As far as I know, the 31 steps have never been fully detailed, if at all. Id like to ask people what they think the steps or at least some of these steps are. I like to think that the 31 steps are well known in the church, but just like in Imodae's case, some of them had people asking, "How in the hell did a paladin do that?" I think the same thing of Razmir. Some of the things on the list would be so grandeur that people would ask, "How in the hell does anyone do that?"
Any thoughts or ideas are welcome. Maybe we can compile a homebrewed list.
I always thought Razmir was a jab at Scientology which has a similar 'steps in progression' bs.
|
I like to think that the steps are secret, and only the folks trying to move up a step know what they have to accomplish (also those who have already made that step). An acolyte of the lowest step may only know that he has to convert 40 foreigners to the Faith of the Living God to move to the next step, but doesn't know that to move from 2 to 3 you have to donate 1,000 gold (means of acquisition is of course irrelevant). It adds more mystique to the cult atmosphere of the Living God, and helps reinforce the pyramid scheme that it is.
Here's a few steps I could think of:
0 - Donate 50 gp of personal belongings as a show of piety
1 - Convert 30 foreigners to the Faith
2 - Donate 1,000 gp to broaden the reach of the Faith
3 - Participate in the Cleansing of the Heretics event in the Exalted Wood
4 - Uncover and quash a Heretic plot that threatens the Faith
5 - Donate 10,000 gp to show your supreme piety
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
The last step is profit.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
It's pretty clear in the Factions Guide that, aside from Razmir, the closest anyone's ever gotten, is something like 15th Step.
Gaining Prestige
Because the organization is based on funneling wealth toward the upper levels of the church, the easiest way to gain status is to donate money and goods—a character can literally buy his way into a better status within the church. Donating 190 gp worth of money, goods (especially healing items), or services earns a character 1 PA. Converting others into believers is another common tactic, yielding a PA value that depends on the “value” of the person converted (typically a number of PA equal to the convert’s level divided by 2 for PC-classed recruits, or the convert’s level divided by 10 for recruits with NPC classes). Finally, killing unbelievers—mainly clerics of other religions—is worth the same as converting them to Razmir’s faith, but only if their level is equal to or greater than the cultist’s level.
Here's everything that's mentioned about the Steps in the factions guide (literally, I didn't cut out any "steps" there - they simply don't mention the numbers amongst others, and "First Step" isn't the lowest PA award on the list).
<snip>
5 TPA, 5 CPA: Gain the title “Acolyte of the First Step.” Acolytes may purchase tears of Razmir (see the Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting) or tears of perfection (see Appendix) at a 10% discount, and they gain a +1 bonus to saving throws against drugs and ingested poisons. Acolytes may demand food and shelter from any cult member. For this and the other title-based rewards for
this faction, a character can “upgrade” his rank in the church by paying the CPA difference between his current rank and the desired rank.<snippy>
10 TPA, 10 CPA: Gain the title “Priest of the Third Step.” Priests may purchase drugs and poisons from the church at a 10% discount. Priests also gain a +1 bonus on saving throws against poison (this bonus replaces the +1 bonus against ingested poison) and have free access to temple concubines and church-run businesses that require a cover fee (such as bars, brothels, clubs, gambling halls, or restaurants).
<snipper-snack>
20 TPA, 20 CPA: Gain the title “Herald of the Eighth Step.” The character is blessed by Razmir with the gift of voice and can use enthrall 1/day as a spell-like ability. The character also gains a +1 bonus on saves vs. enchantments.
<snip-to-the-loo>
35 TPA, 35 CPA: Gain the title “Mask of the Twelfth Step.” Those
with this title are allowed to wear silver masks, and they gain a +1 bonus on saves against mindaffecting effects. Those of this rank are blessed by Razmir in a special ritual, granting them the ability to use suggestion once per week as a spell-like ability (caster level equal to the character’s level, DC is Charisma-based).50 TPA, 50 TPA: Gain the title “Vision of the Fifteenth Step.” Visions are blessed by Razmir in a special ritual, granting them a +1 insight bonus on initiative checks and granting them the ability to use mass suggestion once per week as a spell-like ability (caster level equal to the character’s level, DC is Charisma-based).
In the PF campaign setting, it mentions...
Today, Razmiran is a society
governed by force and intimidation. The faith’s ruthless priests control
every facet of the state and economy from behind iron masks (an imitation of their god). While the common-folk toil at their fields or
trade, the faithful take a portion of their work known as the Tithing
Step. The clergy, meanwhile, enjoys a life of comfort, with their station in the faith granting them a great deal of power and wealth. Those who dare to defy the faith face severe punishment—imprisonment, exile, or even execution. This leads many to join the faith as a path of prosperity, regardless of their belief. Such acolytes are sent to the Exalted Wood for training and come back changed, acting in league with the faith despite any previous misgivings.
Government: A council of high-ranking priests known as the Visions handles the actual governance of Razmiran. The goldmasked
priests carry out Razmir’s erratic mandates, each in a unique way. While some Visions are gifted sorcerers, others are skilled at martial combat and others still use honeyed words and bribes to accomplish their goals. Since they are all identically attired, most obey Visions without question, for fear of angering one of the more cruel members.
Razmir himself holds council with his Visions from atop a 31-stepped throne, in reference to the steps he supposedly took to achieve divinity. From there, he hides his mortality behind an ornate ivory mask.
... and more specifically...
Steps of the Living God
Those who follow the teachings of Razmir are organized by their loyalty to the faith and accomplishments in the name of the Living God. These orders are referred to as “Steps,” in accordance with the number of steps the cleric is allowed to ascend when in the presence of the Living God. Each follower is assigned a simple robe and a mask to denote his station in the faith. The orders are as follows.
Title.............................. Robe.... Mask
Acolyte of the First Step..... White... Iron
Priest of the Third Step....... Gray.... Iron
Herald of the Eighth Step.... Black... Iron
Mask of the Twelfth Step..... Blue.... Silver
Vision of the Fifteenth Step.. Red.... Gold
... which actually lines up with the Faction Guide.
While the Pathfinder Campaign Setting is a 3.5 product, it's pretty accurate, still, reference Rasmir and Razmiran. I've got the Inner Sea World Guide (the PF version of the PFCS) somewhere, but I can't really find it right now, soooooooooo... you get the 3.5 one instead.
I think it's implied by the ISWG that there exists no other 'caste' higher than the Vision. At least if I recall correctly, it only mentions (like the PFCS quote above) the Gold masked priests live in luxury and are effectively the power within Razmiran (loyal, as they are, to Razmir himself).
That might help in some of your research and development. I hope so! :)
(Also, since he never actually passed the test of the Starstone, the 31 Steps are so much bunk, so they might not be fully established, even by Razmir, beyond, "it sounded cool at the time".)
Just a quick question - is there no such thing as 'spontaneous ascendance' in PF? Usually, when someone (in folklore/myth) is revered as 'a god', they actually become one when they die (at least a demi-power). That means, in a D&D/RPG setting, Razmir's path could theoretically work in the long run.
Or is this not so in Golarion? Is the only way to ascend by way of the Starstone? Can a deity sponsor a mortal to become a god? What about 'a Saint'? Is that status not considered a demi-power, merely a high-level Celestial?
Sorry if this was a little OT - it was just something I was wondering about since I read about Razmiran in the Inner Sea Guide.
There are spontaneous ascendencies, but they're exceedingly rare. So far, I know of three: Urgathoa, Irori, Nephthys, and Aroden (the last of which is debatable, as it was due to raising the Starstone, despite being immortal for ages before that.)
And pretty much Pharasma puts an end to all that sort of nonsense. Urgathoa is about the only one who successfully went that route, from what I can tell. There are a few successful demon lords and dukes of hell and maybe a few empyreal lords that have ascended by their 'bootstraps' as it were, but those aren't exactly gods.
There are a few other ascended gods, but they were generally raised by other gods.
EDIT: that's not to say that it can't work, but only that it hasn't at this time. Currently Razmir isn't a god. And he's in no hurry to die to become one, so it might take him quite some time to ever accidentally learn how to ascend.
|
Steps of the Living God
Those who follow the teachings of Razmir are organized by their loyalty to the faith and accomplishments in the name of the Living God. These orders are referred to as “Steps,” in accordance with the number of steps the cleric is allowed to ascend when in the presence of the Living God. Each follower is assigned a simple robe and a mask to denote his station in the faith. The orders are as follows.
Title.............................. Robe.... Mask
Acolyte of the First Step..... White... Iron
Priest of the Third Step....... Gray.... Iron
Herald of the Eighth Step.... Black... Iron
Mask of the Twelfth Step..... Blue.... Silver
Vision of the Fifteenth Step.. Red.... Gold
ISWG p159 has exactly the same text without the subheading.