LINESII- Into the Darkness
- Thread starter Lord_Iggy
- Start date
Fair enough, I won't deny him his nation
To the Kehoxu
From Khemri
We would be willing to sign peace with you for 1 eco reperations, (I gave you an ECO centre!). And a defesnive alliance.
seriously man, you could have just asked
Silver Steak
The Ghost of SS
A brief retelling of the events concerning the Church of Crystalism: 0~126 CC
During the founding of the Crystalic Calendar by the Monastic Priests of Yath al'Shanaal, the Church was seeing a steady rise in prominence and width. Worshippers were found abroad in all the four celestial directions. Every year, the Great Circle of Ruby would be filled with the representatives from every regional Circle to discuss dogma and philosophy. This was, if truly there has been one, the golden age of Crystalism. Albeit the Neocrystalic branch, the Church was tightly knit and stable. After this period, though, things began to shift rapidly within the Church.
Firstly, the larger realm meant the gap between the two factions in the Church increased. As Thinker Priests focused more and more on expansion and mission, the Office Priests had to work exclusively with governmental and political issues. The two groups were fading into eachother in the very beginning of Crystalism, but now a clear line could be drawn between them. The only thing that held them together was the Father/Mother, who has always been chosen from the Thinkers.
This solution worked quite well, albeit its informal nature. But when the issue of annexing Qua'laen Jal appeared in the highest echelons of the Church, things suddenly stirred to motion. Where all things were discussed openly in the Circles, factions began to form and plot to propagate their private agendas. This was all too apparent to the late Father Mari Aviri, who went as far as to excommunicate some of the more troublesome and loud Priests. This did little to relieve the problem, but led the situation to a new stage.
The new stage was the growing conflict, now known as "The Faith Wars". Although it was not a war at all, the battles for power in the Church was fierce. Throughout the annexation of Qua'laen Jal, an invisible struggle was ongoing between the Thinkers and the Officers. The Church was largely victorious, driving through their original plan to form a new large Circle that was to govern over the new region of Qualani. Still, the awkward situation of having foreigners inside the borders called the Church to reform a bit, taking a new name and allowing a more loose dogma to help include and integrate the newly embraced faithful.
This was a turning point in the conflict. The Church had accepted reforms, and once the traditions were broken, it created an oppertunity for the Officers to change more than the Thinkers had allowed. This was done through two different tactics. Both had to do with the military of the Church. After Qua'laen Jal was annexed, it doubled the Church's army twice over. The Officers managed to grasp a greater control of the military, and banned the Thinker's plans of forming an elite unit of zealots. Also, the Officers managed to drive through the invasion of southern Nkondi through fierce politics.
Now the Thinkers had to react in order to maintain their superiority. But the truth was, not much could be done. All the things the Officers pushed through had been successful, and their agenda was that of most of the Shalamari. It was, ultimately, a time for changing, not preserving. The Thinkers were struck by a paralysis while the Officers were gaining more and more popularity and power. This came to a climax when the new Mother was chose, not from the Thinkers, but from the Officers.
Kari Tazri hailed from Shard and was a very charismatic woman. Many assumed she had charmed her way up to the top - she was quite comely - but she had used intimidation as often. The first thing she did after ascending to the seat of Mother, was to bring all the hidden and hushed debates among the Thinkers and Officers out in the open. The fact that the Church was corrupted to its very core with scheming and mistrust was scandalous and humiliating. The lowly faithful were shocked and appaled. Still, it was made clear that this was a problem that concerned the Priests, and not the faith itself. More importantly, it was an oppertunity to root out the corruption and purify the Church.
After this event, the Church went through a period of reform and revival. The Thinkers were instrued to focus more on philosophical and educational issues. The Officers were separated from the Church, and were reinstated as the rightful rulers of Shalamari in the former's stead. While all real power now rested in the Political Circles, the Church remained the symbolic figurehead and common denominator of the people. After all, the culture of most Shalamari was based on Crystalism, and it was thus vital to secure this lifeline of the nation.
The two institutions are still complexly tied together, and real separation is not likely before many more decades. Still, the course has been changed for the better, and with time Shalamari will yet again see another golden age. The problems are always lurking, though, and vigilance is ever required to reach such a goal. Right now, two things loom as great challenges for Shalamari: One is the recent schism of the Circle of Gorin, where the Emperor has decreed a new religion for his Empire. The other is the founding of a new Political Circle. It is reputed that Mother Kari tazri is planning Shard to become a center of knowledge and education, and possible be the new capital of Shalamari.
This brief account is not enough to cover even half of the occurences in the Church's history the past century. But the Church will continue to grow, and will most likely reach glories unimagined by anyone of our time. Then, this humble scribe hopes, the matters mentioned in this record will be mused at with nostalgy and pride.
During the founding of the Crystalic Calendar by the Monastic Priests of Yath al'Shanaal, the Church was seeing a steady rise in prominence and width. Worshippers were found abroad in all the four celestial directions. Every year, the Great Circle of Ruby would be filled with the representatives from every regional Circle to discuss dogma and philosophy. This was, if truly there has been one, the golden age of Crystalism. Albeit the Neocrystalic branch, the Church was tightly knit and stable. After this period, though, things began to shift rapidly within the Church.
Firstly, the larger realm meant the gap between the two factions in the Church increased. As Thinker Priests focused more and more on expansion and mission, the Office Priests had to work exclusively with governmental and political issues. The two groups were fading into eachother in the very beginning of Crystalism, but now a clear line could be drawn between them. The only thing that held them together was the Father/Mother, who has always been chosen from the Thinkers.
This solution worked quite well, albeit its informal nature. But when the issue of annexing Qua'laen Jal appeared in the highest echelons of the Church, things suddenly stirred to motion. Where all things were discussed openly in the Circles, factions began to form and plot to propagate their private agendas. This was all too apparent to the late Father Mari Aviri, who went as far as to excommunicate some of the more troublesome and loud Priests. This did little to relieve the problem, but led the situation to a new stage.
The new stage was the growing conflict, now known as "The Faith Wars". Although it was not a war at all, the battles for power in the Church was fierce. Throughout the annexation of Qua'laen Jal, an invisible struggle was ongoing between the Thinkers and the Officers. The Church was largely victorious, driving through their original plan to form a new large Circle that was to govern over the new region of Qualani. Still, the awkward situation of having foreigners inside the borders called the Church to reform a bit, taking a new name and allowing a more loose dogma to help include and integrate the newly embraced faithful.
This was a turning point in the conflict. The Church had accepted reforms, and once the traditions were broken, it created an oppertunity for the Officers to change more than the Thinkers had allowed. This was done through two different tactics. Both had to do with the military of the Church. After Qua'laen Jal was annexed, it doubled the Church's army twice over. The Officers managed to grasp a greater control of the military, and banned the Thinker's plans of forming an elite unit of zealots. Also, the Officers managed to drive through the invasion of southern Nkondi through fierce politics.
Now the Thinkers had to react in order to maintain their superiority. But the truth was, not much could be done. All the things the Officers pushed through had been successful, and their agenda was that of most of the Shalamari. It was, ultimately, a time for changing, not preserving. The Thinkers were struck by a paralysis while the Officers were gaining more and more popularity and power. This came to a climax when the new Mother was chose, not from the Thinkers, but from the Officers.
Kari Tazri hailed from Shard and was a very charismatic woman. Many assumed she had charmed her way up to the top - she was quite comely - but she had used intimidation as often. The first thing she did after ascending to the seat of Mother, was to bring all the hidden and hushed debates among the Thinkers and Officers out in the open. The fact that the Church was corrupted to its very core with scheming and mistrust was scandalous and humiliating. The lowly faithful were shocked and appaled. Still, it was made clear that this was a problem that concerned the Priests, and not the faith itself. More importantly, it was an oppertunity to root out the corruption and purify the Church.
After this event, the Church went through a period of reform and revival. The Thinkers were instrued to focus more on philosophical and educational issues. The Officers were separated from the Church, and were reinstated as the rightful rulers of Shalamari in the former's stead. While all real power now rested in the Political Circles, the Church remained the symbolic figurehead and common denominator of the people. After all, the culture of most Shalamari was based on Crystalism, and it was thus vital to secure this lifeline of the nation.
The two institutions are still complexly tied together, and real separation is not likely before many more decades. Still, the course has been changed for the better, and with time Shalamari will yet again see another golden age. The problems are always lurking, though, and vigilance is ever required to reach such a goal. Right now, two things loom as great challenges for Shalamari: One is the recent schism of the Circle of Gorin, where the Emperor has decreed a new religion for his Empire. The other is the founding of a new Political Circle. It is reputed that Mother Kari tazri is planning Shard to become a center of knowledge and education, and possible be the new capital of Shalamari.
This brief account is not enough to cover even half of the occurences in the Church's history the past century. But the Church will continue to grow, and will most likely reach glories unimagined by anyone of our time. Then, this humble scribe hopes, the matters mentioned in this record will be mused at with nostalgy and pride.
Kentharu
Zebra Commander
my msn add is kentharu @ hotmail dot com
add me if you need to talk
add me if you need to talk
Silver Steak
The Ghost of SS
Iggyyy.... Can I have your MSN? Pwease?
Kentharu
Zebra Commander
WHAT WHAT WHAT!! do you have AIM mr Iggy sir?
EDIT- when will stats be updated?
EDIT- when will stats be updated?
Silver Steak
The Ghost of SS
Too bad. Oh well. Will send you a PM instead... Sometime later. Bedtime now.
Swissempire
Poet Jester
Great Update Iggy.
Am I the only on with Bronze? And are there others around me?
The Ascendancy HAS RISEN
More info on my nation to come
Am I the only on with Bronze? And are there others around me?
The Ascendancy HAS RISEN
More info on my nation to come
Oruc
Reactionary
Can I join, though it seems abit crowded
Swissempire
Poet Jester
Update stats and answer my questions IGGY
jalapeno_dude
AKA Panda Judo Eel
Prologue: The Invasion
Around the Year 910 VC, they began to appear from the North. At first, no one knew from where they had come. But if these were footsoldiers of an invasion, then the invasion was not a physical one.
They spread out across the known world, most of them joining the church hierarchies. If their theological views were strange, even heretical, this was tolerated, for they were able to seperate their private beliefs from the public doctrines of the church. And, with a quiet devotion, they served their churches admirably.
They were peaceful and friendly, as they had sworn an oath never to harm others. They showed an unusual interest in libraries and archives, and would often spend hours copying arcane bits of knowledge onto the scrolls that they seemed to carry everywhere. All knowledge attracted them, whether it was the learned knowledge of the philosophers or the simple sense of the commoners. It was all written down on their scrolls. And every year, they would deliver their scrolls, along with a sizable portion of their income, to a traveling member of their order, who would take them back to their lands in the north.
Naturally, other church members would become curious about who these men and women were. And when they were asked, they would smile and quietly explain the tenets of their religion: the vow of peace; the belief that all gods and goddesses were forms of Eldos, the Creator, the Knower of All; the mantra of "Learn, Teach, Preserve". And many of their fellow clergy, attracted by their beliefs, their mission, and their quiet confidence that they did right, would join themselves, and would record all their knowledge and tithe a tenth of their income to the Citadel in the north.
Thus did New Eldism spread, the quiet invasion that would revolutionize the world...
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