Acolyte
You were preparing yourself for a life of service to your gods. You were willing to dedicate yourself to them and their will. If you are now a cleric, you are merely farther along the road you took long ago. If you are anything else, you discovered that, for whatever reason, that life was not for you. Either way, you spent a great deal of time learning the ways of the gods, and that knowledge and wisdom will remain with you.
Career
Qualifications
The primary qualification to become an acolyte is the willingness to give oneself in service to one or more deities. It is the will of the gods that must be served, not any personal desire to gain wealth or prestige. This is not to say that every acolyte who becomes a high priest has not, somewhere along the way, succumbed to greed or the desire for personal power. But the ranks of the lowly acolytes rend to be filled with the zealous.
Career Progression
The natural progression is for acolyte to become a cleric and continue to serve the gods. However, some acolytes come to believe that their service to their deity will not always involve frequent prayer, ritual and ceremony. When religious fervor and physical prowess come together, many a champion is born. Others who take up the mantle of an acolyte discover that their calling is not in service to deity, but pursuit of other knowledge. Many wizards started as acolytes.
But a great many who believe they hear a calling discover that they are not meant for the clerical life. While they may not lose their faith, they realize their calling is something more mundane; if these choose to adventure, they could take up any adventuring classs and will find that the knowledge and wisdom gained in their brief service to a deity will prove helpful.
But a great many who believe they hear a calling discover that they are not meant for the clerical life. While they may not lose their faith, they realize their calling is something more mundane; if these choose to adventure, they could take up any adventuring classs and will find that the knowledge and wisdom gained in their brief service to a deity will prove helpful.
Perception
Social Status
The social standing of an Acolyte is highly dependent on the degree to which the surrounding Folk consider their religion important. In societies where adherence to the will of the gods, or frequent service or sacrifice to appease the gods, is important, acolytes are given respect. Since Cartyrion is a world where the gods have shown themselves to the Folk many times and in many ways, there are few if any non-believers. As a result, most Folk respect anyone willing to dedicate their lives to deific service. Of course, an Acolyte is not a Priest; in that regard, Acolytes still have a way to go before achieving "first class" status.
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