The Church of The Somnolent
One of the seven Banners, the Banner of Eden. It is ruled over by the Somnolent, and prepares for the impending war.
Overview
The Church of the Somnolent is one of the seven Banners of Ethnis—mega-factions with high aspirations and clashing goals. It is a church-turned-government ruled over by The Somnolent and his various Orders, and is based on Eden, which was once known as Earth.Core Philosophy
Divine Right
The Church maintains that the Creator, which speaks through the Metatron Wheel, chose the Somnolent to lead Ethnis into a new era. They claim there is only one extant Sovereign—that all others are either gone or false, and that humanity is thus the Chosen Sophont.
The Creator granted Eden and Humanity a Sovereign, and in doing so chose us as inheritors to Ethnis. The worlds are out there for us, each a fresh garden to take root in.
Inevitable War
The Church believes that a war between the Sophont is an inevitability. The abuse of Eden at the hands of alien forces through history has left it wary of ever enduring such a fate again, and so the Church has become self-sufficient and armed in caution.
Life seeks conflict. The Sophont are too different to ever fully reconcile. The Sazashi will always war, the Verin will always try to hold dominion, Humanity will always rebel.
Community
The Church insists that fierce independence does mean sociopathy. Members of the Somnacy, Dreamers, also believe in doing the right thing. Selflessness is a major value of Dreamers, and is often confusing to outsiders, as the Somnacy belief feels geared against them even as its people are kind.
My neighbor is a Dreamer to a T. I've heard him talking to his family about 'Divine Right' and the 'Inevitable War', yet today he helped fix my pipes. It feels a bit disingenuous, but I can't complain about the craftsmanship...
Goals
- We must reconnect with our colonies and salvage those who survived
- We must prepare for the inevitable war—we won't get a second chance at our redemption
- We must protect what we have—we worked hard for it, and must never again lose it to an outsider
- We must spread the word of the Somnolent and convert those who have lost their way to false faiths
Government
Sommes and Commandments
The Somnolent is the final word on all matters, the voice which can veto or demand anything. He rules from Eden, and is more often concerned with building foundations for others to work within than micromanaging every detail of society. He has two kinds of messages: Sommes, which are lessons meant to shape the people living within the scope of the Church; and Commandments, which are incontestable. Commandments are reinforced by the law of the Canonical Order, which gains its power from the Commandments in a self-feeding cycle.Canonical Order
The Canonical Order is the order of supremacy within the Church. Anyone can become a member of the Order, but must earn their way up by fulfilling certain prerequisites. These ranks are grouped into Choirs, each with unique overarching rules and demands.| Choir | Organization | Roles | Ranks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earthly Choir | Ordained by the Governing Choir and Self-ordered | Provisions and Rites | Deacon Priest Bishop |
| Guiding Choir | Ordained and ordered by the Governing Choir | Protectors and Messengers | Angel Archangel Principality |
| Governing Choir | Self-ordained and self-ordered | Guides and Rulers | Potestate Virtue Dominion |
| Divine Choir | Ordained and ordered by the Somnolent | Servants of the Sovereign | Ophanim Cherubim Seraphim |
Outremer
The Somnancy treats planets, colonies, and large ships as outremer—foreign land owned by the church—and will provide a member of Clergy to Lord over it, or will give it to the member of clergy who won or made the land. This Lord is given the power to choose who will fulfill the other roles of local government—justice, economic, etc. If the outremer doesn't provide as projected by the Central Ministry, or if enough complaints are lodged, an inquisitorial squad will be dispatched to investigate.Law
Civil Rights
Rights within the Church of the Somnolent are by Commandment of the Somnolent and are not allowed variety from world-to-world. Due to the nature of life, death, and the shifting view on the meaning of identity and self in an increasingly transhumanist universe, the definition of rights has grown has changed as well. Lawbreakers forfeit most of their rights depending on the severity of the transgression. Resident Aliens are technically only partially protected but are usually treated as having all rights on a good-faith basis from the Church.Right to Life
Physical Harm
Universal. While all Sophont are protected from harm it isn't uncommon for Kendas to have abuse accusations forgiven.
Psychological Harm
Universal. All Sophont are protected from psychological harm. Due to the effects on a Meta-heavy society, this is often taken more seriously than physical transgressions.
Auric Harm
Provisional. Much of the lower class has no protections in regards to their meta. They can be limited almost to nothing, but are protected from having their souls dispelled.
Right to Property
Search and Seizure
None. Any individual can have his property searched under suspicion from a higher up. Searchs are a rare occurance though, as too many searchs can lead to an unhappy populace.
Land Ownership
Provisional. Only those who are specifically attached to the planets ruling family can own land. All others must rent.
Right to Assets
Provisional. Often the lowest classes do not own any of their assets, instead they are loaned what they need from the ruling family.
Right to Identity
Right to Body
Provisional. This is more strict on the royal families. Where younger generations are often barred from modifing their body until they are in power.
Right to Speech
Limited. Speaking out against the ruling family unless in sactioned channels is illegal. Primont are required to create these channels.
Right to Career
All Sophont have the right to career, but systemic and cultural bias against non-humans creates a glass ceiling.
Right to Death
Right to Mortality
All Sophont have the right to die from natural causes, but death or complication onset by preventable cause and the responsibility of the person may result in forfeiture of some government benefits such as funeral costs and right to declare an heir.
Right to Suicide
Purposeful suicide is not legal, but all Sophont are allowed to make dangerous choices or partake in reasonably dangerous sports and recreational activities.
Right to Afterlife
Certain ranks of Orders may forfeit this right for compensation for them and their lineage. POWs and the Crucified do not have this right.
Law Enforcement
Laws are set by commandment and adjusted by local Lords. The Canonical Order, as the writers of justice, command the Order of Peace—a mixture of trained and contracted peacekeepers of various scales of responsibility and jurisdiction.Order of Peace
Guardians
Also known as Dream Guardians or Guardians of Dreams, they oversee local law, and focus on keeping the peace rather than on prosecution, though are capable of the latter.They are trained on how to deal with violence and how to serve as Aurics, banishing corrupting meta contaminates the dreamspace.
Justicars
Justicars are mobile units called to location to more closely investigate dangerous matters such as gangs or terrorists. They operate akin to Church-sponsored bounty hunters.Threats are severely punished by incarceration, suppressive violence, or caged in a Damnation Crucible prison.
Inquisition
Often regarded as a subset of the Justicars, Inquisitors are ordained by the highest members of both the Canonical and Liturgical orders.They are elite, dangerous, and have the power to operate outside of the bounds of many laws. Their lowest rank is of Angels, and their highest report directly to the Somnolent.
Atonement
Criminals caught for heinous crimes are subject to Dream Injection to check their subconscious for evidence of guilt or innocence.Military
Strategy
Entrenchment
Somnolent Strategy takes into account its large numbers and overwhelming resource. Rather than keeping a contiguous area of control, influence, and supply lines, the Somnacy will send massive amounts of soldiers and resources to a world and will entrench itself upon it. Once fortified, these worlds are incredibly hard to take back, and from them the Somnacy can lock down trade paths, supply routes, and battle lines. The Somnacy usually targets material rich worlds, or worlds with many WayPoints nearby. These worlds are referred to colloquially as ‘Trench Worlds’.Overwhelming Force
On top of having control of many resource-rich worlds, the Somnacy puts much of its resource into its war machine, and puts great stead in its Angels. When it attacks it does so with more force than needed, and with great show. These attacks are often then recorded and posted to enemy internet as propaganda.Chivalrous Doctrine
The Somnacy may attack often, but does not do so unthinkingly or without mercy. It abides by certain rules regarding its treatment of enemy citizens. Before it attacks any place, it musters an overwhelming force, attacks a few key points of the enemy, and broadcasts propaganda to the population, announcing that they have a window of time to vacate, surrender, and change sides, otherwise when the invasion comes they will be treated as enemy combatants. Citizens who surrender are liable to be Dream Injected and, if found trustworthy, will be converted to Residents Aliens.Assets
The Somnacy has several which shape their approach to conflict. Within the theater of battle they are extremely versatile.Home System
Via Lactea is replete with resources and space. This gave them an edge during the Lacuna. They were grew across all the habitable worlds of their system—this gave them the most starting worlds at the end of the Lacuna and an extremely powerful basis of operation.Projections
Humans in the military bring with them Projections. Projections are given weak weapons so that the fighter can continually summon projections, arm them, send them to their death, and then generate more projections to repeat the cycle. This allows humanity to wear down most ground measures, and even results in a lot of ship-to-ship trickery where humans will launch small pods full of projections into the hulls of their enemies. The Somnacy has also developed projection bombs which can flood an area with a platoon of projections in an instant.Technologies
Tech Preference
The Somnacy fields a mixture of Mecha and Meta technology. Mecha is close to Humanity thanks to a history without Meta, and the advent of Humanity's Meta capabilities gave them a unique utility for Meta tech. Both of these tech types take advantage of the Somnolent's resources—large reserves of gems and metals free them from reliance on trade to fuel their war machine. Orga is looked down upon because it is the favored tech of many of their enemies and is deemed sacrilegious as the Somnacy opposes the creation of new intelligent life.Ion Curtain
The Ion Curtain, named for the auroric effects of its edge, is a physical and ideological asset. Holds of humanity, such as Eden or fortresses, are protected by an ethereal barrier of projections-turned-shield which, when primed, makes the projections combative and conduits for auric-immolation attacks. This curtain acts as a first and last line of defense.Prized Units
Battle Angels
Battle Angels are Angels who protect the Church. They are outfitted with a signature raiment, armament, and a Halo. They may also have an Affinity in their repertoire.
Angels who are promoted to Seraphim are given a Seraphim Reliquary—a massive wonder of mecha tech that is battle suit and vehicle. Seraphim are unshakably faithful in their mission to be living apocalypses.
Human Kinds
Long before even having met the Sazashi and the Verin, humanity split itself into two Kinds. They called the elder of these two, those which had walked the earth for millenia, the FirstHeart. The second of these, the new form made for war, was the IreHeart. With time, a new form rose to the challenge of interplanetary travel and settlement: the GearHeart. Humanity had not experienced the Meta before, and so when Meta was introduced to earth, some individuals developed illnesses and mutations that can be both powerful and horrifying: The BleakHeart. Each Kind of Human brings something unique to the field of battle.Inhuman Conscripts
In return for the provisions of the Church, all who live on Universal Basic Income must sign up for conscription lottery. Because inhumans are limited in the jobs they can get, this causes a disparity of humans to non-human conscripts. While they are not a strong force, they work as a wildcard infantry.Economy
The Somnacy is the most isolationist economy of all Banners. This is a double-edged sword which frees them from external economic pressure yet weakens their foothold of using trade as leverage. What little trade they do run is subject to heavy tariffs. Trade routes often only happen out of necessity instead of profit. The upside to the the cost is that all trade routes with them are protected by their war ships, and so suffer the least from Waysair plundering. The majority of industry is owned in some form by the Church itself, whether outright or by appointed guidance. This is to ensure that companies do not work outside regulations and that foreign influence is kept to a minimum, especially in external-facing corporations.Resource
The Somnacy is a resource powerhouse. Eden is a world rich in gems, used in Meta technology, and metals and silicates, used in Mecha technology. This feeds their war machine, allowing to take even more resource-rich worlds.Trade
What little resources they can not produce themselves the Somnacy imports from Federation and sometimes the Syndicate and Pact. It exports raw resource and lends skilled Casters, whose ability to generate cheap and easy Projection labor makes them an effective workforce for new colonies and trade hubs.Living Conditions
Hubworlders
Hubworlders, even inhumans, live comfortable within the net of universal basic income. They live in self-sufficient pod-blocks of ~1000 citizens at a time, in cozy homes around a large central park. Public gardens and entertainment are supplied, and events are held often to encourage a sense of communityColonies
Colonists live in rougher conditions than Hubworlders, but they love it. The role offers them autonomy, the chance to stake out on their own and define who they are, and to contribute back to the Church. Colonists are robust, stoic folk, who see adversity as a sign that they are doing something right.Culture
Identity
Due to the Humanity-first position of the Somnancy, identity within it hinges foremost on species.Human
What binds humanity is its common history. Humanity has risen from the ashes and grown to do incredible things. It knows what it's like to have to piece itself back together from nothing, to lose its world and identity and to still forge a new one. Though it has been thousands of years since Humanity became independent, there is still a sense of their destiny coming to a culmination. What divides humanity is differing opinion the treatment of other species. Some believe that all sophont are the children of the Creator, and are thus sacred, others that Creator has chosen Humanity to be superior. Humans are also differentiated by the denominations of their faith, but it rarely causes major divides, unlike the past.Sazashi and Verin
What binds the Sazashi and Verin is a common plight. They are very much second-class citizens within the Somnancy. They are unable to hold most offices and so have very little say-so in what affects them. This unifies them despite their racial history. What divides them is that some despise this lot, while others are more interested in living their lives or believe that they are given ample opportunity to do well in life.Faith
Faith is a natural part of living in the Somnacy. Even those who don't believe in the teachings and power of the Somnolent (a mute minority) are immersed in its values and tend to partake in the Sommes and attend Mass.Sommes
Sommes are enchanted books read before sleep (often as a family) and kept bedside. While you slumber they impart vivid dreams relevant to the topic of the reading, each dreaming has a lesson tailored by your memories and perceptions to fit your life.Mass
Mass is held by a Priest. This is often in a Church, but many are held in open air "in the direct sight of the Creator". No space is more sacred than another, so long as that space is full of life and the prayers of the speakers are true.Perceptions
Faith in the Somnacy lends itself to alternative beliefs towards common concepts, Dreamers believe that:- The Wheel is the Metatron
- The Wheel "speaks" for the Creator by ordaining the Sovereign
- Monoliths, Angels, are those who have a touch of divinity from the clarity of their mind
- Miracles exist, but have been replicated by science and metaphysics by those who would play god—a Sin
Contents
Seal of the Church
Crest of the Church by Ademal
Summary
Type
Religious, Organised Religion
Alternative Names
The Somnacy
Demonym
Dreamers
Leader
Parent Organization
Subsidiary Organizations
Divines
Location
Related Professions
Controlled Territories
Related Myths
History
Founding
Before the founding of the Church, the history of its home was a tumultuous one. Wars, plagues, and climate change resulted in a societal collapse exacerbated by the arrival of the Sazashi, and a war with the alien forces ended with them as a protectorate of an inhuman power.The Opening of the Eye
Don't believe the accounts of the Haimarchy. They weren't the first to find the Index, we were.The Reclamation of the Mar'rianiyan Territories, is not spoken of much today but was a major event at its time. Groups of many nations braved the corrupted landscape to drive back the Selschaeus, and hunt for the ruins of the legendary Tower Palace, which was said to have many great treasures and be the source of the corruption causing a climate crisis. Among them was the BleakHeart who would later become the Somnolent. What event pushed him over the threshold is uncertain, but he claims to have been the first to find the Tower Spoke to Anchaemo Index before a Haimarchy group stole it from him and returned to their home with it.
Lynchpin of an Era
The Haimarchy, recognizing what it had awakened within the Somnolent before he did, saw this as prophetic to the beginning of a new Era. With their new Index they expanded, triggering the ValuSelu Pact to form and leave their protectorate of Earth to its own devices. In the power vacuum left behind, the words of the Somnolent echoed. Earth, now Eden, was looking for something to rely on, some source of hope and inspiration in these changing times, and this new figure with his grand powers and miracles become one they could rally behind. The Church grew, welcomed by the masses.The Somnolent came, speaking with a fire that spread among Eden and woke the sleeping giant within it. The Wheel—the Metatron, voice of God—chose him as the Human Sovereign. He was granted Astral Magic and shared it with the rest of humanity.
Expansion
During the Expansion the Somnacy had access to assets the others did not. Unlike the Haimarchy, they had raw headcount and land resource; and unlike the Pact, they had strong internal cohesion. Their growth was meteoric. Projections made colonial landing squads forces of natures—the work of many for a fraction of the cost.Lacuna
The Lacuna was difficult for everyone, but our colonies prospered because they were well provided for.The resources given the colonies proved to be a boon for many of the Somnacy colonies, and so many of them were able to take root and survive even to modern day. The people Via Lactea still suffered greatly at the hands of the Lacuna, but rather than despairing they celebrated the closure of the WayHall and grew within their own system.
The WayHall will someday open once more, and we shall be prepared.
Reclamation
The Somnacy began the Lacuna as one of the weakest Banners, and have come out the other end as one of the strongest. This has lead some to believe that they may have been behind the WayHall closing in the first place. Since the WayHalls have opened their modus operandi has been to disturb the balance of the other banners, secure high-resource worlds, and reconnect with their old colonies. They operate from Eden, and have massive colonies on nearly every terrestrial body in their solar system.Faction Relations
Sorted from most favored to least, click to expandFederation of Free Planets
You are young and reckless, with admirable tenacity and a diehard desire for self-rule. We respect and relate to that sentiment. Now if only you would stop cutting deals with those who would ultimately be your undoing.
—Read about the Federation
ValuSelu Pact
We have struggled by your hand. You took our lives, world, resources, and freedoms. We can never forgive you, but we find ourselves in a predicament. There are greater evils in Ethnis, evils we would do better to fight together. You claim to have no quarrel with us, so we will maintain a limited arrangement.
—Read about the Pact
Jupiter Syndicate
The Dissidents. You were not happy with what we did for Eden. You call us rabblerousers and fanatics even as you praise neon gods and CEOs who give nothing but an unfulfilling life. You foolishly think that all Sophont can co-exist without friction. You will learn the error of your ways, and when you do we will take you back with open arms. That is our way.
—Read about the Syndicate
House of Sorrows
You were once threat, but have since choked on your pride. The Lacuna gutted the you, and left little behind to be concerned about. We are wary of you, as we are wary of all, but we would do better to talk you into joining us than in trying to exterminate your remainder.
—Read about the Sorrows
Apple of Hedonism
You mock us at every opportunity. You attempt to corrupt our minds, sabotage our faith, and go out of your way to stand counterpoint to us. You gorge on empty pleasure instead of living by fulfilling values. Materialistic things do not last forever, neither will you.
—Read about Hedon
Verin Haimarchy
We can summarize your practices in one word. Arrogance. You pretend to be the epitome of the universe, while ignoring any advancement that drives the universe forward. You suppress your people, drown them under ties of blood. You say you were the first, and you act like you are. The oldest are the most frail, and we will break apart your regime soon enough.
—Read about the Haimarchy
RPG Content
There is hidden RPG content on this article for Master Aspirants and above. If you would like to read it, please consider joining the ranks and supporting the continued development of Ethnis!Values
Peace is a beautiful lie written by despots to keep their flock passive.
A job well-done is a job that only needs doing once.
Total discipline begets mastery in all things.
All that is good began with someone saying “this will not do.”
Tribes
Common Somnacy upbringingsDevout
You know the Sommes and you live by the word of the Somnolent. You want what's well for Ethnis, and hope that a peaceful accord between peoples can be reached. If only more would convert, this wouldn't have to end in blood...Agnostic
You know the Sommes and live within the Banner, but you're not as taken by its word as many of your contemporaries. Perhaps you don't voice this, for your own sake, but it's evident in many of the things you do.Zealot
The word of the Somnolent is gospel, and those who defy it, or do not believe in it, are heretical. You can feel the impending war in your bones, it is the conflict which shapes all things. You intend to be ready for it.Banner Bonuses
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I've waited a long time for this article. My patience has been well rewarded. The Church of Somnolent has always been very special to me. I'm glad I was there for some of it's growth, from the design and creation of the seal to the lore sessions elaborating on mecha angels. Not surprisingly, my favorite sections were Law and Law Enforcement especially the part about Guardians. >.> The Civil RIghts spoilers were fun. Under Right to Body, I wondered if Sazashi and head coverings was intentionally excluded and meant to be discovered ingame? I'm curious as to what Projections are but they are marked in bold so I presume they will have their own article soon. All in all, it was very comprehensive and inspiring. I loved it. I look forward to seeing more from Ethnis and one day even playing. Keep up the work Ademal and Barron! Proud of you both. :)
Ademal Jacklyn
Projections will have their own article later for sure! For now (and at great delay while I worked on it) here's finally some detail about Sazashi living within the Somnacy. :)
Somnacy Sazashi
A Sazashi-exclusive Tribe within the Church of the Somnolent, derived from Dreamers, which is characterized by its denial of common Sazashi customs in favor of accepting a Dreamer-oriented lifestyle.
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