The Most Holy Sandwich
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| Flag of The Most Holy Sandwich | |
| Motto: Pray upon thy knees and thy neighbors. | |
| No Map Available Yet | |
| Region | Furry Federation |
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| Capital | New Brunchia |
| Official Language(s) | English |
| Leader | Ecchlesiarch Apoul Pious |
| Population | < 500 million |
| Currency | Olive |
| NS Sunset XML | |
The Most Holy Crusading Empire of the Most Holy Sandwich was located in the region of Pholph. Following that region's destabilization and collapse, the Empire was absorbed into the newly founded region of ChapterHouse. The nation is known for its automotive and weapons exports, as well as its extremist and often absurd policies.
Contents
The History of the Empire
The Empire's insistence of using its own calendar makes pinpointing exact dates extremely difficult. The following is a brief history of the Most Holy Crusading Empire of the Most Holy Sandwich, drawn from various sources. While the veracity of this information remains in question, but it does provide at least a starting point for those interested in the Holy Empire's history.
Humble Beginnings
The Empire has its humble beginnings in year 1 of the Grand Imperial Calendar in a thriving and independent Republic named Landeras. In a divine Revelation, the True sandwich Revealed itself to a college student by the name of Edgar Williams, who was post-humusly declared to be Ecclesiarch Amicus Mustard the 1st.
Following his Revelation, Edgar gathered a group of followers, which formed a small commune. This commune formed the core of the fledgling Church of the Holy Sandwich, and was responsible for codifying and preserving Edgar's writings.
Expansion and Empire
Over the next hundred years, the Church spread slowly throughout the surrounding countryside. Election of several prominent Sandwichians ensured the Church's place in society. In GIC 109, following a series of wars in which the Landeran borders were significantly expanded, the Landeran Prime Minister was unanimously elected as a supreme dictator, he declared himself to be Ecclesiarch Amicus Mustard the Second, and elevated Edgar to the position of the First Ecclesiarch in order to bolster this claim. The Church of the Most Holy Sandwich was declared to be the official religion, and Landeras became the Most Holy Empire of the Most Holy Sandwich.
Heresy and Reform
Over the next three hundred years, the empire's borders continued to grow. During this time the Church continued to grow, though it remained a pawn of the Imperial Government. During this time, the Church slid into heresy and was divided into various competing sects. The most prominent of these sects was the Fellowship of the Golden Hoagie. In GIC 498, Ecclesiarch Cheri Pius (who is noted in various texts as being a faithful devotee of the Orthodox Church of the Holy Sandwich) declared all other sects to be Hereticus Diabolus, and instituted the First Imperial Inquisition to purge these sects. The Fellowship of the Golden hoagie would later reemerge under a new guise. Following the purges, the Ecclesiarch instituted a series of reforms, which increased the Church's authority, and revised its doctrines.
The Present Day
As the Empire expanded, it encountered strange creatures which were neither animal nor human, but a combination of both. At first, they were believed to be monsters or demons, but it was later learned that they were in fact sentient sapient beings which had their own societies, and cultures. After much deliberation, the Ecchlesiarchy determined that these beings were capable of understanding the glory of the True Sandwich, and began conquering them as it had its human neighbors. While there were initial conflicts, these creatures were eventually assimilated into the Most Holy Empire. Those nations which were too large to conquer were instead treated as potential allies, resulting in several treaties. This brought the Empire into a network of alliances eventually formed the core of the Pholph region.
In GIC 1978 (circa 2003 A.D.), The Most Holy Empire established contact with the United Nations. The Ecchlesiarchy was impressed by The United nations and the prosperity of its member states, and quickly moved to establish peaceful relations. These attempts were short lived. The Empire and Echlesiarchy were ill prepared for introduction into world society, and the resulting culture shock created a violent backlash. The Empire condemned what it viewed as foreign hypocrisy and evil, and severed all ties with the UN and its member states.
Destabilization of several countries within the Pholph region in GIC 1979 led to renewed conquest, which resulted in a huge expansion of the Empire's borders. This expansion turned the Empire's attention away form International politics, as it worked to assimilate these new holdings. Following this expansion, Ecclesiarch Apoul Pious decreed that the Most Holy Empire would be renamed the Most Holy Crusading Empire of the Most Holy Sandwich. Trade with the Technocracy of Erenmor bolstered the Empire's military might, and led to various advances, including the deployment of the Empire's elite Cheddar Marines on a scale never before seen.
A discussion of the theocracy and beliefs of the Most Holy Empire
To fully understand the Most Holy Empire and its people one must first have a basic understanding the religion which makes up a central feature of Sandwichian culture. To many outsiders, the Cult of the Most Holy sandwich and its attendant beliefs seem strange, and often times ludicrous. To those who have studied it, the Sandwichian cult seems like a bit of absurdist humor which has spiraled out of control. For their part, the Sandwichians insist that their religion is the one true religion, though strangely they seem to be quite tolerant of other belief systems and will even readily admit that they have some good points.
The Most Holy Sandwich
Central to the region is the belief in a deity/concept called The Most Holy Sandwich. Whether the Sandwich is a being or a glorified metaphor is a source of much confusion and debate. At the Conference of 1302(GIC, one heretical movement even went so far as to suggest that the Sandwich may in fact be a somehow related to a fictional country named England, though they were quick shouted down as being a bunch of worthless idiots and loafers. Debate then moved on to what sort of loaf is best for making sandwiches. What is agreed upon is that The Most Holy Sandwich represents the ideal to which all good people should aspire.
The False Hoagie
For all intents and purposes, the True Sandwich and False Hoagie are one and the same. The major difference lies in two major divisions within the Sandwichian beliefs. The fist, are the Literalists, who believe that the Sandwich is in fact an actual divine being. Many attempts have been made to prove this, resulting in a large body of work which defines the core of Literalist philosophy. The second division is the Idealists. It is from this group that the idea of the Golden (or False) Hoagie originates. Each of the elements which make up the sandwich are said to represent a particular virtue or ideal. All of these are contained within the bread, which represents an all-encompassing force that binds and controls the other parts.
Heresies and the Inquisition
One of the more confusing aspects of Sandwichian religion is the cycle of piety and heresy which is central to the Empire's Cultural and religious practices. Lack of understanding of this cycle has led to many accusations of atrocity and religious persecution by the UN and the international community. The Sandwichian love for strong rhetoric, convoluted acronyms, absurd statements, and pretentious doubletalk serves only to further obfuscate the facts.
The truth is relatively simple in comparison. Within The Sandwichian Cult, there are two factions, The Church of the Most Holy Sandwich, and the Cult of the False Hoagie. Members may choose to follow either faction. The Former is considered to be the state religion, while the latter has taken on a role of "sanctioned Heresy". Twice a year, the Holy Inquisition mounts a crusade, and rounds up members of the Cult of the False hoagie. There then follows a series of trials, and staged executions by proxy. This entire affair takes on a carnival atmosphere, and is often accompanied by games, parades, and other events and activities. Following the executions, the Former cultists are granted full pardon and allowed to return to their daily lives. They turn in their cultist robes, and once again become pious members of the Church of the Most Holy Sandwich. After a grace period of four years, they again have the option to become heretics.
The Holy Inquisition
Central to this Cycle of is The Holy Inquisition of the Church of the Most Holy Sandwich. The Inquisition was formed in GIC 450 By decree of Ecclesiarch Cheri Pious in order to root out and destroy the heresies and corruption which plagued the church during his reign. The organization consists of two main branches: The Inquisitors, charged with investigation and destruction of heresies that may threaten the Empire; and the Inquisitorial Storm troopers, which provide support and firepower necessary for the Inquisitors to carry out their mission.
