Aclaracion (Religion)

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==Mission Statement==
In the world there was nothing, until there was light. The first light became Primerias, and the darkness surrounding her became Unirion. In his embrace she gave birth to the world, and all those who dwell upon it, bringing into each a spark of her own light, which dwells behind the eyes of the living. But all are called in turn back to their father Unirion, who unites all within the flow of nether-life, where the lights glint in the darkness of the sky before returning, through Primerias, to live again in a new vessel.
May Primerias, alight within our eyes, see that we keep her ways of Balance and Kindness, and bless us with the bounty of a good life. May Unirion, judging how we lived as one with our world and our community, not find us lacking, and give us a place within the stars to watch over our loved ones when we leave this world. And may Primerias find us worthy to return again, in time.
==Overview==
Aclaracion (from a lost language, meaning "enlightenment") is a religion practiced primarily in Sundast, by the Baldioss people who inhabit the desert and coastal areas. The primary focus is on balance and living in harmony with your surroundings, with a heavy emphasis on the eternal cycle of life, death, afterlife, and rebirth. The primary dieties are Primerias, a goddess of Light, and her consort Unirion, a god of Darkness. Together they form the cycle of Birth and Death, Balance and Chaos. Unlike most polarized religions with "light" and "dark" opposing dieties, Unirion is not villianized for his jurisdiction over death and misfortune. Rather, the occurrences of such - even calamities - are seen as a chance to begin anew, or improve on what existed before.
==Dieties==
Primerias - "The First," the Lady of Light, bringer of life and balance. The chief goddess within the Aclaracion religion, who is attributed with the creation of the world and the forms of life that inhabit it. She is viewed as a benevolent, though distant, diety, and her colors are white and pale, icy blue. She is associated with the luminous celestial bodies - Sun, Moons, and Stars - with the stars being particularly dear to her, as they are the life-sparks of those she gave living form to, who have passed into the afterlife, and are awaiting reincarnation. The sun is her faithful hound, a fire-beast, that gives warmth to Terrak at her command, while Primerias herself provides the luminance that makes crops grow. The Moons are her guardians, charged by Unirion, her mate, to keep her company, and to stand guard over their bower each evening. Primerias' gown is formed from the shifting colors of the sunrise and sunset, woven through the finest blue-white silk.
Unirion - "The Uniter," the Lord of Dark, bringer of death and chaos. Though the darkness existed before Primerias, it was her light that brought it to life in the form of the second god within the Aclaracion faith. Though Primerias is considered the goddess of balance, it is Unirion who makes that balance possible, by returning everything to a state of amalgamated chaos, bringing everything onto an equal level in death no matter what its station was in life. He is the god of death, who passes judgement on both the good and the corrupt, taking away from them control of their physical forms, and returning it to the dust of the world, while he takes their souls aloft into the night sky, where they await their judgement and possible Remaking at the hands of Primerias.
Solfana - The sun, bringer of Solace. A minor female diety subservient to Primerias, that takes the form of a great flaming hound during the day as she traverses the sky, keeping a watchful eye on the people of Terrak. Her wingbeats bring the hot desert winds, but also provide light by which the people may see their way, and warmth to ward off the chill of night. When days get too hot, it is said that "Solana's wings dip low," and this is taken as an indication that the people should rest within their homes, and attend to their family and personal spiritual reflections rather than field work. At night, Solfana takes the guise of a human with flaming hair, and sometimes visits the faithful (usually priests and priestesses) in their dreams with messages of comfort or guidance from Primerias. Her colors are yellow, orange, and gold.
Lunaran and Kanaran - The moons, guardians of thought and companion-guards of Primerias. Twins, Lunaran is female and Kanaran is male, and have the forms of half-man, half animal creatures resembling caniir; their shields are the moons in the sky. They were entrusted by Unirion to keep Primerias company, and make sure she should not want for anything. When she has returned to Unirion's embrace at night, they keep watch outside their bedroom, which is concealed by Unirion's cloak.
===Parallels with other Religions===
Sundast aershaa that have been exposed to both the Safikhan and Aclaracion religions (usually wild-caught tames, or reverted aershaa) have drawn parallels between the dieties in the two religions. Solfana is taken to be another name for S'feena, with Kanaran and Lunaran acting as the "eyes of Unirion" who is taken to be Khan. Primerias is regarded as an alternate form of Draiah. It is possible that the aershaa myths of Khan and S'feena did, at some point, influence the forms given to the Sun and Moon dieties, which are decidedly canine in apperance, rather than human. Even the concept of returning, in death, to the side of the god of darkness (Khan, Unirion) in the shape of stars is reflected in both the moonborn version of Safikhan and Aclaracion.
Other reverted aershaa, restricted to one particular pack (The Covenant ), have continued a version of Aclaracion which their owners practiced, with the names of the primary dieties corrupted to Primus and Unicron. In this version, Solfana is held to be the same as S'feena, and Lunaran and Kanaran are one being, Khan; both of them holding far lower positions than the two primary dieties.
==Laws==
This should include anything the religion stands strictly against, as well as for. Remove this line when you're ready.
==Beliefs==
The followers of Aclaracion believe that the goddess of Light, Primerias, was the direct creator of all things, from the world to all plants, animals, and sentient beings living upon it. She was also indirectly responsible for the "birth" of the second primary god, Unirion, who is darkness incarnate, given life (but not created) by the mere presence of Primerias. Together they had various children, the lesser dieties of Sun, Moons, Elements, and Weather.
While the lesser dieties maintain the balance of the physical aspects of the world, Primerias and Unirion maintain the balance of life itself, in the cycle of Birth, Death, Afterlife, and Rebirth. Primerias governs birth and rebirth, while Unirion governs death and the afterlife. The two work in concert to continue the cycle of creation, destruction, and recreation. The followers of Aclaracion seek to emulate this cyclical balance in their own lives, by never taking more than they need, and making the most of everything that they have. This attitude extends not just to tasks and crafts, but to caring for one's family, which is one's greatest creation and living evidence of the cycle at work in the world.
===Afterlife===
When the time has come for a life to end, Unirion spreads his cloak around them, separating their soul from their body. The body then falls into decay, and returns to dust. The light that dwelled behind the eyes of the being, taken to be a small spark of Primerias' own light, is then ushered into the sky, where the virtuous souls may watch over their living relatives and descendants until such time as they are granted a rebirth by Primerias. Those that have done well in life, by following the laws of balance, compassion, and care for family, are then granted a more prosperous life in their next incarnation. Those who have failed to uphold the ways of Aclaracion are cast back into lives of isolation, sadness, and hardship, that they might learn the value of what they had, and wasted, before.
==Traditions & Practices==
===Races===
==Lore==
Category:Religions