The Ravenloft campaign setting states that clerics of the Eternal Order "worship a patchwork pantheon of death gods borrowed from other religions."
I don't believe it's ever been more specific than that. I would assume any deity, outlander or native, that is a death god could be a part of that pantheon, but you would have to pick the alighment and domains of the Eternal Order (NE, and Death, Evil, and Knowledge).
I don't think they do get divine spells. It's a made up phoney religion.
True, but as the populace blames them for the Requiem it is quite risky to be too conspicuous in public. Most will still fear them, shun their temples and leave them to their own devise, but a lone priest of the Order is a tempting target for many now. Also my previous comment was more about the situation on the server, where a priest of the Eternal Order is "de facto" away from Darkon and therefore in dangerous territory most of the time.
Many legends and superstitions exist in Darkon about the rising of the dead to retake the lands of the living. These are codified in the teachings of the Eternal Order, and were reinforced by the catastrophe at Il Aluk. However, outside of the Order’s dogma, some other small superstitions remain popular among the common folk. One is that anyone passing by a cemetery gate must tip their hat, or give a small bow or curtsy before moving on. This is supposed to show respect for the dead buried there and let them know that they are remembered.
Remembrance
January, first new moon
Necropolis (Read Darkon, as this was written during the time the domain was called Necropolis)
The holiday of Remembrance was created by the Eternal Order. The day serves several purposes. Officially, it is a celebration that the dead had not returned in the previous
year, and a way of warding them for the coming year. Unofficially, it simply serves as a way of beginning the year with a somewhat joyous occasion. The actual church celebration begins at sundown on the night of the first new moon of a year, when the dead are supposed to be close to the land. During the day beforehand, people put up decorations of paper skeletons and tissue ghosts, bake breads and sweets in the shapes of skulls, take offerings of food, flowers, or other items to the graves of relatives, and children create masks to wear during the celebrations. Jack-o-Lanterns are also carved, due to their supposed power over the dead and undead. (Some of these may manifest unexpected powers—see DRAGON Magazine #252.) In the urban areas, great masquerades are often held to commemorate the day, while in rural areas people may privately reminisce, or gather the family for a luncheon picnic among the graves of relatives, symbolically inviting them to dine with them. When sundown arrives, people go to the local Church of the Eternal Order for an all-night vigil, praying to the various powers of death, the dead, the undead, and ancestors to hold back the spirits of the deceased for one more year. Since the time of the Requiem, this holiday has become less popular among some in the community, as has the Eternal Order. In other areas, the religious aspect
has been de-emphasized and is considered more of a secular holiday. Oddly enough, despite the macabre flavor of the holiday, it is one of the few times in the Land of Mists where the undead are quieter than usual. Whether this is due to the influence and rituals of the holiday or simple coincidence is unknown.
Festival of the Dead
November 12
Necropolis
In the time before Azalin used his doomsday device and devastated the land, the residents of Darkon spent much time honoring the dead, due to their belief that they would one day rise up and reclaim the land for their own. Since Darkon’s transformation into Necropolis, the nature of much of the honoring has changed somewhat, due to the belief that the Ascension has already begun. Originally a celebration initiated by the Eternal Order, this festival was designed to give thanks to the dead for both the protection they offered the people of Darkon (as evidenced by the dead rising against Falkovnian attacks), and for not yet reclaiming the land of the living for their own. The day was spent in a large town gathering, where residents would wear grotesque masks to represent the dead, and would celebrate with music, drink and revelry for many hours. The celebrations had to end by sundown, however, so that none of the living walked the streets after nightfall. The Eternal Order preached that since the living and the dead could not celebrate together in one place, the living would celebrate during the daylight hours, while the dead would consume the night with their own celebrations. Paintings on the walls of temples of the Eternal Order sometimes depict this event, with fetid corpses wearing human masks, and celebrating with torture and death. The events of the Grim Harvest, however, have
changed the way this holiday is celebrated. As the Eternal Order slowly loses its power without the force of King Azalin to support it, the people are slowly beginning to disregard the original premise of the holiday. The people are beginning to celebrate into the night, ignoring the original reason for remaining indoors at that time. This effect is less notable the closer one gets to the Falkovnian border. There, where the dead have risen yet again to defend the lands since the Grim Harvest, respect for the dead has continued almost unabated, so in towns like Nartok the holiday has been virtually unaffected.
Darkest Night
December, Winter Solstice
Necropolis
Like the Festival of the Dead, this occasion is a result of the legends regarding the Hour of Ascension, where the dead rise up to reclaim the land. Unlike the Festival of the Dead, this day is marked by fear rather than celebration. On Darkest Night, the moon does not rise over Necropolis. It is said that on this night, the dead are closer to the land of the living than at any other time of the year. The Eternal Order preaches that if the dead have not been properly honored over the past year, this is the most likely time at which they will reclaim the land from the living. In order to avoid attracting the attention of the dead, on this night all lights across Necropolis must be extinguished. Not one candle may burn during the night, lest the dead use it to lead them to the living world. Since the Requiem in 750, this day has become even more feared by the people of Necropolis. Despite the declining power of the Church of the Eternal Order, this night continues to be commemorated with great fervor, as it is the anniversary of the wave of energy that destroyed Il Aluk. Many residents see this event as the Hour of Ascension itself, and that it was just the start of the dead’s reclamation of their lands. As such, the years since have seen even greater adherence to the tradition, with many households even covering reflective surfaces to avoid reflecting the dim starlight of the night. Those who lost friends or family in the destruction of Il Aluk also use this night to sit in silent remembrance of their lives. (For additional information on Darkest Night, see the Requiem: The Grim Harvest boxed set.)
That's all really good stuff thanks. Something that confuses me though, what actions classify them as neutral evil in alignment, that would imply going out of your way to manipulate or harm people, and being willing to bend the rules to do it. This is a state religion, meaning if anything they should be lawful evil, or maybe even lawful neutral since it doesn't seem they're going out of their way to claim souls like other death deities require. Also, am I correct in saying they seem accepting of undead? The reason I ask is a lot of other death religions see undead as abominations.
That's all really good stuff thanks. Something that confuses me though, what actions classify them as neutral evil in alignment, that would imply going out of your way to manipulate or harm people, and being willing to bend the rules to do it. This is a state religion, meaning if anything they should be lawful evil, or maybe even lawful neutral since it doesn't seem they're going out of their way to claim souls like other death deities require. Also, am I correct in saying they seem accepting of undead? The reason I ask is a lot of other death religions see undead as abominations.