Church of Caelus

Roleplaying Notes

The Church values victory in real violence, not so much dueling. They do not discourage duels, but a devotee of Caelus usually will not accept a formal duel with a great deal of rules or rituals…just a bloody fight however once can best manage, until one party surrenders or dies.
The Church does not respect bullies, only warriors. Someone who only plies their skill in battle against those weaker than themselves is beneath contempt - only in battle against worthy foes who could potentially kill them does one discover their purest self, and find the greatest glory.
Think Vikings, Mongols, Xulu, or other proud warrior cultures…sometimes, the fight is worth fighting just for the sake of fighting itself, for the chance to drape oneself in glory and victory, and nothing is better than dying in battle and feasting in the halls of Valhalla until Ragnarok.

Mythology & Lore

Legendary Items and Weapons Associated with Caelus

Various weapons, armor and shields are the most sacred items in the worship of Caelus, as are some battle-horns.

The Spear of Conquest

The most sacred weapon in the Church. It is said whoever leads an army wielding this spear cannot lose (it does not say, however, that they will survive, just that their army will not suffer defeat, a subject to many a tragic tale sung by bards.) It only appears in times of great strife, and someone finding it is said to herald a great battle following shortly after. The church investigates stories of the Spear’s appearance very seriously, and harshly punishes anyone who falsifies reports of the Spear, or attempts to make counterfeits.

Tenets of Faith

The Duties of the Clerics of Caelus

The duties of the clerics depends on their branch and rank, but in general, the clerics of Caelus oversee the wars of Europa. They counsel leaders of all types, from village headmen to queens and emperors, on military matters. They train soldiers, dispense justice of the sword in lawless places, and, due to Caelus’s ties to Fodla, advocates for the stern defense of one’s home above all else.
The clerics of Caelus must follow strict military discipline. They must:

• Never back down from a fight, or refuse a fair challenge (they do not view a tactical retreat as the same thing as backing down, and ‘fair challenge’ is a relative turn…it would not be a true battle to fight something that would slaughter you outright, or vice versa.)
• Obey their superiors without question
• Honor the soldiers who serve under them
• Join any cause they encounter that promises a good fight, and a chance for glory - all battles are a test of the faithful’s valor and skill at arms.
• Never fight noncombatants - not really a moral issue, rather that there is no glory in killing unarmed citizens or those otherwise defenseless against you.
• Accept any honorable surrender - Caelus honors those who fight with courage or skill. If someone has put up a good fight, there is no shame in acknowledging their opponent’s superior skill.

There have even been instances where followers of Caelus have ended fights they were winning, purely out of respect for the courage, tenacity, or grit of their opponent. An unarmed townswomen who refuses to back down from a clearly superior force, and who keeps getting back up after being struck down, it someone worthy of respect in Caelus’s eyes, for instance.

Forbidden to Caelus

The gravest sins the followers of Caelus could exhibit would be cowardice, or pacifism. War is an inevitable fact of life, and those unwilling to fight in defense of their beliefs, values, or home do not deserve them, in the eyes of followers of Caelus.

Sacred to Caelus

Warfare in its purest form, armies clashing against one another in the field of battle. Oaths of military service, blessings before battles, and other such things all involve an invocation to Caelus.
Death in battle is the ultimate act of glory in service of Caelus. Those followers of Caelus who die in battle will join his Invincible Army in death, which will fight against the forces of Morwen in the Final Battle at the end of days, feasting and fighting in his sacred halls until then.
As such, it is viewed as an ultimate act of service to Caelus to fight and kill other great warriors, to better serve in Caelus’s army. It is viewed as a great honor to be asked to fight an aging cleric or devout follower of Caelus…however, because the battle must be real, it is also a great risk - old or not, any true devotee of Caelus will be a dangerous fighter, and could end up killing their challenger. Only a true battle to the death is worthy of Caelus’s ultimate blessing of acceptance into his Invincible Army.

Typical Offerings

Caelus and his priests are less concerned with offerings of tangible things, and value deeds done in Caelus’s name more. If someone is seeking the blessing of Caelus, his priests are far more likely to assign him a quest, or set some violent labor for them, rather than ask for an offering of valuable goods.

Worship

Major Areas of Worship

• Ruskovich
• Vesten
• Most Europan armies honor Caelus, and nearly every military headquarters, barracks, training ground, etc., has a shrine to him.

Holidays

The dates of significant battles, the season of summer (the best season for battle,) and any local holidays that involve some form of violent competition (mock battles or stylized dueling does not count - Caelus honors real battles or violent competition. A mock battle with fake weapons would not please him, but a full-contact rugby game or no-holds barred wrestling match would.)

Common Sayings and Blessings

Generally, quotations from treatises on war, and blessings of skill at arms, are the most common invocations in Caelus’s Church - “Often the only path to peace lies within the path of war,” or ‘The more one sweats in peacetime, the less they bleed in times of war,” etc.

Priesthood

Head of the Church

The head of the church of Caelus is called The Exalted General. The current Exalted General is Greska Demilibinsk, a Ruskovian half-orc. She entered the church as a lowly page, and rose through the ranks to lead the so called ‘Divine Army of Caelus’ for all Europa.
The current Casque of War, the great temple of the church, is in Vodacce, but Greska has been pushing to relocate it to Ruskovich, saying it is a ‘more challenging environment that will better test the mettle of Caelus’s faithful.’

The Temple in Eisen is known as The Divine Barracks.

Church Organization

Unsurprisingly, they follow a strict military chain-of-command structure, with each rank having a specific honorific and rank (eg, ‘Exalted General,’ ‘Valorous Captain,’ ‘Penitent Corporal,’ etc.)
The Church is split into three Branches:
The Pennant of the Victor - the administrative and proselytizing arm of the church (the more conventional clerics.)
The Blade of Glory -the more conventional military arm of the church (mostly clerics,monks, paladins, fighters, and even martially-inclined spellcasters.)
The Stoic Shield - the branch that protects the Church itself. Ostensibly, this means healer, sentries, and so forth, but whispers say their mandate is darker, and they represent the darker, uglier sides of warfare. They are nicknamed, ‘the Witchfinders’ by outsiders, and they are said to be the Church’s spies, inquisitors, and saboteurs (this is the most varied branch, and contains all the above, plus some rogues, avengers, rangers, and more.)

Clothing

All of Caelus’s clerics are expected to be ready for battle at all times, and so are rarely seen unarmored in heavy armor of gray and bronze. Even the administrative officers of the church wear some form of token armor, even if it is just a vest of studded leather.

Membership

Anyone who wishes to join the priesthood may, but they must be able and willing to fight. Acolytes who fail out of military training, or even longtime clerics who find themselves no longer willing or able to take up arms, are dismissed from service. There have been many tales told of aging clerics of Caelus seeking one final battle, or unwinnable fight, in order to die in the service of Caelus one final time, many of them based in truth. (See ‘Sacred Acts,’ below.) If long-time clerics choose to not die in battle and must retire from service for no longer being able to fight, they tend to enter the service of Fodla, Barasios, Eriu, Nicodemus, or Rhemnys.

Typical Types of Followers

Soldiers, glory-seekers, anyone about to go to war, etc.

Political Influence & Intrigue

Interaction with Society

The church allows anyone to petition them for aid in war or battle - if a person, organization, state, country, etc., can demonstrate to a Temple of Caelus that their battle will be a ‘good’ war, the Temple and its forces will help them. The definition of what makes a war or battle ‘good’ is highly subjective…more compassionate Temples will define it as a people fighting to defend their home, or a just cause, while a more amoral temple will look for the capacity for vast and terrible violence. In the end, Caelus cares little for morally subjective notions of ‘righteousness’ or ‘bloodlust’ - as long as his children can seize glory in battle and demonstrate their skill in battle, he cares little for other factors.
This can, and often does, lead to different temples facing one another on opposite sides of a battle. Superiors officers rarely interfere in such instances - facing another devotee of Caelus is said to be the ultimate test of a true warrior. Fellow clerics will rarely kill one another, usually with one acknowledging and accepting the greater skill of the other before the fight ends in death, honoring what is clearly Caelus’s will in the matter, but not always. When that happens, it is accepted as just a fact of life by the Church…the victor drapes himself in glory, and the deceased, if they fought well, now has joined Caelus’s grand Invincible Army in the afterlife.

Ceremonies

The church excels at martial ceremonies, funerals for soldiers or great warriors, etc., etc.

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Leader

Greska Demilibinsk

Divines

• Caelus, God of War

Controlled Territories

• Casque of War

Notable Members

• Greska Demilibinsk

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Religions of Terranon