Revering more than one god

[Torm]

In one of the Trades threads elswhere on this board, the subject of religious items was broached. Currently, the game code only allows one diety per PC as the primary diety. This is for favour and supplicate reasons. To my knowledge, there is not plan on changing this set-up.

That said, FK is still a polytheistic society. Lots of gods to pray to. Secular society is free to pray(and tithe to) as many gods as they wish. Priest(and druids) and paladins do not normally have that flexibility. As a secular PC, your character has one primary deity(with the corresponding holy symbol used to garner favour) and as many secondary deities as fits your PC's RP. Your PC's alighnment does not preclude you from praying to gods of differing alignment. Example: as per FnA. newlyweds pray to Beshaba so She WON"T 'bless' their marriage.

To further illustrate this concept, I will use those of my faith(in general) as examples. My followers pray to me primarily. They may also pray to Tyr and Ilmater, the three of us forming the Triad. They might also pray to Umberlee for protection just before taking a voyage on a ship. They might pray to Tymora for a lucky break. They might pray to Mystra so their magic spell won't explode in their face. That is fine with me as thier God. Each deity will react differently based on thier portfolio and alignment.

So if you want to wear something that reflects all the deities you pray to or revere, go ahead. Just remember only one of them, your primary deity, will give you favour. The others are purely RP opportunities.

Torm the True

[Cret]

How would FK dietys feel about Malarites? I know that in 3e druids and rangers are able to follow Malar, And understand there will be no 'evil ranger/druids here.

Selune, however nice and poofy, does have some respect for Malar, though would rather hear then rend, tear, shred, etc.. Though sence Malar and Talos are seen as 'allies' should rangers automaticly assume Malarites are there to destroy the forest, and everything else?

From what Ive read, Malar only likes the blood and the sport of killing. The loosining of rage and the terror felt by the prey. Its said he feeds starving villages aids the wounded(young), perhaps to further the lives so when thoese pointed eared tree huggers are finlly eaten there is some other sport. Genicide is considered a immoral act of Malar.

Depending on that should rangers/other good aligned sects behave as if he is the slave of Talos or another patheon of the forest? I understand characters history will help define that.

Well, yeah. Sure. You understand... correct?

[Isaldur]

One of my favorite examples of multi-praying would be on Page 3 in Lord of the Stormweather of the Sembia books.

"Blessed Beshaba, how have I offended thee?"
The goddess of ill fortune had rarely ast her gaze on Thamalon Uskevren II, but she had her place in the temple gallery of Stormweather Towers.
"Tymora, I beg you. Talk some sense into her."
The goddess of luck wasn't known for her power to persuade her twin sister, but she smiled on brash fools from time to time.

Now like Mystra said, you don't really go praying to dieties that oppose your worship and usually there are other dieties good or evil to turn to. A follower of Tyr might offer prayers to Valkur before Umberlee, but of course that might infuriate Umberlee. For those of us that tend to live the neutral life you have a wide spectrum of tiny little prayers to pray. The most common evil gods that goodies and neutrals offer prayers to while not directly worshipping are as follow.

Beshaba to not give bad fortune

Malar for success hunting

Umberlee for safe sea voyages

Remember, they only offer up prayers to evil gods just to placate them due to the fact that god holds sway over those portfolio, not to worship them directly as say a Cleric would.

- Isaldur, who regularly prays to Oghma for inspiration, Milil for eloquence, and Deneir for a steady keyboarding hand/spellcheck.

[Talos]

Every major power is going to receive prayers from a broad spectrum of alignments. That's why they're major powers. Excepting perhaps Mystra, who I'd guess derives her power from the whole conrolling the weave bit, since I doubt every weaver and peasant prays to her even a little. On the other hand, I'm your god if you want to avoid your crops being destoyed, being struck by lightning, being swallowed by the earth, frozen by a blizzard, burned by a wildfire, sunk by a typhoon, Being carried off by a cyclone, buried by an avalanche, Eaten by army ants, or having an anvil fall on your head. Situations which nearly everyone has to face in the course of daily life, ya know?

[Andreas]

On the other hand, I'm your god if you want to avoid your crops being destoyed, being struck by lightning, being swallowed by the earth, frozen by a blizzard, burned by a wildfire, sunk by a typhoon, Being carried off by a cyclone, buried by an avalanche, Eaten by army ants, or having an anvil fall on your head. Situations which nearly everyone has to face in the course of daily life, ya know?

Well that just sounds like an episode of "Looney Tunes!"

My personal view is that paladins and priests should really only be praying/faithful to their chosen deity. That doesn't mean they can't acknowledge and respect the others, but devoutly seeking their favour could get them in trouble with their patron god.

The Triad (Torm, Tyr and Ilmater) could be an exception with all three powers closely aligned and working in conjunction.

Devout Cyricists don't acknowledge the existence/power of any other gods. Even if they DID have some belief in other gods, they'd never dare pray to one for fear of Cyric's wrath... which ain't pretty Trust me, got first hand experience here! *GRIN*

The "common people" of course would pray to many gods. Just think of the ancient Greek/Roman cultures. If you wanted victory, you prayed to Nike. If you wanted a happy home, you prayed to Hestia. Apollo for sun to nourish the crops and music to lighten your days. Aphrodite for loooooove Get the picture? So the average Joe Peasant would probably pray to Chauntea for a bountiful harvest, Talos that his fields not be destroyed by fire/storms/earthquakes/tsunami/name-your-own-disaster, Auril that winter doesn't come early and freeze the crops and possibly even Akadi to bring gentle winds and rains. The combinations are endless of course. A Silvanite druid would pray to and receive their powers from Silvanus, but they could also respect Eldath when they come to a secluded waterfall and pool, Chauntea for growing a small garden or even just planting trees around the wilds and Selune for guidance while travelling.

[Talos]

Auril that winter doesn't come early and freeze the crops and possibly even Akadi to bring gentle winds and rains.

*sigh* They just never learn...*gets an anvil from the anvil bin, starts scribing an 'A' into it*...

[Beshaba]

Hey, wait a minute, falling anvils, dropping randomly on heads..


Talos, hands off my portfolio!

It is said that I am invited to weddings, birth celebrations, general parties, because no one wants me to show up offended and curse...

Hmm, there have been a lot of events that I have not been invited to...

But I agree with Mystra, it would come down to personal choice about which deity you choose to ask for support from.

[Selveem]

Goes much along with this multiple-prayer thing. I have a Tempurian fighter who is supposed to know a great deal of his Lord's faith. I have done a lot of research OOC and IC in the MUD and he knows that it is only normal to invite both Tymora and Beshaba to his greatest battles. How does this come about? Surely a Tempurian fighter who intends to be as devout or moreso than most priests would not _pray_ to them, would he? Would this come as a prayer to Tempus that the two are invited to the event or would he really pray to the two? I, playing that character, doubt that I could pray to another God(dess). But, if I must to properly roleplay the character, then I suppose I have a few changes to make.

[Isaldur]

There's a difference between kneeling down and offering your devout religious worship and prayer and just giving a small prayer or offering to Tymora or Beshaba that they look upon and or ignore you in battle.

Or you can just not offer to any and trust in Tempus to guide you through battle, which is what he is worshipped for. You play your character how you will, it's that easy.

[Stayne]

If I wanted my crops to grow nice and I was a goodly inclined person I would be praying to Chauntea to bless them rather than Talos to not burn them down

While this is true, I have always thought it to be situational. A farmer may pray to Chauntea when he is out in the fields, but if a storm started brewing, those prayers would quickly turn to Talos to avert his rage (Hence I believe the dieties power considering small priest base).
Others are also similar in that regard. While it is written that a couple to be wed will pray to both Tymora and Beshaba, other situations may occur where someone might offer a small prayer to Tymora before trying to woo a girl, while their friend might offer one to Beshaba that they fail becuase they are jealous, or just want a laugh, etc.
My point is this, praying to an evil God does NOT make you evil, nor does it preclude you from being good, and vice versa, it simple makes your human. The same goes for bearing marks of such gods if you so choose. While the farmer eg. is true to this regard you will oft not see one wearing symbols, but if they choose to have a shrine to chauntea near their crops and shrine to talos on a hill top, this is in no way indicitive of their relegious belief, but merely of circumstance. (I suppose I am giving the, Don't judge a book by its cover speech

Hope that makes sense
Stayne

(NB. Begining to understand relegion more being here in Japan. From my unit I can see no less that 6 small shrines, all of which venerate different dieties. Most are from the old relegions and are not openly worshipped, but its often considered bad luck, or so I have been told, not to have them still)

[Penryn]

Every Race has their different dieties and followings. They often pray to more then one god. Even within different patheons. I can say from the Elven aspect of this for instance.

Typically an elf would pray to Corellon for his protection and guidance. Sehanine to Watch over his Reverie and guide him to Arvandor someday. Hanali for his/her love life and Deep Sashlas for voyages, Rillifane for the Beauty of the lands. Khalareshaar/Melikki or Solonor for protection of woodland Allies. Oberian for the guidance of the Faerie Kin. Lebalas for Knowledge and wisdom, Shevarash for the Crusade and so on and so forth. On top of that often Lathander for New begginings, Mystra for guiding the Weave's hand, Yondalla for kindness of the Little Mother and her Favors, and so on and so forth

Now Dwarves and Halflings gnomes, each got their own patheons and often following as do many other races. Even the pitiful orcs :grins: Each God follows their aspects and is respected/feared for that. Either for unwanted attentions and wanted attentions often prayed to. Only opposing Faiths of the Race or Faiths though should never be undertaken.

Day i see an elf pray to Lloth is the day I cringe. :grins:

My two cents worth for all of this stuff.

Jeffery