Church of Absolute

Core Beliefs

“It is important to keep in mind that entropy decay refers to randomness, and not chaos. We have a way to measure randomness, but chaos cannot be measured. That’s why the teachings of the cartesian plane are so important, and one of the various things we can learn with mathematics.” - Topology, 11:13

The Teachings of the Cartesian Plane, “The Axis of Stability”

“The Teaching” or, “Pivot of Stability” was a theory turned into a dogma - after Augustine had met the Absolute - that introduced new concepts about bluespace reality and the very cause of the bluespace crash. The research of such matters started in 2623 but finished in 2647, two years after the bluespace crash that turned all related tech unstable and highly dangerous. Diversified research groups attempted to understand what was the cause of the bluespace crash and the numericals of the church of the absolute was one of them, finding various relations not only to something they started to call “Reality Punctures”, but the knowledge of how to avoid and even potentially repair them. These tears in reality were first observed by Augustine, who discovered them in her research into the creation of the first cruciform. These bluespace theorems and machines created what was essentially a defined structure, not so much making but discovering a function that revealed how reality was structured by way of matching its form to bluespace. This proved, beyond reasonable doubt, that a pattern existed within chaos and that infinity could reach in any direction, but always returned to a single definitive point.

This structure itself was referred to as the Cartesian plane, as it easily and readily fit exactly do mathematical models of a similar nature. Bluespace became a measurement of the 'negative' area of the plane, representing things immaterial, chaotic, and often unknowable. While above a certain point the positive area became real space, where reality and normality existed in an easier to understand sense. As all people are within this realm of understanding, it makes it mundane and easily measured, while areas beyond adhere to different rules, thus making it inherently unknowable. Movement between these zones are essentially teleportation, using rifts or changes known as variables, that effect both the points people may move both within the realm of normality and the realm of bluespace. These variables, however, are the chief cause of bluespace entropy, causing all manner of strange and chaotic changes where normality weakens as the result of mottling both by mortals and by entities within bluespace.

The limit of this plane is defined four fold and essentially limitless, the understanding being that their are essentially four potential realities, but of them we only understand two of them, that being real space and blue space. From this point of understanding we see all that extends before the beginning and all that may be understood. We do not create nor truly define things within our reality or another, merely we discover and map what is already defined, allowing us to see and understand it.

The Plane of Stability, “The Axis” and the Four-edge star

While some believe that there are two other dimensions yet unknown and that one of them represents spirit and the other death, what many can agree on is that all four dimensions, no matter their purpose, meet at the Axis point. This point is where all things unreal, real, natural, and supernatural meet. The cross roads where mind and body cease to differ and all that has ever been, will be, has been exist under a singular entity that created and controls it all.

The four dimensions, also called the four edges, are treated as a star from which all sides can overlap with each other. This points, often referred to as zero events, are places in which blue space can invade into real space. What causes this impulse of activity is not quite known, as sometimes they happen without bluespace use, as entropy is not fully understood even by the church. The nature of the Axis is not inherently understood either, as it has no reflection on any of the existing planes, yet is clearly the starting point of all of them. It is only through the cruciforms that the faithful can even tap into this 'zero point' which allows them to use their fantastical abilities. Just as well, this method is incredibly safe, as the use of bluespace or other unusual technology wantonly causes entropic tears usually called 'bluespace anomalies' or by the church "impulse tears". These themselves can be monitored and even potentially quelled by the church, but is not fully understood.

When a bluespace technology is able to change the planes slowly, it does so randomly, real space can change by chance as much as a dice being thrown on a table, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally and then settles after some time. If the bluespace technology is used in a short term of time, or uses a lot of Bluespace’s power, the real space may not settle and instead continue roaming on other planes, gathering impulse as it does so, which most of the time is the reason bluespace calamities happens when it encounters the soft lines of the Axis, puncturing it, and setting all variables of each plane to react chaotically.

”Following the Absolute is not only a faith, but a lifestyle.”

The Absolutism Faith is both a persecuted religion and cultural movement that follows the recognition and respect of all religions and their gods, or lack thereof, letting it clear that all faiths contain truths in their own way, it is said that all religions are absolute-given for certain time periods and teaches the essential worth of all faiths and unity of all people. It is said that the major religions are fundamentally unified in purpose, but varied in social practices and interpretations.

The Church of the Absolute is a faction representing their faith in the colony of Nadezhda, and they handle a wide variety of tasks both spiritual and mundane. The church is considered by many quite mysterious due to the nature of their customized technology and the implant all of its followers carry. The church contains multiple divisions and is by and large the most independent of any group on the colony. They are led by their "cartographer" and prophet, Augustine Browne, a member of the High Council. Due to a past steeped in conflict with the Sol Federation, they generally favor peace and independence, a mantra that is at odds with their advanced weapons designs and production of arms and armor. The church has existed now for nearly half a century and was once quite widespread in frontier space, giving them some level of legitimacy until the attack by the Sol Federation resulted in many casualties and an exodus to the colony.

“Religious wars are not caused by the fact that there is more than one religion, but because of intolerance. The spread of which can only be regarded as the total eclipse of human reason." - Topology, 14:06

For millennia there were conflicts of religions in diverse bellum sacrum (holy wars) not only with the Humans, but with Sablekyne, Kriosans, Akulas, Mar'Qua and Naramads during their history as well, with none of these having any of the support of Absolute itself. None of the disgraces, deaths, suffering that so much religions dared to say their gods would approve or receive the help of, or even blame the gods for such wars, had the Absolute’s intervention, much to the contrary - the absolute provides their creations free will to do as they will, if the mortals so wish to use their free will for evil, they will be judged in afterlife. It is only through the grace of Absolute that free will becomes the capacity of the mortals to choose salvation instead of the cataclysm that mortals so dared to use for their own selfish goals. The lies they speak of attempting to cope with their choices by saying it was god's will are just that, lies.

“One must not gore his fellows for their interpretations, as they have the same amount of truth in their faith as you do. Religious conflict must be rejected and instead, shamed, since no matter the faith, it all has only one end, the absolute.” - Topology, 15:22

“For so long bloodshed was done in the name of a god in the past, unknowingly fighting for the same god that was not amused by their actions. For long they deceit the naive into fearing the fellow men, considering them heretics, only for their own selfish desires of power.” - Topology, 15:23

“Here comes the blessed, which for so long bled for the truth to be achieved, reaching their hands above tolerance, but acceptance, as we all are made from the same clay, the same atoms, the same waters of life. The church of Absolute shows their true colors when religious conflicts become a mere thing of the past, as it should be since the start.” - Theorem, 01:02

With that said, one of the important aspects of the church and the very backbone of their teachings includes the instruction of their followers to seek improvement both physical, emotional and spiritual through training, personal discovery, trust in the brotherhood, meditation, individual reflection, and many other ways that the church provides not only for their faithful, but for the unfaithful alike. These aspects follow the philosophy of Arete, what implies that to achieve real results - one must live up to their own full potential, but differently of the first concepts that only referred to knowledge, the church of absolute’s Arete includes three primordial divisions, that is most importantly named “Tripartite Path”.

The Body

“Reject modernity, embrace your temple.”

The mindset that says that men do not need to be strong again because of technology is disgraceful. It is fine to be weak, yet it is not fine to accept your weakness as a way of life. It is not fine to indulge in bad habits. Addictions to drugs? Pornography? The junk of modernity? Fast food? All are but ways to fill the body-temple with disgrace and weakness. I know anyone can understand that all of what was said is bad, yet most merely cope with such disgrace in an attempt to fulfill the void within yourself instead of seeking salvation from such dependencies. If one seeks improvement, step closer to our holy grounds.

The body is deemed holy as it is your temple and highest place of value, well treated and well trained - a sign of physical development that so allows the church member to surpass the tests of life, either in a fight against manifested sins, or to not fall into the weakness of modernity that so plagues the society. Strength of body is inherent to the ability to resist temptation and sin, discipline of the flesh is discipline of the mind. To aid in this regard the church invests heavily in methods that provide both members and the colony with healthier living habits, ranging from gym equipment, public pools, and quality food. The cultivation of the body is something pleasing to the absolute, something to be encouraged readily by members of the church and by the environment the colony resides in.

The Mind

“Allow your mind to dignify and intensify. This will be the cause of your personal victory.”

Be not afraid of the dark days, do not be afraid of the haunting words, do not be afraid of the twisted ladders of failure or stress, be not afraid of the jagged teeth that collect the ones most dearly loved, be not afraid of the tumbles of the mind. You will know your failures, the absolute protects and safeguards your soul and eternal life will be granted to the most pious, but to be pious, you need courage and will to do what is right and not bow to such hostilities.

The mind is deemed holy as it is what truly defines you as a singular individual, one who breathes and seeks for knowledge and the right path and right ways. You are independent yet cooperative, things that can and must go hand-to-hand in the church of the absolute, one that ensures that you are you, all the time. To train the mind one must speak with others and obtain knowledge of their ways, talk about your own faiths and get to know your kin and decipher what truly your mind and heart understands as right, beyond being a way to never stay ignorant to others beliefs. You may change your belief as you wish during your life and there is nothing to be ashamed of, because that’s maturity. You choose with care your faith, political and hobby beliefs that way, but keeping one thing in mind: Do not hold any prejudice towards others for their beliefs, no matter how unsettling unless said belief is harmful (such as using living bodies as sacrifices) which, by standard, is not accepted by the Absolute either.

The Spirit

“The moment the Cruciform is at your chest, the spirit and your body become the same.”

Every single mortal creature was given a soul long before they were conceived, the very core of what makes you truly you beyond your mind, not only is the spirit apart of you, but it also has their own feelings and aspirations - as much as if your soul were to be separate from your body for a long period of time, they'd break away and go on to have their own lives. The moment you have a Cruciform, it forever unites you with your spirit until it is pried away, the reason this action is deadly is because the moment the cruciform is forcefully removed, it is in fact splitting you in half in the Axis.

The spirit is the soul, a collective accomplishment of a persons journey through one or many lives. Someone can be the veteran of a thousand different lifetimes, a thousand different journeys, and a million acts of good or sin. Nobody knows how many times their spirit has returned, nor how many lives they have lived, but the spirit remembers such acts. The spirit is not something that can be destroyed, it remains eternal and just like the body and mind is both strengthened and weakened by the health of both. All good deeds empower the spirit, something that is manifested physically by the cruciform. The cruciform can be considered an anchor to the point in the universe that all things exist, commonly called the Axis. It is why, when separated from one's cruciform, the action is often lethal.

The Absolute

The Absolute is the supreme, gender-less entity at the center of reality, seen differently through what followers call a mask or more accurately their interpretation of what the Absolute is. The Absolute is transcendent (independent of material) and eternal God who is the creator of all but the evil essences, which are the manifestations of sin that always existed since the creation of the rational mind. His genuine love is beyond recognition of the mortal mind as something so pure that the mere act of getting to know a little bit of said love the Absolute feels for every single living creature is enough to soften even the most stone-like of hearts.

The absolute goes by various names as this is the god who constantly changes his masks, not with intention of hiding himself or what he is, but because he has no limits of what he can be, no mortal boundaries limits the various masks he uses to portray himself and allow mortals to seek themselves. The Absolute is the patron of self development and is believed to work with subtly within all cultures to form all pious faith. It was only with the discovery of the cruciform, a direct link to the Absolute, did his teachings become more directly manifest through the prophet Augustine.

“One may call the Absolute any names, may it be God, Odin, Osiris, Allah, El-Shaddai, Jehovah, Adonai, Light - all names are one of the masks of our dear Absolute who so attempts to provide us guidance towards their teachings. Yet our mortal desires overlooked said teachings and instead, sought bloodshed against the other religions and declared them heretical. Little did our ancestors know, we not only caused disdain towards the Absolute, but we killed our own brothers in faith for mere variables.” - Augustine, 01:03

The ideals of Absolute are not inherently complex, yet they are a truly patient god, allowing a person to spend years, decades, and even multiple lifetimes seeking enlightenment. The achievement of the self must be done without divine intervention, one must strive to be selfless, self sacrificing, and always better with each passing day. It is only when one has reached the pinnacle of physical, emotional, and spiritual development that they have reached the end of their path. The Absolute, however, is far from uncaring. When he intervenes, it is done for only the most noble or dire of reasons, those that attempt to harm the bearers of the cruciform with heretical creations such as the hivemind will find the Absolute's wrath manifested through his followers.

Beyond the cultivation of the self and protection of the brotherhood, the ideal of every follower is to reach an immaterial place referred to as the Axis, the meeting point of all paths where the Absolute awaits all. What this Axis point is differs heavily by one's interpretation of the Absolute's mask. To some this point is the end of one's journey to enlightenment, the essential achievement of lifetimes worth of work towards the perfect self. To others this is the final resting place of those that have given everything of themselves, a place to hang up their swords and join those they have lost along the way. The variables differ, but to all it is their own paradise, their own perfection reflected in the world around them. The Axis, however, is not denied to those outside the faith. Those without cruciforms, if they were of good deed and good workings in life will find themselves as readily welcomed as the most devout prime or vector. What matters more is what we do than what banner we held, to the Absolute.

Heaven

The Absolute’s Heaven, or the “place of true spatial balance” is a multi-layered place in the axis that follows only one coordinate: (0,0) which is the reward of the devout. It does not need to be a cruciform user to achieve heaven, but be a good person that practiced Absolute’s wills with charity and honesty. The ones who follow deeper into the Absolute’s will may be enlightened into becoming one of his angels, messengers and warriors. The place of true spatial balance will be different for each soul, depending of their beliefs - it may be a quiet, relaxing  place with technologies of modernity, or it may be a quiet, relaxing place with only nature, or may be a place which you are eternalized in the glory of a never ending battle. One may even change the layers of the place and take a feel of how each layer is, and the variety of layers is as big as the amount of variables on the Axis.

Condemned Sins

In the past, many have argued that their are seven sins, but in truth the church only recognizes two. Greed and Pride. Greed is the desire for excess, it encompasses lust, sloth, and gluttony. It covets unending pleasure, relaxation, and all mortal delights. While pride encompasses wrath and envy, it makes one believe that they deserve what others have no matter how deserved. It makes one believe that their anger and desire for revenge has become justice. As a result, the church recognizes the seven major sins, but only two are truly condemned, because they are the sires of the others.

Greed "They say the flesh is weak and the blood is cheap, the machines that substitute your body are inconsistent and that the only thing with persistence is gold. They may surely tell the truth about the gold's persistence, yet they fail to realize the gold's true value is not on the market. Monetary values fall and rise, but the soul is only one."

Greed is one of the cardinal sins which is one of the sins of desire, but it is applied to rapacious pursuit of material possessions beyond necessity, the extreme desire for valuable things, power or knowledge, associated with ambition. The worse of all greed is the ambition for artificial values, such as money - a sheet of paper without government has no value, knowing how to spend or invest the money is the key to avoid falling into greed, and donations and charity is the most popular way to avoid greed as greed is saw as the root of all evil considering that almost all wars that happened before was because of someone that wants something of other to themselves, mostly lands and money, and such misdeeds includes purchase of selling of sacraments, one of the reasons the church does NOT sell artifacts or products with symbolic value for profit - these ones you only pay the price for material and production, keeping the price absurdly low - exception are given to church products that have values beyond symbolic, such as utilities, medicines and weapons. The church has met the physical form of Greed - and such was the Hivemind.

Pride “Arrogance when unchecked becomes a cancer, and it will never be classified as a healthy confidence. It doesn’t matter how much you swear and attempt to prove yourself - the absolute created everyone the same. Attempting to surpass others just to call their attention and attention of others will merely call his disdain.”

One of the most powerful sins, identified as dangerously corrupt and selfish when someone puts their own desire, urges, wants, whims before the welfare of other people. The constant belief that one is essentially and necessarily better, more important and superior to others while failing to acknowledge the accomplishment, importance and development growth of others is a clear sign of pride. The admiration of the personal self and refusing to acknowledge one's own boundaries is beyond acceptable.

If one sees oneself as better than others because of a quality, said person is committing the sin of Pride and must be placed where they belong, under the prime with a litany of pain. Words for situations such as this are absolutely rejectable, one must acknowledge their own humility alone and attempting to talk said people down will only give them more attention, what they are looking for to begin with. There is a difference between being proud of what you are, and pride that puts you above all else.

Divisions of the Church

Saints

The Saints are the church's charity and public relations branch who focus on keeping the colony more welcoming to them. Charity is their day to day mantra and many Saints do volunteer work to upkeep the colony. This often takes the form of members growing and producing vegetables and fruits to feed the members in the colony who struggle to make ends meet. The Saints also work as community service members and diligently clean the colony at no cost using supplies produced by their biogenerator. A part of this secondary cleaning service also includes the removal and cleaning of any slain animals to avoid potential health hazards. Many members of the church, in particular those of the Tessellate path, also provide medical aid through practical use of church produced medical supplies and the use of their healing litanies. Conversely, the Saints also handle the merchant accounts of the church where they sell supplies to other factions such as medical equipment to the Soteria, holsters to security, general clothing and raw food supplies to the Lonestar, and weaponry for the discerning colonist. Despite their heavy focus on charity work, the Saints provide many supplies to the colony itself at a cost, leading to them having rather lucrative and deep pockets that are third to Soteria and Lonestar, respectively.

Numericals

The Numericals are the research division of the church and responsible for most of its technological designs ranging from the cruciform to the biogenerator systems. The Numericals are by far the smallest division and overseen by Augustine herself who approves new creations be they weapon designs or the formation of new prayers and litanies. Many Numericals are former or current Soteria scientists who followed Augustine after she departed from the Institute itself. Their position presently in the Soteria is... Tenuous at best, as their usefulness and the Soteria's limited hiring pool force director Mkne to make allowances. As Numericals are small in number, they are rarely seen on the upper levels of the colony due to its various dangers and their high value. Those that are found will always state (or claim) that they do not quite understand the full workings of church technology and it is only Augustine's guidance that allow their inner workings to function.

The Testament

The Testament is the arms and armor manufacturer of the church who produce weaponry from designs created by the Numericals and later sold by the Saints. The Testament designs are factored into the Old Testament and the New Testament, with the old weaponry being created pre-Exodus and the newer designs being created upon or after arrival to the colony itself. The Testament sells the weapons and limited-use design disks in abundance to most buyers which makes church armaments quite prolific, if quite expensive. A secondary and less known task of the Testament, is to create armor for church disciples that come in various forms. Such as steel plated Vector and Prime armor, to sleeker, more subtle protection such as the Prime coat, Divisor great coat, and the stylish church branded sports jacket. Such defensive designs are almost exclusive to active church members however, as are their most advanced weapon designs such as the crusader great sword and tower shield. While not all members of the Testament follow the Divisor path, as some Monomials do, most Divisors choose to work in this division at some point.

Scalars

Nomenclature: Scalars, different of Vectors, has only magnitude but no direction. That means that Scalars have a cruciform (Magnitude) but are not upholding the Absolute’s wills (Direction) Scalars, or “The Baptized Faithful” are cruciform users unrelated to the Clergy, these are the Laity class of the church that didn’t receive the Ritual of Ordination. Nonetheless, they possess a cruciform and have been baptized and for this, are united with the Axis and are able to manifest power from it. They do not hold the powers that the clergy possess, as said powers are only given to the ones working as vectors, or known vectors (but in another role) providing major help to the church.

Fractals

Nomenclature: Fractal is the "reduced-size of the whole", "fragmented geometric shape", as relation to their lack of unity with their soul, coming with the name of “fragmented” Fractals, or “The Unbaptized Faithfull” are cruciform users unrelated to the clergy that do not contain the cruciform in their chest, and because of that, have no relation with the Axis and remain with their soul split. Many reasons may come to make a Fractal to remain unbaptized, either by still learning about the church (remember, the cruciform is a REWARD for the faithful), or is somehow unable to receive the cruciform because of either not being able to have anything metallic embedded on their chest, or simply not wanting to.

For information on Vector and Prime, look to their respective wiki page.

Commandments of the Absolute

The Church of the Absolute is in and of itself non-denominational and accepts most forms of worship from external religions should they be palatable by the general population. The Absolute views all religions and all paths as variables headed to one specific end and that all people, knowingly or unknowingly, will follow this path. However the church does have a set of commandants all members are expected to follow without question.

• Thou shall always aid and comfort a fellow colonist in need, if said comfort will aid them.
• Thou shall always aid fellow colonists by reciting thy cruciform litanies when requested.
• A member of the fold shall never harm another member, unless by inaction would an innocent person die.
• A member of the fold shall never demand of or treat unfairly a fellow member.
• A member shall not use the Scrying litany on another member without permission, those in the church must respect each others privacy.
• A member shall never misuse the Atonement litany, nor those like it, for unjust punishment is a grave sin.
• None shall desecrate a cruciform or church artifice, such objects are sacred and deserve respect.
• One's path, be it rite and benediction, must always be respected. Failure to perform them shall result in atonement.

Blessed Technology

The Cruciform

The physical cornerstone of Absolutism and the key that allows Axis’s manifestations under the Absolute’s will when activated on the faithful’s chest, sitting comfortably on the space of a mortal’s rib cage. The cruciform is considered an anchor of the spirit to the mind and body an as such allows the bearer to tap into the power of the Absolute and his domain, the Axis. This pivot point allows for the faithful to create changes to reality through the power of prayer, though newly baptized followers will often find their litanies are weaker, needing time to grow a strong connection with their cruciform and to select a path so that they may further define themselves and their faith. This manifestation of faith is flexible, a plane-piercing or dimensional shifting belief that draws power directly from the Axis and the Cartesian plane.

All of reality can be considered a mapped plane of existence, this plane referred to as the Cartesian plane is represented within the cruciform, which takes the form of the Tau cross. At the center, representing the Axis and thus the center of reality is a gem stone that takes the color of one's path. The cruciform itself is immensely strong, capable of withstanding heavy blows, cutting knives, or even high caliber bullets with not a scratch. It's symbol is found everywhere within the church, upon obelisks, books, weaponry, and armor. The surest way to know who is of the church is to look if they bear the cruciform. Yet, beyond that, the cruciform is also a manifestation of protection, the device shields one's mind from influence, be it through the mechanical meddling of enslaving implants or the psychic whispers of psions. To bear a cruciform is to know that one bears himself alone.

Do remember: The Cruciform is a gift for the faithful and to the faithful alone. If you are ever going to baptize someone - ensure yourself that this person is truthful to their words and know the path that they are leading themselves into. If you are a Vector and are unsure, await for a Prime first.

Biomatter Technology

The very foundation of a major part of the Church’s equipment and their most formidable ways of recycling carbon structures by refining carbon matter into rubbery, synthetic stem cells. Biomatter is most commonly used as fuel - and still is by Lonestar and Soteria's more primitive biogenerators - but said biomatter is not the same as the church’s biomatter. The most marked difference is these biomatter samples are physically weak, only toxic when drank, and cannot be refined into a wide variety of materials, often stuck at being basic organic material. On the other hand, church biomatter is capable of being more widely shaped due to its specialized structure. This structure, however, can be highly toxic if mishandled, with liquid forms solidifying naturally into toxic clumps of biomass. Alternatively, when properly shaped and treated into biomatter sheets, the material becomes safe to handle even with bare hands. Exposure to congealed and toxic biomass causes severe and rapid poisoning, making the handling of biogenerators only done by those with proper training. Biomatter sheets in their basic form have little use, but when properly shaped through either litanies or a biolathe can be made into all manner of things, from food to medicine to weapons or armor. Due to the complex nature of this technology, however, few outsiders know any way to properly manipulate biomatter without using specialized machines or directly using church artifice and disks.

The Paths

The Church of the Absolute, by its very nature, is one of a personal spiritual enlightenment taking influences from various religions due to many converts being from former faiths. These influences over time have built into what is known as the paths, forms and styles of worship that focus on specific areas of faith. The major paths themselves are capable of unique representations of faith in the form of litanies known only by those who walk such paths. The choice of a path is often personal and can be difficult to change as the litanies are derived from the persons cruciform. Due to the complexities and fail-safes built into cruciforms, it is exceedingly difficult to have one replaced without first facing a trial worthy of having it altered. It is not entirely unheard of for a person to walk multiple paths, but it is exceedingly rare. Those who choose a path also have a rite and benediction they are expected to perform when the situation permits it, detailed below. A rite is a specific task that a church member should make an effort to perform on a weekly or daily basis, while a benediction is a customized prayer separate from cruciform litanies in which they speak aloud in specific situations.

Those who choose no path and thus use the Vinculum cruciform are not held to any rites or benedictions, but may choose to perform them if they wish. Primer Former Converts – What religions a flock member may be from before converting to the church. While this represents the most common faith, it is not a hard rule. Mask – The name this path gives for the absolute, often called a mask as all paths follow the same god, merely a different interpretation of the correct way to do so, likened to a mask. Discipline – Skills that the path often encourage or readily teach, usually carrying a practical purpose of some sort. Bans – Strictly banned items that the path does not allow its users to use or partake in, usually a result of the former teachings or traditions from prior converts faiths. Traditions – Various rites and benedictions performed by members of the path that offer both a duty and a role required by there specific sect. Beliefs – A general over view of the path and what they believe in, giving them a grounded foundation on how to approach most situations they would commonly find on the frontier.

The Tessellate Path: Shepherd

• Former Converts: Protestant, Catholic, Quaker
• Mask: Father, Lord, God.
• Disciplines: Medicine (Biology), Agriculture, Husbandry
• Bans: Stimulants, non-medicinal drug use, attacking first or starting conflict

Traditions Rite: Those who walk the Tessellate path are expected to aid those not of the fold, and the act of following fellow colonists on expeditions and excursions to aid and heal them is seen as a holy duty. This may take the form of aiding a team of prospectors or Blackshield, or simply accompanying one or two colonists to ensure their safety.

Benediction: The Tessellate is required to beseech the Absolute before each excursion to ensure the safety and health of those they follow by prayer, usually by speaking it aloud so all involved will hear the words and know they have the protection of the Absolute upon them.

Beliefs The Tessellate path is one of healing and grace, for those who desire unity within the colony through the form of tending to the wounds of others. Those who walk the Tessellate path often see it as their duty to aid everyone, be they within the church or not. Those who walk the Tessellate see mercy as the greatest virtue and its gift the hand of God itself. The Tessellate cruciform users have access to the Healing Word and Graceful Repose litany, both of each heal the wounds of all who heard their words be they within the church or not. Many within the Tessellate path also see healing as the best way to have others support or join the church, often times being the most willing to preach the benefits of the Absolute to bring in new converts.

As many converts are former members of traditionally pacifistic religions, this takes shape by way of a defensive doctrine towards diplomacy. Where peace cannot be done with spoken word, the tessellate shall only respond to violence when first attacked, making all conflicts strictly reactionary defense. Tessellates will never take the course of the first strike and must always accept the surrender of an enemy unless that enemy is anathema to life and the church itself. Formerly Abrahamic, many of the tessellates believe in a strict egalitarian principle, focusing on equality and merit over lineage and legacy.

Such a history however, does bring with it older traditions, tessellates find the use of narcotics, stimulants, or any non-medicinal drug abhorrent no matter its supposed benefit or purpose. Many tessellates are often loathe to indulge in excessive alcohol consumption as well, but do not strictly ban it, instead merely preaching to avoid excess. As a rule, tessellates are peaceful, willing to look out for their fellow man regardless of affiliation, and primarily spiritual healers.

The Lemniscate Path: Herald

• Former Converts: Jewish, Pagan (Druidic)
• Mask: Yahweh, Awen
• Disciplines: Awareness (Vigilance), Agriculture, Mercantile, Music, Culinary Art
• Bans: Profiting from fellow members of the church, slaying of docile non-cattle animals, habitat destruction

Traditions Rite: The rite of the Lemniscate is one of bolstering relations with those outside the church. During the completion any notable event, be it success at the colonies defense, destruction of its enemies, achievement of those on duty, or any celebration, the Lemniscate are expected to put together a feast or general reward for the colony as a whole. This can take the form of ordering (and subsequently paying for) a feast from the kitchens or cargo, creating and setting aside supplies for people to freely take such as arms or medicine, or supplying useful sundry items in the form of gifts such as pouches, belts, or other useful items. This rite may also be performed before such events instead of after as a way of boosting morale.

Benediction: The Lemniscate have a single benediction which is spoken before any challenge is under taken. The words vary depending on the litany that is often tied with it, but the goal is always the same. They pray for the Absolute to guide them on in their tasks, so that they and those around them will succeed on the challenges ahead. Often times this takes the form of asking for perseverance in the face of adversity.

Beliefs Those who follow the Lemniscate path are known commonly as the heralds of the Absolute and are often quite charismatic, channeling the power of their cruciforms into empowering prayers with such willful enthusiasm that the effects last longer than any other word of power. The Lemniscate believe that camaraderie and friendship is the key to unity, not necessarily charity, and see all people within the colony as just as important as any member of the church. An idea that takes the form in their unique words of power which last three times as long as the standard vector or prime would have. The Lemniscate are also, conversely, the most willing to work outside the church itself by volunteering in other factions to spread the good word.

Curiously, the lemniscate are mostly made up of often diametrically opposed faiths, with many converts being formerly of Jewish and druidic pagan faiths. Where they often meet on agreeable grounds if being both matrilinear and matriarchal, with a heavy importance placed on lineage through family and bloodline traced through the mother. To many lemniscates the heraldry of a person can often matter as much as their merit, though few are blind enough to favor the former over the latter.

Where lemniscates often quarrel is on the matter of business and preservation, with many of the formerly pagan stock focusing very heavily the preservation of the natural order of the environment, be it the urban jungle of the colony or the external jungle of nature and former Jewish sects believe that industry is both key to progress and business. One side wishes to till the land in peace, while the other desires to spread the fruits of labor through commerce. Surprisingly, while discussions and debates of what should be done are extremely common, the over all lemniscate path is united in that they wish to continually spread the faith both through their works and their businesses, mixing a blend of fair prices and at rare times, charity.

The Monomial Path: Ascetic

• Former Converts: Buddhist, Shintoist
• Mask: Kami, Nirvana
• Disciplines: Self-Control (Toughness), Martial Prowess, Meditation
• Bans: Use of any non-medicinal chemicals (no stimulants, smoking, drugs, or alcohol), painkillers in all forms, attacking any non-hostile creature.

Traditions Rite: A Monomial is a master of the self, of the body and mind, pain is simply a weakness to be overcome. A Monomial shall never take any form of painkiller or medicine to relieve his nerves. Any pain is to be endured and resisted with only the words of prayer as comfort. To stutter under the effects of pain is to show weakness, a Monomial must remain calm and silent, enduring until the hurt has passed.

Benediction: The Monomial has a single prayer that is only spoken when the Monomial believes that what will happen soon will result in his death. This prayer is a dirge of acceptance to whatever may happen, however it happens, often times this takes the form of confessing ones sins or mistakes and coming to terms with them. If the Monomial perishes and is later revived, it is customary for them to seek out a Prime and repeat the benediction to them so they may be absolved.

Beliefs The Monomial order is one of personal self reflection and self improvement. The Monomial is often considered the path of the monk and is also the only path to focus on the self. Monomials have access to the Resolution and Perfect Self litany, powers which allow them to expand on the limits of what their body is capable of. The path of the Monomial is often one of solitude and philosophy, however this focus on self improvement often translates to guiding others on their own path to the perfect self with studious words of wisdom.

As formerly Asian faiths of the Buddhist and the Shinto sects, the monomial path is focused primarily on two separate disciplines. The first is the perfection of the self and the overcoming of all suffering or ignorance of mind and body. This belief often takes the form of physical and mental training, with monomials seeing both the exertion of the body and the study of all a aspects of the universe as inherently noble and holy. There secondary function, taken from the Shintoist, is the idea that all objects, creatures, and artifice around a monomial is possessed by a spirit that must be honored, lest they grow angry.

Within Nadezhda, this idea that spirits takes the form of the belief that anomalies, psionics, and bluespace are they themselves manifestations of shinto spirits who are angered or pleased by the actions of the people at large. Monomials have come to the consensus that the way to honor the good Shinto spirits is to accept and put to use their more unusual gifts such as oddities or blue cross weaponry in hands which will benefit and treat these objects with respect. Equally, the preservation of these objects and maintaining balance with bluespace is seen as an inherent duty, with most monomials making active efforts to prevent such potentially dangerous actions.

Where the Buddhist and Shinto sects meet in full agreement is that the area known as “deep maintenance” is seen as an inherent abomination. The Shintoist see all psionic creatures as yokai, or demons, that must be put down as they are evil spirits who are too corrupted to be redeemed. This in turn is encouraged by the Buddhist, who see sojourns into this realm a test of both body and mind, treating the journeys into this realm as equal parts training and test of their labors.

The Divisor Path: Militant

Former Converts: Muslim, Hindu, Orthodox, Pagan (Odinist) Mask: Allah, Odin, All-Father, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva Disciplines: Militarist (Robustness), self-control, strict adherence to authority Bans: Complicated. The divisor path bans are based on former faith. Islamic converts ban alcohol. Catholic converts ban smoking. Hindu converts ban conflict between fellow members of the church in all forms and Pagans ban cowardice, retreating, and refusing to fight. Converts who are not from these former faiths are required to adhere to all of the bans.

Traditions Rite: A Divisor is a shield, first and foremost, looking out for the interest and safety of fellow members of the fold. A Divisor is expected to place himself between any and all threats to the church and its members. A Divisor who fails to perform this rite and allows fellow church members in good standing to come to harm must request a Prime to perform atonement upon them until the Divisor falls to the ground.

Benediction: A Divisor sees his duties not as a task to be enjoyed, but a labor to be endured. Whenever someone of the church perishes (though some Divisors may perform this benediction for any colonist) they must pray for the safe return and revival of the body. This benediction is to be spoken first and foremost, any delays are considered sacrilegious, and should the person be incapable of revival the Divisor is expected to retrieve and carry their cruciform until midnight that day.

Beliefs The Divisor path was once the smallest of all paths, known for its focus on martial ability and combat as its primary area of perfection. The Divisors have since grown in number since the attack and subsequent exodus of the church and now boasts a healthy host of followers. The Divisors believe that the protection of the church and its members come first and fore most beyond anything else and vow never to let another catastrophe happen again. This focus has also made them somewhat of a church police force, enforcing the commandments and expectations of the church to ensure apostates and heretics are rooted out. Their focus on martial success grants them the Canticle of Defense and the Ire litanies, respectively.

As one of the largest and far reaching paths, the Divisors are amusingly quite divisive in their beliefs. Divisors are mainly strictly patriarchal, with many converts believing that women have no place in their ranks, no on the battlefield at all. This primarily is true of the Catholic, Muslim, and Hindu converts, but many female divisors choose to claim or follow the Odinist belief, which takes a more egalitarian approach on who may take up arms. This schism is further driven by the fact that they have never collectively decided on what their paths would ban, fracturing to their own personal beliefs being considered of greater importance.

What allows this path to maintain cohesion, however, is that all converts believe in strict adherence to authority in all manners. Submission to those of higher ranks is considered required and those who shirk their duty, willingly, unwillingly, knowingly or unknowingly will incur swift discipline and the litany of punishment. This is further compounded by specific rules of engagement, as a path primarily focused on violence and conflict, divisors see only a small number of rules. Divisors, during times of conflict, are to put aside all differences, all rivalries, and fight as a singular unit to their full potential. Beliefs that would normally cause conflict are set aside and every divisor must fight side by side regardless of personal feelings. No member of the church is to be left behind and all actions of recovering fallen members bodies or protecting weaker members, even to the point of death, is considered a required duty.

Equally, in times of peace divisors are expected to be constantly maintaining vigil on the church and the colony, forming patrols and, if possible, working with other factions to ensure that the colony is safe and free of infestations. Most often, this merely comes with divisors patrolling maintenance and clearing out roaches and spiders, but may sometimes involve going on expeditions with prospectors, hunting trips with the lodge, or crusades into deep maintenance with monomials. When not actively performing a more militant duty, divisors are expected to be training, stockpiling, or otherwise encouraging the production of defenses, such as setting colony shields, purchasing munitions and firearms from other factions, or helping arm fellow members of the church with better weaponry and armor.

The Factorial Path: Mason

Former Converts: Thellatist, Technocrats, Machine Intelligence(s), Opifex Mask: God-Machine Disciplines: Machinery (Mechanical), Cybernetics, Robotics, Plasma Weaponry Bans: Allowing an allied combat mech to be destroyed, allowing a rook golem to be destroyed, allowing church machinery to be misused, substituting any church technology for other makers.

Traditions Rite: A factorial believes that progression of the church and the colony is a technological question, that advancement is only done on the bleeding edge of science and research. Spreading the churches advanced technology is seen only as a benefit, as such a factorial should encourage and aid anyone seeking church technology for noble uses. They shall provide bioprinters, church weaponry and armor, and implants to those who ask, should the factorial believe in doing so will aid the colony as a whole.

Benediction: A factorial is bound by the ideal that they must adhere to the rules of the path. A factorial must always keep machines, colony integrity, and fortifications in working order. A factorial must offer aid in repairing damaged parts of the colony, repairing the augments and devices of others, and upgrading of machines that require it. Operation of machines without upgrades is seen as a waste of resources, use of old or damaged technology is an insult as it should be recycled and produced anew, and a damaged or destroyed home spits upon the Absolute.

Beliefs The factorial path is one of the least followed path by the general church, but one of the most popular among those who rely heavily on synthetic augmentation, be they synth morphs, bio morphs, or full synthetics. Factorials believe that perfection, protection, and piety is best found within infallible machinery. They adhere concept that computers and technology can perform operations at such an accelerated rate that they are more capable for performing church duties, with some of the more strict adherents believing that a lack of augmentation is weakness. Their extreme focus on mechanical augmentation gives them access to three litanies, one to repair ones own augments, one to repair others, and one to restore the power of cells held in hand at the cost of cruciform power.

Factorials are considered some of the most alien in thought process among the church, as they believe machines can be inherently holy and focus heavily on both the creation and propagation of church technology. This often puts them at odds with other paths, who feel that nature and agriculture is integral to a healthy and pious society. This division in thought, however, is mostly one sided. Many factorials do not consider or care how other paths see them or feel about them, content to continue building their factory like production rooms and various machine shops.

This does not, however, mean that the factorials are not without their own religious ruless. Factorials see certain technology as the pinnacle of what one can accomplish and adhere to both a preference and innate protection towards this. Colony/church aligned mechs are considered inherently holy objects, being the pinnacle of technology in their respective areas, factorials will go to great lengths to ensure the mechs are not destroyed and operate at maximum efficiency. This same adherence also goes towards church crafted Rook golems, which are seen as the pinnacle of automatic synthetic security systems. Many factorials will go out of their way to build a Rook and often dote upon them, working extensively to use them effectively and prevent them from being destroyed.

Factorials are also in belief that the bleeding edge of science is now the churches domain and as such will rarely use technology that is not church branded. Turrets will always be obelisks, plasma rifles will always be purgers or dominions. Autolathes will always be biolathes instead. Many factorials are entirely loathe to even use, arguably better, technology from other groups. A few less adherent radicals will do so, but will always give them sanctification with proper church augments, usually through a church excruciator or sanctifier.

When pressed into using technology that is not of church make by necessity, factorials will seek to upgrade whatever they are using to their maximum potential. Some of the factorial path consider this a sufficient blessing to consider a piece of technology now “church branded” after being thoroughly and fully upgraded by a factorial, who by their very pious nature have now made lesser tech improved by the God-Machines will.

The Church and Charity

As one would expect of a church, they are highly involved in all things charity be it through food programs, cleaning services, or sharing their advanced technology. This, however, is by choice and is not an obligation on the surface floor. Should a member of the church wish to donate things (pouches, weapons, armor, medical supplies, etc.) then that is their choice. This does not, even under our commandments of aiding colonist, require you to give away everything for free or without charging monetary value. The church is, after all, in control of several business sectors in which they ensure the coffer's cups ever runneth over. Should a fellow colonist, even ones with cruciforms, demand items for free it is up to the discretion of the prime or vector in question to determine if they should charge for it. Supplies and biomass are finite and in short supply, after all.

The Scrap Beacon

The scrap beacon is a marvelous technology capable of bringing trash from space down to the colony for people to salvage. The beacon is, however, quite dangerous and should not be mistreated. Gloves and gas masks are advised at all times and one should heed any and all alarms while the beacon is active and pulling trash down. Trash piles also may reveal lockers with roaches in them, so members of the church should keep the wall obelisks filled with biomass to protect them and colonist when they are not around. Additionally, while the scrap beacon is owned and operated by the church, it is considered a rule that it is public access and neither primes nor vectors can bar anyone from using it, as per an agreement among the factions. Vectors and primes are, however, encouraged to build additional standard obelisk if materials are abundant to ensure additional safety. One final note, is that salvage rights for the beacon are based on first come first served. The first person to touch a trash pile has the rights to everything in it.

Enemies of the Church

Hivemind

The hivemind is a living cancer, a manifestation of machine, flesh, biomatter, and psionics in an unholy torment that was first discovered by the Soteria and later nearly destroyed by the prophet Augustine. Thankfully, after the Hivemind's attack on the colony of Nadezhda, they are largely destroyed, with only small weaker pockets incapable of growing to the threat they once were popping up occasional. Weak or not, the church treats the presence of even minor infestations with incredibly seriousness, ascended those within the ranks of the clergy into crusaders and giving them specialized suits of crusader armor and weapons to cleave through the infection at its source.

Carrion

A mutant that is largely unknown and not quite understood. Carrions are a type of spider-like mutation capable of hiding inside of regular people without cruciforms, these abominations can assume the form and identity of others and have an unnatural ability to control spiders both small and massive. What is known for sure is carrion's have a taste for the flesh of intelligent, thinking creatures and treat others as prey and food. This, coupled with their vicious cunning and evil, have made the prophet deign them as irredeemable heretics that should be killed on the spot by whatever means are possible. Those of the divisor path have litanies that specialize in finding carrions, making the hunter into prey beneath a divisor's sword.

Psi-Monsters

Creatures of partial myth locked deeply into deep maintenance, seen as abominations that should be purged or avoided at all cost. While consistently a threat to the colony, they have shown to be incapable of leaving deep maintenance, making them far less of an active issue for the church and the colony. Still, their existence is considered unnatural and anathema to the Absolute, so calls to fight and purge the nightmare realm are often made. Monomials in particular often work with divisors to put psionic creatures to the sword.

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