Title |
Alignment |
Weapon |
Portfolio |
The Fury |
LG |
Scimitar |
Honor |
The Church of Xelin
Of all the gods of the planes, Xelin is the paragon of what is good and just. Their crusaders roam the land as agents of mercy for those that need it, agents of justice for those oppressed, and agents of swift vengeance for those evildoers that dare work in the dark. Their name is on the lips of the oppressed to deliver them from squalor, and The Fury is exactly the god most likely to do so. They are a god of action, a god of results, and a god of deliverance.
Honor to a Xelinite is an absolute code that cannot be deviated from, no matter the circumstances. While there are a few central tenets that all of Xelin's followers abide by, called the Code of Esteem, many have additional parts of their code that can vary wildly. No matter the code, it is followed absolutely, with parts of the code coming first superseding those that come later. A Xelinite that breaks their code unintentionally must beg for forgiveness in a public ceremony known as The Action in order to be restored in the church. A Xelinite that breaks their code intentionally is hunted down and killed as an apostate, for only darkness could lead a believer to forsake their honor.
While crusaders of Xelin are known to mete out justice to a great many evil, none are more abhorrent to the church than those that follow
Sevre Va, the god of Corruption. So swift is a Xelinite to judge those deemed to follow the Virulent Scourge, it is expressly required of crusaders of Xelin in the Code of Esteem to strike down any who say they follow the path of the dark god, even if the comment was clearly made in jest. This has given many, but not all, of Xelin's followers a reputation as 'sticks in the mud' that blindingly and humorlessly follow their path. Most scribes who record the works of Xelinites would tend to agree.
Worship and Hierarchy
The church itself is highly structured, led by a central figure known as the Esteemed Sunmarshal Overmost. Under them are several Esteemed Cardinals, with Esteemed Bishops under them. The Esteemed Sunmarshal Overmost runs the entirety of the faith in every plane, while the Cardinals each represent a major area (usually a province, county, or independent country). The Bishops each represent a specific town or city, and under them are the Esteemed Priests, which run specific churches. If a settlement is small enough, they may have only a Priest and no Bishop, with one Bishop being responsible for several small settlements in an area. Regardless of rank, every member of Xelin's faith is referred to as an Esteemed Child, as all are children in The Fury's eyes.
While Xelin's fellowship extends across Enos, the Esteemed Sunmarshal Overmost Baelor Rook runs the church from The Spires, which is the capital of the independent country of
Ephistius, of which Rook also serves as head of state. Its separation from the Grand Alliance system allows it far more leeway in hostilities towards its northern neighbors, and the church and state are both frequently involved in bloody skirmishes along their borders, sometimes spilling over into the territory of the other. This sort of fighting is seen by those in the Alliance system as a sort of 'steam valve' for Arnast, allowing the warmongering Queendom a chance to test its soldiers without starting a world-ending war.
Holidays
Sunmarshal's Day. Celebrated each year on 15 Septa when the days are at their longest, this day is the only time of year in which a new Esteemed Sunmarshal Overmost may be installed in a process known as The Conclave of the Esteemed. On years in which there is no new leader selected, it is a holy day of prayer and vigils for those lost in the previous year.
Rook's Festival. Held each year on 22 Quanta, this festival honors those lost at the First Siege of the Spires in 4603QE. Given enough Xelinites present, beams of golden light descend from
The Heavens in the area, keeping the daylight going through the entire night.
Traditional Dress
A priest of Xelin usually wears white, with the mantles and stoles and various accessories becoming both more ornate and fading from blacks at the lower rank to stark white for the Overmost. So while a low-ranking Esteemed Priest may way simple white robes with a jet-black stole, the Esteemed Overmost is in monochrome white with multiple layers of exceedingly detailed clothing atop it.
The typical follower of Xelin wears white to services if they can afford it, but otherwise wears whatever best suits them in their day-to-day lives. Those that serve in any military order that also worship The Fury are given a special white wrapping for their primary weapon to signify the bond they have with their god.
Aphorisms
Let Fury Sound. A war cry shouted by Xelinites raging into battle.
Light is a Scourge and Comfort. The light of Xelin is a balm to those who walk in it and death to those that do not.
Honor Binds While Darkness Bides. Those that live life by a code often find the code fortifies them against the evils that await those less disciplined.