====== Religious Ranks and Structures. ======


First things First -  This isn’t meant to constrain PCs  - rather it talks about the structures I use to make sense of religious organisations and allows me to  compare them to other titles and ranks.  If you want to build a different type of religious hierarchy in one of my games - cool.  Just include me, so I can make sure it fits with everything else.

===== Orders =====

Hmm -  I need to rethink this section -  I know what I mean ...  But have difficulty expressing it ...

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In Real World religious organisations Orders can mean two different (and quite significant) things.  Holy Orders define Bishops, Priests and Deacon.  Minor Orders defines Acolytes, Exorcists, Readers and the like.  However, Order is also used as the name of an organisation of monastics or clerics within the church church structure …  So this is my interpretation, for 
  * **Great Orders:**  __Bishops__ - The leaders of a church.    Once you are promoted to become a Bishop, you retain the (basic) title, authority and status for life.  //I want this to recognise that Clergymen with access to L5 spells are particularly important.//
  * **Holy Orders:** Clerics and Druids – The most favoured priests of a deity or philosophy that have come together in one church.  While Clerics and Druids can belong to special orders, most are part of the main Order of their  of their church/faith.  // This is supposed to pull together all divine full-Casters into a recognised group//
  * **Special Orders:**  Inquisitors, Paladins, Rangers etc.  There may be more than one order for a given faith, and each serves their deity in a special way.  They may be a militant order, a Monastic Order or even an order of Friars – anything that is not main-stream religion //for that deity//. A Special Order may have Religious Houses, probably Shrines or Monasteries and may be subordinate to a major  order.  [[http://www.pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Voices_of_the_Spire | The Voices of the Spire]] are an example of a Pharasman Special Order, while [[http://www.pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Wasp_Queens | The Wasp Queens]] are a Calistrian Special Order.  //  This is for all of the PC classes that are not full divine casters -  it recognises that they lose some of their dieties direct favour to pursue one aspect of the deity's portfolio.//
  * **Minor Orders:**  Adepts – Minor Orders are generally a sub-group of one of the other orders.  Most Adepts help run temples, shrines and monasteries, although some take a post as Clerk or Chaplain to a minor noble or organization.  // Supposed to minimze Adepts//
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===== Positions =====

  - **Primate** - A primate is the most senior Bishop of a deity.  The God's most influential representative in the whole world, perhaps equivalent to the Pope (although there are three different Popes!) Only Lawful Deities will have a primate.
  - **Prince-Bishop** – A Theocrat who rules a sovereign state in the name of his god.  It might be a completely independent nation or city, or it might be part of a larger country.  As far as I know the only existing religious Ruler is the Pope in Vatican City.  However, there were others who were part of the Holy Roman Empire, and who were electors in the various diets, councils and assemblies.
  - **Prelate** - The Chief Bishop (of a given faith) in a Country or Region.  A prelate oversee's the other bishops and is the patriarch's representative in the country. Only large countries have their own  prelate -  but they may have prelates from more than one religion. Only Lawful Deities will have a church that is this structured.
  - **Arch-Bishop** – Normally a semi-political appointment to recognise the Senior Bishop in a province or City where there is more than one cathedral. The Arch-Bishop acts as Moderator of Churches and  senior religious advisor, to a ruler or government.  They normally participate in provincial level ceremonies, such as weddings, coronations or  state funerals etc
  - **Bishop** - The most senior cleric in a Cathedral is classed as a Bishop.  However,  if a city or state doesn’t have a cathedral it may appoint a High Priest or an Abbot  as it’s Moderator of Churches – and they will then provide religious advice and conduct state ceremonies. A Bishop is generally seen as the religious leader of the clerics of his faith in the region.  Bishops normally have access to 5th level (or better) spells.
  - **High Priest / Abbot**.  A high Priest runs a Minster (large temple) while an Abbot runs an Abbey.  Those deities with a community portfolio (such as Abadar, Sarenrae, Erastil) encourage their priests to build temples, deity that not have a Community portfolio are often honoured with Monasteries or Abbeys.  High Priests and Abbots  can be from any Divine class, but generally have access to 4th level spells.  They probably  report to a Bishop of the same deity.
  - **Priest – Prior**.  A Priest runs a temple while a prior runs an monastery.  Those deities with a community portfolio (such as Abadar, Sarenrae, Erastil) encourage their priests to build temples. Clerics whose deity does not have a Community portfolio tend to build Monasteries or Abbeys.  Priests and Priors  can be from any Divine class, but generally have access to 3rd level spells.  They may find themselves reporting to a High Priests, Abbot or Bishop of the same deity.
  - **Chaplain – Sub-Prior**.  A sub-prior is second in command of a monastery, although should an adventuring character build a monastery as their home, the sub-prior becomes the day-to-day leader. A sub-prior may be assigned to independently manage a smaller house attached to a monastery.  Chaplains normally run village Chapels, or oversee one of the chapels in a great temple.  However, they may also be found outside the formal church hierarchy - as  House, Military or School Chaplains. Chaplains and Sub-Priors can be from any Divine class, but generally have access to 2nd level spells.  They may find themselves reporting to a Higher ranking Priest of the same deity.  It is rare that an adept gets promoted beyond this level.
  - **Canons** - Canons make up the main body clergy in the Cathedral, temple or monastery.  They assist in ceremonies and carry out the administrative and liturgical duties that keep everything ticking over. They may be given responsibility for a Shrine and may lead prayer meetings and minor ceremonies. They are generally L2.
  - **Acolyte** – L1 clergy in training.   They do the simple stuff, such as light the candle, put out prayer books/mats, clean shrines and altars etc.  They may also lead a simple prayer or bestow a basic blessing.
  - **Novice** – Not yet a clergyman of any sort – but commoners or Aristocrats in training to become an acolyte.  Someone has to do the cleaning …