The Church of Lordaeron is an organization dedicated to the worship of the Light. It is headed by Madelynne the Blessed, who is seen as a savior figure to her followers as well as synonymous with the Light. She is followed by the Sacred Mother of Blackmarsh, who is the second in command of the church and wields the power of the Blessed when she is away or sees fit to bestow upon her.
Currently one who wishes to join the Church may speak to Ermentrud, Holy Mother of Crownwood, Mother Cyviel of Rosedale, or Mother Morgan of Oakenhelm.
The Sacred Mother of Blackmarsh is currently vacant following the death of Her Sacred Holiness, Lucia I.
The church has a three part structure, each with their own different purpose, although work between the different parts of the organization is not uncommon.
The Motherhood[]
Sigil of the Motherhood
The Motherhood is the main body of the Church of Lordaeron. It is entirely female and focuses primarily with the creation, enforcement, and review of church doctrine. Among their routine functions are the delivering of sermons, usage of the Holy Light to heal the wounded, run charities, promote the common benevolence of mankind, and ensure that the Church is not harmed by heresy.
Upon joining the Motherhood, a clergywoman is officially known as a "Sister," which is the title she retains until such a time when she has imparted her knowledge upon enough souls to see them to salvation. She is considered officially wedded to the Light, and though she need not be a virgin upon joining, is expected to end all sexual congress.
The only exception to the chastity of Mothers is when they seek permission to have conjugal relations with a surrogate to the Light. The surrogate is always to be a man of great moral virtue and honor, who has procreation and not pleasure in mind.
Sisters are expected to undergo a vow of poverty to ensure that they never allow worldly possessions to overcome them in their tasks. While this does not necessarily mean that they are without possessions, those that acquire gifts or other favors are expected to see them returned to their owners or in some cases, turned over to the Church for safekeeping.
Because they are wed to the Light, members of the Motherhood are protected at the highest levels of chivalry. If any should in some way molest or harm a member of the Motherhood, this is considered a gross act of treason and can, and often will, lead to death for the offender. This enables sisters to travel about Blackmarsh and her allies in relative peace, as even the most heinous of people are wary the price that is to be paid should one of them come to harm as a result of their actions.
The Wardens of the Crown[]
Sigil of the Wardens
"Walk with the Light, or we will drag you into it." - Sir Teithwyr Greyjaw
A knightly organization formed at the behest of the Motherhood to repair the disparate state of knighthood in Lordaeron, the Wardens are a group specifically dedicated to seeing the Church's will done in all manners military. Be they required to act in the name of defense, or seek out the profane and see them brought to justice, this organization is unlike other holy orders in that it is does not only allow paladins and is dedicated to nothing beyond the will of the Blessed.
They are primarily hunters of the undead and other unholy entities, though in times of great need they might be made to vanquish any threat to Lordaeron's soil or soul. To become a Warden, one must be willing to swear a knightly oath to the Light and the Church, and act at its volition without question. At present, the fortress of Oakenhelm in Eastern Crownwood serves as their base of operations, though they can move as they please until specifically called upon.
In their oaths they vow not to fight other believers, thus invalidating them from participation in secular civil war.
Structure of the Motherhood[]
Hierarchy[]
The Church of Lordaeron's hierarchy is maintained with central authority placed within Blackmarsh. The reigning queen will always be synonymous with the Blessed with the king maintaining no authority in the Church.
Blessed - The authority on all matters theological in Lordaeron. When spoken of, the title is "Her Most Blessed Holiness," and she is styled as, "Most Glorious."
Sacred Mother of Blackmarsh: The Second-in-Command to the Blessed and chief administrator. When spoken of, her title is, "Her Most Sacred Holiness," and she is styled, "Most Sacred."
Sacred Mothers of (Duchy): Every duchy shall have one Sacred Mother. When spoken of, her title is "Her Sacred Holiness," and she is styled, "Your Excellence."
Two Holy Mothers per Sacred Mother. When spoken of, her title is "Venerated Mother" and she is styled, "Your Worship."
As many Mothers necessary to occupy lower peerage provinces as required. A mother does not have a specific title, though they are often referred to as "Good Mother."
Sisters to serve at the behest of Mothers to spread the word of the Light far and wide.
The Blessed appoints all Sacred Mothers, including the Sacred Mother of Blackmarsh. Lords may suggest a Sacred Mother for appointment to their Duchy, or the Blessed may appoint a Sacred Mother purely of her own design.
Sacred Mothers appoint their own Holy Mothers, and can handle the appointment of Mothers however they see fit.
Districts[]
The Church of Lordaeron divides the districts of influence according to the rank of the mother present within it. At present, there are three major categories: chapels, bethels, and dioceses. Between these three organizational districts, the church is able to maintain order within its expanding territory.
The chapel is the founding position of worship. Headed by a Mother and often within a single large village or shared by multiple smaller ones.
A bethel is often located between several chapels. Larger and more prestigious, the bethel is headed by a Holy Mother. These are often found within counties and extend the influence of the greater church through providing aid, be it pecuniary or spiritual, to those that seek shelter.
The diocese is the largest organizational body and is headed by a Sacred Mother. Unlike the chapelry and bethelry, the head of a diocese is a cathedral. The cathedral is akin to a fortress, capable of withstanding hostile attacks if necessary and often maintaining a compliment of soldiers in times of war.
Doctrine[]
The Church currently teaches that in order to become closer to the Light, one should be free of desire and should be willing to sacrifice the self for the better of the whole. The church promotes a more logical and practical state of thinking in regards to dealing with spirituality. It holds that chivalry and good are noble concepts, and seeks to explain why rather than simply expecting the ideals to stand tautologically.
It follows a "more perfect" version of the Three Tenet philosophy.
Respect[]
One must show respect to elders and ancestors. They must respect their superiors, including their parents and their grandparents. It is not enough to mentally respect someone, you must show it by performing services for them, by showing concern and listening carefully to their advice. You must value that which has more experience than you, and you must regard the wishes of your ancestors as sacred. Be humble in your failures, and even more humble in your achievements.
Showing Respect is not blindly following your superiors, but instead making sure that you take what they say into serious consideration.
Tenacity[]
More than just never giving up, Tenacity is about having unwavering faith in yourself as well as the Light. One can be said to understand Tenacity if they can go through the darkest of places and still have the Light inside their heart. The virtue of Tenacity is not avoiding temptation or fear, but meeting it and emerging a pure soul. In this way, one can touch Unholy things and still emerge a pure being. Throughout your life, you will meet many evils and it will take Tenacity to ensure that in their destruction you do not become as they are.
Compassion[]
The church looks down upon any act that causes suffering to others, rather one should feel Compassion for all living creatures and all that suffer. No matter how disgusting or horrifying something is, you should show compassion for it. This does not mean that nothing should be destroyed, rather that you should ensure that you feel compassion for it before you can be fully justified in seeing its destruction. You should attempt to understand why things are evil, and destroy evil out of Compassion and pity instead of hate and prejudice.
Duties[]
Although there is no codified set of rules that a member of the Church is expected to adhere to when dealing with the common man, there is a standard established by the sisters that came before them that aids many in properly depicting their devotion to the Light.
Sisters[]
Sisters are expected to address the needs of the common folk in whichever locale they may visit. Tending to the sickly, feeding the poor, clothing the homeless and offering shelter where they might, raising funds for those impoverished by circumstances, and encouraging healthy habits for those that have not been exposed to proper means of hygiene. More often than not, if there is a brothel within a community the sister will also dispense health care to the sex workers, attempting to alleviate pains or prevent future complications.
Outfit of a sister.
In locations where there is not a chapel nearby, sisters may also assume some roles customarily reserved for the motherhood. This includes the officiation of marriages and the education of children to encourage reading and numbering. Sisters are trained in midwifery and are expected to be able to deliver children without complication: if a child should be lost, the sister assumes blame for the complications of pregnancy regardless of circumstance.
Sisters are routinely issued a kit to carry with them on their journeys. This includes: a book of psalms and songs, bandages, soap, and a razor embeded in the soap. The purpose for the razor, as it has been explained, is to encourage the continued cleanliness of a sister even when in the wild. Whether or not there is a more practical application to the blade, sisters routinely do use them as instructed by their mothers and are often noted as having a fresh smell compared to those they might meet in their travels.
Sisters do not carry coins. If they are to raise funds, it is generally understood that the money will be delivered to the expectant party rather than through the sister as a means of charity. This is believed to be because they are already endangered and will likely encourage brigands to attack them if it is believed they have coin upon them.
Sects[]
Sect of Fair Magda
The Mourning Sisters
Daughters of the Endless Night
Sons of Her Eternal Glory
Regulations[]
Although not approved of by the Blessed, in her absence the Sacred Mother of Blackmarsh saw fit to put forth her own code of conduct by which the sisters were expected to behave. This later was turn into something that all women of proper and noble birth were expected to come to accept. These rules, harsh and quite punishing, were initially known as the "Codes of Morality," though they later came to be seen as the "Cost of Matrimony." The three rules which gain the most attention are:
No woman shall allow herself to be alone with a man that is not her brother, father, or son. A third party must always be present, and in the event the third party is younger than the woman in question, another is expected to be present as well to ensure no misconduct shall occur.
Women in any familial way are expected to remain absent from public life. If they are in positions of power, then they must act through a second.
If a woman is accused of adultery, then she must be guilty of it. A bride of the Light must be above suspicion, and likewise, the brides of men should also walk without casting a bent shadow.
