Priest

As well as providing information on the priesthood in general, this is a career guide for players intending to create a priest character. For details of the type of magic used by these characters, see Divine Magick.

Introduction

Noun: Priest preest

1. An official conductor of religious rites; a mediator between a god and worshippers

Definition/Overview

In fantasy settings, Priest(ess)s tend to fall into one of four categories:

• Whiter than white servants of a Deity of light, dedicated to ridding the world of the servants of evil
• Black-hearted servants of a Deity of darkness, dedicated to furthering the nefarious ends of their malevolent master/mistress
• Religious zealots driven by a fierce all-consuming fire to preach the word of their Deity, and woe betide the infidels who dare disagree with them
• Gentle, nature loving servants of nature, who try and dwell in a serene state of bliss and harmony with Mother Earth

Whilst these are all valid (albeit stereotypical) paths for a Priest(ess) character, the term 'Priest(ess)’ can apply to anyone who is ordained by the senior members of a Faith to act as a mediator between their Deity and the worshippers of that Deity. How the Priest(ess) character chooses to act as a mediator is a matter of personal choice for the character; they can chose to live quietly amongst them, tending to their physical and spiritual needs; they might choose to lead them from a life of bondage and turbulence to a new land of Faith and opportunity. They may just treat worshippers as a means to an end, simple building blocks to achieve a greater purpose... a Priest(ess) character can be a leader of men, charging kings to perform the will of their Deity; they can use their position to wield great political power and influence, if they chose to. In short, a Priest(ess) character is bound only by the constraints of the character’s chosen Faith... and by the characters own desires and conscience.

Famous real Priests/Priestesses to consider

• Moses
• Cardinal Richelieu
• The Borgias
• Rasputin
• Mother Teresa

Background And Motivation

The one thing that ALL Priest(ess) characters MUST have is a vocation:

Noun: vocation vo-kay-shun

1. A calling, a summons; a calling by a deity to Their service in special work or in a special position; a fitness for a deity’s specified work; a way of living or sphere of activity to which one has been called to by a Deity

The key driving force for a Priest(ess) character is that they have been chosen to serve a Deity. The process of how the character is chosen by the Deity is entirely up to the player – dreams, visions, a visitation from a supernatural servant of the Deity – but when the character starts their life in Tazlure, they know that they are there for a purpose, and that purpose is to serve a specific Deity. It is therefore ESSENTIAL that any character wishing to become a Priest(ess) MUST read the section on gods, and select a god to serve from that list.

Please note that having a vocation is only the start for a fledgling Priest(ess) character; although the character will know that that have been chosen to serve a Deity, they will still need to know in what way they must serve – and in order to do that, they must receive training from already established members of their Faith. Once this training has been received, the character may become ordained, and may serve their Deity fully.

Social background is not a critical issue when creating a Priest(ess) character – but it is important to detail as much of your characters previous life as you can, in order to make playing in Tazlure a much more rewarding experience!

You should consider where you want your character to go, and what you would like them to eventually become – a High Priest(ess) of a great Temple? The founder of a new colony, based on tenants of their Faith? A dark and sinister schemer, plotting to further the ends of their Master/Mistress? A crusader, driven by the desire to purge the world of all evils? Or maybe just a simple member of their Faith, dedicated to aiding and guiding those to the true love of their Deity...

Specialising And Skills

The obvious area to pick initial (supporting) Skills from is Magickal & Spirit skills; your character will find life much easier if they select some or all of the following skills:

• Academic Skill: Theology
• Magickal & Spirit Skill: Convert
• Magickal & Spirit Skill: Pray
• Magickal & Spirit Skill: Preach

Beyond that, you need to consider where you want your character to go, and select skills accordingly; for example, does your character want to use smooth talking and political ability to further their career? Or is your character a wandering preacher, set on converting infidels using words - or more of a warrior-priest figure, using sword and fire to bring people to a true Faith? You need to think what type of Priest(ess) your character will be - for instance a serene Patriarch/Matriarch, or a hellfire zealot, preaching the word from street corners. There are as many types of Priest(ess) as there are professions in the world of Tazlure!

As your character is ordained in their chosen Faith, they will almost certainly be introduced to the concept of magic through Faith – the process where the chosen Deity grants the character certain magical powers as a reward for serving them. This skill only comes with experience; you character will have to receive training, and prove themselves worthy before such powers are granted!

Training

Once you have selected a Deity for your character to serve, the obvious place to get training is at a Temple dedicated to that Deity! The more established Faiths will have Temples in most of the major towns; some of the more obscure or dark Faiths will have their Temples in obscure or hidden places, and simply finding them will be an adventure all of its own!

Weaponry

Strange as it might sound, it is usually a good idea for a Priest(ess) character to start with at least one weapon or fighting skill; whilst many will abhor the thought of attacking a man or woman chosen by the Deities, there are always those driven by pure greed to contend with – as well as member of other opposing Faiths...

Rounding Out

Once you have determined which skills to start with, have a think about other skills – which ones would be of general use, especially if your character is the adventurous sort? If you’re planning on joining a group, which skills might help your party along?

Religion

It goes without saying that Religion is THE most important facet of a Priest(ess)’s existence. Not only are characters chosen by a Deity expected to serve that Deity, they are also expected to learn the tenants and beliefs surrounding that Deity – AND teach them to the Faithful, AND enlighten the heathen and unbelievers! In short, religion IS the single key driving force for your character and, whilst you may play any character traits you like, it is essential that you understand that you are a servant of your Deity – and what they say goes!