Church of the Six Saints
"Bless me, Saint Galbraith, that I might traverse the fires of strife unscathed in service of Their will. Bless me, Saint Calista, that I might bear no fear within my heart in the face of His enemies. Bless me, Saint Richard, that my labours be worthy of His love. Bless me, Saint Vanix, that I might learn the truths of God and commit Their words to my heart. Bless me, Saint Woloft, that mine eyes be watchful for the wolf at the door that seeks to devour the children of God. Bless me, Saint Soria, that my soul be deemed worthy of a place upon the sacred shores where God will make their return."The official religion of Banteave, the Six Saints are venerated by the church, clergy and common folk alike. These new gods have only come into the land in the last few centuries, whereas many of the other older gods have been here far longer. The Church tolerates little competition, going out of their way to ensure the other cults are labeled as heretical, pagan practices.Prayer to the Six Saints, delivered at The Abbey of Painted Glass
According to the Church, the Six Saints are representatives for a God that left this world behind out of disgust when They beheld all the fell cults that held the hearts of mankind. They hope that by amassing enough of a following, God will be swayed by their efforts and will be convinced to return to this world.
Structure
Most citizens of Banteave that don't follow the Red Sisters or Resshe are lay members of the Church. Those that seek to devote their lives to the Church are first granted the rank of Initiate.
Upon proving their dedication to the Church, suitable Initiates are elevated to the rank of Acolyte and taught the inner secrets of the Church.
Should the leadership of the Church find them worthy, select Acolytes are granted the rank of Priest and given a parish of their own to oversee.
Upon proving their dedication to the Church, suitable Initiates are elevated to the rank of Acolyte and taught the inner secrets of the Church.
Should the leadership of the Church find them worthy, select Acolytes are granted the rank of Priest and given a parish of their own to oversee.
Public Agenda
The Church seeks to safeguard the souls of their faithful, to protect their hearts from the evil trappings of other cults and religions, and to embody the values of the Six Saints.
Assets
The Church of the Six Saints has ample holdings across the kingdom; churches, estates, monasteries and temple communities. The tithes paid by the commonfolk and nobles alike fund the church and allow their leadership to adorn their temples with grand tapestries, silver, gold and silks.
Mythology & Lore
The Church of the Six Saints believe that God created the world and gave his creations free will. But after They finished with their creation, they beheld other strange forces creeping into the world, seeking to beguile and bewitch Their creations. God watched in dismay as the people were swayed to the worship of false gods, such as the Red Sisters and the Golden Prophet Resshe. So broken was their heart that God left this world and Their creations, and a period of great darkness came upon the land.
During the darkness, there came and went six devotees of God so pure in their faith that God took notice of their dedication and elevated them to sainthood after their passing, to serve as Their messengers and exemplars to guide humanity back into the light. The Six Saints knew that if they could bring enough of humankind back to the light of their Lord, their God would return to Earth and begin a reign of a thousand years of peace and harmony.
And so was founded the Church of the Six Saints.
During the darkness, there came and went six devotees of God so pure in their faith that God took notice of their dedication and elevated them to sainthood after their passing, to serve as Their messengers and exemplars to guide humanity back into the light. The Six Saints knew that if they could bring enough of humankind back to the light of their Lord, their God would return to Earth and begin a reign of a thousand years of peace and harmony.
And so was founded the Church of the Six Saints.
Cosmological Views
The Church of the Six posits that God themselves created the world and all the creatures within it as a labour of love. When They made the sun to shine down and illuminate all their creations, it cast a shadow from which sprung all the other malevolent entities of the world that would seek to corrupt the souls of God's creations. God believed that Their creations would be pure of heart and listen not to the honeyed words of the devils that dwelled in the dark.
They were mistaken.
Tenets of Faith
Seflessness, Bravery, Labour, Knowledge, Vigilance, and Judgement are all core tenets of the Church's faith.
Ethics
To be a pious member of the Church is to put others before yourself, to act without fear or cowardice, to take pride in your crafts and labours, to respect knowledge those that keep it, to be wary of false gods, and to keep a strong heart against the temptations of sin and let not your moral judgement be clouded.
Examples of sinful acts would be retreating from battle without being ordered to do so, to act selfishly and hoard food in lean months instead of sharing with the poor, to be lazy and careless, to disrespect scholars or seek knowledge that is not meant for you, to allow the honeyed words of false prophets to enter your heart, and to allow your passions to cloud your good judgement.
Examples of sinful acts would be retreating from battle without being ordered to do so, to act selfishly and hoard food in lean months instead of sharing with the poor, to be lazy and careless, to disrespect scholars or seek knowledge that is not meant for you, to allow the honeyed words of false prophets to enter your heart, and to allow your passions to cloud your good judgement.
Priesthood
Priests are elevated from acolytes of the faith and granted special rights and privileges in Banteave. They oversee parishes, can own estates and profit from them (provided that profit is mostly turned over to the Church) and often find themselves advising barons, dukes and even the King themselves.
Bishops are appointed to oversee entire Duchies and the Priests therein, typically advising the dukes and coordinating clerical efforts in the region. Almost every duchy has a Bishop save for the northernmost ones, where the Antari Highlander culture still prays to The Red Sisters.
The head of faith is the Archbishop of Banteave, who resides in Redehall at The Abbey of Painted Glass.
Bishops are appointed to oversee entire Duchies and the Priests therein, typically advising the dukes and coordinating clerical efforts in the region. Almost every duchy has a Bishop save for the northernmost ones, where the Antari Highlander culture still prays to The Red Sisters.
The head of faith is the Archbishop of Banteave, who resides in Redehall at The Abbey of Painted Glass.
Granted Divine Powers
- — Spend a PP and utter a prayer to Saint Galbraith the Burned to sheathe your weapon in holy flame, stepping up your effect die on your next attack.
- — Spend a PP and pray to Saint Calista the Valiant and step up your specializations for Bravery and Command for a scene.
- — Spend a PP and beseech Saint Richard the Artisan to create a dazzling burst of coloured light, temporarily blinding everyone in the scene.
- — Spend a PP and call out to Saint Vanix the Astute to instantly understand a spoken language you’ve never heard before.
- — Spend a PP and embody Saint Woloft the Vigilant, negating any negative effects of being surprised in a scene.
- — Spend a PP and appeal to Saint Soria, the Judge, to identify anyone else in the scene who treats with foreign gods or Outsiders.
Political Influence & Intrigue
The Church and the Kingdom of Banteave are inextricably tied together, one hand washing the other. The Church provides the nobles upon which their parishes stand with a portion of the tithes and tributes collected from the commonfolk, and the nobles continue to craft laws that protect and solidify church holdings. The Church also continues to endorse noble families, portraying them in a blessed light to the commonfolk during their sermons that helps keep the lowborn from questioning the excesses of the Great Houses.
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Subsidiary Organizations
Permeated Organizations
Deities
Location
Related Traditions
Related Ranks & Titles
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
Related Ethnicities
Friendly
The Church is heavily invested in Dillestone's future, as their clout and holdings have only grown with each passing generation under Dillestone rule. The Dillestones, in turn, benefit from the Church's regular endorsement, and their kings have been anointed in the light of the Six for the past three generations.
Peace
Despite their tarnished past, House Sandoreale has remained faithful supporters of the Church for generations. Their populist approach to governance has earned them a great deal of clout among the commonfolk, which the Church has taken note of.
By association alone with Dillestone, Oake remains in the good graces of the Church of the Six Saints. However, there are whispers that the Cult of Resshe has taken root among House Oake, which gives the Church cause for concern.
Wary
While House Ildrafn is ostensibly a pious member of the Church of the Six Saints, their alleged worship of the Red Sisters irks the Church greatly, as they are one of the few Houses in the Highlands that should ostensibly represent their interests.
Peace
The Church sees Antyre's tolerance of the Old Ways as a weakness, and up until recently was the main focus of their ire. The arrival of the Cult of Resshe in Banteave, however, has shifted their priorities.
Peace
Luneste is responsible for the introduction of the Cult of Resshe into Banteave, which is rapidly spreading. The Church has already come down against the sect, and while a few Luneste have converted to the Six Saints as a show of good faith, the Church still regards them coldly. Only a full renunciation of their heretical ways will appease them... or a suitable donation.
Antagonistic
The Cult of the Red Sisters is considered pagan by the Church of the Six Saints. The Red Sisters consider the Six Saints as interlopers on their woven domain.
