DM Q&A: Setting: Sharess/Shar follower??

[master]

hey guys, i was reading some things about Sharess and her clergy and came to something i would like a DM to clearify.

on my last server my Sharessian charecter was slightly Evil, which is allowed in the sharessian clergy, but as his evil grew more and more, he was picked up by Shar but was continued to be within the Church of Sharess and her as her Deity for the Muniplulations of Shar was far too strong for Sharess to see. so my question is, if my charecter was to ever turn evil(sure would take some intense rp but want to make sure) would suchbe allowed. here is the info

The clergy of Sharess is split evenly between clerics and specialty priests, with the balance slowly shifting in favor of specialty priests. Alignment restrictions for Sharess's clergy (particularly clerics) are weak, and a gentle slide toward evil is still often tolerated. Those priests who remain evil and seem unwilling or unable to drift back toward neutrality in their behavior are secretly entreated by agents of Shar to shift their worship to the Dark Maiden while maintaining their position within the clergy of Sharess. The Feline of Felicity seems unwilling or unable to prevent such defections at this time, rare though they may be.

[hexer]

Sharess is Chaotic Good. She does not allow evil clerics. Cleric alignments for Sharess are Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral, and Neutral Good.

The clergy of Sharess is split evenly between clerics and specialty priests, with the balance slowly shifting in favor of specialty priests. Alignment restrictions for Sharess's clergy (particularly clerics) are weak, and a gentle slide toward evil is still often tolerated.

I've never heard this in any of my books. May I ask what sourcebook are you getting this information from? I'm just having a bit of trouble figuring out how shifts to evil can be tolorated by a CG diety...

[hexer]

Those priests who remain evil and seem unwilling or unable to drift back toward neutrality in their behavior are secretly entreated by agents of Shar to shift their worship to the Dark Maiden while maintaining their position within the clergy of Sharess.

This I can see happening. A cleric of Sharress can fall from grace and become a Sharran. If they're secretive about their true faith, I'm sure they can still pose as a follower of Sharess.

Having that said, I still don't know about the Church of Sharess 'tolerating' their clerics shifting to evil and I'm still curious as to where you're pulling that from.

[master]

not completely sure where i got this lol, i had it saved on a document and what not was made like 2 years ago lol, ill try to find the site or remember which one it was and stuff. but thanks

[Munroe]

According to Faiths and Pantheons (pg 105):

Sharess eventually begain to experiment with the darker side of pleasure and fell under the sway of Shar. She would have undoubtedly been wholly subsumed by the Dark Goddess if Sune had not freed her during the Time of Troubles. Since that time, Sharess has restored her ties of friendship with Anhur, Hanali Celanil, Lliirra, Milil, Nobanion, Selune, and Sune. She now works to oppose the evil of Set, Shar, and Loviatar, and Shar has never forgotten that Sharess escaped her clutches.

In general, what goes for Sharess goes for her clergy. Sharess is a demipower who is prevalent primarily in Calimshan and Mulhorand (as Bast). It is possible that her clergy from other places may be more ignorant of her situation during the Time of Troubles, but her worship is mostly in Calimshan, and it was in Calimport that she was in a guise as the Syl-Pasha's favoured concubine during the Time of Troubles when she was rescued by Sune from the clutches of Shar. Meaning to say that Sharessans in the heart of her church should be expressly aware of her opposition to Shar.

Of course your character may be ignorant of all this, not being from Calimshan.