God caller

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Dolok Darkfur, a being worshipped as a god by the Sarkorian Farheaven Clan.

See also: eidolon

God callers are the predominant religious leaders of the native people of Sarkoris. A god caller conjures and binds with spiritual entities revered as a god by the followers of that god caller. The practice of calling a Sarkorian god is known as god calling.

Appearance and nature

The beings summoned by god callers typically resemble animals native to the region, such as bears or wolves, with prominent unusual features such as feathers or wings. The beliefs, edicts, dispositions, and rituals of god callers and their followers all vary widely from group to group.

Many god callers are bound to spirit guides, while others are bound to other spiritual entities, such as elemental spirits of the Elemental Planes or the spawn of demon lords.

History

God calling dates back to old Sarkoris, many years before the opening of the Worldwound in 4606 AR, where it was the most widely practiced form of religion. Sarkorians considered god callers to be the anchors to which their gods could enter the material Universe, and the gods to be the ideal forms of their natural counterparts. These forms remained consistent across generations, and inter-clan marriages would result in hybrid forms of both clans' representations, including some resembling extraplanar creatures.

Modern practice

Many of the traits or practices of ancient Sarkorian god calling were lost over time. The practice of god calling was revived in 4712 AR by Domora Hume, who sought aid in the defense of the Sarkorian city of Domora against raiding Mammoth Lords. Hume's pleas were answered by Dyzad, a water spirit who emerged from Hume's Pool and helped the Domorans defeat the raiders, subsequently becoming venerated as a god.

Hume built a tower to continue communing with Dyzad and trained others in the modern arts of god calling, students who became known as scions of Domora. However, many of Domora's practices were also lost after the opening of the Worldwound and revived only as recently as 4723 AR.

Modern god callers' gods are now as diverse as their dispersed clans have become, and the practice has attracted worshipers from beyond the Sarkorian diaspora, especially those who appreciate having a more tangible connection to deities or have fought alongside them. Many spirit guides bound to god callers were defeated early in the defense of Sarkoris from the Worldwound's demonic hordes and retreated from the region. Some have returned since the Worldwound's closure in 4718 AR to continue the battle against the Sarkoris Scar's remaining demons.

False gods

In some circles away from Sarkoris, the concept of god calling is denigrated as the worship of false gods, citing the lack of divine power granted by the eidolon as evidence.

References

Paizo published an article on god calling as a religion in Lost Omens Gods & Magic.

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.