Clerical Ascension

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Spoiler

 

 

Clerical Ascension

Adapted from the Alisan methods of clerical advancement

 

 

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Induction into the Red Clergy

When inducting new initiates into the clergy, it is necessary to ensure the prospective initiate’s readiness for the position. This has, historically, been accomplished through a variety of methods. In the early days, there was little need for a priesthood, as those who joined the Faith were joining to fight with the Red Brothers in the All Father’s name. In other times, prospective initiates have been asked to put pen to paper and take oaths to prove their knowledge and piety. In more recent times, under High Keepers Tyr and Sølvi, the would-be initiates were put through a gauntlet that tested the depths of their dedication and  commitment. These gauntlets included such things as brandings, bloodletting, and drowning; Ordeals that pushed the limits of mortal tolerance. Upon completion of the gauntlet, be it in the manner of Tyr or the manner of Arthas, the prospective would be granted the rank of Initiate, at which point they would embark upon the path to becoming a fully-ordained Keeper. 

 

Our faith is our history, therefore our methods of induction into the faith should reflect our past. In the modern era, the methods of induction into the faith are a combination of the methods employed by High Keeper Arthas, High Keeper Alisa, and High Keeper Tyr.

 

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Aspirations of Faith

Those dedicated to taking the first steps of clerical ascension are dubbed Aspirants, and while they have no Clerical powers within the Red Faith, are expected to teach themselves the Red Faith and the histories of Norland through whatever means they have available until a senior member of the clergy chooses to take them on as a student apprentice, immediately granting them the rank of Initiate within the Red Faith, where their true path of Ascension within the red clergy will begin.

 

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Expectations of Initiation

Initiates of the Red Faith are expected to train with a senior member of the clergy to generally learn the Red Faith and the histories of Norland, however there are certain aspects of the faith that must be fully understood by any prospective Initiate before they can ascend further in the red clergy, once an Initiate has proven their ability to recite these facts, and has served the faith as an initiate for at least three years, the Initiate shall undergo three gauntlets to prove the prospective’s ability to serve the faith, through both knowledge and dedication.

 

Those truths which must be known before an Initiate may begin their gauntlets are such:

1. All of the Paragons of the Red Faith, their virtues, and their stories

2. The parable of Beo the Betrayer

3. The Popular Heresies of the Red Faith

4. The Three Tenets handed down from the All-Father

5. The story of the descension of the All-Father

6. The history of Norland, with focus on the following events:

   1. The founding of Norland

   2. The tragedy of Seahelm

   3. The Kraggen Isles

   4. The Highland realm and the Reformation

   5. The Inferi war and the Destruction of Arcas

   6. The Svarlandic sack of Varhelm

 

Once proven their ability to recite these truths properly an Initiate must undergo each of the following three gauntlets:
 

 

Gauntlet of Mind The Gauntlet of Mind is both the most important and least complex of the three gauntlets. Designed to test and prove the initiate’s understanding of the Faith as well as his piety, it will consist of three proofs; proof of knowledge, proof of understanding, and proof of piety. This will be a matter of simple determination on the part of the senior clergy member. When a prospective initiate shows through written word, all three of these traits, a senior clergy member may make the determination that the initiate has shown his proof.

 

Gauntlet of Flame The Gauntlet of the Flame is designed to test the initiate’s strength of will and dedication to their faith. Completion of this gauntlet reveals the endurance of the initiate’s spirit. By proving their soul’s endurance, the initiate shows that he is dedicated enough to face the Abyss, unafraid of what lies within. Upon choosing this gauntlet, the prospective initiate shall be given the following options:   - Marking: Whether by branding, tattooing, scarring, or a combination thereof, the initiate shall be marked with the symbol of his Paragon, along with the text of a prayer of their choice.   - Drowning: The initiate shall, at the supervising Keeper’s discretion, have their head submerged in either bull’s blood or water, and will be held there until they fall unconscious. Should they awaken after being pulled out, the gauntlet will be considered complete.   - Ritual of Fire: A small, wooden stage shall be erected around a stone center, and a fire lit below it. The initiate will perform a ritual prayer from atop the platform as it burns. The  initiate may not descend from the platform until the ritual has finished, otherwise the gauntlet will be considered a failure and may not be attempted in this way again. The objective of this trial is not to burn the initiate alive, but rather to test his willpower; his willingness to remain composed in even the most trying situation.

 

 

Gauntlet of Steel The Gauntlet of Steel is a test of the initiate’s physical strength. Our culture, our history, is built on the strength of warriors. The earliest members of our faith, the Red Brothers, were warriors through and through. The strength of a warrior is, and will always be, among the most admirable of mortal traits. By proving his mettle and skill at arms, the initiate shows his readiness to stand against the agents of the Long Dark. To complete this gauntlet, two trials must be completed:   - Trial of Beasts: The initiate shall first be tasked with hunting a particular beast of the supervising Keeper’s choosing. The beast of choice should be a predator, but not one so dangerous as to make the trial impossible to complete. Upon completion of the hunt, the initiate will make an offering of the beast’s remains. This trial will ensure the initiate’s ability to stand against feral beasts.   - Trial of Men: For this trial, the initiate shall prove his mettle in three rounds of combat. The first round will consist of the initiate facing his opponent unarmored and armed with only wooden rods. Both contenders in this round may be initiates, if two initiates are present. The second round will consist of a similar fight, with the changes of leather armor being permitted along with wooden training weapons. The final round shall consist of the initiate facing an opponent chosen by the supervising Keeper. All armor is permitted, and all fighters may use the weapon of their choice. Intentional killing will be prohibited in all rounds. All rounds will continue until the initiate either claims victory or  can no longer stand. This trial will serve as proof of the initiate’s ability to stand against the mortal, intelligent enemies of the faith.

 

 

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On Further Clerical Ascension 

 

Once the Gauntlets of Initiation have been completed, the Initiate becomes a Hearth Brother/Sister, and their path to becoming a fully ordained Keeper is nearly complete. To once again ascend to the final common rank of Keeper the aspiring Hearth Brother/Sister must hold the rank of Hearth Brother/Sister for at minimum five years and prove their understanding of The Norlandic law codes, the Red Law, and the Codes of honor to the high Keeper. Once the Hearth Brother/Sister has proven their understanding and ability and their fitness for the role of Keeper, they shall then be tasked with the creation of their Flamebrand. Then, once the Flamebrand has been crafted and the time is deemed right, the Lighting Ceremony shall be held, wherein the Flamebrand is lit from flames of  the Hearthfire. Following this ceremony, the Hearth Brother/Sister will become a fully-fledged Keeper.

 

 

[envy 274]

Spoiler

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[ichigomaster98 632]

The carrot man hopes there will be a revival of Red Faith to fight against the Long Dark.

[Qaz_The_Great 1189]

Alric inspects the document he takes a moment study the trials before continuing his preparations to become a Hearth Brother.