The Church of Ezra
Due to their religion’s history of spiritual epiphanies, Anchorites place great stock in predestination and divination. Others focus on the unusual preponderance of the number five throughout Ezra’s religious writs and so study numerology. Despite their arguments over the exact nature of the Grand Scheme, all anchorites agree on Ezra’s role in that plan: She is a healer and a guardian, humanity’s lone compassionate protector. Unfortunately, the Mists of Death sharply limit Her influence. Unlike the gods of other worlds, Ezra has never manifested an avatar, nor does She ever grant miracles to any poor soul in need; the gift of Ezra’s magic flows into Her anchorites exclusively. It is then Her anchorites’ most solemn duty to extend these blessings to the rest of the world, watching over the faithful as Ezra watches over them. Anchorites are sworn to use their gifts to heal the sick, protect the weak, and in general improve the lives of the faithful.
Part of the anchorite’s role as Ezra’s proxy requires that they actively oppose the Legions of the Night, the Church’s name for forces of evil, regardless of their form. At the same time the Church must add souls to the ranks of Ezra’s congregation; it is commonly accepted that Ezra can only “save” the faithful. Exactly what this “salvation” entails differs slightly from sect to sect, although all anchorites agree that it refers to both physical protection in this life and spiritual protection after death.
Ezra’s symbol is a silver longsword superimposed on an alabaster kite shield and adorned with a sprig of belladonna. In church iconography, Ezra is depicted as a statuesque figure, with flawless skin and inky black eyes and hair.
Structure
Ezra’s clergy, regardless of position in church hierarchy, are called anchorites. Anchorites act as guardians and healers, serving as personal emissaries of their Goddess. They pray for their spells at sunrise. Once every fifth day, at noon, services consisting of hymns and sermons are held to renew Ezra’s vows of protection over Her congregation. Layfolk who do not attend services for longer than five days risk stepping beyond Ezra’s spiritual reach until they return. When attending services, lay worshipers are expected to dress entirely in white, while clergy don ceremonial robes of green with white trim, the wider the visible trim, the higher the anchorite’s position within the church.
Praesidia
The Praesidius (male) or Praesidia (female) is the leader of The Church of Ezra and is often referred to as Ezra's Champion. There is but one praesidius. The title belonged initially to the church's founder, Yakov Dilisnya, and it was passed subsequently to his successors. The praesidus is drawn from the ranks of the Home Faith and consequently may be expected to be lawful neutral. This privilege pleases not at all the other sects of the church. To qualify for the position, an anchorite must be able to demonstrate that Ezra will personally watch over and guide him or her safely through the Mists of Death.Bastion
The title of bastion initially belongs to the founder of an officially recognised sect of The Church of Ezra . The title is then passed on from chosen successor to chosen successor. Since an anchorite must be able to manifest the Shield of Ezra as part of winning official recognition for a sect, the initial bastion of a sect always has the Mist Domain. For the present, there are only four bastions: the Bastion of the Home Faith, the Bastion of Mordent, the Bastion of Dementlieu and the Bastion of Darkon. The bastions gather in Levkarest at the Bastions' Councils to discuss vital issues affecting the Church as a whole. The degree to which the office of the Praesidius wields influence, official or otherwise, over these councils is unclear. The current Praesidius Levin Postoya is, and Praesidius Alexei Raskolka was, also the Bastion of the Home Faith. Although the Praesidius is always chosen from the Home Faith, it may not be the case that he or she necessarily also holds the office of Bastion of the Home Faith. Bastions find themselves in a curious position. They have the authority of unchallenged leadership over their respective sects, yet bind themselves, in principle at the very least, to the decisions of the Bastions' Council and recognise the greater authority of the Praesidius. The resulting tensions are especially great in the case of the Bastion of Mordent, the Bastion of Dementlieu and the Bastion of Darkon, for they are out of step with the lawful neutral alignment of the Praesidius and the Home Faith. Although the Bastion of the Home Faith does not suffer from this tension, they may be subject to a different one, due to the probably well-founded sense that he or she does not enjoy the same degree of autonomy as the other bastions, which is an argument for holding the offices of both bastion and praesidius.Sentires
In the hierarchy of The Church of Ezra the title of Sentires holds a position of significant responsibility and authority. The Sentires is entrusted with the oversight of a large temple and/or a region that encompases several smaller temples, ensuring that all aspects of religious services and clerical duties are carried out smoothly and efficiently. The Sentires is responsible for coordinating and overseeing the scheduling and execution of religious ceremonies, rituals, and services within the temple. This includes ensuring that all necessary preparations are made, such as procuring ritual supplies, arranging seating arrangements, and coordinating with clergy members who will lead the services.Toret
The leader of a specific temple within The Church of EzraWarden
Wardens are the lowest members of the clerical hierarchy, who act as traveling members or in more basic activities in the temples.Tenets of Faith
The Lady of the Mists has in her dogmas the protection of the weak, the care of the sick and the fight against the Legions of the Night. However, there are different interpretations and views of Ezra’s revelations within the Church itself, which is divided into four sects. All of Ezra’s devotees believe that she watches over her people from the Mists and that there is a grand plan in which all must play their part. Thus, among all sects of Ezra the concept is common that there is a destiny, and that Ezra grants prophecies and revelations to her devotees. Her clerics have the longsword as their preferred weapon, which is part of their Goddess symbol, and can only wear metal armor, or walk without armor, protected only by their own faith
Exceprt from Weathermay's Survival Guide to the Mists
Sects
The Mists Domain is unique to the anchorites that serve the Church of Ezra. While all branches of the church see Ezra, Our Guardian in the Mists, in more or less the same way (as a defender, healer, and protector of Her followers), specific practices and beliefs differ greatly. Each of these has its own objectives and methods, although they all recognize the authority of the central church, the Great Cathedral, which is located in Levkarest. These divisions correspond roughly to the alignments of the members and are as follows:
- Home Faith: the Lawful Neutral First Sect of Ezra in Levkarest, Borca.
- Pure Hearts: the Lawful Good Second Sect of Ezra in Mordentshire, Mordent.
- Erudites: the True Neutral Third Sect of Ezra in Port-a-Lucine , Dementlieu .
- Zealots: the Lawful Evil Fourth Sect of Ezra in Nevuchar Springs, Darkon .
Founding Date
666
Type
Religious, Holy Order
Deities
Location
Related Ranks & Titles
Controlled Territories
Notable Members