DEH'WHERI PRIMER

See Summa de Malaanica for a general overview of the religion and the deities.

Role of a follower:

Almost all humans on Malaan are part of the Deh'wheri (a.k.a. Autumnic) Temple. The temple is a pantheon of Gods, Demigods and Saints, that acknowledges the existence of the other gods, but considers most of them to be evil. The particular patron of a temple or individual usually has some significance to the person/area, but all Deh'wheri followers recognize the supremacy and importance of Auteil, the Lady. They also will acknowledge the other Deh'wheri gods even if not their patron.

[Of Late: there has been a sense that anything that holds a civilization together is valuable, be it Deh'wheri or not. Thus while in general it would be better to convert the heathens, it trying to do so would result in chaos, one best not. This would apply to the Tal of Kutzama in this area.]

The basic organization of the Temple is based on the model of an Army. The church leaders are organized according to Cardinal Rank and some laity possess high rank as well. Most followers consider themselves at the lowest rank and would consider any temple priest or paladin to be defacto nobility, granting them authority.

The rules of the religion are somewhat dynamic. The church is not designed around a text, but rather around the worship of the Gods, and obedience to the hierarchy. That said, there are some basic guidelines to the religions. It is considered the religious duty of any Deh'wheren to obey their church superiors and the central tenets of the Leaf Laws.

Not surprisingly the temple is overwhelmingly Lawful. Since most people are lawful, this is not generally a problem. Neutral and Chaotic beings may find themselves the frequent recipients of extra duties, penance or other reprimands for their casual attitude.

Common Leaf Laws

Thou shall not Desecrate or Dishonour the Dead.
This includes their spirits, bodies, or memory. Those dead can hear their names spoken across the plane and might be forced back if they were mistreated. This is taken to prohibit Raising the Dead, Animating the Dead, creation of Golems.

Thou shall not blaspheme against the gods
This includes even Och and Bru'blazzyul and any other God including the Old ones. Any Divine being is to be held in reverence and treated with respect. The followers of non-Deh'Wheri gods are usually not included in this prohibition, however, the higher level priests of such gods probably deserve some respect.

Thou shall hold the Dead as they self
This really means that the worshipper is bound to the temple and willing to obey its commands even to the point of taking one's own life. The meaning stems from holding those who have died in the service as high as one does oneself. This also enjoins the family and friends of the recently departed to fulfill any lasting obligations of the deceased.

Thou shalt not invoke or make concert with the Old Ones
Any mention of Demons, Elder ones, or any activity with them is punishable by death. The fear of the undead is a present concern and one that is contemporary. Fear of the elders ones and their servants is instinctive and ancient. Also in some areas festivals and rites are made to honour the ancient gods and these cause great nervousness in the temple.

Thou shall not make false evidence against another or to a superior officer of the eternal army
This is another obedience clause that makes lying to temple officials against the law and provides for the Cardinal rule to succeed.

Leaf Laws of the Moorlands

Oblivion for the 'walking dead' is mercy
Those able ought to destroy the undead: both Ueloni (unintelligent) and Nabon (intelligent).

Thou shalt leave neither enemy nor friend on the field.
All human dead must be given a proper ceremonial cremation. If a priest is not available to consecrate the dead, they ought to be burned with prayers and offerings. Non-human dead should be disposed of in a way that would make reanimation unlikely or impossible.
(Friends and family will be brought to a temple for ritual cremation.)

Decimal Tithing
The temple deserves a tenth of all earnings. Failure to tithe, especially if unreported, constitutes a violation.

Monthly Service
Followers are expected to spend one or two days a month (minimum) serving the temple directly without pay. As templars, cleaning, cooking, copying texts, etc..

Rouen's Ward
Horses are not to be targeted by attacks and special care is to be taken to protect them from unintended harm. Horses are to be granted a funeral commensurate to their status. Abandoning a horse is tantamount to stealing one.

Sanctuary of the Church
No one, Lord or Sheriff, shall violate the sanctity of the temple grounds. Those who ask for sanctuary submit themselves to the judgment of the priesthood. The services of a Priest of the Judge may be requested if the offense is a capital one.

No Man is an Animal
It is a capital offense for a human to participate in the ceremonies or rituals of the Selayé faith.

Tasks of the Priests

All Priests have special restrictions that are connected to their specific patron deity.

Auteil: May not spill the blood of another (general prohibition against active participation in violence, but may accompany others who fight.)
Velrey: Must remain pure, chaste, clear headed (No alcohol, sex, drugs or other impurities)
Remaht: Must fulfill any promise or accepted charge or quest, or die trying.
Peruul: May not tell a lie (although one may be silent.)
Norbin: May not destroy any knowledge (include forbidden texts)

Temple Priests
Most priests are non-adventuring and tend to their flocks. They are taciturn and loathe to turn the temple into a marketplace. As a general rule they are deemed mysterious and aloof by most people, although there are exceptions. The Priests tend to offer solace and reflection in the face of hardship and peril rather than action. They deem their role as the preservation of souls, not the preservation of bodies. They tend to only get involved when souls are in danger, or the threat is so large that only they can help.
They do not see themselves as for-pay healers.

Templars/Monks
Some non-priests are attached of the temples. Templars are usually Warriors, and there are monks as well, but these are usually Experts (in scholarly fields). They tend to the various roles of the temple be they academic or military. On rare occasions, such positions are held by fighters, paladins, monks and wizards, but these are usually retired people or those otherwise abandoning the life of adventure. Bards are not usually attached to the temple because the basic lawfulness and solemnity of the temple.

Adventuring Priests
Some priests are meant for a life of action. They are encouraged to hit the roads and do the business of the church out in the world. They are generally more gregarious, social, and liberal in their interpretations. The general position of the church is that so long as these priests do not take to preaching, they can enjoy a degree of freedom. They are frequently sent on missions in the name of the church. There is an unspoken acknowledgment of this difference. An adventuring priest would not ask a temple priest to join her on a quest, nor would a temple priest be likely to ask an adventuring priest to handle a mass or service.
Even a higher level adventuring priest would be unlikely to press that authority over a well established temple priest.

Paladins
The holy warriors of the church are seen as quasi-divine beings akin to living saints. They must maintain exemplary lives and are expected to model the sorts of behavior one could expect of the eternal army in the heavens. Each order focuses on particular virtues, but all paladins must make every appearance of human perfection.

Paladinic Orders [Virtues]
Order of the Soul's Trust:(Auteil)[Nobility, Courtesy, Liberality, Defense, Mercy]
The Order of the Torch: (Velrey) [Purity, Honor,Service to the Lady, Piety]
The Seafire Order:(Velrey)[Piety, Nobility, Courage, Purity]
The Griffin Crest Order:(Remaht)[Glory, Honor, Nobility, Passion, Manhood]
Order of the Hawk:(Remaht)[Justice, Discipline, Piety, The Quest, Honesty]
The Road Order:(Remaht)[Vengeance, Law, Honor, Questing]
Order of the Hammer:(Peruul)[Honesty, Honor, Law, Discipline, Nobility]

Ordre du Rampart (Deh'wheri) [Honor, Nobility, Fealty, Prowess]
The Signal Fire Order (Deh'wheri) [Prophecy, Defense, Purity, Law]