Congregation of the Eternal Spark

It was the spark of creation that brought about the light of the Radiant Dawn that gave life to our world and through its will shall guide us to salvation. - Reiner Strom, Illumine Priest

Structure

Radiants: Brights gifted with the most power from the gift of the Spark and become leaders of the congregation to protect and guide their people.
Council of Heralds: The highest governing body that is made up of Heralds, priests that are bestowed the title by a Radiant and act in the best interests of the Radiarchys to maintain spiritual guidance within it.
Ministers: Higher ranking priests that oversee the ongoings of the territory they have been charged with and are found in the largest settlement in order to maintain them.
Caretaker: A illumine priest that is found in every settlement to meet the needs of its inhabitants and care for their needs in spiritual and mental struggles.

Culture

Social Dynamics

In the beginning, there was the Gloom and the endless void that was its domain. Here nothing existed, as the infinite darkness was all that could exist. But a spark of light changed all of that, and the dawning of a new world came to reality. From this, we honor the light that made us who we are and the lives we were given. The light gifted us with our existence so we could enjoy the wonders it brought to tell us that there could be nothing more than just nothingness. For that reason alone, we must follow the light to guide us to a better future in this world and beyond when the time comes. If we do not, we shall be consumed by the dark wishing to return all things to that empty domain.

Influence

The congregation can be found all across Embera, with their sanctuaries in every large settlement or near them to offer safety and guidance to all who seek the aid of the light. They also have a voice in every Radiarch to aid the Radiants in matters of importance. Many revere them as faithful servants of the light for the devotion and care they put into their followers, along with urging them to keep the powers of the Gloom through faith and determination in standing against its temptations.

Public Agenda

To spread the word of the light and guide the faithful masses to salvation.

Assets

Temples: At least one settlement across the continent has a temple that is dedicated to the spark and all within it worship it to guide and protect from all things dark.
Political Support: With the congregation being a part of the government with the Radiarchys, they have more say in it, and with the Radiants that rule over them in matters of state and governance.
Popularity: Much of the continent still has faith in the congregation, despite recent history, and will still stand behind them in their choices regarding masses and how to guide them.

History

In the Light's Embrace

Since the time before the end of the Dawn Age, the light had been worshiped by many in different forms to guide the people from the Gloom and its followers, but none were more influential than the Congregation of the Eternal Spark as it has stood long before the Radiarchys of Embera was ever founded. For it was them that allowed the people to be guided by the faith of the light in order to protect them. In doing this their faith has spread all across the continent and its members are found in every community and in offices of government to ensure that none stray from the path and into the darkness that awaits them. In those thousands of years that have passed, they have maintained the faith in the best of times and in the worst of times as it worked tirelessly to maintain itself and never to go astray no matter the temptation that was laid before nor how the powerful the Gloom was when they faced it. For their faith is what gives them the strength to keep moving forward and the will to face what lurks beyond the light. For if they do not, then who will as the light fades away with those will stem the tide that seeks to wash them away?

by midjourney

In Dark Times

Since the time of the Dusk Fall and the passing of the Dawn Keepers, the congregation has come to a moment in its history that has caused it to slowly fracture for decades since that fateful event. For some time now the congregation has fallen to stagnation and dogma in its teaches as conflict with the Gloom has become more and more deadly with each passing clash with it. The masses have become restless and paranoid as the Gloom seems to grow stronger by the day and many would-be successors to the keepers have begun to pop up all across the continent trying to fill in their role as protectors. Leading to many questioning the legitimacy of the congregation itself and how it failed to protect the people from it. New sects have begun to form as well to try to solve this problem and it has also brought about much darker elements from zealotry to the heretical that may lead to the downfall of the ancient faith that has stood at the heart of civilization for two millennia.

Mythology & Lore

Before the world, there was The Gloom and the endless darkness before it. The concept of life and light and life was nonexistent as long as it held its domain overall. No one knew how long the Gloom had existed nor where it came from, but it seemed to be the only thing that existed for eternity. That would change one day; a miracle had been achieved with a spark of light that came into existence. From where this spark or how it came to be no one knew for sure, it however was planning to stay as it continued to flicker its light across the empty void that surrounded it. The Gloom quickly noticed this light and, in its dark nature, sought to extinguish it from its domain immediately. As it began to surround the spark with its vast power, it was halted by its brilliant power as it grew bigger and bigger the more it tried to extinguish it, for the spark would not give in to the power of the void that surrounded it or its ruler.
It was at this moment that the spark ignited and brought forth light into the existence or, more commonly, the Radiant Dawn that created the world. Though the spark had vanished and was consumed to generate the light, it's said that it is still out there somewhere and remains the beacon of light for all things, with it coming to the aid of those who seek to protect themselves and vanquish the dark that threatens to consume them. The Eternal Spark came to be to breathe life into existence and will continue to do so as long as some are willing to stand against The Gloom and bring hope through its light. It is often said that all things that can create light are usually the work of the spark, granting them the power to protect against the dark with each one being connected to it. For as long as light exists the spark that created it shall never fade from this world.

Divine Origins

For as long as anyone can remember there has been the worship of life, however, the most popular of them was the worship of the Eternal Spark. Though its true origins came about during the Age of Crowns when monarchies ruled across the land, its birthplace, however, has been forgotten to the time with few records remaining of the congregation's founding. But it is believed that its formation came from a merging of different religious groups that worship the light that brought the world into being and it was concluded that the source of it all was the Eternal Spark with the most devoted worshipers of light being given dreams of a spark of light that guided them to congregate together. It was from these meetings that the faiths combined their teaching and traditions to create the foundation of the Congregation of the Eternal Spark and with time this faith began to spread across the continent and absorb other light-worshipping faiths into it in order to strengthen and allow all to bath in the warmth of the source of all light.

Cosmological Views

According to the congregation, the Radiant Dawn created the continent of Embera and a few islands that make up the entire world as those that sail beyond its borders are never seen again. Making it believed that beyond the borders of the continent lies the darkness of the Gloom with only the light keeping it at bay. However, the Gloom's influence exists within it and corrupts all who fall to their dark nature within themselves, making it all the more important to stay true to the light.

Ethics

Through the teaching of the light, all should never give in to their negative emotions and thoughts, for they will consume them into becoming slaves of the Gloom and turn against all that they hold dear. It is through compassion and understanding that this negative can be overcome with the aid of friends and loved ones by those who are suffering. The struggle against all things dark is eternal, and the only thing that can be done is to endure until the worst is overcome and move on with their lives.

Worship

Shrines are erected with temples to be places of worship and congregate with the teaches of the faith spoken by the illumine priests often having communities come together once a week. Along with Radiance being released among those attending a remove any signs of Gloomification that may be present. It is also a common practice for people to have a shrine in their home and read sacred teaches to guide them in trouble times.

Priesthood

The Illumine Priests of the congregation are the bringers of the faith to all who follow the light. These men and women are hand-picked by the congregation for their trust and devotion, as all who take the cloth shall remove themselves from earthly values and temptations so they shall not fall to the influence of the Gloom. As they are bathed within the light of Radiance to cleanse to them of all influence of the Gloom and signify their priesthood as they are given their ornate white and yellow ropes. They are always there to guide the community they are assigned to and ensure that no Gloomification can corrupt their followers into Gloomspawn.

Granted Divine Powers

While not all are given the power of light at their command, those with the spark within themselves are gifted the power to control Radiance, called the Gift of the Spark, with those blessed with it being known as Brights. Allowing them to use it against the servants of the Gloom, the most powerful being known as Radiants.

May the Spark Guide Us All

Founding Date

2891 B.D

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Alternative Names

The Congregation, Followers of the Spark

Demonym

Dawnites

Permeated Organizations

• Radiarchy of Kor
• Radiarchy of Ondelenia
• Radiarchy of Renden
• Radiarchy of Senju

Related Traditions

• Coronation of the New Dawn

Related Species

• Emberan
• Wyldkin

Related Ethnicities

• Dawnites

Bound By Faith

by midjourney

The light that the spark gave us is all we have now, without it we would never be, who would ever reject their creator? - Minister Leone

It is through the will and dedication of the congregation that the worship of the spark remains strong across Embera with very few places where the faith wavers from the light that guides all to salvation. For they have followed teachings that embrace all into their way of life without the fear of persecution or heritage. For all that live with the light are one people and that shall never change as all remain to stay in it and face the trail that lie ahead that attempt to snuff it out.

Light in the Darkness

by midjourney

Whenever everything seems bleak and without, know that there shall always be a glimmer of light that shall guide you home no matter how far it may be or difficult it may seem, all that is needed is a little faith to carry you on. - Jensen Ross, Herald of Ondelenia.

Many times the dark has sought to consume the world and all that is in it, yet in all of its attempts it has failed to do so. With only one reason that keeps it at bay, hope. No matter how things may seem or dark as long as there is hope then it can be done. For the spark has allowed them to believe that it can and its teaching has inspired many to take up the mantle of carrying the light through the darkness, driving it away where none can be harmed by it.

Tenets of Faith

Through Truth, we shall find compassion
Through compassion, we shall find understanding
Through understanding, we shall find peace
Through peace, we shall find hope
through hope, we shall find the light
Through the light shall the dark be vanquished
For in the light, we are one
For we are one with the spark that guides us all

Sects

Order of the Shining Beacon : A fanatical order that has dedicated themselves to eradicating all traces of the Gloom that can be found around them and ensuring that it can never gain a hold no matter the cost.
Seekers of the Burning Light: A Group that believes that fire is the truest form of light that shall rid the Gloom from the world once and for all. Its members are said to be able to see things in the flames from visions of the past and future to the fate of a place or person.
Monks of Solace: One of the oldest orders in the congregation, the monks have given up all worldly values to lives of peace and hard work. Many of its members have traumatic pasts that have led them here so they one day learn to let go of them to move forward with their lives.
Circle of Truth: A group that has studied the sacred texts to great lengths to find the true meaning of them and with many of their findings deemed heretical by the congregation. It seems that their only desire is to bring down the foundations of the congregation and create something entirely different from their own twisted version of the truth.