Cosmic Disciples
The Cosmic Disciples are people who devout their lives to studying and expanding their knowledge of the Cosmic Force. A majority of the Cosmic Disciples are made up of Skyling Halflings, as they have an innate connection to the Cosmic.
Education
Cosmites train their bodies rigorously to be able to attune and channel the energy of the Cosmic Force, which often involves great physical work, and many become monks. Those that master their ability to control the Cosmic can often take up the mantle of Cosmic Warrior, and can utilize this energy to make small, short range portals, allowing them to swiftly move from place to place. In terms of mental education, while the Cosmites do the basics of literacy and arithmetic, most of their studies focus on their emotions, learning to control and experience them in ways different than the typical commoner. Such training methods often seem like pranks or acts of play to outsiders, which can make it difficult for non-Skyling Cosmites to truly excel in becoming a Cosmic Disciple.
Infrastructure
Cosmite monasteries are usually built atop the large mountains surrounding the Cosmic Valley, with the Temple of Munako atop Mt. Uchu being the largest and most populous. These monasteries are simple in make, and often have large, open courtyards where its inhabitants can gaze up and even sleep under the stars. Comsmite temples often include shrines to Draganna Kalila Piitag, as she is a deity who has an innate connection with the Cosmic Force.
Divine Origins
Worship of the Cosmic has been around since the dawn of time, when Draganna sculpted the timestream from Cosmic Energy, but the Disciples in their current form a originate from the Separation. Like many creatures, the halflings of Kirru were forced to adapt when the Realms where separated, and facing increased oppression from the Svanti Empire, many fled to the Cosmic Valley. Here, they study ancient murals and gazed at the stars, and slowly began to infuse Cosmic Energy into their own body, evolving into Skylings. This first Skylings than began to venerate the Cosmic as the source of all energy and life in creation, forming the first Cosmic Disciples
Cosmological Views
The Disciples are firm believers in the Story of Creation, that the Author created the Ygg, the World Tree. out of pure Cosmic Force, and thus that all things stem from the Cosmic itself.
Tenets of Faith
The Cosmic Disciples don't have traditional tenets, as the Cosmic is not an entity that delivers rules, although many believe that the Cosmic Force does have some sort of unknowable will. They do loosely stick to the following code:
- There is no ignorance, only different levels of knowledge. I will find the level that works best for me.
- My body is a Temple of the Cosmic, so I will hone my body to be capable of its presence.
- Power itself is neither good nor evil, it is simply how I choose to utilize it.
- I am the heart of the Cosmic. It flows through me, as it flows through all living things. Thus, to harm the Cosmic is to harm myself.
- The natural state of the Cosmic is balance, and thus I will strive to balance myself.
- There is no death, only a return to the Cosmic.
Ethics
Due to the Disciples worshiping a universal concept and not a deity, the Disciples have no set ethics, instead only focusing on communing with the Cosmic Force. Since a majority of the Disciples are skyling halflings, they are often easygoing and more often align with good. Due to the penchant of the Svanti Empire to enslave skylings, many Disciples view slavery as a stain on the universe.
Worship
Since the Cosmic Force is not a traditional deity, worship of it is a very personal experience, and the Disciples work on their own spiritual journeys to attune to it. Attuning to the Cosmic often requires meditation, especially at higher altitudes, and often require either the mastery of suppressing ones emotions to the state of being able to focus on the Cosmic Energy, or drawing and focusing on specific emotions to unlock specific Cosmic Attunements.
Priesthood
Priesthood is divided into two main categories, the Star Warriors, who focus more on the physical aspects of the Cosmic, infusing it into their own bodies and gaining many martial abilities, and the Elder Council, which study more on the mental aspects of the Cosmic, seeking to understand how the Cosmic interacts with the universe. The Star Warriors maintain the physical training and defense of the temples of the Disciples, while the Elder Council works on policy and oversees the emotional training of the Disciples.
Granted Divine Powers
Wielding the Cosmic Force is said to be a path to any and all sorts of powers, and is only limited to ones own creativity and imagination. Those who study the ways to channel the Cosmic into their own bodies often become Cosmic Warriors, gaining the ability to create portals with their hands and shoot bursts of pure energy. The most common applications take the form of telekinesis, but skilled channelers can amplify their physical and mental skills, deflect projectiles, influence the minds of others, and even duplicate the effects of spells. More rare abilities include the ability to summon Aeons, creatures who are formed entirely out of the Cosmic, the ability to use the Cosmic to fuel their spellcasting, allowing for them to continuously cast one spell for extended periods of time, and the ability to infuse their weapon with plasma, turning it into a Cosmic Saber, a deadly weapon capable of cutting through almost anything.
Political Influence & Intrigue
The Cosmic Disciples are known to have great insight on the workings of the Universe, and thus some, especially those who find themselves in fits of despair, seek them out for guidance. However, the Cosmic Disciples are at odds with the major power of Kirru, the Svanti Empire, as the Empire claims the Disciples actively undermine the rule of Yai, who should have dominion over all things in the sky. The Disciples care little about religious debate, instead usually only taking action against the Empire due to the Empires constant enslavement and mistreatment of Skylings. Still, the Empire will occasionally seek out the Cosmic Disciples to act as neutral third-party arbiters when a conflict arrives that they cannot solve through sheer force.
Sects
The Cosmic Disciples are divided into the Temple Monks and Star Wanderers. The Temple Monks remain in the temples in the Cosmic Valley and on Mt. Uchu, working on bettering themselves and enjoying a carefree life, while the Star Wanderers wander the world, following the stars. Many Star Wanderers are secretly freedom fighters who work to free captive skylings from the grasp of the Svanti Empire.
A third, secret faction exists, known as the Dark Disciples. These disciples channel the power of the Cosmic that has been warped by the beings of the Dark Tapestry. Dark Disciples are able to bend and warp the Cosmic Force into twisted ways, and are publicly shunned by other Disciples, but many theorize that the main factions use them for missions that are to dangerous and deadly for the normal rank and file.
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