High Priestess of Oristhane
The Cult of Istha and the nation of Oristhane are united under one ultimate authority: the High Priestess of Oristhane. The title, currently held by Her Radiance Marini of Khara denotes a role that is as much a governmental position as it is a spiritual one.
Requirements
First and foremost, a High Priestess must be a devoted follower of Istha who has served as a priestess for at least three years. It is customary that before being appointed to the role of High Priestess, one should have experience as a Knight-Priestess, in order to supplement one's religious experience with political experience. However, this is not a requirement, just a tradition; the current High Priestess, Her Radiance Marini of Khara, is notable for stepping into the role of High Priestess without prior experience as a Knight-Priestess.
Secondly, a High Priestess absolutely must be a firewalker, one who possesses fire magic. This is both traditional, stretching back to the faith's roots with its first firewalkers, and spiritually significant, as to be a firewalker indicates divine power vested in an individual by Istha. The power and abilities of a potential High Priestess may vary widely, but ultimately they must have some ability with holy fire magic.
High Priestesses-- and priestesses in general-- are most commonly women and femmes, but gender is not a requirement for the role. The title remains the same: men within the temple are still referred to as priestesses, and a man at this utmost place within the temple would be referred to as a High Priestess as well, for the title reflects less upon the individual's femininity than it does the individual's connection with the divine femininity of Istha.
The title of High Priestess is also designedly non-hereditary. In order to prevent any potential nepotism, a unanimous vote by the current Knight-Priestesses must be passed to support the decision of a High Priestess who seeks to pass along her title to one to whom she is directly related.
Appointment
It is the responsibility of a reigning High Priestess to choose her successor, to whom she abdicates her title typically, but not always, near the end of her life. Prophetic dreams, visions, and careful divination guide the High Priestess' choice; it is her responsibility to choose not whom she believes will succeed in the role, but rather to choose the individual to whom Istha guides her. Typically, a High Priestess will spend a year or more in the company of the individual(s) she believes to be her successor at the Shadowless City in order to carefully vet them. When a High Priestess is ready to abdicate to her successor, she initiates a ritual known as the Ceremony of the Flame, a deeply private ceremony, the details of which are largely unknown by any outside of the High Priestess' inner circle. The Ceremony of the Flame must commence on the 1st of Sunsummer, the first day of a given year, and unfolds over the next 17 days. On that seventeenth day, the previous High Priestess cedes her role to her successor, and the new High Priestess takes her place.
After a High Priestess abdicates to her successor, she retires to a life of comfort and respect in the Shadowless City. She will likely continue to serve as a priestess for the most important of ceremonies, but is largely exempt from the other priestesses' day to day responsibilities.
Responsibilities
A High Priestess serves as a religious leader of the faith of Istha and as a political leader of the nation of Oristhane. As a religious leader, she sets the course of the faith by establishing goals, settling disputes, and interpreting divinations. As a political leader, she represents the nation of Oristhane amongst the Circle of Nine, and oversees the governance of all of Oristhane's free cities. She manages and leads the Knight-Priestesses, a collective of theopolitical agents who serve as extensions of the High Priestess' will and who individually oversee the governments of the free cities. Perhaps most importantly, she serves as an icon of the power of Istha and a symbol of the power of Oristhane.
Type
Religious, Political
Form of Address
Her Radiance (occasionally His or Their Radiance)
Alternative Naming
The High Priestess
Current Holders
Related Organizations
Comments