Mother's Helping Hand/School/Religions/The One
The One
The One is the primary religion of Lamptons and Larange. The One is an androgynous benevolent being who takes on many forms and is referred to as both sexes and none in it's religious texts. It is used when no gender specific pronoun is required for it's reference; He is used in reference to most Masculine references, anger, aggressiveness, combat, forging etc; she is used in reference to most Feminine references, healing, nurturing, educating, creating etc.
The Church of The One does not discriminate within it's clergy or followers, all races and sexes are permitted to belong and hold positions within it's ranks.
It is a common held misconception that clergy of The One take vows if chastity and poverty. A misconception that the clergy doesn't discourage. The clergy in fact do not take any vows except to follow the tenants of the one, to teach it's followers and to protect the innocent. The Church holds purity in all its forms as holy, so most of the clergy choose to refrain from all temptations of the flesh and relinquish all vows and ties of family or fealty to all but the church.
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Squire:
Religious Orders
The One is broken down into four primary Religious Orders: The Order of the Sun, The Order of the Moon, The Order if Truth, The Order of the Shield and The Order if the Rose.
Order of the Sun
The Order of the Sun it the religious order dedicated to the leadership, education and spiritual growth of the church. It consists of Monks/Nuns, Priests/Priestesses, High Priests/Priestesses and Patrons/Matrons.
Religious Herarchy
Monks/Nuns: Monks and Nuns are the most prolific and common in the Order. It is the starting rank in the Order. Their duties consist primarily in taking care of the day to day needs of the Church, Order and flock. Secondary to that are their studies for progression within the Order.
Priest/Priestess: Responsible for a particular Church, Convent or other religons structure, the Priest/Priestesses is the ultimate rule and authority for church matters in their area of governance. They are also responsible for guiding the masses in the tennants of faith and caring out judgment for religons crimes among the clergy beneath them.
Priests/Priestesses have authority over any member of a different order of equal or lesser rank assigned to them.
Lamptons currently has one Priestess assigned to it's church, while Larange currently has three Priests and two Priestesses assigned to various religons buildings.
High Priest/Priestesses: Responsible for the governance and care for all religious organizations in a given area. They hold sway over multiple locations and in some cases multiple cities.
High Priests/Priestesses have authority over any member of a different order in their area of equal or lesser rank, unless the member is in the area temporarily on the orders of another of equal or higher rank than the High Priest/Priestesses.
Lamptons and Larange are oversean by one High Priestesses.
Patron/Matron: Patrons/Matrons oversea the governance of an area controled by multiple High Priests/Priestesses.
Patrons/Matrons have authority over any member of a different order in their area of equal or lesser rank, unless the member is in the area temporarily on the orders of another of equal or higher rank than the Patron/Matron.
The entirety of the outskirts to include Lamptons and Larange is under the authority of one Matron.
There is one Patron/Matron who is considered the head of The Order of the Sun. This is an appointed position by the Patriarch/Matriarch and is a lifetime appointment. Currently the head of the Order of the sun is a Patron
Patriarch/Matriarch: The Patriarch/Matriarch is the final rule and authority over the entire church.
The current Matriarch in charge of the church of the one is, Glen Highstaff. She is the first Non-Human to hold the rank and has held it for over 100 years. She was formally of The Order of the Rose.
The Patriarch/Matriarch is an elected lifetime position, chosen by the heads of the Orders from any Patron/Matron, Saint, Emissary, Grand Inquisitor or Grand Healer. The Patriarch/Matriarch disavows all vows and ties to they're previous Order and officially belong to all and none.
WIP