Edenites

Eden, Not Earth: Humanity was not created by God on Earth but on Eden, a world untouched by corruption, lost somewhere in the cosmos. Earth was merely a temporary refuge or even a prison for a people who had strayed from God’s path.

New Ararat: When Edenite explorers discovered New Ararat, they saw divine providence. The planet’s unique tidal cycles where its continents flood every 40th Sol day due to the pull of its massive moon aligned perfectly with Edenite scripture, which described a sacred land being found after a long voyage where “the waters would rise and fall, marking the cycle of creation and renewal.” They claimed the planet as their new home and made it the center of their faith.

The Search for Eden: Though they have a homeworld, their mission is not complete. Eden is still out there, and their faith compels them to keep searching, sending out exploration ships across The Last Handin the hope of finding humanity’s birthplace.

Proselytization & Conversion: The Edenites are not only explorers but also missionaries. They believe that all of humanity must be delivered from sin and called back to Eden, and they actively seek converts, spreading their doctrine even among alien species.

Rejection of AI: Like some other Faith subsects, Edenites are deeply skeptical of AI and synthetic beings, viewing them as soulless constructs with no place in the divine plan. To them, artificial intelligence represents the ultimate perversion of creation, a mockery of the true life that God designed which in addition have made few alien and Human-Cyborgs willing to join their way of life.

The Edenites maintain a modest but determined fleet, consisting primarily of long-range exploration vessels that double as missionary ships. These Skim Ships, are often converted from old merchant or research vessels which are sent out from New Ararat to seek out Eden and spread The Faith.

These ships roam the galaxy, scanning for habitable worlds that match their ancient texts’ descriptions. They often visit long-forgotten worlds, dead colonies, and lost human settlements, hoping to find clues to Eden’s location. Some of the unvlaimed they settle, while the locations of others they sell to the highest bidder to continue to fuel their search.

Wherever they travel, Edenites attempt to convert those they meet, whether human or alien. Some welcome their teachings, while others see them as zealots, heretics, or fools.

Not all factions tolerate the Edenites. Some see their beliefs as dangerous, particularly rivaling religious factions like the Gospel of K'zon and the Império de Tarsis, who consider their teachings heretical. Edenite missionaries in Gospel and Imperio space often operate in secret, at great personal risk.