Basilicum Nexum
| ||
| Memento mori. ("Remember that you are mortal.") | ||
| Spoken Languages - Official - Unofficial |
Latin English, Russian, German, French | |
| Capital and largest city | The Sepulchre, Antarctica | |
| The Sepulchre See
The Prophet | ||
| Population - Total (2006) |
10,356,956 | |
| Establishment - as the Basilicum Nexum - as a theocracy |
April 10, 1887 January 3, 1928 | |
| Budget | 30,856,802,985 USD | |
| Currency | Theta (Θ) (Θ1 = $.998) | |
| International Abbreviations - sport - government |
BN Basi | |
| Pronunciation (IPA) | /baasilicome necksum/ | |
| Naval Craft Classification - Military - Civilian |
NMC None | |
| Internet TLD | .bn | |
| Calling Code | +672 | |
Basilicum Nexum (Latin for the Church of the Dead or Belief of Death) is a mainstream religion and a continent-sized, theocratic nation comprising of the continent of Antarctica. The Church, as it is collectively called, believes that death is an energy force which causes the cessation of life and is able to personify itself in humans at certain period of time. They also believe that death is the middle child of the mainstream religious deities; believing that he was for centuries bound between a God-like deity and a Satan-like deity. They wish to harness and free the truly supreme deity which binds all to his own will.
History
Nexontyr (followers of the Basilicum Nexum) believe that their church originates sometime around the beginning of the Egyptian civilization. However, recent history only dates the Church's foundation to the year 1887 when a man calling himself the Prophet started it in 19th century London, England. He taught the beliefs of the Church (see below) and began teaching a revolutionary political ideal and a form of religious separatism. The Prophet taught that the Believers should "separate from those of the ancient theism to form a new world of ice, stone, and necrosis." However, due to current political treaties, the Church was unable to separate from the British Empire and its believers were simply heavily persecuted and oppressed.
In the year of 1900 - the turn of the century - normal mainstream religions were thrown aside and the occult and mysticism was being experimented on by everyone from the President of the United States, to the housewife of the modern time. The Basilicum Nexum was one of the many beliefs that was experimented with and climbing in popularity. It was estimated that in 1900, there were approximately a worldwide following of some 500,000 to 1.2 million people. This caught the attention of the waning British Empire. This ended with the virtual destruction of the Basilicum Nexum, and forced its believes to go underground for several years.
The Basilicum Nexum came back into public knowledge around 1928 at the height of the popularity of Aliester Crowley. With the rebirth of mysticism and alternative beliefs, the Prophet was allowed to bring his influence back into the world; however, from this point forward, only his close followers ever actually met with him personally. Using his reasonable political influence and large amount of followers, the Prophet petitioned for the ownership of an almost unexplored continent: Antarctica. They were granted the ownership and the Prophet and his followers chartered vessels to carry them to the massive continent. From their they traveled to approximately fourteen miles away from the South Pole. At a site previously told by the Prophet as what would be the new center of the Basilicum Nexum, the Sepulchre was found.
From the Sepulchre, the Basilicum Nexum expanded their influence. Using publications, radio broadcasts, and soon to come television channels, based around the world, to portray their beliefs around the world in order to recruit followers into the Basilicum Nexum - usually working. Their influence grew, attracting wealthy business men, former political prisoners, and even former National Socialists who traveled to Antarctica using the Odessa Road. With the recruitment of these varied groups of people, the Basilicum Nexum has been able to gain not only political influence, but also economic potential energy.
During the midst of the Cold War, using technology previously unseen, the Basilicum Nexum began constructing large, spherical habitation centers around the massive Sepulchre (center of the city the Sepulchre). These massive construction projects were constructed to house the massive converts and believers of the Basilicum Nexum and Nexism. Since this period of time, there has been construction of more habitation centers to house the virtually endless line of converts of the religion.
The Church
While technically both a nation and a religion, the Church (the religion) is considered the more important portion of the Basilicum Nexum in the global scale. As a religion, the Church has several beliefs and sacraments which allows for their followers to adhere to Death.
Beliefs
The Basilicum Nexum is considered either a pagan belief system or a Left-Hand Path religious system (both denied by the Church) which expands beyond borders in virtually every nation on the planet.
The Church follows basically several core beliefs. These beliefs have been dictated by the Prophet - whom the Nexontyrs believe is Death's personification on earth - and are considered to be a superceding law which is more important to follow than any mortal law.
Personification is the belief that the energy of death personifies itself in individuals around the world during certain periods of time in order to influence the religious and theological way of life. Death as an omnipresent, omnipotent energy, is unable to actively exist physically on earth due to - as the Nexontyrs site - the fact that this very instance would destroy its supreme power over all forms of life. Thus, according to Nexontyrs, the Prophet is the current personification of death on earth. Others are said to be people ranging from Ghandi, to Pharoh Tutankhamun, to Adolf Hitler. These personifications are said to lead the masses in ways that death dictates in order to meet the ultimate goal: trandsendence (death) of all lifeforms that exist presently.
Origin is the belief that the first recorded necrotic awakening occurred during the civilization of Ancient Egypt. This belief states that during this ancient civilization, the first sect prescribing to death worship was formed. Believers state that the Cult of Anubis and Osiris was the first major religious belief that prescribed to a faith similar to the Basilicum Nexum. This origin was said to occur afte death became self-aware which would begin the downfall of the other Kingdoms (see below).
Kingdoms are the sectors of metaphysical and supernatural existence including: Material (this kingdom), Immaterial (a Heavenly kingdom), Unexistence (a Hell-like kingdom in which souls cease to exist), and the Necroverse (Death's kingdom). The Basilicum Nexum believe that all followers of the Church will be brought to the Necroverse. They also believe that a great war will occur that leads with the destruction of all other kingdoms except the Necroverse. They believe that this war has been building since the origin and that it will culminate with the physical manifestion of God and Lucifer during Armagedon. This massive battle will end with Death physically destroys the Material realm, causing the downfall of the Immaterial and Unexeistence kingdoms allowing only the Necroverse to remain.
Majicks is another core belief of the Basilicum Nexum. Nexontyrs believe that majick is a manifestation of pure death energy on earth. It is said to allow them to do many things normally not allowed by the laws of physical existence. Nexontyrs have stated that by using majickal rituals, they have been able to kill, maim, destroy, and even create life around the world. These majicks are said to also be generated during severe physical stress - most notably sexual intercourse or war. Currently no physical evidence exists to prove the existence of majick; however, several unexplained events have been blamed for it.
Sacraments
Nexontyrs administer six sacraments or "sacred mysteries", traditionally listed in the following order:
- Necrosis Baptism
- Confirmation
- Nexachrist
- Reconciliation
- Anointing
- Acolytic Orders
Necrosis Baptism is the first sacrament of the Basilicum Nexum and the basis for all other sacraments. The Necrosis Baptism is often considered the opposite of a normal baptism in which someone is purified. During the Necrosis Baptism, an individual is submerged into a lake usually filled with the partially decayed parts of animals (and some say humans). While not illegal in any nation, it is usually considered beyond the normal acceptance of religion. This Necrosis Baptism is said to coat and individual in the essence of death which will attract the energy (majicks, see above) of death.
Confirmation is the second sacrament of the Basilicum Nexum. According to Acolytes (priests of the Basilicum Nexum), the Confirmation is a ritual will allows for part of an individual to actually die and thus have them connected to the Necroverse. The process of Confirmation envolves the removal or severe injury of either a: finger, toe, or ear. The body part is injected with a toxic cocktail of poisons which attack the local nervous system and upper dermal layers. For this reason, tissue dies but flesh remains intact allowing for the body part's outer layers to rot, but not the core - which could cause infection.
Nexachrist is the third - and most controversial - sacrament of the Basilicum Nexum. The Nexachrist is said to be the consumption of personified death. It envolves the consumption of decaying flesh of some life form (usually an animal; some suspect human flesh in more remote environments) and the drinking of blood. According to Nexontyr belief, it is said to be passing the most pure form of majick into the body and coating their essence in that of death's energy.
Reconciliation is a not always used sacrament of the Basilicum Nexum. It occurs when a sin has been carried out against the Basilicum Nexum or a Nexontyr. When the Reconciliation occurs, the sinner must confess to an Acolyte who then reports to the Congregation for Discipline of the Sacraments for processing. When processing is complete, the sinner is absolved of his sins by killing the individual and passing him into the Necroverse. There is no current report of actual Reconciliations being carried out.
Anointing is a process that is carried out on the dying and sick of the Nexontyrs. During the Anointing, an invidual is condemned to the Necroverse by the dropping of blood onto the individuals forhead and the chanting of several prayers to Death. The Anointing is said to protect and invidual through his journey to the Necroverse; and if it is not his time, to keep the individual from dying so that he may better serve the Faith.
Acolytic Orders is the final sacrament of the Basilicum Nexum. The Acolytic Orders is what occurs when a Nexontyr wishes to become an Acolyte - a priest of the Nexontyr Faith. It involves repetitive Necrosis Baptisms, Nexachrists, and other trials and tribulations allowing for them to become closer to the Necroverse and thus closer to death. Acolytes are considered small portions of personified death which allow them to have more powerful sways over the majickal energies of the world.
The Sepulchre See
The Sepulchre See is the government of the Church and the Theocracy. It is seperated into several executive divisions aswell as a judicial and legislative divisions. It is seperated into: the Pious, Sepulchre Curia, Congregations, and Pontifical Commission.
The Pious is the supreme executive division of the Basilicum Nexum. The current - and seemingly always has been - Pious is simply known as the Prophet. His name has never been known and it is currently unknown whether it is the same Prophet who started the original Basilicum Nexum. Nexontyrs believe that his is; however, scientists believe that it is extremely unlikely for an individual who engages in Nexontyr practices to live so long.
The Sepulchre Curia is the immediate advisors to the Pious and ruler of the Sepulchre. They rule executively over the city and enforce laws set down by the Pious and the Pontifical Commission. The Sepulchre Curia is also the judicial branch of the Church.
The Congregations are almost ministerial in nature and seperate several portions of the Church. The following are these divisions:
- Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
- Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
- Congregation for Churches
- Congregation for Acolytes
- Congregation for Nexontyr Education (Acolytic Orders)
- Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
- Congregation for War
The Pontifical Commission is the legislative branch of the Church. They - along with the Pious - create the doctrine and laws of the Church in relation to the political and religious environment of the world.
Economy
The economy of the Church is rather complicated. Investors invest in the Church and donations are accepted. However, this does not explain the 50 billion dollar budget acquired by the Church. This massive amount of money - tax free due to their religious status - allows for the Church to create massive constructed complexes and to create military complexes for defense around Antarctica.
Some international groups have stated that their may be illegal activities involving the sale of arms and possible sale of narcotics in order to fund the Church. As of now, there is currently no evidence supporting this claim.
Military
The Church keeps a small military force in Antarctica in order to defend the Sepulchre from offensive attack from extremist nations around the world. However, the Church has never been involved ina military operation in any since of the phrase. No Church approved aggression has ever taken place and the Church wishes to people to understand that only as a defensive purpsoe is a military presence kept.
This, however, does not stop groups around the world from condemning the organization.
