From: GMSkarka@aol.com
Date: Fri, 9 Jul 1999 16:23:02 EDT
Subject: [7thSea] The Orders of the Vatacine Church, Part II

Ahoy all--

Here are three more monastic orders, to go along with the ones I posted 
earlier this week.  The two parts will be combined into a single document in 
the "Sea Chest" portion of my webpage at members.aol.com/gmskarka

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Orders of the Vatacine Church, Part II


THE AVESTINE ORDER:  An order which follows the writings of the 11th century 
monk, Avestus.  The Avestines are closely connected with two things:  The 
Inquisition (more members of the Inquisition are from this order than any 
other) and politics (many Avestines find themselves in the position of 
advisor-the most famous being Esteban Verdugo, the advisor to Good King 
Sandoval of Castille).

Their involvement in politics might draw criticism from the other Orders, if 
not for the Avestine's close relationship with the Inquisition.  Most critics 
of the Order are hesitant to object to their actions too loudly, for fear of 
drawing the attention of the Inquisition.  To be sure, many of the most 
outspoken critics of Avestine policies have found themselves the subjects of 
investigations into allegations of Heresy.  The Avestine-led Inquistion seems 
to have quite the nose for sniffing out such things.

The political allies garnered by the Avestine Order have made it the 
wealthiest of the Church organizations.  Nobles are generous in their 
contributions, in an effort to curry favor with the red-robed priests.  
Naturally, this has led to the main point of contention between the Avestines 
and their brethren Orders: differing opinions regarding the vow of poverty, 
traditional among Vatacine priests.  The Avestines feel that as long as their 
wealth isn't personal wealth, but instead used to better spread the Words of 
the Prophets, then so much the better.  Other Orders (notably poorer ones, at 
that) disagree.

Primary Nationalities:  Castillian, Vodacce, Montaigne


ORDO TEMPLI MARIENSIS:  "The Order of the Sea Temple"-One of the newer 
Vatacine Orders, the OTM are a sea-going order.  Their members are often 
found as Chaplains oboard naval vessels, or as ship's doctors (the well-being 
of the body being fundemental for the well-being of the soul, in OTM 
opinion).  They are a largely solitary order-rarely will you find groups of 
OTM monks travelling together.  Usually a priest works his way across the 
seas alone, providing comfort for sailors along the way.

Rumors abound that the OTM spread themselves like a net, far and wide, to 
catch information regarding the location of the 7th Sea.  These same rumors 
claim that the "Sea Temple" referred to in the name of the Order is a direct 
reference to a location in the 7th Sea.  Why these priests would search for 
such a thing is a fact that the rumours seem to neglect.  

Primary Nationalities:  Vodacce, Vendel, Vatacine Avalon


THE SUB ROSA:  This is not known to be an official Order of the Church.  The 
name by which it is called is a synonym for "secrecy" or "confidentiality" 
(In Vodacce, meetings which are considered confidential are signified by a 
rose hung over the table.  The events at the meet are said to occur "sub 
rosa"-beneath the rose).

The Sub Rosa, if they even exist, are thought to be a secret order of 
assassins and spies who serve the Church as a secular version would serve a 
nation.  They supposedly operate as a secret service, with members knowing 
only those other members with whom they regularly work or from whom  they 
receive directives.  They are said to operate in complete anonimity, taking 
no credit for their actions.  Therefore, there is no concrete proof of their 
existance.  Still, rumors persist, and have for several hundred years.

The most recent rumor is that the Sub Rosa were responsible for the death of 
the last Heirophant and Imperator Reifenstahl--perhaps to put an end to the 
War of the Cross.  No one can say for sure, of course…and the Sub Rosa aren't 
telling (if there are any Sub Rosa, that is).

Primary Nationalities:  Vodacce, Castillian

-----------------------------------------------------------
Gareth-Michael Skarka
aka Fionn McGuinness
Unrepentant Inish Bastard
--
Contents Copyright (C) 1997,98,99 by ALDERAC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, INC.