Church of the Moonlight (Open!)

[sage_the_vampirc_angel]

One of the Founding Member: Vatican
Council Leader: Metztli Adriel Nacht
Protector Lassarium Nacht:


Private or Public: Public

The Church of the Moonlight is a group of like minded Soquili and familiars who worship the moon Goddesses Trivia and Selene but are mainly organized under Trivia's following. They do accept and welcome those who follow other moon gods/ goddesses as long as they are willing to work within the three branches of the church and to help the church with its mission to guide any who maybe lost through the darkness of the light. The Church also believes that while the light of the goddess is extremely important that it is also the darkness of the night is also very important and in order to understand one that members must be willing to understand and embrace the other.

At the moment the Church/ herd/ group thingy doesn't have any specific territory that they claim as their own. They have a specific location ( which I can't recall where I wanted to put it on the soq map) that they meet to do their worshiping but for the most part the Nacht family(using them as the example cause their only members right now) is sorta spread out in where they live and come together every full and new moon to meet. Other wise the positioned members get together to do their jobs as needed but live off on their own

-The Church's main goddess is Trivia/ Selene. But they welcome those who believe moon gods/ goddesses are welcome
-The Church believes that there are NO avatars to the goddess. No one or thing that has a direct connection to the goddess.
- The Church welcomes any who is willing to worship the moon and nighttime and will not harm the churches members (aka no Skinwalkers or any other soquili who would be violent towards fellow members)
-The Church is run by no one member but instead by a high council composed of atleast two high High Priest/ Priestess, two master Trainers and two retrievers or guides


-The Church itself is composed of three main branches,
-Within each branch there are a number of positions that a member of the church can hold. Most members who work for the church dedicate themselves to one one branch and one position.
-Those who are with the church from birth aka foals or young familiars can work with in two branches holding one position in each branch. (Aka Asariel has been with the church since foalhood is both in the Beams and the Darkside Branches holding Master Trainer position in the Darkside branch and guide position in the Nighttime branch)
-Rarely those who with those who have been with the church since birth can master a position with in all three branches. At this time there is no member of the church that holds one position in all three branches. At this time there is no member that has achieved this that is currently alive. (Lassuarium is said to have the skills in order to hold a position in all three branches but has not trained to have a position in the Face branch)
- Any member holding two or more positions can only obtain one high or master position. ( Using Asariel again there.as he is one of the Master Trainer in the Darkside Branch he can no become a master guide because he already holds one master/ high title.)  

[sage_the_vampirc_angel]

Church Rules:
-No member is required to hold a rank within the church and those who do may leave their rank if they choose too and are willing to help train the next generation . However even general members are asked that they find something that is helpful to the Church to do
-The church never seeks fights against or discriminates against other herds, beliefs or soquili.
-All decisions concerning the church are made via a council of ranked members from all branches.
-Respect the ranks and council. If you have a concern or disagreement please bring it up to the appropriate members in a civil manner.
- Members of the church must treat all allies or those who seek the church's assistance with same respect they would show fellow members
- The church does not discriminate against members who believes may differ from the main goddesses of the church. But asks that they are respectful of the main bodies beliefs and ideals.
- The church shall be considered a safe haven for all those who travel at night and seek assistance in the dark. None shall be denied unless they show ill will against the church or others.
-Do not take a life without consulting the council. Only in cases of self defense will taking another life not be considered murder.
-In all other cases death should only be committed by the hooves of an assassin or death dealer whom has been given permission by the council.
-If you are found to be a murderer your punishment will be banishment from the Church and or up to a death sentence.
- All judgement and punishments for any other crimes will be made by the council. No one member or members should try and judge another or carry out punishment for perceived crimes with out the council's permission.
-All relationships are welcome within the church. All family styles are also welcome. Do not discriminate against others who may not hold the same beliefs as you. The only relationships that will not be accepted are abusive or non-consensual. These are taken very seriously and subject to severe punishment.
-Many members of the church believe they are vampires and do consume blood. No other members should discriminate against them for this reason.
-Any blood a vampiric member consume must come willingly from another soquili or member or must be taken from a non familiar animal with out causing them severe pain.
-Vampire members are not favored over other members of the church. Beyond blood consumption nothing is special about them in the eyes of the church.




OOC RULES:
-NOTE: Please Feel free to PM Sage about anything if you have questions or just generally feel awkward about posting or whatever-

1. Please keep shop and site rules in mind when RPing. Do not RP anything not allowed by the site or shop.
2. Be kind and respectful when dealing with others in OOC
3. Please keep the herd ideals and thoughts in mind when RPing
4. Please understand IC opinions are not OOC opinions
5. Please understand that there will be IC consequences if your Soquili does something that breaks herd rules
6. Please do not discrimate no matter what.
7. If you want to have a mega plot or a plot the herd might react to please feel free to contact us about it!
....
14. Sage is head hancho of all this herd shizzle, ask her any questions
.....
69.Pollack is Sage's helpful hooker and can help with herd stuff and answer questions if she feels like it and Sage isn't around. Though who knows Sage might say something different.
.....
999. Don't call Adriel Metzy or Asariel Ariel or Viviane Viv or Vee, they will bite you

NEWS:
8/27/2016- Bit of clarification/ extra info added to the Death Dealer rank.
8/18/2016- Backstory/ lore of the church has been added.
7/09/2016- The church has decided to add a sub-branch to its over all system- The Stars: This sub branch is for overall member or ranked members whom's rank does not completely fit into or fall under one of the three main branches.
7/09/2016- the Sub- branch Stars gained the following ranks. Divine Muse, Fabric Muses, Academic Muses, Tangible Muses, and general Members
7/09/2016- The Darkside has gained two new ranks. Assassin and the Master level of Deathdealers
7/09/2016- The Face (s) Have gained three new ranks, Faith Healers, Body healers, and Master healers.  

[sage_the_vampirc_angel]

There is always two sides to every story, if not some times many more than just two. In many stories in which the sides of day and night are pinned aganist each other, Day often wins. But of course to some this side, is not so favorable. It is not to say either side is entirely right or that one is entirely wrong. This story is simply to show that for some the night is the hero and in this case the moon it's heroine.
So our story begins not so long ago with a stallion for whom a large part of his life forced himself into the daylight against his nartual weakness to sunlight against his some times blood craving nature because for so long he herd the same tales. Never embrace the night, the stories warned. It is a dark, horrid time.. a place filled with all that is evil, wicked, and frightening. So the stallion heeded the stories warnings not matter how the sun pricked and pained him as he grew. His family had be giving the surname of Night in their tongue and so many other foals made fun of him calling him the things that lurked in the darkness. For so long the stallion fought the night while others in his family embraced it. They told him of its comforts, of how the moon so much less damaging than the sun gave her soothing light to them and used her stars to guide them. But the stallion contiuned to deny their words for those he had heard as a foal.
Till one day after a great battle fought along side two leggers he was left injured amongst the dead to meet his last breath as well. As the sun sank around the curve of the lands far off in the distance the stallion took a shuddering breathe, fear of the darkness taking him for a moment as he waited to be surrounded by complete blackness, emptyness for the first time he could remember. But as the soft colors of day faded into darker colors and he thought his last breathe would occur. The stallion instead felt relief from the pain of daylight, something he had never known. Still holding a bit of fear in his heart the stallion slowly opened his eyes expecting to be surrounded by nothingness or mosters ugly beyond all words. But as his eyes opened before him was the most beautiful sight. The Moon goddess floating amoungst her twinkle stars high in her night's dark embrace. So enamored with the sight it took him a moment to realize around him family and others who had long ago embraced the night moved around the field of injured bodies helping them to heal or to go to their final rest. Once all those who could be healed, himself included where helped the stallion was led by those of who embraced the night to their camp.
There looking at all the faces of those who where happy within the darkness as they helped those whom were lost to find peace with the darkness or atleast a way home. The stallion knew something must come from this awakening he had been given, so he set forth his heart filled with a promise. To create a church a place for those of who embraced the night to worship the moon goddess and to help others see not all that goes bump in the night were wicked.

(OOC info here: this isn't Vatican but one of earlier family member like great grandfather or something. Vatican is considered a founding member for creating one of the first physical and permanent branches of the Church.)  

[sage_the_vampirc_angel]

The Face(s) of the Moon:
These are the religious leaders of the church while all members of the church can in fact become a priest, priestess, or acolyte of the church, the faces are those who dedicate a large amount if not their whole lives to worshiping the moon Goddess and interrupting the moon light (in the forms of moon beams coming down to the lands or designs the moon light creates on the ground) into divine messages.

Positions:

Hight Priest/ Priestess; These members of the church work with the high council in order to run the church. Their main job with in the council is to make sure that the word of the goddess always guides any decisions or choices that the church decides to make and that both the moon and the night both are equally taught of and embraced by all members of the church.

Master Healers: Master healers are healers who have dedicated their lives and skills to the church and are well versed in both manners of healing. So much so the church feels comfortable allowing them to train and direct the lower ranked healers.


Priest/ Priestess: These members of the church work by both learning and teaching the goodness of both the light of the moon and the darkness which allows the goddess' light to shine at night. Priest and Priestess are the main foundation of the church beyond its members. Their main jobs are to praise the goddess, teach others of the goodness of the moon and night and to care for the church in general.

Faith Healers: These members are the church are healers who while they use some medical amount of healing focus most of their healing skills into learning to heal via religious teaching the church has collected over the years. Their training is so faith based that in order to hold this rank they must also have completely or nearly so, also have gained the rank of priest or priestess along with some medical training in order to hold this rank. This rank also primarily assists members of the church who are close to death by easing their passing.

Medical healers: Pretty much the opposite of the Faith healers. Medical healers. Have minor religious training and instead focus mainly on learning to heal by purely medical means. These healers often leave the church for some time period in order to train under other healers who have vast medical knowledge before returning to the church to employ their skills.

Diviners: These members of the church are the closest things church has to avatars. While the church believes that no one soquili can be a direct connection to the goddess (aka there are no avatar(s) of the goddess. No one being who is a physical representation or connection to the goddess) They do believe that some of the members of the church are blessed with the ability to interrupt what the goddess wishes for the church to do. Diviners never gain very specific instructions from their divining, more along the lines of simple helpful hints from the goddess, Such as tonight help is needed to guide lost from the west or with in the next few nights the goddess should receive liquid gifts. Diviners always work in groups playing off each other to best understand the message that the goddess is trying to send them. Several groups of diviners usually go out each night to read the messages of the goddess. Reporting back to the church as the learn things via their groups scribe or acolytes. Divining is a very in depth job so usually the diviners focus solely on reading the messages while their needs are cared for by the acolytes and their words are taken down by the groups scribe. Many diviners go into a trance like state while working to read the message they are working on and often can not recall what they have said afterwards.

Many diviners are also usually well educated in astronomy, following star paths and making star charts. Which some of them will use to aid them both before and after their trances in order to better understand the messages the stares are giving to them

Scribes: These members of the church usually work with a group of the diviners. Usually one scribe works with each group of diviners. It is their duty to keep a written ledger of everything all the diviners say with in the reading of the message and to make sure the final message is recorded so that it can be done with as needed to be by the church.

Acolytes: These members are usually those who are training for further positions with in the branch of the Face(s) they work with the Priest/ Priestess, Diviners, and Scribes as apprentices learning their crafts and helping to take care of those they are working under.  

[sage_the_vampirc_angel]

The Darkside(s) of the Moon:
These members of the church are those who are willing to take on the darker aspects of what is needed in order to protect the church and its members. Darksiders are the fighters, knights trainers and so on who would give their life for other members of the church or the church itself.

Positions:

Master Trainers: After years of dedicating their life and fighting skills to the church, fighters and knights who are found to have enough skills are offered the position as Master Trainers. They organize the fighters, trainers, knights, and squires and decide who will take what missions and how everyone trains to best enhance their skills

Death Dealers: Akin to the Master Trainer level. Death dealers are Assassins who have dedicated their lives and skills both to the church and those who have passed. A death dealers main duties include, keeping tabs on the assassins so none are lost to bloodlust, helping to train and skill test new assassins/ currently working assassins, doing the death rituals the church has in place for members who have passed and on rare occasions returning to the field to do high risk or high profile assassinations.

* Death dealers are probably really really odd to the rest of the church not so much for their like grave keeping cause really all members are probably encouraged to at least go talk to their ancestors but because they've moved up beyond assassins. Most who take the assassin rank probably are never found to be quite right to take the death dealer position like its a really mental based thing. Like the church has to for SURE know they can handle the taking of a life and still be mentally strong enough to not go off the deep end.~~ The Death Dealers go as far as to send possible death dealers to secondary church location where they go through up to Years worth of further training and testing before being allowed this rank. Most of the church does not know where this secondary location is. The death dealers are a very sort of secret society sort of mentality when it comes to what goes into becoming a Death Dealer ( AKA probably best to PM Sage about adding a pony to this Rank)

Trainers; These members of the church are dedicated to making sure that all those who fight for the church are skilled to the best of their abilities. Trainers usually master a number of different techniques in which they can train others to use in service of the church.

Assassins: As the name implies assassins deal with well assassinating enemies of the church. This rank is rarely if even allowed to be hired out. It would take extreme circumstances in order of this to happen. When not training or doing their duties (which is a rare occurrence) Most assassins train as backup fighters or in rare cases back up knights and work as the grave keepers of the church. Tending to plots and praying for passed members so that they do no lose themselves to bloodlust.


Knights: The knights are the members of the darkside branch which fight directly for the church. They do no often actually see action but instead are posted a guards for the church itself or for groups of diviners who are out in the field working. They are the some what like the bouncers or referees of the church making sure that every one is protected and that if a fight, crime or anything else that might require battle skills occurs that it is dealt with as quickly as possible.

Fighters: The fighters and knights are on equal footing with in the church but where knights usually work as purely protection, fighters work both as protection and as on an offensive measure. Fighters have more free roam with their duties often accompanying guides or retrievers into the field. Fighters will also accompany members of the church on journeys whether they be another position holder or just a simple following member. The fighters can also in a sense have their skill bought. If say another herd or group required help they could ask the church for fighters in exchange for favors or donations to the church. Fighters themselves can not be bought or paid for to them directly. For a fighter to accept payment to themselves alone for a task is considered disgraceful and that fighter would lose their position with in the church.

Squires; These members are of the church are like the acolytes of the Face branch they are members who are training for a higher position with in their branch by serving under one of the higher members.  

[sage_the_vampirc_angel]

The Nighttime(s) of the Moon
The member of this branch are usually those most willing to embrace the night for both the goddess' light but also for its darkness. They work guiding the lost through the darkness or retrieving, transporting and hiding things within the darkness of the night.

Positions

Master Guides or Retrieves. These members of the church work with the Nighttime branch members in order to pass out missions, direct others to those who might need guidance through the night. With in the high council it is their duty to make sure that where the high priest/ priestess keep the light of the moon in focus, they work to make sure the darkness of night is as equally embraced.

Guides: These members of the church go out each night to different places a traveler might become lost in the darkness and help guide them to their destination or to the church for sanctuary.

Retrievers: These are members of the church who are skilled at tracking and finding. Their mission is to go out at night and find objects that might have been lost by the church,one of its member, or even at times to find lost members of the church. On rare occasions they also work transporting important objects to different locations or even hiding objects for the church or a member of the church. Retrievers must not only be skilled in navigating the darkness of the night, finding and or hiding objects but also in interacting with others in case the sought object is in the possession of another. The church does no condone stealing, they understand at times to retrieve a relic it may be necessary but they prefer that the retrieves would negotiate in order to get the sought object.

At the moment the church has no official position for those who wish to learn to be a guide of retriever. Those who wish to train for one of the positions often just ask a Master to assign them to a Guide or Retriever or try to learn the skills on their own.

Spiritual Guide //Confessor - Someone who patiently waits for those who seek guidance and unburdening in a safe space with anonymity. Each Guide / Confessor has a mapped out area in the forest where those
confessing can wander around and talk While the confessor lies hidden some where in the area ready to listen and offer help. Each confessing area is marked by lines tired with Bells on the outer most line so those approaching can't not hear any one with in the confession area and inner area marked with pure while string that appears to glow in even the faintest moon light soon the confessing know the are still with in confessors hearing range. The entry of each confessing area is marked with two candles. One of which is always light when the confessor is with in the area and another that the confessee lights as they are entering the area.

While it may see at odd the the other positions with in the nighttime branch confessors are placed with in their branch for they still infact guide others through darkness even if it is internal.  

[sage_the_vampirc_angel]

The Stars
This sub branch is for overall member or ranked members whom's rank does not completely fit into or fall under one of the three main branches

Dawn criers Those who sing through the night to help guides and retrievers find their way back to the church. Though their most important song comes in the morning when they sing to the rising sun warning those with in the church who's eye can no longer handle bright sun light that the rising sun is peaking over the horizon. Dawn Criers are chosen most often for their specifically loud and often haunting singing voices that can carry through forest around the church for long distances. The criers are taught to sing specific songs usually in German that only member of the church would recognize or understand.

Divine muses- Master of the arts. You have to be a master artisan in all trades in order to hold this rank. A true jack-of-all-trades who train others and oversees main projects commissioned by the church

Fabric Muses-tailors, seamstresses, and other artisans who deal with anything cloth related needed by the church.

Tangible Muses- Those who deal with anything artistic for the church that requires physical efforts. Singers, dancers, gardeners, sculpture artists.

Academic Muses- Muses who deal with Arts or skill that require more mental preparations like painting, drawing, map making, accounting, History and record keeping

General members: Members of the church who feel no need or want to hold a rank with in the church.  

[sage_the_vampirc_angel]

All Branches
Members who hold a position in all three (or more) branches

Lassuarium Nacht:

Face Branch: Faith Healer
Darkside Branch: Fighter
Nighttime Branch: Retriever





Duel Branches
Those who hold a position in more than one Branch

Metztli Adriel Nacht:

Face Branch: High Priest
Stars: Academic Muse

Luminista:

Face Branch: Scribe
Star: Academic Muse



Asariel:

Darkside Branch: Master Trainer
Nighttime Branch; Guide  

[sage_the_vampirc_angel]

Face(s) of the Moon

High Priest/ Priestess:


Master Healers:


Priest/ Priestess:
Vatican:


Lailah Nacht:


Faith Healers:

Medical Healers:
Mastema Mihr Asura-


Diviners:

Tsaphiel Nacht:


Scribes


Acolytes:  

[sage_the_vampirc_angel]

Darkside(s) of the Moon

Master Trainers:

Death Dealers:

Vradric Nacht



Trainers:

Assassins:

Lady Viviane Pendragon

Knights:



Fighters:

Helios Nacht


Squires:  

[sage_the_vampirc_angel]

Nighttime(s) of the Moon

Master Guide or Retrievers:





Guide





Retrievers:




Spiritual Guide //Confessor:

 

[sage_the_vampirc_angel]

The Stars



Dawn criers




Divine Muses:

Fabric Muses:

Tangible Muses

Aziza
Academic Muses:


General Members:


 

[sage_the_vampirc_angel]

JOIN USSSSS

Adding a member:

[color=darkblue][size=13][b]I wish to embrace the moonlight![/b][/size][/color]
[b]Soquili -[/b] [url=] Name [/url]
[b]Ranked?[/b] Yes/No
[b]Rank Wanted:[/b]
(Unsure of what rank might might best fit your soquili? Leave it up to the council! (aka fill out the personality and lifestory and I'll pm you to discuss possible options/ ideas))
[b]Soquili's Personality [/b]
[b]Member's Lifestory [/b]

Questing a new member:

[size=13][color=purple][b] Ooh looking at this star I discovered![/b][/color][/size]
[b]Owner[/b]
[b]Future member's name :[/b]
[b]Ranked:[/b] Yes/No
[b]Possible Rank wanted: [/b]
[b]I'd like to quest a Nacht Family member: [/b]Yes/No ( if Yes please PM Sage to find out what family members are available for use as references and what family members positions are open)
[b]Member idea/form:[/b]

Adding/ Changing/ Leaving Ranks

[size=13][b]The Stars have shown me a new Path[/b][/size]
[b]Member's Name :[/b]
[b]Owner:[/b]
[b]Adding/ Changing or Leaving Rank?: [/b]
[b]Old Rank:[/b]
[b]New Rank:[/b]

Ally Soquili or Herd:

[color=blue][size=13]Our Star paths have Crossed [/size][/color]
[b]Ally Soquili or Herd Name:[/b]
[b]Why do you/ your herd wish to Ally with the church?:[/b]
[b]Additional information on Soquili/ herd?:[/b]

Idea for a plot/ idea /suggestion for the herd?

[size=13][color=orange][b]
Oooh Look at this nifty star name![/b][/color][/size]
[b]Is your Idea/suggestion, Plot or overall herd related:[/b]
[b]Will this effect the OOC or ICly?:[/b]
[b]Whats your idea/ suggestion:[/b]
[b]Does it affect the herds history?[/b]

 

[sage_the_vampirc_angel]

Herd Allies:

Marek Lothario De Luxure: (Weapons provider)



Herd Enemies:

 

[sage_the_vampirc_angel]