Most Great Church prayers invoke all the gods by referring to them as “Holy Ones,” “Lords of Good,” or “Lords
of Heaven.” An example, called “The Passage,” is from the
naming ceremony where the Church recognizes a child
after its birth:
“May the Lords of Heaven shine on thee,
May they lift you up in their great presence,
For thou art named in their hallowed halls,
And the Holy Ones shall know thee in the last.”
However, the most common prayer, which is used as
the invocation for important events and is said by many
common folk when they need a formal prayer, is the
Order. The Order refers to each of the gods by name. In
important ceremonies, a priest lights a candle or rings a
bell when each name is read:
“Lords of Heaven, hear our prayer!
That Rontra’s earth will feed us,
And nourish those who hunger;
That Urian’s skies will warm us,
And shelter those in need;
That Shalimyr’s waves will wash us clean,
And cleanse those who have failed us;
That Morwyn’s wisdom will guide us,
And her compassion aid the lost;
That Terak’s strength will embolden us,
And protect those who are weak;
That Tinel’s teachings will open our eyes,
And lift up those who are in ignorance;
That Zheenkeef’s inspiration will better us,
And her wine will bring us happiness;
That Mormekar’s hands will take us at our time,
And pass over the young and the innocent;
That Maal’s judgment will not find us lacking,
And his laws prevail over darkness;
That Naryne’s rulership will forever prevail,
And her servants share in her wisdom;
That Korak’s forge will provide for us,
And his skill will be reflected in mortal hands;
That Anwyn’s hearth fire will always burn,
And give sanctuary to the weary;
That Thellyne’s prey will be plentiful,
And that her gardens will flourish;
That Canelle’s swift feet shall carry us,
And we may all be victorious;
That Darmon’s trade will prosper,
And that we may share in his fortune;
That Aymara’s eyes will shine on us all,
And we each shall know love.
So we pray, Oh Holy Ones,
So we entreat you as your servants.”
Most of the prayers are less elaborate, and many situation-specific prayers call upon one god, though it’s usually
after a quick acknowledgement of the other Holy Ones.
Before a competition, a cleric might invoke Canelle. Before
a birth, Rontra, Morwyn, and Anwyn are all named. At
weddings, funerals, and other great life-changing ceremonies, however, all the gods are called on for blessing.
Paladins say the prayers of the Church in ceremonies,
but their prayers are far less elaborate. They usually
involve a quick invocation of “all that is holy” or “may
the gods protect us.” It is rare for a paladin to appeal to
just one of the gods, but there have been members of the
order who feel closer to one god than the others. Many
times, these paladins become members of the church
of that god as well as the Great Church (and yet retain
their status as paladins, as this in no way violates their
holy mission or oaths)
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