Human Religions
The powers that be in Alkeria are a mysterious bunch. While the non-humans have a very distinct known deity with a more distinct direction, Humans have been given more of an ideal for what they worship. The most devout of these humans are given powers to advance said ideal and stand as the model to which other humans are to be in order to gain favor.
That being said, the same ideal can be advanced in many different ways, and favor tends to be granted regardless of the method used to advance the ideal. This often leads to conflicting groups serving the same deity in different methods, and both being right.
This also leads to confusion amongst the general populace. There is confusion as to which sect is the 'true' sect for each deity and some claiming that the sects are actually DIFFERENT deities in disguise. The true answer is that nobody REALLY knows. The most devout understand they receive additional power by living life a certain way, and push forward with said intention in order to make the most of this life they can.
The different Human ideals:
The God of Life
Order of Healing: The sect of healing pushes that life is best served by healing the sick, wounded, cursed, and otherwise, unhealthy people in the world. By keeping people healthy, they can live vibrant, productive lives with the knowledge that their higher power is watching over them. The most zealous of followers sometimes come in conflict with everyday people as followers will attempt to heal ANYONE that is in need; believers, unbelievers, cutthroats, enemy soldiers, non-humans, and sometimes depending on the location, even animals. This does not go over well with everyone, but the followers of this sect are in general the most welcome through Alkeria.
Order of Judgement: This sect believes the best way to promote life is to hunt down and eliminate those who TAKE life. This group is extremely zealous in their fight against those who take life. This group is prevalent throughout the Southlands. You will find them stationed with the city guard and on the battlefields. You will find specialized Seeker groups who hunt out and eliminate targets. You will find them in the undercity working in the Thieves Guild. You can and will find them just about everywhere.
The life of Judgement is a difficult one, but one that the Southland take seriously. One of the Southland Townships make it a requirement that every family have at LEAST one family member in the order. Those families that cannot (or purposely do not) find themselves as permanent 'volunteers' to the Oder.
The God of Balance
Order of the Gray: Life is very rarely lived on the extreme. Light and dark, good and evil are all great ideals to live by, but it's nearly impossible to live that way all the time. Yet sometimes one side or another tends to upset the overall balance, and the Order of the Gray appear.
Having been silent for over a hundred years, the Order of the Gray have recently made a reappearance. The practitioners, known as Gray Walkers, are rarely seen, but rumored to be immensely powerful. They're extremely secretive, and nobody really knows their numbers. They work behind the scenes, in between the places most people live to get things done. There could be a an entire legion of gray walkers, a dozen of them, or maybe only one. Nobody really knows.
The God of Death
Order of Necromancy: The order of Necromancy is a group who uses the power of death to maintain or improve life for the living. This order maintains that every living thing is eventually going to die. By making life better for those that are living, there will ultimately be more lives that die, making the god of Death stronger.
The Order of Necro is a very much misunderstood order, but certain areas around Alkeria use them extensively as their healers. The Necromatic Order is also one of the few groups that have been known, if you know where to go, to bring people back from the dead. Generally anti-social for obvious reasons, it's good to know where the nearest member plies his practice.
Order of Pain: The Order of Pain is exactly what it sounds like. it's goal is to promote as much pain and death as possible. It's a gruesome and nasty affair and they are very effective at what they do. This also makes them prime targets for extermination when clans are discovered. It also doesn't help much in that they are just as likely to practice on each other as on anybody else that unluckily falls into their path.
That being said, the same ideal can be advanced in many different ways, and favor tends to be granted regardless of the method used to advance the ideal. This often leads to conflicting groups serving the same deity in different methods, and both being right.
This also leads to confusion amongst the general populace. There is confusion as to which sect is the 'true' sect for each deity and some claiming that the sects are actually DIFFERENT deities in disguise. The true answer is that nobody REALLY knows. The most devout understand they receive additional power by living life a certain way, and push forward with said intention in order to make the most of this life they can.
The different Human ideals:
The God of Life
Order of Healing: The sect of healing pushes that life is best served by healing the sick, wounded, cursed, and otherwise, unhealthy people in the world. By keeping people healthy, they can live vibrant, productive lives with the knowledge that their higher power is watching over them. The most zealous of followers sometimes come in conflict with everyday people as followers will attempt to heal ANYONE that is in need; believers, unbelievers, cutthroats, enemy soldiers, non-humans, and sometimes depending on the location, even animals. This does not go over well with everyone, but the followers of this sect are in general the most welcome through Alkeria.
Order of Judgement: This sect believes the best way to promote life is to hunt down and eliminate those who TAKE life. This group is extremely zealous in their fight against those who take life. This group is prevalent throughout the Southlands. You will find them stationed with the city guard and on the battlefields. You will find specialized Seeker groups who hunt out and eliminate targets. You will find them in the undercity working in the Thieves Guild. You can and will find them just about everywhere.
The life of Judgement is a difficult one, but one that the Southland take seriously. One of the Southland Townships make it a requirement that every family have at LEAST one family member in the order. Those families that cannot (or purposely do not) find themselves as permanent 'volunteers' to the Oder.
The God of Balance
Order of the Gray: Life is very rarely lived on the extreme. Light and dark, good and evil are all great ideals to live by, but it's nearly impossible to live that way all the time. Yet sometimes one side or another tends to upset the overall balance, and the Order of the Gray appear.
Having been silent for over a hundred years, the Order of the Gray have recently made a reappearance. The practitioners, known as Gray Walkers, are rarely seen, but rumored to be immensely powerful. They're extremely secretive, and nobody really knows their numbers. They work behind the scenes, in between the places most people live to get things done. There could be a an entire legion of gray walkers, a dozen of them, or maybe only one. Nobody really knows.
The God of Death
Order of Necromancy: The order of Necromancy is a group who uses the power of death to maintain or improve life for the living. This order maintains that every living thing is eventually going to die. By making life better for those that are living, there will ultimately be more lives that die, making the god of Death stronger.
The Order of Necro is a very much misunderstood order, but certain areas around Alkeria use them extensively as their healers. The Necromatic Order is also one of the few groups that have been known, if you know where to go, to bring people back from the dead. Generally anti-social for obvious reasons, it's good to know where the nearest member plies his practice.
Order of Pain: The Order of Pain is exactly what it sounds like. it's goal is to promote as much pain and death as possible. It's a gruesome and nasty affair and they are very effective at what they do. This also makes them prime targets for extermination when clans are discovered. It also doesn't help much in that they are just as likely to practice on each other as on anybody else that unluckily falls into their path.
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