Church of the Redemption

The Church of the Redemption is a monotheistic religion that emerged in the wake of The Devastation . The Church recognizes a single primary deity called Orat, who adherents believe both caused and ended The Devastation.

Mythology & Lore

The core belief of the Church of the Redemption is that single deity, Orat, created Ailar and all life on it. According to the Church's lore, Orat was born from the Deep Astral. Orat traveled the Astral, learning all things, until they became a being of perfect wisdom. Orat then entered the River of Souls and created Ailar by combining Astral and Elemental energies. They also created life, but because each being so created was limited by its material form, Orat was only able to imbue each moral with a fragment of their perfect wisdom. Therefore, moral creatures are capable of only imperfect wisdom.
For thousands of years, Orat was content to watch their creations grow and learn. After some time, though, Orat grew frustrated that the creatures of Ailar were no longer pursuing perfection. They caused a series of disasters - The Devastation - to challenge their creations. Those who refused to recognize their failings, such as the Sarathi Empire, were destroyed. However, Orat saw that many beings were suffering and, in their infinite wisdom, ended The Devastation.
While the Church maintains that Orat has existed since the dawn of time, only recently did their existence become apparent to mortals. According to the Church, other gods and spirits that are worshiped throughout Ailar are merely aspects of Orat, as seen through the imperfect understanding of mortal creatures.

Divine Origins

The worship or Orat began on the crowded, desperate streets of Haven during The Devastation. Confused as to why the world was in chaos, many people readily accepted the belief that they could stop The Devastation through piousness and self-discipline. The fact that The Devastation ended a few years later, and that Haven survived the worst of the damage, further cemented this belief.
In the years after The Devastation, evangelists traveled throughout Jarsaad, preaching that a second apocalypse would come if people were not true to the teachings of Orat. As more people converted, the street religion became more organized, and in 19 NE the Church of the Redemption was founded in Haven. In the five centuries since, the Church has spread its influence to other regions in the Lanwan Archipelago, although most adherents are still in the Haven region.

Cosmological Views

The Church of the Redemption adheres to the traditional Great River cosmology. It teaches that Orat, as a perfect being, can travel freely between the planes of the universe and draw up their power at will.

Tenets of Faith

The central tenet of the Church is that The Devastation was divine punishment directed at the hubris of moral races. Orat is believed to be both the cause of and the salvation from the Devastation, having given mortals a chance at redemption. However, to avoid another Devastation, believers must continue to pursue Orat's divine example of self-improvement. Although mortals cannot attain perfect wisdom, they must strive to do so to avoid displeasing Orat again.
The Church of the Redemption recognizes four central commandments:

• Humility. Mortal pride brought on The Devastation. Believers must remember that they are imperfect beings and that only through Orat's example will they come closer to perfection.
• Purity. During The Devastation, many turned to impure practices such as demon worship to try to save themselves. This only angered Orat further. Believers must reject such practices.
• Discipline. Orat ended The Devastation so that morals could redeem themselves. For the sake of all creatures, believers must continually work to improve themselves.
• Faith. Orat, in their wisdom, both caused and ended The Devastation. Believers must trust in the will of Orat, as interpreted by the Church.

Ethics

One the core beliefs of the Church of the Redemption is that all mortals must follow Orat's example of self-perfection to prevent a second Devastation. Accordingly, the Church's agenda focuses on two tasks: supporting believers in the quest for self-improvement and converting non-believers to the faith.
Believers are expected to spend time each day improving themselves. As leaders of the local Church chapters, Ardents and Supplicants are responsible for guiding their congregations towards self-perfection. Perfection can be attained in many ways: adherence to the teachings of Orat, pursuit of knowledge, mastery of an art or trade, or physical training. Most chapters provide for a balance of various forms of improvement, but some Ardents tend to favor one approach over others. Some chapters resort to drastic measures to correct perceived flaws or weaknesses in their followers.
Converting non-believers is the responsibility of all members of the Church, regardless of rank. The Church does not require converts to give up their prior beliefs and practices, so long as they recognize that their local deities are merely aspects or servitors of Orat. Most importantly, converts must adopt the Church's disciplined approach to self-improvement, so that Orat is pleased and does not plunge Ailar into a chaos again.

Worship

Daily worship for Church members takes the form of self-improvement: exercising, practicing, and studying are all considered divine tribute to Orat. Believers are also expected to occasionally tend services or individual meetings with the local Ardent for advice on further improvement. This may be weekly, monthly, or even less frequently, depending on the particular needs of the individual. The greater a believer's dedication to self-improvement, the less crucial it is for them to seek guidance from the Church.
There are three major holidays observed by the Church of the Redemption. In the spring is Erentide, a somber day is spent remembering the lessons of The Devastation and reflecting on personal mistakes. In the fall, the Festival of Joy is held to remember Orat's compassion in ending The Devastation. In the winter, Believers engage in the Rite of Purification, a five-day ritual of forgiveness and rededication guided by Ardents and Supplicants.
In addition to these observances, Church doctrine permits the worship of other deities with the understanding that these are lesser divine servitors of Orat. Therefore, the practices of a given chapter often depend on the dominant belief prior to the arrival of the Church.

Priesthood

The Church of the Redemption is lead by an officiant referred to as the Voice of Orat, an office currently occupied by Osberht Welks. The Voice of Orat is responsible for divining the will of Orat and determining official Church doctrine. The Voice of Orat rarely attends to day-to-day matters, but may give a sermon or lead a ritual on a particularly auspicious day.
The Voice of Orat's doctrine is passed on to the Ardents of Orat, the leaders of local chapters of the Church. Each Ardent is tasked with providing spiritual guidance for a particular congregation. This includes giving sermons, conducting ceremonies for induction into the church, and collecting tithes from church members. An Ardent may choose to take on acolytes, who are called Supplicants of Orat, to assist with this matter. Some large chapters, like the one in Haven, have dozens of Supplicants.
Finally, individuals who have been initiated in the Church but hold no duties are called Believers of Orat. Although they hold no official rank, Believers of Orat are expected to adhere to Orat's teachings and, most importantly, spread Church doctrine to non-believers.

Sects

Because of the Church's willingness to incorporate existing religions, each chapter could be considered its own denomination. Churches and temples vary in terms of architecture, rituals, and even doctrine according to the the local beliefs. Different Ardents also have different interpretations of Orat's command to seek perfection, and so guide their followers in different directions.
In terms of major schisms, there is one group that stands out: the Threshing Way. The Threshing Way teaches that The Devastation was caused by Orat's displeasure with the weakness of their creations. Where the  Church teaches that it is the attempt to improve that pleases Orat, adherents of the Way believe that they must eliminate weakness - separating the wheat from the chaff - to prevent another apocalypse. Threshers, as they call themselves, can be cruel in their methods. They justify their actions as in service to Ailar's continued survival.

Founding Date

13 NE

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Leader Title

Osberht Welks

Deities

• Orat

Location

Haven