Cheliax
Infernal Cheliax (pronounced CHEL-ee-ax) remains one of the most powerful nations militarily in the Inner Sea region. Its control of the Arch of Aroden, the passage between the Inner Sea and the Arcadian Ocean, also gives it a vital role in much of the region's trade. Nevertheless, as important as the nation may be today, it pales in comparison to its former imperial glory.
Today, in the eyes of most external observers, Cheliax's government (to a greater extent) and its people (to a lesser) suffer due to their devotion to diabolism: the worship of devils. The tyrannical government brought on by the adherence to these beliefs prevent it from truly achieving its full potential. Internal observers, however, including the new nobility of Cheliax, firmly believe that Asmodeus and Hell serve Cheliax and assist in maintaining the power necessary for Cheliax to assume its rightful role among the leading nations of the region.
Mythology & Lore
Cheliax has had a long history as a religious nation going back hundreds of years. The goddess Iomedae, the chivalrous goddess of crusaders, was born in Cheliax, and her righteous faith continues to hold strong in the region, despite recent events that have heightened the longstanding tension between her church and that of Asmodeus. In the middle of the 5th millennium AR, the church of Aroden, humanity's patron deity, moved its headquarters from decadent Taldor to then-Chelaxian capital of Westcrown.4252 This was done in response to an ancient Azlanti prophecy known as the Starfall Doctrine that predicted Aroden's return in 4606 AR. Aroden's unexplained death voided the prophecy and plunged the nation into a decades-long civil war.53
Worship of Asmodeus and diabolism
The rise of Asmodean worship since the beginning of the Thrune Ascendancy has hardly been surprising. Every Chelaxian pays at least lip service to the Prince of Darkness, even though numerous older gods such as Abadar and Erastil remain popular among the common folk, and nearly every house contains at least one shrine or red pentagram honoring the devil-god. Cheliax is also one of the few nations where the other archdevils are worshiped in any large number, although their cultists always stand in the shadow of the much larger and more powerful church of Asmodeus. Even those Chelaxians who are not interested in personally serving the Prince of Hell or one of his subordinates, often believe that Hell provides a model for how mortal society should be structured, a philosophy known as diabolism.Worship of other powers
According to an edict issued by Queen Abrogail II, the worship of gods other than Asmodeus or one of the other powers of Hell is permitted, but can be revoked by the government at any time. The worship of these gods is considered a generous allowance by the Prince of Hell, as long as no one supplants him as the foremost in the hearts of Chelaxians. Cheliax does not openly tolerate worship of Achaekek due to the church's support of piracy along the western coast of Garund, but the assassin of the gods still has several hidden shrines devoted to him within Cheliax.
Type
Geopolitical, Country
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