Post by Kenneth New on Jun 12, 2011 3:50:21 GMT -5
The Church of Light is the largest and most popular religion on the continent of Dheona. It’s a religion with many separate schools or orders. The religion teaches that the cosmos is part of something called the divine word, the closest thing there is to a creator god. The word is the sum total of creation, the creator and the instrument by which creation came to be.
The servants of the divine word are the Exalti Luminarii, powerful angelic being who teach the paths of ascension to those mortals who wish to learn. The four most powerful, known as the Exaltissimi Luminarii,are:
Each of these four archangels has a holy order associated with him or her.
Aristonites
Colors: red and yellow
Domains: Good, Fire, Glory, Strength, Sun, War
Weapons: spatha (long sword) or gladius (shortsword)
The Order of St. Ariston is a clerical order of warrior priests, the militant arm of the Church of Light.
Charissians
Colors: green and purple
Domains: Community, Good, Healing, Sun, Water, Weather
Weapons: halberd or hooked axe
The Order of St. Charis is a clerical order devoted to healing and community. They operate sanitoria and hospitia throughout the lands where the Church of Light holds sway
Dicastians
Colors: black and white
Domains: Earth, Good, Protection, Repose, Rune, Sun
Weapons: Lucerne hammer, warhammer
The Order of St. Dicastos is a clerical order devoted to justice. They operate prisons, serve as judges and keepers of last will and testament.
Megistean
Colors: blue and white
Domains: Air, Good, Knowledge, Nobility, Magic, Sun
Weapons: Bow (any)
The Order St. Megista is a clerical order devoted to teaching and scholarship. They operate many schools and libraries.
Order of the Sacred Light
Colors: white and yellow
Domains: Community, Healing, Knowledge, Protection, Sun
Weapons: Staff
This general order is a teaching order. Most of its members are experts or adepts, but there are some clerics among them. This order is dedicated to the Sacred Light. It is the most common order, and most of the priests in parishes around the world are members of the Order of the Sacred Light.
The Illuminati (Enlightened Ones)
In addition to the Exaltissimi Luminarii (Archangels), the Church of Light venerates the Illuminati, who are ascended mortals who spent their lives bringing light to the world. Many of them are warriors, but others are poets or musicians or others who spent their lives in the service of others. They have ascended through their struggle against darkness and ignorance. For some this struggle was in the field of battle against demons and aberrant creatures. For others this struggle was in the field of ideas. Poets, musicians and those who enlighten others through their art may follow this path towards ascension. Finally, some mortals achieve ascension through the example of their ethics, morality and compassion. The Light Bringers are the central figures in the Church of Light. The stories of their lives and deeds are the basis for the Logothelion, the holy book of the faith.
Order of St. Sebastos
This holy sodality contains clerics, paladins and lay brethren. The latter group comprises bards, wizards, rangers and fighters who’ve taken lay vows. The Sebastioi (also known as the Knights of the Circle) have chapters across the world dedicated to fighting supernatural evil. Clerics of the Order of St. Sebastos may come from any of the four main orders, but are most commonly members of the Aristonite or Discastian Orders.
The Order of St. Sebastos is a chartered Sodality operating independent of the church hierarchy. The Grandmaster of the Order of St. Sebastos in each Exarchy reports directly to the Exarch. In practice, the Order works closely with the local church hierarchy.
Doctrine
The church teaches that souls are eternal. When a person is born, a soul merges with the body and develops an intellect over time. After death, the body decays in the world, the intellect passes on to the umbra where it eventually degrades, but the soul is reborn. When a person achieves enlightenment, he undergoes ascension. The body, mind and soul fuse into a being of radiant energy. Most of these Light Bringers ascend to the higher realms, but a few return to the world to teach the paths of ascension to those prepared to learn.
The church is centered in the sacred city of Leucona, located in the mountains between Morava and Livonia. The entire city-state is a theocracy, run by the White College. The Hierophant of the Faith is the nominal ruler, but a council of all the high ranking priests actually runs the government. The hierophant of Leucona is the leader of the largest branch of the faith, and is considered the most senior leader of the faith. Most councils of the faith are held in Leucona under the direction of the Hierophant.
Other colleges of the faith exist, including the Ruthelian College, the Sylarian College and the Evandrion College. They agree on the central tenets of the faith, but differ in the doctrines and dogma that surround them.
Hierarchy
The church of Light was founded nearly 2000 years ago in the city of Leucona situated high in the mountains between Livona, Morava and Aikona. The prophet Phanos gathered scholars to divine the metaphysical nature of life and the cosmos. Phanos himself is said to have ascended to heaven and to have returned bringing the revelation of the sacred word (Hierologos or Sanctum Verbum).
The Hierophant of the Faith rules Leucona, wielding both religious and temporal power. He's assisted by a clerical bureaucracy. The College of the Faithful meets in Leucona to determine important prophecy and revelation. Each nation or region is under the religious authority of its bishops and archbishops. These regions are called exarchies. The bishops in each exarchy elect an exarch to lead them.
The servants of the divine word are the Exalti Luminarii, powerful angelic being who teach the paths of ascension to those mortals who wish to learn. The four most powerful, known as the Exaltissimi Luminarii,are:
- Ariston (ah RISS tun): also known as the Guardian of the South, the Lord of Fire, the Warrior, the Eternal Flame.
- Charis (KAH riss): also known as the Guardian of the East, the Merciful Lady, the Healer, the Cupbearer, the Lady of Water.
- Dicastos (dee CAH stows): also known as the Guardian of the North, the Judge, the Guardian at the Gate, the Keeper of the Gates, the Lord of Earth.
- Megista (may GISS tuh): also known as the Guardian of the West, the Lady of Air, the Silver-Eyed Lady, Patron of Scholars, the Abjurer.
Each of these four archangels has a holy order associated with him or her.
Aristonites
Colors: red and yellow
Domains: Good, Fire, Glory, Strength, Sun, War
Weapons: spatha (long sword) or gladius (shortsword)
The Order of St. Ariston is a clerical order of warrior priests, the militant arm of the Church of Light.
Charissians
Colors: green and purple
Domains: Community, Good, Healing, Sun, Water, Weather
Weapons: halberd or hooked axe
The Order of St. Charis is a clerical order devoted to healing and community. They operate sanitoria and hospitia throughout the lands where the Church of Light holds sway
Dicastians
Colors: black and white
Domains: Earth, Good, Protection, Repose, Rune, Sun
Weapons: Lucerne hammer, warhammer
The Order of St. Dicastos is a clerical order devoted to justice. They operate prisons, serve as judges and keepers of last will and testament.
Megistean
Colors: blue and white
Domains: Air, Good, Knowledge, Nobility, Magic, Sun
Weapons: Bow (any)
The Order St. Megista is a clerical order devoted to teaching and scholarship. They operate many schools and libraries.
Order of the Sacred Light
Colors: white and yellow
Domains: Community, Healing, Knowledge, Protection, Sun
Weapons: Staff
This general order is a teaching order. Most of its members are experts or adepts, but there are some clerics among them. This order is dedicated to the Sacred Light. It is the most common order, and most of the priests in parishes around the world are members of the Order of the Sacred Light.
The Illuminati (Enlightened Ones)
In addition to the Exaltissimi Luminarii (Archangels), the Church of Light venerates the Illuminati, who are ascended mortals who spent their lives bringing light to the world. Many of them are warriors, but others are poets or musicians or others who spent their lives in the service of others. They have ascended through their struggle against darkness and ignorance. For some this struggle was in the field of battle against demons and aberrant creatures. For others this struggle was in the field of ideas. Poets, musicians and those who enlighten others through their art may follow this path towards ascension. Finally, some mortals achieve ascension through the example of their ethics, morality and compassion. The Light Bringers are the central figures in the Church of Light. The stories of their lives and deeds are the basis for the Logothelion, the holy book of the faith.
Order of St. Sebastos
This holy sodality contains clerics, paladins and lay brethren. The latter group comprises bards, wizards, rangers and fighters who’ve taken lay vows. The Sebastioi (also known as the Knights of the Circle) have chapters across the world dedicated to fighting supernatural evil. Clerics of the Order of St. Sebastos may come from any of the four main orders, but are most commonly members of the Aristonite or Discastian Orders.
The Order of St. Sebastos is a chartered Sodality operating independent of the church hierarchy. The Grandmaster of the Order of St. Sebastos in each Exarchy reports directly to the Exarch. In practice, the Order works closely with the local church hierarchy.
Doctrine
The church teaches that souls are eternal. When a person is born, a soul merges with the body and develops an intellect over time. After death, the body decays in the world, the intellect passes on to the umbra where it eventually degrades, but the soul is reborn. When a person achieves enlightenment, he undergoes ascension. The body, mind and soul fuse into a being of radiant energy. Most of these Light Bringers ascend to the higher realms, but a few return to the world to teach the paths of ascension to those prepared to learn.
The church is centered in the sacred city of Leucona, located in the mountains between Morava and Livonia. The entire city-state is a theocracy, run by the White College. The Hierophant of the Faith is the nominal ruler, but a council of all the high ranking priests actually runs the government. The hierophant of Leucona is the leader of the largest branch of the faith, and is considered the most senior leader of the faith. Most councils of the faith are held in Leucona under the direction of the Hierophant.
Other colleges of the faith exist, including the Ruthelian College, the Sylarian College and the Evandrion College. They agree on the central tenets of the faith, but differ in the doctrines and dogma that surround them.
Hierarchy
The church of Light was founded nearly 2000 years ago in the city of Leucona situated high in the mountains between Livona, Morava and Aikona. The prophet Phanos gathered scholars to divine the metaphysical nature of life and the cosmos. Phanos himself is said to have ascended to heaven and to have returned bringing the revelation of the sacred word (Hierologos or Sanctum Verbum).
The Hierophant of the Faith rules Leucona, wielding both religious and temporal power. He's assisted by a clerical bureaucracy. The College of the Faithful meets in Leucona to determine important prophecy and revelation. Each nation or region is under the religious authority of its bishops and archbishops. These regions are called exarchies. The bishops in each exarchy elect an exarch to lead them.