Chapter VIII: Religion & Belief
T able 8-1: T he g ods and TheIr s pheres of I nfluenCe
God
Spheres of Influence
Common Worshippers
Manann
The Seas, Tides and Oceans
Fishermen, Sailors, Travellers
Morr
Death and Dreams
The Bereaved, Dreamers, Amethyst Wizards
Myrmidia
The Science of War, Estalia, Tilea Thieves, Tricksters, Luck Fertility of the Earth, Love Healing, Mercy, Childbirth The Empire, Protection Nature and the Wilds Battle, Wolves and Winter
Soldiers, Strategists, Officers
Ranald
Rogues, Gamblers, the Downtrodden Farmers, Jade Wizards, Peasants The Poor, the Diseased, Women Empire Folk, Nobility, the Army Amber Wizards, Peasants, Woodsmen
Rhya
Shallya Sigmar
Taal Ulric
Warriors, Middenheimers
Verena
Learning and Justice
Scribes, Celestial Wizards, Magistrates
large shrine, attended by only one sacramental figure who might not even be a Priest. Temples and shrines generally contain objects of value—offerings that have been made to the attendant deity, icons, relics, and so on. These valuables are considered the property of the deity, and characters who attempt to steal or damage them are inviting the displeasure not only of the temple’s Priests, but also of the deity. s hrInes Shrines are a common feature in the Old World. Most are independent, freestanding structures, erected by the inhabitants of a village or a city ward, or by members of a particular guild or other group. Essentially, shrines are temples in miniature; they are places where offerings are made and prayers are offered to placate or gain the favour of a deity. Most are no more than a small altar, with an image of the God and a suitable inscription, generally covered by a small wooden or stone structure. Shrines are visited regularly by worshippers who live too far away from a temple. The maintenance of the shrine is the responsibility of those who use it, and it is customary to make an offering of coin after praying at a shrine, to contribute toward its upkeep. Along roadways and in hamlets, shrines are dedicated to minor deities, such as the patrons of a particular craft, or the spirit of a nearby landmark, like a spring, a cave, a crossroads, or a bridge. p rayer and b lessIngs Occasionally, a character praying at a shrine or temple will not only attract the attention of the attendant deity, but will also bring some miraculous result. Perhaps the character will receive a sign, a sudden epiphany pointing the way to the next step in his adventure. The character might even receive a special blessing—a bonus for his next challenge or some sort of holy enhancement to his weapon. The GM will determine when and if such a thing might happen, but there are some basic guidelines: • Different Gods care about different things. A hero praying to Taal for guidance in his efforts to save an ancient grove of trees is more likely to be heard than a hero praying to Grungni for assistance in a political struggle. Blessings rarely come without a sacrifice. The Gods are impressed by meaningful sacrifices. A pauper giving his last coin to the altar of Sigmar is more likely to be heard than an Elector Count donating a statue made of gold. •
• Blessings are rare. They are rarer without great need. A character praying to Ulric for aid in battle may be heard, but it is doubtful Ulric will lend him strength unless the battle is of vital importance (the character is outnumbered, the battle will decide the fate of the character’s family, the battle is for the defence of a temple of Ulric, and so forth). Blessings will generally only be granted to characters who devoutly follow the attendant deity, although characters who are properly reverent in their prayer may be heard and given a boon. Blessings can take several forms, and it is up to the GM to decide on a suitable one, taking into account the circumstances, the nature of the deity involved, and the past history of the character. A character might be granted a small bonus to one test, the one-time use of an unknown skill or talent, or a one-shot use of a spell. GMs are free to invent new types of blessing, but they should only be more powerful than the examples given here in truly miraculous circumstances. A blessing usually feels like a warm glow in the character’s heart, a breeze that only he feels, a sound only he can hear. It is a subtle thing. The Gods do not usually speak to mortals or walk among them. A blessing is a thing of faith—the character has a sense of confidence that one of the Gods is with him; there is no ironclad proof that it is so. If the GM wishes to provide a very powerful blessing, it is suggested that it be accompanied by more spectacular heralds—heavenly horns sounding in the distance, the clouds parting and the sun’s rays spotlighting the character, the appearance of a heavenly being that anoints the blessed character, and the like. Obviously, this sort of event should be so rare that a thousand players could play for a thousand lifetimes and never have it happen once. o raCles and o Ther m arVels Temples are not only a place to make offerings, receive healing from Priests, and pray. Some have mystical properties, legendary relics, blessed clergy capable of oracular visions, or any other magnificent spiritual ability the GM might wish. Because the Gods are a pervasive part of life in Old World, temples are a great starting point for adventures. When the mysterious agent of one of the Gods asks you to go on a great errand in the name of her master, only a fool says no. Here are some classic adventure hooks that might crop up from a visit to a temple: • One of the faithful has brought in a clue to the location of a lost artefact of the attendant God. The PCs are commanded by all that is holy to retrieve it.
171
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online