Some Lore for the World of Sion, INCOMING!

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The Kalior Culture, through all 9 kingdoms, hosts two ancient monastic orders, whose main charge is to keep the Kalior people safe and happy. They build their orders directly into monasteries both rural and urban. Despite this, they have both developed different philosophies based on their experience of life, which influences other parts of the culture accordingly. The exact relations of the two orders are curious, even though they are of the same faith and are indeed seen as being brother and sister.

The Sadra-Sipanis, or 'Sacred Souls', are Sand reivers, stalking the Kalior Kingdoms to ward off bandits and beasts alike. A Sadra-Sipani is a warrior-monk, ready to give his life not necessarily for the less fortunate, but rather to those who need lives given. Their highest goal is the improvement of their own souls through service to others and to their lord. This Service is by far the highest honor.

Sadra-Sipanis are not just knights, they also make a sort of living as construction workers, tavern owners, librarians, and medics. They do this scant pay, aside from what the fraternity can spare. Their position is secure regardless, with each Monastery being a small fortress, with barracks, laboratories, places for worship and even small universities for training more Sadra-Sipanis. Most fortresses also have a bank, the due to caravans needing a place to store goods they didn’t have to sell.

The Sadra-Sipanis originated from the Kingdom of Gobind, and now have monasteries on nearly each stretch of road. The lords throughout the lands of Kaliorzin are happy to use them. Service to their lord is indeed service. While death is pointless, death in service is immensely beautiful, and guarantees a good place in the afterlife. A Sadra-Sipani will rise early, train hard, interact with his brothers, and then go on patrol over an assigned caravan route. To ensure loyalty to the order, the overwhelmingly male Sadra-Sipanis are not Marriageable. They are, however, also not celibate.

When in the wilderness of Kaliorzin, you can identify a Sadra-Sipani by the large red shield over his back and the mace in his hand. His lamellar is trimmed with the iconic red that the Sadra-Sipanis are known for. The Mace is always ready, and Sadra-Sipanis are trained to hold it for hours on end. However, to show they are friendly, they will hold it near the middle, softening any blow they could land, while still being ready. The use of Maces is emblematic of a command to never spill blood.

The Na'turadis, or ‘Pink Flowers’, are both Urban and Agrarian in nature. The Na'turadis are monks tied closely to their homes, ready to give their all to make Kalior cities beautiful. Improvement of the Soul is their main goal, however, they believe in enrichment and cultivation. The loyalty to the order itself is an extremely high virtue, and they are devoted to their local monasteries on an intimate level.

Alongside tending farms and trees in the desert cities of Kaliorzin, they are librarians, architects, writers, mathematicians, and anything else that has to do with some kind of record. This is provided freely, with the monks maintaining a distance from excess. All they grow, they eat. Every water system they design is what they drink from. They live in small mudbrick huts in cities, with gardens close by, and these are their Monasteries.

The origin of the Na’turadis are obscure. No one is sure what country they come from or when, though a passing similarity with a few communities in neighboring cultures implies the Na’turadis were a foreign agent at one point. This may be why the words of the local Na’ra, or Flower Lady, are sacrosanct. Na’turadis, who are mostly women, are both celibate and unmarriageable. This ensures they stay loyal to their Na’ra. Death is an inevitability in the Na’turadi’s thought, but through devotion, suffering and education, their soul will reach new heights.

You’ll often find Na’turadis roaming about towns, islands of pink in a sea of tans. Na’turadis wear pink or purple clothing, often self-dyed and simple. The clothing is multi-layered, and contains a veil to cover their faces from both desert winds and the gaze of villagers. The sisters are often working together, tending to gardens and ensuring they stay watered. They often have scrolls, either blank or written, and pens to go with that. This is all hidden away in a large satchel tucked on the right in their belt, while a small satchel for apothecaries stays in their hand. (edited)

The orders of Kaliorzin take on the hard parts of society so that the many may prosper. The Sadra-Sipanis protect and fight, dying in the sun so the trade may thrive in twilight. The na’turadis give away their lives so the lives of others may be beautiful and prosperous. Such are the duties of the brave brothers and sisters. Though, nothing is quite perfect. Both orders live on charity, and can be moved by their lords anywhere for any reason. It’s not just the lords, either- the power to choose where the trade goes (and where it stays), or the power to decide whether this or that town withers, has been the source of more than a little controversy. The body is just the blood and the brain, when you remove the muscles to move it and the bones to build it…