Giving one's life in the service of the gods is a job most noble. In this weeks edition I will be discussing the changes clerics can expect to see when approaching the new C&S The Rebirth rules. So, lets all open our Book2: Magicks and Miracles and start cracking.

First off notice that clerics are divided into two varieties. The first are those that walk the path between clerics and magicians. The Priest Mages are Druids, Shaman, and Witch. The pure Priests are Friars, Monastics, and Ordained Clergy. I will spend a little time below discussion each vocation in turn.

In both cases the primary skill used if the cleric's Faith which helps determine their Personal Faith Factor (PFF). This acts in a similiar way to the Personal Magick Factor (PMF) of a wizard. Except that is also helps determine when a cleric gains access to their spells and the total time it takes to cast them.

In accordance with their names, these vocations are both clerics and magicians. While this may seem to be a very powerful combination, by dividing their focus between two categories they are weak in both. Still, these vocation offer tremendous flexibility with most have 4-5 methods as primary and another 2-3 methods as secondary. In combination with the full -3 DF for their casting mode gives them limited by fully functional spell casting ability.

The prime focus for each of the vocations tend to be closer to the animal gods than to the higher human gods. They channel spirits and command totems rather than ask outside gods for assistance. In many small communities the word of priest mages carry far more weight that any priests living and isolated orders or preaching from the pulpit. The priest mage is a part of the community and such they are often the town headman or wisdom.

The priest vocations given in the rulebook are representations of the Christian faith. Since Miranda doesn't contain any connection to actual religions they will not be the perfect match. However, it serves as a good place to start the discussion. In later quarters I will roll out the priestly vocations for my world and open them up to discussion in these pages.

Their vocations divide the world in to Friars, Monastics, and Ordained Clergy. Friars are those clergy that wander the world without living a secular life, but as an individual in the real world. While the brotherhood may have houses where friars can stay for short periods of time, they are expected to make their way across the world helping the lay people. Monastics belong to a single order or community and only leave to travel between abbeys. They are scholars and the abbeys often are some of the greatest libraries on the world.

Ordained Clergy represents those that have accepted holy orders and have becomed ordained into their faith. They can commune with their gods and can enact Acts of Faith in their name. Those that wish can also join a Monastic or Fighting Order. In fact, in many places the knights loyal to the church often outnumber the knights loyal to the local lord. This represents a great deal of political power the church can wield to accomplish tasks in the name of their gods.