Structure of the Immaculate Order

Expanded Immaculate Order Backing Description

Backing 0 - Postulant. The character has not yet been accepted by the Paragon of Sextes Jylis. He wears the coarse, gray robe with a rope belt, and awaits his audience at the Palace Sublime(though he is not necessarily waiting at the Palace Sublime). He has taken the basic vows and is restricted from indulging in gluttonous eating habits.

Requirements: MA 3, Occult 1, Lore 1

Backing 1 - First Coil. The character is now accepted in the Order. He may still be an acolyte training at the Palace Sublime, he may have begun training in one of the schools of the Five Elemental Dragons, or he may have graduated and moved on to another temple. His vows now require him to abandon intoxicants, narcotics, and red meat. His robes are made from a finer and lighter material than the postulant's, and his belt is made from jute, hemp, or similar material.

Requirements: Pasiap's Humility, Moment of Danaa'd, MA 3, Occult 1, Lore 2, Presence 1

Backing 2 - Second Coil. The character has moved forward on the path of the Elemental Dragons and is now revered as an elder brother or elder sister. If Dragon-Blooded, he has likely to have learned the Dragon Form for his chosen path. His responsibilities have increased, as mortal monks and less enlightened Dragon-Blooded look to him for spiritual guidance. His vows now preclude the consumption of fowl, and he has earned the right to wear a wool belt.

Requirements: Your chosen Dragon Form (5 Dragon or the five Immaculate Styles), MA 4, Occult 2, Lore 3, Presence 2, 1 dot of specialties appropriate to your form, 2 dots of appropriate connections.

Backing 3 - Third Coil. The character's abilities have become quite impressive, and he has most likely taken the responsibility of teaching less spiritually advanced students about the Immaculate Texts, the Five Glorious Dragon Paths, or other such fields. His title is that of Savant and Splendid. He has mastered the Dragon Form for his chosen path, and has likely advanced beyond it. His vows prevent him from eating sweets, sorbets, and coarse grains, but he is now allowed to wear the cotton belt.

Requirements: Ma 5, Dragon form, Occult 3, Lore 3, Presence 3, 2 Specialty dots relative to your MA form, 3 dots of appropriate Connections

Backing 4 - Fourth Coil. The character has mastered his chosen path, and perhaps started along a new path. He has accomplished a great deal for the Order of the Immaculate Dragons. He has earned the title of Most Learned and Venerable, and probably oversees a temple by himself or with others. His dietary restrictions now prohibit meat of any sort, and all drinks but tea and water. He is allowed to wear a belt made from linen.

Requirements: Essence 4, MA 5, occult 4, Lore 4, Presence 4, completed Dragon Path, 3 specialty dots related to your form, 4 appropriate connections dots.

Backing 5 - Fifth Coil. Only the most enlightened of the Dragon- Blooded reach this level in the order. Included in this level are such august figured as the Mouth of Peace, the Most Righteous Paragons, and monks of legend. The character has special recognition within the Order, and is considered a Most Enlightened and Illustrious Master. If he runs a temple, it is likely a prestigious one, with many precocious and competent students. He has earned the privilege of wearing the silk belt. His vows now require him to forsake fruits, limiting him to only rice, bread, vegetables, tea, and water.

Requirements: Essence 5, MA 5, Occult 4, Lore 5, Presence 5 (with at least 2 specialty dots), 2 completed Dragon Paths, 7 connections dots appropriate to the Immaculate Order. [Or, you could be a Bronze-Faction Sidereal. Bloody hell ]

Mentors and Training

Members of the Order all receive some amount of training simply for having some Backing in the Order. This training, however, is somewhat bare-bones. Martial Arts will be the primary training received for having Backing, but other Path-specific skills will also be taught, as well as study of the Immaculate Texts.

Students don't go without making connections, however. Students will usually be taken under the wing of more enlightened monks, forming a closer relationship. These closer relationships are represented by the Mentor Background. These students will have a broader range of things they may be trained in, as well as a valuable ally. Promotion to higher Coils and new positions is usually dependent on the positive recommendations of a Mentor.

Oaths of the Order

All monks who join the Immaculate Order, even the mere postulants, are bound by a series of oaths. These oaths reinforce their purpose as monks and reinforce the difference between the religious and the secular. Unfortunately for the devout, some take these oaths more seriously than others. These oaths include:

-Modes of Dress. The Immaculate has a prescribed form of dress he must adhere to. Failure to do so will result in being forced to wear the garb of a postulant for a full month.

-Celibacy. Monks must refrain from romantic engagements with members of either sex. To be found doing so results in the expulsion of the monk from the Order.

-Poverty. Materialism distracts from the quest for enlightenment, and monks are forbidden from having all but the most basic necessities for their position. Monks who violate this tenet either forfeit their earnings to the Order or are expelled.

-Diet. A monk's diet is more and more strict as he progresses through the Coils. Monks who consistently fail to adhere to the appropriate diet are reduced in rank.

-Tonsure. Tonsuring one's head every fifth morning with a bronze razor is an important act of devotion within the Order. Failure to maintain this devotion results in public embarrassment and forcible tonsure of the offender's head.

Language and the Order

As the Order is an organization that spans all of Creation, it must have a common language with which to communicate in. The language of choice for the Immaculate Order is High Realm. All monks are expected to be able to understand High Realm, regardless of whether it is native to them. Those who do not know High Realm will be taught it as an acolyte. While not required, monks are also expected to be able to communicate with the common folk. The most common language used for this purpose is Low Realm, but is not universal. Those in the Threshold are expected to speak the regional language fluently, but it's not an absolute requirement.

In addition to being able to understand spoken High Realm, monks are all literate. The Immaculate Texts cannot be properly read and understood if one cannot read them for himself, the Order reasons, nor can they be used for silent, solitary contemplation. As with those unfamiliar with High Realm, illiterate monks are taught to read during their time as an acolyte.

Addressing Others of the Order

The Order has a relatively loose hierarchy, based as it is on enlightenment and not administration. All within the Order have their function, which they are expected to dutifully fulfill. As such, nobody is "superior," per se, to anyone else. Rank within the Order serves to reinforce humility and spiritual progression, not to segregate.

-When addressing one of a greater Coil than yourself, you address him based on his Coil. He is more enlightened than yourself, and proper deference must therefore be shown.

-When addressing one of equal or lesser Coil than yourself, you address them as equal(Brother/Sister).

-When speaking of someone in a matter related to their station, his position's title should be used(e.g. Erudite Prognosticator).

-When a teacher addresses or refers to a new student, it is as "novice." When a student speaks to their teacher, or that teacher's superior, it is as "master." When a teacher refers to another under his control, it is as "sub-master." Teachers outside of the student or teacher's field of study are addressed with title appropriate to their station.

The Five Glorious Dragon Paths

Each of the Five Glorious Dragon Paths approaches enlightenment in a different method. The Martial Arts Ability is a focus for all of these paths, but Martial Arts alone is not taught to those walking the Dragon Paths. Each Path stresses different skills, and those walking the Path are expected to have at least average capability in the supplementary Abilities that they learn. Mechanically, this means that each path has associated Abilities that must have a minimum rating, as per the following:

Air Dragon Style: Athletics 1 and Stealth 1

Earth Dragon Style: Craft(Fire) 1 and Endurance 1

Fire Dragon Style: Resistance 2

Water Dragon Style: Athletics 1 and Socialize 1

Wood Dragon Style: Endurance 1 and Medicine 1

Note that these are a minimum rating. The further one has progressed along his chosen Dragon Path, the higher their ratings should be.

Equipment

The temple supplies those who walk the Five Glorious Dragon Paths with weapons, dependant on what Path they walk. While each student is provided with basic weapons, many have exceptional or Artifact versions of these weapons they somehow earned. These items are not standard equipment, and must be gained through some means outside of the Order(often as gifts from family).

Air Dragon Style: Ten chakrams

Earth Dragon Style: Tetsubo(Note that the students craft these, it isn't supplied by default)

Fire Dragon Style: Two short swords

Water Dragon Style: Tiger claws

Wood Dragon Style: Bow w/student's choice of arrows

Many novice students prefer to wear armor, as their magical defenses and skill are still lacking. Rather than chancing their student's unrefined skills letting a fatal blow through, the Order provides armor to its students. The Order will provide for its students a set of non-exceptional light armor of their choice.

Martial Arts Specialties

There are a variety of Martial Arts specialties available to characters. Some are quite specific, such as "Fist" or "Kick." Others are more broad, such as "Air Dragon Style" or "Five-Dragon Style." While these are acceptable, they will require extra effort to use. As such, these specialties only apply under the following circumstances:

-The character details his attack in a manner appropriate for the Dragon Path they've selected. For example, Air Style should emphasize its athletic nature, and Earth should seem brutal.

-The character's Dragon Form is active and he is not using a Charm from another Ability or Style at that moment.

-The character is currently using a Charm from his Path that requires a MA roll.

Positions Within the Order

Each monk has tasks they're assigned to as members of a temple. At the first Coil, monks are primarily expected to study and learn. Part of "learning" includes lessons in humility. In other words, doing the tasks that most people would find beneath them. Additionally, most serve as assistants to those who hold actual titles, and prepare to fill that position later in life. Monks of the second Coil or higher usually take up specific duties in the temple, detailed below.

Nestor

Each major temple has one or more nestors to guide its members on the path to enlightenment. Most all have mastered their chosen Dragon Path, but a rare few have earned their station without doing so. Nestors have very loosely defined responsibilities and authority, as is the usual way of the Order. Nestors are the ones who determine who is to be elevated to the next Coil, how to deal with Anathema, what training should be required of his temple's members, etc. Final approval for any important decisions must come from a temple's nestor. Nestors are always addressed based on both their Coil and station(e.g. Most Learned and Venerable Nestor) by those of lesser Coil. Those of equal standing address him only as "Nestor."

Minimums: MA 5, Performance 3, Presence 3, Lore 2, Occult 2, Bureaucracy 3, Mastery of their chosen Dragon Path

Ancillary

If the nestors are the decision-makers, ancillaries are the ones who implement those decisions. One may oversee the training of all of the acolytes of the temple, another may manage the information collected by each omniscient connoisseur of adscititious knowledge, and another sees to the safety of a minor local sub-temple. The power and responsibilities of the ancillaries are even more loosely defined than those of the nestors, and is dependent on how favorably his nestor views him. As with the nestor, those of lesser Coil address the ancillary on both his Coil and his position(e.g. Savant and Splendid Ancillary). Those of equal or greater standing address him only using his position's title.

Minimums: Varies per assigned duties

Abbot

While the living requirements of monks are less than those of the average person, someone still needs to arrange for them. This responsibility falls to the abbot. He sees that the monks receive food, robes, papers, and anything else they might need for their cells. In addition, he maintains the relationship of his monastery with the outside world, and coordinates things with the temple, and maintains the monastery's organization.

Minimums: Bureaucracy 3

Eminent and Inviolable Propitiator

Where the scrupulous diviner of veracity leaves off, the eminent and inviolable propitiator begins. Characters in this position have the burden of cleansing the souls of those who can be reformed, and dispatching those whose souls have been lost. This position is an extremely demanding one, both in terms of prerequisite ability and in job stress; the fate of many souls rests in the hands of the eminent and inviolable propitiator.

Minimums: Presence 3, Investigation 3, Lore 2, Occult 2, Socialize 3, Performance 2

Erudite Prognosticator

Portents and prescient visions abound, and the heavens hold the secrets of Creation in their form. Those trained in the arts of astrology and other forms of divination can draw these secrets from their homes, and use that information to guide the hand of the Immaculate Order. Those in this position use this information to help determine such important things as the direction of the Wyld Hunt.

Minimums: Occult 3, Occult Specialty 1+ in astrology or divination, Lore 2

Lector

While the Immaculate Order doesn't make a habit of proselytizing, it does have need of preachers, speakers, and those capable of appealing to crowds. Those in this position perform public services, present offering to the Dragons, officiate at weddings, and perform naming ceremonies for babies.

Minimums: Performance 3, Presence 3

Omniscient Connoisseur of Acroamatic Knowledge

While the Omniscient Connoisseur of Adscititious Knowledge studies those things outside the Order, the Omniscient Connoisseur of Acroamatic Knowledge studies things more closely related to the Immaculate Order. Things such as the Immaculate Texts, the lives of the Immaculate Dragons, or the utilization of Essence are all things of importance to those seeking enlightenment. While they tend less toward diversity than their Adscititious brethren, they are no less skilled.

Minimums: 3 In whatever Ability is appropriate(usually Lore or Occult), 1+ specialties in the specific field that the character is assigned to.

Omniscient Connoisseur of Adscititious Knowledge

The Immaculate Order's reach spreads to the farthest reaches of Creation. The Order necessarily needs to be knowledgeable of many things, and has many specialists devoted to learning about things outside the Order. The assigned fields are typically quite specific, but many also pick up secondary areas of expertise. Common specialty fields include toxicology, specific countries, the Solar Anathema, the Lunar Anathema, certain classes of spirits, and the Wyld.

Minimums: 3 in whatever Ability is appropriate(usually Lore or Occult), 1+ Specialties in the specific field that the character is assigned to

Prudent and Adept Physician

Monks of the Immaculate Order face life-threatening dangers ranging from training accidents to Wyld hunts. For this reason, no temple is lacking in the services of a doctor. This station attracts more Dragon-Blooded than any other, as mundane medical techniques rarely allow for full recovery from grievous injuries, infections, or other ailments. Those in this position often hold the title of Omniscient Connoisseur of Adscititious Knowledge or assist someone who does, due to their knowledge of poisons, disease, and other problems.

Minimums: Medicine 3

Puissant and Honorable Instructor / Diligent and Skilled Teacher

The Immaculate Order has many instructors for many different fields of study. The most famous of the Order's instructors are the Puissant and Honorable Instructors of the martial arts. Mortal trainers are typically relegated to teaching acolytes the ways of the Five-Dragon Style, but Dragon-Blooded and masterful mortals may instruct students in the ways of the Five Glorious Dragon Paths. Each instructor is typically responsible for the training of five to ten students, depending on what he teaches and his own proficiency.

Minimums: Martial Arts 3 (for Five-Dragon Style) or 4 (for Five Glorious Dragon Paths), Performance 2, Presence 3

Sage and Cognizant Instructor

In addition to its martial pursuits, the Immaculate Order has a vested interest in schooling its followers in more academic matters. While less visible and less celebrated than their physically-based counterparts, these instructors serve a valuable function, and are highly respected.

Minimums: 3(in whatever field the instructor teaches; instructors are usually teachers in several fields), Performance 2, Presence 2.

Scrupulous Diviner of Veracity

Forced to deal with such unsavory character as heretics and the Anathema, the Immaculate Order has need to employ those who are capable of interrogation and investigation. Those in this position are the ones that receive this burdensome duty. The stakes of this position are high; releasing a man who turns out to be a heretic or Anathema can lead to great punishments. As such, those who accept this position tend to be headstrong, extremely confident, and incredibly competent.

Minimums: Investigation 3, Presence 2, Socialize 2

Studious Annalist of Momentous Occurrences

The Order deals with people, places, and events all across Creation. Needless to say, this leads to an abundance of information to keep organized. The Studious Annalist of Momentous Occurrences is the one who this responsibility falls to. Not only does he keep the temple's records in order, he is also responsible for recording local important events, disseminating knowledge as needed, and communicating with other temples.

Minimums: Bureaucracy 3, Lore 1

Surreptitious Observer of the Humble

The Order is well-known for championing the common man, as well as for its ability to identify with them. Knowledge of the people's problems and needs does not come on its own, however. The Order sends monks out among the commoners to watch and learn.

Minimums: Awareness 2, Socialize 1

Vigilant and Circumspect Warder

While few are so brazen as to assault a temple of the Immaculate Order, other problems do arise. Accidents occur, tempers may flare, and the rare rogue attempts to steal from the temple. It is the duty of the vigilant and circumspect warder to rectify these problems, and preferably prevent them from ever occurring.

Minimums: Awareness 3