Gods and Demons

Pantheons and Gods

In many regions, people group gods together into what they call pantheons. Each pantheon is worshipped by certain people in certain places. This happens because when a god is worshipped in different places, their characteristics might change a bit based on the beliefs and culture of the worshippers there. So, a god worshipped in one kingdom might be seen differently in another kingdom, even though it seems like the same god.   Individual gods who are very powerful in their own regions might be worshipped all by themselves without being part of a pantheon. Sometimes these solitary gods are worshipped alongside other gods, but other times they're rejected or seen as evil by the official religion of the state.   If someone follows a whole pantheon, they might still have a favorite god or gods within that group. They would pray to whichever god they think fits the situation best. A priest of a pantheon can lead ceremonies for any god in that pantheon.  
 

Worship

People can choose to worship all the gods in one pantheon, or just one god from it. Some folks might not be sure about their beliefs, but in the world of the Hyborian Age, hardly anyone is truly atheist. Most people, like Conan, are open-minded about different religions, as long as they're not harmful like the worship of Set. Most adventurers believe in the supernatural because they encounter magic and evil so often.   To become a worshipper, you usually have to meet certain conditions set by the cult. This might include rituals, sacrifices, giving money or goods to the temple, or spending time in meditation and study. Most cults also want you to support their cause whenever you can.   Usually, you can't worship more than one pantheon or god because priests don't like worshippers who seem unsure. But sometimes, evil cults encourage their followers to pretend to be part of the main religion of a place so they can secretly do bad things. If you regularly attend religious services, give the temple what's asked for, and act like a follower of your god, you get the benefits of being part of that religion.  
 

Benefits of Worshipping a God

Each god or pantheon offers different perks to their followers, as long as they stay on good terms with the religion. The benefits vary from god to god. If you mess up, like not paying your dues or breaking the rules, you lose these perks until you make up for your mistakes. Even priests lose their powers if they mess up.  

• Atonement If you break one of your god's rules, you can spend 1 week of downtime to use this downtime option to seek forgiveness from a priest. They might ask for a donation and send you on a quest to prove you're sorry. Once you finish the quest, you're back in good standing with your god. But not all gods offer forgiveness, especially if they don't have many rules in the first place.

 
 

Wielding Divine Powers

An ordained priest is an individual who has been granted the authority to wield the powers of a specific deity. Through rituals, consecration, and dedication, these individuals become conduits for the divine energies of their chosen god or goddess. As intermediaries between the mortal realm and the divine, ordained priests serve as vessels for miracles, blessings, and divine interventions, channeling the will and power of their patron deity to influence the world around them. In essence, they act as the earthly representatives of their god, entrusted with the responsibility of upholding and spreading their deity's influence and teachings among the faithful.   In theory they have all the same restrictions and benefits of worshippers. Although while anyone can become a worshipper, to gain the powers associated with a deity a player must only select abilities which meld into the theme of their religion, and will usually be banned from learning other types of sorcery unless they change or abandon their religion.