Order of Mikael

DEVELOPMENT

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DEVELOPMENT

Prior to the founding of the Corani Empire, the worship of Peoni came from the west of the island of Hârn. The priests found few converts among the tribes who already worshipers of totemism and Ilviranism; but the Peonian strong work ethic and willingness to help made them welcome where ever they went. In contrast, the same time Peonians traveled west, so too did the followers of the dark religions (Agrik, Morgath and Naveh). The Laranian faith, mostly carried by those who traveled with Peonian missionaries appealed to many warriors.

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The Corani Empire

The Corani Empire promoted religious tolerance, which had surprising effects on the Peonian religion. Usually the dark religions try to ignore Peonian followers but the religious tolerance forced all religions to take each other into account. Many in the west began worshipping multiple gods. Rather than loose their converts, the Peonian church allowed multiple worship, although it was never officially sanctioned, It begin to change the way in which the Peonian church interacted with the community.

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The Age of Saurach, the Agrikan Emperor

When Saurach gained control of the Corani Empire, he issued the famed Unification Writ, which made Agrikanism the sole legal religion within the Empire. Saurach banned all other religions and confiscated their properties. The largest church in Coranan was an obvious target for the Emperor's forces. The day the Unification Writ was proclaimed, the Emperor's forces burned the Peonian temple to the ground and announced that all found on the property would be arrested and all their goods confiscated. The pacifistic Peonians simply dispersed, dragging the few Laranians who resided on the holy ground with them.

Mikkel, a priest of Peoni, refused to leave his temple in Elgin, just outside Coranan. He heard the writ, but ignored his superiors in the church. Instead he slept the night on the floor of the temple in front of the alter. Mikkel was already a source of controversy in the church. He was a baker of considerable skill, and the small town relied heavily upon his skills. When he became a priest he did not give up his profession. Instead he continued to bake for the town, but he did lower his prices to assure he made no profit from his work.

That night he was dragged half-asleep from the temple out into the rainy street where he was severely beaten for his disobedience of the Unification Writ. His temple was burned and he was thrown in jail. Each day people came to his cell's window to listen to him preach acceptance and pacification. He forgave his jailers and preached peace. Since he refused to give up his religion, he was scheduled for execution. On the last day of his life he reached out of the window and blessed four people, these two men and two women took the worship of Peoni underground - believing that one day in the future it would be permitted to worship openly again.

During that time the Order of Mikkel was founded. To avoid persecution, the name of Mikkel was used instead of Peoni and the idea of worshiping in secret grew across the Empire. Peonians remained peaceful, passive and hard working. The priests worked along side the lay members, earning a living and, in the case of craftsmen, even a profit.

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The Age of Mindrithar, Renewal of Religious Freedom

In 491TR, with the Age of Mindrithar (491-512), the Unification Writ was lifted, but it took nearly a generation for the worship of Peoni to return to full public view. Agrikanism was so prevalent in the Empire that the other religions were still persecuted as minorities by the common folk. The habit of remaining in secret to worship, to no longer talk openly about religion or visibly wear religious symbols remained in the west far longer than the Unification Writ. Over time it simply became impolite to ask one's religious affiliation. Peonians were no exception. They continued to worship in homes and secluded places. The priests continued their craft or farm related professions and acted no different than the commoners that they led in worship.

Over time a few temples were built in the larger cities and settlements. These once again were staffed with priests and priestesses who led the commoners in worship. The temples drew very few worshippers, and most new priests were sent out to wander the land and show that once again Peoni could be worshiped in the open. To attract more people to the temples, each temple built a hospital or series of sick rooms where the priests could administer to any who fell ill - regardless of their religion. With the taboo against asking a patient's religion firmly enforced, the temples slowly began to once more gain converts.

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The Age of Shorka, The Rulership of Workol

The Peonian's caution and secrecy paid off in the Age of Shorka (528-555). Emperor Shorka allowed his advisor - Workol, to administrate the Empire. Workol taxed the non-Agrikan churches heavily. Surprisingly these actions caused the churches to shrink faster than the Unification Writ. Edicts limiting the time spent in non-Agrikan temples, the days they could be open and the sex and age of the priests caused more confusion and led to more priests being publicly punished, imprisoned and killed. As a form of protest, every male Peonian fined, arrested or punished called himself Mikkel, and refused to respond to any other name. Every female Peonian called herself Michelle.

At the end of the Age of Shorka, in 555TR, the Peonian religion had once more gone under ground. Temples were little more than either a priest's residence or a healing house. Prayer and other worship services were held in basements, backyards or anywhere else out of sight of the Imperials.

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The Age of Medak, The Last Emperor

Medak executed Workol and tried to regenerate the otherwise decadent Imperium. The Peonians, free once more to worship as they pleased - pleased to continue in secrecy. Even Medak's attempts at purging the civil service and army of corruption and charlatans did nothing to change the pervasive attitude of religious secrecy. What Mindrithar had begun, Workol engraved into the popular culture - religion was a dangerous subject. Its practice was to be kept secret and it was never again a topic of open discussion.

When an influential Morgathian priest named Balsha was executed for prophesying everything changed for the worse.

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The Balshan Jihad, Morgathianism Triumphant (558-588TR)

Balsha's last prophecy denounced the imperium as decadent and corrupt. The populace saw this as a call for revolution. Disgusted by decades of corruption, excessive taxation, religious persecution, and purges, the populace received this message eagerly. Spontaneous popular revolts broke out all over what is now Rethem.

Within 2 years the Corani Empire was no more. In its place the Morgathian church took control. In 562TR, one man, Horahnam of Clan Tekhos emerged as the supreme leader. The capital became Shiran and a brutal, dictatorial regime was founded. The Theocracy of Tekhos last external enemy, Aleath, was removed in 572TR after a long and bloody siege. Atop its walls three Peonians tried to stop the invaders from putting a hospital to the torch. They died by self-immolation, but the flames stopped the invaders and the hospital was one of the few buildings undefiled.

Horahnam instituted a reign of religious terror. All non-Morgathian churches were banned. Once more the few temples of Peoni were burned, their sick and injured turned out onto the streets. The priests that escaped returned to their crafts and hid once more amongst the commoners. Dozens of priests in Coranan alone were put to the torch for worshipping Peoni in the open. As they died they cried out for their followers to remember the ways of Mikkel.

Hundreds of Peonians, lay and priest alike, simply disappeared. Some were beaten to death and buried in secret while others were publicly carried away by Horahnam's inquisitors to either star in Morgathian entertainments or to be faceless sacrifices in Morgathian temples. The Peonians bent their backs, worked hard and once more practiced their religion in secret. Since every empire needs farmers and laborers, most Peonians practiced the lowest and most common of labors.

In 588, while on a visit to the Coranan temple of Morgath, Horahnam was assassinated. As news of his death spread, popular revolts took place throughout the Theocracy. Within two months, the theocratic government, unable to stay organized without Horahnam's guiding strength, collapsed.

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Post-Theocracy Tharda (588-720TR)

After the fall of the Theocracy, the worship of Peoni did not change much for almost 100 years. By then the church of Mikkel was deeply entrenched. Local priests and priestesses obeyed the will of the Eastern Church of Peoni, but debates became more and more prominent. Despite communication problems, the two sides of the church remain quite different.

In 600TR the Peonian church in western Tharda petitioned for separation from the church of the east. The pope preached patience, and so a period of negotiation and discussion began. Over a period of 120 years the two churches met, discussed and negotiated, but even with a total return to religious toleration, the church of the West remained unique from the East. Visiting priests from the East found many faults with the Western church, but they could never convince the priests to change their methods. The Pope was careful to never fault the Western church in her missives.

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Kanday

Where the Laranians went, the Peonians followed. When Andasin of Clan Kand attacked and conquered various Morgathian held keeps in the west, the Peonian priests followed in his wake - healing those they could and bringing succor to those they could not. Kanday was founded as a Laranian kingdom. As such Peonians also have a special place in the kingdom; as those to be defended and ruled.

The Order of Mikkel has less prominence in this kingdom than in the others primarily because of the special bond shared by Peoni and Larani. Still, because of a shared history, the Peonian Worship abides to the stricture of the Order of Mikkel, although most every town and village has a well-built stone temple to Peoni for the locals.

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Rethem

The Order of Mikkel remains strong in Rethem most of all. Priests from both Kanday and Tharda often journey into Rethem hoping to ease the Order's desperate plight in this Agrikan controlled country. It was only under Arlun's rulership that the Order returned to worshipping within temples in the larger towns and settlements.

Later, under the rulership of Nemiran (672TR-681), the Order was strengthened by the sudden superiority of Agrikan rulers. While the Agrikans try to ignore Peonians, their plight is considered desperate. Peonian priests do their best to hide among the populace so that Agrikan warriors are less likely to randomly pick victims from the populace for "special treatment".

The Worship of Peoni in Rethem is in dire straights, they always need more priests and healers. They fight a constant struggle against tyrannical rulers who consider their subjects chattel. While there are a few good souls in Rethem who treat their serfs and slaves well, the horrific acts of a few have forever-colored opinions of the church against Rethemi Nobles.

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Tharda

When the Theocracy fell, mostly mercantile families ruled the city-state republics. Religious toleration was seen as a positive aspect of stable nations, and so was quickly adopted. Tolerance, it was deemed, worked only if it was equally applied - and so all religions were made legal and all were treated the same.

In Tharda, the taboo of speaking openly of religion is the strongest. The only place religion is discussed is within a temple or before a shrine. Legionnaires and citizens alike wear their holy symbols carefully hidden beneath their clothes. Those that display them openly are seen as foreigners and often not trusted, or bilked out of all they own. While a few Senators and Generals have openly declared their faith, these men and women are less respected because of it.

The Order of Mikkel, sometimes called the Western Peonian Worship, has its capital in the city of Coranan where local members have worked hard over the past 100 years to make the religion a strong political force for social change. Officially the church of Peoni was founded in 620 in the city of Coranan with the consecration of the current site of the Peonian Worship. Its head priest, Mikkel of Coranan, led the first services the city had seen in over 62 years.

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