Old Kerk Institution

Revised for 596 CY

In Perrenland, worship of the Flan gods remains dominant. The gods of the Flan are worshipped in Perrenland the "Old Way", with the population dedicated to the entire pantheon rather than to any single god.

Each character involved with the Old Kerk will be at least a member of the Juistmenn. Many take that membership further, being part of the Sacraal Trekkers, and perhaps one of the Shool, Grove or Voice as well.

The highest tier of the Old Kerk is a tripartite organisation, consisting of the Shool, Voice and Grove. The Shool is concerned with the divine, the Voice with the worldly and the Grove with the earthly. Together, they maintain a protective watch over the spirit, culture and land of Perrenland, and sometimes beyond.

Certificates for each level of Old Kerk membership are included below.

For further information, review the Old Kerk gazetteer entry.

Membership

As stated above, the Old Kerk is divided into three tiers:

1. Juistmenn
2. Sacraal Trekkers
3. the Shool, Grove and Voice

Juistmenn of the Old Kerk ("True Believers")

This is the basic level of membership of the Old Kerk. It is open to all who follow the Old Faith and have a connection to Perrenland. The Juistmenn are, at the simplest level, your average worshipper. They know the prayers and follow the holy days of the Old Kerk. They assist in the planning and conduct of the rituals and rites, as it is simply part of their community’s way of life and habit to do so.

Sacraal Trekker of the Old Kerk

Sacraal Trekkers are lay preachers and helpers of the Old Kerk’s three priesthoods, and they are dedicated to the preservation of the Old Kerk. They attend to the worship of the Flan gods in many different and diverse ways: some take to a life of travelling far and wide to assist communities who follow the Old Way and Old Kerk.

Juistmenn and Sacraal Trekker Membership Certificate (170Kb)

The Shool of the Old Kerk

Some Sacraal Trekkers of the Old Kerk who are capable of divine spellcasting choose to dedicate themselves not only to the gods of the Old Kerk but to one god in particular and join a shrine of the Kerk. They are collectively referred to as "The Shool" and are the Old Kerk's divine priesthood.

Shool Membership Certificate (170Kb)

The Grove of the Old Kerk

Members of the Grove do not necessarily follow a specific deity of the Old Kerk (although many do), as they see the balance manifested by worshipping them all. Their primary focus is the preservation of the earth that was gifted by Beory the Oerth Mother in the beginning of time.

Grove Membership Certificate (170Kb)

The Voice (Bards of the Kerk)

The Voice is the aspect of the Old Kerk concerned with worldly matters. Members of the Voice are often not seen for what they are, priests of the Old Kerk. The fact that they tend to refer to themselves as "bards" (often even when they are technically not) does little to dispel this illusion, and given the nature of their work, to a certain extent this may be a good thing.

Voice Membership Certificate (170Kb)