Catena Factorem

Depicted in statue and painting as a muscular figure, human-like (specularo) in appearance, resembling either the Amolians or Uraymeans in either of those empires. Always wearing a toga and carrying a heavy smith's hammer, bound in giant chains that gleam white. His bearded face always seem fierce and concentrated. Some Amolians present him as having two heads, a symbolic nod to the vinculgen people of their empire's ruling class.

When he appears to mortals, he usually reflects this form, or something close to it, but he is also known to appear as a crowned eagle, a spectacled cobra, a gudumuanna, an orcus, an eloko, or a goemagot. He always carries massive, heavy chains and has heavily calloused hands.

Religion

In both Furich Amol and Urayme, the two empires where Catena Factorem is the primary Divine, he is considered the supreme god because of his power to forge schwerstrum chains, which are the source of the empire's wealth and power. He taught his people how to forge these chains from this potent, brilliant white metal, and thus built their empires.

Followers of Catena Factorem believe that their ability to work schwerstrum makes them inherently superior, and thus, it gives them the right to use it. As the metal allows for controlling the wills of those bound in the chains, this means they operate a massive slave trade. Anyone subjected to the chains is inherently inferior. The superior people embody strength, wisdom, will power, justice, truth, and military prowess, according to them. Catena Factorem is a smith and a warrior, and those who are smiths or warriors are revered in the religion. All priests (never priestesses) of Catena Factorem know how to work schwerstrum and wield a mace.

Sacrifices to Catena Factorem usually involved the death of slaves or of livestock. If the priests say that he is angry with the empire, citizens may be sacrificed. Almost never are members of the ruling elites sacrificed, but if they are, it is usually politcally motivated. The priesthood is supposed to be separate from the imperial government and the slave trade, but this is rarely the case.

Followers of Catena Factorem believe that upon death, they will either be reincarnated as a lesser being (if they failed to live up to standards of their god) or a greater being (in rising levels of greatness: oerdoeg, zabaniyya, or orcus), or, if they have achieved their greatest potential, they will be taken into the great empire of their god in preparation for the war of conquest that will conquer all other Divines.

Symbols

The main symbol of Catena Factorem are chains. Priests wear massive white chains around their bodies. Lay-followers wear little chains around their wrists if they wish to honor their god, usually on special holidays and feasts, or if they are seeking a boon (such as warriors asking for strength in battle).

Furich Amol, the Great Empire

In Ansulym, Furich Amol makes up a major portion of the eastern half of the continent. Ruled by an inmortal Tyrant named Naman Rath, who is said to be Catena Factorem's vessel on Shem, it is a severely hierarchical empire that dominates many nations. The vinculgen are the primary members of the ruling class. Most nations are enslaved. Freedom is often promised, but never fulfilled.

Vinculgen

The vinculgen are a nation of bikiak, a people of twinned pairs who have deep, potent bonds. Unlike other bikia nations, vinculgen twins struggle for dominance, and often, one of them is killed by the other eventually.

Urayme, the Empire in the Sky

In Gyrah, Urayme is the feared, dominant empire that is ruled by the speculari. A major slave-trading hub and home to works of beauty that float on the clouds, it is a terrifying place. Ruled by the Vindex dynasty.

Specularo

A human nation known for their ability to walk on clouds and resist the cold. They control Urayme and a major slaving trade around the world.

Esoterica

Imperium is the primary energy wielded by followers of Catena Factorem. The main users of this are called Imperators, and they are known for wielding schwerstrum chains and weapons to enslave others.

Schwerstrum

This metal, erroneously called blackiron at times, is bright white. It is found in the Infernal Realm abundantly, but it is also found in some places on Shem, notably in Urayme and Furich Amol (hence the empires of slavers).

Gifts

Click here.

Court

Court of Chains

Moiety

Catena Factorem is a god.

Aspects

Oppression, Slavery, Dominance, Superiority

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