WOLFGATE TEMPLE
GODS GIVEN FORM
WOLFGATE TEMPLE
GODS GIVEN FORM
Peace be with you pilgrim....and welcome to the Wolfgate Temple.
What and who are gods? If you have visited the Accursed Tower of Eclypse then you will have seen the primal scrolls that tell us the gods require mana or magical power generated by everyday people. We may I think assume that the mana generated by prayer is of a potancey less then that of magic and hence we clerics are forced into competition with magic users for the favour of our people and leiges. We may deduce that the very gods themselves are simular in substance.
Gods are etheral beings given form, substance and power by the belief and prayer of their worshippers. They do not emerge in any plane of existance but rather materialise and find footing in a plane that suits them or the Avatar they have become. Please do not think this some how makes gods fakes, far from it. Gods are real and their benevalent or malevalent personage is what their worshippers believed. When the die is cast and a god is born he or she beguins the process of fading back into the ether as one day their worship may wane and so firstly will their power and then the gods themselves.
Sacrafice is a powerful mana creator. Self flagulation is the prefered method of the lawful good but the sacrafice of living being is definitly the preferred method of evil. The sacrifce upon alters of magical creature such as unicorns is very potent. If it all sounds a bit heavy and evil consider this, the slaying of enemy cleric by clerics is followed by prayer, so in effect even lawful good religions reap the benefits of power living sacrifice!!
IMMORTALITY
Many gods have been about for a long long time and they are familier to us through worship. However some gods have been about equally as long but have never gained long lived popularity or fame. How is this possible? When a gods power is waning he or she may opt to self destruct or if the god is neutral, may escape. They escape by donning the Avatar of an emerging god and for the purposes of worship are then that god reaping power and benifits. All the while thay are the same neutral beings except now in the guise of neutral, good or even evil godlings. Many of these gods hold substantial power althought they are careful to hide it from legitimate good or evil gods least a war is started. Instead these neutral gods are the power brokers of the other world, trading their mana for favour or tolerance. Many gods will tolerate these imposters anyway as the alternative is to start a religeous war in the planes of mortals. These gods may sound like also ran candidates , but remember they are neutrals and contribute greatly to the balance of power hence fulfilling their neural destiney.
Some gods have achieved such popularity in their worship that even if they have been forgotten they can still survive on their reserves of energy hoping that they will be rediscovered and enjoy a revival. A shrine or temple is in fact a store for this mana energy and as long as one shire or temple stands their energy remains. By standing we mean both physically and still consectrated ground. So if you wish to destroy a temple it must be cleansed with fire or demolished and then desecrated.
Temples and shrines are the place when mana energy is channeled to the gods and worship beyond the confines of these structures is mute with three exceptions. Firstly a cleric may hold mass in open, secondly a worshipper with a blessed holy symbol may pray and lastly a King or Queen may lead their people in worship ( the eve of a battle may be an example ). These exterior forms of worship are less powerful than those at or within sacred sites and hence the pressure on religions to build them ( the money it costs is of no concern to the gods ).
UNEARTHLY POWER
Before we address the question of the powers of gods we must first know how far that power extends. The answer is a simple on. A far as a prayer may be carried on the wind. That is to say where ever a believer stands then gods may excert power within a range when his or her prayer may be heard. This area of potencey is increased to as for as a Cleric or Paladin can see and hence their pressence is important.
So what of power. It is not for gods to intervene in the realms of mortal man directly. Instead they will have cleric do their bidding. Every day a cleric may perform healing etc, which may or may not be in keeping with the faiths teaching but none the less this power is channel to the cleric via his god. However gods a capable of greater intervention. This comes usually in the form of a Prophet. A god may select a prophet to speak for his by granting him visions or even temporarily possessing him/her. This is possible but requies a great deal of mana. Sending visions or dreams is acceptable but open to abuse by dishonest clerics ( "god says your sitting on my bar stool!" ).
Gods do not strike everybody down with bolts of lightening, because they cannot. A god may strike down one of his or her own followers but not that of another religion. Striking someone down may take many physical forms but the method is the same. Alot of the follows surrended mana is used topped up with alot of power. So hence a follower may fall from grace but it will be a year and a day before he is struch down. A year and a day being important bacuase that is the mana contribution needed from the follower before the top up is possible. So hence a follower may do something really bad and get away with it by convertingto another religion. This is the only protection available against the wrath of a god. However if his choice of new faith is a neutral god using an avatar his mana may be traded back to the god waiting to stomp him. If the follower is a real bad egg even a good god may return the requisite mana or channel it directly back to the old faith directly. So by worshipping the believer is signing his loading the holy croosbow with his name on it.
Prophets are used to persecute holy wars, preach against adversity in times of trouble and generally galvinise support. A prophet will perform miracles ( at great mana cost ) to convince belivers he/she is authentic. A powerful cleric may be choosen, or a lesser one to show displeasure with the church heads. Even ordinary people, usually the devout can be choosen.
This sacred door leads to domain of the forgotten gods ( forgotten for a reason ). I am still adding to it and it keeps me amused for hours, maybe because I have a warped sense of humour!
Or return to the courtyard to explore further the mysteries of Wolfgate castle.
