Redemptionists
"Light your way in the darkness with the pyres of burning heretics."
- Deaconess Margarita Petra
The Redemption bases its beliefs on the Imperial Creed which holds that
mankind is ruled and guided by the god-emperor. While the Imperial
Creed has definite militant overtones the Redemption has taken it one step
further. The original Redemptionists looked at the lives of toil led by the
majority of Imperial subjects contrasted by the unreachable luxury of the nobles
and the violent anarchy of the universe and concluded that they were in a living
hell. The first Redemptionists were penitents and ascetics who took to practices
such as flagellation and fasting with relish. Over time the cult grew drawing in
many. Slowly the word spread to the desperate masses of the poor and downtrodden
of the Imperium who flocked to the new religion.
Perhaps it was that contact between the early Redemption and the anarchy that
pervades much of the Imperial underclass that changed the cult into the wrathful
monster it is now. For it was not long after this point that leaders of the
Redemptionist cult began to preach against the corruption that existed around
them. No longer was the cleaning and purification of the body and soul merely a
matter for the individual; now the purity of all was the concern of all true
Redemptionists. There was one obvious source of sin and corruption, from out of
which came the foul liquors that rotted the mind and bred wickedness beneath
their feet, the decadence of the rich who had forsaken the Emperor’s holy
mission for the comforts of filthy lucre. So the Redemption began its never
ending war for purity; purity at any cost.
The beliefs of the Redemption are many and various but the core belief is that
the god-emperor of Mankind is manifest proof of mankind's holy destiny to rule
the stars. The sinfulness that is all around them keeps mankind from fulfilling
its density. So the duty of the faithful is to remove the sin which holds back
mankind; to cleanse it of its chains of impurity.
Around the core belief of the Redemption there are numerous other pieces of
doctrine that make up the basic tenants of faith for a follower of the
Redemption: These include numerous rules about behavior and conduct,
prohibitions against the consumption of narcotics and alcohol, the requirement
for daily periods of self flagellation and prayer and the obligation for the
righteous to hide their faces during gatherings and while undertaking holy
activities.
Crucially though the Redemption believe that three sins encompasses, and surpass
all others. These are the sins of Abomination, Witchery and Heresy. Abomination
is sin and corruption made manifest by the distortion and corruption of the
flesh into unnatural forms, generally referred to as mutation. Witchery is the
ability to use, and use of unnatural powers. Heresy is refusing the truth of the
Redemption or working against its holy purpose.
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