The Communion of The One (also known as “The Communion”) is the only religious organization allowed to operate within the Damijana Empire. The religion was founded by the Damijani government itself as a way to strengthen its citizens’ loyalty to the empire. In recent decades, its influence has spread well beyond Damijana and into other kingdoms, and even into some remote villages.
Followers are called “Communioners”. Its adjective is “Communionist”.
Communioners believe that all people share one mind, but that wordly influences have distracted them, causing them to stray away from eachother. Their ultimate goal is for all people to achieve perfect social harmony.
They strongly discourage “independent thought”, meaning any thoughts that defy their holy scriptures. These scriptures were derived from Damijana law and repurposed into a religious text called the Book of The One. Followers live their lives according to the doctrines in this book.
In Damijana, red elves wear conservative, black clothing to honor their ancestors, who were always covered in coal and grime due to their enslavement to Zareen Empire. But Communioners take this tradition a step further. Every follower wears the exact same uniform, which is simplistic and modest in design. While most red elves cover all skin beneath their chin, followers cover their heads as well with wide-brimmed hats and headwraps beneath those. They may remove their hats when indoors, but must always cover their hair with a headwrap in public. There are no differences in these uniforms between ages or sexes.
Followers may not wear makeup, jewelry, or have piercings or tattoos of any kind. Any existing body modifications are removed upon becoming a follower. According to the Book of The One, body modifications are a symptom of independent thought and therefore must be discouraged. Other symptoms of independent thought include many creative outlets such as writing and music. If followers are to engage in creative activities, the end result must praise the religion in one way or another or else it is heresy.
Communioners are tight-lipped to an extreme. They are not permitted to use their voices and must instead communicate telepathically. This discourages new followers from talking to “outsiders” for many years as their elders telepathically preach to them. Once their skills develop, followers can communicate to anyone they wish by sending their thoughts straight into another person’s head. This feels unsettling to many, which alienates the followers further from normal society.
Because telepathy is a requirement, commoners (non-magical peoples) cannot join the Communion. This fits in with the scriptures in the Book of The One, stating that commoners are lesser species comparable to animals. Followers believe that commoners have no place in magical society, and hold much resentment towards them due to Zareen Empire’s treatment of fae long ago. Gaians (semi-magical peoples), too, are seen as lesser, though they are still permitted into lower rankings in the Communion.
There are several ranks in the Communion of The One that followers can rise through with enough dedication. At the bottom are the “Murmurs”. Murmurs are children or those otherwise new to the faith, who have not yet learned to use telepathy. They are so named because they often accidentally break their vows of silence.
Once a follower becomes competent at using telepathy, they are known as “Reticents”. Reticents make up the majority of followers as the rank-and-file members. Reticents work regular jobs and function relatively normally in society while observing their religious traditions. They only communicate using telepathy.
Reticents who prove especially devout may become “Oracles”, who are a higher class of followers responsible for teaching those beneath them. Oracles receive modest yearly stipends from the Damijani government, even if they live outside its territory. These stipends allow Oracles to quit their jobs and devote themselves to preaching full-time. Only fae may become Oracles, while gaians are forever stagnant as Reticents.
Above the Oracles are the “Mindmasters”, a tier which only the most educated and devout followers can achieve, and only if they are red elves specifically. One must pass decades of schooling to become a Mindmaster, but should they succeed, they can enjoy many social benefits in Damijana. They are responsible for overseeing the religious organization, and they are the only ones permitted to make any changes to the doctrines if necessary. All knowledge of The One trickles from the Mindmasters, to the Oracles, to the Reticents, all the way down to the Murmurs.
There is nothing more important to Communioners than social cohesion. They strive to achieve perfect harmony with eachother by thinking and behaving the exact same way, as they believe they are all connected by something like a mental spider’s web.
This begins to prove true the longer they participate in the Communion, as the more they get into each others’ heads with telepathy, the more they lose their sense of personal identity. The most well-known verse in their holy book describes their mentality: “We are many bodies under one mind”.
Murmurs and Reticents are expected to observe their traditions while also functioning in whatever society they dwell. Within Damijana this is not difficult, as there are many legal accommodations for their needs. But in foreign lands, followers are often shunned and feared, described as “cult-like”. Just owning a copy of their holy book or wearing their traditional garb is enough to get them imprisoned in some territories.
The Mindmasters work hard to manage their faith’s image, and many changes have been made to their doctrines over the decades. Modern followers are not as xenophobic as they used to be, as the Mindmasters have made additions to the holy book that stress peaceful, cooperative behavior towards their neighbors, no matter their species. While commoners are seen as lesser beings and are not permitted to join the Communion, followers are encouraged to be polite and civil towards them regardless.
Violent behavior and even rude language is forbidden by the holy scriptures. Followers are to always conduct themselves in a respectable and intelligent manner, and so they must not engage with drugs, alcohol, or any mind-altering substances that may distract them from The One. They must never enter the public eye without their uniform, and said uniform must always be clean. Followers must wear their hair in a plain, natural style at all times, and always cover their hair in public.
Followers are not to display greed or laziness. They are encouraged to work hard and conduct themselves professionally. Despite their “creepy” image in many parts of the world, they also have a reputation for being especially industrious and cleanly people. Promiscuous behavior is strictly forbidden and they must closely observe Damijana’s monogamous marriage laws, even outside Damijana. Romance between same-sex couples is forbidden, as well as divorce. Couples are expected to marry and have as many children as they can reasonably support. Followers are not permitted to marry non-followers, and divorce is only permitted if their spouse is excommunicated from the Communion.
The Oracles’ lifestyles differ quite a bit from the classes beneath them. Upon graduating a special school in Damijana and earning their status, Oracles also earn a yearly stipend that allows them to quit their day jobs and dedicate themselves fully to preaching work. This includes not only preaching, but scouting for new followers and overseeing their recruitment too.
A single Oracle may have a couple dozen “students” to manage on a daily basis. It’s their job to determine which Murmurs are ready to become Reticents and which are simply not fit to join the Communion. They are responsible for excommunicating followers that display too much independent thinking or otherwise taint the Communion’s image.
Oracles must be magically competent enough to communicate with other Oracles telepathically, even if they are on the other side of the world. They are in constant communication with eachother and the Mindmasters. This extremely efficient method of communication is why the religion has been able to spread worldwide so quickly.
