Azurian Faith

The religion of the Azure Azarchy created in devotion and service to the Goddess of Death and the preservation of the sanctity of death.

### **History**

The earliest known mention of the Azurian Faith from a grimoiric tome gifted over a century ago known as the Book of Zi by an unknown entity from the World of the Dead. The book was written by a divine man who lived and died sometime around 3,000-4,000 years ago who, upon arriving in the afterlife went on a journey through the immense realm chronicling his travel and his mysticism through to its absolute depths.

In recent history, an entity said to have originated from Sheol - known as the Hadean Nightmare - has chosen a political head for a faction to operate as agents of the ruler of Sheol - the Goddess of Death - upon the World of the Living to ensure the sanctity of death is not corrupted by those still living. The political ruler chosen, Lord Artimus III, along with the Nightmare united to form the Azure Azarchy and have begun the construction of a holy city to serve as the center piece and headquarters of the Goddess's will upon Theia.

### **Core Beliefs**

The principal doctrine of the Church of Sheol is that since time immemorial an endless cycle has continuously played out amongst the Living World. It is a cycle of pantheons, races, and civilizations all living and fading as time marches on. All things, great and small, that live will one day meet their end. It is the guiding philosophy of the Church that despite the inevitability of the death that one must not stray from your duties in life. What you are in life will forever shape what you are in death.

This aspect of reality is embodied by a being whose true name, through terror and secrecy, has long been forgotten. She is typically called Sheol, after her realm, and is to the Faith, for all intents and purposes, the Goddess of Death, an overdeity of the great cosmos. It is due to this understood truth that - while they may be respected and revered in some capacity - other deities are not a primary concern with members of the Faith as it is simply an understanding that they are but the most recent inheritors of primeval thrones that they, too, shall one day be removed from be they willingly or forcefully.

The Faith was created to be holy agents to ensure the sanctity of afterlife is maintained and not interfered with as divine intervention as a response to such interference would be a cataclysmic affair.

#### **The Sea of Water and the Sea of Stars**

It is believed by those of the faith that the vast web of darkness and constellations hanging in the night sky overhead is a vast sea of an ethereal plane that acts as the veil between the World of the Living, Theia, and the World of the Dead, Sheol. To reach the realm of Sheol through this veiled plane is considered nigh impossible though it is widely acknowledged that deific beings may reside at the cusp of the Sea of Stars. The deities who do so, however, do not stray far from the world they oversee. To venture into the Sea of Stars is to become lost in the vastness of the cosmos almost certain to be lost forever in the swirling mass of light and darkness.

Indeed, for the souls of the deceased set to depart the World of the Living, there is but one path they may take. It is said at the bottom of the great oceans lies a trench deeper than the zenith of the greatest mountain were it to be set beneath the waves. Through this trench, known as the Hadal Deep, there is a cavernous opening which acts as a gateway to the World of the Dead. It is due to this that great bodies of water are held in great importance to the Church as it is the only method to reach the fated destination that all who once lived must traverse to. This is especially so for rivers and stream as they travel through the inlands of continents providing roads and highways for souls to follow to reach the gateway.

Due to this, the blockage of any river is considered a roadblock to souls and is to be avoided as much as possible. If such an obstruction occurs, the affects to this highway of souls should be mitigated in some form to allow easy guidance for souls. This is typically done with a marked pathway of spirit lamps upon a short, stone brick pillar as it is believed that the spirit lamp's blue light is easier seen by the souls of the departed.

#### **The World of the Dead, Sheol**

Beyond the veil of Sea of Stars, the omnipresent cosmos not always seen but forever present outside the bounds of Theia resides the great World of the Dead. Mahakama, the ancient prophet and mystic, provides the only known description of the World of the Dead through his sacred text: the Book of Zi.

From exerts from this holy book, scholars have discerned that Sheol exists as a layered world where the more ancient races, civilizations, and even pantheons that have long since passed from thought and memory resides at the bottom, forever developing their realms in death into terrible and awe-inspiring wonders. Those that came after them formed layers upon layers over them all the way to the edge of Sheol, which exists as fallen landmasses of landmarks and places now passed slowly drift from the Sea of Stars into the realm of Sheol to become bound to it forever. To be in Sheol is to be surrounded by eternal mists of cold and gentle energy along with a diluted color palette. Vibrancy seems to be nonexistent in the next world though perhaps instead it is as rare as water within the Netherworld.

The Book of Zi, said to have been brought out of Sheol by the Hadean Nightmare, has vague records describing in depth the appearance of the World of the Dead.

### Important Figures

#### The Veiled Goddess of Death, Sheol

The absolute ruler of Sheol has many titles: the *Veiled Lady*, the *Umbrarch*, the *Raven Queen*, the *Origin*, the *Silent Whisperer*, the *Star of Darkness*.

Her most common epithet is simply the name of her realm - Sheol - as due to her status as the Goddess of Death her essence is nigh omnipresent within that realm though her physical form may be elsewhere. Mahakama alone is the only being to lay claim to ever truly looking upon the Goddess and that brief experience, in his own words, broke him for a century even with his divine blood and enlightened mind. He was adamant, however, that this was not done with malicious intent by simply a natural byproduct of being in the presence of such a terrifically powerful being. He describes what broken details he recalls about their meeting in the Book of Zi.

She never directly interferes in the World of the Living always using agents to carry out her will. None of the ruling deities at any known age have dared test her in spite of this. This is speculated to be due to the theorized, cataclysmic result of the embodiment of death breeching the veil between the Afterlife and the World of the Living. Even so she appears to maintain mostly indifference so long as the endless march of souls to her realm is not impeded. What the World of the Living does is their own business, not the business of the dead.

Outside of the followers of the Azurian Faith, her most present agents are the ravens that fly across the world. It was thought that ravens are the souls of crows that - once they've passed into Sheol - morph slightly into ravens and are blessed with a direct connection to the Goddess Sheol. Why this occurs is still unknown to scholars, but it is strongly believed that ravens in Theia are these deceased crows sent back to the Living World to act as eyes for the Goddess of Death.

To see a single raven is considered a bad omen for what good could come to the living if Death Itself takes an interest?

#### The Dead Prophet, Mahakama

The ancient demigod who perished an enlightened holy man several millenia ago. Upon his arrival in Sheol he made it his divine mission to traverse the many layers of the World of the Dead down to its deepest sanctum to learn the truth and scope of the Afterlife. In this mission, he became the only being to ever encounter Sheol, the Goddess of Death, and return.

He chronicled his entire journey in a holy text now known as the Book of Zi which was granted to the first Azarch in Theia to start the Azurian Faith. While never confirmed, it is believed the one who brought the sacred manuscripts out of Sheol was the Hadean Nightmare. Due to his actions, Mahakama is widely considered to be the Grandfather of the Azurian Faith.

#### The First Azarch, Lord Artimus III

Gifted the Book of Zi by the Hadean Nightmare, he was given the divine task of founding a nation dedicated to the Goddess of Death, Sheol, to act as her instruments upon the World of the Living, Theia. He has since made good on his oath and belief by founding the Azure Azarchy, aiding in founding the Azurian Faith, and beginning the construction of a holy city dedicated to the Goddess.

He is the current Azarch, the political head of the Azure Azarchy.

#### The First Keeper, Hadean Nightmare

A mysterious figure than many believe originated from Sheol itself to aid in the founding of the Azure Azarchy, it was the being who gifted humanity with the Book of Zi.

It is the current Veiled Keeper, the religious head of the Azure Azarchy.

### Rituals

Most of the practices of the Azurian Faith involve burial rites for the deceased.

Typically speaking, when a member of the Faith dies, they are cremated in a pyre and their name logged in a Record of Passing. Their names may or may not be inscribed on a memory tablet in remembrance of those who once lived yet now have passed. Their ashes are then scattered amongst natural bodies of water to help guide more easily the souls into the depths of the oceans beneath which the gateway to the beyond resides. Ritualistic pyres and memory tablets alongside oceans or rivers are commonplace.

In the event that a body of water does not connect to the ocean, the Faith may create a trail of posts to guide souls to them. This is usually done using a soul lantern on top of a chiseled stone brick block or stone brick fence. The most common time this religious ritual is conduct is if the need arises to block off or divert a river so as the souls traveling down the river may still find their way to the Afterlife.

### Followers

* LordArtimusIII
* HadeanNightmare
* Kixiru
* PermsR4Fakes
* Alvin\_Flang