Arkhaism

Arkhaism is a religion in Terra Avium, and a believer is called a Arkhaist. Arkhaism is the belief in the divine deities of the 6 domains on Terra Avium. This is the dominant religion of Terra Avium, and it is most widely believed. It takes up 49% of the Avian population.

## IDEOLOGIES

Arkhaists believe in the Five Domains and their Gods. Each Domain has 5-6 gods. They can choose to worship one, or many Gods - and they have to live by their Gods' codes and beliefs.

When birds die, they can either choose to become reincarnated or become a wind. When they become the wind, Uriimor (God of the Winds) collected their souls and fly with them through the sky, bringing winds to wherever it needs to be. Because of this, Arkhaists believe strongly that the winds are sacred, and they are the spirits of their ancestors visiting them. Birds migrate to the same places their ancestors had chosen for their generation long ago, so Arkhaists believe that the wind (the spirits of their ancestors) are guiding them to their migration spot.

They believe in Undirheim, an underworld where the Gods trapped the Traitors and the Damned-Feathered. If birds committed horrid acts and went against their Gods' beliefs, and didn't thrive to become a better person and grow from it, they were to be sent to Undirheim and have their freedom stripped away, forever trapped.

## LIST OF DEITIES

***- Forest Domain:***

+ Havizhar Ishandai: God of Festivity, Spring, Bloom and Floras

+ Osiirir Makabal: Goddess of Harvest and Agriculture

+ Amarishll Unalar: Goddess of Medicine and Healing

+ Emiranda Festo: God of Fashion, Dance, and Love (fun fact: birds pray in her name before mating season arrives)

+ Kurqqa Quirr & Kurqqi Quirr: Twins Goddess/God of Autumn, The Hunt, and The Wilderness

+ Vishi Dalmoeri: God of Undirheim, Patron of Guides, and Lord of the Dead

**- *Ocean Domain:***

+ Karavandrei Imijir: Goddes of Depths, Poetry, and Rain

+ Valkurii Amarandor: God/Captain of Waves, Coasts, Patron of Sailors and Navy

+ Arkaror Hexin: God of Storms and the Untamed Sea

+ Geshati Karnakona: Goddess of Streams, Lakes, and Rivers

+ Sekoolarii Dorunee: Mother of Sea Creatures and Corals

***- Mountain Domain:***

+ Ivarandrei Imijir: God of Judgment, Law, Codes, and Honor

+ Miirkm Xyldir: Goddess of Fortress, Ward, Mist, and Protection

+ Eestith Isoi: God of Wisdom, Balance, and Decisions

+ Darrindor Avaknak: God of Forgery, Inventions, and Crafts

+ Amabarii Ful’shi: Goddess of Caves, Ambience, and Sounds, Listener of the Earth

***- Sky Domain:***

+ Theruee Votous: God of the Sun, Flight, King of Gods, Lord of the Sky, and Father of Birdkind

+ Uoira Alarae: Goddess of Tele, Moonlight, Sight, and the Night

+ Vegnir Larus: God of Trickery, Illusions, Pranks, and Cunningness

+ Uriimor Nagrill: God of the Winds, Migration, Travels, and Guider of Souls

+ Evii Wirlk: Goddess of the Clouds, and Song

+ Ashak: Goddess of Nili, Dreams, Stars, and Guardian of the Farsee Lands

**- *Desert Domain:***

+ Vegna Larus: Goddess of Snow, Winter and Blizzard

+ Vimimir Artoriia: Goddess of Sands, Scorch, and Dunes

+ Avanor Kirdinn: God of History, Writing, and Patron of Knowledge

+ Invindrii Quii: Goddess of Venom, Poison, and Desert Animals

+ Xeirra Xirrii: God of Pathways, Trades, Bargains, and Patron of Merchants

## ARKHAISM HISTORY OF TERRA AVIUM

### **FIRST AGE**

Before the gods migrated and settled into Aderyna, it was ruled by Elementals, and their children, Giants. They rampaged the lands, destroying themselves and everything around them in a constant cycle of pain and agony. Aderyna was always in a state of chaos, never being still nor peaceful. The earth was constantly shook, and volcanoes always erupted, storms always rumbled, and winds always wailed. This period was named The Age of Before. It was until the gods migrated.

After a long time flying through the stars and planets beyond, the gods gathered together and settled down in Aderyna to start a new life. Theruee led them, and granted others their titles and power from his own magic. He established the Pantheon of Avium Divinities. The gods molded the birds and gave them thought and souls so they may lead their own lives. For a while, the gods were happy about their new world.

However, they knew settling in wasn't a simple thing. The ancient forces kept destroying what the gods created, bringing storms and earthquakes and total disorder. The Elementals tried to destroy the gods along with their creations, as they were foreign. It was a gruesome battle.

Amongst the Elementals was the Air Elemental, who were in the closest range to the gods. But instead of attacking the Gods, it grew curious and understood the Gods more. It saw the birds enjoying its presence, to soar freely in the sky. The Air Elemental began to ponder, and it realized that it wanted to grant freedom amongst the flightful. The Air Elemental eventually switched sides and joined the gods, and it caused a huge advantage for the gods. This war between the Gods and the Elementals (except for Air) would become The War of Commencement.

The Birds and the Air Elemental finally won the battle against the Elementals. The gods chopped the Elementals into pieces, and scattered them across Aderyna, forming different biomes and terrains. They had the Air Elemental loom over the other Elementals, always to keep watch if something were to go wrong. The magic of the Elementals got scattered along with their chopped up pieces. The gods used the magic of the Elementals, and granted it to the birds. The gods created the 5 domains of magic, centering around the 5 Elementals' magic and the terrains in Aderyna. They taught the birds how to use them.

### SECOND AGE

A new age was born, and Terra Avium was born. The Age of Avians began when the first building blocks of civilization were built. Avians started out with small towns and tight communities, which extended into cities, then a series of cities, then kingdoms with lands, then countries. The Age of Avians is about 5000 years old, and started when Avians began to start civilization.

The gods were satisfied, or so they thought. In the background, some of the gods were traumatized from the war against the Elementals, and they saw their creations withered and dust away. Those gods became mentally unstable (One of them is the Old goddess of the Moon, Qwui Votous, who went insane and caused the owls to go war against each other out of misunderstanding) and slowly began to hate the world they created - and they were called the Traitor Gods. They wanted to wipe away everything, and start everything anew in a different world. So they planned to overthrow the good gods. But Vegnir, God of Trickery, saw what was to come and revealed their plans - eventhough he was a neutral god. The Gods banished the Betrayers, locking them in Undirheim, weakening their powers over the thousands of years.

The Gods returned to their works, and watched culture prospered and grew, nations formed and fell, birds borned and passed. Moreover, they saw the development of Domain Magic as it was starting to get more used and new magic and ideas were formed. This age was called the Golden Age of Avians, where magic bloomed and civilizations peaked. But then a certain powerful and knowledgable Domainer and Alchemist came along, and he listened to the whisperings of Ancient Elements, telling him to release the them and the Traitor Gods. He accomplished that task, becoming a god himself afterwards, and unleashed another era of horror and destruction.

This era of war was called The Great Desolation. The Traitor Gods, the Elementals, and Giants roamed the lands once more. It collapsed the proudest cities and nations, wiped out entire generations, and rearranged the geography of the land. The Gods fought hard and desperate, with the help of the Air Elemental and skilled bird Domainers. They managed to hold on, but they knew it wasn't going to last long. The Avians were also struggling to survive. Avanor wrote out a set of rules, which became a religion named Zaldren, and other Gods assisted in the creation of Zaldren variants. The Avians used Zaldren as a guide to live through the Great Desolation.

So the Gods decided to sacrifice their physical form, using it as a barrier to chain back the Betrayers and the Elementals, and sent them back to Undirheim. Their physical forms became holy great gates to trap in the Betrayer gods. The Elementals were strapped back to the terrains, and even further divided and chopped up. Some of the Gods stole the titles of the Traitor to render them more powerless, and to prevent any evil uses of that power. Some Gods died in the Great Desolation, and were replaced by their chosen successor. Some other minor gods rose up and claimed the empty thrones of previous Betrayer Gods or good Gods who don't have successors. Uoira, Goddess of the Moon, became the first mortal to join the major Gods. "The New Gods" were the only gods who were able to have physical forms. And The Old Gods can only appear in holy temples with extremely devoted followers.

### **THIRD AGE**

After the Desolation came the Age of Recollection. The Gods announced that the elementals were gone, and that their souls were forever banished to Unidrheim. Avians began to recollect themselves and the fragments of their history, and repopulate the earth again. Avians fought each other for settlements because with the Elementals were re-scattered, Avians needed a new home. Nations began to rebuild itself from scratch and the destruction left from the The Great Desolation. It was slow and painful, with wars and territorial disputes and failures along the way, but the New Gods helped the people unite, and they tried to reteach the birds ways of the Domains. Avians were glad to have safety and a brighter future for themselves and those around them.