Order of the Red Mistress
Structure
The Order of the Red Mistress follows the same organizational structure of other crusader orders: A Grandmaster at the top, followed by the High officers, then the Knights of the Inner Circle, then followed by clerics and knights, then by foot soldiers, and then finally by initiates
Divine Origins
It is said some 100 years ago, a vampire in Ashenfeld by the name of Mirabella, would be going about her dark existence hiding amongst the human inhabitants and feasting on their blood when it is said when she went to feast on a priest in a old humble church, she would receive a vision. Rudvite, Goddess of Mercy would appear before her, and her tears and ethereal beauty would cause Mirabella to weep blood red tears, truly comprehending the horror her life has truly become. She would prostrate herself before the vision and the priest, and beg for forgiveness, which the priest would give. She would become a true believer of Rudvite, and from this would seek to protect those in need of Rudvite's mercy and fight the vampires and the undead who seek to harm those in need of mercy. While she would fight as a lone warrior for some time, she would eventually form the Order of the Red Mistress, and teach her followers how to use blood magics for healing and how to fight. Thus the Order of the Red Mistress to this day remains an order dedicated to healing and to protect those in need of healing
Tenets of Faith
- Seek out those in need of mercy and salvation
- Protect those who cannot protect themselves
- Forgive those who seek repentance, but damn those who revel in sin
- Help vampires seeking to repent, but oppose the vampire and its undead minions whenever encountered
- Worship the blood, for the sacred fluids of life bring both healing and salvation
Ethics
Mercy and forgiveness are considered paramount, however those who revel in sin and in the mercy of others are to be brought to justice. This is a rather far cry from the mainline faith of Rudvite, which many clerics are pacifists. Those of the order are also firm believers of truth and justice, and some have run into problems with local authorities for taking justice in their own hands and protecting those that needed protection most
Worship
Follows a similar pattern of worship to the mainline faith of Rudvite, with actions taking president over prayer, but to observe service on the 5th day of the week, roughly from morning to early afternoon
Priesthood
Salvation is what guides those to join the Order of the Red Mistress. Saving ones soul from past sins through the power of the blood is a tempting offer for those who have done wrongs in their past life. When being inducted, the initiate will be mind wiped of any of their previous history, save for the perceived sinful or shameful event. This not only reinforces the idea of leaving behind ones past, but further drives them to seek salvation, for the only memory of their past is a great wrong they had committed in the past
Granted Divine Powers
The clerics of the Order of the Red Mistress are known for being highly skilled in healing and fighting the undead, as well as the paladins of the order
Political Influence & Intrigue
The Order of the Red Mistress can typically be found close by to mainline members of the Church of Rudvite across the world, however a famous location of theirs is a church inside the town of Lakebell, a smallish town nearby Murton, the province that borders the Deadlands. This church is known as Bloody Mercy, and regularly holds services to the peasants and seek to improve their lives while also protecting them from the undead and invading forces of the other provinces
"Through blood we know mercy, through blood we are saved"
Type
Religious, Holy Order
Deities
