The Brotherhood of Light

The Brotherhood of Light of radical group of priests founded between fourth and fifth age. When the Gods abandoned the priests and left them without power many accused the Darkness for the loss. They came to conclusion that as long as Darkness exists it is threat to the all goodness and thus must be destroyed. Not everyone accepted this point-of-view but several priests formed a group and together made an oath to protect the Light and destroy the Darkness. The brotherhood got respect for their actions and fierce fights against the forces of Darkness.

According to the brotherhood of Light all evil is must be judged, and playing with darkness is unforgivable. Only a slight suspicion of worshipping the evil powers was enough and only punishment was death.

The extreme actions brotherhood performed they succeeded to clean land for the creatures of evil. Unfortunately a lot of good were destroyed at the cleansing. It was necessity because the destruction of evil was more important.

Darkness is like weed that chokes all goodness. That's why it is must be pull up and land must be burned. Only then the land will bring good and clean harvest on next year. - Terester the third acolyte of brotherhood of Light

The brotherhood had lot of influence in Alhraed and Orinoco. In the Orinoco cleansing went so far that all non-humans were classified a creatures of evil. Thus the elves, dwarves, half-elves and, above all, orcs were persecuted. The brotherhood pays money for their heads even nowadays. They saw that the Non-humans were more liable to touch of darkness and temptations of evil. In order to protect the mankind they were destroyed.

If darkness infects your left hand it must be cut or it will spread to your right hand. If both hands are infected the entire body must be cleaned. - Kalamar, the bishop of brotherhood of Light

The non-humans were persecuted also in Alhraed but same fury. Olorien falls into Alhraed and Olorien because of the brotherhood. They got much influence in the south and they wanted to get rid of the 'unclean' elves. The disapproval of the elves and intolerance grew in the south and finally the cousin of king of Olorien declared the south independent kingdom. The Elves and half-elves were expelled to the north.

When the darkness infects the body, it will pollute the soul and it cannot be cleaned - Netsala the White, The archbishop of Olorien

During the time of bishop Raol the Perfect all half-breed (half-elves, half-dwarves, half-orcs, and so on) persecution in Alhraed made everyone suspicious to each other. It was said that he who didn't had pure human blood in his veins was contaminated and dangerous.

When a pure human worships the Light he brings brilliance of Light all around but he who has tainted blood will bring the darkness. - an unknown acolyte of Brotherhood of Light

The Half-elves, who usually looked like human, were the cleverest creatures of darkness. The Families who had an elven blood were persecuted and burnt on the stake. Everyone had to present his family line to be able to get any office and any orphans or those who didn't know their family were killed. These cleansings continued a decade. Now the brotherhood can be sure that the ruling families are clean.

Which enemy is more dangerous; he who comes to you in a form of friend or he who looks like an enemy - bishop Raol the Perfect

Although the Brotherhood of Light has lot of influence in the Orinoco and Alhraed in D'Urd, Olorien and Daelton its influence is trivial. Stoel is one example for the place where the brotherhood has no political influence at all. The king of Stoel considers them to be too radical.

The brotherhood is tightly hierarchical, but scattered system. The archbishops of temples of Light lead them. There are 29 temples of Light at the moment. Archbishops assemble every year together to decide for the new regulations and laws. Because each Archbishop is equivalent and rarely has completely same opinion with the others seldom these meetings create new laws. Thus the perfect obliteration of Darkness is the only formal regulation of the brotherhood but each Archbishop carries out it literally. There is no common holy book or holy scripts but each temple has its own holy book, written by the founder of temple. Each Archbishop completes this book as needed by his administrative period. Many temples have great libraries of holy scripts the brotherhood in that area follows.

Despite the different methods, the Brotherhood of Light is rather consistent. The brotherhood followers accurately the guidance of Gods and even a slight unfavorable sign may cause losing of rank. The brotherhood examines tightly omens and dreams, which expose weak members in the brotherhood. The sign could even be different opinion with the Archbishop. When this happens they seek guidance for the gods.

If the brotherhood member loses gods' favor he loses his rank and his actions shall be observed carefully. If they do not find a sign for returning of gods' favor can the consequence even be death. Previous rank however he won't ever get, unless he demands a special ceremony, the Grace of Light.

In the Grace of Light the priest is bind to complete a mission of god. These missions are always difficult and only a few have succeeded to accomplish the mission. The consequence of failure is death but the success restores priests honor and he can keep his rank or position.

He who does not respect the Light worships the darkness. - Hetteus Lutheran

There are several deadly sins in the teaching of the brotherhood, but they wary in different areas. Worshiping a Darkness in other words cheapening of the Light is however serious act in everywhere in Nagai. No mercy if given for the worshippers of darkness but if they if they regret their sins the brotherhood will give forgiveness. The accused will face the death in the hands of earthly judgment and shall meet the final judgment after his death.

You have been found a denial of Light and thus the paradise if forbidden to you. Will you regret you actions so the Light could show you the Grace when you meet the death? -  The Blind Judge of Alhraed to the judged

In different kingdom however have different opinions that what is the worshipping of the darkness. In the Orinoco the cheapening of the name of the Gods or Goddess of Light is deadly sin. In Alhraed the killing of priest of Light is a cheapening of Light despite the fact that it was made on purpose or by accident. This was also the law in Orinoco long ago, but the law has changed. The strictest law is in small community of Telen in Alhraed where the disobeying of priest is classified for the cheapening of Light and thus punishable action.

Priest is not only the speaker of the gods words but he is also an example to everyone. He cannot diverge the path of Light not even once. - Bishop Ingius

The Brotherhood of Light keeps tight discipline and punishes anyone who is against the Church. Even the highly ranked priests are not safe and more higher his rank is the more carefully his words and actions are observed. Time to time there are members who do not accept the ways of brotherhood. The disagreements have created several orders, monasteries and sects of faith. Some of them are approved some are brand as a heretic.

The Light is temple, the church is its base and the priests are the pillars. - questionable statement for the Agnostus the honest, the bishop of Orinoco

The best-known problematic priest was Theo Asket who didn't accepted the rich and ornamented temples. In his opinion the Light had to be worshipped without luxury and ostentation. Theo announced his opinion publicly which the brotherhood didn't like.

The Brotherhood of Light in Alhraed excommunicated Teo; in the other words he lost his rank and powers of Light. The priest Theo however accepted the punishment and didn't call the Grace of Light but continued his campaign against the rich churches.

He had gathered a group of priests around who shared his opinion before his death. There is still monastery near Alhraed, which share the teaching of modesty, and today it is admitted to the approved church of the Light. The priests who have abandoned their property are called to the beggar monks.

The declarations of Theo however have changed and no longer they campaign against the church riches but announce that the road to heaven is modesty. The excommunication of Theo hade been canceled after his death and the brotherhood will approve the beggar monks.

Because all priests of the Light are children of Light they may not be punished as common people. The priest cannot be sentenced to the death, lifetime imprisonment or to the slavery. The priest can be however excommunicated when the granted powers of Light are denied for him. The priest also loses his rank in the church and he may not bell called as a priest anymore.

If priest wished he may call the Grace of Light but also giving up the misbelieving will usually return in time his priesthood. When the priest is excommunicated he is no longer classified as a priest but to common people. So if priest refuses to accept church's ruling he will be accused then by the government, which may judge the ex-priest even to death.

The excommunication is the hardest of all churches punishments and it requires the acceptance of all high priests of seven Gods.

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