Varein (vah-REHN)

The Varein, or Steward of the Covenant, is the religious head of the Maionene Temple priests, and the faith as a whole. They are chosen from, and by, the top ranking tier of priests, known as the Synod of Aureliani. It is a lifetime appointment. The current Varein, Sandrine Bocuse, was elected in 1166 AS. The word Varein comes from the Sarathi root meaning "to carry / bearer", and refers to the burden of guilt that they carry for humanity.   The Varein steers the faithful from the temple complex in Lower Maurac, Polira. Here, the steward both lives and works. They are responsible for all top level administrative duties for the temple, as well as ambassadorial undertakings. They are also supreme adjudicator in matters of faith and doctrine, making rulings as to what is dogma and what is heresy, and issuing these rulings to all lower priests to distribute to their congregations. They also lead a large congregation in the monthly Rite of Kireth, each New Moon, from the balcony of their quarters, overlooking a large public square. Faithful from across Polira come to participate in these rites.   The Varein, like all priests of the Maionene Temple, wears simple black vestments. Those of the Varein, however, tend to be of much finer fabrics and cut. They also wear a narrow scarlet stole as indicator of their rank as head of the faith. The blue stole they wore as an Aurelian is often carefully kept and preserved in the archives. The two most important parts of their regalia, however, are a golden talruin symbol on a gold chain, and a thin black veil covering their head, as a sign of contrition before Maion. This, they only have to wear in public rites. There is also small square of black velvet that is worn on top of the veil, to aid in holding the pins that keep the veil secure, but it has taken on additional meaning and significance among the faithful, so a Varein will often wear it even when not wearing the ritual veil.   The Varein has a moderate sized suite of rooms, with the aforementioned balcony, within the temple complex at Lower Maurac. It contains an entry hall, large receiving room, two smaller receiving rooms, a small parlor, a devotional/meditation room and sleeping quarters. Most of the Varein's time, however, is spend in the administrative areas of the complex. Their day is tightly scheduled, so that the most things can be dealt with in the least amount of time. The Varein does not travel much, due to the conditions of the roads, the persistent problems of bandits, and the fact that the Varein is generally of an advanced age. Even the Monarch comes to the Varein, and not the other way around, although politically, the Monarch has more power. It is seen as a mark of faithfulness and humility for the ruler of Polira.