Religious Beliefs

While the official relgious bleiefs are Empire are controlled by the Holy Church of Valencia, there is a fair amount of variance among the people in their own private beliefs. This includes cults, breakaway sects, and personal beliefs.

The Holy Valencian Church
According to the sacred texts of the Heilige Worte, Valencia was a young human woman who lived 1000 years before the Awakening on an island somewhere in the ocean. She was chosen by the Father (see below) to bear his Son (see below). Since the Son, a divine being, grew within her, she was then given the title of Holy Mother. After birthing the Son (she never married a mortal and betrothed herself to the Father), she was transcended to the Left Hand of God to rule with him and the Son, becoming divine herself. The Church worships all three of the Holy Triad, but there is significantly more time, worship, and thought given to Valencia herself.

The Triad
Although the Church does not teach there are no other gods but the Triad, it does state that there are no other gods greater than the Triad, therefore, "We owe our allegiance, our worship, and our devotion to no other gods but the Triad."


 * 1) The Father represents the order of the universe, it's foundation and enduring power. All things flow from the Father, to the Father, and for the Father. He is recognized as stern, but caring for his creations. He is often symbolized in triangular shapes as seen at the top of the Valencian Sun.
 * 2) The Mother, Valencia, represents the ideal of all human endaevor: to become divine. While the Church does not teach that anyone can become divine, the fact that Valencia was made divine by the Father provides an asperational goal for many in the Church. She represents nuturing, kindness, love, and security. She is greatly loved by the people, and even those who dislike the Church may have a soft spot for the Holy Mother. It is believed that Valencia is the one who enables Priests to use "Holy Power" or "Miraculous Power." When the First Valencians neared the shore of Pamant, an eagle appeared to guide them to land. Many believed it was Valencia herself so Eagles became a great symbol of the Holy Mother.
 * 3) The Son represents enforcement of that order which the Father gives. He is the Divine Enforcer, the Sword of the Father. When the Son was born his mother gave him a name. The Father disapproved, for "The Divine shall neither take names nor shall they give names." The Church teaches that Valencia and the Son both agreed with the Father. The Son now executes his role as Divine Enforcer: bringing judgements upon those who break fellowship with the church. He is often symbolized by swords or hammers.

Religious Practice
The religion of the Valencian Church has 3 main practices.


 * 1) Worship: Valencians are required to attend worship servies thrice a week (Monday mornings., Thursday nights, and Sunday nights). Worship includes: songs, readings, homilies given by the priests, ritual meals, and other rites.
 * 2) Knowledge: Valencians are required to know how to recite prayers and certain scriptures by heart.
 * 3) Piety: Valencians are required to live pious lives that reflect the orderliness of the Father, the justice of the Son, and the love of the Mother.

Feat Days

 * 1) St Freida's Day (February 17): Remembering St. Freida's healing of Kardinal Jung by throwing large neighborhood gathering, greeting each other with the Frieda's words after she healed the Kardinal, "Your story is not over!"
 * 2) Adpulsus (April 2-9): A week long celebration of the first landing of the Valencian ships upon Pamant.

Common Prayers
"Glory to Valencia, Mother of us all, the Father  has glorified thee. Blessed art thou among all women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, the Son. Holy Valencia, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen."

“Exalt, Divine Queen, mother of our faith, our life, our peace and our only hope. To thee do we cry out, poor banished children of the earth. To thee do we send up our breath, mourning and weeping in this valley of death. Turn then, most magnificent Mother, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our life, bring us into the divine life for eternal days. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be transformed into divine vessels for your glory! Amen”

The Redeemd Church of the Father (The Redeemed or Protestants)
Father Luden, a lowly priest in the Valencian Church, began to disagree with the use of what the Church called "Holy Power," claiming it was merely the same kind of magic described as "demonic horror" by the Church. Luden and his follwers began calling themselves the Redeemed and began their own churches in protest to the Empire. The Empire saw them not as "redeemed," but as simple "preotesters," thereby giving them the name "Protestants." These events sparked the Wars of Protest.

Although there is much agreement between the Redeemed and the Holy Valencian Church, there are significang differences.

The Triad
Father Luden believed that the over-emphasis on Valencia within the Church has led it to go astray into dangerous endeavours, like "holy magics." He bagan his Protest by drawing his congregation back to a greater emphasis on and worship of the Father. The Redeemed do not abandon adoration of the Mother and Son, but most Redeemed theology is invested in the Father.

Their Own Province
To end the Wars of Protest, the Redeemed were given their own province in the Noth Eastern portion of Nethari called the Thardhir Territory.

Simple Lives
The Redeemed keep their lives simple and don not rely on modern technology, which they believe has been tainted by magical influence. You will not see a Redeemed living in a house with electricity.

Keeping up with Military
The only technological advances they do keep up with is weaponry.

Prayers
"Father, Holy and Mighty, keep us from all things that cause us to stray. Guide us through the Mother's care and protect us with the Son's ferocity. Lead us towards your holy vision and keep us from the heathens. Forgive the misguided and destroy those who misguide."

The Keepers of the Forgotten Name
The Church teaches that when the Son was given a name by Valencia, they both eventually sided with the Father, but The Keepers say the Son actually kept the name, causing him to be disfavored by the Father and voluntarily remvoing himself from the heavens. The Keepers claim to know the Forgotten Name and thay the Son now is forging his own kingdom with them as his vanguard. For the Keepers, the fact that Valencia changed her mind proved she was not a dvine being, for, "Gods don't change their minds." Therefore, Keepers only regard Valencia as the Mother of the Son and deserved of respect, but not veneration nor worship: She is human and nothing more to them.

Legends at Sea
In the same way that the Son withdrew from Heaven, the Keepers withdrew from the continent and became a seafaring people after the Massacre at Junco in 87 VE. They tried searching for a new Kingdom, like they say the Son did, but soon discovered there was no where they could settle apart from the continent. So now they stay on small islands as they can, raid the mainland when possible, and have essentially become legends to the people of the Empire: rarely seen and greatly feared. Whenever the Keepers raid the continent, no bodies are ever left, leading some to accuse them of canabilism and strange magic that keep your soul from entering the embrace of the Mother in the Heavens. It is a common saying from those trying to scare children, "May the Keepers never catch you!"

Common Prayers
"Mighty Son, disregarded by thine Father and betrayed by thine Mother, give your Keeper strength to futher they Kingdom."

Vardarianna
The Elves worhsip the divine trees known as Deep Wood.

The Occult
All supernatural and magical beliefs that fall outside of the normal religious or scientific beliefs found within the Empire. See The Occult.