If you have a male character from the Novo Cormata region who worships Saluwe, can they be a male priest - a druid from that region, recognizing that most Saluwe followers of the church will consider them heretics? (but not the inquisition)

Or are there special rules/secrets about them?

Thanks!

Toodeep

Hello,

Male priests of Saluwe' are considered heretical and being in the land of the Nierites would not be a good choice for longevity as they're known for their orthodox views. Also, why wouldn't they Inquisition (Panari branch) be after him?

However, you're right - there are differing rules but they are not yet available, but priestesses of Saluwe are exclusively female.

Not sure what I can say since this isn't a spoilers thread. Spoiler for pride goeth....










I haven't read the module, but I thought that it was said in "pride goeth" that while the saluwean's considered the nomadic saluwean male Druids there heretical, but because a past agreement the official position of the mother church was that it wasn't, and thus the inquisition there refused to hunt them (despite the saluwean desire for them to do so)

As the writer of that mod. . .

The information provided in that adventure was based upon the information provided in the original Players Guide to Arcanis. The Saluwean Druids are, indeed, officially accepted by the Mother Church of Coryan, meaning that the Inquisition technically would not hunt them down as it is considered a valid worship of Saluwe by the Church. However, the Druids are kind of like the worshiper of Tzitzet and Mahumemnon for the Myrantians, where the worship of them as aspects of Sarish and Neroth is accepted, but still frowned upon as the practices of less enlightened, barbaric peoples. The Saluwean Druids face persecution at the hands of their more mainline brothers and sisters who follow the Balantican/Mother Church view of Saluwe. The officially recognized Priesthood of the Mother Church (remember, the Mother Church was founded as a Coalition of Temples when the Empire was founded, and in this case the Saluweans that represented their Goddess were from Milandir and Panari) is matriarchal, and would never allow men in, hwich means they cannot be Initiates of the Mother Church for Saluwe'. That said, you can mechanically make Divine casters of Saluwe' who happen to be male according to the rules, but the Milandesians and Coryani Church would absolutely forbid them to become actual consecrated priests.

So you can be a male priest of saluwe, without being burned by the inquisition. You might be burned by the other saluweans, and you'll never get anywhere in the church, but officially your ok. I was only wondering if there was something secret/special/unique about the nomadic followers of saluweans. (Like if a path for "Druid" vs just priest of saluwe)

You can make Divine casters of Saluwe, but not Priests. No Initiates because the Mother Church no Milandric Orthodox will never accept you as a priest or initiate. As for Druid being a Path, that could one day happen but thus far such a path has not been introduced into the game.

Hello,



Sorry I don't agree.

When Arcanis was written during the D20 era, certain allowances had to be made for the world to make the most use of the system - this included, among other things, the Druid Class.

I went back to the original Player's Guide and re-read every entry which I wrote about Druids, which included the following:

"Role of the priest– The clerisy of Saluwe’ is exclusively reserved for females with a separate druidical sect reserved for the males. Priestesses act as mid-wives, protectors of women within society and the home, bless the barren with fertility and advocate the equality, or in some cases, superiority of females. Priestesses, as well as the druids, are expected to call upon the Earth Mother to ease the people’s misery in times of drought or famine as well as blessing the grain fields and orchards to ensure a bountiful harvest.

In frontier settlements or towns deep in the wild, Saluwean priestesses and druids protect the populace from the creatures of the wild, and especially from foul creatures that are the creation of black sorceries and madmen. Aberrations are not tolerated and their very existence is seen as an affront to Saluwe’.

The druidical tradition of Saluwe is grounded in the tending and protection of the sacred groves, forests, and pristine environment that exist across Arcanis. While the druids that have their traditions grounded in Animism see mankind as a blight upon nature, Saluwean druids believe that mankind is as much a part of nature as the plants and animals. Mankind needs only be instructed as to how to live in harmony with their four legged brethren rather than in conflict. Saluwean druids feel it their duty to defend humans and their kin from the predations of the wilds as any good host will offer safety to those who dwell in their home.

The Golden Boughs of Saluwe’ are especially sacred and it is within these woods, the eaves of its mammoth trees creating a cathedral like ceiling, that the holiest of groves exists. At its very center lies a pool so pure and crystalline in clearness that it is said to be divinely wrought. Saluwean dogma ascribes this glade as being where the Earth Goddess rested and slaked Her parched lips after defeating Marok, the Earth Elemental Lord of the Elorii. "

Now, if you notice, I stated that there was a separate sect from the priestesses, meaning that they were NOT priests. In the ARG system, I believe we again state that the Saluwean clergy is strictly female.

So, if you want to remain in canon, no you cannot create a PRIEST of Saluwe'. If and until the rules come out for a Druidical Order and you want to play such a character, then I would suggest a "druid" build consisting of the Primal tradition (basically a Shaman) and call it a Druid.

In this case, I believe the stat blocks for Pride Goeth might need to be revisited...I don't have it in front of me at the moment, but I believe there are stats for Druids using the divine template.

Gah. This makes my head hurt.

Henry, in the campaign I do not equate PRIESTS with divine casters. I only equate Priest with divine casters who also have the blessings of "an Institution." The Mother Church, the Eloran church....whatever. If you want to cast divine spells you certainly don't have to be a PRIEST of one of the Churches. You can also be a Templar or Sword Saint...or just a member of the Divine Archetype who never takes church related Paths. Is my interpretation fundamentally wrong?

Like Cody I also assumed that the Druids of Saluwe were an accepted, if politically marginalized, group. IIRC this stems from early meetings between the Mandai and Savosh peoples. The Savosh already worshipped some form of Saluwe...much like they already worshipped Yaris. But they included men and as a result that they were politically outside the mainstream of followers of man (and thus couldn't for example become Anointed Priests). And that as such they would cast cants... almost by definition. Primal casters can certainly honor the gods like anyone else...but I can't see primal casters accepted even into the margins of the PoM/Mother Church.

I finds myself vey confused by your posts.

I was just going to follow up with two questions that are echoed above, and one new one:

1. So does that mean that male druids of Saluwe are a church approved (nonheretical) form of primal casting?
2. But while there can be no male priests of Saluwe, I assume that still means there can be Templars, right? Only actual priests are forbidden? Or are all divine casters of Saluwe female?


And just extra off of what Henry said above:

3. The rules are different for male casters of Saluwe, but those rules aren't out yet? Is that a correct interpretation of what you said above? Interesting....