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Arteris
Learned Scribe
121 Posts |
 Posted - 02 Apr 2004 : 21:20:39
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I was casually reading several days ago when I was suddenly hit with a question I could not answer. After checking several books I was without an answer. Clerics need a god to pray too, to recieve spells and so forth. But gods who have clerical levels... Who do they pray too? Do they pray to the gods who are above mortal comprehension? (Gods with divinity levels higher than 20)?? Or do they simply pray to themselves?? Any clarification would be helpful.
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Shadowlord
Master of Realmslore
USA
1298 Posts |
Posted - 02 Apr 2004 : 21:33:31
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I believe I know that answer. A deity's clerical spells are derived from their own power. They literally pluck the spells from themselves. That should answer your question.  |
The Chosen of Vhaeraun
"Nature is governed by certain immutable rules. By virtue of claw and fang, the lion will always triumph over the goat.Given time, the pounding of the sea will wear away the stone. And when dark elves mingle with the lighter races, the offspring invariably take after the dark parent. It is all much the same. That which is greater shall prevail. Our numbers increase steadily, both through birth and conquest. The dark elves are the dominant race, so ordained by the gods." Ka'Narlist of the Ilythiiri. |
Edited by - Shadowlord on 02 Apr 2004 21:35:47 |
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Tyros
Acolyte
12 Posts |
Posted - 02 Apr 2004 : 21:42:46
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Hail!
quote:
Originally posted by Arteris
I was casually reading several days ago when I was suddenly hit with a question I could not answer. After checking several books I was without an answer. Clerics need a god to pray too, to recieve spells and so forth. But gods who have clerical levels... Who do they pray too? Do they pray to the gods who are above mortal comprehension? (Gods with divinity levels higher than 20)?? Or do they simply pray to themselves?? Any clarification would be helpful.
It would seem that Ao exercises a measure of control over the deities. So, I would guess that they have some kind of special relationship with him/her/it.
Perhaps this relationship has more to to do with simply stewarding and/or advancing their portfolio, and less to do with worshipping or praying to Ao in the same fashion as mortals worship and pray to the deities? If they are true to their own portfolio, then they get the power. If they stray, they begin to lose the power? And Ao governs that?
Frith!
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DDH_101
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1272 Posts |
Posted - 03 Apr 2004 : 00:26:14
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Tyros, Ao doesn't care if a god is true to his/her portfolio. He cares if a god disrupts the Balance he has so carefully created.
BTW, Ao doesn't exactly "grant" power. He just gives the permission on who becomes a god. A god has to earn and fight for his own power. The only time I remember that Ao gave another god some power was Torm when he sacrificed himself to kill Bane. |
"Trust in the shadows, for the bright way makes you an easy target." -Mask |
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Tyros
Acolyte
12 Posts |
Posted - 03 Apr 2004 : 00:49:18
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quote:
Originally posted by DDH_101
Tyros, Ao doesn't care if a god is true to his/her portfolio. He cares if a god disrupts the Balance he has so carefully created.
Oh! Of course! So then, a god acting contrary to his/her portfolio is not disrupting the balance. Gotcha.
So, care to take a stab at where gods with priest spells get their spells from?
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Edited by - Alaundo on 03 Apr 2004 09:30:08 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 03 Apr 2004 : 03:55:45
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quote:
Originally posted by Arteris
I was casually reading several days ago when I was suddenly hit with a question I could not answer. After checking several books I was without an answer. Clerics need a god to pray too, to recieve spells and so forth. But gods who have clerical levels... Who do they pray too? Do they pray to the gods who are above mortal comprehension? (Gods with divinity levels higher than 20)?? Or do they simply pray to themselves?? Any clarification would be helpful.
Regardless of the official reasoning behind the answer to your question, there have been a multitude of theories from several different campaign settings that have sought to address this issue.
If you believe one of the more prevalent notions in the Planescape setting, the deities draw the power that they grant to their clerics from a fountain of residual energy said to be left over from the creation of the multiverse itself. The curious thing that is written about this particular theory (and my reason for choosing it above some of the more juicier theories), is that the energy is said to be a limited resource (although such a thing should not be possible  )...Every time a deity draws energy from the fountain to give a cleric the ability to activate his/her spell, it draws energy away from the cosmological threads that bind the Planes together...It is believed that this will one day lead to a complete planar collapse (not unlike [in some regards] the current [and very revolutionary] thinking behind the 'Heat-Death' theories of our own real-life universe).
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DrizztDoUrden
Acolyte
USA
18 Posts |
Posted - 10 Apr 2004 : 01:54:58
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| This may seem like weird reply to your question but perhaps the deities cleric spells come from thier worshippers. You know like whenever they r worshipped or something it grants them a measure of power. It may sound wierd but i think it knida makes sense |
I've sparred with demons from the Nine Hells themselves, I shall barely break a sweat here today
- Drizzt Do'Urden |
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Arivia
Great Reader
Canada
2965 Posts |
Posted - 10 Apr 2004 : 02:12:50
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quote:
Originally posted by DrizztDoUrden
This may seem like weird reply to your question but perhaps the deities cleric spells come from thier worshippers. You know like whenever they r worshipped or something it grants them a measure of power. It may sound wierd but i think it knida makes sense
Last I checked, this was it, especially after the Time of Troubles. Look at both Faiths and Pantheons and Deities and Demigods for more on this, and also some Planescape tomes... |
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DrizztDoUrden
Acolyte
USA
18 Posts |
Posted - 10 Apr 2004 : 03:13:38
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| Ah it seems my assumption was correct. Thank you for confirming it. It seems I'm a bit smarter than I think |
I've sparred with demons from the Nine Hells themselves, I shall barely break a sweat here today
- Drizzt Do'Urden |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
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Clerical gods oh my!
