Vaena Askari
Lady Cadalthor
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Expand on a location referenced in a Codex submission. Further flesh out Ashiranism.
Image Credit: Here.
Canon: N/A.
Permissions: N/A.
Links: Ashiranism, Eldorai, Qadiri, Xioquo, Vashyada, Righteous Way, Angelii, Firemane, Eldorai Exodus from Kaeshana, Inexorable, Four of a Kind, Kaeshana.
SETTING INFORMATION
Structure Name: Shrine of the Mother's Mercy.
Classification: Temple.
Location: Pious Deliverance.
Affiliation: Vaena, House Cadalthor, Church of Ashira.
Accessibility: The Pious Deliverance is essentially a mobile city on the move, and the Shrine of the Mother's Mercy is located in its centre. Thus it is well-known on the worldship. The Eldorai are a pretty obscure species and the worldship will often traverse beyond outside of the known hyperlanes, so it is less known outside of the immediate orbit of the space elves. Foreigners who want to come aboard the worldship will be thoroughly vetted first. The Shrine is open to all believers as well as other elves who want to educate themselves about the faith. The priestesses are eager to proselytise. The library and infirmary are also available to the general community of believers, but some sections are off-limits.
It is worth noting that Ashiranism, even the Pan-Ashiranism, is a nationalist religion. Theoretically, a non-elf such as a human could proclaim they believe Ashira. But this would be seen as blasphemous or plain pointless because the gates of heaven are closed to non-elves and she will not grant them aid. The temple has armed guards and some of the priestesses are Force adepts with varying abilities and skill level. If need be, they can call upon the city watch or the garrison for support. Visitors must relinquish their weapons before they enter the temple.
Description: Located on the Pious Deliverance worldship, the Shrine of the Mother's Mercy is an Ashiran temple dedicated to the Great Goddess Ashira and the deities of the Eldorai pantheon. With the push towards a more pan-Ashiran message, the sacred place is also dedicated to Tygaran deities. In Vaena's view Kashara, the supreme goddess of the Qadiri, is an aspect of Ashira. The same applies to Gaia, a nature goddess venerated by the Vashyada. This means that worship of them does not transgress against the Heavenly Mother, who appeared to her children in different guises to impart her wisdom upon them.
She adopts the standpoint that the Eldorai, Xioquo, Vashyada and Qadiri are all Ashira's children. There are many ways to worship the Heavenly Mother - but at the same time veneration of her is the only path to salvation. Not all Eldorai are this tolerant, and the Duchess' syncretic stance has been the cause of tension. The old guard believes that she has strayed from the true path. The inclusiveness of Pan-Ashiranism has its limits though, for non-elves are not desired as converts. Ashira answers the prayers of her children, but not those of humans.
The temple is made of white stone and adorned with stained glass windows, which tell the story of Ashira's creation and her children. It is forbidden to make idols or representations of Ashira, so there are no statues or images of the Goddess. The Shrine has a nice garden for meditation and relaxation. There is a lot of religious art inside the temple, but without ornamentation. Believers are expected to maintain a certain standard of cleanliness and to purify themselves before entering the sacred ground, and so the Shrine's courtyard contains ablution fountains. The courtyard feature statues depicting saints and martyrs.
Those who enter the temple will be expected to submit any weapons they might carry on their person for the duration of their stay, for it is hallowed ground. Before the required daily prayers, the priestess calls the worshippers to prayer from the top of the temple, reciting the declaration of faith: "Ashira is the Greatest. In Her name I offer worship. May the Goddess' protection cover me. May the Goddess' light illuminate me. May the Goddess' wisdom enlighten me."
Being in space is a bit of a spiritual experience for particularly devout Eldorai, as their whole religion is about ascending to the stars. Now, before they had proper space travel that was a more mystical thing, but it's still a pretty amazing experience if you attach religious significance to something your race has not yet grown jaded about. While the Eldorai had limited space travel before, they did not really have or use hyperspace, save for political exiles who were banished or had to flee from Kaeshana. It was not available to many people. It is only the last thirty years that they've broadly come to realise that the stars are not just full of empty void and ghosts. And it is a completely new experience for the Tygarans.
The Shrine of the Mother's Mercy is not a military installation and only has a small number of guards. However, it is located in the city centre and the garrison is easily within reach. Inside the structure, worshippers will soon find themselves in the prayer hall. The centre of worship is almost as impressive as the sheer size of the prayer hall: Rows of pews, stained glass windows on either sides of the wall, ambulatories and an imposing altar and elevated podium, from which the head cleric directs the ceremonies. Man-height obelisks rise out of the ground, projecting lines of holy texts in an archaic script. The traditional Ashiran symbol - a triangle facing up, supported by three pillars - appears prominently throughout the temple.
Sessions can last for several hours, and consist of prayers, singing and recitation of psalms, and occasionally the display of religious relics. At the end, after partaking in the sacred meal, believers receive the Goddess' blessing from the clerics. Priestesses bless and minister to the faithful. This is also the place for marriages and baptisms. The Eldorai believe that Ashira fashioned heaven and earth, and that she is their heavenly mother. Officially the Star Queen is her emissary and viceroy in the mortal world, though the modern monarchy prefers to present itself in a more secular guise. However, Vaena is a conservative legitimist, though she disagrees with the present Star Queen on the finer points of policy.
The Queen is the emissary, but not the Goddess herself. Thus she can err and be misled by false counsel. In that event, it is the duty of the devout to ensure matters are set right. The Duchess has used this argument as justification to creatively reinterpret or in some cases plain ignore decrees she considers at variance with the tenets of the faith. It helps that there is a lot of distance between the worldship and the centre.
The Shrine holds public services virtually every day. Unlike in some faiths, Ashiran priestesses are not required to be celibate. Indeed, bringing new life into the world is viewed positively, as it spreads the Goddess' light. Priestesses are encouraged to involve themselves in the community. Many humanitarian projects and charitable ventures are sponsored by the Church are coordinated from the Shrine. Facilities exist for believers who wish to confess their sins and receive guidance from one of the priestesses. The priestesses tend to sick, care for the dying, teach and counsel the living, and provide charity to those in need. Thus the Shrine possesses a clinic, a religious school, an extensive library and a gymnasium.
Secular education has made inroads ever since the Eldorai opened themselves up to the rest of the Galaxy, but many elves still receive their education from the Church. Moreover, many Force-Sensitive priestesses are skilled healers, using a combination of Force healing and traditional medicine to see to the need of the sick. A few of the priestesses are Tygaran elves, such as Qadiri or Xio. Indeed, some of the most ardent believers happen to be Tygaran converts.
The Pious Deliverance is owned by Vaena and House Cadalthor. Though significantly less reactionary than her family and opposed to heretic burnings, Vaena is an extremely pious woman. She does not like atheists or agnostics and indeed believes that secularism has had a negative effect on Eldorai society. She is opposed to persecution because she views it as immoral and ineffective. Someone who converts due to coercion has not truly embraced the Goddess' tenets and will indeed resent the holy Church, and thus damn themselves. The church must convince them like an at times stern, but overall gentle mother who knows what is best for her flock.
For this reason, inhabitants are not forced to profess faith in Ashiranism, attend ceremonies and so on. However, there is a good deal of unofficial pressure. Vaena tried to get a per capita yearly taxation introduced for non-believers. The Star Queen refused to make it a general law, but Vaena has introduced it on her worldship and in her demesne. For the Pious Deliverance it is more of a symbolic measure, because atheists, Illyrians and other noncomformists less unlikely to sign up to live on a worldship controlled by someone committed to the Eldorai's theocratic nature. Almsgiving is a tenet of the Ashiran and Kashari faith, and so the Shrine also serves as a place to collect alms.
Vaena dislikes secular schools, believing that the word of the Goddess is forgotten there. However, she argues that rather than simply ignore the innovations of the past millennia, Ashiran schools should teach their students to love the old ways, but also understand the technological and scientific achievements of the humans and other aliens so that they can be adapted to the benefit of the Matriarchy. Adaptation of human technology must be paired with criticism of and opposition to human colonial exploitation of the Eldorai and their sister races. This has been called Ashiran Modernism. It is also resolutely monarchist, matriarchal and nationalist.
Vaena's more inclusive stance on spiritual matters has led to opposition from the old guard. Eldorai theological debates are often bitter - and have at times led to violent crusades, purges and the like. This is one of the reasons why the temple is guarded at all times. It is worth noting that Ashiran clerics do not swear oaths of nonviolence. Ashira is not the goddess of sunshine and rainbows, after all. As a result, some of the priestesses have combat training. Ashiran dogma does not require them to only use weapons that kill 'cleanly' by not drawing blood. If they take up arms to defend the faithful and smite the wicked, that is a just act.
The Shrine upholds the Ashiran tradition of granting sanctuary to an elf who is in need of shelter and whose life might be in danger. It is pertinent to note that the Shrine is not a sanctuary against arrest by lawful authority. For instance, a victim of domestic violence, a minor who needs protection or a citizen whose life is endangered because they possess evidence of a crime will be granted sanctuary. But the law does not prevent law enforcement bodies from arresting a criminal who has tried to claim sanctuary. Aiding and abetting a criminal is a crime. At the same time, there is a noted reluctance on the part of the secular authorities to intrude upon hallowed ground. The priestesses must consider the possible repercussions before granting sanctuary to a fugitive. For this reason, they have sisters of the faith who are well-learned in Ashiran jurisprudence.
The chief Ashiran priestess is Taiya Star. Like Vaena, she is a Cadalthor bastard. Indeed, they are cousins. Her story mirrors and contrasts with that of Vaena. To keep her from getting in the way of the succession, she was sent to a monastery to become an acolyte. House Cadalthor essentially 'owned' the temple Taiya was sent to, as they had provided the holy order with land. Moreover, several abbesses had been Cadalthors. Unlike Vaena, Taiya became aware of her heritage rather early. Her family did not want her around because she could disrupt the succession, but a the same time they wanted to make use of her.
Taiya is resentful of the fact that her family essentially banished her right after she was born and then tried to use her as a resource once it turned out she could be useful to them, without accepting her as one of their own. This is what has motivated her to hitch her wagons to Vaena. Taiya finds her relative quite a bit naive when it comes to matters of the faith, but there is some kinship between them due to their shared origins as bastards and fellow outcasts. If she cannot be Duchess herself, Taiya can settle for being the Duchess' chief counsellor. The fact that they detest the same people, albeit for different reasons, helps.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Chamber of the Merciful Redeemer: This is the confessional. Confessing one's sins is an important part of Ashiran faith. Only by confronting one's errors can a believer cleanse herself. Thus there is a place for a priestess to hear confessions. The confessional is a wooden booth with a centre compartment. The priestess enters it through a cuertain. A latticed opening enables the penitent sinner to speak through while kneeling. This means the priestess is not vissible to the public, but the penitent is.
Courtyard: Lined with trees, statues of saints and martyrs, obelisks upon which Ashiran sayings have been inscribed as well as ablution fountains. Ashiran rules dictate that ritual purification must precede prayer sessions. The rules on cleanliness also apply to people who enter the temple but do not want to pray.
The Mother's Gardens: The Goddess cannot be confined in a building of stone, but in nature, for it was she who fashioned the universe. That is what the Book of Light says at least. Regardless, the gardens are an oasis of nature and quite popular. They simulate a natural landscape and contain areas for the contemplation of the stars.
Chapel of the Universal Mother: The prayer hall and the Nave are together here. The former is a cavernous hall where religious services take place. Rows of pews and stained glass can be found on either side of the wall. Red and white stained glass windows depict Ashiran stories and holy figures. One sees an elevated podium, ambulatories on either side of the hall for the devout to walk and obelisks. The preacher can use her pulpit for acoustic effect to project her voice to the congregation below her.
The pews are equipped with kneelers in front of the seating bench. This allows members of the congregation to kneel on them instead of the floor. In line with Ashiran dogma, men and women are segregated by gender. Typically, the seats up front are reserved for nobles, for Eldorai society is classist. Vaena has mandated that a certain number of the seats should be reserved for disabled or wounded veterans.
The Altar of the Universal Mother is located in the sanctuary. From here, the word of the Heavenly Mother is proclaimed and the priestesses exercise their functions, leading the community of the devout in prayer and religious ceremonies. A rail separates the sanctuary from the space where the devout sit. A large stone bowl contains blessed water to baptise babies. Moreover, there is an organ, space for the choir and a small basin containing holy water. Candles and music are common features of ceremonies held here. Marriage ceremonies take place here. A memorial service is held every year in remembrance of those lost during the cataclysms that befell Kaeshana.
Grand Athenaeum of Celestial Knowledge: A believer must study the writings of Ashira, her disciples and later commentaries and epistles by holy males and females. The library aids the sacred mission of the church and expands the knowledge of individual members. The library serves as a repository of knowledge, containing countless theological texts. Vaena has donated some ancient writings that have been in the possession of House Cadalthor for centuries. There are also tomes on Sciia, which is the Eldorai word for both soul and the Force. Needless to say all books are carefully vetted before they are included into the library, for nothing heretical can be allowed to corrupt canon.
Most of the texts are in paper format, but many of them have been digitalised. Vaena is a conservative, but not a luddite. Young novices can often be found poring over the Book of Light, the exegeses or texts on Ashiran law. Recently, certain texts written by Tygaran theologians, such as from the Temple of Kashara, have been added. This is supposed to foster ecumenical understanding.
Chamber of the Righteous Justicars: This is the courtroom for an ecclesiastical court that passes judgement on cases concerning spiritual matters, especially sorcery, demon-worship, witchcraft and consorting with Dashdae Eldorai. It also administers discipline to errant clerics who have violated canon law. In this new age of 'enlightened despotism', secularists see religious courts as a bit of an anachronism.
However, they represent tradition and tradition is sacred to many Eldorai. Though the days of sectarian purges have come to an end, they are still a powerful force. A trial before an Ardarvian court is simple and complex. Simple because many legalistic niceties one takes for granted in a secular court do not exist. For example, there is no jury or legal counsel. But matters are complex because everything is seen through a religious lense. The chamber is an imposing, Spartan courtroom. It is dominated by a massive painting showing evildoers being cast into hell.
Three judges - all of them senior Ardarvian clerics - preside over a tribunal. Although the courts like it when there is a unanimous decision, they are practical enough to know a 2/3 decision is acceptable. Servillia Lakalva is an Ardarvian abbess on the worldship and often the swing vote. She is the very embodiment of lawful neutral and an expert on canon law. Her two colleagues are 'Judiatrix' Artamesia and 'Holy Sister' Vespasia. The first is ultra hardcore, the other is more into repentance.
Pathway of the Hundred Aspects: These are minor shrines dedicated to less important deities of the pantheon. Ashira, or Kashara in her Qadiri aspect, is the supreme goddess, but the Eldorai and their cousins are polytheists or henotheists rather than strict monotheists. An Ashiran acknowledges deities like Valora, Goddess of Battles, and Ardarvia, Goddess of the Law, but regards these and other deities and spirits as manifestations of Ashira's eternal will and part of her eternal design, not as equal to her. A number of Tygaran deities also have small shrines.
Halls for the Illumination of the Heavenly Mother's Wisdom: A very long-winded, flowery name for a school located on the premises of the temple. In keeping with the precepts of Ashiran modernism, it is supposed to bring tradition and modernity together. Students are taught about the old ways, and modern science and technology. Ashiran Modernists They resolutely reject the idea that Ashiranism should be pushed to the side. In their view, it is something to be embraced, with some reinterpretations to account for the fact that more of Ashira's creation has been discovered. This is not heretical deviation from the old ways, but an acknowledgement of the fact that the devout have achieved a better understanding of the Goddess' plan.
The curriculum is supposed to acknowledge the technological and scientific achievements of the outside galaxy, without encourging slavish emulation. The school objects strongly to human colonial exploitation of the Eldorai and their cousins and the introduction of alien secular values. It seeks to give Eldorai an understanding and mastery of science that will strengthen the Matriarchy. Needless to say this is a bit of a balancing act. Moreover, it seeks to foster intercultural understanding between the Eldorai and their sister races. Tygaran detractors say that it comes across as rather patronising, since Eldorai are still treated as the 'big sisters'. It is still far too inclusive for Vaena's relatives. The school is located in a separate building, but part of the temple complex.
Rectory of Celestial Mercy: A poorhouse and soup kitchen. Care for the less fortunate is - at least officially - a pillar of Ashiranism. Of course, this has often coincided with a rather patronising attitude of the upper class and all sorts of propaganda to justify class inequalities. Regardless, it is supposed to provide shelter, food and employment for residents unable to support themselves.
Hospice of Eternal Beneficence: As the name implies, this is an infirmary. It provides medical services free of charge to the residents of the Pious Deliverance. Many of the priestesses who work here are Force-Sensitive, using a combination of Force healing and traditional medicine, though some are Non-Force-Users. Ashiranism takes a low view of droids, regarding them as mechanical parodies of Ashira's creation. Practical considerations have compelled the inhabitants of the worldship to make use of droids in various rules, but tradition dictates that no droids be employed in the Shrine. When a patient is beyond saving, the priestesses provide care for them during their last days and administer the sacraments. Moreover, they counsel the bereaved.
Cloister of the Manifold Sisters: Dormitories, meditation rooms, a refectory as well as kitchens can be found here. These quarters are reserved for the priestesses and novices of the holy church. Per ancient Ashiran law, only women may join the clergy. To give the priestesses some privacy, non-members may not enter this area. A common task for young novices is to sweep the quarters, clean up after a meal or help elderly clerics.
Hall of the Ascendant Faithful: This is the memorial area to remember the dead. The dead are cremated and their ashes are stored in tombs. The majority are empty urns for those whose remains were not present. The dead get a painting or fresco of them and their deeds. The faith teaches that those who live a virtuous life will go to Ashira's heavenly realm and may become angels.
Crypt of the Blessed Sacrements: A stone area beneath the Shrine. The place is used as a vault to store certain sacred relics. For this reason, it is guarded and access is restricted to the most senior clerics.
SECURITY
Medium
- The Shrine is located on the worldship, which is very well-defended, so there is not much of a chance of an attack. If need be, the clerics can call upon support from the Pious Deliverance's substantial garrison. The worldship is populated by elves, many of whom do not speak Basic. This impedes infiltration, as outsiders will stick out like a sore thumb.
- However, the temple still has a contingent of guards. A number of the priestesses are Force adepts with varying abilities and skill level, though many have elemental Force abilities as well as powers broadly comparable to Jedi Consulars. Some of the Force adepts are former Angelii. Visitors must relinquish their weapons at the entrance.
- Security assets of note also include a camera network, security scanners, blaster neutralisers, which can be activated to reduce the effectiveness of blasters, and a weapons' detection system. Security Locks restrict access to areas of importance. Moreover, the temple features Blaster Neutralisers, which can be activated to release dampener or anti-laser aerosol in order to reduce the effectiveness of blasters.
- Critical doors are made of Force imbued Turadium and ray shield traps can be activated in certain areas to prevent intruders entering or leaving.
From an early age Vaena's life has been steeped in the Ashiran faith. To ensure that her existence could not complicate the line of succession, the noble bastard was given to the Church as a baby. Far from the palaces with their silk sheets, golden goblets and intrigues, she was brought up in an environment that was Spartan, but probably a more loving and caring one than she would have gotten in House Cadalthor. At the same time, it was characterised by strict discipline. The orphanage was run by Ashiran priestesses and very regimented.
The girls were expected to be disciplined, say their prayers regularly and obey the rules. However, though the rules were strict and corporal punishment was used on offenders, they were not excessively cruel. The Church wanted to raise good Eldorai girls, not the next generation of renegades and Dark Eldorai. Unlike many of her fellow orphans, Vaena did not go on to become a priestess. When she was discovered to be Force-Sensitive, she was sent to the Academy of Four Powers to gain control of her abilities. Her knack for combat ensured she was inducted into the Angelii, the Force using corps of soldiers who served the Queen. She was nicknamed 'choir girl' for her piousness.
Eventually the patriotic, devout soldier learned of her heritage, though she tried to keep as much distance between herself and her relatives as possible. However, she was thrust into a world of intrigue after her cousin Tarissa Cadalthor, the ruling Duchess of her house, was executed for treason in the aftermath of the Battle of Kaeshana. Her demise left a vacancy and House Cadalthor in disgrace. Unexpectedly, Star Queen Tirathana VII offered to ennoble Vaena. Her relatives protested since she was a bastard, but they were out of favour with the Court. After agonising over the decision and seeking spiritual counsel, Vaena accepted the Queen's offer.
While politically inexperienced and in some ways rather naive about politics, Vaena the Unlikely had rather firm views that had been shaped by her time in the Church and the military. She firmly rejected the virulent racism and greed of most of her relatives, but equally believed that the word of the Goddess was being lost under Tirathana's enlightened despotism. She was dismayed by the the sway the humans of Firemane held over the Matriarchy, whose independence she regarded as under threat. She wanted to wear neither the iron slave collar of foreign Imperials nor the velvet choker of Firemane.
At the same time, the Eldorai could no longer close themselves off, ignore the outside galaxy and burn heretics. To her, the way out was Pan-Ashiranism or Ashiran Modernism. She imposed a ruthless policy of austerity on her house. A lot of the revenue went into the construction of her own worldship, the Pious Deliverance. Needless to say the foundation of an Ashiran church was a priority. It was built to resemble the old grand cathedral in Santaissa on Kaeshana, a world that now lay in ruins.
Like the priestesses Vaena had been raised by, the clerics were supposed to spread the faith, minister to their flock and be examples to the community. Of course, quite a few of them had less noble reasons for joining the clergy, whose upper ranks were characterised by Byzantine intrigue. However, the church was supposed to embrace the Eldorai's Tygaran cousins, whom the reactionaries scorned as 'darklings', 'sand babies' and 'forestlings'.
Vaena gave a speech after the Shrine had been completed. At first she stuck close to orthodoxy, but then she deviated rather radically from it, criticising the conservative old guard for its corruption, greed and complacency, while harshly castigating liberals and revolutionaries for abandoning the traditions of the Eldorai. Needless to say both liberals and ultra reactionaries did not like it. Vaena won over a Qadiri priestess called Jamasa Jai Kashara, who had placed herself at the disposal of the Star Queen with a band of crusading knights and participated in the final campaign against the Xioquo. The Duchess had decreed that Tygaran elves who swore an oath of fealty could become citizens of the worldship. So by the same token, they could join the clergy and be ordained as priestesses if they understood and swore to uphold the tenets of the faith. This radically inclusive stance was anathema to reactionaries.
Indeed, a group of rabid arch conservatives attempted to stab the Qadiri priestess. But despite being wounded she blasted her attackers with lightning. Vaena declared that they had been smote by the Goddess' wrath. She had some agitators beheaded or exiled. On the other end of the aisle, a textbook used at the Shrine's school was pulled for daring to suggest that Eldorai might have evolved from older species. Vaena was more inclusive than most of her family, but took the word of the scriptures literally. The Eldorai had been made by Ashira in her image. She would not order mass round-ups and executions of heretics, but she would not tolerate the preaching of falsehoods. To this end she used the ecclesiastical court to crack down on deviationists.
While the Duchess had her own private chapel, she made a point of attending services at the Shrine whenever possible. She was in attendance at the ordination of a few Xio and Qadiri priestesses. Religious festivals became major public events. It also opened a poorhouse to provide aid for the helpless. Taiya Star, the chief cleric of the Shrine, did not share Vaena's zeal. Indeed, she found her cousin overly idealistic, but she shared her dislike for the old guard. In time, the Shrine became an important part of daily life on the Pious Deliverance.
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