Beneath the Golden Moon

The Laranian Church

First, read the relevant material in both Gods of Hârn and Kingdom of Kanday. Where the following material contradicts this official information, assume that I have made the change deliberately.

Introduction

The Laranian Church is the primary Laranian religious organisation in Kanday. In theory it embraces all priests, including those attached to the Order of Hyvrik, and it also acts as over-patron to the Order of the Checkered Shield (which is sponsored by the Order of Hyvrik).

In practice, however, these three main religious groups are more independent of each other than the above might suggest. The brief history of the three institutions should serve to illustrate this.

The Schism

The schism that is currently occupying the hearts and minds of many Laranians, both priests and lay people, revolves largely around the question of what happens to the souls of those who have sinned greatly against Larani.

The schism originated as a result of the investigations into priestly corruption in the Laranian Church at the end of the thirteenth century. The requirements and opportunities for redemption of those who had been found to have sinned against Larani were discussed then among the priests.

Later, as the investigations turned up more incidents, the debate became much wider in scope, and was continued by many Laranians, both clerical and lay.

In essence the question that is currently unresolved, and on which there is a major division among all groups, is this: is it possible for those who have sinned greatly against Larani to redeem themselves, in this life or the next, so that they might eventually spend eternity in Tirithor? However, many other questions and twists on this are hotly debated throughout Kanday.

The Holy Cleansing

Since 1309 the Laranian Church has undertaken the task of weeding out those within the borders of the Laranian Church (which in this case is effectively Kanday) who are not followers of the dual pantheon of Peoni and Larani. Those who are found to lack the proper beliefs and faith are uprooted from their homes and expelled from Kanday.

Though this battle against infidelity has been waged for more than ten years, the results are not terribly impressive. The Laranian Church does not have the numbers to do the job by itself, particularly among the peasants and villagers; the Peonian Church has rather distanced itself from the move, though it does not interfere; and there are rumours that many among the Order of Hyvrik subvert the intentions of the Church by harbouring those who would otherwise be expelled.

The main "victims" of this crusade have been small groups of wanderers and vagrants who have always wandered about the Kand region. Many of these have been found to be of uncertain faith, and ordered north or east.

Heresies

While it is of course possible for many heresies to exist, there are few which are currently "active" in Kanday. One such is the belief that both Larani and Agrik stem from the same primal fire, called Manrasusha. Agrik, born first, was just like his parent, but Larani rebelled against her nature and fought the fire within herself. For this Agrik grew angry, and tried to kill his sister, and their ever-lasting battle began.