Celestials

Celestials are responsible for the process of aiding Aeternia in birthing new Aelinites. This process is performed by Celestials for only a portion of their lifetime, however it is considered by them to be the most important role any aelinuan has. When they are not performing this duty, they affiliate with one of the Colours to focus on other endeavours.

The suzerain of Celestials are known as the Eminences and there is one heading up each Colour, though their relevance to others of their number sometimes varies.

In addition to being affiliated with a Colour depending on their interests, specialties and skills, Celestials are also divided into two other groups, Hues and velures, with around 59% of their number being the former. Hues are the Celestials who have completed their time as velures.

Quarter

A large cleared area situated near the Westaine Park. This is the closest of all the official rank buildings to Aeternia.

Each Colour has a separate building and there is also a meeting room for the Eminences in the form of the Rainbow Lacuna.

The Colour buildings are laid out in a circular pattern with the Rainbow Lacuna in the centre, like the spokes of a wheel.

The Colour buildings are laid out in the following order:

• Red Trade Centre
• Orange Chamber of Office
• Yellow Educational Institute
• Green Audit Authority
• Blue Velurean Sanctuary
• Indigo Investment Centre
• Violet Entertainment Studios

Coloured banners adorn the sides, entrances and even the inside of each Colour's building.

Rainbow Lacuna

A large heptagonal glass building situated in the centre of the Quarter, which is considered neutral ground and is shared between the Colours. There are a number of rooms in the middle, including a meeting room for the Eminences, and the outer glass-edged part is used as an event space. There is an entrance on each edge of the building associated with the Colour in question.

The outside of the Rainbow Lacuna has a banner for each Eminence flying at all times. When a new Eminence is inaugurated or a serving Eminence dies, that Eminence's banner replaces the others for seven days.

Residence Block

Suzerain

The Eminences have individual two-storey manors, named for example The Blue Manor, in a small walled off area in the residence block guarded by Strikers, which is called the Eminence Village.

There is a separate ward system that exists like a dome to stop outsiders from being able to fly in uninvited.

Celestial

There are multiple Celestial residence buildings in the block. Residence buildings are L-shaped and arranged in sets of four which surround a courtyard. Each residence building uses the corner of the L-shape to contain a stairwell from ground to top floor and a front desk with Makers working behind it.

Two banks of lifts to allow for easier access to each of the eleven floors. Velure and Hue apartments are identical in size.

Colours

There are seven Colours, each of which represents a subset of Celestials who perform a certain kind of role or work within society. For example, Blues all work in service of Aelia.

Definitive Colour

Although they can succeed in more than one of the Colours, depending upon their interests, talents and inclinations, there will always be one in particular that is best suited to a Celestial; it will be in this Colour that they will best fulfil their potential. This is called a Celestial's definitive Colour.

Hues and Velures

A Celestial cannot become a Hue through recommendation or choice. Rather it is a result of the individual being unable to perform velurea due to no longer hearing the Lament after having experienced their alteveck axis. Becoming a Hue is permanent.

Velures perform a combination of Colour work and velurea, with a focus on the latter. Individuals work within the remit of their Colour during their time not doing velurea.

The amount of time a Celestial does velurea is also the amount of time they will spend on Ephillion doing Colour work. For example, if a Celestial's velurea lasts for seven years they will not need to return to velurea for another seven years. Velurea generally lasts for between three and ten years, but that duration is set per Celestial.

During velurea a velure will wear regalia.

Velure are either falierin or nulierin. There are far fewer nulierin than falierin; there are only ever a small number of nulierin alive at a time, around 0.3% of the Celestial population. Nulierin are Celestials who are unable to attain syspa due to a lack of the flair. They tend to live short lives and are unlikely to survive beyond five hundred years of performing velurea.

See velurea for more information

Vaeliadis Ceremony

After their one year apprenticeship, on January 11th, an apprentice goes through the Vaeliadis Ceremony and is cleansed in Aeternia's golden water, which will soon trigger the Lament if the individual has the velurea flair.

At some point during the next ten years they will get their first velurea. The cleansing is ceremonially performed by the Blue Eminence.

The Lament

Also known by a name relating to the birth aetri of an individual, e.g. 'Aeternia's Lament'.

Celestials feel a natural affiliation towards Aeternia, more so than the other ranks, which is partly caused by the Lament.

All Celestials naturally have the capability to hear the Lament; during apprenticeships young Celestials are cleansed during the Vaeliadis Ceremony in the golden waters of Aeternia and following this, within a period of up to about a year, they will begin to hear the Lament.

Nulierin can hear the Lament constantly, at a level they cannot ignore but that, over time, they can grow used to. Nulierin tend to hear the Lament at an increasing volume until the end of their lives.

Experiencing the alteveck axis is what triggers a Celestial into losing the ability to hear the Lament. This is when Celestials are forced to become Hues.

There exists a flair that predisposes certain nulierin not to be driven to insanity or die from the Lament. This is the aelinuan who will become the Blue Eminence; only one of these nulierin will exist at a time.

See The Lament for more information

Devotion

Devotion is a widely accepted aspect of Celestial culture. To them it signifies their bestowing of a love beyond the norm upon their lover.

In some cases Devotion can be considered obsessive, with the Celestial gaining a sort of single mindedness where no one else can compare to their lover.

Each Colour achieves and expresses their Devotion in slightly different ways.

Reds

Reds focus on logistics, procurement, trade negotiation and innovation.

The title of the suzerain is the Red Eminence.

The central headquarters of Reds is a building in the Quarter called the Red Trade Centre.

Oranges

Oranges focus on local government and politics.

The title of the suzerain is the Orange Eminence.

The central headquarters of Oranges is a building in the Quarter called the Orange Chamber of Office.

Yellows

Yellows focus on education and further learning.

The title of the suzerain is the Yellow Eminence.

The central headquarters of Yellows is a building in the Quarter called the Yellow Educational Institute.

Greens

Greens focus revolves around inspecting and auditing the activities of other ranks to improve effectiveness, efficiency, reliability and compliance.

The title of the suzerain is the Green Eminence.

The central headquarters of Greens is a building in the Quarter called the Green Audit Authority.

Blues

Blues focus on the religion of Aelia and its intersection with the general population. This includes scripture, ceremonies and religious discourse.

They are also responsible for the training and acclimating of new Celestials to their velurea responsibilities.

The title of the suzerain is the Blue Eminence. This Eminence is also always the Oracle, the overall religious leader of Aelia known for direct discourse with Aeternia and the aetris.

The central headquarters of Blues is a building in the Quarter called the Blue Velurean Sanctuary. The religious centre for Blues is the Affinity Temple near Aeternia's Glade.

Indigos

Indigos focus on providing capital for the development of businesses. They are independent and wealthy, aiming to help entrepreneurial individuals succeed with a business idea by investing their own money.

A client will receive capital from an Indigo, and in return they will give the Indigo an equity share in their business.

The title of the suzerain is the Indigo Eminence.

The central headquarters of Indigos is a building in the Quarter called the Indigo Investment Centre.

Violet

Violets focus on the entertainment and media domain, mainly as a way of granting the populace at large an opportunity to experience that individual's beauty. Jobs that Violets take on for this purpose include but are not limited to: modelling, acting and advertisements.

The title of the suzerain is the Violet Eminence.

The central headquarters of Violets is a building in the Quarter called the Violet Entertainment Studio.