God Is Love (Holy Name)

== Order of Courtesans: ==
"Love is to live for another."
The Order of Courtesans deal in love and romance, drawing power and strength from their passions and connections to those they love. A Courtesan might not seem like a worthy opponent, but history is strewn with the bodies of dead men who thought the same
AKA: the Lovers, the Companions.  
Courtesan Degrees
http://powerlisting.wikia.com/wiki/Sex_Magic
=== Facts: ===
-Courtesans are able to choose a partner with whom they Bind themselves too, ostensibly for life.  The Courtesan Adept and their 'Companion' can always see through each other's eyes.  If they will it they can 'shut out' the other for some time, but the minute they break concentration the bond will snap open again.
-Courtesan's can prove capable fighters, especially if they are emotionally involved.
-The Order is divided into general camps, the 'Rough' who are all the male members, and the 'Refined' who are all the female members.
-Love is associated with the color Pink because when Courtesans manifest their powers, the energies they produce sometimes manifest themselves as pinkish lights.
-Very elegant and skilled, Courtesans pride themselves on being both militant and high class.
-For Courtesans there are two major sources of power, Love and Bad Love.  Love grants them greater powers, while Bad Love leads to Degeneration (see below).
-Courtesans look to Biblical heroines like Ruth and Esther as ancient members of the Order.
-Courtesans are the eternal foes of the Succubi, since Succubi seek to use love for selfish gain.  Courtesans exist to further genuine love over pale, selfish imitations.  
-Courtesans excel at careers in psychology and psychiatry, their extensive knowledge of human nature and relationship giving them a keen edge.  
-St. Valentines day has become a major event for the emotion of love. When St. Valentines Day comes around, Courtesans often get a surge of Kenosis.  
-The business of love and marriage is fraught with trouble, Courtesans have a reputation for being trouble magnets. They're also known for knowing many secrets which others, especially those in power, would like to stay hidden. After all, the world is full of cheating politicians whose wives seek help from their soiled marriages...  
-The Courtesans got their name during the medieval era, when they helped calm unchecked passions in noble courts by espousing the practice of courtly love.  
-Because they are so attenuated with beauty, Courtesans instinctively react more strongly against ugliness.  Neophyte Courtesans may find themselves struggling to hang out with some Outcast or Abominations.  
-Courtesans often use their attractiveness to unsettle or make opponents nervous.  
-Courtesans tend to come in two forms: there are the "Conservatives" (Conservative by Courtesan standards anyway) who adhere to traditional ideas of love and romance. And than there are the Courtesans who are more "Liberal" and tend to challenge traditional relationship expectations. If you want, you can use Courtesans to promote your beliefs on such matters in your own stories.  
-It is said the only way to resist a Courtesan's spell is to have forsaken love. But to live without love may be a fate worse than death...  
-The Courtesans have plenty of natural fighters in their ranks, but they also have plenty of pacifist types as well. Some Courtesans can fight very well while others tend to flounder in a brawl.  
-The Courtesans have a thing for the color Red.  
=== Song Of Songs: ===
The Song of Songs within the Bible is thought by many to have been penned by a Courtesan working for King Solomon, thousands of years ago. Whether or not such legends are true, the Song does play prominently in the texts of the Order of Courtesans.  
Many initiates into the Order are encourages to memorize parts of the Song, or even the Song in its entirety.  
-https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Song+of+Songs+1&version=NIV
=== Poisons: ===
Courtesans have a legacy of concocting and using Poisons, normally the poison is mild and meant only to disable and paralyze, but there have been occasions were more potent toxins have been put to use. Courtesans prefer to coat their weapons, even their taloned fingers, with poison to give them an extra boost in battle.  
=== Transfixed By Beauty: ===
Love and beauty go hand in hand, and the Courtesans know that well. The brain of your average Courtesan seems hardwired to be extra-sensitive to the concepts of beauty, able to pick out the most beguiling characteristics in pretty much anything.  
In fact, Courtesans are so hardwired for the sight of beauty that the very sight of it may occupy their minds, transfixing them on the spot. Any Courtesan who gazes upon something of incredible beauty will often become mesmerized and rooted to the spot. This 'spell' will last for a short while, or it may end if an outside party interrupts the Courtesan's state of mind.  
=== Degeneration: ===
-If a Courtesan participates in romance that is bad (bad as in unethical, immoral, overtly-selfish, destructive, whatever term you want to use) they build up Degeneracy within themselves.  
-If a Courtesan becomes too Degenerate, they will begin to lose their humanity and act like animals.  Powerful impulses will overcome them and they will be helpless to stop themselves from carrying out destructive urges.  
-Eventually, if a Courtesan travels down the path of Degeneracy long enough, she will lose her higher-sentience and become, on a psychological level, an animal.  She will live in squalor, feed openly, and live a disgusting lifestyle.  She will be human only in a broad, biological sense.
-Hedonism is the watchword used by most Courtesans when judging whether one is on the dark path of degeneration.
Note: For game purposes, every time a Courtesan gains a point of Degeneracy, put a black mark over their Kenosis. If they ever attain a black mark over all their current Kenosis, they no longer have self control.
=== Queen of Sheba: ===
The Biblical Queen of Sheba is counted among the Order of Courtesans. Her story and character are held as examples to the aspiring new initiates to the Order, and her legacy for prudence and wisdom-seeking are held as chief virtues for all women.
-Queen of Sheba Bing Search
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BUbT1jQ-3k
=== Sub Rosa: ===
The Rose is an important symbol to the Courtesan Order, it can be found in many of their art and literature as well as a favorite tattoo. The expression 'sub rosa' ("beneath the rose") is an old expression for keeping confidence with secrets learned in more private situations. It's an important albeit unspoken rule to the Order to know when to keep a secret.
== References: ==
-https://www.pinterest.com/benjaminstyles7/order-of-courtesans/
-http://www.wikilove.com/The_Collaborative_Encyclopedia_of_Love
-http://www.todayschristianwoman.com/
-http://www.christian-marriage-today.com/what-is-christian-marriage.html
-http://www.crosswalk.com/family/marriage/
-http://www.todayschristianwoman.com/topics/marriage-sex/
-http://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/
Category:God
Category:Love