Divinus Actualia
Divinus Actualia (commonly referred to as “Actualia”) is the capital of the Church of John nation. Located on the island of Valtara, it is built upon the Holy Lands of Johnactualism, and is the center for all things related to the faith. It was settled in January 2024, and as of March 2024, it has a population of 17, and is one of the fastest-growing population centers on Alathra.
Divinus Actualia was built in a birch forest, It borders Zydel to the north, Angelis Actualia to the west, and is surrounded by water on the southern and eastern ends of the peninsula it is constructed upon. The lands on which it was settled were the ruins of a lost town, which still remain on the west side of the river.
The town is home to many architectural masterpieces, namely the Grand Cathedral of John and the nation’s parliament building. Both were constructed by King Bullfrog, who played a huge role in the town’s construction projects until his departure in February 2024
History
Not much is known about the history of the Holy Lands before the arrival of Johnactualist missionaries. It was originally a small town which had fallen into ruin long before any other settlers had arrived.
Early Days (January 2024)
The first member of the Enlightened Church of John to set foot on the Holy Lands was Jack Blanche, who set out to the lands of Alathra in January 2024, alongside his fellow High Priest, Allorace Krino, to spread the word of John to the people of Alathra. While Allorace sought sanctuary in Aesis, Jack took it upon himself to build a town in the Holy Lands. Once he founded the town on 10 January, he brought over his fellow Johnactualists to help develop the land.
The groundbreaking for the Grand Cathedral of John took place not long after the town had been founded. High Priest Allorace aided in the construction of the Church, but having many Church-related matters to attend to in Aesis, he handed over the project to King Bullfrog, the Church’s architect, to finish the project. It was completed on 26 January, and the first holy sermon was held on 2 February.
Dark Ages (February 2024)
The month of February saw great tragedy for the people of Divinus Actualia. On 16 February, in celebration of the creation of the Order of the Enlightened (the nation’s military force), a ceremony had been held at the Grand Cathedral of John to bestow military ranks upon the people. Aaronicus Catticus, a kittenist missionary, barged into the Grand Cathedral, spewing words of hatred against all who did not practice his faith. In a rash manner, Jack drew his blade and silenced Aaron with a fatal blow. This would prove to be a huge mistake, as not ten minutes later, Kittenberg’s entire military force showed up to slaughter innocent churchgoers. These horrific events went down as one of Divinus Actualia’s darkest days, and led to the Church joining a coalition against the kittens.
Shortly thereafter, Kittentopia declared war upon the Church of John for the killing of their missionary. Divinus Actualia, being the capital of the Church, spent the week preparing defenses for the merciless wrath that the Kittens would unleash upon the innocents of Divinus Actualia, who had no involvement in the death of Aaronicus Catticus. A deepslate wall was built, as well as a giant cube to defend the town square. The wall was built with end stone on the inside to minimize its explosiveness. The defenses ended up being of no use when the Church of John surrendered, in an effort to avoid the deaths of any more innocent people.
Politics
Government
Before the creation of the Church of John (nation), the High Priest council acted as the leaders of Divinus Actualia. There is no official governing body on the municipal level in the Church of John. The mayor is Allorace Krino, and since the separation of Church and state, the High Priest council has had limited power over Divinus Actualia. Jack Blanche is the only other High Priest living in the town. The municipal government is centered in the north wing of the Parliament building. An election for both titles of the Mayor of Divinus Actualia, and the King of the Church of John (nation) is currently in the planning phase.
Economy
The majority of the town’s income comes from agriculture. There are no private farms in Divinus Actualia, though there are no laws against it. All crops harvested (except for a small cut of the potatoes) are sold for profit. Divinus Actualia does not tax its citizens nor its embassies. Another income source is the generous donations of kind-hearted Johnactualists. Since Aldouschmirtz’ departure from the Holy lands, the town has not received many donations from its residents.
Infrastructure
Divinus Actualia is currently undergoing renovations in order to bring more housing and other services to the downtown core. A town square is in the works, as well as many housing projects, an extension of the port, and the re-construction of a bridge across the river. The town is home to many parks and green spaces. The federal government operates out of the south wing of the town's architecturally stunning parliament building, and many of the events hosted by the Enlightened Church of John take place in the Grand Cathedral, located in the heart of downtown.