[Empire!] The First Ecumenical Council at Salcaster

[Aedilred]

515

The city of Salcaster was the centre of the new Imperium, built on the border between Minotron, Salteire and Discordia, and it was here, in the place of the faith's birth, that questions relating to the direction of Panshén would be determined. Established in a spirit of unity and cooperation some thirty years before, now the religious authorities of the Imperium would reconvene to ensure its future.

http://www.skepticmoney.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/council-nicaea.jpg

An agenda was distributed to all attendees. Those with subjects to add to the agenda were invited to petition the chair.


1. Confirmation of the provisional structure of the Church
2. Nature of the Silver Lady
3. Canon of the legendarium and holy texts
4. Recognition of and relationship with spirits not part of the Imperial pantheon and their cults. (The Children of Kina are invited to send a representative to address the council)
5. Heresies
6. Selection of Church authorities in currently vacant positions
7. Iconography, remaining stylistic issues and other sundries

Invitations have also been extended to the First Brother of the Blazing Temple and the High Priestess of Calorum to address the Council or send a representative to do so on their behalf, and to observe relevant portions of the debate.

All prefects and proconsuls of the Imperium are invited as a courtesy to observe; they may petition to address the council (or be invited to do so by hierarchs of the Church) if they have matters of relevance and importance to contribute.


As we discussed in the OOC thread, now with names!

1. The Triad - the high priests of the Lord, Lady and Wyrm [3, reporting directly to the Qzare]
2. College of Sixteen [16, senior authorities, advisors of the Triad and Proconsuls, ambassadors of the Church]
3. Patriarchs [8, responsible for ensuring consistency of doctrine within their sphere of influence]
4. Wùúshí Quorum [50, responsible for temporal management]
5. Hierarchs [c.400, responsible for spiritual and temporal local management]
6. The Inquisition [unspecified number, serve as the Church's internal investigators and enforcers of law and doctrine]
7. Holy Orders [any number, the military arm of the Church]

Obviously we've discussed this a bit OOC but I thought it was worth having an IC thread. Since it's in Salcaster it doesn't really matter who the actual host is; the identity of the chair might be relevant if Gun Huang doesn't chair it himself but if not we can probably assume it's an uncontroversial nonentity. :smallwink:

[QuintonBeck]

Charles, First Brother of the Blazing Temple, was getting on in the years but his appearance betrayed a continued youthful exuberance and vigor. Now well into his mid sixties he appeared more as a man in his younger fifties, just passed out of middle age. His skin was wrinkled but not creased beyond recognition and his continued balded and eyebrowless styling kept his grey hair from serving as a more present age marker. He wore the traditional robes of a Temple monk, sleeveless and in the color of the flames although he now walked with a walking stick, an affect he had acquired from Kelrax of the Dunfel. The invitation to attend this spiritual council had come as a present surprise and while Rodrigo had argued another Brother or Sister might make the journey easier Charles had been quick to remind the younger man he had put him in charge of Temple proceedings just so that the First Brother himself could make such sojourns to those courts which invited him.

There was a history of tension with the Imperium as a whole relating to the Ascensionists rabid defamation of the Lord's name and worship and the general adversity towards northern practices of which the Temple's teachings were considered but long had the Carmine Kingdom served as a bridge for the Faith into the south and Charles had no doubt their Kingdom had been the one to secure the Temple's invitation. Charles was not entirely pleased with Carmine's decision to adopt this new religion designed by man to accommodate beliefs born of divinity but the invitation to attend had been taken by the First Brother to mean at least the Temple's opinion and teachings might influence the earthly religion's direction and perhaps in time nudge them back to the Fiery Faith. The irony of repeating the same course of action as Blazing Avatar Yosi Cedro in his cooperation with Mosi and Radurja was not lost on the First Brother but he hoped the Imperium's theologians might not prove as obstinate as the Eternal Learner Mosi.

The First Brother had made the journey alone and sat in the great council awaiting the order of business to begin. As he looked at the itinerary he noted with some keen interest the church hierarchy. Perhaps within this earthly business he might find a way to inject the light of the blazing word.

[DurkBlanston]

Panshén

"A patchwork quilt of beliefs never written to coincide but somehow still coming together and forming an elaborate and quality tapestry. The organization of the Imperium shines through in the organization of this belief as one of the finest attempts to reconcile a variety of beliefs into one true canon. More than a collection of stories and beliefs such as in the Radurjic Codex, Panshén is a belief system built to withstand but also to adapt."

- Professor H. Cheswyn, The Religions of Modern Telluris


Before existence there reigned Chaos and this Chaos was unknowable and distraught. So it was that Chaos warred with itself seeking to balance its nonexistence with existence and with this battle there sparked a great flame that began our world. Of this flame came forward the aspect known as the Lord of Fire to see surrounded was he by the Great Wyrm, too birthed of the flame of existence, and the Lord cast the Wyrm down for the Lord was the Divine and the Wyrm the Material and were un-reconciled. The Lord was first among the gods and the Wyrm first among daemons and thus most powerful of their kinds.

The world was material and watched upon by the divine but none yet walked its surface. So it was that the Lord sought to wrestle from the Wyrm a new form and their clash brought forth She of Silver, first among mortals and most powerful of their kind. She is first and only mortal known to possess both Material and Divine in perfect harmony and to be free the ravages of wound and time by her ascension*. She demanded the fight be stopped, taming to her the Wyrm, and wedding to her the Lord and bringing order to the world.

From Her union with the Lord came the races of fae, men, dwarves, and all the fair mortal creatures of the world. The Wyrm to serve as adversary and dispenser of justice among the deserving, She of Silver to guide and act as paragon of virtues to the mortal races, and the Lord to maintain the cohesion of the world and ensure matters beyond mortal comprehension were in balance.

*Thought it might be fun to have the word "ascension" in the origin myth surrounding She of Silver as the passage that Ascensionists grabbed onto.



History of Hailings of the Silver Sea

History of Lord of Fire worship in the south

It is not known when worship of the Lord of Fire first appeared in the lands of the Imperium, although it might date back to before the Cataclysm given that some primitive form of it seemed to remain among the native people of the far south. By the mid-fourth century it had emerged as the religion of the royal families of both Jarrland and the Minotines, though remained proscribed across much of the rest of the Imperium. Efforts of the Calorum church to spread the faith for political ends generated a persecuted minority of worshippers in Bor-Teire.

The cult of Ascension was strongly opposed to the Lord of Fire and made efforts to eradicate the faith across the Imperium, suppressing it in its own territories and attempting to drive it out of Minotron and Jarrland. In Jarrland the religious order was for a time uncertain, but ultimately the monarchy came down firmly in favour of the Doctrine of Flame in the 410s, soliciting help from the Calorum church in resisting Ascension's spread and ultimately enshrining the Doctrine as the sole religion in Jarrland proper.

Expansion further to the south revealed more relic Doctrine of Flame sects, most notably in Bjurnja, where it was suspected to have been introduced by Greta Cardion Divinorum, a former Blazing Avatar. At the same time, the church was gaining more widespread toleration in the Imperium following the decline of Ascension and suppression of the Priory rebellion (with substantial input from Lord of Fire worshippers), the moderation of Tailong, and the influence of Empress Ambryn. and by the time the ruling family of Mularuhm converted to the Doctrine of Flame in the later fifth century the church was all but fully accepted in Imperial circles.

Lord of Fire practice in the south was officially orthodox but with a handful of idiosyncrasies. The longstanding influence of the Calorum church and stationing of the Burning Legion within Jarrland and Vennland has led to a degree of influence from the Reformation, with the Divinorum family held in particularly high regard. Particularly during the reigns of Elwyr and his successor Eldred, a scholarship had also developed in the eastern Imperium largely independent of mainstream Temple teachings seeking to reconcile the beliefs of the Doctrine of Flame with mainstream Imperial religion and practice. In the far south, the sun worship of Tuhiland and Trinacria lent itself to easy conversion to the Doctrine of Flame, but recognised Elwyr and, later, his successors, as prophesied leaders blessed by the Lord of Fire which also left a lasting influence on the southern version of the church.

History of the Wyrm Below


*
Panshén encourages its followers to pursue enlightenment and self fulfillment through action, reflection, and conscious self improvement. Within the Panshén mythos She of Silver serves as the ultimate achievement in perfection of balance between Material and Divine, the two substances that form the soul and basis of living creatures. Famous and great ancestors are in some teachings also included as those who achieved nearest the perfection of She of Silver through the most common theme is the ultimate pursuit to achieve as She achieved within the earthly realm and that that struggle for perfection and self improvement is what defines and makes life a worthy pursuit.

Within the pantheon She of Silver serves as the goal to be reached for and the Wyrm Below serves as the material struggles of the world as well as the material rewards. The Wyrm is disease, is famine, is wounds and mountains blocking ones path. The Wyrm is not a malevolent force though and followers of Panshén thank the Wyrm in their prayers for providing an obstacle to overcome. Each challenge brought forth by the Wyrm within the lives of followers is yet another chance to become better, stronger, smarter by overcoming its challenge and rising up to face the next one. The Wyrm is also taught to seek to inflict material obstruction on those most needing it, those in need of a lesson, those in need of a meaning to be inflicted upon them. Thus it is that within Panshén the natural world is a force to test the mettle of the men within it.

The Lord of Fire serves a similar role as the Wyrm though his involvement is lesser and his struggles less opaque than the Wyrm's. The Lord of Fire, oftentimes decried as a devil in more rustic circles of Hailings and by the Ascension cult has been studied by Panshén scholars taking from teachings of Calorum and the Blazing Temple and been determined to not be a horrifying opponent to the mortal but simply the unknowable Divine. While She of Silver serves as an inspiration for mortals and the Wyrm acts through material forces recognizable and apparent to mortal eyes the works of the Lord are mysterious and unknown. His distance from the material world is great and his realm is beyond comprehension yet it is known that he and the Divine gives life its chance that the world is not but stone and dirt. The Lord is thus revered for his divinity and power and respected as a being beyond mortal comprehension though reverence over worship is taught by most Panshén priests.

Divine Right of Rule, also known as the Silver Mandate, is an integral component of Panshén borrowed from Hailings and integrating parts of the Lord of Fire and Wyrm Below. While written and applicable specifically to the Qzare serves as the basis of much of the teachings of Panshén and the basis of religious mandates of power to lords other than the Qzare himself. The Silver Mandate teaches that the spirit of the Qzare is the most pure and worthy of reverence and nearest to the perfection demonstrated by She of Silver and that its purity is passed on to the Qzare's descendants who are then most worthy to attempt and become Qzare themselves. This is a point of some difference regionally as it is taken that the eldest child, and in many cases in patrilineal areas the eldest son, received the purest distillation of the lord's spirit and is thus most worthy to succeed him as the next lord. The Silver Mandate of Panshén also includes an adoption of the belief that the line of the noble houses of the world were divinely chosen and blessed by the Lord such that they might serve as leaders to the common people and it is with his blessing that they achieved the leadership they now posses by overcoming the greatest struggles of the Wyrm to ascend and that they bear the ultimate responsibility for facing the great challenges presented by the Wyrm to their people.


*
"The Wyrm waits below" - Another obstacle awaits. Often said to remind an over joyous celebrator that they should not forget the struggles that got them there nor the struggles that yet await them.

"The Wyrm/Lord works in mysterious ways" -


*

The Pantheon
The Lord of Fire: The Divinity who sits as the unknowable and all powerful father of the gods the Lord of Fire is revered and respected by followers of Panshén though direct worship of the Lord is somewhat uncommon he is prayed to for aid in battles or in overcoming the material obstacles of the Wyrm. Believed to have wed She of Silver, although the exact details of their relationship owing to the origin of She of Silver as birthed from the conflict between the Lord and the Wyrm is unclear. Nevertheless the Lord serves an important role as the most powerful and worthy of respect of the Divine and the Lord of the Divine realm.

The Wyrm Below: The Material who makes up the ground beneath one's feet, the storms in the sky, the blades of allies and enemies, and the temporal realm is ascribed to all be part of the Great Wyrm, alternatively referred to as the Wyrm Below, a shortening of "The Wyrm Below Our Feet." The Wyrm is an opposing force to the spirit and drive of mortals on Telluris though its opposition is to strengthen by victory the abilities of those faced with it not to halt progress or torture the opposed. The Wyrm, and thus the material, is immortal though it often sheds its scales and is reborn and altered year and decade and century again it continues on and always acts as it should. Much of the native animism of various Protectorates has been worked into the Wyrm's myhtic composition and in some ways the Wyrm serves as a primal and authoritative nature spirit though it is not referred to as such within official Panshén canon.

She-of-Silver-Spear-and-Coin, She-Who-Watches-in-the-Day, She-Who-Guards-Us-in-the-Night, the Salt Queen and the Mother of Might: The Spirit within all mortals and the ultimate expression of the fusion of the Divine with the Material She of Silver is the patron saint of mortals and serves as the guiding light to followers of Panshén. For followers She serves as a role model for self realization, identification, and achievement and She serves as a mother and a natural guide through the world around oneself. Wise, strong, intelligent, and fully realized She of Silver is the ultimate expression of what a mortal should strive to achieve and she is considered the most active aid to followers of Panshén willing to intercede on their behalf, strengthen those in need of encouragement, and lift up the spirits connected to She of Silver by their sharing the same component as Her own. A matron of war as well as peace She of Silver encourages worshipers to strive towards accomplishing their duties and serving their superiors all while improving themselves that they might ascend the material rankings of their station.



Enemies


Other
The Dragon Cult

Kina

Yphinne






The Moonshroud Festival:

Solstices: The solstices are held as holy days to the Lord of Fire by worshippers in the Kingdom of the Carmine Sea, as the days when His influence reaches its zenith and nadir over the course of year. The winter festival is the more significant, with a five day intercalary week (known as Luhikhet) laid aside for feasting and worship, in principle to plead with the Lord to show the people His favour and to bestow light and warmth upon them again. The summer solstice is a thanksgiving festival for the Lord's fulfilment of their pleas in winter, celebrated with bonfires and dancing.

All proposal stuff. * signifies addition from the post in the alliance thread

[lt_murgen]

Percy waited anxiously outside the ecumenical council building. The Imperial religion was an important lynchpin to keeping the empire together. The Confederation Congress passed a resolution allowing Panshen missionaires to form minorities within each Seaborne Confederation region. They even cancelled the property taxes that other religions were obligated to pay.
Beside him sat another man, even more nervous. Silene Onerogin, the Eldest Child of Kina. Privately, he mused at how inappropriate the title was. He was only Y years old. But he passed the trial. He survivied the Choosing ritual. He could not deny that he was special.

“Will I be accepted?” He asked Percy.

“I am an Imperial Proconsul. You are my guest.”

“I was once Tupelo.” He said simply.

“Yes. And I know of my past as well. We must struggle to remove our past failings.”

“Yours are private. I see my sins in the mirror each day.” He was referring to his oak bark skin and golden eyes, a spitting image of the Prophet Tupelo.

“All the more reason to prove you are not what you once were.”

Silene sighed. “Khaditna poses many trials. We must be wary.”

“And patient. They will call us when they wish to discuss our views.”

[lt_murgen]

When queried, here are his thoughts:

The Children of Kina recognize that all myths are divinely inspired. But they are subject to the filter of the speaker. It is not the fault of the deity, but in our inability to encompass divine reality with our limited thoughts.
There is much upon which the Children of Kina and Panshen agree. There was a time when stone and sky was unformed and gods walked amongst the formlessness. We both recognize the Lord of Fire as the primary being who brought forth substance and order. The Children do not believe the material world has divinity, as expressed in the form of the Wyrm Below. The world merely is. However, Panshen and the Children seem to agree that there was a conflict in the early forming of the material world, and that conflict drove imperfection into a perfect system.

We agree also that it was the Lord of Fire that created mortals. We speak little of this, accepting that other gods and goddesses were involved in the creation of the living world. Aggregating that together as the Wyrm Below seems a simplification; but the Children have little interest in the mythology of such things.
In some respects, She of Silver may be seen by the Children as a stand-in for Kina. Yet we reject that Kina was mortal- even paragon and progenitor of mortals. Kina stands as the first creation of the Gods, divine as they are divine. She is the start and end point of souls on their journey to and from the material world. She of Silver was the progenitor of all sentient species; Kina makes no such claims.

There exists equivalence between Kina’s aspect Khaditna and the Wyrm Below. Both see sentient souls as imperfect and strive to provide opportunities to move closer to perfection. Yet Khaditna is not a force of opposition to be overcome, as the Wyrm Below seems to be. Khaditna tempts, she deceives, she allows the unwary to fall to their own imperfections. She provides opportunities to resist the temptations that lie in one’s soul. Defects which lead to corruption. The Wyrm Below seems to exist to dispense justice in the material world. Khadi judges the soul’s actions after death.

In some striking respects, the mission of the Children and Panshen is very similar. Both encourage the pursuit of enlightenment and self-fulfillment through action, reflection, and conscious self-improvement.
There is something wonderfully elegant in the embodiment of these ideals in She of Silver. A Paragon of balance is appealing. But the Children are concerned that striving to reach a paragon places artificial restrictions on self-reflection. How can someone understand and fix the failings within themselves when they are striving towards an unattainable standard? The struggle for perfection and self-improvement is what defines and makes life a worthy pursuit. Yet perfection is unachievable in imperfect, time constrained beings. This is why Khadi judges intent of action, not merely results.

In teachings, the Wyrm Below functions in a similar way to the great Deceiver, Khaditna, in that it provides obstacles to overcome and improve. Yet Khaditna does not claim to influence the natural world in ways of disease and famine. Instead, she seeks to find opportunities to grow or fail within the greater world. She does not seek punishment nor to inflict pain upon those that transgress, though often her lessons require pain and privation to learn.
Panshen and the Children have similar views on the Lord of Fire. He is the ultimate progenitor of thinking beings. He stands remote to the material world, and should be honored more than worshipped. He interferes little in the material world, so entreaty is pointless.

The Children do not agree that the divine right to rule exists. Such a rule implies that parents pass purity from generation to generation. Somehow, the most pure is the first pass, as if having multiple children is somehow unenlightened and unfulfilling. Why would the eldest child be closer to divine than the others? Is this, perhaps, more driven by the parents and their own hopes and failings towards their children?
Admittedly, the Children have much debate upon how Kina chooses the correct soul for each new birth. Perhaps she does find the souls most in need of being rulers for the first-born of kings.

Panshen does not seem to place any particular importance on death. Nor does it discuss the potential afterlife in reward or punishment for the actions of one’s life. The just and upright pass a portion of that to their children. No mention is made after that of how an entire lineage can become more like She of Silver. Does this imply that after the kids are born, the parents can become depraved and degenerate? They have done their job to their progeny by starting them with a pure soul? Or is there something after death to aspire to?
Kina stands as the first and last. Birth and death. She is Mother to us all. She allows us to grow and learn at our own pace. Yet we fear her displeasure and wrath as a young child fears her mother’s displeasure. Across generations and time, she seeks to help our souls become more perfect by placing us where we need to be and judging how well sought to improve ourselves. The Children worry that Panshen has no such cross-generational influence.

[DurkBlanston]

Divine Right to Rule - Could use some tweaking but the purity of souls is important to legitimize kingship through religion.

Afterlife - This is a pretty big oversight we should address. I'm thinking reincarnation seems like a logical direction to go, maybe even incorporate Kina as the goddess of death?

[Aedilred]

I'm not going to bother with a full IC argument at this stage, but there's no reason this thread can't continue beyond the end of the round if necessary.



Orthodox Lord of Fire, Hailings of the Silver Sea, Wyrm Below
In their current forms, completely compatible. Malyn would further recommend that appointment of one of the Patriarchs be delegated to the Blazing Temple so that doctrine can be informed by LoF orthodoxy in future.

Calorum Lord of Fire Reformation
The blessing conferred on the Divinorum family should be recognised and their opinions, interpretation and counsel on matters relating to the Lord of Fire treated respectfully, but as tertiary behind that of the the Panshén and orthodox Lord of Fire authorities.

Tzetultep
The legendarium is largely apocryphal and the overall doctrine confused. Clearly Tzetultep is himself an earthly manifestation of the Lord of Fire, rather than vice versa. (I gather there has also been discussion in the past about the relationship between the Wyrm and Tztetultep). Otherwise, though it skirts with heresy, it is tolerable, though (in common with other non-native religions) should not be allowed to spread within the Imperium.

Children of Kina
Malyn would argue, based on what the Eldest Child has said and his personal opinion, that Panshén and the Children of Kina are canonically irreconcileable: not that the Children can be tolerated, but that trying to incorporate their existing belief pattern and legendarium into that of Panshén is impossible without unacceptably compromising the founding principles of Panshén. Can be tolerated, if only because it is politically expedient to do so.

Doctrine of Frost
Some causes for concern, but overall can be tolerated without excessive rancour in its current form.

Ashmarism
Possible room for investigating potential similarities between the One Who Guards Earth and the Wyrm Below; the One Who Guards Fire is of course in Ashmarism canonically already the Lord of Fire. However the positing of an overdeity above the Lord of Fire is clearly heretical.

Radurja
Heretical for much the same reasons as Ashmarism, except moreso; should probably be considered dangerous for its history of interfering in and claims to superiority over other faiths and corruption of the Blazing Avatar.

Ramhsa
Sufficient details to make an informed judgment as yet unavailable: probably heretical going on what is known.

Ascension
Heretical.

Jaaku Na
Actively hostile both to the faith and to the Imperium itself; cannot be tolerated in any form.

Paganism and other unorganised religions
Native paganism in the Imperium can tolerated, but conversion to Panshén should be encouraged. There may be room for conversion "by stealth" if existing beliefs are sufficiently compatible or not incompatible with Panshén proper (e.g. sun worship). The level of priority depends on the group in question. Nomadic groups travelling through the Imperium can be permitted to retain native pagan beliefs (but not heresies) but not to spread them.

Other religions
No strong opinions in general.

I'm fairly happy with that as presented in the "Relationships" section above.

I'm not such a fan of reincarnation for various reasons (it raises a lot of awkward questions when it comes to monarchy, I think), but one of those reasons is that it's a feature of Radurja and I'd rather keep things identifiably different from it. I think there is some sort of canonical afterlife for LoF followers already though, which Morph might be able to give more information on; dunno about the Lady or the Wyrm.

Malyn would recommend that members of the church not be required to maintain celibacy. If celibacy is determined to be essential he would further recommend that they not be required to maintain chastity (i.e. that if they can't marry they can still engage in sexual relations and therefore potentially have children.


All positions not already filled shall be appointed by the Qzare directly or indirectly as of this council. All positions held are for life unless the individual is removed from office by a higher authority or retires. No discrimination is to be made by sex. Appointees do not have to be subjects of the Imperium by birth but on appointment must swear allegiance to the Qzare.

Triad
Initial vacancies to be filled by the Qzare. For future appointments, the College of Sixteen shall furnish the Qzare with a list of appropriate candidates to assist him in making his selections, although he is not to be bound by the list and may exercise his own judgment.

Upon the death of the first Lord of Fire triad representative the position shall pass to Simovyr Jarrow Divinorum and from there, the post shall be filled from among his descendants unless none are available or of sufficient age or experience. (Since Simovyr is himself only fifteen years old at this point he should not be the first one).

College
To be appointed by the Triads. Appointees should already carry the rank of Hierarch or higher unless there exceptional circumstances.

Patriarchs
To be appointed by the Triads on the advice of the College. Appointment of one of the Patriarchs (northern sector) to be reserved to the Blazing Temple. Existing rank of Hierarch or higher is not necessary.

Wùúshí Quorum
To be appointed by the College from among existing Hierarchs.

Hierarchs
To be appointed by the local prefect or proconsul on the advice of the church.

Inquisitors
Appointed directly by the College or the Triad as necessary.

[lt_murgen]

As the discussion continues, Silene will point out a few things.

The Children do not seek to be incorporated into Panshen. Merely, they seek to find where the common ground and differences are. Overall, Silene's impression is that the two have more in common than difference and that conflict is unlikely. Spirited discussion, yes. He is all in favor of friendly dialogue.

Silene will admit that the Children shy away from discussing how Kina chooses each soul for each life. It is entirely possible that the divine right of kings is supported through her appropriate choices. Simply, they do not know. Nor do they speculate.

The Children's views on reincarnation are different than that of Radurja. Again, much spirited debate has been had with the priests of that faith on the topic. Silene will explain it with a very personal example. Radurja would say he is Tupelo reborn, as Mosi has been reborn several times. Yet he does not bear the memories of the prophet. Instead, he carries the essence, or soul, of the man. Different circumstances, different experiences, different choices will lead him to a very different life than the prophet, or any who bore the same soul before.

[Aedilred]

OOC: Photoshop's been playing up a bit recently but by way of experiment I knocked up the following, showing the (hypothetical) principal "dioceses" for Panshén (actually closer to RL provinces) each showing roughly the area covered by one member of the Wuushi Quorum. The colour indicates which Patriarchy that quorate falls under (i.e. North, South, East or West).

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y287/athelassan/Empire/Panshen%20Diocesal%20Map_zpsk8y9qpxc.png

I've included names of the principal town where known. It intentionally doesn't follow existing political boundaries (although doesn't ignore them completely either) so that individual churchmen don't gain too much real power. For instance, the quorate of Anaphorica doesn't cover all of Salteire (although it does overlap into Bor-Teire) and two other quorates also cover Salteire land. The Priory's legacy lives on!

Where known I included the name of what seemed like the most significant town in that area or one which would make a logical basis for the Panshén clergy (I opted for Opal for the Jewelled Cities on a whim, and assumed it could probably cover Tar as well, unless there would be a further spiritual centre in Arrow). Feel free to add or correct! Some areas not part of the Imperium - especially on the edges of the map - have been provisionally carved up into quorates to account for future expansion (especially since there is a congregation currently in 165).

[lt_murgen]

OOC: Where known I included the name of what seemed like the most significant town in that area or one which would make a logical basis for the Panshén clergy (I opted for Opal for the Jewelled Cities on a whim, and assumed it could probably cover Tar as well, unless there would be a further spiritual centre in Arrow). Feel free to add or correct! S

Amber, in the Jeweled Cities, has long been the center of religious studies in the Isles. It has been in decline for decades as the Nighthawk Grove in Tar rose to prominence. The city of Amber would welcome a Panshen study center.


Now, ooc, I don't plan on spending faith actions to allow a Panshen minority in the Confederation. But if someone else does, and keeps it a minority, I won't oppose it.

[DurkBlanston]

Okay, updated with suggestions and input from above. The only thing we're really lacking now as far as I can see if figuring out the afterlife part of it.


Panshén

"A patchwork quilt of beliefs never written to coincide but somehow still coming together and forming an elaborate and quality tapestry. The organization of the Imperium shines through in the organization of this belief as one of the finest attempts to reconcile a variety of beliefs into one true canon. More than a collection of stories and beliefs such as in the Radurjic Codex, Panshén is a belief system built to withstand but also to adapt."

- Professor H. Cheswyn, The Religions of Modern Telluris


Before existence there reigned Chaos and this Chaos was unknowable and distraught. So it was that Chaos warred with itself seeking to balance its nonexistence with existence and with this battle there sparked a great flame that began our world. Of this flame came forward the aspect known as the Lord of Fire to see surrounded was he by the Great Wyrm, too birthed of the flame of existence, and the Lord cast the Wyrm down for the Lord was the Divine and the Wyrm the Material and were un-reconciled. The Lord was first among the gods and the Wyrm first among daemons and thus most powerful of their kinds.

The world was material and watched upon by the divine but none yet walked its surface. So it was that the Lord sought to wrestle from the Wyrm a new form and their clash brought forth She of Silver, first among mortals and most powerful of their kind. She is first and only mortal known to possess both Material and Divine in perfect harmony and to be free the ravages of wound and time by her ascension*. She demanded the fight be stopped, taming to her the Wyrm, and wedding to her the Lord and bringing order to the world.

From Her union with the Lord came the races of fae, men, dwarves, and all the fair mortal creatures of the world. The Wyrm to serve as adversary and dispenser of justice among the deserving, She of Silver to guide and act as paragon of virtues to the mortal races, and the Lord to maintain the cohesion of the world and ensure matters beyond mortal comprehension were in balance.



History of Hailings of the Silver Sea

History of Lord of Fire worship in the south

It is not known when worship of the Lord of Fire first appeared in the lands of the Imperium, although it might date back to before the Cataclysm given that some primitive form of it seemed to remain among the native people of the far south. By the mid-fourth century it had emerged as the religion of the royal families of both Jarrland and the Minotines, though remained proscribed across much of the rest of the Imperium. Efforts of the Calorum church to spread the faith for political ends generated a persecuted minority of worshippers in Bor-Teire.

The cult of Ascension was strongly opposed to the Lord of Fire and made efforts to eradicate the faith across the Imperium, suppressing it in its own territories and attempting to drive it out of Minotron and Jarrland. In Jarrland the religious order was for a time uncertain, but ultimately the monarchy came down firmly in favour of the Doctrine of Flame in the 410s, soliciting help from the Calorum church in resisting Ascension's spread and ultimately enshrining the Doctrine as the sole religion in Jarrland proper.

Expansion further to the south revealed more relic Doctrine of Flame sects, most notably in Bjurnja, where it was suspected to have been introduced by Greta Cardion Divinorum, a former Blazing Avatar. At the same time, the church was gaining more widespread toleration in the Imperium following the decline of Ascension and suppression of the Priory rebellion (with substantial input from Lord of Fire worshippers), the moderation of Tailong, and the influence of Empress Ambryn. and by the time the ruling family of Mularuhm converted to the Doctrine of Flame in the later fifth century the church was all but fully accepted in Imperial circles.

Lord of Fire practice in the south was officially orthodox but with a handful of idiosyncrasies. The longstanding influence of the Calorum church and stationing of the Burning Legion within Jarrland and Vennland has led to a degree of influence from the Reformation, with the Divinorum family held in particularly high regard. Particularly during the reigns of Elwyr and his successor Eldred, a scholarship had also developed in the eastern Imperium largely independent of mainstream Temple teachings seeking to reconcile the beliefs of the Doctrine of Flame with mainstream Imperial religion and practice. In the far south, the sun worship of Tuhiland and Trinacria lent itself to easy conversion to the Doctrine of Flame, but recognised Elwyr and, later, his successors, as prophesied leaders blessed by the Lord of Fire which also left a lasting influence on the southern version of the church.

History of the Wyrm Below



Panshén encourages its followers to pursue enlightenment and self fulfillment through action, reflection, and conscious self improvement. Within the Panshén mythos She of Silver serves as the ultimate achievement in perfection of balance between Material and Divine, the two substances that form the soul and basis of living creatures. Famous and great ancestors are in some teachings also included as those who achieved nearest the perfection of She of Silver through the most common theme is the ultimate pursuit to achieve as She achieved within the earthly realm and that that struggle for perfection and self improvement is what defines and makes life a worthy pursuit.

Within the pantheon She of Silver serves as the goal to be reached for and the Wyrm Below serves as the material struggles of the world as well as the material rewards. The Wyrm is disease, is famine, is wounds and mountains blocking ones path. The Wyrm is not a malevolent force though and followers of Panshén thank the Wyrm in their prayers for providing an obstacle to overcome. Each challenge brought forth by the Wyrm within the lives of followers is yet another chance to become better, stronger, smarter by overcoming its challenge and rising up to face the next one. The Wyrm is also taught to seek to inflict material obstruction on those most needing it, those in need of a lesson, those in need of a meaning to be inflicted upon them. Thus it is that within Panshén the natural world is a force to test the mettle of the men within it.

The Lord of Fire serves a similar role as the Wyrm though his involvement is lesser and his struggles less opaque than the Wyrm's. The Lord of Fire, oftentimes decried as a devil in more rustic circles of Hailings and by the Ascension cult has been studied by Panshén scholars taking from teachings of Calorum and the Blazing Temple and been determined to not be a horrifying opponent to the mortal but simply the unknowable Divine. While She of Silver serves as an inspiration for mortals and the Wyrm acts through material forces recognizable and apparent to mortal eyes the works of the Lord are mysterious and unknown. His distance from the material world is great and his realm is beyond comprehension yet it is known that he and the Divine gives life its chance that the world is not but stone and dirt. The Lord is thus revered for his divinity and power and respected as a being beyond mortal comprehension though reverence over worship is taught by most Panshén priests.

Divine Right of Rule, also known as the Silver Mandate, is an integral component of Panshén borrowed from Hailings and integrating parts of the Lord of Fire and Wyrm Below. While written and applicable specifically to the Qzare serves as the basis of much of the teachings of Panshén and the basis of religious mandates of power to lords other than the Qzare himself. The Silver Mandate teaches that the spirit of the Qzare is the most pure and worthy of reverence and nearest to the perfection demonstrated by She of Silver and that its purity is passed on to the Qzare's descendants who are then most worthy to attempt and become Qzare themselves. This is a point of some difference regionally as it is taken that the eldest child, and in many cases in patrilineal areas the eldest son, received the purest distillation of the lord's spirit and is thus most worthy to succeed him as the next lord. The Silver Mandate of Panshén also includes an adoption of the belief that the line of the noble houses of the world were divinely chosen and blessed by the Lord such that they might serve as leaders to the common people and it is with his blessing that they achieved the leadership they now posses by overcoming the greatest struggles of the Wyrm to ascend and that they bear the ultimate responsibility for facing the great challenges presented by the Wyrm to their people.



"The Wyrm waits below" - Another obstacle awaits. Often said to remind an over joyous celebrator that they should not forget the struggles that got them there nor the struggles that yet await them.

"The Wyrm/Lord works in mysterious ways" -


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The Pantheon

The Lord of Fire: The Divinity who sits as the unknowable and all powerful father of the gods the Lord of Fire is revered and respected by followers of Panshén though direct worship of the Lord is somewhat uncommon he is prayed to for aid in battles or in overcoming the material obstacles of the Wyrm. Believed to have wed She of Silver, although the exact details of their relationship owing to the origin of She of Silver as birthed from the conflict between the Lord and the Wyrm is unclear. Nevertheless the Lord serves an important role as the most powerful and worthy of respect of the Divine and the Lord of the Divine realm.

The Wyrm Below: The Material who makes up the ground beneath one's feet, the storms in the sky, the blades of allies and enemies, and the temporal realm is ascribed to all be part of the Great Wyrm, alternatively referred to as the Wyrm Below, a shortening of "The Wyrm Below Our Feet." The Wyrm is an opposing force to the spirit and drive of mortals on Telluris though its opposition is to strengthen by victory the abilities of those faced with it not to halt progress or torture the opposed. The Wyrm, and thus the material, is immortal though it often sheds its scales and is reborn and altered year and decade and century again it continues on and always acts as it should. Much of the native animism of various Protectorates has been worked into the Wyrm's myhtic composition and in some ways the Wyrm serves as a primal and authoritative nature spirit though it is not referred to as such within official Panshén canon.

She-of-Silver-Spear-and-Coin, She-Who-Watches-in-the-Day, She-Who-Guards-Us-in-the-Night, the Salt Queen and the Mother of Might: The Spirit within all mortals and the ultimate expression of the fusion of the Divine with the Material She of Silver is the patron saint of mortals and serves as the guiding light to followers of Panshén. For followers She serves as a role model for self realization, identification, and achievement and She serves as a mother and a natural guide through the world around oneself. Wise, strong, intelligent, and fully realized She of Silver is the ultimate expression of what a mortal should strive to achieve and she is considered the most active aid to followers of Panshén willing to intercede on their behalf, strengthen those in need of encouragement, and lift up the spirits connected to She of Silver by their sharing the same component as Her own. A matron of war as well as peace She of Silver encourages worshipers to strive towards accomplishing their duties and serving their superiors all while improving themselves that they might ascend the material rankings of their station.



Enemies

Radurja
Heretical for much the same reasons as Ashmarism, except moreso; should probably be considered dangerous for its history of interfering in and claims to superiority over other faiths and corruption of the Blazing Avatar.

Ascension
Heretical.

Jaaku Na
Actively hostile both to the faith and to the Imperium itself; cannot be tolerated in any form.


Other

Hailings of the Silver Sea, Orthodox Lord of Fire, Wyrm Below
The origin faiths of Panshén and in their current forms at the time of writing, completely compatible.

Calorum Lord of Fire Reformation
The blessing conferred on the Divinorum family should be recognised and their opinions, interpretation and counsel on matters relating to the Lord of Fire treated respectfully, but as tertiary behind that of the the Panshén and orthodox Lord of Fire authorities.

Tzetultep
The legendarium is largely apocryphal and the overall doctrine confused. Clearly Tzetultep is himself an earthly manifestation of the Lord of Fire, rather than vice versa. (I gather there has also been discussion in the past about the relationship between the Wyrm and Tztetultep). Otherwise, though it skirts with heresy, it is tolerable, though (in common with other non-native religions) should not be allowed to spread within the Imperium.

Children of Kina
Malyn would argue, based on what the Eldest Child has said and his personal opinion, that Panshén and the Children of Kina are canonically irreconcileable: not that the Children can be tolerated, but that trying to incorporate their existing belief pattern and legendarium into that of Panshén is impossible without unacceptably compromising the founding principles of Panshén. Can be tolerated, if only because it is politically expedient to do so.

Doctrine of Frost
Some causes for concern, but overall can be tolerated without excessive rancour in its current form.

Ashmarism
Possible room for investigating potential similarities between the One Who Guards Earth and the Wyrm Below; the One Who Guards Fire is of course in Ashmarism canonically already the Lord of Fire. However the positing of an overdeity above the Lord of Fire is clearly heretical.

Ramhsa
Sufficient details to make an informed judgment as yet unavailable: probably heretical going on what is known.

Paganism and other unorganised religions
Native paganism in the Imperium can tolerated, but conversion to Panshén should be encouraged. There may be room for conversion "by stealth" if existing beliefs are sufficiently compatible or not incompatible with Panshén proper (e.g. sun worship). The level of priority depends on the group in question. Nomadic groups travelling through the Imperium can be permitted to retain native pagan beliefs (but not heresies) but not to spread them.

Other religions
No strong opinions in general.


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1. The Triad - the high priests of the Lord, Lady and Wyrm [3, reporting directly to the Qzare]
2. College of Sixteen [16, senior authorities, advisors of the Triad and Proconsuls, ambassadors of the Church]
3. Patriarchs [8, responsible for ensuring consistency of doctrine within their sphere of influence]
4. Wùúshí Quorum [50, responsible for temporal management]
5. Hierarchs [c.400, responsible for spiritual and temporal local management]
6. The Inquisition [unspecified number, serve as the Church's internal investigators and enforcers of law and doctrine]
7. Holy Orders [any number, the military arm of the Church]

All positions not already filled shall be appointed by the Qzare directly or indirectly as of this council. All positions held are for life unless the individual is removed from office by a higher authority or retires. No discrimination is to be made by sex. Appointees do not have to be subjects of the Imperium by birth but on appointment must swear allegiance to the Qzare.

Triad
Initial vacancies to be filled by the Qzare. For future appointments, the College of Sixteen shall furnish the Qzare with a list of appropriate candidates to assist him in making his selections, although he is not to be bound by the list and may exercise his own judgment.

Upon the death of the first Lord of Fire triad representative the position shall pass to Simovyr Jarrow Divinorum and from there, the post shall be filled from among his descendants unless none are available or of sufficient age or experience. (Since Simovyr is himself only fifteen years old at this point he should not be the first one).

College
To be appointed by the Triads. Appointees should already carry the rank of Hierarch or higher unless there exceptional circumstances.

Patriarchs
To be appointed by the Triads on the advice of the College. Appointment of one of the Patriarchs (northern sector) to be reserved to the Blazing Temple. Existing rank of Hierarch or higher is not necessary.

Wùúshí Quorum
To be appointed by the College from among existing Hierarchs.

Hierarchs
To be appointed by the local prefect or proconsul on the advice of the church.

Inquisitors
Appointed directly by the College or the Triad as necessary.


The Moonshroud Festival:

Solstices: The solstices are held as holy days to the Lord of Fire by worshippers in the Kingdom of the Carmine Sea, as the days when His influence reaches its zenith and nadir over the course of year. The winter festival is the more significant, with a five day intercalary week (known as Luhikhet) laid aside for feasting and worship, in principle to plead with the Lord to show the people His favour and to bestow light and warmth upon them again. The summer solstice is a thanksgiving festival for the Lord's fulfilment of their pleas in winter, celebrated with bonfires and dancing.