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| + | ====== La Légion Souveraine ====== | ||
| + | Fouéter le DM | ||
| + | <ifauth @admin>< | ||
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| + | Deity image = {{: | ||
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| + | **The Légion Souveraine** is the only confirmed ' | ||
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| + | Worshipers of the Légion Souveraine are called [[: | ||
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| + | The Légion Souveraine is composed of nine gods but they formerly numbered thirteen before the casting out of four members of [[: | ||
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| + | The Légion Souveraine does not have an afterlife that promises paradise to followers. Instead, it is believed that all souls go to [[: | ||
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| + | The Légion Souveraine is a great deal more tolerant of other religions than the militant followers of the [[: | ||
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| + | Another heresy of the Légion Souveraine depicts them as [[: | ||
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| + | ====== Major Doctrines ====== | ||
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| + | The orthodox faith of the Légion Souveraine recognizes two major doctrines: | ||
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| + | * **The Doctrine of Universal Sovereignty ** (As is the world, so are the gods. As are the gods, so is the world.) Which basically says that the gods are always present in all things. | ||
| + | * **The Doctrine of the Divine Host** | ||
| + | ====== Church Structure ====== | ||
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| + | The Légion Souveraine does not have a single leader. Instead, it is organized into multiple liturgical councils which each have control of religious matters for a single region. Regions can be nations or parts of nations, or even parts of cities. About 1 in every 20 or 30 priests is a member of a liturgical council. | ||
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| + | Every 10 years these liturgical councils meet to discuss questions of dogma and doctrine in a Grand Conclave. | ||
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| + | ====== Variant Sects ====== | ||
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| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
| + | * [[: | ||
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| + | ====== Histoire ====== | ||
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| + | Worship of the Légion Souveraine is believed to have originated in eastern [[: | ||
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| + | ====== Relationship with the Sombres Six ====== | ||
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| + | Officially, the Sombres Six have been expelled from the Légion Souveraine, but doctrine does not hold that they have been stripped of their divinity. As a result, many Vassaux of the Légion Souveraine still make prayers to members of the Sombres Six, though these are usually prayers of propitiation made out of fear, rather than prayers of worship. | ||
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| + | Even the oldest scripture makes references to "The Nine and Six and One", which seems to indicate that the division between Légion Souveraine and the Sombres Six predates the Schism. However, some contend that the original division was not the Légion Souveraine and Sombres Six, but of civilization gods and primal nature deities. This grouping is almost identical to the modern division, but has Arawai and Balinor swapping places with Le Narquois and The Furie. | ||
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| + | RISING È: Légion Souveraine • The Sovereigns are with us at all times. Onatar stands at every forge, and Doi Dorn is with you whenever blades are drawn. • The Sovereigns shape the world. They offer us guidance and strength, but we must learn to listen. • Honor every Sovereign in their place and time. If you hear one voice clearly, embrace their path. • As a follower of the Légion Souveraine, you believe that the hand of the Sovereigns can be seen in all things. What others take to be intuition or instinct, you see as the voice of the Sovereigns offering guidance. You don't need absolute proof; the fact of a bountiful harvest is evidence of Arawai' | ||
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| + | CHAPTER ONE THE Légion Souveraine | ||
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| + | THE SOVEREIGN HOST | ||
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| + | Arguably the greatest of Eberron’s major religions, the Légion Souveraine pantheon claims the hearts and minds of an enormous proportion of Khorvaire’s population, and even in the face of newer faiths, it continues to grow. The Légion Souveraine does not boast the greatest military force, nor does it champion some driving goal to attract those seeking purpose. The Légion Souveraine simply grows as it has always grown: through its innate bonds to the world itself, and a near infi nite capacity to adapt. | ||
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| + | Doctrine The Légion Souveraine encompasses nine gods—or fi fteen, depending on one’s point of view—who hold sway over every aspect of mortal life. Where the Flamme d' | ||
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| + | THE DOCTRINE OF UNIVERSAL SOVEREIGNTY The chief dogma espoused by the followers of the Host, or “Vassals” as they call themselves, has been named the Doctrine of Universal Sovereignty. As is the world, so are the gods. As are the gods, so is the world. Essentially, | ||
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| + | THE DOCTRINE OF THE DIVINE HOST The bedrock notion of the gods as both separate from the world, and yet a part of it, leads to the second of the Host’s the choicest sacrifices, | ||
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| + | THE SCHISM has a variety of symbolic meanings A lthough primary, the DocEveryone familiar with the scriptrine of the Divine Host is not tures of the Légion Souveraine knows absolute. That most Vassals worship the entire pantheon that they once formed a single pantheon with the Sombres Six. does not mean that they revere all the gods equally. Many The Host eventually banished the Six for their evil ways of the faithful choose a patron or two to whom they feel a and constant schemes against the other gods. This sunderspecial bond. The aforementioned blacksmith reveres ing of the Host is called the Schism, the Divine Fall, or the Dol Arrah and Kol Korran, but he likely has a special Celestial Exile. Some theorists hold that the rape of Arawai place in his heart for Onatar. This has little bearing by the Dévoreur triggered the Schism, but other legends on his everyday religious practices, except that he saves suggest that this event took place long after the split. | ||
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| + | The Doctrine In-Depth It is perhaps not surprising that the so-called Doctrine of Universal Sovereignty is not truly all that universal. Oh, the Vassals indisputably believe that their gods are a part of every aspect of the world, and that nothing happens without their involvement. It’s simply that the Vassals employ a rather flexible definition of what both “world ” and “involvement” actually mean. The beloved gods of the Host cannot be held responsible for horrors such as the daelkyr and the quori, for they are of other worlds, not born of Eberron. Were this the extent of the Vassals’ exceptions to the Doctrine, it might be reasonable enough. Many of them, however, extend this logic to all manner of things. Some maintain that any action taken by a follower of another deity is outside the purview of the Host, for these other gods do not acknowledge their place in the proper scheme of things. Some go farther still, claiming that those who refuse to acknowledge the Host have placed themselves “outside their place in the proper scheme of things,” and thus outside the protection—and influence—of the gods. A very select few even hold that when the Légion Souveraine expelled the Sombres Six from their ranks, they removed those gods from the world itself. Thus, anything that falls under the dominion of the Sombres Six is outside the influence of the Légion Souveraine. As convenient an explanation for why the gods allow misfortune to befall their worshipers as ever has been heard! It would be remiss of me to imply that all Vassals are this loose in their definitions. Many of them accept that not all of life will go their way, no matter how devout they are or how benevolent their gods might be. Enough of them take advantage of these liturgical loopholes, however, that one must question how heartfelt their faith can truly be. | ||
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| + | POLITICAL COVER? In the minds of some of those who disdain the Sovereign Host, the entire concept of the Schism is nothing other than a political ploy, played out on a priestly, or even divine, scale. The gods of the Sombres Six weren’t stripped of their divinity, these critics suggest. They were just “kicked out of the house,” a symbolic gesture if ever there was one. By an extension of this reasoning, then, the Légion Souveraine holds no true grudge against the Sombres Six, any more than a cliff holds a grudge against the seas or the winds that pound at it. Rather, the Schism was an attempt by Vassals to distance their patrons from the death and | ||
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| + | Symbolism and Symbols Nearly everyone recognizes the symbol of the Légion Souveraine. Althoughthe Octogram is well known, its true meaning has long been the subject of scholarly debate. Why should a pantheon consisting of nine deities possess an eight-pointed representation? | ||
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| + | THE Légion Souveraine | ||
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| + | Scholars among Vassals and various religious institutions debate what the Schism actually means. After all, the Sombres Six are no less gods now than they were before their banishment. They still hold sway over many aspects of the world, and some Vassals still pray to them under certain circumstances. Clearly, the Légion Souveraine lacked the means (or the desire) to strip the Six of their divinity. The Schism, then, is more along the lines of a familial division, one branch disowning and disavowing the other. It represents the efforts of the Host to distance themselves, and their worshipers, from their darker counterparts. While scripture describes this as punishment, some scholars believe that the Host wished to remove the Dark Six’s access to the population of Vassals, minimizing their ability to do further harm. Scripture and scholars differ on what caused the conflict between the two factions of the original Host. Even the most ancient texts, whose doctrine reportedly predates the Schism, refer to the pantheon as Nine and Six and One. So even before the official split, the two groups were at least partly independent of each other. For centuries, Vassals assumed that this division was one of good against evil, which supports the currently accepted view. Recent religious theory, however, suggests an alternative division, as well as another interpretation of the Schism itself. Of all the nine gods of the Légion Souveraine, only two— Arawai and Balinor—hold dominion over natural aspects of the world. The others hold sway, partly or in whole, over elements of civilization and culture. Similarly, of the Dark Six, only two hold dominion over concepts native to civilization: | ||
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| + | THE Légion Souveraine | ||
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| + | destruction caused by the Sombres Six and the nastier forces of nature. | ||
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| + | Creation Myths A question frequently heard, in my capacity as liturgical scholar, is “Where do Vassals believe the gods come from? ” This is a tricky proposition. This is a faith founded on the belief that the gods are an intrinsic part of the world. Yet the gods did not create the world; that was Eberron’s doing. (Eberron might herself be the world, depending on how literally one interprets the ancient myths.) And nothing in mythology suggests that Eberron had either the desire or the capability to create gods. How, then, did they come about? The most widely accepted theory among scholarly circles states that the gods were indeed created by Eberron when she formed the world, but as—if you’ ll forgive my referring to the divine in a somewhat unflattering manner—accidental byproducts, not as a deliberate act. The creation of the world wrought numerous changes in the shape of reality itself, gathering and combining inconceivable amounts of mystical energy. This theory holds that the gods emerged from these energies alongside the world—that they are, quite literally, the children of creation. A version of this theory pairs Eberron with Siberys. Its supporters note that Vassals of many disparate cultures have all depicted the Sovereigns as dragons. They claim that the Sovereigns were the true children of Eberron and Siberys: mighty dragons who ascended to divinity after the defeat of Khyber’s vile fiends. Another belief, widely considered heretical, states that the gods didn’ t exist until mortals did, that mortal belief in a higher power actually created the gods. I need not tell you what most Vassals think of people who espouse that concept. Several theories hold that the gods actually predate the creation of the world. One such theory, relatively unpopular and slowly dying, claims that the gods hail from realities outside our own, much as do celestials or the daelkyr. The gods came through some planar rift to Eberron, possibly during the act of creation, and settled here. Few Vassals like this theory, as it implies that their patrons are, in a sense, alien. A second pre-creation theory states that the gods existed in this reality along with the three Dragons, and that they took the world of Eberron under their care after it came into being. Some even suggest that the gods caused Eberron to create (become?) the world. | ||
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| + | VASSAL MORALITY Myth and holy scripture apply ethics and morality— alignment, in game terms—to each of the gods. In Eberron, faith alone powers the magic of clerics and adepts, and grants the faithful the strength to overcome the travails of everyday life. Still, many less devout or less well-educated individuals assume that the vast majority of a group of worshipers should match the general ethical leanings of their gods. After all, wouldn’t a person naturally be drawn to a deity with a similar outlook on the world? Certain ly this idea holds some element of accuracy in certain faiths: The Église de la Flamme d' | ||
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| + | SOULS AND THE AFTERLIFE According to Vassal belief, just as the gods are present in all aspects of the world, they are present in all living things. The soul is a tiny fragment of the divine, the animating spark that allows life to exist. Unfortunately, | ||
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| + | Servants of THE SVassals OVEREIGN HOST are the most numerous worshipers in Khorvaire, and since they believe the gods are intrinsic to everyday life, a slightly larger proportion become priests than do members of other faiths. Only a very small percentage of those Vassals who call themselves priests are actually clerics, however. The majority of priests are simple men and women—possibly experts or nobles by class—who have devoted their lives to serving their religion and aiding others in leading a life of piety and reverence. Only the most devout of the devout have faith enough to work magic, and most of them do so only weakly. These are represented through the adept class. True clerics (or other divine casters, such as paladins or favored souls) embody the Olympe of devotion, and are rare indeed. The term priest conjures up images of a devout Vassal leading a congregation in prayer, or advising members of a community how best to deal with a crisis, or performing similar duties. This concept does not, however, reflect a universal truth. In fact, while the majority of priests of the Légion Souveraine are leaders of the community or at least of the church, a substantial minority accept no such duties. These unusual priests are often itinerant, refusing to stay long in any one place. Some seek to do their gods’ bidding by spreading their worship, healing and tending to the flock, or—in the case of more adventuresome priests—hunting down and destroying enemies of the Légion Souveraine and the natural world. Others seek only to be left alone to contemplate their faith, holy scripture, or the mysteries of the gods’ interaction with nature. These wanderers have come to be known as evangelists, | ||
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| + | need them or of battling any great evils they might come across—is unclear. In any event, this has led some Vassals in distant communities to believe that only wandering priests have such powers, and thus they turn away from their local clergy. | ||
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| + | COMING TO THE FAITH In a religion that sees the gods’ presence everywhere, is there any need to be a priest? Simply living is service to the gods, is it not? So what sort of person chooses to become a priest? The answers to that question are as varied as the priests themselves, but Vassals generally become priests of the Légion Souveraine for one (or more) of five reasons. Faith: It is self-evident, | ||
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| + | THE Légion Souveraine | ||
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| + | better. By honoring the Host, Vassals hope the gods will in turn grant them happiness in this life, if not the next. Additionally, | ||
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| + | Chosen of the Gods A small movement is spreading through the priesthood, one that many experts either don’ t know about or dismiss. These people believe that priests who stumble into their role should not only be automatically recognized, but that they are actually superior to other priests. If someone fits the role so perfectly as to be pushed into it by the community, isn’ t that the best way to cement the people’s faith in their priests? Isn’ t that a sign that the gods want that individual to speak for them? This isn’ t the most popular idea among the more orthodox priesthood. Even priests who aren’ t power-hungry don’ t necessarily like sharing what they have with people who haven’ t “earned ” their positions. Others are hesitant simply because the process has no safeguards to keep an evil but deceptive or charming individual from rising to an influential post. So far, the movement hasn’ t gotten very far, but it’s only a matter of time before the higher-ups of the faith have to deal with it. | ||
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| + | blacksmith has bonded with Onatar through her craft; or a potent warrior has somehow joined his strikes and steps with Dol Dorn. People come to such individuals for advice, or ask them to lead a prayer, and before they know it, they have stepped (or been pushed) into the role of priest. The formal priesthood of the Host doesn’t automatically recognize such “accidental” priests, but will do so after a bit of examination. Even without such official recognition, | ||
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| + | BECOMING A PRIEST | ||
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| + | Sometimes the people themselves decide who is worthy of the title “priest” | ||
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| + | Security: Although it is less Commun now than it once was, a number of people still join the priesthood for financial security. Younger children, who stand to inherit little or nothing from their families, and people who seem unable to make a living at other pursuits, sometimes attempt to join the priesthood purely as a vocation. Power: The priesthood of the Légion Souveraine does not have as rigid a hierarchy as, say, the Church of the Silver Flame, but an internal power structure does exist. As the most widespread of the major religions, the Vassals have significant influence over a great many of Khorvaire’s nations, and even more over individual communities. It’s an unfortunate truth that certain priests of the Légion Souveraine—just as with other religions—see not the gods’ glory burning like a beacon before them, but their own. Some honestly believe they can do more good in a position of power; others are interested only in their own advancement. Accident: It seems odd, but many priests of the Légion Souveraine obtain their position entirely by accident. The Host’s priesthood does not use intense training and ritual to identify the truly faithful as some faiths do. Becoming a priest requires little in the way of knowledge unavailable to the average layperson. Particularly in small communities, | ||
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| + | It is possible to become a priest of the Légion Souveraine with only a modicum of religious knowledge, and sometimes without even trying to do so. That said, anyone who seeks to rise within the priesthood, to gain the respect of his peers, or to truly able to guide and protect his congregation, | ||
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| + | HIERARCHY The priesthood of the Légion Souveraine does not have a single leader or group of leaders. It has no Voice of the Flame or Diet of Cardinals, as does the Flamme d' | ||
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| + | priests can petition for entry, and if a seat is available and a majority of the standing membership approves, they are accepted. Elsewhere, a member in good standing must nominate an individual for inclusion. In other places, a priest must meet certain requirements—number of years of service, accomplishment of certain tasks, or passing much more stringent tests than those given to graduating seminary students—before being considered. Whatever the case, each of these councils represents the greatest and most faithful priests in a given area. The regions overseen by the councils vary in size: the Host of Khorvaire oversees Passage and a large portion of Aundair; the Devout of the Celestial Crown manages only a large portion of the city of Sharn. Councils wield substantial political and social power, which they use to enforce decisions and edicts that might otherwise go unheeded. They can threaten delinquent priests with ostracism, removal of their congregation, | ||
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| + | THE Légion Souveraine | ||
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| + | temple or a regular congregation. Furthermore, | ||
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| + | Good Enough for the Backwoods Those who worship the Légion Souveraine do not form a monolithic entity in the way the faithful of the Church of the Flamme d' | ||
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| + | THE Légion Souveraine | ||
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| + | are not considered part of the church proper, however, and the liturgical councils have little contact, and no clout, with them. In the wake of the La Dernière Guerre, the surviving priests of the councils of Cyre have largely been assimilated into the hierarchies of neighboring realms, though a few have formed independent sects—often following unorthodox beliefs. Any priest in good standing with the local council can attend a conclave and be heard; in this sense, a great many priests might be considered “members.” By a more strict interpretation, | ||
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| + | DUTIES OF THE CLERGY For the most part, priests are beholden only to the Vassals they shepherd, rather than to the church itself. (Obviously, members of the various councils are an exception to this rule.) The general attitude is that a priest has fulfilled the obligations of office by properly leading a congregation in prayer and ceremony, competently handling the problems of parishioners, | ||
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| + | CLERICS AND PRIESTS No formal distinction of rank exists between clerics, adepts, and priests of the Host. They might have different duties—a cleric is much more likely to pursue the church’s enemies or perform exorcisms—but all are equal in the hierarchy of the priesthood. This doesn’t suit some Vassals, however. Many believe that the ability to work miracles is a clear indication of divine favor, or at least of deeper faith. Surely those to whom the gods have granted powers should lead? Even more contentious are people who develop divine magics spontaneously and without training (such as the so-called favored souls) and those who gain reverence in extraordinary circumstances—the rare “saints.” A perfect example is | ||
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| + | Saint Daca of Sharn, a gnome who has done little but sit atop a pillar and discuss matters of theology with passersby for over a century. She has advised so many Vassals and priests that, should she choose to step down from her pillar, she could take her pick of positions in the local clergy. No clear distinction exists between people who feel that clerics should dominate the priesthood and people who don’t. Many clerics themselves argue that they should not be treated any differently, | ||
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| + | throw themselves into the work with the same devotion they show other religious obligations, | ||
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| + | THE Légion Souveraine | ||
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| + | less able to afford such an item (and everyone knows who they are, anyway). | ||
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| + | FALLEN PRIESTS Escaping the Past Notice the discussion of ecclesiastical punishment fails to address the situation of malfeasance by a high priest. Imagine the position of one who wishes to bring such a powerful personage to justice. Imagine the council of “peers” willing to sit in judgment of that person. Finally, imagine the faithful brave enough to carry out any punishment dictated. Faith might inspire some or all of those to persevere, but that’s truly a rare event. Even when it is practical, this system of defrocking is only truly effective at the local level. What of those priests who move to a new city or even nation, who find some way to remove the mark of shame upon them? What if they realize they are about to be charged, and flee town beforehand? The liturgical councils do not speak to each other frequently, and even when they do, they have far larger matters than exchanging “wanted ” posters. Even if a council has the time to do so, how does it locate a lawbreaker in its territory—especially one hiding out in a small town with little church presence? Clerics might employ divinations to find truly heinous lawbreakers, | ||
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| + | Due to the lack of a single controlling hierarchy, a priest must commit a severe infraction before others take formal steps against him. The four principal causes of expulsion from the priesthood are as follows. Major Violation of Religious Precepts or Failure to Perform One’s Duties: Committing one of these violations even a single time might be grounds for defrocking. • Offering devotion to powers the Légion Souveraine considers evil (such as the Dragon d' | ||
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| + | QUESTS Only the most devout worshipers embark on quests in the name of their deity or pantheon. For the average Vassal, quests are adventures to read about, or to listen to during sermons, not to pursue. A very select few, however—mostly itinerant clerics, paladins, and the like—do indeed wander the world, seeking out deeds to perform for the glory of the Host and the betterment of their followers. Unlike many other faiths, worship of the Sovereign Host has no driving goal behind it, and thus no specific purpose to shape its quests. Because the Légion Souveraine is part and parcel of the world, quests in its name almost always revolve around worldly circumstances. A Vassal might quest for a magic item or powerful spellcaster to control the weather, and thus end a drought affl icting a Host-devoted town. She might seek out and thwart the schemes of priests of the Sombres Six. She might set about finding land and constructing a shrine to the Host in an unenlightened area. On a more subtle level, she might seek out those who have Perdu faith in the Host, and attempt to show them the error of their ways and return them to the fold. | ||
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| + | Rites and Rituals of THE Légion Souveraine Vassals perform rituals to celebrate almost every aspect of life. From life and community events, such as weddings and coronations, | ||
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| + | PRAYERS The most minor form of ritual, prayer is a means to show appreciation for something important, wondrous, or beautiful. Specific instances of good fortune, successful endeavors, and similar benefits demand more appropriate acknowledgement, | ||
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| + | THE Légion Souveraine | ||
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| + | In the case of a civil crime, the priesthood simply declares publicly that the guilty member has been defrocked, and leaves it to local authorities to handle charges and punishments. If the crime is religious, however, the situation becomes more difficult. The priesthood has neither the legal right nor the ability to imprison, exile, or execute its members. The church might attempt to impose fi nes, or use social pressure to drive a violator from the community, but this doesn’t always work. Instead, the priesthood conducts a formal and very public rite, listing the individual’s crimes, stripping badges of office, and marking the offender. This mark can be a literal brand, a tattoo, or even a mystical sigil such as a mark of justice. (This last is most effective, but also most unCommun.) For extremely serious violations, the ceremony might also involve flogging, though this is of questionable legality and occurs only rarely. The mark, and the very public knowledge of the violator’s crimes and loss of status, are usually sufficient to prevent him or her from ever again functioning as, or claiming to be, a legitimate priest of the Host. | ||
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| + | MINOR RITES Minor rites are more involved than simple prayers but still not particularly complex. Although many Vassals seek out priests for aid, minor rituals do not require oversight. Rites involve prayer, but they are not limited to speaking or chanting. The most simple include hand gestures, often meant to emulate the Celestial Crown or the holy symbol of a specific deity. More elaborate minor rites use holy symbols, candles on an altar, specific garb or colors (whites, blacks, golds, and blues being the most Commun), and burnt sacrifices. Sacrifices to the Host almost never require blood, Humain or animal. Rather, the petitioner offers something of meaning to herself and to the gods she is petitioning. For instance, a Vassal seeking wealth might melt a few coins in honor of Kol Korran, in hope that the gift of valuables will earn her greater rewards in her next endeavor. A hunter might burn a freshly made arrow, offering up something valuable to both himself and Balinor. A warrior petitioning Dol Dorn’s aid in battle might infl ict a small wound on himself, shedding a few drops of his own blood, to show that he is unafraid of pain and injury, and that he will honor the war god with his actions. Minor rites are appropriate when a Vassal seeks the favor of the gods. Before embarking on a journey, setting plow to field, entering battle, or making a wagon, the faithful petition the Host for success. These rites | ||
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| + | MAJOR RITES | ||
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| + | A farmer sets aside a few stalks of wheat for sacrifice to Arawai, in hope of a greater harvest to come also serve more general requests, such as good fortune or success in fi nding love, and prayers for aid, such as petitioning for the health of a sick relative. Minor rites also give thanks for prior luck or success. In this regard they are much like prayers, but rites commemorate specific and personal events, rather than the more general aspects of life to which prayers are devoted. For instance, a Vassal might conduct a minor rite to Kol Korran after a successful day of sales, or to Olladra after surviving an assassination attempt, or to Boldrei when a beloved accepts a proposal of marriage. Communly, minor rites show gratitude for specific yet Communplace events such as meals. For instance, a Vassal might pour a libation of wine onto the ground before partaking of food, in thanks to the gods—Arawai and Olladra in particular—for their sustenance. What is a Vassal to do if he needs help, but is not in a position to offer sacrifice or conduct a ritual? When menaced by thugs, or trapped in the bottom of a well, neither time nor materials for a rite exist, but such situations are when help is most needed. In these instances, it is acceptable to offer a simple prayer, but tradition demands the appropriate ritual at the fi rst available opportunity, | ||
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| + | The greatest ceremonies of the Légion Souveraine commemorate both holy days and particular events. They involve paeans and prayers, specifi c designs and gestures, proper garb (or at least colors), candles, and sacrifices of the same style offered in minor rites, but on a larger scale, involving numerous people. Major rites technically require the participation of a recognized priest. Some particularly religious Vassals know enough of the liturgy to conduct the rites on their own—this happens most frequently in small communities that have no priest of their own, or in areas where worship of the Légion Souveraine is discouraged or persecuted—but the larger councils often refuses to recognize the validity of such ceremonies. Festiva ls are major rites that sanctify occasions and changes in the lives of the Vassals. A very brief description of the traditional ceremonies follows. Birth: When celebrating a birth, the priest and the child’s parents ceremonially march to the nearest altar (usually within a shrine or temple, but a personal altar will do). They travel through a crowd made up of friends, relatives, and other well-wishers, | ||
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| + | THE Calendrier Worship of the Légion Souveraine predates the formation of the great Royaume de Galifar. Thus, while all Vassals use the standard Galifar Calendrier in day-to-day life, they measure days of religious significance on the far older Livre des Saisons de la Légion Souveraine (or simply the Sovereign Calendrier). The original Vassals divided the year into three seasons, rather than four. Yearbirth, the first season, was devoted to planting crops and growing things, and was associated by some people with the dragon Siberys. Yeargrowth, the second season, was devoted to the raising and reaping of crops and the fullest bloom of the world, | ||
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| + | and was sometimes associated with Eberron. Finally, Yeardeath was the period when the world was cold and few things grow; its association was with Khyber. In terms of modern seasons, Yearbirth roughly corresponds to spring and a portion of summer; Yeargrowth to portions of summer and autumn; and Yeardeath to portions of autumn and winter. Each season was divided into seven “weeks” (the original term is Perdu) of sixteen days each. The Sovereign Calendrier does not recognize the concept of months, treating the phases of the Lunes as separate from the timekeeping of the world itself. Each day of the week was devoted to one of the fi fteen gods of the original Légion Souveraine, with an additional day at the end of the week devoted to the pantheon as a single unit. In the modern era, the names of the days formerly devoted to the Sombres Six now commemorate no deity at all. They have been renamed after the Five Kingdoms and Galifar itself, to show solidarity between the Légion Souveraine and the sovereigns of Humainity. The new year on the Sovereign Calendrier corresponds with the first day of the month of Therendor on the Galifar Calendrier. The weeks do not carry any names of their own. To indicate a specific day, someone using the Sovereign Calendrier adds a numeric value to the day in question. For instance, saying “Yearbirth Thranday the fourth” or “fourth Thranday of Yearbirth” indicates Thranday during the fourth week of the Yearbirth season. | ||
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| + | THE Légion Souveraine | ||
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| + | to that of the birth ritual. In this instance, however, the priest walks in the fore, followed by bearers carrying the deceased on a plank or in a coffi n, depending on local custom. Prayers and rites offer thanks for the life of the deceased, the lives he touched, and the good he did. They only request that the survivors’ suffering be eased swiftly and that the deceased escape the clutches of Le Geolier. It is traditional to bury a sacrifice with the deceased, in hope that the item will distract the greedy Keeper and allow the soul to slip past to Dolurrh. For a peasant this might be a single copper coin, but the wealthy are buried with fi ne jewels or other treasures—a possible lure for grave robbers or even adventurers, | ||
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| + | Day of the Associated Favored Celestial Week Deity Season Aureday Aureon Yeargrowth Karrnday (Formerly the Furie) Yeargrowth Kolday Kol Korran Yearbirth Baliday Balinor Yeargrowth Thranday (Formerly Le Narquois) Yeardeath Olladay Ol ladra Yearbirth Galday (Formerly L' | ||
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| + | OPTIONAL RULE: THE HOLIEST OF DAYS It requires a bit more bookkeeping, | ||
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| + | Of course, this requires not only keeping track of dates on the Galifar Calendrier, but also on the Sovereign Calendrier. A simpler, albeit less accurate, method is to determine the day randomly at the start of each adventure, and keep track only for the duration of that particular tale. This benefi t applies only to followers of the gods who still make up the Légion Souveraine. The Sombres Six have their own holy days (see page 43). | ||
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| + | THE Légion Souveraine | ||
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| + | Each day of the week is devoted to one of the gods, who is honored by a festival. All priests of the Sovereign Host perform a minor rite to that god in either the morning or the evening, taking only a few moments. Priests specifically devoted to that deity, however, must perform a longer ritual on the appropriate day, requiring roughly an hour of time. They sacrifi ce items of meaning to that god, just as when petitioning for a favor. On the day devoted to the entire Host, all priests must perform an hour-long rite. They often conduct this rite in the temple, leading a congregation in prayer and worship. The days do not merely honor the god in question, but also all aspects of the world over which he or she watches. For instance, every Araday honors not only Arawai, but also farmers and growing things, while the celebration of great victories is always held on the Dornday nearest its anniversary, | ||
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| + | The Légion Souveraine IN EVERYDAY LIFE As might be expected of a faith that proclaims the gods’ presence in all aspects of the world, Vassals practice their religion throughout the day, regardless of activity. The precise degree of observance depends on the devotion of the individual: The average practitioner prays many times per day, and even conducts minor rites more than once. For instance, on a typical morning, a Vassal might offer a brief prayer on awakening, simply to give thanks for the new day. If she has an important endeavor ahead of her, if it is the holy day of one of her patron gods, or if she happens to be unusually devout, the | ||
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| + | morning observance might take the form of a minor rite. Prayers to start each meal are Commun, as are prayers or minor rites upon fi rst embarking on the day’s work. Particularly devoted Vassals might perform individual rites throughout the day when beginning specific tasks, but for most, a general request for good fortune at work suffices. Come evening, Vassals give thanks for the events of the day; even if the day has gone poorly, tradition demands that they fi nd something positive in it, as a reminder that nothing the gods have created is entirely bad. If this is a holy day, a Vassal traditionally performs longer rites in the evening (though she might have done so earlier in the day, if circumstances warranted). At bedtime, she might undertake a final minor rite requesting a peaceful sleep and the opportunity for a new day tomorrow. This summary makes it seem as though Vassals spend an enormous portion of each day in prayer and ritual. This is not so. Each such activity rarely takes longer than a few minutes. Only truly important festivals, such as the evening rite on a god’s holy day, last for even an hour. The average prayer of thanks might involve nothing more than a few sentences, reverently uttered, and even most minor rites take no longer than the time necessary to light the appropriate fl ames and burn the appropriate sacrifices. While zealous Vassals might indeed engage in hours of prayer, most spend less than half an hour per day in total doing so, excepting holidays. Despite their brief duration, because the observances are spread throughout the day, they remind the faithful of their daily interactions with the divine all around them and keep the gods in their thoughts. | ||
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| + | THE PEOPLE OF THE Légion Souveraine Because Vassals consider their faith to be a universal religion, equally applicable to all who wish to embrace it, they do not seek out a specific type of person for proselytizing or conversion. All are welcome, so long as they acknowledge the divine in the world around them and accept the Légion Souveraine as the highest gods (and even the latter is somewhat flexible). Worship of the Légion Souveraine appeals most to people who live relatively standard lives. This doesn’t mean Communers only—a ruler’s life can be average as easily as a farmer’s. It’s simply that the daily tasks are different. Rather, the Légion Souveraine attracts individuals whose lives do not point them in a specifi c direction. Those who believe, or want to believe, that the world has a fi xed purpose, that someone is in control (even if they do not always understand the will or the actions of this guiding power) are particularly drawn to the Légion Souveraine. The Host holds dominion over most aspects of civilized life, so anyone who lives in such a state is likely to at least acknowledge the faith. Matters such as alignment and even profession have only minimal bearing on this worship. A farmer reveres Arawai, whether he’s neutral good or chaotic evil in his heart, because she provides his crops. Even if they do not worship her specifically, | ||
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| + | THE Légion Souveraine AND GOVERNMENT The priesthood of the Légion Souveraine makes no overt attempts to control governments, | ||
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| + | the wild or inside unassuming structures. They preach active resistance against the government, but through subtle techniques rather than visible uprisings that would surely be crushed. Leaders and officers who persecute Vassals might wind up short on supplies, for instance, or the victims of “accidents” such as unexplained fi res. Meanwhile, the Vassals carefully feel out those in power for any sympathetic to their cause, or possible candidates for conversion. | ||
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| + | THE Légion Souveraine AND OTHER FAITHS In terms of overall influence, the Légion Souveraine has little to fear from other faiths. Even with the modern growth of the Flamme d' | ||
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| + | THE Légion Souveraine | ||
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| + | all?—and so the vast majority of people offer her at least some thanks. In sum, the Légion Souveraine is the religion of choice for most people of western Khorvaire who do not have active reason to select a different religion. Longstanding tradition and the ubiquitous and accepting nature of the faith make it easy to slip into, and simple to practice. | ||
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| + | The Vassals integrate the practices of other faiths into their own, believing that all are simply reflections of the Légion Souveraine | ||
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| + | THE Légion Souveraine | ||
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| + | Repeated ly throughout history, Vassals have come to a region, observed local religious practice—perhaps honoring spirits, now-unknown gods, or ancestors—and immediately set about incorporating that worship into the local practices of the Légion Souveraine. For instance, Vassals’ current funerary rites were adopted thousands of years ago from a culture that worshiped its ancestors, not unlike the elves of Aérénal. The intent of the original rite was to introduce the newly deceased to the spirits of the dead, who were said to linger in crowds. Adding sacrifices of thanks made the ritual fit into preexisting Vassal practices. By assimilating local traditions and adjusting their meaning to match the precepts of the Légion Souveraine, Vassals make conversion easier. Few religions explain everything about the world. The gods’ presence in all things provides a perfect opening to proselytize. An isolated tribe might believe in its own gods or spirits, while inhabitants of another valley are governed by an entirely different set of divinities. Vassals take this opportunity to explain that the Légion Souveraine encompasses all and that the spirits the tribesfolk venerate are real and worthy aspects of that Host. Even members of major religions, such as the Silver Flame, have been swayed by this argument. After all, the Flamme d' | ||
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| + | Part of the Family A few Vassals go so far as to believe that every other religion in existence is simply a different view of the Légion Souveraine and the Dark Six. Vol? A corruption of Le Geolier. The Flamme d' | ||
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| + | even as old as creation. Therefore, it cannot be the only god, even if it is the most worthy of worship. A small but notable percentage of followers of the Flamme d' | ||
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| + | Specific Attitudes Given the wide range of Vassals across the many nations, communities, | ||
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| + | THE Légion Souveraine IN THE La Dernière Guerre The priesthood of the Légion Souveraine took no unified stance during the La Dernière Guerre. For the most part, Vassals and even priests fought alongside their compatriots against enemies among the Cinq Nations. Whether one’s foes were fellow Vassals or not was meaningless; | ||
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| + | Temples and Shrines OF THE Légion Souveraine Temples to the Légion Souveraine are traditionally made of stone, although wood suffices in poor or forested communities. They normally stand near other buildings or areas of significance, | ||
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| + | platform, and might display the god’s holy symbols. The altar is usually decorated with objects symbolizing the god’s area of influence, such as grains for Arawai or tools for Onatar. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ORDERS AND MONASTERIES The Légion Souveraine does not have many knightly orders, or groups of priests who band together for a specific purpose. Those orders that do exist are based on geography and politics. Many such groups sprang up during the Last War to battle alongside their nation’s military, but most have since faded away. The only sizable exception to that rule is the Brotherhood of the Wall. This order is based primarily in Aundair, but has several fortresses in the Talenta Plains and Thrane, as well. Founded during the Last War to counter the Mort-vivant armies of Karrnath, the order still holds vigil in case that nation should ever again try to field armies of the walking dead against its neighbors. The majority of Vassal monasteries are not martial orders but traditional friaries. These are small collections of buildings, fenced off from the local communities or built atop nearby hills. The priests and friars who dwell in these places tend gardens, herd sheep, and minister to the spiritual well-being of the nearby townsfolk. They believe that more effective worship can be found by removing the distractions of the everyday world, and thus choose to dwell slightly apart from society. Most are not spellcasters, | ||
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| + | THE Légion Souveraine | ||
| + | |||
| + | For most of the war, the liturgical councils continued to meet. They avoided issues of the war, for they knew that bringing up such matters could only cause dissension. Instead, they continued to focus on issues of the faith, interpreting scripture, determining the effect of the war on religious practice, and similar concerns. As far as the war itself was concerned, all agreed to go back and tell their congregations to avoid damaging temples or shrines to the Légion Souveraine, even in the midst of enemy territory. The effects of the La Dernière Guerre still linger among the followers of the Légion Souveraine. Given the loss of friendly contact between nations during the war, the customs of individual communities became ever more insular. Weddings and birth rituals differ far more now from area to area than they did in the past. At present, only the most basic similarities exist. A Commun theme of Host services in the modern day is forgiveness and the reforging of bonds to counter national and regional hatred that still lingers. | ||
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| + | Variant Sects The priesthood rarely concerns itself about variant sects within the ranks of the Vassals. Given the widespread nature of the faith, and the many cultural and national differences in practice, one could say that the entire religion is little more than variant sects. Severa l movements do qualify as “variants, | ||
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| + | dedication. Some subtly persecute Disciples as corruptors of the faith, but most simply try to open their eyes to the larger truth. Hierocrats: Some subsects believe that one deity of the Host is predominant over the others. Unlike Vassals who worship all the gods, or Disciples who select individual patrons of greater personal importance, these “hierocrats” believe that not all gods of the Sovereign Host are equal. For example, Les Lames of Dol Dorn is a warrior cult that maintains that civilization grows only through conquest and battle. The group known as the Scions of the Forge consists entirely of Guerrier de Fer who believe in Onatar as their creator, with the other gods his servants: He created them to create the mortal races who, with Onatar’s inspiration, | ||
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| + | THE Légion Souveraine | ||
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| + | Most Disciples pursue careers that focus heavily on one aspect of life, to the exclusion of almost all else. A career soldier might take Dol Dorn as her sole patron if she truly believes life is nothing but brutal combat. A young farmer who has never once left the family homestead might see no reason to revere any god but Arawai. Disciples rarely feel comfortable worshiping at a temple devoted to the Légion Souveraine in its entirety, but they might do so on holy days if no other option presents itself. They feel as though they must choose between remaining silent during much of the ceremony, and possibly offending one of the gods (or, more likely, their servants), or participating even in those portions devoted to other gods, and thus possibly offending their patron. Thus, where possible, Disciples prefer to pray and celebrate in shrines specially consecrated to individual deities. Such shrines exist across most of the nations of Khorvaire, although they are less Commun than more general temples. Many of these were not originally built by Disciples, but by other Vassals who wished to honor a lone god under specifi c circumstances. For instance, if a famine suddenly ended, local farmers might build a shrine to Arawai out of gratitude. Still, such shrines suffi ce for the needs of Disciples. Most Vassals believe it foolish to worship a single member of the pantheon to the exclusion of all others. By living in the world, one must acknowledge the various aspects of that world. Vassals look with either pity or derision on Disciples, even while secretly admiring their | ||
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| + | THE Légion Souveraine | ||
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| + | that mortal minds can never comprehend, or rightfully Each god’s entry lists two separate holy symbols. honor, true divinity, so instead they worship lesser beings The first is a symbol unique to that god, while the who speak for the gods. Most Vassals try to convince second is a variant of the Octogram that replaces the these proxy cultists of the error of their ways, but they traditional deep blue and gold with colors associated do not view them as dangerous or heretical—simply with that deity. misguided. | ||
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| + | [[f< | ||
| + | The Sovereign Host is the most commonly worshipped pantheon of deities in Khorvaire. Most followers worship the Host as a whole, offering prayers to different deities in different situations. Clerics are often devoted to the entire pantheon instead of a specific patron deity. The pantheon as a whole is neutral good. The Host's favored weapon is the longsword. | ||
| + | +++ Gods of The Sovereign Host | ||
| + | * [[[Arawai]]], | ||
| + | Arawai is the neutral good deity of fertility, plant life and abundance. She is the sister of Balinor and the Devourer, and the mother of the Fury. Her domains are Good, Life, Plant and Weather, and her favored weapon is the morningstar. | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [[[Aureon]]], | ||
| + | Aureon is the lawful neutral deity of lore and magic. He is the brother of Onatar, the husband of Boldrei and the origin of the Shadow. His domains are Knowledge, Law and Magic, and his favored weapon is the quarterstaff. | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [[[Balinor]]], | ||
| + | Balinor is the neutral deity of hunting and animal life. He is the brother of Arawai and the Devourer. His domains are Air, Animal and Earth, and his favored weapon is the battleaxe. | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [[[Boldrei]]], | ||
| + | Boldrei is the lawful good deity of community. She is the wife of Aureon. Her domains are Community, Good, Law and Protection, and her favored weapon is the spear. | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [[[Dol|Arrah]]], | ||
| + | Dol Arrah is the lawful good deity of honorable combat, self-sacrifice and sunlight. She is the sister of Dol Dorn and the Mockery. Her domains are Good, Law, Sun and War, and her favored weapon is the halberd. | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [[[Dol|Dorn]]], | ||
| + | Dol Dorn is the chaotic good deity of bodily strength and martial training. He is the brother of Dol Arrah and the Mockery. His domains are Chaos, Good, Strength and War, and his favored weapon is the longsword. | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [[[Kol|Korran]]], | ||
| + | Kol Korran is the neutral deity of trade and money. He is the son of Olladra and Onatar, and the twin brother of the Keeper. His domains are Charm, Commerce and Travel, and his favored weapon is the mace. | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [[[Olladra]]], | ||
| + | Olladra is the neutral good deity of luck and plenty. She is the wife of Onatar and the mother of Kol Korran and the Keeper. Her domains are Feast, Good, Healing and Luck, and her favored weapon is the sickle. | ||
| + | |||
| + | * [[[Onatar]]], | ||
| + | Onatar is the neutral good deity of crafts, industry and fire. He is the brother of Aureon, the husband of Olladra and the father of Kol Korran and the Keeper. His domains are Artifice, Fire and Good, and his favored weapon is the warhammer. | ||
| + | |||
| + | +++ Doctrine and Beliefs | ||
| + | [[f> | ||
| + | The Sovereign Host encompasses nine gods—or fifteen, depending on one’s point of view—who hold sway over every aspect of mortal life. Where the Silver Flame requires worshipers devoted to a specific principle, and the Blood of Vol demands loyalty to the blood within, the Sovereign Host simply is. Where mortal matters intersect the natural world, the gods are there. Where nature offers its hand to those who live off the land, either with a nurturing touch or a pounding fist, the gods are there. Worshipers need not seek out the gods of the Sovereign Host, for they are present in every aspect of life, and in every feature of Eberron. | ||
| + | |||
| + | +++++ THE DOCTRINE OF UNIVERSAL SOVEREIGNTY | ||
| + | The chief dogma espoused by the followers of the Host, or “Vassals” as they call themselves, has been named the Doctrine of Universal Sovereignty. | ||
| + | //As is the world, so are the gods. As are the gods, so is the world.// | ||
| + | Essentially, | ||
| + | As with [[[Onatar]]] and the smith, so too with the other deities and their own spheres of influence. [[[Dol|Dorn]]] is active in every battle; [[[Arawai| Arawai’s]]] voice is heard in the rustle of ever stalk of wheat. This is what the Vassals mean by the Doctrine of Universal Sovereignty: | ||
| + | The Doctrine of Universal Sovereignty illustrates perfectly the nature of gods in the world of Eberron. They do not walk the world or speak directly with their faithful. Aid or knowledge is given by an angel or some other outsider who represents the power of the divine. (And even these outsiders are themselves guided by nothing more than faith; an angel speaking for [[[Aureon]]] has no more spoken with her than the priest herself has.) | ||
| + | The very power of faith causes cleric magic to manifest. Most clerics maintain that if the gods were not real, no amount of faith could change the world, but this is a matter of belief and theology, not verifiable fact. When asked by skeptics why the gods, if they truly exist, do not take a more direct hand in the affairs of Eberron, most Vassals reply that they do indeed. Every plant that grows, every ruler that rises to power, every sword raised in battle, every beast in the herd, every healer’s touch—these are all signs of the gods working their will on the world, through the tools of the world itself. | ||
| + | It is possible to misinterpret the belief that gods and world are one as leaning more toward druidic religion than clerical. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Worship of the Host has grown alongside civilization, | ||
| + | |||
| + | * The Doctrine In-Depth** | ||
| + | It is perhaps not surprising that the so-called Doctrine of Universal Sovereignty is not truly all that universal. Oh, | ||
| + | the Vassals indisputably believe that their gods are a part of every aspect of the world, and that nothing happens without their involvement. It’s simply that the Vassals employ a rather flexible definition of what both “world ” and “involvement” actually mean. | ||
| + | The beloved gods of the Host cannot be held responsible for horrors such as the daelkyr and the quori, for they are of other worlds, not born of Eberron. | ||
| + | Were this the extent of the Vassals’ exceptions to the Doctrine, it might be reasonable enough. Many of them, however, extend this logic to all manner of things. Some maintain that any action taken by a follower of another deity is outside the purview of the Host, for these other gods do not acknowledge their place in the proper scheme of things. Some go farther still, claiming that those who refuse to acknowledge the Host have placed themselves “outside their place in the proper scheme of things,” and thus outside the protection—and influence—of the gods. A very select few even hold that when the Sovereign Host expelled the Dark Six from their ranks, they removed those gods from the world itself. Thus, anything that falls under the dominion of the Dark Six is outside the influence of the Sovereign Host. As convenient an explanation for why the gods allow misfortune to befall their worshipers as ever has been heard! | ||
| + | It would be remiss of me to imply that all Vassals are this loose in their definitions. Many of them accept that not all of life will go their way, no matter how devout they are or how benevolent their gods might be. Enough of them take advantage of these liturgical loopholes, however, that one must question how heartfelt their faith can truly be. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ++++++ THE DOCTRINE OF THE DIVINE HOST | ||
| + | The bedrock notion of the gods as both separate from the world, and yet a part of it, leads to the second of the Host’s primary doctrines. Called the Doctrine of the Divine Host, it states: | ||
| + | //The Sovereign Host is one name, and speaks with one voice. The gods are the letters of that name, and the sounds of that voice.// | ||
| + | Only a minority of Vassals focus on a single member of the Sovereign Host. The majority worship the pantheon in its entirety, calling upon whatever deity is most appropriate to their current circumstances. A Vassal might offer up paeans, or even burnt valuables, to [[[Kol|Korran]]] when undertaking a mercantile endeavor. That same Vassal might, the very next day, participate in a consecration ceremony to [[[Boldrei]]], | ||
| + | Although primary, the Doctrine of the Divine Host is not absolute. That most Vassals worship the entire pantheon does not mean that they revere all the gods equally. Many of the faithful choose a patron or two to whom they feel a special bond. The aforementioned blacksmith reveres Dol Arrah and Kol Korran, but he likely has a special place in his heart for Onatar. This has little bearing on his everyday religious practices, except that he saves the choicest sacrifices, and utters the longest and most heartfelt prayers, to his patron. | ||
| + | Similarly, while the priests of the Sovereign Host revere all the deities, many devote themselves to a specific deity. Such priests can perform services to any in the pantheon but specialize in the rites and duties of their particular patrons. This is especially common in large communities. A metropolis might have a temple dedicated to [[[Boldrei]]], | ||
| + | |||
| + | ++++++ THE SCHISM | ||
| + | Everyone familiar with the scriptures of the Sovereign Host knows that they once formed a single pantheon with [[[the|Dark Six]]]. The Host eventually banished the Six for their evil ways and constant schemes against the other gods. This sundering of the Host is called the Schism, the Divine Fall, or the Celestial Exile. Some theorists hold that the rape of [[[Arawai]]] by [[[the|Devourer]]] triggered the Schism, but other legends suggest that this event took place long after the split. | ||
| + | Scholars among Vassals and various religious institutions debate what the Schism actually means. After all, the Dark Six are no less gods now than they were before their banishment. They still hold sway over many aspects of the world, and some Vassals still pray to them under certain circumstances. Clearly, the Sovereign Host lacked the means (or the desire) to strip the Six of their divinity. | ||
| + | The Schism, then, is more along the lines of a familial division, one branch disowning and disavowing the other. It represents the efforts of the Host to distance themselves, and their worshipers, from their darker counterparts. While scripture describes this as punishment, some scholars believe that the Host wished to remove the Dark Six’s access to the population of Vassals, minimizing their ability to do further harm. | ||
| + | Scripture and scholars differ on what caused the conflict between the two factions of the original Host. Even the most ancient texts, whose doctrine reportedly predates the Schism, refer to the pantheon as Nine and Six and One. So even before the official split, the two groups were at least partly independent of each other. For centuries, Vassals assumed that this division was one of good against evil, which supports the currently accepted view. | ||
| + | Recent religious theory, however, suggests an alternative division, as well as another interpretation of the Schism itself. Of all the nine gods of the Sovereign Host, only two— [[[Arawai]]] and [[[Balinor]]]—hold dominion over natural aspects of the world. The others hold sway, partly or in whole, over elements of civilization and culture. Similarly, of [[[the|Dark Six]]], only two hold dominion over concepts native to civilization: | ||
| + | Similarly, these theorists maintain, the Schism was not the result of good defeating evil, but rather the struggle between the civilized and the savage for the future of mortals. In this conflict, they maintain, [[[Arawai]]] and [[[Balinor]]] sided with the gods of civilization for the sake of mortals, while [[[the|Mockery]]] and [[[the|Traveler]]] sided with the gods of the wild due to their enmity with many of the civilized deities. On a symbolic level, then, the Sovereign Host will dominate the world, and hold greater power than do the Dark Six, for so long as civilization thrives. Should the mortal races ever fall back into barbarism, however—as some feared would happen during the Last War—the Dark Six might well rise to ascendancy. | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Symbolism and Symbols** | ||
| + | Nearly everyone recognizes the symbol of the Sovereign Host. | ||
| + | Although the Octogram is well known, its true meaning has long been the subject of scholarly debate. Why should a pantheon consisting of nine deities possess an eight-pointed representation? | ||
| + | A relatively recent theory states that the symbol represents the first eight deities—those who existed before the birth of Kol Korran, the only second-generation god outside the Dark Six. This, proponents maintain, is the source | ||
| + | of Kol Korran’s acquisitive nature; he seeks the recognition that he feels is rightfully his but has been denied him. | ||
| + | A much more obscure hypothesis, espoused by only the most eccentric theologians, | ||
| + | The most widely accepted thought holds that the Octogram in fact represents the original pantheon—not only the current Sovereign Host, but the Dark Six as well. The fact that the symbol comes in two colors, with eight points, refers to sixteen actual entities. This theory is supported by ancient texts that refer to the original pantheon as “Nine and Six and One.” | ||
| + | To what does the “One” refer? Again, many theories abound. Some maintain that it is Eberron itself. A few theorists believe this indicates the presence of some long-lost deity. Such a claim is patently ridiculous. The Dark Six were actively banished, yet they are hardly forgotten or impotent; to claim that a deity could have been “lost” from the Host is without merit. (Note: In the book [[[novel: | ||
| + | The theory held in highest regard states that the “One” is the Sovereign Host as a whole. This is supported by the Doctrine of the Divine Host, as well as a few translations of the pantheon as “Nine and Six in One.” This suggests that the pantheon can take actions without any debate or discussion among its members. It just does what needs to be done, as a single being. This would explain how the Dark Six could be “banished ” from the pantheon; they simply ceased to be included in the actions of the Host itself. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ++++++ POLITICAL COVER? | ||
| + | |||
| + | In the minds of some of those who disdain the Sovereign Host, the entire concept of the Schism is nothing other than a political ploy, played out on a priestly, or even divine, scale. The gods of the Dark Six weren’t stripped of their divinity, these critics suggest. They were just “kicked out of the house,” a symbolic gesture if ever there | ||
| + | was one. | ||
| + | By an extension of this reasoning, then, the Sovereign Host holds no true grudge against the Dark Six, any more than a cliff holds a grudge against the seas or the winds that pound at it. Rather, the Schism was an attempt by Vassals to distance their patrons from the death and destruction caused by the Dark Six and the nastier forces | ||
| + | of nature. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ++++++ Creation Myths | ||
| + | A question frequently heard, in my capacity as liturgical scholar, is “Where do Vassals believe the gods come from? ” | ||
| + | This is a tricky proposition. This is a faith founded on the belief that the gods are an intrinsic part of the world. Yet the gods did not create the world; that was Eberron’s doing. (Eberron might herself be the world, depending on how literally one interprets the ancient myths.) And nothing in mythology suggests that Eberron had either the desire or the capability to create gods. How, then, did they come about? | ||
| + | The most widely accepted theory among scholarly circles states that the gods were indeed created by Eberron when she formed the world, but as—if you’ ll forgive my referring to the divine in a somewhat unflattering manner—accidental byproducts, not as a deliberate act. The creation of the world wrought numerous changes in the shape of reality itself, gathering and combining inconceivable amounts of mystical energy. This theory holds that the gods emerged from these energies alongside the world—that they are, quite literally, the children of creation. | ||
| + | A version of this theory pairs Eberron with Siberys. Its supporters note that Vassals of many disparate cultures have all depicted the Sovereigns as dragons. They claim that the Sovereigns were the true children of Eberron | ||
| + | and Siberys: mighty dragons who ascended to divinity after the defeat of Khyber’s vile fiends. Another belief, widely considered heretical, states that the gods didn’t exist until mortals did, that mortal belief in a higher power actually created the gods. I need not tell you what most Vassals think of people who espouse that concept. Several theories hold that the gods actually predate the creation of the world. One such theory, relatively unpopular and slowly dying, claims that the gods hail from realities outside our own, much as do celestials or the [[[daelkyr]]]. The gods came through some planar rift to Eberron, possibly during the act of creation, and settled | ||
| + | here. Few Vassals like this theory, as it implies that their patrons are, in a sense, alien. | ||
| + | A second pre-creation theory states that the gods existed in this reality along with the three Dragons, and that they took the world of Eberron under their care after it came into being. Some even suggest that the gods caused Eberron to create (become?) the world. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ++++++ VASSAL MORALITY | ||
| + | Myth and holy scripture apply ethics and morality— alignment, in game terms—to each of the gods. In Eberron, faith alone powers the magic of clerics and adepts, and grants the faithful the strength to overcome the travails of everyday life. Still, many less devout or less well-educated individuals assume that the vast majority of a group of worshipers should match the general ethical leanings of their gods. After all, wouldn’t a person naturally be drawn to a deity with a similar outlook on the world? Certainly this idea holds some element of accuracy in certain faiths: The [[[Church|of the Silver Flame]]], for instance, boasts more than its allotment of corruption in the ranks, but the majority of its followers do indeed share the same general goals and moral leanings as the Flame is said to hold. Still, a worshiper need not follow a deity’s creed—the Sovereign Host perfectly illustrates | ||
| + | this larger truth about the nature of Eberron and the divine. Alignment has little to do with a Vassal’s choice of whom to pray to; even the more focused Disciples consider many other factors when determining if their world view matches up with their patron’s. [[[Arawai]]], | ||
| + | It is an open secret among Vassals across [[[Khorvaire]]] that a great many of them—possibly even a majority—carry this attitude to its logical conclusion. Specifically, | ||
| + | |||
| + | ++++++ SOULS AND THE AFTERLIFE | ||
| + | |||
| + | According to Vassal belief, just as the gods are present in all aspects of the world, they are present in all living things. The soul is a tiny fragment of the divine, the animating spark that allows life to exist. Unfortunately, | ||
| + | Why worship, then, if it offers no alternative to the gray eternity of Dolurrh? Simply put, Vassals believe in honoring and thanking the gods for the life they have, for an existence on Eberron—however short—that can be made better. By honoring the Host, Vassals hope the gods will in turn grant them happiness in this life, if not the next. | ||
| + | Additionally, | ||
| + | |||
| + | ------ | ||
| + | ++++ SERVANTS OF THE SOVEREIGN HOST | ||
| + | Vassals are the most numerous worshipers in Khorvaire, and since they believe the gods are intrinsic to everyday life, a slightly larger proportion become priests than do members of other faiths. Only a very small percentage of those Vassals who call themselves priests are actually clerics, however. The majority of priests are simple men and women—possibly experts or nobles by class—who have devoted their lives to serving their religion and aiding others in leading a life of piety and reverence. Only the most devout of the devout have faith enough to work magic, and most of them do so only weakly. These are represented through the adept class. True clerics (or other divine casters, such as paladins or favored souls) embody the pinnacle of devotion, and are rare indeed. | ||
| + | The term priest conjures up images of a devout Vassal leading a congregation in prayer, or advising members of a community how best to deal with a crisis, or performing similar duties. This concept does not, however, reflect a universal truth. In fact, while the majority of priests of the Sovereign Host are leaders of the community or at least of the church, a substantial minority accept no such duties. | ||
| + | These unusual priests are often itinerant, refusing to stay long in any one place. Some seek to do their gods’ bidding by spreading their worship, healing and tending to the flock, or—in the case of more adventuresome priests—hunting down and destroying enemies of the Sovereign Host and the natural world. Others seek only to be left alone to contemplate their faith, holy scripture, or the mysteries of the gods’ interaction with nature. These wanderers have come to be known as evangelists, | ||
| + | An unusually high percentage (though still a minority) of wandering priests are true clerics. Whether this is a sign of divine favor, or simply a matter of survival—only clerics are capable of bringing miracles to those who need them or of battling any great evils they might come across—is unclear. In any event, this has led some Vassals | ||
| + | in distant communities to believe that only wandering priests have such powers, and thus they turn away from their local clergy. | ||
| + | ++++++ COMING TO THE FAITH | ||
| + | In a religion that sees the gods’ presence everywhere, is there any need to be a priest? Simply living is service to the gods, is it not? So what sort of person chooses to become a priest? The answers to that question are as varied as the priests themselves, but Vassals generally become priests of the Sovereign Host for one (or more) of five reasons. | ||
| + | * Faith:** It is self-evident, | ||
| + | * Duty:** Others step into the role of priest because someone has to do it. Perhaps they feel that people in their community are spiritually adrift or need someone to speak for them to the local government. These priests are often community leaders as much as religious ones. | ||
| + | * Security:** Although it is less common now than it once was, a number of people still join the priesthood for | ||
| + | financial security. Younger children, who stand to inherit little or nothing from their families, and people who seem unable to make a living at other pursuits, sometimes attempt to join the priesthood purely as a vocation. | ||
| + | * Power:** The priesthood of the Sovereign Host does not have as rigid a hierarchy as, say, the Church of the Silver Flame, but an internal power structure does exist. As the most widespread of the major religions, the Vassals have significant influence over a great many of Khorvaire’s nations, and even more over individual communities. It’s an unfortunate truth that certain priests of the Sovereign Host—just as with other religions—see not the gods’ glory burning like a beacon before them, but their own. Some honestly believe they can do more good in a position of power; others are interested only in their own advancement. | ||
| + | * Accident:** It seems odd, but many priests of the Sovereign Host obtain their position entirely by accident. The Host’s priesthood does not use intense training and ritual to identify the truly faithful as some faiths do. Becoming a priest requires little in the way of knowledge unavailable to the average layperson. Particularly in small communities, | ||
| + | * Chosen of the Gods** | ||
| + | A small movement is spreading through the priesthood, one that many experts either don’t know about or dismiss. These people believe that priests who stumble into their role should not only be automatically recognized, but that they are actually superior to other priests. If someone fits the role so perfectly as to be pushed into it by the community, isn’t that the best way to cement the people’s faith in their priests? Isn’t that a sign that the gods want that individual to speak for them? | ||
| + | This isn’t the most popular idea among the more orthodox priesthood. Even priests who aren’t power-hungry don’t necessarily like sharing what they have with people who haven’ t “earned ” their positions. Others are hesitant simply because the process has no safeguards to keep an evil but deceptive or charming individual from rising to an influential post. So far, the movement hasn’t gotten very far, but it’s only a matter of time before the higher-ups of the faith have to deal with it. | ||
| + | +++++ BECOMING A PRIEST | ||
| + | It is possible to become a priest of the Sovereign Host with only a modicum of religious knowledge, and sometimes without even trying to do so. That said, anyone who seeks to rise within the priesthood, to gain the respect of his peers, or to truly able to guide and protect his congregation, | ||
| + | This is done in one of three ways. | ||
| + | The preferred method is to attend a Sovereign Host seminary. Such seminaries can be found in almost every major city across [[[Khorvaire]]] (excluding such obvious exceptions as [[[Flamekeep]]]—the heart of the Silver Flame—and cities in nations that frown on the Host, such as [[[Droaam]]]). [[[Wroat: | ||
| + | For those who cannot reach (or afford) a seminary, apprenticeship in an active temple is the next best thing. Although the Sovereign Host does not boast grand cathedrals on the scale of those built by the Silver Flame, or winding catacombs such as those in Aerenal, many of its temples and shrines are large and elaborate. Priests appoint acolytes to perform duties such as maintaining the altars, arranging appointments, | ||
| + | The final option, and the one given least credence by the more tradition-bound members of the priesthood, is to become an apprentice to a priest outside of a temple environment. The mentor might be a village preacher, a wandering evangelist, or some other priest who does not have a congregation of his own. Such priests are fully capable of teaching the basics of faith and scripture, but the acolyte does not gain experience in managing a temple or a regular congregation. Furthermore, | ||
| + | The more organized among the priesthood subject candidates to various tests to determine their capabilities. These are tests in the truest sense of the word: written and oral questions that determine the individual’s knowledge and ability. The trials includes intense questioning on religious doctrine and history, as well as dealing with social and moral crises. The testing can take weeks, with many days devoted to hypothetical scenarios that adjudge reaction to a given danger or disaster. This constitutes the final period of seminary training, so all priests trained in those establishments must pass these tests. Individually trained priests, however, might take office without ever being exposed to them. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Sovereigns and Six: | ||
| + | Shaping the World | ||
| + | The Sovereigns and Six are all around us, their hands shaping | ||
| + | the world. Onatar stands by the smith at the forge, ready to guide | ||
| + | their hands. Dol Dorn is on the battlefield with every soldier. Give | ||
| + | thanks to Arawai for the gentle rain that helps the harvest—and | ||
| + | curse the Devourer for the storms that devastate your fields. The | ||
| + | Dark Six are also with us, urging us to stray from the righteous | ||
| + | path and give way to cruelty and greed, but we must let the | ||
| + | Sovereigns guide our actions and thank them for their blessings. | ||
| + | The Sovereign Host isn’t a demanding religion, and there are | ||
| + | many cultural variations and unique sects across Khorvaire. | ||
| + | As a follower of this faith, you could feel an especially strong | ||
| + | connection to a single deity, or you could have a general | ||
| + | reverence for the pantheon as a whole. Do you believe that | ||
| + | there is a particular Sovereign who guides your actions? Was | ||
| + | there a key moment in your life where you felt the hand of one | ||
| + | of the Sovereigns or Six? | ||
| + | Foundations of the Faith | ||
| + | Followers of the Sovereign Host are generally called Vassals, | ||
| + | but despite the shared name, they are anything but monolithic. | ||
| + | Variations of the Sovereign Host can be found across Eberron | ||
| + | in many different cultures—the Pyrinean Creed of humanity, the | ||
| + | Rushemé faith of the giants of Xen’drik, the Cazhaak traditions | ||
| + | of Droaam. Precise names and groupings change, but the | ||
| + | faith’s basic principles remain the same. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Distant yet Omnipresent | ||
| + | The Sovereigns don’t walk the world. No one expects to meet | ||
| + | Dol Dorn in the flesh. To do so would, in fact, be unnecessary | ||
| + | and limiting. You don’t expect to meet Dol Dorn because you | ||
| + | know he is with you every time a blade is drawn, ready to guide | ||
| + | your hand. Aureon watches over the wizard studying magic and | ||
| + | the judge presiding in court. The Devourer is present in every | ||
| + | storm, and you can’t fight him any more than you can defeat an | ||
| + | earthquake with a sword. A true Vassal doesn’t need proof of | ||
| + | the Sovereigns’ existence for the world itself is the proof. | ||
| + | With that said, many myths depict the Sovereigns in the | ||
| + | flesh, performing heroic acts and setting particular elements | ||
| + | of creation in motion. These myths are set during the Age of | ||
| + | Demons, and Vassal doctrine maintains that the Sovereigns | ||
| + | defeated and bound the fiendish overlords. As the overlords | ||
| + | previously ruled reality, once they were defeated, the Sovereigns | ||
| + | ascended to fill that role. So there are stories of Dol Dorn | ||
| + | performing tremendous feats of strength, and you might find | ||
| + | an artifact said to be Onatar’s hammer; but these date back to a | ||
| + | mythic age when they were champions, not yet true Sovereigns. | ||
| + | Every culture depicts the Sovereigns in different ways. The | ||
| + | giants depict them as giants while the Pyrinean Creed (discussed | ||
| + | in a later section) depicts them as humans. Many cultures use | ||
| + | draconic imagery to represent the Sovereigns. But since the | ||
| + | Sovereigns don’t manifest physically, any representation of | ||
| + | them is purely symbolic. Dol Dorn is the Warrior, Onatar is the | ||
| + | Smith—any image that clearly depicts these concepts will do. | ||
| + | A Personal Experience | ||
| + | The Sovereigns are everywhere, offering guidance to anyone | ||
| + | who will listen. Due to the personal nature of this faith, it | ||
| + | doesn’t have the same degree of organization and hierarchy as | ||
| + | the Silver Flame. A large community generally has an eightsided | ||
| + | temple to the Sovereign Host, staffed by full-time priests. | ||
| + | In smaller villages and towns, there might be an untended | ||
| + | shrine or a local person who is considered to be especially | ||
| + | close to a Sovereign and performs ceremonies. In the town of | ||
| + | Riverford, the innkeeper Dara is said to speak with Boldrei’s | ||
| + | voice; she’s the pillar of the community, and people come to her | ||
| + | with their problems and disputes. | ||
| + | A Sovereign priest’s role isn’t simply as an intermediary to | ||
| + | the divine; anyone can talk to the Sovereigns. Instead, priests | ||
| + | offer guidance and clarity, helping you understand the path | ||
| + | you’re on. A temple or priest often serves another function | ||
| + | beyond their religious duties; the Great Hall of Aureon in Sharn | ||
| + | is a library as well as a temple, while you might find a shrine to | ||
| + | Kol Korran at the center of the public market. Priests serve as | ||
| + | teachers, mediators, and guides, but they are often also subject | ||
| + | matter experts in the path tied to the Sovereign they serve. | ||
| + | In creating a Vassal character, think about your personal | ||
| + | relationship to the Sovereigns. Who do you feel particularly | ||
| + | close to? Do you feel you are blessed or directly guided by a | ||
| + | Sovereign? Is there a point in your life where you believe one of | ||
| + | the Sovereigns intervened on your behalf? | ||
| + | The Founding Faith | ||
| + | When human settlers came from Sarlona, they brought the | ||
| + | Sovereign Host with them. While some traditions have evolved | ||
| + | over the course of centuries and civilizations, | ||
| + | interpretation of the Sovereigns is part of the very foundation | ||
| + | of the Five Nations, and its creed is reflected in their values. | ||
| + | You should follow the laws (Aureon) and value the traditions | ||
| + | of your community (Boldrei). Industry (Onatar) and commerce | ||
| + | (Kol Korran) are encouraged, though greed (the Keeper) is not. | ||
| + | On the battlefield, | ||
| + | honor (Dol Arrah), while not engaging in needless cruelty (the | ||
| + | Mockery). You should trust in Aureon’s | ||
| + | laws and not take vengeance into your | ||
| + | own hands (the Fury). | ||
| + | Beyond these basic values, | ||
| + | the Sovereigns are ubiquitous | ||
| + | in the Five Nations. When | ||
| + | you go into a courtroom, | ||
| + | you stand on an Eye | ||
| + | of Aureon. Standard | ||
| + | marriage ceremonies | ||
| + | invoke Boldrei. Many people | ||
| + | aren’t devoted Vassals and don’t | ||
| + | actually believe the Sovereigns are | ||
| + | guiding their every action. But even | ||
| + | such pragmatists recall the names of each | ||
| + | Sovereign, know many of their songs, and | ||
| + | will celebrate Wildnight or Boldrei’s | ||
| + | Feast. By and large, if you live in the | ||
| + | Five Nations, it’s assumed you’re a | ||
| + | Vassal unless you specifically say | ||
| + | you’re not. | ||
| + | Endless Diversity | ||
| + | The giants of Xen’drik raised temples | ||
| + | to Ourelon Lawbringer long before | ||
| + | humanity embraced Aureon, the | ||
| + | Sovereign of Law and Lore. Hunters | ||
| + | in Aundair give thanks to Balinor, but | ||
| + | orcs in the Shadow Marches invoke | ||
| + | Baalkan the Beastlord, while the Talenta | ||
| + | halflings tell stories of clever Bally-Nur. | ||
| + | Some of this is a natural process | ||
| + | of syncretism. The Marcher orcs | ||
| + | blended their original beliefs with | ||
| + | the traditions of human settlers. | ||
| + | But the Talenta were telling their | ||
| + | stories before they ever encountered | ||
| + | humanity. Though scholars debate the | ||
| + | reason why, most agree that the more | ||
| + | similar a tradition is to an archetypal | ||
| + | Sovereign, the easier it is to draw | ||
| + | divine power from that faith. A culture | ||
| + | that invokes a deity of the hunt is more | ||
| + | likely to produce clerics and paladins than | ||
| + | a culture that worships a giant salmon of the | ||
| + | same name—and if the deity’s name is similar | ||
| + | to “Balinor, | ||
| + | easier still. Vassals sages assert that this proves the | ||
| + | existence of the Sovereigns, while skeptics say it could simply | ||
| + | be a numbers game—it’s easier to draw power from a shared | ||
| + | belief, and belief in the Sovereigns has reached critical mass. | ||
| + | Because of this diversity, Vassal priests are rarely concerned | ||
| + | with heresy. Those who follow the Pyrinean Creed may attempt | ||
| + | to correct what they see as flawed beliefs, but ultimately, most | ||
| + | just smile at the ignorance of the Marcher orc, content in the | ||
| + | knowledge that they know the proper names of the Sovereigns. | ||
| + | Likewise, while player characters and NPCs may choose | ||
| + | to follow one of the paths described below, you can always | ||
| + | develop a unique twist on tradition or introduce a new cult that | ||
| + | worships a specific grouping of Sovereigns. This openness | ||
| + | is also reflected in Vassal interactions with the Church of the | ||
| + | Silver Flame. The Pyrinean Creed asserts that the Sovereigns | ||
| + | defeated the overlords at the dawn of time; if the Silver Flame | ||
| + | is what keeps the overlords bound, presumably the Sovereigns | ||
| + | created it. So there’s no inherent conflict; rather, a Vassal will | ||
| + | simply shrug and say, “But why do you worship a cage?” | ||
| + | |||
| + | Paths of the Faith | ||
| + | The Sovereigns are worshiped in many different configurations | ||
| + | and forms. A particular community could be devoted to a single | ||
| + | Sovereign, or it could present a Sovereign and member of | ||
| + | the Dark Six as being allied forces (as seen with the Restful | ||
| + | Watch). A few of the best-known variants are described below. | ||
| + | The Pyrinean Creed | ||
| + | The standard names and attributes of the Sovereigns and Six | ||
| + | as presented in Eberron: Rising from the Last War—Aureon, | ||
| + | Balinor, the Shadow—are drawn from the Pyrinean Creed, the | ||
| + | dominant tradition within the Five Nations. This is the source of | ||
| + | the Octogram symbol, the division of Nine and Six, and holy days | ||
| + | like Boldrei’s Feast. If you follow the Pyrinean Creed, you believe | ||
| + | in the faith as it’s presented in the core Eberron sourcebooks. | ||
| + | You recognize all of the Sovereigns and Six, even if you may feel | ||
| + | that one in particular is especially influential in your life. | ||
| + | While the common faithful know the term “Pyrinean Creed,” | ||
| + | its history is largely only of interest to scholars and priests. | ||
| + | A typical Vassal might know that they believe in the Pyrinean | ||
| + | Creed, but if you asked five of them what Pyrine was, you’d get | ||
| + | five different answers—“He was a legendary missionary!” “It | ||
| + | was an old town in Daskara where there was a council!” In | ||
| + | reality, these beliefs were codified thousands of years ago in the | ||
| + | Sarlonan nation of Pyrine, then carried to Khorvaire by human | ||
| + | settlers. While Pyrine was assimilated by the Empire of Riedra | ||
| + | over a thousand years ago and its people no longer worship | ||
| + | the Sovereign Host, their legacy lives on in Khorvaire. | ||
| + | Eberron: Rising from the Last War assigns domains to | ||
| + | individual Sovereigns, but Pyrinean priests can often perform | ||
| + | the rites of any Sovereign, invoking the deity most appropriate | ||
| + | to the current situation. In creating a Sovereign cleric, you can | ||
| + | assert that you have a close tie to a particular Sovereign and | ||
| + | primarily speak on their behalf; in this case, use the domain | ||
| + | associated with that Sovereign. For example, the Life domain | ||
| + | is a good option for a cleric who speaks for all Sovereigns | ||
| + | equally, as it provides a general ability to protect your allies | ||
| + | and community; and the Knowledge domain makes sense for a | ||
| + | priest who’s more scholar than warrior. | ||
| + | The Church of the Wyrm Ascendant | ||
| + | The Church of the Wyrm Ascendant worships the Sovereigns | ||
| + | in the same groupings and names as the Pyrinean Creed. | ||
| + | However, the church asserts that the champions who fought the | ||
| + | overlords were dragons, depicting them as such. The church | ||
| + | is very focused on wealth and economic power; members | ||
| + | are expected to contribute to the hoard of their local temple, | ||
| + | and the priests often engage in behavior that outsiders might | ||
| + | consider to be corrupt. They hold the unorthodox belief that | ||
| + | mortals can ascend to become Sovereigns themselves—that | ||
| + | by emulating a particular Sovereign, a mortal can eventually | ||
| + | take their place. Popular rumor holds that the founder of the | ||
| + | Library of Korranberg, Dorius Alyre ir’Korran, | ||
| + | as part of a quest to assume the mantle of Aureon. While this | ||
| + | Sovereign ascension is believed to occur after death, some | ||
| + | priests teach that devoted members—especially those who | ||
| + | donate great sums to the temple hoard—can actually become | ||
| + | dragons in life. While this seems unlikely, it could be an | ||
| + | interesting background for a Draconic Bloodline sorcerer; | ||
| + | it’s not that you have draconic ancestry, but rather, due to | ||
| + | your devotion, you appear to be evolving into a dragon. | ||
| + | Wyrm Ascendant Vassals believe the dragons themselves are | ||
| + | divine tools and emissaries of the Sovereigns and Six, though | ||
| + | few dragons have ever acknowledged the church in any way. | ||
| + | It’s thought that the dragons themselves follow a form of this | ||
| + | faith known as Thir—Draconic for “three”—but the traditions of | ||
| + | Argonnessen are rarely revealed to people of Khorvaire. | ||
| + | The Wyrm Ascendant is strongest in Aundair and Zilargo, | ||
| + | though it remains an obscure sect, and has noteworthy temples | ||
| + | in Stormreach, Korranberg, and Fairhaven. | ||
| + | The Restful Watch | ||
| + | Priests of the Restful Watch specialize in embalming, funerals, | ||
| + | and cemetery maintenance. They can be found in every major | ||
| + | city in the Five Nations, and even smaller towns may have a | ||
| + | devotee of the Watch tending the boneyard. The Restful Watch | ||
| + | maintains that the souls of the dead pass through Dolurrh into | ||
| + | the realm of the Sovereigns—unless they are snatched by the | ||
| + | Keeper’s greedy talons. One of a priest’s most important duties | ||
| + | is helping bereaved choose appropriate grave goods or sacrifices | ||
| + | sufficient to distract the Keeper and ensure the deceased’s soul | ||
| + | reaches Dolurrh. For a simple person with few achievements, | ||
| + | a single coin might suffice. But the more remarkable the | ||
| + | deceased, the greater interest the Keeper will have in their | ||
| + | soul—requiring a more significant sacrifice to distract him. | ||
| + | Faithful of the Watch rarely discuss another aspect of their | ||
| + | faith with outsiders—that once a soul rises to the realm of the | ||
| + | Sovereigns, it can never return. The Restful Watch believes that | ||
| + | if Aureon knows that a dead hero will be needed in the future, | ||
| + | he has the Keeper snatch the soul before it reaches Dolurrh, so | ||
| + | it can be restored when the time is right. Thus, while the Restful | ||
| + | Watch primarily reveres Aureon, they also understand and | ||
| + | respect the Keeper, and believe that he serves a vital purpose. | ||
| + | Members of the Watch often serve as mediums and exorcists, | ||
| + | considering it a sacred duty to lay restless spirits to rest. | ||
| + | Clerics associated with the Restful Watch usually take the | ||
| + | Grave Domain (from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything), | ||
| + | the Knowledge and Death domains are also options. Paladins | ||
| + | of the Watch typically take Oaths of Devotion or Redemption, | ||
| + | but those with an especially deep understanding of the Keeper | ||
| + | might be represented by the Oathbreaker. | ||
| + | Two other roles within the Restful Watch could be interesting | ||
| + | options for a player character. The Restful Watch believes that | ||
| + | Aureon is preserving the souls of heroes in preparation for an | ||
| + | apocalyptic conflict that lies ahead. It’s said that this will involve | ||
| + | the collapse of the Silver Flame and the subsequent unleashing | ||
| + | of the dreadful overlords. You may have been sent out in the | ||
| + | world to watch for signs that this conflict is coming to pass; | ||
| + | this could require you to investigate the Mournland or clash | ||
| + | with the Lords of Dust. | ||
| + | The Restful Watch also occasionally identifies people they believe Aureon has marked as a hero whose soul will be preserved. This could be one of your fellow adventurers—and as an acolyte or sage of the Restful Watch, you’ve been assigned to follow this person around, chronicling their life and making sure to perform the appropriate rituals when they die. “Don’t mind me, I’m just going to follow you around until your heroic death. Trust me, you’re going to accomplish amazing things!” | ||
| + | The Three Faces | ||
| + | Followers of the Pyrinean Creed honor the Sovereigns and are encouraged to shun the Dark Six. The Six embody dark forces that have no place in a virtuous society. However, over the course of centuries, there have always been cults to challenge this view. The Three Faces cults serve two purposes. On the one hand, they honor particular groupings of the Sovereigns and Six, asserting that there are members of the Six with something valuable to offer worshippers. Beyond this, the cults are also secret societies—a form of fraternal order that binds people together even if they aren’t truly invested in the religious aspects of the cult. For example, the Three Faces of War can be found in all of the armies of the Five Nations. | ||
| + | The Three Faces of Coin honors Kol Korran, Onatar, and Kol Turrant (the Keeper). This cult operates in major cities, usually recruiting merchants, smugglers, and captains of industry. It is based on the idea that while honest trade and industry form the core of commerce, there should always be a way for people to get what they desire; thus, it is a neutral ground where criminals and guild artisans can work together. The Aurum often recruits members from the Three Faces of Coin. | ||
| + | The Three Faces of Love honors Boldrei, Arawai, and Szorwai (the Fury)—the Love that Binds, the Love that Brings Life, and the Love that Burns. This cult embraces all who believe in and wield the power of love, from actors to poets to paid companions. Members gather to share stories and change lives; the cult excels at matchmaking and at disrupting important relationships they consider to be doomed. | ||
| + | The Three Faces of War honors Dol Arrah, Dol Dorn, and Dol Azur (the Mockery). It was part of the united armies of Galifar, and cult chapters can be found in all of the armies of the Five Nations. Sect meetings provide a place for soldiers and veterans to interact as friends and equals, regardless of rank or nationality. The cult asserts that honor and courage are to be valued, but there is also a time and place for cunning and cruelty, even if it is never to be desired. | ||
| + | The Three Faces of the Wild honors Arawai, Balinor, and Shargon (the Devourer). Sects are usually found in rural communities, | ||
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| + | Celestials and the Sovereign Host | ||
| + | When priests of the Sovereign Host cast spells such as commune or planar ally, they usually interact with celestials from the planes. Typically, this is a celestial that embodies the same concept as the Sovereign in question; when a Vassal priest casts conjure celestial in Dol Arrah’s name, a warlike angel may come from Shavarath. When a celestial speaks the name of a Sovereign, listeners will hear the name they are most familiar with, whether that’s Balinor, Baalkan, or Bally-Nur. As such, some scholars assert that it’s slightly unclear if a summoned angel serves “Dol Arrah,” or if it instead serves “Honor in War” and it’s just being translated as Dol Arrah. If asked such a pedantic question, both the angel and a devout Vassal might simply respond with, “What’s the difference? Dol Arrah is honor in war.” | ||
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