Tuulasahja

**Tuulasahja**, **The World Hearth**, or simply, **The Hearth** in Anethenian Commontongue, is a semi-atheistic religion crafted by the gremlins native to the northern continent over several thousand years ago. Its theology centers around the worship and veneration of fire as a concept of all-consuming destruction and warm creation referred to as Tuulasahja. This word technically has no Commontongue equivalent and is simply referred to as "The Hearth"

Despite being partly atheistic, there is technically a goddess: Kitaala, the shadow and the bringer of death. Adherents to the Tuulasahja tend to rarely speak of this creature and often consider doing so to be a bad omen and indirectly refer to it simply as "The Dark." This is arguably similar to The Hearth as a concept and is cause for debate among many City Anijan Cultural Historians as to what Kitaala actually is.

## Beliefs

> *"Far before Lalaakausa was shaped by the winds and the waves, before Lalaakausa even had form, the world was a dull, grey ashen husk. Upon this void, the Tuukomita, came the first ember to settle in the unformed basin, the first kindling. From the ashes resting beneath this light stirred the the first life. We know not what form it took, but know that it shaped us from the ash and clay in its own image. Using itself as fuel for the fire, this First One, this Ansaamina, melded the first braman into shape..."* - Saint Azaa
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The creation myth of those who revere the Tuulasahja, referred to hereafter as 'Hearthlings', states that in the beginning, the world was barren and without shape. This world of oblivion was called Tuukomita. With the arrival of the first kindling, and thus fire, a spark of life was given to the earth, forming shapes in the dust and ash and clay. Sacrificing itself as fuel for the fire to harden and strengthen its creation, this first nameless kindling burned and the warmth of its sacrifice sparked and even brighter and warmer life into the ash and clay it had shaped: The first bremin, Saint Oghaani.

Oghaani would go on to form the first Kingdom of the Bremin and Temple of Fire in the north, in what the Naerigans now call the Käninskagg. The royal families of all Naerigan Bremin tribes claim to have descended from Saint Oghaani.

Very little written scripture exists, but countless oral stories exist of the Saints and their exploits and teachings. Many of these stories tend to vary between tribes. Some paint them as valiant conquering warriors trying to show the supremacy of the Hearth's power and others describe them as humble monks in search of enlightenment through the flame.

### Main Principles

Though not exclusive, these are the primary rules which form the major components of the religion. These can vary heavily from tribe to tribe, but the ones they all seem to conform to are called the Prime Tenets, or Vaalsanotu.

* The first prime tenet, or Vaalsano, is *Tuulahadaka*, which means to show reverence to, preserve, and spread fire. One conforms to this tenet in many ways, the most notable are the Naerigan bremin queens who keep constant bonfires alight somewhere in their towns. Depending on the tribe, one can pray to or sacrifice various things of value to a fire to indirectly strengthen the Hearth. Animal sacrifice or even the sacrifice of people is not completely unheard of. The main idea is to fuel Tuulasahja, lest the Hearth die out and attract the ever-hungry Kitaala.

* The second is *Varaa Sataka*, which means to heed and respect the Coven of Kindlers, the all-male clergy of the religion. The Kindlers are seen as a fundamental guiding force that is higher even than the tribe queens. The protective nature that females have for fragile male bremin are reflected in this tenet, as it also states that Kindlers, or any other males, are never to be harmed in any way under dire consequences.

* The third is *Haamakuina*, which in its simplest form means to honor and respect the brothers and sisters of your tribe, since your tribe is your family and to hurt them is to hurt yourself. The tribe can mean anyone the hearthling associates with for long enough, including traveling companions.
* The fourth is *Silu Säsala*, which means to show hospitality and forgiveness, referring to respecting unarmed visitors and those on the run from their enemies while also showing profound respect to an enemy that has surrendered. This is usually invoked by a tribe that has lost a conflict with another, going into the house of the victor to ask forgiveness; a sort of chivalrous surrender.
* The fifth is *Okonasi jo Kosaa*, which means to seek justice and take revenge against wrongdoers. The way in which revenge and justice are sought varies between tribes. The more feudalized Naerigan tribes tend to be more lenient with their punishments, but many other tribes favor the 'eye for an eye' approach. In some, even something as simple as a taunt would warrant retaliation in the form of inflicting pain, and if the person is otherwise out of reach then their closest female relative would suffice. This principle tends to lead to blood feuds that can last generations and is one of the primary reasons tribes split off from others to form new ones.
* The sixth is *Urulani jo Ilapis*, which means bravery and pride. A bremin must defend her land, property, and family from incursions. She should always stand bravely against tyranny and be able to defend the honour of her name. She must also demonstrate courage and pride in herself, as without self-confidence, she may as well be nothing more than a waste of good kindling.
* The seventh is *Kjunala*, which means honor. A bremin must defend those otherwise unable to defend themselves. This usually refers to children, males, and the elderly, as an able-bodied female who refuses to take action against such injustice is shamed as coward unfit even to bear the flame she's made of.