Mother Soteria (Title)
Among the Trivian Folk and the Rephaim, there is no one more revered than the Mother Soteria of the Community. In the Aernadael Commonwealth there is typically one Mother Soteria in A Sith Thyrsa County.
Qualifications
To become Mother Soteria, the candidate must be a Rephaim or a Revenant in good standing with the community.
In the rare event that a Mother Soteria retires and there is not an existing Grandmother Thea in the community, the outgoing Mother may appoint to their successor, who must still endure and survive the Ordeal of Consecration.
Requirements
The primary requirement for the position of Mother Soteria is the approval of those on High, whose will becomes known during the Ordeal of Consecration.
Appointment
Should no candidate be brought forward, the community shall perform the Rite of Lilith's Light to ask the first mother to chose who she wishes. The candidate must still endure and survive the Ordeal of Consecration to ensure no trickery occurred in the selection process and that the candidate is approved by the Holy Ones.
The Ordeal is complex and can last for days or weeks depending on the candidates. In brief, it begins with the candidates brewing and imbibing the a potion called the Blood of Eleleth, which transports their souls into the realm of light where they are judged before the Throne of the Great Mother.
So many differing accounts of what happens there have been recorded over the centuries, it is widely believed that the experience is unique to each participant.
The results of the Ordeal manifest clearly for all to see. Unworthy candidates are either driven mad or die. Should more than one be found worthy, they Gilded Crown of Eleleth appears on their forehead and the community chooses between them.
Duties
The Mother Soteria is the mother of the faithful and the vicar of Lilith, and it expected to live as a model of her wisdom, grace, and power.
Taking on the title and position is considered a sacrifice. All Mothers renounce their former name, estates, and claims. If they have spouses, descendants, or revenants, they are considered legally dead and their property is distributed according to their will, testament, or the custom and law of the local community. Should they have no inheritors, their former possessions are distributed among the most needy in the community according to tradition.
Responsibilities
The Mother Soteria is responsible for proper faith and practice of their community, as well as the spiritual, mental, and physical health of all their children and any other in the charge. As a result they are the voice of the community with spirit world, maintaining peace and harmony with all the subtle folk.
They normally sit on the County Council as a spiritual adviser to the Dark Gentry, though it is unfortunately not uncommon for their advice to go unheeded. One county power that resides exclusively with them is the appointment of the Confessor and Pardoner.
Every solstice, equinox, and feast of the Trivian Faith, they host, preside over, and manage the associated fete. She is also responsible for the education of the Trivian Sisters and Trivian Brothers, the rites, upkeep and maintenance of the Temples and Shrines in their jurisdiction, an the Aras of the county.
Benefits
The Mother Soteria is granted a position of great reverence, a home in the convent, and the power to perform the works of Lilith.
Accoutrements & Equipment
They are granted the Death Mask of Eleleth which allows them some of the luminaries gifts for the benefit of the souls of the community.
The Horns of the Fallen God grants them the right to declare a Wild Hunt or The Herlathing in there territory and summon the Hounds of Harlequin.
The Eternal Forge allows them to create swords of faith, stones of noble intent, spears of destiny, and cauldrons of endless bounty, known as the Four Hallows of the Great Mother.
Grounds for Removal/Dismissal
If may is not a Grandmother Thea in the territory, a Mother may retire. If there is, they must serve out their term. Should they become incapable of performing their duties or unfit for the office, the congregation has the right to call on Septenaries to judge their worthiness or call them home.
History
The first Mothers Soteria were named by Lilith herself when she sent her children out to claim their domains in the lands of the dead. Six were her daughters and the other six were the wives of her sons. Ever since, the community has used the rites and ordeal Lilith instituted to continue the line.
Cultural Significance
Since Mother Lilith hasn't been seen in centuries, the Mother Soteria has taken her place of honor in all the Trivian Shrines of the world.
Type
Religious, Political
Form of Address
Mother Soteria, Mother
Alternative Naming
Vicar of Lilith
Source of Authority
The Great Mother, The Lost One, the Three Luminaries, and the Septenaries of the Throne
Length of Term
Life*
Current Holders
Comments