High Priest/Priestess of Terra

The Shirk hold their religious leaders in high regard, so much so that the High Priest and High Priestess are the rulers of the city of Shirk'la. They are believed to hold a part of the Arch of Terra's soul.

Qualifications

A Shirk can only become an acolyte in the holy order if they show any proficiency in Terra magic, and are selected after their naming ceremony. An acolyte can only become a priest or priestess if they can learn gem-molding, the hardest Terra magic to learn.

Requirements

A priest can be elevated to High Priest/Priestess if and only if they can gem mold with a high level of proficiency.

Duties

They perform the most sacred and important ceremonies for all of Shirk'la, such as the naming ceremony or death rites. While officially also in charge of the day-to-day life in Shirk'la, they tend to leave those duties to lesser priests and priestesses.

Responsibilities

All priests and priestesses maintain a detailed record of the history of Shirk'la. The high priest and priestess are the only ones allowed to read the original scrolls from the founding of Shirk'la, along with the scroll describing the story of Seighild the Betrayer.

Benefits

Tithes and offerings give the High Priest and Priestess all they could need. They also get private quarters and a dining hall strictly for the two of them.

Accoutrements & Equipment

Priests and their acolytes are the only class allowed to wear yellow gems, and the gems reserved for the High Priest and Priestess are yellow chrysoberyl.

History

During the catastrophic vulcano erruptions of the Agein Rusayen mountain range, it was the High Priest and Priestess who enacted an emergency sequestering of the citizens of Shirk'la in the underground city. It was also a later pair of holders of the title who decided to keep the city sequestered and disallow any of the citizens to leave. Neither recorded their reasonings why, but all subsuquent High Priests and Priestesses kept the tradition.

Type

Religious, Clerical

Form of Address

High Priest/High Priestess

Equates to

King or Emperor

Source of Authority

Arch of Terra

Length of Term

Held for life

Related Locations

• Shirk'la