Creating Your Own Religion/Order/Cult etc.
Religious orders are a staple among many fantasy series most of which revere a god of some kind. Not all orders are religious some just follow a set of beliefs, some worship an ordinary man/woman who accomplished great things and others do not worship anything but follow the orders of someone higher up.
Let's begin with the classic religious order. A religious order worships a divine being like a god or a type of demon in order to gain that deity's favour.
There are often several ranks higher up than the average worshiper such as priest and high priest who ensure that the novitiates follow the correct path of the religion.
Not all religions are good some worship necromancy, the undead and demons and frequently have bloody rituals for initiates to undertake and for innocent victims to suffer. Whether or not the religious order is good or evil they generally follow these guidelines:
- Special robes are worn by members of the order.
- Frequently they live in a monastery or church if they are not evil whereas evil orders have hidden churches and altars and members gather for special meetings but do not live there full time as they have other lives to lead.
- They worship a particular god (or demon) and carry about a symbol of their faith in the form of a medallion. For evil churches these symbols are often tattoos or brands that require a certain degree of pain to be endured.
- There certain rituals that must be performed at specific times on specific days.
- They have a code of values to live by day-to-day.
- They gain a benefit of some kind for their faith, in evil orders the failure to believe or succeed in a task in met by harsh punishment.
- Is there a punishment for no longer believing? Is there a traitors punishment or mark they are given? Not usually in good orders but evil ones may have something. It depends on the nature of the god they are worshiping.
- There is a history to the order that is important such as the founder and what they did in their life, what the god did and what it promises, legends of the god and events that led the order to what it is today. Remember: not all histories are soaked in glory and not all of the leaders were good at what they did (they could have led the order to ruin).
Let's go into some of those points in a bit more detail starting with the first. Robes are symbolic of priesthoods who often were a sort of cassock or full body robe with a hood. Someone wearing a robe is instantly set apart from someone wearing everyday clothes or armour. Robes are worn almost all of the time even in hot weather when they can be uncomfortable.
Now look at the fourth point about rituals, think of this like the harvest we have in early Autumn or the Winter Solstice, both important times of the year, especially in the past when gods would be prayed to in the hopes of receiving a good harvest and fortune in the coming months. The same applies in fantasy worlds but the event is much more significant coinciding with certain dramatic events that are about to unfold.
Punishment for lack of belief or deserting the order are more the domain of evil orders but could exist in a good order to prevent secrets getting out or as an example of the power of the temple. It depends on the nature of the god that is being worshiped, although one may be evil they may not like deformities or brutality but prefer nice looking things and subtle torture that does not rely on obviously damaging means.
Non-religious orders
As already mentioned not all orders are religious but instead follow a way of life that appeals to them. They have the same kinds of guidelines as religious orders but do not worship anything. They may look to an important figure for guidance, namely the founding member who is long since dead, but they only try to emulate their way of being.
A non-religious order can be anything but in many instances they take the form of an assassins or thieves guild, a mages college or a military unit. They all have their own practices and follow most of the guides that make them an order.
Let's begin with the classic religious order. A religious order worships a divine being like a god or a type of demon in order to gain that deity's favour.
There are often several ranks higher up than the average worshiper such as priest and high priest who ensure that the novitiates follow the correct path of the religion.
Not all religions are good some worship necromancy, the undead and demons and frequently have bloody rituals for initiates to undertake and for innocent victims to suffer. Whether or not the religious order is good or evil they generally follow these guidelines:
- Special robes are worn by members of the order.
- Frequently they live in a monastery or church if they are not evil whereas evil orders have hidden churches and altars and members gather for special meetings but do not live there full time as they have other lives to lead.
- They worship a particular god (or demon) and carry about a symbol of their faith in the form of a medallion. For evil churches these symbols are often tattoos or brands that require a certain degree of pain to be endured.
- There certain rituals that must be performed at specific times on specific days.
- They have a code of values to live by day-to-day.
- They gain a benefit of some kind for their faith, in evil orders the failure to believe or succeed in a task in met by harsh punishment.
- Is there a punishment for no longer believing? Is there a traitors punishment or mark they are given? Not usually in good orders but evil ones may have something. It depends on the nature of the god they are worshiping.
- There is a history to the order that is important such as the founder and what they did in their life, what the god did and what it promises, legends of the god and events that led the order to what it is today. Remember: not all histories are soaked in glory and not all of the leaders were good at what they did (they could have led the order to ruin).
Let's go into some of those points in a bit more detail starting with the first. Robes are symbolic of priesthoods who often were a sort of cassock or full body robe with a hood. Someone wearing a robe is instantly set apart from someone wearing everyday clothes or armour. Robes are worn almost all of the time even in hot weather when they can be uncomfortable.
Now look at the fourth point about rituals, think of this like the harvest we have in early Autumn or the Winter Solstice, both important times of the year, especially in the past when gods would be prayed to in the hopes of receiving a good harvest and fortune in the coming months. The same applies in fantasy worlds but the event is much more significant coinciding with certain dramatic events that are about to unfold.
Punishment for lack of belief or deserting the order are more the domain of evil orders but could exist in a good order to prevent secrets getting out or as an example of the power of the temple. It depends on the nature of the god that is being worshiped, although one may be evil they may not like deformities or brutality but prefer nice looking things and subtle torture that does not rely on obviously damaging means.
Non-religious orders
As already mentioned not all orders are religious but instead follow a way of life that appeals to them. They have the same kinds of guidelines as religious orders but do not worship anything. They may look to an important figure for guidance, namely the founding member who is long since dead, but they only try to emulate their way of being.
A non-religious order can be anything but in many instances they take the form of an assassins or thieves guild, a mages college or a military unit. They all have their own practices and follow most of the guides that make them an order.