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Post by joatmoniac on Jan 4, 2019 7:43:15 GMT
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Post by Mariok Soresal Hillick on Jan 6, 2019 10:18:08 GMT
1. Which deity did you choose?
Unfortunately, none of the links worked for me on the page, but the prompt said you could create your own god, so while I feel a little guilty creating my own god instead using the plethora of great gods already out there in DMNastics, here I go!
(Note: this is based on the Latvian god Dievs, the ruler of the Latvian gods, who is sometimes called Dieviņš in Latvian poetry - dainas - loosely translating to "Deargod" in English. Dievs in Latvian mythology was a more personal god, and he reminds me a little of Odin/Woden/Wotan is Germanic mythology and so therefore I take great inspiration from that character to create Deargod.)
The god I created is called Deargod, who exists on a more personal level with mortals' lives than other gods do. He is an old man with a grey beard and a long, grey pointy hat, he carries a tall staff that is called Deargod's Walking Stick. This staff lets Deargod walk forever without tiring, the staff was made for Deargod by the great god of smithing. Deargod only has one eye (his left one), and an eyepatch is on the other. He gave up his other eye at Mimir's Well for eternal wisdom and knowledge - he took out his eye and plopped it into the well. After that he had to hang by Mimir's Tree for seven days in great pain, a mortal would have been killed by this but Deargod was a god, so he did not die. This way, Deargod's left eye sees far beyond what the normal mortal eye can see. He is a grave man, but a kindly and moral man.
Though Deargod is such a personal god, he is also a powerful god. He can call down the wind and the lightning with his staff, and he can call out the truth from men and women with his wise left eye. And through his eternal wisdom in his left eye, he can see glimpses and dreams and visions of the future. And he smites with his staff all who stand in his way.
He wasn't always like that, he wasn't always so kind and good to the common man and woman. What happened was that he lost a game of dice with the Peddler Ingmars (a popular hero), and since Peddler Ingmars had won he made Deargod go amongst men and women and talk to them and help them. Feeling humbled by his failure against a mere mortal human, and at that a peddler, Deargod went among mortalkind and became Deargod.
Deargod travels all the time, only stopping for rest at night went there is a homely home, and stopping evil on his way.
That is who Deargod is.
2. What kind of professional structures are there in the deity’s worshipers?
Deargod is worshipped more by laymen than by a specific church. But one of the major churches of Deargod is the Blue Church. The Blue Church is so expansive because it includes all the laymen (and the common people) who want to join the church. The Blue Church is found throughout the world. There are several levels to the Blue Church, and they are as follows:
1. Common worshipper/layman
2. Priest
3. High Priest
4. Bishop
5. Archbishop
6. The Blue Priest
To get into the Blue Church one must recite the Deargod Poem, which almost everyone knows, even non-followers of Deargod.
The official sign of the Blue Church is a blue cross. No one knows where this sign comes from, but some scholars and magicians say that the sign might come from a similar religion in another world...
To become the Blue Priest one must leave the church and wander the world for many years until you are chosen by Deargod and he shows the Blue Priest the way to Mimir's Well where then the Blue Priest sacrifices one of his eyes for eternal wisdom just like Deargod. But it still is not as much wisdom as Deargod gets since the Blue Priest doesn't get hanged by Mimir's Tree beside the well since a mortal would die by that. After that, you get and a new, gnarled, oak wooden staff and you are dressed in a new, silver cloak and you go back to the central Blue Priest church called the Great Blue Church and you get anointed as the next Blue Priest. Deargod only chooses a new Blue Priest once the last one has died.
3. How do the lay people worship the deity?
The one difference between how the lay people worship Deargod and how the church worshipper worship Deargod is in the worshipping of Way Stones. These Way Stones are built at where roads branch off into other roads and are considered safe places for worshippers of Deargod. Usually, lay worshippers place down a small offering of wood or rings or money or incense and such. Some non-lay people also do these rituals. The Way Stones are stones stood upright with a pattern of circles on them.
4. What kinds of rituals and rites are expected of devout worshipers?
There are several rites and rituals that member of the Blue Church must perform, including the ritual sacrifice of the ceremonial staff every day by putting the staff on the altar in front of you and stabbing it three times with a dagger, leaving dents in the wooden staff. Some churches use wooden logs so that the "staff" lasts longer though many consider this blasphemous and rude to Deargod. Once the staff is broken and used up, a new ceremonial staff is gotten and becomes used.
During Deargod's Day, members of the Blue Church are supposed to give out copper coins to each and every person in the village/town/city they work in, whether they are members of the Blue Church or not.
5. What kinds of rites are expected of lay worshipers?
Other than the Way Stone rituals mentioned above, there is also the Deargod's Day holiday, where everyone takes a day off and sacrifices one of their sheep to Deargod and afterwords Deargod shows his kindness by letting the common people eat the sheep they sacrificed for dinner that night. It is said that Deargod goes around in every town and village and city and hut and puts a present in front of their door or in front of where they are sleeping (if they are homeless). He puts this in front of even non-followers of Deargod. This present is always a very minor thing, but it something the person dearly wants. Deargod knows this through his eternal wisdom. During this holiday friends and family also put presents on the porch or in front of a homeless person's cot. Sometimes, very rarely, Deargod lets himself be seen by children, but only by little children. He winks and he smiles and then he snaps his fingers and disappears. Scholars and magicians say that this holiday was an idea Deargod also from another world...
6. Anything else?
I think I just made Deargod a conglomeration of Odin, Dievs (Dieviņš - Deargod), the Christian God, and Santa Clause all in one!
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Post by Mariok Soresal Hillick on Jan 12, 2019 14:09:37 GMT
1. Which deity did you choose?
Unfortunately, none of the links worked for me on the page, but the prompt said you could create your own god, so while I feel a little guilty creating my own god instead using the plethora of great gods already out there in DMNastics, here I go! (Note: this is based on the Latvian god Dievs, the ruler of the Latvian gods, who is sometimes called Dieviņš in Latvian poetry - dainas - loosely translating to "Deargod" in English. Dievs in Latvian mythology was a more personal god, and he reminds me a little of Odin/Woden/Wotan is Germanic mythology and so therefore I take great inspiration from that character to create Deargod.) The god I created is called Deargod, who exists on a more personal level with mortals' lives than other gods do. He is an old man with a grey beard and a long, grey pointy hat, he carries a tall staff that is called Deargod's Walking Stick. This staff lets Deargod walk forever without tiring, the staff was made for Deargod by the great god of smithing. Deargod only has one eye (his left one), and an eyepatch is on the other. He gave up his other eye at Mimir's Well for eternal wisdom and knowledge - he took out his eye and plopped it into the well. After that he had to hang by Mimir's Tree for seven days in great pain, a mortal would have been killed by this but Deargod was a god, so he did not die. This way, Deargod's left eye sees far beyond what the normal mortal eye can see. He is a grave man, but a kindly and moral man. Though Deargod is such a personal god, he is also a powerful god. He can call down the wind and the lightning with his staff, and he can call out the truth from men and women with his wise left eye. And through his eternal wisdom in his left eye, he can see glimpses and dreams and visions of the future. And he smites with his staff all who stand in his way. He wasn't always like that, he wasn't always so kind and good to the common man and woman. What happened was that he lost a game of dice with the Peddler Ingmars (a popular hero), and since Peddler Ingmars had won he made Deargod go amongst men and women and talk to them and help them. Feeling humbled by his failure against a mere mortal human, and at that a peddler, Deargod went among mortalkind and became Deargod. Deargod travels all the time, only stopping for rest at night went there is a homely home, and stopping evil on his way. That is who Deargod is. 2. What kind of professional structures are there in the deity’s worshipers?
Deargod is worshipped more by laymen than by a specific church. But one of the major churches of Deargod is the Blue Church. The Blue Church is so expansive because it includes all the laymen (and the common people) who want to join the church. The Blue Church is found throughout the world. There are several levels to the Blue Church, and they are as follows: 1. Common worshipper/layman 2. Priest 3. High Priest 4. Bishop 5. Archbishop 6. The Blue Priest To get into the Blue Church one must recite the Deargod Poem, which almost everyone knows, even non-followers of Deargod. The official sign of the Blue Church is a blue cross. No one knows where this sign comes from, but some scholars and magicians say that the sign might come from a similar religion in another world... To become the Blue Priest one must leave the church and wander the world for many years until you are chosen by Deargod and he shows the Blue Priest the way to Mimir's Well where then the Blue Priest sacrifices one of his eyes for eternal wisdom just like Deargod. But it still is not as much wisdom as Deargod gets since the Blue Priest doesn't get hanged by Mimir's Tree beside the well since a mortal would die by that. After that, you get and a new, gnarled, oak wooden staff and you are dressed in a new, silver cloak and you go back to the central Blue Priest church called the Great Blue Church and you get anointed as the next Blue Priest. Deargod only chooses a new Blue Priest once the last one has died. 3. How do the lay people worship the deity?
The one difference between how the lay people worship Deargod and how the church worshipper worship Deargod is in the worshipping of Way Stones. These Way Stones are built at where roads branch off into other roads and are considered safe places for worshippers of Deargod. Usually, lay worshippers place down a small offering of wood or rings or money or incense and such. Some non-lay people also do these rituals. The Way Stones are stones stood upright with a pattern of circles on them. 4. What kinds of rituals and rites are expected of devout worshipers?
There are several rites and rituals that member of the Blue Church must perform, including the ritual sacrifice of the ceremonial staff every day by putting the staff on the altar in front of you and stabbing it three times with a dagger, leaving dents in the wooden staff. Some churches use wooden logs so that the "staff" lasts longer though many consider this blasphemous and rude to Deargod. Once the staff is broken and used up, a new ceremonial staff is gotten and becomes used. During Deargod's Day, members of the Blue Church are supposed to give out copper coins to each and every person in the village/town/city they work in, whether they are members of the Blue Church or not. 5. What kinds of rites are expected of lay worshipers?
Other than the Way Stone rituals mentioned above, there is also the Deargod's Day holiday, where everyone takes a day off and sacrifices one of their sheep to Deargod and afterwords Deargod shows his kindness by letting the common people eat the sheep they sacrificed for dinner that night. It is said that Deargod goes around in every town and village and city and hut and puts a present in front of their door or in front of where they are sleeping (if they are homeless). He puts this in front of even non-followers of Deargod. This present is always a very minor thing, but it something the person dearly wants. Deargod knows this through his eternal wisdom. During this holiday friends and family also put presents on the porch or in front of a homeless person's cot. Sometimes, very rarely, Deargod lets himself be seen by children, but only by little children. He winks and he smiles and then he snaps his fingers and disappears. Scholars and magicians say that this holiday was an idea Deargod also from another world... 6. Anything else?I think I just made Deargod a conglomeration of Odin, Dievs (Dieviņš - Deargod), the Christian God, and Santa Clause all in one! Here is a link to a picture I made of Deargod: www.worldanvil.com/i/193553 and it is also attached to this post. Attachments:
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Post by ninjaspence21 on Jan 27, 2019 18:34:11 GMT
Hey there, been a big fan of listening to you guys while at work and getting around to lending some ideas someday. Well today is that day I can assist. I'm using one of my Goddesses from my world of Villara. Hope y'all enjoy!
1. Which deity did you choose?
Mosuna, Goddess of the Hunt and Nature is a Neutral Good deity in Villara. Her symbol is the antlers of a buck or deer forming a bow with an arrow made of wood with leaf flecthers knocked to the right. Mosuna was once born a teifling in a small community; however, her sun elven parents said it was a bad omen for her to be out due to her horns, despite her skin being pale, almost human color. So she had to hide her horns when in public. She discovered a love of a bow and usually went to the forests to practice without the hinderance of the hood. As she got older and seasoned her skills with archery, she started to understand the path of nature to the point she became a ranger to obtain a deeper understanding. One day, she was out hunting deer, an arrow collided with her own as another hunter from her community was trageting the same prey. He noticed her horns and immediately drew fire on her with arrows. She was struck in the chest and upon instinct the Deer pushed itself in front of her. Unknow to them, The deer was a mystical spirit dying and wanted give her last powers to those whom hunted her. Seeing this at of treachery towards a fellow hunter she transferred her spirit in Mosuna, thus saving her and channeling the forces of nature throughout her soul. Blinding light is shown to the male hunter before Mosuna, now obtained the status of a fey creature polymorphed the male into a wolf premenantly and attached her old bow to the creature. She told him to return the bow to the village with and protect her old family. The wolf ran off while she sat and studied all of nature as she walked deeper into the forest. So the legend of her creation reads from the books of Mosuna.
2. What kind of professional structures are there in the deity’s worshipers?
The main professional structure in the ranks of Mosuna worshipers is a temple in Unonebula, the name of the major city which is the capital of the state that bares the same name. Though Mosuna was from a small community, the structures and maps she created seem to base her location in the mythos. Spread across hunting grounds all over Villara are small shrines to her where Hunters and foragers give small vestiments in them to grant them blessings on thier hunt which Priestesses come by and collect the donations and burn them in the main temple pyre. Mosuna serves the domains of life and nature so preists and devoted rangers have camps set up over Villara, mainly the woodland areas which have spots for hunters to rest and relax. Each camp has 4-6 bedrolls and some transcription of her notes which serve as guidelines (Think of the Art of War for rangers) to hunt and skin animals respectully. usually the shrines and temple are rank by the following:
- Monks
- Rangers
- Druidic based preists and Preistesses
3. How do the lay people worship the deity?
By saying a small prayer before your hunting journey, Mosuna followers will bless the hunt on the premises of her safety will protect the person from the fate she almost suffered. One tenant of her teaching is to never strike another hunter down regardless of race or gender, propser thier life so they may provide for thier own values. Many of her worshipers agree with this statement and share thier spoils at the shrine after thier hunting expeditions. Such as bones, meat, berries, and other spoils gathered throught the journey. A pligrimage to serve her would be the Huntress's Challenge, which inculdes serving a doe or young buck to aid them to thier families, Not hunting any deer or fauns for a year, and traveling to the feywild to seek audience or a sign from Mosuna herself. Those who meet her are granted with an oathbow that you serve her and live without the use of vension for deer can recognize your are a follower of Mosuna and guide you to springs and safety when caught alone in the woods.
4. What kinds of rituals and rites are expected of devout worshipers?
Devout Monks and Rangers will live and train in druid communities or in natural settings. Most of them decide to move to the Feywilde to serve nature in the vibrant enviroment. Some may have wolves as protectors as pets and a reminder of the nameless man who tried to kill Mosuna in her lifetime. The Wolf respresents a greed that one must suppress and understand that loyality is better shared than showing an innocent. While Mosuna was a hunter, she rarely hunted deer unless the animal was dying during her lifetime. The Deer is the peace one must develop when hunting game. If a follower see a discarded deer, then usually they will bury the creature and not take spoils from the creature to respect the creature. Priests and Priests are required to take archery and must study nature before they can work in the temples and shrines. Most people love to enjoy the arrow challenge all followers attempt where they shoot five hundred arrows of gradtitude. The traget is at a decent range that offers challenge and it is on a rope swaying. If one arrow is missed, then one must start all over. Daily Prayer happens at Sunset which is similar to a meditative prayer as the worshiper will do light stretching and primal movements of an animal while thanking Mosuna for blessing them with the ability to hunt.
5. What kinds of rites are expected of lay worshipers?
For the Common worshipers, the Pligrimage could be attempted in a lighter sense that one does not have to make the trip to the Feywilde. Typically the layman attend services every sixth day of the week early in the morning before a group hunt folllowing her guidelines for understanding the different types of game of hunt. layman usually wear a pendant of her symbol while the devout are branded via tattoo or branded by an arrowhead with the symbol engraved. Daily prayer before thier hunts and trips is a must for lay worshipers. Lay worshipers enjoy wearing earth tones with green and brown to support her grace. Some even give plays on stages of her life on the material plane and which some believe she watches thier play in the form of a doe, which shows up to just watch the play and go back into the forest.
6. Anything else?
If any tenants are broken, one must atone by not hunting for a week and live off the land with berries and fruit. The most devout would not gather as part of this penance, like a punishment for disrupting natural elements. Mosuna is not wrathful, but represents the good will of the people. She is the provider and chooses not to take away. It is not in her heart to take away the life of man as if they were prey she would hunt. She values life and nature, so she will provide everything for one who is willing to hunt for thier food.
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Post by 00dlez on Jan 31, 2019 22:24:06 GMT
1. Which deity did you choose?
Darlaur (Greater Deity)
Golden Lady, The Coin Maiden
Alignment : N
Portfolio: Trade, Wealth, Merchants, Smugglers
Domains: Knowledge, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Dirk (Merchant's Ally)
Symbol: Woman’s Face on a Gold Coin
2. What kind of professional structures are there in the deity’s worshipers?
The structure of the Darlaurian faith is very regimented and business-like. Aside from traditional worship, enclaves of clerics operate a variety of guildhalls, port authorities, customs houses, and financial centers around the world. Through these institutions, the clerics spread the faith, but also their influence in the realms of commerce and trade at a local level. Their organizational skills, keen business minds, and powers bestowed upon them by their patroness make them (relatively) impartial and (somewhat) trusted institutions in commercial centers of all shapes and sizes around the world.
3. How do the lay people worship the deity?
Most common folk pray to Darlaur but once a year - a short prayer or perhaps a toast as spring arrives to bring them wealth and prosperity in the coming year. Those commoners more directly tied to the greater commerce of a city - dock workers, warehouse workers, teamsters, and the like often pray to her more regularly for general prosperity around them which keeps them in their station.
4. What kinds of rituals and rites are expected of devout worshipers?
Devout worshipers are merchants, money lenders, and others directly involved in trade and commerce. They pray to Darlaur often for favor and guidance in their endeavors, but sacrifices to her are needed to stay in her graces. These donations are often in gold coin or perhaps trade goods if the merchant is not particularly wealth and can only spare some excess goods. These contributions are the source of the common phrase "The cost of doing business".
5. What kinds of rites are expected of lay worshipers?
Much of the same - sacrifices or donations to the church in either coins, gems or valuable gifts. The value of which is relative to one's wealth to stay in Darlaur's favor. Often, though, the lay person is not a prominent or large-scale person of business and thus, do not pray to Darlaur for some large amount of commercial success. Instead, their prayers center around negotiating good prices at market, or sneaking some contraband past the port guards.
6. Anything else?
Dogma
Trade is the best road to enrichment. Increasing the general prosperity buys ever greater civilization and happiness for folk the world around. Destroy no goods, raise no restrictions on trade, salt no fields, and leave no game to carrion. Challenge and refute unproven rumors that could negatively impact trade. Give money to beggars and businesses alike, the more coin everyone has, the greater the urge to spend, and trade grows ever more.To guard your funds is to venerate her, to share them well seeds future success in your endeavors. Call on her in trade and you will be guided to wise commerce. The bold find gold, the wise are careful to keep it, and the timid yield it up.
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Post by rorrik on Feb 15, 2019 4:26:23 GMT
For some reason the links just open to this thread again, but if copied and pasted they work to get to the right thread. It's so hard to choose from just the ones I've added to the list, let alone all the others people did that deserve some attention. I might end up doing a few. 1. Which deity did you choose? Ren and Yak, the Lightning Twins, my clear favorites.2. What kind of professional structures are there in the deity’s worshipers? Ren and Yak are chaotic and call for no structure in among their worshipers, but among those who are full-time devotees there is an informal structure consisting of the Lightning Seers, the Lightning Touched, and the Lightning Bathed. The Lightning Seers, lowest of this structure, bear no mark and are recognized as such upon claiming to be. Claiming this title falsely is considered a betrayal, for all worshipers of Ren and Yak will consider one who claims it to be a brother and offer aid and support. Such a betrayal is often answered with a death sentence to be executed by any worshiper who gets the chance. The Lightning Touched do bear a mark of their gods that is difficult to falsify. The lightning shaped scar glistens a pale white and is generally left visible without disrobing. These are venerated by the Lightning Seers, who will often accept their commands without question for at least a short period. The Lightning Bathed are few. They bear gleaming white lightning scars all over their body, the most cross-crossed of them generally being considered of higher rank. The Lightning Bathed, when they do deign to organize their brethren to some action, can command coordinated efforts for up to months at a time. The wise of the world avoid offending them for fear of the wrath they can organize in short order. Beyond this transient structure, the followers of Ren and Yak commonly turn to the priests of Rulcan for council. Lightning Seers will often seek the wisdom of even a local Rulcan chaplain. Lightning Touched might, but they are likely to be too proud to settle for anything less than a regional priest. The Lightning Bathed can usually council directly with their gods, but even they will sometimes refer them to Rulcan, in which case a Lightning Bathed can gain an audience with one of the Rulcan High Priests. 3. How do the lay people worship the deity? It is not uncommon for stormy areas to have a shrine to Ren and Yak where the lay folk can go to make offerings and ask for them to ward storms away from their houses. Twins also often find it brings them luck to have a passing relationship with Ren and Yak. 4. What kinds of rituals and rites are expected of devout worshipers? Contact: This is the rite by which a worshiper obtains a scar to become a Lightning Touched or move closer to being a Lightning Bathed. It is the act of reaching out and touching the lighting. Burial rites: as written previously, their bodies are offered up to the storm. This ritual is generally led by a Lightning Bathed, or a pair of Lightning Touched if a Lightning Bathed is not available. Bathing: Ren and Yak expect their worshipers to keep themselves clean. This is done by seeking out powerful storms, preferably lightning storms, and washing themselves in the cleansing rain. 5. What kinds of rites are expected of lay worshipers? Good offerings include lightning glass found in their fields and charred wood from struck trees. Some places will keep a small apparatus powered with citrus or potato batteries from the populace. 6. Anything else? While there is no formal church of Ren and Yak, the brotherhood that worship of the twins represents is considered sacred by its members. They will fight to protect the brotherhood and in places where worshipers are more common, the brotherhood must be considered in political decisions, lest their chaotic wrath be ignited. |
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Post by rorrik on Feb 16, 2019 4:54:58 GMT
1. Which deity did you choose? Nom, the Great Witch from Tesla Ranger2. What kind of professional structures are there in the deity’s worshipers? Nom is revered most of the witches of Dayeimbe. Their power is in large part dictated by their connection to the Great Witch, and though witches rarely trust one another, they measure their relative favor with the Nom by the powers they possess, often demonstrating it through witch's duels. The Coven of Twelve (from joatmoniac himself) are Nom's ruling body. Though they are mad, she speaks prophesies and edicts through them. Truly devout witches make a pilgrimage at least once a decade to hear from them their ongoing destiny. 3. How do the lay people worship the deity? Lay people do not worship Nom, they fear her. Every region of Dayeimbe has different superstitious and rumors about how to keep her from meddling in their lives. Some believe that wearing false wedding band beginning at youth keeps her from taking interest. Others train their children to set goals for their entire life that they repeat in prayer-like recitations at their bedsides. Still other regions believe that her wiles can be kept at bay with crowns painted with glowing firefly extract. 4. What kinds of rituals and rites are expected of devout worshipers? The Eleventh Star-a scrying ritual performed on the winter solstice to see through the Eye of Nom Nom witches have an unending list of curses and hexes they are known to perform and cast upon those who oppose them. Devout worshipers try to find information valuable enough to bring to Nom so they can play a part in guiding someone to her chosen destiny for them. 5. What kinds of rites are expected of lay worshipers? Those few lay people who do offer her any oblation write secrets they hear on piece of paper and burn them to deliver the secrets to Nom. 6. Anything else? Nom always has her finger on the scales of power in the world. While not worshipers, those tools she has chosen from among the rulers of the world are under the influence of the fate she has decided. It is in these that she exercises her real power. |
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Post by dmdraxil on Mar 23, 2019 2:00:31 GMT
1. Which deity did you choose?
Created my own:
Selo (Intermediate Deity)
The Quiet One, Stillness
Alignment: N
Portfolio: Forests, Woodland Creatures, Quiet Places, Stillness
Domains: Nature
Favored Weapon: Staff (Ironroot)
Symbol: An oak tree growing out of a rock
The patron god of forest-based Druids and Ranger, Woodcutters and introspective Monks.
2. What kind of professional structures are there in the deity’s worshipers?
Forest based druids and clerics share the top tier in the hierarchy of the church. Druids focus on the forest aspect and clerics focus on the quiet aspect. They have respect for each other and will defer to one another in regard to their areas of focus. Rangers fall just below them focusing on maintaining the security of the forests. A small group of Monks have their own offshoot, they focus on the stillness and quiet aspect, many of whom take a vow of silence.
Ranks: Seed
Sapling
Oak
Quiet Ones
Stillness
3. How do the lay people worship the deity?
Selo has few lay worshipers, they tend to be people who spend most of their time in the forest. A layman will spend anywhere from a few moments a day up to an hour practicing silence and stillness, if possible, in a forest or under a tree.
4. What kinds of rituals and rites are expected of devout worshipers?
The rituals of Selo's involve the planting and nurturing a tree and quiet meditation under a tree. On the fall equinox a day long planting and cleanup will take place, layman help out by collecting fallen trees and branches from the area. The collected wood will be given to the needy in preparation for the coming colder weather. All rituals are quiet affairs in which all worshipers go about the service in silence.
5. What kinds of rites are expected of lay worshipers?
Lay worshippers are expected to help maintain the sanctity of the forest, alongside the druids and clerics, by treating it as a temple. There are no built temples to Selo, they start when a fallen tree is found in the forest and shaped to be a bench for worshippers. Sermons are usually only a few spoken ideas to meditate on for the rest of the service.
6. Anything else?
The church of Selo’s is not flashy or very well understood by the masses, it is a church full of introverts and reflective people. As an organization it has virtually no money it clergy relies on donations and the kindness of others.
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Post by 00dlez on Jun 19, 2019 20:11:50 GMT
1. Which deity did you choose? Darlaur (Greater Deity) Golden Lady, The Coin Maiden Alignment : N Portfolio: Trade, Wealth, Merchants, Smugglers Domains: Knowledge, Trickery Favored Weapon: Dirk (Merchant's Ally) Symbol: Woman’s Face on a Gold Coin 2. What kind of professional structures are there in the deity’s worshipers?The structure of the Darlaurian faith is very regimented and business-like. Aside from traditional worship, enclaves of clerics operate a variety of guildhalls, port authorities, customs houses, and financial centers around the world. Through these institutions, the clerics spread the faith, but also their influence in the realms of commerce and trade at a local level. Their organizational skills, keen business minds, and powers bestowed upon them by their patroness make them (relatively) impartial and (somewhat) trusted institutions in commercial centers of all shapes and sizes around the world.
3. How do the lay people worship the deity?
Most common folk pray to Darlaur but once a year - a short prayer or perhaps a toast as spring arrives to bring them wealth and prosperity in the coming year. Those commoners more directly tied to the greater commerce of a city - dock workers, warehouse workers, teamsters, and the like often pray to her more regularly for general prosperity around them which keeps them in their station. 4. What kinds of rituals and rites are expected of devout worshipers?Devout worshipers are merchants, money lenders, and others directly involved in trade and commerce. They pray to Darlaur often for favor and guidance in their endeavors, but sacrifices to her are needed to stay in her graces. These donations are often in gold coin or perhaps trade goods if the merchant is not particularly wealth and can only spare some excess goods. These contributions are the source of the common phrase "The cost of doing business". 5. What kinds of rites are expected of lay worshipers?Much of the same - sacrifices or donations to the church in either coins, gems or valuable gifts. The value of which is relative to one's wealth to stay in Darlaur's favor. Often, though, the lay person is not a prominent or large-scale person of business and thus, do not pray to Darlaur for some large amount of commercial success. Instead, their prayers center around negotiating good prices at market, or sneaking some contraband past the port guards. 6. Anything else?DogmaTrade is the best road to enrichment. Increasing the general prosperity buys ever greater civilization and happiness for folk the world around. Destroy no goods, raise no restrictions on trade, salt no fields, and leave no game to carrion. Challenge and refute unproven rumors that could negatively impact trade. Give money to beggars and businesses alike, the more coin everyone has, the greater the urge to spend, and trade grows ever more.To guard your funds is to venerate her, to share them well seeds future success in your endeavors. Call on her in trade and you will be guided to wise commerce. The bold find gold, the wise are careful to keep it, and the timid yield it up. Very validating/humbling to get on-air shout outs! The rhetorical question was asked "what does the church do with their donations/tithes" - and at the current time in my campaign there is indeed a very specific goal in mind. At present, they are using funds to invest in new areas - growing the faith in more obscure areas of the world and growing the recognition of the "church brand". Where traditionally the church focused more on ports, caravan routes, and large urban centers, they have been branching out and expanding their visibility in smaller communities, sites of industry (mines/lumber camps/etc) to become more recognizable... Why? To establish comprehensive financial network around the world, of course! The idea was inspired by (ok, completely stolen from) a less famous aspect of the Knight's Templar activities during the crusades.
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Post by letterlost on Jun 21, 2019 21:14:11 GMT
1. Which deity did you choose?
Name: Bilma, the Dream Giver Alignment: Neutral Good Power Level: Intermediate Domains: Mind, Madness, Luck created by rorick in DM-nastics 23: pantheon builder 2. What kind of professional structures are there in the deity’s worshipers?
Bilma is worshiped by many different people, for many different reasons: Devout worphipers: - Clerics- generally will have lower level clerics following a Bilma inspired Priest to serve a specific inspired goal. These groups are typically very small consisting of <10 people and their temples commonly double as inns or bunkhouses at an affordable rate; during their stay the clerics show the travelers how to perform the proper prayer and offering to Bilma.
- Monks- many monasteries pay homage to Bilma, though are not usually entirely devoted to her. It is not uncommon for these monks to be given visions of ways they can inspire others, good and noble jobs/quests for them to perform, or be used to deliver a message (often a warning) to someone she is unable to send a vision too.
Leaders: good or neutral aligned leaders in power who either wishes for her guidance or wishes to avoid her wrath. Others: - Layperson- many laypeople include Bilma in the Pantheon they pay homage to because they either hope to become inspired and lucky or they are looking for any sort of happiness in their bleak and mundane lives (even it is just a fleeting dream).
- Hermits – Good or Neutral aligned Hermits pray to Bilma for inspiration to do good and to help them find that coveted Feature: Discovery (PHB, pg. 134)
3. How do the lay people worship the deity?
The simplest ways of worshiping Bilma involve burning incense and saying a dedicated prayer to her before bed. The there are several appropriate incenses (all are available from appropriate inns and temples), the ingredients are specific but simple and include: jasmine, marigold, and rose as well as Bracken, Cinquefoil, and onion. There is no specific prayer, but some of the common ones are: The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
Yes, I am a dreamer. A dreamer is one who can only find his by moonlight and whose punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.
Dream no small dreams, for they have no power to move the hearts of Men.
4. What kinds of rituals and rites are expected of devout worshipers?
More devout worshipers, such as the clerics and monks dedicated to her, perform these same rituals nightly. Their incense is of higher quality (marigold picked at noon, a cinquefoil sprig with seven leaflets) and understand that different ingredients may encourage more specific types of dreams (Bilma willing); Heliotrope should be used for insight to recovering wealth and finding threats, Mimosa for dreams of love, Buchu for dreams of the future. The better the offering, the better the dreams. They have specific incense bowls made of brass or amethyst, often times made by her monks with a prayer etched into it. in the mornings, devout worshipers are expected to have a time of meditation to reflect upon their dreams before anything else. Clerics will visit monasteries as needed for incense and bowl, paying for it with money made from their inns, and have super sweet (dreams) slumber parties. 5. What kinds of rites are expected of lay worshipers?
If you get a dream from Bilma inspiring you to good and noble deeds you are expected to act upon them, It is considered heresy by Bilma’s followers to be given a prophetic dream and not act on it,. All who pray to her should understand that all their dreams belong to her, this is her sustenance. It is popular belief that good dreams bring her more power than bad ones. 6. Anything else?
Most people know someone, or know someone who knows someone, who has been given a significant gift by Bilma. usually in the way of guiding them to a significant lost object or heirloom and inspiring them to return it to its owner (often too much rejoicing and some level of compensation)- a gentle reminder to leaders she is watching them; or perhaps someone learns a new skill, such as playing a musical instrument or carving, in their sleep and using it to inspire joy and greatness in others, or perhaps giving them a glimpse of the future to help them protect a loved one; which they ignored and the Guilt (led on by dreams of how their life could have been) driving them to a madness where they see every event as a sign, going to any lengths to help anyone with anything. It happens from time to time that every inhabitant of an area will suffer from nightmares caused by a witch follower of Nom, working to weaken.
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