The Cult of Tarja

Night streams through the stained glass windows of the rural church. The priestess steps down from the altar, her robes splattered in the blood of a black furred wolf. She holds the silver chalice, full of blood to the sky, blesses it, and offers it to the silent faithful. The blood sacrifice is made. One by one they step forward and she draws the crescent moon on their foreheads in blood. The cleansing is complete, as complete as it can be until Eshelea rises from her slumber and purifies the earth. Until then depart in peace.

Structure

The Church is run by the Archbishop of Thesrea and the Council of Bishops who decide on organizational and theological matters. These bishops are elected by clergy and serve four year terms.

Public Agenda

The Purpose of the Church of Tarja is to spread the word of Tarja to all the nations of the world and to bring peace and charity in her name to all people.

History

The Cult of Tarja, the last of the ancient gods who still holds wide worship. She is the creator of the planes, the universe, and the other gods. She is the goddess of fate and seasons, death and life, of day and night, darkness and light. The Church of Tarja is ancient, as ancient as history goes back, to the beginning of time. The Church of Tarja has survived the death and rebirth of the universe and is now the popular religion in the inner realms, whether in the streets of Mariel's cities, the Lycan tribes, and to the ends of the earth.

Mythology & Lore

Creation: At the dawn of all things the world was born forth from Tarja's hand, out of the great astral void. All created things were placed into a mythic paradise, a perfect land for the blessings of creation and creature to overflow and co-mingle together in with untainted divine blessing. This continued in glorious union until one of the lesser gods over all creation, Dulgas Kaine longed to raise himself to the heavens on his own accord, to grow and bend his power to greater and greater heights. Dulgas Kaine created a fell artifact since known as the Seed of Bondage. This seed would offer a wish to any who would do its bidding. Slowly the power of the seed grew and mortals fought wars to try and gain exclusive control of the seed. For their warring, mortals were banished from the Isle of the Dawn to wander the earth.

Divine Origins

This religion was little more than a backwoods, forgotten aspect of the pantheon the Dwarves borrowed from the ancient Lycans until it began to gain popularity in the dark ages of Aenea through the influence of St. Mortimer and the house of Blackmoore. The church endured, though significantly weakened into the age of technology, and then beyond the collapse and recreation of the known world.
Most of our knowledge about the Church comes from the scriptures, canonized by St. Mortimer and the church histories penned by Lady Kazeroth Immare in the ancient era, and later Alandrim the Recorder at the close of the last age.

Cosmological Views

Unlike most religions, The Cult of Tarja is very particular. It acknowledges the existence of other deities, but claims that Tarja, because of her place as creator of other gods, can be the only true god and therefore the only deity worthy of worship. This is supported by the disappearance of the other old gods when the world was reborn, of them, only Tarja survived, though Dulgas Kaine was preserved because of his ties to the outer realms. Tarja is the only god not tied to the mortal plane and the only truly omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent god. The other deities are simply just the overseers she has appointed and given reign over aspects of her world who have grown inflated by the misguided worship of their followers.
Special Note: Dulgas Kaine is not viewed as the dualistic opposite of Tarja, but rather the opposite of the overseers of the domains which oppose his own.
The Afterlife: The Underworld is divided between, different realms for different souls, based on their actions in life. In this state, many souls stay at rest, but powerful souls may take on a new form. Souls will remain in these realms and states until the cleansing of Eshelea.

Tenets of Faith

The main tenants of faith include:
Tarja's love for her creation being the basis of mortal existence, flourishing, and interaction.
Faith and Tarja and her promises matter more than the deeds of mortals, for mortals and their deeds last but a blinking eye, and Tarja is eternal. Deeds are part of life and a reflection of who a mortal serves. If they truly love Tarja, their deeds will show it, but only the dedication to Tarja, her promises, and participation in the 4 holy rites is how one is taken into her eternal rest.
The four Holy Rites of Tarja:
The Holy Rite of Introduction: This is the rite by which infants are brought into the church, anointed with mud to show the union of death, the earth under which all things are buried, and life, water by which the earth bares life, and blessed, beginning their life in Tarja's care. This rite occurs once in a lifetime.
The Holy Rite of Sacrifice: This rite occurs on the Saturday night closest to the full moon. On this night a black wolf is sacrificed on the altar of Tarja, mirroring the eventual sacrifice of Eshelea and of Tarja's beloved world for its cleansing, thereby cleansing the church from its sins and preparing it for the coming end of days, and parishioners are annointed by this blood.
The Holy Rite of Blessing: This occurs at every service. This is the process by which worshipers confess their adoration of Tarja and the priest or priestess blesses them individually for strength and dedication to their faith.
The Holy Rite of Sending: Finally comes the Rite of Sending. The Rite of Sending is for the end of life. This Rite is strange in that it is the only Rite which can be conducted by any church official, even a deacon or a shrinekeeper. This is the singing of a blessing and the anointing of the body with mud again, to signal their departure from the earth and their entry into the afterlife to await their ultimate destination. This must be conducted within 3 days of the passing of the character, before their soul leaves the body.
Finally, comes the belief that at the end of all days, when the 100th seal has been broken the goddess of purity, Eshalea will be roused from her slumber in the Starlain Tomb and cleanse the earth of all evil and shadow, bringing an end to the age of mortals and dispensing souls from the underworlds and outer realms to their proper, eternal home, either in Tarja's realms on the Isle of Dawn, or without.

Ethics

All actions are seen in the light of Tarja's abounding love for her creation. It is only by this love that any good thing is made, sustained, and eventually cleansed and redeemed.
Good is that which flows from the love of Tarja furthers the life and blesses the flourishing of creation. Acts of forgiveness, charity, faithfulness, self-sacrifice, honesty, justice, joy, and self-control fall under the heading.
Evil is that which furthers death or fails to further life, whether an active evil: rage, infidelity, avarice, violence, dishonesty, selfishness, pridefullness, covetousness or the harming of innocents, or a passive evil: knowledge of an ongoing evil and possessing the means by which to stop that evil yet failing to act towards stopping that evil.

Worship

Worship occurs twice weekly at the beginning of the week on Monday morning and at the end of the week on Saturday night. Worship consists of a liturgy affirming the love of Tarja, the unity of the church, the reading of creeds and scriptures, singing, and a brief homily.
Churches and shrines are open for prayers or hold very brief prayer services at dawn and dusk throughout the week.
Daily prayers are laid out both for clergy and parishioners so that the whole church may pray together across the world.

Priesthood

Priests are those who from among the ranks of Tarjians are called to lead a congregation. A priest or priestess must be an adult in good standing with the church, who has undergone training as an acolyte, and has been part of all the proper rites. Before ministering a priest must undergo 3 years of training and pass an examination before the Council of Bishops before being assigned to a post.
There are also lower levels of church office namely Shrinekeepers and Deacons. Shrine Keepers receive less training than Priests, they study for 2 years, but undergo a verbal examination before a single bishop who will oversee them. Shrinekeepers cannot give any of the 4 holy rites, except for the Rite of Sending, but they can lead the congregation through liturgy and prayer as well as educate parishioners, oversee the wellbeing of churches or shrines in the area, and read pre-written, Bishop-approved homilies. Deacons do not study, but rather face a simple examination by a local bishop before being allowed to assist a priest so they may act as a service assistant or lay leadership in a church community.

Granted Divine Powers

The power of clerics is granted by saints, chosen, demi-god like mediators of Tarja's power and domains, rather than Tarja herself.

Political Influence & Intrigue

The Church of Tarja has a paramilitary branch in the form of the Knights Chalisar, a sect of holy knights sworn to protect the church, its members, officials, and holdings from any threat. These knights are elite and sworn to their sacred duty.

Sects

Different sects emerge in certain settings by the embracing of a patron saint who can bless the cleric with their power and participation in the priestly train, some of the more common saints are:
Of the Old World:
St. Mortimer of Taya: (Good, Knowledge, Healing) Animal: Eagle Weapon: Quarterstaff St. Kazeroth the Warrior: (Law, Magic, War) Animal: Wolf Weapon: Falcion St. Rionach the Black Queen: (Liberation, Death, Animals) Animal: Bat Weapon: Scythe St. Gwarf the Traveler: (Glory, Travel, Community) Animal: Hyena Weapon: Shoe St. Trenia of the Iron Shield: (Earth, War, Protection) Animal: Bear Weapon: Greatsword St. Charles of Rawst: (Weather, Water, Artifice) Animal: Sea Gull Weapon: Trident St. Anna the Prophetess: (Air, Animal, Repose) Animal: Wyvern Weapon: Pike St. Asagoth the Seer: (Rune, Magic, Law) Animal: Raven Weapon: Battleaxe St. Kata the Green Dancer: (Luck, Sun, Charm): Animal: Fox Weapon: Dagger St. Nexa the Fleet: (Trickery, Charm, Luck) Animal: Owl Weapon: Rapier St. Dozi the Kind: (Repose, Healing, Artifice) Animal: Rabbit Weapon: Priests of this sect do not bare arms. St. Vilkas the Noble: (Nobility, Community, Protection) Animal: Hound Weapon: Fist




Of the New World:
St: Cynthia the Wanderer: (Travel, Protection, Fire) Animal: Falcon Weapon: Short Sword St. Catherine the Martyr: (Repose, Healing, Protection) Animal: Horse Weapon: Mace St. Arad the Mystic: (Knowledge, Rune, Luck) Animal: Frog Weapon: Whip St. Cyril of the Cloth: (Law, Knowledge, Glory) Animal: Lion Weapon: Glaive St. Marion the Brave: (Nobility, War, Protection) Animal: Otter Weapon: Longsword St. Steward of Glenngower: (Artifice, Community, Animal): Animal: Boar Weapon: Bow

Founding Date

Who knows?

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Alternative Names

The Church of Tarja

Demonym

Tarjians

Permeated Organizations

• The Kingdom of Mariel