Order of Mystery

The faith is dedicated to unlocking the mysteries of the universe and contributing to the divine cosmic design.

1. The Pursuit of the Unknowable: The highest spiritual duty is the perpetual, relentless search for truth wherever it may lie. Followers are commanded to be wanderers, exploring the farthest reaches of Draconia's wilds and seeking mysteries across the world. Planar travel is reserved as the ultimate and most dangerous form of this divine pursuit.
2. The Unveiling of the Blueprint: Ptah is the original architect of the universe. The mortal purpose is to gain knowledge that will reveal the original divine blueprint of creation, contributing to the stability and continuation of the cosmic design.
3. The Principle of the Builder: Just as Ptah created the world, followers must dedicate themselves to crafts and creation, using their hands and intellect to order raw materials into new forms of existence, thereby mimicking the divine act of the Original Summoner.
4. The Authority of the Word: The Prophet of Ptah must be revered as the supreme leader. However, followers must always maintain intellectual clarity, remembering that the Prophet is also a mortal and that the Order recognizes no doctrine of prophetic infallibility. The ultimate truth lies in the validated discovery of the mystery itself.
5. Sanctity of the Journey: The paths and nexus points between the planes are sacred. Followers must protect these routes and assist all peaceful travelers, recognizing that the journey is as important as the destination.

The Order's practices emphasize continuous exploration, creative acts, and the collection of esoteric knowledge, with rituals designed to be portable for wanderers.

Everyday Practices and Weekly Services

Daily life is dedicated to the physical act of exploration and the intellectual act of creation.

• The Vigil of the Scribe (Daily): The core daily ritual, performed wherever the priest or follower finds themselves. It involves dedicating a period to observing and meticulously recording new information about the environment, the local culture, or theological theory.
• The Rite of Creation's Spark (Weekly): A personal ritual of crafting. Followers dedicate time to using their hands and intellect (smithing, writing, spell-crafting) to create a new, small object, symbolizing the divine act of giving form to raw matter.
• The Gathering of the Nexus (Weekly Service): When wandering priests find themselves near a temple, they participate in this service. Led by the Warden of the Nexus, the service is a communal exchange of all gathered knowledge, where wanderers share their latest terrestrial observations, philosophical theories, and any extraordinary planar discoveries before setting out on their next journey.

Sacraments and Ordinances

Sacraments are divided into those necessary for the public/travelers and those reserved for the high spiritual authority and consecrated members who uphold the Order's unique mission.

I. Sacraments for Travelers and the General Public

These public rites are available at any major temple to aid those on their quest for truth.

II. Ordinances for the Consecrated (Clergy and Paladins)

These sacred rites are for all initiated members of the Order, reinforcing their specialized duties of exploration and documentation.

Annual Festivals and Holy Days

The Order's holidays are designed to celebrate exploration and the discovery of cosmic secrets.

• The Festival of the Seven Maps: The most significant annual holiday, celebrated on the day Ptah completed the initial cosmic blueprint. It involves displaying all known terrestrial maps, astronomical charts, and recent planar schematics in the temples and announcing the major expedition plans for the coming year.
• The Day of the Interregnum: A solemn day of reflection held annually on the day the office of the Prophet was first vacant. It is a reminder that revelation is a gift, not a guarantee, and reinforces the clergy's duty to maintain Order through their own independent wisdom.
• The Great Unveiling (Periodic Festival): A spontaneously declared celebration held only when a Master of the Horizon returns having uncovered a significant universal mystery or a new cosmic truth. The festival is dedicated to the public presentation and formal archiving of the new knowledge.

I. Leadership and Governing Structure

II. Priesthood Structure

III. Administrative Dicasteries

The Order’s administrative burden requires three specialized councils to manage its unique functions.

Ordination & Promotion

The Order's unique leadership structure is defined by the theological rules governing the Prophet's authority and the scholarly verification of their divine calling.

I. The Keys of Prophetic Leadership

All ordination ceremonies are conducted by the laying on of hands, and the authority structure is governed by the presence of the Prophet of Ptah.

II. The Keys of the Highest Offices and Succession

The process for filling the highest office is designed to maintain organizational stability during times without direct prophetic guidance.

High Priest (The Cartographer of the Planes)

1. Office Reestablishment Vote: Upon a vacancy in the office of High Priest, the Quorum of Seven Cosmic Ascendants must first vote on whether to reestablish the office or to lead the Order collectively as an Interregnum of the Ascendants.
2. Appointment by Seniority: If they decide to reestablish the office, the most senior Cosmic Ascendant (by length of term) is appointed and ordained by the Quorum as the new High Priest.
3. Prophetic Mandate: If a Prophet of Ptah is living when a High Priest vacancy arises, the Order automatically enters an Interregnum of the Ascendants. The High Priest office remains vacant until the Prophet either dies (without Ptah appointing a successor) or the Prophet explicitly reveals that the office should be reestablished.

Cosmic Ascendant (Quorum Rank)

III. The Delegation of Presiding and Ordaining Authority (Priesthood)

The flow of authority emphasizes travel, knowledge gathering, and decentralized operation, requiring a high degree of trust in delegated leaders.

Guardians of the Path

I. Paladin Structure

The ranks reflect the military's mission to protect scholars traveling across vast distances and different planes of existence.

II. Promotion and Ordination Process

The ordination structure is highly centralized, with power flowing directly from the highest ranks of the Priesthood to the military arm.

I. Affiliation Score Criteria (AS)

The modifiers reward geographical, planar, and intellectual discovery, as well as creative acts.

II. Cleric/Priesthood Ranks, Benefits, and Duties (4 Ranks)

III. Paladin Ranks, Benefits, and Duties (3 Ranks - Guardians of the Paths)