Spiritual Organization.
The Church Of Kathol Prophets
Systems:
Anywhere a Noble House is, there is at least one Church of the Kathol Prophets. The Prophets control nothing directly. They manipulate those they can to a central purpose that serves the “Prophets needs”.
Values
The Church follows the Prophets’ wishes, and their commandments. The Prophets follow a common moral path that coincides with most moral beliefs but have a strong disdain for Jedi and Force users. Technology is also closely watched by the Church, at times claiming certain technology is forbidden.
Leadership
The High Cardinal is the leader of the Church, and rules on anything the Prophets see fit to envision him with. The current High Cardinal’s name is Father Jas’Iak Moduros, and he is granted Holder of the Key and Seer of the Prophets.
Description
The Church was established before the Houses had made a stronghold in the Sector. It started as a cult that had found some alien technology on Gandle Ott. As religion spread, and more people began to share the visions, it began to take a strong hold on the society of the Kathol Sector as the Noble Houses started to build up in the sector.
It was established by a group of wayward monks who felt lead to this sector by dreams. These monks, lead by a human named Brother Wes’Lyn Arabus, founded they’re on Gandle Ott, and claimed they had found devices of the “prophets” that will guide them to heaven. These devices are explained in Secrets.
With these devices, the Cardinals are granted inspiring visions that are used to guide the Noble houses. So far, the visions have been dead on, which explains why the Noble Aristocracy’s strength of will and ability to survive such diverse and difficult times. It’s because the prophets see a greater horizon for them all and call them to continue their efforts outward to the Marcol Void and beyond.
The Church is given a wide range of authority. It has proven bad to challenge the Church in the past, and so each house agreed to give the Church the power that it has. It makes rulings on what is good for the people of Kathol spiritually and socially, and usually has a string say so on what can be traded, manufactured, etc. The Empire was less granting in their respect of the Church, but through secret dealings with the Church and a not so well-known commandment from the Prophets, the Church was able to make an alliance with the Empire, all for the good of the Nobility.
Allies & Enemies
The Church has enemies in all houses, but every house recognizes the authority of the Church. They make enemies by bringing down the rule of the church rule on trade and technology development, which at times, can be heavy handed. The Church makes no outward appearance to be allied with anyone, putting on the guise of impartiality with respect to the houses, but they have made temporary pacts in the past, and now hold one with the Empire.
Assets
The Church assets are extensive. Before the Empire, they had an extensive Inquisition Department, which acted as watchdogs over the House development of technology. If a House is suspected of developing outlawed tech, the Church “brought down the Inquisition”. Sarne was able to use the Inquisition Department, persuading the Church to only recruit brothers loyal to him into the Inquisition.
Secrets
The Church has a very deep secret, and it’s the most questioned secret. “Who are the Prophets of Kathol, and where is the message coming from?”. Only the Church heads truly know the nature of the Prophets, and their visions. The devices they founders discovered were modified Gree technology that was re-built by the original inhabitants of Gandle Ott. There is no sign of these inhabitants because the Gree found out that someone was tampering with their technology and returned. They wiped out all traces of the race, but not before the race was able to hide the devices in a mountain.
These devices are smaller versions of the Gree hypergate and are used for personal use. They are kept in the catacombs of Gandle Ott Grand Cathedral of the Prophets, which was built on the site these devices were found. Other devices have been found since then throughout the sector. When one enters one, they are transported to a floating structure in the middle of the Kathol Rift, called the Sanctuary of the Prophet. This floating structure was once an Gree observation post but now acts as the Prophet’s Sanctuary. This structure is fully operation and can support life. This is where the visions come from. The Dark Jedi’s presence, along with the many Jedi that died fighting him, can still be felt, and to some Force-sensitives, they sometimes communicate to them. The Brotherhood of the Prophets have no idea who is speaking to them, but they know that a majority of what has been brought back from the Temple has been true. Only the Church officials also hide the true nature of the Prophets. Most of the Church, including the leadership, is being manipulated by the Dark Jedi’s presence. However, there is others who listen to the less power voices; the light side voices. They form a small secret faction within the Church called the Church of the Light Prophets.
Yet another secret held by the Church in the secret deal made between them and the Empire. The Empire was allowed access to the Inquisition Department, if the Church was allowed to function unchanged, and not give up its secrets to the Empire. The Church became the Sarne’s own internal intelligence agency and still acts as such. The Church never saw more growth than during their alliance with the Empire. The news of Sarne’s departure will shake the Church to its foundation. Many noble houses hold strong resentment towards the Church, and if their power base is pulled out from under them, few can guess what the Houses might do.
The Church has done several things in the name of the Prophets, and some were never really inspired by the visions they claim to have. Some were ordered by Sarne himself. The Church, since the coming of the Empire, has expanded the Inquisition Department to include some very dark secret organizations that act on behalf of the Church but are untraceable to it.
The Church also has a secret fleet which they use to bring down the law of the Church. This fleet is partially modern technology, partially Gree technology, and partial Darkstryder technology which the Church found on there own. Sarne never knew about this fleet. They are virtually undetectable, and are quite formidable, but the church has vowed to the prophets to only use them in the enforcement of their will.
Post Campaign:
Now collapsed, this was once the primary religious faith of the Kathol Core Region. Once they were revealed as a fraud and evil, the Kathol Core Region turned to the Light Prophets. Some factions still remain and seek revenge for their destruction.
Location: Based on Gandle Ott, only small pocket factions still exists, spread throughout the Kathol Core Region