Terrae Vertebrae: Knightly Orders

On the basis that anything aping Medieval Europe will have orders of Knights, be they secular or organised by the Faith and that both Fighters and Militants might appreciate the chance to belong to a greater organisation (not that this is obligatory, or even necessary - see Prophets, and why they get called that in The 52 Pages).

For MR and UR consult the Faith of the Eight posts.

State

Order of St.Vaderian – Nicquardy based order for Royals. Predates MR/UR split, so is open to both, but dominant in worship forms, customs &c. MR. Most kings don’t seem to mind.

Order of the White Wings – based on Nicquard second sons who went to Talliz to bolster the borders and inherited the wings of the hussars. Nicquard/Talliz, principally.

Order of the Green Collar – Torwick. Cf. Sir Gawain. Principal order of chivalry. UR. Female members by association (some of which are fighters), but all of which get to wear emerald silk arms-covers.

The Order of the Golden Talon – V. Recent Talliz order, founded by the current King for his supporters. UR

The Brothers of the Fierce Owl – Old Guard Talliz border lords. ‘The eye that watcheth in the night’ against raids. Opposition to the Golden Talon. UR

The Knights of the Long Valley – Fahflund political faction. Conservative aristocracy; not lacking in military skill, but rarely focuses specifically on it. Still a force to be reckoned with in war, due to wealth if nothing else. MR

The Brethren of the Tall Tower – Fahflund burgher urban order; a deliberate counterpoint to the Knights of the Long Valley, but not nearly as wealthy.

Twelvepine Lodge – Sylmunnion. Heroes of the far north.

The Little Brothers of St. Dimitri – Talliz rough and ready heroic order. [‘Little? That man is six foot seven!’  ‘Ha! Before St. Dimitri, we are all little! Have some more Kvass!’]

The Equestrian Order of the Seventh Aspect – Kapalleron rapid-response knights. Colours: navy blue and gold. MR

The Long Horns – oldest and grandest Trygvir warrior band. Somewhat crusty. Halfgiant membership allowed.

Grand Order of the Splendid Shield –Novopolian order of knights. Now known more for foppery than anything else. MR

NB – Talliz hordes function similarly to knightly orders and in some ways replace them.

Church

The Knights-Errant of St. Berengaria – Questers into Elven lands. Bring them into the fold. Gender neutral. Moderately scholarly. UR (mainly).

The Band of Iron – international order, designed to ensure good relations with dwarves. MR (mainly)

The White Star Order of St Lemuel – maritime order. Principally western. Symbol: white eight pointed star on navy blue. Cf. Knights of Malta; crusade focus. Also deal with distressed seamen. Known as ‘The White Stars’. MR

The Peregrine Order of the Vigilant – the ones who inform for the Questors. Moderately sneaky.

The Custodian Knights of St. Castrum – crusader die hards. Dug in on the Punth border.

The Order of the Steel Suns – First Aspect militants. As often female as male, with combat roles in theory mainly male. Very different in practice. Known as ‘The Steel Suns’. MR

The Order of St. Ophelia the Bloodyminded –origins in Nicquardy. Female only. Spreading... MR,but open-minded.

St Godric’s Hand –demonhunters. Serious business.

The Harts of Oak – Knights devoted to the Third Aspect. Deliberately masculine in practice; but not necessarily male.  Stag/Oak imagery. Not quite druids. MR. Hope you like big silly wooden antlers.

The Sacristans Belligerent – guardians of churches in remote and hostile places.

The Anointed Sisters of St Rhadegunt de Sanglier – Female only; taking the faith into dark places. Have a charter allowing for defensive forces. Not only military, but not pacifistic.

The Enshrouded Order of the Eighth Aspect – Nirvanite, but range further. Ancestor cult in arms. Put down the undead (other orders will do so, but these guys have a specific remit). Gender neutral, but who can tell under the robes. MR

The Swift and Resplendent Order of the Fourth Aspect – Couriers and bankers, with a charter for self-defence (generally lay brothers and ‘consultants’, rather than dedicated warrior monks). Being superseded by Novopolis banking houses in the west and St Tankred in the East. Suggested they might have a future as a financial regulatory body. MR

The Choir of Steel – Fanatics. The MR Attack dogs.

The Five and Twenty Terrible Clerks – Fanatics. UR attack dogs. Named for the ones who went berserk at a theological conference. Name initially ironic; clearly not very good clerks if they went on a rampage. Soon proven to be dreadfully true.

A bit of both; rather local but ultimately clerical

The Order of St Tankred – military, financial and political power in Hurdamark. Sometimes get round to killing monsters. UR

Terrae Vertebrae: The Faith of the Eight - A Theological Calendar

This demands some context. This was the brainchild of myself and a player - both of us with some interest and knowledge of the Anglican Rite.  That was one source of inspiration; the other is these posts doing much the same thing. 

The stars have an explanation at the bottom; the lowest two ranks are there for completeness's sake.

There is a reason for the months, deriving from an incident in gameplay. Before actually investing in a calendar for my players, the month of April grew a few extra days in the records - thereafter referred to as the first days of  Mayril. A precedent so set, it was swiftly extended to each other month.

Januaril

6^th – Feast of St. Konnor, patron of children (MR/UR) **

3^rd Sunday – Feast of the Glorious Revelation (MR/UR) **** [IE, The Sibyl of the Rocks receiving her vision. Important esp. to Priests.]

Februaril

4^th Sunday – Feast of the First Aspect (MR) **** [Light out of darkness. Quite a tangible celebration; candles, lights, Dawn Service and vigil.]

22^nd – Feast of St. Tycho, patron of fathers (MR/UR) **

Marchril

4^th – Feast of St. Ludmilla, patron of mothers (MR/UR) ***

22^nd – Feast of St. Guthram, patron of monasticism (MR/UR) ***

April

1^st Sunday – Feast of the Second Aspect (MR/UR) ***** [Somewhat Easter-like; light, colour, springtime, love. Popular with laity. Not a feast UR necessarily want to celebrate, but ingrained on the Lay Consciousness.]

19^th – Feast of St. Lassiter, patron of Knight Errantry (MR/UR) ** [Not the only ‘military’ saint, but certainly the most presentable.]

Mayril

2^nd Sunday – Start of the Octave of the Third Aspect (MR/UR) ****  [Eight Days, festival of Discipline, fasting &c. Somewhat Lent-like. More popular with priests than laity.]

Monday of the Octave of the Third Aspect – Feast of St. Tybault, Patron of Penitents (MR/UR) ***

24^th – Feast of St. Clareta, patron of maids (MR/UR) **

Juneril

6^th – Feast of St. Eulaina, patron of marriage (MR/UR) **

3^rd Sunday – Feast of the Fourth Aspect (MR) **** [Midsummer; commerce, fairs and festivities.]

Julril

2^nd Sunday – Feast of Eightfold Unity (UR) ****

14^th – Feast of St. Engarras, patron against Heresy (MR) ** [Popular with priests; thinly veiled up-yours to UR.]

Augusril

1^st Sunday – Feast of the Fifth Aspect (MR) *** [Aspect of Scholars and Gradual Work. Not a popular or relevant feast necessarily.]

17^th – Feast of St. Oderic, patron of farmers (MR/UR) ***

Septemberil

8^th  – Feast of St. Gweneth, patron of cattle (MR/UR) ***

19^th – Feast of St. Lemuel, patron of trade (MR/UR) **

Octoberil

2^nd Sunday – Feast of the Sixth Aspect (MR/UR) ***** [Post-Harvest Thanksgiving. Rural celebration concentrates on Plenty and Prosperity. The Urban emphasis somewhat reinforces ‘Obey and Look what good things you get!’; the Civilisation and Law angles of the Sixth Aspect.]

27^th – Feast of St. Roak, patron of Friars (MR/UR) ***

Novemberil

1^st Sunday – Feast of the Seventh Aspect (MR) ***

26^th – Feast of St. Godric, patron against the demonic (MR/UR) **

Decemberil

5^th – St. Vaderian, patron of Kings, the Nobility, and good government (MR/UR) ***

13^th – Feast of St. Laterus, patron of almsgiving (MR/UR) **

Final 8 days – Octave of the Eighth Aspect (MR/UR) ***** [Pseudo Christmas, Yule. Not a feast UR necessarily want to celebrate, but ingrained on Lay Consciousness.]

Star Rating Key:

***** Universal [Well, across Pseudo-Christendom] and well loved.

**** Near universal, largely popular and/or theologically necessary.

*** Generally appreciated, if not necessarily popular.

**   Potentially desirable to most people. Observed rather than celebrated per se.

* Generally for saints (or theological concepts) with a very narrow appeal – patrons of trades, patrons of nations. Not relevant to this calendar.

§  ‘White Dwarf Saints’; important to a very small number. Think of Saints that only appear in fragmented histories of one region, or are only celebrated by one town up in the hills.

Terrae Vertebrae: The Faith of the Eight - Tendencies in the Church

Tendencies in the Church, across both Rites, sometimes tending to heresy, decadence, radicalism and overzealousness

The Beatific Tendency. The Eightfold God is always watching (or the Divine Servants of same are watching, which comes to the same thing). It is better to look at beautiful things than ugly ones. Therefore, the faithful should make their every action a pleasing and dignified one.

In Practice – This might work very nicely in strictly enclosed orders, but for those outside it rather leads to overindulgence. Sins are committed in increasingly pleasant fashions. Everyday work is carried out in a harmonious and aesthetically pleasing manner. It has upsides (violence is ugly, or can be generally speaking, drunkenness is generally ugly), but followers of this tendency don’t stick to the straight and narrow as one would wish. This tendency emerged (and contributed) to elements of the split between the Collegiate Rite.

The Tranquil Tendency One should only be moved by the will of the Eightfold God. Therefore, emotional impacts should be carefully considered as to their divine origin, and if they lack such an origin, resisted.

In Practice – Stoicism. Slow consideration. Curious aloofness, arrogance. Fairly anti-social.

 

The Academic Tendency  Teaching! Scholarship! Learning! Argument! Proper Theological Principles impressed into every congregant!

In Practice – long sermons, lots of schools founded. Not actually bad, but rather difficult to implement and rather distracts from the regular rites and charitable deeds. Can lead to argumentative laypersons. Less than practical.

Perhaps there are more tendencies that could be added to this list. Worthy of consideration.

Terrae Vertebrae: The Faith of the Eight - The Rites of the Church

Part of the concept of Terrae Vertebrae was the split between Elven and Dwarven influence on human cultures. This was part of the concept: the Pantheistic Elves and Shamanistic Dwarves spawning differing interpretations of human faith.

The Faith was revealed by the Sybil of the Rocks to her Fourteen Scribes. The names of the Sybil, the Rocks and many of the scribes have now been lost.  

Any discrepancies in Holy Scripture are down to the fact that the Fourteen Scribes must have used different forms of shorthand. Pointing out that this was silly will not impress anyone, let alone a Questor.

The Napeshene Collegiate Manifest Rite (MR) Emphasis on Differences of the Eightfold God. Complex ceremonies.  More Polytheistic. Sited in the Estates Immaculate, at Napesh.

The Cadencian Collegiate Unified Rite (UR) Emphasis on Unity of the Eightfold God, fewer trimmings and trappings. Touch of Pantheism and other universal creeds. Sited in the Novopolis at Cadencia.

The two rites split three odd centuries ago; a split more reminiscent of the divide between Catholic and Orthodox than Catholic and Protestant. The Manifest Rite is the elder. Though not entirely amicable, but the peace is kept. Popular demonstrations, skirmishes – but few wars of Faith and no Mass Crusades. Wars between nations of different rites yes; Holy Wars - no.

The split was over principally a theological issue: no central complaints about (for instance) the use of indulgences or misuses of Church funds and lands (Or rather, only as ancillary mudslinging). The structure of the Church was judged to be more-or-less acceptable in its current state by the UR – though some stream-lining and renegotiation of local/Collegiate relations occurred.  The MR does have perhaps the more ‘pragmatic’ mindset of the two, or has more options open for ‘pragmatists’, but is not as such corrupt (or at least, no more so than any organisation that accrues money, power and influence for its own ends – no matter how good those ends are).

Who is in the College of the Rite? Academics. Visionaries. Supreme Grand Masters of Religious orders. Cardinals from different nations. Representatives from international monastic orders. Representatives from national synods. Holy hermits. Questors.

  

...this is all complicated by the use of deputies, proxies &c. by those too busy/locally concerned to attend.

...plus support staff, functionaries, Clerks, guards, architects, musicians &c. Lots of Legates to be sent out with Encyclicals, &c.

The Head of a College is primus inter pares rather than a supreme authority. Not that they are devoid of power, or that they don't take a leadership role.

Churches: MR where Christian choir and altar would be, stylised house/ version of house [One period of design might have individual small icons or booths; another a large model house, Cathedrals can have a literal house inside them!] for rites. Before this, pulpit & pews. Around it, processional and smaller shrines UR similar but with altar/pedestal (can completely process around), image of the United Eight.

Acts of Faith: Reading the Scriptures. Listening to Sermons. Obeying both. Fasting and other acts of discipline. Regular worship. Crafting icons and other items of religious use. Observing Holy Feasts. Acknowledging and giving prayer to the Aspect of the Divine of that time and place.  Communion is taken, for reasons of ‘Unification of the Eight and Man’. On high occasions (and for high persons) it is taken in Eight Kinds: Water, Meat, Bread, Milk, Turf, Vegetation, Wine and Fish.

MR Vestments: Full Catholic medieval grandeur. Variations with region. UR Vestments: Ranges from Geneva gowns to High Anglican.

MR Monasticism: Yes please. Contemplative, mendicant, all the range. UR Monasticism: Yes please as before – but stricter line of division between the regular and secular clergy. “You joined X; stick with X”

MR Hierarchy: Towering, complex. Reaches up to the Collegiate, out into region specific branches, takes in knightly orders, guilds, lay brotherhoods.... Hierarchy goes up to Cardinal level in nations. Cardinals and Synods appoint some members of the College of the Faith; the College has its own representatives who look out for promising talent and can uplift some individuals without consulting the local Synod.

UR Hierarchy: Goes up to the Cadencian College; slightly more emphasis on consensus as result of break-away. Diocese level regional synods with Parish Elders, but beyond that as MR.

Female Priests  Unlike Medieval Europe, these exist; given that the Eightfold God has specifically feminine attributes, how else could it be? That said, like Medieval Europe, they are hardly the rule. Most places of worship will have not only a Priest, but a Shrinekeeper - generally a female role. Female monasticism is common and an Abbess is a personage of importance. Women are allowed into the Colleges of the Two Rites, thanks to the example of St Ysodor.

A few notes on play: The 52 Pages refers to Clerics as Prophets - the logic for which may be found here - so any given Prophet may have any kind of relationship with the Church. The logic given in the system extends into the setting: don't expect any given parish priest to be able to perform miracles of healing. They are too busy saving souls. 

Terrae Vertebrae: The Faith of the Eight - Saints

So, any suitable Pseudo-Christian medieval Europe is going to have saints and devotees thereof. For completeness's sake, some of these should be without direct relevance to the adventuring way of life - IE, not just for smiting evil. Most people do not make their living clearing out dungeons, nor are dungeons necessarily a relevant element of the faith of your common-or-garden believer. 

Some of this makes reference to divisions in the Faith. This will be explained!

Saints are mentioned with the area they are a Patron of, perhaps some of their most notable deeds and what, if any, specific theological connection they have to an aspect of the Divine.

St Lemuel, Patron Merchants, Ships Fourth Aspect

St Bernard Finisterre, Preached the Sermon at World’s End; patron travellers Fourth Aspect

St Rhadegunt de Sanglier, Tamed a wild boar, Preached.

St Ophelia the Bloodyminded, Folk Saint, recent, uncanonised, fought Heretics who killed family

St Frankesca de la Drake Tamed Dragon; fought barbarians

St Guthrum Patron Monastics. Cf. St Benedict

St Gweneth Patron Cattle

St Clovis Patron music

St Tybault Patron Penitents. Reformed rake and notorious sinner.

St Oderic patron Farmers

St Edwin Patron Weavers

St Vaderian Patron Kings and Nobles (the Fallen King in Agatheburg) Cf. Charlemagne Sixth Aspect

St Abriel Patron Elves. First converted elf.

St Justina Helena Patron Mages

St Engarras Patron against Heresy. Uncovered secret order of proto-Cadencians.

St Roak Patron Hermits and Friars. Cf. St Francis. Third Aspect

St Ysodor Patron Female Clergy. First female appointee to the Napeshene College.

St Tycho Patron Fathers Third Aspect

St Tankred Patron ‘Teutonic Knights’. Holy Warrior; had vision, founded order. Seventh Aspect

St Ottoline Patron Mystics. First notable practitioner of magic & miracles. Fifth Aspect

St Ludmilla Patron Mothers Second Aspect

St Castrum patron Crusades. Decapitated during a crusade in Punth; rose again to fight.

St Eulaina Patron Marriage

St Oswalt Patron Elderly Eighth Aspect

St Godric Patron against Demons. Fought demons.

St Clareta Patron Maidens First Aspect

St Konnor Patron Children First Aspect

St Torus Patron Scholars Fifth Aspect

St Laterus Patron Beggars

St Lassiter Patron Knight Errantry

St Paradox Patron Divine Mystery. 

St Berengaria Patron Exploration, Cross species contact. Wrote the Book of Other Kinds.

St Dimitri Talliz. Paul Bunyan-esque tall tales. Former shepherd. Muscular.

St Severian Patron Inquisition. Responsible for suppression of the Haruspex Cult.  Seventh Aspect

St Tercio Patron Soldiers. Nervanite Legate who converted v. Early on. Seventh Aspect

St Gervaise Patron Hospitality. Offered even to the infidel; roasted on spit by wicked men – offered them the choicest cuts. Eighth Aspect

St Juhani Patron Sylmunnion

St. John of the Oxen Torwick native saint; stout but muscular pastor. Exorcised and killed a pair of demonically possessed oxen in the midst of a famine to feed the starving peasantry. 

St Pequod Patron fishermen; curiously similar to folk figure Old Man of the Sea, the Ancient Mariner.....

St Albia Domnia. Shrinekeeper of a Torwick fishing port who quelled a mighty storm by her faith. Pictured in flowing robes with trident. Touted by the Church as an alternative to the suspect St Pequod.

St. Marie DeLutra Patron rivers, otters, haddock, pilots. Folk Saint. Deeply unofficial.

Reference to these:  http://rolesrules.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/saints-gods-and-pretty-pictures.html  http://rolesrules.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/folk-saints-introduction.html is nigh on compulsory.

Terrae Vertebrae: The Faith of the Eight - Scripture

The Faith of the Eight is the resident semi-Christian substitute in Terrae Vertebrae. Eight Aspects of one Divinity; different sects have a different emphasis (something for the next post). 

This was written before working it into a (somewhat) Late Medieval world; perhaps it doesn't quite work in such a setting - but perhaps it fits just as well as the Old Testament in Fourteenth Century Europe.

The First we Name is the Dawn-Lady; shining, new and fierce. Hers is the steel; hers is the strength of light and forthright clarity. She is fire, hot and purging. She is faith that knows no hold. She is virginal, fresh, strong in her unchallenged state. Her Time is the First of the Morning, when all is cold clarity. Her Colours are red, white and shining silver. Her Places are the atriums and solemn places of homes, the towers and spires of the cities and the peaks of the mountains. Her Blessings are manifold.

The Second we Name is the Celestial Woman; stretched taut above us. Hers is the healing wind, the soothing rain, the shifting, accommodating cloud.  Hers is love, love both gentle and demanding. She seeks, she compromises and is willing. She holds and comforts; she pushes and coaxes. Her Time is the Last of the Day, when all is calm and rested and the mysterious night encroaches. Her Colours are sky-blue, soft yellow and indigo. Her Places are the bedchamber, the gardens of the people and the glades of the forest. Her Blessings are manifold.

The Third we Name is the Earth Lord, solid below us. His is the weave, warp and weft, the gnarl and root of life. He inspires and teaches. He forces roles upon us that we must bow to. He is not soft, but is not unkind. He is father and teacher, commander and lord. He is grit, boulder and mountain. His Time is the late morning, when the bulk of work is left to be done. His Colours are Yew-Green, crimson and brown. His Places are the Study, Shrine and chest of the Home, the gates of the cities and the paths of the hills. His Blessings are manifold.

The Fourth we Name is the Talker and Shifter, between us and among us. His is the chatter, the dealing, the intrigue and the movement. He is merchant, messenger, conspirator. He is ceaseless, ease less activity. He is confiding, gossiping, twisting, cunning. His Time is the fever of Noon, when men buzz like flies. His Colours are Scarlet, Orange, florid purple. His Places are the parlour of the home, the market and the lakeside where beasts gather. His Blessings are manifold.

The Fifth we Name is the Oceanic Damsel, flowing beside us. Hers is the slow work of the currents, the iteration of the tides, the scholastic grind of the seas. Hers is discovery, effort, application, stamina. She is scholar, clerk, councillor. Her Time is the early night when the long deeds continue. Her Colours are Dark blue, parchment white and pearl grey.  Her places are the bookshelf, the libraries and sidestreets of the towns and the rivers of the plains. Her Blessings are manifold.

The Sixth we Name is the Lawgiver, the Limited. She is the dance with steps, the game with rules, the cup with a bottom, the Arrow with a target. She is restraint and joy in restraint. She is order and joy in order. She follows the path. She is civilisation and its fruits. Her Time is the early evening, with joy to come and completed work. Her Colours are fresh green, wine-red and black. Her Places are the halls of houses, the courts of the cities and the plains of earth. Her Blessings are manifold.

The Seventh we Name is the Striker, the Edge. His is force and power upon a point. His is sword and armour. He is the spear for the hunter, the sword for the soldier. He is just. He is justice. He is the single cut that serves the need. He is the divider. His Time is the early afternoon, when a full morning hangs over the remains of the days. His Colours are iron grey, petal yellow and bright bronze. His Places are the kitchen of the home, the walls of the town and the shores of the seas. His Blessings are Manifold.

The Eighth we Name is the Complete, the Full. He is the end of life, drawing to a close. He is the path that leads to the destination. He is the inn at the end of the road. He is generous and prosperous. His is the laden table and the open door. He is the delights of the new realm and the changed world. His Time is the middle of the night, when all things are changed. His Colours are ruddy gold, the dry leaf and charcoal. His Places are the dining room, the graveyard and the caves. His Blessings are Manifold.

The Greater Canon

The Books of the Prophets

The Book of the Dawn

The Book of the Eastern Prophetess

The Book of the Mountain

The Book of the Herald

The Book of Eddan the Scholar and Naddan the Navigator

The Book of Keruba, Poet and Judge

The Book of the Two Swords

The Book of the Feast

The Books of the Scholars (the nature of the divine, how to worship, ethics, codes)

The Book of Names

The Book of The Eight

The Book of the Divine

The Book of Powers

The Book of Worship

The Book of Codes

The Second Book of Codes

The Western Book of Codes [Region-particular]

The Catalogue of the Faithful [Region-particular]

The Books of History (as it says on tin. Of who the prophets were, how the word was spread)

The Book of Prophets

The Book of The Chiefs

The Book of The Lords

The Book of The Kings [Region-particular]

The Book of The Teachers [Region-particular]

The Books of Other Lands (how else the faith of the Eight is taught) [Region-particular]

The Book of the East

The Book of the West

The Book of the South

The Book of the North

The Book from Across the Water

The Book of Other Kinds