Here, I started writing something in the spirit of what I said before. Hope the scale is not too large, but I can always tone it down if it is. The characters in /b are going to have their own character sheets later on. I will expand further about religion yet, but I need you guys to decide whether their God should be a real entity or a fake. Also, the extents of Divination magic-I was thinking some sort of unclear visions plus telepathy and thought reading. Again, I'm not sure whether I should make this something specific to this faith, or expand it into a universal school of magic.
Also, I didn't know how the river in the middle is called so I just called it The Great River because I'm super creative.
The Expeditionary Force of The Kingdom of Heaven
The Kingdom of Heaven, as this powerful continental political entity calls itself, has not been interested in the island of Naroe throughout most of it's long history. Civil wars, crusades, revolutions and the general turmoil of the ages past as well as relative remoteness of the island has kept it safe from the imperialistic ambitions of the rest of the world for a long, long time.
However, the period of storm and strive back on the land is long over, and the Church of Holy Flame is, for the first time in centuries, feeling secure enough to extend it's powers beyond the borders of their homeland. Upon learning of rich ores of gold and silver in the mountain ranges of western Naroe, the aristocracy and clergy alike has formed an unlikely alliance and organized a large expedition in an effort to claim that land for their faith, their king and their purse. Ten years ago, a large fleet set sail and landed on the western fridges of the island, near the mouth of Great River*, where they settled their first and(so far, their only) city in this land-proudly named Port Hope. Ironically too, if you ask the natives.
Within a year, the army of zealots has cleansed the land surrounding the mouth, burning sacred grooves, razing villages and small towns and either killing or enslaving the locals. The humans were given a chance at conversion-most of them were pagans, ignorant of the blessings of the Flame- upon which they were send to special prison-like labor camps were they were to work in relatively mild conditions until the local clergy deemed them "faithful enough". Those who refused, were sent straight to the mines, together with non-humans.
Oh yes, the mines. Despite claiming to come for Faith and Glory, in truth, the entire expedition would never happen if not for the reports of precious minerals in the local mountains. By the time the soldiers and colonists arrived on the island, the rumors of gold and silver have grown to tales of golden cities and unfathomable riches that the greedy unbelievers have been stockpiling for themselves since the dawn of history. It is therefore unsurprising, that as soon as the nearest areas were relatively secured, the land has been swiss cheesed with dozens of mines, holes, excavation sites. Most of these have been dug by private hands-continental entrepreneurs, be they merchants, nobles, or clergymen who didn't mind dabbling in the mundane, they've all wanted to outspeed their rivals and take the largest slice of cake for themselves. At first, the workers have been volunteers from the continent, peasantry, even soldiers-but as soon as prisoners of war arrived, the owners of the mines became steadily replacing them with much cheaper slaves, often leaving the former employees fired and without any means of sustaining themselves. Unrest followed, and soon, the army found itself fighting on two fronts. Before them, was uncharted wildness-behind them, were bandits, vagabonds and mercenary units, all former miners who, in order to survive, chose the path of crime. Attacking farms, pillaging supply convoys, smuggling stolen goods back to the continent, even allying with the Enemy, if the pay was good-all these actions have effectively stalled further conquest, forcing the military to focus on defending what they already have, at least until the situation stabilizes.
However, now, several years later, the chaos continues. Old rebels have been joined by the new arrivals from the continent, and with every new gold vein found, even some of the less patriotic soldiers find themselves deserting to the traitors....It's not a civil war, but it's not peace either. What's worse, some of these deserters have became local warlords among the peoples deeper in the island, teaching them the modern ways of warfare...
But not all is grim and dark. The successful mining is more then compensating for the ever increasing costs and expenses, and the King and Church alike are in agreement, that the colonization effort must continue. Six years ago, first peasant settlers have arrived, establishing first villages, harvesting first crops...in the words of High Patriarch, "these villages...although few and unable to sustain even 1/10 of our effort there...are the sign of things to come. I envision..a bright future for our people in Naroe".
Port Hope, from a hastily build harbor surrounded by tents and clay huts, has developed into a city proper. From dirty slums to rich Upper Districts, from dirty docks to magnificent Cathedral towering over the landscape, from stone walls to stone barracks housing the local military police, "this place has everything you'd expect from a port town on the continent...if I didn't know better, I wouldn't even know that I am on the edge of nowhere!". And further development continues. Next to the aforementioned Cathedral, a central point of every Heaven settlement, there is a giant construction site. There, in the future, there is going to be magnificent fortress, whose splendor is going to rival the greatest marvels of engineering known to the Kingdom...a mighty monument to zeal and ingenuity of it's people. And perhaps, a future seat of the ambitious Crown Prince....
Unfortunately, even this city hasn't escaped the chaos of the the outside world...Despite the utmost efforts of the military police, thieves, smugglers and deserters all somehow find refuge within the city walls, and sin flourishes within the Port Hope's infamous slums. Rumors of corruption within the aristocracy abound....and the Crown Prince, busy playing soldier far away in the wilderness, doesn't do anything to stop this...The actual governance of the city is left to the High Patriarch, and old and experienced man, who has enough duties as it is..
The Church of Holy Flame is an organized religion whose roots go back thousands of years to the past, to these ages where man lived in caves and feared the encroaching darkness. There, a nameless prophet, had a vision of fiery entity called God, Lord, Holy Flame, the Bringer, the Giver, the All-Powerful one, which thought him the art of using fire, as well as the secrets of writing and Divination. There sparked, what the Church claims to be, first human civilization-the ancient ancestors of the present Kingdom. The Prophet, as he is simply called nowadays, has became first Patriarch and first King, and from his bloodline came the Oracles-blessed maidens who can use the art of Divination to communicate directly with the Divine and foresee future events, as well as "other things hidden". He was said to have lived 100 years, and he was said to have bred 100 children. Modern genealogists and clergy are in agreement that nowadays, almost every human within a kingdom carries the Founder's blood.
On his deathbed, he was said to have narrated a Holy Scripture containing all the mysteries of faith and all the wisdom of the world withing it's 1000000 pages. However, the Scripture has been lost, torn apart, and scattered throughout the world and only several thousand pages remain within the Church's grasp...these pages, put together, have became a Holy Book of Fire, this faith's most important theological text... However, even though the pages have been lost, they can still be recovered. For they cannot be burned with fire, time doesn't erode them, and evil doesn't dare to touch them..the clergy of the Kingdom is positive that one day, they will recover it all, and then, a miracle will happen...for the sake of this noble endeavor, countless crusades have been fought, countless archaeological excavations have been founded and, some say, that even this expedition enjoys such a wide support from clergy because of the faint chance that some of these Lost Pages might be discovered in this uncharted land.
The Church is organized hierarchically. On the top is the Council of seven High Patriarchs, which is the highest legal and executive entity within the organization. Beyond them are the Bishops, each of whom is a sort of religious governor of the province he is assigned to. Port Hope does not have it's own Bishop as the duties of one are effectively taken by one of the High Patriarchs. Below them are High Priests-educated scholars of theology and accomplished clergymen, whose wealth and power rivals that of aristocracy. Lower in rank are regular Priests-each assigned a church or, if he's accomplished enough, a Cathedral. At the very bottom are Novices-young priests in training.
Separately from this hierarchy are monasteries-actual centers of academic learning within the Kingdom-and the Oracles, who are a power on their own. So far, on Naroe, there are no monasteries and there is only one Oracle-although, given the power of her Gift, "one is more then enough".
The universe had no beginning, but it will have and END. When the "time comes" the Flame God will turn all the existence into a fiery inferno in the event called The End of Days. Nothing, not even gods will escape the cataclysm. What shall come afterwards, is unknown to human mind and has only been described in various holy scrolls and by Oracles in vague terms such as "rebirth", "the unknown", "the future world", "the unknown after", "the foreverdark", "the Afterburn", "the Heaven". It doesn't help that the Holy Book is often contradictory about this subject, and there is still much theological debate going on the subject.
One thing is certain-when the apocalypse comes, the flames will "burn the sinners" and they will suffer "all the horrors of their mortal lives, repeated over and over, in moment like eternity". The righteous, though, "will savor the flames and rejoice in the grace of Fire". This, in the doctrine of the Church, is called The Covenant- a promise of victory of Good over Evil, faithful over faithless and the future, eternal power in the Unknown After. Nothing shall escape the judgment of fire-dead will be resurrected, to either experience a second death or a blissful rebirth.
Yes, the people of the Kingdom of Heaven do not believe in the afterlife in the conventional sense-it is thought that death is the Ending, but their God has the power to bring the dead back to life. Indeed, there are many myths and legends, canonized and further reinforced by the Church, of exceptionally pious saints and kings being brought back to life in the grace of flame. It is believed that at the end, the Founder himself will rise from the grave to rein over the righteous in the world-after-the-flame. However, this isn't a cult of undeath. The dead will be returned "in a way they were", as living people- not rotting, skeletal abomination, an image the undead are most often associated with.
Despite the monotheist nature of this faith, the existence of other gods is acknowledged, although they are considered lesser and inferior to the One True God. They too, will not escape the judgment of fire. Therefore, worshiping these beings is considered ignorance(if brought up in the un-knowledge of the true religion) or cardinal sin(if a faithful converts to the foreign religion out of his own will). Accordingly, the blind and ignorant are to be enlightened in the light of Holy Book- given a chance- while traitors and sinners are to be enlightened in the flames of the stake.
Every good believer should follow the path of Five Noble Virtues and avoid the Five Unforgivable Sins which are each other's exact opposites(in the doctrine of the Church at least). There morals have been derived from the Holy Book by the scholars of religion, and canonized as the "correct interpretation of the Scripture".
1. Justice
The first and the noblest of virtues. A truly righteous man will never turn the other cheek in the face of evil. Will never let the wrongdoer go unpunished. Shall not suffer the witch to live, the heretic to speak, the hypocrite to corrupt, the innocent to suffer, the faithful to be oppressed. He shall be a like a sword to Evil, and like a shield to all that is good and pure. Naturally, Justice is expected the most of kings, nobles, clergy and other people in power. Unfortunately, it often happens that this very people find it impossible to live up to high standards set up by this virtue. Perhaps that's why occasional good rulers are remembered and revered for centuries after their death?
2. Temperance, also known as Persistence
This Virtue is mostly defined in terms of what it is not, rather then what it is. A temperate man will not commit the sin of gluttony. He will avoid alcohol, tobacco and any other psychoactive substances that may lead him astray. He will not surround himself in luxuries, and will not dress immodestly. Celibate is encouraged among all classes of people, but only Oracles and highest clergy is actually compelled. Most importantly, a temperate person will never skip daily prayer, and while praying, will do it with all their heart, mind and soul. Will persist in preaching the word of Flame, and will never blaspheme against their God. Will resist the temptation to sin, and, like Justice, will never let the sin go unpunished.
3. Zeal
All faithful have a duty to proselytize and convert the unbeliever, and punish the heretics and blasphemers. Not doing so, staying indifferent to evil or to the efforts of other righteous people, is a sin in itself. Even weak and feeble-minded can still contribute by indirectly supporting the crusading efforts of those more capable then themselves, by paying money to the Church or providing other services. This religion does not care for "tolerance". A zealot should see the world in monochrome. "Either you're with us or against us"- should be their motto. Naturally, that means that in the perfect world there is no place for other faiths, races or doctrines. And the colonization of Naroe- indeed, sometimes called the "crusade" back on continent"- is another step to creation of that world.
4. Charity
A righteous person will feed the poor, the orphan, the disabled. For all the poverty and strive that the people of the Kingdom of Heaven are subjected to in these harsh times, they have never failed to provide basic care for those who need it. Indeed, even on this remote island of Naroe, there is already an orphanage, and plague doctors make a routine(and often dangerous) trips to the poorest district of the Port Hope to ensure that the poor are keeping, at the very least, the basic of hygiene. Indeed, not doing so is considered a sin in itself, although no one is particularly eager to punish it! Such policy has it's historical roots in various plagues and disses that once devastated the continent. And some of the greatest heroes of this nation, have, indeed, been orphans who have risen from rags to glory. This, however, does not seem to argue with the concept of strict feudal system-at least in the eyes of clergy and nobles!
5. Obedience
All faithful shall obey the words of the Oracles, the laws of the Kingdom, the rule of the King and will not question the privileged position of the Aristocracy. To rebel against one's position in life is a sin, to question the words of the Holy Book is a heresy. This Virtue also includes obedience to one's parents, respect to older siblings and keeping order within military.
1. Evil
For the people of the Kingdom of Heaven, Evil itself is the opposite of justice. Chaos, disorder, malice, wrong-doing..there are many evils in this world, and, according to doctrine they all share the same essence, regardless of their kind. This essence is a corruption that dwells in the hearts of all the creation. In order to get rid of this corruption, one must cleanse himself in the merciless Fires and become one of the Faithful. The "cleansing", is done, of course, through Action-simple Actions such as ritual prayer, feeding the hungry or attending mass, and grand Actions, such as burning infidels, touching holy relics or allowing the Oracle to read one's heart and mind. This faith is not supportive of passive contemplation, and mere will to do good, and faith unexpressed in one's lifestyle are considered meaningless.
Of course, non-humans are beyond redemption. Their very blood is corrupted.
2. Indulging in pleasures of flesh and mind
Gluttony, lust, greed, love of material things..all these are gateways to Ignorance of the Divine. Some of the holiest men of the Church have been ascetic hermits, and even now, self torture and rigorous monastic lifestyle are encouraged. The high priests and Patriarchs of this religion often find themselves missing limbs, eyes, ribs or ears-all the evidence of their piety. However, the highest form of cleansing self-mutilation is, of course, burning. Fire is the very essence of God. It is believed that baptism in fire, destructive to body, has a healing effect for the soul. For that reason, the people of Heaven always cremate their dead, and burning on a stake is a default form of execution(and an entertaining show, too!).
However, evil lurks not only in body, but also in mind. Reading forbidden books, indulging in godless science or occult practices is forbidden. In fact, all kinds of scholarly pursuits are thrown upon if they are undertaken by anyone else then clergy-who are thought to be more resistant to guilty temptations and heretic thought then most people are. Especially peasants. All magic is forbidden, except the Divine magic of the oracles and the healing magic of the plague doctors. Especially hated is fire magic-for fire is God's domain, and those who claim command over it, displease God greatly. For this reason, Dragons have been hunted almost to extinction-even if they weren't even fire-breathing types!
3. Impiety
Atheism, paganism and heresy obviously all fall into this category. However, merely believing is a sin as well- a faith which is not put into action is a dead faith. Therefore, all true believers are obliged to pray daily, and attend mass at certain days and hours. Those who do not are at risk of social ostracism or, if the behavior doesn't cease, criminal charges! Disrespecting(or rather:not showing enough respect) to religious symbols, myths and figures also falls under this category of sin.
4. Malice
Hatred for a non-human, a witch or a sinner is not only justified, but expected. However, bearing ill-will towards a fellow believer, a poor, an orphan or disabled is considered a crime against the Flame, regardless of the reason for such hatred. All quarrels are to be solved in court, and even then, action against a fellow faithful should only be guided by one's sense of justice-or hatred of injustice-but never personal feelings towards him. Such is the theory. In practice, the state has little control over population, the law is ineffective and vendetta is carried out daily, among the poor and reach alike. Even clergy didn't escape the long traditions of revenge-murder...of course, no one dares to point that out.
5. Disobedience
The peasant shall never disobey his lord. A soldier shall never disobey his commander, regardless of what orders he received. And no one will disobey the words of clergy and Oracles. This is the order that this society has been built on. To challenge this order, is to challenge the Fiery Deity himself. Alternate systems of government-such as republics, or, ironically, even theocracies are considered revolutionary and, thus, sinful in nature.
What is the size of this island? From everything people have posted so far, everything seems to be pretty micro... But I...you know...I have a dream. A dream of Kingdom. And if that's too large, perhaps a fortress, a city, or expeditionary force belonging to some kingdom on the continent. A militarized, fanatical, warlike peoples. Worshiping one God of darkness and smokeless fire, they do. Racist, they are. On a crusade to establish order and rid this land of all filth, evil and impurity, by word or by sword. Divine magic they use, to strengthen their own and weaken their foes. Democracy, they don't know. A single leader they have, be it a King, a General or a Patriarch of some sorts. Order is their national value, and from this, organized religion and almost caste-like feudal system follows. Science they dislike, books they burn. Forests they chop, ores they mine, monuments and temples they build. Mighty temples of steel and stone, towering over tiny huts of ordinary citizens, inspiring faith in the believer, and fear in the heretic....
So, so, what do you think about this dream of mine? Want me to write something from that?
I agree with OP, I think it would be the best if the war was fought entirely between humans. But other races can be fine, as slaves/natural phenomena/walking alchemy components/etc. Like they were in Potter. Maybe even more so, cause hard times call for hard measures.
Also, I think it would be better to make it a conscription. What sort of silly government abducts the citizens when they can draft them? But then, abduction would make give it more of a "prison break" atmosphere.
But here goes my question, then-is the country fighting against some sort of evil empire, or is the adversary among the "good guys"? To be honest, I enjoy a bit of moral ambiguity-but more dualistic situation can also be cool, especially with right amount of misinformation and propaganda.
I have seen it when I was 8 and it has influenced me in more ways then I am willing to admit. Will probably have to watch it again before joining this, but none the less, count me as interested.
