Symbollum Mithris

The Symbollum Mithris, more commonly known as Domusism or simply Domus, to non-believers is a monotheistic religion centered in Daelyria. The Symbollum Mithris believes in the existence of a legendary leader known to its followers as the Domus, it also believes that all of the Dominate's lost lands must be brought under the Faith's control, the abhorrence of Heretics, and the realisation that wizards and mutation among the Faithful is a dire threat which must be controlled. All of these precepts have their origins in what the Domus himself preached during the Radiant Epoch preliminary to the first world Paxia. Officially established by Lightfish who had received a vision of the distant past in Halond during the start of the Noxist crusades - a series of events which would initiate a five decades long period of suffering and internal conflict for Helmia, known to the Mithranites as the Helmian Dark Age. Followers of the Symbollum Mithris, priests and clerics, seek ignition for the continued burning of the Essenflames placed throughout Helmia in order to sustain their souls. First mission of the Symbollum Mithris was taken on by Paladin ntbbb. His shield was blessed with the protection of a white spark from the Meteoran Essenflame. The Symbollum Mithris is still known in Helmia, but also said to have undergone some changes, as of now, the original Faith is referred to as old Faith. Its followers have mostly forgotten about Lightfish, whose worship was once common among the Faith's followers. However, his Noxist and Heretic hunts are still carried on. In the Symbollum Mithris, there is a tradition of placing great faith in the words of the blind priests, excluding members of the Abyssal Covenant, as they are considered to have the purest glimpses of the future. The Faith is now based in Meteora, and still has followers in Bern, Aldrien, Arbitor, Klerkenshoop and other cities outside of Helmia.

Hegemonic Beliefs
Unlike most Helmian folk, Mithranites are isolationist, mystical, and suspicious of others, but they view this as a sensible reaction to the dark world in which they live. Their self-appointed duty as guardians of the Faith, the Essenflame and the Domus' legacy. Over the recent decades, Mithranites have been brought into contact with all manner of evil, which they have dutifully recorded in a sealed library found deep within the Faith’s Holy City of Meteora. Thus Mithranites never forget, and fully trust none. This, they claim, is a paranoia not born of fright or incomprehension, but of experience. Mental fortitude and defensive tactics are of paramount importance to Mithranites, who view open assault or loose thinking and recklessness as open gates for corruption and heresy. However, nothing is more important that defending the world and legacy which the Domus created, and they are willing to go to almost any length, even open, blind assault, to ensure this. To the Faith, the Domus was a leader and warrior, but not a universal saviour. He is not expected to take care of the woes of all his worshippers, but instead serves as an encouragement for Mithranites to stand up for themselves in the face of adversity. The cult also prizes strength and competent leadership, qualities they associate with the Domus himself. They use these traits to promote the same strength amongst the folk of Helmia, and strike at the heart of heresy, wherever it may lie.

Symbollikon
The Principles of the Symbollum Mithris, also known as the Symbollikon are the adopted at the First Council of Meteora. The Symbollikon is the defining statement of belief of the Symbollum Mithris and in those Mithran denominations that adhere to it. The Creed of Meteora is part of the profession of faith required of those undertaking important functions within the Faith. The Symbollikon regards the Domus as divine and semi-eternal. Various doctrines, beliefs, and creeds have been formed since the Radiant Epoch, all of which are considered heresies by adherents of the Symbollum Mithris. The purpose of the Symbollikon is to provide a doctrinal statement of correct belief. The creeds of the early Faith have been drawn up at times of conflict about doctrine: acceptance or rejection of a creed served to distinguish believers and heretics. For that reason, a creed was called in Domian a Symbollikon, which originally meant a scale of defining one's guilt and truthfullness. The Symbollikon was adopted to resolve the nationalistic controversies who were troublesome to the Faith in its early days, the then newly hereticized leader, ntbbb, the Paladin who ironcally carried out the first Heretic hunts, objected to Lightfish's apparent carelessness in blurring the distinction of nature of the Domus by his emphasis on eternal generation". High King Jayhawk Blackfire called the Council at Meteora to resolve the dispute in the church which resulted from the widespread adoption of Marinus' teachings, which threatened to destabilize the religion. Following the formulation of the Symbollikon,  ntbbb' teachings were henceforth marked as heresy. The Symbollikon explicitly affirms the Domus as the "one true God" and as the Saviour of the Domians. The principles of the Symbollum Mithris, known as the Symbollikon, are actually highly flexible and are enacted by the Council of Meteora to fit the native culture, existing religion, and cultural practices of whatever nation it exists upon. As such, Symbollikon practices adhered to on one city within Helmia may be held as abhorrent on another. The Faith maintains a moderate level of tolerance in Helmia's vast range of practices and beliefs as it would be impossible to maintain the faith by a rigid adherence to a standardised orthodoxy across the more than one continents that inhabit Rathnir. However, the Faith does enforce several basic tenets of the Symbollikon, deviation from which is considered heresy. These principles include the following beliefs:


 * Unquestionably obey the authority of the Domus and the Faith.
 * Trust in the Essenflame's guidance.
 * Always aid the Rajjyn, for you will never find a finer ally.
 * Work to promote the unity of the Faith, even at the cost of individual liberty.
 * Bear true allegiance His divinity, the Domus.
 * Root out and destroy Faith's enemies, the servants of the Abyss, and those who use corrupt magic, wherever they may hide.
 * Do not let the Essenflame die out.
 * Do not kill another, for you are denying their service to the Domus.

Supreme Patriarch
The Supreme Patriarch is the overall leader of the Symbollum Mithris located in Aldrien. He holds a considerable amount of political influence in Helmia, where he is an extremely important authority in all matters dealing with matters regarding the Faith and Helmia's unnatural events. The current Supreme Patriarch is Pete Leeuwenmoed, who was appointed as Supreme Patriarch after the dissapearance of the previous Supreme Patriarch Miksa Silverhand, and Alphineus Domussanad and Lightfish Demus before him.

The Collegiax
The Collegiax, is the ruling council of the Symbollum Mithris, second only to the Supreme Patriarch himself, also known as the Council of Cardinals. The Collegiax is currently based within the Great walls of Meteora in Kastollia, but in Helmia's past times had been situated in Domia - a city in the Halond region which is the place of origin of the Symbollum Mithris. The Collegiax is led by the Supreme Patriarch, and is comprised of all the Cardinals of the Faith, each of whom governs a diocese of the Symbollum Mithris which can vary greatly in size and strategic importance. The Collegiax not only acts as the governing body of the Symbollum Mithris, but it is also the final authority in all matters of religious doctrine for the faith of the Faith. The Collegiax was created by the the first Supreme Patriarch - Lightfish in the early Mithran Kingdom to serve as a council of electors and a check upon the power of the Ecclesiarch.

Cardinal
A Cardinal is one of the highest-ranking Priests within the Symbollum Mithris, who serves directly under the Supreme Patriarch himself. The Cardinals, who number in the thousands, are renowned members of the clergy and form a group known as the Collegiax, which elects the Supreme Patriarch, the head of the Faith, from their own number. Most Cardinals bear responsibility for the spiritual guidance of a region of the territories encompassing the Symbollum Mithris, known as a diocese, whose size can vary from a single hive city to encompass an entire region or sub-continent. Although each Cardinal governs the spiritual affairs of his own diocese, some Cardinals, with a deaconing background may rank higher than the due to the strategic importance of the diocese they rule.

Deacon
Deacons are the clerics and presbyters of the Symbollum Mithris and the caretakers of a diocese's economic and political affairs. They operate in dioceses alongside the Cardinals, whom they are subordinate to. Deacons who are deemed as competent and trustworthy may rise to the rank of Hierocardinal, being granted the option to inherit the title of Cardinal upon the incumbent Cardinal's death, dissapearance or election to the title of Supreme Patriarch. Deacons may also be appointed to the position of Arch-deacon via a vote held by the Collegiax, an Arch-deacon has authority over all deacons of the Faith and is almost equal to the rank of Cardinal.

Suffregate
A Suffregate is a member of the Mithranite clergy, usually in charge of a temple and empowered to confer holy orders and serve a diocese's Cardinal. Other than maintaining the temples they are assigned to, Suffregates must also tend to their diocese's Essenflame as well as assist the eradication of Heresies in their diocese bishops also help appoint a temple's priests and preachers. Suffregates play an important role in the Symbollum Mithris' oversight. Suffregates can be appointed the rank of Deacon by their diocese's Cardinal, apart from this, Suffregates have an obligation to assist the work of maidens from the Abyssal Covenant should their diocese fall within the range of an End portal.

Preacher
Preachers are the lowest ranking clergy in the Symbollum Mithris. They are sometimes known as Defenders of the Faith and they and their lay followers are sometimes a community or dioecese's first line of defence against invading forces. The main purpose of preachers is to spread the Faith throughout the world and to root out heresy from a diocese or a city. A successful preacher may rise to become a Pontifex, whose authority extends over parishes and other preachers. Their responsibilities can encompass an diocese or even sub-continents, and their titles and ranks may be extended to indicate this.

First Council of Meteora
The First Council of Meteora was the first held Council of the Faith. Most significantly, it resulted in the creation of an organized Mithranite doctrine called the Symbollikon and the creation of the Symbollum Mithris as we know it today. With the creation of the Symbollikon, a precedent was established for subsequent local and regional councils of Suffregates, Deacons, Pontiffs and Cardinals to create statements of belief and canons of doctrinal orthodoxy—the intent being to define unity of beliefs for the Faith. One purpose of the Council was to resolve disagreements arising from within the Nationalistic branches of the Faith over the nature of the Domus and His importance to all Domians and Helmia, as well as the rising hostilities between the Mithranite Faith and Noxism. Lightfish whose proposition for a radical retaliation on the Noxists for their actions against Helmia and all Domians as well as justifying the idea that the Domus is the true savior of the Domians justifying his statement with historical records from the Radiant Epoch; the popular Paladin ntbbb, who placed the state's ideals before the Faith, took the former. The Council decided against ntbbb overwhelmingly. The second accepted proposal of the Council was the mentioned decree to impose severe and radical punishments on the hostile Noxists for their crimes against Helmia. This event would mark the start of the Great Noxist persecutions in Helmia, a conflict which would last for decades to come. This Ecumenical Meeting is generally considered the beginning of the period of the organized Mithranite Faith

Second Council of Meteora
The Second Council of Meteora, was the second Ecumenical Meeting of the Mithranite believers. The meeting was initiated by Alphineus Domussanad the newly elected Supreme Patriarch alongside Murad Demus - the leader of the then newly created military order - the Sons of Domus. The Second Council of Meteora aimed to decide the future of the Mithranite Faith after the fall of Mithra and the creation of the Helmian Federation - a Noxist political entity which aimed to destroy the Mithranite Faith as a retaliation for the Great Noxist persecutions. Convoked by the Supreme Patriarch Alphineus with the support of the legendary king Jayhawk Blackfyre, the council was attended by delegates of the Goonguard Emperors, representatives of the N.S.C., the Rajjyns, the Hands and the Empress of Lunaris. Initially, the meeting began with a melancholic cry from some of the Cardinals of the Domusist Rebellion, implying that Helmia was gaining support by the seconds and that the Mithranite Faith has lost the conflict with the Noxists. At first many of the Cardinals acknowledged the fact that it was perhaps time for the Mithranite Faith to stand down and admit defeat, Murad Demus and his suboordinate Ianak however, would argue that it is a horrendous reality in which Noxists have come to rule over Helmia and is a consequence of events that should have never happened, stating that they would rather die fighting than surrender to the Faith's enemies. The argument would be supported by the attending representatives of the Rebellion's allies, choosing to inflict as much damage to the enemy even if death would be the consequence rather than surrender and find no pride in such action. Another statement made by the Faith's officials in the high ranks of the Federation supported Murad's choice to continue fighting the Federation, revealing that the Noxists had been severely underestimating the Rebellion's numbers and forces and as a result have let their guard down and ceased attempts to gain further support against the Rebellion. The Council declared that the Faith should continue the conflict and should focus on inflicting as much damage to its enemies as possible, the result of the Second Council of Meteora is remembered as the event which would lead to the fall of the Helmian Federation and the event which would lead to the extinction of Noxism in Helmia as a whole.

The Domus
The Domus, is the immortal entity now residing within the Essenflames scattered across the world, and is described by the Symbollikon and the Symbollum Mithris as the Father, Guardian and God of the Domians. The Abyssal Gods and the Voidborn refer to Him as "  a Pariah  or an Outcast for He is the greatest embodiment of order in the Symbollum Mithris and Helmia today and the most potent foe of the Abyss in existence. He was, and remains, the most powerful Leader to have ever been born. He has sat immobile, His body forever gone, but his soul remaining, in the form of shards within the bonfires scattered across the world also known as Essenflames, having slowly crumbled for millenia standard years. Although once a living man, His shattered, decaying soul can no longer support physical, and it is kept intact only by the now forgotten mechanisms of the Essenflames and a potent mind itself sustained by the sacrifice of lives. The Domus chose to sacrifice His immortal body at the end of the Radiant Epoch as a way to banish Entropy and restore light to the world, shattering his soul and sealing it within the blue fires of the Essenflames, all in the service and protection of the Domians and the World itself. Nowadays to all Domians scattered across the world, He is nothing less than God. Through preserving His Legacy and belief in His divinity, Domians remain united, no matter the distance. United under one Faith, the Domians are able to survive the deadly of threats it faces from all enemies, be it the forces of the Abyss, the Traitors, Heretics and mutants that lie within the world's boundaries. The Domians' rule, carried on in the Domus' name since the end of the Radiant Epoch and the First Council of Meteora by the Mithranite governors and a multitude of religious organisations, has been long, oppressive, iron-fisted and necessarily harsh. Though He is no longer responsive to physical contact, the Domus still lies at the very heart of the Domians' continued existence. Although He cannot be directly involved in the day-to-day running of every Domian's rule, His existence within the Essenflame is vital to sustaining Helmia, since His powerful mind's presence in the blue fires maintains and directs the faithful who bolden to manipulate the Essenflames, the psychic beacon that makes guidance and spiritual contact possible is vital to the Helmian anthropology, psychic defence, transportation, and communication. The Essenflames are maintained by the maidens of the Abyssal Covenant, however, the maintenance of this beacon requires the aid of the Indebted whose lifeforces are slowly drained away by the Domus to power the beacon. He is said to still guide His descendants through the smokes of the Essenflame and sometimes the reflection of the End portals, which select clergymen can observe at their own risk to gain a glimpse of the future and the Domus' will. He is also said to constantly battle the Abyssal Gods through the Essenflame's connection to the End portals and prevent their further intrusion upon the material world. His mind must remain vigilant at all times throughout every bonfire to safeguard His descendants and to offer His protection to the faithful. Above all else, it is the Mithranites' collective belief in the Domus' divinity that serves as its greatest protection from collapse and the other hideous dangers that plague their wellbeing. As the Symbollikon has taught, the Domus always guides...

The Essenflame
The Essenflames are series of bonfires each containing a shard of the Domus' broken soul. Mostly scattered through the sub-continent of Helmia with only a few reports of Essenflames being adjacent outside the sub-continent, the Essenflames possess unnatural effects on the mortal body and mind as they are directly linked to the Domus' soul. An Essenflame is usually used as a way to increase one's lifespan, after consuming a segment from the Essenflame, the user would be labeled as an Indebted - a person who would be obliged to return a part of themselves or themselves to beconsumed by the Essenflame should it come under the threat of extinction or be extinguished. Should an Essenflame fade, the souls of an Indebted that has used its flame would suddenly be drawn out and consumed by the Essenflame as a way to fuel and rekindle itself, what remains of the user's physical body is only a hollow shell devoid of any senses and emotions. Without their humanity or souls, the Indebted turn into a Hollow husk speculated by some historians to be one's true form before the creation of the Essenflame. This entire system was setup by the Domus himself in order to keep His faithful subjects' dark sides and beliefs in check as well as restore light to the world. This was also done in an attempt to eternally preserve the Radiant Epoch and His legacy.

Weeping Shattering
The Domus' Sword is a giant silver blade that the Domus created by using both his mastery of blacksmithing and enchanting. Due to the nature of its creation, the Sword is anathema to the creatures of the Abyss and only the most powerful of threats can resist being destroyed by its mere touch. The sword is capable of giving a Demon a True Death rather than simply banishing them back to the Abyss beyond the End portal. Indeed, in the Domus' skilled hands, the Sword destroyed thousands of Demonic and Abyssal creatures during the Radiant Epoch and almost ended the life of the treacherous Entropy herself. However, the Domus was nearly killed in that final battle with his suboordinate and afterwards had to transfer his soul into the many Essenflames that have come to be to survive his mortal wounds as well as take away Entropy's darkness. As for the the Sword itself, it was shattered into many pieces of varying sizes, with each piece being placed into the heart of an Essenflame to serve as the Domus' shard-vessel.

Crown of Suffering
The Crown of Suffering is said to have been the Domus' Imperial Regalia, records say that when He was crowned the Priest who had carried out the coronation whispered into His ear: '' From now on, you shall suffer the burden of protecting what's yours. '' The Crown itself is a laurel of interlocking golden thorns. The Crown of Suffering is a mark of strength, competence, and heroism and may only be awarded to a king who has completed a great act of valour and performed some great deed that leads to a victory for the Faith. The awarding of such Crown is a ceremony rich with tradition and honour, although it varies from generation to generation. A part of the Collegiax and members of the Sons of Domus demand that the Crown must be borne into battle by warriors who have proven their worth and devotion, and there are few surer marks of such distinction than the Crown. A Leader who wears the Crown is, to his fellow Mithranites and countrymen a proven warrior and for his country. The word of a Leader who wears the Crown of Suffering will carry more weight that it would otherwise, sometimes influencing the nature of his missions or gaining the use of rare assets, weapons or allies and the right to carry the Faith's Standard into battle or negotiation.

The Domusist Inquisition [Currently defunct]
The Domusist Inquisition, was a secret organisation that existsled outside of the standard administrative hierarchy of the Helmian nation.The Inquisition acted as the secret force of the Kingdom of Varandoy, the Mithran Kingdom and the Varandoy-Aestyrian Kingdom, hunting down any and all of the myriad dangers within Helmia who threatened to the stability of the Domians' realm, from the darkness caused by the forces of Abyss, Noxists, Heretics and rebels.The Symbollum Mithris and Inquisition's infamous sigil was derived from the personal heraldry of ntbbb, the leader of the Domusist Inquisition during Varandoyan and Mithran kingdoms.It was Lightfish who first created this secret organisation that would later become the main weapon at the start of the Noxist Crusades on the orders of the Domus through the Halondian Essenflame.The Master of the Mithranites had ordered the most devoted followers to find a group of men and women of an "inquisitive nature" to search out the enemies of the Faith, whether they lay within or without. The Inquisition would be disbanded during the final days of the Mithran Kingdom, being succeeded by the current military order known as the Sons of Domus.

The Sons of Domus
The Sons of Domus are a subdivision of the Symbollum Mithris. The Sons of Domus serve as the Symbollum Mithris ' current fighting arm, mercilessly rooting out darkness and heresy within Helmia and every region under Mithranite rule. So far the Sons of Domus serve as the Symbollum Mithris' only official military forces because the reduced size of the Faith's followers after due to the Helmian Federation's attempts at extinguishing the Faith itself. This was supposed to end the power of the Faith. However the Collegiax were able to circumvent these actions by converting some of their allies during the Domusist Rebellion. Commanders of this military wing are elected through a trial known as Flaming ambition which is a duel between candidates for the Leadership over the Sons of Domus. Before the duel, every candidate must offer themselves to the Essenflame as guarantee that their loss will not be in vain should they be slain by another candidate.

The Abyssal Covenant
The Abyssal Covenant are an all-female covenant that tends to Noxist End portals across Helmia and serves the Domus by destroying heretical and non-believer artifacts and legacies. The Covenant is made up of blind maiden-exorcists that have sworn to forever take care of the End portals discovered throughout Helmia, it is a cruel, but necessary measure for all maidens to be blinded before entering the Domus' service, this measure was implemented as a way to prevent priestesses from witnessing the horrible sights of Helmia's dark history and future shown inside the End portals, preventing them from losing their sanity or souls. Maidens from the Abyssal Covenant always wear a blindfold containing the Symbollum Mithris' symbol as a way to prove their affiliation with the Faith and the Essenflame.