Adikas
The Unifier
Adikas is commonly viewed as a universal represented, standing as an all-mother for all species and races as opposed to a purely Elvish or Orcish divine. Adikas stood at the head of early religion and reigns as the fore-mother of creation, being respected and partially worshipped by almost all followers of any church considering their undeniable influence in the history of the Strivus (Roots) and their immediate following from the Old Bloods when life was first formed. Adikas is formless, but in the rare occasion that she takes form is it that of a skeletal wolf or a skeletal dragon from which flames burn brightly from the open eyes and spine. They are not difficult to distinguish as these creatures are not otherwise seen, but Adikas has not been seen in the Material plane for decades and is likely to remain in the Ethereal plane for a considerable time to pass. In the many followings she has amassed, the organizations that worship her include the Leol Q'unt (Agents of Fate), the Afilats (the Defenders), and the Church of Fyre (Flames). These organizations are all distinct and powerful, though not interchangeable.The Leol Q'unt
A proud band of Aasimar that swore an oath to act in the creator's vision, the Agents of Fate are vigorous and dangerous zealots that believe they are important pawns to fate. Led by a retired Aasimar warlord named Slayis Lenkenvïrre, the Agents were responsible for the resolution of countless skirmishes through diplomacy and fear. Slayis, or "The Headmaster", claims to receive his goals directly from Adikas, though this was never confirmed. Their actions and goals are always unusual and eccentric, most things which the Agents are involved in they see as an important "cog" for their machine. They are few in number but excellently trained, and known to be fearless in the pursuit of their orders. Members are identified by a green and yellow blotch imprinted onto their palms, which they flash at authorities when questioned as a means of baseless acceptance. Few kingdoms, towns, or religious followers dare to make an enemy of the Agents, granting them unique access as the Headmaster claims a strike against an Agent is a declaration of war against the Creator. The hierarchy is difficult to follow, even though the organization holds roughly 20 members there are 14 positions, multiple of which can be assigned to one member: Lower Striker - Warriors without specialties who assist other positions as combat associates Upper Striker - Warriors who specialize in a skill or class of magic Seer - A position dedicated to those with long-range telepathy who often watch a larger area such as a town from a distance and relay information to the other members Seer Striker - Warriors who protect the seer and use long-range spellcasting to attack from great distances Reclaimer - A position dedicated to gatherers for raw materials and food Reformer - A position dedicated to crafters, artists, smiths, tailors, cooks, and other trades Returner - Support spellcasters responsible for the safety of their squadron Lower Speaker - Associates responsible for communicating as necessary with locals, commoners, and business owners in order to negotiate for cooperation Upper Speaker - Associates responsible for communicating as necessary with important figures on behalf of the Headmaster in order to negotiate for cooperation Earthmaster - Associates who research the area, people, items, and miscellaneous information regarding a mission and brief the squadron on plans and tips before departure Champion - Elite warriors who lead the charge into battle and command the squadron on when it is appropriate to retreat or take a certain formation Extortionist - Specialists of poisons and torture who extort recourses or information Master - A rank that signifies superiority to those without it Headmaster - The figurehead and authoritative leader, responsible for receiving orders from Adikas.The Afilats
The Defenders are a (majority Orcish) who wage war carelessly in the name of defending Adikas' possessions and defending them from the heresy of other religious organizations which distract from the worship of Adikas. They do not see her as a creator, but rather a rightful Empress to the material plane. Each battle is to reclaim the land or people for the Afilats in order to brand them as people of the Empress. They are brutal and large, though not well trained and similar in reputation to a kingdom's militia. The hierarchy relates to their combat prowess, they are ungoverned and use trades, often not accepting gold or other currencies. Each warrior makes their own weapons and equipment from raw recourses and this leads to scrappy or low-cost equipment. Because of the lack of monetary wealth, they cannot afford reactive gems and do not have many valuable arcane focuses, though more successful groups attained these from raids or battles. Due to this shortage, there are few high-level spellcasters in their ranks and powerful sorcerers or wizards are highly sought after for capture or assimilation among the peoples. The Afilats has only three titles: Fighters, Operators (bows and artillery), and Ralliers (Rallies the troops). Explosives are also a common tactic among the Afilats as most Fighters create makeshift hand grenades to take down masses of enemies with guerrilla warfare.The Church of Fyre
Of Adikas' followers, her church is the least violent and radical and the most widespread. Their name, the Church of Flames, refers to the flames of creation which Adikas is infamous for, as they forged with elements of Fire, Aether, and Air (As opposed to Avion, who uses Earth, Water, and Aether). This church does not fabricate unproven teachings but instead follows a holy book entitled The Ten Flames, which details natural laws and how everything in an ecosystem interacts beautifully through the thoughtful craftmanship of creation, in which they place they accredited admiration in Adikas for forming the lands they study. Since Adikas never passed down her teachings, they search in her handiwork for the wisdom of what is as opposed to what should be. They learn from the harsh natural disasters that this world is not designed for any single species' safety, but instead for the cycle of rebirth. Life is not necessary, but an impressive accomplishment of the ecosystem which validates the achievements of their creation, and thusly the functional living ecosystems are highly valued. The Chuch of Fyre has five priest ranks, which are the only achievable ranks within the church. You begin as a Lethar and work in the church under the Priests to learn the teachings of the Church. Next, you are allowed priesthood through a ceremony known as "The Kindling", where the body is exposed to sparks as they recite the oath of Fyre followed by some of the lessons they have learned in their time at the church. The Oath of Fyre"In life and death there is infinity. In creation there is creator. In questions there lie answers. We will seek the answers of a power we cannot control, for better or for worse, in the name of our creator.Once you have attained Priesthood you can be later promoted to an Exhibitor or one who exhibits the wisdom of learned and observed wisdom and truths. This promotion usually takes at least 13 (30 m.) years as the studied priest obtains mastery and defines their Flame (moral code). Once an Exhibitor or Priest is voted to control a Church, they are promoted to the rank of Bishop. Bishops typically have at least 22 (~50 m.) years in the Church and have dedicated their lives to it. The final attainable rank is Archbishop, which represents a Bishop who has retired and is now honored by the Church of Fyre, and given free accommodation. Bishops typically only retire near the end of their life. Some circumstances are outliers, such as if a Bishop has held control over a Church for a decade and the people in the Church wish for a new Church head. In some such cases, retiring early is acceptable.
The Beggining
When the universe was in its infancy Adikas was one of two deities who formed the Material plane. Against Avion, Adikas formed a duality which governs natural law and the essence of Material. The two drew from the elemental planes' recourses to forge a Material plane which combined these elemtents artfully to create geography and life. These elemental planes are ruled by individual deities who brought their resective elements from the Abyss. The Abyss itself is not actual, but rather a detached realm in which all things unreal are kept. Little is known of the Abyss or its origin, though it is recognized as a storehouse for anything and everything which is not real, and cannot easily be proven. These deities were without opposition and merely brought with the element a plane in which it can be kept infinitely within the realm of reality. The material plane was sewn with seeds of Avion and Adikas' energy, the very power of creation and reality through nothing more than thought and practice. The energy imbued into the material plane was later manipulated to cast spells by the Old Bloods, the first sentient creatures to walk the Strivus (Roots). Unfortunately, once the two creators had formed a universe they were bound to its laws. This limited their abilities, though they still hold boundless energy and the powers of creation and destruction. Because of her role in the creation of the Material plane and his non-involvement in the progression, the life that dwelled within this world chose to worship her and formed assumptions about what she represents. In a vast majority, Adikas is viewed as the rightful ruler of the Material plane, especially by the Afilats (Defenders). While Avion was also key in the beginning, he actively denounces anyone who mistakes creation with the right to own. Avion claims himself to stake no claim to any part of the Material plane and actively involves himself on a regular basis. This is a contrast to Adikas as they are hardly ever known to directly involve themselves in affairs of the Material plane.Divine Domains
Adikas stays in a mountain home within the larger Appalachians of the Ethereal plane. The entire mountain is somewhat claimed, but the home itself is quaint. The home itself was never named and was too small to be considered an important landmark within the Ethereal plane, as there are very few. The plane itself suits their needs since it is full of the energy they were stripped of when they became bound to natural law. Adikas and Avion are considered to be the rulers of this domain, though there is no written rule which states it.
Holidays
The followers of Adikas have a Holiday for each of the four major seasons, each celebrates the new ecosystem that is present within the land despite its change, and the way that wildlife adapted to the weather patterns. This is named the Seasons Parade.
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