Chapter VIII: Religion & Belief
Fast An offender may be asked to offer up part, or all of his meals for a time, in an attempt to placate the God in question. If the punishment is severe, the offender will be forced to spend a month drinking only water—a sure sentence to the flux if ever there was one. Whipping Self-flagellation or a public whipping is a favourite of many Gods. Some specify certain implements, whilst others merely demand a certain amount of “stripes”. Leeching Tricksters and deceivers are disliked by many Cults. Merchants who give short measure, gossips, and con men are often brought to Priests for “divine punishment”. This usually involves praying over the offender whilst leeches are placed upon the tongue to “suck out” the poisonous lies. Blood Tithe Some wrongs have a very definite price. In backwards villages and other poor areas, where fines are not an option, certain offences have a blood tithe. The punished one must give up a certain amount of blood to the God they have wronged. Different sized chalices are used for different wrongs. The Anvil Used almost exclusively by the Sigmarite Cult, this penance requires “the hammer of justice upon the hand of crime.” The size of the Priest and the hammer vary with the level of the offence.
deity’s strictures, or otherwise brings the faith into disrepute, will also be punished, as will characters who steal from the deity’s temples or harm the deity’s faithful. Divine punishments have varying stages, according to the enormity of the crime and the position of the errant character. Devout characters should be stripped of powers (starting with Divine Lores for Priests) or feel an otherwise oppressive hand from their deity making it clear that they have displeased. Characters who have callously disregarded a God’s will, mocked that God or His work, or who have desecrated a God’s holy places may well be smitten with a debilitating disease. The Gods are very fond of the bloody flux. There are many ways to apologize to the Gods if they have been wronged. Their Priests administer most of them. The following list describes the more common practices, but the GM should feel free to improvise suitable penances for PCs who have broken their strictures, or angered one of the cults. T ypICal a CTs of C onTrITIon Bagging For minor offenses, the guilty parties often have their heads bound up in sacks. They are then pushed about the bounds of the community. This is supposed to remind them of the death masks placed upon heretics before burning or beheading. Fine The most common form of contrition is to pay a fine. This usually takes place upon Levyday, in a public place, such as a market or standing at the temple door. The public frequently jeer or pelt the offender with vegetables until the coins are handed over. The size of the fine depends upon wealth and the nature of the offence.
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