The Sisterhood
We shall rule.
We shall rule ourselves with grace, compassion and love.
We help sisters in need, newcomers.
We teach, lead for light, love and good.
We are The Sisterhood.
HistoryEmerged from nearby the dome, labyrinths were their safe haven, but eventually, their numbers grew so large that they needed to emerge, to escape their warring lives... and found a way, but, not without trouble or strife. Their land a very few with magic, but many with warring skills. Very few crafts, but many with desire to overpower and rule others... These women banded together to stay safe, and reach to a better life.
The Sisterhood was formed by the band of women as they emerged finally into the dome. The vowed together to uphold each other in love, life and livelihood. And then to help others to do the same.
Members of the Sisterhood hold to a path of light, not dark, keep their sisters safe and love each other openly and wholly.
Guild Ranks
Inspiration - A time to lay a foundation of base skills. Grow strong and flourish with a variety of discoveries and adventures. Support rains down on Inspirations from those more experienced and higher ranking.
Graduate - A rank for those who have begun to choose and follow a way, have selected professions or goals and demonstrate their focus and work toward that.
Mentor - Help and guide others after demonstrating a level of expertise or achievement.
Sustainer - Has contributed to Guild development with time, donations, recruitment and support for other members above and beyond the usual. Shows commitment, grace and savvy in difficult situations.
Enlightened - Guides the Guild with non-denominational spiritual service.
Radiance - Alliance and Octarchy Liaison
Council - Helps with administration of the guild site, membership communication, promotions, ceremony and celebrations.
Ascended - When not serving as Council Member or Cistern Sister, and has shown remarkable leadership, mentorship and sustaining membership in The Sisterhood.
Cistern Sister - Leadership of the guild. Provide forum for networking, consensus building, discussion and development of the guild mission and focus.
Backstory - long, but here it is... 
Eleanor wiped her forehead, clearly on her last few ounces of strength after sharing her healing powers with the seemingly one thousandth Dermorian soldier this terrible day. The blood ran down from her forehead and onto her cheek before she realized she was covered in blood, again. When the soldier was carried away from her table she turned away, unwilling to see his frantic, but unmoving eyes one more time. Her spirit broke in that moment, she lost faith in the wars, she lost faith in her ruling father. There was no understanding the fighting any longer. Why? Why did it matter who owned this land, these passageways? Why did he "need" so much? Eleanor raced from the tents surrounding the battlefield but pulled up suddenly. The city was ablaze. There was no where to go... no where to run.
Eleanor looked down into the bloody mud and stood, amidst the cries, the darkening day. Still, lost. Blocking out all that was and would be in this pained land... just as she started to collapse a warrior plucked her up on a saddle. "Come on... now... it is time... we need you Eleanor." Eleanor looked up confused as she heard a Dermorian woman's voice."
Eleanor awoke in a darkened room with stone walls. It was quiet, the walls seemed to radiate with a natural warmth. As she opened her eyes she noted a warrior sleeping in the corner, armor dented, but serviceable. "Izria," said the woman in the armor. "I am Izria, are you unhurt? Able to work? We need your tending to one of great importance. Can you help?" As she spoke Izria rose and headed toward Eleanor with purpose and urgency. Eleanor, not knowing, what, why, where... just nodded and let Izria pick her up and help her stand. Izria simply nodded back and tugged Eleanor down a long tunnel.
The huge stone cavern they had arrived into was bustling, bright and busy. The light poured down in streams from above, alighting a large golden throne and a large number of women speaking, writing, crafting, all around the brilliant center stage.
Eleanor looked to Izria with curiosity but allowed herself to be pulled along through the busy city of women.
After traversing the large cavern space, her eyes wide, Eleanor saw a tent. A few women moved in and out of the tent but stopped and looked to Izria as they approached. "Stay here." Izria commanded, then added, "Please?" toward Eleanor and entered the tent without waiting Eleanor's reply. Expecting of course, compliance it seemed. Eleanor waited a moment but soon saw Izria again, beckoning her into the tent. "Come?"
Seekrit say in a darkened corner of the tent, a moist cloth on her forehead. She opened her eyes slowly and smiled to Eleanor. "Hello Diabola... I have a challenge for you. I am Seekrit. I have a key to the other side of these labyrinths. I must stay alive until we can all make way..."
Izria interrupted... "no, she IS the key... and she must stay alive much longer than that. She must. Izria knelt before Seekrit and took Seekrit's hand into her own and placed the hand against her own cheek. Izria seemed to pray for a moment, then looked up to Eleanor, "...heal?" was all she could say through tears.
Eleanor knelt down, clearly unknowing the import of what she just heard, but, feeling a rise of faith again, that her healing powers might do some good, she had a feeling, a feeling... this realization made her smile. To feel again. Eleanor nodded to Izria and then to Seekrit and laid her hands on Seekrits chest. As she closed her eyes, she asked Seekrit, "Close your eyes, and tell me... what you see?"
Izria quietly departed and took up station just outside the tent as the healing began and Seekrit began to speak. Through the next hours, Eleanor and Seekrit talked, healed, worked... Eleanor learned that all the women in the cavern were there of their own free will, to learn, to teach each other, to build a future for themselves where in the past, they were mere slaves of their societies will. Some, escaping terrible slavery, others more free, seeking the right to learn to read and craft...
But none... had healing magic. Izria's quest had been successful. Eleanor had been found.
Cries of astonishment filled the cavern as Seekrit arose and exited the tent. The key dangling quietly from her belt, but shining, now... seemingly alive... Seekrit climbed the long roadway up into the caverns heights and pushed the key into the wall. A rush of wind nearly blew Seekrit, a Stonehammer, off of the narrow path, but with renewed strength she succeeded in opening the passageway and motioned Izria to enter... and to bring news of the next worlds bounty.
After news returned that the dome had been opened to them, the women travelled together into the new world. Bringing with them the one that had already begun to train them in the magic ways. Eleanor stood on the precipice of the new world and kneeled, making a prayer to always keep the faith in herself, and to help other women to always feel that fait too.
As the group travelled into the new world, they founded "The Sisterhood" to always remember the history from which they came. They decided in consensus that they should always remain true to one another, to love and hold each other in the highest respect and to always help others to learn the value in doing the same. Their wealth of knowledge of crafting from the old world brought them great wealth in the following years. Most of the women have found lives in the cities of Ylaikum, where their resources are turned to helping others now, as Eleanor had prayed.
History - Rationale - Backing - Relevance
[OOC]
Modern historians may agree generally that medieval women made (were allowed to make, depending on the locale) contributions of some value to the economy of the medieval world, to religious doctrine, medicine and education. In prior histories, women were either completely ignored by men, separated from economic order, association, barred from education or governing bodies... and/or were simply taken for granted, were owned, traded, or enslaved in some cultures... sadly, also prostitution was an active and profitable enterprise in the Middle Ages. Most towns and cities had some sort of brothel, often an official one that was actually publicly owned, though this was more common on the continent than in England.
Generally speaking, women played an active role in medieval society, and they do here in Yliakum as well... although historically, women's economic efforts (rights and access to advancement) were affected by their social class, marital status and by the place and time in which they lived. And here, they are not, but, the game could support a hypothesis that the societal pressures might have recently passed, that women are liberated "into Yliakum" and "into the middle ages/medieval times" from past histories and that they now seek their own path, their own power and right to contribute as they wish.
Our OOC goal is to assist the female members in Yliakum with their persona research and their attempts to create characters that assume roles with relevance to the settings of the game as well as have fun, be "liberated." While PlaneShift isn't exactly the Middle Ages, but may be based loosely on the times... and while female characters do mot meet with oppression, per se, in this environment, we feel it is useful, relevant and valuable to offer a guild that brings women together, builds community of women and provides a nexus for Roleplay for female characters.
Hence, we shall rule ourselves, we shall be ourselves, we shall join in numbers to build women's community and joy of those relationships in this setting.
Note: While the name is gender-typed, we are not yet determined to be a female character only guild. However, the gender-typed name does indicate a focus and desire for the majority of the members at this time to remain female powered and prioritized. In Game Seek Tremen, Vivalle, or Sherell to join.
[/OOC]
http://thesisterhood.spruz.com/
