Allfaith Order

Allfaith Order
Order
Origins	City of Regalia

The Allfaith Order sometimes also called the Sanctus Order is a Guild of loosely allied religious of all the legally allowed Religions in Regalia. The primary purpose of the Guild is to preserve religious freedom and prevent religious conflict in Regalia, though its services have long since expanded to also religious debates and theorems because of the fact that all Religions are somewhat interconnected. The Allfaith Order does not debate the validity of their faiths, but attempts to create a better understanding of the faiths, their shortcomings, their strengths, and how they relate to other faiths, by looking at them through the context of other religions. Allfaith Order members are strictly disallowed from fighting except in a last resort self-defense. The Allfaith Order prides itself in complete religious neutrality, and can never be seen as even implicitly supporting one side over another. The Order considers itself above Regalian Law in terms of its work, though has to obviously abide by it to remain legally allowed. Note, priests don't need to join this Guild to be valid as priests, and not being a member does not bar a priest from doing their work. This is more of an association than a job requirement. Priests who want to engage in violence should definitely not join the Guild, and remain independent.

Design

There are some design limitations on the Allfaith Order's Guild members. Only legal and fully recognized religions are allowed into the Allfaith Order, meaning only Unionism, Estelley, Baskarr, Draconism, Evolism, and Fornoss. Death Cults on account of being hostile Religions are not welcome, and Pagan Faiths are so small that the priesthood is not recognized by the Guild (and often, they even lack a formal priesthood of any kind). Additionally, members of the Guild should always primarily be some type of religious figure and be primarily pacifist. They can only defend their home turf (home, temple, district) from attacks, and not participate in attacks or violence of any kind on outsiders or elsewhere. Outside of the limited Religions permissible however, any religion, any culture, any people, are welcome. Even those with criminal records are permitted. The only way to be expelled from the Allfaith Order, is if a Character engages in unpermitted violence that violates the Order's pacifism, or if they encourage religious violence and conflict to the faithful. The Allfaith Order does not have a Headquarters, but when religious debates occur, they do them in the Allfaith Arena, following the path north out of Crookback or the Aetosian district and passing by the Jousting Grounds and then the Aelrrigan Crypt Hill at the very end of the road.

Recommended Jobs

Recommended Jobs is not strictly a required set of Jobs like it is for the Knight Orders, but just a general recommendation towards the players where best to apply this particular Guild Membership in Roleplay.

• Priest: The most obvious of jobs, something that is also implied in the name, and something that will be roughly consistent across all religions. This section won't cover the actual in-roleplay functions, as these are adequately covered on the Religion Pages, assuming the players have already read them. Priests can function as stand-alone congregation mentors and guides, but can also be attached to Noble Families as Court Chaplains or other organizations as Divine Guides. They must always remain pacifist.

Mechanics

Guild Mechanics facilitate certain interactions that might not normally possible for people outside of Guild membership who do not have the Guild's resources. Guild Mechanics are always Mundane and do not make a Character Occult, and are contingent on being a Guild Member. Some Guilds have special rules which are required for the Mechanic. This means that membership is not contingent on these requirements, but that unlocking the Mechanic is, so that these strict guidelines don't needlessly block membership, but still gate-keep the actual Mechanic behind conforming to a Character design.

Allfaith Order Mechanics

• Allfaith Order Members can invest 14 Proficiency Points into Faith, instead of 7. If an Ability would derive Main Combat or Main Defense Stat from Faith, it still counts as 7, however.
• Allfaith Order Members can seal a divine pact with a willing participant, some kind of mission, quest, or action. If they fail or attack the Allfaith after, they take divine damage (discuss in Dm's what this means).
• Alllfaith Order are immune to becoming Afflicted unless they voluntarily acquire it. If the Character was Afflicted before joining the Order, it does not cure them of this, however.
• Allfaith Order Members are generally more positively received by Gods of their own faith during Divinium Summoning. Additionally they can convert any (not automatic) Artifactspark they own to Divinium.

History

The Allfaiths Order originates from relatively early on in the development of the Regalian Empire. In the wake of Emperor Theomar’s death and the religious schism that followed, many low-level members of the Unionist priesthood in Regalia were left unsettled. The Evintarian Schism had seen thousands exiled from Corontium, and the divisions they created remained after their removal from the young superpower’s borders. As a result, these religious figures sought a venue to better debate theological matters, and to help ease tensions before they could reach a point of division. However, they found little immediate support for their actions, and some of their numbers dropped away, fearing the blusterous statements from faith leaders threatening denunciation for those who would dare to defend what had been branded heresy. However, with time, the Covenant College (the collective of Unionist leadership) changed its tune as the Regalian Empire encountered other faiths far more frequently. Draconism, while largely dormant in Anglia, still had a following, and Estelley was the faith of the Solvaan, a people critical to the Empire’s formation. Fornoss was quickly branded an enemy faith and saw theological debate as Unionists sought to dismantle its ideals in the face of “better faith.” Baskarr and Evolism were carried to the Regalians through trade, and so in a context of seeking religious discourse with new allies and groups of people, the Allfaiths Order’s previous potential founders, now in their old age, gathered again.

But it was not these elders who founded the Allfaiths, but a young male Everian named Olaf. A Wirtem convert to Unionism, Olaf was able to use political connections as well as his heritage to gain an audience with the warrior Emperor Henri I and ask him for a charter. The Emperor withdrew into a discussion with several Arch-Everians and the Supreme Reverend, a man who had himself quietly supported the Allfaiths’ mission in the past, but had been one of those to retreat at the threat to his career, encouraged this request to be granted. Now in his high position, he gave his blessing to the idea of a “court of religious conversation” and the Emperor agreed. In 90 AC, he bestowed the charter, and Olaf set about establishing the Order. Many who once supported the idea joined immediately, followed by colleagues, as well as those they had taught, who were educated in questioning faith, and sought dialogue with non-Unionists, far more than other Everians. A seasoned traveler, Olaf eventually carried out several missions west over the next three decades, inviting religious figures to come and debate in the capital city, or other religious centers of Unionist faith where the new Allfaiths Guild carved out safe spaces, supported by religious Knights from various backgrounds. When Olaf died, he was bestowed the title of “The Orderly” for his work and strong determination to establish the Guild.

Over the coming century and a half, the Regalian Empire gradually featured more external faiths. While the Order did hear from the faithful of many different belief systems, some heretical to Unionism, some heretical in other faiths, and others so disturbing they were borderline mad ramblings, the eventual legalization of the core six faiths–Unionism, Estelley, Fornoss, Baskarr, Evolism, and Draconism–has led to the modern, rich discourse that the Allfaiths Order has curated for decades. The revival of Draconism and Baskarr in recent years in particular has prompted major new considerations and theological debates among those part of the Order, but also in the faiths whose religious class hear the lectures and sermons from those of these two reborn groups. Unionism also has, for all intents and purposes, entirely healed. Decades of strife, uneasy cooperation, and eventual acceptance, led to the former Schism rejoining the Unionist fold in the eyes of many young faithful. However, not all is resolved. The Allfaiths Order is a source of derision among extremists of all faiths, and the recent surge of Purist sympathy in the Regalian Empire has seen theology intensely weaponized against perceived enemies. Those priests who are also members of the Allfaiths often see their opinions entirely discarded by these rapidly growing, formerly fringe elements. The Allfaiths press on, and remain dutiful in their devotion to religious pluralism.