Matriarchs of Morwyn
The matriarchs are an order of profound goodness, compassion, and love. Made up only of women, they are a part of an ancient tradition, as the healing halls of Morwyn have maintained their structure for more generations than even the longest-lived elves can count. The matriarchs hold only those possessions they need to perform their duties, giving everything else to the healing halls, or to the needy they meet on their travels, and they swear oaths of charity, gentleness, mercy, and wisdom. They follow the doctrines exactly—but unlike common members of the faith, they do not waver in their adherence to these strictures. If they do, they must atone. A faithful son always accompanies a traveling matriarch unless something peculiar is going on.
Most matriarchs are lawful good. They follow the four principles of the faith to the letter and are some of the kindest, gentlest people in the world. They do not think twice about their own well-being, often wading into disease-ridden or otherwise dangerous areas to help the needy. They have no greed in them, and are heroic women.
These Morwynites want nothing more than to be united with Morwyn in spirit, by walking in her footsteps. Neutral good matriarchs are less common, and less interested in obeying the set structure of their church.
They find the clear-cut definition of goodness a little silly, though they do not say so out loud very often. To think the soul of Morwyn’s goodness can be captured in a fourword maxim seems rather outlandish to them, so they look for the good in all people, no matter how small the spark, and try to bring it out through any means at their disposal. Rather than tell a petty-hearted merchant (who nonetheless loves his daughter as a devoted father) that he must learn to be compassionate, merciful, gentle, and wise, the matriarch would focus on the man’s love for his daughter, and urge him to extend his goodwill to others.
Rarely, and as a disappointment for other matriarchs, lawful neutral matriarchs hold office. These women believe the four-word maxim of the faith is almost like a set of powerful incantations. They say the words to those they meet as though their very repetition will compel people to obey them. While they obey the rules of these principles, they do not do so because they have a deep sense of their rightness, but because, in their minds, Morwyn wants them to obey them. Others in the healing halls find these matriarchs lacking, for they seem unable to grasp the true spirit of Morwyn’s teachings.
Sister of Beneficence
New matriarchs are called sisters of beneficence. It falls to them to perform those duties assigned to them by their superiors, who are any matriarchs with greater experience and standing, but most take orders directly from the holy mother of their healing hall. Superiors regularly order sisters of beneficence to travel and spread the good works of Morwyn around the world. Sisters of beneficence are healers and avoid conflict. They depend on their faithful son companions to shield them from violence. Sisters of beneficence are often referred to as the “beneficent sisters” and are addressed as “sister.” They are introduced with their order title first, so Nimmeril would be introduced as “Sister of Beneficence Nimmeril, a matriarch of the healing halls of Morwyn.”Holy Mother
A sister of beneficence can go on a three-month spiritual retreat into a remote area in an act that follows in the footsteps of Tyngelle, who spent three months in the desert and saw there a vision of the White Lady touching a rock, and witnessed a fountain of light springing forth from it. Standing in the fountain of light, Morwyn asked Tyngelle four questions, which all those who follow in her footsteps are still asked. Afterwards, Tyngelle searched for and found the rock, and upon it built the White Hall of Morwyn’s Hand. The great seat of the Supreme Matriarch rests atop the rock to this day. Thus, each sister of beneficence follows in Tyngelle’s footsteps, hoping to be visited by the White Lady in a vision that will lead her for the rest of her life. When these matriarchs return from the retreat, they tell a holy mother all they experienced. The returning matriarch is then clothed in white, brought before all the faithful of her healing hall, and named a holy mother. She is addressed as “mother” and introduced with her order title first.High Matriarch
An experienced holy mother eventually goes on a pilgrimage to the White Hall of Morwyn’s Hand, where the Supreme Matriarch sits. Upon reaching it, she speaks to the Supreme Matriarch herself, telling of her long-ago vision and all she has learned in her life. The Supreme Matriarch then asks her the four questions that Morwyn asked Tyngelle so many years before:- What is the nature of compassion?
- What is the greatest gentleness you have witnessed?
- Where can the hopeless find mercy?
- Who is wiser than the wise?
Supreme Matriarch
When a Supreme Matriarch dies, the matriarchs residing at the White Hall of Morwyn’s Hand follow the exact rules of succession as handed down by Tyngelle. They paint the names of all the world’s high matriarchs on stones and place them in a great barrel, though there are few enough high matriarchs now that the barrel is rarely filled even halfway. They then go and find a young and innocent shepherdess who is usually around thirteen years old. They bring the child to the barrel, tell her there is one stone in it more valuable than all the others, and ask her to find it by whatever method she might choose. The woman named on the selected stone becomes the new Supreme Matriarch. A contingent of faithful sons is sent out to find her, for she might be doing great works on the other side of the world, and the high matriarchs of the White Hall act as a council in her absence. The Supreme Matriarch is addressed as “Your Holiness,” “Your Eminence,” “Your Grace,” or “Most Hallowed Mother.” She is introduced without her name and, indeed, her name is never spoken on formal occasions; she is called “The Supreme Matriarch of the Healing Halls of Morwyn.”
Joining the Order
Any woman who shows an aptitude for learning the rites, strength of character, and a sense of goodness, can become a matriarch relatively quickly. Matriarchs are all clerics (of Life) devoted to Morwyn. Morwyn is never shown wielding a weapon, and there are no legends in which she lifts a weapon in anger. Her clergy have adopted the quarterstaff as a preferred weapon, since a few legends refer to the White Lady carrying a walking staff.
Type
Religious, Holy Order
Parent Organization
Location
Related Myths
