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The great wars are over, yet only now do we understand how dangerous peace is. Threats are no longer obvious: they have taken many forms and hide both beyond our borders are inside them, yet all of them are as dangerous as the Xhodocto once were. Who is friend and who is foe? Which path shall lead our country to greatness and which to damnation? Only Spode knows. I only pray that, like the crusades of Jaharan and the bloodshed of the Great War, the hardships of our ages shall only harden our people further.

- Iovera IX

The Realm of the Holy Empire of the Divinarium (Radessic: Deinarīm Altæsicon'ræthainā) known as the Holy Empire of the Divinarium (Deinarīm Ræthainā) from 2782 to 2803 and usually referred to simply as the Divinarium, is an Andromedan Masaari Spodist theocratic state founded in the aftermath of the dissolution of the Church of Spode. The Divinarium considers itself the Church's legal and spiritual successor, and, after the Dei'Ar Theocracy's dissolution following the War of Claim, their claim remains largely uncontested. The Divinarium was one of the original founders of the Andromedan Galactic Commonwealth and is a realm within its successor, the Pan-Andromedan Ecumene. In both organisations, it possessed great power and influence, and the Divinarium's head of state, the Clericarch, is also one of the Highlords of Andromeda. Outside of Andromeda, the Divinarium was also one of the founders of the Uniate League.

The Divinarium, unlike its predecessor, is largely monocultural and not particularily diverse. Approximately 90% of its population belongs to two species: the psychic Radeons and the mollusk Fyrvrtha, with much smaller Imperion, Sader and Telzoc minorities. In comparison to most galactic powers of its magnitude, the Divinarium's population is miniscule - tens of thousands times smaller than those of other Andromedan empires - thanks to the massive loss of life the Church suffered through the War of Ages. This necessitates its people to rely on robotics to bolster the dwindled workforce, and limits its colonial expansion. As such, the Divinarium's colonies are spread thin, with a heavily populated heart in Andromeda and numerous small settlement zones in Plazith Rim, the Quadrants, Cyrannus and Borealis.

Despite its small size, the Divinarium is integral both to Andromedan and Gigaquadrantic politics due to its robust economy, scientific development and religious importance. As the spiritual heart of all Spodists, successor to the Church of Spode - founder of the Onuris Alliance - and one of the oldest superpowers in the Gigaquadrant, the Divinarium is respected greatly on the global scene, although its strict, totalitarian society is often criticised by more liberal nations. Its military, while small, is still deadly with its advanced weaponry, and its intelligence network one of the most extensive in the world.

Yet, though maintaining a facade of stability to outsiders, the Divinarium's future is in fact quite uncertain. With newer powers rising in the Gigaquadrant, and the Lux Contingency having taken much of its sovereignty, it now risks fading into obscurity or dissolving in the Ecumene. Clerics and secular politicians argue within the great halls of Crepusculum every day on the path the Holy Empire needs to take, whether it should reform or remain as it is, liberalise or become even more authoritarian, expand or maintain its small, easily maintainable territory. Times seem dark despite the lasting peace, but the people of the Divinarium face the future with a stiff upper lip: they have gone through terrible crises and catastrophes many times already, and each time have risen from the ashes, stronger than before. This crisis shall be no different.

History[]

The mistakes of the past will not be repeated. This incarnation of the Church will be free of its predecessors' flaws. Our ancestors were conquerors; we will be always remember how bravely they explored the vastness of space and how great was their empire, but to think that we can maintain the same mentality in the Gigaquadrant where millions of species are now sapient and spacefaring is folly. First and foremost, we shall be builders; we won't spread our fleets far and wide but will rather create for ourselves a home in but one sector. Yet this home shall be a paradise.

- Iovera IX

From the Ashes of the Church[]

Shadows and Light

Tadjamad and Iovera, both second-in-command to Telfar, wanted to inherit the legacy of the Church of Spode.

No other great power had suffered from the War of Ages as much as the Church of Spode had. The initial assault on Church colonies during the Tigris War was a wake up call for some, prompting organisations like the Masaari Crusade to form, but it was ultimately too late. A nation so devoted to peace, after war had brought it to ruin, against a foe so ruthless and powerful, could not protect itself. Thus, though the Church was considered to be the victor of the War of Ages, by its end it was de facto defunct; the Clericarch himself was dead and the holy world of Vendespode rendered lifeless, and the remaining faithful scattered across the surviving worlds.

Many of former Church subjects ending up joining the hero of the war, Tadjamad Altheless, with his militaristic Dei'Ar Theocracy, but many refused to leave their homes for the sake of dreams of conquest. Some remote worlds survived the Xhodocto onslaught relatively unscathed; their populations were more interested to simply maintain their way of life, rather than to reclaim the Church's glory and power. These banded together under the Assembly of Magisters, rulers of the selenopolis of Sanctuarium, which as the largest surviving Church world became a sort of new de facto capital. Eolania Menoraim, the planet's Magister of Theosophy and once one of Telfar's chief advisors, assumed the mantle of Clericarch, ostensibly until a new Conclave could be assembled and proper elections organised.

The new Sanctuarian Church Remnant however could not survive on its own for long. The many refugees from destroyed planets, who now rushed into the surviving Church colonies for shelter, created a demographic crisis after demographic crisis, while the Dei'Ar Theocracy's defection left the remnant with little to no actual military. Though Sanctuarium received help from outside organisations, such as the Apalos and the Temple of Spode, but for the most part, former allies of the Church considered Tadjamad, not Eolania, to be the rightful claimant to its legacy.

These growing crises led Eolania to realise that her new Church had to become something completely different than the empires of her predecessors, if it was to survive. Gone were the days of great space exploration and proselytising; the Radeon people had to preserve what little prosperity they had had that remained, rather than spreading it across the universe. The new state had to be small, yet respectable, and not spread too thin, lest it would fall to chaos and disunity again. Yet, with so few worlds remaining, Eolania's new realm had to expand somehow, to find a new homeland. Fortunately, she knew where to find this new homeland: there was indeed a yet unexplored frontier, whose colonisation would also further the schemes of her own order.

The Divinarium Formed[]

Declaration of the Clericarchy

Celebrations on Sanctuarium that followed the formation of the Divinarium.

The first steps towards the formation of the "Holy Empire of the Divinarium" (as this state ultimately became known - as much as the new government insisted to be simply called Church of Spode, the new name stuck) began with the so-called Ardenta Plan. This colonisation strategy, focused on the Andromeda Galaxy's inner regions, was proposed by Eolania's court shortly after the end of the great wars that followed the defeat of the Xhodocto, such as the Vartekian War and the War of Claim.

These conflicts were important to the Radeons for two reasons. First, due to the withdrawal of the Confederation of Andromeda from inner Andromeda Galaxy, particularily Segmentum Crepusculum, great swaths of space were left ripe for settlement, more enough for all survivors of the war. Second, the wars resulted in the Dei'Ar Theocracy's dissolution; naturally, many of the survivors turned to Eolania for protection, giving her the skilled manpower to finally create her own military. Thus the interim Clericarch had both the new frontier she wanted and the means to settle and protect it.

Soon after the Ardenta Plan was devised, Eolania set off to gather followers, eventually gathering around herself an entire posse of officers, statesmen and clerics who each led followers of their own - Andorrus Anarath, Laurinn Ma'fest, Matheoward Alvarie, Phaunar Tansimael. As the Annihilation struck, the great fleet was gathered, carrying the faithful to the promised land in the Andromeda Galaxy, where on the frozen world of Crepusculum the Conclave was at last convened once more. Unlike the previous Conclaves, not just the Theosophians were present on this great convocation, but also officers of the Dei'Ar, ambassadors from the Imperion Pan Empire, and a few other representatives of other factions and organisations within the new budding state. Finally, as dawn broke over the icy world, Exarch Eolania Menoraim was crowned Iovera IX, and the Divinarium was founded in earnest. Iovera had a vision of an orderly and peaceful state that would succeed the old Church in technology and influence.

The Twilight War[]

Warchief of the Coalition

Thar'nyan, warchief of the Coalition.

The formative years of the new state were met, however, with the threat of a new conflict, as the Divinarium's rapid expansion would quickly draw the attention of the ancient natives of Segmentum Crepusculum, the Artharons. The warlike felines certainly did not like the prospect their ancestral worlds being desecrated by invaders, who also had the nerve to ally their ancient enemies, the Fyrvrtha. The newly formed nation was soon besieged by their raiders, led by their charismatic chief Thar'nyan. Wth its newly formed rag-tag army, made out of whatever soldiers Iovera had on hand, the Divinarium counterattacked, using its technological superiority to trump the numerically superior foe.

As the war continued, this superiority began to only grow as Divinarian scientists started to discover the ancient worlds of their creators, the Rades, and reverse-engineer their superadvanced technologies. It was then when they at last realised why Andromeda was their destiny. In return, however, the Artharons rallied the Coalition, a group of like-minded species who feared Divinarian dominion over the sector, and formed alliances with neutral species such as the Ferromash. The combined forces of the native species had almost overwhelmed the nascent state, and its new capital of Crepusculum was soon besieged, but the tides were turned with Thar'nyan's death during the final battle: his alliance was plunged into chaos, the invading forces retreated, and the Divinarium was able to preserve its territory.

This allowed Iovera to sign the Treaty of Praestol with the surviving chiefs and leaders of the fractured alliance and end the conflict on her own terms. The war resulted in a draw - while those former Artharon worlds that lied close to Crepusculum were now accepted by both factions to belong to the Divinarium, their clans retained their remaining territory, which was now controlled by the Coalition. The regions surrounding the ultimate apple of discord, Praestol, sacred both to the Artharons as their homeworld and to Radeons as the homeworld of their creators, were declared a neutral zone, governed and settled jointly by the two states.

Andromeda War[]

Rebirth

Great construction projects would characterise the interbellum period, using the new Neo-Ecclesial style that combined functionality with intricate architectural symbolism.

Following the end of the Artharon conflict, the Divinarium focused inwards to finalise its transformation into a true stable state. Amongst new settlers coming from different worlds species, a new homogenous culture began to emerge, which was endorsed and supported by the government - a mixture of Sanctuarian efficiency, Riftworlder pomp and ceremony, and Imperion sophistication. Poets and musicians of the Divinarium composed panegyrics to the new regime (those who didn't were quickly silenced), and vast black, purple and white spires were erected all over the Segmentum, symbolising the rise of a new era. The militia of the Twilight War were reconstituted into the reformed Dei'Ar Order, supported by legions of Metallo soldiers. Technology progressed and scarcity was nearly eliminated now. It would appear that the golden age for the adherents of Spode had shined at long last.

Outside the borders of the Divinarium, however, things were not so bright. Through initially the Draconid Imperium, the strongest native superpower in the galaxy, welcomed the newcomers, the discovery of mysterious Artifacts, with their phantasmagorical powers, caused relationships between the two to collapse as they came to squabble over them. Years of bloody warfare folllowed, culminating in the amassed Wental invasion on both factions, actually orchestrated by Master Br'klakkon, on the planet Taritas. Later, the Divinarium faced a devastating attack due to reemergence of Zazane and their Brood of War, which were spreading chaos seeking for the artifacts, all under the cunning manipulation of Br'klakkon. They managed to land a strike at the very heart of the Divinarium - the planet Crepusculum, but luckily, a peace agreement was settled by the factions which ended the conflict for some time.

Thus was born the tripartite alliance which would come to define Andromedan politics for the next decade. A series of smaller conflicts that followed this initial big war, with the Tybusen Intergalactic Allied Federation,Khaxvis Resurgence, and the Kelipoth intervening in the race for the Artifacts, caused the Divinarium, the Brood and the Imperium, initially only allies of convenience, to grow closer together. The ultimate catalyst however was the Andromedan Grox Empire's arrival in the conflict, and its bloody campaign of conquest and warfare that swept through the Core and destroyed numerous Andromedan nations. It was then, it is said, that the Andromeda War became trule apocalyptic - the Darkest Hour.

Undying Hatred

The Coalition's invasion of Divinarium space.

To endure this darkest hour, the tripartite alliance was reformed into the Andromedan Galactic Commonwealth, an alliance that would later aspire to become the galaxy's global government. Though the onslaught of the Grox continued, and their superweapon, the Mechanovirus, continued devastating worlds from As Radan to Daedalus, the new alliance managed to slow down their advancement somewhat, and ordain a number of missions to gain new allies in Segmentum Umbra and create a cure for the mechanical disease. However, the Divinarium was stabbed in the back: the Coalition invaded in Segmentum Crepusculum, breaking the Treaty of Praestol.

In the following months, however, the tides were changed. Though the initial Coalition assault on the Divinarium was a shocking success, owing to most of the Dei'Ar being deployed against the Grox, Divinarian counterattacks in Artharon space were equally successful, resulting in both sides being evenly devastated. After both sides had gone so deep into enemy territory that they were about to destroy one another, a truce was signed at last. Meanwhile, the Divinarium aided in finally finding the cure to the Mechovirus on Planet Nocturnia, ultimately saving the whole galaxy.

The Divinarium was also present on the battle for Cathemera along with the Draconid Imperium, Brood of War, and many other factions where the Grox were defeated and the Mechovirus was destroyed. The battle marked the end of the war, the revelation of the Artifacts' power, and a new age for the Divinarium.

New Dawn[]

WeddingPicture

The life of a Divinarium citizen during the New Dawn era was filled with optimism, wide-eyed idealism, and sensational mass media. Big public events like the Imperial Wedding of the Clericarch and Lord Tyraz Breek would be discussed by its people for weeks.

After the war, the Divinarium managed to slowly recover and experience a new era of prosperity. The newfound neutrality with the Coalition and its weakening offered the Conclave an opportunity to increase its control over Segmentum Crepusclum; the Neutral Zone that once permeated the border between the two empires now shifted and moved westward towards Artharon territory. The Divinarium also started expanding its interests in other galaxies: under the jurisdiction of the galactic government, it estabilished an outpost in the Cyrannus Galaxy called Yatha'niel, thus making the Conclave more aware of the unfolding tensions in the Cyrandia Cluster. After a short dicussion in the Conclave, the Judicator Concilium and the Synedrion, Her Holiness declared that the Holy Empire will remain neutral and maintain friendly relationships with both the revived Republica Cyrannica and the Empire for now.

In the distant Borealis Galaxy, at the other hand, the Conclave chose to favour action over inaction. Understanding that the threats that lingered in the galaxy were many and powerful (and thus, potentially dangerous for the Gigaquadrant as whole), the Clericarch dispatched a Dei'Ar fleet, now known as the Purifiers of Zamhareer, led by the (in)famous Navarch Venoriel to aid the nations of Borealis in their quest to protect their sovereignty and freedom. After the conflict was over, the Purifiers were left in the galaxy and now serve as the vanguard for the Divinarium in Borealis.

The Shattering[]

I WILL FINISH IT ONE DAY I SWEAR

The terrifying events of the Shattering saw the Divinarium challenged by multiple anti-Commonwealth organisations, as well as integrated in the newly formed Pan-Andromedan Ecumene.

Great Xonexian Schism and Beyond[]

Battle for Segmentum Umbra

The Xonexi Allies' victories in Andromeda had changed the Divinarium's opinion regarding the war, leading to the Sanctuarium Offensive.

The Divinarium remained stauchly neutral thoroughout the global intergalactic war that engulfed the First Gigaquadrant, quite unlike its brother nation, the Draconid Imperium, one of the founders of the Xonexi Allies. The main reason for its neutrality was its predecessor's close relationship with the Delpha Coalition of Planets, once its closest ally during the War of Ages, as well as the close proximity of one of its key worlds, Sanctuarium, to DCP-aligned Human Superstate. Thus the Divinarium was part of the Mou'Cyran Accords for the majority of the war. Not only would Crepusculum abstain from the conflict itself, Iovera's veto would also cause the Pan-Andromedan Ecumene as a whole to remain neutral, leaving only its individual constituents, rather then the whole galaxy, to fight the Civilisation. However, the Divinarium's Surveillant caste would also covertly work for the Allies all that time, providing useful intel and data for them.

This would only change after the tides of the war had turned, when the French Colonial Empire would bargain a deal with the Clericarch to offer military help and ensure the protection of her Milky Way worlds while it reclaims the Orion Spur for the Allies. After that, the Divinarium would officially join the war and participate in the very final attack on the Delpha Coalition, ushering in its defeat and reformation.

The post-war Gigaquadrant, however, would become merely a new challenge for the Divinarium, as its government found its importance drastically dropping and the Ecumene gradually ridding it of its independence and autonomy. It was particularily hurtful for its people, who have long since prided themselves on their history, that the ultimate winners of the war, both in Andromeda and in the universe were humans, long despised by the Radeons for their young age and recklessness. Many in the Divinarium's intelligentsia, as well as in the ruling circles, began to question if "glorious isolation" truly was the right policy, and if their country had to extend outwards once again in order to survive as a nation.

Amongst these debates, a bright and charismatic politician by the name of Phaunar Tansimael ascended into power as Autarch Supreme, planning to lead the Divinarium into a new and hopefully bright age. With Iovera's tacit support, he, alongside Cleriarca Kazari Selfar of the Grand Spodist Church, would form a new alliance that, in a sense, would revive the ideas of the Old Church - the Uniate League, meant to unite worshippers of Spode as one once more, but as equals rather than subjects to one lord. The responses towards this new organisations have been mixed, and it remains up to question whether the Autarch Supreme's policies will bring the Divinarium to salvation or steer it towards destruction.

Society & Culture[]

Main article: Society

Truly, the faithful is the one who sees beyond oneself, who sees a family, a nation, a galaxy. Alone, we are broken and without purpose, together, we are united and strong, and our destiny clear and certain.

- Laurinn Ma'fest
Radeon Romance

Though highly regimented, the Divinarium's society neverthless does not prevent feelings from flourishing between its citizens. After all, camaraderie is what ties the Holy Empire together..

The Divinarium's society is a mixture from the many Church worlds whose populations had found their way into Andromeda, brought together by their shared faith but incredibly diverse at the same time. However, unlike the patchwork empire that was the Old Church, Iovera's government has made an effort to blend these diverse cultures together in a melting pot, using education, propaganda and civil service programs to foster a new Divinarian identity amongs its subjects. So far, the Divine Throne's efforts have been mostly successful in Andromeda, though its more distant enclaves such as the Imperion worlds in the Quadrants continue to cling to their regional culture.

The foundations of the Divinarium's culture originate on Sanctuarium and its nearby worlds (now all lost to humans); it is from there that the majority of its population comes, including the Clericarch herself. Much like on the selenopolis, the greatest virtues on Crepsculum are industry, selflessness and efficiency: the idea of sacrificing one's own welfare for the common good drives the Holy Empire's population, and life on its worlds is extremely regimented. It is often said that a single person means nothing - and is nothing - in the Divinarium - but the society as whole means everything.

Sanctuarian influence is especially seen in the Divinarium's view of labour. Though a post-scarcity society, which could in theory allow its citizens to spend most of their lives in leisure, labour in the Holy Empire is still seen as one of the most virtuous pursuits and to spend time not contributing to society somehow is considered shameful. This is reflected in the Divinarium's education system. Children and youths are often sent off to factories or farm worlds as part of their education to learn "proper work ethics", before being assigned an amis, or caste, by trained therapists, to receive their ideal trade to which they will be bound throughout their life.

However, it would be wrong to equate the Divinarium and Sanctuarium. The latter was a rebellious heretical world that stood against the Church's hegemony; the former, on the other hand, was created to restore it. Thus, compared to the selenopolis, the new Divinarium has adopted much of the Old Church's ceremony, pomp and intellectualism in imitation of the now-destroyed Vendespode, influenced by the Rifts diaspora. The practical uniforms of Milky Way government officials have been replaced with white robes, etiquette has become more complex, language more nuanced and polite. In some ways, the elites of the Divinarium have become even more refined than their Church predecessors, likely out of a desire to compete with the sophistication of their neighbours, the Great Houses of the Draconid Imperium.

Less prominent, but also essential to modern Divinarian society are the influences of other, smaller diasporas, seen in Imperion influences on Divinarian visual art or in its monumental styles of architecture that shows Cyrannian influences, brought by the Qiranit.

Demographics & Species[]

They are not content with just making you bow to their king like the Old Church. No, they seek not just to subjugate but to absorb, to strip a species of its own culture and throw it into that "melting pot", until we all wear the same clothing, speak the same language, dance to the same pipe, until we all have the same grey, mindless, meaningless lives.

- Azaar Nalramath, notorious Imperion anarchist and terrorist
Divinarium Demographics

The Divinarium is sometimes called the "dwarf king of Andromeda", not only for its relatively small size but also for its, compared to its affluence and political power, laughably weak demographics. Though the Divinarium's population had been increased somewhat by the absorbtion of the native Andromedan Fyrvrtha, most of its citizens are still former Church subjects who had survived the War of Ages, and are understandably few. Thus, whereas its peers in the Ecumene boast populations numbering in quadrillions, barely more than half a trillion sentients call the Holy Empire home, of which around fifty billion resides on one planet only.

However, the government of the Divine Throne does not perceive it as a weakness. Though policies to increase birth rate were instituted during the Divinarium's formative years, resorting even to cloning, the Clericarch would soon abolish them after the Andromeda War, after they had run its course and the population had been increased to "acceptable levels". Now, the official stance of the Divine Throne is that the prosperity of the Holy Empire should not be spread too thin, and uncontrolled demographic growth is merely a path to instability. Labour shortages are solved instead via wide usage of semi-sentient robots, the Metallo.

The Divinarium is, much like its predecessor, a multispecies empire, but compared to the old Church, it is much more homogenous. Only a few species actually form a large portion of the population - the Radeons, the Fyrvrtha and the Imperions, - whereas others are largely insignificant in comparison. This is largely due to the fact that, compared to its imperialistic ancestor, the Holy Empire no longer expands, and new species are not absorbed. Thus the Divinarium is much closer to a true nation-state like, for example, the Kicathian Republic or the Niaka Special Forces, rather than the patchwork empire that the Old Church was.

RadeonNew
Fyrvrtha
Imperion
TelzocPic
Sacrenar Zazane
SaderDivi
Minorites
Race Radeon Fyrvrtha Imperion Telzoc Zazane (Sacrenar) Sader Minorities *
Attributes Founders
Artificial lifeforms
Psychics
Frail, but agile
Intellectuals
Culturally diverse
Group mind
Collectivist
Silicon lifeforms
Extremely strong
Hardworking
Individualist
Highly emotional
Sophisticated
Chronoscopic lifeforms
Former Vyro'Ralza minions
Militarist
Isio'Nar worshippers
Pacifist
Artificial lifeforms
Worship science
Physically weak
Highly intelligent
Various
Origin Endless Space Andromeda Galaxy Quadrant Galaxies Ottzello Galaxy "Sawblade Cloud" Milky Way Galaxy Various
Political

recognition

Key population Medium pop Medium pop Low pop Low pop Low pop None

Religion[]

Main article: Spode
HolyratPraying

Radeons praying to Spode.

All is one, one is all.

- The First Mantra of Spode

The Divinarium is, fairly obviously, the most important Spodist nation in the Gigaquadrant: though unlike the Old Church it does not claim sovereignty over the entire Spodist world, it neverthless retains great religious significance in it. The Holy Empire continues the religious policy of its predecessor, allowing numerous Spodist sects, often with conflicting beliefs, to practice their rites within its space, as long as they swear loyalty to the Clericarch and stay within the law.

The leading religious sect within the Divinarium, to which Iovera herself adheres, is Eolanai Theorationalism, or Nunciary Theorationalism. This denomination is derived from classical Theorationism on Sanctuarium and as such shares most of its beliefs: it preaches austerity in religion, postulates that salvation is reached through deeds rather than faith only, and rejects the notion that Spode intervenes directly (that is, supernaturally) in the affairs of the faithful. What separates Eolanai from other Theorationalists is that it believes in the existence of the "Messengers", beings that were enlightened before Radeons and that have at times intervened in their history, explaining the supernatural events described in their holy books. (Unbeknowst to the rest of the universe, Iovera is a Messenger)

Eolanai dominates the Divinarium, accounting for circa 41% percent of its population - primarily Fyrvrtha and Sanctuarian Radeons - but is hardly the only important sect in the Holy Empire. Traditional Theorationalism also enjoys its popularity, as does Classical Masaari as it was once practiced in the Rifts, rich in ritual, ceremony and circumstance. Many in the new Dei'Ar still adhere to the mystical Tigris Cults that were once practiced in the old Order and continue to perfect their faith through daily meditations and abandoning their emotions. The Sader practice their syncretic faith that combines Theorationalism with their beliefs in the Universal Truth, while Imperions retain their traditional reverence of Divines as intermediaries between mortals and Spode.

Outside of these traditional Masaari sects, there is a small minority of non-Clericarchical Spodists; there is a small Bunsen Spodist diaspora founded during the Andromeda War, as well as a few fringe groups. These, alongside the occasional non-Spodist or atheist, are denied formal citizenship; they receive most of the benefits enjoyed by Masaari citizenry, but are not given voting rights and lack a few other privileges. With the formation of the Pan-Andromedan Ecumene and the Uniate League, the status of non-citizens is slowly rising.

Government[]

The Conclave Assembled

The Conclave is assembled.

The Divinarium is a highly authoritarian (bordering on totalitarian) theocratic constitutional monarchy. Having preserved much of the institutions of the Old Church, it has however significantly simplified and streamlined them, turning them from an apparatus of indirect rule into an efficient system fit to govern an united state. Most power in the Divinarium is split between the Conclave, a council of twenty most respected clerics known as Exarchs, and the Clericarch elected by them, to whom the ministries of the Holy Empire answer. Most offices are meritocratic: democratic institutions in the Divinarian government exist in the form of the legislative assembly known as the Synedrion, and its chairman, the Autarch Supreme, but both have little power when compared to the Conclave. However, due to the ascension of the charismatic Phaunar Tansimael to power, the authority of the Autarch Supreme has increased significantly.

The Divinarium's methods of governance, on the other hand, are inherited not from Vendespode but from Sanctuarium. Its Eternal Law is enforced ruthlessly, but not without excessive violence: education, propaganda and constant surveillance are all methods through which the Clericarch maintains her power. Those who stand against her - or even dare to think about it, for the Conclave believes that crime has to be stopped before it becomes an act - tend to disappear, or are suggested to change their opinions. These totalitarian policies have caused controversy amongst the Holy Empire's more liberal allies, but supporters of the Divine Throne are quick to mention the exceedingly low crime rate and great prosperity achieved through them. Neverthless, a number of liberal reforms have been issued in the Divinarium under the influence of the Pan-Andromedan Ecumene.

Iovera
Karsin Lanar
Phaunar Tansimael
Frthroni
Name & Title Iovera I Karsin Lanar Phaunar Tansimael Frhtroni n'Thrar
Title Clericarch Lord Exarch Autarch Supreme High Judicial
Role Head of state Chair of Conclave Chair of Synedrion Head of government
Political views Authoritarian
Supports Pan-Andromedan Ecumene
Strong proponent of diplomacy
Realpolitik supporter
Pacifist
Opposes expansion
Isolationist
Wary of democracy
Authoritarian
Reformist
Populist
Pan-Spodist
Anti-Humanity
Sceptical of Pan-Andromedan Ecumene
Supports Uniate League
Reclusive
Realpolitik supporter
Strongly opposes any changes to status quo
Influence Very high Medium Very high Low

Astrography[]

Crepusculum

Crepusculum, capital of the Divinarium.

The Divinarium's stellar domain is relatively small, encompassing around three hundred thousand planets, much less than other nations of comparable political power. This is caused in party by the Holy Empire's low population, as well as its advancements in technology which have caused the need for resources to diminish heavily. However, outside its populated colonies, there exist hundreds of thousands of AI outpost belonging to the Divinarium, spread across Andromeda and beyond. These outposts exist largely for mining resources, as well as defending state borders, and sport automated defense systems capable of stopping entire small fleets in their track, or at least slowing them down enough for the Dei'Ar to arrive

The mainstay of Divinarian territory is located within the Segmentum Crepusculum of the Andromeda Galaxy - both former Fyrvrtha planets and newly settled worlds colonised during the Twilight War. Outside their home galaxy, the Divinarium also possesses numerous holdings in the Milky Way inherited from the Church of Spode, as well as its Imperion dominion within the Quadrants. The Second Borealis Galactic War also saw the colonisation of the Borealis Galaxy.

The Divinarium's capital world is Crepusculum, the homeworld of the Fyrvrtha. It is also known as the World of Ice and Fire for its two prominent biomes - the icy taiga on the surface with its beautiful crystaline flora, suitable for carbon-based life, as well as the hot volcanic caverns filled with sulfur below the earth, where the silicon-based natives of the planet dwell. Thus, the magnificient cities of Crepusculum extend from gleaming violet spires above ground to the carved stone halls below. However, it is by far not the only important Divinarium world in existence. Also of importance are the lunar ecumenopolis of Sanctuarium, the clockwork heart of the Holy Empire, the dark yet beautiful Borealum where young Dei'Ar are trained, the stormy sea world of Imalith, homeworld of the Imperions, and many other moons and planets.

Military[]

Main article: Military
Divinarium Military

A Dei'Ar squad on patrol.

There are not many of us left in this universe, but those who left are among the finest warriors in the gigaquadrant. Pure of heart, strong of body. Fear us, for Dei'Ar may come for you next.

- Matheoward Alvarie

Under Iovera, the ancient Dei'Ar Order, all but destroyed through Telfar's indecision and Tadjamad's recklessness, has been reconstituted - albeit in a much different fashion, as a standing army answering directly to the Clericarch rather than an autonomous military order. Due to the heavy losses the Order has suffered and the overall small population of the Divinarium compared to other Andromedan superpowers, the Dei'Ar Order's military doctrine has been altered. Instead of being a sledgehammer, a weapon bringing dread to its enemies by sheer mass and firepower, it now works as a blade, striking quick, decisive strikes to destroy important enemy positions to force an enemy to surrender without destroying most of the enemy forces.

The Dei'Ar Order is closely connected to the Ecclesial Navy of the Divinarium, to the point that these two structures can be considered one. The Navy and the Order share their high command, and Dei'Ar Troopers serve their duty on the spaceships of the Navy regularily. A common way for the Dei'Ar forces to invade is to attack from wormhole gates located on spaceships and planetary outposts, giving them mobility unmatched by the rest of the Gigaquadrant. However, due to its relatively small numbers, it is difficult for the Order to fight a conventional and especially defensive war, and the Divinarium needs a constant upperhand in conflict in order to prevail.

Also important are the Metallo Militants, robotic auxiliaries created to bolster the Dei'Ar's dwindling numbers. These small robots serve both outside the Order, as the Holy Empire's politce force and its first line of defense against the incoming foe, as well as under its command, serving to give it additional man- and firepower.

Technology[]

WormholePortal

A typical warpgate.

The already impressive technological level of the Radeon civilisation, achieved through millenia of slow but steady innovation, has been further increased with the discovery of Rades relics during the settlement of Segmentum Crepusculum. Though using precursor tech in itself is nothing new to Andromedans, most natives were either too primitive to reverse-engineer it or had taboos regarding them. Radeons had no such limitations and eagerly claimed their ancestors' legacy, fusing it with their own technology. Thus, the Divinarium is now one of the most advanced nations in the entire galaxy.

The scientific fields in which the Divinarium dominates include both traditional Church areas of expertise - robotics, artificial intelligence, and Essence studies, as well as those at which the Rades excelled billions of years ago, such as biotechnology or spacetime engineering (especially when it comes to wormholes). In some cases, the new and the old disciplines mix: Divinarian engineers may, for instance, enhance a machine's performance by adding an artifically grown microorganism colony programmed for repair, or use microscopical wormholes to transmit information instantaneously. The peculiarities of Divinarian scientific development also mean that their technology also operates in rather unorthodox ways. For example, most, if not all, personal gadgets produced in the Holy Empire are not operated manually, but via psychic mental commands.

Amongst the most emblematic inventions of the Divinarium, which enjoy popularity both within the Holy Empire's borders and abroad are:

  • Techno-organic sentient constructive solution, the trademark material of the Divinarium used widely in all sorts of constructions, from buildings and spaceships to pocket watches. This living metal, as it is often called, is comprised of numerous techno-organic nanomachines that incorporate both organic and synthetic elements, that can form, produce and repair, if needed, materials of various properties.
  • Warpgates, controlled wormholes created by manipulating quantum foam. Unlike most artificial womrholes, warpgates can be of any size and are much more stable, allowing to transport not only large spaceworthy vessels but also Radeon-sized goods, as well as unprotected sentients, and relatively safely at that. Widely used for transportation across Divinarium worlds.
  • Perpetuum generators, zero-point generators that produce energy from constant universal quantum vibrations. Work almost indefinitely, but are not particularily efficient if energy demand is high. As such, perpetuum generators are generally only used in handheld devices.

Economy[]

Divinarium Survelliance

Typical Divinarian workplace.

Though seeking to maintain economical independence as much as possible and supply at least the basic needs of its subjects through domestic businesses, the Divine Throne is neverthless not a full autarky: the Divinarium is heavily dependent on its fellow Pan-Andromedan Ecumene members and exports much of its products in return. Most of the imports come from the Draconid Imperium, with the Civilisation, especially the Delpha Coalition of Planets coming second; other important partners include the French Empire and the Rambo Nation. These are mostly luxury goods - rare wines, non-replicated foodstuffs, or exotic animals - as well as mass media, such as holodramas or operas. In return, the Divinarium exports great amounts of domestic robots, electronics and spaceships.

The Divinarium's economy is dominated by the public sector. Though conducting business independently of the government is allowed, the negative cultural attitude towards it, as well as strict government regulations, mean that it does not play a large role in the Holy Empire overall. Indeed, private businesses used to be limited only to a few select worlds, and the jointly governed Neutral Zone, but the formation of the Pan-Andromedan Ecumene has removed most of these regulations, causing the private sector's share in the Divinarium to increase somewhat, though it still does not form a large part of the market.

The most important planets in the Divinarium's economy include Sanctuarium, its industrial center, as well as the chain of industrialised systems to the east of Crepusculum known as the Forgestars. These systems have been thoroughly industrialised, their solar energy harnessed using Dyson rings and all of their planets turned into massive automated factories, and churn out countless robots, computers, and other exported goods every year. Amidst the Forgestars lies Station Imperatrix, the headquarters of Divinarian shipbuilding. Though it is mostly focused on the domestic market, building starships for the Dei'Ar Order, it also constructs personalised civilian vessels for foreign clients.

Individuals[]

Relations[]

Divinarium Diplomacy

Nunciary Supreme Selytorah Altheless, first foreign minister of the Divinarium.

Main article: Relations

The Divinarium, as a new incarnation of the ancient Radeon civilisation, has both many strong historical allies and more than a few sworn enemies. However, is foreign policy (inasmuch as it is independent from the rest of the Ecumene) is very different. Unlike the all-encompassing Church of Spode and the fanatical Dei'Ar Theocracy - both known for waging terrifying holy wars at certain points in history - the Holy Empire has renounced offensive war, and will only engage in direct warfare as the last resort. That being said, the Divinarium will act against its enemies if it, or Andromeda as a whole, is threatened, but will operate in the shadows. Such was the Holy Empire's policy during most of the Great Xonexian Schism, where, while remaining neutral, the Divine Throne used its intelligence network to subtly influence affairs in Andromeda behind the scenes and provide beneficial intel for its allies.

For most of its history, the Divinarium was also very cold in terms of creating allies or enemies, preferring not to form any longstanding connections with other states outside its closest neighbours and partners, or expand the Holy Empire's sphere of influence. This policy, called glorious isolation, was meant to ensure that the Divinarium retain peace and prosperity and not get entangled in any intergalactic conflicts. However, the cataclysmic events of the Andromeda War, the Shattering, and finally the Great Xonexian Schism (where despite protests, the Divinarium was eventually pressured to deploy its military forces), as well as the rising influence of the French Empire, have caused many statsemen on Crepusculum to question it. It became obvious that seclusion failed to preserve the Divinarium from war and ruin, nor did it protect its sovereignty following the Lux Contingency.

Thus, under Phaunar Tansimael, glorious isolation was instead replaced with a more proactive pan-Spodist (or neo-Ecclesial) doctrine: the idea that the Divinarium has to extend its influence to other Spodist nations and foster relationships with them, in order to remain a great power in the changing Giaquadrant and not dissolve completely in the Pan-Andromedan Ecumene. Thus was born the Uniate League. Also as part of this politics, the Divinarium seeks cooperation, or at least friendly neutrality, with large revisionist states which stand against the current powers that be, so as to prevent one superpower from growing too powerful in the Gigaquadrant (and thus threaten the Divinarium's remaining sovereignty). As of now, it still remains unclear if this new foreign policy will bring fruit or make the Divinarium spiral even faster down into irrelevance.

Key Relationships[]

Binding alliance, membership

Pan-Andromedan Ecumene


Founding member · Highlord State · Member of the Alcanti Triad · Legitimate government of Andromeda · Influence & sovereignty must be retained

Andromedan Seal

Binding alliance

Draconid Imperium


Alliance since 2786 · Ecumene Highlords · Trust · Military cooperation · Key regional partner · Historical ties

DIFlag New

Alliance

Grand Spodist Church


Uniate League founders · Cultural and ideological similarities · Trust · Counterweight in Gigaquadrantic politics

GSC Flag

Alliance

Delpha Coalition of Planets


Historical Onuris allies · Previously at war with the Ecumene · Ideological similarities

AltDCPInsignia

Alliance

French Empire


Alliance since 2799 · Ecumene Highlords · Rising power · Growing influence over the Gigaquadrant · Ideological dissimilarities · Strained alliance

Flag of France

Desiring relationship

Rambo Nation


Historical Onuris allies · Bitter enemy of the Ecumene · Opposes peace · Counterweight in Gigaquadrantic politics

Rambo Emblem 2



Alliances[]

Pan-Andromedan Ecumene

Andromedan SealAnnamai Ardentaim Altesicon!

Allies

Green faceOur path is broad, and we walk it side by side.

Neutral[]

Good Terms

Blue faceBound together by camaraderie.

Neutral

Yellow faceWe shall see if you are worthy of respect or not.

Negative[]

Unfriendly

Orange faceThe eyes of Her Holiness are upon you, and Her Holiness is not amused.

Enemies

Red faceThere is no mercy.

Quotes[]

These creatures shall be converted to out ways, or shall suffer the wrath of the final solution

- Zarni Priest

Hmmm. This "Divinarium" seem to be an interesting nation; we shall observe them first before making actual contact

- Emperor Dragonar VII

The Divinarium seem to be a powerful band of joined species. However as Spode followers, heretics they are and if they would ever take arms against me or my legions, they will have to be taken care of in due time

- Morgandaûr

Difficult to work with.

- Jerkon

We are pleased to know that the Radeon have survived, they are our races great and long-time allies afterall. And now we share something in common - coming back from the brink of extinction.

- Magellanic Sovereignty of Planets

If there's one thing we should know, they sure are persistent. The Radeon are an excellent species, and the Divinarium is their greatest alliance thus far. we hope to work well with them.

- Valzo of the Unified Nation of Ottzello

FILFFY HERETIKS I SWER SPODES DUM WORSHIP ZR'AN'KAR OR DAI. AKSHULLY NEVAMIND DAI ANYWAY

- Fre'kloar

The Divinarium, sounds like a good empire to have an alliance with.

- Colonel MacTravish of the Bearian Nations Space Command

A testament to the sheer resilience of the Radeon species. The Divinarium is among the new superpowers of the Gigaquadrant.

- Apollo

It is foolish to fight for the faith in non existing entities. We Klthun where born from the mud of Kisagirs we are the true spawn of the universe and we wont let illiterate fanaticism like this exist!

- Kthlathu, Tribal Warlord of Sha-Anith, the Fieldwalker clan of Klthun

It is fitting their leaders remind me of of slikkids; They are an empire of devious, backstabbing and oppertunistic zealots. The galaxy will be a better place once their veonmous lies are done away with!

- Executive Admiral Onarsus of the Imperial Talon navy

The Divinarium remind us of ourselves. Although we are not so focussed on religion, we are focussed on survival.I wish that we did not meet on the battlefield, for they are a formidable foe indeed...

- Tyraz of the Brood of War

The Divinarium reminds me so much of my own domain, but they also serve as a reminder that blind faith and paranoia can be immensely damaging... I pray that the Clericarch learns this before it is too late.

- Paragon Uriel Ultanos XVI

Well now... Im not entirely sure what to think of you. Since you are powerful, and resilient, I respect you. I don't really have any reason to like or dislike you though, not yet.

- Dylan of the Wentals

I'm good living with the scientists. You'd just abandon me again.

- Baptarion Light

Faithful followers of the Supreme One.

- High Priest Norvos of the Crusaders of Spode

I'm going to crush your little Faith, and You won't like it at all...

- Prophet of Disdain

I'm working a way to contact them, but I'm personally worried that they will laugh in our collective faces about an alliance.

- Sho'aun Palor V'ank

The belief in a deity that does not show itself is no deity to be believed in. The Radeon follow shadows and lies into an eventual disarray; they prefer to erect mirrors instead of the windows that open on to the one truth of this reality. Hide behind the thin wall as you so wish, Clericarchs and Exarchs. For there is no fear that evades his gaze.

- Hez'Kalka

Gallery[]

State Symbols[]

Trivia[]

In-universe[]

  • The adjective of Divinarium is Divinarian.
  • Due to the Divinarium's notorious cultural aversion towards sexuality, a large part of the Holy Empire's population, especially those serving in the Dei'Ar Order, or as civil servants, are distributed pills that lower sexual desire, in order to "make the mind focus on more important things". This also serves to slow down population growth, as due to the species of the Divinarium's extremely long lifespans, a population boom would be otherwise inevitable. That being said, it is not compulsory to use these pills: most Imperion marines in the navy are known to despise them.
  • Perhaps as a result of the aforementioned aversion towards sexuality, the Divinarium is notoriously heteronormative, which has caused more than a few controversies. During the formative years of the Divinarium, the Holy Empire's minister of internal affairs, a rather old functionary from Vendespode, was brought into the court of Albion, to accompany a diplomatic mission sent to the human nations. The minister would converse with a pair of rather foppish-looking young men, and find them particularily charming, but upon being explained by the Divinarium's nunciary they were a married couple, she would be first thoroughly confused, and then thoroughly shocked to the point of having a heart attack. The human dignitaries would then be equally shocked that the Divinarium is not accepting of same-sex unions; fortunately, no heart attacks occured, though it took quite some time to convince the Divine Throne that the minister was not assassinated, but died of a "natural" cause.
    • That being said, the Divinarium also possesses (inherited from Crepusculum) a rather long tradition of phaedrai, or "fraternal kinship" - a kind of same-sex romantic friendship that, to a human, would appear to have homosexual overtones. It is considered to be completely natural, and not sexual at all, for two women or men to describe their feelings as "love" or even share a chaste kiss, though if one goes further, the act is considered shameful.
  • Much of the Divinarium's cuisine incorporates the so-called manna-yeast. Despite its name, this is actually a genetically engineered species of Vendespodian algae, and merely resembles yeast in taste; it is a common cultivated plant that can be grown in hydroponic farms, heavily watered soil, or just in open water. Its nutritious extract, which resembles a golden paste, can be molded into a variety of shapes and, with the right chemicals, given any kind of flavour. Due to its universality and cheapness, manna-yeast formed around 90% of the Divinarian's diet in the early days of the Holy Empire, when food and money were scarce. However, even after the austerity period was over, many in the Divinarium have got used to its taste, and as such it continues to remain a staple in Divinarian cuisine.
  • The Divinarium's history books do not consider the Treaty of Crepusculum to have created a new state, but merely reconstituted a new one. The Divinarium is said to be simply the most recent period in the millenia-old history of the Church of Spode. This, oddly enough, contrasts with the official stance of the Divine Throne that the Divinarium is a new state (though this is mostly a formality related to interstellar law).
    • Indeed, the Divinarium's name in Radessic is the same as the name of the Church of Spode - Deinarīm Ræthainā, or Supreme One's Holy Grand State. The only reason the two states are called differently in intergalactic parliance is because "Church of Spode" was a calque from Klekkian Cuneiform ("Church" standing for a Grimbolsaurian word representing the community of a certain religion, rather than a building, e.g. ummah or church militant), whereas "Divinarium" is a loanword from High Dracid, itself a corruption of the Radessic "Deinarīm".

Out of universe[]

  • The Divinarium is theImperios's fifth, and current main fiction since June 2011. It would be the fourth Radeon state in the Fiction Universe, after the Church of Spode, the Masaari Crusade and the Dei'Ar Theocracy, albeit retcons have turned the Crusade into a non-state organisation under the Church and the Theocracy into a rival claimant to the Church's legacy. Thus, now the Church of Spode was only reformed once.
  • Originally, the Divinarium was had a much different role in fiction. It was supposed to be similar to the Unified Nation of Ottzello, a combination of all old fiction concepts made by theImperios united after the Annihilation. The Isio'Nar would also play a much larger role in the Divinarum's functioning, and be openly worshipped, leading the Holy Empire as god-kings. Later developments turned the Divinarium into a more uniformly Radeon/Spodist state, and though the Isio'Nar remain its manipulators, and Iovera herself an Isio'Nar, they no longer directly control it.
  • Much of the Divinarium's characterisation was fleshed out during the Andromeda War, as an opposition to its main rival and later ally, the Draconid Imperium. In essence, the Divinarium has become a foil to it. In terms of cultural influences, the Divinarium's historical inspirations would also contrast the Imperium's Roman theme:
    • The Divinarium's government structure, as well as some of its fashion and rituals, were inspired by the Roman Empire's geographical successor, the "Second Rome" - the Papal States.
    • Many of the Divinarium's titles - from Exarch to Autarch and Synedrion - were derived from Koine and Byzantine Greek. These, as well as the sophisticated bureacracy, a powerful military intelligence, and architecture that favours domes, were inspired by the other "Second Rome" - the Byzantine Empire.
    • The Divinarium was also inspired greatly by the Persian civilisation, both as Ancient Persia and in its modern incarnation, which as the Parthian Empire was Rome's greatest rival. It was also partially inspired by the Han Dynasty, which was the only contemporary of Rome that could match it in power and affluence.
    • Non-Roman influences on the Divinarium include Israel, Russia, the Islamic Caliphate, Tibet, and many other civilisations across the world. In terms of fictionary works, the Divinarium was partially inspired by the Craftworld Eldar and the civilisation of the Noon Universe by the Strugatsky brothers, as well as a few of Imperios's favourite dystopian settings.
  • Khaine's Wrath from Dawn of War II serves as the musical theme of the Divinarium.
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