The Church

The Church is the colloquial name of the Old Empire's Imperial Cult. A shadow of its former self, it is the last remnant of the ancient, world-spanning empire.

History
Until around 3,000 years ago it was thought that the Gods lived and breathed through a human vessel, a Primarch, who ruled the theocratic empire for thousands of years. Historically, the official pantheon recognized only lawful and sometimes virtuous deities, and mostly shunned the Gods of chaos and evil.

The power of the Church was always the power of the Old Empire, and when the Empire lost its influence after the partitions, people lost faith in the Imperial Cult. Primarchs have been struggling to keep the religion alive for generations.

Philosophy and Zadar Reforms
Because of the violent planar tides, the Gods have comparatively minor influence over this world, and are treated more like patron saints than all-powerful embodiments of reality. The Chuch of antiquity demanded the worship of specific Gods to benefit the Empire and its rulers.

After the collapse of the Old Empire, the only people who thought the Primarchs were the mouthpieces of the Gods were the Primarchs themselves. They demanded lavish ceremonies and outrageous prostration, driving more people away from the institution. Recently however, Primarch Zadar has begun a program of reform in the Church, simultaneously easing restrictions on belief for Paladins and Clerics, and tightening controls over corruption.

The Church now encourages worship of lawful, trustworthy, and altruistic Gods, and requires charity from its members. The Primarch has also taken an active role in attempting to keep the peace between the Core Empires. While still lacking any real influence, the Church is more popular and highly regarded now than in the last 2,000 years.

Characters
Primarch Zadar

Paladin Dolf

Paladin Bernhard

Paladin Stasia

Rumors and Activities

 * Primarch Zadar's reforms have proven quite popular among the common people, but the nobility dislike the idea of charitible donations with no return on their 'investment'.
 * Traditionally, Paladins were the martial arm of the Church, leading crusading armies to conquer heathen lands and put down revolts against the Empire. Now, they act as elite constables and assist local authorities when requested.
 * The Church is seen as a "neutral party" amongst the Core Empires, and frequently mediates disputes between Kesh and the Kingdom of Dumat.
 * Some say the thuggish reputaion of the Paladins is well-earned, and that they still shake people down to this day.
 * Rumors abound of angry ex-paladins and ex-clerics seeking revenge on the Primarch for their termination.