Gold Sacrament

The **Gold Sacrament** is the ancestral name for the order of Exorcists that have existed as rivals to Shadow Sect (historically the Order of the Goddess) for as long as demons have existed.

> And so it was said “Live on in my name, and become my will. Burn away the corruption in this world. Only then may my spirit find solace.” – The last words of God.
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## History and Origins

The Exorcists of this order have existed, fighting against what they deemed as evil and unjust, since time immemorial. The will of God had been handed down upon them. Surely their judgement was absolute. Surely their path was the right one. But they were lost, without their guiding light. The secret of God’s demise was kept to a select few, those who fought and lived on in his name. The prophesied flame that would ‘burn away the corruption of this world’, the order of Exorcists, the Gold Sacrament. It was imperative that faith was still upheld. No one save the chosen few selected to serve could ever know the truth. Devotion is a power all on its own. And the leaders of the order through the ages hoped that they would become a new force to answer the prayers of the faithful.

## Leadership

The order is overseen on three levels, each with unique takes on how the Gold Sacrament would be run.

### The Martyr

The Martyr was their de-facto leader, a chosen faithful who would uphold their connection to the Godsoul. It was they who determined the course, following the advice of the other two branches of leadership. The Martyr represented a stand-in for the soul of God, which the Exorcists believe to this day still dreams in a peaceful slumber, awaiting the day when it shall be awoken. Both a symbol of the most extreme faith, and the source of their strength. For if there was no such spark of guiding light left to them, then from where did the powers they possess come?

### The Saints

The Saints formed a council, the voices of the wise and devout, their advice was surely the closest they could come to divine guidance in this age. Some of the most accomplished of the order would be appointed for their great achievements, for experience, and for their wisdom. Their number is always seven, one who could represent each of the holy virtues.

### The Apostles

The Apostles were the strongest and bravest warriors, those who could inspire and provide hope. They were often younger, brash, bold, but still their council was just as valued. For indeed all were often considered, for even the meekest among the whole may be divinely inspired. As the fiercest and most powerful, they are the flaming sword and the arm of the law. Their number is always thirteen, identified by descending rank from zero to twelve. the roman numeral is adorned on their uniform and armour.

## The Last Testament

Their sacred text, the Last Testament, became a new chapter in biblical verse known only to those who had witnessed the truth. It detailed the origins of the darkness and the exorcists who fought it. Of another order which hid in the shadows, the kin of the demons themselves. The two would grow to become mortal enemies. The latter order would continually be destroyed and reformed, and with every new incarnation they met once again with the chosen of God to hear the divine sentence. Perhaps worst of all, this eternal foe always worshiped a blasphemous goddess. Only the chosen few would know the truth. It was she who held the blade that killed God. It was she that unleashed the rule of darkness. It was she who had damned the world, and only the Exorcists could save it. The heathens had held many names through the ages, as had their goddess, but the Exorcists remembered. Indeed, they would never forget.

## In the New Age

The demon threat had steadily grown through the ages. And in the year 2098 it had already begun to increase far more rapidly. Swelling beyond comprehension until the day of the Demonic Incursion. Demons, which had been able to be largely kept skeptical, had swarmed and declared all out war on humanity as a whole. Following that, a non-governmental and international task force had been established to handle the threat. Dubbed with the name ‘Shadow Sect’ they quickly grew to establish a global presence over the next few decades. Out of necessity, the Exorcists have had to step out of the shadows. Revealing their own faction seeking to destroy the demonic plague, no longer able to be kept in secret from the world.