Stellarium
Origins
The origins of the Stellarium lie in the Great Schism of the Iron Decade, approximately eighty years after the death of Avaron.
As the influence of the Sanctorian Church spread across Ametria, the early Ibriy settlers found themselves increasingly at odds with the "City-Kings" who had initially welcomed them. These kings coveted the Church's metallurgy and black powder but grew resentful of the Sanctor’s expanding political authority. When the third Sanctor, Malachi the Unyielding, decreed that the Church would no longer pay tribute to secular lords for the land it occupied, a coalition of four city-states laid siege to the holy settlement at the mouth of the Savon River.
Up until this point, the Church relied on a loosely organized militia of faithful pioneers. During the Siege of the Three Moons, these militias were nearly broken. Legend says that Malachi climbed the highest parapet of the Sanctum-Fort, clutching a gold sword and a star-shaped lantern. He declared that the "Word" was no longer enough to protect the faithful; the Creator required an armature.
He called for those who were willing to trade their personal names for a rank and their civilian lives for a vow of eternal service to the Sanctor's Will. Of the defenders, 1,200 stepped forward. Malachi divided them into ten groups of 120, calling each a Stratum—a "layer" of stone in the Church’s foundation.
To arm them, the Church’s master smiths melted down the silver and gold idols captured from the city-states' earlier raids, forging the first high-gloss breastplates and the massive bombards that would eventually break the siege. When the Church’s gates finally opened, the newly christened Stellarium did not just drive the kings back; they marched with a rhythmic, mechanical precision that the city-states had never seen.
The sword and the eight-pointed star were adopted as their sigil that day, symbolizing that the Creator’s light was now carried by the blade. From that moment on, the Stellarium ceased to be a defensive militia and became the Sanctor’s primary instrument for ensuring that no king or commoner could ever again threaten the "Order of the Living Word."
Hierarchy and Ranks
The hierarchy of the Stellarium is rigid and mirrors the celestial order of the Sanctorian faith.
Sanctor: Commander-in-Chief. The ultimate source of authority and the architect of the Stellarium’s purpose.
Stellarch: Overall commander of operations. Translates the Sanctor’s strategic goals into grand military campaigns.
Stellate: Commands a Stellar Strategic unit of 6000 men, they can also or oversee a vital military bureau, such as Logistics, Engineering, or Metallurgy.
Praelux: Commands a Stratum, the basic tactical unit of 1000 men. Known as the "First Light," they lead from the front.
Coron: Usually second-in-command of an Echelon and leader of a Demi-Stratum (500 men). Responsible for tactical execution and front-line discipline.
Vice-Coron: Commands an Echelon (100 men) within a Demi-Stratum. These officers often manage specialized fire-groups or maneuver elements.
Guidant: The "Lash" of the unit, equivalent to a sergeant. There are typically three per Echelon, one serving each commissioned officer. They are in charge of enforcing discipline and the Law of Penance among the Ordinates.
Indurate: Veteran soldier who is exempt from fatigue labor.
Ordinate: The foundational soldier. Professional, disciplined, and bound by oath to the Sanctor.
Military Doctrine
The Hand of the Living Word
The Stellarium operates under three primary pillars of engagement:
The Doctrine of Direct Mandate: The Stellarium recognizes no law or local custom that contradicts a decree from the Sanctor. They are the "Sanctor’s Voice in Iron." Resistance to the Sanctor is treated as cosmic discord and met with total force.
Strategic Illumination: Utilizing advanced black powder weaponry—the "Spark"—the Stellarium creates "Awe and Order." They use massed gunfire and heavy bombards to demonstrate the futility of resisting the Creator’s chosen representative.
The Purity of the Rank: Because they represent the Sanctor, an Ordinate must be a paragon of the Church’s standards. Retreat or failure in discipline is not a tactical error, but a spiritual corruption to be purged by the Guidants.
Military Units
The 1st Stellar: "The Sanctor's Gaze" - The elite guard of the Sanctor. They are the ultimate enforcers of the Church's internal security and the immediate defenders of the Sanctor’s person.
The 4th Stellar: "The Iron Decree" - A unit specializing in siege-craft and heavy bombards. When the Sanctor issues a decree of destruction against a defiant wall, the 4th Stratum carries it out.
The 7th Stellar: "The Savon’s Flood" - Named after the river of the original arrival, this unit specializes in amphibious operations and bridgeheads, symbolizing the unstoppable flow of the Sanctor’s influence.
The 15th Stellar: "The High Altar" - Famous for field engineering and the use of heavy Pavese shields. They transform every battlefield into a "temporary temple" that they refuse to yield, standing as pillars of the Sanctor's Will.
The 9th Stellar: "The Unbroken Vow" - Lore:
The 9th Stratum is the Stellarium’s premier "Punitive Unit," tasked with the reclamation of lost territory or the subjugation of cities that have recanted their oaths to the Sanctor. Their name stems from the Law of Penance; upon deployment, every Ordinate in the 9th takes a vow of silence that is only broken once the Sanctor’s Will has been fully restored in the target region.
They are famous for their slow, psychological approach to warfare. Rather than a swift charge, they march in perfect, silent synchronicity, accompanied only by the rhythmic beat of a single iron drum. This silence is intended to represent the "Void of the Faithless"—the state of the world without the Creator's Word. When they finally engage, they do so with a terrifying, wordless efficiency. They are often used to oversee the construction of Sanctum-Forts in hostile lands, serving as a permanent, silent reminder of the consequences of breaking a covenant with the Church.
Equipment and Aesthetic
The Stellarium utilizes high-gloss steel breastplates etched with the Eight Virtues to reflect light, symbolizing the virtue of Illumination. Their primary armaments reflect the advanced technology brought by the Charis, including heavy matchlock muskets known as The Spark and long pikes called The Pale.
The official symbol of the Stellarium features a central gold sword set against a golden halo, with the Eight-Pointed Star of the Creator radiating from the center. This icon represents the military's role as the "Hand of the Living Word," with each point of the star corresponding to the core virtues that guide their path of Ascent. The Stellarium specifically marches under this emblem to signal the Sanctor’s divine authority and the presence of his martial will on the battlefield.