Creche of Syll

Orphanages, festival-grounds, small church lodge rooms off of Church of the Cycle buildings; all of these are places you will find the Creche of Syll. Referring to both the priesthood and the actual orphanages, the Creche of Syll are known for training children and protecting them from the beasts of the wild. The Creche is only a subordinate faction to the bigger Church of the Cycle, as the kathenotheistic system demands.
The Initiates of Syll are a well-respected group, and being one is common for children; sewn in patches depicting what one has learned. Many young adults will wear their sash from when they were worshipers of Syll to show basic competence in many fields of work.

Structure

The Creche of Syll utilizes a hierarchy based on sashes. As you study the teachings of Syll, you gain more sashes, and thus in rank. The maximum rank is the Innocent, held only by one person per chapter; the Innocent heads the churches for a region. There are rumored to be only four Innocents in all of the world. Preceptors head specific churches, and priests are the faculty. Specific roles may lead to more authority; priests and preceptors with a gift for reading the signs of Syll are charged with appointing Preceptors and the Innocent.

Org Chart

• Innocent - Fourth Sash.
• Preceptor - Third Sash.
• Humorist - Second Sash.
• Imp - First Sash.

Public Agenda

The Creche of Syll swears to protect and teach the children of the world, providing social networks and religious education for all.

Assets

The Creche of Syll holds little land as it typically acts out of another church of the Cycle. However, the Creche of Syll benefits the same from the economic activity that takes place around these churches, and own plenty of coins. The few properties they own are typically orphanages.

Mythology & Lore

The Songs of Syll are many, and each one tells another parable; each one is said to hold both alchemical and moral secrets. The first Songbook of Syll is Formulation, in which Syll is born from the mixing of the alchemical elements. The next Songbooks of Syll are Edification 1 through 3, in which the Goddess is taught by the world the basics of morality, as she meets many mythological creatures. Synchronicity and Monad are the next Songbooks; both of which are private to only the higher ranks, with the final book being only for the Innocent.

Divine Origins

According to legend, Syll herself sang the first Songs to children thousands of years ago, sharing her secrets. The children swore a pact to never grow up, and share these legends with the rest of the world, revealing the missing third of the Cycle.

Cosmological Views

The world is an innately chaotic mixture, in which order manifests in the turbulence. The World-Parent birthed it, but it lacked spark and humanity until Syll was born in a storm. Syll's chaotic nature stirred the world like a cauldron, creating the first order from nothing, as the base elements finally mixed together.

Tenets of Faith

The primary tenet of Syllic religion is to never grow up, and never jade your mind; even if you grow into worshiping the next Goddess in the Cycle, to never forget the chaotic and innocent thought of youth. These morals are interpreted through various portions of the Songs of Syll.

Song of Creation 3, verse 1 states:
"With bones of Fyre, Minde of Aer
Spark of Design, Future-Heir
[sang simultaneously by three voices] O, Starlight Syll [I was/I am/I will]
Fore'er lives that Spark in Me."

The next most important teachings are those of the Songbooks Edification 1-3. The three books all center around one theme: Syll committing an act of deception, childishness, pranks, and the moral results thereof, typically negative for all involved. While Syll represents ideas, light, alchemy, and the duality between chaos and order, a major theme of the books of Edification is the negative results from embracing chaos without consideration for morality. The books of Edification also contain survival and practical tips, such as Edification 2, song 3 being focused on Syll learning the art of sewing.

Ethics

As the priests of Syll are technically children in the eyes of the Goddess, romance is a major taboo amongst them. While they are not prohibited from romance (as they are in actuality of age), it is heavily discouraged to show signs of non-platonic affection in public. The most any priest has ever shown in public is holding hands, and that has become a major taboo amongst them.

Worship

Worship of Syll is done in joyous song, reciting appropriate ones for the task. Syllic priests hold festivals for towns and teach children in a scout style fashion complete with sewn in patches upon the sashes. Syllic priests are the only ones who pray, and typically for purposes of divination; there is simply no mandate to pray. Dance and song are the primary forms of showing appreciation to Syll, and to connect with Her one typically takes pensive walks along trails in the forest.

Priesthood

The Priesthood of Syll are distinguished by their sashes; while a child in apprenticeship will have a single sash, priests have two, church-heads have three, and a chapter-leader has four. Children can, at the coming of age ritual at age 15, choose to never come of age and join the priesthood instead.

Sects

The Syllic Alchemists are technically a sect off of the primary church, but are not unified. They are seen as untrustworthy, yet play an essential role in society as they control the alchemy business in a near-monopoly status.

"The sacred comes through surprise."

Type

Religious, Monastic Order

Alternative Names

Syllic Priesthood, First Cycle Adherents

Demonym

Syllic

Parent Organization

Adherents of the Cycle

Deities

• Syll the Eternal Child

Divines

• Syll the Eternal Child