Sanctuary Hierarchy

Introduction

This is a short article to detail the hierarchy within the Sanctuary and sort out the seers' roles and degrees of seniority.

Ranks, Titles, Functions and Duties

  Here is what the hierarchy should look like within a sanctuary - e.g. the Sanctuary of Amotorr. See also People of Amotorr article.

Ranks and Files

Assays and Fosterlings

After seating The Assays, a would-be Seer is sent to one of the many sanctuaries which accept trainees. These trainees are called fosterling for the first two years of their training. Usually, fosterlings are sent to the nearest sanctuary for training.

Truthseekers

After two years, if the fosterlings manage to keep up with their studies and perform within the monastic rules of the sanctuary, they become a truthseeker after a ceremony where they dedicate their lives to the goddess Brid (Brigand).
They will then enter more formal religious training and be initiated and take part in the temple ceremonies and rituals.

Oathbound Seers

There is no set time for a Truhseeker to become a fully-fledged Oathbound Seer of Brigand. Usually, within the next five years or even earlier for some, a Truthseeker will be offered the choice to dedicate their life and become oathbound to the service of the Sanctuary. Some will never make the grade or will stay serving the Sanctuary as Truthseekers (if they have no other career path set out for them).

Abets

Junior Seers can also become personal assistants to a more senior one. They are called Abet. Being an Abet is a good way to progress further within the Sanctuary hierarchy.

Deskers

Some Truthseekers chose not to take the oath and opt for a life as a scribe. They are called a Desker. The Sanctuary at Amotorr has a relatively large contingent of deskers in its rank. Nowadays, the deskers are in charge of the printing press, the day-to-day running of the library, and other secretarial jobs.

Sanctuary Houses and Brotherhoods

Oathbound Seers will specialise and join one of the different Houses or Treba within the Sanctuary.

The Sacred Grove

Keepers of the Sacred Grove or Keeper (for short) will dedicate their lives to the Temple. Their duties will be primarily religious and concern the rituals and ceremonies to appease and please the goddess.
The Temple includes a Nemeton - an actual oak-planted area dedicated to Brid. This is usually the most influential and political house of them all, and many ambitious seers will jockey to enter the Sacred Grove.

The Holy Seer or High Seer is the head of the Sacred Grove and the de facto leader of the Sanctuary. With the Lorekeeper and the Elder Skoler, he or she is in charge of the Sanctuary.
This council of three is often called the Moot or the High Table.

Each head of houses is ably supported by a second-in-command. Within the Sacred Grove, the Holy Seer will be seconded by the Galatis  - the Seer in charge of leading all the main ceremonies and rituals in the Temple and Nemeton. It makes the Galatis more of a spiritual leader, leaving the Holy Seer to deal with the sanctuary's overall affairs.


Other Ranks and Titles
Faith Warden - an honorific title given to the eldest and usually oldest of the Sacred Grove Seers (often called a Grovian , might be disparaging in some circles)
Elder Keeper - an honorific title given to senior Keepers. Elder Keepers might have extra duties or responsibilities. These will depend on the sanctuary they belong to. Usually, it is the first stepping stone to a brilliant career within the Sanctuary.

The Bards' Treba

This is mainly a bardic school where seers will practise and learn musical instruments, chants etc. This house is deceptively important, as Bards will compete in very popular competitions through Alven and gain prestige (and riches) for the Sanctuary and their place of training in particular.
Many musically gifted youngsters are pushed to take the Assays and join a famous Bards' Treba.


The Lorekeeper is the head of the Bard's Treba and is part of the Moot - the council of three running a sanctuary.

Other essential titles and ranks within the Bard's Treba:
Faithspeaker  - given to one of the most senior Bards within the Treba, in charge of music and chants during ceremonies, usually seconds the Lorekeeper in its day-to-day running of the sanctuary
Ollam  - the most decorated bard within the Treba

The Wisemen of Brid

The Wisemen are the learned Seers who will dedicate their lives to learning and teaching. The aim of a Wiseman is to become respected in their field of learning and become a Skoler or at least an Elder Skoler within their chosen sanctuary.
It is part of the Wisemen's duties to instruct the younger generations and oversee the Bookhoard (library).

The Elder Skoler is the head of the Wisemen and is part of the Moot. The Elder Skoler can choose three other Skolers to second him in his tasks. It is fair to say that the Wisemen are usually the busiest and most active seers in a sanctuary, seeing to the training of all Fosterlings and Truthseekers.

Within the Wisemen of Brid, Brotherhoods' leaders can wield an enormous amount of influence and often are Skolers or Elder Skolers themselves.

Brotherhoods of Brid

Within the Sanctuary - as with the Arkivon - many circles exist. They are called Brotherhoods. Brotherhoods enable seers, especially Wisemen, to organise themselves into disciplines and research interests. Some brotherhoods are fully visible and others are secret societies with their own agendas. More to come on that subject ...