Ioryx

Ioryx (pronounced EYE-oar-ricks), is the overseer of the Grey, a multi-layered plane of the dead where most mortal souls travel to after their death. An enigmatic, no-nonsense god, Ioryx has many aspects, many of which are revered almost as their own deities in and of themselves. These aspects represent the multitude ways that the civilised races reincarnate. Ioryx is unique among the gods in that he does not interact with his followers very much which has lead his church to develop into the most diverse of all the gods, so much so that many of them are even at odds with one another. The symbol of Ioryx is the eight-spoked wheel.

## Dogma

Ioryx and his worshippers believe in the sacred status of the Great Cycle. They detest those who attempt to cheat the cycle through means such as necromancy. Consequently, they also detest the existence of undead and encourage all their followers to either vanquish them personally or report their existence to the clergy so that they may dispatch paladins and clerics to deal with them. The church views impartiality and justice as virtues that should be upheld, treating all individuals as equals.

## Appearance

Ioryx has many aspects and depictions who oversee the Great Cycle for each of the different civilised races. As a result, they have no clear gender or identity, instead existing as several different aspects of an overall domain - one, yet many.

## Church of Ioryx

The Church of Ioryx can be found all over the place as the many denominations have varying degrees of popularity in different areas. There are some branches dedicated to the removal of the undead which can be found in areas infested with negative energy. Others, more focused on ensuring the peace of passing souls are popular in urban areas. As the aspects of Ioryx also reflect the method by which the civilised races reincarnate, he is typically referred to with differing titles depending on the demographic. Due to the many points of controversy among the followers of Ioryx, the only thing that really binds them together are a mutual respect for the process of life, death and reincarnation.

### Worshippers

Ioryx is a common god to worship as their ideals of cherishing life and punishing those who threaten it is a very agreeable and practical dogma. His worship is especially noticeable in areas that are plagued with negative energy, causing the souls of the departed to remain trapped in the mortal plane as undead beings. This is because it is only the faithful of Ioryx who have been known to hunt undead without expectation of recompense. Within crime-ridden cities and hamlets dealing with cases murders, many look to Ioryx for protection of their lives.

### Clergy

The Church of Ioryx has a very diverse clergy that operates independently of each other, either due to logistical difficulty or sectarian differences. While some sects prefer to remain within villages and cities as mediators and lawbringers, others prefer to travel around the world in search of undead and evildoers to bring to justice. The urban followers of Ioryx maintain graveyards as a service for their community, both in burying the dead and providing funeral rituals and also in safeguarding the bodies from either being looted or resurrected as undead. For those with a fire within them to uphold the ideals of their god and seek the undead, they typically live their lives on the road or within military orders. Indeed, Ioryx's clergy is among the most militarised out of all the gods. Most clerics in the service of their god are acquainted with combat and wear armour while many of their members have accepted the calling of paladin.

### Temples and Shrines

Temples dedicated to Ioryx are sombre and dull, reflecting the sternness and grave duty of their god. Some, particularly constructed by militant orders, resemble small bastions or towers. These buildings are often constructed within dangerous areas to serve both as a place of respite for the weary and also a base of operations from where they can plan out their attacks on the local undead. Built with ditches, heavy doors and arrowslits, these temples are difficult to assault, especially so for mindless undead and could be mistaken for official military fortifications.

### Favoured Animals

Gods are often associated with certain animals, either because they possess a quality that the god favors, or because the god's faithful feel a special kinship to it. Ioryx's favoured animals include bats, crows, and butterflies.

## Organisations

### Order of the Greyseer

The Order of the Greyseer worships Ioryx as a constituent whole, focusing on none of his aspects but rather his position as the Lord of the Grey. This church is found in almost all major cities as the services and duties of their clergy are considered to be of utmost importance; to ensure that the last will and testament of the deceased are carried out and to maintain the graveyards, ensuring that the bodies will never be touched by the taint of undeath.

Famed lawbringers and upholder of order, these greyseer priests are known for being impartial arbiters. Among their many duties include proselytism and the gathering of funds with which they use to maintain their famed graveyards which have a reputation for impeccable security. A body buried in a graveyard overseen by the church is seldom pilfered or reanimated and the priests work tirelessly to maintain this reputation.

### Order of the Reaper

Not a standard denomination in the sense that they have an active, civilian clergy force who performs services for the community, the Order of the Reaper are the militant arm of the Church of Ioryx whose ranks are filled with warrior-priests and zealous paladins. Most in the order are people whose livelihoods have been destroyed by the forces of undeath. Many others are estranged former members of other sects of the church. Regardless of their origins, the chapterhouses of the order stand tall as a bastion against the horrors of the dark and are never far from the dungeons of liches, domains of vampires or necromancer infested regions. Naturally, this also makes them a big target for those who wish to pursue the dark arts in peace, and many who seek refuge from evil in these chapterhouses often find themselves instead at the frontlines.

Followers of the Order of the Reaper are nicknamed Greyknights by the populace in reference to the signature colour of their deity though these warriors are largely indistinguishable from any other knights. They value practicality and spend little time bothering with trifles such as uniforms or emblems as there is more work to be done in the battle against undeath.

### Order of the Wayfinder

A denomination emphasising Ioryx’s role as a guide for mortal souls from the prime material into the Grey, the Order of the Wayfinder may not be the most popular but is certainly the most widespread. They can be found in just about anywhere and have no clear preference for location unlike most of the other sects. The duties of the priests from this order involve consolation and guidance to the lost and the scouring areas for the forces of undeath. They cooperate closely with the Order of the Reaper, often serving as scouts in their crusades or reporting to the higher ups when they discover an area particularly tainted by negative energy.

Priests and clerics of the Order of the Wayfinder are well traveled individuals who rarely stay in one place for long. The churches of the order are more like resupply or mustering stations geared towards the service of its members. All who show devotion to Ioryx may find solace in these churches and respite from weary conditions.