Sisterhood of the Chaotic Mother, usually referred to as the Sisters of Siempre, is an order within the
Indorai religion that serves the goddess
Siempre. It is responsible for tending to the temples of Siempre throughout
Irocra and exerting her influence .
History
Founding
Sisterhood of the Chaotic Mother was founded in 1235 AN, shortly after the foundings of the related organizations Order of the Balanced Son and Sisterhood of the Loving Mother. As the
Irocai began to spread south from the
Ganuiles Mountains, there was a desire within the Indorai clergy to create a centralized location from which all religious teachings would spread. This led to the creation of
Indorai Center and the three orders of Indorai. Those who were already part of the clergy meditated on which deity called to them more and then became a part of the corresponding order.
Growth
The Sisterhood saw slow growth of their order in comparison to the others due to the common view of Siempre being a force of violence and destruction. It became the mission of the Sisters in the early days to create a new image of Siempre, one less tied to her destructive tendencies and more tied to the other facets of her personality. They had some measure of success and were able to sustain at least twenty temples at the time of
The Great Invasion To this day, Sisters of Siempre remains the smallest of the Indorai orders.
Modern Influence
Though the smallest of the Indorai religious orders, the Sisters of Siempre are known for the purposeful use of their power. Since most people in Irocra practice the Indorai faith, the threat of displeasing the order that serves the goddess of destruction is something most secular leaders try to avoid. The Sisters hold great influence over the political and legal realms of Irocra, though they usually exert that influence out of the public eye.
Tenants of the Sisterhood
Commitment to Justice
Though known more as the goddess of chaos and destruction, Siempre is also the goddess of justice and punishment. As such, the Sisterhood holds much influence in regards to the justice system in Irocra. They are known for standing up for those who are denied access to the proper legal process, even those ostracized by society or otherwise hated. At times in history, their decision to stand by certain individuals or to demonize popular figures has led to disdain by common people for the order.
While the order usually uses its influence to advocate for those in legal situations, it also supports any sisters who wish to pursue education in the law, whether to become better advocates or to become lawyers on behalf of the order.
Life of a Sister
Initiation
The order accepts initiates as young as 16, but welcomes any woman who has been called by Siempre regardless of age. The initiate must travel to Indorai Center in order to take the vows of a novice at the Monastery of the Chaotic Mother. The novice can then begin the process of becoming a full-fledged sister, which includes spiritual instruction in the ways of Siempre, intense personal introspection, and many hours of service in the temple. This process usually take 2-3 years, but is dependent on the novice's own spiritual journey and ability to conform to the order's way of life. When the leadership believes a novice is ready, she takes another set of vows to become a full-fledged sister.
Wardrobe
All sisters wear robes of dark blue with a black sash or, in the case of a novice, a length of black rope. The robes are customarily short-sleeved and a long-sleeved black undergarment is worn during the colder months. Sisters are allowed to wear obsidian jewelry, should they choose, but any other types are forbidden. Most wear a simple obsidian beaded necklace which is customarily presented to a sister when she takes her second set of vows. As a sister achieves rank within the order, her robe will begin to have ornate patterns sewn into it, beginning at the cuffs of the sleeves and the bottom hem.
Temple Life
While there are Sisters who remain at Indorai Center, most are assigned to temples around Irocra, often rotating between them until promoted to a leadership role at a particular temple. Sisters live in dormitories on the temple site and are responsible for the upkeep of their living quarters as well as the temple itself. Sisters are encouraged to engage with the public and become familiar with the settlements around the temple rather than remain sequestered from the rest of the world.
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