The order of Alders is the largest order in Zion. Earlier this year, I wrote a brief article about Alder Alexandrael that highlighted much of who and what they are. I have included a section of that article that pertains more to understanding the order and their function below. In this installment, I will cover a few more details about this pivotal role.
Alders can be found throughout Zion performing various tasks. They are not bound to the mountain fortress like some duta, but many find comfort in living there. A great number can also be found in the city and Arcadia. It is least likely to ever find them residing in Eden or Elysion.
The focus of this group is on the ministerial duties of Zion. In other words, they’re administrators of the law and services duta have enacted to maintain order. Research, record keeping, political issues, and the maintenance of the incarnation sequence are their specialty.
Alders are organized from novices to their leader Lord Ganesha by a unique ranking system. Initiate’s are the first level, and the ranking duta will take when assigned to the order from the Ordo Priori. They will graduate to the rank of Cardinal once their talents have become manifest. First, they must pass through being a Prevenient. This station is often given important errands and research on behalf of the councils they serve. Confidentiality is the hallmark of this duty. If they serve on a council, their votes are weighted the lowest of all members. Further ranks are the Omphalos, a middling rank that serves Principals, who number no more than two on a council under the Prime. Primes are council leaders. Like generals in the military, they are graduated from one to four, depending on experience and evolution.
The impact of this order on Zion is incalculable. They are responsible for every incarnation and the record keeping and research that goes into each dharma. The effort and organization is vast. Since The Conflict, the reputation of alders has suffered. They are held to higher standards than any other order among duta. The wisdom and years of experience with souls and their multiple incarnations are thought to make them the most discerning of any beings. Yet, there are atman among them who burn down. In The Conflict, they lost several higher ranking officials.
From the earlier published: The Trailokya Trilogy: Alder Alexandrael
“Other than her silver hair, Alex is characterized by the black alder robes of her vocation. Similar robes can be found in the Eastern Orthodox Christianity Earth based faith system. Her higher station requires the wearing of a habit on the head, fully covering the hair, while presiding over council work. It is a matter of formality that discerns Alex’s ranking on councils from other alders. For instance, her son Zacharius does not wear the habit, because he is a prevenient alder (not to be confused with an initiate who is the first level). Prevenients serve on few councils and are often charged with research assignments. The councils they do serve on award them low ranking votes. Alex’s position oversees multiple principals of councils, and are considered primes. They review dharma and sign off on them. Primes report to leaders who report to the supreme alder, Ganesha. Other ranks are the omphalos (middle rank alders who serve the principals) and cardinals who make up the general ranks, just above prevenients.
Both principalities and svargs serve as primes. Leaders are principalities and the supreme alder is Lord Ganesha, who directly reports to the king. Duta can serve as high as prevenient, meaning that Alex’s son will be in the position for as long is takes for him to rise. He stands to master the vocation well before rising and this will benefit him greatly in his future positions with the councils. Zacharius is already a very wise young alder.
Eastern Orthodox Christian Monk
In her position, Alex is privy to a great deal of secret information. Confidentiality is one of their greatest attributes and comes from their years of exercising wisdom and knowledge on the behalf of others. One can imagine that an alder of Alex’s years would be hard to fool should a soul, or even a duta, try to conceal a burning down.
Another attribute of the alder is a near perfect memory. What they do remember is exact, and what they forget is very little.
The alder position is also political in nature. Much of their work results in needed legislation and writing of rules due to the unique experiences of their charges. Some view them as dark figures, somewhat in opposition to souls or the rising of any beings, as they seem to hold the keys to one’s dharma. Things are much less sinister than this, but the shadow of the Conflict has stained the alder house, and they do control an atman’s choices to an extent as advisers and caretakers. Alders are often asked to take a hard line with some of their charges to better insure their success. They are also required to report burning down when they have identified it, which can lead to outcasting the individual, or locking them down. This is for the safety of other atman connected to the individual as well as Zion in general. This power over other atman can make them appear authoritarian.”
Click here to learn more about Orders and Places in The Trailokya Trilogy, and let me know what Order you think you’d belong to, or what place is your favorite in the comments. Check out the online companion, only on Wattpad.
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