I will be filling in and editing this over time. I've started putting in the basic descriptions. The rest is going to take more time, as I need to transcribe.
==================================================
Something perhaps unique to this world is that the gods exist only in the abstract. They really are completely defined by their worshippers, in terms of how their influence is felt in the world. The gods themselves do not exist except as manifested through the powers of their followers.
While clerics and paladins sometimes have certain codes they need to follow to maintain their powers, beyond that there is no direct intervention of the gods. In a certain sense, one could almost say there were no gods at all, that the powers of the clerics and paladins came from within themselves, and it would not change anything at all in terms of the lack of interaction of the “gods” with the world.
Because of this, there can often be many distinct sects even within priesthoods. Because each priesthood is basically completely defined by those who follow it, there can never be any “official” ordained way to worship for many of the sects. So one may even find sects that worship the same deity at opposition to one another.
==================================================
Descriptions - Start (rules details for 3E conversion to be filled in as I go
Bornikai (female)
Sphere of Influence: Wisdom Symbol: Gray Owl Alignment:NG
Good Terms with: Helmes, Fizuli, Lloyd.
Dislikes: Brack
Domains: Good, Knowledge, Strength, War, Planning
Typical Worshippers: Bards, monks, wizards, scholars
2nd Edition Spheres and powers:
Major: All, Charm, Divination, Healing, Protection, Sun, Weather
Minor: Combat, Elemental, Guardian, Necromantic, Plant
Bornikai is the goddess of wisdom: the ability to know what is right to resolve a situation using knowledge gained through experience and common sense. Priests of Bornikai often act as advisors to rules to help them plan future events in general, or for advice for a specific situation, such as how to stop a war. This is not to say that they are priests of peace. They can just as often be found advising military leaders for situations pertaining to a war, both on and off the battlefield. They excel at finding compromises and alternatives for any situation. The priesthood acts as advisors to the common people as well, with priests in every position of life to act as a moderator of reason. They sometimes accompany adventuring groups to act as an advisor to the group, using their wisdom and common sense to aid them in their dealings with others and the general perils of adventuring. Priestsess of Bornikai can also be found holding public offices, acting as leaders and moderators for entire nations, though more often they act in advisory positions.
The priest hierarchy has the wiser, more experienced priests at the top, going down to the lower level, less experienced ones. Occasionally, if a great spark of insight and wisdom is seen within the lower ranks, that individual will be appointed to higher duties or assigned a special task to undertake for the priesthood. Great rewards follow successful completion of such a task, for to succeed at such a test of wisdom, it figures that one must have been touched by Bornikai herself.
=========================================================
Brack (male)
Sphere of Influence: Death, Disease Symbol: Were-rat with Scythe Alignment:NE
Good Terms with: Khali, Lloyd
Dislikes: Philzek, Moira
Domains: Death, Destruction, Evil, War, Suffering
Typical Worshippers: Evil necromancers, rogues, assassins
2nd Edition Spheres and powers: (Pick Death or Disease as focus)
Major (Death): All, Astral, Charm, Combat, Divination, Elemental, Healing, Protection, Summoning, Necromantic
Minor (Death): Guardian, Sun, Weather
Major (Disease): All, Animal, Combat, Guardian, Healing, Summoning, Necromantic, Weather
Minor (Disease): Divination, Elemental, Protection, Sun
Brack is the most powerful of the evil gods. His followers dislike the sickening, joyful life that seems to be the ideal of many good cultures. They seek to spread death, disease, and misery among the sentient races of the world. Brack is also the diety of lycanthropes, for the evil they spread IS a desease. Many of his priests are lycanthropes of various kinds, with werewolves being the most common. The most revered form of lycanthropes are the wererats, since rats are such great carriers of disease.
Clerics of Brack may attain any position in the hierarchy that they can manage through intimidation, manipulation of power, or even pure merit. Priests of Brack exist in most known locales, usually in the sewers and low life scum of a city or town. Worshippers work in secret for the evil and twisted ends of their deity, as most all societies despise them, even societies of evil, due to the bane they cause to all living things.
Clerics and followers of Brack have been known, when pressed into a no-win situation, to attempt to die in as horrible and violent a death as possible so they can go meet Brack and do his bidding in the afterlife. There is a small chance (5-15%) that, if one of them meets a particularly nasty demise, Brack will take personal notice and make the devoted follower an undead creature of the same hit dice as they were when they died. Usually a follower must be at least 4 HD for this to occur, but not always.
The upper echelons of Brack are rumored to be undead creatures of incredible power. Undead are also regularly used in the ranks of the armies of this diety: usually the poor souls who were losers in previous battles against the forces of Brack.
Clerics of Brack often smell of death and disease and wear dark, decaying hides of foul beasts and past victims. This priesthood commonly has assassins in its employ as well as worshippers who are assassins of various strypes.
Drena (female)
Sphere of Influence: Magic Symbol: Star Cluster Alignment:N
Good Terms with: Moira, Freynai, Philzek, Joli
Domains: Knowledge, Magic, Trickery, Spell
Typical Worshippers: Wizards, sorcerers, sages
2nd Edition Spheres and powers:
Major: All, Animal, Astral, Charm, Combat, Creation, Divination, Elemental, Guardian, Healing, Necromantic, Plant, Protection, Summoning, Sun, Weather
Minor: none (all spheres are major)
2nd Edition Special ability:
Priests of Drena gain access to two schools of magic, which must be oppositional to each other. This is due to their special understanding of the nature of magic. They cast spells at their own level, and the normal Wizard spell progression chart is used to determine how many spells per level is allowed. They must use spell books and components, just like mages.
Drena is the goddess of all magic and magical energies. She is thus the patron goddess of all mages and creatures of an especially magical nature. Clerics of her order live to foster and advance the practices of magic throughout the world. Depending on the sect’s alignment, this can be for good, for evil, for just magic for its own sake.
Strongholds of the priests of Drena often have large magical libraries with many mages acting as consultants and scholars. They encourage the exchange of ideas and spells between mages so that all magic will benefit from the new discoveries.
Followers of Drena, clerics especially, tend to disdain using weapons and other mundane tools in favor of using their magic to accomplish their goals. Different sects have different agendas, but all seek to spread and enhance the use of magic. Almost all Clerics of Drena have some levels as an arcane spell caster.
Fizuli (male)
Sphere of Influence: Mischief, Trickery Symbol: Fox silhouette in front of Moon Alignment:CN
Good Terms with: Vargus, Mordlou, Furo, Bornikai
Dislikes: Mylak
Domains: Chaos, Luck, Trickery, Illusion
Typical Worshippers: Rogues, bards, thieves
2nd Edition Spheres and powers:
Major: Charm, Divination, Protection, Summoning, Animal, Elemental, Guardian, Plant
Minor: Healing
2nd Edition Special Ability:
Rogue skills (all at base 5), with an extra 20 points to divide up at 1st level, with an additional 10 points per level.
Fizuli and his worshippers delight in trickery for trickery's sake. They love fooling people, animals, other deities - everyone. They love to show how much more clever they are than everyone else; to see the looks on other's faces when they realized they've been duped.
Rogues are a large part of the followers of Fizuli. They, along with Clerics of Fizuli, populate the thieves' guilds of the world. Though they favor stealth, they are not cowards. To pull off the best tricks and plots, his followers must be very brave indeed. That said, plenty of cowards admire Fizuli as well, out of envy for the ability to get out of rough spots without resorting to combat of any sort.
Followers of Fizuli just LOVE to demonstrate their cleverness, usually at someone else's expense. Some perform tricks and harmless pranks for comic relief. Others become polished military veterans for armies, employing trickery in the tactics on the battlefield. Still others learn the skills of trapsters or magicians. The temperament of followers varies from mean and nasty tricksters, to clever puzzlers, to sly troublemakers who take delight in creating problems for everyone. No two sects are exactly alike, and they generally are wary of one another for the obvious reasons. Most people try to avoid the followers of Fizuli unless they are very sure just what sort of trickster they are dealing with.
Freynai (female)
Sphere of Influence: Fire Symbol: Blazing Torch Alignment:N
Good Terms with: Moira, Morinda, Joli, Drena, Lynos, Shinaire
Not that fond of: Galing
Dislikes: Brack
Domains: Destruction, Fire-required, Sun
Typical Worshippers: Rangers, druids, bards
2nd Edition Spheres and powers:
Major: All, Charm, Divination, Elemental (the priest may only use those spells whose name
Freynai is the goddess of fire in all of its aspects: The spark of civilization, the cleanser of sickness and evil, the terrifying natural force, the special gift of the gods, the principle force behind some sorts of magic. Followers of Freynai are devoted to celebrating fire and honoring the goddess of this most useful gift. They make burnt sacrifices to her and learn as much as they can about fire, both mundane and magical. Every temple of Freynai contains a constantly burning flame, dedicated to her. Worshippers take candles and light them from this flame and then place the candles upon the altar to show their devotion. Personal effects are also burned upon the altar as a sacrifice to the fire goddess.
There are several powerful temples of Freynai where the walls are made of flame and only the most devoted of followers may pass through them into the inner sanctum unharmed. It is within these places that major sacrifices to Freynai are made and that requests for some of her power are granted to the most devout of her worshippers.
Clerics of Freynai are among the most powerful of the cleric class in the world, and they know it. They wear bright crimson clothing, with oranges and yellows, symbolizing the eternal flame of Freynai. They are greatly respected and feared by many. Those who incur the wrath of her followers will soon find themselves with a home burned to the ground and all valuables engulfed in shimmering flames. The clerics of Freynai see themselves as rulers and people of power. Those who interfere with them or otherwise oppose them get burned.
The Cleric Hierarchy is based upon personal power and accomplishments. There are several different sects of Freynai, each with differing goals and outlooks. Not many would want to get in the way of any of them.
Furo (female)
Sphere of Influence: War Symbol: Crossed Swords Alignment:N
Good Terms with: Soliel, Morinda, Shinaire, Fizuli, Jeone
Dislikes: Veshai
Domains: Chaos, Death, War
Typical Worshippers: Fighters, barbarians, orcs, half-orcs
Furo is the embodiment of combat and conflict. She exists only to promote bloody and deadly combat on the battlefield. Each sect of Furo is part of a different group or nation, and is quiet willing to go to war against another sect to promote their own group or nation's interests. They will only cooperate during times of long peace, and only then in order to conspire to create war.
Sects of Furo train warriors, teach tactics, and make records of the most valiant fights of any war or battle. Followers of Furo live and breathe warfare. They would willingly fight every day of their life if they could. They exist only to glorify war and warriors and make sure a war is always brewing, even if only a small one. The abhor complacency and peace. They will seek out and kill followers of Veshai, for they have declared war against him and his followers. They see them as weak, peace-minded fools who must be destroyed before they ruin any more perfectly good wars. That the followers of Veshai try constantly to end this conflict only sickens them even more.
Clerics of Furo wear whatever is the appropriate dress for the nation whom they fight for - heavily armed and armored, most likely. They will usually be mistaken for pure warriors until they start using obvious spells or clerical abilities.
Galing (female)
Sphere of Influence: Oceans, Rivers Symbol: Dolphin Alignment:N
Good Terms with: Gathika
Domains: Animal, Plant, Travel, Water, Ocean
Typical Worshippers: Druids, rangers, merchants, sailors
Galing is the goddess of large bodies of water. She usually doesn't much concern herself with the mortal goings-on of her followers. Sometimes she grants sailors mercy, sometimes death. It is more whim than malice, for the sea is fickle. She is the goddess of sea-storms and thus sailors fear her even as they ask her for mercy.
Clerics of Galing protect sea life from danger or from over-fishing or harvesting by those of the land. They are also great sea explorers and have been rumored to have strongholds and temples not only near, but also within and beneath oceans, rivers, and lakes. Their ability to water breathe and special magical architecture allows them to do this. These temples are protected by the goddess herself, as she controls the forces beneath the water.
Dolphins, the symbol of the priesthood, are protected and revered above all other sea animals. They are considered sacred and inviolate. Anyone caught harming dolphins is swiftly hunted down and slain horribly, to be made an example of to discourage others from making that same mistake. Dolphins will always befriend clerics of Galing, protecting them from harm and offering them aid n times of trouble. Aquatic elves are also their allies.
Followers of Galing usually live in coastal cities or along rivers, but have been known to travel far and wide in the hopes of discovering new lakes, rivers, and even oceans - all to be nurtured and protected in the name of the goddess.
Gathika (female)
Sphere of Influence: Sky, Weather, Wind Symbol: Blue bird in white cloud Alignment:CN
Good Terms with: Druids, Jabuti, Lynos, Galing.
Domains: Air, Chaos, Sun, Water, Renewal
Typical Worshippers: Druids, farmers, sailors
Clerics of Gathika make sure that the goddess of the sky and winds receives proper worship from those who are most affected by her, such as farmers and sailors. Other than that, they are pretty much free to do as they will, be it to adventure, help run the local temple, or pursue other interests, as there is no formal temple hierarchy. Some clerics are sailors of high skill, though not all. Those with the better skills and higher levels tend to be in charge of the temples, though often it is those clerics who are most interested in administration who serve that role, as opposed to the most experienced or powerful. There are few regulations, as their philosophy is that they should be as free as the wind as it blows across the land. Only mountains and the will of the gods can affect its course.
Clerics of Gathkia tend to wear light, flowing clothing that wisps in the wind while also acting as a wind-breaker against its parching blow. They often have their symbol stitched into their clothes as great patterns made of fine silk.
Though not a huge following, worshippers of Gathika abound far and wide, especially amongst regular sailors, who pray to the wind through Gathika and hope for favors from this sometimes calm, sometimes raging god.
Helmes (male)
Sphere of Influence: Art, Literature, Music, Dance
Symbol: Figure holding book, Pallet, and Lyre Alignment:NG
Good Terms with: Shinaire, Joli
Domains: Knowledge, Luck, Travel, Rune
Typical Worshippers: Bards, scholars, aristocrats
Priests of Helmes seek out those with talent in art, literature, poetry, music, and dance according to the specialty and personal tastes of each priest. Such individuals are helped and encouraged to develop their talent or skill to the best of their ability. Priests travel far and wide, from big cities to small hamlets, in search of those who have been gifted by their god. Bards also are great worshippers of Helmes, as are patrons of the arts who help support those with talent.
Priests of Helmes are champions against any repression of the free expression of creativity and talent in the arts. They do all they can to stop censorship and draconian control of the arts. This sometimes runs them afoul of the authorities.
Priests of Helmes can be found anywhere talent can be, which is virtually everywhere, if one only looks hard enough. They are always on the lookout for something new and original, as well as the old standbys, to add to the ranks of the world's most renowned artists and patrons of the arts. There is a loose hierarchy within the order based on how many such talents a priest has sponsored.
With each change of season, four times a year, there is a festival to celebrate all of the newly discovered talent of the season, as well as to show off the old artists of years past. Other events revolve around the premier of a new play, the introducing of some fresh new talent into the music scene, and so on.
Hiff (female)
Sphere of Influence: Prosperity Symbol: Chest of treasure Alignment:CG
Good Terms with: Mordlou, Veshai
Domains: Good, Law, Luck, Trade
Typical Worshippers: Merchants, halflings
Clerics of Hiff encourage the finding and nurturing of all weather, by any (non-evil) method and at any (non-evil) cost. They help make business rich and train noble families to manage their money and thus enrich their whole community. They are not greedy, though some individual followers come pretty close. They do not encourage marriages if that causes the breakup of an arranged marriage that results in alienation and poverty. Thus, they sometimes run afoul of worshippers of Sedova. They do love to adventure, as long as there is the lure of fabulous riches to be found. Priests are often sent out on missions to procure funds for the church (and for themselves). The more money and riches they bring in, the more power and prestige they receive for enriching the church. So while there may be temptation to keep the spoils of adventure, they generally are pretty generous with what they contribute back to their church. They are not about the collection of wealth for wealth's sake, but about the spreading of wealth and prosperity to as many as possible.
Many worship Hiff in the hopes that she will bestow her blessing and make the worshipper rich beyond imagination. Sometimes this happens, though if this is solely Hiff's doing, none can be sure. What is sure is that such things only happen if it would benefit the community as a whole, not just the individual so enriched. This priesthood, as could be understood, has quite a large following from all walks of life, from poor peasants who want to be rich nobles to rich noble who would rather not become poor peasants.
Jabuti (female)
Sphere of Influence: Nature Symbol: Oak Leaf Alignment:N
Good Terms with: Druids, Brack, Gathika, Lynos
Domains: Air, Animal, Earth, Plant, Water
Typical Worshippers: Elves, druids, barbarians
Followers of Jabuti are amongst the only non-evil worshippers who can see common cause with Brack. They can do this because they see death and disease as part of the normal cycle of life, though they are wary of the lack of balance to be found amongst the worshippers of Brack.
Clerics of Jabuti tend to dress in plain clothing, showing disdain for the more 'civilized' fabrics and cured leather, preferring more primitive modes of dress which bring them closer to nature, and thus closer to Jabuti. They wear a brass oak leaf as a symbol, though the higher order (prestige) clerics wear a silver oak leaf in its place. The highest of the order wear gold oak leaves, with the head of the order wearing a leaf of platinum. Appropriately enough, the symbols are not manufactured, but are grown in a special ceremony using the rites of the priesthood.
Clerics of Jabuti are usually very militant about protecting nature from unbalancing and destructive forces, much like the druids. They tend to wander amongst the wilderness from city to city to make sure nature isn't being overly exploited or destroyed. Druids are found in all levels of the hierarchy, including some who are granted special powers directly from Jabuti, though this is rare.
Jeone (male)
Sphere of Influence: Rulership, Kingship Symbol: Sceptre Alignment:LN
Good Terms with: Veshai, Furo
Domains: Good, Law, Strength, War, Nobility
Typical Worshippers: Aristocrats, fighters
Clerics of Jeone are the authenticators of Kings. They bestow blessings on various royal families, usually by the bestowal of an artifact, a scepter of Jeone, to them. Though its powers are mostly symbolic, it gives a strong air of legitimacy to a family's royal claims to power. And it is something that can be taken away if Jeone expresses his disapproval.
Not surprisingly, priests of Jeone act as advisors to kings and queens. They research royal family histories in order to authenticate a family's hold on a throne. They travel far and wide to acquire more information about kings, and sometimes to head off plots against them as well. They even have been known to dethrone illegitimate kings and queens at the request of Jeone (through the priesthood). They are totally loyal to the royal family who they serve, and if they find a king or queen unfit (the criteria for this depend upon the priest's alignment to some degree), they will seek to dethrone them, but using a proper, legal procession. They will only dethrone legitimate royal families at the request of Jeone himself (through the priesthood), though this is exceedingly rare and priests seldom admit to this.
Priests of Jeone can also be found as part of military hierarchies, making sure orders are followed and troops are loyal to the king or queen. They also provide healing to the wounded and other comforts to get an army prepared for battle, but this sort of aid is usually reserved for the officers and aristocrats. They have even been known to raise from the dead rulers in their charge, but only if the manner of their death in the first place does not disqualify them from being fit to rule (such as incompetence).
Joli (female)
Sphere of Influence: Light Symbol: Rays of light pouring through clouds Alignment:NG
Good Terms with: Helmes, Shinaire, Moira, Freynai, Philzek, Monet, Drena
Domains: Healing, Law, Protection, Sun, Moon
Typical Worshippers: Rangers, bards
Joli is the goddess of all forms of light: Sunlight, moonlight, firelight, the light from fireflies, dancing in the night. She is a friend of life, a patron of magic, a proponent of logical thought, and an enemy of evil, irrationality, and the undead. She is also the twin sister to the god of darkness and night, Khali. They are very closely related, even though they are opposing forces. Though the goals and alignments of their worshippers are often in direct opposition, both know that one cannot exist without the other, and so there is no effort on the part of either to eliminate the other.
Clerics of Joli all wear light, bright clothing and armor and do their best to lighten up an area, be it a dour room or a sour mood. They are aided in their duties of protecting the forces of light and eliminating undead by a force of knight protectors known as the Knights of Illumination, an order of paladins solely dedicated to their cause. These knights are often allied with the Sunblades of Moira in the cause of stamping out evil, especially undead.
Priests of Joli try to spread their light to all the dark corners of the globe, and thus can often be found travelling the roads as healers, protectors, and adventurers.
The formal church hierarchy is similar to that of the priests of Moira, as shown below:
Knights of Illumination (Ray insignia)
Yellow Rays - Knight General
Red Rays - Knight Captain
Purple Rays - Knight Lieutenant
Blue Rays - Sergeant
Green Rays - Corporal
White Rays - Private
Priests
High Priest of Light
Priests of Illumination
Priests of Brightness
(same scale as the Knights, but with no ranks)
Khali (female)
Sphere of Influence: Darkness, Night Symbol: Black Disk Alignment:NE
Good Terms with: Brack
Domains: Death, Destruction, Evil, Trickery
Typical Worshippers: Evil necromancers, rogues
Khali is twin sister to Joli, goddess of light. Though they are opposed by nature and motivations, they are complements to one another, and their followers do not directly attempt to eliminate one another. Khali is the goddess of some forces that humans fear. She is the embodiment of darkness, including all of its benefits and all of its dangers. The goddess of darkness and night is the god of sleep, of dreams, and of nightmares. Some traits are considered good, while others are considered ill. The priests see their duty as to make sure that all regard darkness and night with a reverential awe - appreciating the virtues of the night while still respecting and fearing the more frightening aspects. These priests tend to be aloof from mere commoners, their rituals and motivations hidden from the view of mere mortals. They all dress in black, be it armor or clothing, and have a mysterious aura about them that is as difficult to penetrate as the darkest, moonless night.
Khali, like Joli, has an order of protectors, known as the Obsidian Order. These warriors are highly trained in the art of combat, with a distinctive double longsword fighting style and clad in deep black platemail. Though they are often considered to be a force of evil, they have a very strict code of honor that they live by, and feel great shame if ever to be seen in breach of it. There are three orders within the Obsidian Order: The Order of Dreams, The Order of Sleep, and the Order of Nightmares. All three orders dress alike, so one never knows which order an Obsidian Order night belongs to on sight. One thing that is known is that all of the orders are feared a great deal.
Lloyd (male)
Sphere of Influence: Time Symbol: Scythes crossed over hourglass Alignment:N
Good Terms with: Brack, Bornikai
Domains: Death, Knowledge, Luck, Time
Typical Worshippers: Sages, wizards
Clerics of Lloyd reside over time as it affects all things. They help others deal with the ravages of time and the problems of life as they grow older. They often have great wisdom, gained from long lives of experience, as Clerics of Lloyd can have greatly expanded lifespans. It is rumored that the oldest priest of Lloyd, a human named Martin, is over twelve thousand years old, though the priesthood has never admitted as such, and neither has he.
Clerics of Lloyd use their long lives helping others deal with time. They teach that the only constant in life is change, and even that can change over time. They are very interested in history and extending its lessons learned through time. They often go out in search of historical sites to gain more perspective on time, and thus gain more insight into their god.
Hierarchy within the priesthood is based on age only. The more seniority of age a priest has, the more power and position will be bestowed upon him or her. The death of a priest by unnatural causes is considered to be a major crime against the priesthood and Lloyd himself, and is dealt with harshly. The most dreaded punishment is that of premature aging, and it can be bad even for elves to receive it.
Worshippers thus both fear and respect the order, and they also have hope that, if devoted enough, they will receive the ultimate blessing: agelessness. Very few ever receive such a blessing, but those that do are protected as the priests are, against death by unnatural causes by the priesthood
Lynos (male)
Sphere of Influence: Lightning, Thunder Symbol: Hammer w/ lightning bolt dn head Alignment:N
Good Terms with: Gathika, Mylak, Freynai, Jabuti
Domains: Air, Destruction, Sun, Storms
Typical Worshippers: Evokers, druids
This deity is not much interested in mortal affairs. His followers worship him for his strength, and the power he grants to them. Some sects use this power for good, some for evil, and some for ends entirely of their own concerns. The good and evil sects tend not to like one another, but don't single each other out as targets unless they come in direct opposition to specific goals. Most sects are small, being made up of individuals who have come together only to increase their personal power. They exist only to grow more powerful and spread their influence as far as their power allows. The hierarchy within each sect varies greatly, but all involve the personal power of the priests in some way.
Sects of Lynos are often greatly feared both for the power they wield and their eager willingness to use it.
Moira (female)
Sphere of Influence: Dawn Symbol: Sun with full spectrum rays Alignment:LG
Good Terms with: Joli, Philzek
Domains: Good, Healing, Law, War
Typical Worshippers: Paladins, fighters, monks
Clerics of Moira are very vigilant fighters of the forces of oppression, evil, and darkness, such as undead. The priesthood's power is split evenly between the clerics and the paladins of Moira, who have equal standing and jointly make up the leadership of each sect. They are a powerful force for good with advisors, both military and spiritual, active in many a kingdom. They also often have close alignments with others of similar ilk in the pursuit of the common good for all.
This order has integrity as its core philosophy, with the belief that goodness comes from within, and must start with each individual. It can be a difficult path to follow, and some think it has made the order too inflexible at times, unable to deal with the question of good and evil in nothing but black and white terms. But this unwavering devotion has also lent strength to the order in even the darkest of times. They believe that in the end, good will always triumph, as long as it never gives up its ideals.
The hierarchy of the church is as follows:
Clerics
High Priests of Dawn (Shifting rainbow symbol)
Council of Dawn - 8 members (Glowing Rainbow)
Paladins
High Lord of Dawn (Blade with shifting colors)
Lords of Dawn - 8 members (Blade with glowing rainbow)
Sunblades (Blades of pure gold)
The Sunblades are the elite soldiers of the Paladins of Dawn. They are chosen in a special ritual, which always involves a quest to destroy a great evil (usually undead, but not always) in order to achieve full Sunblade status. Once this is done, they are given the symbol of their new responsibilities, a magical blade made of pure gold that glows with the power of righteousness.
Monet (female)
Sphere of Influence: Hunting Symbol: Bow and arrow crossed Alignment:N
Good Terms with: Joli
Domains: Animal, Earth, Plant
Typical Worshippers: Rangers, druids, hunters, trappers
The order of Monet is a favorite of the rangers of the world. Its clerics are hunters, not killers. They use good hunting practices, so as not to over hunt and depopulate an area of game. They think not just of the current hunt, but of all the hunts to follow until the end of time.
Clerics of Monet who wear armor choose it for stealth over protection, all to better the chances for the hunt. Their clothes are often embroidered and personalized with decorations celebrating past hunts. These decorations vary, but always involve incorporating some part of the animal from each hunt so commemorated. They carry bows at all times, this being their preferred weapon for a hunt.
Most temples of Monet are away from the cities, in areas where hunting is good and the population of game can be regulated and protected for future generations of hunters. Their followers tend to be very single minded about their devotions to the hunt, and this extends to duties done to further the goals of the order. All tasks are seen as hunts, of sorts, though some may perhaps involve much more dangerous prey than the deer of the forest.
Mordlou (male)
Sphere of Influence: Trade Symbol: Pile of silver coins Alignment:N
Good Terms with: Hiff, Fizuli, Vargus, Shinaire
Domains: Luck, Travel, Trickery, Trade
Typical Worshippers: Rogues, less savory merchants
Mordlou is the god of bargaining and trade. Priests of Mordlou seek to promote the exchange of ideas (and gold!) between cultures from trade. They work to keep trade routes open, free from excessive taxation and mutually profitable. They consider the collection of wealth for its own sake the highest form of worship, and do everything they can to make that as easy for the ambitious as possible. Thieves and even bards are often avid followers of this order, as they represent the cultural exchange of business interests as well.
Priests of Mordlou are often members of local merchants' guilds, and they do everything they can to lobby against any sort of trade controls or taxation. They love to haggle, and to do so is seen as one of the higher forms of worship. Not to do so is considered an insult to Mordlou, and it may prevent one from doing business with them in the future. Clerics often seek adventure, figuring it is a good way to quickly make ones fortune with ancient, lost treasures. Their travels allow them both to find new items to trade and new individuals to trade them too. They embody both a business person's sophistication with a swashbuckler's thirst for new things laced with excitement. Many merchants and wanna-be merchants worship Mordlou. Worshippers and clerics do all they can to help sponsor promising looking business ventures and to expand an existing business across the globe.
Unlike the order of Hiff, the gaining of personal wealth is considered more important than the general prosperity of others. Some consider them to be overly greedy, and would much prefer to do business with those who worship Hiff, though merchants of a less savory reputation often prefer to do business with fellow followers of Mordlou because they know they will have a similar disregard for the prosperity of others. In some cases, worshippers of Mordlou will pass themselves off as followers of Hiff merely to gain trust and favor for a business deal. While those of Hiff are enraged at such a practice, Mordlou condones it, as anything that can gain one wealth effectively is considered good.
Morinda (female)
Sphere of Influence: Justice, Revenge Symbol: Headsman's Axe Alignment:LN
Good Terms with: Furo, Freynai
Domains: Death, Destruction, Law, Protection, Retribution
Typical Worshippers: Monks
Clerics of Morinda are often approached by those who have been wronged, and cannot get justice any other way. They pride themselves on being fair and just, meting out appropriate punishments that fit the crimes committed. They wear whatever attire they need to blend into the local scene, as they do not like to be noticed - it interferes with their job. Most local authorities do not appreciate the 'above the law' revenge that this priesthood dishes out. In private ceremonies, the priests wear black hooded garments that conceal almost all of their faces and bodies. They often keep their appearance and identity secret even from each other, so that if one is accosted by authorities, they cannot betray the others. Their attire is also what they wear for executions, which they carry out themselves for the appropriate crimes. Whenever possible, such executions are done within temple grounds, but any out of the way locale will do in a pinch. The most common form of executions by this priesthood is by the headsman's axe, which is also the symbol of their god. This symbol is carried with them always, and can be an identifier for them to indicate to those in need of justice that their agent has arrived. It is also shown to the targets of justice as their sentence is carried out. If possible, those who are wronged are witnesses to the punishments of those who wronged them. In some cases, if appropriate for revenge, the wronged is allowed to carry out the sentence, though some care is done with this so as to make sure that just the right amount of justice is administered. An overzealous victim might otherwise commit an injustice of their own.
Though they often work in cities underground and against the wishes of the local law, in some cities they are actually the official enforcers of the law, giving out justice (and revenge) to those who have wronged someone and have not been punished. The order is widespread, but splintered. Recruits are often found among those who have faced injustice and now seek to find justice for others. The head cleric of each sect is known as the Grand Inquisitor, who has many agents, known as Inquisitors, who seek out the facts when someone has been wronged. Once the facts are gathered, an appropriate and just action is then implemented.
Mylak (male)
Sphere of Influence: Strength
Symbol: Muscular human silhouette holding up mountain Alignment:N
Good Terms with: Soleil, Lynos, Shinaire, Furo
Dislikes: Brack, Fizuli
Domains: Destruction, Strength, War
Typical Worshippers: Fighters, barbarians
Clerics of Mylak celebrate physical strength, and really not much else. They promote it through contests, physical fitness, and through association with Furo, goddess of War. They often adventure as a means of both increasing their strength and demonstrating it to others. They despise weakness in any form (especially any they may unfortunately see in themselves) and think the strong should crush the weak or simply dominate them as leaders, as they are worthy of nothing more. What form their view takes depends strongly on their alignment.
The order is very small because only the very strongest even qualify to be clerics of Mylak (need a Strength of at least 16). They prefer to settle disputes within the order by contests of raw strength, and tend to have an attitude of 'might makes right' in almost any situation.
Nyfastis (male)
Sphere of Influence: Power, Corruption
Symbol: Eye over two crossed, jagged daggers Alignment:LE
Domains: Destruction, Evil, Law, War, Magic
Typical Worshippers: Evil wizards, evil fighters, blackguards, Jorians
Nyfastis is the newest deity, and perhaps also the most twisted. As an arch-mage of incredible power, he lusted for godhood. Centuries were spent preparing his plans until finally, in the kingodm of Jor, they came to fruition and his godhood was achieved. Unfortunately for him, he discovered that though he gained his personal ambition for power, his followers in the nation of Jor were in some ways weakened without his direct presence anymore to guide them. His priesthood was young and inexperienced while the bordering nation of Malai was fully prepared for Jor's military ambitions and was able to soundly defeat them after a very bloody war. Jor has now retreated behind its fortress borders and bides its time as Nyfastis' priesthood gathers its strength for the future.
The priesthood of Nyfastis is young, but is no less ambitious than Nyfastis himself. They seek to dominate the world, and have started with their total dominance of Jor and its military might. They bide their time, building up their numbers and scouting out their neighbors for weaknesses. Within their order are the Blackguards of Nyfastis, a group whose mere mention can bring stark terror to the most stout of heart.
As an extremely new order, it remains small and vulnerable, much less powerful than any other order of clerics, but despite this, it is greatly feared and respected, for their ruthlessness is well known.
Palin (male)
Sphere of Influence: Redemption Symbol: Silhouette of kneeling supplicant Alignment:NG
Good Terms with: Moira
Dislikes: Brack
Domains: Fire, Good, Law
Typical Worshippers: Paladins, do-gooders
Followers of Palin believe that all opponents to their cause are evil and must be converted, redeemed, or … destroyed. They are for the complete surrendering of oneself to the cause of Palin, dedicating themselves to this vision of good, well regulated lives free of any corrupting evil force. They are chaste until marriage, must always keep promises, must always tell the truth, and must make a trip to Palin's main temple at least once a year to confess their sins and to receive penance and guidance from the priests.
Priests of Palin travel far and wide to advise worshippers, to punish those who stand in the way of the cause, and to gain converts. They are very zealous in their mission and will do anything it takes (within their rigid code) to see the will of Palin is carried out. They try to get those who oppose Palin to repent, but if they refuse, they have no reservations about smiting an 'evil' on the spot on the name of Palin.
Priests wear bright red sashes over white robes, with coiled whips often seen below the flowing, crimson cloth. They always dress in their priestly colors, as they feel that their mere presence can help sway an evil-doer away from sin.
Priests usually try to insinuate themselves into all local governments, though many governments would rather not have such zealots in the halls of power. Though they will not smite an official, they can get very self-righteous when they think they are right, and there is no political bargaining with one of their number. In truth, they would rather BE the government than just a part of it, though they are somewhat satisfied if the leaders are at least worshippers of Palin, if not members of the priesthood. Then they can pull the strings, so to speak, and be sure that society is kept "pure", free of evil and corrupting sin. Until the world is free of evil and "sin" they can never rest or let their guard down.
Philzek (male)
Sphere of Influence: Healing Symbol: Staff w/ serpent entwined around it Alignment:LG
Good Terms with: Moira, Joli, Soleil, Veshai
Dislikes: Brack
Domains: Good, Healing, Protection
Typical Worshippers: Healers, people with sick family members
Philzek and his order are devoted to the cause of healing the sick of mind and body. Priests of this deity cannot turn anyone away whom they have the ability to heal, no matter what the affliction. They must always openly wear their symbol when in public, so that others will know that they can come to them for healing.
Priests of Philzek seek out the sick and injured in order to bring their healing powers to bear and wipe out the afflictions. Members of this priesthood are highly respected and revered for the work they do for their communities. They are equally respected for their opposition to the bringers of disease and death, such as the followers of Brack and Nyfastis. They dress simply, preferring to spend their meager resources on healing herbs and poison antidotes rather than the trappings of wealth or office.
Sedova (female)
Sphere of Influence: Love Symbol: Red girdle Alignment:CG
Good Terms with: Veshai, Filzek
Domains: Chaos, Fire, Trickery, Charm
Typical Worshippers: Lovers, scholars
Sedova, goddess of love, has many followers from many walks of life. The primary duty of the priests of Sedova is to make sure love, in all of its forms, is properly expressed without guilt or repression. They promote love whenever possible, especially by removing obstacles to it. They council trouble lovers, talk to families who try to stop marriages between lovers, and will even resort to trickery and charm to help someone love along to love a worshipper who is in love with someone who does not immediately reciprocate (though they wont' do this if there is outright antipathy between them). Small sects of Sedova can be found everywhere. They sometimes get themselves into trouble for messing up arranged marriages, but usually they are tolerated. They are sought out by those who are love sick or are in love. They will only preside over marriages by love, not for convenience or politics, and often they will work to break up such marriages because they see them as sacrilege.
There is no formal hierarchy within the church, just lots of love among the members. The love of friends, spouses, affection, lust, desire, and infatuation are all aspects of the love represented by Sedova. Priests look down upon those who get in the way of love, but will resort to force only as a last resort. All priests of Sedova must wed by achieving 8th level or suffer dire consequences for denying themselves their true loves.
Strongholds of Sedova are always open as sanctuaries for fleeing young lovers, and thus have many secret chambers and quarters. They will do everything in their power to make sure that love conquers all.
Shinaire (female)
Sphere of Influence: Metalwork, Crafts Symbol: Hammer crossed with metal needle Alignment:NG
Good Terms with: Helmes, Furo, Mylak, Freynai, Mordlou
Domains: Earth, Knowledge, Strength, Craft, Metal
Typical Worshippers: Smiths, gnomes, artists, dwarves
Shinaire represents the crafting of all goods, be they metal or not. There are two branches of his priests. One for metal, and one for non-metal workmanship, including stone masonry. Both branches seek to advance their fields through libraries of books on their crafts and through the sharing and teaching of the methodology through apprenticeships and schools. They seek to bring sophistication and creativity to their fine arts. This doesn't mean that they discourage competition between guilds, however. Competition can do wonders for ones work.
Many priests of Shinaire seek out old tomes for lost knowledge of their craft. Thus, they can be found just as often creeping around in old ruins studying the craftsmanship and materials of ages past as they can be found in a forge or on a construction site. They can be found adventuring just about anywhere, and as a consequence, they do learn to handle themselves against whatever creatures or traps might have been left behind to get in the way of their studies of the past.
Most of the sects have groups of teachers of various crafts, seeking to pass on their knowledge so that all beings can appreciate the offerings of their deity.
Soleil (male)
Sphere of Influence: Guardianship Symbol: White and Black shield (diagonal) Alignment:NG
Good Terms with: Philzek, Mylak, Furo
Domains: Good, Protection, War, Family
Typical Worshippers: Fighters, bodyguards, dwarves
Priests of Soleil are protectors of the common (and sometimes uncommon) folk. They are always on some mission or another, going along to protect those whom they were assigned to protect. They champion many causes and can be found almost anywhere. Their primary purpose is to defend and protect, not attack, and so they are seldom the aggressors. They would be derelict in their duties if they left their charge to attack, because it could be a diversion and they should never leave the helpless unprotected. Therefore, they do not usually initiate hostilities.
Priests of Soleil wear clothes and armor the same color scheme as their symbol, black and white separated diagonally. Those of higher rank have crossed swords on their shields over the colors. The color of the sword further denotes rank starting with red, then silver, gold, platinum, and finally gem insets for the High Priest.
Priests of Soleil are often advisors to rulers and powerful lorsd that help to fashion the defenses for entire communities and nations. They will never shirk their responsibilities to guardianship, only leaving a post if it is ultimately in the greater national defense interest to do so.
Priests of Soleil are greatly respected by the populace whom they defend. They have a reputation for ferocity and a single-minded devotion to fulfilling their duty to protect and serve.
Vargus (female)
Sphere of Influence: Fortune, Luck Symbol: Pair of Dice Alignment:CN
Good Terms with: Mordlou, Fizuli
Domains: Chaos, Luck, Travel, Fate
Typical Worshippers: Thieves, minstrels, merchants
Vargus is the deity of good fortune and luck that all hope to come their way. Priests of Vargus seek out those who suffer from ill luck and do what they can to rectify the situation, often through mischievous meddling. They are greatly opposed to Brack and others who would bring grave misfortune to others.
The church hierarchy is arranged on both ability and luck, with games of chance sometimes determining who will hold a particular office. Thus it is said that Vargus is the one who selects the proper candidate through the bestowal of luck. Most posts are held for a single year, allowing a chance for the loser's luck to change when they try again.
It is said to be very bad luck to kill a priest of Vargus, so they are treated with caution even by those who would otherwise want them dead. They are identified by wearing jewelry of some form in the representation of their symbol, a pair of dice. It is widely believed that it is good luck to have a cleric of Vargus with one's group. An idea they themselves heartily agree with.
Veshai (male)
Sphere of Influence: Peace Symbol: White dove with olive branch Alignment:LG
Good Terms with: Philzek, Sedova, Jeone.
Dislikes: Morinda, Furo
Domains: Good, Law, Protection, Charm
Typical Worshippers: Pacifists
Veshai is the god of peace. He abhors violence in any form, be it physical or psychological. His priests go along with war parties and adventurers in the hopes of persuading them to accomplish their goals in non-violent ways. They are not stupid, in that they realize that violence is sometimes inevitable, but they will never approve of it, but they will not get in the way or otherwise discard their lives to no purpose if they know they cannot stop it. That would be more senseless violence that they could have prevented. To allow one's self to come to harm is also not a peaceful act.
In public, the clerics of Veshai wear a robin's egg blue cape with the symbol of a dove holding an olive branch in white on the back. They like to be spokesperson for any group they are with, so as to help negotiate with others without having to resort to violence in any way.
Many do not like to be told that they cannot use violence, and they vent their anger on the priests of peace by maiming and killing them for recreational purposes. Because of this, the homes and temples of peace are often hidden away in areas where violence is common, in order to protect the priests and worshippers from harm. They often receive the protection of the paladins of Moira and Soleil, though they do not like to think of violence done on their behalf. They grudgingly accept it in some cases because to do otherwise could mean extinction. And they know that paladins will do their honorable best to avoid violence because of their code of honor and their understanding of the beliefs of Veshai.
Followers of Veshai dream of a day when the world is at peace and all violence is abolished. The frequent bar brawls that seem to end with what is called a "Veshai bash" seem to indicate that such a day is in the far distant future.
