Legal
and
Religious Writs & Edict Powers of Prestige- &
Epic-Level Clerics
There
are three main
legislative bodies in the Theocracy.
The Clerical
Diocese
refers to the council composed of ALL
Bishops, Archbishops, and Cardinals of Nyrundic faith. Only a
member of these groups can petition the Theocracy directly. Any other
person
wishing to petition the theocracy must first gain the patronage of one
of these members.
The Council
of Cardinals
refers to a Council of six
specific
Cardinals.
The Archcleric
is always a cleric of Anu.
Casting Edits, Writs, and
Declarations
The following edicts, writs, or
declarations may be
made by the groups or clerics specified.
Groups higher up on the chain of command can issue those writs listed
in any lower group unless
marked with an *.
All writs must be recorded by a
cleric of Nabu
and cast by a cleric of Anu
unless otherwise noted.
Casting level (if appropriate)
- Writs of The Clerical
Diocese
are treated as the level of a Quest
Spell. (20th-25h lvl
caster). In meetings of the Clerical Diocese where bishops,
archibishops, and cardinals are allowed to vote according to their
representation in the Redression
Account,
when a vote is made to change the dynamics of a miracle, then this epic
clerical metamagic spell is cast by the Archcleric to change
the way the spell works. As per the rules the gods set up with
humanity, humans actually have a
great amount of control over how those miracles function on Oerth.
When a vote is made by the majority they are allowed to cast this epic
spell and all of the clerics (at least those that voted yes) are
involved in the casting. The Cathedral chamber in the Theocracy
where this is done is of artifact nature, providing a great bonus to
the spellcraft check for epic spellcasting.
- Writs of
the Council of Cardinals are at 25th-35th lvl.
- Archclerical
Bulls are at double
the caster's level
- Writs
which require the majority of the Diocese, Council of
Cardinals,
and the Archcleric are at 60th lvl
and can properly be used to bind/limit a/all gods'
interaction on Oerth.
Writ, Edict and Declaration
Powers by Group
By All Citizens of Nyrond,
Furyundy,
and other
Countries/Cities under the Theocracy's
Religious Authority
- Declaration Superstitional
- Everyone has the right to choose which god to worship.
The only
exception is a
Writ of Haspergus.
- Declaration
of Citizenship - All people
have the right to declare themselves
citizens of a city;
the city has a right to reject them
- Petition of Cleric
-
All people
may petition any priest of their god or any Bishop, Archbishop,
Cardinal, or even the Archcleric
to intercede and work on their behalf. They do not, however, have the
right to petition the Diocese
or
the Council
of
Cardinals. These groups can only
be spoken to through a Bishop,
Archbishop, or Cardinal.
By All Clerics
- Declaritus
Espiritus
Sanctu
- All clerics must
choose a Patron
Saint (clerics of Marduke
must instead choose
a Patron
City)
- must do this at 1st level, cannot change without the issuance of a
Writ Custodius
By
High Priest of a City Church
- Minor
Interceedence -A cleric of
Anu
officiates as clerics of Sin, Nusku,
and Tashmetu in the Theocracy
summons the astral deva
responsible for carrying the god's granted miracles to a particular
cleric and asks that none be carried for a set period
of time) (affects 3rd-4th spells only)
- Persona Non Grata
- Person is unwelcome at that church; clerics of that god will
instantly know not to cast miracles on their behalf. Cities that have
Trade Pacts automatically honor the other city's Persona non Grata
By
a Bishop
- Writ of Pilgrimage
-
Allows free passage on the ways, free (& triple duration)
blessings from any clerics whose
Patron Saint is St
Anda.
Requires
fasting and adherence to the Codes of Pilgrimage.
- Call
for Redression
Account
-Occurs
on the 1st day of Akitu on
the 1st of the year. This
petition triggers a re-enumeration
of the number of cities to each god. The effects of
Redression
Account used with the Measure of a City (a prosperity/population ratio
that counts only domiciled residents as inhabitants) changes the
number of representatives (Bishops, Archbishops, and Cardinals) and the
number of
Spheres a church
may have.
- Petition for a Punishment
- May petition the Diocese to issue a Writ of Punishment, some proof is
required.
- Petition
for a Vengence
- May petition the Diocese to issue a Writ of Vengence,
some proof is
required.
- Petition
of a Grievance -
May petition the Diocese to reconsider an action, Punishment, or
Vengence.
Burden of
proof lies with petitioner. Must have
a second from at least a Bishop of another god.
- Petition
for Trial -
Diocese required to
have
a trial before issuing a Punishment or Vengence.
Accused
must be present. Must
be submitted in writing
within three days of Petition of Vengence/Punishment.
By an Archbishop
- Writ of Pilgrimage
Maximus
- A
writ of pilgrimage
that
applies to a group of people. Adds
+5% reaction
adjustment by foreigners. Movment
rate over long distances (greater that 3 hexes) is increased by 50%.
- Petiton for Miraculan
Consulatorus
- Petitions Council
of Cardinals for a Epic Miracle
for a specific
purpose
By a Cardinal
- Petiton for Miraculan at
Liberty
- Petitions Council
of Cardinals for 3 Quest
Spells (Epic) to keep in memory (grants all at once, may only
petition once per season)
- Writ
of Major Interceedence,
Mala -A cleric of Anu
officiates as clerics of Sin, Nusku,
& Tashmetu
in the Theocracy
summon
the Planetar
responsible for carrying the god's granted miracles to a particular
cleric and asks that none be carried
for a set period of time) (affects 5th-6th spells only)
- Petition
Diocese for Greater Intercedence,
Mala
(30% base
chance +/- popularity adjustment of success +argument). A cleric of Anu
officiates as clerics of Sin, Nusku,
& Tashmetu
in theocracy summons
the Planetar
responsible for carrying the god's granted miracles to a particular
cleric and asks that none be carried
for a set period of time) (affects 7th level spells and higher)
- Writ of Excommunication*
-
Excommunicates person from that specific church. God
will not hear divine
intervention calls or grant spells or abilities. (Cleric
still retains level and may convert to a different church.)
- Filing
for Change of Venue Miraculis*
- Churches must
formally notify the Theocracy
before a city spell is changed. Requires 1 month to take effect, can be
overruled by
Diocese or Council
of Cardinals.
By
Majority
Vote of Clerical
Diocese
(Bishops, Archbishops, Cardinals)
- Writ of Doctrine*
- Creates new miracles and assigns them to their churches, gods, and/or
spheres.
- Ruling of Record*
- Changes casting time, duration,
or area of effect of any clerical miracle.
- Declaration
of Holy War -
All people who die in the direct cause of the Holy War receive
an immediate
ceremony and ascend into the upper planes regardless
of their alignment.
- Writ
of Greater Interceedence
Mala -A cleric of Anu
officiates as clerics of Sin, Nusku,
& Tashmetu
in the Theocracy
summon
the Solar responsible for carrying the god's granted miracles to a
particular cleric and asks that none be
carried for a set period of time) (affects 7th spells only)
- Writ
Custodius
- Allows assignment of a new Patron
Saint
to a person.
- Excommunication
Nyrundis
- As excommunication spell
but prohibits further
assistance from gods
in the entire pantheon
for that person.
- Exocommitadis
- Reversal of an Excommunication by a Church Potentate.
- Summons
- Requests the
presence of a person of Nyrundic
Faith to arrive in the Theocracy
within a certain time period under penalty of the Three
Punishments.
- Directive
of Punishment - May be cast
at a distance against a cleric who
has broken a law or edict of the Theocracy or failed to follow a writ -
must be
officiated by Clerics of Anu
(see the scheduler)
but cast by clerics of Irra
or as appropriate. Most common are the Three Punishments (1. acute
severe gastro intestinal disease 2.
Fifteen Troubles each worse than the last 3. Death).
- Issuance
of a Lesser Vengence
- Can be
issued for transgressions occuring
on or against
Consecrated lands, q.v. the spell, up to 20th lvl
caster (25th if enacted by majority of Council
of Cardinals). May be performed
by a cleric of the diocese's
(or cardinal's) choosing - (choice of Nusku's
clerics as caster is particularly bad for the Flame Strike
version).
- Issuance
of a Greater Vengence
- Can be
issued for transgressions occuring
on or against
Consecrated lands, q.v. the spell, up to 25th lvl
caster (30th if enacted by majority of Council
of Cardinals). May be performed
by a cleric of the diocese's
(or cardinal's) choosing - (choice of Nusku's
clerics as caster is particularly bad for the Flame Strike
version).
- Espiritu Summunsae
- Summons a specific soul on
matters of the Theocracy.
Performed by Clerics of Anshar
(if bodyless)
or Nergal
(if dead).
- Writ
of Fistandauntilus
-
- Writ
of Chimeredon*
- Ritual is cast by quorum of
Diocese. A recipient cleric receives
a quest spell and benefits of a Wrath spell cast at 15th-25th lvl
for the quest's duration.
- Beatification
- Beginning
of the process to Canonize
a Saint.
Target person must be dead and have comitted
three Saintly Miracles of epic scale. Requires
a committe
of fact-finding to research target's past and Saintly Miracles and
present
findings to full Diocese.
Then requires a 2/3
majority to pass.
- Directive
to Cast -
Directs any church to perform a specific miracle for the Diocese.
Applies
to spells of up to 7th level.
Can be
overridden by the consent of
two Cardinals
of the Council. Punishment for
failure can be Excommunication
Nyrundus
or Death!
- Writ of Dogma*
- can create religious laws that carry
with them penalties up to Eternal Damnation, can also be used to decree
how a certain combination of
miracles or miracle/magic item work or do not work. For example, the Spiritual
Tenets of Fire passed in YR3 of
the Age
of Heroes declared that there
was a spiritual component to the
divine fires of all clerical miracles, e. g. Flame Strike.
- Enunciation* -
A 2/3rds majority of the Council sings to the gods the
praises of a beatified saintly candidate for three weeks. They
determine the
Saint-to-be's
causes/spheres.
- Directive
of Munnicipal
Punishment - Directs one
church to cast miracles/city
spells to punish
another (or else forfeiture of all spells for that church for one
month). Range of miracles becomes increments in hexes instead of ft or
yards. Clerics of
Anu
arrange.
- Directive
to Cast - Directs
any church to perform City Miracles and/or Quest Spells for the Council
or Diocese.
- Directive
of Indulgence -
compels a cleric of Anshar
to preform
a ceremony
that sends a soul
to heaven upon their death regardless of their alignment.
- Miraculan
Consulatorus
- Grants a quest spell for a specific purpose
- Miraculan At Liberty
- Grants 3 quest spells to be used at caster's discretion (successive
castings on one person are not cumulative).
- Inceptum Summi Miraculi - Formally
authorizes the creation of an epic miracle but also may set forth any
stipulations, limitations, or divine safeguards demanded by the Council
to preserve theological order.
- Writ
of Haspergus*- Foreceably
changes target cleric
to another god, no save, they must worship under penalty of automatic
damnation)
- Writ
of Cannanite* - A cleric of
Anu officiates as clerics of Sin, Nusku,
and
Tashmetu in
the Theocracy
summon all of the Solars
of a single god
and direct them to
deny all miracles for a church for up to one month.
Archclerical
Bulls*
- Summary
Judgement*
- The Archcleric
may
officiate as judge and juror
over any trial. Must be Petitioned
by a
Bishop, Archbishop, or Cardinal on behalf of the accused to do so, with
the accused's
consent.
May be overrdden
by majority of Council
of Cardinals.
- Canonization* -
The final step in
making a person a saint.
Soul
now becomes direct intercessor between the gods and
humanity. Saint may grant miracles specific
to their causes/spheres to
any cleric for whom they are patron,
regardless
of
spheres normally accessble
to that cleric (cleric must be of level to pray for spell). Any cleric
may pray to the saint on the anniversary
of their canonization
day (the
Saint's Day) or on All
Saints Day
on November 1. Saint may petition the gods directly for up to 20 lvls
of miracles/day to use at their discretion.
- Pardon Bull*
-
Pardons a being from any of the punishments/vengences
of the Theocracy.
- Override
of an Archclerical
Bull/Writ*
(except an Archclerical
Pardon). As Council of Cardinals
but casting level is
the maximum and all effects are maximum.
- Municipalis nono
Defica*
- Denies
any city
the
intercession of the Nyrundic
Gods. God may not
grant divine interventions or miracles to the city or its citizens (and
future generations
unless lifted).
* = that particular
writ can only be issued by that person/group
Special Loopholes
By Highest Level Cleric
of
in a God's
Religion ("The
Divine Savant")
- Special
Request -
Diocese automatically grants a request to grant the creation of a new
miracle even before the vote to accept/reject has taken place. Allows
miracle to temporarily exist before the diocese
meets to discuss its area of effect, etc.
By Cleric of Ea with Highest
Wisdom
Writs Specific to a Church
By Clerics of Anu
(by
clerical level)
1st- Bill
of Attainder
1st- Writ
of Habeus
Corpus- 'Show me the body'
(person), relates to people in jails
etc.
2nd-Writ
of Decorum - Miracles
of target Nyrundic
cleric take additional 2 to cast until removed by a cleric of Anu
of higher level or a Bishop
By Clerics of Nabu
Perform the 'Measure
of a City'
enumeration
(Census), filed
with the Diocese as part of the Redression
Account
By Clerics of Marduke
(each writ/edict takes 1000gp/lvl to cast)
1st lvl cleric
Bless
Coins
(1st level
miracle)- Coins resume their
god-granted properties even if not traded, will also carry a Bless
spell of any time for x3 duration)
5th lvl cleric Insolvency Protection
(5th level miracle)- Protects a buisness
against Insolvency (range: touch duration: 1 day)
5th lvl cleric Directives as per
Guildmaster
(5th level miracle)- Guild money may be
used to pay for these
7th lvl
cleric Insolvency
(4th lvl
miracle) - Cleric places a
magical symbol over a single buisness
establishment, area
radiates a -50% reaction adjustment within 50ft. May create fights,
disturbances. establishment
loses 50% of all profits. Establishment must save each month or lose
1000gp per level of casting cleric. Saves are made at a 5 for
large buisnesses,
12 for medium sized businesses,
and 18 for small ; can only be cast once per business
until cleric gains
another level.
7th level cleric Trade Beneficio (4th
lvl
miracle) - Grant a +1/3 lvls of cleric onto a city's
save v. a Hostile Trade Pact and battles, (multiple
castings are not cumulative) (casting time: 1
day duration: 1
week)
9th lvl
cleric Trade
Pact (5th lvl
miracle, 3 days to cast)- A
specific good/service traded between two cities is not taxed. Product
must
be of equivalent value. If used
as an attack, rich cities save at 3, medium cities save at 6, poor
cities save at 12, capital cities save at
+2. Can be cast as an attack on a city only once until another clerical
level is gained. (=5%
chance to encounter either citizens on roads
in between).
9th lvl cleric Trade Battle
(5th lvl
miracle, week to cast)
- Target city loses 10,00Ogp/lvl of cleric to the cleric's Patron City,
save as with hostile trade pact. Cleric's
church receives 20%, casting cleric receives
5%.
16th lvl
cleric Most
Favored City
Trade Pact (7th lvl
miracle, week to cast) - No tariffs
or taxes on goods
transported between cities.
Citizens of another city in Most Favored
Trade Status need
not pay to enter. Both cities gain +10% revenues; deploys clerics of
Marduke
along roads (5% encounter)
City Spell - Trade War
-
Casting
city
and target city must
roll saves as per Hostile Trade Pact each
month, failure on either side means city loses 100,000gp to opponent
city in the trade war. Church receives/pays
20%/10%, casting cleric receives/pays
5%/3%.
Specialty Spells of Marduke
Know City
Level: 5th
Range: must be inside city
or within 400 yards of
Durration: Instantaneous
A.O.E. Personal
Casting Time: 1 round
Components: V,S,M
Save: n/a
Description: When this miracle is cast inside a city, the casting
cleric of Marduke instantly becomes aware of a number of details about
the city:
1) Exports/Imports
2) Population
3) City Spell (or city wide powers)
4) Direction of markets, ruler’s abode, main church
5) God(s) worshipped in city
6) General power structure
7) Greatest Resource (source of strength) of city
Cloakings on cities against divination are proof against this spell as
are any city wide spells that would negate this effect.
