Tranquility of the Religions

Part of Religion in Otheia

The *Tranquility of the Religions*, also called the *Andisek* *Settlement*, officially ended the religious struggles in Otheia, and recognized the legal rights of all faiths to practice within the Augkarate without hinderance.

### Background

Otheia has long been a land of many religions. From the earliest days of its settlement, the disparate groups of Otheia had similar, if separate, religious practices, and these competed with the local Lemoszi animist faiths. However, about 800 years ago, Ra'laabreism was introduced to southern Otheia. This would mark the beginning of the religious disunity of the Otheiae. Following the foundation of the Augkarate, a new faith was created, one which incorporated aspects of both Otheiae Paganism and Ra'laabreist doctrine. This was called Universalism, and began to find converts in the urban centers and among Otheia's elite.

#### Great War of the Faiths

After the founding of the Augkarate, in the 210s, there was an incident in the Realm of Otlixa. A Ra'laabreist missionary would burn a sacred site of the pagan faith, which would inspire a response by the pagans of Otheia, who would go on to burn several sites of Ra'laabreist worship across the region. This would escalate into an all-out war between the Pagans of the north, and the Ra'laabreists of the south. While there had been Wars of the Faiths before, this would be on a scale never seen before in a war within the Augkarate.

Including a number of players, both foreign and domestic, siding either with the Ra'laabreist League or the Pagan Union, the Great War of the Faiths would be ended in 225, when the religious aspects of the War would come to be resolved in the Andisek Settlement, though a continuation conflict, the War of the River, part of the *Roral-Kinnajie Conflict*, would continue for another 5 years, ending in 230.

#### Andisek Settlement

After 12 years of war between the Realms, which took a massive toll in both money and lives, the Ra'laabreist League and the Pagan Union would send delegations to the city of Andisek in the Realm of Esehor. The city, which had been controlled initially by Ra’laabreist forces, but had been seized by a Union army the previous spring. Involving more than 90 delegations from various parties, the peace talks lasted for 9 months, and were overseen by the Augkara and the High Diet.

Finally, the Andisek Settlement was completed, and the Great War of the Faiths came to a conclusion. More than just a peace agreement, the Andisek settlement was also intended to put a permanent end to all religious conflict in the Augkarate. These terms would go on to become the basis for the Tranquility of the Religions.

### Terms of the Tranquility

There are many aspects to the Tranquility, and it has been altered innumerable times over the course of its history. The most important tenants are listed below:

1. All parties would recognise the Treaty of Sendecali of 72, in which each subject had the right to choose his or her own religion. Subjects could choose to follow Paganism, Ra'laabreism, or Universalism (this was later amended in 281 to include any religion or faith, save those which actively threaten the peace and those around them).
2. Spring of 214 was defined as the normative date for determining the dominant religion of a state. All religious property was to be restored to the condition of 214. Those living in realms where their faith was not the established religion were guaranteed the right to practice their faith in private and public.
3. Any breach made to the religious sovereignty of any person, or the attempt to force an unwilling person to follow religious law, was to be met by punishment delivered by the local Circle government, or, failing that, the Augkara's court itself.
4. Any attempt made by someone, on religious grounds, to either force conversion or to instigate violence, would be met with immediate death.
5. The above terms were to be enforced by the government of the High Kingdom, be it the Circles or the Court of the Augkara.