The Ministry of The Grey Lady

[CaptnBluebeard]

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The Ministry of
The Grey Lady
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"None Shall Escape Final Judgement"
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Doctrine of The Lady’s faithful:
These laws strike true to all who hold the faith in our Goddess, and thus it is imperative that they are enforced upon our grounds of worship and through our holy communion in her stead, ensuring peace and order. Damnation upon thee for those that would defy the oaths that bind us.

1. May thou remember The Grey Lady is the one and only Goddess of Judgement after Death and Death itself, along with the Passing of Souls through The Realm of Limbo, Heaven and Hell, and the Six After-Realms in-between.

2. May thou remember that all life has an End, as well as one’s soul. Absolute Death happens only when one’s fate and destiny is complete, to delay one's destiny is dooming yourself from finding spiritual peace.

3. May thou remember The Final Day of Judgement, when all life ceases to be. May we embrace the time when all things must come to an end, and gather to our Lady’s grace as we ascend upon the great hereafter.

4. May thou remember that Undeath is an unforgivable crime, be it for those afflicted by it and those that wish to enact it. It is our holy mission to ensure such gross manipulation of souls is prevented, by smiting the sympathizers and creations of Skraag.

5. May thou remember to grant blessing and respect for the fallen, to allow the soulless dead to be at peace for all eternity, never to be disturbed.

Goals of the faithful:
Before our appointed time of judgement, while we live and breathe we must keep the faith alive by having these holy missions in mind. Only upon their completion in life can we feel fulfilled and witness Absolute Death.

1. Increase one’s allegiance towards the Goddess through prayer and teachings, along with guiding yourself as well as others along the spiritual path.

2. Tend to the fallen dead, whose vessels are approached upon by saddened friends and family, help people such as them through their time of grief, allow them to accept their beloved's death and move on, and ensure the soul’s safe passage to our Lady’s judgment, by attending to the funeral's respective graves.

3. Protect the holy grounds dedicated to our Lady’s work. Ensure the safety of idols in her liking, along with the Churches and Graves erected in her stead, as she aids our world greatly.

4. Spread the faith among the masses, allow them to understand our Lady’s necessity upon all life and the necessity of death.

5. Search the land for our common enemy, who are sympathizers of Skraag. Eliminate any possibility for another Undead Scourge, destroy or secure all idols and artifacts dedicated to Skraag, hunt its sympathizers who hide behind deceit and blind loyalty as they’re the opposition to the Lady’s will.

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Rankings of The Ministry:​

The formation within The Ministry is comprised of the most devout followers, with those more experienced with the faith and practices usually being seen within the upper ranks.

The High-Priest:
+ Malek Tarren (CaptnBluebeard) +Paladin

The Sentinels:
+

The Apostles:
+ Ailil Sigurd (CthulhuPeople) +Priest of the Grey Lady
+ Melosa Mol'Crow (BrianAT16) +Priestess of the Grey Lady
+ Monk of Tel'Graf (Solus) +Faithful

The Acolytes:
+ Jhaeros (Rang3r0wns94) +Scribe; Faithful
+ Sauran (Hogo-Sha Kitsune) +Lingering Faithful

The Fallen [Ex-Acolytes]:
+ Loup Caedit
+ Arakor
+ Yasinya

People of Interest:
+ Linlea inhabitants
+Jacob​

The Blessed Land of the Followers:​

The Ministry was originally founded within the ancient City of Grafjell, however, ever since the Great Exodus from the Northern Kingdoms, the established Isles of Linlea has become the new and most dedicated place of worship to The Grey Lady, and thus a great many followers, both new to the teachings and among the Ministry reside here.

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Dedicated Shrines/Graves:
+ Temple of Linlea (Pic)
+ Linlea Graveyard (Pic)
+ The Graveyard-Shrine of Storms Landing (Pic)​

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The Blessed Artifact(s):
+ The Grey Lady has been often depicted to carry a staff, giving the resemblance of a skull atop it, not much else is known about it​

Activities of the Faithful:
The listed events hosted from within the faith, for those that wish to join among the faithful, seek out a member from within the Ministry, or directly speak to High-Priest Malek.

Folktales & Stories:
[Silent Screams]
[Sermon Excerpt] -High Priest Malek

Finished Events in Order:
[Funeral Processions]
[Preaching of the Grey Lady I] - Preacher Ashna
[Preaching of the Grey Lady II] - Preacher Ashna
[Day of the Departing]
[Day of the Departing II]
[Letters to Our Departed I] - The Dead Tree
[Gifts of Remembrance] - Melosa
[Convocation of an Acolyte] - Ailil Sigurd
[Final Prayer] - Apostle Malek
[Sermon of the Grey Lady] - High Priest Malek​

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[CaptnBluebeard]

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In-Depth
Rankings of The Ministry
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The Acolytes:
Acolytes are those that have been newly recruited into The Ministry, being of the lowest rank. Those within this rank can be made up of people such as those who are still inexperienced to the faith, to those who have been versed in the belief of The Grey Lady for some time. Their duty is to represent the embodiment of The Lady's knowledge, and teach the ways of her decree and influence upon the world, as they live out each day, along with aiding other ranked members of The Ministry.

Along with those roles in mind, they further their training through the study and focus of two separate teachings in which to help them and others. In the past, there was the third teaching of combat, however, such a path has been focused upon the new rank of Sentinel. Regardless, both teachings studied by a dutiful Acolyte will come to be excruciatingly useful as they gain excperience and ascend within The Ministry.

Teachings of the Scholar:
All Acolytes are very much required to understand the teachings and ways of The Grey Lady, if they are to achieve her treasured guidance and blessing. She is to be regarded as an important Goddess from within the Pantheon, as she is responsible for the distribution of souls from within the afterlife. With this in mind, it is encouraged to be wary of those that would make a gross imitation of her great work, be they among the faith of our mutual enemy from within the Pantheon, a heretical abomination, or some other mortal wretch.

Teachings of the Healer:
Knowledge on the even the most basic principles of healing can be important for any faithful, as it can delay one's judgement, or another's, be they an innocent or a brother or sister from within The Ministry. Such a beneficial teaching can allowing oneself to continue their duties and keep spreading The Lady's divine will.

Acolyte Temperaments:
The behavior of an aspiring Acolyte should be one of reservation, to have a neutral view upon events within the world, be it about debates over war or peace, being that such trivial, mortal matters mean very little, as all things decay and fall in the end, as we ascend from such physical limitations into the afterlife and into The Lady's judgement. Instead, an Acolyte should focus upon what will be instead of what is currently, as all things die. They are to help ease the pain of grief for loved ones as those they know pass on into the afterlife, helping such to understand that all life goes on and ends eventually. It is the absolute cycle of nature wherein death is The Final Judgement.

Intervention with the problems that lie beyond the borders and control of The Ministry, is greatly discouraged. Such reasoning is given that there can be unforeseen, sensitive political issues that is preferred to be let alone to be handled by other bickering nations. To Acolytes that would still attempt to act upon such problems, will be considered to be an independent entity, rather than a representation of The Ministry as a whole. The only exception to this rule in which an Acolyte can act for The Ministry outside its influence, is if the action to intervene has been directed and guided by the knowledge of the High-Priest or High-Priestess

The notable attire of an Acolyte is cloaks colored in purple and grey, symbolizing the renowned colors of The Goddess, as well as showing the path they have chosen, through their experience in the studying the teachings. Given that their recommended behavior to be reserved, they are not entirely known to have that many armaments, using one's wits and intellect is usually what is strived for. However, peace is not always be achieved so easily in the face of idiocy, crime, and overall violence, and as such, some can carry weapons such as blunt implements like a mace or morning-star, or blades such as a falchion.

The Apostles:
Through one's studies through the faith and the teachings of The Ministry, as an Acolyte is shown to understand the path of The Grey Lady well, they are able to advance towards the title of Apostle, granted by the High-Priest once they are deemed worthy. An Apostle is one that has fully immersed themselves within The Lady's guidance, teachings, and recognition of her divine reign upon the souls of the world, an thus take it upon themselves to spread such teachings to the masses, as well as answering and guiding those curious and not fully aware of The Lady's importance. Unlike Acolytes who attend to their elevated members of the Ministry, Apostles take the lead on managing the rituals dedicated to The Grey Lady, such as those regarding the dead, to make sure the masses are aware of The Final Death, that is can be either a peaceful, or fearful end, and that not can escape it, especially the foolish and wrong-minded that dare to try.

Sermons:
It is important to proclaim the agendas of The Ministry and the faith of The Grey Lady to the masses. To allow people to understand the necessity of death and that sins and good deeds are never truly forgotten to The Lady, for she sends the souls of all to their final spiritual destination.

Funerals:
Granting respect towards the soulless dead who fall to the many calamities of the mortal world, it essential. To allow the soul to be at peace, and allow the fallen the protection of the earth, and ensure their sanctity is ironclad against those that would allow the dead to arise. Among the dead, it is important to attend to the grieving living, and allow them to move on from the events of their past loved ones, and ensure that they understand the necessity of loss.

Rituals:
Certain activities within The Ministry will require Apostles to proclaim a special allegiance and/or prayer to The Grey Lady, and as such, events of this magnitude will be limited to only The Ministry's members.

Apostle Temperaments:
The behavior of an unwavering Apostle is similar to that of an Acolyte, to be one of contentment and ease. One should fully well be able to control one's temper, to cast aside anger, resentment, and hatred unless beneficiary against the tides of heresy, witchcraft, and the opposition of Skraag, as is our duty to uphold the divine law. Otherwise, an Apostle should show to be self-composed, to be dutiful in their tasks and yet be able to appreciate their purpose and place in life as morality is quite short in perspective. To lead the Acolytes by example, one should avoid the confrontation of conflicts, and instead, learn to solve them in peaceful manners before moving on to more forceful means if the situation demands.

When speaking to select individuals, one should show a manner of neutrality and understanding. Especially when situations regard a confession of grief or sins, they should be able to allow a person truthful of their deeds, a chance for redemption, to allow their souls to be saved by a judgement to purgatory by The Lady, if their lives are cut short by fate.

However, an Apostle should also be aware to those that cannot be forgiven for their sins, such as those that would break the divine law by proclaiming heretical ideals to the masses, or criminals and fiends that refuse to change their ways, and thus such individuals should be reported to the Sentinels of the Ministry, so that they can break the mortal vessels of evil men and send them to The Lady's judgement of eternal punishment, before they can be allowed to inflict harm and heresy among the innocent.

In the end, an Apostle's duties will be laid out to the lower Acolytes as they advance, teaching others what they have been taught. And with such understanding, one shall accept their fate, along with the life of risks and rewards that come with it, for one true to the path, Final Death comes to those who have their destiny and purpose in life completed, and thus such a role in The Ministry should be done in respect and honor to those who have come before.

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The Sentinels:
Upon the recent reorganization of The Ministry, the teachings of combat previously granted to studying Acolytes has been removed, in order to function as a separate rank amongst the faithful all together. This is to improve The Ministry's combat effectiveness against heretical individuals, and forces aligned with undeath, that could otherwise threaten the land of mortals, with this the stalwart Sentinels has been established. Such a rank is given can be granted upon to either a dutiful Acolyte or Apostle in which the High-Priest has deemed worthy for the role. The task of such men and women under this rank is to enforce The Grey Lady's divinity against beings that would sully the sanctity of the faith through various, corrupting means. As such, The Sentinels objectives in their service is to defend many aspects that make up the faith.

Defender of the Dead:
For those fallen, who's souls have passed on to the afterlife, a Sentinel must ensure such empty, mortals vessels are to remain at peace beneath the earth. As such, one should patrol the (graveyards, tombs, mausoleums, etc.) of the land to ensure they are not disturbed by foul necromancers who would want to raise the undead scourge that forsook the Northern Kingdoms, or graverobbers who would want to steal the possessions of the deceased, such individuals can be seen cowardly using the night to their advantage, in which a proud Sentinel shall be waiting.

Defender of the Divinity:
With the apparent events of the Undead Scourge that forced The Ministry's exodus from The Northern Kingdoms, it has become a logical concern that the faith of Skraag shall be on the rise due to some of the masses's disillusioned alignment towards the Abomination-God's show of power, and thus, it is imperative that such a perverted belief is quelled, through force if necessary. All Sentinels beyond their usual duties, shall search the land for evidence related to Skraag-Worship, and destroy it, looking up leads that relate to followers, idols and artifacts that would otherwise allow the dead to rise or manipulate the souls of the fallen through vile means.

Sentinel Temperaments:
The behavior of a Sentinel should be that of their fellow Apostles and Acolytes, to be able to observe the situations they find themselves in before acting, in order to be as prepared as possible for anything that would arise out in the field. One should look over the other ranks of The Ministry, for a Sentinel can be usually seen as a symbol of The Grey Lady's strength and hope for the souls of mortals passing happily beyond to her judgement. If the dire situation demands it, one should give their lives for the safety of others against the never-ending battle of evil, for one should have no fear of death, for they shall be no doubtingly be judged fairly by The Lady for their servitude.

Alike all ranks of The Ministry, a Sentinel must be wary of their actions closely, due to certain political involvements that may arise beyond the organization's reach, one shall be deemed independent from the rest of The Ministry if they are to commit certain deeds in honor for The Lady, unless specifically ordered to by the High-Priest.

The armour of a Sentinel can vary, depending on the desired situation, but for the most part, a Sentinel's armor is adorned in some article of the robes that are worn by other Ministry members. The weapons that they carry are for the most part, particularly ones meant to inflict bludgeoning, such as a mace or morning star, however it is not too common that one among the many carry a bladed weapon of any length. One is also granted with a shield of any type depending on their weapon, marked by a skeletal hand, symbolizing The Grey Lady's reaching influence upon this mortal world, and that justice is never far behind.

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[Smurf]

Olive is in if we can RP sometime. :^ )

 

[CaptnBluebeard]

Olive is in if we can RP sometime. :^ )

The new faith is wheelchair accessible so I'll see what I can do

 

[Smurf]

The new faith is wheelchair accessible so I'll see what I can do

She... I... She can walk now. : )

 

[CaptnBluebeard]

She... I... She can walk now. : )

Then it's a miracle by our Grey Lady, yep, no one else could take credit, no healer or life-god or anything

 

[Cukie1]

Then it's a miracle by our Grey Lady, yep, no one else could take credit, no healer or life-god or anything

*squint*

 

[dUMMY]

Wooooah, taking a lot of liberties with that doctrine, ain't cha? XD

 

[CaptnBluebeard]

Update:
-Added In-Depth section, introducing the revised Acolyte with more detail
-Will work to add the Apostle and Sentinel rank in the future

 

[CaptnBluebeard]

Update:
-Apostle and Sentinel Rank has been introduced within the Ministry's redux, hooray for extremism change
-The main bulk of writing is finished, however, I might have to add some more information and pictures as time goes on, nothing too impacting I think, but for the most part, I shall remove the WIP