Faith Guidelines

Faith is a character's connection to a greater force; one which embodies the highest ideals & principles of their beliefs. The power of this force stems from the collective belief and reverence from living things. Faith is embodied as a collective or singular divine entity (a deity or deities) or force – a fount and focal point of worship. A deity may focus on principles, ideals, behaviors, places, actions, or even an elemental power given significance by a faith’s tenets. Every faith has followers - who typically organize themselves in an institutional body to more easily promulgate it. The nature of each follower’s relationship with their faith is reflected in their state of grace. Using faith effectively requires faith ability, conviction, and a pool of synergy. Followers meeting ability, conviction, and other expectations can attain higher states of grace (confirmed through an appropriate rite of passage).

The Path of Faith

The focus of faith: Faiths are organized to bring together like-minded individuals in a community whose morals, direction, perspectives and goals are shaped by their religious beliefs and formalized as codified tenets. Powers of faith are generally geared towards serving, protecting, and enriching the lives of the faithful; followers which employ more aggressive powers are the exception rather than the rule. All faiths need their defenders and symbol of strength and power, but most followers are focused on the community and helping those in it.

Community: At the heart of all faith is community. This is what gives faith its strong focus. As part of the strength of that community, characters pursuing a path of faith will almost always have a mentor - an inspiring figure who helped them discover their faith. In some cases the characters may surpass their mentors in importance, relevance and power, but they may continue look to them with respect and for assistance in making difficult decisions and/or serving as a sponsor.

Worship: Worship is the most common type of communion between the divine and the follower. The follower pours their emotion and energy into an appropriate form of adoration - prayer or phrases of veneration, song, dance, meditation, or other proscribed activities. This energy is directed at the divine source, energizing and empowering it and connecting the follower and divine. Shared worship is central to many faiths - mutually affirming to all parties and stronger in many ways. Many effects direct the follower to spend time in worship in order to bring about or earn a stated end. Such time can be spread out over mmultiple days, though worshipers cannot spend more time in worship than they spend in rest for a day.

Faith Powers

Demonstration of faith power is central to enhancing and strengthening belief - and to converting new followers. Each faith will differ in the powers they allow their followers to learn and use – focusing on those which are relevant to the goal and tenets of the faith. The types of mystical power available to followers are:

• Rituals: Powers which are common in effect, but prioritized and manifested differently between faiths.
• Gifts: Abilities granted to followers in reward for their actions. These can replicate nearly any other power, effect, or ability.
• Blessings: Granted for service. These are used in the seeking of divine common forms of intercession, such as favor and prayer.

Consecration gives followers the ability to use powers of faith, and the bonds connecting faith and the follower - Conviction and Synergy - fuel them. Faith powers also require a process of learning and worship to grant the follower the knowledge of how to use them.

Grace

Grace is a measure of the regard between the divine source and a subject. Greater states of grace are indicative of the closer relationship between the subject and divine and the trust developed. It is achieved and developed through the fulfillment of general expectations - adherence to tenets, values and continued service to the faith. Grace is personal and does not necessarily indicate function or formal rank within a faith or its institutions.

Consecration

> The act which imbues a subject with grace. Living beings, places, and items can be consecrated.. The process of consecration forges these connections, leveraged by abilities and powers. Consecration of a place creates holy ground, of an item creates relics, and grace in living followers.

States of Grace

State of Grace	Mystic Principle	Faith Ability1
Sanctified	1	0
Dedicated	2	1
Exalted	3	2
Sacred	4	3
Annointed	5	4
1: Required for followers.

Mystic Strength: Grace of a particular degree has a quantifiable measure of mystic power.

Passage

> Passage is the progress of a subject through the levels of grace, meeting the requirements and gaining the benefits of each. All living subjects must go through each in turn as they develop (manifested by a rite of passage for each), while other subjects can be imbued directly with grace of a specific state if needed.

Harmony

Harmony is an indicator of how two consecrated targets relate to each other in terms of their faiths. This can affect the outcome of abilities and powers when applied (usually using the harmony factor) in certain situations.

Consecrated Places - Holy Ground

Holy Ground is land and/or a structure consecrated to the service of a faith. It can be any location or structure (waterfall, church, etc.). The effects of Holy Ground depend on the level of consecration. Holy ground does not necessarily have any adverse affects on those of opposing faiths or tenets; however its benefits are only afforded to followers of the same faith. All Holy Ground affects the ease in communing with a deity: apply the harmony factor to meditation checks.

Consecrated Items - Relics

Many faiths have common articles and employ common symbols of their faith; water, idols, books, clothing, incense etc. Most items are not fully consecrated and possess no intrinsic power, meant as symbols and reminders of the presence of the divine tenets. For followers of higher grace, consecrated items are integral to their worship and use of faith powers. Many faith powers utilize one or more articles to connect and focus divine power - some even having adverse effects upon those who opposed the faith.

Holy Symbols: All of the faithful are expected to wear or possess some symbol of the faith. A cleansed holy symbol is required in order to adjure powers of faith.

Consecrated Beings - Followers

A follower is one who embraces and lives, to some measurable degree, according to the tenets of the faith they embrace. Any character may profess belief, but followers live it and judge themselves by it. The higher the grace or service, the more they are considered a symbol and advocate of the faith. To serve is the highest calling, gaining notice from the divine or institutions that represent it. Their commitment is marked through their passage and ranks of institutional status (if applicable). Followers must choose which faith (determined by their milieu and/or species) they are to be a follower of. Starting followers will begin play with an appropriate holy symbol or other materials necessary for worship of their faith.

Sanctified Follower

An indoctrinated or lay follower. These followers make up the bulk of the faithful and mostly serve to provide power to those above them.

Dedicated Follower

These followers have been initiated into the deeper ways of the faith and make up the bulk of the powerful symbols of the faith.

Exalted Follower

Those truly devout followers who wish to serve the ideals pass into the ranks of the exalted. It is from these that the great agents of faith come.

Sacred Follower

Those who pass into the ranks of the sacred followers have achieved a trust and bond which sets them above all others. They are the beacon to which all others strive to aspire.

Annointed Follower

Annointed followers are next to the divine itself, a singluar power within the community of the faithful whose deeds and actions place them beyond any mundane authority in the eyes of the faithful.

Advantages: Pious characters have specialization options available to them.

Expectations of Followers

All faiths have certain expectations of the faithful. This typically includes specific behavior such as an oath or oaths of service, codes of conduct, attendance at gatherings, acceptance of authority hierarchy, reverence of special times, colors, or symbols, etc. They must openly embrace the faith's ideals and propagate those ideals and beliefs while converting others to the faith in the process. All the observances that a follower must live by make up the basic tenets. A follower must spend what energy and effort they can to live in accordance with the tenets of the faith and their status. Followers must never actively oppose the tenets of the faith or go against any behavior or conduct expressly forbidden by them. Do to do means they have transgressed against the faith and may have to submit to divine punishment.

Seeking a Higher State of Grace

> Followers must commune in a holy place and seek new insights into their relationship with the faith. Only then may they undergo their passage to attain their new state of grace.

Path of Power

> A follower must adhere to a standard pathway to power - passage through each state of grace wielding the powers which represent and reinforce their role. This ensures that followers represent the faith appropriate to their station. Individual faiths may have path of power restrictions unique to them.

Follower Path of Power

State of Grace	Min. Faith Aptitude	Synergy Pool	Max. Rituals	Max. Gifts
Sanctified	0	-10	None	Mystic Principle
Dedicated	1	+5	Conviction	Mystic Principle
Exalted	2	+5	Conviction	Conviction
Sacred	3		No Limit	Conviction
Annointed	4		No Limit	No Limit

• Followers cannot learn more sacred rituals than exalted rituals.
• Followers cannot learn more annointed rituals than sacred rituals.
• A follower's conviction rating should never be less than their Mystic Principle. If so, any attempt to seek a higher state of grace will fail.

Transgression

Transgression occurs when a follower fails in meeting their expectations or acts counter to the interests of the faith; repeated failure to abide by the tenets, tarnishing the faith's reputation, acting against authorities or holy objects or places. There are multiple levels of shame & absolution for those who transgress. Grace, powers, and political status can all be reduced or removed as appropriate to the transgression.

Abandoning a Faith

> Loss of all conviction and blessings, half synergy, related traits, and all grace and political status. Punishment may be sought by followers of the abandoned faith as well.

Conviction

Conviction measures the strength of a character’s belief in their faith. Many powers of faith depend on or leverage conviction in some way. See the conviction trait for more details.

Gaining Conviction: Followers normally only start with one (1). Improvement is treated as if it was an skill. (CP Cost = Level Attained)

Losing Conviction: Transgressing against the faith; Falling from Grace. Penance for breaking or renouncing vows and violating tenets.

Adjuration

Blessings

Blessings are measures of divine favor granted for service to a faith. Blessings can be bestowed by a deity upon any target - regardless of faith ability and/or follower status - which has acted to protect, serve, or strengthen the tenets, followers, places, objects or institutions considered sacred by the source granting the blessing. They draw forth divine power to adjure the use of divine favor and prayer. The amount of blessings a target may gain has no limit, but once used, it is gone from the adjurer's total blessings forever. Unless noted, their use is accompanied with minor audible and/or visual element; a soft glow, a distant horn, or other effect appropriate to the source of the blessing. Subjects should track each faith's blessings separately; they cannot be combined.

Divine Favor

> Divine favor manifests as a use of good luck on the adjurer, per blessing, directed for the benefit of a follower. These instances can be used instantly, taking no preparation and requiring only thought to adjure - but can only target the blessed themselves. Use of a blessing as divine favor does not require a Holy Symbol to adjure.

Prayers

Gifts

Gifts are powers granted only to followers directly by the deity. They are petitioned for - each having a minimum conviction in order to petition for and use. A gift may mimic any other faith power, trait, ability, magical or other power.

Learning Gifts: The follower spends time in supplication equal to [gift's min. conviction] x 1 week in worship petitioning their deity for the power to use the gift, after which they make a Intuition check which will indicate if the deity grants the gift. If the deity does not grant the gift, the follower cannot petition for it again until they increase their conviction or intuition.

Gift Name	Conviction	Cost	Distance	Duration	Power	Volume
Collaborative Gift	5	0	Apt. x 5m	1 adjuration		F x Followers
Collaborative Prayer	2	0	Apt. x 5m	1 adjuration		F x Followers
Collaborative Ritual	5	0	Apt. x 5m	1 adjuration		F x Followers
Divine Intervention	1	v	sight	Instant	v	v

Collaborative Gift

Collaborative Prayer

Collaborative Ritual

Divine Intervention

Rituals

Rituals are the core of faith powers. They are accomplished through symbolic gestures, words, and obserances in conjuntion with the use of synergy to produce consistent results. Each faith will have a list of the rituals that followers of appropriate grace can learn. Rituals fall into levels of power reflected in the grace required to use, in turn based upon it's symbolic value, priority, and their overall power. Those rituals accessible simply by virtue of a followers rank in the church hierarchy will follow these simple guidelines.

Ritual Learning Requirements

Ritual Type	CP Cost	Meditation Level
Exalted	1	None
Sacred	2	2
Annointed	4	4

Learning Rituals: Time is spent as a minor learning path in contemplation, and/or directed by a mentor or follower of superior status. Once learned, it is imprinted in follower's memory by the power of faith and cannot be forgotten or adjured incorrectly. All rituals directly correlate to the same level of grace required for a follower to learn and adjure it. Each ritual learned adds 5 to the follower's synergy total.

There are common rituals which all faiths will be able to use, though they may be offered at different levels of grace.

Devout Rituals

Ritual Listing

Ritual Name	Short Description
Greater Comfort	A more powerful version of the prayer.
Greater Test of Grace	A more powerful version of the prayer.
Healing - Minor	Heals damage on a target.

Ritual Detail Listing

Ritual Name	Synergy	Time	Power	Distance	Duration	Volume
Greater Comfort	5	3 rnd		Touch	1 hour	1 Target
Greater Test of Grace	5	3 rnd		Touch	F x 1/2 hr	1 Target
Healing - Minor	5	6 AM	F x 5 resilience	Touch	Instant	1 Target

Dedicated Rituals

Ritual Listing

Ritual Name	Short Description
Clear Converse	Allows the follower to speak and hear in a different language.
Greater Inspiration	A more powerful version of the prayer.
Greater Vigil	A more powerful version of the prayer.
Insightful Observation	Enhances the awareness around an activity.
Intuition of the Faithful	All the targets in the group share the best rating.
Unfulfilled Prayer	A prayers effects can be delayed until needed.

Ritual Detail Listing

Ritual Name	Synergy	Time	Power	Distance	Duration	Volume
Clear Converse	10	6 AM	1 language	G x 10m	1 hr	1 Target
Greater Inspiration	10	1 min	+2 CS	Touch	1 hour	1 Target
Greater Vigil	10	3 rnd		Touch	1 hour	F x 1 Target
Insightful Observation	10	2 rnd	+4 CS/+1 RS	Touch	1 hr	1 Target
Intuition of the Faithful	10	10 rnd		C x 1m	F x 1 min	F x 1 Target
Unfulfilled Prayer	10	1 min		Personal	F x 1 hr	Self

Pious Rituals

Ritual Listing

Ritual Name	Short Description
Cleansing	Cleanses the target of all stigma and taint.
Greater Boon	A more powerful version of the prayer.
Greater Guidance	A more powerful version of the prayer.
Greater Onus	A more powerful version of the prayer.
Inspired Will	Increases the target's attribute rating.
Taint	Blocks the bond between follower and deity, imposes negative aspect upon the target.

Ritual Detail Listing

Ritual Name	Synergy	Time	Power	Distance	Duration	Volume
Cleansing	20	30 min		Touch	Permanent	1 Target
Greater Boon	20	1 min	Divine Favor	Touch	1 hour	1 Target
Greater Guidance	20	1 min	1 Answer	Self	Instant	Self
Greater Onus	20	3 rnd		C x 10m	1 hour	1 Target
Inspired Will	20	4 AM	+F points	C x 1m	F x 10 min	1 Target
Taint	20	1 min		C x 100m	perm	1 Target

Cleansing

The target place or object is purified in the eyes of the faith. Assuming no other acts are required, people, objects, and places considered to be free of any negative faith effects. All traces of taint from offence or penalty from transgression against the faith of the adjurer are removed. Once cleansed, the target can receive adjurations upon it without a chance of failure. This ritual is always used in preparation for consecrating holy ground and relics of faith.

The adjurer cannot perform this ritual upon themselves or upon items dedicated to another faith.

Clear Converse

The target follower is granted a level of skill in a language equal to the adjurer's conviction. This allows basic communication only. No written comprehension or understanding of social or cultural references is included, and it will be obvious the target is not a native speaker. The language, once chosen, is set for the duration of the effect.

Greater Acceptance

The ritual targets a subject which is a follower of the adjurer's faith and temporarily raises their harmony to positive. Like the prayer, this requires the recipient be willling and acting in service to the faith or the adjurer themselves.

Greater Boon

This ritual functions much like the prayer of the same name. For the duration, the target gains +1 on any check to resist mystical effects and is protected against all onus prayers for the duration. A greater blessing negates any current onus prayer effects and the target is granted 3 measures of good luck (similar to divine favor). This power negates a greater onus, ending its own effects instantly thereafter.

Greater Comfort

This ritual functions much like the prayer of the same name. The target has all the effects of current pain, incapacitation, malaise, fatigue, and exertion are suppressed for the duration of the ritual. Immediately, half of all fatigue damage is restored along with 2 levels of incapacitation. Additionally, all effects of fear or horror are dispelled when the ritual is first adjured, and all such effects are resisted with a +2 for the duration.

Greater Guidance

This ritual functions much like the prayer of the same name. The adjurer seeks to make the most beneficial decision, given a set, known number of options. The answer will be quick, in the form of some sort of vision, omen, or sign appropriate to the faith. The adjurer must make a check based on INT + faith aptitude to interpret the answer, otherwise it will be unclear. If a follower begins to rely heavily on guidance (more than once per day) the deity may refuse to answer, or impose penalties.

Greater Inspiration

This ritual functions much like the prayer of the same name. The target gains +2 CS on all resistance and ability checks for a single encounter within the duration. Once the specific effect the adjustment is to be applied to is chosen, it cannot change. Once the encounter is over or duration is expired, the inspiration is at an end.

Greater Onus

This ritual functions much like the prayer of the same name. An onus represents a deity's displeasure and animosity directed at the target. The target must make a WPR check or become afflicted with three (3) measures of the Bad Luck to be used against them within the duration. In addition, the target suffers a -1 CS penalty on any checks to resist mystical effects. Once the uses of bad luck are used, the onus is at an end. A greater onus negates and prevents all blessing prayers for the duration, and will negate a greater blessing, ending its own effects instantly thereafter.

Greater Test of Grace

This ritual functions much like the prayer of the same name. The target gains a check for any action they are contemplating or performing to determine if it or its result is directly opposed to the faith’s tenets or any code of conduct related to the faith, will directly harm another follower of the their faith, or will change their state of grace in any way. The check is based on INT + Conviction. Both target and adjurer will know the result of the check.

Greater Vigil

This ritual functions much like the prayer of the same name. This grants a certain measure of divine awareness for the target. All surprise checks made within the duration of the effect is made as if the target had Danger Sense. Both the adjurer and the target will become aware the target is in danger if the check is made. If the target already possesses the trait, the check is made with a +4 bonus. Any checks made to avoid or counter the threat gain a +1 bonus as well.

Healing - Minor

This ritual regenerates the target. The target is healed an amount of resilience equal to the adjurer’s faith aptitude times five (Apt. x 5). This healing stops all aggravated bleeding, but it will not reconstitute or re-attach limbs or organs. This will not heal damage from disease (malaise) or deep trauma.

Insightful Observation

Divine awareness will infuse the target, granting them an altered perspective on what they are viewing. After viewing the object of observation for three full uninterrupted rounds, the next single activity which targets it within the duration gains the benefit of the insight in the form of a +4 CS and +1 RS. This can be a single immediate action or an extended activity – as long is it completes within the duration.

Inspired Will

This ritual increases the target’s Will Power attribute by the adjurer’s Faith Aptitude.

Intuition of the Faithful

[Intuition Channeling] This allows the adjurer to channel the greatest base (unadjusted) Intuition amongst them so that all involved take on the same attribute rating for the duration of the effect; the highest Intuition rating among those affected is gained by all. The adjurer can only affect a maximum number of targets equal to their faith aptitude. Attribute effects are set for the duration - i.e. changing one of the faithful's Intuition rating will not affect any other.

Taint

Another faith’s mark upon the target. A taint is an exposure or use of a power or item sacred and personal to another faith which leaves a permanent connection between them. This taint is a blight upon the unsullied grace of the target, preventing advancement in their own faith. They may never rise above devout and cannot serve in the capacity of or use any powers granted by their church office. Additionally, a taint often reduces the conviction rating of the target.

Any character receiving a taint may not increase their conviction, and must make an immediate conviction check. For each degree they fail a full success by, they lose 2 points of conviction and any non-full success reduces their grace to maximum of devout. Lastly, the target is afflicted with an onus that is renewed each day. All affects last until the taint is removed. Removal is not done by only atonement but must instead be augmented by cleansing rituals and some offering.

A ritual may be enacted to cast a taint upon a target, but it may come about in unintended ways as well. Such things causing a tain are the destruction or use of a powerful inimical relic, prolonged exposure to opposing holy ground, continual positive relations with members of an opposing faith, etc. Where it is directed as a ritual, the target resists with their own conviction or a rating of zero, whichever is higher. Beware to those who target and fail though, for if the target resists, the adjurer is aflicted with the onus until they can atone.

Unfulfilled Prayer

This ritual allows the faithfull to adjure a prayer along with the ritual. The prayer does not complete until the adjurer desires it to at a later time. The adjurer will require concious thought and 1 AM to fulfill the prayer, which must be done within a matter of 1 hour per aptitude. When the prayer is fulfilled, those around will hear and feel an echoing effect appripriate to the faith.

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Decided to play a character of faith? The core powers of faith only demonstrate the most fundamental powers which all faith's share in common as part of their service to the community of faithful. Each setting and faith will have powers unique to them. The next step is to check out the Follower Archetype...

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