Zheenkeef Holy Orders

There is no “supreme order” of the vineyards; each determines its own power structure. Usually, the highest-ranking local oracle oversees the vineyard, but there are vineyards run by councils of children or the local halfwit—even a vineyard that takes its instruction from an enchanted gibbon. No matter how the Zhenkefans structure their faith, no one gainsays them.
Regardless of vineyard structure, though, there are three orders universal to the Zhenkefan faith. A person who dedicates her life to Zheenkeef’s works can join one of these orders, whether it is powerful in her local vineyard or not. The clergy are called the apostles. The holy warriors are called the joyous brotherhood, and have two levels of status: laughing brother or sister, and drunken brother or sister. The oracles, who most consider religious authorities, have two levels of status: seer and prophet.
There is no “average” vineyard, though most have an oracle in residence and three or four apostles. Yet there are many vineyards made up of local Zhenkefans, with no one from the holy orders.

Apostles of Zheenkeef

The apostles are Zheenkeef’s clerical order, but they are rarely found in the vineyards. They are wanderers, spreading the teachings of Zheenkeef and lending their hands to the goddess’s works. The stereotype of this order’s members is the wild-eyed man, with an unshorn and tangled mane of hair, dressed in simple robes and a rope belt, carrying an enormous morningstar in one hand and a flagon of wine in the other. Indeed, many apostles never shave or cut their hair, and their diet often consists of little more than garlic, onions, and wine. Many apostles are half mad, at least. Apostles believe it is their duty to seek out the places of the world where the goddess’ hand is not felt and her inspiration, not experienced. They speak out on street corners, from hillocks, and in dark places of the cities. They spread the lessons of the Creed to anyone who will listen.
That said, Zhenkefans do not seek to actively convert others to their outlook, and neither is it the function of the apostles. Apostles offer all people the lessons of Zheenkeef in the hope that, seeing the way of inspiration, they take up the Creed and live a free life. Zhenkefans see most evangelism as a kind of tyranny (one unique to religion), and therefore speak against religious leaders who say people must follow a certain path, or suffer. As the sixth Creed teaches, all people are free, and must choose their own paths. The preaching apostles do not use language such as “this is the only way,” “follow or be damned,” or other threatening inducements. Instead, they simply speak of Zheenkeef’s way, and hope their words reach attentive ears.
The apostles hardly care about secular matters, and pay little attention to politics or issues of local concern. Heads in the clouds, they think only of the great teachings the Mother of Madness gave them.
Beyond the spreading of the doctrine, the apostles are also fierce opponents of stultifying and tyrannical forces such as devils, whose influence they cannot tolerate. They stride into the mouth of danger time and again to topple any force that threatens the freedom of the five mortal races. In battle, they have a wild look to their eyes, raging against their foes with their spiked morningstars. Most apostles are chaotic neutral, and see it as their primary duty to spread the teachings of Zheenkeef. These are the untamed apostles that most know, who oppose the works of tyrants when they can, but mostly seek to change the world and undermine established orders. Apostles have little interest in politics and the workings of the vineyards; they are dedicated wanderers and mendicants. Chaotic good apostles are far more interested in inspiration and uplifting the oppressed. They pay attention to

Brotherhood?Why not Sisterhood?

There are a few orders of the faiths referred to as brotherhoods or fellowships. This does not mean female characters cannot be members. In the case of the Joyous Brotherhood, a female member would be referred to as a joyous sister, but a member of the joyous brotherhood. If preferred, the gender of these terms can easily be switched so that the order is called the Joyous Sisterhood. Whatever you call these orders, it should not in any way reflect on who can be a member, with the sole exception of the orders of Morwyn, which are gender-specific. the workings of the world, learning about political leaders that wrong their fellow mortals, and speaking out against them.
These apostles are often agitators and troublemakers, using their protected status as representatives of a god to promote freedom of thought and feeling. There are chaotic evil apostles as well, but they are not openly welcomed in the vineyards, and tend to worship in dark, secret places.
Joining the Apostles of Zheenkeef All members are named apostles upon joining. This is the only title a member of the order will ever bear, and they do not take on honorifics such as “father” or “brother.” If they are introduced, it is by name and the sobriquet, “an apostle of Zheenkeef.” A prospective apostle requires little training, and receives it either from another apostle, or from one of the oracles at a vineyard. Training takes only a few months, but requires absolute devotion to Zheenkeef. Upon completing the training, the apostles become clerics, with Madness as their domain.
Zheenkeef wields an enormous morningstar bound with iron and spiked with a thousand spearheads of divine fire. The weapon is called Askew, and its touch is said to drive the searing fires of madness deep into foes’ minds. Many clerics wield weapons forged to resemble the one used by their deity.

Joyous Brotherhood of Zheenkeef

The Joyous Brotherhood is made up of those who feel the very power of inspiration flowing through their veins and limbs. While Darmon is the god of joy and laughter, the joy in the hearts of the Zhenkefan brotherhood is more like religious euphoria and bliss than the simple joy of a good laugh. The members of this order are lent great strength and power by the elative forces of Zheenkeef, and slip into divine trances to aid them in battle. Though they sometimes have a wild demeanor, the joyous brothers do not seem madness-stricken like apostles. Instead, they are an ecstatic people, moved from the very well of their beings to do great things.
Unlike most apostles, they do care about secular matters, and involve themselves in local struggles and politics, befriending and aiding the underdogs, and those without a voice. In the classic feuds of legends, where two great families tear apart a town, the Joyous Brotherhood sides with faceless peasants caught in the middle.
They are trained at noticing the people others ignore. The order focuses its attentions on serving these ignored groups and opposing of all forces that enslave minds and hearts. Joyous brothers delight in matters great and small, fighting against evil with their massive morningstars and happiness. When confronted with the stolid considerations of decorum, they resort to mockery and japes.
Good manners are not their forte, and for this reason many call them the “vulgar order.” They drink wine, often to excess, do not hold their emotions in check, and don’t stay their tongues when they feel someone is wrong. They are bold, brash, loud, and unquestionably empowered with the divine inspiration of their goddess. While many in power think them drunken buffoons, they are in fact terrifyingly observant, and often cut haughty men low with a single perfectly worded observation.
Every autumn, the joyous brothers see it as their duty to help harvest grapes and press wine. They disguise themselves and show up in communities where they are strangers, lending work to the farmers and departing days later, when the harvest is done. In this, they see themselves as walking in the footsteps of Zheenkeef, who also wandered the land, lending aid to strangers and departing, her identity unknown. While there are other holy warrior orders, like the Eagles of the Urianath, who seek to oppose tyranny and free the enslaved, no order’s behavior is like the Joyous Brotherhood’s. While the brothers do seek to free those who are literally enslaved, they also wish to awaken the desires of those who are not drinking deep from the cup of life. “There is a kind of slavery in the heart,” they are known to say, “when a man lives free of physical bonds, yet never strays from what is expected of him.” The joyous brothers seek to move all those they meet to live life to its fullest, be bold, love all people, and speak their minds.
More reserved folk find them insufferable. The rules of conduct for the joyous brotherhood are more poetic suggestions than clear edicts: Never accept the words of the powerful at face value. Those who are too weak to afford beliefs should be offered aid. Look for the detail no one else sees. Remind all those you meet that life is sweet. Never shrink from looking into the face of tragedy. A person enslaved by his own beliefs should be offered the hand of friendship. A person enslaved by the beliefs of others must be freed. Remember the Creed each day. Interpretations of these edicts vary, so it is unlikely a joyous brother would be ejected from the order for violating one unless that violation was patently obvious, such as becoming the obedient servant of a king. The command to free the enslaved does not pertain to those who have been imprisoned for evil deeds. That much is universally accepted by the members of the order.
Whatever the interpretation of these edicts, if a joyous brother knowingly commits an evil act or actively aids in the commission of an evil act, she will lose her abilities until she atones.
Joyous brothers prefer chaotic companions. It is very rare to find joyous brothers traveling with, say, officers of the courts of Maal. They most often travel with fighters, barbarians, rogues, rangers, and others who do not mind the occasional song and large jug of wine. Those who take themselves very seriously, or insist that their companions obey every rule, are unlikely to find themselves in the company of a joyous brother for long.
Laughing Brother or Sister Members of the Joyous Brotherhood are called laughing brothers or sisters. They are addressed as “Brother” or “Sister” and introduced by full title. A laughing sister is charged to ride forth, often with other members of her order, and do great works against the powers of Law. Drunken Brother or Sister After a laughing brother or sister has become powerful and filled with the inspiration of Zheenkeef, he or she is raised to the status of drunken brother, or sister. He or she is addressed as “Honored Brother” or “Honored Sister,” and introduced by full title. The accompanying ceremony is true to the name; a new drunken sister drinks for an entire day of the finest wine available, until she staggers. She is then stripped of her weapons and armor and sent to a remote area—a wilderness, a desert, a mountain—to wander alone for three days.
Of course, by this time the drunken sister is quite powerful, and it is rare that one does not survive the initiation. After the initiation, many of the order swear off wine for some long period, except for ceremonial celebrations. Indeed, they hardly need it any longer; they are called the drunken brothers (or sisters) because they can conjure up the deep joy of inebriation without wine and its side effects. A drunken sister laughs louder, speaks more freely, sees more clearly, and is inspired more deeply than ever she was as a laughing sister. She can be understood to be drunk with life, not wine.
Joining the Joyous Brotherhood A laughing sister is usually someone who heard the call of Zheenkeef at a young age, and went to a vineyard to train in the ways of the order. Quite often, the call is heard with the young person’s first sip of wine, for it is through wine that Zheenkeef speaks to her chosen. Training to become a member of the order usually only takes about two years. Nearly all are chaotic, and most (though not all) tend to be chaotic good. Unlike other militant orders, the joyous brotherhood is made up of sorcerers with Divine Inspiration for their sorcerous origin . While they possess magical power, most are just as happy smashing their foes with their morningstars as they are channeling the power of their mad goddess.

Oracles of Zheenkeef

Most vineyards are run by the oracles, the oldest of the Zhenkefan holy orders. The motivations of this order are mysterious. They sometimes aid those who have nothing but contempt for the vineyards and its worshipers, but deny requests from the most ardent Zhenkefans. Whatever motivates them, their powers are unrivaled— they see far. Oracles are eccentric leaders of the faith who, speaking in riddles and whispers, send people on bizarre errands only Zheenkeef understands. They are often found in rooms filled with clouds of stinking incense, or near chasms, smelling strange vapors from fissures in the earth. They read the many signs of the universe and converse with voices none but they can hear—and perhaps, with the Mother of Madness herself.
It would be easy and perhaps comforting to discount them as mad, but they know too much to be ignored. When two oracles meet, particularly two prophets, it is both propitious and terrifying; their visions might combine into premonitions of mighty deeds, or terrible disasters. Frail, peculiar, a bit mad, the oracles of Zheenkeef see things they should not, and know more than they let on. They call on Zheenkeef to fill them with swirling, mad images of the future, most of which cannot be cast into words. Many do not reveal the secret knowledge they bear, believing others would be better off not knowing. Some compulsively reveal all they see, terrifying children with their dark futures. Most who spend time with these provisional leaders of the Zhenkefan faith end up asking themselves whether the fates they foresee can be avoided. To be an oracle is to live a life plagued by visions, most of which make no sense, but some of which tell the future.
Far-Seeing Master Prospective oracles must seek out prophets and request admission into the order. Often candidates are sent away, but if the prophet deems the applicant worthy, she puts him to the test. Applicants must answer twelve questions that can only be answered using divination, which culminates in the test of the chalices. In this test, the would-be oracle must choose one of thirty chalices, all but one of which is filled with poisoned wine. Surviving the test grants admittance into the order, and the title of seer. A seer is addressed as “Far-Seeing Master” and introduced with the words “The Seer” before his name. So Karzgar would be addressed as “Far-Seeing Master Karzgar,” but introduced as “The Seer Karzgar, an oracle of Zheenkeef.”
Prophet Experienced seers can declare themselves prophets. The prophets, having known they would bear the title someday, prepare new robes and a staff of office for the day of their ascension. Seers who do not prepare robes or staffs either know they will find some in their journeys, or foresaw they will never become prophets. Prophets are addressed as “All-Seeing Master,” and are always introduced with the words “the Prophet,” before their names. Joining the Oracles Only non-lawful characters devoted to Zheenkeef can join the oracles. Most are warlocks who made pacts with Zheenkeef in the aspect of oracle (see Chapter X), though some come from the rank of apostles, Joyous Brotherhood, or from outside the faith. Wizards (of Divination) and other divination magic specialists might join, should they feel so moved. Sometimes, powerful visions even inspire clerics of other gods to become oracles later in life.

Type

Religious, Holy Order