The 8th Church

The 8th Church is a sect and knightly order that worships Iomedae and particularly venerates her 8th act of ascension. The church is highly controversial in some areas and is outright accused of heresy in Velanya. This is despite The 8th Church prime involvement in the first pacification of The Temple of Elemental Evil.

The church takes the evidence that Iomedae saved the soul of a graveknight as proof that it is both possible and right and desirable to make efforts to save the souls of individuals into the years of undeath. The knights of the 8th Church will keep undead charges with them in an effort to redeem their souls. They will try to get them to die in battle for a worthy cause. Typically in the order 2-4 knights will be led by a sargeant and they will keep one undead charge. Though they do not rule out the possibility of redeeming all souls trapped in undead, they mostly go after those that have more power to them. Resources are somewhat limited to the 8th Church. This is a direct result of them being declared heretics right in the heartland of Iomedae worship, Velanya. Though the knights have shrines throughout known Ddera, they are much fewer and further between than their once power base in Velanya.

"Martyrdom redeems the soul."