I have started planning a world. This is a young world. Rich with magic. I've never played Ebberon but this could be considered a beginning version of it. And in this version there are no undead, well not yet anyway. So in the beginning i am taking away the ability to turn or rebuke undead because in a world that has no idea what undead are. How will they know how to rebuke or turn them. I plan on bringing undead into the game between levels 5-10 thinking more like 7-10. Before this there will be rumors nothing more. Villages being attacked, tombs being ransacked etc.
What I need help with is ideas of how to bring these abilities to the game. The only thing i can think of is having the gods granting their clerics this ability in a dream and they wake up with the knowledge. But this seems obvious and i was wondering if there could be another way. All suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.
Just off the top of my head: A devotee of a protection deity has his holy symbol emblazoned on a shield. He lifts the shield to defend himself (possibly in a desperate moment of an overwhelming attack) and cries out to his patron to protect him. The symbol glows on the shield and the undead recoils.
This could be orchestrated by you (taking a lot of careful, well-timed actions to get a player to do that) or could be related as a rumor that spreads among the faithful.
Alternately a priest if a sun or light duty notices light and undead don't mix. He creates an item in the former of a holy symbol infused with sunlight or immersed in holy holy set aflame that becomes the prototype for all future holy symbols. Every holy symbol from then on must be concerted in the relic's presence and bath in its light to be effective.
A nature deity sends a divine servant animal to lead the faithful to a huge tree teeming with positive (life) energy. Holy symbols crafted from the wood repel undead.
A follower of a community deity might be able to cajole ancestor spirits to possess holy symbols for a short time using their raw energy to ward of the undead.
Sorry double post
Sorry typos
The dream or priestly vision would work. You may want to limit or alter undead defensive capabilities (special materials vs magical weapons or damage reduction). Special abilities of a mummy or vampire could be extremely difficult to deal with.
Undead could be on some sort of cycle so knowledge could be scarce. Family weapons could turn into holy weapons in the hands of priests.
Oracles could also be a way to get knowledge into the game either as a player or Npc/henchman. Having a character infected could also bring more tension into the game.
Maybe divinity has nothing to do with it. Alchemists could create positive energy bombs that heal the living and injure the undead and might dazzle/blind those unprepared for the burst.