Hellflame Scriptures
The official church of The Hellforge and its mortal nation vassel, Skartoria.
Divine Origins
The Hellflame Scriptures was born shortly after the birth of Asmodeus. Legends from the Scripture state that like Cabmov, they were perfect beings, but the temporal mutations that transformed them into the Great Beast also split Asmodeus and Thom, infusing one with Law and one with Chaos. Asmodeus, with his powers of foresight, was able to piece together the way to return the world to perfect balance, everything ordered under his guidance. With this thought, he attempted to speak to his father, Thanaloc, and begin the Hellcraft, the construction of his demiplane, the mighty Hellforge, that will spread order across the universe. While Thanaloc guided him in the early days, it is said that Asmodeus soon outgrew his father's wisdom, as his father was far too wrapped up in chasing Protos across the Cosmic Battleground and enforcing Cosmic Laws, that he has neglected perfecting the mortal world, so Asmodeus must do it in his stead.
Speaking to other deities often disputes these claims, especially his twin, the demonic Thom, who states that Asmodeus simply wishes to secretly dominate the world under his boot. Many older (and misguided or heretical) deities state that they have no memory of a perfected version of the twins, and that they are both simply another spawn of the eternal conflict between Order and Entropy.
Tenets of Faith
Asmodean scripture has two big codes:
- I am a tool to bring about the perfect world. There are times where I must be a delicate instrument. Other times require the brute swing of a hammer. I will not hesitate to be either
- I shall serve those above me with my loyalty and demand the same from those below me.
- Chaos is the greatest threat to the world, and I shall not let it tarnish my work.
- I will remember that my place in the hierarchy is not complete until the Hellcraft is done. Just as I can rise to greater heights, so too can I plummet to darker depths
- Contracts are a union of my word and divine promise. I shall never break mine, but will ensure that I am not ensnared by the words of lesser men
- Death fuels entropy and waste; I will use everything at my disposal, even my enemies. Slavery is a mercy that lets the enslaved find their true place, so I will spare my enemies from death whenever possible.
- I will remind myself that my work is in service of the one true power; My accomplishes are his, and I shall never forget my place to Pride
- Violence is a tool to use against the foolish who oppose the Hellcraft. I use it as needed, but I do not revel in Wrath
- The Hellcraft must be finished, and to earn my place in it, I shall not shirk my duties to Sloth
- All that exists in this world truly belongs to the Prince, and thus my hand shall not fall to Greed or my thoughts to Envy
- There are many who would distract from my great work, and I shall never let Lust cloud my clarity
- There are limited rewards for the worthy, so to ensure that everyone gets what they deserve, I shall not overfill my cup with Gluttonous need
Ethics
The church preaches that fealty to one's superiors is of the upmost importance, and that with hard work and effort, anyone can rise to a position of power. To seek power and control is natural, so one should work within the system to find their true place. They preach that power itself is good, but only when used wisely, and only Asmodeus has the true insight to guide mortal life into a perfectly ordered universe. Suffering is intrinsically part of the flawed world, and thus one may need to inflict suffering upon others, to avoid being suffered upon, but when the Hellcraft is complete and everything falls into its true place, suffering will be no more.
The church states that the greatest asset of the forces of Chaos are what they call the Seven Demonic Sins; Envy, Greed, Gluttony, Lust, Pride, Sloth and Wrath, as souls with those sins spawn demons upon death. the Seven Demonic Sins can only be combated by working under the true great power of the universe, Asmodeus and the devils of the Hellforge. By finding and accepting one's true place in the pecking order, they can prepare their souls for a transformation into their true, devilish form after death.
Worship
Normal worship of the Scriptures takes place in grand cathedrals, with a Hell-priest preaching to the masses, speaking of the dangers of sin and often involving tithes and sacrifices gifted to the church. More personal and individual worship usually involves inscribing a pentagram of blood in a ritual room - usually bloodletted from a servant or slave with a ruby knife.
Priesthood
There are many different ranks of priest, all of which are known as Hell-Priests. Lesser Hell-priest are in charge of upkeep of the many grand cathedrals , and are subservient to the Hellknights, while greater Hell-priest take active rolls in directing the Hellknights and combating the other abyssal forces of the realm.
Granted Divine Powers
Asmodeus is capable of granting many powers to his faithful, with many seeking out his contract devils for specific needs. His minor blessings usually include in increased slyness and a small resistance to fire. Powers granted to his more devout followers include increased senses to hunt heretics, lawful strikes that can damage and stun enemies of the church, increase subtly in one's swordplay, glowing ember eyes that can see in the deepest blacks, the resistances of various devils, and the ability to throw scouring blasts of hellfire.
Political Influence & Intrigue
The Hellflame Scriptures have near complete control over the nation of Skartoria, and has numerous deals with almost all of the other nations of Urro, with the exception of Vagunn and Drutmire. Both nations disavow divine the divine rule of the gods, and so the Scriptures refuse to deal with them.
Sects
The Hellflame Scriptures are divided up into several different orders, made up mostly of Hellknights and each are in charge of combating a certain sin.
The general church is known as The Order of The Scroll, which deals with the mundane everyday functions of the church, reciting scripture, and recruiting the masses.
The other orders are:
The Order of the Belt: The only order that accepts and is made up of entirely female Hellknights, it is in charge of combating Lust. They mostly monitor the activities of the women of the Skatoria, and investigate into accusations of adultery and disloyalty against the church.
The Order of the Flame: The most prestigious order, it is in charge of combating Pride. They are reserved for the most important of tasks, hunting down and assassinating enemies of the Scriptures, and combating the schemes of other Fiendish Lords.
The Order of the Gauntlet: In charge of combating Envy, they hunt down and destroy thieves and often are found working in the city guard. They also travel outside the nation, guarding the supply shipments that travel the Mag and Mar rivers from bandits.
The Order of the Pen: In charge of combating Wrath, the Order of the Pen are primarily sent out as missionaries to other nations, to spread the word of Asmodeus to willing ears. They are also in charge of running the court system of Skartoria.
The Order of the Pillar: In charge of combating Sloth, the order of the Piller is the only Order allowed to venerate other gods than Asmodeus, as they impassion the ideals of the Six Pillars of Law. They work to root out corruption in other areas and hunt down those who fail to contribute to society.
The Order of the Scythe: In charge of combating Gluttony, they work to lead laborers in the field, protect farmlands from monsters, and ensure that those who hoard are properly punished. They are also the ones who hunt down escaped slaves and return them to their masters to be punished.
The Order of the Tithe: In charge of combating Greed. They work to ensure that taxes are collected, perform needed audits, and work to protect the vaults of the nation.
"All Will Bow"
Founding Date
1700 A.C.
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Ruling Organization
Founders
Permeated Organizations
Deities
Divines
Location
Notable Members
Comments