The Ethos Creed...

*sigh* This is going to be a little difficult, because none of this is ever mentioned in the game -- so basically, this is all speculation based on my observations in the Ethos Headquarters. If I ever get the chance, I'll go back and look for some more information. ^_^ The Ethos is a closed organization. Only the members of its faithful may pass beyond the anteroom of the main headquarters, and only the Etones and Bishops may pass beyond the main chapel....... (not that there's really much beyond that point that has any use, but still......) I'm not sure exactly how one 'joins' the Ethos church, but I'l willing to bet the easiest way would be to let one of the Etones rescue you from some dire fate and let the organization assimilate -- or "save" -- you. ^_~ That's the impression I got, anyway. The main purpose of the Ethos is to protect the people from the Wels, or Reapers, that run all over the Aquavy territory. These creatures feed off the flesh of humans, so naturally they need to be taken care of! The Etones - who comprise most of the Ethos organization - are the ones who dispose of these creatures and take care of the citizens around that area. The Ethos is also a major excavation company, dealing in ancient ruins, and gears particularly. (Okay, maybe I was wrong - maybe this is their main priority! It all depends on how you look at it.) They have warehouses in every city, and frequently take on jobs along the borders of Aveh and Kislev to excavate newly found ruins. Most of the gears on the surface originate here, and Ethos workers are the ones who keep them up and running, whether for the military or the civilian population. Rank: This is pretty simple. Logical order of rank would be Acolyte, Etone, Pointiff, and Bishop. There is more than one person holding each of these offices, Etones being the largest count, and Bishops comprising the smallest. There is one Archbishop (I think), and that would be Bishop Stone. Anyone who follows the Catholic religion could probably give a more complete list, but that part will be explained in the next section. Naturally, the Ethos has a lot of secrets. But you'll have to play the game to find out what they are -- I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise for you! ^_~

Parallels to Catholicism...

I claim no expertise regarding the Catholic religion. I just thought I would say that right now, to dispel any complaints about.... misrepresentation, or whatever. Followers of any religion are understandably sensitive about their beliefs, and I don't want to be misunderstood again. ^^ Anyone with corrections -- or more detailed information -- should feel free to donate, or at least bring any mistakes to my attention. (Warning: there isn't much here yet. I'm not Catholic, so I don't have first hand knowledge of the religion...) And now that my little disclaimer is out of the way...... There are some pretty obvious parallels between the Catholic church and the Ethos organization of Xenogears. All you have to do is walk into the building -- the chapel looks very similar to a few smaller churches I've had the chance to visit for one occasion or another...... And the confessional in the western corner of the Ethos chapel was a nice touch too! ^_~ Their ranking system (acolyte, bishop, etc.) also follows traditional systems closely...... at least as far as I know. No exact lists are given in the game of course, and I have no idea what the line of ascension is really like, but the two seem to fit pretty closely together. (I'm really starting to wish my memory was a bit better...) This paragraph is a pretty weak argument, ne? ^^ All I can give you at the moment is the obvious parallels listed above. "Reverend Billy Lee Black" should have been a huge tip off though...... There are a few other interesting things I noticed as well -- mainly the symbol of the Ethos. Instead of a cross, as I expected after hearing so much about the organization during the game, it looked like an ankh (Egyptian mythology). Of course, the resemblance doesn't last -- the head of the symbol looks completely different. ^^ Like...... a stylized blossom, opening to the sun, or something like that...... Here ends my extremely pathetic comparison of the Ethos to the Catholic church. After reading these few paragraphs, even I can't believe I posted them...... but don't worry -- I'm going to do some studying to correct this. I just...... can't leave it like this. ^_~