Raise Dead And You
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Hey,
I have noticed that players are willing to raise the dead of their allies, enemies, or even strangers for little to no cost- or price, extracted from the said player's allies, beyond the "Oh he died on the same quest as me, I ought to raise him."
I have to say, this is profoundly the wrong attitude to have, and I will begin issuing spell failure for the players who refuse to role play the fact they are bringing someone back from the dead without extracting appropriate tithe and due reverence from the PC or PC's allies. This is not like a quest buff (and you should be demanding tithe and prayers for even these), this is actively bringing a corpse back to life through the power of your deity. This is a display of might meant to drive awe and gratitude to your deity. It is not a gift lightly given. It should involve considerable sacrifice and tithe to your god. People should be BEGGING you to raise their companion. It is one thing raising the faithful of your god- it is entirely different to raise a cleric of another deity- a god you compete with for followers and faithful. A cleric is not a buffbot, wandbot, or potionbot. They are emissaries of their church and deity and should always seek to convert others. I have been lax, I won't be anymore.
Even Ilmateri clerics will think three times about raising a follower of Siamorphe, who espouses that the holy are those born with the proverbial silverspoon. Vice Versa- why would your cleric even think about raising another cleric? They are competition, and while you might ally with them for mutual gain, you should always be looking to 'one up' them. While some faiths are philosophically aligned (see, triad, furies) there are reasons why their churches are separate. They compete for followers, and while they might ally against evil, they would disagree over theology and policy.
Followers = Money. Followers = Influence. Followers = Power. This applies to all faiths and gods. While certain gods cater to niche faithful (Hoar to vengeful people, Ilmater to the Poor, Tyr to Lawyers, Judges, etc…) they ultimately seek to expand their following. Methods might differ, but the Talassan Priest and the Cleric of Tyr have the same objective- get more followers. Become powerful, and work the will of their deity, be it through bringing order and safety to the people, or destroying and making people terrified of a horrible and uncertain world.
Another point is that just because you can raise someone, doesn't mean you should. Otherwise, Ilmateri clerics would spend their entire time raising people. However, it's widely acknowledged that death is merely another beginning where you go to your gods realm to be blessed and given your eternal rewards- a cleric intervening should be done for a strong reason- such as the potential conversion of said individual or his allies. Gold is the cheap way out. Make their allies do a task for you such as carrying an effigy of Clar Banda through the streets of the Citadel. Make them run a tournament in the name of Tempus. Make them write poetry praising Sune, etc... NPC clerics are an OOC courtesy the DMs grant players so they don't have to suffer 40% xp loss. They should go to NPCs as a last resort if they are aware of PC clerics on the server (unless it makes overwhelming sense, Tycheans go to Tycheans).
As well, raising people from quest deaths should not be treated as an IC inconvenience. In the case here- the player has died, and you aren't just waking them up. Consider whether or not your cleric would even consider it- then consider making them perform a task on your behalf, even if they are your own follower. A good cleric always has some way to encourage people to praise their deity in mind.
To a lesser degree, this should apply to wizards, you worked decades to learn how to cast spells, and buffing random strangers without anything in return ought to be frowned on by any reasonable, serious wizard. However, in the case here- a person can wizard for personal gain- but a cleric must cleric to the benefit and glory of their god.
This said, clerics who creatively push their deity's agenda will undoubtedly find themselves immensely rewarded with power, loot, and influence.
TL;DR- Raise Dead Shouldn't Be Handed Out Because That Dude Died On Your Quest Train And You Feel Bad For Them. We're a RP server, not a Minimize XP Drain Server.
