Morals and Ethics

## Summary

*For each religion there are actions which are considered holy, those considered taboo and others upon which the gods dwell not at all. Patera is a world of many different pantheons, each containing a plethora of gods. The goals and demands of different pantheons will thus dictate the behaviours their followers should abide by lest they upset the gods themselves.*

### Principles

Each pantheon and culture believe in different principles. Adhering to these principles is necessary to maintain a good relationship with a god.

* Love Conquers All
* The Sanctity of Marriage
 Courage
* Discretion is the Better Part of Valour
 Death
* God's Judge
* Greater Good
 Destiny
* Faith in Fate
* Forge your Own
 Honesty
* Pragmatism
 Honour
* Them's Fighting Words
 Justice
* Pragmatic
 Relationships
* Camaraderie
* One of Us
 Theft
* Possession is Nine Tenths of the Law
* Property is Theft
* Robin Hood

## Chastity

### Gnomans are Animals

*Chastity is a meaningless construct created by other gods. There is no imperative to chain one person to another.*

### Love Conquers All

*Love is an all-important, all-consuming past time of this god. To stand in the way of two young lovers is as heinous a crime as can be imagined.*

### The Sanctity of Marriage

*The gods have designated marriage and childbearing as a sacred ritual. Those who stray from their promises should be punished.*

### The Selfish Gene

*The purpose of life is to procreate and multiply. To do so is to fulfil the purpose of life. Chastity is an abomination.*

## Courage

### A Fair Fight

*The mark of the true adherent to the faith is to settle combats fairly in the eyes of the gods. To not do so is an act of cowardice.*

### Discretion is the Better Part of Valour

*Courage is merely a synonym for foolhardy bravado. The wise man knows when he cannot win and does not engage in fights if running is a more reliable option.*

### No Retreat, No Surrender

*War is not about fairness, duty, or honour. Instead, to die in battle defending the faith is the true mark of piety.*

## Death

### All Life is Sacred

*Preserving life is the act of saving a gnomanoid who would have otherwise been killed who is innocent in the eyes of the gods.*

### For the Greater Good

*It is not the local act that matters. To preserve the life of a monster is to sacrifice the lives of the innocent.*

### God's Judge

*The gods decide who is worthy of life and death.*

### Nature's Warden

*All life, no matter how insignificant is sacred. The life of a gnomanoid does not outweigh those of the animal kingdom.*

### The Law of the Jungle

*The weak will always be consumed by the strong.*

## Destiny

### Face your Fate

To go against the will of the universe is the highest sin.

### Faith in Fate

*Some gods require acts of faith on a near-daily basis.*

### Forge your Own Fate

*Some gods value independent, self-reliant followers who will through their own means change the course of history.*

 Taboo

### The Die is Cast

*The will of the gods is unknowable and beyond the ken of mortals to even contemplate.*

## Honesty

### Honesty is Weakness

*The truth is a source of power that should not be squandered on others.*

### Pragmatic Words

*Words can be useful but are not the concern of the gods.*

### The Truth Will Set You Free

*There is never a good time to lie. Eventually, speaking the truth will lead to the moral outcome.*

## Honour

### Them's Fighting Words

*Defending the honour of one’s God, one’s people or one’s family is a duty that cannot be ignored. Even the smallest slight can cascade into open disdain.*

### Words are Words

*Honour is a human construct and is of no concern to the gods.*

## Justice

### An Eye for an Eye

*Justice is a demand of the gods that cannot be ignored. Each crime,*

### Pragmatic Justice

*Laws exist only to create a harmonious society, to encourage good behaviour and avoid rampant anarchy. Laws don’t exist for their own ends.*

### Vengeful Wrath

*Justice is just a weak concept of vengeance. The heretic may not be allowed to continue their heresy.*

## Loyalty

### Camaraderie

*Allies are not just blood or the ties of kingdoms, but instead those who you have established bonds with.*

### One of Us

*Bonds can be created by blood or by experience, but some bonds exist without blood or friendship. An adherent loyalty to one’s clan, kingdom or empire can be the mission of the devout.*

### Pawns on my Board

*Allies are temporary arrangements purely for the purposes of future gains.*

 Taboo

## Possession

### Objects are Objects

*Possession is a human construct and is of no concern to the gods.*

### Ownership is Sacred

*Stealing is the act of taking an object from a person who is agreed to own it.*

### Possession is Nine Tenths of the Law

*Ownership depends on being quick, strong, and careful.*