Holy Order of Paxmal
"All life is precious in the Creator's eyes. Yes. Even yours." - High Priest Varus to Warlord Kuld
Often referred to as the 'Cradle of Faith' for the civilizations of Western Arkos, the country of Paxmal resides in the center of the continent of Revros. Its position with a vibrant coast to the east and a hardy mountain range to the west affords the nation a steady supply of fertile crops and valuable minerals. However, the order of monks and priests' pacifist policy for the country present a glaring flaw in the order's structure, as it makes them an easy target for other powers wanting to take advantage of them. The name Paxmal itself stems from the Ancient word for peace.
While other races and groups of denizens answered Mythra Crescentia's call to combat the Black Empire in the Eclipse War, the denizens of Paxmal stuck to their faith principles and practices and formed their Holy Order. The lifestyle and governing system of Paxmal are both based around their monotheistic faith, which many claim long predates The Church of Creation and may stem back to the First Age. Having religion as the core of their society, the Paxmalians take their faith and vows of non-violence very seriously. They believe that the Creator is the only god and divine being worthy of worship in all the realms, and while the Church of Creation and other religions on Western Arkos recognize the power of the Ancients, Paxmalians regard them as little more than stewards of creation.
Paxmalians view themselves as the designated sharers of faith in the Creator to the peoples of Western Arkos, though do not have the means or desire to be protectors of it. While Paxmalian monks are charged with maintaining order in the major cities, the Holy Order does not have much of a military presence besides them. Many of the monastaries that litter Paxmal's major cities have some of the oldest structures on Western Arkos in them, rivaling that of the Brink Gate in Crescentia. Many scholars and even Paxmalian faithful suggest these structures may have been built at the height of The Alphacians. Paxmalians themselves are well known across Western Arkos as skilled craftsmen and carvers, though they dislike what they deem as advanced technology or entities and materials strongly associated with magic. This may stem from the lasting damage known from The Cataclysm, or a stigma related to the magical tyrants prevalent throughout the 2nd Age.
Notably, Paxmal has had a mutually beneficial relationship with the country of Shegoth since the latter's formation. The first High Priest of the Order gave his daughter Violla to the first king of Shegoth in marriage to solidfy the partnership between the two nations, as the Holy Order is mainly a patriarchal society. Sharing their faith and resources, as well as enlightening the new nation of Shegoth, the Shegothians pledged to trade the agricultural and mineral goods of Paxmal using their massive fleet, and provide the nation with military protection should the need arise.
Unlike other nations like the Kingdom of Shegoth, the Crescent Empire and the Oreion Inquisition, the Holy Order of Paxmal does not bury its dead traditionally. Rather, all dead are to be cremated by law, and burials are forbidden unless otherwise approved by the High Priesthood. Paxmalians state that the reasoning behind this is that the process of burning the dead expedites the journey of an individual to their reunion with the Creator, and it prevents the dead from being tampered with using unholy, magical means.
Worship
Predominant Ancient: Previously Selune
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