What is a Sect?
A sect is a religious fratenity that binds priests together for study, the performance of ceremonies, discussion, and the other minutiea of their role. They are found across the Concord in a wide variety of forms depending on the realm they originate from and the Sphere (or Spheres) they venerate. When it comes to the heroic contingent who attents the Summit, Sects primarily allow priests to combine their powers to perform the most powerful ceremonies known to The Concord, while also providing connection with other believers.
From a mechanical perspective, a Sect is one of the two types of player groups (the other being bands) that characters can be a part of. They can be a part of both a sect and a band at the same time, with the indivdual player determining which one is more important to their day-to-day actions. Sects are limited by Realm and each sect can venerate a maximum of 2 Spheres. These are the two Spheres which the sect can combine their Divine lore in the performance of Ceremonies.
Creating a Sect
To create a sect you must submit your concept to the player support team Here. They will ensure that your concept matches the world and your intent and grant you approval from there. A sect is limited to the Realm it is based in, the veneration of 2 Spheres at maximum, and requires a minimum of 3 members.
There is no maximum number of members in a Sect, and anyone is permitted to join any of the sects from their realms whether they have the appropriate Divine Lore or not, but at least two thirds (66%) of the sect must be comprised of individuals who have Divine Lore in at least one of the Spheres venerated by the sect. New members who do not meet that requirement will be unable to be added to a sect until after there are sufficient people with appropriate Divine Lore to allow them entry.
Following approval by the player support team, you will be able to perform the 'Binding of Hope' ceremony at a summit. This ceremony binds your sect in the eyes of the Church and the Spheres, giving you the connection needed to do great things.
Leaving and Ending a Sect
Leaving a sect is quite simple. Seek out a priest of Anarch and inform them of your desire to leave your sect, they will join you at the Church and, witnessed in the eyes of a Curate, you must state "I break my bond with this sect and walk alone in the eyes of the Spheres" three times. At which point the Curate will note your departure.
Sects can remove members of a sect by having two thirds of its current members (or all members present at a Summit) approach the Church and Curates and informing them of this removal.
A sect can be ended if at least two thirds of its members approach the Church and Curates with a priest of Anarch and perform the act above. A sect will cease to exist if any of the following circumstances are met:
- The sect fails to have a minimum of three members at three consecutive summits.
- The sect fails to have more than 2/3rds of its membership made up of priests with Divine Lore in one of its two venerated Spheres for three consecutive summits.
- All members of the sect leave the sect of their own volition.
- There are no members of the sect left due to movement to other realms, banishment, or similar.
- All members of the sect are dead at any one moment.
Sect Ceremonies
Sects are the primary method of gaining magnitude to complete ceremonies, as members of a sect can combine their power to perform ceremonies. More details on this can be found on the Ceremonies Overview page.
Sect Altars
Altars are physical locations assembled by the sect dedicated to a single Sphere that allow them to cast certain ceremonies. This enables sects to complete certain ceremonies in privacy, without waiting for the sanctified square to be available.
Altars should be at least a metre tall and should be appropriately themed to the Sphere and sect that they dedicated to and by. They should be stable, not present a safety concern, and able to survive the rigors of a weekend of LARPing. They need not be publicly facing but should be of decent quality. The Altar's primary function should be that it is an Altar, not acting as another use such as an armour stand or coffee table.
Altars must be approved by a member of the Church Civil Service team before they are used.
Each Altar may only be dedicated to a single Sphere and each altar may only be used by the sect that created it. Each Sect can maintain a maximum of two Altars, and they should be independent objects.
Once approved, an Altar may be used as the location for the performance of ceremonies marked as 'Altar Capable' in their ceremony entry. To do so, the Sect should approach the Church Civil Service team PRIOR to performing the ceremony, inform them of the ceremony being performed, any mechanical particulars required, and provide the crystal mana. At which point the Civil Service will note down the ceremony and the characters may go and perform the ceremony at their Altar. A Civil Service member may attend to provide some narration and feedback, but this is not expected.