Re: Sorcery 101: Scriptures, Formularies, Grimoires

From: Tim Ellis <tim_at_...>
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 2005 15:45:30 -0000

• In HeroQuest-rules_at_yahoogroups.com, "Roderick and Ellen Robertson" <rjremr_at_s...> wrote:

> As Greg reminded me:
>
> "I think you have to:
> 1. be a member of that religion
> 2. have a relationship with the Church.
>
> Without #2 you are not int he Chain..."
>

I think that might answer my question as to whether "Member of Congregation" is meant in a broad (The church as a religion) or narrow (the church as a specific building) sense.

So lets take an example of a member of the Ship of Life church, born and raised in Nolos and a regular worshipper in the capital of the Duchy. From the Ship of Life Church keyword he gets "Worship Makan" (the "member of Religion") and "Member of (Nolos) Congregation" (the "Relationship with the Church"). He joins a Nolos trading venture and sails round the coast to Esvular where he wishes to attend a service.  

Obviously (?*), if he wanders into an Aeolian Church by mistake, he will gain no benefit from the blessings as he fails the "member of that religion" test.

If he enters the local Ship of Life Church, though, does he gain any benefit, or must he first join the local congregation to gain a relationship to this (physical) church?

I can see either being true. If he is a member of the correct religion and takes part in the service correctly (he also has Navigationalist Doctrine) as a keyword skill) then it seems reasonable that he should receive the blessings of his God. (I can attend any Christian church service without having to first introduce myself to the local clergy, after all...).

It would mean a well travelled Monotheist would end up with lots of "member of <congregation>" skills, or would need to find a way to take their church with them (which is, I suspect what happens with Military Orders and Sailors in any case, where there is a chaplain assigned to the group, with whom the church members have a relationship. A soldier might therefore be a "Member of <home> congregation" and a "member of <regiment> congregation" - and condeivably get blessings from both (although still only one blessing per test as they are from the same scripture...)

Maybe that is why the "Member of <congregation> is listed in the main text, but not in the keywords - although a starting character might include their membership as part of the initial keyword, you wouldn't necessarily want to add any new relationships in at the keyword level (especially if you had allowed the keyword to increase as part of a saga-like experience.  

• I say obviously, but can a liturgical blessing affect people outside of the religion at all? A Curse can, but is resisted, probably by the recipients on religious/magic ability. The Common blessings, I think only affect the congregation, but the special blessing, or a blessing invoked at a special service is (or can be) more targeted. Could the Liturgist use his staunch wound blessing (as per P159)to heal someone outside the congregation? I'd tend to allow this, but at an increased resistance, and probably with a lower level of community support.