laugh and embrace the small chaos of living in an unpredictable world, happiness and inner peace is achieved through understanding everything is out of control.
Reach Sanctity through Pleasure. Revelry is a reminder that life is finite, and pleasure is limited. You can only enjoy life so much before it ends. Your pleasure is a divine right, and you must take it, and encourage others to do the same.
Skewer the Critics. Those who would reign you in, douse your flame, and temper your revelry for life -- are wrong. Destroy them, tear down their institutions, and introduce them to real chaos.
Beliefs and Traditions
Question the Calm
Clerics of the Revelry view their duty to interject morale and passion into life around them. They think of it as a way of worshipping their deity by spreading their influence to the monotonous routine in others' lives. This could be as small as singing loudly near a library, to as giant as impromptu fireworks display in the town square; or even subtly distracting local officials with pompous performances and busking.
Followers always question their routine and their beliefs. Calm is the antithesis of pomp and splendor. All of this is good in small doses, but it is poison to the soul and its passions. Performances and festivities are rituals meant to invigorate a community’s morale and spirit. Revelry is a healing of the soul more than the physical.
Unheard Revel
As every other religion, its adherents also have special rites. Often called the “Unheard Revel” by this domain’s follower, a rite in which a supplicant performs in solitude, are daily affirmations. Some recite a song silently, rehearse jokes under their breath, others burn unique poetry in censers, or even dance in complete darkness.
Last Dance
In the twilight years of a Revelry Cleric’s life, they will stage a performance that outdoes anything they’ve ever done. Often this tradition is reserved for especially aged and experienced devotees to the Revelry. This will often be the last performance of their lives, but one which they can give them legacy and an example for future followers of Revelry.
Temples and Occupations
Oftentimes the shapes and forms of the temples of Revelry are as varied as its followers. Ranging from circus caravans, underground abodes in burlesque brothels, colleges of the arts, to the backstages of prominent theaters and operas. These places will often embrace others who admire or wish to join their crafts.
Clerics of Revelry often work as acrobats and dancers in circuses or theaters. Many also make a living as jesters, mummers, or harlequins with a plethora of personalities -- ranging from giddy to sadistic.
Factions
-
Cult of Rakdos. A guild on the plane of the Ravnica, who worship and entertain the eponymous demon, Rakdos. Often having impromptu parades and circuses to entertain (and often terrorize) the denizens of Ravnica. Many believe the only worthwhile performance is one that’ll impress Rakdos. While not all members are devoted to pleasing the demon lord, its most fervent members are often the most visible and audacious.
-
The Golden Grin. The Grinners are a secret network of bards and minstrels that work against tyranny, using song to spread hope among the oppressed. They are found in the world of Tal’Dorei.
Holy Texts
- Fall of the Fool. A ballad about a nameless fool’s journey across the world and the afterlife. The fool comes to a number of revelations on their journey about mysteries of magic, love, and change. It’s often printed as a playwright’s script and performed in many theaters.
- Poetic Cynic. This thick leather-bound book is a large collection of oral poems. The poems are often philosophical questions written as poetry, often with sardonic wit and humor about the purpose of life and nature of death.
- Mummer’s Dirge. A funerary song commemorating a famous mummer of a coastal city. It’s humorous and jovial in contrast to its purpose.
- 101 Jests and Japes. Usually this comes in a small pamphlet that folds out with many different diagrams and jokes laid out for the reader to imitate. Some say there’s a secret held within all 101 jests and japes.
Allies of the Faith
- Life Domain. Revelry Domain has a fervor for life and living it to the fullest, although Life Domain adherents usually think the Revelry Domain takes it to an extreme sometimes.
Enemies of the Faith
- Order Domain. Order stymies the creative and soulful flow of revelry by imposing laws and edicts on the world. The Revelry Domain sees this as an attempt to fight human nature, viewing it as abhorrent and unnatural.
- Grave Domain. The manner in which Revelry Clerics nonchalantly disrespect or irreverently treat the dead often rubs Grave Clerics the wrong way. The Grave Domain doesn’t abide how flagrantly Revelry taunts death.
The inspiration for this flavor was /u/aravar27 on DNDBehindtheScreen.
Credits
This subclass was created by Chilroy, otherwise known as Jesse. I can be found as /u/Jagganoth on /r/UnearthedArcana, or on twitter @True_Byrdman. If this contents of this document or any other of mine inspired you, please give credit duly.