Caisian Theocracy

Description

A monotheistic religion holds sway over the kingdom. The land is rocky and hilly and the soil is thin so there isn’t much farming. Most of the people are shepherds; sheep, goats, cattle, horses.

There is also The Wall in the south which leads to the Lost Kingdom. A large military presence (the Lightwardens) is ranged along it. Occasionally undead creatures of various kinds manage to cross the barrier and they can’t be allowed to get in Caisia. Still there is some slight trade with those living in the Lost Kingdom so occasionally someone would be allowed to move back and forth.

Current status

The Sunpriests have become a shell of devotion, eaten away by corruption, at least among the higher echelons. The power in the church has become a draw for those who love wealth and prestige. There are those who only give lipservice to Kandis and then go to their opulent mansions in the city and indulge their passions and vices. Yet, there are still those who are truly dedicated to the worship of their god and service to the people.

While worship of other deities is not forbidden, it is also somewhat frowned upon (particularly for those who live there). Similarly, displays of arcane power that do not come from a clerical source are forbidden without authorization of the church.

Although there has not been a major incursion in over a hundred years, the Lightwardens are still committed to the protection of the land. Never forgetting why they were founded they guard the Wall in the south. But under the direction of the Sunpriests they have expanded to keep peace throughout Caisia. All males are required to join the Lightwardens for 3 years at 17, unless they are already serving within the church.

The people are mostly Human, although there are some halflings in the southwest and the occasional dwarves who live here. There is a low level prejudice against the smaller races. But they are liked better than foreigners. It isn’t that they are xenophobic, they are just very reserved and distrustful.

Regional History

After the War of the Undead, the people began to rebuild and recover. And they did, spreading across Ellebore to found new lands and holdings. Those who chose to remain in Chelestra devoted themselves to protecting the Wall. They found gentler nature magic to grow crops in the rocky soil and the kingdom flourished.

During the War of the Mad, they were mostly free of Kelveren’s depredations. A few skirmishes that were repelled by the army and the mages. When the Cataclysm happened it wiped out many of the magical constructs and neutered all of the mages. Including destroying the floating city of Windholde, killing the entire royal family and most of the nobles. The leader of one of the religions, Alberich of the Temple of Kandis, having been warned in a vision of the coming tragedy, worked with those in his order (and the direct intervention of Kandis) to protect the kingdom.

Knowing who had protected them, the people turned to Alberich who told all that would hear that this was the result of magecraft and they must turn away and trust in Kandis to hold them safe. His declarations were added by a continued presence of his god's favor, a large firecat, who always accompanied him. Not being able to agree on one of themselves, and not wanting to dissolve the kingdom into warring factions, the remaining nobles agreed to offer the crown to Alberich. He accepted and quickly went about moving most of the power into the church. Thus was born the Caisian Theocracy.

Unfortunately, as the Sunpriests became more powerful, they also became corrupt, until about a hundred years ago they elected a False Son of the Sun without following the will of Kandis. Under this False Son, Hanovar, magic became outlawed as heresy and witchcraft, yet the newly-powerful black-robed priests were summoners of demons and possessed dark magic of their own. They took over the Feast of the Children, formerly a rite of passage into adulthood, coming to each village to check the children for magic abilities. Anyone displaying magic was taken by the priests to be burned; cleansed by the Sunlord. Told “If they had committed sins against Kandis of their own free will they would perish in the flames; if they did not, they would rise unharmed.” Unknown to the rest of the country, if a child young enough to be manipulated and controlled displayed any power, they were taken by the Priests and trained to be weapons.

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