Hârn HârnWorld Religion
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Religion
Religion
Every human culture has metaphysical beliefs. Gamemasters must make some decision concerning the nature of the divine beings who live, if only in the minds of men. There are only two real courses to follow and the GM need not inform his players of his ultimate choice. Either the gods truly exist or they are only the figments of the imaginations of men. In either case, the GM should present the gods as if they do exist, for the majority of Hârnians believe explicitly in their existence. With inevitable variations and prejudice due to culture and location, most of the religious movements of western Lythia share a common set of metaphysical beliefs, although none express them in such terms.
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Kelestia
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Kelestia is everything that exists, the sum total of all realities. Kelestia is not governed only by physical laws of space and time. While each universe has its own laws, there is also a set of master laws governing Kelestia as a whole. A planet may be inaccessible to other worlds in its own universe but, because of the warping of Kelestia, it may be possible to reach worlds in other universes using higher dimensional paths, referred to (somewhat imprecisely) as travel in the "Nth dimension." Those who travel such routes refer to it as "walking in shadow," "crossing the void," and so on.
Familial Worlds
In the Nth dimension, worlds are arranged around a "parent" world, or nexus. The nexus world gathers lines of force and warps space-time to adopt alien worlds into the "family." The arrangement is largely a random process. Because it is rare for the worlds of a family to lie in the same universe (and be governed by the same physical laws), the members of a family need not be similar. Travel between worlds is never easy, but travel between the nexus and others in the family is easiest. Accessibility between members of the family ranges from moderate to impossible.
The Kethrian Family
The world of Kethira, on which Hârn is located, is the nexus of a family of seven worlds. Kethira is a crossroads of sorts. No one in living memory has explored the whole family. There is a wide variation in the status of the gods, magic, and technology on the different worlds of the family.
Two of the worlds of the family, Kethira and Yashain, have a unique relationship. The links with other worlds are generally shifting and vague, but between these two there are a large number of constant, point-to-point, even region-to-region, correspondences. Various sites exist (in some form) on both worlds at the same time. Most of the gods of Hârn are believed to reside on Yashain, which is Kethira’s "half-world." Most Kethirans believe that they spend their afterlife on Yashain in the service of their chosen deities. Yashain is divided into kingdoms governed by the gods. Earldoms and baronies are ruled by demons and demigods. There is a constant state of war, good against evil, and order against chaos.
Libram of the Pantheon
Some 600 years ago, the basic metaphysical beliefs were collected by Nala-Uroh of Elkall-Anuz into a single tome called the Libram of the Pantheon. Uroh based his efforts on earlier works, few of which seem to have survived. The Libram has since received the approval of most churches in that they teach the same story of creation to their followers.
The Natal Wars
First, Uroh writes, there was universal chaos; time and space had no meaning, reality was not fixed. From this arose the First Gods, who were the only beings able to stand against the chaos. These beings were principles of power rather than conventional gods. They made war upon each other, threatening to destroy the cosmos. One result of the wars was the creation of the Lesser Gods to serve the First Gods and do battle on their behalf. It is these lesser gods who are now worshiped.
Finally, when it became apparent that the war threatened the existence of Kelestia, the First Gods made peace. Each was to have his own realm and to participate in the government of the whole. This peace resulted in Kelestia taking more or less its present form.
The Concordat of the Illimitable Tome
But the peace was not permanent. The Lesser Gods, released from service, began to battle each other and chaos again prevailed. In the course of these wars, many new races and creatures, the sapient mortals among them, were created under various compulsions to serve the gods.
The Lesser Gods were able to reproduce but they were not invulnerable and could slay each other. After many had been destroyed, the survivors entered into the Ke’lha-Hy-Var-Hyvrak, or Concordat of the Illimitable Tome. The Concordat created laws to govern the ways in which the gods could intervene in the affairs of mortals and compete for supremacy.
Just as the Lesser Gods had engaged in a struggle for supremacy after the peace of the First Gods, so now did the mortals. Originally allowed free access to knowledge, it soon became apparent to the gods that the mortal creatures lacked the wisdom to control this ultimate power. Hence, the gods chose one among themselves, Save-K’nor, to maintain the Var-Hyvrak (the Illimitable Tome), wherein would be written all knowledge. Only mortals with the wit to discover this knowledge by themselves could know it.
The complexity of these divine laws is cited as the main reason that the ways of gods are often inexplicable to men. When a deity intercedes to aid an impious scoundrel after denying the pleas of a loyal saint, observers may well shrug their shoulders and say, "’tis the Concordat and not the will of the god."
The Gods of Hârn
The inhabitants of Hârn and most of Lythia are pantheistic; they believe in the existence of ten major (and hundreds of minor) deities, but most worship only one of these.
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| Agrik: | God of fire and war |
| Halea: | Goddess of wealth and pleasure |
| Ilvir: | Master of Araka-Kalai, maker of the Ivashu |
| Larani: | Goddess of chivalry and battle |
| Morgath: | Lord of chaos, master of the undead |
| Naveh: | God of darkness, bringer of nightmares |
| Peoni: | Goddess of agriculture and healing |
| Sarajin: | Viking god of battle and honor |
| Save-K’nor: | God of knowledge and riddles |
| Siem: | God of dreams and the Natural Mysteries |
AGRIK
"Lord of the Four Horsemen, Master of the V’hir, Immortal Warlord of Balgashang, Breeder of Plague, Squalor and Decay, The Reasonless Reaper, Tyrant of the Foul Chamber, Knower of the Ten Thousand Ways."
Agrik is the principal deity of warriors who enjoy the dark side of war: pillage, cruelty, and destruction. It is said that a pious adherent of Agrik will learn as many of the "Ten Thousand Ways" of inflicting pain as possible. The church practices human sacrifice, often through ritual combat with a champion of a fighting order.
Agrik dwells in his great flame-shrouded fortress of Balgashang with his demonic servants, the V’hir. Within the castle is Ak-Syt, the dreaded chamber of tortures where unspeakable demons torment the hapless, unlamented dead. Agrik usually appears as a great V’hir with two claws missing from his left hand, bearing Gashang, his flaming mace, and Sycanus, his ichor-dripping sickle. Agrik’s missing claws have caused him constant pain and anger since the goddess Larani severed them. He has never forgotten this ancient indignity and only the terms of the Concordat of the Illimitable Tome deter him from seeking revenge. There is certainly no love lost between the fighting orders of the two deities.
The worship of Agrik on Hârn is concentrated in the Thardic Republic and the Kingdom of Rethem but there are a few followers in Orbaal and elsewhere. The faith is proscribed in Chybisa, Kaldor, Kanday, and Melderyn.
On Hârn, seven clerical orders are devoted to Agrik; each sponsors a fighting order. Despite few dogmatic differences, the orders clash constantly, often with fatal consequences for innocent bystanders. Although he has great difficulty maintaining his authority, the current primate of Agrik for Hârn is the grandmaster of the Order of Mamaka Master of Steel, whose seat is in Golotha. The Amanasurif (pontiff) dwells in Lysara in Azeryan, where he is also a powerful secular lord. The ritual garb of Agrik’s clergy is orange and black.
HALEA
"The Empress of Opulence, Maker of Bargains, Guardian of the Treasure Hordes, Queen of Pleasures, Enslaver of Hearts and Loins, Unchaste Lady of Ten Forgotten Acts, Temptress of the Crimson Chamber."
Halea is the amoral goddess of wealth and pleasure. Often regarded as the most beautiful creature of Kelestia, one whose true form would drive men mad with passion, she will usually appear to mortals in the guise of an "ordinarily" beautiful young woman. Halea is the goddess of those who would live moment by moment and those who crave wealth and the pleasures that it can bring. She is not shallow or empty-headed but a shrewd schemer renowned for her ability to seduce the reason of lesser beings with her silken voice and subtle arts.
Halea’s residence is the Crimson Chamber, where those chosen by the immortal lady enjoy an afterlife filled with sexual, culinary, and other pleasures until they presumably go mad and are replaced by new chosen.
Halea requires no particular morality of her adherents but demands unswerving devotion and loves elaborate rituals and flattery of all kinds. Many followers donate as much as half their incomes to her church. Halea is reckoned an easy deity to worship; she is the Maker of Bargains, willing to negotiate for her favors. The goddess prefers to bargain from a position of strength with those in great need of her aid. She always keeps the pacts she makes, although not always in the way anticipated. Those who would bargain with the Unchaste Lady had best hasten to fulfill their part, for Halea is a jealous mistress and quick to anger.
Although many scholars do not credit Halea’s clerics or adherents with much intellectual depth, her priestesses may be found in high administrative posts in the government of Tharda. The Order of the Silken Voice is the only clerical order; the church has no fighting orders. The Salara (primate) for Hârn is the High Priestess of the Shiran temple. The Hilenea (pontiff) is headquartered in the city of Helas in the eastern Venarian Sea.
Halea’s priesthood is composed entirely of women of pleasant appearance. Their ritual garb is diaphanous and of all the hues of the rainbow, but the colors purple, crimson, and gold dominate. Various symbols are used, among them stylized bells, coins, and genitalia. A priestess conducting a ceremony improvises or composes the service as she proceeds. Monthly high masses invariably end with an orgy and are well attended.
ILVIR
"Master of Araka-Kalai, Brooder in the Blasted Plains, Serpent that Dwells Below, Accursed Lord of the Barren Cycle, Prince of the Fatherless Multitude, Craven Lord of Sterile Lands."
Ilvir is the only deity who dwells permanently on Hârn. He is best known as the lord-creator of the Ivashu. Ilvir is also known as the Craven Lord because he seldom ventures from his home at Araka-Kalai. He is symbolized by a sundered claw, representing the severed claws of Agrik that Ilvir picked up to make his creatures. His colors are yellow and brown.
The worship of Ilvir is scattered widely throughout Hârn but is most common among the Jarin of Orbaal. Ilvir makes few demands on his followers and gives little in return. The religion is shrouded in so much mysticism that many claim even its clerics have no idea of what is going on. Ceremonies have been known to include animal and even human sacrifice but this does not seem to be an official part of ritual. Powers exercised by the clergy or by Ilvir himself tend to be very indirect.
Ilvir’s followers take nothing very seriously; there are numerous doctrines, some quite contradictory, followed by dozens of minor sects. There are Ilviran temples in Golotha, Tashal, Shiran, and Leriel, the last two being jumping-off points for pilgrimages to Araka-Kalai.
LARANI
"Lady of the Flowing Red, Guardian of Dolithor, Shield Maiden to Hyvrik, Protector of the Brave, The Unwilling Warrior, The Lady of Paladins."
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Larani is the deity of chivalry, the good goddess of battle and the reluctant warrior. Said to dwell in the "Land of the Mighty" in the fortress of Dolithor, she periodically leaves her kingdom to her constable, Mendiz, and walks among men. Those who follow Larani are expected to display courage, compassion, and unimpeachable honor; she is worshiped by many nobles and knights. Although combat for the sake of honor is permitted, as is tilting according to the rules, serious or mortal combat is to be indulged in with reluctance. Her loyal adherents are loath to take life if there is an honorable alternative. Almost all of Larani’s lay adherents and many of her clerics are warriors of some ability.
On rare occasions, Larani loses her patience and appears as the terrible "Lady of the Flowing Red." In this guise, she bears her awesome ancient symbols: Avarkiel, her mighty battlesword; Hyvrik, her red and white checkered shield; and Angcaradina, her blood-red mail.
The pontiff of the church is the abbot or abbess of Tengela in Trierzon, who is also a powerful secular lord. The seat of the Lirrath (primate) of Hârn is in Thay. The ritual garb of the clerics varies according to circumstance and need, but the favored colors are red and white.
There are two Laranian clerical orders on Hârn, each with a sponsored fighting order. There are no real philosophical differences between the orders; they exist partly to provide a degree of competition for honor in time of peace and partly for geographical reasons. The Order of Hyvrik and the Checkered Shield confine their activities to western Hârn, the Spear of Shattered Sorrow and Lady of Paladins to the east.
MORGATH
"Tormentor of the Unlamented Dead, Master of the Principle of Evil, Lord of the Gulmorvrin, Wielder of the Shadow, Wreaker of Chaos."
Morgath is the self-appointed master of chaos and evil. Of all the gods, he is the most prone to violence and insanity and the quickest to anger. He is a lord of retribution but cares nothing for justice. He is filled with an abiding hatred for all things fair and noble. When Morgath appears to men, it is usually in some ethereal form, his true shape being unbearable to behold. He is never portrayed, but rather symbolized by the Durangash, a black circle on a field of brown, surrounded by an irregular black border.
Morgath is best known as the master of the undead, who are governed by his chief demigod, Klyss. Morgath is believed to have 13 true names and it is deemed the greatest folly to utter any of them aloud.
In present-day Hârn, the faith is largely confined to Rethem and Tharda. Worship of Morgath is particularly prominent in Golotha but even there his followers are not numerous. Elsewhere, his clergy are covert. In Kanday, Kaldor, Chybisa, and Melderyn, the worship of Morgath is punishable by death.
Morgathianism is not an attractive religion. It is difficult to take much comfort from a faith that preaches "all are doomed to eternal torment in the afterlife," although this is counter-balanced with the notion of living in worldly excess until death. Morgathian philosophy encourages the acquisition and exercise of ruthless power for its own sake, particularly among its clerics. Clerics of Morgath inspire fear whenever recognized; they are known to practice ritual human sacrifice.
Clerics or Morgath wear mostly black and brown. Their ritual dress includes hideous masks, partly to terrify, but mainly to hide their identity. The only clerical sect in the church, the Order of the Lord of Chaos, has major temples in Golotha and Coranan, the former being the seat of the Hârnic primate. The Vynkhadur (pontiff) resides in the Azeryani city of Meokolis.
NAVEH
"Lord of the Pitch Shadows, Master of Deceit and Evil Dreams, Lord of the Last Illusion, The Merchant of Death, Unseen Lifter of Lives, Trancer the Cat, Wealth’s Worry."
Best known as the bringer of nightmares, Naveh is the deity favored by assassins and thieves. Naveh is a lord of secrets, a doer of the impossible. His main symbols are Nava-shak-ara, an ebony knife; and Shinkra-akra, a translucent human skull. Replicas of both are used in temple rituals.
Naveh’s main demonic servants are Dekejis and the Gytevsha. Dekejis appears in the form of a black, redeyed cat. Dekejis considers human eyes and genitals a great delicacy; those who lack either are said to bear the curse of Naveh. There are three principal Gytevsha, each with numerous lesser servants. Gekrish, the "Hands of Despair," can reach inside the body with taloned hands and still the heart, or possess the body, tormenting the resident Aura before slaying it. Krasula, the "Hunter of Sleep," brings horrific nightmares and appears as a male child with one eye of the palest blue and the other of the deepest black. Vesha, the "Mouth of Falsehood," spreads deceit and confusion and is strengthened by every lie told by men and wounded by every truth.
Temples of Naveh are always covert, even where lawful. Very little is known of the church by outsiders. Its discipline is second to none; temple masters have been known to order loyal underlings to commit ritual suicide for no apparent reason. Navehan clergy have little interest in the laity. It is widely believed that the temples kidnap children of good or noble birth to be raised as clerics and servants. Some temple rituals involve drug-induced trances. Each temple is self-sufficient. The chief temple and the seat of the primate for Hârn is in Coranan; there are also covert temples in Golotha, Shiran, and Tashal. The pontiff lives at the Temple of Maniquideh in Dalkesh.
Ritual murder play a major role in the worship of Naveh. The temples take commissions for assassinations or thievery and may be contacted through the Lia-
Kavair, who often pay them tribute. Fees are high and the church is prone to refuse contracts without explanation.
The clerical garb is loose fitting to allow freedom of movement, and usually black with a trace of blood red. Ranking clergy wear an over-robe of red and may don the dreaded skull mask that denotes imminent death. All clergy carry razor-sharp daggers. An assassin wears a broad belt of white cloth that will be red with the victim’s blood when returned to the temple. Success and failure are judged by more than the simple death of the victim; there is a degree of "artistry" involved. Various punishments are meted out for failure.
The church’s most interesting ritual punishment is the Herth-Akan, in which a target is given a one-hour start and must evade the murderous pursuit of seven of his temple brothers for three successive days and nights. Few are successful. If the victim evades death for the required period, he is permitted to live, but the failed assassins must then commit ceremonial suicide.
PEONI
"The Restorer and Bringer of Life, Maker of Balms, Lady of Truth, Daughter of White Virtue, Guardian of the Meek, Lady of the Ripe Harvest, Confidant of Lovers, Chaste Lady of Honest Love."
Peoni is the most popular deity among commoners. She is the patron goddess of healing, agriculture, the poor, and lovers. She requires of her adherents a strict moral code of gentleness and kindness to others but is forgiving of those who transgress. She is most often represented as a young girl with gentle hands worn red from hard work. Peoni is symbolized by any of several spring flowers or the fruits of agriculture. It is said that she prefers white flowers, particularly the daisy.
The countryside is dotted with peasant-made shrines to Peoni where adherents can find shelter and hospitality. Clerics are divided into two orders, the Order of the Balm of Joy (female) and the Irreproachable Order (male). Peonian clerics are celibate and the orders often have separate temples. The primate for Hârn is the grandmistress of the female order; her seat is in Thay. The pontiff is in Perna, Trierzon; the office alternates between male and female clergy.
The Church of Peoni distributes most of its wealth, gathered mainly through donations, among the poor and is always verging on bankruptcy. Temples often include houses of healing that are open to anyone of pure heart; patients pay according to their means. Clerics can often be found among the poor and sick, blessing their labors and easing their tasks with boundless comfort.
Clerics of Peoni change their grab with the season. They wear white in the winter, green in spring, beige in summer, and yellow in autumn. While Peoni is swift to forgive laymen, strict morals are required from her clerics.
SARAJIN
"King of the Icy Wind, Lord of the Perilous Quest, Wielder of the Blooded Axe, Master of Frosty Climes, the Gray Slayer."
Sarajin is the god of battle lust. He favors those who love the sport of war and takes great pleasure in watching and even participating in large battles. The only virtue universally admired among Sarajinians is courage. The noblest achievement of a Sarajinian is to die in heroic battle; most try to live each day as if it were their last. They value the Ljarl, a code of honor, but treachery is not unknown.
Sarajin most often appears as a giant yellow-haired warrior dressed in leather and furs, bearing Fakang, his great double-bladed axe. His symbols are a pair of crossed handaxes and his sled, Shalka. Sarajin’s demigods are Usnarl the bear, Jarlak the wolf, and Njehu the whale.
Sarajin dwells in an ice castle on Yashain in a land called Talagaad. Those who worship Sarajin and fall in battle come to Talagaad and spend each day in the valley below the castle, hacking and slaying each other until the snow runs red. At dusk, all retire within the castle, including those newly slain, for a long night of feasting and wenching. By dawn, all are revitalized in this warrior’s paradise and repeat the endless battle.
The worship of Sarajin was brought to Hârn by the Ivinians and is mainly practiced in Orbaal. It is sometimes said that "they who follow the King of the Icy Wind worship death." This may explain the failure of the religion to win many adherents among Hârnians not of Ivinian ancestry. Where the faith is followed, the religious needs of the community are handled by a single clan. The Ivinians tend to approach religion like any other business. It is a loosely organized religion, little interested in rituals or frills. Each clerical clan may have a different interpretation of the truth, but all agree that courage, strength, and skill at arms are the cardinal virtues. Clerics of Sarajin have no particular mode of dress; most are warriors and will dress accordingly.
Save-K’nor
"Sage of the Gods; Lord of Jesters, Puzzles, and Mazes; Mixer of Potions and Elixirs; Keeper of the Var-Hyvrak; The Lost Guide."
Save-K’nor is an intellectual snob who will only accept worshipers of high intelligence. He has a voracious appetite for knowledge and will go to great lengths to obtain mysterious scrolls and books; his adherents make frequent gifts of such esoterica. Save-K’nor most often appears to mortals as an aged sage, a beggar in rags, a minstrel, bard, skald, or jester. The religion is intellectually demanding and there are few adherents. Save-K’nor has several symbols, the most common being a blank scroll, a book portrayed so that the script is illegible, a quill and ink pot, and Uhla, the black lantern.
Although its influence is subtle and discreet, the church wields considerable political power. Clerics and laymen of the religion are found in high offices throughout Hârn, particularly in Melderyn. Generally, each temple is left to itself and some are little more than hostels for clerics. Three main clerical orders exist, in order of size: Hyn-Aelori, Rydequelyn, and Shea-al-Aecor. All three favor gray as their formal attire. High-ranking members of the church (usually of the Shea-al-Aecor) bear emblems of office, most commonly a staff or lantern. The pontiff is traditionally the grandmaster of the Sheaal-Aecor. The pontifical seat is in the city of Berema in Emelrene.
SIEM
"Master of the Lords of Dream, Lord of the Thrice-Blessed Realm, King of the Uttermost West, Spirit of the Sundered Ones, Bringer of Blessed Forgetfulness, Lord of the Azure Bowl."
Siem is a benign god of mystery and shadow, magic and dreams, a wielder of esoteric powers and a knower of secrets. At one time, Siem was foremost of the gods of Hârn, said to have been lord of the Sindarin in residence on Hârn. Before the coming of men, Siem laid down his scepter and quit Hârn in favor of the Blessed Realm.
On occasion, Siem still answers the call of his Hârnic followers. The power he and his servants wield is subtle; the deity sends dreams that purge unpleasant memories. He is far more apt to confuse an enemy than slay him outright or bestow martial powers.
A highly mystical symbol of Siem and of his religion is the Azure Bowl. Sindarin legends, old even when they first reached Hârn, describe the artifact as being connected with "the making, the holding, and the very spilling forth of the stars." If the original Azure Bowl ever existed, no mortal has ever seen it, but several facsimiles have been constructed. Although many Azure Bowls are undoubtedly the work of charlatans and of only aesthetic interest, some are authentic "gazing bowls." If one of these is filled with clear, fresh water, visions are apt to occur while gazing within; the spiritual fiber of the gazer, and possibly that of observers, may be altered, most likely in a benign way.
Several of Siem’s demi-divine underlings, notably Sereniel and Sweldre, are more accessible than the deity and may be worshiped directly. Sereniel is said to intercede at his master’s court on behalf of the Khuzdul. According to their mythology, it was Sereniel who breathed life into the Khuzdul to wake them from their long slumber. Sweldre is believed to intercede before the throne of Siem on behalf of the Sindarin.
Siem’s priesthood is minute. Known as Inthiars, they are wielders of illusion and keepers of ancient secrets. Not even the names of the various orders that worship Siem are known. They are fond of symbolism and magic and attach much significance to the stars and twilight. They build no temples, preferring to worship under the stars in sacred forest glades.
The Nature of the Gods
The motives of the gods vary. The kind of universe desired by Morgath, the Lord of Chaos, is different from that wanted by Peoni, the Lady of Truth and gentle patron of healing and agriculture. Their problem is that they cannot destroy each other without risking the destruction of them all. The Kethrian family of worlds, in which they seem to be trapped, is not great enough for all of them. Hence, the Concordat limits the actions that may be taken.
Conflict between the gods is now more or less confined to the mortal and semi-mortal planes of Kethira and Yashain. Siem has withdrawn to the Blessed Realm and Save-K’nor has established his neutrality. Peoni is effectively a non-combatant. Larani stands, essentially alone, against Morgath and Agrik. Although these two evil deities have not formed an alliance and are almost as likely to act against each other, it is their works that the Lady of Paladins most tries to undo. These divisions are not simply based on morality. The quasi-war between Larani and the dark pair is more complex than a simple epic. Agrik, and especially Morgath, represent a degree of chaos, a breaking down of order that would greatly change the worlds. The other gods will usually support Larani to prevent total chaos and enforce the Concordat, but their inclination is to care for their own concerns.
Yashain is the most active battlefield. There, armies of the dead fight border clashes between the kingdoms. From time to time, the forces of Sarajin, Halea, Naveh, and even Ilvir take part, but these gods tend to switch sides on short notice; their objective is to maintain a balance of terror conducive to their own activities. This situation has persisted since the Concordat.
The Churches of Hârn
All of the major gods have their mortal adherents and, over time, these followers have created religious institutions to regulate and foster their own variation of the truth. The Libram of the Pantheon explains that, in denying knowledge to every mortal,
"They [the gods] chose vessels fit to hold the shadows of their divinity, and men call these vessels priests, and their business religion, and their houses temples."
The secular power and degree of central authority of the churches on Hârn varies with religion and locale. The churches of Larani and Peoni dominate in the kingdoms of Chybisa, Kaldor, Kanday, and Melderyn; Larani being favored by the feudal nobility, Peoni by the peasant masses. The church of Agrik is prominent in the Kingdom of Rethem. Adherents of Save-K’nor tend to be scholars with influence throughout Hârn, on Melderyn in particular. Sarajinism is the dominant faith of the Ivinian conquerors of Orbaal, while Ilvir holds some sway among their subject Jarin. Siem has few human worshipers and is also worshiped by the Khuzdul and Sindarin, although those two races tend to focus their faith through one of two semi-divine minions of Siem. Halea has modest support among merchants and guildsmen in all states but is most dominant in the Thardic Republic. The two "evil" churches (Morgath and Naveh) have many fewer adherents, both being austere religions that are proscribed and covert throughout most of Hârn.
Church Hierarchies
The organization of the churches of Hârn varies greatly, but there are some similar ranks and customs. All churches are divided into clergy and laity. The former are the priests and priestesses who organize and administer the temples and devote their lives to the service of the deity. Depending on the church, the clergy may have little time for their own pursuits, being totally at the call of their superiors whom they are expected to serve unquestioningly. The laity are simply the adherents of the religion. They will have access to fewer of the mysteries and will be unable to advance beyond a certain point. It should be noted that, although they are often simple folk, clerics will usually enjoy privileged status, even though the fragmentation of the churches resulting from pantheism greatly weakens their influence.
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| Church Ranks | |||||
| Circle | Usual Church Rank | - | 1st | Laity | Any member of the church with little knowledge of the mysteries, even if pious. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd | Acolyte or Lay Grandmaster | This circle is the usual maximum for a layman. | |||
| 3rd | Priest | An ordained priest may grant blessings, hold services, etc. Few clergy progress beyond this. | |||
| 4th | High Priest or Abbot | A cleric in charge of one or more temples. | |||
| 5th | Bishop or Archbishop | The senior priest of the church for a good-sized region or small country. | |||
| 6th | Primate | The senior cleric of a church for a large region, such as all of Hârn. | |||
| 7th | Pontiff | The supreme mortal leader of the church. None reside on Hârn and some churches do not acknowledge one. |
Indoctrination into the mysteries of a religion is simultaneous with the accrual of additional responsibility and power. Anyone may (theoretically) be initiated into the rituals of the next "circle," but such knowledge is shared sparingly. In practice, few laymen advance beyond the second circle. Even among the clergy, indoctrination into the higher circles sometimes has little to do with faith; advancement may be a matter of politics.
Clerical Orders
Hârn is somewhat unique in that most Hârnic clergy are members of a clerical order and most churches are organized into one or more such orders. This is a tradition created by the "barbaric" and "frontier" characteristics of Hârn, compared to much of western Lythia. These clerical orders are identified under the specific deity entries in Hârndex.
Fighting Orders
The lay followers of a deity are not generally required to support any particular order, but some lay warriors belong to fighting orders sponsored by various clerical orders. Each fighting order, commanded by a lay grandmaster, has a number of knights bachelor and may also have a contingent of common warriors. Fighting orders are generally devoted to some "high purpose," such as the religious conversion of some barbaric region or the protection of an important individual or institution, although some are actually cynical, religious thugs. Hârn’s religious fighting orders are identified in Hârndex under the entries for the clerical orders that sponsor them.
Canon Law
Legally recognized churches have the right to hold their own courts and administer justice for a variety of religious crimes, including blasphemy, heresy, and witchcraft. Temple courts often use trial by ordeal to determine guilt or innocence. The penalties handed out vary from one church to another. Peonian courts rarely inflict permanent harm on offenders while Agrikan courts are perhaps overly fond of burning at the stake. Temple courts must obtain secular consent to any death penalties.
Other Religions
Apart from the ten major churches, there are hundreds of lesser divine and semi-divine entities who are worshiped by various folk. Hârnians are a superstitious lot, believing in the existence of some type of spirit (Kami, Totem, etc.) in every living, and many unliving, things. The barbarian tribes of Hârn all possess their own mythologies relating to such beliefs.
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