Mandadorianism
Mandadorianism is a monolatrous religion based principally around the worship of an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent and yet bodiless deity known only as Mandador, and that of his prophet, Ramian Lancourt. Ramian, bestowed with the awesome powers of the Voice of Mandador while a young man, quickly converted much of the known world. Speaking the very words of Mandador, he preached on the goodness of Mandador as the Prime Mover of the universe and creator of the Earth, and warned that all other gods were interlopers, mere shadows compared to the majesty of Mandador, and that in the ending of the world and universe they would prove damning to those who believed in them. Founded during the final decline of the successor empire of the continent-spanning hegemony of Thosher Phawn, leader of the Council of Darkspells, Mandadorianism spread with great speed throughout Pompiersia and the old Casperian and Appadosian heartlands, leading quickly to the fall of the empire, and the declaration and inauguration of new empire, the Mandadorian Empire, by Ramian, who crowned the first Emperor of Mandadoria, Armodius Camunspraser.
Contents
Origins
History
Mandador the God of Gods
Ramian the Prophet of Mandador
The Holy Prophet Ramian Lancourt of Astanaro (Ramianus Lancourtinus) Parents: Eric (Ericius) Lancourt and Almayeen Salence
Ramian Lancourt was born on the 12th day of Snow Waters in 17 B.M. on the tiny island of Astanaro, a possession of Hyperbosia, then under the flag of Sentorius, Wanax of the Tanettians and all the Danians. Born the son of a minor magistrate who governed this island just west of Dania’s northernmost peninsula, Ramian was educated as a priest of Vandadon, king-god of the venerable Casperian Pantheon, an ancient group of gods of men finding new vitality, albeit under different names, at around this time. His father and mother were not Danians, but were rather natives of what is now Quadrain, at Tharanosia, which was then a peaceful and sylvan land known as Appadosia. He was sent to Dania for his education, staying at the palace of the local king, Ireko Sembolini.
On the 2nd day of the Festivals of Dance 1 A.M., Ramian sat beside the stream Assaros, as he often did, and there the god of gods spoke to him, granting him all his enormous powers. There also two invisible solar aasimon began to follow him wherever he went.
Ramian’s missionary work spread quickly. He immediately declared a new world order, and that the chaos of the world had gone on long enough. His awesome powers shocked Dania for nearly a year, converting thousands. He next traveled to Hyperbosia, and from there teleported to Alosis, the new imperial capital. Emperor Sentorius responded harshly to his words to convert and rebuked the Holy Prophet. Ramian returned to Dania and began to send forth apostles, or the Nine Legations. Not even a year had passed when Sentorius was swamped with converts. He sent his entire fleet to subdue Dania, but Ramian opened up the sea and sank all of them. Ramian sailed back to the mainland, and from there approached Pompiers. He hailed the senate and people as having the chance to create the most wonderful peace and true religion there had ever been, unlike the failed Tanettians. He also prompted them to elect one ruler over all. They chose the consul Armodius Camunspraser, as he was of Appadosian, Pompiersian and Thousiersian blood.
Armodius eventually invaded Tanettes, headed by an elite group of new knights. He defeated the Wanax’s already rather weak and disparate forces. Previously dictator, and receiving the praise of numerous nations, he declared himself Emperor of Mandadoria.
Abaddon, the Forest Kingdom of Snow, was founded by Heurennasian knights fleeing the invasion of the Checklans in antiquity. Men of great wisdom and antiquity, they ruled what has often been thought of as the longest running kingdom of men. They have often been considered the first true kings of men. It is said that Abaddon was visited by Ramian on the first day of his apotheosis, the prophet telling the king of his mission, and that one day his descendant would rule the known world and unify all man if only the king would conquer in the name of Mandador.
Ramialogical Beliefs and Controversies
Beliefs concerning the Holy Prophet Saint Ramian.
Dyothelitism (belief in co-existent human and divine wills in Ramian)
That Ramian received the Mantle of Mandador, and was possessed of his perfect Will. After the time of the Eighth Ecumenical Council of Thousiers, the Danian Rite has concluded that Ramian held two completely separate wills, the Will of Mandador and Ramian’s own human will. The Eighth Council of Thousiers, calling this espoused Ramianological argument dyothelitism, discussed the matter thusly:
“…the Church confessed that Ramian possesses two wills and two natural operations, divine and human. They are not opposed to each other, but co-operate in such a way that Ramian willed humanly in obedience to Mandador all that He had decided divinely with the Power and the Holy Spirit for our salvation. Ramian's human will 'does not resist or oppose but rather submits to His divine and almighty Will.’
Ramianism (heretical) (belief in the divinity of Ramian as an actual Manifestation of the Voice, as Mandador himself, or as a separate deity called Ramian, etc.)
Infallibility
That Ramian is perfect and sinless and incapable of error, but that although empowered with the Voice of Mandador, Ramian remained a man.
Mantle of Mandador
A mysterious reference in the Holy Texts, Ramian, upon the Epiphany at the River Assaros, was invested with the Mantle of Mandador. A light to the entire world when it was first given, seen as a light beyond the brightness of the sun, it gradually waned over the first nine days of Ramian’s ministry, not to fully reemerge again until his Ascension at the end of his ministry. During the ministry, it is said to have had an invisible presence, presenting the glory of Mandador about him. With it Ramian could employ the Power of Mandador, which could inflict Divine Terror into those who threatened his person.
