Aesir

The Priesthood of Melrath: The Aesir

The Aesir

The Aesir are an ancient and storied organization that has existed within the lands of Melrath for over five hundred arcs. They got their start in Fensalir, beginning as a fellowship of priests, healers, and spiritual guides. They were the first to commune with the spirits of Melrath in order to learn their wisdom. This allowed the Aesir keep peace between mortals and the denizens of the Beneath. They learned how to appease and live alongside spirits, and in turn this organization was rewarded with knowledge and power.

The budding people of Melrath flocked to the Aesir, turning the group into a powerful priesthood that has since held a great deal of sway in the hearts of Melrath’s citizens. Many locals will refuse to break ground on a new farm until the land has been blessed by an Aesiri priest. Others will not accept medical aid unless it has been approved by the local Aesir.

The Melrathi hold the Aesir in high, almost sacred esteem because this faction has held together the fabric of the nation for centuries. They have served as scholars, healers and negotiated the delicate balance between spirits and mortals for as long as anyone can remember. They manage not only the religion of an entire nation but also it’s libraries and tenuous relationship with mages.

To be an Aesir priest or priestess is to be respected, however it is easy to fall from grace when placed in such a revered position. Many Aesir have fallen to corruption in recent trials, using their power to leverage the Circle into supporting their goals or using their considerable sway to subjugate Melrathi mages.

Should you choose to join the Aesir, you will be faced with an important choice. Will you serve the people and spirits of Melrath or your own selfish desires?

Branches:

Lore Masters: The Lore Masters of the Aesir are treated with reverence due to their role as scholars and storytellers. They have seen to the preservation of history throughout the eons. This branch of the Aesir also sees to it that they pass on their knowledge to others by serving as the main educational force in the nation.

All children from age five to the age of twelve are required to attend daily lessons taught by a local Lore Master that is stationed in their settlement. Lessons will include basic arithmetic, writing as well as history. There is also a compulsory education in spirits and the worship of them.

Druids: While not as esteemed as the Lore Masters or Sharmans, the Druids of the Aesir are by far one of the most vital groups within the nation. As the Order of the Adunih has yet to extend its reach into Melrath, the Druids are charged with tending to the medical care of the Melrathi.

Many Druids are herbalists or alchemists and study medicine in depth in order to provide curatives to the locals. Other specialize in surgery or medical theory. There is a focus among the Druids in natural medicines. Surgeons are rare but not unheard of, however they strive to use less invasive techniques for curing their patients before putting someone under the knife.

Shamans: The Shamans of the Aesir are perhaps the most revered of their fellows as they deal directly with the spirits of the land, air, and water. These are the religious leaders of the Melrathi, they negotiate with spirits and see to it that peace is maintained between mortals and the denizens of the Beneath. While also acting as priests, many Shamans of the Aesir serve as formal advisors to politicians and the wealthy of Melrath as they specialize in the art of negotiation.

Additionally the Shamans have taken up a secondary role that many choose to specialize in. Dealing with mages within Melrath has always been problematic. Domain Magic has long been considered a useful tool in defending against the Immortals. It obviously has its own uses in defending the nation on the whole. So the Shaman branch works to support and control the registered mages of Melrath. Members of this branch ensure that all mages are registered upon discovery and are given at least a passing education in their Discipline. Mages who refuse registration or who become a danger to society are also handled by the Shamans. There are a rare few of this branch who specialize in mage hunting. These men and women will slay any mages who have become a hazard to the nation.

Joining:

To join the Aesir you must journey to their headquarters in Raelia in order to become a member.

Upon joining the Aesir you will be assigned the title of Adept. You must be a member of the Aesir for at least a short period before seeking initiation into one of the three branches. This amount of time is up to you, but it is advised that Adepts spent at least a season at their rank before advancing simply so they can gain a better understanding of the faction as a whole.

Adepts: Adepts are initiates of the Aesir. Upon joining you shall be given the option to utilize the Aesir Headquarters dormitories in Raelia as a residence, or reside at any of the Waystations located across Melrath.

Your duties as an Adept will vary. Some may spend most of their time working as couriers for the faction, or cooking and cleaning within the headquarters. However those with a drive to succeed can reach out to members of the branches in order to take up chores and simple tasks within the branch they desire to join.

Initiation into a Branch:

Each initiation is slightly different for each branch, although they retain a core similarity. Once you have been permitted to join your branch you shall be taken into the Wilds of Melrath, far from civilization by a few members of the branch you are joining. Normally a location is chosen due to its high spiritual activity. (examples: the depths of the Murkvior Forest, the peaks of the Melrathi Mountains, or the shore of Lake Svariella.)

Once there a current member of the Aesir will mark you with a new Embla that is unique to the Aesir. This Embla is special in that it is placed with a special ink that when painted onto the skin merges with the skin to become a permanent tattoo. Normally those attending the initiation will sing songs and burn incense while the Embla is being drawn. This can take at least half a break to complete. The Aesir Embla may be placed wherever the initiate desires, though many place it in very obvious areas since it is a great honor to bear.

The symbol of the Embla itself when paired with the higher presence of local Anak spirits leads to the tattoo imbuing the new Aesir with a special ability.

Spiritmeld (Aesir Ability)

When near any Anak and even an Induk, the Aesir is able to mentally sense the emotions of spirits. This is a form of empathy allowing them to discern the emotions of nearby spirits to try and deduce if they have been offended in any way. This ability is passive and is always active however it is possible via meditation near the spirit that the Aesir can begin to discern why they are feeling those emotions. (It can take anywhere from ten bits to a full break of meditation to deduce what sort of reasoning is behind a spirit’s emotions. The more powerful the spirit, the longer this process takes)

Additionally it is possible to use this ability to lead the Aesir toward nearby Spirits by feeling for their intense emotions. This ability is not exact and will only indicate a general direction. One must be within a mile of the spirit in question in order to sense their emotions. The further away, the weaker the emotional signal shall be.

Each branch of the Aesir uses this ability in different ways. Druids might use Spiritmeld to seek out certain spirits of plants in order to find herbal remedies. Lore Masters might seek out spirits related to specific environments they are researching in order to hone in on the target of their interest.

Leaving the Aesir:

Only a handful have ever abandoned the ranks of the Aesir. Those that do will find that their Aesir Embla will slowly degrade over the following Cycle before vanishing. During that time their Spiritmeld ability will slowly begin to vanish along with the Embla. Headaches are common during this process along with nightmares. Some believe this is the result of the spirits being displeased with the ex-Aesir’s choice.

Ranks:

Prophet (100 Points): The Prophets of the Aesir are considered the leaders of the faction they are also considered to be figures deeply blessed by the spirits. Many lesser Anak actually follow these individuals around due to the deep relationship that has formed between them. The word of a Prophet is considered law and their commands are always followed by the less senior members of the Aesir. The people of Melrath consider Prophets to be sacred, granting these leaders a massive amount of political power. It is no surprise that the Circle of Melrath treads a carefully when engaging in conflict with the Prophets of the Aesir.

Magus (80 Points): The Magus of the Aesir are responsible for the day to day running of the faction. They possess a great deal of sway in society as they can choose topics of research for Lore Masters or Druids to pursue and Shaman Magus often begin attempting to work with the most powerful spirits within Melrath; The Induk. The wealthiest of Melrathi will also hire the occasional Magus to advise them in their personal affairs. This can involve being dedicated as a healer to a very influential family, or researching matters that the family has interest in. Magus Shamans employed privately in their spare time will convene with the local anak in order to help their employers have better crop yields, or have more luck aboard their fishing vessels.

Herald (60 Points): Heralds are highly respected members of the Aesir. They work independently within their chosen branches and have become well known within their field of study as an expert. It is the job of the Heralds to educate the newer members. Many Heralds take on apprentices at the Monk or Augur level to assist them in their duties. It is at this level that those of modest wealth may begin hiring a Herald to come and advise them privately on personal matters.

Counsel (40 Points): At this point the member has become a highly valued member of the faction. They are capable of accomplishing assignments and mission on their own with little aid from their superiors. Counsel Druids will be treating patients quite readily on their own and dealing with more challenging cases. Lore Masters will begin truly delving into their own personal research and engaging in expeditions across Melrath to further develop science as a whole. Many Lore Masters will abandon teaching at this level though some prefer to remain as educators for the rest of their lives. Shamans are actively resolving disputes between spirits and mortals on their own. They are also

Augur (20 Points): Augurs are considered more advanced and useful in their chosen branch now that they have a little experience under their belt. These Aesir are normally paired up with a senior mentor that they will shadow throughout their work. Augurs will also work closely with locals to tend to commonplace problems. Druids will begin properly treating patients on their own, Lore Masters can begin educating older children while also beginning their own research and Shamans begin interacting with simple spirits such as Anak on their on far more.

Monk (Starting Rank) :Monks are the starting rank for the Aesir. These individuals are just learning the basic duties of their branch. Druid monks will spend their time grinding and processing herbal medicines for more senior members. Lore Masters will be doing things such as repairing old books or teaching the basics of math and reading to very young students. Shaman monks will be working with a more senior member of their branch in order to learn the theory behind spirit interaction.

How ranking up and rewards work for this faction (Link Here)