So, I have searched for various tidbits on Aroden and I have a decent grasp on what's been said about him and his death. I even feel like I've got some decent stuff on him as a deity.
My question is about the current state of his Church. The texts indicate that alot of his church went to the Inheritor, but it's implied that she didn't get *all* of the followers. I think it's also implied that a sizable minority went to Asmodeus when Cheliax switched over.
So what's the current state of the rest of his followers? Is there an active Church of Aroden? 100 years is actually quite a while for a church to survive with no god to back it up, but it's quite feasible for small sects to continue.
I'm asking because I'm starting up a new character who will be following Aroden, using the revival or resurection of Aroden as the Epic Goal for the character (and yes, I know it's likely impossible - that's the point, it's not meant to be achieved, it's meant to be striven for). But I'm left grasping at straws for what currently exists.
my personal favorite: the Church of Aroden has become an underground group working to revitalize him. They typically fall into camps of belief - he's dead and needs to be raised, or he's not dead and has simply turned his back on humanity as a test/for some divine reason. Either way, many powers that be would rather destroy the CoA than allow it success.
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There's really no church of Aroden left. His death pretty much messed up the entire religion. There are some temples and cathedrals still standing, but they're run down and falling into ruin; most of his priests have died off (remember, he's the god of humanity, and he died 100 years ago... his remaining clerics have mostly died of old age). The few worshipers who took up the mantle find it tough going; they don't gain spells if they're clerics, and they don't have much support except from the church of Iomedae (who has a lot of other problems on its hands).
Most of those who once worshiped Aroden have gone on to worship Iomedae. A fair amount turned to Asmodeus. There's a third but still minor deity of uprisings and hope named Milani who got a fair amount of his followers too (Milani is detailed in the upcoming hardcover Campaign Setting and Gods & Magic).
But overall... there's no active church of Aroden. And there are no clerics who receive spells from him. If you want to have a PC cleric of Aroden gaining spells, that'd have to be a special story element of that campaign.
But as far as canon Golarion stuff goes... he won't be coming back. His mantle has shifted to other deities.
So, I have searched for various tidbits on Aroden and I have a decent grasp on what's been said about him and his death. I even feel like I've got some decent stuff on him as a deity.
My question is about the current state of his Church. The texts indicate that alot of his church went to the Inheritor, but it's implied that she didn't get *all* of the followers. I think it's also implied that a sizable minority went to Asmodeus when Cheliax switched over.
So what's the current state of the rest of his followers? Is there an active Church of Aroden? 100 years is actually quite a while for a church to survive with no god to back it up, but it's quite feasible for small sects to continue.
I'm asking because I'm starting up a new character who will be following Aroden, using the revival or resurection of Aroden as the Epic Goal for the character (and yes, I know it's likely impossible - that's the point, it's not meant to be achieved, it's meant to be striven for). But I'm left grasping at straws for what currently exists.
my personal favorite: the Church of Aroden has become an underground group working to revitalize him. They typically fall into camps of belief - he's dead and needs to be raised, or he's not dead and has simply turned his back on humanity as a test/for some divine reason. Either way, many powers that be would rather destroy the CoA than allow it success.
Interestingly, I, too, am running a campaign with a character that wants to be Aroden (re)incarnate.
A surviving church of Aroden is specifically mentioned in the Guide to Korvosa, which exists in Old Korvosa. Sad and demented, but still there.
The player has basically left things in my hands, so I'm going to set it up thus:
Since Aroden was once human, it is likely he has descendants. Our hero, who doesn't actually have a name, is one such descendant. He doesn't remember his name, because he doesn't remember anything prior to being tortured by unknown bad guys 2 years ago (100 years to the day since the death of Aroden). Our hero mysteriously summoned a defender to save him from this predicament and was rescued by a group of Pharasmen, who took him in. He has become a cleric of Pharasma, as he believes that Pharasma answers his requests for divine aid. In fact, he is a divine spark of Aroden reborn and actually grants himself spells. He is back, actually, because Pharasma sent him back. It turns out that she was not down with the Aroden's avoiding death by becoming a god and somehow managed to "get" him 100 years ago. Kazavon, however, is also annoyingly refusing to die, and Pharasma wants his soul, so she sent down a fraction of the divine soul of Aroden (her most powerful soul) to teach Kazavon a lesson. When things are taken care of, Phrasma plans to simply retrieve the Aroden-piece, and everyone's happy (or dead). Over the course of the campaign, the player will realize that Pharasma is not really on his side and, ultimately, take another crack at the Starstone test to regain his divinity. Hilarity will likely ensue.
This is, by the way, subjct to change.
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But overall... there's no active church of Aroden. And there are no clerics who receive spells from him. If you want to have a PC cleric of Aroden gaining spells, that'd have to be a special story element of that campaign.
That's exactly what I was looking for! thank you. :) I had assumed that a Cleric of Aroden would have no spells currently, but hadn't bothered going that route, as I'm instead a Wizard, going for the scholarly aspect of the pursuit right now. ie, he's just started his attempts to find how to raise Aroden or if it's even possible.