In your travels through Avalon and during your maturing process, you will come into regular contact with many of the divinities, often those whose ideals are similar to your own. To aid your progression and to ensure that on your behalf there exists a voice to cry against injustices that you have suffered, you would be advised to think hard about choosing one of the Gods as the patron to your cause. To do this you must speak to the deity, or the high priest of that deity, and humble yourself before them. Should they accept you as a possible follower, they will instruct you in how best you may be embraced in to the Order.
Type HELP PATRONS for a list of those deities who have chosen to offer themselves as potential patrons, while HELP followed by the name of a deity should provide you with what information the divinity has chosen to give about themselves. There are two ways to join an Order: the first and most common is as a supplicant, gaining access to the Order and, if you like, tentative admittance; but at a supplicant's rank without full patronage having been bestowed. To request this supplicant's rank type SUPPLICATE followed by the name of the deity or high priest responsible for admission. If they agree you will gain a prospective patron; and will be able to choose no other without causing great upset.
The other way to join an Order is to enter immediately as a fully-fledged follower. This is achieved via the PATRON command, typing PATRON followed by the deity's name or the name of the admitting high priest. Should you be accepted you will join the Order with full privileges, bypassing the supplicant's state. If you wish at any time to discard your chosen patron type UNPATRON followed by the name of the deity. This is considered one of the most weighty and potentially upsetting decisions a mortal can make and few deities look kindly on fairweather followers
As you will find yourself also coming in to contact with immortals who do not sympathise with your goals, you are likely to find that a patron is invaluable in preventing other deities from burdening you with their wrath. Alone, you cannot hope to fight against the active disfavour of a divine being, but with another immortal on your side, you need only worry about the other mortals. Hence a patron can become a deciding factor in your success; in your instruction of the ways of the land, and in your protection. Once inside an order, type SUPPLICANTS or FOLLOWERS depending on your own rank within the Order, to see the others who have supplicated themselves or been admitted under the patronage of your chosen deity.
Two methods exist for communicating directly to the divinities of Avalon. The first is through the WISH command, whereby you can wish messages to be heard by all the Gods. The second is through the PRAY command. You can pray in any temple or place of holy significance, and your prayer will be heard by the deity whose powers resides there - either immediately, if they are playing Avalon at the time, or when they next return.
