Church of Darkness of the Steel Realms

Posted on September 18, 2015 in Steel-Realms

>Motto(s): “Darkness waits.“; “Darkness Embraces All“

The Church of Darkness is a formal Institution of Faith. The entities of the Church of Darkness all agree to abide by The Godspeak Accord (for now). They are known to entice seekers of occult knowledge into service as Sable Magi. Nominally, the Tenets of the General Liturgy are followed by the Laity of Congregations and those of higher Grace and Institutional Ranks alike. Their followers are almost all Orrish.

The modern age is heavily defined by the clash of faiths in the “Affray of Darkness and Light” in which it plays a significant part.

Duat Heka – House of the Dead is a common knowledge to the inhabitants of Helca. All know it as the doorstep to the afterlife – though it is portrayed in different ways by different faiths. Its name is written in different cultures as Death’s Cathedral, Hall of the Dead, Souls’ Passageway, Archway of Light, House of the Dead, the Greathall of Souls, and others.

Because of the divine nature of the Lich Lord’s Cold Bargain, any undead in their service can be detected with Sense Grace.

The Unholy Trio (often collectively called “The Gathering Darkness”) is led by Everdark, the Lord of Darkness. He is the undoer, the lord of conflict and victory. He exists to out-do all others, unravel the plots around him, and destroy his foes. His brother is the ravager Sun Stealer, the stealer of light and souls, lord of slaughter, plunder and fell deeds. Their sister is Gloom Bringer, the mistress of death from the shadows, stealth and secrecy, unfathomable mystery, and assassins. Not even her siblings know her motives, and betimes combats them openly. The Unholy Trio are forbidden from any activity upon the moon of Connace – the claimed domain of Ezrilus – as part of the The Godspeak Accord. They once had many servitors imbued with Angelic Souls on Helca.

The Black Sun/The Face of Darkness: His siblings let Sun Stealer (“The Black Son”) take front and center. He is like a hurricane in his efforts – wild, unpredictable, and pure chaos that often spends itself in its path of destruction. Often so violent and chaotic, he is often his own worst enemy, though the greatest overall vital force of the Unholy Trio. His great will and drive are the backbone of the armies of the Orrish in the employ of them. The bravado and aggression in the Orrish society is principally driven by this warrior-god. Strategy is nearly unknown to him and his followers. The followers of Everdark take this upon themselves and a subtle but strong hand guides the gods of darkness and their armies from the shadows, unleashing the fury of Sun Stealer’s forces. Sealed with the blood of all the siblings of the Unholy Trio though, is the Dark Compact of Fiends – an empowered level of summoned fiend that are their chief ‘officers and generals’ in their armies.

• Destruction of the Sune-Bane; To this end, the gods of light must all die.
• The promotion of endless conflict and the glory in competition, peace only brings stagnation and death.
• The end of the cycles of Helca – the brood of darkness will ascend on the spine of the world into the infinite dark to the stars beyond.

Promise of the Afterlife: (Tri-Realm of the Litany according to Everdark) The souls of the fallen are given birth to in a place that has a cycle of eternal gloom, full night, and constant eclipses. It is comfortable and cool and with each eclipse, they may change their outward form, and are reborn each night if they died. The time is filled with slaves serving and dying, fighting, fun, and fornicating. It conforms to the standard Afterlife processes and manifestation.

Sacred Spaces

Darkhollow

Darkhollow (Sacred Place) of the Unholy Trio…

Testament to Faith

Core Principles and Goals:

Common Covenant/Tenets: What values, observances, vows and activities will all those of the faith have? An oath of loyalty and service is usually exacter.

Finding Faith – Discovering and cementing the faith/follower relationship:
> [Initiate] Trials: These are trials that a character may be part of in order to prove their bond to their faith.

1. Affirmation of Authority
2. Affirmation of a Vow

Common Practices and Customs

Reward and Afterlife

The church of darkness rewards its members with power and wealth. Those who follow its ways are rewarded with personal power – a casting down of ones enemies, slaves, wealth, food, and blood.
The ‘desolate darkness’ is the ultimate destination of all souls, but through the gods of the unholy trio can be found the ‘soothing dark’ – a cool, dry place of endless possibilities, where there is finally quiet from the unending noise of the struggle for life. The blood of those killed in life provides warmth in the embrace of darkness, and only that ensures that the next world is bearable. Its adherents are also promised a place in the afterlife which has a desirous slave for each life taken, and that the greater the stature of the kill in life, the tastier their ‘puinto’ – soul slave – meat will be to feed their killer in the life after.

The darkness and beyond is comprised of three abyssal realms; the Voikatis – where the favored go, Kemizharoun – banished souls and a place of trial, where life continues on until the soul proves itself, and Fworgai – the fiery hell where souls are consumed and tortured forever. Each sphere has 8 dukes which rule over different lands, forever themselves locked in a struggle for power against their masters and themselves. These dukes are ‘The Keepers’, they convey the souls of the dead and create the channels of power for the unholy trio, who send to them the souls of their followers – both sides needing the services of the other to maintain their powers.

Rewards of the Faithful

Dark Boon

Dark Boons are granted for great service to the cause of the gods and/or church of darkness.

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Accouterments and Equipment of the Church of Darkness

Darklight

Made from the bodies of their enemies, tallow candles or fat soaked torches that shed light even in magical darkness. These are sacred items, and one of the main sources of light in the darklands. They burn three times as long. Darklight wont set things alight, wont effect shadows or shades, and their wispy, oily smoke will taint those who pass through it for 48 hours with an aura of Transgression if they themselves do not serve the Unholy Trio or are evil.

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The Problem with Progress: There is the problem with the Orrish followers of the Church of Darkness in regards to progress. Progress of science would undermine their ultimate crusade from within. So they themselves cannot have progress. But progress within the greater realms can be leveraged by them, controlled by their clergy and those few they allow to understand such things.

Church of Light in the Steel Realms

Posted on September 18, 2015 in Steel-Realms

The Church of Light is a formal Institution of Faith. The Lightbringers were brought forth in desperation to directly counter the Unholy Trio – matching directly the two male and one female aspect. Whelm – the fourth – is the offspring of the strange union between the God of War (Mizras – part of the Grey Way) and the Mother of Peace (Aerna of the Light). The entities of the Church of Light all agree to abide by The Godspeak Accord. The Lightbringers are popularly known as that force which saved the ancestors of the current inhabitants (the Blood of Saemon). They also instituted the Sun Bane in CY 1418, a major element to holding the forces of Darkness that were threatening to destroy civilization and plunge the world into anarchy. The Church of Light is the most dedicated to preserving their history publicly, and keep multiple archives related to all their records and tales. Nominally, the Tenets of the General Liturgy are followed by the Laity of Congregations and those of higher Grace and Institutional Ranks alike.

The modern age is heavily defined by the clash of faiths in the “Affray of Darkness and Light” in which the gods play a significant part.

Duat Heka – House of the Dead is a common knowledge to the inhabitants of Helca. All know it as the doorstep to the afterlife – though it is portrayed in different ways by different faiths. Its name is written in different cultures as Death’s Cathedral, Hall of the Dead, Souls’ Passageway, Archway of Light, House of the Dead, the Greathall of Souls, and others.

Because of the divine nature of the Lich Lord’s Cold Bargain, any undead in their service can be detected with Sense Grace.

United Against the Light: Though the Church of Darkness/Unholy Trio is not a unified pantheon, all of the Orrish of Helca and their followers and agents under their sway are wholly enjoined in the Divine Quest of the Quest of Black Tears.

Lords of Light/Light Bringers

Testament to Faith

Core Principles and Goals: Keep The Unholy Trio contained, defeat the scourge of darkness, bring the illumination light to the world. The chaos and unregulated pursuit of knowledge and experience must be curtailed to give the greatest good for the greatest number.

Common Covenant/Tenets: An oath of loyalty and service is usually exacted. Following the common covenants of the Unified Pantheon as well as any individual Principal’s covenants proscribed will ensure the character remains in Good Standing with their faith, enabling access to all their capabilities derived from that bond.

Finding Faith – Discovering and cementing the faith/follower relationship:
> [Initiate] Trials: These are trials that a character may be part of in order to prove their bond to their faith.

1. Affirmation of Authority
2. Affirmation of a Vow

Common Practices and Customs

Standard Path/Observances: 20600 Liturgy

Family Chapels, Shrines and Temples: There is often 4 rooms to represent the 4 major figures (three in the oldest) in the familial constructs. Beyond an entry areas, the first and most prominent rooms is the primary god of the family. Then there is an “Enshrined Passage” with carvings of the pact between family and faith. There is almost always a “Mothers Hearth” – even if the patron goddess is Aerna. This is where the bones of children who died in childbirth are laid. A “Corridor of Light” represents a symbolic passage to the realms of Light and Wonder. The room dedicated to Balthazaar is always the “Room of Judgement” – somewhere is always an arch whereupon the ever watchful eyes of Balthazaar are engraved – this usually guards an amphitheater where all living family members can gather and discuss family matters. There are 4 steps in this amphitheater where the bottom platform is flanked by the Shield-Men of Whelm to symbolically protect the speaker. In the most devout of places is a “Chamber of Stars” which is a place dedicated to ‘burning away the sins’ of the faithful.

Spirit Web: The ancient light worshipers believers the spirits of their ancestors kept walking these family crypts and shrines. In some of them, an ancient practice of spirit webs can be found. These are silver wires, covered in crystals and bolted into a a corridor. They flow to a place off to one side of a passage. It is easy enough to dismantle or walk through, but a simple minded spirit will follow the lattice into the “Spirit Trap” – a series of narrow corridors carved and hung with clothes, tapestries, and minor daily items of the dead in order to confuse them and keep them there. It was a superstition meant to keep ones though free and clear of past family matters. However, the Spirit Trap was a place to go to commune with past family members – to remember them, and their names etched into the walls. Candles were often placed in wall scones – each scone unique to the individual.

Accouterments and Equipment of the Church of Light

Faith in the Steel Realms

Posted on September 8, 2015 in Steel-Realms

Faith in the Steel Realms of the modern age consists of a small number of divine entities, regional faiths and many sects invoking dominion over the world of Helca. The current state of faith and affairs in general on Helca/Steel Realms is a direct result of the Affray of Darkness and Light. Before this was the era of Faith on Primordial Helca. Each faith has a different level of Institutional representation depending on its Reach/Presence. Followers must obey the the covenants of their Principal’s or Unified Pantheon to ensure they remain in Good Standing with their faith This enables them to access all their capabilities derived from that bond, including Singularly Bound items of faith and a Standard Divine Reliquary. They all offer some form of Afterlife that follows some standard manifestations. Because of the divine nature of the Lich Lord’s Cold Bargain, any undead in their service can be detected with Sense Grace.

Duat Heka – House of the Dead is a common knowledge to the inhabitants of Helca. All know it as the doorstep to the afterlife – though it is portrayed in different ways by different faiths. Its name is written in different cultures as Death’s Cathedral, Hall of the Dead, Souls’ Passageway, Archway of Light, House of the Dead, the Greathall of Souls, and others.

• The Green Church a balance with civilization and the Wyld Faith is unrestrained triump of the natural order; Aligned with these is the Faerie Faith in the Steel Realms.
• The Church of Light represents the triumph of order and community and the taming of nature.
• The Church of Dark represents the triumph of the individual without restraint or consequence.
• The Celestine Ideal focuses on enlightened empowerment that strives to live in harmony with the natural order and maximize individual capability – a sort of blending of the other major ideals into a emphasize a Gestalt approach.

Characters of Faith for the Steel Realms

Regardless of the dominant sect’s domain, the deities of the Steel Realms are fluid and adapt to Followers’ perceptions to increase worship. There is likely a cult or sect that promotes or manifests many domains (even a symbolic or conceptual approach) for a divine principal.

General (Fame/Reputation, etc.): Group institutions (organization/cultural/national, faith and occult) may/will have individual Prestige ratings and/or impact individual adjustments with the right Prestige Signifiers. Certain situations/conditions such as membership can have an impact on reputation.

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