The origins of storianism are something of a mystery, the faith is believed have arisen during the recovery of spaceflight and was spread by the first corridor traders. Its a transtheistic techno-animistic aural tradition that has a loose pantheon of deities that serve under or are sometimes referred to collectively as the “Galactic Maestro”(GM). The GM is a personification of fate and fate itself is often viewed as a song, game or story. The universe repeats for eternity and though each iteration may differ the overall result is not dissimilar and the fundamental rules remain consistent. This has implications for the future, which storians view as being largely pre-determined. Oracles seek to divine probabilities and guide their acolytes and adherents towards favourable outcomes. The Oracle adage is “everything that can happen has happened, but it doesn't have to happen to you”. Many prayers, rituals and totems entreat the GM to shift ill luck from oneself to another unfortunate or the less faithful. Similarly prayers for prosperity are conducted knowing full well that others will often have to be deprived. Storians believe that fate is fickle though this is as much a blessing as it is a curse and the odds can be beaten with cunning and the correct application of faith.
Appeasement of the GM and the countless little gods are always at the forefront of faithful minds, the consequences for failing to utilise faith can be dire. The faithful might attribute anything from a bad nights sleep to a violent accident to the whim of the GM. The remedy for this ill luck might be simple as issuing are prayer before bed or as complex pleasing the GM through acts of comedy, tragedy, heroism or villainy. Storians can become seemingly preoccupied with odds of events occurring, imaging catastrophic or miraculous outcomes and retrospectively ascribing the influence of the GM. What might be considered fixation by others is seen as an extension of diligence and therefore virtuous in the storian faith. This focus on the here and now stems from the lack of a traditional afterlife. Storians believe that the universe repeats itself infinitely, so in a sense they believe in a kind of reincarnation but the individual and there future iterations are not considered one in the same. The is no continuity of spirit or soul because storians hold no such beliefs. Their is no grand rewards or punishments awaiting beyond death or in the iteration, devoutness is driven by ambition and desire to manifest rewards while alive. Storians at once possess reputations for being foolhardy and cautious, they respect their aural traditions and take the words of their oracles as sacrosanct.
Auspicious Storian oracles have been present for historical events acting as historians, advisors and spiritual observers. Venti and Union civilian and military vessels often observe Storian rites while in transit through corridor space to calm nerves and bolster morale of their crews. There is no singular storian nation, culture or ethnic population but proportionally speaking the high concentration of gravity affected storians Leads the LNA to be a natural coalescing point for faithful. The LNA recognises Storian holidays and official chairs a single preeminent Sophian Oracle as a ceremonial figure to observe and act as a speaker of the assembly. Gunnar Hollister current chairperson of the LNA was instrumental in accommodating the Storians displaced in the Torbanner piracy crisis and calamity of Castigor. Since this time Hollister has become venerated with the honorific “ Vision” and his word is considered to be oracle like in its veracity and sincerity. This has undoubtedly contributed to his popularity and his 20 years as presiding chair person to the LNA.
Storians tend to hold wildly different beliefs from one another as much of their beliefs and practices are informed individually from their own experience and from the guidance of the oracle they follow. Disagreements and outright contradiction between oracles is not uncommon and this can lead to a great deal of tension and even violence within the religion. Violence between storianism and other religions is comparatively rare, storian tend to believe that GM resides in space and turmoil, whilst other gods tend to hold sway in their native populations or planets. Storians often incorporate the practices of other faiths so as to not offend local gods or earn their favour to safe gaurd against the malevolent whims of the GM.
Despite the great variance in interpretation and practice of the storian faith, there are a number of more persistent core beliefs that most storians hold in common. Storians believe in the presence of the “Distant Ones” that are the off spring of the universe and GM. They are god like beings who are said to dwell outside the observable universe feeding on creation and bringing about the heat death of the universe so reality can restart. Storians also believe in “Monumentals” who created the pillars at the start of the universal cycle and have enable it to persist into our universe with their arcane sciences. Storians believe that all things, even non living things posses a will and temperament, their many offerings rituals often centre around appeasing or warding appliances and technology to ensure its favour. Storians view dreams as being memories from past or future iterations of the self and they are always viewed as prophetic. Only oracles are permitted to interpret dreams and disregarding their foretelling is considered perilous tempting of the GM. The most commonly observed holiday is Sol Solstice or Holidayman day where once every 12 months Holidayman comes to eat the bad luck, curses and maladies of the faithful in exchange for biscuits, soymilk and the festooning of a “solstice bush” .
Storians are often fierce combatants emboldened by their faith to persist in unfavorable conditions and under the heaviest fire. For many, if an Oracle has predicted victory, then it will be acquired at whatever cost. At the same time so fervent are stories that ill predictions are met with are regarded as foregone conclusions. The saying “the best way to predict your future is to create it” speaks to the sheer force of will storians posses even in the direst portents. Storian Amournauts are often unpredictable combatants utilising unorthodox strategy to manifest destiny. Storians have a poor reputation for being prisoners and have been known to wait patiently only to strike out at their captors emboldened by imagined opportunity or prophesised sign.