Omnia

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Omnia
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Established {{{established}}}
Motto
Neighbours Ephebe, Istanzia, Betrek, Ushistan
Geographical Features Vast desert.
Population several million
Size
Capital Kom
Type of government Used to be a theocracy, changed after the 8th Prophet
Notable Citizens Vorbis, Brutha, Visit-the-Infidel-with-Explanatory-Pamphlets, Mightily Oats
Imports
Exports religion, missionaries
National Anthem
Books Small Gods


A powerful and oppressive theocracy until maybe a hundred years before the present. Omnians used to worship only the Great God Om. Omnia used to conquer neighbors in His name, all over the continent of Klatch. The Omnian Quisition, a state secret police run by deacons, used to torture and execute Omnian citizens in His name. Peddlers used to sell dubious religious artifacts in His name. Everything and anything done in the light or in the dark were done in His name, but He wasn't paying attention to what his worshippers were doing. This theocracy was run by the Cenobiarch (the Superior Iam) with 6 Arch Priests, 30 lesser Iams and a numerous other clergy to assist him.

When it was about time for the Eighth Prophet of Omnianism, many members of the Omnian government and military had in fact joined a secret anti-Omnianism movement. The proceedings and outcome of this movement are detailed in Small Gods.

Nowadays, Omnia is quite amiable, its deacons arguing among themselves over each phrase of the holy text instead of torturing citizens or planning to conquer neighbors. The Eighth Prophet of Omnianism, Brutha, had brought all that he could memorize of the books in the Library of Ephebe‎ back to Omnia, set them down in writing again, and opened the new Omnian library to all citizens and philosphers, including foreigners. Now, it sometimes seems that half of the Ephebian Philosophers are living in the Omnian library.

Omnia now exports many evangelical preachers, some of them are priests, but many of them are ordinary citizens. People of other countries still do not like Omnians in general. People who have not kept up with the news think that Omnians still set fire to non-Omnians (see Carpe Jugulum). People who have kept up with the news are fed up with getting a pamphlet every day from their Omnian-immigrant neighbour (see the article on an exemplary emigrant, Visit-the-Infidel-with-Explanatory-Pamphlets, who currently lives in Ankh-Morpork).

The currency of Omnia is known as the Obol.