Heoclism

Heoclism, also referred to as The Path of Four Fingers, is a religion based upon the teachings of Heoclymenes the Wise, whose knowledge and wisdom were inherited to him by his father — Aglios, known as ”The Revelation." A religion native to the far eastern side of Talasi, Heoclites — comprised mostly of indigenous Nunindii and Fereshe people — acknowledge the existence of two gods — an Ineffable All-Mother, Maiden of the Sea, Kapti, and Lakkinos, known as "The Great Empyrean," "the Sealed" and "the Last Son," as described in the Heoclite scripture, "The Seal of Aglios."
== Beliefs ==
=== Souls ===
According to the Heoclistic tradition, humans are the only beings amongst creation who possess souls, or — the breath of the mother. Animals, along with any other beastly creatures, are hylic, fleshly creatures, bound only by their nature and desires instilled upon them by our Lady, but devoid of intellectual or spiritual capabilities seen in humans, who have been bestowed a gift in a form of souls, inhabiting an otherwise empty husk that are our bodies.
It’s unclear what a soul is, for that issue plagued numerous scholars for generations, but it is believed to be a portion of Kapti's spirit, which now inhabits each and one of us. 
=== Reincarnation ===
Upon one's death, provided they've lived through their lives without a purpose that'd transcend this mortal, earthly coil, they'll — as formless spirits — descend into the underworld, where they'll be bound to maunder ceaselessly until a cycle of beginningless birth, wandering and dying again will repeat, called "atenestas." It is neither bad nor good, as Heoclites do not recognize any form of a torturous or paradisiacal afterlife. However, if someone yearns to escape the cycle of rebirth, they're required of "a worthy death," which will allow them to return to Our Lady's place of dwelling, Ra’Ha Arche, and become one with her once more. It is a fate that entails no inherent happiness, nor pleasures to be had. It is, however, a great honor, and it brings comfort to a person knowing they'll return to their source. 
It is believed that there is more than one way to achieve “a worthy death,” however there are two most prominent ways to depart amongst the faithful — one, which entails descending below the earth's surface, to wander in the dark caves beneath and invoking a mystical, numinous chant — revealed only to the dying — meant to summon Lakkinos, who’ll gracefully devour the servant as an offering, and bring his soul to Ra’Ha Arche. The other, often chosen by warriors, will have a person partake in a pilgrimage to fight against a great beast, believed to be an Empyrean, for whose effort Lakkinos will carry his soul to Ra’Ha Arche. 
However, people who couldn’t foresee their untimely death will have to rely on their close ones to arrange a funeral done in priestly rites, where a person’s body will either be carried beneath the earth to be devoured or be burned to an ash, and an invocation will be done for the person’s soul to return to their Mother.
== Creation ==
According to "The Seal of Aglios," before our world's creation, the All-Mother emerged from a primordial ocean of darkness as a beautiful woman. That epoch, as well as a realm in and on itself, was called Ra’He Arche — Before the Beginning, in an ancient tongue, now used only for priestly rites. She dwelled in the midst of nothingness, and in her deep slumber, she yearned, her heart swelling with longing for beauty and joy. And from the saltiness of her tears, she created spirits, the Empyreans, who vowed to fulfill Her desire for love and beauty, wanting to awaken her from her tearful slumber. And so they did, and forth came day and night, skies and lands, plants, and trees, as they waved through the material veil. But to no avail, as although they’ve given birth to a beautiful, fertile world, their Mother remained asleep in the depths of Ra’He Arche.
Offended and distraught at their inability to fulfill what they’ve set out to accomplish, they forsaken their Mother, letting her dwell in the darkness. They’ve proclaimed themselves gods, unbounded and unshackled by that which they’ve been born from. They created beings of flesh, blood, and veins, called “Uramans,” to be their object of worship and unceasing, zealous veneration. This act of selfish creation thus signaled the beginning of a new epoch, dubbed “The Great Blasphemy,” or “The Reign of Empyreans, and It wasn’t long since Empyreans’s once fragile and seemingly pragmatic affinity towards each other began to show holes once they’ve started to bicker amongst themselves. They’ve waged war against one another and fought tooth and nail to establish their foothold in the realm, forever divided.
Sunna, one of the Empyreans, sought to awaken His Mother, so he descended into Ra'Ha Arche and pleaded with her. Then, Sunna had a powerful revelation, as he heard his Mother’s sultry voice, instructing him to instill souls inside of Empyrean slaves, and take on a fleshly form to lead them forth. Sunna, overwhelmed and struck to the core by his Mother’s speech, vowed to appease her will, and so he ventured into the world once more, and instilled in Uramans “the breath of the mother," an inner light — a soul.
Then, he found a woman named Izmiya, who he had a child within which he instilled his own soul whilst the child was still in his mother’s womb, whom she called Aglios. Now resurrected as a Uraman, he became a prophet of the people and spoke to them of their role in the universe, of the oppressive nature of Empyreans who bound them to their twisted, blasphemous will. He called upon them to abandon their names, given to them by their masters, and to reject their lowly title, now proclaiming them as “Humans," as they carried the breath of the mother in them — just like Empyreans.
Other Empyreans soon took notice, and they put aside their petty wars to ensure that Aglios — previously Sunna — was put to the sword. He, however, although not yet ready to wage war against his graceless brethren, set forth and led his people against their creators — The Great Rebellion, also known as “The Revolt." It was a genocidal, exhausting war, that lasted for generations. And when it was over, the realm they’d created, once a luscious garden, has become an uninhabitable, hellish realm, where no man shall reside.
Not many humans survived, but the Empyreans were defeated at last. Defeated, though — not destroyed, as they were hypostases, and couldn’t be snuffed out by one another. So, as to ensure they’d never reclaim their corruptible power, Aglios decided to confine them in the body of a twisted beast that he’d inhabit, and that which — through his power and fortitude — they wouldn’t corrupt. And, as such, he created a beating, oozing womb, ascending from the depths of the lake of fire, in which he confined their and his soul. A new god was born, called Lakkinos, The Sealed.
Although All-Mother hasn’t awakened, through her omnipotence, she could see her only remaining son’s sacrifice, and her heart swelled with pride. She dwelled in his mind and soul, soothing him and helping him to suppress the voices of Empyreans inhabiting his body. Although weakened, having to constantly fortitude his mind against his kin’s corruptible will, he managed to lead humans out of the Old World, now dubbed “The Nether,” into a new realm, where they could strive towards realizing their purpose and allowing the promised epoch to begin.
== Theology ==
=== Baptism ===
As taught by Heoclymenes the Wise — for one to walk in the footsteps of the prophet, and to please their Mother, there is required a ceremony to signify a person’s abandonment of blasphemous ways that have their roots in Empyrean worship. That ceremony, called “Ichtosh,” is usually performed by a priest and is a way to show devotion to both gods and the tradition established by Aglios, and continued by his son. 
Firstly, a priest and a devotee will walk together to an open body of water, preferably a sea or an ocean. There a small sacrifice will be made by the person who wished to be cleansed, by letting go of an earthly possession of their choosing, like gold or a piece of armor. It will be discarded, preferably in a fire, and a short prayer will be offered —
“Oh, our Ineffable All-Mother, seek me, thy child, and accept this very gift, for I yield my riches and abandon my greed.”
Then, they’ll together submerge themselves to their waist, and the priest will cut a person’s ring finger using a ceremonial knife, letting their blood pour into the water. They will then offer another prayer for the devotee —
“Our Lady, who art resting in thy slumber, taste your child’s blood, for they offer you their flesh, so thy heart may swell open. May you bless {Name}, and let them carry your name upon their tongue, and your spirit upon their soul.” 
They will then turn to the devotee, and ask them to repeat after them —
I bear witness of my Mother’s love, 
I bear witness of her Son’s devotion,
I bear witness that Heoclymenes is their Messenger,
Then, the devotee will walk into the ocean, submerge themselves completely, the priest will repeat “I bear witness,” and upon the person’s ascension, they’ll declare them a Heoclite, and become a part of their respective, spiritual community.
== History ==
== Hierarchy ==
— Pontifex Maximus, also known simply as the High Priest, is the spiritual and ecclesiastical leader of the Heoclite faith, considered to be a successor of Heoclymenes the Wise, to whom primacy and priestly authority was conferred by his father, Aglios. Whoever possesses that title, holds absolute power within the church, however it is exercised through the Synedrium, delegated between pontiffs and priests. 
— Pontifex (or pontiffs), are ordained members of the Greater Synedrium, chosen by Pontifex Maximus to serve as his advisors and custodians of the church, entrusted with a position of great authority amongst the faithful in addition to their existing role as priests.
— Exarchs are priests appointed by the pontiffs to rule over their respective, ecclesiastical province, whose borders are most often bound by the city their temple is located in. Such a province is dubbed an “exarchy.” Their responsibilities also include representing their local community in the Synedrium. 
— Augurs are servants of the faith, chosen from amongst the Neophytes, most often recommended by an existing Augur or — in rare cases — a pontiff themselves, to perform their priestly duties in a temple and watch over Neophytes who’ll assist them in various ceremonies and rituals. 
— Neophytes are acolytes of the faith, devoted to becoming ordained as clergymen. They’ll serve under an Augur who’ll watch over their religious education, as well as entrusting them with various minor tasks.