The Holy Order of King Dav

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The Holy Order of Dav, often simply referred to as 'the Order' or 'the Church', is the major religion of Lithmore. Davism focuses around the idea that the Lord of the Springs, a god of purity and goodness, spoke to King Dav ab Harmon in SC 109 and conveyed to him a revelation that magic (previously accepted in Lithmore) was in fact a wicked taint that condemned its bearers to an eternity of suffering in the afterlife. Davites focus on avoiding sin, performing good works such as charity, and keeping the community united in the rejection of the evils of heresy and magery. They take their instructions from the Erra Pater, the Order's holy book.

In the current day, the Order has been established for well over two hundred years, and hardly a soul in the entire Kingdom has grown up without its teachings as omnipresent truth. The general population of Lithmore and most of the surrounding duchies is almost pure Davite. The few exceptions have still had to operate in a predominantly Davite population: heretics and mages hide or try to blend in, and uniformly, they too are culturally raised within Davite society.

History

The Holy Order of King Dav came into existence in 109 SC, signed into prominence from a smaller sect of the Mother Church by King Dav ab Harmon. Most records before this time are destroyed in the Great Burning of 146, greatly limiting the average person's knowledge of history. What is important to the everyday person is that Dav and the Order came into being to snuff out the corruption that had taken hold in the kingdoms across the Urth. It is well known that Dav's first family was murdered in 109 SC, sparking his journey into the Wilds.

The Declarations were made this same year, sparking a series of purges. Mages were drowned or killed wholesale. The population headed West into the Tarns to seek the Springs where Dav experienced his revelations, but progressives like students and the Merchants Guild left the city, setting it ablaze. They soon settled in Vavard in the east, forming a liberal, money-driven land.

First, Dav contacted the hillmen as shock troops. Vandago was the first in Dav's sights, knowing that the tension between them and the Tubori could be advantageous. Jaren of Vandago yielded bloodlessly, becoming a general in Dav's army. Together, they push the Tubori back onto their boats but were stalled by their naval power and swift, dynamic tactics.

Dav descended to Yarsith, trying to find a pathway to Charalin horses as Jaren continued to keep the Tubori bottled up. The Vavardi utilized a feint with their fleet and routed Dav. Yarsith was destroyed. Dav retreated north into Vandago and was able to utilize the passes into northern reaches of the Plains. He took his frustrations out on the Charali, destroying 60% of the population to gain his horses. With these new forces, he and Jaren wiped out the remaining Tubori resistance and headed south.

It took Dav five years of bloody advancement to make it into Farin, finally capturing their city in SC 130. With the might of the world behind him, Dav finally retook Vavard after 135 SC. Another five years of pocket skirmishes and purges of the old guard finally took Dav into the mountains to put down the Hillmen rebellions.

During the 35 years from the start of the Consolidation until Dav's death, the Order consolidated and worked its way into every facet of society. Aelwyn Falsteph, Dav's confidant, friend, and once a member of his personal guard, became the head of the church and spear-headed the fledgling religion. The Reeves were dismissed shortly after Dav's campaign began; until the war ended, most crimes were considered religious in nature.

As Dav moved to conquer the various regions, the clergy of the Order was not far behind to rebuild and reorganize infrastructure. The popular fervor against magery, long present as those with magic were both segregated and privileged, made the Order's stance sympathetic. After destruction of the armies, the clergy was largely responsible for the rebuilding of roads, granaries, millhouses and shrines. By condemning evil with one hand and reinforcing devastated communities shattered by war with the other, the Order was readily accepted as the faith of the land.