Sins, Hinderances and Religion

The concept of "Sin" as we know it is the Abrahamic/Christian concept of original sin and the striving to rise above it.   Pagans, wiccans, and shamans do not think this way. While they do not truly believe in "Sin" there are wrongful actions that affect the spirit, defying the will of the gods as reflected in the laws and social contract of the people that make up a society. The Church of Urto may have some trappings of a "Christian" style church but at it's heart it is still pagan, just with one Deity elevated above the others. The Following "sins" are applicable to all characters as they reflect the cultural and divine ideals.   The below “sins” are culturally held by The Urtish to be against the will of the gods and consequently many are also contrary to the legal codes. Any compensating for a sin is only possible after any potential legal issues are mitigated, escaped, or avoided in the physical world. They are stains upon your spirit .   The sins below are how the sinner feels, and the effect upon their Spirit. NPC's who learn of your sins will form their own opinions.   Very few of the “sins: require any aid of a priest to mitigate, you simply start to “live right” and your current SPR rises and falls, which could eventually affect your actual Spirit. This does not mean you should not or that a character would not consult with a priest for guidance.   Additionally Unlike the Catholic Church the Church of Urto does not ascribe sin to thinking about sin. Only acting upon a thought that is contrary to the social order/will of the gods.   Premeditation is especially important in Urtish Sin. For instance for a killing to be considered Murder and not Manslaughter the act must be planned. Accidental death in the aftermath of a brawl or from negligence is a circumstance for cash compensation to the family or clan, not a capital punishment.   Dueling also has no innate “Sin” attached to it, even impromptu ones. It is generally held that if both combatants were willing and roughly equally armed then any death in the combat by agreement that follows is not murder, but would require some act of balance to mitigate it with the gods. Prodding a fight without cause, or taking dishonorable advantage through equipment could certainly be a murder. Thus many Nobles trained for war and equipped for killing will have servants beat unworthy challengers, not from fear of the duel, but to avoid the dishonor of “cheating” and the possible criminal charges that may arise, or issues with rival clans.   Hierarchy also has some part to play, loyalty is greatly prized by the Urtish and carrying out your lieges orders generally means the “Sin” is the lieges to bear. (Cattle Raiding and Feuding are fading, but still prevalent.) By stealing the cattle that the “liege” orders, you are showing loyalty which the culture and the gods approve of. The theft and injury are the lieges issues. Actions in war, are a matter of your personal conscience. Killing is required for survival in battle, plunder allowed, but it is still theft. All the actions in war you take that are not ordered are on your soul.   Essentially war or a lieges orders do not keep your soul clean, nor free from the law in all “I was following orders” incidents. Stealing cattle is not an excuse for raping, murder, or arson for the Liege or the servant.   It should also be noted that as the central Goddess of the church is BELERYN who is the goddess of Birth, Children, and Marriage among other things, that the Clergy is likely not celibate. There would be strictures against marrying other clergy, and sex outside marriage (Which is a vital institution for inheritance/alliance) but such a “sin” is more cultural/reputation than mortal and one of the most ignored by the lower free folk and peasantry who often declare themselves married without the benefit of clergy.  

SINS & MITIGATIONS

 

• Help support a holy person (priest, holy pilgrim, monk) or hinder a holy person. +1 SPR or -1 SPR
• Insult or Knowingly impute someone publicly & untruthfully. -1 SPR
• Knowingly committing perjury -3 SPR
• Perjury in a church or sworn court -6 SPR
• Spend a whole day in contemplation of the Goddess or her children's will. +1 SPR
• Publicly perform or refuse/ denounce a devout action +2 SPR or -2 SPR
• Feed or clothe the needy, or intentionally cause others to go hungry or naked. +2 SPR or -2 SPR
• Donate lavishly to a monastery or institution. +2 SPR
• Attend to the sick or pass by a deserving sufferer without offering any assistance +2 SPR or -2 SPR
• Make a pilgrimage to a holy place. +3 SPR
• Attend Mass/willfully stop another attending mass on a non holy day +2 SPR or -2 SPR
• Perform Mass/willfully stop another attending mass on non Holy Day +2 SPR or -2 SPR
• Attend Mass/willfully stop another attending mass on a holy day +3 SPR or -3 SPR
• Perform Mass/willfully stop another attending mass on Holy Day +3 SPR or -3 SPR
• Attend Mass/willfully stop another attending mass on a High Holy Day +4 SPR or -4 SPR
• Perform Mass/willfully stop another attending mass on High Holy Day +4 SPR or -4 SPR
• Convert someone to Urtism or cause someone to abandon the Church’s teachings and authority. +5 SPR or -5 SPR
• Theft of money -2 SPR (-1 if in dire need)
• Theft of food -2 SPR (-1 if in dire need)
• Profiting by criminal act (Buying/selling/receiving stolen goods etc.) -2 SPR
• Personal Theft of an animal -2 SPR (Theft of a beast in a clan feud is the Clan Leaders sin to bear and erase)
• Personal Theft of property -2 SPR (Theft of goods or property in a clan feud is the Clan Leaders sin to bear and erase)
• Fraud with false weights and measures -2 SPR
• Sacrilege against marriage (Bigamy, Adultery) -3SPR
• Touching or kissing an unwilling woman (Penance as prescribed by a priest) -2 SPR
• Unnatural Sexual Acts or abuse (Incest, Rape, Bestiality, Children) -7SPR
• Conjuring Harmful Magic against the just -4 SPR
• Knowingly Vowing on a proscribed faiths sacred object -2 SPR
• Knowingly Giving trivial sacrifices to proscribed faiths -2 SPR
• Knowingly Worshiping demons or a proscribed faith -4 SPR
• Breaking into a Tomb/grave robbing -4 SPR
• Offering “Blood” sacrifices to demons -7 SPR (Could be coupled with Murder if Human Life)
• Leading/aiding non-humans in treasonous acts if no faithful are killed -5 SPR
• Leading/aiding non-humans & faithful ARE killed as a result -6 SPR
• Willfully Mutilate/Torture someone or save someone from being mutilated/tortured. +3 SPR or -3 SPR
• Willfully causing injury or accidental Death (Manslaughter) pay fine or were gild, plus leech’s fee, plus make up any lost work due to victim’s death or inability to work -2 SPR
• Willfully Cause or cure a debilitating or possibly fatal illness. +4 SPR or -4 SPR
• Manslaughter while in the commission of one’s lieges command (Penance as prescribed by a priest)-2SPR
• Murder of a peaceful unbeliever (Penance as prescribed by a priest) -2 SPR
• Murder to avenge a parent, sibling, child, or spouse -3 SPR
• Turn a murderer in or willfully aid a murderers escape +3 SPR or -3 SPR
• Premeditated murder -8 SPR