Grand Chantry of Pelor

The Grand Chantry of Pelor, sometimes referred to as simply the Chantry, is a religious organization founded and headquartered in Gartinople, Chailea. It is based on the Chant of Light, a series of teachings by Divine Sarenrae, the prophet of Pelor, and was officially established by Adela Gartin, the first Duchess of Chailea. The Chantry's followers are known as Pelorians.

The Chantry is mostly composed of altruistic priests who are also ready to be stern should it be warranted. They’re known for blessing crops, healing the sick, and reforming criminals and evildoers. They also have the larger goal of spreading the Chant of Light to all four corners of the world and to all races. Their view on non-humans is that they need saving, as they exist even further from Pelor’s light than humanity, a view that, along with centuries of conflict, has led to much of Chailea’s human populace to look down on them. It is also believed that once all peoples have accepted the Chant and practice its teachings, Pelor will restore the world to its former glory.

The Grand Cathedral of Chailea is the heart of the Chantry, and the seat of its leader, the Divine.

The Beginning
The Chantry is said to have emerged as a cult during the Chieftain Conflicts; specifically following the resurrection of Henri III, Chieftain of Montemara, by the now canonized Divine Sarenrae. Sarenrae claimed to have received visions of the god Pelor instructing her to resurrect Henri III, as he would unite the realm. Converted following his resurrection, Henri III dedicated his life to Sarenrae’s teachings. He had a temple built in her name in Montemara’s capital, Vaalise, where she could teach in peace. Also, upon her request, he ordered the liberation of the elven slaves in his realm.

The Dark Crusade
However, not everyone agreed with Montemara’s changes, or Sarenrae’s teachings, leading to Vaalise being raided and Sarenrae being kidnapped by Guerrini, Chieftain of Ongaro. Along with the newly formed Poor Fellow-Soldiers of the Divine Sarenrae and of the Temple of Pelor, Henri III rode off to meet their neighbors of the North to negotiate Sarenrae’s release.

Henri III instead arrived to see that Guerrini had Sarenrae burned at the stake in hopes of provoking him. According to the Chant of Light, that same hour, a Solar Eclipse occurred; that which lasted eight days and famine eight days more. Henri III’s heart seemed to grow just as dark, as he returned home to muster his forces. Joined by the forces of elven leader and former slave, Luvon, as they shared a common cause in avenging Sarenrae, Henri III rode out to war, leading to what is now known as the Dark Crusade.

Fueled by the dark desire of vengeance, Henri III never lost a battle. One by one he claimed what are now the counties of Chailea, slaughtering those who got in his way. Finally, he came upon his old nemesis, Sarenrae’s killer, Guerrini; who surrendered. Claiming to have seen the error of his ways as soon as Sarenrae was burned, Guerrini begged for forgiveness. Hatred filling his heart, Henri III began to raise his sword, before a dove, Sarenrae’s favored animal, perched itself upon his hilt. Driven to tears upon realizing he had failed to live by her teachings, Henri III let him go. The Chantry, and Chailea, would go on to remember him as Exaltian Henri the Forgiver. His final known act was organizing Sarenrae’s teachings into hymns, creating the Chant of Light, which quickly began to spread throughout the land.

The Reformation Era
Eventually, Adela Gartin, a fervent believer in Pelor, and believed by some to be the descendant of Henri III and Sarenrae, managed to unite the realm. She ordered the construction of the Grand Cathedral in what is now the capital city of Gartinople, and also canonized Sarenrae as the first Divine; the head of the Chantry. Due to her connection with the church, the Grand Chantry of Pelor garnered much influence over the people of Chailea during her reign, becoming capable of exerting considerable political and martial pressure on the ruling class in many areas of concern when necessary.

While extremely controversial, as Henri III did, it was decided that the Divine may be moved to declare a Crusade; a religious military campaign that mobilizes Chailea’s Templars to unite and destroy the enemies of the Chantry and its people. There have been Three Crusades; Henri III's, Divine Venera’s against the Elves, and Divine Severiano’s.

The Renaissance Era (Modern Day)
Still holding considerable power, the Chantry recently found itself in conflict with the Chailean nobility, led by Duke Edmund Charmant; who, after three marriages against the Chantry’s wishes, began to secretly work with his fellow nobles towards the separation of church and state. This eventually led to a skirmish in Belloumi, the deaths of Count Dalardo and Viscount Furseo, and the de-facto rule of Knight-Commander Caio. Tensions between the city's populace, who began to question the Chantry’s intentions, and the local chapter of the Knights Templar grew considerably, leading many in the Chantry and secular society to fear the beginnings of yet another Crusade. Unsure on how to move forward, as she didn’t want to march against her own people, Divine Livinia remained silent on the matter. Tensions only grew following her death, however, and the immediate “election” of a new Divine of Edmund’s choice: Severiano Casillo, a man. Breaking many tenets of the Chantry, this left the Council of Grand Clerics in disarray and the Chantry on the brink of collapse. Eventually, a Third Crusade broke out, as some followers dissented and spoke in support of Casillo, while others called it heresy and demanded him to be removed and punished.

In response, Casillo created a new military order, the Knights-Inquisitorius of Divine Severiano, and declared the Third Crusade, marking his dissenters as heretics to be hunted and executed. Among the casualties were the Knights Templar. Casillo remained as Divine up to at least Duke Edmund’s death.

Teachings and Beliefs
The Chantry's faith is rooted in three core goals: The Chantry teaches that Pelor is a god who seeks temperance and patience in all things. Compassion and peace are his greatest virtues, and if enemies of the faith can be redeemed, they should be. Yet there are those who have no interest in redemption, who glory in slaughter and death. From the remorseless evil of the undead and fiends, to the cruelties born in the hearts of mortals, Pelor’s doctrines preach swift justice be delivered by the sword’s edge. To this end, he expects his faithful to be skilled at swordplay, both as a form of martial art promoting centering of mind and body, and so that when they do enter battle, their foes do not suffer any longer than necessary.
 * Alleviate suffering wherever you find it.
 * Bring Pelor’s light into places of darkness, showing kindness, mercy, and compassion.
 * Be vigilant, and defensive against evil.

Sarenrae’s teachings also emphasized that followers should remember that excessive attention to things of evil can blind one to the truly important things: compassion and goodness.

Marriage
According to some interpretations of the Chant of Light, Sarenrae had a spiritual marriage with Pelor. All Pelorian priests are therefore symbolically wedded to Pelor and sworn to celibacy. In the eyes of the Chantry, marriage is both a celebration of tradition and a practical decision. Through a favorable marriage, one can make valuable connections, improve one's social standing, and secure financial stability for oneself and one's family. Love is not necessary for marriage but is nonetheless desirable, as it makes the union stronger. The Chantry permits annulments but not outright divorce.

Same-Sex relationships
The Chantry does not seem to have an official view on the subject, and nowhere in Chailea is it prohibited. There is a certain pressure in the nobility to marry an opposite-gendered partner, however, though this is motivated more by pragmatism rather than morality; a homosexual couple cannot have biological children.

Interspecies relationships
Interspecies relationships are possible, but frequently frowned upon by the Chantry, due to the perceived innate nature of non-humans.

Clergy
A large portion of Sarenrae's priests are composed of clerics, but within their ranks are also paladins and rangers, as well as a few druids and bards. Some priests work as personal retainers or healers for the nobility, while others survive on assistance from congregational worshipers. A common form of worship by priests is to awaken with the dawn and give thanks and praise to the rising sun. The sword is a favored weapon and its use is held in high regard, and it is often decorated with sunburst images in red and gold.

Chantry Hierarchy
Before the Renaissance Era, the actual priesthood of the Chantry was made up entirely of human women, as official Chantry doctrine states that non-humans are further from Pelor than humanity, while the Chant affirms that men, like Henri III and Guerrini, are more vulnerable to anger or passion.

At the head of the Chantry is the Divine, who leads from her seat in the Grand Cathedral of Gartinople. Below her are the Grand Clerics, who are the Chantry's highest authority in a country or a region. After a Divine dies, Grand Clerics are required to travel to Gartinople for the Grand Consensus - a meeting where Chantry leadership unanimously elect the new leader of the Chantry. Beneath the Grand Clerics are the Mothers, who are responsible for administering to the spiritual well-being of their flock. If a mother is in charge of a local Chapel, she is called a Revered Mother. Beneath mothers are the brothers and sisters, consisting of three main groups: affirmed, initiates, and clerics. Brother is the only rank that men are allowed to have. The initiates take vows and receive an academic education. Those who sought to become Templars were sent to a Templar Fortress to receive a martial education.

However, one of Divine Severiano’s instituted reforms was to remove restrictions surrounding Chantry priesthood, allowing both men and women to be initiated and ordained.

Military
The Poor-Fellow Soldiers of the Divine Sarenrae and of the Temple of Pelor, or simply the Knights Templar were a military order of the Chantry, before eventually be dissolved and replaced with The Knights-Inquisitorius of Divine Severiano, or simply the Knights Inquisitor