Tinel Holy Orders

Holy Orders

There are five holy orders of the scriptoriums, but two are not particularly powerful. Most scriptoriums are run by the inceptors (clergy), who are divided into three levels of status: neophytes, teachers, and armarii. For those who practice the magical arts, the most powerful order is of the hierophants, which have two levels of power: the common hierophants, and the Five who oversee the order.
Protecting the work of these orders and seeking out lost knowledge is the responsibility of the mage guard (holy warriors), which has two levels of status: defenders of the word, and keepers of secrets. In the background of every scriptorium, the two lesser orders do their duties. The scribes, divide themselves into common scribes, and master scribes. The librarians rank themselves as common librarians, and chief librarians. The highest-ranking inceptors of each scriptorium determine its policies and interpretations of the faith. The order of the hierophants is overseen by the Five, the world’s most powerful arcane spellcasting worshipers of Tinel.
The average scriptorium has at least one armarius, four teachers, and twelve neophytes in residence at one time. There are often as many as ten scribes, one master scribe, four librarians, and one chief librarian as well. There are usually only four or five of the mage guard at any one scriptorium, and the hierophants, who almost always have their own sanctums, are rarely found at scriptoriums. Inceptors of Tinel

Inceptor

The inceptors preserve both mystical and mundane lore. To be an “inceptor” means to be just beginning, to be taking everything in. While some inceptors possess vast knowledge, and have already taken in a great deal, title still pertains to them. No matter how venerable, inceptors always eagerly learn more.
An ancient order, the inceptors trace the names of their elders across many generations. They keep scriptorium records, meticulously noting of details great and small. They do not have the minds or demeanors of accountants and lawyers, though, for they focus their minds on exploration, discovery, and questioning. They question what they record. They doubt the facts, and test them constantly for veracity.
The Bard Imarillus once observed: “Morwyn’s matriarchs say, ‘How may I help you?’ The soldiers of Terak ask, ‘How may I defend you?’ The Zhenkefan apostles wonder, ‘What will inspire you?’ But an inceptor of Tinel asks only ‘Why?’ and ‘Why?’ again, until a man wants nothing more than the company of the unholy and unclean.” The inceptors wonder at everything, picking apart the details, and finding questions no one else would think to ask. Their inquisitiveness stems from their lifelong mission to understand the world, and help others to understand it.
There are two distinct phases in the career of an inceptor, whatever his faction. Younger inceptors wander and hunt lore, while the more powerful inceptors remain in the scriptoriums where they work. Exceptions exist, and history is filled with heroic inceptors who never had time to go back to their home scriptoriums to teach others all they learned. These adventuring inceptors are sometimes the source of legends and great tales, and nearly always spend their final days recording the exploits of their lives. Most inceptors are part of the dominant (chaotic good) faction of the scriptoriums.They believe there is no holier act one can perform than to broaden the awareness of another. Their worship of Tinel is individualistic and revolves around small groups, and one-on-one interactions. These folk live as itinerate teachers and students, both to better themselves and others. They believe good results come from education, and offer people the knowledge they need in life. To them, the journey is the key. Exploration of knowledge, of the mind, yields the unexpected, and the worthiest answers are the ones one did not seek in the first place.
Other members of the faction are neutral good. This is a sizable minority, and while they also believe good should be done through knowledge, they do it through large organizations. Neutral good members expand the educational aspects of the scriptoriums.
In cities and nations where they have real influence, the Tinelites involve themselves with governments to educate people on a mass scale. These inceptors are happy to use any kind and decent method available to expand the minds of those they encounter, and lack the suspicion of law and government that their chaotic good brethren espouse. The inceptors of the neutral faction, on the other hand, care only about uncovering knowledge. They do not aid others in their learning. Instead, they join a cabal of the “worthy” and work together to solve the mysteries of the universe not for each other, but because cooperation brings better results they may apply to their own interests. Their missions nearly always pursue a specific piece of learning, and bring it back to allied inceptors for study. To them, nothing done in this world matters, save what one does in preparation for serving Tinel in the next life. These Tinelites avoid secular concerns as much as possible, and are happiest when they are left alone with their books and studies.
There are many different alignments among the neutral faction: lawful neutral, chaotic neutral, and neutral evil. The lawful neutral members of the faction work as a hive. They organize cells of neophytes and teachers, work together on research projects, plan missions, and dispatch junior members to undertake them. Their influence has kept the faction from falling apart entirely, in the face of opposition from chaotic good inceptors.
Neutral evil members of the faction organize the resistance to the primary church. They see the hoarding of knowledge as a sacred right the chaotic good clergy deny them. They wish to topple the more powerful faction, and resort to evil acts to achieve their goals. Lust for knowledge consumes them to the point that most will kill for it.
Chaotic neutral members fit in neither faction, though they are loosely associated with the neutral faction. They love secrets—the collection and whispering of them. They are not only disinterested in secular affairs, but do not even care about church matters. They simply roam the world, hunting for hidden lore. This odd offshoot of the order arises from a mystical belief that the Visions of the Opening Eye are secrets Tinel reveals. If every person recorded their visions and put them all together, the combined result would tell the story of all creation, past, present, and future. There is no secret these inceptors love more than the details of a person’s vision, but they believe there is power in all secrets.
Neophyte
All new members of the order are called neophytes, the title by which they are addressed and introduced, and remain so for many years—in some cases, for the rest of their lives—as they work to study the universe and its secrets. Neophytes travel widely, read constantly, debate contentiously, and, most importantly, learn.
Teacher
Neophytes might become teachers. A council of inceptors made up of local teachers and armarii grill prospective teachers over a period of three days, asking in-depth questions on topics the neophytes have spent their careers studying. At the end of this time and if the neophytes prove knowledgeable enough, they are elevated to teachers. It falls to them to spread learning, through his scriptorium or by traveling from town to town, educating people. Among the neutral faction of the faith, teachers oversee large projects within their scriptoriums, assembling great reserves of learning on a single topic. Whatever the faction, teachers work to unravel the mystery of their visions. They are addressed as “master” or “mistress,” and introduced by full title.
Armarius
At some point after becoming teachers, devotees might advance to the title of armarius. An armarius must have unraveled the mystery of his vision. Only a teacher who has come to understand his vision can attain this title. The teacher must deliver a lecture to a scriptorium explaining his vision and its interpretation, and at the end of this, he takes on a new surname pertaining to the vision. Because the Tinelites document matters so thoroughly, it is possible to go back through generations, and read the notes from very old armarii lectures about their visions. An armarius is addressed as “revered master,” or “revered mistress,” and introduced by full title. The armarii oversee the scriptoriums and are their supreme authorities, issuing commands to all the other orders except the hierophants.
If a scriptorium has several armarii, they make decisions for the scriptorium as a council where a simple majority rules. Once he becomes an armarius, it is the inceptor’s goal to aid others, but also to comprehend the riddle of his life through his interpretation of his vision. Even among these, the most knowledgeable of the Tinelites, it is rare to succeed completely.
Joining the Inceptors
Prospective members of the inceptors come to the scriptorium seeking training, and are made neophytes once they experience the Vision of the Opening Eye. One cannot become an inceptor without being on a lifelong quest to solve the riddle of one’s existence. A person who has already had the vision is immediately inducted into the order. Neophytes are clerics with domains related to Tinel, such as Knowledge. Most neophytes carry daggers, for Tinel is traditionally shown blasting the servants of Kador with five great knives of magic.

Mage Guard of Tinel

The mage guard serves two purposes: to protect and recover knowledge, and to oppose anyone who seeks out forbidden knowledge, particularly malicious mages. The mage guard are experts at fighting arcane spell users. While friendly with, and fond of, good-aligned spell casters, their order was founded after a dread cult sought to use magic to reassemble the name of the Nameless One, and destroy all of creation. The elders of what would become the order determined that the world required a force that respected magic, but also knew how to oppose it.
Too often, those who knew how to fight evil magic-users were superstitious and smallminded tyrants, who didn’t know the difference between a wizard and a warlock in the thrall of dark powers. If another evil body of wizards arose and threatened the world, no one of the Tinelite faith wanted to have to count on fools to stop them.
Since the world does not always need a force to oppose reckless magic use, the mage guard also protects knowledge, the knowledgeable, and important secrets. The great libraries of the world attract mage guard members, and anyone with a vital secret in need of protection can plead with them to keep it safe. The mage guard protects the works of the past, and thus there are two edicts all the mage guard must follow.
Never allow the wicked to seize control of learning or secrets if by risking your life, you might prevent it. Hold all secrets bestowed to you in sacred trust. Do not reveal them to any but those with whom you have been directed to share.
In addition, the world has lost a great deal of knowledge over the years. Thus, the mage guard seeks out lost lore and secrets. This takes up most of its time, since members of the order rarely find themselves ordered to seek out and eliminate users of arcane magic. Many in the mage guard go their entire careers without a mission related to the purpose for which the order was founded, but some happen to find themselves fighting evil wizards while questing for lost knowledge. When the faith discovers it’s possible to recover ancient or lost knowledge, it charges the mage guard with the task. Their mission is embodied in the following precept:

If by the toil of your brow or the blood of your body, you find knowledge which is lost to the wise of the world, it is your sacred duty to recover it. You shall not sacrifice your life for it, if others might recover the knowledge on a separate quest. Rather, you are bound by oath to inform your brethren in Tinel of the lost learning at once, so they can recover it. If you are assigned this mission, you will pursue it using all your strength and skill

The mage guard takes orders directly from the armarius, or a council of armarii at their home scriptorium. Only armarii can command the mage guard, for only one who has unlocked his vision bears the insight to direct this deeply holy order. In the field, when several of the mage guard work together, they obey the most experienced member of their own order.
The mage guard travels with any who value knowledge and individual purpose. They’re irked by anyone whose outlook runs counter to the general Tinelite views, such as most Teraketh, but in general, anyone who is good, or even neutral, can make excellent companions for one of the mage guard. They never travel with evil magic-users, and actively work against them
Defenders of the Word All new members of the mage guard are addressed as “defender,” but in introductions this is extended to the full title, such as: “Defender of the Word Morik, a Mage Guard of the scriptoriums of Tinel.” They go to scriptoriums, where they serve an armarius. There, they might receive orders to go forth and find lost knowledge, or stay at the scriptorium to protect its archives. Some mage guards work with others of their order, forming a “cadre,” and work together on whatever mission their armarius gives them.
Keeper of Secrets
The most experienced defenders of the word become keepers of secrets. To become a keeper, defenders must unravel their visions. Unlike inceptors, defenders tell none but their commanding armarius about the vision and its meaning, though they do take on new surnames. They keep their vision’s meaning secret from all but one person, and it is in the imparting of her most personal and carefully kept secret to another that she becomes a keeper of secrets. Keepers of Secrets are addressed as “Keeper” and introduced in the same fashion as defenders.
The mage guard keeps many secrets: tales about the name of the Nameless One only they know, for instance. They hold them closely. Not even the armarii know these tales. Upon being inducted into the order, each keeper is given a book of secrets. This must be kept on their person, as a private chronicle, for the rest of their lives. These books pass down from keeper to keeper. When one dies, the book is kept in trust by an armarius, until another keeper is elevated and the book can be passed on. Only one living keeper may know the contents of the book at a time. As they travel, keepers add new secrets to the book. When the last page is reached, they hide it away, in a secret place. Many would love to find one of these hiding places. Keepers of secrets do not share what they learn in confidence.
Some political leaders, even those as important as queens and emperors, ask for their aid, knowing they can be trusted to pass on messages and lore they will never share with anyone who is not authorized to know them. Keepers never violate the oath of secrecy, on pain of expulsion, and perhaps punishments from Tinel or his servants.
Joining the Mage Guard
There is no explanation for why people are called to join the mage guard—they simply feel a pull, a need to take up the sword and fight for Tinel. Most initiates spend at least six years learning all the skills necessary to be a mage guard, though fewer are required for trained fighters. Candidates must also have had the Vision of the Opening Eye, and must not share it with anyone. Upon completing their training, they become defenders of the word. All the mage guard are fighters (eldritch knights) and most are chaotic good. If you’re using feats, mage guards always take the Mage Slayer feat

Hierophants

“The artist does not use every color; the poet does not include every word. Magic is just as surely a divine art, so why do some believe they should use every spell they might command? It makes only for ugliness and noise, like a song with every note.” So say the hierophants, a powerful order of faithful mages as old as the scriptoriums themselves—perhaps older. The hierophants form a great council of powerful arcane magicians who agree on reasonable laws and limitations for the use of arcane magic, such as bans on demonology and diabolism.
The council is only open to those who are already strong in the magical arts, but most Tinelite mages, even apprentices, willingly adhere to the laws they set out. It is the council’s job to determine the will of Tinel as it pertains to the use of arcane magic—an awesome responsibility.
The hierophants are almost entirely separate from the church structure and its members can only rarely, if ever, be found in scriptoriums. Certainly, any inceptor can point an interested party in the direction of the nearest hierophant, but the order maintains only cursory contact with most of Tinel’s clergy. The chief inceptors at each scriptorium keep in contact with the order, staying abreast of its beliefs and policies, so they might guide arcane spellcasters who come to a scriptorium to worship.
The order was founded to ensure the Lord of Secrets never again strips the mortal races of magic. Thus, the hierophants interpret Tinel’s will as it pertains to the use of magic. All members are powerful practitioners of arcane magic, but even apprentices outside the faith know the order’s laws. Only the most powerful arcane magicians join the hierophants, to help define those laws.
Depending on the strength of local Tinelites, their alignments, and the specific offense, violating the laws might lead to nothing, expose the offender to public censure, or even bring the mage guard down upon him. It’s a gamble evil spellcasters are willing to take, but for those not steeped in wickedness, the hierophants draw a useful line between good and evil magic.
The Five
Five of the order’s most powerful members lead the hierophants. When one of the Five dies or passes out of ordinary existence by whatever mysterious means, the remaining Council of the Five convenes immediately, and elects a new member. The choice is usually obvious, but sometimes the election becomes rancorous. The remaining four of the Five do not have veto power, and ties are usually broken by contacting the deceased (or otherwise transfigured) predecessor, using the appropriate arcane rites.
The Five are addressed as “your eminence” and introduced using this format: “Her Eminence, the Hierophant Amraila, Member of the Council of Five of the Scriptoriums of Tinel.”
The Five oversee lesser hierophants’ councils, and determine when and how to enforce the laws set by their meetings, but the order rarely concerns itself with lesser mages who use evil magic. figuring such fools will meet their end eventually. The hierophants exist more to set and interpret laws than enforce them. They are only aroused when someone profoundly powerful and evil arises.
Joining the Hierophants
The rule of order demands that a region’s hierophants meet in council at least once every three years to discuss matters of magical law, and induct new members. The order recruits strong arcane spellcasters (including wizards, sorcerers, and bards) who worship Tinel and are known for their virtuous conduct. An invitation comes with the meeting’s location, and enough information to allow a potential candidate to scry upon the site, and teleport there. A candidate who can’t use this information to arrive when summoned is usually not considered worthy to join. Upon meeting the council, candidates must explain if and why they desire to join. After the candidate has spoken, council members can ask questions before a vote is taken. This usually results in the candidate’s induction, since she is typically deeply studied through magical and mundane means before being invited at all.
But even if a majority on a regional council votes for the candidate, any of the Five can veto an induction for any reason. Addressed as “great lord” or “great lady” a hierophant is introduced by his or her full title. The benefits of membership include respect from the faithful and even arcane spell users from other traditions, and influence over the body of law that (at least according to Tinelites) governs magic. The most powerful members learn great magical secrets, beyond those known to most mages. Upon entering the order, a hierophant gains the Comprehend Magic feature. Hierophants raised to the Five gain the Mastery of Magic feature.

Type

Religious, Holy Order