The Holy Church of the Saints of Order
The Holy Church of the Saints of Order, or more commonly called simply "the church" or "the priesthood", is a loosely organized religious organization that primarily focuses on maintaining standardization/Orthodoxy in religious practice throughout Calradia.
Structure
The church does not have a strict hierarchy, as it is believed that the religious mortals should follow the example set by the saints themselves, where none of them are considered superior to each other (except for their father of course). In this way, the priests preach to the people the same concept, that all mortals are on an equal moral and religious footing with each other, and that they only answer truly to the gods. In practice, though, the practicality of at least some hierarchy to maintain organization is recognized by the priesthood, and so some hierarchy does exist out of necessity. Within the church, this loose hierarchy equates to "Priests" who answer to "High Priests", who answer to their "Order" and it's elected officers.
Priests are the center of the church, and are the religious folk who spend their lives studying holy texts, counselling the faithful, and even leading holy expeditions against heretics or into unknown lands to be colonized. There is no overarching organization that governs individual priests, other than that they must first be officially recognized and trialed by a High Priest of their Order, who will ensure that they are adequately faithful and have the qualities necessary to be a member of the priesthood.
Individual churches, temples, and even grand cathedrals are run and organized by a single "high-priest". High priests are generally elected to the position by the other priests who work and preach out of the same building. Such temple or cathedral based groups are called a "cloister", and are often made up of many different priests who follow different Saints and as such fall under different Orders. In the case where there is only one priest in the locality, then the only priest will be called simply "father" or "mother", and will only be called a "priest" when attending inter-church gatherings.
All priests are a member of a single Order, which is the loose organization of all priests who follow the same Saint. Orders exist to share knowledge and religious understanding between their individual priests and high-priests, and will occasionally hold gatherings where all the members of the order are expected to attend. At such meetings, called "moots", the priests will share their religious experiences and debate topics of disagreement amongst each other. Often, Orders will elect officers to conduct specific duties on behalf of the order; for example, the Order of Saint Alesia has a "High Inquisitor" who is specifically tasked to work together with the Order Malleus to travel the continent and hunt heretics, as this is a key aspect of the worship of Saint Alesia.
There is no higher individual who manages the Orders, but all Orders are religiously compelled to support and work with each other for the good of all. Despite political and economic pressure, the Church has remained remarkably resilient to outside pressures, and has shown great resolve in supporting each other and the faithful in times of need.
Culture
Regardless of the specific Saint that a priest follows, all priests in the Church have some beliefs in common. Firstly, All priests are abundantly aware of the threats that exist from The Shadowfell, and so view their religious duties as absolutely imperative to protecting the mortal realm from daemonic influence. In a world where Daemons are real, and absolutely attempt to prey on the weakest of society, the Priesthood views itself as being responsible to help especially the weakest in society, so as to not leave them as vulnerable targets for cults or daemonic possession. As such, charity and counselling is a large part of the activities of the church, in their attempts to strengthen society as much as possible.
Secondly, the Priesthood views itself as neutral and separate from the nations of Calradia. Despite the fact that most of the priesthood, and the majority of the largest and most grand cathedrals, exist still within the borders of The Calradian Empire and it's warring factions, the priesthood is adamant that it is not an "Imperial" organization. The Priesthood frequently clashes with local governments who attempt to force them to take sides in the ongoing conflicts. The Priesthood views it as their duty to travel to all corners of the continent and preach on behalf of the interest that ALL mortals have in keeping the faith against the ever-present threat of darkness. As such, churches are founded in all corners of the continent, and travelling priests will attempt to gain a foothold in any mortal settlement that they believe is lacking in the faith. This has brought them in direct conflict with The Battanian Confederacy, who despite their neutrality view the Priesthood's attempts to spread the faith inside their borders as an religious attack by the The Calradian Empire against their authority. Some priests remain imprisoned in Battania, which has spurred a number of small-scale (for now) conflicts against Battania by factions within the Empire.
Other than these two primary tenets, there is significant disagreement amongst the different Orders of the Church about how their religious duties should be carried out. Despite this, the Orders maintain a healthy respect for each other, as in the end they are all brothers and sisters in the same fight.
Assets
Funding
The church is entirely self-funded, and gain their resources from three main sources:- Donations from the faithful, called "tithes". Tithes are not mandatory, but are encouraged for citizens or people who have enough to spare. the church generally looks down on any attempts by Priests to coerce tithes from the faithful, and some have even be excommunicated for attempting to do so, as this is viewed as an unacceptable kind of corruption.
- Donations from townships, cities, and governments. The church often receives donations from governments, who are often looking to impress their citizens with their piety, commitment to the faith, and charity. The Church accepts these donations graciously, but has on a number of occasions publicly refused to endorse governments, insisting on their policy of political neutrality
- In-house production. Many church establishments spend some of their time producing goods such as wine, beer, honey, and fruit from orchards and forests surrounding church properties. These goods are often sold well below market price, and the small profit they make is considered the purchaser's donation to the church (i.e. they might make only 1Cp profit on a 1Gp Keg or Jar of wine)
Paramilitary Forces - Paladins
Particularly faithful people will sometimes look to serve the church, but be unsuitable for whatever reason for the priesthood. In the early history of the Church, these people would essentially form independant mobs, who would go on poorly organized religious crusades against any perceived threat. Since those days, the Church has seen the practicality in bringing them in under their umbrella, making them official church organizations, and assigning priests to run them (just as much to keep their passion in check as to guide them). Eventually these organizations became known as "Paladin Orders", and they grew in size and strength to the point where most church Orders elect "grandmasters" to control and organize them, so that they can have their military prowess and skills turned towards holy ends. Paladin Orders will often be called in by priests to help cleanse a cult from a town, escort pilgrims to holy sites, or to escort colonization missions to remote regions. Paladin Orders will often be based out a specific monastery, where they train to respond to requests for aid from the faithful or the Priesthood. The Paladin Orders are also usually self-funded, and paladins commonly take on a tradecraft on the side to make money to pay for the weapons, armor, food, and to maintain the monastery.Infrastructure - Churches
The physical churches themselves are of course the cornerstone (ha) of the organization, as they provide the ability for the Priests to bless and sanctify holy places for worship and ritual. Many churches are built, expanded, and maintained through the churches own funding. However some, especially the massive cathedrals, are built and maintained by city governments under the direction of a High-Priest. Regardless of the type, churches are not just places of worship, but also living accommodations and production centers for the priesthood. Many churches have living spaces for the priests, a large kitchen for both internal use and for charitable work, as well as walled-in outdoor space for things such a orchards, bee-keeping, archery or melee combat practice, and sometimes simply beautifully kept gardens of herbs for healing.Demography and Population
The demography of the Church varies widely, but the largest populations of priests can be found in the largest cathedrals of the most populous cities of the continent. This is for practical reasons, as cities are where large concentrations of faithful gather, and under many different Saints. As such, most cathedrals are so-called "All-Saints" cathedrals, where each Order will have their own chapel in alcoves that diverge of from a massive open space in the center.
However, as most of the population still lives outside the city, most priests operate in small cloisters scattered throughout the countryside in a variety of buildings from very small to respectably large, usually operating in groups of 5-8.
The Church and it's Priesthood are open to people of any Sex, Gender, Race, or Ethnicity, as all mortals are valid brothers and sisters in faith. However, the specific race and sex breakdown of the Priesthoods in particular are divided up below:
- 65% Human, 17% Elvish, 16% Dwarvish, 1% Aasimar, 1% Halfling
- 58% Female, 42% Male
Mythology & Lore
The Church's core beliefs are grounded in the events of the First and Second ages. The Priesthood are often some of the most well-read historians, and consume with fervour any and all descriptions of the rise of the Saints of Order and the overthrow of the Daemon Prince Aloth as they can. They view Godric and his Saints as being the literal saviors of all good and free mortal peoples, and center their worldview on this idea. They believe that a good society, as seen in the Third Age of peace and prosperity, is only possible when the forces of evil and The Shadowfell are kept at bay through faith and support to the Saints, whose job it is to safeguard the realm. They believe that the
The church has watched with increasing worry the growing presence of Daemonic entities and influence across the continent, and so view themeselves as being both partially responsible for this as a failure, and have taken leadership in attempts to control this trend. They believe that their all-father created a perfect environment for society for them with his Saints, and that they have somehow failed to safeguard his peace. As such, there is currently a growing feeling of simultaneous shame and renewed purpose within the Church.
Divine Origins
In the oldest books kept in Nazzareth, there are stories of "priests" of the old days, whose job it was to talk with the Saints, and bring their orders and directions to the people to be followed. As such, it is believed that the origins of the Priesthood can be traced back directly to these middle-men between the heavens and the mortals, and they believe themselves to still be carrying out this function today.
Ethics
Sins
While the different Orders of Priests would disagree on some specific interpretations of the Saint's directions when it comes to morals (for example, the Order of Saint Ecclesius believes drinking to be a sin, as it dulls the senses and intellect, while the Order of Saint Syntrofius believe it to be essential to comradery) all priests agree on a number of cardinal sins to be avoided:Heresy
Heresy is the ultimate sin against the Church, and heretics are treated as an afront to the true order of the mortal realm. Followers of the Order of Saint Aethelstan believe in attempting to save and redeem these people, but most other Orders are much less forgiving for this crime, and all still agree that heretics MUST be removed from society at all costs.Disorder
While many priests understand that rebellion in some circumstances can be morally justified (thinking of the example of when the mortals rebelled against the Daemon hosts), the Priesthood views rebellion against legally and justly established order as being a sin. they generally believe that rebellion, anarchy, and the ensuing chaos are not conducive to a harmonious and united society able to repel that temptations of The Shadowfell. This generally means that Priests will, when pushed, usually defend the status quo to protect the harmony or unity of a community.Virtues
On the opposite side, there are some generally agreed upon virtues, that all priests of the Church attempt to espouse and represent to their followers:Charity
The Church in any given community is often the largest charitable organization by orders of magnitude. The church cares for the down-trodden, in the hopes that they can eventually get back on their feet and contribute to society again. They believe that, just as all mortals are on an equal field morally, that all mortals ought to care for each other. Especially in the darkest and hardest of times, it is often charity that can re-kindle the hope in a hopeless heart, and renew their faith for trials to come.Community
The Church does it's best to foster a feeling of community, not just locally, but broadly between different peoples. Because they believe we are all brothers and sisters in faith, holding back the tide of darkness every day, they believe that this fact ought to bring together people in caring for each other and looking for each other's safety. Whereas when mis-used community can lead to an "us vs them" mentality, the church believes that ultimately they must work towards growing the understanding that we are all on the same side in a planar game larger than any of us can deal with alone.Self-Reflection
Many daemonic entities prey upon the weaknesses, fears, and flaws of mortals themselves. The church believes that all mortals (including themselves) have a moral imperative to reflect on their own qualities, and work to improve them. This is of course not only for the good of the individual, but for the community around them. They encourage all people to grow personally so that they can be a strong shoulder for their comrades to lean on in hard times.Granted Divine Powers
Many priests are, through extensive ritual practice and even in some cases divine contact, able to channel the winds of magic in a way that calls on magic of a celestial nature. It is unknown whether this magic is simply already woven into the winds themselves, or whether it is actually created by the user. Whatever the case, many priests are able to perform differing levels of magical miracles. Priests normally use this magic for healing, to aid in the work of their comrades, or to assist in rooting out heretics.
Priests vary widly in their abilities to channel this magic. Some wizards who have later become priests have been able to channel their magical knowledge and expertise to generate awe-inspiring miracles. In addition, some priests are gifted boons from their Saint in exchange for their devotion and service, and these individuals often either have greater magical potential, or are given holy relics which boost their potential.
Keep the Faith, the Saints Protect.
Founding Date
1186
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Alternative Names
The Church, The Priesthood
Formation Type
Training Level
Trained
Veterancy Level
Experienced
Demonym
Faithful
Economic System
Gift economy
Deities
Divines
Official Languages
Comments