The Order of Being

The Order of Being is a religious order originating west from the Glowing Lands. It follows the teachings of a person named only "the Teacher" and is usually comprised of three to five sub-Orders. The Order of Being is recognised as being as part of the Teacher's followers only by their strict adherence to the three Creeds that also forms the core of the Teacher's exhortation to their followers.

The Creeds

Followers of the Order hold the three Creeds close to their heart. From the moment they take up formal discipleship, join the monastic order, or perform the laity vow, they are exhorted to consider how their actions will answer the Creeds in everything they do. The order in which the three Creeds are recited is the only thing about it that is fixed; everything else is subject to interpretation. The Creeds are known thus as:

• To thineself be true
• Master thyself
• Protect life

Followers of the Three Creeds believe they will be judged in the hereafter according to their adherence of the three Creeds. Only by doing so can they achieve true communion with the Universe and escape the tyranny of living.

Structure

The Order of Being, unlike most other monastic orders, do not have a fixed set of rules nor strict hierarchy. There are some ceremonies and rituals that are practiced no matter where they go, such as meditating on the three Creeds, self-reflection, and self-sufficiency, but all these are mere "mortal" considerations that can be set aside in times of extreme danger and hardship. They are thus known very popularly as being the Order most dedicated to the "Protect Life" creed, though this is a misunderstanding for those who are not part of the order.
In general, most Order of Being chapters consist of four loose sub-Orders - the Lady of Flowers, the Brother of Thorns, the Stem of Fate, and the Branch of Life. The Lady of Flowers are opened to any who identify as female, Brothers of Thorns similarly to those who identify as male, Stem of Fate to those who do not find either appealing, and the Branch being the laity who support them. This composition may change depending on circumstance and geopolitical needs. The fifth sub-Order, which some speculate has been disbanded or absorbed into the other four, was once called the Guarded Bud. Most of what is known of this sub-Order is hearsay and denied strongly by most Chapters of the Order of Being.
The Order of Being has found it convenient to structure themselves according to a book layout. At the lowest rung, each person in any of the sub-Order is a Page. A collection of Pages is known as a Chapter, and these are usually comprised of the different sub-Orders. A collection of Chapters is called a Book, which also usually follows the geopolitical structure of the country those chapters are in. The Order of Being has had many Books throughout the ages - country borders being redrawn and Chapters moving may sometimes see the entire Book restructured from ground up.
However, despite this, Chapters have extraordinary independence. There is usually an acknowledged leader and their assistant, though this may be expanded as necessary. Each Chapter is usually overseen by a circle made up of the seniormost leaders in each sub-Order. What is practiced in one Chapter may not be followed in another. Again, there are often few doctrines that are handed down from the Book to the individual pages- - all must answer the three Creeds satisfactorily before it is implemented or removed.

Operations in the Glowing Lands

The Order of Being enjoys a protected legal status in the Glowing Lands, being recognised (despite their personal protests to the contrary) as a religion. Over the years, their Chapters have resettled onto permanent locations, slowly solidifying their positions in various states. However, in recent years, the Order of Being has come into conflict with the followers of the Only Divine, which is the majority religion in the Glowing Lands.

Type

Religious, Other