Church of the Lawgiver

Cults of the Core

The Church of the Lawgiver is a religion the followers whereof worship The Lawgiver. It is the state religion of Nova Vaasa where it legitimates and, rarely, delegitimates temporal leaders. It is also the state religion of Hazlan where it is widely adhered to by the Hazlani and is tolerated as useful, for the present at least, by Hazlik.

Vaasicentrism

The Church of the Lawgiver is Vaasicentric. The use of any language other than Vaasi in its rites and texts is proscribed. Its doctrine is barely separable from the history of the Vaasi nation, its mission is nigh inseperable from the advancement of the cause of Nova Vaasa, and its vision of social order is the reproduction of that entrenched in Vaasi culture. Consequently, there are high barriers to its spread across the Land of Mists. And indeed the Church's efforts at spreading its influence across the Core from the appearance of Nova Vaasa up to that of Hazlan are described as meeting "with no appreciable success". The Hazlani Experience

The remarkable reception of the Iron Faith among the Hazlani was made possible by the absence of barriers in Hazlan. Vaasi is the native tongue. The social order in terms of class and ethnicity was at least as oppressive in Hazlan as in Nova Vaasa. And Hazlik had profound reasons for being icily indifferent to the cultural sovereignty of his land: to his eye the vast majority of its inhabitants belonged to an ethnic group and culture inferior to his own ethnic group and culture; and his own ethnic group and culture merit, for the pains that it had caused him, to be wiped from existence in a transplanar genocide. An additional important detail is suggested in the following text: "The Lawgiver is the state religion in Hazlan and Nova Vaasa. In the latter, Prince Othmar uses it to justify his own regime." That nothing is then said of the former, clearly invites the conclusion that matters are different in Hazlan.

The Reception of the Iron Faith Elsewhere

Clerics of the Lawgiver have a tendency to court trouble for they seek to "enforce the rigid stratifications of Vaasi culture wherever they go."[2] Any would-be tyrant can of course turn to the Church of the Lawgiver in search of legitimization. But there is a significant price to be paid to the church in return in terms of, among other things, the adoption of an alien identity and the abandonment of one's own tradition. Consequently, a tyrant who is already well established may well dismiss the benefits as slight and recognise the costs as significant. The expected response then would be to send the flatterers from Kantora packing, with or without their teeth. And indeed the situation of the Church, following up upon its success in Hazlan, is described in these terms: "The Church has enjoyed no comparable success since and has a minimal following outside Hazlan and Nova Vaasa."

Symbol

Iron spear in bronze coils

Alignment

LE[7][8]

LN[8]

Lawful Evil is the proper alignment of the faithful of the Lawgiver. Lawful Neutral worshippers are accepted within the Church but are deemed "liberal" or "permissive", and as a consequence are usually prevented from ascending the ranks.

Given that alignment along the good-evil axe is not readily detectable by magic within the Land of Mists, Lawful Good members of the Church are conceivable, with Lukas Duremke and the Duremkites generally being the most probable instance. Such individuals risk drawing to themselves the attention of the Didakti ("Teachers") or, worse still, that of the Jernspørgsmålers ("Iron Inquisitors").

Portfolio

• Law
• Fate
• Judgement
• Obedience
• Order
• Rulership
• Tyranny

Spell-domains

   Bindings Domain
   Curse Domain
   Death Domain
   Evil Domain
   Law Domain
   Scrutiny Domain
   War Domain

   The Bindings Domain and the Law Domain are favored by the majority of the clerics of the Iron Faith.

   Members of the Kunduktørs (“Guardians”), the Gudkædes ("God-chains"), the Jernspørgsmålers ("Iron Inquisitors"), and the Didakti ("Teachers") have a preference for the Death Domain, the War Domain, the Scrutiny Domain and the Evil Domain respectively (see the description below of these orders). The Curse Domain is associated with, but not limited to, those taking the Master of Curses prestige class.

Favoured Weapon[5][8]

   Whip
   Light or Heavy Flail for clerics with the War Domain

Holy Scriptures[9]

The doctrine of the Church of the Lawgiver is set down in five sacred works:

   The Truth of Iron lays down principles of government and moral behavior.
   The Fetters of Bronze exponds upon laws and punishments.
   The Black Trials is an account of the creation and fall of humanity.
   Crimson Faith is a work on theology and cosmology.
   The Book of Stone offers prophecies, proverbs and allegories.

The Four Judgements of the Lawgiver[10]

   The First Judgement sundered the First People, twisting body and confounding language, such that races were created that bore their sins in their physical form. The human race consisted of those who had sinned least. This event was the passage from the Torverden ("Fair World") to the Faldverden ("Fallen World"). It was in the Faldverden that the Vaasi nation was born under the leadership of Eternal King Zaanji Højplads.
   The Second Judgement tore the Vaasi nation from the Faldverden ("Fallen World") and cast it into the Falskverden ("False World"), which is to say the Land of Mists. Still, things could have been worse. For although the Vaasi nation was thereby punished for its license and liberality, it faired better than the rest of the Faldverden which was unceremoniously dumped into the Hell of Slaves.
   The Third Judgement has not yet been rendered, although a minority in the Church claim that the Great Upheaval was in fact this judgement.
   The Final Judgement will destroy the world and cast all unworthy souls into the Hell of Slaves for an eternity of torture.

Creation[10]

The Lawgiver created existence, called Torverden ("Fair World"), in the course of three days. Day one saw the creation of earth itself. Day two saw the creation of life, including the first man and woman. Day three saw the creation of Heaven as the seat whereform creation would be overseen. Next the Lawgiver selected a man, distinguised by his superior purposefulness and sense of justice and gave him the name of Førstregel (“First Ruler”). The Lawgiver then whisphered his own Holy Name into the man's ear causing him to become enlightened and to write The Truth of Iron and The Fetters of Bronze. Førstregel ruled as king and as head of the Church of the Lawgive over the First People. The unity and order of Torverden was shattered upon Førstregel's death after 500 years. Thirty-six of his sons rebelled against the legal succession, as set down in The Truth of Iron, of his eldest son. The eldest son was murdered and offered up in sacrifice to the false god Mytteri. The First People collapsed into warring parties that indulged in sins without precedent. To this The Lawgiver replied with his First Judgment. Equally, he promise two more judgements and an end to existence. Dogma

The dogma of the Iron Faith may be summed up as "an unswerving dedication to order and law and to the rightness of the established order".[9] The Source of Evil[9]

Mytteri (“Rebellion”) is the source of all evil. This malevolent force is typically lent personification a as false divinity of nihilism and solipsistic malignancy, driven by self-interest and self-gratification, and at war with the natural order. The Lawgiver then is seen to stand over and against Mytteri in all things. Sorcery & wizardry[11]

   The practice of arcane magic is blasphemous. It is the self-indulgent essence of the rebellion and the nihilism that Mytteri incarnates in defiance of the natural order. As a rule wielders of arcane magic must be corrected publicly in the strongest possible terms with death.

The Right of Might

   Hierarchy is essential and good: those born into wealth or power deserve to rule those beneath them; all is mandated from above and is not to be questioned.[2][5]
   The ruler is the incarnation of divine right: he governs by and with the will of the Lawgiver.[2][5]
   The Church of the Lawgiver can, however, declare that the mandate of heaven has been withdrawn from a given rule in virtue of his failings, with his lawful overthrow serving only to prove his unworthiness.[9]
   Authority must be centralised, so that all may be judged.[5][9]
   A Himmelsk Naeve who can unite in himself divine and temporal authority in a militant theocracy is the ideal ruler.[6]
   The use of force is right and natural in the maintainence of order the spreading of the Lawgiver's will.[12]
   Rulers are to apply the law and keep order.[13]
   Anarchy is blasphemy.[12]

Obedience is blind

   Obedience is an iron obligation: disobedience is a sin against divine will.[5]
   Law in its entirety is to be obeyed.[5]
   Rebellion against established authority is a deadly sin: rebels and lawbreakers will be damned to an eternity of torture in the Hell of Slaves.[5][9]

Ordering Society

   The correction of one's inferiors is an iron obligation: it is the duty of the ruler, indeed of every master, to punish wickedness and encourage righteousness.[5][9]
   To hold to one's station, one ethnicity and one's race, and to obey will of the Lawgiver, is to be rewarded in the life to follow. Marriage outside of one's station, ethnicty or race is prohibited, and consortation outside one's class, ethnicity or race is discouraged. Even clerics of The Lawgiver from different social classes do not mix. [2][5]

The Fruits of Labour

   Hard work in the service of one's master my yield temporal rewards. Those born into poverity deserve only what they can earn through dutiful service to those above them.[2][5]

The Body Reflects the Soul

   The unrighteous may be cursed with fitting form: physical degeneracy then is a sign of moral and spiritual degeneracy. Self-harm, including tatooing, is the wilful embrace of degeneracy. Shapechangers are the incarnation of supreme wickedness. Calibans are souls twisted with evil from their conception.[9]

Rites, Services, Holy Days

   Rites are given exclusively in Vaasi.[2][3]

   Spells are prayed for at highnoon, in the full-light of day, that the Lawgiver might see and judge all.[5][8]

   Services are held nightly at the Lawgiver's fanes, after the working day has ended, with twice weekly attendance being expected at a minimum.[5][8]

   The Church celebrates many holy days. The two most important follow[5][8]:

   The Day of Penance falls on the first day of the New Year. The faithful are expected to undertake an accounting of their failings of the past year and prepare themselves to make a better showing in the year to come.

   The Celebration of the Reemergence is held in August upon the first full moon. It recalls the end of the Great Upheaval in 740 BC. The Lawgiver is praised and thanked by members of the Iron Faith for the breaking of his silence and for his efforts during said silence to restore the world to its proper order. The celebration includes feasts.

Organisational Structure Hierarchy of the Iron Faith[6]

The Himmelsk Naeve ("Divine Fist") commands the Iron Faith across the known world. The Pave of Nova Vaasa commands the Iron Faith across Nova Vaasa and the Pave of Hazlan commands the Iron Faith across Hazlan. Four aerkebiskops command the Iron Faith in four Nova Vaasan regions and four aerkebiskops command the Iron Faith in four Hazlani regions. One Biskop commands the Iron Faith in each dommer. One Kontor commands the Iron Faith in each fane, leading the actual rites of worship. Seats of the Iron Faith

The Black Citadel-Fane in Kantora is the seat of the Himmelsk Naeve from where he rule his charges across the known word.[14]

The Crimson Citadel-Fane in Bergovitsa is the seat of the Pave of Nova Vaasa, who rules his charges, under the direction of the Himmelsk Naeve, throughout Nova Vaasa.[15]

The Iron Citadel-Fane outside of Toyalis is the seat of the Pave of Hazlan, who rules his charges, under the distant direction of the Himmelsk Naeve, throughout Hazlan.[16] Orders of the Iron Faith[17]

Kunduktørs (“Guardians”) are a monastic order who tend to the dead, take vows of silence, and study the nature of death in the search for understanding of universal and eternal law. The Death Domain is naturally a favourite of Kunduktørs. Hazlani Kunduktørs spawned the heresy that the Great Upheaval marked the destruction of the Lawgiver, draining the faith and its rites of life.

Gudkædes ("God-chains") are the marshal order sworn to the defence of the Church and the destruction of its enemies. The War Domain is naturally an overwelming favourite of Gudkædes. They are not quite the force that they once were, for want of occasion to exercise their strength.

Jernspørgsmålers ("Iron Inquisitors") are the fire fighters of the church, extinguishing the lives of heretics and traitors. They creep into every corner of the institution, often donning the cloth of their prey. The Scrutiny Domain is naturally common among Jernspørgsmålers.

Didakti ("Teachers") are the fire inspectors of the church, ever seeking and testing flaws and weaknesses of character or of reasoning that could be the fuel or the spark of heresy or treason. Like the Jernspørgsmålers, they creep too into every corner of the institution, often donning the cloth of their prey. They also work closely with the Jernspørgsmålers, but are far more given to pondering the descent into, and nature of, iniquity. The Evil Domain is nigh reserved to them. Iron Obedience

Within the Church proper lower ranks do as they are commaned by higher ranks. Rebellion against the order of one's better is treason.

Orders have their own internal hierarchy. Beyond this, they and their members answer to only to the Pave of their land and the Himmelsk Naeve ("Divine Fist"). Hierarches

   The Himmelsk Naeve ("Divine Fist") commands the Iron Faith across the known world from the Black Citadel-Fane in Kantora. (Himmelsk Naeve Pieter Jergaar, male, Clr16)
   The Pave of Nova Vaasa commands the Iron Faith across Nova Vaasa from the Crimson Citadel-Fane in Bergovitsa. (Pave Lod Ragnaar, male, Clr13)
       The Aerkebiskop of Arbora: Aerkebiskop Bearnt Chekiv, male, Clr7
       Aerkebiskop of Kantora: Aerkebiskop Mathias Bolshnik, male, Clr
       Aerkebiskop of ?
       Aerkebiskop of ?
   The Pave of Hazlan commands the Iron Faith across Hazlan from the Iron Citadel-Fane outside of Toyalis. (Pave Stavroz Vatsisk, male, Clr12. Previously Pave Haakon Aramsen, male, Clr15, LE)
       Aerkebiskop of Sly-Var: Aerkebiskop Melkior Vadnais, male, Clr8
       Aerkebiskop of Toyalis: Aerkebiskop Verzin Lols, male, Clr10
       Aerkebiskop of ?
       Aerkebiskop of ?

The Up & Coming of the Iron Faith

Johan Bolshnik, Jernspørgsmåler ("Iron Inquisitor"), male, Clr3/Rog1, Kantora Aerkebiskopcies[6]

Each of Nova Vaasa's four Aerkebiskop commands the Iron Faith across a region. The Aerkebiskop of Arbora, a Chekiv,Speculation.png probably commands the Iron Faith across the Pommel Duchy of the Chekiv family. Likewise, the Aerkebiskop of Kantora, a Bolshnik,Speculation.png probably governs the Iron Faith across the Heartland Duchy of the Bolshnik family. More speculatively, the other two Nova Vaasan aerkebiskop are probably of Liara and Bergovitsa. The division of Nova Vaasan territory between them is even more speculative. The Aerkebiskop of Liara would assuredly command, at a minimum, the Iron Faith across the Borchava Duchy of the Hiregaard family and likely be a Hiregaard. The aerkebiskop of Bergovitsa would probably command the Iron Faith across the Altid Duchy of the Vistin family and Ivlis Duchy of the the Rivtoff family, giving the two families all the more reason to fight for control of Bergovitsa.

Each of Hazlan's four Aerkebiskop commands the Iron Faith across a region. The division of Hazlan among them is far from clear. There is an Aerkebiskop of Toyalis,Speculation.png presumbaly also responsible for the immediately surrounding area, and likewise there is an Aerkebiskop of Sly-Var,Speculation.png again presumably also responsible for the immediately surrounding area. There may be an Aerkebiskop of Western Hazlan responsible for all that lies west of the immediate vicinity of the Toyalis and an Aerkebiskop of Eastern Hazlan responsible for all that lies east of the immediate vicinity of the Toyalis and outside the vicinity of Sly-Var. The seat of this last two are not at all evident. There is almost certainly not an Aerkebiskop seated in Ramulai. Few places in existence have a mission more opposed to the message of the message of The Lawgiver than a town built to host a school of arcane magic. Aerkebiskops assigned along ethnic lines are unlikely as there would be an unacceptible overlapping of responsibilities with the Aerkebiskops of Sly-Var and Toyalis.Speculation.png Additional responsibility is possibly assigned to aerkebiskops. The Aerkebiskop of Liara might also be in charge of the Iron Faith in Tepest. The Aerkebiskop of Begovitsa might also be in charge of the Iron Faith in Barovia or the West. The Aerkebiskop of Arbora or Kantora might also be in charge of the Iron Faith on the islands of the Nocturnal Sea. Alternatively, these responsibilities may fall to biskops or be retained by the office of the Himmelsk Naeve ("Divine Fist"). Church & State

The Church of the Lawgiver has a far tighter grip on affairs that matter to it in Nova Vaasa than the current prince imagines. And it is willing to bolster his authority precisely to the extent that the result is a strengthening of its own authority. In principle the Iron Faith does not oppose the ambitions of Othmar Bolshinik. The leaders of the Church would be threatened in their personal authority by the reincarnation of Sainted Prince Gorkyn. What they see in Othmar is rather a whelp that can be made into a reliable watchdog with sufficient time and sufficient bones.

The position of the Church in Hazlan is far more complex and far less acceptable. The reception of the Lawgiver's message among the Hazlani could hardly have gone better. Master and slave, rich and poor, Mulan and Rashemani all found much in the doctrine to take to heart. And perhaps the satraps, appointed by Hazlik to govern in his sted, benefitted from it most of all. But this bloodless couphas left the Iron Faith in the extraordinarily uncomfortable position of blessing the authority of an individual that it finds contemptible on nigh every level. Worse, just as Hazlik madly tore up the law forbidding the practice (by others) of arcane magic, he could wake up tomorrow and ban religion. But aside from mere whim, what would ever possess him to do so?

Himmelsk Naeve Pieter Jergaar has ordered that a hardline be taken by the Pave of Hazlan in respect to the blasphemy that is the practice of arcane magic. Pave Stavroz Vatsisk has not yet seen fit to obey this order, having some appreciation of the consequences. Short of simply proscribing the Iron Faith, Hazlik could declare the independence of the Hazlani church, he could see to the deaths or disappearances of church leaders, he could impose a pave of his own choosing, or he could attempt to ensorcel the pave or other church leaders. Whether the Himmelsk Naeve ("Divine Fist") fails to appreciate the consequences or appreciates them all too well is the question.

Sainted Prince Gorkyn could be trusted to make the most of any such unlawful reply by Hazlik to the right and proper application of the will of the Lawgiver. Could Prince Othmar? Could it be that the Divine Fist is betting that the prospect of becoming the conqueror-king is the bone that will put iron in the belly of the Bolshnik whelp and make of him a respectable and worthy leader of the Vaasi nation? The Himmelsk Naeve may not be as content as his Pave to count the days until death carries the aged and deranged wizard off to the Hell of Slaves, knowing full well that such powerful individuals rarely go easily or quickly. The Great Upheaval

The Church of the Lawgiver was severely rattled by the Great Upheaval. The Lawgiver fell silent during the event, in particular failing to grant his priests their spells. Officially, this was because he was too preoccupied with saving existence from the chaos of dissolution at the hands of Myterri and with restoring to existence, to the degree possible, its pre-existing order.[4] The silence then is devoid of negative connotation but may been seen as a test of faith. The majority of the faithful accept this official interpretation of the event and commemorate it with the Celebration of the Reemergence. A minority quietly suspect that the Lawgiver was himself incapaciated during the Great Upheaval, inviting unpleasant and unwelcome questions as to his actual potency. A tiny minority centred in Hazlan belief that the Lawgiver did not survive the Great Upheaval, with the direst possible consequences for the legitimacy of the Church and its clergy.[6] An unrelated minority view holds that the Great Upheaval was the Third Judgement of the Lawgiver.[4] Heresies

   The Great Upheaval marked the destruction of The Lawgiver, reducing the Iron Faith to an empty husk. This heresy was spawned among Hazlani Kunduktørs ("Guardians"). The precise breadth of its acceptance within the order and elsewhere in the Church can only be guessed, but that matter remains under investigation by the Jernspørgsmålers ("Iron Inquisitors") and the Didakti ("Teachers").

   The Black Duke Heresy consists in the contention that the Black Duke was an avatar of The Lawgiver. Cult members of the dissolved Brotherhood of the Whip, as well as any other incautious individuals, who spout this heresy are arrested, tortured, and executed.

   The Duremkite Heresy consists of the contention that leaders have a responsibility to not only care for the spiritual well-being of their followers by correcting their faults but equally to care for their physical well-being. This heresy comes straight from the mouth of Lukas Duremke and his Duremkites who been quiet enough about espousing it that the Church has not yet set about their ruthless squelching.

Heretics

Lukas Duremke, male, Clr6, Arbora, who espouses a lawful good vision of the Iron Faith

The Duremkites, based in Arbora and led by Lukas Duremke Schisms

There is no memory or recorded instance of the Church of the Lawgiver succumbing to a schism. It is a poorly kept secret that the silence of The Lawgiver during the Great Upheaval in 740 BC has shaken confidence within the Church, but that seed of doubt has not threatened the Church with the possibility of a breakaway faction. Such a threat is, however, on the horizon in Hazlan.

Church doctrine holds that the practice of arcane magic is blasphemy. So long as the Iron Faith helped secure for Hazlik undisturbed quiet to better pursue his arcane projects, the beliefs of its priests concerning good and evil were of very little import to him. Still, given the wizard's reputation for ruthlessness, some restraint might be expected of the Hazlani church on the matter and its like, and indeed it was forthcoming. A combination of fear, cultaral chauvenism, and ambition among members of the Hazlani church have even pushed some to argue that the doctrine forbidding arcane magic be struck from the Iron Faith. There is not a hope in Hell of either the Nova Vaasn church or the head of the Iron Faith as a whole countenancing this. The ban greatly fortifies the authority of the church by giving it a monopoly on spellcasting. And it is intimately wound up with the mythology of Mytteri over and against whom the Lawgiver stands in all things. But what was a standoff without solution, has evolved into something entirely more explosive.

Himmelsk Naeve Pieter Jergaar has ordered that the hardline of the Iron Faith be maintained in Hazlan in respect to the blasphemy that is the practice of arcane magic. Pave Stavroz Vatsisk has failed so far to obey this order, having some appreciation of the consequences. Short of simply proscribing the Iron Faith, Hazlik could declare the independence of the Hazlani church, he could see to the deaths or disappearances of church leaders, he could impose a pave of his own choosing, or he could ensorcel the pave or other church leaders. Whether the Himmelsk Naeve himself fails to appreciate the consequences or appreciates them all too well is the question.

Whatever the answer, the Pave of Hazlan has a momentous decision before him: to obey the head of his church, and risk his life and that of his church, or to offer Hazlik a reformed Hazlani church loyal and obedient to the Red Wizard. And from a strategic prospective, the only grounds for not having already chosen and acted upon the former, would be the choice of, and secret negotiations toward, the latter.

By attempting to stop a schism before it can start, Himmelsk Naeve Pieter Jergaar may in fact be setting one in motion.