Messengers of Al Kuliya

Messengers are a unique class within the Hierarchy of the predominant Al Kuliyan order. They serve to facilitate communication between temples, along with the important task of gathering new information to add to the great temple libraries. Most messengers live a nomadic lifestyle, being on the move almost constantly, and as such tend to lack permanent relationships with others.

Duties

The duty of a messenger can be summarized as “transporting information”. This means both relaying information between the temples of Al Kuliya and traveling out to non-Kuliyan lands to find new developments to add to the great libraries of Al Kuliyan temples. Traditionally, messengers will predominantly fulfill only one of these roles, and thus can be split into two groups: the inner messengers and the outer messengers. Both of these groups receive funding from the temples for their work, which they use to sustain themselves on their travels. Sometimes, when this income probes to not be enough, a messenger will take on additional work to support themselves.

Inner Messenger

The primary purpose of an inner messenger is to carry information between the Temples of Al Kuliya, and to relay relevant information to leadership within Kuliyan kingdoms. These people are less nomadic than their outer counterparts, as they will typically serve under a specific temple and spend most of their time within that area. They will often have an entourage of laypeople who accompany them on longer journeys for protection and comfort.

Outer Messenger

Outer messengers can be described as a combination of explorers, researchers, and journalists, as they specialize in gathering new information to be brought to Al Kuliyas libraries. This group spends long stretches of time outside of Kuliyan-majority territories, and due to the nature of their investigations may need to remain discreet about their true professions, as hostile groups will often target and kill messengers who they perceive as trying to steal knowledge. It is more common for outer messengers to travel alone, or temporarily join up with other traveling bands. They send reports of their information to the nearest Kuliyan temples, which then deliver said information to the region’s High Council for distribution.

Ordination

Messengers represent a separate branch of Al Kuliya’s clerical order, wherein members forfeit the ability to move upwards in rank and lack a clear position within the clerical order, answering to and interacting with members on all levels of the order. The process of becoming a messenger is separate from that of becoming a standard priest, but it does follow many similar steps.

First a young individual who shows promise is scouted out by temple monks. Typically these are children who have been raised within temple walls, who were orphaned or surrendered by their parents, but lay people have also occasionally been scouted out to become messengers. The decision to do so is optional, but refusing the request is often seen as shameful. This new recruit is then apprenticed under the guidance of a senior messenger, someone who has been one for at least ten years. The apprentice travels with this master for some years, until they can prove they are capable of supporting themselves and carrying out their duties. Then, the High Council ordains them, and gives them their specific duties as either an inner or an outer messenger. Typically, messengers will continue to serve until they are no longer able to, at which point they retire and choose to return to the temple to work on general upkeep or become lay people.

Type

Religious