The Sisters of Mercy

The Sisters of Mercy is a collection of allegorical stories codified in book form as part of the Scriptures, which is the central reference point within Orkanan as a religion. The stories revolve around six sisters (five in some versions of the Scriptures), each representing and embodying certain virtues such as empathy, compassion, benevolence, forgiveness, caring, charity, and kindness within the religious and social context of an Orkanan society. Originally, the book dates back to the early days of the Orkanan realm, with the settings of these stories predating the realm itself, making them at least 2500 years old.

Historical Background

There is considerable debate over the historical existence of the six sisters. Most branches of Orkanan believe the book is an original set of biographies from an influential Orkanan family from the early days of Orkanan civilization. However, more modern interpretations treat the book as a form of literature, where stories with moral content were later compiled into a cohesive set of interlinked stories. According to the Scriptures, The Sisters of Mercy was written by an Orkanan clerk named Äldrik Andersson. There is, however, debate about whether Äldrik was a historical figure or a reconstruction of the works of several writers during the early days of the realm, as no accounts of Äldrik exist outside the context of the Scriptures.

Literary and Cultural Significance

The book is one of the oldest where mythological elements play a minimal role. While previous chapters of the Scriptures have a strong mythological content, The Sisters of Mercy reads more like a plausible biographical depiction. Unlike most other books, the vast majority of The Sisters of Mercy is written in rhyme. This poetic structure is believed to stem from the oral tradition of the stories, which has led to parts of the stories being used for many Orkanan songs, contributing to the book's popularity among Orkanans.

The structured poetic form also raises debates about the actual value of the content, as different versions of The Sisters of Mercy are adapted to the linguistic requirements of various languages. For instance, in 7569, a new translation was introduced in Wortsproke to replace different versions in various regional dialects. However, the regional versions remain popular in everyday use, and the new translation has not been widely adopted, with some feeling it has not captured the essence of the more well-known regional versions.

Influence on Orkanan Music and Language Education

The Sisters of Mercy is generally considered a major influence on the development of Orkanan music, with the oldest interpretations of the poems in contemporary music surviving the cultural cleansing following the fall of the Orkanan realm. The availability of many versions in many different languages has also made "The Sisters of Mercy" a significant text in language education, with chapters like Marriandra being popular in their Stoldish versions, while Ermana is often used in Hallish education.

Content Summary

The following summary uses the standard Mellanhand version, predominantly in the names used in Vittmark, with transcriptions of Hallish and Stoldish names provided. Äldrik carefully avoided toponyms or geographical settings in the book, though it is generally agreed that if the sisters were historical figures, they likely lived in what is today central Vittmark. However, the descriptions are so general that they could easily be placed in southern Stoldavia, Helreich, Mörenburg or even Thultannia.

Chapter 1: Adeleis

• Names: Adeleis (Adelheid in Stoldish, Alice in Hallish, Alicia in Anisoran)
• Virtue: Kindness
• Synopsis: The oldest sister, whose name means "noble appearance," is associated with providing shelter and is known for her acts of kindness. She famously shares her clothes during a cold spell, presenting nudity as a reflection of her kindness. Early imperial art depicted her as a tall, strong redhead, which later became a sensitive issue in Hagen.

Chapter 2: Ermana

• Names: Ermana (Hermana in Hallish, Emma or Emerentia in Anisoran)
• Virtue: Empathy and Compassion
• Synopsis: The second sister, whose name means "all-encompassing," symbolizes empathy and compassion. Her chapter is about providing security and safety in general living conditions. Ermana carries a short sword, which is never used in combat.

Chapter 3: Vallentina

• Virtue: Forgiveness and Healthy Mental Living
• Synopsis: Vallentina's stories deal with forgiveness and mental health. Due to the structural differences in the chapter, some scholars believe Vallentina was added after the fall of the OrkananRealm and before the rise of the Skara Samverkan. In some denominations, this chapter is not included in The Sisters of Mercy.

Chapter 4: Marriandra

• Names: Marriandra (Marian in Hallish and Stoldish, Maria in Anisoran)
• Virtue: Benevolence
• Synopsis: Marriandra, often considered the second oldest sister, lived in isolation from the others and was possibly punished for wrongdoing. Her stories focus on benevolence and bearing wrongdoings patiently, mainly covering her adult life. She is associated with feeding the hungry and giving water to the thirsty, and the tools associated with her are the sickle and scythe.

Chapter 5: Lukrissa

• Names: Lukrissa (Lucretia in Anisoran)
• Virtue: Care, Comfort, Charity, and Self-Sacrifice
• Synopsis: Lukrissa's story involves making or gaining profit, presented as a virtue for providing care and charity. She is the only sister to have a normal life, getting married at 17, having four children, and dying of old age. Her mantra, used by troubled individuals, is "I hear you calling Lukrissa..." Lukrissa is often depicted with short raven hair and black clothing.

Chapter 6: Sunsanna

• Names: Sunsanna (Susanna in most other languages)
• Virtue: Knowledge and Guidance
• Synopsis: Sunsanna, the youngest sister, learns from her sisters' experiences to instruct the ignorant and counsel the doubtful. She gains responsibility for burying the dead, providing insight into her inquisitive nature and gaining knowledge from others' experiences. Her character has laid the foundation for learning from the experiences of others in Orkanan principles.

Implications

The Sisters of Mercy and the chapters about the individual exemplars are the basis for a vast monastic class within Orkanan. Various historical accounts exist of utopian attempts to start stims and sockens (small communities) based on the morality of one of the exemplars. The most known religious denomination is the interventionist Sunna branch of Orkanan, associated with the Union of Skara and still practiced on a large scale in Aedeland and Cassia.

The chapter on Lukrissa has significantly influenced the worker's movement in Anaria, Thultannia, and Stoldavia, presenting the balance between work and leisure as a moral basis for workers' rights. Lukrissa's association with black clothing has even influenced the uniforms of comfort providers, and black clothing has become synonymous with prostitution in many countries.