Saint Arvand's Cathedral
The towering heart of Saint Arvand's Close, this cathedral is the largest and most revered temple in Crodeux. Built atop the ruins of an ancient Imorean basilica, it serves as the seat of Archprior Deryn Malvourne and the center of religious life in Othvarand Reclaimed.
Inside, narrow stained-glass windows cast sharp light across stone floors, and the reliquary of Saint Arvand rests behind the high altar. Pilgrims arrive daily to walk the Steps of Judgment, burn written confessions, or seek the Church's blessing. Though open to the faithful, the cathedral holds deeper chambers below—sealed, guarded, and rarely spoken of.
Purpose / Function
The cathedral serves as both a sacred site of worship and a center of ecclesiastical authority, where the faithful gather for sermons, confession, and judgment. It is the heart of religious life in Crodeux, where doctrine is preserved, holy rites are performed, and matters of law and heresy are weighed beneath the eyes of Saint Arvand.
Architecture
Saint Arvand’s Cathedral is a towering structure of dark stone and sharp geometry, built in the Imorean-revival style. Its narrow stained-glass windows cast angular light across austere halls, while vaulted ceilings and heavy columns evoke a sense of weight and permanence. The central nave is dominated by the Steps of Judgment and a raised altar flanked by iron braziers, ever burning with sacred flame. Beneath the cathedral lie crypts and sealed passages—older than the church itself.
Defenses
Though sacred in purpose, the cathedral is built like a fortress, with thick stone walls, narrow entryways, and reinforced gates that can be barred in times of unrest. A detachment of church-trained guards—sometimes aided by the Iron Precept—maintains constant watch, especially near the reliquary and tribunal halls. Hidden passages connect to nearby cloisters and vaults, allowing clergy to evacuate or relocate relics if needed. In Crodeux, even the holy must be prepared for siege.
History
Saint Arvand’s Cathedral was founded in 814 AR, during the early years of the Mornish reclaimation of Othvarand. Built atop the remnants of an ancient Imorean basilica, it was envisioned as both a symbol of restored divine law and a bulwark against the chaos that once consumed the region. Construction took nearly a decade, with its consecration in 822 AR timed to coincide with the feast of Saint Arvand, one of the Church's most revered lawgiver and reformer.
Saint Arvand himself lived during the final days of the Imorean Empire, known for codifying the Laws of Penance and walking through battlefields to deliver judgment and mercy. The cathedral honors his legacy not only in name, but in function—it houses his sacred relics, the Penitent Quill, and pages of the Book of Weights and upholds his teachings through daily confession, ritual judgment, and doctrinal enforcement. Over the last two centuries, the cathedral has become the spiritual and judicial heart of Crodeux, and remains a cornerstone of the Church's authority in the west.
Tourism
Pilgrims come to Saint Arvand's Cathedral from across the Mornlands and beyond, drawn by tales of the Penitent Quill, the Steps of Judgment, and the chance to unburden guilt before the sacred flame. Some seek penance; others, healing or clarity. Most arrive with written confessions, which are burned during Emberfold or laid at the foot of the reliquary.
While the Church offers no guarantees of absolution, many claim to leave changed—not freed from judgment, but shaped by it. The journey itself is considered part of the rite: to walk in silence, to endure hardship, to arrive with open hands and a heavy heart.
Comments