Church of Aaron

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Description

The Church of Aaron is a religion dedicated solely to the deity Aaron the Speaker. The church recognizes four other gods, Solomon Lord of Plenty, Reina the Huntress, Mariana of the Abyss and roT the Slain. Each god is meant to have their own dedicated religion which will form a union known as the penta-pantheon. The head of the faith is the Avatar of Aaron, a chosen prophet who is his living representative on Earth. Each other god is prophesied to have an Avatar of their own.


Religious Writings

Sermon at Domus

The core tenants of the faith were succinctly preached by Avatar Sigurd in his Sermon at Domus. Though he gave similar sermons in the past this was the earliest to be recorded for posterity.

History

The Church of Aaron originated in Atamara. It was there that Avatar Sigurd first received divine revelation and became Aaron's representative on Earth. When the continent sank the surviving members fled to East Continent to rebuild their faith.

Avatar Sigurd Erickson found a new home for the Church of Aaron in the realm of Alara. Though he tried to remain neutral Sigurd became the target of multiple abductions by Greater Xavax during their war with Alara. After refusing to betray his realm to these aggressors Greater Xavax dedicated their efforts to destroying the church of Aaron. This forced Sigurd to rally his disciples against Greater Xavax and declare their preferred cult the Path of the Paragons evil. In the end Greater Xavax was destroyed and the church prevailed.

Later, tensions rose with Trinitism, despite both faiths stemming from allied realms. The first incident was when a temple of aaronism was built in Akesh Temple, by then marshal and highmarchian governor Mathias Chénier. To secure military cooperation in the great war against the North, and to make Trinitism's leader (Archibald) renounce his declaration of aaronism as evil, Mathias agreed to not let aaronist priests preach in Highmarch. This ingerence however led to most of Highmarch abandoning trinitism and adopting aaronism instead, as most were completely outraged at being treated so poorly by their allies. However, this was but the beginning of mounting tensions between trinitist Vix and aaronist realms. Eventually, it led to aaronist Highmarch flipping sides to join the northern coalition against Vix and Perdan.

Soon afterwards, Archibald declared holy war against Aaronism. Aaronists in Highmarch immediately began retaliation measures, closing and burning countless shrines and temples in central East Continent. Except for the temple in Domus, almost no temple nor shrine of trinitism remains in its vicinity.

Gradually, however, Archibald extended his influence in the rising power of Perleone, who was already waging war with the remaining aaronist nations, before eventually joining that realm. A few aaronist temples and shrines were attacked in the deep South. This lead Avatar Sigurd to retaliate against Perleone during the event of the Portal of Blood, but he was captured and executed by Perleone's judge.

Avatar Sigurd's last words

Letter from Sigurd Erickson
Message sent to King Robb Starfall of Alara, with copy to Prime Minister Mary Anne de la Fere Bluelake of Perleone
King Robb,

I have been captured by Perleone while trying to retaliate for the attack in Oc Lu Pesh. I was most reckless, I will admit, it shall be no surprise if Aaron does not save me after such needless haste, but I wished to drive the Trinitist oppressor out immediately and then negotiate from a place of strength that he should never return. Their judge intends to execute me. If that sentence is carried out I have instructions for you all.

First a new rank must be created, "Divine Steward" it will be second to "Avatar" for the new Avatar will not be known for at least 17 years any who claim to be him before then are false prophets. The steward can only maintain the church, they are not in tune with Aaron and cannot deliver his judgments as I can.

As I have taught somewhere in the world there are four other Avatars, each destined to build their own church, which will be as variants to us and follow the rules of the divine charter. Seek them out, find them, help them, but remember they speak only for their own god, not for Aaron.

Finally these are the last words I have prepared. I wanted to share them in case reports do not reach you.

"Faithful, I do not fear this moment and you need not weep for it. Aaron calls his Avatar home. The moment I die a new one shall be born, and when they are of age my soul shall enter into them and I will live again. Such is the way of the five gods. Look for the others who live among us today, and look for my return when the time is right.

To all nobles of the continent, know this, the actions for which I am condemned were not idle malice but defense of my faith. The Trinitist lord of Oc Lu Pesh attempted to destroy one of our temples. Though his crime was foiled by the intervention of the faithful no doubt many innocents died in the struggle. How long will the oppression and cruelty of the Trinitists be tolerated? How many temples will they be allowed to destroy? How many innocents will they kill for no other crime than believing differently from how they do.

I have tried to negotiate with Archibald, tried to strike a peace. My offer was simple and fair, to cease this bloodshed, to respect the divine rights of lords to permit or forbid preaching and shrines, and to handle disputes of faith through the pulpit, not by the sword. He refused. He understands only power and his desire to gather it for himself. To the Trinitists, is this the man you accept to lead your church? To the rulers of all the realms of man, Archibald does not recognize your sovereignty, he believes any region with a majority Trinitist population is De Jure his. Why should you tolerate this? If Trinitism does not reform than it must go the way of the Path of the Paragons. Civilized nobles should not tolerate such zealotry and violence.

May Aaron grant you all his wisdom. Farewell until we meet again".
Sigurd Erickson