Golden Times Gate

## Overview

**Golden Times Gate** is a Religion present in the Kingdom of Fjellheim, specifically the grand city of Hel'et, the Financial Capital. Started by **YggdrasilXX** as it's leader, it is fighting for dominance in it's respective city against **Spirits of the Violet Sun,** who came after.

### Poem to the Forgotten Lord

A poem in the beginning of the holy scripture, "**The Tome of Time**" that describes their Forgotten Lord and the Realm of Zero

*Count the clock, tell the time*

*There is no rhythm, no rhyme*

*For it has lost its meaning*

*From the very beginning*

*A forgotten lord, one of nothing*

*Yet consumes everything*

*With no way to see the ends of the strait*

*But it has one notable trait*

*A tower of gold, never rusting*

*A sphere of sand, ever flowing*

*A Vessel of time, forever ticking*

*Turning gears, forever tocking.*

## History

Golden Times Gate is a religion originating in the Fjellheim Republic, specifically Hel’et. It’s original prophet and scripture writer, Yggdrasil, had come by the Republic’s other city, Iarok, mysteriously on a snowy night. Bearing the same name as a city within, they were greeted with open arms.

After the blood rains and the enlarging of the sun, the revelation that Time was beginning to warp caused Yggdrasil, as the sole believer, was sent by the Forgotten Lord’s servants to keep the concept of time flowing through Rathnir.

The first church following Golden Times Gate, simply called "Golden Times Gates First Church" was built in the southern chunk of Hel'et, housing 24 seats and run by Yggdrasil and Trevor, the first disciple.

Before the first book could be officially publish, it was lost to the depths of the caves, wiped out by the sands of time faster than it could be retrieved. However, a new book was completed on November 2nd, titled "**The Tome of Time**" and is currently sitting on Yggdrasil's Lectern.

However, with the completion of the church and the Tome, Trevor the First Disciple mysteriously vasnished in the first months of the new year. This disappearance prompted the creation of "**The Elegy of Trevor**" as a new religious text to honor his work. Just a few days later, "**The Book of Seasons**" was created to try and re-create the holidays of old back into the modern day.

On August 10th, the first sermon was finally able to be conducted for a small collection of guests, bringing lots of joy to Yggdrasil to finally have followers of the faith, even if Trevor wasn't around to see it.

## Theology

Followers of Golden Times Gate believe in a single god known as the Forgotten Lord. It is a nameless deity, only going by the singular title. The Forgotten Lord is not omnipresent, omniscient, or particularly benevolent. It’s mere existence is what allows time to flow forward, and his worship allows him to not truly be  forgotten to the sands of time, for if he is truly forgotten, the world will be stuck in a constant, still moment.

The Forgotten Lord exists in two states. A human-like form, with quantifiable height and weight, said to be wrapped in a fleece of golden wool, and the Time Sphere, an inorganic shape that glitters a soft golden glow. The sphere is directly tied to the creation of the sands of time, allowing new ones to be made, and old grains to fade away. It’s human-like form is said to be for communicating it’s thoughts and emotions to sentient creatures.

To aid in keeping the Forgotten Lord existing, outside of human followers in the material world, small spiritual servants known as Tick’n Tocks record the past and store that knowledge in the library of the Golden Tower, where the Forgotten Lord rests. This tower exists in a world beyond the limits of the sky, known as Zero.

Creation was born after time began to flow, which allowed evolution to take place for the world. Plants, animals, humans, and all forms of life were allowed to be made because time went forward to begin with. This is why he is believed to be the true God of Rathnir by Yggdrasil and it's followers.

## Faith and Practice

The bulk of Golden Times Gates followers believe in the existence of Tick'n Tocks (The same creature Yggdrasil claims to be), magical spirits who record everything, even the most mundane things into a record keeping library in the Lord's Tower. Therefore, much of the faith's practices stem from making even the most mundane things of life feel meaningful to record.

Furthermore, organic material is seen as more valuable to The Forgotten Lord than the sacrifice of materials such as stone and granite. Farming and cultivating life is seen as something more virtuous than building, as structures will eventually fade away without care. Time is many things to it's followers, but it becomes fleeting when it is not spent keeping the world afloat.

In the religion's First Church in Hel'et, worship is conducted every Wednesday, less as a way for lessons to be reinforced, but rather for members to get together and spend time catching up with one another. Watermelon slices are handed out, not just to feed guests, but to be able to provide attendees with seeds so that they can further cultivate their own crops and give way to life.

## Religious Texts

As of August 5th, 2022, Golden Times Gate has three main religious texts. Their main text, "**The Tome of Time**", "**The Elegy of Trevor**", and "**The Book of Seasons**"

**The Tome of Time** acts as it's major text, outlining the major beliefs of the religion and practices. Being the longest text, it also acts as a shorthand for followers to easily understand their purpose

**The Elegy of Trevor** is a shorter text that discusses the arrival and death of Trevor, the first disciple. Detailing how his work forged into the creation of the Golden Times Gate First Church in Hel'et, before his sudden disappearance. Being declared dead, **YggdrasilXX** wrote the Elegy to solidify Trevor in history, and in the book keeping records within the Realm of Zero

**The Book of Seasons** is the smallest text, a retelling of the old festivals the Forgotten Lord's followers did in each season around their communities. It gives just enough detail for followers to have direction, but left out just enough for it to be reworked into the modern day