Editing Ardarvia (section)

===Supplicant of Ardarvia===

The Supplicant of Ardarvia, rather than making themselves scourges of evil and maintainers of order and law, take the role of ultimate submissives, allowing themselves to be used by the members of the Ardarvian clergy as examples of service in good faith, submission to the higher powers - in some cases the Highest Power - as a dedication of faith in the ways of their goddess. These Supplicants are often mistaken for the adherents of a terrible goddess of pain and torture and destruction, the Helotry of Xiombarg. It becomes very quickly apparent that these Supplicants are quite different; they are adherents to the Rule of Law, the dedication to serve as a means to better others, and the defense of the helpless. Many Supplicants started their careers as "Whipping Boys", young men or women who were companions to noble children and beloved by them, and who took the whippings for punishment that the nobles were supposed to receive when they did wrong as children. Others are often repentant converts who wish to make the ultimate sacrifice accepted by their goddess in order to make amends for their past deeds.

Becoming a Sacrificed  or a Supplicant is seen as the ultimate show of devotion by many Ardarvians, and it is not something entered into lightly. The church will refuse and warn away any initiates who are spiritually unprepared for such a life, and those who are seen as legitimate candidates undertake a long period of preparation before being considered for the ritual.

This is perhaps one of the most controversial facets of the Ardarvian faith, and as such is not highly publicized by the church.  A Sacrificed or a Supplicant who wishes to be restored may request it. The request is rarely denied, but it does incur some fitting penalties for having squandered Ardarvia's gifts and sacraments.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; width: 200px; height: 200px;"
|-
! Lvl !! BAB !! FORT !! REF !! WILL
|-
! 1
| +0 || +1 || +0 || +1
|-
! 2
| +1 || +2 || +0 || +2
|-
! 3
| +1 || +3 || +0 || +3
|-
! 4
| +2 || +4 || +0 || +4
|-
! 5
| +2 || +5 || +0 || +5
|}

'''Requirements:''' Lawful, worshipper of Ardarvia, Minimum BAB +5
Skills: 2+Int modifier (Heal, Spot, Listen, Escape Artist, Knowledge Religion, Knowledge Arcana, Spellcraft, Diplomacy, Sense Motive)

'''1st Level:''' No increase in Spellcasting ability for a spellcaster. The Supplicant of Ardarvia gains the ability to take on the hurts of others. They gain the ability to cast "Shield Other" as a spell-like ability at will. They also gain a +2 inherent bonus to Con. They also gain Deathwatch as a permanent spell effect; this effect is considered a Supernatural ability.

'''2nd Level:''' Increase in Spellcasting ability, but no class ability increases. They also gain the supernatural ability to use the Status spell on anyone within 60' as a move equivalent action.

'''3rd level:''' Another increase in Spellcasting Ability. Their inherent bonus to Constitution increases to +4.

'''4th level:''' No increase in Spellcasting ability. The Supplicant is granted the ability to attempt to restore life to a character who has died no more than 1 round previous. They may use this ability to Revivify (or the Breath of Life spell) as a Spell Like Ability once per day; this increases to twice per day at 5th level; this also increases the time the character has been dead to two rounds. They may only attempt this once per body, and may only successful do so if the spirit is willing to return. This ability has no effect on undead. Success means the deceased has returned to life with one hit point. Any uncast spells they had memorized are retained if they are a spellcaster. Spells that have been cast are still lost.

'''5th level:''' Increase in Spellcasting ability. The Supplicant is granted the ability to negate the death of another by accepting the damage to themselves instead. As an immediate action, when someone is put into negative hit points, the Supplicant may instead instantly transfer all of the damage suffered to himself while the victim suffers none; no magical protection can prevent the Supplicant from taking this damage, and any effects, poisons, or status effects associated with the damage are also transferred. The Supplicant's inherent bonus to Con increases again, to +6.

Bear in mind that inherent bonuses do not stack, so the Supplicant cannot benefit from either a Tome of Gainful Exercise or whatever the con-increasing one is, nor can he benefit from wishes to increase his con score.