Chief Hierophant

Chief Hierophants are the leaders of the Playful Orders.

Qualifications

So far, all Chief Hierophants have been drawn from the ranks of Hierophants across Flimflam. Because they are selected directly by the deities, however, this could just be coincidence.

Appointment

"They say (hic) that the deities pick the next Chief Hierophant, but (hic) it's pretty suspicious that Huri keeps on picking Agawas, isn't it. (hic)"

- a not entirely sober (not to mention bitter) Hierophant, shortly after Risu Agawa's ascension

Generally, Hierophants regularly commune with their patron deities in the Playful Pantheon in order to determine what sacrifices the deities desire. Chief Hierophants, however, report that the deities also communicate who their successor should be and when it has come time for them to step down. 
Not all deities communicate that clearly. Alea is notable for repeatedly instructing her Chief Hierophants to choose their successors through methods like "write the names of all the Hierophants on pieces of paper, throw the paper in the air, and grab one" that rely on chance and luck. Agon, similarly if in an opposite direction, often ordains grueling tournaments of skill in numerous areas to choose a successor. It seems to be an unwritten requirement that Ilinx's Chief Hierophant will have survived a near-death experience, leading His Hierophants to have the highest death rate of any of the orders.

Duties

The Chief Hierophant sets policy for their deity's entire order within the Playful Orders. One notable method by which they accomplish this is playing The Wonder every seven years. The game is surmised to be extremely complex, with individual plays carrying significance for each order's direction in the coming years. They typically attempt to influence society in ways that align with their patron deity's chosen path, such as peace for Meisou or arduous training for Agon.
Beyond this, like all Hierophants, Chief Hierophants are responsible for determining what sacrifices the Playful Pantheon deities require in order to open portals to the Vault dimension. The Chief Hierophant does this for Hierophany, though they are somewhat more likely than your average Hierophant to delegate this duty to an adept Hierogrammat.

Responsibilities

Chief Hierophants are, as a council, in charge of the government of Hierophany as well as the guidance of their order.

Grounds for Removal/Dismissal

Chief Hierophants serve at the pleasure of their deities, and they are wise not to forget this fact. Notably, Naruhito Agawa, Chief Hierophant of Huri, and Marta Teixeira, Chief Hierophant of Meisou, entered into a passionate public romance. Marta subsequently went into a regular oracular trance and never woke up. Gossip within the Playful Orders argued that Meisou disapproved of the strong, turbulent emotions of the romance and decided her cleric was no longer worthy of the name. Naruhito suffered enormous public pressure to step down, only relieved when he announced that Huri had communicated the name of his succcessor. That relief was short-lived, however, as his successor turned out to be his daughter Risu Agawa--then the newest Hierophant of the order, only five days into her tenure in Dorado, and of highly disputed parentage.

Type

Religious, Clerical

Status

Active

Form of Address

Differs depending on the order but regardless of gender: Master (Agon), Lady (Alea), Leader (Huri), Your Serenity (Meisou), Flame (Ilinx)

Alternative Naming

Oracle

Equates to

A Chief Hierophant is roughly equivalent to a Son in the Priesthood of the Father, though there are typically a large number of Sons of differeing levels of influence and power while there are only ever four Chief Hierophants.

Related Locations

• Hierophany

Related Organizations

• Playful Orders

Related Professions

• Hierophant