Mendicant - Cleric

A Cleric may have a couple of reasons for wanting to become a Mendicant, the process and initial ritual requires them to leave the faith they had started with and forming their own. They have to create their own religion and that becomes their new source of power. They alone are not enough; they must create a following as well. The larger the following, the stronger the Mendicant. Each new member of their new "cult" is another increase in power. The Mendicant doesn't always need to be the figure head of the cult either, the smart ones aren't involved at all after they've started their new power well

Mendicant's Phylactery's are the cults themselves. A would-be Mendicant convinces a group of people that can vary in number at the start, this cult could be following an aspect of the sun, a tree, a great bear that's eternally resting in a nearby cave that's actually just empty, or any other ruse the that the Mendicant can trick people into following. In truth, the people that enter the cult are seen as nothing but more fuel by the Mendicant. When they are ready, the Mendicant pours its soul into the very idea that they've created. In order for the Mendicant to add someone, that person has to truly believe in this faith that they've created, it cannot just be someone who wanders into a meeting

Every year, the Mendicant must bring together every member of its faith in one gathering. Most Mendicants will use the guise of a festival or some grand event that each member needs to attend. The Mendicant must do this to cast a new ritual on each member to keep its Lich form. Additionally, the Mendicant must sacrifice ten percent, minimum of ten, of its following for itself. This is to keep the soul of the Mendicant alive within the idea of the cult

Despite the initial idea of a Cleric needing to be wise, it would seem most beneficial if they were highly charismatic. The strongest of Mendicants are the ones that can gain the most followers and it all starts with just a handful. Theoretically, a Mendicant's influence can range into an entire nation which would be the ultimate goal of one. If they had their way, they would gain followers to outnumber a village, then a town, then eventually a city. Steadily gaining numbers through indoctrination, the children of their followers, and by force if necessary. The downside to the Mendicant power is that the masses that follow the cult, can also be persuaded to leave said cult which, if enough members were to leave, it would drain the Mendicant of power and leaving it more and more vulnerable to attack