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Calling All Support Types for NA-East
The Children of Mann were founded with one goal in mind: to bring people together. Their beliefs are simple; to lead a good life, one must be willing to help others in their time of need. They believe that the higher powers of creation have placed Mann on Elyria to test their souls, and that to harm another person is to harm themselves. To heal another person is to heal themselves.
Life is a strict progression from birth to death. All things in life are a gift. Even the experience of death should be met with poise and dignity. From death there will be life, and from life there will be death.
Death is not the end. It is merely the beginning of a new life. The Children believe in reincarnation, and that everything that a person does in one life will reflect on their next. Reflection on one's deeds is necessary to understand what this means. No man is doomed to misery because of their previous life, but they will be tested. It is up to every person in Elyria to be what they want to be, and the Children will help through meditation and advice.
Are you a lost soul? Come home to the Church of Mann, and let the brothers and sisters of the Children guide you back onto the path you were meant to be on.
We will be going NA-East, and establishing our first roots in the Kingdom of Kairos. We will still be maintaining our neutrality, however, and aiming to fill the world of Elyria with many churches.
The Church of the Children is a community-centred project. The Children come from all walks of life. Perhaps you have been a farmer for some time, but you have lost your livelihood in war and battle. Perhaps it's been a particularly rough winter, and you require a place to stay. Maybe you're a new, weary traveller, stopping off after a long and arduous journey. Or maybe, you want to help. Maybe you want to dedicate your life to the betterment of Mann.
The Children are a group of people who focus on giving a leg up to those who need it. In return for donations from the city they've established a church in, they provide sanctuary and healing. The priests and acolytes of the Church are those who have dedicated their lives to learning how to apply medicines for all sorts of ills. They specialize in blessings for the weary traveller, for the soldier going to war, and for the kings who just took their crown. They offer their sage advice and wisdom to the burdened ruler, and remain neutral in all conflicts, instead striving to provide aid to anybody who comes to them.
Priests will offer their services in several different areas: healing, mediation [therefore contracts, so there is a place for scribes], weddings [and marriage contracts], funerals, advice, and guidance among other things.
To be a brother or sister of the Children, one must learn inner peace and understanding. An initiate must be diplomatic, straightforward, kind, and eager to expand their understanding of the world around them. A priest must be able to listen and give sound counsel when they're asked. An Acolyte trains in medicine and blessings under a Priest, and in larger cities, a Priest will learn from a Bishop. The Temple of Mann will house the Father/Mother, who oversees the entire Church, while smaller churches will crop up wherever they're welcomed, run by Priests or Bishops.
Sanctuary will be given even to those fleeing the King's justice, and the King will face the wrath of the Mother or the Father if he seeks to interfere with the Church's peace. The Church may expect those seeking sanctuary to repay them in whatever way they can, be it with work or a trinket or money.
The Church employs Swords to keep their people safe. Swords are given the protection of the Church and close access to the best medicine the world of Elyria has to offer. The community housing a church or a temple will be asked for supplies or money in exchange for medicines so that they can continue their work, but a blessing will always be free.
The Seat of Mann
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The leader of the Children of Mann. A position appointed for life, the Children believe that their leader is reincarnated from life to life. During the interim between such time as their leader dies and is found again, the Thrones are given the task of maintaining the Church. When the Mother or Father is found again, following a ritual known only to the highest order of the Church, they are raised again to the Seat of Mann and, with the help of the Thrones, they learn to lead again.
[Yeah, this is just a way to keep myself sensibly in the leadership position until I decide to hand it off to someone new. ;D]
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The Crows [managed by CheshireOne] are the ushers of the dead. Even the Mother/Father steps lightly around them, because as we all know, even the greatest of leaders eventually pass through from life to death, and the Crows are the ones who see to it that what is left behind is put to rest.
It seemed a natural thing to partner with the House of Crows. Those wanting a proper burial and ceremony might employ the help of the Church and the Crows, to see them off to their next life.
The Swords
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A branch of the Children who are dedicated to keeping the Church's followers safe. Members of the Swords will be given priority treatment in cases of sickness or injury, and a place to call home. Towns and cities might assign soldiers to the Church, who will be designated Swords under the eyes of its followers, or others who simply wish to put their skills to good use are more than welcome to join the Church for what benefits it can offer them.
Followers
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Followers are those who have interest in the Church, but have no desire to become a part of them. They come to meditate, seek help and guidance, or just believe in what the Children stand for. Followers can expect to be welcome in any church in Elyria.
Initiates
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Initiates are the first step to becoming one of the Church's most faithful members. An Initiate can begin their training at any point in their life, but most are of course young and able-bodied. The Church encourages young members of their flock to explore what Elyria has to offer. To this end, an Initiate is not limited to being a member of the Church alone. Any Initiate can find themselves a member of a blacksmithing guild, lumber mill, brewery. They might even be interested in hunting or learning to defend themselves. As an Initiate of the Children, however, they are able to seek a modest housing arrangement if the Church has room available, usually sharing a room with others.
Initiates are strongly encouraged to explore the world, train in things that they might be interested in, and to spread the word of the Church. If they should be interested in medicine, they are given all the support the Children can muster, providing materials and supplies, although idle Initiates will likely be sent on errands and along with hunters or foragers to seek out supplies themselves.
Acolytes
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Acolytes are those who are more involved with the Church. They're still welcome to explore the world and join other organizations, work to make a living, and train other skills. However, they're much more encouraged to put more effort into training on healing and medicine than before, and to that end, are given better quarters in the church if it's available, sharing only with one or two other people rather than a barracks full of Initiates who need a home. Acolytes are given direct training with Priests, in addition to personal, self-guided training.
Priests
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A Priest is a person who has dedicated their life to becoming proficient at healing and medicine. A Priest must demonstrate themselves capable of being a leader and a teacher, because they will be tasked with helping to raise the skills of the Acolytes beneath them. They should be more than capable of offering a listening ear to a Follower or anybody else who might need their help, and they must show a willingness to sacrifice for the greater good.
Priests may be sent off to start small churches in towns and cities, where they will be tasked with leading their own flock of Followers. They can bring in Initiates and Acolytes, but may find it more feasible to send them to a larger church nearby. An Acolyte who wishes to become a Priest must seek out a Bishop. This may require a pilgrimage to a larger city with a bigger church.
People who seek advice or mediation might seek out a Priest for their wisdom, level-headedness, and neutral perspective on a situation.
Bishops
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A Bishop is the next step up from Priest. They have a little more power within the Church, and often hold direct meetings with the Seat of the Children. A Bishop is allowed to lead larger churches and promote Acolytes to Priests. They may only be promoted by a majority vote from the Thrones, with the Seat to break a tie, and must make a pilgrimage to the Temple of Mann in order to recieve the Seat's blessing.
Major political mediation may be seen to by a Bishop. Being impartial and free of ties to any one nation or kingdom, a Bishop can offer fresh insight on a problem or an agreement.
Thrones
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A Throne is the highest order of the Children of Mann. Thrones have worked harder than anybody to reach this level of skill, knowledge, and power within the Church. There are only four Thrones at any given time, and many decisions must be made by a majority vote, with the Seat of the Children as the deciding vote in the case of a tie. Each Throne fills a particular role in governing the County of Athair and leading the Children of Mann.
Thrones are dispatched in times of major world upheaval. They may be called on by monarchs for their advice. For the most part, however, Thrones remain at the Temple of Mann, where they provide teaching for those who are of a lower rank and of lesser skill.
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Supporters
These are people who have expressed interest in having a church placed within their towns. If you've already talked to me, or are newly interested in the Children, please let me know if you would like to be included in this list!
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If you would like to show your support for the Children, feel free to use the Follower token in your signature. Copy and paste this into your signature in your profile:
[![](http://i.imgur.com/dKLqRCL.png)](https://chroniclesofelyria.com/forum/Guild-Recruitmet/3083-The-Children-of-Mann)