Clerics

To be a deity is to have an immense power over some aspect of the World, or even the extraterrestrial aspects. While there are many stories of the Gods themselves impacting the World, walking among the mortals, saving their champions, or even bringing their blessings upon those who pray to them, the reality is these events are exceedingly rare. That is not to say the Gods themselves are not powerful, and that those who are able to tap into the wellspring of their power are not powerful, but the deities themselves are more akin to spiritual personifications of certain qualities, allowing them to be categorized into Domains. There can be in theory countless Gods, but the god of a small stream is unlikely to have any worshipers, while a fringe tribe at the foot of a towering mountain may worship the God of their mountain. As such, there are certain Gods of higher standing that are not tied to the pieces of the World, but instead are representative of a specific domain. For example, a Greater War God encompasses any and all forms that war can take, be it the largest world conquering campaign, a battlefield, or even mock warfare competitions, while a Lesser War God could encompass bloodshed as a concept, or honor in duels, or tactical strategy. To appease all of the Gods is a futile effort, but whenever something involves their domain, they are always present. The Gods of the Tempest can be found within every storm, every rain shower and every hurricane.
This brings us to the concept of Pantheons, which is where the Gods have taken up a more personified form, due to the nature of the worship their followers put upon them, establishing a concrete form and taking a name. Cultures will have collections of these deities, with their own names, and these can overlap, or be the same Gods by different name in one culture to the next. An example of a pantheon could be a trio of gods, where there is a God of the Skies, a God of the Seas, and a God of the Earth, all together, allowing their worshipers to worship individually, or worship the Pantheon.
Clerics then are individuals who revere a God or a Pantheon, and are able to draw power from these powerful beings via their worship and blessings. Almost any God of any serious standing has a clergy, and no matter how active or inactive the deity is in the clergy's life, it is a wellspring of power that clerics are specially trained or talented to dip into, where the average peasant praying at a shrine is not. It is undeniable that clerics have mystic powers that come from their God, and it is up to the will of each cleric and the tenants of their faith that mold how this power takes shape, after all a Life Cleric is rarely going to use their God's power to kill and desecrate life, and a Light Cleric will not favor the Darkness spell.
On Domains. These are helpful categories that serve as guidelines for a cleric's path to better reach their God that falls within a certain domain. Remember that neither a God nor their cleric are strictly beholden to everything in a domain, it is the relationship between those two parties that matters. These domains are:
Arcana Domain. Likely the most neutral of domains, the worship of Arcana encompasses all aspects of magic be it for both good and evil, law and chaos in equal measure. To fully understand the Arcanum is to be open to its every shade and form without regard for personal biases. It is an incredibly potent aspect of the World, and Clerics of Arcane, also known as weave clerics, or yellow clerics, ever seek to learn more secrets and deeper understanding of the Arcanum, with the power that comes with it encouraged to be used how the wielder sees fit. Some Arcane clerics even learn of the Music of Creation. It is this quest for knowledge and understanding that draws individuals to seek out the Arcana Domain, but this domain has a great deal of overlap with wizards. Unlike wizards who reach into the well of magic through rigorous study, a cleric is fundamentally reliant upon one of the deities that reside in this domain for their power and they ever growing understanding. Subdomains include Spell, Rune, Mysticism, Balance, and the 8 Schools of Magic.
Death Domain. Unlike the Grave Domain, the Domain of Death is less so about the passing on of souls, and more revolving around the miserable and painful aspects of passing on, as well as the necromantic works involving the undead. Clerics, also known as black clerics, or plague clerics, that find their calling in the Death Domain are doomsayers, necromancers, powerful undead such as liches and vampires, or those that simply want sadistic power over others. Clerics of Death can find their calling among gods of murder, pain, sickness, poison or the underworld. Due to the foul nature of this domain, it is socially taboo to walk this path, causing most clerics of death to bury their actions out of the public eye.
Forge Domain. Clerics of the Forge, known as iron clerics, are a mix of talented craftsmen and heavily armored warriors seeking the long-lost treasures of the world. Gods of the Forge can be found in everything from a humble blacksmith making nails and repairing plows, to the greatest artisan in history forging the Holy Avenger, there is honor in all those who work hard. It is that honor, pride, and strength that encompasses those who become clerics of the forge, and even the destruction of things can be melted down into something new and greater. The only offense a Forge Cleric may have been ruining good craftsmanship, making a poor product, or losing something of legendary value. Subdomains of the Forge include Fire, Creation, Rune, Metal. Some of the most famous Forge Clerics is are the Green Steel smiths in Orisinium, where nearly half of the population revere the Gods of the Forge.
Grave Domain. Known as grey clerics, or grim clerics, individuals of this domain have the unenviable task of helping the dead pass on, and comforting the living with the loss of their departed. A Grave cleric can also serve as a town doctor, helping to heal the infirm and if need be, make the passing painless, while also overseeing the funeral service. Despite the aspect of death being within both of their purviews, Grave Clerics are the sworn enemies of Death Clerics, as necromancy being used to raise the dead is sacrilege to everything a grey cleric stands for. As such, it is not uncommon to see orders of Grave Clerics forming crusades against the undead, teaming up with paladins. Subdomains of the Grave are Fate, Community, Repose, Purification.
Knowledge Domain. Knowledge is power. Its pursuit can be from pure curiosity, a desire for understanding, or the morbid search for the long-forgotten secrets of the world, some better left forgotten. Also known as librarians, or seekers, Knowledge clerics value learning and understanding above all else. While there is a warranted stereotype for them being bookish locked away into their libraries and archives, knowledge clerics also promote practical knowledge, such as crafting, invention, scientific discovery, and even farming practices. At their best, seekers will collect knowledge to teach it to the whole world, while those with less noble intentions will hoard this knowledge. And the worst find themselves in the grips of Vecna, the lich god of dark secrets and knowledge. Subdomains of Knowledge include Arcane, Lore.
Life Domain. A White Cleric is one of the most popular sights in the world, as one who can tap into the positive energies of life is one who can perform miracles in the name of helping people. A life cleric heals the infirm, cures the sick, banishes plagues and curses, and helps the unfortunate. To follow the path of a Cleric of Life is to see the ills of the world and actively work to cure them, goodness fills the hearts of these clergy. While some dabble in undead hunting, it is restoration that is the primary focus. Other positive aspects fall under the umbrella of the Life domain, with Agriculture, the Sun, Healing, Endurance, and Community being subdomains of Life.
Light Domain. Known more often as Sun Clerics, Gold Clerics, or Fire Clerics, these clerics blaze bright like the Sun wherever they go, bringing warmth and light to the dark places of the world. A Light Cleric holds ideals such as rebirth, truth, vigilance, and beauty as sacred, with some using art as a vehicle for a soul's nourishment. Often these clerics are as warm and welcome as a summer's day, their brightness bringing good and joy to the people of the world. Some also act as banishers of the shadows, warriors bringing light and truth to the deceptive and dark. Under this purview is the domain of Fire as well, either the powerful raging forest fire, or the crackling warmth of a hearth on a winter's night. Subdomains of Light are Sun, Truth, Summer, Celestial, Purification, Glory.
Nature Domain. Nature gods are far and away the most plentiful, with their spirits inhabiting every inch of the World. It is thus that the greater nature gods encompass far broader aspects of the natural world, the forests, the seas, the mountains, and the plains. It isn't entirely inaccurate to say druids and nature clerics, or green clerics, are the same as they draw their power from the same source. Druids are unique in their rituals, mysteries and powers, their circles being an enigma to those outside looking in. A green cleric however is more active in their work to protect and advance the goals of their nature god, teaching how to respect and revere the natural forces. They are also responsible for helping the growth of harvests, quelling dangerous weather, and acting as emissaries between the civilized and the wild. Subdomains include Air, Water, Earth, Fire, Animal, Weather, Hunt, Plant.
Order Domain. Representatives of the Order Domain, also known as blue clerics, or justiciars, hold the adherence to law and civilization above all else. A Justiciar believes that the only way to make progress from the savage creatures of the world is by developing laws, institutions, philosophy, and logic. These clerics are the protectorate of the civilized world, and help those who are willing to obey the law, or help to improve it, while aggressively ousting those who would disrupt or attempt to destroy the lawful governance. Chaos is their antithesis, a cancer that they are the scalpel to remove from civil peoples. On the dark side, this domain can fall into inquisitions, willing to interrogate, kidnap, or kill in the name of the greater need of law and order. Clergy of Order are commonplace in the city-state Istria. Subdomains of this are Law, Protection, Community, Commerce, Domination, Nobility.
Peace Domain. Bearing the white flag, the olive branch, and the dove, Peace Clerics are known as arbiters, or adjudicators. These are pacifist individuals who not only believe in the best in everyone, but when the unfortunate misguidedness takes hold of a people, be it a squabble between two people, or two kingdoms going to war, the Arbiters will be there to bring both parties together and bring about a happy resolution. Clergy of Peace believe in the good, love, happiness, forgiveness, protection, and above all peace. Of all clerics, these are the one that will not raise a weapon, only a shield, even against the most foul of monsters, fiends and undead. Interestingly, some gods of war also have their aspect in the Peace domain, for part of war is the peace talks at the end of the conflict. Subdomains include Good, Charm, Healing, Joy, Renewal.
Tempest Domain. The Tempest domain in a certain sense can be considered a subdomain of the Nature domain, as the tempest is part of the natural world that Green Clerics Revere. However, thunder clerics, storm clerics, or apocolyptics revere the powerful and destructive forces of nature above every other aspect. At their best, these clerics reach out to their gods of the tempest to turn their wrath away. At worst, they are heralds of disaster, coming bearing the force of the hurricane, blizzard, firestorm, earthquake and other destructive forces. They wield lightning bolts, and billowing winds, and shards of cutting ice. Often Apocolyptics come into civilizations with the express intention of bringing about its violent end, for the wrath of the gods they worship is upon all. Subdomains include Destruction, Storm, Air, Water, Fire, Wrath, Chaos, Ocean, Sky.
Trickery Domain. Many tales tell of legendary trickster figures, the foxy heroes and gods that using cunning, guile, or deception to get what they want, or trick the other gods of the pantheon. Clerics that revere the trickster gods need not necessarily do so with wicked intent, as it can be mere playful games, or an expression of freedom. Many spirits of the The Twilight Dream are the focus of Trickster stories, some even earning the reverence of clergy. All clerics of Trickery are disruptors of the status quo, especially poking holes in the stagnant, the despotic, the tyrannical and the corrupt institutions of law. They will steal from the rich to give to the poor, they will mock corrupt tyrants, they are rebels and liberators, while also being thieves, scoundrels, and gamblers. Due to the love of freedom this domain holds, travel and celerity are also under this purview. Subdomains include Deception, Luck, Travel, Celerity, Chaos, Lust, Charm, Liberation, Greed, Fey.
Twilight Domain. There is a balance in the world between the light and the darkness. In the light, there is justice, life, goodness and civilization. But in the dark lurk monsters and terrors that would seek to dismantle all that is good, the things that go bump in the night. Though night is a time of rest, it is the responsibility of the Twilight Clerics, also known as purple clerics, dawn/dusk clerics, or Wardens, to bring comfort to those seeking rest, and march into the darkness in their vigilance. A notable group of Twilight Clerics is the Constellar Conclave, who in their reverence for the twelve gods of the Zodiac stand watch against the evil lurking in the shadows. Their most terrible foes are the Nighthaunts. Subdomains include Night, Darkness, Protection, Moon, Time, Travel.
War Domain. Gods of War are some of the most popular deities due to how prolific warfare is. Some deities are blamed for warmongering, or the possessing of men to commit genocides and slaughter. Despite that, there are just as many gods of war revering honor, duty, strength, courage, and glory. Clerics of War, also known as red clerics, blood clerics, and warrior priests, are often active combatants, or brawlers who embrace glorious combat. They are also active members of field hospitals, healing those injured on the battlefield, or paying last respects to brave soldiers when they fall. At their worst however, red clerics are in service to murderous and hateful gods, especially in monstrous races, where killing and destruction is the sole goal, innocent or otherwise. Subdomains include Destruction, Glory, Honor, Competition, Strength, Wrath, Planning, Pride.