Missions

The duties of priesthood often involve going on missions important to the welfare of the god or the priesthood in general.

One of the most common missions involves going somewhere and trying to convert the local population to worship of the priest's god. Usually, this involves religious education and what amount to social services; sometimes, it involves conquering that culture and ruthlessly suppressing all signs of its old religion.

Other, more exciting missions can involve recovery of artifacts, transportation of persons or goods (such as temple money) through dangerous territory, interpretation of phenomena in distant places, and holy war with the followers of another god.

It's important for the DM to remember that the god himself isn't the only one who sends priests out on missions. For most missions, it's the upper ranks of the priesthood who do the assigning, and priests are supposed to follow the orders of their superiors. So it's possible for any priesthood to have a "bad egg," a priest who issues orders which are contradictory to the tenets of the faith or designed to promote only his personal power. This should, however, be a very rare campaign event, unless the campaign revolves around uncovering and purging a corrupt element of the sect.

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