The Orlian College of Cardinals and the Papacy of the Protocults (Orlian and Wilcslandian organisations respectively) have been merged as a single body (usually referred to as the ‘Protocult Papacy’ or the ‘Orlian College’, presumably interchangeably) under New Wessex since January 2012, with Cardinals from the College being chosen by the King of New Wessex to become Pope of the Protocults. Each Protocult is a separate religion, with its own principles, beings and mythologies, united under the Papacy to create a cohesive collection of faiths, primarily based around the nation of Taklamacan, prior to the country becoming Wilcsland, and then New Wessex.
However, many of the Popes of the Orlian College have not been from the New Wessex, or the associated ‘Carshalton Sector’; in fact, seven of the nine Cardinals of the College were non-Wessaxon, as were at least five of the ten Popes of the Protocult Papacy (including the Wessaxon ancestor-nations of Wilcsland and Taklamacan). The incumbent (more on this later in the article) Pope, Declan III (also Basileus HSM Justinian I of our nation, the Theodorist Regional Dominion of Burnham and its Land), is just one of these non-Wessaxon Popes. However, he, as well as members of the nation, have been working on a new Protocult to go under Papal jurisdiction – The Cult of the Edict of the Three.
The Cult of the Edict of the Three is the first Protocult with roots not at all based in New Wessex’ history. In fact, it is far from, with roots seated more in Pagan beliefs than the Cult of the Black Cat, for example. The faith also intends to be dynamic; meaning that it will grow and be expanded upon as time goes on. The core tenets of the Cult of the Edict of the Three (Cult of the Edict for short) revolve around three laws:
1: The Law of Life – Everybody has a right to a chance at life. It doesn’t matter what faith, race, gender, ideology, mental disability or other.
2: The Law of Worth – Everybody has a right to a chance to show their worth. Again, it is regardless of faith, race and so forth.
3: The Law of Abuse – Everybody who disobeys the above two laws has only the right to exile or excommunication.
Of course, some explanation is needed. The Cult of the Edict is pro-choice, as only humans that are born successfully (whether through IVF, assisted birth, conventional birth or other) count as people that can become part of the Cult. As such, abortion is allowed by way of this.
The Cult is polytheistic; three Gods hold sway in the Edict of the Three. They are the Moon (the Healer from the Spring), the Sun (the King from the Summer), and the Darkness That Chases the Stars (the Destroyer from the Winter, also known simply as ‘the Darkness’). The Sun is both a ruler and a country, as the spirits of the stars (who populate the sky) dwell upon its’ surface during the day, creating the illumination that we take for granted. The Moon is a spirit of a star, but is one that chooses to live alone after creating life on Earth (part of the Cult’s creation mythology). The darkness lives solely to consume the stars, although he is fought back daily by the Sun, who rallies the stars to his cause until they set out to the skies again, where the Darkness can consume them in revenge.
The Cult of the Edict of the Three has been made with a knowledge of science in mind – having been made in an intellectual capacity in a similar vein to many new ‘religions’ propagated worldwide, it is clear and obvious that the Cult (as with the other Cults under Papal jurisdiction) is no substitute for science and reason. However, it is made as an addition to the Papal Cult roster; the first non-Taklamacan Cult; the first made from a reasonably well-informed position (the other Protocults were formed during Primary School years of some Taklamacan citizens); and the first dynamic Cult in the Papacy.
Speaking of the Papacy, Pope Declan III is still the Pope of the Protocults, despite going over the three-month term limit usually set for Pope’s chosen from the Orlian College of Cardinals. This is because His Majesty King Declan I of New Wessex, who chooses new Popes, has decided not to call up a new Cardinal to the position. Until the King’s sees reason to replace Declan III from his position, then he shall remain as Pope for longer than his usual Papal term. Pope Declan III has promised that he will do the utmost in his power to work on the Papacy, with his first (and current) address revealing his desire to hold a Protoculture sermon in the near future. Pope Declan III was largely behind the creation of the Cult of the Edict of the Three.
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