Holy Order of the Scripture

The Church of Helia is the primary religious organization of Fallen London, though significantly diminished in power and influence compared to days past. Tracing its origins back over a thousand years ago before the Fall, the Order enjoyed nearly total dominion over the hearts, minds and spirits of those citizens in the human kingdoms of the Old World. Although religious freedom was permitted, it was temples and cathedrals to the goddess of light and law that dominated the street corners. Even the monarchy paid homage, with the Archbishop performing coronations and blessing every new ruler. And then the Fall, the permanent darkness of the 'Neath: the growing realization that everything would change in this new world of salt, storm and stone.     Unlike the @Admiralty, whose manpower and structure was decimated by the Fall, the Holy Order arrived in the Undersea nearly unscathed. This helped temper the impending chaos and anarchy of London in the early "rebuilding" years, ensuring that the city survived its arrival in the Undersea. Alas, this was not to last: as exploration of the surrounding regions began, Hell was quickly discovered to the west. Combined with the knowledge that their god had fallen silent and their powers were greatly diminished, this discovery caused an uproar within the Order. The Campaign of '18 began not too long after with Archbishop Wyton declaring a crusade, and thus began the Hold Order's decline: of the nine legions that departed the city, less then one thousand men returned. Visitors to Hell speak in hushed whispers of the blasted wastelands before Hell's walls: fields of burning roses, coruscating rivers of burning oil, and shattered fortifications white as death; all that remains of the Order's faithful. Archbishop Wyton died under mysterious circumstances the same year, and with the signing of the Treaty of Iron and Fire it became clear the Order would never regain its former stature.    

Post-Fall Structure

  Officially, the city of Fallen London is still divided into seven dioceses. Each diocese has its own cathedral and bishop corresponding to each of the Golden Saints of Helia, though several have been abandoned after the Fall. The priests and clergy of the Order are bound by these demarcations, and can be identified by symbols of their diocese's Saint worked into their holy symbols and chains. The Order's hierarchy also remains unchanged, with the de facto head of the Holy Order being the Archbishop. Responsible for overseeing the Order as a whole, Archbishops are elected by the seven bishops of the Order and serve for life. Despite this, there have been nine appointed Archbishops since the Fall, with @Archbishop Berthold currently holding this position.   In the Old World, the Holy Order of the Scripture shared some connection to its sister denominations in the cities of elves and dwarves. This connection did not survive the fall however: Varchas' doors remain shut to those of the Order, and Thurim's citadel views the Order as a dying sect. Internal conflict has also weakened it, as various factions debate whether Helia has abandoned her faithful or whether Fallen London is simply hidden from her sight.