Latternism

Summary of Latternism
The universe was first chaos, until the Creator brought order to it and created the planet from quenching a star and sculpting it, and then creating life. He created four sons to help all beings survive and prosper. Good souls shall ascend to the Makers side, living in eternal comfort and peace, while bad souls are damned to the Abyss, the dark, empty and primordial void.

God: The Maker, Creator of the World and Life.

His four sons,

Daith, patron of the land

Aragar, patron of the skies.

Vhudan, patron of the sea.

Ortysis, patron of the Abyss, disgraced son.

The Beginning
Before the dawn of time, the Cosmos whirled in chaos and disorder. The heavens above shifted and spun relentlessly, and no life could prosper, it was truly an Abyss. Whatever divine beings wrought this havoc upon the Creator’s universe are gone now, for upon his awakening before conceivable time they were vanquished. Mayhaps he was simply slumbering, and so it was that without him Order could not reign, but no matter the cause, the effect was certain. The Universe halted, its heavenly body began to move in slow meandering patterns, the stars formed rigidly, and the Universe as we know it under the Creator was born.

So it was that our Universe was forged, however our world had not yet been born. The bright balls of fire that once whisked wildly across the cosmos had halted, but no such world as our own yet existed. Not but slow meandering light, and darkness now existed. The Creator, now awakened, grew weary of this, and in his divine intelligence, required more. And so it was that he created our World. He took a nearby star, and examined its light. This he saw, would be the first of his elements: Fire. He clasped the star tight and quenched its flame, leaving only a dense mass behind, and thusly the second element, the planet, was born. He then began to sculpt that mass, he placed massive indents, large peaks, and flat plateaus. He filled those massive holes with a new element of his own ingenuity; he filled them with Water. These became our first oceans, his plateaus our first land masses, and his peaks our Mountains.

His creation was not yet done, for what could he do with yet another floating mass. And so it was that he blew unto our world, and from his breath came the final element; Air. With this, he could now begin to design our world. He covered the lands in lush green plains, he dotted the landscape with lakes and rivers for he loved the beauty of the Water he created. He did many things with this most versatile of elements, he froze it and covered our mountains with it, and then with it he created clouds, a thick fog to forever shield him from our sight. He built this perfect world, but had noone to share its glory with. His lonesome tormented him, for he is a great being, and could not stand to be alone in such a wide cosmos.

The Gift of Life
To soothe his lonesome, he created life on his World. He created all manner of beings in all shapes and sizes. His first creations were truly grotesque and unattractive to look at, and so he made their domain the sea, where in its depths he would not have to see them. As he grew fond of creating living beings, he began to create the first creatures of the land. Large and still grotesque, they were able to be looked upon with pride. And yet as he looked down upon his new creations, he felt something was missing. Though they could never come to him, there was such vast space above the world, and such a beautiful sight to be seen when looking down, that he could not be the only one to know its glory. And so he gifted some of his creations with wings, and they could then soar through the air and see what he had done.

And so it was that the Creator had created life, and his quiet absent world quickly became a bustling wilderness. Millenia passed by, and in that time he saw his creatures interact and was fascinated by it. He created new beings in new ways with new traits and each time saw and loved them even more. However as time passed, he began to grow tired of them. Their animosity, their simple instincts, and all at once he realised what he had done, he had created the very existence he himself wanted nothing to do with. It was chaos, with no order or control, just on a smaller scale. He was saddened, reminded of his days before, and knowing that each of his beings meant nothing if they were but walking mindless husks, no matter how great and terrible some may have been.

He pondered, for what could have been another millennia, leaving his savage beings to wreak havoc on each other whilst he did. The world in some places scorched, in some froze, in some became overgrown, in some flooded. It was the Creator's absence in that time that formed the world as we know it, no longer a paradise. Unshielded, those places that were scorched became our deserts. Unloved, those places that were frozen became our Tundras. Unchecked, those places overgrown became our forests. Unguarded, those places that were flooded became our swamps. A fair bit of land maintained itself, and by sheer luck, we have our plains. But what, after so long would he place now within them?

The First Beings and the Sons
The Creator in his infinite wisdom, created beings in his own image, beings of modest size, but beings of intelligence over savagery, he created all beings. However alone, man would not be able to survive such a world, and so to guide them, and to rule beneath him, the Creator made his four sons, that would aid man in mastering his domains. He created Aragar, patron of the skies, to watch over man in its inception. He created Vhudan, patron of the Sea, to quell its rough waters and subdue its wild beasts, so man could tame it and master the sea for its own. He created Daith, patron of the land, to bring life and prosperity to all beings that dwelled upon it, and he created Ortysis, patron of the abyss, warden to all those souls damned to its eternal depths for abusing the Creators many gifts, or for lacking gratitude for them. These divinities would take human form, and spread wide across the lands, leading men in the conception of civilization. It is under them that such primordial beasts as the Creators first creations were slain, and it is under them that society was born.

The Pillars of Latternism
The Faith is built upon four core teachings. Each of the teachings is paramount to anything else in Latternism, and must be followed explicitly.

Justice
Justice is the most important Pillar of the faith, and therefore is the first. The Creator, his Sons and the Kings and Nobles touched blessed into power by the Maker are there to enact justice upon the world. Should one fail to enact true justice, they face the threat of being condemned to the Abyss. When the Creator first brought beings into existence, it is told that he imbued them with the virtue of Justice - the belief that all actions require just and proportionate reaction. Every single man, woman and child are expected to be just in the face of danger or peril no matter the situation. The Creator is Justice, and as such Justice is the Creator; and Justice is to be respected.

Penitence
Penitence is the second most important of the Four Pillars. Penitence should not be abused to enact vengeance and should be reflective of the crime or failure.

Forgiveness
In the faith, the third pillar is referred to as ‘Forgiveness’. Therefore, every child of the Creator iis entitled to forgiveness, but not before serving their Penance; this leads into the final pillar.

Death
Death is a part of everyday life. The dead go either to the Creators Realm to find eternal peace with the world, or they are outcast to the Abyss where Ortysis decides what is to be done to those unworthy of entering the Creators Realm. If an individual dies before having been forgiven, then their immortal soul is weighed between their sins, and their virtues. If found lacking, they will be condemned to the Abyss.

Universal Prayer
“The Creator grants me the power to pass Justice,

Through Justice comes Penitence.

From Penitence comes Forgiveness.

Though Forgiveness, may I rest peacefully in Death.

From I, your faithful servant.”

Confession
Confession is a sacred and strictly confidential practice between one person and a clergyman. Priests often encourage people to confess their sins in public, but the more common is done privately. Confession can either be done on a purpose-made confessionary in a church or by asking the priest to talk in a secluded spot. The priest listens to the person’s sins and provides advice on how to redeem themselves and be forgiven.

Prayer
A prayer is a direct communication with the Creator. Some prayers are simple utterances and silent thoughts, while others are sung or highly ritualized. The purpose of praying ranges from requesting help to begging for forgiveness or giving thanks.

Organizational Structure
Pontifex: The Pontifex is the spiritual leader of the people, the Creators representative. He oversees the Church throughout the lands, maintaining faith and order. The Pontifex serves a specified time as per Church doctrine with the succeeding Pontifex being chosen by a council of all Abbots, Bishops and Archbishops.

Archbishop: Archbishops are assigned to oversee the faith and its administration in either large nations with multiple towns or multiple nations thus being very power and highly independent.

Bishop: The Bishops are local leaders of the Faith, each Bishop generally represents the faith in an entire nation or a large city. Bishops are chosen by the Pontifex through the council of other Bishops and Archbishops. Bishops are able to induct people into the Church as Laybrothers as well as promote local clergy to the post of Abbot. Bishops are also generally important figures in their nations community and political affairs due to their position.

Abbot: Abbots are clergy appointed by the Bishops or higher in order to lead the faith in a single Church & Town and can administer all main religious ceremonies and rites including marriages and others.

Layborthers: Starting members of the clergy, people who seek to learn more about the Maker and take part in the Church as well as move up the ranks of the clergy. They are learning more about the faith, and can begin teaching and giving sermons under the supervision on an Abbot or higher. They are usually given missionary work to spread the faith.

Order of the Pillarmen - Military Order
Pillarmen are those that take the oaths of a Pillarmen dedicate their life to the protection of the church and it’s values militarily, they uphold the Pillars of the faith and also help ensure that the values of the faith are enforced within society. With this in mind, the Church finds that penance must be served, regardless of the will of the penitent and thus Pillarmen help ensure that penitence is served.

Vows of the Pillarmen
I, your proven faithful, do now come before you this day,

In perpetuity, accept my vows,

Shall they shall never be broken.

I swear to never grow rich,

I swear to never grow fat,

I pledge my service to you, and your Field.

I swear to uphold the Pillars,

I swear to defend my peers,

I swear my sword shall never be far from my side.

I, your faithful, do devote my life.

For your Justice,

For your Penitence,

For your Forgiveness,

Unto Death.

Church Doctrine
Doctrines which are accepted and enforced by the Church, subject to change based on votes of the Grand Council of Clergy which can be called to Assemble.

Excommunication is the price anyone would have to pay for not following the laws of the Church. They are removed from the church entirely and seen as open heretics. Excommunicated peoples could enter into penitence to enter the church yet again, but the price depends on the severity of their crimes against the Church.

Infallibility of the Pontifex: The servant of servants, supreme amongst all the Bishops of the Church, direct representative of the Maker, infallible when speaking about faith and morals.

Salvation with the Church only & Through works: All those who do not acknowledge the Pontifix as the Creators Representative and the Core Latternist Church as the only true Church shall not achieve salvation and shall enter into the Abyss. Furthermore one can achieve salvation by assisting the Church in construction of Great works to the Maker or by spreading the faith.

Salvation by Works: Salvation can be achieved by following the Church and its teachings and through penance as well as other works

Grace of Clergy: The Clergy are special channels in which the Creators Grace is dispersed amongst the people, working their whole lives to be in the Creators good Grace so that the people may share in it and reach salvation.

Indulgences: For certain exchanges, a person may ask the Clergy to help them enter into the Creators good grace through an exchange in which the Clergy pray and read the Gospel for a person in order to release them of their sins.

Divine Right to Rule: Doctrine that states that the nobility, Kings & Queens and other rulers of states receive the right to rule directly from the Maker.

Interdicts: Interdicts suspend people from the church in a way in which they cant receive important rites or attend church sessions and sermons. Its similar to excommunication but not as severe.

Investiture: Doctrine in which only the church can appoint members of the clergy and not secular rulers of the nation the church resides in.