The Hoshimachi Crater

Hoshiyomia is a nation that has a transcendent believe in the powers of comets, and the stars. It is the basis of our religion and our beliefs. Many omens are based upon the patterns of stars and the sighting of comets. A person's star symbol is held to be the basis of their personality and an integral part of their lives.

But the most holy of holies within the Grand Principality is the Hoshimachi Crater. The Hoshimachi Crater was formed by a comet impact long ago, and by some miracle the Comet itself still intact within the crater. The comet itself is said to have been from Suisei herself, and its importance as a pilgrimage site is unmatched in Astronomerity. Every Hoshimachite must one in their life visit the crater and touch the sacred rock itself.

The crater is also intense guarded by the state and is under constant surveillance to prevent vandalism and taking of the sacred rock itself. To be caught acting sacrilegiously against the crater is punishable by death. Acts such as cursing, blasphemy, fornicating, spitting, defecating and urinating within the crater itself are such acts of sacrilege.

The upkeep of the crater itself is done by priests and monks. the prevention of erosion and damage to the crater and the rock itself are considered to be of the most importance to the state itself and funds are regularly allocated to prevent such things from happen. In the case of war, the Crater is to be defended at all costs from acts of terrorism because if the rock was damaged in anyway, it is said that the stars would turn themselves against the nation and the nation would collapse. Over the years, there have been several attempts to damage the rock, but all have been foiled. The closest one that came to success was in 949 VTE when a Watamelon terrorist placed an explosive device on the rock that failed to detonate. He was executed on the spot.