The gods of Malakai - evil and good alike - pay close attention to the behavior of mages. Will-workers who give deities headaches tend to have short careers. The gods and godesses are very powerful in their way, since each of them casts a vote in the writing of the laws of the Universe. It is, therefore, a good idea for mortals to curry the favor of a patron deity, for they also play favorites, aiding those among "their" mortals who help them achieve their own agendas and protecting such magi from some of the power of enemy deities.
The process of acquiring a patron is an easy one. A mage need only pray to or acknowledge the power or importance of the patron to be considered a follower. However, actually earning the immortal's favor takes much longer. In many ways, the request for patronage is similar to a declaration of loyalty. In effect, the mortal asks for the deity's protection. In exchange for this protection, the god or goddess expects the mortal to work toward the patron(ess)'s goals. If the mortal keeps hes end of the bargain, the deity (hopefully) will keep hes.
This does not mean that every mage who accepts and immortal patron is a slave to the deity. Gregor does not whisper in his magi's ears and tell them their next mission. Instead, followers are expected to take the initiative, knowing that the furthering of a patron's goals is of benefit to all parties. When the follower of Gregor sees a child trapped in a burning building, sheh ought to do whatever sheh can to rescue that child. Such an act of heroism pleases Gregor, but the hero most certainly has the gratitude of the parents, as well.Whether or not a mage's patron is a member of the Light or Dark Pantheon, sheh earns Purity Points for actions in keeping with the patron's ideals and Corruption Points for working contrary to the deity's interests. Corruption and Purity exist on a continuum. Gaining a point of Corruption means losing a point of Purity, and vice versa. A mage who declares hes loyalty to a deity for the first time almost always begins with a Purity of 0. Only mortals who have done exceptional things that furthered the new patron's goals will begin with a point or two of Purity, and only a few who have been the deity's archenemies in the past begin with a point of two of Corruption.
PCs are discouraged from seeking the patronage of a member of the Dark Pantheon. The evil gods and goddesses rule by fear and power. They sometimes offer followers power and protection, but only in exchange for what amounts to servitude. In addition, the dark gods and goddesses are more subject to whims, withdrawing their favor from a mortal suddenly and without warning as soon as a more attractive victim presents itself. The number of mortals who willingly serve the Dark Pantheon is very small. Most who obey these loathesome beings are those who were ensnared by the deities' empty promises. Perhaps they were tricked into infuriating the members of the Light Pantheon and know that their lives without their evil patrons would be very short indeed. Maybe the deity is holding a loved one hostage or compels the mortal to obey by means of magic. Once ensnared by the Dark Pantheon, very few mortals ever escape the tendrils of their evil patrons. The consequences of Purity/Corruption described below are a useful guideline for the Dark Pantheon, as well, but it is less consistent, tending to break down at the worst possible moments.
It is important to note that THIS IS NOT ALIGNMENT. The expectations of the members of the Pantheons vary from deity to deity. Barlik is far less interested in fighting evil than Nightfire. Michael is interested in order, while Dawn seeks to preserve native cultures, even disorderly ones. Their methods are different. Their goals are different. Their followers are different. The Dark Pantheon is no less diverse, however decadent they all might be. Scourge encourages minions to get ahead by murdering fellow followers. Doxy, on the other hand, would consider such a thing a conflict of interests and punish the mortal accordingly. Knock delights in random massacres, provided there are survivors to spread the fear to others. Dusk discourages servants from wanton slaughter, feeding on the despair of a victim who realizes the cruel hand Fate has dealt hem.
Sometimes a mortal slowly realizes that a particular religion or deity does not suit hem. Maybe the mage can't live up to Gregor's ideals of heroism. Perhaps a follower of Nightfire feels pity for the people she destroys in the name of fighting evil. Renouncing a deity is not quite as easy as choosing one, though, especially if the mortal has infuriated hes patron. A member of the Light Pantheon will almost always forgive a follower who immediately chooses another deity of the Light Pantheon. This forgiveness is equal to up to 5 Corruption Points the first time the mortal changes patrons, 4 Corruption Points the second time sheh changes, and so forth until the mortal has made it clear that sheh is only changing patrons to escape punishment, at which point the gods hold grudges (no Corruption Points forgiven). Any remaining Corruption must be erased in the service of the new patron (as the mortal makes hemself more useful, the new patron is more likely to protect the follower from the wrath of the previous patron).
For a worshipper of the Dark Pantheon, rennouncing a deity is not so easy. Members of the Dark Pantheon despise traitors, and any mortal who attempts to change loyalties immediately gains a number of Corruption Points equal to hes total Purity Points at the time of hes conversion. If the mortal leaves when sheh has Corruption Points, sheh gains 2 additional Corruption Points.
The system behind Purity and Corruption is similar to that of Humanity from Vampire: the Masquerade. It is easier to rise to a low level of Purity than to reach the epitome of righteousness represented by a high Purity score. The same is true for Corruption, as well. Only higher (or more despicable) acts can raise Purity or Corruption to the next level. A mortal with a Purity score of 4, for example, could increase her Purity by overcoming a minor opponent of her patron, but not by merely recruiting new worshippers. Any mortal with a Purity score of 1 or more automatically loses a point of Purity for any act that would result in gaining Corruption Points. The opposite applies to mortals with Corruption Points. Anyone with a Corruption score higher than 0 can reduce that score by acting in a way that would result in gaining a point of Purity.
| Current Purity | Action Required for a Purity Gain |
|---|---|
| 0 | Considering the interests of patron |
| 1 | Worshiping creatively; recruiting new worshipers |
| 2 | Overcoming a minor follower of enemy deity |
| 3 | Acting in accordance with patron's expectations when faced with temptation |
| 4 | Acting in interests of patron at risk of own safety |
| 5 | Overcoming a major follower of enemy deity |
| 6 | Overcoming a minor opponent of patron |
| 7 | Making an important personal sacrifice to further the patron's power or influence |
| 8 | Overcoming a major opponent of patron |
| 9 | Overcoming an enemy deity |
Considering the interests of patron: Each deity, like an influential mortal, has certain goals and methods of
operation. Allowing one's daily routine to reflect the goals and personality of the patron deity is the first step in the
path to Purity.
Worshiping creatively; recruiting new worshipers: Creative worship means finding a new way to express one's faith.
Writing a song to Dawn and singing it at first light would qualify, as would making a blood sacrifice to an evil deity. The
important stipulation here is creativity; therefore, no method of worship is creative twice. New forms of obeisance must be
invented to qualify for this award. Recruiting new worshipers means convincing others to worship the deity without violating
the immortal's ethos in the process (i.e. it is not in the best interests of a worshiper of Michael to lie in order to win
new worshipers, but followers of Doxy are welcome to do so).
Overcoming a minor follower of enemy deity: Overcoming might not be senseless slaughter of those of differing
morals. Higad might require conversion of such an opponent while Dawn might be satisfied with a hero who foils a villain's
plot to kidnap a child. A minor follower of an enemy deity is one who worships a member of the opposite pantheon (the Dark
if the mortal's patron belongs to the Light Pantheon), but not highly favored by the enemy deity (usually, ones with a Purity
of 2 or less).
Acting in accordance with patron's expectations when faced with temptation: This means following your ethos even
when it might benefit you to break it. A follower of Michael might consider lying when he wants to conceal information. A
rogue who worships Barlik might have to resist the urge to pocket the old fisherman's purse when the opportunity presents
itself. A follower of Nightfire might have to kill a worshiper of an evil deity even offered knowledge or power to withhold
justice.
Acting in interests of patron at risk of own safety: This means risking significant danger to obey one's deity. A
worshiper of Gregor might run into a burning building to rescue a trapped child. A villain who worships Doxy might attempt
to corrupt a hero when killing him would be more expedient.
Overcoming a major follower of enemy deity: A major opponent is one who worships a member of the opposite pantheon
(the Dark Pantheon if the patron belongs to the Light Pantheon) and has become a potent tool of that deity (usually ones who
have 3 to 5 Purity Points).
Overcoming a minor opponent of patron: A minor opponent is one who has earned the patron's emnity by serving a
member of the opposing pantheon and whose goals oppose those of the patron deity. Nearly all have significant resources at
their disposal and act as lieutenants for the enemy deity (usually these have a Purity of 6 to 8).
Making an important personal sacrifice to further the patron's power or influence: The operative word here is
"sacrifice." It has to hurt the character in some way or it isn't a sacrifice. A follower of Dawn might spend decades of
his life and risk enormous Backlashes to create powerful enchantments to protect a city. A worshiper of Gregor might brave
a Chaos Pocket to rescue a mage who can save a continent from the hordes of demons sent by a member of the Dark Pantheon.
Overcoming a major opponent of patron: A major opponent of a deity is a powerful person or being who possesses
enormous power and influence. These individuals are the most powerful servants of the opposite pantheon (usually possessing
a Purity score of 9 or more) and directly oppose the patron deity. Such a marvelous feat almost always requires a
decades-long struggle, so the number of mortals who attain a Purity of 9 or more is very rare indeed.
Overcoming an enemy deity: It's never going to happen, but it's nice to know how it will be rewarded, right? The
slaying, conversion, or neutralization of a deity by a mortal group - even one greatly favored by another deity - is an
incredibly rare event indeed!
| Current Corruption | Action Required to Increase Corruption |
|---|---|
| 0 | Neglecting to worship regularly |
| 1 | Accidentally acting against the interests of patron |
| 2 | Neglecting worship entirely |
| 3 | Aiding known worshipers of a deity of the opposite pantheon (usu. Purity of 5 or less) |
| 4 | Violating the spirit of patron's interests |
| 5 | Aiding known minions of a deity of the opposite pantheon (usu. Purity of 6 or more) |
| 6 | Conflicts of interest with patron |
| 7 | Deliberately and knowingly acting against the interests of patron |
| 8 | Radically acting against the interests of or defying patron |
| 9 | Deliberately aiding a deity of the opposite pantheon |
Neglecting to worship regularly: Every patron deity expects his or her followers to should worship - pray, attend
a religious service, visit the temple - at least once a week to foster spiritual growth. Those who do not lose one point of
Purity per week without worship.
Accidentally acting against the interests of patron: Good intentions count for something, but a patron is less
prone to protect a follower whose blunders work against the deity's interests (ex. A worshiper of Higad botches an attempt at
diplomacy and actually manages to worsen the situation).
Neglecting to worship entirely: Those who do not acknowledge their patron for long periods of time put their
standing with a patron deity in jeopardy. After a full year without worship, a follower loses a point of Purity.
Aiding known worshipers of a deity of the opposite pantheon: Gods and goddesses of both pantheons recognize the
dangers of allowing followers to associate with servants of the enemy. The definition of "aid" varies from deity to deity.
Some only expect worshipers to exercise healthy caution when dealing with villains. Others expect followers to kill such an
enemy immediately.
Violating the spirit of patron's interests: Twisting one's faith to serve one's own needs can cause all kinds of
trouble. This covers minor infractions, such as a follower of Gregor asking for a reward or a worshiper of Michael writing a
law with a few phrases thrown in to benefit himself.
Aiding known minions of a deity of the opposite pantheon: This includes spirits and highly favored servants of an
enemy deity. Again, the definition of "aid" will vary with the patron and the circumstances.
Conflicts of interest with patron: These are more serious violations of the patron's interests, usually resulting
from mortal weaknesses and serious errors in judgement (ex. a follower of Nightfire who spares an evildoer because he is a
childhood friend).
Deliberately and knowingly acting against the interests of patron: Precipitating a radical conflict of interests
is a dangerous way to attract a god's attention. These acts do not significantly weaken the deity's influence, but they
directly violate everything the patron stands for (ex. a worshiper of Hamar who burns down an art museum or a follower of
Michael who takes bribes from criminals to judge them innocent).
Radically acting against the interests of or defying patron: A radical violation weakens the patron's influence
and significantly reverses the work of other followers (ex. a worshiper of Dawn who opens the city gates to let an evil army
inside). Also, cursing one's patron or blantantly refusing to submit to the deity's authority is asking for punishment. If
Gregor came to a follower and requested her to pursue a quest, for example, and she expressed reservations, it would be a
conflict of interests. But if that worshiper cursed Gregor to his face, spat at the deity's feet, and used a clever and
denigrating form of address ("Mr. Holier-Than-Thou", for example), this penalty would most certainly apply. Such incidents,
in addition to raising Corruption, carry the added danger of having an extremely angry god near at hand. Would you care to
say that to his face?
Deliberately aiding a deity of the opposite pantheon: Just don't. Immortal patrons aren't stupid, and you
will get caught and punished.
Corruption: Whenever a Mage Backlashes on an Effect or attempts a Vulgar working, an additional success is added or subtracted from the Effect for each Corruption Point sheh currently has. This is identical to the flexible die described under A Few Final Notes
While this provides a system for ajudicating Purity and Corruption, it is only intended as a guideline. Attempts to "work the system" should not allow characters to get away with heinous acts in exchange for converting a few people.
Mages with Faith paradigms are more focused on Purity and Corruption than other Traditions. At the ST's option, Druanae,
Euthanatoi, Faithful, and Guiltbearers may begin play with two points of Purity. Epagans, Euthanatoi, members of the
Faithful, and Guiltbearers might also receive twice the usual penalties for Corruption Points (2 points of Scourge for each
point of Corruption).
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© 2001 by Eric Zawadzki
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