Nyphron Church

The Church of Nyphron is a religion prevalent in Zhao, south of the Nidwalden River.

Theology
Though actual scriptures are more complicated, the general faith is based around the following story, known as the Legend of Kile:

First, there was the god Erebus. From Erebus sprung the gods Ferrol, creator of the world, Maribor, creator of men and Muriel, creator of the beasts and fauna of the world. Then, in a drunken rage, Erebus forced himself upon Muriel, giving rise to Uberlin, god of darkness. As revenge, Ferrol and Maribor tried to kill their father. When Uberlin attempted to defend Erebus, he was defeated and banished to the underworld. Erebus returned to Muriel and begged for forgiveness for his crime. Muriel told her father to go down to Gaia Atlia and do good deeds. For every deed that pleased her, she would grant him a feather from her cloak. When her cloak was gone, she would forgive Erebus, and the world would be transformed into a paradise. So, Erebus went down to Atlia and took the moniker Kile.

The first deed of Kile is his most famous. A village in Rhenyyd, Pavlostani, then territory of the Ratibori tribe, called Tur, was under constant attack from the Dacca. One day, Kile arrived and taught the people of Rhenyyd to make weapons. The weapons of Tur became unrivaled, and the Dacca soon abandoned their attacks after taking unsustainable losses. Legend says that after the defeat of the Dacca, there was a clap of thunder on a cloudless day and a white feather belonging to no known bird fell from the sky to Kile.

Church Organization
The head of the Church is the Patriarch. Patriarchy is hereditary. Should a Patriarch die, a relative of his takes his place. Patriarchical succession is based on primogeniture.

Following the Patriarch in terms of power is the Archbishop of Ghent and the bishops. Below the bishops are regular priests and deacons.

One important part of the Patriarchy is called the Uli Vermar. Lasting approximately five hundred years, it is the span of time that a family remains in the Patriarchy. After, whoever blows the Horn of Gylindora engages in a trial by combat with the current Patriarch. Whoever wins becomes the new Patriarch. If the Patriarch is dead and leaves no relatives when the Horn is blown, then whoever blows the Horn becomes the new Patriarch. An Uli Vermar ends after the five-hundred year period of time or if the Patriarch dies and leaves no relatives.