Shemsu-Raheem: Order of the Endless Dunes

1. Leadership & Hierarchy The Shemsu-Raheem reject rigid ranks, but recognize three tiers of spiritual authority:   Khesu-Iah - Storm Eaters (Elders): The oldest and most attuned to Sharadiya’s voice. Lead major rites, interpret storms as omens, and speak for the desert. Identified by their thorn-circlets and ability to survive a night buried in sand. Interpret storms, commune with djinn   Medu-Sekhet - Dune Speakers: Means "Words of the Sands" (Journeymen): Skilled in wind-whispering and djinn negotiation. Guide caravans, settle disputes, and conduct Hollow Foot Trials. Wear indigo sashes dyed with sacred salts. Guide nomads, judge trials, bind pacts   Tjesu-Heb - Sand Singers (Novices):Young initiates learning the desert’s language. Serve as lookouts, tend to sacred objects, and gather storm-lore. Must go barefoot for a year to "hear the sand’s whispers." Gather omens, tend to ghosts, carry water Bare feet, salt-lined pouch   Some Kheru (funerary priest from the Shemsu-Sedjemhet) travels with the nomadic people. They are often called "Neb-Hu" ("Lord of the Wind's Dead"). When they do their role: Tasked with ensuring Wandering Tribute rites align with Sharadiya’s laws. Record names of the deceased. Their place in the hierarchy is equal to Storm Eaters in authority during funerals, but defer to them in all other matters. Storm Eaters consult them on ancestral messages but ignore them in most all other cases.   2. Initiation & Advancement To join, one must: Survive a day in the Glass Wastes (dunes so hot they burn bare skin). Learn the names of 100 forgotten dead from the wind. Promotion to Dune Speaker requires: Catching a scorpion barehanded during a sandstorm. Binding Djinn Promotion to a Storm Eater: Be respected enough to be counted among them   4. Gathering Places: No fixed temples , The Scorpion’s Bed: A rock formation where djinn bargains are made.   5. Decision-Making: No rulers—consensus is reached through: Sand Votes: Members cast colored stones (white for yes, black for no). Flexible but Disciplined: Though unstructured, disobedience is punished by exile into the deep desert. No Written Laws: Rules are passed orally, changing like the dunes. All Are Equal Before the Wind: Even a Sand Singer may challenge a Storm Eater.

The Desert Decides – The sands judge all actions; defiance brings storms.   Wind is the Only Tomb – The dead must be given to the sky, never buried.   Djinn Are Kin, Not Slaves – Binding without bargaining is sacrilege.   Storms Speak Truth – Sandstorms carry Sharadiya’s prophecies.   No Voice Unheard – Even the forgotten dead deserve remembrance.   Scars Are Sacred – Mutations mark Sharadiya’s touch.   Water is Life’s Debt – To refuse a drink is to spit on the divine.   Walk Lightly, Strike Hard – The desert favors the swift and decisive.   The Unseen Feast – Ghosts without mourners must still be fed.   Sand Knows No Lies – Truth is written in dunes, not words.

Survival Before Piety – Live first, pray later.   No One Dies Alone – Abandoning the dying is worse than killing.   Touch No Stillborn Sand – Disturbing a Wandering Tribute site curses all.   Bargain or Walk Away – Never take from djinn without fair trade.   Mutations Are Not Weapons – Never exploit the God-scarred for war.   The Last Sip is Sacred – Always leave water for the next traveler.   Strike Only Once – Revenge is permitted, but drawn-out feuds waste breath.   Truth is Spoken to the Wind – Lies rot the soul like stagnant water.   Kill Quickly if You Must – Suffering is for the sands to inflict, not you.   No Chains, Not Even for Enemies – Slavery is a crime against the desert.

1. Daily Devotions Dawn Salutation: Spit into the wind at sunrise to "return water to the desert." Shadow Prayer: At noon, stand where your shadow vanishes—this is when the dead listen closest. Evening Offering: Leave one mouthful of water in your cup for wandering Ancestors. If they do not drink, by the time you go to bed you may finish it.   2. Sacred Rites Storm Communion: When sandstorms rage, elders stand at the opening of their tent to receive visions Scorpion’s Kiss: Press a live scorpion to your palm—if it doesn’t sting, Sharadiya has blessed you. The Bone Whistle: Blow through a hollowed vulture bone to call the Ancestors.   3. Pilgrimages Walk the Scorpion’s Tail: A 40-day trek through dunes where water is forbidden (drink only morning dew). Dance on Dead Winds: At abandoned Wandering Tribute sites, dance until your feet bleed to "awaken" the forgotten ancestors.   4. Taboos Never kill a vulture—they are the desert’s cleaners. Never dig a well deeper than to your shoulder. The earth’s blood is not for stealing.