A Guide to Conducting a Religious Mass
                             Written by Tarrant Akiros, a priest of Mileth in Dark Ages

    Many young aislings and priests think masses may be a joke, and treat it as a routine thing to gather wisdom and experience from fellow aislings, and get renewed faith in their god.‘Tis more than just a simple routine. Masses are a time for aislings to share stories and problems alike. It is a time for them to meet other aislings , and gain trust and friendship.

     I remember the first time I conducted me own mass. I was hoping everyone would get there on time so I could just rush it through. Once I figured noone else was coming but the few that were already there, I just casted mass as quickly as I could. I was there to benefit myself, and not others.

    However, priests shouldn’t do this, if they want to keep their fellow worshippers faith in the deity strong. One problem priests have is finding a convenient time for everyone to come. A “convenient” time isn’t really possible though, so that’s probably the least of a priests worries. ((Many masses are conducted on weekends, and have alot of turnout)) One thing I’ve noticed in novice priests is that they find times only good for them. Many others are hunting or are sleeping in a far off realm. It is pretty important to get a regular schedule going too. Late priests make worshippers impatient and rowdy. It’s always good to have one or two priests to back you up, in case you can’t make it to mass. Of course, if ye can’t make it to mass, ye should always contact them to let em’ know.

    However boring they may be, stories and announcements are always a way of keeping aislings in touch of what happens around them in Temuair. ‘Tis why it is so important to allow people to speak up and tell their wild tales, or share announcements about ongoing events. I know I’m a real critic towards other priests, but I’ve seem many a priest who has cut a mass short just so everyone can leave quickly. Neither is it wise or fulfilling. Younger aislings may have wished to ask something of the priest or, maybe someone had an interesting and important announcement to make. It’s all critical in making a mass work.

    Another thing that can either make or break a mass is the conduct of each aisling. I’ve visited just about every single deity’s mass and none of them are too far apart as far as conduct. There are always the mischievous few who like to disrupt the mass with random chatter, skill leveling, and worst of all harassment. The priests answer to this is to (unfortunately) banish a certain person from the temple. It can solve many a problem, but a wise priest doesn’t banish every person he wants to. Just like a guard, priests should give some warning as to what will happen to a person if they don’t cooperate and stay quiet  while others share announcements and such. Even still, this is still the source of chaos at a mass. Don’t get too frustrated.

    At the end of a mass, it might also be a good idea to hold a priests meeting of that deity. There, you can share religious announcements, upcoming events, and tell your back-up priest if he or she will need to conduct the next mass. As important as these can be, I haven’t seen many deities have a successful meeting. Even though a meeting can’t always be successful, it can provide fellow priests with important information, and time to share ideas on how to make the fellowship better.

 Of course, to be able to do this all right is well and good, but ye need to know how to properly cast a mass. ((First, you must click the lady next to your deity’s statue. Then click the option called Fellowship. There you will see the option of Casting Mass. Once you have clicked upon it, take one step forward, then step back to where you were. A popup will appear, and then if you need assistance, you can enter the name of yer assistant. Once completed, your mass has been cast)) Ye should try not to cast mast by yerself. Use the faith and guidance of others to help you achieve a fulfilling response. Also, try not to waste alot of your time and faith, until after your mass that week. If you waste it all on entreating to your god, you won’t be able to cast a worthwhile mass, much less be able to cast one at all. People appreciate a faithful priest.

    I hope you have at least gathered some of what I have shared, and maybe more and more priests can strive to make their masses a little more better. And always remember as a priest, always strive to help others in need. Good day to ye all!

              Tarrant Akiros - Priest of Ceannlaidir, the almighty God of War