Now the question is how are funerals, cerimonies and all that are done in Greyhawk, mostly in the big cities and towns? I like my character to cater to all beliefs about death for everyone.
Any Ideas?
Witht he theme you are thinking o though, I would say Clerics or Mystic Theurges of Wee Jas would be the ones to provide such services.
They are also guardians of the dead, and the principal officiator at funerals. Many low-level priests travel the Flanaess, performing funeral services for a small fee, or simply saying a few words in exchange for food and supplies. Others are stationed in catacombs and graveyards, to maintain and those areas, and guard against defilers and desecrators.
from: http://www.spots.ab.ca/~whytwolf/GH/reference/weejas.htm
That sounds so tempting and it fits well with my idea. I was not sure if there was anything like this or not.Clerics of Nerull are mainly about desecrating and reanimating the dead, and aren't the type you'd want burying Grandma.
In Baklunish regions, Istus is a good choice. She's the one who weaves the thread of mortal life and cuts it when the measured time on the material plane is complete.
Among the Oeridians? Celestian might guide the souls of the dead to the Outer Planes.
Among the Oeridians? Celestian might guide the souls of the dead to the Outer Planes.
I thought Telchur - given the association of winter and death.
I thought Telchur - given the association of winter and death.
Yeah, especially among the cultists of the wind gods. Or perhaps Wenta is the goddess of death, and Telchur god of the dead.
I still think Celestian makes an awesome psychopomp.
Yeah, especially among the cultists of the wind gods. Or perhaps Wenta is the goddess of death, and Telchur god of the dead.
Well the way Wenta is portrayed in the LGG, she seems like a jolly peasent lass who likes her beer - a sort of merry corn maiden/harvest festival sort of gal. I suppose you could throw in a kind of Dionysean double edge to her - where fruitfulness becomes overripe, rots and fades. Telchur just seems to have the grim quality you'd require of a funerary god.
After all this I said why not add all of them together? A nomad funeral director/undertaker that gambles in his spare time and uses a shovel in combat. Then that is how this thread was started. I need to which deity deal in funerals and travellers/nomads that not mind gambling :D .
Now the question is how are funerals, cerimonies and all that are done in Greyhawk, mostly in the big cities and towns? I like my character to cater to all beliefs about death for everyone.
Any Ideas?
Death rites would vary across the Flanaess, depending on the prevalent culture and deities. Not all deities are concerned with death, but many deities who don't have death as part of their portfolio may still dabble somewhat.
In lands with strong Flan influence, Nerull may be viewed as the "force" of death itself, but his priests may have little to do with funerals. Funerals may be seen as being for the living, & thus another god may preside in that area. As someone mentioned before, Allitur would probably be a good choice. Of course, not all Flan cultures may view Nerull in such a negative light--IMC, the Rovers see Nerull as "the Great Bear of Death," and all dead souls spend thier first year with him in the Underworld. Afterwards, those who are worthy go to the Happy Hunting Grounds, while the evil remain behind. As the Rovers honor their gods as a whole, there are no priests of Nerull in their culture, so all rites are administered by shamens who honor all Rover deities.
Druids, who IMC view most deities as anthropomorphic verison of natural forces, may perform the rites for communities in which druidism is popular. Druids would likely be the main officiators of funerals in Geoff & the County of Ulek, for example.
In Veluna, the church of Rao would be the go-to guys for funerals. In the Pale, it would be the church of Pholtus. Iuzian priests would administer the rites in lands firmly under the cambion's control.
Funeral rites in Oeridian-dominated lands would likely be administered by priests of the Oeridian agricultural gods, specifically Telchur. Of course, there may be some sort of Valhalla for strong Oeridian warriors, so the churches of Heironeous & Hextor probably administer funeral rites as well.
Speaking of Valhalla, there is likely an equivalent in the doctrines of Kord & Vatun, especially in the Barbarian north. If you model the Suel barbarians on the vikings like most of us, Wee Jas makes a serviceable Hela, though she's certainly viewed differently in other Suel lands.
Xerbo, Procan, & Osprem would mainly be concerned with deaths at sea & those who die by drowning.
Worshipers of Beory may see burial as part of the cycle of rebirth, as they are returned to the proverbial womb. One could even make the same case for Beltar, as she could have originally been an earth goddess before degenerating into her current state.
Priests of Istus likely officiate at Bakluni funerals as death is the fate of the living (for the most part). However, the church of Al-Akbar likely officiates at funerals as well.
As popular as Pelor is among common folk, it's likely that his priests also administer funeral rites, which probably include some kind of charm or invocation to guard against the deceased arising as undead.
In short, a priest of nearly any deity could administer funeral rites, especially in small communities where theirs could be the only temple for miles around. In larger communities, those families who can afford it will hire a priest of whatever deity they wish to officiate, and professional funeral directors would likely have close ties to all local temples. For the destitute, it's unlikely any rites would be held at all, though certain faiths may volunteer to place a simple blessing unpon the desceased.
After all this I said why not add all of them together? A nomad funeral director/undertaker that gambles in his spare time and uses a shovel in combat. Then that is how this thread was started. I need to which deity deal in funerals and travellers/nomads that not mind gambling :D .
If you're playing 3/3.5E & plan on making this character a cleric, I'd suggest not tying him down to a particular deity, but instead have his creed based on "everyone deserves a dignified death" or something. Give him the death & travel domains, and perhaps write up some kind of ethical guidelines based on his alignment & your concept that you can share with your DM. For instance, such a character probably views the undead as an abombination, may feel that the dead (even foes) deserve a decent burial, and perhaps has moral qualms about looting tombs or the possessions of the deceased. The later two could provide some interesting roleplaying opportunities--not only does he argue with his party about taking the ogre's gold, but he wants to bury the beast, too!