Damenism

**Damenism** is a monotheistic religion centered in the Federation of Libion, with significant minorities in Veronia, Lentia, West Nulunia, Fostarea, and Saeoria, as well as former colonies. In total, there are about 250 million adherents worldwide.

Damenism is a folk religion that has existed in southern Drua for at least four thousand years and was one of the uniting features of the people living there. The most important principles of Damenism include valor, righteousnous, honesty, bravery, and generosity. Followers of Damenism do not believe one has to be a Damenist to go to *Szordess* (the afterlife paradise), they only have to be a altruistic person. The oldest texts of Damenism are the *Shizaen*, a series of manuscripts written four thousand years ago advising one on the correct way of life.

## Mythos

There were two peoples in *Szordess*, a dark, barren, and infinitely expansive dimension consisting of a coastal plain between infinite mountains to the west and infinite ocean to the east. These were the *Judeh* and the *Skarim*. The *Judeh* were made of solid gold and had broad shoulders and well-built bodies, with extremely smooth skin. They were very proud and wealthy and created very advanced technology. The *Skarim*, on the other hand, were gangly and wrinkly and were very unpleasant creatures. The hostilities between the two peoples lasted a very long time.

Eventually, the *Judeh* started building a floating city made of gold (called *Rogaiyyen*) to fly over the infinite ocean and be far away from the *Skarim*. The *Skarim* had a much more powerful military and were centered around a tall palace called *Venikeon*. However, a bridge was still built between *Rogaiyyen* and *Venikeon* to connect the two peoples. The *Judeh* began to develop a variant of their species with extremely strong magic powers, called *Rhudaisen*, to defend against the *Skarim*. However, the *Skarim*, hating magic, were disgusted by this and demanded that the *Rhudaisen* be handed over to them lest they invade and destroy *Rogaiyyen*.

The *Rhudaisen* were forcibly taken to the *Skarim*, among them one named *Damarthisterun*. The *Rhudaisen* were tortured for fifteen years during which the *Judeh* turned a blind eye. However, *Damarthisterun* and some other *Rhudaisen*, including *Caevirunae* managed to escape and destroy the *Behuruk*, a crystal which since the beginning of time had made the *Skarim* immortal. The power released by this split the dimension into two: *Evordess*, remaining in the same state as it was in that moment, and *Szordess*, where the story continued. The party of *Damarthisterun* fled to *Rogaiyyen* where they rallied the *Judeh* to defeat the *Skarim*. However, every *Judeh* and *Skarim* died in the ensuing battle, as well as almost every *Rhudaisen.*

The only three that survived were *Damarthisterun*, *Caevirunae*, and *Vaezenaeris*, who renamed themselves to *Damen*, *Cavera*, and *Vizier*. They used their power to create the universe Yuzoa is located in and built a new *Szordess*, one to be a paradise. *Damen* and *Cavera* were married and *Damen* became the god of this universe, while *Vizier* worked as the embodiment of *Damen* in the universe, since *Damen* himself rarely travelled into the universe. *Damen* still watches over all in the universe and takes care of them.

Through being righteous, a person will go to *Szordess*, now a paradise where all are perfectly content and virtuous. However, if one is not righteous, they will reincarnate and live a new life, which can happen up to ten times. If they reincarnate ten times and are still sinful, their soul will forever be trapped on *Evordess* for one hundred thousand years.

However, in the final battle, which will happen after the one hundred thousand years, the souls of those in *Evordess* will go to *Szordess* and destroy it in a final battle. A gate to a new and even greater *Szordess* will be opened. However, *Damen* and *Cavera* must sacrifice themselves to hold the forces of *Evordess* in the old *Szordess* before destroying it. The greatest and most valiant heroes from the universe will become the new gods and create a new universe that will never have an end.