[lonnarin]

I just saw Leanthar's recent message about RPing diety relationships between characters, which I somewhat agree with. However, some deity relationships make no sense to begin with. For example, Xeen is Friendly towards Folian, but Folian Dislikes Xeen. In this case, if a Folianite and Xeenite become friends, are they only half in the wrong? Should all Xeenite clerics pester Folianite clerics with party invitations, and Folianites treat the Xeenites with utter contempt for their adoration? Would two such clerics partying together get along or hate eachother in this case?

Next is the issue of Likes and Dislikes that don't make sense to begin with. Like Toran the defender of the weak and of the common man who seems to have a mutual disdain for Prunilla, the patron of the peasant farmers and the happy home... Does this mean that LG paladins who are sworn to protect their homelands and the peasant farmers secretly HATE them as they do so? Do the farmers gripe that the paladins should quit patrolling the outskirts and roads so that orc hoardes can raid their farms more often? Deep down inside, do Toranite paladins fantasize of raiding innocent farmers, laying waste to their crops and burning down their barns for valuing agriculture above martial law?

Then what about Aeridenites and Azattans who by the very virtue of their faith must show loving kindness to all forms of life? Even though they might hate Corath himself for what he preaches, how do they view Corathites who by virtue of Azattan theology are capable of redemption without exception, and by virtue of Aeridenite theology, are entitled to their life, and should be peacefully dealt with?

I can understand the clear oppositional gods like Toran vs Corath, Dorand Vs Grand and Grannoch, Vorax vs Pyrtechon or Sulterio... but it's the strange exceptions mentioned above that give me pause. I would like to see more background lore and explaination as to why some gods hate the gods that love them, and why guardian paladins hate the very people they are sworn to protect. How should an Aeridenite approach a Corathite when peace is all he should know? Are there some followers of gods that Azattans feel are beyond redemption? Those have been the nagging questions in the back of my mind regarding deity relations.

One more question, should followers of illegal gods who must worship in secret like Corathites be openly aggressive towards opposing gods publicly? The smart corathite cleric I would think would keep his disdain under wraps for fear of being burned at the stake, since its a dead giveaway once he starts RPing his diety relationship chart. What better way to hide his religion from the public than to pretend to be friends with the neighborhood paladin? Trickery is part of his portfolio, after all. I never saw Rufus or Chanda wear their deity relationships on their sleeves, which is precisely what made them such good Corathites.