Imperialists
Overview
What is the measure of a god? Is it to inspire a tinkerer? To watch a plant grow? To feast with the maggots? No. A god empowers, a god conquers, a god smites. There is but one god that has lead our people, but one that has helped us carve an empire into the realms of man. Never shall our hearts stray.
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Liyúvië ignites the spark of ambition, urging mortals to push boundaries and achieve greatness, while the Winged Emperor tempers that flame with the wisdom of order, ensuring that empires rise on solid foundations. To worship is to embrace the divine mandate of the empire: to build, expand, and govern in harmony with the will of the heavens.
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Imperialism is tied hand in hand with the Empire of Aer Arnad, with the empire spreading its Imperial Truth as it spread its borders. To many of those who've lived generations under the state religion, even the withdrawal of the empire could not shake their faith in Liyúvië, and as such Imperialists can be found everywhere the empire once laid claim to, and even some further afield than that.
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Worship
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The Imperial Truth: High Elves are all Imperialists, and so too are the majority of their subjects - both current and former. In imperial core of Aer Arnad, every man, woman, and child is an Imperialist, and even in lands long abandoned by the Empire belief persists.
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Inspiration through Visions: Liyúvië often grants followers dreams of success, revealing the potential paths they can take.
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Signs of Favor: Sudden opportunities or moments of clarity are seen as Liyúvië’s blessings.​
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Guidance in Law: The Winged Emperor’s influence is felt in moments of governance, ensuring rulers make decisions that uphold justice.
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Strength in Unity: Followers often find unexpected allies or solutions when they commit to the principles of cooperation and order.​
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Judgment in Disharmony: Those who sow division or disrupt the balance of the empire find holy judgment swift and decisive, ensuring that order prevails.
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Core Information
Symbol: A stylized person in a robe, with rays circling their head.
Major Domains: Liyúvië (Ambition)
Minor Domains: The Winged Emperor (Order)
Internal Relations: The Imperial Truth is one Truth, acknowledged by all believers. Unified thought begets unified action, and unified action begets stability in the empire.
External Relations: Imperialists believe other gods exist, but that Liyúvië will conquer them when their peoples are conquered. Such gods will be subsumed into Liyúvië's essence, as so many before have.
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Rituals
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The Rite of Aspiration: Worshippers pledge their goals to Liyúvië before a ceremonial flame, which is believed to burn brighter if their ambitions align with the god’s will.
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The Oath of Unity: Leaders and officials swear an oath to uphold justice and order, invoking the Winged Emperor’s blessing to guide their governance.
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The Festival of Flame and Feather: An annual celebration honoring the partnership of Liyúvië and his mortal avatar, the Winged Emperor. The festival includes grand processions, the lighting of ceremonial fires, and the release of white doves to symbolize unity and ambition working in harmony.​​​
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The Flame of Ardor • The God of Ambition
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Lore
Liyúvië, the god of ambition, is the divine force that drives Empire to greatness. Known as The Flame of Ardor, Liyúvië’s influence is said to ignite the spark of potential within rulers, generals, and visionaries, urging them to reach beyond their limits and shape the world through their aspirations. Legends claim Liyúvië was born from the moment the first mortal looked to the horizon and dared to dream of something greater.
Liyúvië speaks with passion, igniting the hearts of mortals to pursue greatness. It is expected their followers to strive tirelessly, but offer guidance to those who falter. Liyúvië urges mortals to take risks and embrace challenges as opportunities for growth.
In the myth of The Ascending Flame, Liyúvië descended to the early mortals of Aer Arnad during a time of stagnation and despair. With words of fire and purpose, he inspired leaders to build, expand, and innovate, teaching them that ambition is the lifeblood of progress. Under Liyúvië’s influence, the foundation of Aer Arnad’s empire was laid, fueled by a relentless desire to conquer new lands and establish enduring legacies.
However, Liyúvië’s teachings come with a warning: unchecked ambition leads to ruin. The tale of The Queen of Hubris recounts the story of a queen of Aer Arnad who sought to control even the gods, only to see her stripped of power and influence, banished from the light of Liyúvië's grace. To worship Liyúvië is to embrace ambition tempered with wisdom, a balance that ensures success without self-destruction.
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The Winged Emperor
The Celestial Sovereign • Avatar of Order
The Winged Emperor, ruler of Aer Arnad, is the avatar of Liyúvië in mortal lands. Always an avariel, his radiant wings are said to glow like the heavens, revealing his divine custody to all who lay eyes on him, and the Empire's order flows from his golden heart. Though a mortal himself, the Winged Emperor is worshipped alongside Liyúvië as the god's right hand and representative, with his divine custody transfering to a new Emperor upon their ascension.
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The tale of The Celestial Covenant tells how the second Winged Emperor, Aedar Arnad, struck a compact with Liyúvië to bring his father's empire back from the brink of ruin, solidifying it for thousands of years to come. So it is that every Winged Emperor since him has ruled or been deposed as Liyúvië dictated, and that the line of Arnad has safeguarded the Empire.
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Liyúvië and the Winged Emperor are the twin pillars of the Imperialist faith, embodying the empire’s core values of ambition and order. Together, they teach that greatness arises from the balance of aspiration and structure, encouraging mortals to dream boldly while remaining grounded in justice and unity. Their partnership ensures that power is pursued not for selfish gain but as a means to uplift society and create legacies that stand the test of time.
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The current Winged Emperor is Saeldor the Wise, who's rule is most notable for the first major expansion of Aer Arnad's borders in over a thousand years under the elven Arch-Magus Natyli Elosriad, a campaign that Saeldor has given his approval and support for. His epithet comes from his often aloof style of governance, letting advisors, generals, and other important figures debate amongst themselves before choosing a path. While this has lead to a stronger Aer Arnad then had been seen in a thousand years, it also lead to discord between the eastern and western parts of the Empire, discord the Emperor still works to contain to this day.