Priests and Religion

Diety Archetypes | Priests and Divine Power | Pantheon of Skarppsey


A DISCLAIMER (PLEASE READ):


I DO NOT, AND NEITHER DOES ANYONE THAT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS GAME, SUPPORT OR PRACTICE THE ACTIVITIES OF SATANISM, OCCULT MAGIC, HUMAN SACRIFICE, ANIMAL SACRIFICE, OR OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT LEAD TO WILLFUL HUMAN DEGRADATION OR HARM. THIS IS NOT INTENDED AS AN EVANGELICAL DISCUSSION OR AS A DERISION OR OFFENSE TO ANY REAL WORLD ORGANIZED OR PERSONAL RELIGION. I HAVE NO RELIGIOUS OR PERSONAL AGENDA IN PRESENTING THIS INFORMATION, BESIDES THE EXPLANATION OF A RULE SYSTEM TO GOVERN THE USE OF PRIESTLY POWERS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE GAME ALONE. THIS SECTION IS INCLUDED FOR COMPLETENESS AND THE FOR THE FACT THAT THIS GAME DEALS WITH SUBJECTS OF A FANTASTIC AND MAGICAL NATURE. PLEASE DO NOT BE OFFENDED BY USE OF TERMS OR SUBJECTS THAT TOUCH ON THE OCCULT OR ON MATTERS OF A RELIGIOUS NATURE. THIS MATERIAL IS ONLY TO BE USED FOR GAME PURPOSES AND NOT FOR ANY REAL WORLD ACTIVITY. IF YOU ARE UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO separate REALITY AND MAKE-BELIEVE, PLEASE CHOOSE A DIFFERENT HOBBY THAN ROLE-PLAYING AND GET SOME PROFESSIONAL HELP. THANK YOU.

Diety Archetypes

For the simplification of Deities into categories of Archetypes, I have divided the basic forms of Gods into 12 Aspects and 5 Elements. I choose to view a Fantasy Polythiestic Religion as one which creates individual gods to fill the roles and rule over certain Aspects of Human Nature or Belief as well as the Elements of Creation. I call these roles Diety Archetypes (almost like Jungian Archetypes, but greatly simplified). I have drawn on several sources and good discussions of modern religion, but I want to restate that this is a fantasy setting, so no real world religion properly applies, though ideas can be drawn from them.

Aspects

Elements

Gods

Each God is in some fashion described by a single Aspect or Element, or a combination of several Aspects and/or Elements. The GM may on his own design a god or pantheon that fits his needs or the GM and player may work together to design a Diety that the player's character will worship. Note that Deities can be the center of a monotheistic religion or part of large or small pantheon. Also, deities can be non-human or even non-sentient elemental forces or drives, instead of willed Gods. Whatever suits your needs.

The powers a diety grants are generally dependent on the Aspects or Elements they incorporate, but do not have to limited souly to those, or include all of them.


Priests and Divine Powers

The Magick of the Gods
All priestly magick is in some fashion based on a connection with one or more of the Aspects or Elements. Where a mage's powers derived from himself and his ability to manipulate mana, a priest's powers arise from worship of a diety or entity that grants power to its disciples. Because of this, a Priest's powers function differently than a mage's. The granted power's of a priest do not necessarily depend on his skill (often they depend on the natural capabilities (Attributes) of their priest himself). Instead they depend on the "holiness" of the priest, his devotion to the source of his powers, and how well the priest's desire coincide with the diety's. The diety's powers that are bestowed on the priest come in the form of a blessing or investiture or power, for as long as the priest serves faithfully. The priest may choose to exercise these powers at will, but the effort of channeling divine power through a mortal vessel exhilarates and exhausts the priest. Additionally, since the diety usually receives repayment for his powers through a measure of the priest's strength (that is why dieties need followers), the priest must generally expend Strain to utilise the bestowed powers. Alternately, if the priest believes that his prayer can attract the diety's attention and would be in his interest, he may beg for a miracle or manisfestation of the diety's powers, toward whatever result he wishes to pray for. The GM is the only judge as to whether the diety finds the pray worthy, and should be influenced by the length and impressiveness of the prayer, and especially by the faithfullness of the priest and the how the miracle would benefit the diety. Since miracles are one of a kind or at least very rare, I will not bother to describe or rule them. The GM is free to "wing it."

Bestowed Powers
Bestowed Powers are described by three things: (a) The effect of the Power; (b) the level of "holiness" or devotion needed to receive the Power (can simply be determined by the rank or hierarchical standing of the priest in the Church); (c) and the cost in Strain to channel the Power. When a character chooses to be a priest and buys the Extra: Priest of (Blank), if the priest's diety grants his followers Powers, then the character may purchase starting Powers (ones available to initiates of the God) with the points he has for Skills or Extras. As a General Rule, each Power costs an average of 5 points at Character Creation to buy (lower cost for less useful or powerful Powers, Raise cost for more useful or powerful powers). I generally limit characters to no more than 3 Powers to start off with, but no limit has to be imposed. After Character Creation, if a character wants to gain another Power (and his diety has other Powers to grant), the GM should have the character perform a service or quest for the diety. If that is successful, then the priest may spend 25 Character Points (again, this is an average value to be adjusted for the specific Power bought) and through a special ritual recieve investiture of another of the diety's divine Blessings (but may only choose or recieve a power that is his level of holiness or less at GM's determination).


Deities of Skarppsey
An Example Pantheon and Power List based loosely on Scandinavian Myth


Notes on the Realms of the Gods of Skarppsey

Gottenheim:
The Dwelling Place of most of the Gods and of the Honored Dead; means "God's Land" or "High Land."

Nifliheim:
The Realm of the Tormented Dead; means "Dark Land" or "Cold Land."

Waljiheim:
The Realm at the Bottom of the Sea, mean "Wet Land" or "Water Land."

Krenheim:
The Realm at the Center of the World, means "Stone Land" or "Garden Land."