5 members
“Navigare necesse est, vivere non est necesse.”
Younger stars in time shall rise
To the axis of the skies
Stars that soothe, stars that bless
Mankind with forgetfulness
In 2956, Grand Admiral Herja was given an enlightened vision from the swirling nebulae and twinkling stars of the Void while on routine patrol. This vision was of Earth’s long past, before the first of Man left their blue paradise. Long ago, Mankind made their first ocean-worthy ships, believed by their crews to have mighty souls, to spread among the Earth and discover new lands. Humanity’s great achievements and progress were tied to these ships, shaped by the naval traditions founded by those that formed symbiosis with their vessels. This sacred bond would follow Man into the sky, into this very day. And thus the Ordo Nautae Caelestis has risen to honor and preserve the accord between Humanity and their ships, and the naval traditions forged from this eternal kinship.
The Ordo Nautae Caelestis is entrusted with maintaining the sanctity of the bond between crew and ship and curating Humanity’s many naval traditions. Those of the Ordo are from all walks of life, all creeds, places, and identities united in one core belief: that Mankind’s ships possess their own unique souls that benefit from and are key to a symbiotic relationship with their crew and captains and this bond has heralded and been present throughout human history and will continue to play a role in its future.
Though members may be a part of many other institutions or organizations, this is their faith; those of this faith do their utmost to uphold that which is in the charter in their activities within the ‘Verse, regardless of the missions they undertake. The Ordo may undergo a call to arms to defend its beliefs, but it is first and foremost a loose institution with members unified in belief. To be a member is to proclaim one’s values and beliefs.
Rites of Marriage*
*A note on marriage: in the United Empire of Earth, marriage to a non-sapient being is not recognized under UEE laws in order to discourage sins such as bestiality. This currently means that any marriage to a ship performed by members of the Ordo Nautae Caelestis will not be legally recognized by the UEE and is solely a religious marriage. The Ordo Nautae Caelestis supports and petitions for sapient ship AIs to be removed from their taboo status and given full rights. Pyro and the People’s Alliance of Levski do not require marriage licenses.
Funeral Rites
Ritual of Initiation
Soul Transference Ritual
