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<blockquote data-quote="nopantsyet" data-source="post: 1569410" data-attributes="member: 3109">Consider that a large number of priests were actually second sons of nobles.&nbsp; First son is heir, second son goes into the church.&nbsp; The church wielded a lot of power, and this was a way of ensuring one's interests were represented.&nbsp; Those guys aren't clerics, they're aristocrats.&nbsp; They end up in the upper echelons of church leadership.Next, you have the average priests, guys who come from all walks of life.&nbsp; Experts and commoners.Then are the visionaries.&nbsp; These guys are off the wall, usually affiliated with the church but also considered somewhat frings.&nbsp; Ascetics who live in a dirt hovels.&nbsp; Contemplatives in their tiny cells.&nbsp; These guys started out as either of the above (commoners, experts, aristocrats), but at high levels take the Contemplative PrC.Finally you have your clerics.&nbsp; These are the true pastors of their flocks.&nbsp; Usually found in unlikely villages, they often spend only short periods of time in one place, but sometimes put down permanent roots in very remote places.&nbsp; Many are evangelists, who travel abroad spreading the word.&nbsp; They always try to avoid the gaze of the church.&nbsp; Despite their devotion, their extraordinary power frightens the church.&nbsp; The coexist through careful avoidance.&nbsp; As long as these don't organize or try to change the power structure of the church, the leadership will not move against them.&nbsp; In the end, the leaders know the church benefits from the works of these missionaries and prefer to be on the &quot;same side.&quot;</blockquote>

[QUOTE="nopantsyet, post: 1569410, member: 3109"] Consider that a large number of priests were actually second sons of nobles. First son is heir, second son goes into the church. The church wielded a lot of power, and this was a way of ensuring one's interests were represented. Those guys aren't clerics, they're aristocrats. They end up in the upper echelons of church leadership. Next, you have the average priests, guys who come from all walks of life. Experts and commoners. Then are the visionaries. These guys are off the wall, usually affiliated with the church but also considered somewhat frings. Ascetics who live in a dirt hovels. Contemplatives in their tiny cells. These guys started out as either of the above (commoners, experts, aristocrats), but at high levels take the Contemplative PrC. Finally you have your clerics. These are the true pastors of their flocks. Usually found in unlikely villages, they often spend only short periods of time in one place, but sometimes put down permanent roots in very remote places. Many are evangelists, who travel abroad spreading the word. They always try to avoid the gaze of the church. Despite their devotion, their extraordinary power frightens the church. The coexist through careful avoidance. As long as these don't organize or try to change the power structure of the church, the leadership will not move against them. In the end, the leaders know the church benefits from the works of these missionaries and prefer to be on the "same side." [/QUOTE]

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