The Gallow Church

The Gallow Church is the main religion in Humania, and is not worshipped outside of this kingdom. One of the only monotheistic religions in the known world, the Gallow Church worship the Hanged Man; the patron saint of revenge and the mundane. The Knottengard cathedral in Wyndhowl serves as the headquarters for the clergymen of the church, as well as being the religion's main temple and one of Wyndhowl's only buildings to survive the fall of the empire of Humania.

Origins
The Gallow Church was created as a standalone religion early on in the Age of Arcana. Barely a decade after it was founded, it had been adopted as the main religion of the kingdom, with mundane humans being drawn to its ideals of the persecution of magic users. The church has always had strong ties to the throne, as King Cedrick I was instrumental in its foundation. He, and much of his court of advisors, felt that the gods of old had abandoned them, and sought a deity who was more fitting with their current circumstance.

The Hanged Man
The Hanged Man is the lawful evil martyrish deity of execution, revenge and the mundane. He is believed to have once been a general in a mundane army who, after his defeat at the hands of an army of mages, was executed by hanging, without fair trial. He has since become a symbol of the mundane, and is thus very popular within Humania.

Depiction and Influence
The Hanged Man existed for centuries in the old human pantheon, but in the Age of Arcana he became almost the sole deity to be worshipped in Humania. He is depicted as a tall human man with black hair, dressed in chainmail and brown leather. Around his neck is a noose of heavy, brown rope and both of his hands are empty. His symbol is a brown noose on a black field.

The symbol of the Hanged Man is also used as the symbol of Wyndhowl, and thus the noose adorns the surcoat of the Wyndhowl militia and the banners that hang from its walls. Gallows themselves are seen as religious iconography, and are thus commonplace in most settlements in the kingdom. Similarly, many households will hang a noose on their front door, as a symbol of remembrance to those who are prosecuted for being mundane.

Worship
The Gallow Church will hang anyone believed to possess magical capabilities. This is believed to be a form of worship; followers of the church believe that this is penance paid by magic folk for the genocide of mundane folk centuries ago. Though hanging is the preferred method, any form of execution is seen as valid by the church. Engaging in any magical activity is seen as heresy by the church, and those deemed heretics are almost always hung with little or no trial.

Besides these more barbaric practices, the commonfolk will often worship the Hanged Man with simple prayer and meditation, quite often with a noose tied loosely round their necks. Additionally, placing lit candles by gallows is a common way of paying respect to deceased loved ones for followers of the Gallow Church.

Theology
While the religion today appears quite bitter and hateful, it was once a source of hope for the people of a falling empire.

Sacred Days and Festivals
Though the religion itself might appear gloomy and pessimistic, it still has festivals which its followers celebrate with joy and enthusiasm like any other religion.

Every year on the 11th of Slowstar, many followers of the church engage in a feast of hang-dried meats as well as a night of revelry and drinking. This festival is known as the Feast of Gratitude, and it symbolises an overall thankfulness for the gift of life, and a celebration of making it through another year. The date is also the anniversary of the first day after the wars with Westerlent ended, marking an end to the terrible bloodshed suffered by both sides.

The 1st of Seedsow is also an important day of prayer, as members of the church pray that the crops they plant for the year will take hold and produce a bountiful harvest. While not strictly linked to the Hanged Man or any of his domains, this sacred day was devised by the clergy in collaboration with the king as yet another way of giving the commonfolk some semblance of hope.

Holy Scripture
The holy book of the Gallow Church is known as the Rememberer's Tome, and is as much religious scripture as it is historical record. The book recounts the history of the human empire, spanning back well into the Age of Dawn. Whilst some of the scripture is taken from other holy books from the old human faith, much of the Rememberer's Tome was written after the foundation of the Gallow Church. Though there are many teachings in the book, there two overarching themes present throughout. The first is that mistakes must be learnt from, so that they are not repeated. The second is that history, especially misdeeds against humans, must be remembered.

The book is split into four sections, referred to as Pages. The first section, the Pages of Old, recounts creation mythology and ancient history, with particular focus on the foundation of human civilisation. The second section, the Pages of Glory, recounts the human empire's golden ages of prosperity during the Age of Stillness and tell stories of great conquests. The third section, the Pages of Weeping, tells the story of the fall of Humania and the bloodshed and hardship that followed. The final section is known as the Pages of Teaching, and are periodically added to as important events are recorded when they happen.

Religious Hierarchy
At the head of the Gallow Church is the Bishop, an important religious and political figure who is second only to the king. The Bishop is has the sacred duty of writing new text for the Pages of Teaching, as well as pouring over historical and theological texts for other insights hidden away in the annals of history. On occasion, the Bishop will also lead sermons and worship in the Knottengard cathedral. The Bishop wears a distinctive robe woven from black cotton, the hem of which is adorned with many small nooses. Under the Bishop are the Gallow Priests, important figures who are the heads of their local churches, and will lead their clergy and followers in worship. Priests will also be present at most hangings, and fittingly part of their outfit is a ceremonial noose worn loosely around the neck. Finally, below the priests are the Deacons. These are minor roles within the church who simply support the priests in their leading of worship, and also maintain the churches and church grounds.

The Inquisition are a branch of the church that do not lead in traditional worship, but rather they are charged with rooting out magic and other heresies and bringing them to justice. Working closely with local militias, the Inquisition are responsible for most of the hangings that occur in Humania.