Church of Seven Tomed Ibraos

Say what you will about those heretics - they're bloody fantastic cooks.

— Sinofis local

The Church of Seven Tomed Ibraos is a large building dedicated to the worship of the deity of magic Ibraos, built by their Tominari followers in the city of Sinofis. It is the largest Tominari church in all of Abravost.

History

Ibraos, and their associated religions, have been controversial since as early as the 3rd century BC. The Tominarvis branch of Ibraos worship, however, has enjoyed a modicum of acceptability within society, being formally legalised in both Waal Zaimyatl and the Kingdom of Telziad. This is largely due to concerted efforts by the Tominari practitioners to clean up their reputations and prevent legally-actionable blasphemy against The Divinities.
These efforts have paid off well within the Telziado capital of Sinofis which, during the reign of King Dravulean I, formally granted a building permit to a local Tominari group, allowing them to build a church on par with those for members of the Divinities. The Church of Seven Tomed Ibraos finished its construction in 365 AC, but was forced to undergo renovations only months later after it became apparent there were far more Tominari in the city and its surrounding areas than had been previously assumed.
The church has been renovated a few more times since then, sometimes to expand its space, but on one occasion to repair parts of the building after the kitchen area caught fire. While other churches to Ibraos exist, some even within Sinofis, Seven Tomed Ibraos remains the largest and most well known.

Ceremonies and Events

If you're ever stuck on the west side at night with no grub, go to the Tominari. They do the best Liadom pie this side of the Medura.

— Sinofis local

As with any other church in Sinofis, Seven Tomed Ibraos hosts many religious ceremonies for its members. The most well known to outsiders are weddings, which are boisterous affairs full of magical performances dedicated to the new couple and their deity. There are also funerals, which are very closed and secretive affairs, leading many to suspect strange secrets are buried in the church's graveyard.
There are also public events held in the church, such as a weekly dinner which is open to any who wish to attend, at no charge except their company and a small offering to Ibraos. Perhaps understandably, the church is very popular with the local homeless population and with poorer travellers, and their reputation for fantastic Liadom dishes lead some to travel to Sinofis just to dine at their table. How the church is able to afford such extravagances so far north, no-one is sure.
Due to the nature of worshipping a deity of magic, many Tominari are expected to become mages, and developments in an individual's magical journey will also be celebrated at the church. One such celebration involves all the members of the congregation coming together to create a staff for the mage in question, made using materials from their own homes, as well as rarer materials like Planar Iron and even volcanic glass. As a way to close out this ritual, a portion of both the staves body and its focus will be set upon the altar as an offering to Ibraos.

Alternative Names

Church of Ibraos, Tominari Church

Type

Temple / Church

Parent Location

Sinofis

Owning Organization

Tominarvis

The False Divine

One of the major complaints about the Tominari is that they worship a false god. This is because Ibraos, unlike The Divinities, has never been proven to exist in any form. Each group of Ibraos worshippers will even depict Ibraos in completely different ways, leading outsiders to suggest there is no singular entity behind any of the acts assigned to them.
This does little to deter adherents, who believe that Ibraos only appears before those who believe in them and are deserving of such an honour, and that the fluid nature of magic necessitates a fluid state of being.

Gothic Angel by darksouls1

Bloodied Past

Ibraos worshippers have been largely unable to shake rumours of human sacrifice and thievery, dating back to the 3rd century BC. Such claims arise from the nature of magic, in that it requires something to be given in order for a spell to be effective. Due to their sometimes fanatical devotion to magic, many accuse the Tominari of stealing items and lives in the name of their deity.
The Church of Seven Tomed Ibraos, of course, denies all such allegations. One of the core tenets of its worship, after all, is that You shall not claim a life unbidden, and it would never contravene such founding articles.

Old Books by Gellinger