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Unionism is a powerful political force in Aloria, being the state religion of the Holy Regalian Empire. The Unified Church of Regalia believes in the divine Human destiny to rule over all other lesser races in a golden age that will last to eternity. They see the emperors as a holy embodiment of this divine purpose and believe that by the emperors they will be guided. Many Humans, as well as a few Dwarves and Elves, worship the divine, deceased emperors as they watch over humanity from their seats in the Imperial Eye. It was preceded by the religion of the Old Gods, which has diminished greatly since Unionism. Unionism now sits at the forefront of politics as a highly powerful entity, as well as guiding individuals in their spiritual lives, the Cathedral of Light (also known as the Cathedral of the Virtuous) being the towering example of its presence.
Emperor Saints
The deities of Unionism are the deceased emperors, known as emperor saints. They ascend to the Imperial Eye where they may reign as the divine beings that were incarnated upon Aloria and that, upon ascension, meet their true, holy calling. General consensus holds that the emperors are born as divine beings, and even if they are not the obvious successors, their fate will always guide them to their rightful place. As such, while emperors are not worshipped on Aloria since one never knows what the emperors’ fate could be, they are most highly respected whilst incarnated and upon ascension they assume their rightful place as gods.
There are four key patron saints, one for each of the core values. These most high of emperors each heralded a particular aspect of Unionism in their lifetime and saw much success. These were the first four emperors of Regalia, and their legacies have left a deep impression upon Aloria.
- Emperor Theon the First - Saint of Virtue
- As the founder of Unionism and the first emperor of Regalia, Emperor Theon the First plays a fundamental role in The Union. He is worshipped most highly of all the emperor saints and his tomb stands behind the towering altar in the Regalian Cathedral of Light. He is the saint of virtue and brought together Humanity with his single purpose. He was considerate, though determined, and worked not against but with others to achieve the goals he believed in. Virtue is the idea of caring for every Human, being selfless and striving to bring happiness in their lives. His words captivated the people of Aloria and brought every person from the freedmen tribes of Daendroc to the bickering city states of Ithania to one purpose, the pursuit of Humanity’s divine purpose. By the power of his words, he led an empire free from conflict and strife, proving testament to his truly holy nature.
- Emperor Alfred the First - Saint of Honour
- Despite the great unity amongst Humanity created by his father, Emperor Alfred had to face a new age of rising tyranny, dissension and corruption throughout Aloria. When his father passed, his legacy quickly faded, leaving Emperor Alfred with a powerful, though quickly fading legacy, to maintain and enforce throughout the people of Aloria. Though the people had been brought together, there was evil inside to be dealt with. His deeds had to speak louder than his father’s words, and so he took himself upon a lengthy pilgrimage throughout the continents to bring vision to the blind and give ears to the deaf. Many did not honour the divine word and to those people Emperor Alfred took himself, proving the strength of the holy Regalisch word through combat and honour-bound rituals. Through this, the Old Gods’ worshippers amongst nomadic tribes were largely converted and integrated into the true faith of Regalia.
- Emperor Heinrich the First - Saint of Compassion
- After such earth-shaking predecessors, certain groups were consternated; they feared that this dynasty was one of destructive change and the emperors’ legacy was doubted. This reflected upon Alfred’s son, Emperor Heinrich the First. This man had a huge legacy placed upon his shoulders, and it seemed that it would take great strength to hold up the legacy. In this time, he did the least expected but most effective action, he cared. His deep compassion reached all from the most pitiful Elf to the grandest noble; he was the window into a new age of caring, where the love of the emperors was made manifest upon Aloria, and all would know their boundless love.
- Emperor Immanuel the First - Saint of Justice
- Some saw weakness, rather than strength, in the act of lifting up one’s fellow man. It was in the wake of Emperor Heinrich’s compassionate reign that some began to rebel, angered by the prospect of a united Humanity. From Aloria came non-Humans who sought to destroy their divine rulers, while from the void came evils that wished for chaos to be wrought upon the land, trying to twist the City of Light into a twisted image of its divine radiance. He ruled by hammer, bringing justice to those creatures that defied his authority and fighting against the evils of the void. Sacrifice of Human life had to be made, as the demons of the void tried utilising Humanity to their advantage. His loyal justice protects Man against corruption and evil to this day: although he is not present on Aloria, he continues to reign on high.
Practices and Beliefs
The practices of Unionism are, on many levels, intertwined with law. There is a strong front against heresy and heathen acts, as guided by The Union’s political influence.
- Non-Humans
- Unionists are taught that the divine purpose of Humanity is to rule over lesser races, and this is varied in its interpretation. Many of the more zealous Unionists will take a strong stance against non-Humans, believing them to be little more than a challenge to Humanity’s throne. Others believe that they should rule these races with compassion and strive to ease the lives of these creatures, though this is not so favoured by the highly faithful.
- Services
- Services of The Unified Church of Regalia are composed primarily of chanting while the congregation pray and reflect on their misdeeds. These services are always followed by a prayer every morning, noon and evening, as a chant is performed, taken from the Stutzen, a book with structured chants—called a Stutz—for each day. The evening service is usually coupled with a sermon from a Reverend, and on occasion, songs from the choir.
- Prayer
- In the Cathedral of Light, all the Emperors find their final resting place, and it is here that a person can come and pray to the Emperors long since passed. Prayers usually take one of three forms: repentance, gratefulness, or requests. It is common for people to kneel with the right knee on the floor and both arms touching the floor, the body rocked over in the process. This leads to the pejorative expression, ‘a dirty-handed Reverend,’ a euphemism suggesting things worse than placing one’s hands on the floor.
- Imperial Eye
- In Unionism, there is believed to be a place where the devout followers of Unionism go, alongside the emperors. This place is called the Imperial Eye, it is believed that through toiling and suffering in one’s life on Aloria, one can attain a luxurious reward in the form of eternal life in the Imperial Eye. The promise of this place is a major motivating factor for many of the older Unionists who wish to repent as they near their deaths.
Trivia
- The Crown Prince is in fact a worshipper of the Old Gods.
- The most recent emperor to pass is Emperor Justinian Ivrae II.
- The largest Unionist Cathedral known is located in Upper Trieg, a Regalian Barony.
- Though incredibly old, Wolffram Ulthor still participates actively in The Union’s day-to-day operation.