Ancestral Study
| Type of organisation | |
| Research Group | |
| Head | |
| Lead Scientist Claudia Donovan | |
| Countries by adherents | |
 Malgrave
|
~305,275,537 |
| The Freethinker Commonwealth | ~1,350,000 |
 Breheim
|
24,247 (2017) |
| File:Nationalflag Kouralia.png Kouralia | ~15,000 |
| Greater Pony Herd | ~9,000 |
 Silverdale
|
~5,030 |
| Founded | |
| 1910 (officially) | |
| Research Papers | |
| Numerous | |
Ancestral Study, also known as Ancestral Devotion or Ascension Research is an organised group that exists primarily within the United Kingdom of Malgrave. In the constitution it is specifically named as one of the reasons for the foundation of the Malgravean nationstate and has received major support from following governments in the form of tax breaks, research grants and advertising drives for membership.
Beliefs
Members of the Ancestral Study Group believe that an advanced ancient race was not only responsible for creating intelligent life in large parts of the universe but before obtaining ascension laid the founding blocks for the creation of Malgrave. It is believed that by working hard enough on intellectual and cultural pursuits that ascension can be obtained by the Malgravean peoples and a final meeting can take place between the mentor and the student that will begin the dawn of an intellectual age beyond all current understanding.
Ascension
Ascension is the end goal of all members of the Ancestral Study organisation and it is believed that the constant pursuit of science, engineering and culture will lead the way to unlocking the secrets of the ancestors, despite this many believe that by living a good life and advancing any of these three tiers one can achieve ascension individually with the guide of the ancestors without having to collectively unlock it as a society.
Attendance and Organization
The Ancestral Study Organisation controls hundreds of research labs, museums and theatres that seek to expand understanding of the ancestors and ascension. Attendance is not mandatory but social pressure and education means that these buildings are often the centre of towns inside Malgrave. In foreign countries museums and theatres tend to be most popular with much effort put into advertising the system to foreigners although assistance and guidance is also provided to diaspora inside these countries.
Foreign Branches
The Freethinker Commonwealth
Religion in the Freethinker Commonwealth is not something actually tracked on the census, an estimate based on organisational tax returns and an extrapolation against the resident expatriate Malgravian community provide an estimate in the region of 1.3 to 1.4 million members. Given the relatively secular nature of Freestian society it is not a fast growing religion outside of this group, with most Freestian-born adherents either spouses or children of Malgravian immigrants. Notably, most adherents are based not in the provinces located in Poneria but are primarily based in the major Mainland ports of Navarre and Ademsea.
Kouralia
In The Royal Union of Kouralia, Ancestral Study is twice classified. The Ministry of Science, Technology and Health classifies it as an irrelegious foreign research group. The Department of Faith of the Ministry of Culture classes it as a Religion, though as of yet the ASG has not applied for the partial tax exemption afforded by this status. There are very few Kouralian adherents to the faith, as its religious themes but fervent denial of being a religion haven't really struck a chord with the superstitious Kouralian population.
Silverdale
Ancestral Study inThe United States of Silverdale is one of those new strange foreign religion in the mainstream media. The faith is mostly adherent to Malgravean immigrates in the United Pony States, however, a few pony scientists and students across the country follows the religion as well. This minority conduct a successful online funded to construct a temple to the religion, but appears to be a science museum and research faculty, in Derpicorn.
Greater Pony Herd
Ancestral Study is practiced by the low thousands, mostly Malgravean immigrants and foreign workers, but there are some native converts; some estimates place the number of practicing members of the Ancestral Study Group at about 9,000; most of which are based in the largest cities like Flankfurt am Mane or Trottersburg. There is also a native Herdite derivative group of Ancestral Study, the Ayyists, who believe that the creation of other intelligent life by the Ancestors was the result of a galactic conflict between the ancestors, who used the phrase "ayy lmao" as their spiritual device as well as greeting and battle cry, and other outsiders who used "yoo rofl". This group incorporates the phrase "ayy lmao" into its practices and uses it as a greeting, believing it is useful in achieving ascension.
Breheim
Ancestral Study is practiced by around 24,247 people (0.13% of the total population) in the Republic of Breheim, largely among Malgravean immigrants. It is believed the number is higher than those who declare on the census, with some Ancestral Study members instead declaring themselves as irreligious or humanist. There is a low number of native converts, particularly individuals involved in Breheimian arts and media. In recent years, high-profile actors and actresses like Ivar Noss, Ragnhild Blåfugl and Trygve Johansen have publicly professed belief in the theories of Ancestral Study, and have funded research groups in Storvik, Bjørnborg, Alfby and Just. An estimated 3% of journalists, 4% of actors/actresses and 1% of musicians are Ancestral Study adherents, while their number among blue-collar workers and professionals is vanishingly low.