History and Doctrine

 

With its origins dating to over 300 years before the Scream, the House of Mary has become the one accepted religion throughout Red Sector A. Its own matriarchal hierarchy has formed the basis of sector society and government and its reach and power cannot be overestimated. 

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Church doctrine derives from the founding document, The Constraints of Forgiveness, written sometime around the year 2360 by Inthex of the Verboo system, Violet Sector G. Inthex was a mobedyar, a high priestess who followed the teachings of the ancient spiritual leader and ethical philosopher Ashu Zarathushtra, also known as Zoroaster. Outside the Verboo system, her sect was not particularly known, though by the age of 40 she had established a reputation as the preeminent religious leader of her home system.

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Little is known of the events leading up to Inthex breaking from the Zoroastrian sect, but by 2350, it is known that she had garnered a large following of her own and was no longer affiliated with Zoroastrianism. For the better part of a decade, Inthex traveled from system to system throughout Violet Sector G, preaching her own brand of religion, developing the doctrine that would ultimately become the Constraints of Forgiveness.

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Formed from a myriad of teachings she’d studied during her time as a member of the Zoroastrians, she wrote the Constraints to codify her teachings for her followers who were growing exponentially across the sector. The document, shaped over a decade saw its final draft in about 2360 (records are spotty for this time period due to the Draco incident). This was all happening about the same time the rogue A.I. Draco was ravaging parts of the outer rim, inspiring the murder and subjugation of untold millions of people. Inthex was drawn to the ravaged war zones, eager to minister to the broken, gifting to them the Light of Salvation in the form of the Constraints of Forgiveness.

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Her following ballooned during this time. With each passing day, legions of new followers reached out to her, begging for salvation from the sins of man manifest in Draco. With the news of Draco’s ultimate defeat, Inthex immediately called her followers to her home world of Verboo Prax and announced the foundation of the House of Mary Church. The numbers could not be confirmed but estimates are that as few as a trillion and as many as 5 trillion followers made their way to the Verboo system to witness the elevation of Inthex to First Dow of the House of Mary.

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Built upon the foundations and beliefs she held her entire life, Inthex shaped the tenets of The House of Mary on monotheism, free will and asceticism. The purpose of the new religion, she said was for true believers to renew the world, and progress the world towards perfection along a single path to salvation, or forgiveness in the form of penance. Penance, for the Church is the very purpose of existence. In the Constraints of Forgiveness, one is not able to achieve true freedom, or oneness with the essence of Hurmuz, or God without first casting off all worldly possessions and giving in to the Will of God as manifest in the teachings. To begin this journey, self-restraint and service in the form of sacrifice are key.

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With the Silence, the Church in Red Sector A was cut off from the controlling influence of the Church proper, which was then led by Dow Olan and headquartered in the Verboo system, Violet Sector G. The handful of House leaders in the sector, headed by one of The Dow Olan's Onmyou, Emille Cargara convened The First Red Sector A Drukpa in June 2666. They voted unanimously to elevate Cargara as The Dow Esum. Doctrine has remained virtually unaltered from the time of the Scream, however interpretation and influence has not. Over the last 600 years, the Church has grown to become the most powerful entity in the culture, in the government, in business and other less scrupulous segments of society throughout the sector and the Constraints of Forgiveness, with all of its various connotations have held sway over the entirety of civilization.

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The Red Sector A Dow Line of Succession

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In 2666, Onmyou Emille Cargara was elevated by the First Red Sector A Drukpa as Dow Esum

2666-2681 Dow Esum (Emille Cargara)

2681-2699 Dow Leret I (Easter Rose)

2700-2708 Dow Esum II (Veleria Cargara)

2708-2747 Dow Native (Seris Velani)

2748-2809 Dow Lament I (Canderra Al Ag)

2810-2820 Dow Lament II (Leah Al Ag)

2821-2845 Dow Lament III (Vet Al Ag)

2846-2850 Dow Lament IV (Lorraine Al Ag)

2850-2881 Dow Lament V (Brident Al Ag)

2881-2913 Dow Leret II (Seris Ag)

2914-2999 Dow Lament VI (Prent Ag-Voll)

2999-3029 Dow Lament VII (Therrai Voll)

3030-3058 Dow Leret III (Seris Antevi)

3058-3090 Dow Leret IV (Aktega Rall)

3091-3118 Dow Lament VIII (Shara Anto)

3118-3143 Dow Oremian (Leah Pratt)

3144-now Dow Saffer (Errisan Gollum)

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Church Clergy

 

As it was before the Scream, all newly ordained clergy of the Church retain no possessions of their own. A vow of poverty is taken prior to the ordainment ceremony and from that moment on, all physical needs are met by the Church. Chastity is taught and encouraged by Church hierarchy, though no longer required. Church sanctioned marriage is reserved solely for followers of the Church and clergy members are, as yet not permitted to marry.

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Most clergy wear simple robes of earth tones. They generally display no rank insignia, military or otherwise. Clergy are usually entirely bald, though some higher-level members do retain their hair. Clergy born on Jelq often wear more colorful attire and jewelry as well. There are no official guidelines regarding attire, though most follow the standard set by the Dow Saffer; a simple, off-white, cotton robe, flat, animal hide, open toed shoes with no hair, jewelry or other distinguishing accessories.

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While men are ordained every day and many serve in high levels of both the House Guard and the Church proper, there has never been a male Dow, nor a male Panchen. There are currently (January 3200) four male Gyalwang Drukpa members. Most positions of authority throughout the Church, sector government and military are held by women, while the House Guard and sector military enlisted ranks are virtually evenly mixed.

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Church Organization

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The House of Mary Church is led by a single supreme leader called the Dow. The Onmyou, usually a group of four, answerable only to the Dow, sit atop the entire Church organizational structure, including the military. Through the Onmyou, the Dow controls everything the Church is involved in, including the sector government and military, the House Guard and thousands of business interests across the entire sector.

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The Gyalwang Drukpa, a group of one hundred forty-four clergy, led by the Onmyou handle the business of the Church, convening committees and tribunals, setting Church policy and deciding when and where Church money is spent.

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Eternal Light, the Church intelligence service answers directly to the Gyalwang Drukpa. Its agents, called Instruments of Light are sent on missions throughout the sector to carry out the will of Hurmuz. They are sent to fulfill duties like infiltration, spying and assassination.

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The Church's own university system, the Universal Seminary of Eternal Penance operates full fledged campuses on Jelq, O'Render and Midland as well as annex facilities on a dozen more worlds. The annex on Hvelfiham trains House Guard special ops teams. Graduates, called Saltiques train for the same sorts of careers secular universities teach, including government and military. The Church also sanctions several university degree programs at secular colleges throughout the sector. These are usually in conjunction with the annex facilities, mostly located in the outlying regions of the sector.

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Church Military Organization

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The Church fields its own military units in the form of The House Sector Guard. 100% of the personnel assigned to the Guard are ordained. The Guard operates under a wholly independent and self-contained structure, though Guard units often work in conjunction with the sector military. In such cases, the Guard takes precedence over sector military with respect to command and jurisdiction. 

 

The House of Mary is also highly embedded within the sector military through its Chaplain Corps. This enables easier control of assets throughout the sector where the House Sector Guard has limited or no presence at all.

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The House Sector Guard is under direct control of the Gyalwang Drukpa. The Guard maintains each of its own units in parallel with the sector military. They have a smaller number of personnel as they do not draw from the general population, however, their units are generally considered the best in terms of training, equipment and discipline.

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New members of the officer corps of the House Sector Guard are appointed every 30 days by the Gyalwang Drukpa from the Saltigue. The enlisted ranks are taken from the Dastur on a continuing basis as necessary.

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Church Clergy Structure of Command

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Dow 

                The supreme leader of the Church

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Onmyou

                Appointed by the Dow, usually from the Gyalwang Drukpa, who serve at the pleasure of the Dow.

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Panchen

                A temporary body of clergy, chosen by lottery from the Gyalwang Drukpa. After the death of a Dow, they are responsible for choosing a new supreme leader. Once their task is completed, they are disbanded.

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Gyalwang Drukpa

                The highest level most clergy members aspire to through their works. This body is comprised of one hundred forty-four clergy members who are addressed as Drukpa. Within 10 hours of the death of a member, the body meets, nominates a replacement and votes. At least 124 of the members must vote in favor for the new member to be approved. By highest Church law, they are not allowed leave of the planet Jelq. Several members of the Court of Justice, the sector ruling body are members of the Gyalwang Drukpa.

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Hakham

                The chief clergy of a planetary system. The Hakham is appointed by the Gyalwang Drukpa by simple majority. This position carries weight with respect to the planetary government as the Hakham reports directly to the Gyalwang Drukpa and local government officials are generally eager to curry favor.

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Chaplain

                An ordained representative of the Church who is embedded into a non-Church military unit. The Chaplain serves as a spiritual guide for the unit and reports their activities to the Gyalwang Drukpa.

 

Saltigue

                Ordained clergy who have graduated from a Church owned or sanctioned university. These members of the Church are sent throughout the sector to act as the eyes, ears, arms and legs of the Church. A Saltigue has the option to request to be placed into the House Sector Guard.

 

Dastur

                Ordained clergy who are either not college educated or educated in a non-sanctioned college. The Dastur work as general or skilled labor with the Church’s many businesses across the sector.

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The House Sector Guard Structure of Command

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Seventy

                An honorific bestowed on House Guard officers who have distinguished themselves in some form in service of the Church

 

Doyen General

                Commander of a multi-system level military unit

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Pirani General

                Commander of a system level military unit

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Gabbai

                Commander of a planetary military unit

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Mohel

                Company commander

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Sensei

                Platoon commander

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Maw’lawi

                An officer of the Dow Guard Corps

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Preu

                An enlisted of the Dow Guard Corps

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Gymnosoph

                Senior enlisted, planetary system level

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Archmandrite

                Senior enlisted, company level

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Enlisted ranks: Light Private, Light Corporal, Light Sergeant, Senior Light Sergeant