Lore:Dissident Priests
The Dissident Priests are a secretive cult consisting of Tribunal Temple members who disputed the Temple's dogmatic foundations and question the process of the Tribunal's elevation to godhood. They disputed Temple doctrine and were uneasy about the practices of the Ordinators. One of the chief disputes between the Temple and the Dissident Priests was that the Temple hid the truth from its followers. The Dissident Priests' outlined their beliefs in the book Progress of Truth.
The Dissident Priests considered the Ashlanders' prophecies of the Nerevarine as a topic worth studying. However, their views differ from those of the Temple hierarchy, and as a result their beliefs were frowned upon by the Tribunal, which at some point between 3E 411 and 3E 427, began a crusade against the Priests and drove them into hiding.[1] The priests studied and commented on the Apographa, which are known as 'the hidden writings'. This is opposed to the Hierographa, which were the 'public writings' of the Temple's dogma. These hidden writings contained secrets known only at the highest levels of priesthood and inquisition. They gathered as much of the Apographa as possible in their base, a secret monastery called Holamayan hidden in the wastes of Azura's Coast that was protected by a magical barrier.[2] The priesthood practices three unarmed martial art traditions, the Golden Reed, the Marshmerrow, and the Salt Rice, all of which bear similarities to the fighting styles of Elsweyr, the Claw-Dances.[3]
The Priests were not only committed to gathering information and arguing about the Tribunal's background, but they also seemed to actively compete with the Ordinators on how to effectively confront Dagoth Ur. According to their leader Gilvas Barelo, the Priests sensed the despair within the people of Vvardenfell. They followed a practical approach to which the common folk could look up and to spread hope by turning to the ancient pillars of faith and the prophetic visions of their Nerevarine. The Dissident Priests hoped for the Temple's and the people's support once they had proven their ability to confront Dagoth Ur efficiently.[2]
When the Ministry of Truth fell on Vivec City, triggering the events of the Red Year in 4E 5, support in Morrowind for the worship of Vivec, Almalexia, and Sotha Sil greatly decreased, and the Dissident Priests seized control of the Temple, creating what they called the New Temple and organizing worship around the 'true Tribunal' of Azura, Boethiah, and Mephala.[4]
See Also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Charwich-Koniinge, Volume 2 — Koniinge
- ^ a b Mehra Milo and the Lost Prophecies story quest in Morrowind
- ^ An-Deesei's dialogue in Morrowind
- ^ The Reclamations — Thara of Rihad
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