[B][I]The ninth of October,
Four hundred and seven years since the resurrection of Lucius,
Three hundred and forty-nine years since the founding of our Holy Church,
In the ninth year of the reign of His Majesty, King Manus Dei;[/I][/B]

Perhaps the greatest of all of Umbra’s deceptions was that of convincing the Children of Soldeus that he does not exist. One only has to look at the infantile creation story of the Cult of Sol Invictus to witness this deception and see that their followers have been indoctrinated into believing Umbra is little more than the horns of some mere beast. The capacity of people to believe such superstition is beyond me, and he who darkens his heart will verily be consumed by that “beast”; but I digress.

In His mercy and infinite wisdom, Soldeus created a Man in His own image and sent him down to walk upon Nave. This Man was called Lucius and He, the Son of Soldeus, was sent to deliver us from this evil.

As He traveled across Nave, He taught man of the Inner Spark and of the eternal battle that has raged between Soldeus and Umbra, and of virtue and sin, and He wielded divine power to create miracles. Wherever He went, He ended all oppression, suffering and disease; He united man in the name of Soldeus and spread knowledge of His teachings.

His flock grew and He sent forth His disciples to spread the Word of God so that all could walk the path of righteousness. But there were those who were tainted by the darkness of Umbra; their hearts were wrapped in shadow, their Inner Spark was tainted by sin and their minds closed to the teachings of Lucius. One such place was ruled by a corrupted and dark Lord who had been enslaved by the will of the Dark One. He was Lord Drusidias Bane and he ruled the realm of Mordica.

When the Son of Soldeus came to teach the people of Mordica the Word of God and liberate them from their shackles, Lord Bane had the disciples arrested under the false claim of political crimes. He sent word to Lucius that he we would cause no harm to these political prisoners if he surrendered to his authority and judgment; otherwise he would begin executing the disciples.

Lucius felt unconditional love for His friends and disciples and did not hesitate in surrendering himself to this cruel and dark lord to protect them. Lord Bane, kept his word and did no harm to the prisoners but he also refused to release them, twisting his own words to his cruel satisfaction. He took the greatest of delight in the prospect of causing harm to Lucius.

Even after enduring countless weeks of torture and starvation, His will could not be broken; still, every night He prayed for the salvation and redemption of his captors.

Angered by this at last, Lord Bane ordered the immediate execution of Lucius through fire on pyre, constructed in mockery of the Holy Fire of Soldeus. Many of the denizens of Mordica came to watch and Lord Bane had the grief-stricken disciples brought forth to watch. The raging fire scorched the flesh of Lucius, and the stench of burnt skin and charred bone sickened all who endured it, yet He did not scream out in pain or anguish; instead, He prayed for mercy for His killers.

Then something miraculous happened: at the moment of His death a great searing light radiated from His body; the very light of Soldeus shone out from that benighted place across all the realm of Nave. When the dazzled eyes of those gathered regained their sight, there was no corpse upon the pyre.

In this great Sacrifice, the Son of Soldeus gave Himself freely to purify the Inner Spark in each and everyone, so that they might be redeemed and break free from the corruption of Umbra.

Even Lord Drusidias Bane was overcome with grief for the crimes he had committed and relinquished his rule over Mordica, handing the land back to the people; he joined with the disciples of Lucius, who he had immediately released, in repentance for his actions and swore himself in service to them.

On the seventh day after the death of Soldeus Incarnate, He returned to his followers and spoke to them. He told them that one day He would return to unite all of man-kind and to usher in an era of peace and harmony in the name of Soldeus. But until that time arrived, He charged them, His disciples, to prepare the people for His return and to teach them the Word of God. He then ascended to the heavens to sit alongside His Father in glory.

St. Jude, who was the greatest and oldest friend of Lucius, was guided in his dreams by the Radiant Lord to establish the Church for the worship of His Glory. He and the disciples of Lucius went to the Kingdom of Hyperion and constructed the first basilica, and consecrated it; thus was the birth of the Church of Soldeus.

The Church was organised to spread the teachings of Soldeus, to teach the knowledge of the Inner Spark and of the struggle between Sin and Virtue; to inculcate in men the importance of prayer and repentance; and to set the salvation of man as its highest duty, for each man is born from the Spark of our Holy and Radiant Lord and the corruption or loss of even one Spark is a grief and an affront to Him.