The Kehler Religious Schism
One feature of Kehler civilization that stands out among the other great cultures of Kethos is its many religious disputes. While such conflict is found within all human societies to some extent, few others can rival the Kehler for their fractious approach to the topic. The Kehler religious schism shows the intertwined nature of faith and politics within the Kehler Lands, dividing the region into three major sects: the Aurinian Church, the Ordainer Church, and the Church of the Ten. These divisions, while rooted in theological disputes, are heavily influenced by national rivalries and the political dynamics of the lands they dominate. The fragmentation of religious authority has created a complex landscape where doctrine and secular power are deeply interwoven, often exacerbating tensions within and between states.
The Aurinian Church is the oldest and most politically entrenched of the three. It serves as the official faith of the Ascendant Kehler Empire and several allied domains, maintaining that Emperor Varatos I, the unifier of the Kehler Lands, was either an incarnation or an offspring of the sun god Aurintuli, the supreme deity of the Kehler pantheon. This belief positions the church as both a spiritual and political pillar of the empire, with Aurintuli’s divine mandate underpinning the legitimacy of the ruling Ostori dynasty. The Aurinian Church’s structure mirrors the empire’s hierarchical organization, with the High Patriarch as its highest religious authority alongside the emperor. While the church retains influence in territories beyond the empire’s current borders, it faces resistance in regions unwilling to accept the emperor’s divine authority, leading to friction with local rulers and rival sects.
In contrast, the Ordainer Church rejects the notion of Varatos I’s divine nature, asserting instead that he was a mortal chosen by Aurintuli to lead. This sect emerged during the "Ordainer Schism," a break catalyzed by the teachings of "Evert of Mismallon", a cleric from the western province of Mismallon, who claimed that the divine mandate was lost after Varatos’s successors proved unworthy. Ordainers maintain that Aurintuli remains the supreme deity but argue that no current ruler holds his blessing. Their structure is similar to the Aurinian Church but operates independently, with regional Patriarchs who refuse to recognize the authority of the High Patriarch or the Ascendant Emperor. This sect dominates the central and western Kehler Lands and plays a significant role in fostering resistance to imperial control, fueling conflicts like the Twenty Years’ War. Some sects believe that Varatos I was indeed divine, but that no new divine figures existed after him, while others await either his return or a new child of the sun god. All reject the current emperor’s divinity. Needless to say, there are a lot of conflicts among Ordainer sects.
The Church of the Ten offers a decentralized and egalitarian alternative to the other two sects. Unlike the Aurinian and Ordainer Churches, which place Aurintuli above all other deities, the Church of the Ten treats the entire Kehler pantheon as relatively equal. This approach is most prominent in regions such as Gemric, where state-driven worship of Aurintuli is rejected. The Church of the Ten emphasizes personal and familial devotion over organized hierarchies, appealing to communities that prioritize local autonomy. However, this inclusivity has led to accusations of heresy from more orthodox factions, especially in regions like Alastin, where the Ordainer Church’s influence remains strong. The church’s decentralized nature limits its temporal power but fosters cultural diversity and regional resilience against imperial or centralized religious control.
The Kehler religious schism reveals the deep entanglement of spiritual beliefs with political authority in Kehler civilization. While theological differences are at the core of these divisions, the rivalry between the sects reflects broader struggles for dominance within the Kehler Lands. Each faction’s interpretation of the divine mandate not only shapes their approach to worship but also determines their alignment with or resistance to the Ascendant Kehler Empire’s ambitions.
