The Faith

[Peep 'Puff' Topia]

The Pantheon of the Celestials, also known as 'The Faith'

The stars above were here before us and they will survive long after all has turned to dust, this the Church of Celestialism knows. As the King & Queen act as the heart of Esshar, the Faith stand tall as the mind. Prioritizing piety over power, many come to the sacred halls of the church to free themselves from the burdens they find within their lives. Nobleman and pauper both, seeking their own refuge, adorn the ranks of the priesthood for their own reasons. Some seek an escape from the responsibility of their noble homes, forsaking their title in devotion to the skies above. Others, less so fortunate, come to the church to raise themselves out of the slums in an effort to give their lives purpose through surrendering to a higher cause. Few are turned away. Only those who are tested and found their heart was dark with ill-intention find themselves rebuked by this holy establishment, and those who do may quickly find that the world is not kind to those the church shuns...

With so many ethos that the stars themselves hold, for they are many and their powers vast, there lacks a unifying wardrobe of the church. No single cloth anoints a priest nor do they hold a singular color to represent themselves. Instead, the only unifying edict is a sigil of the Constellation of Leonaus proudly displayed somewhere on their being (be it a lapel, a necklace, or a design across a dress). Many choose to color their constellation to the branch of church they belong to, though this is not required.

Core Beliefs

Once, all the lands followed the rule of angels and strove to follow in their footsteps. Yet time and again were Angels, in their infinite capacity, proven as fallible as humans as they waged war again and again, threatening to tear the world asunder. Men realized that they could not be followed, nor trusted, just as one could never fully trust their fellow man. Thus the sky was scoured and the heavens viewed, desperate in an attempt of guidance.
And as the northern stars guide the traders to the gates of civilization upon their long journey did the constellations above, too, guide the hearts of men to their new heavenly host.

Stars stand as primordial creations of an elder god, bestowed with purity and willpower yet still lacking the greater devils that sapience brings. They know no evil, no doubt. They know only duty, holding a purity of will. Beacons of renewal and rebirth, perpetually burning upon a celestial pyre that rids the world of evil and blessing it once more with good.

Swiftly they became a symbol of hope and better tomorrows.

Inherently, the tenants of the church are basic and simple.

Respect the heavens; the stars are fundamental creations of sheer good in the world. Their judgement trumps your own and their will shall not be questioned.
Do no evil; The stars exist to rid evil from men's souls, and the clergy need be a reflection of this. One should strive to be pure as possible.
Combat heresy; Heresies taint the souls of unsuspecting men with wicked ideals and cannot be suffered to exist.
Root out corruption; Purify the land, allow none to warp the physical world with tainted energies and eliminate magics that would try and do so.
Aid the weak; The stars do not care about the strength of one's soul, only the purity of it. The Church idolizes a pious pauper and demonizes a heretical Knight.

Titles and Ranks

Starseer:The speaker of the stars selected through the divine insight of the King & Queen. They are the direct ambassador of the star's will upon this plane and revered as highly as the stars themselves. To become a Grand Priest is the highest honor for any member of the church to hold.
Stellus: The executor of the Grand Priest's will and vision as dictated from the heavens above. There is a High Priest for each star within the Constellation of Leonaus, each held to the highest standards of faith and virtue. They function as the head of their particular branch, approving the entries into the codex and overseeing the operations of the faithful within their jurisdiction.
Bishop: A veteren and revered priest, the Bishop represents a mastery of knowledge of the faith and a powerful center of spirit. In times of need, they act as neutral judges when presiding over pressing legal matters. Further, they act as a point of escalation in religious disputes and resolve debates between other members of the faith.
Priest: A fully realized member of the the Faith. Priests hold a variety of duties, but most typically find their days lost in study, research, or direct action on behalf of the church. A priest acts as an administrator over Deacons, allocating their tasks and overseeing their charitable actions. Further, they also begin work on making new additions to the Codex Cosmos.
Deacon: An official member of the faith with all standing powers that it grants. Having mastered the codex and honed their spiritual center, a Deacon has successfully become a full-fledged member of the clergy. They now fully represent the church in their day-to-day actions and can host their own sermons / projects. It is not uncommon that Deacons are sent on missionary work to outside lands, or even to less well-off districts of Osrona itself in an effort to uplift the people.
Acolyte: An aspiring faithful of the stars. An acolyte is one with the drive to succeed but without the knowledge or experience to do so. Often younger, sometimes even barely into their teens, Acolytes spend much of their time that isn't locked in prayer or study following around older Priests and Deacons in an effort to glean experience from their day-to-day lives. Like a squire to a knight, an Acolyte is expected to support the clergy in all that they do and question few of their teachings. Many men and women fail the trials that face the acolytes with only a select few becoming deacons.

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You can state your interest to join in this thread, or if you'd like to do so anonymously, use the roles sub-forum. You can also approach a Priest in-game if you are seeking to enroll in the The Pantheon of the Celestials.

Character Name:
Age:

Background / history:
Interests: (What do you wish to learn?)

Discord #:

[TopRa]

Hi! I'm very much interested in joining this guild for my alt as my current character is getting kinda bland. If possible, i would very much like to join and make a new character for it!

Character Name: Lucia von Addington
Age: 15

Background / history: An orphan left in the slums of the streets by her parents, Lucia is a rowdy and kind hearted girl with a noble heart. Born without any clue about the identity with her parents besides a small handkerchief with the name "Addington" written on it. Lucia travels the streets of the slums, surviving on the scraps of the nobles and fighting for her survival as she tries her best to live in this dark and cruel world. With rumors of a so called "Faith" travelling across the ears of the peasants. She makes her way toward their location, curious about whether or not she might be able to find sanctum in their walls. Extremely gifted in magic and mana control, the girl seems to be enthusiastic to any new experience she may come across

Interests: I wish to learn the values of the Faith and hopefully become a member of it. Slowly starting off as an Acolyte and working my way up. I dont necessarily have a plan for my character besides wanting to go into Cosmic/Holy Magic and becoming a medic. Since i play my characters pretty freeform, i'll just go with the flow with whatever happens. I hope you consider me and please respond to my thread or contact me on discord if i am allowed to go through with this and join. Thank you!

Discord # Ramen#4577

[Heals]

Character Name: Yiel
Age: 16
Background / history: My parents city - Hessalia, was destroyed in the Rhoynuran conflict. Displaced and left with nothing, they sent me to a convent when I was very young, as they were unable to afford to raise me. I've spent most of my life there. A few months ago it was discovered that I was a magi, I adopted the name of the star I felt closest to, and journeyed to Osrona to join the Faith as a proper Acolyte.
Interests: More about myself and my star.
Discord #: Healsgood#2718

[Catslug]

Character Name: Gebhardt Von Scabb
Age: 50

Background / history: Ten years ago, the mighty Trading House Of Scabb & Sons ruled the Jianghu sea trade routes with all the tyranny afforded to petty trade magnates, coercing smaller companies to pay exorbitant fees for usage of their docks and warehouses. Specializing in the bulk import of the lowest quality goods Scabb could get his hands on, they earned a well deserved and far-reaching reputation for both profit and unreliability - A badge of honor for any self-respecting entrepreneur. 

Unfortunately for everyone involved, trade patriarch Scabb saw fit to expand his enterprise beyond the cluttered dockside markets he called home and into the field of Archeology, believing there is much profit to be made through the sale of relics and artifacts from centuries past. Employing the services of a particularly hideous old man who made the dubious claim of being an exiled Jianghu astronomer-mage, Scabb mounted an expedition into the uncharted ocean.

At first, there was famine. Then, there was thirst. Then there was scurvy, and fever, and corpses picked glean by gulls. Strange lands where no man had set foot and the pests of the sea ruled as kings. A sea, clear and waveless, where all the world's dead drifted face-down without sinking.

Weeks after his disappearance, a fishing ship caught Scabb's lifeboat in one of their nets by sheer accident. It took him a year to recover from his bout of sea-madness, with much of his wild stories and delusions being blamed on disease and the forced consumption of seawater. One claim in which the trader does persist, though - Is that he was rescued by an unearthly intervention.

That a singular star had guided him to safety, shining for three days and three nights above the endless blue to light his way back to Valmasia.

Setting aside his wealth and business, Scabb dressed in the simple garb of a pilgrim and boarded a ship set for Esshar, that land which worships stars. He had in his mind, a goal to work toward. 

Interests: Scabb is mainly interested in getting his hands on as much star lore as possible and furthering the worship of the stars, which he views as having saved him from certain death. He is convinced that his fate is involved in a divine schism, and wishes to see it through.

Discord #: Corona Chad#3626