Gustekan Church

The Gustekan Church (グステコ聖教, Gusuteko Seikyō), also known as the Holy King Church (聖王教会, Seiō Kyōkai), is the Holy Kingdom of Gusteko's state church. It is a theocratic governing body that rules over the nation of Gusteko and sanctions the worship of spirits.

Information
The Gustekan Church's teachings are based around Odglass, the Spirit Beast. Known as the Church's Benevolent Mother, she and many of the spirits in the country are the targets of the people's faith. Odglass is an exception among most spirits, as she acts friendly towards humans and views everyone in the Holy Kingdom as her children, despite how she spares little mercy for them. With the scores of lesser spirits and spirits that she controls, humans are able to live in Gusteko's harsh territory. Due to Odglass' aid towards humanity, the Gustekan Church was established. It is fronted by the Holy King, who is personally selected by the Spirit Beast herself. However, the Holy King is but an acting puppet; the Holy King Church itself holds true dominion over Gusteko. The Church also has an indeterminate number of archbishops within it.

According to what the Church teaches, all life is equal, for there is no difference in value between human beings. Regardless of this principle, slavery is an open secret in Gusteko, and despite how the Church makes it illegal, even the adherents who forbid it desire slaves. Their doctrine further says that the permafrost of Gusteko is a trial given to its people by a greater being, and the only way for one's soul to feel peace in the afterlife is to endure said trials. These teachings are a salvation to many in the nation, who are driven to believe in something higher as a result of the climate. Be that as it may, according to Lysa Conwell, the Church's teachings are currently undergoing a transformation.

Among the Church's ranks are executioners for the faith, who are named the Temple Knights. Each member of the Temple Knights seems to train with their very own special set of weapons such as dual katanas, whips of different kind, twin snake swords, and others. All of them possess a unique Blessing that grants them partial immortality, allowing them to survive fatal strikes. This Blessing is claimed to be from the Holy King. They are also said to be on par with the Nine Divine Generals of the Vollachia Empire in terms of strength and skill. Moreover, Itinerant Preachers, a group of clergy serving the Church with the same type of Blessing as the Temple Knights, both spread the Church's teachings across Gusteko and take action against anyone who contradicts them.

In the past, the Church attempted to use curses to their advantage. They once made a secret division in order to create so-called “Curse Dolls” out of people, and the doll maker Holosseo Featherrun was appointed as its head. These Curse Dolls had a similar power to the Blessings of Temple Knights and Itinerant Preachers. They were used as a private unit for maintaining order and “purifying” the Holy Kingdom by exterminating other citizens under orders. Nonetheless, this group ultimately collapsed after a majority of the Curse Dolls were killed by one of their own—the future Bowel Hunter, Elsa Granhiert.

According to Omega, the Holy King Church protects those who side with their beliefs, and it has not changed over hundreds of years. Additionally, there is a figure in the Church who appears to have the jurisdiction to judge and punish others, dubbed the Silver Blessing (白銀の祝福, Shirogane no Shukufuku). It is unknown if this title refers to Odglass or if it is a separate being.

Current

 * Holy King
 * Lysa Conwell (Itinerant Preacher)

Former

 * Viktor Orcos (Temple Knight) (resigned)
 * Makarista Perkin (Temple Knight) (deceased)
 * Coatl (Itinerant Preacher, priest) (deceased)
 * Holosseo Featherrun (Doll maker) (deceased)
 * Elsa Granhiert (Curse Doll) (defected)
 * Sithonia Featherrun (Curse Doll) (deceased)
 * Dorothea Featherrun (Curse Doll) (deceased)
 * Saria Featherrun (Curse Doll) (deceased)
 * Hildea Featherrun (Curse Doll) (deceased)
 * Ornea Featherrun (Curse Doll) (incapacitated)