The Dedicated
Born to Serve
The Dedicated were Dyodia's answer to the Skuli Directive of the Divine Duality. They are a volunteer organization that serves in place of the skuli of other provinces, to act as the buffer between the Nobles and commoners. Their motto is internal, as they are only loosely organized and have no need to rub their difference in others' faces.
Commoners may choose to join the Dedicated by swearing an oath and enduring the Purification Rituals - the same ones that skuli throughout the Kingdom of Nemea experience. You might ask why anyone would choose to endure such a torturous process. Well, the Mother ensures that they are provided for in every way--food, shelter, clothing, education, professional training, and anything else they and their families might need. Yes, families. If a person is a Dedicated, they cannot live with commoners, just like the skuli of the other provinces. When a child is born into a family of Dedicated, they are also a Dedicated. They do not need to endure the Purification Rituals, and may choose to leave the Dedicated and become a commoner in adulthood.
Part of the agreements that allowed Dyodia to establish the Dedicated and avoid allowing skuli in their province also included that they must have a permanent physical mark to distinguish them from other commoners, and must cover their mouth and nose when around commoners or Nobles, to help prevent the spread of infectious disease into the Nobility.
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Hi! Kalli here--your friendly, bartending kallikantzaros from Lethe Hollow, in the "Lost Lands" as you guys like to call it. So, the Nestor here won't say it, but I will--What infectious diseases? Those things from the Desolation have been gone for centuries. And what's up with the child labor? *shakes head* And not wanting to rub their difference in others' faces? Hah! I've heard a lot of stories from run-ins certain friends of mine have had with these Dedicated, and humility is not a trait I've ever heard attributed to thems.
Structure
The Dedicated have a simple organizational structure. They answer only to their Governor, the Mother of Dyodia. Their oaths are sworn to her, and she directs any of the other rites that they may need. No Dedicated inherently outranks another within the organization, only through other relationships (such as business owner/manager-employee, or parent-child).
Culture
by OpenClipart-Vectors on Pixabay
History
At the founding of Nemea, Holy Alcides and Holy Iviarin established the Purity and Separation Laws. These laws decreed that commoners and Nobles must stay physically separate, and it established a third class of people. This third class, known as the skuli, would be owned as property and Purified so as to protect the Nobles from the dangers of infection that remained after the Desolation.
When Dyodia was in negotiations to join Nemea, these laws were a major sticking ponit. The Dyodians refused to even allow skuli within their lands, much less to own them and force them through the Purification Rituals against their will.
Then a group of Dyodian commoners volunteered to function for the same purported purpose of shielding the Nobility from the risk of infectious disease, and with the Mother's leadership, founded the Dedicated, voluntarily enduring the Purification Rituals, but without becoming property.
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People Not Property
People Not Property
by JC with Canva, Original photo by Ahmet Mert
Type
Governmental, Ministry
Training Level
Professional
Demonym
Dedicated
Leader
Ruling Organization
Leader Title
Founders
Location
Comments