The Night Church
Structure
The church of Shar was entirely decentralized, split into individual cells that operated independently from one another, led by a single priest with a temple or shrine as their focal point. Cells were linked under the leadership of an overpriest, a single individual that coordinated the activities of numerous cells, and controlled the information held by the priests within.
The Ranks in the Church were as follows.
Dark mother/father, leaders within the faith, with the suffix abbot or abbess.
Dark sister/brother, fully-trained clergy members.
Initiate, novice members of the church.
Culture
Shar's followers were directed to "quench the light of the moon" by stealing gifts meant for Mehena and defeating her faithful at every opportunity. They were to never hide from the light and always take action while under the protection of darkness. Although Shar did not betray her family like her sister Goena, a great hatred was a core part of Sharran religion. According to some sects of the faith, she desired that they destroy all the deities of Aralla, and undo existence as we know it. Shar's faithful were taught to transcend fear and loss suffered by members of the weaker faiths. Their most valuable commodity was their secrecy. Information was closely guarded and only revealed when it was absolutely essential, or traded for similarly confidential information.
Among Shar's faithful, there were the 7 Great Truths, only three of these are publicly known to those outside the church.
- Love is a lie. Only hate endures.
- Light is blinding. Only in darkness do we see clearly.
- All is meaningless. And nothing endures.
Public Agenda
With the intent of spreading the faith of Shar across the breadth of Ekrune, her clergy utilized corruption and subversion to undermine powerful individuals, governments and even other religions to the point of collapse. Shar's priests often revealed their closely held secrets, inciting bitterness, jealously, and desperation within others, emotions that were strongly embrace by the Lady of Secrets. The Sharran faithful often embarked on missions of espionage or outright murder in order to fulfill the Lady's will. These often involved aiding political rebellions, murdering those that attempted to maintain order, and otherwise sowing evil across the world.
Worship
Clerics of Shar pray for their spells at night. Once a tenday, followers must engage in an act of wickedness, ideally after a nocturnal dancing and feasting ritual known as a Nightfall.
Priesthood
Due to the perception of Shar's church among most folk, open recruiting for new members was not an option. Novitiates of the faith—whether they served as spies, agents, or clergy within the temples—were brought aboard individually, a process that sometimes took an inordinate amount of time. In order to become clergy within the church's organization, a supplicant had to undergo a test of faith and commitment to the faith. They were required to commit an act of horrific violence, often murder, against one of their loved ones. This vile act—combined with the priest's unique name bestowed upon them by Shar—formed their Own Secret.
In the darkness of night, we hear the whisper of the void.
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Demonym
Sharran
Subsidiary Organizations
Notable Members
