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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Pedestrian" data-source="post: 3751192" data-attributes="member: 40208">In my current campaign, I've sketched out a broad sample of Churches that some of the various characters have been affiliated. All the gods are drawn from the Player's Handbook, but are worshipped (or not) in different ways by different Churches. In the most recent session devout (or demented, depending on view-point) Secret Religious Police caught up with the party Binder, intent on arresting and/or executing him.The major faith is the Pelorite Church, which views Pelor as king of the gods. The older, Imperial Orthodox Pelorite Church - imported to the setting continent with the Great Empire - includes only Heironeus as a divinity - he is Pelor's son and heir. All other "gods" are in fact demons to an true follower of the Imperial dogma. Even Hextor, Pelor's other son, is not regarded as a true god - his fall made certain of that. The Seraphim Order (the aforementioned secret police) are part of the Imperial Orthodoxy.Branching from the Imperial Orthodoxy is the Salacian Orthodoxy, of Salac, the major military and cultural power of Crucis. This Church recognises a third god - St Cuthbert - who is seen as Pelor's friend, and Heironeus tutor. St Cuthbert is only recognised by the Salacian Orthodxoy, and is recalled as a Salacian in life. The Salacians recognise as additional category of being - Spirits - which largely encompasses the gods of the heathen faiths - not evil like Demons, but neither so benevolent nor so powerful as Pelor and chums. They include Kord and Ehlonna in this "Spirit" category, despite teaching that they are Pelor's other children in Salacian view, an understanding drawn from passages in Apocrypha referring to older children of Pelor's. Kord and Ehlonna are certainly seen as "failed" children, and are not worshipped.The last offshoot of the Orthodox is the Southern Templar Tradition. This is the most pantheist of the three, representing Pelor as noble king and father to Heironeus, Kord and Ehlonna. Unlike either of the other two Pelorite faiths, the Templar Tradition scews strongly towards a chaotic attitude, and is much more aggressive and war-like. Unlike either Orthodoxy, the Templar Tradition divide up the various gods into discrete groupings.Kord and Ehlonna were included in the Pelorite Church when the Empire converted the natives - the Cales and the Argyles - of the continent to Pelorism. The humans of the Dvurgard, and some Argyles, still revere the two in their original aspect of Kade and Allana, much more elemental gods, and are not linked at brother and sister.In the northern and western portions of Crucis, Wee Jas joined them as a triumvirate. Wee Jas is revered in two aspects. Amongst the Argyle peoples, she is worshipped as a goddess of Death and Knowledge, shaven headed, ritually scarred priests keeping libraries of forgotten lore. In Embre, the westernmost nation of Crucis, the worship of Wee Jas takes on an aspect of celebrating life, and she is mostly seen as the goddess of Magic and Beauty. In particular, her order of itinerant Paladins spread the word and love of their goddess across the continent. Druids and Gnoll worship a much older vision of the goddess, as Queen of the Deep Places, and (especially among the gnolls) living sacrifice of men is practiced under the light of her consort, the moon.In the Dvurgard, the southernmost main-land kingdom - Wee Jas' position is usurped by Moradin, who the humans see as a wise uncle to brash Kade and young Alanna. He taught them the secret of steel, and of fire, much as Dvurgard Dwarves trade fine weapons with the native humans.Well, I could go on (I know I have a bit already!) but suffice it to say, I quite like making up this sort of thing. I've got a few more bits and pieces, and I hope this gives you a bit of a view into the setting I inflict on my players.</blockquote>

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