Cleric

The blessed servants of the gods, granted divine powers to be used in the execution of their deity's will, are known as clerics. It is unknown how or why these individuals receive their abilities. Some spend their entire lives in dedication to their divine master and are blessed as a reward for their devotion. Others are saved from death or ruin by the hand of the divine and are left forever changed. Others still, though this category is a rarity, do not even worship a deity, but are chosen regardless. The whims and fancies of the gods are difficult to discern - some have many clerics, while others barely choose any to carry out their will. Only one thing is certain - the clerics truly are both blessed and bound to their deity. For if they choose to stray too far away from the divine's worldview, they will lose their favor, and with it, their powers.   The clerics of Aradia are often as varied as the gods they serve and their powers often reflect some aspect of their deity. Clerics of war deities are battle-hardened warriors that fight to the last breath. Clerics following the path of life deities avoid the warfare and venture into the fray to mend the wounds of injured soldiers, often forgetting which side the soldier may belong to. Those who survive long enough and prove themselves worthy may even find their deity answering their call for aid in battle. Stereotypes depict clerics as peace-loving healers, however this is hardly true - many clerics throughout history have earned a name for themselves by scorching their enemies or wiping out whole leagues of undead.

General Classification

Player Note:

The examples of deities given below are just that: examples. If you can argue why a certain deity can fit a certain domain, you can certainly do that. For example, Dalakhar mainly fits into the Nature domain, however she could still have Tempest or even Life clerics that focus on preservation of nature.

  With clerics being as varied as the gods they serve, they tend to be classified based on the aspects of their deity that their skillset emphasizes, also called their domain. Deities typically rule over certain aspects of mortal existence, which is called their portfolio. It is unknown exactly why a cleric is aligned with a particular domain, though it is assumed the deity's planned mission for the cleric, and the cleric's own personality and skillset, have some kind of impact.  

Arcana Domain

Since the Feywild became connected with the material plane, magic has been a part of the world's very foundation. Some are born with the natural ability to produce or control magical energy. Others study it without having full access to it. The latter group often catches the eye of gods that rule over magic and power. Such deities have access to magical power unlike any other and are often considered the most volatile or dangerous of the bunch. These deities also often have associations with the knowledge domain, as knowledge and magic often go hand in hand. Some arcana clerics pursue magic for the sake of improving the world. Some do it for selfish purposes, pushed by their gods to gather more and more power within their grasp. Others still search for understanding of the powers they wield and study magical theory. Among the deities of magic are Xanathar, Cerulea, Midgardsommar, and Etro.  

Death Domain

All things die, sooner or later. Those blessed with the powers of the death domain find themselves concerned with the forces that cause death, as well as the negative energy that gives rise to undead creatures. Death embodies both peaceful passing and more violent aspects such as murder and pain. It also encompasses judges of souls in the afterlife. The deities of death are worshipped by necromancers and liches, those who seek to use dark powers for their evil deeds - and some deities answer them. Other clerics see death as a natural order of things and are guided to balance life where an overabundance of it occurs. Destruction is, after all, just the seed of another beginning, and for things to live, other things must die. Among the deities of death are Fel'rekt, Armaros, Bás, Gwareth, Eand Eleghor.  

Forge Domain

Deities of the forge watch over the craftsmen, from simple forgers of blades to artists creating diamond-tipped arrows. These divines teach patience and dedication to the craft, and are among the most steady and stable creatures. Some among them are even great valuers of art that teach that even the roughest of coal lumps can be turned into a diamond with the right tools and skills. Clerics of the forge domain are crafters of magic items, hunters of rare materials, and researchers of old and forgotten architecture. They are proud of their craft and the products of their labour, as it is through them that they feel connected with their deity. Among the deities of the forge are Verminculo, Tamiel, and Obsiduth.  

Grave Domain

Watchers of the grave and keepers of afterlife, deities that favor the grave domain are the arbiters of life and death. They take a particular offense to the desecration of death and its rites, as well as the raising of undead - which leads to much struggle between them and those deities of the death domain that allow reckless summoning of undead hordes. Clerics of the grave domain are called to seek out and put to rest lost souls unable to pass on by themselves, as well as aiding the living. These clerics walk the careful line between preserving life and denying the natural order of things. Among the deities of the grave are Alabastrum, Armaros, and Gwareth.  

Knowledge Domain

Those who dedicate their life to endless pursuit of knowledge may catch the attention of deities that preside over all that is known and unknown. These gods value learning and understanding, the process of enlightening one's self and abandoning false biases and pre-dispositions. Some guide their followers to amass all that they have learned in vast libraries. Others push their chosen to travel the world and learn all that they can. Others still value invention, innovation, or educating the masses in a pursuit of world-wide enlightenment. There are even knowledge deities that promote practical use of knowledge in the form of pursuing crafts. Followers of these gods are inventors, scholars, sages, researchers or esoteric lore or long-forgotten ruins. Among the deities of knowledge are Xanathar, Alabastrum, Mwynn, and Rethoss.  

Life Domain

Deities of life are the creators, the sources of positive energy that feed all living beings in the multiverse. Clerics of the life domain are called to heal the wounded and the sick, to bring life to where there has been much death, and put down the seeds of new existences. They are healers, midwives, and sworn protectors of all living beings. There is a great variety of life that can fall under the scope of this domain, and as such life clerics are also as varied. Some focus on protecting animal lives, while others defend towns and their people. Among the deities of life are Nat, Verminculo, Virdant, Philia, and Armaros, though many deities have associations with the life domain in various ways.  

Light Domain

Often using the symbol of the sun, deities of the light domain are harbingers of renewal, hope, revelation of truth, beauty, and radiance. Their clerics are tireless watchers that seek to snuff out lies and illuminate the world, bringing forth a brighter future. Some deities of light promote open conversation, others bring forth the fiery flames that burn away danger. Others still value beauty and art, pushing their clerics to spread beauty through the world. Clerics of light are often keenly perceptive of lies or generally intolerant towards them. Among the deities of light are Mirt, Verminculo, Wyldarrl, Philia, and Solas.  

Nature Domain

Some people share a special connection with nature itself in any and all of its many forms. Some nature clerics were abandoned in a forests as youths, developing under the guidance of their god into a fierce protector of their home. Others nurture new life, beast or plant. While druids often make up a large number of worshippers of nature deities, these divines do also select clerics from among those they deem worthy or special. These clerics are often given special missions that require divine powers - eradicating monsters that threaten the natural order or restoring a destroyed or desecrated area, for example. Among the deities of nature are Dalakhar, Virdant, and Kokabiel.  

Order Domain

The gods of order are often considered the law-keepers of the world. They often become patrons of civilizations. The clerics of such gods are philosophers pondering the rights and wrongs, advisors to rulers, or enforcers of law and order among people. Their deities respect hierarchies and rules, often having strict codes of conduct regardless of morality. Rules are meant to be followed and must be obeyed - and if they are not, transgressors must be punished. Clerics of order often have to abandon questions of morality in order to embrace logic and reason. Among the deities of order are Wyldarrl, Vhaidra, and Yowumbo.  

Peace Domain

Peace brings people together and promotes healthy growth of communities, righting wrongs and searching for solutions. Gods of peace promote conflict resolution and standing up against those who seek to destroy the peace. Their clerics often choose the path of words over blades. They serve as intermediaries at peace talks and arbitrate disputes. That does not mean that peace clerics are pushovers or unable to defend themselves - while peaceful deities prefer non-violent solutions, they teach that aggression should be rebuked. Some peace clerics even make it their life's mission to overthrow tyrants waging constant war. Among the deities of peace are Alabastrum, Selune, and Philia.  

Tempest Domain

Storms, sea, and sky - beautiful, dangerous, and wild. These are the domains of the gods of the tempest, and it is their power that tempest clerics channel. Known for their wild, sometimes dangerous powers and a love for freedom, tempest clerics are considered to be both awe-inspiring and dangerous. They are travelers, sea-farers, adventurers - anything but the kind of folk that stay behind closed doors and pursue stability. They tend to live shorter lives than others, as their divine powers burn brightly but too powerfully for their earthly bodies, but they are indeed powerful agents of change - for good and for bad. Among the deities of the tempest are Soth, Cerulea, Kokabiel, and Serenithea.  

Trickery Domain

Amongst the gods there can be found a number of tricksters that delight in mischief. Some are malicious and delight in the suffering their pranks cause. Others only wish to bring a little cheer to the world and liven up those who live by the law. Clerics of the trickery domain are often far from the stereotypical devoted cleric stereotype. They are orphans who made their living pickpocketing in the street to feed their young friends. They are criminals awaiting execution, only to be handed a divine revelation and a chance to atone. Gods of trickery are difficult to understand, but they are never afraid to use the unorthodox in their plans and machinations. After all, their way is much more fun. Among the deities of trickery are Ahthor, Virdant, Barachiel, Hydaelinn, and Mór-Erghain.  

Twilight Domain

Hiding at edge, in the transition from day to night, the twilight is a strange and unappreciated domain. Deities that govern sleep, dreams, and nightmares are known to give rise to clerics of twilight, but others have also been noted to do so. Those who follow the twilight domain stand vigil at the edge of darkness to keep the peace of those who slumber. They brave the unknown, securing the way for others. More than anything, however, they watch and they learn, so they can show others that the darkness can be safe too. Among the deities of twilight are Alabastrum, Etro, Selune, Mór-Erghain, and Lobelle.  

War Domain

Deities of war can embody many things - violence and rage, an honorable fight, vengeance, conquest, glory, victory. Those who follow the gods of war are united in one thing - they hold their blade in their hand until their final breath. They never falter in their resolve, whatever their reason may be. Some let vengeance take over their lives and are blessed with the power to carry it out by the evil-aligned deities. Others take up arms in the name of their homes and loved ones, and their hand is guided by a good-aligned god. Some divines support war in all its forms. Among the deities of war are Fala, Camael, Cogadh, and Apocrypha.  

Clerics in Different Religions

The world of Aradia is separated into different regions, some of which have varying religions. As many man-made things do, these religions clash with each-other. Many nations promote their own religion and claim that all others are false and fake. Thus, the standing of a cleric depends heavily on where they fit in on this political spectrum, which in turn depends on which deity they serve.  

Church of Aidios

The religion that encompasses the majority of Aradia's mainland nations. It worships the one god, the Maker, and all their clerics derive their powers from him in the end, regardless of domain. However, his divine power is channeled through his messengers, the Archangels, who stand watch over certain aspects of the world. Clerics selected by the Archangels are sought out by the Order of Divine Knights and inducted into their ranks, where they undergo rigorous training to master their powers. It is considered to be an honor to be selected in this way, to carry forward the glorious purpose of their Maker. On the other hand, those who dare leave the Order are rarely seen again - though whether it is because they are dealt with or because they lose their powers for this slight is unknown.   Outside of the nations that worship the Maker, his clerics share the infamy of the Order they serve. Bryonia considers them heretics worshipping false gods, while less extreme nations often avoid them for fear of inciting their wrath. Clerics of Nat and Mirt are an exception to this general treatment, as their doctrine of acceptance and non-violence is widely known and accepted.  

The Old Faith

The dying faith of the old world, now held only by the Dragonborn of the Bryonian Empire. It worships the draconic gods that once ruled Aradia, but have long since seemingly disappeared. The longer they were gone, the less their influence was felt upon the mortal plane, and so too did the number of those blessed with their influence diminish. Today, clerics of the Old Gods are exceedingly rare, even among the Bryonian acolytes. They often occupy positions of power within the Diurghlat, the religious branch of their Triumvirate. For the last seven hundred years, the position of head of Diurghlat has only ever been held by a cleric. Due to their rarity and importance, Bryonia rarely sends their clerics into hostile territory, though they do take part in most key battles. Though the dragonborn of the Empire are unwelcoming to outsiders, those of other races who are blessed by the Old Gods are an exception. The rarity of Old Faith clerics is often used by other religions as a sign that the Old Gods were never divine to begin with, but rather usurpers of power left behind by actual deities.  

Elven Faith

Once a wide-spread and dominant religion, now a nameless shadow of its former self, kept in fractured pieces by those elven Clans that still hold on to old traditions. It is thought that once, back in the days of the great elven empire, clerics of the Divine Beasts held positions of influence. Today, they are more akin to travelling ministers. They are often guided to leave their homes and keep moving, using their powers for good wherever they go. Though they have few clerics compared to the Church of Aidios, the Divine Beasts are perhaps the most keen on interacting and guiding them. As a result, these clerics tend to have the best relationships with their divine benefactors, which is a point of contention with other faiths' clerics. Clerics of the elven faith are seen as heretics by the Church of Aidios and their Order of Alabaster Knights, and as weaklings by those who follow the Old Faith.  

Other Deities

Not every divine being fits into the three major pantheon and while few of the loners take a keen interest in humanity, every so often clerics of these gods do appear. Their existence is seen as a threat to the other faiths, a sign that something strange is brewing. After all, the intentions of the deities outside the major pantheons are as obscure and unknown as the deities themselves. Thus their clerics become somewhat oddballs, outsiders even within their own communities. The Order of Alabaster Knights pursues them with the same dedication they show to hunting warlocks. Followers of the Old Faith call them heretics. Only the elves tend to treat their existence with either interest or indifference. Yet still they continue to persevere, pursuing their own purposes.