The Iuris Legion are a council of eight deities responsible for maintaining order throughout the cosmos, or so their supporters say.

The Iuris Legion were originally mortal heroes from the old world. Through great difficulty, they were able to ascend to godhood and fight the chaotic Anarchium. While they couldn’t completely destroy the Anarchium, they were able to dominate significant parts of the world and establish order. Followers of the Iuris Legion consider these to be the first “true” civilisations.

Despite this, much of the mortal world was still chaotic and sinful. Rexus, the leader of the Iuris Legion, decided that drastic measures must be taken to allow civilisation to rebuild. He ordered Pestas to cover the world in a dense, toxic fog, destroying and burying all remnants of the old world.

Vitas saved two thousand people of various races and placed them upon the highest peaks of the world, still just poking above the fog. Over many years, Ferrarius taught a chosen few the secrets of steam engines, black powder, airships, hydraulics and more. This allowed people to survive and thrive upon the cold peaks. With the help of the Iuris Legion, the mortals were able to build a new civilisation, more to Rexus’s liking where law, order and machinery ruled the world.

At least that’s the story as the followers tell it. Some critics of the Iuris Legion have called them as false gods, tyrants, heretics or usurpers.

They are the official gods of the Caligos Imperium and Einsem. They are not outlawed in any nations, though they are frowned upon in Sudenberg as destroyers of natural beauty.

Virtues and Vices

There are many documents and phrases that describe holy law and doctrine but the most concise and universally quoted are the eight virtues and vices. Virtues are goals to aspire to, the ideal person will fulfill all eight virtues throughout their life. While vices are the mark of sinners, committing even one could condemn you to lifelong shame or even more severe punishments.

Virtues

1. Order: Supporting concept of civilisation and opposing the Anarchium
2. Authority: Respecting rule of law and those in power, both political and religious
3. Unity: Working for the good of the system and everyone in it, not for one self
4. Honesty: Keeping promises and oaths, not lying, especially to those with authority
5. Respect: Being polite and following due process to settle disputes
6. Honour: Maintaining moral standards
7. Commitment: Working hard and fulfilling promises
8. Courage: Committing to a difficult task despite obstacles

Vices

1. Chaos: Prioritising the wildness and wildlife over people and civilisation or supporting the Anarchium
2. Anarchy: Lawbreaking, libertarianism and speaking against authority
3. Vanity: Selfishness, individualism, nonconformity or theft
4. Deceit: Adultery, con artistry or oathbreaking
5. Wrath: "Unjustified" violence or slandering
6. Depravity: Recreational drugs, Polyamory, incest, bestiality or similar immoral acts and desires*
7. Apathy: Refusing to work or perform due to laziness or lack of respect
8. Cowardice: Refusing to work or perform due to fear or squeamishness

According to most sources, the Anarchium are some of the oldest beings in the cosmos, far older than the old world or even the Iuris Legion. They are manifestations of the primal forces of nature and chaos.

Despite often being presented with ten or more deities, the Anarchium actually only has two, Mutter (The Mother) and Vater (The Father). The other gods are simply personifications of aspects of one or the other. The Mother and her aspects represent the physical world, including terrain, weather and light. The Father and his aspects represent life, including plants, animals and emotions. They act as separate entities for the purposes of worship by clerics.

The first being was the Mother, who manifests as a vast network of tree roots that make up the world; the dirt, rocks and mountains. As her roots grow, so too does the world. From these roots Wasserie (The Rivers), Feus (The Warm Winds), Eiskal (The Cold Winds) and Geierin (The Night) emerged forming the diverse climates of the old world as well as the day-night cycle. Many other minor aspects of the Mother exist, watching over rivers, mountains and other natural formations. Their domains are often small and incidental enough that they don't even have names in the languages of mortals and most are not known beyond their domains.

One rogue root stem grew upwards and thickened into a trunk from which branches grew. This became the Father. The branches formed a canopy, known as the sky. From the Father’s branches grew leaves and vines, then animals to eat this vegetation (Maulich, The Elk). Some of these animals became competitive fighting for food, and so fury was born (Zornlich, The Bull). This fury bred stronger animals perfectly equipped to fight other animals (Olfus, The Wolf). Always watching these fights was a simple black hare, who would decide the victor and see the loser to the next life (Sepulcrus, The Hare). Many other minor aspects of the Father exist, watching over beasts, plants and other lives in the natural world. Like the minor aspect of the mother, very few are known outside select circles and lack names in mortal tongues.

There is some debate about where Sepulcrus takes souls after death. Many believe in reincarnation though some groups, perhaps with more modern influences from followers of the Iuris Legion, believe in a realm of the dead beneath the fog. Here souls are rewarded or punished accordingly.

Another much debated topic is where the Father’s trunk is and if it can be found, and climbed, by mortals. Some say that the trunk is either incorporeal or is not on the material plane, while others have dedicated their entire lives to finding the heart of the Mother’s roots so that they can then find the Father’s trunk. Wurzology is a field of study dedicated to the Mother’s roots and how to map them with mortal tools and spells. It is often considered pseudo-science (or pseudo-magic).

They are the official gods in Sudenberg and are worshiped elsewhere too. The Caligos Imperium however, strictly outlaws their worship, claiming that the Anarchium represent evil, sin and primitive anarchy.

Talitus does not directly belong to either the Anarchium or the Iuris Legion. They are the god, or gods, of time, entropy and death. They represent the inevitable end of everything, even the gods.

There are no statues or temples of Talitus as they have no known form or sex, nor are they known to speak to mortals. Very rarely, Talitus will choose a mortal to perform a task, the purposes of these tasks are known only to Talitus.

Somewhat paradoxically, Talitus is perpetually the youngest and oldest entity in the universe. Taltius may be one, many or even none. Scholar’s have spent centuries trying to understand the very few clues they have about Talitus.

Talitus worship is deeply taboo across the entire Caligos Archipelago. Worshiping them is seen as praying for the death of everything, including the gods. In the Caligos Imperium, any evidence implying worship of Talitus is an instant death sentence.