The Eleven Divine Concepts
The Universal Nature of Divinity
In the Etherium the 11 Divine Concepts guide and mold the hearts and minds of billions.
Illumination, Enmity, Preservation, Termination, Truth, Treachery, Order, Instinct, Innovation, Arcana & Impetus
Structure
The Houses of Devotion can be found scattered across the Etherium on every Inhabited Sphere with intelligent life on it. While the Houses of Devotion are answerable to one another, specifically those of the same sect, they are so equally. No one House is above any other, each of them having the same standing and authority over the others. The size and number of each Houses "Devoted Family" will impact the scale and visuals of the structures themselves, occasionally creating a false sense of "Greaterism" to the larger Houses but each House is ultimately self organized, policed and structured. Not all HODs(houses of devotion) are represented in every community as different communities have different needs. However an Acolyte of Devotion of any of the Eleven is never far away.
Public Agenda
To guide those who wish to embody divinity. Each House of Devotion seeks to offer guidance and learning on their Sect's specific Concept, offering education and training on a variety of subjects found under the umbrella of the House's Divine Concept.
Assets
It is strictly regulated within the Houses that no assets, property or wealth is to be owned by the House itself. Acolytes and the Devoted Elders are regularly vetted to make sure no abuse of their station has been made for personal financial, political or cultural gain. Those who devote their lives to a House must maintain a separate means of gainful employment or livelihood, with the exception being those who publicly & legally take an oath of poverty and those who have grown to old being physically unable to continue their prior work, both of which are supplied with room, board, meals, clothes and nothing else.
History
The Philosophers, Soothsayers and those had clung to legends past of the Dead Gods began the Discovery of the Divine Concepts in the early 1200's Post Sundering. The last of the Eleven, Innovation, was not made cannon into the Confirmed Concepts until 1486 P.S. Many False Concepts in that time and since it have been disproven and labeled "Apostatized Fallacies", their records either destroyed or secreted away.
Mythology & Lore
Prior to the cataclysmic event known as “The Sundering” Clerics, Paladins and others who channeled divine magics did so through the worship, devotion & obedience to the Gods. The Gods had created the Races and as such they often showed favoritism to their children, going so far as to encourage discord between their rivals. This eventually spurred the events that started the "War of Gods & Fools" ultimately culminating in the final and ending blow of the war, The Sundering.
The Sundering had many major consequences which changed the Etherium forever. Foremost of these was the obliteration/obscuration of the Gods. The Dead Gods left behind a void in spiritual leadership, but the divine powers they wielded survived. Without intentional sentience to direct and shape these divine energies they spread out into the Etherium, dispersing into near non existence. As the surviving races began to rebuild from the destruction of The Sundering they turned their minds to contemplate This new Post Deific Age.
Divine Origins
While their Gods were dead the ideals and virtues that they had embodied were still very much important to their surviving devoted. And so the faithful devoted themselves not to the Dead Gods, but to the concepts that made them worthy of worship. And so the races of the Etherium forgot their Gods, giving birth to the Eleven Divine Concepts. These Concepts were more complex than simple things like good, evil, light or dark and simpler than the wishes and machinations of the mind of a God.
Cosmological Views
In the days of lost history, tens of thousands of years before the Age of Wonders, The Gods created the Etherium. Due to The Sundering any records of who those Gods were and which of them created what has been lost to time.
Tenets of Faith
No true laws, edicts or tenets are associated with the 11 Divine Concepts as they are more philosophical ideals than religions. However each of the Divine Concepts has a unique statement that is intended to guide its devoted followers.
Illumination - "Be the light that allows others to see. Allow light to Illuminate the Etherium but do not let it blind". Enmity - "Inspire conflict when it can bring needed change. Let Enmity change the Etherium, but do not revel in it." Preservation - "Protect that which is precious, important and needed. Preservation within the Etherium is positive but when change comes accept it." Termination - "Destroy that which needs to be ended when necessary. Termination is not the true end in the Etherium, it is just another beginning." Truth - "Seek knowledge in all place, learn wherever you can learn. The Truths of the Etherium are not all harmless, be careful that they do more good than harm." Treachery - "Deceive and subvert expectations when you must. Treachery is part of life in the Etherium, but be wary of its two bladed nature." Order - "Organize and structure what you can around you, predictability is useful. Seek Order in the Etherium, but beware its manipulation." Instinct - "Listen to you wild voice, it is wiser than you are. Let Instinct guide you in the Etherium, but keep both eyes open." Innovation - "Improve and inspire what and who you can. Innovation is the wheel that moves the Etherium, be careful of where it leads." Arcana - "Seek out the arcane for it will teach you the workings of reality. The Arcana of the Etherium is beautiful, beware for even roses have thorns." Impetus - "Respect and feed the fire of life, it keeps us all warm. The Etherium has its own spark of Impetus, beware its bite and never let it go out."
Illumination - "Be the light that allows others to see. Allow light to Illuminate the Etherium but do not let it blind". Enmity - "Inspire conflict when it can bring needed change. Let Enmity change the Etherium, but do not revel in it." Preservation - "Protect that which is precious, important and needed. Preservation within the Etherium is positive but when change comes accept it." Termination - "Destroy that which needs to be ended when necessary. Termination is not the true end in the Etherium, it is just another beginning." Truth - "Seek knowledge in all place, learn wherever you can learn. The Truths of the Etherium are not all harmless, be careful that they do more good than harm." Treachery - "Deceive and subvert expectations when you must. Treachery is part of life in the Etherium, but be wary of its two bladed nature." Order - "Organize and structure what you can around you, predictability is useful. Seek Order in the Etherium, but beware its manipulation." Instinct - "Listen to you wild voice, it is wiser than you are. Let Instinct guide you in the Etherium, but keep both eyes open." Innovation - "Improve and inspire what and who you can. Innovation is the wheel that moves the Etherium, be careful of where it leads." Arcana - "Seek out the arcane for it will teach you the workings of reality. The Arcana of the Etherium is beautiful, beware for even roses have thorns." Impetus - "Respect and feed the fire of life, it keeps us all warm. The Etherium has its own spark of Impetus, beware its bite and never let it go out."
Ethics
In terms of guiding ethics, the 11 Divine Concepts have little to offer on their own. Rather it is up to those who choose to devote themselves to a Concept(s) to determine their own code of ethics. Society and Civilization also have a great deal of influence on those ethics.
Worship
In modern societies individuals often choose one or two of the Eleven to hold as their devoteries. A guiding aspect of the divine to help inform and direct their life in all things.
A Farmer may choose Impetus or Order as he is a custodian of nature.
A Scholar might choose Truth or Illumination or perhaps even Treachery.
A Soldier or Guard likely would be a devotee of Enmity, Preservation or Order.
An Arcanist or Artificer might be in the following of Arcana or Innovation.
A Warrior with bloodlust would find Termination or Instinct to their liking.
In each of these examples, acts of devotion include Tithing to their choice of Houses of Devotion, Meditation and striving to embody the chosen Concept(s) in their professions, hobbies and day to day tasks.
A Farmer may choose Impetus or Order as he is a custodian of nature.
A Scholar might choose Truth or Illumination or perhaps even Treachery.
A Soldier or Guard likely would be a devotee of Enmity, Preservation or Order.
An Arcanist or Artificer might be in the following of Arcana or Innovation.
A Warrior with bloodlust would find Termination or Instinct to their liking.
In each of these examples, acts of devotion include Tithing to their choice of Houses of Devotion, Meditation and striving to embody the chosen Concept(s) in their professions, hobbies and day to day tasks.
Priesthood
While Paladins & Clerics are certainly the greatest examples of leadership in the following of the Divine Concepts, the grand majority of people interact with Acolytes of Devotion and the Elders of Devotion.
Granted Divine Powers
Clerics of the 11 Divine sometimes choose two Concepts to better inform their methods of service to the peoples of the Etherium. Being Devoted to both Impetus & Instinct would focus one to work with Nature. Termination & Preservation together would be to watch over the boundaries of Grave. And so on, although many find it acceptable to focus on just one.
Paladins make an Oath based on a Primary Concept with up to three or four Secondary Concepts that further inform the specifics of Oath. A Paladin who swears an Oath of Devotion likely would focus on Truth as the Primary with Illumination, Enmity & Preservation as Secondaries. Conversely a Paladin swearing an Oath of Vengeance may focus on Enmity as the Primary with Termination, Illumination & Instinct as Secondaries. Ect.
Political Influence & Intrigue
Devotion to the 11 Divine Concepts is a voluntary act in most areas of the Etherium. As such the Houses of Devotion hold little to no sway in the large scale politics of the C.T.U, FeyCol or the Free Spheres. However the most respected of Devoted Elders are often consulted for wisdom and insight on a myriad of subjects not limited to governments & politics.
Sects
Illumination - Sheds light & make things clear. Light banished fear and but can blind. Enmity - Desires conflict despite or because of what is known. Conflict causes change for good or ill. Preservation - Protects or repairs things as they are so that they can persist. Protection and healing can also imprison and prevent growth. Termination - Brings all deaths and clears the way. Not all ends are bad, all ends have beginnings. Truth - Knowledge begets power and is a great tool. Knowledge used unwisely can bring more harm than good. Treachery - Deception and subterfuge beguiles the mind and stumbles even the knowing. Deception is a two edged blade and can defend as well as harm. Order - Predictively enables efficiency and effectiveness. That which is predictable can be manipulated. Instinct - Guides when there is no light and alerts even the unwary. Instinct is uninformed and can lead to pain. Innovation - Inspires improvements and the creation of new things. New is not always better. Arcana - Drives the motions of the Aether and fuels the beauty and wonders of all the Etherium. Wonders and beauty can be deadly or foolhardy. Impetus - Ignites the spark of life driving it forward to grow and multiply. Growth unchecked can consume all around it bringing death.
All are Divine if only in Concept
Founding Date
1200 P.S - 1486 P.S
Alternative Names
Heavenly Constants, The Divine, The Eleven, 11-D
Demonym
The Devoted
Subsidiary Organizations
Permeated Organizations
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