Courtesty GM Sparrowhawk

Should an individual receive the calling to become one who interprets the Scripture, he or she has options that will decide their life before them.
By joining the Church of Telgard, they can petition to undergo training in the faith, and undergo the tests necessary to become the lowest ranking member of the clergy of that church: a Brantar Acolyte. He or she will receive a stipend as well as room and board. In addition, they will be an accepted member of society, and have access to church resources. They are to follow church doctrine, perform services, as well as undertake duties as given to them by the Church. It is also possible for them to enter one of the monastic orders, however these have different criteria from the priesthood and a more stringent set of vows.

It is the responsibility of the Traphar to conduct the festivals of Dargotten with the correct decorum as if the AllFather were to return that very day. The Traphar should ensure that every Brantar gathers the worshippers together in the place of worship. The Brantars should also lead the worshippers and ensure that they show correctness in all matters. Brantars should go out amongst the people on the festival day to gather the people to celebrate the beginning of the journey of the AllFather. The Brantar acolytes assist the Brantars in these endeavours

The Traphar must conduct the affairs of the church within his district as his conscience guides him, he must always be present for the major festivities. These are the highest services that the Church holds and therefore the highest amongst the priesthood must conduct them. During any year, there are thirteen such ceremonies to perform.

The Traphar or the most senior priest in the area must lead the major services. The services must always follow the laid down order, in all details. Brantars should also follow the set order for their daily services. Any Brantar who feels able to move from the standard scripture is taking their first step to the spike or faggot, heresy is cured by impalement, burning or both. To deviate from the laws laid down by the Matr is heresy as they are disobeying a strict order from the Matr, Dargotten's representative in Telgard.

The church hierarchy uses the example set by the Goblins and Ss'tiss to show how dangerous and powerful heresy can become. The church takes a cautious view on the direct worship of the minor deities. Whilst it is accepted within the doctrine that these deities can and should be worshipped the hierarchy feel that a balance should be maintained in order to avoid slipping into heresy.

Festivals/Services to Dargotten

Journeystart

On the First of Wyldling (see the Calendar) Dargotten has a major holiday known as Journeystart. It is marked by a symbolic parade led by the Matr of the Church of Telgard. Journeys that start on this day are blessed. Many quests begin then, for that reason. Each city has its own way of celebrating Journeystart. In Tiangchou, the parade forms up near a temporary festival site outside of the city and slowly winds round the city up to the cathedral in the centre. Traditionally the Mandara joins the parade at the city gate. Having greeted the Traphar and welcomed him to the end of his journey, she joins the procession immediately behind him, showing due devotion to Dargotten, as the Traphar is his representative on this day. This ceremony has been approved by the Matr, as are all city ceremonies and processions.

Major services in honour of Dargotten are held one day of each month. These services are almost a replica of those held on the Journeystart day however they are less lavish and held entirely within the precincts of the church or cathedral. The service is held when Dargotten's eye is full in the sky. These days are known as journey days and many merchant caravans start on this day, immediately after a night/dawn service to celebrate the journey quest of Dargotten.

Dargotten's Eve

Dargotten's Eve falls on the day when Mothers Harp sets in the west of the sky and Shadoweye rises from the east, both new moons. Dar reigns in the sky, full but pitch black. Trick, or Dargotten's tear as the Church refers it to, quivers below Dar in the night's sky, blood red in colour. Thus is Dargotten's Eve revealed, and the spirits unleashed. Around the nation of Korresh this is worshipped differently. In Kel, the inhabitants leave ale and raw meat on their porches to appease the spirits as they stay inside. In Tiangchou a candle is kept alight by households ancestor shrine and a bowl of rice wine given in offering.

Dargotten's day

The Day of Dargotten is celebrated with a lot of fanfare and is marked as an official holiday in Korresh, Lirynn and Garr. The day of the Dargotten falls on the 9th day of the 6th month of the calendar. Preparations for the festival start on the previous day. The Questors and Brantars of the church visit different localities and remind the people of the importance of Dargotten in their lives. These visits serve as a collection drive as well.

The actual day begins well before sunrise. Within Korresh, traditionally the local nobles make a short pilgrimage to the local church or temple and request that the Traphar (or Brantar) lead a symbolic procession through their dominions. If the relations between the Priest and the ruler are not cordial, then the Priest can refuse to lead. This in turn spells trouble for the local lord, as without the Priest the procession cannot be completed, but it rarely happens. It has happened only once in Kel's history, when the Baron Knol moved against the elves. The following year Knol was dead. The only military presence during the march are the Questors, who guard both nobility and priests at this time.

Around afternoon, the march winds up in the local church. Through out the march, the servants of the church carry big jars of holy water with them and sprinkle it all around them to purify the area. In the church the Priest delivers a sermon and recounts the deeds of last year. New resolutions are made for coming year. Once the religious ceremonies are over, a feast is normally arranged. All the villagers regardless of their race, origin or standing are invited, and while coming they are supposed to bring a small gift with them. These gifts are placed in a pile and are later distributed back to the villagers randomly.

Traditionally different locations are visited that have special significance for the coming year. The prayers made to Dargotten at each of these vary by locale. In Kel, the following prayers are said for Wealth, Health, Trade, Safety and for Peace.

Marriage Service

Marriages are recognised by the religion and sought the blessings of Dargotten as the All Father for the marriage itself, Bewresha for its longevity and Faeterna for the children it is hoped that it will bring. Marriages are recorded in documents that are kept within the church.
"Be it know to all and sundry, Good Folk and Villeins, that on this day of ___________________, the Beauteous and Virtuous Daughter _________ of ________________ is wed to the Honorable and Good Son ______________of _______________________. Let us all Rejoice in their Joy and Worship their Love in the grace of the High Holy Ones. In accordance with the Holy Writ, the couple joined by the bounds of matrimony are subject to the Scripts of the Marriage Vows, here entailed below:"

Name day

Every new child has a name day; this is also recorded in a book of names that is held in each church, along with the recognised parents. Dargotten is called upon within this service, though others play a part because this is the start of the child's greatest journey, that of life.

Services to Dargotten

Worship services are constant, there is no set time to participate. All races are accepted and racial difficulties are not tolerated on holy ground. It is for this reason the church is often called on as a mediator. Citizens are encouraged to attend whenever and as often as they wish to. The doors are always open. Tithes are accepted with a blessing. In the smaller churches there will be only two services each day, one at dawn and one at dusk. In the cities and towns with larger churches and cathedrals these services may go on all day.

Festivals and Services to Bewresha

She is the symbol of the music and pattern of life, and as such, those who choose to worship her spend their lives in the contemplation's of the miracles around them. She plays her harp sitting under the boughs of Faeterna, and while she plays, reality continues. She has no single holiday, per se, as every day rings with her blessing. Bewresha is often seen as the mother figure, even though Faeterna was the creator. Craftsmen will worship Faeterna whilst mothers turn to Bewresha for support. The intelligentsia often sees her as the great thinker as well, astrologers and astronomers call upon her for aid in their endeavour as they try to interpret the night sky.

There are no specific festivals to Bewresha as every day is a special day. Every festival however notes her contribution to the fabric of the world and any supplications at Dargotten is always represented in some way by a supplication through Bewresha.

As in the festivals there are few direct services to Bewresha. Most of the time they deal with Dargotten and Bewresha. Mother and Father figures of the Pantheon. However there are a large number of prayers and psalms that are written and dedicated to her name

Festivals and Services to Faeterna

Newday

Newday marks the beginning of the planting seasons, and after an early morning service, the cities are evacuated as everyone aids in the sowing of the fields. A further service, especially in agricultural areas is then held in the fields culminating in a procession back into the church after the future crop has been blessed.

Harvest

The Harvest is a two-week event, beginning when the fields are ready for harvesting. The first week is a week of labour, all are asked to participate in the reaping of the fields. The second week is one of celebration, where all enjoy the bounty through the charity of the Church. No one is turned from the table during that week.

Services to Faeterna

Services to Faeterna are often held in the open air, they represent the creation of new things. Often small gifts created by the worshippers are brought to the service to be given to the church, or the officiating priest. They are celebrations of the creations of Faeterna and during the spring her services are held most frequently.

Festivals and Services to Grytl - The Grey Lady.

Grytl is a recognised part of life and as such, her holiday falls in the middle of winter, when Bewresha is most drowsy, and the chance for the ending is the greatest. Those mortals, who pass away on her day, are given special recognition in the Scrolls of Grytl. These scrolls are kept in a tomb under the Great Cathedral at Maston.

Midwinter

This is a sombre affair and is attended by those who have lost loved ones and the priesthood. A lamp is lit before the shortest day and is kept alight through the night and following day and second night. This is done to aid Bewresha in staying alert and playing her harp throughout the day. It is said as well that the light from the lamp can be seen by the spirits of the dead and serves as a means to demonstrate their love for the dearly departed.

Services to Grytl

Funerals are often perceived as services to Grytl. Grytl is supplicated to help the departed person into the leaves of Faeterna and to become one with the world again. As their bodies rot and form part of the earth so their spirit is forever hidden from life by Grytl unless called upon by spirit magic.

Worship

Prayers

Prayers can be said many times each day, in some monastic orders there are as many as eight sets of prayers to be said each day (Invitatory, Matins, Lauds, Prime, Sext, No-ne, Vespers and Compline). The prayers are not unique and many new ones are scribed every year, however the order that the prayers are said is held in reverence. The priest should give thanks to Dargotten for the life he gave the world, its creatures, the praying person and the gods that protect him. The prayer then says prayers of supplication to ask for aid from Dargotten, once Dargotten has been asked then the prayer may also be aimed at another deity in the name of Dargotten. Prayers asking for guidance in the decisions made by the worshipper often follow these prayers of supplication.

Hymns

The hymns relating to Bewresha are traditionally played with a harp and sung by a female. A male soloist, often unaccompanied, in recognition of his lonely journey, sings hymns of Dargotten. The creation suite is a set of hymns that is used in celebration. The most talented singers in the area normally sing them to the congregation rather than the congregation singing to the choir. It is a great honour to be chosen.

The Creation suite

The Lonely Earth
A duet, often accompanied by a flute and oboe tells the story of the earth. Its sad longing before it knew the roots of the tree and the races that now walk upon it. The flute accompanies the female singer, whilst the oboe accompanies the male. However they entwine their own tunes in a music that compliments rather than leads the singers’ voices. The Oboe deals with the soil and the part is normally sung by the male, the flute and female sing of the emptiness of the skies, until the coming of the branches of the tree.

Dargotten's Solitude

A male solo, normally the singer represents Dargotten. He was the authority, the father of all. He sang his love for the earth and sky. The song is of Dargotten's loneliness, which in turn leads to the creation of Bewresha who becomes his partner.

Bewresha's Song

This is a solo female aria. It begins softly with a harp. The female vocalist normally sings this is a high minor chord. The voice ends up in a dreamy soprano calling forth images of what might be. Bewresha is happy to be with Dargotten but she wishes to see the rest of the world filled with creations that reflect his majesty. Her voice calls forth images of stars and moons, sunlight and water. She sings of grass, trees, mice, and eagles. She sang of Elves and Humans, Dwarves and Delphae, Minotaurs and Misharr, Goblins, and Ss'tiss. It should be noted that there is a different style in the verses for the Misharr and the Minotaur, though they have been sung for so long now it is hard to spot. At the end of the Song, Bewresha calls to Dargotten to help her to create all that she has envisioned.

Creation of Faeterna

The final Song of the Cycle is for both male and female singers. Dargotten answers the call of Bewresha and the solitude of the world is broken. Dargotten made the moons and stars and gave them to his love. Out of their joining Bewresha brought forth the tree and planted it in the earth. From Faeterna, the tree, all living things were born. The verses are sung alternately by male and female, Bewresha answering Dargotten.

Deeds of Faeterna

"Domineoveniteosacramentum, discesm eodeo, Omnem crede diem tibi diluxisse supremum, Faeterna Gaudete...."
Often sung as a duet this hymn of four verses with a chorus is a simple rendition of the deeds of Faeterna, giving thanks, and praise for her deeds. The four verses include; The creation of the elves. The creation of the other races, notably the elves, humans and dwarves. The creation of the animals that roam the land. The final deed in giving the Dragons free will and averting a premature end to the world. The hymn is sung by both vocalists to the same tune, simultaneously, in the same key but on different octaves.

Dargotten's journey

Finally Dargotten's pain at leaving Bewresha and the deed he gives her whilst he is on his journey. This hymn is again a male solo and ends in the expectation of Dargotten's return to the world.