Excori (Ex-CORE-eye)

The Excori is the priesthood of the Ravka, the state religion of Kezig. They are headquartered at the Dark Temple in Skruj Drae, the capital of Kezig.
Alexi Crow is a Profane Excori.

Structure

The Excori are led jointly by two leaders: the Most Sacred and Most Profane. However, the Excori is then further split, between the Profane and the Sacred. Gender, age, state origin, and background are not considered when being chosen to be Excori. When addressing an Excori, most simply use Excori and the Excori's first or last name, depending on familiarity.
The two groups of the Sacred and the Profane represent the duality of human nature; we are neither wholly good or wholly bad. Despite the fact that it would seem that the Profane might be considered "lesser" than the Sacred, that is absolutely not true: both are considered on equal footing.

The Sacred makes up about 60% of the Excori. Led by the Most Sacred, the Sacred are chosen to represent the liturigical, canonical, and other aspects of Ravka. While they are not considered "more religious," they were picked for their ability to administrate the religion directly.
The Profane makes up the remaining percentage of the Excori. Led by the Most Profane, the Profane are chosen to represent common Ravkans. They are out in the community working to make it better and are the ones that Ravkans come to when they need guidance.
Some say that the Sacred are more "book smart," while the Profane are more "people smart," but that's not a distinction the Excori make. Perhaps the easiest way to think of it is the Sacred represent the more religious aspects of Ravka while the Excori represent the more secular aspects. When talking about an Excori, they're often denoted as a Sacred Excori or Profane Excori.
There are several notable covens that operate under the Excori: the Initiation Coven, the Shade Coven, the Ritual Coven, the Canonical Coven, the Administration Coven, and the Public Life Coven.

Culture

Excori are welcomed starting at the age of 16. When someone chooses to pursue that path, they are directed to the Initiation Coven of the Excori. The initiation process takes about two years, although the time does vary. Of a new cohort that begins the process, only about 25% fully complete the process.
Although the exact initiation rites are kept secret to the Excori, it's widely understood that they're rigorous, and at times, brutal. Because of this, Ravkans have immense respect for initiated Excori, as not all that want to be an Excori are given the opportunity, nor do all make it through the initiation process.
Within the Excori, there is an expectation of tight bonds amongst their brethren; because Ravka is looked upon so negatively by other religions, it's important to the priesthood that they are a close unit. Inability--or unwillingness--to be a part of a team is something that can disqualify a potential Excori from completing the initiation process.

Public Agenda

Quite clearly, the Excori's main goal is the support Ravkans and their religion. However, the Excori are clear that they will help any in need, as the second tenet of Ravka is that all beings have inherent value. In fact, other religions in Thenia have accused Ravka of poaching their own members, as it makes sense that someone from another religion who receives help from Ravka might consider switching to that religion.
As the state religion of Kezig, Ravkans--and the Excori--work hard to support the state. Although Kezig has a poor reputation amongst some other states, most Kezens (even non-Ravkans) would be pleased with their life and the direction of Kezig.
Although the Excori have the right to make political decisions about Kezig through internal voting, many big decisions are put to a vote by Kezen citizens. Because of their belief that all beings have inherent value, big decisions are decided by every citizen. What is put to vote or not is up to the Excori, but for the last several decades, Kezens have felt content with what they're allowed to vote on versus what the Excori take care of internally.

Assets

The Excori are funded by the Ravkans, which are in turn funded by members and the Thenian Society. Ravkans believe heavily in spending their funds on their members, and so they do not have a wealth of assets. The Excori collect a salary, but it's rather small, although their housing and food is covered.
One criticism of other religions is that they do, in fact, amass wealth, while Ravka do its best not to.

History

The Excori developed a little over a century after Ravka's founding. Over the subsequent centuries, the Excori has changed in structure and number, but they have always had the overarching goal of serving Ravkans and all those in need.
After Kezig was officially founded in 2820, the Excori grew exponentially in power, as they became the center of the Kezen government. After a few decades of power struggles, the Excori managed to settle peacefully and has led Kezig ever since.

For Ravka, For Kezig, For All

Founding Date

1893

Type

Religious, Temple

Ruling Organization

Ravka

Location

Dark Temple

Related Traditions

• Ravkan Initiation

Related Species

• Magician
• Witch

Related Myths

• The Fall of the Corrupted