The Order of Augurers
"As a Sister in the Order of Augurers you now have a responsibility towards both the Order and those we offer our services to. We practice absolute secrecy."The Order of Augurers is home to those born with the ability to view, manipulate and interpret dreams - Auguring. They are a monastic, hierarchical order founded in the year 400 CE by The First Augurer and her closest confidants with the aim to find, protect and train others with the gift of auguring. As only girls develop the ability to augur, the Order has always maintained a matriarchal structure. Located at The House of Dreams deep in the Parede Mountains, they are a secluded order, both due to tradition and, later, out of necessity. Over the centuries, the House of Dreams has grown to a sprawling complex of buildings and gardens, where it at first consisted of just a humble cave. People have long travelled to the House of Dreams to have their dreams interpreted, and sometimes changed, and that is also the order's main source of income. The price changes depending on the type of service and who performs it; a reasonably wealthy merchant can afford a session with a Sister, whereas only the wealthiest nobles of Ciranne could afford a full evaluation by an experienced Mater. Reading the dreams of the wealthy is not the primary objective of the Augurers, however. A large part of their work goes into preserving and developing the gift of auguring, as well as carrying on the legacy of the First Augurer, who could do more than just read dreams. With years of training and deep conditioning of the mind, she was able to glimpse the future and she saw another who could do the same and more. However, no such person has yet been discovered. When a child is discovered to possess the gift, the child's parents would traditionally formally contact the order to arrange for proper training. However, under the current political and religious climate in Vanelle, such arrangements made in public would be dangerous for everyone involved. Thus, when a child is discovered to be capable of auguring, parents sometimes go to great lengths to bring them to safety, often at great personal risk. When accepted into the Order, a child is first tested to ensure the gift is present, then assigned a mentor, or a caretaker if they are very young. They grow up in the Order, rising in its ranks with age and accomplishment. The Order is one of the oldest organisations in Vanelle and has survived through thick and thin. However, since the reign of Lord Protector Reginald I, tolerance for any faith or spiritual conviction other than that of The Holy Order of Tighru has declined sharply. The current ruler of Vanelle, Lord Protector Reginald III has legislated heavily to ensure compliance with the state religion, which has led to the persecution of Augurers as well as other groups. However, because the Order provides a service unique to those with the gift, they are still able to operate in Vanelle, albeit not as openly as in the past.
Structure
Daughter
When a child with the gift first enters the order, they are assigned the rank of "Daughter". At this point, they are unable to control their gift and need both supervision and guidance.Novitiate
When a Daughter reaches the age of 12 and are proficient in the basics of their craft, they receive the title Novitiate This is when formalised training and initiation into the traditions and rituals of the order begins.Sister
A Novitiate will be deemed a Sister when they have achieved the necessary control and proficiency to work with low-risk clients. Some members of the Order are content to remain Sisters. They often find pursuits other than Auguring (gardening, hunting, cooking, art, writing, animal husbandry, etc.) more appealing. They are free to leave the order if they wish, under the condition that they never reveal its secrets, but many choose to stay at the House of Dreams none the less. In addition to training in auguring, Sisters learn history, etiquette and any number of the skills mentioned above.Mater
Mater is the highest rank most reach within the order and makes up the bulk of their career. Maters can work with more advanced clients, although it's unusual for a newly appointed Mater to be allowed to take on a prestigious or particularly advanced client. Maters also instruct Novitiates and Sisters in the art of Auguring.Prime Mater
Prime Mater is the highest post one can hold within the Order of Augurers. The Prime Mater is considered the most senior and capable of all augurers and leads the Orders in all matters. The current Prime Mater is Prime Mater Lucile. A new Prime Mater is only appointed once the previous one dies.
Founding Date
400 CE
Type
Religious, Monastic Order
Demonym
Augurer
Leader
Leader Title
Location
Related Professions
Controlled Territories
Related Items
Notable Members
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