Malinna_church

The Church of Malinna

An introduction:

Many churches are founded on the idea of service and sacrifice to others of their faith and the masses in general. The faithful of Malinna have a slightly different set of beliefs. These beliefs are so different that many doubt if her clergy are truly clerics, suspecting that various Thief Lords have collaborated in the greatest act of fraud and deception the world has ever seen.

Many of the ideas of Malinna's followers are based on sarcasm and witty observations. It is important to note that the "official teaching" of the church is different in nearly every temple and often personalized by the highest ranking individual of the clergy who passed through last:

Give to others only the bait needed to catch them unawares.
Take everything, unless leaving some will mean you can rob them later... again and again.
A murdered merchant cannot again be robbed.
Words may inspire others to follow the captain, but whips, swords and cannons make sure others obey the captain.
He with the big hat rules, unless he is so powerful that he does not need a hat.
If the King can tax to provide the kingdom protection, then we can 'tax' for the 'protection' we offer also.
If you can't do it with style, do not bother.
You're never really wanted until the King’s men actually chase you BEYOND the city limits.
Learn the tolerance of the Vigilant, and do not earn their notice.
Do not punch, if you can cut with a dagger.
Do not cut with a dagger if you can slash with a sword.
Do not slash with a sword if you can shoot with a flintlock.
Do not shoot with a flintlock if you can fire with your cannon.
Do not fire with a cannon if you can give the order to make someone else deal with it in the first place.
If you can blame the other guy, do so.
Give the captain his cut or expect a cut of your own.

Among the 'official' clergy, they often respond to people who bring the above 'ideals' up as questions, with an air of over-inflated patience and offer some version of the following, "Now, now... You do realize that those are all in good fun among our less mannered fellowship. Truly, you are not suggesting that we are supposed to bring these rough and tumble people into civilized society overnight?"

These official clergy are very much of two schools. Among their followers, they are just as cutthroat as the best of them. If they have to represent the church before others, they become chameleons who blend in with eerie skill. They also have an 'official' set of tenets that they profess as having priority above all the others:

Break no enforced laws.
Accept fair payment for your services.
Respect authority you cannot refuse.
Conduct yourself in memorable style.
Do not use force while guile will suffice.
Do not confront when a slight approach better serves the need.
Give your betters their proper due.
Never allow the truth to get in the way of the facts.

The skill of these completely endearing clergy to come across as genuine and caring and mask their selfish nature often allows them to exist as darlings of the highborn of the kingdom. It is not uncommon for the reports of criminals and bandits around Ravenslost and on the high seas to get the nobility all worked up, only to have a devoted follower of Malinna calmly explain just how 'minor' the incidents actually are and detail all the efforts being made to ensure justice is served.

It is also important to note that the clergy of the church are deadly serious that the flow of goods around the kingdom is not so affected as to draw the attention of the King towards the activities of the criminal networks. They know well that once the King's patience is spent, he will respond with a heavy hand and they do not wish that kind of trouble or interference.

Clerical Ranks:

Footpad

1st Initiate/ Scallywag/ Thug
2nd Servant/ Deckhand/ Cutpurse
3rd Aspirant/ Shipmate/ Cutthroat
4th Privateer/ Pirate/ Bandit
5th Swashbuckler/ Seadog/ Brigand
6th Priest/ First mate/ Lieutenant
7th Diplomat/ Captain/ Boss
8th Lord/ Commodore/ Lord
9th High Priest/ Pirate Lord/ Thief Lord
10th The Man

Pirate King - Currently claimed by Malinna herself

A cleric who has not been initiated, but does faithfully serve, will remain a Footpad. Once ordained, the cleric is afforded the clerical rank of Initiate.

Those followers not part of the clergy advance only as their superiors permit within the Pirate ranks or Thief ranks.

Players who wish to RP as an ordained cleric may take the liberty of selecting the appropriate rank from the appropriate Aspect up to the 3rd rank. For a character to rise to 4th through the 7th rank they must undergo ceremonies as detailed below. No character will be elevated over the 7th rank unless they started the character as a Neonate and have excelled in RP and OOC leadership to justify such a prestigious role.
(Those who wish to advance among the Pirates and Thieves will need to see the chart below the clergy.)

Please note, clergy ranks ARE NOT governed strictly by character level or character experience. Clergy ranks are very much IC and will include specific duties, primarily by fostering RP and acting as leaders and/or advisors to others.

For ease of RP for rituals and to show dedication to their faith, however, some level requirements do apply for assignment of church rank.
1st Initiate: Must have Bluff of at least 5
2nd Servant: Must have Concentration of at least 5
3rd Aspirant: Must have Pick Pocket of at least 10
4th Privateer: Must have completed an RP contract for a recognized authority (DM approval)
5th Swashbuckler: Must be able to wield a bladed weapon and have a fancy outfit. Must have a tumble of 25 and be approved by one PC priest or DM possessed NPC. RP required in the forums.
6th Priest: Must have established in game and forum RP, approval of a PC Lord or DM possessed NPC (DM approval.)
7th Diplomat: Approval of a PC High Priest or DM possessed NPC.

The less social followers of Malinna have a different way of progressing among their peers. Generally speaking, the clergy are always considered to outrank the pirates and the brigands. The exceptions are: a Captain on his boat and a Boss in his camp hold authority over the clergy who are his guests, unless the visitor is 'The Man'.

This unequal status in ranking is carefully not abused, unless the 'abuser' of their privilege is able to fend off any 'lesson' that others may seek to teach them.

1st Scallywag: Must be able to use a sword
2nd Deckhand: Must know some sea stories to tell in RP and forum posts. Must have a Lore of at least 5. Approval by a First mate PC or DM possessed NPC.
3rd Shipmate: Must be able to tell treasure from junk, Appraisal must be at least 5. Approval by a First mate PC or DM possessed NPC.
4th Pirate: Must have a pirate outfit and a UMD of at least 10. Approval by a First mate PC or DM possessed NPC.
5th Seadog: Must have successfully RP'd the robbery of 5 PC's without resorting to PP with posts of the exploits on the forums. Approval by a First mate PC or DM possessed NPC.
6th First mate: Must have a Discipline of at least 20 and approval by a Captain PC or DM possessed NPC.
7th Captain: Must have a feathered hat with his pirate costume and be in good standing with the Pirate Lord of the sea they generally sail. Must have approval of a PC Commodore or DM possessed NPC. ...Or must be a First mate that stages a successful mutiny.

The 'landlubbers' are often treated as second class by the clergy and the Pirates. None, though, deny the power of "The Fat Man," who happens to enjoy the highest station of all Malinna's followers as The Man... who just happens to hate water completely.

1st Thug: Must be hired as a thug or bodyguard in RP with posts in the forums.
2nd Cutpurse: Must have at least a PP of 10 and rob at least 5 PC's via RP without resorting to PP and post about the encounters.
3rd Cutthroat: Must have killed another PC by contract with hiring PC. Contract must be approved by a DM and otherwise comply with server rules.
4th Bandit: Must be recruited by a PC Lieutenant into a Thieves Guild
5th Brigand: Must be approved by a PC Lieutenant in their Thieves Guild and in good standing with their Boss.
6th Lieutenant: Must have a Social skill of at least 25
7th Boss: Must have DM approval or an existing Lieutenant that stages a successful coup.

DM's may reserve judgment on what counts as a 'successful' mutiny or coup.

Ranks beyond Diplomat/ Captain/ Boss are based solely on DM approval and based on a player's skill of RP.

How to greet the clergy:

The clergy of Malinna tend to dislike too much pomp and ceremony and other such tripe. A polite nod to the low ranked and a polite bow to the higher ranked is sufficient, though the females of the clergy tend to expect males to offer the double cheek kiss common among artists and bards. Some cynical types will snidely whisper that the double kiss preference is simply to make it easier for the priestesses to poison, assassinate or otherwise effect an attack, but the rumors of such deviousness remain unproven.

Among the Pirates and Brigands, the number of stylized greetings is too numerous to list. They often include secret gestures, handshakes or passwords that are cleverly disguised. A universal rule when dealing with cutthroats, is that one should never turn their back on one unless absolutely sure that there will be no feelings of disrespect felt and that one's back will not mysteriously grow a dagger.

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