Religious Factions
Religious factions are organizations that follow and profess a common religion. Fictional religious institutions are common factions in fictional worlds where they can be used to explore themes of morality, sin, death, and the meaning of life. In fictional settings there may a single, dominant religious faction, or there may be several competing ones leading to religious wars and other important historical events. Religious factions often insert themselves into geopolitics, and religious leaders may be advisors to kings, presidents, or other world figures (if they themselves are not running a theocracy).
| Synonyms: faiths, religious institutions, religious organizations |
| Example Mythonyms: the One Faith, New Zharavism, the Great and Holy Church of the Iron Raven Republic |
Designing Fictional Religious Factions
Archetypes
Overview
In order for there to be a religious faction, there must be a religion. Worldbuilders often use pre-existing real-world religions (Christianity is a commonly used one) or may design entire fictional religions. In both cases designers should consider whether or not god is real.
Faction Identity
Organization
Religious factions may be lead by a single, central figure or by a council of important persons. These leaders may be chosen, voted on, elected because they passed a religious test, or simply selected by a fictional god.
