Clerics, Patrons, and the Invocation of Boons

[tetramorph]

Magi cast magical spells, while clerics invoke patronal boons. Later edition rules created distance from real religion by making “clerics” worship fictional and often pantheistic pantheons of gods. In this campaign the distancing layer falls between the real deity, church and gospel on the one hand, and the compatible but analogically distant establishment of Law with a patronage system on the other. This system of saintly or heavenly patronage creates distance between what adventuring clerics do when trying to establish Law out of Chaos, as opposed to their entirely grace-based function of sacramental activity and authority.


The medieval west developed, over time, an ecclesial culture directly analogous to that of medieval feudalism where, just as human beings on earth would enter into mutually beneficial relationships as patrons and clients, so too Christians on earth could pray to “patron saints,” in order to receive certain benefits – usually a dispensation of grace from their saintly store due to their super-abundant “merit.” No one really tells the story this way, exactly, anymore; even Roman Catholics have radically rethought and re-narrated this.


The principle behind the “invocation of patronal boons” differs significantly, therefore, from that of “casting spells” of “Arcane Magic.” Like magic users, clerics can “call down,” or invoke wonders. But unlike magic users this has nothing to do with magic, but with the patronage of a heavenly protector, his or her patron. The adventuring cleric pledges him or herself to a heavenly patron. In exchange for faithful devotion both to the King of Heaven and the gospel in general, but especially to his or her particular patron and that patron’s particular agenda for establishing Law out of Chaos, the faithful cleric receives miraculous “boons,” due to the spiritual power of their patron.


So, although similar to other role-playing systems, it is significantly different. Clerics are not praying to multiple gods and goddesses – they serve the church. But they may differ in terms of their particular heavenly patron. And they do not pray to these patrons for grace. They are devoted to them for their particular religious philosophy and approach to “mission” – bringing Law out of Chaos. In the zealousness and longevity of their devotion, the cleric “earns” more privilege to invoke the favors of these heavenly patrons. Any baptized may invoke boons, but invoking the favor of a patron that one has not earned, whether cleric or not, might mean being struck with a “curse,” that is to say a “blight,” a horrible illness, for the presumption of asking for something so holy in a state of faithlessness.


Possible patrons could include: the Holy Angels, the Holy Apostles, the Army of Martyrs, the Four Evangelists, the Holy Prophets, the Holy Patriarchs, the Mighty Seraphim, the Glorious Cherubim, etc. So, e.g., “Deacon Cuthbert of the Glorious Cherubim.”

[Admin Pete]

When you get around to it you are going to have to write books too you know. You have too much there not to!

[Necromancer]

I like this take on clerics, patrons and boons. Very inspirational, and I can see how the same principles and approach could be applied to other settings with other types of clerics and belief systems too. Great work!

[tetramorph]

Thanks, Admin Pete and Necromancer.

To be fair, I first learned about thinking of clerical powers in terms of "boons" from Necropraxis.

[Von]

Grand stuff. Have an Exalt. I favour a similarly Catholic structure for the religions that even have Clerics (and Paladins) on Titan; I'm firmly of the opinion that the pantheistic pantheon requires a different 'divine spellcaster' (the Druid and high-level Ranger), since it's a different understanding of the universe and ought to be represented through different mechanical effects. The result is a sort of broad-church sense: religions with a hint of binary morality, authoritarian structure and monotheistic conception of divinity tend toward the Clerical, while looser, tradition-led, polytheistic religions verge on the Druidic. (Is there an essay or post in this? I'm sure it must have been done.)

[jmccann]

Jun 5, 2015 1:58:57 GMT -5 Von said:

Grand stuff. Have an Exalt. I favour a similarly Catholic structure for the religions that even have Clerics (and Paladins) on Titan; I'm firmly of the opinion that the pantheistic pantheon requires a different 'divine spellcaster' (the Druid and high-level Ranger), since it's a different understanding of the universe and ought to be represented through different mechanical effects. The result is a sort of broad-church sense: religions with a hint of binary morality, authoritarian structure and monotheistic conception of divinity tend toward the Clerical, while looser, tradition-led, polytheistic religions verge on the Druidic. (Is there an essay or post in this? I'm sure it must have been done.)

I think there is a post in this, and I'd like to read your take on it. I have something similar going on which I should write about as well.

[jmccann]

Jun 2, 2015 19:23:40 GMT -5 tetramorph said:

Magi cast magical spells, while clerics invoke patronal boons. Later edition rules created distance from real religion by making “clerics” worship fictional and often pantheistic pantheons of gods. In this campaign the distancing layer falls between the real deity, church and gospel on the one hand, and the compatible but analogically distant establishment of Law with a patronage system on the other. This system of saintly or heavenly patronage creates distance between what adventuring clerics do when trying to establish Law out of Chaos, as opposed to their entirely grace-based function of sacramental activity and authority.


The medieval west developed, over time, an ecclesial culture directly analogous to that of medieval feudalism where, just as human beings on earth would enter into mutually beneficial relationships as patrons and clients, so too Christians on earth could pray to “patron saints,” in order to receive certain benefits – usually a dispensation of grace from their saintly store due to their super-abundant “merit.” No one really tells the story this way, exactly, anymore; even Roman Catholics have radically rethought and re-narrated this.


The principle behind the “invocation of patronal boons” differs significantly, therefore, from that of “casting spells” of “Arcane Magic.” Like magic users, clerics can “call down,” or invoke wonders. But unlike magic users this has nothing to do with magic, but with the patronage of a heavenly protector, his or her patron. The adventuring cleric pledges him or herself to a heavenly patron. In exchange for faithful devotion both to the King of Heaven and the gospel in general, but especially to his or her particular patron and that patron’s particular agenda for establishing Law out of Chaos, the faithful cleric receives miraculous “boons,” due to the spiritual power of their patron.


So, although similar to other role-playing systems, it is significantly different. Clerics are not praying to multiple gods and goddesses – they serve the church. But they may differ in terms of their particular heavenly patron. And they do not pray to these patrons for grace. They are devoted to them for their particular religious philosophy and approach to “mission” – bringing Law out of Chaos. In the zealousness and longevity of their devotion, the cleric “earns” more privilege to invoke the favors of these heavenly patrons. Any baptized may invoke boons, but invoking the favor of a patron that one has not earned, whether cleric or not, might mean being struck with a “curse,” that is to say a “blight,” a horrible illness, for the presumption of asking for something so holy in a state of faithlessness.


Possible patrons could include: the Holy Angels, the Holy Apostles, the Army of Martyrs, the Four Evangelists, the Holy Prophets, the Holy Patriarchs, the Mighty Seraphim, the Glorious Cherubim, etc. So, e.g., “Deacon Cuthbert of the Glorious Cherubim.”

Is the church entirely unified or are there schisms, heresies and so on? 

Another thing about using the medieval saints as inspiration in a campaign that can make for some great gaming hooks is translation of relics (not necessarily with anyone's permission...)

[tetramorph]

jmccann, thanks for that good question. Check out the penultimate paragraph in this post:

ruinsofmurkhill.proboards.com/post/3271

Since this is a fantastical Christendom I need it, in the main, to stay united so that Law can be Law in the face of chaos.

So I am imagining the pope to be universally recognized, even still in the east, but more in an eastern way. So all the various nations in western Europe have a kind of "patriarchal" system, much like the east. They recognize the five and the pope as highest of the five. But, in general, national churches are fairly autonomous. So the Archbishop of Canterbury would be the "Patriarch" of "Logres."

This nationalism means that there can be lots of difference and argument but they are all too afraid of falling into chaos formally to break from one another.

That said, I think the threat of a heresy or a schism could make a great adventure hook, especially at higher levels.

I love your points about translation of relics. That is a really important part of catholic Christian "gift economy." I am going to have to think about that one!