The Church of the Shaper is a flexible institution that accommodates many varying interpretations of its basic doctrine. Some of these are broad trends in how the fundamental teachings are interpreted and applied, others are more fixed and specific ideas and a few require their adherents to truly set themselves apart from Tirneach’s society at large. Some examples of these include:
Devotionists and Holistics
One of the most basic questions the children of the Shaper face is how best to pursue virtue. Some, the Devotionists, argue that it is best to focus oneself on the full understanding and attainment of a small selection of the Shaper’s Virtues, with some even arguing that a person can only truly be committed to a single virtue. Others, the Holistics, insist that this is folly and that to live a truly virtuous life one must remember and embody all of the Shaper’s Virtues.
The maintenance of the Orders with their principle virtues demonstrates a slight Devotionist tendency in the mainstream Church, however, most cinnire agree that to ignore any virtue completely is to stray from the Shaper’s path.
Hierarchicalists and Individualists
The society of Tirneach is a stratified one in which Loyalty and Duty are highly valued for pragmatic, as well as moral reasons. Hierarchicalists believe that it is not just one’s material life, but also one’s spiritual life that should be guided by these social structures. Adherents of this philosophy teach that the will of the Shaper is revealed most clearly to Réig who in turn instructs the Iarlas, who instruct the Riders, who instruct the people. Individualists on the other hand maintain that no living mortal is more qualified than any other to receive the will of the Shaper, and encourage all believers to develop their own personal understanding of and relationship with them.
The cynical sometimes observe that the closer one gets to Corroch, the Réig, and the Prelates Council, the more Hierarchicalists one encounters; while in the towns and villages of Tirneach every cinnire seems to teach Individualism. In truth, both of these perspectives are important to the mainstream Church with Hierarchicalism serving it well at the macro level and Individualism on the personal.
Protectionists and Antagonists
Even in the typically plural Church of the Shaper some teachings are deemed to be heretical. Protectionists claim that it is the duty of the cinnirí to uncover and eradicate sources of heretical teachings so as to safeguard the people of Tirneach from being led astray and into spiritual danger. Antagonists argue that no living mortal is truly qualified to know the absolute truth of the Shaper and so it is folly to discard and destroy teachings that could, with time and understanding, prove to contain some truth. Heretics, they say, should be engaged with scrutiny and argument, not blade and torch.
The mainstream church has a strong Protectionist tendency, with hardline Antagonists typically found only among the most detached scholars and fringe radicals.
Cogadh gan Crioch and Cogadh le Crioch
(kuh-gah gon kree-ock, kuh-gah le kree-ock)
These two doctrines, named in the old-tongue, translate as “war without end” and “war with an end” respectively. One of the more purely philosophical divisions within the Church, this distinction refers to whether or not it is believed that the Gwyllt can ever be truly defeated in the mortal world. Adherents to the principle of Cogadh gan Crioch believe that it is the lot of mortals to struggle with the Gwyllt for all eternity and that they may only truly know peace and the perfect embrace of the Shaper in death. Believers in the Cogadh le Crioch believe that the Gwyllt can be driven from the mortal world completely, a victory that would allow the presence of the Shaper to return to it and usher in an eternity of peace and perfection.
Much ink, and occasionally some blood, has been spilled over this debate. Although it has little impact on the average person’s day-to-day life, many of the most intense arguments between cinnirí centre on this issue. In the Order of Torchbearers particularly, this divide is the basis of a deep and bitter factionalism. Currently, Cogadh gan Crioch is the more mainstream position but this has changed before and will change again.
Annihilationists and Eternalists, Redemptionists and Consumptionists
Even with access to necromantic rituals, much debate still persists about what precisely happens to a soul after death. All followers of the Shaper agree that a virtuous soul will, in due course, find its way to the Shaper’s embrace. However, what becomes of imperfect or malicious souls is a far less settled manner. Annihilationists believe that these souls, unable to join with the Shaper, waste away over time until they eventually cease to exist with no trace of them remaining. Eternalists on the other hand believe that the unvirtuous simply remain in the space between the mortal world and the Shaper’s Halls for all time, never able to truly return or to pass on.
Redemptionists believe that with enough time the stain of mortal life fades from the soul and eventually even the least virtuous may become one with the Shaper. This is a controversial view point, not just because of the implications for individuals who remain contactable by ritual long after their death, but because it brings into question the necessity of living a virtuous life. Finally, there are the Consumptionists who teach that imperfect and malicious souls are drawn to and consumed by the Gwyllt after death and thereby empower the enemy.
The matter of Annihilationism versus Eternalism is largely unsettled, with both sides arguing that the available evidence supports their position. The mainstream position of the church is to guide conversation away from what becomes of the unvirtuous and towards the attainment of virtue, believing that the question should never become relevant. Redemptionism is considered heretical as it is deemed likely to lead followers astray. Consumptionism is a fringe theory, considered distasteful at best even if not outright heretical.
Nocturnalists
A small but distinctive movement of Shaper worship, the Nocturnalists have elevated the dichotomy between the Sun and the Moon to be their guiding principle. The sect aims to avoid the light of the Sun, which they refer to as the Eye of the Gwyllt, completely and remain indoors or underground during daylight hours whenever possible. On nights with a full moon, they gather outdoors at ritual circles for ecstatic ceremonies. The largest and most long-lived Nocturnalist groups tend to be found in Draiod, either below ground or in the peculiar riding of Spellshade.
The mainstream view is that the Nocturnalists are harmless, if misguided. Some cinnirí believe they should be dissuaded from such onerous and unnecessary restrictions wherever possible.
Perfectionists
All in Tirneach are taught to build communities that encourage and exemplify the Shaper’s virtues, some believe that this is the highest calling of the Shaper’s followers and that nothing about the effort can be left to chance or circumstance. These Perfectionists build settlements dedicated to the rigorous pursuit of virtue in all parts of life. Each Perfectionist community, called a Termonn (termun), is idiosyncratic in their approach to their mission as they are strongly shaped by interpretations and intentions of their founding members.
The leader of a Termonn is the Erenagh (eh-rin-nog), in the first generation this role is usually filled by the individual whose vision and teaching has brought the Termonn together. In many Termonns this title is shared between founding members or elected from among its members. Having a successful and productive Termonn on their lands can be a boon to the prosperity of a Riding as it becomes a centre of trade or expertise. Having a troublesome or fractious Termonn can become a persistent thorn in a Rider’s side and so most are cautious about granting land for their establishment.
Termonns are officially a respected form of worship however, many cinnire view more radical settlements with suspicion or exasperation.
Some prominent Termonns include:
Pilgrim’s Rest
A long standing Termonn in Vercontin’s Pass between Uasa and Draiod. Dedicated to helping pilgrims travelling to the Way of Wisdom prepare for the trial. The founder of Pilgrim’s Rest believed that true virtue is found in service and the support of virtue in others. The Termonn accepts all initiates who are willing to live by its rules.
The Shaper’s School
An unusual Termonn near Iomra, based on the belief that the land of Tirneach itself is intended to be a lesson from the Shaper. This Termonn is laid out as a model of Tirneach in miniature, with each realm represented by a portion of the settlement. The population size and balance of species is also managed to reflect, at least in theory, the relative populations of the realms. It is intended that after having the chance to perfect their understanding of the Shaper in this controlled environment, the members of this Termonn will travel to the realm corresponding to the district they have lived in and share the benefit of their studies. In practice initiates tend to be very quick or very slow to leave the Shaper’s School.
The Crucible
Founded in the belief that virtue practised in comfort and security is no virtue at all, this nomadic Termonn camps deep in the Great Forest. They accept all initiates but are uncompromising in their warning that those seeking a life of violence for the sake of violence will be left behind. The members of the Crucible live in daily battle with the Gwyllt not out of wrath or bloodlust but to perfect the practice of the Shaper’s virtues in the most extreme of circumstances.
The Stone Cloister
The focal point for the Faith of Stone, a philosophy that teaches that the Fathach are made by the Shaper and not the Vartach. This almost exclusively Fathach community is diverse in the specifics of its practices and beliefs though most refer in some way to The Stone Below. Some come here simply for the community of other Fathach.