Category:The Ascended

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So named for their origins, Grabenite folktales speak of the Ascended as mortals ascended to divinity.^[1] The Ascended constitute what was once the native religion of the Grabenites before Graben Island was taken by the Mists.^[2] There are no clerics of the Ascended remaining among the Grabenites^[3] (though some remnant of their veneration by adept remains, see below). When Graben Island was taken by the Mists, the Ascended's clerics found their connection with their deities severed, depriving them of their spellcasting abilities. Soon thereafter, the Ascended as a religion effectively became defunct, though the Grabenites still fondly tell stories of these immortals as symbols of pride in their ethnic heritage. A few traditionalist Grabenites even go through the motions of paying respect to the hearth deities Fredar and Fredara, but this is not true worship enough to power a divine spellcaster.^[1]

The reason for the above separation of priest and divinity remains a mystery. It may be due to a refusal of the Ascended to buy into the Unspoken Pact or perhaps some plan made by the Dark Powers. Strangely, not all priests of the Ascended are cut off from their divine patrons. Outlander clerics from Meredoth's home world of Mystara retain their abilities if they find themselves trapped in the Demiplane of Dread.^[1] At least one priest among the Strangled, Igil Wotanshand, seems to have retained his power.^[4] In addition, the Wise Women of Graben Island - adepts originally empowered by the Ascended - still retain some degree of their power, though it has been significantly warped and corrupted due to their not realizing the transformation of their familiars into dread familiars and fall to Evil. Believing the counsel of their familiars beyond reproach, the Wise Women gradually fell alongside their dread companions.^[5]

As Meredoth hails from Mystara^[6], the Ascended are the Immortals of that outlander world.

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