Great White Church of Karasha
Runes
Darkness, Beast, Death
Mythos and History
The Church is the product of the White Witch and is wholly under her control.
Nature
The Great White Church is financially supported by the White Witch and its members know well that wealth is a swift path to power. They are aware of the measures other people will take in order to gain wealth; these "others" become more pliable to the whims of the church. A few coins spread judiciously can buy the loyalty of many such friends, a few sacks of grain and a haunch of deer can buy even more from a starving village - to know another's need and have the means to service it is to hold power over them.
The church, as a White Witch's political instrument, buys information, causes underlings to betray their superiors (the Witch prefers subversion to destruction and many organisations opposed to the Witch serve her will due to the actions of a few key underlings - who may themselves think that they oppose her) and trades a lot.
Unlike other churches where labour is often seen as holy in itself, the Great White church squanders no resource and ensures that every action profits the church, every monastery and nunnery raises goats, sheep, brews, or finds some other productive use for its inhabitants, every church is the center of its village ensuring the market runs, supporting craftsmen, providing capital for businesses (at very reasonable rates - many who would not approve of the churches philosophy find themselves beholden to the church when others refuse to aid them during some hour of need).
The Church should not however be misunderstood, it tolerates no great flaunting of wealth and has no place for greed for its own sake. The church ruthlessly drives out weakness because in the chill north weakness undermines the whole and risks the loss of all - village, city, even realm. The church uses every resource - even those it does not fully trust because it cannot afford to live without risk, there is too little wealth for opportunities to be passed up.
Some common church sayings:
- a few luxuries make life taste sweeter but too rich a diet leads to sloth, then ruin.
- one must feed.
- to scorn meat for fear of poison is to starve, those who dare not live, still die.
- the hungry wolf catches the fat merchant before the whipped servant.
- the subtle knife strikes more surely than the open axe.
Organization
The White Witch heads the Church and has a network of underlings who enact her will. Most provinces have at least one priestess to tend to matters and more urban ones have a priestess per village.
Membership
The Church is the only religious organization of any consequence in the Realm of the White Witch. Its influence is slowly expanding out from there, most notably to the Giantdowns with the recent invasion of the province of Bjorlangen.
Ranks
| Rank | Title | Requirements | Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common | Lay Member | Express desire to join church, Small donation | Automatically find teachers for cult skills, though cost is not changed; protection of the cult |
| Dedicated | Initiate | Know at least 5 cult skills at 50% or higher | Get training in cult skills at 25% discount; Considered a Lay Member of all allied cults |
| Proven | Priestess | Be an Initiate for at least 3 years, Know at least 4 cult skills at 70% or higher, Render valuable gift or service to the cult | Get training in cult skills at 50% discount; May call for Divine Intervention |
| Overseer | High Priestess | Be a Priestess for at least 5 years, Know at least 3 cult skills at 90% or higher | Get training in cult skills at 75% discount; May call on congregation's resources for free |
| Leader | The White Witch | Be the White Witch | Gain the ring Wintering and the Ring of Beauty |
Restrictions
- Never waste resources, always make maximum use of anything you have
- Never coddle anyone, only the strong survive
- Never engage in open combat if it can be avoided; retreat, bide your time, strike when your foe is distracted
Skills
Commerce, Deceit, Devotion, Endurance, Exhort, Influence, Survival
Magic
Initiates gain access to the skills of Theism and can pray for miracles.
Miracles offered are:
Initiate: Backlash, Behold, Blessing, Dismiss Magic, Heal Wound, Perseverance, Snow, Soul Sight
Priestess: Beast Form, Blast Earth, Call Winds, Cloud Call, Consecrate, Corruption, Raise Undead
High Priestess: Excommunication, Extension, Fidelity
Gifts
Those who reach Priestess rank are gifted with Insightful.
Allies and Enemies
Hypothetically, cults of Belinik are allied with the Great White Church, but his cult's power is low among the Rjurik people so this has little practical effect.
The various cults of Avani and Ruornil are the prime enemies. Due to close proximity and competition for resources cults of Erik often come into conflict with the Great White Church.