Sisterhood of the Loving Mother

The Sisterhood of the Loving Mother, often referred to as the Sisters of Aveces, is an order within the Indorai religion that serves the goddess Aveces. It is responsible for tending to the temples of Aveces throughout Irocra and exerting her influence.  

Tenets of Sisterhood

Creation and Creativity

Creation of any kind is believed to come directly from Aveces, so sisters are encouraged to follow artistic inspiration wherever it may lead. Temples are often alive with music of all kinds while murals and sculptures created by sisters fill the halls.

Compassion and Kindness

Every living creature is made and loved by Aveces, therefore every living creature is deserving of respect. A sister should do everything in her power to help those around her so long as it doesn't endanger her own life. This extends to aiding injured or abused animals.

Sexual Release and Fertility

Unlike other Indorai orders, which do not outright forbid sexual activity but may frown upon it, Sisters of Aveces are encouraged to indulge in their carnal desires in an appropriate manner. It is said that the closest a sister can come to emobodying Aveces is in the throes of passion as a child is conceived. For this reason, it is not uncommon for a sister to have many children in her lifetime, though they will all be given up for adoption.   It is important to note that although the Sisters of Aveces are considered to be more promiscuous than servants of the other orders, sexual assault of a sister is taken very seriously. Depending on the situation, the Sisters of Aveces may enlist the help of the Sisterhood of the Chaotic Mother to handle the legal side of things while the sisters tend to the victim's physical well being. In the event that a child comes of such an act, the pregnancy will be aborted as it is believed such pregnancies are not given or blessed by Aveces.

Public Outreach

Of the three orders of Indorai, the Sisterhood of the Loving Mother has the most interaction with the general population of Irocra because of their primary mission to aid with the physical conditions of the people they serve. The local Temple of Aveces is often one of the first places someone will go during hard times or to seek blessings in new ventures.

General Aid

The Sisterhood of the Loving Mother is often the organization that provides comfort to those displaced by disasters in Irocra. This includes food, temporary housing, and spiritual counsel. Locally, temples also provide these services to individuals in need. Each temple also has its own garden of medicinal plants that are used to treat various minor illnesses following practices unique to the Sisterhood.

Agriculture 

Farmers often seek out Avece's blessings during the growing and harvest seasons. Most sisters are trained in performing rituals to ensure bountiful harvests and heal the land after a disaster, but many herbators among the ranks of the Sisterhood are expected to counsel farmers with struggling fields.

Fertility, Pregnancy Care, and Surrogacy

Naturally, an order dedicated to serving the goddess of creation would play a role in bringing new life to the world. This manifests itself in multiple ways.   Many sisters, especially those who are trained as sanosceanas, provide fertility and prenatal care to women. This includes spiritual care, such as seeking blessings for conception or upon an unborn life, and physical care. These can be administered at a temple or, in the case of potions, salves, or poultices, taken home for use.   If a couple is physically unable to conceive or sustain a pregnancy for some reason, the Sisterhood may offer surrogacy services. This generally involves a sister carrying the intended father's child, but can also involve a "spiritual surrogacy" where the couple is present during conception but are not physically involved. 

Orphanages

The Sisterhood is responsible for running several orphanages in Irocra. This is mostly done in conjunction with government services and funding.  

Life of a Sister

Initiation

The Sisterhood accepts initiates as young as 17. The initiate must travel to Indorai Center to take her initial vows at the Monastary of the Loving Mother and begin her training. Training for all sisters involves education on the spiritual ways of Aveces and service to the community, but each sister will also specialize to their preferred role in the Sisterhood, often based on the sister's enmanity. Depending on the specialization, this may involve traveling around Irocra. This process takes 2-3 years depending on the sister's own spiritual journey.

Temple Life

After taking her second set of vows, a sister will be sent to a Temple of Aveces somewhere in Irocra. If the sister traveled as an initiate and made a good impression on a particular temple, she may be requested by leadership at that temple. Most sisters remain assigned to the same temple for life, though they may travel for various reasons. Sisters live in private dormitories and are responsible for the upkeep of the temple and their living quarters.

Wardrobe

All sisters wear red robes with a white sash or, in the case of initiates, a length of white rope. An initiates robes are plain, but as a sister rises through the order her robe will have more intricate embroidery along the cuffs and hems. Sisters are allowed to wear any kind of accessories they wish, whether jewelry, headwear, or shoes.