The Treasure of the Church

The Church is an incredibly wealthy organization. For the most part, its acquisition of wealth is well-intentioned, necessary, and goes where it should, serving good purposes. The money generally moves upward as opposed to down, and individual parishes are responsible not only for their own support, but are expected to contribute a portion to the upper levels of the Church as well. This system may seem mercenary, and certainly there is plenty of room for corruption (which, at some levels and locations is rampant), but such a massive organization, with so many responsibilities, agendas, programs and those under their care, requires a great influx of cash. Church funds build and support missions and churches, schools and leper colonies, hospitals and orphanages, Church vineyards and farms. They pay for feeding and clothing the poor as well as the clergy, and providing housing for both. Funds support monasteries, scriptoriums, libraries, galleries, the performing arts, universities and seminaries. They pay for wondrous architecture and art, which glorifies Cuthbert and the Church. And the money supports military operations and the Holy Inquisition.

Unfortunately, in some instances, it also supports certain fabulously wealthy priests and bishops and their vices; jewelry, clothing, private chalets and keeps, V.I.P. retreats, private armies, the finest food and drink, personal art collections, richly-appointed apartments, coaches and offices, personal menageries, stables of thoroughbreds, private wine cellars, seaside villas in the resort-like beach communities of Tenedor, gambling addictions and mistresses.

The treasures of the Church may be found in simply coffers in a rectory office, locked trunks in the secret chambers of a cathedral, or even in the mythical vaults deep beneath the Basillica. Anything is possible. Much is out in the open, and used on a regular basis, such as golden articles used during the Mass, a gold and ruby necklace around the neck of an Inquisitor, golden crosses, rich tapestries, fur-trimmed velvet cloaks, jeweled rings of office, etc.

Simply put, though many orders practice poverty and many parishes exist through meager means, their clergy leading simple lives, the Church as a whole is rich, and the gold needs to flow in constantly. Cathedrals do not build themselves, sculptors will not chisel statues for free, and armies without pay do not fight. So how and where does the cash flow in? Below are some examples.

COLLECTION PLATE: One of the fundamental collection systems. In every church and cathedral throughout the Empire, Mass is held daily. The collection baskets are passed at every one, and all are expected to give a little. The poor and common folk give copper and occasionally silver coins, the middle class gives gold, and the upper class gives gold and platinum coins.

POOR BOX: Located just inside the entrance of every church is a locked box for donations to the poor, and again, all are expected to be charitable, even if they give just a little, every time they enter the church.

CANDLES: When in a church and "lighting a candle" in prayer for someone or something, there is a small donation box nearby. All who light a candle are expected to make a token donation.

BISHOP'S COLLECTION: Quarterly and during an entire week, the collection baskets are passed around a second time during each Mass. This collection goes straight to the Bishop, to help support the diocese.

TITHING: The common follower of Cuthbert is expected (in addition to making all the routine contributions) to pay an additional 15% of their annual household income in support of the Church. This payment is collected by a representative of the bishop (usually a priest with the elevated title of Chancellor) and goes to the diocese. From there, a large portion flows further upward, is nibbled at each level, and ends in the coffers of the Basillica. Clerics and Paladins give a minimum of 25% of all they earn (and adventurers faithful to the Church can be a huge source of revenues), with some giving even more, nearly all they collect except for modest living expenses. Nobles are required only to pay 5% annually. This is in part due to the fact that their 5% is far greater than a hundred commoners at 15%, and is a way of acknowledging "All they do on behalf of the Church." That is a nice way to refer to the political maneuverings of both Church and Nobleman. Many noble families also give substantial "private gifts" to favored priests and bishops, (which do not get funneled upwards) in order to curry favor and influence.

SERVICES: It is customary in Florenta to slip a parish priest a pouch of coins for all services rendered... baptisms, weddings, funerals, blessings of the home, First Communions, Confirmations, and for assistance in counseling and dispute resolution. In addition, those who send their children to be educated by the nuns are expected to pay for the privilege. Also, families who send a child to the Seminary, especially one of great importance like St. Mark's, cough up small fortunes to the parish priest (for a referral), the Rector (for admission) and the Bishop (for his approval of the candidate.) In all these cases, the amount is determined by the parishoner's ability to pay, the magnitude of the service, and the motivation to stay in the priest's good graces. These funds are strictly for the priest and his church, and do not flow upwards. The senior administration of the Church is well aware of these practices and is unconcerned. How do you think they supported themselves when they were simple parish priests?

SHRINES: Nuns generally tend to the upkeep of shrines throughout the Empire, whether along a narrow country road, at a bridge, or more elaborate affairs within the cities. The faithful are expected to leave an offering when praying at any shrine. Often, nuns will circulate through crowded areas asking for offerings to support one cause or another, sometimes providing small, hand-crafted trinkets in return. Monies collected by nuns from shrines or for causes go to support convents and their residents, feed and clothe the poor, care for the sick and maintain orphanages. In every parish, the priest will donate a small portion of his collections to support the sisters, but this is often far from sufficient, and so they must fend for themselves and be creative.

GRAND DONATIONS: These gifts to the Church come from the extremely wealthy and powerful. At times they are made from the heart. Usually they are intended to gain favor, exert pressure, or achieve some end. They are also made to keep up appearances and maintain relationships. A noble family's generations-long friendly relationship with an influential Archdiocese might come to a stuttering halt if certain expected donations were not made.

Grand Donations exist outside the normal routine of payment for services, donations at Mass and tithing. They are made discretely, usually to Bishops or higher, and are handled in person by the nobility during intimate meetings. These huge grants can take the form of property and land, livestock, vessels and cargo, rare works of art and treasure, magical items, priceless books and heirlooms, chests of coins, interest in merchant companies or ventures, and in some cases, services rendered. If an Archbishop was having a particularly difficult time with a prominent, outspoken wizard, and a nobleman arranged for that wizard to suddenly disappear, never to return, this would certainly be considered a gift of significant value. All would be handled without the Archbishop's knowledge or need to lie and conceal, and the clergyman would retain his deniability. Such a gift could earn considerable influence with the Church, to be used now or in the future. Another family might make a weighty donation in gold in order to arrange a marriage, ship an unwanted relative off to a remote monastery, or buy a beloved, military son into a quiet garrison assignment instead of going to the Pass Wars.

BUSINESS INTERESTS: The Church is diversified, and has quiet percentages of uncountable merchant ventures, as well as holdings which are more in the open. These financial sources include shipping, import/export, agriculture, winemaking, cattle, mining, quarrying and timbering. In Victorius, 75% of all ships are built with timber harvested from Church lands. In Florenta, the Church is one of the top three marble suppliers. In Mole' there are two gold mines owned exclusively by the Church. In St. Lucius, 90% of all rugs and tapestries come from weaving outfits under Church control. And of course there is war. In wartime, many of those who set off to fight name the Church as beneficiaries in their wills, and those who stay behind pray harder for their loved ones, attend more Masses, pray at more shrines, and give, give, give. Finally, war means plunder and spoils, and during a Church-sponsored Holy Crusade against foreign pagans, the Church's cut of the spoils is massive.
SAINTS in SHADOW EMPYRE: REVELATIONS

Every single follower of St. Cuthbert has a personally-chosen, particularly inspirational Patron Saint. This is part of Confirmation, and the devout take that saint's name and add it to their own (ie, John Louis Christopher Campbell.) The faithful pray not only to Cuthbert, but to his mother Mary (a saint) asking that she plead a particular case or desire to her son on their behalf. Prayers to saints work in much the same way, although usually involving matters perceived to be somewhat beneath the glory of Mary and Cuthbert, such as, "Saint James, please grant my ship fair weather for the crossing of the Inner Sea," and "Saint Anthony, please help me find the lost key to my chest," or "Saint George, give me the strength to fight valiantly against this minotaur," as opposed to, "Saint Cuthbert, I ask that you look kindly upon my recently-departed husband and welcome him into Heaven, rather than cast him into the flames of a Hell he so richly deserves." In the former case, it is frequently the saint themselves who answer the prayer in some subtle way, or decline to do so.
People choose Patron Saints for a wide variety of reasons. Having such a patron does not restrict the prayerful from asking for help and guidance from other saints... quite the contrary, and there are many especially devout Cuthbertians who pray to many saints on a regular basis. The Patron Saint, however, holds a special place within the heart of the prayerful, and their name and image frequently decorates homes, armor, weapons, banners and jewelry. It is often a tradition for a particular saint to be the family patron, with their name and image appearing in the family's coat of arms. Regardless of who is chosen as a patron, St. Cuthbert remains first and foremost in prayer and worship as the savior. Deo Gratias (thanks be to God.)

In campaign terms, saints work as follows;

First, a person praying to a saint must truly mean it, be Good in alignment (and a follower of Cuthbert) and at least somewhat devout. Trying for help from a saint simply to improve one's odds or work an angle, while not really respecting their divinity, is doomed to failure.
Next, the involved saint must be related in some way to the prayed-for result or task. DM discretion applies.
Making a simple prayer is a Free Action, and can proceed once the first two requirements are met.
Oremus (let us pray.) A saint's prayer spoken aloud, with conviction, to a Patron Saint has a 1-2 in 10 chance of success, resulting in a +1 modifier to whatever chance, task, action, skill or outcome is desired. A roll of 3-10 simply means the prayer is not answered, for whatever reason. A silent prayer has a 1 in 10 chance of similar success (Saints like to hear the faithful pray aloud, and display their devotion for all to hear.)
A verbal prayer to a non-Patron Saint has a 1-2 in 20 chance of success (a +1 modifier) and a silent prayer has a 1 in 20 chance,
There are no glorious visions or trumpeting angels to accompany a success, and no miraculous events (except in extreme circumstances adjudicated by the DM), simply the +1 modifier and a feeling that the saint has smiled upon them.
Saints welcome every prayer which comes their way, whether they grant the request or not, and for the especially devout the DM can increase the chance of success or bump up the modifier for particularly-liked devotees. In rare instances, the saint may even reveal themselves through a sign or even a vision. These moments are reserved for the truly faithful.
In all cases, it is the DM who decides the relevance of any given request, whether or not it is granted and to what extent, and how the petitioned saint views the asking party. Characters may convince themselves they are in excellent standing with a saint, but it is the saint themselves (the DM) who makes that decision. Woe unto the character who is so prideful and arrogant to think they have an inside track and are "owed" special favor from a divine being.

The following is a list of the saints of Cuthbert in the campaign, and their related areas of patronage. Particular deeds of note are in bold. Clerics and paladins should have ready access to this list, as it would have been drilled into them during their seminary and training time.

NOTE: 90% of the following is historically and religiously accurate, drawn from the Code of Canon Law, Title IV: Sacred Images and Relics, 1186-1187. The remaining 10% is a sprinkling of fantasy D&D and campaign-specific names and concepts.

SAINT PATRONAGE
Abascus Missionaries
Ambrose Candlemakers
Anastasia Weavers
Andronicus Silversmiths
Angelico Artists
Ansovinus Crops
Anthony Butchers, Basketmakers, Gravediggers, The Poor, Lost Articles
Augustine Miraculous Healing, Lakes & Streams, Serenity

Bartholomew Religious Scholars, Leatherworkers, Plasterers
Benedict Rogues, The Homeless
Bernadette Shepherds
Brigid Dairy Workers, Healers

Caanan Secret-Keepers
Capella Artillerymen, Bellmakers, Alchemists
Catherine of Notrenoc Paladins, Prostitutes, Philosophers, The Enslaved
Charles The Seminary, Innkeepers
Christopher Travelers, Booksellers, Gardeners
Claude Sculptors
Clement I Marbleworkers
Columba Poets

Damian Plane Travelers, Exorcists, Those who Fight the Undead
Dissius Children
Dunston Blacksmiths, Goldsmiths, Traders
Dominic Astronomers, Altar Boys, Choir, The Falsely-Accused

Edward the Confessor Interrogators, Inquisitors
Elgius Jewelers
Elizabeth War, Death of Children
Elmo Mariners, Childbirth, Ammunition
Emmanuel The Lost
Enrico Martyred Castillian rebel of the Blessed Virgin. Patron Saint of Freedom Fighters. Only recognized unofficially by the Church of Cuthbert.
Equius IV Former Cardinal, Architect of the Basillica. Patron Saint of architects & Builders of churches.
Eustachius Hunters, Rangers

Francis Merchants, Animals, The Forest, Passiveness

Gabriel the Archangel Clerics, Messengers
Genesius Theatrical Performers
George Soldiers, Rangers, Fighters
Gregory Musicians, Teachers

Isidore Farmers, Laborers

James Armorers, Tailors, Hatmakers, Pilgrims, Travelers
Jerome Librarians, Students, Orphans
John Judges, Priests, Authors, The Baptism, Mystics
Joseph Carpenters, Fathers, Justice, Dying, Undertakers
Jude Lost & Desperate Causes

Lawrence Cooks, Fire
Lucius Authors, Bricklayers, Orators
Luke Healers, Glassworkers, Painters

Maria Caravans, Merchant Vessels
Marin Monk of Opus Dei, Teacher of St. Rosalyn. Patron Saint of Combat Instructors.
Mark Judges, Scribes, Prisoners, The Seminary
Martin of Tours Horsemen
Mary of Coregg Mother of Cuthbert. Patron Saint of Mothers, Mercy, The Ascension
Matthew Moneychangers, Tax Collectors
Matthias Tavernkeepers, Alcoholism
Maurice Infantrymen, Swordsmiths
Michael the Archangel Highest among the Angels, Champion of Cuthbert. Patron Saint of Wrath, Flight, Weather, Watchmen

Napoli Mariners
Nicholas Brewers, Brides, Souls in Purgatory

Patrick Drove the Wyrms from Cae'Ragh. Patron Saint of Celts, Dragonslayers, Engineers
Peter The First Disciple. Patron Saint of Fishermen, Longevity

Raphael the Archangel Love
Rosalyn of Madrigal Founder of the Madrigala. Patron Saint of the Madrigala, Missionaries, The Weak & Oppressed

Silas I First Cardinal of St. Cuthbert. Patron Saint of Leadership
Stephen Stonemasons

Thomas Court Proceedings, Students

Valentine Lovers, Greetings
Victorius Former Emperor, Ended Persecution of "Blessed Virgin Heretics." Patron Saint of Diplomats, Peacemakers
Vincent Winemakers, Charity, The Sick

Y'ves Gatekeepers, Magistrates, Castles, Fortifications