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Belinik Tsarevic






Capital:
City of Rzhlev

Government:
Tiranny




GB Income:
11
RP Income:
16
Expenses:
1 (Court)
Treasury:
5 GB





[top]Introduction


The church of Belinik Tsarevic is the state religion of the vos realm of Rzhlev. Born from a spontaneous shamanic cult within the invading horde of Rzhlev, today it is a structured church with a strong political relevance within the court of the Tsarina.

[top]History

in 1141 HC the vos horde had arleady begun the counter-invasion of Brechtür, after the defeat of the Brecht league battle of Lake Ladan and the chase through the mistmoor. The horde had fully invaded the old realm of Roschlöwen and was cut from their native lands due to the fall of the mist in the mistmoor and it was clear that they were going to stay.

This was an issue for the shamans who had followed the chase of the Brechts until now. They were prepared rituals of war, without any real conversion intent, and the brecht were seen only as enemies or slaves. When Viktor The Tyrant agreed to the peace treaty and decided to usurp the crown, the priests found themselves needing to adjust the preachings of the dark lord of War to the now enslaved brecht population. This meant creating a structure, which required hierarchies.

Several duels and blood feuds started during that time, in the end the faction of Pyotr Svafnirov won. Pyotr created for the Tyrant of Roschlöwen the new social map, designed to maximize social hate and a culture of prevarication and conflicts. He also had the idea to suggest the Tsar to destroy any piece of culture or art or even written word - He knew that this would make easier to destroy the old habits and estabilish the new ways faster.

Pyotr died in a blood duel before seeing his fruit to bear, however. Over the decades the cult slowy strengthen itself in the realm, unopposed, and even infiltrated itself into everyday life - Priests of Belinik would be judges of disputes between the lower class as well as the Zhupans or the nobles.

Recently, there has been a change in the direction of the church. As the old War Master died, Tsarina Marisha appointed Nikoli Brokeslav, of the Brokeslav Family of Steppegrad as War Master. Nikoli has put the eradication of the underground brotherhood of Ayairden Vierklevven as a priority.

[top]Doctrine and Faith


The preaching of the church emphatize competition as a way of life, however it is more lenient towards the elimination of the weak and more prone to the idea that while any right must be obtained by will and murder, everyone must perform their life duties. War is such a duty, but the strong will go to war as warriors, while the weak go to war in chains, bound to the warriors by blood bond rituals that drain their life but serve the cause of war.

The church encourages the Right of Might as a way of social justice. Resolving a dispute by killing your opponent gives you right in front of the god, as long as it's a public duel with witnesses and the murder is open and brutal (poison or stealth are not valid ways for example). This means that if someone wants to be payed and you outright kill him in front of everybody, you don't need to pay nor anyone else may request you to pay the debt. This can theoretically allow you to climb or fall in the social ladder, because if you are strong enough to enslave someone, you have the right to call him a slave,but a slave has also the right to kill his master and win freedom in return (as in raising to the *serf* status). In practice, the high class employs guards that will kill anyone trying to reach the master and anyone disputing this has not been a show of strength, and no Zhupan or Executioner will see that a brecht may enslave a vos or that a member of the high class may be kept as a slave - altough the ridicule generated by such event would be so great that the family of any enslaved noble would prefer to kill him before any other family disputes their strength. The meaning of the Right of Might is to encourage slaughter and murder, so that anyone from any social class may swell the ranks of raiders and pirates, The church's ultimate real people of interest.

Lately, War Master Brokeslav has introduced the concept of heresy: such great is the offence to Belinik's teaching done by the Ayairden Vierklevven that any mean necessay to eradicate the underground brotherhood is considered acceptable, even if it means low methods such as bribery or compromise.

[top]Ranks

The first rank of the church is the Warmongering preacher. They must attend battles and kill enemies to prove their faith to Belinik. Then, some period as an Executioner, a religious judge, is required, as Nikoli wanted to improve the strength of the church inland. Executioners must evaluate if a slaughter is rightful to the eyes of Belinik and if the Right of Might has been exercised correctly. Sometime they may clash with a Zhupan if their judgment differs but this happens rarely. Executioners have the right to call a duel in a Belinik's pit.

After 2 or 3 years Executioners may return to be War priests. They may choose freely if they want to continue judgment or devote themselves to only battle. War priests can perform rituals and chant battle magic. The worthiest (which often means the strongest) of the war priests in a province gains the privilege of instructing the other priests about the War Master's decisions.

Nikoli Brokeslav is the War Master, he must chant domain spells when needed and he is always required to take lead position in major raids and he is the only one allowed to perform rites inthe arenas of Rzhlev city. The War Master has a duty to accept anyone challenging his claim. Half of the contestants to his throne had been misteriously murdered by their own slaves one way or the other, while the other half seems content by his political choices which elevated Executioners and War Priests to being almost as nobles, allowing ownership of land and cattle.

[top]Important Figures

[top]Plots and Rumours

  • Some malignant voices say that Nikoli and Galina are actually lovers - something not uncommon in nobility. However, relationships are forbidden to the clergy - they have a duty to hate, not to love. The tsarina may be interested in knowing that a Zhupan may have leverage on the War Master, but proof would be needed.
  • Mara is pressing Feyulf and his wolves more and more to raid Berhangen and the Zhupan often oblige with joy to such calls. Soon she may be strong enough to challenge Nikoli's claim.
  • Seems that Olga has found some intel on why the church doesn't seem to grow in Evuarr - however, her messenger to the City has never arrived. Was the zhupan lenient on providing guards?
  • Serghei wants to research the ultimate spell, Mark of the unfaithful, that will point out all the heretics in the realm. This would grant the favour of the Tsarina and probably be a great advantage on both Mara and Nikoli.
  • Not everyone is happy with the direction Nikoli gave to the church. An heresy is forming that believes that the true goal of Rzhlev is to be burned to the ground and move south, opening a new great vos invasion. So far nothing has happened or no real contempt has been told to Nikoli, but fire is know to stay alive under the ashes.

[top]Domain Holding Table


Domain Table: Belinik Tsarevic
ProvinceLawTempleGuildSource
Duarlavka, Rzhlev (3/4)Ts (3)BT (2)GS (3)Ts (4)
Edarlaskyy, Rzhlev (4/3)Ts (3)BT (2)GS (1)Ts (1)
Ay** (1)
Feyulfsky, Rzhlev (3/4)Ts (3)BT (3)GS (2)Ts (3)
Molevof, Rzhlev (4/3)Ts (3)BT (2)GS (0)Ts (1)
Ay** (2)
Rzhlevskyy, Rzhlev (5/2)Ts (5)BT (4)GS (5)Ts (2)
Steppegrad, Rzhlev (3/4)Ts (3)BT (3)GS (3)Ts (3)
Abbreviations: Ts = Tsarina of Rzhlev; BT = Belinik Tsarevic (Nikoli Brokeslav); GS = Grovnikken Stohlevvskyy (Grovnikk Glössevik); Ay = Ayairdan Vierklevven (Brigitta Jarlsbane); **=Secret holdings.

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