Introduction pamphlet to the Church of the Eight Saints
Welcome, new seeker! We are always happy to have anyone come to realize the glory and wisdom of the Eight Immortals. While of course everyone in the world acknowledges the power and skill of the Heroes, only those who truly understand them as Saints flock to our doors. If you are reading this pamphlet, then hopefully you are one of those devoted few.
So much of the Heroes is buried under rumor and hearsay. Therefore, I like to get started with a quick primer to make sure that everyone is on the same page!
Long ago, the Jungle was choking the entire world. All of humanity was reduced to a single encampment, around the mighty Tower. The greatest heroes of the age challenged the Tower one last time. Through hard work and impossible sacrifice, they succeeded, only the eight greatest surviving.
These survivors were given a reward for their strength and victory: A single wish that they must all agree on. They could have wished for anything. They could have ascended from our broken world, living in the heavens. They could have wished for an endless army of servants who would obey their every whim. Instead, they wished for the ability to serve the world forever, so that their people may be safe. It is that act of sacrifice which proved them to be saints worthy of our respect and adoration.
This is the part of our doctrine that many people misunderstand. The Eight Immortals are not divine. They are not gods or demigods. They are saints, blessings given to us by a higher power. They are here to serve the world, not the other way around. This is not a matter of doctrinal debate. Every one of the Eight is very firm on this point when asked. They have plenty of disagreements, but this is not one of them.
Many people think of the Saints as gods. They act as though they created the world themselves. I am sure you have all heard such things. Wondering why the Saints set up the System the way they did, or why they created the Jungle. The answer, of course, is that they did nothing of the sort. The Saints are simply people, fighting just like the rest of us. We must never forget that.
As everyone knows, there are Eight Saints, who gave us the eight bloodstones we still have today. They are the mothers and fathers of our current world, the ones who carried us out of the cradles and trusted us to make the world a better place. Upon joining the church, many new seekers choose a single Saint as their patron. A single ideal to strive for, rather than trying to balance all eight at once. We have found that this method produces a more focused, clear path.
Obadiah the Rogue, the First Immortal, Saint of Trust. It was the Rogue who helped found this Church, not as a method of control but as a method of service. Here is where people can find tasks to donate their time, charity to improve the lives of others as well as their own. His greatest virtue is trust in others, trust in their skill and morality.
Tahpenes the Archer, the Second Immortal, Saint of Foresight. It was the Archer who planned the first streets of the City, who foresaw the need for a vast metropolis at the heart of the world. She is the one who taught us how to look forward and plan in decades, not years. Her greatest virtue is looking ahead, to shoot where the target will be.
Tyrus the Mage, the Third Immortal, Saint of Knowledge. Where the Rogue and the Healer planned to tend to the souls and bodies of the people, the Mage built schools and libraries. He wishes for nothing more than for us to learn and improve our minds. His greatest virtue is the seeking of new knowledge.
Felicia the Knight, the Fourth Immortal, Saint of Resolve. While we no longer have Crafter classes, the Knight encouraged us to re-learn how to build without the help of the system. Through her teachings, not only did we develop armor and weapons again, but also the great starscrapers and walls of our City. Her greatest virtue is self-reliance.
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Felix the Shielder, the Fifth Immortal, Saint of Determination. In this new world, humanity is surrounded on all sides by monsters. The Shielder teaches us to defend ourselves, to hold a shield between us and the threats. He pioneered the Burn Line, a shield to constantly push out against the dangers of the Jungle. His greatest virtue is survival.
Sapphira the Shrouder, the Sixth Immortal, Saint of Empathy. History tells us that it was the Shrouder who helped most of all in raising the first generation of the new humanity. She teaches the value of community, and of working together without exclusion. Her greatest virtue is compassion.
Solomon the Tamer, the Seventh Immortal, Saint of Nature. None of us have ever known a world before the Jungle, a world where there was no danger of the very plants attacking. The Tamer teaches the value of the natural world that was lost, and insists on the inclusion of parks and forests inside the walls of the City. His greatest virtue is respect for nature and that which humankind has not touched.
Elizabeth the Healer, the Eighth Immortal, Saint of Life. It should be no surprise that the Healer is the patron of more hospitals than anyone can count. She was also the Saint who originally found and used the Mechanist's Cradles, from which all of the new humanity sprung. She is the ideal doctor, surgeon, nurse, and Mender. Not only does she sponsor houses of healing, but whenever the Eight Immortals return from their wanderings, she attends lectures on the latest medical techniques. There is nothing that she values more than life itself, in all its beautiful forms.
Together, the Eight Heroes are the defenders of humanity. They fly across the world, burning out monsters and searching for treasures that might help us in the endless fight. They deserve our gratitude and our love for the sacrifices they make for us every day.
Of course, we cannot literally spend all our time in praise of the Eight Saints. We all have our work to do, and if we abandon that in favor of empty worship, we are disrespecting everything they have sacrificed for us. In the Church, most of our time is spent in service to the people.
The exceptions are the Hero Days, when we celebrate the birth of each Saint in turn. Unlike most in the City, the Church prefers to spend these days in contemplation and veneration, studying the lives and the Saints and becoming closer to them. Some of us are actually mad that non-seekers use the holidays as an excuse to party, which I don't think is fair! Not everyone can be a seeker, and the Heroes have never been unclear on this point. They are quite happy for the people to celebrate their birthdays with large parties. After all, wouldn't you feel the same?
Speaking of the Hero Days, this helps make it easier to remember the order of the Saints. Their numbers were determined simply by their birth order in the year. Saint Obadiah was born first (February 17th, Heart Day), Saint Tahpenes was born second (March 8th, Clover Day), Saint Tyrus third (April 26th, Fool Day), Saint Felicia fourth (May 17th, Remembrance Day), Saint Felix fifth (August 15th, Freedom Day), Saint Sapphira sixth (September 6th, Mother's Day), Saint Solomon seventh (October 24th, Spirits Day), and Saint Elizabeth eighth (November 15th, Thanksgiving Day).
To repeat something my own mentor said, you may not remember the exact day Saint Tahpenes was born, but you will certainly remember the day you're allowed to drink endlessly at the bar! As noted, we at the Church prefer to spend these days in quiet contemplation, but it is most important that they are simply celebrated. To that end, it is not uncommon to volunteer at various charity centers across the City on these days.
If you are interested in volunteering more, you can always find a Trust Chapel which will be happy to direct you. Of course, if you have already chosen a patron to emulate, then simply finding one of your own chapels will be your best first step.
More than anything, I hope that you find what you are seeking! Whether it be knowledge, community, or a sense of purpose, the Church of the Eight Saints is more than happy to provide! Sermons are once a week, usually on Sunday but not always. Please check with your local church for more details.
Good luck, and may the Saints walk with you on your travels.