The Second Cleansing

The Second Cleansing was a conflict during which the resurgent churches of Thyle, Nyghta, Vecthan and Tilhir in the Great Continent and Chalice were attacked by the followers of Ymdras. The conflict and its aftermath left the church of Ymdras with a bad reputation, marked the end of the Knights of Hallow Berenco and led to the foundation of the Order of the Ardent Heart and the Arm of Ymdras.

The conflict began brewing in the 7th century of the Fourth Age. The relations between the Sunburnt and the westerner theocracy remained sour after the First Cleansing. Each side watched one another intently, fearing a retaliation for the conflict that took place over two hundred years ago. The westerner theocracy remained as it was, strong but static, while the Sunburnt rapidly recovered from their defeat and formed the strong alliance of the Prosperous Trinity. This incited fear in many Ymdrasist officials and led to growing mistrust between the two sides.

Meanwhile the influence of the Chrassians crept from Chalice to the Great Continent. Their partially careless take on religion spread to some westerners and challenged the zealous traditions of the church of Ymdras. This influence became apparent with the growth of various smaller churches dedicated to other Pacters and independent deities.

Many Ymdrasis parishes felt threatened by the resurgence of the Sunburnt and deities like Vecthan, Nyghta and Tilhir and gradually began persecuting their followers where they could. Unfair local regulations such as restrictions on gathering in groups and additional fees enforced by Ymdrasists were enough to discourage small churches of other deities in some places, but in some places it just made things worse: a raised bridge toll for non-Ymdrasists could very well lead to brawls and small fights. Some historians suggest that the church of Vecthan deliberately provoked the church of Ymdras to drive them into more violent actions.

Finally these small conflicts became major when the archcanon of Fowlem publicly encouraged all Ymdrasists to gather and stop the vile worship of Vecthan, Nyghta and pro-undead Tilhir. This cause attracted many people who had been watching the ordeal bitterly and waiting for a legal authorization to take action. Others rallied under the church of Ymdras simply because it gave them a possibility to raze and loot the smaller churches. The plight of the three Pacters of dark reputation did not provoke much sympathy in the general populace, even though the eager "cleansers" occasionally attacked wrong targets, such as the Tilhir church opposed to necromancy or the church of Thyle, which many considered with suspicion.

All this was however observed and reported to the high officials of Ymdras by participants as well as the Chrassians and the Sunburnt, who were concerned with the happenings at the outskirts of their realms. The Ymdrasists did not want to get pulled into a quarrel with the Sunburnt let alone the Chrassians, and pressured the archcanon of Fowlem to call the campaign off, which he bitterly did.

Most of the persecution halted, but a large group disobeyed the archcanon's orders, stating that they would continue in Fowlem to root out unbelievers from the heart of purity. This group became known as the One Law. In the following years they completely eradicated the worship of other Pacters in Fowlem and the surrounding areas. They lost the support of the church of Ymdras and were excommunicated, but no action was taken against them despite their violent reactions to even the smallest hint of unfaithfulness. When they captured and hung one of the younger sons of the Olynis royal family of Fowlem for suspected heresy, many agreed they had gone too far. Chapter master Prytheroe of the Fowleme chapter of the Knights of Hallow Berenco, who had been speaking against the One Law for a long time and criticizing the clergy of Ymdras for not letting him do anything about them, was the first to react to the news. He mobilized his followers and gave order to slay the One Law to the last man before the clergy of Ymdras could agree on outlawing the fanatics.

While the end of the One Law was taken well by the common folk, the clergy was furious. Prytheroe had acted without their permission, emphasizing the inefficiency of the clergy. They relieved Prytheroe of his position as chapter master and demanded that he'd return to be heard under trial. Prytheroe returned to Garhame with his men, but instead of going to the clergy upon arrival he marched his men to the town square and held a speech. Bards and songwrights have since immortalized this occasion, with even the most censored versions citing Prytheroe "having had enough with this hypocritical bullshit" and pissing on the statue of Hallow Berenco before marching out of Garhame once more. This deed inspired many who opposed the church of Ymdras and they joined Prytheroe, forming the Order of the Ardent Heart.

The clergy of Ymdras were unable to do punish Prytheroe: his recent actions had won the common folk to his side, and he still had his well-armed and trained men. They realized great changes were requires to repair the public image of the church. This led to, among other things, the renaming of the Knights of Hallow Berenco - dubbed "the Knights of the Urine-stained Hallow" by the common folk - as the Arm of Ymdras.