The Church of the Ten Travellers – Guild Leaders, Buildings & Deity
Guild Leaders
Angharrad Pietys – Magnate
(Human)
Angharrad Pietys is said to have had at least three other names before she joined the Church of Terref and that at least one of those was deeply unflattering, labelling her as something of a woman of the night. Whatever the truth of those statements the enigmatic Magnate of the Ten Travellers is tight lipped about her past and greets any such rumours with a filthy smile and raised eyebrow. Whatever is insinuated of her the truth of her journey and rise to the leader of the largest Church in the Royal Basin is much more interesting and in truth, deeply moving and motivating at the same time. So before anyone raises questions or places half truths in the hands of the press let us examine that story as any self respecting member of the faith should.
What we know for sure is that Angharrad Pietys was born in 1967 in the sleepy hamlet of Delve which has become a place of Legend. The people of Delve are believed to have settled from various Duchies or versions of the Royal Basin and Angharrad was descended from these people. Stories of Delve sprung up over the centuries some of which had been proven and others that are still locked into fable. Two for sure, that have been proven, is that the people of the place are long lived, perhaps even immortal and that the township hops from place to place and time to time in a seemingly unplanned route across The Royal Basin and potentially even Daer Akmir perhaps, even, the world. Stories of its existence frequent the history books and the exploits and deeds of many of its inhabitants litter the guild manifestos and indeed records.
All of this came to an end, for Delve at least, in the battles in the last days of the Shadow War when the darkness came and the final battle took place. All returned to Delve and the Blights, the Shadows and the Ministers arrived to fight them. The battle ended when Dazak North spirited the mortal battlers away on the Grey keep and left the place that was Delve suspended, locked in time, with the enemy within. There are no more people from Delve but the stories of those that came from there will live on for as long as we remember the Shadow War and the people that died in it. Yet from this place is where the living tales that were born there still wander the land, changing its state and its people for as long as they live.
It was tales of these folk that Angharrad was bought up on; stories of the birth of the Oath and the adventures of the Academy of Bold Companions. She had the privilege of hearing these tales from the lips of Gable “The Fable” Trent who found the young girl fascinating. Even at the youngest of ages she could take the words that he spoke to her and spin them into new tales in which the heroes of the past danced to a new tune, fighting new battles each as plausible and breathtaking as the last. Each time he left Delve he delivered reports of her abilities to the various people that would listen to him hoping that this delivery of information would lure people to her door and take this talent under their wing. Imagine his surprise therefore when he finally managed to get Aliminster Tolwick of the Bold Companions to visit only to discover that she had left.
Angharrad was never someone that enjoyed sitting still, she says that herself even now and she was always grateful that she was born in Delve. The village was full of strange magical glades that led to hidden places and wells that were portals to other corners of forgotten memories and each day, from the moment that she understood that she could, she began to explore them in an adventure that she hoped would never end. Here she found bones of the long dead that spoke to her of long ago and hidden Fae things that whispered to her of days to come. All the time she desired more, to hear more stories, see more places and experience these new races and peoples. In between her sojourns she would meet with “The Fable” and hear these amazing stories of other places and other worlds. So many paths to follow and so many people to meet an endless world with trackless wastes and lost places that held secrets and wealth and knowledge beyond measure.
When she had explored everything in Delve there was nothing to keep her here anymore and so in 1982 she gathered up her wealth and belongings and wandered out into the wider world heading for the Oath Buildings that she had heard of with the intention of signing up. At this time Delve had appeared in Argent County near Silverlance and at the time the young Angharrad did not know rightly where she was. Following the road closest to her she found herself in the township of Gremen on the road to Vobde. She settled down at an Inn called the Whippets Coat and settled in to listen to the stories of a troubadour called Spikey Daniels who wandered with a young boy styled David. Staying at the inn she soon discovered that she and various other wanderers had been robbed of their wealth by the young David whilst they listened to Daniels. She learnt a lesson that day, one that would see her in good stead for many years to come.
When Gable caught up to her he found her still at the Whippets Coat, washing dishes to pay for the breakfast that she had eaten that morning. She had been waiting for him and soon outlined her plan to travel and enjoy themselves, a plan which, surprisingly, Gable agreed to. So in late 1982 she travelled with her hero to settlements across the Royal Basin. She was given the chance to tell the tales he had taught her and impress the locals with her dancing and juggling skills. Then they would swiftly move on to another town and repeat their performance, never staying in one place for oo long. Things were idyllic until the militia caught up with them in Sakralem. Whilst Angharrad had been telling stories, stories made up by Trent, he had been robbing the poor folk of the land, which had then lined their pockets and allowed them to live in relative opulence.
In 1984 she was released from incarceration with no less enthusiasm for stories and tales but with a lot less naivety.
Whilst inside she had spent much time listening to the Penitentiary Priestess, a Terrefian, called Beth Egret Fetallban who had begun her training. Through her she learned the power that came through faith and how to manipulate the strengths of fortune and the shaping of fortune. Her time in the Fallgate Prison was not wasted, she longed for her freedoms but she still had her voice and her talent, earning coin for singing and then organising and profiting from gambling circles and running contraband into the prison. Beth seemed satisfied that she had created an economy for herself in the penitentiary and one that all could benefit from. Many hardened criminals that she employed learnt trades this way and completed their sentences to go on and have successful business ventures and better lives.
When she left prison she was introduced to the Palace of Holy Merchants by Beth Fetallban who spoke with the Priests there who agreed to take her in. Glenflatter Bahbete was assigned as her teacher and he found an extremely keen and energetic young woman desperate to make up for the time she viewed as lost in Fallgate. He taught her to be a Versifier a role to which she was fully ordained in 1990 and for the next twenty years she campaigned endlessly; protecting the business interests of the Church, protecting legitimate bards and story tellers and outing those that followed in her and her once masters footsteps. Slowly she made her way up the tree, coming to the roll of traveller in 2003 and at each step of the way her instructor, Glen, was waiting to celebrate her successes with her.
In the later years of her active service she also began to act as an instructor gaining a great deal of respect and loyalty. In 2010, during the Cataclysm wars the senior members of the church gathered together to discuss how to solidify their position. It is said that they were visited directly by three faces of The Charmed and it was decided that the Church needed stronger leadership. By the voice of Terref and the great contract between her clergy and her magnificence she was elected to the helm of the Terrefian Church and has been their ever since.
Major Centres of Worship
The Palace of the Holy Merchants in Haven is the centre of worship for the Terrefian Church but many Inns, theatres and opera houses are blessed in her name and many priests travel to them to recuperate their powers during a performance.
The Deity: Terref
The Charmed, Walker of Ten Paths, Merciless Mother, The Two Faced
Aliases:
Tzi Tzain:
Mathe
Yuirfarvallen:
Joryon
Kalashinkan:
Tikkli
Zumatakan:
Fulion
Iron Blood:
Pha
Orcish:
Shakle
Lairdan-Gan:
Manator
Granite Heart:
Kali Matar
Fae:
Lady Liyer
Symbol
A Coin
Portfolios
Major
Merriment, Luck, Entertainment, Trade
Minor
Travel, Weather, Wealth, Bards and Music
Foes
Rayvahn
Divine Seats
The Theatre of the Heavens
Afterlives
The Realm of Dreams, The Counting houses, The Eternal journey, The Endless Day
Terref (Teh-Ref) is ever changing, ever moving, and ever alive. She embodies happiness, freedom and joyful movement. She is a vibrant and vivacious deity with a will to get things done. She loves arts and the realm of discovery alongside wealth, not for the sake of money but for the comforts, conveniences and opportunities that it brings to her and her followers. She likes the fast paced bargaining of the market place and the cut and thrust of commerce. Coupled with this Terref is the ultimate performer: self-confident, inspired and possessed of a total recall of anything that she sets her mind to.
Terref’s faith is one of the most common through the Basin, in particular as it caters most heavily to a highly mobile, relatively wealthy and intrinsically powerful group who live by their wits and luck; the adventuring community. Terref is fickle but playful and rarely shows her vengeful side although if she chooses to be malicious her wrath is a powerful beast. She loves merriment and festive occasions and revels in the song, dancing and rumour that stretches across such events. In particular she loves the open road and all that can be learned upon it and before the council of Tharinos would often depart the heavens to travel her favourite highways, stay at her most treasured inns and trade with those that she knew would be met along them.
When she appeared upon the world Terref appeared as a beautiful young with golden spun hair and two golden coins for eyes. She wore the finest gowns of the current fashion and knew all of the latest tales and melodies alongside the old and the classic. The clergy of Terref is predominantly populated by Priests although Bards, Mediators and Wayfarers are also commonplace among her faithful.
Dogma
Terref teaches that mercantile trade is the best road to enrichment. Increasing the general prosperity of all buys ever-greater civilisation and happiness for all intelligent folk bringing everyone closer to a Golden Age of peace, music, laughter and joy. Terref is the merchant’s friend and bids that those that follower her shall destroy no trade goods in either deed nor word. To say that all grapes from The Ferns are poisoned is to blaspheme in the eyes of the Goddess. The faithful should give money freely to beggars and to business alike to demonstrate the bounty of the Goddess and the wealth to be gained through service to her and to increase the free coin in everyone’s hands.
Terref is also a goddess of creativity and inspiration, music, laughter and joy, she teaches that a great time of prosperity is coming to the world that will bring about an end to the horrors that have been seen over the last few centuries. Whilst this age will come through the joys of wealth it will herald a time of great happiness. In this time to come the world will need the gentleness of mirth and the strength of happiness.
“Worship me and you shall know wealth. To guard your funds is to venerate Terref and to share them well seeds your future success. Call on me in trade and I shall be there. The bold find gold, the careful keep it and the timid yield it up.
Life is a song. Strive always to make it more beautiful, destroy no music nor instrument and stop no song, performance or entertainer before their time is done. Spread the teachings of song and music and allow the works of past and present to fill the hearts of all those that pass you by that Terref’s gifts may be remembered and fill the world for all time“
From the words spoken to the Ten Travellers in the third book
Archangles
Gildor, Archangel of Merriment
Dealing with activities that are entertaining or amusing and the causing of joyful gaiety, mirth, hilarity and laughter. A Priest that has called upon Gildor to be their patron is responsible for the development of activities within a flock or group that maintain the aspects and factors of joy, happiness and positives.
Karshek, Archangel of Luck
Dealing with the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person’s life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities. A Priest that has called upon Karshek to be their patron has offered their service in the pursuit of luck and its application to a situation. They are responsible for teaching their flock how to best use what they know to survive in day to life and act according to the guidance and sense of the Lady of Fortune.
Marparaha, Archangel of Entertainment
Dealing with something affording pleasure, diversion, or amusement, esp. a performance of some kind or hospitable provision for the needs and wants of guests. A Priest that has called upon Marparaha to be their patron is now responsible for providing their flock with the lessons that Terref brings through the act of entertainment. To hold ones attention and to bring the learning that the priest has achieved in their life.
Darshankson, Archangel of Trade
Dealing with the act or process of buying, selling, or exchanging commodities, at either wholesale or retail, within a country or between countries. A Priest that has called upon Darshankson has dedicated their lives to becoming a paragon of trade. Ensuring that trade agreements are prepared correctly, honoured and that fair play is ensured in all business arrangements. Equally they are responsible for ensuring that goods are of the correct quality.
Angels of Power
Zulant, Angel of Travel
Dealing with the act of travelling; journeying, esp. to distant places. A Priest that has called upon Zulant makes it their duty to dedicate their lives to the art and wonder of the journey. It is the responsibility of the Priest to encourage those with a will to travel and by that travelling spread the worth, faith and tales that come with the Church to far lands.
Tikkalan, Angel of Weather
Dealing with the control and telling of weather, the reading of signs in storms and the use of weather in agriculture. A Priest that has called upon Tikkalan represents Terref’s affiliation with the Tao of Kethlan. They may be called upon to control the weather and prevent devastating damage to crops and villages alike. Equally they are called upon to observe the power of the Spirits of the Tao and to read the will of these powers.
Quiron, Angel of Wealth
Dealing with the storage of money, valuable possessions, property or other riches. Also an abundance or profusion of anything, a plentiful amount. A Priest that has called upon Quiron to champion them have dedicated themselves to the need to gather and protect an abundance of things. Their duties are to teach their flock to overcome their problems through using possessions of great value, riches and bountiful things.
Porotylokijare, Angel of Bards and Music
Dealing with the patronage of those who compose or recite epic or heroic pieces often to the accompany of musical instruments. Also the expression of emotional from through the elements of rhythm, harmony, melody and colour. A Priest that has called upon Porotylokijare has taken up a duty to allow the stories and tales that empower Terref through their service to give strength and power to those that tell them. Specifically they take it upon themselves to patronise those of the bardic community and the temperance and committed memory of their songs and stories.
Servants
Terref is served by a number of Lesser Powers that can also be worshipped by Priests and Ley Followers, these powers have fallen under the remit of the Lady over the years and given their power to increase the strength of The Merciless Mother.
The Demi Power Falyan
Known Powers
Safe Roads, Fair Winds, Plentiful Inns, Fair Prices
Allied Powers
Terref, Misorth and Holort
“The journey, if took well and in a good frame of mind, is full of the shine of the sun and the blessings of the lady whether there be rain outside or wind or blizzard. The Fair winds are in your hearts, your prayer, your mind’s eye.”
There was once a woman who travelled the paths and villages of the Royal Basin because she loved to experience all that the lands of Daer Akmir had to offer. Let the story tell more; she was a Doctor of the University and a teacher and in her lessons the pupils of her class learnt much of the people that they would one day interact with. She was invaluable as a mentor, as an academians and as a person, so much so that the University found her to be indispensable to their needs. At the highest point of her career she came to realise how little she truly knew of the world, its ways and the people in it and she made efforts to gain a bursary to pave her way on a trip that would take her across Daer Akmir and return the better for it. The University refused saying that a trip of such length would take years to undertake, she argued that in good weather, with good roads and the like she would make admirable time.
The likelihood of such fair weather seemed unlikely as far as her seniors were concerned and she was denied. However she did not give up lightly and within weeks a bargain was made: Travel the routes of Daer Akmir within 100 days and it would not only be allowed it would be paid for. Falyan spent her time before the journey deep in prayer to the Goddess and her prayers were heard; so intense was the faith of the lady that the avatar of the Mistress appeared before. What pact was struck we cannot, as Priests, speak to. What we do know is that the great feat was a success. Falyan travelled the roads of Daer Akmir in less than 100 days and returned to the University in a great pageant. She died of great old age having made strides in the fields of Anthropology at the University and her spirit? That soared to the heavens to take its place at the side of Terref. Now the followers of Falyan are an organisation within the Church dedicated to travel and the well being that comes with the knowledge that is gained through that travel. She guides those that travel her roads and brings those that trade in her name fair winds and good favour. Falyan symbol is a sun that drives back clouds and warms cold bones.
The Demi Power Misorth
Known Powers
Songs, Composition and Performance
Allied Powers
Terref, Holort and Falyan
“Inspiration is the hardest dream to seek but when you find it, it brings in its wake the power of fame and that meteoric rise to stardom. Inspiration, though, comes with a terrible cost, one that lies behind the worthiness of success. Are you prepared to pay it?”
Misorth is said by many to be the most powerful of the demi powers of the heavens. Should she choose to speak to you and you choose to hear her voice it is known that you will become her reflection upon the world. So strong will her presence be within you that your words, your song, your art be remembered for all time. Her inspiration is a rarity however and often bargained for in the most dreadful of ways and few will make the sacrifice for what is the truest expression of their devotion to the craft. In that respect she is both feared and loved should she make that choice to interfere with your life.
Whether she was ever mortal is debatable, many believe that she was created from the songs and stories of her followers or from the greatest stories that were ever written. This has led to a plethora of tales regarding her creation and her attitude towards her followers. The ladies priests are forever at work, creating, crafting and striving for that excellent tale to spring forth from quill or lips and are highly sought after by theatres and opera houses. In return for the patronage of her Priests the establishments are expected to become a minor centre of her worship.
Misorths symbol is a musical note but in some way it always reflects the danger that is involved with calling upon the power of the Goddess to gain the fame that most seek.
The Demi Power Holort
Known Powers
Whores, Depravity and Ecstasy
Allied Powers
Terref, Misorth and Falyan
“Indulgence, as a passion, is the only power.”
“Holort is my inspiration: I make no excuses for my behaviour nor the fact that I have been arrested on no fewer than seventeen occasions on my evening sojourns through the various capitals of the Duchies. My devotion to the Lord of Whores gives me a channel for the darker part of my soul and keeps me focussed on my day to day activities as a Merchant Banker. To have that pleasure, that release gives me the power to steer my life in the direction that I want it to. I have done things that you would never dream of too things and with things you would balk at and yet I am successful, powerful and I am happy. Am I an addict? Yes, yes I am and it is that addiction that gives me the remit to be this person”
Acrin Volston, Second most powerful Merchant Banker on the Copper Table
Holort has always been a power in the world, his passions are the what many consider to be the darker parts of our more carnal nature. His priests however are the channel for that power, believing that the revelry and embrace of that side of our personality is as important as that which society accepts. Mastery of that power within us leads us to a path will bring us joy through our own potential as we overcome our inhibitions and embrace our misconceptions of self. Worship of Holort takes place anywhere there is an indulgence of joy and entertainment that can be reduced to its basest form. Holort is worshipped loudly but away from the common man in Shibeen, whore houses, private clubs and other dark and alluring places by both working man and social climber. Holorts symbol is a widening line with an orb at one end which represents the exploration of one’s inner soul.