I’ve always wanted to write and every now and then I get the urge to put something down on paper (or screen) my creativity always needs a push and my writing skill needs some work but I’m hoping to get some constructive feedback back as I try something new and use some prompts from the #worldbuilding community starting with the below
In our world, religions have various ways to keep the faithful, well, faithful. For most religions, apostasy (ceasing to believe) is considered one of the worst sins possible. So every faith has ways to persuade people to keep believing. At the simplest level, it might be ensuring there's someone to talk to (and, in the Church of England, endless coffee mornings....). But in some cases it can escalate to strong peer pressure, formal disciplinary measures, and finally in some cases to actual punishment. At the top end of the spectrum are organisations like the Inquisition, who historically took things to terminal extremes with those they suspected of heresy, blasphemy or apostasy.
How do religions in your setting keep their worshippers in line ? Is religion part of the state, legal but separate, or even illegal ? Can people change their beliefs at will, or are there punishments for those who stop believing ? Who is responsible for ensuring compliance ?
Jael had seen Simone perform magic, she couldn't believe it, everything she had been taught, that everyone had been taught by the church had been a lie, there was no all powerful being that controlled the magic of the world.
Magic had not been seen since the One had been formed by the high priests and it had taken control but she had seen Simone heal her brother’s wound, and no priest had been in sight, if it wasn’t only the chosen priests that could channel the One's power and heal, what else were the church lying about? she need to tell someone, this was not something she could keep secret, but who? the church was all powerful, no one could speak against them.
The knock on the door shocked Jael back into the world, she walked across her small kitchen and opened the door expecting to see Kared, he must have forgotten his keys again. Instead a hooded figure stood there filling the doorway with his flowing deep purple robe, the robe of an inquisitor.
“Good Morning Jael” came the voice from the hood, Jael froze, she hadn’t told anyone yet, how could they know?, “Good Morning Sir” she managed, “How can I help you?”.
“May I come in?” ‘Like I have a choice’ Jael thought “Of course, please take a seat” is what she actually said.
Inquisitor Zel took the chair looking towards the door and motioned for Jael to sit opposite.
“Jael, I have some bad news for you, your father has been involved in an incident late last night.”
“Wh-what happened?” Jael blurted, her mind was racing, what could have her dad been doing that would cause the Inquisition to be involved.
“We will get to that later, I just wanted to ensure you and your husband were not involved, where is your Husband Jael?”
“Uh. He, He went to work at midnight, his shift in the mine begins at 1am, I thought you were him returning, he will be here anytime now”
“Then we will await his return”
Jael’s thoughts went through all the things that could have happened with her dad last night, what could he have done to provoke the ire of the inquisition.
The inquisition would only get involved in extreme blasphemy and heresy issues, they would be bought in to ensure that the blasphemer repented, publicly, through any means necessary, she had never heard her dad say a word against the church or the One himself so couldn’t comprehend why they would be here. The memories of the last time she saw a heretic being beaten by the inquisitors for proclaiming that the one power was failing the world made her feel ill.
It had only been minutes but felt like hours as Jael’s thoughts were again bought back to the moment as the door opened behind her, she turned to see Kared walk through it, a worried look on his face as he saw the inquisitor sat across from his wife.
“Ah, Kared, good to see you again”
“Inquisitor Zel, what brings you to my home?” Asked Kared. Jael looked between the two of them, how did Kared know an Inquisitor?
“Your father in law was involved in an incident last night, I wanted to ensure you were not involved too”
“Brother, I was not involved, but you need to tell us what Mikel was judged to have done?”
Jael turned to Kared “Brother?”
Ignoring Jael, Zel replied “It would appear that Mikel has left this realm through a portal, the inquisition has been tasked with tracking him and returning him here, I just wanted you to have the chance to explain what is going on to your wife before her father is bought before the One” as he stood up and walked to the door.
Jael was confused. “Portal? Left the realm?”
“Brother, Do not harm him” Kared said with a warning tone in his voice.
“That will really depend on the old man won’t it” Zel said as he shut the door behind him.
Jael ran to her husband “what is happening Kared? Who was he? Where is my Dad?”
Kared grabbed Jael’s shoulders and pulled her close, “I will explain everything, just sit down”
Lets see how this journey into worldbuilding goes, i'll try and work with as many prompts as i can and enjoy the process. hopefully this is ok to post in the #scholarandscribe community