5001-HârnWorld/3rd Edition/37

Indoctrination into the mysteries of a religion is simultaneous with the accrual of additional responsibility and power. Anyone may (theoretically) be initiated into the rituals of the next “circle,” but such knowledge is shared sparingly. In practice, few laymen advance beyond the second circle. Even among the clergy, indoctrination into the higher circles sometimes has little to do with faith; advancement may be a matter of politics.

Clerical Orders
Hârn is somewhat unique in that most Hârnic clergy are members of a clerical order and most churches are organized into one or more such orders. This is a tradition created by the “barbaric” and “frontier” characteristics of Hârn, compared to much of western Lythia. These clerical orders are identified under the specific deity entries in Hârndex.

Fighting Orders
The lay followers of a deity are not generally required to support any particular order, but some lay warriors belong to fighting orders sponsored by various clerical orders. Each fighting order, commanded by a lay grandmaster, has a number of knights bachelor and may also have a contingent of common warriors. Fighting orders are generally devoted to some “high purpose,” such as the religious conversion of some barbaric region or the protection of an important individual or institution, although some are actually cynical, religious thugs. Hârn’s religious fighting orders are identified in Hârndex under the entries for the clerical orders that sponsor them.

Canon Law
Legally recognized churches have the right to hold their own courts and administer justice for a variety of religious crimes, including blasphemy, heresy, and witchcraft. Temple courts often use trial by ordeal to determine guilt or innocence. The penalties handed out vary from one church to another. Peonian courts rarely inflict permanent harm on offenders while Agrikan courts are perhaps overly fond of burning at the stake. Temple courts must obtain secular consent to any death penalties.

Other Religions
Apart from the ten major churches, there are hundreds of lesser divine and semi-divine entities who are worshiped by various folk. Hârnians are a superstitious lot, believing in the existence of some type of spirit (Kami, Totem, etc.) in every living, and many unliving, things. The barbarian tribes of Hârn all possess their own mythologies relating to such beliefs.

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