How Damar was Founded

Founded nearly two thousand years ago, when the followers of the holy man were persecuted and fled high into the mountains. According to legend Daedelus was led to a beautiful land by an angel of Heaven where his faithful would forever be protected.. It was a lush, fertile area, surrounded by mountains, the only way in hidden deep in the rocky clefts.

Daedelus returned and told everyone of this blessed land, and under the cover of night, the zealots took their families, their skills and all their worldly goods and followed Daedelus to the blessed land.


The Citadel Built

A citadel was built over the entrance to protect it and to monitor who entered and exited Damar. That citadel became the Seat of the Antimage and the center of Damar. Soon, the zealots and their families were put to work fortifying this citadel until it was nearly impenetrable.


Tribute

Daedelus began to require tribute of one-tenth of what each family owned, going back to the old ways. Anyone who complained was declared an enemy of Heaven and imprisoned, his family divided among the others and his wealth given to Heaven . . . which meant Daedelus.


The Formation of the Clerics

Daedelus claimed they were blessed with this land blessed because of their holy war on the sorcerers and from the moment they settled the land, he chose the strongest, most devout of the people to be trained as clerics. Holy soldiers for the glory of Heaven. Only the most faithful could become clerics and they served without question..


The Antimage Becomes the Law

In time, some wished to leave Damar. Daedelus, who was getting old in years claimed they were becoming ungrateful and wrong-headed and forbid anyone to leave. Several hundred gathered to force their way out, and Daedelus for the first time unleashed the power of the ring by twisting it on his finger, severely injuring almost everyone in the crowd. They were greatly frightened and believed Heaven had smote them for their disobedience. Daedelus then declared the only law in Damar was that of the Antimage and essentially turned it into a police state.

Only the clerics entered and left Damar at will, hunting sorcerers and bringing the few they managed to capture back alive.


The Discovery of the Power

Damar was not only the holy city, but the city of torture. Daedelus wanted to know the secret of the sorcerers’ power and many terrible experiments were conducted on them while they still lived. It was discovered that the blood of a sorcerer if imbibed temporarily gave the drinker magical power.

Daedelus kept this secret, but gave the order that no sorcerer’s blood was to be spilled if possible. They were always to be captured alive and uncut. He told his people this was proof of his mercy even for the most corrupt. That they were to be brought to the citadel alive and be absolved of their evil, then sent to Heaven peacefully.


The Cleric’s Wafer

It was then he developed the idea of the Cleric’s wafer. The ordinary people ingested a pure white wafer at their services, but the wafer of the clerics . . . was pink. The food of the Faithful and the direct blessing of Heaven. Of course, the wafers were pink because they were blended with the blood of slain sorcerers.

Once the wafers were eaten, the clerics could use wands for a short time. Daedelus claimed their faith turned the evil power of the Sorcerers back on them. But the Antimage was shrewd enough not to call wands by their names. They are called “the Branch of Heaven” The wands were taken from the dead sorcerers, blessed and distributed to the clerics. However, the temporary power was quickly used up by spell casting, so the clerics had to travel with a supply of wafers with them.

Daedelus did not want the clerics to find out that the wafers worked alone, and so made sure a blessing was given before they ate them. So the supply of wafers was given to a young cleric to protect and distribute. He stayed away from the fighting. His job was to bless the returning clerics and give them wafers as needed to keep them powerful as well as reinforce their belief that they were truly blessed by Heaven..

The wafers used to be carried in a golden purse, but the sorcerers soon learned to target whoever carried that purse, so a plain purse of soft leather was used, tied to the cleric’s side.


The Succession of Antimages

On his deathbed, Daedelus chose a successor, and gave him a journal that he could never share with anyone. It is the Book of Dark Truths, and tells of the use of sorcerer’s blood for the glory of Heaven. It instructs successors to never cease in their glorious battle, or let the people forget the crime of Cletus. Their destruction was the Antimage’s sole purpose for existence, although the real purpose of slaughtering sorcerers is for continued access to magical power.


Invasion

The sorcerers discovered Damar quite by accident. A puddle led them to the protected land, and then did the true war begin. They had access to their enemy. But inversely, the enemy knew where the sorcerers’ hid as well. Now after it rained, the clerics would do their best to cross the puddles at sunrise and sunset, using their wands and the wafers and chanting prayers. They believed that the chanting released the power of the branch of Heaven.

Sometimes they got through.


Terraforming

The Antimage had all of Damar terraformed, the land sculpted so rainwater would run and gather in special areas which were guarded by the clerics. This helped quite a bit, but puddles could still form any place, so it was still possible for sorcerers to enter Damar secretly and with one purpose in mind.

Kill the Antimage.

 

The Antimage’s Worship Service

Attendance to worship service is mandatory. Only severe illness or death is supposed to keep a person away.

During the Antimage’s service, there is a constant, low drone of prayers in the background by his clerics. They are protective prayers that are chanted from beginning to end to keep any magical attack at bay while the Antimage is present and vulnerable.


Greeters.

The clerics meet the citizens at the door under the pretense of greeting. Yet several are chanting prayers that will reveal if a sorcerer is among the people. They notate who is in attendance, hand out anti-sorcerer literature and participation aids.


Use of Water.

Followers dip their left forefinger in water and draw it under the left, then right eye, to remind them of the tears the zealous followers cried when Cletus refused to resurrect the holy one. They renew their promise to thwart the sorcerers at every turn.


Genuflection.

Before entering the pews, people bow toward the Antimage’s altar, to honor his presence.


Antimage Greeting:

The Antimage makes the sign of slipping a ring on his finger.

”The Fire be with You.”

“And also with you.”


Penitential Rite by the Antimage

I confess to Almighty Heaven,
and to you, my children,
that you have yet to fulfill its glorious work!

(we lightly strike our breast)

in your thoughts and in your words,
in what you haven’t done,
and in what you have failed to do;

and I ask Heaven, who is over,
all angels, saints,
and you, my children,
to forgive you for your laxness
for your weakness
and for your ineptitude.

May Heaven have mercy on you,
and not remember your sins,
nor throw you to the everlasting fire.


Opening Prayer.

The Antimage asks the parishioners to join their minds in repentant prayer and pleadings to the Father for forgiveness and renewing their vow to remove all corruption from the face of the earth. After a few moments of silence he collects their intentions into one prayer to which they all respond “Forgive us for our weakness.”


Liturgy:

Stories about overcoming sorcerers are told as well as the punishment that awaits those less than faithful. Particularly those who attempt to hide their children out of fear they are sorcerers. And worse, those who actually manage to place their children by unauthorized puddles in hopes that they will be taken. Puddles can easily be formed by scraping depressions into the ground. The punishment for this can be severe, resulting not only in the death of the child (which has the purest magical blood) but the imprisonment and/or death of the parents who then are sent to Hell for eternity.


Standing for the Word.

The congregation stands as the Antimage introduces the Word reading while marking two small lines under his left and right eye, symbolic of the tears cried at the treachery of Cletus. In many places, the congregation performs this ritual action along with him. These reading mostly consist of the horrors to come. Then they sit for the homily.


Homily.

The Antimage gives a sermon about how the people are to live and what they are to believe.


Creed.

The homily is followed by a few moments of silence during which Heaven is thanked for the word heard and to apply the Antimage’s message to their daily living. Then the congregation stands and together to recite the creed.

We believe in one Heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Intercessor, the Antimage, the only voice of Heaven, eternally blessed of Heaven, one in being with Heaven.

Through him all corruption is cleansed. For us men and our salvation he was given his holy decree.

He avenges he who came down from heaven, he who suffered, died, and was buried. He who was denied by the wretched Cletus, servant of Darkness.

We believe in the Antimage, the Blessed, the Protector of life, who proceeds from Heaven. He is glorified among men. He has spoken with the voice of the Prophets. We believe in one holy purpose. We acknowledge one truth, one faith and one direction. We look for the destruction of the unworthy, the corrupted, and life in the world to come.


Preparation of the Gifts

The people then give gifts of food, clothing, money and other gifts, walking up in single file and placing them on a large table then returning to their seats.

The Antimage mixes a bit of sorcerer's blood and wine, then washes his hands and invites the congregation to pray that the gifts are acceptable.


Invitation to Communion

The Antimage holds up a white wafer and invites the congregation to communion.

One by one they approach and are given the wafer, but not the wine. The Antimage drinks that and receives an infusion of power before the masses after the last wafer has been fed.


Blessing and Dismissal.

The congregation bows their heads to receive a blessing. As the Antimage gives the blessing, the sign of tears are made under each eye.

Finished with the blessing, the Antimage says, “Go in peace . . .”

And the people reply, “Thank you Antimage, for being our Intercessor.”