Uriah Olathaire

Uriah Olathaire was a human priest who lived on Terra at the time of the Unification Wars. He is the man Imperial history refers to, when it is said that "The Emperor casted the last stone of the last church upon the body of the last of the Terran priests after engaging and besting the resident unbeliever in a match of ideas, wit and dogma". The truth of the matter is slightly different, for while it is true that Olathaire discussed with the Emperor in person, and was overwhelmed by Mankind's leader depth of knowledge and experience, he chose to die with his church of his own volition after issuing the dire and prophetic warning to the Emperor to beware that His subjects would not start to see Him as a god if He deprived them of religion.

The strangest of churchgoers
"- No gods ever created art. - In an earlier age, some might have considered such a sentiment blasphemy. - Blasphemy, it is a victimless crime. - Despite himself, Uriah laughed. Touché!"

- Excerpt of the discussion between the Emperor and Uriah Olathaire.

Uriah Olathaire was born on ancient Terra shortly before the start of the Unification Wars. The only son of wealthy parents, he spent his youth drinking and rebelling against authority, especially that of the Emperor who had started to spread to the whole of Terra. After a bad encounter with a squad of Thunder Warriors who whipped his rebellion into hatred, Olathaire made for the town of Avelroi, where the local governor had rebelled against the Emperor, and participated in the battle of Gaduare, where the rebels were slaughtered almost to the last man by a small force of Thunder Warriors. Wounded, Olathaire fled, and recieved what he believed was a vision of God himself, healing him and telling him "Why do you deny me? Accept me and you will know that I am the only truth and the only way."

The shaken and broken Olathaire then returned home, only to discover that his family had been murdered and their holdings plundered while he was away. Remembering his vision, he then entered the Church of the Lightning Stone, and started a new life, one of preaching kindness and offering assistance to any who came. This he did daily for almost fourty years a    the Unification Wars slowly came to their conclusion, and the creed of atheïstic realism favored by the Emperor spread, and fewer and fewer faithful came to the church.

Such it was, that one day, a strange warlike man garbed in armor entered the church just before midnight's sermon. Introducing himself as "Revelation", the stranger said he wanted to speak with Olathaire and understand what kept him chained to faith in the light of the advances of science and reason. Unbeknowst to Olathaire, the man was actually the Emperor himself, veiled by a psychic illusion to appear as a normal human. However, the master of Mankind had been so long removed of normal humanity that Olathaire immediately sensed that something was amiss, although he could not understand what.

Despite this initial misgiving, Olathaire garciously invited his visitor inside, and led him to his church most treasured possession, a masterfully painted mural fresco depicting mythic events from Terra's past and future. (Ironically enough, one of the scenes was a stylised depiction of the fight between the Emperor and the Void Dragon). Uriah stated that the artist had been touched by the divine to bring into being such grandness. Revelation however bluntly countered that while the artist certainly had been a woman of incredible vision and talent, what had moved her was money and not God.

Refusing to be daunted by Revelation's queerness, Olathaire led him to his quarters where they could discuss more easily, sharing a bottle of wine. Revelation confirmed that this church was the last one on Terra, and that he had been tasked by the Emperor to destroy it, but he offered no violence, and once again reiterated that he wanted to understand humanity's need for faith first. Uriah then attempted to explain how faith appeared from unexplainable facts as a reassuring explaination thereof, citing the history of his own church, founded by a man who was blind, deaf and mute but recovered the use of his eyes and ears after ligntning struck the stone he was sheltering under. To thank for this miracle, the man founded the church and many came to the stone to pray in hope for a cure for their own ails. Yet Revelation was unconvinced, and explained that there was a scientific cause to the miracle: the 'holy man' had probably been mentally addled, and the shock of the ligntning strike had worked to shake his brains out of the diminished state. He then bluntly stated that the founder of the church might have believed that he had been the recipient of a miracle, but that believing something does not make it true or real.

A story of Religion
"- What made you think it was God? Did you not hear what I said earlier about the brain’s ability to perceive what it wants to? You were a dying man on a battlefield, surrounded by your dead comrades and you were having an epiphany of the futility of the life you had led. Surely you can think of another explanation for this vision, Uriah, a more likely explanation that does not require the supernatural? - I need no other explanation. You may be wise in many things, Revelation, but you cannot know what goes on in my own mind. I heard the voice of God and saw His face. He bore me up and set me into a deep slumber, and when I awoke, my wounds were healed."

- Excerpt of the discussion between the Emperor and Uriah Olathaire.

Irritated at Revelation's attitude more than his words, Olathaire then stated that he too, had recieved a vision in his youth. Revelation once again stated his satement of belief versus reality, but told Olathaire to explain himself nevertheless. Olathaire then started by saying he had been at Gaduare. when Revelation said that Gaduare was a pointless waste, Olathaire answered by saying that he was too young to know of Gaduare. Revelation looked up with sadness, and they locked eyes, and again Olathaire felt that strangeness. Even more shaken, Olathaire then explained his youth, how he had been a rebel, and fought and almost died at Gaduare. He then explained how he had been wounded, witnessed God and been healed, and how this had given him purpose in an otherwise wasted life.

Again, Revelation was doubtful. He began to speak of the religions of old, and how they had so often been used by an excuse to justify cruelty. Olathaire retorted that they had also been the cause of much good, but Revelation stated with finality that the evil far outstripped the good, citing examples from old and recent religions built on terror, repression and human sacrifice to keep populaces in check and in chains. An unbelieving Olathaire then pointed to himself, saying he had done nothing else than spread kindness since he became a priest, and based his life on the holy scriptures of his religion. Revelation praised him for it, but told him he had interpreted the content of the text, and that too many humans did so to better their own position istead of bettering that of the community.

Revelations
"- Nothing of such grand scale can be achieved without a singular vision at its heart, least of all the reconquest of the Galaxy. - Didn’t you just tell me of the bloody slaughters perpetrated by crusaders? Doesn’t that make you no better than the holy men you were telling me about? - You misunderstand, Uriah. I have seen the narrow survival path that is all that stands between humanity and extinction, and this is the way it must begin. - It is a dangerous road you travel. To deny humanity a thing will only make them crave it all the more. And if you succeed in this grand vision of yours? What then? Beware that your subjects do not begin to see you as a god."

- Excerpt of the discussion between the Emperor and Uriah Olathaire.

Finally angered by his guest's behavior, Olathaire bade him to leave, and went for his interrupted midnight prayer. The Emperor then simply dropped his psychic veil, and an astonished Olathaire recognised the face he had seen in his vision on the killing field of Gaduare. The Emperor then simply bade him to follow, for while He was still baffled by humanity's desire for faith, he had been impressed by Uriah Olathaire's intelligence and assertiveness, and offered the man a place in His new world.

Gazing around dazedly, Olathaire at first felt a keen sense of despair, stemming from having lived a lie all of his life. But then he reconsidered, thinking of all the good he had done and brought to his parishoners. His own idea of God might had been false, but the good it had brought was still tangible and very real. His despair made place for a familiar sense of accomplishment, and listened to his august visitor, who spoke of His grand vision for Mankind. For the last time, Uriah Olathaire gazed into the eyes of the Emperor and looked deep into the core of a being who had lived for millenia, witnessed countless wonders and horrors and was possessed of an infathomable sum of knowledge. Olathaire saw both the limitless compassion and the ruthless core of violence of a being who ultimately no longer was even remotely human, if it ever has been. Understanding that he could never follow such a being, Uriah Olathaire bade the Emperor the best, but warned him that His subjects might come to see Him as a god. The Emperor nodded and simply left, before His Thunder Warrior escort opened up on the church, obliterating both the building and its last inhabitant from the face of Terra.

Personality
A deeply devout and faithful man, Uriah Olathaire had been shaped by the events of his wasteful youth into a kind and caring priest. Intelligent and open-minded, he was able to discuss with the Emperor without sounding too dogmatic or intolerant. He attempted to explain humanity's need for faith to the master of Mankind, but he was unsucessful.