From: Mike Phillips ([m s phil] at [birds.wm.edu])

Apollo (Sunlight, Agathocacological, Ordered, Major God)

Apollo, sometimes called Phoebus Apollo, was the god of the sun, light, 
harp, music, and more.  He was often portrayed as being bardic in nature, 
with a lyre, and he was twin brother to Diana (Greek: Artemis), goddess 
of the moon and archery.  He is served by the Nine Muses.  

Apollo's priests are a mixture of male and female, with the exact balance 
shifting over time.  Nearly all are accomplished musicians of some sort, 
with a heavy preference towards lyrical composition and harping, and most 
end up with at least passing acquaintance with the lyre.  Not a few are 
also moderately adept with Spellsongs.  Many come from humble origins, as 
Apollo is heavily revered among shepherds.  

The priesthood itself is but loosely organized, with orders and 
gatherings along the divisions of the Nine Muses (Calliope, Clio, Erato, 
Euterpe, Melpomene, Plyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia, and Urania), with 
Calliope, Erato, Euterpe and Polyhymnia having the largest number of 
devotees.  A few blest priestesses (and, rarely, priests) end up with 
prophetic abilities, and these oracles are often consulted.  The greatest 
and best known is probably the Oracle at Delphi, hidden within Achaea.   

Grade I:
MUSEASPECT RITUAL
Time: 1 AT                      Other Heka Costs:
Area: Self                          R&D: Nil 
Distance: 0                         Other: 10:1 add'l AT 
E/F/M: By means of this Casting, the priest or priestess can take on 
minor traits associated with one of the nine muses, to wit: 

  Calliope (epic poetry) -- +5 to Poetry/Lyrics STEEP
  Clio (history) -- +5 to History STEEP
  Erato (love poetry, lyrics) -- +5 to Poetry/Lyrics STEEP
  Euterpe (music) -- +5 to Music STEEP
  Melpomene (tragedy) -- +5 to Writing, Creative STEEP
  Polyhymnia (singing, oratory, rhetoric) -- +5 to Charismaticism STEEP
  Terpsichore (dancing) -- +5 to Dance STEEP
  Thalia (comedy) -- +5 to Writing, Creative STEEP
  Urania (astronomy) -- +5 to Astronomy STEEP

(In the case of Muses such as Calliope, the bonus will only apply to 
creations which suit the individual Muse's area.) 
    The time of the Casting may be extended by an additional expenditure 
of 10 Heka for every additional AT which is desired, to a total of 1 AT 
per 10 STEEP possessed in Priestcraeft. 

SOFTLIGHT CHARM
Time: 1 hour                    Other Heka Costs:
Area: 1 rod diameter sphere         R&D: Nil 
Distance: 1 chain                   Other: 10:1 add'l half-hour 
E/F/M: This Casting causes a soft light to appear within a sphere of 1 
rod in diameter, no more than 1 chain distant from the priest.  The light 
is as bright as a cloudy day (although the light is additive, so that it 
can increase extant light conditions), though it is not considered 
sunlight for those things affected thereby.  The point upon which the 
charm is woven is not mobile, such that it is placed on a position, and 
not an item (in other words, if it is cast on the tip of a staff, and the 
staff is subsequently moved, the light stays put).  The duration of the 
Casting may be extended by an additional half hour per 10 Heka expended, 
to a total not to exceed 1 additional half hour per 10 STEEP possessed.

Grade II:
LYRE OF APOLLO CHARM
Time: 1 AT                      Other Heka Costs:
Area: Priest                        R&D: Nil 
Distance: 0                         Other: Nil 
E/F/M: By means of this Charm, the Priest brings Apollo's blessing upon 
his or her Lyre, and for as long as the Charm lasts, the Priest may play 
the Lyre at +10 STEEP, or may use it to weave Spellsongs, at +5 STEEP.  
The duration may not be extended by any means, and the blessing may be 
withheld if the Priest has offended Apollo.  In any case, the blessing 
may not be invoked more frequently than once per day, and the Priest must 
be in natural sunlight for it to be effective.

MINOR PROPHECY RITUAL
Time: Special                   Other Heka Costs:
Area: Priest                        R&D: Nil 
Distance: 0                         Other: Nil
Special Materia Cost: a golden symbol of the sun, or other appropriate
    symbol worth no less than 100 BUCs, properly consecrated to Apollo 
E/F/M: This Ritual, which takes fifteen minutes to perform, will grant 
the Priest the ability to seek the answer to a question of minor import.  
The more important the question, the more obscure the answer.

Grade III:
HEALING LIGHT RITUAL
Time: 1 AT                      Other Heka Costs:
Area: 1 subject                     R&D: Nil 
Distance: Touch                     Other: 10:1 add'l BT 
E/F/M: This Casting causes a golden glow around the subject, a soft light 
that is ineffectual as illumination (being a beacon in pitch black, but 
barely brighter than starlight for purposes of vision).  However, within 
the peaceful aura, the subject will heal 1 point of Physical, Mental, 
and Spiritual damage per BT under the influence of the light.  For the 
expenditure of an additional 10 Heka per BT, the duration may be extended 
up to 1 BT per 10 STEEP possessed by the Priest.

Grade IV:
SHEPHERD'S WATCH SPELL
Time: 1 hour                    Other Heka Costs:
Area: 1 flock                       R&D: Nil 
Distance: 1 chain per 10 STEEP      Other: 25:1 add'l hour 
E/F/M: This beneficent spell lays the blessing of Apollo upon a shepherd 
and his flock, drastically decreasing the probability of untoward events 
occuring in the immediate vicinity (predators will tend to hunt 
elsewhere, brigands will seek other victims if they approach), provided 
of course that the shepherd in question is devoted to Apollo.  The watch 
may extend throughout the night, although it may not cross the boundaries 
of sunrise or sunset.  Like most deital castings, it may be withheld if 
the Priest relies upon it too much, or if it begins being used for 
purposes which do not hold with Apollo's precepts.

Grade V:
APOLLO'S SONG OF THE SUN FORMULA
Time: 1 AT per 10 STEEP         Other Heka Costs:
Area: 1 chain diameter sphere       R&D: Nil 
Distance: 1 rod per 10 STEEP        Other: Nil 
E/F/M: By means of this involuted song, which must be accompanied upon a 
golden lyre, the Priest causes a sphere of golden sunlight to spring into 
being.  For nearly all purposes, this counts as true sunlight (although 
it is not natural, so is unsuitable for the Lyre of Apollo Charm), 
including for creatures with appropriate susceptibilities.  The only 
restriction upon the creation of the light is that it must be possible 
for sunlight to normally reach the place wherein the light is created, so 
it is ineffectual in Subterranean AErth and the deep interior of 
windowless buildings (for instance, deep into a pyramid).

Hopefully, the above will find a home in someone's campaign.  If they do, 
please let me know!  I so appreciate feedback.....  

Let's see, that leaves but three more of the Twelve Olympians to develop: 
Hestia, Mercury, and Vulcan.  Let's see what the fevered fingers can turn 
out next....  And there are so many interesting deities of minor sort.  

And yes, these Castings lists are being gathered into a net.pantheary, of 
sorts.  It's just now getting its first revision, and I expect good 
things of it within the next couple months.  (My initial goal is to 
provide a fairly complete treatment of the Olympians, plus one or two, in 
a usable game format before the end of the semester.) 

    Mike Phillips
    [m s phil] at [birds.wm.edu]

I have developed Castings for the following deities:
Greco-Roman: Apollo, Bacchus, Ceres, Diana, Jupiter, Juno, Mars, Minerva, 
    Neptune, Pluto, Venus 
Norse: Odin, Thor (minimal)