Pentitine Temple 

Father

Mother

Teacher

Craftsman

Warrior

Destroyer (not worshiped by the mainline church)

Theology and Practice

The Pentitine Temple believes in five gods. Adherents can worship all or one  of the gods at temples and shrines dedicated to that one deity. The Church does not recognize any other religion and in some lands it is punishable by imprisonment and death. Most lands the Temple is very tolarant of other faiths.

The afterlife consists of the Celestial Realm where devout adherents go after they die. It's a place or rest and rejuvenation from a life dedicated to the temple.

The Pentitine Temple maintains a network of shrines and Temples for adherents. The Grand Temple is in Cartha witch is the headquarters for the temple and the Supreme Cleric. To distinguish the different roles of the clergy a colored robe system was developed. This also allowed the uneducated the ability to address a clergyman the correct way.

Supreme Cleric - Gold

Arch Cleric - Purple

Cleric- Red

First Deacon - Dark Blue

Deacon - Light Blue

Initiate - Brown

The largest part of the Pentitine Temple  is dedicated to the promotion and preservation of the faith.  It's teachers and missionaries are everywhere.  Several smaller orders within the church are contemplative, striving through the rigors of monastic life to more clearly understand the will of the faces of god.

Finally, there are the "military orders."  These are clergy with an adventurous cast of mind who actively oppose evil rather than concentrate on spreading the faith.  Closely allied with these priests is the Holy Order of Paladins.  Few adventuring clerics ever rise in the temple hierarchy

Religious Ceremonies

There are various religious ceremonies that may be performed by any priest and these are listed below along with explanations:

Wedding – A simple ceremony performed by a deacon on the closest thing to holy ground available in which the bride and groom exchange oaths of loyalty in front of witnesses and exchange symbolic rings before receiving a blessing from the priest. As the newly-weds leave it is normal for a hymn to be sung.

Consecration – A deacon blesses an area of land, clearing it of malign influences to make a fitting site for a shrine, burial ground or any type of holy building. The deacon walks around the ground whilst making the sign of the star and praying for the their particular god to cleanse the land of evil.

Burial Service – The deacon performs a service to mark a death along with the actual burial. Normally friends and relatives of the deceased will say a few choice words before the deacon leads those present in prayer for the soul of the deceased. This is sometimes followed by the singing of hymns.

Note: Divorce is allowed in the temple since, although breaking of oaths are forbidden by the Eighth Teaching, if one of the couple rescinds the other's obligation to them then the marriage may be considered null and void.

A CLERIC'S ROLE

Clerics of the Church support and worship a a god, which is their principal occupation. Most clerics live in the temple or in properties owned by the faith. When on temple duty, they are expected to wear clerical vestments and display church regalia prominently.

Clerics belong to a sovereign order, which means they have the right to a temple trial and cannot be tried by secular authorities for any crime or trespass.

Clerics are usually quiet and kindly, with the courage and resolve of a dragon. They are primarily nurturers and protectors but when time comes to bear arms they do not hesitate to do so. They use their powers to heal, nourish and otherwise aid the needy, while practicing the skills necessary to protect their charges should the need arise.

Clerics pray at dawn, typically while standing and with their eyes open, heads raised upwards. This posture symbolizes the cleric's acknowledgement of light and defiance of and vigilance against darkness.

Clerics take vows of celibacy and chastity. They must remain unmarried and not engage in sexual relations. Symbolically, clerics are the ‘spouses’ of god, the deity of the church.

Holy books: Liber Exaltus - the exalted book

Worship of the face of the Warrior

He is a powerful fighter in many aspects, but is also a wise, honorable force that promotes combat only upon necessity. Destroying the taint of evil is one of these necessities. When standing at the threshold of time and space. Despite the efforts of himself and his comrades, the forces of evil and villainy still exist and still must be purged.

His titles include the Warrior Lord and the Swordbringer. The Warrior directly influences the concepts of justice, truth, and honor. His stellar arrangement (constellation) is Malgradius, the Sword of Power, and is visible all throughout the year.

The Warrior rarely makes appearances to mortals, however - his messages usually delivered his Warriors of the Sword, or "angels." If he does choose to appear, his manifestation is that of a heavily armored knight, encased in gleaming platemail and standing no less than seven feet tall, wielding Malgradius. His two loyal friends and comrades, the Teacher and  the Craftsman, aid the Warrior.

"I saw a battleground, a field of soldiers and demons, every one locked in an unending battle. The sky above thundered and sparked with light, and before it stood three figures: a woman clad in white, her hand healing the wounded below, a man soiled from the soot and smoke of a forge, bestowing weapons to the warriors, and finally an armored knight with his sword held high, spirits coiled and dancing about its lade…"

- Etriphocles, from the Holy Central Testament

The Warriors followers are commonly human men and women who are well-trained fighters, as they believe sheer might and strength will win their battles against evil. Others follow him as a purveyor of good and fairness in the lands, and some even follow him in fear of his wrath or the blades of his faithful. Other races may see the Warrior in their own ways, with their deities often baring some resemblance to the Warrior King.

Seven Laws of Man

1. One shall honor the innocent and true.

2. One shall preserve others trust in yourself.

3. One shall abolish the evil and the wicked.

4. One shall combat only upon necessity.

5. One shall not steal.

6. One shall be proud in yourself, but humble to others.

7. One shall not kill the innocent or the defenseless.

The Warrior's Prayer

O mightiest warrior, with thy sword of power

Who casts down the wicked and gives honor to the true

Bring strength unto me, and unto my comrades

We go proudly into the battle of time

We raise our hands high in moments of victory,

and hang our heads in times of defeat

We give judgment to the wicked, in thy name

We preserve thy seven laws of man

In thy name, our swords strike

Bring strength unto thy warriors this day

Aulman.

Lament for the Fallen

O mightiest warrior, king of kings, god of gods

Give fair judgment to my fallen friend,

My comrade forever and true.

Know the honor code he upheld

Know his deeds, good and bad

Know his faults, know his virtues,

Know this man, my friend, my comrade,

And judge him justly.  Judge him fair.

Aulman.

Worship of the Face of the Craftsman

The Fist

This clenched fist has come to represent power and might of the Craftsman. Religious scholars conclude that his symbol is meant to be a hand clutching the handle of his Powerhammer.

Since the dawn of existence the Craftsman was there. He was a blacksmith then, god of the forge, the anvil, and the drafting table. Whether it was weapons, wagons, or water aqueducts, The Craftsman was there to guide their creation from the very beginning. His plan for the worlds was to see them filled with towering structures, each building a monument to the power of creation. The Craftsman's idea was realized come the Second Era, at the height of the Alanoran civilization. The Craftsman was also instrumental in the creation of the Shield Guardian, an armored automaton given the task of protecting the very boundaries of this existence from powerful planeswalkers and other deities.

Today, the Craftsman serves as the god of creation, technology, and wisdom. His titles include The Creator and The Smith. He governs the thinkers and the makers - those bold enough to create anything from a poem to a catapult. Many have built great structures of stone and mortar in his honor, perhaps the greatest being the Tributes of the Second Era's Alanora Builders. His stellar arrangement (constellation) is the Powerhammer and anvil.

Should he make an appearance to Ebonyr's races, his representation is a burly, dark-skinned human man with a thick beard and overall stout appearance, all clad in simple blacksmith's clothes and an apron. He wields his mighty hammer at all times, whether in combat or in the forge. The Craftsman does not often give magical artifacts to the people of Ebonyr, though he does tend to disperse the Scrolls of Knowledge to those destined to become great architects, designers, and so on.

Blacksmiths, inventors, shipbuilders, carpenters, and scholars from many of Ebonyr's races worship the Craftsman. He governs all these things; it would only be natural for such people to look to him for guidance. Certain followers of the Warrior may also look to the Craftsman to bless their weaponry and armor. His holy symbol is a clenched fist (which the phrase "By the Hands" refers to). The Powerhammer may also be used as his holy symbol, though the Church does not normally endorse this. Other sects of worshipers focus on the Craftsman combative side, where he wields the Powerhammer as a weapon, while others still see him as an intelligent scholar and far above the smoke and grime of a forge. These guilds, the Might and the Mind respectively, generally worship in secret due to their unpopular ideals.

"I think his name was Ulron, or something like that. I was just a child then, when he came to our town and fixed our walls, built towers near the river shallows, and trained my father in how to make weapons. They say the knowledge he passed down is what saved our city, but I say it was him alone."

- Akeran Derile,  weaponsmith

The Craftsman encourages all of his followers to aid their fellow man and spread knowledge, though he only requires it of his devoted priests. It is surmized that Ebonyr's Lorekeepers truly serve the Craftsman, though they seem more like reclusive scholars rather than those willing to share their gathered knowledge.

Worship of the Face of the Mother

The Three Roses

During the Mothers numerous sightings, many have reported that she carried three red roses somewhere on her body, either in hand, tied in her hair, or positioned somewhere on her garb. Over the years, they have been adopted as her holy symbol. The flower itself has come to represent peace, happiness, and well-being.       

According to the stories of creation, the Motherh brought life to the planet. All of nature - the grasses, the trees, the rivers, and the animals - exists thanks to the Mother.

Today, the Mother acts as an assistant to Father and the Warrior. Her other titles include the Healer, the Giver, and the White Lady. She is life, beauty, and good fortune. Although peaceful by nature, the Mother is a champion for the cause of good. She will fight for it if she has to, but is more often called upon to bless the true warriors with good fortune and heal the wounded from the battlefields. Perhaps her greatest battle was against the Destroyer, though her role was in healing the wounds that the Warrior received from the Destroyer rather than directly engaging in combat. Organizations of human and demihuman knights carry out her earthly duties when she herself cannot appear, instead battling evil in her name. The most famous of these orders include the Knights of the Rose, or Champions of the Lady.

Out of all the faces or aspects of God, she is perhaps the one who makes the most appearances to Ebonyr's population, often manifesting in the form of a beautiful woman clad in a gown of pure white silk. With her at all times is her harp, a musical instrument on which she plays songs so beautiful that only as herself could craft them. She can also be seen carrying three roses, or wearing three artifacts: her Crown, her Scepter, and her Ring - the very same artifacts she has given to the many races of Ebony'r to aid in times of great evil. Her harp is not an artifact available to mortals. More information about these artifacts can be found on the Magical Items page.

"You can say a lot of things about Mother, but one thing is for sure: her priestesses are some of the finest ladies in the land. Swear on the sword to that."

- Maximillion

Mother is worshiped by many humans and demihumans, but perhaps her best-known following is the Phoenens. Unfortunately, their reputation for being fanatical and self-important does not reflect well upon Mother. The Phoenen Elves believe strongly in Mothers's manifestation as a Phoenix, or a bird of fire. They also see Gryphons as immortal, higher beings. The Phoenens are generally reclusive, enjoying only their own company, though they can prove to be fiercely territorial even amongst themselves. The Phoenen Elves are possibly descendents of Alanoran Priests of Mother, who also thought Mother's essence was more present in Ebonyr's avians. Mother has other agents aside from healers, knights, and the Phoenens, however. Some druids preserve nature in her name, many physicians cure illnesses with her blessings, and the "Tree Men" - mortal men and women who dress like the forest and wield powerful magical artifacts - serve as a direct extension of her will on Ebonyr, though this is discourged by the Church.

Matrian Oath

I pledge to uphold the Laws of Man,

To heal the injured, no matter their color, country, or creed,

To attempt a peaceful resolve when others have all but surrendered,

To use whatever means, magical or material, to save the life of an innocent,

To extinguish evil by way of healing and peace,

To combat only upon absolute necessity,

And to encourage love, not hate, wherever I may go

Worship of the Face of the Father

The Fathers is the everlasting light of the sun. He is the one heavenly body whom glows with a golden aura, giving daylight to the entire world of Ebonyr. At dawning, Father rises to sweep the darkness of nightfall away. At mid-day, he is highest in her place above Ebonyr, and there he is most powerful. At dusk, Father paints a beautiful sunset with her many colors before giving way to Lunaris, and the nighttime.

Father is in constant battle with the Destroyer, whom controls the darkness. In the summer months, Father is is her strongest; during these months, called Firewind, Father gives light to the realm longer than any other season of the year. The Day of Lasting Light is the one summer day which lasts the longest.

"We had no one to turn to, save for the shining Father of the Skies. We had hope, for the sun will always rise."

- Captain Norson, Maritime Vessel Seaspray

The Father has no representation other than the sun. He has no avatar, and no true following. Father is worshiped in conjunction with the Warrior and the Craftsman as their priests are are only concerned with stamping out the evil that is the Destroyer. His holy symbol is a sun with eight rays branching out in the standard compass points, called the Sunsign.

Worship of the Face of the Teacher

Teacher is the aspect of wisdom, knowledge, skills and wealth

Although public Teacher temples and shrines are rare, major temples do exsist in Heirandos, Sherran and Lyncanth. Most shrines are located in schools and colleges. Teacher believes in that all sentient creatures of Ebonyr should be educated to unlock their potential of great and benevolent thinkers.

patron of all who seek or keep or create knowledge.  He is worshipped throughout mortal lands, but is most revered by gnomes and elves.  His worship is far more common in cities and large towns than in the countryside.

Representations

Borlamnos' symbol is an open scroll, signifying that knowledge is available to all those who would seek it.  Some also represent him with a glowing eye.  Among animals, he is most closely associated with the monkey, wisest of animals.  He is also represented by the raven, a curious and intelligent animal.

Purpose

Borlamnos seeks to understand the workings of the universe, the laws of all that are great and small. He likewise encourages his followers to do the same, seeking the truth, laying bare the truth and preserving knowledge for those who follow.

In better times, the god was known for inspiring those who would create or discover new knowledge.  Now, however, with the civilizations of Vatheria threatened with a rising tide of barbarism, he is better known as the Preserver, seeking to keep safe the knowledge acquired by mortals through the long millennia since the Wrath of the Gods.

His holy symbol is an open book or scroll

Temples of Borlamnos are present in nearly every city and large town in Vatheria, but seldom seen in the villages, byways and countryside.  Most towns have a small temple which also serves as a library and gathering-place for sages and wizards.  These temples also serve a useful purpose to the community at large - they provide the low-cost services of scribes to a generally illiterate public.

Doctrine

Knowledge is Divine - Mortals are born with many innate gifts, but no knowledge.  What lifts them up towards the divine, both as individuals and as a group, is their acquisition and discovery of knowledge.  He who stands before the throne of Agaleus having learned nothing shall not be rewarded.

Magic is the Gift of Borlamnos -  Magic was given by the god to mortals, a great puzzle to work out, a bountiful gift to use.  Praise his name in its use.

The followers of Borlamnos are great lovers of history, and so celebrate many day each year as minor festivals commemorating great events of the past.  Most of these are local affairs, celebrating such things as the discovery of a new river valley, or the establishment of a great library.

The Proclamation - Every four years, the great Oracle at Avydos enters into a holy trance and speaks words of prophecy and enlightenment.  These pronouncements are pored over by sages and wise men for centuries to come, although occasionally the meaning of the proclamation is clear.  On the holy day of the Proclamation, Temples of Borlamnos hold solemn ceremonies throughout Theeurth, often marked by lectures and demonstrations by the greatest minds of the region.

The Convocation - Also held every four years, two years apart from the Proclamation, the Convocation is held somewhere in Vatheria, a different place each time.  It is a great gathering of arcane spellcasters from across the continent, where knowledge, tales, spells and oaths are exchanged.  Tales of these gatherings include stories of terrible mage-duels, grand discoveries, and often, much rowdy behavior.

Preferred Weapon

The preferred weapon of the Borlamnian orders is the quarterstaff.

The Seekers are restless minds.  They wander Theeurth seeking knowledge, seeking answers, seeking lost lore, seeking to understand the world and to help those around them understand.  They are seen as ascetics and gadflies, never able to let the unknown rest, or the known remain unquestioned.

Though the Order is a close-knit  fraternity with clear rankings, the individual Seekers are nonetheless given enormous latitude in pursuing their own callings, for as the Borlamnians say, all paths lead to understanding for those with eyes to see and ears to listen.

Seekers are known by their shaved heads and their shining silver skullcaps.  They are required to keep journals of their travels, and all the unusual things they found, and to leave these at a Temple of Borlamnos at least once a year.  Many settle down in later years, compile their memoirs and research some problem which they pursued in younger days.

The Order of the Sacred Keys was founded so long ago that its origin is lost in myth and legend.  Their own tales tell that the founder was Maravael, a mortal son of Borlamnos who bore a small cache of precious secrets out of the fall of Numanthaur.  This eldritch lore was kept under lock and key, guarded by fierce and holy devotees of the god.  It was knowledge for which man was not yet ready, but which the Lord of Knowledge could not bear to see destroyed.  Thirteen great and powerful keys were made which could unlock the the ancient lore, and one key was given to each of the thirteen original guardians, who became the Knights of the Sacred Keys.

Whatever the truth of this legend, the Knights now exist for two purposes.  They seek out, protect and preserve places of learning and knowledge, and oppose those who would seize control of forbidden knowledge and secrets by force.  They are highly trained in opposing the power of arcane spells, and take their duties as symbolic keepers of the sacred keys very seriously.

Knights of the Sacred Keys take orders directly from the Keepers or Seekers, and have no command structure of their own.  Most large libraries or universities have a small cadre of Knights on hand who serve the senior Master Seeker or Master Preserver.