TestUnionism

TestUnionism
Religion
Pronunciation	Yoon-yen-is-m
Origins	Emperor Theomar
Deities
The Everwatcher and various other Gods and Goddesses
Subsects
The Evintarian Cult The Guided Cult The Armageddon Cult

Origins

Probably still fine as is

Core Beliefs

probably the same

Divine Mechanics

All Religions provide 1 single Mechanic to their Believers that fits within the flair of their Religion. This Mechanic is lost if the individual stops believing in the Religion, or becomes a heretic, but can be regained. Afflicted can use this mechanic, but having the mechanic does not imply that they have blanket forgiveness from their Gods, just that there is more nuance to it than that.

• Unionist Faithful can be blessed by the gods by having a divine intervention and being cured of their Affliction or being cleansed of their Affinity through a divine event. Such a divine event should be orchestrated by the player themselves, does not necessarily require a pre-condition like "this character destroyed a Unionist Temple so the Gods intervened" or "this Character tore apart a painting of the Emperor so the Gods punished them", but can require one. This should generally only occur once per Affliction/Affinity, and is entirely up to the player's own consent over their character when and where it occurs.

Gods and Goddesses

Unionism differs from other Religions, in that it has Duo-Gods. All Duo-Gods are divine and each have divine powers in the afterlife (though some Gods may be yet living). Unionists worship all Gods equally, though they may choose specific Patron gods which they worship more. The Everwatcher acts like an overarching God of Gods, but the Everwatcher cannot directly be interacted with, so most people end up praising the Everwatcher through the Gods and Goddesses. Unionism also has the Cults further below. Cults add Gods onto the standard Pantheon, but they are not mandatory for vanilla Unionists who don't worship the Cults. It is possible to be a believer of both Cults.

Cults

Cults exist in Unionism as "add-ons" for the Religion itself. While all Unionists by default worship the Gods and Goddesses listed in the Pantheon above, some Cults within Unionism worship additional gods that most of the main stream believers do not. These are holdouts from the old Schisms, that albeit while joining the main current of religious worshipers, still have some leftover of their old beliefs. Each Cult is represented by a single theological belief, and with Gods who are included by this theological belief, while all other aspects of the Religion are the same. It is possible to be a member of multiple Cults as they just add additional beliefs, but it is also possible to believe in one of the Cults, or none at all.

Evintarian Cult

The Evintarian Cult was established by the Evintarian Schisms many centuries ago when the Evintarian priests split off, and were expelled from Regalia and founded their own country in Etosil. The Evintarian Schism happened, because the Evintarian Priests thought that Trans-Dimensional Entities (such as certain Demons) could become Gods too if they shed off their sinful nature and were blessed by the Everwatcher, which the main dogmatic branch rejected. The Evintarian Priesthood voted to join the Unionist Divine, and so they became a Cult that has included several Trans-Dimensional Entities as God Pairs. Each of the Evintarian Gods requires some explanation of how they came to be accepted as Gods in the Evintarian Cult, which will be explained first, before the Gods are discussed.

Kithemon is an Exist entity from another realm that possessed an Aetosian man named Nikolaos (surname lost to time). Kithemon was verified as a God for the Evintarians, as he granted them many protections of the mind against incursions from Demons and other entities who would corrupt and usurp them and rob them of their freedom and identity. Amandaros is a Void Entity that was somehow related to the Evolist God Armas, but always dodges the subject when discussed. Amandaros possesses his host an Asha named Amon, though it is important to mention that Amandaros as an entity does not reside in a single place, but can be in many places (and hosts) at once. Amandaros is also summoned by the Mask of Amandaros which is held in Evintarian Shrines, which the faithful may use to help conceive children if they cannot themselves (see: Amandaros Godborn). Yvasi is an Ordial Entity possessing a Half-Eronidas named Girin who has proved to be of aid to the Great Way, by traveling the lands and helping the faithful realize and manifest their true self in gender, appearance, and heritage. It is not known what entity Yvasi is related to, but she did show her loyalty to mortals and the living, by aiding in the defense of the Last City of the Living, before traveling on to Aloria to aid the Unionists.

Yvasi in particular discusses many concepts of transhumanist and transgender concepts with the faithful, as she is a female-presenting spirit in a male-presenting body, and how that generally affects gender presentation to the faithful, as well as gender roles in society. Finally, Eredicos is a divine name for the Imperial Prince Frederick Kade (second son of the Emperor), who shares his body with an ancestral spirit of Betheoric I Kade. Unlike the other entities who have mostly subsumed their host, Eredicos represents both Frederick in the mortal body and Betheoric in the immortal self, and the two frequently exchange host status. Eredicos is a very recent addition as God, because Frederick only ascended to godhood when he became an Urlan in the past 3 years, and in doing so, proved to have divine god-like powers of command and venerability over even non-believers through Betheoric. The fact that an Imperial prince is technically possessed by a Primal Revenant is a very much not-so-secret at the Imperial Palace, but out of respect nobody causes an issue over it.

Kithemon & Amandaros, Exist/Void Gods

	The Everwatcher is the Supreme Being of Unionism, and Emperor Alexander is the Vessel God. The Everwatcher holds supremacy over all other Gods, and utilizes the Vessel God to communicate to mortals. The Vessel God is always the reigning Regalian Emperor, with their divinity ending upon death or abdication. The Vessel God's Golden lesson is that all eminence eventually vanishes, so one should not to get too attached to status. The Imperial Palace is considered the holiest site to the Everwatcher and Vessel God Emperor Alexander is the only Vessel God in history to lose his divinity (upon abdication to his brother Cedromar) and regain it (following his return after the Interregnum). Despite his disappearance, Alexander remains the Vessel God, as the Palace and Secilly Council have not declared the Imperial Seat vacant.
For expanded lore, click here. Description Kithemon (left) and Amandaros (right) are the Exist and Void God of the Evintarian Cult, respectively. They are paired together as a God-Pair due to the opposite natures of the Void and Exist. Kithemon is the Exist God of Mind Protection, and safeguards the faithful from mind incursions from demons and other corrupting entities. Amandaros is the Void God of Proginy, who aids the faithful who have difficulties to sire children of their own. Together, the two Gods represent resoluteness, stalwartness, protection, hedonism, capriciousness, and lust. They are represented by the shielded silhouette of a head, and a tree of descendance or ancestry. Their main holy place is the Temple of Ethereal Naether in Aetosil. Kithemon and Amandaros rituals vary greatly, as they are obviously very different. Kithemon rituals involves seeking out and revealing the corruption of Spirits and mind control affecting others and then freeing them. Amandaros rituals involve hedonistic self-satisfying parties, preferably those which involve in copious amounts of romantic matches or flings that may expand the population through conventional means. Virtues The Virtue of Kithemon is to steel the mind against the influence of demonic entities. As Evintarians may utilize Magic and trans-dimensional energy to evolve into a better person, they are tasked with fortifying their minds from Demons and other entities who would corrupt and usurp them and rob them of their freedom and identity. To remain in control while one enhances the self is core to Evintarian beliefs. The Virtue of Amandaros is to sire children by utilizing his divine powers. Unionism preaches of the faithful to bear and raise children to increase the number of believers, though some couples are unable to conceive due to a variety of reasons. By utilizing Amandaros's power to enhance the body, couples may conceive children. Vices The greatest Vice of Kithemon is to become demonically possessed. The most important tenet of Evintarian Unionism is to always remain in control when enhancing the self through the Occult, and becoming corrupted with extra-dimensional essence and demonic infestation is considered a spiritual failing. Additionally, making bargains with extradimensional entities such as Arken and Spirit Dukes is seen as a seen, as they are notorious for manipulating the desires of their summoners, often to the latter's detriment. The greatest Vice of Amandaros is to be an incel. To lash out and blame others for one's inability to find and sustain a healthy romantic relationship is considered a failing to Evintarians, as it incorrectly places the blame on others, rather than introspecting to find the critical faults in oneself, and addressing them. One who is unable to self-reflect and grow as a person, is one who impedes on furthering the Great Way. Legacy Kithemon an Exist entity from another realm that possessed an Aetosian man named Nikolaos. He is considered divine, because many of his advisory words, and their revealing of corrupt individuals have helped and even saved the entire Aetosian state on numerous occasions, believing him to be well and truly a patron of the Evintarian faith's holy birthright. While Kithemon as an entity is not fully understood, the Evintarians know for sure that he is not a hostile or death-inducing entity, and thus welcome his ability to detect mind control and possession of individuals, allowing the faithful to perform exorcisms to cast out the demonic infestation. Amandaros was once a Spirit Sovereign of the Void, serving under Armas, before they abandoned the cause of their master. They possess a primary host, an Asha named Amon, though it is important to mention that Amandaros as an entity does not reside in a single place, but can be in many places (and hosts) at once. Amandaros is also summoned by the Mask of Amandaros which is held in Evintarian Shrines, which the faithful may use to help conceive children if they cannot themselves. Amandaros is the final Unionist God that produces Godborn.

Yvasi & Eredicos, Ordial/Primal Gods

	The Everwatcher is the Supreme Being of Unionism, and Emperor Alexander is the Vessel God. The Everwatcher holds supremacy over all other Gods, and utilizes the Vessel God to communicate to mortals. The Vessel God is always the reigning Regalian Emperor, with their divinity ending upon death or abdication. The Vessel God's Golden lesson is that all eminence eventually vanishes, so one should not to get too attached to status. The Imperial Palace is considered the holiest site to the Everwatcher and Vessel God Emperor Alexander is the only Vessel God in history to lose his divinity (upon abdication to his brother Cedromar) and regain it (following his return after the Interregnum). Despite his disappearance, Alexander remains the Vessel God, as the Palace and Secilly Council have not declared the Imperial Seat vacant.
For expanded lore, click here. Description Yvasi (left) and Eredicos (right) and the Ordial and Primal Gods of the Evintarian Cult, respectively. They are paired together as a God-Pair due to the opposite natures of Bintaar and Aloria. Yvasi is the God of Self-Love, and helps believers become their true self. Eredicos is the God of Elder Wisdom, and embodies the veneration of ancestors. Together, the two represent guidance, mentorship, authority, venerability, and eruditeness. They are represented by the mask of anonymity, the banner of command, and the staff of rule. Their main holy place is the House of the Patrilineal Divinity in Aetosil. Yvasi and Eredicos rituals similarly diverge due to their diverging nature, but they are more similar than Kithemon and Amandaros. Many of the rituals for Yvasi and Eredicos converge on praising and worship of ancestors, to showcase the skill and achievements of ancestors, and to keep a clean grave or shrine to them. Yvasi has rituals of self exploration, meditation, and both also have rituals with experimentation with self-presentation. Virtues The Virtue of Yvasi is to self-actualize into one's true identity. Evintarians believe that everyone is born defective or imperfect, and that one must search for that perfect state. By discovering one's flaws, and finding ways to overcome said flaws through enhancement, the faithful may evolve to compensate for the flaw of creation. The Virtue of Fredericos is to reflect on the actions of one's forebears, using traditions and past knowledge to aid in solving the problems of the present and future. While the challenges of today are never the same as those in the past, one can still use the accomplishments and reactions of one's ancestors to determine what methods solved previous problems, and which ones didn't. By understanding history, Unionists may understand the future and avoid making the same mistakes. Vices The greatest Vice against Yvasi is bigotry on matters of identity. All people deserve to be the person they believe themselves to be, and obstructing anyone in their process to achieve their true self is considered a spirutual and personal failing. Not everyone's path to self-actualization is the same, and may not be easily understood, though it is critical to understand that every path is valid, and being obstructionist only aims to create rifts in society that do not have to be there. The greatest Vice against Eredicos is to betray one's family, and to forsake the lessons of one's ancestors. To Unionists, the family is the foundation of society, and its members build each other up by fostering a strong support network. To betray this support network is to undermine the very foundation of society, which impedes the Great Way. Furthermore, ignoring the actions of one's ancestors opens up the possibility to make the same mistakes, which can be costly to those who do not learn from history. Legacy Yvasi is an Ordial Entity possessing a Half-Eronidas named Girin who has proved to be of aid to the Great Way, by traveling the lands and helping the faithful realize and manifest their true self in gender, appearance, and heritage. It is not known what entity Yvasi is related to, but she did show her loyalty to mortals and the living, by aiding in the defense of the Last City of the Living, before traveling on to Aloria to aid the Unionists. Yvasi in particular discusses many concepts of transhumanist and transgender concepts with the faithful, as she is a female-presenting spirit in a male-presenting body, and how that generally affects gender presentation to the faithful, as well as gender roles in society. Eredicos is a divine name for the Imperial Prince Frederick Kade (second son of the Emperor), who shares his body with an ancestral spirit of Betheoric I Kade. Unlike the other entities who have mostly subsumed their host, Eredicos represents both Frederick in the mortal body and Betheoric in the immortal self, and the two frequently exchange host status. Eredicos is a very recent addition as God, because Frederick only ascended to godhood when he became an Urlan in the past 3 years, and in doing so, proved to have divine god-like powers of command and venerability over even non-believers through Betheoric. The fact that an Imperial prince is technically possessed by a Primal Revenant is a very much not-so-secret at the Imperial Palace, but out of respect nobody causes an issue over it.

Guided Cult

The Guided Cult has a long and troubled history, as Dogmatic Unionists tried to violently suppress so-called religious-critical movements that challenged the clergy by asking questions instead of blindly believing everything that was fed to them. The Guided Cult inevitably agreed to re-join the Unionist Divine, as the priests of the other groupings agreed to accept their Duality-God (each God representing two) entities, while also admitting some of their more free-thinking ideas in how to interact with the priests. While prior the priests could not be questioned, with the Guided Unionist re-interpretation, Priests were actively challenged to be questioned in their preaching and faith, so that everyone would become stronger in belief. The Guided Cult still exists, because they hold on to some of the so-called Dragon Gods.

This means that while critical thinking, questioning faith, and keeping an innovative and independent mind are aspects of the Guided Cult, what is more important to them is the divinity of Dragons, that being also the separation between them and the dogmatic beliefs: that Dragons can be Gods. Dragons are all Divine, and while not all Dragons are Gods, some of them are, and they should be adhered to when they make proclamations. Some make the incorrect assumption that this means Guided Unionists believe in both Unionism and Draconism, but the Guided Unionists specifically delineate between Draconist Gods, and Unionist Gods, in that the Dragons that are Gods, are specifically not Dragons from Draconism, because they represent a different faith. That being said, Archon do exist in an in-between function, in that the Guided Cult does accept Archon as holy warriors if they worship Unionism. Each Duo-God pairing is a pair of a Dragon Soul God, and an Archon God who acts as their protector. The first Dragon God is Nicholas Kade, the Glorious Arch-Chancellor who is commonly remembered as the most competent government leader the Regalian Empire ever had, and Aarthes his Fin'ullen Archon Bodyguard. Nicholas has been dead for over a century, but Aarthes is still alive, living in Nicholas's old Estate in Anglia alone.

The second Dragon God is Morgan Kade who is commonly remembered as a highly competent, but extremely morally corrupt and cruel Arch-Chancellor, and Narsil his Snake-Marken Archon Bodyguard who was painted in Gold as he slithered through the Imperial Palace. Morgan died several decades ago, and Narsil was put to death immediately after Morgan, as he was no longer around to protect his bodyguard-pet Marken. The duality of virtuous Nicholas and sinful Morgan as Gods is that the Guided Unionists believe that Gods can also be just awful people, and be extremely selfish and capricious, but that bad qualities and ugly personalities are not reasons to write off the skills and competencies that people do have. The Guided Cult holds that Dragon-Souls (like Prince Cedromar, or his children August and Florian) would be more suitable heirs to the throne, but have agreed with their re-integration into Dogmatic Unionism to cease their opposition to Emperor Alexander's rule.

Nicholas & Aarthes, the Leaders

	The Everwatcher is the Supreme Being of Unionism, and Emperor Alexander is the Vessel God. The Everwatcher holds supremacy over all other Gods, and utilizes the Vessel God to communicate to mortals. The Vessel God is always the reigning Regalian Emperor, with their divinity ending upon death or abdication. The Vessel God's Golden lesson is that all eminence eventually vanishes, so one should not to get too attached to status. The Imperial Palace is considered the holiest site to the Everwatcher and Vessel God Emperor Alexander is the only Vessel God in history to lose his divinity (upon abdication to his brother Cedromar) and regain it (following his return after the Interregnum). Despite his disappearance, Alexander remains the Vessel God, as the Palace and Secilly Council have not declared the Imperial Seat vacant.
For expanded lore, click here. Description Nicholas (left) and Aarthes (right) are the Leadership Gods of the Guided Cult, the teachers of responsibility and careful design to those in positions of power. Nicholas is the God of Political Design, whereas Aarthes is the God of Architectural Design Together, the Leadership Gods represent foresight, calculation, intellect, responsibility, and counsel. They are represented by the scepter of regality, government buildings, and the Regalian State Banner. Their main holy place is the Golden Seed Temple in Axford, the capital of Anglia. Rituals belonging to the Leadership Gods involve the bridging of duality, to seek out "the mind" and "the body" in friendships, and form a perfect union between the person who plans and thinks, and the person who acts and completes. The intention is to build friendships from unlikely partners, to create unbreakable bonds and collaborative efforts that showcase the perfection cooperation, that dependency is not weakness but beautiful and meaningful. Virtues The Virtue of the Leadership Gods is to use one's speech and charisma to deescalate a situation, rather than resorting to combat as the first option. A good leader recognizes that not all battles need to be fought, and often a diplomatic overture will suffice in finding common ground. By resorting to violence, one earns a reputation for being unreasonable, perpetuating a cycle of violence. As such, the Leadership Gods advocate for the use of words to settle disputes, and only resort to combat when all other options have been explored. In doing so, Unionists believe that one becomes better known as a negotiator and one who they can trust to make sound decisions, and thus a leader that they can trust and follow. Vices The greatest Vice against the Leadership Gods is to disrupt the order and stability of the state. A society that best furthers the Great Way is one which is not embroiled with petty conflicts over trivial matters, as being obstinate or contrarian earns one no favor in wider society. Those who strike out against authority with malicious intent towards will often shoot themselves in the foot, with only themselves to blame for their own misfortunes. A poor leader is one who refuses to act in good faith and compromise on certain aspects, and instead becomes obstructionist to the decision-making process. Being too rigid leaves one open to being ignored by sounder minds, causing one to lose their right to advocate for themselves when the time is proper. Legacy In Life, Nicholas was known as the Glorious Arch-Chancellor, Nicholas Kade. Known as the most competent head of government in Regalian history, his record-long tenure saw the Empire enter into a golden age of prosperity, owing to his political tact. Taking a diplomatic approach, Nicholas was able to negotiate the end of the Skagger Wars and integrate Drixagh into the Regalian Empire, as well and oversee the inclusion of the Ithanian Sovereignty and Aetosian Theocracy into the imperial fold. Throughout his life, Nicholas was accompanied by Aarthes, his Fin'ullen Archon bodyguard. Following the death of the Arch-Chancellor, Aarthes retreated from public life to reside in his master's old Estate in Anglia, where he would occasionally talk about how Nicholas made his decisions. Nicholas's divinity was not immediately declared, as he never manifested as a spirit following his death. The Emended and later Guided Unionists would declare him a God, believing that his legacy coupled with his Dragonblood status was proof enough of his divinity in life.

Morgan & Narsil, the Tyrants

	The Everwatcher is the Supreme Being of Unionism, and Emperor Alexander is the Vessel God. The Everwatcher holds supremacy over all other Gods, and utilizes the Vessel God to communicate to mortals. The Vessel God is always the reigning Regalian Emperor, with their divinity ending upon death or abdication. The Vessel God's Golden lesson is that all eminence eventually vanishes, so one should not to get too attached to status. The Imperial Palace is considered the holiest site to the Everwatcher and Vessel God Emperor Alexander is the only Vessel God in history to lose his divinity (upon abdication to his brother Cedromar) and regain it (following his return after the Interregnum). Despite his disappearance, Alexander remains the Vessel God, as the Palace and Secilly Council have not declared the Imperial Seat vacant.
For expanded lore, click here. Description Morgan (left) and Narsil (right) are the Tyrant Gods of The Guided Cult, the warnings to blind faith and unquestioning obedience. Morgan is the God of Tyrants, whereas Naril is the God of Corruption. Together, the Martial Gods represent selfishness, greed, cruelty, wroth, pride, hyper-competency, and self-assuredness. They are represented by the cobra-hooded head, snake-forked tongue, and snake-hair head. The Tyrants lack a holy place, as they are not worshipped specifically and instead used as a warning against hedonism and sin, even in competent people. Rituals of Morgan and Narsil are less in service to them, and more in deterrence to the qualities of Morgan. The most common form of ritual is the Public Examination, where large crowds gather in front of a speaking stand, where citizens and commoners hold a public debate on the competency and virtues and morality of an individual in office or power, as a means to hold them accountable to good governance and keep them on the right track. Virtues The Virtue of the Tyrants is that sometimes, underhanded tactics are also able to further the Great Way. Sometimes, working in the light is too slow or too ineffectively, and that Spies, Saboteurs, and Rogues can also use their skills to the glory of the Empire. This does not mean that criminal behavior, gang activity, and the like is considered morally correct to Guided Unionists (after all, obeying the law is virtuous). Rather, they assert that covert and underhanded tactics can sometimes bring about quicker progress to the Empire than going through the socially-accepted channels, and that espionage against foreign rivals and enemies is a necessity for Regalia to be well-informed in making decisions. Vices The greatest Vice against the Tyrants is to use the Emperor, Faith, or Law to justify cruelty and evil. Unionists trust the word of the Emperor, because he communes with the Everwatcher, and that his Laws are made with good intentions for all people. However, those in positions of power who represent the Emperor may use that authority to twist the words of the Emperor to carry out great evil, using the people's faith against them. Likewise, those who manipulate the Laws, or find unintended loopholes, will use them to enrich themselves at another's expense. The faithful are warned to hold those in power accountable, and to be skeptical of anyone claiming to speak for the Emperor without investigating their merits. Legacy In Life, Morgan was known as the Sun Chancellor, Morgan Kade. Remembered as highly competent, but extremely morally corrupt, Morgan used the aftermath of the Purple Bleeding to force Emperor Justinian I to surrender religious prerogative to him, making the Chancellor kingmaker. What followed was a line of Ivrae Emperor who were Morgan's puppets, each being replaced whenever the Chancellor grew tired of them. To enforce his grip over the Empire, Morgan relied on Narsil, his Snake-Marken bodyguard who painted himself gold, to inform the Chancellor of any threats to his power. For over four decades, Morgan and Narsil ruled as tyrants, using intrigue and tyranny to keep the nobility and government in line while funding lives of opulence and hedonism. Eventually, Morgan would be executed by Emperor Vilgemar, who always hated being told what to do. Immediately after, the Imperial Guards hunted down and killed Narsil in a back corridor of the Imperial Palace, ending the duos reign of tyranny. As with the other pair of Dragon Gods, Morgan or Narsil has never manifested, though their actions coupled with Morgan's Dragonblood status were seen to be the acts of the divine (as who else could play kingmaker to the Vessel-God, but another God). The Emended and later Guided Unionists would accept this stance on divinity, teaching that Gods can also be just awful people, and be extremely selfish and capricious, but that bad qualities and ugly personalities are not reasons to write off the skills and competencies that people do have.

Armageddon Cult

The Armageddon Cult originated in the preaching of the Evintarian priest Belisarius, whose core belief was that while Paradise is certain to come at the end of the Great Way, that the traditional doctrine does not account for the non-mortal elements of the world. In essence, while believers and mortal non-believers alike could bring about Paradise, the dogma does not account for the existence of Demons, those who reject the Emperor's love, and Vampires who by nature cannot love his grace. Belisarius believed that on the Eve of Paradise, an event would occur called the Armageddon, where all the Demons, Demon worshipers, Arken, Void Gods, and other entities that wish to prevent Paradise, would unleash a holy war on Unionism and that the final test before Paradise would be winning this cataclysmic war that would touch all corners of the mortal realm. Armageddon Cultists in essence believe in an inevitable "War in Heaven", and express their belief mainly in daily "thinning the herd" of Demons and Vampires so as to reduce the overwhelming forces that the Demons will come to possess when Armageddon begins.

They are doomsday preppers, with many even entertaining that Armageddon will not come in their lifetime, but that they will contribute to a reduction of the numbers of the enemy, and preparing the Empire and their descendants for the final war by producing more weapons, and researching every edge they might gain against the Demons. The Armageddon Cult is unique in Unionism in that it acknowledges an actual canonical evil, the supreme devil as it were, and entertains the idea that there is actually a chance that the Armageddon war might be lost if too many people fall to the vices of Demon worship and consorting with the Devil. The Armageddon Cult was accepted into the faith along with the other Cults, and conformed just like the others. It is a relatively small cult, but it is immensely popular among purists and those who make it their daily employment to hunt down Demons and serve the Emperor by slaying his detractors. It should be noted that a more twisted version of the Armageddon Cult also exists. Because the "evil" Gods (perceived similarly to Guided Unionism in more of a fear-worship, or appeasement to keep them away) are still immensely powerful, some Vampires have developed a twisted version of the Armageddon Cult where they believe that when Armageddon begins, they will all rise up against the Gods of Evil, and join the righteous in the war in heaven for Paradise, and redeem themselves.

Through this belief, some of them have become pro-Regalian pro-Emperor, acting from the shadows in the benefit of the Regalian Empire, even if the Empire would have them slain at the earliest convenience. This Vampiric interpretation is obviously heretical and not supported by the Cult itself, but it is notable enough to be mentioned, and why some Vampires might worship the Armageddon Cult Gods. On a closing note, while the Armageddon Cult only has two Devil Gods, the theology allows for a much larger range of evil entities to be acknowledged as "Aspects of the Endwar", such as Void Gods, Arken, Greater Demons, and in some interpretations even Estelley Gods. The Armageddon Cult has many superstitions concerning the Endwar, and players are encouraged to experiment with catholic apocalypse visions and the circles of hell.

Celestina & Eòin, the Anticipators

	The Everwatcher is the Supreme Being of Unionism, and Emperor Alexander is the Vessel God. The Everwatcher holds supremacy over all other Gods, and utilizes the Vessel God to communicate to mortals. The Vessel God is always the reigning Regalian Emperor, with their divinity ending upon death or abdication. The Vessel God's Golden lesson is that all eminence eventually vanishes, so one should not to get too attached to status. The Imperial Palace is considered the holiest site to the Everwatcher and Vessel God Emperor Alexander is the only Vessel God in history to lose his divinity (upon abdication to his brother Cedromar) and regain it (following his return after the Interregnum). Despite his disappearance, Alexander remains the Vessel God, as the Palace and Secilly Council have not declared the Imperial Seat vacant.
For expanded lore, click here. Description Celestina (left) and Eòin (right) are the Anticipating Gods of the Armageddon Cult, the teachers of going good without material reward. Celestina is the Goddess of the spoken word and the prepared mind, and Eòin is the God of the physical arm and execution of the divine plan. Together, the Anticipators represent altruism, resolve, combativeness, unforgiveness, noncapitulation, and preparedness. They are represented by the Habit and mask of the Silent Sisters, and the Imperial Guard Seal. Their main holy place is the Divine Advent Temple on the Crown Isle. Rituals belonging to the Anticipating Gods involve preparing one's self, or the world around one, for the inevitable Armageddon, and to find peace in the fact that all the toil of a lifetime may not ever see fruits while alive, and that the benefit of one's labor must be for one's descendants or those who come after. and never for one's self. Virtues The Virtue of the Anticipating Gods is to fight, restrain, or otherwise hamper the forces of the Void. Armageddon Cultists in essence believe in an inevitable "War in Heaven", and express their belief mainly in daily "thinning the herd" of Demons and Vampires so as to reduce the overwhelming forces that the Demons will come to possess when Armageddon begins. They are doomsday preppers, with many even entertaining that Armageddon will not come in their lifetime, but that they will contribute to a reduction of the numbers of the enemy, and preparing the Empire and their descendants for the final war by producing more weapons, and researching every edge they might gain against the Demons. Vices The greatest Vice against the Anticipating Gods is to consort with the agents of the Devils. The Armageddon Cult is unique in Unionism in that it acknowledges an actual canonical evil, the supreme devil as it were, and entertains the idea that there is actually a chance that the Armageddon war might be lost if too many people fall to the vices of Demon worship and consorting with the Devil. As such, the faithful are tasked with steeling their hearts and minds against the corruptive forces of the enemy, hunting down Demons, and serving the Emperor by slaying his detractors. Failure to do this is to give the enemy a greater advantage when the Endwar begins, and to place one's descendants into dangers they should not have faced. Legacy Celestina was once a Silent Sister who resided in the City of Regalia, often tending to her duties and upholding her vow of silence. However, the multiple of attacks on the Holy City by various magical and demonic threats took a severe toll on the Silent Sister, who could no longer stand by when it seemed like calamity would tear the capital apart. Eventually, Celestina broke her Vow of Silence, and began to preach about the need to prepare for future calamities, even ones not to be experienced in her lifetime. It was by those who listened that her message seemed to come from a higher power, and she was soon recognized as a Goddess by the fledgling Armageddon Cult. Today, Celestina is an Émérites Knight, frequenting the Regalian courts to preach against the normalization of magic and warning of its corrupting power. Eòin was once a Viridian Knight who was known as a frequent training of students at the Viridian Citadel on the Crown Isle. He was present at the Citadel during the Deathling Crisis, where he witnessed the Grandmaster, Elders, and majority of Knights make a last stand to allow for younger students to escape into the countryside. Eòin managed to survive the eradication, and was recognized as a God after he began to preach divinely inspired messages about preparation, citing how even the most-skilled Viridian Knights were only able to delay the inevitable destruction of the demonic threat. He later joined the Tyrian Knights in defending the Imperial Palace, which he preaches as the final bastion against all that is unholy in the world.

Belialus & Sablael, the Devils

	The Everwatcher is the Supreme Being of Unionism, and Emperor Alexander is the Vessel God. The Everwatcher holds supremacy over all other Gods, and utilizes the Vessel God to communicate to mortals. The Vessel God is always the reigning Regalian Emperor, with their divinity ending upon death or abdication. The Vessel God's Golden lesson is that all eminence eventually vanishes, so one should not to get too attached to status. The Imperial Palace is considered the holiest site to the Everwatcher and Vessel God Emperor Alexander is the only Vessel God in history to lose his divinity (upon abdication to his brother Cedromar) and regain it (following his return after the Interregnum). Despite his disappearance, Alexander remains the Vessel God, as the Palace and Secilly Council have not declared the Imperial Seat vacant.
For expanded lore, click here. Description Belialus (left) and Sablael (right) are the Devils of Unionism, the Supreme Evils of the world, and the greatest threat to the Great Way. Belialus is the Devil of the Sanguine, though is also known by the Elves as Behesael, the Arch-Void and Archdemon, and Supreme Being of the Void on par with the Everwatcher in his dimension. Sablael is the Devil of Shadows, Greatest Lieutenant of the Archdemon, and architect of the Void Invasions. Together, the Devils represent destruction, corruption, seduction, entrapment, danger, and evil. They are represented by the Sanguine Curse, the twisted and coiling shadow, and the hooked tail. Their main holy place is the House of Blood, where Vampires and their allies worship them. Rituals of the Devils involve candle night vigils and ritual purification of objects and people touched by them. The idea is to cast away the evil presence of the Devils (a word itself taken from the Velheim Djevel or "evil one"), because the belief is held that if their influence is cast back into the Void, that their connection with the mortal world is disrupted and they enter a state of slumber. Virtues The Virtue of the Devils is to seek evolution and advances through the Demonic and Void. Unlike all other Unionist Gods, the Virtue of the Devils is not one to aspire towards, but to recognize as the goal of the Devils. Ever since the Veil was first torn millennia ago, and the Void experienced the first "something" in a dimension of "nothing." Ever since then, Belialus had desired a return to nothingness, using Sablael and all his loyal servants to destroy Aloria and all that resides within and beyond. By utilizing the powers of the Void, Belialus is able to corrupt the world into decay, furthering his goal of complete annihilation. To become a servant of the Void is aid the Archdemon, to be discarded by Him when he claims victory in the Endwar. Vices The greatest Vice against the Devils is to hunt down Vampires, Demons, and other servants of the Void. As the Archdemon cannot manifest within Aloria, he must use his agents of the Void to further his goals. With every infection of a Vampire, with every demonic deal, and with every Void Mage casting a Sinistral spell, his power grows stronger in Aloria. As such, the faithful must work to cure those afflicted with the Sanguine Curse (or put them out of their misery), destroy all tomes and books and prevent the summoning or use of Demons, and hunt down Mages who would use their powers to infect the world with corruption. By seeking out and defeating the enemies of evil, the Devils are kept at bay, weakening them to ensure that Unionists will eventually bring about Paradise and rid the world of all corrupting forces. Legacy Belialus is the Supreme Being of the Void, and thus was the ultimate source of the Void Gods, Spirit Sovereigns, Arken, and lesser Demons. While all of these entities at first owed him loyalty, their time spent in Aloria (or through the actions of Alorians) caused many to break free of their servitude, becoming their own agents despite having some ties to the Archdemon. Most records of Belialus have been lost to time, as most civilizations who knew of him eventually were destroyed in the Void Invasions. As such, much of what is known comes from the Elves, who called him Behesael. His most notable modern calamity was the creation of the Sangaley Blood Curse, which was mutated by the Void Gods to create the modern Vampires. Sablael is the architect of the Void Invasions, and commanded the legions of Void Demons against previous civilizations. They were originally mistaken to be the same entity as the Archdemon, though the scant Allorn records telling of the Fifth Void Invasion differentiate between Sablael and Behesael, confirming that only Sablael can manifest outside of the Void. Fortunately, Sablael has not been seen since the Cataclysm when he was cast back into the Void, and civilization should pray that he never again returns to herald a Sixth Void Invasion, or the Endwar itself.

Priestly Activities

Unionist priests are part of the so-called Covenant College. At the very top is the Secilly Council. Originally this organization had a leader called the Supreme Reverend, however the Supreme Reverend position was abolished when the last Supreme Reverend discovered insidious corruption within the religious community, tried to expose it, and was assassinated for it. To compensate, Conclave determined that the Dogmatic community should henceforth be ruled by a Council of elder Arch-Everians. Below the Secilly Council, are the Arch-Everian, which are equivalents to Dukes in the Regalian Empire. They wield considerable power and rule over vast areas of land, subdivided into Everies. Below the Arch-Everian is the Everian, or just the average priest. Each Everian administrates an Everie, which is usually a piece of land donated to the clergy where they maintain temples, shrines, and sanctuaries, while also producing crops and tending to cattle. Everians perform all religious tasks such as confession, preaching, hearing concerns, and simply taking care of Unionist needs like a social caretaker or mental health worker. Arch-Everians on the other hand are more administrative in that they take care of the treasury, any military attached to the religious orders, and communication between the Secilly Council and the vast wide-spread Unionist elements. Formally the Emperor is the leader of the Holy Seat, which is more of a group term for the Palace and the Secilly Council grouped together, but historically Emperors have interfered very little in the day to day running of the Everies, and as such, this fact is usually ignored, the Emperor being considered a completely independent entity. This has also historically separated the Emperor from controversy among the Everians, and vice versa.

Expanded Lore

The Expanded Lore section contains additional contextual information about the Gods. While the above sections will provide enough information to get a clear picture, there are some nuances and subtext to the Gods that are not apparent on first inspection, but that may be very useful for super-pious Characters. This section will tackle each God pair in greater detail (eventually) and discuss various additional pieces of information available for the faithful.

• Silent Sisters
• Pious Brothers
• Unionism Expanded
• This section is not yet fully written, as it will come very last when all other immediate Religion update tasks are done.

Faith Syncretism

All Gods and all Religions in Lore are valid, because they physically exist in the world and constantly provide evidence to their divinity, however, Religions have boundaries to which Gods to worship and which ones not to. Faith Syncretism is an optional concept where a person who is faithful to the Religion found on this Page, includes two Gods from another Religion to expand their Pantheon and acquire additional beliefs. While this concept stands on shaky grounds when examining canon lore too closely, it is mostly motivated because Religion sometimes creates unnecessary obstacles for Roleplay Alliances or interactions. By allowing Religious figures to expand their Religious loyalty, they gain access to a wider range of people to interact with that would otherwise be closed due to Religious dogma. Syncretism has several rules applied:

• Only one Syncretism may be chosen, and this choice is permanent. The Syncretism should be recorded in the same place where Religions are mentioned on a Character Application.
• Syncretic believers do not worship all the Gods of the second faith, only the two included in the Syncretic belief, it is not possible to expand beyond that or choose other Gods.
• Syncretic beliefs do not grant access to Religious Mechanics of the secondary Religion or other bonuses acquired from Religions or Gods as mentioned on their Pages.
• Syncretic believers cannot be Priests, Godchosen, or any other type of Religious figure as described on the Pages. They must be singularly loyal to their own Religion.
• Syncretic believers are not discriminated against by believers of the secondary Faith. They can however be criticized by their primary faith for their choice of Syncretism.

Syncretism Variants

• Fornoss Syncretisms
  • Love for Life Syncretism: Leif and Eikki form the basis of the Love for Life Syncretism, which supplements the Unionist Pantheon with the Love and Affection God Leif, and the Feasting and Joy God Eikki. This Syncretic theme incorporates a love for life and others, while bringing more nature-elemental and shamanistic aesthetics to Unionism.
  • Chained Guilt Syncretism: Bard and Hrymrök form the basis of the Chained Guilt Syncretism, which supplements the Unionist Pantheon with Retribution and Judgement God Bard, and the Freedom and Liberty Goddess Hrymrök. This Syncretic theme incorporates a more violent and aggressive hostility towards the enemies of Unionism, and taking the initiative on destroying Unionism's rivals, while bringing more while bringing more nature-elemental and shamanistic aesthetics to Unionism.
• Draconism Syncretisms
  • Imperial Core Syncretism: Regulus and Gaia form the basis of the Imperial Core Syncretism, which supplements the Unionist Pantheon with the Rulership and Time God Regulus, and the Preservation and Redemption God Gaia. This Syncretism theme incorporates Dragons as divine beings created by the Everwatcher to preserve Unionism, and identify the so-called Imperial Dragons as Regalian-native Gods, while bringing respect and preservation of old Draconic Sites and Radicals of the Dragons along with it.
  • The Black Flame Syncretism: Caius and Umbra form the basis of the Black Flame Syncretism, which supplements the Unionist Pantheon with the Violence and Battle God Caius, and the Death and Decay dragon Umbra. This Syncretism draws direct lines from the Immortal War and the fight of Dragons against the Occult, and the Unionist Purist stance on Magic usage, identifying the Dragons as some type of Everwatcher ordained holy protector, and bringing with it the use of Leytech to fight the Occult.
• Estelley Syncretisms
  • The Fae Queens Syncretism: Vyrë and Mana form the basis of the Fae Queens Syncretism, which supplements the Unionist Pantheon with the Commanding Ocean Goddess Vyrë and the Compassionate Nature Goddess Mana. This Syncretism poses that Unionism lacks an explanation for the natural realm, a Nature Goddess to praise for the bounty of the forests, and a Sea Goddess to worship for safe passage on the open seas. This Syncretism also ports pro-Magic and Elven Mysticism into Unionism.
  • The Moon Gazer Syncretism: Leyon and Melca form the basis of the Moon Gazer Syncretism, which supplements the Unionist Pantheon with the Protection and Benevolence God Leyon, and the Foresight and Mysteries Goddess Melca. This Syncretism poses that Unionism focuses too strongly on the mechanical industrial world, failing to see the mystical and often Magical reality that exists also, and assumes too much from a Mundane point of view, thus expanding horizons to truly connect with Mysticism.
• Baskarr Syncretisms
  • The Golden Hour Syncretism: Tjafar and Akhet form the basis of the Golden Hour Syncretism, which supplements the Unionist Pantheon with the Insight and Rulership God Tjafar, and the Unaccountable Reclaimer God Akhet. The Golden Hour Syncretism incorporates the Asha as brother-folk to the Unionists, in that much of their Allorn-oppressed history is aligned, and their long term goals also align. Golden Hour Syncretism believers acknowledge Asha and Ailor as the same people.
  • The Relentless Vengeance Syncretism: Khannar and Wadj form the basis of the Relentless Vengeance Syncretism, which supplements the Unionist Pantheon with the Hateful Vengeance God Khannar, and the Intrigue and Deceit God Wadj. This Syncretism takes a lesson from the Revenge Asha: Unionism and the Regalian Empire move too slowly to punish evil, and all forces should be more aggressively forced away from inaction and apathy, and into Violence against the Allorn.
• Evolism Syncretisms do not exist in Unionism, due to their extreme opposition to one another.

Trivia

• Unionism used to be mandatory for nobility somewhere during the second century after Cataclysm, though this Holy Law was removed when the war against the Skagger Horde ceased, and the Empire benefited more from including non-Unionists into the peerage. An exception had always been made for the Solvaan nobles in Solleria however, called the Confessions of Melennar.
• Sectarian violence largely came to an end at the turn into the fourth century as the last attacks on Vultragon Unionist by state forces ceased, and an uneasy truce was signed between the Schism religious communities. They still do not see eye-to-eye, and the different Schismatic groups still prod at each other, but instead of murdering each other over sectarian differences, they mostly fight with words nowadays, a legacy of the Kleine Rechnung, the document that called for the truce.
• Despite Eirlys's absorption into Unionism, the Breizh still maintained a high level of cultural autonomy, some even clinging to old beliefs. As such, even when Magic became illegal in the Empire, the Breizh Aelrrigan Order continued to find and train Mages safely in their sanctuaries while the rest of the Empire turned to brutal oppression (and the Magic part of Eirlys was suppressed from dogma). Eirlys' faithful among the Aelrrigan Order are commonly cited as the reason why Magic acceptance eventually returned, and Eirlys' magical nature in theological teachings was returned.