Welcome to the web resource for D20 gaming in the world of Barsaive
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Welcome to the web resource for D20 gaming in the world of Barsaive |
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Note: This text is taken from the main Earthdawn rulebook, go out and by one at Living Room Games today! I include it here for people who have no prior knowledge on how the Passions (gods) work in Barsaive, not as an infringement on copyright. The following is from Men and the Passions:
What Lies Between. Written in 1500 TH by Highwater, dwarven Troubadour and
questor of Mynbruje, this text explains the complex relationships between the
people of Barsaive and the Passions. The Passions shape the spiritual beliefs
and customs of Barsaive’s people. According to many of Barsaive’s finest
scholars, the Passions are living embodiments of the life force of the universe,
giving shape and form to the collective emotions and ideals of the world such as
Love, Wealth, or Growth. As the universe nurtures an Adept to keep the energies
of life alive in the world, so the Passions nourish the many people who cannot
find the strength or patience to become Adepts or magicians. The Passions serve
as intermediaries between these common folk and the awesome power of the
universe. Those who channel the power of the Passions are called questors. These
men and women draw their extraordinary powers from the Passions, rather than
directly from the universal life force. The life force of the universe flows
through the Passions, who transmit this power to their questors. These questors,
in turn, bring the Passions to the common folk across the world. Following a
Passion gives a questor the same kind of focus an Adept receives by following
the tenets of his Discipline. The questor’s life becomes a living metaphor for
the ideals embodied by his chosen Passion; throughout his life, he expresses
those ideals in his every word and action. Most questors fervently and vividly
live out this commitment, adding as much color and energy to the world as
magicians and Adepts. Most observers assume that what we know of the Passions
holds true for the world outside Barsaive. It would be odd indeed if the
universe interacted with our world in different ways from place to place. Yet
ours is an odd world, and perhaps the universe’s connection to it does change.
The Passions we know in Barsaive may not exist on the other side of the globe;
other Passions as yet unknown may take their place. More likely, men and women
in distant lands know the same Passions but call them by different names.
Whatever the truth, the reader will find in these pages all that we know of the
Passions of Barsaive. THE NATURE OF PASSIONS Potent beings, the Passions have powers that
dwarf the magical talents of Adepts and the spells of magicians. Though they
exist on the physical plane, the Passions possess abilities that enable them to
travel at incredible speeds, sometimes by traveling as winds, sometimes by
taking the forms of eagles or hawks. Some can even transport themselves by
simple thought. The Passions physically exist in our world and sometimes
interact with it directly as well as through their questors. For example, many
adventurers tell stories of meeting the Passion Thystonius while traveling along
the road. Sometimes a group of explorers wandering through a forest or across a
dusty plain stumbles across a humble hut or a huge fortress that houses a member
of Barsaive’s pantheon. The Passions move these homes around with them,
setting up residence for a period of time that may last anywhere from a day to a
year or more. On occasion, a Passion welcomes a polite knock at his door. Other
times, visitors had best keep well away. Stories and legends hold that the
Passions care nothing for Barsaive’s political alliances and rivalries, and
most of their documented behavior supports this belief. They champion neither
the dwarven kingdom of Throal nor the magical empire of Thera because they
believe the conflict between these two mighty states generates the passions and
adventures of life that the universe craves. Though they do not intercede in
worldly conflicts on their own, they will eagerly support any side that calls to
them for help. The Passions bring their powers to these conflicts through the
questors, their human agents. If a questor sides with you, his Passion supports
your cause, and the power the questor brings can make the difference between
victory and defeat. For years scholars and historians have debated the true
appearance of the Passions. If one travels throughout Barsaive and asks people
to describe the Passion Thystonius, one will receive a variety of answers.
Humans describe a tall man with a flowing black beard and piercing blue eyes.
Trolls tell of a troll carrying a warhammer as heavy as a boulder. Dwarfs speak
of a massive dwarf, standing fifty feet tall, who makes his home in the Throal
mountains. These differences in appearance are not confined to race, but
encompass gender and other aspects of physical appearance. For example, many
people think of the Passion Garlen as a woman, because she is depicted as female
in the many statues gracing kaers and villages across Barsaive. But if Garlen
comes to them in dreams, often during the deepest crises of their lives, they
see the Passion as a man. Most observers believe these varied appearances occur
because a Passion tailors its physical form to the individual who sees it, so
that the individual can easily recognize the ideals and forces embodied by the
Passion and will be receptive to its message. However, all the manifestations of
a Passion contain certain identifiable, common elements, described later in this
section. Scholars continue to debate whether or not the Passions have a
“true” appearance. So far no one has formulated a definitive answer, and
many believe the mystery may never be solved. Most people do not care to know,
believing that the true forms of the Passions remain hidden for good reason. PASSIONS IN CONFLICT Before the Scourge, the Passions appear to
have wasted little energy fighting among themselves. They did not compete for
followers, nor did they exhibit jealousy of each other. Instead, they focused
their vast power on bringing their particular ideals to the people of the world.
The variety of human nature ensured that none lacked followers, and the Passions
seem to have existed in mutual harmony. The Scourge changed this, as it altered
or destroyed so much else good and beautiful in Barsaive. Those dark times
apparently drove three of the twelve Passions mad, and these three now work
toward the destruction of the other Passions. No longer content with inspiring
fervor and embodying ideals for mortals, these Mad Passions selfishly desire
power and influence as mortals might. Fortunately for the world, the Mad
Passions also share the mortal characteristic of distrust. Though sometimes the
Mad Passions work together to accomplish their goals, more often they work alone
or against each other. The remaining Passions, unaccustomed to either
cooperation or competition, have only just begun to respond to the threat posed
by the Mad Passions. As far as we know, these beings seldom fight their crazed
counterparts directly. Instead, they throw their questors and followers against
those who follow the Mad Passions. The conflict among the Passions has sown
strife among their mortal followers; though they seldom fought over their
differences in the past, the presence of the Mad Passions has triggered
ideological skirmishes across the land that may yet lead to a full-scale war.
The danger the Mad Passions pose to the world remains uncertain. Some contend
the Passions will meet in final battle and wreak destruction across the earth
that will dwarf the devastation of the Scourge. Others claim the insanity that
possesses the Mad Passions will render them impotent in the long run, and expect
them to fade away like the many arrogant, mortal dictators before them. Only
time can tell whether the Mad Passions will destroy the world, or simply depart
from it. QUESTORS Most people invoke different Passions
depending on their current circumstances. For example, a family hiding in their
shuttered home as a pack of hungry wolves howls outside might seek the
protection of Garlen, the Passion of the Hearth and Healing. If a family member
ventures outside with sword in hand to slay the predators, the family might
invoke Thystonius, the Passion of Physical Conflict and Valor. Questors, on the
other hand, pledge themselves to one Passion. They dedicate their lives to it,
trying to foster its ideals in the lives of all people. The characteristics of
questors vary from Passion to Passion. Some general traits exist among most or
all questors, as discussed below. With
the exception of those who follow the Mad Passions, questors with different
patron Passions do not bear each other ill will. Each Passion embodies different
ideals and emotions, and their questors understand that they are all equally
significant parts of a whole that comprises the life of Name-givers. Though the
Passions do not directly support political factions or causes, questors can and
often do. For example, many dwarven questors in Throal call Thystonius their
patron Passion. Their questor order has a military nature, and they use gifts
from Thystonius to give the kingdom of Throal military protection. If other
questors of Thystonius chose to attack Throal, such an act would bring questors
of the same Passion into direct conflict with each other. Such a development
would gladden Thystonius. Though he would mourn those killed in the conflict,
the bravery of his questors on both sides would bring him great joy. Patron
Passions also bestow abilities on their questors. Like Adepts, questors
cultivate these abilities by focusing their lives around a certain behavior—in
this case, spreading their Passion’s ideals across Barsaive. Some of these
abilities, such as Healing, are shared by the questors of several Passions.
Others are unique to one Passion. Unlike Adepts, Questors enjoy respect
throughout the land. Because Adepts draw the immense power of the universe to
themselves directly, most common folk distrust them. Many view Adepts,
especially magicians, as presumptuous and arrogant. Questors, on the other hand,
receive their power by working through the Passions, in whom every inhabitant of
Barsaive places trust. The people’s warm regard for the Passions includes the
questors, and they therefore enjoy the trust of most people. An old Barsaivian
saying perfectly expresses these sentiments: “Hide from magicians, hire
Adepts, and say hello to questors.” WORSHIP OF THE PASSIONS The people of Barsaive hold spiritual beliefs
based on their faith in the Passions, but no Barsaivian race or community has
established a formal religious institution. None of the Passions has any
organized following, though questors of a particular Passion often form small
bands to achieve a common purpose. The Passions apparently have chosen to
propagate their ideals through their questors rather than through institutions
or written laws that are vulnerable to error and misinterpretation. Though the
people of Barsaive do not form organized religions centered on the Passions,
they do worship the Passions. Most believe in all the Passions, appealing to
whatever Passion best meets their current needs. Some people, including the
questors, worship one Passion over the others. Though they recognize the
existence of other Passions, they believe the ideals of their chosen Passion are
superior. These worshippers often express their beliefs by stating that they
follow the ideals of their chosen Passion. For example, a farmer who worships
Jaspree might say, “I follow the ideals of Jaspree.” Many questors make such
statements, the most common method of declaring worship. Unlike questors,
Name-givers rarely declare a belief in only one of the Passions. Most people
accept the entire pantheon of Passions and would fear losing a Passion’s
protection by proclaiming that they did not believe in it. PASSION
DESCRIPTIONS The following descriptions reflect the common
understanding of the Passions. However, our knowledge of these mysterious and
powerful beings is almost certainly neither complete or entirely correct. Each
entry begins with a list of the ideals, typical appearance, and common elements
associated with each Passion. The Ideals represent the universal concepts and
emotions the Passion embodies; the Passion’s questors focus on these
qualities. Typical Appearance describes the Passion’s usual manifestation.
Common Elements include sights, sounds, textures, and other phenomena that
usually accompany any manifestation of the Passion. These common elements often
appear in the dreams of an individual thinking about the Passion or the ideals
it embodies, and the presence of such common elements may also indicate that the
Passion is nearby or easily summoned. Powers refers to the unique, personal
abilities each Passion possesses. Questor describes the typical appearance and
behavior of each Passion’s questors. Finally, Commentary offers a brief
description of each Passion’s nature and personality.
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