Shattered Kingdoms

I was wondering about how religions approach their recruitment of priests/paladins/hellions. I've read how you are to have a solid character concept that fits a particular religon. If after rping and meeting the leaders they then decide on whether you are suitable or not. I also saw that "god-hopping" is frowned upon, though I'm not sure what exactly constitutes god-hopping. Does it mean don't join a religon then leave and join another, or does it mean if you try for a religon and are unacceptable then that's it for your character?

After mulling over the previous two ideas I wondered if religions ever 'compete' to gain new recruits.

Spreading the word and influence of a religon seems a basic rp concept for all religons. Why aren't there more efforts to speak/debate/instruct/influence potential members?

I can easily envision a 'followers of the light' pool of candidates that all light religions would try to recruit to their side. Does this go on and I haven't seen it yet?

Well, simple. CRS takes up the majority of most player's RP time. (Or just PK in some people's cases.)

Simply doing a crusade or holy war per se would just waste time, and people would start QQing about how their artifact/relic was stolen while they were preaching about X-god.

That, and there really isn't too much going to the advantages in a certain religion.
If you're under Sargas, let's say, and you have a friend also under Sargas...
Imagine you two being in a different trib/cabal at war with each other.
Big RP might take place, but mostly just problems and a lot of enemies.

I came from a mud that very much had this sort of atmosphere - with clans though rather than religions, because religions were particularly underdeveloped, with only three gods (good/neutral/evil). Thus when I made my first character I would speak with religions, go to my 'final interview' with them, and start telling them about how xxx and yyy religion also wanted me for their groups.

Big mistake: I was immediately told, in a more polite fashion, to bugger off and join them then. I since learned that it's much better to have a character concept geared for one particular religion, and work at that one. There are no battles for candidates, though there are when it comes to cabals and tribunals, if you're good enough.

The first piece of advice I have is to ignore DarkTemplar's post, as he is jaded and because you probably don't have any idea what CRS is.

Generally, the admission process for religions is not very stressful: the high followers are capable of blemishing you (i.e. punishment) should you do something drastically wrong, so they're often willing to accept you as long as you fit the basic description for the religion. I suggest you find a religion you like, read the helpfile associated with that religion and your race, and come up with a character concept centered around it. Make sure to pay attention to aura and alignment, though; a light aura-ed character will not be able to get into the blood religion, for example.



Yes, some do. Join the Church of Meissa! Healing is good for you!

Religions do compete for people. However, there are two phases to entering a religion:

First, your character has to come to a decision about what religion to follow. You can simply have this be part of his backstory. However, many characters ask about the gods in-game. I've spent many an hour of enjoyable roleplay either learning or preaching an in-game religion. (Editted to add: Having trouble finding this kind of roleplay? Send a few tells to characters whose title shows a religion. Not everyone will be interested or available, but you'll soon find some that are.)

Second, your character must communicate his commitment to a single deity. You need to inform some member of the religion. This will lead to a interview with one of the characters capable of investing you, such as the high priest(ess). If your decision is firm and informed, you should get invested without much difficulty.

What doesn't work - and where I think own had trouble - is going to that final interview and expressing either nontrivial doubts, or interest in other gods. This signals that you haven't made a commitment yet, so you get bumped back to the first stage. This is for your protection. The penalties for betraying your chosen god start at severe, and go up from there.

And just to add to what Benzo wrote, if you're picking a religion at the beginning, make sure you pick a matching alignment to your intended god:
Good god = good alignment
Evil god = evil alignment
Ain = principled/aberrant
Marfik = anything but principled/aberrant
Other = anything but principled/diabolic

Such close matches aren't always necessary, but trying to join a religion with a mismatched alignment can be extra difficult or just plain impossible. Hold off on more exotic character concepts until you're more familiar with SK's religions.

Just to clarify and to prevent any misleading information for new players, the lighty side of Ain also accepts scrupulous characters.

There is competition, anyone who knew any of my religious chars, I tend to try and persuaded every new character I meet to them. I set the basic invitation and try to follow up once or so, if they like it its up to them from there on in.