Church of Aidios

The youngest of the modern-day religions, the Church of Aidios gained popularity largely in the years leading up to the Battle for Lost Hope in the Year 1 A.A., though at the time it had no official name. It was later named in memory of the first official preacher of the faith, Aidios herself. However, first records of the Maker being mentioned date as far back as 1600 A.A., even being found in ruins of the Old Age. It is unknown if the Lost Civilization shared the belief of the current-day societies, or if these were isolated pockets of believers whose faith survived to this day. Despite its age, the Church of Aidios is perhaps the most powerful religious organization on the Aradia mainland. It is the dominant religion of Belledance, Anduril, Valiant, Leighlet, Jurai, and Calvard, as well as having pockets in all nations aside from Bryonia (where such beliefs would be heavily persecuted). The Holy Church has a number of temples dedicated to the Maker (the one true God), his bride Aidios, and the seven archangels that carry out the Maker's will. There are seven branches of the Hole Church, each governed by one of the archangels. Each nation's branch of the Holy Church is headed by a Bishop, while the entire Holy Church is headed by the High Priestess, who lives in the Golden Cathedral in Belledance and issues her orders from there. Small towns and villages typically only have one temple, usually dedicated to the Archangel they pray to the most, with smaller shrines to the other Archangels, the Maker, and Aidios. Larger cities will have several temples. Only one temple to Aidios exists, and it is the Golden Cathedral itself. Though the Maker does not have specific temples dedicated to Him, all temples pray to Him, and He is considered to be the ultimate divine ruler in charge of everything. Due to their belief that there is only one true divine being and all others are mere pretenders, the Church of Aidios does not have good relations with other faiths. The religious conflict between the Maker-worshipping nations and the Bryonian Empire has long been simmering in the background, with occasional armed encounters emerging from it. As worship of other gods aside from the Maker is considered sacrilegious, most communities that do so are not looked at kindly by the Church. The elven gods in particular are seen as an insult.

The Deities

Unlike many other faiths, the Church of Aidios is exclusively monotheistic. They teach that the world and all things in it were created by the Maker, who is the one true god. However, over the course of history, he was captivated by a human woman named Aidios, who became his bride and first preacher, and upon her death was elevated to immortal status so that she could remain by his side for all eternity. Her most devoted followers were later raised to become Archangels that tend the world and guide it towards making amends to the Maker for their transgressions. The following is a list of the known religious entities of the Church of Aidios:

The Maker. "He who is everything". The one and only true god. His appearance is unknown, though he is often depicted using the symbol for the Holy Grail - a golden goblet. He created the world and twice watched it be tarnished by the greed and pride of mortals. Though he has been convinced by Aidios to spare the world from destruction, he now watches impassively to see if the mortals gain his forgiveness. All Archangels share a small amount of his power, acting as vessels of his divine will.

Aidios, the Divine Bride. Once a mortal woman, she sung with such emotion that it roused the sleeping Maker. He fell in love with her and sent her visions of an impending disaster, allowing her to rise against the Blight and the Fell Dragon together with her Inner Circle (who later became the Archangels). Unfortunately, once peace returned, mortals turned on her and burned her at the stake, afraid and jealous of her divine connection. This almost led to the end of the world, but Aidios, in her infinite kindness, pleaded with the Maker to forgive the mortals and give them a chance to atone. She now watches over them from the Celestial Throne, a patron of all mortals and the guiding hand of their salvation.

Fala, the Sword of the Divine. Once a commander of Belledance's armies, she left her post to follow Aidios in her quest. Through many trials, she was granted power over flame and a sword that turned to fire itself, which she used to cut down thousands of undead. When Aidios was executed, Fala's rage was so great that she alone fought the armies of several nations combined for three days and three nights. Witness records state that her body turned to flame during the fight. When the sun rose on the fourth day, the armies lay defeated, but Fala too, breathed her last. She was later raised as the Archangel of fire, victory, battle, glory, and honor. She is believed to be indominable in combat.

Fel'rekt, the Shadow of Death. Precious little is known of Fel'rekt's life prior to joining Aidios' army, but his dedication to both her and the cause could not be questioned. When Aidios was executed, he grieved for many days and later quietly disappeared, leaving behind naught but these vague words of parting: "All shall be whole again when the nightingale returns to sing." Where and how he died is unknown, but at some point he was raised as the patron of the dead, the ill, and keeper of time itself. He is the shadow that haunts all living beings, reminding them of their sin. Despite the scary way he is portrayed, he is believed to be a fair judge of when one's time is up, uncompromising yet incorruptible.

Xanathar, the Holy Scroll. The holder of all of the world's knowledge, who Aidios sought out specifically by climbing atop the tallest mountains of the Northern Ridge. There, he challenged her to answer three riddles in exchange for his help, and she impressed him with her quick wit and brilliant mind. He followed her henceforth, even into the battle with the Fell Dragon. After her execution, he retreated back into the Northern Ridge, where he built a magnificent and impenetrable tower that no enemy could scale. After his ascension, he became the patron of scholars, hermits, and architects. He is believed to be the ultimate neutral party among the Archangels, valuing nothing above knowledge.

Nat, the Divine Protector. Twin sister to Mirt and a sworn pacifist. Blessed with divine healing abilities, she dedicated her life to treating the sick and the impoverished of the world. Even after Aidios' execution, she continued to work as a physician, spreading the teachings of her dear friend together with Mirt. When the forces of the envious nobles finally caught up with her, she chose to die rather than defend herself and break her oath of non-aggression. Following her ascension to Archangel status, she became the patron angel of healers, both physical and spiritual. It is believed that those who refuse the path of violence and turn the other cheek to aggression receive her benediction as well.

Mirt, the Divine Guidance. Twin sister to Nat and a stout defender of those who are considered 'lesser' by society. In life, she stood with Nat to help guide those who need help towards a better path in life. Following Aidios' execution, she continued working with Nat to spread the teachings of their friend. However, when their enemies finally caught up to them, it was Mirt that found Nat's body, and in her rage murdered the attackers with the divine powers granted to her. Realizing what she had done once her rage subsided, she took her own life in recompense. As an Archangel, Mirt is the guide of lost souls and the patron of outcasts and undesirables, as well as teachers and monks.

Dalakhar, the Shield of the Earth. Called the 'Green Ghost of the East', Dalakhar had created a reputation for herself before Aidios had ever approached her, as a folk hero and slayer of beasts. Though she spoke little and disliked the company of others, safe for the brown bear cub that followed her everywhere, she joined Aidios' army to protect the people that looked up to her from the Blight. After Aidios' death, Dalakhar retreated back into the forests, shunning civilization. When her enemies followed, all they found was a great tree that killed all those that approached it. Post ascension, Dalakhar became the patron of nature, hunters, slayers of beasts, and travelers of far-off places.

Soth, the Heavenly Wrath. Depicted as a large, imposing man with a terrible temper, Soth non-the-less proved a strong-willed and loyal companion to Aidios in her quest. Little is known of where he came from, but rumors believe he was a wanderer from the northern lands. He had a strong love for drink and a boundless appetite. When Aidios was executed, his anger was so strong that he became a storm that devastated a section of Aradia before the Storm of Wrath even began. It is believed that the Maker had to reconstruct his physical body, after which he became an Archangel, patron of bards and merry men, as well as those who take great risks in hopes for great rewards.

Ahthor, the Betrayer Angel. Once a member of her Inner Circle, he n betrayed Aidios to mankind and ultimately led to her demise. Despite this, in her infinite kindness, Aidios pled for him to be forgiven and raised along the rest. Now he serves his penance as an outcast from the other Archangels. He is the patron of outcasts, thieves, convicts, and anyone who has lost hope in the world. Though he is recognized as an Archangel, worshipping him is forbidden in the Church of Aidios and shrines to him are considered sacrilege. It is believed that his work may only end and his soul may only rest when the world has been cleansed of all sin and temptation.

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Subsidiary Organizations