Dieties and Clerics of other Dieties...what are the rules?

[Spell Singer]

It came up in an ingame discussion between Kaelyn and Narin about various things that neither of us was very sure what the rules are regarding how one diety can treat the servent of another.

I must admit that from my perspective I have been assuming that in general there is a hands off policy. For no other reason than in diety x interferes with the priest of diety y then diety y is justified in returning the favor. As that would rapidly result in total chaos I would imagine Mikon would have to smack a few fingers very fast.

If two clerics (or for that matter holy warriors) of different dieties fight then it should be limited to what is available to each. Their dieties can give them their normal powers (spells, abilities etc) but that is that or so it seems to me. Of course defending a temple or something like that might be different but even then it is not clear that a major intereference would normally be allowed under whatever rules govern this sort of thing.

The same sort of confusion reigns when I get told that some one is running around impersonating a diety. I can not for the life of me sort the logic of that out. Diety A shows up to his high priest for a tea and crumpet time and asks what is going on that might interest him (not that he doesn't know but is interested in knowing what this high priest thinks is important) and gets told that indeed the slaughter of the villagers proceeded on schedual as he himself had personall commanded and when exactly did diety A want the heart burning cermony? Diety A having never heard of any command to slaughter villagers is now a bit stuck. So how could a diety allow anyone else to impresonate him or her?

Sorry for the long ramble but I find this all a bit confusing. And playing a holy warrior at the very least I should know what the rules are, so that I don't break them if for no other reason. Its also possible that it might normally not matter but twice now my character has met a God (not his own more the pity) and once an avatar and in all cases I had to guess how to act...well with the avatar it was easier since there was nothing that could be done about that...and I think it is more than likely that my character would not need to guess.

[Orleron]

Well first off, you shouldn't be meeting gods. I didn't authorize it, so whatever DM that was shouldn't have done that. But what's done is done.

Other than that I don't really understand your post at all, so maybe explain it in a different way?

[Silk]

Yeah, could you repeat that in... say... Elvish?

[Vanor]

I could follow his post fairly well

He wants to know what is the rules are for clerics when they're dealing with other clerics. Not the server rules, but the rules of socity and the reglious orders themselfs.

For example, could the high priest of Mikon, give a order to a minor priest of some other god, and expect it to be caried out? Or do clerics of different orders treat each other as equales, even if their rank with in their orders aren't.

Also, if two clerics get into a fight with each other, how much help beyond what is normaly granted to clerics and/or paladins are they likely to see?

[Orleron]

Ah, ok...

Clerics of different gods relate to each other much like different nations do in real life. Some of them are alllies, and they work togethor, whereas some of them kill each other.

So this question really depends on which gods you are talking about.

Clerics of Gorethar, O'Ma, and Dru'El are all very close, especially O'Ma and Dru'El. Dru'El and O'Ma will in some cases recognize each other's higher ranks. They often work togethor on various aspects, especially in the woods where they both are involved with nature's aspects.

Gorethar is a little standoffish, but his clerics will help either of them if needed. They generally are too ordered to take direct orders from other outside sources.

Toran is also too ordered to let anyone else in on their hierarchy. They basically get along with all the gods clerics, so long as those clerics don't upset the simple basics of discipline and an ordered way of life. They don't really care how the clerics go about their business, so long as it doesn't spread mass chaos. You can bet that they run into more trouble with the chaotic clerics than the others.

Mikon is respected by most other churces as being impartial, but because of this he is often mistrusted. A church will ally themselves with Mikon's church if absolutely needed, but they will always keep the relations between the upper clerics and not let the lower clerics give each other orders very often.

Forian's clerics are rarely found, so they hardly ever related to anyone.

Valok's clerics also won't allow interference within their church, but they generally adopt a pleasant attitude towards whomever they are dealing with. If they are dealing with someone unpopular, they will generally keep the relations secret. However, they don't truly care WHO they deal with overall.

Aarilax and Maleki are fairly rough organizations. Maleki actually works with Valok more than Aarilax, but their clerics have been found working in conjunction on really realy evil things occasionally. Aarilax's clerics are usually more concerned with smaller organizations like guilds and individual nobles or tribes, so unless Valok or Maleki have reason to get involved in affairs like these, you won't see them togethor. Valok's church usually tries to aim for lofty goals. Maleki's church will generally do whatever it needs to to survive.


Moving this post to the Information forum.

[Vanoviel]

I think another important point to bring up in the church to church relationships as well as the holy warrior orders is alot depends on the situation. This is more from my and Orl talks in our PnP game, but this is the general idea.

The Champions of O'ma (NG Holy Warriors) oppose Evil throughtout Avlis and as such are always aligned agaisnt the Dominators of Valok(LE Holy warriors).

Now on the other hand the Champions of O'ma sometimes find it benefical to work with the Equalizers of Mikon (N Holy Warriors), but in other cases work agaisnt them.

The church would be much the same. And I think an important point to remember is one that Orleron brought up. The churchs and holy warriors would react to each other much like nations do in our world. Sometimes two countries with opposing views on many issues will find themselves sided on the one issue that the have in common. A perfect example of this would be in World War II when the US, Britain, and Russia teamed up to defeat Germany, but immediately following the war became great enemies. Things like that have happened throught history.

My $0.02