The Litany

Introduction

The official history of the Empire of Crown is contained in the Litany, a pseudo-historical religious text that recounts the origins of the worship of the Twelve and the deeds of the seventy Noble families, especially the Argentimeri, who together rediscovered civilization, law, and governance.

The Litany itself is told as a single, continuous epic poem. The tale begins with an allegorical description of a paradisaical world when mortals and gods shared the lands. Then it explains several conflicts and disasters that led to the current world. As the narrative progresses, the content becomes more definite, specific, and concrete, evolving from a description of legendary events to a recitation of more prosaic history. 

Founding of the Empire

In the beginning, gods and people walked the world together. The gods stood upon the Earth like mortals. Great works were built by their divine power and the hands of their servants. Eventually, the gods saw their work in the material world was compete, and they departed to the heavens to be revered by mortals. Their servants were left to live among the wonders of the gods in bliss and paradise. But people turned out to be flawed. Without the gods to impose law and order, civilization collapsed almost instantly, and the legendary age was reduced to ruin.

The people of the world prayed to every deity they could name, but the gods seemed to have turned a deaf ear to the fools that had so quickly squandered their gifts.

To save themselves and all mankind, the founding members of the Argentimer (High Noble) tribe began to organize themselves and established governance within their territory. This pleased a group of deities who held the highest respect for law and order, a group now known as The Twelve. The Argentimeri led their civilized people in the following of this empathizing pantheon, and thus they became its original leaders and the first among mortals.

As the Argentimeri expanded their domain, seventy tribes came willingly to their side. These tribes shared the reins of power and founded the seventy houses of the Lessor Nobles.

The rest came to the budding Empire reluctantly, and thus their houses were known as Common. Their role from then on was to be the hands that built the Empire and that served the Nobles.

The Formation of the Twelve

In early times, the Twelve counted thirteen among their number.

The thirteenth, whose name is expunged from all records, was a being of order like the Twelve, but also a being of great evil. The Twelve gave over to him the souls of the wicked, so that he could punish them as it pleased him. However, in time, the Twelve realized the higher virtues of mercy and forgiveness and came to disfavor this method. In their clemency for mortal souls, they denied the thirteenth his due. Powerful and unscrupulous, the Thirteenth warred with The Twelve, and the world was nearly destroyed a second time. However, the Twelve prevailed. In honor of the mortals that supported them, The Twelve took the power of the Thirteenth, the very essence of a god, and gave it to the Argentimeri to aid in their rule.

Since these primordial days, the Agentimeri and the tribes that supported them have ruled the Empire of Crown from their palaces and fortresses in the Precious Century. They have access to nearly unlimited magical power in the form of the slain thirteenth god. They have ruled unquestioned, true in their worship of the Twelve, the builders of a paradise crafted in shining crystal.

Significance

The Litany is the central book within the Church of the Twelve, the official state religion of the Empire of Crown. The education system and rulership of Crown treat the historical content as factual, with some latitude given for the clearly allegorical sections. The Church is tolerant of agnosticism and even atheism, but it gives absolutely no quarter to heresy. Thus, the worship of other deities or fringe interpretations of the Litany are not allowed under the law. The Litany supports the existence of the three caste system of the Empire and justifies the rulership of the Agentimer family.

Item type

Book / Document

Rarity

The Litany, both in full text and individual chapters, is the most published book in the Crown. Copies can even be found in the libraries of the handful of communities that exist independent of the Empire. Most households keep a Lineage Edition, which is a book that contains the full Litany, a series of articles with helpful interpretations and advice for daily lives, reference material, and empty pages to keep a generational family journal.

Raw materials & Components

The Litany may be printed in many forms and styles. It is generally considered a sacred text, so printed versions are expected to be of high quality and free of errors.  Books intended for Lineage Editions must be made with parchment and of especially sturdy and durable construction.  
Illumination was once common for copies of the Litany, but generations ago, alchemists used these as a means of disguising and disseminating their discoveries. So it is now generally looked at with suspicion by the Church. Any illuminated copies may be confiscated for examination at a Cloister. To avoid issues, most modern prints are very plain.