Karmithian Rite
The Aorlisian Church and the Karmithian Church share common origins, but they are now distinct from each other. The Aorlisian Church is referred to as the Western Rite, and the Karmithian Church is the Eastern Rite.
Ecclesiastical Hierarchy
Patriarch
Metropolitan
Archbishop
Bishops
Oikonomos—In Charge Of Church Property
Chartophylax—Church Chancellor
Skevophylax—Vestments, Relics, Etc.
Archpriests
Priests
While the makeup of priestly tiers looks similar to that of Aorlis, these two religions diverged long ago. Eastern Rite priests at all levels may marry and keep their religious roles. Priests also habitually wear long, thick beards.
Concepts
Diametrically Opposed Forces
This religion is based on denying the physical world and its pleasures for the pure world of spirit. For this Rite, all things spiritual are considered perfect, immutable, and part of the godhead. On the other hand, all things material, which includes everything in the physical world, are flawed, impermanent, and the antithesis of spirit. These opposing gods are in eternal conflict.
Soul
The Eastern Rite maintains the human soul is real, but that it is already saved or damned, and humans’ worldly lives have no bearing on their salvation. Death is important, because it released the soul from its material connection, and lets it return to the Hidden God.
Iconism
images are considered sacred and spiritual conduits or portals. Thus, religious iconography is good and worthy of worship, and all other images are profane, debased, materialistic, and bad. Iconism prefers stylized art, not figurative.
Magik
While the Karmithian Faith doesn’t condemn magik outright, it is widely taught that magik is powered by demons, wicked, and used for materialistic gain and is thus forbidden. Because of this, wizards or spell-casters of all types either are absent from this culture or work in deep secrecy.
Pantheon
Hidden God—Also called the Font of Grace, he is the God of heaven, the higher, subtle planes, the spiritual world, immortal souls, and goodness. He commands the angels and the saints. He does not interact with the material world.
World God—He is the creator of the physical world, and all things material, as well as even more base materials and the lower vibrational planes. This includes humans, whose bodies are prisons that bind them to Aarthus, keeping otherwise immortal souls from re-union with the Hidden God. The World God is all things wicked and sensuous that distract mortals from matters of the soul.
Angels
Saints
Kamith—The founder of the classic Karmithian Empire, this figure also is recognized as the founding force of the HKE’s faith. A personal apotheosis made him immortal, and he debated with fellow gods, created dozens of powerful relics, and fathered many great heroes.
Melena & Marcien—Kamith’s two surviving immortal children.
Relics
The HKE’s faith premiere relic is the Sword of Phoenix, an ancient iron spatha. As long as the emperor owns it, the empire endures. If lost, as it was for a time in the fifth century, the empire will fall or fracture (as it did).
Basilica of the Floating Heaven
This mind-jarringly large church is the home to the Patriarch, and it is an architectural wonder, the outdoors brought within. Its dome is an engineering masterpiece, and it is so expansive that it gives the illusion that there is no dome above, but the eternal spheres of heaven have opened overhead. It is a skillfully built brick structure, but the illusion is breathtaking. The pendentive arches that form the dome’s internal supports are all illustrated with saints that appear to be holding up foundations of heaven, serving as a human bridge to salvation. Then come the seven planets. Above them are the ranks of angels, and the throne of the Hidden God is at the dome’s pinnacle. All this is composed of mosaic, composed of untold millions of tiny, brightly colored tesserae and a lot of gold leaf that cause all the icons above to glitter and somehow dance in the light. Many of the faithful have had profound religious experiences here, and numerous miraculous healings have been recorded as well.
Classical Karmithian Faith
While the old faith has been eradicated in favor of the Karmithian Rite, that religion and its gods are well remembered and part of the HKE’s literary and spoken culture. The old faith was polytheistic and mystery school based.
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