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Intermediate Deity of Light, Resolution, Law, Order, Inflexibility, Sun, Moons

Worshippers:	Oeridian and commonly accepted across all the Flanaess
Holy Symbol:	Full moon partially eclipsed by a smaller crescent moon
Alignment:	LG (LN)
Domains:	Good, Knowledge, Law, Sun
Prestige Domain(s):	Divination, Domination, Exorcism, Glory, Inquisition, Mind, Mysticism, Summoning
Weapon(s):	Quarterstaff
Weapon of the Deity spell:	+1 flaming quarterstaff

Pholtus (FOHL-tus) is a stern Oeridian god of unbending Law. He believes that he is the authority on Law and the Natural Order, which makes him unpopular with other gods. The sun rises and sets, the moons wax and wane, the seasons progress - all in a very ordered, regular fashion because this is the structure created by Pholtus. He has presumed to place himself at the pinnacle of the Greyhawk pantheon by claiming authority on the Natural Order. This presumption creates significant friction with the other deities, particularly with St. Cuthbert of the Cudgel (who was originally a follower of Pholtus, and was later raised to be a hero Deity).

The sects of Pholtus are all guided by the One True Way [1] of Pholtus, which is strict, but guarantees rightness. They strongly believe in order and show no tolerance for those who do not enforce the cause of Law; smiting Chaos where found, and Evil once chaos is rooted out. Because of this they are commonly drawn towards governmental functions, most notably holding prominent roles in the Judiciary and Advisory areas of the Aerdy Great Kingdom, before its fall.

The belief of Pholtus as the authority for Natural Order is prevalent within his followers, and they do not have much respect for other religions, especially chaotic ones. His followers are expected to bring the One True Way to unbelievers, and brook no argument against this practice. This quest leads them far from their churches, usually in groups in case unbelievers and heretics turn hostile. All Pholtan followers believe fanaticism for the cause of law is praiseworthy.

Pholtus is depicted as a tall, slender man in a white robe, with fair skin and hair, and eyes that shine with the fires of devotion. He carries the staff of the Silvery Sun, an ivory object shod in silver and topped by an electrum sun-disk. His holy symbol is the full moon Luna partially eclipsed by the smaller crescent moon Celene.

Pholtus in Nyrond

The Pholtan strength of old Almor was in the north, and after the collapse they shifted to the west into Nyrond. This group of followers and worshipers has maintained their unity, and have always held to slightly different tenets of the Pholtan belief than their brethren of the Church of the One True Way in the Pale. In recent times this difference has become polarized as the Church of the Bright Path spreads throughout the Almorian followers in the southern end of Nyrond.

In addition to all of this, the Church of the One True Path in the Pale has sent forth an independant organization known as the Valorous League of Blindness. This is a fanatical order of Pholtans who have gained a great presence and hold in Midmeadow, but who also range southward all the way to Mowbrenn.

The Pholtans in the rest of Nyrond are traditional in their beliefs, tracing their roots to the Great Kingdom's Church of Pholtus, the Church of the Blinding Light. The Valorous League of Blindness pays indirect obeisance to the Church of the Blinding Light where it is encountered, but they maintain their independance and are supported by the Church of the One True Path in the Pale. Where they are strongest, the temples and chapels of Pholtus are staffed and managed by the church of One True Path.

• The Church of the Blinding Light
• The Church of the Bright Path
  • Warders of the Bright Path
• The Church of the One True Path

The Church of the Blinding Light

The Church of the Blinding Light[3] is the predominant force of Pholtus in Northern Nyrond. The Church of the Blinding Light in Nyrond traces its roots to the old Aerdy Church of the Blinding Light, prevelant throughout the entire Great Kingdom. Like most of the Churches of the Blinding Light in the Flanaess, there is not a great level of coordination between temples. The Church of the Blinding Light in Nyrond was splintered from the Great Kingdom's Church at the time Nyrond defected, when Nyrondese sympathizers purged the local Churches of Imperial sympathizers. While these churches do maintain relationships with the Church of the One True Path in the Pale, as well as other strong branches of Pholtan Churches around the Flanaess, the Church of the Blinding Light in Nyrond is a unique entity unto itself, only loosely coordinated an ecumenical council of Pontiffs from the major temples.

Followers of the Church of the Blinding light are traditional Pholtans, and vocally only acknowledge their own order of Pholtus in Nyrond. They generally refuse to admit the Church of the Bright Path exists, considering these followers lost from the cause of Pholtus. However, this schism is heating up to the point where they cannot ignore it any more.

It is also an interesting subnote that the Church of the Blinding Light has the original copy of the Scrolls of Light from the Church of the Bright Path, as it was intercepted and taken from disciples of Retaren who were fleeing south after he was hung in Midmeadow. What has happened to it since is unknown, and the Church of the Blinding Light in general consider the scrolls to be a high quality work of fiction fabricated by a very lost and confused individual.

Areas of Influence

The Church of the Blinding Light has shrines and temples througout much of Nyrond, where they have not been claimed by the Church of the Bright Path or the Valorous League of Blindness and the Church of the One True Path. Specific areas they do not have a strong presence are Midmeadow, Almor, parts of the Duchy of Korenflass and parts of the Justcrown province.

Organization

Rank	Name	Honorific	Order	Meta-Org Tier
1	Acolyte	Brother/Sister ...	Glimmering	Tier-1
2	Deacon	Brother/Sister ...	Glimmering	Tier-1
3	High Deacon	Brother/Sister ...	Glimmering	Tier-1
4	Prior	Father/Mother ...	Gleaming	Tier-2
5	Priest	Father/Mother ...	Gleaming	Tier-2
6	High Priest	Father/Mother ...	Gleaming	Tier-2
7	Bishop	Father/Mother ... (when equal rank) or Your Radiance	Shining	Tier-3
8	Arch Bishop	Father/Mother ... (when equal rank) or Your Eminence	Shining	Tier-3
9	Pontifex	Your Holiness	Shining	N/A

The Church of the Bright Path

The Church of the Bright Path is a recent sect of Pholtans spreading throughout Nyrond. The origins of the church are not well known outside of the order, other than their prophet Achda Retaren started wandering the Aerdy lands sometime during the Greyhawk wars. He prostheletized an alternate Doctorine of Pholtus, based on the Scrolls of Light, which he was lead to by divine guidance somewhere in Almor. The Scrolls of Light are an ancient Aerdy book, detailing the doctrine and practices of an early Nehron Oeridian Pholtan church, predating the Great Kingdom.

Many parts of the Scrolls of Light are found in other Pholtan texts, although usually altered and missing sections. Retaren believed this was a sign that the modern Pholtan churches had been led astray from their origins, and were wandering down the wrong path. He worked his way through the war-torn Almor, Nyrond and the Great Kingdom, managing to survive until 589CY when the Valorous Leage of Blindness caught up with him. He was tried, convicted and burned at a stake in Midmeadow near Starkwall; being found guilty of heresy against the blinding light of Pholtus and the Church of the One True Path. Unfortunately, the damage was already done, and despite their best attempts to put a stop to it, the teachings of the prophet Retaren and the Scrolls of Light continued to spread. His followers have come to be known collectively as the Church of the Bright Path. Most of them are a loose collection of wandering clerics monks seeking further enlightenment and spreading the new Doctrine of Pholtus.

The Church of the Bright Path follow Pholtus and his unbending views, they just believe the other churches have wandered blindly down the wrong path, and are now in darkness, cast out from the light of Pholtus. One striking difference is the Church of the Bright Path has come to believe that the extreme practice of gouging one's eyes out is abberrant and abhorent. How else can one bask in the fullness of the light of Pholtus if one cannot even see? They believe those priests who have gone to this extreme to be perverted and walking in darkness. Those who have already committed this self mutilation, but come back to the Church of the Bright Path, generally have the condition resolved through regeneration.

Areas of Influence

The Church of the Bright Path is the strongest throughout the Duchy of Almor and around Mithat. As of 593CY, Churches and Temples of Pholtus have converted to the Church of the Bright Path the furthest west in Arnford, no further south than Oldred and throughout much of Almor. The Temple in Rel Mord has lost many of its people to the Church of the Bright Path, but the Pontiff in charge maintains a seat on the Council of Pontiffs for the Church of the Blinding Light. In the recent year he has become highly cloistered, his followers believe this is to receive divine guidance on how to bring the Church of the Bright Path back to the fold. The side effect has been a general erosion of his own priests, who are becoming more sympathetic to the views of the Church of the Bright Path. In very recent times, some of the priests who earlier switched to the Church of the Bright Path and left, have been seen visiting the temple in Rel Mord.

Organization

The center of enlightenment for the Church of the Bright Path is in the temple cathedral complex being rebuilt in Narsel Mendred. After a recent conclave of Bishops held at the end of 593CY, Arch Bishop Garius Anerolli was selected to guide the fledging Church of the Bright Path. The newly elevated Pontifex Anerolli is an ex Council member from old Almor, and is believed to have encountered a few of Pholtus's emissaries. Despite his 42 years of age Garius is still able to stand his own. During the darkest hour of Almor he took on the mantel of a Consecrated Harrier and hunted fiend after fiend from Duke Szeffrin's Army.

The church is still focused on helping the refugees of Almor and at the same time searching with the little clues given by the Prophet Retaren, trying to find the original holy site where the Scrolls of Light were found. They have also latched onto the cause of rebuilding of Almor. Because of these good works many merchants and Lords of the area have begun to finance their efforts to rebuild the war ravaged areas.

The followers of the Church of the Bright Path have begun using the titles and names given in the Scrolls of Light, which had become altered, discarded or forgotten over the years.

Rank	Name	Honorific	Meta-Org Tier
1	Aspirant	Brother/Sister ...	Tier-1
2	Luminate	Brother/Sister ...	Tier-1
3	Deacon	Brother/Sister ...	Tier-1
4	Prior	Father/Mother ...	Tier-2
5	Curate	Father/Mother ...	Tier-2
6	Prefect	Father/Mother ...	Tier-2
7	Bishop	Father/Mother ... (when equal rank) or Your Radiance	Tier-3
8	Arch Bishop	Father/Mother ... (when equal rank) or Your Eminence	Tier-3
9	Pontifex	Your Holiness	N/A

Furthermore, additional appellations can be added to identify a notable position, such as the head of a local church or temple. These are Lucidus and Luculentus (from lesser to greater). For instance, the head of a small church may be called Curate Lucidus, whereas the head of a Temple would be called Bishop (or Arch Bishop) Luculentus.

Religious Trappings

Members of the Church of the Bright Path are garbed similar to other churches of Pholtus. The Holy Symbol for this church is true to the holy Symbol of Pholtus, but varies in design. As with the other churches, it is the two moons eclipsing, but for the Church of the Bright Path the smaller moon (Celene) is located at the center bottom edge of the larger moon (Luna), presenting an inverted elipse. On more elaborate holy symbols the area of Luna is covered in ivory, electrum or mother of perl, and celene is inlaid with aquamarine coral.

Meta-Org Benefits

Meta-Org benefits for members of either the Church of the One True Path or the Church of the Bright Path are the same as the generic Religious Organization.

When selecting a rank, start at the first rank of a tier. After the character has been in the meta-org for at least half a year, they can move onto the second rank. In addition, any rank changes above Prefect must be made with Triad approval.

Warders of the Bright Path

Warders of the Bright Path are a new order within the Church of the Bright Path. These Path Warders are tasked with protecting the other clerics and followers of Pholtus in dangerous situations, and are sometimes called upon to resolve less savory issues. A Path Warder often accompanies wandering clerics througout Almor and into other dangerous regions which are needing the guidance of Pholtus and the One True Way. The Path Warders are trained in a more military manner, and are often Paladins, Templars, Sacred Fists and Monks.

Although not a secretive order, Path Warders also do not openly advertise themselves as such. They share the same heirarchy as other members of the Bright Path. Because of their nature and missions, the alignment of Path Warders is mixed LN and LG (with the non Paladins filling in the LN portions).

The Valorous League of Blindness
and the Church of the One True Path

The Valorous League of Blindness (VLB) is a militant order sponsored by the Church of the One True Path from the Pale. The VLB has a very strong presence in Midmeadow, to the point where the Pholtan temples and churches of the area are controlled by the Church of the One True Path.

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