Return to Therran Religion Page
INTRODUCTION:
Firlott is revered by two main types of worshippers. First, Firlott is the god of hunting and the hunt. In this regard those who both respect animals and find themselves needing to kill them for food or livelihood worship the god, praying both for good fortune on the hunt and that the animal they have slain did not suffer greatly and has gone onto its divine reward.
Second, Firlott is worshipped in his aspect as a skilled and relentless tracker by bounty hunters and rangers, who hunt sentient prey such as evil humanoids or criminals
The church of Firlott regards animals as precious resources, to be harvested and utilized by humanoids as a gift from the gods, but also to be respected. Even those devoted to the god's tracking aspect are still expected to treat animals with respect and hunt them cleanly and only when necessary.
ORGANIZATION:
The church of Firlott is not very centralized, and with no rigid hierarchy, for its very nature is one that tends to be dispersed, usually at the frontiers of civilization. Most large frontier settlements and towns include a temple to Firlott, which is usually in the form of a wooden hunting lodge decorated with tokens of the hunt, including furs, antlers, etc.
There is no high church or highest authority of the religion. Each priest is judged in his or her own merits and on his reputation and success in hunting or tracking foes or in presiding over extraordinary hunts. Most clerics of the religion are also rangers, though this is certainly not a requirement, and a fair share of cleric/rogues and cleric/fighters and cleric/barbarians can be found amongst the priests of the religion.
Many priests of the religion are members of barbarian tribes or other primitive groups that rely on hunting and interact with the wild on a daily basis. Furriers and trappers also often worship Firlott.
PRIESTS:
Priests are expected to attend a hunt along with the hunters, if he is acting as a patron of the god's hunting aspect. Although the priest will generally not strike a blow against the quarry, they will pronounce an animal fit for prey or not and will then bless the carcass of the animal, sending its soul to its place of resting. Animal generally not acceptable as prey are pregnant or nursing females or young animals. However, sometimes if an animal population has been over harvested, a priest may prohibit further hunting of that type of beast for a time. In addition, priests will sometimes observe unusual behaviour or markings in a beast and decide that it should be spared, as the beast may be favoured by Firlott.
Priests are also required to make the killing blow when an animal has been brought down but is still alive. The priest is trained to kill the animal with a knife quickly and painlessly by performing a Profession (butchery) check at DC 10.
Bounty hunting priests often accompany bounty hunters on especially dangerous missions, when magic is likely to be needed or when it is important to capture the quarry alive. Such priests generally do not so much care for bringing evil-doers to justice as they do exercising the skills of the hunt and thereby glorifying their god and his lore.
Priests must do whatever is possible to stop wanton killing of animals. They frown upon recreational hunting, but if, for example, a nobleman is hunting they may take more subtle actions (like making noise in the distance to frighten away quarry).
Once per year, during the week of the summer solstice, Firlott priests are expected to honour their deity by partaking in that is known as The Great Hunt. The most honour accrues to those priests who lead a hunt against the most fearsome monster they can manage. The monster must be an animal or a magical beast. The captured quarry must be sacrificed to Firlott by burning its skin and fur and bones upon an altar to the god and feasting on its meat. If the hunted prey is a magical beast and its meat inedible, then the entirety of the carcass must be burnt on the altar to Firlott. No token or other treasure may be taken from the beast, except that a small token proving the catch may be worn either on the forehead or around the neck until the next summer solstice. The priest may not profit in any fashion from the hunt, though any companions may.
A priest of Firlott who is sent to catch or track a creature or to collect a bounty must relentlessly pursue such a task until it proves utterly impossible. Should the priest ever willingly abandon its quarry, then he must perform atonement to be returned into the good graces of the god.
Most priests of Firlott wear either leather or hide armour. Metal armour is not forbidden, but is not regarded as particularly pious if it is worn by a priest. In any case, all priests must wear a wristband of fur on one of their wrists. Many priests expand this into an archery pad or brace.
DEVOTEES:
Devotees of Firlott are usually rangers, hunters, trappers, or bounty hunters. All must respect animals and slay them only when they can be utilized or serve a purpose, and then as painlessly or quickly as possible.
Devotees who remain true to the precepts of the god and tithe 5% of their gain from hunting or collecting bounties gain a +1 competency bonus to Survival checks.
SECTS:
There are six sects to the religion. Each corresponds to one of the domains of the god.
The Huntmasters:
These are the leaders and sponsors of hunts, usually of animals for sustenance or of dangerous magical beasts. The priests of the Huntmaster Sect are often found in tribal settings, arranging for hunting expeditions and blessing the hunters so that they return unharmed and laden with prey. The Huntmasters are experts with the bow and regard it as a holy weapon and they are expected to master the art of ritual killing of wounded animals.
The Trackers:
The sect of Trackers specializes in locating and trailing prey. Usually this means intelligent prey, and the Trackers are the most likely of the religion to be found in civilized areas, where they are hired to lead bounty hunting expeditions or to head posses. Trackers are expected to have the Track feat and to concentrate in Survival and Knowledge (nature) as well as the Search skill. They are marked by the blue sash trimmed in silver that all Trackers wear around their necks or across their chest.
The Survivors:
The Survivors emphasize the survival of the fittest as a manifestation of the natural order of things. As such, they value hunting as a means of testing one's mettle and proving who most deserves to survive. The sect also emphasizes endurance and the ability to face travail. Many members of the sect are stoic and value the ability to endure pain without expressing it. The most fanatical of the sect eschew even the use of the bow and insist upon hunting the strongest of foes armed with nothing but their bear hands. Many priests of this sect are found in the harsher clans of the Thaneeri barbarians and other primitive lands and are often cleric/barbarians or even cleric/ranger/barbarians.
The Watchers:
The Watchers believe that the way to succeed in life is to wait for the prime moment before striking. They take their cue from many of the most successful hunters of the animal kingdom, specializing in ambushing their prey and striking from hiding. The Watchers also emphasize perfection of the senses, and Watchers are expected to be adept at Spot, Listen, and Search skills and to note shifting patterns and the habits of their prey to determine the optimal time to pounce. Most priests of this sect know the Alertness feat.
The Fleet:
The Fleet believe that it is not stealth that gains the prey but speed. The Fleet emphasize running down their prey, whether beast or intelligent quarry, and most priests of the Fleet know the Run feat. Members of this sect generally refuse to plan or set up intricate ambushes. They prefer a very straightforward approach to solving problems, and in battle will simply charge at their opponents, relying on their speed to carry them from the field of battle should it turn against them.
The Fleet are also messengers of the religion, and often take important messages from one tribal group to another in primitive societies where gods like Indolle are not venerated.
The Patient:
The Patient believe that the key
to reaching a goal, be it prey or other, is to outlast. Why fight
when you can let your prey run itself to the ground? They revel
in tales of epic chases cross country and, as bountry trackers,
are relentless in their pursuit of their quarry. Most priests
of this sect know the Endurance feat.