Kyvoian Compact

Although the Kyvoian Compact is not technically a religion, it is certainly seen that way by most mortals and does share many similarities to the other faiths of the Eighth Realm, especially around the major figures. The Kyvoian Compact is followed by the Devils of The Hierarchy, and centers around a compact with a diety known as Kyvos. Much of what is known about the Compact is deceptive half-truths or outright lies, and must be taken with a grain of salt even when the devil explaining the Compact is telling the truth; lest they lie by omission. As the devils tell it, however, their people originate from outside the Realm. They claim that during the ancient past, before the formation of the world, their people were oppressed by the other gods, and that they were forced to live lives of poverty, and outright slaughtered whenever the gods discovered them. Then, a deity known as Kyvos took pity on these poor souls, agreeing to give them a home in exchange for their assistance during a war of rebellion against the cruel other gods. The devils claim that demons were also created to serve as footsoldiers in these wars, with the devils acting as commanders. However, Kyvos was defeated and banished, and the devils forced to hide in pocket dimensions.

The devils believe that the other gods abandoned the world after the war, believing the devils dead, and therefore all mortals would be left to perish. But mortals did not perish, and devils did not perish. The devils would emerge from their isolation to find the surface of the world hostile to them, a place they could only remain a short time. However, they claim that they tried to guide early mortals by offering deals and knowledge, which the mortals denied and saw devils as evil. The poor innocent devils have been oppressed all this time, but eventually their people will succeed in overthrowing the tyranny of government placed upon mortals, unleashing chaos upon the world. From this chaos, the exiled diety Kyvos will return, and in his wisdom he will grant the devils rulership of the world, leaving to liberate the rest of the universe. The people will then evolve to a higher state of existence, like devils.

This all sounds grand. However, anyone who knows devils knows that their actions of so-called liberation are just a religious justification for the acts of murder and pillaging committed by all devils. Their so-called elevation is more often enslaving the souls of mortals while tossing their bodies to be consumed by demons. However, their story of events is enough to sway the unwise, the uncaring, and those lacking empathy and seeking only power, so this story serves them well. Nobody is actually sure how much of this story devils believe themselves, and whether or not the whole story is false, or if devils truly believe they must spread chaos to raise an exiled deity from his imprisonment. Either way, the deity Kyvos is greatly feared by those who believe the devils' tale, as such a being could bring devastation to the world. The deity also sounds suspiciously like the elven deity of Kunin, and many associate the two together, seeing as both the Dark Elven Pantheon and devils are near-universally reviled.