I'm glad I've started this discussion, and I'm grateful to each and every one of you who shared his/her opinion.
My main concern with the topic is really on a general level. Many persons suggested courses of action to how to grow as a cleric character ; these are useful and might grow into something else in my mind as I let the ideas simmer. While my initiative to start a yemani cult might look as PC-centric, or a character personal goal, the fact is, it was never to do this so it may be of "benefit" to my character. Of course it would have been/will be. But I did this as it was a perfect opportunity to create an official movement of opposition to the new "oppressive" edicts. I pictured in my mind the possibility to see Ticker Square become the refuge for everything the ward pushes forward. To give the place more than a "capitalist/mercantile" attitude. A few rising religions, mixed with a patriotic movement, would have given more nuances to a place many wishes would outgrow the "we're here to make money" ideology.
But people didn't feel interpelled. And I do not believe it is because the idea is bad. There are other reasons, and that's what we're discussing. Because there's something that's stopping people to tap into that potential. And to be a faithful of a deity is not to preach it all the time. And it can only be "I can agree with that, I'm cool with your kind."
Also, there should be a MAJOR upheaval, intense reactions from many different figures. I could very imagine Father Kontos of Yeman in the Solar Shrine making a sending/public appearance, ranting against the Ward as they are spitting on the services rendered by yemanis. This is just an example. But we're what, two representatives of faiths in-game? Apart from Desir and Naamah, I don't remember seeing any other message from faithfuls. (Sorry to those I missed) What impression does that give? That every cult is weak, almost inexistant. What we see IG is not representive of the game world. Or else, there would be only 100-200 people living in the city. There is a lot we don't see that is still there, but concerning religion, it feels as if they don't exist. I can count around 12 faiths that can openly demonstrate their beliefs. Yet, after being outlawed, it's as if they all just shrugged. "Meh, whatever. Nobody portray us IG anyway."
Several points especially caught my attention, and I read through all the posts :
-Disinterest in polytheism
-Lack of deity lore/in-depth details
-No intrinsic benefit as it was in the Forgotten Realms
-Allied/linked deities
-No priest = Can't join/represent a faith
-NPCs asking you to meet faithful PCs
-Different gods for different circumstances
-King = interventionnist god, no reason to fear the wrath of other gods
...and many others that I haven't cited here, but I still consider interesting.
While the lack of details give the possibility to give an interpretation of it, the result is the other half of the community who aren't comfortable with that. If over time, each of them were to get a substantial amount of lore to better describe them, even if it is only a branch of the faith, (or the official principles) just with that, the religion aspect of the server would benefit from both groups of people. That can only be a good thing, because no side forces the other, yet both can do their thing, and feel inspired.
Since the path must still be traced for most of that aspect, whether it is a permanent or temporary change, it could be effectively helpful to see some alliances forged between the small gods of the city. The name says it : small gods. What the current movement of the Ward is doing is undermining the ONLY SOURCE OF FOLLOWERS most of these powers have. If there is to be to physical manifestation of their power, it would seem only logical that new rules were established among them. And this can be interpreted differently than simply "Oi, these are tough times. Let's be friends and stir up shit". Some faiths can be related by family bonds. There can be an aspect of duality between two of them. One can be revealed to be an aspect of another one, like in the Forgotten Realms, where the elven goddess Aerdrie Faenya was in fact as aspect of Akadi. Spontaneously, I have a few examples :
The Sun Church : Past life bonds, as interpreted here - https://www.efupw.com/forums/index.php?topic=696826.msg719023#msg719023
Hundred Scrolls / Renunciation : The duality of mercy, redemption and change versus the consequence of past deeds.
Yevathax / The Timeless One : The duality of necromancy as a mean to reach goals, versus the pursuit of it for its sake only.
"Uniting" faiths like that, what does it do? It gives a character reasons to care more about other deities, and have basic knowledge about them. It adds relations between different cults. And in some cases, or under certain circumstances, it widens the possibility of natural allies ; As in, "we're not specifically friends, but we both have an interest on the same matters, and our deities interacted together at some point". Because right now, it's as if none of them ever did before, and this may give an impression of stagnation between the gods. Of course in the Forgotten Realms, it all seemed more lively. You knew these guys were going against your beliefs, would "conspire" against them, so you kinda freaked out when a flock of these followers came around.
Except obvious cases of clearly evil gods like Tchun, name one case like that.
I'd like to mention something that happened quite a few times, and did nothing for it. I never began "preaching" on my own, my character is more of a crusader type that supports his comrades with words of faith, than a preacher spreading it. (And I'm happy with the way I play it.) Funny thing, though, is that each and every time I did preach, I've been asked to, characters asked mine for either information or spiritual guidance. Most of the time, it wasn't directly to Yeman. It was to the Sun Church, as a whole. I could have said "no, I talk about Yeman only", but such occasions are rare, I wouldn't cast them aside. Besides, it's not as if every aspect of the sun was on really bad terms, they all live together in the same temple. (Shrine Solar) So I went like this : "I do not represent these faiths, but I can give you a picture of how they are, in general." I think events like that strengthen the potential of linked deities, and prove it.
It created links. Reasons for people to care about 3-4 gods, and not just one in a sea of unexploited potential. Because let's be honest, even if I like this goldmine of potential, I doubt I'll portray each of every one of them. Nor will other players.
...and I could go on. I will stop for a while and let the natural flow of the discussion resume its course.
My main concern with the topic is really on a general level. Many persons suggested courses of action to how to grow as a cleric character ; these are useful and might grow into something else in my mind as I let the ideas simmer. While my initiative to start a yemani cult might look as PC-centric, or a character personal goal, the fact is, it was never to do this so it may be of "benefit" to my character. Of course it would have been/will be. But I did this as it was a perfect opportunity to create an official movement of opposition to the new "oppressive" edicts. I pictured in my mind the possibility to see Ticker Square become the refuge for everything the ward pushes forward. To give the place more than a "capitalist/mercantile" attitude. A few rising religions, mixed with a patriotic movement, would have given more nuances to a place many wishes would outgrow the "we're here to make money" ideology.
But people didn't feel interpelled. And I do not believe it is because the idea is bad. There are other reasons, and that's what we're discussing. Because there's something that's stopping people to tap into that potential. And to be a faithful of a deity is not to preach it all the time. And it can only be "I can agree with that, I'm cool with your kind."
Also, there should be a MAJOR upheaval, intense reactions from many different figures. I could very imagine Father Kontos of Yeman in the Solar Shrine making a sending/public appearance, ranting against the Ward as they are spitting on the services rendered by yemanis. This is just an example. But we're what, two representatives of faiths in-game? Apart from Desir and Naamah, I don't remember seeing any other message from faithfuls. (Sorry to those I missed) What impression does that give? That every cult is weak, almost inexistant. What we see IG is not representive of the game world. Or else, there would be only 100-200 people living in the city. There is a lot we don't see that is still there, but concerning religion, it feels as if they don't exist. I can count around 12 faiths that can openly demonstrate their beliefs. Yet, after being outlawed, it's as if they all just shrugged. "Meh, whatever. Nobody portray us IG anyway."
Several points especially caught my attention, and I read through all the posts :
-Disinterest in polytheism
-Lack of deity lore/in-depth details
-No intrinsic benefit as it was in the Forgotten Realms
-Allied/linked deities
-No priest = Can't join/represent a faith
-NPCs asking you to meet faithful PCs
-Different gods for different circumstances
-King = interventionnist god, no reason to fear the wrath of other gods
...and many others that I haven't cited here, but I still consider interesting.
While the lack of details give the possibility to give an interpretation of it, the result is the other half of the community who aren't comfortable with that. If over time, each of them were to get a substantial amount of lore to better describe them, even if it is only a branch of the faith, (or the official principles) just with that, the religion aspect of the server would benefit from both groups of people. That can only be a good thing, because no side forces the other, yet both can do their thing, and feel inspired.
Since the path must still be traced for most of that aspect, whether it is a permanent or temporary change, it could be effectively helpful to see some alliances forged between the small gods of the city. The name says it : small gods. What the current movement of the Ward is doing is undermining the ONLY SOURCE OF FOLLOWERS most of these powers have. If there is to be to physical manifestation of their power, it would seem only logical that new rules were established among them. And this can be interpreted differently than simply "Oi, these are tough times. Let's be friends and stir up shit". Some faiths can be related by family bonds. There can be an aspect of duality between two of them. One can be revealed to be an aspect of another one, like in the Forgotten Realms, where the elven goddess Aerdrie Faenya was in fact as aspect of Akadi. Spontaneously, I have a few examples :
The Sun Church : Past life bonds, as interpreted here - https://www.efupw.com/forums/index.php?topic=696826.msg719023#msg719023
Hundred Scrolls / Renunciation : The duality of mercy, redemption and change versus the consequence of past deeds.
Yevathax / The Timeless One : The duality of necromancy as a mean to reach goals, versus the pursuit of it for its sake only.
"Uniting" faiths like that, what does it do? It gives a character reasons to care more about other deities, and have basic knowledge about them. It adds relations between different cults. And in some cases, or under certain circumstances, it widens the possibility of natural allies ; As in, "we're not specifically friends, but we both have an interest on the same matters, and our deities interacted together at some point". Because right now, it's as if none of them ever did before, and this may give an impression of stagnation between the gods. Of course in the Forgotten Realms, it all seemed more lively. You knew these guys were going against your beliefs, would "conspire" against them, so you kinda freaked out when a flock of these followers came around.
Except obvious cases of clearly evil gods like Tchun, name one case like that.
I'd like to mention something that happened quite a few times, and did nothing for it. I never began "preaching" on my own, my character is more of a crusader type that supports his comrades with words of faith, than a preacher spreading it. (And I'm happy with the way I play it.) Funny thing, though, is that each and every time I did preach, I've been asked to, characters asked mine for either information or spiritual guidance. Most of the time, it wasn't directly to Yeman. It was to the Sun Church, as a whole. I could have said "no, I talk about Yeman only", but such occasions are rare, I wouldn't cast them aside. Besides, it's not as if every aspect of the sun was on really bad terms, they all live together in the same temple. (Shrine Solar) So I went like this : "I do not represent these faiths, but I can give you a picture of how they are, in general." I think events like that strengthen the potential of linked deities, and prove it.
It created links. Reasons for people to care about 3-4 gods, and not just one in a sea of unexploited potential. Because let's be honest, even if I like this goldmine of potential, I doubt I'll portray each of every one of them. Nor will other players.
...and I could go on. I will stop for a while and let the natural flow of the discussion resume its course.
