The Storm Crows
Followers of Taranis and all his Teachings
The Storm Crows are a tumultuous sect based in Seagard, Barony of Dawnton. They worship all that the Great Deity Taranis and his lesser gods who represent: War, Storm, Sea and Fury. The greatest wish for each cleric of this sect is to ascend as one of Medb's Valkyries & Great Heroes, and they will go to great lengths to achieve glory in battle.
While they are led by their patriarch dubbed Father, the cult mainly consists of female humans and a handful of other races. However, every woman that joins is expected to die in battle with all the glory she can muster, and thus there has not been a Mother, or matriarch, in centuries. These shield maiden die with glee, for dying in battle may grant them entrance to Medb's great Long Hall as an esteemed Valkyrie, bringing honour to their families.
Tenets of Faith
The Storm Crows live by the following tenets:
I. Defend your home, but never sit still.
II. Enter storm, sea and war with fury and courage.
III. If you must die, die in battle and with glory.
IV. Respect the retired soldier, his experience is worth a thousand lives.
V. Defile not women and children, and slay those who do.
Priesthood
The Storm Crows are guided and led by the Father, a position of leadership akin to a bishop, though not as formal. While they respect his word as law, few Fathers have taken direct control over their followers and instead follow the teachings of ebb and flow. The Father is the only one that may appoint a new War Priest, and a new Father is generally chosen from among the existing War Priests.
War Priests are master clerics in all but name. They are appointed after a decade or so as a wandering cleric of tempest, exploring the world over which Taranis claims dominion with his elemental powers, often via ship. Once they have achieved priest-hood, they dedicate their time to studying the stars and interpreting Taranis' will at the Longhouse in Seagard.
To be chosen as a wandering cleric by an existing War Priest, four challenges have to be met by the hopeful:
I. Achieve a kill in the ocean
II. Achieve a kill during a storm
III. Achieve a kill during battle
IV. Achieve a kill with fury (usually against a long-time rival of the same cult)
Those who achieve all four at the same time are granted special considerations and are dubbed the 'Storm Kissed'.
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