Overall, I have to say that Exquaestio is stronger than it's ever been and getting stronger. (Expansion:) Exquaestio has a membership of 20 thousand, in, excluding Sedonia and Torphan, a population of 17 million. It's greatest pentration is in Junder, where membership is still less than 1 in 500. Though still poor, missionary work is a priority, and it is nowhere close to reaching its limit of potential followers. Competition varies a great deal. They have no real competition for those looking for something different, but are not really capable of going head to head against the established religions. However, they also have good relations with many religions. (Conversion:) Exquaestio has a number of things going for it. First, there's its record of steady growth over the past decade and a half (1445: +6 success). It has made some mis-steps in terms of the services it offers (1448: -4 to organize independent Junder being the most obvious), but most of its accomplishments have been successful (1448: Aid to Cormenaera, 1451: Mage Licenses). In some areas it's teachings have generated annoyance in the powers that be, but it has yet to go beyond the law in its services. It has been particularly successful in doing things to make its magic known (1446: Chairs in Exquaestio Magic, 1447: spectacular magical summoning). Most recently it's proved its willingness to risk its priests in the battles against the Ice Demons. (Suppression:) Exquaestio is not formally suppressed anywhere, and the established religions have been ineffective in working against Exquaestio's spread. The above comments leave out Sedonia and Torphan. In both cases I feel the positive and negative factors of those areas balance out. Their high populations (a positive) are balanced by the negatives of an extremely different culture (Torphan), or an effective and generally hostile religion (Sedonia). Membership in those areas are new and minimal and growth can be expected to be limited (in terms of the parent societies) for the current phase of growth. In the case of Torphan I also expect to split off a "Western Exquaestio Church" once membership in Torphan grows past the 1,000 mark. Juuso, at one point I believe you placed Exquaestio's growth modifier at +3. With the developments of the past growth period I feel it wouldn't be unreasonable to increase it to +4. Jefferson (Exquaestio) http://www.picotech.net/~jeff_wilson63/rpg/Exq_Main.html ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send mail to celandra-off@phoenyx.net.
