Home
The Religions: Illumin
 The Church is the dominant religious organization in Fiore. It is based on the Chants of Light, a series of teachings written by Everesia the prophet whom was burned for spreading its contents. The message continued and caused a fragmented group of followers to arise. The groups were then formalized into the Church by the Grand Cardinals. It received a hierarchical structure which would ensure that the teachings would be properly spread throughout the country. Nowadays a Church can be found in almost any town. With so much influence over the people, the Church can exert considerable political pressure on the ruling classes in many areas of concern. In extraordinary times, the Divine may also be moved to declare a crusade. These religious crusades have mobilized armies of thousands to destroy the heretical enemies in the past. Most adventurers aren't really that religious however, some even have different beliefs. Adventurers often take the quests that the Church offer simply for the money. Symbols  The sun represents the fundamental goal of the Church: if all lands under the sun raise their voices in the Chant, then Illumin will turn back to his Children. Fire is a symbol of purity in the Church, following the example of the first Divine Everesia, who was cleansed of her sins as she burned at the stake. Each church maintains a brazier lit with eternal flame in her memory. Church members may also ritually burn themselves, passing their hand over flame or burning a paper upon which their sins are written. In extreme cases, the faithful may undergo branding or self-immolation. Hierarchy  At the head of the Church is the Divine, who leads from her seat in the Grand Cathedral of Crocus. Below her are the Left Hand of the Divine and the Right Hand of the Divine. These are her personal agents and act as her voice if she is not otherwise present. Below them are the Grand Cardinals who are the Church's highest authority in a way. While the Divine is the head, the Grand Cardinals make most of the decisions during their meetings. After a Divine dies, Grand Cardinals are required to travel to Crocus for the Grand Consensus, a meeting where Church leadership unanimously elect the new leader of the Chantry. Beneath the Grand Cardinals are the Cardinals followed by the Bishops and the Priests. Holy Knights  The military division of the Church is called the Holy Knights. The Church recruits members for the Holy Knights within the ranks of the Rune Knights. The Rune Knights they consider are always those who have completed many quests for the Church. Those that become a Holy Knight are no longer under the authority of the Rune Knights but the Church. They are often assigned to tasks that require them to battle the occult and take out monstrous beings. Holy Knights have access to their own shop and also possess auras like Rune Knights. |
