Azraelism

Azraelism is the worship of Azrael, and the ideological pursuit of immortality and ending of mortality. Practiced in few nations and outright banned in many more, it is most prevalent in the countries of Felera and Valmasia, where it is the reigning religion and is continuously spreading and expanding its influences throughout the known world. It began to spread into of Agartha since 1433, the year when the three great powers of the world began to colonize the continent.
== Universal Themes ==
No matter the variant, certain common ideological themes persist throughout every variant of Azrael worship.
* The world, as it is, is flawed: Embracing Azrael, is embracing the ideal that in some way, the Creator has made the world in a way that is broken, flawed, and cruel, that depravity, as a sign of something not going according to fates plan, is a good thing in at least some cases. Mortality is, of course, the greatest flaw of this world, a shackle which traps humanity in an endless cycle of meaningless suffering.
* Violence is an acceptable means of change: The power of violence as a means of enacting change is a universal tenet of Azraelism, even if certain sects such as Feleran Azraelism do not heavily pursue change and progress. For if not for the violent revolution of Azrael against the oppressive, totalitarian Angelic Council, then would humanity experience freedom today?
* Death is merely a gateway to something greater: Death is not to be feared, but to be embraced. There is no point or meaning to existence, when souls will remain bound to an endless cycle of mortal misery unless delivered into Azrael's grip directly - doing so is a mercy. Azrael's Undeath is the permanent end to violence and death of souls lost to the troubles of the world.
== Sects Of Azraelism ==
The form of Azraelism adopted by the two notably Azraelite countries, Valmasia and Felera, differ to a certain extent.
=== Valmasian Azraelism ===
This is the sect which the majority of the Azraelite worlds follows. Before the total unification of Valmasia, there were a number of Azraelite sects, mostly followed by the disenfranchised folks during pre-Azraelite times. However, since the establishment of the Alliance, Azraelism in Valmasia and its colonies have become standardized, a blend between the Oscuri variant of the religion and the common worship among the peasantry.
* Evil is created by a fear of death, and that human civilizations, no matter how complex, will only kill to survive, due to a lack of resources for a growing population, and a clash of interests which in the end amount to nothing more than mortal woes. Scarcity and mortality is to blame.
* The Lord began as the benefactor, the compatriot and comrade of humanity, and the Father of all Oscuri, but it is humanity's goal to submit and prepare to hail the Lord as divinity, as the creator of a new world, the Lord of a New Eternia, and it is the Chosen People's goal to assist in the elevation of the Lord's status, to set an example on all the heathens of the world, to guide and to fight alongside humanity like brothers in arms.
* The Lord and the other Angels were betrayed by Kraus, but only He and a few others have realized this fatal fact. They were enticed by the promise of a much better world, only to discover it was just as flawed as their old realm. Eternia will suffer a similar fate of endless, meaningless, and repetitive conflicts, suffering and misery if humans do not fight against the world order and bring about a new, Azraelite reality.
* The land of the living is to belong to humanity, and to kill people merely frees them from the shackles of creation. Grow strong, in strength and in magics, to then kill and sacrifice in the Lord's name, so that He may revive all and put an end to mortality. And those who serve will rise to become masters of a New Eternia.
* Seek out the relics left by Azrael himself, planned in advance in the event of His defeat during the second Divine War, which function only in the hands of those capable of manifesting rieka, and with them unsealing the angel compatriots of Azrael will be possible.
* Humans will always stray towards violence due to the very nature of this world full only of scarcity and inequality, and that it is without a doubt the most powerful weapon they possess. The Lord detests this aspect of humanity, regardless of its strength, but understands that it's needed to create a better Eternia, as he himself has seen the fruit of his actions. Violence is change, change is progress.
* Seek out further flaws of the Creator's designs, and convert more people into the Azraelite cause, for the struggle against Angelic imperialism and influence is a global one, and the battle against mortality is universal. For the Lord sees no divide between human groups, unlike the Creator who segregated the people of the world under Peace Barriers. For all souls are equally deserving of Utopia.
* Incite a third Divine War that will result in victory and eternal liberty of all the wretched of Eternia, so that the order of the imperfect may crumble for a new reality to rise and take its place.
=== Feleran Azraelism ===
A sect of Azraelism, diverging from the old Mortem Azraelism in the aftermath of the second Divine War, heavily influenced by the Lich Queen of Felera.Category:Religion