At one time there was no Heaven or Hell, and all the demons and angels lived among the mortal races. All were ruled by Tael, who sat upon their golden throne on the sun, and Xeno, who sat upon his throne of carved bone on the moon.
At one time there was no Heaven or Hell, and all the demons and angels lived among the mortal races. All were ruled by Tael, who sat upon their golden throne on the sun, and Xeno, who sat upon his throne of carved bone on the moon.
Tael found that Xeno had tricked the mortals into worshipping his demonic children, and this displeased Tael. Some of these demons were:
Tael summoned their angels and went to war with the demons. Xeno, defeated, was exiled to Hell with his never-ending spawn. And Tael's angels retreated to Heaven, to stay vigilant for the next war.
Since the great war, Tael has been the one and only god.
Over the eons, Tael has come down to the mortal realm and lived out the life of a human. The records of these lives are integral texts in the Church of Tael. Scholars pour over every word, and the very laws of the Church are built upon the foundation of these five tales. Some say there will be a Sixth Descent. But most prognostications are base heresy.
Tael lived the life of a soldier. Little is known of the life of this soldier. Were they a royal knight, or a common house guard? A mounted warrior in an army, or a mercenary for hire? What is known is that their sword, or spear, or arrows were used to fight back the waves of chaos that threatened the mortal realm even then.
Churches of the Shield are commonly built near barracks, guard posts, or in places marked by war. People worship the Shield when they feel a need for protection, strength, or unity. Because the name of the Shield is unknown, any unmarked soldier's grave can be used as a site of worship.
Law of the Shield
Worship Tael, for Tael is the shield that holds back chaos.
Tael lived the life of a scribe named Tolof. Educated in the arts of reading and writing, Tolof rose in the ranks of academia until he became the scribe of Queen Yvabeth. Through Tolof's detailed records, Queen Yvabeth was able to bring great improvements to her realms; roads were built and maintained, food was redistributed to the hungry, and border guards were kept stocked in spears and spirits. However, Queen Yvabeth had long been corrupted by a allied prince who worshipped The Merry Mother. Tolof kept notes of Queen Yvabeth's messages and meetings, and routed out the corruption before it could be spread to the rest of the realm. Yvabeth tried to keep Tolof's works from being read, but he distributed copies in the dead of night, and in a great revolution the corrupt queen was exiled to the sea.
Churches of the Scribe are often built in cities and monasteries, where Tolof's great work is continued. Scholars spend their lives translating ancient texts and writing new ones, so that Tael's work can be known by all. People worship the Scribe when they need questions answered, corruption revealed, or to resolve sins of the past.
Law of the Scribe
Tell true of Tael, and the works of Tael, and tell not of others who falsely claim godhood.
Tael lived the lives of two individuals, a lord and a lady of a small kingdom. Lord and Lady Casald ruled over a small collection of villages and farmlands. They were fair rulers. However, they could never have children of their own, and as they aged their tenants worried over who would own the land if their lord and lady passed. Tempers ran high, and it was not long before one family took arms against another. There were fires set in fields, and sons and daughters killed. The lord and lady called a council of the elders of all the families of their realm. In an unprecedented act of charity, they adopted all the elders as their own children, so that the land could stay with the families after their own lives had ended. The elders were moved to tears, and a great feast of peace was held in the honor of this royal couple.
Chuches of the Lord and Lady are built in both poor villages and royal castles, anywhere where families own or work the land. People worship the Lord and Lady at times of birth and death, to quell the rebellious spirit of the young, and to seek guidance in being a fair adjudicator of the law.
Law of the Lord and Lady
Worship your mother as Tael and your father as Tael, and worship your Lord as Tael and your Lady as Tael, as they worship Tael.
Tael lived the life of a hunter named Wulfbara. Raised in a forest village, Wulfbara became well-known at an early age for her skills in archery. She traveled from village to village, competing in tournaments of shooting and hunting. Her village became prosperous because of the great quantities of meat, antlers, and foraged goods she brought in. Through her travels, Wulfbara became aware that many villages still worshipped old demons, such as the Briar Queen and Hearthheart, as if they were gods. She found offerings to bears and crowned bucks, and saw the vices and corruption such false worship brought. One day Wulfbara vanished into the forest, armed with blessed arrows. One by one she hunted the demons of the forests- animals who spoke in the tongues of men, the spirits who took on seductive guises, the trees whose great twisting roots hid hungry mouths. Slowly, slowly, she rid the forests of corruption. She was rarely seen in towns, and often wore a mask to hide her identity from demon-worshipping cults. Sightings of Wulfbara became rarer and rarer, until finally she was never seen in a village again.
Churches of the Hunter are built on the borders of kingdoms, or deep in the wilderness where little light of Tael's sun pierces the thick trees. People worship the hunter for guidance when they feel lost, for luck in the hunt, and for vengeance against corrupting forces.
Law of the Hunter
There is Tael, mankind, beasts, and no other; keep the wild to the wilderness.
Tael lived the life of a beggar named Laedro. Born into a life of poverty, Laedro begged on the streets of a large city. From his humble post at the edge of the gutter, Laedro witnessed all the lives being lived around him. He saw great noble men laden with jewelry and fine clothes who hoarded their wealth as a poor man hiding his last copper penny. He saw hardworking peasants who had to sell the food they grew in order to afford the roof over their heads, and thus starved to death. He saw the great corrupting force of money. Laedro formed an organization with other beggars and priests, known in time as the Barefoot Knights. The Barefoot Knights refused to keep money, and any time they were given copper or silver they immediately sought out those who could use it for good. The holy order soon spread from city to city, and even now the Barefoot Knights travel the Five Isles, giving charity and aid to those who need it, and refusing possessions beyond a simple robe and cowl.
Churches of the Beggar are often built in cities or isolate monasteries. People worship the Beggar when they feel at their lowest, or to aid those in need of help, or to seek forgiveness for some great sin.
Law of the Beggar
Give charity to those without, for all, even those most ignorant, are of Tael.