Sisterhood of Cher

The Sisterhood of Cher was a religious organization consisting of devotees to The Noble Teachings of Cher, a religious and philosophical system based on the stories of The Singing Sage, Cher of Terrumaea. It is now defunct on Rathnir and Eldham, as no texts or followers remain on either continent after the Cherusalem Sisterhood's departure in January of 2024. The current whereabouts of The Sisterhood remain unknown.

History & The Cherusalem Sisterhood
Prior to its most recent reformation, The Noble Teachings of Cher existed as a major faith that spanned across the continent of Themeraea and its kingdoms until it mysteriously disappeared, leaving only relics behind. The Noble Teachings persisted only in remote sealand monasteries as the Suisita School for many centuries after its disappearance from the Themeraean mainland. Sister Opera, having been raised in a sealand monastery, later brought these teachings to the members of their travelling party: Knell Selen Nelsburg, Polar the Perceiver, and Rexian Lykko. The group eventually formed the Cherusalem Sisterhood, where the four of them planned to erect monasteries and create a new wave of Cherist believers wherever their ships landed.

Rathnir
While the Cherusalem Sisterhood was travelling Rathnir in January 2023, they found themselves divinely drawn to an abandoned temple on a mountain. The architecture of the snow-covered structure was reminiscent of Themeraean sealand monasteries. They began constructing the First Cherusalem Monastery out of the resources collected from that temple. The building was modeled after the ancient Tybitian-style ruins where the lost relics and texts of Cherism were first discovered. Not much is known about the culture or people of Tybitia, and it assumed they are a kingdom and kind lost to time. The revival of Tybitian-style architecture, such as that which occurred in Themeraea — particularly for its sealand monasteries — and later recreations of those examples, served as The Sisterhood's main inspiration. Sister Opera's knowledge, having previously resided in a Cherist monastery inspired by the revival, provided the Sisterhood with the blueprints they needed to construct the monastery in modern day.

Just before the construction of the main building was complete, members of a nearby settlement threatened the Sisterhood with an ultimatum: assimilate and serve their society or face endless onslaught of violence. Steadfast in defending their freedom and religion, the Head Sisters agreed upon the most peaceful solution: to flee. As quickly as they could, they loaded up the ships with salvageable materials and Cher's followers. Days later, a brisk wind blew a plume from the smoldering remains of their monastery into the overcast skies, visible even from the shoreline, and it carried the Cherusalem Sisterhood out to sea.

Eldham
After a long, treacherous sail, the Cherusalem Sisterhood eventually found their ships in Eldham's waters. The Sisters traced coastlines around the continent and its islands in search of suitable site to build the Second Cherusalem Monastery. Once a few areas of interest were mapped, Sister Knell was sent to negotiate with the nation leaders who owned each land. Meanwhile, the other Head Sisters gathered resources to stock the ships in the hopes of their fellow Sister returning with good news. Negotiations were settled with leaders of the Simulami Empire; the agreement was to grant the Sisterhood one of two mountain ranges to build their monastery upon. The area they ultimately decided on laid atop the ruins of abandoned town, formerly known as Oxhal.

In late February of 2023, The Sisterhood of Cher was granted permission to expand their territory northward into the abandoned land formerly known as Zandia and earlier as Vesnagorod, to serve as a residential area. Rather than simply laying claim under Cherusalem's name, The Sisterhood saw this as an opportunity to further make connections with their Stormgovan neighbors. The plan was to study and integrate local styles of architecture while still applying Cherist practices to the fresh construction of this town.

Fjallagrunnur was established on March 5th, 2023, its name meaning "the base of Cher's mountain." The name drew inspiration from the area's proximity to the Cherusalem Monastery, and its spelling crafted from languages seen around Stormgova and their familiarity to Sister Rexian's mother's native tongue. After the point where members of The Sisterhood had involved themselves with Simulami's government, they thought it a noble idea to construct a building fit for hosting nation-wide events and celebrations. Thus, the long process of planning for the grand Fjall Castle began. (Its construction, however, would ultimately be left incomplete and abandoned due to later events.)

After existing peacefully for some time on Eldham, The Sisterhood of Cher came to be colloquially referred to as Cherism. Cherist practices later expanded over even more territories, requiring the designation of the East and West Cherlands. The East Cherlands was Cherist territory near the second Cherusalem Monastery, including the towns of Cherusalem and Fjallagrunnur. The West Cherlands was overseas on Simulami's mainland, consisting of the towns Cheryang and Sentakeo.

The End Times
In late December 2023, Sister Polar suddenly had a disturbing bout of visions for a week straight, dragging him to the brink of collapse. Some of the Head Sisters hastily researched their texts as to what this could mean while the others focused on praying for peace to remain upon their land. Rumors flooded national dialogue, all questioning the unsettling atmosphere that suddenly blanketed entire continents. In due time, it was revealed that these visions were a dreadful sign of what the Sisters dubbed "The End Times." Popular speculation was that astrological forces threatened ecological imbalances, and the world would turn cold and uninhabitable at an unpredictable time.

Filled with fear and questioning, the Head Sisters once again faced a difficult decision that had to be made for the sake of their people. They had seen the Empire of Simulami change over generations since The Sisterhood fell under its protection, but it was believed to be unlikely that the nation, even alongside its allies, could defend the Cherist people anymore. As well, The Sisterhood's ties to Simulami had gradually diminished after the death of Ornn Hrafn and the disappearance and deaths of many of their first-found friends upon settling in Stormgova. Construction within all Cherist towns had stagnated, as most people were focused on strengthening their faith during the latest periods of stress. With few comrades in the nation remaining and the general weariness of their people, The Sisterhood concluded that it would be best for all of Cher's followers to collect the few things they treasure and gather upon their great ships to embark on a great escape once again.

Cherist towns and buildings were left to ruin, but members of The Sisterhood found peace in the belief that nature would hold their once-beloved homes in its green embrace before the land froze-over, for it was the remaining will of the Three Goddesses and Cher.

Gods & Deities
Besides The Singing Sage herself, the deities who appeared most frequently in old Cherist texts were the Three Devout Goddesses:


 * Goddess of the Wisteria - the one who convinced the Singing Sage to teach the Noble Teaching to the world, and allow the souls of the suffering to attain Chervelation.


 * Goddess of the Mahogany - the one who gave the Singing Sage shelter from the Nellonian zealots who sought to claim her life after the god Nellonian became jealous of her divine Chervelations.

The texts also made occasional reference to various deities of the Themeraean Kingdoms:
 * Goddess of the Cashmere - the one who escorted the Singing Sage to the Throne of the Unblemished Paradise after the death of her body on the Mortal Plane.
 * The Eight Heavenly Kings — Angdia, Marigrace, Riane, Hanyonim, Calorad, Gaives, Iustician, and Kaithe — are based upon the eight devout kings who divided the ashes of Cher of Terrumaea among themselves and spread the Noble Teaching to all of Themeraea by donating her remains to thousands of temples and shrines as a final act of true virtue and nobility. The Eight Heavenly Kings are said to currently serve Cher of Terrumaea in the Unblemished Paradise, relaying the prayers and reporting on the virtues of the faithful from the Mortal Plane to her directly.


 * Nellonian, the Tyrannical Celestial Emperor, believed to be one of the Great Adversaries of Cherism. By granting the souls of the suffering access to the Unblemished Paradise, Nellonian’s Celestial Empire shall be emptied, and he shall be rendered powerless.


 * Ophelios, Creator God of Themeraea, believed to be a Guardian of Cherism.


 * Tsugi, God of War, believed to be a Guardian of Cherism and one of the major gods of Themeraea.


 * Our Lady of the Cows, believed to be a Guardian of Cherism. Widely worshiped in pre-Cherist Themeraea as the Embodiment of the World.

Schools
Suisita (“The Nightshade Chalice”) was the last surviving school of Cherism after the death of Cher, which persisted in Themeraean sealand monasteries. It was most recently led by Head Sisters Opera and Polar of the Cherusalem Sisterhood. This school focused on the more peaceful aspects of Cher’s Noble Teaching, and sought to maintain harmony and the status quo, sequestering the Noble Teaching to certain individuals within its circle. Volenta (“Teaching of Passion”) was a Cherist school founded by Head Sister Knell of the Cherusalem Sisterhood. Focused on studying the Book of Cher and various other sacred texts, preparing rituals, and holding sermons to inspire Chervelation and the release of fetters, the school aimed to spread the word of Cher’s Noble Teaching to all. The Eight Heavenly Kings were more heavily worshiped in the Volenta branch. Entamin ("Completion of the Self") was a school of Cherism created and practiced by Head Sister Rexian of the Cherusalem Sisterhood. This branch was less concerned with text and practices regarding The Noble Teachings, and it instead focused on living and acting under the example of Cher prior to her death: achieving contentment through peacefulness, compassion, fierce work ethic, and seeking and servicing beauty in the world around them.

The Story of Cher of Terrumaea
The Singing Sage, Cher of Terrumaea (Traditional Gaystanrit: Cher Gayanamuni) was a sage who was said to live many centuries ago in Southern Themeraea. There are mentions of the Singing Sage Cher’s life in early Cherist texts, but what remains of these texts paints a rather incomplete picture of the Singing Sage’s origins. Early Cherist texts state that the Singing Sage was born in a Southern Themeraean Kingdom called Terrum to a rural troupe of traveling performers and entertainers in the city of Terrumaea. She was later taken to Nellonia City during the Terrum War of Independence from the Nellonian Empire. It is said that her exposure to the sufferings of the war brought about disillusionment and led her to search for the root cause of suffering — and the cessation of it. Though she spent much of her adolescence and early adulthood performing and singing with her travelling troupe family, she soon became distressed by the hardships and sufferings caused by the Terrum-Nellonian War. Some texts state that she would go out of her way to heal the sick with her miraculous singing and give alms to the poor with whatever tips she received from her travels — but this was not enough for her. She later requested to leave the troupe in search of the end of suffering, and so, she set off to where it all began: Nellonia City. Alongside her was a companion, the Venerable Sage Meryl of Naullia. After seven days, the Early Cherist Texts state that Cher of Terrumaea found a wisteria tree in the forest just outside of Nellonia, the last of the wisterias in all of Themeraea. She then sat down beneath it and meditated, searching for answers, for a way to be released from suffering. On the fifth day, she attained Chervelation. Newly-awakened, she was initially hesitant with the idea of teaching of this truth, believing it to be far too deep, hard to see, hard to grasp, and beyond understanding. At that moment, it is said that the Goddess of the Wisteria awoke, and having kneeled before the Newly-Awakened One, urged her to teach the Noble Teaching to the world, saying: ''O’ let not the world be lost! There are many souls who, on the cusp of attaining the Second Life fall short of the realm of the Unblemished Paradise and fall into the Realm of True Death. O’ Fully-Awakened and Realized, O’ Perfectly Harmonious One, I beg of thee to teach the Noble Teaching to the world. There will be those who will understand this, and by understanding this Truth realized by the Fully-Awakened and Realized, they will attain the Second Life of the Unblemished Paradise!'' Just as thou looks down from the hilltops and sees the scattered battlefields and broken bodies of the fallen soldiers, be the guiding light of the world and lead all these souls to the Life after Love. These souls chained to this world and the next by their sorrows and sufferings, their fetters and impurities, may thou be the key that releases them from their shackles, and the horn of daylight that leads them to home. O’ Fully-Awakened and Realized, O’ Perfectly Harmonious One, I beg of thee to teach the Noble Teaching to the world! There will be those who understand this Truth realized by the Fully Awakened and Realized, and attain the Second Life in the Unblemished Paradise! Upon listening and understanding the Goddess of Wisteria’s invitation, Cher of Terrumaea, filled with compassion for all the suffering souls of the world, arose. There, a great number of ascetics and devotees that had heard of her journey and gathered, asking the Venerable Meryl, “Singing Sage Cher sought to find the Truth, the Noble Teaching of the Unblemished Paradise... Has she found it, Sister?” Cher of Terrumaea then spoke to the crowd and taught the Noble Teaching under the last Wisteria Tree. All those listening instantly attained Chervelation. From there, she — with the Venerable Meryl of Naullia — went into Nellonia City to spread the Noble Teaching with her new Sisterhood of Cherscetics, traveling from city to city to ease the pains of the war. After Cher of Terrumaea's death, it is said that her body was cremated by a renowned Tsugiist named “Enya” in the presence of a great assembly of Cherist nuns and devotees. Her ashes were then divided among the Eight Kings of Themeraea, her remains traveling to all corners of the continent. It is said that the Singing Sage has been reborn in Zirzura, the Unblemished Paradise, and currently reigns as the supreme deity of the afterlife there as Queen of the Dead, the Supreme Judge, the Fully-Awakened Musician. She receives the dead and grants them a second life — a “Life after Love.”

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