How many temples in a community?

[Agback]

That's also with only having one religion, a centrally controlled one at that.

In a society with various competing belief systems (like the polytheism of the typical D&D world or the myriad denominations in the US), especially where you have faiths that do not have overarching heirarchies and central authorities (like most Chaotic religions), you can have a lot more centers of worship.

Also, if one specific belief system does not enjoy special sanctioning or privledges from the rulers, then variety is much more likely.

Variety is more likely, yes. But variety won't increase the capacity of the economy and population to build temples and support priests. A given number of people will still only be able to afford to support a given number of priests. If there are multiple competing religions, each one will draw the support of only a fraction of the populations, and so it will have to make each establishment serve a larger catchment population. The upshot would be that you would have the same number of clergy and temples per head of population.

I would, however, expect to see a different spatial pattern. With a single hierarchy you get churches spaced fairly evenly, one per parish. With competeing hierarchies you would find them concentrated, one per god, in places with good transport connectivity, such as market towns. Under such a set-up I should also expect to see un-staffed shrines in villages, for personal or congregations observances not requiring priestly intercession.

 

[wingsandsword]

Variety is more likely, yes. But variety won't increase the capacity of the economy and population to build temples and support priests.

Even by the D&D 3.x RAW, a "Small Town" of 2,000 can support a large number of priestly characters.

What classes count as "Priest"? If I just said Cleric, Druid and Adept as primary divine spellcasters and thus as clergy, the highest level Cleric, Druid and Adept are all each 1d6+2th level, with rules for determining how many of lower levels are below them.

Now, so we'll roll 3d6, one for each class. Let's say we get 4, 3, 3, a very average set. This means the highest level Cleric is 6th level, the highest level Druid is 5th level, and the highest level Adept is 5th level, and using the rules for determining how many people are of lower level in town: 1 6th Level Cleric, 2 3rd Level Clerics, 4 1st Level Clerics, 1 5th Level Druid, 2 2nd Level Druids, 4 1st Level Druids, 1 5th Level Adept, 2 2nd Level Adepts, 9 1st Level Adepts.

That's by the strict RAW demographics rules, 26 divine spellcasters (about 1.3% of the population), that's also excluding Rangers, Monks and Paladins (who may lead services in some faiths). That's easily enough to sponsor a half-dozen temples (with an average of 4 spellcasting clergy at each one, with 2 extra to go around, and the non-spellcasting monks, Paladins and Rangers). A temple of magic or knowledge may also have wizards, sorcerers or bards acting in some capacity as well.

If this thread has shown us anything, it's that in a community of that size, there could be anywhere from one temple, to more than a dozen, all depending on the details of the setting.

 

[mythusmage]

I didn't know that. Were they fairly common and operated in the open or was more of a underground/secret operation?

It was pretty open back in the day. Temples to such as Ishtar and Aphrodite featured prostitutes so worshippers could worship in the proper way.

 

[mythusmage]

Even by the D&D 3.x RAW, a "Small Town" of 2,000 can support a large number of priestly characters.

(snip)

Of those clergy types, how many are full-time? Not every religion has full-time clergy, and even those that do may have clerics who 'moonlight'.

For instance, a small village may have a 1st level (divine) adept with the profession of blacksmith. Most of the time he works at his smithy, only putting on the vestments for holy days and festivals.

Then you have lay clergy. Assistants, administrators etc. with no ability in divine magic.

As to the facilities, most of the time they'll be supported by gifts and donations. Carpentry for a building, tailoring for vestments. Gifts of food to help keep the village priest fed when he's 'on duty'. Such acts might be rewarded by the deity involved. Say, increased crop yields or easier birthings.

By and large clergy who work full time should be few and far between. Most clergy will have a primary job and work as a cleric on important occasions.

Hope this helps.

 

[Mark CMG]

I'm designing a small town of 2000 citizens and I'm curious how many temples there might be.

A community of that size should have at least a shrine, if not a full temple, for any deity that can legally be worshipped in the region/kingdom. There should also be some illegal deity/cult activity, I would surmise.

 

[Agback]

Even by the D&D 3.x RAW,

'Even' by the D&D rules? You make it sound as though they suggest low numbers.

a "Small Town" of 2,000 can support a large number of priestly characters.

It includes characters with such levels among its population, yes. That is not to say that it supports them in the profession of priest, living by the altar. And it is certainly not the same as suggesting that each of them, or even each sect among them, is provided with a temple. Many of them, especially of the adepts, will be part-times and amateurs, casting the occasional first-level spell, brewing perhaps a potion or two, but mostly concentrating on a 'real' profession.

 

[kigmatzomat]

You can justify pretty much any number you want, up to and including having nearly 2000 priests (monastery). The rules give you a randomized system that is "good enough" but may require some handwaiving to justify in a particular city.

The factors you should consider are religous freedom, need, and role in your particular setting. State-sponsored religions or theocracies tend to get irritable about other divinities. Some gods serve a distinct purpose that the populace needs (Gifts of rum to Zaka for large crops!) or fears (Worship Pele or else.) that over-rides other external forces. Lastly, some priesthoods have particular roles in the culture; morticians, healers, or judges.

Most D&D settings are polytheistic and even when there is a primary religion should probably have a small public temple with shrines to the other dieties in the pantheon. Many evil gods would be present just so people could make offerings begging the god to leave them alone. In settings where pantheons compete, like at borders between regions, you might have several such pantheonic temples. E.G. in modern day New Orleans you could find churches with shrines for the gods/spirits/saints for the pantheons of Catholocism, Hinduism, Vodun and more.