Church of Shamyaza
The Church of Shamyaza is devoted to Shamyaza, the Saint of Blades, an archangel under Alarath. Its clerics devote themselves to the angel of war more than to the god the angel serves. The most powerful church of Shamyaza is in the city of Vansreik.1
Clergy
Unlike most clerics of Alarath, the clerics of Shamyaza wear blood-red robes and carry longswords, and they are known for being quick to act. Becoming one requires the ability to wield divine magic: no one has ever been accepted into the clergy without demonstrating some.1
The church in Vansreik
The church exercises control over the politics of Vansreik and manages the distribution of clerical healing to its citizens, so most noble houses strive to keep good relations with the clergy. Its archpriest, Matheo, rules the clergy with an iron fist.1
The enormous temple sprawls across a large area in the east of the city, surrounded by further buildings, gardens, parks and wide squares. It is built in the Gothic manner, with tall pointed towers adorned with statues and stained glass, and its main building holds ritual chambers and shrines dedicated to all the Greater Gods. Its doors are open day and night, and beside it stand a soup kitchen, an orphanage and a workshop whose artisans, themselves priests of Volkan, do all the church's smithing, carpentry and glasswork.2
The church grounds are the cleanest place in the city, and people take care to dress well there. No houses may be built in the area, and no building within sight of the church door may serve alcohol. The grounds are guarded not by the City Watch but by knights and squires of the church. No one but clergy may ride a horse there; even Baron Von Rain dismounts and walks, and only the Emperor is exempt.2
Pilgrims
The church preaches that the crater of Mortenox was formed in a divine battle between Shamyaza and a massive winged devil: with the help of Saint Clarice, the archangel defeated the demon and slammed its body into the ground, destroying the city and the cultists who worshipped the devil.3
Pilgrims who hold to this story consider Vansreik sacred and come to worship there, but the rules of the ruling house do not let every pilgrim enter the city, and some wait weeks or months. So that they are not discouraged, the church founded the Pilgrims' Sanctum in Riverroad, a large hostel with bunk beds and a garden shrine, run by a young priest, Brother Vango.4
Members and deeds
Matias Cain was a member of the church, but when his views on what should be done with the Deep Pit contradicted those of the previous archbishop, he was sent to a smaller local church as a priest.5
The church's blessing strengthened the archery of Kerwyn. Its head priest, Matheo, awarded the relics of Vansreik to Valakar and his companions for saving the Western Provinces from the goblinoid threat.6
Sealed. Break the seal to read it; it may spoil your game.
Notes
Sources
This article draws on:
Images in this article
Art by Muhammet Feyyaz. Shadow Over Vansreik (Bad Badger Games, 2024), p. 1.
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