Sadly, the Malkioni have not united under one single creed since the Dawn Age. That original Church, founded by St Herigian on the teachings of the great prophets, Hrestol and Malkion has splintered many times and given rise to many rival interpretations of dogma. Even in the late Dawn Age, the northern churches, influenced by St Talor were emphasising different doctrines and practising different liturgies from the southern churches, influenced by St Gerlant. Now, as the Hero Wars approach, some sects are so extreme and mislead that they can scarcely be called Malkioni at all. Some of the many sects are summarised below, but this is not an exhaustive list.
The Hrestoli Idealist Church
Be the Best That You Can Be
Founder: St Siglat (16th century)
Location: The Kingdom of Loskalm, parts of Junora and the Janube River
valley
Core Texts: First Times, Book of Common Prayers,
Siglat's Dream
One of the youngest and yet most vibrant of modern Malkion sects, the Hrestoli Idealist Church arose out of the Hrestoli Reformed Church of Fronela during the Ban. St Siglat experienced a divine vision in which the prophet Hrestol showed him the world being remade, and used the isolation of the Ban to bring the idealism of this vision to reality. Loskalmi believe that all men and women are created equal, as members of the Farmer class, and that they can all advance through the social classes (soldier, knight, wizard and noble) on the basis of their own personal merit. Thus, even the highest nobles in the land have experienced life as a common farmer, and proven their own fitness to rule. The Loskalmi venerate many saints, and most magic is learned through their teachings. Many of their liturgical practices are unusual, such as the strong emphasis on communal hymn singing, and allowing women to sit with the men in church.
The Universal Rokari Church
One God, One Church, One King
Founder: Rokar the Prophet (14th century)
Location: The Kingdom of Seshnela, Nolos, the Quinpolic League, parts
of Safelster
Core Texts: The Abiding Book, the Book of Rokar
The prophet Rokar revitalised the failing and demoralised Malkioni peoples of Seshnela to create one of the strongest and most succesful of the modern churches. His divine vision of Malkion showed him how the original message of the religion had been corrupted, and he set about healing the old rifts and bringing certainty and restored faith the Seshnegi. Balifies the Hammer conquered in his name, and established the modern kingdom of Seshnela as a monument to the prophet's work. The Rokari believe in absolute segregation of the castes, and emphasise the hardships necessary for the redemption of sin. Unity and right living stand at the core of Rokari beliefs. Rokari do not emphasise the veneration of saints, and there is a strong movement within the Church to ban such altogether, in favour of pure veneration of God. Instead, most grimoires are provided by sponsored holy orders without sanctified founders, usually dedicated to a specific function.
The Hrestoli Reformed Church
Founder: General Fronelan Synod (9th century)
Location: Parts of Junora and the Janube River valley
When the Ban fell across Fronela, many Hrestoli were separated from the mainstream of the Church in the kingdom of Loskalm. While the Loskalmi forged their new Idealist sect, those left behind stuck to the old ways and many still remain true to their old faith even today. In many ways similar to the Idealists, the Reformed Church believes in motion between the classes on the basis of merit, but individuals are born into the same class as their parents and such motion is relatively unusual.
The Orthodox Hrestoli Church
Founders: The Four Apostles (12th century)
Location: The Castle Coast
Created in the aftermath of the downfall of the God Learners, this sect once dominated a larger region of Seshnela than it does today, but was pushed back by the advance of Rokarism in the 15th century. Orthodox Hrestoli believe that the Prophet instituted a fifth class, knighthood, which is entered solely on merit and combines the best virtues of the four traditional classes.
The Syanoran Church
Founder: Jonat Bigbear (12th century)
Location: Jonatela, Karstall, Timms, parts of Junora and the Janube
River valley
Founded in the formerly pagan land of Jonatela, the Syanoran Church was partly based on Gerlantite teachings from Seshnela, as well as the Talorite doctrines common elsewhere in Fronela. It has grown to become powerful, and remained more or less united through the Ban, despite the growth of some significant heresies in the valley of the Janube. The Church permits the farmer class to worship angelic beings called 'Elmoi', which resemble the old pagan gods of the region, while the upper three classes, believed to be purer and stronger of will, worship in a more traditional Malkioni manner.
The Church of Galvost
Founder: Galvost
Location: Parts of Safelster
The Galvosti take the unusual view that Tapping of non-Malkioni is acceptable to strengthen the faith. They are a relatively small sect, but may be growing in popularity as the Hero Wars approach.
Pamaltelan Churches
The southern continent is home to a number of rival sects, many of which split away from mainstream Malkionism as far back as the Dawn Age. The best known among them are the Sedalpists, who focus on the destruction of non-humans and regard the warrior caste as ritually impure.
The Henotheist Church of Otkorion
Native to Ralios, this is the largest of the autocephalous henotheist churches in that area. Henotheists worship pagan 'gods' alongside the one true God and retain many pagan elements in their society that have been succesfully stripped away by more rigorous faiths.
The Arkati
Followers of the disgraced 'hero' Arkat, who betrayed his disciples to become an inhuman monster, the Arkati comprise many competing sects with mutually contradictory theologies. Some sects are violent, others value only peace, but all have a strong millenialist tradition and believe that the Hero Wars heralds the return of their mad prophet.
The Aeolian Church of Heortland
An ancient sect native to central Genertela, the Aeolians have developed in isolation from mainstream Malkionism. Like the henotheists of Otkorion, they combine worship of pagan gods with that of the Invisible God, although they keep the two separate more than the Otkorioni do.
The Waertagi
The half-human waertagi are a waning power in the world, although the Hero Wars may herald their restoration. They diverged from the mainstream sects in the Storm Age, and claim to follow an illegitimate son of Malkion who combined early monotheism with the worship of various deep water powers.
The Carmanians
A heretical offshoot of the Hrestoli Reformed Church, the followers of Carmanos the 'Prophet' have rejected most of the tenets of Malkionism, claiming that the material world is a trap of sin created by the devil, which they identify with the object of veneration of the true Malkioni faiths. Idovanus, a being associated with light and supposed 'truth', is the source of their sorcery powers. Carmanians lack a farmer class, using pagans for these purposes.
The Borist Heresy
A foul heresy which believes in the purification of chaos taints through the ritual of 'shriving', which strongly resembles tapping. Borists tend to absorb chaotic energy into themselves through this heretical ritual, and end up creating more monsters than they destroy.
The Church of the Damned
A twisted heretical sect based in the kingdom of Ramalia, which worships demons alongside a perverted mirror-image of Malkion. Like the Carmanians, they lack a farmer class.
The Brithini
The ancient sect that most closely resembles the religion from which the Malkioni originally sprang, the Brithini have not changed in millenia. They are immortal so long as they keep their strict laws, but have no belief in concepts such as morality or an afterlife.
The Independent Zzaburi
Descended from the Brithini, but no longer following their laws, the independent Zzaburi orders practice all manner of magics, without the restrictions that would be imposed by a moral and God-fearing church. Some Zzaburi, such as the fire warlocks of Loskalm, have a mystical and almost religious belief system, but most are rigidly secular in their outlook.
The Vadeli
Devil-worshipping scum.
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This page was last updated 29th September 2002 by Jamie 'Trotsky' Revell