Kler’nak Rituals
Songs of the Cycle of Life
Song of Hatching
Hymn of Naming
Song of the Coming of Age (also known as the Song of Majority)
Song of Mating
Hymn of Fertility
Hymn of Laying
Chant of Death (also known as the Chant of Passing)
The Rituals
Supplication of Purification (used to cleanse one’s spirit of sins, real or imagined)
Invocation of Battle (clerical blessing upon warriors before a fight)
Invocation of Trade (clerical blessing upon merchants)
Invocation of the Gods (opens the communication channels to gods)
Prayer of Exorcism (gets rid of ‘evil’ spirits, possessions, and the like)
Supplication to the Ancestors (asking for the blessings of one’s ancestors)
Prayer of Guidance (asking for help with decisions)
Supplication of Protection (asking for help from danger)
Hymn of Work (chant used when working, helps to pass the time)
Invocation of the Hunt (“Saying Grace”)
Invocation of the Clan (ritual used at clan meetings and reunions to bless the clan as a whole)
Invocation of the Family (ritual used at home to bless the family)
Supplication of Safe Passage (used after one dies to insure safe passage to the afterlife)
Supplication of Spirit Communion (used after one dies to insure spiritual melding with the god)
Supplication of the Elements (asking for fair weather, no natural disasters, etc)
Invocation of the Sun (used to greet the sun in the morning)
Invocation of Sunset (used to say farewell to the sun and for it to have a quick journey around the world)
Supplication of Darkness (used to ask for protection from the cold and night; the night has always been considered linked to cold due to their physiology)
Supplication of Atonement (to ask for forgiveness for a major religious sin)
Invocation of Holiness (used in the ritual of priesthood)
Invocation of Patronage (used to open a channel to a specific god)
The Songs of the Cycle of Life
The Songs celebrate the various stages and happenings in a kler’nak’s life.
The Song of Hatching, sounding like a low-pitched trilling noise with few changes in pitch (almost like a humming sound), this song is sung just just before and during the hatching, usually by a priest of N’rraaghrh, although it can also be sung by priests of Rrogh’rghh, K’rraa’rghh, or S’thnaar. In a pinch, the parents can sing it. It’s length varies, and is about as long as the hatching itself. Generally, it ranges anywhere from twenty minutes to over two hours, depending on the number of eggs and how long they take to hatch.
The Hymn of Naming sounds like a soft humming that varies widely in pitch. It is sung during the Time of Naming, which happens about a week after the younglings hatch. It is sung for each child, lasting for about three minutes each time, then suddenly stops, only to start again about a half minute later. During the time when the singer(s) stop, a child is given kir name by one (or both) of the parents. Once the name has been given, the priest (usually K’rkakht’l or N’rraaghrh, but can be S’thnaar or L’ssaah) feeds the child a piece of seasoned meat, symbolizing the hope that the child will grow strong.
The Song of the Coming of Age, also called the Song of Maturity, sounds like soft, low-pitched chanting (which is what it is), and is sung during the Coming of Age Ritual by both a priest of Rrogh’rghh and a priest of L’ssaah (or, if a lifestyle/profession choice has been made by the one undergoing the ritual, by the priest of the god who is a patron of that profession). The ritual and song both last about three quarters of an hour. Sometimes the parents join in the singing, but it is not required. A small drum or a pair of sticks keeps tempo.
The Song of Mating began as a “serenade”, became part of the religious life for a time, and has since mostly died out. Only the most traditional or romantic kler’naks use it now, and some think that it is becoming fashionable again. It is a simple song, with about a dozen lines that are repeated thrice, with minor variations with each repetition. The style varies based on the singer, as does the basic melody and instruments (if any) used. When used as part of the Pairbonding Ritual (i.e., a wedding), it is sung by a priest of N’rraaghrh, or, if necessary, by a priest of S’thnaar.
The Hymn of Fertility is basically a request for fertility (and virility, although the language makes no distinction between the two), and sounds like a low humming that rises and falls in cycles. As it is used before sex, it is often quite short, and can be sung by either partner. If sung as part of a fertility ritual (to have a priest lend kir divine aid), then it is sung by a priest of N’rraaghrh, or, in a pinch, S’thnaar.
The Hymn of Laying is sung during the time that the female is laying her eggs, to insure the mother’s health, and, to a lesser extent, the eggs as well. While the parents prefer that all of the eggs become viable, realistically this doesn’t happen all that often, and it is better if the female is able to lay more eggs. It sounds like a low, rhythmic chanting, and is generally sung by a priest of N’rraaghrh or Shrr’ghhrr’l, who act as midwifes. Laying is usually done in cleansed (literally and ritually) warmed sand.
The Chant of Death, or the The Chant of Passing, sounds like a ululating keening or wailing sound, sung by a trio of mourners (usually family or clan members, but they can be hired). Over this background vocal is the chant itself, the first part of which is spoken by a priest K’rkakht’l, the second part is spoken by a priest of S’slhr’rghh. The third part is spoken by a priest of whatever patron god was followed by the deceased, and the fourth is by a priest of S’thnaar. It takes about three fourths of an hour for the entire chant to be completed.
The Rituals
These are used for a variety of purposes and are done whenever deemed necessary, as listed under each ritual. They can be said by anyone, but are most effective when done by a priest.
The Supplication of Purification is used to cleanse one’s spirit of sin, and is directed towards whichever god is followed by the supplicant. It also helps (perhaps psychosomatically) to strengthen the will and to fight off disease. It takes about 15 seconds to say, and is usually repeated many times, depending on the person praying, the perceived strength of the sin/disease, etc. Also used as a light punishment, much like a Christian “Hail Mary”. The standard posture is standing, with one’s chin elevated. To humans, it looks similar to a haughty position of attention.
The Invocation of Battle is a clerical blessing upon warriors before a fight, directed toward Khrr’ghhn. It is spoken by either a priest of Khrr’ghhn, or by a high ranking military officer. It simply asks for victory, glory, and booty (in that order of precedence). It normally takes about a minute, but there is a 5-second shortened form. It is done in a balanced crouch, with the speaker holding an irgaak point up (“striving for the sky”). If no irgaak is available, then any weapon will do (just not as well). It is considered bad form (not to mention bad manners) to attack while the defenders are making this prayer, and the defenders usually take offense at this, and fight viciously. (There are rumors that some less scrupulous kler’nak generals attack their own troops with a token attack to set them off, but they are unsubstantiated.)
The Invocation of Trade is a clerical blessing upon merchants and business in general. It is directed toward Khrr’ghhn and L’ssaah, and is performed by a priest of one or both of the deities. It has become fashionable for merchants to greet each other with the first few lines of the invocation. It takes about a minute and a half to say in its entirety.
The Invocation of the Gods opens the communication channels to the gods, and is used as an adjunct to other prayers. It is directed at any or all of the gods, and there is no ritual position or stance used; instead, the stance of the other prayer is used, if any. In formal ceremonies, this prayer is usually spoken at the beginning. In that case, there is a stance: it uses the same position as the Supplication of Purification. Many phrases of exasperation (much like “oh God”, “Jee-sus Christ”, or “Saints preserve us”) come from this prayer, which started out as a generic request for divine assistance. It takes about two minutes to intone, and is spoken by any priest.
The Invocation of Patronage opens the communication channel to a priest’s patron deity, and is used very much like the Invocation of the Gods. There is no specific stance, and it takes about two minutes to say. The priest uses this to express thanks that kir deity is kir patron and for any favors that the deity has granted.
The Prayer of Exorcism gets rid of ‘evil’ spirits, possessions, and the like, and is spoken only by trained priests (they believe that exorcisms can be dangerous, especially in the hands of the unwary and unprepared). It is generally the priests of L’ssaah who do exorcisms, but the priests of S’thnaar are often trained. It takes over an hour to say, and is accompanied by ritualistic motions and ritual components (including fresh eggshells, symbolizing Purity, and clean sand, symbolizing Mental Ease). It is preceded and followed by Supplications of Purification.
The Supplication to the Ancestors asks for the blessings of one’s ancestors, and is intoned as an adjunct to asking the gods for something, since, according to kler’nak belief, upon one’s death one’s spirit becomes part of kir patron. It is like having an ally close to the god. During the prayer, the ancestor(s) are specifically named, and vary depending upon which god is being asked for assistance. Clanless Ones do not generally use this prayer, as they have been rejected by their family/clan. Similarly, orphans with no knowledge of their family history cannot use this prayer (they don’t know who to call; there have been stories of ancestors talking to them anyway, thus telling the supplicant who ke is related to). This prayer is also used to bless clan and familial events. It generally takes about ten minutes to say.
The Prayer of Guidance asks for help with decisions, and is spoken by just about anyone, directed at whichever god is felt most appropriate by the supplicant (it usually ends up being the patron god, since it is felt that with their patron there is more hope for success). It uses the same stance as the Purification Supplication, and takes anywhere from a minute to several hours, depending upon the decision and the belief and needs of the individual. Only the beginning and the end are ritually formalized, the rest being extemporized. It usually appears as if the supplicant is asking questions of the god, with long pauses in between. There is no ritual stance, although many prefer the “divine attention” stance.
The Supplication of Protection asks for help from danger, and is similar and derived from the Prayer of Guidance. It is directed toward one’s patron deity, although it is also directed at one of the Element-Siblings or Rrogh’rghh. There is no particular stance. Like the Prayer of Guidance, only the beginning and ends are formalized; the rest is based on circumstances. It takes about 10 seconds to say, although it is possible to say it very quickly (adrenaline helps this takes only four seconds.
The Hymn of Work is a chant used when working, to help to pass the time and, in some cases, to ask the gods to bless the work. It is directed towards Khrr’ghhn or L’ssaah, and only takes a minute to go through the verses. They are set up cyclicly, to facilitate starting over; in fact, it was designed to be able to be started anywhere within the cycle, and has no real beginning or end. It is particularly suited towards repetitive tasks.
The Invocation of the Hunt is the Kler’nak version of “Saying Grace”, although it is usually intoned at the beginning of the hunt and just before the kill is eaten. With the introduction of livestock, it has mostly been used just before eating. It is directed towards the Element-Siblings as a group, for allowing the kill to be healthily fed and raised, and for allowing the hunters to find and kill it. It takes about thirty seconds to say. For ritual hunts, it is spoken by priests of the Element-Siblings.
The Invocation of the Clan is a ritual used at clan meetings and reunions to bless the clan as a whole. It is the first order of business during such meetings; starting anything important before the prayer was once considered taboo, now it is only really bad manners and an affront to the clan. It is spoken by a priest of K’rkakht’l who belongs to the clan (if one is not available for some reason, the second choice is Rrogh’rghh, and the third is L’ssaah) and takes about ten minutes (much of this is taken up by a short list of the most prominent historical members of the clan and their primary accomplishments).
The Invocation of the Family is a ritual used at home to bless the immediate family. It is spoken by the head of the household, and takes about two minutes. Although it is meant to be spoken primarily during times of familial stress, many say it at some standard time during the day (usually mealtime, although many favor dawn or dusk) as a daily blessing. It is directed at S’thnaar, the Parent of All.
The Supplication of Safe Passage is used after one dies to insure safe passage to the afterlife. It is spoken by a priest of S’slhr’rghh, and takes about five minutes. If one is unavailable, then a priest of K’rkakht’l is used instead; failing that, anyone who knows it can say it, although this is only used as a stopgap measure. As soon as possible, the speaker goes to the priest and asks ke to speak the prayer.
The Supplication of Spirit Communion is used after one dies to insure spiritual melding with the god; this comes after the Supplication of Safe Passage. It is spoken by a priest of S’slhr’rghh or K’rkakht’l, and takes about ten minutes. Like the Supplication of Safe Passage, if the appropriate priest is not available, then anyone can say it and ask for the divine blessing. It usually is spoken a few minutes after the Supplication of Safe Passage, after the priest feels that enough time has passed for the spirit to be on its way.
The Supplication of the Elements asks for fair weather, no natural disasters, etc., and, of course, is directed at the Element-Siblings. It is spoken by anyone, most especially farmers (yes, kler’naks have a few farmers; they do eat other things besides flesh). It is spoken in the divine attention stance, and takes about a minute to intone. A more ritualistic variant of this prayer is used by the Elemental priests for special occasions, this may or may not involve any or all of the four elemental deities. The prayer is also used by military generals to try to gain advantages over their enemies (such as favorable weather or geologic/landscape advantages).
The Invocation of the Sun is used to greet the sun in the morning and is intoned in the divine attention stance, facing the rising sun. It is directed at K’rraa’rghh, and takes about thirty seconds to say. Anyone can do this (and most do). Formal occasions happening at dawn start off with a more ritual version of this prayer; this takes two minutes.
The Invocation of Sunset is used to say farewell to the sun and for it to have a quick journey around the world. It is otherwise similar to the Invocation of the Sun, except that it is spoken facing west. Formal occasions starting (or ending) at dusk begin (or finish) with a three minute formal version of this prayer.
The Supplication of Darkness is used to ask for protection from the cold and night (the night has always been considered linked to cold due to their physiology and diurnal habits). It is directed first at K’rraar’ghh, then at S’slhr’rghh. It is generally spoken in a crouching stance, and takes about a minute to say. This is often a “bedtime prayer”, and, as such, is often intoned from the resting position.
The Supplication of Atonement is used by priests whose ties to their deity have been weakened due to the breaking of a religious stricture. It is spoken while kneeling, with one's head down, and takes anywhere from a half hour to a full day, depending upon the severity of the "crime". The prayer is directed at one's patron deity, whom the priest has, in effect, insulted by breaking a stricture. It is considered demeaning to have witnesses, which is why other priests like to be there—it helps to make sure that it doesn't happen again. Non-clerical personnel are still not meant to see the atonement, and they are barred from the proceedings.
The Invocation of Holiness is used by priests to create more priests. It is part of the Bonding Ceremony, takes about two hours, and has many ritual movements associated with it. It is with this ritual that the priest is bonded with kir patron deity, and is directed at said deity. A priest of S'thnaar is required to speak the Invocation, but a temporary priest may be ordained by a priest of K'rkakht'l.
The Pairbonding Ritual
A Pairbonding Ritual requires a priest of N’rraaghrh and a priest of K’rkakht’l, Rrogh’rghh, or L’ssaah. It starts with an Invocation to the Gods, followed by an Invocation of the Clan (or two, if the partners are of different clans). Next comes two Invocations of the Family, directed at the families of each partner. This is followed by the Supplication to the Ancestors, spoken twice, directed at the ancestors of each partner, to ask for their blessings. All of that was to make sure that the actual Pairbonding Ceremony can be started in the first place. During the speaking of the words of the ceremony (spoken by the Priest of K’rkakht’l, this takes about eight minutes), the priest of N’rraaghrh is singing the Song of Mating. Once this is complete, the two partners are pairbonded (married), and the Invocation of the Family is spoken once more, directed at the pair (to symbolize that they are now a family). The Ritual generally takes about an hour in total.
Now the pair are “legally” entitled to bear young (the Kler’nak sense of family values don’t officially condone bearing children without a family to take proper care of them). There is generally a feast (put on by the families involved; often, if the nuptuals are popular or have influence the clans as a whole get in on it and the party lasts for days) afterward, to celebrate the union. Often, pairbondings are done in batches, so that the preparations for one can be used for several.
The Ritual of Spirit Bonding
The Ritual of Spirit Bonding is the ritual used to make a follower into a priest. At least three priests are necessary: a priest of S'thnaar, a priest of K'rkakht'l, and a priest of the patron deity. It begins, like most Kler'nak rituals, with the Invocation of the Gods, spoken by the priest of S'thnaar. This is followed by the Prayer of Guidance, spoken by the person wanting to be ordained; this takes a minimum of twenty minutes, as the three priests, the supplicant, and the deity try to decide if priesthood is really what is wanted. Often, this can take quite a while, especially if politics rears its ugly head (it is considered taboo for this to happen; gods and the priests that serve them are supposed to be above this unseemly behavior). This is followed by the Invocation of the Clan (spoken by the priest of K'rkakht'l) and the Supplication of the Ancestors (spoken by the priest of S'thnaar), to ask their guidance and opinions.
Once these preliminaries are complete, the supplicant undergoes a ten minute Supplication of Purification (spoken by the supplicant), to cleanse kirself of any residual sins (although, by this time, the supplicant has already subjected kirself to hours of this on kir own). After this, the Invocation of Holiness begins, with parts spoken by all three priests, as appropriate.
The following ritual components are used: eggshell, symbolizing new birth (as a priest sand, symbolizing nurturing (which is what a priest does to both the religion itself and to the people ke serves the supplicants blood, symbolizing kir devotion to the deity, as a pledge; food and drink, symbolizing sacrifice; and scale paints and scribers, to mark the Kler'nak as a priest (the paints last for days, and the designs used tell everyone that the supplicant is newly-ordained; the scribers engrave small, runic designs into the scales as part of the initiation ceremony—these last for life).
Designs used depend on the patron deity for the most part, but because S'thnaar and K'rkakht'l have a big part in the creation of new priests, there are certain designs that are always used, in addition to the varied ones. The paints are noticeable from a distance, but the scale carvings are not. They require a close inspection, due to their small size.
The whole ritual (including the adoption of strictures, vows, etc.) takes about four hours, after which time the newly ordained priest fasts for three days alone, contemplating his new duties and preparing kirself for the future. This time is often spent reading the holy books of kir patron deity (usually written in runic form, but some books have been translated into the other languages). It is considered bad taste for a priest not to have working knowledge of the runic alphabet.
There are different levels of priesthood, and the Invocation of Holiness (with minor variations) must be used for each level. The levels are (in increasing power): Priest of the Blue Rune, Priest of the Silver Rune, Priest of the Gold Rune, and Priest of the High Rune (note that the colors are the same ones used in their military structure; the color codes were started by the priests, and the military followed suit).
The Ritual of Leavetaking
A funeral starts with an Invocation to the Gods, followed by the Chant of Passing, followed thereafter by the Supplication of Safe Passage, and finally the Supplication of Spirit Communion. A feast (how lavish it is is based upon the relative wealth of the clan/family of the deceased and how well-liked the deceased was by the clan) is served after the Supplication of Spirit Communion; this usually ends up turning into a party in honor of the dead. It is held wherever the clan decides, whether it be on a mountain, or on a sand dune, or a garden, or in their home. The body is shrouded (if available; the shroud represents the separation of the body and spirit), and, when the party is over, either left there (if in a natural setting, away from habitations; this is done for practical reasons, not for any specific religious ones), or taken to some such place and left there. Since the person who inhabited the body is now a part of their deity, the organic vessel that housed their soul is no longer important. There have been cases where the body of the deceased was made into fertilizer or pet food; there is no kler’nak stigma attached to this. You cannot desecrate the dead any more than you can desecrate a dead twig or a rock.
MYTHOLOGIES
The Creation of the Universe
In the beginning, there was nothing but Chaos. Then came the Sacred Egg, forming from the Chaos and feeding off of it. Out of the Sacred Egg hatched S'thnaar, also called S'thnaarghh, who pushed back the Chaos, forming it into the Great Nothingness.
S'thnaar then laid an egg that was sparkling black, with swirls of bright motes moving over its surface. Out hatched K'rkakht'l, who set the Beginning and the End of the Universe, and all points between.
S'thnaarghh then laid a clutch of four eggs. One appeared dazzlingly bright and ever shifting in color; one appeared green and smooth; one appeared like smoky glass; the last appeared grey and rough. From these hatched K'rraa'rghh, G'grrhh'nn, Ss'rghhiss, and Shrr'ghhrr'l, the Lords of the Elements, and they formed the physical portion of the Universe, observing the boundaries placed upon it by K'rkakht'l.
Soon thereafter S'thnaar laid a three egg clutch, and those eggs were colored thusly: one was black; one appeared as if it were made of woven vine; and one was purple, but seemed to waver and shift, as if it were a mirage. From these eggs sprung S'slhr'rghh, Lord of Darkness and Death; N'rraaghrh, the Nurturer; and Rrogh'rghh, the Lord of Dream. Collectively, they created Life, and set the Lifespans and potentials of creatures.
But this was not enough for the creatures, they realized, and they asked S'thnaarghh to give their creatures meaning. So S'thnaar laid yet two more of the Cosmic Eggs, one which appeared silver, covered in blue flames; and a white egg, covered with silver runes and pictographs that constantly wrote themselves, then, when there was no more room on the egg, were erased, only to begin again with new ones. From these two eggs hatched Khrr'ghhn and L'ssaah, the Lord of Striving and the Lady of Letters. They created culture and knowledge and learning, and gave Life, which so far had had no purpose, Meaning.
How the Sky Became What It Is
After the Creation, Ss'lhr'rghh became unhappy. He was unsatisfied with his role in the Universe, because Life hated him and looked at him only in fear. So he came up with a plan to get himself a better reputation. He started to bend the rules a little, and let many creatures live beyond their Spans; this sowed doubt among the Creatures, and, for reasons Ss'lhr'rghh didn't understand, made them even more fearful. His Image, in Their eyes, didn't change, except to seem even more capricious.
At this point, the Others began to notice that something was wrong. When they confronted him, he didn't deny what he had done, but stood proud and defiant. This angered the others, and they shunned him, not speaking to him and not letting him join in their discussions and plans.
This, of course, angered Ss'lhr'rghh. So he covered the Universe in a Shroud of Darkness. All light disappeared. This, in turn, angered K'rraa'rghh, so he pierced the Shroud with his blades of Light, so that now there were holes all through it. But this didn't satisfy the Others. They were not content to let Ss'lhr'rghh have so much of the Universe Covered.
Their debate on what to do lasted a long time. Khrr'ghhn wanted the Universe to be blue. Ss'rghhiss wanted it to be smoky with clouds, and his sister G'grrhh'nn agreed with him. Rrogh'rghh believed that it should be ever-changing, to reflect and influence the Dreams of Life and their multiple possibilities. The others didn't really care, as they felt they had no real stake in it. But Khrr'ghhn whined and complained, and made the discussion draw out long and tedious, and kept emphasizing his opinion. Eventually, a compromise was decided, and the Others bowed to Khrr'ghhn's wishes, just to silence him.
Thus it is that half the time, Ss'lhr'rghh's Shroud, spotted with holes, covers the Universe, while the other half the time, there is Light. During the Light, the sky is either blue, or filled with clouds.
Priestly Characteristics
These are the general characteristics of the priests of the various gods. Not everyone will have all of the disads listed, but if most of them are not part of the priest’s makeup, ke’s following the wrong deity and is not setting a proper example. All priests have Duty to deity (-2; technically it is “all the time”, but it is rarely “dangerous”), Sense of Duty to deity (-5), and Fanaticism to the gods (-15), and Vow (-5, follow all tenets of the religion faithfully).
S’thnaar: Code of Honor (-10) (treat all life with consideration, abuse nothing; your faith’s foe is your own; never attack a priest of the faith except in fair, open duel; never break your word if taken in the name of the gods; resent any insult to your faith or the gods in general), Sense of Duty (-5) (to all other priests of pantheon). -3 to Appearance frequency.
K’rkakht’l: Code of Honor (-10) (speak only if necessary (religious duties excepted do not try to change the fates of others—to each kir own; be patient; always appear calm; your faith’s foe is your own; never attack a priest of the faith except in fair, open duel; never break your word if taken in the name of the gods; resent any insult to your faith or the gods in general). -2 to Appearance frequency.
K’rraa’rghh: Code of Honor (-10) (be punctual, always honor promises; your faith’s foe is your own; never attack a priest of the faith except in fair, open duel; never break your word if taken in the name of the gods; resent any insult to your faith or the gods in general), Pyromania (-5)
G’grrhh’nn: Code of Honor (-10) (try to take the path of least resistance, but be as unyielding as ice when necessary, don’t let things bother you— “go with the flow”; your faith’s foe is your own; never attack a priest of the faith except in fair, open duel; never break your word if taken in the name of the gods; resent any insult to your faith or the gods in general).
Ss’rghhiss: Code of Honor (-10) (never be lazy; stay active; stay versatile; your faith’s foe is your own; never attack a priest of the faith except in fair, open duel; never break your word if taken in the name of the gods; resent any insult to your faith or the gods in general), Impulsiveness (-5).
Shrr’ghhrr’l: Code of Honor (-10) (never give up; give back what you have taken from the earth; your faith’s foe is your own; never attack a priest of the faith except in fair, open duel; never break your word if taken in the name of the gods; resent any insult to your faith or the gods in general), Stubbornness (-5).
N’rraaghrh: Code of Honor (-10) (revere all life; your faith’s foe is your own; never attack a priest of the faith except in fair, open duel; never break your word if taken in the name of the gods; resent any insult to your faith or the gods in general), SD Pacifism (-15). +1 to Appearance frequency.
S’slhr’rghh: Code of Honor (-10) (be merciful but firm; your faith’s foe is your own; never attack a priest of the faith except in fair, open duel; never break your word if taken in the name of the gods; resent any insult to your faith or the gods in general; always avenge such insults), Bad Temper (-5), Honesty (-5), Impulsiveness (-5).
Khrr’ghhn: Code of Honor (-15) (strive to be your best, never ignore an insult to your self, lord, or banner; insults must be wiped out by a fight or apology; must accept challenge from anyone of greater or equal status or rank; accept conflict; your faith’s foe is your own; never attack a priest of the faith except in fair, open duel; never break your word if taken in the name of the gods; resent any insult to your faith or the gods in general; always avenge such insults), Greed (-10), Stubborn (-10), Vow (-5) (dedicate slain enemies to Khrr’ghhn). +2 to Appearance frequency.
L’ssaah: Code of Honor (-10) (seek knowledge; never do shoddy work; take pride in working, be courteous; your faith’s foe is your own; never attack a priest of the faith except in fair, open duel; never break your word if taken in the name of the gods; resent any insult to your faith or the gods in general), Honesty (-5). +2 to Appearance frequency.
Rrogh’rghh: Code of Honor (-10) (always act with dignity and style, be openminded, be an aloof but good listener; your faith’s foe is your own; never attack a priest of the faith except in fair, open duel; never break your word if taken in the name of the gods; resent any insult to your faith or the gods in general; always avenge such insults), Compulsive Behaviour (-5) (collects and tells stories), Honesty (-5), Won’t Start Fights (-5), Truthfulness (-5).
Granted Advantages
All of the gods can give Granted Magery to their priests. What spells (and how many) they give are based on their sphere of influence (mostly, anyway), and how high in the priestly ranks the disciple is. The gods can also grant other advantages, as they wish; although someone must be deserving of them. The gods also act as a Patron to the Priests of the High Rune ("appears" on a 9-, 30 points) and Priests of the Gold Rune ("appears" on a 6-, 15 points) (note that this varies by deity; some gods are more accessable than others). The Religion itself acts as a patron to the Priests also: base cost 15, reasonably powerful organization; appears on a 15- for High Runes, 12- for Gold, 9- for Silver, and 6- for Blue (for net costs of 45, 30, 15, and 8). These patrons are optional, as they give direct access to the deity in the first instance (more so than usual), and more than normal aid in the second.
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