Order Priests
Religion plays a huge role in the lives and politics within
the Continent. Most of the religions here can be divided into two categories, the Church of Order and chaos belief. While religious practices differ based on the specific religion, most of the continental population is part of the order.
The rythm of the common folk's lives is determined by the order. Every new day is marked by ringing bells at midnight, as well as the time of lunch is usually dictated by the daily mass held at churches. Being punctual is paramount in the church of order and this benefits all who live under it. For this reason, priests serve a vital role in the lives of villages and cities alike.
In larger cities, where there are multiple priests and even higher ranking members of the church, theses duties become less and less important. Literacy in cities is much more widespread, but priests are thought to represent divine will, so their input on legal matters is rarely ignored. In addition, priests in larger cities tend to spend more time reading and writing books as they attempt to study the universe and use their knowledge for the betterment of society.
Literates
Priests are taught how to read and write, which is invaluable to smaller settlements where illiteracy is very high. They can read, write and verify contracts, laws and orders from authorities. They also serve as lawyers quite often for the same reason. Another important duty that priests serve in rural settlements is the datekeeper. Priests keep track of important events, omens and predicitions, such as holidays, the start and end of harvest season, as well as some local celebrations, such as weddings. In smaller villages, priests often fill an organizer role as well, given their large reach to the local population.In larger cities, where there are multiple priests and even higher ranking members of the church, theses duties become less and less important. Literacy in cities is much more widespread, but priests are thought to represent divine will, so their input on legal matters is rarely ignored. In addition, priests in larger cities tend to spend more time reading and writing books as they attempt to study the universe and use their knowledge for the betterment of society.
Guides
Naturally, one of the most important role of priests in the lives of the common people is spiritual and moral guidance. People can turn to priests for guidance and advice in difficult situations and for emotional support. This often requires secret information to be shared with priests that they are obligated not to tell to anyone outside of the church. High-ranking members of the church use this to their advantage and share vital information with their fellow members of the church, which they can use to influence the politics of the Continent.Healers
In the past few hundred years, magic has become more accessible to the members of the church thanks to well-documented techniques that were copied a number of times in codexes. Thus, priests with magical abilities began to become more widespread, which started to create a new nieche for them. Magical healing in the church is more efficient than relying on remedies and potions to recover from injuries and so the common folk often turn the local priest for healing in times of need. While those that can actually magically heal are still a vast minority, the custom spread around the continent. Priests that do not have magical healing either learn basic potion-making or develop a close connection with the local healer.
Type
Religious
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