Rites of Sharess

Definition of Clergy: Any of the "official" members of Sharess's worship in as much as the cult has official ranks. Examples would include Clerics, the Acolyte background, and the "Courtesan of Sharess" background I homebrewed for Caress

Will add to this as I think of others.

Initiation as a Clergy

I pledge my path to walk entwined with Sharess.
At her word my body is bound.
At her wish my pain is given.
At her need my wrath is directed.
At her whim my passion is unleashed.
Her loves shall be my blood.
Her foes shall be my prey.

Handfasting / Life Oath / Twinning

Repeated between both/all bonded individuals

I pledge my path to walk entwined with yours.
At your word my body is bound.
At your wish my pain is given.
At your need my wrath is directed.
At your whim my passion is unleashed.
Your loves shall be my blood.
Your foes shall be my prey. 

 

Funeral Rites

All dancing comes to an end in time.

All revelers must set their feet on the path home.

Rest lies in the wake of the setting sun.

Take with you all the echoes of the joy you built.

Leave behind the sorrows that you gathered.

Hold on to the wisdom of this life.

To carry back when next you join the dance.

 

Clergy and Duties

 

Courtesan of Sharess

 

A Courtesan of Sharess is highly trained in the tasks of dealing with supplicants including helping move past their inhibitions. They will engage in a certain level of probing questions, but will not push the envelope far if the supplicant does not consent to a full therapeutic session. In such cases, they'll simply focus on the immediate physical, emotional aspects of giving the supplicant a rewarding time. When among other sex workers, a Courtesan of Sharess may step in to take a troublesome client as they are often better capable of taking care of themselves should such a person get out of line.

 

House Acolytes

 

A number of Sharessan clergy act in support of the workers in a festhall but don't necessarily take part in such activities themselves. They most often act as healers, handling facilities, vetting supplicants and general protection. If they are willing, they are not forbidden from taking on supplicants, but they don't have the training in therapy and sex that the Courtesans do. This is made transparent.

 

Wandering Clergy

 

There are a number of wandering clergy of Sharess, some of them may hold one of the other two titles, but many have never acted as a sex worker themselves. 

 

Sharess and Her Cult

 

Between the small numbers of the clergy and Sharess's proclivity for wandering the Realms and dallying with mortals, there is a very unusual portion of Sharessan clergy that have interacted directly with Sharess as compared to the priests of other faiths interacting with their own gods.

 

Asexuals and Sharess

 

With the cults hefty focus on consent and using sexuality and sensuality for positive reasons, no Courtesan or Acolyte is forced to take on supplicants. Asexual Courtesans tend to specialize in non-sexual interactions such as bondage, massage, or simple companionship. There are asexual Courtesans that frequently take on sexual interactions, but this is never forced on them. The cult is generally accepting, but this doesn't mean that all the worshipers are equally understanding of asexual members, especially with the lay worshipers compared to the clergy. Non-worshiper supplicants have a varying level of awareness and acceptance, but generally Courtesans try to be transparent and clear before a session begins so as not to break the flow.

Note: Caress is generally willing to do sexual stuff, but does prefer the non-sexual sessions mostly. She has some enjoyment from sexual sessions. The shared body heat may be part of it, the satisfaction she gets from pleasing a partner is a bigger factor.

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