Andarta, the Iron Maiden (Milerian Religion)
Nov 16, 2014 19:33:39 GMT
Post by SeanS on Nov 16, 2014 19:33:39 GMT
Andarta, the Iron Maiden
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Portfolio: War, Victory, Slaughter, Domination, Tyranny, Demagoguery
Domains: Law, Evil, War, Charm
Holy Symbol: A bloody sword point down beneath an iron crown.
Appearance: A lovely woman in black spiked iron plate wearing an iron crown, and carrying a bloody iron word.
History
Andarta's faith is among the oldest in Mileria, and was prior to the rise of the Imperial Creed and the spread of the Empire itself a popular faith among warriors, mercenaries, as well as heavy handed and manipulative rulers. The goddess and her faith had a reputation for being unfailingly honorable, and ruthlessly merciless as well, always obeying the letter of whatever laws bound them, and using those laws to maintain their grip on power. This made them terrible foes, and valued allies.
Her faithful engaged in battle with fervent, reverent, eagerness. Often times they would find themselves on opposite sides of a conflict as hired muscle, and stories abound of such meetings beginning with a respectful salute shared by both warriors. . .and ending in one of their deaths.
What many fail to realize is that Andarta also had a very political side. While as a deity she promotes bloodshed as a means to gain power, many rulers who followed her faith were in fact personable and entertaining people all too skilled at using their powerful presence and silken words to persuade the less fortunate to support them. These demagogues embodied the more mental and social aspects of control and power as taught by Andarta, and portrayed themselves as heroes in order to gain support from the ignorant masses, and overthrow other rulers whose power they desired. Most clerics of Andarta were also accomplished negotiators and orators.
Past Glory, Current Ruin
Andarta's faith once dominated the political world in the central grasslands of Mileria as a dystopic theocracy, ruling over the isolated towns and cities there. Allowing the Govan free rein over the plains and wilderness, they granted the nomads freedom to manage their own affairs as they saw fit so long as they did not interfere in the Iron Faith's business. The Govan, who had no interest in settling down in urban areas, were happy enough with the arrangement, and both groups co-existed peacefully, if with some mutual distrust.
When the war broke out between Empire and Omicron, the Iron Church wisely hedged it's bets, and for the most part stayed out of the conflict, hoping to sweep in afterwards and force both Emperor and Council to bend the knee, creating a united Mileria. Though they hired groups of Andartan mercenaries out to both sides, this was done mainly to keep an eye on potential schemes to undermine the Church's sovereignty. Using information funneled by these moles, the Andartans soundly crushed several efforts by both sides to drag them into the conflict as the Elven Nations had been. The faithful huddled in their fortified city states, and waited out the war.
The Battle of the Burning Plains ultimately ruined the Church's master plan to take advantage of the war's aftermath. With their farmlands in ashes, their rich coal mines an inferno, and the ravaging flames reducing their capital of Maiden's Crown to a ghost filled ruin, they had no way to feed their people, much less finance or plan a war of their own. The broken Andartan government attempted to flee east into the Empire, and petitioned the authorities for permission to settle there. The Imperials were suspicious, however, and granted the Andartans sanctuary with the caveat that neither their laity, nor priesthood, nor knights could hold public office. This was a deal the Iron Maiden's children could not agree to, so they traveled west to settle Omicron lands, and quietly build up strength.
This too was folly. The Omicrons didn't even wait for the petition. Diverting a sizable number of their troops to intercept the Andartan refugees, they killed most of the leadership and many of the faithful in a brief but brutal guerrilla war that sealed the fate of the weakened Iron Church as little more than a minor cult to a fading deity on a continent upon which they once boasted considerable power.
Today, isolated shrines exist throughout the Empire and far north, and there are usually a handful of faithful in every settlement east of the burning plains. Whispers abound that the cult is slowly strengthening, and that the winds of change may once more be blowing in their favor.
Andartan Religion
The Cult of Andarta is a highly formal faith, the members of which tend to take themselves fairly seriously, and their goddess even more seriously. The goal of the Cult is complete and utter domination of all political and military power, using any and all legal means available, They desire a Theocracy, with Andarta on Kandor as the God Queen. In their mind, only unity under the Iron Crown can eliminate all chaos, suffering, crime, pain, sadness, and disorder, and create a world of perfect peace and equality for all.
Membership
Becoming a member of the church involves signing a legally binding contract in the presence of a member of the local clergy, and witnessed by two or more notary public.
In the contract, the applicant waives all legal protections afforded them by society against members of the Cult's Clergy, and submits himself to Iron Law. He also vows to obey the laws of whatever country he is a part of, and to work with the Cult and local rulers to promote a safe, orderly, and just society.
Rules
The Iron Creed embodies the five laws which bind the members of the Cult to their goddess.
Crime and Punishment
Typically, when a member of the laity disobeys the Iron Creed, discipline is handled internally, with the punishments tailored to individuals and their offenses. The punishment is almost never death, though punishments have been known to last anywhere from days to weeks or months, depending on how recalcitrant the victim is. The only two crimes that carries death as a penalty is to actively betray the Cult to it's enemies, or to rape a woman. Those who are found guilty of either of these usually end up sacrificed on the Iron Altar.
When the member disobeys the laws of society at large, the Cult requests permission from the authorities to punish the member themselves. If this is denied, they usually turn the member over to local law enforcement as ordered.
Benefits
For all their fondness of rules, regulations, and control, the Iron Cult does look after it's own, as well as civilization as a whole. Larger temples often include free room and board for members who require it. The Andartan religious schools that accompany these larger facilities resemble military academies, and offer high quality, if brutal physical and mental training regimens that forge youth who survive it into model citizens, holy warriors, and politicians.
Many times the Adartan church will take in homeless and destitute, and give them jobs as servants, which surprisingly enough makes them tolerated among the lower class. The Cult always has hot food, clean cots, and dry tents for those willing to do it's work.
Larger temples also usually have worked out an agreement with the local powers in which the Cult is allowed to keep a small standing army in order to look after the safety of it's possessions and members, in exchange for oaths of loyalty and the promise to march in the power's defense should war come. The efficiency, fanaticism, and brutality of an organized Andartan Legion is nothing to be taken lightly.
Indoctrination
Ironically, the process of indoctrination is considered both punishment and training. Laity who wish to join the ranks of the cult's priestly or knightly orders undergo the ordeal, as do members who break the law of the church or society. The entire process is designed to break down who a person is at their core through intense physical, mental, spiritual, and psychological manipulation; rebuilding them into a productive, powerful, law abiding citizen, who, when the chips are down, is loyal only to Andarta and her cause.
In the case of trainees, the process of indoctrination is a group affair that combines rigorous physical workouts, memorization of vast tracts of Andartan religious texts, the study of law and teaching of Machiavellian politics, war and strategy, and martial training, and tests of physical and mental endurance. The process forces the individuals to abandon their identities, and work together as a whole, as many of the tests require teamwork and cannot be completed without it. Weakness is weeded out, mercy is discouraged, and fierce competition rewarded.
In the case of criminals captured attempting to wrong the cult, or members of the laity that defy their superiors and commit serious offenses that embarrass the cult, the indoctrination is a far more individual affair. It focuses less on creating a skilled warrior and leader, and more on creating a malleable, submissive pawn out of wayward worshiper and criminal alike. The lawbreaker is isolated in a spartan cell, fed sparingly on bread and water, denied sleep, and allowed access only to members of the priesthood.
Their only source of entertainment are Andartan religion readings. The priests constantly quiz and interrogate the offender, and force them to memorize the texts, upon which memorization access to better food and more sleep depend. Rebellion and mockery against the indoctrination is brutally suppressed with complete denial of food, water, and sleep, and attempts at escape are punished with beat downs that always stop just short of causing serious physical harm, but are nonetheless painful. Prisoners that try to use this to kill themselves with starvation are force fed. Obedience, submission, and loyalty are rewarded with kind treatment, coddling, emotional, and even sexual comfort. This combination of positive and negative reinforcement is difficult to resist.
When the senior members of the priesthood judge the wayward member of the cult to be properly indoctrinated, they are released. In the case of captured criminals or enemies of the faith, they nearly always end up joining the very faith that had opposed after exposure to this treatment.
Worship
The Dark Mass is usually held at sunset. Smaller temples offer it twice a week, once on the first day, and once on the fourth day of the week. Larger temples with more staff offer the Dark Mass every day of the week.
The ceremony is proceeded by a series of hymns softly sung by the choir designed to calm the mind and enhance concentration. The Mass begins when the Priest approaches the altar, and calls the congregation to stand. All salute the Iron Altar by clenching a fist over their heart, and recite the Iron Creed. Five hymns are then sung, one illustrating and expounding a different point of the Creed. During the last song, offerings are taken from the congregation.
Following the hymns and offering, the congregation sits and the Priest delivers a short, concise, and practical sermon on the applications of the Iron Creed to every day life, as well as wordly politics and inter personal conflict.
Afterward the sermon is delivered, the Priest chooses two members of the congregation, and they are asked to engage in a contest. The contest can be a debate or a duel, but in both cases the event is highly formal. If debate is the chosen form of contest, the congregation votes for the winner. If the contest is martial, the first to draw blood is declared winner. In either case, the loser is healed if necessary by the Priest, and kept after the service for counseling and additional training.
It is considered very bad form to purposefully kill an opponent during the ritual duel, or to engage in personal insults during the debate.
Andartan congregations always meet midweek for a day long Forum, which is followed by a Dark Mass. The Forum is a time for debate, planning, scholarly research, and social networking during which members get to know each other and put together schemes for furthering the power of Andarta in the world. Larger temples with the facilities to handle such events often offer formal dinners after both Dark Mass and the Forum in order to better foster connections among the laity.
Chain of Command
The Andartan church follows a fairly rigid hierarchy. Promotion is merit based, with accomplishments achieved in the cult's service counting a great deal towards an increase in rank. Lower ranked members can expect to advance easily by completing missions that are either martial or social in nature, but higher ranks require significant achievements in both. Those with a divine connection to the Iron Maiden herself are held to an even higher standard, and must demonstrate a bare minimum of supernaturalpower to be considered for a position, in additional to any demonstrations of usefulness required.
Promotions are handed out by those directly above the candidate for promotion, and may be awarded spontaneously for outstanding service in the field, posthumously, or bestowed upon request if the superior believes the petitioner is worthy. A denied promotion may be challenged in combat, or circumvented politically. It is considered a breach of etiquette to go above your immediate superior for a promotion, however. Subtler methods are needed. Killing your superior during a promotion duel it is considered a mark of distinction, though generally most duels end with the superior either knocking her opponent unconscious, or being knocked out herself.
Knightly Order
[Blackguards/Pious Templars]
Andarta's knights are known as The Order of the Iron Rose. They are all but extinct, but during their prime were a stunning example of the power and efficiency of the Andartan military machine. Combining professional military training with divine power, they were a powerful symbol on any battlefield of the power their goddess projects onto the mortal world.
The Order is typically divided into two sub-sects of holy warriors: Blackguards and Pious Templars. The former work to promote Andarta's cause abroad, while the latter are concerned with the security of her temples and people at home. They work together as two halves of a seamless whole.
Knights of the Iron Rose are considered subservient to the Priesthood, but it is possible to hold ranks in both chains of command. Junior priests are still expected to show respect to high ranking members of the knighthood, and those who fail to do so often find themselves challenged to a duel by those they insult. The Blade, however, is considered to be the same rank as a Crown, and can even be elected Iron Avatar in some cases.
Recruit [Lvl 1-2]
Page [Lvl 3-4]
Squire [Lvl 5-6]
Knight of the Iron Rose, 3rd Degree [Lvl 7-8]
Knight of the Iron Rose, 2nd Degree [Lvl 9-10]
Knight of the Iron Rose, 1st Degree [Lvl 11-12]
Knight of the Iron Rose, Master Knight [Lvl 13-14]
Knight of the Iron Rose, Dread Knight [Lvl 15-16]
Knight of the Iron Rose, Fell Knight [Lvl 17-20]
Knight of the Iron Rose, Blade [Head of the Order]
Priestly Order
[Clerics, Favored Souls]
Andarta's Priesthood are called the Iron Councilors, and are a very charming and viciously political lot. While most can fight better than you'd think, they primarily concern themselves with shepherding the faithful and promoting the cause of the church in society. They leave most of the muscle work to the Order of the Iron Rose, but can be expected to unleash their divine power in frightening ways if their holy temples are threatened.
The head of the Order is called the Iron Avatar, and is considered Andarta's will and voice on Kandor. The Avatar is elected from the ranks of the Crowns by the other Crowns, and is always female. Often, a Blade will be elected Iron Avatar, if the cult is involved in a bloody conflict that requires strong battlefield leadership. There has not been an Iron Avatar for a century; the last died during a desperate, last ditch attempt at crushing the Omicron by attacking the Lady of Steel's main temple in the west.
The ritual for anointing an Iron Avatar is said to fill the candidate with a tiny spark of Andarta's divine essence.
Initiate [1st Level Spells]
Acolyte [2nd Level Spells]
Deacon [3nd Level Spells]
Priest/Priestess [4th Level Spells]
Advocate [5th Level Spells]
Consul [6th Level Spells]
Viceroy [7th Level Spells]
Voice [8th Level Spells]
Crown [9th Level Spells]
Iron Avatar [Head of Priestly Order]
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Portfolio: War, Victory, Slaughter, Domination, Tyranny, Demagoguery
Domains: Law, Evil, War, Charm
Holy Symbol: A bloody sword point down beneath an iron crown.
Appearance: A lovely woman in black spiked iron plate wearing an iron crown, and carrying a bloody iron word.
History
Andarta's faith is among the oldest in Mileria, and was prior to the rise of the Imperial Creed and the spread of the Empire itself a popular faith among warriors, mercenaries, as well as heavy handed and manipulative rulers. The goddess and her faith had a reputation for being unfailingly honorable, and ruthlessly merciless as well, always obeying the letter of whatever laws bound them, and using those laws to maintain their grip on power. This made them terrible foes, and valued allies.
Her faithful engaged in battle with fervent, reverent, eagerness. Often times they would find themselves on opposite sides of a conflict as hired muscle, and stories abound of such meetings beginning with a respectful salute shared by both warriors. . .and ending in one of their deaths.
What many fail to realize is that Andarta also had a very political side. While as a deity she promotes bloodshed as a means to gain power, many rulers who followed her faith were in fact personable and entertaining people all too skilled at using their powerful presence and silken words to persuade the less fortunate to support them. These demagogues embodied the more mental and social aspects of control and power as taught by Andarta, and portrayed themselves as heroes in order to gain support from the ignorant masses, and overthrow other rulers whose power they desired. Most clerics of Andarta were also accomplished negotiators and orators.
Past Glory, Current Ruin
Andarta's faith once dominated the political world in the central grasslands of Mileria as a dystopic theocracy, ruling over the isolated towns and cities there. Allowing the Govan free rein over the plains and wilderness, they granted the nomads freedom to manage their own affairs as they saw fit so long as they did not interfere in the Iron Faith's business. The Govan, who had no interest in settling down in urban areas, were happy enough with the arrangement, and both groups co-existed peacefully, if with some mutual distrust.
When the war broke out between Empire and Omicron, the Iron Church wisely hedged it's bets, and for the most part stayed out of the conflict, hoping to sweep in afterwards and force both Emperor and Council to bend the knee, creating a united Mileria. Though they hired groups of Andartan mercenaries out to both sides, this was done mainly to keep an eye on potential schemes to undermine the Church's sovereignty. Using information funneled by these moles, the Andartans soundly crushed several efforts by both sides to drag them into the conflict as the Elven Nations had been. The faithful huddled in their fortified city states, and waited out the war.
The Battle of the Burning Plains ultimately ruined the Church's master plan to take advantage of the war's aftermath. With their farmlands in ashes, their rich coal mines an inferno, and the ravaging flames reducing their capital of Maiden's Crown to a ghost filled ruin, they had no way to feed their people, much less finance or plan a war of their own. The broken Andartan government attempted to flee east into the Empire, and petitioned the authorities for permission to settle there. The Imperials were suspicious, however, and granted the Andartans sanctuary with the caveat that neither their laity, nor priesthood, nor knights could hold public office. This was a deal the Iron Maiden's children could not agree to, so they traveled west to settle Omicron lands, and quietly build up strength.
This too was folly. The Omicrons didn't even wait for the petition. Diverting a sizable number of their troops to intercept the Andartan refugees, they killed most of the leadership and many of the faithful in a brief but brutal guerrilla war that sealed the fate of the weakened Iron Church as little more than a minor cult to a fading deity on a continent upon which they once boasted considerable power.
Today, isolated shrines exist throughout the Empire and far north, and there are usually a handful of faithful in every settlement east of the burning plains. Whispers abound that the cult is slowly strengthening, and that the winds of change may once more be blowing in their favor.
Andartan Religion
The Cult of Andarta is a highly formal faith, the members of which tend to take themselves fairly seriously, and their goddess even more seriously. The goal of the Cult is complete and utter domination of all political and military power, using any and all legal means available, They desire a Theocracy, with Andarta on Kandor as the God Queen. In their mind, only unity under the Iron Crown can eliminate all chaos, suffering, crime, pain, sadness, and disorder, and create a world of perfect peace and equality for all.
Membership
Becoming a member of the church involves signing a legally binding contract in the presence of a member of the local clergy, and witnessed by two or more notary public.
In the contract, the applicant waives all legal protections afforded them by society against members of the Cult's Clergy, and submits himself to Iron Law. He also vows to obey the laws of whatever country he is a part of, and to work with the Cult and local rulers to promote a safe, orderly, and just society.
Rules
The Iron Creed embodies the five laws which bind the members of the Cult to their goddess.
The Iron Creed
Seek efficiency in all things.
Render true honor and loyalty to those who exercise authority over you.
Demand true honor and loyalty of those over whom you exercise authority.
The strong shall rule, the weak shall serve.
Never forget that Andarta is strongest.
Seek efficiency in all things.
Render true honor and loyalty to those who exercise authority over you.
Demand true honor and loyalty of those over whom you exercise authority.
The strong shall rule, the weak shall serve.
Never forget that Andarta is strongest.
Crime and Punishment
Typically, when a member of the laity disobeys the Iron Creed, discipline is handled internally, with the punishments tailored to individuals and their offenses. The punishment is almost never death, though punishments have been known to last anywhere from days to weeks or months, depending on how recalcitrant the victim is. The only two crimes that carries death as a penalty is to actively betray the Cult to it's enemies, or to rape a woman. Those who are found guilty of either of these usually end up sacrificed on the Iron Altar.
When the member disobeys the laws of society at large, the Cult requests permission from the authorities to punish the member themselves. If this is denied, they usually turn the member over to local law enforcement as ordered.
Benefits
For all their fondness of rules, regulations, and control, the Iron Cult does look after it's own, as well as civilization as a whole. Larger temples often include free room and board for members who require it. The Andartan religious schools that accompany these larger facilities resemble military academies, and offer high quality, if brutal physical and mental training regimens that forge youth who survive it into model citizens, holy warriors, and politicians.
Many times the Adartan church will take in homeless and destitute, and give them jobs as servants, which surprisingly enough makes them tolerated among the lower class. The Cult always has hot food, clean cots, and dry tents for those willing to do it's work.
Larger temples also usually have worked out an agreement with the local powers in which the Cult is allowed to keep a small standing army in order to look after the safety of it's possessions and members, in exchange for oaths of loyalty and the promise to march in the power's defense should war come. The efficiency, fanaticism, and brutality of an organized Andartan Legion is nothing to be taken lightly.
Indoctrination
Ironically, the process of indoctrination is considered both punishment and training. Laity who wish to join the ranks of the cult's priestly or knightly orders undergo the ordeal, as do members who break the law of the church or society. The entire process is designed to break down who a person is at their core through intense physical, mental, spiritual, and psychological manipulation; rebuilding them into a productive, powerful, law abiding citizen, who, when the chips are down, is loyal only to Andarta and her cause.
In the case of trainees, the process of indoctrination is a group affair that combines rigorous physical workouts, memorization of vast tracts of Andartan religious texts, the study of law and teaching of Machiavellian politics, war and strategy, and martial training, and tests of physical and mental endurance. The process forces the individuals to abandon their identities, and work together as a whole, as many of the tests require teamwork and cannot be completed without it. Weakness is weeded out, mercy is discouraged, and fierce competition rewarded.
In the case of criminals captured attempting to wrong the cult, or members of the laity that defy their superiors and commit serious offenses that embarrass the cult, the indoctrination is a far more individual affair. It focuses less on creating a skilled warrior and leader, and more on creating a malleable, submissive pawn out of wayward worshiper and criminal alike. The lawbreaker is isolated in a spartan cell, fed sparingly on bread and water, denied sleep, and allowed access only to members of the priesthood.
Their only source of entertainment are Andartan religion readings. The priests constantly quiz and interrogate the offender, and force them to memorize the texts, upon which memorization access to better food and more sleep depend. Rebellion and mockery against the indoctrination is brutally suppressed with complete denial of food, water, and sleep, and attempts at escape are punished with beat downs that always stop just short of causing serious physical harm, but are nonetheless painful. Prisoners that try to use this to kill themselves with starvation are force fed. Obedience, submission, and loyalty are rewarded with kind treatment, coddling, emotional, and even sexual comfort. This combination of positive and negative reinforcement is difficult to resist.
When the senior members of the priesthood judge the wayward member of the cult to be properly indoctrinated, they are released. In the case of captured criminals or enemies of the faith, they nearly always end up joining the very faith that had opposed after exposure to this treatment.
Worship
The Dark Mass is usually held at sunset. Smaller temples offer it twice a week, once on the first day, and once on the fourth day of the week. Larger temples with more staff offer the Dark Mass every day of the week.
The ceremony is proceeded by a series of hymns softly sung by the choir designed to calm the mind and enhance concentration. The Mass begins when the Priest approaches the altar, and calls the congregation to stand. All salute the Iron Altar by clenching a fist over their heart, and recite the Iron Creed. Five hymns are then sung, one illustrating and expounding a different point of the Creed. During the last song, offerings are taken from the congregation.
Following the hymns and offering, the congregation sits and the Priest delivers a short, concise, and practical sermon on the applications of the Iron Creed to every day life, as well as wordly politics and inter personal conflict.
Afterward the sermon is delivered, the Priest chooses two members of the congregation, and they are asked to engage in a contest. The contest can be a debate or a duel, but in both cases the event is highly formal. If debate is the chosen form of contest, the congregation votes for the winner. If the contest is martial, the first to draw blood is declared winner. In either case, the loser is healed if necessary by the Priest, and kept after the service for counseling and additional training.
It is considered very bad form to purposefully kill an opponent during the ritual duel, or to engage in personal insults during the debate.
Andartan congregations always meet midweek for a day long Forum, which is followed by a Dark Mass. The Forum is a time for debate, planning, scholarly research, and social networking during which members get to know each other and put together schemes for furthering the power of Andarta in the world. Larger temples with the facilities to handle such events often offer formal dinners after both Dark Mass and the Forum in order to better foster connections among the laity.
Chain of Command
The Andartan church follows a fairly rigid hierarchy. Promotion is merit based, with accomplishments achieved in the cult's service counting a great deal towards an increase in rank. Lower ranked members can expect to advance easily by completing missions that are either martial or social in nature, but higher ranks require significant achievements in both. Those with a divine connection to the Iron Maiden herself are held to an even higher standard, and must demonstrate a bare minimum of supernaturalpower to be considered for a position, in additional to any demonstrations of usefulness required.
Promotions are handed out by those directly above the candidate for promotion, and may be awarded spontaneously for outstanding service in the field, posthumously, or bestowed upon request if the superior believes the petitioner is worthy. A denied promotion may be challenged in combat, or circumvented politically. It is considered a breach of etiquette to go above your immediate superior for a promotion, however. Subtler methods are needed. Killing your superior during a promotion duel it is considered a mark of distinction, though generally most duels end with the superior either knocking her opponent unconscious, or being knocked out herself.
Knightly Order
[Blackguards/Pious Templars]
Andarta's knights are known as The Order of the Iron Rose. They are all but extinct, but during their prime were a stunning example of the power and efficiency of the Andartan military machine. Combining professional military training with divine power, they were a powerful symbol on any battlefield of the power their goddess projects onto the mortal world.
The Order is typically divided into two sub-sects of holy warriors: Blackguards and Pious Templars. The former work to promote Andarta's cause abroad, while the latter are concerned with the security of her temples and people at home. They work together as two halves of a seamless whole.
Knights of the Iron Rose are considered subservient to the Priesthood, but it is possible to hold ranks in both chains of command. Junior priests are still expected to show respect to high ranking members of the knighthood, and those who fail to do so often find themselves challenged to a duel by those they insult. The Blade, however, is considered to be the same rank as a Crown, and can even be elected Iron Avatar in some cases.
Recruit [Lvl 1-2]
Page [Lvl 3-4]
Squire [Lvl 5-6]
Knight of the Iron Rose, 3rd Degree [Lvl 7-8]
Knight of the Iron Rose, 2nd Degree [Lvl 9-10]
Knight of the Iron Rose, 1st Degree [Lvl 11-12]
Knight of the Iron Rose, Master Knight [Lvl 13-14]
Knight of the Iron Rose, Dread Knight [Lvl 15-16]
Knight of the Iron Rose, Fell Knight [Lvl 17-20]
Knight of the Iron Rose, Blade [Head of the Order]
Priestly Order
[Clerics, Favored Souls]
Andarta's Priesthood are called the Iron Councilors, and are a very charming and viciously political lot. While most can fight better than you'd think, they primarily concern themselves with shepherding the faithful and promoting the cause of the church in society. They leave most of the muscle work to the Order of the Iron Rose, but can be expected to unleash their divine power in frightening ways if their holy temples are threatened.
The head of the Order is called the Iron Avatar, and is considered Andarta's will and voice on Kandor. The Avatar is elected from the ranks of the Crowns by the other Crowns, and is always female. Often, a Blade will be elected Iron Avatar, if the cult is involved in a bloody conflict that requires strong battlefield leadership. There has not been an Iron Avatar for a century; the last died during a desperate, last ditch attempt at crushing the Omicron by attacking the Lady of Steel's main temple in the west.
The ritual for anointing an Iron Avatar is said to fill the candidate with a tiny spark of Andarta's divine essence.
Initiate [1st Level Spells]
Acolyte [2nd Level Spells]
Deacon [3nd Level Spells]
Priest/Priestess [4th Level Spells]
Advocate [5th Level Spells]
Consul [6th Level Spells]
Viceroy [7th Level Spells]
Voice [8th Level Spells]
Crown [9th Level Spells]
Iron Avatar [Head of Priestly Order]