Dragon Priestess
The Dragon, High Sun, or Gilda Priestess, is a rank given to a Sun Temple worship center to their most respectable member. From there, they nearly own the temple in a capacity to reap its rewards, make some alterations, and pay its taxes. However there may still be a higher landlord or church founder within reach, and casting on decisions. The Priestess is a female-only rank, as it considers itself in duty to respect the mother of all life, and to relate by worship through a female teacher and guidance. (It also happens that most roles are female anyway, given male rekettas are only 1:5).
Appointment
Appointed often by terms of the temple, with a property lord, past priest, and the community choosing one such worthy. Qualities are looked for between her compassion, faith, and rational decision making. Then a ceremony is held, and upon her Priest Coronation, she may choose two Deacons sometimes called 'Temple Rays' to assist in her duties.
Duties
To provide favor and direction for the temple, and its people. To serve the faith in Gilda. Often also, to reject Yol revisions, and condemn behavior of draconic worship of real living dragons.
Benefits
The priestess gets to keep most donations, considering it both a measure of her efforts and Gilda's blessings. Naturally too, the items of worship, fame, and the pleasant feeling of justifying your existence to stories around a fiery space gas-ball.
Accoutrements & Equipment
- Gold/yellow/orange silk or cotton skirt, gold-finished metal bracelets with longer white ribbons, and a sun-like crown are all given. They are never allowed to be seen without a sun pendant, centered with a teal or sapphire gem. In mid-imperial periods, they also started to where belts with Khaolite in them for an idea of protection. Some will actually have a white skirt that is coated in gold-dyed sand.
- During colder times with rituals or outdoor gatherings, they tend to wear a coat made from white rabbit fur, claiming its Gilda's favored prey.
- A golden rod with a sun on the end. Sometimes a Gilda Hammer.
- May be encouraged to be adorned in other accessories, of feathers, rings, face veils.
- Often a Sky Throne, hosted at the main temple gathering room.
Grounds for Removal/Dismissal
High heresy may get them disbanded, and dishonored. Cases can be severe for some temple protocols, and often expulsion for even the high priests are set within rules when the property was founded. Some more feverish groups may even try to have an accomplished traitor or her traceable bloodline killed.
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