The Proxima

The Proxima is a holy book containing the keys to

enlightenment. The Proxima does not consist solely of prophecy and religious teachings; it encompasses a wide variety of topics that are as applicable to practical living as they are applicable to the afterlife—it is a religious text for a practical people. The book details the creation of our world as well as the deities that watch over us. Recorded on its pages are the secrets to salvation and eternal reward. The Proximian faith derives its name from this holy book.

Followers of the Proxima derive their teachings from. The book details the creation of our world as well as the deities that watch over us. Recorded on its pages are the keys to gaining enlightenment so that one might reach Elysium. Clerically, the religion is organized and operated through the Holy City Nova Carthago.

Sanctus Arduro governs life, creation, and salvation. He is represented by a flaming phoenix in Proximian iconography.

Invictus Tenebros governs death, destruction, and damnation. He is represented by a frozen dragon in Proximian iconography.

 Creation and Teachings: 

The Proxima teaches us that when the faithful perish they are ferried from the Prime Materia through the boundary of the Incorporeum.

Erebus is a plane of all things and no thing, nebulous and timeless. It is indescribable in mortal words and beyond the boundary of mortal perception. In Erebus, the souls of the departed will find whatever it is they sought in life. Those who reach Erebus in death see only an aspect of themselves; reality becomes that whichever was sought most in life—Erebus is the weight and measure of an individual’s deeds, truest thoughts, and desires.

Elysium is the home of the gods; it is the holiest of holies. Only a select few souls are considered worthy of entering this divine plane of blissful eternity. It is here that the heroes of the Proxima reside—those souls who have shown exceptional valor and achieved glory in service to the faith. These souls are reincarnated into a perfect version of themselves; they are granted the eternal reward of residing in perfect harmony and fellowship among the gods.

Sanctus Arduro; the Divine Creator, met our Dread Father; Invictus Tenebros in battle. These opposites could not defeat their counterpart and their war raged on in the time before time; the sum of our worldly existence no more than a single sword stroke in their cosmic duel. Their battle on the plane of Erebus was so mighty and fierce that where they fought the principles of our world was created. The Dread Father assaulted our Divine Creator with chaos, and Sanctus Arduro countered him with order. Sanctus Arduro battled the darkness of Invictus Tenrbros with his light. For war, there was peace. With plague came fertility and with famine there existed harvest. When life was brought into the world death soon followed. It continued on in this way; with every act of creation there corresponded an act of destruction in a seemingly infinite, ceaseless contest of divine wills. The ground upon which we walk was formed in this primordial clash.

It is not known if the war was ended due to weariness or boredom, all that is known is that there came an end to their celestial struggle. Sanctus Arduro granted us life while Invictus Tenebros granted us sleep eternal. With the gift of light which allows us to work the fields, we have been given the gift of darkness to sleep and rest.

Sanctus Arduro took the form of the sun so that he might watch over us in the day. Invictus Tenebrous took the form of the moon so that he might gaze down upon in the still of night. The war and peace of our divine fathers are the reason that the Proxima teaches balance. There is a place and a reason for everything in the great circle of life and death—every tragedy serves a purpose and for every hardship there is a respite. All things have their counterpart and to know one is to understand the other. Achieving balance is to achieve enlightenment.

 The 12 Tenets: 

These tenets are the key to achieving balance and thus gaining the opportunity to walk within the halls of Elysium. Each tenet is paired with its antithesis to represent the duality of our fathers. Each has value. Together they lead to enlightenment, alone they lead astray.

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''Sanctus Arduro teaches us: A scarlet sky heralds a rising sun, and as the light of fire warms the soul so does life begin with open eyes, striving for perfection; vibrant and virtuous. The worthy rise above to see the path to perfection is illuminated, let the light be your guide.''

''Invictus Tenebrous teaches us: When darkness falls ice entombs the mortal coil in death's cold blanket, bringing on sleep eternal a body rests in death as a lake rests in winter; placid and lifeless. The weak return to the earth, giving back to existence as the souls of the unworthy drift forever unto the void.''

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''Order creates discipline, beware of strife. ''

Change brings strength, do not allow yourself to stagnate.

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''Without peace, conflict is purposeless and exhausting, a tired body does not breed strength. ''

''Indolence breeds weakness, from struggle there arises conflict, through conflict make yourself stronger.

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''The application of wisdom is power, know your enemy and know yourself. ''

Fear can consume, break the enemy's resistance without fighting.

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For every time, there is a season; you reap what you sew.

Starvation fortifies the will, to go without is to know true strength.

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''From seeds a nation is sewn, therefor multiply. ''

The feeble succumb to disease, the strong become immune.