# TEHLIN CHURCH: COMPLETE LORE DOCUMENT
## I. INSTITUTIONAL OVERVIEW
Religion: Tehlinism (monotheistic faith)
Territory: Dominant in Atur, Vintas, Commonwealth; present everywhere
Structure: Hierarchical with local autonomy
Membership: Millions; from peasants to kings
Political Power: Rivaling secular rulers in many regions
The Tehlin Church is the dominant religious institution across the Four Corners of Civilization. It preaches one god (the Tehlin), salvation through piety, and moral order against chaos. While providing spiritual comfort to the masses, the Church wields immense political power, controls vast wealth, and enforces orthodoxy through inquisitors and excommunication. Its relationship with magic, scholarship, and ancient lore creates constant tension with the University and hidden factions like the Amyr.
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## II. DOCTRINE & BELIEFS
### A. Core Tenets
One True God (Tehlin):
- Creator of Temerant; source of all moral law
- Invisible, omnipresent; knows all thoughts and deeds
- Demands piety, charity, sexual purity, honest work
Moral Dualism:
- Good (light, order, piety) vs. Evil (darkness, chaos, sin)
- Individual salvation through right living
- Final judgment after death; eternal reward/punishment
Sacraments:
- Baptism (infants/children)
- Confession (private absolution of sins)
- Communion (shared bread/wine representing divine grace)
- Marriage (lifelong, monogamous, heterosexual only)
- Final rites (last confession/blessing before death)
### B. Views on Magic & Scholarship
Ambivalence Toward University:
- Tolerates "scientific" sympathy, alchemy as natural philosophy
- Suspicious of naming, Fae studies, pre-Church history
- Accuses University of pride, heresy, moral corruption
Chandrian as Demons:
- Official doctrine: Chandrian = fallen angels/demons
- Studying their true nature = trafficking with evil
- Amyr declared heretical for "pagan" Chandrian research
Fae as Temptation:
- Fae = illusions testing mortal virtue
- Dealing with Fae = mortal sin, risks damnation
- Half-Fae children considered abomination
## III. ORGANIZATION & HIERARCHY
### A. The Universal Structure
The Pontifex (supreme leader, Atur)
├── High Bishops (major cities/nations)
├── Bishops (regional cathedrals)
├── Priests (local churches)
└── Lay Brothers/Sisters (support roles)
The Pontifex:
- Elected for life by High Bishops; spiritual head of all Tehlin
- Resides in Atur; rarely leaves
- Final authority on doctrine, heresy, excommunication
- Political power diminished but spiritual authority absolute
High Bishops:
- Govern major sees (Severen, Imre, Renere, Tarbean)
- Manage wealth, politics, local inquisitors
- Often rival secular rulers for influence
Local Priests:
- Most visible Church presence; marry, own property
- Preach weekly sermons, hear confessions, perform sacraments
- Dependent on tithes; vulnerable to local politics
### B. Specialized Orders
Iron Druids (Grey Druids):
- Militant order; hunt witches, heretics, Fae-touched
- Chandrian connection suspected (corrupted?)
- Operate semi-independently; feared even by other clergy
Hospitalers:
- Heal the poor; run orphanages, almshouses
- Often genuinely charitable; respected by common folk
- Collect intelligence through charity work
Inquisitors:
- Secret police of the faith; hunt heresy, apostasy
- Small numbers but immense local power
- Answer directly to High Bishops; feared universally
## IV. POLITICAL POWER & WEALTH
### A. Temporal Authority
Land Ownership:
- Vast estates, farms, vineyards across Atur/Vintas
- Tithes (10% of income) from all believers
- Control major pilgrimage sites, shrines, relics
Legal Authority:
- Church courts handle moral/religious crimes
- Excommunication = social death in pious communities
- Asylum granted to fugitives (political weapon)
Military Power:
- No standing army but controls knightly orders
- Can call "crusades" against heretics/pagans
- Local priests organize peasant militias
### B. Economic Control
Church Wealth:
Annual tithe revenue > Maer’s tax revenue
Church owns 15-25% of good farmland
Controls major wine production (Atur/Vintas)
Gold reserves rival Cealdish merchant houses
Charitable Works:
- Funds orphanages, hospitals, poor relief
- Creates genuine goodwill among commoners
- Also serves intelligence-gathering, social control
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## V. RITUALS & CUSTOMS
### A. The Church Calendar
Major Holy Days:
Temsday (weekly worship)
Feast of the Saints (spring)
Midwinter (longest night vigil)
Naming Day (children receive Tehlin names)
Pilgrimages:
- Atur (Pontifex's seat)
- Severen Cathedral (largest in Vintas)
- Trebon (miracle site)
- Local shrines (saints, relics, miracles)
### B. Daily Devotion
The Prayer Chain:
- Continuous prayer in major cathedrals (never silent)
- Lay brothers rotate shifts; symbolizes eternal vigilance
- Pilgrims join chain for special blessings
Symbolism:
Circles = eternity, divine perfection
Flame = divine light vs. mortal darkness
Iron = purity, resistance to corruption
### C. Confession & Penance
Private Absolution:
- Priests hear secret sins; absolute confidentiality
- Penance assigned (prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage)
- Mortal sin requires bishop-level absolution
Public Penance:
- Major scandals require public humiliation
- Creates theater; reinforces communal morality
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## VI. RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER FACTIONS
### A. Primary Conflicts
University/Arcanum:
Church Position: Magic = temptation of pride
University Position: Science serves divine order
Flashpoints: Naming research, Fae studies, Chandrian lore
Amyr (Historical/Current):
- Church destroyed Amyr as heretical
- Secret Amyr cells may infiltrate Church ranks
- Mutual accusations of devil-worship, corruption
Edema Ruh:
- Church preaches against "Ruh immorality"
- Ruh preserve pre-Church stories, Chandrian lore
- Periodic persecutions, forced conversions
### B. Strategic Alliances
Maer's Court:
- Church crowns kings, provides moral legitimacy
- Nobles fund cathedrals for prestige, afterlife insurance
- Tension over Church land rights, tithe collection
Ceald Merchants:
- Church accepts donations from all sources
- Merchants gain social legitimacy through piety
- Pragmatic coexistence despite theological differences
---
## VII. INQUISITORS & PERSECUTION
### A. The Inquisition
Structure:
High Inquisitor (per High Bishop)
├── Traveling Inquisitors (3-5 per region)
├── Local Informants (confessionals, charity workers)
└── Enforcement (Iron Druids, local guards)
Methods:
- Confession under duress (torture rare but threatened)
- Examination of books, songs, magical items
- Witness testimony (often anonymous, incentivized)
- Trial by fire/water (public spectacles)
Targets:
1st Priority: Active Amyr, Chandrian researchers
2nd Priority: Fae-touched, witches, apostates
3rd Priority: Ruh troupes, University radicals
4th Priority: Political enemies of pious bishops
### B. Punishment Scale
Minor Heresy: Public penance, fines, pilgrimage
Moderate: Excommunication, property confiscation
Major: Burning, execution, eternal damnation
## VIII. SECRETS & SCHISMS
### A. Internal Divisions
Traditionalists vs. Reformers:
Traditionalists: Strict doctrine, inquisitions, Amyr hatred
Reformers: University tolerance, social justice, lay preaching
Iron Druid Question:
- Some suspect Iron Druids serve Chandrian interests
- Operate too independently; possible corruption
- Church leadership divided on their control
### B. Chandrian Paradox
Official Doctrine: Chandrian = demons
Privately: Some high clergy know historical truth
Response: Aggressive suppression of all Chandrian research
Irony: Church actions protect Chandrian by silencing investigators
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## IX. PLOT HOOKS FOR GAMEMASTERS
1. The Heretic's Confession
Players witness priest extracting false confession implicating them. Escape, exposure, or counter-inquisition?
2. Relic Theft
Church accuses players of stealing holy relic (they didn't). Prove innocence through dangerous pilgrimage?
3. Inquisitor Blackmail
Corrupt inquisitor demands service to avoid heresy charges. Expose him or become his tool?
4. Amyr Infiltration
Players discover priest is secret Amyr agent. Help him escape Church wrath or turn him in?
5. Miracle or Magic?
Local "miracle" is actually University sympathy. Church demands investigation; University wants cover-up.
6. Ruh Persecution
Church burning Ruh wagons for "blasphemous" songs. Intervene, negotiate, or exploit chaos?
---
## X. NPC GENERATION TEMPLATE
```markdown
[Name], [Role: Village Priest / Inquisitor / Iron Druid / Bishop's Agent]
Village Priest:
- Age: [30-70]
- Fervor: [genuine believer / cynical careerist / terrified true believer]
- Secret: [embezzling tithes / Amyr sympathizer / Fae pact]
- Relationship to Players: [spiritual advisor / moral scold / terrified of their magic]
Inquisitor:
- Specialty: [heresy / witchcraft / University radicals]
- Methods: [subtle interrogation / brutal threats / supernatural means]
- Weakness: [pride / corruption / genuine fanaticism]
Iron Druid:
- Appearance: [wild-eyed zealot / calm fanatic / corrupted nobility]
- True Loyalty: [Church / Chandrian / self]