Tiahuj

Tiahuj , known formally as "Our celestial family", is a bitheistic religion dedicated to the worship of the Lunar Patriarch Abba and the Solar Matriarch Amma. It is followed primarily along the coast of the Bight of Rozakkora with smaller follower populations in Kejafros. It is the religion of government in the theocratic Monastrate of Bel'hor. 
== History ==
The Family faith finds its roots in Homesteader folk belief. Family iconography began to appear in temples around southern Bel'hor and the bleeding river during a period of homesteader sedentarization, even spreading into the pre-established stonecarver polities to the south. The faith long remained a folkloric decentralized set of beliefs for the next several thousand years, however, it is during this initial period of contact between early stonecarvers and homesteaders that the concept of monasteries was introduced to the faith. Small temples initially dedicated to holy figures in the religion grew into larger monastic complexes with small devout communities of monks and nuns maintaining them, it is also during this period the first Kilns where constructed, serving as larger temples at which people could congregate to worship Abba and Amma. These monasteries where among the few remaining stable centers of society post stonecarver collapse and would act as vital centers for stabilization and urbanization, mainly for central homesteader groups living along the coast of the bleeding river. The faith continued to gain influence but remained decentralized until the Guild of Temples of Tadhu Huvesh was integrated into the naissent kingdom of Bel'hor, coming to serve as a local religious authority. The Northern Mesa has a more turbulent relationship with the faith as many of the temples and towns there where established through crusades into pagan land. Notably, the holy city of Ce-Sai was established through crusade and conquest.
== Belief and Worship ==
=== Divine figures ===
==== Abba and Amma ====
Abba and Amma are the religion's only two deities. Abba is the embodiment of the moon and consequently, water. Amma is the embodiment of the sun and consequently, wind. Together, they form the base of the heavenly family. As the highest patriarchal and matriarchal figures of the religion, they embody the ideals of parenthood and the archetypical man and woman, it is through the mixture of their divine animate essence into dead matter that life is made material and animate. The creation myth of Tiahuj sees the two bringing down rain and heat onto a barren world, giving it movement in the form of rivers and fires from which the first people where molded.
==== The three holy prophets ====
The Faith places heavy importance on the concept of 'layers of humanity', the idea that stable civilization is built upon 3 levels of human understanding. Care for the self, Care for one's family and Care for one's neighbor. (within family's cultural context, an entire neighboring family or community is seen as a unit). The faith represents these three pillars through three prophets, partially divine figures said to have been envoys of the Sun and Moon in an effort to pass these pillars onto mankind.
* the following is an excerpt from "the first inheritance", a Family Faith holy text documenting the religion's creation Myth. 
"many have forgotten the original heavenly tenants. When sun and moon created the first people from their water and their light they gave us the world with the promise we would honor them, but the first people where fragile and alone in a world of storms and beasts, left to the mercy of the wilds, they faired poorly . So, the Sun and Moon sent down their first child, who taught them of their origins, taught them how to grow food for themselves and care for their bodies and minds. So, the first people built houses and farms, sheltered from the wild and from famine, they where safe. Then came the pestilence, cold and alone, the people could do nothing against such an omnipresent omen of death. So the Sun and Moon sent their second child, who taught the value of family to the people, they banded together and build towns and cities, caring for each other and fighting off illness and the cold. But these cities and towns where suspicious and vindictive towards each other so they went on declaring wars, stealing from and killing and pillaging each other. So the Sun and Moon sent down their third child, neither man nor woman and of no country, they gave us the gift of roads and camels, taught us to translate the speech of our neighbors, to respect person regardless of family, of country or of upbringing, that we should all band together under sun and moon to make a better world for each and every person, family and country."
==== Various saints ====
"Saints" are a broad category of individuals that are seen as having committed themselves to the faith to the point of having entered scripture. Quite a few of them are not even practitioners of the family faith and where instead retroactively syncretized from various folk beliefs and neighboring religions. A lot of these saints go through 'depersonalization' overtime, loosing more and more of the details of their lives polished away, simply becoming vessels for the concepts and scriptures their myths reflect 
===== The Saint of the Singing Stone =====
The singing stone of Eandelan is a small temple carved out of a slab of ancient imported stone. It is said to be built above the tomb of an ancient stonestepper holy figure that has long since been syncretized into Tiahuj. "The Saint of the singing stone is said to have been a hermit who lived in the place the temple was later erected in a small, well upkept shack. He spoke to himself a tongue unfamiliar to any other denizen of the stepped coast, thought to have been that of two clans that had long since extinguished each other in bloody conflict. He always seemed to know the speech of those that came to him for advice, and that is just what he did, he gave advice. After the loss of his clan, he pledged himself to neutrality, to serve as an arbiter detached from society to provide the justest of advice to any and all that came to him for guidance, going so far as to deny himself family, so no other have to would loose all that he had lost to conflict."
=== Filial Piety ===
==== Familial obedience ====
Tiahuj places fidelity to one's role in the family above all else. To disrespect your parents as a child and to mistreat your children as a parent are seen as breaches of moral code of the highest order. However, one party breaking these codes is not seen as a valid excuse for the other to do so, as punishment is a matter of the cycle of reincarnation and not a matter of short term human revenge. Because of this rather strict familial outlook, the family faith has often acted as a stabilizing societal influence promoting broader societal order outside the home as values are co-opted by non religious institutions.
==== Filial reincarnation ====
People are said to reincarnate down their bloodline, often as the children or grandchildren of their own descendants. This cycle is believed to repeat several times, the soul being refined at each passing reincarnation, until one reaches a point where they break the cycle and are said to be 'polished to a shine', leaving the material world behind for an exalted existence among the stars. It is also through this system that punishment for sinful behavior is exacted, a parent who makes life difficult for their own children increases the likelyhood of having a more destitute reincarnation, bad parenting punishes itself through a diminished chance at a comfortable next life. This mechanism notably gives a soul a chance for redemption through reincarnation, however, a soul tainted by a great enough sin may find itself unable to 'bridge the gap' stuck to wander between life and death for the rest of time as a spirit that feels hunger and thirst but cannot quench those desires, slowly withering away as all that remains of the soul becomes the suffering they have inflicted upon themselves. 
=== Imagery ===
==== Celestial bodies ====
Being a solilunar faith at it's base, the sun and moon are the two most important symbols in the faith, standing for Amma and Abba. Often, Abba and Amma are depicted as having a sun and moon in place of a head. Stars are an equally important symbol in the faith. On their own or splattered onto a field, stars represent human souls, taken out of their corporeal vessels once their cycles of purification have been completed. three stars in a line specifically represent the three holiest prophets.
==== Flesh and soul (bitter orange) ====
Many Family Faith temples and texts are adorned with a flower like insignia, usually of red and white with a small star shape at its center. This symbol is a stylized slice of the humble bitter orange, a little fruit with a lot of symbolic weight in Tiahuj belief. Bitter oranges are a symbol often used to represent the prophets, and increasingly, all of humanity, they are perceived as being a blend of celestial and corporeal. They wear a mantle of red flesh and blood making them quintessentially human but their cross sections reveal a small starlike shape which eludes to their nature as messengers of the holy Father and Mother. Stars are seen as a symbol of the celestial or diving and the bitter orange thus symbolizes the idea of the divine buried within the mortal, something to be refined and brought out through piety. They are used in many Family rituals and ornaments, their ground up juice is used to represent blood in sacred rights and they are often sliced into rounds, dried and strung into garlands tipped with copper wind chimes.
== Religious practices ==
=== Holy days and events ===
==== The day of holiest union (solar eclipses) ====
Solar eclipses, despite their rarity, are an incredibly holy event in the faith. Solar eclipses are one of the only points in time when the holy patriarch and matriarch are joined in holiest union. Solar eclipses are said to bring forth an element of change, as union begets novelty, scriptures tell that all 3 prophets and many of the religion's holiest saints where born shortly after eclipses. During eclipses, celebrations usually take place under covered areas, large drapes covering streets and plazas and kilns being temporarily renovated into centers of celebration. This is to give the highest union privacy as the eclipse proceeds, the only moment when it is allowed to be viewed is at the point of totality, after which celebrations are allowed to continue, louder than before. The days post eclipse are seen as a good time to try something new or to make a life altering decision. 
=== Practices ===
==== Immolation of offerings ====
Kilns and isolated fire pits are often used to present offerings to the celestial, often to Abba and Amma, returning to them a small part of the material world they have offered humanity. These offerings often consist of wears such as well prepared food and clothing. By allowing these to be burned in a sacred space, they are thought to be able to leave the realm of the material to manifest in the realm of the celestial, becoming the property of gods, saints and spirits of all varieties. Intent is important when offerings are given, while Abba and Amma are the most common recipients, offerings are also often gifted to the three saints or to ascended ancestors. Monasteries often hold 'remembrance dinners' where a meal is eaten but not finished and the remaining portions and offered at a kiln, so former members of the congregation can join the festivities in spirit.
==== Drinking hours ====
Tiahuj drinking culture is heavily influenced by 'balance' doctrine between Solar and Lunar aspects. Alcohol is seen as a drink that warms the body and tea is seen as a drink that cools the body (tea includes most herbal infusions). Therefore, the beverage you consume at any given time of day should oppose the aspect of the present parental deity. Teas and infusions should be consumed from 6:00 to 18:00 o'clock and Alcoholic beverages should be consumed from 18:00 to 6:00 the next day. Despite the taboo of drinking outside hours, the taboo is far stronger for drinking alcohol outside of allocated hours. It is though this practice emerged as a method to primarily regulate the consumption of alcohol. 
== Kilns ==
Kilns are the primary centers of worship of the family faith. They are a kind of temple that features a central pyre, a bowl containing a flame which is utilized in the immolation of offerings and, more rarely, deceased individuals. Kilns also have characteristically elevated and windowed venting domes which often come to define their shapes, these both allow light in and allow hot, smoke saturated air to escape without causing smoke poisoning. Kilns come in different sizes and shapes depending on their purpose.
=== Garden Kilns ===
Garden kilns are the smallest sort of kiln, they are often found at the center of public squares or within Parks and gardens. Garden Kilns are closer to shrines than temples, requiring only marginal maintenance in order to keep their flames burning. They often use incense rather than a full flame or small burning candles kept alight by a reservoir of olive oil hidden below their podiums. these small kilns are often surrounded by small motes of water or circular ponds. Passersby will stop and pray at these small temples rather than be preached to by an orator.
=== Familial Kilns ===
Familial kilns are kilns found in mid-sized communities and are so named because they can only serve a group of people equivalent to an extended family, they possess all expected amenities for a temple of such a size and are often large enough to include separate lunar and solar shrines set off to the sides of the primary room.
=== Metropolitan Kilns ===
Metro-Kilns are the largest type of kiln. Being able to hold hundreds of people at a time, they are certainly the largest and most imposing rank of temple frequented by members of the faith. Metro kilns often serve entire districts of large cities or whole cities to themselves and often need to be enlarged alongside the cities they serve. Metro kilns are complemented by Familial kilns in distributing sermon attendees. The largest metropolitan kiln built as of now is the Great Kiln of Tadhu Huvesh. It is the oldest metro-kiln and services the city's littoral districts. This Kiln has had to grow in order to accommodate the increasingly large number of followers, an entire second torch chamber being built behind the original, serving as extra space for the large number of followers pouring in each sermon. 
Category:Abexilas