There are many gods within the world, some good, some evil, some powerful and some weak. Each gods' power waxes and wanes according to the number and quality of their worshippers. By the use of prayers and rituals priests can invoke the will of their god. Adventuring priests tend to be the zealous missionary type out to convert and do the more dangerous wills of their god. They generally do not learn the rituals as these are long winded affairs that do not suit their temperament.
They also tend to favour the arms and armourment of their god. As they rise in power their god will grant them more powerful prayers as well as special protection or other powers. All priests start with the healing skill at +1.
Priests gain extra powers by praying and dedicating both time and spirit (read hero points). The prayers granted depend upon many things including the devotedness of the cleric, hero points sacrificed, time spent in prayer and deeds performed. In general in can be said that a god will grant about 2 prayer levels for every hero point sacrificed and day spent in contemplation.
Most priests gain the ability turn away or destroy undead creatures by focusing the power of their god through their holy symbol.
Clerical power points cost 1 hero point each. When each one is gained there is a chance that an additional one may also be gained. A roll against wisdom with a difficulty of 12 is required.
The abilities of the priests depends upon the god they chose.
All priests tithe 10% of all income to their sanctuary or other worthy cause.
The prayers available depend upon the characters faith (which dictates actions) and the sacrifices made in hero points.
In order to be able to use a prayer level their faith bonus must at least equal the prayer level. For each increase in faith level it is likely that the god will require a minor quest in addition to the hero points normally associated with a rise in training level. Between raises in faith the god will grant additional spells in return for hero point sacrifice. Generally this takes the form of 2 levels of spells granted per hero point.
Each hero point sacrificed to the god increases the overall power of the god. Some of these the god will use in a general cause and some are redistributed to priests in need. It is not unknown for the faithful in need who cry out to be granted extra hero points.
Turning undead is related to prayers in that you are calling upon the power of your god to demolish the creatures of the night. A roll against faith determines the number and type of undead that are turned. The standard combat table is used with the damage done being the number turned.
Due to the power of turning the undead may be completely destroyed rather than simply turned. The number destroyed is the total number turned less 10, the rest affected are turned as normal. The font rank are the ones destroyed and the ones behind turned.
The ability to turn is not automatically granted to everybody with faith, it is a god given ability that is bestowed along with the prayers.
Priests can only turn undead that are in their line of sight. Range is 20'
All priests are expected to tithe at least 10% of income earned outside of the church. However for this they will be given board and lodging free of charge at all temples when they are in the area. If they require training however they will be required to pay the normal fees in extra tithes.
Weapon = Mace
Bahrie's mission in life is a mission of mercy. The plagues and pestilences sent by the Grim reaper are the bane of her life.
The force of the Grim reaper however is nothing compared to Orcus Demon Lord of the undead. Everything must die eventually so the Grim Reaper is tolerated however the undead are damned beyond redemption. Every opportunity must be taken to put the damned to rest and relieve the agents of Orcus of their misguided lives.
Priests of Bahrie gain the following abilities.
Faith +2
Immunity to all natural diseases
Faith +3
+1 to turning undead attempts
Faith +4
Immunity to natural poisons
Faith +5
Immunity to all diseases
Faith +7
Immunity to all poisons
Weapon = Knights Sword
The temples of corellion are based around open theatres where many sagas and plays are performed. The outer courtyards provide a meeting place for youngsters wishing to lose themselves in a good yarn. Dragons soar and good triumphs as the stories unfold. Over the years many valuable scrolls of past legends are collected in the temple libraries acting as a focus point for many bards.
Priests gain the following abilities
Faith +3
Immunity to song attack
Weapon = Bastard Sword
Eo is a special case as he is the original one god and father of all other gods, he has no need for priests, he does however have a fighting arm which gain certain clerical powers as their faith grows. These are called paladins.
Paladins are a special brand of fighter/priest that have seen the light of the one god (Eo). They are the arm of this god and a law unto themselves. Few characters will defy the will of a paladin as they are held in higher esteem than any priest. Paladins really are the priests of Eo, they just don't have temples outside their sanctuaries; and mere mortals aren't allowed in. The sanctuaries are where all their training occurs, they aren't allowed out until they have become knights unless they are accompanying a knight on a journey as a squire.
Paladins are the epitome of all that is good and true, chivalry is the name of the game, maidens in distress were made for them.
They gain the following special powers from Eo depending upon their faith bonus.
Faith +1
Detect evil at up to 60' when concentrating.
Make all saving throws at a bonus of +1
Lay on hands to cure stamina for a total of their faith points
Faith +2
Emanation of a protection from evil circle 10' diameter.
Faith +3
Immunity to all diseases
Cure 1WP per week
Faith +4
After a special act on behalf of Eo they may call for their warhorse.
Make all saving throws at a bonus of +2
Faith +5
They gain a limited number of prayers
Paladins are restricted by moral and ethical codes and are not allowed to show excessive trappings of wealth.
They may own only a few magical items
They retain only sufficient wealth to keep them in a modest manner and pay their expenses.
Maintain company only with characters who do good deeds
Weapon = Morning Star
No civilisation openly worships the grim reaper so very little is known about the temple and its rites However through certain sources it has been discovered that the temples are based around a blood altar and that the sacrifices are not limited to the animal kingdom.
The priests are also known to have an unholy alliance with undead. Many sects worship various demons and devils but these all ultimately gain their power from the grim reaper.
War is honour, honour is war
Weapon = Anything
The church seeks to ensure that wars are fought honourably and prisoners treated fairly. In personal life the duel is used to settle any grievances.
The code of honour
The priesthood and the church
Each temple is based around an arena which is used for training and the yearly games. The games are presided over by the highest priest available and the combatants judged in terms of combat skill and style. Due to the frequent injuries that occur healing is always at hand.
As the priests become to old to fight they are termed elders and look after the smooth running of the temple as well as determining tactics in times of war.
In times of war many priests join the army to increase their prowess and ensure the fight is honourable.
They gain the following abilities
Each additional faith point they are taught one weapon from a new category.
Faith +2
Take the force feat
Faith +3
Encouragement feat
Faith +4
Any one available leadership feat
Faith +5
Any one available combat feat
Weapon = Mace
The flame cleanses all. Temples of Hastsezini are based around a flaming chalice tended night and day by the priests and elders of the temple.
Purification rites take place on entry to the order which involves acts such as walking across hot coals and plunging hands into scalding water. The temples are always enclosed and heated to an almost unbearable degree.
They gain the following abilities
+1 on save against fire based attacks per faith point.
Faith +2
Ability to walk on hot coals
Faith +3
Throw balls of fire 20' for Level 1 damage
Faith +4
Ability to become a pillar of fire with no harm to themselves. Causes L2 SP damage to all who contact them - Once per day
Faith +5
Ability to walk on lava
Weapon = Scimitar
Priests of Ki are known as druids. They never inhabit the cities or larger towns, preferring instead the wooded glens in outlying districts. Druids are the priests of farmers looking after the crops and animals.
Druids gain the following abilities.
Faith +1
Identify plants and animals
Faith +2
Pass through overgrown areas without leaving a trail
Identify pure water
Faith +3
Learn one woodland language for each additional faith point
Pass through overgrown areas without hinderance
Faith +4
Ability to shapechange 3 times per day into a reptile, bird or mammal (once each per day) sized from a bullfrog to a black bear. Each change heals 10-60% of lost SP (round down).
Faith +5
Venom immumity from natural creatures or plants, +4 save vs other poisons.
Weapon = Dwarfen Axe
Moradin rules the earth and all that it contains. He is lord of all stone and metal, looked to for guidance by miners, smiths and jewellers. The dwarfs are a special concern of Moradin due to their special relationship with mines and gold.
Temples are always constructed of the finest stone available but with a vast range of architectural styles. Some show the brute strength of stone with massive pillars, whilst others are a mass of seemingly impossible vaulted ceilings and flying buttresses. The temples are said to all be connected via a system of underground temples.
Priests gain the following abilities
Faith +5
Enchant ritual for metal weapons
Weapon = Dagger
Temples of Loki are situated in the heart of all thieves guilds and the priests rank second only to the master thief. They are often ex-thieves who through some accident have been forced to become non-active members of the guild.
Cunning, silent, a neat job and no suspicions, that is how Loki works. Why face an attack if it can be avoided, why let the treasure be divided evenly if you can get their first.
There are always plans to be devised, revenges (real or imagined) to take, jobs to case... Laws are fine for those that believe in them, however they do have a habit of getting in the way so they should be freely disregarded when inconvenient.
Priests of Loki gain the following abilities.
Unknown
Weapon = Hammer
The weather in all its varieties from blizzards to the blistering heat in a desert is the preserve of Thor. Thor is almost as popular as Ki in some agricultural areas due to his immense effect on the crops.
Temples are often very light in construction with the central area always open to the sky.
Thor priests gain the following abilities.
Weapon = Two Handed Sword
Justice is constant and good, all miscreants should be punished according to the law once proven guilty. Tyr is the backbone of society without which it would crumble back to ruins. Justice must not only be done it must be seen to be done.
Transgressors deserve the punishment they get, those who live by the sword shall die by the sword. Tyr priests are the final arbiters of many a quarrel, minor or major, legal or personal. In disputed cases of guilt where no other means of settlement is possible the two main methods of determining right and wrong are trial by combat (to first blood normally) and trial by fire.
To call in a priest of Tyr is to state that the participants cannot solve the problem themselves. Many priests travel the land as visiting judges.
Tyr is often called upon to witness and bind participants to an agreement which has more force than any piece of paper, that is if the participants wish the law to know opf their agreement.
Priests of Tyr gain the following abilities
Faith +4
Make a binding agreement between two willing participants so that if either one willingly breaks the agreement they suffer an immediate loss of all remaining stamina and lose all bar 2 wound points throwing them into a coma which lasts a minimum of 1 week. The other party immediately know that the agreement has been broken.
Weapon = Spear
Technically the god of cold, water and ice however the general worshippers are the sailors and so Untamo has become known as the god of seafarers. Sailors frequently make a sacrifice to Untamo before a long journey.
Temples are as varied as the sea itself, the common factor being the many streams and fountains that wind their way through the corridors and courtyards. Many priests wander as restless as the sea searching for a new shore.
Priests gain the following abilities
Faith +4
Throw Spears of ice 20' for Level 8 damage at +2 to hit
Faith +5
Breath water