Domain Summary
The New Faith is a Kingdom in what was once Phoenix Arizona. From here the Faith has spread across Dischordia, and their temples can be found in nearly every domain. The Priests lead the faithful to Ascension and Enlightenment, and are capable of miracles.
Life in the Domain
The New Faith is as direct with its lifestyle as it is diverse. The primary focus of much of the nobility is tending to their flock, and the laypeople make up that flock. The day-to-day experience of a follower varies, depending on the noble leading them. For some, it might be an existence of humble toil, while others might live a life of ecstatic revelry. The one constant is a focus on their faith and the pursuit of enlightenment.
Dominant Races
Vampires and Mages
Paradigm: Nearly any Tradition which seeks enlightenment can be found here, somewhere... which is all of them. Celestial Chorus are the greatest in number, for obvious reasons. Ecstatics, Hermetics, and Etherites are the next most common. Akshics, Dreamspeakers, Euthanatos, and Verbena are rare, but also present. Knights Templar might also be found, with some variations.
Costuming and Archetypes
Fantasy Priest, Crusader, Fantasy Elementalist, Medieval Courtier, Modern Medieval Businessman, Post Apocalyptic Wastelander
Politics & NPCs
High Pontiff of the Faithful, Radu Bistri, is the political and religious leader of the New Faith. He is aided and advised by the College of Cardinals: Cardinal Adonai, head of the Inquisition, Cardinal David of the Order of the Bitter Ashe in Vancouver, Cardinal Dietrich Mercer of Empyrean Unification, Cardinal Ishtar, Cardinal Zachariah Baldric the Hierophant of Dischordia, and Cardinal Rudolf Vykos. Below the Cardinals are a the Archbishops, Bishops, and Priests.
---Loading Oaths---
Cardinal Adonai and the Inquisition seek out and destroy Infernalism and the worship of Dark Powers of any kind among the Faithful. Certain philosophies have been banned, and the Way to Enlightenment can be sought only through the tenets of accepted paths and roads.
- Path of Cathari
- Path of Death and the Soul
- Path of Entelechy
- Path of Harmony
- Path of Honorable Accord
- Path of Lilith
- Path of Power and the Inner Voice
- Path of Nocturnal Redemption
- Path of the Feral Heart
- Road of Chivalry
- Road of Heaven
- Road of Kings
- Road of Metamorphosis
- Road of Night
- Road of Sin
- Road of the Beast
Umbral Realms
- Low Umbra - Shroud 6 (Stygia - Shroud 5, Far Shores - Shroud 7)
- Middle Umbra - Gauntlet 6 (Aetherial Realm - Gauntlet 4, Erebus, Summer Country - Gauntlet 5)
- Dreaming - Mists 0 (Far Dreaming - Mists 2, Deep Dreaming - Mists 6) / Banality 5
- High Umbra - Periphery 4 (Vulgate - Periphery 2, Afterworlds - Periphery 3, Spires -Periphery 5)
Historical Information
Following the events of Gehenna, the Sabbat had fulfilled its purpose. Many of the Ancients had fallen, as had the dark father, Caine. The tattered remnants of the sect united under Radu Bistri. Under his guidance, they focused their efforts on enlightenment rather than conflict. They discovered a cabal of mages with similar goals. The Cabal protected the Last Daughter of Eve and sought to bring her to Ascension. That gathering of brave souls forged the New Faith.
Read more: (Shroud Fall) The New Faith
During the War of the Dead, they sought to save mankind. When they weren't fighting, they spread enlightenment to bring their Faithful to Ascension. Many temples opened across Dischordia, and followers flocked to their message. The New Faith proved it was no mere distraction from reality. The Priests leading the Faith were capable of miracles, and the Faithful grew.
A Western Coalition
What would later become the Empyrean Dysambigua began as several independent domains. The New Faith, Vancouver, and Archive, all attempted to bring Pascal into Dischordia. They worked to form a strong alliance dominating the western half of the kingdom.
Read more: (Foundation Era) Western Coalition
As ties strengthened between New Faith and Vancouver, the two domains merged. Radu Bistri of the New Faith remained the lord of this new joined domain. The nobles renamed their domain the Empyrean Dysambigua; Canton of the Changing Heavens. King Pascal's domain, Valley of the King, did not join Dischordia immediately. Yet he remained allied with the new Empyrean Dysambigua.
Archive Joins Appalachia
The harsh and forbidding nature of life in the mountains attracted few nobles to the Archive. Despite their many allies, the domain could not sustain on its own. Both Appalachia and the New Faith approached their allies with invitations to merge. The Praenomen, opened negotiations with Radu Bistri of the New Faith. After weeks of deliberation, the Archive agreed to join under the New Faith's banner. Yet, when it came time to sign the agreement, the Praenomen snubbed the New Faith.
Read more: (Foundation) Archive Joins Appalachia
The Praenomen did not swear oaths to Bistri as agreed. Instead, he joined instead under Devil Anse Hatfield of Appalachia at the last minute. This single act sparked centuries of animosity between Bistri and the Hatfields. The two domains teetered on the brink of war.
Shortly after this merger, Imperial Prince Ailil revealed Archive's most closely-guarded secret. He revealed that Archive's role, as cartographers and historians, was only a ruse to conceal their true purpose... as Balor’s personal spies, saboteurs, and assassins.
Plague of Nightmares
An enemy, the Crimson Weaver, spread a plague of nightmares throughout Dischordia. The domains of Dischordia came together to combat this powerful threat.
Read more: (Foundation Era) Plague of Nightmares
Dischordia caught a glimpse of the chthonic, primordial horror of the Nightmare Lands. Aitu, the Crimson Weaver, spread a plague of nightmares, which threatened Dischordia. It spread first from the Wolves of the North, when they sent infected couriers to warn the other domains. The plague infected peasants and nobles, alike, turning them into indescribable tentacled horrors. It threatened to devastate the populations of Dischordia.
The priests of the New Faith, present in many domains, did what they could to heal the plague. After many months of nightmares, they came to court prepared with a solution. They crafted Dream catchers, combining New Faith rituals and Appalachian gems. They were a tangible symbol of hope to combat the fear spread by the plague. Though effective, they were little better than band-aids. The two domains formed a partnership to mass-produce the Dream catchers. Together, they brought the plague under control, saving Dischordia from horrors of nightmare. However, empowered by raw belief, even the slightest doubt would cause them to fail.
Xibalba War
The New Faith went to great lengths to grow the alliance with Pascal and the Valley of the King. But their efforts would put them into peril. The neighboring kingdom of Aztlan sought to destroy Pascal for past transgressions. The New Faith was caught in the crossfire, and defeated Aztlan's army.
Read more: (Foundation) Xibalba War
Near the end of the first year, Pascal warned his allies of an invasion force mounting on Aztlan's border. As they prepared to march on the Valley of the King, they would first have to pass through the New Faith. The New Faith agreed to aid in defending Pascal from this attack. They were victorious against the Xibalban armies of the dead, but their losses were many. One of their nobles, James Einsbrook, did not survive. A fellow New Faith noble, Jibril, slew him while under possession of a Xibalban wraith. Their sacrifice solidified their alliance with Pascal, but he clung to his independence.
War of Aether
Surveyor’s Court closed with the first strikes from the Kingdom of Aether. Nul's attack delivered a great blow to Empyrean. He tore opening the scar in Vancouver, reopening the Abyssal portal in that domain. The other Abyssal portal, in Miami, swallowed entire cities of the Unification. Bistri, Pascal, Uzumati, Mercer, and Siegfried fought for the survival of their people. Vancouver, used to fighting against their enemy, proved vital to their success.
A Prideful Famine
After the Sept of the Black Sun broke away and joined the Wolves of the North, Empyrean fell into a famine. Without the Sept's wealth of natural food, Empyrean needed to turn to alternative methods to feed their people. Through New Faith’s rituals, they were able to produce enough food with magic to feed their domain.
Read more: (War of Aether) Prideful Famine (New Faith)
It proved difficult and costly, but Bistri refused to request aid from his enemies. Sept of the Black Sun and Appalachia each had food to spare, but Bistri's pride would not allow him to accept. He knew Appalachia, ever opportunistic, would take advantage of his domain in its time of need. With the Sept's recent betrayal, and the Wolves' spread of the nightmare plague, Bistri could not trust them.
Last of a Lineage
The New Faith suffered a severe blow with the loss of Alia, the Last Daughter of Eve. The New Faith formed around bringing her to Ascension. During the Founder's Era, Alia and Zachariah Baldric had fallen in love with one another. But the Faith demanded that she remain pure, prohibiting her from bearing children. With the changing of the age, destiny demanded that Eve's line end, and that Alia would be the last.
Read more: (Court of Empires) Last of a Lineage
Alia and Baldric defied destiny by conceived twins, and continuing Eve's lineage. Their challenge of divine providence enraged the Red Moon Lilith, who loathed Eve. Baldric knew his family could not survive the ire of a Celestine. He spent months trying to find a means to placate the goddess and avert the impending disaster.
Months passed without a satisfactory solution. Shortly after they were born, an Avatar of Lilith claimed them. Out of grief, Alia called for help from beyond, striking a deal with Nul to ensure the safety of her children. Baldric discovered that she had fled the protection of the New Faith and stood at Nul's side. In his loss and grief, Baldric descended into a temporary madness.
War of Maelstrom’s Rebuke
Empyrean nobles learned that Alyosha Buljiev, Prince of Carpathia, planned a dark ritual. Upon further investigation, they learned that this ritual threatened to end the world.
In response, they led a coordinated attack to thwart Buljiev's plans. On the eve of the Samhain holiday, Dischordia launched a three-pronged attack. Radu Bistri, seeing an opportunity to reclaim his homeland, led an army to take Odessa. Hierophant Zachariah Baldric led a team of occultists to counter the ritual's magic. A covert group infiltrated Buljiev's manor to assassinate him. They succeeded in preventing the ritual, and in claiming Odessa. But Buljiev escaped the attempt on his life.
Lazarus immediately declared war in response to Dischordia's unprovoked attack. His kingdom's response was swift and devastating... a nuclear strike against several Dischordian domains; Bermuda, the Sultanate, and Empyrean.
Read more: (War of Maelstroms Rebuke)
The Grim Legion's ghost fleet launched coordinated strikes against Dischordia's east coast. Unification, still reeling from the loss of their capitol, was overrun by legionnaires. Survivors of the destruction fled as refugees to the next city, with wraiths in pursuit. The New Faith's northeastern coastal cities fell to naval bombardment in a matter of days. The Legion made landfall and an infantry skirmish ensued. Further inland, the New Faith reinforced their defenses. The siege lasted for months, as more Legion reinforcements arrived. They struck at other domains. The Grim Legion marched on Appalachia, bringing several cities to their knees. None were able to prevent the Legion from marching through their northern mountains. They struck deep into Aranta-Shadur and to the Second City. The Legion marched on Dischordia with impunity. No domain could muster a strong defense to turn aside their assaults. The chances of Lazarus’ victory grew.
The Sublime Cataclysm
The tides of the war began to turn to their enemy’s favor. The Dischordian lords of prepared a spectacular attack to bring a swift end to the conflict. Sultan Suleiman, a master of spirit magic, led the largest ritual the kingdom had ever seen. New Faith ritualists, students of the Arcane Academy, and a million occultists gathered from all domains aided him. The sky itself bled with the power they summoned. Chunks torn from the spirit realms themselves bombarded Lazarus’ Empire. As each realm struck, it laid waste to thousands of miles of Lazarus' territory. Millions perished in an instant, as the realms destroyed immense swaths of land.
Read more: (Sublime Cataclysm; New Faith)
As Europe reeled from Dischordia's devastating attack, Aether seized their chance to cripple both. Cities which had fallen to darkness during the War of Aether bled shadows like an open wound. Abyssal armies swarmed from these tears in reality. Shadow-eaten vampires, spectres, and demons laid waste to surrounding territories. The Aether fought without regard for their own destruction, and inflicted considerable damage.
The Oracle of Flesh, Sasha Vykos, warned of the Aether's impending attack, but few heard it. Much of the New Faith was elsewhere, enacting the ritual. Those that remained assembled what defenses they could to protect the domain. Yet the Aether's attack brought much to ruin. Citizens were dragged into the darkness. Buildings crumbled to the Aether's corrosive touch. Many of the Faithful returned to find their city under siege, and fought to defend it. With their arrival, they drove back the Aether. Yet, as the fog of war lifted, the cost of the battle became clear. The city still stood, but the remains of the dead lay between the ruins of many buildings.
Treaty of Maelstrom's Rebuke
The war ended one year, to the day, after the events which marked its beginning. Delegates from Dischordia and Lazarus met to solidify a treaty and bring the war to a close. Every kingdom sent diplomats to witness the signing, but each had ulterior motives. Each hoped to see their kingdom's goals reflected in the final document. The Treaty detailed terms of ceasefire, such as returning prisoners and withdrawing troops. Yet it also contained several initiatives which advanced specific agendas.
Read more: (Treaty of Maelstrom's Rebuke)
To everyone's surprise, even the Kingdom of Aether sent representatives. Observing the intent of the gathering, they offered a chance at peace in their own conflict. Of course, they expected certain concessions in return. They demanded that the Court of Empires, formed to combat the Aether, abandon that mission. They further demanded that they be welcome at all gatherings of kingdoms. Though many questioned their obvious ploy, the Aether's diplomats were quite persuasive. Their delegates convinced many other kingdoms to support their agenda. Most agreed out of a desire to keep their enemies close, but the end result was the same. Aether would join the Court of Empires.
The Aether's offer of peace required a difficult choice for those assembled, and a high cost. The first option: accept the darkness into reality and restore the balance of creation and destruction. Or the second, deny them and accept reality's ultimate end. The steep cost of acceptance complicated this decision. Without a vessel to bind Ahriman, a powerful abyssal entity, it would consume the world. But, to bind it required the sacrifice of a child to contain the darkness.
Two children had been abducted from their parents for this purpose. The first, the Last Son of Gwydion, child of Imperial Queen Maeve. The second, the Last Daughter of Eve, child of Hierophant Zachariah Baldric. In the end, it was Queen Calamity of Archive who chose to sacrifice the Last Daughter of Eve. In doing so, she bound the darkness with a name, and ended the darkness' war on reality. The souls of all mankind would be safe from Oblivion. The sacrifice adjusted reality towards an age of enlightenment for mankind. If the path stays true, the next age promises to be an Age of Ascension.
