* Civ Name: The Enlightened
* City Name: The Shining City
* Races: The Enlightened are a religious sect which have organized under a great prophet, which many believe to be possessed.
* Theme: Religious cult
* Description: The Enlightened are a large religious cult united by a great prophet, which they call "The Chosen". They believe that this prophet was 'chosen' by an entity of immense power they call "The Unknown One", which they believe will transform the world into a paradise for all those who assist in his 'Awakening'. Precisely what this 'awakening' actually is or what is required for it to come about is almost entirely unknown even within the cult, though they zealously believe that the "Chosen One" will do everything in his power to bring it about, and so they follow him religiously.
Who this "Chosen One" is, or was, is shrouded in mystery and myth. Those who were there when he became 'enlightened' remember very little of the day before he began preaching of his faith, and no family members, friends, or other relatives have been found. Some believe he was a simple farmer who became possessed by some other worldly power, while others believe him to be simply mad. There are a few individuals who believe that he has been afflicted by a mythical affliction commonly known as "the Creeping Madness", though no evidence of this has been brought forth.
The people themselves are fanatically loyal to the "Chosen One," following his commands without question in hope that he will bring about the "Awakening" and are more then willing to put their life on the line at his word. They openly accept anyone who wishes to join their religion, only asking that they submit to ritual they call "the Enlightening", which is a secret never discussed by them and can only be performed in a special altar deep within the Shining City. They seem to have nothing in the way of religious ceremony, unless one counts the tremendous zeal at which they perform the "Chosen One's" will ceremony. It should be noted that anyone who speaks ill of the Chosen or the Unknown One is seen as a heathen to them, which has been known to nearly guarantee open hostilities.
The holy city and primary hub for the Enlightened is known simply as "the Shining City", a large, temple-like city dedicated to the 'Awakening' and the "Chosen One". Built recently by the religion's founders, "the Shining City" was built atop a large mesa in the middle of a large, open plain. Reportedly, the location was chosen when their prophet, "Stopped before the stars, thrust his shining sword unto the sky and shouted, 'Here, the awakening of the magnificence of paradise shall unfold! Here, this land is now sacred and hallowed, its matter blessed by the eventual coming of paradise's creator, The Great Unknown, the blackness between the stars! Here, a great city of shining gold and obsidian shall be made, its center a magnificent temple reflecting the paradise it shall bring!' He then through his sword unto the ground and said, "Here, shall the coming of paradise begin, with us!" In a strange twist of fate, which some believe to be none-coincidental, the mesa which they had chosen lay directly on top of one of the largest veins of gold in the world, and a volcano with lava perfectly suited for obsidian production is one of the few things projecting out of the surrounding plains. The city itself stands a testament to the Enlighten's devotion to their leader, much of it built out of obsidian, stone and gold in only a few short years and stands as a mighty fortress with no obvious weakness. No one outside of the religion is allowed into the main city.
The Enlightened are lead solely, as has been stated, by their prophet "the Chosen One", who personally oversees almost every aspect of the government, the most notable among these being the military. When he is away or unable to attend to a matter, he appoints someone from an elite caste of highly devoted individuals, to whom he invests absolute power second only to him. This elite caste is typically used by him as head missionaries and for foreign relations, both of which are the only aspects of government which he does not directly oversee.
(I may edit in more)
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Topic: Dawn of a New World discussion (AoR-like; game dead) (Read 92759 times)