Home Foundation
AN OUTSIDER’S VIEW...
“The Brothers of Industry are wonderful neighbors, always lending a helping hand. They are honest, hardworking folk, who are sometimes a little simple, but mostly just, well, nice. They work towards the prosperity of their own families and friends, which keeps them out of everyone else’s business, except in the arena of love. It seems they are always looking for good people to match up, hosting dances and the like to attract couples. However, it’s always good, wholesome fun.”
A PRACTITIONER’S VIEW...
“We know what is important in life: Family, home, hard work, and the simple life. I work, I plan, I take care of my family and my home. That is all that I can do, and yet, it is enough. If we all did as I am doing, just think how good and peaceful Tellene could be!”
HOLY SYMBOL: A house encircled by a ring. HOLY COLORS: White, blue and gray. HOLY ANIMAL: The industrious beaver is the revered animal of the Brotherhood. MAJOR TEMPLES: Important centers of worship for the Home Foundation can be found in Crandolen, Dalen, Bet Kalamar, Sobeteta, Bet Urala, Aroroleta, and Bet Bireli.The Home Foundation’s temples are practical buildings designed to fit with the local architecture and building materials. They feature a large, rectangular hall for worship, but they also use the same hall for their dances and other social activities. Popular decorations in the halls show portraits of large, happy families. Temples feature only one story for the safety of the children and the comfort of the elderly.
The temples are very friendly to children, and services tailored to a young audience are common. The clerics spend many hours tending to orphaned and lonely children and help many of them grow up to be a useful part of society. Child-sized private rooms are a luxury of space that not all temples can afford, but comfortable barracks-style common rooms for the children are an important part of the temple.
Cathedrals spread wide rather than high. Their central hall usually boasts a grand continual flame-chandelier, and the altar is covered in gold. The lighting effect is warm and comforting.
The holy seat of the Home Foundation is in Zha-nehzmish, where it has been for centuries. A few generations ago, one of the Grandfathers began a tradition there that has spread to some of the other Svimohzish temples: the Grandfather conducts ceremonies while standing in the middle of the worshippers, who sit on the floor. The worshippers enjoy this close connection with the highest Cleric in the faith, and he has instilled great personal loyalty with his followers.
Razhan Hoshano Newhiz has been Grandfather since 548 IR. He’s unique in that his real grandfather was a Grandfather also from 480 to 503 IR. Razhan literally grew up in the faith’s seat and knows the faith’s inner workings better than anyone else.
Razhan’s critics claim that he fails to fully utilize the enormous power he controls within the city of Zha-Nehzmish. His followers are very numerous and include the entirety of several guilds. He could conceivably manipulate legislation very effectively.
Razhan counters this criticism by pointing out that the ability to do something does not mandate its doing. He spends his time with his wife and among his dozen children and grooming Hamaka to take over when he retires. That, he says, is exactly what any Brother of Industry should do, regardless of rank.
CLERICS
Adventures: The Brotherhood of Industry’s adventures serve the common folk. They hunt down predators that would rob the rancher of his livestock, endanger the farmer in his field, and threaten the poor in their hovels. If the Servants of the Swift Sword (see the Halls of the Valiant, in this chapter) epitomize chivalric ideals, the Brotherhood of Industry are the heroes of the common folk.Characteristics: Brothers of Industry work long and hard for the faith and for the community with little thought of reward.
Background: Brothers of Industry, because of the faith’s ties to family and community, are often born into the faith. Following in the footsteps of one or both parents, the Brother of Industry is expected to serve as well. Others follow this faith initially as an effort to join a community into which they have recently moved, and then find that they are unwilling to leave.
Races: Dwarves and halflings, with their emphasis on family and clan, rise through the ranks of the Brotherhood readily. Elves and half-human races are rare within the Brotherhood of Industry. While gnomes are fond of family and community, they favor hard play over hard work.
Relations With Other Classes: A Brother of Industry tends to respect members of any class who demonstrate that they are willing to follow through with a commitment, preferably one that helps others. Rogues, bards, gladiators, infiltrators and sorcerers--all those who tend to be loners – are viewed with distrust.
Relations With Undead: Clerics must destroy undead, and those that associate with them, at all costs. Animating, creating, or otherwise associating with undead may bring excommunication from the church. The faith allows for little flexibility with this rule. Role: The Brothers of Industry consider themselves a unifying force within any community. They endorse virtually any activity that brings people together, ranging from dances and festivities to militia training and large-scale civil engineering projects. Since their clerical training includes leadership and administration, they make excellent leaders.
ADVANCED
Divine Focus: The divine focus for a Brother or Sister of Industry is two linked metal rings.Spells Restored: Members of the Brotherhood have their divine spells restored at dawn.
Spiritual Light Hammer: In addition to being the favored weapon of The Holy Mother, Brothers or Sisters of Industry receive a force replica light hammer when they cast the divine spell spiritual weapon.
Suggestion: The suggestion spell is available to a member of the Brotherhood as a 3rd-level cleric spell.
Mending (Sp): A Brother or Sister of Industry can cast mending once per day, as a spell-like ability.
Culture
Worship
PLACE OF WORSHIP
Churches are found in cities, towns and villages. Services are commitments to family. Each family member has a different recitation based on his role: son, brother, wife, grandparent,etc. After formal services, the clerics make themselves available for settling disputes between family members, helping families new to the area meet new “brothers” and “sisters” and urging lovers to commit to marriage.
SACRIFICE & FREQUENCY
One week of hard labor For a worthy community cause twice per year. They also sacrifice scrap lumber on a monthly basis by burning it. The clerics then mix the ashes with holy water and use the mixture to bless new building material.
Priesthood
The Brotherhood of Industry
Female followers of the Holy Mother refer to themselves as Sisters of Industry, but the clergy itself is still known as a Brotherhood. Even when women make up the majority of a congregation, neither sex considers the term “Brotherhood” as referring specifically to men or denigrating the female members.
The Brotherhood of Industry believes in the simple joys of life, home, work and family. Followers understand that anyone who works hard and plans for the future will have a long and happy life. The Homemaker has a large following among honest and hard working people who hold to the concept that good labor is its own reward. By setting examples of industriousness, they act as powerful motivators and can increase the morale of the populace with an inspiring sermon.
The Holy Mother's clerics are matchmakers who often host dances or other romantic gatherings. Additionally, the Brotherhood settles household disputes for their congregants. Clerics are required to help the poor of their society and, if necessary, will raise orphaned children as their own. Clerics must always show hospitality to others and all worshippers are encouraged to extend such benevolence. These habits make the Brotherhood of Industry and their followers popular among commoners.
Since clerics of the Homemaker have close family ties, they usually do not like to travel far away from home unless absolutely necessary. They will go to great lengths to protect their homeland. Clerics of the Counselor are not afraid to raise a hammer in arms against forces that threaten their flock, their homes or their lands. These clerics tend to use guarding, charm, creation and protection type spells.
Advancement
Advancement within the church is based on seniority and service to the community. Brothers of Industry have no additional skill, feat, or quest requirements to advance in rank. Characters who spend their time between active adventures idly will find their seniors soon reproach them. Further chastisement may be harsh and might include suspension of privileges such as followers or stipend.
Domaines: home, industriousness, marriage
Clerics: Dictons
All that is good in the world can be traced back to a loving family.
If you work hard, all your goals will be in sight.
Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
You get what you work for.
Dreams don’t build themselves.
Laziness builds nothing.