Category:Faith of the Overseer
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This section contains canon info from officially published sources |
The Faith of the Overseer is a religion centered in Martira Bay in Darkon. It is centered at the Temple of Eternal Balance[1], and led by High Cleric Derakoth, though he is merely a manipulated figurehead. In reality, the faith is an experiment in societal control by Tavelia and the Kargat.[2]
History
The Faith of the Overseer was first established in 650 BC.[3][4] Tavelia was the one most responsible for its creation, having woven the dogma of the church from bits of various outlander religions and stuck them into the Doctrinae, the Faith's central text.[5]
At some point in the 8th century BC, Tavelia found Derakoth ambling about and eventually groomed him to be the figurehead leader of the faith.[5] By the time the second of the Doomsday Gazetteers was written, Derakoth has served this role for three decades.[1]
In 755 BC Tavelia attempted to take control of her former master Azalin Rex as his corporeal form was restored, but her attempt failed.[6] Following her fall from grace, Tavelia left Darkon entirely. Despite the loss of the Faith's secret founder and former leader, the Overseer's worship continues. High Cleric Derakoth, a deluded Lost One whom is the religion's only true believer among the clergy, holds genuine sorrow over Tavelia's apparent disappearance.[5]
Doctrine
The Overseer is an all-seeing deity, though he does not grant divine spellcasting or other supernatural boons of divine magic, such are instruments of fear and oppression. Rather, the Overseer bestows gifts to the worthy after death. In this mortal world, people need to rely up each other and work together, hence the doctrine of the faith espouses community. In particular, individuals holding inner concerns or worries should come to the Faith's clergy, whom act as spiritual guides and counselors.[1] (It should be little surprise that the Kargat uses the Faith to root out would-be rebels and other threats to the status quo.[2][5])
The Clergy
As mentioned previously, the Overseer's priests are not divine spellcasters. Known as "Witnesses", they usually serve as counselors and healers with appropriate class skills selected via levels in the expert class.[5] Save for Derakoth, all clergy of the Faith are agents of the Kargat[5], with a large number being lycanthropes and undead,[2]. A significant percentage were Tavelia's nosferatu vampire spawn, though these agents saw their stations lowered following her flight from Darkon.[5]
Spread
Though the Faith has most acutely captured the belief of Martira Bay's people, the Faith has spread beyond that town. For example, the Faith has representation in both Nartok and Rivalis.[7] As a dread possibility, the religion's spread through Darkon may take it further outside of the Kargat's direct control, and the Faith may at some point garner true goodly clerics and paladins among the faithful in the more remote places.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Gazetteer II p.33
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Bleak House:Heroes, Monsters, and Settings p.29
- ↑ Ravenloft Third Edition p.17
- ↑ Ravenloft Player's Handbook p.19
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Gazetteer II p.32
- ↑ Gazetteer II p.24
- ↑ Gazetteer II p. 52-53
Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue
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Ravenloft Third Edition - p17 |
Pages in category "Faith of the Overseer"
The following 9 pages are in this category, out of 9 total.
