Monastic Orders

The time after the fall of the Calrad Empire was crowded with monastic and religious movement in all across Calradia. Monks have been of vital importance for the preservation of culture but not only: they were also known to be hardworking men, producing food, draining swamps and kings advisors. To know about the differences among the orders in Calradia will help the player better understand the impact that these orders will have on the scenario.

Patarìa (civilians)

The pataria is a religious movement in the Archdiocese of Pravend, in the Kingdom of Vlandia, aimed at reforming the clergy and ecclesiastic government in the province and supportive of church sanctions against simony and clerical marriage. Those involved in the movement were called patarini (also patarines or patarenes, from singular patarino), a word chosen by their opponents, which means "ragpickers", from pravenite patee "rags". In general the patarini were tradesmen motivated by personal piety.

The Devouts (monks)

“To praise, to bless and to preach”

Brother Sigmar the Pious saw the need to establish a new kind of order when traveling through the south of Vlandia when that region was the stronghold of heretical Confraternity of the Humiliated. To combat heresy and other problems in urban areas, he sought to establish an order that would bring the systematic education of the older monastic orders such as the X to bear on the religious problems of the burgeoning population of cities. His was to be a preaching order, trained to preach in the vernacular languages, but with a sound background in academic theology. Rather than earning their living on vast farms as the monasteries had done, the new friars would survive by persuasive preaching and the alms-giving of those who heard them. They were initially scorned by more traditional orders, who thought these "urban monks" would never survive the temptations of the city. The Devouts were thus set up as the branch of the Makerist Church to deal with heresy. They can be called to live in a convent.

The Humbles (monks)

“Pray and work”

The Humbles follow the teachings of Brother Marsilio the Just. The spirit of Brother Marsilio’s Rule is summed up in the motto of the Order of The Humbles: “peace” and the traditional “pray and work”. Marsilio's concerns were the needs of monks in a community environment: namely, to establish due order, to foster an understanding of the relational nature of human beings, and to provide a spiritual father to support and strengthen the individual's ascetic effort and the spiritual growth that is required for the fulfillment of the human vocation. Marsilio’s rule enjoined that, if possible, the monastery should contain within itself every necessary of life, as well as the buildings more intimately connected with the religious and social life of its monks. It should comprise a mill, a bakehouse, stables, and cow-houses, together with accommodation for carrying on all necessary mechanical arts within the walls, so as to obviate the necessity of the monks going outside its limits. They can be called to live in a convent.

Brotherhood of Cliff (hermit monks)

“To contemplate and to hand on the fruits of contemplation”

These hermit monks live in small group of 2-3 monks in small huts isolated in the countryside or on high cliffs. They avoid human contact and dedicate all their life to pray and contemplate the nature. They dont live in convent or monasteries and neither abbeys and they cant be called to live in them. However, some Cliff monks may appear seldom in the countryside and establish their hut somewhere.

Confraternity of the Humiliated (heretic monks)

“Truth beyond light”

The “Humiliated” are a brotherhood of heretic monks spreading in West-Vlandia. They believe some of the Gods who fought against the Maker arent to be considered enemy of the humans and hence they can be partly worshipped. They still believe the Maker is the highest God within the pantheon but some minor deities can be worshipped alongside him. They organized themselves in big community of monks living deep in the woods, far from any eyes. They also perform charities and tirelessly work within their woods by draining swamps and chopping logs. They can be called to live in a convent.

The Poor Lucia Nuns (nuns)

"O Blessed Poverty, Who Bestows Eternal Riches"

The Poor Lucia Nuns constitute the second branch of the Order of Aglathius the Pious, founded in the sixth century by Lucia the Chaste under the inspiration and guidance of Aglathius the Pious. Over two hundred years ago, a poor man named Aglathius preached the holy Word to a young noblewoman, Lucia. Aglathius kindled the fire of Maker’s love in Lucia, and the flame that was lit in her heart continues to burn brightly in her spiritual daughters throughout the world. The Nuns live in large communities in nunneries, unlike their male branch, and can be called to live in a monastery although they wont produce alcohol or books, but they will work in the fields and provide sweets and other specialities.

Order of Aglathius the Pious (friars)

“The Journey is essential to the Dream”

The Order is a fraternity. In this fraternity the friars follow the Maker more closely under the inspiration of the Holy Book; through profession they dedicate themselves totally to the Maker whom they love above all. The friars, as followers of Aglathius, are bound to lead a radically pious life, namely: to live in a spirit of prayer and devotion and in fraternal fellowship; they are to offer a witness of penance and minority; and, in charity towards all mankind, they are to announce the Word of the Maker throughout the whole world and to preach reconciliation, peace and justice by their deeds; and to show respect for creation. The friars, unlike the monks, work and live in the streets and cant be called to live in a monastery/convent.

Written by Wlodoviec & Borrisnator