Eredar Theocracy

The Eredar Theocracy was the planetary government of the Eredar species. Prior to their discovery in 2680 by the Ghaz and Vordr, they were capable of space flight but still working to break the lightspeed barrier.

## Homeworld

Orbiting an M class star, Argus, as its people call it, is magnificent
Earth-like world, 65 percent water and 35 percent land.  It has 1
standard g surface gravity and is 99% the size of Earth. Argus has a
‘brother’ planet by the name of Argeus, which their shared moon, Danae,
also orbits. Unlike Argus, Argeus is a lifeless brown rock, and was
often confused to be a massive moon during the early days of Eredar
civilization.

It is difficult to talk about Argus without getting into its ample
deposits of normally rare resources, the most notable of these being the
 Khaydarin crystals. 80 million years ago, a colossal asteroid that
encompassed the crystals impacted the planet, forever shaping the
evolution of life upon Argus.  These typically amethyst, organic stones
quickly spread across the planet’s surface, stimulating the growth of
intelligent life, and giving the soil of Argus a typically purple hue.
Its also formed massive, intricate designs upon the planet’s surface,
some only visible from space.

Argus contains many earth-like biomes upon its three continents:
Antorus, Krokuun, and Kaarinos. From jungles to tundra, from rolling
hills to towering mountains. One thing it lacks is deserts, as the
Khaydarin crystals seem to primarily grow from sand and sandstone. Thus,
 Argus’ deserts have long since vanished, replaced by planes of crystal.
 This oddly enough makes Sandstone a surprisingly valued commodity among
 the Eredar.

## Technology

As of their discovery by the Vordr and Ghaz Expeditionary Fleet, the Eredar possessed technology roughly equivalent to late 21st
 century Earth. However, the wondrous ‘magical’ abilities of the
Khaydarin crystals their planet is rife with has made their way of life
drastically different. Nearly all technology integrates the crystals,
and as the crystals are also considered holy, gives many tools normally
considered plain and standard by other species more spiritual weight.

Before encountering their first alien civilization, the Eredar were
experimenting with space folding technologies for FTL travel, though
this has largely been abandoned in favor of the already developed
Slipspace drive.

## Society

The Eredar culture is centered around two things: the Holy Light of
Creation, and magic. They can somewhat be viewed as religion and
science, though always through the lens of the wondrous abilities of
the Khaydarin crystals. As a result, Eredar usually choose religious
professions, such as the Anchorite (priest) or magical ones, such as the
 Artificer (mage). Eredar military is a zealous militant order, their
members being known as Vindicators (paladins).

Their faith in the light of creation, the divine power that exists in
all life, has lead them to have a relatively peaceful history. Their
three continents set aside their differences under the leadership of the
 Triumvirate without any outside threat or global calamity to push them
towards such. Though the ranks of the Vindicators are many, they mostly
double as a police force and deterrent to hostilities. Rather, the
conflicts of various religious factions in the past have largely come
down to tests of faith and challenges rather than raw armed conflict. As
 such, the Eredar have a medieval approach to weaponry. Despite being a
relatively ancient civilization and being blessed with long life spans,
this lack of violent competition could perhaps be the cause of their
slow technological advancement.

The Eredar are led by the Triumvirate, a council of elder leaders, each
hailing from one of the main continents. For the most part, the Eredar
decide their leaders through meritocratic methods, built upon the
structure of a republic.

The Eredar do creative AI to help with their daily tasks, though their
belief in the sanctity of life extends even them surprising rights and
respect, despite being relatively crude compared to many interstellar
civilizations.

## Religion

The Light (also known as the Holy Light, Holy Light of Creation and
light of Creation) is an endless, shimmering sea of energy situated
outside the barriers of reality and one of the two most fundamental
forces in the universe along with the Void, which was born from the
absence of the former. The two cannot exist without the other.  The
Light is not necessarily "good", it is a primal force with its morality
characterized by how it is wielded. The Eredar take great responsibility
 for wielding this power.

Pure Light cannot exist within the physical universe but shades of it
manifest as holy magic. The Light is the source of all life in the
cosmos. Summoned by willpower or faith in one's ability to do so, the
powers of the Light can be harnessed to heal, cleanse, protect, or harm.
 Most of its practitioners are called priests or paladins, devoted to
cleansing the universe of darkness.  Learning to wield this healing
force takes years of discipline.

Its positive energies, residing in every living being, in every heart
and soul, is everywhere, binding all sentient beings together as one.
 The Light cannot fully see destiny, though neither can the Void, for
neither are singularly responsible for creation. The Light seeks one
path and shuns all others as lies.

Some Eredar, particularly the Prophet Velen, believe in enigmatic beings
 they call the Naaru. Composed of shards of fractured Light, they may be
 the purest expression of Light in the physical universe.

While initially open to the idea of adapting Vordr Slipspace drives for
means of faster than light travel, the twilight realm of Slipspace is
worried by some to be the realm of the Void, causing some theological
concern about traveling through it.