The Church of the Allfather

The church is the predominate religion of the Empire and an important unifying factor in the establishment of the new Imperial Rule. Only after a few short centuries after it's establishment, the Church has quickly worked it's way into almost every aspect of life in the Empire.

Structure

Patriarch

The official leader of the Church and the final authority for all matters of the Allfather here on the Material Plane.

Cardinal

One of seven advisers appointed by the Patriarch himself. They serve as advisers to the current Patriarch and are responsible for electing his successor upon his death.

Archbishop

Each of the nine Imperial Provinces appoints a bishop to act as the spiritual leader for that particular region.

Bishop

Bishops are charged with the spiritual needs of a group of churches. In larger cities, multiple bishops may be appointed for different districts while smaller cities may only have a single bishop appointed for their needs. Sparsely populated regions may have a bishop appointed to multiple communities to meet their greater religious needs.

Assets

The church is one of the more wealthier organizations in the Empire with many generous tithers who contribute to their holy coffers. The church in turn uses this money to fund it's various public works projects such as new temples and churches as well as providing alms for the poor and financial support to the various Holy Orders who pledge fealty to the Church and her followers.
While the Church has no standing army, it does command the loyalty of various Holy Orders who have sworn loyalty to her cause.

Mythology & Lore

He was there when the mortal races crawled out of the mud, He watched over them when the gods were still babes in the cradle of heaven, He was there when the Abyss had an end, He corralled the Lords of the Elemental Chaos into forming the Material Plane. He is the God of Creation who stands above all. He is a loving god who sees good in all of creation and deeply wants to be loved and worshipped. However, He doesn’t force that worship or advocate violent coercion because He values free will. “You cannot love someone if there is no other choice.”

Divine Origins

In the early days of the highlands, there existed a pantheon of eight different gods, each with their own temples, hierarchy and tenants of faith. Despite widespread faith, the worshipers of these gods were very decentralized and the details of the faith varied from region to region.
It wasn't until the Greentide War that everything changed. As the greenskins made their way down from the northern mountains to raze the cities of man, there seemed to be no force capable of stopping them. As the region was broken up into squabbling petty kingdoms, the people looked to the church for a unifying force to hold back the green menace. However, the church itself was a fractured, disjointed organization of several dozens of cults and secret orders which seemed to stand little chance against the threat.
It wasn't until the hero and prophet Sigurd appeared. The herald of one of the Eight gods, El, who Sigurd had declared to be the Allfather, he claimed that there existed only one true God above all. After gathering an army under the banner of the Allfather, Sigurd and his followers drove the Greenskins back over the mountains and restored peace in the realms of men. This victory stayed fresh in the minds of men and within a few short decades, the Cult of the Allfather became the dominate religion of the region.

Cosmological Views

The Allfather sits on his throne in the heavens, surrounded by his seven archangels who act as his advisers and intermediaries.

Tenets of Faith

The Four Dictations

You shall have no other gods before Him. For He is a jealous god and Lord of all.

This command is generally interpreted as needing to acknowledge that the Allfather is the God above whatever other gods you venerate.

Remember Creation for it is holy, any who act in order to creation act in His image are blessed by Him.

The act of creating something is considered holy, building a house, forging a sword, a child braiding a friendship bracelet, brewing beer or cooking a meal. There’s a lot of leeway in what worshippers consider creating.

Honor your elder’s for they have walked His world longer and know the ways of it.

Care for and respect the elderly and listen to their counsel. They’ve been around for a while, they probably know a thing or two about how the world works.

Do not harm the innocent for they are His most beloved.

Don’t hurt people who don’t deserve it. This is one of the most difficult to interpret as there isn’t a strict definition of innocence from Him. It is usually interpreted by societal norms.
All of the Dictations are interpreted through a lense that values free choice. While freedom is not one of the Four Dictations it is a recurring theme throughout His scriptures that is often paraphrased along the lines of, “It is better to choose than to force.”

Sects

Purists

Follow the First Dictation above the others. This is the least tolerant of the three official sects. They are the most “rules” oriented and tend to look down on the clergy of other “lesser” gods. The overzealous among them can be riled up into violence and are most inclined to interpret worship of “lesser” gods as guilt (and thus not protected by the fourth dictation). This isn’t all of them however, the majority are simply ‘snootier’ than the rest of His worshippers.

Makers

Value the Dictation of Creation above the others. They typically venerate artists, forge masters, cooks or anyone who builds and creates things. They’re typically more insular and self-absorbed than the others, always trying to outdo each other with their crafting. The overzealous among them don’t differentiate between “good” and “bad” creations and will venerate people like poison makers or conquerors trying to “make” a nation.

Caretakers

The caretakers value the final two Dictations above the others and are typically the most well received, kindest and populous of the three sects. Caretakers can be found in many different positions in society. Some follow the path of healers, some care for the young and elderly, while some become protectors or law keepers. The overzealous among this sect can be overbearing in their efforts to help.

Rebelists

A cult that follows the “hidden truth” of His scriptures that value freedom. These individuals can be found anywhere there is an oppressive government to overthrow or harsh law keeper who is abusing their power. Their oft times overzealous beliefs will typically lead them further and further towards anarchy before finally imploding.

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Alternative Names

God of gods, King of kings, Lord of lords, The Strong One, The Everlasting One

Demonym

The Faithful

Deities

• The Allfather