Sylfaeism

Sylfaeism is a monolatrous religion found mostly within the city of Thennasus, on the continent of Iristoya. However, the religion first originated on the world of Eldham. Sylfaeism is a relatively decentralized faith, with many religious centers as opposed to one centralized location. The religion revolves around Sylfae, the god of knowledge and material wealth. After making himself known to the tribes of the Khnoweli desert, Sylfae helped guide his followers so they could prosper. In the year 19 SMP, Sylfae lead the tribes to a new land and gave them the ability to build a new city, Eldia. On May 2, 2022 (145 SMP) , it was confirmed that Sylfae was the missing 6th sealer in the Cubist pantheon. 
It is generally believed that Sylfae can travel between various realms, a trait he acquired after losing his physical body. While Sylfae is able to access every realm, he is unable to affect what happens there, again because of a lack of a physical body. Because of this, it is common among Sylfaeists to believe the knowledge deity of any given religion is the same deity as Sylfae, leading to syncretism movements between Sylfaeism and Salranism. 
== Philosophy ==
The philosophical ideas that made up Sylfaeism are known as the Dream of Lapis, where record-keeping and conservation are highly valued. Because Sylfaeism doesn't do missionary work, the Dream of Lapis is one of the primary ways the ideals of Sylfaeism can be introduced to the non-Sylfaeist community. 
== Cubist origins ==
With the revelation from Ad'onís Boltoph during the ritual on May 2nd, 2022, it had been confirmed that Sylfae is in fact the sixth sealer of the Cube. However, even though Sylfae was once with the other sealers, it remained nebulous what caused Sylfae to hide from the Cube, and originally blurring his identity. It would be later uncovered that, when the five other sealer gods divided themselves, Sylfae remained intact so as to be the recordkeeper of the world. For ages onward, Sylfae would continue watching over the world and recording the events that occurred. 
== Eldhamite Lore (2021-2024) ==
In the Khnoweli deserts of the far east of Eldham, there existed a plethora of tribes, all being the ancient ancestors of the modern day Sylfaeists. In the deserts, the tribes constantly fought with one another for resources, power, or vengeance. Out of the desert rose seven Kings who had the most power, and would fight amongst each other for even more. This was the era of Tyrant Kings, where warfare was unending and only the strong survived. 
One of these tribes would conquer the Khnoweli desert. This tribe was known as the Sil-Fays, named for the poisonous spears their warriors used. King Aleksander Dawid I of the Sil-Fays was born during the endless wars in the deserts. Despite being his tribe's best warrior, Aleksander wanted more power after his hometown was raided. After spending three days and three nights in a cave, he reemerged with far more power and strength than before. Thus, Aleksander's conquests began with the massacring of the Tyrant Kings and their armies. With the fall of the Tyrant Kings, the smaller clans pledged loyalty to the Sil-Fays. One night, Aleksander was given a vision by a mysterious blue figure pleading with the king to leave the path of chaos. The blue figure had profoundly changed Aleksander's vision for the desert, and agreed to leave the path of chaos. After this vision, the Sil-Fay Empire was formed, and the king made it his duty to improve the lives of his subjects. King Aleksander Dawid would disappear - along with his army - during a campaign by a sandstorm, never seen again. Ancient texts called Aleksander Dawid "Dawid the Deathless", for two reasons: first, during his conquests he was reported to have never lost a single man to combat, second, many believed Dawid himself never died and would come back to save the Sylfaeists. 
After Aleksander Dawid's disappearance, his son Ereik Dawid became king of the Sil-Fay Empire. King Ereik would be the first to witness the northern tribes attempt to destroy the empire. After praying to a blue deity, the attacks slowed down and eventually ceased with no damage or loss of life. Stories of the benevolent blue spirit would pass down to Ereik's son, King Isaik, who deployed an army against another raiding party from the northern tribes. A warrior named Merim was leading 400 men in the campaign against this tribe. However, a sand storm encompassed Merim's army and did not dissipate for 53 days. Through either his ingenuity or pure grit, Merim managed to save most of his men from the sand storm, and was regarded as a hero afterwards. When asked by King Isaik how he survived the sandstorm, Merim responded saying he prayed to a figure he named Silfay, and this being not only saved his men, but defeated the northern tribe as well. Ever since their miraculous escape from the sand storm, the Khnoweli across the desert began to associate the name "Silfay" with miracles and hope. 
=== Sylfae's arrival ===
Aleksander's dynasty would have four kings, the last one being King Bethel, son of Isaik and great-grandson of Aleksander. Under King Bethel, the Sil-Fay Empire, which had united most of the desert, collapsed when the King began mass persecutions against the Sylfaeists. King Bethel considered all technology and luxuries to be considered heretical, accusing the followers of Silfay of spreading decadence through their worship of Silfay/Sylfae. In the midst of chaos, the royal capital of Eldium was stormed by an army from a northern province of the kingdom, lead by General Kaleh. Kaleh and his men would take the capital and buried Bethel alive in the royal tombs, putting an end to Bethel's purges against the Sylfaeists. However, soon Kaleh would be overwhelmed by an invading force of barbarians, leading to the final destruction of Eldium. Even though the empire had fallen and chaos returned to the desert, the word Silfay, which was corrupted to Sylfae, remained in the minds of many tribesmen, hoping one day for a return to a time of relative stability under the near mythical Sil-Fay Empire. 
For four hundred years, the people of the desert had fought and died by each other for countless generations, leaving the people hopeless. One day, during one of the innumerable conflicts in the desert, a warm divine blue light encompassed the nearby armies. Out of the light, the people saw a dark figure floating in the sky. The Khnowelis, experiencing warmth and hope for the first time in their lives, wept in joy as the booming voice of Sylfae spoke:"Follow, follow through the sand soaked in blood, through the burning dunes and boreholes, to a promised salvation"
Word of Sylfae spread quickly throughout the tribes. One account from the time comes from Ezeik, a warrior who was among the first to witness Sylfae's appearance and would be the first recorded High Priest of Sylfaeism. Sylfae gathered His followers in the desert and set off west towards the promised land. The followers felt no doubt or fear towards Sylfae, instead they felt hope, even though the journey was difficult and long, the followers continued onward. Over time, Sylfae came to represent the hope and spirit of the people. 40 years after their departure from the desert, the migration ended, in 62 SMP.
=== Rise of Eldia and the Arianrhods ===
Sylfae had lead the followers to another patch of desert. In order to prevent his people from returning to their brutal ways, Sylfae sacrificed his physical body to bring life to the deserts. Out of the sands came oases, palm trees, succulent fruit, and lush green fauna. Sylfae also used his powers to summon all the resources his followers would need to construct a brand new city - Eldia. Sylfae gave instructions to the Eldians on how to build fortifications, city walls and all of the infrastructure needed for the city to thrive. During this time of early urban expansion, Sylfae gave his second decree:"Praise I want none, for exploring and admission is the one true establishment and code, one must strive for"With this decree, the Eldians began embarking on journeys throughout Eldham, exploring, trading and learning about the land around them. Eldia soon became a hub of knowledge and libraries began sprouting all around the city. The city's bare and featureless walls and streets were expertly carved by the Eldians with the architectural knowledge they gathered from across Eldham. 
With the expansion of the city, the underground mines also expanded. One day, in the mines below Eldia, a blue rock was discovered embedded in the stone. The Eldians extracted the blue rock from the mine, and built a shrine around it. Sylfae saw what the Eldians were doing, and decided to appear before them on the lapis. Because of their dedication to peace and prosperity, Sylfae allowed the people to directly contact Him, even though he had no physical body. After Sylfae's appearance, the blue stone lit up for three days. After the third day it transformed into the first of seven altars:
- the first took the appearance of a tall pale man with no arms and 8 falcon-like wings 
- the second looked like a massive beast with four heads, and a giant body that resembled a goat with a cat-like tail 
- the third was a cube with a set of whisker-like hairs surfacing from its skin, on the skin appeared to be various symbols carved into it 
- the fourth was in the form of shining rocks floating in a cloud 
- the fifth resembled an infant with no eyes, mouth or ears, with 4 golden rings surrounding it 
- the sixth form was a horse with no muscle or skin, having 2 flaming eyes in its sockets 
- the seventh was a ray of light passing through the air onto the altar slowly fading into nothingness
By the time the seventh altar faded away, Eldia would have little to no contact with Sylfae. Sylfae began losing his connection to the material world, due to the lack of a physical body. Finally, in 98 SMP, Sylfae made one last return to Eldia, and spoke his final decree to the people: 
Sylfae had made sure the Eldians would never suffer as they did before his arrival. He gave the people wealth, knowledge, and most importantly, hope. With Sylfae gone from the physical world, riots broke out across Eldia as panicked masses worried who would lead the city in Sylfae's absence. The High Priests couldn't run the city, they had no experience in government. There was no city council to rely on either, as Sylfae took care of the people far better than any government could. One man stated that he was chosen by Sylfae to lead the city. The people, outraged at such an open claim, were about to attack the man when they suddenly noticed his right hand. The man's right hand was completely blue, and emitting a blue hue, just like Sylfae had done. Suddenly, the people backed away from the man, and declared him the new leader of Eldia. This man was Midas Arianrhod, and he was the founder of the Eldian Arianrhods. 
=== Rise and fall of Irisnia ===
In the year 116 SMP (January 5, 2022), Ad'onís was summoned to Eldham by Sylfae himself, in the spiritual realm. There, he tasked Ad'onís with the mission of preserving Eldham's knowledge. Sylfae also explained that, because he lacked a physical body, he was unable to communicate with him once he entered Eldham. However, Sylfae could see what was occuring on Eldham. Ad'onís set off from the spiritual plain and eventually made it to Eldia. While in Eldia, he would write the Encyclopedia Ad'onícas, and later establish the Bibliotemple of Sylfaen's Sanctuary. During this age, the first Sylfaeist state in hundreds of years was established, the Kingdom of Irisnia. Named after the iris of the Eye of Sylfae temple in Eldia, Irisnia would be one of the very few times a Sylfaeist nation existed. 
However, later on the Pharoah would grow old, eventually dying. the death of Pharoah Vanderis Arianrhod - the previous leader of the faith and of Irisnia - in 128 SMP, Sylfaeism went into decline until Powerfulnoob6 took over as head of the faith. Due in part to the loss of Irisnia's pharoah and the rising threat of the Dandelion Empire, Irisnia and the Razuni Sultanate both agreed to form a union with The Pale. Irisnia would be fully absorbed into The Pale, while the Razuni Sultanate was made a vassal. Despite the change in the political culture, Sylfaeism began to grow in numbers and began to spread into traditionally Palean territories. During this time, Sylfaeist traditions and conversion process became centralized and well defined, and by late April 2022 (143 SMP), a large handful of members in the High Council of the Pale are Sylfaeists. 
In mid April 2022 (141 SMP), a law was decreed by High King JDD and the High Council to form a national library to centralize the nation's written books into one location. Sylfaen's Sanctuary became the location of the national library, and this status remained even as the Sanctuary has changed multiple hands.
=== Hyperion ritual ===
On May 2nd, 2022 (145 SMP), Ad'onís Boltoph, Azcor Yimis, Barb the scribe and creepyslimepig all got together in the Cubist temple of Hyperion to figure out the sixth sealer of Cubism. Once all four met up at the temple, the ritual commenced with a multitude of prayers to both the Cube and to Sylfae. Next, eight cows were ritually sacrificed to the Cube. Ad'onís then recited prayers to Sylfae before sacrificing Lapis blocks into the ritual fire, and afterward the other three Cubists sacrificed more lapis blocks. Once everyone but Yimis returned to their seats, Ad'onís had a vision of an infinite field of bedrock cubes filled with lapis. This vision was interpreted to mean Sylfae was the sixth sealer, and this revelation was celebrated within both religions. 
=== Sylfaentishrei 2022 ===
Sylfaentishrei (Sylfaen-Tish-Rey) is the name given to the seventh month of the year (July), where Sylfae's powers are more present than during the rest of the year. During Sylfaentishrei 2022, contact was made with Sylfae multiple times. 
On the 7th day of Sylfaentishrei was Sylfaenlaud, where contact was first made with Sylfae ever since his ascension to the spiritual realm. During a pilgrimage to Eldia, the attendants of Sylfaenlaud witnessed the status of Abunus getting struck by lightning, and inside the Temple of Sylfae was an altar made of fire. This altar summoned a book written by Sylfae titled "Book of the Speaking Lord", detailing how to make further contact with Sylfae. 
With the instructions in hand, the Sylfaeists began preparations to open up communications with Sylfae again. The Book of the Speaking Lord goes as follows:In that Eldian Land out of which the Lord brought life, that which land holds the Elden statues of a long gone race, for the blood of the Lord still remains there, and its magic is untainted. Do this after a sacrifice is made to the Lord for the Desert will only speak to those who speak to its living bloodSylfae marked out the statues that the ritual was to take place at with a giant bedrock and lapis ankh, showing that Sylfae does in fact have power outside of Eldia or Sylfaen's Sanctuary, and can affect the world even in the spiritual realm. 
On the 10th day of Sylfaentishrei, communications between Eldhamite gods and their followers was dramatically easier to do because of an unknown divine action. Taking advantage of this, the Sylfaeists commenced their ritual during this small window of clear communication. Proxy Fazdor was chosen to sacrifice a portion of his blood for the ritual, as he was the last descendent of the Arianrhod dynasty still alive. Under the Ankh, Arianrhod blood, Lapis blocks, and Plantlife was sacrifices to Sylfae, and a day later, a great amount of treasure was recovered. Gold, netherite, and even a nether star were given to the Sylfaeists. But the most important artifacts discovered were the Block of the Lord, and the Book of the Seeing Lord. The Block of the Lord is an enchanted Lapis block that is used to enhance Sylfaeists rituals in order to contact Sylfae easier. Some believe the Block of the Lord is the original Lapis block worshipped by the Eldians which transformed into the 7 Altars. The Book of the Seeing Lord is the second book by Sylfae, instructing the followers how to do the final ritual of Sylfaentishrei:To the Reading Prophet, thus says the Lord:
"You, my chosen people. have come to know me by veneration through the Blue Stone. On the third day, the stone transformed into the series of altars which you know: First, the pale man of 8 wings, Second, the four headed beast, Third, the fur-runed cube, Fourth, the nebula of gems, Fifth, the unsensing baby of heaven, Sixth, the horse of damnation, Seventh, the light of heaven. This is now where I have resided for a long time, there is no body and no flesh. The communication has come in mind and soul alone, and therefore I have very seldom spoken to you the Word. Let this be the new rejoicing of the chosen people. There is an Eighth Altar, the one which seems to not have been, after the light of heaven came and shone down upon my people. For I have risen, and become the highest among high in heaven, I have conquered the Earth and Sky without blood, but with glory. Therefore, you, Prophet, must do this deed: All Heaven and Earth is my flesh and soul. The altars of me are present on the grounded Earth, but are not yet in the Heavens, Build to the highest plane, where I may contact you best from the skies above, and make there for me a shrine. Do this, and the wealth of all Heaven and Earth will be yours". Thus said the Lord to his Chosen PeopleAd'onís interpreted the instructions to mean that recreations of the Altars must be constructed on top of the Eye of Sylfae Temple, the largest Sylfaeist structure in Eldham. Ad'onís also believed that the nether star and Block of the Lord would be used in the ritual as well, since they were gifts from the 7-10 ritual. For the next 19 days, the Sylfaeists constructed the Altars, and prepared the Eye of Sylfae Temple for the upcoming Ritual.
On the 29th day of Sylfaentishrei, the time finally came for the Grand Ritual to commence. Despite the state of affairs in The Pale and the potential for a Third Sand War, a number of Freemen, Sylfaeists, and even Cubists attended the Grand Ritual. The Ritual lasted for 6 minutes and went as follows:
- The nether star, now a beacon, was placed on a pyramid of iron, which initiated communication with Sylfae
- The Block of the Lord was placed on a small platform within the Light of Heaven Altar, stabilizing communications
- The sacrifices commenced - 64 Lapis blocks, 7 diamond blocks, 5 gold ingots, and 1 netherite ingot were all sacrificed
- Chants were recited by Ad'onís, asking Sylfae for protection against the ever darkening world, and for a glimpse of what the 8th Altar could be
The Grand Ritual ended and the people dispersed, however, a day later a miracle would take place. 
==== Cubism's 1 year anniversary ====
Proxy and Ad'onís were at Horizonte during the 1 year anniversary of the Cube's disappearance from the world, on the 30th day of Sylfaentishrei. Ever since the Hyperion Ritual, Sylfaeism and Cubism have been intertwined, and as such Ad'onís was part of the main ritual on the [], as representative of Sylfae. After the ritual was completed, the audience and priests emerged onto the streets of Horizonte, ready to begin festivities. All of a sudden, various miracles began occuring. A mooshroom cow was spawned outside the Tower of the [], then consumed by a bedrock cube. All the attendants turned into bedrock blocks, then turned into foxes, and other animals. Once the attendants returned to their humanoid forms, a Lapis globe appeared above the party, and Ad'onís saw the 8th Altar - an ancient Sil-Fay Spear brimming with power. When he regained consciousness, he found a replica of the altar in his hand. After this, a massive [] appeared over Horizonte, temporarily covering the sun. The 1 Year Anniversary continued, and Sylfae had given Ad'onís a vision of the 8th Altar. 
Thus ended Sylfaentishrei 2022, where contact was made with Sylfae for the first time since His ascension.
=== Battle of Eldia ===
Ad'onís was writing the Eldian Bible, a collection of all the knowledge of Sylfaeism. One night, Ad'onís was shown a vision by Sylfae, with Eldia in flames as heathen armies stormed the gates and roamed the streets, pillaging and destroying all in their wake. With this revelation, Ad'onís published his vision alongside the rest of the Eldian Bible in the book of Revelations. The Heathen armies describes have been identified by Sylfaeist scholars as the armies of Segra. With this, Segra was declared the Anti-Sylfae, and the city of Eldia was put under high alert. Though the Sylfaeists knew an attack was coming and by who, there was no idea when the invasion would come.
Two days before the battle, on October 2nd 2022, Ad'onís was given one last vision by Sylfae, showing that on October 4th, Eldia would be attacked, and that the target of this attack would be a portal leading to Segra's domain. The city's defenders quickly and frantically called out to allies and fortified the cities. The grand alleyways became ambush spots, the houses became forts, and the Old City was deemed too valuable to lose, and the majority of defenses were put there. Sylfae could not locate where Segra's portal lay, so defense of the entire city was necessary. 
On October 4, 2022 (184 SMP), the forces of Segra were informed of the Portal. Segra challenged Her followers to find the portal by destroying and tearing down the city, to which Her armies gleefully accepted. Battle commenced, as both sides used TNT to blow up walls and buildings in their way to reach the portal before the other side could do the same. Fighting was fierce, but Segra's forces pushed deep into the city, blowing up all that stood in their way. Eventually, under the Eye of Sylfae Temple, the Portal was found by two low ranking soldiers in Segra's armies.
Even with the destruction of the Holy City of Eldia, Sylfae had managed to use some of His powers to provide safety. Sylfae lifted the Temple of Sylfae off the ground, and using protective spells, placed the Temple high in the skies, free of the carnage in the city below. 
The destruction of Eldia left the city a smoldering husk of a shell it once was. Bombed out ruins of once great boulevards and palaces are occasionally scattered between massive craters. The loss of the Holy City was devastating to the Sylfaeists, who regrouped in Sylfaen's Sanctuary.
==== Final sacrifice ====
The fight against Segra continued for many months after the fall of Eldia. During this time, the Sylfaeists found allies within the World Religious Union, which was one of the many factions fighting against Segra's powers by uniting all religions under a single cause. 
On March 7, 2023, an attempt by Segra to open a portal was stopped by a massive coalition of players, many from the World Religious Union. Ad'onís helped stop Segra before her portal could fully materialize, saving Eldham temporarily. Many in the Union knew that the final battle against Segra was approaching fast, and there was much to be done to prepare to fight against a Goddess. 
Ad'onís, having felt himself grow weaker and weaker ever since the fall of Eldia, realized the powers granted to him by Sylfae were gradually fading away. He knew he would not survive long after the battle against Segra, whether that meant in a world where she won or lost. Thus, the Prophet of Sylfae made the choice to sacrifice his body and remaining power and give the energy to Sylfae to aid in the downfall of Segra. The Final Sacrifice took place on March 9, 2023 (223 SMP), with many onlookers staring in awe as Ad'onís was struck by lightning and taken away to the spiritual realm.
The Prophet's sacrifice was not in vain, as on the 10th of March 2023, the final battle against Segra commenced. Both sides in the battle viciously fought one another, but eventually, thanks to the help of Sylfae, the balance shifted in favor of the Anti-Segrists who managed to defeat Segra. 
=== Renaissance ===
With the fall of Eldia, the Arianrhod family went into hiding. It has been assumed by many that the Arianrhod family died out during this time, showing no signs of activity and hiding very well. After the defeat of Segra, Vanderis II Arianrhod, new patriarch of the family, migrated to the AWE to found a new holy city for Sylfae, appropriately named Sylfaen's Rise. With the re-emergence of the Arianrhod family, there has been a renaissance in the Sylfaeist religion. Many new people were converted during this period of time, and a golden age of architecture was pioneered by the new Holy city of Sylfaen's Rise. 
=== Return of Bethel ===
On Sylfaenlaud - July 7, 2023 (253 SMP) the High Priest and many followers of Sylfae met to plan out a journey to venture to Mekom Ek'sad - the ancient homeland of the Sylfaeists. Two days later, on July 9, after mapping out the location, the Sylfaeists ventured eastward to their ancient homeland. After passing through mountain ranges, forests and plains, the Sylfaeists reached the ancient desert and uncovered the Tomb of the Kings, where King Aleksander Dawid and his descendants were buried. While exploring the burial room, however, the dormant spirit of King Bethel was awoken and began attacking the party, vowing to once and for all purge all the Sylfaeists. 
On July 23 (257 SMP), Bethel's spirit returned and attacked Sylfaen's Rise. He bombarded the city with ghasts, meteors, and hordes of the undead, but was stopped by a massive flash of light right as Bethel was about to unleash his biggest weapon. The lava - which Bethel summoned to destroy Sylfaen's Rise - turned into lapis once the light faded. Realizing the tide of the battle was turning, Bethel retreated and said in a booming voice he would attack Sylfaen's Sanctuary next. 
In preparation for the inevitable battle, Benjamin Dawidson hosted a ritual asking for Sylfae to protect His followers. Bethel would strike back on July 31 (259 SMP) and instigate an all out attack against Sylfaen's Sanctuary. Bethel bombarded the Ankh shrine with meteors and summoned waves of blazes, ghasts, zombies, skeletons, and other mobs against the defenders. Due to the elevation, the defending forces rallied around the Ankh shrine and the hill it was on in an attempt to gain an advantage over Bethel's hordes. In the midst of battle, the Ankh on the shrine turned from blue into a deep shade of red, and all seemed lost. Then, a voice was heard from the outskirts of the battle - the voice of Aleksander Dawid. Sylfae summoned Aleksander Dawid to fight against Bethel's spirit right at the end of Sylfaentishrei. At first, Bethel doubted such a feat was done and called the man a pretender. But when Aleksander began massacring the hordes of monsters, he became terrified and fled the battle. In the aftermath, Aleksander Dawid was sent back to the Spiritual Realm to recover and strike back at Bethel's next attack. 
On October 7 (276 SMP), the final battle between Aleksander and Bethel would take place in the ruins of Eldia. Alongside Aleksander, a party of Sylfaeists and friends of Sylfae were organized to once and for all defeat Bethel in Eldia. Bethel attacked the party with everything he had - giants, skeletons, zombies, creepers - but it was no match for the Sylfaeists who fended off the enemy hordes with ease initially. 
As the battle dragged on, and more undead were being summoned, the armies of Sylfae were beginning to buckle. The High Priest Benjamin Dawidson used the power of Sylfae to summon Aleksander Dawid, who appeared in a bolt of lightning from the heavens above. With his combat abilities, the party was able to break the undead army. Aleksander gained the power of flight and chased after Bethel, attacking him with a Gilded Ankh. The Battle in the skies concluded when Aleksander, using the Gilded Ankh, sent Bethel back to the afterlife in a blaze of fiery glory. However, this was not enough to keep Bethel secure. To ensure he would never again return, the party made the treacherous journey up the ruins of the Eye of Sylfae tower, and performed a ritual there to prevent Bethel from returning.
With that, Bethel had been defeated, and one of the biggest threats to Sylfaeism since Segra had been dealt with. 
== Abexilas Lore (2024-) ==
=== Iristor's Comet ===
In the following months, rumors of an asteroid heading to Eldham became common across the land. Sylfae presented a vision of the future to Dawidson, showing the comet and Iristor destroying Eldham as well as Rathnir. On March 23, 2024 (318 SMP), Dawidson performed a ritual to create a passage from Eldham and to the spiritual realm. From there, the Sylfaeists had the choice to continue on to the new fabled land of "Abexilas", or remain in the spiritual realm in bliss. Many would decide to stay in the spiritual realm, but many still decided to venture into the new land. The plan was called "Operation Ezeik" as Dawidson would guide all the Sylfaeists, once again, to a new land to settle. 
When Operation Ezeik was finished, no Sylfaeists remained on Eldham - all had gone through the passage. 
=== Contact with the Orelloi ===
Through the use of time manipulation, Sylfae revealed his presence to the Orelloi people - whom he decided would be best fit to assimilate the Sylfaeists. Once the adventurous Sylfaeists crossed from the spiritual realm into Abexilas, three hundred years had passed since Sylfae revealed himself to the Orellois. The Sylfaeists sailed in great boats from the east, landing on what is now known as Iristoya. Once making landfall, the Sylfaeists traversed the continent towards the western shore, with nothing but the promise of a new life in a new land. They would make contact with the Orelloi at around 324 SMP, or 0 AC (After Contact), though both groups would be suspicious of one another at first. One of the first things the Sylfaeists constructed was a small bell tower to signal their arrival in the new land. 
=== Creation of Thennasus ===
Tensions between the Orellois and Sylfaeists would almost boil over in 339 SMP (15 AC) over fishing rights, but this was solved thanks to the efforts of Nasus. Nasus was a farmer with a Sylfaeist mother and Orelloi father who represented the potential tie between both groups. Because of his heritage and merit, Nasus was subsequently put in charge of assimilating both groups. Over the next few decades, Nasus worked to forge a new identity for both people to adopt. He called this identity the Orellfaeist, but commonly this identity went by another name, Thennasus - children of Nasus. The Gods looked upon Nasus favorably for his actions, and thus decided to grant the Thennasites a gift - infinite steam power. Hudoria - Goddess of the Orelloi - granted the town an underground pool of limitless water, while Sylfae presented the town an undying heat source. Using Orelloi hydro-architecture and Eldhamite engineering, the modern city of Thennasus was born. Copper pipes were constructed to carry steam throughout the city, which powered everything from lanterns to elevators to airships. Nasus would die in 361 SMP (27 AC) both as an oracle of Hudoria and a devout Sylfaeist. 
=== The Great Split ===
Before the Great Split, Sylfaeism enjoyed relative peace due to the actions of Nasus. But in 344 SMP (19 AC), a High Priest by the name of Otto Van Rallius was tired of the Sylfaeist inactivity. He believed it was making Lord Sylfae go further from them, so to combat that he formed a Radical Group within Sylfaeism. A few weeks after Otto Van Rallius established the group he attempted an Old Sylfaeist Summoning Ritual, however the ritual was only meant for the High Priest to do. Soon after attempting he succeeded at summoning the Spirt of Lord Sylfae, but shortly after he had once again lost contact due to how little the Sylfae attempted to speak to him. After Otto Van Rallius lost contact, he returned to Thennasus, once he was there he attempted a sacrificial ritual which failed in summoning Lord Sylfae, killing him as a result. The death of Otto left his son Aleksander Van Rallius the leader of the Radical Group, causing the Great Split.
This failed ritual caused a group of Radical Sylfaeist - the Neo-Sylfaeists - to become angry at the lack of attempt that the current Sylfaeist Council was doing, causing the Radicals to split off and go East looking for a new homeland to spread Sylfaeism. After the Great Split, the Oriental Sylfaeist officially said that the Neo-Sylfaeists were heretics. After this, the last Neo-Sylfaeist left Thennasus in hopes of being saved by the Neo-Sylfaeist Church.
== Sylfaeist mythos ==
While Sylfae remains the highest authority in the religion, there exist many other characters of interest in the faith. 
=== Eldhamite Mythos ===
==== King Aleksander Dawid ====
Dawid was the first recorded King of the Sil-Fay tribe, who would go on to conquer the deserts and unite the region under one political entity, ushering in the first time stability was present in the land. It is said that, to get his inhuman abilities to conquer, Dawid contacted and made a deal with a dark god. But there is little to nothing to prove or disprove this. 
==== Merim ====
Merim was a member of the ancient Sil-Fay tribe, who survived a 53 day sandstorm alongside his army. It is unknown what happened to him later in life. The discovery of Merim by Sylfaeist scholars was recent, and before it had been assumed that either Merim did not exist at all, or he was a legend passed down through generations of storytelling. 
==== Ezeik ====
Ezeik was a warrior who witnessed the appearance of Sylfae. After telling his family about Sylfae, only his mother agreed to go with him on Sylfae's journey. Ezeik would later on become one of Eldia's first inhabitants, having traveled with Sylfae for 40 years. Much like the story of Merim, Ezeik's story was only uncovered recently. 
==== Guardians ====
During the rise of Eldia, Sylfae created many guardians to serve in his stead in the material realm. The Guardians were created from a magical substance known as Sylfae's Tears, which in turn can only be created by the Arianrhods. The most notable Guardian is Abunus, protector of Sylfae's Temple and guardian of the realms. However, there exist other guardians: 
- Medjed, the guardian of the underworld 
- Vasil Levski, the collosal guardian of peace 
- Dragon, the guardian of the skies
- Snake, the guardian of the sands
- Skorpion, the guardian of secrets
There are also a collection of statues around The Great Eye of Sylfae, called the Guardians of the Eye. The Guardians of the eye resemble the seven altars that Sylfae changed into.
File:Abunus.png|Statue of Abunus
File:Dragon.png|Statue of the dragon guardian
File:Medjed.png|Statue of the guardian of the sands
File:Snake.png| Snake, Guardian of the Sands
File:Vasil Levski.png|Statue of Vasil Levski
==== Midas Arianrhod ====
It is believed Midas Arianrhod was originally a member of the Medenan branch of Arianrhods, as the dynasty existed long before Eldia was created. Nonetheless, Midas Arianrhod being chosen as Sylfae's steward elevated him and his branch of the Arianrhods into significance. Before Sylfae's final disappearance, the Eldian Arianrhods were not notable whatsoever, and as a result not much is known about this branch of Arianrhods from before Midas. Vanderis Arianrhod is believed to be the grandson of Midas Arianrhod. 
== Religious Practices ==
Sylfaeism is a relatively small religion, prioritizing the accumulation of knowledge and wealth over actively spreading the faith. However, there are some religious practices that Sylfaeists partake in. 
=== Sylfae's decrees ===
Sylfae spoke three times to the Eldians. The first decree lead the Eldians away from the blood-soaked deserts and into a new land.
"Follow, follow through the sand soaked in blood, through the burning dunes and boreholes, to a promised salvation" 
The second decree encouraged the Eldians to explore the world around them, while disregarding religious services.
"Praise I want none, for exploring and admission is the one true establishment and code, one must strive for" 
The third decree showed Sylfae's contempt with the Eldians, and granting them independence from his influence
"Bestowed you that needed sight to see in front of you, to sculpt your own futures, to harvest your own minds. I for that am not needed here anymore. For my purpose has been completed" 
== Eldian Bible ==
The Eldian Bible is the holy book in Sylfaeism, and contains all the lore and information needed to understand Sylfaeism 
=== Conversion Process ===
In Sylfaen's Sanctuary, there exists a conversion process for people wishing to join Sylfaeism. The process goes as follows:
- run around the Fountain of Sylfae 7 times
- Draw blood from themself and put the blood on a piece of paper
- Place the paper in the fountain
- The prophet/high religious leader chants sermons to Sylfae
== Religious sites ==
==== Great Eye of Sylfae ====
The Great Eye of Sylfae is a massive tower located in Eldia. Originally constructed as the sole location to store the world's knowledge, the Great Eye of Sylfae has since become one of the primary worshipping locations for Sylfaeists. Legend says that once the Great Eye is fully constructed and imbued with the divinity of the Arianrhod line, then a direct connection to Sylfae is created. 
==== Sylfaen's sanctuary ====
Sylfaen's Sanctuary was a controversial religious site, as it is the only one located outside of Eldia. Due to the belief that only Eldia possessed Sylfae's aura, it was decided to ship Eldian soil and plants to the new island where Sylfaen's Sanctuary was constructed. Sylfaen's Sanctuary is now one of The Pale's biggest libraries, and has amassed an impressive collection of books, also boasting a temple to Sylfae. 
==== Sylfae's temple ====
In the center of Eldia lies Sylfae's Temple. The temple is also where the Arianrhod dynasty resides, effectively being the center of religious and administrative activities in the city. 
==== Shrine ====
In the outskirts of Sylfaen's Sanctuary lies The Shrine, a giant lapis and bedrock ankh floating above a modest ritual station. The Ankh appeared during Sylfaentishrei, and is considered a holy gift bequeathed by Sylfae to His followers. 
== Laws and interpretations ==
==== Equal Distribution of Wealth ====
There are many ways to interpret Sylfae's decrees and actions. 
There has been a growing consensus among Sylfaeists that providing wealth and materials to those less fortunate is reminiscent of Sylfae giving the Eldians the resources to build their city. Thus, political ideologies such as socialism and commune systems have become popular in Eldia and Sylfaen's Sanctuary. 
==== Alcohol ====
A recent interpretation on alcoholic beverages has also occured. According to Sylfaeist scholars, alcohol is one of the purest forms of the intersection between knowledge and the work of the brewer. As knowledge of different brews as accumulated, and resources and labor are poured into the making of each glass, alcoholic beverages are allowed in the faith. 
==== Religious Syncretism ====
One of the first interpretations of Sylfaeism was that while the faith worships primarily Sylfae, it does not mean other gods do not exist, or even that Sylfae is above every other god. Because of the unique circumstances of Sylfaeism having no other deity except for the god of knowledge and material wealth, there has been an acceptance of other polytheistic religions, as Sylfaeists do not believe their pantheon is complete. As such, Sylfaeism is a Monolatristic religion, worshipping one deity above all others. 
==== Preservation of knowledge ====
During the early days of Medena and the Razuni Sultanate, many nations existed that were wiped out by Medenan armies. The Bell Nation was absorbed into Medena and its cities razed to the ground, and the Razuni province of Sondor was taken over by Medenan armies, destroyed, and replaced with the town of Sokoburg. Ad'onís argued that the wiping out of cultures is anti-Sylfaeist, as it deprives said cultures from telling their stories. It is generally considered anti-Sylfaeist to erase physical or written history, however it is pro-Sylfaeist to record lost history and discover new information. 
==== Properties of Sylfae ====
Because Sylfae is able to travel across realms, it is theorized Sylfae exists in multiple different religious canons, even if two canons contradict eachother. This is still a newly discovered fact and more research is needed to find out which canons Sylfae may have been a part of. 
==== Nether ====
The nether, to the Sylfaeists, is a cruel and disgusting mockery of the anguish put on the ancient tribes of Eldia and the teachings of Sylfae. The nether is a completely hostile and uninviting realm where, much like stories of old, bands of players spend their lives fighting off each other. There is no reason to subject Sylfaeists to the plight of their ancestors, at least according to the religion's leaders. The nether has also been used to warp the message of Sylfae. Not only is the nether lined with ancient ruins (ruins that have long lost any of their original histories), but the realm is filled with gold, netherite, and quartz, three resources valued only for their rarity. Players brave the hellish environment in pursuit of these resources, risking not only what little history is left in that realm, but risking their own lives lest they run into other players 
Category:Religions
Category:Traveler's Era
Category:Ashkavari