There is no “supreme order” of the vineyards; each
determines its own power structure. Usually, the highest-ranking local oracle oversees the vineyard, but there
are vineyards run by councils of children or the local halfwit—even a vineyard that takes its instruction from an
enchanted gibbon. No matter how the Zhenkefans structure their faith, no one gainsays them.
Regardless of vineyard structure, though, there are three
orders universal to the Zhenkefan faith. A person who
dedicates her life to Zheenkeef’s works can join one of these
orders, whether it is powerful in her local vineyard or not.
The clergy are called the apostles. The holy warriors are
called the joyous brotherhood, and have two levels of status:
laughing brother or sister, and drunken brother or sister.
The oracles, who most consider religious authorities, have
two levels of status: seer and prophet.
There is no “average” vineyard, though most have an
oracle in residence and three or four apostles. Yet there are
many vineyards made up of local Zhenkefans, with no one
from the holy orders.
Apostles of Zheenkeef
The apostles are Zheenkeef’s clerical order, but they are
rarely found in the vineyards. They are wanderers, spreading the teachings of Zheenkeef and lending their hands to
the goddess’s works. The stereotype of this order’s members
is the wild-eyed man, with an unshorn and tangled mane
of hair, dressed in simple robes and a rope belt, carrying an
enormous morningstar in one hand and a flagon of wine in
the other. Indeed, many apostles never shave or cut their
hair, and their diet often consists of little more than garlic,
onions, and wine. Many apostles are half mad, at least.
Apostles believe it is their duty to seek out the places
of the world where the goddess’ hand is not felt and her
inspiration, not experienced. They speak out on street corners, from hillocks, and in dark places of the cities. They
spread the lessons of the Creed to anyone who will listen.
That said, Zhenkefans do not seek to actively convert
others to their outlook, and neither is it the function of the
apostles. Apostles offer all people the lessons of Zheenkeef
in the hope that, seeing the way of inspiration, they take
up the Creed and live a free life. Zhenkefans see most
evangelism as a kind of tyranny (one unique to religion),
and therefore speak against religious leaders who say people
must follow a certain path, or suffer.
As the sixth Creed
teaches, all people are free, and must choose their own
paths. The preaching apostles do not use language such
as “this is the only way,” “follow or be damned,” or other
threatening inducements. Instead, they simply speak of
Zheenkeef’s way, and hope their words reach attentive ears.
The apostles hardly care about secular matters, and pay
little attention to politics or issues of local concern. Heads
in the clouds, they think only of the great teachings the
Mother of Madness gave them.
Beyond the spreading of the doctrine, the apostles are
also fierce opponents of stultifying and tyrannical forces
such as devils, whose influence they cannot tolerate. They
stride into the mouth of danger time and again to topple
any force that threatens the freedom of the five mortal
races. In battle, they have a wild look to their eyes, raging
against their foes with their spiked morningstars.
Most apostles are chaotic neutral, and see it as their
primary duty to spread the teachings of Zheenkeef.
These are the untamed apostles that most know, who
oppose the works of tyrants when they can, but mostly
seek to change the world and undermine established
orders.
Apostles have little interest in politics and the
workings of the vineyards; they are dedicated wanderers and mendicants.
Chaotic good apostles are far more interested in inspiration and uplifting the oppressed. They pay attention to
Brotherhood?Why not Sisterhood?
There are a few orders of the faiths referred to as
brotherhoods or fellowships. This does not mean female
characters cannot be members. In the case of the Joyous
Brotherhood, a female member would be referred to as a
joyous sister, but a member of the joyous brotherhood. If
preferred, the gender of these terms can easily be switched
so that the order is called the Joyous Sisterhood. Whatever you call these orders, it should not in any way reflect
on who can be a member, with the sole exception of the
orders of Morwyn, which are gender-specific.
the workings of the world, learning about political leaders
that wrong their fellow mortals, and speaking out against
them.
These apostles are often agitators and troublemakers,
using their protected status as representatives of a god to
promote freedom of thought and feeling.
There are chaotic evil apostles as well, but they are not
openly welcomed in the vineyards, and tend to worship in
dark, secret places.
Joining the Apostles of Zheenkeef
All members are named apostles upon joining. This is the
only title a member of the order will ever bear, and they do
not take on honorifics such as “father” or “brother.” If they
are introduced, it is by name and the sobriquet, “an apostle
of Zheenkeef.” A prospective apostle requires little training,
and receives it either from another apostle, or from one of
the oracles at a vineyard. Training takes only a few months,
but requires absolute devotion to Zheenkeef. Upon completing the training, the apostles become clerics, with Madness
as their domain.
Zheenkeef wields an
enormous morningstar bound with iron and spiked with
a thousand spearheads of divine fire. The weapon is called
Askew, and its touch is said to drive the searing fires of
madness deep into foes’ minds. Many clerics wield weapons
forged to resemble the one used by their deity.
Joyous Brotherhood of Zheenkeef
The Joyous Brotherhood is made up of those who feel the
very power of inspiration flowing through their veins and
limbs. While Darmon is the god of joy and laughter, the
joy in the hearts of the Zhenkefan brotherhood is more
like religious euphoria and bliss than the simple joy of
a good laugh. The members of this order are lent great
strength and power by the elative forces of Zheenkeef, and
slip into divine trances to aid them in battle.
Though they sometimes have a wild demeanor, the
joyous brothers do not seem madness-stricken like apostles. Instead, they are an ecstatic people, moved from the
very well of their beings to do great things.
Unlike most
apostles, they do care about secular matters, and involve
themselves in local struggles and politics, befriending
and aiding the underdogs, and those without a voice. In
the classic feuds of legends, where two great families tear
apart a town, the Joyous Brotherhood sides with faceless
peasants caught in the middle.
They are trained at noticing the people others ignore.
The order focuses its attentions on serving these ignored
groups and opposing of all forces that enslave minds and
hearts. Joyous brothers delight in matters great and small,
fighting against evil with their massive morningstars
and happiness. When confronted with the stolid considerations of decorum, they resort to mockery and japes.
Good manners are not their forte, and for this reason
many call them the “vulgar order.” They drink wine, often
to excess, do not hold their emotions in check, and don’t
stay their tongues when they feel someone is wrong. They
are bold, brash, loud, and unquestionably empowered with
the divine inspiration of their goddess. While many in
power think them drunken buffoons, they are in fact terrifyingly observant, and often cut haughty men low with a
single perfectly worded observation.
Every autumn, the joyous brothers see it as their duty
to help harvest grapes and press wine. They disguise
themselves and show up in communities where they are
strangers, lending work to the farmers and departing days
later, when the harvest is done. In this, they see themselves as walking in the footsteps of Zheenkeef, who also
wandered the land, lending aid to strangers and departing, her identity unknown.
While there are other holy warrior orders, like the
Eagles of the Urianath, who seek to oppose tyranny and
free the enslaved, no order’s behavior is like the Joyous
Brotherhood’s. While the brothers do seek to free those
who are literally enslaved, they also wish to awaken the
desires of those who are not drinking deep from the cup
of life. “There is a kind of slavery in the heart,” they are
known to say, “when a man lives free of physical bonds,
yet never strays from what is expected of him.” The joyous
brothers seek to move all those they meet to live life to its
fullest, be bold, love all people, and speak their minds.
More reserved folk find them insufferable.
The rules of conduct for the joyous brotherhood are
more poetic suggestions than clear edicts:
Never accept the words of the powerful at
face value.
Those who are too weak to afford beliefs should be
offered aid.
Look for the detail no one else sees.
Remind all those you meet that life is sweet.
Never shrink from looking into the face of tragedy.
A person enslaved by his own beliefs should be
offered the hand of friendship.
A person enslaved by the beliefs of others
must be freed.
Remember the Creed each day.
Interpretations of these edicts vary, so it is unlikely a
joyous brother would be ejected from the order for violating one unless that violation was patently obvious, such as
becoming the obedient servant of a king. The command
to free the enslaved does not pertain to those who have
been imprisoned for evil deeds. That much is universally
accepted by the members of the order.
Whatever the interpretation of these edicts, if a joyous
brother knowingly commits an evil act or actively aids in
the commission of an evil act, she will lose her abilities
until she atones.
Joyous brothers prefer chaotic companions. It is very
rare to find joyous brothers traveling with, say, officers of
the courts of Maal. They most often travel with fighters,
barbarians, rogues, rangers, and others who do not mind
the occasional song and large jug of wine. Those who take
themselves very seriously, or insist that their companions
obey every rule, are unlikely to find themselves in the
company of a joyous brother for long.
Laughing Brother or Sister
Members of the Joyous Brotherhood are called laughing
brothers or sisters. They are addressed as “Brother” or
“Sister” and introduced by full title. A laughing sister is
charged to ride forth, often with other
members of her order, and do great
works against the powers of Law.
Drunken Brother or Sister
After a laughing brother or sister has become powerful and filled with the inspiration of Zheenkeef,
he or she is raised to the status of drunken brother, or
sister. He or she is addressed as “Honored Brother” or
“Honored Sister,” and introduced by full title. The accompanying ceremony is true to the name; a new drunken
sister drinks for an entire day of the finest wine available,
until she staggers. She is then stripped of her weapons and
armor and sent to a remote area—a wilderness, a desert,
a mountain—to wander alone for three days.
Of course,
by this time the drunken sister is quite powerful, and it is
rare that one does not survive the initiation.
After the initiation, many of the order swear off wine
for some long period, except for ceremonial celebrations.
Indeed, they hardly need it any longer; they are called
the drunken brothers (or sisters) because they can conjure
up the deep joy of inebriation without wine and its side
effects. A drunken sister laughs louder, speaks more freely,
sees more clearly, and is inspired more deeply than ever
she was as a laughing sister. She can be understood to be
drunk with life, not wine.
Joining the Joyous Brotherhood
A laughing sister is usually someone who heard the
call of Zheenkeef at a young age, and went to a vineyard to train in the ways of the order. Quite often,
the call is heard with the young person’s first sip
of wine, for it is through wine that Zheenkeef
speaks to her chosen. Training to become a
member of the order usually only takes about
two years. Nearly all are chaotic, and most
(though not all) tend to be chaotic good. Unlike other
militant orders, the joyous brotherhood is made up of
sorcerers with Divine Inspiration for their sorcerous origin
. While they possess magical power,
most are just as happy smashing their foes with their
morningstars as they are channeling the power of their
mad goddess.
Oracles of Zheenkeef
Most vineyards are run by the oracles, the oldest of the
Zhenkefan holy orders. The motivations of this order are
mysterious. They sometimes aid those who have nothing but contempt for the vineyards and its worshipers,
but deny requests from the most ardent Zhenkefans.
Whatever motivates them, their powers are unrivaled—
they see far.
Oracles are eccentric leaders of the faith who, speaking
in riddles and whispers, send people on bizarre errands
only Zheenkeef understands. They are often found in
rooms filled with clouds of stinking incense, or near
chasms, smelling strange vapors from fissures in the earth.
They read the many signs of the universe and converse
with voices none but they can hear—and perhaps, with
the Mother of Madness herself.
It would be easy and perhaps comforting to discount them as mad, but they know
too much to be ignored. When two oracles meet, particularly two prophets, it is both propitious and terrifying;
their visions might combine into premonitions of mighty
deeds, or terrible disasters.
Frail, peculiar, a bit mad, the oracles of Zheenkeef see
things they should not, and know more than they let on.
They call on Zheenkeef to fill them with swirling, mad
images of the future, most of which cannot be cast into
words. Many do not reveal the secret knowledge they
bear, believing others would be better off not knowing.
Some compulsively reveal all they see, terrifying children
with their dark futures. Most who spend time with these
provisional leaders of the Zhenkefan faith end up asking
themselves whether the fates they foresee can be avoided.
To be an oracle is to live a life plagued by visions, most of
which make no sense, but some of which tell the future.
Far-Seeing Master
Prospective oracles must seek out prophets and request
admission into the order. Often candidates are sent away,
but if the prophet deems the applicant worthy, she puts
him to the test. Applicants must answer twelve questions
that can only be answered using divination, which culminates in the test of the chalices. In this test, the would-be
oracle must choose one of thirty chalices, all but one of
which is filled with poisoned wine. Surviving the test
grants admittance into the order, and the title of seer. A
seer is addressed as “Far-Seeing Master” and introduced
with the words “The Seer” before his name. So Karzgar
would be addressed as “Far-Seeing Master Karzgar,” but
introduced as “The Seer Karzgar, an oracle of Zheenkeef.”
Prophet
Experienced seers can declare themselves prophets. The
prophets, having known they would bear the title someday, prepare new robes and a staff of office for the day of
their ascension. Seers who do not prepare robes or staffs
either know they will find some in their journeys, or
foresaw they will never become prophets. Prophets are
addressed as “All-Seeing Master,” and are always introduced with the words “the Prophet,” before their names.
Joining the Oracles
Only non-lawful characters devoted to Zheenkeef can
join the oracles. Most are warlocks who made pacts with
Zheenkeef in the aspect of oracle (see Chapter X), though
some come from the rank of apostles, Joyous Brotherhood,
or from outside the faith. Wizards (of Divination) and
other divination magic specialists might join, should they
feel so moved. Sometimes, powerful visions even inspire
clerics of other gods to become oracles later in life.
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