OK everyone, we're straying into the off-topic zone a bit here. I'm going to make a statement, and then from that statement respond to a few of the posts/questions/comments since my last.
Of the various dogmas we have for our 28 deities, pretty much all of them are undergoing at least some clarification and in some cases some significant shifts. There are a few main reasons for this. One important, and rather discontinuous reason is to divorce ourselves from the IP, trademarks and copyrights of D&D/FR/WotC/NWN and whatever else and produce something that is uniquely Layonara. In other cases, there were dogmas which just didn't fit quite right, and still others are shifting
as a direct result of in-game events.In the latter case, there are things that happened that caused or precipitated these changes, but they are not necessarily common knowledge to the player base. I understand that this is confusing to some, and much will be clarified when EdTheKet and others can complete the Handbook, Pantheon book and so on.
A few of the deities and dogmas that shifted due to in-game events are Toran and Aeridin, to name two off the top of my head.
Now, getting onto my responses...
@Dorganath: How would the Aeridinite Church view the Hierophant and Druids power in shapeshifting in general... keeping in mind that the Hierophant is the keeper of the Great Oak which keeps Layonara alive?
At certain times he has shapeshifted into a tree...
Rhizome is an Aeridinite. So how would they look upon him because of his ability to shapeshift?
Again, Rhizome is not a member of the Church of Aeridin. He holds no rank other than his druidic rank of the Heirophant. And yes, he cares for the Great Oak. Aeridin's dogmatic shift regarding the alteration of forms is a new development, due to in-game actions mentioned above.
How would the church would look upon Rhizome...well, they wouldn't tell him he can't profess a belief. Surely they would disapprove of his shapeshifting, but then he might view it as not really altering his form so much as expressing yet another natural variation of his form.
But how Rhizome would view this shift is really not my place to answer
You know... I understand all the work that's gone into the new dogma, but I'm really just not feeling this new spin on Aeridin. I had always seen him as Aid Above All, who hated Necromancy because it damaged the rightful Cycle of Life. A shapeshifter, while changing their form, is not damaging the Cycle, as they're still living, and will still die and return to the earth.
I guess I just don't agree with the shift from focusing on preserving the Cycle to preserving the "purity" of life.
Am I just looking at this the wrong way?
Don't take this the wrong way, but yes, I think you are looking at it the wrong way. Aeridin's updated dogma is a direct result of things that happened in-game. I'm not going to go into those details, so please don't ask, but suffice it to say, in the light of those events, a de-emphasis on the Cycle and a greater emphasis on Life and it's purity is a very appropriate outcome. I'm not trying to be secretive, but as I said, it's not my place to give out these details. Furthermore, there's no reason why these events should be common knowledge, even among followers of Aeridin.
Dorg: When people choose deities for their characters, especially those who play clerics, paladins and champions, they should be prepared to tailor their RP to be in line with the dogma. No one has ever said that one must play in lock-step with every written word, with every dot of punctuation and do so in a mindless way. It is certaintly not against the spirit of this server to subscribe to the dogma of a deity.
What you say there is fine. But what about when the Dogma is changed after the character is created and in many cases well established?
EDIT: Thanks for standing up for us writers
Well, there's a few things here....
If the dogma was changed due to IC and IG reasons, then characters need to roll with the changes. By that I don't mean just roll over and accept them as if nothing has happened...more like deciding ICly if they can still continue their belief in said deity or if the change is simply too great. I know at least one character who follows Aeridin, and a cleric at that, who is having a crisis of faith at the moment, though more because of the in-game actions that precipitated this change more than the change itself.
If the dogma change was not necessarily due to in-game actions but perhaps due to conflict in the heavens, this may seem like an OOC change, and perhaps to a degree it is, but it is still a shift that happens in game-time, and as such so too should the actions and attitudes of their followers. And if that strays too far away from what the character can stomach, then IC actions should change as a result.
A few changes will be rather OOC. These changes are being made simply because they have to be. We would have prefered to do everything in a way that makes IC sense with those in-game who know what went on, but time and resources makes that difficult to unlikely...even impossible. All I can say here is we're sorry it had to work out like this, but again...the changes had to occur.
For those changes which are very OOC, there will be an OOC way for existing characters to adjust as a result. Don't ask me what that is. Just please everyone be patient.
And sure...no problem! You writers are doing a fantastic job.