The Chapel of the Inked Lady
Mythology & Lore
Long ago, according to The Chapel, there was another creation from which The Titans came from. This creation was lost in some great cataclysm, which lead The Titans to carve out their own creation. This is the universe we know and experience today, a creation believed to be made with the underlying hope of a brighter future than the one before it. Like all other theologies and faiths in Neuorban, The Chapel believes The Titans did indeed part ways. But unlike others, save maybe The True Light Apostles (though it is not explicitly stated The Great Sun was one of The Titans, it is a widely held belief among its faithful partly influenced by The Chapel's beliefs), The Chapel claims to know the rest of the story. How The Titans never truly disappeared like most believe, that one of them became the sun itself, how another walks the earth as a great protector, along with a third who stands watch at the edge of all things. Within the great archives of High Watch, it is said that even the histories of this "First Creation" can be found recorded on great scrolls. All of this knowledge was kept, recorded, and passed onto mortals by one figure: The Inked Lady. Who she is exactly is not canonically stated, though the ruling belief is that she is either a direct servant of or possibly even one of The Titans themselves. Her name comes from the tales that all of this history was recorded on her very body. Her alabaster skin being the divine tapestry of a lost history and holy truth, inked into her very flesh. She is the direct founder of The Chapel, giving the "Great Mission" to the first of her faithful directly in -327 ME. Not only does has she recorded the history of "The Once Was", but she sees and records the history of this new creation and seeks to influence the world so that this creation may go on, forever more.
Divine Origins
The Chapel began in a small farming town in east Esen known as Hayford. The town still stands to this day, little of it changing since that fateful day in -327 ME when David Graham was visited by The Inked Lady. A poor farmer from birth, Graham had no access to education (like many before the birth of the Esen Confederacy in that area) and lived a humble, unnoticed existence. However, he was brought into supernatural communion one night by The Inked Lady herself. There, Graham was told the truth of the universe and ordained by The Inked Lady. She told him to go forth and carry out the Great Mission and to disciple others to follow and do the same in her name. When Graham emerged from his home the following morning, it was clear he was a changed man. The once bashful farmhand, who so easily minced his limited vocabulary, now spoke with a confidence and wisdom that even the most learned of his age could not hope to match. Graham would later tell of how that night lasted infinitely longer than what actual time passed, how The Inked Lady instructed and readied him for this great undertaking to what seemed like a life age for Graham. Graham took a handful of others from Hayford, taken by his powerful words and the new divine aura that poured out from him, and set out to establish what would soon be known as The Chapel of the Inked Lady. Graham, a human, began his journey at the age of 33 and would pass on to The Holy Annals at the age of 176. Over the course of his life, he would lead many to become converts of the new faith, having even the highest of kings bow before him in holy awe of what he held within himself, and seeing to the completion of the base of operations of the new church, High Watch. His journey, known by the faithful as "The Sermon of the Path", is where most of The Chapel's rituals and tenets were founded. Graham taught the faith by living example, with his life being what all faithful seek to emulate.
Tenets of Faith
The Chapel's creation revolves around one core concept: The Great Mission. The Great Mission is seen as just as important, often more so, than merely worshipping The Inked Lady herself. If anything, they believe to truly worship The Inked Lady requires one to live out the Great Mission. The Great Mission can be summarized in three pillars: find the lost, comfort the brokenhearted, and cast out evil.
The first pillar commands the faithful to seek the outcasts of the world, especially those who are wrongly ostracized, and remind them that they are as much a part of the wonderful new creation as anyone else and that alone makes them worthy of love and belonging. The Chapel itself is designed to be a home to those who belong nowhere else, a place where any and all can find their place in and through the Great Mission. Missionaries of The Chapel will even attempt to minister and convert what are normally considered lost causes, like the diabolic tribes in Esen, though that particular group of lost souls can often find themselves on the wrong end of the third pillar. A notable example of this pillar in action is The Chapel's long history and bond with the Genasi tribes.
The second pillar tasks the faithful to not abide the suffering of their fellow mortals. This is very similar to the beliefs and priest work of the Ilmater faith, who The Chapel has often worked alongside in this endeavor. Where the two faiths diverge is largely in that Ilmater is only concerned with the alleviation of suffering, whereas The Chapel must balance this with the other two pillars. While they will do their best, it is a clearly held belief that this is not a path that should lead to martyrdom. Indeed, the life of the faith of The Inked Lady is not their own and therefore must guard themselves so that they can serve the Great Mission as long as their lives allow. The Chapel does canonically put emphasis on comforting "the accepted woes" that beset people, something which Ilmater clergy are not as unified on. From lost relationships, untimely passing, and even unrequited love, the faithful are not to treat these things as the harsh realities of life that deserve no treatment. Many missionaries will become very close to those they minister and give aid to for this reason.
The third and final pillar focuses on the proactive defense of creation against evil. Evil, as understood by The Chapel, is inherently a force destined to bring things to tragic ends and a concept that escaped the old creation and pollutes the new one. Evil is an ancient force to The Chapel and some would dare say it is an unnatural one, for the new creation was made to be free of the troubles of the old. Banishing evil can take many forms: it can be the peaceful protest of unjust laws and government, to putting the sword to those who prey on the innocent and wreak havoc. How exactly evil is to be dealt with is largely up to the faithful themselves, who are taught to seek guidance from The Inked Lady. While most missionaries are called to deal with things with peaceful means, there have been missionaries and faithful who believe they were called by The Inked Lady to take a true fight to the forces of evil. Many ballads and stories have been created from these figures, some who lead entire campaigns alone against terrible and wicked powers. Though, to The Chapel, it is a falsehood of the nonbeliever to believe these brave men and women were truly alone. Though many missionaries do seek peace over conflict, those who travel the wilder lands of Neuorban see no issues with training to defend themselves or their future flocks if conflict is thrust upon them.
Ethics
To many religions, the role of missionary is one that a select number of faithful are called to. In The Chapel, however, all the faithful see themselves as missionaries. This doesn't inherently mean all faithful are wanderers who roam seeking new converts and divine appointments, though that is indeed something the faithful do. Many who find themselves unable to live the life of traditional missionary work still are duty bound to minister to the communities they live in, seeing their missionary work as traversing spiritual grounds rather than the literal soils of Neuorban. It is this idea of proactive and constant living of faith that results in many people respecting The Chapel, but few becoming true converts. Though this suits The Chapel just fine, for so long as the world is given the light of truth offered by The Inked Lady, it is not shameful in their eyes to know where ones limits lie.
Worship
To worship the Inked Lady is to actively live out the truths she revealed so thousands of years ago. The pillars of the Great Mission are not to be given lip-service, but fully realized through the actions of her faithful.
Priesthood
The organization of The Chapel is quite loose, usually operating on seniority and the fruits of their journey being evidence of what they are and are not qualified for. Individual churches usually have a set structure, but the organization as a whole has believes the Great Mission is and will be enough to guide the whole of the faithful. This allows each missionary to carry out the will of The Chapel with a fluidity and agency that is lost in rigid religious structures. Faithful of this religion, particularly those who dedicate their lives entirely to missionary works, can be identified by the many tattoos that adorn their bodies. Tattoos are a sacred thing in The Chapel, representing the story of one's life, the path they walk in pursuit of the Great Mission, and the glories they have done for and by the power of The Inked Lady.
Political Influence & Intrigue
Though the actions of the faithful have their affects across many peoples and governments, it is largely unheard of for a member of The Chapel to hold a political position. This is largely due to the concern of not sacrificing the beliefs and spirit of the Great Mission for the often short lived benefits political positions offer at the price of ones morals.
Our lives are recorded in every detail by Our Lady. To live a life unbecoming of such attention is folly, to live honoring this love is the key to The Holy Annals.
Founding Date
-327 ME
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Alternative Names
The Chapel
Deities
Location
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