brirere

Burial wells

Due to the daily liturgies conducted within the temple precincts, the spaces are suffused with an overwhelming Radiance that repels corruption and wards off aberrant creatures. Similarly, the ancient vaults of relics, once the initial temples and the earliest necropolises, exuded a brilliant Radiance.

Wishing to preserve their kin's bodies from witches' desecration, the devotees of Radiance sought to secure them within the protective embrace of their sanctuaries. Initially, unused reliquaries served this purpose, and as the Church commenced the construction of temples, burial wells became integral features of their foundations.

Once reserved for revered Ladies, Lords, and clergy who continued to emanate the Radiance even in death, these burial wells eventually welcomed all faithful followers to rest amidst its rays.

Niches in the walls of the burial wells are still used as receptacles for venerable ashes. At the same time, common bodies are mummified or given to ants in the churchyard, allowing their bones to be interred within ossuaries nestled in the depths of the burial wells. But the Radiance in the burial wells is not eternal - what emanates from the dead is not enough at all. Even the daily ceremonies in the temple are not enough to keep the bones safe. Each burial well needs a keeper.

The custodians of the burial wells bear the responsibility of periodically bathing the bones in the Radiance of relics, preventing possible desecration. Moreover, their primary duty involves vigilantly tending to the oil lamps positioned in the vents along the well walls, which serve to disperse cadaverous gases and ward off pernicious miasmas. Usually, they work in pairs - the young neophyte does all the dirty job of cleaning and refilling the lamps while the old tomb keeper conducts the consecration rituals and is allowed to bring the relic from the altar for granting the touch of Radiance grace to the dead.

Patchwork Sorcerers

Perennial adversaries of witches, patchwork sorcerers could conceivably take the place of the Church of Radiance as protectors of humanity were it not for the pernicious contagiousness of the power they wield.

Despite their haughty demeanour, patchwork sorcerers are not the masters of their power, but merely its vessels. Each of them believes in the strength of their will that prevents them from becoming puppets possessed by the patchwork spirits, yet none have managed to elude this fate.

Patchwork sorcery is passed on to the beholder, and the endurance of one's sanity under this curse remains an enigma. No one knows how long an individual's mind can withstand the onslaught before becoming an empty husk from which the patchwork spirits emerge.  Thus, anyone can try to tread the path of a patchwork sorcerer, but only one in a hundred will find the strength not to surrender to the patchwork blight instantly. For those who withstand the first onslaught, the further struggle will persist throughout a lifetime. Few, however, can withstand it for long - most often, the bearers of the patchwork blight descend into madness and give up in the first month.

Nevertheless, the surviving patchwork sorcerers become capable of twisting reality at will, honing their craft in the form of Sigils - the foundational element of patchwork sorcery. They summon torrents of flame and bind patchwork spirits, strike their enemies with levitating objects and tear them from within, turning their blood into ice spikes.

The Church of the Radiance forbids the study of patchwork sorcery due to its extreme peril. After all, most who have attempted to delve into the essence of the patchwork sorcery symbols eventually fall prey to its malevolence. That said, no symbol is uniquely dangerous - some individuals can peruse blasphemous tomes from cover to cover and not feel a thing. In contrast, others become haunted by patchwork spirits with but a glimpse of the patchwork symbols.

Even the Ladies and Lords of Radiance can be susceptible to the insidious grasp of the patchwork spell, so their helmets always have a blind visor, prepared for encounters with the patchwork spirits or their source. Only witches and their ilk can somehow ignore the horrendous effects of the patchwork sorcery - perhaps because they are already the receptacles of other evil?

Temples of Radiance

In ages past, the formidable power contained within the relics of Radiance was safeguarded within hidden sanctums, lest they fall into the clutches of witches and their ilk. Each relic was a precious treasure acquired through arduous expeditions beneath the icy veil of the North.

Yet, the march of time has seen the waning might of witches and sorcerers, leaving the Church unassailable. Sprawling human cities now arise around the Radiance temples, wherein the relics find their esteemed abode. They repose within the hollowed sockets of the altar's Visage that briefly open during congregations to suffuse the faithful with resplendent light.

These temples and cathedrals have evolved into not only spiritual epicentres but also fortresses of the Church. Deep within their recessed dungeons, Shrine Bearers concoct elixirs of communion and lay the deceased to rest. Magnificent libraries stand as bastions of knowledge while neophytes receive tutelage and ecclesiastical trials unfold.

The temple complexes also accommodate the local clergy and their esteemed guests. While not all clergy members choose austere retreats, opting instead to lease houses or chambers, the most selfless or destitute among them are assured a refuge, shielded from the perils of homelessness and hunger.

Chapter V - Sanctuary

We prepared the fifth chapter of the Lady of Radiance for you, folks! It was a hard month here in Kyiv, and the coloured cover art for this chapter had to be postponed.   It will be present in the final version though, and we hope you'll like the new chapter!

Weapons of the Ladies and Lords of Radiance

In olden times, the noble Ladies and Lords of Radiance wielded the potent Radiance sources directly, brandishing sacred relics amidst their adversaries. However, as the witch wars subsided, the peril of employing such a formidable weapon within the burgeoning human cities became evident, for it risked transforming them into cursed places as well. Thus, the Church's skilled blacksmiths embarked on a quest to temper the might of these relics, preserving their potency for battles against otherworldly forces. The solution took the form of unique weapons that enshrouded the Radiance relics within their very essence.

The initial iterations of these weapons manifested as hammers, maces, chains, and torch lances — anything capable of distancing the Radiance from its wielder or absorbing its ethereal energies. From that point forward, extracting the relics from such weapons became an arduous endeavour, requiring the manipulation of intricate locks forged within the depths of the blacksmith's workshop.

As the Church's metallurgical mastery advanced, a new array of sacred weapons emerged. These instruments continued to incorporate relics at their core, yet they were shaped and crafted to allow for their unveiling. Thus, the weapon's bearer could unsheathe the relic and engage in combat with its pure power, albeit for a limited duration, before succumbing to the engulfing Radiance themselves.

This weapon stood as a formidable adversary against the most perilous foes, an instrumental key to securing a victory that demanded immediate utilization. Even the mighty Lords and Ladies struggled to withstand the force residing within these relics, but it proved nigh unbearable to their adversaries.

In our present era, few have witnessed the true might of such a weapon in action, and fewer still have survived to recount their harrowing experiences.

Cursed places

It has long been a well-known and non-negotiable teaching of the Church of Radiance that the dwellings of patchwork sorcerers or witches and the fields of great battles with them are cursed and forbidden. What is there to talk about when anyone who dared to break the taboo and go there would soon become seriously ill and die, not even by themselves, but with all their loved ones? Who would dispute this statement, knowing how many grave robbers and antiquities enthusiasts have fallen victim to the trinkets brought from such places?

But cursed sites keep cropping up.

These tend to be areas where the Lords and Ladies of Radiance have defeated the most dangerous spirits or malignant patchwork sorcerers. The Church hastily bans such places - they cannot be visited, much less lived in, and no one, on the threat of cruel punishments, dares take any item from them.

It would seem that, because of the lamentation of the Moon Child, such places should be sources of moon creatures, yet this is not the case. The curse doesn't work just on people - otherwise, why don't abandoned things come back to life?

The Church of Radiance supposedly knows rituals for cleansing cursed places, but they have only been used a handful of times in history regarding particularly significant places. In most cases, it is far too time-consuming and costly to attempt a cleansing, and it is more practical to construct a new building nearby and bury the cursed one, perhaps even literally.

Glyosks

Throughout centuries of battling witches, the Church of Radiance has faced numerous enemies spawned by the malevolent charms of their notorious foes. Among these creatures, the glyosks, trusted minions of witches, stand out as a formidable adversary.

The origin of the glyosks remains unknown to Church hexologists, but it is known that not all witches call upon them or employ their services.  These corrupted spirits serve as conduits for the witches' will, as their strongest servants, trusted with crucial tasks.

Each glyosk possesses a distinct personality, often remarkable in its own right. The death of a glyosk is considered a significant blow to the powers of the witch that summoned it. In the history of the Church, glyosks are mentioned as fearsome foes; several of them have required a great effort to be defeated, with long campaigns waged against them. There were glyosks who commanded armies of bizarre creatures. In contrast, others have operated in small groups of corrupted creatures or possessed humans, and the most savage ones have preferred solitude.

Glyosks often adopt the traits of their respective witches, not only in mystical powers but also in character. Some particularly secretive witches' hexographies are based almost entirely on the descriptions of supposedly subdued glyosks.

Although the Church of Radiance has vanquished many glyosks, defeating a spirit of such power is still considered an extraordinary feat. In honour of the victorious Lords and Ladies of Radiance some temples have been erected in the Holy City, and their relics are the object of worship for many pilgrims.

Chapter IV - Glyosk

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The ancient thickets and the Oldstone

With the fall of the witches' power, their once-cursed domain became desolate and forbidden for centuries, and only a few would risk entering it. Forests overran war-torn lands. No one knows for sure what caused it, but the trees there grew unusually large, but at the same time twisted and ugly, as if suffering from disease or a curse.

Since then, the frightening thickets had spread far from the walls of the ancient cities lost in them, swallowing up forgotten fields and huts. In their shadow, beasts and birds of all kinds have proliferated - unlike hunters, they had no knowledge of tales of witches.

People who tried to reclaim a patch of land from the witch's thickets faced the extraordinary vitality of native species, whose mighty roots proved almost impossible to scorch or uproot. Oldstone marked the only places that resisted the encroachment of the forest.

Oldstone is believed to have been used to build the cities of men under witches' rule. Still, scribes well-versed in ancient scriptures say that mounds of Oldstone were also mentioned by authors who lived in those immemorial times and that witches themselves were forbidding anyone to quarry it.

The heavy, hard, greyish-blue Oldstone is famous for the iron that grows inside it. Miners say it is exceptional in Oldstone - clean, strong, and elastic, and blacksmiths undertake to forge its best blades. Getting it, however, is a genuine torment, as the best picks break very quickly and become blunt against these ancient slabs.

There are tales of dungeons and caves that hide under the largest hills of the Oldstone, but these are often nothing more than fables, especially if they are not told by pilgrims from the North.

The Oldstone protects its secrets.

Frontier settlements

Since the defeat of the witches, mankind has lived far from their ruined domain, avoiding it. In the past, these lands were considered cursed, but centuries have passed since then, and people have ceased to fear what they have forgotten.

Thus, lonely huts, or even villages of charcoal burners and woodcutters, hunters and poachers, miners and treasure hunters, appeared in the wilds of the witch woods.

They are usually no more than a day's journey from major cities, relying on trade and some form of protection. They are not respectable, but their goods are in demand in the cities, and no one cares about their morals as long as they don't talk about marriage or inheritance.

Residents of the frontier settlements are left to fend for themselves against the terrors of the moonless night, vulnerable to attacks by witches and patchwork sorcerers. How many of them live in the wilderness is unknown, but it is safe to say that many more have died there.

The most dangerous consequence of their lives is, paradoxically, their death. A hermit who dies of cold or a woodcutter killed by evil spirits will leave behind a hut or cave with scanty utensils, of which few will know - until, at the next new moon, the lament of the Moon Infant reaches the forgotten things turning them into lunar creatures.

This is monitored by the Church of Radiance and the Salvagers Orders, who, once a month, tour all known dwellings near the towns and check for the presence of their owners. But such work is never sufficiently manned, and errant moonbeasts can sometimes prowl the city walls along paths that once served their former owners, wreaking havoc.

While city dwellers fear the outsiders and create horror stories about them, in some cases they have managed to build glittering careers in the military, the armies of Lords and Ladies, or in the ranks of the salvagers. A hardy survivor of the horrors of the new moon, they fear neither man nor beast and can act when others are overwhelmed by sheer terror. It is said that even the cries of the Child do not affect them as much, but there is no easy way of confirming this.

Radiance and sin

For centuries, the Church of Radiance has protected its followers from the ravages of patchwork sorcery and witches' craft by a single power - the sacred Radiance. Few would dispute the obvious: everything unnatural, everything alien perishes in its rays.

But how can one explain that a force so good by itself also burns people, albeit not so fiercely? Is mankind not essentially different from its enemies, is it not worthy of the grace of the Radiance as well?

In the era of the witch wars, the Radiance's destructive effect was explained by the fact that humans had lived in the shadow of evil for too long and were soaked in it. Some of the most zealous believers would willingly die in its light in the hope of cleansing their souls, if not their bodies. But even holy Ladies and Lords tried to protect themselves and their entourage from the fury of the holy Radiance, and ordinary parishioners could only see it as a final purification from sins.

But in time, the Church discovered the secrets of concoctions capable of weakening the burning powers of the Radiance in the bodies of those who took them in a timely and regular manner. With the help of such substances it became possible to include the contemplation of the Radiance in the weekly services of the Church and thereby almost completely exterminate the spies of witches and those tainted by witchcraft in large cities.

Then the theological doctrine was born that the Radiance eradicates sin by literally burning out evil from sinners. Accordingly, anyone who avoided the weekly services practically confessed their guilt - no matter in what sin, really.

Such a belief had greatly strengthened the position of the Church as an organization, for it essentially assumed the power to seek and eradicate the evil that had previously been reserved for the Ladies and Lords of Radiance, and it also caused several canonical splits that basically divided the Church of Radiance into three branches.

Ordinary parishioners, however, are far from theological interpretations and literally draw a parallel between the effects of the Radiance and the sinfulness of man. In some places they even practice ordeal with the Radiance, trying to identify the culprit by the strength of the burns - and the Church unsuccessfully fights this superstition.

Remarkably, the proof of the holiness of the Lady and Lords of Radiance in theology is literally the fact that Radiance leaves no mark on them - what else could be more demonstrable than this clear absence of sin?

Relic armour

In Ookalem, relics are more than just ancient artefacts - they are the very embodiment of Radiance, a holy power that can vanquish even the most fearsome foes. Since the time of the first Ladies and Lords, relics to be found deep in ruins buried beneath the polar ice have been held in high esteem by those who follow the ways of the Church. Housed in cleverly designed reliquaries, they yield a Radiance so potent that a single beam can incinerate a moonbeast or leave a sinner with hideous burns.

Originally, reliquaries were part of the temple altars, later carried as weapons by living saints, and now the forgery wonders and artistry of Church mechanics have advanced to the point where they can be built into armour.

Church smiths have experimented extensively with the number of reliquaries and their placement, sometimes achieving incredible results, but one fundamental limitation remains beyond their reach.

The Radiance burns. No reliquary can completely contain it; no single material stops it all. Yes, heavy armour can remain relatively safe for Ladies and Lords, known for their resistance to the holiness of the Radiance, but some of them prefer the more practical and easier-to-wear armour, relying on their speed and agility more than on the durability of metal.

These saints choose cuirasses with a single maximally protected reliquary and try not to wear them all the time. The most fanatical and zealous among them may wear special armour with two or even three reliquaries, at the risk of sustaining injuries and burns wherever the Radiance touches their mortal body. They believe that the power of Radiance is worth any sacrifice and are willing to risk their lives for the chance to wield it against their enemies.

Their life is a perpetual walk on edge. Dependent on the elixirs of communion, they carry the shrines destructive to all evil forces into battle, but the holy flame that accompanies them in battle eventually fills their flesh and blood, tormenting and desiccating their weak bodies.

Their path is short, but the very Radiance illuminates it. And as they stride into battle, the power of the relics burning within them, they know that they are fighting for a cause greater than themselves - the salvation of all believers from the witches, patchwork sorcerers and nameless moon horrors that lurk in the darkness.

Chapter III - What lurks the forest

And here we are with the third chapter of Lady of Radiance!
The witch doesn't make the Lady wait, and the Lady takes the challenge. What waits for her in the deep growth of local woods?

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The living saint's entourage

Long gone are the days when Lords and Ladies of Radiance roamed alone in the fiefdoms of witches, gathering followers to fight against their rule. Gone, too, are the dark ages when they had to lead huge armies of believers into battle, guiding and instructing them personally.

Nowadays, it is all the concerns of the Church, and the living saints travel with motley cohorts assembled by each of them in their own way. But though the entourage of Lords and Ladies differ, there are professions among their followers without which it would be unusual, to say the least, to set out on the road. So who are they, the faithful companions of the saints of the Radiance?

The Knights of the Blessed Banners are loyal servants of the Church of Radiance, chosen warriors from the fortresses-monasteries, equally skilled in the battle against evil and in the service of the Church's cause. They are the hands of the Ladies and Lords, reliable helpers to whom the most important matters may be entrusted. In solemn ceremonies, it is them who carry the blessed and consecrated banners bearing the symbols of the Church.

Chroniclers follow the chosen saints, compiling their hagiographies and keeping a record of their deeds. This is said to be an honourable office, but evil tongues say that the labours of the chroniclers are most often of interest to the higher hierarchs of the Church, believing them to be an important kind of account of the labours of the Ladies and Lords outside the care of the Mother Church

Shrine bearers - connoisseurs of relics, vested in heavy robes, whose duties include taking care of the equipment of the Ladies and Lords, preserving the Radiance, and collecting ingredients for making elixirs of communion, which protect the flesh from the burning touch of holiness. Their works are kept in secret, and to others, they act as apothecaries, alchemists or physiologists, in which they are quite adept.

The Firebringers or Torch-bearers are apprentices and squires of the Blessed Banner Knights, armed with torch lances. Their official duties include lighting the way for holy processions during the night, but they are often messengers, troopers, scouts and decent fighters with anything that fears fire. They are usually the best acolytes of the fortress-monasteries, selected by the knights of the Blessed Banner or by the saints themselves.

Novitiates are young men and women who have dedicated themselves to the church and wish to repeat the pilgrimage to the North in order to become a Lord or Lady of Radiance. It is believed that in the company of living saints, they can gain an example to follow, cultivate sufficient fortitude and faith to make their pilgrimage a success, and perhaps also gain some practical advice. Nevertheless, the novitiate is not obliged to make the pilgrimage and many of them end up abandoning the idea, finding another place within the ranks of the Radiance ministers.

In addition to those mentioned above, there may be many other people as companions or travelling companions of the Ladies and Lords, often not even directly connected with the Church, but who are favoured by the saint or who simply follow in their footsteps.

Chapter II - Yersinia

Here comes the second chapter of our manga, Lady of Radiance!
Now the Lady knows her enemy, but is it even possible to know something like it?
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Church of Radiance

Humanity owes its salvation from catastrophe to the witches. For millennia, they held dominion over the world, and it was only in the lands they patronized that humanity found safety. But as the ages wore on, the yoke of the witches became heavier, and the people began to chafe under their oppressive rule. Resentment simmered just beneath the surface, and it was only a matter of time before it boiled over.

The witches and their followers fought back against the rebellion with all their might, banishing and persecuting those who dared to question their authority. The freethinkers fled to the snow-covered ruins of the North, where they hoped to find refuge from the wrath of the witches. But the Radiance that protected them from pursuits was also their bane, and they perished, smitten by the very power that had shielded them.

But from the farthest icy wastelands came six survivors, bearing gifts from a long-forgotten god. They possessed knowledge of how to turn the ruinous blessing of the departed Iron Moon against the witches and the frightening patchwork sorcerers, who were thought invulnerable. This is how the Church of Radiance was founded, and the people armed with its ordinances believed they could confront the sources of their fear.

The first Ladies and Lords of Radiance taught their followers how to wield the holy relics of their faith, instruments of scorching Radiance that could reduce the flesh of sinners to ash. Armed with these powerful tools, the people marched to war against the witches and their vile kin. It was a brutal and bloody campaign, but in the end, the men of Radiance emerged victorious.

Yet, victory came at a cost. The lands once blessed by the witches were now cursed and scorched by the Radiance, a wasteland of ash and ruin. The people fled, leaving their homes and their memories behind. The Church of Radiance, once a humble institution, rose to prominence, becoming the bastion of hope for a world beset by despair and lamentations of the Moon Infant.
Now the Church, which had once so solemnly refused to rule, helps people to fight against unnatural threats and lead righteous lives. Even split into three branches according to dogmatic doctrines, it maintains unity, holds conclaves and councils and moves towards the same goal, albeit in different ways.

The Legacy of the Witchmothers

Since the Moon Infant was born to save the world, many aeons have come and gone. The era of the witchmothers, who birthed the colossal child, has been lost to the mists of time. The once-thriving kingdoms of the witches have long been erased by dense forests, murky swamps, and boundless steppes.

Yet, the witches endure. So long as the Moon Infant shines in the sky, they will not know true death.

Once saved by the witches, humanity could not exist under their rule forever. Rebels and outcasts found the power of Radiance and stood against their eternal overlords. How the witchmothers reacted to the rebellion of their subjects is a tale of many paths. Some withdrew from society, residing in solitude, while others fiercely guarded their desolated lands. But the most feared and hated among the inhabitants of Ookalem are those who seek revenge upon the ungrateful human race.

The Church of Radiance now stands against these malevolent witches, striving to unravel their schemes and seize them from existence for at least some time. Hunting and defeating a witch is considered an incredible feat, for their power remains formidable with ancient enchantments, corrupted glyosk spirits, and moon creatures still at their command. The Church meticulously records every instance of witchcraft forces, yet they often cannot react quickly enough. Even among the Lords and Ladies of Radiance only a few have faced the full-born witches, and fewer still have emerged victorious. 

However, not all witches are consumed by madness or evil. Some still respond to the pleas of humans brave or stupid enough to seek their aid, but this kindness is often repaid with tragedy. So many centuries have passed since the witchmothers last walked among their subjects, and their view of the world is greatly altered. There are tales told in remote villages of those who sought help in the witch's forests and received it - along with unspeakable horrors. In Ookalem, everyone knows not to trifle with witches. Their power is not to be taken lightly.

Moon Infant

In the land of Ookalem, the shadow of the Moon Infant looms over all. This titanic child, born in a time of dire need, is both the salvation and curse of the world.

Only half-forgotten tales keep the memory of the time when the Iron Moon departed, and disasters befell the land. Witches and sorcerers of the old allied to create Moon Infant and save the remnants of humanity by calming the winds and reviving the oceans. They succeeded, and He was a beacon of hope in a world of despair, but only a few now know about the treachery that split their alliance. The witches and patchwork sorcerers have been fighting an irreconcilable war ever since.

Moon Infant is very lonely.

When the witches ruled over reborn humanity, they could lull the Moon Infant to sleep, but now every new moon becomes a cruel ordeal for the people of Ookalem.

Moon Infant lives in the sunlight and fears the cosmic cold and darkness. When Ookalem blocks the sun from him, the Infant weeps inconsolably.

The Infant's lament does not work like sound; you can hide from it, avoiding staying under the open sky. It drives sentient beings mad and terrifies beasts, but even forgotten, abandoned, broken, and unowned objects are affected by it. The lament of the Moon Infant turns things and madmen into lunar beasts - grotesque creatures drawn to human warmth. The inhabitants of Ookalem are forced to take many precautions to avoid falling prey to the invasions of the suffering things that have taken shape.

By the new moon, the world is at a standstill. Towns and villages prepare for defence and check the homes of the sick and the elderly, caravans rush to the safety of village inns, and even wars pause in deference to the dread night of the weeping Moon.

Everyone remains on guard for a few more days after the new moon, waiting for the lone moon creatures to attack. Still, the unnatural forces eventually abandon them, and they melt away, leaving their vessel until the next new moon...

Chapter I - Entering the City

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