So my setting has 8 gods: Fertility, Death, Knowledge, Nature, Civilization, War, Art, Trade.
The setting is dominated by a theocratic empire were various aspects of the government are handled by paladins, one order of paladins for each god. Think of the orders as "ministries" of the government.
Now, while I got an idea for most orders what their paladins would do, what useful things would paladins of Fertility and Art do?
Eugenics & Propaganda respectively.
God of Fertility control the crop of the empire's next generation. Only natural you will only sow the seeds of the best and brightest.
Art is a reflection of society. But change that reflection, and you would find society shaping itself to match it.
What are your ideas for the other orders of paladins ?
Hm, interesting idea for Eugenics.
Propaganda was supposed to be the Knowledge, because they are the ones who open and maintain schools.
Information and art are valuable tools for propaganda, a lot of tradition and knowledge is based on by song and show.
Censorship?
Only the 'right' idea of beauty can be express. Arts and plays that explores ideas or imagery contrary to the empire's ideals can be nothing but evil after all.
>Death
Healers, keepers of cemeteries, undead hunters.
>Knowledge
Mainly they oversee universities and act as traveling teachers, but they are also thought police and decide which books are "good".
>Nature
Defend people from wild beasts, spirits and monsters but also make sure that people don't overdo on exploitation of the nature
>Civilization
Arbiters, decide which public buildings and roads need to be built or repaired, hunt down local nobles and officials who abuse power as well as bandits
>Trade
Make sure all other orders get funding through tithes, act as diplomats to tributary states and also, because it is high magic setting, make sure nobody abuses magic to fuck up the economy
>War
Defend the borders, hunt down demons.
I should mention that the empire they administer is actually in constant danger of demons and their worshipers.
Maybe I should merge Art and Knowledge?
Art and scholarly knowledge should definitly be seperate.
Hm, but it seems to be difficult to have both Art and Knowledge without their domains overlapping.
Just have them both handle propaganda - Knowledge in the schools, Art everywhere else.
Knowledge instills necessary values, Art controls and regulates the day-to-day perception of reality.
Also Art will probably create the propaganda Knowledge disseminates.
Fertility could also oversee public health. And maybe even agriculture.
And perhaps help women who have problems with conceiving a child
Art and Knowledge are the carrot and the stick. Knowledge controls what the public can and can't know. Art supplies the public with works that inspire the public to want to know the right things and to be productive. The department of knowledge provides "whats" and the department of Art provides "whys".
the Art Paladins can be the inspiring leaders or humble champions of armies, the master crafters of high art that people will travel hundreds of miles to see in person, the keepers of Lore from ancient times that can change the hearts and minds of kings with a single retelling. essentially, Warrior Bards of the highest caliber.
Fertility means prosperity, so they can also ensure that the poor get proper nutrition, that homeless refugees have some kind of temporary public housing until they can get permanent employment and housing, establishing Paladin outposts in small hamlets or even accompanying settler caravans to ensure they reach their destination and survive the first few years away from home. Charitable Mercenaries in a way, finding a cause that helps the most common folk.
It feels like a lot of them overlap too much.
Civilization would, in most cases, cover art, trade, and knowledge. And, when compared to death, war and and nature, it feels odd.
Maybe changing the names a bit? Wisdom has more authority (and sounds a lot more divine) than just Knowledge.
And maybe switching Art for, say, Music. witch is kind of the same, but not quite.And you could use them as the spies and such.
And considering the role of the Civilization paladins, a god of Law would nicely, as well.
Switching Art and Music ? Wtf ?
Art stands for pictures, music, sculptures, etc.
I know, I know. The problem is, is way too broad a term. You have plastic arts, narrative arts, it`s a big fucking word.
I mean, arquitecture? is it in the realm of art or the realm of civilization
What about literature?
Music has a distinct practical use, specially in the battlefields pre-radio. If you do Art, I still think it should focus on music and specially theatre, since those had a religious significance in several religions.
The paladins would be the comunications specialists carring messages from one city to the next with songs, and staging plays that spreads the laws as well of word of the Lord(s) to the masses. How else will the villagers learn that their taxes will sink the axis?
And, as I mentioned, musicians have some really keen ears. They hear a lot.You can send encrypted messages with an instrument and stuff. Actors make for fine spies too.
Then why calling it Music if you want to include theatre in it ? Just call it Art and make music, theatre, painting, etc part of it.
Oh, yeah, I didn`t mention it. Keep the Art name.
Move some of trades responsibilities to civilization.
Make knowledge natural sciences and architecture.
Make trade into liberal arts, economy and trade aka. arts and humanities. Lorewise this merge can be justified/explained by defining trade as an artform.
Fertility paladins are rebuilders or "replacement males"
They excell at farming, rebuilding and parenting. They are sent to regions torn by war and famine to rebuild and repopulate. Even though the paladins will have "harems" they are not a sex cult and do what they do out of duty.
Also, having a god of trade without a god of craft is odd. You need craftsmen to produce goods to trade. blacksmiths, tailors, stonemasons... The astists and the merchants have their own gods, where would they fall under?
Also, OP, sorry if I`m too nosey, but I love patheon building. It`s my favourite part of worldbuilding.
Fertility paladins could be responsible for organizing agriculture from the top down for maximum efficiency. Plus using magic to replenish nutrients in the soil.
Wouldn't Civilisation cover things like Knowledge, Art, and Trade?
Not OP, but I'd guess Art would cover Craft.
>paladins of art and beauty
Sune.
>The church of Sune has as small, but powerful knightly order of bards, fighters, and paladins who serve to defend things of beauty and guard temples and holy sites along with the clergy, and who, sometimes, pursue quests or do good works in Sune’s name to promote her faith. Similarly, drawing strength from their romances, they seek out and use the power of their love to destroy creatures that are particularly hideous in their evil. They are known for their charm, beauty, and incredible self-confidence. Members in this order are given to writing essays and songs of courtly love when not engaged in vital business and often adopt a beautiful individual to adore from afar whether that individual would by flattered by such attentions or not.
>To become one of the Sisters or Brothers, a candidate stands vigil in a church of Sune all night. If the Lady Firehair appears to the candidate in a vision during the night or somehow shows her favor, the candidate is admitted to the order.