An informational pamphlet on the esteemed Order of the Light, a quasi-military religious organisation that commonly acts as peacekeepers and healers. Their elite soldiers, known as Lightbringers, are a rare sight, but one that draws more than a little attention - wherever a Lightbringer goes, they bring peace with them, at the end of a blade. In contrast, their clergy are much more common, and physicians and menders of the Light can be found in many a temple. Without fail, every member of the Order is fanatical and devout to the extreme, leading the unwise to label them as a cult. (Few who make such an accusation are seen again.)
On the Light
"The Light guides us all. It brings us salvation in our darkest moments, illuminates the path upon which we walk, and provides life, warmth, and comfort for all those who draw breath. To reject the Light is to reject the gifts it gives you, but to embrace it is to accept the true order of the universe: the Light is all, and we are simply the tenders of the flame." - A speech made by Pontiff Suginae XI, 1494.
The Light, put simply, is the driving force behind the existence of the universe - it is force, it is fire, and it is presence. If darkness is the absence of Light, then Light - rather than being the absence of darkness - can be defined as that which creates. It is not a singular deity, nor a pantheon, but a primal force above the powers of any one individual; a deity is fallible, a deity is flawed, and a deity draws strength from belief. The Light is infallible, is flawless, and is strong, regardless of belief. It is through the Light that we live, and through its continued worship that our existence remains strong.
We are not guiltless, and we are not innocent. Look at the world: banditry, idolatry, adultery, and many more. Even those who claim to be civilised, who stand tall while turning a blind eye to the misdeeds of their kin, are complicit in the darkness of the land. Only those who accept the Light, who gaze into its radiance and are bathed in its holy illumination, are without fault; only those who accept the Light can then spread it. Will you act as a beacon through which the Light may shine? Will you be the conduit through which the Light can dispel the darkness that plagues our land? Will you, faithful one, stand in defense of the realm against that which pushes against it?
If you answered 'yes' to any of those questions, then look no further; the Light's embrace welcomes you, and may you bask in its unceasing glow.
{They're not /wrong/ about a lot of of this, mind, but the way they phrase it is so pretentious. The Light does exist, and it is worthy of admiration, but are there not better ways to admire something than through propaganda pamphlets? Besides, the Canticles teach that the Light smiles upon us all, even those who choose not to preach to everyone they meet. Someone should really give the Order that memo. -Lys}
Tenets of the Light
"And the Light said unto the world, through its divine messengers: the creatures of life draw breath under an order of nature, a sacred covenant that binds all who are shone upon. And the Light delivered a vision unto the faithful, a binding pact through which all must obey and enforce, and through the fulfilment of this pact, the Light banished away the Dark, and there was peace." - the Canticles of Light, vol. I ch.6 p.8 (Canticles 1-6:8)
The Light demands little of us; it is not a master, nor an overseer, but a kind, guiding hand through whom we are enriched, blessed, fortified. The Light only requires that we uphold the covenant for which we were granted life; we live in eternal thanks to the Light, and our life is both a gift and a trade: a gift, in that we are blessed to receive it, and a trade, in that should we willingly turn away from the Light and embrace the darkness, we will forfeit our right to life. Interpretations of the Canticles, performed by esteemed members of the Order, have concluded the Light's Tenets are as follows:
* Firstly, to obey thy superior without question or hesitation. There is a natural order to nature, and the Light is above us all; below, its Angels (and other deities, such as the gods and goddesses worshipped by the unenlightened); below them, the Pontiff; below them, the members of the Order by rank and status; below them, the unenlightened. There is a place for the unenlightened (for the Light cares not if its path travels through transparency); however, there is no place for those who take up arms against the Light, who reject its teachings completely.
* Secondly, to destroy utterly the agents of the darkness. The Light shines upon us because we are chosen, and because we are faithful; if, at any point, the world were to fall into imbalance such as that the Light perceived us as unfaithful, what was given may freely be taken. Should the land fall under the control of creatures of darkness (including werewolves, goblinoids, vampires, and more: see Appendix C, 'Beasts and their Walking Kin'(*)), our existence may end as soon as a candle doused in the rain.
* Thirdly, to illuminate the shadows and reflect the Light. Those who are unenlightened are as a flock of sheep, and the Order is their shepherd; it is our moral and absolute duty to protect the unenlightened from falling to the temptation of the darkness, for that way lies the ruin of the soul; even physical death is preferable to the shattering of the soul through acceptance of the dark. The Light is absolute, the Light is radiant, and the Light is that which summons us all - it is not in our duty to encourage the unenlightened to question, but simply to induct them into the Order, and to share with them the lustre of the Light so that they too may be shielded by its loving gaze.
(*)The Order of the Light firmly denies any allegations of species-based prejudice regarding drow, goblinoids, duergar and beast-races. True Enlightenment is physiologically and psychologically intensive, and only certain creatures are able to withstand its trials: to encourage those who cannot withstand the Light into the next life is only merciful, and is in no way a reflection on the relative moral value of these races. Previous official statements to the contrary are to be discarded.
{Note how the Tenets were written not by the Light, or even by an Angel, but by the first Praetors, as an interpretation of the Light. Belief in the Tenets requires belief in the absolute morality of those who wrote it, and given the level of immorality with which the Order tends to operate, it's reasonable to have doubts. Note how 'obey your superior' is first - and it's not phrased as obeying the Light, but obeying the hierarchy, with the Light at the top and the Pontiff below. The rest... well, if number two sounds like genocide and number three sounds like conversion, you're not far off. The Light doesn't require us to blind people with it, only keep the beacon lit. -Lys}
__The Order of the Light__
"And the Light required that its dazzling luminance be shared with all, and to achieve this, the devout formed among themselves a holy Order, that they might band together and through their combined strength, bring the Light to the darkest corners. And thus was the Order of the Light formed, and thus was the world granted Salvation, and that Salvation did shine as brilliantly as the Light itself." - the Canticles of Light, vol. XVII ch.3 p.11 (Canticles 17-3:11)
The Light, imbued with radiance though it may be, requires that its holiness be shared; and as we are its chosen, it is our sacred duty to achieve this. Because of this, in Light-Year 0 (in the common calendar, 616 DR), the Order of the Light was formed. It follows a simple pattern of hierarchy, focused entirely upon the tenets of the Light; its members are free to act as they wish as long as they do not contravene the sacred code to which they have agreed.
The Order is, broadly speaking, formed of five factions, operating in great harmony and unison:
* Firstly, the Lightbringers, those who take up sword and spell in defense of the realm and actively push back the forces of darkness. The Lightbringers, in an agreement with many cities of the land, have complete legal jurisdiction, and although they are a rare sight, their brilliance and martial prowess is unrivalled. When a great beast attacks a city, or when a foul mage raises a platoon of undead, a single Lightbringer is often more than sufficient to eliminate the threat and ensure safety and order is maintained. Please note that, as the Lightbringers are under the purview of the Order, their authority extends past city borders: as a word of caution to the unwise, show lawfulness when under their gaze, for they are not obligated to provide mercy. For security reasons, application to the Lightbringers is typically restricted to humans, dwarves, elves and halflings, as well as any registered mix of the above.
* Secondly, the Morningstars, those whose warmth and radiance extends to others through kindness and comfort. The Morningstars act as clergy, able to read and interpret the holy scripture upon which the Order is founded; their duties include bringing health to the sick, joy to the sorrowful, and rest to the weary. The ranks of the Morningstars are vast, and every reputable temple to the Light will have at least one. Note that, although scripture prevents the Morningstars from charging for services, donations are strongly recommended, and a lack of donation may be interpreted as a lack of faithfulness (and reported to the Lightbringers as a result). For security reasons, application to the Morningstars is typically restricted to humans, dwarves, elves, halflings and gnomes, as well as any mix of the above.
* Thirdly, the Praetors, who stand above the others of the Order as leaders and guides; the Light shines upon us all, but those closest to its warmth are more easily able to spread it to others, and the Praetors exemplify this best of all. They are selected from the ranks of the Lightbringers and Morningstars and elevated to higher status after intense training, and often lead military operations or religious sermons when their duties command it. To be elevated to the rank of Praetor is a great privilege, and they act as pillars of the community, those to whom we may look up and attempt to emulate in all aspects of life.
* Fourthly, the laypeople, who hold no special rank within the Order but still believe in and actively practice its teachings; those who attend sermons each tenday, for example, or those who dedicate their nightly rituals to prayer rather than lustful activities. It is only through the support of the laypeople that the Order of the Light can continue to function, and though elevated ranks within the Order may require certain skills or traits, there are no requirements to be considered a layperson of the Order beyond a firm and unwavering belief in the Light.
* Finally, above all in the Order is the Pontiff, highest of the Light; selected from the ranks of the Praetors and given ultimate authority over the worshippers of the Light, the Pontiff (currently Suginae XI) is regarded with the utmost of respect, and is undoubtedly a central figure not just in the land, but in the divine realm as well; the Pontiff's role, as well as being the leader of the Order and political figurehead, is to commune with the Angels, those above who interface directly with the Light and share its teachings with those below. Only the Pontiff is capable of interpreting an Angel's intent correctly, and as such, the Holy Majesty rarely makes a public appearance outside of the yearly Sacred Message, a speech delivered upon the Summer Solstice.
{Short version... total and complete compliance to your superiors. That's how they operate, and deviations will be removed. Truthfully, I myself am lucky to have been granted mercy, but even then, I was discarded when I was no longer useful. The Light itself is fine, but it's their messengers you need to watch out for. If you knew the lengths they go to in order to maintain their iron grasp on the devout. Also, watch out for the Lightbringers - they have both the combat ability and the legal authority to kill you for crossing them. Thankfully, they're rare, and if you see one it's usually because they're on a mission already. -Lys}
