Order of the Scarlet Veil
A Hieretical Clerical Order of the Eternal Flame

[Community]

The local community has come to accept the Order of the Scarlet Veil because of their depiction of Agrik as the cleanser and comforter of the hearth. He is the last defender. The Order's lay masses and combats are host to numerous songs and stories about how, while no one wants to rely on him, Agrik is the only one who will defend you against the impossible odds. He is given credit for a warrior's second wind, or a peasant's sudden surge of adrenaline to fight against impossible odds.

Plagues, famine and squalor are seen to be his trademarks of his displeasure. Whenever the populace had a famine or plague in the area the Order of the Scarlet Veil always convince the locals to burn their fields and homes. Those who lived in squalor is ritualistically staked and either burned or allowed to die under the sun - as they live within the grace of Agrik. It is best to kill them now before their perfect souls have a chance to wander. These people are believed to be part of the honored dead that will become the servants of the V'Hir.

[Temples]

There is only one temple for the Order, and that lies five miles north of Fobin in the Thardic Republic. There are several shrines and holy places to Agrik that are considered holy to the Order of the Scarlet Veil but these locations are tiny, and often blood-soaked with offerings.

[Offices]

The Order of the Scarlet Veil runs an orphanage just inside their compound. The orphanage has a maximum population of fifty children. These may be the children of the members of the Order, but most are orphans turned over to the Order for whatever reason. The Order of the Scarlet Veil tries to find these children good homes before they turn five. If the child has not been adopted by that time, they are welcomed into the Order's compound and trained as if they were one of the Order's own children.

Senesharil - The Oracle

"From her words come the chaos and heart-breaking pain of the truth the future may hold.... She is the embodiment of the word and no slight upon it may be dealt. Her eyes now only see the future, and her tongue speaks languages foreign to all but the wise.... Question not her speech - for it is his. Her life is ended. Her name is no more. She is now the Oracle of Agrik."

The Oracle is killed by her successor after a brief training period. Both the Oracle, and the successor, knows through visions when this slaying shall occur. The Oracle is expected to fight against her successor, and should the successor fail - the Oracle retains her title and the successor dies the death of the dishonored. If the successor succeeds, she is blinded according to the Rite of Death of the Soul. It is said that wherever the Oracle travels - the presence of the V'Hir is felt.

When both the Oracle and her successor die in the battle for dominion, all the members present of the Aperani are suppose to walk through the eternal flame. Each may, or may not, have a vision - but only one will survive the attempt. This survivor is then to summon the Agnichari to blind her and copy down all she has heard.

This form of culling has only occurred once in the Order's history. In the fall of 683TR, the Oracle and her successor struck simultaneously and both fell dead. The flame in the center of the room immediately went bright blue. All members of the Aperani present entered the flame one by one. All but one turned into a small pile of ash within the cone of flame. The woman to survive stepped out - her clothes and body hair were burnt, and covered her in a fine layer of ash. Using her own thumbs, she blinded herself and then called to the Agnichari for aid in writing down all she'd heard.

The Oracle has no title, nor other name. There can only be one at any time in the order - but many knights and priests may have visions concerning their own actions, deeds or friends. Only the Oracle will have visions detailed enough to explain the future. Her word is never questioned - and whatever she commands is obeyed. She may never bear a child, nor take part in the Ritual of Mating. During the ceremony through which the Order appoints an Oracle she is wed to Agrik. It is said, that should you ever stare deeply into the uncovered eyes of the Oracle you will see a spark of the eternal flame. By tradition she never leaves the compound.

To date no Oracle has died of old age or mysterious causes.

Viriahn

There is no Viriahn in the Order of the Scarlet Veil.

Aperagris

"Speaker for us, the Oracle, her words are ours. We speak to the masses through her and she is us. Let none disbelieve the future she speaks - for it is as we have said. She leads the ceremonies and performs the rites so that we may be taken over by visions.''

She reads the oracles to the masses and leads the important ceremonies. The Aperagris often speaks for the Oracle, repeating her messages to the masses.

Aperalis

"Teacher and mother both, she guides and guards our future generations into their roles of the priesthood. No other may be as gentle nor as patient as she. Let her be strong with punishments and give all as they deserve ...''

She is expected to speak at least two languages and have exceptional memories for history and mathematics. She teaches the children of their order all they need to know about the faith and the outside world until the child reaches the age of majority.

Apervisha

"Her hands shall be covered in the blood of the unfaithful. She shall know the sins and their punishments and their words heeded by all.... Never shall she be without weapons and none shall know all... But in her heart shall beat the truth of justice. Her merited punishment shall always be harsh - for crime soils the soul....''

She is in charge of all punishments. It is up to her to see that the punishments are carried out in accordance to the holy texts and that they are done on the proper days. She is a masters of minor oracles - like reading the tarot cards, or casting rune stones. These are seen as sellable skills by the Order. She wears blood-black robes with red sashes and hoods. She travels with two Heruchai who carry sickles and flails in their belts - and may use either on any member of the Order as deemed appropriate. Often the Apervisha is called in to settle internal and external disputes - acting as either litigants or as judge where ever they are asked. Her judgments are final and they carry out the punishments themselves.

Aperphelis

"Teacher of scripture, guide of the masses. She shall have patience and anger mixed in their souls.... She shall explain the truth to the faithful, and from the unworthy cause souls to be consent and sent onwards...''

The Aperphelis shall read the holy scriptures, teach and preach to the common adherents. She is sometimes even hired by local nobles to teach their children how to read and write. She wears red robes with white sashes. She carries both daggers and spears - and use both with equal skill. She is also the bankers and accountants of the order - collecting the with and gifts from the common adherents as well as any gifts from people who wish to have their own audience with the oracles. Whenever she travels at least two Heruchai with her- to take care of any and all financial dealings.

Apersuphur

"She writes the truth for later study. She protects the oracle from all outside their order and obey her orders without question. Death is expected, life is the uncertainty of obedience.....''

She is the scribe and assistant to The Oracle. They practice blind fighting daily amongst themselves. They assist the Oracle in everything. She makes the deals are made for purchasing a vision - and travels to deliver visions.

Aperahkai

"She protects the children. Guards the mothers and keeps the peace between the families. Her life is simple and pure for she propogates the order and is our common face.''

When a Warriors of the Bloody Mace or priest is noticeably pregnant (about the third or fourth month) - they are removed from all active rituals and duties. They are assigned tasks by the Aperahkai in dealing with the children and local adherans.

The Aperahkai assures that no pregnant woman delivers or receives a challenge. Instead a champion is chosen for her.

The Order of the Scarlet Veil has a special place in it for children. The Order of the Scarlet Veil teaches all children to be sufficiently knowledgeable to make an informed choice of joining the Order or not. They are taught a neutral view of history and politics (local and foreign), and if they show an affinity towards an art (magic, pottery, etc.) then it is encouraged. The only subject upon which they are not neutral is the existence of the Morgathian church. Any child taught by the Order tends to have a strong hatred of the Morgathians, their churches, priests and adherents.

Aperterahn 

"Her hand destroys without punishment, her words lead us in prayer and duty. A skillful butcher she must never revel in the blood she spills - for it is for another's glory that we act, and not hers.''

The Aperterahn leads the private ceremonies. She is an expert at sacrificing to the Reasonless Reaper. She can make the ordeal last, or quickly end a life - as the ceremony demands. She is an expert in herblore and uses drugs on her sacrifices to make them easier to handle during the ceremonies. Her hands are died red to represent her duties.

Aperhanar

"To her we give the future. All who ask shall be taught warfare - its weapons and its arts.... deliverance from complacency and ignorance shall she teach... the children are theirs to protect. Should they fail - their souls shall be taken in revenge....''

She teaches, nurtures and raises any children born or given to the order. Anyone, regardless of age, is welcomed if they come to learn the arts of warfare. Their gladiatorial pit teaches warriors to fight all manner of beasts with a variety of weapons. The children they raise and teach are their responsibility. Should a child commit a sin, the priest responsible for the child must suffer the full punishment. If the priest dies in the punishment - she is seen as dying the death of a hero. She is always are in full armor.

Heruchai

"Their hearts shall have the passion of war, and yet they shall carry no blades. Shields, stones and staves shall they wield to show their mastery of battle. Only in the Ritual of Warfare shall a blade be permitted - and that may only be of a fallen enemy. Our first line of defense...''

The Heruchai always wear armor - plain and unadorned, with red under tunics and their heads wrapped in red scarves. Their shields have a saw-like edge along the bottom, and often boss-gores along its outer side. The shields are painted or with a fess wavy gules and a bordure sable. Most members of this circle practice warfare to the exclusion of all else.

Agnichari

"Menial tasks to break their spirit, hard work to avoid sin.... To purge their minds of the ability to lie, to purge their bodies of vanity... knight or priest it matters not. All shall fight. All shall know war and its victories...''

The members of this circle perform hard, menial labor for the order and are expected to show total devotion without vanity. They are the first to die in warfare - considered by even the order as no more than fodder for the battle. Only if members of this circle survive, become the best warriors and prove them capable of surviving either the year of travel and return, or prove they to be the best of the lot in temple. By killing in ritual combat someone from the Sixth Circle - can they obtain the next level within the Order.

The current 14 members of this Circle are under command of the members of the Sixth Circle.

This page was last updated on January 23, 2002
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All works are Copyright their respective authors, 2002.