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Message: <blockquote data-quote="I'm A Banana" data-source="post: 1721281" data-attributes="member: 2067">All true, but they've proved quite useful here.......seems like even if they weren't meant for it, some world-building thought went into 'em. And they make for a surprisngly coherent world. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />  They're not the final word. For instance, a lot of people didn't accept the 2 attacks/day idea, and instead decided that plague and disease was the great threat. But they are quite suggested by the rules..... Now applying an economy to this might be a further exercize in futility. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> But I've never felt a need for that.  Feeling out what the baseline, everyday life is in a D&D world is a worthy use of the extrapolation, I feel. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> More on the Evil Cults:I think it's more common than that -- the D&D gods work together to define the forces that govern the world, and it's ignorant folly to ignore these forces, even when they aren't particularly pleasant ones. I find myself reaching back to Greece a lot to compare....a creature like Dionyssus isn't exactly *constructive* for society, with revelry, excess, gender-bending and whatnot....but he was still honored and respected with the rest of the gods, and in some cases more so (because it dealt with the forces he had control over). Similarly, Erythnul *is* violence. Violence is part of everyday life. You don't just sacrifice to him to encourage  violence, you also sacrifice to him to prevent it...a happy god doesn't come down hard on you, after all.  So in most communities, there will be festivals, sacrifices, and common prayers to Erythnul. He could be muttered in the same prayer as Heironeous: "Let Heironious infuse our allies with honor, and let Erthynul take the enemy." Every June 20th, the feast of Slaughtersday is held, and a sacrifice of animals and captured enemies is made to placate the god (people are doused in the blood). It is common to dedicate the bodies of those killed in hostile action to Erythnul by chopping them into a fine paste. These aren't weird or frightening. Indeed, NOT doing these things (and thus incurring the god's wrath) could get one punished by the law, because the god could take out his anger on the entire town that sheltered such an individual. And what would you rather have, one person punished, or an entire town slaughtered? Who is a priest of Erythnul will vary with the town...in some small communities, adepts or experts will serve that role, and there is no adpet oath. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> In larger communities, where there is a cleric, they won't nessecarily be serial killers -- though they would undoubtedly *like* serial killers. Because in addition to the private, violent, unpleasant face of Erythnul, there is also the socially accepted side. The everday side. And it is just as extreme to dedicate one's life to needless slaughter as it is to ignore it completely. Though that's why other gods exist -- as checks and balances on the power of others. If a cleric of Erythnul gets to be a serial killer, Erythnul will love him -- but Pelor? Heironeous? They're going to work against him, bring him to justice, etc.</blockquote>

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