The Church of the Bells, is the organized bureaucracy of The Bell Ringer faith. They have 3 key subdivisions.
Order of the Resonant Chimes (Crown): The Order of the Resonant Chimes is commonly referred to as the Crown. They are recognized as the primary order within the faith and are responsible for the creation and maintenance of sacred bells. The title "Crown" symbolizes their elevated status and their connection to the divine through the ringing of the bells.
Order of Harmonious Voices (Monks of the Mouth): The Order of Harmonious Voices is also known as the Monks of the Mouth. These devoted individuals use their vocal talents to praise the Bellringer through melodic hymns and enchanting songs. The name "Monks of the Mouth" emphasizes the importance of their oral expressions and the spiritual significance of their voices in worship.
Order of Sacred Guardians (Clappers): The Order of Sacred Guardians is commonly referred to as the Clappers. These dedicated individuals serve as both physical and spiritual protectors of the faith. The name "Clappers" signifies their role in safeguarding the sacred sites and relics associated with the Bellringer, emphasizing their duty to preserve the sanctity of the faith.
The Bell Ringer and his faith growth and near monopoly over the "Bell Lands", started centuries ago. The Bell Ringer god has expanded beyond it's first incarnation, it started with being a god of summoning others, though the ringing of a bell. Over the years he has evolved to be the god of fate, the god of destiny, mandates well beyond where they started but with the million of followers his power has grown to be what it is today.
(The 7 Stars of the Bell are the constellation the bell ringer speaks through REFERENCE Session 14 (9-12-22) )
Some or all of these are done by those who are the most pious followers of the Bell Ringer
Most of the organized followers are from Church of the Bells but there are a few heresies even in the bell ringer faith.
Peals Heresy, often referred to as "Pellists," stands as one of the most significant and intriguing heresies in the religious tapestry of its time. Central to their belief system is the notion that the original essence of the Bell Ringer was a deity associated with death. The Pellists maintain a perspective that not everyone possesses the capacity to comprehend the profound symbolism of the Bell Ringer. Consequently, they limit their evangelistic efforts to those who have demonstrated the wisdom necessary to grasp the deeper meaning.
The roots of the Pellist faith trace back to Nathan Sedi, the grandson of Ethan Sedi, destined to ascend to the imperial throne. However, Nathan's true passion lay elsewhere, captivated by the well that had transformed his grandfather. Even in his youth, he exhibited an obsession with the well, lowering animals into its depths by a rope and observing the changes that ensued. Despite reprimands, Nathan persistently returned to the well. His defining moment occurred at the age of 12, as he leaped into the well while being pursued by guards. Days passed with no sign of him, and on the ninth day, he emerged unharmed. His mother, consumed by worry, had perished on the seventh day.
Following this enigmatic event, Nathan entered a state of fugue, unresponsive to external stimuli. Transported to his mother's funeral, the tolling of the bells triggered a profound reaction. Nathan, awakened to a new perception, discerned facets of the bell that no living soul had seen. He began articulating metaphysical concepts and visions of the future, emphasizing not a predetermined fate but the malleability of human agency. His teachings found their way into the "Sound Inbetween," a book that referenced nonexistent volumes, legends from uncharted lands, and histories yet to unfold. The complexity of this text rendered it accessible only to the most erudite minds, fostering a religious movement confined to the educated clergy and the well-read elite.
The "Sound Inbetween" became a repository of esoteric knowledge, blending archaic forms of bellringer language with words borrowed from obscure tongues unknown to Nathan. Its intricate nature ensured that only those with a profound understanding of its intricacies could grasp its fundamentals, let alone extract new insights. Consequently, the Pellist faith found a niche among the educated elite and the scholarly clergy, thriving as a clandestine movement with esoteric wisdom at its core.
Among the clergy dedicated to the Bell, a prevailing sentiment emerged, denouncing the Pelist belief as a distortion of the true resonance of the bell. Many believed that the Pelists had succumbed to manipulation by entities residing beneath the well, cunningly weaving half-truths into their doctrines to cloak their deception in an aura of holiness. Propaganda in the form of graffiti adorned the capital and surrounding regions, asserting that Nathan Sedi was nothing more than a puppet manipulated by the enigmatic Worm Gods. While the educated elite comprehended the Pelists as a mere interpretation of the bell's essence, conveying the nuanced details of this theological debate to the laymen extremists proved to be a challenging endeavor.
The ecclesiastical conflicts and arguments persisted without escalating further until the emergence of a new generation. The ascent of Grand Hierophant Watson marked a period of renewed vigor to purify the church from what he deemed "noble" influences. Returning the church to its traditional bell-centric practices, Watson encountered an unyielding element – the Pelists, who looked to Montrose Sedi, the current heir of the Sedi lineage, as their religious leader outside the Bellringer Churches hierarchy. Unable to reconcile with this allegiance, Watson convened a quorum and enacted the Watson Edict, declaring that any Pellist or bellringer aiding the Pelists would face capital punishment by hanging.
Years passed in an eerie silence until, nine years later, the Bellringers retaliated. Leading a cadre of Crusaders, they apprehended Montrose Sedi and brought him to trial for heresy. While the verdict had been predetermined, the proceedings took a tumultuous turn when Pellist sympathizers stormed the court, releasing Montrose. This daring act plunged the nation into open civil war, with nobles who aligned with Pelist beliefs mustering forces against those who opposed them. Despite being outnumbered from the outset, the Pelists fought valiantly, and after 61 years of conflict, the war culminated in the destruction of the final Pelist army in Birkenhead, Covenguard. The echoes of this protracted conflict resonated throughout the land, leaving a lasting imprint on the Bellringer Church and the nation it once sought to unify.
Following the demise of the Pelist armies, a significant portion of Pelist adherents retreated into the shadows, conducting clandestine meetings and concealing their faith. While enclaves of Pelist thought flourished in the hidden corners of society, believers exercised caution, refraining from public declarations of their convictions. Statistics reveal that a mere 3% of the Bell Lands populace openly identifies as Pelist, but within the noble and merchant classes, this figure surges to approximately 20%. The Pelist influence, however, extends beyond mere numbers, infiltrating even the ranks of the conventional clergy as they seek sympathetic minds to usher into their clandestine mysteries.
As the Pelist infiltration grew more pronounced, authorities responded with the creation of an Inquisition, tasked with ferreting out these hidden believers. Initially shrouded in secrecy to avoid lending credence to the Pelist cause, the Inquisition operated discreetly, targeting those suspected of sympathizing with Pelist ideologies within the clergy and other influential circles. However, as Pelist adherents grew bolder in their expressions of faith, the Inquisition's actions gradually shifted into the public eye.
In recent times, the once-covert attacks orchestrated by the Inquisition have become more overt, mirroring the increasing audacity of Pelist believers. The struggle between the mainstream Bellringer orthodoxy and the elusive Pelist sect has intensified, casting a shadow over the religious landscape of the Bell Lands and exposing the conflict to the public eye.
Some or all of these are done by those who are the most pious followers of the Peal.