Church of Rahn

Most of this is just random pasted in notes so far and 'Pelor' or other DnD names may still be lurking about. I know some of this may actually be entirely outdated.

The Church of Rahn is one of three religions worshipping Rahn, the god that created the humans and is the primary deity worshipped by humans in the Realms. The Church is the biggest Rahndom religion, has its base of operations in Capitoleum and in Kingdoms all over Midrealms. Members of the Church of Rahn are called 'Churched', and most Kingdoms in the Midrealms are Churched Kingdoms. The Church of Rahn uses an upside down teardrop on the top of a straight and shaped line as it's symbol of belief, it is very similar to our world's ankh, but without the horisontal line.

The Church is very powerful in terms of money, military power as well as support from the people. It is seen as synonymous of being a good person with being a follower of Rahn (or a "Rahnd").

Hierarchy of the Church

• Patriarch of Rahn
• Cardinals
• Archbishops
• High Bishops
• Bishops
• Priorae
• Priest (Father)
• Brother (official term)
• Acolyte

Pietists

Men and women of extraordinary piety and belief are Raised to the status of Pietist within the church. This is a status very similar to that of a Saint within the Catholic Church. Individual Pietists can become patrons of particular areas such as seafaring or the household and there are shrines and temples dedicated to these figures. Since this infringes on many other people's beliefs on what governs what areas of reality, this has put the Church of Ran on edge with just about every other religion in the world.

In order to be recognised (Venerated) as a Pietist a person must perform miracles alive as well as after death's grasp. In some cases a person may have done extraordinary work as well as have channeled Rahn directly, and can be Venerated. It needs to benefit the Church of Rahn as well as people in general. Cardinals hold the power to select a person for Veneration, which starts a long investigative process and the Patriarch holds a final hand in concluding the process, oficcially elevating the person in the eyes of mortals to Pietist.

Monastic Orders

The Church has everal monastic orders that consist of individuals who has eschewed their material possessions in order to strive for spiritual cleanliness. There are both male and female orders as well as one mixed gender order. Generally, monastic life is full of prayer and hard work, but monks and nuns usually have the freedom to oursue personal interests in terms of doing work for the King of Kings.

Hierarchy of monasteries:

• Abbot (Father)
• Monk (Elder)
• Monk (Brother)
• Acolyte

The hierarchy varies slightly from order to order, but generally, this is the monastic hierarchy.

Hierarchy of Convents

• ..

Monastic Orders:

• Sabenius Order - Focus on work to purify the soul
• Himnasi Order - Only mixed gender monastic order, currently criticised by the Church.

Monasteries:

• Sandon Hill Monastery - Located in southern Artipellin; Sabenius Order

The Hand of Rahn

The Hand is the Church of Rahn's military arm. It is lead by General Brand Hinburg, a nobleman of medium power turned Paladin.

Other Church Titles

• Paladins (Holy warriors)
• Friars (traveling monks)

Characters

Historic/Mythical

• Harnim the Benevolent - Pietist - Saved a city with Rahn's blessings
• Sabeni the Trusted - Pietist - Inspired the Sabenius Order

Military

• General Brand Hinburg - Paladin and leader of the Hand of Rahn

Monastic

• Sabenius Order
  • Abbot Hintru Oktax of the Sandon Hill Monastery

Fluff

The church is strictly hierarchical. Monasteries are more democratic with several Elders and based on age/experience more than ranks and politics. Corruption is about the same as our Catholic Church.

Real clerics feel the deity. Compared to the real world, it's like a strong religious experience, but as everything, it becomes routines. They have a connection. Adepts are 100% arcane OR divine. It's just they do healing a bit innately in arcane and since it's so studied by Divine it's not a prioritised study.

Within the Church, proper connected individuals feel strangled by the politics and end up as "Clerics" - walking priests. Most who channel power from the deity also channel the emotion of disproval from their God when they observe the corruption, which is another reason they leave for the road or sets up local churches.

Paladins are mainly tied to peacekeeping forces and join sides in conflicts based on which side is the most pious house. pious here means paying the most money.

Some part of the justice is that the battle decides who is right. Even if the Paladin side loses, it does not mean the winner has the church against them; Rahn "changed his mind".

• Barefoot priests

Rectifying Movement - War hammer in front of a horizon with a rising sun right behind the hammer. Rectifiers are a bit like Tea Party movement. Very right wing, wanting to bring back traditional ideas into the culture.

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