Heresies of Asahumu Polytheism

## Heresies

After the creation of Asahumu Polytheism, those who did not accept the teachings of the religious movement were considered heretics by it. This categorises each nation's heretical religious beliefs, although it should be said that within Asahumu Polytheism national religions have not disappeared, instead just leaning into their place within the woven narrative. Atheism or foreign religions are not part of this list, although practices such as Hero Worship are expected to follow the moral teachings of the movement with no requirement to take the woven narrative as literal. Most instances of secular and religious life overlapping in these religions has been incorporated into sects of Asahumu Polytheism.

## Calain Nationalism (Pentarchy of Calai)

While less of a codified religion, the main mythology of the Calai, that caused the hundreds of years of internal war before their unification was that of differing beliefs over the Great Uniter. The Uniter, a figure not depicted nor given any description in any regional/religious texts, disappeared hundreds of years ago after unifying the Calain tribes. The various tribes have different ideas on if the Uniter was a god or not, if it was some sort of creature, it’s gender, and many other differences. Sang believe for example that with conquest eliminated by the founding of Calai, that the only way to ensure their return is the spilling of blood. The Don believe that financial success through any means possible is what will ensure its return, turning their hills into the wonderous mountains of far away, filled with precious gems and gold. Every tribe has their own ideas of what the Uniter will bring on its return, usually closely relating other values and culture. The 'religion' is referred to academically as 'Calain Nationalism' or as 'Hero Worship'.

## Solism (Solyn)

The religion of all peoples of Solyn is called “Solism,” and follows the morals/beliefs of the first ruler, Sol, which are represented in their laws. The subjects believe that Sol can speak to the gods, and so they follow him. After Sol’s death, his subjects make him their official god.

## Asahu (Sumuher)

Asahu, the religion of the Black Sun. Worshippers of the solar eclipse, holding the Sun and Moon as almighty. The foundation of the religion lies with the creation of the world.

The Sun, Father of Fathers, and the Moon, Mother of Mothers, are the two all powerful spirits. One day they looked out into the void and were struck by their loneliness. They talked. They talked and talked for eons. Create anew, they decided. Create a world, filled with life and interesting things for them to watch over and love. So they each split their spirits in half, and combined the halves together to sculpt and mold the land, the seas, the sky, the critters and plants, the winds and rains, and most importantly, the Sumuher.

The core belief is that all things share the same soul. In death, one is merely returned to the Sun or Moon. In life, all things are equal, as all are sculpted from the same clay. In practice, the Sumuher do believe themselves somewhat superior to others. They see themselves as the most loved creation, the most perfect image created by the Sun and Moon.

Temples are prevelent across the nation. Being a member of the clergy is one of the most respected positions. All learning an education takes place in a temple. All scholars, writers, artists, engineers, architects, and other educated, skilled workers go through a temple at some point. The Temple of Temples of Asahumu is the largest temple in Sumuher, with the largest archive of all knowledge in the land. While skilled workers can learn at any temple, only at Asahumu can clergy be trained. Clergy members are keepers of libraries and all of the knowledge known to the Sumuherans. They conduct research and experiments and are constantly improving the way of life and technology of the nation.

Shrines are any construction, small or large, dedicated to a spirit. These can be to specific spirits, like the spirit of a certain river, or to general spirits, like spirits of water. The belief is that praying at these shrines will give the person a specific boon, such as greater strength, quick winds, fortune, among other things. Seals, small inscriptions or written poetry, are placed on many objects, clothing, and buildings, to achieve the same effect. One might place a poem seal to stone spirits on a building to give it strength.

All law enforcement comes from the temples as well. Police, lawyers, and investigators form a division within the religious hiearchy.

## Jhiral Iral (Lusjhusēkē)

The most common religion in Lusjhuseke is Jhiral Iral. The followers are known as Jhananiki. The religion believes that the gas giant is a benevolent god of darkness, fertility, and all that is good. They also commonly, but not always, believe the sun is a deity of light, drought, and all that is malicious. It is common practice to partake in Jhanilomin as well as feasts on the full moon. Jhiral Iral is, even if not practiced through ritual, generally very open in what it allows meaning that Lusjhusekens dont argue over religion often. It is so culturally signifigant to their unification that it is on the nations flag.

#### Beforelife

The people who follow Jhiral Iral believe that Jhana places souls in a vast desert filled with spiraling structures and odd creatures to cultivate or cleanse the soul before it it sent to a body.

#### Afterlife

When someone/thing dies, their light/soul is believed to return to Jhana so it can become part of the whole once more and later be used to fuel more life.

#### Jhanilomin

This is a ceremony or ritual rite that individuals do, usually the night of a full moon, where they will stay up for two days with no rest, metitating or creating for Jhana. It begins on sunset, and ends after sunrise of the second day. The things created can be artwork, effigies, weapons, clothing. It matters not.

## Waka’ta (Lok'talu)

The most common and official religion of Lok’talu is waka’ta. Waka’ta teaches that all things in the world are inhabited by wota descended from the creator god Ek’wota. Ek’wota transforms between the Father-side and Mother-side depending on the season. In the dry season, Ek’wota is the Father, harsh and demanding of the people. During the dry season, the people of Lok’talu celebrate the element of earth and fire by having large bonfires and dances called woa’woa. Each woa’woa is conducted by an individual community (talu) who have developed their own songs and dances distinct from other communities. Ultimately, though, the woa’woa ends with a prayer to Ek’wota the Father for a swift end to the dry season.

In the wet season, Ek’wota becomes the Mother and brings life back to the world with grace and wisdom. The people celebrate the elements of earth and water with woa’woa centered on the gathering of water into central pool, whether natural or crafted, which each member of the talu then bathes in.

There is no formal hierarchy for waka’ta. Each talu may choose a representative to liaison with Ek’wota and make specific prayers or offerings. Usually a talu will change their representative each season, to correspond with whether Ek’wota is the Father or the Mother. Each talu may elevate certain wota to a higher status of worship, but never to equal or beyond Ek’wota.

## Sheshanite Spirituality (Ke-Seshan)

Common Seshanite religion is based around reverence, offerings and prayers to many lesser nature spirits of trees and animals in the form of idols. Meanwhile the royal household appeases the two true gods and great spirits, the divine couple An and Sesh of the Stream and Sea, respectively the Queen and King of all spirits. They are equal in power and ability and love each other, yet are both shrewd, cunning and ambitious so as to be in a constant state of attempting to overthrow the other. The High Priest is expected to maintain the balance between them while the Queen's power is derived from An and the King's power is derived from Sesh. Commoners are not expected or permitted to pray to the two great gods, since it is believed that their capricious and distant nature means they can only be accessed by the royal family who they have chosen as their medium to humanity. Rather, commoners may pray and make offerings and sacrifices to lesser spirits. The most popular of such spirits is Ras the Sun-Spirit, the great Bull-King of The Heavens, who makes war with darkness every winter and emerges victorious in time for the harvest.

## Havlenot Paganism (Havledon)

Havlenots generally believe in a polytheistic explanation for the world. They use pagan gods to explain their history and the science of things that cannot be explained. Havlenots do not believe in an afterlife, nor does their religion impose a moral or ethical code. There are very few religious sites, as worship of the gods is generally frowned upon.

## The Four Selves (Priataz Itoni)

Pria’Than have one main religious sect as of now, their species having a fairly stable culture currently with little differences between planets and sectors. The majority of spiritual Pria’Than used to follow a religion titled The Four Selves, this group believed that they were given form by four divine siblings who all worked together in order to give life to their planet.

Anudara, the eldest, was the most caring, and helped the siblings stay together, reminding all of them of their great purpose. Enundo, the youngest, was the most curious, always hoping to discover something new about their planet and the universe as a whole. Kakathun, the largest, was a being of immense vitality and great strength, they protected their siblings and the planet from all threats, devoting their life to others. Finally Seriath, the smallest yet most precious, they were the one who gave the planet water and plants, they gave it weather and sun, and most importantly, they gave it the Pria’Than.

After the Pria’Than were created, their deities left, never to be seen again. It is said that in their darkest time, the deities shall return, bringing forth a light to fight the dark.

The religion is not organized very strongly, though Ambassadors typically take the role of religious leaders in larger communities, they have very little lawful power, instead simply preaching the teachings of unity to create a better world, as the Four Siblings did so long ago.

## Ak'chaas (Kessho-kō)

Ak'chaas is the belief in the life around you. Followers of Ak'chaas usually give praise and thanks to either ancestors who will oversee and help with a task or nature spirits whom will offer general guidance and wisdom. There is no formal hierarchy or organization of the religion beyond most settlements having a Shaman and perhaps an apprentice. Shamans tend to handle community ceremonies and general wellbeing of the followers rather than upholding any actual religious duties. The close ties of the Chapas peoples mean many ancestors are shared throughout their lands.

## Temples of the Vine (Pieua Pioh)

At the beginning there was nothing. Nothing but the barren land and wine red sky. It is not clear how things came to be in our world, but the pioh theologians tend to agree that for the world to end eventually,  the world needs to begin, so it is only logical that the sprout of life came out of the waterless wasteland. The vine plant grew for eons until it reached the sky's dark red cape and penetrated it, impregnating the sky with the first five gods, the children of the fruit. But the earth grew jealous,  because it itself wanted to become the bearer of life.

Once the plant-father fell asleep the earth took advantage of it and became the mother of the thorns, the underbelly gods who  feed on ones too daring to get close to the father itself.

But the Piohil, the piohs ancestors were neither children of the fruit or the thorns, because they came out of the pure  vine parent. After the vine had grown complete and ejected his 15 children upon the world, five of fruit above, five of the thorns below and five of the kings to be.

Just like their mother, the thorn gods and goddesses disapproved the other children of the vine, and schemed to kill them and  take their place as rulers of the sky and land themself, they understood that five cannot rule over three kingdoms, so they fought among themself until Bacce and Marraw. The remaining gods of thorn then went and took control of the land, killing Barim of the fruit gods, and three of the Piohil, leaving behind only Poliau and Hadae.

Tuzum, the new ruler of the sky, banished Duma, Kilup, Buima and Tzadim.

Rano, killer of the Piohil, took over the earth and chopped off father-vine, leaving only small remnants of him, the forests that grow today.

Viven never left the undergrounds  and is not involved in the godhood war, only serves as a gatekeeper of the dead, who belong in the kingdoms of Bacce, Marraw and Barim, the dead gods.

Today the main godworks is the work of Poliau, the waving of stories and prayers into the fabric and painting on the temple walls, praying for the banished gods to return and free them from the cold, war and sickness of the thorns.

The worship of Viven is done by the priests of the graves, a small cult inside the Poliau temple who are the only ones allowed to touch dead bodies, and to assist them to their afterlife.

There are only three main holidays celebrated.  The “Pa'', a day that all parents take the young children to the temples and let them learn the myths of the Pioh, The “Kapa '', day of puberty. Once a year all the 17 years old teens gather in the main hall and draw upon their family pillar.

The last holiday is the day of the gone, where all people go to the streets and paint the ground from the graveyard to outside the city in red to guide the dead spirits to the kingdom of Barim, their heaven.

## Metatext

Credits for the religions can be found on nation pages or the credits section of Calai of Three Lakes. These religions were previously on the individual pages of each nation before being removed.