Nozerod Cult

== Nozerod Cult ==
"The weak minded cannot comprehend the faith, for they undermine virtue itself through apathy, or open support for entropy of civilisation. They look upon the regulations of the masters and struggle to contort the faith to fit notions of liberty, autonomy and indulgence. This is the fundamental lie of the feeble and the corrupt, they instead, must contort, bend to the demands of the faith!"
The Nozerod Cult, or the Tribella (State Doctrine) in Essotori, is the state religion of the Ascendancy, which exists to protect and expand the reach of the Cult. It is the most prominent non Christian faith in the world, enjoying millions of overseas members, huge influence in politics, and spreads swiftly. The origins of the Cult are difficult to ascertain, made much more difficult with the Essotori government's own interpretation of it's philosophy. The most commonly cited 'founder' of the Nozerod Cult was the oculist philosopher and advisor George William Dee, who served Nozerod Eternal Freedom and Universal Benevolence. He wrote a text, known as "Lamentations on Spiritual Authority", and pontificated heavily on the divine nature of the Nozerod. However, the cult existed, in a disorganised and generally loose form, since at the very least, the conquest of Essotori. With some Trekan sources describe the cult's existence as far back as the Kingdom of Conland. 
== History ==
"To chart the history of the Holy Tribella is to chart creation, above the demands of native science or prophecy, secrets the Ascended One blessed the faithful with prying from the night skies and the very world upon which all stand."
== Organisation ==
=== Nozerod and the Palace of Origin ===
"Upon speaking to Entaria, the very face of the enemy, expect him to doubt, question, or even attempt to assaile the divine nature of the Ascended One. This is a deliberate and conceited attempt at manipulation, and should be torn to shreads. The stench of entropy flows from the Entarian's breath, his face is stained with the black curse of nihilism, for the Ascended One provides all with all. It is in the nature of the weak and the inexperienced to rebel, to disobey their families, and their masters, this is repeated through life, and in nature."
The Nozerod is the ultimate ruler of the Cult, and the focus of worship. The Nozerod maintains political, legal and spiritual authority, with the ability to appoint all Cult Leaders. The Nozerod may not be depicted in art, photographs, media, or statues. This iconoclasm extends so far that use of the word "Nozerod" outside of it's formal usage to describe a former sovereign is considered deeply rude, instead, one generally uses the phrase "The Ascended One". This has led to several diplomatic incidents, with Trekan tourists regularly asking Essotori locals questions like "Have you had tea with the Nozerod?" leading to fights or arrests by local police. The Nozerod is a hereditary position, with the former Nozerod appointing his successor, guiding the divine spirit into a new host, according to most interpretations. The Palace of Origin serves as the ultimate headquarters, and visual symbol of the Cult, with worshipers frequently making pilgrimages to the Palace, and humbling themselves beneath it. This is said to purify the soul, and strengthen one's Ritella.
=== The Tribella Council ===
The Tribella Council is the formal body providing both the Nozerod, as well as the government with religious advice. It is composed of all Baelings in the Ascendancy. The Tribella Council, when unanimously opposing a policy put fourth by the central government, can overrule and veto the Prime Minister. Additionally, the council maintains the privilege of extracting tithes and taxation from the population, removing that authority from the government itself, and ensuring a balance of power. They will convene to address interpretations of the Cult, either tolerating them, welcoming them into the official cannon through a suggestion to the Nozerod, or condemning the interpretation as Entaria. 
=== Baeling ===
The Baeling is the highest rank that a common man can attain, through a lifetime of pious service to the cult, one can lead their own branch in another state. Each Baeling has religious and political authority over the activities a branch conducts. As such, they work closely with the Essotori Angels. There are currently Twelve Baelings, representing Essotori, Suntterland, Kemet, Zion, Enja, Treka, Höllefjord, Corusconia, Konzask, Minachia, Quangsuh, Serdtse Khrista and Nurasolvsk. The Baeling of Essotori, currently Sir John the Meek and Pitiful, maintains a First Among Equals leadership position over all of the Baelings. In countries friendly to Essotori, such as Minachia and Kemet, the Baeling will work in cooperation with the reigning government, to foster communications and ties between Essotori and the host state, rather than directly trying to convert.
=== Archael ===
Archaels generally function as advisors, and commanders of subnational branches. Most Baelings will employ three Archaels, for balance. Archaels may be summoned to Radonstinatle to debate theology, particularly in the face of particularly virulent Entarian variations. Archaels tend to be Machiavellian, using whatever is necessary to convert the maximum amount of people possible. An Archael is deployed to occupied states to administer the Grand Induction Ritual.
=== Promulgater ===
The Promulgater is the most visually common form of Cultists, functioning as missionaries, preachers and priests. Unlike in Christianity, the Nozerod Cult allows women to become Promulgaters. They function both inside and outside of the Ascendancy, spreading the faith as far as possible.
=== Maidens of the Light ===
The Maidens of the Light are women drawn from Essotori, who act as sirens, attempting to lure potential converts into Essotori, with the promise of marriage and a better life. To become a Maiden is a deeply respected task, due to the stress of leaving Essotori, and experiencing the world at such a young age. To account for this, Maidens are given extensive training, are taught Trekan, as well as the local language, and are supervised at all times by the bureaucracy of an Archael. There have been several cases of "Rogue Sirens" or Maidens who fell in love with their intended target, leading to them fleeing Essotori. This leads to the Maiden's execution by the hands of an Angel, as a Rogue Siren's soul has been corrupted by Entaria. Maidens are paid an extraordinarily high salary, and are rewarded for their service by marriage to a convert. Additionally, they are honoured by the title "Lady of the Light", eg, "Honourable Crownslave Elizabeth, Lady of the Light." 
== Doctrine ==
=== Divinity of the Nozerod ===
The core beliefs of the cult are covered extensively in the holy book, known as the Tribella. This every evolving text is written by the reigning Nozerod, with spiritual teachings, governing philosophy, stories, and personal thoughts all contributing to the collective knowledge of the sovereigns. The book covers a huge array of topics, with large sections dedicated to the economics of statehood, and of the person. It covers the ritualistic practices the cult prescribes to all members, and explains the origin of man. 
The Nozerod crafted the world, the heavens and the seas out of infinite grace, and watched carefully as humanity grew decadent, due to the dominance of man's natural imperfections and weakness, known as the Drassila. The Nozerod is divine. They cannot be wrong in any respect, though they are expected to act in a reserved manner, and leave the functioning of the Cult to the Baelings.
=== Iconoclasm ===
Depicting the Nozerod in any form is an offense. Speaking of them in an improper form, such as using the title of Nozerod in casual conversation, is deeply inappropriate.
=== Spiritualism ===
The Spiritualist Interpretation of the Cult is considered orthodox. This interpretation states that the Nozerod's divine spirit flows through the earthly bodies of the family. It overrides all personality, and allows the Nozerod to transcend the earthly limitation of human death. 
=== Ritella and Drassila ===
The Nozerod imbued each man, woman and child with the Ritella, or the unnatural urges, to submit, to obey, and to respect order. The Ritella inside the soul of each individual must be nurtured, through complete obedience to the Nozerod, as a plant requires the sun for photosynthesis, the soul must be properly sustained. It must be fed, through good acts, a benevolent character, and the contribution of one's self to the community. This generally meant producing more children, and pumping one's personal finances into the local economy (If possible). One's immorality could be negated, or mitigated, through a commitment to self improvement and redemption, with the ultimate acts of redemption being self sacrifice, and induction of others into the cult. This has led to the stereotype of Essotori locals bombarding tourists with copies of the Tribella, and aggressively attempting to convert foreigners. 
== Accepted Deviations ==
An accepted deviation is rare, though it will lead to that deviation's philosophy being added to the greater canon.
=== Spiritualism ===
Spiritualism was accepted by the Fifth Council of Radonstinatle, in 1708. 
=== Iconoclasm ===
Iconoclasm was accepted by the Seventh Council of Radonstinatle, in 1740.
== Tolerated Deviations ==
Tolerated Deviations are deviations that are not accepted, though are not corrupt or evil enough to be considered Entaria, and thus are tolerated. 
=== The Sanctity Faction ===
The Sanctity Faction are the largest non standard variation, with their own subdivisions. At their core, they believe the Nozerod's true body is not human, generally, this is expressed through the belief that the Nozerod's true body is incomprehensible, or the universe itself. This variation is popular with rationalists, who see the practice of astronomy as a form of learning more of the Nozerod's will. Mainstream Sanctity branches are not condemned, due to the peacefulness of their organisation, as well as the fact that two Baelings are openly members of the Sanctity Faction. They were declared to be tolerated in 1835.
== Condemned Variations ==
Many interpretations of the Cult have been deemed Entaria by the Tribella Council. This means that the faithful are expected to avoid, shun and denigrate those found to be members. All public officials who maintain membership of a proscribed cult are removed from their posts, and blacklisted from public services. In severe cases, an Angel will be dispatched, though this is deeply opposed, and only used in extreme cases, where there is no other option. Typically, the Council will demand the variation renounce their faith, confess to a local religious authority, and retreat from public life for self discovery, until they appreciate their errors.
=== Predestination ===
Predestination, or the belief that the Nozerod directs and controls the actions of each individual. This rejects free will, and was condemned in 1698, as it meant that the Nozerod authorised treachery. The orthodoxy, is that the Nozerod knows what all will do, but is above them, with individuals generally not worthy of direct intervention. 
=== Capricious ===
The Capricious are a condemned variation that believes the Nozerod created men for pleasure, procreation and happiness. They are hedonists, who think that through self indulgence and pleasure, they can best worship the Nozerod. They were formed by James Kratos in 1981, and were condemned in 1983, after an orgy was exposed, ran by the cult. Most of their members complied with the Council's orders to disband and enter penance, though some remain loyal to the deviation. They are accused of human trafficking, and widespread abuses.
=== Earthly Permanence ===
Earthly Permanance are a defunct variation, who believed that the Nozerod's body is not human. They believe the Nozerod's body is immortal, capable of living forever. Some of their elders, in the 1700s, believed that the Nozerod was capable of superhuman strengths, and powers comparable to Tori Gods. This group was condemned as Entaria in 1731. 
== Faelin ==
Faelin are concepts, actions or thoughts that the Nozerod Cult proscribes, through direct scripture, legal precident, or tradition. The vast majority are accumulated over Essotori history, though some are a lot more recent. Under the Welsbury Administration, many new Faelin were added to the list, with satirists depicting the Prime Minister slamming his fist against a table screaming "Faelin! Faelin! Faelin!" as the Baeling of Essotori looked on and wept. The reason for such concepts being considered Faelin generally requires some demonstratable harm to the user, acts deemed to dramatically weaken one's Ritella, or the community's as a whole. Commiting a Faelin, historically was a great offense, and it remains legal to execute each other over commiting Faelin. However, this has dramatically fallen out of use, though was used in 1990 to excuse a controversial case of Herbert Locker killing Oliver Hughes, a home invader who murdered Locker's wife. The court deemed that Hughes had commited several Faelin, though unjust killing was the central one, and declared Locker innocent, as he executed the sinner.
=== Policies and Finances ===
==== Overcharging Partners ====
Overcharging one's partner, be it financial, or personal, overcharging a partner for costs is considered Faelin, a sign of dishonour, and poor manner. 
==== Improper Division of Costs and Labour ====
=== Personal ===
==== Lying ====
Lying is Faelin, generally compounding with several others. This is one of the oldest Faelin, written in Reflection 01:32 "The soul of the liar is mudded with each false story told." 
==== Changing Your Name ====
Changing your name is deeply offensive to one's parents and one's hometown, and is seen as a rejection of authority.
==== Using a falsename ====
Using a false name is a subset of lying. In this case, the weight of Faelin depends slightly on the level of the changing, and while spies are granted Faelinrei, or Faelin Protection by their handlers, they generally prefer to take names similar to their own if possible. This does not apply to roleplaying, or playing pretend with others.
=== Sexual ===
==== Sexual Harassment ====
This restriction is based around several lines in the Tribella, the most commonly stated one being "Each Crownslave contains innate dignity, flowing from the Ascended One.", as well as "The sanctuaries of the treasured shall not be violated." 
==== Handling the Clothing of the Other Sex ====
Handling the Clothing of the Other Sex is considered improper, especially underwear. This is one of the more well known Faelin, as it relates heavily to foreign media in Essotori, particularly Konzaskian animated shows. It has led to the trend of women and men only stores to preserve the diginity of employees and the nation. Comedians and artists attempted to push the boundaries heavily with media throughout the 70s.
=== Society ===
==== Unjust Killing ====
Unjust killing is among the most infamous Faelin. The Ascendancy defines this as carrying out a killing for motives that are not applicable, or significant sadism was not employed. 
==== Depicting Faelin ====
Depicting Faelin being commited is in itself Faelin, particularly in comedy. This has been heavily relaxed by the state, now it is merely a social taboo, that is fairly frequently broken in historical documentaries, dramas and comedy. 
==== Wearing a Feather around your Neck ====
This is a famous, yet rarely invoked Faelin. It refers to the practice of Tumua, a religious practice of killing a large bird, and wearing it's feathers on the neck and head, as a makeshift robe. This was primarily religious, a pagan ritual, though after the establishment of Suntterland, it became an act of defiance.
Category:Essotori
Category:Essotori Culture
Category:Nozerod Cult
Category:Ascendancy