Gatavia III

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**THE CHURCH OF BOR (THE LAWFUL CHURCH)**

In centuries past, there were several different religions that worshipped the transcendent divinity. However, when the Nasenna overthrew the Ardean Empire, and trolls, giants and the walking dead began to stalk the earth, a divine crisis point was reached. High Priests from the Easterling Path of the Chosen of Zumbesh, the Southron Gabalians, the Orthodox Fane of Ardea, and the Agrippan Heretics of the Gauts, all received an angelic vision and were all called to assemble. They met on the island of Junzion in the Middle Sea, where a great archangel revealed to them that they were all to set aside their differences and join in a new, universal church. The angel also revealed the 7 Laws of Bor which would serve as the highest tenets of the faith. The church is centered on the worship of a supreme divinity that exists outside of the physical universe we see. 	

This divinity, driven by compassion, offers salvation from endless reincarnation to his worshipers, and provides aid and comfort to them on earth. He seeks to protect them from the infinite demons of chaos and all their destructive treachery. The divinity has many names: the Southrons call him El Gabal, the Easterlings call him the High Father, the Ardeans call him the Primus Auctor, and the Northrons call him Bor. The name Bor has also become his name in the common speech of the north and west.  Bor is the only god in the religion. According to church doctrine, the so-called pagan gods are considered to be either nothing more than powerful elves, or are just more demons and devils wearing pleasant guises. So, all converse with neutral, pagan religions is to be rejected by the faithful members of the church. The church does honor a large number of angels, archangels, saints and prophets, but care must be taken not to give these figures true divine honors.  
	
Each city has one Bishop in charge of the church within its walls. The senior 
most bishop in a region is the ruling bishop. If a province is well organized and part of a single kingdom or state, it may have an Archbishop to govern the bishops. All of the bishops and archbishops answer to one of three Patriarchs. The Patriarch of Ardea governs the North and West. The Patriarchs of the East and 
South govern those segments of the earth respectively. 

The clergy is divided into the Ordinary Clergy, who run the village churches, basilicas and cathedrals (a mixture of Clerics and Priests); and the Monastic clergy, who spend their time in cloisters engaged in prayer and labor for the greater good (these are a mixture or Mystics and Priests); the Mendicant Friars, who travel around helping the poor and sick, depending on alms for a living (again a mixture of Mystics and  Priests); and there are also the Exorcists (all Clerics) who travel around hunting for demons, undead and warlocks.  New to the North are the Blade-Dancers, an ancient order of female warrior-priests of the Easterlings who have opened small chapters in Portchester and Orchester within the last 5 years.   Among the halfling rural communities there is a separate order of clergy known as the Pumpkin Queens.   They are firmly in camp of Law, but tend to only minister to their fellow halflings.

**The Seven Laws of Bor**
1--Reject all Unclean Spirits
2--Keep all Oaths
3--Do no violence to the innocent
4--Help the Helpless
5--Speak Only the Truth
6--Take not by theft or fraud
7--Be excellent to one another