The Order of the Quill is a sect of the Church of Humanity Repentant in the tradition of Moral Duality. They believe in a good god, “The Divine”, responsible for the creation of heaven, and an evil god, referred to simply as “Evil”, who they posit as the creator of our material reality.
In addition to the three Core Tenets, the Order of the Quill has four Teachings which inform the philosophy and world view of its followers. These Teachings were found in the anonymously published Book of Quill, which is the namesake of the Order. Devout followers of the order sometimes forsake their family name to adopt the style “of the Quill”.
The most prominent way in which the Order diverges from the central theology of the Church of Humanity, Repentant, is their belief in reincarnation. This belief is often used as a reinforcement of the Core Tenets, informing, explaining, and supporting them.
The Teachings[]
The list of Teachings, originally found in the Book of Quill, is as follows:
1. The Divine is synonymous with perfection. They exist in Blissful Heaven, a pure and perfect realm. The corruption of the material world is undeniable, and therefore it follows that the Divine cannot have created it or even care for it. The material world, therefore, must have been created by an equally corrupt entity, namely Evil.
2. All Souls stem from Blissful Heaven and are therefore sacred. Evil, out of spite or jealously, created the material universe to ensnare our Souls and keep them away from their rightful place, in the realm of the Divine.
3. As long as we hold on to the Temptations of the material world, our Souls cannot return to Blissful Heaven, and are trapped. Upon the body’s death, these Souls cannot ascend, but find a new host, be it beast, human, or alien.
4. Only by denying the snares of Evil can our Souls be freed. Self-denial, therefore, is the purest form of Repentance.
The belief in reincarnation is often cited as an argument in support of the Church’s Second Tenet, namely that all conscious life is equally worthy and deserving of respect. If one believes that all Souls are sacred, this becomes self-evident. Consider: if a Soul can inhabit the body of a human male in one life, an androgynous alien in the next, then a female seagull, and generations later a female synthetic human, all Souls truly become equal. Why propagate slavery if you know that in a next life, you or your loved ones may suffer that fate? Why be cruel to others, why spread hate? All Souls are Siblings in suffering, and it is the responsibility of us all to ease that suffering where we can.
Additionally, the idea of reincarnation negates one of the most often-heard critiques of the Church of Humanity, Repentant. “Why must I repent for the sins of those who came before?” A follower of the Order of the Quill might answer: “That is simple, for those who came before have come again, and we are them.”
As the Order holds that only the Soul is sacred, and that the Divine does not care about the goings-on of the material world, rituals such as oath-taking, marriage, and contracts have little value to the Order’s followers: the words used to seal these rituals are inherently corrupt, after all. This aspect is often cited by detractors as a flaw in the Teachings, because it would make all followers of the Order untrustworthy. However, it must be noted that, in cultures where monogamy is the norm, followers of the Order are just as likely as anyone else to live together as if they were married, often for the full duration of their lives. The difference is, is that this is done purely out of love, rather than because the individuals in question are bound to do so. Similarly, if a follower of the Order tells a friend they will do a certain thing, they will still try their best to follow Word with Deed: but out of friendship, not out of fear for divine wrath.
Hierarchy[]
The Order of the Quill has a relatively flat hierarchy, having only one true rank. By far, most practitioners think of themselves only as “followers”. They do what they can do follow the teachings, shunning overt extravagancy and greed in all its forms. To most followers, however, the occasional slip (a few drinks too many, a moment of weakness of the flesh, a lustful night, or an act fuelled by covetous desire, etc) is condoned. Evil’s powers are delicate in its deviousness, and to be tricked is the fate of many. There is no punishment for these misgivings (other than to suffer reincarnation). Those who falter are expected to repent, and it is commonly believed that it takes a few lifetimes of determined self-denial before the level of the Perfect can be achieved.
The Perfect is the title given to members of the priesthood of the order. They live lives of constant self-denial. Perfects are expected to live humble and helpful lives, either in a community or as , so that they may teach others their ways before they, on their death, ascend to Blissful Heaven.
The title “Perfect” refers to an expectation, not a reality. Even priests know moments of weakness, but with repentance, they may retain their status and title, and live out their lives as teachers and mentors, to spread the message of the Order and the Church they serve.
Notable members []
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