Alteum is a deity of peace, mercy, compassion, and healing. He is primarily a human deity and is believed to have been worshipped by the people who later became the Yarrins and Allitoians, prior to those peoples setting foot on Rhean. To these early humans, fleeing civilization and wars on Jardaa, a deity of peace who offered healing and protection was very important, and Alteum's priesthood grew very strong. In the modern era, Alteum worship is widespread throughout central Rhean, with major temples in Haven, Damacar, Talin City, FreeIsle, Mulmarn, Colne, Sailsion, and Capepoint, as well as a host of smaller temples and shrines in many other cities and towns. Many of Alteum's worshippers are the common tradesmen and laborers, the "salt of the earth", who require simple guidance, healing, and warding from disease. Priests of Alteum also commonly march with armies; as they are known for their policies of healing soldiers from both sides and not participating in combat, they are generally not considered valid targets. Most priests of Alteum scorn violence; the more militaristic arm, the "Hand of Alteum", which allows violence against evil, carries only blunt weapons, although these priests may travel with a heavily-armed "defender of the faith".

Priests of Alteum tend to be kindly and compassionate. They often act as diplomats and mediators, although they are not generally called upon to arrange deals or treaties, or to act as judges, as they are more concerned with making peace than in pursuing justice or profit. Priests of Alteum generally attempt to limit their consumption of meat as much as possible, and many actually are vegetarians.

Besides the Hand of Alteum, there is another sect of note: the Syrans, founded by a priest named Torem eSyra. The Syrans hold that physical suffering is less of a concern than spiritual suffering, and that physical injury and pain may even be necessary to have a healthy soul. This sect is considered heretical by the Church of Alteum.

Revised Information for Priests
At Stage 2 of their Path, priests of Alteum may select from: Chirurgy, Diplomacy, Plant Lore, Heraldry, and any language. Members of the Hand of Alteum select from: Chirurgy, Diplomacy, Evade, Clubs, Shield, Heraldry. At Stage 3, regular priests may also choose among: Herbalism, History, Evade, Local Knowledge, Oratory, any Craft or Labor. Members of the Hand select from: Staff, Medium Armor, Parry for a weapon they know, Combat Reflexes.

Religion Skill Abilities

• Rites: Novice.
• Voice of the Mediator: Apprentice. You may add your numerical rank to diplomacy skill rolls when attempting to bring about or maintain peace.
• Hands of a Healer: Journeyman. You may add your numerical rank to chirurgy skill rolls.

Prayer Skill Abilities

• The Washing of the Wounds: Novice. It is said that when Alteum lived with his people, they went to war despite his wishes. When the men returned wounded and bloody, Alteum went out to them and washed their wounds, relieving their pain and bleeding. To use this, spend a round recalling this using Religion (roll against a TN of 11 and expend 1 Stability), then touch some water to the wound. Roll this skill against a TN of 11; if successful, heal 1d4 damage and prevent infection. Expend Ka equal to the amount rolled. For each of the rolls, a 16+ adds +1 to the amount healed.
• Prayer for Sanctuary: Novice, not allowed for Hand of Alteum.
• Chant of the Lightbringer: Novice. This chant creates an aura of light around the character which is about as bright as a torch, but softer and more diffuse. The character appears more holy while shrouded in this aura, although it does little other than shed light. If the character stops chanting, the aura begins to dim and fades completely in 1 minute per rank. Naturally, the character must use an action to chant each round, which is a normal Sing/ Chant action. Beginning the chant also requires a Concentrate action, with the normal costs and requirements. Otherwise, this chant requires 1 Stability per minute.
  
• Chant of the Healer: Apprentice. This chant is used both to encourage healing and to maintain life when death is otherwise certain. It affects a single person, who must be very near the chanter. Once this chant is begun, any negative process affecting the target physically is arrested while the chant continues. For example, this chant could be started over a person bleeding out their life, and they will not die of that wound while it continues. It will likewise halt the action of disease and poison. If a new wound is inflicted while the chant is in progress, it can still kill the person. Whatever was halted is not cured by this; once the chant stops, the negative process picks up right where it left off. For each hour the chant is continued, the target regains 1 Hit. In addition, every 30 minutes of chanting affords the subject a +1 on any wound checks he must make. Finally, the subject will recover an additional Hit on any day in which he is chanted over for at least 30 minutes. Beginning this chant requires Concentrating on the target. The chant itself requires 1 Stability per minute.
• Prayer for Peace: Apprentice. The priest may attempt to remind someone of peace and restore calm to their mind. The priest must be close to the target; they must be able to see each other; and the target must be able to hear the priest. The priest Concentrates on the target and then uses an action to utter the prayer while expending 4 Ka. The TN for this power is 15, or higher if the target is unusually agitated, insane, or raging. If successful, the target gains 1 point of Stability and loses his next action. In addition, the target may not make an attack action in either the remainder of this round or in the following round.
• Chant of the Protector: Apprentice. As long as the priest continues this chant, he may provide a defensive benefit to allies in close proximity. The priest Concentrates on an area close to him, and selects those within it he wishes to include. This area extends out about 5 feet per rank and may include as many people as the priest wishes. The priest may drop or add people to his protected list as he wishes, although this counts as altering his Concentration (see Rules for Magic). Maintaining the chant requires Concentration. The priest must spend Stability to protect anyone besides himself; one point protects a number equal to his rank for 1 round. This chant provides anyone being protected with a +2 to damage reduction and +1 to defense.
• Chant of the Guardian: Journeyman.
• The Hands of Alteum: Journeyman.
• The Light of Lys: Journeyman.
• A Single Tear: Journeyman, Hand of Alteum only.
• A Dove in the Hand: Master.
• Chant of the Defender: Master.
• Cry a River: Grandmaster, Hand of Alteum only.

Invocation Skill Abilities

• Endurance of Alteum: Novice. By spending a Faith Point when a chant is begun, the character may reduce the Stamina costs of continuing that chant to 1 per minute. A second Faith Point cuts the Stability or Ka costs in half or will eliminate the stamina costs entirely, and a third will halve the other (Stability or Ka) if applicable, or halve the first again (so a cost of 1 per minute becomes 1 per 4 minutes). Note that this does not alter the costs of beginning the chant, only the costs of continuing it.
• Empathic Bond: Apprentice. This ability creates a connection between the priest and another person such that they can share emotions and even physical state. Any given person may only have one bond at a time (this also applies to other types of bonds under this skill). Creating the bond requires the participants to be in physical contact. 2 Faith Points are spent (either participant) as well as 4 Ka and Stability each, and the priest must hit a TN of 11 with this skill and Will. Each day thereafter 1 Faith Point must be spent to maintain the bond, although it can only be completely dissolved by the same process that created it. If the Faith Point is not spent each day, the bond lapses and loses most of its benefits, but the connection still exists and a new bond may not be created. A lapsed bond may be reactivated by close proximity and spending 2 Faith Points. While a bond is active, both participants may sense the other's emotional and physical state, as well as their general direction and distance. While the two are physically close (within a mile or so) they may share simple, directed thoughts by making Concentration rolls and spending 1 Ka per send. In addition, they may lend mental strength; by Concentrating, one may send Ka or Stability to the other at a 2-for-1 rate. If the participants are touching, they may exchange Stamina and Hits for the same cost. There are also some downsides while a bond is active: damage and distractions to one affect the other as well, for Concentration purposes; the TN to continue Concentrating is lowered by 3. Distractions only have an impact if within a mile. Any negative mental effects may also flow across the bond. If one participant loses all of a derived attribute, the other must make a check using the appropriate primary attribute against a TN of 6 or suffer the same effect (i.e. insanity, apathy, unconsciousness, or death), although they only actually lose one-half of the derived attribute and as soon as 1 point is regained they will recover. The exception to this is death; this is real and final. If the check is made the points are still lost, but the effect is not suffered. Note that this downside continues even if the bond lapses.
• Defender Bond: Apprentice, Hand of Alteum only. This is a variant of the Empathic Bond the Hand has created for its members, so that their Defenders of the Faith might be bonded.
• Spiritual Armor: Apprentice. The priest may create a holy aura around himself which acts as armor. It has no Stamina or Encumberance costs and no Penalty. It has a Defense and Damage Reduction of 2. Activating this requires a full minute of prayer and contemplation, the expenditure of 4 Stability and Ka, and 2 Faith Points. It lasts for 1 hour per Invocation rank plus 1 hour per Religion (Alteum) rank.
• Facilitated Bond: Journeyman. This allows the priest to create one of the bonds listed under this skill between any two people: the priest is not involved. Please note that both participants must at least have the Member of the Flock advantage for Alteum; only people of the faith can be bonded by this. The priest must expend 1 additional Faith Point and 4 Ka and Stability; the participants must pay the costs listed for the bond, although the priest may pay any other Faith Points if the participant do not have any. The difficulty is raised by 5. This invocation is sometimes used for marriage.
• His Hand Shelters: Journeyman.
• Circle of Peace: Journeyman.
• The Flock United: Journeyman.
• Spiritual Bond: Master.
• Circle of Healing: Master.
• Create the House of the Spirit: Grandmaster.