Throughout Human history, religion has played a major role in the cultural development of individual societies and even been the basis for many long and devastating wars. Although these belief systems have changed and evolved over time, they have also often been a source of hope for many of those who have experienced feelings of despair and desperation.
By the mid to late 21st century, the warming of Earth’s climate had caused a dramatic rise in sea levels, created widespread droughts and famine, and made the equatorial regions nearly uninhabitable. Within two generations, entire populations had migrated from countries near the equator to the more temperate latitudes. This global “Diaspora” not only led to a sudden influx of different customs and traditions, but a more diverse assortment of spiritual beliefs as well.
While a large portion of the world’s population considered themselves to be religiously unaffiliated; this rapid merging of cultures caused a growing segment of society to incorporate a wide range of beliefs into a single all-inclusive faith. At the heart of this belief system was the concept that the Universe itself is a living conscious entity which manifests itself in the creation of all life. Thus, every living being exists as a facet of this entity for the purpose of learning as much about itself as it can. This faith also embraces the belief in a continuous cycle of joining a communal consciousness at death only to be reborn into a new form of life.
The most devout followers refer to themselves as the Beacons of Amaterasu in reverence to the ancient Shinto deity. This is merely a symbolic reference and is only used as a means of identifying the living energy of the Universe. These individuals are present within every level of society; from the overcrowded urban streets to many of the wealthy corporations. They are all brought together by the belief that the natural state of the cosmos is one of harmony in which divine, natural, and Human elements are all intimately related.
In 2165, a large group of these devoted followers assembled together with a mutual desire to explore the Universe in a truly meaningful way. Pooling their resources with that of Hoshi Enterprises, over 3500 passengers embarked on a journey to the 61 Cygni star system where they established their first permanent settlement on the planet Hikaru. This sanctuary world soon became a haven for people of all faiths, but the open-minded and welcoming nature of the Beacons of Amaterasu appealed to many of the individuals who eventually came here. This spiritual belief was also followed, in a more casual fashion, by a significant portion of those who colonized both the Gliese 876 and Altair star systems as well. Furthermore, this faith’s veneration for the sanctity of all life made a positive impression on both the Brekka and the Undari when first contact was made with these two noble alien races. Currently, nearly 3 billion individuals consider themselves to be followers of Amaterasu; which mostly includes those who have remained on Earth.