Moralist
Cleric of the Faith Moral
The moralist wing of the organized faiths of Alcirya are the heart and fire of their churches, the keepers of the true faith, the sword of their god’s vengeance, and the protectors of their people. They are the most militant of their god’s worshipers as well as the most fervent, zealous in pursuing the goals of their personal faiths. At best, moralists cannot understand why anyone would choose not to share their beliefs. At their worst, they seek to convert others by fire and sword. Most of the organized faiths have a moralist wing, or at least a few moralist individuals mixed in with the ethical hierarchy. Faiths that have a large number of moralist priests tend toward crusades and, on a national level, holy wars.
Role
Moralists are the most zealous of all the priests in their order. To many Alciryans, moralists are also the most dangerous. (Of course, to those who embrace compatible ideals, moralists can be charismatic role models.) Each moralist believes that his or her own faith is correct. While other Alciryans may be equally devout in their daily lives, few are as intolerant of other religious beliefs as the moralists. To moralists of a given faith, all correct actions are dictated by their avatar, and all life is encompassed by the worship of that avatar alone. While they accept pragmatists and ethoists of the same faith, they still look down upon them and are little more than civil. Priests from other faiths are openly disliked. Characters using strange magics - such as most mages - are openly despised.
Unless sanctioned by the appropriate avatar, distractions of earthly concern are pronounced counterproductive, to be avoided at all costs. While moralists are permitted to go out among “ordinary” people, they may do so only when they have specific missions in mind, never for simple pleasure or relaxation. A stern face and a closed mind are the hallmarks of moralists; lightheartedness and an easygoing attitude are not. To others, it often seems that they derive no joy from their faith, or perhaps that their only “pleasure” stems from attempting to remain joyless themselves while squelching the joy in others. Even actions encouraged by the gods may be conducted in a grim and serious manner. Moralists are excellent and profuse record-keepers, since they feel they may be called upon to offer proof for anything they say or do. They are expected to communicate early and often with their higher-ups. That suits the more powerful moralists just fine. But moralists also continually submit long, verbose reports to all higher-ranking clerics in their church, which drives the relatively passive ethoists to distraction, while pragmatists just “lose” the letters, unopened. They realize that they can’t help those who are cursed by the “wrong” gender or race, but faith is another matter entirely. Moralists are enthusiastic in their attempts to convert others to their beliefs. They are equally spirited in encouraging those of their own faith to live closer to the “true” tenets of their moralist faction. A moralist can provide lively debate and a bit of fun (for others) in mixed groups - at least until a rival drops an adder into the pontificating priest’s sleeping roll. As noted above, few player characters are moralists.
Distinctive Appearance
None
Special Benefits
Members of this kit can count on the support of their own temples to a greater degree than pragmatists and ethoists.
A moralist can request and expect the following aid (and possibly more) from the local church of his or her own faith:
- Safe haven, food, and board within the local temple (or monastery). The moralist priest is under no obligation to help the other clergy present in the temple, other than to encourage them to live their lives correctly.
- A loan. The priest can borrow up to three times his or her experience level times a hundred, in gold pieces. The money should be repaid within 30 days.
- Muscle. A moralist can request the services of a number of 1st-level fighters equaling three times his or her level. All fighters will be equipped with chain mail and swords. The time of service cannot exceed the moralist’s level in days, and the purpose of the mission should somehow advance the cause of the priest’s faith.
- An assistant who follows the same faith (and who is also a moralist, if available). The assistant is responsible for keeping all papers and notes. The helper’s experience level equals half that of the priest served, rounded down, with a maximum of 4th level. The assistant may be kept for up to one week per level of the moralist priest before having to return.
- Clout. The moralist can give orders to lower-level moralist priests of the same faith and expect those orders to be followed to the letter. (An individual who fails to follow a superior’s instructions may be cast out of the faith, as described under “Special Hindrances” below.)
Special Hindrances
Moralists are tightly tied to their hierarchies. An order from a higher-level moralist priest of the same faith is to be followed to the letter. Those who fail to do so are outcast from their order. Outcasts lose all benefits from their church organization until they atone (as for the spell). Even after this effort, the formerly faithful are restored with the organizational benefits of ethoists of the faith, not moralists. Moralists are expected to tithe 50 percent of all earnings to their church (not to PC members of the religion or other worthy causes). Skilled in fund-raising, moralists also encourage others to contribute up to 10 percent of their income to the “correct” church. Finally, moralists suffer a 3-point penalty to all initial encounter reactions. Moralists are openly hostile toward members of other faiths. Such behavior has earned them a rather poor reputation. (The penalty does not apply to characters who have been outcast or who are hiding their moralist stature. Both are rarities, however.)
Class
Priest
Attribute Requirements
None
Barred Beliefs
Moralist clerics must be lawful, though they may be good, neutral, or evil, according to the tendency of the god they worship. Moralists seclude themselves to the same race and gender within their faith (i.e. a moralist group of human woman worshipping Balera)
Race Requirement
Members of any race may be clerics of the Faith Moral. Each tends to believe that the gods are of the same race, and that their race - whether human, half-elf, or otherwise - was created “in the gods’ image.” That image is rarely shown, however. Most moralist faiths, regardless of race, believe that any visual representation of a deity is an anathema. Such representations, they say, encourage idol worship, not the veneration of a god’s true spirit. Hence, while moralist dwarves believe that the gods are dwarves, too, they never portray their deities as such (or in any manner, for that matter). To do so would be heresy.
Bonus Weapon Proficiencies
None
Required Weapon Proficiencies
None
Recommended Weapon Proficiencies
None
Barred Weapon Proficiencies
None
Bonus Non-Weapon Proficiencies
Recommended Non-Weapon Proficiencies
Cooking, Etiquette, Heraldry, Language (Modern), Weaving, History (Ancient), Bureaucracy, Healing, Language (Ancient), History (Local), Reading/Writing
Equipment
Clerics of the Faith Moral are always found in their official vestments. Each cleric’s Order provides the appropriate uniform, but clerics themselves are responsible for upkeep and cleaning. Vestments include the following: robes of a sanctioned solid color (dark colors are usually acceptable, but the proper hues vary from church to church a matching veil for both genders; sandals; and the priest’s holy symbol, which must be prominently displayed. Beneath the vestments, clerics of the Faith Moral usually wear chain armor. If other types of armor are required, they must look appropriate - that is, creating no confusion as to the priest’s moralist nature.
Wealth Options
Moralist priests have starting funds of 3d6 x 10 gp each. Should that prove to be too meager, a priest can borrow an equal amount from the church to make further initial purchases. Once purchases are complete, each moralist is allowed to retain only 2 to 3 gp. Any surplus funds must be returned to the order. Moralists must repay all loans in full within a month. Those who fail to do so are docked that amount again; the balance due is doubled. Repayments are in addition to the 50 percent of income tithed to the church. Hence, within a month the priest must earn at least twice the amount due on the loan in order to repay it in full.
Homeland Terrain
None
Economic System
None