Celestian Theocracy

The Providence of Celestian, the religious power behind the Celestian Theocracy, also simply known as Celestianism, is a resurgent belief system revolving around the augury of heavenly bodies. It grew to prominence after a period of anarchy, gradually bringing the continent to heel with a new sense of direction and purpose. For nearly three centuries the Theocracy has ruled the majority of the land and its peoples.  
The theocracy operates many monasteries that control agriculture and industry across most of the continent. Commercial success in the contemporary period has fueled the power of this main denomination. Being an ancient belief system, however, Celestianism has split into multiple variations of itself, each with their own minor followings in every region.
The main tenets of the leading denomination revolve around teaching a respect of order and continuity in contrast to the impermanence of the mortal plane. These teachings are often passed on through weekly gatherings and readings by spiritual leaders. Celestianism teachings come from clergy members who are said to have reached a form of enlightenment. They often express their beliefs through chants, meditation, and study of the stars.

Public Agenda

Directing the people of Asada to a prosperous and ordered future.

History

In millennia past, the land of Asada was home to the prominent Miropan Empire. The Empire was ruled by multiple dynasties of pharaonic kings that held absolute power. At their height, they controlled the entirety of the continent and had a highly ordered society based on a caste system. People could advance through the caste tiers of society, but only through great deeds that marked them as worthy of ascension by the tier they would be entering. As time went on the caste system was reorganized multiple times when nobility began to lose their exclusivity on the reigns of power. These reformations often led to years of general unrest as the society reached new equilibrium.
Further tension was placed on the Miropan Empire when it began to encounter outsiders from across the seas. The interactions and subsequent realization of the differences in these new societies from the Empire caused a clamor for more extensive reform in than had ever been attempted. The reigning pharaoh at the time made the ultimate decision to bar outsiders from entering Asada, making it an isolationist state. It was formally declared that this move was to protect the culture of Asada from degenerate alien influences.
The isolationist state was able to hold control for a handful of decades (records with exact dates at this period become unclear), but the pharaonic kings lost all support not only from the common people, but the nobility as well. The Miropan Empire lost all cohesion as people openly began disregarding their castes and the policies of isolation, leading to a swift collapse.
In the four centuries after the fall of the Miropan Empire, society on Asada regressed to mostly local governance. Outsiders gained access to the land and social mingling and small amount of import/export trade became common in some areas. Settlements controlled their immediate surroundings and maintained loose ties with neighbors. What eventually ended this was a rise in religious fervor as people sought answers to more than their now meager existences. The Providence of Celestian quickly rose in prominence during this time as it promised a rise from the failures of the past by providing direct guidance from a god that would lead to a prosperous future.
The movement began gradually, but as more and more settlements aligned themselves with the faith, the land of Asada did indeed grow into a cultured society with a powerful economy that benefited all over the next two centuries. The Asada of the present day, guided by the faith, is the continuing result of this and is on equal standing with other national powers.

Demography and Population

The population of Asada, across all three landmasses, is reported to be 16.4 million by the Theocracy. Demographics for the continent show a roughly equal split between the two most common races: Genasi and Tabaxi, with the latter slightly more abundant.

• Genasi- 34%
• Human- 12%
• Tabaxi- 48%
• Other- 6%

Territories

Description of the landmass can be found in the main article on Asada

Military

The Aegis

During the waning days of the Anarchy, as the power of Celestianism became more prominent, towns and cities began to hire mercenary bands in the name of the Faith to protect themselves and show that they could bring an end to the chaos ruling the land. These bands were unified under the name Bright Aegis, a shining shield to protect the people of Asada from the dark past and guide them to a safe future. Where the Bright Aegis went, order did eventually take hold. Criminal groups and raiders were destroyed or went further underground. And soon afterwards, the priests and the curates would come to minister to the saved populations. Ranks swelled as people joined in gratitude or sought the benefits of being part of a larger group. This formed a militant branch of the Faith never imagined before.
The modern Theocracy, interestingly, still works without a formal standing army. After the Theocracy reclaimed Asada, the Bright Aegis declined in size and power, but was still instrumental in the security of the land. Over one century ago, the Bright Aegis was reorganized into two groups. Currently, the first of these groups is made up of trained men and women that operate across the continent as an all-purpose force, known as the Vast Aegis. These troops serve as regional security detachments, border patrol, and town/city guards. The bulk of the 200,000 are scattered over Asada in groups of a few hundred to a few thousand. The largest "armies" guard the major cities and the capital. The bishops are heavily protected by a form of specially trained elite guards directly under their command, known as the Starry Aegis. Further, the Archbishop has his own private detachment of Starry Aegis personally selected for their service by him to serve as his personal guard.

Foreign Relations

Brovian Imperium The Imperium imports exotic foods, spices, and materials from the Theocracy on a regular basis. The infusion of revenue the latter gets from trade has helped bolster Asada's relatively weak economy.
Glayswen Confederacy Relations bewteen these two organizations is cool, but non-hostile. The trade deal that the Theocracy holds with the Imperium was a source of tension with the Glayswen Confederacy. The Confederacy asked for a similar trading agreement for the sake of equality and neutrality, but Asada refused. The Theocracy continues trade with the Brovian Imperium unrestricted as the Confederacy lacks the naval power to disrupt it or to risk creating another front in the Great War.
Dwarven Kingdom of Jord Jord exports metalworks and minerals to Asada in exchange for additional foods and the two are amiable.

Cosmological Views

Celestian, god of the stars, endlessly traverses the void between worlds, but tangles a web of portents and fate through the stars as he goes. It is believed that through dedicated study these cosmic rifts and patterns can be read and used to anticipate, or even direct, events on the world.

Tenets of Faith

In its most basic and ideal form, worship of Celestian has always revolved around knowledge, seeking out answers, and traveling new ways to see things from different perspectives. Augury of the stars for signs and portents of things present and future is a common practice to aid in these pursuits. Individualism combined with generosity is valued. Celestianism has historically been loosely organized and abstract in its teachings, but the core values seemingly shared across all variants include the following five tenets: 

1. Accept all routes and destinations but hold no credence in destiny.
2. Be kind and hospitable to travelers and seekers to receive the same in kind on your own journeys.
3. In all choices are paths numerous as the stars; one should always endeavor to seek the brightest one.
4. Do not presume to know the way for everyone; their paths are their own.
5. Embrace knowledge and expand horizons for yourself and others.

However, the controlling Theocracy teaches a revision to the tenets of Celestianism. Individual growth has moved away from the forefront and innovation is prized only so far as its benefits to the larger community. The comforting promise of prosperity and order in Asada after centuries of decline was a potent draw early in the resurgence of the Faith. While the Faith brought the continent back from the brink of complete collapse of civilization, it also consolidated control of many aspects of society under a growing clergy for stability, then as a matter of course to maintain its own power. Still, most people view the Faith highly favorably to the point of ignorance towards flaws they might otherwise call out. The security of living under the message of stability, compliance, and continuity currently preached is more worthwhile than risk upset to the carefully orchestrated status quo.

Worship

Services are held on the first day of each week, or the 1st, 9th, 17th, 25th, and 33rd of every month. These services are held after nightfall in open air temples or squares that allow ample view of the night sky. Worship can be led by a priest, curate, or bishop; often a lower clergyman will defer to one of superior rank to take control. The person leading the service will preach a selection of Celestian teachings or virtues to the congregation. After this there will usually be a reading of the stars made on behalf of the community. With the group attended, the service is formally dismissed. The leader, or usual clergyman if someone of higher rank led the service, will then remain available for those with more personal questions or concerns to be addressed, which may involve taking additional directed readings of the stars or consultation with charts for answers.

Priesthood

Rankings of the Celestian faith from highest to lowest:

• Archbishop: Head bishop and leader of the faith as a whole. Occupied mainly by the most senior bishop who oversees all aspects of regions influenced by the faith.
• Bishop: Bishops directly control large areas of territory and direct the teachings of the lower clergy which are passed on to the general populace. At present, most of Asada is under the authority of four bishops. Bishops are the highest teachers of doctrine.
• Curate: Curates are senior priests that also work in administrative capacities to procure the material needs of the areas they serve. They oversee local markets and trade, collect tithes, and dispense judicial rulings in addition to their standard religious duties.
• Priest: Priests are the main mouthpieces of the faith. They undertake sacramental rites (conversion, baptism, confession, marriage etc.) and preach faith tenets to the common people the most of any rank.
• Acolyte: Acolytes are the lowest inducted rank of Celestianism. Common people, after conversion (if needed) and baptism, may be formally initiated as dedicated members of the faith. They undertake the most common tasks and duties for upkeep of the faith's institutions.

Granted Divine Powers

Healing: Even the least magically endowed individuals seem to develop the ability to mend wounds or heal illnesses.
Precognition: The most devout in the upper echelons of the faith claim to develop the ability of sustained foresight or visions of potential futures.

Political Influence & Intrigue

As the controlling power of Asada, the Faith is also the main political power. People are judged in relation to their perceived piety and devotion, none more so than the clergy. Corruption is not tolerated and rarely found, though perhaps this may be due to no one stepping forward to report instances. And while the Providence of Celestian may outwardly appear to be full of religious purists and zealotry, it has done little in attempt to eliminate the corruption brimming from without. The criminal underworld of Asada is alive and well, made strong from growing during the Anarchy. The two forces seem to take a stance of mutual non-interference of the other. Whether this is an unspoken arrangement or happenstance is unknown.
Outside of Asada, most other nations of Eurra have a generally dismissive stance towards the religious elements that control it. However, as the Theocracy controls a prosperous land capable of exporting large amounts of resources, those same nations that would mock its devotion also try to curry favor for trade. This means that Asada, formally neutral in the Great War raging in Vyrania, became very important when both sides sought deals for importing food. The member nations of both Alliances all maintain embassies within the Capital of Tatanis and the major port of Edsou on Aettetis.

Founding Date

1152

Type

Religious, Bishopric

Alternative Names

The Faith, The Celestian Theocracy

Predecessor Organization

• The Miropan Empire

Demonym

Asadan

Head of Government

Star of the Evening

Government System

Theocracy

Economic System

Palace economy

Currency

The standard gold coin of Asada is called the Rani.

Major Exports

Asada is currently considered the bread basket of the world. As most of the continent is agriculturally centered, there is a great surplus of grains, produce, and livestock being sent to war torn Vyrania.

Deities

• Celestian

Divines

• Celestian
• Star of the Evening

Location

Asada

Controlled Territories

• Asada
• Djepesut
• The Restless Dunes

Neighboring Nations

• Dwarven Kingdom of Jord

Notable Members

• Star of the Evening