Church of the One Sun
The Church of the One Sun is the official faith of the Jakonian Empire and several other nations which once lived under it. They are a monotheistic faith, which believes in the sun itself being a benevolent deity that shields the world and civilization from destruction. They are notoriously xenophobic and view most races beyond humans as abominations as best, incapable of salvation. Only elves, dwarves, and halflings are tolerated in day to day life, and occasionally even as members of the Church in certain communities.
Structure
The Church of the One Sun is headed up by the Greater Hierarch. He is selected from the Council of Heirarchs which is a group of the highest ranked priests from across the lands under the influence of the Church. Every major township and city contributes a representative to the Council, and lesser villages and hamlets are often included within the jurisdiction of the largest nearby settlement. The Greater Hierarch appoints a selection of Council members to act as heads of the various departments of the Church, including subordinate holy orders such as the Monastic Brotherhood and the Fellowship of the Palm. Below the Councillors are the variety of bureaucrats and priests who make up the bulk of the Church's clergy, administering to the day to day affairs of the followers of the faith.
Public Agenda
The Church of the One Sun's public agenda is the salvation of as many souls as possible from Hell, and the expansion of their faith. They condemn any pagan faiths and polytheists, claiming that such worship condemns their followers to an eternity of suffering. The Church publicly stands behind the Jakonian Empire, and the Greater Hierarch and Jakonian Emperor meet with nearly daily frequency to discuss affairs of state and church. The Church pledges to protect the light of civilization, and believes that their efforts, and the efforts of the Empire are intertwined, with the preservation and protection of everything that is considered to be the modern world.
Assets
The Church maintains a vast treasury, richer perhaps than some of the great high elf banking houses. Thanks to the tithes and donations of the public, and exemption from taxation within the empire, the Church is the wealthiest single organization in the whole of Emicara. This opulence is seen in their magnificent cathedrals and the artwork often sponsored by the Church. A goodly amount of this treasury is also dedicated to military might, and the expansion of the militarist assets of the Church.
The Church's military might consists of two martial holy orders and a standing army of fervent fighters and paladins. The two holy orders that receive their pay from the Church are the Fellowship of the Palm and the Monastic Brotherhood, each consisting of warrior monks with their own styles of combat and contributions to the Church. The Holy Army is the only independent military force within the Jakonian Empire, but it works hand and hand with the Empire when Jakonia is under threat of war or invasion. The Holy Army is also free to engage on its own terms, and functions much like a mercenary host, contributing to conflicts abroad even with nations that are technically at peace with the Empire.
In order to project power, the Church of the One Sun maintains fortified monasteries within Columba, Orrland, Jakonia, Capcora, Augustin, Bamard, Forard, and Losana. These institutions are essentially powerful fortresses, castles in all but name. These towering citadels are prepared to house and feed over five hundred soldiers for prolonged sieges and act as a built-in base for support should the Empire invade once more.
History
The Church of the One Sun is said to be a reformed version of the faith once followed by the Nameless Empire. After the collapse of the Nameless Empire, those of faith were cast adrift, with the entire world on fire around them. Those who survived the conflagration were typically those who helped organize their communities against the depravities of the world. The various towns on the Jakonian Peninsula were predominantly organized around these faithful leaders. Through charitable givings and the distribution of surplus foods, they helped maintain the faith in the goodwill of man and humanity. The Fellowship of the Palm was the largest of these movements, sprawling up and down the eastern coast, but they lacked management and direction and were constantly bickering among themselves over resources.
The rise of the Jakonians, emerging from a village in the center of the peninsula which has been lost to history, led to their rapid and incredible conquest of most of the southern half of the peninsula in 110 AF. The first Overseers of what would be eventually the Jakonian Empire were not religious themselves, but they saw the value in allying with those who were. Negotiations with the Fellowship of the Palm led to the consolidation of the myriad of churches and holy orders across the southern peninsula, and they established the original Church of the One Sun and Council of Hierarchs. The Monastic Brotherhood, a more reclusive and militaristic faith, reached a similar accord in 135, bringing the nations of Columba and Orrland into line with the newly unified faith.
The Church of the One Sun left its peninsular origins with the beginning of Jakonia's conquest of the known world in 187. Everywhere the armies of Jakonian went, the Church of the One Sun followed. The other remnants of the faiths of the old world were absorbed or annihilated, depending on their level of resistance to conquest. The Church was spread by the sword across the whole of Emicara, and experienced its greatest glories with the height of the Empire. Emperors were chosen by the Church, and it was considered that the true government of the Empire was one and the same with the Council of Hierarchs.
The Church was separated from affairs of state long before Jakonia's decline. In the sixth century AF, the emperors of the time were less than interested in sharing power with a group of holy men. Laws were passed, and the attitudes of the public shifted against the Church and its perceived corruption and decay. The clergy did what they had always done, trim the sails and follow the line, knowing that history and fate would eventually turn back towards them. This attitude was rewarded after the Battle of Conecuh Lake in 840, and the decline of Jakonia's empire was seen as destiny for the emperors' flaunting of their power over the Church. As the emperors' power declined over Emicara, the Church's grew, and they became more aggressive in their expansion efforts.
This led to the recent conflict in the Sypi Confederacy, as the Church of the One Sun won over several key tribes and towns to their faith. The reaction was brutal, as the Church's methods led to ample dissent. Led by Quico Bienombe, the people of the Confederacy waged a brutal civil war from 1019 to 1025, which ended in the complete expulsion of the Church from Confederate territory. In 1022 the Church suffered a similar defeat with the Riveraineville Revolution, which ousted those who had given them ample support over the decades. The Church now is focused upon consolidation and licking its wounds from their recent setbacks.
Mythology & Lore
According to the Church's dogma, the sun itself is the representation of all that is good and bright about civilization and its trappings throughout the world. According to their scriptures, the sun sent down a manifestation of itself millennia before the Nameless Empire even existed. This avatar brought about peace and unity, teaching the human people how to live in the harshest of environs throughout the world. The avatar also looked upon the elf oppression of the world and helped humanity learn ways of power, both magic and mundane, warning them to use it with caution. Led by the avatar, humanity rose up against the elves and cast down their empire and sealed them away to their own plane. Unfortunately, the avatar gave his life in the process, sacrificing himself for the salvation of humankind.
Please with the destruction of the elves, the One Sun offered warmth and its blessings upon mankind, and they thrived and expanded throughout the world. However, through the use of extravagant magic and technology, humans lost the favor of the sun. The Sun is said to have shone brighter than ever before, lighting the world aflame, and burning all of the great nations of man. Only the region of Emicara was preserved, home of the followers of the true faith, allowing the formation of the Church and the resurrection of a simpler, more fundamental base of worship.
Cosmological Views
According to the teachings of the Church, the world was a barren rock, until the light of the One Sun began shining upon it. From those humble origins, the Sun guided the creation of life, both flora and fauna, warming the world and casting aside the icy darkness. The One Sun is said to have emerged from the endless Void, acting as a solitary brightness, alongside its infinite brothers, the stars scattered throughout the Void, each bringing life and light throughout the cosmos.
Tenets of Faith
Sun Followers believe in a series of commandments guiding against petty and major crimes, issuing that life is sacred in the eyes of the sun, except when it applies to abominations and beings sent up from other planes. In addition to the crimes prohibited under scripture, which now act as the foundation of most Jakonian law, it is believed that beings from other planes cannot take up residence in the Celestial Realm upon death. Creatures from other planes are said to lack true souls, and while some can be tolerated, others must be purged or eliminated whenever possible. Day to day, most Sun Followers actually live and let live, but according to the Church, a member of the faith who dies in the process of attempting to cleanse the world of abominations is automatically granted a reward of eternal paradise in the Celestial Realm.
The core tenet of the Church's faith is confession. When a person passes, they are said to be judged by not the Sun itself, but by those who lived before them righteously for the Sun. In order to appease these beings, throughout life, one must confess their sins and trespasses to the clergy, which is a task solemnly undertaken by those of the cloth. By receiving confession, individuals can wipe clean their offenses, assuming they make recompense as prescribed by the Church.
Sects
There are two monastic sects within the Church of the One Sun: The Monastic Brotherhood and the Fellowship of the Palm. These two sects are founding members of the Church, dating back to its early history. The Monastic Brotherhood is a martial order dedicated to the obtaining and preservation of relics of the Nameless Empire and the One Sun. Their agents spread throughout the world, believing that all relics of ancient man are sacred reminders of what has been lost and what has still to be achieved. Unlike the rest of the Church they do not view the time before the collapse of the Nameless Empire as one to be ignored, but rather one to be studied and examined as a way of learning the lessons of the past.
The Fellowship of the Palm on the other hand is the most extreme portion of the faith. The Fellowship is made up of dedicated xenophobes who believed that the only good nonhuman is a dead nonhuman. The Fellowship trains extensively on the best ways to kill monsters and nonhumans, learning obscure marital arts and techniques for waging war. Their fanaticism often places them at odds with the Monastic Brotherhood, as Fellowship inquisitors are constantly on the lookout for any breath of heresy within the Church's boundaries. Very few members of the Fellowship openly express their allegiance, as that would be at odds with their often covert missions, but when they are elected to the Council of Hierarchs, they often show their true colors in guiding the diplomatic courses of the Church
The Church of St. Keshush is often considered to be a breakaway sect of the Church of the One Sun. Unlike the Church, the followers of St. Keshush choose not to worship the Sun itself, but instead its avatar. They are considered incredibly heretical by the Church, and this has led to the outbreak of numerous wars between Keshushites and the Church. A key reason for ideological differences is that the Church of St. Keshush actually embraces other races and believes that all sapient creatures have equal opportunity for salvation under the Sun.
Through the Light, Salvation
Founding Date
135
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Demonym
Sun Follower
Leader
Subsidiary Organizations
Permeated Organizations
Deities
Divines
Location
Notable Members
Comments