The Meissandium [WIP LORE]

Some details and names are WIP and may change as the game develops.

Of all the ancient organizations in Rhesainia, the Meissandium is perhaps the oldest and most powerful of all. As the dominant religious organization on the continent, Meissandic temples appear in all countries and its clergy are respected members of society. Though religious belief has shifted and changed over the past millennium (thanks, in part, to research pursued by the Guild of Mages and the Arcanists’ Lodge), most Rhesainians follow Meissandic traditions and—at the very least—acknowledge the gods’ touch on this world.

The Creation of the Universe

The Meissandium believes that the universe was spun from darkness by Meissa, the primordial god. They crafted stars and suns, planets and moons, all from nothing. But the act of such colossal creation was too great. As their final act, Meissa sparked life into the universe, then divided their essence, birthing six new gods to take their place and finish what they started.

Though Meissa created the spark of life, it was the Hexatheon who shaped and cultivated it. Their work was long and difficult, and fatigued them greatly. When the work was finally complete, they chose a planet to call their own and plucked it from the cosmos. Naming the planet Eisarath, they descended to the surface and crafted six divine tombs, one for each god. There they would sleep for eternity, until they were called on again.

The Hexatheon

The Hexatheon refers to the six Meissandic gods. The gods are paired, with each member of the pair contrasting with the other. All Meissandic gods are genderless and are referred to with gender-neutral terms.

Worship & Practices

Temples dedicated to the Hexatheon have existed in Rhesainia for millennia. Most are constructed for the worship of a singular god, rather than the full pantheon. The oldest temples pre-date the Astrandium. Many are so old and have fallen into such disrepair that only parts of them remain. These ruined temples are no longer used for worship; they are preserved by municipal governments and universities across the continent and are often studied by historians and scholars.

The oldest Meissandic temple is located in Velantis, in the Ithyrian District. Constructed on the central isle of Lake Naiadros, the Eidranian City (or simply Eidrania) is a temple dedicated to the full Hexatheon and serves as the headquarters of the Meissandium. Every year, Velantis oversees a surge of Meissandic pilgrims who make the journey to Eidrania for the Dance of the Stars. The Dance of the Stars is a celestial event that occurs on the first night of Firstfall, heralding the start of winter. While it is a significant event in the Meissandic faith, the Dance of the Stars also holds great cultural importance in Rhesainian countries.

While each god is revered in Rhesainian countries, some are given more importance than others. There is a general understanding that each region of the continent has a dominant god who oversees and protects the region. However, as political lines shift, this does not match the current borders exactly.

Meissa is not worshipped, but appears frequently in Meissandic iconography. They are sometimes referred to as the Divinity in older Meissandic texts, or—alternatively—the primordial god.

Meissandic Denominations

Sentinels

Due to their importance in texts about the Astrandium, Rhesainia’s Sentinels have their own sects within the Meissandium. As the Meissandium considers the Sentinels to be minor gods in their own right, worshipping the Sentinels does not conflict with any of the religion’s doctrines. Sentinel sects are often considered an off-shoot or a subdivision of the Sentinel’s associated god.

Sect of Meissa

In some areas of Rhesainia, particularly in the eastern edges of the continent, Meissa is worshipped as a singular god and the Hexatheon is viewed as a pantheon of false gods. The Meissandium has publicly denounced this sect as a dangerous cult.

Meissandic Views on Death

Though Nashira is a death god, their purpose is to guide souls to the next plane of existence, where they will be reborn into a new world. The concept of hell exists in the Meissandic faith; it is conceived as a limbo space between the worlds where souls are trapped if Nashira does not guide them. They cannot escape and are sentenced to be entombed in nothingness forever.

Meissandic death ceremonies are very important, and must be performed in order to ensure safe passage to the next plane.

Development note: Only went down this path because I started using the phrase "What the hell?" without thinking about it and now it has it be justified. 😅

Meissandic Views on Magic

Meissandic doctrine preaches that magic is a blessing of the gods. The Sentinels were the first the receive the gods’ blessings; they were therefore the first to attain the ability to tap into the essence and power that permeates the world and bend it to their will. After the Sentinels saved Eisarath from the Harbingers, the gods swore to pass on their blessings forever more.

Every child born into the world since carries a god’s blessing. Those without are said to be cursed, abandoned and unwanted by the gods. For this reason, the Wayfarer Order tends to ignore Meissandic texts, or treat them with great caution. Most Wayfarers are nonreligious (or follow another religion that is not part of the Meissandium).

Some Meissandic sects believe that those with exceptionally strong magic are direct descendants of the Sentinels.

Meissandic Clerics

There are several ranks within the Meissandium:

• High Meissant – the elected leader of the Meissandium
• Meissants – leaders of the clergy; typically assigned to oversee individual temples
• Clerics – priests sworn to the Meissandium

The Meissandium and Politics

Rhesainian noble houses are culturally expected to have one child join the Meissandium. They are also expected to pay annual tithes to the Meissandium, regardless of whether they are religious or not. These tithes are used to fund restoration projects, general upkeep on the temples, and historical and magical research. Since the establishment of the Guild of Mages and the Arcanists’ Lodge, the Meissandium is often going toe-to-toe with other organizations when it comes to scholarly research.