The Continuum: the Faith of the Besnir

Among the demi-humans (Besnir), the spiritual world is an inseparable part of their public and private lives. The Hierophant of each tribe is the ceremonial head of that people. He is a high-placed advisor to their ruler. He is the one who seals marriages and contracts. He is the one who crowns their king. His job is to represent his people before their Patron and to reunite them to that Patron in death.

Each of the races: Halfling, Gnome, Dwarf and Elf recognize that their people were created by one of the Aenire... the chief lieutenants of the Creator of the Universe. They were the Lords of the ancient world. The races were made from the substance of the universe (the alloruh) and quickened by the self-sacrifice of their maker -- each of whom poured their own spirit into the beings they had made, thus bringing them to life.

While this act was self-sacrificial, it was also a kind of rebellious act and invoked the ire of the Creator for doing so. Yet, the Creator did not destroy what the Aenire had made, and allowed the Lords to become the intercessors of their people.

Also, because the Aenire spent themselves in the process, the future of these Patrons are altogether wrapped up in the success and faithfulness of their people. While they still live on Erenth, they are mere shadows or wisps of their former selves. They can barely interact with the material world outside of manipulating sound and light and are therefore forced to rely on their people to see their ends met. 

Halflings revere Yomal whom they depict as a great gardener and warrior maiden. Gnomes revere Goren -- a master craftsman and inventor who is almost always laughing. The Dwarves worship Morad, a smith of unparalleled ability. The Elves worship Lareth -- a contemplative and scholarly leader. 

Beneath each of these gods are the Exalted Heroes of their individual races. They are those who have become so powerful and so noteworthy as to have transcended death. In their new forms, they are able to take temporary form and sometimes to involve themselves in the affairs of the living, albeit for a limited time.

The Afterlife: The Hearths Among the Stars

The Demi-humans, or Besnir, do not age the same way as humans do. Rather, after many years of mortal life, their bodies are finally consumed by the unquenchable fire of their spirits -- the way that a candle is consumed by its flame. They will then "Journey On" to be one with the spirit of their makers: Yomal, Goren, Morad, Lareth, and Drash.  

To accomplish this unification, they must have returned in their dotage to their Arvonaith -- the Holy Place of their ancestral home. For this reason, it is considered a sin of the highest order to prevent or delay one of these home faring pilgrims from arriving at their destination. 

Once arriving the Besnir will become one of the "Silent Siblings" -- a caretaker of that Holy Place. Their other interests in the world of Erenth will have grown faint. Even routine conversation and reminisces of old friends will cease to have meaning for them. Over a period of a few moons, they will begin to become increasingly insubstantial and then eventually fade from view.

Because making it to Arvonaith is a requirement for a peaceful and happy death, those Besnir who are taken ill and suffer death, along with those who die from wounds, must be conducted by others to their proper rest. Those that do not become wild and angry things, separated from their origin and the being which made them. 

Once a year during the Festal period, spirits are released from the Arvonaith of their people and conducted by the ferryman to the hearths among the stars which their creators have settled -- there to be joined with their makers forever. The Vyrum are reunited in Drasenth; the Elves in Larenth; the Dwarves is Morenth; the Gnomes in Gorenth; and the Halfling in Yomenth.

The Edict of Supremacy in Faith of 5129

The following instrument is the recognized pact between the Patriarch of the Church of Westrun, the Grand Hierophant of the Continuum and their Graces, the Monarchs of Westrun in Congress. These Monarchs include the High King of all mankind in Westrun, the Kings of Collonia, Rath, Menea, and Bolden; the First Citizen of Treft, the Marksmarshal of Balduren and the High Priest Elect of Talir; the reigning Monarchs of Oromir, Festog, Mistwood, Deepwood, Greywood, Curwood, Forest Hills, Hilldale, and the recognized Steward of Dynkyr.

All parties agree that the Church of Westrun is the successor of the Temple of the Ten Divines.

Notwithstanding the aims, documents, canons and faiths of man and of the Besnir alike; nothing in any of them shall be construed to apply across the known races: including Humans, Els (elves), Stoneborn (dwarves), Lod (gnomes), Hoflin (halflings). For this reason no proselytizing will occur between races, nor converts accepted from races alien to them. No religious strictures shall be imposed by one race upon the other, nor shall blessings and prayers be offered (for good or ill) upon one race by another, unless they be expressly sought by an individual in question.

In the matter of deaths and burial, it is agreed that remains of those deceased entrusted to the clergy of any race, will be returned to the nearest Holy Ground of relevance, in the most expeditious manner possible.

To this document, we affix our signatures and bind all our loyal subjects.

High King Eadred

Grand Druid Pernar

Patriarch Planos

and 16 other kings.

Roll 008

5221    Radoric
Then came Radoric.

5223    Milanov

Then came Milanov.

5285    Radov

Then came Radov.

Roll 007

5108    Pernar

Then came Pernar.

Roll 006

4520    Biorn

Then came Biorn

4556    Sarik

Then came Sarik.

Roll 005

3803    Odak

Then came Odak.

Roll 004

3706    Seleseer the Pious

Then came Seleseer.

The Rolls of the Lords Continuous

Roll 003

3010    Vetran

Then came Vetran.

The Rolls of the Lords Continuous

Roll 002

Sinover the Gnummor
Then came Sinover.

Suran
Then came Suran.

Par
Then came Par.

Paras
Then came Paras.

Parasov
Then came Parasov.

The Rolls of the Lords Continuous

Roll 001

When the Aeniresa raged upon Erenth their fury did not know respite. The spirits of wood, grass, wind, rock and river raged pitted themselves against the Urok. For six years the powers which had slept were awakened and they raged. At last, the Rule of the Urok was thrown down, but the Aeniresa continued their destruction.

Drunog Urok the Peacemaker
Then came Drunog. He pled for the cause of Erenth and for that of the wood, grass, wind, rock and river. So the spirits tried him and found him worthy. For the sake of his cause they relented.

Now Drunog was of the Urok people and great authority came to him to work wonders and wield the llor of the wild. That authority was granted by the spirits. So he was the first of those who would be called the curates and the authority he was given would be passed to whomsoever he chose.

The spirits were pleased with the cause that Drunog had made and they were pleased with Drunog for the life he lived. So they taught him the secret of shedding his mortal coil. When he died, he became one with the power of the spirits and joined the Continuum.

Drunog is considered the first of the Lords Continuous. He lived long and had no children. He is considered important to the lineage of the Grand Hierophant.

Galrik Urok the Founder

Then came Galrik. Galrik also pled for the cause of Erenth and for the natural world. He was a curate of the ancient world who lived with and taught the Holbyt people. It was Galrik who founded the Academy at Dalenas and who taught the first generations of those people, including Tamb Greenthumb. 

The spirits were pleased with the efforts that Galrik had made and they were pleased for the life he lived. So they taught him the secret of shedding his mortal coil. When he died, he became one with the power of the spirits and joined the Continuum. 

Galrik is one of the founding Lords Continuous. He was a great teacher who lived long and had no children. He is considered vital to the lineage of the Grand Hierophant.

Orig Urok the Abdicator

Then came Orig. He it was who advised the Holbyt people to abdicate the Raneship of all Erenth. He pled also for the Gnomm to do the same, but they refused. Origg believed that if all the races abdicated in turn it would hasten the dawning of the 8th Age and the entire arc of history would come full circle.

The spirits were pleased with the efforts that Origg had made and they were pleased for the life he lived. So they taught him the secret of shedding his mortal coil. When he died, he became one with the power of the spirits and joined the Continuum. 

Orig is one of the founding Lords Continuous. He was a great teacher who lived long and had no children. He is considered vital to the lineage of the Grand Hierophant.

Rend Holbyt the Martyr

Then came Rend. He is called the Martyr because he spoke out against the Gnummorong and was slain by the King of the Gnomm for his efforts.

The spirits were pleased with the efforts that Rend had made and they were pleased for the life he lived. So they taught him the secret of shedding his mortal coil. When he died, he became one with the power of the spirits and joined the Continuum. 

Rend is one of the founding Lords Continuous. He was a great teacher who lived long and had no children. He is considered vital to the lineage of the Grand Hierophant.

Baldok Gnomm the Forgotten

Then came Baldok, a gnome who was imposed on the Continuum by the King of the Gnomm. He was appointed the head of the Hierophants until the coming of Rend.

Rendul the Liberator

Then came Rendul. Rendul was the first of the Grand Druids. It was he who united the tribes and peoples under his peace which ended the Gnomm War. He and finally saw to the end of the Gnummorong and earned the appelation, the Liberator.

Rendul learned to speak to the Lords Continuous. He became a great teacher who lived long and had no children. He was translated to the Continuum before his death and set the pattern for all Grand Hierophants, thereafter. For they do not taste death.

The Rolls of the Lords Continuous

Rolls of the Lords Continuous

The Rolls of the Lords Continuous

Roll 001

Drunog the Peacemaker

Galrik the Urok

Orig the Urok

Rend the Holbyt
Rendul

Roll 002
Sinover the Gnummor
Suran

Paras
Parasov
Vetran

Roll 003
Seleseer the Pious
Odak
Sarik
Pernar
Radoric

Roll 004
Milanov
Radov

Holy Symbol of the Halfling People

Holy Symbol of the Gnummor People

Holy Symbol of the Elven People

The Affirmation of Continuity

I affirm that all people, places and things have a purpose. Discovering my purpose is the primary aim of my existence; illuminating the purpose of others is the secondary aim of my existence; upholding the purpose for all is the tertiary aim of my existence. For these ends I serve the Continuity of the Circle and preserve it until the dawn of the new age.

The Continuum and the Continuous of the Circle

Tasha, Eternal Student and Llorfiril, called Magister by some.

To the Dweomersecte and the members thereof.

I have written this letter to inform you of my long travels and the great detailed study I have undertaken regarding that society which calls itself the Continuum.

As you know, the Continuum is the name taken by the so-called neutral forces of Erenth. It is made up of all the former major priests and priestesses (commonly called Hierophants) of the demi-human races, along with those of the primitive humans of Northrun, which are commonly called Druids. While serving their individual Realms, these priests serve as ceremonial and religious guides for their people, as well as the heads of the Lawspeaker ambassadors between the various regents. However, after these Hierophants have properly served their people, they may be selected to Journey On.

The process by which they shed themselves of their tribal differences and seek the will of an organization begins with a change of their name. No longer content, to identify race, tribe or gender, they are given a moniker in their own secret language. This is to reinforce their claims to have no political interest in the Realms, at all. As a whole, the Continuum strives to look forward to what they term as the Eighth Age or the Age of Every -- a mystical time at the end of all times, when all things will be restored to their proper place. Until then, they are chiefly concerned with maintaining the fragile balance that they believe exists in the known world. 

Until the Age of Every, the highest place in their order belongs to all those who have transcended physical boundaries. These people, the so-called Lords Continuous, are Hierophants which are capable of plane walking at will. While the other Continuous, those of Air, Fire, Water, Earth and Forms, have limited mobility across several planes of existence and are no longer bound to the body they were born with.

Beneath the Continuous, the highest single individual of the order, roughly analagous to our own Arch Mage, is the one termed the Grand Hierophant of all Erenth. He is formally addressed as His Serene Dispassionance.

Beneath him are the Four Great Hierophants -- one of whom occupies that spot in each of the Lands -- Northrun, Southrun, Eastrun, and Westrun. They are addressed as His Exalted Indifference.

Beneath each of them are the twelve Arch Hierophants -- of which there are three for each of the Lands. They are addressed as His Impassive Reverence.

Now each of these positions are filled from among the Hierophants of each Realm, who attain their position through a peculiar form of dueling known as The Contest. Those that fail at this are legion. They are assigned the rank of  Hierophant and serve the Continuum at the pleasure of those that succeed. There are scores of Hierophants in the world.

Radov the Grand Hierophant of all Erenth

Dimiri the White, Great Hierophant of Northrun

Arch Hierophant Drazulu
Arch Hierophant Dorin
Arch Hierophant Alina

Zovon the Silent, Great Hierophant of Southrun

Arch Hierophant Faranas
Arch Hierophant Florica
Arch Hierophant Ionela

Boriana the Apathetic, Great Hierophant of Eastrun

Arch Hierophant Daris
Arch Hierophant Shin
Arch Hierophant Zeric

Aljos the Unmoved, Great Hierophant of Westrun

Arch Hierophant Draegol
Arch Hierophant Elconor
Arch Hierophant Caelfa

ArchHierophant Caelfa

Suspicious : Cautious. Shy.
motto : Look a gift horse in the mouth.

ArchHierophant Elconor

Curious : Perceptive. Very fat.
motto : Never let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

ArchHierophant Draegol

Naïve : Gullible. Inquisitive.
motto : Never become judge and jury.