The Living Forge
Practiced by: Dwarves
Symbol: An Anvil
Beliefs: The creator is a Master Smith who forged the world and its living creatures. At the time of creation, what the Master Smith has forged is perfect, but as time passes the mistakes of one's ancestors can weaken the bloodline. One's own mistakes and any acts of cowardice further weaken what was once pure. Conflict is a test between the strongest of the Master Smith's creations and while destroying one of the Master's creations should never be taken lightly, the Master Smith finds favor with those who destroy what has become warped and twisted beyond any practical use. (This is widely intrepreted to include orcs and goblins, in some cases humans and elves.) Clerics of the Living Forge always wield a warhammer in combat. (For ranged fighting they use a throwing hammer. It does STR + 1d6 damage when thrown, though it's range is less than that of a thrown spear. Although it can be used in melee combat, it is not designed for it and does str -1 +1d6 Damage.)
Rule Notes: Clerics of the Anvil Forge have no restrictions on wearing armor. Indeed, wearing well forged plate mail is encouraged. They are limited to using only warhammers in combat as mentioned above. Clerics of the Living Forge must learn the Smithing skill before going on to level 2. Clerics of the Living Forge regain magic points through smithing. They may learn Rune or Battle Magic spells and can continue on to learn Elemental magic once they have learned at least one level 4 Battle Magic spell.
Fatalist
Practiced by: Anyone, but is most common among Humans.
Symbol: A Sealed Scroll
Beliefs: Fatalism isn't so much of a religion as it is a philosophy. Being a Fatalist does not preclude one from practicing other religions as well, but the cynical nature of Fatalism leads many of it's believers to ignore other religious practices. Fatalist believe that all has been predetermined. Every step, every breath, every thing one says, does, or thinks has all been determined long before. Fatalist point to the existence of Seers as one of the proofs that free will does not exist. If Seers can predict the future they argue, the future must already have been decided. It is interesting to note that very few Seers are Fatalist. Both the Seeliah of Avalon and the Seeliah of Minvera agree that their predictions of the future are only what will occur if those involved continue on their present course of action. Fatalist argue that this is just an excuse kept in reserve for when the Seer fails to see the future correctly. Critics of the Fatalist point out that it is odd that the majority of Fatalist seem "fated" to sit around and do nothing with their lives. Fatalist have no clerics or priests but they do have many agitators and raconteurs who spread the Fatalist belief.
Fatalist Cult: Doomsayers
Doomsayer Fatalist are an offshoot of the main faction of Fatalist believers. Doomsayers believe that the future has been predetermined and it is a horrible future to behold. Doomsayers are far more active than your typical Fatalist. While most Fatalist spend their days sitting around bemoaning that their fate is already written and that nothing can be done about it, Doomsayers are out scurrying about, making sure their affairs are always in order, trying to warn the general public about the impending doom with "The End is Near" signs, and generally going into a panic at the sight of anything that might be a sign that the end is about to begin. Doomsayers have been known to go near cataonic during storms, lunar eclipses, and periods of time where goats give sour milk.
Fatalist Cult: Cabal
The Cabal are the most active of all of the Fatalist groups, much to the world's horror. Cabal Fatalist believe that they are destined to commit horrible crimes of murder and torture. They show no remorse for their acts of savagery and feel no guilt for their enjoyment of the agony of their victims. The suffering of their victims has been predetermined they argue and they are but puppets carrying out their roles.
Circle of Life
Practiced by: Wood Elves, Hobbits, some Humans.
Symbol: A Circle
Beliefs: Believers in the Circle of Life hold that the world is a living sentient being. Circle members often refer to Aldorn as "Mother." They believe that all life comes from this living being and then rejoins it at death. Life is a sacred gift and its loss is not to be taken lightly. The dead are returned to Mother by burial. The clerics of the Circle of Life are Druids.
Circle of Life Cult: The Circle of Sacrifice
Practiced by: Some Humans, a few Wood Elves
Symbol: A circle formed by a snake devouring itself
Beliefs: Members of this cult belive that if you wish to receive additional blessings from Mother Aldorn than what she has alloted to you, you must return some of her gift to her so that she may have more of which to impart to you. The harmless members of this cult are farmers who slice their hand before planting their seed and dribble a few drops of blood into the earth in hopes of a good harvest. The dangerous members of this cult sacrifice whole villages in great rituals of power, spilling their blood into the dirt or burying their victims alive in the earth. Such practitioners are refered to as Dark Druids and their existence is a bane to Wood Elf society.
Spiritualism
Practiced by: Sky Elves, Humans.
Symbol: A sun with a pair of outstreached wings
Beliefs: Sometimes referred to as "Sky Faith," practitioners of this religion believe in an incorporal diety that is all around them. Their deity exists in the air and within all living things for after all, life itself depends on breathing in the giver of life. Given this belief, it is easy to understand their distain for necromancy for that practice creates things that appear to live yet do not take in their god. Upon their death, followers believe that their souls are released into the air, once again free to be with their deity unless the Sky Spirit has a need for them to be reborn. Clerics of Spiritualism always wear at least one feather somewhere on their person. They do not wear armor, but they can cast elemental spells with far greater ease than wizards.
Rule Notes: Clerics of Spiritualism may not wear armor and cast their spells. They may use shields without penalty. They must have a blessed feather on their clothing, in their hand, on a shield, or a melee weapon to cast their spells. Any cleric of Spritualism may bless a feather within two hours. The feather can be of any type so long as the creature it came from can fly. Feathers from magical creatures can confer bonuses to the cleric. Clerics of Spiritualism can learn elemental spells at 75% of the normal cost. They may also learn spells from the Ilusion and Battle Magic disciplines. Spells involving wind are twice as effective as indicated. They regain spell points through meditation.
Creationism
Practiced by: Humans
Symbol: A human figure with palms outstreached to the sky
Beliefs: Creationist believe that a deity known as the Creator set forth in motion all life. The belief system borrows heavily from Spritualism with it's concepts of the afterlife, but does not hold necromancy in the same low regard. Creationist do not believe that "God is Air", which in fairness is an over-simplification of Spirtualism. Rather Creationist believe that the Creator exist apart from the world though actively engages in it. The most contraversal aspect of Creationism is the idea that Humans are the Creators chosen people, an idea that the elder races scoff at. The belief holds that the elder races were created verse but became petty and vain and so the Creator created Humans. Humans are a more fragile creature but more perfect morally and spiritually.
Creationist have two types of clerics, priests and paladins.
Priests are held to very strict vows. They may act only in self defense of themselves or another. They are forbidden to initiate combat. They wear no armor nor carry any shield, relying completly on faith to guard them. Superstition guards them as well for it is said that anyone harming a devout priest is struck down with the gray death, a horrible plague that weakens and kills it's victims. Priest are held in high regard as exceptional healers even by members of elder races who hold contempt for the Creationist notions of humans being the chosen race. It is the priests that arise as leaders of the church. Priests regain magic points through prayer.
Rule Notes: Priest choose their spells from Battle Magic and Elemental magic. Healing spells are twice as effective when cast by a priest. Anyone striking a devout priest is infected with the Gray Death at the GM's discretion. The Gray Death is marked by the appearance of gray lesions on the skin that slowly grow until they cover the victim's entire body. Every week the victim must make a WP check or lose 1 pt of strength. Because of the horrid appearence the disease gives its victims, a victim automatically loses 10 points of fellowship a week. When the victim is reduced to below 0 strength, the victim dies. It is not known to be contagious.
Paladins are warrior priests. They have no restrictions on armor or weapons. They serve as the vanguard in battles of just causes. Though they are by all accounts military troops, they do not take their orders from the state but rather the church of the Creator. Templars who decide to dedicate their lives to the religious cause of Creationism usually become Paladins.
Rule Notes: Paladins constitute an entirely new class.
Basic Career - Paladin Initiate
M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Dex | LD | Int | CL | WP | FEL |
| +10 | | +1 | | +2 | +1 | | +10 | | | +10 | +10 |
Skills
Read/Write
Theology
Ride Horse
Advanced Career - Paladin Level 1
M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Dex | LD | Int | CL | WP | FEL |
| +20 | +10 | +1 | +1 | +3 | +10 | +1 | +10 | +10 | | +10 | +20 |
Skills
Arcane Language - Creationism
Cast Spells - Clerical level 1
Meditate
Strike to Stun
Strike Mighty Blow
Advanced Career - Paladin Level 2
M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Dex | LD | Int | CL | WP | FEL |
| +20 | +10 | +2 | +1 | +3 | +20 | +2 | +10 | +10 | +10 | +20 | +20 | +10 |
Skills
Cast Spells - Clerical level 2
Identify Undead
Magical Sense
Dodge Blow
Specialist Weapon - Two Handed Weapon
Advanced Career - Paladin Level 3
M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Dex | LD | Int | CL | WP | FEL |
| +20 | +20 | +2 | +2 | +4 | +30 | +2 | +20 | +20 | +20 | +30 | +30 | +10 |
Skills
Cast Spells - Clerical level 3
Magical Awareness
Public Speaking
Etiquette
Disarm
Advanced Career - Paladin Level 4
M | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | Dex | LD | Int | CL | WP | FEL |
| +30 | +20 | +3 | +2 | +5 | +30 | +3 | +30 | +30 | +30 | +40 | +40 | +20 |
Skills
Cast Spells - Clerical level 4
Strike to Injure
Specialist Weapon - Lance
Rule Notes: Paladins must roll on the Cleric Advance Table when attempting to advance. Paladins gain 1d8 magic points per level and regain them through prayer. Paladins choose their spells from Battle Magic.
The Forge of Norsica
Practiced by: Norse Dwarfs and Norse Humans
Symbol: A forge with a circle engraved upon it. Often shown in a winter setting.
Beliefs: After the dwarves that would later become known as the Norse Dwarves decided to leave their homeland and the shame of their clan forever, they found themselves searching for a new faith for the faith of the Living Forge would have them believe that they were flawed and unworthy. It is believed that with them traveled a wood elf named Verun Gray and from him they learned his faith, The Circle of Life. Gray returned to his wanderings as the group of Dwarves met up with human refugees, casualties of yet another civil war. Together the group traveled north to their new home.
Their first years in Norsica were harsh. Cold and hunger killed a great many. But in the darkest moment, just when it seemed to the few that remain all was lost, something revealed itself. The surviving texts simply refer to the moment as the "Revelation" but little is known of the exact event. What is known is that the Kingdom of Norsica survived that winter and a new religion was born.
The Forge of Norsica faith borrows heavily from the Circle of Life and the Living Forge. It holds that the world is a sentient living being that uses the harsh elements of nature as well as it's creatures as tools to harden and forge her chosen creations. The Norsican believe that Dwarves, Humans, and Elves viewed with favor by the mother Aldorn. (Interestingly enough, there is no stance on the status of halflings.) Unlike The Living Forge faith, the Forge of Norsica does not hold that what the Creator makes is perfect and then becomes flawed through dishonor. Rather it holds that the chosen are born imperfect beings and that strength is forged into them through the trials of life.
Initiates of this faith who feel they are ready to become shamans of the faith strip themselves naked and head deep into a snowy forest to await mother's judgement. Those deemed worthy are visited by an an animal spirit. The spirit will test the potential shaman's strength. If the shaman is judged worthy, the spirit will form itself into an armor for the shaman to wear. Others who view this armor will merely see armor that appears to be adorned with a skinned animal. But the armor is, in fact, very much alive. In rare cases it will shift into it's spirit form and attack the enemies of an extremely devout shaman.
It is not uncommon for initiates to fail their test. Their naked bodies are found frozen in the snow or they are torn to pieces by wild animals.
There are three types of animal spirit that may visit a Norsica Shaman and this determines what type of Shaman he or she becomes if found worthy.
Wolf - Wolf Shamans are devouted to what is good for the pack. Their armor gives them a +10 and leadership and coolness bonus. They may grant a +10 to any one member of their party who is in danger of failing a fear check. A wolf shaman may also spare a member of his group a blow by taking the damage upon himself.
Bear - Bear Shamans enjoy the strength and health of the bear. Their armor confers a +1 strength bonus and a +1 to wounds.
Wolverine - Wolverine Shamans can strike with incredible speed. Their armor gives them a +40 to initiative. When trapped, and escape is impossible, Wolverine Shamans double their attacks.
All armors grant the wearer 1 point of armor protection. Any special powers the armor grants is conferred only upon its true owner. A nature spirit is likely to kill anyone else who attempts to wear it.
Forge of Norsica Shamans cast Druidic spells but whenever animals are involved, their spells are limited to affecting only those of their type. Once the shamn can cast a 4th level Druidic spell, he or she may begin to learn elemental spells. |