Life is Feudal Official Forum

[Azerath]

The Church of Requesta is the religious arm of the Silver Sun Republic: http://www.silversunrepublic.com/forum.php.

Like the rest of the Republic, the Church is also built on the concept of practical RP. You are a priest because you are well-read, knowledgeable about the in-game and Church lore, preach in-game, and have earned the right to be called a priest. Not because you can grind your piety out faster than everyone else.

You and your friends are a military order not because you call yourself religious knights, but because you have been granted a charter, follow a rule, live in-game like warrior monks, and are recognized by the Church as being thus.

Unlike the secular arm of the Republic, not all members of the Church need to be members of the Republic. We offer training and ordination to other guilds who may want to share our in-game religion and lore.

Introduction

The structure of the Church is separate from the secular, but mirrors it in several ways. The Church members form a separate social class called clerici (clergy). The clergy is made up of ecclesiastics devoted to the faith who have taken vows not to pursue worldly advancement and possessions, instead choosing a life of service to our God and the faithful.

The Church will have the power to regulate its own affairs and Church members will be tried by the ecclesiastical courts rather than the secular courts. However, the Church will have to operate from the lands of the secular lords until such time as they are granted their own lands. Such lands will be given to a Bishop as a temporality which is the only exception to the rule that a member of the clergy may not own property.

It is hoped that in the future the Church will be able to acquire their own lands either through a grant from a magnate or direct conquest. It will be quite a while, however, before the Church will be able to muster the wealth, support and military strength to become a political force unto itself.

Clergy may not pursue crafting skills with the intention of becoming a commercial trader. But they will be able to pursue any craft for the betterment of the Church and can offer these services to those outside the clergy in exchange for donations to the Church. They can serve as ministers or officers of the court but will not be allowed to accept payment unless it is a donation to the Church.

A member may leave the clergy, but will not be allowed to re-enter service without special dispensation from their Bishop.

The Hierarchy

When a member undertakes holy vows they enter an entirely new social class with its own rankings. The position you held in secular life will affect at which position you enter the church.

Novice

Trial Members or immigrants enter the Church as a Novice and Plebeians may be directed to enter the Church at this level instead of entering as a Friar if they are examined by their Bishop or Priest and found to be in need of additional training. A Novice is in training to become a Friar and is still a member of the secular structure, and they are still subject to its laws and authority. The role of a Novice is to learn the Dogma of the Church while showing an interest in role-play and assisting the Friars/Monks/Priest/Bishop in their daily duties.

Friars/Monks

Anyone, whether man or woman, may become a friar/monk by training as a Novice, or a Plebeian or above may enter at this rank following a short examination by their Bishop/Priest. After their examination and approval, they will take a vow of poverty, and turn over all of their possessions to the Church. Monks will report to their abbot, Friars are free to roam. The form of address for them is "Brother" or “Sister”. Friars will become part of a mendicant order; Monks will become part of a monastic order, or a military order and will be governed by its rule.

The role of a Friar/Monk will be heavily influenced by the rule of the Order that they are a member of but, in essence, Friars/Monks are to the Church what a Freeman is to the secular society. As long as a Friar/Monk follows the Order’s Rule and does not break their holy vows they will find that they can do almost anything they want. Monks will find their rules to be much more restrictive.

As examples: Friars/Monks may choose to serve as a minister or officer of the court, can persue a craft or hobby, spread the faith as a missionary or take up arms in a Holy War. In fact, as long as they act in God’s name, they have great freedom (Friars more so than Monks). Friars/Monks will serve the spiritual needs of the community by reminding people of our faith and warning those who are straying from the path but they may not outright preach. Though they are not technically “clergy” per se, they are still tried by ecclesiastical courts rather than the secular courts.

Seminarian

Gentry and Freeman who wish to join the church may do so as a seminary student, or a Seminarian. Friars/Monks may also apply to be Seminarians. Those wishing to become a Priest must approach an existing Bishop or Priest, and convince them to take them on. Upon paying for their schooling, a seminarian is considered official. A seminarian is a candidate for priesthood, and the relationship between their Bishop or Priest mirrors the relationship of Knight and Squire. The form of address is based on what they were before they began their training. For example, a Friar would still be “Brother,” a knight would still be “Sir,” if they had no title, “Mr/Ms” would be appropriate. In full correspondence they would be addressed as "The Reverend Seminarian".

The seminarian's role in the church is to study the lore of the Church and laws/structure of the guild. It’s also their duty to support the Priest/Bishop which agreed to take them on and learn from them.

Priest

Seminarians may become priests once their mentor feelings they are ready, and they pass an examination by their Bishop.

The main role of the Priesthood is to oversee the mental and physical health of all those who follow the faith and they should spread the word wherever they go, and offer guidance to those who seek it. As such, the position of priest can be quite role-play intensive. You must know how to address members of the clergy and also secular society with the correct titles, be able to offer guidance and help in matters of Dogma, Lore, and structure of the guild to the Friars/monks and Seminarians and other members of the Republic, and be ready to lead people in worship. Priests mirror knights in that they are responsible for the spiritual well-being of a small area of land, called a parish, in the same way a knight might be responsible for the physical well-being of an area, called a fief.

Address a priest in person by calling them “Father,” and "The Reverend (name of Priest) of (name of parish)" in correspondence.

Bishop

The role of the Bishop is to lead the faithful in his diocese, and to oversee all matters religious in nature. Bishops are allowed to own property in the form of a temporality. If a Bishop is given a temporality, he is not only responsible for its spiritual well-being, but its productivity as well. The Bishop is a lord of society and is addressed as "my Lord" or "His Excellency" and "The Most Reverend Bishop (name of Bishop) of (the name of his diocese)" in correspondence.

Bishops can only be ordained by another Bishop. A Bishop will be appointed in the case of a new diocese. Bishops may appoint their successors, but in the case that a diocese becomes unoccupied as a result of unforeseen circumstance, an election will occur with all the priests in the diocese eligible, and all members of the Church within the diocese voting.

Church Knights

The Church may create its own knights, as bishops and archbishops have the power of Accolade. As a knight, you are not allowed to preach, but you should still be a good role-player and possess a great understanding of the Church Dogma and a good understanding of the Church Lore.

Knights sworn to the Church may still bear the title of sir, still have heraldic arms, and will still fight from horseback. However, the other knightly pursuits of courtly love, maintaining a retinue, and maintaining secular lands will be off limits. He may still be granted a fief by his Bishop if the Bishop has a temporality. Becoming a Knight of the Church does not imply entry to the clergy, but if the knight already possesses land it will become forfeit and he shall have to abandon the manor and estate provided to him by his lord and escheat the territory back into the lord's possession. Being a Church knight does not equate to holding a particular status amongst the clergy and a Church Knight could be a Monk or Priest for example.

The Master of a military order would be a church knight, as would his senior lieutenants if they have distinguished themselves militarily; however, not all members of a military order are knights. In fact, most of them are monks.

[Azerath]

Clergy Titles

Here's a quick description and examples of the subset classes that clergy members can have, and they can have multiples:

Inquisitor

The Inquisition will act as prefects for the Church. They will seek out those members that are preaching heresy or otherwise not following the Church’s rules. The perpetrators will be delivered, tried, and judged by the Church. Only those wishing to RP a member of the Church will ever be examined by the Inquisition. Inquisitors are Priests or above, and only Bishops can sit in judgement.

Abbot

Members of the clergy who have been granted an Abbey to run are called Abbots. Anyone can be an Abbot, even secular lords, though it is more likely to be run by a member of the clergy, and even more likely that a Master of an Order of Monks will be granted an Abbey. His form of address is "the Right Reverend."

Cleric

Members of the clergy who have a position in both the administrative wing of the government and the church are called clerics. They may be Priests, Friars/Monks.

Chaplain

Clergy may enlist in the military in addition to their normal ecclesiastical duties. Priests who serve in a military position by either being in a military order or joining a secular army for a campaign are called chaplains.

Vicar

Vicars are members of the kingdom who serves as the second in command to the Bishop. There is only one per diocese, and he/she answers only to the Bishop. They may only be a priest and are styled "the Very Reverend."

Spiritual Orders

The idea is that all members of the church will belong to an Order. Members are allowed to transfer from one type of Order to another. There are four types of spiritual orders; military, mendicant, monastic, and canonical orders.

Military Order

A military order is made up of warrior monks who serve the church, and knights who give up all their worldly lands and titles in order to serve their God without the interference of worldly desire. They are granted a charter, live under a Rule, are clergy, and pledge their allegiance to the church in order to serve God uninhibited by the corruption of secular influence. If you are looking to be recognized as a military order, there are requirements which you must fulfil in order to be considered official.

First - A Rule
You must have a Rule which is approved by the Church. A Rule is a collection of the "Rules" by which the organization operates. It includes things like, uniforms, chain of command, obedience.

Second - Charter
It must be granted a charter by the Church. This is what legitimizes your Order as a military order, and not just a bunch of religious nuts.

Third - Ordained Leader
The Grand Master must be ordained by the leader of the diocese.

Fourth - Leader must be a Knight
It must be founded by someone with the rank of knight, or higher. Of course, the Bishop of the diocese can knight you once you accomplish the other goals. The head of a military order is known as Grand Master.
NOTE: It's possible for a Chivalric Order to become a Military Order. You can't go from a Military Order to a Chivalric Order however. If you did rescind your oath to God, you'd be excommunicated outright.

Mendicant Order
Here are a few guidelines and things to know that should be referred to when founding an Order of Friars.

By nature, friars are constantly on the move, spreading the word of God, and committing good acts in any town they come across. As such, they own no property, or land (even collectively), therefore they must rely on the charity of others.

If you are looking to be recognized as a mendicant order, there are requirements which you must fulfil in order to be considered official.

Its Rule must be recognized by the Church

It must be granted a Charter by the Church

Failure to meet this criteria will result in the Order being declared heretical, and unless it disbands immediately, its members will be hunted down as heretics themselves.

Monastic Order
Here are a few guidelines and things to know that should be referred to when founding an Order of Monks:

By nature, Monks are stationary and secluded. They own no property, or land as individuals, but may be granted land to use by a patron, either a Bishop or a Lord. Once donated, that land belongs to the Order.

If you are looking to be recognized as a monastic order, there are requirements which you must fulfil in order to be considered official.

Its Rule must be recognized by the Church
It must be granted a Charter by the Church

Failure to meet this criteria will result in the Order being declared heretical, and unless it disbands immediately, its members will be hunted down as heretics themselves.

Canonical Order
A canonical order is basically the staff of people who oversee a particular church building. Such an Order will fall under the direction of a Priest or Bishop.

[Azerath]

Requesta – The God of Gods, Light in the Darkness, Holy Redeemer, symbol of Hope and Freedom.

History:

In ancient times, Requesta was seen to literally embody the Moon. As the Republic has evolved, this view of Requesta has become more symbolic, and now she is viewed as salvation, that shining ray of hope when everything seems dark, and Holy Redeemer as it was faith in her that gave the founders of the Republic the hope and courage they needed to deliver themselves from bondage.

Saint Beraneous, a man of title and means, founded the Church of the Republic shortly after the Republic was founded itself. In a vision it was proclaimed to him by the Archangel, Azerath, that he shall, “go forth into the land, and finding a place that is of equal distance from the civilized land of the Republic, and sparing not your wealth, build a temple there as a place of worship for the Lady Requesta.”

Saint Beraneous did as he was instructed. He sold his land, and used the profits to build the grand Basilica of Saint Beraneous in the Center of the city of Soacio. Seeing that it was good, Azerath came again to Beraneous and told him, “from this day to the last days, your people shall mark the flesh of their bodies with the symbol of Requesta so as to make it permanent, and she will watch over and protect you for Time and All Eternity.”

In order to keep this covenant, members of the Church will tattoo or brand themselves with the symbol of the moon.

Membership:
Membership is open to all members of the guild, and we can assume that you were tattooed or branded from birth. Simply start RPing a religious character at will, or if your character was never branded or tattooed, we can RP out a ceremony where your character accepts Requesta as their god.

Membership and involvement in Religious activity will be for purposes of RP and will also be completely voluntary. For example: if you habitually skip mass, nobody from the guild will treat you poorly, but a priest or other religious members may give you grief in-character. Likewise, if you play a soldier who is anti-religion, a priest will not refuse to treat your wounds if you're bleeding out on the battlefield.

The Church will NEVER put a non-tattooed or branded member of the Republic through an Inquisition, nor will they harass or actively proselytize to those who have said they are uninterested in RPing a religious character. However, those who RP another religion will be considered fair game for attempts to convert, but the Inquisition, if established, will only have the authority to examine “tattooed or branded” members.
-------------

You may have noticed my name, Azerath in the post above as in the "Archangel, Azerath." That is not to say that I am an Archangel, but rather that my character is named after the Archangel Azerath. Like many of you in RL have biblical names, I hope to incorporate names of the members of the Church into the Church's lore.

These are the types of things we can do when we make our own religion.

[Azerath]

The Inquisition

The Inquisition is a Holy Institution whose purpose is to combat heresy. This role is only given to the most faithful men. They must be of high intelligence, with a flair for rhetoric, and morally uncompromising. An Inquisitor is expected to be a scholar, an investigator, and a prosecutor.

Heresy is any belief that is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church. It can be accidental or purposeful.

Only priests can be full-time Inquisitors, though monks and friars may be called to assist the Inquisition in various capacities, and may even act as deputy-Inquisitors.

Only faithful members of the Church can be called to face the Inquisition. It is up to the secular authorities to pursue those who deride the Republic's religion from without.

Being found guilty of heresy is merely a rejection of one's ideas, and not necessarily a condemnation of the person themselves. If found guilty of heresy, the accused should be offered the chance to repent. If they accept, minor punishments ranging from fines to a letter of apology can be levied. Those refusing to repent should be excommunicated, censured, their teachings labeled as heretical, and any writings they have published destroyed. If they continue to preach false, they should face the secular authorities for more serious punishments.

An Inquisition called on an individual, or group, will start by first establishing the procedures by which the trial(s) will take place. Here are a few suggestions:

I. The Investigation.

1. During this time, the Inquisitor will gather all information available on the accused.

a. Witnesses should be gathered and words spoken by the accused may be used against or for them at trial.

b. Any written works should be gathered and used as evidence for or against the accused.

c. The accused should be interviewed and they may choose to remain silent. Though their choosing to remain silent should be brought up at trial.

2. If enough evidence is gathered that the Inquisitor feels the accused is guilty, a trial against the accused will be called.

II. The Trial

1. The trial should take place in the Diocese in which the accused is a resident with the Bishop acting as judge.

a. The Bishop may appoint two other monks, friars, priests, or Bishops to help him in the judgment of the accused, forming a tribunal.

b. The Bishop may request secular authorities to act as Officers of the Court to maintain proper decorum and provide security.

2. The accused should be allowed to write to any priest and ask them to speak in their defense at their trial, or they may act in their own defense.

a. Priests are allowed to refuse.

b. Priests who accept should be careful they do not commit heresy themselves.

c. All evidence, for and against, gathered by the Inquisitor should be shared with the defense.

3. Evidence against the accused is first offered by the Inquisitor.

a. Verbal testimony from witnesses should be presented first.

b. Written testimony should be presented second.

4. Evidence in defense of the accused is offered by the defense.

a. Verbal testimony from witnesses should be presented first.

b. Written testimony should be presented second.

5. Final thoughts are offered by the Inquisition.

6. Final thoughts are offered by the Defense.

III. Judgment

1. The Bishop, or the tribunal, will take a day to consider the evidence.

a. If a tribunal, they should discuss the evidence in private.

b. The other two members of the tribunal will advise the Bishop on the evidence, but the Bishop will make the final decision.

2. The Bishop will announce the decision.

a. If innocent, the accused will be freed.

b. If found guilty, punishment will be determined.

IV. Punishment

1. The heretic will be excommunicated immediately.

2. The heretic will be given the chance to repent.

a. If the heretic repents, the excommunication should be rescinded.

b. If the heretic refuses to repent, the excommunication stands.

3. The Inquisitor will offer a suggested punishment.

4. The Bishop and/or his Tribunal will question the heretic directly.

5. The Bishop will announce the punishment.

a. The Inquisition will see that the punishment is enforced.

b. Excommunicated individuals may be turned over to the secular authorities for punishment.

Any time before being found guilty, the accused may offer up a full confession and repent. In this case, skip straight to the punishment.

[Azerath]

Sample Rule for Monastic Group

The following is a sample Rule for groups who may want to do the monk/friar thing, but have no idea what a Rule is or how it should look.

Rule for Monastic Life

Chapter I:
That which follows is a manual of instruction for those wishing to devote their lives wholly and completely to a life that is pleasing to God while living in the monastic fashion. If heeded, the words herein will guard against the temptations of the flesh and allow those who live under its guidance to focus on spiritual matters.

Chapter II:
Upon reaching a community of V, it is necessary for the community to select amongst its brotherhood one who has proven themselves to be of the most devoted of mind to God and to the laboring which brings glory to God’s name. Thus selected, this person will be the leader of the community and be referred to by other members as “Abbot,” thereafter; all other members of the community will refer to one another as “brother.” The Abbot himself will refer to other members as “brother” as well.

Once chosen, the Abbot will treat every member under his care as equal, and shall make no distinction between them unless it is to praise them based on good works done or deeds committed, or to punish them for evil actions taken or lackadaisical approaches to their work.

Take heed, if chosen for this position for yours is a position that requires constant vigil, for the salvation of yourself and all those who follow you.

Chapter III:
All brothers will show humility to their superiors and will cheerfully obey instruction given if it be in accordance to the laws of man and God.

Chapter IV:
When matters of utmost importance arise in the community, the Abbot shall call all brothers together, and seek their council on how such matters should be addressed. Once all brothers have spoken, the Abbot will decide on a course of action, all the other brothers will support his decision.

Chapter V:
Upon reaching X members, the Abbot may choose to appoint a Provost to assist him in the daily operations of the community. Thus selected, this person will be the second in command of the community and will be referred to by other members as “Provost” thereafter.

Chapter VI:
Upon reaching XX member, the Abbot may instruct his Provost to take with him X or fewer brothers of the community to go forth and found another community which will obey the same rule and Abbot of the first community. The Provost will then be referred to by other members as “Prior” thereafter.
The Abbot will then choose a second Provost from among the brotherhood, and if the brotherhood again reaches XX members, he may again send them forth to found another community, and so forth.

Upon reaching X members, the Prior of the new community may choose a Provost.

Chapter VII:
Brothers will refrain from excessive speech that does not further the glory of God.

Chapter VIII:
All brothers will pray daily. Thanks and prayers will also be said before meals are consumed. Hymns will be sung and prayers will be said before battle if it is practical to do so.

Chapter IX:
Brothers will disobey the laws of man only when it is contrary to the laws of God.

Chapter X:
Brothers will never take aggressive action against another person, or nation, and will only take up arms in the defense of an innocent or a nation.

Chapter XI:
Brothers will care for the wounded, even at risk of bodily harm.

Chapter XII:
Clothing will always be plain and no brother may wear ordainments such as jewelry unless given special dispensation from their Abbot.

Chapter XIII:
Visitors and guests will be treated with kindness, and will be offered food and drink. Shelter will be given to brothers of other communities, or men of the cloth. Even if wronged, brothers will treat visitors well, and if struck, they will not strike back, but may seek assistance from secular authorities.

Chapter IVX:
It is recommended that the brothers employ a porter from outside the community to deal with those who visit and to bring their goods to market, but it is not necessary.

Chapter XV:
Discipline is at the discretion of the Abbot, but brothers should be expelled from the community for the following infractions:
-Repeated failure to obey the Rule
-Purposefully striking another member of the community, or an innocent.
-Murder
-Theft
-Negative attitude toward work, the Abbot, Priors, or Provosts

Chapter XVI:
This rule is not comprehensive, and merely a guideline. It should be supplemented by the Abbot and Priors at their communities.

[Azerath]

Those interested in joining the Church, or those from other guilds interested in the Republic's religion, please sign up on the forums here:
http://www.silversunrepublic.com/forum.php

and send me a PM.

I don't check these forums everyday, and I didn't get an e-mail telling me I've received a PM here until a couple of months after the fact.

Thanks,
Az

[Azerath]

The Church of Requesta will be active on the SSR Life is RP server. Here's a description of what we'll be doing.

Background: Bishop Azerath has founded the Windswept Abbey to further the glory of Requesta and to offer sanctuary, healing, and counsel to the people of Windswept Valley. As usual, the Church has contracted the Società Albero to act as bodyguards. Those wishing to become priests may contact Azerath, and may be taken on as Seminarians.

Structure:
Azerath will be the Abbot until a worthy monk can be appointed.
Seminarians will answer directly to the Bishop.
The Abbot owes some loyalty to the Bishop, but will first consider what is best for his community of monks.
Monks will answer directly to the Abbot.

Rules: We comply with the Official rules set for the whole server.

Rules on combat:
-Members of the Church ought not kill, even in defense of themselves (hence the mercenaries). We have walls, use them.
-We are permitted to act in defense of another. If a villager is attacked near you, you may defend them, but not another monk or clergy member.
-You will also not seek out conflict. If the village is under attack, you will not run to assist. You will open the gate for any fleeing villager and may defend them if they are being chased.
-Blunt and Militia weapons only for monks.
-No armor. Monk habits, or rags only for monks. Monk habit or fine clothes for the Abbot.

Rules for RP:
-Local chat is in-character, global is OOC
-Monks will obey their rule, we'll use this for now: http://www.silversunrepublic.com/sho...Monastic-Group
-Monks will ignore global chat. The Abbot may participate to remind people monks ignore global.
-Monks will stay in-character as much as possible. You may break character if another is unwilling to RP with you.

Professions and trade:
-Monks can go down the alchemy tree, farming tree, and wood working tree. They can also be pure gatherers.
-Monks should try to employ a porter, but may trade with the village if they have permission from the Abbot.

Objectives: Spread the word of Requesta, and further her glory. Grow the Church and the community of monks. Work with the Village to create a symbiotic relationship. Provide a semi-realistic and historically based atmosphere for the players on the server. HAVE FUN!

[RoboSenshi]

I never read this till now but I absolutely love this concept.

[Azerath]

In LiF:YO, it's possible for anyone who reaches 100 piety skill to run around with the title of Pope. If this tickles your fancy, you can run around in-game with this title as much as you like, but the Church will not recognize it as legitimate. If you RP as "the Pope," the Church will treat you like any madman who would run around claiming the same thing today.

*Warning, Long Term Goals Ahead*
From the videos and posts on the website, it seems the plan is for LiF to have a religious system where there will be a college of Cardinals who elect a Pope. If the Republic's religion ever reaches the point where it is widespread enough to participate in this system, we will not have Cardinals. Instead, we will form a Magisterium. The number of Bishops in the Magisterium will equal the number of Cardinal seats available in-game.

It's important to make a distinction between the in-game religious system, and the Church's structure. If you are a member of the Magisterium, you still have the same authority as every other member of the Magisterium, even if you don't have the in-game "Cardinal" title.

[Azerath]

Before the formation of the Magisterium and the appointment of a Patriarch, there will be a need for the Bishops to expand and alter the central tenants of the Church, or to make other major decisions. Other major decisions would be things such as excommunicating a Bishop, or getting the entire Requestian nation to declare a Holy War. In order to accomplish this, a Council consisting of all Bishops may be called by any existing Bishop. Here's a proposal of how this should work:

1. Any Bishop (or Bishops) may call a conclave in which every Bishop must be made aware and be invited to attend.

a. A description of the items which will be discussed/voted on at the conclave must be made available to the other Bishops ahead of time.

b. If an item is only to be discussed, and not voted on, it must be clearly indicated before the Bishops arrive for the conclave.

c. Bishops are not required to attend, and are not required to RSVP.

2. Conclave's should be held in-game if possible.

a. Conclave's held over voice chat are still ok...just not as cool.

3. The Bishop who calls the Conclave will decide the location and act as the presiding officer/host to the other Bishops.

a. The first act of the presiding officer will be to oversee the election of a new presiding officer so that they can focus on hosting.

b. The host will nominate a candidate, and ask for other nominations.

c. Any Bishop may nominate another.

d. If only one Bishop is nominated, they will become the presiding officer.

e. If there is more than one nomination, a vote will occur in which the one with the most votes will be the presiding officer.

f. The presiding officer will run the meeting. This includes doing things like, opening an item up for debate, calling for votes, deciding the type of votes that will take place, tallying votes, announcing the results etc.

g. The host will be responsible for providing facilities, security, food/drink etc. - the host should be prepared for every Bishop to attend his conclave.

h. The host will also act as secretary and will be responsible for sharing the decisions/minutes of the conclave with those Bishops who were not in attendance.

i. If a group of Bishops throws a conclave together, they will each be considered hosts, and none of them will be eligible to act as the presiding officer.

4. A Quorum of half the existing Bishops must be in attendance for the conclave's decisions to be valid.

a. Of that Quorum, a majority vote must be obtained to add to the Church's doctrine.

b. Of that Quorum, 2/3s votes must be obtained to change already established doctrine.

c. It will be up to the presiding officer to decide the number of votes needed to make other major decisions facing the conclave binding.

d. If a Quorum is not reached, votes may still be taken and the results shared.

e. An item must be made available to be voted on at the conclave by the presiding officer unless it is clear that the item is for discussion only.

f. Bishops may abstain from voting.

5. Once a vote is taken, the presiding officer will announce the results and the conclave will move on to the next item.

a. The previous item will be closed for discussion until the end of the conclave.

b. Any item can be brought up again at a future conclave.

c. There is no time limit required between conclaves, nor is it required to have conclaves at all.

6. The conclave may only vote on the items that were provided ahead of time, but other items may be brought up and discussed at the conclave.

a. Non-binding votes may be taken on these items and their results shared.

7. Once all items are discussed/voted on, the presiding officer may close the conclave.

a. Bishops are required to adhere to the decisions of the conclave.

[Azerath]

Sanctioned/Sanctified Possession

Sanctioned Possession

There are some who seek to manipulate Daemons, Demons, and all manner of spirits. Some even go so far as to allow themselves to become possessed by these spirits. Such actions are a crime against Requesta. If found out, the Inquisition is allowed to enact the Writ of Exterminio Maleficum and slay them on the spot.

However, as the God of Gods, Requesta has dominion over all spirits and it is possible to use them in her service. If one seeks this power, they must undergo examination and consultation by a Priest who has great knowledge regarding Possession and Exorcism. Further, they must check in weekly with either a Priest or Lay Person who is well-versed in Exorcism in case the spirits have managed to overcome their host.

Sanctified Possession

It is not just evil spirits which may possess the willing. There are cases of Angels, and even Saints, who have granted the worthy great valor and strength in times of need. Such possessions are generally brief, but in the case of long term possession, it is necessary to be examined by a Priest who has great knowledge regarding Possession and Exorcism in case the spirit is in fact malevolent.

[Azerath]

Mercenaries and Paladins of Requesta

The Church* forbids the priesthood from taking life, even in defense of their own person, lest they grow fond of it. The clergy of the Church never takes up arms to harm another, unless it is in defense of their nation, an innocent Requestian, or when a Holy War is declared. In the last case, taking up arms is compulsory. Even in these cases, the clergy should try to limit themselves to supporting roles such as the binding of wounds, running of messages, and maintenance of supplies.

However, the clergy belong to Requesta and their lives should not be thrown away needlessly. So to protect their earthly bodies, the clergy rely on the hiring of mercenaries to defend them in peace and in war.

The Basilica of Saint Beraneous in Sociao was built on a large hill in the center of the city called Palantine. Mercenaries who distinguish themselves through loyalty, strength of arms, and valor are trusted to guard the Basilica on Palantine Hill. These men are referred to as Paladins.

While once this term was used only to refer to those who were stationed on Palantine Hill, it has now come to refer to any who are trusted enough to act as the personal guard of the Patriarchs or who are stationed at significant Basilicas/Cathedrals throughout the Requestian Nations.

A man may only be elevated to the position of Paladin by the Council of Bishops, or a Patriarch.

*(Please note: This is Church doctrine with no backing from scripture.)

[Azerath]

Book of Spero

The original writings of Spero are lost to us. That which follows has been passed down by word of mouth for generations. It is not Doctrine, but it helps guide the Church. The Church eagerly awaits the arrival of a new prophet to guide the Church in earnest. The signs of the prophet's arrival are a closely guarded secret.

At the dawning of man's birth there were many gods in the heavens. Some of these gods hated man, and wished them harm. Others loved man, and wished to protect them. The greatest of which were Solaris and his Lady Lunaris. A war was fought among the gods and the forces of Solaris and Lunaris were triumphant. Those who hated man were cast out of the heavens to slink about the bowels of the earth. Peace reigned and life was good for man.

The beings that were cast out of the heavens were left to rot and fester in the recesses of the earth. In their hatred they became something dark and sinister. Though cast out of the heavens, they found new powers in the darkness, and their influence began to creep towards the surface. War, famine, plague, and death were visited upon man. Once where man knew only virtues, there was now greed, lust, envy, gluttony, sloth, wrath, and pride.

Solaris and Lunaris saw what was happening and in their love for man, gave of themselves to create Requesta. She was a greater god then either they, but the act destroyed them utterly.

Requesta first created the sun, and named it Sol. She next created the moon, and named it Luna. The creatures below hated the sun and moon and rose up to destroy them. For an age the war raged on until a deal was struck. The day would be for man, but at night the darkness would be allowed to surface. However, no harm should be visited upon man, least they face Requesta's justice.

Now man walks free during the day in relative safety from the evils of the world, except for those they visit upon one another, and Requesta sits in vigil on her Lunar Palace during the night to protect man from the evil which dwells within the shadow.

Requesta, the god of gods, empowers man to act as her divine agents upon the earth. Anyone may protect their family with a prayer, give blessings for soldiers before battle, and even extract malevolent spirits from the possessed by invoking her name. Yea, even the impossible becomes mundane for a man of sufficient faith in Requesta.

However, it is only those who dedicate their lives to the study of her teachings that may speak for the goddess. So it is said, while any faithful Requestian may act as The Hand of God, only the priesthood may be The Voice of God, and it is the duty of all men to heed her words and obey. And so, we ought be wary of false prophets. They can be as wily, and dangerous as a fox within a hen house.

Requesta is the god of gods, and the Prince of Princes. It is her will that rules upon the earth, and Requesta empowers men to rule over one another. These men need not be born into their station. Indeed, the ability to rule is a gift granted to those men of faith that she deems worthy. We know these men to be both of great wisdom, ability, and just. A ruler who was once just, but is now unjust, has lost the favor of the goddess, and should be opposed. Either by other just rulers, or by their own subjects.

Men may spot these leaders for themselves. Yet once chosen, it is not for the Hand of God to decide which rulers to oppose, that falls upon the Voice, and it is the duty of all men to heed her words and obey.

It is by these rules we organize our Church. The Voice administers the Church, and sets down policy in accordance with the will of Requesta. The Hand follows that policy and enacts Her will.

Positions of leadership in the Church are earned through ability and service. They are not inherited through birthright, and we look more favorably upon governments that share this belief. However, we offer unwavering support to the sovereign ruler of every Requestian nation unless they have truly fallen from grace.

[Krevente]

Our Religious lore is very deep and adds greatly to the culture of the Republic. We're grateful to have Azerath devoting so much time and energy to bring our stories to life!

[Azerath]

How the Church Works

I'd like to explain how I foresee how the Church will function in-game.

Monks and Monasteries

In real life, the very first monks were Hindu. They retreated from secular life to live as hermits. They did this because it's easier to live a religious life without the temptations that come with being around, and/or being used by other people. For example: most religions see killing as a very bad thing. Most feudal governments, and even more "modern" governments, require their citizens to kill for them.

So, I envision monks to be much the same way in-game. This style of play is for people who want to approach Life is Feudal as a sandbox builder. They don't want to be involved in politics, and they have no real desire to fight. The Church will ensure that other guilds leave monks alone, at least other Requestian Nations. Of course, certain players won't respect that, like bandits, or other non-Requestian Nations...which is completely accurate to the time period.

Upon building their monasteries up fully and becoming wealthy, these players may suddenly want to become involved in politics and war. They might start picking fights with people and what not. That's where their Rule comes in. This is basically a contract with the Church that says that in exchange for the Church's protection, they will behave a certain way. Such as, NOT picking fights, or getting involved in politics. Vows of silence might be handy to avoid this. If they break their Rule, they're on their own, and in some circumstances, the Church will ask Lords to expel the current occupants.

Veteran monks who want to move on will be given opportunities to join the priesthood, help out the Inquisition, go out and start their own communities, and so on.

There are several ways to start a monastery.

One, the traditional way...go out by yourself, pick a plot of land, build it up, recruit followers, and eventually petition the Church for formal recognition.

Two, get a group of people together, ask the Church for some land to start a monastery on, and then petition the Church for formal recognition.

Three, get a group of people together, and ask a secular Lord for some land to start a monastery on, and then petition the Church for formal recognition.

Until you have formal recognition, the Church will not protect you if you're being harassed.

Friars

Friars are similar to monks. The big differences are that Friars aren't cloistered, and they focus on charity. In medieval Europe, people were tied to the land. They didn't travel much, and when they did, they usually needed permission. I doubt many people will have the luxury to move around in this game either.

Friars are for players who don't want to be tied to any place in particular, but would rather wander around, helping whoever needs it. If someone needs stone hauled, tree stumps uprooted, or dirt collected...friars do it all, without expecting anything in return. In war, a friar is on the front lines helping the wounded.

At first, I suspect people won't trust friars much, but hopefully Requestian Friars will eventually earn a reputation and become a welcome sight.

[Azerath]

Military Orders

This is usually a popular one because people think the Knights Templar are pretty cool. Military Orders are for players who want to fight, and only want to fight.

The problem with founding Military Orders is that the Church has very little need for a military. The Church wants to be at peace with everyone at all times because the Church doesn't gain land and power by military conquest. It gains those things through diplomacy, and conversion. It's hard to engage in diplomacy and convert nations when you're killing the people you are trying to convert. UNLESS...they're PvPers.

So, if our pilgrims or monasteries are being harassed by PvPers (bandits), or a nation of PvPers (infidels/heathens) fixates on the Church...that would be the perfect time for a knight to step forward as a defender of the faith and form a Military Order.

Unlike the movies, Military Orders don't try to start wars for...reasons...In fact, they're just like most monks in that they are cloistered and have no idea what the political situation is outside the walls of their Chapter House. If a Military Order is founded, the Church will provide it with land, and resources so that it can be built up quickly. The Church will also encourage Lords to send food, armor, and weapons.

The Rule for a Military Order will require its members to engage in honorable combat, to never surrender, and to train whenever you aren't fighting. Members will be respectful to their opponents, while handing their asses to them. The purpose is not to wipe them out, as that's impossible, but to gain their respect. Standards for membership in a Military Order will be very, VERY, high. As a member of a Military Order you will be expected to fight, train, and fight...and only fight what the Church tells you to. As representatives of the Church, Military Orders have the potential to do great amounts of harm to the Church's reputation if its members get bored and start picking fights with other Requestians or nations we are trying to convert. That's where the Rule comes in from a practical standpoint.

[Azerath]

Clergy

The Clergy (Priests and Bishops) administrate the Church, write the Church's lore, and make it part of the game world.

Most guilds will only have one Bishop. A Bishop administrates a diocese. A diocese is split into several parishes. Priests administrate parishes, or serve their Bishop directly.

Bishops will be largely free to run their diocese as they see fit. It's up to the Bishop how much freedom a Priest has to administrate their parishes.

A practical purpose in breaking up areas into dioceses, and parishes is to hand-out blessings. Piety will be a required skill for the clergy to take. It will be the "job" of Priests and Bishops to walk around their diocese, blessing people with God's Love while they work, and refreshing those blessings when needed. A good time to split your diocese into parishes is when giving out these blessings starts to consume your time online.

Bishops may also be granted Benefices from their lords. A benefice is like a fief, for the Church. Only Bishops may hold a fief, and they run it like a temporal lord.

------------------

Bishops and Priests are encouraged to write lore to add to the Church's background. Bishops can write whatever they want, even if they write something that contradicts established lore! However, if they write something that contradicts established lore, they should be prepared to defend their ideas in debate with other Bishops or Priests. If it contradicts Doctrine, they're going to get a visit from the Inquisition. For Priests, it's up to their Bishop to establish how much freedom they want to give them when it comes to writing lore.

If a Bishop wants to change Dogma, or established lore, they can call a Council of Bishops to meet and discuss the issue. Depending on what they want to change, they either need a majority of the Bishops, or 2/3s to agree to the change. A Priest will have to be sponsored by a Bishop to bring an issue before the Council.

------------------

Bishops and Priests drive role-play. They should be giving sermons, leading prayers, liturgical chants, exhortations on the battlefield, walking around their dioceses/parishes giving blessings*, and talking about Requesta. Priests and Bishops can also have other roles, such as being Inquisitors, Chaplains, Vicars etc.

In war, Bishops can fight and lead troops. Priests, it's up to your Bishop. In my personal opinion, Bishops and Priests should act in support as battlefield healers, or supply runners. It's not as much fun, but people will be grateful for it, and your guild leaders will appreciate it...and the Church lives to serve...

Have conclaves in-game, hold public debates, pay people to design Cathedrals then pay people to build them, be a decadent priest and throw parties, have an exorcism...do things that are fun and interesting and other people want to be a part of in-game.

The role of the Clergy will differ from Diocese to Diocese, and position to position, but it's best suited to people who like to RP.

[Azerath]

Mercenaries

After telling you the Church doesn't really need a military, I'll now explain why the Church really needs a military.

A Bishop who is granted a benefice will need a military to defend it just like any other temporal lord with a fief.

Those Bishops without a benefice will still need to travel from time to time. Whether it's around their own Diocese, or if they need to go to another Requestian Nation for a conclave or the like...they'll need to be protected. While a Bishop without a benefice has no need for a standing army, he will need to be protected on the road. The Church will have frequent need of them, and their loyalty will have to be certain. This is why the Church will be looking to form its own mercenary group. We will house, and feed the group, while also providing compensation for active service. Members of the mercenary group will also be free to pursue contracts outside the Church when they aren't needed, as long as they aren't contracted to work against the Church's interests.

Playing a Mercenary will be for those people who primarily want to fight, but don't mind being around or engaging in RP.