Church of the Allfather
Official church of Moradin, The Allfather
Mythology & Lore
In the beginning, when the world was fresh and new from its inception, Moradin was the first-born of the three Primordial Gods. Where his brother Bahamut took domain of the Sky, of Morality, and Justness, and the third brother took domain of the water, life, and creation itself, Moradin took domain of ground, Law, and all that lay on and beneath the earth.
As Eons passed, eventually the Primordial of Water fragmented and vanished, replaced by two married oceanic deities. Bahamut and Moradin remained, and as Bahamut inherited dominion over life itself, Moradin took control of Creation itself from the vanished third Primordial.
The Church of the Allfather believes that Moradin, at first, had no desire to accept this burden as his heart ached for his now lost brother primordial, but out of a love for his brother and a desire to see his brother's memory honored and carried on, Moradin decided that he would accept the burden of Creation.
This, according to the Church of the Allfather, is when Moradin first learned the value and importance one should place on family and on tradition, and forever afterwards would teach these ideals to his followers so that they would learn to treasure the time they had with those they were close to.
Inheriting the Anvil of Creation and the Soul Forge from his fallen brother Primordial, Moradin soon set to work forging and creating the rest of creation from his realm of Dol-Daruhm.
Divine Origins
The teachings of the Church of the Allfather have been handed down amongst the faithful since before the dawn of recorded history.
Several of the Church's most core teachings are often said to have survived the Fall of High Humanity thousands of years ago, and date back into the lost ages of Ea.
They are said to be handed down directly from Moradin himself in the very first age of the world, now long forgotten, to his first high priest, who has transcribed all the codes and tenets and laws that have come into being since his time.
Cosmological Views
The Church of the Allfather believes that in the beginning, as Atlas the Progenitor God gave his great life in the beginning of time, his body formed the cosmos and Planescape itself, creating everything as it is in the current era.
As great angelic races, demons and devils sprang forth from the cosmic chaos, Moradin emerged first from the corpse of his father before his Primordial Brothers, and his presence brought stability and gave form to both raging flame and sturdy ground, creating the basis for life and the ground needed to sustain it.
Though his Primordial Brothers are believed to have helped bring order and life to the planescape, the Church of the Allfather believes that it was Moradin's diligent, tireless work creating the ground, stoking the fires of creation, and forging creation behind the scenes of Bahamut's grandiose displays of sacrifice and morality that stability and order was brought to the primordial chaos, and it is through his efforts in which he asks for no recognition and merely toils away that all is maintained.
Tenets of Faith
Hard work is its own reward. Take no shortcuts and finish what you start, without fail.
Anything worth doing is worth doing right. Put your all into every task and duty assigned to you, and strive for excellence in every aspect of your life.
Law is Sacred. Obey the word of Law, in both letter and spirit. Ensure it is not bent or broken to serve a purpose, as without law you are a mere beast.
Become the Fell Hand of Vengeance. Where laws fail, you must prevail - let none who break their sanctity know peace, and never forgive a sleight against you or your clan.
Honor the Past. Uphold and Protect the Traditions of your people, and honor your forefathers and leaders as you honor The Allfather. Protect the Traditions of the world and ensure they are not lost to time.
Ethics
Lying at the core of the Church's ethics is the notion that there are two things that are paramount in this world: Goodness, and Family. At the core of the Church's ethics and those of its members is the central notion that not only are laws and order are necessary for civilization to function, but that so long as an act is performed in accordance with the laws it is inherently desirable and "good" - no matter what that act might be. To the faithful, the most important notion is that the law is followed and upheld no matter its form - the teachings and ethics of The Allfather clearly dictate that laws in all forms are what largely divides man from beast, and that to bend, break, or "interpret" the laws based on one's own ideas of morality is a wholehearted perversion of the world's fundamental principles regardless of whether that "morality" is good or evil.
To this end, they believe change should always come lawfully - if a law is deemed to be incorrect, it should be changed via due process according to the proper means and methods available to those within the area those laws affect; The faithful often abhor the notion of revolution or change at the end of a blade, seeing such actions as those of beasts and monsters, and instead believing in the simple idea that in those times where laws fail, it is up to the faithful to, according to the means outlined in the faith's tenets, bring lawful revenge down on such wrongdoers in whatever ways are possible - so long as it is done lawfully, the faithful brook no qualms with whatever acts may be performed no matter how heinous...and especially if those acts were done as vengeance for a wrong done to one's family or 'clan'.
The faithful hold the notions of family and clan in extremely high regard, as with tradition and their forefathers - they believe in always honoring the past, doing right by those who have come before them, honoring and protecting the traditions of one's people, and always seeking vengeance against those who have done wrong by them or those they hold dear.
Worship
To the Church of the Allfather, the best way to express their faith is through crafting, thinking, and praying. The faithful of the Allfather are creatures of family and tradition, and they believe that the simple act of always obeying the laws of the nation they reside in or find themselves in and ESPECIALLY creating great works of art are the best ways to pay homage to the Allfather.
Though the more militant members of this faith believe that they have the honor of crushing their god's enemies and returning good to the land, all are bound by the notion that crafting items is the simplest and best way to show their faith. As such, almost all followers of The Allfather are craftsmen of some sort...be it blacksmithing, painting, leatherworking, or even the simple act of building a house, all is considered a holy act so long as it is done with diligence and wholehearted dedication.
They often spurn more grandiose displays of faith that other religions may be prone to, and instead believe that living a good life, making good friends and loving one's family(Blood related or otherwise) is the best worship The Allfather can recieve. They often believe in devout prayer done at several times throughout the day as is tradition, and find great faith and praise in every great work of art, every great weapon or suit of armor, and every great creation made, believe such things to be blessings from The Allfather and proof of the validity of their faith.
Even the more militant members of the faith follow these tenets, and often travel with groups of their own faith or adventure with others who they either are already friends with or quickly develop close ties with, treating the act of going forth and crushing evil in the world an act worthy of veneration so long as it is done with or for family and friends. They believe that by wielding the weapons crafted by themselves or other great craftsmen, they weave a great work of art in each battle they fight, each drink they have as celebration, and each friend they make.
The followers of this church often live their lives with the belief that the simple act of living to their best is faith to The Allfather. They believe that each enemy they kill, each item they forge, each drink they imbibe and every friend they make forges their life into a glorious work of art that is, in itself, the greatest thing they will leave behind. Thus, they always strive to experience new things and new heights so that they may add to the wondrous color of the canvas that is their lives.
Priesthood
The Church of the Allfather is organized and structured in such a way that they are organized into "Families", which generally represent a single church or group of faithful within a given area. The leader of the Church of the Allfather across all of Ea is given the title "The Allfather" in honor of his divine connection to Moradin himself, and to symbolize that he is closer than any other to their god.
Each of this families are organized and laid out in strict and rigid ranking, but there is a certain familiarity that all members of the church treat each other with that can seem to outsiders to be almost unprofessionally so.
They order themselves much like a military in terms of ranking, and there are strict divisions between different sections of The Allfather's Church such as Warriors, Clerics, Priests, Stonespeakers, and the Lawsmiths, and though they may intermingle there is never any doubt about what section of the church a member of the faith belongs to or what their rank is.
Their rank and the organization they belong to are commonly displayed on medallions or symbols they carry with them at all times to identify themselves to the faithful, and on their armor or robes.
Granted Divine Powers
The boons granted by The Allfather to members of his faith are often ones that could see a craftsman produce great magnum opuses, amazing works of art, and otherwise see his skills rapidly increase in quality.
Other blessings include helping a brewmaster brew better drink, a smith make better gear, or a crafter make wares quicker or better.
Finally, when his warriors march to battle, The Allfather has been known to grant those who show particular valor in battle with his blessing that is said to enchant them with the protection and strength of the very rocks themselves, increasing their size and might tenfold.
Political Influence & Intrigue
The Church of the Allfather is often involved in the politics of the area of the world they call home, and several of its members, namely the eponymous "Lawsmiths" of the Church, take active part in the politics of their home with the goal of ensuring that overall, the laws are upheld to a fault and that they are never bent or broken to serve a purpose, and that when change comes it is lawful above all else. While this makes them a boon to the governments where they reside, it also makes them just as much of a villainous force to corrupt forces within those same governments - for so long as the people clamor for lawful change, they will pursue the same with unstoppable zeal.
Among the more militant orders of the Church of the Allfather, there is a not uncommon belief that politics as a whole is something to be avoided, and that by involving oneself in them you may end up simply tainting the canvas of your life with the disease and rot that they think infests the political landscape. These orders often focus on paying homage to the Allfather, defeating his enemies, and searching out new lands to claim in his name.
It is not uncommon for Churches of the Allfather to be considered neutral ground for politics in locations where Politics is a heavily-played out game.
Sects
N/A
Community begets strength.
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Alternative Names
The Justicars, Allchildren, The Allmeddlers
Demonym
Mordian
Divines
Controlled Territories
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