Church of Darkness of the 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.

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.

Light of the Dark Church

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.

• 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.

Empowered Compact of Fiends

All Fiendish (demons, devils, etc.) minions and servitors summoned to the realms operate under a minimum of the Simple Compact of Dark Shelter. Because of this compact, all fiends, no matter who summons them enjoys the same benefits. It is even stronger within the Curtain of Night.

Sacred Spaces

Darkhollow

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.

• D20
• ICore

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.

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.

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