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| Unionism | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Religion | |
| Pronunciation | Yoon-yen-is-m |
| Origins | Empror Theomar |
| Deities | |
| The Imperial Spirit | |
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. Unionism is one of the largest faiths in Aloria and practiced by millions of Ailor and those others from Races seeking spiritual fulfillment. The core belief of Unionism is that one day, Humanity will achieve paradise through the journey they call “The Great Way.” The Great Way refers to the time between now and an undefined time in the future where Human superiority will eclipse that of all other lesser races and establish a holy paradise on Aloria. In the past, Unionism was greatly divided between various sects and regional systems of belief, but over the past several years, these divisions have been solved with a newly reunified Unionism. Because of this, Unionism is on the rise (even though it is already dominant) and religious fervor has gripped many devout regions, while the Conclave in Regalia working hard to push the tenants of the faith onto the world.
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 main section, Worship, Symbols, and Denominations. For those who want to go more in-depth though, this article should cover all the information you could ever want on Unionism.
History
Early Churches and Worship
Unionism began shortly after the rise of the Regalian Empire. Newly crowned Emperor Theomar I was said to have had divine visions, which came slowly over the course of 53 years. By 58 AC, the Ten Predictions of Union were officially ratified into the Ten Creeds, and the Unionism sect began to expand its power outside of the Imperial Court. In this early stage, it had no churches or centers of worship, instead being spread slowly between the upper class and nobility present in the capital city. Conversion happened locally throughout Regalia, mostly by court missionaries and by the power of the word of mouth. 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 that were 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. When Theomar died in 61 AC, his son Lilienmar I apparently saw a greater vision for Unionism. He translated the Ten Creeds of Unionism into the Axelland Anglian Dialect, and was also the first Emperor to call a Diet of Unionism to unify the growing religion.
Around this time, the theoretically oldest splinter sect of Unionism, Dogartan Unionism, came to be. The Dogartans 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 seen as the male equivalent to the Nonnatean Order, and the sect would continue to operate to the 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 first Unionist Diet. After the Diet, the Dogartans simply existed in a series of monasteries and held themselves absent from the future conflicts of the Church.
The First Schism: The Etosian Heresy
Unionism's first true Schism happened at the Diet summoned in 67 AC by Emperor Lilienmar I following the death of Emperor Theomar the First. The Council broke unity over the Third Creed, which spoke about the Herons. The Supreme Reverend and the grand majority of the Reverends of the Regalian Archipelago believed the liberty of the Third 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 as Herons, 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, though this gave them enough time to set up a proper church 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 was defined by the influx of migrants, who 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 Supreme Reverend that the Evintarian church would gather more followers due to its structure, the Etosian Church developed new beliefs. Iconoclasm became a central theme in Etosian Unionism in later years, setting the two churches permanently apart, with the Etosians believing that imagery of the Imperial Spirit or Emperor are heretical objects and that images may only be made of the Herons.
The Clastic Law
The Clastic Law was a piece of legislation accepted by the Emperor and the Supreme Reverend in 98 AC. The Patriarch of Etosil also unofficially ratified the treaty, though mostly did so under the threat of military purging and holy wars from the central Unionists, as the Supreme Reverend in Regalia wished a quick end to hostilities between the two sects. Unionism was, after all, still in its infancy, and the Old Gods faith was still in the majority in Regalia. The Clastic Law would dictate that in the future, all forms of Unionism would have some basic set of protection laws within the realm of Regalia. While none of the smaller denominations of Unionism had the right to perform missionary conversions, they were protected from violence and retributions from each other’s members and were given the safety to worship and have houses of faith across the Empire. Various segments of this Clastic Law would become suspended in later years, or entirely dismissed for complete denominations like the Vultar Unionist denomination, however this would not occur until late 300 AC. The Clastic Law paved the way for a near 200 years of peaceful co-existence that would result in massive growth for the Unionist faith.
The Second Schism: The Diviner Heresy
Nearly 90 years following the Clastic Law, a small crisis point arose in 186 AC. The Second Schism was much smaller than the first, caused by a group of dissenting locals in Girobalda, a lordship of Regalia. The locals and the priests felt that Unionism did not do enough to forcefully convert non-Humans and pagan Humans to their faith. Additionally, Divining and superstition had become a popular local practice, leading the local priests, under the influence of Opium, to believe that the Emperors were not the only ones able to receive visions and messages from the Imperial Spirit. They believed that, in a smaller form, everyone could form a connection with the Imperial Spirit as long as they were devout and sacrificed enough, and used the right potency of numbing substances to achieve a hallucinatory trance. The Second Schism is referred to as the "Diviner Schism" leading to the establishment of the small cult-like religion of Diviner Unionism. This was the first event that caused the Reverends to regret the signing of the Clastic Law. Diviner Unionism was a much more xenophobic and aggressive form of Unionism, demanding regular non-Human sacrifices and violent struggles within the religion itself to advocate survival of the fittest for the cause of Humanity. Despite the original success of Diviner Unionism in Girobalda, the religion did not spread elsewhere, largely because of the lack of appeal in a drug-infested forest dwelling belief, but also because the Girobaldin lands are completely surrounded by Ithanian lands. Ithanian Culture demands a certain level of civility and class, two things that were utterly incompatible with Diviner Unionism. Without a presentable land bridge to spread their faith, Diviner Unionism eventually confined itself within Girobalda and declined over the decades until it was limited to only a few small forest communities who gradually went more and more underground. Still, the state respected their rights to live out their faith of choice in Girobalda so no aggressive actions were taken in accordance with the Clastic Law.
The Kleine Rechnung
Unionism grew explosively between 190 AC and 250 AC, following the many successful conquests of the Emperors and the subjugation of many other Human States within the Regalian Archipelago and elsewhere. Missionaries, for the first time, had success spreading their faith elsewhere, causing the erection of many Unionist Cathedrals across Aloria. Unionism had undergone several changes as well. Several Emperors selectively removed, added, and re-added smaller sections of the Creeds, or wrote expansions to suit their specific needs at the time. In 263 AC, Old Gods worship had totally been eclipsed by Unionism as the more dominant religion in the Regalian Empire, and was well on its way to control the rest of the Human world. It was in this year that the Supreme Reverend Wolffram Ultor signed the "Kleine Rechnung." The law effectively dictated that the Old Gods and the Faith of Estel, as religions, were protected within the borders of the Regalian Empire, being degenerate religions that simply "lost their way." The Emperor believed that despite the fact that non-Unionists worshiped false idols and gods, they still unknowingly worshiped the Imperial Spirit. It was reasoned that the eight Old Gods, and the Goddess Estel, were in fact the Imperial Spirit in disguise, and that it was the true power behind these religions. The Religious clergy initially thought to resist this change, but the divine will of the Emperor could ultimately not be questioned.
The Kleine Rechnung is sometimes also called the Confession of Melennar, who was a Holy Minister who claimed to have received visions of the lesser religions when he received a gift from the Emperor. The Emperor was so moved by his enthusiasm and emotion that he agreed with the sentiment put forward by Melennar, and the law was proposed. The law would later come to protect many Old Gods and Estel worshippers, sometimes even those who never truly accepted the Melennarian confessions, but merely pretended in order to avoid being chased by the inquisition. After the death of Melennar, the Kleine Rechnung would continue to gather more faiths to its collection, though also become more aggressive. The Songaskia faith of Shambala was included under the pretext that those who worship the faith wear hats, a practice strictly forbidden in Farah’deen Shambala.
The Third Schism: Vultar Heresy
The Third Schism happened upon the ascension to the throne by Alexander Kade, the first non-Ivrae to take the throne in nearly 300 years. The Kade Settlement, as the document would later be called, was a paper signed by the Chancellor and the then dying Emperor that would dictate males from female descendants could take the throne. Prior to this event, Emperor Justinian II had lost all his sons to the Undead Scare in Regalia, leaving no male descendants alive. Prince Charles, the brother of Justinian who died 10 years prior to him, still had two living daughters, Princess Liliane Ivrae-Kade and Princess Adelheid Ivrae. Princess Liliane, the eldest of the two, had been married to the Arch-Chancellor Moriarty Kade, and had given birth to several sons, among them Alexander and Cedric. Adelheid Ivrae only had two sons, Daryl and Frederic Ivrae, but she was the younger sister, and so these Ivrae males were overlooked by the Kades when it came time to select the next Emperor. The Reverends of Vultaro believed that, because Alexander Kade was a muddled descended from Emperor Theomar the First, that the Imperial Spirit had left the Imperial seat and would not connect with it again since the line had been broken. This effectively started the Third Schism, the Vultar Heresy. The Vultar Heresy took place in 302 AC and had major momentum in the Duchy of Vultaro, which was within the Regalian Archipelago. The locals were already disgruntled by rule of the local Duke, causing this dissent to merge with religious unrest.
The status of Vultar Heretics was difficult within the Regalian Empire. The Church of Union wished to eradicate their heretical split religion, but the Clastic Law prevented them from doing so. Wolffram Ultor, despite somewhat supporting the Vultar Heresy ideas, sent many missionaries to convert the Vultar population by power of word. The Clastic Law, after all, only dictated that no force was to be used against heretics, but it never stated anything against conversion. The Vultar Heresy was small and local, but still damaging to Unionism as a whole. This marked the first event where the undisputed power of the Emperor was brought into question. Following the Ranger Crisis, and later the Elven War of 302 AC, fervor for Unionism returned, as it always had after wars with non-Humans. A series of revolts in Vultaro also brought a proper end to the concentrated efforts of the Supremocliast of Vultaro, a hastily assembled church structure which the Vultars used to try and compete with the other churches. Vultar mobs formed the bulk of civil unrest forces during the Anahera Dictatorship, supporting the dictator’s moves against the majority of the nobility. The Suprest of the Supremocliast (the highest office in the Vultar Church) had made a calculated risk and failed. The Anahera Dictatorship was cast down and the Vultar church was branded in violation of the Clastic Law. Since the Clastic Law no longer protected them, the White Order, the Sancella, and the Etosian church alike descended on Vultaro to purge the heretics by trials of fire and execution. The vast majority of the Vultarins died by being thrown off the cliffs of Vultaro for their heresy, or being burned at the stake, bringing an almost definitive end to the Vultar Unionists.
===The Priscelle Sect===
The Priscelle Sect is a relatively new sect that formed around 301 AC. The Priscelle Sect formed after a series of female priests in the Ithanian towns of Priscille declared they had collectively received a vision of the Imperial family, those blood related to the Emperor and his direct descendants. Those visions dictated that when the Imperial Spirit found its end in the last Ivrae Emperor, it became conscious to the idea (and danger) of manifesting into a single person, and as such, split itself into the various aspects of the Imperial Family, with each member carrying a virtue of the Imperial Spirit, the Emperor being the head of them all. The brothers, sisters, sons and daughters of the Emperor would each be an aspect of the Spirit, be it the Honor, Strength, Charity, Valor, Kindness, Wit, Justice or Solace of the Imperial Spirit. The Priscelle Sect was originally somewhat cautiously rejected by the other churches, but eventually gained a lot of momentum in Ithania. This particularly occurred because under the beliefs of Priscelle Unionism, the Emperor’s youngest sister would be deemed part of the Unionist Imperial Spirit. The idea that the Imperial Spirit was never going to be manifested in a woman was often hard to swallow for Ithanians who are always very female centric, and the chance that the Emperor’s youngest sister could actually require worship was immediately jumped upon. Due to the rapid growth of the Priscelle Sect and the relative social unrest of the southern Daendroque lands, the Supreme Reverend accepted the Pristine Law under pressure from the Ithanian political lobby in Regalia, a specific variety of the Clastic Law for the Priscelle Sect which permitted the Priscelle Sect to spread its faith among the Ithanian population, an exception of missionary rights that none of the other churches had. The Emperor has yet to make any statement on the Priscelle Sect, however the relatives of the Emperor seem to be somewhat entertained by the idea of being worshipped for being semi-holy. Even with the recent invasion and ascension of King Florent de Gosselin as the new Ithanian Sovereign in 306 AC, the Sect remains popular, so for now the sect seems relatively secure in its future.
The Unionist Divine, the Ascension, and the Tenth Creed
As civil strife plagued the capital of the Regalian Empire year after year, many Unionists prayed for a divine miracle by the Imperial Spirit. During the Dragon Occupation, their cries for salvation were seemingly answered, as it was revealed that Emperor Cedromar I possessed Dragonblood, allowing himself to transform into the Imperial Dragon. With the revelation that dragons had not gone extinct as previously thought, the Unionist Synod met to debate the question of Cedromar’s status as a Dragon. After deliberations, the High Reverend of Regalia at the time declared in a Synodical Bull that the Imperial Dragon was a sign of divinity by the Imperial Spirit, investing the Emperor with divine power to deliver the Unionist Faithful in their hour of need. This Bull would have lasting consequences, the first of which came from the Vultar Heretics. The High Pontiff of the Vultarins declared his Sect’s belief that the Dragonblood of the Emperor was the divine sign they needed to recognize the Kade ascendency to the throne, and that they would fully support the Dragonblood Emperor and his descendents if they would be granted protection under the Clastic Laws. This was agreed upon by the Synod, and the Vultar Heresy was reborn as the Vultdragon Hegemony.
Around the same time, a treaty was sent by the Patriarch of Etosil to mend the First Schism and create a new Unionist Divine. Part of the treaty would see the creation of two Synods (Regalian and Etosian), the sharing of financial and military resources, and the universal recognition of living Herons. After discussions within the Regalian Synod, the treaty was signed, causing the faith of Unionism to have a (relatively) unified body that was not seen since the time of Leomar I.
However, this mending would be dwarfed in comparison to another religious event that would take place soon afterwards. Summoned to the Imperial Cathedral in the City of Regalia by Emperor Cedromar, the citizens of the Empire bore witness to a strange display. Upon speaking, the Emperor began to strip away his imperial regalia, undressing until he wore only a linen shirt and knee-high breeches. After requesting all present to begin praying, bright lights flashed around the Cathedral, with apparitions of previous Emperors appearing out of their statues around the halls. After declarations of divinity by these past Emperors, the Cathedral grew dark and quiet. After a lengthy pause, Cedromar rose to his feet, proclaimed that the Imperial Spirit had departed his mortal host to be a part of all the faithful, and immediately abdicated the Imperial Seat, creating a year-long interregnum where the Regalian Empire was not ruled by an Emperor, but by the Nobility and Government Offices. This absence of an Emperor was planned to be permanent, but after political strife began to collapse the Empire, the government and Synod re-invested Alexander as Emperor, as Cedromar had chosen to retire from political life after the Ascension of Unionism.
With Alexander re-throned, the Regalian Empire continued on as it once did, albeit with the Imperial Spirit’s presence now a matter of religious debate. However, strife soon faced the Unionist flock once more, as the Supreme Reverend Piète-a-piète Kade was assassinated by a faction of Reverends over the supposed finding of the Tenth Creed, a creed which was rumored to have existed, but never confirmed. After his death, an Anglian milkmaid ferried the presumed Creed to the Imperial Palace, and after comparison with the other Nine Creeds and Theomar’s writing, was deemed legitimate. In this Creed, Theomar wrote an Imperial dissention, and declared that the Unionist Sancella was a mistake, seeing it as an entity that could be easily corrupted by its membership. He instead saw the Unionist Faith as a collection of regional Churches, each with their own beliefs and practices, united in the Immovable Concepts of Holy, Curated, and Spiritual Professions. With this revelation, the Unionist Divine split into various groups. Old Sects such as the Etosians and Vultars split off once more into their own spheres of influence, while the Sancellists were fragmented into several denominational churches, with only a Conclave to serve as a unifying body. While the death of the Supreme Reverend was shocking, the overall news gave hope to others that Unionism could modernize and survive the onslaught of the new century.
Beliefs
Unionists have a set of holy passages referred to as the Holy Creeds, written by various Emperors throughout Ailor history. It is said that the Holy Creeds are written by the Emperors, but their hands are guided by the Imperial Spirit with visions granted from that same divine power. The Creeds are all written in Proto-Regalian, a now ancient and dead language that predated the Alt-Regalisch language. The Practices of the Unionist church are fairly uniform, in that all forms of Unionism pray and worship in roughly the same ways, though there is a great amount of sectarian variety from one Reverend’s flock to another. 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.
- Sacred images are used in all denominations of Unionism. This includes paintings of the Emperor, statuettes, and sometimes relics of Herons and previous Emperors.
- Four yearly religious celebrations, the festivals of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter with their own various religious implications.
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 with its own will that fuses with the soul of the Emperor of Regalia as soon as he is crowned. 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 Creeds of Unionism
The Creeds of Unionism are the written holy scriptures of Theomar I 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, or differently interpreted and translated. Because of this vagueness, it could be said that the Reverends can develop their own Sects based on their interpretations of the Creeds. In rare instances, future Emperors have edited the Creeds after much religious reflection. The original Creeds were written in Proto-Regalian, a now extinct language now used only by religious and linguistic scholars, though over time have been translated into other languages. The following translation was done by Emperor Alexander I in 307 AC after receiving a divine message from the Spirit to re-translate the original Creeds.
First Creed
The First Creed is the foundation for all other creeds after it and the formation of the formal state religion. It represents the core principles of the Spirit, the Imperial bloodline, and the Great Way. It speaks of the trinity of divinity between the Emperor, the Spirit, and the Great Way.
“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.”
Second Creed
The Second Creed dictates the duties of the faithful in prayer and virtue, while also speaking about practices of worship. While some obvious virtues like military support for the cause of Unionism and good natured behavior towards other Unionists is specified, it does not go into specific detail about what a virtue is or what actions would constitute as virtuous, as long as they do not conflict with the code of law.
“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. 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 three times 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. 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 kill another man not in the name of Union is heresy, and to deny the birth of a Human will condemn a soul for non-Human torment”
Third Creed
The Third Creed speaks about Herons and the holy decrees of the Emperor.
“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.”
Fourth Creed
The Fourth Creed states that Humankind will ascend to the afterlife and shall be judged for having done their part for the Great Way, or having been left wanting. Those who are judged as having made their contribution to the Great Way are present in the afterlife together with the Spirit, while those who are rejected are reincarnated as a non-Human to prove themselves again. It also states that non-Humans are also weighed by the Spirit, and if non-Humans are judged as having made a contribution, then they are reborn as a Human, without necessarily specifying anywhere what a Human is, despite it including Ailor.
“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 reunited 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
The Fifth Creed speaks of the unaccepted faiths, the heresies and the seductions and powers of ruin of the Void and Demons. The Fifth Creed as such specifies that certain faiths are acceptable misinterpretations of the Spirit’s will and guidance. In Unionism, other religions could be interpreted to form syncretic faiths under the guidance of Unionism, but it never actually specifies what these faiths are and under what specifications such a syncretism would be applicable. It does however specify that explicit Void Worship is a sin. This Creed in particular was edited by Emperor Justinian II, who allowed the Confession of Melennar to become holy law within the Empire.
“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 tread, 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. However, 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 the darkest Void 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.”
Sixth Creed
The Sixth Creed dictates the structure of the Curates, Reverends, the High Reverend, the Synod, and the Supreme Reverend. It dictates that the Reverends have the individual freedom to interpret the Creeds “where they are found lacking in detail and specificness” and administer their own flock as a sect of Unionism, as long as this is not in an affront to the Supreme Reverend’s spiritual guidance. The Supreme Reverend ensures that no Reverend starts interpreting the Creeds into the realms of Heresy, and commands the High Reverend to enact conformity should such a situation occur. The Synod exists as an unofficial conclave that calls for a diet when a religious emergency occurs, who vote for their High Reverend from among their members who will also double as the cleric for the Imperial Family and the Emperor.
“The Holy Synod shall rule all, like the Supreme power of the Emperor, though granted by us. The Holy Sancella 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, where they are found lacking in detail and specificness, from their Unionist convictions.”
Seventh Creed
The Seventh Creed dictates the need for spiritual and bodily transcendence of Humankind to become greater Humans than the ages before. The Seventh Creed is incredibly vague, as it does not specify what transcendence actually means, but it roughly translates to the constant need for Unionists to improve both themselves as Humans as well as their means to fulfill the goals of the Great Way.
“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.”
Eight Creed
The Eight Creed dictates the Great Way and the specifics of it. The Great Way is specified as: “such a time in which Humankind has irrevocable and unmistakable dominance over all the lesser races and creatures and ideologies over Aloria, and where the Spirit is believed in by the population of the world.”
“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”
Ninth Creed
The Ninth Creed dictates the various offences against the Imperial family and the Emperor, essentially forming the basis for the Imperial Laws. This Creed is also unassailable and cannot be altered without the direct input of the Emperor.
“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, and to work against the Empire or Emperor are high treason”
Tenth Creed
The Tenth Creed was revealed in the latter days of 307 AC, after being kept hidden for almost three centuries. This Creed is what religious figures would call an Imperial dissention, which is a rare case where an Emperor steps back on a proclamation made before, and changes their mind. Specifically, Theomar professed that the Sixth Creed was a mistake, and that instead of one single Church body, there should be a multitude of bodes, each with their own cultural interpretations.
“Though like all mortals, we are but flawed creations in the Eye of the Spirit. Just as the Emperors are an earthwork vase, so to is the Holy Synod, able to shatter through vices of sin and corruption. Just as Humanum must transcend, so to must the spiritual foundations of guidance. There is not just one Human, but many Humanum. In the same light, there can not be just one Church, but many Churches, all advocating for interpretations to suit the needs of the multitudes of Faithful. While debate may arise between Churches in Conclave, only the Immovable Concepts must be professed in Union. These are the Holy Professions of the Great Way and Paradise, the Curated Professions of those who study the Scripture to guide the Faithful, and the Spiritual Professions of Judgement, Divine Authority, and the Emperors to come.”
Relics
- Dais of Faith:
The Dais of Faith is a structure built out of the sarcophagus of Theomar the First, housed beneath the Regalian Cathedral in the Holy City. This tomb is venerated by all sects of Unionism, as it is the only place where one can communicate directly through the Imperial Spirit without going through the intermediary of the Emperor of Conclave. The Dais is also known for producing some of Unionism’s holiest artifacts, granting them to those willing to sacrifice their ways for Unionism. Despite its many divine actions, the Dais only awakens when Unionism is in peril, or whenever the Spirit deems it necessary to intervene in Alorian affairs. As a result, the Tomb can remain dormant for several decades, only to awaken for a few days, before going quiet again.
Practice
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 I 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 Unionism 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, and communions for Union and feast days or holidays. It is traditional for Unionists to close religious discussions, debates, or sermons with the wording "Oratario Paean", which roughly translates to "Orchestra of praise or triumph", a diminutive form of Proto-Regalian used to describe the final coming of Paradise. Within folklore and customs of worship, this phrase is uttered both as a blessing for others to be there when Paradise comes, but also to thank the Spirit and the Great Way for its benedictions. It is custom for good Unionists to respond with “Oratario Paean” when a Reverend cites it in Sermon or in Holy Lecture. If in person, whether two Unionists departing from one another, or giving blessings in passing, the more common "Oratario Ode" is used, which is a more personal blessing rather than the more universal “Oratario Paean”, but they effectively mean the same.
- Click here for the Verses of the Faith, a collection of short prayers commonly spoken by Unionists.
- Liturgical Calendar:
- The Liturgical year of Union is a central way for the devoted to celebrate and devle into worship. It 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, wherein at the end, children are usually born, crops are 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 during the past year.
Each Cycle has their own smaller holidays, and 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 during the Cycle of Reflection is especially important, as that is the only Festival which the Emperor actively participates in.
- Click here for more information on the Unionist Liturgical Calendar
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 profess the Creeds of Union, and be able to recite them in their most basic rudimentary form during a sermon on their Communion day (though are not required to memorize the full translations, as such requires several years of religious tutelage). 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 before or after 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. Note, because Sects and Churches are allowed to have their own interpretation of what passes for a marriage, it is quite possible to have a Sacrament of Harmony that is recognized by one clergyman but rejected by another.
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 heresy or taboo 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 their head covered, and for most other religions, the 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 Conclave 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, and often by criminals. The Sacrament of Sacrifice effectively introduces those who perform the rites into a monastic order. Men often become monks and priests, whereas women may 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.
Applicable to: Knights
Sacrament of Slumber
The final Sacrament is the Sacrament of 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 crypt burial, involving priests reciting the relevant Creeds and heavy use of incense, while the more common folk will simply be cremated and their ashes put in a grave with a simple prayer. It is custom to dress 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
Historical Sects
There have been several notable Sects and Denominations that arose over the years. While Unionism has seen a large growth of various Church bodies in recent history, these Sects have existed for the longest time, and have gone to shape the cultural practices of those they cater towards.
- Standard Unionism
- Standard.
- Sometimes referred to as Sancellist Unionism to set it apart from the others.
- Has since been replaced by the Conclave of Churches following the Tenth Creed’s revelation.
- Dogartan Unionism
- Not seen as an official sect, but rather the male-focused holy order for monastic service.
- Monks should reject all forms of riches and only dress in dark green robes with flax ropes around their neck.
- True repentant believers should reject all their earthly connections and material possessions and become solitarian monks in the mountains of Regalia.
- Military service is the ultimate sacrifice for the Great Way, and a small regiment known as the Pilgrim’s Flock fights alongside the Regalian Military to this end.
- Formally known as the Monastriist of Dogartan.
- Etosian Unionism
- Herons may be anointed while they are alive.
- Heron appointments are considerably more lax than Standard.
- Making any images, statues, or paintings of the Emperor is strictly illegal.
- Was briefly merged with Standard Unionism, but separated after only a few months.
- Sometimes referred to as Evintarin Unionism
- Diviner Unionism
- The Emperor is not necessarily the Imperial host; anyone can be the host and anyone can receive visions from the Imperial Spirit if they have consumed enough Opium.
- The Imperial Spirit will only be manifested and proved to be manifested by an undefined amount of non-Human sacrifices.
- The Diviner Unionists only recognize Ailor as Human.
- Priesthood should only be engaged in by elder men, who perform sacrifices by cutting the living heart out of the subject.
- Considered heretical by all other Sects, and is the only Sect not protected by Clastic Law, but survives in underground circles predominantly in Daendroquean settlements.
- Vultar Unionism
- The Emperor is not the Imperial host until some divine sign indicates him to be.
- Nobility in Regalia do not have the divine right to rule, rather their right should be derived from the people, and suspended by the people when they are abused.
- Priesthood should only be engaged in by men.
- Was considered a heresy until the revelation of the Imperial Dragon, which led the High Pontiff to seek reconciliation with the Sancella, which was granted.
- Currently known as Vultdragon Hegemony, and believes only Dragonblood Emperors are Divine.
- Priscelle Unionism
- Protected by Clastic Law, may only be proselytized to Ithanians per the Pristine Law.
- The Emperor is not the only host of the Imperial Spirit; while he is the most important host, his brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters are all various lesser aspects of the Imperial Spirit and deserve lesser, if not almost as much worship.
- Priesthood should only be engaged in by female priests.
- Formally known as the Princessity of Priscelle
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, as it was their 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 frequently. It's often difficult to symbolize the fate of humanity into a single image, though the most acceptable way of putting it is 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 turn 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.
Trivia
- Emperor Theomar the First made Unionism mandatory among some of the noble families very early on, but this regulation has relaxed in recent times when it was removed from Synod Law.
- 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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