Counsil Meeting of 816

[Asinjin]

The official beginning of the 4th era is the Counsil meeting of 816.  Twenty five years after the last meeting where Melodi, The Collector, and Arsenal became members of the Counsil, elevated from quasi deity status.

This thread will detail the divine aftermath of that meeting as well as detail what happens at the meeting in 816.

To the best of my thinking and memory right now, everything told in story from this point on from me is post this meeting.

[Asinjin]

Melodi (the knowledge keeper, the song maker) (Neutral Good [neutral])

After finally accepting her role as a deity after centuries of turning down the role, Allanda, ascended to the Counsil with little fanfare in 791.

Her portfolio expanded after her ascension and grew to include: bards, music, learning, and art.  To a lesser extent: schools, beauty and knowledge.

Her religion was based in Icefia at the bardic college.  While it remains the traditional home, temples have appeared at the other places of higher education around the world and there is a friendly competition as to where the seat of power is located.

Melodi has no ambition and never directs her followers in a way that appears as if the religion is trying to claim other aspects.  Nonetheless, she has rivals and enemies.  Her rivals include Quan Yin (beauty, art); Smofarf and Celetal (learning, knowledge).

Her primary enemy is the God of Lost Knowledge for whom hers is one of only two religions, along with the Oldest Orc, whose clerics appear immune to GOLK's ability.  This means that with only rare exceptions, those are the only clerics that are aware of GOLK.

Adding to her power, her clerics gained access to the domains of Introspect, to go along with Beauty and Knowledge.

He time during the reign of Iott was spent making sure knowledge did not fall away from the world.  This was a danger due to Iott monopolizing it and then due to an angry population destroying wizardly knowledge afterwards.  Her shrines became beacons of information as the world grew separate when travel and magic were restricted.  Her clerics would go on missions for months at a time bringing the news of the world, often in song form, to backwaters and hidden places.  This made them a target in some places and heroes in others, sometimes both.

Her faith has grown forty fold in those years, numbering over half a million.  They maintain five temples and about fifty shrines around the world.  There are many clerics, but the vast majority are also bards and hence there are few powerful clerics.

The high cleric of the religion is Haskra in Icefia, who resides at the high temple in the Bardic College.

Before his disappearance in 815, her most notable follower was the esteemed and renowned Arcane Singer Luigi Wonderword.

Divine Power - Demi

[Windblade]

Melodi (the knowledge keeper, the song maker)

After finally accepting her role as a deity after centuries of turning down the role, Allanda, ascended to the Counsil with little fanfare in 791.

Her portfolio expanded after her ascension and grew to include: bards, music, learning, and art.  To a lesser extent: schools, beauty and knowledge.

Her religion was based in Icefia at the bardic college.  While it remains the traditional home, temples have appeared at the other places of higher education around the world and there is a friendly competition as to where the seat of power is located.

Melodi has no ambition and never directs her followers in a way that appears as if the religion is trying to claim other aspects.  Nonetheless, she has rivals and enemies.  Her rivals include Quan Yin (beauty, art); Smofarf and Celetal (learning, knowledge).

Her primary enemy is the God of Lost Knowledge for whom hers is one of only two religions, along with the Oldest Orc, whose clerics appear immune to GOLK's ability.  This means that with only rare exceptions, those are the only clerics that are aware of GOLK.

Adding to her power, her clerics gained access to the domains of Introspect, to go along with Beauty and Knowledge.

He time during the reign of Iott was spent making sure knowledge did not fall away from the world.  This was a danger due to Iott monopolizing it and then due to an angry population destroying wizardly knowledge afterwards.  Her shrines became beacons of information as the world grew separate when travel and magic were restricted.  Her clerics would go on missions for months at a time bringing the news of the world, often in song form, to backwaters and hidden places.  This made them a target in some places and heroes in others, sometimes both.

Her faith has grown forty fold in those years, numbering over half a million.  They maintain five temples and about fifty shrines around the world.  There are many clerics, but the vast majority are also bards and hence there are few powerful clerics.

She remains a Demi-god.

I am definitely glad to see Melodi on the council.  The Wizards 3 have been pushing that forever.  I am excited to play a cleric of hers in the 4 era.  I think she will be the primary goddess that Wignston worships now that she is on the council.

[Hero]

Could you add notable members of the faith? E.g., Melodi’s high cleric.

[Asinjin]

Sutyr (Lawful Evil)

Betraying the Counsil did not go well for Sutyr.  Not only did he abandon them the way Hemator did, but unlike Hemator, he worked against them instead of existing outside the Counsil.

This lead to a persecution by most of the Counsil powers and several of the cults.  He played a high risk high rewards game, and he lost.  The years between Counsil meetings went poorly for his religion.  Only his allegiance to Iott and Kallark allowed his faith to survive as long as it did.

There are no temples, only a few shrines, and the only faithful are recluses clinging to the past.

The most notable remaining member and by default high cleric is also the last known Flame Master, a fire giant named Fumarsk.  His survival has mostly to do with the exhaustion of those that had hunted Sutyr.  His whereabouts are unknown.

Divine Power - None

[Asinjin]

Could you add notable members of the faith? E.g., Melodi’s high cleric.

I will try to post the high cleric and the most notable follower.  More than one would lead down a rabbit hole that would lead to me not finishing this project.

[Asinjin]

Dedestroyt (Chaotic Neutral)

The religion of Dedestroyt remains as it has for two thousand years.  Divided by purposes of the those that destroy, those that oversee, and those the kill.  They remain in balance as they have.

All three sects were very active during the reign of Iott.  Iottians returned themselves from the dead often, leading to a great need for the slayers, who died in hirer number than usual in their attempts.  The overseers had to mourn and bury many dead.  During the plague times, more them those died than usual as well.

The plagues lead to an increase in devotion for the religion, as more and more people saw dead as a near reality and hoped that Dedestroyt would provide them protection in the next life.  The high cleric, Malcolm the Dread, died of Everhot.  He was replaced by Dedrict Vowslew of Thalmeret, a harsh man who despised Iott and lived in seclusion until the defeat of Kallark.  When he returned to the high temple in Thalmeret, he vocally called for Iott's destruction.

The only stalker of the dead to survive the reign of Iott was the longest lived and most powerful one, Vistrani Fell.  The elf remains the best known member of the religion.

Divine Power - Greater

[Asinjin]

Habastly (Neutral Good)

The religion of Habastly's role during the reign of Iott was much the same as it has been.  Looking to protect life and minimize war, the religion had a challenging task on its hands.

It had long been an enemy of unchecked technology, but now it had to place unchecked arcana on its list of concerns.  Iott learned from the Tinkocracy's mistake and did not antagonize the largest religion in the world.  Instead of ignoring its warnings, Iott and Lyla listened to the clerics and especially in the first five years did a lot to improve and protect life.

The religion was a strong opponent of Sutyr, even if it did not oppose Kallark vigorously.  As Quan Yin's prominence rose, the religion embraced her vocal efforts to increase health and reproduction.  The two religions aided one other more than ever before.

Shortly after the Day Magic Broke, the long-serving high cleric Harold Lastelm died.  Confirmed to be of natural causes, the man had served as high cleric for more than one hundred years, dating back to right after the end of the Tinkocracy.  Rumors were that magic that helped keep him alive was broken on that day, leading to his death.  He was replaced soon after by Tomas Greatforest, who was given credit for stemming even greater loss of life during the Great Forest War a decade before.

Traveling the world on horse, a now well known Warden of Nature haling from Southern Yellowia named Justin Welloper leads the charge against the new religion of Arsenal.  His efforts and notoriety were echoed by Iott until its fall, but he continues to travel and warn against the evils of technology and tinkers.

Divine Power - Greater

[Asinjin]

Treetop (Chaotic Good)

The guardian of creatures, the patron of rangers, the father of the elves was quiet during the reign of Iott.  No creature type was targeted by the Iottians, the plagues were a threat but again targeted no specific race or creature for extinction.

Treetops agents were always helpful in the effort to defeat Sutyr, but they were never the leaders of the crusade.

The drama within the religion came from its traditional home in the jungles and with the elves that live there.  Vavalikai Jungletree, the long time high cleric was deposed.  The religion around the world was disappointed by his lack of activity outside the jungle and his seemingly singular focus on protecting the jungle elves, even though it was his cousin, newly appointed king, who was the guardian of the jungle elven race.  The new high cleric was named, Serena Barkenvine, a half elven resident of the jungle that was known to travel and meet with animals guards around the world.  Her traveling court continues.

The rise of the Yinites inspired Horarians to expand their visions as they traveled the world and encountered more variety.  One example is the now well known guard of humanity and Treetop convert Sukura Onita'tsu who like the high cleric, travels the world checking on the humans of Habololy.  He is particularly focused on those that exploit plagues to increase their own wealth and power.

Divine Power - Greater

[Asinjin]

Compture (Neutral Evil)

Dedicated to change for the sake of change, the swings that occurred during the reign of Iott only served to increase the power of the deity.  By the end of the decades, more people than ever were convinced that change is the only constant in the world, and that Compture view of existence was the most accurate.  Even with that, Compture's following remains smaller than any other greater deity and smaller than some of lesser stature.  But change is ever present and lends power to the deity at every turn.

In a rare appearance, the high cleric Valen Tracenkall made a confirmed appearance during the Battle of Mount Ila'Alnar, where it aided the allies in defeating Sutyr and the Iottians.  The appearance has created a great deal of speculation and lead to a great deal of research among the religious scholars.  To the everyday person, it was simply notable and a good story.  Valen has not been seen or heard of since the battle, and some think Valen was killed during or because of the battle.

One of the surviving headmasters of Iott is now a known faithful member of Compture's religion, Jonathon the Changed.  A known shapechanger, he is believed to be able to replicate the powers and presence of any of the Iottians.  He is one of the few able to widely travel thanks to his ability to change shape and easily hide.

Divine Power - Greater

[Windblade]

Compture

One of the surviving headmasters of Iott is now a known faithful member of Compture's religion, Jonathon the Changed.  A known shapechanger, he is believed to be able to replicate the powers and presence of any of the Iottians.  He is one of the few able to widely travel thanks to his ability to change shape and easily hide.

This definitely seems to be a problem.  Could be the next Bart in terms of an evil villain from Iott

[Asinjin]

The Old Orc (Neutral Good)

Turmoil unseen since the times of Amat came to the religion during the reign of Iott.  Lyla's and her governor wielded a great amount of influence in the Empire.  Their influence chipped away at the religion in the empire.

The high cleric, Lukius, went missing and could not be found.  He was not dead, and the old rules of the empire prevented a permanent successor from being appointed.  The traditions that kept the empire so well organized worked against them.  Clerics vied for the role and for influence and command.  The emperor took interim control of the religion, which caused a backlash around the world.

Seizing the opportunity, the enemy of memory, the entity known as GOLK, went after the religion, seeing a rare chance to bring the mighty deity down a notch.  Attacks were made, but in the style of GOLK, were not known.  They had the desired effect.

As the religion veered towards a breakdown, with the first counsel ever to be held outside the empire in Jaswap scheduled, word came that Lukius had re-emerged.  He brought a brief respite to the religion.  He was called away, to deal with Sutyr once and for all.  This in itself was a problem, as non-intervention was a tenant of the faith.  While the most learned scholars of the religion understood the gravity of the situation, the less wise and educated clerics grumbled and so abandoned the religion.

Lukius never returned from the battle against Sutyr.  Had the Counsil meeting been held more than a year after his death, the repercussions may have been more dire.  As it was, The Old Orc's standing was not challenged.

There is still no high cleric.  The processes in place drag on and the newly appointed emperor has not been able to settle the situation.

With the death of Lodormus, former president of Pacyr, there are no well known clerics of The Old Orc.

Divine Power - Ultimate

[Hero]

The Old Orc

There is still no high cleric.  The processes in place drag on and the newly appointed emperor has not been able to settle the situation.

Well shoot. Now I want to play a cleric of the Old Orc so I can have yet another PC as high cleric of a religion. What player holds the current record for that?

[Windblade]

If you count second edition then I know 2 people with 2. 

Myself

Marina : briefly high cleric of Chaos in 2nd edition

Nathan: briefly high cleric of Lakius while playing (and then long time high cleric after I stopped playing him)

You:

Haas: high cleric of Tyragator

Natus: High cleric of collector

I don't think anyone else has had more than 2.

[Asinjin]

Telfat as high cleric of Tfop in 2nd ed.

Harrick?