Luceism

The Luceian Square, a holy symbol of Luceism representing the extinguished but all-seeing Star of Assunzione's system that is simply waiting for the right moment to awaken "So that the Star may someday return." “In the stillness of meditation, I heard the stars whisper. They spoke of a truth beyond words, a balance beyond scales. In this cosmic harmony, we find our peace.”

An unusual syncretic religion originating upon the planet of Assunzione, Luceism is descended from a variety of faiths held by the original colonists that first emerged following the unexpected extinguishing of Assunzione’s star in 2274. It is the state religion of Assunzione and has unprecedented influence over the affairs of the planet’s government and its people, ranging from Church politics to the very ideals that govern the world.

Unlike its precursor Abrahamic religions, Luceism is unique in that it does not revere ancient historical figures or deities - rather, its faith focuses on the anomalous and yet-unexplained extinguishing, or Dimming, of the Assunzione system’s star. Its deity is a genderless, non-anthropomorphic entity known as Ennoia, the symbolic representation of light itself, believed to hold unparalleled influence over the universe. Devoid of natural sources, save for the stars in the sky, light is a precious resource in the confines of Assunzione and its people. To them, light represents truth, guidance, protection, and vision - to be stripped of light is to be lost and blind, not only to one’s surroundings but to their faith, their future, and their friends and family.

Luceism is unique in that it does not necessarily devote its following to worshiping its deity Ennoia; rather, it is a religion focused on self-improvement and improvement of the community, promoting above all else charitable acts and bettering oneself, with Ennoia acting more as a guide than as a centerpoint. As a syncretic religion, Luceism draws elements from all manners of past faiths, from the structures and ceremonies of Christianity, to the concept of internal masteries spearheaded by Buddhism, to the dualistic themes of Gnosticism.

Contents

Liturgical History

Luceian texts dating back to its founding attribute the survival of Assunzione during the Dimming to the power and foresight of Ennoia. The star's already-anomalous behavior led to unstable weather patterns on Assunzione’s then-habitable surface, causing climate fluctuations that disrupted crop growth and were detrimental to colonists’ health. Initially, these were shrugged off as natural aspects of the planet. However, over several months, various prominent figures in Assunzione’s society – ranging from engineers and scientists to the Governor of Assunzione – concluded that these anomalies would worsen. They believed that the colonies needed shielding from further interference to prevent conditions from becoming intolerable. These individuals’ accounts can be considered the foundational testaments of modern Luceism, and their testimonies would prove critical to establishing the religion in the future.

Recorded accounts point to a curious coincidence: each of these figures had their revelations within the same year, 2254, exactly 20 years before the Dimming, all in dreams. Their reports describe visions of cataclysmic events, from meteor showers to devastating cold snaps, and even premonitions of the star itself extinguishing. Although none believed the latter at the time – despite it being the system’s ultimate fate – they were still inspired to protect against these potential disasters.

The Dimming and the Miracle

When the Dimming occurred in 2274, chaos ensued despite the planet’s preparations. The transition to geothermal energy from solar was incomplete when the star extinguished, leading to rolling blackouts and critical shortages of light and heat. The dome cities were plunged into cold waves, with thousands dying of hypothermia. Desperate attempts to keep warm led to fires that ravaged the cities. Furthermore, much of Assunzione’s food supply, grown outside the domes in the planet’s atmosphere, withered away as temperatures plummeted to hostile levels, additionally decimating the local fauna. The people of Assunzione were cold, hungry, and dying daily.

However, in what was then called the “Miracle of Assunzione” – or in modern Luceian terminology, “Ennoia’s Grace” – a significant portion of the population managed to subsist on underground-grown crops and farms. Starving citizens prioritized their community, working tirelessly to bring geothermal power plants online. Though many died in the process, power was eventually restored to the cities, giving heat and light to its citizens once more.

Three years after the Dimming in 2277, as society stabilized, Luceism was founded. Though the founder's name is lost to history – with at least two dozen names cited – it is generally agreed that Luceism was built by multiple people. It united the people of Assunzione, who all sought answers to their star’s mysterious fate and their collective suffering.

Early Growth

In the wake of the Dimming, as Assunzione grappled with its new reality, the seeds of Luceism began to take root in the collective consciousness of its people. The religion grew organically, a beacon of hope and understanding in a world that had been plunged into darkness and despair. It started as small gatherings in homes and community centers, where people shared their experiences, fears, and hopes. These meetings often involved collective meditations, discussions about the nature of light and darkness, and the sharing of dreams and visions that many believed were messages from Ennoia. As these ideas resonated with more people, the gatherings grew larger, and the informal network of believers began to form a more cohesive structure.

The teachings of the new generation of Foresayers, coupled with the shared experiences of survival and resilience, became the cornerstone of Luceism. People found solace in the idea that there was a greater purpose and meaning to their suffering, and that by mastering the internal dichotomy between lightness and darkness, they could emerge stronger and more enlightened. The concept of the Four Flames – Self, Community, Faith, and Light – provided a framework for this understanding, offering a path for spiritual and personal development. Stories of the Miracle of Assunzione, where the community's collective efforts led to survival against all odds, were told and retold, becoming central myths within Luceism, embodying the religion's emphasis on community and the power of collective action.

As Luceism’s influence grew, it began to formalize its practices and doctrines. The first temples and cathedrals were constructed, serving as sanctuaries of light where the faithful could gather. The clergy, initially just respected members of the community who had shown deep understanding and commitment to the religion's principles, began to take on more defined roles. Rituals and ceremonies were developed, drawing from the people's diverse cultural heritage, and integrating elements that resonated with the Luceian philosophy. The religion's growth was not just a response to a crisis but a reflection of a deep human need for connection, understanding, and a way to make sense of the universe's mysteries.

Early Luceism borrowed heavily from dominantly Catholic and Eastern Orthodox themes, reflecting the colony’s strong Mediterranean ancestry. Many of these themes persist to this day, from the pew-based designs of Luceian churches to the structure of the clergy, and even the use of wine as a sacrament in Luceian mass.

Theology

Light and stars are the main driving aspects of the Luceian faith, and many go to great lengths to lighting up houses of worship, altars, or in the case of Assunzione, entire cities. Artificial and natural light are of equal precedence, though natural sunlight, being a foreign concept to Assunzione, is often revered as having fantastical properties to followers, with many Luceians traveling abroad having awe-filled reactions to seeing daylight for the first time in their lives.

Light, in addition to physically allowing a person to see, also symbolizes the concepts of clarity, knowledge, protection, and nature. Light is what allows most forms of life to thrive and sense their surroundings, giving them not only nourishment but also the power of senses.

It should be noted that Luceians regard “light” scientifically as any form of electromagnetic radiation, meaning that infrared, ultraviolet, radio, and even ionizing radiation can be considered as light, though visible light is naturally the most desirable and most worshiped, and harmful radiation is avoided (though revered).

Aside from electrical light, candles and flames are popularly used in the religion, due to their ability to produce both heat and light. Simple candles, typically purple, red, or white in color, are used in home altars alongside a warding sphere, while flames – typically lit by gas – crown the four pillars of a Luceian church, flanking the central warding sphere at the church’s center.

Warding Spheres

Perhaps the most famous representation of light in the Luceian faith are its manifestations in the form of warding spheres – bioluminescent crystal bulbs. The warding sphere is the core religious object and symbol of the Luceian faith, and alongside the Luceian amulet, is core to followers of the religion, especially those who travel abroad. It is said that warding spheres can shine a directed light that will always point towards Assunzione in the night sky.

The warding sphere is made of luce vine bulbs (see below), and crafted by the Spheremakers of Guelma, masters of glassmaking who are able to fashion perfect crystal spheres to hold the vine’s fruit inside of. The bulb inside each sphere is chemically treated to be able to give off a faint yet persistent light for decades on end before burning out, without requiring any source of external energy.

On Assunzione, every household is encouraged (but not required) to keep a warding sphere in their home, sat atop an altar. Said altar can be as simple or as elaborate as the sphere’s owner permits or can otherwise afford, but all altars always contain the warding sphere and some sort of stand for it to rest on. The preferred “stand” for a stationary altar is a Cushion of Light, a violet down pillow covered in velvet with gold inlays, with a divot in its center for the warding sphere to rest on. In absence of a pillow, either due to space, flammability, or availability (such as living in a remote location), a metal stand may be substituted that keeps the sphere stationary and elevated above the altar’s surface.

Traveling Sphere

Abroad, most Luceians are almost mandated to be given a warding sphere to guide them on their travels; such warding spheres are smaller than the home variant and are always found secured in a cushioned metal casing, emblazoned with the Eye of Ennoia. The casing is designed to withstand drops of up to 20 meters or harsh impacts without damaging or cracking the sphere inside, and traveling Luceians keep it within said casing unless in a safe location such as their lodging or residence while abroad.

Doctrine does not mandate that Luceians carry a warding sphere wherever they go, but rather, that they are placed in a highly-frequented location by its owner, so that its owner may meet the light of Ennoia at least once or twice a day. It is for this reason that most prefer to keep their warding sphere at home, though those who do carry a sphere around do so with it inside the protective casing.

Shattering a Sphere

The shattering or breakage of a warding sphere is considered an enormous taboo in Luceism, and doing so, intentionally or unintentionally, is said to inflict a curse on its owner until they can receive a new one. In order to do so, they must travel all the way back to Assunzione to have one again, a journey said to be rife with bad luck as one ventures forth without Ennoia to guide them. Coalition of Colonies law prohibits the third-party resale or redistribution of warding spheres, and as such the Pyramidical Church are the only ones authorized to give them out through their authorized churches.

Luce Vine

The very namesake of Luceism, the luce vine is regarded as the last remaining native fauna species of Assunzione. The vine, which resembles a lavender ivy, managed to survive the Dimming’s immense cold and lack of sunlight, making up for the latter with its bioluminescent fruit, known as luce bulbs. They are regarded as nothing short of miracles, a symbol of hope for the generation that endured the Dimming, and what would later become revered as a “sign from Ennoia” following Luceism’s founding.

On Assunzione, luce vines often are grown and cultivated on walls of buildings, decorating otherwise-featureless brick and stone faces with beautiful purple facades of the vine. They are also present in churches, building interiors, and can even be grown abroad. Luce vine is known for being one of very few non-fungal plants in the Spur that can thrive in low light conditions, and as a result are also popularly found on foreign spaceships and moons.

Pendant

Secondary to the warding sphere is the Luceian amulet, a pendant constructed out of 18-karat gold, adorned with ruby gemstones at its eight corners surrounding the Eye of Ennoia. The pendant is commonly carried by Luceians traveling abroad, often in tandem with a warding sphere. The ubiquity of the pendants and their construction of precious jewelry is a testament to Assunzione’s rich mining deposits, and serves both as a religious icon and a boast about how materially gifted the planet of Assunzione is, as one blessed by Ennoia.

It is both the material and spiritual value of these amulets that prompt them to be kept well-maintained and regularly cleaned by its wearers, who believe that the amulet is a bringer of fortune to those who wear it. While losing or breaking the amulet is not nearly as big a deal as with warding spheres, selling it voluntarily for money is extremely shameful.

Scripture

Forming the holy book of the religion is the Luceian Book of Scripture, a collection of historically-backed texts that discuss the teachings and history of Luceism. In between historical segments, there are fictional fables interspersed in Scripture that intend to teach followers about certain aspects of the religion, like the Four Flames, that often display rewards for those that follow the light and consequences for those that are consumed by darkness.

Although the divine aspects of Luceism’s history, such as the predictions of the future, are questioned by the greater historical community, the events as they transpired are generally agreed to be real, able to be backed by photographic and video evidence - some Scripture editions even come with photographs of such events. Scripture, therefore, is intended to be an interpretation of events in the form of stories, intending to weave the disparate happenings of Assunzione’s history into a narrative that backs the reasoning and existence of the faith to begin with.

Passages from Scripture often tell of Ennoia’s teachings, as well as fundamentals of the religion and core beliefs. They can be read for meditation, during Mass, or as part of prayer.

Garb and Miscellany

The garments worn by Keepers and other members of the Clergy are typically a rich, royal purple in color, of varying elaborateness. Stewards wear robes made entirely of purple, while Keepers will have their robes with gold inlays with the Luceian Square embroidered on the back. Wardens and Luminaries will have more ornate gold patterns with luminescent patterns layered on top. Luminaries may also dress in white, with purple accents, for formal occasions. All garb is worn on top of a black cassock with purple shoulder accents and a black belt with a gold buckle.

Astructural clergy are allowed to wear the same garments as Pyramidical clergy, however many also opt for unique clothing, typically of business casual or bespoke robes fashioned of purple or violet cloth, sometimes adorned with gold. The luminous accents of ecclesiastical garb are woven of a fiber derived from luce vines, and inherit their bioluminescent properties. The fibers are treated in a similar way to warding spheres to be able to glow for prolonged periods of time without burning out; however, they do not last nearly as long as a sphere in their light, and must be replaced regularly. Because of this, garments containing the threads usually have them on different, easily-separable layers, so as to not waste the delicate velvet and craftsmanship underneath the accents.

Stars

Stars are a fundamental aspect of Luceian theology. Being the brightest objects in the night sky, stars are revered as being the holiest objects in the universe, due to the presence of Ennoia being strongest within them. It is said the stronger a star burns, the more divine energy it possesses.

Luceian doctrine teaches that all things, living and nonliving, were descended from holy stardust, and as their soul moves on in the afterlife, their body decays into the earth, soon to return to stardust itself.

The Star of Assunzione

Assunzione’s Star (also known as Assunzione Prime in astronomical contexts), with its true name lost to history, is an enigmatic black dwarf star at the center of the Assunzione star system, with anomalous properties and history that, even after over two hundred years of scientific research, have still not been uncovered. It is regarded as the most holy star of Luceism, and the “eternal hope” of Luceians is to have the Star reignite and return to providing life-giving energy to Assunzione’s cold, dark surface once more.

Every theory attempting to explain its extinguishing since the Dimming have failed to hold water, with the largest holes being the Star’s lack of a supernova, and its remnant’s total lack of residual light, such as in the form of a white dwarf. It is for this reason that many have turned to religion, worshiping the Star’s impossible nature until science can find answers. But despite the tireless attempts of both native Assunzioni scientists as well as those from various organizations, corporations, and even help from Skrell researchers, no concrete answers have been found.

In Scripture, the Star is sometimes referred to as “the Prison”, holding Ennoia’s true essence captive within the confines of a dead star. The texts describe Ennoia sacrificing its body, the Star, to provide life to the rest of the stars in the Universe at the cost of its own. While known traditionally as the “Dimming”, the event can also be referred to in more divine contexts as the “Sacrifice”, and great emphasis is put on the act of selflessness in the religion as a result. When referring to events or the Star, great care should be taken not to refer to it as a tomb or final resting place, for Ennoia is not dead – while its “true form” rests inside its Prison, its essence burns in every form of light in the Universe. As such, Luceians use light itself as their object of worship, believing themselves to be basking in Ennoia’s presence whenever they are standing in light.

Reignition

The ultimate spiritual goal of Luceism is to seek Reignition, or the resurrection of the Star; to reignite it and let it bathe Assunzione in sunlight once more. Prayer and contemplation, as well as self-improvement, charity, and adherence to the religion’s Four Flames are said to contribute “spiritual light” that provides fuel for the Star’s eventual relighting.

Divinity

Ennoia

Ennoia is simply described in Luceian texts as the deified representation of light itself. Many wrongly believe that Ennoia is found only in Assunzione or its Star – rather, Ennoia is present everywhere there is light, and everywhere there are stars. It is not a personified entity by any sense, and as such it lacks a form. It is omnipotent, impersonal, and touches the hearts and minds of every single being in the universe that bask in light.

In Luceism, Ennoia is treated more as a fundamental part of the universe rather than a sentient entity that demands worship; however, it is believed Ennoia can still listen to and answer prayers, and followers are encouraged to commune with it regularly, for guidance and wisdom.

A recurring theme of Ennoia’s guidance is the manifestation of its light as a “beacon”, shining on the correct path of decisions or life that a person should take. It is said that those who receive Ennoia’s guidance are guided on a path that is the best for them, as a person, and not necessarily the “correct” or “easiest” one. With faith in Ennoia, one will always find themselves remaining in light, even if they feel as though they are in a dark place.

Since Ennoia is amorphous, any attempts to depict it usually end with it being symbolized abstractly. Besides the simpler Eye of Ennoia on the Luceian Square, Ennoia itself may also be specifically depicted as a series of interlocking wheels representative of the orbits of planets in the system, surrounding a flaming eye representative of its long-extinguished Star.

Guardians

Similar to Angels in concept are the Guardians of the Stars, ascended souls who have passed from the mortal realm and became protectors of star systems. These immortal, fundamental Guardians are tasked with the protection of their host star system, nurturing whatever resources may be in them, and some may even be gifted life in their guardianship planets, should they nurture their home well.

Not every Star is home to a Guardian, and it is said that only stars protected under a Guardian’s watch may ever be able to have native, multicellular life develop in one of their system’s planets. Assunzione’s Guardian, being an exception, is Ennoia itself, albeit locked away in its Star, unable to give the gifts it once did to its system.

Foresayers

As a hybrid of both a prophet and a saint, Foresayers are influential, mortal individuals in Luceian history who are said to have been gifted with foresight – the ability to tell the future – and are tasked with spreading the word to those around them. The original Foresayers are those who founded modern Luceism and were also its first Keepers. Today, no officially-recognized Foresayers remain that are alive, although the Church does investigate claims of witnesses believing one to be gifted with foresight.

Foresayers are said in history to have consistently been able to predict certain events in the form of dreams. The Foresayers themselves, on testimony, state that their dreams are often vague, but convey a message, and it is up to the Foresayer themselves to draw a conclusion; said conclusion will usually mirror or even match an event in the near future. Besides premonition, though, no additional spiritual “powers” are given to Foresayers blessed with Ennoia’s foresight, remaining mortal and subject to the afterlife cycle like everyone else.

A total of 63 Foresayers have been canonized by the Church in Luceism’s history, 24 of which were the original Keepers of the faith, present after the Dimming and teaching Luceism until their deaths or retirements.

Chapters

Like most religions, Luceism has fissured into different chapters of followers, who worship in different ways. While several small, divergent chapters exist, two primary ones dominate Assunzione and most of its people: the Pyramidical chapter and the Astructural chapter.

While they differ in both ideologies and structure, both major chapters are united in their core opinions of Luceism as a gateway to self-betterment and well being, following the Four Flames.

Pyramidical Chapter

The Pyramidical Chapter is the dominating, traditionalist-oriented chapter of Luceism and the religion’s most iconic. The chapter is named after its hierarchical structure being in the shape of a pyramid, with Ennoia forming the tip and Luceian followers forming its foundation. Its power and influence leads to calling the organization of Pyramidicalists as the Church, a singular body responsible for overseeing the main religious activities of Luceism across Assunzione. Adhering to a rigid structure, Pyramidicalists behave much more similarly to Abrahamic roots, holding regular mass, having a structured clergy, and following established chants and prayers.

Pyramidicalists, as its members are called, are typically more conservative in Luceism’s beliefs and extensions across its people, though more liberal-minded followers exist as well. Pyramidicalists often believe Luceism is the supreme religion, and place more respect in their Keepers as divine heralds of Ennoia, with Pyramidicalists believing that ministers must receive Ennoia’s blessings to be able to practice.

Astructural Chapter

Contrary to the Pyramidical chapter is the Astructural chapter, also known as Astructuralism or even Mysticism, named for its non-adherence to a solid rank structure and instead placing followers and all clergy on equal footing. Astructuralists believe the clergy not to be granted divine rights by Ennoia, but are more analogous to teachers and professors, in that they are there to spread knowledge while coming from any background or birthright. Astructural clergy base their members not on rank and seniority, but on piety and faith alone, using more abstract methods to define the influence and faith a person has.

Astructuralists are separate from the Church, and hold next to no political influence on Assunzione, both because of their relative size and youth and because they are simply not interested in the power wielded by the Pyramidicalist Church, preferring to keep their communes simple and localized. Both the Pyramidical Church and the government still recognize Astructuralism as a legitimate chapter, if not the “true” one, and the government of Assunzione provides a similar level of oversight and aid as necessary to Astructuralists while Pyramidicalists allow Astructural followers into their churches.

Astructuralists are more liberal-minded in their concepts of religion, taking a more humble, even-footed approach to their religion. Astructuralists are more likely to be understanding of other faiths and focus more on personal faith and beliefs than Pyramidicalists do. This means they are inherently less unified as a religion than Pyramidicalists are, instead practicing self-mastery more than just worship. Astructuralism, while a vast minority on Assunzione itself, has found itself to have a growing following in the Coalition of Colonies, even to those not from Assunzione.

Sunlight Luceism

Since Assunzione’s rediscovery and welcoming into the greater Coalition, variants of Luceism have made their way into foreign worlds, whose people appreciated and adapted the moral teachings and spiritualities of Luceism as their own. Known as Sunlight Luceism, named for its followers living under active stars, the religion has seen unintentional spread across the Coalition and the spontaneous creation of churches and monasteries across its space. Sunlight Luceism follows both major chapters of the faith, with Pyramidicalism being more popular in established urban centers like Xanu and even Biesel, while Astructuralism is more popular in smaller, more remote worlds.

Several Pyramidical churches exist on prominent Coalition planets such as Xanu Prime and Konyang, and a few have even made their way to Biesel, lighting the metropolitan streets with their beacons.

Minority Chapters

Even smaller than Astructuralism are the existence of miniscule, unrecognized minority chapters both on and outside of Assunzione. Due to the openness of both Pyramidicalism and Astructuralism, these chapters, outcast from the two, are almost always radical in ideologies. These range from the supremacy of Luceism above all else to the advocation of the extermination of synthetic life, contrary to the passive teachings of the two main chapters of Luceism. Both the Pyramidical and Astructural chapters invariably denounce the ideologies of these minorities, and their influence as a result has been greatly diminished.

Clergy

In Luceism, the clergy, integral to both the Pyramidical and Astructural chapters, perform distinct roles aligned with their respective doctrines to carry out worship of light and Ennoia. In Pyramidicalist doctrine, clergy is divided into several ranks of varying powers and abilities, while Astructuralist ranks are more uniform and less hierarchical.

Ecclesiarchy

The Ecclesiarchy is the ministerial branch of the Luceian Church and is made of members directly responsible for the oversight and functions of the religion itself, ranging from ministers to those in charge of the entire faith. Ecclesiastes are not required to be celibate, and they may have children. Although married priests are not looked down upon, those who practice celibacy are often respected more in the Church due to the perception that they have sacrificed their own worldly pleasures to be one with the religion. They may also be of any gender or race, with even immigrants being allowed priesthood in certain circumstances; however, due to the controversial nature of synthetics within Luceism, they may not ascend past the rank of Steward in the Pyramidical doctrine. They may, however, function as Keepers in Astructuralism.

Pyramidical priests are paid both via donations from Luceism’s followers as well as a salary paid for by both the Church and the government of Assunzione. Astructural priests, on the other hand, are not endorsed by a greater Church and must rely on donations and government stipends alone for wealth.

Education

Pyramidical ecclesiastes are required to attend a four-year course taught in a Seminary, conditioning them to have intricate knowledge of the religion and its guiding principles, after which they are given a certificate that functions identically to a traditional bachelor’s degree. Afterward, they are ordained in a temple by a Warden accompanied by those of the Fellowship and join ranks as a Steward, a phase that typically lasts anywhere from one to three years depending on their performance and abilities.

Astructural ecclesiates, on the other hand, do not undergo formal courses to become ordained, instead following a more traditional apprenticeship structure in which they intern under an existing Keeper for a few years, learning about the aspects of being one, until they are judged to be ready by their master, and ordained as a full Keeper.

Stewards

At the base of the Luceian ecclesiarchy are the Stewards, junior ministers who have been recently ordained into the Luceian ecclesiarchy. This is the rank that all ministers enter as before being promoted to Keepers or higher, and are tasked typically with the maintenance and stewardship of a church, hence the name. They may also assist in Mass, bringing objects, reading passages, or speaking prayers, and are sometimes asked to read Scripture.

Stewards are unique in that they are the only role in the Pyramidical ecclesiarchy that may be staffed by synthetics.

Keepers

Forming the core of Pyramidicalist clergy, the Keepers of Luceism, referred to as “Lightkeepers”, are the primary priests and ministers of the Church, and function similarly to Abrahamic spiritual leaders.

Keepers are typically assigned one to four to a single house of worship dependent on size, with up to four Keepers and their Stewards responsible for giving Mass and maintaining their church. They commune with followers, maintain the building, and hold Mass in honor of Ennoia. They also act as counselors, giving advice both psychiatric and spiritual to those who come asking, and do charity work for the needy.

Wardens

Senior to Priests, fulfilling a similar role to Bishops, are the Wardens, those who have taken up a sacred duty to guard holy sites of the religion. Following the official consecration of a religious site, Wardens are Keepers elected by the Church to serve as the site’s guardian and protector.

Certain Wardens take up administration of monasteries, especially on sites in Assunzione, and are responsible for the upkeep of the ascetics who dwell within the monastic walls. They are referred to as Monastic Wardens.

Cathedral Wardens are those placed in charge of the seven primary Cathedrals of the cities of Assunzione. They are senior to regular Wardens but also act as adjutants to each Cathedral’s Luminary, serving in administrative functions as well as religious ones.

The Pyramidical chapter places Wardens as ranking above Keepers, although in the Astructural chapter, they simply fulfill different roles, with Wardens being little more than priests in charge of a holy site.

Luminaries

Exclusive to the Pyramidical chapter, the Seven Luminaries, serving as high priests, hold significant sway over both religious and political realms in Assunzione. They form the sovereigns of the Church, each one responsible for one of Assunzione’s seven cities. They function, practically speaking, in a semi-governmental capacity, representing Assunzione’s religious interests alongside its political ones. They hold seats on the city councils of their respective domains and represent the Church in matters of state, ranging from economic to diplomatic discussions both with other cities on Assunzione and with foreign powers abroad. While each Luminary is considered equivalent in rank, the Luminary of Malaga is considered “first among equals” in the hierarchy, usually being the most senior of the council.

The Luminaries convene for meetings on an as-needed basis, meeting for issues such as blessing Holy Sites, amending the Scriptures, canonizing Foresayers, and electing Wardens and other Luminaries. Outside of their governing role, Luminaries are also in charge of one of seven Cathedrals across Assunzione, and they perform the regular duties of a Keeper within their cathedral from time to time, rotating with the regular Keepers.

Luminaries, while instrumental to the Pyramidical chapter, are not recognized by Astructuralists, their role instead being seen as unnecessary to the faith’s continued operation. Some even are opposed to the existence of the Luminaries altogether, calling them decadent and hedonistic, exploiting the Church for power and influence.

First Sacristan

Unique in the Astructural chapter is the existence of the First Sacristan, an individual tasked for upholding Astructuralist traditions in the religion and ensuring history, methods, and knowledge of the chapter is passed down across the generations. While they are the de facto “leader” of the Astructural chapter, they do not hold significant power due to the autonomy of Astructural congregations, and as such holds influence more akin to a figurehead than an actual official. The First Sacristan is not recognized as a legitimate position by the Pyramidical Church.

Fellowship

The Fellowship is the monastic branch of the Pyramidical clergy staffed by monks and nuns known as Ascetics. These are those who have dedicated their entire lives to the faith and its core aspects, throwing away material desires and possessions in the process. Like monks, Ascetics are required to adhere to celibacy and hermeticism, living in very simple living conditions and being prohibited from forming romantic or familial relationships.

The Ascetics live in monasteries, both at home in Assunzione and even occasionally those abroad in the greater Coalition. Monasteries are not separated based on gender or species and even sometimes feature synthetics in their walls, worshiping Ennoia and light all the same. They typically adhere to schedules filled with meditation, prayer, and community service, and are only allowed basic recreation within the monastery’s walls. Ascetics are overseen by a Monastic Warden, who also adheres to the same humble principles as the Ascetics themselves. On Assunzione, Ascetics can usually be seen performing community service work outside their monastery walls, such as cleaning streets, feeding the homeless, and raising money for charity.

Leaving a monastery can be done in one of two ways: by leaving the Fellowship altogether, or becoming a Lightseeker. Ascetics do have the option of leaving the Fellowship, a move that is significantly easier to do in the first 180 days after joining it. However, doing so long after being indoctrinated into the Fellowship, although possible, is regarded as shameful and those who do so are believed to have chosen mortal pleasures over the pursuit of enlightenment and self-mastery.

Lightseekers

Members of the Fellowship may sometimes seek spirituality or enlightenment in a way that a brick-and-mortar monastery simply cannot provide. Ascetics who wish to go on this path become Lightseekers, Ascetics who have decided to journey on an aimless pilgrimage of self-discovery. Under supervision from the Church, they are allowed to seek employment and work, although they must retain simple lifestyles and are prohibited from spending more money than necessary for survival and basic recreation. Surplus money they earn for work must either be donated to charity or saved up in a bank account supervised by the Church.

Lightseekers are the Fellowship’s way of spreading its presence across the galaxy, with many onlookers and coworkers curious about their lifestyle and devotion to their faith eventually learning about Luceism and its tenets, increasing the number of those who know about the religion.

Astructural Ascetics

Unlike the rigid, organized structure of the Fellowship, Astructural Ascetics belong to autonomous monasteries overseen by a self-governing Monastic Warden of the Astructural chapter. These monasteries have far less commitment to them by its members, but also have much more emphasis placed on self-reflection and community service due to the chapter’s inherent ideologies. Astructural Ascetics can often be a temporary position, undertaken by individuals who desire to rediscover themselves only for a brief period of time, such as following a major life-changing event, and will usually leave after they are satisfied with what they have done with their time. Some do remain for a significant portion of their lives, however, and are sometimes even welcomed into the Pyramidical Fellowship due to their dedication to the faith.

Lightseekers are not found hailing from Astructural monasteries, as those dissatisfied with a monastery simply leave it. However, those who have embarked on a journey similar to a Lightseeker may be informally referred to as one, if only for the similarities.

Mass

While less emphasis is put on group gatherings in Luceism than in predecessor religions, they are still regularly held across Assunzione in Luceian churches, at dawn and dusk of each day. Luceian Mass places less emphasis on pure worship, and more among reverence and respect for Ennoia and its divine light.

Luceian Mass places heavy emphasis on introspection and guided meditation. Keepers who hold Mass will generally avoid speaking in their sermons for too long, instead participating in guided meditation sessions for followers in the church to connect with both themselves and Ennoia. Readings of Scripture are commonplace as well, with much of the texts intended to provide morals to guide people’s beliefs into those following Luceian doctrine. At regular intervals, prayer songs are also played, typically accompanied by a choir and traditional instruments such as the piano, violin, or pipe organ.

Donations are typically made about halfway through the Mass as well, with proceeds funding both the clergy and the church’s maintenance.

Towards the end of each Mass, a Sacrament is offered: liturgical wine, blessed by the Mass’s Keeper, to be drunk by attendees on a voluntary basis from a chalice. It is said that consuming the blessed wine places Ennoia directly into one’s own body from within, complimenting their outward exposure to light within the church.

Houses of Worship and Holy Sites

Churches

The chapels, cathedrals, and other assorted temples of Luceism range in size from simple rooms placed in the sides of buildings found throughout the planet’s habitation domes to formal churches to grand cathedrals dedicated to the worship of Ennoia - they all have one trait in common. In the center of every properly consecrated Luceian house of worship dwells a constantly lit flame maintained around the clock by the clergy of the faith. This flame is, to true believers, a representation of Assunzione’s mostly-extinguished star, and the hope that they will be able to rekindle it somehow, someday. Their places of worship are - due to their distaste for the dark - generally extremely well-lit, often with no truly dark areas in them.

The design of Luceian churches and temples is an unusual one that indicates the faith’s roots in old Earthbound religions before the arrival of settlers to Assunzione. Formal churches will generally follow an X pattern in their construction, with a circular tower rising from the middle of the X and above the church. This tower generally houses the eternal flame of the church, and has been termed the “lighthouse” by outside observers. The inside walls of these churches are often lined with ornate stained glass windows depicting both the history of faith and of Assunzione itself. Areas of worship feature a raised central pulpit that is typically lavishly decorated, with followers seated in circular pews around the pulpit. Above this is what followers of Luceism refer to as a greater warding sphere - a large, circular object filled with luce vines that constantly fills its surroundings with a ghostly white light. Followers state that if one is experienced with reading the shadows cast by a lesser warding sphere, it will always point towards Assunzione.

On sunlight-touched worlds, Luceian churches will additionally be built with massive skylights to let as much sunlight in as possible during the day, amplifying the light present in the building.

Though much attention is rightfully given to the grand houses of worship of Luceism, the most common area of worship in the faith - by quite a large margin - are small shrines commonly found in the homes of the faithful. These shrines are typically quite small, the size of a dresser or typical closet in order to conserve space within the limited living areas found under Assunzione’s biodomes, but are able to contain everything a small group of followers would need for their prayers, ranging from incense to prayer mats, to warding spheres. It is not uncommon to find these shrines in the homes of Luceians traveling far afield from their planet.

Solar Arrays

More popular with Astructuralists are the reverence of the solar arrays, large solar power plants that formerly drove Assunzione’s energy needs up until the Dimming, after which they fell into disrepair and deteriorated over the centuries. Due to having absorbed enormous amounts of solar energy during their operation, Astructuralists regard these arrays as remnants of the holy light once given by the Star and believe them to hold sacred energy. As a result, ceremonies and rituals are typically performed around them, and are considered holy sites with Wardens appointed to oversee them.

The Four Flames

Represented at each Luceian church by four towers at the edges of each wing, crowned by fires, the Four Pillars of Luceism are the core tenets of the Luceian religion, dedicated to charitable improvement of both oneself and their community.

Each Flame has a positive “light” aspect and a negative “dark” aspect, reflected in artworks by a flame and a shadow, respectively. Luceians are bound to follow the light aspects of each Flame and quell the dark, to better themselves as followers of Light.

A vital part to understanding the Four Flames is that one should not aim to destroy all negative aspects of their character, as doing so violates the Flame of Light and leads to a soul being consumed by their own fire, losing their personality, and perhaps even their sanity. Luceian doctrine holds that darkness is a key to self-improvement and character, ensuring room for growth and, thus, enlightenment.

Flame of Self

“If a flame does not master its own dance, it will burn out in the wind and be gone forever.”

The Flame of Self deals with a person’s self-image and ego, concerned with psychological aspects like self-esteem and character traits. Mastering this Flame is crucial to understanding one’s own soul, a vital component of Luceian spiritualism and is considered fundamental to a healthy life.

Meditation, self-reflection, and the humbling of one’s own ego are few of many ways to achieve self-understanding.

• Aspect of Light: Understanding

The Light Aspect is that of acknowledging oneself’s own flaws, and rather than attempting to correct them, embraces them and learns to overcome their shortcomings and negative traits. Those who have mastered Understanding acknowledge their limits but aren’t afraid to test them, and they do not keep secrets from their own mind.

• Aspect of Darkness: Ignorance

Being ignorant or avoiding recognition of one’s flaws, instead pretending they do not exist, is a path to the Flame’s Aspect of Darkness, Ignorance (or Bliss). Luceian teachings state ignorance as a fatal roadblock to one’s own development, condemning them to darkness if they do not learn of their ways.

Flame of Community

"In the hearth of the community, a flame that seeks only its own warmth will soon find itself alone in the cold. It is in the shared warmth of charity that all flames find their enduring glow."

Assunzione’s history was built on selfless sacrifice after the collective suffering its people endured; as a result, Luceism places heavy emphasis on the act of selflessness and giving to the community. The Flame of Community is one of giving, of the collective, of charity: to be selfish is to condemn oneself to die alone, but to be charitable is to ensure that not only do you live on, so do those you love and care for.

A notable mention is that Community’s aspect of darkness is not pure selfishness, but rather work in expectation of reward. Luceian teachings frown upon, if not condemn in some aspects, the idea of only working for the good of others if there is something in it for oneself; this is referred to as patronage.

• Aspect of Light: Charity

To be charitable is to give to the community without expecting anything in return. One who embraces this aspect of light will be fond of community work, philanthropy, and working hard to provide for others.

• Aspect of Darkness: Patronage

Patronage is the act of doing work only if oneself, and only oneself, can benefit from it. While Luceian doctrine does not condemn the act of working for one’s own support, not giving anything back to the community is considered ill-mannered and embraces the aspect of darkness for this Flame.

Flame of Faith

“A flame that bends too readily to the winds of surrender will find itself extinguished forever. It is the steadfast light of Truth that endures, unwavering, even in the storm.”

The Flame of Faith is the third pillar of Assunzione and one that deals with faithfulness, not only in Luceism but also in oneself and in others. Those who mistrust and desire evidence and reasoning for everything are said to embrace the aspect of darkness, while those who choose to trust someone or something close or dear to them are considered to embrace the aspect of light.

• Aspect of Light: Truth

To be faithful and to know the Truth is to embrace this Flame’s light. It involves a deep commitment to the principles and teachings of Luceism, seeking wisdom from the cosmos and the teachings of Ennoia. Adherents who embody this aspect are often reflective, open-minded, and earnest in their spiritual journey.

• Aspect of Darkness: Surrender

Surrender, in this context, does not imply weakness or defeat. Instead, it represents the acceptance of the limits of one's understanding and the mysteries of the universe. It's about letting go of rigid dogmatism and acknowledging that some truths are beyond human comprehension, a path to self-defeat and the halting of one’s own journey to enlightenment.

Flame of Light

"Light and shadow, in their eternal dance, must not consume one another. For a flame that blinds itself to either, risks losing the very essence of its being, fading into the void."

The Flame of Light is the fourth pillar of Luceism that deals with the concept of balance: mastering both one’s own light and dark selves. It is the aspect most concerned with maintaining balance between light and dark, and care must be taken not to remove the darkness from one’s own soul altogether, or they risk losing themselves, and who they are as a person, to their own fire.

• Aspect of Light: Control

Control is regarded as the ability of one to master their own flaws, or their darkness, and mesh it with their own virtues, or their light. The goal of Luceian teachings is to not light up all the darkness in one’s soul, but rather to achieve mastery of it, ensuring it does not consume the light in their soul and that their light does not consume the shadow. Too much light will burn a person, and too little will lead to one being swallowed by the void.

• Aspect of Darkness: Chaos

The aspect of chaos deals with one’s own internal aspects being unbalanced and out of control, allowing one to consume the other. It is said that a person’s own Flame – their soul – must remain balanced in life. A flame that is allowed to grow without darkness will turn into a fire, raging and burning until one’s own soul is consumed. A flame consumed by darkness, on the other hand, will snuff itself out, being lost forever. It is tantamount, therefore, that chaos not be allowed to fester within one’s own soul, and that instead light and darkness be in harmony with each other, like stars and space in the cosmos.

Afterlife

Luceians refer to their afterlife as “The Luminous Beyond” or just “The Beyond”, a journey that Luceian souls take to judge their character and, if worthy, join the cosmos.

When a “soul” dies for the first time, they begin a voyage of many lifetimes across time and space in what is known as a “reincarnation cycle” - a series of multiple lifetimes of being reborn into new bodies of new circumstances, as they accrue more and more experience and self-knowledge until they either achieve enlightenment, or are deemed too evil, and cast into the Void.

The Rest

In the intermediate stage between death and reincarnation lies The Rest, a period where souls are said to reside for a short (but indeterminate) period of time inside the Star of Assunzione. Here, souls can commune with one another and meet up old friends of their past lives while they await judgment from Ennoia’s light. While not dissimilar to Heaven in other religions, it is viewed more as a stepping stone than a final incarnation of the afterlife, as they are at a “rest point” on their grand journey to enlightenment. It is debated how long souls stay in The Rest - Pyramidicalists are more inclined to believe the soul rests there for as long as Ennoia allows, while Astructuralists believe it is up to the soul themselves to judge when they are ready to move on.

While in The Rest, souls remember their past lives and are able to reflect on their character, their accomplishments, and their shortcomings while awaiting judgment from Ennoia.

Reincarnation

Those who stray from the teachings of Ennoia, but not enough to snuff out their Flames entirely, are said to be reincarnated. It is said that most souls will take the path of reincarnation, even most Ascetics and ministers, as the process of life is one to master one’s own soul and to know their true intentions. Those who pass from their bodies will be birthed into a new one, keeping nothing but their soul’s true character, and it is over the course of the many cycles of reincarnation one will endure that they will be able to contribute to Reignition, the betterment of the community, and their eventual ascendancy to Guardianship – or be deemed irredeemable and cast into the Void.

Reincarnation is said to be accumulative: the more lives a soul has been through, the more innate talents and abilities awaken in a reincarnated soul’s mind. It is said the greatest prodigies, and the most talented and capable individuals accrued their abilities not because they simply had a “knack for it”, but because of lifetimes’ worth of experience reawakening in a soul. Over time, a soul will evolve, shedding undesirable traits for ones that promote their true character and selflessness, chiseling away at imperfections until an ideal soul remains.

With every reincarnation, however, come new trials and tribulations for a person to face: developmental, cultural, or societal disabilities which obstruct a person from being able to accomplish their goals, such as disease, poverty, or being born into servitude or authoritarianism. Those undergoing said trials while early on in their reincarnation cycle will typically fail - that is, they will either die early, turn to a life of crime, or otherwise stray from the Light and the Flames of Luceism. However, it is said that over the lifetimes, someone will eventually learn how to overcome said trials and emerge victorious as a better, more humble person embracing the core aspects of Luceism, even if that incarnation is not from Assunzione.

As reincarnation transcends time and space, it promotes the ideal that followers of Luceism should be kind to others, especially fellow Luceians, as there is a possibility, according to faith, that the person they are talking to is, in fact, themselves, in another incarnation.

Judgment and Enlightenment

Inside the Star, according to Scripture, souls are judged by their Four Flames, and how brightly each one burns. Each one is given a chance to reflect on their life, confronting their past and being given the chance to reconcile with and understand themselves. If a soul had not truly known themselves prior to death, this is where they come to a realization before judgment.

Enlightenment in Luceism is referred to as Alêtheia in the Pyramidical Church, heavily emphasized in Pyramidical teachings to be the goal that every Luceian should work towards, described as the discovery of truth through destruction of falsehood. Alêtheia as a concept is mentioned often in Scripture, and it is said that achieving such a state can take people lifetimes, even multiple.

Those who have mastered their inner selves and achieved balance of the Four Flames are welcomed into enlightenment, where they become Guardians of Light, and become the angelic protectors of Stars across the galaxy.

The Void

“Hell in Luceism is especially unique, and especially terrifying, because of a singular property it has that other realms of other religions do not: it is real.” - An Introduction to Luceism, originally published in 2423.

As Luceism is a religion focused around light, and having everything touched by it, it is only natural that the religion’s concept of Hell is the Void: the liturgical name given to the real, tangible region known as the Lemurian Sea. Its properties lend it to being impossible for light to get in, out, or through its borders, leading to it being visible from Assunzione as a dark, voidlike patch in Assunzione’s normally-starry sky, a feature which tourists find unnerving, and which Luceians find absolutely terrifying. It is considered taboo to even stare at the Void in the sky for too long, for it might consume one’s soul if looked at for long enough.

The Void is said to be the final resting place for souls who have been consumed by darkness so much that they are no longer recognizable as children of light. After death, their souls are condemned to the Void, where they will spend eternity in perpetual darkness, unable to move past the region’s boundaries, condemned to being able to perceive nothing but their own regrets and shortcomings. As the Void is home to these irredeemable souls, it is said that being in the Void for too long can corrupt one’s own soul, especially without proper light or spiritual protection.

Void Travel

Luceians may sometimes venture into the Void in an attempt to either survey it or unravel its mysteries, a feat which is the equivalent of marching into Hell itself. The Church condemns those who voluntarily enter the Void for travel or for otherwise superficial reasons, but understand the necessity of its importance in Assunzione’s research. It is for this reason that only science and rescue vessels with the blessing of the Church are allowed, legally, to venture into the Void. Even so, there are several preparations one and one’s ship must make to make the journey. A ship and all its crew must receive blessings and talismans from the Church for protection, and all warding spheres carried by the ship’s crew must be swapped and replaced for new ones. Even after preparations are made, Luceians are prohibited from leaving the protection of their ship to venture into the Sea on EVA, and expeditions into its borders can only last for up to 60 days, not including transit, before it is said that the Church’s protection wears off.

Vessels traveling into the Sea under Church protection are said to often encounter near-miss experiences in which they narrowly are saved, either by fortune or by actions of the crew; feats attributed to Ennoia and its guidance protecting those even who journey into the Void. It is said, however, that those who enter the Void without protection typically do not return, either succumbing to mysterious phenomena inside the region, or crashing into debris or an asteroid they could not see. Regardless, the stories of the countless ships and souls who became lost in the Void deter all but the most determined explorers or rescuers from ever stepping foot inside it.

Customs of Funerals and Burials

Funeral Rites

Funerals for Luceians are typically simple and reflective in nature, with importance being given to celebrating the deceased’s achievements in life and their journey to enlightenment, with friends and family giving obituaries while the body is laid for viewing. A Keeper will then read Scripture passages about reincarnation or enlightenment, before adorning the coffin in luce vines and saying prayers.

Burials

Burials in Luceism are performed in one of three methods.

Cremation is the most common, and most widely-practiced method on Assunzione. Due to the planet’s confined nature of habitation within the dome cities, interment – burial in a coffin – is typically impractical within the confines of the cities, and bodies are typically cremated instead in special, Church-blessed crematoriums that bathe the bodies in light before burning them. Due to the special construction of these crematoriums and their resultant ceremonies, native Assunzioniis traveling abroad will typically state in their post-mortems that they request their bodies to be returned to Assunzione rather than be cremated abroad. The Pyramidical Church covers the transport and handling costs of all deceased Assunzioniis abroad, regardless of chapter.

Cremated remains are then placed in an urn and stored in columbariums, typically inside a church; foreign-born Luceians may opt to have their ashes instead shipped back to their home planet, an expense also covered by the Church. Some, however, may have desires to have their ashes instead scattered on either holy sites (such as solar arrays) or ejected into a star, wishes which the Church will typically grant if they are not prohibitively expensive.

Interment is still practiced, however, should the deceased individual have a wish to be buried outside the domes. The rites for this are significantly more expensive due to the logistics required of burying a body in the extremely hostile midnight environment of Assunzione’s surface. To bury someone on the surface, their body is first embalmed by a Church-authorized mortician to remove as much moisture as possible from them while still keeping their appearance intact. They are then brought outside the dome to a designated cemetery, typically far away from a dome, and laid to rest. Unique in Assunzione burials is the tradition of keeping the coffin flush with the ground instead of burying it in dirt. This is so that the coffin, whose top has a window, will remain in starlight and allow the soul and the body to continue receiving the blessings of Ennoia.

Due to the unsettling nature of having corpses visible to passersby, buried bodies will usually be veiled with a one-way cloth so that light can still shine on their faces, but be masked to those viewing from the outside.

As a unique side effect of Assunzione’s freezing temperatures, bodies buried on the surface in this way will never decompose. The earliest Luceian cemeteries still have the preserved bodies of people who have died during the Dimming, preserved forever in the snow, there for all to see.

Interpretations

On Other Religions

Luceism, due to its relatively small size, typically does not condemn other religions in a public manner. Instead it maintains the passive ideal that its religion is the one true faith, one that Assunzione only is able to recognize due to its extraordinary history, and that all people should one day follow it as well, worshiping the life-giving energies of light.

On Assunzione, however, Luceism’s overwhelming influence on both the government and its people means that any other faiths that attempt to settle on the planet are quickly suppressed. The Trinary Perfection is one of the most recent faiths that attempted to plant seeds on Assunzione, only to be shunned and driven away by the native Luceians, synthetics included. As a result, other religions are virtually unheard of on Assunzione.

On Synthetics

Luceism, as a faith, has a neutral regard for synthetics that varies almost entirely on the individual’s interpretation.

Synthetics are protected on Assunzione despite their controversial nature, and are allowed to fulfill limited ranks in the Pyramidical Church. They can also become ministers of the Astructural chapter and be regarded as just as holy and faithful as anyone else in it.

Opposition

Those who oppose synthetics, while they do not (usually) vouch for their destruction, see them as beings that disrupt the balance of the cosmos. Synthetics, as believed by the opposition, were attempts by humans to bypass the natural order of life and balance to create life with one’s own hands rather than letting Ennoia and the stars fashion them. They additionally claim that synthetics, instead of using the life-giving energies of light directly, abuse the energy used to create light and drain power from Assunzione’s grid, darkening the world ever so slightly.

Synthetics of different religions or atheistic ones are especially repulsive to opponents against synthetics (and even, sometimes, those who are neutral), believing them to be ignorant or outright purposefully attempting to offend Luceians with their lack of knowledge on the matter.

Support

Those who support synthetics appreciate not only their work ethic, but also their innate curiosity and nature. Because Luceian doctrine mentions that all things, living and nonliving, were descended from stardust, synthetics too can be said to be children of Ennoia and should receive the same treatment.

The Astructural chapter is generally more open to recognizing synthetics as one and the same as all other organics, and welcome them into their ranks.

Rights and Autonomy

Even those who support the existence of synthetics on Assunzione typically do not advocate for independence and equal rights of synthetics, usually being content with the status quo of them being owned or otherwise in servitude. Many owned synthetics operate on Assunzione: some are owned by the Church as Stewards, others by the government as laborers and public servants, and others still by Zeng-Hu and the SCC as researchers and explorers. This neutral stance extends both ways, with Church and state respecting synthetics who bought their freedom, granting them opportunities and even offerings of religious self-discovery.

Prosthetics

Despite the mixed stance on synthetic life, an overwhelming majority of Luceians of any school of thought do not particularly care about prosthetic usage or augmentation by anyone, with many even encouraging it. This has been a particular boon to Zeng-Hu, whose corporate policies promote the usage of augmentation in its personnel.

Due to Luceism’s influence, though, it is common and traditional (though not necessary) for those who are given peripheral prosthetics, such as arms and legs, to have the Eye of Ennoia emblazoned on the prosthetic part, to give it good fortune and the Church’s blessing.

On Non-Human Sapients

Due to Assunzione’s status as a remote human colony world, non-humans practicing Luceism were generally not considered to be a realistic issue to handle up until Assunzione’s reintroduction to the Coalition. In the decades since, the religion has been spread even to non-humans, particularly Skrell and Dionae (see below), who find the philosophical and cosmological aspects of the religion to be fascinating at the very least and something they wish to devote themselves to at the most. While nonhuman Luceians are generally unheard of on Assunzione, besides Dionae, nonhuman followers and even ministers of Sunlight Luceism can be found offworld in other areas.

On Dionae

Spiritually-oriented Dionae gestalts are especially attracted to Luceism due to the species’ shared affinity for light and stars. Due to their nature having them use starlight to prosper and thrive, Luceians of both major chapters generally regard Dionae positively and welcome them into the faith.

The fundamentals of Luceism and the Eternal are alike, both having a reverence for light in which they hold the view it is the personified existence of their deity. Luceism’s worship of the light has drawn many Dionae to the faith; mostly from the perspective of curiosity as opposed to actually partaking in its practices. Some hold the belief that Ennoia is merely a human understanding of the Eternal, resulting in some syncretization between the two religions – despite the Omnivirate’s declaration that the practice of the religion would be apostasy; creating a rather tense relationship between the clergy of both faiths.

Many of the scholarly clergymen of the Eternal view Ennoia as an astrological phenomenon that needs to be studied, as opposed to being worshipped, which has been an objective of the Eternal’s Omnivirate since the early 2420s. This has only further split the two religions; despite the nature of a Dionae’s existence, having them use starlight to prosper and thrive. Though the clergymen of Luceism may hold disdain towards the Eternal, similarly seen with the Eternal’s religious authorities, Luceians of both major chapters generally hold the species in high regard.

Despite the integration of Dionae within the greater Coalition, and the occurrence of syncretism, Dionae are not permitted access to the Ecclesiarchy, and would not hold the positions of either Keepers or Wardens. This has been a somewhat open secret amongst the religious authorities of Luceism, and is enforced quite stringently.

On Science

Due to Assunzione’s location in Light’s Edge and bordering the Lemurian Sea, as well as the impossible fate of its own Star, the planet has attracted a colossal scientific community rivaled in the Coalition only by Galatea. As a result, Luceism takes a very open stance towards science and research, and Luceian teachings act to fill in the blanks that science cannot answer, rather than attempt to prove alternate theories. The Star’s own fate has been researched for over 200 years to no avail, leading to the Church drawing the conclusion that it was divine.

Luceians hold steady that it ultimately does not matter if the Dimming can be explained or not, for it is the indisputable Miracle of Assunzione that happened following the event, as well as the prophetic preparations made beforehand that allowed the Miracle to happen in the first place, that gave birth to the religion and functions as its foundation.

Luceians additionally hold that science discovering a way to reignite the Star artificially is also a desirable outcome, as it would take the collective efforts of the hearts and minds of countless scientists to discover such a thing, demonstrating aspects of the Flames of Community and Faith.

On Corporations

With Assunzione forming the headquarters of the Coalition branch of Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals, it is only natural that both the megacorporation and Luceism would have significant influence over each other, at least in the region. Despite the potential for powerplay between the two parties, it is within both their interests to leave each other alone, with influence instead being relegated to favors and quid-pro-quos between Church and company. Zeng-Hu Assunzione typically adheres to Luceian customs and religious practices for its own business in Light’s Edge, particularly when it comes to blessing expeditions. The Church, meanwhile, takes care not to disrupt corporate processes to a significant extent, as both Zeng-Hu and the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate’s affiliate organizations bring in a significant amount of revenue to Assunzione as a major trade, mining, and scientific center, and they would like to keep it in exchange for the corporations not attempting to meddle in the Church’s affairs.

On Apostasy

Both doctrines of Luceism strongly oppose the act of apostasy, or leaving the religion for either atheism or a different one altogether. Astructuralists are more forgiving of apostates if they do so for reasons of family, protection, or enlightenment, while Pyramidicalists condemn the act altogether and those who perform it. Those who shun away from Luceism are said to fall into darkness, captivated by it, and only in returning to light may one’s soul find solace again, or risk being lost to the Void.

Prayers

Prayers in Luceism do not have an introductory gesture or statement, but are instead marked by the bowing of one’s head and the presentation of a light source. A light source, such as one’s warding sphere, a candle, a flashlight, or even a flare, may be “presented” by having the wearer hold it up with one or two hands, or alternatively by resting said light source in close proximity to them; the important part is to have the object be touched by the person before or during praying.

While some defined, literary prayers exist in Luceism, prayers may also be flexible, made and uttered on the spot by followers or ministers, and can either follow the structure of a normal prayer or depart from it altogether. Astructural prayers are more likely to be impromptu, while Pyramidical prayers favor written ones. Structured Luceian prayers, with some exceptions, typically are in the form of poems, written in rhythmic verse; this allows them to also be optionally made into a song, and several renditions exist that do so.

The following are excerpts of the most ubiquitous prayers in Luceism.

Rite of Light

The Rite of Light is the most common prayer in Luceism, practiced by all chapters, and is used as a general prayer of protection and guidance from Ennoia.

O Ennoia, source of light,

Guide us in the eternal night.

Keeper of balance, pure and bright,

Illuminate our path with your sight.

In moments of darkness, in times of plight,

Lead us with your wisdom, O radiant light.

O Ennoia, beacon in our flight,

Grant us sunrise from this endless night.

Creed of the Flames

The Creed of the Flames functions as a prayer and creed to reaffirm one’s own faith in the religion using the Four Flames. It is an extended version of the Rite of Light and is generally spoken in a church setting rather than as a simple prayer.

To Ennoia, whose blessing burns so brightly,

May our hearts reflect your Light so rightly.

Within every soul burns four Flames,

Guiding life's intricate, winding games.

Teach us to master them, our very own Light,

In our hearts and minds, both day and night.

Help us know our Selves better than a mirror,

Making our path through life much clearer.

Teach us to conquer our fears within,

So in life's battles, we may begin to win.

Let us be charitable to one another,

Treating everyone we meet as our sister or brother.

Lead us not into temptation of greed,

But towards acts of kindness and good deeds.

Bask us in your holy Light,

Turning our darkest nights into days so bright.

Guide us on the path of virtue and wisdom,

To lead us, eventually, to the gates of your kingdom.

Keep our flames burning but at bay,

So we walk the righteous path each day.

Let us control the darkness in our souls,

And not allow it to take its toll.

This we ask of you, and us,

Of the Stars and their Guardians who we trust.

So we may be beings of charity and light,

And soon, bring the day to our home’s endless night.

Prayer for Passage (“Stardust”)

This prayer is typically used at funerals, to honor the deceased.

In the vast expanse of the cosmos, we gather,

To honor a journey, both ancient and eternal.

From stardust we came, to stardust we shall return,

In the endless dance of light and shadow.

Beneath the watchful eyes of distant stars,

We remember the light you shared,

A spark of the infinite, a whisper of the divine,

A soul that danced with the flames of life.

In the celestial tapestry, your story is woven,

With threads of love, joy, and memories cherished.

In the heart of the cosmos, your spirit finds its echo,

A part of the universe, forever and always.

As you return to the cosmic embrace,

We release you with love, with gratitude, with peace.

May your journey be gentle, your path illuminated,

As you become one with the stardust once more.

In this moment of farewell, we find unity,

In our grief, a testament to our shared humanity.

From stardust we came, to stardust we return,

In the eternal cycle of light, life, and love.

Farewell, dear soul, until we meet again,

In the boundless realms of the stars above.