Note: (*) indicates the domain is detailed in FRCS. (**) indicates the domain is detailed in Traps and Treachery.

The Divine Sun
(aka the Shining One, the Lord of Days, the Invincible Crusader)

Dogma of the Divine Sun:

The Divine Sun promotes honor, nobility and faithfulness. His teachings support good works and deeds for one's family, one's community and one's kingdom. As a protector and guide, the Divine Sun also honors those upon which the foundations of communal life are based, the artisans and craftsmen who provide goods and services for the community. As a warrior and defender, the Divine Sun champions the cause of good, and wages war on the forces of evil and darkness. Clerics of the Divine Sun teach that the holy light of the sun bears the energy of life. This light gives strength to the weak and health to the injured, while destroying darkness and evil. The Divine Sun charges his followers to crusade against the forces of corruption aggressively, while being mindful not to lose sight of the true blessings of the Light: compassion, mercy and nobility.

Lesser Sects of the Divine Sun:

There are very few sects of the Divine Sun, for the church is fairly uniform in its teachings. However, a few sects have evolved within certain communities, such as the dwarven Lightbearers.

The Lightbearers: The dwarves do not often live directly under the light of the Divine Sun, but have taken to following the precepts of the Shining One after the Mountain Lord was slain by the Ravager of Lands in the Chaos Wars of eras past. The dwarven priests focus on the Divine Sun's aspects that honor family, craft and clan, though still promote the remaining principles of the Divine Sun's teachings as well. The Lightbearers also teach of the debt owed to the Divine Sun for defending the dwarven people after the Ravager of Lands destroyed their former patron in divine battle.

The Great Mother
(aka the Earth Mother, the Nurturer, the Lifebearer)

Dogma of the Great Mother:

The Great Mother promotes home and hearth, marriage and childbirth, familial love and honoring life. Followers of the Great Mother are expected to revere all life, for life is the gift of the Great Mother and the Green Man. The Lifebearer teaches that parenthood is a sacred responsibility. Indeed, to the followers of the Great Mother, most sacred act is to raise children in a safe, nurturing environment, helping them to grow in harmony with one another and the world about them. This aegis of growth and nurturing extends over the community, for these are the defenders and providers of the children of the world. Followers of the Great Mother value family strongly, for parents are the givers of our lives, and children are our future.

Lesser Sects of the Great Mother:

Children of a Second Hearth: These followers of the Great Mother support orphanages that provide for those children who have lost their parents in some form or fashion, or who have been abandoned by their parents. A number of the Great Mother's worshippers who, by accident of birth, curse or injury, cannot bear children of their own, or who have suffered the loss of their children, find a sense of belonging or renewed faith in helping give other children a new family and a better life.

Protectors of the Sacred Trust: These followers of the Great Mother are driven by an extended sense of family, acting as self-appointed defenders of communities in danger from outside forces. Aid must be provided to those families that cannot adequately defend themselves, and the Sacred Trust of the Great Mother calls the Protectors to provide that aid.

The Hand of Mercy
(aka Lady of Blessings, the Healing Hand, the Divine Maiden)

Dogma of the Hand of Mercy:

The Hand of Mercy teaches that mercy tempers all actions of a sacred nature. Peace, kindness and compassion are the marks of a blessed soul. Innocence is a virtue, and those that rob one of innocence are defilers of the Divine Maiden's ways. Healing is a kindness and a sacred gift given in trust that it aid peace and promote mercy. It is the sacred duty of those that follow the Healing Hand to engender mercy, both in themselves and in others about them, through their actions, words and deeds. Murder and wanton destruction are not merciful acts, but defile a soul. The world is not a merciful place, for there exists those that act in ways unkind and unmerciful. One should always measure one's actions in terms of the greatest mercy that can be wrought, for therein lies the path to salvation, not only for the individual, but for the world as well.

Lesser Sects of the Hand of Mercy:

Followers of St. Eliah: These servants of the Divine Maiden value the teachings of St. Eliah, an ancient follower of the Hand of Mercy whose words have been handed down over the centuries. St. Eliah promoted pacifism, holding that every life is sacred above all else. Mercy is found in preserving even the most vile of natural life so that the Hand of Mercy might speak to them and restore them to a merciful life through redemption.

Order of Bruin: The Order of Bruin follows a more militant approach to the Lady of Blessings's doctrines, founded in the teachings of a knight that converted to the worship of the Hand of Mercy long ago. The Order of Bruin promotes that it is a greater mercy to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Indeed, it is a greater kindness to stop a merciless soul before it becomes too tainted by its own deeds, and thus death saves both the defiler and those who would be harmed by the defiler's further actions. The Order teaches that killing without mercy is a violation of divine law, but killing for mercy is sometimes a necessary act that brings about redemption through those that are saved from the cruelties of a merciless hand.

The High Reveller
(aka the Holy Minstrel, the Divine Lover, the Merrymaker)

Dogma of the High Reveller:

The High Reveller embodies the joy of passion, freedom and whimsy. The Lover's passion seeks to create life, not to destroy it, and honors the beauty of life in all its forms. The High Reveller urges followers to derive whatever pleasure they can find from life without allowing social strictures to squelch their freedom, their creativity or their passion. The High Reveller promotes the ideals of good, but does not demand that one take up arms to promote it. Truth be told, the High Reveller would rather see mortals making love, not war. The greatest deeds that honor the High Reveller typically involve festivals of wine and merrymaking, and acts of true love.

Lesser Sects of the High Reveller:

Sacred Prostitutes: This sect of the High Reveller emphasizes sexual intimacy to promote emotional healing and bringing honor to the High Reveller. Members of this sect feel a strong sense of duty to deliver the High Reveller's message of love and freedom in a loving and personal manner. The Sacred Prostitutes police themselves well, insuring that their members are not abusing the High Reveller's teachings simply for sexual self-gratification (thus not passing on the High Reveller's lessons to others), or falling into emotional traps of self-degradation (thus failing to realize the High Reveller's lessons regarding personal freedom and self-love.)

Meddlers of High Revelry: This sect of the High Reveller focus themselves on promoting the concept of marriages based on romantic love rather than the more traditional arranged marriages of most Bloodwind Isles cultures. Toward this end, they are often matchmakers, dispensers of advice to the lovelorn, and general meddlers in other people's personal affairs.

The Celestial Monarch
(aka the Mother of Stars, the Queen of Night, the Moon Maiden)

Dogma of the Celestial Monarch:

The Celestial Monarch teaches her worshippers about balance, knowledge and protection. As the ruler of the night skies, her doctrines encompass works dedicated to the mysteries of the stars, the moon, and the omens seen overhead. As the day is balanced by the night, so too does the Mother of Stars promote a balance between light and dark, the masculine and the feminine, the mundane and the magical. She shares a love of lore with the Divine Magus, although her approach is more balanced between magical and non-magical studies. Her clergy encourage education as well as a reverence for the night, seeking perfection through learning, accepting and understanding, softening the harshness of the world as the moon's light softens the harshness of the dark night. At peace with her darker nature, the Queen of Night does not feel the need to attack or assail others for the sake of victory or dominion, for she teaches that such is the sign of those who have not found peace within. However, the Moon Maiden teaches her followers to defend that which is theirs by right, for to do otherwise is to risk imbalance, which in turns leads to a life of chaos. A life in turbulence is a life without spiritual enlightenment, whereas a life lived in balance and order is the path to perfection and ascension. The Celestial Monarch sponsors numerous monasteries devoted to the pursuit of a balanced life.

Lesser Sects of the Celestial Monarch:

Daughters of the Silvery Moon: The sect to the Celestial Monarch is comprised primarily of lunar-influenced lycanthropes. First drawn to the moon by the nature of their curse, many have taken to worshipping her, using disciplines taught by their clergy to seek a balance between their mortal souls and their inner beasts.

Circle of the Ascended: The circle represents an elite order of those who have transcended mortal limits while still remaining within the Plane Prime, doing so through methods taught by followers of the Mother of Stars within their spire-like temples. Though most of the members are ascetics who have mastered the art of flowing thought and action as one, others have been invited into the Circle as they discovered enlightenment through the Moon Maiden's teachings.

The Weaver of Destinies
(aka the Mistress of Fate, the Skein Crone, Lady of Mysteries)

Dogma of the Weaver of Destinies:

The Weaver of Destinies promotes the concept of fate, destiny, omens and prophecies, emphasizing the cyclic nature of time and the impact of the past and the future on the present. All lives are woven into the tapestry of the Skein Crone, who is the guardian and protector of destiny. However, the Lady of Mysteries also preaches that mortals have free will. The weave of the universe is set, but changes can be made in how the events of the weave are fulfilled. People have choices to make, choices which either set themselves on a particular path or creates opportunities for others to take the path left vacant by those choices. In the end, however, all threads are filled, and destiny become history as our perceptions move along the tapestry. Clerics of the Weaver of Destinies teach that the Lady of Mysteries grants all the blessings of clues and insight into what lies ahead, so that they may make their own choices. Yet, they also teach that one's life gains the greatest momentum when they cease their struggle against destiny, and instead flow with the weave of time and events. The most sacred act is to accept one's destiny and work within the plans of the Skein Crone to accomplish one's goals. It is considered a blasphemy to deny one's fate, and seek ways to circumvent it.

Lesser Sects of the Weaver of Destinies:

The Order of the Silver Disc: Members of this secretive order are often found near sites of events that are later revealed to have historical significance, though the Order members are most often present merely as observers. There are rumors that the Order might be observing, or perhaps even facilitating, a great prophecy handed down from the founder of the Order, but these rumors are unfounded.

Prophets of the Skein: This sect consists of those who believe that they have prophetic visions granted to them as a gift of the Mistress of Fate. Sometimes called doomsayers, sometimes soothsayers, the Prophets most often serve as oracles in secluded areas.

The Divine Magus
(aka The Grand Archmage, Master of Manna, the Sage Lord)

Dogma of the Divine Magus:

The Divine Magus is somewhat distant from his followers, save for the teaching that magic is the most important force in all the planes, more important than even concerns over good or evil, law or chaos. Followers are taught that knowledge, particularly that related to magic, is sacred, and should be protected at all costs. The Divine Magus also teaches that one should live in harmony with magic in its many forms, and promotes the creation of magical items as a form of artistic expression and a path to spiritual enlightenment.

Lesser Sects of the Divine Magus:

Arcanists of Arn: These followers of the Divine Magus feel driven to perform missionary work for the Divine Magus. Through their enclaves on many of the Bloodwind Isles, they make magic easily available to the world at large, and sharing the wealth of their knowledge with those less fortunate and less educated in the ways of the Grand Archmage.

The Arcanum: These followers of the Divine Magus seek to live in such harmony with magic that they may eventually become one with manna, the essence of magic itself.

The Path of the Shard: This small cult emphasizes the study, practice and protection of psionic magics, a path of magic often overlooked by the emphasis of the Sage Lord's followers on the arcane and the divine. Many followers of this Path possess some talent, minor or major, for the magics of the mind.

The Green Man
(aka The Allfather, The Forest Lord, The Wild Lord)

Dogma of the Green Man:

The Green Man rules nature and the wilderness, and is a friend to all who live in harmony with the natural world about them. The Green Man's followers are expected to exhibit this harmony with nature in their words and deeds. It is taught that those who would harm or destroy nature, or otherwise upset the natural harmony deserve swift vengeance in an appropriate manner. The Green Man teaches acceptance of both the good and the bad of the wilds, giving equal reverance to both the ugly and the beautiful, the dangerous and the harmless, the predator and the prey, for all are a part of the harmony of nature, and all have their place within the cycle of life.

Lesser Sects of the Green Man:

Cult of the Beast Lords: These followers of the Green Man emphasize the connection of the Green Man as protector and patron of the animal kingdom. They tend to take on animalistic qualities in their mannerisms, from physical appearance to combat prowess. These cultists revere lycanthropes for their ability to come closer to the animals and the Wild.

Warriors of the Wild One's Wrath: These followers of the Green Man promote nature over civilization, and often take drastic measures to destroy the presence of settled society. Warriors view the encrouchment of civilization, in the form of buildings, fields and to some extremes even the domestication of animals to be abhorent to the Green Man, and make it their personal duty to rectify the situation through drastic measures.

Hunters of Lost Souls: These followers of the Green Man focus on the Green Man's continual war with his brother, the Keeper of the Dead, and make their lives an ongoing battle against the undead. Seeing these necromantic creatures as being outside the natural cycle of life, death and rebirth, many Hunters seek out these Lost Souls and destroy them, so that they may be returned to the cycle.

The Trademaster
(aka the Merchant Lord, the Coin King, the Grand Traveller)

Dogma of the Trademaster:

Followers of the Trademaster are dedicated to the ideals of commerce and trade, for haggling and self-made fortune are sacred acts to the Merchant Lord. The truly blessed are those whose enterprise and zeal brings both wealth and good fortune. The Merchant Lord teaches his followers to work hard, be clever, and seek the best bargain, for this is the path to gold and good fortune. The Coin King promotes respect in one's dealings with others, bearing in mind always that one should shirk not their responsibility to strike a better deal for themselves than for others. The Merchant Lord demands integrity of his followers, for even a losing bargain may open the path to a better trade in the future. As trade and commerce requires communication and contact, the Grand Traveller urges his followers to support both overland and oversea travel, so that new fortunes can be made, and trade be safe and bountiful.

Lesser Sects of the Trademaster:

Sacred Brokers of Lore: These followers of the Trademaster hold diligently to the mantra "Knowledge Is Power." Sacred Brokers focus on the accumulation of information, and bargain that information into positions of power and control. The Sacred Brokers collectively comprise a spy network of incredible potential power, held in check only by the desires of the individuals to covet and trade information for their own personal gain. Many of the Sacred Brokers become eunuchs, in order to remove undue personal influences that might interfere with one's judgement or drain one's resources without sufficient recompense.

Wanderers of the Grand Traveller: Numerous lone priests of the Trademaster become enraptured with wanderlust, always travelling the roads and sea routes in search of new markets, new bargains and new experiences. Though these Wanderers form no secular body, members often feel bound in a loose sense of brotherhood by their faith in the Trademaster and their quest for new horizons.

The Sea Warden
(aka the Wave Lord, the Divine Captain of the High Seas, the Grand Mariner)

Dogma of the Sea Warden:

The waters of the High Seas are blessed in the eyes of those that serve the Wave Lord. Their is nothing more invigorating than challenging the elements on the ocean, from the wind and spray on one's face to the pitching of the deck beneath one's feet. Daring men and women must defy the odds and dare the impossible, if mortals are to expand their reach. The Sea Warden teaches that life without risk is empty; life must be lived and damn the consequences. The ocean holds harsh lessons, drowning those without the strength or perseverance to forge their own way upon her waters. Yet to the bold and daring, the Grand Mariner grants his boon, aiding those that aid themselves and the crews of their vessels on the churning waters of the High Seas.

Lesser Sects of the Sea Warden:

As the Church of the Sea Warden is loosely organized, with clergy and laymen coming together in worship only while serving the same ship or in port at the same time, there are no true sects of the Sea Warden.

The Trickster
(aka the Laughing One, the Grand Prankster, the Divine Jester)

Dogma of the Trickster:

The Trickster teaches that it is one's duty to remind those of too attached to an ordered life and a predictable routine that life is chaotic. A staid and static life does not allow for the learning of life's lessons, and the Trickster takes pride in teaching these lessons through his practical jokes and pranks. As such lessons can backfire or be turned back on the jester, the Trickster admonishes his flock to be mindful to accept the laugh and appreciate the trick when such should happen to them.

Lesser Sects of the Trickster:

Bearers of the Dark Chalice: This darker sect of the Trickster promotes social changes through thievery, assassination and other forms of worldly chaos. When others think of the Trickster's cruelty, they are often thinking of acts performed by this cult in his name.

Scholars of St. Jovius: The cult of the Trickster focuses on their roles as teachers and mentors, following the path of St. Jovius, a reknowned hierophant of the Trickster. St. Jovius promoted and exemplified the responsibility of a servant of the Trickster to serve as an instructor and guide for the youth. The cult has promoted a number of collegiums on Dalmora and the surrounding isles dedicated to social reform through an enlightened education.

The Storm Lord
(aka the Ruthless One, the Warmaster, the Lord of Lightning)

Dogma of the Storm Lord:

The Storm Lord teaches that only the strong deserve the right to rule, and that honor is measured by success on the battlefield, not in the high courts. The Storm Lord also teaches that warskill is not the only strength, but that strength comes in many forms: physical, mental, and magical. Indeed, the Storm Lord wields the natural forces of weather in testament to his teachings, having wrested the power from the hands of his brother, the Sea Warden. The Storm Lord teaches that there is honor on the battlefield, for true tests of controlled force and personal strength can only be displayed through direct and open conflict. Chaos leads to a lack of control, and control must be maintained if one is to manifest measurable and repeated success. Victory is the only true tribute one can give to honor the Storm Lord, and the greatest sin to the Ruthless One is to lose a battle through the ineffective use of superior force.

Lesser Sects of the Storm Lord:

Questors of Blood: This sect of profane war-priests seek to promote war for the sake of war, seeking to increase their chances of victory by increasing the number of conflicts they are involved in. Many have formed warbands that travel from conflict to conflict, creating one when none can be found.

High Reavers: This maritime sect of the Storm Lord worship the Storm Lord through piracy and privateering, promoting naval supremacy as their tribute to the Ruthless One. Much of their power comes from magical control of the weather while on the High Seas, combined with numbers and warskill as boarding actions bring the maritime forces into direct conflict. Their religious fervor and magical might make the High Reavers a much-feared threat on the waters of the Nine Kingdoms of Arn.

The Grand Tyrant
(aka the Dark Noble, the Hatemaster, the Iron Fist)

Dogma of the Grand Tyrant:

Personified in doctrine as an intelligent greatsword of fearsome power, the Grand Tyrant is hard, unyielding and dangerous. The Dark Noble promotes conquest and retribution as sacred aims. Only those with strength and dominion over others hold power and are worthy of the gifts of the Hatemaster. The weak are not fit to rule, and peace is for the weak. Control must be held by power and strength. Indeed, all resistance must be crushed as an example of the follies of weakness, for the true ruler will emerge victorious. Compromise is a poison to the soul. Nobility and honor are useless if it deminishes one's ability to rule with an iron fist. The greatest testament to the glory of the Grand Tyrant are the number of spirits that lie broken before the Dark Noble, for slaves and servants are the birthright of the victorious. Hate is a virtue that gives power and strength to those that hold dominion, and thus hate is a sacrament to the Grand Tyrant.

Lesser Sects of the Grand Tyrant:

As the Grand Tyrant teaches that might makes right, and promotes the personal power of the individual instead of a collective power, there are no true sects of the Grand Tyrant. A prime example would be the Tyranny of Ku'dan, where the teachings of the Grand Tyrant hold sway over a large population of humanoids.

Keeper of the Dead
(aka The Reaper, The Dark One, Lord of the Night)

Dogma of the Keeper of the Dead:

The Keeper of the Dead is the patron of all who seek the greatest evil for their own enjoyment or gain. All life is seen as an affront to the Keeper of the Dead, for it reminds him of the love he lost when the Great Mother chose his brother the Green Man over himself. Thus, every death brings a dark spark of joy to his long-dead heart. The Keeper of the Dead thus relishes the sacrifice of life, and teaches that death is both a blessing and a gift, for it brings the souls of the dead into the realms of the Keeper.

Lesser Sects of the Keeper of the Dead:

Cult of the Dark Prophecy: These followers of the Keeper of the Dead are an example of the numerous necromantic cults that promote undeath as a path to power under the sway of the Keeper of the Dead. Such cults offer various paths to undeath as a form of afterlife on the Plane Prime.

Servitors of the Shadowed Wheel: This small sect of followers of the Keeper of the Dead believe that undeath is still a mockery of life, as it prevents the souls of the dead from travelling fully into the Keeper of the Dead's realms. Thus, the Servitors seek to destroy these undead, but only after the undead have served the will of the Keeper, and sent other souls into the Shadowlands.

The Ravager of Lands
(aka Mistress of Mayhem, the Blood-Matron, the Great Destroyer)

Dogma of the Ravager of Lands:

This brutal patron promotes mayhem and murder. The Ravager of Lands teaches her followers to shed blood for its own sake, to take what they desire, and to destroy those that would deny them anything. She also teaches that peace is a weakness only cured by strife. Forcibly taking something away from others is an exalted deed. That which cannot be killed, must be maimed. That which cannot be stolen, must be destroyed. Only a path of destruction and destruction brings glory and spiritual enlightenment.

Lesser Sects of the Ravager of Lands:

Due to the destructive nature of the teachings of the Great Destroyer, there are no sects that survive long enough to be greater than others. Thus there are none that are lesser than a primary following. Whether among the savage tribes of humanoids that plague civilized islands or the criminal cults that destroy kingdoms from within, servitors of the Blood-Matron live to fulfill her teachings in their own individual ways.