It’s said that that long ago, man lived amongst the Divine high in the heavens, that man was created to serve the Divine. And serve man did, for he did so truly love the Divine. Yet there were those that envied the celestial beings and despised their own place in the world. This hatred was noticed by the Dark One, who then offered these men the power to slay the Divine. Man accepted, and with this pact, the first demons were born. With horrific brutality, they struck the unsuspecting pantheon hard and fast, slaying those they had once loved, and laying claim to their power.
The Goddess Seraphina, in her infinite love of mankind, led those who resisted the Betrayer’s temptation down through the Celestial Tower to the land below, the land of Haven. There were few who had remained pure, but it was her hope that man could be spared the horror of the Divine War should he be far beneath the heavens. Her followers founded a mighty city, far from the mighty tower. And they constructed a beautiful temple, in which to worship their Lady.
But the Goddess could not rest easy, knowing there were so many still trapped above, slaves to the Dark One. So she left man, despite his protest otherwise, and climbed the tower once more. This time, she cured many of those who had tasted the Dark One’s power, before leading them down the tower as well. The journey was a long and terrible one, and by the time she had returned to the city, she was severely weakened, with several new followers. More than double the first trip.
But she insisted that she must go again, for there were still more to save. Man again could not convince her to give up on those who had fallen fully corrupt, so the Goddess once more went back up the tower to the heavens.
On her final trip, the Goddess returned with even more new followers. These were those who had fully given in to the Dark One and become demons. The Goddess had cured them as best she could, but it brought her to her knees. After having returned to the grand city, the Goddess collapsed. She had used too much, and she was dying. And it was with her final strength that the Goddess Seraphina blessed the land of Haven, warding it against the forces of Darkness. And it was with her dying breath that the Goddess warned that one day the Dark One would follow her down the tower.
Of course, this was so very long ago. And for many in the land of Haven, it was a joke. The soil fought them for every crop. Savage beasts frequently attacked villages, slaughtering man. Terrible storms wrecked their homes and fields season after season. How could such a terrible land be considered blessed in any way?
But the joking stopped when the sky above the Celestial Tower tore open and waves of demons poured from the rift unto the land. The faithful and skeptical alike flocked to the Church, to seek guidance in such troubling times. Both the Order of Justiciars and the Order of Inquisitors fight valiantly to defend mankind, but with each passing day the demon horde grows stronger and larger, and mankind loses another inch. There is no winning, only stalling.
So it is with desperation that mankind turns to the Champions of the Faith, to those who have met the Lady Seraphina in the next life and sworn to be her swords and shields. Those powerful enough to fight through the demon hordes, reach the Celestial Tower, and close the rift.
This is the story of humanity’s desperate final stand and the final crusade to save it.
Haven is both the name of the country and the capital city. Built atop a massive cliff overlooking the ocean, and flanked by a pair of large mountain ranges, Haven is a strategist's wet dream. The vast majority of people in the land live in the city or in one of nearby villages forming a half ring around it.
While the harsh landscape and weather makes farming challenging, there is plenty of bounty in the sea. Much of the lower class is comprised of fishermen living around the base of the cliff. What other food is required is simply imported from the surrounding villages, a tax of sorts.
The city itself is divided into three distinct levels, divided by walls.
The lowest level lines the coast and base of the cliff. Beastmen residents call this section home, as do many slaves and serfs. Housing is in poor condition, due to frequent flooding when particularly nasty storms hit. In response, many of the buildings at this level are built upon stilts. Affectionately referred to as "the Wetworks" by some residents, "the Slums" by others, and "Lowtown" by those trying to sugarcoat the damned place. Crime is rampant and security is nearly nonexistent. In of any type of seedy business? Look no further than the Wetworks. Otherwise, stick to the main street until you get to Midtown - if you value your money or your life, that is.
The next level is the largest by fair, taking up roughly two-thirds of the actual cliff itself. Known as "Midtown", it's where craftsmen, merchants, and soldiers call home. The largest markets in Haven are found right here, including the famous Grand Market, which gathers products from all across the land. It's not uncommon to find members of the Church or even some nobility searching for wares here. By far the most populated level of Haven, the buildings in this level are tall. It's easy to get lost in the alleys and streets, but there's always a helpful guard nearby that can point to the nearest dark corner that one can fuck off to. Ahh...Midtown.
The final level is reserved for use by the Church, high-ranking noble families that can trace their line back to the Pure Men who founded the city, and the royal family itself. The Grand Temple and Palace both reside on this level, being two of the largest structures in the land.
The Grand Temple sits by the wall dividing the upper level and Midtown. A large balcony sits high upon the church, overlooking a large park on just the other side of the wall. The faithful who cannot access the upper level gather in the park weekly to attend sermons delivered from the balcony. It serves as a very important base for both the Justiciars and the Inquisitors. Some Saints have been known to visit from time to time, but mainly when they have business with the First Witness, otherwise they're out roaming the lands. The Seer is also housed here, kept in the highest tower.
To be granted access to the Grand Temple is an honor not many get to experience in their lives, but none forget.
The Palace sits on the peak of the cliff, overlooking the entire land. Entrance is hard to come by, but those that have seen it claim that it contains riches beyond one's wildest dreams. The Royal Family does not often leave the Palace. Not officially, anyway.
Auvillar
One of the many settlements which circle Haven, Auvillar has the fortune of both having a river flow through it and being fairly close to the mountains. As such,
Auvillar is an odd case. Up until a decade ago, the town was pretty much abandoned. However, in recent year, the town's begun to thrive, enough so for it to quickly grow enough to be considered the largest in the land, though still no match for Haven. While the town's become much more lively, it seems to be experiencing a bit of a crisis. Many of the residents cling to the old, small-town values and are weary of outsiders. Others welcome the new faces (and the coin they bring with them) with open arms. While crime isn't much of a problem here, there has been an alarming increase in missing people being reported. Some believe that they were simply attacked by beasts outside of the city, while others think more sinister happenings are afoot.
Eus
Eus is the picturesque sleepy village. It's the northernmost village, closer to Fort Stalwart than Haven. It doesn't receive much traffic, as such the locals tend to be rather cold to outsiders. It's a close-knit community, though as long as one doesn't stick their nose where it doesn't belong, they'll be fine. Coin tends to warm up the locals, though it'd be best to not overstay one's welcome.
And for the love of all that's holy, don't identify yourself as a Royal dog. The heavy taxation imposed by Haven hasn't won much love from the village of Eus.
Fort Stalwart
The only entrance into the valley leading to Haven proper is a pass directly north of the city. Two mighty forts stand tall in the pass, sealing off both the north and south entrances. The southern fort is Fort Stalwart, named after Jean the Stalwart, a former Commander of the Order of Justiciars and the man responsible for the fort being constructed in the first place. The only way into the mountain pass or into the land of Haven is through its gates.
While many of the higher ups of the Order reside in the Grand Temple, the main rank and file of the order reside in Fort Stalwart. It's where new recruits are trained and stationed when not sent on patrols throughout the land. Considered by many to be utterly impregnable, it's existence is a massive relief on the people of Haven.
Fort Vigilant
Home to the greatest warriors of Haven and the northern counterpart to Fort Stalwart, Fort Vigilant is the main base of the Inquisitor Order and serves as a staging point for exploratory missions into the wastelands beyond the northern mountain pass. Much of what goes on in the Fort is a secret known only to the Inquisitor Order and the Royal Family. The Fort has existed since the time of the Pure Men, though some argue that it predates even them. Perhaps created by the same creatures that built the celestial tower?
- Organizations
The Order of Saints
Pictured above: The First Saint, The Forgotten One, Seraphina's Chosen
Leaders & Notable Members: St. Clementine the Vindicator St. Roland the Oathkeeper St. Sasha the Wrath of the Goddess St. Andre the Serene
Man was created to serve the Divine. That is the first and foremost tenet of the faith as taught by the Church. The Saints are the absolute embodiment of that belief. Men and women from all walks of life who, after having their lives end, have sworn their everlasting loyalty to the Goddess Seraphina and, in the place of death, have accepted the pact with the Goddess to become her swords in the realm of man. They are neither living nor dead, rather existing in a place between the two. They still have their earthly desires and needs, though they are bound to whatever order the Goddess issued to them. The order can range from a specific task to a vague goal. The Saint in question cannot disobey this order, and will feel compelled to complete this for so long as they draw breath.
A Saint cannot die of natural means. Age, starvation, dehydration, illness...they all mean nothing to the most holy of warriors. These champions of the faith may end their existence either by being defeated in combat or by completing their order, in which case they will ascend to the next life to better serve the Goddess. Meaning that, yes, a Saint can be injured, and should the injuries be severe enough and not treated soon/well enough, the Saint may very well succumb and die.
When a Saint begins to ascend, their body will break down and crumble to dust. It's not painful and is finished in a matter of seconds. Should they be defeated in combat...well...it's less pleasant. Very much so.
In addition to their extended "lives", Saints gain access to a Divine weapon. These are tools that are extremely effective against Demons. The Saint need only call for their weapon and it will appear before them. These tools make Saints the best weapon against the Darkness that humanity has.
Saints tend to roam about the land, trying to fulfill their orders, while also helping the weak and those in need. To perform a miracle is not unheard of, as some Saints can call upon the powers of the Divine to cast some forms of magic. Healing is the most common and practical use of these powers, though there have been a couple Saints in the past who have found ways to channel this power into forces most men could not even fathom. St. Charles the Abolisher, a currently active Saint, is one of them.
Saints are revered as heroes by the faithful, so the relationship with the Church has been friendly for the most part. That being said, the Saints are not by any means subservient to the Church, nor any of the other factions for that matter. Saints remain neutral in the politics of man. That being said, the three top ranking Saints, St. Clementine, St. Roland, and St. Sasha all currently hold positions of great importance in the Church, Order of Justiciars, and Order of Inquisitors respectively.
The Order of Justiciars
Pictured above: a Justiciar Knight
Leaders & Notable Members: Grand Master Jean Regis XXIV Master Dmitrii Master Justine Noel Champion Ilari
The Order of Justiciars serve as the rearguard for humanity, the last wall of defense between the outside world and the lands of Haven. Based in Fort Stalwart, they patrol the countryside, protecting the commoners from beasts and stray demons, as well as dispensing justice when it is so required. Higher ranked members have been granted the authority by the crown to act as judge, jury, and if the situation demands, executioner. The Justiciars do not take that duty lightly.
Serving in the Justiciars is one of the few stable means of providing for oneself and one's family. The Justiciars accept any and all who wish to pledge themselves to the Order, though leaving is much, MUCH more difficult.
Under the current Grand Master, Jean Regis XXIV, Beastmen have been accepted into the ranks. The decision was obviously a rather controversial one, but Regis did get approval from the crown. It hasn't been an easy task though. The number of Beastmen actively serving is rather low, but there are a few who shine bright. Master Dmitrii drew much ire with his appointment, but his skill and wisdom have earned the respect and support of the Order. There are whispers of him potentially taking over for Regis as the next Grand Master, which would make Dmitrii not only the first Beastman to serve as Grand Master of the Order, but the first Grand Master to not be a direct descendant of former Grand Master.
Another young Beastmen known as Ilari has recently been named Champion of the Order, a position that recognizes only the most capable warrior of the Order. Rumors say that he has yet to be bested in combat. Some even go as far as to say that he even won against St. Roland the Oathkeeper. His fighting skill is quickly turning him into a living legend.
The Order of Inquisitors
Pictured above: an Inquisitor Ravager
Leaders & Notable Members:
Grand Master Guillaume Leclerc Master Renaud Blanchet Inquisitor Lord Mathias Blanchet Inquisitor Lord Zoe Leclerc
Not a lot is made public about the Order of Inquisitors. They've no presence in Haven, save for a small cluster based within the Grand Temple. They are based out of Fort Vigilant far to the north, and are humanity's first line of defense against the demon hordes. They draw from only humanity's finest warriors to fill their ranks. Nobody really knows how they do their scouting, but when one is worthy of the Order, they will know about it sooner rather than later.
Supposedly there seems to be some sort of power struggle between Grand Master Leclerc and Master Blanchet as factions have rose up around the two. Both are incredibly powerful. It's said that the two are on completely equal footing, that the only reason that Leclerc was appointed Grand Master over Blanchet was purely due to coin flip.
The division between the two is mainly philosophical. Leclerc believes that what they're currently doing is enough to defeat the demon hordes. That, if anything, the Order simply needs to train more and have stronger faith in the Goddess. Blanchet on the other hand...well...It's rumored that the Inquisitors, after having spent so much time fighting demons, have taken to turning the dark power against humanity's oldest enemy. They go on to say that Blanchet believes that the Inquisitors should be more aggressive in their use of the dark power.
Perhaps there is some truth to this. Perhaps not. Truth of it is that nobody can say for certain. Once one joins the Order of Inquisitors, he's in for life. Very few ever go to Fort Vigilant and return. Those that do will never speak of what they saw there.
Regardless of their means of doing so, the Inquisitors are vital in keeping out the demon hordes.
The Church of the Divine Lady Seraphina
Pictured above: a Witness flanked by two members of the Holy Guard
Leaders & Notable Members: First Witness Ulysse Perrot Witness Henri Dupond Confessor Dorian Faucher Seer Amelia Tremble
Based primarily in the Grand Temple in Haven, the Church of the Divine Lady Seraphina watches over the Goddess' flock, teaching them her ways, guiding them on the path to righteousness, and molding them into the perfect servants for her Holiness.
The Church caters mostly to those within the capital city, but Confessors travel the countryside, traveling from town to town to spread the holy word.
The Church likely holds as much power, if not more than the Royal Family. Both the Justiciars and Inquisitors answer directly to the Church. The Church also runs a private militant group known as the Holy Guardsmen, who exist solely to protect the Church and the clergy. As such, the word of the First Witness is more or less law. Heathens and blasphemers are frequently routed out and put on trial, where they either repent their ways or burn. The Divine is followed by nearly all residents of the capital city, and the nearby towns and villages have strong ties as well. It's not until the border villages where blasphemy is spoken more freely, and evil begins to take root. One day, however, the Lady Seraphina will return to usher the faithful back to the Divine.
Arguably the most important duty of the Church, however, is locating the Seer. There exists one individual at all times who has been chosen by the Divine to serve as her Seer. The Seer receives direct visions and messages from the Goddess. The Church relies on the Seer to relay this message, so going without a Seer is essentially blinding the faith. When a Seer dies, the Sight is passed to another living human.
As it just so happens, when the previous Seer died, the Sight passed to the princess Amelia Tremble, eldest daughter to the Queen and first in line for the throne. A Seer must give up all earthly claims and rights, and live within the Seer's Tower in the Grand Temple until the Sight passes to somebody new. If that means the Seer stays within the tower for their entire life, so be it. With this, the Queen was left devastated and the throne was left without an heir. But not even the crown can deny the Divine.
Pictured above: The First Saint, The Forgotten One, Seraphina's Chosen
Pictured above: an Inquisitor Ravager
Pictured above: a Witness flanked by two members of the Holy Guard