Religion (A)

Religion is so closely intertwined with magic that it is not even its own institution. Historically, religion has been a branch of mageocratic governance. Most of the formalities were wiped from The Empire as a part of Imperial reform, though the old ways are kept alive in places such as Ilthyria.

Values & Tenants
Many of these religious values have disseminated and become cultural values, detached from their religions origin.


 * 1) Will: The body serves the mind. Determination and focus are deeply virtuous.
 * 2) Intuition: Truth must be felt to be known. The rational mind is mundane.
 * 3) Blood: The nature of a person cannot be changed, except through transcendence; it is "written in the blood." Ancestry is very important.

Life after death
After death, the spirit is said to pass into another realm, where it is given rest and the opportunity to transform (what is known as transcendence). Afterwards, it will be shown into life again. The cycle will repeat 22 times, after which the spirit waits in the other realm for the coming of The Last.

The 22
There are 22 Supreme Beings (Gods/Goddesses) in the pantheon. All are considered to be technically androgynous, but 11 are depicted and referred to as female while 11 are depicted and referred to as male (these are not sequential). Each has an aspect and their own realm of control. Though they all have names, they are often called by their sequential number (e.g. "The eleventh").

The most important are known as The First and Last. The First, (Amita, typically female), is the creator Goddess who made the world as we know it. The Last (Oulam, typically male) will end it by merging the spirit realm and the human world into one again.

Archmage Worship
Archmages are considered divine prophets, avatars, saints, or otherwise inextricably connected. They are considered the point of contact between the human and the divine. Each Archmage is said to speak for a different number of the Divine, and enact that being's will on earth. The coming of the 22nd Archmage, or The Last, precipitates the end of the world.

The Empress's divine number is 14. The extreme unpopularity of her rule in religious areas have corresponded with her associated divine, Meliora, becoming known as The Defector and treated with suspicion and hatred.

It is worth noting that there is no evidence that religious officials are keeping an accurate count.