Serayanism

Serayanism ('/sir-eye-uh-nizz-mm/) is one of the largest and most wide-spread religions in the entire world, spreading across the majority of the Old World and continuing on in Voldrania. While the religion has mostly been abandoned in New Voldrania, it still has a strong following in nations such as Akarv. The religion dates back long before the formation of the Tavrosian Empire, but credits its current world dominance to it.
==History==
===Ancient History===
The early history of Serayanism is mostly lost to time and the fact that it predates most modern methods of record keeping. The known history is pieced together through countless religious texts and cross-referenced songs, poems, and spoken stories passed down through the ages. This history is not believed to be entirely accurate, but is more the history of Serayanism through the eyes of a Seryist.
:Long before the formation of empires and nations, the World was inhabited by countless tribes, and about as many religious bodies. For the most part these were cult-like, many being monotheistic with the occasional pagan and polytheistic religions scattered about. The differences in beliefs often led to skirmishes between the various tribes, usually ending up with one absorbing the other. What was typical, though, was a sense of patriarchy in these tribes; the males would lead and fight, whereas the women would stay behind.
:In the heart of the Sherig Desert, tribal feuds were often brutal and quick. At some point, estimated to be around 3000 years before the formation of the Tavrosian Empire, the ruthless Xersise('/zer-sigh-see/) tribe began a brutal campaign across the desert, having gained the strength and confidence to unite the region under its tribal war-king, Blak'Rin the Scorched. Tales of The Scorched's conquest was heard by tribes as far west as the Lurvanian Mountains through song and cautionary tale.
:A moderately sized tribe on the north of the Sherig desert, the Iru'ka, considered itself to be outside the interests of The Schorched's conquest, and thus continued on as a mere peaceful tribe of hunters and farmers. Around the time Blak'Rin the Scorched began his conquest, a pregnant Iru'ka women fell ill and passed away only three months through her pregnancy. Miraculously, the healers of the village were able to determine that, somehow, her child had survived, and were able to save her life. Not only had this child survived the death of her mother, she was born six months early in perfect health. The child was deemed to be a gift from the God of the Iru'ka. This child was named Sera'Ya.
:Sera'Ya was adopted by the tribe's religious leader after her father passed away the year after her birth, and was raised as a priestess. Though female religious leader were rare, Sera'Ya was respected, mostly because of her miraculous birth. When she turned twelve she mysteriously entered a catatonic state, causing panic in the town. She awoke after a week, and claimed that the Gods had spoken to her. A tribe with a monotheistic faith, the Iru'ka almost immediately turned against Sera'Ya, deeming her a heathen for insisting that the "Gods" had spoken to her. To plead her case, she claimed that the Gods had warned her of an impending natural disaster, that the "Old Faith" was to be destroyed for its foolishness, only to be rebuilt. The angry tribesfolk took her to the torch, but upon the eve of her execution, a great quake struck the Iru'ka's town. Miraculously, the only thing destroyed was the Iru'ka's center for worship. However, the quake rattled the sand of the deserts, and a great wind swept through, causing one of the deadliest sandstorms the town had ever seen. It is said that one brave individual, Sera'Ya's foster father, pushed through the deadly sandstorm to cut her free from her binds. Almost immediately, the sandstorm subsided. In awe of these events, Sera'Ya was spared, and some began to listen to her words. It is at this time she is believed to have first preached about the "Father of the World".
:::::"O Father, great Father of the World,
:::::You who formed the world and all who live,
:::::Your family who gift us knowledge,
:::::Who gift us agriculture and art,
:::::We humble children believe in you,
:::::For paradise we will follow you,
:::::Equal all are we in your grand world,
:::::Be we heretic or true believer,
:::::O Father, Great Father, My Father.
:While some began to believe in the words Sera'Ya preached, many still doubted her. Nevertheless, few doubted her as a miracle, and her unfathomable foresight. As years passed, Sera'Ya would enter her catatonic slumber's on a yearly basis, only to awake and either predict a calamity, or perform a miracle. As time went on more began to follow the teachings of "The Father of the World", as she called him, and Sera'Ya was honored as his prophet. While the other Gods in this were slowly being acknowledged, only The Father was honored.
:One year, when Sera'Ya was twenty-seven years of age, she awoke from her catatonic state in a panic. The word she spread was not a warning of disaster or promise of a miracle, but the foretelling of the destruction of their village, by The Father's evil sibling, a soulless deity known as "The Demon" who wanted only to conquer and burn. Many did not want to believe this story, and panic spread. Sera'Ya urged that this threat could only be handled by putting aside the pride of the Iru'ka, and all collectively working as one to protect their home and their livelihood. This meant abandoning the idea that women were not to fight, lead, or generally partake in the defense of ones home. This meant acknowledging that all were equal in the eye of The Father, and working as one to protect themselves from The Demon. The townsfolk were not swayed by this, reluctant to abandon their traditionalist ways. Sera'Ya pleaded, but few listened.
:But then they came, a raiding party serving under the order of Blak'Rin the Scorched. Their coming was foretold by Sera'Ya, and the men of the Iru'ka bravely prepared to defend themselves, but found that, even before the battle began, they were outmatched. Sera'Ya still pleaded her case, to no avail. And so the Xersise attacked, and as predicted, the battle was to be lost. Desperately, but bravely, Sera'Ya herself took up the sword and joined the battle. Songs have been sung for millenniums about the bravery and passion with which she fought, striking down many of the invaders. Many of the other women in the town, inspired by Sera'Ya, joined in the battle behind her. The Xersise, who were unaccustomed to fighting women or even being remotely challenged, tactically retreated to reevaluate their strategy.
:Sera'Ya was scorned by the leaders, but quickly praised and honored by the Iru'ka as a whole. It became clear that the only way to best the The Demon's army was to work together, as one. To double their numbers and believe that they are all equal, in life as well as on the battlefield. As the Xersise prepared their next move, the town collectively worked together to prepare. Fortifications were made, all were trained, and the Iru'ka were prepared. But when the Xersise again attacked, they were personally led by Blak'Rin the Scorched. The Iru'ka fought bravely, fighting off an army five times the size of their own. But the battle came suddenly to a halt when Blak'Rin himself entered into battle with Sera'Ya, easily overpowering her and stabbing her through the chest. As she died, Sera'Ya spoke to Blak'Rin:
:::::Bastard of The Demon,
:::::Hear the Great Father's word,
:::::Your evil shall perish,
:::::Your hate will be your end,
:::::The Father and his kin,
:::::Show you no forgiveness.
:With these final words, Sera'Ya perished at the hands of Blak'Rin the Scorched. Blak'Rin then turned to the Iru'ka, demanding their surrender, expecting the loss of the "Great warrior woman" to crush them. Instead, the Iru'ka came together. Not in battle, but in cooperation. It is said that all Iru'ka then stood in defiance of Blak'Rin. Young or elderly, healthy or sick, man or woman. Each of the embraced the words of Sera'Ya, her teaching of the Father of the World, and her teachings that all need to stand together. It is said that Blak'Rin the Scorched, the accused prophet of The Demon, slowly began to transform, warping into a hideous abomination weakened by the Father of the World. In a great strike of power from the heavens, Blak'Rin the Scorched was destroyed. The passion and intensity with which the Iru'ka then fought off the remaining invaders is said to be unmatched throughout all of history.
:Sera'Ya was mourned dearly by her fellow Iru'ka. A great shrine to her was built, and a vow was made to her spirit that her teachings, and the teachings of The Father of the World, would not be forgotten. From this point on, the patriarchal system of old was abandoned, there was equality and strength in the teachings of the Father. The Iru'ka became a nomadic people at this point, spreading the teachings of Serayanism throughout the Sherig desert and surrounding regions.
===The Rise of Serayanism===
Milleniums passed, and Serayanism developed a strong presence across the Sherig desert. The Father of the World was chiefly recognized as the high deity and creator of all life, while Sera'Ya was honored as the prophet and mother of his will. But it was still a minor religion in the grand scheme of the world. 150 years before the formation of the Tavrosian Empire, the formation of nations began. The tribes of Sherig began to unite under one banner, the Kingdom of Sherig, but the Seryists held little influence. It wasn't until a devout Seryist, Shen'Rah Tavros, assassinated the Sherig king and took power. Almost immediately he declared that his new nation, Tavros, was one of devout Serayanism faith, and that the Serayanist's would began a campaign to spread this ideal throughout the world.
The Tavren, as they were now known, rallied behind Shen'Rah Tavros, many fearing him and the great army of passionate Seryists at his side. And so began Tavros' conquest, spreading its influence and power throughout the world. And with it came their language and religion, forcibly shoved down the throats of all conquered regions, at the risk of death. By 49 PT on the Tavrosian Timeline, Tavros had achieved world domination, but the process of converting the world to its culture took time. Over the next two centuries, Serayanism quickly grew in popularity around the world, becoming the most widely practiced and generally accepted religion in history. Even after the Tavrosian Empire crumbled, Serayanism remained predominantly practiced around the world, though has slowly been declining. As of modern times, it is still the largest religion in the world, but is estimated to be worshiped by only a plurality of the population, rather than a majority.
==Core Beliefs==
Beliefs ultimately vary between variations of Serayanism, but there are a few core principles by which all followers of Serayanism agree with:
*The Father of the World is the high deity, and his family are deities that support him. The Demon is an antagonist to The Father who is often associated with the Nether.
*Equality, particularly between genders, is key to both strength and survival. Seryist forces have historically been stronger militarily because of their inclusion, increasing their overall numbers.
*Sera'Ya is the prophet of the Father of the World. There is debate on the events which transpired, but those listed earlier are the most widely accepted. She is honored to a varying degree by all sects.
*Seryist's believe that, after death, those who do good in life spend the rest of eternity in their own personal paradise with their loved ones and ancestors. Those who sin are erased from existence, to spend an eternity in an empty void of nothingness.
*There are certain sins recognized by the Serayanism faith that can bar one from entry to the afterlife:
**Taking the life of another
**Wrongfully and intentionally harming another or their property
**Rape or other sexual offenses
**Knowingly assisting a felon escape justice
===Figures===
Variations of the religion have their own important figures, but all Seryist's recognize four individuals as important to the Religion.
===The Father of the World===
The Father of the World is the chief deity of Serayanism, and is responsible for the creation of the Overworld and all life on it. He is a benevolent leader with an extended family of deities who each govern a certain aspect of life, including aspects of the world such as the air, the oceans, or the land, or aspects of humanity such as love or hate. Worship of The Father of the World varies in intensity, but certain subgroups of Serayanism put more focus on the world itself, rather than its leading figures.
===Sera'Ya===
Sera'Ya was a young woman, born under circumstances considered to be miraculous, who is unanimously recognized as the prophet of Serayanism responsible for spreading the Father of the World's message. Her death at the hands of Blak'Rin the Scorched was a rallying call for her people, the Iru'ka, who had long ignored what she had been saying, and even tried to kill her for being a "heathen". She is not typically given a lot of thought in many of Serayanism's variations, but statues of her can be found all over the Old World, primarily in Tavros.
===The Demon===
The Demon is the antithesis of The Father of the World, a cruel and evil deity who saw what The Father of the World had created and jealously wished to destroy it. It is commonly believed that he possessed the warlord Blak'Rin the Scorched in order to cause destruction and death across the Overworld, but failed when the Iru'ka united behind the teachings of Sera'Ya and struck him down. The eventual discovery of the Nether led to the belief, especially in Lurvanian Orthodox, that The Demon created The Nether to that he might control his own world, one which was ultimately destined to destroy The Father of the World's Overworld.
===Blak'Rin the Scorched===
Blak'Rin the Scorched was a brutal warlord of the Xersise Tribe who committed atrocities across the Sherig Desert in his conquest, earning a reputation as an unbeatable and merciless tyrant. He eventually led his war party to territories owned by the Iru'ka, an event forewarned by Sera'Ya, where he effortlessly raided until confronted by Sera'Ya herself. She struck down many of his men before he struck her down himself, an act that inspired and united the Iru'ka behind her teachings. They stood together against Blak'Rin, and The Demon sprang forth from his body to strike them down, but ultimately was not victorious.
==Variations==
In modern times, there are multiple variations of the Seryist faith. Few claim to worship Serayanism-proper, but rather the variation they follow. A list of the noteworthy variations is as follows:
===Lurvanian Orthodox===
The single most prominent body of Seryists, Lurvanian Orthodox evolved in the Lurvanian Mountains when knowledge of the Nether became more common. Those that follow the teachings of Lurvanian Orthodox believe that the Nether was a creation of The Demon out of jealousy of his brothers perfect Overworld. As such, the Nether and Overworld are in a constant power struggle. It is believed that The Demon is constantly trying to destroy the Overworld and turn it into a new Nether, or to simply merge the two. It is believed that both The Demon and The Father created champions who would defend each realms ideals.
Other realms besides the Overworld have also been acknowledged by Lurvanian Orthodox, as well as magic. Each of these realms were also created by The Father or his family, but none are as perfect, large, or diverse as the Overworld.
Lurvanian Orthodox is followed around much of the world, and dominated much of Voldranian faith. In New Voldrania it is, ultimately, a minor religion, followed primarily in Akarv and partly in other Voldranian nations such as Equis and Teas.
===Interferism===
Interferism isn't usually thought of as a Serayanism variation, but finds its roots in the core beliefs. Interferists acknowledge the gods and the Father of the World, but do not believe he is the creator of all things. They see him as a guardian, and as a holy figure that undeniably exists and has helped life evolve, but did not create it. As such, Interferists worship the natural world itself, and advocate against the interference with other realms, not meant to be linked to or even accessed by the Overworld. Interferists, in general, are pacifists who resort to violence only in self defense. Exceptions always exist, but the bulk of Interferists won't even hunt for food unless their survival depends on it. 
"Extreme Interferism" is a closely related offshoot of the faith that believes all of the same things, but are far more aggressive and even violent about their beliefs. Extreme Interferists are often seen as angry, hateful people who for whatever reason not only wish to avoid contact with all realms or magic, they want to destroy any means of their existence. While few actually follow through on some of their more violent ideals, extreme Interferists are often far more secluded and significantly more paranoid about inter-realm travel than even the most devout of their faith.
==Criticism==
*One of Seryism's core principles is equality. However, there has historically been a "survival of the fittest" mentality among followrs of the faith. While equality between gender may be universal, the disabled have historically been discriminated against, especially following the Tavrosian Empire. This has not been as much the case in Voldrania, where war is less prevalent, but it has not completely gone away.
*Even before the Tavrosian Empire, Seryists have been known to be headstrong, sometimes overly passionate, and even aggressive in their ideals. They often have a hard time accepting people denouncing or rejecting their religion, and usually fail to understand others. They are not unwilling to cooperate with followers of other faiths, but often look down on them.
*Certain variations of Serayanism are known to be more pretentious than others, such as Interferism. In general Seryists are known to be very proud and slightly elitist in their beliefs, and condescending to anyone who disagrees with its core principle of equality.
*Seryists will often get angry when defending their beliefs, raising tensions far above what they need to be.
__NOEDITSECTION__
Category:New Voldrania Category:Voldrania Category:Old World Category:Religion