Gnorrid the Warrioress - Background Fantasy - Long 1 of 4

Once upon a time, long, long ago, there existed a parallel universe with a world much like our own. This story comes from that distant time and place.

DISCLAIMER: The events described in this document are entirely fictional. This historical fantasy was created to give background to a series of fantasy stories involving beautiful powerful warrioresses and the faithful dedicated eunuch pages who served them. Although there may be parallels, analogies, and similarities between this fantasy world and our own, none of the material herein should be credited with having historical merit. It is strictly fantasy.

The Golden Age of the Goddess

For as long as men and women had been recording events in writing there have been stories and references to the Sisterhood of the Great Goddess. It is said that the Sisterhood existed as a secret maternal order for at least a hundred generations before the first tribes of men began coalescing into tiny kingdoms.

The Sisterhood called their Goddess The Great Mother of the Gods, progenitor of all things. According to the mythology of the Sisterhood, The Great Mother created the universe out of void and chaos. The Great Mother was very prolific and produced a myriad of lesser gods and goddesses. To them she delegated many tasks. There were gods and goddesses of the sea, the land, the sky, the forest, and every natural domain. Some mountains and valleys had their own individual god or goddess. (For some reason gods seemed to prefer mountains and goddesses preferred valleys.) Many special and magical places were also endowed with their own special deities.

Additionally, there were special gods or goddesses for travelers, children, and all categories of humans. There were gods and goddesses of the animals, both wild and domesticated. Every kingdom and every village, and even families had their patron or matron deity. Every profession, craft, and trade from soldiers to farmers to cobblers to merchants had their own deity. All kingdoms, villages, and craft guilds built shrines and sometimes great temples to their unique deities. Here they paid homage, and petitioned their gods and goddesses for good fortune. All this, however, was subsumed within the overall mythology of the Great Mother of the Gods.

As civilization dawned upon the young world the kingdoms of men stretched across a vast region of the globe. Most of the kingdoms were small, but within most capitols and the larger towns you would find a temple complex of the Sisterhood of the Great Mother. They were ubiquitous and splendid, yet seemed to fit seamlessly into the workings of the governments of the local kingdoms.

Interactions and commerce between the kingdoms were confounded by the many languages spoken across the lands. Hardly any two kingdoms spoke the same language. Priestesses of the Sisterhood were fluent in the languages of their local kingdom, and usually several others. Part of the power of the Sisterhood was derived from their ability as translators. All young priestesses in training were diligently schooled in the languages of their neighboring kingdoms. Unique to the Sisterhood, however, was their own secret language. It was spoken within their temples and was universal across all the kingdoms. A priestess from any kingdom could readily communicate with a priestess from any other kingdom. This made priestesses of the Sisterhood excellent emissaries and arbitrators in dealings between kingdoms of men. In this they excelled and they accrued great power.

Kingdoms constantly had disputes and wars were common. The wise seeresses of the Sisterhood, calling upon knowledge handed down through countless generations, understood these matters which were driven by the minds of men. They understood the male mind better than did men themselves. Men were proud, vain, violent, and selfish. The Sisterhood would work to avert a war whenever possible, but often as not, such efforts proved futile.

The Sisterhood, under the Council of the Elder Seeresses, realized their first priority was to maintain their status of immunity in all conflicts. The most important use of their great subtle power was to insure their own survival. If a city was conquered and sacked by a rival kingdom, the temple of the Sisterhood of the Great Goddess would be spared. It was universal sacred and holy ground in all kingdoms. Should any of their priestesses or property be harmed, the perpetrator would soon incur the wrath of a dozen surrounding kingdoms and be annihilated. The Sisterhood was the power behind the thrones of a thousand kingdoms!

Secondly, the Sisterhood worked to maintain a balance of power among the kingdoms. Kings were always working to expand their realms and consolidate their power. The Sisterhood worked diligently to prevent any one kingdom or king from becoming too powerful even if this meant war. It was better to have hundreds of small bickering, fighting kingdoms and one powerful universal Sisterhood working quietly and discreetly behind the scenes in all of them. A powerful king was a threat to world harmony.

Thirdly, if the first two conditions were fully met, the sisterhood would work to avert war. War was the way of men. They were quick to anger and quick to kill - often over the most trivial of transgressions. Conquest fed men’s egos and their pride. Defeat - if one survived - fed the need for revenge. The seeresses of the Sisterhood were wise enough to know they could never change the basic nature of men. They only worked to avert a war when a large number of non-combatants were at risk of being slaughtered or enslaved.

From the time recorded in the first writing on clay tablets until the Great War of the Seven Kingdoms the Sisterhood maintained this delicate and uneasy balance of power. That period spanned, roughly, three thousand years.

The Temples and the Orders

Most of the documents and records of the Sisterhood were destroyed in the great conflagrations of the imperial persecution (described later). Many traditions, however, were well entrenched in the culture of the populace and have survived through legends, folk tales, and in the arcane writings and incantations of secret orders and societies. So esoteric were some of the principles and liturgy of the Sisterhood, it is said that even fraternal orders and secret brotherhoods often adopted them as their own.

Within or near the capitols of all the kingdoms, in the great cities, and the larger towns there were temples built in honor of the Great Mother of the Gods. These elaborate temple complexes were inhabited by the priestesses and their eunuch attendants. Most of the area inside the temple complex was off limits to males.

Priestesses were not allowed to marry, but could serve as concubines and courtesans to wealthy nobles - sometimes to the king himself. This practice contributed greatly to the Sisterhood’s power and influence within the kingdoms, not to mention its usefulness in intelligence gathering. Offspring produced from these unions were sometimes raised within the noble’s family as their own. The remainder were returned to the Sisterhood and raised within the temple complexes. Careful records were kept of the genealogy of all such offspring.

Female children raised within the temple complexes were trained as priestesses. Male children were usually made eunuchs at puberty, however, they were sometimes allowed to be discreetly adopted - intact. Being raised within the temple complex by priestesses and eunuchs, most boys accepted their fate without protest, as a matter of course. It was simply a rite of passage into adulthood.

The temples of the Sisterhood were splendid and luxurious. Life within the walls of these compounds was an enjoyable and desirable thing, even for the servants and attendants. It is said that the Sisterhood never had to conscript young men into service of the Goddess. Each spring young men would petition the Sisterhood to be accepted as attendants. Normally more had to be turned away than were accepted. Sometimes when a military campaign produced an abundance of prisoners the priestesses would select a lucky few from the lot, sparing them from a life of misery and toil in the mines or at the oars of a galley.

Once a young man was accepted he would spend a period of thirteen months (or moons as they reckoned time in those days) in training and testing. Most of this time he would be locked in a metal chastity device. The key would be held by a training matron and the device would only be removed for bodily functions and cleaning. Permission had to be obtained before he could relieve himself. Chastity devices were usually made of silver and sometimes gold in the wealthier temple complexes. In the old days they were made of bronze.

Every minute of a trainee’s life was strictly regimented. The young man was constantly tested for qualities of obedience, patients, endurance, selflessness, loyalty, and commitment. Should he fail any of his tests he would be released back into the world at large, unaltered.

Having passed all his tests the young man awaited his transition ceremony (castration). It was normally held in the summer, at night, under a full moon. On that night his chastity device would be removed for the last time. It would no longer be needed. Only priestesses and eunuchs were allowed to attend the ceremony, but it is said to have been a beautiful and moving ritual. Different temples and suborders used varying techniques and rituals.

Training of the priestesses was much more rigorous and lengthy than the training of attendants. The sisterhood began training priestesses at the earliest possible age and their training would often last beyond their twenty-fifth year. In the early years the priestesses were intensely schooled in languages. Most became fluent in at least three languages, including the secret language of the Sisterhood. (While this language was not taught to the eunuchs, most picked up a few simple phrases during the course performing their duties.)

It is said that the Sisterhood of the Great Goddess consisted of twelve orders. From the best surviving records it appears the twelve orders were in some way affiliated with the twelve constellations - or signs - of the zodiac. Each temple was consecrated under one of the twelve signs, giving it the unique character and focus of that order. The feast days, costumes, and rituals, varied accordingly.

Within each temple the priestesses were twice divided by sevens. The records are incomplete and sometimes confusing on this. It seems that within each temple there were seven vocations or guilds. These designations had nothing to do with rank per se, but administrators were clearly tracked into positions of leadership.

The Administrators:

Although this title (handed down through imperfect translations) is not esoteric, inspiring, or magical, it is quite descriptive of the duties of this class. The administrators essentially formed the bureaucracy of the temple complex. They were responsible for assuring the daily workings of the temple proceeded in an orderly fashion. Administrators were the overseers of work details and orchestrated the duties of the other guilds. Most often the leader of the temple complex came from the ranks of the administrators. Her title, however, "High Seeress" was no doubt a residuum of an earlier age when the temple structure was less secular.

In addition to running the temple bureaucracy the administrators we in charge of public relations and the interaction of their order with the world at large. Administrative priestesses conducted the lavish public rituals on the major feast days which were so popular with the populace.

The Seeresses:

The guild of seereresses specialized in deviation and magic working. Young priestesses in training who exhibited abilities in clairvoyance, telepathy, and other psychic disciplines were routed into this guild. Seeresses presided over all the internal and esoteric rituals within the temple.

The seeresses were perhaps the most esoteric of the guilds, embodying the essential qualities that were at the center of the Sisterhood itself. It is said that there were orders of seeresses that were distinct from the twelve orders of the Sisterhood. Unfortunately details have been lost to the ravages of time.

The Healers:

Healers acquired great knowledge of herbal lore and the workings of the human body. They were knowledgeable in the use of potions, stimulants, depressants, narcotics, and poisons. Healers understood the effects of physical stimuli such as pressure points and nodes. They were also adept in the use of visual, auditory, and aromatic stimuli. Healers possessed great knowledge of animals, plants, and the natural world.

Services of the healers we highly valued both within the temple and in the outside world. However, because their great knowledge could as easily be used to harm as help, they were the most feared of the guilds. Healers were required to take a special oath upon becoming an adept, vowing to use their powers only for good.

The Scribes:

The scribes maintained the temple libraries, copied, transcribed, and translated books. They kept records of temple activities in a daily journal or diary. The scribes kept meticulous records of the genealogies of the priestesses and even the eunuchs. Scribes were knowledgeable of signs, symbols, and arcane languages.

The Teachers:

The teachers presided over the training of young priestesses until they had achieved the level of adept. (Advanced training was usually accomplished by assigning a young adept to an older mentor in her chosen discipline.) The teachers were charged with the responsibility of passing on the history, tenants, basic rituals, and the secret language of the Sisterhood to each successive generation of priestesses. The teachers also evaluated recruits and applicants to see if they were suitable for training.

Additionally, a special cadre of trainers was responsible for selecting and training young men to become eunuch attendants and pages. They first ascertained whether the applicant was mentally suitable for life as a eunuch. During the short, but intensive, training period they proceeded to develop those characteristics that would prove useful in a life of service to the Sisterhood.

The Guardians

The guardians, trained in martial arts and combat, were the elite palace guard of the temple. The purpose of this corps was not to function as an army or compete with the great armies of men. Trained in small unit tactics and individual combat, their focus was temple security. Guardians also accompanied priestesses and envoys on journeys. They were usually more than a match for highwaymen and ruffians they might chance to encounter on the way.

Guardians also put on exhibition matches for the public at most great festivals. Well-muscled and powerful, their scantily-clad (sometimes nude), oiled bodies engaged in these lively athletic contests displayed the female form at the peak of perfection. Needless to say, these contests were quite popular with the crowds.

The Seventh Guild

There was a seventh guild, about which little information survives. However, it is quite likely that this guild encompassed the courtesans and concubines sent into the world of nobles. It was essential that the Sisterhood maintain influence within all the important families. In the days of the Sisterhood courtesans and concubines were respected and held in high esteem. In was only in later patriarchal times that such women were looked upon with disgust and loathing as tainted women.

Sorceresses

While sorceresses did not constitute a guild (they were few in number), we must note their existence. Sorceresses were very talented individuals who had mastered the disciplines of at least two of the other guilds (always including seeress and healer). While a sorceress could be a powerful ally, they tended to be independent and were never fully trusted by the Sisterhood (perhaps this stemmed from jealousy). In spite of this, they were usually treated with reverence and held in high, if somewhat fearful, esteem. Sorceresses often lived in isolated habitations outside the temple complexes.

Levels of Ascendancy

Not related to vocation, were seven classifications of ascension or rank within the Order. The lowest was the initiate which included the priestesses (usually preteen girls) in earliest training. Then came the apprentice level which included the priestesses (teenagers) in intermediate training. After a priestess passed her eighteenth birthday and had completed her intermediate training the title of adept was bestowed on her.

Many priestesses lived their entire lives as adepts and contributed valuable services to the order at this level. However, most priestess continued with advanced training until their twenty-fourth or even their twenty-eighth years depending on their guild. After completing this level of training they earned the title of mistress (or female equivalent of master). This was the fourth level of seven.

Three more levels of ascendancy existed beyond master, but individuals attaining these goals were few. The leaders of most temple complexes were fifth level. She held the title of High Seeress, although more often than not, she came from the ranks of the administrators.

Sisters of the sixth level usually dwelt in regional conclaves in the largest temple complexes. They held the title Elder Seeress and essentially constituted the governing body of the Sisterhood. Conclaves of seeresses usually contained at least one sorceress.

The leader and highest position of the Sisterhood was (roughly translated) Holy Mother. Both her title and recognition of seventh-level ascendancy were bestowed on her as she assumed the position. There was no central temple complex containing the permanent dwelling of the Holy Mother (no kingdom could brag of containing the palace of the Holy Mother). She and her entourage usually migrated among the several temple complexes, spending two or more years in each.

In the infrequent event that a young priestess in training failed to satisfactorily complete her training she would not be turned out of the priestesshood. She would eternally retain the rank of apprentice, usually working as an assistant to an adept or mistress.

Although eunuchs were technically outside the system of temple hierarchy, they did occupy a definite status. Upon satisfactory completion of his training and being altered a eunuch could assume one of two levels: general attendant or page. This was determined by his duty assignment rather than a training regimen. If assigned to work in maintaining the temple grounds, working in the kitchen and dining hall or other general housekeeping duties the eunuch was a general attendant. Such eunuchs enjoyed as status similar to an apprentice. However, if he was assigned as a personal assistant or page to a priestess he enjoyed a status similar to an adept. Only priestesses of fourth level or higher could be assigned a personal page. A eunuch assigned to such a priestess dedicated his life to her service.

When the sisterhood made eunuchs of young men it was customary (in all orders, save one) to remove both the testicles and penis. This removed all possibility that the eunuch attendant would ever engage in sexual activity with a priestess. The lone exception was the Sisters of Sagittarius. They were the most fun-loving and playful of all the orders. The Sagittarian priestesses removed only the testicles and scrotum, allowing the young eunuch to keep his penis. A handful of young men so altered would still be able to perform sexually (albeit diminished in varying degrees). Since the eunuch was truly harmless and could make no girls pregnant, the Sagittarian priestesses considered this to be harmless play.

Eunuchs held a place of special esteem within society and the Sisterhood strongly discouraged the practice of castration as punishment, even for rapists. They supported executions and an assortment of corporal punishments, but the Sisterhood felt that making a eunuch was a special gift to be bestowed only upon a worthy male. While the Sisterhood well understood the horror with which most men viewed the loss of their genitals, they considered the use of castration as punishment for crime to be a sacrilege and a defilement of a sacred act. A eunuch was not a damaged man, but an improved one - civilized and useful.

Continued in Part 2