The Pantheon is an umbrella under which exist 3 major philosophies and a few smaller (though no less powerful) faiths, each headed by a Neo-Dragoon deity or something similar. In this world, the Gods walk among the living, and their efforts have been focused on shaping and healing the world according to their individual interpretations of an open-ended divine mandate from The Architect: "Heal the world and guide the people." Each group has its own idea on what this could mean or how it is to be done, and in a way, this diversity of thought may be exactly what the Architect intends.
Though certain groups may choose to honor particular entities or leaders as divine in their own right, The Architect, His existence and His power is irrefutable fact. In a way, it effectively means that all faiths can be seen as true, or at the very least, that they serve The Architect's designs in some way. Unfortunately, this fact does little to dissuade disagreements or outright conflicts, and is outright ignored in light of the unspoken truth that The Architect enjoys presiding over a good fight.
Below, you will find the names of each group and a brief description about them. Links will be made active as the articles are completed.
The Church of Solarism
Formed by
The Queen, this branch of the church is concerned with the security and safety of its followers, and is the dominant military organization in the continent. Despite their power, their doctrine has managed to keep their expansion from overwhelming their neighbors.
Citadel City, Capital of the Queendom of the Sun is this branch’s seat of influence, and it carries far into the continent. It is also the source of the unique technique of “Channeling”, which allows their paladins and knights to fight the undead in direct combat.
The Emerald Path
This branch teaches a philosophy of self mastery and keen spirituality. They have a solemn respect for the spirits of their world, which is currently infested with undead. They primarily specialize in healing the spirit of the world through esoteric rituals and meditation. Founded by
Grandmaster Halo, the Emerald Disciples learn to focus their minds and souls to produce Ki energy, which they use to defend themselves and to put wandering spirits to rest. While just as effective as Channeling, it is much less accessible, which makes becoming an Emerald Disciple a lifelong commitment.
The Disciples of the Emerald Path take a very neutral stance on the world, believing that change must come from within, and that worldly matters often fetter a person’s spiritual health. They seek to find that balance on their own, free from agendas or duties beyond what is absolutely necessary.
The Ward of Souls
While the Emerald Path seeks to heal and balance the realm of spirits, the Soul Wardens serve the Architect as gatekeepers and protectors of the dead. They serve as guides to the afterlife, and
Princess Hammetra metes out their judgement upon death. No matter where in the world a person may die, as long as their soul is not consumed by the Corruption that inflicts the land, they will find themselves before Hammetra, holding a court in her Sacred Garden to judge the souls of the dead. Hammetra is kind and forgiving, and rarely is a soul damned, and instead, they are sent to be reincarnated to have another chance at becoming the best they can be.
Sadly, this effort is done somewhat in vain. While the Corruption still festers on Homeworld, even the souls sent into the afterlife are at risk of being caught and destroyed, and so the Soul Wardens do their best to travel to the far reaches of the world to eliminate the Corruption. They often work together with the Knight Orders, but their differences often lead to mutual distrust.
Recognized Faiths
Cults are smaller congregations of the Architect’s faithful that follow counter philosophies to the major three. While they are not necessarily wrong, they often practice traditions and methods that are a bit too close to the dark or the unsavory parts of life that make them unpalatable for a large population.
The Bladed Ones and the Umbralist Court
These two faiths intersect and cooperate particularly well, as they both pull from the element of Darkness. They are often conflated with one another, which suits them well enough.
The Bladed Ones are a clandestine group of pseudo religious followers of the mysterious Neo-Dragoon known as “
Master Blade”. Also known as the Nightblade, he is one of the Pantheon, which classifies his paramilitary black ops group as "divine agents", which grants them limited protections from the Church of Solarism and some of the Queendom’s laws. While they claim to be allies to The Queen and Her Queendom, they do in the Dark what cannot be done in the Light, which puts them at odds with their more honest and forward-facing counterparts in the Knight Orders.
The Umbralist Court is a newer religious collective that mirrors and even coexists with the dominant Solarist tradition, although they represent a morally flexible and less scrupulous philosophy that directly counters the Solarist way of life on key points. The greatest difference between them is their willingness to accept, and even honor, the existence of powerful entities outside of the more established hierarchy of Neo-Dragoon Pantheon. Their leaders are called a "court" to illustrate the nobility and genteel nature of their esoteric practices. Recent whispers tell of a
Dark Lady Charlotte, whose origins are unknown, and her skill at diplomacy rivals that of even The Queen...
SKYWALL
At the edges of civilization, ensconced in the ruins of the fallen empire, machine-worshiping cabals have formed around the salvaged remains of computer terminals they call “Skywalls”. They claim that these monolithic obelisks allow them to speak to the entity known simply as “S.K.Y.”, and they claim that The Architect is only a smaller part of the true pantheon, not its center. Their ideas border on actual heresy, but The Queen allows them to keep their misguided faith, so long as they stay in their strongholds. This seems to have kept the peace, for now...
Those Who Seek
The darkness of the world holds many wonders and dangers, and there are Those Who Seek in its depths to unravel confusing mysteries and forgotten knowledge some would rather not be rediscovered. To them, “Mother Iris” speaks, stoking their curiosity and guiding their steps in the blinding blackness of the unknown. To Those Who seek, the risk of madness for the reward of truth are a chance worth taking. Impossible magic and damning truths await the favored of Mother Iris...
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