Evannic Priesthood
The Evannic Preisthood was established in the year 6051, according to a stone tablet found in a mountain temple which dates the founding of the Preisthood to that year. First established under the rule of King Thendore, it was made up of a group of preistesses who resided in the Temple of Evanore in Estaire. They were advisors to the kings, and mainly practised divination and ritual spellwork under the teachings of the Goddess Evanore, who was often known to speak to the preistesses. Though most of their knowladge is lost to time, the Evannic Preisthood still exists in a fragmented form in other areas.
Structure
The Temple was organized by simple seniority. The person who had served in the temple for the longest time was thus the High Preistess. She had authority over all internal matters in the preisthood, as well as political matters with the king of Estaire. She also presided over city-wide religious events. The other preistesses and acolytes served her and the goddess.
Culture
During the time of Estaire, the preisthood was a highly prestigious order, whose authority had been legitimized by the goddess herself. It tended to be highly traditional, and wary of change.
Public Agenda
To the public, the preisthood was the authority on all spiritual matters, especially those pertaining to Evanore, who was the supreme diety of the city. Though the worship of other gods was not forbidden, and there were other public temples, none had an established order of preists attached to them. They were meant to cooperate with the ruler, and advise them on matters of tradition and prophecy. It was considered foolish for a king to disregard the opinion of the high preistess, and he could not publicly criticise them.
Assets
Besides the temple in the city, the Evannics also maintained several other more remote temples outside the city and in the smaller villages, as well as sending delegations to foreign lands to negotiate on behalf of the king. For their service, the temple collected a portion of taxes, and the ruler was also expected to make generous yearly donations, not only of money, but of luxery items and ceremonial gifts. Collections of these gifts have been found in the graves of preistesses and in hoards among the more remote temples. Among these items have been found many beads made from bone, glass or obsidian, tin alloys, marble, and amber. It was also traditional for the king to give every preistess a golden armband every year they served. Other gifts have also been found such as copper bowls for offerings, obsidian knives, divination runes made from marble or stone, meant for casting, and scented incense. Besides these gifts, the preistesses could only accept gifts made before the Alter of Evanore, so that she could judge whether the gift had been genuine.
History
The preisthood was founded in 6051, a year after the city began construction, but the temple wasn't built until 6060, nine years later after the city was mostly completed. Tablets documenting the construction of the temple and city have been found in caves within the mountains. 25 years later, they presided over the funeral of king Thendore and blessed the ascension of the new king, Ren. During Ren's reign, the Preisthood took a more active role in politics, advising the king not to allow his brother's marraige to a Misi woman. Ren followed their advice, and his brother founded the city of Carynth, which took the god Uain has it's patron and protector. In the next several generations, the Evannics grew in power and influence within the city, and also spread beyond it, spreading among the Avarish Clansmen. In 6115, they aided King Thendoryn in conquering the city of Carynth and established the preisthood there as well. The High Preistess at the time ordered the old temple to be torn down, angering the god, Uain. The Preisthood continued mostly unchanged for the next nine hundred years, until the city of Estaire came under attack, and was conquered by the warrior Queen, Ithyra. Queen Ithyra ordered the temple to be destroyed, and in retaliation, Evanore bathed the entire city in fire.
Disbandment
After Ithyra conquered the city, she ordered the high preistess to swear loyalty to her on the name of her goddess, Evanore. The preistess refused, and so Ithyra inprisioned her. She was reluctant to execute the preistess, because she knew it would draw the wrath of the people and the gods. However, the preistess escaped her prision and confronted Ithyra in the temple, challenging her to fight, which she did, and killed the preistess. The next day, smoke began to rise from the mountain above the city, and there were tremers in the ground. Ithyra prayed to her patron god, Morre, who told her she would be protected, so she ordered everyone to remain in the city as the smoke and tremors grew worse, until the next dawn, fire flowed down from the mountain and destroyed the city completely. Still, Ithyra survived, because Morre had promised she would be safe. He had not however, promised that the city would be safe, and so it was lost forever, along with the Preisthood.
Mythology & Lore
Thendore, the son of Evanore was the first king of Estaire, and built the city on her request. He established the preisthood so that he could honor his mother and get her blessing. The mountain above the city, which was sacred to the Preisthood, was thought to be the site of Thendore's battle with the mighty fire-drake.
Divine Origins
Since Evanore is one of many gods in the general Pantheon, it adhers to the common religion, while creating their own rituals around Evanore in particular. It is beleived that Evanore had chosen the Estrien people to raise her son, and so they were blessed among the gods so long as they continued to be loyal to her descendents on earth, therefore, the high preistess could only swear loyalty to a ruler who was a member of the House of Thendore. The preistesses represented the group of women who had found Thendore as a baby left on the mountainside, and had taken him in. In this way, they were the receivers of the goddess's blessings and commands.
Tenets of Faith
The Evannics followed a series of principles that roughly followed these commandments.
- The Goddess Evanore is supreme, and by extension, so is the House of Thendore by blood. A Preistess should swear loyalty to no others. The Preisthood is charged with ensuring the longevity and authority of the goddess's descendents by imparting her teachings and wisdom to them. The preisthood is also charged with interpreting the words of Evanore to the people and carrying out her will to the citizens of her city.
Ethics
Preistesses and Acolytes are expected to serve their goddess and ruler dutifully, as well as following the Ancient Code of Honor and Virtue, known to the Estrien people has Idhama. They are expected to show moderation and restraint in public. They are expected to help the sick and unfortunate, and defend the city from threats.
Worship
In the Temple, the day was broken into four quarters, begining with the sunrise, which represents the gift of fire wich was bestowed to mortals. The preistesess awake and light the lamps in the temple and add fuel to the Alter Flame before they bathe and eat, and then go about their duties, some tending the alter, others serving the city in different capacities, and others doing research and study. The next quarter begins when the sun has reached it's zenith, and the temple gives thanks through prayer. This time represents the glory of Evanore and the glory she has gifted to mankind, ending at sunset, when the night rituals begin. The Preistesses gather in the inner sanctum at the start of the third quarter for a twilight meal and share a tea among them. They then gather in a meditiative circle and link hands, praying and reaching out to Evanore to receive her visions. The prayer ends when the oil in the prayer lamp runs out, which takes usuall forty minutes. They then disperse to exstinguish the lamps of the temple and then retire. The fourth quarter begins when the moon as at it's zenith, and the astrologers change shifts. There are other traditions or special occasions, such as births, deaths, and the crowning of a new monarch, but the details of those are lost.
Priesthood
New Acolytes were usually women between the ages of thirteen and fifteen, who could come to the temple and devote themselves to the service of Evanore. They would usually fast and mediate before the alter from sunrise to sunset wearing a simple white or brown shift. At sunset, if they were still there, a preistess would come for them and lead them into the inner sanctum were many fires burned strong smoke, and incense was burning. Their foreheads were marked with charcoal with the upward triangle sigil invoking the goddess, and they were then obliged to wait for another hour or two as they inhaled the vapors and sweated out impurities in their bodies. By this point, they are in a trance, and are rinsed clean with warm water by the preistesess and redressed in red robes, and their faces are marked once more with charcoal on their forehead and around their eyes. Once dressed, they are asked to drink from tea that is served to the whole temple at night to rehydrate them and bring them to their senses, and they are also provided food to end their fast. After this, they become an acolyte, training to become a preistess after five years of study in divination, Evannic lore, and general spellcasting. To become a preistess, they meditate in confinement for twenty four hours before a fire, lit from the alter, and go through a similier ritual. This time, they are dressed with a golden armband from the king. This signifies that they have completed their training, and are ready to begin their service.
Granted Divine Powers
During initiation as a preistess, one receives a vision from Evanore in which she shows them a glimpse of the future, and bestows upon them a shred of her power. This often manifests as Second or Third Sight, immunity to fire or the ability to manipulate or shape flames, and a heightened sensitivity and influence over the Threads of Fate, Thought, and Matter, and Force. Through their study, they are experienced in astrology and runimancy as well as herbalism and anatomy. It is common for preistesses to have intense visions, or be able to see things unvisible to others, such as memories, emotions, and spirits.
DISBANDED/DISSOLVED
6051 - 7029
Type
Religious, Holy Order
Capital
Successor Organization
Demonym
Evannics
Leader
Ruling Organization
Leader Title
Parent Organization
Deities
Location
Related Species
Related Ethnicities
