I write to each of the new brothers within the order this morning to provide some insight as to how your priestly names are chosen for you by your elders. As you know, once you join the order, you must receive your name before the first full moon passes. This decision is not taken lightly, for Jvelto will recognize you by this appellation, and everyone, including your parents,¹ will call you by it thereafter.

Your name resonates with two letters from the name of Jvelto: "Jv-" at the beginning of your name, "-el-" in the first or second syllable, or "-to" at the end of your name. At one time, all priests within our order assumed names beginning with the "Jv-" sound. Today, however, your elders will chose bestow names of this kind on those who show leadership potential within the brotherhood. Do not envy your brothers with such names, for theirs is the burden of study and exhibition of any special talents for the greater glory of Jvelto.²

Your elders have choose names with "-el-" in the first or second syllables for those of you who have a kinship with the freshwater sources of the world. Yours is the responsibility of caring for the springs and streams, blessing them and showing those who rely on them how to preserve them. The freshwater fishes and animals will be your companions. Your elders may name you thusly if you have come to the order from an inland town.³

For those among you who take names ending in "-to", your elders have designated you for lifelong communion with sailors and fishermen. Your calling is to drink and sing with them in the taverns, bringing the joy of Jvelto to those the Oceanlord loves best. You will comfort the families of sailors sent abruptly to the Great Hall at the bottom of the sea, and you will bring the Lifegiver's blessings even to those who cannot bring the suggested offering to Jvelto's temple.⁴

Trust your elders, young ones, for they may see in you that which you do not yet see in yourselves. They have observed you and spoken with you, and mean to focus your natural proclivities with your name. They rarely make a mistake, for they have prayed about you in your absence. Occasionally, a young disciple does not settle naturally into his identity given by the elders. After he has lived with his name for one year's time, he may petition the elders for a new appellation. He must pray with his elder mentor for guidance, drinking seven glasses of wine together in seven nights. Together, both will craft a letter to the ranking temple elder in Istur (an oral petition is permissible if travel can be arranged). The final decision belongs to this priest, for the temple in Istur holds the registry of all the disciples of Jvelto. This process can be repeated only once.

May you grow into your names with satisfaction and recognize the wisdom of your elders in their choices. As you mature within the order, think carefully about this process when you mentor new disciples yourselves.

May you ever wade in the affection of Jvelto,

Jvard

²This may have been an attempt at humor by the Great Thinker of Jvelto, since disciples of Jvelto are generally regarded as the least studious of the various orders.

³The "Els", as they are often called, are sometimes considered a subsect of the Jvelto order. They distinguish themselves with an emblem on the reverse of their amulets bearing the traditional octopus/ship symbol, the sign of the waterfall into which they engrave their names. They also have separate rituals for holidays dedicated to Jvelto.

⁴Until the shipping lanes debacle mentioned in a footnote to the Mirth Epistle, it was almost unheard of for a priest to argue with placement into the "-to" group. During that time, the elders caught on to the schemes of the merchants and dumped their sons into this sect to limit their access to political power within the temple. The sons who weren't too sloshed (all that required reveling with sailors), began to petition for new names starting with "Jv-".