Ferstaal:
Seasons of Intrigue

The Church in Ferstaal

Ferstaal’s religion comes originally from the spiritual beliefs that were popular in the frontier lands of the old empire of Hembria.

In general, people believe that the mortal realm is positioned midway between the realms of the Upper and Lower spirit planes. The mortal plane is considered “neutral territory”, a sort of no-man’s-land between the two warring spirit factions. It is also a place of healing and regeneration for those spirits who perish in the conflicts between the Upper and Lower realms. In a sense, the mortal plane is considered an “afterlife” for spirits, who take human form when they are destroyed in their conflicts. Upon human death, a spirit “passes on”, moving to an entirely different universe, one without the wars and conflicts of the three realms. Thus humans are considered to be born with either an upper or lower aspect, which will determine their nature in the mortal realm. However, too much attachment to this nature will keep their spirit from passing on. A spirit that is too attached to either the upper or lower aspect of being passes back into the appropriate spirit realm. There are also spirits who wander the Earth as ghosts due to some extreme attachment to the mortal plane. Although it is believed that each person is born affiliated with either the upper or lower spirit realm, there is a well-held belief in free will, and the idea that one can change one’s nature through one’s deeds on Earth.

Because of this avoidance of extremes, the religion focuses on moderation, simplicity, and an understanding of nature, which will allow one’s soul to pass on.

These beliefs are at the core of Ferstaal’s religion, but they are open to many interpretations. The church began as an alliance of priests of differing traditions and styles who banded together in the years following the founding of Ferstaal and its neighboring kingdoms with the aim of preventing religious conflict. For the most part, this effort has been successful. Points of philosophy are debated, but rarely fought over.

Clergy are called acolytes. They are appointed to their positions by the High Acolyte of their region. Most acolytes begin their careers in the service of a local temple. Temples are supported by the generosity of their congregations, and there is a certain degree of competitiveness among temples, especially in cities. The general belief of the High Acolytes is that temples should be allowed to freely compete for followers, as this helps to weed out false or extremist teachings. The populace is largely conservative and traditional, and in most regions of Ferstaal, they do not take well to novel religious ideas. There are some exceptions to this. Most notably in recent times, the troubled areas of Marsh County have seen some temples spring up that have had accusations of heresy and of fostering unrest leveled at them.

The church functions as a powerful political body in Ferstaal and in the four nearby kingdoms. Each kingdom has a First Acolyte, who serves as the political leader of the church, and who reports to a gathering of the five First Acolytes of the Five Kingdoms each midsummer. Serving beneath each First Acolyte is a Spirit-Speaker, chosen by divine ritual. The Spirit-Speaker is said to be a direct agent of the wills of the spirits and is considered to be the most powerful of the spirit-touched in his or her kingdom. There is also a Second Acolyte, who assists the First Acolyte, runs the church if the First Acolyte is absent, and serves as the First Acolyte’s immediate successor, unless a direct sign from the spirits indicates another choice for succession. This is rare, and requires the certification of the Spirit-Speaker and the full council of High Acolytes. There is also an Acolyte-General, appointed by the First Acolyte, who commands the military and investigative forces of the church in each kingdom.

Acolytes are addressed as “Brother” or “Sister”. High acolytes would be called “Brother Superior” or “Sister Superior”, while the titles of the church leaders would be “First Brother/Sister”, “Second Brother/Sister”, and “Brother/Sister-General” respectively. The Spirit-Speaker, by tradition is called only plain “Brother/Sister” even if he/she holds a title of High Acolyte.

The duties of Acolytes include leading their congregations in prayer, overseeing religions occasions, performing of marriages, blessings, and funerals, and the performance of sacred rituals. These traditions vary from region to region, but follow general guidelines set forth in many volumes of sacred scripture. There is an Almanac, updated every ten years, which serves as a common prayer book for acolytes throughout the five kingdoms.

Due to their strong connections with nature, most acolytes serve as healers and advisors in matters of agriculture. Acolytes who show special promise in these areas can attend one of several universities that the church has set up, where they can complete courses to become a doctor, astronomer, or a master farmer. These degrees carry a great amount of prestige and individuals with this training are highly valued.

The church is open to both men and women, and it is one of the few areas of society in the Five Kingdoms where there is a high degree of equality between the sexes. There are currently two female High Acolytes, and considerable precedent for women serving in high capacities throughout the church. Women are also accepted into the universities, and may take the same courses and degrees as their male counterparts. There are certain special rituals that are exclusive to one sex or the other, mostly rituals associated with fertility and the like.

The church serves as the moral voice of the Five Kingdoms, and acolytes have the authority to condemn actions that go against the will of the spirits or play to the extremes of the high and low planes. In the case of “low” actions, these are sins that are mostly punishable by law: theft, violence, rape, and the like. Actions attuned to the upper plane are also sometimes condemned by the church, and these can include excessive pride, vanity, and greed. Although the church may condemn and warn, they do not have the authority to take direct action except against transgressions by acolytes, who are subject to a church trial for any crimes they are accused of.

The church has developed into a wealthy and powerful institution over time, and it controls large areas of land (much of it set aside as sacred to the spirits). The church has its own military forces to guard its facilities, and it exerts considerable political influence throughout the Five Kingdoms. Some in Ferstaal worry that the church has the potential to bring foreign-influenced political pressure to bear on the King and on those noble houses heavily affiliated with the church.

Church Leaders in Ferstaal

First Sister Talavaria is one of the youngest First Sisters in Church history. While it is public rumor that all First Acolytes are chosen by the Gods themselves, the humans of the Church had more of a hand in her selection than normal. When presented with their possibilities, they chose her over the others because they thought she would be the easiest to control, but she is proving wiser than they knew, and is starting ever so slightly to assert her own will in the governance of the Church.

Second Brother Maldan is a nondescript paper-pusher type. His head is more for numbers and accounting and record-keeping than it is for the people, and he is quite content working behind the First Sister, with no eye for power for himself.

Brother General Takuius, Acolyte-General of the Church of Ferstaal, is another older man who puts on airs of being tough and thorny, but is inside rather kind and gentle, and would rather teach novices than head up everything he heads up.

Sister Oselta was chosen as Spirit Speaker through divine omen at the age of eighteen and has served over four decades in that capacity. Veiled in white linen gauze, she is led to and from worship by her attendants, although no one knows the true extent of her blindness. All agree that she does not see as normal people see, and her insights have guided many church decisions. Cryptic and sometimes undecorous, Sister Oselta cares not for politics or protocols. She is the direct voice of the spirits and she is not shy about letting those around her know it.

High Acolytes of the Counties

Brother Superior Aristos, the High Acolyte of Bobd County is an elderly and well-respected acolyte who is know for his good sense of humor and love of good food.

Brother Superior Hairas of Lokram County , a younger Acolyte with a passion and genius for architecture. His designs have been used in several church buildings, but some wonder if his interest in building consumes his thinking to the point of obsession.

Sister Superior Tireeze, High Acolyte of Bay County was raised in a settlement on the western frontier where it is said that she befriended orc and troll leaders in the area and negotiated settlements to land disputes. She is known for her pacifistic outlook and her shrewd diplomatic skills.

Sister Superior Iretia of Elden County, an unassuming, mousy-plain woman. Beneath her demure personality lie the sharp eyes of a hawk, serving her well in the spy-riddled regions of House Emile.

Brother Superior Morganus of Marsh County, a balding middle-aged man of unremarkable appearance, is timid and uncomfortable in public settings. His nervous and sometimes neurotic nature hide a deep spiritual connection that is apparent to those who take the time to get to know him.

Sister Superior Tiatia of Hillsdale County, an elderly woman slowly going blind, who felt a grandmother's fondness for the Queen and thus got along quite well with House Vitur, but isn't exactly the strongest representative of the Church. Her age and increasing senility are blotting out her influence, though her devotion to the Church is no less.

Brother Superior Remus of South County. Very young for a High Acolyte, Brother Remus is a scholarly, meticulous man with an expert eye for administration and detail. He is an exceptionally gifted surgeon, and he works long hours into the night managing the churches along the frontier while still attending to the most serious of medical cases.

Brother Superior Risoi of Lee County, a thin, physically-fit middle-aged man who at first enjoyed his share of sailing too, but was reprimanded by the Church for letting his fondness for village life interfere with his duties to the Church. He has since become much more hard-nosed with the villagers, costing him influence and perhaps costing the Church devotion.

Brother Superior Pavel Kassof of North County is allowed to retain his surname because of his noble birth. Entering the church at a young age, when he was found to be strongly spirit-touched, Brother Pavel Kassof was expected to be placed in a comfortable position. Instead, he has insisted on the most challenging of assignments, a path which has led him to leadership of the church in a county controlled by dire enemies of his family. Although rumors that he is a spy persist, even House Slade has had to admit that he has conducted himself as an effective and devoted High Acolyte.

Sister Superior Enthya, a recent replacement of the last High Acolyte in Eddys County. She is a no-nonsense, take-no-prisoners woman meant to be an antidote to the former laxity and corruption in that province.

Regents of the University

Sister Superior Hendra, Regent of Research, has traveled the known world in search of interesting people, new foods, and different ways of celebrating the Church's holy festivals.

Brother Superior Nipeh, Regent of Instruction, believes that the old ways are best, and that the Church should stay true to its roots and historical traditions.

Brother Superior Erammus, Regent of Worship, is a devout and solitary man whose quiet words of encouragement have helped lift the spirit of many a student who was having difficulty. Erammus believes is a simple lifestyle and a strict regiment of prayer, fasting, and service. He shuns politics and leaves most of the day-to-day governing of the University to his fellow Regents, but his connection to the students is exceptionally strong.

Ferstaal Pages

Main Ferstaal Page - Introduction/Directory

Player Directory - Faces Behind the Characters

Characters - Master List of Characters in Ferstaal.

Game Rules - Rules of Play and Guidelines for Character Creation.

Map - Map of the Kingdom of Ferstaal.

Calendar and Timeline - The Ferstaal Calendar and timeline of events.

Church - The Church in Ferstaal.