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Becoming a Priest or Priestess is a powerful commitment - you allow your deity into your life and open your life fully to his or her observation (thus requiring you to make sure that your actions are representative of your deity), and the deity grants you certain powers in exchange.

There is no organized religious body for the deities - they make their pleasure or displeasure directly known to priests and priestesses by granting powers or not granting powers. In this sense, anyone can become a priest or priestess, as long as they make a formal devotion, take time to worship their deity, and act in a manner which pleases that deity. Deities expect, first and foremost, that a priest or priestess let people know who they represent, and that the priest or priestess dedicates their works to the deity. Thus a priest or priestess is always expected to wear an amulet, symbolic of their devotion, prominently.

All priests and priestesses are granted the power to use the following Basic Deity Spells- Each spell has a 75% chance of success, modified by the ST's feeling of how much favor you hold with your deity. Any slandering of your deity will result in at least a temporary loss of all powers, while frequent acts done in the deity's honor can raise the chance to 100%.

Priests and Priestesses also get a generalized 'power' called Prayer. Using their connection with their Deity, a Priest or Priestess can literally ask for anything from their Deity. Such requests are usually granted in seemingly natural ways, though sometimes 'miracles' do occur. The base chance of a prayer being answered is 50%, modified by the ST according to the priest or priestess's current standing with their deity. It is further modified by whether or not the prayer is within the Rulings of the deity. A prayer made outside your deity's Ruling never has better than a 60% chance of success, while a prayer made within your deity's Ruling and made by a priest or priestess of high standing can have nearly a 100% chance of success.

It should be remembered, however, that the deities do not often influence the world of humankind too greatly, and that they enjoy watching our failures as well as our victories. To them, we are perhaps naught but a great drama unfolding. If they move every game piece to their whim, there is no game. Thus prayers for subtle change are much more apt to be realized than prayers for large or conspicuous changes.

This is balanced by the fact that the deities, representing the highest powers known, grant magics which cannot be dispelled by mortal means. Thus, a spell cast by a priest or priestess cannot be Negated, dispelled, or Dispersed. The only way to get something removed is to consult another priest or priestess, who might do a prayer on your behalf.

Priests or priestesses often pursue other skills to honor their deity, such as fighting skills, or, quite often, magical skills.

In general, there are two types of priests and priestesses - those who live in a temple, and those who live among the people or wander. Those who live in a temple will have a room there and be responsible not only for the upkeep of the temple, but for speaking to people who come to worship or request aid. Those who are not in a temple will be expected to spread the influence of their deity throughout the people, aiding them in the deity's name and gaining worshippers when people are found who seem to want to give part of themselves to the deity. Some temple-dwellers live in temples far from civilization, forging their own relationship to their deity. Such temples are difficult to find and often strange in nature, populated by odd, sometimes reclusive or cultish folk.

Each rank that a priest or priestess advances will give them a 6% bonus to all spell and prayer chances.

Priests and Priestesses, if in good standing with their deity, will be continually blessed by their deity, as per the spell below.

Here, then, are the spells common to all Priests and Priestesses. One spell is gained each rank the priest or priestess advances, in the order given below –

Bless- This spell is cast upon a specific individual, and brings the favor of the deity upon them. The recipient will gain a 4% bonus on all rolls to their benefit, and an 8% bonus if the roll is for something directly related to the Ruling of the deity whose priest or priestess blessed them. These bonuses will last for 2d10 days, unless the blessed person does something directly to slight the deity. Casting time is 1 quint. This spell will also tend to bring positive influences into the person's life.

The % bonus will increase by 2% per rank.

Curse- Again, cast upon a specific individual, this brings the displeasure of the deity upon the victim. The victim will suffer a 5% penalty on all rolls for 2d10 days. Curses will not work against a person who is in the favor of the deity whose priest or priestess is performing the curse. Casting time is 1 quint. This spell will also tend to bring negative influences into the person's life.

The % penalty will increase by 2% each rank.

Omen- When a person is unsure of something in their life, unclear in some decision to be made, or simply feeling lost, this spell can be cast upon them. Sometime within the next three days the subject will experience something which, if interpreted correctly, will give them the direction they seek. A simple example might be a person considering purchasing a ship, but unsure if they should. Two days after having Omen cast upon them, they might come across a city message board with a large and beautiful offering of sale for a nice trading vessel. Casting time is 1 quint.

Dream- This allows the priest or priestess to communicate to people from afar. They cast it upon themselves before they fall asleep, and will 'awaken' within their dreams sometime during the night. In this twixt state, they can send a message to anyone they desire, dead or alive (for the spirit is thought to continue on after death in Kaelum) which will be received by the subject as a very vivid dream.

Sanctify- This spell makes an area (up to 10' x 10'/rank) or an object sacred to the deity. If cast upon an object which is directly related to the deity's Rulings, the object will function much better (the equivalent of 2% per rank or ST's call) (a sword sanctified by a priestess of Sorcha, for instance, would have a better % to hit, and perhaps a better Damage Base.) If cast upon an area, everyone who enters the area and is favored by the deity will act as if under a Bless spell (Bless spells are not cumulative), all baneful or violent-natured creatures will be driven to the perimeter of the area, and magic intended to harm another will not function. In addition, trees and plants will grow healthier and more prosperous, good things will tend to happen in the area, and any priest or priestess spells or prayers cast in the name of the proper deity will have a 10% bonus to their chance of success. Dreams will be pleasant if one sleeps in such an area, and in short, rest and peace is potent there. All temples will be continually sanctified. This spell takes 1 hour to cast, and involves the burning of certain resins as the priest or priestess walks about the area or holds the object in the smoke. The sanctification will last for the space of one moon-cycle.

Geas- The powerful geas spell consists of words uttered to a subject, denying them the right to perform a certain action, go to a certain area, see a person, or speak certain words. The priest or priestess must firmly tell the person that they are geased, and tell them what is denied to them. A mage could be denied spellcasting, a person could be made to never set foot on land again, etc. The Geas can be used for good as well as ill, and the deity will usually smile most greatly upon its use for beneficial means, such as preventing a wrong-doer from doing more wrong, or helping someone to break an addiction. But the spell can also be used to punish those who slight the deity or give ill treatment to the priest or priestess. The priest or priestess is considered the mortal representation of the deity, and thus should always be treated with respect, unless the priest or priestess is ill representing their deity.

Any priest or priestess can pray, and will be under the guidelines described above. A deity will be more likely to answer the prayer if the priest or priestess is of high rank or has very good standing with the deity. Below is a listing of the deities and their Rulings. Remember that a prayer is more likely to be answered if it is under the Ruling of the deity. Priests and priestesses should not pray to any deity but their own -- if their prayer would be better answered under another deity's Ruling, they should go to a priest or priestess of the proper deity. Still, anything can be prayed for through any deity - the Rulings do not represent the limits of the deity's power, but only the focus.

Rules over all aspects of beauty, cosmetics, dance, artwork, the making of musical instruments and the playing of them, romantic love.

Rules over armed and unarmed martial arts, war, battles, brother and sisterhood, the bonds of friendship, loyalty, fighting.

Rules over the making and strength of weapons and armor, the mining of gems, the making of alloys, the forge, artifact creation.

Rules over all magic used for personal gain or the manipulation of others, deceit, enchantment, intrigue, seduction, darker elements.

Rules over magic used for the benefit or amazement of others, the study of magic and advancement in magic, the invention of new systems of magic.

Rules over illness and disease, healing, aging, life.

Rules over sailing, weather at sea, fishing, water, and all the creatures of the deep and shallow waters.

Rules over adventuring, spontaneity, skills of exploring, curiosity.

Rules over the home, cooking, preserving, crops, the harvest, fertility, domestic animals, family.

Rules over luck in all aspects of life, from romance to gambling to skills.

Rules over the fae, weather, hunting, and the primal elements of life. Said to be the Mother Goddess, Maya affects most things outside the scope of civilization, such as fires, woodslore, the deep places of the earth, and our relation to the natural world.

Rules over secrets, sages, hidden or forgotten knowledge, books, libraries, lost things or places, and silence.

Lastly, it should be noted that some people choose to be devotees, wearing a small symbol of their deity and praying to them often, visiting temples and using their name in speech. As an ST, you may wish to give some small, secret bonuses to such people, especially if they are doing visible acts in the name of their deity which fall under the deity's Ruling. Such a person is not a priest or priestess unless they formally (either publicly or privately) devote their lives wholly to their deity, and act in accordance with that devotion. But the deities do watch us, and they do choose favorites, so remember that in your considerations.

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