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Message: <blockquote data-quote="el-remmen" data-source="post: 9565005" data-attributes="member: 11">ClericClerics are intermediaries between the mortal world and whichever of the 13 Gods to which they have devoted their lives, a devotion so complete and parallel to their own understanding of the universe, that they have been imbued with divine magic they can shape and cast through daily prayers to their patron and their allied gods. At some point in their lives, a cleric character has experienced some holy revelation that changed their understanding of the universe and thus of themselves to such a degree that they come to feel that anything short of full devotion would be a waste of their life. As varied as the gods they serve, clerics strive to embody the domain of their deities as they understand it. Most clergy in churches great and small throughout Makrinos and Inchoate Empires, exhibit no magical ability at all, or perhaps some rudimentary cantrips, but clerics are especially chosen to honor their god through deeds, though what those deeds might be — from attending to the complex bureaucracy of a powerful church to undertaking harrowing quests in deep ancient dungeons for sacred relics to leading an army to war — can vary not only between gods, but among their very folClerics may share some basic powers in common, but a cleric’s choice of god determines the spell list they have access to and grants them a specific minor class feature. The cleric’s choice of domain (of which each god provides a choice of 2 to 3) determines the cleric’s specific powers and grants an additional set of domain spells added to their spell list. In this way, two clerics of the same god might have access to different spells and powers, as might two clerics of the same domain who approach that aspect of existence differently depending on their specific god. Clerics also all look different, depending on their god, domain choice, and personal traditions. While some wear heavy armor and approach their mission like a warrior, other are healers and advisors who rely on persuasion and spells to accomplish their understanding of what is holy.While traditionally, clerics may only take one of the 13 Gods as their patron deity, respect and abeyance for the other 12 Gods is typically an expected attitude among clerics, and it is not uncommon for a cleric to add supplementary prayers to one or more of the other gods when the subject of prayer falls under the purview of the god’s portfolio. There are also rare clerics of some of the syncretic formations of the gods [see 13 Gods – Syncretic Gods], but these clerics are either independent of a church, part of a syncretic cult (and thus without the social and political cache of a church), or are operating within a more progressive church for one of the component gods. The Under Gods do not have clerics, but are patronized by warlocks and sometimes petitioned by druids. Cleric AlignmentClerics are granted their access to divine power and maintain it through deeds, prayer, and in some cases proselytizing, but are otherwise free to use those powers as they think best in pursuit of their understanding of their gods’ interests and philosophies. As such, while the 13 Gods, their syncretic forms, and the various innumerable Under Gods are aligned with Cosmic Order, Primal Chaos, or Universal Balance [see Alignment], the ethics of specific churches, church networks, and their leaders can vary widely even for gods that according to tradition are a “good” or “evil” god. Typically, a cleric’s Cosmic Alignment mirrors that of their chosen god, thus a cleric of Zenithos, would typically be Lawful, but they might be good, neutral, or evil according to their specific church, sect, or individual approach to serving their god. That being said, some understandings of gods can run opposite to their popular image, for example a cleric of Zenithos who favors the god’s relationship to the all-consuming and unpredictable nature of fire, might serve Chaos.[ATTACH=full]394125[/ATTACH]Clerics in the Inchoate EmpiresThere are two basic kinds of clerics in the Empires. “Good” clerics are those whose view and worship of the 13 Gods is in line with a particular empire, and use their social capital and divine magic to further that political goal. “Bad” clerics are rabble-rousers who raise followers among common people and soldiers and seek to either upend the status quo or replace it with their own theocratic system. Regardless, the dampening of magic in the lands of the Empires, means the great divine miracles of high-level clerics never manifest or have the kind of influence one would think that the chosen few of a deity might have in that turbulent part of the world. It is for that reason that clerics are more commonly referred to as “the martyrs” in Empires, given their common fate. Clerics might have multiple reasons for leaving the Inchoate Empires, from being driven into exile to seeking a divine revelation from their deity to pursuing religious freedom.Clerics in MakrinosThere are few powerful clerics in Makrinos and those few either lead churches or are famous adventures of the legendary past. The vast majority of clergy are simply acolytes or priests with little to no access to divine magic, but nevertheless with the power of a church behind them. Clerics can be divisive figures whose idiosyncratic views can lead to accusations of apostasy and diverging sects among the gods’ followers fomenting chaos. While the religious figures of Makrinos are frequently involved in the rituals of politics through ceremonial roles, when a cleric stands for office, there is often turmoil in both political and religious circles, even as the popular view of interaction of church and state shifts with each generation further away from the founding of the Republic. In the traditions of Makrinos, the gods protect the institutions of democracy, but to use divine power to manipulate the outcome of an election is a sacrilege.Clerics in Makrinos work to further the aims of their gods, defend and foster the community of their followers, and undertake deeds that brings glory to their church and/or deity.</blockquote>

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