Single Priestess, Double Priestess

"Single Priestess, Double Priestess" is a popular legend about the existence and identity of Elaise and Elaique, two Head Priestess of the early Moon Church, at the end of the Second Era.

Eleise

During the Second Era, an elven community was escaping from a pack of demons, heading towards eastern Doujate. They came to the Sieuch river, but heavy rain made the current too impetuous to attempt the crossing. During the night, the demons found them and attacked them. Outnumbered, many decided to stay and fight, giving the others a chance to escape. Among the fighters, there was Eleise, a young woman. The Moon Goddess helped the fighters bestowing the gift of magic upon Eleise.
They won the fight and found Krylach, the holy city, where Eleise received her gift.

Elaique

When Damparo was journeying to fight the archdemon ruling over Nys during the Second Era, he came to Krylach. He met the Head Priestess, supposedly called Elaique. She let him meet with the Goddess, initiated the First Lunade against the demons, and assisted him as she could in his fight.

Single Priestess, Double Priestess

According to the legend, Elaise and Elaique are the same person, meaning that Damparo arrived at Krylach when it was nothing more than a village, at most a few years after Elaise received the gift of magic, certainly before the Moon Church was even remotely formed in any shape.
If the story were true, the main consequence would be that Damparo never swore allegiance to the Church. It would mean he is guarding the Goddess in his Garden of Memories out of his own initiative, maybe for his own purposes.
Damparo admittedly knows the truth, but is adamant in not sharing it with anyone.

Cultural Reception

The legend reached its maximum popularity in the sixteenth century. The story regards the very foundation of the Moon Church, questioning, in turn, the very essence of the Doujatar people.
For this reason, the current Head Priestess, Fusca-Tije Vidreu uf Moeur ta Pirh, commissioned a thorough study about the matter. No one knows for sure how long the studies lasted, but, in the end, an official statement was issued, the "Official statement about the legend of the single Priestess".
It was, in the best Doujatar fashion, a long and detailed statement describing the situation. To summarise, the Church's scholars concluded that Elaise and Elaique were different people who lived in different periods.
It quelled people's curiosity for a while.
Recently, however, the fact that Damparo knows the truth but does not want to share, and his recent behaviour disrespecting the Church's traditions, are drawing more attention towards the legend.

Considering the aforementioned surveys and the expertise of the scholars involved, we can reliably conclude, the so-called "Single Priestess, Double Priestess" is a legend without any foundation.
Under the light of the most recent and dependable studies, Eleise was the first Head Priestess, Receiver of magic, Chosen of the Goddess. She defended our first settlement from hordes of demons with the gift and favour of the benevolent Goddess.
We can't determine how many years passed after her rule and how many head priestesses there were during the Second Era.
What we know is that, when Damparo arrived in Krylach, he found Elaique, the Head Priestess in charge at that time, Elaique. She blessed him and let him meet with the Goddess. She initiated the First Lunade against the Archdemon ruling over Nys in the Second Era.
In the case we acquire new information on this obscure period, we will issue a new formal statement regarding the exact number of Head Priestess between Elaise and Elaique.

— An extract from the "Official statement about the legend of the single Priestess"

Related People

• Damparo

Related Organizations

• Moon Church