The Ministries
There are eight major Ministries and a host of smaller specialised offices, some of which are affiliated with the 'big eight' and others which are independent. The 'big eight' are:
- Office of Procurement
- Ministry of Internal Affairs
- Ministry of Food
- Bureau of Planning
- Office of Religious Orthodoxy
- Ministry of Public Works
- Central Office of the Patriarch
- Department of Standards, Weights and Measures
The Theocracy's Hierarchy
Like most systems of Government the Theocracy has a hierarchy. In general promotion is on merit and talent will rise to the top. It helps if you also know the right people and they respect your ability.
Starting from the bottom we have a whole load of lay members that perform routine administration, stock control, cleaning, and other minor tasks. Above them are the various members of the priesthood:
- Acolyte (lowest level of management - what the PCs are) Denoted by plain robes in the colour of their Ministry and with a thin white edging.
- Priest (Generally each village has a Priest). Similar robes to the Acolyte but with a silver stripe round the edge of the robes.
- Sub-Deacon (Larger villages may have a Sub-deacon). Two silver stripes on robes coloured by the Ministry.
- Deacon (Usually in charge of towns or Section Head in a Ministry). Three silver stripes on coloured robes.
- Archdeacon (Usually responsible for a District or a Head of Division in a Ministry, there are around 250 in Templeton). One thick silver stripe on Ministry coloured robes.
- Bishop (the first level of Senior Priests who wear black robes. there are 110 Bishops based in Templeton). Has one gold stripe on black robes, sometimes with a coloured stripe outside the gold stripe showing the ministry.
- Archbishop (There are 40 all based in Templeton and working in Ministries). Two gold stripes on black robes, sometimes with a Ministry coloured stripe between the gold stripes.
- Cardinal (60 all based in Templeton, but around half are repsonsible for Areas of the country and travel regularly. Some are also heads of Colleges, smaller Ministries and Temples). A thick gold stripe, possibly with a thin Ministry coloured stripe outside it.
- Chief Priest (there are 8 Chief Priests each of whom heads a major Ministry and one of the branches of the Church). Whatever they fancy, normal black robes with two thick gold stripes are the official robes, but it is also common to see them in Ministry coloured robes with two thick gold stripes and also in black robes with a thick Ministry coloured stripe edged in gold.
- Supreme Patriarch (only 1 and the head of the Church for life). Golden robes, or sometimes plain black robes with three thick gold stripes.