The Council of Tiberius

## Brief History and Ethos

In the days before the coming of the comet there were the old magics of the Skagriagaard and the Zoranethi, the Giant Kin and the Angelus. When the comet came it bought with it the first of the changes, the new magic, the source of magic; source magic. From source magic through the belief of others the three Gods of old were born: The first was Kalarin a goddess founded in the forges of War, battle goddess: The light of the Heavens. The next was Malice the made being created of spite and sin wickedness founded of one man's ambitions to rule the lands: The Dark One. The last was the balance, weaver of order and bringer of the peace, founded by need and necessity and a call for common ground: Tremalian the Grey. As they rose to the heavens so they gave Focus to the power of the Source. Focus Magic was created and so, powered by the belief of their followers and a pact made with Fae of Eidelos they prospered.

For many hundreds of years they ruled the heavens and the stories of their followers, the Angels and Archangels and indeed even the Gods themselves are many. Epic Legends when all powers strode the lands and did battle, causing so much devastation that the great Tharinos’ was called in which all powers were as equal and the Gods could be called to answer for their actions. Eventually however the eyes of Malice, inspired by the will of the Torakaylin family line, turned to the control of the lands of the Basin and beyond and it called upon its General Gabrak to lay waste to the other great churches in its name. It was in these great Pantheonic Wars that the Gods of this time were destroyed and the Gods that we know and venerate today where born.

Power and belief of that time are mysterious forces to the modern day Priest; the fall and rise of Gods and Goddesses, that seems so alien to us now, was a real threat to the followers of the faith in that day and age. It is almost impossible for us to imagine seeing the raw power of our God overshadowing a city and being cut to pieces by the power of Daemons and enemy casters. Yet this is how the deities of the past were ended but it was not the end of the belief nor the power and portfolios that they represented. It was almost as if the Gods had prepared for the final days of their mortality and had chosen new vessels for their powers but rather than the simplicity of the three deities their power was extended to meet the demands of a larger, growing base of Priests. Seemingly normal folk were raised up and became the new powers of Gods and Goddesses beyond the boundaries of Soul Anchor.

One of these Gods was called Tiberius; representing honesty, duty, valour and honour; Tiberius is the epitome of the chivalric warrior bringing a certain sense of grace to warfare and to battle. In mortal life Tiberius was the foremost Holy Warrior of the Goddess Kalarin and was responsible for many heroic deeds that set him apart from many of his comrades in arms. Rather than the no nonsense policy that she operated regarding the branding of any Source User as a potential Daemonic host or the burning of entire towns if one heretic was found within it he was more than lenient in these cases. Many of the folk that understand the teachings of the church of Tiberius today would be horrified to see the way that Kalarinites operated and proud of the man that became their God for bringing the Church to the place that it finds itself in today.

When the Pantheonic wars were over the followers of Kalarin were many, the faith was shattered by the changing formations of politics and the rise of the new Gods. From the ranks of the Kalarinites soldiers and warriors were gathering together under the force of several personalities, specifically the more stringent Kalarinites, such as Tolvek of the Shining Blade, Dieron the Blessed and Tuquine; The Silent Lady. Dieron himself had travelled with Tiberius before he rose to the heavens and the others had been blessed to fight alongside him. They were the most militant of the Kalarinites and took much of the faith that they had carried straight to the Churches giving the early doctrine its clear formation. That of battle and duty and the destruction of that which was considered dark and evil. As the years went by the Church would come to change and soften its approach but at this time it was a bloody and by extension Kalarinite Church.

The earliest efforts of the Church was to establish, via conversion of existing buildings, centres of powers at both the centre of the burgeoning Kingdom and at the very edges of the civilised borders of that society ostensibly to keep it safe from the darkness at its door. As the years went by the Tiberiusite Church cemented its place within the Basanic Clergy but caused tensions between the Church of Notelexus and itself with its dogmatic hatred of Unnatural creatures, specifically the Undead that walk in the service of the God of the Dead. As Notelexus fell from Basanic graces and its champions became such creatures, bent on conquest of the fertile Basanic lands so did heroes of our faith, leaders, rise: Dieron the Blessed himself, the greatest of the line of the Battle God, Catagore Cotageish of the Rice Empire and Seshepenmehit of the Egarian City States all came together during this time. They fought back the darkness and bought concepts such as Honour, Valour, Chivalry and Sacrifice more directly into the mainstream of the doctrine.

It is always the way of the great to be attacked by the weak however and it was the power of the Devourer that crept into the utopia of the rising Church of Tiberius and spoke its lies. Dieron the Blessed was at this point at the height of the Church and its powers, Catagore and Seshmet had returned to their homelands and the Churches of Dusk had been outlawed due to their switch in tenets and beliefs, again a ploy attempted by the Devourer. Resting on its glory and politically powerful the Church of Tiberius fell rapidly when supposed heresy was bought against it. Great tumult throughout the clergy was met with various responses as the senior Priests of the faith battled the main clergy in various arenas. As the heresy was inevitably proven to be a lie so had the Church schismed into three clear sects: The Council of Tiberius rallied under the great Dieron the Blessed, trying to uphold the ideals that had been carefully gathered over 1,400 years. The Swords of Tiberius believed that the White Blade of Tiberius; Eryk Stromm would lead them to purity through war whilst the Brothers of Tiberius clung to Chivalry and Derring under Sarah King a Redeemer of near legendary faith.

As the years have passed the Churches have developed new outlooks as they strive to meet the demands of the people that they serve. It has been a mainstream struggle between the old guard and the new thinkers and in recent years the new thinkers have won through. Whilst many would point to the actions of the old "Dark" Churches that brought us together it is clear that the new order of the Clergy: The Churches of Dawn, Day and Dusk would not have become prevalent had it not been for the Holy Order. The Dawn Churches, Yarrianne, Naed and Tiberius represent the dawn of life when we are fresh and full of life, naivety and energy. The Day; Bethylak, Terref and Ekimelahw, represents the middle of our lives when we have become wise and wealthy and live more ordered lives. The Dusk shows us as we approach the end of our lives, when our burdens have weighed heavily upon us, we are wearied and tired and death is but a corner away on our journey. This aspect of our faith is represented by the Churches of the Kraken, Notelexus and Rayvahn.

The years have passed but the schism remained, the duties of the Clergy have remained heavy upon us but we have kept ourselves the shining example in the field. Regardless, however, of the widespread return of the Churches of Dusk and the slowly burgeoning unity of our faiths the Council remains a place of deepest darkness. In Watersdown of the year 2013 the world in its entirety faced one of its darkest moments: Deep in Soul Anchor, between the Heavens and the Mortal Realm, a being known as the Red Sultan had waged a bloody war across all reality to rebuild the world in his own image, wiping all else that lived from the its back. Despite the efforts of so many souls, hundreds of thousands perishing in the tumult he had succeeded and the time for the end of all life was at hand. In the ultimate sacrifice our Lord Dieron the Blessed cast his own essence into the nothing of the past to save all our souls. There have been a number of candidates that have been considered to stand forward since that day as leader of our faith but none can ever emerge from that shadow. Instead a great council has been elected to rule the Church, interpret the will of our Lord and to hold the reins of power until the return that all expect one day for no challenge, no matter how great can lay low the mighty Dieron and he shall come back.

The Clergy have long been the ruling body and government of the faiths of the Royal Basin. At times it has been severely understaffed, particularly in the periods when the Churches of the Devourer, Notelexus and Rayvahn were left awash in the wilderness. In recent years the Clergy has been in constant debate and argument but in 2014 the decision was made to appoint a full head and re-establish the Azure Table to sit with the Golden Table of the Royal Basin. Initially the vote seemed likely to be in favour of Sebastian Blackthorn to rule the table in the name of the Church of Rayvahn but it was Yarriannes Mirelle Silverlight who won the majority vote and became the new leader of the Azure Table. Now the Azure Table/Clergy begin a time of rebuilding and unity that will bring a new and prosperous time for all faiths and a togetherness that we hope will endure a thousand years of Basanic life.

### Code of the Clergy and the Azure Table

* The Clergy stands above the individual churches with regards to the following issues:
* Ratification of any new Church Policy

Ratification of any change in Church Dogma

* Ratification of any policy that crosses the Golden Table
* Expenditure of Azure Table Resources
* Identification and direction of Divine Law
* Interpretation of the words of the Gods at Tharinos

#### The Clergy expects

* Full respect to all other faiths that stand within the pantheon of Dawn, Day and Dusk
* The adherence to both Divine and Mortal Law
* To show adequate respect to the laws of the Clergy and the members of the Azure Table that uphold them.

#### Code of the Holy Order of Tranquility

* You will respect the laws of any land that you are in but always place the well being of any individual before the law and before yourself.
* You will always offer aid and assistance to those that are in need of it asking nothing in return.
* You will obey the divine laws lain down by all the representatives of the Gods at any Tharinos. These are divine edict and cannot be superseded by mortal thoughts.
* You will collect alms for the Church wherever possible that this wealth be redistributed to those who have less and need more.
* You will take no direct hostile action against any who do not seek to harm you.
* You will defend yourself to the best of your ability if harm is offered to you but you will not seek the deaths of those that oppose you.

## The God Tiberius

**Deity:** Tiberius, The Mailed Fist, Undead Bane, Knight of the Heavens.

**Aliases:** Tzi Tzain: Dak, Zumatakan: Faryus, Lairdan-Gan: Morvelus, Yuirfarvallen: Illyaster, Iron Blood: Dae Mor, Rock Hand:  Waryan, Granite Heart: Taveni, Gnomish: Ulikar, Orcish: Pochok Kar, Fae: Kashzyzkk.

**Divine Seat:** The Golden Lands

**Afterlives:** The Seat of Heroes, the eternal vigil and the forge of the Righteous.

**Foes:** The Countess, The Spires of the North and The Returned.

**Symbol:** A Clenched Gauntlet.

### Portfolios:

**Major**: Honesty, Valour, Duty, Honour,

**Minor**: Righteous Vengeance, Sacrifice, War, Daring, Loyalty, Smithing
Tiberius is the patron of those who face danger and battle for a greater good. During his life he was a fearless and faithful warrior of Kalarin who obeyed all of her commands regardless of personal danger. Today he is the battle arm of the Gods of light, delivering his justice to those that are evil, deceitful and destructive and acting to keep law, order and loyalty everywhere. Tiberius represents the epitome of knightly virtue in many ways, he is a kind and gentle power when dealing with the young and faithful, the weak and to those that are friends and loved ones, however The Mailed Fist is stern righteous and unyielding in his duty and despite the goodness in his heart his vengeance is bloody indeed.

As well as his overwhelming aspects of loyalty through oaths and his dedication to duty Tiberius is also famed as the Undead Bane. During his time as a mortal and through his returns to the world Tiberius has battled against the unloving attempting to remove their blemish from the land. His hatred for these creatures knows no bounds and his followers have tended to emulate this hatred, campaigning with great vigour against the Undead. This has, of course, led to countless battles over the centuries against the forces of Notelexus with whom the church has a special enmity that dates back to before the pantheonic wars.

On his visits to the realm of mortals Tiberius has taken the form of an aging Holy Warrior with dark hair streaked with silver. In this form Tiberius radiates an eternal calm, self-confidence and quiet enthusiasm. It is clear that he has withstood countless evils without breaking and righteousness flashes in his eyes. His followers are often armour clad and wear pristine silvers and whites with the Symbology of Tiberius boldly emblazoned upon their shields and robes. The Clergy are made up of Redeemers who travel the land as the chosen of Tiberius, Church Knights who make up the backbone of the Church or Crusading Defenders, often called Tiberius’ Children, who carry his blessings and his powers directly to the enemies of the Church.

## Dogma

Tiberius is one of the most ethically pure of the all faiths in that it is devoted to obedience and loyalty. This is not to say that this is a Blind obedience; Tiberiusites are as guided by their own actions as they are by the loyalty that they serve. For a Tiberiusite salvation may be found through their adherence to duty and honour and their day to day actions are guided by such thoughts. Before any oaths are taken or fealty sworn the onus is placed upon the Lord that they give themselves to, a Tiberiusite is often engaged in the activities of investigation of their would be masters before any oaths of fealty are given.
Sadly the words of Tiberius are difficult beasts to master and many interpretations of his speakings have been adopted by the Churches. The council of Tiberius are effectively his “old school”. They follow the code of chivalry, battle the Undead and protect the lands of the Royal Basin under his guidance. They encompass a very collective and rational view of his teachings unlike the Swords of Tiberius. These are a relatively young (some thirty years old) faction of the church and are focused on a militant and aggressive rationalisation of the Tiberiusite dogma. They believe that those strictly not of a following of the churches of light are enemies of the Basanic folk and have begun an almost undercover war against them. Whilst they are tolerated within the confines of the Basin they seem likely to be barred rapidly given their polarisation towards aggressive doctrine. Unlike the Swords the Brothers of Tiberius focus on the acts of Chivalry and daring, travelling the lands as a group of heroes they have little to do with ecumenical matters, instead concentrating on the physical tasks rather than the spiritual. They are mainly composed of Church Knights and crusading defenders.

### From the Story of Honour

*“The world is a dangerous place that poses a never ending series of challenges for those who fight for justice and the protection of the weak and the innocent. One must act with honourable intent at all times and uphold the virtues of justice and chivalry in word and deed. Danger must be faced with certainty and calm, inner peace is the reward for defeating evil and the glory that it brings to the name of Tiberius. Purity and virtue come from upholding his word and light is the gift that we bring to flush those that hide in the darkness from the shadows*.”

## Archangels and Angels of Power:

**Ranimar**: Archangel of Honour: Dealing with personal honour, codes of conduct, ethics and morality.A Priest that has called upon Ranimar to be their patron is now a bastion for the ways of their God. Their duty is to ensure that the ethics, morality and codes of personal conduct are followed and respected by their companions and the flock for which they tend.

**Fulvaylor**: Archangel of Valour: Dealing with personal courage, the inspiration of inner strength in others and the recognition of this strength in your enemy. A Priest that has called upon Fulyavor to be their patron has learned to respect and understand the strength which flows from within a person. Their ability to quench the fire of their fears and to gain personal power from such victories. It is their duty to inspire others to achieve this end for themselves.

**Marek**: Archangel of Duty: Dealing with obedience to the oaths that have been sworn to be upheld and the punishment of those that fail to uphold their own. A Priest that has called upon Marek to be their patron is now responsible for the observation of oaths amongst their companions and their flock and more importantly the completion of them. Those who break a vow watched over by a follower of Marek will be punished by them as far as the remit of the law allows them.

**Terrik**: Archangel of Honesty: Dealing with frank and open truth with oneself and those to whom you hold a loyalty. Not specifically the Truth of all things and blindness to reality. A Priest that has called upon Terrik to be their patron has a responsibility to advise and offer honest opinion to those that call them companion and that follow in their flock. They must provide candid truths not only to praise but also to allow others to see the failings in themselves that must be rectified.

**Kcador**: Angel of Righteous Vengeance: dealing with bringing retribution against the wicked and those that have sinned against the weak, innocent and broken oaths of loyalty and duty. A Priest that has called upon Kcador to be their patron has become an instrument for his vengeance against those that would use their strength for the tyranny of the weak. If such is encountered they will stop at nothing, even the cost of their own life, to bring righteous wrath against such instigators.

**Einrod**: Angel of Sacrifice: Dealing with the sacrifice of oneself, spiritually, physically but calmly, with dignity and no mention of such action for the benefit of others. A Priest that has called upon Enirod to be their patron has taken up their duty take upon themselves a level of responsibility for others in that they are willing to take the burden of others quietly and reasonably without thought for themselves.

**Korgoron** “The Inferno”: Angel of War: Dealing with battles fought in accordance to the rules of warfare in a just and noble cause in the defence of the land to which vows of defence and obedience have been sworn. A Priest that has called upon Korgoron to be their patron is expected to learn the ways of the Battle Lord, becoming a warrior, a general for Tiberius to fight battles in his name and to ensure that those who serve under  him follow in accordance with his laws.

**Jastith**: Angel of Daring: Dealing with acts of heroism and daring that place one's life in danger for the sake of saving another or standing in defence of that which one is sworn to protect. A Priest that has called upon Jastith to be their patron has an obligation to accept and undertake the most dangerous and difficult of missions in order to primarily defend that which Tiberius is sworn to accept but also to act as an example of such heroism to others, even at the cost of one's own life.

**Tage**: Angel of Loyalty: Dealing with the aspects of never wavering oaths, companionship and friendships that go beyond spoken values. A Priest that has called upon Tage to be their patron is now responsible for the placing of binding oaths and ensuring that those that have agreed to them are worthy of the blessings of Tage. Should those chosen by the priest be unworthy then they may face retribution.

**Galinth**: Angel of the Smith: Dealing specifically with the crafting of weapons and armour to be used against the foes of Tiberius. A Priest that has called upon Galinth to be their patron has taken up their duty to arm and armour those of faith. They have responsibilities to produce equipment of the highest kind to aid in the battles and wars that will be fought in His name and glory.

## Servants:

Tiberius is served by a number of Lesser Powers that can also be worshipped by Priests and Ley Followers, these powers  have fallen under the remit of the Lord over the years and given their power to increase the strength of The Mailed Fist

### The God Kordred

**Known Powers** – Crafting, Maintenance and Pride in Ones Work

**Allied Powers** – Tiberius, Lekrik, Janqtil
*“The execution of one's duty is one of the most powerful areas of Tiberiusite belief and much of the centre of his power revolves around it. Imagine, if you will, attempting that duty or holding the line to sacrifice yourself to bring enough time that others might live or even perhaps battling the greatest enemies of your faith upon the front line of a war. Now dwell upon the thought of what might happen should your weapon, your shield or your armour fail you, perhaps due to poor training of a crafter, a soldiers lack of maintenance or, worse, a lack of passion in the work that created that tool. How many others might die because of the lack of faith that one has in the tools that they rely upon to protect them."*
There are always prayers to Kordred, usually they come from the smithy's and the laboratories of the artificers but there are always prayers. These prayers are often echoed by the voices of those that carry what has been made into battle or apply them to the duties that they have been tasked with.  Many followers of Tiberius, soldiers, oathsmen and the like commission seals from the followers of Kordred before they are called into situations where their mettle and their metal may be tested. These seals, the white hammer on the black background, are said to carry a prayer to the God, a prayer to the smith and a lot of cursing to keep the object in question together.
Priests of Kordred are in the main crafters and makers and they pay special attention to their doctrine. The skill of crafting, its teaching and the proper implementation of it are vital to the way of Kordred. Prayers are formed instead of instruction and belief is cast into the objects being made. These prayers continue to live on inside the object and have led to a rise in the maintenance works. These are books, tomes, hymns and prayers that teach the care of tools, objects and particularly the artifice of war. These litanies are often sung, spoken and so forth during battle in the hope that the weapons will stay true longer with Priests of Kordred walking among the faithful. Finally these prayers and words would mean nothing without the passion and pride that only piety can bring and these cannot be taught it is something that a Priest has.
The symbol of a crafters or war Hammer, white upon a black background (often a disk) is the Holy Symbol of Kordred. He asks simply that his followers become a master of at least one crafting Trade as swiftly as they can.

### The God Lekrik

**Known Powers** – Strength, Physical Conditioning and Resistance

**Allied Powers** – Tiberius, Kordred, Janqtil
*“To be stand with duty and with honour is a thing of greatness and it is known that our Lord, the Knight of the Heavens, values them with highest regard. To hold true to these things we are encouraged to look to our heart and our virtue. Those that stand in the shadow of the might of Lekirik train and train hard to have the strength to stand indomitable in the face of long duty and continue their quests with honour.”*
Lekrik as a power is said to be a roiling force that is able to possess those that uphold his tenets and his ways. If one is to stand in long and pressing service to guard the hearth and home of Lord or peasant equal and to find your stamina fading then Lekirik may come to you and give you back your fortitude. Many of the faithful to Lekrik spend their time working to perfect their physical form believing that through such penitence their faith and their spirit shall be equally as conditioned. "The form that holds the spirit and the soul is the temple in which they are held and from where their reverence is felt and extends from" is one of the tenets of choice of the followers of the God.
There are many stories of Lekrik when it walked upon the earth of Vaklam; in many sequences the manifestations of the deity would be as a powerful animal or warrior but in each of these manifestations Lekrik was a faithful companion. Not simply relying on its strength Lekrik would lope along after those to whom it had manifested never tiring or sleeping and always prepared to stand in defence or simply to guard in perpetuity should needs be. Lekrik asks that its followers attempt to be as physically perfect with regards to strength and constitution that they can physically be and that they never turn down the opportunity to prove that they are capable of performing great deeds of physical prowess.
The symbol or imagery of a bear is the Holy Symbol of Lekrik. His asks that each follower of his faith enter into at least one great contest of physical prowess in his name each year. This day is held as Holy to that follower and they should spend the week before in total preparation for the event, giving themselves to the God and nothing else.

### The God Janqtil

**Known Powers** – Strength, Physical Conditioning and Resistance

**Allied Powers** – Tiberius, Lekirik, Janqtil
*“The art of Knightly duties is often seen as held solely within the purview of the High Born noble but I have seen a waif with manners that would shame a well bred Duke, a blacksmith stepping in to protect a Lady where a Knight would not and a farm boy love with the passion of a God. Such folk are my followers, the Knights of Janqtil, who need only their convictions as armour in this world ”*
Janqtil is one of the few minor Gods whose mortal life we know of. He was a horse trainer for a wandering show till he caught the son of a Lord raping one of the girls from his troupe. He tore the boy away and sent him away after administering a hefty blow. The next day both he and the young girl were dragged before the Lord on a charge of attempted murder and theft. It was the word of a noble against that of a commoner so the outcome was clear. In order to save the girl Janqtil tried to convince the Lord that he alone had attempted to murder the boy because he wanted the girl to himself and had since scared her into lying that it was rape. The son, calling him a liar and beating him to the ground demanded the girl was given the same fate; to be hanged at the Lord’s pleasure.

The day of execution came and without hesitation or protestation Janqtil approached the gallows, his head held high. As the stool beneath him was kicked away however, the rope snapped. He fell to earth unharmed as a great gauntlet appeared above him, shinning with divine light. Janqtil the man stood there for a moment but then was gone, replaced by a shinning white steed. Rounding on the executioner, the stallion kicked him aside, the girl jumper onto its back and they rode off through the crowd. The Lord and his son died the next day after being thrown from their mounts.

Janqtil since then has been the God of chivalry for all people, regardless of rank, standing up for what is true, just and in need of protection in this world. He asks that his followers treat women with respect, love and care, for without their kindness a man would be an empty thing. When a man has grown chivalrous in the eyes of Janqtil they shall be blessed with such skills as befits his followers, the Knights of Janqtil;

A horse rearing or rampant is the symbol of Janqtil’s Knights. His asks that each follower sets their own day to celebrate him and his ideals. Typically the day when the follower married their true love, or first met her is the day chosen, for to celebrate the day Janqtil asks they pay particular care to the lady/lord in their life and treat them as a King/Queen would their Queen/King.

### Day to Day Activities

Tiberiusites provide training for, give sanctuary to and provide support for all folk loyal to the Royal Basin, or acting with honour and dignity across the land. They also send out Priests and Holy Warriors to seek out the unrighteous, the evil and the corrupt acting within the boundaries of those of good heart and outlook, crushing the evils and returning light to the dark places. Religious duties for Tiberiusites tend to be overseeing courts, assisting the Clergy of Ekimelahw, with whom they have a great deal of companionship and crafting weapons and armour for the faithful to ensure that the church is always prepared.
During times of War the Council of Tiberius enters into its most important state of being. The Council is the ultimate weapon that the basin has during times of great battle, every warrior of Tiberius is trained to a high level and carries within him or her a noble and indomitable soul that spreads amongst the armies in which they fight, strengthening them and making them impervious to the fears of battle and the terrors of their foe. Tiberiusites never fight in a unit together, instead they are charged to spread themselves amongst the ranks of the armies in which they battle to lend their powers and strengths to their comrades, speaking the litany of their God and preparing themselves to die for each and every man and woman around them.

### Holy Days and Important Ceremonies

#### Twelveswords

The most important religious day in the Tiberiusite calendar and takes place around the middle of the year. The Redeemers dictate the exact date after communiqué with Korgoron. The hosts of Tiberius assemble on the Golden Lands, once the home of Dieron the Blessed, Mortal Angel of Tiberius and carrier of one of the relics of Tiberius, a sword carried by the God when he himself was mortal. Under the instruction of the Redeemers twelve of his followers are chosen and their blades blessed and touched by Duty, the sword of Dieron. That sword is now held by Battik the Redeemer, an apostle of Dieron the Blessed and power in his own right. These twelve are given Holy purpose and sent forth in the name of Tiberius to uphold these duties, returning the following year to tell their tales, inspiring the young and old alike to acts of heroism and Valour in the name of Tiberius and all that is righteous.

#### Sacrifice Day

Held on the 21st of Watersdown each year, this ceremony is held in remembrance of the day that Dieron the Blessed gave his life in order that all might supply. At the time of this writing (Earthwane of 2014) the ceremony is in its infancy and so far has involved a great gathering in the Halls of Tiberius across the country. There, followers of Tiberius and other Gods alike have lit candles and offered up their thanks to the man that saved the world. We all hope that he can hear our prayers of thanks and that he draws strength from them.

### Major Centers of Worship

The Halls of Valour in the Golden Lands represent the home of Tiberiusite worship in the Basins. The seat of Dieron the Blessed himself is amongst the Holiest of sites to any God within the territories of the Royal Basin. Not only is it the home of Dieron but the mortal Angel Catagore Cotageish, initially of the Rice Empire, is often in the company of Dieron instructing the followers of the faith in the martial arts. Whilst major Churches exist in the capital, Gamtha, Strabain and St Mundensburg the Fortress Monastery that is the Halls of Valour stand like a beacon in the Golden lands to every Tiberiusite in the Basin.

### Priestly Vestments

The priesthood of Tiberius wear silvered plate and chain for preference, their robes purest white or shining silver and gold's. Great Helms and weapons are often common as are shields and heavy mailed gauntlets. Tiberiusite dogma does away with the need for ceremonial robes, a Priest of the faith is always ready for battle.

### The Council of Tiberius

The Church runs on an elected Council of Four who deal with the running of the faith, whilst their authority is absolute their position is elected each year and when Dieron returns they will stand down without questions:

William Stand - The Sword of Tiberius -

**Race**: Human

#### Background

The family of Stand is one that has lived in Rendrith for the last seven generations and were a minor noble family of the Draygal family at one time or another. Long ago they held the title of Defender of Rendrith but that changed when the Pirate that is now Johan Korso sacked the city and murdered many thousands of people. When the City was recovered the Stand family were stripped of their position, their title and their land and with little other than some wealth, to support them cast back to the streets from which they had been raised. It is from this line that the current leader of the Church of Tiberius comes and his story is a strange one.

In the Frostmelt of the year 1980 William Stand and his Sister Ursula were born into the world to Dalia Stand whose husband had died in the freezing winter of that year. Dalia worked as a maid in the noble houses of the Fett family who had, ironically, replaced their own. She worked hard and was promoted, providing for her children until they reached the age of 6. Here she chose to place Ursula into the University, paid, as an Orphan under the University Orphanage name Wise. She could not afford the tutelage for William and she could no longer work as her health was failing her. By the time the summer of 1986 had come she passed leaving William to fend on the streets as a an urchin and vagabond.

In 1987 the 31st Heavy Infantry Company paraded through Rendrith and stirred something in the heart of young William. He took the time to clamber on to roofs and listen from above as the soldiers swapped stories of battle in the pubs and inns that they rested in. The tales of bravery and unparalleled heroism that he heard, in these strange and distant places, moved him in ways that he did not understand and when the Company left Rendrith they were not alone. Hidden among the baggage train and camp followers was a dirty ragamuffin that was destined to bring greatness to his family name once again. Yet as the column left there was a great sadness in his heart for the Sister that he would never see again, the Sister that he would never forget.

It wasn't long before he was discovered and had impressed, directly, Major Trebernard Voltus, who allowed him to remain within the caravans on their tour of duty. He cleaned canteens and ran messages and earned a field commission of cadet during the tour. When they arrived at Haven Stand arrived with much vigour, excitement and a new friend in the form of Chaplain Hernan Escan of the faith of Tiberius. He had seen the heart of his now 7 year old boy and took him directly to the Academy where he spoke strongly with the teachers there. It was decided that the boy would keep his name and that Major Voltus himself would pay the tuition fees allowing the boy freedom of choice when it came the decision of what guild he would join.

Thus in Sunsdusk of 1988 the boy was enrolled in the Basanic Academy and almost immediately began to demonstrate his power as a Priest. From day one he wanted to be a Tiberiusite and he wanted to be a soldier. He wanted to be just like two heroes he had recently developed Chaplain Escan and Major Voltus and with an eagerness that few had seen before he threw himself into training a Battle Priest. This was hard going for a child that had barely been more than stick and straw for most of their life and he had to work hard to build his frame big enough to match his frame and his resolve. There were none, however, that met him that believed that he would fail in the tasks that he had set himself no matter how impossible they seemed.

By the age of twelve he was excelling beyond the abilities of most trainees of his age; he was surrounded by a band of brothers and sisters that followed his orders without question whether they were right or wrong. These worthies included Lliyian Coleman and Guy Hearts both of whom have gone onto greatness in their own right and would both, from their own lips, come to Stands side at a moment's notice whatever the reason. These strengths did not go unnoticed and the clamour for his guildic signature became  almost unsightly even from that age and all that anyone could rightly say is that he would always be a Tiberiusite.

In 1996, the year of passing out, Dieron the Blessed, it is said, came and spoke with him directly about his future. The previous year he had been on a training mission with the Crimson Order and the whole party had been ambushed by Mandragoran; William had performed flawlessly and been awarded The Copper Cross for fighting in Defence of the Realm. Dieron was impressed and spoke to him, telling him to follow his heart and that Tiberius would be with him whatever occurred which is why many believe that he chose to pass out into the Order joining the 31st Heavy Infantry and serving again under his hero Major Trebernard Voltus.

This agreement was a temporary one: The Order gained a raw leader and excellent Priest who was dropped straight into the role of a Lieutenant and spent three years with the 31st being promoted to Captain and fighting in two dozen skirmishes and battles. After gaining the respect of every member of the forces that he served with he finally came to his spiritual home at the start of the year 2000 when he was indoctrinated into the service of the Great God Tiberius as a  Knight although he would not see active service in the Faith until the year 2002 after the completion of his training and the taking of his Oaths as a Crusading Defender of the faith.

From 2002 to 2013 William Stand achieved things that most of the Priesthood of Tiberius, let alone other faiths, guilds or the rest of mortality, would have considered beyond heroic and without equal. Sadly for William he lived in an age of heroes and his deeds were hidden in the shadows of the larger than life legends of the Dragon of that age: Dieron the Blessed, Catagore Cotageish, Seshepenmehit and Battik the Redeemer who were themselves followers of the Mailed Fist and Imravin, Jarmack and Rowan Fallow all shone enough to encompass the light of William Stand. Yet through all their actions one thing hurt William Stand, just one and that was the death of his old friend Chaplain Hernan Escan.

Hernan had retired in 2009 at the age of 57 and retired to Wantwitch along the Rhygahrean borders where he continued to preach the words of Tiberius until a few months before the war. One night he was murdered and his body strung out to be seen by the terrified townsfolk the next day. Despite investigation by Stand no answers to this mystery could be found and it plagued him, still does, as does whether he should see his sister again, whether he should look for her and more; whether she will still remember him. He still visits the graves of his mother and father and leaves flowers for them and he still remembers the man that is Johan Korso.

Stand continued to fight and lead throughout his career and is known to have fought in practically every engagement from 2002 until present day. He was not active during the Shadow War and was rescued by a Charter called the line which comprised of the Head of the College of Controlling Power; Jack Spears. When Dieron the Blessed died he held the rank of Commander of the House although he was considered an Abbot for purposes of position.  His role as leader of the head of the Church was ratified after a period of mourning by unanimous decision and he has ruled since. There was a brief challenge for leadership by a returned Lord Winter but this was brushed aside as farcical by most involved.

#### The Master of Temples - Kastia of Truth - Yuirfarvallen Redeemer

Born in the late 1600's in Rhygahrea Kastia came to the Royal basin at an early age as a refugee by Priests of Tiberius who were assisting in a Mandragoran incident along the Western borders. Despite the best efforts of the Church to find her parents they were unsuccessful and Kastia remained within the clergy. It was always unlikely that she would be anything other than a Priest but she took to the role of the Redeemer well, training with Battik himself who taught her much of the way of the Faith. She has not travelled into the field much but has gained a deep understanding of the running of the temples and the training of individuals in the faith. Few were surprised when she was appointed to this administrative position in 1832 where she has remained ever since.

#### The Abbot of Tiberius - Orch Viasta - Human Priest

Orch was born to Tiberiusite parents in 1985 and is the model Tiberiusite, displaying the qualities that would be extolled by any who saw him. His parents position in the faith saw him catapulted through the rankings swiftly but he is a man in his own right that does not rely upon the strength of others directly to carry him through. He appears on all major battlefields, acquitting himself well and tends not to boast of his deeds to others. On the Council his voice often speaks to the course of action that will bring the Tiberiusite Church closer to a unified council although he prefers to see the Council in a higher position.

#### The Cardinal of Tiberius - Harua Tarai - Kalashinka - Crusading Defender

Harua is around thirty years old or at least she was in 2014. She is known to have been born somewhere in the Deserts far to the West of Egaria and was discovered at around the age of eleven by Seshmet and Battik in their days travelling as the Silver Brotherhood. She was already adept with a blade and fierce in her passions for Tiberius, even capable of performing miracles at such a young age. Despite her feral nature she was recovered and returned to the Church although she spent much time in Fort Northman with the Brotherhood. Over the years she has made leaps and bounds as a Tiberiusite and now has at least one foot in the civilised world, her natural aptitude has pushed her to the role of Cardinal although perhaps we will never know the truth regarding her background.

### The Obituary of Dieron the Blessed

Whilst no amount of words transcribed to paper will ever be able to do justice to the deeds of this individual it is important that we understand what he was so that we have something to live up to. Dieron was born to the greatness of a dark figure, that of Gabrak although he spent much of his early life an orphan found abandoned at the steps of a Fortress Monastery to Kalarin. It is rumoured that this edifice still stands but that its location is a guarded secret. Who his mother was or why she chose to place him there we cannot speak to but within the church he overcame the darkness of his lineage and became a Holy Warrior of that ancient faith bound to a great future full of deeds of a heroism and ultimately sacrifice. When he was being raised we often wonder if the priests that were raising him knew what he would become when they sent him forward, weapon in hand, all those years ago and what he would come to mean to so many people.
I served with him for many years and I saw the best and worst of him, he was a man first, an angel second and hero of his faith and of his people at all times. Among his first acts in this world as servant of the light was to thwart the power of Malice as it sought a return to this world and in doing so bring forth the Pantheon that we now revere. In many ways you could say that he was the Father of the modern Church of Tiberius although he would dismiss such words as nonsense and continue his work without thoughts of greatness. That was only the beginning of a very long career that would see so many foes defeated, relics recovered, lives saved and dwindling faith inspired that Dieron would eventually be offered and accept the rulership of the Royal Basin as King. Some considered him a poor King, others great a trait that he shared with many others before and after him. Whatever the thoughts of him as King that is never how I remember him or judge him and everything that he was, was summed up on the last day of his life among us.
The last act of his life was to sacrifice himself so that we might live. There were others with him who could have and would have cast themselves into the Archway through which he walked but Dieron could not see others carry such burdens when through the actions of their lives they could walk in happiness and bring such spark of faith and belief to others along that way. What speaks of his greatness is the reaction of his comrades. There was little left, upon his departure, but grief and loss in the hearts of his companions. Hopelessness and fear followed not far behind but he knew that they would pass. He was a man who showed faith in us and so powerful was the conviction of that one man, so powerful his faith that it will always inspire us and give us strength no matter how far away from us he has travelled.

### Articles of Faith

As a Tiberiusite there are some clear guidelines that are to be followed; as a Holy Warrior or Crusading Defender you should follow the code below. This code is the guidance by which you set examples to the world that you strive to protect, a Crusading Defender is the shining example of the faith, one who is given great power by the God and to break their tenets would be to break favour with the deity and lose not only the power that he has gifted but more, the very purity of their souls. Following these tenets are a guideline to how piety works and how, as a follower of the faith, your piety can be increased and decreased at the whim of the Gods.

### Tenets of the Crusading Defenders.

* You will preserve the Church of Tiberius and his tenets, bowing to those Pure of Faith and obeying his enlightened in all things.

* You will honour any oath of loyalty made to those not of darkened soul beyond the measure of your life or spirit, never breaking it or faltering in your ability to complete it.

* You will never give in, even when your back is to the wall, you will fight to the end of your life’s blood before you surrender to any evil be it physical or spiritual.

* You will never suffer an un housed Undead to live lest it is allowed to live within the confines of the laws of the land in which you find yourself. In this case you will not allow its plans to come to fruition for they will be of evil intent.

* You will speak the truth as plainly as you see it, never backing away from honesty. Despite any situation your honesty shall be strong, never bending or breaking like those weaker around you.

* You will smite those of evil, those who bring their own suffering against the weak, the innocent and the undeserving. Those that walk the path of darkness shall know the righteous vengeance of Tiberius and no force of Vaklam be they mortal or divine shall prevent you returning the blows of the tyrannical against themselves.

* In times of War you will honour all articles of war, you will spread the power of Tiberius amongst the armies of the Righteous and you will give them that fight with you the power to survive against the odds.

* You will fight for the things that are right and just in the world with all of the strength that you possess. You will use this strength to usher those that stand in the darkness into the light. All have the right to be redeemed and you are the instrument of that redemption.

* You will act with honour and integrity. Deceit and treachery are the enemies’ weapons and these weapons shall be destroyed.

* You will honour those with whom you travel. You will choose companions wisely and they shall be the sum of thyself for if you cannot offer your loyalty to those who share your strengths then your loyalty is poorly given.