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| Unionism | |
|---|---|
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| Religion | |
| Pronunciation | Yoon-yen-is-m |
| Origins | Emperor Theomar |
| Notable Beliefs | Ten Creeds, the Imperial Spirit guides all Unionists to a communal faith and destiny |
| Notable practices | Pillars of blessings, Funeral Rites, Communal Sermon, Liturgic Calendar. |
| Deities | |
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Unionism is a monotheistic religion based on the life and oral teachings of the Emperors of Regalia, and the divine spirit that binds them all together. This is universally referred to as “The Imperial Spirit”. Unionism, together with the Elven Faith of Estel, are the largest faiths in Aloria, the vast majority of the Ailor population as well as many other races following this religion. The core belief of Unionism is that one day, Humanity will achieve paradise through the journey they call “The Great Way”. The Great Way simply refers to the time between now and an undefined time in the future where Human & Supporter superiority will eclipse that of all other lesser races and establish a holy paradise on Aloria. The supreme being in Unionism has a somewhat ambiguous nature, being both an intangible divine spirit, as well as the physical living Emperors in the past. Unionists believe the Divine Spirit, being their supreme being, which used to take physical manifestations in their Emperors, but pass on to the next Emperor when the last dies. This passage has since been altered in the event referred to as the Unionist Ascenscion on May the 1st 306 AC, where the Spirit left the Emperor for the last time and became a guardian of all Unionists, non-Ailor included.
From it’s inception in Emperor Theomar’s day, Unionism has quickly spread across the known continents, both by word and by sword. Many speculate that even without the aggressive conversion tactics employed by Regalia, Unionism is poised to one day take over the entire world’s population purely by its momentum through Regalian wars and providence in that it is one of the few religions that offers followers the spiritual satisfaction of an afterlife against the uncertainty of death, aside from the Faith of Estel, where the divine afterlife is unobtainable. The Unionist Collective refers to the various denominations of Unionism. The religion of Unionism has suffered several schisms in the past which resulted in the creation of Etosian Unionism, Vultar Unionism, Diviner Unionism, Priscelle Unionism and Dogartan Unionism. There are only three official church structures with a hierarchy, however. The main Unionist church is called the Sancella of Union, the official Regalian state religious institution. The Etosian church is called the Etosian Patriarchate and the Vultar Church is called the Supremocliast of Vultaro. Unionism in it’s entirety defines many of the events around the world, and the very lives of millions upon millions of Alorians, whether they are believers or non believers.
Note: This is a very large article and it was decided to not have it split up. The content is not universally relevant, if you want to get a basic understanding of Unionism, simply read the Beliefs, Worship, Symbols and Denominations. For those who want to go more in-depth though, this article should cover all information you could ever want on Unionism.
History
Early Churches and Worship
Unionism began as a small cultist sect of Old Gods in the Regalian court. Emperor Theomar the first was said to have visions of a divine nature, compelling him to write down scriptures later referred to as the Ten predictions of Union. Due to the cohesion of the Regalian court at the time, and fluidity of religious worship following the Void Invasion, Unionism immediately took hold in the nearest nobility close to the Emperor. The writing of the Ten predictions of Union took a total of 53 years, being finalized several years before the death of Emperor Theomar. In the early years of Unionism, there were no churches. The Creeds do not specifically state worship should happen inside a church, and churches were only brought into the spread of Unionism several years after the death of Emperor Theomar. Conversion happened locally throughout Regalia, mostly by court missionaries and by power of word. Sectarian violence in Regalia was a common occurrence in the early years after the Void Invasion, following the fracturing of existing religions as theologians scrambled to try and explain the events happening in the world. Limited missionaries were sent out to other states, but did not take root as strongly as they did in Regalia. Regalia was after all at this stage only but a city state, not a sprawling Empire. After the death of Theomar the First, the Ten Predictions of Union were combined into the first five Creeds, the cornerstones of Unionism. Directly after the death of Theomar the First, the Holy Synod summoned a Diet to discuss the future course of Unionism, and how to best spread it, given the interpretations of the Ten predictions of Union. Around this time, the theoretically oldest sect of Unionism, Dogartan Unionism, came to be. The Dogarts believed in a form of Unionism where Humans reject all earthly riches and material values and subject themselves to intense servitude to the Emperor and their religion through fasting, charity, communal service, and even military service. The Dogartans would later be rejected by the other churches as fanatical and downright self destructive, but the sect would continue to operate to even present day due to the allure of religious redemption. Dogartans took no further role in the development of Unionism beyond having a single emissary at the Unionist Diet. After the Diet, the Dogartans simply existed in a series of monasteries and held themselves absent from the conflicts between the other churches.
Unionism's first true Schism happened at the Diet summoned in 92 AC by the Holy Synod following the death of Emperor Theomar the First. The Council broke unity over the eighth Creed, the creed speaking about the Herons. The High Reverend of Regalia and the grand majority of the Reverends of the Regalian Archipelago believed the liberty of the eight creed was taken too loosely by a Unionist sect called the Evintarians. They reasoned that Herons should function only as the most prime examples of Unionist fervor, and that anointing living Humans as Herons, was heresy, because it would imply that the worship of another Human besides the Emperor in life is permitted. The Evintarians, however, believed that living Humans should be anointed to Heron, so that they may function as living examples and be worshiped to indirectly worship the Emperor, as they claim the Emperor was responsible for their good deeds. The debate between the main body of Reverends and the Evintarians continued for several days until an eventual deadlock was declared and the Reverends started a vote of expulsion and declaration of heresy unto the Evintarians. The Evintarians were expelled from Regalia by the Emperor Leomar the First when he ascended the throne mere weeks later, though this gave the Evintarians enough time to set up a proper structure. They originally baptised their new split off church the Evintarian Patriarchate, and moved all their priestly members and a large crowd of their followers who refused to convert to the island of Etosil. Mixing with the local population and their culture, the Evintrarian Patriarchate eventually became the Etosian Patriarchate as the land defined was defined by the influx of migrants, which eventually also started adding to the religion. Separated from the Unionist Sancella, which was also set up around this time, largely by the fear of the High Reverend of Regalia that the Evintarian church would gather more followers due to its structure, the Etosian Church developed some new beliefs. Iconoclasm became a central theme in Etosian Unionism in later years, setting the two churches permanently apart, with the Etosian belief that imagery of the Imperial Spirit or Emperor are heretical objects and that images may only be made of the Herons.
Beliefs and Practices
Unionists have a set of holy books referred to as the Holy Creeds, written by various Emperors throughout human history. It is said that the Holy Creeds are the Emperors writing, but their hands are guided by the Imperial Spirit and visions granted from that same divine power. The Creeds are all written in proto-Regalian, a now ancient and dead language that pre-dated the Alt-Regalian language. The only modern exception is the 11th Creed, which is written in common Ceardian. A total of Eleven creeds exist in present time, however the 10th Creed is somewhat of an enigma since nobody has ever seen it, nor does actual proof exist that it was ever written. The Creeds are also all written in rudimentary Elven metaphorical grammar. This is largely a practice that stems back from the days when Elven was actually an accepted language among the Human nobility to conform with the Elven overlords of various lands. Since then, it has simply passed into tradition, as well as practice to treat the creeds as literature for the soul.
The Practices of the Unionist church are fairly uniform, in that all forms of Unionism pray and worship in roughly the same ways with the exceptions of the sect differences like the Diviner sacrifices. Most of the Unionist practices are not mandatory, but highly encouraged or recommended. A list of common Unionist practices is as followed:
- Prayer three times a day, at dawn, noon, and following dinner after dusk. Unionists are recommended to pray at least once a day in public mass, which occurs at the same time as Prayer time.
- The dead are burned and their ashes are buried. The burning occurs in so called Houses of the Dead where priests burn the bodies in ceremonial stone sacrophacusses. After burning, the remains are scraped up and placed in an urn which is then encased in a cask and buried. Most nobles are not burned, but rather beheaded and have their heart removed and placed in an urn away from the body.
- Unionism believes in the concept of Herons, saints who in their life (or afterlife) are deemed so Holy and strong in virtue to the cause of Humanum that they are elevated to Herons after death (or in life for Unionists).
- Unionism defines a distinct difference between worship adoration of the Emperor and worship veneration of the Herons. A Heron must never be worshipped to the same degree as the Emperor.
- Sacred images are used in all denominations of Unionism except Etosian Unionism. This includes paintings of the Emperor, statuettes, and sometimes relics of Herons and previous Emperors.
- The Synod is a collective of the Reverends of the Sancella of Union. The Synod itself appoints future Reverends as well as special appointments within the structure of their organization.
- Strict observance of the Emperor’s Holy Will and Law. The Emperor does no evil, can think no evil, and must see no evil. The Emperor is always right, and when he is wrong, it is because of flawed advisors. The Emperor must never be spoken of in a bad light.
- Four yearly religious celebrations, the festivals of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter with their own various religious implications.
The Creeds of Unionism
The Creeds of Unionism are the written holy scriptures that are worshipped, sometimes even more fervently than the Emperor himself, as the scriptures are the strict words of the Imperial Spirit while the Emperor is technically just a prophet who put them to paper. Similarly to the Emperor, the Creeds cannot be wrong, but they can be misinterpreted or mistranslated. Translation of creeds or the correct interpretation of them has led to much conflict between the various denominations and even the Emperors and the Sancella of Union.
First Creed: Divinity of the Emperors
The First Creed was written by Emperor Theomar the First, being the foundation for all other creeds after it and the formation of the formal state religion. Back when this creed was written, Unionism was nothing more than a personality cult, however it quickly grew and so did the translations of this creed become more complex. The First Creed is very poetically written, though it can mostly be summarized as such by removing the rudimentary Elven metaphorical grammar:
“There exists something so pure and beautiful, yet it has no name. I, Theomar the First have witnessed a land where there is no want, no hunger, no sadness and no fear. It is the land where all who have gone before us returned, and embraced those who were living and saw no difference between the living or the dead or the soon to be. It was a land pure of Humans, clean of those who would spoil our greatness and clean of those who would be ruinous onto others as they are onto themselves. It is a vision that was given to me by a being so pure it also has no name. For it tasked me to provide it with a name, and a worldly body so that it can act for which it exists. I write of the Imperial Spirit, the embodiment of our Empire so Holy and our future so pristine. The collective will of all that is Regalian and all that shall be, for a future which we all share. This spirit was born when we cast down the chains of the past, when we freed ourselves of oppression and raised ourselves up in the light of prosperity. This Imperial Spirit has chosen the Emperors of Regalia as its host, as we see the world of Aloria our host. As we guide our world, so does this Imperial Spirit guide our hand to the future that lays beyond, the Great Way that will take us there. For through the divine Imperial Spirit, we Emperors become divine in living. We are but an earthwork vase for a vessel of water however, make no ill mistake. Like glass we can shatter, and like water, our contents may spill into nothingness. It is the primary duty of any of Union or Humanity to preserve the sanctity, life and divinity of the Emperors and the Empire.”
Second Creed: Disbelief of Death
The Second Creed was written by Emperor Theomar the First, fairly quickly after he finished the first one. Together with the First and Third creed, the first three creeds are considered the basis foundation of Unionism. By the Second Creed, it became more obvious to Theomar that his divine word needed more substance to appeal to the masses. As such, this creed mostly covers the afterlife and death and reincarnation. Unionism is rare in that aspect in that it is one of the extremely few Alorian religions that beliefs in the illusion of death and afterlife, something that many scholars speculate explains why it spread so quickly. The Second Creed is very poetically written, though it can mostly be summarized as such by removing the rudimentary Elven metaphorical grammar:
“The Divine Spirit has shown us the way, and the way we shall follow. For through my hands, its will shall become manifest, but mine hands are only two of many. For thousands of hands are required to carry the burden and prominence of our future and fate. I speak of those who are the common men and women, the farmers, the artisans, the priests, the clerks and soldiers. No matter how small the being, all carry the weight of Unionism on their shoulders and back, and if one falls, so shall the others feel it. Every person in Humanum must live up to the standards and codes set forth by the Empire, or face the fate of a fallen one. Those who are fallen will wither and die, and be reborn in the being of a non-Humanum, an existence of torment and penance. For those who are non-Humanum are only but fallen ones in a living trial to be given a second chance. When a non-Humanum reaches the end of their lives, the Imperial Spirit will weigh them to the good nature of a Human and decide to condemn them to the void or reinstate them as a Human for a second chance at traveling The Great Way.”
Third Creed: The Rights of the Others
The Third Creed was written by Emperor Theomar the First, in tandem with the Second Creed. The Third Creed speaks about the divine paradise that is to come at the end of The Great Way. It speaks about the enslavement of other races and the redeemability of non-Humans in a life of servitude, to be reborn as Humans for a second chance at becoming part of The Great Way. It’s not entirely clear what happens if you fail to succeed in your duty as a Human on your second chance. Many priests just speculate that Unionism technically gives you infinite chances as long as you keep proving yourself worthy as a non-Human. The Third Creed is very poetically written, though it can mostly be summarized as such by removing the rudimentary Elven metaphorical grammar:
“In this pure and beautiful future, I witnessed the hands of Humanum holding the chains of the lesser beings. There is no place for the fallen races among the steps to the Divine throne of the Imperial Spirit, but they will not be denied entry to paradise. Be it they cannot or will not prove themselves worthy of the Great Way, they shall be our slaves and servants when the time comes, that time of such great Regalian might and prominence. One day our fair race shall rule all the world and all the known lands and all the known seas and so too shall we take to the skies and conquer anything that can be seen and even that which cannot be seen. It is by the labor of the man, woman and child, and by the direction of the Imperial Spirit and the hands of the Emperors that we shall achieve and bathe in the divine Fate”
Fourth Creed: The Mass of Passage
The Fourth Creed was written by Emperor Theomar the First originally, but heavily altered by subsequent Emperors due to the changing nature of Human qualifications. Early in Thomar’s writing it purely only spoke about the need for Humans to fight for Regalia, but the centuries past Theomar’s death have seen it radically altered to include the need for religious worship, charity and love for your fellow Humans and various other practices which are encouraged by the Sancella of Union and finally codified in the Creed. It has generally been speculated that as the world’s machinations become more complex, so must the fourth creed become more complex to ensure Humans continue to do the best and most they can to achieve the Paradise.
“The afterlife is not a state to be feared, for I too have heard the voices of my forefathers and felt comfort in what they had to say. The Imperial spirit, much like the Emperors to be, are as much a vessel as a clay vase like us. The Imperial Spirit gathers all the souls of those who pass over and weighs them on the Scale of Worthy Judgement. The single eye pierces through darkness and deceit and exposes the light, or the lack thereof. When the judgement time comes, the souls will be denied or granted. When denied, they shall be cast back as a non-Human, tormented to live life again as a lesser being to have a second chance at proving they deserve to be Humanum, such is the grace and mercy of the Imperial Spirit. Those who are worthy, shall join the Imperial Spirit in the Everwatch, a state of divine being in which those who have come before, together with the Imperial Spirit, watch over us from above. Take comfort in the knowledge my fellow Humanum, death is never the end, simply the beginning of the long Everwatch until the Great Way is complete and all shall be re-united in paradise. Carry all, the sword, the rake, the prayer beads, the hammer and sickle and tool, carry all for the virtue of work, the hardship of prayer and the love for your fellow Unionist. Carry all in your days and your lives, so that when the measure comes of the scales of judgement that you shall be on the weightier end of your crimes against Unionism. For a single crime, or a second crime will not condemn you. But should your crimes become too many, and repentance is far to be found, so too shall your entrance to the afterlife be denied, and cursed you shall be to the life of one not Human."
Fifth Creed: Prayers and Duties
The Fifth Creed has similarly been written by Theomar the First, and also been heavily changed like the Fourth Creed. The Fourth and Fifth Creeds are often considered in tandem, as the Fourth speaks about duties, while the Fifth actually goes into specifics in terms of what should specifically be done and avoided. The Fifth Creed is often used to define the base practices of Unionism and is generally also shared strongly by all denominations of Unionism.
“For The Great Way to remain on the correct path, all must endeavor to pray, worship and act as examples of the Code of Union. Man woman and Child must pray twice a day, come morn of dawn and come dusk of night. Priests shall administer prayer times, five times a day, for those who are unable to meet dawn or dusk mass. All must contribute to the Great Way, from the highest noble to the lowest street beggar. All must also contribute to each other’s Great Way however, the noble must give alms to the poor and the poor must take up the sword and spear and bow when the noble is in need of men and women for their banner. To kill another man not in the name of Union is heresy and will condemn a soul for non-Human torment. War by the Empire is always sanctioned in the name of Union, and so is the divine word of the court which speaks for the Emperor which speaks for the Imperial Spirit. To deny the birth of a Humanum is a crime, and to work against the Empire or Emperor are high treason.”
Sixth Creed: The Holy Sancella
The Sixth Creed dictates the structure of the Unionist church, the Sancella of Union. This creed was written by Emperor Leomar the First with the assistance of the Holy Synod. This Creed mostly came to be as a result of the establishment of the Etosian Patriarchate, thus can be claimed to largely derive its power structure and content from the Etosians. This Creed was relatively short and has very little actual padding language in it, just an analytical approach to describing how the Sancella of Union should function.
“The Holy Synod shall rule all, like the Supreme power of the Emperor, though granted by us. The Holy Ministry shall be the Ministers of the Spirit, much like our own material ministers guide our hands in the matters of the material world. The Holy Ministers shall be the Reverends, the Revered and holiest men in the body and house of worship. Their word will be carried by the Priests, the Curates of Union who multiply and amplify the words so holy and pure to be the Holy Law. The Holy Synod remains charged with the interpretation and the enactment of the Spirit’s Holy words from their Unionist convictions.”
Seventh Creed: The Holy Confessions
The Seventh Creed was officially written as the 10th creed, but moved down to the 7th spot due to the perceived importance by Emperor Justinian the Second. It speaks about the position of other religions, their rights, and more specifically how to deal with heretics and non believers. This Creed is generally very controversial as it has changed so much, sometimes entirely whimsically based on the opinions of the Emperor at the time. It is mostly inspired by the confessions of Melennar, who some would later come to claim had too much personal power on Emperor Justinian the Second after the death of his sons.
“It is not hatred we should harbor for those who have lost the way. For the steps to the Imperial Throne lie in front of us, and yet we may look away. But the only way to the land above, so pristine and pure, is up those steps. There is no way around, there is no way from it, and no matter how far we thread, those steps will always be ever closer. So too are those who have fallen from the righteous path, they envelop themselves in the fabrications of false prophets, but the people are born in a state of ignorance and innocence. It is the duty of the virtuous to convert and protect the lesser beings that need our guidance, not to utterly destroy them in fire. Let the gentiles who accept our word and confess their sins to Melennar be welcomed with open arms, not as a brother or equal, but as a lesser mirror of ourselves, yet to be brought into the fold with due time.”
Eight Creed: The Spirits of Virtue
The Eight Creed speaks about the virtue of the Herons, the Saints of the Unionist Sancella and the Etosian Patriarchate. Herons exist also in the other denominations of Unionism, but are barely given attention to, and in Priscille Unionism, it is limited to the Emperor’s kin in life. The Eight Creed is mostly the subject of controversy between the Etosian and regular Unionist faiths, as the Etosians believe the limitations for Heron declaration are both looser and can be granted upon living Humans, which is declared heretical to the Sancella of Union.
“And by the virtue of strength, or wit, or cunning or the simple virtues of man woman and child, so too can the simplest of souls be elevated to the highest steps to the throne of the Imperial Spirit. The Emperor alone is but one, surrounding him is a vast collection of spirits, not Imperial in a sense, but purely Unionist in many ways. We speak of the Herons, the Heroes and Saints of our times and times past. We model our lives to them as examples, as they have modeled their lives in the image of the Emperors. So that the will of the Emperor can be carried in the wind, like rain on a gust, ever multiplying into the infinite beyond. They shall have shrines, they shall have statues and the people shall evoke their names in reverence. They shall fill the bodies of Union with the will to fight, to preserve our cause, and to dream to one day become like one of them and be assured passage to the highest places in Paradise.”
Ninth Creed: The Daemonic Fallacies
The Ninth Creed of Unionism is generally seen as a less spoken about Creed detailing the evils in the world, the Demons. It is inherently unclear if Demons are referred to in the scholarly sense, as the Void and Exist energies that they are, or whether they are just basal representations of Human Vice. The Ninth Creed was written by Emperor Handorien the First, and it was also the only piece of writing he did. The Ninth Creed was actually written to instill a sense of fear into the average Regalian who did not know what a Demon was. Curiously enough it specifically speaks about the heretical status of Demon Magic, and setting clear divisions between what was to be considered good magic and what was to be evil magic.
“There are those who would destroy the steps to the Imperial Throne. Those who would see us all cast out of paradise and see paradise twisted to a tormented plain of destruction, where our loved ones will anguish and we will watch for all eternity. It is the Daemons of our past, our present and our future, the evils within and without, the evils we invite and the evils that claw at our very doorstep every morn and every dusk. It is the duty of every man woman and child to purge the evil and Daemon scourge from the world, be it an act of kindness or the sword of deliverance. For Daemons are merely creatures of will, and will hath no hold over Humans of virtue. Those who would dabble in the arts of Daemons, and would see honest men and women cast into darkness for their hubris. Those foul charlatans and deceivers whom bend reality from the creation of the Spirit for their own needs in place of the needs of the greater good. Strike them down for their fingers thread where no Human should, in the realm of the corrupted and the befouled. They bring only ills on their loved ones, plagues of blisters and putrid plague and destruction.”
Tenth Creed: First Humanum
Not much is known about the Tenth Creed. It is now known exactly where it was written or when, but it is generally theorized that Emperor Justinian the First wrote it. Due to the court’s opinions of Justinian the First however, it is theorized heavily that the Arch-Chancellor had a big hand in writing it instead, simply dictating the content to Justinian the First to record. Only various snippets have ever been received, and even then they could not be confirmed by the physical presence of the Creed, as all the writing had disappeared after the death of the Arch Chancellor and the Emperor. There have been various doomsaying speculations on the content of the Tenth Creed. Some collude to the idea that the Tenth Creed was actually a prediction of failure to the entire Unionist Faith, while others allude to the idea that it was just nonsensical rambling of a feeble minded Emperor. The subject of the Tenth Creed is utterly avoided by most if not all of the Unionist denominations, as to presume what the Emperor has written without his holy word is heresy.
“To believe is not to think. To think is to not believe. We will transcend, as those who have come before transcended. Providence only comes forth by the will of the few, like Paradise can only come by the will of the many.”
Eleventh Creed: Siblings in Faith
The Eleventh Creed is the only recorded Creed by Emperor Alexander the First. Since its creation, Emperor Cedromar the First has declared this Creed null and void, and is no longer proselytized by Unionists. The Eleventh Creed was the first Creed written by a non-Ivrae Emperor and has arguably caused the most controversy among the Regalian citizens and beyond. The Creed itself was very vague and open to interpretation, but speaks about the holy inclusion of Elves and Dwarves into the Human fold. Many regional communities have rioted, and many more noble families have outright refused to accept the truth of the Eleventh creed, even up to the Emperor’s own brothers. That being said, the vast majority of the population simply begrudgingly accepts the Creed because it comes from the infallible word of the Imperial Spirit which is housed in his Imperial vessel.
“It is not by the virtue of round ears, or the stature of six foot lengths that we ascend. It is not by the virtue of the roundness of our eyes, or the paleness of our skin that we ascend. Our pride in our semblance, our visage, are all illusions that matter naught in the afterlife which we seek. The Imperial Spirit peers into our souls, not at our faces, nor at our feet. There are those not dissimilar from us, those who have sought us out and joined us and lived with us. They have bled and loved, fought and died in the name of our Empire and our cause. If the cause of Unionism is the cause of our Empire, and if the Empire is our cause of Unionism, then they too are Humans for it is only one eye blink, one thought or one moment that separates us from being equals. I speak not of those that are like feline cretins or green monstrosities, but of the fair skinned Nelfin and the stout Dwarves. Centuries of servitude of their forefathers after the world had accepted their time’s passing, has granted their admittance onto the steps of the throne of the Imperial Spirit.”
Twelfth Creed: The Training of Faith
The Twelfth Creed is the first Creed by Emperor Cedromar the First. With its creation, Emperor Cedromar changed the playing field by essentially saying that for non-believers, denying the divinity of the Emperor was not a crime, merely denying his supreme authority and supreme rule. Cedromar permanently separated the Spirit’s Divinity from the Emperor’s Material, yet created a clause that ensured full adherence to Unionist tenants, while also multiplying obedience to the Crown. This decision in particular strongly resonated with many Old Gods worshipers and Estel faith worshipers who had lived inside the Empire their entire lives.
“A person can never be at peace with a theology forced at the end of a sword. Inversely, a person can truly be at peace with a theology when it is trained with a sword like a soldier does. A soldier practices a swing, takes it to memory, and develops the body to sustain the thought. In the same way, theology should be practiced and taken to memory through providence and experience, not forced by the same sword. The Great Way cannot be achieved if it seeks to trample on all the instruments of the Imperial Spirit, the people who have come before, and who will come in the future, the people who are Unionist, those who are not, and those who may yet be. Those who are united with the faith of Union must remain strong, and those who falter shall find others holding them to the righteous path. But the Spirit does not diminish or dim in the face of denial from non-believers. Non-believers bear no skill or tool capable of defeating the Imperial Spirit, yet they themselves may be of skills and tools capable of aiding the Imperial Spirit if permitted. Be it the farmer, the soldier, the bureaucrat or the sailor, Their denial does not impede the Spirit, but their hands may aid it, so that in time, providence and affirmation will soften their mind, and be waxed to practice Unionism like the arm does the sword. Faith will come with practice, but for those theologies named by the Emperor who deny his divinity, only his authority is an absolute.”
The Imperial Spirit
The Imperial Spirit in Unionism refers to the soul of the Imperial power. It is an abstract concept that many theologians have theorized about, but the general interpretation is that the Imperial Spirit is a form of spiritual energy of divine power that fuses with the soul of the Emperor of Regalia as soon as he is crowned. The Imperial spirit, according to the First Creed, only fuses with a male Emperor, meaning male descendants of Theomar must always be the Emperors of Regalia. The identity of the Emperor caused the Third Schism. The majority of Unionism accepted "The Kade Settlement" which dictated that the childless Emperor Justinian II would carry pass the throne onto his second removed cousin, Alexander Kade. A fraction of Union believers believed that because he descended from a female Ivrae, the Imperial line had ended, and the Imperial Spirit no longer fuses with anyone. In present times, the latter belief founded Vultar Unionism, a faith generally considered heresy to the Church of Union. The Emperor's duties as the Imperial Spirit are to make the divine decisions for the cause and course of Humanity, with regards to who to subjugate, who to free, and where to divert the attention of the Empire.
The Imperial spirit also abstractly exists in the afterlife, guiding the souls of those who have passed in the Divine flow of energy that empowers the Imperial Spirit, and keeping them safe and close until the day of the divine Fate. The day of the divine fate, refers to the day when Humanity reaches it's fate and the world shall be rid of all death and suffering, and all those who have passed in service to Humanity shall walk Aloria again. The current afterlife is vaguely called the Steps to the Throne of the Imperial Spirit. It is often imagined as a staircase of marble leading up to a golden throne upon which the Imperial Spirit sits with no face, all the dead and those who have passed before and were deemed good Unionists on the steps all the way to the top.
Death and the Afterlife
Death is the final judgement of any Human's life, a weighing moment when the Imperial Spirit weighs the value of their contribution to Humanity's fate. If the Human is considered valuable to the Human fate, they are allowed into the afterlife. The afterlife is like having a bird’s eye view of the world, the souls of those who passed in service to the Human fate abstractly exist around the living, seeing them, hearing them, but not being able to communicate with them, but existing in the loving embrace of the Imperial Spirit, which is the steps to the Throne of the Imperial Spirit.
If the Human is considered a failure, they are condemned to a life of a non-Human, usually an Allar or a Varran, and in very bad circumstances, a Kleinfolk. As a non-Human, they have the chance of mercy or absolution, if they put their lives in servitude of Humans. If they succeed, the Creed speaks of a second chance at being a Human. A death sentence by the Emperor himself is generally seen as the worst that could happen to any Human, and they will be forsaken by their family and removed from all records of history and memory.
Origins of Life
Unionism has surprisingly little to say on the origins of life or the creation of everything in general. Some of the Creeds vaguely hint at the idea that the thoughts behind Creation from the Old Gods faith is actually an accepted version of creation theory to Unionists, especially since Melennar’s confessions, Old Gods worshippers are just strayed Unionist worshipers who weren’t blessed by the visions of Theomar the First. Both the Creeds and the Emperors have never been literal on the concept of creation however, which is why it always has just been treated as an unspoken matter. Unionists focus very strongly on where the future is going, instead of where the past has been. This generally hooks into the Ailor belief and drive for progress, as opposed to staying in the past and remaining stagnant, like the Elves. Some of the Sects belief that the Imperial Spirit was originally the world of Aloria itself, existing in a dormant state as lesser races came into being and disappeared, until Humans were deemed worthy enough to become the chosen race, after which the Imperial Spirit sent visions to Theomar the First. These beliefs are never explicitly denied or confirmed by the Sancella of Union however.
Worship
It is implied in the Ten Creeds of Union that prayers can be used to call upon the Emperor for worldly favors and blessings. Emperor Theomar constructed the grand Regalian Cathedral, home to the pillars of blessings. The pillars of blessings have small orifices in them, capable of containing small pieces of paper. Believers of union will write down small wishes and deeds they would like to see the Emperor perform, and stuff these papers into the ornaments of the pillars. Every month, the Emperor would lead a procession of the Imperial Spirit in the Cathedral, after which he would come down to the pillars and pick out a few pieces of paper. These wishes or deeds would then be performed within the mortal power of the Emperor, giving heed to the blessings asked for by the followers.
Communal worship for Unionists happens on a daily basis three times a day, and though it is strongly encouraged and almost enforced once a day, participation is not obligatory more than once a week. Most citizens with a profession choose Saturday or Sunday, but Priests hold sermons every day of the week, so one may participate on any day. Sermons of Unionism are usually filled with communal prayer, priests reading from the holy texts, and faith healing. Sermons are held traditionally within churches, but can also be held in open air or in any building. There is no specific celestial law that states sermons must be held in a church, and street sermons are sometimes frequent in times of trouble or social unrest. Worship can be varied for different events. Birth blessings have their own rituals, as do funeral rites, communions for Union and feast days or holidays.
Sacraments of Union
Unionism has several Sacraments throughout one's lifetime. Some are optional; only the first and last Sacrament must be performed for all Humans.
Sacrament of Birth Blessing
The first Sacrament is the birth blessing. Upon the birth of a Human born in a Unionist family, the baby must be blessed by a priest reading the First Creed to the baby, usually when it has just come out of its mother. This Sacrament represents initiation of the Human baby into the duty and rights of a Unionist, but also serves to cleanse the newborn of any past non Human life they may have suffered, to prepare them for their second chance at redemption.
Applicable to: Birth/Baptism
Sacrament of Entry
The next Sacrament is the Sacrament of Entry. Entry Sacraments are performed by those who enter the service of the Regalian state. This means all soldiers, knights, nobles, state officials, politicians and priests, or children who aspire to be of those professions, go through this Sacrament. In this Sacrament, the children (usually between ages 10 and 13) must memorize the Ten predictions of Union, and be able to recite them in their most basic rudimentary form during a sermon on their Communion day. The Communion Sacrament is seen as entry of one's duty to the Human Fate. Anyone who has an employment as subject to the Regalian State must have gone through the Sacrament of Entry.
Applicable to: Military, Nobles, Knights, State Officials, Politicians
Sacrament of Harmony
The Sacrament of Harmony is performed to each wedding made in the Unionist church and blessed by the Sancella. It should be noted that marriage in Regalia isn't exactly the same as a church marriage. The church and the state do not have the same ideology or legislation concerning marriage, and as such, having a marriage agreed upon by the State, is not the same as getting a marriage from the Church. Church marriage is always subject to canon law, though does not have to particularly come after or before a state marriage, and can in fact be made entirely separately depending on whether the state marriage even took place or not (though the state never recognizes religious marriages for legal reasons). If divorced or widowed, the Sacrament of Harmony is repeated with every new spouse, meaning the Sacraments of Harmony duplicate. A man who divorced his first wife and remarried, thus has two Sacraments of Harmony.
Applicable to: Those who are married in the Unionist Church
Sacrament of Solution
The Sacrament of Solution exists between the Sacrament of Union and Sacrament of Entry, for those who converted to Unionism at a later date than birth or early childhood. The Sacrament of Solution is done by combining both the Sacrament of Union and Entry into one, while also requiring the individual to already be engaged in, or start working in service to the Regalian State. Additionally, unless the person was Agnostic or Atheist, they will be required to engage in the Sacrament of Rejection.
Applicable to: Converts
Sacrament of Rejection
The Sacrament of Rejection is a Unionist practice that ensures (from the Sancella's perspective) the loyalty of the individual by forcing them in an act of grand herecy that would condemn them in their native religion. For most converters (such as Old Gods or Old Fayth) this includes performing sacrilege on holy offerings and idols, for Songaskians this involves turning away from the sun with head cover, and for most other religions, loud and vocal rejection of old beliefs. The Sacrament of Rejection must be performed by each convert.
Applicable to: Converts
Sacrament of Blessings
The Sacrament of Blessings is intended for individuals who have their soul status elevated to Humanum, when their body is still non-Humanum. This Sacrament is still issued by the Church, but not officially performed since it is always implied when the Emperor through the Imperial Spirit promotes someone's soul. This Sacrament is the rarest Sacrament, since Emperors very rarely promote anyone, in fact, many Emperors have gone through life never promoting any individual to Humanum.
Applicable to: Humanum Status Grants
Sacrament of Sacrifice
The Sacrament of Sacrifice is usually performed by adults, advanced in age between 30 and 50, and often also by criminals. The Sacrament of Sacrifice effectively introduces those who perform the rites into a monastic order, such as women joining the Celestials of Mercy, and men joining the Fathers of Piety. Fathers of Piety often become monks and priests, whereas the Celestials of Mercy become nuns or silent women of the church who embalm the dead or deliver babies to the world. After the Sacrament of Sacrifice, those who have passed either divorce their marriage or never marry again. It is also common for those who perform this ritual to swear an oath of silence and servitude to the church, becoming a member of the Ecclesiastical Estates of Basta.
Applicable to: Church Service/Monasteries
Sacrament of Highest Order
The Sacrament of Highest Order is performed for each Imperial Guard who enters service. It involves a number of highly spiritual sermons and meetings in which the subject prays and begs the spirit for the strength of mind and body to protect the Emperor and to serve him everlasting or until death separates them from him. The Sacrament of the Highest Order can often also be granted by the Emperor to unique individuals who serve the Emperor with great dedication and loyalty.
Applicable to: Imperial Guards
Sacrament of Fervent Service
The Sacrament of Fervent Service is the official rite name of Knighthood, a ritual that most male Nobility go through, but also commoners who are elevated to Knighthood. The Sacrament of Fervent Service is the only Sacrament not performed in the church, instead relying on a test of strength, wit, and faith to the Emperor by the Regalian military. In most cases, the recruits will be instructed to stand guard at the cathedral for a week with nothing but a flask of water, while also reciting the predictions of Union whenever anyone asks for them, and remaining disciplined and orderly throughout the entire ordeal. This Sacrament is currently only valid for Bloodcast and Viridian Knights.
Applicable to: Viridian Knights & Bloodcast Knights
Sacrament of Slumber
The final Sacrament is the Sacrament of the Slumber, the death rite. The Sacrament of Slumber is performed for those who have passed, but it differs radically per social class. Richer citizens can afford a church burial, involving priests reciting the relevant Creeds and heavy use of incense, while the more common folk will simply be put in a grave with a simple prayer. It is custom to bury the dead in robes of black, while all those who mourn for their death are dressed in pure white. This is to emphasize that even if their passed spirit cannot see themselves, they can always see those who are still on Aloria and living, and focus their energy to further their cause instead of any worldly selfish desires.
Applicable to: All dead Unionists
Liturgical Calendar
The Liturgical year of Union is very class and profession based. The period of spring is seen as the Cycle of Growth, in which children are conceived, crops are planted and the year's census is done. The following period in Summer is the Cycle of Dominion, in which wars are usually performed by the Regalian Empire for expansion. The next Cycle is in Autumn, the Cycle of the Harvest, in which the ending part, children are usually born, the crops harvested, and the lands subjugated. Finally the months of Winter represent the Cycle of Reflection, months filled with worship, feasts and thinking back on everything that has happened past year.
Every one of these Cycles has their own smaller holidays, but each cycle has its own Festival week, in which most Regalians celebrate the Liturgical cycle with each other in a merry week of drinking, games, feasting and communal prayer. The one in the Cycle of Reflection is especially important, as that is the only Festival which the Emperor actively participates in.
Symbols
Unionism isn't a specifically aniconist religion, meaning it does not rely much on images to convey itself, but there are several symbols which strongly represent the religion. Within the first 300 years, a stork was the main symbol of Unionism, carrying the spirit of Union across the Ivrae family, the stork also being the family crest animal. Since the Kade Settlement however, the stork has been replaced with a feathered Dragon, animal ruler of Aloria and proud symbol of justice, strength, power and all-rule.
Items or other symbols are not used that much. It's often difficult to symbolize the fate of humanity into a single image, though the most acceptable way of putting it, is often a golden eye with sunrays radiating from it. This is also seen in priestly prayers where they hold their right hand up next to their face while reciting the Creeds with the Unionist symbol pendant in their hand palm, using their left hand to wander the pages and move religious artifacts around during Sermons. Most Unionists have a necklace with a small golden hand in front of a star, or a broach with the head of Emperor on it to outwardly identify themselves as Unionist. In general, Unionists condemn the practice of outward identification of other Religions however, and refrain from doing it much themselves in the street.
The most common Unionist symbols are often found on pendants, worn under clothing, or crafted into armor, especially for the richer Noble Families. Flaunting Unionist symbols is often seen as hubris however.
See Also
Trivia
- Emperor Theomar the First actually made Unionism mandatory among some of the noble families very early on. The Kade family initially always resisted and did not formally convert to Unionism until around 140 AC.
- Some speculate there is some dark conspiracy behind the Emperor, the Oxoron Celestial Body and the Void, but most of this is generally called nutcase ramblings.
- Melennar was not an Elf, contrary to popular belief because of his name.
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