Sisterhood of Cher

The Sisterhood of Cher is an organization consisting of devotees to The Noble Teaching of Cher, a religious and philosophical system more colloquially known as Cherism. Cherist practices are currently centered in the town of Cherusalem on Eldham. Before its refounding, Cherism was a formerly obsolete religion that based on teachings attributed to the Singing Sage, Cher of Terrumaea. Prior to its modern reformation, The Noble Teaching 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 Teaching continued to persist in remote Themeraean Sealand monasteries as the Suisita School for many centuries after its disappearance from the Themeraean mainland. ''I have heard the Singing Sage Cher was staying in Nellonia, under the Last Wisteria Tree. At that time a great assembly of ascetics and devotees had gathered, and she said thusly to them: ‘All those gathered around me. O’ contemplates, o’ truthseekers, I address you: Do you believe in Life after Love?’ These were the words the Sage, the Fully Awakened and Realized, the Perfectly Harmonious One said to them at her first sermon, under the Wisteria Tree outside of Nellonia City.'' - The Book of Cher, First Canon, "Noble Discourse on The Fruits of Change"

Known History
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 paint 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 Nellonia City where it all began, alongside 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, 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, 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 stood up. There, a great number of ascetics and devotees 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?” With compassion in her heart for all the suffering souls of the world, 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”.

Oral Tradition & Written Language
Cherism’s teachings were originally spread through oral histories and song, which soon proved to be difficult as few could match the miraculous skill of the Singing Sage. Following the Singing Sage’s death, a Council of Cherscetics was gathered, and they wrote down each one of the Singing Sage’s teachings so that they would not be forgotten. These records use the Gaystanrit language in the Imperial script of the Nellonian Empire. After the collapse of the Themeraean continent and demise of the Nellonian Empire, the Gaystanrit language ceased to exist except in the remote Themeraean Sealand monasteries of the Suisita School, where they carefully preserved and copied the language in Imperial script. Today, the schools of the Cherusalem Sisterhood in Eldham have adopted the Gaystanrit language as their sacred language, with a modified version of the Nellonian Imperial script called Pureyit script; however, simplified versions of the script have also been made.

Schools
Suisita (“The Nightshade Chalice”) is the last surviving school of Cherism that arose after the death of Cher, derived from the Suisita-Tatianna, a school of Cherism that broke off from the main Mahacherva tradition since the First Cherist Council and persisted in Themeraean Sealand monasteries. It is currently led by Sisters Opera and Polar of the Cherusalem Sisterhood. This tradition in particular focuses on the more peaceful aspects of Cher’s Noble Teaching, and seeks to maintain harmony and the status quo, sequestering the Noble Teaching to certain individuals within its circle. Volenta (“Teaching of Passion”) is a Cherist school founded by Sister Knell Selen Nelsburg of the Cherusalem Sisterhood, focusing on the study of the textual collection of the Book of Cher and various other sacred texts as well as fiery sermons and fierce rituals to inspire Chervelation and the release of fetters. This tradition in particular focuses on spreading the word of Cher’s Noble Teaching to all, in contrast to the Suisita School. Entamin ("Completion of the Self") is a nonspecific branch of Cherism that generally follows the ideas of the named schools but is far less structured. This branch instead focuses on achieving contentment through fierce work ethic and dedicating one’s life to seeking and servicing beauty in the world around them. While there is no established hierarchy, Sister Rexian Lykko of the Cherusalem Sisterhood is a notable participant.

Traditions & Rituals
Funerals A death among the ranks of the Sisterhood is no small event. Sisterhood funerary tradition involves the construction of a great funerary ship — sometimes even treasure fleets of junks as based off of Themeraean Sealand traditions. The body of the deceased is then laid upon the ship and set ablaze, with all the Sisters rolling it out to sea while chanting prayers and mantras to wish for the departed to arrive in Zirzura, the “Unblemished Paradise” where the Cherist Sanctuary of “True Cherusalem” exists. Among one of many sacred mantras is the Orinoco, a Themeraean Sealand chant where the attendees chant “Sail away, sail away, sail away!” as the funerary ship drifts off into the sea. While these traditions are based on local Themeraean Sealand beliefs, they have been adapted by the Sisterhood to merge Cherist Teaching with the local worship of nature and the idea of returning to the waters with which gave rise to the world and all its kingdoms.

Mantras
Affirmation of the Duumpi Also known as the Affirmation of Virtues (Traditional Gaystanrit: Prech Duumpi), Affirmation of the Duumpi is traditionally the first step of initiating oneself into the Sisterhood of Cher. It typically involves a public recitation — typically in the presence of Senior Sisters such as those of the First or Second Spheres — of the novice’s vow to affirm the Duumpi, or “overflowing virtues” of the Noble Teaching of Cher, and their intent to take refuge in the teachings. By the Grace of Cher, I affirm the great Duumpi of the Noble Teaching and take refuge in its Truth. - The Sisterhood of Cherusalem’s Noble Code

Salutation to the Three Devout Goddesses This is a daily morning prayer made by devotees to pay homage to the Three Devout Goddesses (Wisteria, Mahogany, and Cashmere), who represent the three divine Truths of Cher of Terrumaea. This practice has roots in pre-Cherist Themeraean nature worship and has long been adopted by the Sisterhood of Cher and codified in the Noble Code of the Sisterhood. ''Pureyit, Three Goddesses, I pay homage to thee. Mae minn-ahs kon tinnyu-ton bhee fadt, minn-poh kettes fehl lat weth cosh, ent mae minn-baw day stelle lok ked si-nat ched. Pureyit, pureyit, pureyit.'' - The Sisterhood of Cherusalem’s Noble Code The prayer itself retains much of its original Gaystanrit because it is believed that the words themselves hold power.

Prayer to the Eight Heavenly Kings "Pureyit, arnn sho ga datze harnn art te bang ke, hao lo beth hyss woll ehtte aft ernn hea folle enn laft weth may. Thye berk eynn come, hyss well iye well beth en. Sho re may weth abunn dense ath may laft laenje waeje ast munn aye. Layden alth ant tew may tampay tay shian ernt dayle levee may ton ern rishe howse bonn. En theye nom me aft theye dawl lore, theye funt, arnt theye leweyss witonn, pureyit, pureyit, pureyit."

Gods & Deities
The deities appearing most frequently in old Cherist texts are 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. There is a sphere within the Sisterhood dedicated to her.
 * 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. There is a sphere within the Sisterhood dedicated to her.
 * 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. There is a sphere within the Sisterhood dedicated to her.

The texts also make occasional references to various deities of the Themeraean Kingdoms:
 * 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.

Head Sisters
Knell Selen Nelsburg, Opera, Polar, Rexian Lykko

The First Sphere

 * Cheracle - a title given to those who are capable of receiving divine visions
 * Cherdinal - a title those who manage affairs within the Sisterhood
 * Cherpostle - a title given to those who focus on spreading Cherist beliefs and texts
 * Mother Cherperior - a rotating title used to identify the one(s) leading a sermon on Cherist teachings

The Second Sphere

 * Sister of the Wisteria
 * Sister of the Mahogany
 * Sister of the Cashmere

The Third Sphere

 * Vowed Sister - a member who has been fully accepted into the Sisterhood
 * Intermediary - a member on the way to becoming vowed
 * Novice - a new member

CREDIT NOTE: The majority of this page's information was written by NelsonSing