The Priesthood of Bahamut

Headquartered in Valliné, in the Cathedral of the Platinum Dragon, the Priesthood of Bahamut is the organised religion which has been built around worship of Bahamut, The Platinum Dragon, Deity of Justice, Life and Righteousness. Bahamut is one of the primary deities of the pantheon, and is accorded a great deal of respect. Worship of him is thusly considered one of the primary religions of the land, and temples to his name can be found in every corner of civilisation. Eschewing overly adorned temples and overdone ostentatious displays, the church and their places of worship radiate an air of quiet authority and power, and are the cornerstone of many communities.

Structure

The Priesthood is led by the Archbishop of Valliné. The vast majority of other members of the organisation fall within the following church structure, although a select few bishops, rather than overseeing a particular region, head up certain internal divisions of the Priesthood, such as The Paladin Corps, overseeing the Priesthood's Initiates, and management of the church's Treasury. The Paladin Corps themselves are also headquartered in the Cathedral of the Platinum Dragon, but as a paramilitary organisation within the church designed to respond to outside threats, do not tend to be tied to any one geographical location. The church is divided and organised as follows -
Parish-level - Individual temples and churches. In a small village this will usually consist of the village and some surrounding countryside. Within a larger town or city, this may be a single district of the city. Each parish is overseen by a priest or vicar and a small number of initiates.
Dean-level - A collection of parishes, overseen by a Dean, usually the most senior of parish-priests in the area.
Diocese-level - Overseen by a bishop, a diocese will usually contain at least one larger town, containing a large temple or cathedral, and will direct several surrounding dean-level elements.
Province-level - Overseen by an archbishop, these will usually correspond to a province of the land, such as the Northern Coastal Kingdom, The Middle-Lands or The Southern Baronies.

History

For as long as mortals have been aware of the existence of Bahamut, there has been some level of worship of him. Organised worship, which has evolved over centuries into the modern Priesthood of Bahamut has been around for nearly as long.

Cosmological Views

The Priesthood's understanding of the Planar system, and where they and their deity fit within it, is largely accurate. Through communing with their deity, and through the knowledge granted through various acts of divine blessing and intervention, they are well aware of Bahamut's seat of power in the Upper Plane of Mount Celestia, and through extensive research and collaboration with other institutions; both religious, scientific and arcane, have an accurate picture of how the many Planes coexist with one another.

Tenets of Faith

Bahamut is the deity of Justice, Life and Righteousness, and his followers and priests espose these ideals as the cornerstones of their faith. Followers spend their lives in the service of good; prizing just acts and selfnessness, and suffering no evil within their power to prevent. Protection of the weak and those who need it most is considered a righteous act, but with the caveat that those individuals who have the power to do so, should endeavour to fight their own battles, if they are able. "To act in the service of justice is to act for the good of all."
"Oppose evil in all of its forms, and accept no excuses for foul deeds."
"Show compassion to those in need, but let those who can, fight their own battles."