Fantasy World Building: Social Groups and Organisations [The Church]

A rich fantasy world calls for several social groups and organisations that, of course, affect each other. These don't have to be involved with your main plot, but it helps when your characters come across one or another of these groups to know what condition they are in.

I wrote a lot about certain groups in my last Fantasy World Building post, but this time I will include the smaller parts of society and show how they affect each other.

Social Groups and Organisations in Duthonne

The Church: When the King was overthrown in 218p.i. (which was also three years before his death), immediate power was given to the Church. The Church were expected to seek out a suitable successor to the throne. However, the Church quickly became addicted to the power and refused to give it away. Over hundreds of years the Church passed on their power to their own heirs or next of kin, until they were finally overthrown in 703p.i. (which is also the year Aundes Aura takes place). Over their roughly 500 years of power, the Church taught the people of Duthonne to hate those who don't agree with their beliefs and brand them as heretics.

2 comments:

Shannon said...

You say the Church passes it on to their own heirs or next of kin ... does that mean there was a Council of Priests or something involved? If it's only one person, and one family, would that end up with a sort of Pharoah or God-King rather than the church itself ruling? I'm sure you have the answers. I'm just curious.

Ryan Sullivan said...

Yes, these questions are perfect for me to build on the background and fill out logic holes.

There are always seven members of the Church. If one of them were to pass on, his son would take said member's position. If there is no son, the next closest nuclear family member takes the role. From there it pans out until a suitable recruit is found.

The Church rule as a group, with no one person in supreme power. No doubt there have been quarrels and assassinations within the small group itself over this.

Mmmm. All this talking about the Church is giving me ideas for another Chronicle about a small boy who is inducted to power within the Church, taken from his mother and does terrible things throughout his life. Yet one day he realises what they are doing and rebels, and they kill him.... or he escapes.

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