Church of the Holy Light

 The Church of the Holy Light

The Church of the Holy Light's origins trace back to the Roman Empire; when the Empire fell, the Church evolved into several different schisms. There is a Primate of the Church of the Holy Light in Rome, in Byzatium, in England, and in Avignon. Each prelate considers the others to be illegitimate, and their Churches heretical. Nobody mentions the fact that the priests of each of the sects of the Church of the Holy Light aere still able to work Holy Light-based miracles.

 Grand Empire

The Church of the Holy Light within the Grand Empire  is based in Avignon, and is subservient to the Emperor of the  Grand Empire. They are very concerned with impurity and are eager to declare enemies of the Emperor as heretics, to be rooted out and burned. 

  • The Order of Knights Templar - This is a militant Order of holy Paladins of the Church. They are often tasked with the supression of heresy in conjunction with the Inquisition.
  • The Inquisition - The Holy Inquisitors are tireless in seeking out and destroying heresy within the Empire. Demi-human races are, by Emperial edict, heretics by definition, and considered useful only so long as they serve the  Grand Empire.
  • The Order of the Steel Rose - This organization is tasked with intelligence operations (and occassionally assassination) in foreign lands. Most of it's operatives work in secret.

Andorra

The Church of the Holy Light was well-established in Andorra under the reign of the  Grand Empire, but were allowed to remain when the  Grand Empire was forcibly removed dueing the Nights of Blood. In theory the Abbots of the Church of the Holy Light within Andorra are still part of  the flock of the Primate in Avignon, and subject to his commands. In practice the Abbots walk a fine line between their duty to the Primate and the Duke. The Duke leaves the Church alone, aside from giving finacial support to some of the Churchs' alms and infirmaries (and in the case of Our Lady if Meritxell, supplying the cathedral with Basran oil). As the Duke does not prey on the people of Andorra, the Abbots render unto the Duke everything they owe to a temporal authority, and do not spread sedition. The Primate in Avignon recognizes this and seeks to continue to minister to the people while working for the downfall of the Duke and the restoration of the  Grand Empire to power.

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