Throughout the course of its long history, Lostspace has been host to literally thousands of religions. Even now, with the population of its principle world reduced to a few tens of thousands, virtually every diety in the AD&D pantheon has a shrine or temple here someplace. However, despite their rankings in other spheres (Greater, Lesser, ect), their power here is limited; most barely count as demigods, unable to grant their clerics spells greater than 5th level. Outside of Tirrext, few gods have more than a couple hundred followers; most have only a couple of clerics - if they have any clerics at all.
THE TIRREXTIAN RELIGION
The tirrextian religion revolves around the worship of three unnamed gods (the names are considered too holy to pronounce). These gods are collectively refered to as `the Three', or individually by their respective areas of responsibility: the Lawgiver, the Lifebringer, and the Punisher. While claimed by the priesthood to be the supreme gods of the universe, they are in actuality much less powerfull than they pretend to be - in fact, they barely count as demi-gods. They do have domains in the planes of law.
The tirrextian clergy is split into several feuding orders, each convinced that their path alone is the `one true way'. Not all - or even most - tirrextian priests are spellcasters; spellcasting is seen as only one aspect of a true priest. Other abilities - administration, oratory, ect are regarded as highly as the ability to cast spells. In game terms, many tirrextian clerics are actually members of other classes (fighters, paladins, and bards being predominant). `Priests' of this sort are still subject to the various weapon and armor restrictions of the spellcasting clergy, but also recieve the granted powers of the order to which they belong.
The major orders are:
- The Flagellants:
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This tirrextian order has essentially `sold out' to the tanar'ri summoned by their ancestors so long ago.Its traveling clergy, marked by ritual scars upon their faces, are seen as vicious disciplinarians, ever eager to inflict severe and painfull punishments on even the most minor violators of the religious code - and it is no accident that the lawbreakers most ardently pursued by this order are those regarded as a threat or impediment of some sort by the tanar'ri.
Officially, of course, the Flagellants do not serve the tanar'ri, but instead are servants of the Punisher.
AB: standard; AL: any evil; Armor: Any; WP: ax, dagger, flail, whip; PW 1) Detect Lie; Spheres: All, Guardian, Healing (Rev), Necromatic (Rev), Protection.
- The Penace Servers:
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This is the dominant of the tirrextian clerical orders, notable mostly for the extreme legalism they inflict on the rest of the population. In their view, the entire tirrextian populace must do penace for the failings of their ancestors; penace that will go on forever or until the world ends.
AB: standard; AL: any lawfull; Armor: Any; WP: blunt, plus longsword; PW ?; Spheres: All, Charm, Divination*, Healing*, Law, Necromatic*, Protection, Sun.
- The Reformed:
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Now officially banned in tirrextia proper, but having a strong underground following all the same, this order is much less legalistic than the Penace Servers.
Long ago, its founders began asking basic questions about the tirrextian faith, eventually concluding that much of the cults legalism had more to do with a priestly desire for power than divine will. These conclusions led to a savage religious civil war in tirrextia some centuries ago, and the migration of many tirrextian followers of this order to Bext.
AB: standard; AL: lg, ng; Armor: any; WP: any; PW ?; Spheres: All, Charm, Divination, Healing, Necromatic*, Protection, Sun.
