Meloran Priestess - Chaste or not? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Meloran Priestess - Chaste or not?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
pureheart1975
Mar 23, 2010 10:40:39
I've created my own world for my 4th ed game. I'm a bit stumped right now. I've provided a very long quest that should take almost a year for my players to complete. They are currently visiting my worlds largest library and I asked them to write down on an index card what they wanted to learn about in this library. In a previous city one of the Meloran Priestess' they talked to had a secret lover. Now one of my players listed on their index card "Chastity amongst Meloran Nuns". This particular priestess' affair has NOTHING to do with the quest and is completely insignificant. However, since my player is asking, I want to provide information. Is there ANYTHING anyone can tell me about the Priestess' of Melora traditionally?
#2
gargs454
Mar 23, 2010 10:48:22 To my recollection, I cannot recall it being mentioned . . . at least in 4ed. That being said, even if it is mentioned somewhere, its your world, so you can answer it however you want.

On the plus side, you've got a potentially great opportunity for a hook here, and if nothing else, the priestess may become more important in your campaign than you had intended, which really isn't bad since I love it when my players throw me a curveball like that.
#3
pureheart1975
Mar 23, 2010 10:50:32 Yes thank you. Both ideas I have thought about. However, if there is anyone with traditional D&D knowledge about this situation, I would love to hear it. I'm not very well versed on dieties and traditional roles of Priests and Priestess' in dieties.
#4
mieorabloodsong
Mar 23, 2010 13:57:45 I've always associated Melora with Artemis in my mind, rightly or wrongly, so I would say that they were chaste. However, as far as I know there is nothing int he D&D lore that says they are.
#5
wouldy0ukindly
Mar 24, 2010 1:51:39 I'm not well versed with 4e.. or for that matter most canon gods... but is Melora goddess of the sea?

Being that there isn't any written evidence on the matter.. you get to do what (imo) is the core and best part of D&D (RPGs in general) ... making things up! One time, my friend made a modern campaign where we ended up at the port in Arlington, TX (Arlington is in NE Texas near Dallas). We teased him about it for ages, of course... but the point was.. hell it was HIS game!

But I digress.

As a goddess of the sea I don't see her priest/esses being too vigilant in this department. That's how I would rule it anyway. I would save those ideals for gods of honor etc.

But the main point is do you want them to be?
#6
Chiba_Monkey
Mar 24, 2010 3:10:26 Melora is a new deity to 4e, as far as I know.

Yes, she's a sea goddess, but she's also the go-to "nature" deity as well.

She's unaligned, and there's really nothing about her portfolio or the tenents of her faith that would imply to me that her clergy mandate a vow of chastity.

It seems to me that in most DnD faiths, vows of celibacy and chastity are a personal matter on the part of the clergy-person involved. Sort of a "I've taken this vow to more completely dedicate myself to (insert deity here)".

I'm sure one could FIND reasons for members of certain faiths to take one. Faithful of the Raven Queen, for example, might be forbidden to procreate, as the godess of death may not want MORE life. On the other hand, a new life means a new soul that will eventually pass to her realm. So it could go either way.

Bahamut is worshipped by dragons, who mate and lay clutches of eggs at a time. So it's probably safe to say that he does not mandate a vow of celibacy in his clergy. And he's Lawful Good, nominally considered the most restrictive and rigid alignment in such matters.

Personally, i use my own pantheon in my home campaign world. But my nature goddess (who's the closest thing I have to Melora) makes no such demands of her worshippers, on the basis that love and sex are natural aspects of the human conditions.

But perhaps in your scenario, the lover may have been a secret because of who the lover was. Maybe it was not that she had one. Perhaps he was one of the faithful of a rival faith?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 pureheart1975 Mar 23, 2010 10:40:39	I've created my own world for my 4th ed game. I'm a bit stumped right now. I've provided a very long quest that should take almost a year for my players to complete. They are currently visiting my worlds largest library and I asked them to write down on an index card what they wanted to learn about in this library. In a previous city one of the Meloran Priestess' they talked to had a secret lover. Now one of my players listed on their index card "Chastity amongst Meloran Nuns". This particular priestess' affair has NOTHING to do with the quest and is completely insignificant. However, since my player is asking, I want to provide information. Is there ANYTHING anyone can tell me about the Priestess' of Melora traditionally?
#2 gargs454 Mar 23, 2010 10:48:22	To my recollection, I cannot recall it being mentioned . . . at least in 4ed. That being said, even if it is mentioned somewhere, its your world, so you can answer it however you want. On the plus side, you've got a potentially great opportunity for a hook here, and if nothing else, the priestess may become more important in your campaign than you had intended, which really isn't bad since I love it when my players throw me a curveball like that.
#3 pureheart1975 Mar 23, 2010 10:50:32	Yes thank you. Both ideas I have thought about. However, if there is anyone with traditional D&D knowledge about this situation, I would love to hear it. I'm not very well versed on dieties and traditional roles of Priests and Priestess' in dieties.
#4 mieorabloodsong Mar 23, 2010 13:57:45	I've always associated Melora with Artemis in my mind, rightly or wrongly, so I would say that they were chaste. However, as far as I know there is nothing int he D&D lore that says they are.
#5 wouldy0ukindly Mar 24, 2010 1:51:39	I'm not well versed with 4e.. or for that matter most canon gods... but is Melora goddess of the sea? Being that there isn't any written evidence on the matter.. you get to do what (imo) is the core and best part of D&D (RPGs in general) ... making things up! One time, my friend made a modern campaign where we ended up at the port in Arlington, TX (Arlington is in NE Texas near Dallas). We teased him about it for ages, of course... but the point was.. hell it was HIS game! But I digress. As a goddess of the sea I don't see her priest/esses being too vigilant in this department. That's how I would rule it anyway. I would save those ideals for gods of honor etc. But the main point is do you want them to be?
#6 Chiba_Monkey Mar 24, 2010 3:10:26	Melora is a new deity to 4e, as far as I know. Yes, she's a sea goddess, but she's also the go-to "nature" deity as well. She's unaligned, and there's really nothing about her portfolio or the tenents of her faith that would imply to me that her clergy mandate a vow of chastity. It seems to me that in most DnD faiths, vows of celibacy and chastity are a personal matter on the part of the clergy-person involved. Sort of a "I've taken this vow to more completely dedicate myself to (insert deity here)". I'm sure one could FIND reasons for members of certain faiths to take one. Faithful of the Raven Queen, for example, might be forbidden to procreate, as the godess of death may not want MORE life. On the other hand, a new life means a new soul that will eventually pass to her realm. So it could go either way. Bahamut is worshipped by dragons, who mate and lay clutches of eggs at a time. So it's probably safe to say that he does not mandate a vow of celibacy in his clergy. And he's Lawful Good, nominally considered the most restrictive and rigid alignment in such matters. Personally, i use my own pantheon in my home campaign world. But my nature goddess (who's the closest thing I have to Melora) makes no such demands of her worshippers, on the basis that love and sex are natural aspects of the human conditions. But perhaps in your scenario, the lover may have been a secret because of who the lover was. Maybe it was not that she had one. Perhaps he was one of the faithful of a rival faith?