The Balanced Path

**The Balanced Path** (Parchuri: Shivura Batti /ʃɪvura bat.ti/) is a faith practiced in several north eastern countries, notably Parchura. Followers outside of this region are rare, but some small temples can be found dotted around the waterways of the equatorial east. Outside of these regions, followers are few and far between, though there is a temple on Sjendstrom, the southern Island of Sailand.

## Deities

Walkers of the Balance Path believe in three main gods. These gods are androgynous and genderless, and serve only in an advisory role to humans, or do not interact with them at all. In addition to this, there are several lesser deities, known as Guides. These guides, whilst deities, do not receive prayers and are just agents of the three major gods. Whilst the gods are genderless, and are referred to as such in the native tongues of followers, people from outside of these cultures often interpret the deities as female and refer to them by female pronouns. Particularly if there is no gender neutral phrasing available in their language.

* **Pravandra** - The Aspect of Fire
* **Halubati** - The Aspect of Water
* **Vishbara Harka** - The Secret God
* **Guides** - Cremation, Dance, Song, Cleansing, Life, Afterlife. Nine humans have also been raised to Guides because of their extreme wisdom and balance.

## Organisation

There is no centralised organisation for the Shivura Batti at the international level, but many countries at least broadly follow the model as laid out in Parchura. As such, that is the model that will be documented here.

### Leadership

The Shivura Batti is tended by the High Priest (Majatapattu). The Majatapattu is regarded as the Shah of the Third Crown of Parchura, and is tended by several other ranking members of the clergy (Matapattu), who perform various roles, such as tending the sacred fire (Prava). There is a council formed by the Matapattu and the Majatapattu, but it is only advisory; the Majatapattu's authority is final in all matters, even if they often functionally delegate parts of that authority to their subordinates.

### Priests

The priests (Pattu) of the Path have many duties within the community. They lead worship, help the poor and sick, and are often tasks with duties such as keeping historical records, or giving advice to those that attend their temple (Larka). In addition to these duties, they are also the collectors of their home regions. This also leads to their final purpose. Traditionally, the Shah of the Third Crown has permitted their Pattu to serve as executioners for the state. This services is provided by drawing the memories from someone, despite them not being at death's door or deceased. It is generally accepted that the individual's memories should be destroyed instead of preserved, though this is not always the case.

## Uniforms

The Pattu are recognisable by the cloaks they wear. The light fabric is orange, worked with a dark blue, such that it resembles a sunset through dark clouds. The cloak is floor length, and encircles the entire body. The bottom is weighted to make it hang close to the body. When on duty, the Pattu always were these cloaks with the hood up, and with the gauze face-covering in place to hide their face from view. This covering of the body is done so as to remove the physicality of gender from the Pattu's outward appearance whilst they are working. In addition to this, the Pattu wear the sunburst and wave on a pendant around their necks. Two rings form the remainder of the uniform. One is of silver and lapis lazuli, and is worn on the middle finger of the left hand; the other is bronze and amber, and is worn on the middle finger of the right hand.

## Practices and beliefs

### Beliefs

#### Core beliefs

The core of the Shivura Batti is that all things of the physical world are of either fire (Prava) or water (Hali). Things which are Hali are smooth and orderly, whilst Prava is associated with things that are spontaneous, or chaotic, or bring change. Neither of these things are inherently bad, however. Hali is often regarded as easy, as it often means doing nothing, but doing nothing can permit wrongs to continue or come to pass. Prava includes acts of violence. Whilst this might seem bad, violence has a place; It is Prava to rise up against a tyrannical government and overthrow it, for example. What is of fundamental importance is that the follower strive to apply Hali and Prava in the right amounts and at the right times, such that they establish Shivur, or Balance. In this quest, Pravandra and Halubati are simply guides. Neither are willing to directly intervene to help humanity after it strayed from their light long ago.

Not all things fit into Hali or Prava, though. Some things are not of the physical world. Things that are not of the physical world, or which are unknowable, are the realm of Vishbara Harka. Examples of such things include death, and magic. As humans cannot know the fullness of Vishbara Harka's realms, and because they have no wish to surrender their secrets to humans, they are not worshipped or prayed to.

#### Creation

Followers of the Balanced Path believe that the world was created by Halubati. This first world was covered entirely in water, and was teeming with wonders and animals of the sea. Pravandra grew jealous of Halubati's world, and confessed this to Halubati. Halubati permitted Pravandra to raise earth from the waters. Pravandra then used her powers to fill the land with animals of her in, in imitation of Halubati's watery beasts. Humans were the last of these creatures, and forged from Pravandra's divine fire as creatures of pure light. The fleshy form of humans came gradually, as humans forgot how to live in balance with their world.

It is the ultimate goal of followers of the Balanced Path to return to perfect balance so that they can help humanity return to their forms of pure light in the afterlife, and whatever that might constitute.

#### Recruitment and life as a Pattu

The Pattu are selected based on their attunement, which is required because of their duties as collectors. Literacy is not required to join the clergy, as the teachings are passed on predominantly through a strong oral tradition. Where record-keeping is required, Pattu who are literate can usually be found. Failing that, many illiterate Pattu develop systems for noting down information that they can use to remember the information so that it can be relayed to someone capable of writing. The ability to sing, dance, and chant are also not required, but are highly desired, as they are common in forms of worship and various ceremonies.

Their status and skills are adequately compensated with generous funding that enables them to live with a good standard of comfort. Despite comfortable living, families are rare for a Pattu, unless they are formed with others from the clergy.

Once a person becomes a Pattu, they surrender the concept of gender like the gods. Many will shave themselves bald, or grow out their hair to muddy the waters of gender more.

### Worship

The primary form of worship for the Shivura Batti is individual meditation, though communal prayer and the recounting of lessons of faith from the Pattu do take place regularly.

The temples, or Larka, are situated on the edges of bodies of water. It is expected that worshippers wash themselves in the water before entering. Once inside, the foyer contains a large bowl of water and a candle with a tall flame. The worshipper must place their fingers in the water and pass them through the flame before they enter the main building.

### Marriage

Marriage is very much perceived as an optional affair, and represents a thing of love between consenting parties. It is seldom used as a tool of politics or business, as such is simply not necessary. A marriage is not required for a union to be seen as legitimate.

### Death

The dead are disposed of via cremation. After the body has had its memories collected, it is prepared for the ceremony, including being brushed with a flammable solution to aid in the burning. At the ceremony itself, which takes place on the third day after death, priests dance around the pyre as they chant and throw oil over the wood and body. A second round of priests, acting as fire dancers, pass around the body and toss their torches into the flammable mound. Chants are said as the body burns away. At the end, a wooden charm is presented to the family, and is said to contain the memories of the departed. This is purely symbolic and has no basis in fact, though most people take it literally.