Faith of the Holy Communion

Votierre

Arrateo

Draeland

The Faith of the Holy Communion is the dominant religion within the continent of Arvinder.

## Pantheon

### The Maker

The Maker is the sole deity within the Faith of the Holy Communion. He is believed to have created all things. All realms, all races, and all magic can be traced back to Him. Furthermore, whilst he is no longer directly involved with creation, his benevolence is responsible for all positive occurrences within the world.

Shortly after creating humankind, His chosen and most favored people, the Maker withdrew from the world, charging His angels to bow before humanity, and then to guide and protect them in His absence.

Despite the numerous other religions in the world, the Maker is believed to be the only true god, with the deities of other faiths being other powerful beings falsely claiming divinity.

### The Angels

The angels are the Maker's divine servants, who were left to ensure order and good reigned in the world after His withdrawal. The angels are responsible for spreading the Maker's gifts throughout the world, and protecting it from evil corruption. They reside in the sacred realm of Luminium, and their Heavenly Host is lead by the seven Archangels, each of which is responsible for upholding one of the Seven Holy Virtues.

#### Archangel Zarael

The Lord of the Heavens, Light of Luminium, Voice of the Maker, and Bane of Darkness, Zarael is the Archangel of Justice, and the Maker's chosen overseer of Creation within his absence. Zarael is the most noble and powerful of the Archangels, and was responsible for ending Azreus's Rebellion, banishing him and his followers to the Infernal Pits for his arrogance and pride, and thereafter serving as Azreus's eternal foe. As Archangel of Justice, Zarael is responsible for the dispensing of punishments for the guilty and rewards for the deserving. He judges all souls upon their deaths, deciding whether to grant them access to the eternal bliss of Luminium or condemning them to the Infernal Pits. The overseer of all arbiters of law, including, kings, lords, and emperors, Zarael is the divine figure from which all such individuals are meant to follow the example of. Furthermore, all those who sit in judgement of another typically invoke him to guide their decisions, and arbiters of the law call upon him for the strength to punish criminals and wrongdoers.

#### Archangel Raziel

Known as the Wrath of Heaven, the Holy Scourge, and the Fiery Hand, Raziel is the Archangel of Courage, Zarael's second in command, and the greatest general of Luminium. He is the patron of all warriors and knights, and is called upon before battles to lend strength and courage to participants. Raziel can also be invoked in any other situation that requires courage, such as facing down a frightening beast. Raziel is a staunch opponent of the Archdevil Borthram, for while both are closely tied to battle, Raziel advocates for temperance in combat, while Borthram seeks mindless and bloody slaughter.

#### Archangel Karael

She of the Gentle Hand, the Great Healer, and Lady Light, Karael is the Archangel of Mercy. She serves as the patron of healers and midwives, and works to protect the weak and innocent. Karael is invoked when performing any sort of medicinal practice, when praying for someone's safety, or when asking someone to withhold punishment. She stands against the wickedness of Venozal, the Archdevil of Envy, spreading love and mercy into the hearts of mortals to cleanse his insidious influence from them.

#### Archangel Thurieth

The Archangel of Fortitude, Thurieth is also known as the Heavenly Craftsman, Thurieth the Enduring, and the Eternal Flame. He is the patron of craftsmen and laborers, lending strength and bolstering the wills of all the faithful. Thurieth is invoked whenever strength of arms or of will is required, often being called upon for endurance and assistance with completing laborious tasks. He stands against Zagranad, the Archdevil of Indifference, for through Thurieths strength, mortals may persevere against the call of sloth and decadence.

#### Archangel Malien

The Archangel of Wisdom, Malien is also known as the Grey Lady, The Youthful Crone, and the Holy Seeress. She is the patron of the elderly and the lost, and provides guidance to those who require wisdom. Malien is also said to be the one who most commonly gifts holy visions to the faithful, and grants the wisdom to achieve goals, and more importantly, to know of such goals should even be striven for. Malien is also associated with death, and appears as a pale and beautiful angel, garbed in a grey cloak, and is responsible for guiding the souls of the deceased to Zarael for judgement. She is invoked whenever someone requires wisdom or guidance. Additionally, she stands in opposition to the Archdevil Kalidiin, with her wisdom being used to see through the deceptions of the wicked Archdevil by shining the Light of Truth. .

#### Archangel Amaros

The Everstern, He of the Hallowed Word, and Keeper of Oaths, Amaros is the Archangel of Honor. Amaros is said to bear witness to every oath that is ever spoken, and is invoked whenever vows are taken, including at weddings. He discourages dishonesty in all its forms, and is additionally called upon whenever one is trying to discern a truth. Amaros is also the patron of community leaders, whose honor is prized most of all. He is the greatest foe of the Archdevil Sazura, providing mortals with the strength of character to resist giving into her lustful temptations.

#### Archangel Uthar

The Archangel of Charity, Uthar also goes by the titles of Lord of Luck and the Great Giver. He is said to be the architect behind all good fortune, and blesses the faithful with luck. He is the patron of artists, such as singers and patrons, and is of all the Archangels, is said to be most concerned with spreading joy to the faithful and rewarding them for their good deeds. Uther is the greatest foe of the Archdevil of Greed, Ramiel, teaching mortals to be kind and giving, rather than covetous and avaricious.

### The Devils

The Devils are agents of corruption and evil, former angels who, in their arrogance and vanity, thought themselves above the will of the Maker, and rebelled against his decrees, leading to them being cast out of Luminium and into the Infernal Pits.

#### Archdevil Azreus

Azreus is the King of the Damned, the Dark Seducer, Lord of the Pits, and Archdevil of Pride. He is said to be the most wicked and arrogant of all devils, having led the rebellion against the word of the Maker before being cast out by Zarael. Now, he rules the Infernal Pits, and seeks to damn the souls of the Maker's chosen creation, mankind. His honeyed words drive kings and peasant alike to corruption and damnation, playing upon their ego and pride to lead them away from the path of the Maker.

#### Archdevil Borthram

Borthram is the brutish Archdevil of Wrath, and also holds the title of Slayer of Kings and Father of Vampires. He is one of the most powerful of the devils, and it is his greatest pleasure to make mortal men succumb to their rage, to war against on another and said each other's blood. He is responsible for prodding men towards anger and violence, the voice of bloodlust inside everyone's head, urging them to give in to their wrath and kill, tainting the natural battle courage provided by Raziel with mindless barbarity.

#### Archdevil Venozal

Venozal is the Archdevil of Envy, and goes by such titles as the Corrupter and the Master of Misfortune. He is the source of jealousy within men's hearts, and prompts them to commit betrayal and murder as means to seek what rightfully belongs to others. He is one of the most potent of the Archdevils, second only to Azreus in his ability to worm his way into the hearts of men. He seeks to overcome the kindness of Karael, the Archangel of Mercy, by sowing the souls of mortals with envious hatred.

#### Archdevil Sazura

Sazura is the Archdevil of Lust, and is also known as the Black Whore, the Breaker of Marriage, and the Foul Temptress. She is known for corrupting women into performing acts of harlotry, and for tempting men towards sins of the flesh. Women are thought to be particularly vulnerable to her corruption, and it is for this reason that chastity among females is of such import in lands where the Faith holds sway. Sazura despises Amaros, for the honor that he teaches to mortals opposes her foul seductions.

#### Archdevil Ramiel

The Archdevil of Greed, Ramiel also holds the titles of the Glittering Wyrm and the Dragonheart. He taints the heards of men with desire for wealth and power, and is responsible for releasing the treasure hungry dragons upon the earth. His influence causes men to steal from each other and to hoard wealth instead of putting it to the betterment of the Faith and fellow men. He is opposed by the Archangel Uthar, the Archangel of Charity, who teaches men to give whilst Ramiel tempts them to take.

#### Archdevil Kalidiin

Kalidin is the Archdevil of Duplicity, Lady of Lies, The Vile Whisperer and Queen of the Poisoned Tongue. She fills mortal hearts with deceit, tempting them into using lies to further their goals instead of being straightforward and honest. She is said to be the creator of the werebeasts, the foul monsters who wear human skin, only to transform into their true monstrous forms and attack faithful servants of the Maker. She is opposed by Malien, the Archangel of Wisdom, who sees through her lies and shines the Light of Truth upon the world.

#### Archdevil Zagranad

The Archdevil of Indifference, the Great Sloth, and Lord of Decadence, Zagranad causes mortals to fall into laziness and apathy. Men begin to drown themselves in drink and vices, refusing to work and support their families, whilst lords fail to see to their duties and let their lands fall to chaos as a result of his corruptions. However, the Archangel Thurieth grants men the strength of will and body to stave off his temptations, making the two eternal foes.

## Cosmology

### The Realm of Men

The Realm of Men is the pinnacle of creation, forged by the Maker as a place for mortals, specifically the humans, his chosen race, to dwell.

### The Infernal Pits

The Infernal Pits are the series of realms that the traitorous devils were cast into by the angels. Later on, the Infernal Pits would become a place of damnation for all those who defied the Maker's will and teachings, where they would be eternally tormented for their sins. The utterly vile individuals will be so twisted by the evils of the Pit that they themselves will be transformed into devils.

### Luminium

Luminium is the glorious realm forged by the Maker, and the home of His angels. All good souls who follow the teachings of the Maker and His angels eventually ascend to Luminium, where they will be blessed with eternal bliss and happiness, or, if they are truly noble, given the opportunity to become angels themselves.