Radiarchy of Ondelenia

In the light, we are protected; in the light, we are welcomed; in the light, we are one, for the light is our father and mother and will always welcome us in its arms when it is our time to finally come home. - Excerpt from the Book of the Spark

Structure

Radiarch : Only those born with the gift of the light may take up this title and lead their people, using their power to protect them from the powers of the Gloom.

Counselor: Advisors of the Radiants, their duties are to aid them in making state decisions and being mentors to help them better understand their role as rulers.
Congregation of the Eternal Spark: The predominate religious authority in Embera; they are tasked with guiding the masses to ensure they never stray from the light.
Board of Industries: A division of the Radiarch that deals in day-to-day dealings of everyday life, such as agriculture, construction, and production, to ensure that the people are cared for and well-kept.

Culture

Social Dynamics

In the darkest hour, the light guided us through to bring forth the Radiarchys to bring peace and prosperity. Because of this, we dedicate ourselves to serving its brilliance and wisdom to enlighten ourselves. Faith will give us the strength to guide us from the dangers that lurk in the shadows and keep us on the right path. To give us purpose and joy for the world around us, for that is the gift it gave us since the first dawn to come to this world. It is for that we give thanks and never forget those who came before us and made this all possible as we continue to bask in the light.

Influence

Ondelenia, despite not having the strongest military power amongst all of the Radiarchys, is considered the most powerful due to its close ties with the Congregation of the Eternal Spark and its vast trade network with its neighbors. Making many of its citizens wealthy and maintaining better defenses from threats against The Gloom to ensure it does not suffer considerable destruction caused by it. But its greatest asset is that it stands at the forefront of Glintlight technology and has had a monopoly over it for decades, with most people getting it directly from them.

Public Agenda

To protect our lands and its people from the influence of The Gloom through the protection of the light.

History

A Land of Eternal Faith

From the ashes of the Great Shroud that plunged the world into darkness, the Dawn Crusade would rise to the challenge to build a new order to ensure that it would never fall to such a state ever again. In a small settlement called Orinene, the first Radiarchy would be founded, and in time, the surrounding lands would form Ondelenia, a nation built upon the values and teachings that helped form it. Through it, this land would grow and prosper as a Radiarchy built upon devotion and faith, allowing its people to live safe and independent lives without the fears of Gloomification and Gloomspawn to harm them constantly should they arrive as its defenders are prepared to ensure the threat did not escalate and get out of hand. It soon became a time of learning as well, and Ondelenia sought to create a new age for Embera to become a shining example of what could be achieved through a united people guided by a single purpose as it attempted to reach greater heights than ever before to create an ideal world to live in.
Much was done to do this, such as building cities to offer more excellent protection and communion for its people and monuments to the faith that granted them the courage to press on against the odds. While not all of them were successful, it did not stop them from learning from their failure and striving for a better world. As centuries passed, Ondelenia became more and more pristine in its advancement and its achievements, with it being considered one of the most developed and organized of the Radiarchys with the Congregation of the Eternal Spark having significant influence amongst the everyday lives of its people due to its seat of power being founded here. Leading many to remain faithful to the Eternal Spark to guide and protect them from the dangers that lurk in the shadows. It seeks to come closer to the light, never to fear the darkness ever reaching them again.

A Lingering Scar

Despite all of the success and achievements, Ondelenia has known loss and suffering just like all the others. Still, it is often considered some of the most devastating in Embera's history. The most infamous was the fall of Orinene, the original capital of the radiarchy and shining beacon of all it stood for during that time. One would never expect to fall, only to be proven wrong when it did to the Gloom, not by an invading force or dark powers, but from within the city itself that brought about its downfall by none other than its own Radiarch, Esteban the Tainted who fell to the influence of the Gloom. This resulted in the city falling and much of the surrounding land, leading to one of the most devastating Dark Times to exist. Despite the courageous resistance of the Watcher Corps and the Dawn Keepers, they were unable to halt the spread of the Gloom and its forces. It would finally take a Star Fall to see by crashing into Orinene and destroying its taint to end the threat once and for all. However, it would be the end of the troubles that would befall the Radiarchy as it would change the face of the continent forever.
From the destruction of Orinene came a more devastating event that resulted from the Star Fall, for its sheer force shook the earth itself. It would forever be called the Sundering as the very earth sunk into the ground and was swallowed up by the sea. The destruction was widespread as hundreds of miles of land were lost, and tens of thousands of lives were taken with it. The aftermath would see Ondelenia fall into chaos for many years as it sought to return order and rebuild from the destruction it suffered. Nothing would be the same again as the loss of land and infrastructure would see it in decline for more than two centuries before it would return to relevance and stability. But from this travesty, the people of Ondelenia would see that this would never happen again and remain vigilant for the signs of corruption so they would never take root.

In Troubled Times

Despite Ondelenia being able to rebuild from the damage from Dusk Fall relatively faster than the other radiarchys, the past few decades have resulted in religious turmoil in many of its cities and populated areas. Many of them are sects that have formed with the congregation, seeking new means to bring about order and salvation against the looming darkness that has begun to appear across the land. Groups such as the Order of the Shining Beacon, the Seekers of the Burning Light, and the Circle of Truth have begun to grow in power as their influence over the masses continues to grow and have begun to form armies to combat the Gloom as well as force their ideologies upon areas they influence. Causing much friction within the congregation and the radiarchy's leadership, but they are unable to confront them directly due to the lack of power within their Watcher Corp and Shields of the Sun being preoccupied in the rise of Gloomspawn activity. Making them unable to continue their activities unhindered but not unnoticed to ensure they do not get out of hand in their religious fervor.
Things have begun to take a dark turn in the countryside as badlanders have become more active than ever, bringing chaos and mayhem wherever they go. Destroying Signal Towers and attacking settlement and abducting their inhabitants for unknown reasons. What they are not able to take, they destroy, leaving these areas to be exposed to Gloomspawn attacks and paranoia to engulf the masses, fearing that they may attack their homes next. This left the Watcher Corps in the area undermanned to hunt them down and preoccupied with the damage caused by them. Some have taken the law into their own hands to stop the attacks by becoming avengers to see that the attacks end and those taken are returned. This turmoil continues to progress and, if not stopped, may lead to great uncertainty about the survival of the radiarchy as it tears itself apart from within.

Territories

Military

Shields of the Sun: An order that seeks to succeed the Dawn Keepers in defending their land from all things affiliated with the Gloom. Despite not being large, they make up for it with skilled fighters and having members found across Ondelenia.
Watcher Corps: The military forces of the Radiarchys that are sworn to protect the lands of their Radiarch from all threats, may they be Gloomspawn or individuals with dark intentions.

Technological Level

Much of their technology is on par with many other states, however, they have been dabbling with old relics and ancient texts to gain access to lost technologies to advance their society. However, their crowing achievement is the creation of Glintlight technology to create vehicles and more advanced machinery to power settlements. As well as tools to defend themselves from the dark forces of the Gloom.

Religion

Eternal Spark: The first light that came into existence and created the world only to vanish shortly after. However, many believe it still exists by inhabiting everything that creates light in the world to protect it.
Aspects of Seasons: Four beings that represent the seasons of spring, summer, fall, and winter. They are often worshipped by those with a deep connection to nature.
Primordial: A being that was said to be the creator of the Wyldkin and is the caregiver to all things wyld.
Craft Weaver: The creator of the Circles of Crafting and is worshipped by crafters to allow them to gain knowledge to master their skills.

Foreign Relations

Ondelenia has good relationships with all of its neighboring Radiachies, all being trade partners and offering aid to them should they need it. However, it has a strong connection with the lands of Kor due to its Radiarchs having a personal history with each other and tending to have more pull with them. However, the lands of Senju have been becoming more isolationist in recent years and have been causing some tension with them due to them restricting access to their lands. The same goes with Renden due to the political turmoil that has been hindering relations with them in recent years.

Agriculture & Industry

Much of Ondelenia's countryside is committed to farming due to its rich soil where it can be grown, as well as in the harvesting of stone and Radiance due to it often being abundant across it. Much of the more populated regions are devoted to building and repairing infrastructure and workshops to produce goods and create items made to use Radiance powered by Glintlight.

Trade & Transport

Trade is conducted with all the radiarchies by air, land, and sea using normal vehicles and those powered with Glintlight. Those that are connected inland use its roads to reach them fast, as well as ports to those connected to the sea, with air transport, mainly used to reach difficult places and cut costs of transportation over long distances.

Education

Education is accessible to all citizens across Ondelenia; however, depending on the area and resources available, it can be very limiting. Often, those who live in the countryside have some schools set to at least teach children how to read and write and the history of their homeland. But most of them will gain an education from their local temple and be taught the Congregation of the Eternal Spark's teachings, along with their family's trade to take up when they grow up. In the cities, education is more common, with institutes teaching kids a deeper history of Embera, math, science, and many other subjects, with specializations being created to allow them to learn more complex studies to allow them a higher job occupation when they become older.

Infrastructure

Ondelenia is a highly developed state with a strong infrastructure with many cities, roads, and machinery to improve everyday life. As well as windmills, ports, and mines. A strong network of signal towers is a strong warning system for signs of danger. Along with a steady number of workshops to produce goods and items powered by Glintlight technology,

Faith and Devotion

Founding Date

1200 BD

Type

Geopolitical, Theocracy

Capital

Redoni, City of Art and Faith

Alternative Names

Ondelenia

Demonym

Ondelenians

Leader Title

Radiarch

Founders

• Sura Dawnbringer

Head of State

Radiarch Amerisia Nuvera

Government System

Theocracy

Power Structure

Unitary state

Economic System

Market economy

Gazetteer

Golden Road
Citadel of Piety

Currency

Ingot Marks: Small square sticks of a valuable metal used as payment across the land that varies in value depending on the metal.

Official State Religion

Congregation of the Eternal Spark

Parent Organization

Radiarchies of Embera

Related Traditions

• Summer Arts Competition

Controlled Territories

• Redoni, City of Art and Faith

Neighboring Nations

• Radiarchy of Esobrel
• Radiarchy of Kor
• Radiarchy of Renden
• Radiarchy of Senju

Notable Members

• Radiarch Amerisia Nuvera

Related Species

• Emberan
• Wyldkin

Related Ethnicities

• Ondelenian

Related Myths

• Deliverance of The Falling Star
• Sir Aiden the LightBringer

Productive Society

by midjourney

We have been given the tools to achieve many things in our lives, all of them to bring about a better world so that it may shine brighter than ever before. - Glintlight Mechanist

The people of Ondelenia have always sought to improve their way of life to ensure that future generations do not suffer like those before them. Often, going through grand projects and uncovering secrets of the past reveal what has been lost that may bring salvation later on. That has been their way for centuries and allows them to strive for more with each generation. While there have been setbacks and conflicts that have destroyed some of their progress, they have rebuilt and have learned from past failures. Showing the rest continent that they are not so easily beaten by the dark powers that seek to destroy them.

Sanctity of the Divine

by midjourney

We must ensure that the teachings of the Spark are not twisted and perverted by those who seek to elevate their ambitions, for the faith is beyond us all and can only guide and empower us, not enrich us in greed and glory. - Rocard the Faithful

Out of all the radiarchy on the continent, none can truly rival the devotion to the faith more than that of Ondelenia. They have stayed true to the old text that was first created since the time of Johan the Star-Touched that gave the people the word of the Eternal Spark and continue to do so. This is mainly done to ensure that the true meaning and teachings of the spark and not altered and abandoned by social discontent and political ambition. The faith cannot be changed and remodeled just to suit the needs of a few selected individuals, for it belongs to the masses so that they may know what the light stands for and to guide them to salvation in this dark and cruel world.