The Abbey of the Masses

“There is nothing that keeps men at any one moment out of the cold and shivering Abyss, but the vigilance of the Abbey." -The High Warden

The Abbey of the Masses, or simply the Abbey, is a religious order spread and enforced by Wardens and headed by the High Warden. Based in the cities of Whitecliff and Waleden, the Abbey's ideology centers on the belief that "the universe is unknowably vast and swarming with all manner of dangerous spirits and forces, most of which are hostile to man's existence". The primary goal of the Abbey is to stand against the Stranger, but it is also tasked with civil matters, such as officiating marriages and regulating the Isles' calendar and the Fugue Feast.

Mythology & Lore

The Abbey believes that the world was created when the Void issued forth the worlds and stars, swirling around that great, birthing abyss. Soon after plants and animals arose from the primordial chaos, with humanity separating itself from the beasts of the world. Dread spirits poured forth from the Void and set about plaguing all men and women, attempting to create discord in their hearts. And since creation, the entirety of the Cosmos has been slowly returning to the Void, pulled back toward eventual destruction.

Tenets of Faith

The Abbey has no stated deity (and indeed opposes worship in the traditional sense), although it places special importance on astrological and cosmological movements - the organization regulates the calendar based on the observation of cosmological signs, and in eulogies, the deceased is bade to "fade and merge with the Cosmos". The Abbey follows a strict set of doctrines known as the Seven, which dictate how followers of the Abbey should conduct themselves. Citizens are encouraged to place all their devotion and faith in the institution of the Abbey, particularly the High Warden.

Deities