The Church of Luminous Sterility
"Stark and plain, white and unmarred by the ruination and change of the Void; this is the truth of the Creator's light. We men, in our arrogance, have raised up false icons and arts in the place of the unstained light, and it is the duty of men to unmake these things, to better achieve the image of our Creator."Since the discovery of Daemons in Saluët, the cult has done little to extract the threat, other than stage crude witch hunts, which have since resulted in deaths of Daemons, but mostly of innocent civilians. It is likely that the Daemons have always been a driving force in the cult, whether the Ministers knew so or not.
Structure
The cult is maintained by a number of men who call themselves Ministers, who lead services and preach the word of their cult. Beneath them, there are none, and the cult itself is highly unorganized.
Public Agenda
The cult intends to convince all people to destroy anything that they deem is "unnecessarily opulent" which generally covers anything decorative or culturally meaningful, as they believe it offends the "purity and simplicity of the Light."
Assets
History
The cult formed in the year 2700 of the Age of Silence, and in 2798, it was banned in Lindon and the Saxonian Empire. Exiled, the cultists fled to Mëria in the year 2806, thirty years after the Mërian Civil War, and established a state in the far North of the country. There, they built the city of Saluët, and named their state "Salvation."
Demography and Population
The population of the state of Salvation, which the cult operates, is primarily composed of Lindons, who hail from the kingdom of Lindon on the continent of Anglëa. These are the descendants of the original members of the cult who were exiled in 2798 of the Age of Silence. Likewise, there are a number who are of Saxon descent who also trace back to members of the cult exiled from Saxonia in the same year. Both groups live side by side, and mingle often to the point that they rarely distinguish one from the other. The average family will produce around 3-4 children, and most individuals will live to be upwards of 90 years, thanks to the frigid climate stifling the spread of particularly nasty pathogens.
Territories
The cult originated in Lindon, but was exiled, and now controls the state of Salvation in Mëria from its capitol of Saluët. The land of Salvation itself is a harsh tundra, bordered on the West by the Colossal's Spine and on the East by the Amian Heights. In the Southern portion of the land, there grows the thick pine forests of the Velkyrian Woods
Military
The cult has a modest armed militia at its disposal, primarily occupied with keeping the peace and defending against invasion rather than fighting wars of invasion.
Technological Level
Early Renaissance (by our reckoning)
Religion
The cult claims to worship the Creator, He who made the Universe in the very beginning. They claim, however, that the Creator never intended for things to become so complex and ornate, and that nature itself is a kind of abhorration against His divine plan. Thus, their holy places are bland and utilitarian, and they prefer to build all their structures this way. They keep leisure to a bare minimum, and decry most frivolity as blasphemous.
Foreign Relations
The relations the cult has with neighbors are largely neutral. The leadership of the cult is cautious with their tongues to avoid getting their organization forcibly removed by agitated neighbors. Most contact between the cult and its neighboring states comes in the form of trade, as the state of Salvation is rich in lumber and stone. Since luxury items like precious metals and gems are seen as heretical by the cult, any such materials uncovered are exported at costs much lower than other states could feasibly achieve, and the profits from this are used solely to maintain the infrastructure of the state and the equipment of the militia forces.
Worship
There are a series of prayers developed by the Ministers for the lay people to offer up at different times of the day or for specific situations, all of which including mention of restoring simplicity to one's life and aversion from excess and luxury. Once a week, members gather together to worship,
Priesthood
The leaders of the cult are known as Ministers. They oversee matters of dogma, and are given authority over the state as well. For dress code, they were either plain black or plain white wool suits over white linens, while most average folk will wear more casual attire, when outside of services. A Minister is appointed after having completed a set of courses overseen by already established Ministers.
"Simplicity is the will of the Creator"
Type
Religious, Cult
Capital
Alternative Names
Bucklers, Sticklers
Training Level
Semi-trained
Veterancy Level
Trained
Demonym
Salvëtians
Government System
Theocracy
Power Structure
Semi-autonomous area
Economic System
Barter system
Currency
Mërian dollars are the accepted currency by the church, as the state it governs does not mint its own.
Legislative Body
The laws are written by a council of Ministers of the cult, and the foremost among them, designated as Chief Minister, approves the laws brought before him. These laws may be later contested by the council, and repealed if enough votes are reached (being a 3/5 majority).
Judicial Body
The judicial body is composed of Ministers of the cult who do not hold current positions on the Council, and their job is to determine the punishment for those who transgress the laws. Interpretation of the laws, however, is decided by the Council before each trial, to set the expectations for justice.
Official State Religion
Permeated Organizations
Location
Controlled Territories
Is it possible for them to have a patron or sponsor? Perhaps someone that has been redeemed by their message of simplicity but unwilling to completely follow their gospel or someone so weak-willed by a frivolous life that they rebound the total opposite way and compulsively try to extend the church's sterile life-path? I ask because I think it could help explain how they have been so successful in forming and defending Saluët, given their "spartan" view, the negative view the populace seems to have in regards to them, their eschewing of material goods and renouncing of nature as "abhorent". This sponsor could offer the military forces and other resources that protect and nourish them without compromising their devotion to the simple path of the light.
Thanks for the advice. I have been tossing around ideas for the more righteous members of the cult and some who've taken influence from their philosophies. In regards to how the cult is perceived, they've largely isolated themselves in their state, which has geographical barriers to most organized invasions, and the militia conscripted by the cult deals best in guerrilla tactics; the winters of their state, Salvation, are also particularly brutal, so long campaigns become too costly to maintain, and there are more prevalently threatening neighbors to the states that border Salvation. I'll be adding these details to this article, as well as making sure such additions line up with what is stated in my article on the territory itself.