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The Faith is the gathering of the five gods below, whichs was made the official legal religion in the kingdom of Calendôr, after the Cuilrendir's disappearance and the begining of The Age of Chaos.
The Origin of The Faith
The Communities of The Faith
The Rituals of The Faith
The Gods of The Faith:
- VERENA - Godess of Justice and Learning
- SHALLYA - Godess of Healing, Birth and Mercy
- MYRMIDIA - Godess of War and Crusade
- TAAL - God of Nature
- MÔRR - God and Protector of the Dead
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The Origin of The Faith
The Faith founded by King Martian I of Calendôr together with the highpriests of the most powerful cults of Calendôr; Verena, Myrmidia, Shallya, Taal and Morr. The reason was the sudden abandonment of Culost and the mysterious disappearance of the apprentices of the Cuilrendir. The cultivation and crops of the Eastern Talath and Martel also began fail because the soil in the winther froze hard as rock and in the summer dried out so it cracked and it slowly became wasteland. To blame for this The Cuilrendir was, and their foul experiements with magics was banned and hereticized. The only gods to believe in was the five ones of The Faith, and the use of magic strictly forbidden under pain of death.
"Against the common foes Calendôr has under the right of the gods of The Faith declared The Cuilrendir and their deeds heretic. The justice of Lady Verena shall shine on the green fields of Taal and of this great kingdom. No sorcerer shall not cast spells under the light of Myrmidias sun and of Môrrs moon. And all suffering that The Cuilrendir has already and for whom that yields to The Faith Shallya will be mecryful. War is coming... Adore and obey your godesses and gods... and Calendôr will prevail."
Exerpt from the speech of King Martian I, after the declaration of The Age Of Chaos and the founding of The Faith
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The Communities of The Faith
The institution of The Faith is split into different kinds of clergy communities called orders. They each have specific codes of worship and ways of life, and can be very different both in size, power and in the work they do. There are countless orders all over Calendôr, here are some of the major communities.
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The Children of The Grieving Eagle
Founded by Lietnant Alfred Friedrich von Großenstein after killing Captain Jeremy Greybird of The Ravenswords by the Crimson Blade of Großenstein given to him by The Canad Council in Culost Sain. Their quest for the lietnant was to travel to South Shire to raise knowledge of The Evergrey.
Großenstein saw that Myrmidia was sad he claimed after killing the Calendôrian Paladin of Môrr. The Quest for him and his followers was to ease Myrmidias pain.By that Großenstein meant to clear the lands of Calendôr.
"May many an orc or demon die before his feet..."
Sister Anna of The Order of Saint Sophia The Wise of Verena
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Knights Of The Flaming Spear
This very honourful knightly order is first of all the millitary elite of the Grand Army of Calendôr. It is all Knights Of The Flaming Spear who lead the forces towards the enemy to crush them in the name of Myrmidia and The Faith. Also they are the crusaders of Calendôr. They travel to foreign lands to spread belief in The Faith, and if some people do not believe, The Knights Of The Flaming Spear do not hessitate to make them believe by all means.
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The Order of The Righteous Ones
Verena is the judge of divine and mortals. The Righteous One is a medium for the judgement of the Holy Lady. Most brothers of this order travel as lonely executioners. In the times of the rule of King Joachim Ravensword, The Righteous Ones have been busy because the witchhunters of the realm were too few to handle the endless list of lynches.
During this period The Righteous Ones gathered a small army to siege the town of Öksenheim. And also they often execute deserters at the Calendôrian - Orcish battlefront, or they occasionally fight the battles themselves.
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The Secret Society of Guruthos
This order was founded in the first dark years of The Age Of Chaos in Calendôr.
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The Order of The Flame
Before The Faith was constituted a pragmatic order in dedication of Taal. They studies the forces of nature and how to use them in both elemental ways but also in the arts of Essence or Aethyr. Therefore it was banned at the end of The Golden Red Age. The followers that remained was hunted down by the rising forces of witch-hunters.
When Lanc suffered ultimate defeat to the Orcs and later the Baron fled to be slaugthered, the rangers from Bergenwald met a large group of settlers. Their leaders; four old bearded men told the ranger that Taal had told them to build a city here in the name of Sct. Garald the Flaming and restore the Order of The Flame for the salvation of Calendôr.
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Order of the Brooding Raven
The Witchhunters of the Brooding Ravens has devoted their lives to the task of hunting down and destroying Necromancers and nests of Undead throughout Calendôr in the name of Môrr and The Faith. |
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The Knights of the Ravensword
This order was founded in Western Shore as a result of the marauders from Teithadôr and their religious influence on the barony. They grew from a small community started by monks of môrr and faithful knights of Verena and became a rich knighhood and personal lifeguards of King Joachim Raven Sword of Calendôr when he claimed power after King Martian III's assassination.
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The Rituals of The Faith
Most rituals of The Faith are only performed by the clergy. Most of them is set in a church, the holy house of The Faith, where the common man is only in the audience. This is because arcane languages often has to be used to contact the gods. Though is there one ritual which almost every human in Calendôr who is able to talk can perform:
The Creed of The Faith
- I believe in the Justice of Verena
- I believe in the Mercy of Shallya
- I believe in the Spear of Myrmidia
- I believe in the Year of Taal
- I banish sorcery and believe in the End of Môrr
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THE IDEAL THE FAITH CHURCH
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1. Alter
A Sword of Justice with the symbol of a favored god of The Faith in the middle and a relief of the favored and often local saints of the certain place. In larger churches more alters, also of the same god, are common.
2. Tower
It has two functions. It can be used as a look-out tower. And it is where the church-bells are.
3. Intrance
The official intrance used by commoners as priests, beggars as nobles
4. Noble's Seats
Where the Counts and Dukes and the family sit. Also clerical nobles have seats here.
5. Commoner's Seats
Here the peasants, the citizens, the rangers, the traders. Everyone not a member of the nobles sit here |
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Verena is the mightiest deity of The Faith. Almost every city, town and village has a Verena shrine. The Priests of Verena are the most educated and all courts throughout Calendôr are led by Verena priests as the judges. They choose what justice is, who the innocent is, and who the guitly is.
The Liber Fidelis, the most important text of The Faith and the most respected ethical, religious, and scholarly text, an emblem of The Faith 's and Verena's widespread influence on Calendôrian culture.
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| Places Worshipped: |
All over the kingdom of Calendôr. |
| Worshippers: |
Almost everybody, from the common man to the Duke in his castle, as she is the godess who judges the guilty. Everybody fears the wrath of Verena. |
| Doctrines: |
| 1. |
Speak only the truth; never speak a deliberate falsehood, and must not mislead your listener into thinking you have said all that might be said on a topic. |
| 2. |
Do not withhold information, unless it is to protect the innocent, or to serve the higher purposes of justice.
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| 3. |
If you speak opinion, state clearly that it is opinion, and not fact.
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| 4. |
Do not claim credit for the thoughts or judgments of others; give credit where credit is due.
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| 5. |
If requested to arbitrate or judge a dispute, honor the request unless personal prejudice or self-interest prohibit you from making a fair judgment. |
| 6. |
Do not resort to violence until other alternatives have been exhausted. |
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| Rituals: |
Punishments following trials are often dedicated to Verena. |
| Holy days: |
The 8th of March, which is the date where The Faith were founded. |
| Orders: |
Order of The Righteous Ones |
| Symbols: |
Worshippers of Verena identify themselves with the following symbols: the owl, the eagle represented entire or as a stylized head; the scale of justice weighed in the balance; the sword point downwards (now used as the general symbol of The Faith).
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| Dress: |
- Priests wear white wool or linen hooded robes, generally of superior tailoring and style; small, dignified sacred token; though jewelry and ostentatious ornament are prohibited, the fine but understated style, cut, and quality of garment identifies Verenan clerics with the upper classes.
- Scholars wear gray cowled robes with a rope belt weighted with miniature scales of justices at the ends. |
| Professions: |
Verenan Priest - Cleric Variation
Scholar |
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Depicted in her Healer aspect as a young maiden with a healing touch and eyes brimming with tears as she takes on the pains and sufferings of her the Weak and Friendless. Shallya is the deity most concerned for the suffering of mortals. Through her healing skills, her intercession for the poor and powerless, and her opposition to warfare she tries to protect her flock from earthly perils. Through her example as loving and compassionate friend and companion, she hopes to guide man toward a more positive conception of life than the millennia of poverty, tyranny, persecution, and warfare of the Calendôr's history.
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| Places Worshipped: |
All over the kingdom of Calendôr, and the kingdom of Polanja. |
| Worshippers: |
Humans all over Calendôr, especially poor people as mercy is not often granted. |
| Doctrines: |
| 1. |
You shall not kill, not even in self-defense.
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| 2. |
You shall aid the weak, the infirm, the friendless, the poor with whatever resources you have to hand. |
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You shall show mercy and compassion to your friends and enemies alike, though you shall not, through mercy and compassion, by action or inaction, allow others to come to harm. |
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You shall teach by thought, word, and deed that man need neither rob, nor abuse, nor slay his fellow man to find peace and love on this earth. |
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| Orders: |
Priestesses of the Tear
Brotherhood of the Lighthand |
| Symbols: |
Shallya clergy identify themselves with the white dove, spread-winged in flight, sheltered in cupped hands, or marked with a splash of red blood on the breast, also by a stylized white heart with a drop of red blood, or by a maiden's face brimming with tears - the "tears of Shallya." |
| Dress: |
Initiates and Priests wear modest white wool or linen hooded robes or tunic and trousers with the dove or heart motif on the left breast. They also may bear a staff featuring the dove or heart motive, and usually carry the distinctive Shallya shoulder satchel with healing herbs and medical supplies. |
| Professions: |
Healer - Priestess of the Tear
Brother of the Lighthand. |
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Myrmidia is the army godess. All soldiers in the Calendôrian army worship her. Only few shrines are found in ordinary town churches, but is seen more often in barracks and the large cathedrals of Calendôr's cities. Sacrifice is also normally during warmarches and crusades, because shrines seldom is available under such circumstances.
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| Places Worshipped: |
In Calendôr, mostly in towns and cities of greater size where militia and soldiers are. |
| Worshippers: |
Everybody from the humble watchman to the captains and generals of the Calendôrian army. |
| Doctrines: |
| 1. |
Enter battle only when strategies and tactics have been developed for all conceivable eventualities to ensure victory with minimal casualties. |
| 2. |
Always spare an enemy who has surrendered. To kill such an enemy is considered a craven and cowardly act, unbefitting a true warrior. |
| 3. |
Always follow orders given by a superior without question, unless such an order involves killing a surrendered foe. |
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| Orders: |
Knights of the Flaming Spear. |
| Symbols: |
The spear behind a shield.
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| Dress: |
- Priests and clerics wear white robes with red edging and blue cowls. Symbols of Myrmidia are usually seen over the left breast, but may be worn as a cloak clasp instead. Token is a silver spear behind a brass shield. Some may also be a sword with a sun emblem on the hilt.
- Knights of the Flaming Spear may wear the traditional heraldry of the knightly class on plate armor, shield, and barding. A Spear behind Shield head crest may be found on the helms of the Order's members. |
| Professions: |
Flaming Spear Knight - Paladin Varation
Myrmidian Priest - Cleric Variation |
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Taal is the gathering of all the aspects of the old gods of Nature. He was the mightiest of them, and it was in that matter declared for him to be the God of Nature. Taal is a strict god that gives and not at least takes.
The Saints of Taal
Sct. Garald The Flaming
The Abcuilrendir Ærateis The Red prayed to Taal during the exodus Abcuilrendir that if he would pay more heed to the trees and the beasts and help them as equals. Would Taal grant him in return the ability to make the laymen of Taur Beleg understand and use the powers of Gûl, and a Panish ranger was the first to bind himself to Taal through this pact. His name was Garald and drew the Flaming Blade "Lach".
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| Places Worshipped: |
All over in the rural areas of Calendôr. |
| Worshippers: |
Almost every peasant and hunter, trapper or other ranger in Calendôr has a house shrine dedicated to Taal. |
| Doctrines: |
| 1. |
Never harm and animal except in self-defence, for food or for sacrifice. |
| 2. |
A sacrifice af an animal caught by the worshipper must be made every month , at the dark of moon. |
| 3. |
Worshippers of Taal may not wear metal armour but may use a shield. |
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| Orders: |
Order of The Flame |
| Symbols: |
- As Taal represents all the old nature gods, his symbols vary alot. The far most common is the tree (representing the tree of life), also the stag skull or stylized human head with antlers appears (representing Taal's aspect as lord of the beasts), or stone axe (for his aspect as weather god) with which Taal is said to use to cause thunder, lightning, and avalanches. |
| Dress: |
- Priests wear robes of gray, dark brown, and drab green decorated with one or more of his symbols. Token is a wooden medallion with either golden antlers or silver stone axe device. It may also be of other natural symbols: trees, mountain peaks, etc (That depends on the region's natural enviroment). |
| Professions: |
Taal Priest - Animist Variation
Brother of the Bear - Ranger Variation |
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The church of Mórr is the most obscure church in The Faith. Its also the least worhipped among the normal peasants and artisians, but not less powerful because the worshippers are still many. All worshippers of Mórr have devoted their lives to protect the dead and hunt down those who crafts necromancy and other heretics.
The Saints of Môrr
Sct. Martin the Dark
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| Places Worshipped: |
Any place in Calendôr where people die and where death is near. Almost everywhere. He also a worshipped greatly in the kingdom of Polanja. |
| Worshippers: |
As death is not an uncommon thing in Calendôr, almost everybody, rural as urban worships him. |
| Doctrines: |
| 1. |
Always oppose Necromancers and their allied whenever and wherever they encounter them. |
| 2. |
Never refuse to conduct a funeral service if requested to do so (Clerics only). |
| 3. |
Never enter or disturb a place of burial which has been properly dedicated to the protection of Mórr. |
| 4. |
Never bring Undead into existence unless specifically authorized to do so by Mórr (by means of an omen, a divination, or a dream). |
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| Orders: |
Order of the Brooding Raven
Knights of the Raven Swords |
| Symbols: |
The Raven and the Portal |
| Dress: |
- Priests wear plain black hooded robes without symbols or adornment. Their tokens are silver and usually represent raven wings over an open portal.
- Witch Hunters also wear black clothing and black armour (leather as metal). Their symbol is that of a raven in a posture of attack (wings out and head low). |
| Professions: |
Môrr Priest - Cleric Variation
Witch Hunter - Paladin Variation |
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