The Vatican
| The Vatican | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
|---|---|
| Type | Religious order |
| Notable technologies | Skin Bibles; Penance armor |
| Members | |
|---|---|
| Notable members | Dark Priests |
| Locations | |
|---|---|
| Locations | Vatican City Ministry of Darkness |
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Warning! Spoilers ahead!
Proceed at your own risk! |
The Vatican is a militant religious order that produces Skin Bibles, books recounting the lore of Old Gods and Ascended Gods. It is implied that the Vatican serves Alll-mer as their primary god. In Fear & Hunger 2: Termina, the Vatican holds the authority to mint and censor the majority of these books, a responsibility that often involves dealing with conflicting copies of the same texts within the game.
Lore
It appears that the Vatican has evolved from an ancient order of Dark Priests who adhered to polytheistic beliefs, worshipping and serving all gods, regardless of their origin as Old or New. While some attribute the dark times to the older gods, the Dark Priests still deeply respect their teachings and remain devoted to their worship. Over time, a branch of this religion has developed to the point of establishing a sacred city known as the Vatican City, which houses the Ministry of Darkness. The exact date of its establishment is not known. However, historical records pertaining to the Vatican can be traced back to at least the 16th century.
The public image of the Vatican seems to center around the worship of the primary god, Alll-mer, as evident in the Church of Alll-mer located in Prehevil. However, it is believed that those in positions of power within the Vatican still maintain their traditional rituals and practices associated with other deities, hidden from the commonfolk.
Throughout history, the Vatican's hierarchy also included the Penance Knights, an elite and specialized unit based in the Vatican City. These knights were often deployed on perilous and highly dangerous missions where survival chances were particularly low, clad in armors similar to reverse iron maidens with the purpose of cleansing their minds and enhancing their combat potential through pain. The absence of any mention of Penance Knights in Fear & Hunger 2: Termina, which is set in 1942, could be due to the overlooking or concealment of antiquated rituals and brutal practices from olden times.
The Vatican also offers opportunities to gifted individuals through scholarships and apprenticeships. Notably, two contestants from Termina, Samarie and Marina, are currently apprentices to become Dark Priests. Marina's father, Father Domek, is also a dark priest, but it is uncertain whether he and his ancestors have ties to the Vatican or its Ministry of Darkness.
Trivia
- It is presumed that Vatican City is named after the faction.
- Trortur was a famed holy knight in Rondon as "Trortur the White" before he became a sadistic killer and torturer.
- The Vatican invented the Penance armor.
- Caligura, Marcoh, and the Dark Priests all hail from this region, which means The Vatican has at minimum had a city named after it since the events of Fear & Hunger.
- The geographical and cultural setting of Vatican City shares a near similarity to the real country, Italy.
- Marina was noticed for her talent by The Ministry of Darkness in Vatican City, where she went to study for a period.
- The Last Frontier Ch. 1 contains a description of Vinland by a Vatican City scholar in the year 1650.
- Penance Armor was invented by The Vatican and used by Knights of the Vatican (Penance Knights) for those with Life or Death sentences.