Viksteras

The Viksteras are a religious group that primarily operate out of Rekkert. They run the Grand Temple to the Blind Mage. They lead ascetic lives and devote themselves to the service of the Blind Mage. There are rules about living at a temple, but families aren't forbidden. Vows of chastity and poverty are allowed. People who wish to join the Viksteras begin as an Inquirer. They can live among them for a few months before deciding to commit to anything. Leaving the Viksteras at this stage is encouraged for those who don't feel the calling. For those who feel called and want to continue with being a Vikstera, they then undergo a ritual to become a Novice. They don brown robes and are tasked with learning how best to serve the Blind Mage. They learn about herbalism and cooking and are responsible for helping maintain the grounds of the temple. It takes about three years to go from a Novice to a Omanast or Grey Robe. This is the first rank where one is formally recognized as a member of the Viksteras. At the discretion of the Abbot, a sufficiently mature Omanast can be made a Vratnast or Red Robe. Viksteras who wish to go out as missionaries must be at least this rank due to the demands of being able to live out devotion to the Blind Mage in the world and have the intellectual understanding to guide others. Some Vratnast are blessed by the Blind Mage with magic. Above them are the Gulnast or Yellow Robes who primarily take on the role of teacher and leader in the community. They tend to be older and are very mature in their devotions. Being a Yellow Robe also means taking a vow of chastity. The Abbot is the only one above the Yellow Robes and is ritually blinded in one eye.
Outside of Rekkert, most people are familiar with the Viksteras through their healers and mages. The colored robes which are worn by men and women are very distinctive. They're also surprisingly comfortable and well made. Each robe is passed down from one generation of Viksteras to the next giving each article of clothing a lengthy history. While the most typical reason to pass on robes is due to death and changing rank, significant weight gain or weight loss may also require changing robes. This is typically much more informal.
The Viksteras have their own way of communicating with each other. Their writing system is meant to be embossed and uses a series of flags and reeds to represent characters. It's based on the Kernian dialect, and the Viksteras are the only group to use the archaic form of the dialect. Many people report that the Viksteras sound like they just walked out of a history book. Some even go so far as to call it a separate language due to be almost unintelligible to modern speakers in Dutan.

Type

Religious, Monastic Order