[Caymen Greener]

KALAND

Political Information
Government Type: Theocracy
Head of State: High Priest Caymen Greener
Place of Government: Great Temple to Repus (in progress)
Executive Branch: Repus Diaconate

The Diaconate is a collection of all of the priests of Repus, the Most High God, who are led and guided by elders and ultimately the High Priest. The deacons (lowest level of priest) are the ultimate servants of Repus and the Kramish people. They serve in the village and community both spiritually and socially. The bishops are the decision makers, or what other states might define as the council or representatives or parliament. They handle the affairs of Kaland and Repus Village and are considered the "elected" (by Repus Himself) political and spiritual leaders.

• The High Priest is the Diaconate chief (chairperson, councilor), currently High Priest Caymen Greener
• The Diaconate is led and advised by all bishops (elders and pastors)
• The Diaconate body consists of all other deacons and minsters (servants)

Most duties and roles in relation to the government, external relations, and other state concerns go through the High Priest and the Diaconate. Some specific roles are listed here:

• Temple Overseer: High Priest Greener
• Repus Village Overseer: Bishop Parker
• High Guard: Brother Armstrong, Deacon
• Naval Overseer: Bishop Pastorius

Societal Information
Capital City: Repus Village
Official Language: Kramish
Demonym: Kramish

Historical Background

It is said that the Kramish people were marooned on the island centuries ago, and because of this unknown beginning and the possible disaster-like beginning, the origins are unclear. However, it is quite clear to all who dwell here that the Most High God Repus had called on these people in their time of peril, to forge a small society and bring peace and love to each other.

Under this guidance, the people formed a loose governmental system to get themselves organized and safe. These government folks were more ritualistic and spiritual than political and thus the Repus faith was born. The officials of this island and the people, growing in number now, became ordained priests of the Most High God Repus. And it was, is, and ever shall be in His name that the people of Kaland exist.

For hundreds of years the people survived on this small island village, with abundant natural surroundings, natural spring and rain water, and a bountiful ocean surround. They followed their divine paths and have remained peaceful, strong, united, and happy.

And one day it suddenly became known that they were not alone. They had a hunch that there were others in the world and that they were once amongst the others in the world. But now they had proof - a lone shard of an unknown material (Redstone) came to their shores. And through divine inspiration and the direct confirmation through the High Priest, the material was confirmed as coming from other human hands.

The village, still building its latest temple, now must decide if they wish to build bigger boats and venture out into the world around them!


Real Life Context

It should be noted that this is not designed to replicate a normal theocracy that we may have seen (in a way) in the middle ages via the Catholic Church, nor is Kaland a representation of the modern Catholic Church. This is a loose parallel to what we would have seen in the early days of Christianity (book of Acts, first and second centuries, etc). If those Christians were to have not been persecuted and perhaps had managed a country of their own, this is one form it could have taken. I am exploring what an Acts-based Christian theocracy might look like after a few hundred years of running autonomously.

[Caymen Greener]

Kaland - an island retreat, to the naked eye. But to those who dwell, it has been their home for eons. The beautiful paradise appears, with the great Repus Monument standing tall in the background. The people of the island are gathered around, with the priests in their white robes, the high priest in his white robe with red trim. Several people even hold up tiny flags.

The high priest Caymen Greener stands before them. "Blessed be the Most High God Repus, and blessed be you, his people."

"Blessed be!" they shouted.

"I come to you today," the high priest continues, "to share exciting news. As some of you have heard, we found an object on the coast of our island. Some of you have seen it placed on a pedestal near my home, close to the river. Some of you have speculated its origins. But we know something about it now.

"We have determined that this is man made, and not from the skies or throne of Repus. It is from a distant shore and somehow made its way to us.

"We have long since assumed that we came from somewhere far away, from a people we no longer know, from a land that may no longer exist. Without proof or answers from Repus, we merely live on what we do know, here on Kaland. But now we have a piece of the puzzle that may give us more answers."

The high priest holds up his hand. "Thus today, we bring you good news. While we will continue to work on the Great Temple as always, we will be shifting resources to build a larger boat. This vessel will be able to carry a small group for up to a month, so that they may sail where we think the redstone came from. We want to find these answers.

"Some of you may ask why we are doing this, why we are not putting our faith in Repus. But we are - your priestly leaders, the Repus Diaconate, have been praying fervently since we found the object. And we have every inclination that we are to sail and to find the creators. Repus has willed it, and thus it shall be done."

The high priest pauses dramatically. "We do this in the name of the Most High God Repus..."

"Blessed be!" the crowd shouted.

And thus, with that short speech, the destiny of the Kramish people would forever be changed. New and exciting things awaited them, for the broader Utopia community was out there!

[Caymen Greener]

KALAND ANNOUNCEMENT

People of Kaland and Repus Village, I bring you good blessings from the Most High God. I bring good news in this missive of our exploration into the redstone. We have completed our first major large sailing ship and are preparing for our first voyage!

She may be small compared to those who created the redstone, but she is large for us. The Kalandian has room for a crew of four plus her captain. Our dubious Bishop Pastorius has gratefully accepted the nomination from the Diaconate to become our priest on the waters and our great vessel's first captain.

We don't know what we will find when we sail out from our humble island. We don't know if the people around us in the world share our values. But we know we are compelled to explore and to seek out the broader world around us, in His name. We wish Bishop Pastorius good luck and we will pray for their journey.

High Priest Caymen Greener

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