Archive:Solaris: Difference between revisions

The '''Solar Ecclesiarchy of Erses''' (High Pyrrhian: ''Ecclesia Solari Erses''), also known as the '''Ecclesiarchy''' or '''Solaris''', is a large religion with over 35 practitioners, being the state enforced religion of the theocratic monarchy of the [[Solar Empire of Arith]], the religions birthplace, as well as the theocratic monarchy in the Solar Dominion of Eldia. The Ecclesiarchy is headed by the Solar Emperor of Arith (also called King of Kings), who has always traditionally been the head of state of the High Kingdom of Ceiltea, the subsequent [[Union of Collectivist Council Republics]] and now the [[Solar Empire of Arith]] (commonly referred to as Solaris). The King of Kings additionally holds the titles of Solar Emperor and Voice Erses. They are the formal and effective head of the Faith, and reside in the Solar (holy) capital of Solar Pyrrhus.

The Solar Ecclesiarchy teaches that the Solar Emperor comes from the bloodline of Erses, the sole God of the Faith, and thus is given a divine mandate from the heavens. The hierarchy of the Ecclesiarchy is built upon various Ecclesiarchs who are handpicked by the Solar Emperor to run important temples and shrines, cities or offices such as the Solar Inquisition. Lower than the Ecclesiarchs is the Proper Priesthood which consists of all priests given a parish or temple to attend to of lesser importance than those of the Ecclesiarchs. Lower than the Proper Priesthood is the Lesser Priesthoods, who serve mainly as scribes and bureaucrats in the doctrinal, administrative and inquisitorial offices of the Ecclesiarchy. Lesser or Proper Priests in training are titled Acolytes, and attend training in cathedrals.

The history of the Ecclesiarchy stretches long before it's official establishment, originally starting as the Grand Order of the Druids, which prior to the arrival of Íor Elchsdringen in Alathra from Pyrrianor, the population of the world was divided through the influence of the Devourer, worshipping false idols and moving further from Solaris Erses' vision. For many millennia the story of the foundation of the Grand Order of Druids was passed down through oral tradition, and only recently being codified under [[Melevor]] in the Druidic Annals only shortly before the takeover by the Sect of the True Flame.

==== Pyrrianor ====

For thousands of years the people of Pyrrianor lived in their island home far to the west of Alathra under the wise guidance of their King, Íor Elchsdringen, son of Erses and progenitor of the Elchsdringen line. At this time the Pyrrhians still had control over the Gift of Erses, allowing them to grow up to seven feet tall and live hundreds of years. The greatest among these was Íor, who lived 2300 years in total, losing most of the effect of the gift in the migration of his people from Pyrrianor to Alathra after the catastrophic, and still yet unexplained sinking of their island. Worship on Pyrrianor was much based around decentralised and unorganised sun worship, with one of the very few occasions of centralised worship on the Summer Solstice, when the King would ascend the highest peak of the island, a mountain which stood in the middle of it, and pray to Erses in a temple at the top before descending and feasting with his subjects. With the migration of the Pyrrhians into Alathra worship became slightly more organised, with even more gifts being bestowed on the Pyrrhian people by Erses, such as the revelation of the location of the Kiln of Creation and the jewels and gold used to create the [[The Solar Crown|Solar Crown]].

The details on the foundation of the Grand Order and the context behind it is wrapped in mystery, speculation and lost history, as the story had traditionally been passed down through the King's Tome, an ancient Pyrrhian book which had been lost during the Age of Subjugation, and so for hundreds of years the story has only been told orally and has lost some of it's key components. According to the Druidic Annals - the holy texts of the now defunct Grand Order - the story begins with the migration of the Pyrrhians into Alathra, and the swearing of Íor of his Oath. Following this Íor built a following of faithful warrior-druids, beginning the Age of Heroes.

The Age of Heroes was a series of long and protracted wars by the warrior-druids of Íor Elchsdringen and the pagans of Western Arith. Though lasting for upwards of 200 years, the series of wars was finally won by the Pyrrhians with the annihilation of the pagan temple which stood on the banks of the Saile river, modern day a part of the [[Solar Empire of Arith|Ceiltean Crownlands in Solaris]]. Though by this time Íor was dead by 75 years, his son was the first to truly settle in the lands and reign over peaceful territories.

The druids and Pyrrhians lived a very peaceful lifestyle, living in nature under a loose Confederation headed by the chief of the Elchsdringen Clan. Under this Age of Nature shrines and standing stones to Erses thrived, appearing all over Western Arith as a result of Druidic wandering and nomad lifestyles. This would end with the rise of the [[Free Cities of Alathra]], whose harsh policies against bandits would drive the money-making thieves into the relatively unsettled and nomadic West of Arith and into direct confrontation with the Pyrrhains

War reigned against the bandits and warlords for many decades, but more kept coming into Western Arith, leading to the total subjugation of the Pyrrhians. The natives would be enslaved by their new bandit overlords, forced into endless mining across the iron and gold rich region. The Pyrrhians lived a basic subsistence, with the majority of food, housing and other basic necessities being hoarded by the bandits, who become warlords and began fighting amongst one another.

While the suffering of the Pyrrhians was immense, it would only get worse as the Four Piglins (Pestilence, War, Famine and Death) struck the region igniting a 15 year-long series of events which included multiple famines, droughts, bandit conflict and widespread plague scourging the lands. During this time much of the Pyrrhian population perished either due to hunger, sickness or death at the hands of bandit warlords who fought throughout the lands for dominance. The so-called "15 Years of Death" was thought to be a plight inflicted by Ymis and Rhadohir on the bandits as a punishment for the maltreatment of the Pyrrhians, though had the unintended consequence of killing many of the Pyrrhians, who were thought to be immune to the sickness. The catastrophic event ended only after the organisation of a widespread rebellion by the Pyrrhians spearheaded by [[Melevor]] and the establishment of the city of [[Pyrrhus]].

There are various holy sites throughout Solarian Faith, most prominently the lost Kiln of Creation.

=== Kiln of Creation ===

[[File:Kiln1.png|thumb|The supposed appearance Kiln of Creation]]

The location of the Kiln of Creation, the holiest of places on Terra, was lost alongside the King's Tome during the Age of Subjugation. It is believed that following the Pyrrhian exodus to Alathra, the gift of knowledge of it's location was bestowed upon the Pyrrhian people as a gift, and thus where Íor Elchsdringen forged the [[The Solar Crown|Solar Crown]].

After looking through ancient scrolls and different sources, it was discovered that the area on which the original city of Pyrrhus, now named Pyrrhus Antiquus, was settled has both an ancient crypt of Pyrrhian Kings and had matched the description of the mythological "Cradle of Creation", where all life supposedly originated around the Kiln of Creation at the hands of Solaris Erses. This discovery was shared among the higher-ups of the Faith, and given blessing by Solar Emperor Melevor II to continue excavation around the Pyrrhus Antiquus area. Excavation efforts would continue to yield strange items and antiques, though eventually a strange structure would be found deep below the city, under many levels of dirt and stone.

The supposed "Kiln" at Pyrrhus Antiquus continues to be researched, and the even more mysterious words carved into the unbreakable door "'''MAGNI SVNT QVI SANGVINEM PORTANT'''" continue to be questioned by Solarian scholars, including those of the Solar Emperor who is highly intrigued at the carvings which may possibly be referring to his lineage.

==== Aduriael, Light of the West ====

Aduriael is the ancient family heirloom of the Elchsdringen Dynasty, forged by Íor Elchsdringen in the age of Pyrrianor, but which was lost during the Age of Subjugation. Originally the sword was is used in ceremonies in the Pyrrhian Kingdom and often appeared alongside the King of Pyrrhia in his duties as both the Defender of the Faith and as Head of the Faith. Despite being thousands of years old, the sword remains as strong as it was the day it was forged, created from an unknown metal. Forged by the progenitor of the Elchsdringen line, Íor, the Sword was the subject of many conflicts with pagans and barbarians following the Pyrrhian exodus to Alathra due to it's claimed power of spontaneously bursting into flame, which only those of the Elchsdringen Dynasty could handle without being burned. The flames of the Sword were believed to be pulled directly from the Sun, and so their heat would simply slice through someone if the sword touched their flesh. Due to the sword being lost during the Age of Subjugation this rare spectacle has not been seen for hundreds of years, and so the idea that the Sword can do this has fallen into stories and mythology, while zealots within the newly founded Solar Ecclesiarchy believe that the Sword is destined to be found by the Solar Emperor.

The Sacred Antler is the most important and sacred part of the Imperial Regalia, and as a result is not seen often. The Antler is a piece of Solaris Erses' Antler which is believed to have been broken off during the War for Existence and crashed to Terra. The Antler was subsequently found by Pyrrhians and preserved under the watchful eyes of the the Grand Order of Druids. The Antler, large enough to be considered as a flag pole, has been carried in front of the Elchsdringen Kings during wars and crusades in the distant past. The Antler remains, alongside with the other pieces of the Imperial Regalia, in the Palace of Kings in Solar Pyrrhus under Solarian Inquisitorial oversight in the most secure section of the Palace.