Faith of Ephras
Ephras Lightbringer is venerated in all lands, in different ways. He does not suffer evil, or deliberate ill intent, and nor do his temples. Yet not all are civilised, or welcome in civilisation, and it depends on which sect that the clerics are part of. Some sects are isolated and found only in certain areas, other sects are all part of a temple and work in a balance of sorts.
The Comforting Light of Ephras:
This sect sees Ephras as a Great Servant, a healer of the afflicted and a defender of those in asylums. They are kind, gentle and approachable, and their only rage is when they see harm done to those who cannot defend themselves.
The Unquenchable Flame of Ephras:
Those in the darkest of nations, or those who have faced terrible odds in life, will often join this sect, which is devoted to inspiring courage in the downtrodden, against terrible tyrants. They are brave and aggressive fighters, inspiring followers to greater heights of courage and daring.
The Burning Rage of Ephras:
Members of this sect are perhaps the most dangerous. They tend to kohl their eyes in darkest blue, with eyelids painted a bright lurid white, and many of them move into battle without clothes, or with the lightest of robes. They represent the darkest and hottest part of a flame, and will unleash themselves into blind rages against those that have wronged their god. They can be individually terrifying fighters, but it is when they join in great crusades that they can destroy kingdoms, often harming more than they help in their vigour for righteousness. Many, when they find their senses restored, are overcome by an abject sorrow, and will often turn to another sect to make amends.
Individually as well, those within the Burning Rage, often drink a concoction made from lamp oil, nightshade and a drop of acid, which they use to spur them into their mad rages when they need to.
The Guiding Lantern of Ephras:
This sect guides the lost in the wilderness, often existing in small conclaves or gatherings in corrupted natural surroundings, and working to see as many travellers safe in the night as they can. When travellers become lost, if they are lucky, they can see the distant light of a flickering, dancing orange lantern.
Tenets of Faith
- Inspire greatness, inspire courage, inspire hope;
- Resist the rage, save for the worst of crimes;
- Only unleash the rage when there is no other choice;
- If you cannot control yourself, enter penance after, and leave the world a better place than you found it;
- Stand against discrimination based on who men and women love;
- Guard the faith of Larassa, and help repay my ancient debt;
- Train and prepare, train and prepare, train and prepare;
- Aid a cleric of Saranna, and a cleric of Raspastin, when they ask.
Priesthood
Clerics of Ephras will use kohl and rouge to decorate their faces, and often have tattoos and other signs upon their form. They rarely feel cold, and so they tend to avoid heavy clothes – or clothes at all. All clerics of Ephras are expected to train many hours a day in hand to hand combat, and to master discipline of mind. They make significant use of incense, golden censers and other ritual, to pay respect and pray to their God.
There are various ranks across the different sects, but in general the ranks tend to go as follows: Candles, for the lowest-ranked, Lanterns for intermediate clerics, Hearthfire for temple high priests, and Pyres for the highest clerics.
NB: Different sects vie for power and influence over the faith all the time. Some lose control of their rage, and there have been injuries, and loss of life, over the years.
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