1. Introduction
2. What is Davism?
a. A brief history
b. Three arms of the Church
c. Literature of the Order
3. What are the elements of Davism?
a. Dogma
i. Lord of the Springs
ii. Creation
iii. Magic and magery
iv. Citizenship
v. Afterlife
vi. Cleansing
b. Doctrines
i. On Pilgrimage
ii. On Prostitution
iii. On Homosexuality
iv. On Celibacy
c. Rituals
i. Mass
ii. Consuming Water
iii. Ablution
iv. Water Blessings
d. Symbols
i. Water
ii. Fire
iii. Light
4. The roots of Davism
Introduction
While The Inquisition - in one form or another - has existed for over a decade, narrowing Davism down has always been something of an issue. Part of it lies in storytelling: you do not want to define everything, because it makes the world static. Part of it lies in the nature of the topic: some people argue that reasoned conversation about the divine is impossible. Part of it lies in the inevitable parallels between it and real world religions. Much like some of our other themes (slavery, class divisions, international relations, political intrigue) players carry an enormous modern bias with them.
A common entry point for conceptualizing the TI theme is its namesake: The Inquisition. Ready associations with Christianity may come from this. The English language is pregnant with historical and religious significance. Therefore, of course, our language is as well. We have bishops, cardinals, cathedrals and saints. We drink from a Cup. We attend Mass. We perform penance for sins. We have heretics. We have rites for marriage and rites for excommunication. We believe in a martyred king. The implementers of this game, in developing the world, had to draw on logical parallels to make this fantasy world less of a fantasy. People have to access the theme somehow.
So how do we distance ourselves from the associations that these words create for players? My answer is this: establish detailed theme to assist players in suspending their disbelief. It is my firm belief that with enough context, both in lore and in the vocabulary of the players, that personal bias may be over-ridden. If we do not provide immediate answers or enough color to differentiate concepts, then our gaps will be filled in with what the player is familiar with. It is my aim for a complete religious body. I, personally, would prefer to never hear comparisons between Davism and Christianity again.
As I always do with my posts, I would like to place a disclaimer that this is not canon. Ideas represented here are gathered from conversations with staff, prior work done by Vioric (a theme staff member), my work with TI history, help files, elements established through my play in the last decade and my personal conjecture. I am not a member of the staff nor claim to be.
On that note, two points about religion in a roleplaying environment that come from our former theme staffer:
#1: The religions portrayed on The Inquisition are 100% fictional (outside of their setting), and though some may share ideas in common with some real-world religions, none are meant as portrayals, reflections, critiques, parodies, supports or allegories thereof.
#2: Many of these religions condemn human beings for lifestyles, beliefs and fundamental natures. None of these condemnations reflect any belief of any staffers of The Inquisition or are meant to discomfort players who may share these traits.
The bottom line is that this is fiction. All elements herein are for the sake of telling a story.
Davism FAQ and developmental notes
What is Davism?
A Brief History
The Holy Order of Dav came into existence in 109 SC. Most records before this time are destroyed in the Great Burning of 146, greatly limiting the average PCs knowledge of history. What is important to the average PC is that Dav and the Order came into being to snuff out the corruption that had taken hold in the kingdoms across the Urth. It is well known that Dav’s first family was murdered in 109SC, sparking his journey into the Wilds.
109SC marks the year in which Dav gains the title of Patriarch, uniting the Crown and the Church. He also signs the Charter, approving the dogma taken from oral tradition by St. Remiel. The Declarations are made this same year, sparking a series of purges. Mages are drowned or killed wholesale. The population starts to head West into the Tarn to seek the Springs. The Merchants leave the city, setting it ablaze before mixing with the population of Vavard in the east, forming a liberal, money-driven land.
First, Dav contacts the hillmen as shock troopers. Vandago is the first in Dav’s sights, knowing that the tension between them and the Tubori could be advantageous. Jaren of Vandago yields bloodlessly, becoming a general in Dav’s army. Together, they push the Tubori back onto their boats but are stalled by their naval power and use of light flanking horses.
Dav descends to Yarsith, trying to find a pathway to Charalin horses as Jaren continues to keep the Tubori bottled up. The Vavardi utilize a feint with their fleet and route Dav. Yarsith is destroyed. Dav retreats north into Vandago and is able to utilize the passes into north reaches of the Plains. He takes some of his frustration out on the Charali, destroying 60% of the population to gain his horses. With these new forces, he and Jaren wipe out the remaining Tubori resistance and head south.
It takes him five years of bloody advancement to make it into Farin, finally capturing their city in 130. With the might of the world behind him, Dav finally retakes Vavard after 135. Another five years of pocket skirmishes and purges of the old guard finally take him into the mountains to put down the Hillmen rebellions.
During the 35 years from the start of the Consolidation until Dav’s death at the hands of unknown assassins, the Order consolidates and works its way into every facet of society. The Reeves are dismissed shortly after Dav’s campaign begins; until the war ends, most crimes are considered religious in nature. The popular fervor against magery makes the integration easy. As Dav moves to conquer the various regions, the clergy of the Order is not far behind to rebuild and reorganize infrastructure. After destruction of the armies, particularly the wanton raiding by the Hillmen at the front of the columns, the clergy was largely responsible for the rebuilding of roads, granaries, millhouses and shrines. By condemning evil with one hand and reinforcing the community’s they had conquered, the Order was readily accepted as the faith of the land.
Distance, time and regional culture would affect Davism throughout the kingdom per the <region> faith helpfiles.
The Three Arms
The Order is commonly seen as having three major arms:
1) The Clergy: Priests and priestesses sworn to chastity and service. They are a vital portion of any civil infrastructure in the kingdom. Most will know them for their maintenance of shrines, churches and cathedrals as well as their administration of mass, confession, penance and marriage. Far from a passive entity, the priesthood utilizes their ability to transcend social stratification to dispense charity, teach people to read, provide medical care, bake and hand out bread. Those not attached to the capitol may also, among their other duties, act as building and crop consultants in rural areas. They are one of the only sources of skilled labor outside of the Merchants. Tied in with this, the ‘good’ water of Davism is the flowing bright water. Members of this monotheistic religion would mark this difference and understand that stagnation breeds impurity. Inaction, even driven by holiness, would lead to festering of what is given by Life. Therefore, it is rare that you will find clergy who are lethargic or content to dwell in endless prayer.
2) The Inquisition: Priests and priestesses charged with the pursuit and routing of magery. Above and beyond the selfless dedication of the Clergy, these men and women possess an Inquisitorial ring and have taken vows of loyalty with the Cardinal. Their political position is one of immense stature; they may place anyone under the Review of Faith (also known as being put to the Question). The Review is a series of questions designed to discover the presence and degree of heresy in a person. For some cases, it may involve torture. The Grand Inquisitor was the only one that can review the Royal Family prior to the separation of the Patriarchy as they were protected by Dav’s bloodline. It remains to be seen if the Inquisition will continue to extend the courtesy or engage lesser inquisitors should the Samael line ever require it. Their patron is St. Aelwyn, the first Inquisitor.
3) The Knighthood: Often referred to as the ‘sword arm’ of the Church, the knighthood is the pious, military elite of the kingdom. Their primary function is to serve warrants issued from the Church and to act as bodyguard to officials of the Church and Crown. Their secondary function is to serve as the commanders of the Crown's armies during the war season. They operate under the strict code of chivalry. An ideal knight knows history, tactics, courtly behavior, ecclesiastical and secular law on top of their formidable combat abilities. Their patron is Aurthyn ab Sidharr, the first Earl Marshall under King Dav.
As the helpfile suggests, Davism is the faith of the realm to characters that exist in the ‘now’ of the game. In 4th century Sun Cycle, the Order has been established for well over two hundred years. Any character should be familiar with its practices. Nominally, the population of NPCs is 100% Davite. Exceptions would still have to operate in a predominantly Davite population: Charali are not going to ghost-dance within the city limits for example. Heretics and mages tend to hide or blend.
Literature
Though there should be more, there are six sets of IC texts that a character should have access to on the grid that help define what Davism is: the writings of St. Remiel which may or may not be the entirety of what is referred to as Scriptures, the Ladder of Faith derived from these writings and their commentaries, the Declarations, the Erra Pater and the Book of Penances. There is a hymn books on grid, though it seems to be directly adapted from Christian hymns and include delicate wording such as ‘God’ that we are intentionally trying to avoid.
Remiel’s Scriptures, 109SC – Retranslated 350SC
The first set of writings is St. Remiel, inspired by the passage from help Davite Dogma. It was originally supposed to have been compiled from Lithmorran and Vandagan traditions. Its wording shows that it was potentially adapted to favor Dav’s new terminology, citing specifically the Lord of the Springs as the supreme deity of moral authority. As most of you know, I was the one that wrote this particular piece last April. It was introduced IC as a ‘re-translation’ by Wiktor von Mircea, headmaster of the university. He was to have gathered several fragmented originals from Vandagan sources and compiled them into something as close to the original as possible. It is arranged as a didactic poem, easily memorized and recited. My thought is that the Ladder and other tools of faith were derived from this source and, I believe, Remiel’s poem would have undergone dozens of revisions through the yearly Synods.
I tried to put a lot of ‘exotic’ things into this poem. A close reading will yield a few things that may or may not be true about present theology, but merit a look:
1) The utilization of male nouns and pronouns. Father, Lord and He. These are neutral placeholders as the Lord of the Springs is ineffable. As the LoS is the divine, He can have no corporeal manifestation as this would be diminishment. There is some conjecture on my part that prior to the Sun Cycle, this deity was referred to by female pronouns. The male shift represents the manifestation of the more militant aspects of the religion away from the community centered pacifism and peace.
2) The Lord of the Springs is depicted as facilitator of Creation. I primarily did this to have a creation story. We have had attempts at them in the past, but they never made it into canon. This may be up for debate. I know that some people do not wish the LoS to be an omniscient, omnipotent Supreme Being as this would seem to imply. However, I do not believe that the act of Creation implies either.
3) The Lord of the Springs’ act of creation involves suffering and diminishment. And this is why I do not believe that Creation implies omnipotence. The Lord as Creator and Creation is diminished through this act by a single iota. What this enables, according the Remiel, is the manifestation of material that is not spirit, as the Lord is purely composed. Corporeal matter is created through this diminishment, a lesser material than spirit. Likewise, this diminishment yields fragments of Spirit into the world. While this may be up for argument, the religious principles derived from Spirit and Matter are central to the logic behind the treatment of mages, their purification and medical principles. The Suffering Deity is a common theme in TI religious history, as we will see with my later historical theories.
4) The elements are defined. Another important component for me in these early stories was the foundation for the elemental outlook of the Church and scientific understanding.
5) The first definition of evil. The word ‘Foe’ is used to describe the coalesced forms of Matter and Spirit that were not born in the light, but within the Abyss of the distilled layers of Creation. Looking back on my writing now, I do not see either Man or Demon as being intentional constructions of the Lord of the Springs. Only results of that distillation that He began.
6) The LoS only truly creates Justice. As the supreme moral authority over Mankind, the LoS created the blade of Justice so that the Foes could be cast out and Men might know peace. This is another important theological starting point as moral authority of all positions, including the Royals, the ecclesiastical and secular laws all descend from this creation. The ability for nobility, priests, Inquisitors, knights and reeves to mete Justice is founded in this.
7) The LoS banished the Foes ‘underground’. I remember discussing this with Kinky when I first posted this on the forums. What this implies is that demonkind was locked out of Man’s domain. It is commonly understood that demons are extra-dimensional but underground is probably better understood in Davite terms. The Lord emerges from the darkness of the earth… demons are buried in the Abyss.
8) There is allusion to the Song of Motion and the Fall of Man. Though it is just a didactic poem and may be rife with allegory, there are some direct references to the prosperity of mankind and their eventual pursuit of the Lord in pre-history. They are unable to hear His music or find succor in the Waters.
9) They come across the Creatures of the Abyss that were sealed away by Justice and make contracts with them. This is the birth of magery. With aid of the Sun Cycle timeline, we might be able to conjecture that magic has gained and waned in power over the many centuries before recorded history.
10) Advanced, potentially magic-based civilization is destroyed. This war echoes the Song of Motion, but it is spun for Dav’s benefit to say that punishing magery is an act of the Lord; by acting as an agent for this in his own time, Dav becomes more holy. This sort of manifestation of Golden Time mythology is powerful material for establishing cultural credibility. There is a reason that dictators always evoke ancient heroes.
11) The divergent people rediscover ancient salvation. Again, this is Remiel appealing to the new Davite culture by implying that King Dav and the Lord of the Springs are being returned to, not just simply discovered for the first time.
In closing for this section, two of the last stanzas from Remiel.
“Of all things in the world, beautiful and cruel, drink of this sacred place and remember.
The Voice in the Water that wounded Himself so that you might be.
The Voice in the Water that born the distillation of light and matter.
The Voice in the Water that wielded Justice against the Foes
The Voice in the Water that gave us the chance of a life of the Spirit.”
The Ladder of Faith
To draw straight from the help file:
First Tier:
(1) Genuine faith in the Lord of the Springs and the ability of his servants;
(2) The establishment of daily prayer;
(3) Concern for the faith of others, and of all the Lord's children;
(4) Self-purification and atonement through regular confession;
(5) Denial of the forbidden and corrupted heresies of magic.
Second Tier:
(1) The Law of the Spring;
(2) The Law of Giving;
(3) The Law of Caring;
(4) The Law of the Land.
Third Tier:
(1) The importance of honest and devout work throughout one's life;
(2) Sharing love and worship with one's family;
(3) Supporting, fighting, toiling, and dying for one's country.
Fourth Tier
(1) Constant submission to the omnipresence and omnipotence of the Lord;
(2) And to his Majesty the Patriarch as vessel of the Lord's word.
Fifth Tier:
(1) Directing one's love toward the Lord and his proper servants.
Ladder section 4.1 may need to be looked at, depending on what is decided for official stance of omnipresence and omnipotence. 4.2 needs to be modified because of the separation of the Patriarchy from the Monarchy, but other than that a person will readily see that these laws promote community, self-improvement, patriotism, honesty, humility and hard work.
Declarations:
Also from the help file:
The Law of the Spring - One of the first things the King commanded of his people is that they all drink from the spring he had. Following the Declarations the whole population traveled to the site and each drank of it. It has since become a tradition for citizens to drink from the spring at least once in their life as the King once did. Only the people of Lithmore and their children are allowed to drink from where the spring emerges from the rocks. Converts from the Supplicant States are only allowed to drink from the lower spring.
The Law of Giving - Every Davite is required by the Declarations to give one third of their income to the Order. The tithe is due at the beginning of every month and must be brought to the church, if it is not given the Holy Inquisitors shall appear. The Order is also allowed a third of all a conquered enemies' wealth. Such laws and allowances have made the Order very wealthy.
The Law of Caring - The King commanded the Order to spend part of this wealth upon its people. To build public buildings, churches, acquire food for the hungry and build houses for the population.
The Law of the Land - To be held over all others, the King decreed that there be an ecclesiastical entity called the Order, whose sole purpose was to root out and eradicate any who used magic.
The Law of Charity - Dav decreed that the nobility were above all others, but as such, were the caregivers of the masses. Thus, the nobility must, on a frequent basis, spend time amongst commoners, breaking bread and offering care. Piety demands that the nobility never abuse common folk.
The Erra Pater
The Erra Pater and the more compact Primus within it were composed as a handbook for the detection of evil. It is literally a book of signs. While everyone in the kingdom will know the tenants of the Laws, there is still the common demographic that requires a simply ‘mages are bad, Church is good’ sort of document. The Erra Pater signifies one of the most important aspects of the Order’s education; while they gladly teach people to read Lithmorran, it is highly unlikely that they will teach how to write it. The reason for this is so that they may read directives and laws, but not pen them. Preservation of ideas beyond the select view is contrary to social standing.
For a long time, this book was the only thing the average player really had access to outside of whatever the priesthood told them. It is a good resource for getting a feel for the more paranoid aspects of the culture. It is worth noting that the Primus, a rhyming couplet version of the original Erra Pater helpfile, is a didactic much like Remiel’s Scripture. It is easy to memorize and transmit orally.
The Book of Penances
Last, but not least, is the Book of Penances which was put together by Kinky recently to compliment the Erra Pater and the Ladder. I believe this list of sinful acts is actually in this book near the beginning.
The following is an incomplete list of sinful acts from help sins and atonement, as of the year 297:
(1) Magery
(2) Heresy (incl. idolatry, sacrilege, and atheism)
(3) Murder
(4) Oath breaking
(5) Adultery
(6) Fornication without proper blessing
(7) Impurity (drunkenness, lying, jealousy, greed)
(8) Adulation (or inciting others to perform perverse acts)
(9) Acedia (or religious sloth and ignorance)
(10) Blasphemy (such as using the sign of the Chalice improperly)
(11) Thievery
(12) Eschewing Charity and Tithes
(13) Sloth (or being idle, without fully dedicating oneself to the Lord)
(14) Denying One's Station (and acting above or beneath it)
(15) Quarreling
Elements of Davism – Core Dogma
Dogma is considered a fundamental principle for all members of a religion. If there is deviation from these thoughts or practices, it is considered that they are no longer practicing the religion that everyone else is. This is seen as heresy or at the very least a lapse in faith. Collecting these into a book of law would be helpful.
Lord of the Springs
At the foundation of Davism is the monotheistic belief in the Lord of the Springs as the source of all authority and final judge of mortal morality. This benevolent, ineffable entity takes His name from His speaking to Dav at the headwaters of the Bren.
The Lord of the Springs, according to Remiel, gave birth to matter but mankind and demonkind were not intentional. Instead of some RL religions where the deity intentionally manufactures Men in their image, the LoS demonstrates His benevolence and preference for Man over Demons by creating Justice and protecting Men.
His benevolence to Mankind is limitless, but He is not omniscient. To explain: the Lord of the Springs is an ineffable being of pure spirit. Speaking His name (if it were ever known) would taint His being with the breath heaved from corporeal lungs. The placeholder of Lord and the use of male pronouns is only so that the faithful may speak of Him without corrupting His existence. The LoS, therefore, has a perfect understanding of the concerns of the Soul – each soul is a fragment of this perfect spiritual existence, trapped in the vehicle of the corporeal.
What the LoS does not have a complete understanding of, as it would taint His purity of spirit, is the realm of the Flesh. In this way, the LoS is not completely omniscient in the traditional manner. It is viewed upon death that a good spirit will be uplifted to the Lord of the Springs to share in His perspective. In exchange, the Lord of the Springs (suffering to provide motion to the world) gains a soul enriched with worldly experience. This experience does not taint the LoS as it is purified through loss of the body at death.
Dav ab Harmon is the only person to ever speak with the Lord, as such is the only prophet known. Dav spoke with the deity. Whether this was a conversation or merely a series of declarations given to Dav to share with the world cannot be known. It is only known for certain that Dav returned with the Declarations and the Chalice. In regard to this, I believe that the existence of ‘angels’ should be heresy. The existence of what are essentially minor deities would detract from the singular nature of the LoS and the importance of Dav as the only voice of the Lord.
Finally, the ineffable nature of the LoS essentially makes the deity unknowable. His presence is often written about as the Divine Wellspring. The ‘voice’ that Dav heard is personified by the motion of Water, its animation and play of light. As such, artistic creations of a physical representation are to be direly avoided as they are a minor heresy. Likewise, writers must also be careful to avoid direct description of the Lord or any quotations made by Him. Actors should never physically portray the LoS and limit their actions to speaking off stage. Many artists who create works centered on the Lord’s appearance to King Dav consult with clergy for guidance on the acceptability of their content.
Creation
In short, the world was suffered into being. A purely spiritual, infinite existence gave way to a modicum of inferior matter. The Lord stirred the chaos until the elements distilled. Through the interaction of Matter and Spirit, not a direct shaping by the Lord’s will, did entities other than the Lord came into being. They were imperfect, being half spirit and half matter. This new material had desires that the Spirit could not know; men and demons sought nourishment. Men on one hand drank of the Waters, Demons supped on hatred and corruption.
Discussing this subject is widely taboo though it is not considered ineffable. I believe that our previous lack of a firm creation story was merely a combination of storytelling, lack of resources or commitment that might offend. Now, I think we can establish these things as philosophical basics without inciting problems. As the foundation for any religious practice, I believe Remiel provides a substantial basis with appropriate effusion of elemental motifs, particularly Water.
The key points for this area of dogma are that the Lord did not create the world as an omnipotent. To do so would place too much familiarity with the lesser Matter and diminish His spiritual appeal. The Lord did not create Demons or Men. The Lord did not create Magery. To suggest either of these should be considered heresy.
Magic and magery:
1) Magic is fundamentally evil as it is born from demonkind. A mage’s existence, regardless of their moral intentions, actions or character, is an aberration.
2) Magic has a corrupting influence on those that possess it that invariably leads to evil, regardless if they employ it or not. A mage that does not practice magic is still a conduit for demons.
Taken together, these two fundamental dogmas make the moral stance of a mage moot in terms of ecclesiastical law. It does not matter if they are a kind person, or use magic to protect others selfishly. They will eventually succumb to their taint and beget evil upon the world. This is the precise reason that immolation became the primary means of killing a mage.
A good Davite has nothing to fear from death. The demons of the Abyss are said to eat the corruption from those buried and sent into the Underworld. By consuming a buried mage, they will eat of this powerful taint and grow stronger. It is said that if enough mages are buried, the demons will have the strength to break from the Abyss and consume the living as well as the tainted dead. Cremation of the bodies of mages has a two-fold effect: the taint of the body, in hope of uplifting the Soul back to the Lord of the Springs, is removed by purifying flames and the tainted husk of corporeal matter is turned to ash. Demons can draw no sustenance from ashes.
Defense against magic is rife with folklore and therefore unreliable among the civilian population. Items like Chalice pendants and wax balls for trapping evil spirits are common. A copy of the Erra Pater on hand also helps people identify particular things, though anything out of the ordinary can be readily associated with magery. A strong faith is a strong defense.
Knights and Inquisitors are better trained at understanding signs and particular magic effects to better counter them. Regular combat techniques are supplemented through prayer, blind-fighting, throwing knives and mastery of certain debilitating herbs. Mages are well known to bleed in person, when they are not hidden by shadows.
Citizenship: (taken from Viorick’s notes, no real edits made)
As the state religion of the kingdom, Davism is a religion with strong elements of patriotism and emphasis on how to live as part of a larger society. Being one of the joining factors of the Consolidation, the spread of Davism has carried with it a socially prescriptive momentum. Even Davites with little sympathy for Lithmore itself, or whose patriotism is for their native lands regardless of their rulership, have been influenced by these pervasive trends. Among them:
• Care for the infirm, poor, and elderly. Holy Order churches tend to establish collections and projects for the benefit of the unfortunate, and encourage private citizens to look after one another during difficult times. Though not concerned with the social mobility of society’s downtrodden, keeping them out of desperation is seen as both a moral and pragmatic responsibility (in the idea that reduced social pressure reduces crime).
• Responsible parenting. Davites are encouraged to marry and form tightly-knit nuclear families, and powerfully chastised against bearing children out of wedlock.
• Diligence and productivity. Numerous sermons have been penned by Davite priests lambasting those who are able but unwilling to pursue “honest” employment that supports the community. This is the primary reason for frequent admonishments against gambling – while not wrong in and of itself, providing money to support professional gamblers sustains them in a lifestyle that does not benefit the community. In general, “loose” behaviors are only taboo in their promotion of sloth, not for being in any way fundamentally wicked.
In short, outside of the support of the church and its initiatives, and the maintenance of their individual faith, the main expectations of a Davite are to make a positive contribution to the welfare of their neighbors and countrymen.
The Balance of Sin and Good Works:
The concepts of sin and of good works form two cornerstones of Davite faith. Ways to avoid (or expiate) the former and attain the latter are contemplated by even the most slothful in faith. To be uplifte, a Davite’s sins must be expiated, and they must also have a body of good works on Urth that reflect a positive commitment to their fellows in faith. Both sins and good works have fairly robust documented classification, though neither list is considered all-encompassing. The Ladders of sin and good works are considered doctrinal, and regularly subjected to review and revision by the Holy Synod as new circumstances and ideas are brought to light. Expiating sin and performing good works are separate matters. While a Davite must perform good works to be uplifted, expiation is a matter of contrition. To not repeat the sin is not enough (that is a baseline expected of any Davite to at least attempt). The faithful must in some way suffer. This is seen as a means of pre-empting the Lord of the Springs’ posthumous condemnation, by pursuing voluntary punishment on Urth rather than forcing him to take action himself.
Ascertaining appropriate penance is one of the main purposes of confession (see below). Magery and grand heresy are seen as “ultimate” sins. To continue to exist in the world is such a grave crime for heretics at such a level that any penance is overridden. Only the cleansing pyre offsets this sin and saves the heretic from the abomination of their own continued existence. Of note, good works apply to assisting Davites, and in the prosperity of their holy kingdom of Lithmore. Outside of guiding them to Davism, assisting unbelievers is not seen as an example of service in the Lord’s interest – though some might still exercise kindness to them as a means of bringing them closer to the true faith.
Afterlife:
Davites hold a belief in continued existence after death. On passing from life, all human souls are judged by the Lord of the Springs. Those who are free of sin (their sins have been confessed and appropriate penance has been performed to balance it) and who have performed good works on Urth are considered at last freed of their duties to the Lord’s beloved mankind. They are relieved of their burdens and “Uplifted” to share in the perspective of the Lord of the Springs on the world and share their purified experience with Him. The precise nature of this perspective is unknown and unknowable, but is said to be transcendence from narrow human perspective to a final understanding that is not possible from one still laboring on Urth.
Responsibility for good works is seen to vary with age. Children have not yet been charged with great labors for their Davite brethren, and are thus held only to avoidance of sin and those small works of which a child is capable (such as bringing peace of mind to their family and friends). Those who failed in their duties, who were sinful and/or slothful, are not freed of their obligations. They are trapped within the earth and their corrupted bodies, unable to perform good works now that their lives have passed, their life’s work eternally unfulfilled. The demons of the Abyssal consume their corruption to grow stronger in the Deep, forcing what remains of their soul to roam the dark places of the world as unquiet spirits, tormented and often rendered malevolent by the Demon’s Supper.
Cleansing:
There are two major elements utilized in Davite cleansing: fire and water.
Both have a long tradition, but Water is known as the first and most primal of the two. The exclusive use of fire does not happen until well after 102 when it was first famously employed (according to Masque sources). 146, the year of the Great Burning of the first cathedral, becomes the turning point year when cleansing by fire comes to the fore.
Water, on the other hand, has been with the Lithmorrans since even before the LoS gives Dav the Chalice, though the average character would not know it. The symbolism of Water is varied and powerful. To the Lithmorrans, relying for centuries on the headwaters of the Bren for their livelihood, water is sacred. I conjectured a while back that Lithmore was a wetland area aside the Bren. It was good for farming and beside a major commercial channel. Through both of these things, it became a city then a capitol.
The ritual of the Chalice, satisfying the thirst with pure water, is a reconnection to the importance and rarity of the Wellspring. It is a very primitive ritual, but it has been dressed up for centuries into something greater. Water provides life, can seem to hold light with its animation from a pure source. Being submerged within it is another world where Man can visit but can never survive. It easily reflects the Heavens in the night. Before the Great Burning, it was also common for mages to be killed by putting millstones around their neck and throwing them into the river, hoping that they would be cleansed by the waters before they body was dragged down into the Abyss.
In the 4th century SC, as we are in now, it is not uncommon for priests to bless shrines, people, items and weapons with water. For anointing the sick or to help purify tainted items, a priest will use water taken from the Fountis to ‘wash’ away the taint.
Any execution on charges of heresy is nearly assured to be at the pyre, with some rare exceptions for charges besides magery. Much of the practice is tradition at this point. It is, by and large, simply viewed as the appropriate ritual for such forms of execution. Exemptions, when they occur, are usually a consequence of a heretic’s death during Questioning or while being arrested. Some Inquisitors do exercise some creativity for actual executions, but any other method for fully confirmed mages is seen as a distinct aberration. The cleansing resolves the resulting problem of how to dispose of their mortal remains if burial is out of the picture. As discussed before, it is vital for removing the soul from the corrupted flesh; this most excruciating death is seen as the ultimate act of contrition. In the world of Davism, righteous expiation of this degree is sure to make the soul pure.
Marriage:
Marriage is an important act of stability in the Davite community as it ensures a vow of union preceding the creation of a family. The exchange of vows is conducted by a clergyperson, and they often play an instrumental role in the organizing of the happy event itself. In Lithmore, it is common practice to post public “wedding banns” in prelude to the event itself, which are announcements of the impending ceremony. These serve as public information for open-attendance weddings, as subtler indicators that the couple to be wed has made their decision with propriety and due consideration (rushed marriages are not unheard of, but may be seen as indicating an attempt to cover loose moral behavior), and as a simple sharing of the joy of a positive change in the community. Weddings and their receptions may be public or private. The ceremony itself is often conducted at a Davite church, but may be held at any venue the priest deems appropriate, including at the site of the reception (which is more often outdoors, or at least somewhere that food, drink, and mild carousing are more appropriate).
“One of the oldest traditions of Lithmore is the Daisy Chain, used during the reception of the wedding. Lithmorrans, known for their lavish end-of-year wedding festivities, present the bride and groom with a chain of interwoven daisies, which are used to bind the couple's wrists. Throughout the remainder of the festivities, the two must work in concert to accomplish even the most mundane task, lest they break the chain - considered to be the illest of omens, portending a short or disastrous marriage. Indeed, it is not unheard of for a marriage to be annulled by the senior Reeve or noble present due to a sundered Daisy Chain.” I do not know if there are any particular origins for the Daisy Chain, as they predate Davism.
“Celebration of the coming of age for females, the ceremony which marks their passage from a child to a woman. Typically given within two weeks of the girl's 16th birthday, it is only after completion of this ceremony that the woman is considered eligible for marriage. The En Passant is celebrated with a large party, including all of the village inhabitants (or quarter, in cities), with the girl clad in her brightest and best woolen clothes. All attenders to the revelry traditionally present the new woman with a gift which will help her in her future years, either domestically or financially. It is said that this tradition actually began in Farin, and indeed is practiced there and in many of the larger cities of other Duchies.” Again, I do not really see anything in the current help file that needs to be altered or explored.
Doctrines:
Doctrines are views that have a bit more leeway than dogma. While most dogmatic law is written, doctrines tend to be more malleable. They often change with the yearly meeting of the Synod. Not believing in them is not necessarily heresy.
On Pilgrimage:
To be a pilgrim on the West Road to the Springs is to walk in the footsteps of Davism during the most trying time in his life. To fulfill the Law of the Springs, every Davite must make the trip into the Tarn. The pilgrimage takes over a month on foot. Pilgrims wear simple clothing and shoes, perhaps taking a walking stick along with them. They carry little money and move from shrine to shrine on their way to the Springs. With the Law of the Springs, doctrine has sprung into place that allows pilgrims to ask for nightly succor on their way to the Springs, free of charge.
I have often conjectured that the Road is protected by a small contingent of knights to prevent bandits from taking advantage of the pilgrims. They would not be front-line caliber, but they could be made up of retired knights at least. It is also likely that vendors would appear on the route into the Tarn, providing religious trinkets and small things to sacrifice once they arrive.
On Prostitution:
The perceived jeopardy to marriage and risk of siring outside of marriage has led the Holy Order to proclaim prostitution a minor form of heresy, making it punishable even in communities where it is not illegal by secular standards. The church itself only metes out punishments for such conduct in such communities, leaving it to the Reeves where laws exist. Though purveyors are often punished, they are let off more lightly compared to their panderers, who are more harshly chastised for the temptation they present. Penance is usually levied, and sometimes branding for egregious or repeated flesh-merchants, to serve as a warning to possible clients should they backslide that they are being watched.
On Homosexuality:
The doctrines of the Holy Order have relatively little to say on the topic of same-sex romances. The lifestyle is frowned upon, as its pursuit does tend to rule out marriage and child-rearing. There is no heresy in bachelorhood, however, so this is not a grievous offense. I believe that this is one of the areas that TI can ease up on. The main concern is not that lifestyle itself is morally reprehensible to the Davite, but that it may create instability in the community, childless unions or with prostitution above, may bring jeopardy to the institution of marriage. It is not heretical, though it may be folded into charges of magery, depending on the case and the moral stance of the inquisitor.
On Carousing:
Parties, friendly gambling, alcohol, and theatre are all tolerated by the Holy Order, and in some cases have even been subverted to serve the church’s interests within reason, such as via feasts of saints and theatrical morality plays. So long as these affairs do not overtake, interfere with, or replace work in communally beneficial fields, or lead to crime, the church’s official stance is that Davites are entitled to celebrate and relax. Some priests try to maintain good relations with their region’s Troubadours specifically for the help they can provide in finding ways to use such things as teaching opportunities and means of promoting Davism. However, a measure of austerity is still asked for. Any excesses that lead to subsequent lax behavior are frowned on. Indulgence is acceptable – gratuity is not. Professional gambling is frowned upon, as it seeks to make a livelihood out of an un-enriching leisure activity, and the Holy Order staunchly opposes casinos and gambling rings as a result.
On Celibacy:
Clergy and Inquisitors of the Holy Order of King Dav adhere to a vow of celibacy. As with many church policies, this has both pragmatic and spiritual significance. Pragmatically, though this is more of an unspoken element, Holy Order members, Inquisitors especially, deal with the unsightly underbelly of Lithmore’s populace. Additional divisions of loyalty make this difficult job even harder. Even the clergy are part of an organization caught in an endless and desperate struggle, and such powerful potential dilutions of which side they take can bring matters to catastrophe. A bit more basely, the matter of inheritance for the assets of the clergy is also clarified this way, with their funds and property reverting to the mother church.
On a more spiritual side, Urthly attachments are viewed as diminishing the purity of one’s commitment to the Lord. A Davite priest must look ever forward, towards matters beyond this life, and not be shackled to look back at the world from which they are meant to guide others. A balance must be struck, obviously, and in other areas of life, the clergy are encouraged not to drift too far apart from their fellow man. But marriage is a powerful, binding alliance that a priest or Inquisitor’s oaths of service prevent them from committing to in full, to the detriment of both the marriage and their ties to the Lord. Illicit relationships outside of marriage and courtship are looked upon even more harshly than for the layperson, as they cannot be salvaged into a proper marriage, and represent a betrayal of the individual’s established vows.
Rituals:
Mass:
“At the appropriate times, all who are able gather in an authorized place of worship to confirm their dedication to the Davite faith. All services begin with a processional, where an ordained priest of the Order retrieves the symbolic chalice from the tabernacle and displays it for all members of the congregation. This is immediately followed by an announcement, usually by a higher-ranked member of the Order, of any important matters affecting the entire diocese.
Then, the ceremony begins in earnest: a priest recites a shared event, religious tract, or other symbol of the faith for the benefit of the congregation, explaining its significance. These are usually liberally peppered with means by which one can safeguard one's soul from the terrible ailments of magery and heresy.
Upon the conclusion of the recitation, the priest passes around the symbolic chalice, filled with water from the Lower Spring; all gathered (who are able to drink) - those who are in the good graces of the church - sip from the chalice, starting in the front with the nobility. Immediately after sipping from the chalice, each humble servant of the Order recites Dav's Declarations.
When the chalice is emptied, the dialogue begins, and any present member may address the entire congregation with a noncommercial concern or direct questions toward any member of the Order or nobility attending the service. When this is finished, the officiating priest blesses the congregation, and the parishioners leave, dropping donations in a collection box manned by acolytes of the Order.”
I like this helpfile because it places an emphasis on the community aspects of mass. It is a gathering of the people to participate in something sacred, as well as an invitation for them to participate in the lives of each other.
Consuming Water:
The Law of the Springs is carried out in a ritual fashion across the kingdom. While it is impractical in this point in history for people to consume water from the River, the communal Cup of the family has a central place in the home. Though the ritual is not considered to be as impactful as it is performed in the Church during Mass, it is an important portion of the evening meal and a central component of Solisda. The family draws from the freshest water they can, perhaps a well, and shares the Cup around the table. If the water is suspect, of course, a little wine can be added to help purify it.
Ablution:
Cleansing of the body through washing with pure water is a rare occurrence in the Kingdom among the bulk of the population and has thus evolved into a sacred act. Being submerged in the Springs is reserved for family of the Crown to ritually reinforce their connection to Dav and the Lord of the Springs.
I would suggest that bathing in the Bren is to be considered Sacred as it extends from the Headwaters as well, acting as a parallel to the Ganges. This would have to be done in the foothills of the Tarn before the sewage output of Lithmore taints it. This could be utilized by the ‘savage’ peoples to attain some cleansing by ecclesiastical standards. A hypothetical ‘lower’ Lower Spring.
Sacred ablution is also used to clean the recently deceased before they are prepared for their funerals. This, of course, only applies to repentant Davites.
Water Blessings:
Cleansing of an area also utilizes water. A priest, utilizing either his hand or an aspergillum (a mace-shaped perforated ball on the end of a stick) and a bucket will traditionally cast blessed water in the four cardinal directions in order to drive back evil spirits and bring serenity to a room. New shrines, chapels and homes are often blessed in this way at their foundation to keep spirits at bay.
Weapons forged for the use of the Knighthood and the Inquisitors are often quenched in blessed water from the springs to more easily rend the flesh of the evil.
Musical instruments, particularly those used in the Church, are often blessed with water as well. Bells in church towers likewise are rubbed with blessed water by a bishop before they are installed.
Symbols:
Water:
“In the world there is nothing more submissive and weak than water. Yet for attacking that which is hard and strong nothing can surpass it.” – Lao Tzu
Water is one the principal elemental forces listed by Remiel in his poem. However, it moves beyond that. In the ancient past, it is the embodiment of Chaos for its infinite depth and darkness. In Davite theology, it is animated, flowing and bright. Water is principally a feminine element, whose vessel is the Cup in its various incarnations.
Tied in with this, ‘good’ water is the flowing bright water. Members of this monotheistic religion would mark this difference and understand that stagnation breeds impurity. Inaction, even driven by holiness, would lead to festering of what is given by Life. Therefore, it is rare that you will find clergy who are lethargic or content to dwell in endless prayer.
In every Davite church, there is a symbol situated on the eastern wing of the floorplan. Usually integrated into the floor tiling or place upon the wall, a five sided star with one of its arms exaggerated is thought to symbolize water and its importance.
I am unsure how the water is continually gathered from the Lower Springs for the fountains and Mass. To feed the capitol, I would wager that there is an underground culvert that is used to gather water from mountains, shielded from the river traffic of the Bren. Or, if there is such an abundance of clergy, then perhaps there is a continual shipment of water from the mountains 200 miles (some month away, roundtrip by caravan). The roundtrip is about 24 days based on help distance. If anyone has ever had the water from the Bren, they will know that it is far from sacred or clean. Another alternative is drawing well from the basement of the church and sanctifying it. The advanced architecture of the cathedral’s roof may allow for the collection of water from the rain or snowmelt to supplement their water supply. It is likely that there is a cistern slightly elevated from the level of the Fountis and square fountain to allow them enough pressure to flow. It only takes a few feet of elevation to generate a pound of pressure.
There must be some concession for distance in those regions that cannot attain this Water. It is highly possible that one of the main duties of priests is also to secure and purify water sources. This would speak to the earlier notion of agricultural utility among the priesthood. Perhaps they have the knowledge to dowse for water and are taught how to identify the characteristics of clean water?
Fire:
Fire is one of the other primary elements of the Order, originally brought to the fore of punishment and symbolism in 146 after the Great Burning. Fire is what started Dav on his Consolidation. Fire is also what consumed the Church in 146, destroying records back to the turn of the Era. Fire is also what is reported to have changed a Horse to the first Man in Charalin lore. Fire is celebrated in Vandagan and Hillman folklore, tamed by a legendary blacksmith to help coax new forms out of lifeless ore.
The fire’s elemental symbol is the dagger or the sword, a masculine symbol in opposition to the feminine Cup. In alchemy, conversion is always brought by fire. That which is touched by flame is changed, usually beyond recognition of its original form. Fire is also an embodiment and conveyor of passion.
Light:
One need only walk into the Cathedral to understand immerse themselves in this symbolism. Light plays a large part in medieval philosophy. Warmth and life walk hand in hand. The entrapment of light in a large man-made space like a cathedral creates a sacred space that is not matched by anything outside.
Indeed, the philosophy of Light mixes well with the philosophy of the Wellspring. While Davism works with fire and water, the dichotomy of Light and Dark is also prevalent between the faithful and the tainted. There is good historical reason for this. In early history, darkness and cold were personifications of death. Night time was the witches’ hour, filled with spirits and demons. The cold could seep even through walls and touch a person to the core.
For an elaboration of the light theology, the Origin of the Arts tract in the forum offers a look into some of the metaphysics of thought, sense and arts.
The Roots of Davism:
The major themes of Davism that can be traced back through the pre Sun Cycle era:
1) Righteous suffering
2) Elemental focus
3) Community
4) Fall and reconciliation (seeking balance)
5) Feminine / masculine symbolism (water & fire)
The oldest religions in the history of The Inquisition belong to or stem from the Charali, in my opinion.
In the Song of Motion, the First Mother consumes Chaos and gives birth to the elements so that the world might be born. The Path of Fire, a story that commonly refers to the Charalin Shari, is about the sublimation of suffering for the good of all.
The Charalin perspective is the most reasonable for the ‘originators’ of distant tradition, as they have a generational memory through their storytelling, as illustrated in the quit quote from St. Jaridan. Their epic includes the creation of the world and hints at the origination of magic.
I submit that the ancestors of the modern Charali were the first civilization. They were well advanced and practiced magic as a part of their culture. Their creation tales mark their self-destruction and eventual war with their Goddess who smote them with beasts of fire and earth. The original Tower was built here and subsequently destroyed. Its magical remnants helped form the base of the Manus Tower we know today.
"Enough magical power has been spent in and around it, with
direction and intent, and without, that it has a will of its
own. A slow will, with different priorities, that the mere
wizards that infest it like parasites would not understand."
-- An Anonymous Archmage on the Manus Tower (quit quote)
The ferocity of the war flattened the cities and terrain into the plains of Charal. Because of their sins, the Charali hold metalworking as a taboo and magic use is relegated to single, feared/pitied shaman per clan entity. They are bound to live a life nearer to the animals they emerged from.
“It is said amongst scholars and veteran soldiers that the Daravi speak none of the civilised tongues prevalent in the kingdom, and instead speak a language closer to that of the Charali,“ says the Daravi helpfile. I believe that a cultural diaspora occurred after the Goddess War and the breaking of the Tower. The Eastern and Western division happened first, dividing the common language early on into two major branches: the root of what would become modern Daravi and Charali, and the root of what would become all other ‘civilized’ tongues.
The outward push from Charal went in all directions west. Vavard came first, the rivers providing a great deal of wealth to override some of the taboo tenants of the ancestors. Daravi in the south would have retained much of the magical practices and technological know-how. Pre-existing cultures undoubtedly existed across the Urth. The diaspora of the proto-Charali merely blended into them. Tubor, being the first city founded, was probably settled by the Princes of the Reach (the legendary continent north or west of Tubor).
With this diaspora of cultures, the groundwork of the Goddess cult went through a number of transformations. The Path of Fire emerges as a derivative of the Charalin mythology, creating an Urthly simulacrum of the suffering, world-birthing Goddess so that others might know joy.
So swelled with Creation, the glimmer became First Among Mothers. Her new body took shape from the ephemeral point of light, swelling into a shape familiar to all. Her cheeks, breast, stomach and hips swelled with the fullness of creation.
The Path of Fire, combining elements of a suffering deity, symbolic fire and cleansing tears (expiation for the sake of balance) is perhaps the distant ancestor of the Holy Church. The figure of the Lady of Suffering is reborn in a male/neutral existence of the Lord of the Springs. From Remiel:
Out of the merest portion, the Lord carved the seed of matter from His vastness.
The ancient Waters shook with sorrow as the Lord diminished Himself but an iota.
In this first motion, the Lord planted the seed within the ancient Waters and begat all.
With a stirring from the depths, the Deep began to distill into parts yet unknown.
Layers formed and gained name as what was yielded took shape from the Makers Hand.
Dav the Everlasting is also cast into this mold, following the untimely death of his family. His suffering justifies his vengeance and his eventual sainthood/martyrdom in 144. The suffering deity also ties into the Cyclist mentality (as I see it, in any case) which was elucidated by Priest Trajan after the start of the Consolidation. The Four Lives exist in order to cultivate the spirit and return something of value to the heavenly deity, healing some of its suffering. From Vavardian excess and the effect of the Purges precipitated by Dav, the Transcendant Ecstasy was born out of Church supervision driving eccentrics ‘underground’. Likewise, after the Consolidation, the Spirits of the Light emerges from fringes of Davite society, trying to resurrect Charalin-style animism in a male, monotheistic and flesh-hating context.
Second, let us look at the common themes. Water, Cup, Female, Suffering, Peace, Purity. Whatever form that the theology of the Holy Mother Church took, all of these elements are important. Based off of the ‘Origins of the Inquistion’ helpfile, there is a direct transition from the Holy Mother Church to the Order, as the Order was a sect. The helpfiles clearly say the Mother Church was interested in fostering peace. This is not surprising as the Common Era prior to Sun Cycle Zero was filled with warfare between fiefs.
Water is vaunted early in history, given the PoF shrine with the Eastern Star. This elemental symbol gives its greatest measure to Water, potentially carried over from the Five Siblings of the Charali creation. Unsurprising, given the nature of the fiefs and their reliance on the Water. Lithmore was founded on the Bren for that reason. Moving water is an especial sign of purity to a farmer. Used to the toil of the earth, the natural movement of water from heaven or from the earth showed an animation as if the water were itself alive. Being so necessary for life, it was a soothing balm that was shared in communion with the family and extended family through the ceremony of the Cup. The bounty of life from this cup can be seen in many modern incarnations, such as the classic Horn of Plenty, the life-restoring cauldron of Bran the Blessed from the Mabinogion and the Cup of the Fisher King from Perceval.
I would submit that the Holy Mother Church evolved out of these ancient beliefs through the filter of agrarian practices, making Water a vital component of their fertility rituals and not simply a new symbolic foundation once the Lord of the Springs was found in 109. Sharing the cup was not enough, however. What was inside the cup was also consecrated – the Water itself became a vessel within the vessel for the power of the Moons, something also heavily associated with the female in mythology. By calling down the power of the moons into the cup, the purification and life-giving power were affirmed by Heaven. From the Eld in the Cathedral:
Take the chalice, fill it up. Draw the moonwell in the cup. Power
fills thee when you drink. Pour the blessing that you seek.
The cynic in me says that Dav picked this imagery on purpose. A spring is the ultimate source of purity, just like a waterfall in Shintoism (misogi). It is highly likely that the change of gender from female to male for the deity at this point in time was because of heightened aggression from the Unskilled toward the build-up of Skilled in Lithmore. The Lord of the Springs provides the perfect rhetorical vehicle for the impending Consolidation.
The Holy Order of Dav is a monotheistic, water-based church that centers on the Lord of the Springs, an ineffable, non-anthropomorphic, non-creator deity whom King Dav spoke to in Sun Cycle 109 (referred to hereafter as SC) during his Travail in the wilderness. Its doctrines are focused on the elimination of magic and the protection of its community from evil. Over two hundred years of dedicated charity and service have integrated the Order into every community in the Kingdom. They are trusted and supported nearly unanimously.“During the upheaval of Dav's reign, The Holy Order of Dav rose from the fringes of cult society to become the church of the realm. Their doctrine, militant and oppressive, is to seek out the vile taint of magic and those who support it to protect the citizens of Lithmore from the inevitable results of evil. They are the leaders of The Inquisition, and both feared and loved for the safety they provide. At the head of the Order, the monarch of the realm also enjoys the title Patriarch, and directly plays a part in ensuring their continued success. More than any other organization, the Holy Order of Dav and the Knights Lithmorran (formerly the Knights of the Chalice), dominate Lithmore's culture and politics.” (help theme, ‘07)
A Brief History
The Holy Order of Dav came into existence in 109 SC. Most records before this time are destroyed in the Great Burning of 146, greatly limiting the average PCs knowledge of history. What is important to the average PC is that Dav and the Order came into being to snuff out the corruption that had taken hold in the kingdoms across the Urth. It is well known that Dav’s first family was murdered in 109SC, sparking his journey into the Wilds.
109SC marks the year in which Dav gains the title of Patriarch, uniting the Crown and the Church. He also signs the Charter, approving the dogma taken from oral tradition by St. Remiel. The Declarations are made this same year, sparking a series of purges. Mages are drowned or killed wholesale. The population starts to head West into the Tarn to seek the Springs. The Merchants leave the city, setting it ablaze before mixing with the population of Vavard in the east, forming a liberal, money-driven land.
First, Dav contacts the hillmen as shock troopers. Vandago is the first in Dav’s sights, knowing that the tension between them and the Tubori could be advantageous. Jaren of Vandago yields bloodlessly, becoming a general in Dav’s army. Together, they push the Tubori back onto their boats but are stalled by their naval power and use of light flanking horses.
Dav descends to Yarsith, trying to find a pathway to Charalin horses as Jaren continues to keep the Tubori bottled up. The Vavardi utilize a feint with their fleet and route Dav. Yarsith is destroyed. Dav retreats north into Vandago and is able to utilize the passes into north reaches of the Plains. He takes some of his frustration out on the Charali, destroying 60% of the population to gain his horses. With these new forces, he and Jaren wipe out the remaining Tubori resistance and head south.
It takes him five years of bloody advancement to make it into Farin, finally capturing their city in 130. With the might of the world behind him, Dav finally retakes Vavard after 135. Another five years of pocket skirmishes and purges of the old guard finally take him into the mountains to put down the Hillmen rebellions.
During the 35 years from the start of the Consolidation until Dav’s death at the hands of unknown assassins, the Order consolidates and works its way into every facet of society. The Reeves are dismissed shortly after Dav’s campaign begins; until the war ends, most crimes are considered religious in nature. The popular fervor against magery makes the integration easy. As Dav moves to conquer the various regions, the clergy of the Order is not far behind to rebuild and reorganize infrastructure. After destruction of the armies, particularly the wanton raiding by the Hillmen at the front of the columns, the clergy was largely responsible for the rebuilding of roads, granaries, millhouses and shrines. By condemning evil with one hand and reinforcing the community’s they had conquered, the Order was readily accepted as the faith of the land.
Distance, time and regional culture would affect Davism throughout the kingdom per the <region> faith helpfiles.
The Three Arms
The Order is commonly seen as having three major arms:
1) The Clergy: Priests and priestesses sworn to chastity and service. They are a vital portion of any civil infrastructure in the kingdom. Most will know them for their maintenance of shrines, churches and cathedrals as well as their administration of mass, confession, penance and marriage. Far from a passive entity, the priesthood utilizes their ability to transcend social stratification to dispense charity, teach people to read, provide medical care, bake and hand out bread. Those not attached to the capitol may also, among their other duties, act as building and crop consultants in rural areas. They are one of the only sources of skilled labor outside of the Merchants. Tied in with this, the ‘good’ water of Davism is the flowing bright water. Members of this monotheistic religion would mark this difference and understand that stagnation breeds impurity. Inaction, even driven by holiness, would lead to festering of what is given by Life. Therefore, it is rare that you will find clergy who are lethargic or content to dwell in endless prayer.
2) The Inquisition: Priests and priestesses charged with the pursuit and routing of magery. Above and beyond the selfless dedication of the Clergy, these men and women possess an Inquisitorial ring and have taken vows of loyalty with the Cardinal. Their political position is one of immense stature; they may place anyone under the Review of Faith (also known as being put to the Question). The Review is a series of questions designed to discover the presence and degree of heresy in a person. For some cases, it may involve torture. The Grand Inquisitor was the only one that can review the Royal Family prior to the separation of the Patriarchy as they were protected by Dav’s bloodline. It remains to be seen if the Inquisition will continue to extend the courtesy or engage lesser inquisitors should the Samael line ever require it. Their patron is St. Aelwyn, the first Inquisitor.
3) The Knighthood: Often referred to as the ‘sword arm’ of the Church, the knighthood is the pious, military elite of the kingdom. Their primary function is to serve warrants issued from the Church and to act as bodyguard to officials of the Church and Crown. Their secondary function is to serve as the commanders of the Crown's armies during the war season. They operate under the strict code of chivalry. An ideal knight knows history, tactics, courtly behavior, ecclesiastical and secular law on top of their formidable combat abilities. Their patron is Aurthyn ab Sidharr, the first Earl Marshall under King Dav.
As the helpfile suggests, Davism is the faith of the realm to characters that exist in the ‘now’ of the game. In 4th century Sun Cycle, the Order has been established for well over two hundred years. Any character should be familiar with its practices. Nominally, the population of NPCs is 100% Davite. Exceptions would still have to operate in a predominantly Davite population: Charali are not going to ghost-dance within the city limits for example. Heretics and mages tend to hide or blend.
Literature
Though there should be more, there are six sets of IC texts that a character should have access to on the grid that help define what Davism is: the writings of St. Remiel which may or may not be the entirety of what is referred to as Scriptures, the Ladder of Faith derived from these writings and their commentaries, the Declarations, the Erra Pater and the Book of Penances. There is a hymn books on grid, though it seems to be directly adapted from Christian hymns and include delicate wording such as ‘God’ that we are intentionally trying to avoid.
Remiel’s Scriptures, 109SC – Retranslated 350SC
The first set of writings is St. Remiel, inspired by the passage from help Davite Dogma. It was originally supposed to have been compiled from Lithmorran and Vandagan traditions. Its wording shows that it was potentially adapted to favor Dav’s new terminology, citing specifically the Lord of the Springs as the supreme deity of moral authority. As most of you know, I was the one that wrote this particular piece last April. It was introduced IC as a ‘re-translation’ by Wiktor von Mircea, headmaster of the university. He was to have gathered several fragmented originals from Vandagan sources and compiled them into something as close to the original as possible. It is arranged as a didactic poem, easily memorized and recited. My thought is that the Ladder and other tools of faith were derived from this source and, I believe, Remiel’s poem would have undergone dozens of revisions through the yearly Synods.
I tried to put a lot of ‘exotic’ things into this poem. A close reading will yield a few things that may or may not be true about present theology, but merit a look:
1) The utilization of male nouns and pronouns. Father, Lord and He. These are neutral placeholders as the Lord of the Springs is ineffable. As the LoS is the divine, He can have no corporeal manifestation as this would be diminishment. There is some conjecture on my part that prior to the Sun Cycle, this deity was referred to by female pronouns. The male shift represents the manifestation of the more militant aspects of the religion away from the community centered pacifism and peace.
2) The Lord of the Springs is depicted as facilitator of Creation. I primarily did this to have a creation story. We have had attempts at them in the past, but they never made it into canon. This may be up for debate. I know that some people do not wish the LoS to be an omniscient, omnipotent Supreme Being as this would seem to imply. However, I do not believe that the act of Creation implies either.
3) The Lord of the Springs’ act of creation involves suffering and diminishment. And this is why I do not believe that Creation implies omnipotence. The Lord as Creator and Creation is diminished through this act by a single iota. What this enables, according the Remiel, is the manifestation of material that is not spirit, as the Lord is purely composed. Corporeal matter is created through this diminishment, a lesser material than spirit. Likewise, this diminishment yields fragments of Spirit into the world. While this may be up for argument, the religious principles derived from Spirit and Matter are central to the logic behind the treatment of mages, their purification and medical principles. The Suffering Deity is a common theme in TI religious history, as we will see with my later historical theories.
4) The elements are defined. Another important component for me in these early stories was the foundation for the elemental outlook of the Church and scientific understanding.
5) The first definition of evil. The word ‘Foe’ is used to describe the coalesced forms of Matter and Spirit that were not born in the light, but within the Abyss of the distilled layers of Creation. Looking back on my writing now, I do not see either Man or Demon as being intentional constructions of the Lord of the Springs. Only results of that distillation that He began.
6) The LoS only truly creates Justice. As the supreme moral authority over Mankind, the LoS created the blade of Justice so that the Foes could be cast out and Men might know peace. This is another important theological starting point as moral authority of all positions, including the Royals, the ecclesiastical and secular laws all descend from this creation. The ability for nobility, priests, Inquisitors, knights and reeves to mete Justice is founded in this.
7) The LoS banished the Foes ‘underground’. I remember discussing this with Kinky when I first posted this on the forums. What this implies is that demonkind was locked out of Man’s domain. It is commonly understood that demons are extra-dimensional but underground is probably better understood in Davite terms. The Lord emerges from the darkness of the earth… demons are buried in the Abyss.
8) There is allusion to the Song of Motion and the Fall of Man. Though it is just a didactic poem and may be rife with allegory, there are some direct references to the prosperity of mankind and their eventual pursuit of the Lord in pre-history. They are unable to hear His music or find succor in the Waters.
9) They come across the Creatures of the Abyss that were sealed away by Justice and make contracts with them. This is the birth of magery. With aid of the Sun Cycle timeline, we might be able to conjecture that magic has gained and waned in power over the many centuries before recorded history.
10) Advanced, potentially magic-based civilization is destroyed. This war echoes the Song of Motion, but it is spun for Dav’s benefit to say that punishing magery is an act of the Lord; by acting as an agent for this in his own time, Dav becomes more holy. This sort of manifestation of Golden Time mythology is powerful material for establishing cultural credibility. There is a reason that dictators always evoke ancient heroes.
11) The divergent people rediscover ancient salvation. Again, this is Remiel appealing to the new Davite culture by implying that King Dav and the Lord of the Springs are being returned to, not just simply discovered for the first time.
In closing for this section, two of the last stanzas from Remiel.
“Of all things in the world, beautiful and cruel, drink of this sacred place and remember.
The Voice in the Water that wounded Himself so that you might be.
The Voice in the Water that born the distillation of light and matter.
The Voice in the Water that wielded Justice against the Foes
The Voice in the Water that gave us the chance of a life of the Spirit.”
The Ladder of Faith
To draw straight from the help file:
First Tier:
(1) Genuine faith in the Lord of the Springs and the ability of his servants;
(2) The establishment of daily prayer;
(3) Concern for the faith of others, and of all the Lord's children;
(4) Self-purification and atonement through regular confession;
(5) Denial of the forbidden and corrupted heresies of magic.
Second Tier:
(1) The Law of the Spring;
(2) The Law of Giving;
(3) The Law of Caring;
(4) The Law of the Land.
Third Tier:
(1) The importance of honest and devout work throughout one's life;
(2) Sharing love and worship with one's family;
(3) Supporting, fighting, toiling, and dying for one's country.
Fourth Tier
(1) Constant submission to the omnipresence and omnipotence of the Lord;
(2) And to his Majesty the Patriarch as vessel of the Lord's word.
Fifth Tier:
(1) Directing one's love toward the Lord and his proper servants.
Ladder section 4.1 may need to be looked at, depending on what is decided for official stance of omnipresence and omnipotence. 4.2 needs to be modified because of the separation of the Patriarchy from the Monarchy, but other than that a person will readily see that these laws promote community, self-improvement, patriotism, honesty, humility and hard work.
Declarations:
Also from the help file:
The Law of the Spring - One of the first things the King commanded of his people is that they all drink from the spring he had. Following the Declarations the whole population traveled to the site and each drank of it. It has since become a tradition for citizens to drink from the spring at least once in their life as the King once did. Only the people of Lithmore and their children are allowed to drink from where the spring emerges from the rocks. Converts from the Supplicant States are only allowed to drink from the lower spring.
The Law of Giving - Every Davite is required by the Declarations to give one third of their income to the Order. The tithe is due at the beginning of every month and must be brought to the church, if it is not given the Holy Inquisitors shall appear. The Order is also allowed a third of all a conquered enemies' wealth. Such laws and allowances have made the Order very wealthy.
The Law of Caring - The King commanded the Order to spend part of this wealth upon its people. To build public buildings, churches, acquire food for the hungry and build houses for the population.
The Law of the Land - To be held over all others, the King decreed that there be an ecclesiastical entity called the Order, whose sole purpose was to root out and eradicate any who used magic.
The Law of Charity - Dav decreed that the nobility were above all others, but as such, were the caregivers of the masses. Thus, the nobility must, on a frequent basis, spend time amongst commoners, breaking bread and offering care. Piety demands that the nobility never abuse common folk.
The Erra Pater
The Erra Pater and the more compact Primus within it were composed as a handbook for the detection of evil. It is literally a book of signs. While everyone in the kingdom will know the tenants of the Laws, there is still the common demographic that requires a simply ‘mages are bad, Church is good’ sort of document. The Erra Pater signifies one of the most important aspects of the Order’s education; while they gladly teach people to read Lithmorran, it is highly unlikely that they will teach how to write it. The reason for this is so that they may read directives and laws, but not pen them. Preservation of ideas beyond the select view is contrary to social standing.
For a long time, this book was the only thing the average player really had access to outside of whatever the priesthood told them. It is a good resource for getting a feel for the more paranoid aspects of the culture. It is worth noting that the Primus, a rhyming couplet version of the original Erra Pater helpfile, is a didactic much like Remiel’s Scripture. It is easy to memorize and transmit orally.
The Book of Penances
Last, but not least, is the Book of Penances which was put together by Kinky recently to compliment the Erra Pater and the Ladder. I believe this list of sinful acts is actually in this book near the beginning.
The following is an incomplete list of sinful acts from help sins and atonement, as of the year 297:
(1) Magery
(2) Heresy (incl. idolatry, sacrilege, and atheism)
(3) Murder
(4) Oath breaking
(5) Adultery
(6) Fornication without proper blessing
(7) Impurity (drunkenness, lying, jealousy, greed)
(8) Adulation (or inciting others to perform perverse acts)
(9) Acedia (or religious sloth and ignorance)
(10) Blasphemy (such as using the sign of the Chalice improperly)
(11) Thievery
(12) Eschewing Charity and Tithes
(13) Sloth (or being idle, without fully dedicating oneself to the Lord)
(14) Denying One's Station (and acting above or beneath it)
(15) Quarreling
Elements of Davism – Core Dogma
Dogma is considered a fundamental principle for all members of a religion. If there is deviation from these thoughts or practices, it is considered that they are no longer practicing the religion that everyone else is. This is seen as heresy or at the very least a lapse in faith. Collecting these into a book of law would be helpful.
Lord of the Springs
At the foundation of Davism is the monotheistic belief in the Lord of the Springs as the source of all authority and final judge of mortal morality. This benevolent, ineffable entity takes His name from His speaking to Dav at the headwaters of the Bren.
The Lord of the Springs, according to Remiel, gave birth to matter but mankind and demonkind were not intentional. Instead of some RL religions where the deity intentionally manufactures Men in their image, the LoS demonstrates His benevolence and preference for Man over Demons by creating Justice and protecting Men.
His benevolence to Mankind is limitless, but He is not omniscient. To explain: the Lord of the Springs is an ineffable being of pure spirit. Speaking His name (if it were ever known) would taint His being with the breath heaved from corporeal lungs. The placeholder of Lord and the use of male pronouns is only so that the faithful may speak of Him without corrupting His existence. The LoS, therefore, has a perfect understanding of the concerns of the Soul – each soul is a fragment of this perfect spiritual existence, trapped in the vehicle of the corporeal.
What the LoS does not have a complete understanding of, as it would taint His purity of spirit, is the realm of the Flesh. In this way, the LoS is not completely omniscient in the traditional manner. It is viewed upon death that a good spirit will be uplifted to the Lord of the Springs to share in His perspective. In exchange, the Lord of the Springs (suffering to provide motion to the world) gains a soul enriched with worldly experience. This experience does not taint the LoS as it is purified through loss of the body at death.
Dav ab Harmon is the only person to ever speak with the Lord, as such is the only prophet known. Dav spoke with the deity. Whether this was a conversation or merely a series of declarations given to Dav to share with the world cannot be known. It is only known for certain that Dav returned with the Declarations and the Chalice. In regard to this, I believe that the existence of ‘angels’ should be heresy. The existence of what are essentially minor deities would detract from the singular nature of the LoS and the importance of Dav as the only voice of the Lord.
Finally, the ineffable nature of the LoS essentially makes the deity unknowable. His presence is often written about as the Divine Wellspring. The ‘voice’ that Dav heard is personified by the motion of Water, its animation and play of light. As such, artistic creations of a physical representation are to be direly avoided as they are a minor heresy. Likewise, writers must also be careful to avoid direct description of the Lord or any quotations made by Him. Actors should never physically portray the LoS and limit their actions to speaking off stage. Many artists who create works centered on the Lord’s appearance to King Dav consult with clergy for guidance on the acceptability of their content.
Creation
In short, the world was suffered into being. A purely spiritual, infinite existence gave way to a modicum of inferior matter. The Lord stirred the chaos until the elements distilled. Through the interaction of Matter and Spirit, not a direct shaping by the Lord’s will, did entities other than the Lord came into being. They were imperfect, being half spirit and half matter. This new material had desires that the Spirit could not know; men and demons sought nourishment. Men on one hand drank of the Waters, Demons supped on hatred and corruption.
Discussing this subject is widely taboo though it is not considered ineffable. I believe that our previous lack of a firm creation story was merely a combination of storytelling, lack of resources or commitment that might offend. Now, I think we can establish these things as philosophical basics without inciting problems. As the foundation for any religious practice, I believe Remiel provides a substantial basis with appropriate effusion of elemental motifs, particularly Water.
The key points for this area of dogma are that the Lord did not create the world as an omnipotent. To do so would place too much familiarity with the lesser Matter and diminish His spiritual appeal. The Lord did not create Demons or Men. The Lord did not create Magery. To suggest either of these should be considered heresy.
Magic and magery:
1) Magic is fundamentally evil as it is born from demonkind. A mage’s existence, regardless of their moral intentions, actions or character, is an aberration.
2) Magic has a corrupting influence on those that possess it that invariably leads to evil, regardless if they employ it or not. A mage that does not practice magic is still a conduit for demons.
Taken together, these two fundamental dogmas make the moral stance of a mage moot in terms of ecclesiastical law. It does not matter if they are a kind person, or use magic to protect others selfishly. They will eventually succumb to their taint and beget evil upon the world. This is the precise reason that immolation became the primary means of killing a mage.
A good Davite has nothing to fear from death. The demons of the Abyss are said to eat the corruption from those buried and sent into the Underworld. By consuming a buried mage, they will eat of this powerful taint and grow stronger. It is said that if enough mages are buried, the demons will have the strength to break from the Abyss and consume the living as well as the tainted dead. Cremation of the bodies of mages has a two-fold effect: the taint of the body, in hope of uplifting the Soul back to the Lord of the Springs, is removed by purifying flames and the tainted husk of corporeal matter is turned to ash. Demons can draw no sustenance from ashes.
Defense against magic is rife with folklore and therefore unreliable among the civilian population. Items like Chalice pendants and wax balls for trapping evil spirits are common. A copy of the Erra Pater on hand also helps people identify particular things, though anything out of the ordinary can be readily associated with magery. A strong faith is a strong defense.
Knights and Inquisitors are better trained at understanding signs and particular magic effects to better counter them. Regular combat techniques are supplemented through prayer, blind-fighting, throwing knives and mastery of certain debilitating herbs. Mages are well known to bleed in person, when they are not hidden by shadows.
Citizenship: (taken from Viorick’s notes, no real edits made)
As the state religion of the kingdom, Davism is a religion with strong elements of patriotism and emphasis on how to live as part of a larger society. Being one of the joining factors of the Consolidation, the spread of Davism has carried with it a socially prescriptive momentum. Even Davites with little sympathy for Lithmore itself, or whose patriotism is for their native lands regardless of their rulership, have been influenced by these pervasive trends. Among them:
• Care for the infirm, poor, and elderly. Holy Order churches tend to establish collections and projects for the benefit of the unfortunate, and encourage private citizens to look after one another during difficult times. Though not concerned with the social mobility of society’s downtrodden, keeping them out of desperation is seen as both a moral and pragmatic responsibility (in the idea that reduced social pressure reduces crime).
• Responsible parenting. Davites are encouraged to marry and form tightly-knit nuclear families, and powerfully chastised against bearing children out of wedlock.
• Diligence and productivity. Numerous sermons have been penned by Davite priests lambasting those who are able but unwilling to pursue “honest” employment that supports the community. This is the primary reason for frequent admonishments against gambling – while not wrong in and of itself, providing money to support professional gamblers sustains them in a lifestyle that does not benefit the community. In general, “loose” behaviors are only taboo in their promotion of sloth, not for being in any way fundamentally wicked.
In short, outside of the support of the church and its initiatives, and the maintenance of their individual faith, the main expectations of a Davite are to make a positive contribution to the welfare of their neighbors and countrymen.
The Balance of Sin and Good Works:
The concepts of sin and of good works form two cornerstones of Davite faith. Ways to avoid (or expiate) the former and attain the latter are contemplated by even the most slothful in faith. To be uplifte, a Davite’s sins must be expiated, and they must also have a body of good works on Urth that reflect a positive commitment to their fellows in faith. Both sins and good works have fairly robust documented classification, though neither list is considered all-encompassing. The Ladders of sin and good works are considered doctrinal, and regularly subjected to review and revision by the Holy Synod as new circumstances and ideas are brought to light. Expiating sin and performing good works are separate matters. While a Davite must perform good works to be uplifted, expiation is a matter of contrition. To not repeat the sin is not enough (that is a baseline expected of any Davite to at least attempt). The faithful must in some way suffer. This is seen as a means of pre-empting the Lord of the Springs’ posthumous condemnation, by pursuing voluntary punishment on Urth rather than forcing him to take action himself.
Ascertaining appropriate penance is one of the main purposes of confession (see below). Magery and grand heresy are seen as “ultimate” sins. To continue to exist in the world is such a grave crime for heretics at such a level that any penance is overridden. Only the cleansing pyre offsets this sin and saves the heretic from the abomination of their own continued existence. Of note, good works apply to assisting Davites, and in the prosperity of their holy kingdom of Lithmore. Outside of guiding them to Davism, assisting unbelievers is not seen as an example of service in the Lord’s interest – though some might still exercise kindness to them as a means of bringing them closer to the true faith.
Afterlife:
Davites hold a belief in continued existence after death. On passing from life, all human souls are judged by the Lord of the Springs. Those who are free of sin (their sins have been confessed and appropriate penance has been performed to balance it) and who have performed good works on Urth are considered at last freed of their duties to the Lord’s beloved mankind. They are relieved of their burdens and “Uplifted” to share in the perspective of the Lord of the Springs on the world and share their purified experience with Him. The precise nature of this perspective is unknown and unknowable, but is said to be transcendence from narrow human perspective to a final understanding that is not possible from one still laboring on Urth.
Responsibility for good works is seen to vary with age. Children have not yet been charged with great labors for their Davite brethren, and are thus held only to avoidance of sin and those small works of which a child is capable (such as bringing peace of mind to their family and friends). Those who failed in their duties, who were sinful and/or slothful, are not freed of their obligations. They are trapped within the earth and their corrupted bodies, unable to perform good works now that their lives have passed, their life’s work eternally unfulfilled. The demons of the Abyssal consume their corruption to grow stronger in the Deep, forcing what remains of their soul to roam the dark places of the world as unquiet spirits, tormented and often rendered malevolent by the Demon’s Supper.
Cleansing:
There are two major elements utilized in Davite cleansing: fire and water.
Both have a long tradition, but Water is known as the first and most primal of the two. The exclusive use of fire does not happen until well after 102 when it was first famously employed (according to Masque sources). 146, the year of the Great Burning of the first cathedral, becomes the turning point year when cleansing by fire comes to the fore.
Water, on the other hand, has been with the Lithmorrans since even before the LoS gives Dav the Chalice, though the average character would not know it. The symbolism of Water is varied and powerful. To the Lithmorrans, relying for centuries on the headwaters of the Bren for their livelihood, water is sacred. I conjectured a while back that Lithmore was a wetland area aside the Bren. It was good for farming and beside a major commercial channel. Through both of these things, it became a city then a capitol.
The ritual of the Chalice, satisfying the thirst with pure water, is a reconnection to the importance and rarity of the Wellspring. It is a very primitive ritual, but it has been dressed up for centuries into something greater. Water provides life, can seem to hold light with its animation from a pure source. Being submerged within it is another world where Man can visit but can never survive. It easily reflects the Heavens in the night. Before the Great Burning, it was also common for mages to be killed by putting millstones around their neck and throwing them into the river, hoping that they would be cleansed by the waters before they body was dragged down into the Abyss.
In the 4th century SC, as we are in now, it is not uncommon for priests to bless shrines, people, items and weapons with water. For anointing the sick or to help purify tainted items, a priest will use water taken from the Fountis to ‘wash’ away the taint.
Any execution on charges of heresy is nearly assured to be at the pyre, with some rare exceptions for charges besides magery. Much of the practice is tradition at this point. It is, by and large, simply viewed as the appropriate ritual for such forms of execution. Exemptions, when they occur, are usually a consequence of a heretic’s death during Questioning or while being arrested. Some Inquisitors do exercise some creativity for actual executions, but any other method for fully confirmed mages is seen as a distinct aberration. The cleansing resolves the resulting problem of how to dispose of their mortal remains if burial is out of the picture. As discussed before, it is vital for removing the soul from the corrupted flesh; this most excruciating death is seen as the ultimate act of contrition. In the world of Davism, righteous expiation of this degree is sure to make the soul pure.
Marriage:
Marriage is an important act of stability in the Davite community as it ensures a vow of union preceding the creation of a family. The exchange of vows is conducted by a clergyperson, and they often play an instrumental role in the organizing of the happy event itself. In Lithmore, it is common practice to post public “wedding banns” in prelude to the event itself, which are announcements of the impending ceremony. These serve as public information for open-attendance weddings, as subtler indicators that the couple to be wed has made their decision with propriety and due consideration (rushed marriages are not unheard of, but may be seen as indicating an attempt to cover loose moral behavior), and as a simple sharing of the joy of a positive change in the community. Weddings and their receptions may be public or private. The ceremony itself is often conducted at a Davite church, but may be held at any venue the priest deems appropriate, including at the site of the reception (which is more often outdoors, or at least somewhere that food, drink, and mild carousing are more appropriate).
“One of the oldest traditions of Lithmore is the Daisy Chain, used during the reception of the wedding. Lithmorrans, known for their lavish end-of-year wedding festivities, present the bride and groom with a chain of interwoven daisies, which are used to bind the couple's wrists. Throughout the remainder of the festivities, the two must work in concert to accomplish even the most mundane task, lest they break the chain - considered to be the illest of omens, portending a short or disastrous marriage. Indeed, it is not unheard of for a marriage to be annulled by the senior Reeve or noble present due to a sundered Daisy Chain.” I do not know if there are any particular origins for the Daisy Chain, as they predate Davism.
“Celebration of the coming of age for females, the ceremony which marks their passage from a child to a woman. Typically given within two weeks of the girl's 16th birthday, it is only after completion of this ceremony that the woman is considered eligible for marriage. The En Passant is celebrated with a large party, including all of the village inhabitants (or quarter, in cities), with the girl clad in her brightest and best woolen clothes. All attenders to the revelry traditionally present the new woman with a gift which will help her in her future years, either domestically or financially. It is said that this tradition actually began in Farin, and indeed is practiced there and in many of the larger cities of other Duchies.” Again, I do not really see anything in the current help file that needs to be altered or explored.
Doctrines:
Doctrines are views that have a bit more leeway than dogma. While most dogmatic law is written, doctrines tend to be more malleable. They often change with the yearly meeting of the Synod. Not believing in them is not necessarily heresy.
On Pilgrimage:
To be a pilgrim on the West Road to the Springs is to walk in the footsteps of Davism during the most trying time in his life. To fulfill the Law of the Springs, every Davite must make the trip into the Tarn. The pilgrimage takes over a month on foot. Pilgrims wear simple clothing and shoes, perhaps taking a walking stick along with them. They carry little money and move from shrine to shrine on their way to the Springs. With the Law of the Springs, doctrine has sprung into place that allows pilgrims to ask for nightly succor on their way to the Springs, free of charge.
I have often conjectured that the Road is protected by a small contingent of knights to prevent bandits from taking advantage of the pilgrims. They would not be front-line caliber, but they could be made up of retired knights at least. It is also likely that vendors would appear on the route into the Tarn, providing religious trinkets and small things to sacrifice once they arrive.
On Prostitution:
The perceived jeopardy to marriage and risk of siring outside of marriage has led the Holy Order to proclaim prostitution a minor form of heresy, making it punishable even in communities where it is not illegal by secular standards. The church itself only metes out punishments for such conduct in such communities, leaving it to the Reeves where laws exist. Though purveyors are often punished, they are let off more lightly compared to their panderers, who are more harshly chastised for the temptation they present. Penance is usually levied, and sometimes branding for egregious or repeated flesh-merchants, to serve as a warning to possible clients should they backslide that they are being watched.
On Homosexuality:
The doctrines of the Holy Order have relatively little to say on the topic of same-sex romances. The lifestyle is frowned upon, as its pursuit does tend to rule out marriage and child-rearing. There is no heresy in bachelorhood, however, so this is not a grievous offense. I believe that this is one of the areas that TI can ease up on. The main concern is not that lifestyle itself is morally reprehensible to the Davite, but that it may create instability in the community, childless unions or with prostitution above, may bring jeopardy to the institution of marriage. It is not heretical, though it may be folded into charges of magery, depending on the case and the moral stance of the inquisitor.
On Carousing:
Parties, friendly gambling, alcohol, and theatre are all tolerated by the Holy Order, and in some cases have even been subverted to serve the church’s interests within reason, such as via feasts of saints and theatrical morality plays. So long as these affairs do not overtake, interfere with, or replace work in communally beneficial fields, or lead to crime, the church’s official stance is that Davites are entitled to celebrate and relax. Some priests try to maintain good relations with their region’s Troubadours specifically for the help they can provide in finding ways to use such things as teaching opportunities and means of promoting Davism. However, a measure of austerity is still asked for. Any excesses that lead to subsequent lax behavior are frowned on. Indulgence is acceptable – gratuity is not. Professional gambling is frowned upon, as it seeks to make a livelihood out of an un-enriching leisure activity, and the Holy Order staunchly opposes casinos and gambling rings as a result.
On Celibacy:
Clergy and Inquisitors of the Holy Order of King Dav adhere to a vow of celibacy. As with many church policies, this has both pragmatic and spiritual significance. Pragmatically, though this is more of an unspoken element, Holy Order members, Inquisitors especially, deal with the unsightly underbelly of Lithmore’s populace. Additional divisions of loyalty make this difficult job even harder. Even the clergy are part of an organization caught in an endless and desperate struggle, and such powerful potential dilutions of which side they take can bring matters to catastrophe. A bit more basely, the matter of inheritance for the assets of the clergy is also clarified this way, with their funds and property reverting to the mother church.
On a more spiritual side, Urthly attachments are viewed as diminishing the purity of one’s commitment to the Lord. A Davite priest must look ever forward, towards matters beyond this life, and not be shackled to look back at the world from which they are meant to guide others. A balance must be struck, obviously, and in other areas of life, the clergy are encouraged not to drift too far apart from their fellow man. But marriage is a powerful, binding alliance that a priest or Inquisitor’s oaths of service prevent them from committing to in full, to the detriment of both the marriage and their ties to the Lord. Illicit relationships outside of marriage and courtship are looked upon even more harshly than for the layperson, as they cannot be salvaged into a proper marriage, and represent a betrayal of the individual’s established vows.
Rituals:
Mass:
“At the appropriate times, all who are able gather in an authorized place of worship to confirm their dedication to the Davite faith. All services begin with a processional, where an ordained priest of the Order retrieves the symbolic chalice from the tabernacle and displays it for all members of the congregation. This is immediately followed by an announcement, usually by a higher-ranked member of the Order, of any important matters affecting the entire diocese.
Then, the ceremony begins in earnest: a priest recites a shared event, religious tract, or other symbol of the faith for the benefit of the congregation, explaining its significance. These are usually liberally peppered with means by which one can safeguard one's soul from the terrible ailments of magery and heresy.
Upon the conclusion of the recitation, the priest passes around the symbolic chalice, filled with water from the Lower Spring; all gathered (who are able to drink) - those who are in the good graces of the church - sip from the chalice, starting in the front with the nobility. Immediately after sipping from the chalice, each humble servant of the Order recites Dav's Declarations.
When the chalice is emptied, the dialogue begins, and any present member may address the entire congregation with a noncommercial concern or direct questions toward any member of the Order or nobility attending the service. When this is finished, the officiating priest blesses the congregation, and the parishioners leave, dropping donations in a collection box manned by acolytes of the Order.”
I like this helpfile because it places an emphasis on the community aspects of mass. It is a gathering of the people to participate in something sacred, as well as an invitation for them to participate in the lives of each other.
Consuming Water:
The Law of the Springs is carried out in a ritual fashion across the kingdom. While it is impractical in this point in history for people to consume water from the River, the communal Cup of the family has a central place in the home. Though the ritual is not considered to be as impactful as it is performed in the Church during Mass, it is an important portion of the evening meal and a central component of Solisda. The family draws from the freshest water they can, perhaps a well, and shares the Cup around the table. If the water is suspect, of course, a little wine can be added to help purify it.
Ablution:
Cleansing of the body through washing with pure water is a rare occurrence in the Kingdom among the bulk of the population and has thus evolved into a sacred act. Being submerged in the Springs is reserved for family of the Crown to ritually reinforce their connection to Dav and the Lord of the Springs.
I would suggest that bathing in the Bren is to be considered Sacred as it extends from the Headwaters as well, acting as a parallel to the Ganges. This would have to be done in the foothills of the Tarn before the sewage output of Lithmore taints it. This could be utilized by the ‘savage’ peoples to attain some cleansing by ecclesiastical standards. A hypothetical ‘lower’ Lower Spring.
Sacred ablution is also used to clean the recently deceased before they are prepared for their funerals. This, of course, only applies to repentant Davites.
Water Blessings:
Cleansing of an area also utilizes water. A priest, utilizing either his hand or an aspergillum (a mace-shaped perforated ball on the end of a stick) and a bucket will traditionally cast blessed water in the four cardinal directions in order to drive back evil spirits and bring serenity to a room. New shrines, chapels and homes are often blessed in this way at their foundation to keep spirits at bay.
Weapons forged for the use of the Knighthood and the Inquisitors are often quenched in blessed water from the springs to more easily rend the flesh of the evil.
Musical instruments, particularly those used in the Church, are often blessed with water as well. Bells in church towers likewise are rubbed with blessed water by a bishop before they are installed.
Symbols:
Water:
“In the world there is nothing more submissive and weak than water. Yet for attacking that which is hard and strong nothing can surpass it.” – Lao Tzu
Water is one the principal elemental forces listed by Remiel in his poem. However, it moves beyond that. In the ancient past, it is the embodiment of Chaos for its infinite depth and darkness. In Davite theology, it is animated, flowing and bright. Water is principally a feminine element, whose vessel is the Cup in its various incarnations.
Tied in with this, ‘good’ water is the flowing bright water. Members of this monotheistic religion would mark this difference and understand that stagnation breeds impurity. Inaction, even driven by holiness, would lead to festering of what is given by Life. Therefore, it is rare that you will find clergy who are lethargic or content to dwell in endless prayer.
In every Davite church, there is a symbol situated on the eastern wing of the floorplan. Usually integrated into the floor tiling or place upon the wall, a five sided star with one of its arms exaggerated is thought to symbolize water and its importance.
I am unsure how the water is continually gathered from the Lower Springs for the fountains and Mass. To feed the capitol, I would wager that there is an underground culvert that is used to gather water from mountains, shielded from the river traffic of the Bren. Or, if there is such an abundance of clergy, then perhaps there is a continual shipment of water from the mountains 200 miles (some month away, roundtrip by caravan). The roundtrip is about 24 days based on help distance. If anyone has ever had the water from the Bren, they will know that it is far from sacred or clean. Another alternative is drawing well from the basement of the church and sanctifying it. The advanced architecture of the cathedral’s roof may allow for the collection of water from the rain or snowmelt to supplement their water supply. It is likely that there is a cistern slightly elevated from the level of the Fountis and square fountain to allow them enough pressure to flow. It only takes a few feet of elevation to generate a pound of pressure.
There must be some concession for distance in those regions that cannot attain this Water. It is highly possible that one of the main duties of priests is also to secure and purify water sources. This would speak to the earlier notion of agricultural utility among the priesthood. Perhaps they have the knowledge to dowse for water and are taught how to identify the characteristics of clean water?
Fire:
Fire is one of the other primary elements of the Order, originally brought to the fore of punishment and symbolism in 146 after the Great Burning. Fire is what started Dav on his Consolidation. Fire is also what consumed the Church in 146, destroying records back to the turn of the Era. Fire is also what is reported to have changed a Horse to the first Man in Charalin lore. Fire is celebrated in Vandagan and Hillman folklore, tamed by a legendary blacksmith to help coax new forms out of lifeless ore.
The fire’s elemental symbol is the dagger or the sword, a masculine symbol in opposition to the feminine Cup. In alchemy, conversion is always brought by fire. That which is touched by flame is changed, usually beyond recognition of its original form. Fire is also an embodiment and conveyor of passion.
Light:
One need only walk into the Cathedral to understand immerse themselves in this symbolism. Light plays a large part in medieval philosophy. Warmth and life walk hand in hand. The entrapment of light in a large man-made space like a cathedral creates a sacred space that is not matched by anything outside.
Indeed, the philosophy of Light mixes well with the philosophy of the Wellspring. While Davism works with fire and water, the dichotomy of Light and Dark is also prevalent between the faithful and the tainted. There is good historical reason for this. In early history, darkness and cold were personifications of death. Night time was the witches’ hour, filled with spirits and demons. The cold could seep even through walls and touch a person to the core.
For an elaboration of the light theology, the Origin of the Arts tract in the forum offers a look into some of the metaphysics of thought, sense and arts.
The Roots of Davism:
The major themes of Davism that can be traced back through the pre Sun Cycle era:
1) Righteous suffering
2) Elemental focus
3) Community
4) Fall and reconciliation (seeking balance)
5) Feminine / masculine symbolism (water & fire)
The oldest religions in the history of The Inquisition belong to or stem from the Charali, in my opinion.
In the Song of Motion, the First Mother consumes Chaos and gives birth to the elements so that the world might be born. The Path of Fire, a story that commonly refers to the Charalin Shari, is about the sublimation of suffering for the good of all.
The Charalin perspective is the most reasonable for the ‘originators’ of distant tradition, as they have a generational memory through their storytelling, as illustrated in the quit quote from St. Jaridan. Their epic includes the creation of the world and hints at the origination of magic.
I submit that the ancestors of the modern Charali were the first civilization. They were well advanced and practiced magic as a part of their culture. Their creation tales mark their self-destruction and eventual war with their Goddess who smote them with beasts of fire and earth. The original Tower was built here and subsequently destroyed. Its magical remnants helped form the base of the Manus Tower we know today.
"Enough magical power has been spent in and around it, with
direction and intent, and without, that it has a will of its
own. A slow will, with different priorities, that the mere
wizards that infest it like parasites would not understand."
-- An Anonymous Archmage on the Manus Tower (quit quote)
The ferocity of the war flattened the cities and terrain into the plains of Charal. Because of their sins, the Charali hold metalworking as a taboo and magic use is relegated to single, feared/pitied shaman per clan entity. They are bound to live a life nearer to the animals they emerged from.
“It is said amongst scholars and veteran soldiers that the Daravi speak none of the civilised tongues prevalent in the kingdom, and instead speak a language closer to that of the Charali,“ says the Daravi helpfile. I believe that a cultural diaspora occurred after the Goddess War and the breaking of the Tower. The Eastern and Western division happened first, dividing the common language early on into two major branches: the root of what would become modern Daravi and Charali, and the root of what would become all other ‘civilized’ tongues.
The outward push from Charal went in all directions west. Vavard came first, the rivers providing a great deal of wealth to override some of the taboo tenants of the ancestors. Daravi in the south would have retained much of the magical practices and technological know-how. Pre-existing cultures undoubtedly existed across the Urth. The diaspora of the proto-Charali merely blended into them. Tubor, being the first city founded, was probably settled by the Princes of the Reach (the legendary continent north or west of Tubor).
With this diaspora of cultures, the groundwork of the Goddess cult went through a number of transformations. The Path of Fire emerges as a derivative of the Charalin mythology, creating an Urthly simulacrum of the suffering, world-birthing Goddess so that others might know joy.
So swelled with Creation, the glimmer became First Among Mothers. Her new body took shape from the ephemeral point of light, swelling into a shape familiar to all. Her cheeks, breast, stomach and hips swelled with the fullness of creation.
The Path of Fire, combining elements of a suffering deity, symbolic fire and cleansing tears (expiation for the sake of balance) is perhaps the distant ancestor of the Holy Church. The figure of the Lady of Suffering is reborn in a male/neutral existence of the Lord of the Springs. From Remiel:
Out of the merest portion, the Lord carved the seed of matter from His vastness.
The ancient Waters shook with sorrow as the Lord diminished Himself but an iota.
In this first motion, the Lord planted the seed within the ancient Waters and begat all.
With a stirring from the depths, the Deep began to distill into parts yet unknown.
Layers formed and gained name as what was yielded took shape from the Makers Hand.
Dav the Everlasting is also cast into this mold, following the untimely death of his family. His suffering justifies his vengeance and his eventual sainthood/martyrdom in 144. The suffering deity also ties into the Cyclist mentality (as I see it, in any case) which was elucidated by Priest Trajan after the start of the Consolidation. The Four Lives exist in order to cultivate the spirit and return something of value to the heavenly deity, healing some of its suffering. From Vavardian excess and the effect of the Purges precipitated by Dav, the Transcendant Ecstasy was born out of Church supervision driving eccentrics ‘underground’. Likewise, after the Consolidation, the Spirits of the Light emerges from fringes of Davite society, trying to resurrect Charalin-style animism in a male, monotheistic and flesh-hating context.
Second, let us look at the common themes. Water, Cup, Female, Suffering, Peace, Purity. Whatever form that the theology of the Holy Mother Church took, all of these elements are important. Based off of the ‘Origins of the Inquistion’ helpfile, there is a direct transition from the Holy Mother Church to the Order, as the Order was a sect. The helpfiles clearly say the Mother Church was interested in fostering peace. This is not surprising as the Common Era prior to Sun Cycle Zero was filled with warfare between fiefs.
Water is vaunted early in history, given the PoF shrine with the Eastern Star. This elemental symbol gives its greatest measure to Water, potentially carried over from the Five Siblings of the Charali creation. Unsurprising, given the nature of the fiefs and their reliance on the Water. Lithmore was founded on the Bren for that reason. Moving water is an especial sign of purity to a farmer. Used to the toil of the earth, the natural movement of water from heaven or from the earth showed an animation as if the water were itself alive. Being so necessary for life, it was a soothing balm that was shared in communion with the family and extended family through the ceremony of the Cup. The bounty of life from this cup can be seen in many modern incarnations, such as the classic Horn of Plenty, the life-restoring cauldron of Bran the Blessed from the Mabinogion and the Cup of the Fisher King from Perceval.
I would submit that the Holy Mother Church evolved out of these ancient beliefs through the filter of agrarian practices, making Water a vital component of their fertility rituals and not simply a new symbolic foundation once the Lord of the Springs was found in 109. Sharing the cup was not enough, however. What was inside the cup was also consecrated – the Water itself became a vessel within the vessel for the power of the Moons, something also heavily associated with the female in mythology. By calling down the power of the moons into the cup, the purification and life-giving power were affirmed by Heaven. From the Eld in the Cathedral:
Take the chalice, fill it up. Draw the moonwell in the cup. Power
fills thee when you drink. Pour the blessing that you seek.
The cynic in me says that Dav picked this imagery on purpose. A spring is the ultimate source of purity, just like a waterfall in Shintoism (misogi). It is highly likely that the change of gender from female to male for the deity at this point in time was because of heightened aggression from the Unskilled toward the build-up of Skilled in Lithmore. The Lord of the Springs provides the perfect rhetorical vehicle for the impending Consolidation.
This is pretty fantastic and I love it. I don't see anything I don't like.
What I do wonder is if you can rearrange it into helpfile-friendly chunks? The ones that suggest themselves from your arranging and my reading of it all...
1) Basic overview of tenets (to maybe edit/replace current help davism?)
2) History of Davism
3) FAQ (afterlife, what is magery, is the LoS omnipotent, etc)
4) Religious symbolism
5) Religious literature
6) Dogmas (the info in 1 and 3 in more depth)
7) Doctrines
8) Updates to the sins and cleansing files
9) Rituals
10) Glossary? (defining dogmas, saints, etc)
Some of this probably shouldn't go into helpfiles but IC books, or maybe not even that, but:
Seriously man, I love you for doing this. I am 100% behind the idea that we must define Davism or it becomes Christianity With Real Magic.
What I do wonder is if you can rearrange it into helpfile-friendly chunks? The ones that suggest themselves from your arranging and my reading of it all...
1) Basic overview of tenets (to maybe edit/replace current help davism?)
2) History of Davism
3) FAQ (afterlife, what is magery, is the LoS omnipotent, etc)
4) Religious symbolism
5) Religious literature
6) Dogmas (the info in 1 and 3 in more depth)
7) Doctrines
8) Updates to the sins and cleansing files
9) Rituals
10) Glossary? (defining dogmas, saints, etc)
Some of this probably shouldn't go into helpfiles but IC books, or maybe not even that, but:
Seriously man, I love you for doing this. I am 100% behind the idea that we must define Davism or it becomes Christianity With Real Magic.
Last bumped by Wolfie on Sat Jan 04, 2014 10:57 am.
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