Lovejoy

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

@DrakenI don't think the teachers have an actual say in who's the Warleader. It's supposed to be a position that's elected by the members of the Warband itself. So I'm perfectly cool with having Ilya as the former Warleader of his warband. It'd make for an interesting dynamic with whoever ends up being the leader of Phoenix.

As for Leviathan, I do want there to be more members than just you three and Killian. How about, nine? Six are staying behind. I think that sounds fair.

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

@shylarahThanks for the correction! I knew that but, yeah. I'm a dumb. :p

As for there being someone in charge of the entire order, I think some High Cardinal from the clerical branch would probably be in charge of the inquisitors and the logistics of running them as an organization. Maybe this particular priest was a high inquisitor before, but yeah, I feel like they'd need to be in the clerical branch.

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

Wow, you guys have been busy! There have been some really cool suggestions! I do agree with Draken in that we probably shouldn't have too many rankings for the inquisition, beyond like, two or three "tiers". I'm also not certain if there's a real world analogue to how inquisitors are trained, like is there a military with a decade long training curriculum for their officers? That complicates things and doesn't really make it simple to translate our inquisitor rankings to the real world.

I will also mention that I picture the inquisition as being less regimented than the military. Ranks could be more ceremonial and less tied to general ability. There is a sense of seniority, but I don't feel like it should be all that pronounced. For example, I see Elisheva and the rest of us as having the same rank, even though she graduated two years before us. The advanced ranks should probably be left for people like our teachers, who've served for a long time and have achieved great things.

Also, I don't feel like most inquisitors would really give a shit about advancing in rank, since the Seminary has trained them through rod and steel to just be content and to strive to serve and fight in battle-- in contrast with the Clerical Branch, which I picture as nest of vipers.

So yeah, the inquisition are warriors by definition. We all fight on the frontlines while the clerical branch act more as the generals and decision makers. That being the case, I don't think most inquisitors would rise above a real world military rank that would take them out of battle, so, that would probably make the inquisition's hierarchy a lot smaller than a real military.

I also don't really want to use the word "knight" for the Varyan inquisition. I feel like the medieval aesthetic should best be left to Lanostre, with their goddess being known as a Queen and such.

So, taking into account what everyone posted, here's what I came up with:

***

Acolyte: A title given to young children who are brought to the Red Seminary to undergo training to become inquisitors in the Varyan church. At this beginning stage, they are put through six months of brutal training. Those who cannot keep up with the regiment are either transferred to the Holy Academy (where they will study and train to join the clerical branch of the church) or are judged to be unfit to join the clergy and are removed from the Seminary. After six months, the children must pass the First Milestone, a test of extreme physical duress. Not many survive the First Milestone unscathed, but those who pass are given the title of "Brother" or "Sister" and are then recruited to join different Warbands, battle groups which they will remain in for the rest of the Red Seminary's curriculum and beyond.

War Priest: Five years into training, and after surviving through two more Milestones, acolytes are officially ordained as war priests of the Varyan Church and are given the title of "Father" or "Mother". At this point, they start training and competing against other Warbands.

Inquisitor: After twelve years of training and the completion of the final Sixth Milestone, warpriests achieve Culmination and are ordained as inquisitors of the Varyan Church.

Warleader: The squadron leader of an inquisitorial Warband. This individual is elected by the warband itself, and is in charge of commanding the group. Their authority is not without its limits, and a Warleader can be replaced if the warband deems them unfit for duty.

*GM's Note* I think shy came up with this idea and I sort of love it? It'd make sense for warbands to have a defacto leader. Now, how to decide who will be the leader of Warband Phoenix? Should we vote? Maybe we can have it be anonymously? This could be fun! Let me know what you guys think!

Master Inquisitor: Inquisitors generally serve within their Warbands until they are granted the rank of Master Inquisitor, at which point they are then given command of entire companies comprised of different warbands and SA platoons. (Mother Indira and Father Antonin are of this rank)

High Inquisitor: The highest rank most inquisitors can reach, only given to those who've proven their valor and strength countless times over through many years. They command entire divisions comprised of soldiers and warbands. It is said that High Inquisitors are chosen by Lord Varya himself. (Father Creid and Father Gregoroth are of this rank)

Bishop: A legendary title that has been bestowed to only a scant few inquisitors throughout the empire's history. Bishops are known as "Varya's champions" and wield power and authority over not just the inquisitorial branch, but over the clerical branch as well. The ordination of a Bishop by Lord Varya is a tremendous thing indeed, as it disrupts the divine hierarchy of the Church itself, and throughout history, the rise of an inquisitorial Bishop has caused much chaos within the clerical branch. It is believed that Varya chooses His champions in order for them to play a very specific part in His designs, as they are gifted with eternal youth and other mysterious powers. Curiously, all of Varya's previous Bishops have met with mysterious ends. The Bishop of the current age, Aleksandre, currently clashes with the clerical branch, and it is rumored that his powers are diminishing.

***

So yeah, I kind of shrunk things down a bit from what you guys were suggesting, as I don't want the hierarchy to be too complicated. Let me know what you think!

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

Speaking of, no pressure, but is there any intention to draw more of the team? I'm trying to draw Rodion but...MALE FACES. Men in general. Also their hair. X.x I may just move to the rest of the gals.

I like Primus.

acolyte and initiate...I always forget which one sounds like it should be above the other.

Where do standard inquisitors rank in comparison the the nonmilitant church, and the secular army? Can we come up with a rank comparison for the two armies? I imagine the Inquisition ranks are slightly higher than the similarly named secular rank, but I'd like to see how they fit in with the civilian portion of the church.

It's intriguing that Omestris was thoroughly obliterated and Lanostre was not...but I guess Lord Varya (or the priests representing him!) have more use for strong warriors than they do for clever and independently-minded people. Also I'm guessing Omestris didn't surrender, so.

I do wonder why the other countries didn't band together. At the very least, T'saraen and Omestris...or maybe they did...or figured their odds were better this way....hmmm....

I imagine unauthorized incursions into Lanostre probably happened every now and again, hindered by the fact that they needed someone with ether control for an aegis to get there. The Church only started sending officially sanctioned (but quiet) feelers out in the decade or so leading up to the war. Before that, it was all entirely covert, with deniability.

@shylarah

I definitely plan on still drawing everyone at some point! The beginning of the RP was a pretty crazy period for me so I had to put art stuff in the backburner but I'll definitely be getting back to that at some point. :p

I'm not super knowledgeable on military ranks but, I see newly ordained inquisitors being comparable to SA lieutenants. However, with this being a theocratic society, inquisitors have a bit more power and influence than SA soldiers. I think of this as being kind of an unspoken fact, and a source of tension between the clergy and the military. Many SA officers definitely aren't huge fans of the clerical branch, but their relationship with the inquisitorial branch varies by individual. In the past, some inquisitors have treated the SA as little more than cannon fodder, while others have actively worked with the SA as allies and are hailed as respected comrades and the like.

Creid would definitely be one of the ladder. He has long taught us that the SA is to be respected as a force of brave soldiers, not pawns. He's also brought in allies from the SA to teach us combat stuff, so I feel like our class would probably be more open-minded about the SA. That depends on your character's perspective though.

Also, there is a ranking hierarchy within the inquisition itself, besides the existence of a "bishop". Now, I honestly haven't put too much thought into this and have treated it as more of a casual thing, but I guess now would be a good a time to.

So, our teachers and the like are obviously of a higher rank than us, but I'm not sure how to denote that. Should there be "classes"? For example, maybe Creid's official rank is Divine Inquisitor 1st Class, while ours would be Divine Inquisitor 4th Class?

Any thoughts?

As for a civilian portion of the Church, I see everyone in the clergy who isn't an inquisitor as being part of the clerical branch. As for their hierarchy, I haven't really come up with anything besides: Acolyte --> Monk/Nun --> Priest --> Vicar --> Cardinal --> High Cardinal --> Primus

If anyone's got any ideas about this too let me know.

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

Sure, magic spells being able to change the color of someone's eyes can be a thing.

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

How about... hegemon? Or primus?

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

@The Angry Goat Hey man, you try doing a google/pinterest search for "young steampunk mafioso/smuggler/pimp/gangster/whatever" and trying to find a decent reference image for Kadenza!

It took me ages before I eventually gave up and went "fuck it that dude from Legend of Korra kinda looks like him" and moved on with my life. :p

@shylarah

Actually, I should edit Antonin's profile and change the part about him being a teacher for more than two centuries. The timeline was stiff iffy in my head at the time but he definitely wasn't around during the fall of the old countries. He's been around for like... 130 years maybe? Still a long time, but, not as long as Aleksandre. Also, Aleksandre's immortality is known far and wide to have come as a gift from Lord Varya, while the reason for Antonin's weird agelessness is a mystery.

No, Magnus can't become a bishop, but he can become a cardinal, which is the highest rank within the church before the almighty "pope" figure, who stands at the apex of the faith's hierarchy. Haven't made this character yet, and I'm not sure if I want to refer to them as "pope", since... yeah. Anyone have any ideas for what title this person should have?

As for the order in which the countries fell. I see it as follows:

- T'sarae surrenders without much fighting involved
- Three years after that Muraad falls after a series of bloody skirmishes against their disparate clans
- Five years later Omestris falls, though their surrender occurs under mysterious circumstances, since they seemingly destroyed their own city rather than allow it to be captured
- 180 years later, Varya invades Lanostre.
- Twenty years after Lanostre, Varya sets out to conquer the eastern continent.

So yeah, T'sarae, Muraad and Omestris all fell in quick succession before Varya took the better part of two centuries to build their city and army to take on Lanostre. I think that's right. If I'm wrong about anything or have stated info that clashes with anything I mentioned in the past, let me know!

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

Kadenza Rami
Age: 18



A rich smuggler of T'saraen ancestry from the slums of Tale's End in Magnagrad. Though he is young, his smuggling operation has thrived for many years and now spreads throughout much of the western sprawl of the city's slums. Kadenza is brash, dangerous and arrogant, but remains true to his roots and works to improve the slums and the lives of its people through numerous legitimate businesses.

***

The Godless (Ice Pirates)



Men and women of uncertain ancestry who live far from civilization out in the icefields at the fringes of the Varyan aegis. They are feared among the populace of Magnagrad, for they keep no gods and are thus not beholden to the laws of the world. Considered apostates, their existence alone is a constant source of irritation for the Church and thus the clergy regularly order the SA to venture out on raids to thin their numbers. However, generations living among the frost has hardened the godless and they are thus feared throughout the continent as dangerous fighters. This being the case, the SA commonly declines to sacrifice the lives of their men on raids which they deem pointless, for the people living in the icefields don't typically cause much trouble to the empire. Indeed, the term "ice pirate" is considered a slur by these folk, as many of them don't partake in piracy, but instead choose to leave peacefully away from the continent.

As it stands, the people of the icefields are allowed to come and go into the city as they please, but are always watched carefully...

***

Bishop Aleksandre, "The Vanquisher"
Age: Unknown



Throughout the long history of the empire, only four inquisitors have been granted the high rank of bishop. Aleksandre is the only of those four still living. The man known as "The Vanquisher" is an exceedingly powerful warmage and military commander. As the defacto leader of the Inquisition and supreme commander of the Varyan military forces during the Lanostran War, he brought the warrior nation to heel and is thus hailed and beloved throughout Varya as a hero and conqueror.

In his prime, the "last bishop" was unmatched in combat and sorcery and his exploits as an inquisitor date back several hundred years. Said to be have been blessed with agelessness by Lord Varya himself, it is known that Aleksandre was present during the fall of both Omestris and Muraad.

In the recent decades of peace, Aleksandre's power within the Church has declined, as his clashes with the rising clerical branch has lessened the influence he once possessed. Recent scandals regarding rumors of of his close relationships with male members of the clergy have also damaged his reputation. All but stripped of his former power and influence, Bishop Aleksandre must now watch from the sidelines as the empire wages war against the mysterious continent of El, a place that he has long dreamed of conquering himself. He now places his ambitions on the shoulders of Vicar Magnus, a young but exceedingly talented cleric whom Aleksandre has groomed since Magnus was an inquisitor-in-training within the Red Seminary.

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

Here be new character profiles!

***

Kadenza Rami
Age: 18



A rich smuggler of T'saraen ancestry from the slums of Tale's End in Magnagrad. Though he is young, his smuggling operation has thrived for many years and now spreads throughout much of the western sprawl of the city's slums. Kadenza is brash, dangerous and arrogant, but remains true to his roots and works to improve the slums and the lives of its people through numerous legitimate businesses.

***

The Godless (Ice Pirates)



Men and women of uncertain ancestry who live far from civilization out in the icefields at the fringes of the Varyan aegis. They are feared among the populace of Magnagrad, for they keep no gods and are thus not beholden to the laws of the world. Considered apostates, their existence alone is a constant source of irritation for the Church and thus the clergy regularly order the SA to venture out on raids to thin their numbers. However, generations living among the frost has hardened the godless and they are thus feared throughout the continent as dangerous fighters. This being the case, the SA commonly declines to sacrifice the lives of their men on raids which they deem pointless, for the people living in the icefields don't typically cause much trouble to the empire. Indeed, the term "ice pirate" is considered a slur by these folk, as many of them don't partake in piracy, but instead choose to leave peacefully away from the continent.

As it stands, the people of the icefields are allowed to come and go into the city as they please, but are always watched carefully...

***

Bishop Aleksandre, "The Vanquisher"
Age: Unknown



Throughout the long history of the empire, only four inquisitors have been granted the high rank of bishop. Aleksandre is the only of those four still living. The man known as "The Vanquisher" is an exceedingly powerful warmage and military commander. As the defacto leader of the Inquisition and supreme commander of the Varyan military forces during the Lanostran War, he brought the warrior nation to heel and is thus hailed and beloved throughout Varya as a hero and conqueror.

In his prime, the "last bishop" was unmatched in combat and sorcery and his exploits as an inquisitor date back several hundred years. Said to be have been blessed with agelessness by Lord Varya himself, it is known that Aleksandre was present during the fall of both Omestris and Muraad.

In the recent decades of peace, Aleksandre's power within the Church has declined, as his clashes with the rising clerical branch has lessened the influence he once possessed. Recent scandals regarding rumors of of his close relationships with male members of the clergy have also damaged his reputation. All but stripped of his former power and influence, Bishop Aleksandre must now watch from the sidelines as the empire wages war against the mysterious continent of El, a place that he has long dreamed of conquering himself. He now places his ambitions on the shoulders of Vicar Magnus, a young but exceedingly talented cleric whom Aleksandre has groomed since Magnus was an inquisitor-in-training within the Red Seminary.

The Last Embers (Dark Steampunk/Fantasy)

@Draken I won't say much, but here's what I wrote on Culmination and Aspects a while ago, which might give some insight into how the visions are supposed to work. Should have added this to the info dump before, sorry!

***

On the Day of Culmination, after the graduation ceremony, the priests journey together to the Steps of the Red Shrine, the Divine Throne of Lord Varya, where He is said to reside. The Inquisitors then march up the steps, ascending the massive tower which rests at the base of the Shrine as a unified group. Upon reaching the summit, the titanic doors of the monolithic scarlet shrine await them.

The Inquisitors are forbidden from actually entering the Shrine, thus they kneel at its entrance, where they then commune with Lord Varya himself.

Now, this is how the Church describes it, but in actuality, no priest actually speaks to the Ravenous Lord directly. Instead, there, on those steps, they are contacted by an Aspect of Lord Varya. These aspects, or Angels, as the Church describes them, are divine beings who possess some measure of independence, but are bound to carry out His Will. These Aspects form a spiritual connection to each warband and act as their personal attachment to the Lord Varya, a "patron saint" of sorts. The Aspect watches over each Inquisitor of the band, and is said to lend them aid in times of crisis. Whether Lord Varya even notices the Inquisitors who kneel at His doorstep or even cares for their existence is unknown, but his Aspects are said to exist for the sole purpose of protecting and guiding an Inquisitorial warband in Lord Varya's stead, and is said to mold itself according to the spirits of each individual member.

The Aspects themselves have their own quirks and personalities, and it is known that its appearance changes depending on whomever glimpses it. Thus, one Inquisitor might see the Aspect as an ordinary plain-faced soldier, while another might see it as a demon. Others might not even glimpse the Aspect at all. This is all dependent on an Inquisitor's spirit, personality, and faith.

What an Inquisitor sees upon kneeling at the steps is a deeply personal experience, and they are not compelled to disclose it to the Church or anyone else if they don't wish to.

@Drakey Sorry about the wait! Your reply is currently priority no 1!