Post by Archbishop Alured Norian on Jan 2, 2018 3:15:36 GMT -8
The Church of Varafel:
Established in earnest two-hundred years ago by Alured Norian, an Elf from an elven kingdom lost to the annuls of time and largely unknown to humankind. The Church worships Varafel, Goddess of Birth and Death and seeks to spread her word and her wisdom. Although generally seen as a benevolent force, the Goddesses Tenets and services impart no word in the ways of good or evil. A servitor of the church may choose to follow a path of light, using her healing and skills to hunt and expel undead to aid others. Still some may use their positions of relative comfort to dabble in darker arts. The bearings of one's personal nature are largely left unjudged, so long as they do not interfere with the practices or progress of the church's motives.
In addition to serving those ushering into and out of the cycle of life, Varafel abhors the undead and grants her priests the power and courage to combat them, regardless of the undead's deeds or desires. Undead are seen as departures of natural order, forgoing life or death, and thus most be forcibly returned to the earth.
Temples, Shrines and Cathedrals:
Since its establishment, the Church of Varafel has spread quickly. Not as rickety buildings or converted barns, but as dark Cathedrals dotted throughout the land that seems to spring up almost overnight. Always following the naming convention of "Cathedral [Honored Dead] they range anywhere from two-to-four-hundred feet tall. These buildings stand stark against their surrounds and most often are established close enough to settlements to provide succor to civilians nearby. These builds are often dark gray or even black, though the stained-glass of the windows provide some other generally subdued colors to their faces. Churches are often two-stories, the first story existing to intake wounded and provide sermons with the second providing a modest collection of cells and offices.
Several churches have a basement level that serves as a morgue, although civilians typically aren't allowed down unless accompanied by a priest. Every Cathedral is expected to have a graveyard, although not all of them see use depending on if there are local graveyards or if it has been recently established.
A Servitor's Role:
The Church of Varafel is served by a system of hierarchy, established in its early years to provide structure to its growth. Although each tier of the church might follow different conventions the core tenets must be observed by every rank: A follower of Varafel must purge or aid in the purging of undead and necromancy wherever it may be found, A follower of Varafel must never knowingly aid those who practice necromancy or the undead, A follower of Varafel must always charge for their services, and a follower of Varafel must not pursue personal wealth over the good of the church.
All followers of Varafel must know and practice their skills in healing, be it magical, mundane, or both. They must also know and understand how to put souls to rest in funerary rights, as well as bringing new souls into this life by being midwives.
The system of Hierarchy followed by the Church is as follows: Repentant, Apprentice, Priest, Archpriest, Resters, Bishop and Archbishop.
The Repentant: Those who have wronged the church of Varafel might find themselves suffering from undead, suffering particular painful childbirth or, as some rumors state, even judged by the Goddess Herself when passing on. This offense can be mitigated or eliminated entirely by offering oneself to serve as a Repentant. Repentants are the lowest caste, and aren't officially trained in healing or other skills. Often their duties involve the day-to-day aspects such as cooking, cleaning, feeding any church livestock and planting. The terms of a Repentant's duties and length of service are determined by the Archpriest who runs the wronged church and once a Repentant's term is spent, they may choose to break off as fully forgiven for their crimes against the church or may apply to be accepted as Apprentices, although the acceptance rate is quite low.
Apprentice: Those on the path to priesthood become apprentices. A citizen may be chosen to become an apprentice by a priest or any higher rank. Once accepted by the Archpriest of a Cathedral, they may begin their training in the arts of healing, midwifery, and corpse preparation. During these furtive years, apprentices aid the Repentant in menial chores as well as keeping up with their studies. At the end of a four-year period an Apprentice must undergo a final test for the Archpriest and, if passed, may ascend into priesthood. Those who fail, however, resume their apprenticeship for an additional year, performing an additional test at the end of that year. Children born to followers of the church are automatically accepted as apprentices, and at the end of their four years aren't required to perform their test. These children are often known (Unflatteringly) as Chapelborn.
Priest: The bulk of the church's members serve as priests. Once an apprentice is accepted as a priest they may choose to remain in the Cathedral they served as apprentices in, relocate to another church or even strike out on their own, bringing their skills to the people far and near. Priests serve the primary roles of the church, healing, tending to visitors, listening to confession (mental health is also regarded), and performing any other needed duties. Some serve as scholars, recording the history of the church, accountants recording and distributing wealth gained from services rendered and keeping track of those who haven't paid, and even veterinarians that can aid in the birthing and healing of cows, horses, and even more exotic creatures.
Archpriest: Each Cathedral requires leadership and this is offered in the role of the Archpriests. Every Chapel has one Archpriests that serves as the head of its particular facility and any higher-level decisions will be run through him or her. Ascended from Priesthood in a vote from the Bishops, Archpriests are assigned to an entirely new facility as its leader. When a decision has to be made that is outside of the typical reaches of a church it is an Archpriest's duty to formulate a response that is most responsible. Archpriests also are the primary disciplinarians in a temple. A travelling priest may never become an Archpriest, and an Archpriest may never opt to become a Rester. They can, however choose to step down to priesthood or apply to be transferred to a new Cathedral.
Rester: The most unusual rank of the hierarchy, Resters are volunteers from priesthood that must be accepted by the Archpriest. Trained in combat, a Rester puts their healing abilities to the side to prioritize hunting down and destroying undead, necromancers, and enemies of the church. Upon acceptance into the fold, a Rester takes a new set of vows and provides a weapon to be enchanted. The enchantments are subtle, but allow the weapon to do more damage to undead and allows them to strike incorporeal beings, spirits and ghosts especially as if they were flesh and blood. Resters also serve as the defense of the church, and three are assigned to every Cathedral to be guards and are cycled regularly every few months are so to keep them hunting and guarding in equal measure. Resters often tend towards darker colors such as gray and black, but it is not a rule and the type of armor, weapon, and fighting style can differ per person. Resters do not need to accept payment for the purging of undead and necromantic threats. In the event of an attack on a Cathedral, or imminent threat of undead invasion nearby, Rester's command supercedes those of an Archpriest's, allowing them to become de facto leaders until the threat has passed. When multiple Resters are on-site, this command goes to the senior member. [One who has served as Rester longest]
Bishop: Often considered a retirement position, the title of Bishop was originally given to any Priest, Archpriest, or Rester who can no longer perform their duties through age or wounds. Recently the title has become more coveted by newer generations as the delegation that reaches them has over time developed into a position of power. Bishops are the most respected members of the hierarchy, (excluding the Archbishop himself) and deal with interchurch issues and proceedings such as selecting Archpriests, planning future sites for Cathedrals, and delegating church proceeds between Cathedrals. There are 20 Bishops total, a number meant to remain static but can change frequently due to the advanced age and injuries present.
Archbishop: In theoretical terms the Bishops would vote amongst themselves who the next Archbishop would be. In practice, no one has dared assume that such a thing will happen in their lifetimes. Alured Norian has been Archbishop for over two-hundred years and has the ear of the Goddess Herself.
Clothing:
Garb for a follower is typically simple and unembellished. Blacks and dark grays are most common, though many priests break it up with a small splash of color such as a flower or brooch. Repentant and Apprentices wear a robe with a gray silk sash to represent their rank which they turn in upon their graduation.
Holy Text:
Dirge of the Mother: Despite its dark title, Varafel’s holy book offers hope to many who are lost. Most passages detail the Goddess’ trials equating them to ways one can better themselves and also serving as instructions to perform many things to aid in illness and wounds such as cleaning, stitching, bathing, and other necessities to live a full life.
Holidays:
Day of Loss: In the winter, many common folk gather in the churches to perform in the Day of Lost. Each member of the clergy is veiled and goes through an ornate system of lighting candles for the fallen. The clergy then remains silent until the last candle burns out, fasting for the souls of the departed. The Commonfolk are free to pray at the candles, believing the purity of the body and mind will allow the souls of lost ones to visit and enjoy the warmth of togetherness before the candle at last burns out, sending them back to the Goddess.
Day of Reward: This festival has no set date, and can happen multiple times a year, or not at all. Whenever a priest or priestess has a child, a modest celebration and break from duties is provided to all. If the larders allow it, a feast may be held among the Cathedral and wine is toasted to the health of the child.
Aphorisms:
If the Goddess Wills It: Often said in the face of danger or in situations or high risk. Implying that the Goddess may have decided this is the moment the speaker goes before her.
Remember her Gift: Said when one prepares to destroy an undead, necromancer, or any other enemy. Meant to remind the enemy that their birth was a gift and to consider that when you are before Her.
Established in earnest two-hundred years ago by Alured Norian, an Elf from an elven kingdom lost to the annuls of time and largely unknown to humankind. The Church worships Varafel, Goddess of Birth and Death and seeks to spread her word and her wisdom. Although generally seen as a benevolent force, the Goddesses Tenets and services impart no word in the ways of good or evil. A servitor of the church may choose to follow a path of light, using her healing and skills to hunt and expel undead to aid others. Still some may use their positions of relative comfort to dabble in darker arts. The bearings of one's personal nature are largely left unjudged, so long as they do not interfere with the practices or progress of the church's motives.
In addition to serving those ushering into and out of the cycle of life, Varafel abhors the undead and grants her priests the power and courage to combat them, regardless of the undead's deeds or desires. Undead are seen as departures of natural order, forgoing life or death, and thus most be forcibly returned to the earth.
Temples, Shrines and Cathedrals:
Since its establishment, the Church of Varafel has spread quickly. Not as rickety buildings or converted barns, but as dark Cathedrals dotted throughout the land that seems to spring up almost overnight. Always following the naming convention of "Cathedral [Honored Dead] they range anywhere from two-to-four-hundred feet tall. These buildings stand stark against their surrounds and most often are established close enough to settlements to provide succor to civilians nearby. These builds are often dark gray or even black, though the stained-glass of the windows provide some other generally subdued colors to their faces. Churches are often two-stories, the first story existing to intake wounded and provide sermons with the second providing a modest collection of cells and offices.
Several churches have a basement level that serves as a morgue, although civilians typically aren't allowed down unless accompanied by a priest. Every Cathedral is expected to have a graveyard, although not all of them see use depending on if there are local graveyards or if it has been recently established.
A Servitor's Role:
The Church of Varafel is served by a system of hierarchy, established in its early years to provide structure to its growth. Although each tier of the church might follow different conventions the core tenets must be observed by every rank: A follower of Varafel must purge or aid in the purging of undead and necromancy wherever it may be found, A follower of Varafel must never knowingly aid those who practice necromancy or the undead, A follower of Varafel must always charge for their services, and a follower of Varafel must not pursue personal wealth over the good of the church.
All followers of Varafel must know and practice their skills in healing, be it magical, mundane, or both. They must also know and understand how to put souls to rest in funerary rights, as well as bringing new souls into this life by being midwives.
The system of Hierarchy followed by the Church is as follows: Repentant, Apprentice, Priest, Archpriest, Resters, Bishop and Archbishop.
The Repentant: Those who have wronged the church of Varafel might find themselves suffering from undead, suffering particular painful childbirth or, as some rumors state, even judged by the Goddess Herself when passing on. This offense can be mitigated or eliminated entirely by offering oneself to serve as a Repentant. Repentants are the lowest caste, and aren't officially trained in healing or other skills. Often their duties involve the day-to-day aspects such as cooking, cleaning, feeding any church livestock and planting. The terms of a Repentant's duties and length of service are determined by the Archpriest who runs the wronged church and once a Repentant's term is spent, they may choose to break off as fully forgiven for their crimes against the church or may apply to be accepted as Apprentices, although the acceptance rate is quite low.
Apprentice: Those on the path to priesthood become apprentices. A citizen may be chosen to become an apprentice by a priest or any higher rank. Once accepted by the Archpriest of a Cathedral, they may begin their training in the arts of healing, midwifery, and corpse preparation. During these furtive years, apprentices aid the Repentant in menial chores as well as keeping up with their studies. At the end of a four-year period an Apprentice must undergo a final test for the Archpriest and, if passed, may ascend into priesthood. Those who fail, however, resume their apprenticeship for an additional year, performing an additional test at the end of that year. Children born to followers of the church are automatically accepted as apprentices, and at the end of their four years aren't required to perform their test. These children are often known (Unflatteringly) as Chapelborn.
Priest: The bulk of the church's members serve as priests. Once an apprentice is accepted as a priest they may choose to remain in the Cathedral they served as apprentices in, relocate to another church or even strike out on their own, bringing their skills to the people far and near. Priests serve the primary roles of the church, healing, tending to visitors, listening to confession (mental health is also regarded), and performing any other needed duties. Some serve as scholars, recording the history of the church, accountants recording and distributing wealth gained from services rendered and keeping track of those who haven't paid, and even veterinarians that can aid in the birthing and healing of cows, horses, and even more exotic creatures.
Archpriest: Each Cathedral requires leadership and this is offered in the role of the Archpriests. Every Chapel has one Archpriests that serves as the head of its particular facility and any higher-level decisions will be run through him or her. Ascended from Priesthood in a vote from the Bishops, Archpriests are assigned to an entirely new facility as its leader. When a decision has to be made that is outside of the typical reaches of a church it is an Archpriest's duty to formulate a response that is most responsible. Archpriests also are the primary disciplinarians in a temple. A travelling priest may never become an Archpriest, and an Archpriest may never opt to become a Rester. They can, however choose to step down to priesthood or apply to be transferred to a new Cathedral.
Rester: The most unusual rank of the hierarchy, Resters are volunteers from priesthood that must be accepted by the Archpriest. Trained in combat, a Rester puts their healing abilities to the side to prioritize hunting down and destroying undead, necromancers, and enemies of the church. Upon acceptance into the fold, a Rester takes a new set of vows and provides a weapon to be enchanted. The enchantments are subtle, but allow the weapon to do more damage to undead and allows them to strike incorporeal beings, spirits and ghosts especially as if they were flesh and blood. Resters also serve as the defense of the church, and three are assigned to every Cathedral to be guards and are cycled regularly every few months are so to keep them hunting and guarding in equal measure. Resters often tend towards darker colors such as gray and black, but it is not a rule and the type of armor, weapon, and fighting style can differ per person. Resters do not need to accept payment for the purging of undead and necromantic threats. In the event of an attack on a Cathedral, or imminent threat of undead invasion nearby, Rester's command supercedes those of an Archpriest's, allowing them to become de facto leaders until the threat has passed. When multiple Resters are on-site, this command goes to the senior member. [One who has served as Rester longest]
Bishop: Often considered a retirement position, the title of Bishop was originally given to any Priest, Archpriest, or Rester who can no longer perform their duties through age or wounds. Recently the title has become more coveted by newer generations as the delegation that reaches them has over time developed into a position of power. Bishops are the most respected members of the hierarchy, (excluding the Archbishop himself) and deal with interchurch issues and proceedings such as selecting Archpriests, planning future sites for Cathedrals, and delegating church proceeds between Cathedrals. There are 20 Bishops total, a number meant to remain static but can change frequently due to the advanced age and injuries present.
Archbishop: In theoretical terms the Bishops would vote amongst themselves who the next Archbishop would be. In practice, no one has dared assume that such a thing will happen in their lifetimes. Alured Norian has been Archbishop for over two-hundred years and has the ear of the Goddess Herself.
Clothing:
Garb for a follower is typically simple and unembellished. Blacks and dark grays are most common, though many priests break it up with a small splash of color such as a flower or brooch. Repentant and Apprentices wear a robe with a gray silk sash to represent their rank which they turn in upon their graduation.
Holy Text:
Dirge of the Mother: Despite its dark title, Varafel’s holy book offers hope to many who are lost. Most passages detail the Goddess’ trials equating them to ways one can better themselves and also serving as instructions to perform many things to aid in illness and wounds such as cleaning, stitching, bathing, and other necessities to live a full life.
Holidays:
Day of Loss: In the winter, many common folk gather in the churches to perform in the Day of Lost. Each member of the clergy is veiled and goes through an ornate system of lighting candles for the fallen. The clergy then remains silent until the last candle burns out, fasting for the souls of the departed. The Commonfolk are free to pray at the candles, believing the purity of the body and mind will allow the souls of lost ones to visit and enjoy the warmth of togetherness before the candle at last burns out, sending them back to the Goddess.
Day of Reward: This festival has no set date, and can happen multiple times a year, or not at all. Whenever a priest or priestess has a child, a modest celebration and break from duties is provided to all. If the larders allow it, a feast may be held among the Cathedral and wine is toasted to the health of the child.
Aphorisms:
If the Goddess Wills It: Often said in the face of danger or in situations or high risk. Implying that the Goddess may have decided this is the moment the speaker goes before her.
Remember her Gift: Said when one prepares to destroy an undead, necromancer, or any other enemy. Meant to remind the enemy that their birth was a gift and to consider that when you are before Her.