Gray Order
Clerics of death itself tend to refer to death as the Final Word tend to be devoted to one of the Final Word's aspects: the Mother of Ravens, the Judge of the Damned, the Bone Collector, or the Whispered One.
Despite vast differences in these Death deities, they recognize death in all aspects and consider themselves a part of the same religion.
Clerics of the Gray Order make every attempt to minister to the common people, to demystify the process of death and help the bereaved cope in times of loss. Most non-imperial folk welcome the appearance of clerics of the Final Word, thankful for their light touch and calming demeanors.
Members of the clergy tend to be taciturn, even morose at times. Many came to the church after losing loved ones to undead incursions, or even after dying themselves and being so profoundly touched by the experience that they enrolled in the clergy shortly after returning to life.
Imperials tend to choose to view these clerics as a sect of the Father or the Reaper. Though, they are not secretive about their worship if asked.
Both the Winter Solstice and the Feast of the Moon are of special spiritual significance to the Final Word's adherents, when clerics recount the Deeds of the Dead that they never be forgotten. Rarely, powerful clerics use these days to cast “true resurrection”, returning to life heroes of the distant past who are needed in the present day. Clerics sometimes multiclass as necromancers, rangers, or doom guides, using their knowledge to hunt down and destroy undead. Judge of the Damned
Clerics of the Judge perform funerals, settle the affairs of the dead, and often are called upon by local lords or magistrates to oversee the execution of last wills and testaments. They preach to the masses the doctrine of a peaceful afterlife journey, and ensure that the bodies of the dead are buried safely and according to the religious tradition of the deceased. They mark sites ravaged by disease with plague warnings, and attempt to cure disease wherever they encounter it.
Clerics of the Judge consider all undead abominations, and do whatever they can to put them to eternal rest. They contend that those who create undead have violated natural laws are fit only for swift and utter destruction (an important difference between the clergy of the Judge and that of Whispered One, who hold that certain undead have their use). The Judge's clergy sometimes declare crusades against the undead or against creatures deemed to have caused too much untimely death. Occasionally, this leads them to employ adventurers to solve problems with which they cannot contend alone.
Bone Collector
Clerics of his sect are said to suffer misfortunes only rarely, but when they do, they are grave indeed. The clerics tend to alternate between stoicism and wild endeavor, depending on how they feel their place is in the world at that moment. Casting augury spells plays a great role in their lives. They are often mean-minded or deceitful folk, not seeing the point of friendliness to someone who will eventually be doomed by bad luck.
Clerics of the Bone Collector tend to tempt death, cause accidents, and create deadly mayhem daring the Collector to come for them.
Mother of Ravens
There are two subsects to this sect of the Gray Order. The Orthodox sect which holds to more traditional ways, and the Reformed sect, which holds to a loose interpretation of the doctrine.
The Primary Tenet of the Sect of the Mother of Ravens is "Hold no pity for those who suffer and die, for death is the natural end of life."
The Orthodox sects believe this tenet refers to individuals fleeing death, such as those using magic or infernal pacts to prolong life unnaturally. The Mother's clerics are thus called to counsel such people into accepting their ultimate fate. The more extreme branches of the Orthodox way believe they must go even farther, including killing people who have escaped death.
The Reformed sect, on the other hand, promotes understanding of what mortality means. The Mother's clergy seeks to educate people about their transience, with the intent to inculcate humility. In the end, death treats all mortals equally, from the lowest peasant to the mightiest emperor. Thus, no mortal is above any other. Mortals should not take too much pride in their temporal accomplishments, as they will all too soon fall and turn to dust, and so too shall their achievements. The Mother of Raven's clerics sometimes act to humiliate, embarrass, or otherwise punish someone who has allowed pride to overwhelm their piety. Whispered One
The Whispered One's clerics are feared throughout the lands as cold, calculating murderers. They are secretive and often solitary. When not in disguise, they dress in the same rust-red hue as the bones of their god.
Those who would become priests of the Blood Lich must undergo an arduous initiation that climaxes in being buried alive for a time.
The Whispered One's temples are hidden and usually subterranean except in the most evil lands, as befits the god of darkness and the underworld.
Despite vast differences in these Death deities, they recognize death in all aspects and consider themselves a part of the same religion.
Clerics of the Gray Order make every attempt to minister to the common people, to demystify the process of death and help the bereaved cope in times of loss. Most non-imperial folk welcome the appearance of clerics of the Final Word, thankful for their light touch and calming demeanors.
Members of the clergy tend to be taciturn, even morose at times. Many came to the church after losing loved ones to undead incursions, or even after dying themselves and being so profoundly touched by the experience that they enrolled in the clergy shortly after returning to life.
Imperials tend to choose to view these clerics as a sect of the Father or the Reaper. Though, they are not secretive about their worship if asked.
Both the Winter Solstice and the Feast of the Moon are of special spiritual significance to the Final Word's adherents, when clerics recount the Deeds of the Dead that they never be forgotten. Rarely, powerful clerics use these days to cast “true resurrection”, returning to life heroes of the distant past who are needed in the present day. Clerics sometimes multiclass as necromancers, rangers, or doom guides, using their knowledge to hunt down and destroy undead. Judge of the Damned
Clerics of the Judge perform funerals, settle the affairs of the dead, and often are called upon by local lords or magistrates to oversee the execution of last wills and testaments. They preach to the masses the doctrine of a peaceful afterlife journey, and ensure that the bodies of the dead are buried safely and according to the religious tradition of the deceased. They mark sites ravaged by disease with plague warnings, and attempt to cure disease wherever they encounter it.
Clerics of the Judge consider all undead abominations, and do whatever they can to put them to eternal rest. They contend that those who create undead have violated natural laws are fit only for swift and utter destruction (an important difference between the clergy of the Judge and that of Whispered One, who hold that certain undead have their use). The Judge's clergy sometimes declare crusades against the undead or against creatures deemed to have caused too much untimely death. Occasionally, this leads them to employ adventurers to solve problems with which they cannot contend alone.
Bone Collector
Clerics of his sect are said to suffer misfortunes only rarely, but when they do, they are grave indeed. The clerics tend to alternate between stoicism and wild endeavor, depending on how they feel their place is in the world at that moment. Casting augury spells plays a great role in their lives. They are often mean-minded or deceitful folk, not seeing the point of friendliness to someone who will eventually be doomed by bad luck.
Clerics of the Bone Collector tend to tempt death, cause accidents, and create deadly mayhem daring the Collector to come for them.
Mother of Ravens
There are two subsects to this sect of the Gray Order. The Orthodox sect which holds to more traditional ways, and the Reformed sect, which holds to a loose interpretation of the doctrine.
The Primary Tenet of the Sect of the Mother of Ravens is "Hold no pity for those who suffer and die, for death is the natural end of life."
The Orthodox sects believe this tenet refers to individuals fleeing death, such as those using magic or infernal pacts to prolong life unnaturally. The Mother's clerics are thus called to counsel such people into accepting their ultimate fate. The more extreme branches of the Orthodox way believe they must go even farther, including killing people who have escaped death.
The Reformed sect, on the other hand, promotes understanding of what mortality means. The Mother's clergy seeks to educate people about their transience, with the intent to inculcate humility. In the end, death treats all mortals equally, from the lowest peasant to the mightiest emperor. Thus, no mortal is above any other. Mortals should not take too much pride in their temporal accomplishments, as they will all too soon fall and turn to dust, and so too shall their achievements. The Mother of Raven's clerics sometimes act to humiliate, embarrass, or otherwise punish someone who has allowed pride to overwhelm their piety. Whispered One
The Whispered One's clerics are feared throughout the lands as cold, calculating murderers. They are secretive and often solitary. When not in disguise, they dress in the same rust-red hue as the bones of their god.
Those who would become priests of the Blood Lich must undergo an arduous initiation that climaxes in being buried alive for a time.
The Whispered One's temples are hidden and usually subterranean except in the most evil lands, as befits the god of darkness and the underworld.
Structure
The Judge's sect of the Gray Order is organized loosely under the leadership of the Grave Lord, masters of the grave. The Grave Lords oversee the placement of priests throughout Terusha and have been said to commune directly with the Final Word. Other ranks of the church progress according to knowledge of death rites and personal ability.
The Bone Collector's faithful only have one rank: Collector. They do recognize the authority of the Grand Masters, but only because of their personal ability.
The Mother of Ravens follows similar rankings as the Judge, however, priests tend to be women.
The Whispered One rejects the leadership of the Grave Lords, in that, they view the Whispered One as their only leader. Each church has its own organization with illustrious titles such as Grand Overseer of Misery.
| Title | Honorific | Insignia |
|---|---|---|
| Grave Lord | Grace | Grave Lord Symbol |
| Master | Holiness | Silver Diamond |
| Priest | Father | White Diamond |
| Acolyte | Brother | |
| Initiate |
The Mother of Ravens follows similar rankings as the Judge, however, priests tend to be women.
The Whispered One rejects the leadership of the Grave Lords, in that, they view the Whispered One as their only leader. Each church has its own organization with illustrious titles such as Grand Overseer of Misery.
Divine Origins
The Gray Order fractured from a morbid sect of The Eight-Pointed Star devoted to the Reaper. They were entranced with the idea of death and sought to find peace with it.
Tenets of Faith
The worshippers of the Final Word believes that they perform a public service, however, they believe that all endings, bring forth a new beginning. A common saying among the Gray Order is “Life is only precious because it ends,” and "Hold no pity for those who suffer and die, for death is the natural end of life."
At their best, they are believers in celebrating life in all its forms, and giving dignity, honor, and remembrance to those who are gone. At their worst, they are lords of the dead, seeking to destroy all life.
At their best, they are believers in celebrating life in all its forms, and giving dignity, honor, and remembrance to those who are gone. At their worst, they are lords of the dead, seeking to destroy all life.
Ethics
Clerics of the Final Word vary widely in their ethics: some view the undead as evil, some as a valuable commodity; some see death as a natural end, others see it as random happenstance. If there's one thing that's true of all of the clerics, it is that death is at the forefront of their minds, whether celebrating despite it, or mourning because of it.
Worship
Clerics of the Final Word pray for spells at sundown. Most holy ceremonies involve blessing a soul for the transition into the afterlife.
THE PASSING
If present at the moment of death, a cleric of the Final Word performs the Passing, a simple ritual alerting the Final Word to the arrival of this new wanderer on the Final Road.
LAMENT FOR THE FALLEN
When an entire battlefield or plague-ravaged community requires last rites, devotees perform the Lament for the Fallen. This ceremony, similar to the Passing, features low, droning chants and rhythmic beating of ash staffs upon the open ground. At a private ceremony known as the Daeum, clerics of the Final Word celebrate their deity’s soothing doctrine and fund church activities with the goods of those who have died without heirs.
THE PASSING
If present at the moment of death, a cleric of the Final Word performs the Passing, a simple ritual alerting the Final Word to the arrival of this new wanderer on the Final Road.
LAMENT FOR THE FALLEN
When an entire battlefield or plague-ravaged community requires last rites, devotees perform the Lament for the Fallen. This ceremony, similar to the Passing, features low, droning chants and rhythmic beating of ash staffs upon the open ground. At a private ceremony known as the Daeum, clerics of the Final Word celebrate their deity’s soothing doctrine and fund church activities with the goods of those who have died without heirs.
Granted Divine Powers
Clergy of the Gray Order take different domains, depending on what aspect of the Final Word they prefer.
Clerics of the Judge of the Damned may take Order or Grave Domain.
Clerics of the Bone Collector may take Fate, Trickery, or Death Domain
Clerics of the Mother of Ravens may take the Peace or Grave Domain.
Clerics of the Whispered One may take the Arcana or Death Domain.
Clerics of the Judge of the Damned may take Order or Grave Domain.
Clerics of the Bone Collector may take Fate, Trickery, or Death Domain
Clerics of the Mother of Ravens may take the Peace or Grave Domain.
Clerics of the Whispered One may take the Arcana or Death Domain.
Life is Only Precious Because it Ends
Associated Fighting Order:
Death Dealers
Death Dealers
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Divines
- Life is Only Precious Because it Ends
- We Are All Doomed Anyway
- Death is Only the Beginning
- Every Man Dies, but Not Every Man Lives
Comments