What sect do Kio belong to?

I don’t recall it ever saying they didn’t follow the Mother Church. Metra at least WOULD follow the MCoC as it is a satrapy of the Empire, and most of the Kio beliefs would have been absorbed as canon by the MC (like how Mahamemnon is viewed as an aspect of Neroth).

Failing that they most certainly would not be Khitani, and would otherwise be their own sect independent of everyone else. I should note that Blackwand has the only known truly Pantheonistic temple, with even the Khitani don’t include Anshar.

I’m confused then. The main rulebook seems pretty clear in the Kio entry (emphasis added by me):

The Kio do not fall into zealous observance of the gods. They do honor the Pantheon of Man, but not as part of the Mother Church of Coryan.

??

Many/most of the Kio from Llylifell are elementalists and don’t follow the Mother Church at all. Blackwand is pantheonsistic. The Kio in Metra are apparently in Coryan’s orbit. Whon, while not directly in Coryan’s orbit, still follows the teachings of the Mother Church even if they don’t follow the hierarchy. So who can smite or castigate who is a tricky business in the Westernlands. Most mods should suggest a Kio’s affiliations…otherwise, up to the judge to figure it out.

The Western Lands have at least 2 major fault lines that bisect (trisect?) the area. Like the Eurpean Balkans there’s a lot of diversity packed into a small area.

Steve,

You asked what sect do the Kio belong to and I assumed you meant what sect for purposes of the Smite affect.

For Smite purposes, they are considered of the Mother Church sect.

If you don’t like Barack Obama are you still American? My view (nobody official) is it is mostly a similar thing.

Fair enough, Steve. Let me try and shed some light.

First we have to ask, “How does Smite work?” [And to be clear, this is just for flavor – it should NOT be used to tweak or otherwise change how Smite works!]

In my mind, Smite works because of two things:

1. Your unshakable faith in what you believe in and

2. You understanding that your opponent doesn’t believe in what you believe in so fervently.

So, while the Milandric Orthodox Church is hewn from the metaphysical body of the Mother Church, little future Holy Champions are taught not only how the people from the Milandric Church (and others, one presumes) differs, but how what they teach is “wrong”. This creates a fundamental belief that followers of such a belief system are heretical teachings offensive to one’s own belief structure. And as we know, faith is is paramount to most (if not all) Divine abilities.

Which leaves us with the Kio.

As far as they’re concerned, they pay lip service to the Mother Church and have even built cathedrals to its glory. This is mostly a political move to remove any chance of direct invasion/domination by the Empire as well as good business.

As far as the Coryani/Mother Church are concerned, their beliefs are being “followed” and if they are not being taken to heart, well time and missionary work will make that happen.

The Kio say the right things, the Coryani turn a blind eye and no one has to die.

While not perfect, it seems to work.

I hope this sheds some light on my previous statement.

Let me know if you have any further questions.