The Great Church

The Great Church is the primary religious institution of the lands formerly civilized by the Old Kingdoms. It is now a primary political force in the Land.

The Great Church dates back to the times of the Old Kingdoms; it was a religion that came about and gave structure to the peace between the Kingdoms that led to the system of city-states. Scholars say it dates back more than a millennia.

At the time of the Chaos Crusades and the subsequent events of the Sundering, humanity was plunged into darkness as the points of light across the Land found themselves separated by danger-filled expanses. The only organization with a wide enough reach to bring humanity back together was the Church, and it did so, but in doing so some say there is something of a de facto theocracy in place since they command so much political power due to reliance on the Church for so many functions of society.

Also, following the the Sundering an edict by The Ardor of Law at the time that placed the blame for the Sundering squarely on the practice of magic, and as such, its practice without the consent of the papacy was banned under punishment of death. The Church continues the ban to this day, which is enforced by The Inquisitors.

Clergy of the Church are all human, and are either normal men (some of whom can still perform miracles) or members of the Cleric class. However, the ranks of any class can be found among the clergy. Some others are the Inquisitors, the Paladins and the Magisters.

Many of the clergy travel, as the Church also protects travel across the dangerous lands between the city-states and few remaining outposts of the land, spreads information and hunt for lost relics of the Church.

There are many orders, but two famous ones are the Inquisitors and the Paladins.

The Great Church is the setting's shallow analogue of the Roman Catholic Church in fantasy trappings that worships a benevolent-but-stern paternal figure called The Lawgiver. All clerics of the Church are either Lawful or Neutral and oppose the machinations of Chaos.