Holy Orders of Maal

The courts of Maal have two great holy orders: the order of justiciars (joo-STISH-ee-urs; the clergy) and the officers of Maal (holy warriors). A third order, the talesmen (TAYLZ-muhn), has few members, none of whom involve themselves in court matters. The Four Justices of the faith act as its central authority, and consist of two highest ranked justiciars and the two greatest known officers of Maal. The Four control the faith from a central court located in a small city, far from prying eyes.

The order of justiciars has four levels of status: justiciar, high justiciar, prolocutor (pro-LOOK-yuh-tur), and their two Justices. The officers of Maal are also divided into four groups: swords, shields, hands, and their two Justices.
The talesmen are only ever talesmen, and never for long. The high justiciars oversee the activities of the courts. The clergy below them see to the court’s judgments, and the officers see to their enforcement. Justiciars who do not serve at a court mostly concern themselves with finding the Sacred Laws, and officers not found at court bring justice to the world through the strength of their blades.

The average court has one to three high justiciars, and eight to ten justiciars. There are usually five, ten or fifteen swords of the officers of Maal (almost always a multiple of five), and three to five shields. The prolocutors and hands are charged with wandering the world and spreading justice, so the most powerful members of the courts are rarely found within their walls.

The Courts of Maal

Known as the courts of Maal, the god’s church has only a few dedicated worshipers (called Maalites), largely due to the rigorous rules its members must follow. Nevertheless, the court is powerful, prominent, and well respected, since the courts and their representatives are known to be unbiased and wise. In nearly every major city or center of government in human, dwarven, and mixed-race societies, there stands a court of Maal. Locals go them to resolve thorny conflicts. Some local governments rely on the courts of Maal to serve as criminal justice systems. Even in cases where a government has its own trial system, leaders consult with the courts to help resolve important issues, especially if they involve powerful nobles.
A central court heads a large network of lesser courts. The Four Justices, who comprise the high court, issue edicts for the rest of the faithful about the legal policies of various nations, the goals of the courts, and the status of the search for the Sacred Laws. Maal gave mortals these laws at the beginning of the fourth epoch.
If followed, they would create a perfect, harmonious society. These laws were all lost, except for the first: Maal’s doom against vengeance. It is therefore the solemn mission of Maal’s faithful to recover the Sacred Laws, to bring about a new age of enlightenment and peace for all. In all their years of searching, they have not found a single one, and fear diabolical or demonic influence keeps them from being recovered.
The faithful do not speak of this mission to outsiders, though some members of other churches know of it. While the faithful search, the courts maintain good relationships with secular authorities, and uphold their duties as legal arbiters and counselors. The courts also maintain fine relationships with other lawful churches, including The Great Church, which sometimes calls upon the courts of Maal to adjudicate disputes between its members when the case requires a neutral third party.
In ancient times, the courts were also places where mourners could gather and remember their dead, offering prayers to the King of the Dead to care for their loved ones.
The churches of the Mormekim and Narynath have largely taken over these roles, but some still go to the courts to pray that the Judge of Souls will be kind to lost loved ones.
Maal depends on his courts to carry out justice in the world. He communicates to his followers through omens, or even direct messages via his Voice, or Wisdom. Maal believes his servants are just, but is saddened when some of them fail to mete out justice, or do not understand its true meaning. Those eager to inflict terrible judgments rarely climb high in the hierarchy of his faith, for he makes sure the leaders of the courts know his disapproval.

Tenets of Faith

Justice for All

“Though the world’s injustices may fill the vessel of your heart with rage and hatred, though you may desire with all your soul to destroy those who have wronged you, remember that there is a true and greater law more perfect than any you might ever recite, more beautiful than you might ever hope.” —The Writ of Maal, holiest screed of the courts of Maal

The doctrine of the courts rests on four principles, which are described below.

There will be Justice

Even before Maal’s first declaration, there were laws against murder and taking justice into one’s own hands. If all involved in the tale of Ceruill and Ophiel had obeyed those laws, much suffering would have been avoided. While the Church of Maal knows mortal laws are fallible (though they are mostly lawful neutral, they do not believe all laws are right simply because they are laws), they know Maal’s law is infallible. Maal promised all crimes would receive justice, so it is therefore a great wrong to commit another crime to see justice done.

For instance, killing someone who has harmed your family because you believe it is the only way to receive justice is wrong— Maal has decreed it so, and you only prove you lack faith in Maal and his promise. “Trust in Maal,” the justiciars say, “for he is compassionate, and his justice will be done.”

Maal’s Wisdom is Infinite

Gods see further and understand more than even the wisest mortal can. Maal understands society and the mortal spirit better than any king or holy leader ever will, so his laws and decrees are perfect. His Sacred Laws were lost to the mortal races through ignorance, and failure to obey them. Most in the courts believe they still haven’t been found because of outside interference. A few believe they will be found in sequence, once the mortal races master them in order. Thus, the second decree will not appear until all mortals understand and live by the first, surviving decree: Vengeance is wrong. Believers argue that Maal could give mortal races the laws despite the Compact, but refrains, because he doesn’t want them ignored and lost again. Maal’s faithful debate how many decrees Maal gave mortals, but most agree on twelve: one for each of the mythic leaders to whom they were given.

All People have a Right to be Judged

All people accused of a crime have a right to some sort of trial, and should not simply be executed or punished according to mere whim, so the courts are opposed to low justice, in which a noble punishes a peasant however they like. All mortals have the right to some sort of formal trial before mundane authorities, just as all people, no matter how evil, despicable or chaotic, have a right to appear before Maal, and receive final judgment.
Believers therefore abhor any magic that entraps or destroys the soul, or prevents it from ever going to Maal. Transforming oneself into a lich qualifies. They refer to all such magic as “anarchic,” and court officers tirelessly pursue those who use it.

Those Who Deny the Right to Judgment are Enemies

Be it a king who gives legal protections to nobles, but allows peasants to suffer the chaotic whims of hetman and gangs, or a sorcerer who traps souls in a magical well to power his spells, the courts oppose those who seek to deny others their right to procedural justice from their own societies, or from Maal, at the cusp of the afterlife. At the very least, courts issue edicts and arguments against those who bar the way to judgment, but in the worst cases, the courts might take up arms. The courts are not egalitarian, however, and do not require a kingdom to treat all its subjects equally, or issue virtuous laws. A lawful evil empire might escape the courts’ opposition, if all its people have access to some formal justice system.

Worship

Prayers of Maal

The justiciars and the officers of the courts of Maal pray to their Lord often, particularly when they wonder if a decision they made was correct or ethical. Most often, common folk pray to Maal in three cases: when they need the wisdom to make an important decision, when they’re wronged and crave justice, and when a loved one has died.
The prayer recited most fervently is called the Entreaty, and it is a cry to Maal for justice, when wronged. While spoken from the perspective of one murdered, its meaning stands beyond any one crime, for any offense committed against the mortal races. The Entreaty is not said lightly, as it is a solemn plea to Maal. It is usually invoked by someone who knows who has wronged them, is desperately trying to control their rage, and wants to avoid taking matters into their own hands.

“Father Maal, Judge of Souls,
King of the Dead,
Hear me in my need.
My blood runs in rivers,
And with it mingle my bitter tears.
I lay dying yet no crime have I done,
No man have I wronged.
My innocent blood I offer to you, Father Maal,
My angry tears are my libations;
I pray to you that those who wrong me will find Justice,
By your hand or another’s.
Let not my blood be washed away,
Let not my life be forgotten.”

Priesthood

Saints

Saints are named by Maal himself when he judges souls. Tireless crusaders for justice who come before Maal sometimes find themselves greeted as saints. When Jerik, a hand of Maal who almost single-handedly toppled a goblin kingdom that had enslaved thousands, came before Maal to be judged, he knelt. The Voice of Maal greeted him by saying “Arise, Saint Jerik, and be judged.” In that simple pronouncement, sainthood was conferred.
On occasion, servants of Maal in the mortal sphere learn in prayer that one of the fallen has been elevated to sainthood. From that point onward, the departed is referred to as a saint by all faithful. In the example above, Jerik’s sister sought to commune with Maal, to ask for guidance some years after her brother’s death. The Voice of Maal told her that her brother, Saint Jerik, would thereafter be a guardian of Maal’s kingdom. After that, all her efforts to commune were answered by her brother, and from this incident, the courts of Maal learned Jerik had been named a saint.
Due to the unique nature of the ceremony to become a hand of Maal, there have been living saints of Maal who returned from the dead with their new title. Some also learn of their sainthood, only to be later resurrected, though most refuse to be brought back. The true roll of saints is known only to Maal’s dead legions, and may include names never shared with the living. Those who are named saints by Maal reside in his kingdom in eternal bliss, and are not reborn.

Type

Religious, Holy Order

Demonym

Maalite

Subsidiary Organizations

• Justiciars of Maal
• Officers of Maal
• Talesmen

Deities

• Maal

Divines

• Maal

Related Myths

• First Vengeance and First Law