Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dirkk 08-31-04, 06:38 PM	I hope this hasn't been answered before but i doubt it so i didn't bother to use the search button but sorry anyway if i was wrong if it did was answered before. Anyway when i was going through the book making a char with my girlfriend I found the explanation regarding domains lacking. It seems to me each domain only has very few gods attached to it. Is this a restrictive list or only the most common choice for those clerics of that specific god? I guess it doesn't matter all that much for a cleric of the sovereign host but my gf wants to make a valenar elf cleric. Shes going to be a keeper of the past and hence she worships the Undying court. We thought it would be cool to have the Deathless domain and the War domain. After all the clerics of valenar inspire the warriors to great deeds and follow them in war. I understand why they have the good and protection domains but the war domain would be an especially good choice since it would give a free proficiency and focus in the Undying courts favorite weapon, the scimitar. Which is just a really cool weapon! I'm sorry if i didn't make myself 100% clear, english is not my native language but thanx in advance for anyone who could make a helpfull contribution to this topic. Dirk
MarkB 08-31-04, 06:51 PM	To address your specific case, you seem to be working under a misapprehension about the Keepers of the Past. They do not worship the Undying Court. Instead, they revere their even more distant ancestors, those who fought and died in the great wars of Xen'drik that freed the elves from their oppressive Giant masters. Thus, the reason the Undying Court does not include the War domain is that they have no direct links with the martial Valenar elves - they are purely associated with the more insular Aerenal elves, who are not warlike by nature. As a Keeper of the Past cleric, you would most likely revere the martial acts of a particular ancient ancestor, or those of a clan or warband, and would seek to emulate their legendary feats, or - as a priest - to exhort others to do so. You would almost certainly have access to the War domain, and any other that would seem to have direct relevance to those particular ancestors. You would not have access to the Deathless domain - Valenar elves believe in honouring their dead by emulating them, not by physically immortalising them.
Hellcow 08-31-04, 09:22 PM	This is something I plan to address in a future Dragonshard article focusing on the Valenar. The Deathless domain as it stands does include a few spells that would be appropriate for a Valenar Keeper of the Past (spirit steed and heroes blade), but the others are inappropriate for the Valenar. The War domain would certainly make sense; my inclination would be to use the double scimitar (which is after all a martial weapon if you're Valenar).
Dirkk 09-01-04, 03:02 AM	Excuse me MarkB but the book specifically states that the keepers of the past consist of bards and clerics of the Undying court. Thx Keith Baker if you could write that dragonshard article before the end of the month, the earlier the better, that would help me out alot. Imo the keepers of the past are pretty much the coolest concept for a eberron cleric. My gf really wants to play a cleric so if you (or anybody else) might have a great idea for a eberron cleric i would greatly appreciate it. You're right i guess that the double scimitar is the most appropriate choice especially because it becomes a martial weapon for valenar elves. Would this mean that when they take the War domain they can have the weapon focus feat with the double scimitar instead of the regular scimitar? If the campaign starts early this month i will probably adhoc it and give keepers of the past clerics the War domain. The other could be protection or healing or something that looks like it fits for a war priest. I would like to raise one point of discussion thoughwith your idea of changing the keepers of the past completely as you seem to imply. It seems to me that the bards especially revere the heroes of Xen'drik and that the clerics still respect and worship the undying court to some extent but placing the heroes in higher regard in front of their warriors. The basic tenets of elf religion taken with them from aerenal lingers on in their religious behaviour nonetheles. This seems more logical especially considering usual "elvish" behaviour of keeping to traditions because of their extremely long lifespan. The Deathless domain wouldn't seem that wrong then. But a strict keepers of the past cleric that adheres completely to revering the heroes of the past would be a cool option. But imo the book clearly says that even tho they revere their heroes of the past they still also worship the ancient Undying court. Makes sense no? Unless you're basically saying that you miswrote something in the ECS and need to correct that. Which is fine by me, ppl make mistakes. Sorry for the long post, thx for reading it (and for your possible reply)
MarkB 09-01-04, 03:13 AM	Excuse me MarkB but the book specifically states that the keepers of the past consist of bards and clerics of the Undying court. Sorry, ignore me - I read the Power Groups section on the Keepers, then skimmed over the paragraph on religion. <Kicks self>
Hellcow 09-01-04, 03:17 AM	Unless you're basically saying that you miswrote something in the ECS and need to correct that. Which is fine by me, ppl make mistakes. Well, I didn't write everything in the ECS. ;) We were covering a lot of material in the campaign setting book,and there's a lot more that could (and will) be said about both the Tairnadal and the Aereni that we just didn't have space for. The Valenar respect both the Undying Court and its clerics, and it is certainly possible to find clerics of the Undying Court among the Valenar. However, I their preference is for the Keepers of the Past,who have a slightly different tradition (bards being part of it); keep an eye on future dragonshards.
Bluebrush 09-01-04, 06:47 AM	Well, considering unaligned cleric is fine, balance wise, and that it's possible to worship multiple gods (IE: Pantheon worship and gnomish religion) then I think it'd probably be okay to have an elf with War and Deathless Domains.
Dirkk 09-01-04, 11:34 AM	Ok thx for your replies. Keith, my gf said I shouldn't poke you like that :p anyway gah i feel stupid, i knew that you didn't write all the stuff in the book, it was in a review I read, sorry. Oh and i can't wait for that dragonshard article, i'm looking forward to it. In the meantime i'm going i'm making the cleric so that it has war and deathless domain and undying court but also the Heroes of Xen'drik as religion. The cleric will then have the martial weapon proficiency and focus of scimitar. Dirk