|deities = The Everwatcher and various other Gods and Goddesses
The Everwatcher supreme being, and 7 God Emperors/Empresses
|subsects =
|subsects =
Dogmatic, Evintatian, Dogartan, and Vultragon Schism with several smaller Sect beliefs
* The Evintarian Cult
* The Guided Cult
* The Armageddon Cult
|}}
|}}
Unionism is the world's second-largest religion only trailing shortly after Estelley, on account of the Ailor people being more religiously divided, though it is speculated that Unionism will become the largest religion within a century at least. Unionism at its core is a global unification movement that proclaims the benevolence of the divinely inspired Emperors of the Regalian Empire to bring order, stability, and law to the world that is filled with chaos and strife. Unionism is the only Religion on Aloria that incorporates Gods of their subjugated or annexed people, preserving their culture and traditions as a part of a larger collective.
Unionism is a polytheistic [[Religion]] based on the life and oral teachings of the [[Emperors of Regalia]], and the Everwatcher supreme divine being that inhabits them. The Everwatcher, in turn, is supported by God Emperors and God Empresses who after their death shed their mortal form and pass into immortality, thus becoming gods and goddesses in their own right. Unionism is the largest religion in [[Aloria]] and is practiced by millions of people of all different [[Races]]--particularly the [[Ailor]] Race. The core belief of Unionism is that one day by the shepherding of the [[Regalian Empire]], its Emperor, and the Ailor people, all Races and all peoples of the world will achieve paradise through what they call "The Great Way", which roughly corresponds to the ambition to make Regalia a globe spanning Empire that controls all the seas and land there is. They believe that all those who died will return to the land of the living, and all shall live in immortality and infinity in a forever-paradise. Despite its great message, Unionism also has its controversies and schisms. It is the most divided religion, perhaps a reflection of its Ailor origin, as several split beliefs have caused major rifts in their religious community. Unionism is generally considered the fastest-growing religion, quickly replacing all other religions across the world due to a combination of its universal message and its enforcement by the military might of the Regalian Empire.
==Origins==
==Origins==
* '''Beginnings & Founders''': Unionism was founded by Emperor Theomar I, the first Emperor of the Regalian Empire who also functions as the faith's chief prophet. He proclaimed he received visions from the Everwatcher, who chose to bestow the right of the so-called Mantle of Creation unto the Ailor race; it is believed that Unionism was a religion that existed for thousands of years, but was always rejected by the dominant races. Theomar proclaimed that the Everwatcher had rejected the hubris and degeneracy of the Altalar, and now favored the Ailor as the true agents of paradise, or the Makers of the Great Way. This meant that while in the past other races held the Mantle of Creation (an abstract concept that implies a specific race is the protector of all living things), it was now time for the Ailor race to fulfill this task. Emperor Theomar I wrote his visions and intentions into a large holy book called The Creed, which then started spreading from its creation point in the city of Regalia (this is why Regalia is sometimes also called the Holy City Regalia) to all surrounding lands as more and more nobles adopted the faith and spread it to their subjects, before it took to the global stage.
Unionism was founded several years after the Establishment of the Regalian Empire, roughly speaking in the year 10 AC. The exact year date is unclear, because Theomar did not publish the Creed until some time after he received his first visions, and so some theological debate exists on the exact founding year. Emperor Theomar was the first prophet of the faith and recorded the visions of the Everwatcher who joined with his soul, thus Theomar became the first Vessel-Emperor. Unionism has since its founding had a strong upward trajectory of converting those of other Religions to it, but also just population growth in general due to its strong message of expansion of the state and family. It is currently the second largest Religion in the world, only slightly outclassed by Estelley on account of there being more Elves widely speaking.
* '''Creation Theory''': Unionist Creation theory describes a time called the Uhr-Era, a time before memory and writing, where the Everwatcher was an immortal formless being alone in the universe with the power of perpetual creation. It is written in The Creed that the Everwatcher wished to create paradise, but could not realize true paradise without free will. Each time the Everwatcher created a new cycle of creation without free will, the world would eventually succumb to darkness as there was no spark of creativity or innovation. However, when the Everwatcher gave complete free will without guidance, all of creation perpetually destroyed itself in disastrous hellfire, with bright flashes of destruction lighting up the horizon followed by eternal winter. It was finally that on the last cycle, when the Uhr-Era ended, the Everwatcher chose to seek out a Vessel to provide guidance through visions and direct communication on how to achieve paradise without removing free will. Creation was still prone to sin, but was then also able to overcome it.
* '''Racial Access''': Unionism is a religion that is inclusive for all with a caveat. While standard Unionism does include means for all Races to be included, Ailor have a privileged position above all others. The Emperor is always an Ailor, and the Everwatcher has designated the Ailor to be "First among equal races"; that the task of leadership falls upon them. Strictly speaking, this is not a judgment that non-Ailor are forbidden from positions of leadership or and priesthood within the faith. The responsibility for achieving the destiny of all Races falls on the Ailor to uphold. Furthermore, Unionism is a very schismatic religion, meaning many different cults and interpretations of The Creed exist, and not all agree on an all-inclusive vision for the other Races. There are plenty of Cults that do not believe in the inclusion of other races, and some who are outright hostile to what they call the lesser races. Refer to the Schisms and Sects for more information.
==History==
==Central Message==
After the creation of Unionism, several nobles joined the Emperor as a show of loyalty and started spreading the faith among their subjects. This caused a slow but galvanizing wave of conversions that kept picking up speed until whole nations would instantly fold to follow Unionism in the third century after the cataclysm. While once the [[Old Gods]] or other Pagan Faiths were dominant among Ailor, within 200 years, Old Gods had been reduced to a minority religion that was largely only followed in the northern realms and the [[Drixagh]] area of the [[Regalian Archipelago]]. Meanwhile, Unionism quickly took root in vast swathes of Ithania, Daenshore and the older Ceardian Kingdoms. Holdouts still remain and the recent decay of Old Gods and conversions away from the [[Faith of Estel]] have been much slower than in the second century, but Unionism still continues to grow at the expense of all other religions that are turning into fringe beliefs.
The central message of Unionism is that the world is a wretched test of virtue for all mortals who reside in it, and that the greatest test of all is the unification of the world under the secular authority of the Emperors of Regalia. In essence, the faith preaches that the world is filled with chaos and suffering and that only through the guidance of the Regalian Empire's authority it can be unified. When this task called the Great Way is completed, the Everwatcher will create paradise on the world, ending all death and suffering, and bringing back all those who have passed into the afterlife to live among the now immortal mortals in a state of forever paradise.
===Schisms===
==The Great Way==
Unionism has endured several Schisms, all caused at various points in time over major religious differences. Each Schism usually came about following the death of the previous Emperor, which resulted in the priests of Unionist calling for a Diet of Deliberation. During this time, thousands of priests from all over the world are invited to discuss the future of the faith, and to have theological debates, as the priests are the only ones allowed to look at the holy words in The Creed. Unfortunately, sometimes these events are also hotbeds of religious politics, and large groups of priests unify behind an idea that incites violence and opposition from the majority or minority, who might break away. There exist more differences between the Schisms than explicitly stated on this page for ease of reading. For more information on additional differences, consult the [[Unionist Schisms]] Page.
The Great Way is the task of the faithful to bring about a world-spanning Regalian Empire under the secular authority of the Regalian Emperors. This explicitly does not mean the eradication of other Religions, it purely means that the whole world should follow Regalian state law and be obedient to it, while preserving their own customs and traditions. However, many also interpret it as an implicit call to eradicate other Religions. Unionism is a complicated Religion that professes to do a lot of good, but that is inherently hampered by the selfish wishes of mortals and the self-interested preaching of the clergy. It contains themes of righteousness bogged down by dogmatic narrow-mindedness, and stagnating beliefs.
* '''The Evintarian Schism''' is the first Schism that appeared directly after the death of Emperor Theomar I. In his later years, Emperor Theomar I changed his mind on the matter of Godsparks, the process by which Unionist Heroes are declared. Emperor Theomar I originally wrote in The Creed that Godsparks could only be declared by the priests in a Diet of Divinity, once the subject person had died. In his later years however, he decided Godsparks could be detected in still living mortals during a Diet of Divinity. However, he never wrote this down for unclear reasons. After his death, the majority of priests decided if the Emperors did not write their dissent on previous dogma in The Creed (they are allowed to edit it), it is not considered divine will and is irrelevant in the eyes of Holy Law. The Evintarian minority faction believed the Emperor's word is always divine will, and that it does not matter if he has or has not written it down into The Creed; if he changes his mind about something and verbalizes it, it must be followed. Because the majority of the priests refused to legalize the Diet of Divinity for living people, the Evintarian faction split from the main Unionist religious community and created the Evintarian religious community--Evintarian Commune. This Commune suffered severe repression at the hands of the dogmatic Unionists, and were expelled from the Empire to the inhospitable [[Etosian Isles]]. This is also why sometimes the religion is called Etosian Unionism, but Evintarian Unionism is the official name. Evinters, as they are called, consider themselves more holy and pious followers of the Emperors and consider the other schisms to be more secular and thus more prone to corruption and sin. The Evintarian Unionists are the second largest Unionist belief in modern days with a powerful army and nation-state for itself.
==The Afterlife==
* '''The Dogartan Schism''' is the second Schism that appeared directly after the death of [[Emperor Henri III]]. Emperor Henri III was known to live a pious and virtuous life while rejecting wealth and excess, and due to the rapid growth of Unionism, the dogmatic Unionist religious community had become very wealthy, as priests were allowed to tax the peasants in their lands. A minority of priests wanted to establish a wealth-cap for all priests, forcing them all to give away their wealth to the poor, which most priests rejected. As such, the Dogartans left the main structure of priesthood and created their own Dogartan Unionism that is more based on a vow of poverty and helping others than glory and the self. The Dogartans were less repressed, and in many ways, the dogmatic Unionists simply let them go; they continue to exist in modern times but are few in number of adherents.
Unionism's afterlife is far less colorful or pleasure-inducing than many other Afterlives, it is in fact quite simple. Unlike the paradises of liquor and endless banquets, Unionism's afterlife is a somber staircase upon which all the faithful sit in waiting, gazing down at the world of mortals and watching events unfold until it is their time to descend back down to the land of the living when the Everwatcher creates paradise. There is a sense of togetherness for those who will return to loved ones in the Afterlife, but also a sense of waiting for eternity due to the slow progression of the Great Way, and the many setbacks the Regalian Empire faces in its implicit world-domination plans.
* '''The Vultragon Schism''' is the third Schism that appeared as a direct response to the [[Seasonal Emperors]], though murmurings of its origins had already begun during the [[Years of the Three Emperors]] much sooner. Many priests, particularly from the south, believed court politics and intrigue dictated who would become Emperor over the inheritance clauses clarified in The Creed. They argued that the Everwatcher could not just be assumed to be the next-in-line heir to the throne, because this would imply the Everwatcher just jumped into whomever, regardless of how competent they were. The priests argued that the Everwatcher is much more intentional, and would take a Vessel that would not become subject to court intrigue. Because it is impossible to tell who the Everwatcher had chosen, these priests argued for a waiting period after the death of the last Emperor in which they waited for a sign from the Everwatcher. The majority of the priests declared this heretical and in direct contradiction to The Creed, so they violently expelled the Vultarin priests. These priests went home to [[Vultaro]] and their beliefs quickly spread among the locals due to the harsh societal environment the southern lands lived under, stoked by constant warfare between its nobles. Eventually, the situation exploded into a rebellion, and the [[Regalian Army]] harshly repressed the Vultragon heresy that continued to spread regardless. Eventually, the Regalian Army backed off and relations were normalized into peace. Now, the Vultragon Unionist religious community is the third-largest Schism of Unionism, and has firmly established a Unionist belief structure centered around critical thinking in the southern regions of the Regalian Archipelago.
==Faith Mechanic==
===Sects===
==Gods and Goddesses==
Smaller Sects exist within Unionism, though they are not full Schisms. Most sects are intersectional, meaning that a priest from both Vultragon and dogmatic Unionists can be a member of a specific Sect, since Sects only add beliefs and do not subtract from or conflict with pre-existing beliefs. Sects usually have very small support bases, but are entirely legal within the Regalian Empire or the Unionist religious communities at-large, even the Schisms.
Unionist Gods were either Gods from other Religions, or divinely blessed mortals who became immortal Gods after they passed on with the guidance of the Everwatcher. There is no important distinction between the types of Gods, Unionism treats all Gods equally under the Everwatcher. Each God also has associated Saints who become Immortal divine beings, but are not considered Gods, and discussed further down. The Everwatcher is technically the Arch-God, but this entity is so unknowable to anyone but the Emperor, that it is only invoked, not directly worshiped. The Everwatcher is treated as the creator of all the Gods, but the Gods are like tangible extensions of it, and thus they receive the worship instead.
* '''The Horopadosi Sect''': This Sect believes in the idea of "physical evolution to a greater being," meaning that being Ailor is an abstract concept, and that physical alterations to Ailor, such as mutations or becoming an Url, are still Ailor--but only if the physical mutations are seen as a way of improving what constitutes the Ailor body or mind. This Sect specifically rejects [[Magic]], but believes Magic can be used to elicit physical mutations that are beneficial. Urlification is particularly popular among the Horopadosi.
* '''The Priscelle Sect''': This Sect believes that the inheritance clause in The Creed is incomplete and that the presumption that the inheritance of the Emperors must always be gendered toward the first-born male who survives the Emperor is wrong. They argue that the first-born child, regardless of gender, is the one chosen to become the heir, thus allowing female Empresses to carry the Everwatcher as a Vessel. This Sect does not support changing the inheritance line of succession as it stands now and favor providence in the [[Kade Succession]]. They do, however, lobby to get the inheritance changed for the future, so that if the next Emperor should have a daughter first, that daughter becomes the heir.
* '''The Minoth Sect''': this Sect believes in a more intellectual approach to Unionism that considers the Everwatcher a more abstract "learning" and "knowledge" transferral between Emperors, rather than an actual being with intentions and thoughts of its own. The Minoth Sect believes that the [[Imperial]] inheritance should be based on elective choice, meaning the current Vessel of the Everwatcher Emperor or Empress should be allowed to choose the next Emperor or Empress regardless of their birth order.The Everwatcher should aid the Vessel in choosing who is most competent to carry the Everwatcher as a future Vessel. This Cult is currently in-favor in the Court, and the [[Emperor Alexander I]] has chosen the elective inheritance clause.
* '''The Silvershroud Sect''': this Sect rejects the all-demon status of the [[Occult]], and believes that non-Affliction-based Occult, and to some degree [[Silvenism]], are beneficial, and blessings of the Everwatcher, as opposed to Demons from a different plane of existence. They argue that because some Afflictions or Occult beings are beneficial, or at least not repugnant to life and existence, they must be ordained by the Everwatcher who is the chief creator of all things good. They argue for the legalization of vast swathes of the Occult.
* '''The Diviner Sect''': this Sect rejected the all-inclusion of other Races into the Unionist fold, and argued for the sacrificing of other races as lesser beings to divine the future or receive visions from the Everwatcher. Because this Sect implied that the Everwatcher would speak to anyone other than the Emperor, this Sect was uniformly denounced by all Schisms, and made holy war upon by the dogmatic Unionism religious community. The [[Holy Herebrand Order]] exterminated the Diviner Sect in 308 AC, killing their last supporters in [[Girobalda]].
* '''The Vierzehn Sect''': this Sect rejects the all-inclusion of other Races or Half-Ailor into Unionism, though not as severely as the Diviner Sect does, while also sticking closer to The Creed. Vierzehners believe that all other races are by nature inferior, and should have their status reduced to serving classes, and be barred from military or priestly or administrative positions and certainly nobility. Vierzehners also believe in an expansion of immoral sins, which largely involve importing more bigoted laws against non-conforming minorities in society who do not portray the exact pure vision of the Vierzehners.
* '''The Thyemic Sect''': this Sect believes that Undead are resurrected by the Spirit with a unique duty to the Great Way. Thyemics (who are usually undead themselves) tend to fill roles that would be difficult for living members of the faith, such as guarding remote holy sites or ministering to communities stricken by disease. Of note, there is a great disagreement within the Sect over Therin Ivrae, the son of [[Justinian II]] who rose from the grave to kill his older brother during the [[Undead Scare]]. Some hold that Therin was given an opportunity for redemption, but rejected it. Others instead assert that Therin's return and subsequent crime were both divinely inspired, setting in motion a chain of events that will bring about a new era of the Empire.
* '''The Ængel Sect:''' this Sect believes that Heroes, after they die, are reincarnated into Ængels, which represent winged warriors brandishing swords as gifts to devout Unionists warriors to aid them in their struggle against non-believers and Holy Wars. The Ængel Sect is not particularly more traditionalist than regular Unionists, they just really worship the idea of Holy Wars and spreading the faith by the sword.
===Spread===
====Theomar, the Father====
Unionism is spread through Missionaries who travel to lands where Unionism is not yet present or present in a minority to establish a so-called [[Celate]]. Celates are areas that the Unionist priests use to define boundaries between their spheres of influence, as each priest has a rough jurisdiction(sometimes just a town, or a city, or a whole valley) where they administer their religious service. A priest or missionary in Unionism are as such the same, and most priests have been missionaries at some point or another. Priest is the most common term for a religious figure of authority within Unionism, though Celate can also be used to refer to a priest.
[[File:Theomarart.png|left|frameless|250px]]
===Violence===
Theomar was the first prophet-Emperor of Unionism, the first Vessel of the Everwatcher, and the first to speak and write the holy word of the faith in the Creed. When the Regalian Empire was young, he was its first Emperor, having joined forces with the other major families in the Five Family Rebellion to overthrow the Kingdom of Amelore, banish the Bel Hammon Elves, and establish the Empire. Shortly after, he received visions and direct communication from the Everwatcher, who taught him the vision of Unionism. In life, he was considered a highly spiritual and immensely wise person, one of the tranquil Emperors of the Regalian Empire who did not wage wars, but convinced people foreign and his own to accept the word of the faith.
Violence has always been a contentious point within Unionism, as The Creed professes the need for all Ailor to spread the one true faith--by the sword, if need be. Unionism is likely the most aggressive religion that is forced onto other peoples and nations even against their will, and that many thousands of people have died because they refused to convert to Unionism. The Creed never explicitly states non-Unionists must die; however, The Creed does permit holy warriors of the faith to slay those who would stand in the way of the spreading of the faith. This has allowed some blood-thirsty priests and nobles to slay large numbers of non-believers to soften up populations for the actual conversion, as they have no warriors left to oppose the missionaries’ influence. In modern times, the Regalian Empire has simmered down the violence, but the spreading of Unionism still is built on a bloodbath, especially against the Velheim people in Drixagh who intermittently waged Holy War against Regalia for several decades. These Velheimers also committed atrocities against the Unionists, and in most cases, Holy Wars are considered defensive for the Unionists, adding more nuance than is often assumed. There are also large segments of Unionist society that are entirely pacifist, and even those who vehemently oppose Holy Wars or other forms of religious violence, while sectarian violence also happens within Unionism itself.
==Beliefs==
Theomar is the leader of the Unionist Pantheon and is often considered beyond reproach. While some of the other Gods lived flawed and sinful lives, Theomar represents an unblemished purity of the soul. He is the patron of anyone in the spiritual role of father or caretaker, leaders, generals, commanders, etc. From him, the faithful learn patience, diligence, and spiritual directives, even if Theomar himself is the least active of the Unionist Gods when appearing before the faithful or acting on their behalf as Divine intervention.
The following Beliefs are recorded for Unionism:
* '''Narrative''': The Unionists believe that all Ailor have a destiny to lead the other races and people to a realm of paradise where there is no suffering or death and everyone lives immortal with the dead returning to life among the living. It is believed that this paradise will arrive when all the world is subject to the Regalian Empire, and believes in Unionism (or any of its Schisms).
* '''Purpose of Life''': Is to love and serve the Emperor and the Everwatcher and the God Emperors and Empresses. The primary directive is to follow the secular will of the Emperor, live in the virtues set out by the God Emperors and Empresses and earn the worthiness of the Everwatcher by living a virtuous life free of sin.
* '''Suffering''' is believed to be a test of faith for the mortals that exposes sin and weakness in the mortal soul. All souls are savable, and it is the duty of the priests to elicit reform and improvement in souls so that when a person dies, the Everwatcher will deem them worthy for the afterlife.
* '''Canonical Evil''' does not formally exist in Unionism, but generally speaking spirits from other dimensions are considered Evil. These are called [[Demons]], even if they are in fact not a sentient entity and rather just an infection of the mind on a person. Other evil simply derives from the mortal flaws of Free Will.
* '''Magic''' is considered a taint and corruption brought about from Demons, though some Cults and even Schisms tolerate vast swathes of Magic or what they call "Occult", and some even see it as a direct blessing from the Everwatcher as a tool to be used to achieve paradise.
* '''After Death''', each person's soul is believed to be judged by the Everwatcher. Those with excessive sin are forced to reincarnate into a newborn, and get another chance at proving the value of their soul. Those who are judged virtuous are permitted onto the Great Staircase, where all worthy souls look down on the living and exist in bliss until Paradise arrives.
* '''Burial''', involves burning of the body or beheading and burial, as Unionism has had an issue with mindless [[Undead]], and standardized practices to deny Undeath. When a person dies, a mourning period of several days is announced with mourning robes in White, and [[Silent Sisters]], a female caste of priests, perform the burial rituals along with a priest offering the blessings of the dead and sympathy for the living.
* '''Scriptures''': There is only one holy scripture: The Creed, a 300 year-old book carefully preserved in the writing of Emperor Theomar I. Each successive Emperor, as outlined by The Creed, is able to remove, add or change anything in The Creed, and anything they write automatically becomes Holy Law and truth. The Creed is so holy that it is forbidden for those without priestly training at the [[Divine College]] to read it. This heresy calls for the removal of the offender’s eyes as punishment. Only ordained priests may speak the words written in The Creed.
* '''Calendar''': There exists a Holy Calendar, with yearly holidays and holy periods of the year, each divided into the four holy quarters which roughly correspond with spring, the period of ambitions; summer, the period of the future; autumn, the period of glory, and winter; the period of reflection. To find out more about the religious holidays, read the [[Unionist Calendar]] Page.
===Divine Beings===
====The Everwatcher====
{|
|[[File:Unionismspirit.png|260px|thumb|left]]
|The Everwatcher, also known as the Spirit, though this term is diminutive and should not be used, is the supreme divine being of Unionism, the source of all creation and the final destiny of all things. The Everwatcher was the first thing that was created in the beginning of times and created all other races, creatures, the land and all that was and will be. The Everwatcher is not traditionally depicted in any way shape or form, because it never had a physical form and always presented itself through a host, a “Vessel” in which it existed, and dispensed its holy visions and wisdom so the mortal being it inhabited could rule in its stead. Eventually as its Vessel aged and died, it would pass onto the Vessel’s first born child as it would continue to guide its blessed Race to the [[Everwatch]], a time in which all creation would join together with the souls of the dead into an eternal paradise, when creation has proven that it is worthy of eternity.
The nature of the Everwatcher is a subject of strong debate, especially between the schismatic religious communities within Unionism. Unionism is an immensely divided religion that has several major Schisms: the Divine Unionism (the standard religious community of Unionism), Evintarian Unionism (sometimes also called Ionism), Vultragon Unionism (sometimes also called Clastism), Dogartan Unionism (sometimes also Dosstism) and several smaller sects. The Everwatcher is the same for all of these Schisms, but these Schisms disagree on who should be the Vessel of the Everwatcher, because the Everwatcher does not ever make this explicitly apparent. For example, the common understanding is that the Everwatcher only resides in the first-born male heir, while Vultragon Unionism believes it should be the first-born heir regardless of gender that makes it to adulthood, which the other Schisms disagree with.
====Ness, the Mother====
[[File:Ness art.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Ness was the 4th Empress of Regalia Nessaria Calontir, known in her early life as a woman of sinful indulgence and trustworthiness. Her life was filled with the pleasures of the Imperial royal court, absconding her duties and court protocols to reign as the mistress of the court. When her children were killed in a court conspiracy, a chance encounter with the assassins in prison changed her. It was said the Everwatcher spoke to her in her deepest moment of grief and blessed her with forgiveness and a nurturing spirit. From that moment on she donned the robe of the nurse vowing to bestow the blessing of care onto the sick and dying, that which had been denied her own children. She eventually passed on at the height of adoration by the people, a contrast to her early life.
Regardless of the interpretation, the Everwatcher is considered the supreme being, through which all the God Emperors and Empresses are created as divine beings who ascend to godhood as they shed their mortal form. As such, the God Emperors and Empresses are less important than the Everwatcher in the Unionist faith, but they are more generally present because they are far more personal and once lived, thus leaving behind a memory to their existence to be worshiped. One can use the Everwatcher or any of the God Emperors or Empresses in blessings interchangeably; although they all roughly correlate to the same thing, there is only ever one Everwatcher, while there are currently seven God Emperors and Empresses, and more can be declared after their death in the future. The Everwatcher is eternal; it sees all and knows all, though it only works through the divine hands of the living Emperor who acts as its Vessel, while the God Emperors and Empresses function on the peripheries giving individual blessings to the faithful who are not heard by the Everwatcher in particular.
Ness is the caretaker and nurturing mother of the pantheon, representing the idea that it is never too late to abandon one's wicked ways and reform in virtue. She is the patron of anyone in the spiritual role of mother or medical staff, midwives, healers, and those seeking to reform criminals to the light of the law. From her, the faithful learn compassion, sacrifice, and regret. Ness appears when the faithful need her the most when the only thing standing between them and certain death is her forgiving and healing light by their side.
Choosing a single God Emperor or Empress as a patron God or Goddess is very common in Unionism. That being said, active worship of all Gods or Goddess is not required, and so long as at least one God or Goddess is actively worshiped, even worshiping the Everwatcher is not strictly necessary, as the Gods and Goddesses are all more personalized extensions of the Everwatcher. Worshiping the Everwatch alone and largely ignoring the Gods and Goddesses is also possible. It is even possible to perform active worship of one of the Gods more than the others, or only the male Gods, or only the female Goddesses, or any combination of them. Most Unionists invoke the names of all Gods and Goddesses and the Everwatcher, but might choose to have a shrine to all of them, or only one of them.
====Grace, the Custodian====
|}
[[File:Glanziaart.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Grace was an old Hecarian Goddess, the spiritual leader of the Hecarian tribes that joined the Regalian Empire early in its creation but after Theomar spread his gospel. Grace (or Glanzia as she was called by them), was the Goddess mother of the night, bringing wisdom and judgment through her all-seeing owls. When the Regalian Empire peacefully integrated the Hecarian tribes through marriage by the hand of an Imperial Princess, Grace was incorporated into the Unionist Pantheon along with the other Gods from other Religions by her own free will. From that moment on, she became the Goddess of purity of soul and body, the custodian guiding the faithful to remain free of sinful corruption by otherworldly agents and to be judged by her gaze should they fall.
====God Emperor Theomar====
Grace is the protector of the purity of the faithful, with one hand shielding them from the corrupting influences of the other Dimensions, and with the other judging them should they fall to its vices and become agents of destruction. Her laws have ultimately been re-interpreted as a call for complete anti-magical/Occult purity, but her teachings to the faithful are more about controlling these things, not being controlled by it. She has granted the faithful Purestone, a material that rejects the Occult and protects the faithful from Magical harm.
{|
|[[File:GodTheomar.png|260px|thumb|left]]
|God Emperor Theomar, or just Theomar (sometimes also nicknamed the Sun-Father), was the first Emperor of Regalia, Emperor Theomar I Ivrae. Theomar ascended to Godhood after his death when the Everwatcher passed on to Lilienmar I. Theomar was the founding Emperor of the Regalian Empire and the creator of the Unionist Faith, writing the first version of The Creed, the holy book of Unionism. As a God Emperor, Theomar is the representing God of Fatherhood and Leadership, the Beginning of everything, and Founders. Theomar was known to be an Emperor with exceptional charisma even at an early age who could seduce even his most staunch opponents into allies, steering the future of Unionism on the path of ever-growth and ever-greatness. Theomar is also remembered as an excellent father who sired several children who all loved him unconditionally, and proved to be very skilled and well educated Princes in their own right.
Theomar is often depicted holding up his hand, with the palm to the viewer. This is to emulate his proclamation of Unionism, as his hand is sometimes also holding a book meant to represent The Creed. He is always depicted very dignified, and clothed in his royal purple and cream yellow robes, his favorite colors in life. Shrines to Theomar usually feature a golden bowl in which promises of good lives and good wishes for children are deposited by fathers, or good wishes and promises for fairness and kindness from one employer to employees. As such, Theomar shrines featuring this bowl and his likeness can be found in the home, or in workplaces, where Theomar’s name is invoked for the good fortunes of the business and the good wellbeing of its leadership, who in turn invoke the wellbeing of the workers and productivity. It is believed that Theomar blesses the perpetual goodness of the world and the goodness in Unionist hearts to this day.
====Allest, the Champion====
[[File:Allestart.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Allest was the 17th Emperor of Regalia Allestrain I Ivrae who lived an angry and violent life. Being one of the few Eronidas Emperors of Regalia, he oversaw some of Regalia's most brutal wars of expansion particularly against the Velheim people. He however also dealt his own nobles an unjust hand, often ignoring the law and justice system in favor of honor duels that would end in a bloodbath. It is said, however, that by the guidance of his Chancellor Alexander the First (nicknamed Brand), he found religious purpose and divine directive. His anger was channeled into the arena where he became a glorious gladiator-emperor, and his combat prowess to foreign wars. With all his rage vented, his rule became one of strict but fair discipline that saw major legislative expansions.
It should not come as a surprise that Theomar is often worshiped by laborers, employers and business runners, leaders, fathers, patriarchs and overseers. In the wake of Theomar, a cult rose to specifically worship him above the other God Emperors and Empresses: The Theomarite Cult. The Death of Theomar also created the Evintarian Schism, as Theomar was known to be favorable in his later life to the declaration of living Heroes, those who would inherit a spark of divinity from the God Emperors and Empresses, while the majority of the clergy disagreed, resulting in the creation of Evintarian Unionism, a schismatic religion. Theomar’s Cloister Trial involves several tests of morality and making the right decision in a tough situation to test the ethics and fairness of the pilgrim. Theomar’s Cloister Trial is at the Temple of the All-Beacon, with the inner Faith Chamber containing the circlet of Theomar, as his actual Sarcophagus is buried at the Imperial Palace.
Allest is the Lion-God of the pantheon, the patron of soldiers and gladiators, teaching them honesty, and bravery, and praying for victory. It is known by the faithful, however, that his soul was ensnared by wicked plots from the Vola Fornoss Gods to punish him for the crusades and genocide against their people. As such, his divine throne in the Pantheon remains empty, with his Saint Brand appearing to those who invoke or pray to his name, as he cannot hear them while imprisoned in the hellish Demon-realm of Vaarda, the Vola afterlife.
|}
====Caan, The Magus====
====God Empress Ness====
[[File:Caanaert.png|left|frameless|250px]]
{|
Caan was an old Breizh God, the leader of the Santel pantheon, who both led the people of Kintyr to join the Five Family Rebellion and in founding the Aelrrigan Order prior. Because Caan was present when the Regalian Empire was founded, he was the first God from another faith to voluntarily join the Unionist pantheon, making the other Santel Gods his saints. While all Santels had white feathered wings, it is said that Caan removed his wings as a virtuous sacrifice to walk more closely with mortals and understand their plight and needs. Over time, however, he has seemingly become more detached and cynical. While he still lives among mortals as a God, he has become quiet and unresponsive, which many of the faithful have blamed on the constant abuse of Magic in the Empire.
|[[File:GoddessNess.png|260px|thumb|left]]
|God Empress Ness, or just Ness (sometimes nicknamed Nessie or Mutt-Mother by non-Ailor), was the wife of Emperor Henri I the Honorable, as his wife Empress Nessaria I of House van Sherburne. Empress Nessaria is best remembered as being an indignant wife to her husband early on, resenting the marriage with Emperor Henri I. Through her early years, she committed many sins of unfaithfulness to her husband in spirit and name. This led to her being punished with being blinded, after which she wore her signature silver butterfly wing eye covers and coronet piece. Despite being vengeful after being blinded, it is said that the Everwatcher gave her sight back after she discovered love for her first born child by the Emperor, Bartolomeux, who would also later become Emperor. Still, her Godhood has little to do with her motherhood, but rather the redemption she afforded for the assassins of her children. While their implicit assassination of the Emperors Bartolomeux, Carvallais and Maxelle were never proven, the story goes that Ness gave them penultimate repentance and forgiveness despite the horror they had inflicted on her. She spent many years a devoted mother, only to have her most prized thing in the world taken from her, her children, and still she found it in her heart to forgive the assassins, and gave them blessings as they wept for forgiveness at her feet, clawing at her mourning dress. She would later on continue to go out and seemingly turn the hearts and minds of many of the most ruthless criminals, spending a night with them in their cell by candlelight, and having converted them to pious men full of repentance and seeking forgiveness come morning, continuing on to her dying days. Ness also showed exceptional favor to non-Ailor races, being nicknamed “Mutt Mother” in a time when all other Ailor hated the sight of Half-Ailor, and some of the more radical religious sects continued to attack non-Ailor over radical beliefs of exceptionalism. Ness is the representative Goddess of Forgiveness, Acceptance, Repentance, Absolution, but also the Downtrodden, the Forgotten, the Non-Ailor and the Half-Ailor who feel abandoned.
Ness is always depicted in her mourning dress with her signature butterfly eye-covers and accessories. Butterflies strongly represent Ness, a being and symbol of forgiveness of Unionists, and for those seeking repentance. She often carries a golden Unionist Eye chain, along with a golden rose and two sets of rose-thorn stalks. These items are meant to represent her objects of the many facets of forgiveness through faith, repentance through loss, and the beauty of absolution. Sometimes her statue has three infants around her pedestal to signify motherhood, and sometimes it has three chained criminals to signify the forgiveness she gave. Offerings to her are silent candle vigils, or the repentance those who have wronged seek to the priests of Unionism. It is believed that Ness continues to whisper conscience into the hearts of the most hardened criminals, and that all feelings of guilt come from her, but also all feelings of liberation and acceptance, and that she continues to protect non-Ailor.
Caan is the patron God of all the Mages and those gifted with Magic in the Empire, teaching them responsible use of their Magic and to use their gift or burden for the Good of the Empire, not to spite it. He is by far the most active of the Gods among mortals because he leads the Aelrrigan Order after ousting the mortal leadership he put in place centuries ago, but comes and goes without rhyme or reason, having fallen into a melancholic unapproachability that makes even the faithful uneasy to be around him when he appears in person.
====Elia, the Huntress====
[[File:Eliaart.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Elia was the Empress-wife of Emperor Allestrain (the God Allest) who had a difficult life. Originally destined to become a Knight, she was forced to surrender her life ambitions and goals when the Emperor chose her for a marriage (later known as a beard marriage). Her obsession with Knights and her dreams made her a terrible Empress, but much like her husband, she found guidance from the Chancellor's wife Leona who would later go on to become her Saint. While Elia was prone to fits of obsessive compulsion, Leona was her temperance, bending her uncollected and uncoordinated actions and thoughts into precision actions and decisions. She carried on the work of her husband after he was killed by the Vola Gods, and finished the work of war against the Skags.
Ness is often worshiped by non-Ailor, Criminals, Judges, Half-Ailor, those who are poor and feel forgotten and downtrodden, those seeking redemption and forgiveness, and those who seek the strength to forgive others. In the wake of Ness came the Nessilia Cult, which holds her above all other Emperor Gods and Goddesses. Ness’s Cloister Trial involves priests drawing out the sins and crimes of the individual in confessional, after which they are confronted with the circumstances and challenged to find peace and love for themselves despite them. If they are proved worthy by the priests, they are allowed into the Faith Chamber of the Temple of Forever Motherhood, where four sarcophagi stand, for Ness and her three beloved children.
Elia is the patron Goddess of Knights and hunters, but also more widely speaking anyone who needs to cast away distractions in favor of single-minded focus and concentration. She teaches the virtues of calmness, self-control, and clarity, so that the faithful remain aware and truthful to themselves, and act without a shroud in their mind onto others. Elia was a multi-discipline warrior famed with bow and halberd alike, and thus prayed to by the faithful for skill in weapons to protect their loved ones or the Empire.
|}
====God Emperor Juvin====
{|
|[[File:GodJuvin.png|260px|thumb|left]]
|God Emperor Juvin, or just Juvin (sometimes also nicknamed the All-Knower), was the 11th Emperor of Regalia, Emperor Henri III Ivrae de-Sange. Juvin ascended to Godhood after his death when the Everwatcher passed on to Lillienmar III. Juvin is commonly remembered as the most pious and religiously pure Emperor, who lived an ascetic life of inner peace and perfection, and outward serenity and virtue. As a God Emperor, Juvin is the representing God of Piety and Virtue, the Perfection of Leaning, and Thinkers. Juvin was known to be an Emperor with exceptional wit and knowledge even at an early age when he could easily debate and out-wit his teachers and superiors. Juvin was also an exceptional philosopher and thinker who would spend long periods of his rule contemplating the meanings of everything, and make modifications to the Creed to reflect a more pure lifestyle. Juvin is also praised for his divine detachment, his ability to perceive the world and morals without the biases of the living and the common folk, thus allowing him to reach a greater plane of enlightenment.
Juvin is often depicted in simple garb with only minimal decorations and dull colors, bowing, kneeling or in some form of submissive stance. This is to emphasize that Juvin never considered himself above everyone else, and served knowledge and virtue more than anything. He is depicted tall and frail, with a bald head and a long robe that may sometimes also contain several scrolls and items that intellectuals use to ply their crafts. Shrines to Juvin are usually put into an alcove inside a larger bookcase, surrounded by knowledge and learning. Candles are lit to his will in front of his statue, while incense is let to absorb the knowledge of the books, in the hopes that Juvin will give the offering person the means to learn faster. Juvin shrines can be found in any library or school, while his statues are also frequently found in Dogartan Cloisters and places of learning for the Unionist priests. It is believed that Juvin continues to watch over all Unionists, believing he grants them the means to learn, and unveils truth to those who seek it.
====Nolven, the Twin====
[[File:Nolvenart.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Nolven was a refracted God, a fragment of the Fornoss Vola God Aedán that disavowed that faith, and joined Unionism instead. Nolven however has a split identity due to his fractured nature. In some seasons he is Nolven the god of war and punisher of the enemies of Unionism, smashing idols of other Religions and casting down enemies of the faith, while in other seasons he is Nolven the god of art and beauty who creates art so profound it makes even the most brutish of warriors weep. His fractured identity means he is as unpredictable as the shifting seasons or the tides of the ocean, representing a constant push and pull of destruction and war, and creation and peace. Nolven in times of war has a particular bone to pick with the Pagan faiths of the Regalian Empire.
Juvin is often worshiped by priests, librarians, scribes, teachers, tutors, researchers, alchemists, philosophers and thinkers. In the wake of Juvin, a cult rose to specifically worship him above the other God Emperors and Empresses: The Juvinite Cult. The Death of Juvin also created the Dogartan Schism, as Juvin was known to lead an immensely ascetic lifestyle, and rejected any and all aesthetics or wealth not forced on him by protocol. There were a number of priests who supported his vow of poverty lifestyle above the wealth that the Unionist religious community had acquired at the time of his death, resulting in the creation of Dogartan Unionism, a schismatic religion. Juvin’s Cloister Trial involves several tests of wit at the Temple of Greater Understanding, before pilgrims can reach the inner Faith chamber containing Juvin’s Sarcophagus.
Nolven is the patron of art and culture, and crusade and iconoclasm at once. He represents the constant flux between creating art to destroy and destroying to create art. In him are embodied the ability of art to dear down systems, ideas, even Empires, and the need for tragedy and destruction to take place to inspire the greatest of artistic expressions. He represents the need for the faithful to be nuanced complex people, to live the spoken virtues of the Gods but with temperance of change and flaw to be true thinking and living people.
|}
====God Emperor Almar====
{|
|[[File:GodAlmar.png|260px|thumb|left]]
|God Emperor Almar, or Almar (sometimes also nicknamed the Blind Jester or Allmaverick, the word Maverick comes from his name), was the 13th Emperor of Regalia, Emperor Allamaria I Ivrae Heiligenblut (surname differs as he was the first New-Regalian Emperor). Emperor Allamaria I was also the second son of Emperor Henri III, making Almar the God Emperor son of God Emperor Juvin, while he is also the grandfather of God Emperor Allest. Almar is remembered for several things. Firstly, he is remembered as a rambunctious adolescent, spending much of his early years being a boisterous and wild man with many conquests and broken hearts. He spent money like no tomorrow, and offended many foreign dignitaries with his crude behavior, equally letting many of his stewards and guards land in prison, taking the blame for his juvenile actions. As rule came closer to him however, a series of visions of the past and future caused him to completely reform his life. Where there in the past was celebration and endless nights in leisure, there now was endless nights studying and codifying law to create a semblance of order and justice. Almar was so profoundly touched by his visions and the injustice in the world that he sought to right wrongs. He later also created the School of Marshalry, which he had envisioned to be the arm that would spread his justice and honor for all across the lands. Almar is the representative God of Justice, Law, Honesty, but also of Leisure, Entertainment, Vanity, and Ego.
Almar is often depicted as a suave and handsome young man (even if his reforms came at a later age), always with either a blindfold or some kind of unraveling cloth disappearing from his eyes. This cloth is meant to represent the blindness of justice, but also the fact that Almar was blind to the truths of duty and fate for so long in his life, until he saw the light and reformed. He is also always depicted with a scale, the symbol for the Regalian Judiciary, that weighs the value of crime and punishment for those who are subject to Almar’s laws. Almar’s shrine equally has a scale, one with a golden feather, and another with a small box. These items normally weigh roughly the same, however anyone wishing to bring offering or pray to Almar, writes a plan or thought on a piece of paper, inserts it into the box, and then lets the scale weigh the value of this thought. If it is heavier than the feather, it is unlawful or sinful. If it is lighter than the feather, it is lawful and righteous. It is believed that Almar provides justice and fairness, even for non-Unionists to this day, as he also cares for those who do not believe in the Everwatcher.
====Juvin, the Teacher====
[[File:Juvinart.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Juvin was the 11th Emperor of Regalia Heinrich III Ivrae, who was both a pious priestly man and a strong contender for the most intellectually gifted Emperor of the Regalian Empire, championing the causes of science and knowledge and dragging the relatively backwater war-like Empire at the time into a more modern understanding of the world. While the Empire expanded in knowledge and piety under his rule, many of its intellectual centers became narrow-minded and chased only dogma information that conformed to their worldview. Despite Juvin's best intentions, his relatively short mortal life did not allow for the institutions he made to survive beyond his reign, many of them folding back into ignorance, leading many to believe Regalia's sciences are backward.
Almar is often worshiped by Justicars, Bureaucrats, Lawmakers, but also Entertainers, Musicians, Dancers, Romancing Couples, and those looking for the perfect partner. Almar’s name is often invoked for good blessings to a Courtship or wedding and lots of healthy offspring before the worshipers “grow up” and transition to Theomar worship. In the wake of Almar, a cult rose to specifically worship him above the other God Emperors and Empresses: The Almar Cult. The death of Almar did not result in any Schisms. Almar’s Cloister Trial involves several tests of restraint and self control as the pilgrims are led from one seduction to the other, until they finally pass into the final Faith Chamber in the heart of the Temple of Eternal Justice, where the Sarcophagus of Almar rests with his favorite scales on top that are said to weigh the heaviness of a soul as they enter the chamber.
Juvin is the patron God of scholars, teachers, mentors, sages, and scribes. He inspires wisdom to perceive the world and is prayed to for divine insight and inspiration when problems seem unsolvable. It is said that Juvin often appears in the largest of Imperial archives, seeking to help scholars. In a stroke of irony, priests have made this archive inaccessible, fearing the wrong information would be exposed to Juvin, thus creating more ignorance. Juvin's tragedy is that his desire for inspiring wisdom and learning is yet restrained by the clergy.
|}
====God Emperor Allest====
{|
|[[File:GodAllest.png|260px|thumb|left]]
|God Emperor Allest, or just Allest (sometimes also nicknamed the Bear-Claw), was the 15th Emperor of Regalia, Emperor Allestrain I Ivrae de-Sange. Allest ascended to Godhood after his death from an arrow in the back that penetrated his heart on the field of battle while holding off a hundred soldiers by himself allowing his own soldiers who had been cornered by the enemy to escape certain death. Allest is best remembered for being a beast of a man, alongside his best friend Arch-Chancellor Alexander I the Giant Kade, the both of them forming an inseparable warrior duo on the frontlines as the Empire expanded. Allest oversaw the Empire’s fastest and widest expansion, creating the practice of “Beat and Submit”, where the Regalian Army and Navy would submit other nations through economic isolation or outright invasion. Allest was the first frontline commander and warrior Emperor, and was an undefeated warrior who seemed to get that much more skilled with every champion he defeated. Allest is the representative God of Conquest, Rule, Brotherhood, and Fame.
Allest is often depicted either in his massive bulky armor, or in some state of removal of this armor to emphasize his god-like physique, in a victorious or intimidating stance. He is depicted tall and glorious as an example for all Ailor to strive to physically, and for the many victories he brought Regalia despite his short time on the throne. Allest is often also depicted with two large claymores, or scabbards holding his favorite swords: Blutkraft and Sangria, weapons that passed into Artifact Legend after his death. Shrines to Allest feature larger wardrobes or tables than most other shrines, allowing the owner to cover the surface with a cloth, and put their weapon in front of the shrine to ask for Allest’s blessings. The cloth is often wrapped over the weapon, with the cloth then doused in some form of alcoholic beverage, as Allest was also known to be a heavy drinker, before the liquid is washed off and the item removed from the Shrine. It is believed that Allest continues to lend strength and right of conquest to Unionists to this day.
====Mendes, the Bestower====
[[File:Mendesart.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Mendes came to Unionism as a former Khama God, once belonging to the Dewamenet Empire but fleeing the Pearl Wars and eventually joining the Regalian Empire with his flock. Mendes was the leader of the Golden Fleet, an Asha migrant fleet that had grown tired of running, and wanted to settle. Mendes led them to Regalia, where an agreement with Theomar was struck for them to live in Regalia, becoming the first large foreign migrant wave. Mendes then became a prosperity God for Unionism in continuation of his prior role in the Khama faith. There are still those in the Khama faith who try to draw him back to their pantheon, but he insists he is not interested in subjecting himself to Tjafar, and has found true wealth of belonging under the Everwatcher.
Allest is often worshiped by Kings and Queens, Princes and Princesses, Commanders, Generals, Gladiators, but even many in the criminal element, due to his inherent connection with victory and conquest of others who are weaker and less willing. In the wake of Allest, a cult rose to specifically worship him above the other God Emperors and Empresses: The Allester Cult. The death of Allest did not result in a Schism specifically. However, many years after his death, Allest’s memory was used as an argument in favor of the Vultarin Heresy that would eventually form the Vultragon Schism, which did create a schematic religious community. Allest’s Cloister Trial involves several mental tests of self-sacrifice and willpower at the Temple of Perpetual Glory, before pilgrims can reach the inner Faith chamber containing Allest’s Battlearmor, as his body was never recovered from the battlefield and rumored to be preserved in a perfect state somewhere.
Mendes is the patron God of merchants and traders, of shopkeepers and of bureaucrats working in finance. He is prayed to for good fortune and fair winds for trade ships, and sometimes even talked with regarding financial deals or plans. Mendes is one of the few Gods that can reliably be found in one singular location: The High House of the Imperial Coinage, though access to him is extremely restricted to only those deemed of sufficient piety by the priests, which is a tall order in such a viciously crook-capitalist field.
|}
====God Empress Elia====
{|
|[[File:GoddessElia.png|260px|thumb|left]]
|God Empress Elia, or just Elia (sometimes also nicknamed the Brass-Fist), was the wife of Emperor Allestrain I, as his wife Empress Eolaria I of House Cadar. This makes God Empress Elia thus the wife of God Emperor Allest. Empress Eolaria became the Dowager Empress on the death of her husband, however instead of staying at the palace, she continued her husband's warfare and conquest in his name. Much like her husband, Eolaria died in battle, and was declared the second God Empress. Elia is the representative Goddess of Fighting, Combat, Warfare, Victory, Love and Loss. She is remembered for having been at the very frontline of every battle she participated in, letting the generals do the planning, and just punching her way through the enemy lines with her legendary shield Draackenbuster and her spiked war-glove called Porcelain-Face, both of which passed into Artifact Legend after her death. Elia was the only spouse ever suitable for Allest, rivaling him in size, and reputedly being able to knock-out punch an Eronidas with one heavy punch in the face.
Elia is often depicted with her fist up, sometimes with or without her spiked war-glove, but always with her shield Draackenbuster by her side. She always wears a muscle-fitting bronze armor with a long crimson dress (which she did not wear into battle) complementing her crimson hair. Shrines to Elia feature her as a statue guarding a small locket box underneath that has a small key-hole. Owners of the shrine put their secrets and diaries inside, along with notes of the names of their loved ones to protect them from harm. It is an unspoken law among Unionists never to steal documents from shrines of Elia, in order not to evoke her wrath. It is also believed that putting things inside this small locket box will aid Elia in protecting them from harm, especially loved ones. Flowers are sometimes also offered to a statue of her likeness as a sign of adoration or love that she had for her husband, even in death. Elia is believed to bring victory to those deserving and bless Regalian armies to this day, her name often invoked before and during a battle by Regalian soldiers.
====Al-Asir, the Creator====
[[File:Alasirart.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Al-Asir came to Unionism very recently as the Dragon Marik was re-birthed by the Everwatcher even before the return of Dragons. Al-Asir is a technician God, an engineer of kindness at heart who seeks to make the world a better place. Yet, his nature brings about some controversy, particularly among the Skyborn and Dragonborn. His nature as Marik is not disputed, rather, the Dragonborn claim he is Marik first and Al-Asir second, while the Skyborn claim he is Al-Asir first and Marik second. Which version is truth matters to these people, due to their long historic animosity and continuing wars in their homeland of Ard-al-Nur. Al-Asir continues to dance between truths, preferring to show kindness to all instead of choosing one side.
Elia is often worshiped by Soldiers, Sailors, Knights, Regalian Guards, Mercenaries, but even criminal thugs on the street who simply wish to strive for the strength and power she had, as well as the endurance to continue on even in the face of loss and suffering. In the wake of Elia, a cult rose to specifically worship her above the other God Emperors and Empresses: The Elin Cult. The death of Elia did not result in a Schism. Elia’s Cloister Trial involves several rooms of increasingly difficult duels of combat against other Pilgrims as a test of strength, before the final victor of the tournament is allowed into the inner Chamber of the Temple of Unyielding Perseverance (though locally known as the Temple of Punching Harder). Inside this inner chamber, lies the sarcophagus of Elia, next to an empty sarcophagus which is meant for her husband, who she longs to be united with in death.
Al-Asir is the patron of engineers and technicians, but also more widely speaking for everyone seeking to do kindness without payment. While his technician-God themes are obvious, Al-Asir is also a God of good-natured hospitality, well-wishes, gratuity, and charity to others. He uses his technology to improve the lives of others and ease their suffering, a stark contrast to the Regalian Empire's wide usage of technology to wage wars and more efficiently kill, something that he has said deeply troubles him.
|}
====God Emperor Vess====
{|
|[[File:Hfhdf.png|260px|thumb|left]]
|God Emperor Vess, or just Vess (sometimes nicknamed Vilgy), was the 26th Emperor or Regalia, Emperor Vilgemar I Ivrae de Sange. Vess ascended to Godhood after his death when the Everwatcher passed on to Justinian II. Vess was the Emperor who rid the Empire of corrupt politicians and served as the last Emperor before the Regalian pessimism, heralding the last period in time during which the Empire was truly content and there was true hope for the future instead of a constant battle to stave off apocalypse. Vess is the representing God of Happiness, Liberty, Liberation and Freedom, more specifically the breaking of chains and bondage, as he liberated an unprecedented amount of indentured servants and slaves from cruel masters, and spent a large amount of time interfering with foreign nations who tyrannically repressed their local people. Vess is also remembered for being a general fun-loving person who could never be caught in a bad mood, except for that one day that the Morgannt reached too far with his Tyranny, thus bringing an end to the last Regalian Tyrant.
Vess is always depicted as a very youthful looking young man (though he is equally often depicted as androgynous or of ambiguous gender as he enjoyed breaking gender expectations), as he still looked youthful even towards the end of his life. He wears the traditional garb of the palace entertainers, a group of people who he had good relations with, and is always standing in some sort of playful position or pose that elicits some sense of playfulness or youthfulness. Vess’s statues often double as ponds or fountains, with water reaching from some object he is holding, or his hand, with flowers being very common in and around the water. Prayers to Vess are usually made by releasing wishes and prayers into budding flowers, and then inserting said flower into the water and letting the petals open up as time passes, believing the wishes to be released into the world with Vess’s blessings as the flower flowers before it wilts. It is believed Vess continues to bless the Regalian forces to bring freedom from Tyranny abroad, and has more recently also been adopted as the symbol for the abolition movement of slavery across the Archipelago.
==Schism Gods==
The Schism Gods are not members of the official pantheon and should be seen as optional or additional Gods. Each Schism God represents a belief that is technically against the dogma of the main religion, but is acceptable within the margins to promote religious cohesion, and to prevent the faith from fracturing into 5 different versions of Unionism. These Gods are tolerated on the fringes of Unionism, but there is still a healthy amount of internal conflict and derision against those that hold to the Schismatic beliefs that some of the dogmatic believers find repugnant.
====Morgan, the Wicked====
[[File:Morgangfod.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Morgan is a complex character from a historical point of view. He is remembered as one of the worst Chancellors from a moral perspective, but one of the best from a pragmatic perspective. Morgan was cruel, sadistic, extravagant, and immensely skilled, controlling nearly every layer of Regalian upper class society by himself and leaving behind permanent imprints on whatever he touched that have lived long past his death. Among Guided Unionists (those that worship him), the belief is held that Morgan is like an eternal mirror of self-reflection upon the corrupting qualities of the most blessed of the Empire. While propaganda upholds that he was unequivocally an evil man, reality reflects a more complex image from which other lessons can be learned.
Vess is worshiped by party-goers, children, those who treasure freedom and liberty above all, journalists, bartenders, inn-keepers, indentured servants and slaves, particularly for their liberation from bondage. Vess is in fact so common among Children that many men have a natural process of Vess for their childhood, Almar for their early adolescence, and Theomar for their adult years, but Vess is equally common among adults because of his strong focus on perpetual happiness and fostering a positive view and attitude on life and events. The Vessper Cult came into being to worship Vess above all, though this cult has not been traditionally seen as a true Cult as they spend less time worshiping Vess and more time having fun. Vess did not cause any Schisms. Vess’s Cloister Trial involves challenging the pilgrims to entertain or provide happiness for those struck with mental illnesses or depression, who often gravitate to the Temple of Joyous Everwatch to seek help for their despair. If the pilgrims succeed, they are permitted into the Faith Chamber of Vess, where a single sarcophagus stands surrounded by a sea of broken chains, each belonging to a slave he helped free, tens of thousands of them.
Guided Unionists see Morgan as an example God to be fear-worshiped for humility, respect, and loyalty. Through him, Guided Unionists question the narrative, question the information they are fed, and hold their leaders and clergy to account. This makes Guided Unionist a schismatic belief because it goes against the grain of the infallibility of the clergy. Guided Unionists reject the clergy in favor of lay priests who ask them why, instead of commanding them how. Guided Unionism is particularly prevalent among Anglians and Cantaluna Ailor.
|}
====Belialus, the Everchanger====
====Heroes of Unionism====
: ''Note, some of this lore relies on a Spirit/Magic rework that is not yet released. As such, some info may be contradictory to current lore.''
Heroes of Unionism can come into being through Godsparks. When a God Emperor or Empress dies, their spirit becomes immortal, but a piece of their Soul can be reincarnated into a newly born person after their death, as this Godspark becomes part of their Soul. It is believed that this process causes the person to become exceptionally pious, but to also grant them gifts bestowed by that particular God Emperor or Empress. For example, Theomar would Godspark a mortal into being exceptionally good at leading, while Juvin grants them exceptional Wit. It is doctrine to declare Godsparks only after a person has died in Diets of Divinity, where the priests debate on whether the person's actions and their piety deserves the title of Hero of Unionism. If approved, that person becomes legal to worship, which usually takes the form of votive offerings for blessings. To read more about Heroes, read the [[Heroes of Unionism]] Page. The Evintarian Schism of Unionism has some living Godsparks, as their religious community is the only one that maintains that Diets of Divinity can be held before a person has died, instead of only after. This has recently resulted in the Diet of Evintarian Divinity declaring [[Prince Cedromar I]] to have the Godspark of Allest.
[[File:Belialigod.png|left|frameless|250px]]
Belialus is a Demon, no ifs and buts about it. Belialus submitted himself to Unionism and the Everwatcher early, just after Theomar's death. The kneejerk reaction of the faithful at the time was to utterly reject him and his followers, thus resulting in the first Schism which resulted in a lot of violence and the eventual expulsion of the Evintarian believers to the isle of Aetosil outside of the Empire. Belialus is a Demon-God not unlike the Arken-God refractions, yet different. He represents the desire of Spirits to live in Aloria and become part of the Alorian fabric of life, but on the terms set out by the Everwatcher and in rejection of their nature. Belialus himself is a Demon of Change, and has brought the Saint-Demons of Changing Fates with him to bless the people with their gifts.
==Rituals==
Belialus is perhaps best explained as the Patron-God of those who deal with Demons and otherworldly entities. This makes him the most controversial of the schismatic Gods, because he stands almost directly opposed to Grace (who has tried to kill him at least three times already). Belialus himself, however, is repentant of his Demonic nature, and his followers both preach safe conduct with otherworldly entities and Veilwalking, while bowing to the Great Way. Note, even if Belialus worship is legal, Spirits are still deemed illegal in the Regalian Empire. Belialus worshipers are also routinely targeted by vigilantes of the dogmatic belief, who inflict violence on them despite the official acceptance of their schism.
* '''Sacred Spaces''':Each God Emperor and Empress has an Arch-Temple devoted to them, they can be found in Regalia. Beyond the seven Arch-Temples in the Regalian Holy City, each region with Unionist-majority inhabitants has one Great-Temple, which usually contains shrines to each God Emperor and Empress, but also smaller shrines to the Heroes of Unionism and one big one to the Everwatcher. Finally, smaller Celates own regular Temples, which are usually devoted to a single God Emperor or Empress, the Everwatcher, or a group of Heroes of Unionism.
====Finell, the Tidelover====
* '''Sanktisms''' are religious rituals and practices that herald a new period in the life of a Unionist. To see the full list of Sanktisms, see the [[Unionist Sanktisms]] Page.
[[File:Finuppigod.png|left|frameless|250px]]
* '''Worship''' to Unionism is not strictly done on a daily basis. For many of the faithful, Unionism is not meant to interrupt their daily activities, and as such, most Unionists perform their worship at home, with shrines to their chosen patron God Emperor or Empress, or just the Everwatcher in general. There is no real communal service for Unionists, as priests engage in a very specialized and personal service that is often only given when the faithful seek them out.
Finell is the closest Unionism has to a love-god, as the majority of the Religion is quite chaste in its approach to intimacy. Finell was once an Elven Prince and the first of the Finul Elves and patron of Bel Faiaal. He ascended Godhood in life, becoming an unofficial God of revelry, party and pleasures to the Elves. The Empresses however rejected him, because he was wild and uncoordinated, his self-serving attitude and apathy to the virtues of perfection a contradiction to the faith. He was banished from the Allorn Empire and became a sea-wandering God only occasionally interacting with his people, until one day he set foot in Regalia and never left. Thus, he became the Enelon Unionist schismatic god of love and revelry who bends the Great Way to far beyond its original intentions.
* '''Symbolism''' is mostly centered around the lidded eye that represents the Everwatcher, though statues of the God Emperors and Empresses,and the Heroes of Unionism are also frequently seen as Symbols. The colors purple and yellow are considered holy, though only by circumstance of being Theomar's favorite colors.
==Community==
Finell preaches for the virtues of Unionism, the Great Way, to extend beyond the confines of legal authority, and to break down the barriers of decency, arbitrary law, and heritage. Finell preaches for unrestraint normalization of love and intimacy for all, to do away with jealousy, and to break down heritage and culture barriers, and homogenize all people of Aloria into one loving unity. Many of the dogmatic believers reject Enelon Unionism as debauched and adulterous, while Enelon faithful chastise the dogmatic believers for being culturally divisive.
* '''Structure''' All priests within a Schism community communicate with one another, and also have a hierarchy among them. At the lowest rank exists the lay-priest. The lay-priests are not formally educated priests, but individuals who have a good grasp of Unionist doctrine, and teach others the ways of Unionism. They are not permitted to perform priestly activities however. This is for the regular priests who are often also called Celates. They go to the Divine College where other Celates teach them the exact practices of the priests before they are either assigned a Celate to rule or venture out in the world to seek one out to build up from scratch. Celacy is sometimes inherited, meaning that Celates can marry and have children, and their children can become Celates and inherit the Celate territory as the next priest. A vow of Celibacy is not required in Unionism, but many priests do it anyway for virtue’s sake. Any race can be a Celate or Arch-Celate or even Primae-Celate, though Primae-Celates as of yet have been exclusively Ailor, and the majority of Celates are Ailor.
* '''Leadership''': Above the Celates are the Arch-Celates who mostly administer several dozens of Celates under their authority. Finally, above the Arch-Celates is the Primae-Celate, a single supreme ruler who calls for Diets and issues orders to the Arch-Celates. Each Schism community has their own Primae-Celate.
* '''Morality''': Unionism has a strict but very expansive list of sins and virtues. The sins are fairly standard: Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy and Pride, versus Chastity, Temperance, Charity, Diligence, Patience, Kindness and Humility. In the views of Morality, Unionism does not wildly differ from other Religions. What does differ from other religions is that forgiveness from sins can be bought with military service in the army or heavy donations to the priests and their Celates, or the cause of Unionism as a whole through payments to the Emperor. This concept of purchasing waivers for sins is controversial, but has not faded from Unionist society. The sin-forgiveness of being a soldier is common, resulting in Regalia's massive army of those wishing to buy absolution with their service.
* '''Gender and Sexuality''': There is gender equality for Unionists in general, except for a few things. Firstly, Emperors have only ever been male. Secondly, the Vierzehn Sect of Unionism has strict male-preference and denies the right of women to be priests or military leaders. In general doctrine, The Creed does not disallow same-sex relations, nor does it enforce a gender binary or assign gender (thus allowing those who wish to self-style gender). That being said, the Vierzehn Sect is strictly against the latter two subjects, believing that because The Creed proclaims the need for Ailor to reproduce, that women and men have a strict role, and that same-sex relations go against the instructions of The Creed, while gender-non-conformity is an unwanted change of the creation of the Everwatcher, as they believe the Everwatcher creates everything perfect by default.
* '''Syncretism''': Unionism cannot be combined with any other religion, as the divinity of the Everwatcher and the God Empresses and Emperors is absolute, no other divinity may be expressed.
==Priestly Activities==
==Priestly Activities==
Priests do not administer communal services, in fact, Unionism does not have any large communal service that involves the worship of a divine entity in large groups. Rather, Unionism is designed more around individual and personal experiences with priests. Sometimes, priests will stand on the proverbial soapbox and preach to a crowd, but the majority of a priest's interactions with their flock are in private settings. Priests act like spiritual guides of their Celate territory as a guiding father, or a wise grandfather (even if they are young), or a world-weathered sage. Locals seek them out for personal guidance and direct interaction. Below are listed the individual practices that Celates and Arch-Celates partake in. These activities are not unique to only Unionists. While the descriptions below mention "faithful" as a subject to perform the priestly activity on, these activities are routinely offered even to non-Unionists, both as a form of attempting to sway them to Unionism, but also just because Unionists believe in the betterment of mental health of even non-Unionists, as that way they are better able to aid Unionists in their goals of Paradise.
The Unionist College (what the church of Unionism is collectively called) is a vast sprawling network of clerics and clerks that combine ecclesiastic and secular control of the people. It is a difficult to understand organization, due to its many obvious and less obvious interconnected agencies and organizations that are not always aware of each other. The Unionist College could be considered a state within a state, it has its own army, its own secret service, and its own ministerial positions as well as its own treasury. There is a constant tug and pull between the Regalian Empire's nobility, and its clergy, who wield the words of the prophets to get their way. To many, this makes the Unionist College a very powerful enemy. Indeed, while many of the rank-and-file priests may have good intentions, the Unionist College is a strong political component of the Regalian Empire, one that is just as self-interested and perhaps corrupt as the secular rulers are. On the ground, priests are called either priest or Celates, who in turn control a Celery. A Celery is a grant of land given to a priest by a secular ruler of the Emperor, or a higher priest, with the intent to administer to the flock or manage a monastery or nunnery in the area. While most priests of other religions are purely invested in religious teachings, Unionist priests are very much nobility in their own right, with tax dues and subjects who pay tithes and often even serve in the ecclesiastic guard. When playing a priest, any kind of role is viable, whether you want to play a corrupt priest who is using the words of the Gods for their own benefit, or a priest who is trying to make the best of a difficult situation and guide the flock to the best of their abilities without falling to vice.
* '''Hearing''' is the act of the faithful seeking out the priest for personal spiritual guidance. This can involve up to three individuals seeking out a single or more priests for a wide range of issues. These issues can range from a crisis of faith, a conflict of beliefs, wanting more explanation about spiritual doctrine or any other form of spiritual assurance. This is a common activity to do with other loved ones, for example partners, siblings or even parents, if a member in the family has some sort of crisis where spiritual relief can help, but might not approach the priest on their own. In many ways, a Hearing is a spiritual form of therapy, where the priest primarily functions to reinforce and remind Unionist beliefs, but also offer philosophical guidance with Unionism as context.
* '''Relieving''' is the act of the faithful seeking out the priest for relief of their sins. This process involves the priest seeking out a comfortable place, and having a truly confidential one-on-one with the faithful. The faithful then pours out all the sins they have committed and all things they feel guilty for to a listening ear, who may give advice on how to move on, or offer words of encouragement to face their guilt head on and find absolution.
==Expanded Lore==
* '''Blessing''' is the act of the priest seeking out situations where conflict may soon arise, or where large groups of faithful are in need of blessings or spiritual guidance. These priests then arrive with an incense thurible they swing around while speaking out the seven blessings of the God Emperors or Empresses, or just a general Everwatcher blessing. Another way of blessing those present is through the Theraffar, which is a long pole, twice the length of the priest in silver, atop which sits an ornate silver holder with a [[Solacrox]] in the middle surrounded by small mirrors. This Solacrox gem is then geared in such a way that it shines a bright beam of light on whatever the priest is aiming the Theraffar on, while speaking the blessings of the eye of Unionism. This practice is frequently done before battle, and any army has a few dozen Celates to perform Blessings before any major battle.
The Expanded Lore section contains additional contextual information about the Unionist faith. This section is not necessary to read to get a good understanding of the lore, just the background information.
* '''Cloistering''' is the act of a priest guiding a pilgrim or faithful through the [[Cloister Trial]] in the Arch-Temples devoted to their God Emperors or Empresses. While other practices done by priests are permitted for non-Unionists, it is not permitted for a non-Unionist to enter the Cloister Trials in the bowels of the Arch-Temples without being a believer. During the Cloister Trial, the priest guides the pilgrim through the various chambers and challenges, dispensing wisdom and guidance along the way, and explaining the challenges, before finally letting them part into the Chamber of Faith, the innermost and most holy place inside the Temple, usually containing the remains of the Arch Emperor or Empress.
* '''Creed Eleracy''' is the act of priests coming together in a form of meeting in Regalia to discuss ongoing events and potential religious community stance changes before a Diet of Deliberation takes place, because an Emperor has not yet died. [[Creed Eleracies]] are held to make the religious community more flexible in responding to pressing events or crises, and it is also a form of cross-Schism communication, as all Schismatic religious community priests and Arch-priests are invited to participate. Decisions made by Creed Eleracies are not binding, but generally do permeate to all other Schisms if they can agree on something.
==Saints==
* The '''Everloving Choir''' is the act of a priest opening a larger social setting where both spectators and active speakers may join. The priest stands on the stage, waiting for any willing speaker to approach. The willing speaker is usually a believer in the audience who wishes to share a story about how good things happened in their life, or about how they were in a tough spot, but how their faith pulled them through. They speak in front of the crowd their experience, and the priest stands flanked to offer guidance or encouragement, while also commenting to the crowd where the hand of the Everwatcher or the Gods and Goddesses could be felt in the story. This is generally a very positive experience where sharing one's personal and intimate experiences with faith and spirituality is encouraged.
Unionism is the only Religion that has a semi-divinity concept of saints, mortals who are made immortal either in life or after death as part of the personal retinue of one of the Unionist Gods or Goddesses. These Saints are not directly worshiped but are symbolic and often invoked by name to inspire the faithful with their stories and their deeds. Saints are people to live like or examples to live by, not to worship. Each God has a flock of Saints, some more than others, and below is a list of all currently publicly available Saints to give more substance to their lore.
==Unionist Lexicon==
* '''The Creed''' is the single volume large holy book of the Unionist faith which Emperor write and edit.
: This section still needs to be expanded to bring back some of the lore lost in the previous revision, but is considered Expanded Lore so is deferred.
* '''Celate''' and '''Priest''' are both terms used to describe the preachers of Unionism.
====Saints of Theomar====
* '''Celate''' also refers to the territory managed by a single Priest.
* Thedmir the Ally
* '''Arch-Priest''' or '''Arch-Celate''' refers to a higher rank Priest that does more paperwork.
====Saints of Ness====
* '''Primae-Celate''' or '''Primae-Priest''' refers to the highest office in a Unionist religious community that leads.
* Eora the Companion
* '''God Emperor''' or '''God Empress''' refers to the sub-gods of Unionism, but they can also be called God or Goddess.
====Saints of Grace====
* '''The Everwatcher''' or the Spirit is the supreme religious being and the all-creator.
* None yet written
* '''The Everwatch''' is the temporary afterlife in which all souls are judged by the Everwatcher.
====Saints of Allest====
* '''The Great Way''' is the purpose of Ailorkind to produce paradise on Aloria.
* Brand the Lover
* '''Arch-Temple''' are great temples, usually housing the remains of God Emperors or Empresses.
====Saints of Caan====
* '''Cloister Trials''' are trials that pilgrims undergo to earn the right to visit the Faith Chamber.
* Kaldric the Repentant
* '''Faith Chamber''' is the most holy and sacred place inside an Arch-Temple that houses the Reliquary.
* Eirlys the Winged
* '''Dogmatic Unionism''' is the term used to describe the standard Unionist religious community.
====Saints of Elia====
* '''Evintarian Unionism''' or Etosian Unionism is the term used to describe the first Schism Unionist religious community.
* Leona the Squire
* '''Dogartan Unionism''' is the term used to describe the first Schism Unionist religious community.
* '''Vultragon Unionism''' of Vultarin Unionism is the term used to describe the second Schism Unionist religious community.
====Saints of Nolven====
* '''Hero of Unionism''' is a mortal who after death is declared a champion of Unionism, and to have inherited a Godspark.
* None yet written
* '''Godspark''' is a piece of a soul that a God Emperor or Empress allowed to reincarnate with their divinity into a mortal.
====Saints of Juvin====
* '''Diet of Divinity''' is a Diet in which priests gather to discuss elevating a mortal to the rank of Hero of Unionism.
* Almar the Justicar
* '''Diet of Deliberation''' happens after every Emperor dies, to discuss the future of Unionism among priests.
* '''Holy War''' is when priests call for a Diet of Fury, and call for a nation or group of people to be purged by the sword.
====Saints of Mendes====
* '''Hearing''' is a form of priestly therapy for the faithful or non-Unionists.
* Hor the Guard
* '''Relieving''' is a form of priestly confession for the faithful or non-Unionists.
====Saints of Al-Asir====
* '''Blessing''' is a form of priestly blessing before battle for the faithful or non-Unionists.
* Marani the Repentant
* '''Cloistering''' is a form of priestly guidance during a Cloister Trial reserved for Unionists.
====Saints of Morgan====
* '''Creed Eleracy''' is an emergency meeting of all Schisms to discuss ongoing theological events for cross-faith dialogue.
* Narsil the Everloyal
* '''”May he watch over you”''' is a common term used by Unionists to bless each other while departing from one another.
* Nicholas the Architect
* '''“Everwatcher guide your way”''' is a common term used by priests and lay-priests to bless Unionists or non-Unionists alike.
* Regulus the Dragonblood
* '''Great Staircase''' is a sort-of-afterlife where all worthy souls rest on a large imaginary stairs going up to the sky, looking down on the living.
* '''Sanktism''' is a ritual performed on a Unionist to mark certain milestones in their life.
====Saints of Belialus====
* Yvasi the Trueself
* Freiderikos the Newself
* Kithemon the Mindself
* Amandaros the Lovedself
====Saints of Finell====
* None yet written
==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*The matter of depicting the God Emperors or God Empresses is controversial at best. Many priests believe that mortals are fallible and cannot depict the Gods and Goddesses in an accurate or divine manner. Any art produced of the Gods or Goddesses is extremely scrutinized. More curiously yet, the eyes of all depictions of the Gods or Goddesses are always depicted in white. This is because the iris colors of the Emperors or Empresses is always a matter of intense debate and historical revision.
*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.
*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 Hordes]] ceased, and the Empire benefited more from including non-Unionists into the peerage. An exception had always been made for the Altalar nobles of [[Solvaan]] origins in [[Solleria]] however, called the [[Melennarian Confession]] (who was, in fact, not an Altalar himself).
*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.
*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 Caan'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 Caan was suppressed from dogma). Caan' faithful among the Aelrrigan Order are commonly cited as the reason why Magic acceptance eventually returned, and Caan' magical nature in theological teachings was returned.
The Everwatcher and various other Gods and Goddesses
Unionism is the world's second-largest religion only trailing shortly after Estelley, on account of the Ailor people being more religiously divided, though it is speculated that Unionism will become the largest religion within a century at least. Unionism at its core is a global unification movement that proclaims the benevolence of the divinely inspired Emperors of the Regalian Empire to bring order, stability, and law to the world that is filled with chaos and strife. Unionism is the only Religion on Aloria that incorporates Gods of their subjugated or annexed people, preserving their culture and traditions as a part of a larger collective.
Origins
Unionism was founded several years after the Establishment of the Regalian Empire, roughly speaking in the year 10 AC. The exact year date is unclear, because Theomar did not publish the Creed until some time after he received his first visions, and so some theological debate exists on the exact founding year. Emperor Theomar was the first prophet of the faith and recorded the visions of the Everwatcher who joined with his soul, thus Theomar became the first Vessel-Emperor. Unionism has since its founding had a strong upward trajectory of converting those of other Religions to it, but also just population growth in general due to its strong message of expansion of the state and family. It is currently the second largest Religion in the world, only slightly outclassed by Estelley on account of there being more Elves widely speaking.
Central Message
The central message of Unionism is that the world is a wretched test of virtue for all mortals who reside in it, and that the greatest test of all is the unification of the world under the secular authority of the Emperors of Regalia. In essence, the faith preaches that the world is filled with chaos and suffering and that only through the guidance of the Regalian Empire's authority it can be unified. When this task called the Great Way is completed, the Everwatcher will create paradise on the world, ending all death and suffering, and bringing back all those who have passed into the afterlife to live among the now immortal mortals in a state of forever paradise.
The Great Way
The Great Way is the task of the faithful to bring about a world-spanning Regalian Empire under the secular authority of the Regalian Emperors. This explicitly does not mean the eradication of other Religions, it purely means that the whole world should follow Regalian state law and be obedient to it, while preserving their own customs and traditions. However, many also interpret it as an implicit call to eradicate other Religions. Unionism is a complicated Religion that professes to do a lot of good, but that is inherently hampered by the selfish wishes of mortals and the self-interested preaching of the clergy. It contains themes of righteousness bogged down by dogmatic narrow-mindedness, and stagnating beliefs.
The Afterlife
Unionism's afterlife is far less colorful or pleasure-inducing than many other Afterlives, it is in fact quite simple. Unlike the paradises of liquor and endless banquets, Unionism's afterlife is a somber staircase upon which all the faithful sit in waiting, gazing down at the world of mortals and watching events unfold until it is their time to descend back down to the land of the living when the Everwatcher creates paradise. There is a sense of togetherness for those who will return to loved ones in the Afterlife, but also a sense of waiting for eternity due to the slow progression of the Great Way, and the many setbacks the Regalian Empire faces in its implicit world-domination plans.
Faith Mechanic
Gods and Goddesses
Unionist Gods were either Gods from other Religions, or divinely blessed mortals who became immortal Gods after they passed on with the guidance of the Everwatcher. There is no important distinction between the types of Gods, Unionism treats all Gods equally under the Everwatcher. Each God also has associated Saints who become Immortal divine beings, but are not considered Gods, and discussed further down. The Everwatcher is technically the Arch-God, but this entity is so unknowable to anyone but the Emperor, that it is only invoked, not directly worshiped. The Everwatcher is treated as the creator of all the Gods, but the Gods are like tangible extensions of it, and thus they receive the worship instead.
Theomar, the Father
Theomar was the first prophet-Emperor of Unionism, the first Vessel of the Everwatcher, and the first to speak and write the holy word of the faith in the Creed. When the Regalian Empire was young, he was its first Emperor, having joined forces with the other major families in the Five Family Rebellion to overthrow the Kingdom of Amelore, banish the Bel Hammon Elves, and establish the Empire. Shortly after, he received visions and direct communication from the Everwatcher, who taught him the vision of Unionism. In life, he was considered a highly spiritual and immensely wise person, one of the tranquil Emperors of the Regalian Empire who did not wage wars, but convinced people foreign and his own to accept the word of the faith.
Theomar is the leader of the Unionist Pantheon and is often considered beyond reproach. While some of the other Gods lived flawed and sinful lives, Theomar represents an unblemished purity of the soul. He is the patron of anyone in the spiritual role of father or caretaker, leaders, generals, commanders, etc. From him, the faithful learn patience, diligence, and spiritual directives, even if Theomar himself is the least active of the Unionist Gods when appearing before the faithful or acting on their behalf as Divine intervention.
Ness, the Mother
Ness was the 4th Empress of Regalia Nessaria Calontir, known in her early life as a woman of sinful indulgence and trustworthiness. Her life was filled with the pleasures of the Imperial royal court, absconding her duties and court protocols to reign as the mistress of the court. When her children were killed in a court conspiracy, a chance encounter with the assassins in prison changed her. It was said the Everwatcher spoke to her in her deepest moment of grief and blessed her with forgiveness and a nurturing spirit. From that moment on she donned the robe of the nurse vowing to bestow the blessing of care onto the sick and dying, that which had been denied her own children. She eventually passed on at the height of adoration by the people, a contrast to her early life.
Ness is the caretaker and nurturing mother of the pantheon, representing the idea that it is never too late to abandon one's wicked ways and reform in virtue. She is the patron of anyone in the spiritual role of mother or medical staff, midwives, healers, and those seeking to reform criminals to the light of the law. From her, the faithful learn compassion, sacrifice, and regret. Ness appears when the faithful need her the most when the only thing standing between them and certain death is her forgiving and healing light by their side.
Grace, the Custodian
Grace was an old Hecarian Goddess, the spiritual leader of the Hecarian tribes that joined the Regalian Empire early in its creation but after Theomar spread his gospel. Grace (or Glanzia as she was called by them), was the Goddess mother of the night, bringing wisdom and judgment through her all-seeing owls. When the Regalian Empire peacefully integrated the Hecarian tribes through marriage by the hand of an Imperial Princess, Grace was incorporated into the Unionist Pantheon along with the other Gods from other Religions by her own free will. From that moment on, she became the Goddess of purity of soul and body, the custodian guiding the faithful to remain free of sinful corruption by otherworldly agents and to be judged by her gaze should they fall.
Grace is the protector of the purity of the faithful, with one hand shielding them from the corrupting influences of the other Dimensions, and with the other judging them should they fall to its vices and become agents of destruction. Her laws have ultimately been re-interpreted as a call for complete anti-magical/Occult purity, but her teachings to the faithful are more about controlling these things, not being controlled by it. She has granted the faithful Purestone, a material that rejects the Occult and protects the faithful from Magical harm.
Allest, the Champion
Allest was the 17th Emperor of Regalia Allestrain I Ivrae who lived an angry and violent life. Being one of the few Eronidas Emperors of Regalia, he oversaw some of Regalia's most brutal wars of expansion particularly against the Velheim people. He however also dealt his own nobles an unjust hand, often ignoring the law and justice system in favor of honor duels that would end in a bloodbath. It is said, however, that by the guidance of his Chancellor Alexander the First (nicknamed Brand), he found religious purpose and divine directive. His anger was channeled into the arena where he became a glorious gladiator-emperor, and his combat prowess to foreign wars. With all his rage vented, his rule became one of strict but fair discipline that saw major legislative expansions.
Allest is the Lion-God of the pantheon, the patron of soldiers and gladiators, teaching them honesty, and bravery, and praying for victory. It is known by the faithful, however, that his soul was ensnared by wicked plots from the Vola Fornoss Gods to punish him for the crusades and genocide against their people. As such, his divine throne in the Pantheon remains empty, with his Saint Brand appearing to those who invoke or pray to his name, as he cannot hear them while imprisoned in the hellish Demon-realm of Vaarda, the Vola afterlife.
Caan, The Magus
Caan was an old Breizh God, the leader of the Santel pantheon, who both led the people of Kintyr to join the Five Family Rebellion and in founding the Aelrrigan Order prior. Because Caan was present when the Regalian Empire was founded, he was the first God from another faith to voluntarily join the Unionist pantheon, making the other Santel Gods his saints. While all Santels had white feathered wings, it is said that Caan removed his wings as a virtuous sacrifice to walk more closely with mortals and understand their plight and needs. Over time, however, he has seemingly become more detached and cynical. While he still lives among mortals as a God, he has become quiet and unresponsive, which many of the faithful have blamed on the constant abuse of Magic in the Empire.
Caan is the patron God of all the Mages and those gifted with Magic in the Empire, teaching them responsible use of their Magic and to use their gift or burden for the Good of the Empire, not to spite it. He is by far the most active of the Gods among mortals because he leads the Aelrrigan Order after ousting the mortal leadership he put in place centuries ago, but comes and goes without rhyme or reason, having fallen into a melancholic unapproachability that makes even the faithful uneasy to be around him when he appears in person.
Elia, the Huntress
Elia was the Empress-wife of Emperor Allestrain (the God Allest) who had a difficult life. Originally destined to become a Knight, she was forced to surrender her life ambitions and goals when the Emperor chose her for a marriage (later known as a beard marriage). Her obsession with Knights and her dreams made her a terrible Empress, but much like her husband, she found guidance from the Chancellor's wife Leona who would later go on to become her Saint. While Elia was prone to fits of obsessive compulsion, Leona was her temperance, bending her uncollected and uncoordinated actions and thoughts into precision actions and decisions. She carried on the work of her husband after he was killed by the Vola Gods, and finished the work of war against the Skags.
Elia is the patron Goddess of Knights and hunters, but also more widely speaking anyone who needs to cast away distractions in favor of single-minded focus and concentration. She teaches the virtues of calmness, self-control, and clarity, so that the faithful remain aware and truthful to themselves, and act without a shroud in their mind onto others. Elia was a multi-discipline warrior famed with bow and halberd alike, and thus prayed to by the faithful for skill in weapons to protect their loved ones or the Empire.
Nolven, the Twin
Nolven was a refracted God, a fragment of the Fornoss Vola God Aedán that disavowed that faith, and joined Unionism instead. Nolven however has a split identity due to his fractured nature. In some seasons he is Nolven the god of war and punisher of the enemies of Unionism, smashing idols of other Religions and casting down enemies of the faith, while in other seasons he is Nolven the god of art and beauty who creates art so profound it makes even the most brutish of warriors weep. His fractured identity means he is as unpredictable as the shifting seasons or the tides of the ocean, representing a constant push and pull of destruction and war, and creation and peace. Nolven in times of war has a particular bone to pick with the Pagan faiths of the Regalian Empire.
Nolven is the patron of art and culture, and crusade and iconoclasm at once. He represents the constant flux between creating art to destroy and destroying to create art. In him are embodied the ability of art to dear down systems, ideas, even Empires, and the need for tragedy and destruction to take place to inspire the greatest of artistic expressions. He represents the need for the faithful to be nuanced complex people, to live the spoken virtues of the Gods but with temperance of change and flaw to be true thinking and living people.
Juvin, the Teacher
Juvin was the 11th Emperor of Regalia Heinrich III Ivrae, who was both a pious priestly man and a strong contender for the most intellectually gifted Emperor of the Regalian Empire, championing the causes of science and knowledge and dragging the relatively backwater war-like Empire at the time into a more modern understanding of the world. While the Empire expanded in knowledge and piety under his rule, many of its intellectual centers became narrow-minded and chased only dogma information that conformed to their worldview. Despite Juvin's best intentions, his relatively short mortal life did not allow for the institutions he made to survive beyond his reign, many of them folding back into ignorance, leading many to believe Regalia's sciences are backward.
Juvin is the patron God of scholars, teachers, mentors, sages, and scribes. He inspires wisdom to perceive the world and is prayed to for divine insight and inspiration when problems seem unsolvable. It is said that Juvin often appears in the largest of Imperial archives, seeking to help scholars. In a stroke of irony, priests have made this archive inaccessible, fearing the wrong information would be exposed to Juvin, thus creating more ignorance. Juvin's tragedy is that his desire for inspiring wisdom and learning is yet restrained by the clergy.
Mendes, the Bestower
Mendes came to Unionism as a former Khama God, once belonging to the Dewamenet Empire but fleeing the Pearl Wars and eventually joining the Regalian Empire with his flock. Mendes was the leader of the Golden Fleet, an Asha migrant fleet that had grown tired of running, and wanted to settle. Mendes led them to Regalia, where an agreement with Theomar was struck for them to live in Regalia, becoming the first large foreign migrant wave. Mendes then became a prosperity God for Unionism in continuation of his prior role in the Khama faith. There are still those in the Khama faith who try to draw him back to their pantheon, but he insists he is not interested in subjecting himself to Tjafar, and has found true wealth of belonging under the Everwatcher.
Mendes is the patron God of merchants and traders, of shopkeepers and of bureaucrats working in finance. He is prayed to for good fortune and fair winds for trade ships, and sometimes even talked with regarding financial deals or plans. Mendes is one of the few Gods that can reliably be found in one singular location: The High House of the Imperial Coinage, though access to him is extremely restricted to only those deemed of sufficient piety by the priests, which is a tall order in such a viciously crook-capitalist field.
Al-Asir, the Creator
Al-Asir came to Unionism very recently as the Dragon Marik was re-birthed by the Everwatcher even before the return of Dragons. Al-Asir is a technician God, an engineer of kindness at heart who seeks to make the world a better place. Yet, his nature brings about some controversy, particularly among the Skyborn and Dragonborn. His nature as Marik is not disputed, rather, the Dragonborn claim he is Marik first and Al-Asir second, while the Skyborn claim he is Al-Asir first and Marik second. Which version is truth matters to these people, due to their long historic animosity and continuing wars in their homeland of Ard-al-Nur. Al-Asir continues to dance between truths, preferring to show kindness to all instead of choosing one side.
Al-Asir is the patron of engineers and technicians, but also more widely speaking for everyone seeking to do kindness without payment. While his technician-God themes are obvious, Al-Asir is also a God of good-natured hospitality, well-wishes, gratuity, and charity to others. He uses his technology to improve the lives of others and ease their suffering, a stark contrast to the Regalian Empire's wide usage of technology to wage wars and more efficiently kill, something that he has said deeply troubles him.
Schism Gods
The Schism Gods are not members of the official pantheon and should be seen as optional or additional Gods. Each Schism God represents a belief that is technically against the dogma of the main religion, but is acceptable within the margins to promote religious cohesion, and to prevent the faith from fracturing into 5 different versions of Unionism. These Gods are tolerated on the fringes of Unionism, but there is still a healthy amount of internal conflict and derision against those that hold to the Schismatic beliefs that some of the dogmatic believers find repugnant.
Morgan, the Wicked
Morgan is a complex character from a historical point of view. He is remembered as one of the worst Chancellors from a moral perspective, but one of the best from a pragmatic perspective. Morgan was cruel, sadistic, extravagant, and immensely skilled, controlling nearly every layer of Regalian upper class society by himself and leaving behind permanent imprints on whatever he touched that have lived long past his death. Among Guided Unionists (those that worship him), the belief is held that Morgan is like an eternal mirror of self-reflection upon the corrupting qualities of the most blessed of the Empire. While propaganda upholds that he was unequivocally an evil man, reality reflects a more complex image from which other lessons can be learned.
Guided Unionists see Morgan as an example God to be fear-worshiped for humility, respect, and loyalty. Through him, Guided Unionists question the narrative, question the information they are fed, and hold their leaders and clergy to account. This makes Guided Unionist a schismatic belief because it goes against the grain of the infallibility of the clergy. Guided Unionists reject the clergy in favor of lay priests who ask them why, instead of commanding them how. Guided Unionism is particularly prevalent among Anglians and Cantaluna Ailor.
Belialus, the Everchanger
Note, some of this lore relies on a Spirit/Magic rework that is not yet released. As such, some info may be contradictory to current lore.
Belialus is a Demon, no ifs and buts about it. Belialus submitted himself to Unionism and the Everwatcher early, just after Theomar's death. The kneejerk reaction of the faithful at the time was to utterly reject him and his followers, thus resulting in the first Schism which resulted in a lot of violence and the eventual expulsion of the Evintarian believers to the isle of Aetosil outside of the Empire. Belialus is a Demon-God not unlike the Arken-God refractions, yet different. He represents the desire of Spirits to live in Aloria and become part of the Alorian fabric of life, but on the terms set out by the Everwatcher and in rejection of their nature. Belialus himself is a Demon of Change, and has brought the Saint-Demons of Changing Fates with him to bless the people with their gifts.
Belialus is perhaps best explained as the Patron-God of those who deal with Demons and otherworldly entities. This makes him the most controversial of the schismatic Gods, because he stands almost directly opposed to Grace (who has tried to kill him at least three times already). Belialus himself, however, is repentant of his Demonic nature, and his followers both preach safe conduct with otherworldly entities and Veilwalking, while bowing to the Great Way. Note, even if Belialus worship is legal, Spirits are still deemed illegal in the Regalian Empire. Belialus worshipers are also routinely targeted by vigilantes of the dogmatic belief, who inflict violence on them despite the official acceptance of their schism.
Finell, the Tidelover
Finell is the closest Unionism has to a love-god, as the majority of the Religion is quite chaste in its approach to intimacy. Finell was once an Elven Prince and the first of the Finul Elves and patron of Bel Faiaal. He ascended Godhood in life, becoming an unofficial God of revelry, party and pleasures to the Elves. The Empresses however rejected him, because he was wild and uncoordinated, his self-serving attitude and apathy to the virtues of perfection a contradiction to the faith. He was banished from the Allorn Empire and became a sea-wandering God only occasionally interacting with his people, until one day he set foot in Regalia and never left. Thus, he became the Enelon Unionist schismatic god of love and revelry who bends the Great Way to far beyond its original intentions.
Finell preaches for the virtues of Unionism, the Great Way, to extend beyond the confines of legal authority, and to break down the barriers of decency, arbitrary law, and heritage. Finell preaches for unrestraint normalization of love and intimacy for all, to do away with jealousy, and to break down heritage and culture barriers, and homogenize all people of Aloria into one loving unity. Many of the dogmatic believers reject Enelon Unionism as debauched and adulterous, while Enelon faithful chastise the dogmatic believers for being culturally divisive.
Priestly Activities
The Unionist College (what the church of Unionism is collectively called) is a vast sprawling network of clerics and clerks that combine ecclesiastic and secular control of the people. It is a difficult to understand organization, due to its many obvious and less obvious interconnected agencies and organizations that are not always aware of each other. The Unionist College could be considered a state within a state, it has its own army, its own secret service, and its own ministerial positions as well as its own treasury. There is a constant tug and pull between the Regalian Empire's nobility, and its clergy, who wield the words of the prophets to get their way. To many, this makes the Unionist College a very powerful enemy. Indeed, while many of the rank-and-file priests may have good intentions, the Unionist College is a strong political component of the Regalian Empire, one that is just as self-interested and perhaps corrupt as the secular rulers are. On the ground, priests are called either priest or Celates, who in turn control a Celery. A Celery is a grant of land given to a priest by a secular ruler of the Emperor, or a higher priest, with the intent to administer to the flock or manage a monastery or nunnery in the area. While most priests of other religions are purely invested in religious teachings, Unionist priests are very much nobility in their own right, with tax dues and subjects who pay tithes and often even serve in the ecclesiastic guard. When playing a priest, any kind of role is viable, whether you want to play a corrupt priest who is using the words of the Gods for their own benefit, or a priest who is trying to make the best of a difficult situation and guide the flock to the best of their abilities without falling to vice.
Expanded Lore
The Expanded Lore section contains additional contextual information about the Unionist faith. This section is not necessary to read to get a good understanding of the lore, just the background information.
Saints
Unionism is the only Religion that has a semi-divinity concept of saints, mortals who are made immortal either in life or after death as part of the personal retinue of one of the Unionist Gods or Goddesses. These Saints are not directly worshiped but are symbolic and often invoked by name to inspire the faithful with their stories and their deeds. Saints are people to live like or examples to live by, not to worship. Each God has a flock of Saints, some more than others, and below is a list of all currently publicly available Saints to give more substance to their lore.
This section still needs to be expanded to bring back some of the lore lost in the previous revision, but is considered Expanded Lore so is deferred.
Saints of Theomar
Thedmir the Ally
Saints of Ness
Eora the Companion
Saints of Grace
None yet written
Saints of Allest
Brand the Lover
Saints of Caan
Kaldric the Repentant
Eirlys the Winged
Saints of Elia
Leona the Squire
Saints of Nolven
None yet written
Saints of Juvin
Almar the Justicar
Saints of Mendes
Hor the Guard
Saints of Al-Asir
Marani the Repentant
Saints of Morgan
Narsil the Everloyal
Nicholas the Architect
Regulus the Dragonblood
Saints of Belialus
Yvasi the Trueself
Freiderikos the Newself
Kithemon the Mindself
Amandaros the Lovedself
Saints of Finell
None yet written
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 Caan'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 Caan was suppressed from dogma). Caan' faithful among the Aelrrigan Order are commonly cited as the reason why Magic acceptance eventually returned, and Caan' magical nature in theological teachings was returned.
