Paths of Life

Structure

The Church of the Walkers is set up into a number of small temples within towns and cities, each of the temples has one member of every sed within it. Everyone within a temple has their own set of duties. Whoever is the one who does the administration work for the temple, normally the priest of the Father, is the Herd of the temple. The Herd Priest of a temple sends represents to the next temple within the chain, namely the one within the closest city. There is a priest whose job is it takes in and replies to all of this represents, they are the Archpriest of the area, they are normally priest of the Lard. They send represents to the Archpriest of Orlessia, who is the Leader of the Church as a hold and called the High Priest. The High Priest is always a Priest of the Father. The High Priest is the one who makes decisions on everything to do with the direction of the church.

Public Agenda

The Path is trying to better the lives of its members and guiding them down the right path to have a better life in their next life. There are the lends a number of drivers and working with the poor, help0ing those in need. As will as righting a number of the hospital. There are known to have some members of the priesthood have despised arcane magic and some who have even started to actively hunt mages.

Mythology & Lore

Those who follow the Paths of Life do not see its deities as gods per se - more commonly, they see their patron gods as 'guides' and 'mentors' rather than true deities. Each of these mentors is believed to exist to help one down whatever path they may be following in their life at the time - they are each seen as paragons of their respective profession or specialization rather than true Deities to be worshipped, such that a creature aspiring to be a fighter or a warrior would follow the example of Muzaka, The Battlemaster, and so on.
Additionally, the "Guides" as they are known to those who follow the Paths are more commonly referred to by a title or epithet rather than their names - a custom believed to exist because they guided the lands of the Grand Kingdom of Orlessia through the destruction of the Immortal Empire.

Path of the Ard Ri

The first of the Ard Ri was a Ruler of elves and a Master of their ways of Fighting and Magic. He has ruled over the Elves of the Heartlands for the dawn of time. He has ruled them for so long that there did not know how to live without the Ard Ri ruled. He was a good and kind ruler and did everything he could for his people. His three sons not being eternal like his started to see that there or their children would have been getting anything or have any of his power as their seen was their right. So there started to look for ways to take parts of his power for themselves. The Oldest that to take his power as a Master Mage, the middle was after his power as a Master of all of their Fighting Ways, and the youngest what all of the Ard Ri power for himself. So as he helps his Brothers come with a way to take the powers of their father each of them coveted, there started to make a ritual that would take and give them each a part of their Father's power. But the youngest of the brothers was working a way to use the ritual to take all of the power for himself. As there use the ritual on the Ard Ri, and just before the last little bit of his power was about to leave him. The Youngest take the sword that the Middle One's sword to killed his, and take the Power of Making the ways of fighting, them he uses the focus of the ritual to take the Power of Mages for the Oldest. As he started the Oldest use his new knowledge of Magic to try and reverse the ritual, overpowering it and the aftereffects take the life of aof their people, making all of their kind only live 1/5 of their true lives. As the Ard Ri dead with the last little bit of his powers, that was the wisdom to use his great powers. Without this, the three sons come have not seen the flaws within their greed. So to stop this from hopping within the future the Ard Ri uses the last of his life to put this Great Wisdom within the antler crown of his people. ll

Divine Origins

After the fall of The Immortal Emperor, three of the great heroes of the Third Age and several Deific Avatars helped lead the people of Orlessia through their time of great need to their current greatness and format, showing everyone that there are several paths in life that they can walk - and that most will often walk many paths over the course of their lives, never remaining set on a constant course. It was from this tumultuous time that the Paths of Life were formed - and from which they continue to endure into the current day.

Cosmological Views

Those of the Paths believe that the world was designed by the Old Gods but abandoned before it could be finished, only leaving the Primordial Races to finish what they started. Without a check on their power, the old races eventually broke out into war and plunged the world into a thousand years of darkness as a result - though in time, the coming of the High Dragons finished the world and brought an end to the conflict. When the Old Ones returned they plunged the world into conflict once again as they killed off the High Dragons, only leaving the New Gods to settle in their place who were forged from the Heroes of Old. The set of these heroes that guided them are the heroes that make up the Paths and still guide others into the present, and continue to guide others to this day.

Tenets of Faith

Nurture the seeds of the knowledge, so that all may know what is happening. Let nothing be secrets so that we can be one.

Accept and know your place and what Path it put in front of you. Your deeds and knowledge are something that other must Earned.

By Honoring those who are below you, and treat them to do their duty. Treat them above you to Protection you and yours as payment for doing your duties.

Toil today for tomorrow's reward. All your work will pay off in the next life when you are accepted back into the cycle.

Laugh louder, drink longer, Work Harder, fight every fight like it's your last. Uses your Actions in Life to speak for you for generations to come.

Always seek to improve, Always pull yourself to do better, Always make your next your best work.

A calm mind is a chaotic mind where one's thoughts can wander and stray. Focus on what you are doing now, and do it to your best. Do not fret about what is to come.

Family is the most improvement and fragile thing you have, do what you can to grow and protect them from the dangers they cannot.

Always strive to keep balance in your life and in the world around you. Do not become obsessed with only one thing. Take time to let your other duties be your focus.

Ethics

There is a set of Laws that has been codified as the best way to live within the Tenets of the faith. Their Laws are known as The Walkers Codes. Within the Walkers Codes are some of the following laws:

• Right of Body, Right of Mind, Right of Soul - Your Body. Mind. and Soul are your own, and no one other than the 'guides' can make you do anything, think anything, or tell you if you are not on the Right Path.
• Right of Payment - You have the Right to get pay for your deeds and duties, as well as to not do any work you have accepted but have not gotten paid for.
• Right of Nontaxes - You have the Right to stop paying Taxes if you can prove that your Lard is not upholding their end of what your taxes go to. Like upkeeping roads, hunting bandits, etc.
• Right of Family - You have the right to marry and having children to who every you wish that is willing, but you may only have one significant other that you are married to.
• Deed of Honor - You must honor any deals that you make and you must do your best to uphold your part of the deals you make and trust that the others will as well in good faith.
• Deed of Live - You must live you live as long as you can and as best you can. You may not take your only life before the end of your life.
• Deed of Duty - You must do the Duties that are given to you by your position within the structures.

There is a hierarchy that has formed within the last 150 or so years within the Paths of Life that is called the Structures. Each of the steps on the Structures shows that you are closer to becoming your true self than you were when you were working them out in your possessed lives. The steps of the Structures are as follows:

• Elf - Someone of Full Elven Blood are there true self, and have the rights to the highest office of power.
• Half-Elf - Someone of Half Elven Blood are one step for becoming there tureself, and have the rights to the highest office. There are the heads of the most of Graet Houses.
• Eighth-Elf - Someone who is at least 1/8 Elven are two steps from becoming their trueself, and have the right to any of the supporting offices of the Noble Houses.
• Elf-Blood - Someone eho has any amount of Elven Blood is at least four steps from becoming their trueself. They can do anything they what to, and a priest must be at least on this step.
• Noble-Blood - Anyone of noble blood that has ties to one of the ruling Houses. They have the right to rule, and the right to the power of their House as their own.
• Day-Blood - Anyone who is an Aasimar did something great within their last life. Someone that is more than what was asked of them. There are seen as a sign from the Gods as a good omen.
• Magic-Blood -Anyone who can use Magic is seen as some number of steps closer to their trueself than others.
• Mixed-Blood - Everyone else.

Worship

Worship in the Church of the Paths of Life is done through the way one lives - temples are often needed for when one is unsure of what they should be doing or in need of guidance. By walking one's path and not straying from it until they hit a fork, they are worshipping the Guides and following their many paths within life.

Priesthood

The priests of the Paths of the Life are extensions of the Guides - they do not exist to proselytize, and instead are only present to help those who are lost are in need of help to find their path. Each one of the guides has their own sect of the Priesthood, identified by their dyed robes and visible symbology.
The names of the Guides are listed below, along with a short description of the priesthood sect that represents them.

• The Mother - Priests of The Mother, in addition to always being female, are always clad in green robes and are often seen carrying a tome that serves as a book of contracts. The Priesthood is all about guiding those who take on the role of guardianship, family raising, caretaking, lawyering, and the like - and are commonly identified by the silver pentagrams embroidered onto their robes that indicate their faith in The Mother.
• The Smith - Priest of The Smith are adorned with black and crimson robes and are often seen carrying a set of tools with them, used for whatever primary craft they specialize in outside of the priesthood. They often guide those who take on the role of craftsmen, carpenters, smiths, and other laborers to guide them in their tasks and jobs - and are commonly identified by the anvils of iron or bronze that adorn their robes or armor that indicates their faith to The Smith.
• The Lord - Priests of The Lord are found clad and adorned in robes of gold and green and are always seen adorned with a traditionally made Elven Curve Blade. They often guide those who take on the roles of Leaders, Managers, Royalty, Mentors, Merchants, and the like to guide them in their tasks and jobs - and are commonly adorned and identified by the seven-pointed star that was the Symbol of the Old Empire.
• The Patient One - Priests of The Patient One are found clad and adorned in robes of grey, and are often seen carrying clubs to enforce order within the church. They often guide those who take on the roles of Teachers, Spies, Students, Scholars, Engineers, and the like to guide them in their tasks and jobs - and are commonly adorned and identified by a mask with a set of glowing red eyes they wear at all times.
• The Battlemaster - Priests of The Battlemaster are found clad and adorned in robes of red and are always seen carrying the belt of their station. They often guide those who take on the roles of Soldiers, Warriors, Knights, those who are willing to fight for others and glory, and the like to guide them in their tasks and jobs - and are commonly adorned by a moon with claw marks across it. Few walk this path outside of times of war.
• The Silent - Priests of The Silent are found clad in robes of pure white, and are always seen carrying a set of swords that are often associated with the east - namely, the Katana and the Wakizashi. They often guide those who take on the roles of the Oppressed, Thieves, Assassins, Helpers, Caretakers, and the like to guide them in their tasks and jobs - and are commonly identified by the pure white robes they are adorned in.
• The Archmage - Priests of The Archmage are found clad and adorned in robes of red and are always seen carrying wooden staves used for practical and arcane purposes. They often guide those who take on the roles of Mages, Druids, Masters, Those who seek power or control of self, and the like to guide them in their tasks and jobs - and are commonly adorned by a headpiece that makes them appear to have three eyes.
• The Father - Priests of The Father, in addition to always being male, are always clad in blue robes and are often seen carrying a small sack of provisions they can give out to others. They often guide those who take on the roles of Fathers, Providers, Athletes, Travelers, and the like to guide them in their tasks and jobs - and are commonly adorned by a silver pentacle that decorates their robes that indicates their faith in The Father.
• The Dreamscapers - Priests of The Dreamscapers are always found clad and adorned in robes colored both blue and yellow, split and colored perfectly down the middle, and are commonly seen carrying small sticks and string with which to make a dreamcatcher. They often guide those who are Lost back onto the correct path, and are commonly adorned with a dreamcatcher around their neck.

The Churches of the Paths of life have no other strict rankings aside from these sects but are commonly led by a pair of priests from both the Mother and Father's sects respectively, who are often married. Every other priest takes an appropriate role as needed.

It is by the Paths in life we walk that we become more, and grow.

Founding Date

13/19/1908

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Alternative Names

The Path, Church of the Walkers

Demonym

Walker

Permeated Organizations

• Grand Kingdom of Orlessia

Deities

• Desdemona, Lady of the Quill
• Farrograt, Heartbeat of the World
• Faylin, The Imperial
• Gorrm, The Peaceful Obliterator
• Muzaka, The Battlemaster
• Nameless, The Dancing Wind
• The Blind Sage, The Master of Masters
• Thundraw, The Eternal Storm
• Treno and Trena, The Trickster Twins