Holy See

On the south eastern coast of the continent is a territory called the Holy See. The Holy See is a city-state that is the seat of power for the Church of the Silver Flame. In sacred texts it is said that the Silver Flame emerged when the demon lord Molgoth erupted out of the Cragmaw Heights. The Silver Flame is a deity that chose a champion named Livia Varro. With the power of the Flame, Varro drove out Molgoth, but died in the process. She is remembered as the Flame's first keeper. Those who the Flame embodies are called the Keepers of the Flame, or the High Pontiff. Varro's successor began constructing the city that would become the Holy See. The Holy See eventually transcended its religious authority becoming a political entity in the process. There is a strict religious hierarchy within the Holy See. The High Pontiff is the Keeper of the Flame, as well as the leader of the Holy See, and religious leader for believers throughout the continent. Below the High Pontiff are the cardinals, then the archbishops, bishops, then priests. The High Pontiff has always been a woman, and the cardinals are women as well. If men wish to serve in the Church they cannot move higher than the rank of archbishop. The Holy See also has a prominent military arm known as the Paragons of Holy Light. The paragons are made up of paladins and clerics who stamp out any signs of evil or corruption. The Holy See tolerates other Canonical Gods, but less so with the Old Ones or Apostates.

Structure

• High Pontiff: Leader of the Holy See and Keeper of the Flame. The High Pontiff not only rules over the Holy See as an absolute religious monarch, but is also a religious leader for numerous individuals who follow the faith.
• Council of Cardinals: Group of select cardinals that rotates every 5 years. Serve as the legislative body.
• Cardinals: A select number of high ranking priests who serve as advisors to the High Pontiff. Upon the High Pontiff's death, the Cardinals gather to seek out who the Silver Flame has reincarnated into. Cardinals are also in charge of several groups of archbishops.
• Judicator Council: Group of archbishops who interpret the laws of the Holy See, and pass judgement at trials.
• Magister: Officials who are delegated to oversee certain tasks within the Holy See. These tasks are anything from operating the treasury, military, infrastructure, etc.

Public Agenda

The first goal of the Holy See is to spread the Church of the Holy Flame to wherever it can. They usually do this through traveling missionaries, and exercise force at any sign of Apostate (or certain Old Ones) influence. That coincides with their second goal of driving out any sort of evil they encounter. This is typically done with a military arm known as the Paragons of Holy Light.

Foreign Relations

• Empire of Alacher: Indifferent
• Free Cities: Friendly
• Ghallixirin Dynasty: Unfriendly
• Grand Duchy of Hamor: Friendly
• Grand Duchy of Sweland: Indifferent
• Kingdom of Gelderland: Unfriendly
• Kingdom of Mehrklav: Friendly
• Kingdom of Ostral: Friendly
• Kingdom of Pheria: Friendly
• Kingdom of Rewen: Indifferent
• Principality of Lotharingia: Friendly
• Severia: Indifferent
• The Palatinate: Friendly

Faith, Growth, Pride

Papal Guard by N/A

Founding Date

874 3.E.

Type

Geopolitical, Theocracy

Capital

Holy See

Leader

High Pontiff Volcatia I

Government System

Monarchy, Theocratic

Power Structure

Unitary state

Economic System

Mixed economy

Currency

Lira

Legislative Body

Council of Cardinals

Judicial Body

Judicator Council

Official State Religion

Church of the Silver Flame

Deities

• The Silver Flame

Controlled Territories

• Holy See

Neighboring Nations

• Gelderland
• Mehrklav
• Ostral

Notable Members

• High Pontiff Volcatia I