Sinai Clergy - Works
Sinai Clergy - Holy Works

The following is a listing of Holy Works (spells) associated with several religions to be found on Sinai. Each Holy Work can be purchased for 1 character point for a priest or priestess of the appropriate religion. A single cleric may purchase only Holy Works that are listed for the deity that he or she has purchased Religious Rank for. In the event that a cleric may serve a religion where he or she may represent multiple deities and be able to invoke Holy Works for each of them, Religious Rank must be purchased multiple times at the appropriate level. (Even in polytheistic religions, this is something that is very, very rare, and is only listed here for the sake of completeness.)

Each Holy Work is available at multiple levels: cantrip (prayer), minor spell (chant), minor ritual, and major ritual. The cost for each work is the same, whether or not the priest or priestess is able to use it at all of those levels. Some works are useless for a priest or priestess who can only use cantrips or minor spells, if the works in question can be only used at ritual level.

Required Skills

Many religions have certain associated skills expected of their clergy. Unless specified otherwise, any such skill listed for a given religion is expected to be purchased at "Average" level before ascending to the title of Priest. The average Acolyte will have this skill at "Novice" level, though particularly new initiates may not have it yet at all.

Religions that seek sanction by the College Esoterica (such as the Celestial Order) are required to pay dues and tuition for their practicing members.

For 2 points, the priest/priestess may be considered an Apprentice or Journeyman with the College Esoterica, and is expected to pay a tithe of all income earned to the College toward paying tuition. The character receives an appropriate Guild ring.

For 4 points, the priest/priestess is an Alumnus of the College Esoterica, and no longer needs to pay tithes, but it's assumed that dues are being paid to be a member of the Mages' Guild. The character receives a golden Guild ring indicating graduation from the College Esoterica.

Sample Religions

The following give a list of Holy Works, Strictures and other specifications for followers of a number of established religions on Sinai.

Cleric of the Star

The "Star" figures into a number of different religions on Sinai, but miracle-workers in the name of the Star belong to a monotheistic sect that sees the Star as a benevolent creator entity.

This is a monotheistic religion, and its members do not acknowledge the existence of other gods as being true deities. It is a transgression for them to toast to other gods, bow to idols, et cetera.

Holy Works:

  • Create Light -- cantrip; minor spell; ritual - Caster must be in physical contact with object that he is illuminating and cannot affect anything organic. Ritual level is sufficient to either: a) create a portable light source that can turn on/off as desired, with the caster for an entire day; b) light an entire house brightly for several hours; c) create a potent light capable of driving out Shadow-based magic, and driving off many types of undead.

  • Heal -- cantrip; minor spell; ritual - This only works on physical wounds, and cannot be used to remove tattoos or re-attach or regenerate severed limbs. In some circumstances, it can cure minor sicknesses and simple poisons, but the spell may have no effect. This work will actually cause harm to certain types of undead ... though it is highly unlikely that they will stand still long enough to allow the cleric to "lay on hands" to get full effect; thus, it is not effective as a combat spell, but it has sometimes been used as a shrewd way to tell if someone is an undead abomination or not.

  • Exorcise -- cantrip; minor spell; ritual - a spirit inhabiting a person or object can be drawn out and dissipated, or an undead creature kept at bay. At cantrip level, will only dispel the absolute weakest of spirits, or can be used to temporarily ward off lesser undead.

  • Bless -- minor spell; ritual - this spell is sometimes used before planting for good harvests, around the sick to encourage recovery, and at the beginning of voyages to encourage safe travels. This spell cannot actually cause plants to grow, heal the sick, or protect an airship from bad weather ... it simply affects the chances of something positive occurring. In minor spell level, it can only affect one person or one small place for a short amount of time; in ritual level the effects are more prolonged and have a wider range.
    •

    Miracle Notes:

  • Miracles of the Star are very rare.
    •

    Strictures / Obligations:

  • Prohibition against Drunkenness
  • Prohibition against Bearing False Witness (i.e., lying)
  • Prohibition against Cursing, Blasphemy, Taking the Star's Name in Vain
  • Prohibition against Fornication, Adultery, Murder, Theft, Coveting, et cetera
  • Prohibition against Bowing Before Idols
  • Prohibition against Sorcery, Necromancy, et cetera
  • Tithe 10% of Earnings
    •

    Required:

  • Lore of Sinai (Minor)
    •

    Symbol:

  • Four-pointed star
    •

    Vestments:

  • Plain brown or black robes for traveling priests or monks; more ornate vestments for those overseeing Sanctuaries of the Star
    •

    Warder of the Celestial Order

    The Celestial Order is related to the worship of the Star, though here the "Star" becomes the "Great Gear" or the "Prime Mover". (Although members of the Celestial Order are of a different "religion" than Clerics of the Star, they believe that their gods are the same entity, and that Clerics of the Star are workers of miracles, not spellcasters.) Followers of the Celestial Order -- based in Chronotopia -- are concerned primarily with combating the powers of magic, which they generally see as tending toward evil.

    Unlike many surface religions, the Celestial Order seeks to gain legitimacy for its miracle workers with the College Esoterica and the Mages' Guild. For this reason, they are required to pay tuition to the College, and are registered as members of the Mages' Guild.

    This is a monotheistic religion, and its members do not acknowledge the existence of other gods as being true deities. It is a transgression for them to toast to other gods, bow to idols, et cetera.

    Holy Works:

  • Dispel: minor spell; ritual - The priest uses his powers to destroy an enchantment put on a person or an item. It involves weakening the spell and then magically "shattering" it. Can sometimes be used to ward off elementals or golems, or even to do damage to them at the ritual level.

  • Stabilize: ritual - It will temporarily calm a small area around the mage and holds back the effects of wild magic for however long the ritual is "held up". The more powerful the opposing magical forces are, the harder this is on the casting mage. Quite often after using this ritual, the mage needs time to recover. There is also the danger of "rebound" when the spell goes down.

  • Exorcise: minor spell; ritual - A spirit inhabiting a person or object can be drawn out and dissipated. Can also be used to ward some types of undead creatures.

  • Ward: minor spell; ritual - Creates a ring of protection around the caster against magic. Size of the ring depends on the time spent creating the ward.
    •

    Miracle Notes:

  • There really aren't miracles of the Great Gear ... at least, nothing overt that someone could point to as a definite miracle, and not mere coincidence or "good luck". If anything, "miracles" of the Great Gear tend to involve a lack of supernatural activity; an increase in the chance of overt magic to fail or dissipate entirely in the vicinity.
    •

    Strictures / Obligations:

  • Prohibition against Drunkenness
  • Prohibition against Bearing False Witness (i.e., lying)
  • Prohibition against Blasphemy, Cursing, Taking the Great Gear's Name in Vain
  • Prohibition against Fornication, Adultery, Murder, Theft, Coveting, et cetera
  • Prohibition against Use of Magic, Necromancy or Sorcery
  • Prohibition against Bowing Before Idols
  • Tithe 10% of Earnings
    •

    note: The Celestial Order may submit to College Esoterica training, but believes that its Holy Works are not spells. They are perfectly fine with the use of spells that are meant to protect against or dispel magic, but will not personally use or allow themselves to benefit from overt magical effects from spellcasters, such as levitation, magical healing of non-magical injuries, et cetera.

    Required:

  • Lore of Sinai (Minor, Average)
  • Status: Member of Mages' Guild (2 pts for apprentice/journeyman; 4 pts for graduate)
  • Language: Bosch (native tongue)
    •

    Symbol:

  • Five-Pointed Star Gear
    •

    Vestments:

  • Simple robes
    •

    Cultist of Bosch (Keeper of Disorder)

    Bosch is a place of unbridled magical power, and there are some who willingly serve the Overlords of this accursed place, seeking to undermine the order of society of the Nordikan nations -- particularly Chronotopia.

    Any Cultist of Bosch also has a special vow that is chosen in such a way as to represent the powers of his Overlord in some way, or his own relationship with Chaos. For instance, a given Cultist may vow never to pass in front of a mirror without breaking it, to never acquire anything except by theft, or to never make a statement that is entirely true. It is generally a "vow" that, with careful effort on the part of the Cultist, doesn't require any special action on his part. (i.e., stay away from mirrors; always say things in the form of a question.)

  • Energize: minor spell; ritual - The cultist uses his own life energy to "support" a creature of Bosch while it is outside the confines of its homeland. Depending on the strength of the creature, this ability can very well kill a single person. Often multiple cultists gather to support Bosch monsters rather than risk being drained completely dry. Ritual level is required only for especially powerful creatures of Bosch that could not survive more than a few seconds outside the Forbidden Zone.

  • Curse: minor spell; ritual - Causes a light form of "bad luck" to strike a victim. Although at this level the effects are rarely lethal, it's still something that a person won't usually escape unscathed from. At ritual level, the effects are more potent, but they also tend to be accompanied by many "omens" that warn of lurking danger that may negate the usefulness of this spell to ultimately do anything but scare someone.

  • Pain: minor spell; ritual - A reverse of "heal", this spell can cause someone to become sick, break out in bruises or get a bloody nose, or cause someone to become mildly ill. At its most potent ritual form, usually requiring the use of animal sacrifices (or worse) to prepare it, can be "held" and then released upon a touch to the victim to cause considerable physical harm, and even violent and gruesome death.
    •

    Miracle Notes:

  • "Miracles" of Bosch often take place in the form of bad dreams or other ill omens that accompany the movements of a Cultist of Bosch, but not under his or her control.
    •

    Strictures / Obligations:

  • Must Fight Against the Oppression of Order, and Promote Chaos
  • May Not Willfully Enter Holy Ground
  • Special Vow
    •

    Required:

  • Resistance to Disease: specifically, the "radiation" of Bosch
    •

    Recommended:

  • Language: Bosch (most likely the character's native language)
    •

    Symbol:

  • Varies. Example: a gear missing one tooth; a random burst of lines (suggesting the Chaos Rune)
    •

    Vestments:

  • Varies.
    •

    Shaman of Rik'

    This cult has a following among Kavis, inspired by a mongoose Exile from a world where, he claimed, snake-like creatures similar to the Nagai were an evil race. Rikkianists carry on the tradition of this Prophet, inspired by a second Prophet who came to a tribe of Rikkianists in Half Valley. This cult is exclusively comprised of the ferret-like Kavi people, and is devoted toward a sort of holy war against the Nagai of any nation.

    Followers of Rik' wear a medallion known as a Rikkorel, which is a representation of their mongoose god, Rik'. Believers rub various parts of the symbolic representation of Rik's body while issuing prayers. (i.e., rubbing the feet while asking for speed, and so forth)

    Holy Works:

  • Hypnotize: minor spell - The follower attempts to lull its victim into a trance. If successful, the recipient will stare blankly into space for a few seconds ... and will not snap out of it until a mob of other Rikkianists leap out and begin to tear the victim apart. Note: This spell largely has affect on those with weak wills.

  • Fortune Telling: minor spell - The follower tries to predict the outcome of some future planned raid or attack. The follower will be unable to predict his own fate with this spell, unfortunately.
    •

    Miracle Notes:

  • There are presently no documented miracles of Rik' on Sinai.
    •

    Strictures/Obligations:

  • Actively Seek to Fight Nagai
  • Show No Mercy to Nagai
  • Act to Help Kavi-Kind
    •

    note: It is conceivable that a follower of Rik' may spare a Naga, and for this action to be deemed acceptable, but only under certain circumstances. A prime example would be for a single member of a group of Nagas to be spared for the express purpose of going back and telling the Nagai about the fate of the others, so that they may fear Rik' and the fate of his enemies.

    Required:

  • Weapon Skill: Brawling - Specializes in fighting Nagai
  • Language: Kavi (native tongue)
    •

    Symbol:

  • Rikkorel (representation of Rik' - a mongoose)
    •

    Holy Vestments:

  • No established tradition
    •

    The Olympian Pantheon

    There are twelve main deities and countless minor ones included in the Olympian Pantheon, with central temples located in the city of Parthos, on the edge of the Lake of Langour. The structures of these religions vary greatly, though a follower of any one deity acknowledges the existence of the others.

    Orders of the Olympian Pantheon

    Daughters of the Seven Sisters

    The priestesses of the Seven Sisters comprise a long-established religion, with practitioners that employ "hedge wizardry", immune to persecution by the College Esoterica by traditional arrangement with the government of Babel.

    Orders of the Seven Sisters

    Back to Clergy

    Back to Section 9.7.6