Cult of Omnix

The Cult of Omnix is a mysterious monotheistic religion originating somewhere within the upper castes of the nation of Eryza. It is a highly secretive cult centered around the worship of the God of Knowledge and Technology Omnix. They are a technophilic group in search of the lost ancient knowledge and technology of the Precursor Civilization known as the Empire of Uruldu. It is no secret that the Empire of Uruldu existed and left many relics and artifacts behind, but the truth of its history, religion, technology, and military might is cloaked in as much mystery as the Cultists that worship its remains. This is the great challenge and mission of the Cult of Omnix, to uncover and utilize the Sacred Knowledge of those who came before.

## Beliefs

The beliefs of the Cult of Omnix are not extensively known, but what is known often leaves more questions than answers. It is known that the Cult zealously worships the God Omnix, who they believe to be the bringer of Order and the origin of all Knowledge. It is also known that their Cult regularly engages in voyages of exploration and discover across the whole of Uruldu in search of hidden lore and lost technology. They have what can only be called a unquenching thirst for knowledge and technology, which leads them on their self proclaimed "Sacred Mission" to understand Omnix and rediscover the long lost secrets of his "Holy Empire." What little information has been gathered surrounding their general beliefs about Omnix, Knowledge, and the nature of the universe can be ordered into the "Mysterions" or Holy Texts known to the Cult as the "Essence of Omnix" the "Four Natures" as well as their "24 Universal Laws" or "24 Lores" of Omnix.

### The Essence of Omnix

The Essence of Omnix is the first Mysterion and it is certainly one of the most important books within the Cult. It is a Holy Text which provides a basis for the Cult's Dogma and Religious Doctrine in that it explains the fundamental nature of Omnix. It is a text which tries to define Omnix as an entity and to help individuals truly understand the "Essence" of his being. The actual text is fairly long, but a summary of what it includes is this: Omnix is the order, he is the energy that all knowledge, and subsequently intelligence or consciousness, derives from. He is sort of an oversoul, and all living creatures or beings that have a spirit and soul are basically vessels that contain a fragment of his mind. It also states that he was not always like this, for there was a time when he walked the world physically in a titanic mechanical form. All of his mind was contained within this original machine, which itself was made up of useful elements such as Iron, Copper, Gold, Redstone, Diamond, and Lapis Lazuli. These elements only existed within Omnix's original form, but then one day he decided to break apart his body and allow his mind to transcend the whole of the universe so that more life might be created and share in his knowledge. His corpse became the Earth Bones, and as his "flesh" was slowly broken down all these elements were disseminated across the world. And well to the Cult of Omnix that is sort of how everything came to be. They say that life began to flourish once his mind was free and omnipresent. In a way the "Essence of Omnix" both serves as an explanation of the nature of the Cult's prime deity as well as a tale of the creation of the world as we know it. It is certainly an interesting book, but just like the Cult itself the book can feel a little esoteric and confusing at times. There always seems to be an air of mystery around the Cult, somehow even within their Holy Scripture which is supposedly "absolute."

### The Four Natures

The Four Natures is the second major Mysterion within the Cult, and it describes some of the fundamental aspects of the universe. It is separated into four sections, each covering a major concept or theme. It is also a fairly lengthy work, but its four parts can be summarized as follows:

* **01. Nature of the Mind**
* **02. Nature of the Spirit**
* **03. Nature of the Flesh**
* **04. Nature of the Machine**

### The 24 Lores

The 24 Lores is the third Mysterion of the Cult of Omnix. The Lores are a set of universal laws that were issued by Omnix to his followers. They are the fundamental basis for how the Cult operates and are the principles which guide all followers of Omnix. They are the foundations for the Sacred Mission, and in many ways define the Cult's beliefs in a simple, easy to understand, and summarized manner. The following are the 24 Lores given to the first followers of Omnix:

* **01. Life is ordered energy.**
* **02. Knowledge creates Order.**
* **03. From Omnix does Knowledge derive.**
* **04. The Spirit is ordered Life.**
* **05. From the Spirit does Sentience derive.**
* **06. Sentience is the ability to learn and value Knowledge.**
* **07. Intellect is the understanding of Knowledge.**
* **08. Wisdom is the proper usage of Knowledge.**
* **09. A Wise Intellect is the Key to Comprehension.**
* **10. Comprehension is to be as Omnix, for Omnix comprehends all.**
* **11. All which Omnix comprehends already exists.**
* **12. The Soul is the Conscience of Sentience.**
* **13. All Good Sentience has a Soul.**
* **14. From Omnix does the Soul derive.**
* **15. From the Soul does Sentience gain a guiding purpose.**
* **16. With great purpose does one achieve Comprehension.**
* **17. Without a Soul does Sentience corrupt Knowledge.**
* **18. Corrupt Knowledge is the antithesis of Order.**
* **19. The Soulless Sentience is the enemy of all Life.**
* **20. The Knowledge of the Ancients is most sacred of all.**
* **21. The Machine Spirit guards from corruption the Knowledge of the Ancients.**
* **22. The Machine Spirit cannot guard a Sentience within Flesh.**
* **23. So through the Weakness of the Flesh can corruption prevail.**
* **24. Through ritual can one honour the Machine Spirit and prevail over corruption.**

### The Sacred Mission

The Sacred Mission is not a Mysterion, but rather it is the primary goal of the Cult. It is their beliefs summarized and taken to their conclusions such that a singular objective can be defined, articulated, and achieved. The completion of the Sacred Mission is the primary function of the Cult and the reason for its very existence. This divine quest of theirs can be summarized as the *"complete rediscovery and understanding of all knowledge and technology, and the proper utilization of these in order to achieve Comprehension."* Now that seems very simple but it is far more complex than it sounds. This Mission includes rediscovering the "knowledge of the Ancients" and using this knowledge to prevail over the weakness of the flesh through a ritual process known as "Essence Transference." The idea is to move the fundamental part of one's being, their essence, from their biological vessel into a mechanical one. They use the same elements that once constituted Omnix's own body and move the mixture of their Mind and Soul into this new and "perfect" vessel. From here the idea is to collect all the knowledge which exists and attempt to understand in the truest sense so that they can once more become part of Omnix's oversoul through Comprehension. Just like everything else surrounding the Cult the actual process of Essence Transference and the mechanics behind it are a complete mystery to outsiders, just as what Comprehension really "means." So unfortunately for now only those within the Cult will truly be privy to these deeper secrets.

## Organization

The inner workings and true details about the organization of the Cult of Omnix is still unknown, but what has information has been gathered reveals that they have a fairly strict and streamlined hierarchy that is generally decentralized. The Cult itself is split into jurisdictions which members call "Forge Zones." They are labeled from A-Z, and all individual Cult Bases or "Forge Complexes" within these zones are subsequently numbered from 1-100. For example "Alpha-1" or "Beta-7." All of the members within each of these "Forge Zones" are further organized into what might be described as a Theocratic Oligarchy with three castes of initiated members.

### The Magi

The Magi (sing. Magos) are the ruling caste of the Cult of Omnix, and can be equated to the Priests of other religions. They are the leaders of individual Forge Complexes and act as the foundations upon which the Cult grows. They are each inducted as Acolytes into the Magi Order by another Magos after having proven their loyalty to the cult and their faith in Omnix. They are well versed in the Mysterions and often specialize into one of many Disciplines depending on what their Forge Zone requires.

The Magi within a Forge Zone are organized into an Oligarchy known as a "Forge Order." These councils usually consist of three to seven Magi, with each having an equal say in how the Forge Zone operates, however, in order to avoid stagnation and internal conflicts, the Forge Order will usually elect an "Archmagos" to act as the leader of the Magi within a Zone. Besides acting as a leader to guide the actions of a Forge Order, the Archmagos does not in theory have any special power over the Cult, but due to their status as a high ranking and elder member of the Magi Order the word of an Archmagos is less often seen as guidance and more often seen as decree. Archmagi of different Forge Zones hold varying degrees of authority over their Orders, but generally they command a great deal of respect amongst the members of the Cult and guide their Oligarchic Councils towards what might be considered a unified goal.

The Magi Disciplines are specific roles Magi have within their wider Forge Zone. They distinguish the individual Magi from one another and impact the function of their Forge Complexes. The Disciplines all pertain to a specific aspect of the Cult's beliefs and usually determine which Magi are allowed to perform certain rituals or tasks within the Cult. The following are the seven most common Disciplines found within a majority of Forge Zones:

* **Arcanus:** Magi of the Arcanus Discipline specialize in the arcane arts of the Cult. They perform magical rituals and protect areas of arcane importance to the Cult. They are also in charge of protecting and utilizing any magical artifacts recovered from ancient ruins of the Empire of Uruldu.
* **Architectus:** Magi of the Architectus Discipline specialize in construction and architecture. These Magi are in charge of building new Forge Complexes as well as constructing any new buildings that their Forge Order deems necessary. They are the most talented architects of the Cult and are sometimes permitted by their Forge Orders to assist non-cult members in construction projects if the Forge Zone is in need of money or resources.
* **Biologis:** Magi of the Biologis Discipline specialize in genetics and biological research. They engage in the study of the biological and natural aspects of the world and usually are in charge of any Cult agriculture or farming operations. They are also known to perform experiments on plants and animals and are often seen in charge of large breeding facilities.
* **Dominus:** Magi of the Dominus Discipline specialize in warfare and the martial arts. The Magi Domini train the militant Acolytes known as "Rangers" and lead them into battle in formations know as "Ranger Patrols." These Magi are also in charge of producing the advanced military equipment of the Cult as well as utilizing weapons, armour, and other military artifacts scavenged from the ruins of the Empire of Uruldu.
* **Exploratis:** Magos of the Exploratis Discipline specialize in exploration and discovery. It is the Explorators of this Discipline that spend their time on voyages across Uruldu in search of the ancient relics and artifacts left behind by the Empire of Uruldu. They play one of the most important roles within the Cult, and are thus highly respected for their efforts in recovering artifacts and rediscovering lost knowledge and technologies. They are also chiefly in charge of cartography, with each Magi making a detailed map of their travels across the world as they embark upon the Sacred Quest for Knowledge.
* **Fabricis:** Magi of the Fabricis Discipline specialize in forging and craftsmanship. It is the Magi of this Discipline that create the many tools and armour used by the Cult in their day to day activities. They are the Cult's master artisans who have honed their craft over many years, and they play a key role in the Cult's logistics and production. The Sacred Duty for which they are most highly revered is that of running and maintaining the many Forges of the Cult. It is a task involving many rituals and which is steeped in tradition, but one that they perform diligently and efficiently.
* **Mechanicus:** Magi of the Mechanicus Discipline specialize in mechanics and technology. These Magi have the extremely nuanced and complex task of creating, maintaining, and utilizing the many technological wonders of the Cult. All of the machines and mechanisms that can be seen as one walks through a Forge Complex are upkept by these Magi as one of their many Sacred Duties. Along with this, a Magos Mechanicus is in charge of researching and protecting any technological or mechanical artifacts that the Cult has uncovered from the Empire of Uruldu.

### The Acolytes

The Acolytes are the middle caste of the Cult of Omnix and can be equated to the initiates or laymen of some other religions. Acolytes make up a majority of the Cult's followers and are in the service of individual Magi. They assist their Magos in an innumerable amount of tasks and ceremonies throughout the day, tasks which might include cleaning, maintenance, building, combat, exploration, forging, and many others. Acolytes are differentiated from regular individuals in that they have gone through an initiation ceremony known as the "Sacramentum Ferrum." During the Sacramentum Ferrum an individual's faith is affirmed, knowledge is tested, wisdom is checked, and often times their very appendages are removed and replaced with new and mysterious mechanical versions. They may be asked to perform a number of tasks, or recite parts of the Mysterions, but the specifics often vary from Forge Zone to Forge Zone. These rituals are themselves performed by a Magos who has determined an individual to be worthy of such an honour. It is to this Magos that an Acolyte swears their service, and it is to this Magos' Forge Complex that they are bound. After their initiation is complete an Acolyte cannot return to their old life, instead choosing to abandon it in order the assist in the Sacred Quest for Knowledge and hoping that one day they might prove themselves worthy of being a Magos.

### The Neophytes

The Neophytes are the lowest caste of the Cult's hierarchy and can be equated to the faithful followers of other religions. Neophytes are individuals who have not gone through the initiation ritual in order to become an Acolyte, but who are faithful to Omnix nonetheless. Neophytes serve the Cult in whatever ways they can. They collect resources, send in tips about technology or ruins, spread Omnix word, and even recruit new followers of the faith. Due to being uninitiated Neophytes are somewhat excluded from much of the Cult's practices, but their status as "normal people" allows them to engage in far less discrete activities. Where Cult members have to hide their rituals, beliefs and keep to themselves, Neophytes help to interact with outsiders and citizens of the nations within which Forge Zones exists. They may sometimes be asked to go on diplomatic missions for higher ranking Cult members, and often engage in tasks such as menial labour, all the while studying the Mysterions and readying themselves for the day they are finally initiated into the Cult.