Deity: The Trifold Goddess: Briana, Brigydde and Brancir
Sacred Sites: For Briana, her birthplace of Aisradel in Cwynaith and the Swordmaid's Fall, an old battlefield in the Barony of Dacia. For Brigydde, the ruins of the first human city, Nerin, in Altaera/the Barony of Averogne. For Brancir, the White Mountain shrine in the town of Ellrindell, Kerrindryr.
Symbols: Briana: Sword primary, shield secondary. Brigydde: Staff primary, flame secondary. Brancir: Hammer primary, mask secondary.
Vestment Colors: Briana: red with grey border. Brigydde: Brown with red border. Brancir: grey with brown border.
Hierarchy: Acolyte (Recruit, Novice, Apprentice), Initiate (Shield, Medic, Journeyman), Priest (Guard, Healer, Wardsmith), High Priest (Sword Sister/Brother, Master Priest/ess, Mask), Archpriest (Swordsworn, Reverend Mother/Father, Judge).
Vows: Briana: Poverty, Temperance, Service, Chastity. Brigydde: Poverty, Temperance, Service, Mercy. Brancir: Poverty, Temperance, Service.
The worship of the Trifold Goddess is the dominant religion in the human kingdoms and provinces of Taran's Horizon. Its goals are the defense of humanity against the hostile forces of Horizon, the protection and guidance of family and society, and the destruction of demonkind and other corruptive influences. Between the three Goddesses and the three hierarchies, the Trifold Priesthood has managed to keep itself on a smooth path and pursue its goals without slipping over the line into theological tyranny. There have been bumps in the road, such as the warlock-lynchings of the late Age of Empires, but not enough to cause a religious schism or a loss of followers.
The Trifold faith also spreads to more than just humans, as does the priesthood. The ranks of Brianan priests are generally composed of young humans, but both Midlander elves and Oegar renegades can be found within, though rarely assigned to the same companies. Brigydde's priests take in and train all manner of outcasts and misfits, from orphans and unwanted children to mixed-breeds and the handicapped. Brancirans range in race from Murians to Oegar to Wylde Hunt elves to skinchangers, and even a Nimir. All that is asked of them is that they uphold the tenets of the Priesthood: defend those who need defending and stop those who would do harm.
The three Priesthoods are required to uphold certain vows in order to keep their status and powers. The first is Poverty, in which the priest may retain enough money to feed, clothe and shelter himself and keep any arms or armaments in good repair. The rest of the priest's income must return to the Church, where it is used to fund Church-run organizations--hospices and hospitals, libraries and schools, local militia training centers, et cetera. The vow is waived somewhat if the priest has a family to support. Breaking this vow results in demotion for small offenses and stripping of status for greater ones.
The second crucial vow is Temperance. None of the three Goddesses will tolerate drunks or gluttons of any kind in their ranks. Occasional indulgence is not outlawed, though the Brancirans tend to frown upon it; conversely, Brianan warrior-priests are known for their revels. As long as they practice moderation, they retain their rank; punishment for breaking this vow ranges from probation and work detail to temporary demotion.
The third and most important of the general vows is the vow of Service. Brigydde may be forgiving, but she has no place for layabouts, and the other two are just as strict. Every Trifold priest or priestess, from the lowliest Recruit to the greatest Judge, owes the world service. Brianans organize militias, work the fields and on building crews, and train and run rescue missions in the event of a natural disaster. Brigyddians scribe, teach, run hospitals and schools and assist in rescues. Brancirans are often craftspeople in addition to their priestly duties, and can be called upon to work as judges and peacekeepers. A Trifold priestess must have a good reason to deny service to anyone or else risk breaking their vow; punishment for breaking this usually entails being ordered to see some difficult personal project through to completion. The halls of many a Church compound are hung with a Branciran smith's finely-wrought Service work, and the depths of many a public privy have been dug by laggard Brianans.
The Brianan priesthood has an additional vow that it follows: the vow of Chastity. While often cited as being terribly unfair by the younger priests and priestesses, the elders of this sect stand firm. No Brianan may engage in sexual congress without either demotion, forfeiting of the priesthood, or removal to the ranks of Brigydde. Their reasons are understandable; a pregnant priestess will not be able to hold her own in battle, and a priest who sows his seed will leave behind fatherless children should he die. Safe sex is not entirely reliable yet, therefore abstinence is the only possible method. The reality of this vow is that the younger Brianans tend to break it if they can do so and not get caught. The elders occasionally turn a blind eye to this, but it is still common practice to assign a few Guards or even a Sword Sister to patrol the dormitories at night and make sure no one is sneaking off to break vows. If a Brianan retires from active duty for any reason, she is released from this vow. Recently, due to several small mountains of petitions, the Brianan elders have given in and amended the vow to barring only procreative sex, and the lower Brianan ranks have become much less testy.
The final vow is the Brigyddians' vow of Mercy, which often brings them into conflict with the other two sects yet makes sure that the others do not become ruthless. No Brigyddian may take a life unless it is impossible to end a person's suffering in any other manner. In addition to that, no Brigyddian can refuse to aid any creature, even a Discordant demon, if no one else will be harmed by the Brigyddian's aid of that creature. Any being requesting mercy or sanctuary must be given it, if only so that they can be granted a fair trial and have punishment meted out properly. Breaking this vow results universally in a demotion, a period of seclusion and a required act of contrition. Most Brigyddians enforce this upon themselves, though Brigydde herself has had to take to task a few of her more guilt-stricken followers lest they keep themselves in seclusion forever.
Priestly duties vary depending on rank among the sects. Anyone below the full Priest level has not yet been trained in the proper rituals and prayers needed to draw the power of the goddesses; these are still students, and spend most of their time in training and Service. An Acolyte graduates to Priest status upon completing his or her introductory studies into the priestly magics and undergoing a spiritual testing administered by the local triumvirate of Archpriests. If the Acolyte can not pass the test, he or she remains an Acolyte.
The duties at Priest status are different. Brianans take lessons in defensive battle-magics and begin to range out away from the Church compounds to deal with demonic infestations. Brigyddians learn to heal, bless and purify, and spend much time cleansing homesteads and blessing crops. Brancirans begin the task of crafting wards and weapons that can hurt the more insidious or less tangible demons. The vast majority of Trifold followers never pass beyond this level.
The duties of the High Priest rank expand further, as does the power. Brianan Sword Sisters and Brothers wield the holy flame of the goddess in battle, Brigyddian Master Priests and Priestesses bind and banish demons and malicious spirits, and the Branciran bearers of the Mask bring order and justice where they can, holding back the tides of chaos that wear at the edges of the human lands and threaten to tear them apart at the seams.
Only the god-touched rise to the ranks of Archpriest; there are rarely more than one set in any given kingdom, and some kingdoms need to share triumvirates. While the Swordsworn, Reverends and Judges wield the direct power of their respective goddesses and often offer their bodies for godly possession, they are still required by their own laws to attend to the common folk as equals. Triumvirates do not act unless mandated by their deities, and can usually be found sitting in open court to hear grievances and dictate Church policy.
Vestments among the lower ranks of the priesthood are very basic: tunics and breeches or skirts, in the colors of the appropriate sect. Acolyte-rank Brianans begin to acquire arms and armor, as do some Brancirans. At Priest-rank, all sects are given their ceremonial yokes; the Brianan and Branciran yokes are padded steel trimmed with chainmail, while the Brigyddian yokes are metal-reinforced cloth. Robes are available to Brigyddians and Brancirans at Priest-rank as well, but none are required to don them. Basic vestments and armor become somewhat more ornate, with the symbol of the appropriate sect painted on cloth or armor. High Priests wear full armor or robes as the situation dictates, often embroidered or lacquered with prayers and wards, and the Brancirans are awarded the bronze mask of their goddess. Triumvirates tend to wear ceremonial garb almost exclusively, with Swordsworn in blood-red armor, Reverends in deep brown robes, and Judges in full bronze and grey raiments and mask. Frippery is frowned upon, and ostentatious displays of wealth beyond quality of armor would be breaking the first vow.
Church compounds are almost entirely self-contained, and tend to house most if not all of the Trifold priesthood in the area. They are built in a shape not unlike a 'U' with an especially thick bottom; the two arms of the building house the dormitories, studies, kitchens and mess halls, while the central area holds the triple sanctum and the open court (which are often one and the same).
A Trifold sanctum is as unpretentious as the priesthood itself, decked more with handicrafts or flowers or war relics than finery. There are three alcoves in the rear wall and three altars, the largest being the central one behind which stands the flame symbol of Brigydde, usually cast in bronze and lacquered red. To either side are Brancir's and Briana's altars, with a replica of the goddess's bronze mask behind the first and a shield behind the second. Upon each altar is the primary symbol of the respective orders: the sword for Briana, the staff for Brigydde, and the hammer for Brancir. Grey curtains hang from the ceiling and can be drawn across to separate the three areas of the sanctum from each other so that each sect may hold private ceremonies. Pews are lined up all the way to the doors of the sanctum; over those doors is usually a circular or three-paneled stained-glass window depicting the goddesses, and in the more prosperous compounds there may be similar windows elsewhere in the sanctum.
The grounds around a Church compound are used almost in entirety. The center of the 'U' formation is generally taken up by gardens--both common and decorative--and wells, with a main path heading to the sanctum and smaller paths branching off to the dormitories. On the far side of one dormitory are the training grounds, if there are Brianans or Brancirans in residence, and on the far side of the other are more common gardens, along with craft buildings and toolsheds. In the very rear of the compound, behind the sanctum, is the local cemetary. The Church often owns parcels of nearby land, which the priests farm and harvest to support themselves. Tithing is encouraged among the faithful but not demanded, and most of the money that makes the Church run is earned by its priests. The grounds of a compound are both magically and mundanely fortified to resist attack by any force, whether earthly or demonic.
There is a custom practiced fairly frequently among the Trifold of cross-sect training. Every priest is dedicated to one goddess in specific, then the Trifold as a whole; however, some have been trained in the special skills of two or even all three sects. These multitalented priests are rare, for it takes a long time to master the techniques of any sect, and are most often mixed-bloods, elves or other longer-lived folk in the service of the Church. These uncommon individuals bow to the Archpriests of the sect they were first trained under, but can act within their other specialty sect(s) as full members there.
Another custom, found mostly when a Brianan is injured or otherwise can not continue a career as a warrior, is the adoption of priests into other sects. These injured Brianan--and sometimes Brancirans--are voluntarily stripped of rank and magics and brought into the Brigyddian sect, where they can rise in rank and power like a normal Brigyddian. There have also been cases of Brigyddians petitioning to join one of the other sects, though this urge can often be exorcised from the Brigyddian by having them join the Brianan training program for a week or so.
Back to the Trifold Goddess Back to the Horizonites Page
