Sounds pretty close to Tarkiman Beliefs. Before their disappearance, a group of Primordials and their children had ruled over Tarkima as a Pantheon of Living Gods. Afterwards, many believe they had simply ascended into a higher plane, preparing a Valhalla-like paradise. I'd imagine there may be slight disagreements regarding the Prophetess.
And no doubt @Goldeagle1221's church will also have influence in Tarkima, many Tarkimans renouncing their old faith to the Old Gods and switching over to the Church.
Just to be fair to creativity and to give credit where credit is due. @Aristo@Crispy octopus and @Solamelike are all co authors of the region and religion. All I did was the outline and general idea (of the church). We are currently working on our region histories!
The Warlord and Empress Andromache, just by existing, violates the tenants of the church insofar as she was but an orphan and a peasant doomed to die, becoming a Heroic figure and eventually toppling three noble kingdoms along the way. Furthermore, while the Empire proper maintains a caste-based system, mobility between castes is common. Indeed, even the lowest of slaves in the fields or mines are permitted to try and claim a better life for themselves either through proof of merit of by achieving tenure in the fighting pits. Moreso than any other point, if you want to win any kind of favor with the Imperial Administration you must publicly recognize the Empress as the legitimate sovereign of the lands. Failure to do so could potentially lead to the proscription of your faith, as association of any kind will be impossible if your kind do not recognize her authority.
@Darkspleen I do not know if the 'Serene One' counts as our default accepted god or not, or whether she is an alternative option to some other system. I will say that within the Empire, if another religion is considered the 'default,' it will still be a sanctioned state religion, albeit worship and adherence to stricture will not be rigidly enforced. If the default religion views the Prophetess as Divine, the Empire may then effectively be considered a heterodoxy as they reject any Divinity on her part.
Additionally, it is the official stance of the Imperial Administration that this 'Serene One,' regardless of whether or not she even existed, had her chance already. Her own folly in creating the flawed Primordials is, by the admission of her own church, what led to her being shut from the world. It belongs to mortals now. That aside, the Empire holds no specific animus against the Serene faith or its followers, and so where convenient will not trample over you.
Dare not fall underfoot.
The Serene Church is completely player made and controlled, by no means the default. Also the Serene One is of no gender.
To further add to the fundamentals: The fundamental virtues of the church are humility, temperance, generosity, compassion, and order. The fundamental beliefs is that while magic exists, it exists to serve mortals so that they may more effectively bring back order to the chaotic world. The Serene One is the only true creator and way back to paradise, and the primordials are the bringers of chaos and sin.
EDIT: This is just the outline really, it will be up to the players roleplaying the high council to doctor in the actual rules and laws to be ministered, as well as the history of the church and detailed structures and locations.
<Snipped quote by Goldeagle1221> My nation will probably be a hotbed of protestant belief.
The Queen is lenient on Protestants on my side of things, but the Duke has his head up the high council's ass. Every nation in the church gets two Archbishops for the council btw.
So Sola, Aristo, Crispy, and myself are members of the high council and its up to our archbishops to modify dogma and law through council if deemed necessary.
In the beginning the world was right with order and peace, ruled solely by the hand of the Serene One. However, the first beings (Primordials) created proved to be rebellious and eventually brought chaos into the world of the Serene One. In an attempt to right this wrong the Serene one cast the first beings from the world, but not before too much damage was done. The world was cast into chaos and disorder, shutting the Serene One from the world.
All that remained were the mortals, dregs of the primordials, and the smallest of creation. They were quickly tasked by their creator, the Serene One, to rebuild order upon the chaotic world, so that some day the Serene One may return and re-establish paradise.
To rebuild order there must be structure, and so the Church was born. The written codes and laws of the Serene One was to be kept safe and ministered by priests, who in turn are to be organized by bishops, who in turn are organized by Archbishops, who in turn decide the fate of the church through the high council of Archbishops.
The church supports a strong nobility, and chivalry. Nobles are not to be harmed or displaced in battle or politics, so they may rule orderly, and the lower classes are to obey and be productive so they may too remain orderly. The sovereigns are to be trusted with administering nations on behalf of the Serene One, and no other religious order or structure should interfere with the Good Serene Ones work on this world, So says the Serene One.
The ultimate authority remains in the hands of the Archbishops to ensure order is kept and rules and mandates are followed and created properly, and in turn governments administer to the populace in their own choosing, so long as it is orderly and conforms to the church law. A notable rule of the Church is that class cannot be transcended or risk prideful hubris, sin, and disorder/chaos, so that for all to do their part in rebuilding order, all must remain at their task at hand and seek nothing further or less.
War is unnecessary but should upheaval arise it is on the feudal lords and governance to quickly quell battles with battles in such a way to leave order intact.
Note: There is an underlying protestant movement in the Serene Church that while it upholds the cosmic beliefs of the church, The Serene One and the underlying values, it disagrees with the absolutism or necessity of the high council, and is against class restrictions/oppression.
You may want to elaborate on the nature of the Serene church so that people can decide whether they want in on it or not.
Currently it is now Solamelike, Aristo, Crispy Octopus and myself. We are going to be defining it in detail tonight. But for now here is what it is: [post incoming]
I'll be working with Aristo, Solamelike and Crispy Octopus tonight on history as well as our joint church. If anyone else wants in on the Serene Church and the bishop council that governs it. Lemme know.
The disparate kingdoms that were conquered to form the rising Empire had different views. The new order, such as it is, possesses evidence to suggest the Prophetess' powers were genuine. However, due in part to the region's historical familiarity with Primordial Lineage, they reject claims that she was Divine.
As far as the new order is concerned, the Prophetess was a mortal woman with prophetic powers, and nothing more.
I'm not really a bird.
[center]-0-
Where did I play,
A land of twisted branches,
A kingdom of clay,
A swamp of memories,
A never-ending day,
Where did I run,
Across the dawn,
Through the sun,
Across the sky,
Through laughs and fun,
Where did I walk,
Pristine grass green,
White cliffs of chalk,
Pools of sky so blue,
Orchard stones that talk,
Where did I sit,
By the gates of silver,
Near endless pit,
By forever horizon,
You may remember it.[/center]
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;">I'm not really a bird.<br><br><div class="bb-center">-0-<br><br>Where did I play,<br>A land of twisted branches,<br>A kingdom of clay,<br>A swamp of memories,<br>A never-ending day,<br><br>Where did I run,<br>Across the dawn,<br>Through the sun,<br>Across the sky,<br>Through laughs and fun,<br><br>Where did I walk,<br>Pristine grass green,<br>White cliffs of chalk,<br>Pools of sky so blue,<br>Orchard stones that talk,<br><br>Where did I sit,<br>By the gates of silver,<br>Near endless pit,<br>By forever horizon,<br>You may remember it.</div></div>