Church of the Ancient King
Revered throughout Helonia but almost unknown anywhere else, the Ancient King is the Helonian patron god of purity, nobility, and courage in the face of danger. He is the romanticised version of a perfect leader. He is said to be pure of heart, unmatched in combat and well versed in the arts of magic. Within the minds of many nobles the king is the very heart and soul of Helonia, a mystical elemental incarnation of the land itself and a guardian of all people living within the archduchy.
Tenets of Faith
The Helonian Code of Chivalry is inextricably linked with the Ancient King; as it is he who will reward all honor and virtue when he returns to take his throne. It is believed that all those who follow the Code of Chivalry to its fullest will be blessed by the king as they ride out to bring the entire world into his kingdom.
Ethics
Throughout Helonia, there are many Chapels built upon sites of holy significance, ranging from the most humble roadside shrine, up to the truly grand and beautifully ornate flying fortress cathedrals, incorporated into a duke's castle estate. It is the sacred duty of the kingsguard to protect these shrines, however, some holy paladins will devote the remainder of their lives to defending the King's sacred places. These mighty warriors are best known as Hermit Knights, who willingly spend their remaining years defending the relics housed within such places, or standing vigil over magical items and tomes far too dangerous to be allowed out amongst common, frail-willed, and easily corrupted men.
Priesthood
A select few powerful knights dedicate themselves fully to the will of the Ancient King. These are known as the Kingsguard. Powerful paladins that roam the lands in the name of the Ancient King.
Aside from the paladins of the Kingsguard, the cult mostly consists of clerics of the Ancient King, divination wizards and scholars, fully dedicated to finding an heir to the ancient king. Within the cult it is considered pure to not dedicate yourself to one type of magic, but rather combine divine and arcane magic in the effort to locate the heir. These Mystic Theurges are the leaders of the cult and the most powerful of which is the Hierarch of the Arcane who serves at the Archduke's side.
The fame of the hermit knights can spread quickly. Each will soon gain a varied following of displaced commoners, peasants and even a few disgraced minor nobles. Over time, this rabble, sworn in fealty to the original knight or a noble-born successor, can form a brotherhood, which, if it gains official recognition from the central Grand Temple within Castle Caballarius and a royal patent from the Archduke in Licornemais, can become a landed estate monastery or King's Abbey, paying tithe and fealty unto their local duke and the archduke. It is these brotherhoods that build and maintain the wayside shrines and chapels on the archduke's highways, and it is these selfless monks who care for the many pilgrims traveling within Helonia. The master or father abbot of such a brotherhood can also march his brothers to war at the call of the local duke or the archduke when needed.
Comments