Eastern Church

Structure

1. Exarch, head of the Iadic church
2. Cardinal,
3. Primate, National leaders of the Iadic church
4. Archbishop, regional leader
5. Bishop
6. Priest/Priestess: There are a lot of these, like a lot of these
7. Clerics: Most fall outside of the traditional hierarchy, usually clerics are priests beforehand, but occasionally arise from particularly devout members of the laity.
8. Mendicants: itinerant priests and clerics who travel and spread the word of the Gods and their teachings.

Territories

The Eastern Iadic Church covers most of Eastern and Southern Iada. The efforts of it missionaries have largely failed in the frigid north, who either accept the western tradition, have a heretical tradition of their own, or worship gods of completely other type than the Iadic Pantheon. Caxa is a recent conversion, having rebelled against the Orthodox Firaen Empire to accept the blessings of the East.

Military

The Church lacks a formal national military like a nation would have, though it does possess several militant orders. The Order of St. Akkatar protects the highest religous officials in the Church, and the Order of St. Hefea possesses a militant order alongside its non-militant chapters. While the Order of St. Orlan theoretically obeys the primacy of the Church, it largely bucks any direct control from high religous officials.

Mythology & Lore

The Creation Myth
In beginning there existed only those primordial gods: Zara and Zanad, Baya and Gazda, Manar and Lakia, Habal and Niadh. The world upon which we live lay cold and dormant as those ancient gods spent their time in embrace. Baya, that everblowing wind, lay with Gazda, the eternal earth, and made the world dry and windless and rest beneath the waves, Manar, the old man of the sea, eldest of all, lay with Lakia, and the oceans lay dormant with no moon to pull their gaze. Zara lay sleeping within the primordial realm of the Gods, that now great kingdom of Azal, without her Zanad to keep her company. And the world lay dark and without her light. Zanad sought her in this realm that lay in eternal twilight, until finding his bride-to-be locked in an antediluvian fortress, guarded by unknowable evils.
Zanad taught himself the ways of war, unneeded as all was at peace in the heavenly realm, and stormed the fortress alone. He smote monsters of Niadh's womb and even more ancient horrors as he made way toward his heavenly light. Monsters so large and so evil that, if the they were unleashed upon the mortal realm, could destroy entire cities in their gait.
With the final monster slain, Zanad awoke his beautiful bride and the entirety of Heaven oversaw their vows of marriage.
The Ordering of the World:
Zanad, finally united with his bride, set to work with Zara to order the Heavens and make them right. He created the heavenly armies of angels to assist him in his task. At that time the mortal world lay submerged in the embrace of moon and sea, so turbulent were its waters that only the fiercest and most evil creatures could survive in its waves, birthed from the dark goddess Niadh. So complete was its submersion that Gazda could not manifest within the mortal world as all the primordial's should. Zanad commanded that Manar and Lakia seperate, only to meet in the halls of heaven or in avatar state, never again could they embrace in their full primal fashion. Manar sits dejectedly in his palace at the bottom of the waves in the day, only bringing himself to the surface to gaze upon the beauty of his lover when she passes. Zanad then separated the lovers Bakaz and Gazda, forcing Baya to eternally run around the surface of her lover. The winds of the sea are stronger as Baya seeks to once more be in contact with her beloved. Zanad then tasked Habal with the greatest of tasks, he was to protect the Deep Below and slay the spawn of both his concubine and the pits of the deepest Hells. And he has maintained watchful vigil for eternity since.
Zanad ordered the stars and Sun, crafting them to his liking to warm the cold empty world and to circle it granting the cycles of day and night, forever ending the eternal twilight that so plagued the world. After he completed his work he rested. In his sleep Zara crafted life in form of plants and animals to prance along the surface of the world and give the earth company and purpose. Zara then crafted fish and water beings to give purpose to the seas from which all emerged. She crafted birds and flying creatures to give companionship to the lonely winds. When she completed her work she went to lay with Zanad once more.
The Origin of Monsters
When Niadh had seen what Zara had done she grew jealous. One day as Habal guarded the Eternity Gates from the hordes of evil come to do battle once more, Niadh escaped from her confinement. She approached the marital bed of the King of Heaven and ravished Zara, sapping her life giving essence and corrupting it for her own. Niadh then corrupted many a creature of the world, making them twisted and evil. Zara could only weep at the mockery of creation that Niadh had created. Tears descended from the heavens, restoring many creatures to relative normalcy, yet the corruption of the spirit remained. Nature became cruel and pragmatic, rather than the nurturer of Zara's intent. Many a monster date from this day, and others twisted by Niadh's foul will in later eons.
The Punishment of Niadh
When Zanad returned from structuring the cosmos and learned of Niadh's deeds he flew into such fury that he, with his burning sword, cut gouges into the world and forever sundered that original land from which all life had began and forever scorched it. He seized the Mother of Monsters and cast her down into the Deep Below, forcing her to crawl out from the abyssal depths of that place, only for Habal to ever keep her in locks forged of starlight.
The Origin of the Mortal Races
The first and mightiest of the Divine Couple's children were the twins, Isre and Israd. Israd stands today as the lord of all civilisation and Isre as his wife and the lady of war and fertility, yet things were not always so settled. One day in the gardens of the celestial realm Isre attacked her brother and wounded him, and then killed scores of angels who attempted to apprehend her. Enraged by her actions, Zanad forced her into the position of Herald. She was to deliver news of his summons to all the primordial ancients to manifest in the Heavenly Realm. Secretly, and unbeknownst to Zanad, an angel and his friends managed to send their own messages ahead of Isre telling the hosts to punish the disobedient goddess in anyway they deem fit.
Gazda = Dwarves The blood of Isre and the body of Gazda, Giants the sweat of Isre and body of Gazda
Lakia = Elves The tears of Lakia and Isre
Manar = Mer-men, Tritons,
Baya = Gnomes
Habal = Orcs The womb of Isre, the product of Habal, and Niadh's influence
After having her past transgressions well paid for, Isre returned to her father who welcomed her with open arms. In repayment for the harm she had dealt her brother, she offered herself to him as bride, which Israd accepted. Zanad worried over his daughter's extended abscence and when the truth of her delay came clear, of the message sent by an angelic host, Zanad cast the lot down to the Deep Below and they became the first Devils.












The union of Isre and Israd not only brought forth many divine children, but from them that race known as Mankind was born, crafted with parts of both to form them.

Divine Origins

The origins of the Iadic religion date to the origin of the mortal races on Aidoar, the various peoples each having their own traditions and myths about the same omnipresent pantheon. In ages ancient and long forgotten a more loose religion dominated that incorporated gods from different pantheons alongside the modern Iadic pantheon. The modern Eastern Branch of the Iadic religion began when the Iadic religion split several centuries ago. The split occurred due to several irreconcilable differences in doctrine between the East and West. Despite the split, the two branches still share the same leader, the Pontiff.

Granted Divine Powers

Priests gain magical power in accordance to the specific God they advocate for. Clerics of war gods receive martial spells that boost endurance and durability. Clerics of the Queen of Life are great healers and teachers. Followers of Zanad are given the power to smite the evil that lurks and protect the innocent. The list continues from there.

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Capital

Adaca

Demonym

Iadics

Leader

Pontiff Victorious IV

Government System

Theocracy

Power Structure

Feudal state

Judicial Body

The

Parent Organization

The Iadic Church

Permeated Organizations

• The Grand Kingdom of Anzia

Deities

• Zanad, Lord of the Heavenly Light
• Zara, Queen of light

Divines

• Manar, the Old Man of the Sea

Location

Eastern Iada