Table of Contents
The Pontifex Collective were an ancient civilization that encompassed the Caelum Galaxy some thousands of years ago. Through extensive research by the Consortium of Ancestral Preservation, the Intergalactic Federation has developed this primer on some understood aspects of what Pontifex life was presumably like.
Architecture / Geography
Pontifex ruins have largely been found on planets with a solid amount of water. It seems like much of their city layouts capitalized on the ability to utilize the water as traversal, as recovered artifacts imply the Alzar seemed to exhibit amphibian traits. For planets that have since had slight reduction in water levels, the sediment lines indicate that on average 40% of Pontifex structures were either on or under water.Buildings that remain from the Pontifex Collective tend to incorporate ternary structures, using the concept of the triangle as a key focal point in much of the arches and entryways. Interestingly enough, pyramids and pyramid-like structures were mostly avoided.
Beliefs
Deities
The Pontifex Collective revere three Numina as worthy of worship:
Rule of Three
The Pontifex Collective revolved their entire culture, structure, and more upon a doctrine colloquially known as 'The Rule of Three'. Many recovered texts recount it as follows:
"Whatever energy a person puts out, whether it be positive or negative, will be returned to them threefold."
In reality, the Rule of Three is far more complex and engrained into the Collective than you might think. Although they do not hold the traitor Numina Asbris, Ihmir, and Enoch in high regard, they did recognize that the Caelum Galaxy spawned from the actions of three. Therein lies the belief that all in creation was modeled after that trio. Funnily enough, the number three has been found extensively in many natural phenomena:
- There are three primary colors by which all other colors can be made
- There are three laws of motion in physics
- There are three categories of natural law in biology, chemistry, and physics.
- There are three divisions that encompass time: the past, present, and future.
One could presumably spend a lifetime trying to identify all the ways the number three occurs in the natural world (according to manuscripts, several Collective members have!). The more religious members took the time to include 'three' into almost all aspects of their life, whether it be meals, children, polygamy, or anything really. It seems however most of the Pontifex observed the rule of three as simply a life mantra.
Tetradic Omens
With the Rule of Three and its inherent good luck, the Pontifex were conversely tetraphobic, meaning they considered the number four to be a bad omen. The extent of the fear behind this number, or its origin, has yet to be understood by the CAP.
Government
The Pontifex was inherently a theocracy, led by the Prime Arbiter into the future. Many of the conceptual / structural decisions seem to stem back to the Rule of Three, and that is most plainly seen in their government. Citizens/Members of the Pontifex Collective were known as the Alzar.
The Prime Arbiter
Starting the list off strong with a direct contradiction, the Prime Arbiter of the Pontifex Collective sat at the very top of the societal pyramid. Regardless of that paradox, the vast majority of the Pontifex considered the Prime Arbiter to serve both as a spiritual leader and a sovereign to their people.
It is believed by many that the Prime Arbiter was the chosen emissary by which Dova, Kryulla, and Telene enact their will and impart their divine knowledge through. Throughout what Pontifex history is known, a great deal of the achievements and innovations are directly attributed to the Prime Arbiter in that generation.
Arbiters
Under the command of the Prime Arbiter sat three Arbiters that oversaw aspects of the Collective in accordance with the Rule of Three. Partitions of the Collective within the purvue of an Arbiter were known as 'contingents'.
Mind
The Arbiter of the Mind was primarily focused on endeavors that strengthened and broadened the horizons of knowledge. Most notably, this included education, record-keeping, as well as research and development. Their patron numen was Kryulla.
Body
Every society has essential functions that must be constantly maintained, whether that be construction, infrastructure, or even waste management. The Arbiter of the Body took pride, and supposedly great pleasure, in supporting the Pontifex Collective from the ground up via the Body Contingent. Their patron numen was Telene.
The key difference between the Mind and Body contingent is that the Mind Contingent pursued the building of knowledge, while the Body contingent exercised the implementation of said knowledge into invention.
Soul
Religious observances were handled by the Arbiter of the Soul and their contingent. The many temples erected by the Pontifex across the Caelum Galaxy were maintained by the Soul Contingent. Interestingly enough, it is said the Pontifex' military equivalent, the Scions of Dova, were also trained and directed by the Arbiter of the Soul. Their patron numen was Dova.
Where are the Pontifex Today?
To the CAP's understanding, the Pontifex Collective suddenly disappeared one day and left their structures for us to find. The Alzar of the Pontifex Collective has since been declared extinct, however no remains have yet been recovered.
Based on the manuscripts recovered from the Body Contingent, the Pontifex Collective had a solid understanding of the use of celestine in several unique ways. In particular, the Silverbridge corporation spent several years developing their knowledge base on the Pontifex' celestine manipulation methods, a lucrative investment that has since been paid back in droves through their creation and domination of the solar sailer market.