Cleric
Background
Cleric is the name for someone who has dedicated their life to working for The Protector as part of the Religion of The Towns.
Clerics are considered to be the representatives of The Protector inside a community and are believed to receive orders directly from him. They are, of course, all men, as men are less likely to be corrupted by The Forces than women are.
Clerics lead sermons on the word of The Protector and help lead others away from The Forces with whatever means they deem necessary.
Entering the Church
A boy may choose to walk through life as a cleric as young as five years old and must do so before they turn 25 years old. Once they have decided to commit themselves to the Church there is a Knighting Ceremony, during which only certain attendees are chosen by The Protector to become clerics.Knighting Ceremony
The Knighting Ceremony takes place once per season (Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter) and is held in the largest Church in each of the Towns.
Boys and young men who are interested in taking part queue up outside the Church for at least two days before the Ceremony takes place to show their dedication to The Protector. Those who support their efforts from the Town may bring them with food and supplies to keep them comfortable but applicants themselves may bring nothing from home and are expected to sleep outside on the ground during that time. For this reason the Spring and Summer Knighting Ceremonies are often the most popular.
On the day itself, applicants are invited through the doors of the Church and asked to stand in a circle in silence for hours. Any who collapse due to exhaustion or fatigue are immediately removed, as the Protector has not found them worthy.
Late in the day, as the sun is setting a sword is suspended from the rafters by a rope and is swung in a low circle between the applicants. The first to be cut by the sword is considered chosen by The Protector and able to become a Trainee Cleric.
Applicants have been known to throw themselves forward in an attempt to hit the sword, but a sword on a rope is a fickle thing and an applicant who tries too hard may not live to be a Trainee Cleric.
Rules
There are several rules which must be obeyed to be a Cleric. If any of these rules are broken and someone outside of the Church finds out about the Cleric is ejected not only from the service of the Protector but the entirety of the Towns.The Word of the Protector is Absolute
It is forbidden to question The Protector or anything which may question the existence of The Protector. This includes the unequivocal truth that the Word of The Protector is exactly what it says and is therefore to be followed without question.The Protector's Cleric is Beyond Question
The Protector's Cleric is the closest mortal to The Protector and is able to directly communicate with The Protector. Any questioning, mocking or slander of The Protector's Cleric is detrimental to the ongoing battle against The Forces and is, therefore, prohibited.Maintain the Social Hierarchy
The Social Hierarchy is there to maintain order and help The Protector in his ongoing battle against The Forces. It must be maintained at all costs. Any action which could be seen to go against this hierarchy, including elevation of women, is forbidden.Roles
There are multiple roles within the Cleric profession. Here is a diagram of the general hierarchy along with an overview of the role and the appropriate form of address.The Protector's Cleric
The Protector's Cleric is the right-hand of The Protector. Chosen by The Protector himself, he reports only to The Protector and is the absolute word of truth.(e.g. Chosen Ogden)
Elder Cleric
Elder Cleric is the position held by the previous Town Clerics, and take a more consultative position in their old age. They report to The Protector's Cleric and may aspire to that position.(e.g. Elder Ogden)
Town Cleric
The Town Cleric is a position held by a single cleric in each town. The Town Cleric is responsible for the spiritual wellbeing of a town and they report ultimately to The Protector's Cleric.(e.g. Cleric Ogden)
Cleric
Clerics report to the Town Cleric for the town where they are stationed. They are looked up to by the general populace for their knowledge of and commitment to The Protector.(e.g. Cleric Ogden)
Trainee Cleric
While a man is learning to be a Cleric, they are considered the lowest point within the Clerics. This still places them higher than the general populace.(e.g. Trainee Ogden)
Archivist
Archivists are in charge of looking after and maintaining documents and artefacts relating to the Clerics and The Protector on behalf of the Clerics.(e.g. Archivist Ogden)
Reputation
Clerics have an immacualte reputation within The Towns. In the Social Hierarchy they sit higher than the Men of Authority and run alongside the military wing which includes the Armed Forces and the Guards.
To introduce oneself as a cleric will immediately garner a high level of respect and as such so does being married to or related to a cleric. The wife of a cleric is a prized position and many Trainee Clerics find themselves garnering a lot of female attention for this reason.
As with Men of Authority, wives and daughters of clerics are expected to be akin to The Angels to act as an example to others.
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