The Constellations
From Mizahar Lore
 The Constellations | |
| Leader | None |
|---|---|
| Population | 180 approx. |
| Most common in | Lhavit |
| Reputation | Skyglass Manipulators, Lhavit's Justice System, Spreaders of Zintila's Faith |
| Faction gods | Zintila |
| Stronghold | Lhavit |
The Constellations is a collection of individuals blessed with Akarni, Zintila's Gnosis. They are lead by their Anchorite and are widely known as the foundation and support of Lhavit. The members of the Constellation are often prominent members of society. Without them, Lhavit would never grow and would struggle to retain its function and beauty. The Constellations are very determined and structured with a single-minded purpose: Restoring Zintila to her former glory.
Contents |
History
The Constellations have existed since before Lhavit became the city it is today. The first members of the religious cult were recognized as far back as the fall of Zintila herself. They have evolved and replaced Zintila's original Priesthood, which has been forgotten with time, from when she was a powerful Deity. These early devotees were blessed by the Goddess in gratitude for their loyalty, and they gained the knowledge of Skyglass, along with the ability to manipulate it. As requested by Zintila herself, who cared for the new city that she now resided in, the new Constellations were tasked with building Lhavit. The first of the magnificent structures were confined to a single peak, before eventually crafting buildings over the five peaks that make up Lhavit today.
The Constellations have always been incredibly devoted to Zintila and have additionally given their dedication to the city of Lhavit itself. Working alongside Aysel and Talora, as well as the Shinya, the Constellations play a large part in securing the fragile city society. This does not distract the Constellations from their original purpose of restoring Zintila to her powerful ranking among the Gods. Although they may serve other purposes, their true dedication lies with this ambition.
Organization
The Constellations are not a secluded cult. With one of their original purposes being to serve the great city of Lhavit, the Constellations are almost completely transparent in their working. They serve as Zintila's most dedicated followers and her vessels to help guide and care for the Godess' precious city of Lhavit. At one point, during Hayani's rule of Lhavit, ranking within the cult had been as strict as the social structure of the city itself. Aside from this short time period, and after Hayani passed, ranking within the Constellations has always been rather relaxed. There are no regulations that bar a Terl from suggesting something to a Saya, and no rule that keeps the Anchorite from walking the streets to aide in a new tea-shops construction. Despite this relaxed attitudes, the members of the Constellations hold heavy responsibilities that necessitate the classification based upon their skill. This ensures that each individual is given plenty of room to succeed in their interests and allows the Constellations as a whole to be productive by using skill where it is needed.
Sects
If you ask anyone in Lhavit, there is only one religious cult devoted to Zintila. It is also well known that the Constellations have three distinct sects within the cult. Each serves the following purposes: To keep Zintila's religion alive and spread her faith, to construct and maintain the city of Lhavit as Zintila herself has tasked them with, and to interpret the laws of the city and protect the rights of Lhavit's citizens.
| SECT | DESCRIPTION | SAYA |
| Akka | The Akka are the sect of the Constellations that focus on putting their Akarni Gnosis marks to use. They construct buildings and create valuable art for the city of Lhavit. Their talents are used at a citizens request (within reason). The Reta usually serve as the head architects, because of their skill, but anyone within the sect are welcome to build or plan as they wish, with some approval from the Reta and the Saya. | Nilen |
| Seiza | The Seiza hold the judiciary responsibilities of not only the Constellations but of Lhavit as well. They make sure the Government's laws are upheld and protect the rights of the citizens. Like their Goddess, the Constellations love their city and the Seiza represent that dedication. | Johelm |
| Tenya | The third sect of the Constellations are responsible for spreading the faith and religion of Zintila outside of their own cult. They become the moral and religious leader's of Lhavit's citizens and a heavy religious influence within the city. | Seanja |
Titles
Although there is organization within the Constellations, the "rank" of each individual is a loose term. As one progresses with their work, they are given more responsibilities. The nature of each responsibility depends on their title. The progression from Initiate to Terl and Terl to Cala are quite similar and mostly depend on the skill of the member. The more responsibilities one is able to take on, the higher name they can earn.
Only Reta and Saya members are chosen by Zintila as leaders, and, therefore, earn the luminescent glow to their skin as a result of Zintila's Blessing.
| TITLE | GNOSIS | SIZE | DESCRIPTION |
| Anchorite | 4 | 1 | The Anchorite is Zintila's champion and the head of the entirety of the Constellations. Although she is head of The Constellations as a whole. The Anchorite works closely along side the other two Saya and with her Reta to help the cult serve both Zintila and Lhavit to the best of their capabilities. |
| Saya | 3 | 3 | The Saya are the high Priests and Priestesses of Zintila, but also the leaders of each sect. The Saya still have three Gnosis marks and work all the same duties as the Reta with an added responsibility for guiding their individual sect. Nilen leads the Akka, Johelm leads the Seiza, and Seanja leads the Tenya. |
| Reta | 3 | 15 | The Reta are the Priests and Priestesses of Zintila. If a member has been chosen to be Reta, they are among the most dedicated and faithful to Zintila. The Reta become the leaders of one of the three sects, guiding the Cala and Terl, it is exceedingly rare for a Reta not to have chosen their path within the Constellations and often don't switch between sects. Although they do not consult with the Goddess as much as the Saya or the Anchorite, the Reta have developed a relationship with the Goddess that allows them to help guide their sect to help the city. |
| Cala | 1-2 | 100 | The Cala make up the bulk of the Constellations. Most every member will end up here, excluding the few who are chosen to become Reta. By the time a member has reached Cala status, they have usually chosen a path, be it Akka, Seiza or Tenya. Switching between sects is not unheard of, but is still rare. Cala are chosen based on their usefulness to their sect. As one's skill increases and the individual becomes more proficient, their responsibilities change and they earn the title of Cala. |
| Terl | 0-2 | 50 | The Terl is not the largest ranking, but it is the most diverse. Most members of the Terl are in training to work within the Constellations and so they often float between serving the various sects until they settle on one that suits their interests. A Terl is sponsored by one or more Cala, who mentor them within the cult and serve as their teachers within the various sects. Some Constellations will stay in the Terl ranking forever, often being the ones who switch between sects too often to commit to a single one. The rest of the Terl usually progress very quickly as they focus on one sect and their skills increase. |
| Initiate | 0-2 | 10 | This is the smallest, as well as briefest, rank within the Constellations. Initiates hold no official membership within the Constellations, and usually only remain so briefly until they decide to join or not. Initiate (and Terl as well), don't rely on Gnosis marks for their title. Initiates can have anything from zero to two marks, however by the time one reaches Cala, they will have earned at least their first Gnosis from Zintila. Initiates are always warmly welcomed, but pressuring one to join the Constellations is never supported. |
Becoming an Initiate in the Constellations is very easy. There is one location within the city for each sect of the cult. If one has any interest in learning about or taking part in the activities of the Constellations, they can simply walk into either The Twuele (Seiza), The Koten Temple (Tenya), Or Eraiki Spire (Akka), and ask to speak to a Constellation. There is no real commitment made in the beginning. Either one learns of the Constellations and chooses to return to their regular life, or they learn of the Constellations and wish to join the cult in serving Zintila.
The cult forms a close almost family-like bond between the members. No one within the Constellations will be unsupported or turned down among their family. Joining and retiring from the Constellations can happen at any point in one's life. It is not uncommon to meet an initiate who has already met his grandchildren, or a full-fledged Cala who retires to care for her first child. Members that have left by their own account are always welcomed back with open arms and never truly leave the family atmosphere. Pay is based on one's rank, as the sect recognizes the skill of each of their members. Although, it is rare for members of the Constellation to seek employment outside of the cult, it is common for a Constellation to keep a successful business running, from before they joined the cult.
Since Hayani's passing, the Constellations remain without an Anchorite until Zintila chooses another worthy to be her champion. Still, the three Saya remain the leader's and heads of the cult as a whole and are primarily looked up to for consultation with the Seiza, the Ruling Ethaefal and the Council of Radiance.
Initiates are not paid. A Terl is paid of 4 gm/day, a Cala is paid 7 gm/day, while Reta and Sayas are paid 13 gm/day. The Anchorite is supported by Zintila and the Constellations as a whole.
Locations
The various sects of the Constellations are in no way inhibiting the cult's unity or ability to work together. There are no official separations of the members, aside from the simple difference in responsibilities based on their skill and knowledge. One Cala may find their passion lies in the manipulation of Skyglass, as is the purpose of Akarni, while another may have a devotion to spreading faith in Zintila among Lhavitian citizens. Yet, these two Cala are as close as two siblings and share the same ultimate desire to re-elevate Zintila as she deserves.
Located within the Twuele, on Shinyama peak, the Seiza serve as diligent and level headed judiciaries for the city of Lhavit. This sect works alongside the Council of Radiance, the Night Lord and Day Lady, as well as the Shinya. The cult holds no official ties to the other factions, to avoid complications. The Seiza do not make the rules, but the ensure that they are respected and consequences are handed out accordingly. Just like Zintila, the Constellations love their city and the people of it, and so the Seiza formed to defend the rights of the citizens. The Seiza take it upon themselves to keep the other factions balanced, and are trusted to do so with such close ties to the city's beloved Goddess.
Skipping over to Zintia's peak, one may happen across the Koten Temple. This is where the Tenya is represented. Although no sect within the Constellations is any less devoted than another, it is the Tenya who have made it their duty to keep the faith alive outside of the Constellations. The temple is open to all citizens and is often a popular place for citizens to find serenity with their faith as well as consulting the wise Cala, Reta and Terl of the Tenya. If one has any ounce of interest in Zintila, they are sure to find all the information they could want or need on the Goddess here.
On the edge of the Sartu peak, the Eraiki Spire may be found. Eraiki Spire This is where one can find those of the Constellations that put the Akarni Gnosis to their proper use, the Akka. When the Constellations were first built, Zintila requested that her devoted cult sacrifices their hard work to the city of Lhavit to help it to thrive. As the Akka formed within the Constellations, this directive has simply never disappeared. Once marked by Zintila, some of the Akka found they could put their artistic and architectural skills to use for the city and that is how they currently work. Approachable by any citizen, the Spire's doors are always open. From the small fix of a roof to the construction of a magnificent mansion, here citizens can petition the Akka to aid in the growth and progression of the city.
Traditions
Although the Constellations are very open to the citizens of Lhavit, the cult creates an almost family-like feeling between members. As a result, the Constellations have adopted a fair amount of traditions and rituals that are followed and celebrated by each member.
To start with some of the more relaxed traditions, the Constellations are known to be free spirits. They are not confined by the Constellations to only focus on their work for the Goddess, although that is what many of them prefer to do. Members of the Constellations are often recognized within the city as prominent business owner's, artists, magicians and even members of one of the three Towers. Some turn out to be intelligent scholars that help with the innovative movement within the city. It is not an official rule, but it is generally accepted that the Constellations often pursue other interests with the purpose of bettering themselves or those around them. Yet, it is common to see the Constellations who are wholly devoted to the cult and their Goddess as well. Often these devotees move on to be titled Cala or Reta.
Another undefined tradition is that of other religions. It is no secret that Lhavit is home to those who are devoted to many Gods. Within the Constellations, it is no different. Often Gods such as Leth, Syna and Semele are highly worshiped alongside Zintila. It is common to see members of the Constellations with one of these Gods' Gnosis, but rarely are they marked with more than one Gnosis from another Deity. Other Gods and Goddess' accepted by the Constellations, but are far less frequently worshiped, are Priskil, Tanroa, Caiyha, Dira, Kihala, Cheva, Sylir and many more positively influential or neutral Gods. Deities such as Rhysol, Yshul, Myri, and Uldr are shunned and not worshiped by any of the Constellations because of their negative effects on not only the individual but those who surround him or her as well. And, it is almost unnecessary to mention that all members raise Zintila above any other God in terms of faith, especially among the Tenya.
One of the traditions that come with joining the Constellations, and rising to the rank of Reta, is the blessing from Zintila. After being blessed, the chosen Reta will begin to show a faint star-like glow to their skin. Although not nearly as beautiful or powerful as Zintila's, it is a clear marker of her most dedicated followers and members of the Constellations. All Constellations, from Initiates to Cala, have a scattering of gnosis, from none to two marks. Once a new Reta emerges with the distinct glow of Zintila's Blessing, the city will celebrate for days in the usual Lhavitian fashion. Food, music, dance and enjoyable concoctions are distributed to all friends and neighbors and celebrations ensue for about two nights.
And the very last, but most strict of the traditions, so strict it may be called a rule or law within the faction, is held only to the Seiza. As the judiciary branch of not only the Constellations but the city as well, members of the Seiza are not allowed to be part of the Council of Radiance or the Shinya. The Seiza are well known for their level heads and fair judgment, so being too close to the law enforcers and creators would create bias within the sect. To avoid this, once an initiate reaches Terl, they are highly encouraged to depart from the Council or the Shinya in favor of the Seiza, or vice versa. Cutting personal connections between the Constellations, Shinya and the Council of Radiance is key to keeping the judicial sect clear of bias in their decisions. Because of the delicate nature of Lhavit, it is important that the Constellations keep peaceful relationships with the other ruling factions of the city and to ensure there are no complicated personal ties between them.