Servants

Following The Shattering, the Church of Althusar declared a separation of feä and religion. Prior to that event, many—though not all—leaders in the Church taught that feä had a spiritual aspect and that specific spiritual practices were useful in its wielding. As a part of the Church's reordering in the aftermath of The Shattering, all such teachings were denounced, the Church took the official stance that fea was a physical phenomenon with no religious connections, and any writings on the topic of feä were removed from the texts and liturgy.
A remnant of people in Althusar, however, continued to believe that the energy of feä had a spiritual origin and linked their spiritual disciplines and connection to the Creator with their ability to wield feä in what they deemed a healthy manner. Those who hold to these beliefs generally refer to themselves as Servants. To avoid conflict with the Church, most of these Servants keep their beliefs private, though some are more vocal, particularly in the rural villages without a Church sanctuary. While most prevalent among the middle and lower classes of Althusar, Servants can be found among individuals of all walks of life, including among the Rovers. There are no official writing of the Servants and many of their customs are no longer practiced, as they require larger groups. A strong oral tradition is practiced among the Servants, however, and they will often travel to other villages, cities, and even provinces to visit with other Servants and to share oral teachings and stories.
Servants are a counterculture within Althusar and many people in the kingdom do not even know of their existence, though they may have met a member of the group without realizing the beliefs behind their lifestyle. In the early days following The Shattering, Servants were considered heretics by the Church. They were denied admittance to the Church's sanctuaries, were denied all of the Church rites, and were heavily persecuted in some provinces. In modern times, those aware of the Servants consider them to be eccentric and ignorant, but they are rarely viewed as a threat to the norm. Vocal Servants who make their beliefs known are generally prohibited from Church sanctuaries, but may they be granted rites at the discretion of their priest.