Az'atta: Sects

Chain

The Redemptress has a three sects sanctioned by the order itself. The first operates in Audira and is slowly extending its influence throughout Sedera. This sect is simply known as the Chain by those who know to ask for it. What that specifically means, only those on the inside know. It is hypothesized that it means something to the effect of the Chain of Mercy or the Chain of Asylum, but the members themselves are rare. No confirmations are able to be made. The Chain seeks out those in need of Az'atta's mercy but are unable to ask for it themselves. The sick, the abused, the very young, all of these are sought by this secret society and ferried somehow to the nearest temple. In extreme cases where a temple to Az'atta is not close enough, temples to Aeridin have been sought as well.

Civil Disobedience

A second sect sanctioned by the church is a very small group of clergy who seek out people living under the rule of tyrants, cruel overlords, and even landowners who are cruel to their workers. When the conditions drop to a situation where the people are in mortal danger, these faithful of The Heretic act. They will appear on the property of the landowner or ruler and pose as statues. They remain, sustained only by their faith, unmoving until their petitions are heard. They do not give their sect a name and are largely ignored or are simply cut down by the offended leader. Most who have been affected by this group call them a nuisance only. However, a very small number of leaders have been shown the error of their ways and repented. The number of reformed to date is less then 10, but it is enough to give hope to those who wish to be proactive in Az'atta's Way. They can be found on all continents'wherever they receive word through temples or other sources that there are persons in need.

Talmetene

The final sect sanctioned by the church is a group that accidentally sprang forth from the temple in Audira. In the first century of the history of the church, the town of Audira was not yet formed, yet the small temple had many mouths to feed. Still smarting from the loss of their leader through her assassination, the first handmaidens had not yet rejuvenated their faith in people nearby and struggled to do as their goddess wished. It was a time of growth for the two handmaidens.

Within their small temple was a young child who had been rescued, along with his mother, from excessive abuse. However, it was all the child had known and this new and strange environment frightened him, and he cried, often inconsolable. It was a terrible situation for the majority of those of Az'atta's faith as their temple was still only a one room abode.

At first glance, these two problems seemed unrelated; yet with some quick thinking of two of Az'atta's newest converts, the two blossomed into a tradition that evolved into its own sect. One human hunter and a nomadic woman native to Sedera proposed the bringing in of a couple of dogs to aid in the hunting; they both had successfully used dogs at the places they had left. The woman noted that the presence of the animals often soothed child and adult alike. The handmaidens agreed after some negotiation. The hunter and woman traveled back to their previous homes and negotiated the trade of three young dogs each.

When they returned to the small temple with their beasts, they trained them for the hunt. In their off hours, the dogs naturally got to know their surroundings and the people within it. As the nomad and hunter had hoped, those who had been through traumatic situations took to the beasts. The dogs themselves sensed the need for their presence. Through the early years, these dogs bred'the six of them'producing an interesting result. The hunter continued to work with the breeding and training as his service to the church. The final result, many years later, was what is now known as Talmetene (tal Meh teen), a breed of hound only living at the first temple in Audira.

The Talmetene hounds still fulfill the role of friend to the newcomers who are in need of soothing or counsel. They also fulfill the role of hunter though not as often. The dogs when full grown stand roughly 10 hands tall at the shoulder and are built with speed and agility in mind. They have short but full fur, barely the length of the first knuckle of the pink. From even a slight distance, the adult Talmetene appear to have no fur at all due to their coloration and shortness of fur. The colors range from red to a pale beige. Talmetene pups on the other hand are small and very furry. Their coats are often mottled with the colors of black, pale beige, and reds. They are easy to lose in the surrounding scrub if one is not quick of wit or sharp of eye. Within the first year, the pups grow in their adult coat and often reach their full height.

These dogs are cared for and treated like the rest of the residents of the temple. The sect is looking into the spread of these dogs to temples with a similar climate where the dogs would be able to survive with little adaptation to a new environment.