While most common folk will encounter a member of the Open Orders, and these are by far the most numerous, the cloistered orders probably form the spiritual core of the Faith. Whereas the Open Orders deal only with administering the sacraments, and the Specialized Orders focus on particular tasks, the Cloistered Orders maintain the theology of the Faith, essentially defining what it means to be part of the Faith of Arim, and how the Faith functions in the world.
A Cloistered Order is defined as an order who can administer sacraments to any Mantled priest (but not Brethren or common folk). They also forsake personal property and relations. However, they are best known for their lifestyles: they generally live with others of their Order, devoted to a particular purpose, and often have little or no contact with the outside world. Instead, they focus on their studies, researching and investigating esoteric knowledge, and offering vital insight to the Faith as a whole.
The single most important Cloistered Order, and also the the least likely to be encountered, is the Order of the Ancient Tome, also called the Browns. Founded by St Barnabas, one of the original three Archons, they are (along with with the Whites and the Blues) one of the three oldest Orders of the Faith. It is said that when Gregor, Jomar, and Barnabas brought the Faith to Timber, it was Barnabas' idea, for he was the one who wanted access the ancient libraries of that city to write his canon. This canon is known to all the Faithful, for St Barnabas is the author of the Book of Names... it is he who collected all the ancient and holy gospels and legends, and created the first holy tome in the history of the Faith.
Today, the Browns are a small order, but their place remains vital. They are the ones who produce the actual Books of Names, dutifully copying the tome over and over again. However, they are also the experts on canon law and dogma, and the authoritative sources on what is or is not heretical. They live lives in small monasteries, far away from the corrupt world, and are rarely visited, except by other priests, and the occasional Green who comes to pick up some new copies of the Book of Names.
In contrast, the Order of the Hidden Names (the Blacks) are much better known, by the nature of their duty. Whereas the Browns focus on ancient legends and histories, the Blacks focus on the occult, and strange phenomenon found throughout the world. They seek to understand the work of the Daemurg and demons and other supernatural events, so that they can both reconcile them with the Faith, and learn to combat them in the future. While they often keep to their libraries, they also do field work, and are often known for their investigative abilities.
The Blacks were founded by St Sylvia, who was one of the first priests to convert the Tets and Burgens in ancient days. Predating what we now consider Merovia, the Blacks were long associated with the four Dukedoms, as St Sylvia was known as a counselor to kings, and her counsel was highly valued for her insight into pagan practices. The highest concentration of Blacks is still in Merovia (particularly in Burgen and Naever), but their dark reputation has spread far and wide, and they are often valued as advisors due to the belief they know some bits of folklore and magic that could give ruler an edge over his or her rivals. St Sylvia herself was believed to be martyred on a mission to Ravar... it would be hundreds of years before that area would convert.
While the Blacks are well-known, in the North, the most commonly encountered Cloistered Order are the Order of the Sacred Cup, the Purples. Their purpose is a bit strange... they trace their founding back to St Adrian the King, who was an ancient king of a hall that is between Vexspar and Krakspar in what is now Kraki. Adrian founded the Order after abandoning the crown to his son, and vowing to keep the ways of his people alive in this new faith. As such, the stated purpose is the preservation of the Dragon Relics... remains of the ancient faith of the North. However, in practice, the order has a far more particular purpose: the practice of medicine.
The Dragon Relics allow the Purples to practice alchemy, along with a number of other academic studies, which have proven valuable for healing, and over the centuries their purpose has shifted toward healing, with the preservation of the relics being secondary. They are also probably the least centralized of the Cloistered Orders, preferring personal exchanges of knowledge in a network of priests, as opposed to centering their studies around strongholds. This is, of course, due to the nature of their niche: they need to be where the sick are.
A Cloistered Order is defined as an order who can administer sacraments to any Mantled priest (but not Brethren or common folk). They also forsake personal property and relations. However, they are best known for their lifestyles: they generally live with others of their Order, devoted to a particular purpose, and often have little or no contact with the outside world. Instead, they focus on their studies, researching and investigating esoteric knowledge, and offering vital insight to the Faith as a whole.
The single most important Cloistered Order, and also the the least likely to be encountered, is the Order of the Ancient Tome, also called the Browns. Founded by St Barnabas, one of the original three Archons, they are (along with with the Whites and the Blues) one of the three oldest Orders of the Faith. It is said that when Gregor, Jomar, and Barnabas brought the Faith to Timber, it was Barnabas' idea, for he was the one who wanted access the ancient libraries of that city to write his canon. This canon is known to all the Faithful, for St Barnabas is the author of the Book of Names... it is he who collected all the ancient and holy gospels and legends, and created the first holy tome in the history of the Faith.
Today, the Browns are a small order, but their place remains vital. They are the ones who produce the actual Books of Names, dutifully copying the tome over and over again. However, they are also the experts on canon law and dogma, and the authoritative sources on what is or is not heretical. They live lives in small monasteries, far away from the corrupt world, and are rarely visited, except by other priests, and the occasional Green who comes to pick up some new copies of the Book of Names.
In contrast, the Order of the Hidden Names (the Blacks) are much better known, by the nature of their duty. Whereas the Browns focus on ancient legends and histories, the Blacks focus on the occult, and strange phenomenon found throughout the world. They seek to understand the work of the Daemurg and demons and other supernatural events, so that they can both reconcile them with the Faith, and learn to combat them in the future. While they often keep to their libraries, they also do field work, and are often known for their investigative abilities.
The Blacks were founded by St Sylvia, who was one of the first priests to convert the Tets and Burgens in ancient days. Predating what we now consider Merovia, the Blacks were long associated with the four Dukedoms, as St Sylvia was known as a counselor to kings, and her counsel was highly valued for her insight into pagan practices. The highest concentration of Blacks is still in Merovia (particularly in Burgen and Naever), but their dark reputation has spread far and wide, and they are often valued as advisors due to the belief they know some bits of folklore and magic that could give ruler an edge over his or her rivals. St Sylvia herself was believed to be martyred on a mission to Ravar... it would be hundreds of years before that area would convert.
While the Blacks are well-known, in the North, the most commonly encountered Cloistered Order are the Order of the Sacred Cup, the Purples. Their purpose is a bit strange... they trace their founding back to St Adrian the King, who was an ancient king of a hall that is between Vexspar and Krakspar in what is now Kraki. Adrian founded the Order after abandoning the crown to his son, and vowing to keep the ways of his people alive in this new faith. As such, the stated purpose is the preservation of the Dragon Relics... remains of the ancient faith of the North. However, in practice, the order has a far more particular purpose: the practice of medicine.
The Dragon Relics allow the Purples to practice alchemy, along with a number of other academic studies, which have proven valuable for healing, and over the centuries their purpose has shifted toward healing, with the preservation of the relics being secondary. They are also probably the least centralized of the Cloistered Orders, preferring personal exchanges of knowledge in a network of priests, as opposed to centering their studies around strongholds. This is, of course, due to the nature of their niche: they need to be where the sick are.
