Aiurism

## Common Knowledge

Most Aiurians have some bizarre fixation with symmetry, mathematics, and regular shapes. This has influenced global politics, as Aiur famously engaged in brutal border wars solely to maintain a perfectly square country, to say nothing for their terraforming work on their northern coastline. Much of these beliefs can be traced back to their holy book, the eponymous Book of Aiur.

## Beliefs

Aiurians believe that the world in which they live, their “reality”, is one of infinite realities which compose an infinite “hyper-reality”. Each reality, including the abstract concept of hyper-reality, has four parts: “Existence”, the sum total of all things that exist and what makes them the way they are, chairs and their “chair-ness” for example; “Space”, the literal space in which things exist which includes both the world and cosmos as Aiurians perceive it and infinite hypothetical higher planes of space which exist at 90-degree angles to three-dimensional space; “Energy”, the force connecting the other aspects of reality which Aiurians experience as magic; and “Time”, which is an endless circular cycle of creation and destruction from which little can escape.

This organization of reality also applies to hyper-reality, which is split into: “Hyper-Existence”, the concept of thoughts, ideas, and matter which contains all others; “Hyper-Space”, all hypothetical Spaces which could exist, in all possible permutations and combinations; “Hyper-Energy”, the concept of infinity itself, which is described only in riddles and personified as a benevolent god called “Hyperion”; and “Hyper-Time”, another endless circular cycle of creation and destruction, with the added caveat that it contains all possible ways time could advance and all possible choices and outcomes.

In order to escape the cycle of destruction, Aiurians believe that their minds can escape reality using hyper-existence. Since time is circular, and since hyper-existence is larger than time, by expanding a perfectly-symmetrical cube of a mind’s thoughts through reality, a mind can grow larger than time and escape it. This process involves maintaining a symmetry of thought while those thoughts are still contained within time. Broadly speaking, this requires making as many things symmetric as possible. Doing so releases their consciousness from their reality, freeing them from the cycle of their time. This process still leaves a mind at risk of hyper-time’s end, but can be re-applied to escape from hyper-time and hyper-reality. Upon escaping hyper-reality, the mind exists in a state of infinite power and knowledge which they share with their loved ones and community forever. This heavenly state is called “Hyper-Infinity”, and is the ultimate goal of Aiurism.

Aiurians believe that millennia ago Hyperion contacted a traveller named Jesse Aiur, and explained to him and him alone the truth of reality. Aiur wrote down Hyperion’s teachings to the best of his ability, creating the Book of Aiur, left it at the central point of his reality, then followed Hyperion’s guidance to attain hyper-infinity himself.

To summarize, Aiurians believe that their world is one of an infinite number of worlds, each of which they can observe only a small section. By following the words of the Book of Aiur, Aiurians achieve immortality and omnipotence in a perfect state of being with the company of every other Aiurian. Without willingly following the word of the Book of Aiur, people and their minds are predestined to oblivion when time and hyper-time inevitably end to begin again.

## The Worshipped

Aiurians worship Hyperion, the being that deigned to assist them in their ascension process, and Jesse Aiur, the man through which they spoke. Jesse Aiur is the primary focus of worship and reverence, and is believed to have lived the most symmetrical life that can be lived.

Hyperion, the personification of infinity itself, holds absolute dominion over all realities and ensures that various forces of the universe function. Despite being both a god and the concept of infinity itself, Hyperion can never escape the flow of hyper-time. As the embodiment of infinity of hyper-reality, he will always be bound to hyper-reality and subject to the destruction and rebirth of hyper-time. By influencing hyper-time in small degrees, he can reveal the path outside hyper-reality to other mind, guiding others to a freedom he can never possess. Hyperion is worshipped as a tragic figure, dedicating its infinite existence to saving as many minds as it can from the same doom it faces for eternity.

Without properly worshipping him, Aiurians also have a strong reverence towards the founder of the country of Aiur, Emperor Theodorus Reclilt, who discovered the Book of Aiur and spread its teachings. At present, neither Hyperion nor Jesse Aiur are real deities.

## Religious Practices

Aiurians adhere to the strict guidelines set in the Book of Aiur, most of which involve leading and maintaining a “symmetric” life. This includes molding food and animals into certain shapes to help improve your ascension, living in symmetrical spaces, using symmetrical furniture and appliances, and the rigorous stamping out of irregularities. These practices, though often seeming silly, will guarantee followers passage into a life of omnipotence and infinite potential.

The lives of adherents to Aiur’s Word are expected to follow a rigid formula: the infant who comes to know itself; the child who comes to know the world; the parent who comes to know the infinite through their children; and the grandparent who comes to know time as their end approaches. Therefore it is expected that Aiurian couples should at least raise children, if not have their own.

Ascent through Aiur requires understanding certain ideas, whose symmetry will allow a mind to advance to a higher level of reality by means of its dimension of beings and ideas. Each idea encapsulates the truth about one of the four hyper-dimensions of hyper-reality, which when fully understood will allow a mind to enter hyper-infinity. These ideas are, in order: the Self, which can be understood through many different ways but is usually the last one an Aiurian believes they understand; the Universe, which is understood through study of the sciences; the Cosmic Order, which is understood by the study of magic; and the Unknowable, which is understood by acknowledging that somethings are beyond the scope of a mortal mind. Each of these are pursued by Aiurians to some degree. The practices involved in understanding all four hyper-dimensions all produce a reverence and worship for the concepts of order and symmetry.

### Celebrations and Holidays

Aiurians celebrate the seasonal solstices and equinoxes with an unnatural fervor, as they believe them to be axis of time's quadrality and periods of change between each period of time.

Aiurians also celebrate Herald's Day, a mid-spring celebration dedicated to Emperor Theodorus Reclilt, supposedly on the day he discovered the Book of Aiur.

## Religious Scripture, Artifacts, and Locations

### The Book of Aiur and its Contents

Aiur has only one sacred book, the titular Book of Aiur, which has the unique property of always appearing to be cubic no matter how it is viewed even if it’s open. The Book first defines the ultimate goal as “hyper-infinity”, and the Book itself as a “bridge of hyper-existence, which once traversed in its infinite entirety will result in the ultimate goal.” The Book is then divided into four chapters, described below.

It should be noted that copies of the Book of Aiur do not have the same magical effect as the original.

#### Chapter 1: Existence

This chapter begins with approximately 400 pages detailing accurate mathematical theorems, all of which are ultimately used to define Space in second chapter. This includes proofs for concepts of number theory, geometry, trigonometry, and the beginnings of calculus.

Aiur then describes his life in the aftermath of the Old Kingdom’s fall, and details an excruciating bibliography ending in his enlightenment at the world’s central axis. It also includes details about many political and national entities existing in Aiur’s time, which may have been tainted by Aiur’s own biases. Followers of Aiur describe this chapter as an introduction to travelling by thought, using the idea of memory to traverse realities.

#### Chapter 2: Space

This chapter semi-accurately describes the movements and mechanics of celestial bodies, aligning with real-world renaissance understanding of astronomy.

Following this, Aiur uses the theorems from Chapter 1 to define hypothetical planes which intersect three-dimensional space but cannot be perceived by three-dimensional beings. This process continues ad infinitum, until Aiur defines the universe as an n-dimensional space, where n approaches infinity.

#### Chapter 3: Energy

This chapter contains surprisingly intricate practical and theoretical information regarding the study of elemental magic, followed by pages upon pages of endless riddles and puzzles. Properly answered, these riddles and puzzles detail an even more complete understanding of Phantasmal magic.

The last section of this chapter is filled with nonsensical riddles, which reveal nothing even upon solving them. The last eight riddles spell the word “Hyperion”, which is referred to as the arbiter of hyper-reality in earlier riddles and Aiur’s afterword. Solving the riddles prepares a potential reader for grasping the nature of hyper-energy, the very concept of infinity. This concept of infinity manifests in normal reality as a god or godlike being called Hyperion, who is the one who revealed the nature of the universe to Jesse Aiur.

Many theologians throughout history have published how they answer the riddles, but answering the riddles on one’s own is considered a holy rite of passage for all Aiurians.

#### Chapter 4: Time

This chapter describes time as a cyclic torus, with a single, miniscule point of beginning and end. Reality has a point defined by time, at which time ends and begins again. Aiur goes on to explain that this means that nothing has inherent meaning, since everything is predestined and will happen again in the next cycle. This also means that life and death have no meaning, as ultimately neither will be remembered.

Aiur postulates that travel through time can be done, but it would be more difficult to travel against its current than with it. Doing either, he claims, could only travel so far in any direction, one cannot reach the opposite side of a torus by going through the middle. Aiur says he believes time travel is impossible for people, but could be wrong.

Aiur goes on to explain that ideas already contained within the Book can be used to transport a being to a reality outside of time, but would then subject that being to that higher reality’s time. In order to truly escape the cycle of destruction, one must transcend all infinite variations of time, known as “hyper-time”.

#### Afterword

The afterword of the Book of Aiur is the notes Jesse Aiur took while writing the Book proper, including his own personal findings from writing it. This section makes frequent reference to Hyperion, and includes Aiur’s personal guidelines for living a symmetric lifestyle and how he ascended. Much of Aiur’s personal biases shine through here, including his authoritarian tendencies.

### Hexahedron

The capital of the country of Aiur was founded on the site where the Book of Aiur was discovered, and is considered the holy city of Aiurism. Hexahedron is believed to be the central point of their reality, the point from which their thoughts can escape reality and hyper-reality. The exact precise location where the Book of Aiur was discovered is enshrined at Hexahedron’s center, in the heavily-fortified Origin Cathedral.

## Personage

Aiurism has no official leadership, but is the foundation of the country of Aiur and is enforced by its state. In this respect, the monarch of Aiur acts as the head of Aiurism. More concretely, there are many in Aiur who claim mastery over one or more dimensions of hyper-reality, who may be followed in their own respects. Such individuals are too numerous to count, and as such are not listed here.

## Founding and History

### Secret History

This information is fully canon, but is not known by anybody except for very old gods, but otherwise has been lost to time for millennia.

The Book of Aiur was written by Jesse Aiur while acting as the changeling puppet of a Fae in western Orelisle from the 1st year after the fall of Binturia to 111th year after (1 AB - 111 AB). The Fae compelled Aiur to write down a comprehensive summary of reality that made sense to it, no matter how long it took and regardless of how many arbitrary setbacks the Fae caused. Aiur was not allowed to detail the Fae’s involvement in the Book’s creation in any capacity, but the Fae could be convinced to help complete parts of it if it so chose.

Upon its completion, the Fae enchanted the book so that any who read it would find no flaw with its text and wholly believe it, then made Aiur watch as it hurled the completed book into a ravine and forgot about it. The Book of Aiur was lost the same way it had been written: for the Fae’s amusement. The Fae then restored Aiur’s humanity, and both departed to lands unknown. Jesse Aiur presumably died before the Book of Aiur was discovered.

### Known History

This information has been catalogued by historians, and is common knowledge to both followers of Aiurism and those living in the country of Aiur.

Following the disastrous Chimera Incident in the Reclilt-Lumberel Clan War, Reclilt clan leader Theodorus Reclilt left his people on a journey of self-reflection, convinced that their loss in the war was his doing. On his travels, he stumbled upon the Book of Aiur, and realized that only through symmetry could his people achieve victory. He returned to the Reclilt clan years earlier than expected, and converted his people to Aiur. The capital city of Aiur, Hexahedron, would be founded on the same spot where Theodorus found the Book of Aiur.

## Further Information

Out-of-Game, the Book of Aiur and the Aiurian religion are heavily inspired by the life and works of the Time Cube presented by Otis Eugene Ray, an electrician based in the state of Alabama, U.S., who passed away in 2015. This writing should not be associated with him or the Time Cube. Mr. Ray is known to have held and touted anti-semetic, racist, and homophobic beliefs. The author of this writing condemns these beliefs, and has labored to keep such influences from tainting the writing. This information has been noted here, as not acknowledging the problematic nature of the source is no different than excusing such behavior.