~| The Moongazers |~

[Archbishop 1784]

~<>~|The Moongazers|~<>~

Updated: January 14th 2016

The Moongazers are the guardians of time. Though it was previous called ‘The Temple of Metztli’. Whilst the name has changed its purpose has not, they are still priests of the temple and Metztl. The Moongazers are the holy order of priests which teaches and ensure that the kharajyr and its inhabitants have a vast knowledge of their religion and worship the divine mother. All Moongazers go through many different trials to ensure they are fit for the position in the order. They also are expected to study about the history of the race and gain knowledge of a vast number of things, from necromancers and poisons. Most Moongazers are seen teaching the newborn kittens of the settlement whilst others explore the realm in search for lost relics and to bring home lost kharajyr.

 

~<>~|Major Prophecies|~<>~
Vision at Twilight

https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/97948-visions-at-twilight/

 

The Black Prophecy

https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/115563-light-the-torches-the-black-prophecy-part-i/

https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/116151-the-black-prophecy-part-ii/

https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/117341-of-eyes-and-gods-the-black-prophecy-part-i-i-i/

 

Visions of Nightfall

https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/139263-visions-of-nightfall/#comment-1315939

 

~<>~|Information|~<>~

 

Titles

Within The Moongazers there are three different titles for the members of the order. Whilst they are still a priest their title shows their status within The Moongazers. A Moongazer must keep their title until told otherwise. Continuously asking to be put up a rank in The Moongazers will mean it will take longer as it shows your impatience of time.
The first title translates to a priest. A member of the order gets this after passing their trials and have had the connection affirmed by Metztli. These members are expected to help the kharajyr and others in their faith and studies. They are now formally a priest.  This title is Ja’.

The second title translates to a teacher. This is a second in charge of the Moongazers, both experienced in Muun’Trivazja and knowledge. They teach the younger generation of priests everything there is to know about muun’trivazja and the faithood. This title is Ji’.
The third translates to head priest. This person runs the order and is part of the Aelkos council. If he tells you to do something then you should do it without question. This member is to be treated with much respect as they are closer to Metztli than any other, apart from the Tlatlani. This title is Ju’.

Sage.

This is the highest ranking moongazer and is the most experienced. They are the master of Muun’trivazja and Metztlis messanger.

 

Muun’Trivazja

Muun’Trivajza is the magic granted to Kharajyr priests and priestesses that serve in the temple of Metztli. This magic is bestowed upon them by the Daemon Metztli in order for them to better carry out their duties at the temple, and show their devotion and worship to the goddess herself.  This magic is more commonly referred to as Moon Magic, but its actual name works just as well.  This is because the Kharajyr notice Metztli as the Moon goddess, and believe that this power coming to them comes from the moon.  The magic focuses on three aspects, healing, moonfire, and time.  

 

Rituals

Ritual of Initiation

If Metztli has selected a kharajyr to join The Fylax they will do so. These kha have already taken their trial of faith and have served in the community. A sign from Metztli herself would also suffice if they are new. The future student will then be required to sacrifice the ape that they hold closest to them. A Ja will be present for the sacrifice, this Ja’ will be the teacher of the J’  upon completion of the sacrifice.  They will not be taught any magic though.

 

Ritual of Severance

[Spoiler]

Should one of Metztli’s converts have residual ties to false gods, a number of priests sever said ties, as long as the subject is willing. This involves washing the subject in the moonpool while they renounce their false gods and affirm their faith in the great Metztli.

 

Ritual of Ascension

When one of the priesthood falls, they must be brought to Muuna by the ancient rites. This essentially involves mummifying their body and sealing it in the temple. Once the body has been mummified the priests will gather, along with an audience of saddened kharajyr. The body would be taken down into the tombs. Sealing the body in a slot in the wall. The priests all cremate the body before sealing the sandstone gap.

 

Ritual of Foresight

When a mass of priests, all well versed in the ways to the second sight (ie Moongazing) gathers, they may trigger a prophetic vision of sorts. The priests must gather and meditate near a source of blessed water, and once the vision is triggered in one, it spreads to all others in a chain reaction.

 

Ritual of Empowerment

Moon Priests gather to imbue lapis with magical, mystical moon energy. These special empowered stones provides the holders mind at peace, their troubles gone whilst holding it. In some cases they also have been known to help moongaze into pasts events in a specific location, allowing all to see what had happened without the aid of the moonpool.

 

Ritual of The Moon

The ritual of the Moon is the standard common sacrificial ritual. The victim is lain across an altar and a special sacrificial blade would be plunged into the victims chest, the heart would then be surgically removed by the priest and held up for the collection of Kharajyr to see. The sacrificial blade is previously bathed in the sacred pools and blessed by the priests, then coated in a neurotoxin known as Tetrodotoxin, which effectually stops the nervous system responding, paralysing the target. It is not unknown for a victim to have an overdose of this toxin and die from lung and heart malfunction before they can be sacrificed. The toxin itself is extracted from certain fish, octopi, toads and newts.

Priest: O’ Mother of the Blessed, Light of the World and O’ Sainted of all, hear our prayer and accept our gifts.

On this night, O’ Moon Mother, we give to you a life, a one whom is unworthy of your praise and gift. O’ Mother! Hear our prayer!

*The priest will then plunge the blade into the victims chest, and will remove the heart. He will then reach into the chest and grab out the heart, and hold it up to the moon for all to see.*

As the heart grows silent, let the soul of the body rise into the sky and the energy of the body used to empower our Great Mother! O’ Mother! Accept our gift, and bestow onto us your blessing!

All: O’ Mother! Hear our prayer!

 

Ritual of War

The ritual of war is a ritual in which a sacrifice is made to Metztli to ensure her support in the coming battle. The Military Aelkos (Tultelkos) leads the ritual, using the priests and priestesses as support. Much alike to the sacrificial ritual, the blade is coated in Tetrodotoxin to ensure the death is as painless, clean and problem free as possible. Although Metztli does not have any recorded physical impact on the battles, the ritual is used as a morale booster for the entire Kharajyr people. Although some theories have developed claiming that Metztli indirectly influences the outcome of the battles by changing small things; such as making a cloud cover the moon to hide her warriors from being detected, or revealing the moon once again so a creeping enemy may become visible. Additionally inverse theories have also come to light, claiming if the ritual does not take place the opposite will happen; although both theories are just myth and have no substantial evidence to back the claims.

Tultelkos: Night Mother, keep is safe from our enemies. Grant us protection from those who wish upon us the evils of the sun! Purify our souls and minds with your all encompassing wisdom and might.

Priests: Grant us wisdom!

Tultelkos: Watcher of the Stars, grant us the power of the night! Muffle our movements and keep us under your cloak of aegis. Give us the strength to smite our enemies in a single blow!

Priests: Grant us strength!

Tultelkos: O’ Moon Mother, we beseech of you! Allow us the heart and courage to act upon your will, and to spread the influence of the blessed race upon all of the worlds!

Priests: Grant us courage!

Tultelkos: Goddess over all, we give unto you this life in return for these gifts we so seek!

*The Tultelkos will then thrust the knife down into the victim, but instead of cutting out the heart, instead the Tultelkos will cut deeper into the flesh and allow as much blood as possible to flow out of the body, as it is symbolic for the flood of the Kharajyr who will consume their enemies.*

All: Thank you O’ Great Mother!

A little explanation, you don’t really have to include this on the front page but perhaps it makes the prayers make a little more sense. I tried to make this sound very… cultish. Filled with riddles and unclear language

The “Grant us wisdom” prayer is mainly focusing on that of allowing insight into the enemies plans, but also a plea for protection from the enemies eyes, and the ability to see which plans to put into effect when to grant maximum advantage for the Kharajyr.

The “Grant us strength” prayer is not so much focusing on brute strength, but more strength used as a much looser definition, more the “power” of the Kharajyr and allowing them to strike swiftly and as powerfully as possible, usually with the use of stealth or other guerrilla tactics.

The “Grant us courage” prayer is as it looks, they are asking Metztli for courage for the oncoming battle.

 

Ritual of Plenty

The ritual of plenty like most others contains a sacrifice to ensure Metztli’s blessing. It is believed that by sacrificing another race (Commonly termed “Apes”) or another animal will bring the rains for the oncoming growing season. The reason for this ceremony directly translates to “the blood of the enemy will nourish the seeds of our crops”. This is not entirely constant due to the fact of the usage of animals of substitutes when an “enemy” cannot be found for the sacrifice, although an enemy is preferred over an animal for the sacrifice. Usually it is the Craftsman Aelkos (Truluk) who perfoms this ritual, although it is not uncommon for a priest to also perform this ritual. The Ritual of Plenty is one of the least formal and shortest of the ceremonies, and it is usually performed by priests in some of the more rurual communities. Rarely there will be a giant ceremony in the capital which is mainly performed by the Truluk.

 

Priest: From the ground spurts the child of the earth, it grants us nourishment and fills our stores with plenty. We thank the Mother for her gifts, and in return we offer this sacrifice.

All: The rains must come!

Priest: The Blood shall run down the steps and soak into the earth. It shall feed our crops, as the blood of our enemy returns to the cycle!

All: The rains must come!

Priest: Take the flesh of this beast as a gift of our subservience to your gloriousness, and in return bestow us with the rains to wash away the famine!

All: The rains must come!

Priest: With these words I surrender this life, in return for the rains to sustain a thousand more!

All: The rains must come!

Priest: The rains must come!

*As the leader of the ceremony finishes the word “come”, the knife is thrust into the heart of the ape/beast and the blood is left to drain down the steps.*

Priest: The rains are coming.

 

Artifacts

Tla’Xerduns Trident

Tla’Tiazars sailor hat

Tla’Morthawls helmet

 

~<>~|Members|~<>~

Sage
Natayshi

Varkolu
Mukar

 

Priests
Kaharal

Zar

Atl

 

~<>~|Application|~<>~
 

[[OOC]]

MC Name -
Timezone -
Skype -
[[IC]]
Name -
Current title -
Previous teacher (N/A IF NONE) -
Reason for joining the Fylax -

 

[Archbishop 1784]

The different stages of a priest

The type of priest a kharajyr is, revolves around the tier of Muun’Trivazja they are at, though they a twilight priest and a lunar harbinger must also be shown the same amount of respect as a moongazer.

 

Twilight Priest: Chronoshaping both wounds and matierial objects to a previous state or one yet to come. For example, returning a wound to a time when the flesh was intact, or aging a flower to the point where it wilts and dies.

 

Lunar Harbinger: The ability to control and manipulate a 'blue fire' of sorts. It is less destructive than fire evocation, but easier to control. An example of this would be the ability to use the fire to scorch symbols or words into surfaces.

 

Moongazer: The power to enter a state of mind where Metztli grants visions of the past, present or future. The visions are vauge and the future ones need to be confirmed by a LM/GM.

 

Current Kharajyr priests

Sage Natayshi

Head Priest - Ju’Mukar

Teacher - Ji’Atl

Priest - Ja’Zar

Priest - Ja’Xanra

Priest - Ja’Yim

Priest - Tla’Kaharal

 

The equipment of a priest

The d’fu staff is a staff that the kharajyr shall be given along with a book that teaches them how to use it, this staff is not to perform magic its purely for ritual and self defence for the inexperienced twilight priests.

((for the book follow this link https://www.lordofthecraft.net/topic/83142-the-dfu-blade-khajrian-weapon/ and look at the second post.))

 

A necklace of which contains a small lapis crystal. This lapis crystal glowing with moon energy. A true symbol of the Moongazers.

[seargeant_cat 3]

[[OOC]]

MC Name - Seargeant_Cat
Timezone - Greenwich Mean Time Zone
Skype - N/A
[[IC]]
Name - Xanra
Current title - Ki'
Previous teacher (N/A IF NONE) - N/A
Reason for joining the Fylax - To serve Metztli and to teach the younger generation

[Archbishop 1784]

* A colourful Karakatuan parrot swoops down towards each of the applicants, dropping a letter bearing a blue trident. *
“Sa’vi Kha. Mukar has recieved your application and is pleased to tell you that you have been accepted into the Moongazers. You will take upon the role of Ja’. When avaliable you must seek out Mukar to get your equipment and assignments as well as learning Muun’Trivazja.

“Welcome Ja'Xanra.”

[firegirl7894523 247]

[[OOC]]

MC Name - firegirl7892467
Timezone - CST
Skype - Firegirl101
[[IC]]
Name - Tez'Mikal
Current title - None, hasn't taken the trials yet.
Previous teacher (N/A IF NONE) - N/A
Reason for joining the Fylax - It as been a lifelong dream of Tez'Mikal to join the Priestess. Ever since she was a child she had daydreams about perdicting things and saving the people she loved. Her egarness and desire to learn as pushed her to want to become a Priestess. 

[dm420 186]

[[OOC]]

MC Name - LiliMi
Timezone - Pacific
Skype - You got it already
[[IC]]
Name - Ashtni
Current title - Si'
Previous teacher (N/A IF NONE) - n/a
Reason for joining the Fylax - To show Metztli (the true god)'s will and teach the young.

[Lhindir_ 3691]

[[OOC]]

MC Name - roachkiller911
Timezone - est
Skype - antonthegreat5
[[IC]]
Name - Fasrah
Current title - Sa'
Previous teacher (N/A IF NONE) - n/a
Reason for joining the Fylax - To spread the word of  Metztli and teach the younge.

[ImCookiie 1950]

Moved to the Archive. It shall be sorted into the appropriate category shortly.