Divinism (Prach)
There is an ideal world somewhere that contains the perfect version of everything. This church is the backbone of getting there. They are the law, the ruling class, the peasantry. The church has an incredible amount of power, and wields it as per the council's decision. Each region on the continent of Drask has a chosen council member who will represent them in the meetings of the church every decade, and in emergency meetings.
Structure
From the 101 regions defined on Drask, there are 101 high priests chosen to meet on the highest mountain in the Lithic range to discuss matters pertaining to the continent and elect the new sitting head of the religion if the previous one dies. Interestingly enough, the path and mountain are some of the only parts in the range not controlled by any nation precisely so that territorial disputes can be settled at the council.
Public Agenda
To uphold order and facilitate a better world. They wish to see the world prosper and move towards its more perfect end.
Assets
Due to the collections of tithe from every single country on the continent, with the exception of several of the merchant nations in the east which have negotiated a separate deal and are not covered by the overall extent of divinism, the church has grown very rich. Buildings built by the church count as sacred ground, and are meant to be held as neutral spaces within kingdoms.
Much of the might held by the church is the threat of the judicators, there are close to 600 of them total, and they are meant to uphold the laws of justice that the church declares as right. They are highly trained and are said to easily be able to kill a hundred armed men without batting an eye.
History
Many have tried to find the beginning of the church. Most have traced the roots of the philosophy to the self proclaimed holy city of Seraphelia. Although the city's prominence in the religion is disputed, most scholars agree that it probably started here. It likely rose to dominance within the empire of Seraph (whose capital city was Seraphelia) over a period of around a hundred years. Through a massive civil war, the empire of Seraph fractured into pieces, and, wishing to avert a similar scale of conflict again, the religious heads set up a meeting every decade to discuss affairs and look for solutions within the new fractured states. Through manipulation, trade, and war, the religion eventually spread across the mountains to western Drask. After most nations in the west converted, it was declared that the church would meet in the Lithic mountains instead of Seraphelia, as it is to this day.
Mythology & Lore
There is an ideal world which has the ideal version of everything within it. It is said that this world is where souls go after people die. A heavenly kingdom exists there, ruled over by The Divine, who is the perfect version of a king. He rules with a perfect version of justice and a perfect economy. There is no needs in this world, since everything is perfect. It is said that in life, people must strive to be the perfect version of themselves to eventually reach this ideal world.
Cosmological Views
This world believes that they live on a world, like the perfect blue and green orb they see in the sky. They exist to cross the endless barrier and reach this other world.
Tenets of Faith
1. Take no other's life, they are entitled to their own fate.
2. Become the ideal version of one's self. Prepare one's soul to be taken into the afterlife.
3. Using the soul robs the Divine of his rightful subjects
Priesthood
Priests can be appointed by any other priest (or any member of the church with higher rank), who traditionally take on an apprentice to their work of guiding the people to reach their ideal. Their clothes are generally simple, and distinguished with the embroidered symbol of the Divine on their robes. They get money directly from the church's funds, with a salary set by the appointed high priest of the area.
Granted Divine Powers
By putting oneself in alignment with the divine, the priests are forfeit to their afterlife, instead focused on helping others to get there. To this end, they can use their own soul to fuel the stones.
Political Influence & Intrigue
Divinism is the most widespread and powerful religion on the continent of Drask. If anyone violates a tenant of the religion, they can be judged by the judicators, even if they are a king. High Priests oftentimes get bribes to put in good words about dukes and kings that they represent, or cover up actions that they have done. The religion decides treaties of war as well as the rules of warfare, and punishes those who violate it.
In pursuit of the ideal
Founding Date
-2000
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Alternative Names
Smoke from the Fire, Smoke, Bellers, Divinism
Demonym
Follower of the Divine, Follower
Leader
Subsidiary Organizations
Deities
Location
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