Building an Empire

Name: The Most Divine Nakikan Church of the Immortal Emperor
Colloquial Name: The High Church
Leader/s: His Holiness Suchos Lagarto, the Eighty-Eighth Grand Nakhan (de facto) / The Oracles of Nak (de jure)
Function: Many, including;
- Regulation of Worship
- Tithe collection & expenditure
- Maintaining balance and harmony among the Seven
- Ensuring the blessing of the Gods
- Handling the Sacred Crocodiles
-- Caring for the Sacred Crocodiles
-- Feeding the Sacred Crocodiles
- Monitoring the piety of the nation
- Elimination of 'Unholy Witchery'
- Preventing the Emperor from turning his back on the Will of Nak

History & Organisation: Imposed long ago upon the nations by the first Lord Emperor to deify his predecessor, the High Church is in fact several Churches, each dedicated to one of the Seven Gods. Yes, seven. Certainly not eight. In fact, the number eight is strictly prohibited, as is any assertion of a God of Shadows. Please report any sightings of this glyph or associated personnel to your local Tower of Clemency. Incidentally, each of the Seven is known to favour a different Principality within the Empire and tend to be confined in their worship as a result.

Nak is the chief deity of the Church, having ascended to Godhood after slaying a huge Crocodile Demon that had murdered the original Creator and swallowed the others whole. He absorbed some of the divine power within the Crocodile but had to give up his mortal body to free the Seven Gods. Nak is also called the First Emperor and is the Patron God of Law, Fortune and Crocodiles. The Grand Nakhan is appointed by the Nakikan Council - Two by the Oracles of Nak, three from the Conclave, a representative from each of the Seven, one from the Emperor and observers from the Guilds and Tinkerers.

The Oracles first descended from the youngest daughter of Nak, but have since recruited more widely, though only those whom have received His blessing are permitted to join. They reside within the Holy Temple of Nak; a spire built around the Sacred Mountain, believed to be the site where Nak defeated the Demon. They are responsible for receiving divine guidance from Nak, which is then passed to the High Church and the people of the lands. It is unknown to those beyond the Oracles how 'The Blessing' operates, but it is a sign that appears first on the palm before spreading across the body, until all is encased in scales marked with the glyph of Nak. Those who wish to reject the Blessing can petition the Oracles for guidance as they alone and prevent it from spreading past its earliest stages. As the Blessing develops, they receive great visions as their connection to the Bright increases, eventually overwhelming their senses; many of the Oracles lose their mortal sight, perceiving only the Shadow and Bright.

Few of the Oracles leave the Holy Temple once their blessing is complete, but some do wander across the realm as scholars or advisors; typically those that retain some mortal sight. Most encounters with 'The Blessed' are with those who rejected Him, either halting the transformation or devolving into one of the Sacred Crocodiles - such is the fate of Oracles that disobey the will of Nak.

Below the reclusive Oracles is the Conclave; a body of priests and devotees in the service of Nak. There are fewer Shrines to Nak compared to the Seven, but they are more widely dispersed across the nations and fortified to protect the riches and power within. Each is built in the form of a step pyramid on lands belonging to the High Church - only Church laws are recognised on their grounds. The Nakathedral is the most resplendent headquarters of the High Church, facing the Imperial Palace. It is there that the Grand Nakhan leads the Conclave, receiving wisdom from the Oracle and hosting the Nakikan Council.

Traditionally, all the Churches have called upon all people to shun what the tinkerers call 'The Shadow' - a mysterious force associated with the Ascension of Nak. Rather, the powers provided by the Seven - 'The Bright' is instead enshrined as the primordial life-force, flowing down from the heavens and fuelling 'traditional' magic rather than the earthly, 'tainted' substance expended by the 'Lower Magics'. After a series of conflicts with the Tinkerers however, the High Church was forced to accept Tinkerer activities and operations, but not without a significant deal of distrust and suspicion.

Peace was maintained until the Golem Uprising of 4130 AI (Anno Imperium), all forms of 'artificial magical life' were forbidden - in exchange for a series of concessions and deals between the two agencies. For instance, it was determined that 'non-living' constructs could be used for certain purposes. Of course, the definition of "life" is a tightly-guarded matter between the Tinkerers and the High Church. Certain other regulations on Tinkerer technology are maintained, though not without difficulty and there are always whispers around those rumoured to disobey the Church's statutes.

Due to their connection to Divine favour as well as being the spiritual agency responsible for anointing and legitimising Emperors, the High Church holds considerable sway over the Empire, though never directly: neither Oracles, nor members of the Conclave can sit on a throne without abandoning their position and powers. Only once has this occurred, following the 'Years of Dark'. The 'Dark Emperor' reigned, having brutally seized shrines of the Church to power his malevolent madness. The 'Oracle Queen' descended from the Temple, smote the Emperor for his sins and became regent for the only remaining heir of the last unblemished Emperor, who had fled to the Oracles for protection. She lost her Blessing, the Sight and her divine strength, saving the new Emperor's life and bringing forth a golden age that ended the moral and physical decay of the Years of Dark. It is their descendants that still reign, though the lustre of those times has long departed.

Strengths:
Authority - The pious tremble at the words of the Oracles of Nak, for doom has come to many that shun them.

Wealth - As befitting a God of Fortune, the coffers of the High Church are vast and supported by Church tithes, which are distributed by it between the Seven for its operations and the general welfare of citizens. Each Shrine also hosts many artefacts and objects of beauty and magic, as well as sealing objects of dark and forbidden origins.

Knowledge - The Nakathedral Library specialises on matters of history, law and the divine, but it is the mysterious archives of the Oracles that is envied throughout the world. Wandering Oracles are also highly sought-after though their patronage is difficult to acquire.

Presence - The High Church; unlike the Emperor, is everywhere. Its agents can be found within all of the states and its devotees are great in number, despite few places of worship. Those it does have however, are monumental in size and highly secure. The High Church is not referred to derisively as the 'Spies Guild' without reason.

Power - The Oracles are feared and respected (in that order) due to the powers granted by Nak and their authority over the Seven Churches. They can harness magical forces from across the Empire, though only when and where they choose to do so.

Divination - The Oracles receive many visions and portents of the future, though their sharing is limited and mostly confined to the High Church.

Weaknesses:
Reclusive - The Oracles are so hesitant to interact with the realm at large that most acts (and individuals) are deemed 'below their station'. Instead, the Grand Nakhan does their best to handle the operations of the High Church during their absence.

Lawful - They may have some measure of influence upon the letter of the law, but they are also bound to adhere to is, as demanded by Nak himself. Those violating it must either atone (if permitted) or be cast out. Some of the worst atrocities in living memory can be traced to Oracles exiled from the Holy Temple
that gave in to temptation or otherwise communed with forces beyond mortal comprehension.

Numbers - While the High Church may have many followers and a wide reach, the hierarchy itself is small and the Oracles themselves are effectively absent. Instead, the High Church relies on the support of each Shrine and the surrounding lands.

Piety - The High Church relies on piety and Divine favour for much of its power and prestige. The numbers of those rejecting the Blessing increased to the point that twenty years ago, the Oracles no longer accepted denial, leaving those that refused to join to their fate. Nobody has been Blessed for some time and with the Temple's gates shut, murmurs abound as to whether the Oracles themselves may have lost Divine favour.

Dispersed - So wide and varied are the tasks required by the realm and terrible the consequences of failure that the High Church struggles to maintain its strength.

Rivalries - The High Church receives opposition at times from other agencies within the Empire, particularly the Tinkerers, whose attempts at either 'heretical arts' or 'progress' (depending on whom you believe) have led to what is essentially a 'Silent War' between them, with only enough co-operation between them to avoid outright civil war.

Leader Biography: Suchos Lagarto is an interesting figure; raised as the only son of one of the Viziers in the capitol, Suchos chose the priesthood over the civil service. A childhood friend of the current Emperor, it was hoped that his election after two decades of service in the Imperial Household as a religious advisor would reduce tensions between him and the Church. However, the pressures of both offices and the Emperor's temperamental state have seen the High Church fail for the most part to ensure their interests are met.

Suchos is calm and reserved, keeping a tight inner circle and hesitant at times in making connections beyond his network of associates and acquaintances. However, his grasp of bureaucracy and finance is strong, augmenting his theosophical and rhetorical knowledge. Now well into middle age, his gaunt face and modest robes are a familiar face within the Empire, though his limited authority and lack of natural charisma have hampered the Church's ability to rally the masses as it once did.

Leader Strengths:
Adept Administrator - Lagarto's handling of coin has improved the position of the Church during a time of significant instability and managed its stretched resources with great care.

Ordained by the Oracle - As Grand Nakhan, Largato has consulted deeply with the Oracle's representatives within the Nakathedral and earned their trust and respect. As well as being under their protection, he benefits from their visions and guidance, adding it to his already noteworthy intellect.

Leader Weaknesses:

Indolent Intrigue - Lacking an interest in the skullduggery commonly seen in Court politics, he has placed less emphasis on the monitoring and espionage powers of the High Church.

Dry Demeanour - While many expect a religious leader to be zealous and outspoken, Largato's quiet nature outside of public duties makes his ability to mobilise the Church that much harder, despite overall popularity and trust.