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{{Info religion
{{Info religion
|image = Unionism.png
|image = Unionismlaaol.png
|pronunciation = Yoon-yen-is-m
|pronunciation = Yoon-yen-is-m
|origins = Emperor [[Theomar]]
|origins = Emperor [[Theomar]]
|deities =  
|deities = The Everwatcher and various other Gods and Goddesses
*The Imperial Spirit
|subsects =  
|subsects =  
N/A
* The Evintarian Cult
|notablebeliefs = Ten Creeds, the Imperial Spirit guides all Unionists to a communal faith and destiny
* The Guided Cult
|notablepractices = Pillars of Blessings, Funeral Rites, Communal Sermon, Liturgic Calendar
* The Armageddon Cult
|}}
|}}
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]] & Supporter 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 made 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 with the Synod in Regalia working hard to push the tenants of the faith onto the world


==History==
==Origins==
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, 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 of being spread between the upper class of the city and nobility present in the capital city. But, it was slow going. Conversion happened locally throughout [[Regalia]], mostly by court missionaries and by the power of the 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 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 [[Leomar I]] apparently saw a greater vision for Unionism. He condensed the Ten Predictions of Union into the first Five Creeds, later adding his own. He was also the first Emperor to call a Diet of Unionism to unify the growing religion.  
Unionism as a [[Religion]] was created in the year 5 AC when Emperor [[Theomar]] (the founding [[Regalian Emperor]]) proclaimed the Creed (the holy Scripture) as visions received from the Everwatcher. In the beginnings of the Empire, the faith was slow to spread, but through providence and divine intervention, as well as [[Regalia]]'s military spread and aggressive missionary proselytizing, Unionism quickly spread from its small cult-like origins to a world-religion. It has over the years also absorbed Gods from smaller religions, and included Gods form other Religions to become a very all-inclusive cosmopolitan Religion. While most other Religions are [[Race]] specific with some caveats, Unionism is a cross-Race religion that invites all Races to join under the Everwatcher.  


This was when the First Schism took place, over the issue of Herons. The Reverend of Regalia and many of his colleagues from across the Archipelago 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. Then, the Evintarian Unionists were ejected from Regalia and sent to [[Etosil]] to live out the rest of their days. The faith continued to spread like wildfire in the following decades, largely because Unionism is the only faith with an afterlife principle, a message that is quickly accepted by those fearing death. The next major fracture occurred when House Kade inherited the Imperial Line, resulting in the Vultarin Heresy. This split was undone however by the time that the Imperial Dragon was proclaimed, a divine providence that could not be denied, and as such, all the split-off churches of the Unionist Sancella re-united into the Unionist Divine, bringing an end to 250 years of schism in 306 AC.  
===Schisms===
Unionism has had a series of schisms in the past centuries, notably the Evintarian schism which was the result of dogmatic differences and a civil war, and the Supremoclast schism which followed a more critical and humanist conscience of the people. This resulted in the Religion splitting in three (with some smaller cults that were later re-absorbed) that engaged in some degree of religious war on each other to proclaim supremacy over the concept of the Everwatcher. It took several centuries, but in recent times, the conflict wounds healed, and the priests of all Schisms came together to re-merge the religious communities, founding the Unionist Divine, which represents the current faith and priesthood. Some Cults like the Evintarian and Guided Cult still exist, however these add optional additional Gods, rather than radically diverging from religious beliefs.  


==Beliefs and Practices==
==Core 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 and 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.
Unionism is a polytheistic Religion with one single superior being and his mortal vessel on earth, and a whole host of paired Gods who all offer specific lessons of the faith. The Religion's primary objective is world domination, that is to say, to create a globe-spanning Regalian Empire that can create eternal peace and stability, and bring about paradise by banishing war and suffering and death, and bring back all the dead from the Afterlives into an eternal paradise. Each of the God Pairs (except the Vessel) provides what the Unionists call, a Golden Lesson, which acts like a virtue, and opposes a sin in the belief of Unionism. If a person dies and their soul is judged by the Everwatcher they are found to be virtuous, they join the Everwatcher on the Great Stairway where they watch down on the living in wait for paradise to come. If they are deemed sinful, they are re-incarnated in the mortal world, so they are given another chance. The following Golden Lessons can be found in Unionism:
*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.
* '''Theomar and Thedmir:''' The Golden Lesson preaches that Unionism is good, and that spreading the faith is a virtue, and that sin is turning away from the Great Way, or outright sabotaging its intent.
*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.  
* '''Ness and Eora:''' The Golden Lesson preaches that kindness and compassion are good things, and that even the most criminal seek love and affection and are deserving, while sin is to be bereft of mercy.
*Sacred images are used in all denominations of Unionism. This includes paintings of the Emperor, statuettes, and sometimes relics of Herons and previous Emperors.  
* '''Juvin and Glanzia:''' The Golden Lesson preaches that virtue is with the pure soul not tainted by the corrupt powers, and with knowing pure fact from wrong, while sin is spreading corruption and false information.
*Four yearly religious celebrations, the festivals of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter with their own various religious implications.
* '''Allest and Brand:''' The Golden Lesson preaches that loyalty to the state, the army, and fellow believers is a virtue, as is physical strength, and that sin is treason, deceptiveness without morals, and adultery.
* '''Elia and Leona:''' The Golden Lesson preaches that responsibility and protecting society is shared by everyone, no one can be excused, and that sin is to indifferent and not watching for the dangers of the world.
* '''Neal and Nolven:''' The Golden Lesson preaches that culture and art fill the soul with light, and that even in the darkness of war is beauty, and that sin is pure blind hatred without grace or beauty.
* '''Al-Asir and Marani:''' The Golden Lesson preaches that Technology brings forth great progress, and to share with society is a virtue, and that sin the creation of killing machines that automate death.
* '''Tanthor and Dari:''' The Golden Lesson preaches that even the most wretched, unwanted, and outcast of society have a role in the Great Way, and that sin is to find sadism and satisfaction in hurting the unloved.
* '''Mendes and Hor:''' The Golden Lesson preaches that wealth is there to be shared, but ultimately needed for the greatness of the faith, and that sin is to hoard wealth alone, and to steal from others.
* '''Sinnavei and Eirlys:''' The Golden Lesson preaches that even those outside the Faith can have an indispensable role to fill in paradise, and that sin is the wanton destruction of all that is alien and unknown.
* '''Caan and Kaldric:''' The Golden Lesson preaches that Magic and the Occult are a tainted burden that come with great responsibility, and that virtue can be found in good use, and sin in selfish destructiveness.
===Divine Mechanics===
All Religions provide 1 single Mechanic to their Believers that fits within the flair of their Religion. This Mechanic is lost if the individual stops believing in the Religion, or becomes a heretic, but can be regained. Afflicted can use this mechanic, but having the mechanic does not imply that they have blanket forgiveness from their Gods, just that there is more nuance to it than that.
* Unionist Faithful can be blessed by the gods by having a divine intervention and being cured of their Affliction or being cleansed of their Affinity through a divine event. Such a divine event should be orchestrated by the player themselves, does not necessarily require a pre-condition like "this character destroyed a Unionist Temple so the Gods intervened" or "this Character tore apart a painting of the Emperor so the Gods punished them", but can require one. This should generally only occur once per Affliction/Affinity, and is entirely up to the player's own consent over their character when and where it occurs.


==The Creeds of Unionism==
==Gods and Goddesses==
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, or differently interpreted and translated. Because of the vagueness, It could as such be said that the Reverends can, and are encouraged, to develop their own Sects based on their interpretations of the Creeds. Some Creeds can be interpreted, some cannot. Something that would for example not be acceptable in a Sect, is declaring Human sacrifice a virtue, as it is an affront to the preservation of Human life. Sects of Unionism can be officially registered on the Forums. Do to do, go to [https://forums.massivecraft.com/threads/reverend-sect-registration.78283/ This Thread], and make sure you have an actively played Reverend Character who creates said Sect, and seeks out to spread it among the Unionists of the City. It would be ideal if there were at least 6+1+more (1 NPC ran sect is given as a conservative base-line) individually unique Sects which players can support with their characters for varying reasons.
Unionism differs from other Religions, in that it has Duo-Gods. All Duo-Gods are divine and each have divine powers in the afterlife (though some Gods may be yet living). Unionists worship all Gods equally, though they may choose specific Patron gods which they worship more. The Everwatcher acts like an overarching God of Gods, but the Everwatcher cannot directly be interacted with, so most people end up praising the Everwatcher through the Gods and Goddesses. Unionism also has the Cults further below. Cults add Gods onto the standard Pantheon, but they are not mandatory for vanilla Unionists who don't worship the Cults. It is possible to be a believer of both Cults.  
 
<table style="width: 100%;"><tr><td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;">
{| class="wikitable"
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Prophet Gods Theomar and Thedmir'''</center></span>
! style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Type
{|
! style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Descriptions
[[File:Thomur.png|220px|caption|left]]
|-
|
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#c0c0c0;" | First Creed
* '''Name:''' Theomar (left) and Thedmir (right), the Prophet Gods, first believers.
| style="background-color:#cbcefb;" | 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
* '''Patron:''' Fathers, Rulers, Nobles, Leaders, Commanders, and Best Friends.
|-
* '''Symbols:''' Theomar and Thedmir are symbolized by the necklace of friendship.
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | First Creed Interpretations
* '''Role:''' Theomar and Thedmir were the Prophets of Unionism, spreading the faith.
|  
* '''Traits:''' Patriarchy, Insight, Good Governance, Loyalty, Friendship, Faith.
* What is the Spirit? Is the Spirit a he or a she? Is the Spirit metaphysical? Is the Spirit alive? Is the Spirit just esotherical?
* '''Temple:''' The All-Beacon Temple in Regalia proper, the largest Unionist Temple.
* What is the Role of the Emperor in relation to the Imperial Spirit, and what is the Royal Bloodline?
* '''Allies:''' Regulus Worshipers, Dáuw Worshipers, anyone in the military.
* Is the current Emperor the bearer of the Spirit? And if not, who is?
* '''Enemies:''' In essence all Evolist worshipers, and all Vola Fornoss Gods.
|-
* '''Rituals:''' Theomar and Thedmir Rituals involve re-enacting the struggles of them in the early days of Unionism. This involves preaching the faith to non believers, aiding the faithful in the defense of their holy shrines and places of worship, to mediate and act as diplomat for embattled groups, and to provide spiritual guidance to the Military. Theomar and Thedmir also have rituals concerning the sanctification and re-affirmation of friendship.
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Second Creed
|}
| style="background-color:#cbcefb;" | The Second Creed dictates the duties of the faithful in prayer and virtue, while also speaking about practices with regards to the dead and baptism. 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 a whole lot of detail about what a virtue is specified as or what actions would constitute as virtuous, as long as they do not conflict with the code of law.
</td><td style="vertical-align: top; width: 50%;">
|-
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Mother Gods Ness and Eora'''</center></span>
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Second Creed Interpretations
{|
|
[[File:Ness.png|220px|caption|left]]
* Should Unionism be expanded through military means?
|
* Is it the duty of all Unionists to die for the Unionist cause?
* '''Name:''' Ness (left) and Eora (right), Empress and Chancellor in life.
* What is the right way to engage in marriage, and providing for offspring?
* '''Patron:''' Mothers, Healers, Caretakers, Protectors, Empaths, Martyrs.
* What is right in polygamy, same-sex relations and the role of women?
* '''Symbols:''' Ness's Butterfly Mask, and the Habit (head scarf) of Eora.
|-
* '''Role:''' Ness and Eora are the savior Goddesses of Unionism who care for believers.
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Third Creed
* '''Traits:''' Protective, Motherly, Nurturing, Caring, Self-Sacrificing, Forgiving.
| style="background-color:#cbcefb;" | The Third Creed speaks about Herons and the holy decrees of the Emperor.
* '''Temple:''' The Temple of Salvation in Old-Town forest side, which doubles as Hospital.
|-
* '''Allies:''' Leif Worshipers, Severena Worshipers, Daiana Worshipers, Medics of any Faith.
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Third Creed Interpretations
* '''Enemies:''' Murderers, people who adopt adults, people who attack medics/the unarmed.
|  
* '''Rituals:''' Ness and Eora rituals are all about forgiveness and nurturing and healing others. This may involve taking confessions, but can also involve volunteering at a medical station or healing house. Furthermore, Ness and Eora faithful travel prisons and downtrodden areas to give forgiveness to the damned, and offer them love and kindness where there is only the cold sting of rejection and apathy to the fates of the forgotten.
* Should the Herons be recognized as Holy beings?
|}
* What level of religious authority does a Heron have?
</center>
* Can living Herons exist, and if so, are the currently living Herons really Herons as stated by a Synodical Bull?
</tr></table>
|-
<table style="width: 100%;"><tr><td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;">
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Fourth Creed
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Pure Gods Juvin and Glanzia'''</center></span>
| style="background-color:#cbcefb;" | 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.
{|
|-
[[File:Talli.png|220px|caption|left]]
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Fourth Creed Interpretations
|
|  
* '''Name:''' Glanzia (left) Goddess of Pure Soul, and Juvin (right) God of Pure Reason.
* What is the afterlife, and what does it look like?
* '''Patron:''' Intellectuals, Mundanes, Anti-Magi, Scholars, Teachers, Archeologists.
* What should someone do to acquire access to the afterlife?
* '''Symbols:''' Books with the Unionist Eye and Black Granite statues of Heroes.
* What classifies as a Human? Only Ailor? And what about the other races?
* '''Role:''' To teach the faithful purity of soul (Magic-apprehension) and Logic.
* What can a non Human do to gain access to the afterlife?
* '''Traits:''' Analytical, Apprehension, Thoughtfulness, Anti-Magical, Purist.
* What is the role of reincarnation in the afterlife, and how does it work?
* '''Temple:''' Temple of Greater Understanding, which doubles as a Library.
|-
* '''Allies:''' Lothar Knights, Melca Worshipers, Severena & Aurora Worshipers.
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Fifth Creed
* '''Enemies:''' Mage-Radicals, Theurgists, Those with Demon/Arken Pacts and Deals.
| style="background-color:#cbcefb;" | 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.
* '''Rituals:''' Rituals belonging to Juvin and Glanzia usually involve the Rites of Investigation. This usually involves an in-depth investigation to some kind of mystery, for Juvin that being discovery of new information and publication to the masses, and for Glanzia to uncover hidden Mages and the Occult, and to warn the general public. General rituals and customs also just involve educating the masses on general factual information and debates of skill.
|-
|}
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Fifth Creed Interpretations
</td><td style="vertical-align: top; width: 50%;">
|
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Martial Gods Allest and Brand'''</center></span>
* What other faiths are allowed to be worshiped?
{|
* In what form should this tolerated worship take place?
[[File:GAYS.png|220px|caption|left]]
* What defines a heretic, and how should one deal with a heretic?
|
* Is Void worship truly evil? And how far does one tolerate those affected by the Void?
* '''Name:''' Allest (right) God of Warriors, Brand (left) God of Gladiators.
|-
* '''Patron:''' Soldiers, Generals, Commanders, Gladiators, Warriors, Homosexuals.
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Sixth Creed
* '''Symbols:''' Two crossed holy swords, one with blood, and one dripping with tears.
| style="background-color:#cbcefb;" | 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.
* '''Role:''' To encourage fraternity and loyalty in the army, and strength of arms in warriors.
|-
* '''Traits:''' Brave, Boisterous, Glorious, Victorious, Martial, Dependable, Unwavering.
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Sixth Creed Interpretations
* '''Temple:''' The Divine Heroic Contemplation Temple in Gloomrot Forest in Regalia.
|
* '''Allies:''' Cemaan Worshipers, Bard & Njal Worshipers, Bloodcast Knights.
* Should the Synod Exist, and if so, what is the ideal structure of the Synod?
* '''Enemies:''' Pacifists, cowards, enemies of Unionism and those who attack Priests.
* What is the role of the Supreme Reverend versus the High Reverend?
* '''Rituals:''' Allest and Brand were lovers in live and death, where most of their rituals involve some kind of brotherly oath, a promise to protect someone until one's dying breath, or swearing fealty and undying loyalty to an overlord in war. Allest and Brand were glorious warriors each in their own right, so in many ways, prayer before battle and battle itself is a form of worship in their names, as is love persevering through war.
* Do Synodical Bulls made by previous High Reverends still apply after they were sacked?
|}
|-
</center>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Seventh Creed
</tr></table>
| style="background-color:#cbcefb;" | 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.
<table style="width: 100%;"><tr><td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;">
|-
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Protector Gods Elia and Leona'''</center></span>
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Seventh Creed Interpretations
{|
|
[[File:LESBIANS.png|220px|caption|left]]
* What does Humanhood transcendence mean? To what extent do the changes matter?
|
* Can something that used to be an Human but changed be transcended? Url?
* '''Name:''' Elia (left) Goddess the Watchful Gaze, and Leona (right) Goddess of Knights.
* Or does transcendence refer to skills, and if so, what skills? Bodily fitness? Mind over matter?
* '''Patron:''' Guards, Knights, Hunters, Rangers, Explorers, Scribes, and Lesbians.
|-
* '''Symbols:''' Elia's Longbow and Leona's Blacksteel sword, along with Blacksteel in general.
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Eight Creed
* '''Role:''' To teach the faithful to guard one another and be responsible for one another.
| style="background-color:#cbcefb;" | 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”.
* '''Traits:''' Chivalrous, Alert, Mindful, Responsible, Dedicated, Precise, Awareness.
|-
* '''Temple:''' Temple of Unyielding Overwatch which doubles as the Imperial Hunting Lodge.
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Eight Creed Interpretations
* '''Allies:''' Urlan, Knights of all Kind, Metropolitan Guards, Tame Marken, Huntsmen.  
|
* '''Enemies:''' Criminals, Monsters in the wild, Kathar, Argentum Knights, Womanizers.
* What is the Great Way? What is the ulterior goal? What does that goal look like?
* '''Rituals:''' Elia and Leona were lovers in life and death, where most of their rituals involve some kind of communal or co-operative practice of the hunt or respect and support of the Knights (as well as being Knights). Knighthood is considered the greatest form of "keeping watch over society", and so many of their patrons become Knights. Other forms of rituals are couple or group hunts, and inspections of garrisons and walls and armories.
* What does Paradise look like? Is Paradise the same as the goal of the Great Way?
|}
* Will the world remain the same or change when the Great Way is completed?
</td><td style="vertical-align: top; width: 50%;">
|-
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Vessel Gods Alexander and The Everwatcher'''</center></span>
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Ninth Creed
{|
| style="background-color:#cbcefb;" | 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.
[[File:Alexander.png|220px|caption|left]]
|-
|
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Ninth Creed Interpretations
* '''Name:''' Alexander (see) Emperor of Regalia and The Everwatcher (not depicted).
| style="background-color:#efefef;" |
* '''Patron:''' Alexander is the Vessel of the Everwatcher, He speaks through him only.
* This Creed may not be re-interpreted, because it is codified in Civil Law. Because of an earlier specification in the Second Creed, interpretations that conflict the Code of Law are illegal, and so disagreeing with this Creed is in essence illegal.
* '''Symbols:''' The Unionist Eye represents the Everwatcher, the Crown Alexander.  
|-
* '''Role:''' To be living embodiment of the divine will of the Everwatcher in Regalia.
| style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Tenth Creed
* '''Traits:''' Divine, Sagely, Wise, All-Loving, All-Inclusive, All-Caring.
| style="background-color:#cbcefb;" | The Tenth Creed does not exist officially, but has always been rumored to have existed, only disappearing shortly before publication. The exact contents of the Tenth Creed have been speculated upon for centuries and official acknowledgement of its existence has yet to come from the Imperial Court.
* '''Temple:''' The Imperial Palace in essence doubles as the Temple of the Vessel.
|-
* '''Allies:''' Alexander is ostensibly an Ally of all and everyone who will listen.
| style="background-color:#c0c0c0;" | Tenth Creed Interpretations
* '''Enemies:''' He has no Enemies. Even those who reject him in Crookback get his love.
| style="background-color:#efefef;" |  
* '''Rituals:''' There aren't strictly any rituals for Alexander, as he is only the Temporary Vessel. When Alexander dies, the next Emperor will take his place as the Vessel God, so that only ever the living Emperor will be Vessel God. It's also worth noting that Gladiator God Brand's name in life was also Alexander, as Brand is Alexander's ancestor. The latter is styled "Alexander II", the former has the Divine name of Brand from his living nickname Bram.  
* This Creed does not formally exist, and as such there is nothing to re-interpret. Within limited measure however, Reverends are allowed to create a theoretical hypothesis of this Creed (a blank slate Creed effectively).
|}
</center>
</tr></table>
<table style="width: 100%;"><tr><td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Culture Gods Neall and Nolven'''</center></span>
{|
[[File:Artgods.png|220px|caption|left]]
|
* '''Name:''' Neall (left) is the God of Visual Arts, Nolven (right) is the God of Military Arts.
* '''Patron:''' Painters, Sculptors, Make-up Artists, Fashion Designers, Gardeners, Designers.
* '''Symbols:''' Nolvens's golden radiant sword, or Neall's golden radiant paintbrush / pencil.
* '''Role:''' To teach the faithful the facets of culture in peace and war, and to love art.
* '''Traits:''' Creative, Artistic, Expressive, Gregarious, Welcoming, Inclusive, Visual.
* '''Temple:''' Temple of the High Arts inside the Imperial Palace Art Galleries.
* '''Allies:''' Artists, Njall Fornoss Worshipers, Viridian Knights, Beauty Arkenborn.
* '''Enemies:''' Argentum Knights, the Mutated and Monstrous, Evolist Worshipers.
* '''Rituals:''' Neall and Nolven's rituals invariably involve the combination of cultural beauty and the art of war, whether that is a dramatic renaissance-style painting of a battlefield, or finding ways to depict what is in essence militarist propaganda in beautiful ways (statues, poetry, literature, art, etc). Because art is a skill, most worshipers of Neall and Nolven tend to perform their worship by paying artists to make art, a form of patronage.
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Inspired Gods Al-Asir and Marani'''</center></span>
{|
[[File:Eastgods.png|220px|caption|left]]
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* '''Name:''' Al-Asir (right) the God of Invention, and Marani (left) the god of Inspiration.
* '''Patron:''' Technicians, Engineers, Inventors, Architects, Craftsmen, Laborers.
* '''Symbols:''' Al-Asir's golden gears, or Qadir Ailor arm tattoo shapes in glowing gold.
* '''Role:''' Divine inspiration and guard against inventions of Evil in Technology.
* '''Traits:''' Eureka, Technical, Resourceful, Inspired, Altruistic, Conscientious.
* '''Temple:''' The Telocator Temple in Al-Alus, the only one outside Regalia's Empire.
* '''Allies:''' Those that help society at large, Those that make everyone's lives easier.
* '''Enemies:''' Death Cultists, Rishiq Qadir, Machinist Worshipers, War-Machine Inventors.
* '''Rituals:''' Al-Asir and Marani rituals involve the act of inventing, or just tinkering with technology, reading books and improving skills, or just generally engaging in crafts from simple wood carving furniture to advanced architectural planning. The act of production for someone else, even at the cost of payments, is considered a virtuous activity for the patron Gods of Craftsmen, this is why object creations are always blessed by the Gods.
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Persevering Gods Tanthor and Dari'''</center></span>
{|
[[File:Lizardgods.png|220px|caption|left]]
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* '''Name:''' Dari (left) and Tanthor (right) are the Allar and Kathar Gods of the Forgotten.
* '''Patron:''' No specific Patronage, they are for the Downtrodden, Forgotten and Unwanted.
* '''Symbols:''' Golden neck chains or other forms of personal restraint around the neck.
* '''Role:''' To bless even the weakest and most unwanted in society with strength to go on.
* '''Traits:''' Dignified, Charitable, Austere, Sharing, Seeking Equity over Equality.
* '''Temple:''' There currently is no Temple, it was demolished in Crookback for housing.
* '''Allies:''' Tanthor and Dari see any and all who want to be included in Regalia as Allies.
* '''Enemies:''' Tanthor and Dari see anyone who kicks down on the downtrodden as enemies.
* '''Rituals:''' Dari and Tanthor mostly give hope to the lost that there is still a place for them in the Everwatcher's Grace and the Regalian Empire. Rituals of Dari and Tanthor often involve charity and bringing care and warmth to the poor, the dispossessed, the unwanted, and to show compassion and no bigotry against those who look or act different. They involve rituals to combat racism, discrimination, and general radical inclusion, perhaps, even Vampires.
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Prosperity Gods Mendes and Hor'''</center></span>
{|
[[File:Furrygods.png|220px|caption|left]]
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* '''Name:''' Mendes (left) and Hor (right) are the Gods of Prosperity and Wealth.
* '''Patron:''' Merchants, Bankers, Traders, Shopkeepers, Bureaucrats, the Filthy Rich.
* '''Symbols:''' The Golden Coins of Union, Regal Coins with the Eyes of the Everwatcher.
* '''Role:''' To bless the people with wealth and prosperity and good wit in commerce.
* '''Traits:''' Business Acumen, Opulent, Responsible, Self-Sufficient, Insightful.
* '''Temple:''' The Temple of Mendes and Hor is the Regalian Central Bank and Exchange.
* '''Allies:''' Mendes and Hor see anyone who spreads Order and Stability as Allies.
* '''Enemies:''' Mendes and Hor see anyone who spreads Anarchy and Chaos as Enemies.
* '''Rituals:''' It perhaps sounds ironic, but one of the most common forms of worship to Mendes and Hor is paying taxes. The act of paying taxes is considered virtuous, because it both shows a willingness to part with wealth, and a willingness to trust the State to do good by the people with said Taxes, and to contribute to communal greatness. Other rituals involve squeezing foreigners for money and signing unequal trade treaties with foreign merchants.
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Allied Gods Sinnavei and Eirlys'''</center></span>
{|
[[File:Elfgods.png|220px|caption|left]]
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* '''Name:''' Sinnavei (left) Goddess of the Elves, Eirlys (right) Goddess of the Tribes.
* '''Patron:''' Solvaan, Elves, Breizh Ailor, Pre-Empire Tribes, Ancient peoples, heritage.
* '''Symbols:''' The Sollerian Mist-Gryphon, and the Breizh Santwr, Feather-Winged Warriors.
* '''Role:''' To show that non-believers and outsiders may find Solace and Alliance in Faith.
* '''Traits:''' Arcane, Enchanting, Ancient, Glory of Ages, Respect, Venerability of Age.
* '''Temple:''' Bryn Dwyfol in Kintyr, and The Skyward Palace in the capital of Solleria.
* '''Allies:''' Sinnavei and Eirlys see any who would join Regalia's ambitions as Allies.
* '''Enemies:''' Sinnavei and Eirlys see any who would obstruct Regalia's ambitions as enemies.
* '''Rituals:''' Rituals of Sinnavei and Eirlys involve (much like Tanthor and Dari) radical inclusion, but as opposed to Regalia's own citizens, that of outsiders. To ally with other faiths for the good in the world, to respect outsiders, to give them human decency and dignity, and to help them help the faith. It also involves healing racial tensions, and uncovering and sharing ancient lost knowledge to the world for the wisdoms that it may hold.
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Burdened Gods Caan and Kaldric'''</center></span>
{|
[[File:Magicgods.png|220px|caption|left]]
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* '''Name:''' Kaldric (left) and Caan (right) are the Gods of Burdened but Beautiful Magic.
* '''Patron:''' Mages, Aelrrigan Knights, Arcane Researchers, those seeking Redemption.
* '''Symbols:''' Kaldric's horned bramble crown, and Caan's Arcane tome symbolisms.
* '''Role:''' To teach the faithful proper & virtuous Magic usage, and warn for corruption.
* '''Traits:''' Self-Sacrificing, Penitent, Humble, Pious, Stalwart, Holy, Paladins.
* '''Temple:''' The Hall of Golden Ascension in the Holy Agatha Mountains of Regalia.
* '''Allies:''' Those who use Magic respectfully, virtuous, and care for world & others.
* '''Enemies:''' Those who abuse Magic for selfish or hedonistic purposes and ego.
* '''Rituals:''' Kaldric and Caan rituals involve forms of self-sacrifice and penitence. Self-flagellation is one form of self-punishment practiced by some of their worshipers, but other forms of self-enforced humility through the praising or service of others are also common. Kaldric (once called Kristoph in life) is more for the self-loathing/punishing Mages and Occult, while Caan is more for the restrained and dignified Mages and Occult.  
|}
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==The Imperial Spirit==
==Cults==
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.  
Cults exist in Unionism as "add-ons" for the Religion itself. While all Unionists by default worship the Gods and Goddesses listed in the Pantheon above, some Cults within Unionism worship additional gods that most of the main stream believers do not. These are holdouts from the old Schisms, that albeit while joining the main current of religious worshipers, still have some leftover of their old beliefs. Each Cult is represented by a single theological belief, and with Gods who are included by this theological belief, while all other aspects of the Religion are the same. It is possible to be a member of multiple Cults as they just add additional beliefs, but it is also possible to believe in one of the Cults, or none at all.  
===Evintarian Cult===
The Evintarian Cult was established by the Evintarian Schisms many centuries ago when the Evintarian priests split off, and were expelled from Regalia and founded their own country in [[Etosil]]. The Evintarian Schism happened, because the Evintarian Priests thought that Trans-Dimensional Entities (such as certain Demons) could become Gods too if they shed off their sinful nature and were blessed by the Everwatcher, which the main dogmatic branch rejected. The Evintarian Priesthood voted to join the Unionist Divine, and so they became a Cult that has included several Trans-Dimensional Entities as God Pairs. Each of the Evintarian Gods requires some explanation of how they came to be accepted as Gods in the Evintarian Cult, which will be explained first, before the Gods are discussed.  


==Death and the Afterlife==
Kithemon is an Exist entity from another realm that possessed an Aetosian man named Nikolaos (surname lost to time). Kithemon was verified as a God for the Evintarians, as he granted them many protections of the mind against incursions from Demons and other entities who would corrupt and usurp them and rob them of their freedom and identity. Amandaros is a Void Entity that was somehow related to the Evolist God Armas, but always dodges the subject when discussed. Amandaros possesses his host an Asha named Amon, though it is important to mention that Amandaros as an entity does not reside in a single place, but can be in many places (and hosts) at once. Amandaros is also summoned by the Mask of Amandaros which is held in Evintarian Shrines, which the faithful may use to help conceive children if they cannot themselves (see: Amandaros [[Godborn]]). Yvasi is an Ordial Entity possessing a Half-Eronidas named Girin who has proved to be of aid to the Great Way, by traveling the lands and helping the faithful realize and manifest their true self in gender, appearance, and heritage. It is not known what entity Yvasi is related to, but she did show her loyalty to mortals and the living, by aiding in the defense of the [[Last City of the Living]], before traveling on to Aloria to aid the Unionists.  
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. As a non-Human, they have the chance of mercy or absolution, if they put their lives in servitude of Humans and the Great Way. If they succeed, the Creeds 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. The Emperor as such decides on life and death in some cases, and can also circumvent the Spirit’s judgement by either upgrading or downgrading someone’s soul on the spot while they are still alive.


==Origins of Life==
Yvasi in particular discusses many concepts of transhumanist and transgender concepts with the faithful, as she is a female-presenting spirit in a male-presenting body, and how that generally affects gender presentation to the faithful, as well as gender roles in society. Finally, Eredicos is a divine name for the Imperial Prince Frederick Kade (second son of the Emperor), who shares his body with an ancestral spirit of Betheoric I Kade. Unlike the other entities who have mostly subsumed their host, Eredicos represents both Frederick in the mortal body and Betheoric in the immortal self, and the two frequently exchange host status. Eredicos is a very recent addition as God, because Frederick only ascended to godhood when he became an Urlan in the past 3 years, and in doing so, proved to have divine god-like powers of command and venerability over even non-believers through Betheoric. The fact that an Imperial prince is technically possessed by a Primal Revenant is a very much not-so-secret at the Imperial Palace, but out of respect nobody causes an issue over it.
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, as believed by a number of sectarian Reverends. 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 Altalar. Some Unionist 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.  
<table style="width: 100%;"><tr><td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Exist/Void Gods Kithemon and Amandaros'''</center></span>
{|
[[File:Exitciuv.png|220px|caption|left]]
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* '''Name:''' Kithemon (left) Protector of Minds and Amandaros (right) Protector of Proginy.
* '''Patron:''' Kithemon, Patron of protections against the dark arts, and Amandaros of parents.
* '''Symbols:''' The shielded silhouette of a head, and a tree of descendance or ancestry.
* '''Role:''' Kithemon protects from mind incursions, while Amandaros helps with childbirth.
* '''Traits:''' Resolute, Stalwart, Protecting, and Hedonistic, Capricious, Lustful.
* '''Temple:''' The Temple of Ethereal Naether in the capital of Aetosil, Regalian Empire.
* '''Allies:''' Leyon and Sapphora faithful, Aelrrigan Knights, those with big families.
* '''Enemies:''' Those that bargain with Arken and Demons, the possessed, and incels.
* '''Rituals:''' Kithemon and Amandaros rituals vary greatly, as they are obviously very different. Kithemon rituals involves seeking out and revealing the corruption of Spirits and mind control affecting others and then freeing them. Amandaros rituals involve hedonistic self-satisfying parties, preferably those which involve in copious amounts of romantic matches or flings that may expand the population through conventional means.
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Ordial/Primal Gods Yvasi and Eredicos'''</center></span>
{|
[[File:Lifedeath.png|220px|caption|left]]
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* '''Name:''' Yvasi (left) Bringer of Self-Love and Eredicos (right) of Elder Wisdom.
* '''Patron:''' Those struggling with anxiety/depression, and children of heritage.
* '''Symbols:''' The mask of anonimity, and the banner of command and the staff of rule.
* '''Role:''' Yvasi to help believers become their true self, Eredicos to embody ancestors.
* '''Traits:''' Guiding, Mentorly, Authoritative, Venerable, Wise, Erudite and Thorough.
* '''Temple:''' The House of the Patrilineal Divinity in the capital of Aetosil.
* '''Allies:''' Urlan, Therapists, Estelley and Fornoss Priests, the Elderly.
* '''Enemies:''' Bigots who bully on matters of identity, and those who betray family.
* '''Rituals:''' Yvasi and Eredicos rituals similarly diverge due to their diverging nature, but they are more similar than Kithemon and Amandaros. Many of the rituals for Yvasi and Eredicos converge on praising and worship of ancestors, to showcase the skill and achievements of ancestors, and to keep a clean grave or shrine to them. Yvasi has rituals of self exploration, meditation, and both also have rituals with experimentation with self-presentation.
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==Worship==
===Guided Cult===
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.  
The Guided Cult has a long and troubled history, as Dogmatic Unionists tried to violently suppress so-called religious-critical movements that challenged the clergy by asking questions instead of blindly believing everything that was fed to them. The Guided Cult inevitably agreed to re-join the Unionist Divine, as the priests of the other groupings agreed to accept their Duality-God (each God representing two) entities, while also admitting some of their more free-thinking ideas in how to interact with the priests. While prior the priests could not be questioned, with the Guided Unionist re-interpretation, Priests were actively challenged to be questioned in their preaching and faith, so that everyone would become stronger in belief. The Guided Cult still exists, because they hold on to some of the so-called [[Dragon]] Gods.  


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


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 commonly used "Oratario Ode" is used, which is a more personal blessing rather than the more universal Oratario Paean, but they effectively mean the same.
The second Dragon God is Morgan Kade who is commonly remembered as a highly competent, but extremely morally corrupt and cruel Arch-Chancellor, and Narsil his Snake-Marken Archon Bodyguard who was painted in Gold as he slithered through the Imperial Palace. Morgan died several decades ago, and Narsil was put to death immediately after Morgan, as he was no longer around to protect his bodyguard-pet Marken. The duality of virtuous Nicholas and sinful Morgan as Gods is that the Guided Unionists believe that Gods can also be just awful people, and be extremely selfish and capricious, but that bad qualities and ugly personalities are not reasons to write off the skills and competencies that people do have. The Guided Cult holds that Dragon-Souls (like Prince Cedromar, or his children August and Florian) would be more suitable heirs to the throne, but have agreed with their re-integration into Dogmatic Unionism to cease their opposition to Emperor Alexander's rule.
<table style="width: 100%;"><tr><td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Dragon Gods Nicholas and Aarthes'''</center></span>
{|
[[File:Leadergodsas.png|220px|caption|left]]
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* '''Name:''' Nicholas (left) and Aarthes (right), Gods of political and architectural design.
* '''Patron:''' Intellectuals, strategists, philosophers, diplomats, patriarchs and matriarchs.
* '''Symbols:''' The scepter of regality, government buildings, the Regalian state banner.
* '''Role:''' Nicholas teaches those in positions of power responsibility and careful design.
* '''Traits:''' Foresight, Calculated, Intellectual, Informed, Responsible, Unwavering.
* '''Temple:''' The Golden Seed Temple in Axford, capital of Anglia, Regalian Archipelago.
* '''Allies:''' Regulus faithful, those who favor charisma and speech over combat.
* '''Enemies:''' Chaos agents and those who would disrupt the order and stability of states.
* '''Rituals:''' Nicholas and Aarthes rituals involve the bridging of duality, to seek out "the mind" and "the body" in friendships, and form a perfect union between the person who plans and thinks, and the person who acts and completes. The intention is to build friendships from unlikely partners, to create unbreakable bonds and collaborative efforts that showcase the perfection cooperation, that dependency is not weakness but beautiful and meaningful.
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Dragon Gods Morgan and Narsil'''</center></span>
{|
[[File:Snakegods.png|220px|caption|left]]
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* '''Name:''' Morgan (left) and Narsil (right), Gods of the corrupted excellence.
* '''Patron:''' Those who question leadership and faith in the right and respectful ways.
* '''Symbols:''' The Cobra hooded head, and the snake-forked tongue and snake-hair head.
* '''Role:''' Morgan and Narsil exist as warnings to blind faith and unquestioning obedience.
* '''Traits:''' Selfish, Greedy, Cruel, Wroth, Prideful, Hyper-Competent, Self-assured.
* '''Temple:''' Morgan and Narsil don't have an official Temple because of vandalism.
* '''Allies:''' Slizzar, Criminals, Gang Leaders, Spies, Saboteurs, and Rogues.
* '''Enemies:''' Those who use Emperor, Faith, or Law, to justify cruelty and evil.
* '''Rituals:''' Rituals of Morgan and Narsil are less in service to them, and more in deterrence to the qualities of Morgan. The most common form of ritual is the Public Examination, where large crowds gather in front of a speaking stand, where citizens and commoners hold a public debate on the competency and virtues and morality of an individual in office or power, as a means to hold them accountable to good governance and keep them on the right track.
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==Sacraments of Union==
===Armageddon Cult===
Unionism has several Sacraments throughout one's lifetime. Some are optional; only the first and last Sacrament must be performed for all Humans.
The Armageddon Cult originated in the preaching of the Evintarian priest Belisarius, whose core belief was that while Paradise is certain to come at the end of the Great Way, that the traditional doctrine does not account for the non-mortal elements of the world. In essence, while believers and mortal non-believers alike could bring about Paradise, the dogma does not account for the existence of Demons, those who reject the Emperor's love, and Vampires who by nature cannot love his grace. Belisarius believed that on the Eve of Paradise, an event would occur called the Armageddon, where all the Demons, Demon worshipers, Arken, Void Gods, and other entities that wish to prevent Paradise, would unleash a holy war on Unionism and that the final test before Paradise would be winning this cataclysmic war that would touch all corners of the mortal realm. Armageddon Cultists in essence believe in an inevitable "War in Heaven", and express their belief mainly in daily "thinning the herd" of Demons and Vampires so as to reduce the overwhelming forces that the Demons will come to possess when Armageddon begins.  
===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
They are doomsday preppers, with many even entertaining that Armageddon will not come in their lifetime, but that they will contribute to a reduction of the numbers of the enemy, and preparing the Empire and their descendants for the final war by producing more weapons, and researching every edge they might gain against the Demons. The Armageddon Cult is unique in Unionism in that it acknowledges an actual canonical evil, the supreme devil as it were, and entertains the idea that there is actually a chance that the Armageddon war might be lost if too many people fall to the vices of Demon worship and consorting with the Devil. The Armageddon Cult was accepted into the faith along with the other Cults, and conformed just like the others. It is a relatively small cult, but it is immensely popular among purists and those who make it their daily employment to hunt down Demons and serve the Emperor by slaying his detractors. It should be noted that a more twisted version of the Armageddon Cult also exists. Because the "evil" Gods (perceived similarly to Guided Unionism in more of a fear-worship, or appeasement to keep them away) are still immensely powerful, some Vampires have developed a twisted version of the Armageddon Cult where they believe that when Armageddon begins, they will all rise up against the Gods of Evil, and join the righteous in the war in heaven for Paradise, and redeem themselves.


===Sacrament of Entry===
Through this belief, some of them have become pro-Regalian pro-Emperor, acting from the shadows in the benefit of the Regalian Empire, even if the Empire would have them slain at the earliest convenience. This Vampiric interpretation is obviously heretical and not supported by the Cult itself, but it is notable enough to be mentioned, and why some Vampires might worship the Armageddon Cult Gods. On a closing note, while the Armageddon Cult only has two Devil Gods, the theology allows for a much larger range of evil entities to be acknowledged as "Aspects of the Endwar", such as Void Gods, Arken, Greater Demons, and in some interpretations even Estelley Gods. The Armageddon Cult has many superstitions concerning the Endwar, and players are encouraged to experiment with catholic apocalypse visions and the circles of hell.
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 Nine Creeds 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.
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Anticipating Gods Celestina and Eòin'''</center></span>
'''Applicable to:''' Military, Nobles, Knights, State Officials, Politicians
{|
 
[[File:New Cauunvasgsgerhfghjyt.png|220px|caption|left]]
===Sacrament of Harmony===
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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. Note, because Reverend Sects 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 Reverend but rejected by another.  
* '''Name:''' Celestina (left) and Eòin (right), Gods of service for bounties they may never see.
 
* '''Patron:''' Doomsday preppers, Purists, Demon Hunters, Vampire Hunters, Anti-Evolists.
'''Applicable to:''' Those who are married in the Unionist Church
* '''Symbols:''' The Habit and mask of the Silent Sisters, and the Imperial Guard Seal.
 
* '''Role:''' Celestina and Eòin teach the virtue of doing good without material reward.
===Sacrament of Solution===
* '''Traits:''' Altruistic, Resolute, Combative, Unforgiving, Unrelenting, Prepared.
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.
* '''Temple:''' The Divine Advent Temple in Regalia, found in the countryside on roads.
 
* '''Allies:''' Those that fight, restrain, or otherwise hamper the forces of the Void.
'''Applicable to:''' Converts
* '''Enemies:''' Evolists, Kathar, Demons, Theurgists, Those that consort with Demons.
 
* '''Rituals:''' Celestina and Eòin represent the spoken word and the prepared mind, and the physical arm and execution of the divine plan. Their rituals involve preparing one's self, or the world around one, for the inevitable Armageddon, and to find peace in the fact that all the toil of a lifetime may not ever see fruits while alive, and that the benefit of one's labor must be for one's descendants or those who come after. and never for one's self.
===Sacrament of Rejection===
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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 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.  
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<span style="font-size:150%;><center>'''Endwar Devils Belialus and Sablael'''</center></span>
'''Applicable to:''' Converts
{|
 
[[File:New dsadCanvasgsgerhfghjyt.png|220px|caption|left]]
===Sacrament of Blessings===
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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.
* '''Name:''' Belialus(left) devil of the Sanguine, and Sablael (right) devil of Shadows.
 
* '''Patron:''' The Devils are not patrons, they are entities to appease into inaction.  
'''Applicable to:''' Humanum Status Grants
* '''Symbols:''' The Vampiric Curse, the twisted and coiling shadow, and the hooked tail.
 
* '''Role:''' Belialus and Sablael act as a focal point of a clearly defined evil to fight.  
===Sacrament of Sacrifice===
* '''Traits:''' Destructive, Corrupting, Seducing, Enrapturing, Dangerous, Evil.
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.  
* '''Temple:''' No official Temple, but Vampires worship in the House of Blood in the sewers.  
 
* '''Allies:''' Those who would seek evolution and advances through the Demonic and Void.
'''Applicable to:''' Church Service/Monasteries
* '''Enemies:''' Paladins, Priests, Holy Figures and those who hunt Vampires and Demons.
 
* '''Rituals:''' Rituals of Belialus (called Behesael by Elves) and Sablael involve candle night vigils and ritual purification of objects and people touched by the Devils. The idea is to cast away the evil presence of the Devils (a word itself taken from the Velheim Djevel or "evil one"), because the belief is held that if their influence is cast back into the Void, that their connection with the mortal world is disrupted and they enter a state of slumber.  
===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.  
</center>
 
</tr></table>
'''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.  
:*''Click [[Unionist Liturgical Calendar|here]] for more information on the Unionist Liturgical Calendar


==Symbols==
==Priestly Activities==
Unionism isn't a specifically aniconist religion, meaning it does not rely much on images to convey itself as it's often difficult to symbolize the fate of humanity into a single image, but there are several symbols which strongly represent the religion. For nearly 300 years, a stork was the main symbol of Unionism, carrying the Spirit of Union as the stork was also the family crest animal to House Ivrae. 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. The only other major symbol beyond this one 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 wander the pages and move religious artifacts around during Sermons. As for general or common symbols, 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 as flaunting Unionist symbols is often seen as hubris.
Unionist priests are part of the so-called Covenant College. At the very top is the Secilly Council. Originally this organization had a leader called the Supreme Reverend, however the Supreme Reverend position was abolished when the last Supreme Reverend discovered insidious corruption within the religious community, tried to expose it, and was assassinated for it. To compensate, Conclave determined that the Dogmatic community should henceforth be ruled by a Council of elder Arch-Everians. Below the Secilly Council, are the Arch-Everian, which are equivalents to Dukes in the Regalian Empire. They wield considerable power and rule over vast areas of land, subdivided into Everies. Below the Arch-Everian is the Everian, or just the average priest. Each Everian administrates an Everie, which is usually a piece of land donated to the clergy where they maintain temples, shrines, and convents, while also producing crops and tending to cattle. Everians perform all religious tasks such as confession, preaching, hearing concerns, and simply taking care of Unionist needs like a social caretaker or mental health worker. Arch-Everians on the other hand are more administrative in that they take care of the treasury, any military attached to the religious orders, and communication between the Secilly Council and the vast wide-spread Unionist elements. Formally the Emperor is the leader of the Holy Seat, which is more of a group term for the Palace and the Secilly Council grouped together, but historically Emperors have interfered very little in the day to day running of the Everies, and as such, this fact is usually ignored, the Emperor being considered a completely independent entity. This has also historically separated the Emperor from controversy among the Everians, and vice versa.
==Expanded Lore==
The Expanded Lore section contains additional contextual information about the Gods. While the above sections will provide enough information to get a clear picture, there are some nuances and subtext to the Gods that are not apparent on first inspection, but that may be very useful for super-pious Characters. This section will tackle each God pair in greater detail (eventually) and discuss various additional pieces of information available for the faithful.
*[[Silent Sisters]]
*[[Pious Brothers]]
* This section is not yet fully written, as it will come very last when all other immediate Religion update tasks are done.


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

Revision as of 18:30, 14 April 2024

Unionism
Unionismlaaol.png
Religion
Pronunciation Yoon-yen-is-m
Origins Emperor Theomar
Deities
The Everwatcher and various other Gods and Goddesses
Subsects
  • The Evintarian Cult
  • The Guided Cult
  • The Armageddon Cult

Origins

Unionism as a Religion was created in the year 5 AC when Emperor Theomar (the founding Regalian Emperor) proclaimed the Creed (the holy Scripture) as visions received from the Everwatcher. In the beginnings of the Empire, the faith was slow to spread, but through providence and divine intervention, as well as Regalia's military spread and aggressive missionary proselytizing, Unionism quickly spread from its small cult-like origins to a world-religion. It has over the years also absorbed Gods from smaller religions, and included Gods form other Religions to become a very all-inclusive cosmopolitan Religion. While most other Religions are Race specific with some caveats, Unionism is a cross-Race religion that invites all Races to join under the Everwatcher.

Schisms

Unionism has had a series of schisms in the past centuries, notably the Evintarian schism which was the result of dogmatic differences and a civil war, and the Supremoclast schism which followed a more critical and humanist conscience of the people. This resulted in the Religion splitting in three (with some smaller cults that were later re-absorbed) that engaged in some degree of religious war on each other to proclaim supremacy over the concept of the Everwatcher. It took several centuries, but in recent times, the conflict wounds healed, and the priests of all Schisms came together to re-merge the religious communities, founding the Unionist Divine, which represents the current faith and priesthood. Some Cults like the Evintarian and Guided Cult still exist, however these add optional additional Gods, rather than radically diverging from religious beliefs.

Core Beliefs

Unionism is a polytheistic Religion with one single superior being and his mortal vessel on earth, and a whole host of paired Gods who all offer specific lessons of the faith. The Religion's primary objective is world domination, that is to say, to create a globe-spanning Regalian Empire that can create eternal peace and stability, and bring about paradise by banishing war and suffering and death, and bring back all the dead from the Afterlives into an eternal paradise. Each of the God Pairs (except the Vessel) provides what the Unionists call, a Golden Lesson, which acts like a virtue, and opposes a sin in the belief of Unionism. If a person dies and their soul is judged by the Everwatcher they are found to be virtuous, they join the Everwatcher on the Great Stairway where they watch down on the living in wait for paradise to come. If they are deemed sinful, they are re-incarnated in the mortal world, so they are given another chance. The following Golden Lessons can be found in Unionism:

  • Theomar and Thedmir: The Golden Lesson preaches that Unionism is good, and that spreading the faith is a virtue, and that sin is turning away from the Great Way, or outright sabotaging its intent.
  • Ness and Eora: The Golden Lesson preaches that kindness and compassion are good things, and that even the most criminal seek love and affection and are deserving, while sin is to be bereft of mercy.
  • Juvin and Glanzia: The Golden Lesson preaches that virtue is with the pure soul not tainted by the corrupt powers, and with knowing pure fact from wrong, while sin is spreading corruption and false information.
  • Allest and Brand: The Golden Lesson preaches that loyalty to the state, the army, and fellow believers is a virtue, as is physical strength, and that sin is treason, deceptiveness without morals, and adultery.
  • Elia and Leona: The Golden Lesson preaches that responsibility and protecting society is shared by everyone, no one can be excused, and that sin is to indifferent and not watching for the dangers of the world.
  • Neal and Nolven: The Golden Lesson preaches that culture and art fill the soul with light, and that even in the darkness of war is beauty, and that sin is pure blind hatred without grace or beauty.
  • Al-Asir and Marani: The Golden Lesson preaches that Technology brings forth great progress, and to share with society is a virtue, and that sin the creation of killing machines that automate death.
  • Tanthor and Dari: The Golden Lesson preaches that even the most wretched, unwanted, and outcast of society have a role in the Great Way, and that sin is to find sadism and satisfaction in hurting the unloved.
  • Mendes and Hor: The Golden Lesson preaches that wealth is there to be shared, but ultimately needed for the greatness of the faith, and that sin is to hoard wealth alone, and to steal from others.
  • Sinnavei and Eirlys: The Golden Lesson preaches that even those outside the Faith can have an indispensable role to fill in paradise, and that sin is the wanton destruction of all that is alien and unknown.
  • Caan and Kaldric: The Golden Lesson preaches that Magic and the Occult are a tainted burden that come with great responsibility, and that virtue can be found in good use, and sin in selfish destructiveness.

Divine Mechanics

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

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

Gods and Goddesses

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

Prophet Gods Theomar and Thedmir
caption
  • Name: Theomar (left) and Thedmir (right), the Prophet Gods, first believers.
  • Patron: Fathers, Rulers, Nobles, Leaders, Commanders, and Best Friends.
  • Symbols: Theomar and Thedmir are symbolized by the necklace of friendship.
  • Role: Theomar and Thedmir were the Prophets of Unionism, spreading the faith.
  • Traits: Patriarchy, Insight, Good Governance, Loyalty, Friendship, Faith.
  • Temple: The All-Beacon Temple in Regalia proper, the largest Unionist Temple.
  • Allies: Regulus Worshipers, Dáuw Worshipers, anyone in the military.
  • Enemies: In essence all Evolist worshipers, and all Vola Fornoss Gods.
  • Rituals: Theomar and Thedmir Rituals involve re-enacting the struggles of them in the early days of Unionism. This involves preaching the faith to non believers, aiding the faithful in the defense of their holy shrines and places of worship, to mediate and act as diplomat for embattled groups, and to provide spiritual guidance to the Military. Theomar and Thedmir also have rituals concerning the sanctification and re-affirmation of friendship.
Mother Gods Ness and Eora
caption
  • Name: Ness (left) and Eora (right), Empress and Chancellor in life.
  • Patron: Mothers, Healers, Caretakers, Protectors, Empaths, Martyrs.
  • Symbols: Ness's Butterfly Mask, and the Habit (head scarf) of Eora.
  • Role: Ness and Eora are the savior Goddesses of Unionism who care for believers.
  • Traits: Protective, Motherly, Nurturing, Caring, Self-Sacrificing, Forgiving.
  • Temple: The Temple of Salvation in Old-Town forest side, which doubles as Hospital.
  • Allies: Leif Worshipers, Severena Worshipers, Daiana Worshipers, Medics of any Faith.
  • Enemies: Murderers, people who adopt adults, people who attack medics/the unarmed.
  • Rituals: Ness and Eora rituals are all about forgiveness and nurturing and healing others. This may involve taking confessions, but can also involve volunteering at a medical station or healing house. Furthermore, Ness and Eora faithful travel prisons and downtrodden areas to give forgiveness to the damned, and offer them love and kindness where there is only the cold sting of rejection and apathy to the fates of the forgotten.
Pure Gods Juvin and Glanzia
caption
  • Name: Glanzia (left) Goddess of Pure Soul, and Juvin (right) God of Pure Reason.
  • Patron: Intellectuals, Mundanes, Anti-Magi, Scholars, Teachers, Archeologists.
  • Symbols: Books with the Unionist Eye and Black Granite statues of Heroes.
  • Role: To teach the faithful purity of soul (Magic-apprehension) and Logic.
  • Traits: Analytical, Apprehension, Thoughtfulness, Anti-Magical, Purist.
  • Temple: Temple of Greater Understanding, which doubles as a Library.
  • Allies: Lothar Knights, Melca Worshipers, Severena & Aurora Worshipers.
  • Enemies: Mage-Radicals, Theurgists, Those with Demon/Arken Pacts and Deals.
  • Rituals: Rituals belonging to Juvin and Glanzia usually involve the Rites of Investigation. This usually involves an in-depth investigation to some kind of mystery, for Juvin that being discovery of new information and publication to the masses, and for Glanzia to uncover hidden Mages and the Occult, and to warn the general public. General rituals and customs also just involve educating the masses on general factual information and debates of skill.
Martial Gods Allest and Brand
caption
  • Name: Allest (right) God of Warriors, Brand (left) God of Gladiators.
  • Patron: Soldiers, Generals, Commanders, Gladiators, Warriors, Homosexuals.
  • Symbols: Two crossed holy swords, one with blood, and one dripping with tears.
  • Role: To encourage fraternity and loyalty in the army, and strength of arms in warriors.
  • Traits: Brave, Boisterous, Glorious, Victorious, Martial, Dependable, Unwavering.
  • Temple: The Divine Heroic Contemplation Temple in Gloomrot Forest in Regalia.
  • Allies: Cemaan Worshipers, Bard & Njal Worshipers, Bloodcast Knights.
  • Enemies: Pacifists, cowards, enemies of Unionism and those who attack Priests.
  • Rituals: Allest and Brand were lovers in live and death, where most of their rituals involve some kind of brotherly oath, a promise to protect someone until one's dying breath, or swearing fealty and undying loyalty to an overlord in war. Allest and Brand were glorious warriors each in their own right, so in many ways, prayer before battle and battle itself is a form of worship in their names, as is love persevering through war.
Protector Gods Elia and Leona
caption
  • Name: Elia (left) Goddess the Watchful Gaze, and Leona (right) Goddess of Knights.
  • Patron: Guards, Knights, Hunters, Rangers, Explorers, Scribes, and Lesbians.
  • Symbols: Elia's Longbow and Leona's Blacksteel sword, along with Blacksteel in general.
  • Role: To teach the faithful to guard one another and be responsible for one another.
  • Traits: Chivalrous, Alert, Mindful, Responsible, Dedicated, Precise, Awareness.
  • Temple: Temple of Unyielding Overwatch which doubles as the Imperial Hunting Lodge.
  • Allies: Urlan, Knights of all Kind, Metropolitan Guards, Tame Marken, Huntsmen.
  • Enemies: Criminals, Monsters in the wild, Kathar, Argentum Knights, Womanizers.
  • Rituals: Elia and Leona were lovers in life and death, where most of their rituals involve some kind of communal or co-operative practice of the hunt or respect and support of the Knights (as well as being Knights). Knighthood is considered the greatest form of "keeping watch over society", and so many of their patrons become Knights. Other forms of rituals are couple or group hunts, and inspections of garrisons and walls and armories.
Vessel Gods Alexander and The Everwatcher
caption
  • Name: Alexander (see) Emperor of Regalia and The Everwatcher (not depicted).
  • Patron: Alexander is the Vessel of the Everwatcher, He speaks through him only.
  • Symbols: The Unionist Eye represents the Everwatcher, the Crown Alexander.
  • Role: To be living embodiment of the divine will of the Everwatcher in Regalia.
  • Traits: Divine, Sagely, Wise, All-Loving, All-Inclusive, All-Caring.
  • Temple: The Imperial Palace in essence doubles as the Temple of the Vessel.
  • Allies: Alexander is ostensibly an Ally of all and everyone who will listen.
  • Enemies: He has no Enemies. Even those who reject him in Crookback get his love.
  • Rituals: There aren't strictly any rituals for Alexander, as he is only the Temporary Vessel. When Alexander dies, the next Emperor will take his place as the Vessel God, so that only ever the living Emperor will be Vessel God. It's also worth noting that Gladiator God Brand's name in life was also Alexander, as Brand is Alexander's ancestor. The latter is styled "Alexander II", the former has the Divine name of Brand from his living nickname Bram.
Culture Gods Neall and Nolven
caption
  • Name: Neall (left) is the God of Visual Arts, Nolven (right) is the God of Military Arts.
  • Patron: Painters, Sculptors, Make-up Artists, Fashion Designers, Gardeners, Designers.
  • Symbols: Nolvens's golden radiant sword, or Neall's golden radiant paintbrush / pencil.
  • Role: To teach the faithful the facets of culture in peace and war, and to love art.
  • Traits: Creative, Artistic, Expressive, Gregarious, Welcoming, Inclusive, Visual.
  • Temple: Temple of the High Arts inside the Imperial Palace Art Galleries.
  • Allies: Artists, Njall Fornoss Worshipers, Viridian Knights, Beauty Arkenborn.
  • Enemies: Argentum Knights, the Mutated and Monstrous, Evolist Worshipers.
  • Rituals: Neall and Nolven's rituals invariably involve the combination of cultural beauty and the art of war, whether that is a dramatic renaissance-style painting of a battlefield, or finding ways to depict what is in essence militarist propaganda in beautiful ways (statues, poetry, literature, art, etc). Because art is a skill, most worshipers of Neall and Nolven tend to perform their worship by paying artists to make art, a form of patronage.
Inspired Gods Al-Asir and Marani
caption
  • Name: Al-Asir (right) the God of Invention, and Marani (left) the god of Inspiration.
  • Patron: Technicians, Engineers, Inventors, Architects, Craftsmen, Laborers.
  • Symbols: Al-Asir's golden gears, or Qadir Ailor arm tattoo shapes in glowing gold.
  • Role: Divine inspiration and guard against inventions of Evil in Technology.
  • Traits: Eureka, Technical, Resourceful, Inspired, Altruistic, Conscientious.
  • Temple: The Telocator Temple in Al-Alus, the only one outside Regalia's Empire.
  • Allies: Those that help society at large, Those that make everyone's lives easier.
  • Enemies: Death Cultists, Rishiq Qadir, Machinist Worshipers, War-Machine Inventors.
  • Rituals: Al-Asir and Marani rituals involve the act of inventing, or just tinkering with technology, reading books and improving skills, or just generally engaging in crafts from simple wood carving furniture to advanced architectural planning. The act of production for someone else, even at the cost of payments, is considered a virtuous activity for the patron Gods of Craftsmen, this is why object creations are always blessed by the Gods.
Persevering Gods Tanthor and Dari
caption
  • Name: Dari (left) and Tanthor (right) are the Allar and Kathar Gods of the Forgotten.
  • Patron: No specific Patronage, they are for the Downtrodden, Forgotten and Unwanted.
  • Symbols: Golden neck chains or other forms of personal restraint around the neck.
  • Role: To bless even the weakest and most unwanted in society with strength to go on.
  • Traits: Dignified, Charitable, Austere, Sharing, Seeking Equity over Equality.
  • Temple: There currently is no Temple, it was demolished in Crookback for housing.
  • Allies: Tanthor and Dari see any and all who want to be included in Regalia as Allies.
  • Enemies: Tanthor and Dari see anyone who kicks down on the downtrodden as enemies.
  • Rituals: Dari and Tanthor mostly give hope to the lost that there is still a place for them in the Everwatcher's Grace and the Regalian Empire. Rituals of Dari and Tanthor often involve charity and bringing care and warmth to the poor, the dispossessed, the unwanted, and to show compassion and no bigotry against those who look or act different. They involve rituals to combat racism, discrimination, and general radical inclusion, perhaps, even Vampires.
Prosperity Gods Mendes and Hor
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  • Name: Mendes (left) and Hor (right) are the Gods of Prosperity and Wealth.
  • Patron: Merchants, Bankers, Traders, Shopkeepers, Bureaucrats, the Filthy Rich.
  • Symbols: The Golden Coins of Union, Regal Coins with the Eyes of the Everwatcher.
  • Role: To bless the people with wealth and prosperity and good wit in commerce.
  • Traits: Business Acumen, Opulent, Responsible, Self-Sufficient, Insightful.
  • Temple: The Temple of Mendes and Hor is the Regalian Central Bank and Exchange.
  • Allies: Mendes and Hor see anyone who spreads Order and Stability as Allies.
  • Enemies: Mendes and Hor see anyone who spreads Anarchy and Chaos as Enemies.
  • Rituals: It perhaps sounds ironic, but one of the most common forms of worship to Mendes and Hor is paying taxes. The act of paying taxes is considered virtuous, because it both shows a willingness to part with wealth, and a willingness to trust the State to do good by the people with said Taxes, and to contribute to communal greatness. Other rituals involve squeezing foreigners for money and signing unequal trade treaties with foreign merchants.
Allied Gods Sinnavei and Eirlys
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  • Name: Sinnavei (left) Goddess of the Elves, Eirlys (right) Goddess of the Tribes.
  • Patron: Solvaan, Elves, Breizh Ailor, Pre-Empire Tribes, Ancient peoples, heritage.
  • Symbols: The Sollerian Mist-Gryphon, and the Breizh Santwr, Feather-Winged Warriors.
  • Role: To show that non-believers and outsiders may find Solace and Alliance in Faith.
  • Traits: Arcane, Enchanting, Ancient, Glory of Ages, Respect, Venerability of Age.
  • Temple: Bryn Dwyfol in Kintyr, and The Skyward Palace in the capital of Solleria.
  • Allies: Sinnavei and Eirlys see any who would join Regalia's ambitions as Allies.
  • Enemies: Sinnavei and Eirlys see any who would obstruct Regalia's ambitions as enemies.
  • Rituals: Rituals of Sinnavei and Eirlys involve (much like Tanthor and Dari) radical inclusion, but as opposed to Regalia's own citizens, that of outsiders. To ally with other faiths for the good in the world, to respect outsiders, to give them human decency and dignity, and to help them help the faith. It also involves healing racial tensions, and uncovering and sharing ancient lost knowledge to the world for the wisdoms that it may hold.
Burdened Gods Caan and Kaldric
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  • Name: Kaldric (left) and Caan (right) are the Gods of Burdened but Beautiful Magic.
  • Patron: Mages, Aelrrigan Knights, Arcane Researchers, those seeking Redemption.
  • Symbols: Kaldric's horned bramble crown, and Caan's Arcane tome symbolisms.
  • Role: To teach the faithful proper & virtuous Magic usage, and warn for corruption.
  • Traits: Self-Sacrificing, Penitent, Humble, Pious, Stalwart, Holy, Paladins.
  • Temple: The Hall of Golden Ascension in the Holy Agatha Mountains of Regalia.
  • Allies: Those who use Magic respectfully, virtuous, and care for world & others.
  • Enemies: Those who abuse Magic for selfish or hedonistic purposes and ego.
  • Rituals: Kaldric and Caan rituals involve forms of self-sacrifice and penitence. Self-flagellation is one form of self-punishment practiced by some of their worshipers, but other forms of self-enforced humility through the praising or service of others are also common. Kaldric (once called Kristoph in life) is more for the self-loathing/punishing Mages and Occult, while Caan is more for the restrained and dignified Mages and Occult.

Cults

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

Evintarian Cult

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

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

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

Exist/Void Gods Kithemon and Amandaros
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  • Name: Kithemon (left) Protector of Minds and Amandaros (right) Protector of Proginy.
  • Patron: Kithemon, Patron of protections against the dark arts, and Amandaros of parents.
  • Symbols: The shielded silhouette of a head, and a tree of descendance or ancestry.
  • Role: Kithemon protects from mind incursions, while Amandaros helps with childbirth.
  • Traits: Resolute, Stalwart, Protecting, and Hedonistic, Capricious, Lustful.
  • Temple: The Temple of Ethereal Naether in the capital of Aetosil, Regalian Empire.
  • Allies: Leyon and Sapphora faithful, Aelrrigan Knights, those with big families.
  • Enemies: Those that bargain with Arken and Demons, the possessed, and incels.
  • Rituals: Kithemon and Amandaros rituals vary greatly, as they are obviously very different. Kithemon rituals involves seeking out and revealing the corruption of Spirits and mind control affecting others and then freeing them. Amandaros rituals involve hedonistic self-satisfying parties, preferably those which involve in copious amounts of romantic matches or flings that may expand the population through conventional means.
Ordial/Primal Gods Yvasi and Eredicos
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  • Name: Yvasi (left) Bringer of Self-Love and Eredicos (right) of Elder Wisdom.
  • Patron: Those struggling with anxiety/depression, and children of heritage.
  • Symbols: The mask of anonimity, and the banner of command and the staff of rule.
  • Role: Yvasi to help believers become their true self, Eredicos to embody ancestors.
  • Traits: Guiding, Mentorly, Authoritative, Venerable, Wise, Erudite and Thorough.
  • Temple: The House of the Patrilineal Divinity in the capital of Aetosil.
  • Allies: Urlan, Therapists, Estelley and Fornoss Priests, the Elderly.
  • Enemies: Bigots who bully on matters of identity, and those who betray family.
  • Rituals: Yvasi and Eredicos rituals similarly diverge due to their diverging nature, but they are more similar than Kithemon and Amandaros. Many of the rituals for Yvasi and Eredicos converge on praising and worship of ancestors, to showcase the skill and achievements of ancestors, and to keep a clean grave or shrine to them. Yvasi has rituals of self exploration, meditation, and both also have rituals with experimentation with self-presentation.

Guided Cult

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

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

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

Dragon Gods Nicholas and Aarthes
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  • Name: Nicholas (left) and Aarthes (right), Gods of political and architectural design.
  • Patron: Intellectuals, strategists, philosophers, diplomats, patriarchs and matriarchs.
  • Symbols: The scepter of regality, government buildings, the Regalian state banner.
  • Role: Nicholas teaches those in positions of power responsibility and careful design.
  • Traits: Foresight, Calculated, Intellectual, Informed, Responsible, Unwavering.
  • Temple: The Golden Seed Temple in Axford, capital of Anglia, Regalian Archipelago.
  • Allies: Regulus faithful, those who favor charisma and speech over combat.
  • Enemies: Chaos agents and those who would disrupt the order and stability of states.
  • Rituals: Nicholas and Aarthes rituals involve the bridging of duality, to seek out "the mind" and "the body" in friendships, and form a perfect union between the person who plans and thinks, and the person who acts and completes. The intention is to build friendships from unlikely partners, to create unbreakable bonds and collaborative efforts that showcase the perfection cooperation, that dependency is not weakness but beautiful and meaningful.
Dragon Gods Morgan and Narsil
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  • Name: Morgan (left) and Narsil (right), Gods of the corrupted excellence.
  • Patron: Those who question leadership and faith in the right and respectful ways.
  • Symbols: The Cobra hooded head, and the snake-forked tongue and snake-hair head.
  • Role: Morgan and Narsil exist as warnings to blind faith and unquestioning obedience.
  • Traits: Selfish, Greedy, Cruel, Wroth, Prideful, Hyper-Competent, Self-assured.
  • Temple: Morgan and Narsil don't have an official Temple because of vandalism.
  • Allies: Slizzar, Criminals, Gang Leaders, Spies, Saboteurs, and Rogues.
  • Enemies: Those who use Emperor, Faith, or Law, to justify cruelty and evil.
  • Rituals: Rituals of Morgan and Narsil are less in service to them, and more in deterrence to the qualities of Morgan. The most common form of ritual is the Public Examination, where large crowds gather in front of a speaking stand, where citizens and commoners hold a public debate on the competency and virtues and morality of an individual in office or power, as a means to hold them accountable to good governance and keep them on the right track.

Armageddon Cult

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

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

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

Anticipating Gods Celestina and Eòin
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  • Name: Celestina (left) and Eòin (right), Gods of service for bounties they may never see.
  • Patron: Doomsday preppers, Purists, Demon Hunters, Vampire Hunters, Anti-Evolists.
  • Symbols: The Habit and mask of the Silent Sisters, and the Imperial Guard Seal.
  • Role: Celestina and Eòin teach the virtue of doing good without material reward.
  • Traits: Altruistic, Resolute, Combative, Unforgiving, Unrelenting, Prepared.
  • Temple: The Divine Advent Temple in Regalia, found in the countryside on roads.
  • Allies: Those that fight, restrain, or otherwise hamper the forces of the Void.
  • Enemies: Evolists, Kathar, Demons, Theurgists, Those that consort with Demons.
  • Rituals: Celestina and Eòin represent the spoken word and the prepared mind, and the physical arm and execution of the divine plan. Their rituals involve preparing one's self, or the world around one, for the inevitable Armageddon, and to find peace in the fact that all the toil of a lifetime may not ever see fruits while alive, and that the benefit of one's labor must be for one's descendants or those who come after. and never for one's self.
Endwar Devils Belialus and Sablael
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  • Name: Belialus(left) devil of the Sanguine, and Sablael (right) devil of Shadows.
  • Patron: The Devils are not patrons, they are entities to appease into inaction.
  • Symbols: The Vampiric Curse, the twisted and coiling shadow, and the hooked tail.
  • Role: Belialus and Sablael act as a focal point of a clearly defined evil to fight.
  • Traits: Destructive, Corrupting, Seducing, Enrapturing, Dangerous, Evil.
  • Temple: No official Temple, but Vampires worship in the House of Blood in the sewers.
  • Allies: Those who would seek evolution and advances through the Demonic and Void.
  • Enemies: Paladins, Priests, Holy Figures and those who hunt Vampires and Demons.
  • Rituals: Rituals of Belialus (called Behesael by Elves) and Sablael involve candle night vigils and ritual purification of objects and people touched by the Devils. The idea is to cast away the evil presence of the Devils (a word itself taken from the Velheim Djevel or "evil one"), because the belief is held that if their influence is cast back into the Void, that their connection with the mortal world is disrupted and they enter a state of slumber.

Priestly Activities

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

Expanded Lore

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

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

Trivia

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