The Crimson Court

The Crimson Court is a group of Devil Worshippers in the Mammen city of Ruzrugh. It also, on some occassions, is called The Church of Asmodeus.

The Brimstone Temple

The Crimson Court reside in the Church of Asmodeus, a Brimstone building at the center of the Mammen city. Due to Brimstone being the hearts of dead Devils, which hold Area Devil Abilities, many wonder if this Temple is built with the the corpses of Devil hearts.

Origins of the Church

Ruzrugh was once a simple monarchy, always put down and subjugated by either Orcs, Korvians, or Crocutions. However, in -666, the Brimstone Temple simply appeared in Ruzrugh.
This number became a holy number in the Church, where the Mammen began following the Devilish Head Priest. They liked his talk of Asmodeus's domains. Devils, Bureaucracy, Business, Trade, and Fire... those were tempting things to worship.
Many Mammen ignored the Devil worship, splintering off from the Church of Asmodeus proper and creating their own "Church of Asmodeus" in Ruzrugh. This was merely a place that worshipped business and trade, but in a way that was regulated by the King.
Meanwhile, the real Church of Asmodeus became a separate group, the sole residents of the Brimstone Temple. They became the Crimson Court, and continued to worship the true Asmodeus.

Teachings

Asmodeus's teachings all lie within his Holy Text, known as "Fire and Brimstone and Everything In Between."
The foundational belief within this book is:

"There is no one more important to worship than oneself. Not God, not money, not love. All of those things lie beyond the self, and can only be found after the self has been found, cared for, loved, and, above all else, worshipped. One is their own God."

— Fire and Brimstone and Everything In Between

Mortality by RovaRed

Ruzrugh

Ruzrugh is the Mammen capital city, on the peninsula of the same name. It is a rich land in the middle of a strait, where many boats pass through.
Due to this, Ruzrugh is a frequent stop for the crews of ships passing through, and is a prominent trading spot.
Even during the time of Tyrant, where the land of Udai that the Ruzrugh Peninsula is connected to has become dangerous to even set foot on, Ruzrugh is perfectly safe. It is believed this is thanks to the protection of the Crimson Court, whether that be their strength or some kind of Devilish curse is unknown.

The Church itself, surprisingly for a Church that worships Devils and money, is built on the idea of self love and self care, that self being referred to always as "Oneself" in the text.
This idea is also the foundation of the economic system the Church of Asmodeus created: Capitalism. There is no desire to help the Other built into the system, the only one that Capitalism is made for is the self. Those in charge, often followers of Asmodeus, will get more money, while those beneath them on the economic ladder get less. That is simply how it goes.
It has also led to some crazy things being done by the Crimson Court. Many murders in Ruzrugh get attributed to them, and they are blamed because they worship the self, but do not care for the Other.

The Other

"The Other" is a core principle in the Holy Text of Asmodeus. It is meant to represent anyone that is not Oneself. Some interpret it instead as anyone who does not follow Asmodeus.
The Other is meant to be exploited. Asmodeus teaches that the Other exists to help Oneself, and that is their purpose on Totania. This also means that whatever happens to them, as long as it does not detriment Oneself, is fine.

Profit by Jarhed

Business

Businesses are an important part of Asmodeus's faith, as they are believed to be the backbone of society to him and his followers.
With businesses, the money flows, and with the money flowing, the world keeps turning. Not to mention, CEOs of businesses, like Ambition, are great at following the teachings of Oneself.

Trade

Trade is another important part of Asmodeus worship. Trading goods and services, trading currency. However, it also includes another important kind of trade.
Devilish Deals, where a Devil offers something to someone in exchange for something else. Often it's great power in trade for a soul when they die, or in the case of Big Five Ba'al Street Stock Trader Profit it is in exchange for the remaining years of your life. Profit is a beloved figure in the Church of Asmodeus, as he is considered the ultimate capitalist.

Priesthood

The Priests of Asmodeus are, themselves, a board of directors. They wear robes and worship Oneself and the dollar. Each one is rich, and to become a candidate for a Priest of Asmodeus and join the Crimson Court, one must obtain a vast wealth.
The Head Priest, by contrast, is a Devil that is not held to these standards. They simply must be named as the successor and follow Asmodeus. The current Head Priest is a Devil named Mortality.

Ruzrugh Politics

The Crimson Court holds an important role in the Mammen politics of Ruzrugh, partially because the royal court has provoked them, and partially because that was always the intention. To disrupt Mammen society.

Satanael by Jarhed

It was the Crimson Court that introduced Capitalism to the Mammen, who had previously had a market that was under direct control of the King. Only people endorsed by the King were able to sell before, and a portion of all profits went to the King.
The Crimson Court quickly overtook that system with Capitalism, and it grew popular enough that they became seen as a rival political faction to the royalty. They have kept this position ever since.
During the time of Tyrant, the Crimson Court and their devil worship is believed to be responsible for keeping Ruzrugh safe from the Korvian King that made it impossible to step on Udai without dying. They have gained much more popularity since then.
They are also known to have contacted the World Court and joined the International Prosperity League, while the royalty of Ruzrugh refrains from such affiliation.
The royalty calls the Crimson Court a group of Devil Worshipping Murderers and condemns them, to which the Crimson Court says:

"If we are killers... then what are you?"

— The Crimson Court

The Crimson Court are incredibly critical of the wars the Ruzrugh royalty often get involved in, with Orcs, Korvians, Crocutions, Minotaur, Felids, and even Humans. They say it is pointless and does not get them anywhere. However, it is believed the Crimson Court is also happy to profit off of these wars, and does not prevent them even though they could.