The Monastic Order of the Followers of Deneir the Wise
This monastic orders is one of the most powerful in Albion, with monastaries in each of the 8 duchies, but concentrated in the human lands, especially in Eudioa where it started. It is a scholarly and literary tradition, based around copying down various books for internal use and to sell to others. As such, they are the sources of some of the best made books in all Albion, made of fine vellum and illuminated richly, but as a consequence, they are rather expensive.
Typically, books from the monks of Deneir cost around 0.5 sp per side of page if unilluminated, and 1 sp per side of page if they are. This makes them out of reach for all common folk, but an organization or the nobility can easily afford a few books of this highest quality.
The monks of Deneir are not at all associated with the few shrines and priests of Deneir that dot universities around Albion, but they are the most devouted and visible followers of Deneir, so are seen as representing his wishes. As such, they have a positiion on the Witena.
Structure
Every monastry operates independatly, but nominally all are under the command of the first among equals of the abbots. This abbot is at the main abbey in Lichfield, which is also the largest of all the monastries, and contains a couple hundred monks.
Each monastry is under the command of a senior scribe. Over the course of their years in the order, they advance from Initiate, to novice, junior scribe, scribe, and finally to senior scribe, who comprise the majority of the heirarchical section of the Order. Genertally one will stay at their home monastry till they become a scribe, when they may tranfer to another where they are needed. Generally, everyone is in the monastry is under the direct control of the abbot, but scribes will temporarily command initiates and novices. The abbot is the final authority in the monastry, and will only defer to the head of the order in cases of inter-monastry conflict.
Each monastry is under the command of a senior scribe. Over the course of their years in the order, they advance from Initiate, to novice, junior scribe, scribe, and finally to senior scribe, who comprise the majority of the heirarchical section of the Order. Genertally one will stay at their home monastry till they become a scribe, when they may tranfer to another where they are needed. Generally, everyone is in the monastry is under the direct control of the abbot, but scribes will temporarily command initiates and novices. The abbot is the final authority in the monastry, and will only defer to the head of the order in cases of inter-monastry conflict.
Culture
The monks spend their days in upkeep of the monastry, but each spends at least 6-8 hours every day copying books as an act of worship. Generally junior scribes and below will work on unilluminated, simple texts that have many copies, while scribes will work on some illuminated texts and perhaps a rarer book. Senior scribes will observe the others and work on the illuminated texts and the rarest texts that need to be copied. Typically, scribes and senior scribes will spend 3-4 hours each observing initiats and novices respectivly, instead of copying.
Most monastries have subjects that farm the land they have, giving over 40-50% for the monastry. They treat their vassals well, and store excess food in the monastry for lean times, but are vassal lords none the less. They will often have a garden on the compond for their greener members to care for, but it is for creating inks and dyes, not foodstuffs (mostly).
Monks of the order swear only two vows, a vow of obedience and a vow of poverty. While they do not have rules on chastity, it is heavily discouraged, and women are not permitted on compounds (where all monks must live). Homosexuality is not frowned on (In fact it is mildly encouraged as it is non-procreative)
Most monastries have subjects that farm the land they have, giving over 40-50% for the monastry. They treat their vassals well, and store excess food in the monastry for lean times, but are vassal lords none the less. They will often have a garden on the compond for their greener members to care for, but it is for creating inks and dyes, not foodstuffs (mostly).
Monks of the order swear only two vows, a vow of obedience and a vow of poverty. While they do not have rules on chastity, it is heavily discouraged, and women are not permitted on compounds (where all monks must live). Homosexuality is not frowned on (In fact it is mildly encouraged as it is non-procreative)
Public Agenda
To worship Deneir the Wise, and write books.
Assets
43 monastries, each with around 20 scribes, and 10 or so initiates and novices. Each one has a couple thousand gp worth of materials, enough acres to support the monks, and a stone building. Each one generates around 9000 gp worth of books every year on average, working continutally. On average each monk can copy around 20 pages of unilluminated pages per day, or 5-10 illuminated pages, with initiates writing less and senior scribes more.
Each monastry takes on average 8000 gp to maintain including resource costs for the books and taxes. As such, they generally keep around 500 gp per year, sending 500 gp to the lichfield abbey for group projects like rebuilding monastries or building new ones. Each monastry on average has around 300 gp on them at any one time, as well as around 3000-4000 gp worth of material, 1000-2000 gp worth of foods and consumables, and around 10,000 gp worth of books. Most of profit is spent on new books.
The Abbey of the monastic order, Abbey of Deneir of Lichfield, makes around 10 times a standard monastry, and has an equally large number of monks.
In all, The Monks of Deneir comprise only 1100 monks, and 400 initates and novices. The fact that such a small order has such political power is mostly due to their economic ability. Around 1/15 have sparks, but typically rather low level sparks. As such, there are 80 monks with sparks, almost all of them being knowledge domain clerics. The highest level member is a 15th level cleric, with around 75 clerics of varying levels down to 1st. The other 5 sparked members are 3 Order of Scribes Wizards and 2 Archivist Artificers. These sparked members mostly comprise the command of the Order, the leaders of most individual monastries are sparked, and around 1/3 of the sparked monks are at the Abbey, taking various command positions in the heirarchy.
Each monastry takes on average 8000 gp to maintain including resource costs for the books and taxes. As such, they generally keep around 500 gp per year, sending 500 gp to the lichfield abbey for group projects like rebuilding monastries or building new ones. Each monastry on average has around 300 gp on them at any one time, as well as around 3000-4000 gp worth of material, 1000-2000 gp worth of foods and consumables, and around 10,000 gp worth of books. Most of profit is spent on new books.
The Abbey of the monastic order, Abbey of Deneir of Lichfield, makes around 10 times a standard monastry, and has an equally large number of monks.
In all, The Monks of Deneir comprise only 1100 monks, and 400 initates and novices. The fact that such a small order has such political power is mostly due to their economic ability. Around 1/15 have sparks, but typically rather low level sparks. As such, there are 80 monks with sparks, almost all of them being knowledge domain clerics. The highest level member is a 15th level cleric, with around 75 clerics of varying levels down to 1st. The other 5 sparked members are 3 Order of Scribes Wizards and 2 Archivist Artificers. These sparked members mostly comprise the command of the Order, the leaders of most individual monastries are sparked, and around 1/3 of the sparked monks are at the Abbey, taking various command positions in the heirarchy.
Worship
Copying, writing and reading books are acts of worship.
Granted Divine Powers
Sparked members normally become knowledge clerics, though the occasional Order of Scribes Wizard is not unknown, and neither is an Archivist Artificer.
Founding Date
3219
Type
Religious, Monastic Order
Leader
Deities
Divines
Location
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
Comments