Old Faith

Sobriquet – Pagans

The Dark Medieval age may be a time of Christian ascendancy, but the old habits die hard. Even in the 13th century, there are nations in Europe that have not yet succumbed to the power of the Church, such as Lithuania and its Baltic neighbors. Despite the determined efforts of priests and kings, paganism remains a vital part of human society, providing what Christianity cannot: comfort, tangible benefits and a connection to the past.

Where there is paganism, there is the Old Faith, a loose collection of mages wheeling to their ancestral magical traditions in the face of growing Christian might. Part freedom fighters and part stewards tit the past, mages of the Old Faith fight a losing battle against those who can see nothing of value in the beliefs and rites that have sustained rural folk for thousands of years. For them, the end of the world is now.

The Old Faith's constituent groups all share legends of how a god or gods granted them their unique vision and gifted them with the ability to shape the world according to their wishes. Although the details differ from group to group, a common thread among them is that the gift of magical ability is conditional on its practitioner using it to bring humanity closer to the rhythms and pulse of life itself, the highest achievement of the divine. This belief forms the basis on which later groups — and the Old Faith itself — were formed.