<< How much do gods know about their worshippers? Are the requirements
to become an initiate (and then a priest or rune lord) enforced by
the god itself, or just by the cult heirarchy?>>
I make it almost entirely a cult thing, not a god thing. Priests are the ones who set the rules, summon spirits of reprisal and other stuff like that in accordance to what they think is right. I agree that Rune Levels, having closer contact with a god, have their requirements enforced by the god in most cases.
<<For example, suppose we have a Thanatari cultist who doesn't (for various reasons) much like Orlanth. Would it be possible for him to become an initiate of Orlanth? And later a Wind Lord, so that he could (eg) go on various Orlanthi Heroquests and deliberately fail them badly?>>
The Orlanth cult would presumably perform Divinations before initiating any old person. The Divination would then directly question a god. I would also make the initiation ritual something where this sort of thing might become apparent.
<< This sort of thing is presumably fine for Illuminates, but what
about the non-Illuminated? Must a prospective initiate fool the
god, or simply the priest?>>
I'd still make it the Priest, but remembering that the Priest has the gods help in specific circumstances, especially the initiation ritual.
Keith N
Powered by hypermail