Pæð

The Lorekeeper

Identity

  • Titles – The Great Teacher, The Lorekeeper, The Nine Flames of Anū Gyð
  • Influence – Knowledge, Learning, Magic
  • Appearance – An elderly teacher in loose garments usually portrayed holding a large tome; sometimes sitting beneath a large spreading tree

Attributions

  • Symbol – Nine Flames
  • Focus – Gold objects usually crafted with flame motifs and crystal or glass lenses
  • Color – Gold and Red
  • Element – Fire
  • Animal – Ape, monkey

Cult

  • Center of Worship – Halls of Panæð, City of Panæð, Panæð
  • Scriptures –
  • Leader – Prydyrim Gor, …
  • Priesthood – Pryr Pæð, Gor Ordus Pæð
  • Orders – Order of Anū Gyð
  • Aspects – Imèrū of the Mysteries, Kūgùntor the Teacher
  • Touched – Vdr. Ismir the Martyr, Vdr. Nandūbōùð, Vdr. Tāylmavur, Vdr. Himàrab, Vdr. Libòga, Vdr. Zarav
  • Holy Days – Monthturn, Flald 1st (Day of Flames)
  • Friends – All Dekàli Cults and Orders, all seeking enlightenment, known to accommodate “enemy” scholars willing to offer the proper sacrifices
  • Enemies – Eylfāe
  • Sayings – “Learning delivers each Yrūn from its bestial nature “, “All that is observed may teach”, “The righteous seeks Truth in all things”

Introduction

Taylmavur stumbled naked into the hall of his lord, his hair was burnt and his skin was red and charred from fire. “I have been touched by the Fires of God and through them he has told me that his name is Pæð and that through him all Mysteries will be revealed.” With those words, the man died and a Cult was born. The event, referred to as the Lurdùrun of Taylmavur (or to some, the Annunciation) is believed to have happened sometime in the late 9th century AR. Little is known of the instrument of the god’s message, Taylmavur, though he is revered as one of the First Touched of Pæð. Other than the Lurdùrun, the image of the elderly priest Imèrū is sometimes used to represent Pæð, though the two should not be confused. Statues and images of Pæð-Imèrū are occasionally accompanied by images of Kūgùntor as well. Such icons usually include a large open book on the man’s lap with fire erupting from the pages.

The Cult of Pæð is an ancient religion which predates the arrival of the Dekàlyr by many centuries. In its earliest form, the Cult appears to have been a fraternity of scholars, scientists, and magicians which gathered at select points around the Sea of Pæð to discuss the Mysteries of life, magic, and death. Throughout the region, evidence of these gatherings stand in the form of remote megalithic constructions. Once elaborately carved and brightly painted, the old circles and barrows of this group have long since been swept clean of any such details (and significance). Other than the bare stones, the only other remnants of the Cult are the Mysteries they left behind.

Followers of the Cult of Pæð worshipped a dual spirit-god that stood between the Skein and the World. The god was depicted in frescoes as a sexless Yrūn standing with one foot on land and the other among the stars (representing the Skein). This image of Pæð appears to have been used for many centuries before the Cult’s disappearance around 560 AR. It is unclear why the early Cult dissolved, but it was probably due to geopolitical reasons as the rim of the Sea of Pæð was being divided by the rise of kingdoms. Another two hundred years would pass before the Mysteries were again revealed by Imèrū.

The Cult

The Cult of Pæð is divided into nine Houses, each dedicated to one of the Mysteries. A High Priest (bishop) presides over each House supported by a Circle of Advisors (prelates). Each Advisor oversees a host of Clerics (predicants) which in turn administer the temples and shrines of the Cult. Temples of Pæð are simple structures that serve as places of worship, study, and residence for the Keepers of the Flame.

The Priesthood

The High Priests of Pæð serve as both religious stewards and politicians, giving the Cult nine voices to influence the reigning High Lord or Lady. High Priests reside in traditional apartments and mansions within and surrounding the City of Panæð. These are men and women of great power and influence who make appearances on holy days, and little else.

The Advisors of Pæð reside within the cities of Panæð where they can administer their Houses more closely. When a Circle of Advisors must be convened, the Advisors return to Panæð, or wherever the High Priest happens to be. The High Priest of a House presides over all Circle of Advisor meetings. Despite a great deal of ritual law, the outcomes of these Circles are limited to providing advice to the High Priest. There can be no dissension within a House.

From the cities of Panæð, Advisors administrate the many regional temples and shrines of the Cult through their Clerics. Clerics therefore, are the highest ranking holy men and women that most laity encounter when dealing with the Cult. Each Cleric is assigned to one or more temples and shrines, and is responsible for its upkeep, membership, and congregation. it is also the responsibility of the Cleric to provide training for members of the House and to produce a number of Keepers every third year.

The Keepers of the Flame are the lowest ranking priests within the Cult of Pæð. These are lay people that have decided to commit themselves to a life of service within the Cult that the Clerics have determined are fit to serve. The progression from laity to Keeper takes up to three years and requires that the person be literate beforehand. There are no prohibitions to marriage or other vices within the Pryr Pæð provided that ranking priests do not consider such diversions distracting from one’s holy cause.

Advancement within the Keepers of the Flame is dependent on the mastery of lore and magics. The highest levels of the priesthood require the learning of complex spells called “Panæði Knots” which serve no purpose other than to display a priest’s magical prowess.

Priests wear loose fitting white clothes with flame-motif embroidery of red, black, and gold. Low-ranking priests are shaved bald. High-ranking priests wear high elaborate headgear .

Daily Activities

It is important for the faithful of Pæð to learn something new on each day, and to retain that knowledge. It is customary for priests of the Great Teacher to keep a writing paper with them during travels to record things that were are seen and learned. Each dawn, the priests of Pæð welcomes the coming sun with prayers of hope for the day to come. The faithful are duty bound to aid and teach those seeking enlightenment and learning, though such instruction often expects a tithe and instruction in the Great Teacher’s ways as well. There are no tenets establishing that priests should grant instruction and enlightenment freely.

Holy Days and Rituals

The people of Panæð celebrate each Monthturn as a time of reverence and reflection on the lessons of Pæð. During these days, all faithful are required to visit their local Halls and share some recent revelation with their fellow followers or the resident priests.

The Day of Flames (1st of Flald) commemorates the creation of the Nine Flames of Anū Gyð by Kugùntor. Though the golden flames no longer exist, it is traditional for adherents of the faith to create giant communal bonfires on this day. Some use this as an opportunity to burn offerings though it is not required. As the patron of the holiday is Kugùntor there are usually many pendants and trinkets exchanged with the ape’s image.

A little known rite practiced by some followers of Pæð, is the practice of moonbirth. Moonbirth is a ceremony in which an unborn child is taken from the mother by caesarean under the full face of a moon. It is believed that this ritual will insure that the child becomes a mage of some degree. The ceremony requires an adept of great skill both at rite and chirurgery; without these, the mother and often the child both die. One reason the rite is little known and seldom practiced is that it does not always have the desired result. There are many accounts of moonbirths that have not resulted in children of the Weave. Furthermore, and even less well-known, is that in rare incidents, botched rites have resulted in the creation of Nulls, creatures that cannot affect or be affected by magic. Nulls are considered aberrations by the Temple of Pæð, and seldom survive to adulthood.

Sacrifice occurs on holy days and as part of atonements. Specific sacrifices depend on purpose; offerings range from animals to written works which are consumed by flame in sacred halls.

Places of Worship

Unlike most of the Dekàlan Temples, the Keepers of the Flame do not have a central High Temple, but instead maintain and worship at nine great Halls which are all situated in and around the City of Panæð. Insight into the Nine Mysteries of Anū Gyð is as simple as looking at the names of the great halls: Discovery (Artūin), History (Egìrhin), Medicine (Vikìrūin), Knowledge (Silùrūin), Law (Hirdūn), Literature (Kirūid), Magic (Elūin), Mathematics (Erdūin), and Truth (Harūin). According to ancient Pæðic scriptures, it is upon these pillars that rest the weight of civilization.

Nomenclature: Paeth Dekàlic: Pæð (god), Pæði (pertaining to), Pæðyn (follower), Pæðyr (followers), Pryn Pæð (priest), Pryr Pæð (priests)