 Harn is copyright Columbia Games |
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Harn Religion (by R.Crossby & Columbia Games):THE CONCORDATTo prevent all out war among the gods, there is an agreement, the ‘Concordat’. The principles are: Principle of ineluctability (that the mortal mind can’t comp. divine purpose; Principle of transpotence (the gods are not omnipotent); Principle of preservation (gods can’t destroy the all); Principle of reaction (Divine Intervensions can be countered by other DI’s); Principle of proxy (gods can only act vs each other thru mortals); Principle of faith (the gods are reluctant to provide proof, pref to act via natural force when possible); Principle of Interference (the gods are very reluctant to act directly against other deity’s followers, more likely to aid own followers); Principle of Piety (a ‘DI’ must be requested); Principle of Revelation (gods can’t give unearned knowledge to followers); Principle of Force (they use the minimum of force possible); Principle of Self-interest (gods never obliged to act against own interests); Principle of Temporal Integrity (& gods can’t modify the past) CHURCH HIERARCHY = Circles of Command All churches of the ten major deities have adopted ceremonial levels of ritual called Circles of Command. Most churches have seven Circles, although some have only six (those without Pontiffs) and one (Agrik) has eight, the highest circle being the deity himself. Admittance to any Circle signifies the church's formal recognition of a cleric's knowledge of the mysteries, but such status is not given lightly. Generally, advancement beyond the Third Circle is reserved for the most talented and political of priests. Church Offices Churches also appoint their members to various offices/assignments. Most such offices have minimum Circle requirements. The following table shows the minimum Ritual ML required for induction into the various circles & indicates the offices/assignments for which a member of that circle is qualified: CIRCLE RITUAL OFFICE
RITUAL SKILL = Ritual is a skill, reflecting knowledge of and ability to perform Invocations of a religion. There is a separate Ritual Skill for each deity. PIETY AND PIETY POINTS A piety point (PP) is a unit of favor or karma. Characters accrue PPs by performing actions beneficial to their church or deity and expend them by calling for divine intervention or attempting to perform miracles. In general, no character worships more than one deity. Hence, piety points are dedicated to a single deity OBTAINING PIETY (suggested methods) The first number in square brackets is the % chance the activity will accrue PPs. The second number in square brackets is the number of PPs to be acquired. On completion of the activity, roll 1d100 if the result is equal to or less than the percentage given, increase the character's Piety total by the indicated number. PRAYER/MEDITATION [20%/1] = One hour of uninterrupted prayer/meditation in a temple or other consecrated ground. If the location is not consecrated, the chance is reduced to 10%. FASTING/PRAYER [50%/2] = The roll is made at the end of each full day, at which time, the faster also rolls 1d6 per consecutive day of fasting; that is, at the end of the fourth day, roll 4d6. If the roll exceeds the faster's Endurance, he acquires a malnutrition "injury" equal to the difference CONFESSION/PENANCE [80%/2] = Not all churches practice this ritual. Those that do (Peoni and Larani, although Save-K'nor, Morgath, and Halea have similar rituals) allow only ordained priests to hear confessions. Piety is rolled for on completion of the assigned penance. DAILY MASS [30%/2] = Attendance at the daily church service held by most temples. generally held in the early evening & lasts 2 hours. May be attended by any adherent and by potential converts LOW MASS [60%/2] = Most churches hold a monthly high mass for laity. The day varies; no daily mass that day. HIGH MASS [80%/2] = Most churches hold a monthly high mass for the clergy. The day varies. FEAST MASS [90%/5] = Held yearly on the principal holy day. Lasts 4 hours. SERVICE [90%/3] = performs a (usually non-dangerous) task for the temple, such as cleaning out the latrines or storerooms. May take a couple of days to perform. Piety accrual is on completion SACRIFICE [Variable] = Make donations to temples or sacrifice to the deity directly. Must be appropriate. A donation of 1% of the character's wealth should give a 90% chance of accruing 1 PP. Something of high value to PC will be more favored by the deity. QUEST [Variable] = Agrees to perform a mission. GM decides whether a quest is minor, major, or in between. A minor quest might be to deliver a message to another temple (not too much danger) /worth 10 PP. An intermediate quest is more dangerous and time consuming /worth perhaps 20 PP. A major quest should be very hazardous /worth 30 PP. Half the piety value awarded when the quest is undertaken, half when completed. If PC willingly turns aside from task before completion, he loses x2 piety already given. PILGRIMAGE [95%/Variable] = Journey to a holy site of deity; piety gain reflects distance & danger. DIVINE INTERVENTION (DI) Piety points may be voluntarily expended by calling for Divine Intervention, attempting to enlist the aid of the deity to perform a miracle. Anyone may call for Divine Intervention at any time. Miracles are not like spells. The deity decides the intervention. While the deity may be open to suggestions, it will not take kindly to demands. THE PANTHEON: Agrik: evil god of war, fire, rape, pillage, destruction; colors = orange & black; symbol = orange flame on black field; he bears gashang his flaming mace; sycanus his ichor-dripping sickle; He is the one who nurtured and appeased Manrasusha (amoral first god of primal fire) with mortal sacrifices and thus saved Kelestia. His element is fire. He dwells in his fortress, Balgashang & inside is his chamber of tortures, Ak-Syt (located on Yashain). Agrik is worshipped by 8 different clerical sects, each of which sponsors its own fighting order. The church is a hotbed of internecine strife. He is depicted as a huge humanoid figure wreathed in crimson flame with leather wings, razor claws & cloven hooves (2 claws severed by Larani from left hand - the 8 drops of blood that fell were turned into his servants, the V’hir, by Ilvir (they look like Agrik, but are smaller). Pameshlu the insatiable is his chief underling [the lord of frenzy & distress] & is commonly portrayed as a human in black armor armed with Emyn (broadsword) & Okayra (shield) - the Paresani gladiatorial games named after him (these games sponsored by church). The Clerical orders are called Viriahn; fighters called Terahni (the protectors of priests). E/temple has 8 chambers & at its heart an ‘eternal flame’ (supposedly linked to Balgashang). NOTE: Every 8 yrs the Ukhila (Octennial games) are held, last held in 714 (next in 722) = where thousands gather in Lysara to participate. The first 6 days are rituals, orgies & tournaments; day 7 & 8 are special tournaments < Halea: amoral goddess of wealth & pleasure; colors = all, prefs purple, crimson & gold; symbol = gold bell on purple field; goddess of wealth and pleasure, maker of bargains; deity of those who seek hedonistic joy. A schemer who demands unswerving devotion of her adherents and loves flattery. She dwells in her elaborate palace of Corsilea, with 7 crystalline levels. The Halean church restricts its clergy to women = Order of the silken voice (HQ in Helas, city state in Karejia); males are used as temple guards = solithar, and as consorts. Priestesses dress in thin robes of all colors. Halea is depicted as a perfect female, sensuous; is willing to bargain for her favors; the highest ethic is fealty to the goddess. Halea is served by 7 handmaidens: (who are prayed to & offered bargains); selina, princess of abundance (patron of spending); elomia, princess of enterprise (patron of bargaining); tania, princess of brief ecstasy (patron of those wanting to be lucky in love); galopea, princess of the feast (patron of cooks); dulcia, princess of harmony (patron of musicians & artisans); thalia, princess of fortune (patron of gambling); sardura, princess of golden wrath (patron of the solithar & of those who guard treasures & of locksmiths) Ilvir: amoral god of the barren cycle, the Serpent who dwells below, Brooder in the blasted plains; creator of the Ivashu (sterile beings that reincarnate in different forms, the souls reused over and again); a shapechanger who prefers reptile forms; colors = yellow & brown; He lives in Araka-Kalai (ON Kethira; a crumbling keep above vast caverns & a huge pit) - symbol = a sundered claw on yellow & brown field; His ethical code is centered on self preservation & adherents are individualistic & fond of mysticism (temples proud of their libraries, artistic skills, beautiful illumination & tapestry weavings). Ilvir’s servants (demigods) are seafarer ibenis, sudelrhyn the bearer of loam & chuchlaen wheelwright. Dozens of distinct sects worship Ilvir & all have different order names Larani: good goddess of battle, the reluctant warrior, guardian of dolithor, lady of paladins, deity of chivalry and battle; deity of those who make just and honorable war; colors= red & white; symbol = sword on diamond shaped shield with red & white field. She dwells in Tirithor; Larani's clerics wear red & white robes - with the more red in the robe, the higher their rank in the temple; many of her knights use the red winged lion as a heraldic symbol. She is depicted as a tall maiden clad in a white gown with red trim. About her waist and head are circlets of silver. She is fair of face & strong; this is her ‘Lady of Paladins’ aspect. Angry, she appears in: avarkiel her battlesword [AKA the sword that strikes true or oathbinder]; hyvrik her red/wht checkered shld; angcaradina her blood red mail in aspect as ‘Terrible Lady of the Flowing Red’. Followers strive to maintain the fuedal ideals, including chivalry, honor & duty). They view followers of Agrik as enemies Morgath: evil god of the undead & master of chaos; the lord of retribution; he cares nothing for justice, and despises all things fair and noble; colors= black & brown; symbol = black circle on brown field. His clerical followers belong to the "Order of the Lord of Chaos", a dour and ruthless organization, infamous for human sacrifice. Naveh: evil god of nightmares, secrets, lies, darkness; the most merciless god, motivated by cold implacable intelligence. Considered a doer of the impossible, a master of lies and deception. Best known as the bringer of nightmares, Naveh is associated with inexplicable and untimely death.; colors= black w a trace of blood red; symbols = nava-shak-ara [an ebony knife] & shinkra-akra [a translucent human skull]. His worship is favored by thieves & assassins. His main demon servants are dekejis & the gytevsha. He promotes ritual murder; his clerics are amazingly well disciplined, and have been known to commit suicide to prove a point; temple assassins wear a broad white cloth belt which is returned to temple red with their victim’s blood. Peoni: good & gentle goddess of healing & agriculture, the poor & lovers; her fave flower is the daisy, she likes all white flowers; color = white (clers wear white in winter/green in spring/beige in summer/yellow in autumn); symbol = daisy. She is worshipped by farmers, and those who use their skills to aid the meek and powerless. Peoni's celibate priesthood is divided into two orders, one male and one female. Temples disburse their funds to the poor and are always on the edge of poverty; Cler orders = the balm of joy {celibate F order}; & the irreproachable order {M, also celibate} Sarajin: amoral god of battlelust, courage, honor & war; appears as a yellow-haired giant w fakang his dbl-bitted axe; symbols = usnarl the bear, jarlak the wolf, njehu the whale, crossed handaxes & his sled shalka; he dwells on yashain in talagaad; (colors= none really, does prefer yellow); priests come only from clan endjan & yebaaling; He requires fearlessness and bravado (the code of the ‘Ljarl’) of his adherents. He loves the sport of war, and sometimes participates in human battles. Principal god of vikings and of the Ivinians. Sarajin's followers are informal in their religious organization. Clerical functions are performed by traditional "priestly" clans who recognize no central authority. Save K’nor: amoral god of knowledge and seeker of enlightenment (a snobbish god who only accepts highly intelligent worshippers; symbols = blank scroll, a book, a quill & inkpot or a uhla (black lantern) - any can be used; color= gray; His adherents have no particular moral bent besides loyalty to the church, although their belief in an ordered society generally precludes evil behavior. Three sects, each stressing a different personal aspect, worship Save-K'nor: the hyn-aelori [aka order of the sage of heaven]; the rydequelyn [aka order of the fool] & the shea-al-aecor [aka order of the lost guide]. Siem: benign god of mystery & shadow, magic, secrets & dreams; lives in the blessed realm (& rarely intrudes on harn); the original deity of elves; considered the eldest god. Siem's followers are not organized into what can properly be termed a church & worship in glades under the stars. While communal worship does occur, ultimately each individual makes his own personal approach to the deity. color = azure; symbol = the azure bowl (used for seeing visions) on a green field; 2 demigods work for Siem= -sereniel- {who created dwarves/intercedes for them} & -sweldre- {who intercedes for elves} MINOR RELIGIONS = In addition, hundreds of lesser divine and semi-divine entities are worshipped by Lythians. Almost all barbarian tribes possess their own mythologies. DEMIGODS AND DEMONS = Demigods are of two types, those serving one of the 10 great deities by choice or compulsion, and those serving no master. A god does not have to actually exist in order to be worshipped, nor does an existing god require adherents. A demon is simply an evil demigod. |