The Chruch of the Stained Hands

Is a worldwide organization dedicated to the furthering of Illmaters compassion and redemption. Through their feeding, housing and rehabilitation programs the church has become immensely popular with people down on their luck that need help to get back on their feet. In most large cities you can find one of their churches ready and willing to help you with sickness, hunger or temporary housing. The church is also known for their duties among the falsely accused. Many priests of Illmater will gain visions about innocent people put on trial and will travel great distances to help finding their freedom. "Mine is to lay my life down for those in need" Is the cornerstone of the churches ideals. Most priests are former criminals, murderers, wrongdoers, drug addicted or were in some need of redemption. Under the grace of Illmater they have begun their life anew with the sole goal of tipping the balance of what they brought to the world over on the good side.

Structure

Within a given church there is a church Elder who oversees the local work the church does. In larger cities an Elder might need several helping hands (pun intended) to keep everything organized and productive and so choose several priest to be Meisters. The Meisters are in control of specific locations or groups of people and are given a handful of priests.
An Elder is sworn in until death and only when dead beyond resurrection or unable to do his duties may another Elder be chosen. When a new Elder must be chosen all other Elders gain a vision of the new Elder and so swears in the Elder to be.

Public Agenda

Illmater believes in endurance, redemption and kindness. Illmater is the only god to deliberately live his entire physical manifestation before the arcanum revolt as a human and felt all the same pain that humans do. He understands the human condition and the suffering that comes with, even to this day it is said he is in continual agony to remember his time amongst the living. His scriptures and visions are not subtle and those Elders that regularly communicate with him say that his only wish is to help the all of humanity with the endurance of the flesh.

Assets

The churches are simple, with little to no decoration. They are made to be efficient and easy to build. A church has two main jobs in a given city, help the living, house the necessities so that the first job can be achieved.

History

The church has been involved in many wars over the years, mainly as a neutral unit that heals the wounded both bad and good. Unless said bad is monstrosities that do not know the human condition. Most notably they were involved in the Reun War and the Fall of the Baltican Empire.
Another infamous case was the involvement in the Halderbask Trials. In the year 1154, a baron named Ellos Halderbask was on trial for the assassination of a general in the Loudwater army. Meister Partak gained a vision that proved his innocence, and so stormed into the courtroom and took up the role of his lawyer. The case went on for seven weeks before ending in a mistrial due to one of the jury being a distant relative of the general in question. Partak made the case afterwards that they should use send for an impartial arcanist to read his mind. The defence made the case that mindreading, like zone of truth, is flawed due to the several ways it can be worked around. The objection was overruled and the Arcanist Deonna Talltower was brought in to read his mind. The mindreading proved that he was at home at the time of the assassination and could therefore not have done it. He was found not guilty and walked free to the dismay of the Loudwater army.

Tenets of Faith

“Be optimistic, happy and calm. Show no fear or anxiety. You are to be a beacon, a shining light for those whose eyes are blinded by the dark. Carry yourself with the strength you may not have and be an example of good despite your past actions. You are to lay your life down for those in need- no matter the circumstances'' - Book of Joanna Elfenbone Alcaster, pg 39
“Hug the violent. Show them the love they never felt. Give them the fifth chance they don’t deserve. Let them transform their hate and hurt into love and care for others. Give them the tools to repent. Let them find redemption in whatever way they can. Smite not the human, for it’s the mind that falters, not the physical shell. One can never make up for one's mistake in the world if the body is buried with its sin.” - Book of Joanna Elfenbone Alcaster, pg 12
“Once upon a deep pale moon. Beneath the dancing windcast leaves that rustled away the serene silence. Traveling a road overgrown with time. I met a woman. She was lying still in the middle of the road, blood splattered around her. She was barely twitching. This was nothing new along this particular road. Bandits luck they called it. That's why I was here. She would pull a knife on me the second I went to check on her. Three to five men would come from the foliage armed with crossbows or shortbows and either shoot you straight away or force you to give all you have. I went over and as soon as I crouched down she pulled a knife on me. Three armed thugs came out from the brushes and told me to give over my gold. I told them that I had no gold, for I was a man of the cloth. Not believing my words they shot their arrows, but the raven never wavers. Their arrows struck me but broke on impact. My skin was hardened. A light burst forth from my hierogram blinding them momentarily. In fear they bowed and surrendered. I told them not to bow nor fear me, but to listen and think. I told them the better ways of life. Four new faithful and redeemed followers of Illmater was made that day.” - The collected stories of Ellemen Fringe pg, 152

Mine is to lay my life down for those in need

Type

Religious, Holy Order

Alternative Names

Red Velvet